Exploring Adoption

'Handbook on Thriving as an Adoptive Family' Receives Excellent Review

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:55:09 PDT

David Sanford, general editor of the anthology, Handbook on Thriving as an Adoptive Family, e-mailed me a review of the book, published on Examiner.com. David knew I'd be interested, since I wrote...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Links for 2009-07-11 [del.icio.us]

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

What Is Social Media?
These days, people seem to be getting stuck on the notion that "social media" equates with Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace. Not so. What about blogs? Social media. Online forums? Social media. Social bookmarking sites, such as Delicious? Social media.

Links for 2009-07-10 [del.icio.us]

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

7 Free Twitter Backgrounds to Download and Customize
Want to personalize your Twitter account with a semi-custom background? You can add your image and some sidebar info to these 7 backgrounds.
Athletes, teams fans embrace social networking
Everyone seems to be tweeting and Facebooking, even professional athletes. Find out who's who in the world of athletic social networking.

Links for 2009-07-09 [del.icio.us]

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Employers Trim Adoption Benefits and Other Perks of the Boom Era - WSJ.com
The number of employers providing adoption benefits decreased to 10 percent this year, while adoption costs continued to rise. Educational article in the Wall Street Journal.
Need Cheap Marketing? Consider Twitter
Basic ideas for how businesses can use Twitter
5 reasons Facebook is better than Twitter for your business
I'm not sure whether I agree which is better for business: Facebook or Twitter... it's kind of like comparing apples and oranges, since the platforms function so differently. I use both and prefer the ease of Twitter. I recommend trying both and seeing which works best for you.
5 Things Small Businesses Can Learn From Big Business Social Media Campaigns
Practical tips for businesses -- large and small -- who are developing and implementing a social media strategy. Note: BloggingBistro.com specializes in helping businesses with social media marketing. If you need a blog, Twitter, or Facebook, feel free to contact us.

Links for 2009-07-08 [del.icio.us]

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

8 Common & Critical Small Business Website Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
Your business Web site is your hub -- the pivot point for all your marketing. In this article, Dawud Miracle offers some practical, helpful tips about how to use your Web site effectively as a marketing tool for your biz.
Why your blog needs a comments policy
Literary agent, Rachelle Gardner, discusses why she decided to include a Comments Policy on her blog, and she shares her policy with readers. My advice to business and personal bloggers: Develop a simple, straightforward comments policy. If visitors know your rules, they're more likely to play by them.
135 Ways to Tweet
An ever-growing list of ideas of what to tweet about.

A Birthmom's Perspective: Adoption Will Always Hurt, But it Doesn't Have to be a Curse

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:00:00 PDT

This guest column, "Remembering the Reason," will help adoptive parents understand adoption from the perspective of a birth mom. Reprinted from the BirthMom Buds Bulletin, July 2009, with permission...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Resources for White Parents Adopting African American Children

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:51:41 PDT

A reader named Ron – who’s a new adoptive grandpa – writes: My daughter and her husband have adopted an African American baby. My wife and I are both elated to have a grand-daughter. We want to do...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Links for 2009-07-01 [del.icio.us]

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

5 Uncommon Ways Your #Business Can Use Twitter
My clients frequently ask me: How will using Twitter and other social media help my business? This brief article introduces business owners to 5 practical ways they can use twitter to boost their business. I believe in creating a social media strategy -- it helps keep you focused on WHY you're using social media and how it's going to benefit your prospects, customers, and of course, your business. Contact me at www.bloggingbistro.com if you need help creating a social media strategy.

Links for 2009-06-30 [del.icio.us]

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT

OPEN Forum by American Express OPEN | | What’s a Dry Cleaner Doing on Twitter?
In this interesting interview with the owner of a dry cleaning shop, we learn that even small business owners in small niche markets can develop a Twitter presence. It's all about strategy, baby. Learn how here.

Links for 2009-06-29 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT

Twittering adds up to home sales - Lansner on Real Estate - OCRegister.com
Why real estate agents should use Twitter.
Want to save money on your vacation? Hit up the blogs
The power of independent travel/vacation blogs.

New Online Adoption Magazine Debuts

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 05:00:00 PDT

Weaving Families Adoption Ministry debuted its free online magazine this month. RJ Caswell, Exective Director of the North Carolina-based ministry, writes: Our mission is providing adoption...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Camp for Adopted Teens Aug 28-30

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:00:00 PDT

Cindy Bigelow, founder and director of CHOSEN International, alerted me to the following: Christian camp designed especially for teens, adopted at any age, both domestic and international. Dates:...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Becoming a Multi-Ethnic Family

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:09:28 PDT

By Beckie Stewart Guest Columnist In her book, The Adoption Decision, Laura Christianson writes: “When Caucasian families adopt children of a different ethnicity, they become a minority family.” When...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Get Ready for Father’s Day Frosty Weekend

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:00:00 PDT

In keeping with the tradition that Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas started, Wendy’s has a mix of happenings this Father’s Day season where proceeds will be donated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Will Anti-Depressant Use Keep You From Adopting?

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:00:00 PDT

One of my readers, R., is planning to adopt from Kazakhstan as a single parent. She's been going through a stressful time lately, and has been taking an anti-depressant for a couple of months. R....

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Potty Training Gone Wild

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:00:00 PDT

By Debbie Jansen Guest Columnist Recently, I approached church moms with this question, “How do you plan to potty train your child?” The answers were both astonishing and alarming. “We believe in...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

New Georgia Law: Embryo Adoption an Official Type of Adoption

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:00:00 PDT

Up until now, embryo adoption has not been governed by the laws of any state. That changes July 1, 2009, with Georgia's "Option of Adoption Act." Michael Foust writes in the Christian Examiner: "The...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

If a Birth Mom Uses Drugs/Alcohol During Her First Trimester, Will the Baby be Damaged?

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:00:00 PDT

One of my readers writes: We are in the adoption process and have been matched with a prospective birth mom who is due in August. We found out she took drugs and drank during the first trimester. I'm...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Communicating by Hand in Kazakhstan

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 06:00:00 PDT

By Beckie Stewart Guest Columnist The winter of 2005 proved to be the most frigid winter in fifty years in the northeastern land of Kazakhstan. Within minutes of being outside, the cold promised to...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Is Your Adopted Child an Axe Murderer? 'Orphans' Movie Would Have Us Believe So

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:52:15 PDT

Several of my Twitter "tweeps" alerted me to a new slasher movie that's being released by Warner Brothers Pictures July 24. In Orphan, Kate (Vera Farmiga) and her husband John (Peter Sarsgaard)...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Comprehensive List of Infertility Books

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:43:32 PDT

It's always a challenge to find a good list of books on infertility, so I felt I'd hit the jackpot when Tina Smith from the Fertility Center in Chattanooga, TN referred me to their site:...

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com

Adoption-Themed Novel: Jesse's Girl

laurachristianson@hotmail.com (Laura Christianson) — Wed, 13 May 2009 05:00:00 PDT

Adoptive dad Gary Morgenstein alerted me to his new novel, Jesse's Girl . The story is about a widowed father’s search for his troubled teen, who has run away from a wilderness treatment program....

For tons more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com