Family to Family Adoptions

Unplanned Pregnancy?

2009-10-05T15:55:00.004-05:00

Are you or someone you know experiencing an unplanned pregnancy? If so, first stop and take a deep breath and realize that you are not alone. Research has stated that every year 49% of pregnancies are unplanned, the highest percentage being among teenagers and individuals who do not have easy access to birth control. If you are pregnant, you have several options to consider. These include parenting your child, having an abortion, or deciding to make an adoption plan for your child. This decision will be difficult and should not be made lightly. You will be forced to reflect on past events in your life that got you to this point as well as thinking of your future with a child and how that will affect your dreams and goals. If you are at a place in life where a child fits into your plan, then congratulations on your pregnancy. It is important to immediately start receiving good prenatal care and taking care of you. If you are not at a time in your life where a child fits into the picture then you have a decision to make. Know that because you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and are considering not parenting a child does not mean that you do not love or want this baby. It just means that now is not a good time for you. Maybe you are in school working towards a degree, maybe you are on the fast track at a job, maybe you are not in a committed relationship and cannot raise a child on your own or maybe you just are not ready to have a child to care for at this time.

So now you must decide between having an abortion or placing the baby for adoption. If you are considering an abortion, you will want to consider all of the pros and cons of the process and talk to someone that handles abortions and get all of your facts first. You should also consider that there is an abortion alternative and this process is adoption. The word adoption is becoming more widely used thanks to the many celebrities and high profile individuals that have announced their adoptions. Adoptions used to be a closed process but now they are more open. Open adoptions leave the birthmother to choose the family for her child and receive updates of the child after the placement. Meeting and getting to know your adoptive family will make your adoption experience much more enjoyable. Finding the right adoption agency to work with can be overwhelming. There are so many agencies out there that it can be difficult to decide. Gather as much information about the adoption agencies that you can and then work with the agency that best suits your needs and that you are the most comfortable with. Having a relationship with the adoption professionals will also help in making this process easier.

An unplanned pregnancy is difficult and will change your life whichever path you choose. Making this decision will be one of the hardest decisions you will ever make, but by taking the time to research your options and listening to yourself, you will be able to figure out which path is for you. Your baby is counting on you to make the best decision for his/her life so let the idea sink in and then think of you and your future and your baby’s future.

Discipline Training Course

2009-10-05T10:41:00.002-05:00

Adoption Learning Partners just released a new training course called Ain't Misbehavin'. It is a course in identifying factors that cause behavior problems and teaches adoptive parents the most effective ways to handle them. You can find the course information on the website for Adoption Learning Partners.

A reminder that as an adoptive family with Family to Family Adoptions, training hours are required and this course would count towards the required number. If you have questions about training please contact Family to Family.

Placing a baby for Adoption

2009-09-09T16:10:00.002-05:00

Are you faced with an unplanned pregnancy and considering placing your baby for adoption? Making the decision to place your child for adoption is a very hard one but also a very loving one. Family to Family's staff can help you through the process of finding the right home for your child. We have adoptive families that all have been carefully screened and are waiting to bring a child into their home. Visit our website or contact us and we can get you started in the process of placing your child for adoption. If you are considering placement but are not sure and would like someone to talk to give us a call and then you can make your decision. Whether you choose adoption or to parent your child we wish you the best of luck.

Training Dates for Adoptive Families for 2009 and 2010

2009-09-03T10:34:00.002-05:00

The training dates for 2009 and 2010 have been scheduled. Space is limited at each training so please notify us if there is one that you would like to attend. Training is required for all new adoptive families that are signing on with Family to Family. The last training date for this year is December 5, 2009. The dates for 2010 are February 20, May 22, August 14, and November 13. If you are a new family signing on or are already an active family and would like to attend one of these trainings please contact us. All trainings are held at our office in Richmond, Texas.

Family to Family Conference

2009-09-01T13:24:00.005-05:00

The next Family to Family conference will be held on September 19, 2009 from 10 AM to 3 PM. The conference will be at our office at 1000 Austin Street, Suite B, Richmond, TX 77469. The conference will be $10.00 per person and space is limited. Come and meet adoptive families and birthmothers and hear their adoption stories. To sign up please contact Maxine Seiler at 281-342-4042 or max@fam2fam.org.

The upcoming dates in 2010 for conferences are January 16, 2010; May 15, 2010; and September 18, 2010.

Annual Family to Family Picnic

2009-08-31T09:47:00.006-05:00

Family to Family's annual adoptive family picnic will be held this year at Dewberry Farm in Brookshire, Texas on October 10, 2009. We will gather from 11 AM to 1 PM to eat together and have dessert. Food is sold at Dewberry Farm and no outside food is allowed to be brought in. Check out their website for directions (or click here for an interactive Google map), activities, and food selection and prices. If you have any questions or would like to RSVP for this event please contact us at 281-342-4042. Family to Family will cover the admission fee and wrist bands will be at the front gate. Hope to see everyone there.

Final Day for Fundraiser

2009-08-31T09:38:00.002-05:00

Today is the last day to write reviews and help earn money for Family to Family's educational fund. Just simply write reviews for Insider Pages online. It is easy to do. Just click on this link to our profile page and start sharing your opinion. Thank you for your support.

Online Fundraiser has Started

2009-08-12T09:03:00.002-05:00

The online fundraiser benefiting Family to Family has begun. Insider Pages donates a proceed for every review written of a local business. This is easy to do and only takes a few minutes. You can write as many reviews as you would like. The fundraiser continues for the next 20 days. The more participants the more proceeds to benefit Family to Family and our educational fund. Just sign up and start sharing your opinion. Contact Jennifer at jennifer@fam2fam.org for more information or help getting started.

Online Fundraiser for Family to Family Adoptions

2009-08-03T15:05:00.003-05:00

Family to Family Adoptions has signed on with Insider Pages for a new fundraising idea. The idea is simple. Sign up online to help out with this fundraiser by going to our profile and then write reviews online of local businesses that you have visited. Family to Family benefits from each review that you write. If you are interested in helping out with this fundraiser you can sign up online or email Jennifer at jennifer@fam2fam.org. The fundraiser is for three weeks and starts August 10, 2009. Family to Family thanks you for your support.

Tapestry Books

2009-07-24T10:21:00.003-05:00

Tapestry Books has information for all members of the adoption triad including children's books. The books are helpful for both adoptive families and for birthmothers and for domestic and international adoption. They even have books to help you get started on that Lifebook for your child. If you are looking for some more information on the adoption process, check them out online.

Summer Safety

2009-06-23T13:56:00.003-05:00

Summer is officially here and with the temperatures being extremely hot and rising it is important to remember to be safe. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has record of one of the most potential summer accidents.....drownings. This year alone 50 children have been reported to have drowned with most of these incidents occurring around holidays and summer months. Please keep an eye on children near and in water including swimming pools, lakes, rivers, hot tubs, and bath tubs. It is essential to take every precaution necessary and be as safe as possible. If you live near a body of water or have a pool, you should have safety procedures in place and your child should have proper instruction in water safety and swimming lessons. Have a safe and fun summer!

Upcoming Adoptive Family Trainings

2009-05-19T13:47:00.003-05:00

The Adoptive Family Trainings have been scheduled for the remainder of the year. The last two dates for these trainings are August 8, 2009 and December 5, 2009. Please keep these dates in mind when signing on with Family to Family and let us know which of these required trainings you would like to attend. For questions regarding the trainings, please contact Jennifer O'Leary at jennifer@fam2fam.org.

Lifebooks

2009-05-06T10:05:00.002-05:00

Have you started a Lifebook yet for your child? Are you interested in creating one and not sure where to start or what to include? Adoption Learning Partners is offering their Lifebook course free of charge for the month of May. You can visit their website for details at www.adoptionlearningpartners.org. A Lifebook is a fun way to document your adopted child's biological family history and adoption process.

Swine Flu Guidance for Adoptive Families

2009-04-29T10:48:00.003-05:00

As many of you know there have been confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Texas and in other parts of the United States. There is useful information on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for any concerns you have regarding Swine Flu. As a parent you should know the symptoms associated with Swine Flu and take precautions for your family.

Symptoms of the Swine Flu are similar to those of the regular or seasonal flu and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and coughing. Some people have also reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If anyone in your household experiences flu-like symptoms they should see a doctor right away. Please do not take a sick child to school or daycare.

To protect yourself, use good health habits including covering your mouth and nose when you cough, wash your hands often, and avoid close contact with people who are sick. Other good health habits to practice would be getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, managing your stress, drinking plenty of fluids, and eating nutritiously.

If you suspect that yourself or someone close to you might have Swine Flu please seek immediate medical attention. Please take care of yourselves and your children.

Art Auction Fundraiser Was a Success!

2009-04-23T12:46:00.003-05:00

This past Sunday we held our First Art Auction Fundraiser. It was more of a success than we could have imagined. The auction sold over $10,000 in art and we receieved 25% of the profit. We sincerely thank everyone who came and supported us as well as Perry Berns Gallery for his donation and time for this event. We are making plans to do this fundraiser again next year. Please watch our events page for the upcoming date.

Family to Family Cookbooks

2009-04-22T11:40:00.003-05:00

Family to Family Cookbooks are now for sale. Please email Jennifer O'Leary at jennifer@fam2fam.org if you would like to purchase one or more of these as a fundraiser for the agency. All of the proceeds will benefit Family to Family Adoptions and our educational fund provided to help our birthmothers achieve a higher education. The cookbooks are $18.00 each. Thanks to Tami, one of our adoptive mothers, who created and published the cookbooks for us, and thank you in advance for your support of Family to Family.

Adoptive Family Training

2009-04-15T10:36:00.003-05:00

The next Adoptive Family Training will be held at our office on May 16, 2009 from 10 AM to 2 PM. Please send questions or RSVP to jennifer@fam2fam.org if you would like to attend. This is a required class for all of our newly contracted adoptive families. Space is filling fast. Topics covered include establishing relationships with your birth parents, how to talk with your chid about adoption, Life Books, and other related adoption questions and information.

Family to Family Placement Statistics

2009-04-01T13:05:00.003-05:00

Since January of 2002, Family to Family has completed 232 Domestic Placements. We are frequently updating our statistics involving these placements and sharing them. Below is our most recent update to include placements from January 2002 to December of 2008.

Family Structure:

173 Placed with Married Couples 75%
47 Placed with Non-traditional Couples 20%
12 Placed with Singles 5%

Ethnicity of the Child:

100 Full Caucasian 43%
38 Cauc/Hispanic 16%
38 Full Hispanic 16%
2 Cauc/Asian 1%
5 Native American 2%
25 Cauc/African American 11%
5 Hispanic/African American 2%
19 Full African American 8%

27 adoptions have been with families who have adopted a second child through our agency, and 3 placements have been with families who have adopted a third child through our agency. Of these 232 placements, our average contract date to match is 5.1 months and our average contract date to placement is 6.5 months.

Please feel free to contact our agency with any questions regarding these statistic or to inquire about our domestic program and receive additional information. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Cord Blood Registry and Adoption

2009-04-01T12:49:00.002-05:00

Family to Family and Cord Blood Registry (CBR) are working together to ensure that our clients understand the benefits of cord blood banking. More and more of our adoptive families are choosing to bank their baby’s cord blood for several reasons. Banking cord blood has many benefits and has been used to treat many diseases such as leukemia, sickle cell, and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma to name just a few. Please visit the CBR website for a list of diseases treated with stem cells at www.cordblood.com.

Having peace of mind that these stem cells are available is one of the main reasons that adoptive families are making this important decision for their child’s future. Adoptive parents understand that if their child should need these stem cells it might not be possible to find their child’s biological family. Investing in this service gives them the assurance to know that they have done everything they could if their child should ever be in a situation where stem cells are needed.

More information about banking cord blood is available to all of our adoptive families and any assistance needed to help complete this process. We feel that it is important to give all of our families this option as part of their adoption plan. A complete list of our agencies partners is available on our website.

"Friends of Family to Family" Facebook

2009-03-16T11:44:00.004-05:00

Family to Family now has a group on Facebook where adoptive families can join and have a support network and the agency can keep up with the families as well as the agency can share upcoming events and news related to our program. If you would like to join this group and you have a Facebook account look us up. If you do not have a Facebook account and would like to join, message me and I can send you the invite to join. Hope to see you soon on Facebook.

Share Our Information on Facebook!

2009-03-14T07:30:00.003-05:00

Many of our friends maintain blogs and have been kind enough to mention their appreciation of our services to adoptive and birth families on their blogs. We know that others are active on Facebook and might want to let their friends know about us as well. To make this process easier, we have added a "Share on Facebook" link to the right side of this page.

The process is simple. If you have a Facebook account, just click the link and a message will be posted to your "wall". You will have an opportunity to add your own comment to the posting before it goes up.

This is a very easy way to let your friends know about what you are doing, and to tell them about our services if they have any need for them. We appreciate all the support and kind words that we receive from our many happy clients, both parents of newly adopted children and birth families who have successfully placed children in loving homes.

Children's Fashion Show and Fair was a Success

2009-03-12T14:23:00.004-05:00

Family to Family Adoptions hosted their First Annual Children’s Fashion Show and Fair on March 1, 2009. Many adoptive families and their adopted children were in attendance. A portion of the proceeds went to benefit Family to Family Adoptions and the adoption services the agency provides. The event was successful and we are looking forward to having the fashion show becoming an annual event and fundraiser. Thank you to all of those that participated and for the support of the adoptive families who attended as well as a special thanks to all of our volunteers at this event. If you would like to participate or volunteer for this event next year please contact us.

Is Vaccinating My Child Important?

2009-03-12T13:58:00.001-05:00

Many parents have opted for an amended vaccination schedule or have decided not to have their child vaccinated at all. It is important to follow the recommended shot schedule for your child. The vaccines that your child receives have all been studied and approved and are continuing to be researched to ensure that they are safe for every child. The website for the American Academy of Pediatrics at http://www.cispimmunize.org/
outlines the schedule of vaccines and other areas of concern around the vaccination schedule. For some parents the concern is the idea of having their child vaccinated might cause them to become autistic. Most research and statistics indicate that there is no link between vaccinations and autism but having your child vaccinated, even on an amended schedule, will prevent your child from becoming seriously ill with any of the diseases that vaccines are used to prevent. Consult your child’s pediatrician to discuss any concerns that you might have regarding vaccines and your child.

Children and Food Allergies

2009-03-12T13:37:00.004-05:00

The number of children with food allergies is on the rise. Most schools and daycares have banned peanut and milk products in these settings. It is important once your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy to keep medication on hand and be sure to read the labels for possible allergens. Also educate your child’s caregivers and friends to your child’s allergy so that they are aware of the risks. Remember too that even if your child does not have any allergies, your child’s friends, relatives and peers might so be cautious and always check with a child’s parent first if you are unsure. Some children will outgrow any food allergies as they age, but for some a food allergy can be potentially fatal. Having your child tested for allergies is usually recommended by a pediatrician if there is a history of food allergies in the family or if a child has been diagnosed to having an allergic reaction to a certain food or ingredient and want to be sure as the child ages that the child still has this allergy. Talk with your child’s pediatrician if you are not sure if your child has any allergies or shows sign of an allergic reaction. If your child is adopted and the family history of food allergies is unknown, it is usually recommended to not start solids until the child is at least six months old and/or to maybe have your child tested for any allergies when the doctor feels it might be necessary.

Children are God's gift: Our Adoption Agency

2009-03-12T09:47:00.001-05:00

"We drove 27 hours straight through to get from our Midwest home to Texas and arrived at the hospital when our beautiful baby was 22 hours old!"

Another testimonial from one of our adoptive families tells us again that the work we do here has an impact on people's lives. We always appreciate these kinds of stories because they remind us over and over again that our efforts are meaningful (and appreciated).

Visit our web site to learn more about the adoptive process and see how we might be of service to you in your efforts to build your family!