Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley - Heigl and Kelley have added a second baby girl to their family. Newborn, Adalaide Marie Hope joined the Kelley-Heigl family through domestic adoption and joins big sister, Naleigh, 3½, who was adopted from South Korea in 2009. Heigl has been open about the struggle she and Naleigh had with bonding. I wish the family luck as they work to form those attachments again with another child.
Jennifer Lopez - Last week I blogged that Jennifer Lopez was interested in adoption according to Access Hollywood, but Lopez clarified her statements regarding adoption recently on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She stated that she is misquoted often, and that she has no interest in pursuing adoption. She stated, "Through the character I came to understand how people do it, because before I never really thought about it."
SOURCES:
Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley Name Daughter Adalaide Marie Hope - People.com
Jennifer Lopez Clears Up Adoption, Postpartum Depression Rumors
Photo courtesy of Chris Chmielewski
A year ago we learned about the launch of a new magazine for foster parents and others who work within the foster care system. That magazine, Foster Focus, launched May 2, 2011, in honor of National Foster Care Awareness Month, and has had an awesome first year under the leadership of its owner and creator, Chris Chmielewski. Chris Chmielewski is a former foster kid who aged out of the system to become a success story. He is very passionate about the needs of foster children and the need to improve the foster care system that cares for children.
From Chris:
"Success for me has been measured in how seriously I have been taken by the hierarchy of the system. People really seem to enjoy the fact that the mag is run by a former foster kid, especially the CEO's. I think it makes them feel like they had a hand in the success story. Also getting to meet Jimmy Graham from the Saints is pretty cool too."
Photo courtesy of Chris Chmielewski
Learn more about Foster Focus magazine and Chris Chmielewski. Foster Focus is the first nationally distributed monthly magazine devoted to foster children.
When I became the Guide here on About Adoption and Foster Care, I came at the topic very one sided and with only one point of view - that of an adoptive parent. Thankfully that didn't last as I was schooled by members of the forum, where I quickly learned that the adoption community consisted of adoptees, birth parents, as well as the adoptive parents. They each had a story to tell, and each adoption story was different. I am very thankful for that education, because now I can more clearly see both sides of an adoption or foster care issue.
I learned the value of three simple words - walk, mile, shoes.
I learned that while I may not always agree with someone's point of view, I could still learn and grow from it. Their perspective was usually born out of heartache or an experience that is often very unique to members of the adoption community, a community that exists on a foundation of loss because all adoptions start with a loss.
I started the blog regarding The Avengers movie to hear the perspectives of members of the adoption community and was shocked at the ugliness of the comments. Fifty-two comments and fourteen were offended by the adoption comment in the movie and all fourteen were able to communicate their feelings without one ugly word. But there were thirty-eight readers who stated that they were not offended, and only seven of those thirty-eight were able to communicate their view point in a healthy manner.
I have to admit, if I watched the movie, I probably would have laughed at the comment, but would have also wondered how it would impact those who may have been distanced from family with such a comment, because it made someone else more comfortable to only claim them if it was known that they were NOT blood related. Yes, I understand the point of the comment, as I'm sure others who were hurt by it understood.
It's not a matter of adoptive parents not preparing children for the real world, or the lack of mental capacity, or the inability to take a joke, understand context, or even the need for therapy.
It's about the fact that some people in this world have been labeled based solely on their adoption status. If you are an adoptee and did not experience this hurt, I'm happy for you. I can tell you that there are many adoptees who do not feel the same way.
Should adoption be off limits to jokes? No. But I do believe that it should be okay for someone in the adoption community to explain their point of view without being verbally attacked and belittled. There is value in those three words - walk, mile, shoes.
Photo © Carrie Craft, licensed to About.com, Inc.
As we're finishing up school here this week, and man did time fly, it's easy to want to just coast in to a summer of relaxation. But, while it may be the end of the school year, it's still important as a foster parent to help your foster child finish the year strong.
Is school almost out in your area? Are your kids excited for summer or going to miss friends. I have a mix here, one is excited, and the other is sad.
