Adult Adoption of a 64-Year-Old This may sound odd, but I receive a lot of email asking how one can be adopted as an adult. Does that surprise you? It did me when I first became a Guide for the Adoption & Foster Care GuideSite. I couldn't believe there was so much interest in this topic - adult adoption - but there is. So this adoption news item that I read caught my eye and sappy as it sounds, warmed my hear. It's freezing here so I was in the market for some warm news.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Lee Bevelheimer fostered Steve Harland back in 1959, and remained with the family through adulthood, but was never officially adopted by the Bevelheimer family. A few months back Bevelheimer, age 93, contacted Harland, age 64. Bevelheimer talked about his desire to adopt Harland before he died. December 7, 2009, the two met before a judge and completed the adoption. Isn't that sweet? What a great Christmas gift to Harland.

SOURCE:
Man, 93, adopts 64-year-old man - Chicago Tribune

Madonna Not Done Adopting According to recent reports from The Press Association, Madonna, age 51, said that she may not be done adding to her family through adoption. We'll have to see if there is another child out there for Madonna and her growing crew.

_{SOURCE:
Madonna considers another adoption - The Press Association}

I enjoy highlighting different children's books that may not have an open adoption theme, but may interest and resonate with children with a back ground of either adoption or foster care. Here is one such story that is perfect for this Christmas season.

Simon, a stray cat, wonders into a home one cold Christmas Eve and meets Santa who stops to ponder what gift to leave for the child who lives there. Through this meeting Simon learns that he has much to offer, especially to the children he loves, even those who call him "Stinky".

Santa's Stray is not a story that speaks openly about adoption or foster care, but is a story about belonging and feeling needed. Feeling like a part of a family is in the heart of all children who need homes, so I give this special children's book 5 stars and recommend it to foster/adoptive homes.

An extra bonus is the knowledge that by purchasing this book you are helping to feed the hungry. Santa's Stray can be purchased with a suggested donation of $5.00 with all donations going to the Lord's Diner which serves dinner each and every night to the hungry and homeless of Wichita, Kansas.

I just received an email a few days ago from a reader who is asking for supportive resources:

"Carrie, I am going through a disrupted adoption. Do you offer support for adoptive parents? I have 8 adopted children and one is disrupting. Just some friendly support would be helpful. People sometimes act like it is my fault my daughter that is being disrupted has problems. She came with many problems I did not create. Our DYFS Division of Youth and Family Services is fighting me tooth and nail. My daughter needs help, and I could use some friends."

From Carrie: I have not personally experienced a disrupted adoption, however I do know what it's like to be at the end of your parenting rope. There comes a time when we do have to let our children go in order for them to find the help that is needed and to protect the other children in the home. My advice: 1. Seek out friends who are also foster or adoptive parents, sometimes friends outside the foster care and adoption community don't always fully understand. 2. Be kind to yourself, sometimes we moms can get really hard on ourselves. 3. Seek solace in whatever faith based practice that is fulfilling to you. Sometime we need to remind ourselves of the bigger picture.

Asking our foster and adoptive parenting community: Have you endured an adoption disruption? What helped you through the disruption process? What advice would you offer this mother and family as the children will need support too. Please share your kind thoughts, and advice in the comments area. PS. This isn't a space to post rants against these parents. All of these types of comments will be deleted.

Suggested Reading:

• The Motherlode Blog Explores Adoption Termination - Another Adoption Disruption Story
• When a Child's Behavior Problem Threatens the Adoptive Family
• What Is a Safety Plan?
• How to Create a Safety Plan

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Because today is World AIDS Day and these facts shouldn't be.

"Children under 15 account for one in six AIDS-related deaths worldwide and one in seven new HIV infections - the vast majority through mother-to-child transmission, which can occur in the womb, during birth or through breastfeeding. Ninety percent of the more than 5 million children who have been infected were born in Africa.

Some 15 million children under age 18 have lost one or both parents to AIDS and countless children become responsible for the care of their siblings and other family members when parents are debilitated by poor health.""

~ From UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

Suggested Reading:
World AIDS Day 2009
HIV Around the World - South Africa
HIV Around the World - China
HIV Around the World - The Russian Federation