Willa is a bright, kind and fun little girl. This 7-year-old is known for her smile and positive attitude, and she loves to be doing something at all times.
How Your Life Changes When You Adopt
When you become a parent, your life as you’ve known it for the last 20, 30, 40 years comes to an (often unceremonious) end — and a beautiful, chaotic, enriching, exhausting, unbelievably fulfilling life begins.
Everyone knows that to be true.
But when you become an adoptive parent — even if you’re already a parent — your life will change in ways that aren’t common knowledge, and that are in fact uniquely specific to this uncommon and very special path to parenthood. Continue reading “How Your Life Changes When You Adopt”
With a Mom and Dad, They’ll Be OK
Amy Kalani, Holt’s director of adoption services for NE Asia, recently traveled and met two older children who are waiting to be adopted.
Before I even arrived in NE Asia, I knew that Hallie and Jaylenn were two of the kids I was most excited to meet.
They don’t fit the profile of child that you think about when you think about NE Asia adoption. They’re 10 and 8 years old instead of 1 or 2. They live in a group home instead of with a foster family. And both of them have been waiting a very long time for a family. Sadly, they both have had at least one placement fall through in the past.
But each of them so deserves a family of their own.
With an Open Heart and an Open Mind
As you begin your adoption journey, one small step beyond your comfort zone may be all that stands between you and your future child. But openness in adoption looks different for every family.
So, you want to adopt! After months, or maybe years, of deliberation and prayers, you’re ready to move forward. Maybe you’re still at the very beginning of your journey, researching agencies and reading every adoption blog post you can find on the internet. Or maybe you already have an agency and are eagerly awaiting the next step. Either way, your life is about to change forever.
Post-Adoption Programs for Adoptees & Families
Holt International offers a variety of post-adoption programs for adoptees and families, including weeklong adoptee camps and a coaching and education program to help families navigate challenges. Below, adult adoptee Bre Linder shares her reflections on Holt Adoptee Camp while the Choate family shares about Holt’s Post-Adoption Coaching & Education program.
As a new adoptive family, you will likely experience both joys and challenges once your child comes home. And as your child grows up, he or she will probably have some questions — questions surrounding their adoption, race, identity as an adoptee or their birth family. You both may encounter issues that you’re not sure how to handle. But don’t worry, you won’t be alone.
Continue reading “Post-Adoption Programs for Adoptees & Families”
Holden Needs a Family!
Meet Holden! He’s just over 1 year old, and he loves to be around others. His gentle and sweet personality comes through when he smiles, or when he’s being held by his caregiver. Holden is one of the children waiting for his permanent, loving family.
New Holt Family Retreat Slated for 2020
Change is coming to Holt Adoptee Camp… Are you ready?
Holt Adoptee Camp strives to offer a variety of different programs to meet the ever-changing needs of Adoptees and adoptive families. Consolidating and expanding upon current programs for adoptive families at camp is the next step in providing greater support to our community. In July of 2020, Holt Camp will be offering a new multi-day family retreat specifically designed for adoptive families with young Adoptees. This family retreat will take place in Salem, Oregon! Continue reading “New Holt Family Retreat Slated for 2020”
Right There Beside Me
Holt adoptee Kim Buckley shares photos and stories from her life that capture what being adopted means to her.
I have my own adoption story, but my mom and dad have always been major supportive characters in it. To me, being adopted means sharing in the adoption experience as a family.
Their Home is Not Safe
Families living without safe shelter face all kinds of threats — especially during the rainy season in Cambodia. Ten-year-old Linna lives in the city. Eleven-year-old Thak Kan lives in a more rural area. Neither of them have a safe place to live.
Thak Kan sits between his parents as his mom wipes tears from her eyes and his dad holds his little sister in his lap. His little brother sits on the other side of his mom. Thak Kan looks down, his brow knit tightly together. Sleepy, he rests his head on his dad’s shoulder. He is 11, but looks small for his age.
“How do you feel when it rains really hard?”
“Scared,” he says. His voice is sweet, soft and high. Continue reading “Their Home is Not Safe”
The Full Picture Of My Adoption
Last year for National Adoption Month, adoptee Mai Anh Hall reflected on adoption’s role in life — a role she hadn’t thought much about in her 21 years of life. One year later, she takes a closer look at the full picture.
Last year, I learned about National Adoption Month for the first time. I reflected on my adoption story, allowing myself to think about what my adoption meant to me.
When I reflected on my story, experiences and upbringing, my mind was immediately filled with gratitude. My brother and I both had positive experiences growing up together, as we were both adopted as infants. We knew adoption was a part of our family’s story from the beginning.
As a child, I rarely thought about my birth parents or culture. I didn’t feel out of place since I had other friends who were adopted, or grew up in Vietnamese families. I learned about the culture, ate the food and celebrated the Tet Festival every year. But honestly, I didn’t think too much about adoption’s role in my life.