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There is much to know about the adoption process. Knowing what questions to ask and what specifically to research can be a difficult task on its own. We have put together a library of articles that you can start with.

Why You Want an Attorney to Represent You in Your Adoption

2022-04-01T07:36:01-07:00November 24, 2020|Adoption Education, Adoption Perspectives, Adoption Process, Domestic infant adoption, Hoping to Adopt|

At Purl, we work very closely with adoption attorneys as we guide our families through the domestic infant adoption process. Before a family actively begins their adoption process, we work with our Purl Families to determine the best professionals for a multi-professional (attorneys and agencies) approach to their adoption journey. Our recommendations always include at least one adoption attorney that is a fellow in the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (“AAAA”). As a lawyer myself, licensed in both Arizona and California, I believe strongly in legal representation at least by the point of a match with an expectant family, and separate representation for adoptive families and expectant families. One of the adoption attorneys we work closely with is Ted R. Youmans, founder of Familybuilding, a professional law corporation with offices in California and Idaho. Ted has practiced law for over 33 years exclusively in adoption, focusing on private, agency, newborn, toddler, special needs, interstate, stepparent, adult, disrupted and foster care adoption, as well as the related litigation to those adoptions. Ted is a member of AAAA and the California Academy of Adoption Attorneys, academies dedicated to the promotion and development of highly competent, ethical practices in adoption and children’s law. Today, Ted shares his thoughts as to Why You Need an Attorney to Represent You in Your Adoption.

Be the Bridge – A Guide to Transracial Adoption

2022-04-01T07:37:02-07:00November 23, 2020|Adoption Education, Adoption is Hard, Adoption Perspectives, Domestic infant adoption, Transracial Adoption (Learn)|

This is a blog post written by Gina Fimbel, MSW. She’s an educator with Be the Bridge, an organization created to empower people and culture toward racial healing, equity and reconciliation. In her post, she explains more about their organization as well as their Transracial Adoption Guide that can help prospective adoptive families considering transracial adoption, or families who have already adopted transracially. Click here to read more, or to purchase their Transracial Adoption Guide.

Born Out of Tragedy…

2022-04-01T07:38:08-07:00November 18, 2020|Adoption Education, Adoption is Hard, Transracial Adoption (Learn)|

Do you watch This is Us? It is my favorite show right now, but I have to admit I have to be in the right mood to watch it, because it is rare that I don’t end up in tears during an episode. I haven’t yet watched this week’s episode (I was too exhausted to cry last night), but the first episode of this season was SO GOOD. In that episode they discussed COVID and the racial tensions of 2020, and the impact of these events on a close-knit family, including a 40 year old Black man who was adopted at birth by this family. This episode also touched on Alzheimer’s/Dementia, and broken relationships within that family. Many of these topics really hit home for me when I watched it, and I’m pretty sure I cried for about an hour afterwards.

Pre-Adoption Consultations from the Adoption Medicine Clinic

2022-04-01T08:30:44-07:00November 15, 2020|Adoption Education, Adoption is Hard, Adoption Process, Domestic infant adoption, Drug/Alcohol Exposure, Hoping to Adopt|

Today, we are featuring a piece written by Judith K. Eckerle, M.D. FAAP, Director of the Adoption Medicine Clinic (“AMC”) at the University of Minnesota. AMC is an outpatient clinic serving families with children adopted domestically, internationally, and from foster care. AMC provides pre-adoption consultations, medical reviews, travel counseling, and comprehensive post-adoption care. Their services can help prospective adoptive families consider their preferences and openness in their adoption journey. To learn more about their services, click here.

Substance Exposure In Utero

2023-07-19T16:12:08-07:00November 14, 2020|Adoption Education, Adoption is Hard, Adoption Perspectives, Adoption Process, Domestic infant adoption, Drug/Alcohol Exposure|

This is a guest blog post written by a mom through adoption, and a former Purl family. She is writing anonymously so that we can continue to protect her child’s adoption story.

When you decide that adoption will be a means to growing your family, you’re saying yes to a great deal of unknowns, whether you realize it or not. Post-home study, once you’re working with an adoption professional like an advisor, licensed agency, or an adoption attorney, you’ll be confronted with your “preferences” for your child and the circumstances in which he or she has been conceived and born. When you say yes to adoption, you say yes to an absence of control. Click here to learn more!

Proud To Be Adopted (An Adoptee’s Perspective)

2022-04-01T08:48:50-07:00November 12, 2020|Adoption Education, Adoption is Hard, Adoption Perspectives, Domestic infant adoption, Transracial Adoption (Learn)|

To celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month, we are sharing resources to help prospective adoptive parents and adoptive parents in an adoption journey. But we think the best way to learn about adoption is from adoption perspectives, particularly the perspective of the adoptee, the part of the triad that doesn’t typically get to enter into adoption voluntarily. Today, we are sharing the perspective of an adoptee and Purl’s Administrative Assistant, Emily, who wanted to share more about her adoption story, and her thoughts and feelings towards her adoption (see her initial post here). Keep in mind that no two adoptions are the same, and you will hear both positive and negative stories of adoption from adoptees, but we are excited to share her perspective.

My name is Emily, and I’m proud to be adopted. Click here to read more….

5 Steps to Prepare Financially for Adoption

2023-07-19T16:11:20-07:00November 6, 2020|Adoption Advisor, Adoption Education, Adoption Process, Funding Your Adoption|

We are featuring a resource to prepare financially for adoption and sharing a blog post written by guest writer, Laura Coleman, AFC® with Family Money Coaching. Laura is an adoption money coach from Tennessee. She and her husband adopted 3 children. You can follow her blog and podcast at www.familymoneycoaching.org. Click here to learn more about her suggestions for preparing financially for adoption, with links to some added resources.

Natural Haircare Coaching: Tutus & Tennis Shoes

2022-04-01T14:42:01-07:00November 5, 2020|Adoption Education, Adoption Perspectives, Domestic infant adoption, Hoping to Adopt, Transracial Adoption (Learn)|

Today we are featuring an amazing resource for prospective adoptive families and adoptive families considering transracial (Black) adoption: Kanisha Tillman, the owner of Tutus & Tennis Shoes LLC (TTS). TTS has been designed to be a community enterprise that celebrates everything about the beauty and health of naturally curly hair and black girls. TTS is dedicated to making sure that everyone has access to the proper education and support in taking care of their child’s naturally curly hair. What started as a brick and mortar children’s salon in Des Moines, Iowa has grown into a global community of fellow natural hair lovers, including and focusing on transracially adoptive families. TTS offers online courses in haircare, support groups, virtual 1 on 1 sessions for education, and an online store full of tools and products to ensure total hair care success. Click here to read more about her and access her ABC’s of Hair Care, and the Tutus Hair Care Shopping List.

Adoption Tax Planning and Filing Resource

2022-03-31T09:32:25-07:00November 4, 2020|Adoption Advisor, Adoption Education, Adoption is Hard, Domestic infant adoption, Funding Your Adoption|

On a day of uncertainty, let’s talk about something that is certain - taxes! As we go through November’s National Adoption Awareness Month, we are identifying resources that help prospective adoptive families and families who have adopted with some aspect of the adoption process. I like talking about taxes about as much as I like talking about politics, but due to tax credits, deductions and subsidies available to adoptive families and the increasing costs in domestic infant adoption, it is an important topic for any family considering or who has completed an adoption. Click here to learn about tax professionals who specialize in helping families who have adopted or are considering adoption with their tax needs.

National Adoption Awareness Month

2022-04-01T14:45:15-07:00November 1, 2020|Adoption Advisor, Adoption Education, Adoption Perspectives, Adoption Process, Domestic infant adoption, Hoping to Adopt|

November is National Awareness Month. During the month of November we celebrate and raise awareness of adoption. While every type of adoption is celebrated, the particular focus this month is to raise awareness about the urgent need for adoptive families for children and youth in foster care. During the month of November, people across the nation raise awareness of adoption and hope that awareness of adoption encourages others to open their homes to children waiting for a forever home. Also, this month includes National Adoption Day, which is usually observed in courthouses nationwide, where thousands of adoptions are finalized on National Adoption Day,. COVID has put a damper on some state’s celebrations, but we are hopeful that there will still be energy around this important cause. This year, Purl will be highlighting some of our favorite resources for both prospective adoptive families and families that are already formed through adoption. We hope you’ll enjoy what we share!

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