ADOPTION: Live on CNN TONIGHT

I am so blessed to have been asked to appear on the Larry King show tonight, live in LA!

We are going to be discussing adoption in light of the earthquake in Haiti. There are SO many families hoping to do something like adoption for these children, however the reality is that the international adoption process is not simple, and takes quite a bit of time, especially after a disaster such as this.

If you feel as though God is calling you to do something to rescue a child in need, or if you feel tugged toward adoption, please visit Guide to Adoption. There are many, many children in need of safe and stable homes, both domestically and abroad. This site can help you begin the process.

Other ways you can help children in need:
* Pray. An Adoption Prayer Bracelet is a wonderful way to remember to keep adoption in your prayers. And all proceeds go directly to adoptions.

* Learn about adoption. Reading books like Adoption: Your Step by Step Guide or visiting sites like Guide to Adoption will help you learn more about your options.

* Be clear on your adoption goals. You need to realize that this is a lifelong commitment to a child. It should not be entered into lightly or from pure emotion from seeing tragedy on TV.

* Understand that there are children in need of adoption, right here in the U.S. Learn more at State by State Adoptions.

I'd love to hear your comments after watching Lary King tonight at 6pm on CNN.

Pray for Adoption -- New Bracelets Available!

Wearing an Adoption Prayer Bracelet is a lovely way to remember to pray for everyone involved in adoption. Now, more than ever before, orphans around the world need fervent prayer as they navigate the thorny road to find their forever families.

Adoption Prayer Bracelets are a tangible reminder of the promise of adoption, and are a reminder to pray for your own adoption or others involved in adoption.

Open your heart to adoption with this lovely hand-made glass and/or natural gem beaded bracelet designed with flexible elastic to allow for fit. Bracelets come in various vibrant and contemporary colors along with a unique heart shaped charm stating "My Adoption Prayer" on one side... and "Pray Without Ceasing 1 Thes 5:17" on the other.

All funds raised from the sale of these bracelets go towards adoption, ensuring that children, even special needs children, are able to be blessed with a forever family.

Purchase one bracelet for $24.95 or two for $39.95 (that's a discount of over $9!) at www.AdoptionPrayerBracelet.com.

Show your support for adoption with an Adoption Prayer Bracelet!

Recommended Reading for Adoptive Parents

Recommended Reading for Waiting Adoptive Parents:

The Secret to True Happiness: Enjoy Today, Embrace Tomorrow
by Joyce Meyers

Enjoy today... Seems like a simple command. Yet for families waiting to adopt, it can almost feel as though you are getting through today, waiting to enjoy tomorrow.

In her book, The Secret to True Happiness, Joyce Meyers offers compelling, biblical reasons why we are charged to enjoy today, even if it is the same journey as yesterday and the day before. Finding comfort, hope, and beauty in the little things suddenly can turn the very ordinary into the most extraordinary!

God gives us all different talents and abilities, and requires that we use them as we are able. We are to make the most of all that we have right now, and not covet what we lack or whittle the days away in longing for the blessings of others. This book is a remarkable journey for anyone, especially those who are in waiting for blessings.

Adoption Prayer Bracelets

Wearing an Adoption Prayer Bracelet is a lovely way to display your adoption hope and a reminder to pray for your adoption and those involved in the adoption. Do you know someone who is waiting to adopt? An adoption prayer bracelet makes a perfect gift.

Open your heart to adoption with this lovely hand-made glass and/or natural gem beaded bracelet designed with flexible elastic to allow for fit. Bracelets come in various vibrant and contemporary colors along with a unique heart shaped charm stating "My Adoption Prayer" on one side... and "Pray Without Ceasing 1 Thes 5:17" on the other.

Purchase one bracelet for $24.95 or two for $39.95 (that's a discount of over $9!) at www.AdoptionPrayerBracelet.com.

Earthquake Affects Haitian Adoptions

Natural Disaster Affects Families in the Midst of Adoption Process

The devastating earthquake in Haiti is sending powerful aftershocks to hopeful adoptive families here in the U.S. Many families who had Haitian adoptions in process are slowly coming to the realization that not only is the disaster putting a sudden halt to adoptions, restarting the international process will take months, if not years.

In Haiti, we are seeing an entire country virtually destroyed, including government offices that process adoptions and the very orphanages that house waiting children. Adoptive parents are suddenly in limbo, hoping for news yet little is forthcoming.

When natural disasters such as the Caribbean temblor occur, adoptions in process are typically one of the last governmental services to restart. Families who were hoping to complete Haitian adoptions in the next 18 to 24 months may want to consider other options if their primary motivation for adoption is to build their family.

“While the need to adopt internationally is great, there are also opportunities to adopt newborns and toddlers of all races here at home,” says Mardie Caldwell C.O.A.P., founder of Lifetime Adoption Center. “International orphans need to be adopted and cared for, but many families proceed internationally because they are unaware of their options here in the U.S.”

Lifetime Adoption offers a number of programs, including the popular African American Enrichment Program to assist families seeking to adopt children domestically. “There is a real surge for orphan care right now, but it shouldn’t be at the cost of caring for the children in need of loving parents in our own country,” says Caldwell.

It is apparent that this earthquake has caused great loss of life, and the need for adoption in Haiti will likely increase in the coming years. However it will not be anytime soon and the children available will have experienced great trauma and substantial loss. Families who seek to adopt in the future from the Caribbean nation will need to be prepared for this.

Caldwell reports that many families who adopt internationally are simply not prepared for the issues that children raised in orphanages face. “Because of the lack of bonding, discipline, accurate medical records, and social interaction, children adopted internationally often have needs that exceed what adoptive families are prepared for. At Lifetime Adoption, we are get calls weekly by parents seeking options for these children, including some requests for our help in finding a new family, known as a readopt. It is a difficult situation for all involved, especially the child.”

When natural disasters such as the Caribbean temblor or the tsunami that devastated Indonesia and Thailand in 2004 occur, there is often an outpouring of concern for children left orphaned and calls for adoption. The wheels turn quite slowly, however, in making this a reality and often, families have experienced so much loss, that they expand their own families with children of friends rather than lose them as well.

For families considering adopting in Haiti, Caldwell recommends that they examine their reasons. “If you truly want to parent a child who needs a stable family, consider adopting domestically. The need is great.”

To learn more about Lifetime Adoption Center, visit their website at www.LifetimeAdoption.com.

To learn more about the African American Enrichment Adoption Program, visit www.AAAdoptions.com.

Adoption: It's Time to Step Out in Faith

Is it your dream to adopt a baby or child this year? It's time to step out in faith towards this dream. This video lets you know how you can make your dreams of adoption come true: click here to watch.

New Years Resolution: To Become Parents!

New Years Resolution: To Become Parents! Stepping forward to build your family through adoption

You've made a decision that has, ultimately, led to a resolution that you could truly make happen...becoming parents through adoption. With each new year comes lots of hope, new possibilities, and sometimes new perspectives.

For some couples, it may be that they were hoping to have children through naturally or through in-vitro fertilization (IVF), but were not successful conceiving. They’ve had to change their perspective. As a result, one of the last chances for them to become parents could lie in adopting. For others, there may be a deep desire to truly love and care for a child that needs them, rather than choosing to create a biological child.

Every child deserves supportive, caring, and committed parents. Whether you and your spouse have always dreamt of having a baby of your own or whether you envision having an older child because you know that changing diapers is not what you want to do, your dreams could finally come true through adoption. Making the decision, in this new year, to step forward and adopt a child will likely be one of the best things to happen to you in your entire life.

We’ve all heard that there's no time like the present. Unlike those other resolutions to lose 50 pounds, or work out more, building a family is a resolution that you don't set out to do to please others or to get attention. The intrinsic rewards that you will receive from becoming a parent will mean more to you and your companion than all of those superficial things. This life-changing decision could be the start of a brand new chapter in your marriage and in your family's personal history.

With adoption, it's all about you, your child, and your family. The process may be a little emotional and stressful at times, but the end result will make it all worthwhile. If you have been considering adoption for some time, or riding the fertility rollercoaster for months or even years, make it your resolution to make this the year that you take a positive step toward building a family through adoption.

It's a New Year. Instead of working to make it your best year ever, why not strive to make it the start of the best life ever for you, your spouse, and the child that is waiting for you! Visit LifetimeAdoption.com to find out about how to bring home your baby.