One Year Later

It’s been one year to the day that we were placed on our adoption agency’s wait list.  In some ways, I can’t believe it’s been a year, but at the same time, it seems like it’s been a lot longer than that.  Although it’s been such a long journey since last April (when we first turned in our paper work), each day that passes, is just one day closer to having our other two children in our arms.  This year has been such a learning journey.  We’ve had the opportunity to hear many positive adoption stories and great tips and we’ve also grown more in the knowledge of the other side of adoption.  The side that is not often talked about.  The side of working through grief and loss.   The tough situations and identity questions that will be faced, especially with transracial adoption.  Our eyes have been opened more to racism & that our role is not only talking about it within our family, but also being proactive to educate others and fight against it.  I pray that my blinders will come off more and more as I learn.

Here are the books that friends and adoption professionals have told us to read regarding adoption, attachment and better understanding racial identity.  They’re on our shelf and we’re working on reading each of them as we can sneak in reading time.  We haven’t read all of these, so I can’t give good recommendations yet, but will post more once we’ve gotten through all of them.  We’ll continue reading, but what I am really praying for are mentors to guide us through this walk with our daughters.  Others that can help us along the way to understand both adoption and racial identity issues that our daughters will likely face.   All that to say, here’s the books on our reading shelf right now.  Hope these help someone else too.

Adoption & Attachment Books:

·      The Connected Child, by Karyn Purvis

·      Attaching in Adoption, by Deborah Gray

·      Learning The Dance Of Attachment, by Holly VanGulden and Charlotte Vick

·      20 Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew, by Sherrie Eldridge

Transracial Adoption & Race Related Books:

·      In Their Own Words – Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories, by Rita Simon and Rhonda Roorda

·      Cross Cultural Adoption, by Amy Coughlin and Caryn Abramowitz

·      Black Baby White Hands – A View From The Crib, by Jaiya John

·      Different And Wonderful, by Dr. Darlene Hopson and Dr. Derek Hopson

·      I’m Chocolate You’re Vanilla, by Marguerite Wright

·      Can We Talk About Race, by Beverly Tatum, Ph.D.

·      Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria, by Beverly Tatum, Ph.D.