Great Article, an Update, and More...

I ran across this from another blog. I thought it was a great article for you to read. Not trying to be political or anything, I just thought it was good:

Recently, one of the members wrote a post concerning the "Do's and Do Not's" of adoptions. This is specifics on what you should not ask or say to an adoptive parent and/or child. Adoption is a very unique journey of the heart. It is sometimes looked upon as an act of charity or kidness, however, I have found it to be quite the opposite in my personal case. I am the one that feels privileged to have been chosen as the mother of my child. I have been given the honor of parenting these loving, caring precious children. Although I will never personally know the extent of "why" he was given up for adoption, nor can I tell you "why" we were the ones intrusted with raising him, I thank God for the distinct opportunity of doing so. Everyone has the opportunity of growing their family differently. That's part of having freedom and choices. We were blessed with biological blessings and now have the honor of raising an additional angel. We don't differentiate biological or adopted children in any way and truly wish others wouldn't ask "which are mine" because they ALL are MINE"

1.Please do not introduce our child/children as "Our adopted grandson/nephew/friend,etc."
2.Please do not make any racial jokes of any kind, no matter how "harmless." There are noharmless jokes.
3.Please love and respect our child's birthmother.
4.Please do not comment on how you could "never give up your own children." Especially never in front of our child. You are indirectly giving your opinion of our child's birthmother.
5.Please see our children as individuals.
6.Please do not make any racist comments about any OTHER race.
7.Our child does NOT owe us anything. Our child is NOT lucky to have us. He did not ask to be born. He certainly didn't ask to be adopted. We are the ones who are lucky.
8. There really is no such thing as "race"; we are the human race. There are different cultures and ethnicities.
9. Just as there are different types of people, there are different ways of building families. Adoption is another way and is not a better or worse way of building a family than biologically or any other way. It's just different
10. Positive adoption language is needed to change the world's perception of the people and families involved.

Okay, update time!
Caleb is doing very well. He now freely calls me Mom. Or rather, yells MOM whenever he wants something. Although he is learning new words everyday, he of course cannot yet talk in sentences. However, since Jared and Meghan obviously can talk, he's learned to yell out MOM and then babble out a sentence, so that he can "sound" just like his older brother and sister. He thinks it's cool, and he gets really mad if I don't acknowledge his "sentence" everytime he does it. Even though it gets old after the tenth or twelfth time, it's still pretty awesome.

Mariah is doing great as well. She's a very happy, smiley baby! The other 3 kids really enjoy her, now that she smiles at them. Sometimes we have to peel them off of her!

Jared is getting ready to turn 7 later this month. We cannot believe it, he's getting so old, so fast!!!

Finally, Meghan is doing well, too. She has quite the attitude at times! She informed us the other day that she is the "boss at daycare." Keith asked her if she could lower our tuition costs if she's the boss - LOL. Believe it, 3 kids in daycare is KILLING us...thankfully Meghan will go to school in a year, so in 12 months or so, we'll only have the younger 2 in daycare, PHEW!

Finally, please keep the families who are still in the process of adopting their children from Guatemala in your thoughts and prayers. Those of you who have followed our blog know the torture we went through to bring Caleb home. The situation in Guatemalan adoptions is not any better, and thousands of children are being kept from being adopted while things are worked out. It is so incredibly sad!!! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7385122.stm

Take care, everyone!
Kris and family