Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Changes

Okay. I got your feedback and I made some changes. I added a new column on the Wait List page and some info in the FYI section.

Let me know what you think... and check my work!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

A Sensitive Topic

The heartbreaking news that Ethiopia will be limiting single-mom adoptions left me speechless. It was not a surprise that a change was made in policy, but this particular change was not what I was expecting. Single parent adoption is, obviously, something I "believe in." The same way that I "believe in" transracial and transcultural adoption. The same way that I "believe in" not limiting adoption based on gender, religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical disability, economic status or any other of those "non-discrimination" circumstances that we are legally and morally bound by in the US.

(And yes, I did list sexual orientation there- I didn't miss Becca's post- or the controversy surrounding it. I have lots of thoughts about this that I intend to share once my courses are over for the semester!)

Of course, I respect that the culture of Ethiopia- and their standards and expectations for their children- are different than the US. What option do we have but to accept that they believe single moms to be a "last resort" for their children? It is the way their culture is. They aren't American and they do not hold to the same values and morals (for instance, they also prohibit adoptions by homosexuals and single men based on their cultural norms/values.) It's heartbreaking for the women who are in the process and faced with these delays, but I also feel like there is not much else that can be said or done. It is what it is. I am so sorry for the women who are left waiting, but I am also so happy that the option of single mom adoption from Ethiopia still remains viable.

This is where I am about to (maybe, but I hope not) step on some toes. Most of my readers know that I keep up this little list. Since the list was designed to give Gladney families a picture of what the process/timeline is like for other Gladney-ites, I feel like I should somehow separate out or mark single moms on the list, since their timeline will, obviously, now be different than married couples. Should I make a "Couples Waiting" and "Singles Waiting" page? It is my understanding that once a referral is given, the process is still the same, so from referral on (and even in the paperchase stage) there is really no reason to separate out the singles and couples. At the same time, I don't want to be offensive or "discriminatory" towards singles. I just want to provide accurate, insightful information that is easy to find and access.

I'd really like some feedback on this! Thanks in advance!

Re-Adoption

I am the only one who keeps calling the peeps in my county about how to do this re-adoption thing and keeps getting the run-around?

Seriously, you would think they have never heard of an IR-4 visa. Ugh. I can't deal with this until after finals.

(This makes me feel like both a bad mom and a lazy mom. But finals are next week. So really, what's another week and half of delays? If I get it done within the first 3 months home, I should be good, right?)