RESOURCE REVIEW: blogs for adoptive families

Hi, my name is Kim Smith, and I am a BTDT mom. What is BTDT? It is Been There Done That parenting. When, my husband, Brad, and I began our adoption journey in 2005 we would come to rely a great deal on BTDT parents (Wow! Why does 2005 seem like such a very long time ago!).  These BTDT parents were a source of countless amounts of information and knowledge that guided us, as newbies, along this amazing journey God would lead us on. One of the countless blessings that God gives to adoptive parents is the support and friendship of people that we would never have come into contact with except through our shared passion for the orphan and adoption. We found that blessing many times in people we met on blogs. As our journey would continue over several years (and we all know that the journey is only beginning once our child is at home), we have become connected with many people through the “bloggie” world. I wish to share with you invaluable sites that we have found over the years.

As I was writing and researching to write this post, I realized just how extensive my list had become; in addition, I found that there were thousands of other blogs out there. Many of these sites are written by moms and some dads that are just like you and I. Many are familiar sites, and they feel like old friends some of whom I have met in person and some who I have come to know over the years through their blogs.  I have tried to list the sites in categories; however, it is not always possible to put some of these in just one category. There are parents of multiples, parents with special needs, parents that have adopted from one country and parents that have chosen a multi-faceted adoption approach with children from many different countries. I have included in my list several web sites that I found helpful during “paper-chasing” and web sites that have been of great help as our journey continued with our children at home. I pray that you find these blogs intriguing and helpful in whatever stage of this journey you are on.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6

Adoption Websites:

Special Needs:

http://www.allarepreciousinhissight.com/

http://jacobsjourneyhome.blogspot.com/ (China)

http://everlastingmomentum.blogspot.com/

http://ourchinastarfish.blogspot.com/  (China/Bulgaria)

http://nihaoyall.com/ (China)

http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/ (Eastern Europe)

http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/  (China, Uganda, Domestic)

http://www.fivechilipeppers.blogspot.com/   (*Our Website: China, Special Needs, Older Child*)

Twin/ Multiples Adoption:

http://salsainchina.blogspot.com/   (China)

Older-Child Adoption:

http://www.theyreallmyown.blogspot.com/

http://www.10kidsin2010.blogspot.com/

http://lajoyfamily.blogspot.com/

*http://theresnoplacelikehome-family.blogspot.com  (Special Need)

General Adoption:

http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/  (Haiti)

*http://arethesekidsallyours.blogspot.com/

http://everythingbeautifulshay.blogspot.com/

http://hope4thewounded.blogspot.com/

*http://oatsvallteam.blogspot.com/

http://ugandaadoptionblogs.blogspot.com/

http://steppinheavenward.blogspot.com/

http://bridgettevictoria.blogspot.com/ (Uganda)

http://planaethiopia.blogspot.com/ (Ethiopia)

http://gillispiefam.blogspot.com/  (Cambodia, Vietnam, Ghana)

http://fullplatemama.blogspot.com/ (Ghana, China)

Foster Parenting:

http://campbellsfosterjourney.blogspot.com/

http://mamafoster.blogspot.com/

http://alwaysandforeverfamily.blogspot.com/

http://tamlynn75random.blogspot.com/

Domestic Adoption:

http://gracefilledmess.blogspot.com/

http://mycupoverfloweth.blogspot.com/

Some Blogs that fit in multiple categories:

*http://www.joyunspeakableandfullofglory.blogspot.com/  (Bio, China, Older Child)

*http://k6comehome.blogspot.com/  (Bio, China, Special Needs, Older Child)

http://hope4thewounded.blogspot.com/

*http://www.nationsaroundourtable.com/ (Bio, Uganda, Special Needs, Older Child)

*http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/  (Bio., China, Uganda, Domestic, Special Needs, Older Child)

http://www.fivechilipeppers.blogspot.com/   (*Our Website: Bio, China, Special Needs, Older Child*)

Blogs by Adoptees:

http://www.declassifiedadoptee.com/

http://lifeasanadoptedteen.blogspot.com/

Helpful blogs for families on the Journey:

Financing an Adoption:

http://juliegumm.com 

http://www.christianalliancefororphans.org

http://www.achildwaits.org

http://www.jscfoundation.org/

*http://showhope.org/

Support for Families:

http://sparrow-fund.org/blog

*http://www.nohandsbutours.com/  (China)

*http://empoweredtoconnect.org/

Mommy time:

*http://jenhatmaker.com  (adoptive mom too!)

Blogs on Attachment and RAD:

http://www.onethankfulmom.com/

http://annesfunnyfarm.blogspot.co

http://consciouslyparenting.blogspot.com/

http://fletcherclan.blogspot.com/

Orphan Ministries and Adoption Advocates:

*http://anorphanswish.org/

http://www.christianalliancefororphans.org

http://feedingtheorphans.org/ 

*http://stinkytofuandotherthings.blogspot.com/

 *http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/

*http://m.internationalvoiceoftheorphan.com/

*http://emonamission.blogspot.com/

* Blogs I have followed over the years and highly recommend)

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About us: We are Brad and Kim Smith, parents to seven children, and we have a passion for orphan and adoption ministry. Our seven children include 3 bio sons and 2 daughters and 2 sons adopted from China with varying special needs. We homeschool all 7 of our children and live life serving Jesus as our Lord and Savior.