Meet Me At The Fair

We are very excited that FSA will have an information booth at the San Diego Fair THIS WEEKEND (July 2nd-3rd.) Our booth will be located at the infield pavilion (behind the grandstand and across the infield bridge.) Our booth will be staffed by adoptive parents who have adopted through LDSFS, a foster to adopt agency, and an attorney. We will have a wealth of information to help all members of the adoption triad and friends of adoption. If you will be at the fair this weekend, be sure to stop by and say, "Hi!."

Great Article About Birth Moms

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/05/20/birth-moms-deserve-our-respect.html

Meet Your FSA Board

ERIN PACKARD: CHAIRPERSON

Erin is originally from St. Louis, Missouri. She received a Bachelor's degree in Marriage, Family and Human Development from Brigham Young University. Erin and her hubby celebrated their 10 year anniversary this year. They are adoptive parents of two boys. Carson was born in December of 2007, and Tyler was born in January of 2010. As a mother who has experienced two very different, transracial adoptions, with varying levels of openness with birth mother's, Erin hopes that her experiences can help other's going through the adoption process.

TERA MILLER: VICE-CHAIR

Tera is a birth mom to James who was born July 31st, 2007. She has an open adoption with his family, who lives in Utah; has been able to have multiple visits, and loves the opportunities and blessings that adoption provides. She is currently attending SDSU, completing her Masters in Social Work degree, to become an adoption worker, and loves any chance she can get to be involved in the adoption world.

NICOLE DUNN: VICE-CHAIR

Nicole is a southern California native who was raised in San Diego County. She served in the Korea, Taejon mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nicole has a Bachelor of Science in dietetics from Brigham Young University and a Masters of Education in Cross Cultural Teaching from National University. She and her husband, Steven, have been married since 2003. They are adoptive parents of two girls, Shannen, born in April of 2006, and Kirsten, born in August 2009. Nicole worked as an elementary school teacher for five years prior to the birth of her first daughter and enjoys being a full-time homemaker and caregiver for her daughters.

Adoptive Couple Action Plan

We had a great adoption information meeting in April.

Christine Robey, the manager for adoptions for the Fountain Valley and San Diego offices, gave a great overview of the adoption process through LDSFS.

Jamie Pyatt, an adoption caseworker at LDSFS, spoke about "Placement Prep."

Erin Packard, FSA Chairperson, spoke about, "The Proactive Adoption," and "Why FSA?"

Lastly we had a great Q&A panel with Christine, Jamie, Tera Miller (birth mom) and Nicole Dunn (adoptive mom.)

One handout that we did not have available at the conference is the, "Adoptive Couple Action Plan."
This is a great list of ideas to help you "find vs. wait."

Adoptive Couple Action Plan

Preparing for an adoption is filled with lots of mixed emotions. Along with the excitement of preparing for a new addition to your family, there is also all of the stress that accompanies the unknowns. It is hoped that this list of items will help to guide you in being proactive with your preparations. Being "anxiously engaged" can actually reduce the stress by helping you to feel that you have some control over the adoption process. You may discover other items that help you in this effort. Please feel free to share your ideas with us so that we can offer them to others.

Date

_____ Picture(s)

_____ Birth parent letter

_____ Have profile posted on website

_____ Preference checklist

_____ Hold a family fast

_____ Attend a Temple session with birth parents in mind

_____ Organize a family Temple session with birth parents in mind

_____ Send out pass along cards to family and friends

_____ Make and distribute fridge magnets similar to pass along cards

_____ Contact immediate and extended family members to see how they can help

_____ Attend ward council and talk with Church committees regarding your desire to adopt

_____ Talk to your doctor's office personnel (OB/GYN, Pediatrician, and Family Practitioner) to inform birth parents of adoptive possibilities

_____ Contact friends

_____ Talk to your caseworker about taking an adult birth mother into your home

_____ Volunteer to help with a birth mother's needs

_____ Check with government foster care and adoption services

_____ Join and attend FSA meeting and activities

_____ Take or Retake adoption classes

_____ Apply to be an LDS Family Services Agency office volunteer

_____ Present about adoption at community, school. and/or church settings

_____ Send a letter explaining adoption and your desire to adopt to friends and family

_____ Send reminder letters at least quarterly

_____ Talk to one person per week about adoption and your desire to adopt

_____ Volunteer to mentor a new adoptive applicant through the adoption process

_____ Include desires to adopt and adoption updates in regular/holiday correspondence

_____ Develop your own postcard/ad

_____ Post your own postcard/ad at supermarkets, libraries, and other public areas

_____ Make additional copies of profile, collage, and letters to birth parents to provide leads

_____ Consider posting your profile on other websites for a fee

_____ Add a link to your adoption profile as your e-mail signature

_____ Ask friends and family to post a link to your adoption profile to their blogs or social
networking sites.

_____ Hold an adoption fundraiser



Thank you to all who participated in and attended the meeting. We hope it was a valuable use of your time.

Calling All Couples

The San Diego FSA Blog would like to help you spread the word about your desire to adopt. We will start spotlighting couples each week for "Finding Friday."

Likewise, if you have been blessed with a placement, finalization, or sealing in 2010, we would love to share the good news on our blog.

If you would like to be a part of "Finding Friday," or have some great adoption news to share, please contact us at sandiegofsa@gmail.com.

Together By Divine Design

Families Supporting Adoption
2010 National Conference

July 30 - 31st
Davis Conference Center
Layton, UT

www.regonline.com/2010_fsa_conference
Registration is $35.00 before July 1st and $40.00 afterwards.

There will be several wonderful breakout session throughout the conference covering a variety of topics for birth parents, adoptees, adoptive couples, and grandparents. Just a few of the session topics include:

Infertility
Ask a birth parent panel
Birth father panel
Trans-racial adoption
Grief process for birth grandparents
Foster care
Open adoption
Closed adoption
Adoption law
Telling your children your adoption story
Adoption advocacy
Special needs

For more information, visit the national FSA blog at:
http://familiessupportingadoption.blogspot.com/