Adoption

Your guide to the adoption journey from funding to parenting

Adoption is beautiful. But there are also a lot of factors involved with the process that you don’t find when raising your biological kids. For starters, adoption can be super expensive. The way you meet the child isn’t typical. And once your kiddo is home, there are a whole host of things to know and do.

That’s why I’m sharing ways to pay for your adoption without going into debt. I also want to provide the experience of real-life families and how they deal with parenting their adopted child every day. And I’m sharing my personal story of international adoption.

Check out my Adoption Fundraising and Grants page for everything from resources, successes, and lessons for anyone trying to fund an adoption. Or browse my Adoption Journey page to learn more about bringing our daughter home from China and the parenting adjustments needed as she grows.

Adoption Fundraisers You Can Support Today

Adoption Fundraisers You Can Support Right Now

I know from experience that funding an adoption is hard work! Fortunately, our friends, family, and even strangers were super supportive of our adoption fundraisers. That's why I want to help families currently in the thick of fundraising spread the word. Below is a...
Cheap Easter Egg Fillers

Best Cheap Easter Egg Fillers for Your Fundraiser or Hunt

If you are throwing a large-scale egg hunt or Egg My Yard fundraiser, you need affordable supplies. That's why I've compiled a list of the best Easter egg fillers. This post will focus on how to keep costs low for a successful Egg My Yard fundraiser, but the ideas...
8 Things I Wish I Knew Before International Adoption

8 Things I Wish I Knew Before Our Adoption

We are quickly approaching the fourth anniversary of my daughter’s adoption from China. She has changed so much since then! She’s a walking, talking, eat-as-much-as-a man, slobbery-kiss-giver, silly girl. As I look back at all the progress she has made, I also realize...
Expert Advice for Virtual Adoption Fundraisers

Expert Advice for the Best Virtual Adoption Fundraisers

Virtual adoption fundraisers are a great way to give lots of people a way to contribute to your adoption. Whether you always planned something virtual or a pandemic forces all your ideas online, there are tons of opportunities available. I asked the experts—adoptive...
What Life Looks Like 3 Years After International Adoption

What Life Looks Like 3 Years After International Adoption – Part 2

Welcome to the second half of my reflection on three years after international adoption. If you haven’t already, read Part 1 here. There I talked about medical needs, developmental milestones, and education since adopting from China. Read on for several other aspects...
4 Ways You Can Afford Adoption

The Top 4 Ways You Can Afford Adoption

In the latest installment of my Real-Life Adoption Stories, I'm happy to feature guest author Heather Marshall. She's a fellow adoptive mom and blogger who has not only been through the process twice, but also shares my passion for helping other families afford...
Boy in Superman cape on ledge, adoption fundraiser

How to Run a Successful Superhero Cape Adoption Fundraiser

A few days ago, my kids were giggling together in the living room as I cleaned up breakfast. My two-year-old daughter came toddling into the kitchen signing “help” and pointing at my son. At almost six years old, my son could easily manipulate the fastener on the cape...
What Life Looks Like 3 Years After International Adoption - Part 1

What Life Looks Like 3 Years After International Adoption – Part 1

It has been three years since we first met our daughter in a nondescript municipal building in China. While anniversaries like this bring adoption to the forefront of my mind, most days I don’t think about the different ways my kids arrived in our family. I pray for,...
HelpUsAdopt Adoption Grants to fund adoption

Everything You Need to Know About HelpUsAdopt.org Adoption Grants

Helping families make adoption affordable is a passion of mine. That’s why I’m excited to share information about applying for adoption grants from HelpUsAdopt.org! I recently spoke with Becky Fawcett, founder and president, about tips and tricks for applying for...
Why Quarantine Is Hard for Adoptive and Special Needs Parents

Why Quarantine Is Hard for Adoptive and Special Needs Parents

When we adopted our daughter from China in August 2017, our family chose to keep her world as small as possible in the first weeks after arriving home. This meant limiting trips out of the house, keeping visitors to a minimum, and spending lots of time with just our...

Meet Jessica

Hi! I'm Jessica! I help people fund adoptions, navigate parenting, save money, and enjoy the good things in life. Read more about me here.

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