Showing titles in Adoption & Fostering

How does a woman go from a normal Midwestern mom to sitting across the table from a bounty hunter? That's what Kathleen English Cadmus wondered as she took one more surreal step in her quest to find and save her teenage daughter, Laura. The beautiful baby Kathleen had adopted from Korea was on the run again, fueled by another manic episode brought on by her bipolar disorder. Having already lost her son Shawn to a tragic accident, Kathleen couldn't bear the thought that she had failed to protect another one of her children.

Disruptors, entrepreneurs, and unconventional do-gooders, Drs. Jodi and Garry Vermaas are not the people you would expect to parent 12 children. From the child-trafficking slums of Manila to the barren corners of China to the baggage compartment of a long-distance train to Mumbai, each of their children has a tale to tell - if only they could find the words.

In a family memoir that reads like a detective novel, Rhonda Noonan recounts her 30-year quest to find the truth of her own background - and what she uncovered will surprise listeners as much as it did her. Rhonda was born and adopted in Oklahoma, a state with closed adoption records. And, although she was cherished by her adoptive family, she - like so many adoptees - felt a burning desire to find and make contact with her birth parents.

Behind the Ivy Walls is based on the true story of a young boy seemingly born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. It is written in the time-honored tradition of a feel-bad/feel-good story in which someone else's tragedy teaches us life lessons about positive thinking and seizing each day as a gift. This book details the quest for a true identity, the love of a family, and a safe place to call home.

Falling pregnant as a teenager in 1952, Philomena Lee was sent to the convent in Co. Tipperary to be looked after as a fallen woman. She cared for her baby for three years until the Church took him and sold him, like countless others, to America for adoption. She spent the next 50 years secretly searching for him, unaware that he was searching for her from across the Atlantic.

"Hearts Across Borders" is an inspiring and heartfelt story that delves into the life of a gay couple, Alex and his partner, who embark on a journey to adopt siblings from Cambodia.

Step into a world where the hidden resilience and unwavering spirit of foster children take center stage, embarking on a transformative journey like no other. Here, amidst the echoes of forgotten voices, a path of empowerment unfolds—one paved with the profound tool of affirmations that kindle self-worth and inner strength.

Journey to My Daughter is about becoming a mother. It details everything from author Jennifer Rose Asher’s decision to have a child, two miscarriages, a whirlwind trip to Vietnam, and how she eventually found her daughter. Along the way, Jennifer and her husband tried multiple approaches while looking for a child and would never have predicted how and where they would find her.

In Lost and Found, I use my expertise to provide a behind-the-scenes experience and a firsthand account of the vulnerabilities presented for caregivers raising an intellectually disabled child when information is not readily accessible. In this book you will learn how to determine the level of intellectual disability for your child and understand what this may mean for your family.

The secrets, lies, and layers of deception about Diane Dewey’s origins were meant for her protection - but eventually, they imploded. Living with her family in suburban Philadelphia, Diane had grown up knowing she was born in Stuttgart and adopted at age one from an orphanage. She’d been told her biological parents were dead. Then, in 2002, when she was 47 years old, Diane got a letter from Switzerland: Her biological father, Otto, wanted to bring her into his life. With that, her world shifted on its axis.

When a family secret comes to light, lives are changed forever in this honest, beautiful, and sometimes painful memoir. When Mark, adopted at birth, set out to find his genetic family as an adult, he found something he never expected—three full-blood siblings, including a persistent sister who would alter the course of his life. He finds himself faced with the emotional task of coming to know his entire birth family, along with the unintended impact it has on his parents and his marriage. This raises age-old questions: What defines family? Nature or nurture?

Sunshine Richards offers insights into the world of animal fostering. Sunshine spent 10 years fostering countless animals and coordinating foster care for a local humane society. She has experienced the heartache that comes with letting them go, but also the devastation over the death of the ones she couldn’t save. In these minutes, you'll discover what it means to foster a dog or cat. This book will help you understand different animal behaviors and training approaches, the potential complications, and the endless benefits and rewards of animal fostering.

Dr. Susan Mossman Riva was adopted in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1963. In 1995, she sought the help of the Nebraska Children's Home to find her birthmother, leading to the discover of her birth family in 1996. Miraculously, her search and reunion coincided with her biologicals sister's search. The awe and joy of homecoming brought her to the realization that synchronicity acts as a guidepost, repairing relational brokenness. The divine timing of their reunion happened months before their biological, maternal grandmother died.

Do you ever feel like no one understands your foster or adoptive parenting journey? Are you fighting battles your family and friends don't really get? In The Call to Love, I share my story of choosing to become a mom to a group of amazing brothers and sisters, at the age of 40, with my best friend. We are a pretty big, modern family in every sense! Each chapter walks you through our crazy story from when we first met our kids to when we became family.

This novel is a raw and vulnerable narrative of one's journey to become a mother. The author explores the peaks and valleys in building her family through adoption and biology. Each chapter provides insight into topics such as adoption, race, love, parenthood, spirituality, sisterhood, and loss. The overarching theme of resilience and perseverance amongst hardship, leaves the reader with hope that miracles are not only possible, but real.

In 1961, a baby daughter was born to a single, 18-year-old girl, in London, England. By April, the young girl had left England for South Africa, and the baby had become Penny Bunton, the daughter of quite another family, in Cambridge, England. Through a series of stories, beginning from earliest memory and going on through half a century of life, this chronicle examines family and the power of hidden histories, looks at the ability of love to corrupt and destroy and to raise up and heal.

Having running thoughts through your mind. The only way we can impregnate someone with our thoughts is to write about it.

Fifty-something Kathleen used 23andme to identify her biological mother, who is rumored to have a child with a priest. Kathleen believes that her father is Angie's great-uncle Ed, a beloved monsignor. Couldn't it be one of the other seven priests in the family? Despite initial reluctance, she is drawn full force into the mystery. Angie visits archives around Wisconsin, creating dossiers on the potential priest fathers. Kathleen discovers articles online with tantalizing clues hidden in plain sight.

Bestselling author and foster carer Casey Watson shares the shocking true story of Tyler, an abused eleven-year-old who, after stabbing his step-mother, had nowhere else to go. Knowing a little of Tyler's past - his biological mother, a heroin addict, died of an overdose when he was three - Casey feels bound to do her best for him. It isn't easy; Tyler continuously lashes out, even trying to attack Casey herself.

Looking for an inspiring story? As you listen to this story, I hope it will encourage you. In this true story, you will cry and laugh. This story is about a little girl that grew into a woman at the age of six. Writing this book has been a challenge for my family and me. Writing my story has brought healing to my family and me.