Our adoption anniversary is quickly approaching, and I am getting more excited by the day. Even though our plates here are packed full with extra life stresses, I am still thinking about the adoption day, and how we are going to make it special. Hubby and I have some things planned during the day while the kids are at school, as he is taking this very special day off from work, but we have yet to decide what we are going to do as a family once the children return from school.

We tend to celebrate... more

Many states allow for you to serve the non-custodial parent with the petition for termination of parental rights and the petition for adoption yourself, instead of paying for the service to be done for you. It can cost several hundred dollars to have someone served with court documents, so many families often find themselves wondering if they should pay, or just do it themselves.

The first thing to consider is safety. If you have any reason whatsoever to believe that the non-custodial parent could become enraged, violent, or otherwise dangerous in any way shape or form, then it is best to advise the professionals of the potential danger, and then let them handle it. They are used... more

This question crosses the mind of every hopeful adoptive stepparent out there, at some point or another in the adoption process. Parents have decided to move forward with the idea of performing a stepparent adoption, but then are completely clueless as to how to get the ball rolling. If you are one of those parents out there scratching your noggin, fear not, we have all been there at some time or another!

Court forms are for the most part, found at the courthouse which will be performing the stepparent adoption. Usually the Clerk of Courts, can either point you in the... more

When most people think of stepparent adoption, they think of divorce, remarriage and the stepparent adopting their new spouses child. Very rarely do people think of situations such as surrogacy and sperm donations when they think of stepparent adoption, but in many of these cases too, stepparent adoption is part of the process.

There are two types of surrogacy, traditional surrogacy as well as gestational surrogacy. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate mother is not biologically related to the child that she is carrying at all. The sperm is that of the intended father (the father waiting to parent the child) or that... more

Court is an intimidating place for adults who know what the legal system is, it can be completely terrifying for younger children who have no idea what judges are, why they are there, and what gives them the power to tell others what they can, and cannot do. When preparing for your stepparent adoption journey, one of the things to make sure to put onto your priority list is to make sure that your child is informed on what to expect when going into the court room.

As my youngest son gets older, we talk more in depth about the fact that his big brother had another mommy when he was younger,... more

When beginning your stepparent adoption journey you are going to be introduced to a whole host of terms that you may, or may not be familiar with. Below are some of the most commonly used terms, as well as their abbreviations if applicable, when dealing with stepparent adoption.

Adoptee- This is the term, which is used for a person who has been adopted. Once your stepchild has been adopted, he or she becomes an adoptee.

Adoptive Stepparent -The stepparent who has legally adopted his or her stepchild.

Biological Parent- A parent who is genetically related to the child

Consent- when a NCP allows... more

Some children have an inborn, amazing ability to cope with life. They accept what life has handed them and go about their merry way living what they have been dealt to the fullest. Children who have been adopted by their stepparent at a very young age, who grew up knowing their stepparent as ‘mommy,’ or ‘daddy’ tend to have an easier time adjusting to their adoption, as well as being abandoned by one of their biological parents.

When children never had an established relationship with one of their biological parents, it is easier for them to move on and accept the new parent as his or her own, or ‘real’ parent. While I despise using the term ‘real,’ ... more

More often than not stepparents harbor ill feelings towards the non-custodial parent of their stepchild. Unhappy with how their child, and sometimes their spouse as well, have been treated by the non-custodial parent in the past, the stepparent builds up a lot of anger and resentment towards the person who has hurt their family so deeply. Hearing the personal stories of abuse, neglect, and/ or abandonment as well as cleaning up, and living with the emotional scars that are left behind in the aftermath, can leave large and lasting amounts of resentment in even the most gentle of souls.

Yet the non-custodial parent is still part of the childÍs life and history, and badmouthing the... more

For many adults, going through a stepparent adoption will be their first experience with the legal system and trying to figure out who should be where to give what information can become very overwhelming for those who are just starting out on their stepparent adoption journey.

You do not want to take your child with you to the lawyer for the first visit, unless the lawyer specifically asks you to. During the first visit you are going to be giving the lawyer all the background information on the case, in adult and detailed fashion you are going to be telling him or her exactly why the child’s non-custodial parent should not be allowed to be in the child’s life, this is just not something... more

Many times when parents first inquire about a stepparent adoption, the non-custodial parent is still somewhat involved in the child’s life. Either through child support checks alone, or perhaps sporadic visits here and there. One of the first questions that is asked, is how to get rid of the non-custodial parent, so that the stepparent can adopt the child involved.

Sometimes the non-custodial parent is in jail, or is abusive and the... more