 Today I received a call from a former client, who adopted three children with her husband and has recently moved to another state.
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 It has been six weeks since the families and I have returned from our homeland tour to Russia. One concept that came up at our first meeting with the families included a discussion of hoping to find “missing puzzle pieces” during this journey.
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 When you meet Eleni, you cannot help but notice her warm disposition, good sense of humor, and playful manner. Surprisingly, at 16, she has experienced her share of losses, traumas, and disappointments.
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 I had the privilege of visiting a second orphanage with a family on this homeland trip to Russia. The family was interested in visiting the orphanage where their son Joseph had spent the first 16 months of his life.
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 For each adopted person on this homeland trip to Russia, every step has been critical to putting together the pieces to puzzles - an understanding of the life they had before their adoption.
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 Families are all now in Russia! Despite the extreme heat, the families have all come on our homeland tour through TIES with great interest and enthusiasm to learn this amazing country.
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 In my professional work at JF&CS, I have had the privilege of connecting with families at various stages of adoption. While there is always great focus on an individual or couple in finally becoming parents, the impact of adoption on a family does not end at that point. The experience for all triad members (birth family, adoptive family, and adopted person) continues.
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