BlogBloghttp://adoptmore.org/blog/2012-05-19T12:54:39ZSquarespaceBirmingham Village Fair - Discount Tickets Available!http://adoptmore.org/blog/2012/5/18/birmingham-village-fair-discount-tickets-available.htmlADOPT MORE2012-05-18T23:38:44Z2012-05-18T23:38:44Z 49th Annual Village Fair – Downtown Birmingham - to Benefit Local Non-Profits
May 31 – June 3, 2012

BUY Today and SAVE $5

Wristband vouchers are currently $15 through May 30th, 2012 at 5pm.  To purchase wristband vouchers by cash or check please email Kimberly@adoptmore.org or call 248.514.4534. Or, to purchase online (no later than 5/29/12) please click below.

Wristband Voucher Info:

ONE voucher = unlimited rides on ONE of the following days & times:

Thursday, May 31 12pm – 10pm
Friday, June 1 12pm – 6pm
Sunday, June 3 12pm – 9pm

When you purchase today, you’ll receive a wristband voucher (in the mail or by delivery) that you'll take to the ticket booth at the Fair to receive your wristband. Wristband vouchers are $20 at the Fair…so buy today to save!

A Special Thank You!

As a special thank you for purchasing your tickets through ADOPT MORE, we would like to invite you to stop by our Cupcake Social at the Fair, Thursday May 31st between 6pm and 7pm. Complimentary cupcakes will be served! Details provided with your wristband voucher.

]]>National Adoption Awareness Month: Celebration or Awareness?http://adoptmore.org/blog/2011/11/4/national-adoption-awareness-month-celebration-or-awareness.htmlADOPT MORE2011-11-04T15:53:07Z2011-11-04T15:53:07ZNational Adoption Awareness Month was initially intended to raise awareness of the children in US foster care that are legally eligible for adoption. I’ve seen numerous posts about people celebrating this month with pictures of their little ones joined with their families through adoption – domestic and international – and outside of the foster care system. Some may say this isn’t the intent of National Adoption Awareness Month. Some would argue this isn’t staying true to the original mission.

I’ve heard that adoption shouldn’t be celebrated because in order for adoption to have taken place to begin with something was lost or broken or destroyed. But are people celebrating that loss or are they celebrating the new opportunities that adoption has provided? And in that case, why isn’t it possible to celebrate and create awareness at the same time?

Take for example an individual that has overcome serious illness, doesn’t that person have a right to celebrate their life and raise awareness at the same time? I don’t think for one second a person is celebrating the disease, but rather the ability to have overcome the challenge or even the journey. With adoption, isn’t it similar?

The adoption community – or even the general community at large – isn’t celebrating the destruction of a family, abuse or abandonment; they are celebrating the ability to have overcome those challenges and to be afforded a new beginning (not ever omitting or taking away from their past or even having the less-than-good go unnoticed). No one is celebrating the loss of a birth family, but we are celebrating the possibilities and opportunities that can be given through adoption.

The original intent of National Adoption Awareness Month has been expanded upon to celebrate the opportunity of adoption for children from all countries and to simultaneously enhance awareness of the need for more education, more compassion, more love and more positive involvement. The awareness can be to work toward a “cure” to help keep families together, end famine, end poverty, end abuse and end disease. The awareness can also be that amazingly good things can come from less-than-ideal situations. Either way, for me, this month is one to celebrate and increase involvement and awareness of adoption.

]]>Ready, Set, Monday. ADOPT MORE...Desire to Learnhttp://adoptmore.org/blog/2011/10/24/ready-set-monday-adopt-moredesire-to-learn.htmlADOPT MORE2011-10-24T11:44:00Z2011-10-24T11:44:00ZAs I continue the journey of homeschooling my Pre-K four-year-old son, I am constantly asking myself, “What does he need to know? Am I teaching him the right things and in the right way? At four, what is the foundation on which he will want to continue a lifelong journey of learning? 

As he sings the days of the week, I’m thrilled (especially when my two-year-old joins in). When he practices simple math by sliding objects together or removing objects, I’m amazed. And, when he wrote his name for the first time, I was absolutely delighted. But, so what? Whether I teach him his letters or not at four, he will learn them eventually. So, what am I really teaching him? I hope the answer is the desire to learn and ask questions and the ability to discover the answers.

Memorizing a bunch facts or concepts doesn’t necessarily make a person smart, but knowing how and where to learn that information does. The natural intrigue of things around us and how it all works is a sign of brilliance in my book. It’s that curiosity that will catapult us from one subject and level to the next. It’s that interest that will help us make the world a better place.

This week’s goal: Pause long enough to ask a question about something of interest and take the first step to reveal the mystery of how and why.

Happy Monday!

]]>The Halloween Spider(TM)http://adoptmore.org/blog/2011/10/15/the-halloween-spidertm.htmlADOPT MORE2011-10-16T01:48:03Z2011-10-16T01:48:03ZThis Halloween, kids can Trick-or-Treat with the Halloween SpiderTM for ADOPT MORETM. 

Magical, mystical, very intentional,
The Halloween SpiderTM spins webs fantastical.

No boundaries, no borders, the web he weaves
Covers the world with love for this he believes:

It’s not the soil on which a child grows,
It’s family, safety and unconditional love he knows

That makes, creates and defines you.
For this, more compassion and awareness are overdue.

More than just “kids helping kids” this Halloween season,
Kids want all kids to have a family and for good reason.

Click here to learn more about the program.

]]>Ready, Set, Monday. ADOPT MORE...Greenhttp://adoptmore.org/blog/2011/3/7/ready-set-monday-adopt-moregreen.htmlADOPT MORE2011-03-07T16:29:00Z2011-03-07T16:29:00ZTaking care of children who are already here in this world minimizes the ecological and human footprint, moves toward sustainable life, enhances our environment, and conserves natural resources. I believe that children are our most precious natural resources.

I've entered The Green Awards with the below video. Voting will commence 3/12/11. I'll get more information out soon.

Happy Monday, Green Friends!

]]>Ready, Set, Monday. ADOPT MORE...Pauseshttp://adoptmore.org/blog/2011/1/30/ready-set-monday-adopt-morepauses.htmlADOPT MORE2011-01-31T01:21:00Z2011-01-31T01:21:00ZDriving to an outing the other evening, a couple of friends and I chatted about all the places we've visited and some places where we wouldn't mind relocating. Of course, the conversation stirred up obvious pros and cons of Michigan and maybe even some within the United States in general. People in America tend to rush, rush, rush with minimal room for a much needed pause.

We rush to work, to rush to a meeting, to rush for a quick cup of coffee, to rush to the bathroom, to rush to squeeze in 50 task items before we rush to our car, to rush to the grocery store, to rush to make dinner, to rush to get the kids in bed, to rush to bed ourselves so that we may wake up and start an entirely new series of rushes or sadly repeat the ones from the day before.

I want a pause. For me. And for you. A sincere, relaxed pause that will refresh the soul, inspire a belly-laugh, engage new conversation or delight your senses in a whole new meaningful way. Pause now.

Happy Monday!

]]>Ready, Set, Monday. ADOPT MORE...Fresh-nesshttp://adoptmore.org/blog/2010/12/6/ready-set-monday-adopt-morefresh-ness.htmlADOPT MORE2010-12-06T16:56:00Z2010-12-06T16:56:00ZWinter provides a great opportunity to step outside and inhale a large, crisp, breath of fresh air. That pure fresh air can not only reenergize your soul, but also awaken a new spirit that temporarily got buried in stale routines and impossible schedules.

There are many ways to rejuvenate your inner you. A few simple things to try:

  • Have fresh produce
  • Smell a fresh flower
  • Slip on a fresh new outfit
  • Drive in a car that’s as clean and fresh as the day you bought it


    A few things a bit riskier:

  • Welcome a fresh perspective
  • Walk toward a fresh beginning
  • Create a fresh environment for someone less fortunate
  • Have a new conversation that leads to fresh ideas

     

    Regardless of how you try to invigorate your attitude, outlook, senses or spirit, I hope you’re able to feel a bit of renewal as the fullness of the holiday season is upon us.

    Happy Monday!

    • ]]>    Ready, Set, Monday.ADOPT MORE...Gobble Gobble Goohttp://adoptmore.org/blog/2010/11/22/ready-set-mondayadopt-moregobble-gobble-goo.htmlADOPT MORE2010-11-22T19:35:00Z2010-11-22T19:35:00Z
    So much of the holidays is about tradition. When I think of tradition and thanksgiving, Adam Sandler's The Thanksgiving Song pops in my head, makes me smile and floods my memory with laughing friends and good times.

    As we all give thanks, eat great food, pray for the children around the world and spend time with our families (amongst many other things), this Thanksgiving, I hope you;

    1) find time to take life a little less serious for a minute or two
    2) enjoy the traditions you've come to know over the years
    3) create new traditions and memories that you'll remember and share for the rest of your life

    With many thanks, gratitude and turkey, Happy Thanksgiving!

    ]]>    Ready, Set, Monday.ADOPT MORE...Friendshipshttp://adoptmore.org/blog/2010/11/14/ready-set-mondayadopt-morefriendships.htmlADOPT MORE2010-11-14T19:51:00Z2010-11-14T19:51:00Z
    With Thanksgiving only a week and a half away, it seems appropriate to talk about thanks, gratitude, gatherings and celebration. When I think of all of these things, friendships immediately come to mind. Friendships are not something that you can just decide you want, set forth and acquire, but rather something that is earned and cultivated over time.

    Opportunities of new friendships surround us as well as rekindling or strengthening existing friendships. Sometimes, it's easy to let little stuff (or maybe even big stuff) get in the way of friendships. It is also sometimes easier to not talk about something that is bothering us instead of addressing an issue head-on. That can be misfortunate because friendships - good, honest, true friendships - are one of the most important things for which to be thankful.

    As is common with these Ready, Set, Monday blog posts, this week I'm especially thankful for both new and longstanding friendships and I'm going to continue to embrace conversations with newer acquaintances that just might bloom into a new and wonderful friendship over time.

    Happy Monday, friend!

    ]]>    Ready, Set, Monday.ADOPT MORE...High-Fiveshttp://adoptmore.org/blog/2010/11/8/ready-set-mondayadopt-morehigh-fives.htmlADOPT MORE2010-11-08T15:13:00Z2010-11-08T15:13:00ZHigh-five, good game, fist bump, thumbs up…there are several ways to gesture or motion a feeling of joy, pride and optimism.

    When working on something – especially things that are of a routine nature – it sometimes slips the mind to acknowledge the people around us and encourage a job well done. Mind you, the job well done could be something that is seemingly simple to another or it could be the breakthrough of the century. Normally, though, breakthroughs don’t occur without many, many seemingly simple accomplishments.

    So, this week let’s try to consciously recognize the people around us, and any one of the brilliant accomplishments that is achieved every day. And, if by chance there is a certain person that may deserve a high-five, but has given you much grief and heartache, raise an outstretched hand anyway. As you extend your palm and swing your arm forward, perhaps you’ll miss their hand and land your palm on their forehead. You never know, it could accidentally happen. Kismet.

    Here’s a big high-five to you! Happy Monday!

    ]]>