Jenell M. Jones is the author of “Shattered,” a book that shares her experience as an adoptive mother. Last week we heard her story on adopting Mercy from the foster care system. Mercy joined the family of 6 children and had many mental and physical traumas that affected her day-to-day life. On part two, Jenell talks about how the system is set up to help children but often fails to provide resources to help foster children heal and be able to thrive in a family. On this episode she shares about the next level of trauma that vulnerable children could face. How does adoption and foster care play into human trafficking? What is being done to protect our children?

Jenell M. Jones is the author of “Shattered,” a book that shares her experience as an adoptive mother. Jenell is currently operating multiple early learning centers, which specialize in providing high quality learning experiences to children who experience trauma in low-income areas, while also raising 7 children! When she brought home Mercy she found out that her expectations about adoption were shattered.  Her passion is helping foster parents and adoptive parents ask the right questions on this journey. In this episode we get very real about the day-to-day challenges of raising children with mental and physical trauma. She gives advice to parents (and soon to be parents) on what they need to hear most about the foster care system. What questions do you ask social workers? What do you need to be prepared for when bringing home an older child? What do you need to know about trauma and loss?  This episode helps us understand how important it is that children find healing and what resources Jenell had to use to hopefully lead her daughter to find truth and peace in her story.

President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption has joined ADOPTION NOW for an incredible interview. Rita Soronen has worked on behalf of abused, neglected and vulnerable children for more than 30 years.  As the leader of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a national nonprofit public charity, her mission is to dramatically increase the number of adoptions from foster care. They are working hard to find permanent families for the more than 140,000 waiting children in the United States foster care system. The non-profit was inspired by Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s fast-food restaurant chain, who was adopted himself! Rita shares his story, as well as her own journey in working with families and children. If you are interested in adopting an older child from the foster care system, this episode is for you!

Author Sarah D. Shearer joins ADOPTION NOW to talk about her adoption story.  In her words, her story started off with little hope, “I was born with various medical needs and was left in a Russian hospital where nuns helped to keep me alive until I was transferred to an orphanage.” The Russian orphanage was convinced that no one would want her, but a family in Thomasville, GA saw her picture and fell in love. This is an uplifting story filled with gratitude and grace towards adoption. Sarah has written a memoir called “Extra Ordinary” to share her positive perspective. She says, “no one can speak to adoption more than an adoptee.” Listen to this episode and check out her book on Amazon!   QLyczKYulKtuC15aefxa

PART 2!! As we heard on the last episode, Jacob and Jessica already had 2 biological children when they adopted a baby boy while being filmed on the Oxygen show “I am Having Their Baby.” The family of 5 soon became a family of 6, as they went on to adopt a little boy with clubfoot. On this week’s episode Jessica shares how their journey was not over after 2 adoptions! As they waited on the agency’s adoption list, a situation came up that involved drug exposure to the unborn baby. The couple had to make a quick decision if they wanted to keep moving forward and say yes. Listen to hear the rest of the J Family's story!

As cameras rolled, Jessica and Jacob started their adoption journey on the Oxygen show “I’m Having Their Baby.” On this episode, Jessica talks to us about the experience of adopting while being filmed on a TV show (as if the hospital time isn’t stressful enough)! They had 2 biological children when they started the process, and as you will hear, they just kept saying yes to situations. This is part 1 of 2 episodes on how they became a family of 8!

Kurt and Megan were married and had 2 sons when they went on a mission trip to Haiti. God began to stir in their hearts a call to adopt. This is a story about surrendering to God’s plan and being obedient to taking the next steps. They knew that if they did not pursue adoption, they would miss out on what God had planned for them. The process was not easy but eventually they brought home a 4-year-old little girl named Esther. They were all so excited but as time went on, they learned about trauma and grief in children. In this episode we hear from Megan about the joy and chaos of learning to parent differently and how to let go of the expectations of what they thought raising a daughter would look like. Through prayer and resources, they have seen Esther grow in ways that have brought love and understanding to their whole family.

Noah joins April on this episode to talk about so many things…like the new WEBSITE! They update us on how the kids are doing and share what is next for ADOPTION NOW. You do not want to miss this candid conversation the two of them have about life as a multicultural adoptive family.

Our guest on this episode comes to us from Tennessee and works for Ramsey Solutions. Jessica Ross tells us what Dave would say about adoption and debt! She and her husband said yes to adopting a baby and had no idea how expensive the attorney would be. As she shares her story on bringing home Gabby, it turns out money was not going to be the hardest part of the journey. Her story was featured on The Ramsey Show, you can watch the clip here. We loved having Jessica on the show talking about what giving back looks like, and how we can support other families financially as they walk through adoption.

Do you know someone who is adopting a baby that has been exposed to drug use in utero? Are you an adoptive or foster parent that has jumped into a world that you have no idea about? What does a detoxing baby need? This interview is so important to the adoption community and will answer those questions. Tara Sundem is a neonatal nurse that has opened a recovery center for newborns going through the withdrawal process. Hushabye Nursery works with families to give short-term care to infants that are detoxing. They provide training and support to the caregivers or parents that are walking through this recovery process with the baby. On this episode, we share many tips and advice for families that have a child that has gone through a challenging first start.

What does it take to adopt from the Dominican Republic? Abby, a Midwest mother and teacher, shares her adoption story to bring home her 2nd daughter from the Dominican. After they signed with an agency to do a new DR adoption program, they were matched to a little girl. The family traveled with their biological daughter and stayed in country for 135 days! Although it was not easy, they were grateful for the time they had together, getting used to being a family for 4. On this episode, we talk about how often the adoption journey pulls you out of your comfort zone and into an adventure. Abby shares what it was like to bring home a child that does not speak English and has been raised in an orphanage for her first 5 years. It was such a change for her new daughter and a big family change for her biological daughter! Listen to this story to be encouraged that in time, things do come together!

Have you ever gone through loss on your journey to become a parent? Have you lost a baby or had an adoption fall through? Does it seem like the waiting to bring home your child is lasting FOREVER? This episode is for you. Sharon Broxton is the host of the Unwanted Sisterhood Podcast a place for women to share their experiences with infertility and struggles to become a mother. On this episode Sharon opens up about her own journey with infertility, a stillborn birth, and one disrupted match. Though she was tired, she never gave up and in November 2022 her family finalized on their new baby girl! She also shares how they raised $28,000 towards their adoption fees!

“Making an adoption plan does not mean that you’re not a present or loving member of your child’s family. Family is built from love, not always just blood. Regardless of how you were raised or what your childhood experiences of a family are, you can learn how to be a part of a healthy family.” Shannon is a birthmother who loves being a part of her child’s life after placement. On this episode she shares her story with the adoptive mother she chose to raise her baby. We hear why she picked her and how their relationship has changed both of their lives. Adoption has created more love for both of them. Click to hear how Shannon and Makayla navigate open adoption.

Buckle up Buttercup! Makayla has a story to tell! She has waited years to be on ADOPTION NOW and this is her moment!! Makayla and her husband have adopted two beautiful babies but not without trials and grit! You can listen on podcast or watch on YouTube!

Eithne Ring is an author and birth mother from Ireland. She has just written a new book, "Does My Son Take Sugar?" an Irish Mother's Memoir. A true story of love, scandal, regret, and reunion. In this episode, we talk about adoption in Ireland and how birth mothers were treated. Eithne shares how she was forced to hide the pregnancy and went on in silent grief over the loss of her child. This story has a surprising twist and is a beautiful reminder of how wonderful things can still come even after trauma. You can listen to this episode on podcast or watch it on YouTube!

Noah and April interview Wendy Gossett and share about their experience with brain mapping and discovering their family’s personalities. Wendy helps parents understand their children by using temperament psychology and neuroscience. She has over twenty years of experience in education, working in the classroom and corporate sector. “We often believe we are seeing reality when we are actually looking through a skewed lens, because of our own personality and biases. As parents, we need to put on a different lens to see each one of our children clearly, so they can become the people they were originally designed to be.” In this episode, Noah and April open up about things in their family that they needed help with. Wendy was able to give them a road map into what the children may need and how to strengthen their marriage by understanding each other better. You do not want to miss this episode on Podcast and on YouTube!

Michele Fisher was adopted at 4 months old into a family with 2 other adopted brothers in Pennsylvania. She always knew she was adopted, and in her family, adoption felt very normal. She loved her parents but as she started getting older, she had some medical questions and wanted to know about her biological parents. She waited years as to not upset her adoptive parents in her search. Finally, she went forward and got the “Summary Completed” paperwork from the agency. As she read it over, she realized she had more questions than answers about who her birth parents really were and the nature of their relationship. When Michele decided to take a DNA test, the family connections opened up and the journey began.

Welcome to season 7!!! We are so honored to have Ayden Lincoln as our guest. She was born in China and abandoned at birth with her umbilical cord still attached. She spent the first year of her life in an orphanage before her family flew half-way across the world to bring her home right before her first birthday. She quickly attached to her parents and siblings but coming to America did not solve all of her problems. She experienced the trauma of adoption, mental health issues including a battle with anxiety, ADHD, and regular outbursts. She struggled in school and felt alone. Now at 20 years old, Ayden shares what her parents did to help her succeed and how one teacher forever changed her life. Her message is clear. Do not give up being an advocate for your child, they need you. She believes you will find the resources you need!

For the first time ever, Noah and April bring the whole family on to say goodbye to season 6 and talk about what ADOPTION NOW means to each one of them. AJ introduces “Grandpa Joe” while Maliyah tries to steal the spotlight! Lily and AJ’s heartfelt answers will make you want to hear more about their thoughts on adoption, and Vivy is proud to tell you what she is good at! This family was built on adoption, loves adoption, and has embraced adopting the whole story. Together they have brought you ADOPTION NOW, Telling Your Adoption Story. Adoption stories from all over the world shared by adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents. Don’t miss this sweet family episode! Goodbye season 6…. hello season 7!

Tim Elder is the founder of the Infant Adoption Guide Podcast, Blog and Online Community. He's been married to his wife Tisha for over 28 years. On their journey they have experienced infertility, a miscarriage, and two rounds of cancer. They have been blessed to adopt 3 children as newborns. Tim's mission is to deliver hope and inspiration through his guides, courses, and community so others just like him can finally reach their dream of building a family through infant adoption.