Make 2009
YOUR
Year To Remember
To find out more about a special offer from American Adoptions
read below by following this link.
When the Holidays Aren't so Happy
Holiday season often difficult for waiting families
It's that time of year - a year when houses are lit with colorful lights and wreaths, the stores are full of the latest gifts of the year and cards from relatives and friends begin pouring in wishing you Happy Holidays.
However, for many waiting families, the holidays are often a difficult and trying time to put on a smile and feel the joy of the season.
It's important to remember that you are not alone - waiting families often feel sadness or anxiety during the holiday season. You may find it difficult to attend family gatherings or have a particularly difficult time discussing your adoption plan with
friends and family.
Rather than focusing on your wait, or letting your feelings of sadness or anxiety dominate your days, some families have found the following tips helpful:
- Focus your energy on school or work. Keeping busy will help you keep your mind off of your wait or your anxiety surrounding this holiday season.
- Do something special for yourself and your spouse. Share a nice dinner out at a restaurant you've been meaning to try. Share a massage. Take a weekend trip to a nearby bed and breakfast.
- Donate time or goods to a local charity. Resolve to turn your anxiety into positive energy and help others. You may find that helping others helps you, too.
- Find a local adoptive parent support group in your area or surround yourself with other adoptive families you know. Chances are, they too felt the same during the holiday season while they were waiting.
- Don't put too much pressure on yourself to attend family events. If being around a pregnant family member or young children will be difficult for you, don't force yourself to go. Share your feelings with your family members, if you feel comfortable doing
so. Don't feel obligated to do something you know will be upsetting for you - it's your holiday, too.
- Keep a journal. Many waiting families find keeping a journal a healthy way to share their feelings and work through their emotions.
- Take care of yourself! Make sure you exercise, eat well and get enough sleep.
- Remember that you are not alone. Millions of waiting families have experienced those same thoughts and feelings. It is perfectly normal to experience the holiday blues and feel anxiety about family holiday events.
Make 2009 a Year to Remember!
American Adoptions to Provide Free Adoption Tele-Seminars
As families across the world usher in a New Year, many also resolve to do something great. To make the New Year their year; to finally take those first steps and do something they have resolved to do.
Each year, thousands of couples face the heartbreak of infertility. Often after months - or years - of unsuccessful infertility treatments, many couples resolve to make the New Year different and find themselves wondering about their adoption option.
What is it like? What is the process? Are there really infants available for adoption in the U.S.?
If you or someone you know has wondered about adoption, American Adoptions will be offering free educational tele-seminars to educate the public about their adoption options. American Adoptions is one of the nation's largest domestic adoption
agencies and is involved in over 300 domestic adoptions each year. Tele-seminars will be offered during two convenient times and dates:
- Exploring the Adoption Option: Information and Answers
11 a.m., January 19, 2009
- Exploring the Adoption Option: Information and Answers
Noon, January 24, 2009
These convenient one-hour tele-seminars will allow families across the nation to learn more about the adoption process from the comfort of their own home. Participants will learn the basics of the adoption process and will have the opportunity to
ask any questions they may have.
Although these tele-seminars are free, advanced reservation is preferred. To RSVP for a tele-seminar, contact Mike Aguilar at 1-800-ADOPTION or e-mail mike@americanadoptions.com. To participate in the tele-seminar, dial (877) 336-1829 and enter code
4370159 to join the conference call.
To learn more about adoption, our agency and how adoption has touched the lives of millions across the U.S., visit our Web site at www.americanadoptions.com or contact us at
1-800-ADOPTION.
Have a question for American Adoptions?
No matter what stage of the adoption process you are at, there are bound to be questions. Feel free to submit your question to us for discussion in future newsletters.
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