Because of her experiences as an adoption professional and an adoptive parent, Paula recently commented, “I know that families cannot do what they need to do without a community of support. We are all in this together! Nothing is more life-changing or more meaningful!”

At the Rhode Island Adoption Exchange, Darlene Allen says, “We believe that everyone has something to give to a child. For some, providing [hope] may be in the form of a guitar lesson, or an art class. For others it may mean tutoring, visiting, or hosting an adoption event. For some, it means opening your heart and home to a child, and for still others it will mean supporting the work necessary to find that family for one child.”

The children in foster care don’t belong to the government. They are ours. Yours and mine.

One hundred years from now, it won’t matter what kind of house I lived in, what kind of car I drove, or how much money I had in my bank account, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.

It doesn’t take much to be important to a child:

You’ll find Faye at work in our office at least five days a week, along with the rest of our staff. Recently she said, “If I do my part to findhomes for waiting children, the world will be better, one child at a time.”

Some say that what you see is what you get. Adoptive mom, Vicki Krausz* said it better than that in a poem she allowed us to print in our 25th Anniversary book.

*Vicki and her husband, Steve, founded and run the Jewish Children’s Adoption Network (JCAN).

That’s where beginnings start.

We don’t like letting go. But poets and philosophers tell us that “every door that closes allows another door to open into new freedom” (Laurel Elizabeth Keyes).

Adoptive parents tell us that their children have to let go of the hurts and anger in order to move forward toward trusting relationships.

Their parents learn to let go of their own expectations and dreams in order to love the children just as they are.

As happens every year at about this time, I have been doing some cleaning up in my office. There are notes on pieces of paper in every size and color. Some have bright yellow highlight to remind me of things I must do. I see the phone number of a retired colleague that I’d like to stay in touch with. And I found a punch line for what was probably a good joke.

There is a stack of stuff that needs immediate attention (so why does it get bigger and not smaller?). And a stack of stuff that might come in useful.

Some notes are well organized. Most aren’t.

As I file things away, I come across a provocative item from another year. Tucked away in a binder, it stopped me in my tracks today. It is a sort of diary on half a page, with two dated entries. The first is rather descriptive. The other – well, it’s short.

Quit trying?! That couldn’t happen today, could it? Somebody please tell me that wouldn’t – couldn’t – happen in 2010.

I don’t know much about “monster trucks.” But Cassidy does. And so does Bill.

Today’s guest blogger is Bill Williams, NM Program Director. This is what he said:

One of the biggest events of The Adoption Exchange in New Mexico is our annual Night at the Races to say “thank you, you are important to us” to any foster or adoptive child and their family in the state. They are treated to a night at the races, with monster truck rides, jumpers, and clowns painting faces. Click here for full details.

This year we are hoping to have over 200 individuals taking a turn in the monster truck. And of course they’ll be cheering for their favorite race car.

Night at the Races scheduled for July 17, 2010 at Sandia Motor Speedway

She quickly replied, “No, I had so much fun last year I wanted to have the pictures to cut out for my life book. I didn’t have a camera and you have pictures of the monster truck.”

This reminds me to be taking more pictures of the activities this year, and I’ll see to it that Cassidy will end up with copies.

It also reminds me that Cassidy deserves family photos and videos with the hugs and laughs that that accompany them, not explaining her life book to another foster home.

Click here to get a glimpse of Cassidy.

This winter gold medalist, Scott Hamilton was asked by an ice skating Olympian competitor how he stayed at the top of the competition from one year to the next.

Hamilton’s answer was “Focus every single day. You have to be determined that there will be no shoulda done this or woulda done that or coulda maybe done something else. You have to do absolutely everything you know to do every single day without fail.”

For twenty-seven years everyone connected with The Adoption Exchange has done their very, very best every day, evenings and weekends.

Some years are easier than others. But that isn’t the point.

Nothing less than that is good enough for the children and their families.