January 2011

• 2011, started off with a look back on the earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010, and the 380,000 Haitian children that were still living in tent cities a year later. Haiti is once again accepting adoption applications.
  
• As of January 1, 2011, birth parents of children born on or after January 1, 1946, may fill out a form for the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange (IARMIE) stating their desires regarding contact and non-identifying information that may be shared on the original birth certificate.
  

• We discussed how to go about telling friends and family about adding to one's family through adoption. Other Guides discussed the trend of "baby sex parties" with special cakes that reveal a baby's gender with pink or blue dyed cake mix. How Did You Tell Family and Friends that You Were Going to Adopt a Child?
  
• Elton John and his partner of 17 years, David Furnish utilized a surrogate and became the parents to a baby boy, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, who was born on Christmas Day 2010.
  
• Martin Gill and his partner, finalized the adoption of their two foster sons in Florida after six years and fighting a three decade old law that didn't allow homosexuals from adopting.
  
• Oprah Winfrey revealed her connection to the adoption community when she shared on The Oprah Winfrey Show the discovery that she has a little sister, a sister her mother had placed for adoption without Oprah's knowledge. It was a fascinating episode which revealed much about Oprah, her family, and adoption reunions.
  

February 2011

• In February 2011, we learned that one of the Biggest Loser trainers had started the adoption process. Yep, Jillian Michaels was simply waiting for an adoption referral and was a part of a new program, attempting to adopt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  

• We explored adoption, adoption reunion, and the impact of social media sites like Facebook. Meredith Resnick of Psychology Today blogged about the issue of Facebook and too much information being shared online. Different readers shared their opinions on the subject.
  
• We also gave our opinion on another site's advice column when an adoptee asked if she should have told her boyfriend that she was adopted. Readers again shared their thoughts on the matter.
  
• We learn that Hollywood legend and adoptive parent Jane Russell passed away on February 28, 2011. She was also an advocate and helped establish in 1980, the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act which serves to reimburse parents for the medical expenses they incur by adopting children with special needs.
  

March 2011

• We learned that in England foster parents were not able to decide what types of behavior they would allow in their own homes. This came about when a foster family stated that they would love a child that was homosexual, but would also try to "gently turn him around." The couple wanted to foster children around the age of 6, and were declined based on their response to homosexuality and children in their home. A few readers had thoughts on this issue as well.
  
• Ethiopia's Ministry of Women's, Children's and Youth Affairs decided to cut Ethiopian adoptions by 90% beginning March 1, 2011.
  
• In March 2011, Nebraska adoptive parents were given more options regarding foster care adoption and the reading of adoption files on the children they wished to adopt. This gives the adoptive parents more information so they can make the best decision possible on whether or not the child is the right fit for their family.
  
• A triple disaster - earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis - hit Japan on March 11, 2011, with again many wishing to help the children of the country by adopting a Japanese child.
  
• Roxanne Janel Jones was charged in Johnson County, Kansas with felony theft, misdemeanor theft and identity theft. It was reported that Jones sought couples on the Internet and was given hundreds of thousands of dollars for an unborn child that didn't exist.
  
• It was also announced on March 15, 2011, by the China Center for Children Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA), (formerly the China Center of Adoption Affairs), that single women may once again adopt 'Special Focus' children from China. Interested single women must be at least 30-years-old and must be younger than 55 when submitting their dossier.
  

April 2011

• The American Academy of Pediatrics made changes to the child safety seat guidelines and they took effect in April 2011. Foster and adoptive parents needed to be aware of these changes.
  
• A year in review wouldn't be complete if it didn't include rumors of another Jolie-Pitt adoption. This time the rumors were started by one of Angelina's tattoos. Of course, all rumors were denied.
  
• Jillian Michaels was still in the adoption process and shared how she was building patience by the journey and that would help make her a better mother.
  

• Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: SVU became an adoptive mother with the addition of bi-racial, American born, Amaya Josephine.
  
• We discussed whether or not celebrities were selfish for choosing to give birth over adopting a child in need. Readers chimed in with their own opinions on this hot topic.
  
• In Arizona a new bill would allow agencies to give preference to married couples over single parents.
  

May 2011

• May 2011, brought us another adoption cartoon, Kung Fu Panda 2 with Angelina Jolie and Jack Black. Many readers, adoptees and adoptive parents, were unhappy with the film. While Jolie mentioned in an interview that she felt it might be a great tool to open up conversation with adopted children.
  
• Hip-hop star, 50 Cent, shared about his life in a documentary, 50 Cent: The Origin of Me, and how he was adopted by his grandmother after the murder of his mother, Sabrina.
  
• The first national foster care magazine was launched and distributed on May 2, 2011. Former foster child Chris Chmielewski of Watsontown, PA has created produced and distributed the new idea to commemorate National Foster Care Month, and bring more awareness to the foster care industry."
  

June 2011

• We learned of 180 foster children that graduated from high school and received $600,000 in college scholarships from the United Friends of Children organization. It was wonderful to hear positive news about foster teens.
  
• Two different Hollywood adoptions finished up June. Denise Richards adopted a little girl, Eloise Joni on June 29 and even though no official announcement was made, a interview with Ewan McGregor points to the addition of another child.
  

July 2011

• Most of the country was upset when after only 10 hours of deliberation, Casey Anthony was acquitted of murder.
  
• A Boston Globe reporter and biographer Sally Jacobs, found documents that show that President Obama's parents considered placing him for adoption. In a new book about President Obama's father, "The Other Barack, The Bold and Reckless Life of President Obama's Father", Jacobs cites documents that state that Barack Obama Sr. spoke with immigration officials that his new wife, Ann Dunham, was making plans with the Salvation Army to "give the baby away." I have no idea if this was the case, but it did make me wonder if he'd be President today if he was placed for adoption.
  

• Anna Mae He returned to the United States to visit her former foster parents.
  
• Jimmy Wayne began work on a documentary of the 1,700 mile walk he took last year to raise awareness of homeless teens. The plan is to retrace his journey, stopping to capture pieces of the trek that changed his life.
  
• The bilateral adoption agreement between the United States and Russia was finally signed July 13, 2011, by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
  
• Dr. David Ludwig's, a Boston pediatrician, and co-author Lindsey Murtagh, published an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association that obese children should be placed in foster care. This viewpoint caused quite a stir.
  

August 2011

• There were rumors of singer Amy Winehouse, who was found dead in her London home July 23, was set to adopt a 10-year-old child from St. Lucia. Winehouse's people reported that there was no truth to the story, which made me sigh in relief.
  
• Jessica Beagley, 'Hot Sauce Mom', sought help from the Dr. Phil show last November, stating that she was having trouble disciplining her 7-year-old, son that they adopted from Russia. The taped segment for the Dr. Phil show showed scenes of Beagley forcing her son to drink hot sauce for lying and cold showers when she's "at the end of [her] rope." Beagley received a suspended 180-day sentence, three years probation and ordered to continue in counseling. Russia was not completely happy about the outcome, but was happy that the child's humiliation was taken seriously and that Beagley was held accountable for her actions.
  

• Jolie once again confirmed that she was not pregnant and making no plans to adopt at this time.
  

September 2011

• Michael and Nanette Craver of Pennsylvania were finally tried for the death of their Russian born adopted son, 7-year-old Nathaniel. The couple were found guilty of the involuntary manslaughter of their son, Nathaniel, who died in August 25, 2009. The couple claimed that the seven-year-old rammed his own head into a wood burning stove the night before he died.
  
• The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption released its fifth annual "100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces" rankings. Topping the list for the fourth year in a row was Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc., which is not affiliated with The Foundation. Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc., offers of $24,300 in financial assistance and up to 6 weeks paid leave per adoption.
  

October 2011

• Steve Jobs passed away Wednesday, October 5, 2011, at the age of 56. It's hard to imagine a world where Steve Jobs didn't exist. Steve Jobs was adopted at birth by Clara and Paul Jobs. If he was never adopted, would he still have been the father of the Mac? I know this is a question that many adoptees ask - are talents due to nature or nurture?
  
• Gemma Rose Davis was adopted by Kristin Davis through a domestic adoption.
  

• Adoptive mother, Amber Austin, tred to convince the Glee's producers to sponsor a public service announcement to answer the adoption issues raised in the show - which she calls "harmful inaccuracies in an adoption-based story line."
  
• Mariska Hargitay and her husband adopted a baby boy, six months after adopting a baby girl.
  
• Rodney Atkins, who was adopted as an infant reunited with his birth mother in August 2008, but decided to share his adoption reunion experiences.
  
• Heath and Deborah Campbell were still fighting to regain custody of their three children - Adolf Hitler Campbell, 5, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation, 3, and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell - after 33 months in custody.
  

November 2011

• Penn State's beloved head football coach, Joe Paterno was fired along with the university president Graham Spanier. Ten years ago, Assistant Coach Mike McQueary saw a 10-year-old boy allegedly being raped by Jerry Sandusky, another assistant coach. As time went on, more cases of alleged child sexual abuse involving Sandusky emerged.
  

• The Jolie-Pitt crew explored Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to allow their adopted son, Pax a chance to get reconnected to his birth country and culture. This is part of their plan to help each of their children maintain their culture and learn their siblings culture as well.
  
• Torry Hansen is finally going to court sometime in early 2012, with The World Association for Children and Parents, Hansen's adoption agency, seeking child support after she returned her adopted Russian child back to Russia unaccompanied with only a note pinned to his jacket. The trial is set for January.
  
• Seal and Heidi Klum shared that they have been inspired by friend and adoptive mother, Sandra Bullock. The couple stated in an interview with Closer magazine that they are considering adoption in the future.
  
• Rumors were flying again that a seventh child will be adopted from Ethiopia. The Daily Star, states that a source shared that Jolie and Pitt promised Zahara a long time ago that they would adopt again from Ethiopia so that she could have someone else in the family to relate to.
  
• November 15, 2011, brought an exciting day for those adult adoptees born in Illinois on or after January 1, 1946. They could now request a non-certified copy of their original birth certificates. Of course, the information shared on these OBC may be based on if their birth parents filled out a preference card for the Illinois Adoption Registry.
  

December 2011

• This year marked the 13th annual A Home for the Holidays where foster care adoption is celebrated with stories from adoptive families, children looking for an adoptive home, and celebrities sharing musical numbers. It's a show I look forward to watching every year - usually with a wad of tissues. Martina McBride hosted the special which will also include music from Justin Bieber, Gavin DeGraw, Mary J. Blige, Christina Perri and OneRepublic. Actresses Katherine Heigl and Denise Richards also presented as they are both adoptive parents. A Home for the Holidays is presented with the help from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and the Children's Action Network.