Why Down Books

Although we’ve already mentioned adoption references on this site, I decided to add another post since November is national adoption month.

If you’re interested in international adoption or just want to read a good book, Forever Lily should be on your reading list.

This book describes how the author adopted her third Chinese child, although the author describes the book as more about “a transformation” than a book about adoption or about other aspects such as travel.

If you have experience with an adoption agency, or a good adoption book, let us know.

Although you may never have thought about it, I found an interesting book, The Wedding Present: Domestic Life Beyond Consumption, lately that examines how homes are made, starting from marriage and examining it throughout the years. It examines our material possessions in our home life, such as when we get china dishes and other gifts from our wedding. From china replacement dish services to giving wedding gifts such as toasters, this book looks deeper than most people have even thought about how their daily spending and marriage are intertwined.

Discovering that you are infertile is a devastating experience. I know because it wasn’t too long ago that I was faced with this condition. Although I knew about the IVF treatments that were available, my husband and I decided to adopt.

There are so many children already out there that need parents so adoption seemed the perfect choice. We’ve talked about adopting since we were engaged, particularly adopting an interracial child. I always like to do my research, so I picked up the book, The Complete Adoption Book. It gave me information about everything involved in adoption. I felt better prepared when we talked with an adoption agency and began our search for our child. I would recommend it for anyone considering adoption.

My husband and I have been reading tons of books lately on how to pay off a mortgage early.  Since debt-free living has been one of marital goals since day one, paying off our mortgage would be the last major debt we have before we have complete financial freedom.

During our research we came across the Money Merge Account (offered by a financial solutions company, UFirst); it is an early mortgage payoff program that enables homeowners to pay off their mortgage in as little as eight to ten years.  While I have not come across any actual books regarding the Money Merge Account, the company that created it, UFirst, has a comprehensive and inclusive website that discloses everything one needs to know about the Money Merge Account and if the program is a good fit for you and your situation.

Although infertility services like egg donation have become quite popular, surrogacy is less well-known and often misunderstood. If you are considering becoming a surrogate, you should definitely read Pathways to Parenthood: The Ultimate Guide to Surrogacy. It is also a helpful read for couples considering surrogacy or anyone wanting to know more about it.

The author was a surrogate and tells her story, as well as breaking down the legal and medical aspects of surrogacy. The author examines whether to use a surrogacy agency or make independent arrangements. This book is a how-to guide to surrogacy for both IVF and artificial insemination.

Couples that have experienced infertility know what a frustrating, difficult, and depressing experience it can be.

“Resolving Infertility” (by Diane Aroson and Suzanne Levert) provides a broad overview of issues and concerns related to infertility such as the medical, psychological, and financial concerns.  The book is very helpful because it provides an in-depth medical discussion of the many tests that may involved in an infertility evaluation. 

I would highly recommend this book to any couples considering infertility services as a way to start their own family.

I truly wish I had a green thumb; I would love to have a blossoming garden full or gorgeous blooms and fresh, succulent vegetables.  But I don’t.  Everything I try to grow usually does not last very long. 

So this past spring and summer, the Gardening for Dummies book has been my best.  I wouldn’t say I have the best garden in the neighborhood, but it’s my little sanctuary that I am quite proud of; the pumpkins are growing, my tomato plants survived, and my petunias are thriving!  I would recommend this to anyone that is as gardening challenged as myself.

On a side note, I discovered a great invention for the garden: a bug hat to keep all those pesky pests from buzzing and biting.  Pick one up when you get your gardening dummy book!

My brother and his wife have been trying to adopt for the past year. After having two biological children of their own, they decided on adoption was the answer to their infertility difficulties. As anyone with experience knows, explaining the process of adoption can be complicated with young children. I gave them this great children’s book about adoption I found called Rosie’s Family: An Adoption Story.

Told from the point of a puppy (which may seems strange to adults), the book is a valuable tool in explaining adoption and what it means in a simple yet effective way for children. It addresses issues such as looking different from parents, dealing with teasing and negative comments, how to talk to a birth parent, and other questions likely to come up with an adopted child. It’s also a great resource to use for biological children with an adopted sibling. I would highly recommend it for adoptive families.