KRISTIN: ON OLDER CHILD ADOPTION + SHARING YOUR CHILD'S STORY WITH THEM + CONNECTING WITH BIRTH PARENTS
Kristin Berry is the adoptive mom of 8. Long pause. Yes, 8 kids. She's also one of the voices of the seriously popular and widely-read blog, Confessions of An Adoptive Parent, and the gold standard of adoption podcasting, The Honestly Adoption Podcast. She and her husband are writers, bloggers, podcasters, speakers, and all-around-adoption-experts. But the credentials aren't what really matter. Kristin is one of my very favorite voices on all things adoption. My adoption guru. This week we talk the importants (going into adoption naive, talking about your child's adoption story from day one, open adoption, connecting with your child's birth parents) and the not-so-importants (potato chips and Vampire Diaries). I wish I could talk to Kristin all day. I could easily listen to Kristin all day. Right here I provide you a chockfull-o-good-stuff 45 minutes of her. You're welcome.
• The intro song, The Source, is brought to you by one of the best new worship bands out there, The Evidence. Yes, the frontman is my (talented, brilliant, adorable, Jesus-loving) cousin. No, that's not why I love them.
• You could spend a lifetime (I mean, not really, but) perusing Confessions of An Adoptive Parent and listening to The Honestly Adoption Podcast. You've got all the resources you need right there. Learn away.
• Kristin's book, Born Broken, is a must read. A raw/encouraging/heart-breaking look into the life of an adoptive family and the realities raising a child with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Get it now.
• Kristin's a reader. She recommended (in print or in audio form):
- Capital Gaines by Chip Gaines - I've never seen one moment of one episode of their show, but I know that gals (especially Christian ones) are all about Chip + Joanna.
- Mom and Me and Mom by Maya Angelou - I read my first Maya Angelou book when I was 15, and it changed my perception of both race and literature. She's a beautiful soul with a poignant gift. I highly recommend this one.
- You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson - This one's been on my list for a while. Time to read it. Probably especially great for transracial-adoptive mamas.
• Kristin's listening to the podcast "Fearless Questions." There's a whole bunch of A+ guests on this thing.
