Adoption is a life-long process that brings both joy and sorrow to those whose lives have been forever changed through its experience. The personal and intensely emotional stories related in this book realistically illustrate both the positive and negative aspects of adoption. Collected into chapters entitled joy, loss, family, process, career, justice, and journey, the characters and events of each story address many of the unique situations presented by adoption. This inclusive and honest portrayal of adoption includes stories of children of all ages, in a variety of situations, with different needs and challenges, and the stories of the families and individuals who adopt them for reasons as numerous and varied as the children themselves. The stories also encompass the dedicated professionals who work in adoption to support the children and families involved in all stages of the journey.

Anyone who has adopted, has been adopted, has planned an adoption, or has worked in adoption will recognize and appreciate the variety of challenges and successes illustrated in these heartfelt stories. The realistic and honest voices of each unique situation bring to life the emotional and legal complexity of adoption.

Tim O'Hanlon is a former adoption assistance policy specialist, and is author of Adoption Subsidy (1998), Accessing Adoption Assistance After Legalization (1995), and Adoption and Financial Assistance (Bergin & Garvey, 1999). In addition to committee work with AFA, training parents, consulting, speaking and writing magazine articles about special needs adoption, he maintains an adoption advocacy Web site called the Adoption Policy Resource Center. As a NACAC representative, Dr. O'Hanlon has helped many families understand the bureaucracy and their rights as they advocate for their children.

Rita Laws, PhD, is the co-author of Adopting and Advocating for the Special Needs Child and Adoption and Financial Assistance (1997, 1999, Bergin & Garvey, 1997, 1999). She writes about adoption for various print and online adoption periodicals and trains chat room moderators for the National Adoption Center's AdoptNet Web site. Dr.Laws has been an adoption advocate and activist since 1979 and a NACAC and NAATRIN Representative since 1990.