Tag: Adoption


Apr
2016

Meet the Mama – Catherine Crawford, single Heart Mama to gorgeous little Charlotte

categories: Home, Meet the Mama

Catherine

I met Catherine online in one of my favourite local adoption groups on Facebook called Passionate about adoption – if you’re looking into adoption or have already adopted, then make sure you join this group! Catherine is the lucky Heart Mama to little Charlotte and manages to juggle motherhood as well as her job as Director of Pay it Forward, a foundation which aims to uplift a child’s life through education. Thanks for sharing your story, Catherine.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your family.

I am a single mother to Charlotte and I have two siblings. One brother who is 5 yrs older and a twin sister, both of whom are a great support to me.

Did you always know that you wanted to adopt?  

I often thought as a child that I would love to adopt, however this idea faded and when I was married as I thought I might have biological children. Continue Reading


Apr
2016

10 helpful reads for adoptive parents

categories: Home

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Whenever I read a great adoption-themed article online, I share it over on the Heart Mama Blog Facebook page as a reference for myself and to share it with others who might be interested too. It’s easy to lose track of these articles on the newsfeed and so I’ve put together a list of ten of my favourite most recent reads that have helped me refine my views on adoption (I’ve been sneaky and popped in two of my own posts too). I hope you find this list helpful!

  1. 5 reasons a new adoptive mom goes MIA
  2. Helping your preschooler feel good about race
  3. Do you have a reluctant spouse?
  4. For this child I prayed
  5. I thought I was gorgeous until I learned that I was just pretty for a black girl
  6. When the road is long and you’d like to forget about adoption
  7. Bonding with your baby at each developmental stage
  8. My friend’s adoption story inspired me
  9. What white parents should know about adopting black children
  10. About the adoption option

Have you read any helpful articles lately? Please share the link with us in the comments below.


Feb
2016

When the road is long and you’d like to forget about adoption

categories: Home

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I love my kids and I love adoption but I don’t think I’m alone when I say that there are some days when I wish I could just forget about adoption. There are some days where I just want to be a Mom without the ‘adoptive’ part attached to it. There are some days when I wish attachment and bonding were automatically thrown into the mix the minute you signed on the dotted line. There are other days when I’m tired of coming up against a rigid Home Affairs and using all my energy and time to get seemingly nowhere. Some days when I long for sameness because if we’re honest here, it’s just easier – different usually equals hard. Sometimes adoption just feels like a long, hard slog and you can’t imagine coming through the other side. Continue Reading


Feb
2016

Meet the AfroDaddy – Terence Mentor: The Dad with big hair & a bigger heart

categories: Home, Meet the Mama

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So, I know this blog is called ‘Heart Mama Blog’ and this series usually posts adoption stories from a Mom’s perspective but today we get to hear from a Dad, an ‘AfroDaddy’ to be specific! Terence is a blogger with his own Youtube channel – I’ve loaded some of my favourite videos of his at the  bottom of this post, so take a look. Terence and his wife Julie live down the road from us and we’ve met through mutual friends – if you ever find yourself in Rosmead Spar, keep one eye open for this Dad with a fro (and perhaps a kid or two!) and give him a hello and a pat on the back.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your family.

I’m a dad who is a little bit odd – in looks, taste and personality (but not too odd, I hope!). I’m married to beautiful, gracious, smart and wonderful Julie. (I say all this about her because it’s true, but also because it makes her SUPER uncomfortable)

We are the happy parents of 2 year old Liam, who we formally adopted in 2014, and 6 month old Eli, who was born last year. They are our sources of incredible joy and exhaustion. Continue Reading


Feb
2016

Meet the Mama – Jane Maritz, new Cape Town Heart Mama

categories: Home, Meet the Mama

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Jane and I have something in common – we both walked the adoption journey with the same wonderful adoption agency, Wandisa. I met Jane and her family at a big family picnic arranged by Wandisa and we got to chat a little bit in between the distraction of toddler tears when countless big orange helium balloons flew up to the clouds and  general kid chaos. Thank you for sharing your story, Jane.

Tell us a bit about your family.

My husband, Adrian and I have been married for 2 years now, together for 5 years. We live in Cape Town. Adrian has lived in Cape Town his whole life, I was born in SA but grew up in the USA (in Denver Colorado) and moved back to SA when I was 21. Finally, after a very long but worthwhile wait, we were blessed with our son, Noah, in July of last year. And when I say blessed, I really mean it! He is the most chilled out, happy little soul who is always smiling, barely ever cries and he has slept through the night since the day he came home.

He’s a total daddy’s boy – ‘the two best friends that anyone could have’. I can’t believe it’s only been 6 months. I can’t imagine life without him. Continue Reading