Adoption Tax Tips Workshop

Do you have questions about how the adoption credit could reduce your taxes? Wondering which adoption expenses qualify and which ones don't? Join Friends of Adoption for a FREE workshop on Adoption Tax Tips on Thursday, January 12th. This workshop will be held from 6-8pm at 356 S. 18th Ave in Wausau. The presenter will be Paul Jauch who is an adoptive dad and a tax professionalist.
Please RSVP by contacting Catholic Charities Friends of Adoption before 1/10/12 at arozeboom@cclse.org or by calling 715-340-4601.

Mom's Night Out on 1/7/12 in Amherst, WI

Ready to relax and enjoy a night out with other adoptive and pre-adoptive mom's you can relate to? This is a great way to get out, give yourelf a well-deserved break and connect with one another. We'll meet from 5:00pm-7:00pm at The Ambrosia Pub & Grill located at 192 S. Main St. in Amherst. Please RSVP by 1/5/12 to arozeboom@cclse.org

Mom's Night Out on 11/14 in Bancroft, WI

Come connect with other adoptive moms and and pre-adoptive moms at Ponderosa Pines on Monday November 14th. We'll be meeting at 5:30pm at the restaurant, which is located at 287 State Road 73 in Bancroft.
Please RSVP to Friends of Adoption by 11/10/11
Contact: 715-344-2500 x24 or arozeboom@cclse.org
Please note that this event will be cancelled if there are no RSVP's.

Eat, skate and win an iPod Shuffle on Nov. 3rd!

Celebrate National Adoption Month at Skate City Family Fun Center in Wisconsin Rapids! Any and all pre- or post-adoptive families are invited to come and enjoy an all you can eat pizza and soda buffet, and an evening of skating for FREE. One lucky family at the celebration will go home with an iPod Shuffle too. Event is from 5-8pm.
PLEASE RSVP to Friends of adoption by 10/31/11 by calling 715.344.2500 x24 or emailing arozeboom@cclse.org

Hope for Children: Conference on Adoption, Foster & Global Care

Register now for the Hope for Children Conference and concert featuring the "Living River Quartet". This event will be held Sunday, November 13th at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Plover, WI.
The conference will run from 1:00pm-6:30pm and includes dinner. The concert begins at 7pm. Featured speakers will be Patricia Dischler, Mary Grossnickle, Rachel Allord, Sharon Mall, Jim Yagow and Jane Guffy.
Cost is $15 (individual), $20 (professional), $25 (couple).
Brochure with registration form is printable online at: www.friendsofadoption.org
Questions? Call 1-866-344-2500 x24.
See you there!

Transracial/Transcultural Parenting Workshop: Embracing Your Child's Story

Adoptive mom and freelance writer for the, "Chicken Soup for the Soul" anthologies, Rachel Allord will present this FREE workshop on Saturday, October 22nd from 10-11:30am in Stevens Point. Please RSVP by contacting Catholic Charities Friends of Adoption by 10/19/11 at 715.344.2500 x24 or arozeboom@cclse.org Visit www.friendsofadoption.org for more information. Hope you can join us!

Apple Orchard Fun!!!

Toddler Adoption and Attachment Workshop!

Stevens Point Picnic this Thursday!!!

There is still time to RSVP!! Please do so as soon as you can so we can have enough food and fun for everyone!!!

Hayward Summer Picnic

Join us for a great get together up north!

Upcoming Event ~ La Crosse Summer Picnic

Be Sure to join us for food, fun and a little splashing around!!

2011 International Picnic

Join us on Thursday, June 16th from 4:30-6:30 at Carson Park's Oak Pavilion in Eau Claire for our 3rd annual International Families Picnic!  We will provide hotdogs, drinks, and utensils -- just bring your family and a dish to share.  There will be games, crafts, food, and fun!

Prior to the picnic, a new group of families with children from Ethiopia will be gathering at the Oak Pavilion at 4:00 to meet and play soccer.

In addition to the fun of the picnic, Genesis Photography will be there providing special $35 mini-sessions for families!  See the flyer for details.

If you have questions on the picnic or if your family is planning to join us, please email Christy by June 13th with your family info. Looking forward to seeing you!

A letter from an adoptive mom and a workshop opportunity!

March 3, 2011

Dear Fellow Parent:
I am a parent of twin boys, now 13, whom we adopted at the age of 11 months. They are wonderful, bright boys – but we/they have struggled with significant behavioral issues. While their transition to us was difficult, we began to wonder if something was amiss when they were three. By the age of five, we knew something was going on that we did not understand. Daily, the least little frustration would result in intense rages that would last up to an hour. There were multiple threats to kill us, others or themselves. There were destructive, violent and aggressive behaviors, clingy behavior, sleep problems, mood swings. Most of this occurred at home with my husband and me. We were at a loss of what to do.
When they were six, we started seeing a psychologist to help us. We explored numerous “diagnosis:” ADD, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and many meds. With every diagnosis, there were pieces that fit, and other pieces that did not. Some meds made things worse, others helped for a while.
About 3 years ago, our psychologist found an article on developmental trauma. Suddenly, all the information we had gathered about our boys’ history and their behavior fit. Multiple traumas, beginning in utero, had impacted their brain development. The more we read and researched, the more we began to understand how these “traumas,” none of which were violence related and many of which we did not even consider to be traumatic, were the root cause of our boys’ behaviors. But, the rages were continuing and the boys were getting bigger and stronger. We were emotionally and physically exhausted.
In December 2009, we attended our first parenting camp with Kimberly Erickson-Nichols in LaCrosse. Kimberly is a therapist and social worker who specializes in working with families with children with severe behaviors. We came away from that weekend with a renewed sense of hope that our children could heal. We realized we were not alone as we met other families who struggled with similar behaviors in their children – be they birth, adoptive or foster children. We began to heal emotionally. And, we began to learn and implement a new paradigm of parenting our boys. Last November, we attended our second parenting camp with Kimberly. While we still have a long ways to go in truly implementing this new paradigm of parenting, and our boys still have a lot of healing to do, we all have made significant progress in the last year.
In mid February, 80 teachers, social workers, law enforcement workers and therapists from the St. Croix Valley attended a workshop on developmental trauma with Kimberly Erickson Nichols. For many, this was new information. Because working with the parents is so vital to helping these kids heal, we asked them to help us identify families that they knew of who might be interested and benefit from a workshop for parents. Someone who cares about you may have suggested you receive this letter and invitation. Believe me, I know from experience how difficult it is to admit that you are afraid of your own kids, and that you don’t know what to do as a parent. You feel exhausted, ashamed and alone.
Kimberly Erickson-Nichols will be returning to this area to conduct a workshop for parents whose children exhibit severe behaviors on April 29 and 30. This intensive, hands on workshop will begin with supper on Friday evening as we get to know each other, and learn about brain development. Saturday will be spent continuing that journey as we learn, discuss and practice how we can parent these children in a manner to help them heal. I encourage both parents to attend if at all possible.
The workshop is limited to 36 people. Thanks to our sponsors: the Amery, Hudson, and River Falls Community Foundations and the St. Croix Valley Foundation, the cost to attend the workshop is $45/couple or $30/individual, which includes the Friday evening meal, Saturday noon meal, snacks and all materials. (A limited number of scholarships are available to help cover child care costs. Please inquire about these when you register.)
Contact the Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley 715-684-4440 for more information or to register for the parents workshop. I know we are not the only family who has struggled with this issue. Because it was so hard for us to find the help and support we needed, it has been my dream to help more parents find resources that will help them in their difficult parenting journey. Increasing the awareness about trauma and its impact with professionals was the first step toward realizing that dream. This workshop to empower parents is the second part of that dream. Please feel free to call me if you have questions about our experience or wonder if this workshop is for you.
Sincerely,


Linda Jacobson
River Falls, WI 54022

Come Celebrate Cinco De Mayo with the new Multi Cultural Adoptive Families Group!

Free Workshop!

Dad's Night Out!

The mom's have been doing it for quite awhile now, it's time for the dad's to experience this group activity and support system! It will be a great opportunity to connect with other dads in the area that may be experiencing some of the same wonders as you are! Please join us....

Friday, April 15th, 6:00 PM
Club 8, Ladysmith

Join other adoptive fathers to connect over dinner.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, April 13th by contacting Christy at creppe@cclse.org or 715-832-6644 ext. 18.

Couples Night!

Reminder for next Monday night...Join us for Couples Night Out ~ a fun night out to relax and connect with other adoptive parents. Offered in three different locations:

Grizzly’s Bar & Grill, Eau Claire, WI 6pm
Please RSVP to Christy with Friends of Adoption
creppe@cclse.org Or 715-832-6644 ext.19


Tequila’s Restaurant, Onalaska, WI 6pm
Please RSVP to Magen with Friends of Adoption
mduffy@cclse.org Or 608-782-0710 x223



Grazies Italian Grill, 5327 Hwy 10 E,Stevens Point, WI 6-8pm
Please RSVP to Anne with Friends of Adoption
arozeboom@cclse.org Or 715.344.2500 ext.24


Couples in need of securing child care, Friends of Adoption will offer $10 off your bill. Please mention when you RSVP.

Cultural Fair

"We invite you to participate in this wonderful opportunity to promote harmony and respect for diversity in the community."

“This unique annual community gathering held at the UW-Marshfield/Wood County Campus offers music, dance, international foods, arts & crafts, cultural/ethnic displays, educational activities and more.”

Join us in Marshfield, Saturday Feburary 26th from 10am to 4pm. Stop by the Catholic Charities and Friends of Adoption booth and say hello.

2011 WWAA Conference - From the Heart: Voices of Adoption

Friends of Adoption is proud to be a sponsor of the 2011 Western Wisconsin Advocates for Adoption Conference - From the Heart: Voices of Adoption.  The conference will take place in Eau Claire on Saturday, March 12th 2011, and registrations are being taken now.  See the link below for all of the conference details and registration form.  Hope you can make it!

Conference Brochure

Join adoptive dad Scott Wallace for a Dad's Night Out!

Adoptive and pre-adoptive dads in the Stevens Point and surrounding areas, here's a great opportunity to build a great support system, exchange triumphs and trials. Adoptive dad Scott Wallace has voluntered to chair this event, join him and other dads Saturday February 12th, 6:30pm at Hilltop Pub and Grill in Stevens Point. Please RSVP to Anne Rozeboom by Friday, February 11th at arozeboom@cclse.org.

Join Us for Family Movie Night on FOX!

Family Movie Night features "Change of Plans", which stars Brooke White (American Idol); Joe Flanigan (Stargate Alantis) and Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show). "Change of Plans" is the story of the joys and struggles of building a family from a group of strangers - including children of international adoption.

Life sometimes gives us more than we planned for. "Change of Plans" sheds new, important light on the impact of adoption on families - including those created through circumstances outside of out control. People of all ages will be moved by the film's message.

Tune in - Saturday, January 8, 2011 8/7C on FOX