The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute just released the executive summary of its recent research study entitled Beyond Culture Camp: Promoting Healthy Identity Formation in Adoption. I’m so excited to see this published study because, although the results aren’t really all that new if you already listen to the voices of adult adoptees, this study will reach a much wider audience of adoptive parents. And since they are the ones raising this next generation of adoptees, they are the ones most needing to hear the results.

On Saturday night, people across Asia will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival or 中秋节 (Zhōngqiūjié) in Mandarin. This holiday always occurs during the Autumnal Equinox, so people often refer to it as the Moon Festival, since the moon appears bigger, brighter and closer to earth at this time of year than at any other.

What a great way to celebrate your child’s birthplace or current state. Using a map outline makes for an interesting and cool graphic. You will be amazed at how amazingly simple freezer paper stencils are to do and how beautiful they come out! I bought several t-shirts thinking…better get backups in case I mess up. Well, I didn’t mess up and now I can make more t-shirts! You can choose to make a stencil using a map or any image you and your children would like. I made my other daughter a Tinkerbell shirt. I used an old party decoration we had. So be creative and have fun with this.