[ManyTimesBlessed]

We have made a memory book explaining each of our children's adoption story - kind of like a lifebook, but more focus on the adoption process. We plan to read it like a book to our kids.

Here's how our story started for Jayden, from Guatemala:

"Once there was a man and a woman who both wanted a baby very much. They prayed and asked God to give them a baby, but God said 'wait'

"Far away in Guatemala there was a woman named (birth mom's name here) who was pregnant. She loved her baby, but she could not take care of him. She made an adoption plan for her baby. After the baby was born, Eva found a safe place for him to stay while he waited for his forever family.

"Mama and Daddy heard about the baby boy when he was almost 4 months old. They knew that he was God's answer to their prayers. They could not wait to bring the baby to be a part of their forever family.

"Mama and Daddy named their baby boy Jayden Samuel, which means "God has heard and answered our prayer". Mama and Daddy were so excited about their beautiful baby boy. . . "

This is spread out over several pages and we have pictures of Jayden, etc. to break up the narrative. The rest of the book has a page for each month with the updated pictures we receive. Sometimes I put narrative and sometimes I put letters that I'm writing to him about how much he is loved and wanted.

We feel like this will be a good way to explain the basics of adoption to our children. When they are older, we may try to do a more typical lifebook with more information about the birth parents, etc.