[maham0]

Hi everyone! Please, please share with me the details of your adoption lifebooks. The more details the better, including wording and pictures, if possible, as I am sooo not creative! I desperately need to get one done for my little guy...now 2 years old. Life is so busy with 3 active kiddos, but very fun! I will continue to pray for all of you that are in process. Thanks! Meli

[Alexismandyjr]

I found that using kodak gallery was super simple. I downloaded pictures of his referral, visit trips, pickup trip and then his trip home! I wrote a dedication page and a paragraph below each set of pictures. I also added pictures of Antigua when I took him during one of my visit trips. I was able to edit and redo pages as I saw fit.

I haven't done one for Julian yet. I have all my pictures lined up. This time I'll use some of my newly acquired digital scrapbooking skills!!! I've procrastinated enough with Julian's book and I think I'll start on it this month!

Seriously, anything you place in that book that means something to you will be just fine. Just think with your heart and you'll have a beautiful book.

[DPline]

Don't feel bad. My kids have been home over 3.5 years and my daughter's book is only recently caught up (pictures are in the book, though the journaling isn't done) and in my son's book he still isn't home yet!

I started with the kid's referral picture and did pages with the photo updates we received while in process as well as our visit trips, and finally pictures of DD coming home. It really is just a scrapbook about them and them coming home to us. Just do what feels right to you.

[KKR213]

I started my son's while in process and have his referral pics and info, his updates and pics from my visit trip. I also have a few pages on Guatemala and some pictures of where he was born that I found online. That is as far as I have done. Mine is also just a scrapbook.

I have all the info to put in but just haven't got around to doing it yet. And my son has been home almost 2 1/2 years!

[angel_bayou]

My DD is started but not finsished yet!! She's been home almost two years!! YIKES!! I did referral and the few update photos that we did get and lots from the visit trip! I have homecoming photos and now I also have photos to add in of her birthfamily which I think she'll enjoy looking at one day!

[PackGirl]

For us, we have lifebooks and scrapbooks.

The lifebooks begin with what we know about their biological family, some history of Guatemala, story of their birth and naming, and information about their foster family. It ends with us coming to Guatemala on the pick up trip.

They also have "normal" scrapbooks. They begin with their birth and just go on....

The lifebooks contain personal information and are private. The scrapbooks do not contain any information beyond first names and does not contain pictures of their other mother.

A great site to get ideals for lifebooks is: Scrap and Tell
A great book (and a monthly newsletter) can also be found. The author is Beth O'Malley and the book is: Lifebooks: Creating a treasure for the adopted child.
She also has a website. Adoption Lifebooks

hth!

[Lulumom]

I just received my book by Beth O'Malley the beginning of this week. I love it!! It has a lot of great ideas. I am starting my daughters book this weekend. I also like the newsletter.