Hi! Welcome to another episode of The Adoption Files. Please join me as I talk with Lisa Ann about the challenges of being adopted in Iowa and seeking your documents. We discuss how so many of us must become detectives, utilizing DNA tests, learning to decipher the meaning of centimorgans and the perils of making contact with matches. 

 Lisa Ann is a closed adoption adoptee from the Baby Scoop Era, who authors the blog and hosts the podcast: The Wandering Tree. These focus on Lisa's experiences of searching and reunion, how the journey has been shared with family and friends and the impact it has had on their lives. 

You can connect with Lisa Ann viz the website: wanderingtreeadoptee.com  

Or, look for her via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Audible or other podcast platforms. 

Resources:

Dna Detectives Facebook page: A private page dedicated to helping people use DNA to find biological family for adoptees, foundlings, donor-conceived individuals, unknown paternity and other types of unkown parentage cases. This group is open to non-adoptees also. 

Adoption Reunions; Sioux City, Iowa Facebook group for Sioux City parents children and siblings involved in adoption through Florence Crittenton Home, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services or private attorneys   https:/www.facebook.com/groups/1758507587707530

Iowa Adoptees and Family Coalition Facebook Group: A coalition of adult adoptees, birth and adoptive family members joining together to change the Iowa laws restricting access to Original Birth Certificates (OBCs) and to educate Iowans about adoptin and searching. https:/www.facebook.com/IowaAdopteeRights

Iowa Department of Public Health 

HF855: signed into law on May 19 2021. Adoptees born before 1 January 1971 can receive noncertified copy of their OBC. If adoptee is deceased, an entitled family member may apply. https:/idph.iowa.gov/health-statistics/Open-Adoption. The new law does contain a redaction clause, worded as a contact preference form. If a parent does not wish to be contacted, they may fill out the form and all identifying information will be redacted. 

Family Tree Magazine Podcast: www.familytreemagazine.com/genealogy-podcast

DNA Painter: dnapainter.com/tools/sharedcmv4  Use the tools found on DNA Painter to help demystify your DNA results. They have four tools that use different pieces of your information to assist in determining DNA relationships. 

The Leeds Method-DNA Color Clustering: www.dnaleeds.com/the-leeds-method: a spreadsheet that helps to sort DNA matches into color-coded groups based on shared ancestors. 

*Being real here. I had every intention of reading and absorbing all of the editing instructions and making this neat and clean. Or, if that didn't work, hire some eighth grader to mock me whilst taking my money to do it for me. I also thought my spouse would be well, and I would not be waiting to see if a neurologist could fit us into their schedule so they could take pictures of his brain. As I sit here typing this, all I can say is that the last six weeks have been challenging.Yes, I am throwing myself upon your mercy. Please listen to the conversations for the content, and ignore the technical difficulties. If I can't figure this sh*t out for myself by the end of January, I am finding someone to trade with who will teach me the ways of the editing suite. Until then, much love and gratitude for your patience and compassion.