The Adoption Law Firm Podcast

What is a Guardian ad Litem? What are their responsibilities? What can foster parents do to work alongside them for the foster child’s best interests? Attorney Sam McLure discusses these questions. 

Our foster parent question of the week is: “How am I supposed to participate in an ISP and what should I do in an ISP?” Attorney Sam McLure addresses this question. 

 “As a foster parent, you are the voice. You spend 720 hours with your foster child in any given month, and everyone else in that room has spent maybe a combined 15 or 20 hours with the child. So you’ve got 700 more hours of information and experience (per month!) than everybody else combined, and so whatever we can do to have your voice carry weight is gonna be best for the child.”  Sam McLure

What happens after parental rights are terminated? Can adoption proceed? Attorney Sam McLure addresses this issue, as well as the issue of setting up a subsidy agreement with DHR. 

In termination of parental rights cases, what is the general timeline from notice to final hearing? Attorney Sam McLure addresses this issue. 

To learn more about foster and adoptive matters visit our website: 

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/

Publish Date: August 2, 2021

Note: This podcast contains descriptions of child abuse.

 If you have ever wanted to get inside the mind of a foster child or abuse victim whom you love, we have the podcast for you.

 On the final episode of Season 3, we have the privilege of interviewing Kylee Chavers, our friend and client who was severely abused by her parents and who subsequently grew up in a string of foster homes.

 As a mother, foster mother, wife, and church planter, Kylee is coming, so kindly, with her wounds, her wisdom, and her experience to tell about her life.

 It is Kylee’s desire that in sharing her story she will be a resource to anyone who has suffered abuse, or who loves children who have suffered abuse, even as she works through her own healing process.

 We welcome you into this conversation and we are honored to share Kylee’s story.

 Show Highlights:

2:10 – Kylee was in foster care for as long as she can remember.

 5:10 – Kylee’s foster home that was going good, until the foster parent’s divorced.

 10:00 – Kylee’s brother and the day they were separated. 

 15:00 – What Kylee was like as a child, and what it was like in the many foster homes.

 21:00 – Kylee’s adoption story.

 37:20 – Kylee’s current support system.  How she reconnected with her biological mom. 

 48:31  - How God is using Kylee’s story today – to be an agent of rescue to other people.

 Helpful links:

 ICYMI: Listen to the previous podcast episode: 

S2: E6: Connecting to Hurting Children and Broken Families with Chris and Katie Sherrod

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1501771/8748698

 Meet Sam and Mary Beth - “We Have a Podcast” https://youtu.be/MJz_JmO1JBQ

 BLOG: 5 Things You May Not Know About Adoption

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2020/01/24/5-things-you-might-not-know-about-adoption/

 BLOG: Domestic Adoption – Foster Care Adoption

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/domesticadoption/foster-care-adoption/

 The End of Orphan Care by Samuel J. McLure

Amazon Kindle or Paperback

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692552790/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_JK5NGK1NYJ267HTDB2YE

As a young mother of a sweet pile of biological kids, Katie Sherrod was asked a question by a reporter at a March for Life, about what she would say to a young woman with an unplanned pregnancy. 

Her answer unsettled her, her conscience was rattled, and soon she and husband both shared a conviction to move in together towards the suffering of crisis pregnancy, fostering, and adoption. 

More recently they’ve been mentors with Families Count, a ministry seeking to come alongside birth parents who want to do the work to regain custody of their children, and to heal their broken families.

With several decades of experience as parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, and mentors, Katie and Chris are a goldmine of wisdom for others seeking to love people in pain. 

Resources:

We are happy to answer any questions you may have about adoption/foster/care and mentoring opportunities. Give us a call! 

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/

For information about Families Count you can also contact Lifeline:

https://lifelinechild.org/families-count/

To connect with Foster Families in the Tyler, TX area:

https://thefosteringcollective.org/

For information about the upcoming Families Count training in Tyler, TX:

https://southspring.org/

The Adoption Law Firm Podcast

Title: S2: E5: | Caring Well For Adoption Families | Guest Libby Shepherd

Publish Date: June 14, 2021

Adoption is often a long, hard process, and caring well for adoption families every step of the way is important to us at The Adoption Law Firm.  Knowing you are working with someone who understands not only the adoption process, but has seen their own adopted kids become parents, can make all the difference in the world.  

TAF recently invited Libby Shepherd to be on staff to bring her wealth of expertise and passion for adoption to the table.  Libby and her husband are now entering the grandparent stage of life and are still going strong.  In addition to her experience in adoption, parenting and teaching, she has also helped some of her adopted children navigate some severe health challenges.

We hope today’s discussion is a great encouragement to you.

Show Highlights:

1:39 – Libby shares her background and how she got started in adoption.

2:08 – Libby shares how she is there and helps families adjust and acclimate to a new member of the family through adoption. 

2:08 – Libby talks about how she transitioned from homeschool and adoptive mom to her current role. 

3:20 – What are some of the challenges Libby faced in the adoption process?

5:37 – What country did Libby and her husband adopt from?  What were the challenges?

8:20 – What was it like to adopt from the Philippines? 

12:06 – What was it like to adopt from Korea?

 15:15 – Libby’s experience with caring for an adopted child with some severe health needs.

20:27 – What are some of the other challenges Libby faced and how did she handle careless things that people say about adoption families?

22:25 – How did Libby coach her children to process many of life’s challenges?

25:41 – What about some of the more light-hearted moments in adoption as your kids were growing up?

Helpful links:

ICYMI: Listen to the previous podcast episode: 

S2: E4: What Adoption is Like for the Birth Mom | Guest Diane Scott" 

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1501771/8607783

BLOG: 5 Things You May
Not Know About Adoption

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2020/01/24/5-things-you-might-not-know-about-adoption/

BLOG: How to Start the
Adoption Process
https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2018/02/20/how-to-start-the-adoption-process/

The Adoption Law Firm Podcast

Title: S2: E4: | What Adoption is like for the birth mom | Guest Diane Scott

Publish Date: June 1, 2021

One of the highest values of The Adoption Law Firm is to honor birth moms.  Today we hear first-hand what it was like for Diane Scott, a birth mom, who gave her son up for adoption when she was 17, and had just finished high school.  That was approximately 40 years ago.  Diane went on to start her own family and have other children she raised.  But she always had a special place in her heart for her little boy that she gave to be raised by an adoption family.  

Through some very special circumstances, Diane and her adopted son were re-united. 

Today Diane also is an advocate for birth moms on how to navigate the realities of giving a child up for adoption, but she has much grace and wisdom from her experience.  

Show Highlights:

1:16 – 20:15 – Diane shares her story of what it was like when she was 17, her pregnancy, how her boyfriend and family responded, what it was like to walk the journey alone and choose life instead of abortion for her child.  

20:17 – 29:00 – Sam McClure interviews Diane Scott about her advocacy work with birth moms today. 

Helpful links:

WATCH: Choosing Life with Diane Scott

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=465898081342753

BLOG: Birth Parent Rights in Adoption

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2021/01/21/birth-parent-rights-in-adoption/

Publish Date: May 18, 2021

Show Notes: Today Sam and Mary Beth McLure chat with Dr. Chris and Lee Ann Duggar about their experience and success with embryo adoption.  Dr. Chris and Lee Ann are a loving couple who wanted to grow their family, but were having a difficult time getting pregnant.  In the process of growing their family naturally, they were also open to adoption.  The adoption option that interested them the most was embryo adoption.  

There’s an astonishing number of frozen embryos left over from in vetro fertilization that other couples have made available for adoption.  This meant Lee Ann could carry and give birth to the baby they adopted!  

Show Highlights:

1:17 – Mary Beth asks Chris and Lee Ann about a hilarious moment in the Duggar family when one of their children called the police because someone was cheating on Monopoly.

4:21 – Sam explains why he loves embryo adoption.

4:44 – Dr. Chris shares highlights from when their were first having kids and becoming interested in adoption.

7:14 – Lee Ann talks about what it was like for her as a new mom to also consider frozen embryo adoption.

11:04 – Sam, Mary Beth, Chris and Lee Ann talk about some of the unique variables of embry adoption because embryos are “Frozen in time”.

12:34 – Sam talks about the motivation behind embryo adoption.

14:44 – Dr. Chris talks about three advantages of embryo adoption.

16:07 – Lee Ann shares more of her story of what it was like to get started with embryo adoption, and how quickly the process can actually go.

20:52 – Lee Ann shares what it’s like having her children grow up and knowing that one of their family members was adopted as an embryo.

24:00 – Sam and Chris talk about how they believe life begins at conception.

Helpful links:

What is Embryo Adoption?

https://nightlight.org/snowflakes-embryo-adoption-donation/what-is-embryo-adoption/

Blog Article: Did you know that you can place your embryos for adoption?

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2020/08/19/did-you-know-that-you-can-place-your-embryos-for-adoption/

Embryo Adoption

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/domesticadoption/embryo-adoption/

Publish Date: April 29, 2021

Show Notes: Today Sam and Mary Beth McLure are featuring a documentary and article about Lincoln and Melinda Speece.  The Speeces are a faithful, humble, small-town pastor’s family, with three of their own biological kids.  They opened their hearts and homes to Foster care when their kids were teenagers, and one day they were introduced to precious baby Haiden.  Haiden won their hearts and through prayer and a long waiting period, the Speeces finally adopted Haiden.  It’s an encouraging and inspiring story about ordinary faithfulness and changing the course of history in a child. 

Show Highlights:

1:05 – Highlight clip from Season 1, Episode 4 about the Speeces video documentary.

(Listen to the Entire Episode on Foster Care Adoption here) 

https://theadoptionfirm.buzzsprout.com/1501771/7299316-foster-care-adoption

2:17 – How did the Speeces meet Haiden?

3:46 – What did the Speeces biological kids – who were in their teen years think of adoption through foster care?  

5:34 – What it was like to wait more than 3 years for Haiden’s adoption.

7:08 – How did the Speeces handle the fears?

8:38 – What was the court process like?

10:45 – What is it like adding a baby to your family when your getting close to being empty-nesters?

12:51 – Is foster care adoption worth it to you?

16:00 – Article from Ross Hodges / Aquilla Report about the Speece Family.

Link to Speece Family Adoption Video: https://youtu.be/siiFImazhu0 

More Audio: TALF S1, Episode 1 featuring special guests, Ross and Joanna Hodges

https://theadoptionfirm.buzzsprout.com/1501771/8380996-s2-e1-special-guests-ross-and-joanna-hodges

Article: Ordinary Faithfulness is the Next Right Thing

Written by W. Ross Hodges | Thursday, April 29, 2021

(Read/Narrated by Sam McLure on this podcast)

A profile of PCA Pastor, Lincoln Speece, and his family’s foster-care-to-adoption journey in Hayneville, Alabama.

https://www.theaquilareport.com/ordinary-faithfulness-is-the-next-right-thing/