International Adoption Clinic Seminar

Saturday Brian and I attended an all day Seminar hosted by the International Adoption Clinic Seminar, "Preparing Families for the Joys and Challenges of International Adoption.” We are very blessed to have the IAC in Birmingham. The clinic was started about 8 years ago. Their mission is to serve the initial and ongoing medical, developmental and emotional needs of adoptive parents and their children from around the world. We already spoke with the founder, Dr. Jennifer Chambers, when consulting on our Accepting Special Needs Checklist. We will also consult with them at the time of Referral, while we travel and for atleast 6 months after we get her home. The clinics team consists of another doctor, Carin Richard; a Family Therapist, Leigh Anne Harrington; Developmental Specialist, Amy Elmore; Speech-Language Pathologist, Jennifer Shelor; Medical Asstistant, Lynn Zimmerman; and Program Coordinator, Kelly Curry. At the Seminar there were about 21 families adopting from China, Bulgaria, Congo, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Haiti, Hungary, India, South Korea and Uganda.
*On a Side Note- We were assigned our Social Worker last Friday. She emailed me on Wednesday to set up our first homestudy. Social Workers are hired by the Agency. On Thursday I realized that she was also part of the International Adoption Clinic team and would be presenting at our Seminar. Upon arrival we discovered that she was adopted from South Korea. We are really excited to have her as our Social Worker through Villa Hope and get to know her as we consult with the IAC through out our adoption and afterwards. As an Asian Adoptee she has valuable advice!! Brian and I feel this in one of the many ways God has taken care of us through the adoption process. We could have any Social Worker in Birmingham but we have someone who is Asian, who was adopted and who works with IAC.
*On a Side Note- Brian told me on the way to the Seminar that an Occupational Therapist that attends our church was presenting at the Seminar. She joined our Sunday School class some time last year while Brian and I were in-service teaching the 3 year olds. I heard about her from a SunSch Parent whose child receives Occupational Therapy services through her at Children's. I first meet her while volunteering this year in our Special Needs class at church. She is one of the team leaders. I had no idea that she was a part of the International Adoption Clinic. So it was nice to have a familiar face presenting. I look forward to getting to know her through our church and through IAC as we adopt.
The following were the topics and presenters for the Seminar.
-Medical Issues in International Adoption; Dr. Chambers
-Attachment and Bonding; Leigh Anne Harrington
-Development: The Senses & Motor Skills/Language and Thinking Skills;Amy Elmore
-Growing Up Different: Identity Issues in Adoption; Kelly Curry

Again we learned so much! We learned about the bonding process, how to address some of the development issues due to being in an orphange/foster care, and we learned about identity issues during school years. But mainly we learned that the real journey will begin when we meet our little girl face to face. Oh, how we can't wait!!!