adoption Archives - The Mom Maven

Redeeming Ruth by Meadow Rue Merrill Book Review

cindy — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 11:00:47 +0000

If you are looking for an inspiring true life, family story, Redeeming Ruth by Meadow Rue Merrill is the book for you. This book, at its core, is an international adoption story, as a whole it is so much more. It is a story of faith, trust, struggle, love, joy, heartache, and family.

About Redeeming Ruth by Meadow Rue Merrill

Redeeming Ruth is the inspirational, true story of an abandoned baby, a devastating diagnosis, and the way God loves broken, hurting people through us, even though we too may be broken and hurt.

When Meadow met her, Ruth was a sixteen-month-old child some church friends were hosting from an orphanage in Uganda. She had cerebral palsy and was so weak she couldn’t lift her head. Although Meadow had always felt a call to adopt, she wasn’t sure if she was the right person to raise this special child. But Ruth’s infectious and joyful smile prevailed over Meadow and her family–and their whole community. None of their lives would ever be the same.

Part family drama, part travel adventure, and part memoir, Redeeming Ruth is the riveting, against-all-odds story of the most unlikely pairing of a small-town New England family and their adventure in adopting Ruth, an orphan girl from Uganda. Honest, raw, and illuminating, this book explores what happens when we sacrificially reach out and share God’s love with others. While the Merrills realized it would be a tough road, they didn’t foresee the challenges and joys that would overwhelm them with hardship, laughter, and a deep and exuberant love, the love of an orphan girl redeemed.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

I loved this book, I hated when I had to put it down. Meadow is a wonderful storyteller and her mother’s heart showed in every word. I appreciated the author’s honesty about her emotions, stress, and questioning her faith. Life is far from perfect, no matter what Instagram may make you think, and Meadow was honest about the struggles of international adoption, special needs parenting, and life in general.

There are two themes in this book that touched me deeply.

We aren’t responsible for the outcome, we are simply responsible to love.
Everything life takes, love restores.

Powerful, huh?

There was one thing that annoyed me about Redeeming Ruth by Meadow Rue Merrill. At the beginning of each chapter, before the chapter started, there is italicized anecdotes, like journal entries that foreshadow how the story ends. I didn’t like knowing where the story was headed before I got there, if that makes sense.

The book is available on Amazon in hardcover and Kindle editions as well as from other booksellers.

I received a free copy of this book/Ebook/Product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.

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May is National Foster Care Month

cindy — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:29:29 +0000

Each May, National Foster Care Month provides an opportunity to shine a light on the thousands of children and youth in the U.S. foster care system. The National Adoption Campaign in partnership with the Children’s Bureau, AdoptUsKids, and the Ad Council raises awareness about the urgent needs of these young people and encourages citizens from every walk of life to get involved.

Together, We Can Make a Difference
Through the dedication of advocates, child welfare professionals, elected officials and support groups around the country, the total number of children waiting for a safe and permanent family has decreased from more than a half million to 463,000 between 2003 and the end of 2008. These numbers tell us that, together, we can make a difference for children in foster care.

But there is still so much work to be done, as there are more than 123,000 children waiting to be adopted with the help of an adoption agency. Some adopted agencies recommend the aspiring foster parents to attend a Foster Parent Licensing program.

Want to learn more about how you can get involved? Click here, and follow on Twitter and Facebook.

Join us May 27 at 2 p.m. EST on Twitter for an #AdoptUsKids one hour chat to get the message out about National Foster Care Month.

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Have a Frosty for Father’s Day

cindy — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:12:03 +0000

I LOVE Wendy’s Frosties. They are such a cool, yummy treat. Did you know that for the past three years, Wendy’s has made it a Father’s Day Frosty Weekend tradition (June 20-21, 2009) to donate 50 cents from the sale of each Frosty to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The money raised goes to the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program, which funds full-time adoption recruiters at local agencies across the U.S., who in turn pair up parents with foster care children needing homes. So, you and your family can enjoy a tasty (and affordable!) Frosty together, knowing this campaign assists children across the country in finding a family of their own.

Involve the kids in this great cause by having them create a fun Father’s Day eCard on FrostyCard.com. For every card they send, Wendy’s will donate an additional 25 cents to the Dave Thomas Foundation. Kids can attach coupons for “taking out the trash” or “washing the car” onto the cards for Dad.

For every card they send, Wendy’s will donate an additional 25 cents to the Dave Thomas Foundation. Kids can attach coupons for “taking out the trash” or “washing the car” onto the cards for Dad.
I’ve wanted to share this photo of Jordan forever and since this post is about Wendy’s, I asked him if I could. This was taken at Wendy’s in Haines City, FL on 9/7/07. Have fun at Wendy’s this Father’s Day weekend and help a child find his forever family.

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