You down wit' OPP?

Here are a few of my favorites of Other People's Posts in no particular order:


(NOTE: If I have posted a link to your blog and would prefer that I not do so, please let me know!)

The Declassified Adoptee: The Infertile Wound - There are some blogs that I read that I find difficult to pick one post to highlight simply because if I had to pick "the best" I would end up linking every post they write.  Amanda's The Declassified Adoptee is one of those blogs.  I am often shouting amens by the end of her posts and I always learn from what she has to say.  I finally settled on this post, though, because she states perfectly the call to members of the triad (most importantly adoptive parents because even as an AP I recognize we need the biggest wake up call) to support each other in the loss that either brings us to adoption or results from adoption because studies have shown that the wound left on each of us by our loss is very similar.  A must read for EVERYONE, regardless of whether or not your life has been affected by adoption or infertility.

Humble Ambitions: Chapter 6--"the bearded lady" - In this raw, honest post written by Lisbeth who was diagnosed with PCOS I found the answer to my #1 question these days, "Why can't I just get pregnant and have a baby? I'm not asking for a million bucks or anything unreasonable here!" It is a beautiful post :)

Pray, Hope, Don't Worry: Infertility and Cancer - A great perspective on infertility!

Nurture Your Hopes: What IF - Love Faith. Love this post. It was in response to a project by Mel at Stirrup Queens called Project IF.

Drama 2B Mama (Lavendar Luz from Weebles Wobblog, a MUST read): Failure to Thrive - Oh Mama, how I know that place in life. I'm so thankful that Lori was willing to share so I don't feel like I'm the only one and somehow wonky in the brain!

Grown in My Heart, contribution by Melissa from Yoon's Blur: Your child may grow up to be a lot like me (and that’s not such an awful thing).  This is a great call to adoptive parents on what we can do to support the other members in the adoption triad, in particular adoptees.  I learned so much from this post on how I need to grow as an adoptive parent for my son. Because, really, what is so bad about critical thinking?  Who wants to still believe the earth is flat?

A little blog about the big Infertility - Keep calm and carry on.  Jess is a counselor and it totally shows as she blogs through her journey in the Land of IF.  She is honest and also very positive.  Both are qualities I very much admire in others on this journey.  I'm honest but I'm not even remotely positive so I learn a lot from her blog.  This particular post helped me reach my own A-HA moment :)

Westhaven Kids - A few thoughts on Adoption.  This is a must read for all potential adoptive and adoptive parents.  In all of our joy of being parents we cannot forget the loss that proceeded it and that our presence in our children's lives does not negate it.

The Declassified Adoptee - It's Never Selfish to Love Yourself.  I needed to read this post.  I knew it as soon as I read the title.  YOU need to read this post, too.  Especially if you are a woman.

The Declassified Adoptee - Infertility, Spirituality, and "Real Women."  In this post Amanda shares excerpts from a paper she wrote titled "The Spirituality of Women with Infertility in Middle Adulthood."  I find myself struggling to put into words the greatness of this post so instead I will say that it made me cry... not from sadness but from the catharsis I experienced as I read my feelings put to words about being a women with infertility in a religion and society that is insensitive and supportive all at the same time.  I also loved the references to scientific studies on the topic of spirituality and infertility.  I'm not alone.  There are others out there like me and the next time someone inwardly rolls their eyes at my feelings I can whip out scientific proof that I am not just a sorry sod complaining about my lot in life.


Stirrup Queens - 50 Shades of Gray Depression and Your Sex Life.  Melissa provides a very interesting and more accurate perspective on the relationships of Ana/Christian (50 Shades of Grey - have not and will not read), Bella/Edward (Twilight - have read several times), and Vivian/Edward (Pretty Woman - Did I mention I've never liked Julia Roberts?).  This is very helpful for us women lest we go and covet so much the high intensity passion of these relationships that we feel our marriages are not good enough or that we are doing something wrong.  This is especially important to remember for us infertiles.  Infertility hits the bedroom habits of the couple the most because it is no longer about spontaneity and bonding.  It is about timing, opportunity in mathematical percentages, fear, loss and everything else we never wanted to invite into the bed with us.   

This list will continue to expand. Even now I feel it is woefully inadequate. But how do I narrow it down when I follow so many mind blowing\life altering\perspective changing\empowering blogs?