So, you've made it through all the juicy parts of your child's Lifebook. You've documented where she came from, what she was like in the orphanage or foster care, and your experiences together in China. You can include a section of Returning Home, since the loooong airplane ride was probably pretty noteworthy!
And at this point, you can launch yourself into another book, perhaps, Baby's 2nd Year, or whatnot, or just enjoy yourself! You did it!
Keep in mind that everything you did can evolve and change as your child ages, if you choose. I'm sure the two versions we have of Mae's Lifebook will be tweaked here and there as she demands more information and more in-depth explanations.
But if you are like the majority of adoptive parents, you will feel the weight roll off your shoulders that this initial book is completed! Now, how to publish it?
There are many ways. You can simply print out each page, put them into sheet protectors, and put them in a three-ring binder. Or, you can go to Shutterfly (or another company) and feed your images and text into their templates and print a hard or soft cover book (we went this route). If you are a true scrapbooker, you could make this into a lovely scrapbook (I used to scrap when Ted was a baby and these are really wonderful books). It's up to you!
What is your next step? What will you do with your finished scrapbook to "bring it home" to your child?
I hope you enjoy many bedtime readings of "her story" and that it brings your child as much pride and peace as it does Mae. Congratulations!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment