FSA stands for Families Supporting Adoption. There is an FSA group in Dallas, Houston and one for the San Antonio - Austin areas. Our social worker asked me if I would be the FSA leader for the San Antonio - Austin area and put together activities, get togethers, etc. I think about every 4 months.
Since November is National Adoption Month my social worker asked that I have the group do some type of service activity that could benefit a birth mom.
I instantly thought of journals and decorating them. I know going through this whole process I have kept a journal and some very personable experiences I have had, thoughts, etc. From the time we started IVF until now, I have kept this journal and recorded my thoughts so that someday I can show my sons / daughters just exactly what I was feeling, how sad I was at times, but how happy. I hope this will make our kids realize just how much we love them and what parents are willing to go through for their kids (before they are even born!).
So, we are decorating journals to give to the birth moms. They can record their thoughts and feelings, use it to save photos of the baby when the baby is first born, whatever they want to use it for. It sounds like a depressing kind of journal to keep, but once they have moved on and hopefully turned their life around, been married in the temple, etc they can look back and realize that it was all worth it and they made the right choice.
I did a sample last night of a journal. I am not artsy-fartsy like more than half the LDS Women population, but I think it turned out pretty cute. I wrapped the spine with ribbon and left an overhang so it can be used as a bookmark. There is a key charm for decoration and a little diamond push pin and then yarn wrapped around that to keep the journal closed. I think they will all turn out really cute!
