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Jean Stenzel is President and CEO of Forever Families Inc., a nonprofit licensed adoption agency located in Novi, Michigan. She has shared some information about International vs. Domestic Adoptions with Patricia Bennett.

Jean Stenzel is one of the co-founders of the agency located in Novi, Michigan.

She has been working in the social work field since 1989 after completing her Bachelor of Science degree from Lake Superior State University. Jean went on to earn her Masters in Social Work degree in 1996 from Wayne State University.

Jean was the main facilitator in the adoption of my son in April of 2000.

PB: Is it a lot more difficult to adopt an infant here in the United States than to adopt over seas?

JEAN: It can actually be more expensive intead. Down sides are: expense, there are children in some countries who can be adopted under a year, but not an infant; you have to travel there at least one parent there are some escort adoptions but not as many as before; social/health history can be very little or sketchy. Up sides are: if you worry about birth parent or future birth family contact; children are waiting for the chance to be in a family; you can choose your child; you don't have to wait to be selected; time this process can many times be shorter than waiting for an infant that depends on country you choose to adopt from. Another upside is that this pool of adoptive families doesn't fill up and close which can happen with domestic waiting family pools.

PB: How about the eligibility requirements between the two?

JEAN: Eligibility requirements are very similar; biggest difference is that all your supporting documents must be apostiled, a dossier must be created with these documents and you must complete an immigration process.

PB: What is the percentage of U.S. vs. Overseas adoptions with your agency?

JEAN: they are almost equal, since we do not do international placements ourselves, we could gauge it by the number of completed home studies. Once we complete the home study the family would go to another licensed agency for placement.

PB: Can you discuss the main differences between Domestic and International adoptions in terms of the wait for placement and costs?

JEAN: Waiting itself is probably the main difference between domestic and international adoptions because once your dossier is sent to the country of origin of the child the waiting time can be as little as 3 months to as much as 18 24 months depending on the country. Certain countries such as China only allow a certain number of adoptions per year and the families tend to travel in groups, so it really would depend. Also, in some countries, the wait depends on how old the child is. For older children, the wait isn't as long as it is for infants.

PB: What are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing an agency?

JEAN: Reassurance, truthfulness, what information they can provide you about their programs, new charges or agendas, being there for families once they become clients. Denise and I believe that choosing an adoption agency is like interviewing a new employee, you want to meet with several to see who is out there and find the fit that's best for your family. As I always tell people, I know we are great and will do a good job, but sometimes we are not the right fit for a family and that is a decision that only they can make by interviewing other agencies. Also, there are red flags that you should watch out for when interviewing agencies:

* Any agency that says they are the "biggest & best"

* An agency who says the can guarantee you a time frame.

* An agency that has a charge for all types of contact you have with them.

* Hidden charges this is hard to tell but during an orientation you should be provided with a list of and an explanation of agency charges.

* Escrow accounts for birth parents money they hold until they use it with no guarantee that they won't spend it or return it.

* Pre-application fees then will have an additional application fees

* How often and how much they charge for home studies, updates, etc.

* Won't can't provide you with references

* Don't finalize your home study until they can put you in their pool to meet their guaranteed placement time frame they promised you.

* Says they completed the most adoptions of all agencies you may want to ask them how many went past the consent hearings disruption percentage.

PB: For people in the beginning stages of the adoption process, what else do they need to know?

JEAN: Mainly go through orientations with agencies before you select one and treat this like a business decision first meaning use your head and then when you achieve placement use your heart. Get packets of information from agencies get as educated as you can about the process before you begin. Don't expect to have a placement within a certain time frame you may never achieve it. It is a process, it does take time and patience remember if you were able to give birth it would take at least nine months once you conceived and conception doesn't always take place the first time. Listen to the agency's ideas to keep busy and pay attention in orientation.

PB: Anything else you would like to add?

JEAN: Beware of shark like agencies who will take your money first and then take more money later sharks only stay in business because of vulnerable, uninformed people who want to make a family so bad they will do anything to achieve it. Parents who come into adoption for infertility issues are a very vulnerable group who can be easily manipulated and taken advantage of if they are not careful. This is why I cannot impress enough on potential adoptive couples to treat this like a business transaction you would not blindly follow someone who was building your house or selling you a car yes children are humans and they do need families to call their own, but not every one out here who are placing children are not good people and are in it just for the money that's the reality of it. There are many many good adoptions agencies who put forth good practice, but check us out, all licensed agencies are on the State of Michigan website under licensed child placing agencies; double check on the references provided; Learn all you can about the adoption process. The adoption process can be a long one, patience is important, trust is important and it is with a good adoption agency that it will ultimately be a good process with a miraculous outcome.

PB: Thanks for your time and great information!

JEAN: You're welcome.

When we talk about safe sex we do not mean to kill the passion and intimacy from your life. It actually means preventing and protecting you from the sexually transmitted diseases and reducing the risk of acquiring the infection. Safe sex protects you against unintended pregnancy and some common STDs that can be transmitted during intercourse, for example chlamydia and gonorrhoea. HIV infection is transmitted mainly through vaginal or anal intercourse without a condom. Safe sex prevents you from sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.

If you have had anal, oral or vaginal intercourse and if you have shared needles then you are at a risk of HIV infection. You can greatly reduce the risk factor of acquiring HIV infection through sexual intercourse by knowing and practicing safer sex. HIV infection is spread through body fluids such as semen, blood, and vaginal/cervical secretions. Sexual activities that include direct contact with semen, blood, or vaginal/cervical secretions are risky and can cause HIV infection. When sex partner take precautions it reduces the chance of direct contact with those fluids and make sex safer.

Safe sex is important so as to protect both the partners from the incurable sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore it is essential for the partners to sit together and discuss what birth control methods they would opt for. It is also important to discuss if either of the partner is at a risk of an STDs. Although it is a delicate and difficult issue to talk on yet it is crucial. Therefore it is very important to look for the right moment to talk on the topic. It is also important to be honest with each other and equally important to be frank with each other. If any of the partners is sexually infected then he or she should be bold enough to tell it to the partner and take necessary precautions. Generally people hesitate and do not tell their sex partners about it if they have an HIV or STDs which is actually a heinous crime.

Both the couples should sit together and make decisions as to what precautions they are going to take. There are a number of birth control alternatives. Among the various alternatives the use of condoms is a good choice as they are highly effective if used properly. They give more than 90% protection against sexually transmitted diseases. The condoms have other advantages such as they do not require a prescription and are easily available at the drug stores and vending machines. There are other alternative that too can be used like the pill, IUDs, diaphragms, cervical caps, foam, a sponge, Norplant or Depo-Provera, all these are effective in preventing pregnancy but the DO NOT prevent STDs.

Safer sex means being staying healthy and being smart enough to protect and prevent from unplanned pregnancy and sexual diseases. It means enjoying sex to the fullest and at the same time showing respect and care for each other. Safe sex is important as health comes above pleasure and we owe a responsibility towards are partners and the society.

Find more information visit: Why is Safe sex important?

Instant Past Life Regression - No Trance Required

I was in the employ of a UK adult education college at one time and was asked to do a course on Hypnosis BUT I was not to do any hypnosis with anyone, nor hypnotise anyone because that was too dangerous and they didnt want to take the risk. It was also something to do with the very strange regulations that exist in the UK for the use of public buildings for hypnotist performances and group hypnosis; either way, I was faced with the bizarre challenge how to conduct a hypnosis training but without hypnosis.

So what I did was to teach all the hypnotic inductions, from relaxation to guided meditation and then also rapid inductions as self hypnosis I taught the class how to do it for themselves whilst I stood and watched them do it.

They got very good at it and we would then play with the trance phenomena and had a great time, until one stormy night, with Past Life Regression on the menu, the door opened and a number of principals from the college walked in and told me they had come to observe the class to make sure that absolutely no hypnosis was taking place, even by accident.

Oh dear. What was I going to do? I was in no doubt that the principals would have a fit if I instructed my class to put themselves into a near coma with the use of a set of beads each or a pendulum they were holding themselves and it was then that my unconscious mind, ever helpful and nicely riding in to the rescue with some very unusual suggestions when those are needed, invented for me Instant Past Life Regression No Trance Required. Instant Past Life Regression

This is a great little game and a wonderful party trick. You can play it with anyone at all who can answer these questions even just with a nod or shake of head; it is very quick and very effective.

The only rules are:

1. Dont think about it;

2. Answer as quickly as you can;

3. If you dont know, just guess or make it up.

Are you ready to elicit an Instant Past Life without any form of hypnosis?

Lets go:

* Were you male of female?

* Your job or work?

* Your father?

* Your mother?

* Any children?

* Sisters?

* Brothers?

* Your house or home?

* Where in the world?

* When in time?

* How old when you died?

* What did you die of?

For the purposes of this exercise, I just did this and these were my answers on this particular occasion:

Male, soldier, dont know my father, mother died when I was young, might have children but dont know any, no sisters, two brothers I remember, live with my regiment in a tent or barracks, Southern India, 1820, died age 32 of a lance wound to the chest that pierced a lung.

This set of answers, like your set of answers, is only the beginning. You can now take any part of this and refine it with further questions. As you do so, please note that more and more detail comes to light, and the rough sketch above is beginning to be filled in and fleshed out as you give more attention to detail. There comes a point in this process when there is a shift and the whole mental construct that is being created becomes very real, indeed.

Refining The Construct

Here are some questions about our unfolding character:

* How tall?

* Hair colour?

* Hair style?

* Eye colour?

* Skin tone?

* Anything striking about appearance?

* Any other identifying features?

* Clothing?

* Footwear?

* Underwear?

* Unique decorations/jewellery?

* Important possessions?

* Anything else that's important to know about?

My own soldier was close to 6 feet tall, had brown hair that was a little curly and worn in a pig tail, his eyes were brown and he had fair skin with a slightly yellowish cast. He had had chickenpox badly as a child and the skin on his face was rough and full of little scars. A previous injury had left him with a frozen shoulder on the left side and he would wear a small package made of wool under his clothes around that area at all times. He was wearing dark brown trousers, boots and a black/charcoal grey (probably faded) jacket at the time of his death and an off white plain linen shirt. His only important possession was a small knife thing you use to get stones out of a horses hoof he was wearing around his neck on a leather band that had been given to him by a good friend when he was much younger.

As you can see, even at this second level of questioning we find some very intriguing detail, such as the knife thing I do believe there is a name for it but I cant remember what it might be and only saw the object during the exercise. We also have entry points into some other story lines here what happened to the friend? Where did the old injury occur? and thats after perhaps five minutes and the most basic of questions one could ask to get to know any individual across time or space.

The Levels Of Reality

As we get more and more information, the person is taking on more and more and life. Here in brief are the levels through which the person becomes manifest and real, as it were:

Generic Information

The first level of reality is generic information to provide the base structure to a construct who, what, where, when. At this point, your creation is still fairly nebulous and lacks personality which comes with:

Individual Information

The second level of reality which is specific information about that individual construct (person, countryside, event, creature etc) what is unique about this, what catches your attention, what makes it stand out.

General (Overall) Time Line

The third level of reality is added with the temporal aspects how did this come to be? What happened? What will happen in the future? This brings the creation to life and makes it very real indeed it now has a future, a present and a past.

Specific Incidents Remembered

The more you focus in on any aspect of the time of the life of your person the more detail will be provided until you have actual associated first person memories of the events, entirely detailed and entirely real.

101 Uses For Personal Development

This basic pattern has innumerable uses.

The first is of course in the context of personal development and past life regression. Regardless of whether one might view past life regression as real memories of past lives or metaphorical re-inactments of problems in this one, either way the challenges offered need to be resolved and this is a particularly exciting and fascinating way of making real, true and lasting changes in ones life.

Even people who don't usually respond to "guided meditations" can work this pattern through to get extremely specific and associated memories, events and unfoldments to work with and to use for problem resolution.

Another major use for this pattern is of course in the context of creativity - fiction, character development, finding materials and inspiration for all forms of works of art. It is basically a foolproof generator for events, stories, situations that can provide much more material than anyone could work up or out in a single life time.

It is particularly interesting to consider this pattern in terms of Project Sanctuary events and can also be employed for developing other things besides characters, such as habitats, alien societies, objects that have never been or have been forgotten, and all manner of other uses.

Whether you are going to play it as a game at a party, use it to amuse yourself and your children on a long car journey or for serious personal development and making changes to the very structure of your personality, it is a fascinating pattern that is always interesting and begins to soften and expand the channels and pathways of your mind.

Silvia Hartmann, PhD First published in The Story Teller 2001 The Sidereus Foundation http://sidereus.org All Rights Reserved. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Silvia_Hartmann

Every day thousands of people go online to make money but most of them fail miserably because they either truly believe one of the 6 Internet Marketing Myths or or all of them. You can read them below and discover the grain of salt in all of them.

Myth #1: Internet Marketing is EASY

This is probably the biggest myth of all, and let me tell you Internet marketing is hard, takes time, effort not mention money and anyone who suggests otherwise is trying to sell you a bunch of horse hockey. Granted that it's comparatively easier to brick and mortar in that there's no inventory to carry, no shipping of goods no sales staff and virtually no overhead, but a lot of work is still involved.

Myth #2: ANYONE Can Make Money Online

Folks, this is simply not true. Unless someone gets off their lazy boy recliner and download/read everything they can about internet marketing, and put an action plan in motion, they will never make a dime on the internet. DO NOTHING, MAKE NOTHING.

Myth #3: You Can "GET RICH QUICK" On the Net!

This is the trap that a lot of newbie internet marketers falls into including myself when I first started, why? because scammers make it sounds so easy and let me tell you, chasing "get rich quick scheme" is a WASTE OF TIME!, money and energy. It just won't happen overnight, instead do some research and find out what people really want and need then give it to them especially a sense of reality.

Myth #4: It's FREE to Do Business Online

This is one of my favorite myths because I believed it during my first year of internet marketing and it just wasn't true then, it isn't true today. Compared to opening your first coffee shop or gift shop in downtown Los Angeles, internet business start-up cost and maintenance cost is pretty low. Once you have your domain set up, you only pay for internet connection, advertising and ongoing educations, that's it. You can't expect to make money selling free stuff and ask others to do the same. Folks! it takes money to make money.

Myth #5: It's TOO LATE to Start an Internet Business

Most super affiliate marketers would love to hear people say "It's too late now, too many competitions, I should just pack my bags and go home, the internet is too complicated, etc...". You know why? the less people they have to compete with the better which in turn will make them more money.

The fact is, it's never ever too late to start anything and that includes internet business. I firmly believe that the internet is not going anywhere and you should too. Every year the stats will show you the number of people shoppingonline are increasing, their spending dollars are growing and the number of people going online is increasing also.

Myth #6: The BIG Money Talk is JUST HYPE

As I've told you before, "it takes money to make money?" Well it's true, although you will be hard pressed to find experienced internet marketers to tell how much they spend on promoting and advertising. Sometimes, you have to dig a little deeper to find the truth in every hype you read. It's a fact that the people that makes alot of money online also spends alot of money on advertising, tools, resources and know how to get the job done.

If you are willing to take the necessary action to make 'big money' happen for you - it will. It takes time. You can criticize, be skeptical and sure that 'big money' can't happen for you - and it won't. Sit down and write a financial and a sound business plan. Local Chamber of Commerce can give all the info you need to get started.

If you believe that you will succeed you're right, if you believe that it won't work, you're right also.

To summarize, you have heard people's story how they're making a fortune on the internet and how easy it is but the reality is some stories are NOT out of this world or unrealistic but it just doesn't happen overnight. You just have to apply a bit of common sense into it, find what you love to do, have a game plan, stay focus and you my friend might find the right opportunity to make all your dreams come true.

High fuel prices got you down?

Imagine how most of us feel in the recreational fishing world.

Let me explain.

Here we are rounding into September, the time of year that all true "sport fishermen" look forward to. The weather is changing, and most summer crowds have gone home, leaving the rivers and lakes uncrowded and filled with frisky hungry fish readying themselves for the fall spawn and feedfest that takes place in fall.

Most of us are not lucky enough to have a river or lake out our back door, so that means traveling to our favorite fishing spots is mandatory. Two hundred miles or better is nothing when it comes to our passion.

Most fishermen -and outdoor types in general--are usually heading for the great outdoors hauling their gear in SUVs , trucks or campers/trailers.

Not exactly what you would consider "economy" cars.

I can still remember the conversation I had with Ranger Kurt about three years ago, when I convinced him to purchase an old Ford Diesel f350 in place of his trusty Toyota fishing rig.

He would love the extra room, and heck- diesel was about a dime cheaper than regular to boot!!

He like I, always seemed to just fill the back of his pick-up with just about every piece of sporting good equipment that languished in his garage.On the off chance we might feel the urge to break into a spirited game of Badminton, shoot clay pigeons, ride mountain bikes, or take an impromptu twenty mile hike into the high desert, we were ready!!

So, as our state of readiness has increased with age, our truck beds have shrunk.

Much like our spines and uhhhh hummm... other things!!

But I digress...

Anyway, as I ran out of room and had to spend thirty minutes each time loading and unloading basketballs,hockey sticks and barbecues-- just to find my waders--I decided a bigger rig was in order.

Didn't seem like a big deal at the time, back when diesel fuel was at about $1.29.

....$3.19 this morning!!

Ranger Kurt is not talking to me anymore.

I have decided to make some drastic changes in my life--at least my fishing life-- and the next time you see me.... I will be driving a Vespa.

That's right, one of those tiny Italian jobs that sound like an underpowered weed wacker.

I realize this will make it impossible to carry all the "necessary" gear I need to be ready for "impulse recreation"-- but what's a guy to do?

From now on, I will only carry the essentials--fishing rod, fly box,perhaps a sleeping bag--and wear all my necessary clothing, including waders,vest,wading boots and possibly a change of underwear. Everything else stays home!

I know this sounds drastic, but if I am to continue my passion for fishing --this may be the only way to make it affordable to do so.

I also know that the visual image of a rugged outdoorsman on the back of a Mo-ped is not exactly the vision Madison Avenue would like to sell to Orvis or Jeep Cherokee and is more akin to the image of Jim Carrey in "Dumb and Dumber"--but I don't care!!

Look out Deschutes River Steelhead... we're LEAN, MEAN, and riding WHINY MACHINES...

Whad'ya think?Kinda catchy, huh?

So, until the price of crude drops back down to a reasonable level, which may be never, you will recognize me as the guy out on Highway 97 wearing about fourteen layers of clothing and a pair of Hodgeman neoprene waders.

My poor Ford F250? Well, I suppose it will become an expensive dog house for my Yellow Lab-because unless I have AAA tow my vehicle around town--I can't afford to drive it anymore.

I sure hope they don't catch on to me!!

Oh-- and Ranger Kurt--give me a call, there's room on the back of the Vespa for you...

Now that its the holiday season everyone is busy thinking about his or her Christmas Trees. There are tricks and tips to help you create a unique look that fits in your home and adds sparkle to your holiday celebrations. Whether real or artificial, a little imagination can take that blank canvas and turn it into something really magical that will brighten your whole holiday season.

You can start by looking for ideas on the trees you see in public places like malls or hotel lobbies. These are great places to get ideas that you can easily bring to your own tree.

Here are some great tips for creating a beautiful tree

1.Your tree will stand in you room till the holiday season ends so it should have a visual impact. The space in your room will determine the size of the tree you can have. This is important to consider especially if you want to enhance your ornaments.

2.Decide on the overall look you like. The more branch tips your tree has, the more ornaments and decorations are needed. If you want your tree to have an informal look, select a tree that has long needles and upswept branches. If you want something more formal, select a tree that has down swept branches and with short needles.

3.Pay attention to lighting. There is a general rule in deciding the number of lights for a tree a one foot tree should have about 40-50 lights. The simplest thing to do is buy a pre-lit tree, no mess and easy storage. But if you do the lights yourself, hang them inside the tree, for a twinkling effect. Stringing the lights on the outer edges, over the tips of the branches wont look right. Remember to keep the amount of light uniform, without and unfilled spaces.

4.Add garland. Whether you choose traditional garland or beaded garland, you can get a great look. If you want traditional, swag your garland from the top to the bottom, and also around the back of the tree. The swag of your garland will depend on the width of your tree. Twist the garland at the tip and it should be smaller as it reaches the top of the tree. Another style is to double swag your garland and form it into a spiral garland. Some prefer using ribbon that falls from the top of the tree down along to the bottom.

5.Use fillers. You must use fillers in order to give the tree an enchanting look. Some people dont do this but it is a great way to give your tree a new look.

6.Choose a color scheme. Use a single color or two complimentary ones to give your tree a coordinated, decorator look. Try traditional choices such as red and gold, or something different like pink and white. Use ornaments of these colors and keep the garland in the same color family as well.

7.Dare to be different. Decorate according to what you like, even if it isnt the traditional way. Use your favorite hobby, ornaments collected on vacations, or old style bulbs to create a look thats truly your own. This will create a unique, personal holiday expression that is sure to be a conversation starter.

8.Dont forget the handmade ornaments. No matter what style you are trying to achieve, the hand made ornaments of your own childhood, or those of family members can be wonderful additions to any tree, and compliment any style.

9.Cover the base of your tree with a colorful tree skirt so that the gifts underneath will rest on a pretty background. This makes the packages look even more festive, and looks good after the presents are unwrapped too.

10.Top it off. Use a star, an angel or a large bow whatever suits your individual taste.