I was thinking about the new year and the future of adoption, both domestic and international, and I came up with this wish list of things I would love to see happen in adoption in 2008.

I wish that:

- The Hague will be implemented without causing significant delays to U.S. citizens and others adopting internationally. I believe the principles behind the Hague are good, and I sincerely hope that they can be made a reality without causing children to wait longer to be adopted and more children remaining orphans.

- Adoption agencies, adoptive parents and all of those involved with placing children for adoption will make (or keep) ethics as their number one priority, and their focus always on children who truly need new families.

- Adoption will be less about parents who want children, and more about children who need parents.

- Birth parents will continue to have more of a voice, more rights, more respect and more value in the adoption triad.

- Adoptive parents will continue to realize the importance of race and culture, and will educate and prepare themselves about transracial adoption issues.

- Funding options will be more readily available for adoptive parents and adoption costs will come down (unlikely I know, but hey, it's my wish list), so that costs will be less of a barrier for qualified adoptive parents and more children can find loving, permanent homes.

- The world will continue to become more accepting of transracial families.

- Adoptive parents and birth parents will respect and value each other, and put the best interests of the children ahead of their own fears, desires and insecurities.

- More adoptive families will open their hearts and homes to older children and special needs children.

- Guatemala and other countries with uncertain futures in adoption will be able to put into practice ethical adoption procedures that continue to put orphaned children into loving adoptive families.

- All adoptive parents waiting right now to be united with their children, will have their children in their arms as soon as possible.

- Progress will be made in fighting poverty, illness, famine and other social tragedies around the world so that less orphans are created.

- Our sweet baby Solomon will come home.

I am sure there are plenty more I can add to the list. If you have something to add to this adoption wish list for 2008, please leave a comment.

*Picture from Liquid Library