crazy (?) idea...

Don't know if any of you remember us showing you guys the children's book we made to tell Caroline her adoption story. (see here)

Well, tonight we had some friends over that after reading through it had the idea/suggestion that we think about turning the story into a generic children's book for adoptive parents to read to THEIR kids about God's special plan. (it would leave out all the pictures & details of our family & details of OUR adoption experience, but still tell the basic adoption story... for example, it starts out, "Long, long ago, before you were ever born, God had a special plan. And this is a story about that special plan. This is a story about how you came into our family." Then it would go on to tell about how your birthmommy loved you so much, but she was sad she couldn't give you what you needed to grow big & strong, etc. etc. She wanted to follow God's special plan, and then God led her to Mommy & Daddy, etc. etc.

Since much of the adoption wisdom is switching to being pro-open-adoption (unlike 30 years ago) and encouraging parents to speak to their children about their adoption story from day one, I think this story would help children to know how much their birthmother loved them, how God had a plan for them even before they were born!, and how their adoption mirrors our adoption into God's family. (you can read that page if you click on the link above.)

Okay, so I've got all these thoughts swirling around in my head about this, and it might be a crazy idea, but I just thought I'd throw them out to you, my wonderful blog readers, family & friends. So here's what I want to know from you...

1) Instead of starting with the publishing route, what about going an easier route & re-writing the story & binding it/laminating it like ours & selling it on this blog? (My goal isn't to make a bunch of money on this, but everyone that's read the book has had really good feedback & I can't help but wonder if it could help other families out there going through the same thing, you know? Plus the lamination & spiral binding has been SOOO fun & easy for Caroline to turn the pages, too!) Would any of you guys be interested in having a story like this to read to YOUR adopted children or think it would be helpful to purchase for other families in your churches, for example, who are? If I went this route (which is the easiest for me, for sure!), how could more people find out about it?

2) I've obviously got the text for the story, but no children's book would be complete without some really great pictures to go with it! (we'd take out all of our personal photographs & replace them with illustrations) After all, it's gotta keep the kids' interest! Are any of you children's book illustrator-wanna-be's that would be interested in this project? Or do any of you have ideas on how I could modify the pictures? (I'm a musician, folks. NOT an artist.)

3) I don't know that I'm ready to put all the work/hassle/effort/money into sending it off to a publisher or even paying to have it published myself at this point. (But I'm willing to hear from those of you who know a thing or two about this area.)

So I don't know-- this may just be a late-night brainstorming session that fades away by tomorrow, but I thought I'd throw that out there & see what you guys have to say.

I know, I know. Too many words and not enough cute pictures lately. More soon to follow, I promise... :)