Since 1976, when Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis announced Adoption Week, the idea of raising awareness about the adoption of children and youth from foster care has spread.

In 1984, Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Adoption Week and in 1995, President Clinton, expanded upon that to proclaim the month of November National Adoption Month.

During National Adoption Month, community groups and organizations host events and activities that challenge adoption myths, draw attention to the children in foster care who are awaiting permanent families and provide a forum for positive adoption stories to be shared.

Marcia Hall, a professional nanny and owner of Strong Roots Family Coaching based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin has one such story. Marcia and her husband Scott, adopted their now three year old daughter Nadia days after birth through the Safe Haven Program. “For us, adoption has meant being able to give a child the love, affection and understanding that she needs and deserves. It has been a way to give back the love we have so generously received from our close family and from God.”

Like every pregnancy, each adoption journey in unique. “Technically every child that is adopted in this country must be a foster child in your home for roughly 6 months before they can be legally adopted” shared Hall. “Nadia was placed in our home days after birth and before the court performed a Termination of Parental Rights (TPR). During those 6 months we had social worker home visits and had to keep our foster care license current. In August of 2009, we officially adopted Nadia. She was 6 months old.”

And the Halls are prepared to continue their adoption journey, recently beginning the adoption process to adopt a second child. “In preparing our daughter for this life changing event, we often talk about how our family has so much love to give and that there are children out there that are in such great need of that love. We hope to adopt many more children.”

“Adopting through the foster care system is difficult and you are putting your heart and emotions on the line. At times the tears may outweigh the cheers, but it is worth every tear to be able to look at a child and know that you have made a difference in their life.”

With her background as an International Nanny Association Credentialed Nanny specializing in caring for multiples, Michelle has been partnering with parents in raising their children since 1994.

With her extensive experience in newborn, infant and child care, and with her passion for setting herself apart from her peers by providing top-notch service, Michelle is regularly called on by the most popular parenting magazines and websites to share her knowledge and expertise. She has been featured on Parents.com, Parenting.com, and BabyTalk.com and regularly contributes to ModernMom.com, Momtastic.com, and other popular parenting websites.

Michelle has contributed to TWINS Magazine and wrote a chapter for the best-selling Experts' Guide to the Baby Years. Michelle has also authored four books of her own entitled, Nanny to the Rescue!, Nanny to the Rescue Again!, Working Mom's 411 and A Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists. She also co-authored Beyond Parenting Basics: The International Nanny Association’s Official Guide to In-Home Child Care.

Michelle is an active member of the nanny and baby planner communities. In 2004, Michelle was honored as the International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year> and received accolades from President George Bush for her dedication to improving quality in-home child care. Michelle serves on the advisory board of the International Academy of Baby Planner Professionals and has served on the board of directors and as vice president of the International Nanny Association. She has also served as the executive director of the International Nanny Association and as a trainer for The Academy of Coaching Parents International.

Michelle currently serves as the editor in chief of Longhorn Leads, managing the content across their portfolio of care related sites including www.eNannySource.com, www.GoNannies.com, www.NannyPro.com, and www.4Nannies.com, in addition to serving as the executive director of Morningside Nannies, the company’s award-winning placement agency.

Michelle is a national speaker, bringing a message of hope and empowerment to moms groups across the nation. She and her husband Jeff, reside on Cape Cod with their daughter, Abigail, and their son, Luke.