Podcast Ep: 2 Author Mary Beth Sammons shares with host Brianne Kirkpatrick the backstory to Ancestry Quest. This quick-and-easy read explores the stories of dozens of individuals who found meaning and connection to family and their history, sometimes after an intentional search and sometimes by happenstance.

I've gotten some questions about how to approach an unexpected DNA match and try to open up the lines for communication. I've posted some draft language here for you to get a sense of what I've written or advised other people to write in the past.

Sometimes 23andMe reports an inaccurate DNA relationship between two testers. A half sibling is not always a half sibling. It could be a cousin, for example.

When Maggy was 54 years old, she discovered that her father wasn’t who she thought he was.

Heather and Jessica are sisters who have discovered that they have a half-sister they never knew about.

If you are a parent of a child who was conceived with a donor egg or sperm and they do not yet know it, the time to be proactive is now.

The uncovering of one DNA surprise can sometimes have a domino effect in a family. In the case of James and his family, the discovery that the father who raised James wasn’t his biological father led to the same discovery for his three siblings as well.

Two lovely genetic counselors and leaders within the National Society of Genetic Counselors paired up to experience and write about having ancestry testing to learn more about their Hispanic roots.

From the bravely-shared experiences of both Eden and Michelle, we learn about the tugging and pulling of loyalties to parents and siblings, the deeply-entrenched love and the desire for protection of the hearts of the ones most dear, and the unclear path forward when secrets long-hidden are suddenly and unexpectedly revealed.

I’ve compiled ten tips for adoptive parents based on common questions and issues. The focus is on parents of children under the age of 18, but these points can apply to other families as well, including those who utilized egg, sperm, or embryo donation in building their family.