K and I are off on a plane. We are taking a twelve-day trip and visiting our spread-out family tomorrow. Hubby is off to Asia on a business trip, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to take a few airplane trips and visit loved ones. First we hang with my sisters and then my parents. Detroit, Minneapolis, New York. Here we come - Off we go!

Our family is big on traveling. K has already been on many planes the first two years of her life. She’s traveled to the East Coast, the West Coast, and to Europe. We’ve gone to Vegas. (not recommended with a baby, but it was a business trip.... more

Three people said this to me about LuLu yesterday.

No big surprise, because it is very true - she is VERY BRIGHT! But the presumption of many (and two of these people were therapist/doctor types who see children with severe disabilities) is that bright and disability don't go together.

It is a dangerous presumption because it leaves us no out in our thought processes. If the child is very bright, but appears frustrated, angry, aggressive or out-of-control at times, what is the cause? Before LuLu, when I used to stand in the check-out lane at the grocery store... more

It was in the evening that first contact was made with my birth uncle. While I chose to have someone close to me make the contact I was right there. I could feel my heart beating and my chest was tight. I was apprehensive and was worried that I would be ultimately humiliated. I got my cigarettes and a glass of ice tea. I sat at the dining room table while the call was placed. My mind was racing and I got up from the table and started pacing. What would he say? Would he believe us? What if he wouldn’t talk to us?

Finally, someone answered the phone and I heard... more

Today is a very special day for us. We won't be throwing a big celebration bash at all. In fact the only celebrating we will be doing is a small private breakfast as a family tomorrow morning. One year ago today, in fact one year ago this very minute, Kristina, Mia and I were sitting in a small "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant in the center of Guatemala City.

We were eating a great breakfast of eggs, frijoles, bread, and coke (all of which cast less than $5.00 total.) We had traveled into the city with our friends Rita and Odwar for a doctor appointment she had. We were... more

A trip over the island to the post office always has a tiny thrill attached, as the prospect of something perhaps waiting behind the little PO Box door excites us all. Whether a package of homemade jams from my mother or one of my mail-ordered bras, a collection slip always means something special has arrived.

Yesterday's prize was really special, but not anything we'll get to keep for long.

"Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin" is a wonderful book written by a mother who's daughter shares orphanage roots with my kids ... they were all cared for at AOA near Phnom... more

I have to say that I am really enjoying this blog. I love to write, and I love my family and I am passionate about adoption, so it is a pretty good “job” for me to have. I really enjoy all of the AdoptionBlogs.com blogs. I have already learned so much from reading the other blogs. It is very easy to get used to seeing things from your own point of view, and being able to read the thoughts of birthmothers, adult adoptees and other adoptive parents is very valuable to me.

I also really like that “readers” can leave comments. I put a lot of thought into my posts and often wonder how they are going over, and what people think of them. Plus, a lot of good conversations have come from comments.... more

No, I’m not trying to tie Korea to the U.S. underground railroad. I’ve been hearing a lot about a documentary called “Seoul Train” lately. I was sorry that I missed it when it was shown on PBS, but I’ve ordered it so I should get it soon. In the mean time, I thought I’d check out their website. It’s fascinating.

“In the riveting documentary SEOUL TRAIN, filmmakers Jim Butterworth, Lisa Sleeth and Aaron Lubarsky expose the life-and-death struggle faced by North Koreans who attempt to flee their homeland through China, a country... more

Tonight I just saw on the news the Classroom of the Future. What does this have to do with foster-adopt? Maybe not much unless one of your children ends up going to one of these classrooms.. Anyway, I just thought it was so interesting I had to share.

A classroom in a school in Minnesota has removed all the chairs! The children sit on mats on the floor, or stand at workstations, or move around freely as they work. Laptops are provided and spelling tests are given on iPods. Wow. I would have loved a school like that.

When this program started, there were detractors... more

"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." - Amelia Earhart

Searching takes courage, but, the rewards can be great. Many of the details uncovered during a search might seem minor to most people, however, seemingly small details can cause great excitement during the search process. I have often heard searchers becoming highly excited upon finding out the smallest bit of information. One discovery that is particularly rewarding is a name. An adoptee friend of mine who is currently searching for birth family recently was able to confirm his... more

Actress Jessica Simpson began her foray into adoption with the statement below:

"I want to adopt, and I plan to adopt before I have my own kids," Simpson told Extra.

Her "own" children? If she adopts children, won't those children be her "own" kids too?

Here's the story about Jessica following in Angelina's Footsteps.

Other bloggers have written about the fact that adoption seems to be a fad at the moment among Hollywood actresses.... more