Blogging in the bigger world has some interesting side effects.

When most of my Internet writing was limited to my personal blog, I knew my audience ... not just in a this-is-what-they're-interested-in sort of way, but up close and personally. I was familiar with the family situations, the pasts and presents, the work environments. Spouses and children had been introduced, discussed and examined, and although I won't claim to know intimate details, I did know a lot. These days, I wouldn't know a reader if I passed one on the street, but readers do know... more

Wow, 2007 is looming. How can that possibly be? Two thousand seven. That doesn't even sound like a real year, it sounds, so, so futuristic. Ah, but the future is here. I informed our editor a couple of weeks ago that I would be resigning from blogging at the end of 2006. It has been a phenomenal opportunity and I have appreciated and enjoyed it tremendously. Although I am saying goodbye I'm not really going anywhere. Now I will disappear into the twilight and become one of...the lurkers(cue scary laughter here) or even better, I'll become one of the commenters.... more

Today is Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah)- cooperative economics: to build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Ujamaa was the concept that formed the basis of Julius Nyerere's social and economic development policies in Tanzania just after it gained independence from Britain in 1964. In 1967, President Nyerere published his development blueprint titled the Arusha Declaration, in which Nyerere pointed out the need for an African model of development and which formed the basis of African socialism. Ujamaa comes... more

I am so torn about this... Torn between anger and sadness. The evils that man does. There are no words.

John Krueger was found guilty of molesting 3 boys in late November 2006. He is a 53 year old single man who has adopted from Ukraine several times. I believe his first adoption was in 2001.

He was charged back in April 2006. And the case immediately caught the eye of Ukrainian... more

To end this brief series on a good note, I need to talk about what has been the best part, for me, in our adoption journey this year. Many things stick out in my mind. We've had some great visits. Watching my children interact has been great. D and I have learned even more about each other and have continued to build a solid friendship. And yet, there's one... more

Here, in our neck of the woods, it's been unseasonably warm all throughout the fall and the bit of winter we've had so far. And I don't like it one bit. Really. One of my favorite parts about living in this area of the country is the changing seasons. We had neighbors growing up who moved to California. When they came back to visit, they said they missed the changing of the seasons the most. I love to watch the leaves change color - every year I say I'll go up to Maine or New Hampshire to go 'leaf peeping' or something. But then I realize that it's just... more

2006 brought a lot of good stuff into my life with regard to our adoption journey. However, it also brought in some new issues, emotions and general crud, just like every other issue in life.

1. Our New Year's visit. J, D, the Munchkin and the month old JD came out to celebrate New Year's Eve with me, Josh, the month old Nicholas. I haven't written about that on this blog yet and I will in the future. Suffice it to say that two sleep deprived Mommies plus the overwhelming emotions... more

I finally told my Mom the other day about my writing this blog for Adoption.com. She quickly passed the word on to my sisters and father even before I could click my heals together and say, "There's no place like home." There's also no grapevine in the world as effective as that of my mother!

I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell my family about my blog as I suspected there were some things I would have been willing to write about under the anonymity of my pseudonym that I wouldn’t necessarily want my family to know. Try... more

Stealing an idea from fellow blogger Julie, I present to you The Good in our adoption that happened in 2006. Yes, following this post will be an inevitable "The Bad" post. As my Husband always says, "You take the good with the bad." True, true.

1. Our New Jersey shore vacation. Not only did we have a nice time on the beach but the Munchkin and I experienced some bonding that we hadn't in the past. She enjoyed spending time alone with me and we were able to take some walks and just play together.... more

Every day I discover more resources to help children. Today HeartShare came over the net to inform me of this wonderful program to help the foster and waiting children in New York City.

HeartShare isn't just about waiting children, they also help adults with disabilities, parents who need support, HIV and much more. They seem like a great organization, (but I don't have first hand experience of them, from the website, I think they are part of DHS New York....

Here is a press release about the success of the most recent program:

100,000 Raised for HeartShare's Children's Programs

Brooklyn, NY, December 29, 2006 --(PR.COM)-- Trees and ornaments and... more