In today’s era of adoptions expectant mothers making adoption plans are able to choose the adoptive parents that they would like to raise their baby. This hasn’t always been possible. Older birthmothers were not given the option of choosing the adoptive parents.

Choosing a family can be overwhelming and confusing at times. Before you begin the process of choosing a family for your baby it is helpful to think about what type of characteristics you would like the family to have. Do you want one of them to be a stay at home parent? Do you want the family... more

I'm going to ask you today to take a moment to think about aiding the children in Russia's orphanages.

Why? Well, I got a note yesterday from the agency that helped me in both of my adoptions from Russia, and it made the reasons quite clear.

Because fewer children are being adopted from Russia now, there are more of them in the orphanages. Those of you who have been to Russia's orphanages in the past know how their resources were often stretched thin. Imagine how much farther they have to go now.

But it's not just that... more

“I’m grown, I don’t need you anymore,” were the words texted to me yesterday by a recently moved out 20 year old son of mine. “Leave me alone, I’m doing OK.”

Right.

I’m going to leave a kid of mine alone? After 17 grown kids bolting, I’m finally slowly learning what they really need.

“OK,” I’d texted back, “I’m not going to leave you alone. I know that you need reassurance.”

No reply. I got busy in the garden, tending to the other kids all afternoon, barely noticing around five that evening, that the one who’d... more

Julia, my blog-mate, wrote last week about how allergies can mimic other disorders. She and I chatted briefly about the different types of antibodies and the type of testing LuLu had undergone to determine her food sensitivities. Julia reminded me I had never blogged about this.

Antibodies are made of proteins called immunoglobulins. There are five classes of immunoglobulins: IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE. Most of the antibodies in your blood... more

If you are hoping to adopt a child who has been abused, you have an adventure ahead of you. You are choosing to adopt a broken child and provide him with the love and kindness that he needs to melt the ice inside and heal from his emotional wounds. Many children will blossom in the warmth of your love; some will not.

If the child chooses not to heal, don’t blame yourself. This is in response to the harm that was inflicted upon him by evil people. Some children are simply not brave enough to risk... more

(Continued from here)

Friday, June 18

The darn roller coaster ride continues. I got up after a sleepless night. I had a really bad headache last night and debated about taking an Excedrin Migraine, as I knew it would affect my sleep. But, I also knew the headache was bad enough to adversely affect my sleep, so I took the medicine. I slept from 10 pm to midnight, then was awake until around 6, then slept for one more hour.

I went to the Embassy at 9:30 and waited at least an hour with a whole flock? Herd? Gaggle? of butterflies in my stomach. I finally got called to the window... more

I have a confession to make. I have been “dripping” these posts out for the last several days. While you all have been thinking I am hunched over my computer cranking out new masterpieces every day… in actuality I have been rounding up cattle in Colorado with three of my girlfriends!

For the first time in ages I left my computer at home. I haven’t been writing blogs, creating newsletters, emailing or talking to stressed... more

There are so many wonderful books available, but how do you know what to read with your child? What if some books set off a trauma trigger? Following is a list of books that I have previewed, and loved.

"Little Heroes #2: Adoption and Foster Care" Designed to help parents and children understand the foster care and adoption process. This issue is a true story about two brothers, Robert and Phillip,... more

Often, as the mother of 39 children, it seems as if I run only on adrenaline. I don’t like it, I prefer serenity, a more tranquil environment, but such is not my life.

The term 'adrenaline junkie' came to my mind and I looked it up.

Originally, it was used to describe argumentative people who deliberately (consciously or unconsciously) find excuses to explode in order to get an adrenaline fix. After the adrenaline rush wears off, they become agitated, which causes them to... more

I finally carved out a few days to get started on reading Anna Karenina (and I see from the forum posts that a few of you have too). And I ran smack into the problem that made it so hard to read the book the last time around: the names.

As I wrote earlier this year, meeting one Russian means having to learn a whole lot of names. There's a first name,... more