It works almost as well as keeping our sense of humor. When all else fails around here, let’s dance!

LuLu and I often use dancing as our break from school work and our release when the pressure cooker of life starts getting a bit much. I’ve been known to pop in our old Wiggles VHS tape and have the two of us Mash Bananas for a few minutes. It’s hard to be serious when you’re dancing with four grown men in bright primary colors singing kids’ songs.

And if that doesn’t work, we jam to big sister’s show tunes. Yes,... more

I love crafts that incorporate a child’s handprints and think that these type of crafts making awesome keepsakes for birthmothers. So, today I will share a great and easy Christmas ornament craft that adoptive parents can make or help their child make for their child’s birthmom or anyone in their birth family really!

Materials needed: White foam Red Felt Flesh colored Felt White fake fur or felt Wiggly eyes (optional) Glue Ribbon

Instructions: 1. Trace your child’s handprint onto the white... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

This is my last piece of my definition of what adoption is to me.

Adoption is family.

When I look at my family, I know that it would not exist as it does without adoption. Josh and I would be missing out on so much if it were not for adoption, and most of our children would be living very different lives if it was not for... more

(Please remember that this is just a piece of my definition of adoption. For my full definition of what adoption is, you can read this whole series of posts here.)

With National Adoption month wrapping up tomorrow, the last day of November, I am also wrapping up my definition of adoption. I have this post and then one more to complete my definition of adoption, and then tomorrow I will share some of my favorite definitions of adoption by readers who left comments for the giveaway, and I will also announce the winner.

For this post, I am going to say that adoption is beautiful.

One of the things that... more

In my last post, I talked about some of the pressures you may be facing from a number of different sources. The pressure opinions and well meaning advice from family, friends, your religious affiliation, and your baby’s father (just to name a few) can be overwhelming at times. How do you deal with all of this pressure without locking yourself in a closet until the end of your pregnancy?

I have a few ideas for you.

As our older two kids were headed out the door from our Thanksgiving Cranium bash last Thursday, the eldest asked, “So when’s the party?”

I was confused.

He explained that he didn’t want to miss this year’s Christmas party, because they are always so much fun. Apparently, we have inadvertently started a Christmas party tradition at our house. And my addled brain hadn’t grasped its importance, nor had I planned on hosting a party this year.

The other older child chimed in and both exclaimed that this was something they “wanted” for Christmas. Kay... more

In my previous two blogs I covered an interview with a reporter who is in Guatemala right now. He answered questions about his interview with the Deputy Attorney General (Barrios) of PGN; the dreaded PGN, the last and often longest and most trying step in the Guatemalan adoption process.

In this blog, I’ve asked him about the media’s treatment of the Guatemalan adoption process.

Many if not most of us who are involved in intercountry adoptions in general... more

I mentioned in this post how I managed to find a few hours one weekend to read a book. The book I read was Crisis, Pursued by Disaster, Followed Closely by Catastrophe: A Memoir of Life on the Run. I blogged about it shortly after I finished reading it.

Imagine my surprise to receive an email from the... more

In my last blog, Robert responded to questions about attitudes towards adoption in Guatemala. He was fortunate enough to interview the Deputy Attorney General (Barrios). Here are his responses to my questions.

The Deputy Attorney General of PGN has an unsavory reputation among those of us who have been through the adoption process. He has been accused of bribes and corruption, unnecessary hold ups and long holidays away from his desk leaving hundreds of cases in limbo... more

Many of us in the blogging and adoption world have given interviews to the media; few of us are ever truly happy with the results. A couple months ago I gave a long interview to Robert, a reporter for a well known American newspaper. He asked intelligent questions, was polite, patient and very pleasant. When the article came out, I was disappointed and told him so. He was kind enough to explain a few things and I calmed down.

Before the article came out, I had asked for an interview by email. After I jumped down his throat about the article, I wasn’t sure I’d get a... more