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While digging through old family records in search of details to help me write my book on international adoption, I found a letter my parents wrote to my brother and sister in 1991. This was before my siblings moved from their orphanage in India to our home in Nebraska. “Dear Ganga and Bhola,” it started. ...

My children rarely ask about their birth fathers. Their questions and comments focus on their birth mothers. When attempting to steer them in the direction of birth fathers, I’ve had little luck. I can’t walk in my kids’ shoes. But I try as hard as I can to understand their perspectives, some way to relate ...

Although some may not agree, I personally consider myself a child’s rights advocate. I studied and taught human rights law at a prominent university law school and I am personally committed to child advocacy through adoption and orphan care. However, I have differing views on the solutions to our orphan crisis and the processing of ...

The Boom and Bust of International adoption programs has been observed by adoption professionals and adoptive parents throughout the past ten years. Countries open to international adoption, have hundreds of adoptions and then close just years later. This can leave intended adoptive parents in turmoil if they have not completed their adoption and even worse ...

Originally posted at Passionate Pursuit Yup. He can be a momma’s boy. He can rough and tumble in the yard, pretend to race motorcycles, climb a tree, spit in the grass, plow his tractors through the dirt, but when it’s all said and done…he wants to know where his momma’s at. There’s comfort in a ...

The Indianapolis Star shared the story of 13 year old Jordan Pisey Windle, considered a diving phenom and the youngest ever to qualify for the U.S. Olympic diving trials. Born in Cambodia, he was adopted by a single father, Jerry Windle in 2001. Neither Jordan nor Jerry were thinking about diving or the Olympics at ...

Things have suddenly gotten very busy for Jillian Michaels! On May 12 former coach for NBC’s The Biggest Loser brought home her two year old daughter Lukensia from Haiti after a two year adoption process; this just two weeks after her partner gave birth to a son Phoenix on May 3 in Los Angeles. “We’re ...

Have you heard? We’ve moved! We will be having an Open House on Friday, June 1st, from 6:00 – 9:00PM at our new location! Come see our beautiful new office building, located in the Arch at Chatham. We are just getting settled in and beginning to personalize our space here at MLJ. The building that ...

New mothers might be aware of the "baby blues" or Post-Partum Depression (PPD) that comes after pregnancy and delivery. According to Science Daily, up to 70-50% of new mothers will experience a brief episode of feeling depressed, irritable, uninterested in pleasurable activities, or experiencing excessive worry or guilt. Approximately 10% of new moms will go ...

I was so encouraged by all of the participants at the Orphan Summit VIII. I was encouraged that the U.S. State Department sent Susan Jacobs to the Summit which would seem to indicate a strong support of international adoption from the U.S. State Department. Ambassador Jacobs clearly stated that the State Department was in favor ...

New to parenthood? If you answered “yes” or nodded in agreement then you should consider attending Parents Connect, one of the recent additions to MLJ Adoption Inc.’s broad educational offerings. Welcoming a child into your family through adoption is an opportunity for a new beginning; new relationships, expectations (even though we emphasize, in adoption preparation ...

You’re invited to attend the 4th Annual MLJ Adoptions Picnic. If you aren’t already familiar with our event, this picnic is a family favorite! Come and join us as we celebrate the homecoming of children from around the world! This is a great opportunity to chat with families who have completed their adoption, and hear ...