Blog

The Avengers, written, directed and produced by Joss Whedon, contains an important storyline about adopton. The film tells the story of how the Avengers come together as a team to fight Loki, Thor’s adopted brother. Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is known by his fans for his use of wordplay, especially the ...

While most of us know the role of the U.S. Embassy staff in the international adoption process, many times families see this office as merely just another bureaucratic step in their adoption process. Working with embassies around the world, I have learned that while the staff of the embassies are administering federal law on immigration ...

While I pack my bags, I cannot help but wonder how I will be changed by the Orphan Summit VIII. I have attended hundreds of conference, seminars, sessions, and classes on adoption and orphan care. I have hosted and presented at many of these conferences and classes and yet I am continually amazed at how ...

It’s a popular misconception that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day. In actuality, Cinco de Mayo commemorates a Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Mexico celebrates its Independence Day, freedom from Spanish rule, on September 16. Cinco de Mayo isn’t actually even a federal holiday in ...

I have always liked Katherine Heigl. There was something about her that resonated with me years ago—long before she was married, before she became a parent. When news broke in 2009 about the adoption of her daughter Naleigh from South Korea, that resonation deepened. And when Heigl shared, "My sister Meg is Korean, and my ...

This week, April 22 – 28 is National Infertility Awareness Week and Resolve, The National Infertility Association has chosen ‘Don’t Ignore Infertility’ as this year’s theme. For those of us who don’t suffer from infertility it can be an easy issue to ignore. It’s not something that permeates our everyday lives. The woman you saw ...

Ukraine has been a fascinating place to work in adoptions for the past 12 years. MLJ Adoptions’ work in international adoption has given me an opportunity to see how adoption can transform lives. I have had the privilege of meeting individuals that have given their lives to help and care for orphans. I have been ...

On Saturday evening we went to the Tiki Terrace restaurant and Polynesian show. It is a family owned business located in Des Plaines, Illinois in a strip mall. The restaurant was decorated from top to bottom with island decor. It was filled with artificial foliage and palm trees, lanterns, lights, bamboo and large decorations made ...

I became a grandfather for the first time last year. And this year I await the arrival of a second grandchild – this time from a different country. All this has led me to do a lot of thinking about the role of grandparents, especially in adoption. I am sure that the most important thing ...

Your adoption journey Is complete, you are ready to bring your child home! This is a joyous & emotional time for you. You have waited and dreamed of this moment and it has finally arrived! While this is an exciting time, it is also important to be realistic and practical, which will help you on ...

It’s not just hair. It should come as no surprise that when race, parenting (always a touchy subject), and hair intersect, as is the case with some transracial adoptions, a child’s hair becomes a conversation piece. But I’ve observed a certain shock, defensiveness or shame in the face of this reality. I sense that these ...

There are several “countdowns” going on at my house this spring. One daughter is counting the days until high school graduation. Another daughter is counting the days to her mid- June wedding. What am I counting? How long until Orphan Summit VIII, an event hosted by the Christian Alliance for Orphans. This will be my ...

This is a re-post of an article originally published at Parenting Your Adopted Child: Tweens, weens, and Beyond My last post was about entitlement, fully embracing that you have the right to parent your child. Entitlement means having the confidence to step up to all of the responsibilities and risks associated with parenting. This includes ...