I hope that all of you had a very Merry Christmas! We had a wonderful holiday, and the only thing missing was some good news from Ethiopia.

It is very common for holidays to be an emotional and challenging time for children who were adopted, as it is normal to think about the people you love and miss during the holidays, and all of the "going ons" and excitement can put kids into emotional overdrive.

The first Christmas that Mercy and Des were home with us, Mercy had a big breakdown. Their birth mom had promised a lot of things to the girls when she placed them with us a few months earlier, and at that point the letters, calls, etc. were not coming. She had promised several... more

As challenging as it can be to survive the holidays with a new child, it can be equally challenging to survive the holidays when you are still waiting for your child to come home.

The holidays are a time when more than ever, we crave to be with our families. The holidays and holiday celebrations often focus on children, and the joy and excitement they experience during the holiday season.

The holidays are also a very emotional time for most people.

When you consider all of those things, and then add in the challenges of being on the adoption... more

Everyone knows that the holidays are a time of much excitement, activity and celebration. It is also a very busy and emotional time of year.

At the same time, having a newly adopted child in your home is a time of great transition for your family. It can be a very challenging time because a new child may be having issues with eating, sleeping and attachment. Other children in the home may be bent out of sorts because of the new addition. Parents may be feeling overwhelmed and mentally and physically... more

Today, December 1, is World AIDS Day. While that may not seem like it has a whole lot to do with transracial adoption, it actually has much to do with transracial adoption.

The AIDS crisis in Africa, Asia and other parts of the world is one of the biggest "creators" of orphans out there. It is one of the biggest tragedies of our times. AIDS is killing moms, dads, aunts, uncles, teachers, doctors, nurses and others in big numbers.

Countless children are being left behind as orphans, sometimes in good health, sometimes HIV+ themselves.

While HIV/AIDS... more

Yesterday my Benjamin Bekalu turned seven years old. I have been doing a lot of thinking about him and his life this week, and I have been thinking a lot about how much he has changed in the past year and a half.

For one, I have been thinking about how strange it is to not really know your child's birth day. As is common in Ethiopia, a place where birthdays are rarely celebrated and important dates and records are rarely recorded, our son does not know when he was born. In fact, his grandmother and sisters did not know when he was born. It seems... more

The Fourth of July is a holiday with new meaning for me since we adopted transracially and internationally. Before, it was always a fun day of family, friends, barbecue, parades and fireworks. It was our country's birthday. I have always been proud to be an American, and yet at the same time I think it was something that I took for granted.

Now that I have four children who were born in other countries, I have many mixed emotions on the Fourth of July. Of course I am still proud to be an American and enjoy the day to celebrate our country and all of the many... more

Happy Father's Day everybody.

I have always loved Father's Day. When I was young, I enjoyed it because I have such a wonderful, loving and devoted father. For a good part of my life he has been my only parent and he has always deserved at least one day a year to celebrate his role as a dad, even if it meant burnt toaster waffles and microwaved coffee in bed.

And then I got married, and watched the man I love become a dad for the first time. I have since had two amazing men to celebrate on Father's Day.

Dads in adoption... more

Happy Mother’s Day everyone. Mother’s Day has always been an emotional day for me. When I was younger it was a difficult day for me because my mother was not involved in my life, and it was always sad to me to feel like “everyone” had a mom to celebrate except for me (which I now know was far from true).

Then as I became a mom, it became a day that I enjoyed. At first I really enjoyed Mother’s Day simply because it celebrates who and what I am in my heart. I am a mom. I believe that one of the biggest reasons I am here on this earth is to be a mom and to raise children. I treasure that.

As my children got older, I started to enjoy Mother’s Day with them. I cherish my hand-painted... more

Happy Easter everybody!

Holidays with our large, transracial family are always fun. For the past few years, it seems we have almost always had a child that was experiencing the holiday for the first time with us (and sometimes the first time ever), which makes it more special for everyone.

Today is Belane’s first Easter, and as she enjoys running around and finding eggs, snuggling her stuffed rabbit and twirling in her Ethiopian dress, I watch her and think of last Easter, when my heart was so heavy. She was still in Ethiopia, and we had not... more

As promised, here is my favorite Irish Soda Bread recipe. If you've never had (or made) Soda Bread, it is sweet and delicious. Every year I make a bunch of loaves and share with family and friends.

It's quick and easy and Irish, (and fun to make with your kids) so if you're looking for something fun to do today and a yummy snack, here is the recipe.

Erin's Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup white sugar 1 1/2 cups buttermilk ... more