My husband, Matt, is an excellent story teller. He comes alive in every detail of each moment in such a way that his stories can often be longer than the
Uncommon Visible Difference
There is an art to a successful adoption announcement when you are adopting a child with a visible difference. You learn to manage the situation, to set up the encounter
Chinese New Year Celebration: From Germany to Houston to Taiyuan
Recently on a trip to LA I found myself up early. Still on East Coast time I flipped through the channels in my hotel room. After watching the daily news
It’s Hard Being a Trauma Mama
One of the hardest things I have had to come to grips with in this journey of trauma parenting is being the one who causes the most pain in my
Lessons Martin Luther King Jr. Expects My Kids to Learn
I won’t let my kids file Martin Luther King, Jr. Day into the category of non-gift-giving holidays that serve only to close school for the day. No matter the age,
Visiting Birth Family and Exploring Culture on a Heritage Trip
When we decided to adopt Daniela, of Mexican heritage and born in the US, in 2004 and Josh, born in Guatemala, in 2006, we had planned to one day take our family to
When the Child in the Picture is Finally Home | 3 Post Adoption Tips
The care center workers interrupted my son’s nap so that we could meet him for the first time almost nine years ago. In that moment, the little boy in the
Humble Beginnings, Beautiful Families
Tammy Makram’s and Liz Kellner’s first days of life garnered headlines in the 1960s as they would today. The full biological sisters were both abandoned during the holiday season, four
During National Adoption Month, Just Ask
October’s color was hot pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. Hot pink was everywhere – whether on the cleats of N.F.L. players or on the bright socks of the
Celebrating the Families of Our 2016 Photo Contest
Every year during National Adoption Month, we catch up with our families through our annual photo contest. We love seeing how each child grows with the love and support of