The last few days have been heavenly, as I have not had to scurry around with a thousand things to do and no time to do them. I actually did some sewing … Beth is modeling a fleece top I completed. The M & M fabric was a remnant from a “sleeping bag” robe I made for Amy. I used to call Amy “Peanut” when I was still struggling to connect with her. Eventually the nickname more or less faded away …

Hard to believe I am excited about waiting for a repairman, but I am. I haven’t had a working washing machine in over two weeks. Seems two brilliant “young ladies” decided taking about... more

This is it … the last entry of the year. Hard to believe I have been blogging on adoption.com for two years now! I must say, it did feel good to slow down a bit this month. After I write this blog, I’m going to walk my dogs, feed them, and then settle in to do some sewing this afternoon. Benny Boy starts his thyroid meds today … I’m most anxious to see what happens.

I guess it is only fitting that I end this year’s entries by addressing Lindy’s poignant comments... more

My cousin Trina and her kids left this morning, and I have spent the last four hours putting away Christmas decorations. I just ironed a huge new tablecloth for my dining room table, only to decide it didn’t match the wallpaper, so I put it back in the original wrapper and will return it next week. What an exercise in futility.

Trina and I spent much of yesterday sewing and cutting out fleece patterns to make clothing for the girls and me. I told her I would sew today, but haven’t gotten to it yet. She calls me periodically as she is driving home, and inquires if I am sewing... more

Recently I blogged about the Dutch diplomat and how he and his wife are placing their adopted daughter back into the care of social services. A reader commented about “parenting in a fishbowl” and how difficult it was to raise these children in relative anonymity, much less with the whole world watching. I remember a family that contacted me years ago—a pastor of a small town church, his wife and their three sons. The oldest was a “healthy white infant placement” and... more

As I mentioned previously, I have my cousin Trina here, along with her four kids. One of her children is a 16-month-old boy. I have blogged about him before. Darrion is one of the happiest kiddos I have seen in a long time.

He giggles and laughs and cackles and shrieks constantly. He hollers for his mom and she picks him up with a smile. He buries his face in her chest, and then turns around and grins at the world, knowing he’s safe and loved. He is now two months older than Dora’s... more

Today is my birthday. Last year’s birthday blog (Part One, Part Two) told you fifty things about me … no coincidence that I chose that number … so I guess y’all (as my friend Julie would say) can do the math for this year. Suffice it to say, I used to be able to roller skate as I did yesterday and not awake sore as I did today. Overall, though, I am one lucky woman. I even bought myself a pair of... more

I am continually amazed at the sleuthing my friend Julie does to stay ahead of Lulu’s many physiological and endocrine-related issues. Nearly every week, Julie reports on another test or study they are doing to try to figure out why Lulu behaves the way she does.

When I was in veterinary practice, what I most enjoyed was the internal medicine aspect of care. I loved learning about how the body worked and how everything is interrelated. The human and animal bodies are truly amazing creations. It is a wonder that our bodies work as... more

Merry Christmas to everyone! I haven’t posted in several days, and yet I find time to post on Christmas day? What’s up with that?

Well, we had our Christmas two days ago, prior to Kyle and Marie heading north to spend Christmas with her family. Steph went with them, as she is spending this time with her boyfriend and his family. That leaves the old folks and the really young folks. I must say, I am quite happy being "off duty" today and just munching our many leftovers, watching television, and doing nothing! It didn't help that I awoke with a headache (the "coming down from stress"... more

Some of you might already have heard about the brouhaha occurring in Hong Kong and involving a Dutch diplomat and his wife and Korean-born adopted daughter, Jade. This article, Can an Adopted Child be Returned? in Time magazine, addresses this story. Apparently, the diplomat “has been accused of returning his eight-year-old adopted daughter like an unwanted Christmas necktie.” Jade, adopted at 4 months of age, has been relinquished into the custody of Hong Kong’s Social Welfare Department,... more

I was dumbfounded at a comment that a reader wrote in response to my blog about Baby Max. She stated, “… young infants need only good routine care -- e.g. feeding, changing, stimulation. Research shows it really doesn't matter who is doing it, because attachment behaviors don't start to develop until around eight months of age.”

To believe a child can be moved around between 0-8 months of age and not be affected (assuming the multiple caregivers are equally responsive and... more