tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43765357749657349562026-05-27T02:00:18.923-07:00I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-65254986153711833102008-09-25T07:03:00.000-07:002008-09-25T11:15:23.119-07:00

If one more person asks me, in front of my children, "are they siblings?" my head is going to explode. I always arrange my face into an appearance of confusion and reply in a confiding sort of voice, "Of course, aren't yours?" just don't, adoption

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-57720154611097989022008-09-18T22:21:00.000-07:002008-09-17T22:30:59.605-07:00

This just sets my teeth on edge:When we adopt them, they become our own! That's the whole point of adoption. If my kids are not my own, what are they doing sleeping in the beds upstairs? Are they loaners? rentals? am I merely hosting them?I sent a very polite letter to the company.Hi, I just took a survey from you that included this screen. Apparently whoever authored this page is a bit

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-20664867360167268462008-09-06T01:24:00.000-07:002008-09-11T11:08:08.645-07:00

It's time to celebrate a month of anniversaries. Two years ago today we gained custody of the kids. Here's the link if you want to go wander down memory lane with me: At Last. adoption, russian adoption

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-88696410869838612592008-08-23T19:25:00.000-07:002008-09-11T11:08:09.019-07:00

Have I shown you this before? This was Chickadee's photo from her listing on the Russian Federal Database. It is the only picture we have of her prior to our meeting her in April of 2006. In this shot, she is about 3 years old (July 2004) and about 18 pounds.Why so small? She explains it well. Here is a conversation we had in February of 2007:She sings all the time. This morning's song:I

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-12672126514129512812008-08-08T01:13:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.153-07:00

This is a sweet and simple little book addressing infant adoption which Chickadee loves to have read to her. Our favorite page in The Day We Met You is the one that describes the feeling of love.You felt like the sun shining inside us.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-91515788715926596082008-08-06T21:42:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.154-07:00

Just go read this post on a blog of a family that has been waiting for their second child for almost three years.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-40628836198386378062008-03-20T22:13:00.000-07:002008-09-11T11:49:50.595-07:00

A year and a half ago today our plane landed in Chicago and our kids became US citizens. Hours later another plane landed in Seattle and we were picked up and driven home. A year and a half ago today -- a mere 18 months -- our children walked into our home for the first time. We were still speaking Russglish back then, still using sign language, still essentially strangers to one another. Twas

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-25416853399137547892008-01-15T20:26:00.000-08:002008-09-11T11:49:41.461-07:00

Today I met with my local school district to discuss Chickadee's IEP, even though she does not attend the local school. We have a rather cool option here, in that she is home-schooled and attends classes with other home-schoolers in the district. Because the school provides the administrative aspects of the classes, the district gets to keep us on their rosters (think funding) but the parents

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-73838984527460437022008-01-15T11:33:00.000-08:002008-09-11T11:12:01.141-07:00

Grrrrrr . . . At the doctor's office the other day the children's Russian background became apparent which brought us to the topic of adoption. The other lady made a tactless remark about own kids, to which I arranged my face into an appearance of perplexity. She failed to take the hint and rephrased her thought into another statement involving the words real kids.Me: I'm sorry, you must have

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-87780129916019528852007-10-01T07:42:00.000-07:002008-11-05T14:26:52.491-08:00

This month's Adoption Blogpost Round-up is hosted over at Mommy Monsters. Our theme for October is What I wish I'd known about adoption (but didn't think to ask).Here is the coding for the button with the link to the round-up. It'd be nice if you added it to the bottom of whichever post you submit.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-44386564417493384252007-09-22T10:39:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.190-07:00

Has anyone read Nurturing Adoptions: Creating Resilience After Neglect and Trauma yet? It's the latest book from Deborah Gray (of Attaching in Adoption fame). I'd love to hear a bit about it before I spend the $ on it.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-26750772262065494642007-09-20T17:05:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.192-07:00

A year ago today we were enduring the (up until then) hardest experience of my life: 36 hours of travel with little people.At about 6pm Pacific Time on the 18th, think "The Chandlers are at the airport now." Enjoy your evening. Go to bed. Get a good night's rest. Appreciate that. Get up in the morning. Think "The Chandlers are still either in an airport or in an airplane." Think this through

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-91279585371006260072007-09-19T16:55:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.195-07:00

A year ago today I'm not real sure where we were, as the date line has me all muddled up. But here's a link to a post that is claiming to be Sept 19th, 2006.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-60848571083601589352007-09-18T16:50:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.197-07:00

A year ago today we were staggering around Moscow, jet-lagged, sleep-deprived, and weary inside and out. There is no post to link to for this day, as we spent the whole day walking walking walking, hoping to tucker out a certain insomniac young boy.This was the day we visited the Kremlin, did the St Basil's pics, and learned of Dandy's deep and abiding dislike of ketchup. I posted about all

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-23681922664372682782007-09-17T16:47:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.199-07:00

A year ago today we were on the most vile flight ever as we flew across Russia to Moscow. Here they are, first-time travelers: poor dears.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-21039899482972156472007-09-16T16:43:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.201-07:00

A year ago today we were having a farewell dinner with the other families in the MarKuel apartments.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-19521053644302664992007-09-15T16:39:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.203-07:00

A year ago today we were packing for departure to Moscow.We are packing! Joyfully gratefully merrily packing! 24 hours from now we will be at the airport and I don’t care how long or cramped or bumpy the flight is, we won’t be in this flat.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-58058632376612308332007-09-14T16:34:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.206-07:00

A year ago today we were still in Khabarovsk, toodling about.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-67001023464581052562007-09-13T16:04:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.208-07:00

A year ago today we were all well and in jolly moods and we had a marvelous day.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-52993757522897555832007-09-12T16:04:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.209-07:00

A year ago today our court decree finalized which made our adoption process complete. September 12th is the 'birthday' of our family.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-10990351976153177722007-09-11T15:54:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.211-07:00

A year ago today, we were trying holding therapy with our very trying children as well as attempting to deny the fact that Papa was coming down with a nasty flu.Plop your raging child onto their belly over your lap so that the legs dangle over one side and the arms over the other. Plant your elbows on your kneecaps to hold your kiddo there (this also allows you to put your fingers in your ears if

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-20822934209245424182007-09-10T15:49:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.212-07:00

A year ago today we were blogging about the trials and tribulations of our adjustment period.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-7128924276806775382007-09-09T15:47:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.214-07:00

A year ago today we were flailing about trying to figure out what to do.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-11322193221146273532007-09-08T15:43:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:52:54.213-07:00

A year ago today, Dandy got his first non-buzz-cut haircut and we all went to the market.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-26906450269131882822007-09-07T15:39:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:53:03.519-07:00

A year ago today we were learning how to discipline. You know, it's really rather good that we had no idea how hard it would be, as we probably wouldn't have had the courage to try. We did find time for two posts that day, the second one full of tidbits of our new lives.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0