I blogged that information on specialized (handicapped) Ukrainian orphanages and internats (orphanages for children 7 years and older) is available on the internet.

There is no grand conspiracy to hide the truth about these orphanages. Life is hard. I remember hearing of a Ukrainian orphanage in 2003... 25% of their children died from Chicken Pox. When a child's immune system is weakened due to poor nutrition... more

I am so tired which is why I haven't been blogging much this month and last month. I am doing a favor for a single Dad. He wasn't able to get affordable child care for his daughter.

So I am watching the daughter (along with my darling daughter) in the morning before school. This means I get up at 6:30AM.

I really am not a morning person. And I really haven't adjusted to getting up so early.

Also I am getting over a sinus infection. Ugh.... I have experienced too many sinus infections in my life.

But I have been... more

Rob and SallyAnne started a blog and then.... strangely decided to post comments rather then blog entries. They hosted a boy via Frontier Horizon. They decided to visit him in Odessa in July 2006. They asked about their appointment while in Ukranie. They didn't get any information.

But after returning home Rob and SallyAnne received a letter with September... more

Starting with the blogs... Amy the Starbucks Loving Mommy has an entry on her darling daughter's meltdown over a kitten. They had their court hearing and are parents. Now they just have to wait 9 more days before they can pick up their daughter from the orphanage. Right now they just have to visit her at the orphanage. It takes 10 days before the court decree is final.

The Nolte family has headed out for Kerch, Crimea. They... more

Chris and Julie Nolte have a SDA appointment September 25. Their blog is here. They are adopting bio siblings of Alyssa. They adopted Alyssa from Ukraine in 2004. The siblings (click on the link to see a picture of the children) are 6 and 8 years old.

The family registered in Feb 2006. Their registration number is 159xx. And they are in Ukraine now. Yeah!

... more

Good news.....

Amy (the Starbucks Loving Mommy) had her a SDA appointment is today. It was a brief (4 minutes) appointment. Blog is here.

This family adopted a son in 2003. He recently had his 5th birthday party. They are returning to adopt their son's bio sister. Their registration number is 156xx.

Amy will pick up the referral letter tommorow and they are off to Kramatorsk.

. . . Ukrainian international adoption is starting up again on September 4, 2006. Great news. I decided to try and find blogs for families who are waiting for appointments. And I found a few families who are deep into their plans to submit a dossier when the SDA starts accepting new dossiers after Jan 1, 2007.

Amy Starbucks... more

The LA Times published a funny, snarky, obnoxious, nasty [fill in your own adjective] article titled How to Shop for Kids the Brangelina Way. It is suppose to be a sarcastic article aimed at Jolie. She made a comment that that she and Pitt are "looking at different countries" for their next adopted child. Of course, she just gave birth. And Brad hasn't adopted her 2 children yet. Jolie is getting way ahead of herself.

This ... more

Ukraine isn't the only country experiencing an adoption slow down. Russia' law requiring adoption agencies be registered NGOs has created problems for some families. China is also experiencing a slow down.

Lisa adopted 2 boys from Ukraine and is now trying to adopt a girl from China. She tried to adopt from Romania but was a month away from getting a referral when Romanian adoption was shutdown.

Here is what she says about waiting.....

I feel this dreaded sick... more

A husband and wife who are Ukrainian citizens and live in the US recently had their parental rights terminated for child abuse. Their children are dual citizens (American and Ukraine). It looks like the parental rights were terminated before the Ukrainian embassy was notified. Parents are going to appeal.

A Kent County judge terminated the parental rights of Marina Ivanova on Friday along with those of her ex-husband.

In September of 2004, police say they found Ivanova's 3-year-old daughter and 23-month-old son tied up in a trash-filled apartment.... more