The Stewart family just completed their adoption.

Here is an important tidbit. For anyone who is returning through the Amsterdam Airport with their Ukrainian adopted child. The child is a Ukrainian citizen (won't become a US citizen until they touch US soil) and needs a visa to leave the airport (which you won't be able to quickly get).

Because of the flight times (layover is long), typically you can check into a hotel and rest. But again... you have the visa... more

I stopped posting links to blogs in November because the brouhaha over hosted children.

Hosting programs were almost shutdown. Some government officials believe the hosting programs were trafficking children.

Just use the phrase "trafficking children" around a Ukrainian politican and he will get twitchy. This is due to the past baby... more

You probably wouldn't guess just by looking at this picture..... You are looking at the strongest willed person on the planet. This is Natasha at 3.5 years of age. She was black - hole - sucking - everything - in - and - not - letting - light - out strong willed.

She came home developmentally delayed in all ways; emotionally, gross motor skills, language. She was a walking talking puzzle of different developmental ages.

But one thing that she was absolutely clear on. She was the boss. She ran things.

At first when she got angry at me, she would show a... more

Sighet Romania is Elie Wiesel’s 1928 birthplace with around 40,000 people. And it is very close to the Ukrainian border, which is how I found this blog. I was searching for "Ukraine adopted".

It doesn't directly link to Ukrainian adoption. But it was amusing to read. It is written by a Canadian named Matt who studies at Oxford.

Read this blog, to see how Matt accidentally... more

Here are a couple of sites to help you figure out what to pack, what to see, what to buy during your Ukrainian adoption trip.

Let's start with Travel to Ukraine. I like the Cultural Norms section. There is a good description on why the Ukrainian government makes visitors buy the special medical insurance when they enter the country. It is a form of... more

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