I ran across the quiz by Dr. Joyce Brothers, International Adoption is Not For Everyone from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. I found it because of Erin's blog and Adrienne's blog.

One of... more

. . . 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

I mentioned Robert Klose's new book in More Ukrainian Adoption Books. It is titled Small Worlds: Adopted Sons, Pet Piranhas, And Other Mortal Concerns and comes out September 30.

I recently found a little more information about the book.

The cream of Klose’s columns has now been gathered in this delightful book culled largely from the more than 250 pieces written... more

I mentioned in Take Your Time blog that you need to take time and research options when selecting an adoption facilitator. I used David Bentley (formerly named David Dolinsky) as major example.

I was thinking about this and realize I had a little bit more to add.

I had already selected my facilitator by the time I met David.

And I will admit that I was taken in by him. I thought he was one of the good... more

You have many choices.... In some ways there are too many choices and not enough protections for the adoptive parent.

The theme of this blog is take the time to do your research. It can save you a world of grief. Don't just read a web site and decide this agency or state-side help or facilitator is for you. Ask the agency/facilitator for references. Ask for references on different email lists. Ask for references... more

I am going to review some history in Ukrainian adoption as it relates to facilitators.

Cathy Harris runs a business out of Florida. She started helping with Ukrainian adoptions back in 1999.

She fills a role that is sometimes called "state-side" helper.

She clearly states that she isn't an agency or attorney. She charges a fee to provide advise and support on creating the dossier. She also provides an email list for support. And she hooks parents up with... more

If you are just starting out, you want to do some researching and thinking on the Ukrainian faciliator. You hire this individual directly (independent adoption) or indirectly (agency adoption).

This person can be a lawyer, translator, tour guide or Christian evangelical. Adoptions can be their main means of earning money. Or adoption could just be a sideline. Some facilitators only work with adoption agencies. Some only work with independent adoptors. They could live in the US, England, Ukraine or Russia.

If... more

Natasha is 9 years old now. She was adopted at 3.5 years of age from Kharkiv, Ukraine. Sometime around 5 years of age I told her that her adoption story was hers to tell or not. She owned the story, I was just the guardian.

A couple of months later she heard me talking to another mother. Other mother was interested in adoption and I was chatting about the process. I was talking about my emotions and experiences. Natasha very huffy came up and pointed a finger at me.

Natasha... more

Adoptive parents have been emailing the US Embassy in Kyiv asking for more information... They have been asking

When is my appointment? Can I adopt a child in 2007? Will Ukrainian adoption be shutdown again next year because about 10% of American families haven't filed their post adoptoin reports? Can single parents adopt, I hear they won't be allowed?

The US Embassy decided to send out a general reply

Notice to American... more

Some days are like Penguins on Grass... They aren't bad but rather slightly weird. I have had a slighly weird month. First I went to an Ukrainian Adoption Reunion (loved it) in Omaha. Then I had my involuntary Internet vacation because my computer became overheated and died.

It got too hot because I went to Omaha over the weekend.... I left my computer on and turned my thermostat up. I have a programmable thermostat which allows me to save money by turning up or down the temperature when no one is home.... more