Destinations, Dreams and Dogs - International adventure with a fast-track family (& dogs) of Old World values, adopting the Russian-Italian-American good life on the go…!

Is Russia shutting down to American adoptions?  To that question, I would offer a very firm, “Possibly.” Let’s put it this way, it’s not a good time for Russian adoptions.  Of course, one might argue that it’s never been a good time in the last seven years or so.  Anytime Russia grows upset with America,…

For years, Valentine’s Day was about the two of us.  Not that we did anything major on that particular day other than small and special gifts.  Now, with four kids, it’s another matter entirely. While the two of us will most likely enjoy a lovely outing sometime in the near future, our oldest son has…

On March 4th, less than a month from now, the Russian presidential election takes place.  Following the December 4th parliamentary elections and allegations of fraud and ballot-stuffing when Putin’s United Russia party took over 50% of the vote, huge demonstrations broke out within the week.  It’s clear that the people want change, but how they’re…

This week, Dickens’ afficionados celebrated the writer’s 200th birthday.  Somehow I feel that I know this man, or that he knows my children.  His works are so powerful, even to this very day, all I can imagine is that he was a very astute observer of life and society. His own childhood was not that…

Crash! I was almost killed yesterday by a huge piece of wood which a tractor trailer on the highway rolled over and tossed into the sky toward our car.  How such a heavy thing could fly through the air is a mystery.  We were passing the truck and Benedetto swerved at the last minute when…

Those of us adopting from Russia, Ukraine, or another Eastern European country are generally more concerned with birth mothers who drink, rather than birth mothers who use drugs.  The alcohol often affects the unborn baby, causing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which can damage the child’s brain for the rest of his life and is not always…

When the US Navy SEAL Team 6 swooped in to rescue American hostage Jessica Buchanan and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted from Somalian pirates, all I could think of was “God Bless America”.  We do not let our own languish behind enemy lines. Why in the world these kind of do-goodniks go to such rough and…

For those of you not in the know, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is often pegged as a spiritual advisor to the stars, you know, those rich and famous people whose spiritual questions often stretch beyond, “If there is a God, why can’t I make ends meet?”  Frequently, these are non-Jews who feel that he’s exotic enough,…

Many of the Orthodox churches from Russia to Ukraine to Ethiopia celebrate Christmas on January 7th.  The date has to do with everything from a change in calendars, to the marking of the Epiphany (wise men arriving to visit), to a few other events. In the Russian tradition, Christmas Eve is marked by fasting, then…

American soldiers are home from Iraq.  Hooray!  (I guess…. I mean, I don’t know where that leaves the locals when we departed and turned out the lights, but that’s another issue for another day….) Returning British troops were celebrated in the streets of London.  So where’s our American parade and the cheering crowds? New York…