May these holidays take you to new heights and give you food for thought, and strength for life! With the Lord on your side, there’s a spring in your step, a smile on your face, and peace in your heart. Difficult situations will be worked out, because faith gives the victory that overcomes. Many of…
Misha and Grisha, our Scottish Terriers, have been somewhat oblivious to Passover requirements in years past. Now that they’re nearing young adulthood (ages 4 and 5.5), they are discussing these things with more interest. Misha: “So I see we need to free the home of all ‘chametz’ (wheat, wheat starch, wheat gluten, barley, oats, oat…
Are there de facto freezes on Russian adoptions in certain regions? Yes. Does this include every region in Russia and therefore affect every adoption? No. In yet another case of “Know Before You Go”(not that it’s always possible), Americans need to check and recheck that their assigned region is a) issuing referrals of children; and…
Cultural and societal observer that I am, it has come to my attention that there’s little about life that’s “special” anymore. Back in the Dark Ages of my Euro upbringing, we would “dress” for dinner. Now you’d be hard-pressed to find a family that deviates from t-shirts and flip-flops even for the highest holidays…. It’s…
Have you ever passed-out after a really big project? Might be adoption, or a report that’s due, or a home renovation. It becomes larger-than-life… and takes over your life! And then, one day, just as soon as it began, it’s over. Done. Finito. And you crash. A really heavenly type of crash, curled up in…
Folks, it’s looking worse. I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but it is what it is. Every other minute, Comrade Astakhov (RF Children’s Rights Ombudsman) comes up with a reason to halt all adoptions to American families. His latest stalling strategy involves a Russian-American woman and her American husband. Turns out that…
Perhaps you remember our hamantaschen fiasco of last year, where, everywhere we looked, poof! all of the three-sided Purim cookies had disappeared (http://www.destinationsdreamsanddogs.com/hamantaschen-how-do-i-love-thee/). Now older and wiser, I was armed with a fairly easy cookie recipe, and a bakery or two sure not to disappoint. I think. “Who has the hamantaschen?” Benedetto asks, unaware that…
Just a little levity, folks. You won’t be needing to call Child Protective Services anytime soon, so don’t get your britches in a knot…. Have you ever called and called the children to come to breakfast, or hop in the shower, or get dressed for school, and they absolutely and totally ignore you? You need…
(Alexandra’s Note: This blog post was written by Ivanka, presently in Ukraine, finishing up their second adoption in the last six months, this time a 16 y.o. boy. They have bio kids, as well, and their eyes and hearts have been opened to the miracle of adoption. Their family hosted the girl the summer before,…
Okay, Iran, it’s really time to grow up. Grow. up. Get a grip. Change from the lunatic path on which you are set, sentencing an Iranian Christian pastor to death. This form of militant Islam is getting your people nowhere—any mention of Jewish or Christian beliefs, experiences, or viewpoints in the world, much less among…
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