Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. While most people focus on the candy and flowers, I prefer to focus on love. This Valentine’s Day, I am grateful for the love that I receive every day from my amazing husband, Mark.  I am grateful for the love I have for my two amazing daughters.  I am grateful for the love of my extended family and friends. But most of all, I’m grateful for the love of my Father, who forgives all the crazy stupid things I do every day, and loves me just the same. Happy Valentine’s Day! *Photo Credit:  Ron Doke

Borsch. I know most of you immediately think of that jar of watery, vinegary pink broth with floating hunks of slimy ex-cabbage.  That stuff should be outlawed.  No self-respecting Ukrainian would even try to call that Borsch. No, real Borsch comes in as many forms as there are Russian cooks.  Each one makes their Borsch a little differently, and as an honorary Russian/Ukrainian (by the grace of my children), I am no different. My borsch is an amalgamation of at least three different recipes, taking ingredients and techniques from each, and getting a little better each time. The latest improvement: […]

Read More

To all you future parents…If you gain the ability to influence your child’s birthday in any way, for heaven’s sake, don’t make it in December! Exactly two years ago, we sat in a small office in Kyiv, Ukraine, asking permission to adopt Lena. Today, she turns Sweet 16. So much has changed in two years Two years ago, she barely spoke any English Last year, she passed the state standardized testing with no help. This year, she read Romeo and Juliet…and understood it. Today (halfway through her Freshman year), she has a B average with no accommodations. Lena is amazing. […]

Read More

Raw honesty is rare in the adoptive community, and when I find it, I just want to share. In her post “After the Airport,” blogger Jen Hatmaker says: “…if you ask me if these are the happiest days of my life (which a ton of you have), and my eyes kind of glaze over and I say through a tight-lipped smile like a robot, “Yes. Sure. Of course. This is my dream life”…I am lying. I am lying so you won’t feel uncomfortable when I tell you, “Actually, I haven’t had a shower in three days, I lost my temper with my uncontrollable […]

Read More

I recently used the phrase “until the cows come home,” and I got to thinking, which is always dangerous… Do they actually come home on their own? When do they come home? What prompts them to come home? What are they doing out so late? Are they hangin’ at the Justin Bieber show? Eatin’ some grass together? Of course, all these questions can apply to teenagers as well.  Except maying the eating grass.  I hope. What’s the funniest phrase you’ve used in the past week?  Leave it in the comments and let’s laugh a little!!