Today marks our first Thanksgiving as a family, and what a day it was!

The excitement has been building all week. All the kids have been able to talk about was going to their grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving. Their big brother gave out “mini-primers” all week about what to expect.

The children went to bed last night amid excitement about what the day today would hold. When hubby and I awoke this morning, two of our three children had already dressed! We made calls to loved ones and family, including the children’s birth mother and grandmother.

Then it was off... more

Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. (Romans 14:4-8)

In... more

Fall is here, and thus begins the time many families begin preparations for the many holidays peppered throughout the next several months.

If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m a bit of a non-conformist, and I don’t celebrate many of the conventional holidays. However, our family has crafted many of its own traditions and rituals, all rife with meaning for us.

With new children in our family, I look forward to sharing these new traditions and rituals. It is a great way to build memories with them that are unique to our family. Additionally, because they will offer their input, we gain new perspectives and see things in new ways.

Because we have children in our family... more

Today was our children’s birth brother’s birthday. We mailed off a big package on Monday that included handmade cards from all three of my children. Yesterday, I sent an e-mail to the kids’ birth grandmother (who has custody of this birth sibling), to ask if it would be alright to have the kids call him today to sing “Happy Birthday” and if so, arrange a time (given the time difference). So, today we called.

The kids got to talk to their birth grandmother, birth aunt, birth sibling... more

I grew up the child of a single parent, so Father’s Day was torture for me because, inevitably, in grade school, we were required to make some sort of project for Dad … and I had no one to give it to. This was in the late 60’s and early 70’s when most of my contemporaries still lived in two-parent households. So the “oddball ADD girl” had yet another thing to make her “weird”!

I didn’t know then, what I know now: I did have a Father – and I still do! Today, I... more

My husband is an avid comic book collector. Most comic books are numbered as you might expect – 1, 2, 3 and so on. However, occasionally, you will find one numbered ½. Seeing this was so odd to me, I asked my husband about it, and he said that it’s used to denote something that happened before the series - like a prequel of sorts.

Thus, it’s a fitting description of Mother’s Day for me. We are in month nine of the wait, and my children don’t... more

“The 8th Annual A Home for the Holidays with Rod Stewart” will be broadcast tonight at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on CBS.

This year's special continues to tell pre-taped stories about adoption to raise awareness of the more than 119,000 children in the United States foster care system who are waiting for adoptive families.

Their stories are framed by musical performances from Rod Stewart, Five for Fighting, John Legend, Katharine McPhee and Mary Mary.

Comedian Cedric the Entertainer ("Charlotte's Web"), Miley Cyrus ("Hannah... more

In my previous post, I began explaining why I’m skipping Christmas this year. At least the decorating part. Now it’s confession time. We’re going to Disney World! That’s right; I’m skipping the stress of decorating, partying, and baking so my family can visit the Happiest Place on Earth – not to mention the most commercialized!

Yes, I’m a hypocrite. I admit it. I’m exchanging non-commercialism at home for the Ultimate Commercial Adventure (they should give that... more

I’m skipping Christmas this year. Well, not entirely skipping it, but skipping the stress of decorating, cookie baking, party attending, TV Christmas special watching, and the like. I may even avoid writing the obligatory Christmas Newsletter that touts all my family’s accomplishments of the past 12 months and leaves out all the unsavory stuff.

Every year, I’ve been paring down the list of “stuff I think I need to do in order to properly celebrate Christmas.” I’ve asked relatives whether they mind forgoing the adult gifts and just exchanging among the kids.... more

Here’s a photo of my 14-year-old practicing Christmas carols on his baritone in front of the fireplace while wearing his basketball referee’s uniform.

He referees third and fourth grade basketball games every weekend, in between playing on the eighth grade basketball team and going to baseball workouts (did I mention that he’s an athlete?).

When I picked him up from the games he reffed, he glanced over at the mom who was handing out snacks to the little players after their game. “I miss those days,” he sighed. “Getting the treat... more