We live in a fairly 'white' area of the United States, and I am always on the lookout for experiences in our area that will skew the local demographic a little, at least in our daughters' eyes.

A few days ago I found out that the African Children's Choir would be performing in a nearby town. I was disappointed to realize that both of the performances were happening on days that we planned to be out of town. But after a little thought and discussion, my husband and I decided to come back from half a day early just so that we... more

In planning to go to Ethiopia, I have been trying to decide what might be the best way to carry our 28 pound 2 year old. She can walk, but in strange situations she insists on being carried, and does not have the stamina for walking long distances. In Addis the roads are rough (and often muddy)making a stroller an impractical option, except maybe for wheeling around in a hotel.

Over my years of parenting I have tried a variety of carriers. In the next two posts, I'll be giving you my impressions of the NoJo sling, the Snugli frame-style backpack, the Hug A Bub, the Hip Hammock, and the Ergo. All of these are decent carriers with plenty of good points. I'll try to explain what I... more

This Sunday afternoon, we're packing the family into the van and heading over to the home of a perfect stranger. Well, maybe not entirely a stranger-- two of my sisters have met her, and I have heard from several other people that she is a very nice person.

I am incredibly eager to meet this gal, because she is only the second Ethiopian adult I have the privilege to know in our area. The first one has since moved away. There are other Ethiopians in our area, I'm told -- well, three or four dozen at minimum, and probably more. But I must not be living in the right part of this valley, because I haven't run into them. And so I am delighted that this woman would like to meet our... more

Nesting in expectant moms is normal, but if you are planning an older child via adoption, prepare for turbo-nesting. At least that's what older child adoption has done for me! My girls are 9 and 11, and my case of nesting started innocently enough. I cleaned our girls’ room, bought them new pillows, repainted a dresser, washed and sorted clothes, and filled their dresser. Normal stuff.

But then I started imagining how our house might look to someone who'd never seen it before. Suddenly all I could see was cobwebs in rafters and weeds in flowerbeds. The woodpile looked like a giant had... more

Sometimes, despite your best efforts at caution in Addis, you succumb to the dreaded stomach crud. Because of this, it is wise to come to Ethiopia prepared.

When your stomach starts rumbling, your first line of defense should probably be something like Pepto-bismol or Tums. If the stomach upset is mild, this treatment along with very cautious eating and maybe some lemon-lime soda will probably get you back to normal within a few hours.

Imodium?

If... more

The CDC announced on July 20th that several cases of hepatitis A have recently been reported in people who have come in contact with adoptees from Ethiopia. Because of this, Hepatitis A immunizations are recommended not only for parents traveling to Ethiopia, but also for all members of households that will be welcoming Ethiopian children home.

Two doses of the Hepatitis A vaccine confer life-long immunity, but even one dose will provide 70% immunity. If you do not have time to get both doses before traveling, you will still probably be OK. The Hep A vaccine is safe for children as young as 12 months. Most children under the age of 6 years do not get sick from the infection,... more

One of the many paperwork tasks facing the parent of a newly arrived adopted child is to apply for the child's social security card. You will need a social security number or an ATIN (alternative tax identification number) to claim your child for taxes.

To get the social security number you will need to go to your local social security office and bring the following documents

-parents' birth certificates -Ethiopian adoption decree -child's green card

If you have legally completed your child's readoption in the U.S., you should bring that court decree as well. I have always... more

In the past few months I've come across some insightful posts, including this one by Mayhem and Magic written by adoptive parents of Black children, wrestling with the thorny issue of whether or not white parents really can do a good job raising Black children. Since we are for the first time in the process of adopting older children, this is something I've been thinking a lot about.

When you adopt an infant or toddler, they just think of you as mom. They're used to looking at that white face every day. Sure, there will come a time (probably sooner than you imagine) when that child will... more

Much talk is devoted to the experience of a child being adopted into a family of another ethnicity. What about the biological children in a transracial adoptive family? Howe does it feel to field questions about your brother or sister on a regular basis? How does it feel to be part of a conspicuous family?

Recently I read a series of essays written by young adults who'd grown up with adopted siblings of another race. One young person was filling out a college... more

I was sent a copy of this rhyming alphabet book to review. I enjoyed paging through the lovely pictures, and my little girls enjoyed looking at this book with me too. Each picture was taken in Ethiopia and highlights an aspect of Ethiopian culture. It is a perfect introduction for someone learning about Ethiopia for the first time, and features food, clothing, and historical sites among other things.

The book was written by Lori Prodan and Keith Holmes. The authors of this book lived in Awassa, Ethiopia for two years as part of a Voluntary... more