Firsts
Emily playing soccer on the beach in Vladivostok with her dad, John, and her sister, Annie . First time I went to restaurant and make me so happy. Also I got…
Tag
Adoption
Children Available for Adoption: Behind Magic Doors
There are children available for adoption. They probably aren't where you're looking, unless you happen to be looking behind magic doors. I spend a lot of time in the online adoption community…
Natasha's Parents Cared for Me
Emily with her grandmother, my mother, Sharen SImmons In the orphinige people been mean to me. But girl, Natasha, she very nice. Her parents let me stay her house over night like Friday…
The n Word: He Might Have Lambasted her. Instead, he Welcomed her to America
I was exhausted as we landed in New York. It had been almost a month long trip to Russia, dealing with Soviet style bureaucracy, when we finally succeeded with the adoption. I was bringing home…
Mercy or Justice? A Story of Orphans: You be the Judge
To me, it wasn't initially a question of mercy or justice. It was just what should have been done. I was shocked when the judge said that our adopted children had done…
Why I Didn’t Keep Rules
Emily at our hotel, several days before we left Far East, Russia When I was in Russian orphanage, I never keep rules because the rules were unjust. The orphanage engage in all…
Reactive Attachment Disorder, Punishment Escalations Would Never Work
Raising Emily was so much different. The whole game changed. Even though one of our other children had RAD, until Emily came home, we never understood that with Reactive Attachment Disorder, punishment…
Adopted Children Feel Secure Loving More, Not Less
It has been said that love is the answer no matter the question. Right or wrong, I can tell you this: In our family, adopted children feel secure loving more, not less.…
Seven Awesome Life Lessons my son With Down Syndrome Taught me
As Seen in Huffington Post Amy and I had three biological sons when we adopted a one-month-old little boy with Down syndrome and started taking lessons from him. Jack was fragile.…
Emily's Introduction
Emily at her orphanage in Nicolaivka, Russia in 2005 I love my family because family important to me and also my family care about me and they give me life. I believe…
On Memorial Day I Remember Veterans and Happy Birthdays
Today, the Friday before Memorial Day, happens to be my daughter, Annie’s birthday. Though it may seem strange to you, I associate those two days. Annie left Russia to join our family…
Second Choice Doesn’t Mean Second Best
Recently I was digitally reprimanded by someone hiding behind a fake name and profile picture. (Yawn.) The troll found it offensive that my adopted children had to live a life realizing that…