As a single, working mom of two, I have a long to-do list of things that don't get done.

But when I was working on a reorganization of the basement the other day, I came across the box of materials I had put aside for my younger son's life book. There was the journal I kept during my two trips to Sakhalin Island in 2005, and copies of all the e-mails I had sent or received while I was away. There were photos, but I am not the world's best with a camera and most of the time during my trips I was playing with my son, not taking his... more

Hey ya'll - I have a book coming out in about a year. It's called Mishka: An Adoption Tale, and it's about a teddy bear who's given as a gift to a little boy by his prospective adoptive parents. The bear stays with the boy while the parents have to return home, and he's there when they return as well.

My main character (the bear)'s name is Mo. Here he is on the way to Russia with his new people!

My very talented illustrator, Miranda Mueller drew him. Isn't he adorable?

I am very... more

So many blogs - so little time!

I don't understand how I am able to write my blog, given all else that I do, never mind all the rest of these people! But I suppose since many of them are in the waiting phase of Russian adoption it's very, very normal to spend the time doing things like blogging. Haven't I suggested finding some hobby to pass the time? And plus, if this is the bloggers' first child then they have waaaaayyyyy more time than me, with what seems like 4 loads/laundry a night and homework supervision every afternoon and dinner to cook (thank... more

Here's what's on my night stand...and desk...and floor...and in my bathroom...

(part 1 is here)

6. Home Kids by Nancy Canfield. This book's publicist was kind enough to send me a copy and I haven't gotten around to it yet! I'm feeling guilty! It seems like a very interesting read, especially for parents of children who've... more

I have 10 books I "need" to read right now, and that doesn't count my book club book (Electric Michelangelo) or my fun reading (Sammy Keyes and the Search for Snake Eyes - since I am writing a middle-grade mystery novel I am reading middle-grade mystery novels!) as well as the giant pile of books under my desk... more

This post is a continuation of my previous post reviewing The AD/HD Book: Answers to Parents' Most Pressing Questions, by Beth Ann Hill and James Van Haren.

This book is very sympathetic to the parents of children with ADHD and recognizes that most of us are trying our best to help our children, instead of the prevailing view in the world that parents of children with... more

We are in the process of getting Little J evaluated for ADHD. So far he's been seen by a child psychologist, who gathered information from us and his teachers and saw enough behaviors in his session with her that she recommended we see a child psychiatrist. My husband and I did a session with the psychiatrist and last week Little J had his own session with her. When she brought him out to me she mentioned that he did some things in the session that she expected, as well as some things she didn't suspect. My meeting with her is not until the end of next week... more

Brain, Child is a parenting magazine for the rest of us: it's not filled with how-tos about baking the perfect cupcake or crafts to do on rainy days or moronic advice that's the same-old same-old. Instead, it is filled with essays by real parents with real lives - people with quirky and problematic children who don't always do everything right. I've been a subscriber since its beginning and it has never failed to make me think.

Here's the first part of their mission statement:

When... more

I haven't read this book yet, but I want to! Okay, okay, I know I'm breaking cardinal rule #1 of book reviewing, but I have a good reason: I read a wonderful review of Tracy Thompson, the author of The Ghost in the House: Motherhood, Raising Children and Struggling with Depression on Salon.com and it sounds like a great read. It'll be out August 8. I wanted... more

This is a continuation of my summary of a review of The Ghost in the House: Motherhood, Raising Children, and Struggling with Depression, by Tracy Thompson. The review was found on Salon.com. Here's part 1 of the review.

Thompson explains why mothers... more