Recently this topic has come up in my family, its something we worried about prior to bringing Livi home but we did not really know how we would handle it and kind of let it go. It has been said by some family members that they feel that Livi was being showered with attention by other family members while their children & relatives were being left out in the cold so to speak. Other family members may not be so verbal in speaking out but perhaps show this in their actions in a passive aggressive way by completely ignoring our daughter,... more

We know better these days, but when I was growing up I feared my parents & grandparents. They intimidated me, that is just what parents did then. They parented through intimidation tactics such as “ just wait until your father gets home” or “ your going to get it” or the threat of “ don’t even think about it”. My favorite “You’re cruising for a bruising” was a phrase often said in our house. The fear of disappointing them, the fear of consequences, the fear of punishment, the fear of wrath… fear was a part of the package growing up.... more

This is the 4th (and final) interview with Caroline regarding her thoughts on adoptions issues. She shares openly - and they are her own opinions. Sometimes she, as the adopted child, and I, as the adoptive mother, disagree. AND, her thoughts as the one most directly impacted in adoption, are valuable.

There have been celebrities recently who’ve adopted children. There have been other celebrities who’ve been vocal in their opinions about whether those adoptions are right or wrong. Do you think... more

What do you do when you’re not the kind of Mom you hoped you would be? I always wanted to be Super Mom and Im not.That is a hard fact to face and for me has been a big adjustment. I had a bunch of preconceived notions of how great of a Mom I would be. Then you put your skills to work and learn it’s a different world. I have had to face cold hard reality and relearn a few things. I have learned so much about myself in these past nine months. For instance I never thought I would be prone to yelling. If you knew me personally you would know how out... more

Caroline, a 17yr old adoptee from Russia (shown here with her adoptive family shares her thoughts on adoption issues.

What would you like to say to families who are considering adopting an older child?

They should expect that the child is going to be a pain in the butt. Don’t expect things to be all good and perfect – that would be utopia, but not reality. Going through all the things they have already gone through by the time of adoption, a lot of people that they trusted will have disappointed... more

Caroline was adopted from Russia at age 11. Now age 17, here she is pictured with the children in her adoptive family.

Tell me about your life now as a teenager in America.

I have a great life. I know I take some things for granted, but I try not to!

I get up every morning and go to a scripture study class before school. From there, I go to high school. My high school has about 2000 students. I get pretty good grades, although I still have to work very hard for that. A lot of times, I struggle with... more

This is the next installment in the nearly completed series of Caroline's telling of her own adoption experiences. Caroline tells here about being adopted with and without both of her younger sisters.

You and Galina came to live with a new family in Arizona. (note: At this time, the three girls were 13, 12,& 7.) The photo above has sister Galina on the right. All three girls, now sisters, are celebrating "America Days", the anniversaries of their arrival in the USA.Your littlest sister... more

Caroline, now 17, continues the story of her first year in America, after being adopted from Russia at age 11 with her two younger sisters.

When you were at home with your family (off and on during this first year), how did you get along with your parents? Okay, I guess. We did fight – they accused me of things that I didn’t do. They would say I peed my pants sometimes on purpose (it was only one time and it was an accident), but they also said I peed my pants other times when I really didn’t. I didn’t... more

My daughter, Caroline, was adopted from Russia 5.5yrs ago at the age of 11. Two years after her adoption, Caroline disrupted her first adoption and was readopted by us. This is part IV in Caroline's own telling of her story. (Any questions were asked by mom - answered by Caroline.)

Once you arrived in America with your new family, how long was it until you started school? I don’t remember, but I know that we didn’t know very much English at all when we went to school. When we were in school,... more

It’s a wonderful thing watching my husband and daughter together, while I do think that Livi is officially a Mama’s girl, she has a special place in her heart for her Papa. They have a special bond. At times I don’t think its easy on him when she just wants me. I think at times he feels like the odd man out in a house of estrogen, even the cat is a moody female. He has been great, sitting back and waiting for his turn. Allowing her to bond with me first.He is so patient with her and allows her to come around on her terms. Seeing... more