More Than Four Sides

Category: Adoption

  • The importance of community

    I don’t think of myself as the most social of people.  I have difficulty dealing with crowds of people I don’t know.  I hate showing up at a party where I don’t know anyone, and trying to get into conversation with people.  When I do end up at big crowded parties, I am most comfortable…

  • Africa! Ethiopia!!

    I’ve been immersed in the connection of our kids to the continent of Africa, for the past month or so. Of course, they are never not connected to their place of birth, but, in the same way that my own connection to Sri Lanka, the birthplace of my father, has ebbed and flowed in my…

  • Dear Media People: Quit Using the Word “Adoption” | Raising Kvell

    Dear Media People: Quit Using the Word “Adoption” | Raising Kvell. What a fascinating article! This was shared by a friend on Facebook, and, at first I thought, “Oh dear, another rant about the stigma of adoption.”  But, I’m so glad that I read the article, as it opened my eyes to some weird and…

  • Individual attention

    The anniversary of our “gotcha day” for our boys is just around the corner, and it’s a great time for reflection on parenting. My first time around, as a mom, with one easy-going daughter, I never had to worry about dividing my time between siblings – all my parenting time was hers. Now, with two…

  • Connecting Cultures…

    Yesterday was a full day. It started with Tot Shabbat, in the morning at Tikvat Israel, and despite following the excellent advice of my friend Mary (Thanks, Mary!), the morning didn’t go much better that last month‘s (separate post on this to come). J and I drove the car to the synagogue, as we had…

  • The mortality thing

    OK, so I promised, a couple of days ago, to fill in on the discussions around Death (yes, with a capital D) that have been a constant theme of the past month.  We have heard, time and time again, about how J had a mommy and a daddy who died, and how he didn’t come…

  • Still pondering mortality…

    This morning continued a theme which has been running strong for 5-yo J for the past two days, but, I realize, thanks to this blog, that its been a theme for the whole month, starting with this post – death, and most particularly, what to make of the death of one’s parents. But, I’m not…

  • Mulling over mortality

    On the way to preschool today, J asked, “Why did Reaghan have to die? I wish she was still alive.” “All animals have to die sometime – dogs, and even people”, I answered. “Lions don’t die – they kill other animals”, was his comeback. “Yes, even lions die when they get old.” “No! Lions only…

  • Secrets & Lies

    When I was in my early teens, my Sri Lankan aunt (my father’s sister), had my stars read by her astrologer. She asked me for the exact time of my birth, and the exact place I was born. And, after a few weeks, I got a folded piece of thin paper with quite a number…

  • Going stroller-less

    J is getting very close to being as old as S was when we first brought them home. Unlike biological parents, who know precisely the day (and time) that their children come into the world, our guys came to us with birthdays that were created for them by someone in the adoption/orphanage system, and were…