What I Want You to Know is a series of reader submissions.  It is an attempt to allow people to tell their personal stories, in the hopes of bringing greater compassion to the unique issues each of us face. If you would like to submit a story to this series, click here. Today’s post is from my friend Bonnie Lewis, who blogs at Bonnie the Baker. What I want you to know is that I like my new curves. I used to like being stick thin. I liked being muscular and working out as much as I could. . . .

This video is a great example of how someone can play a part in helping children find families – without adopting.  International adoption is expensive.  Stupid expensive. Not everyone is in the position to do it, and not everyone should do it.  But a couple from my church decided that they would play a role in another couple’s adoption.  They are getting married, and instead of registering, they are asking for donations for my friends Steve and Sarah Carters’ adoption.  . . .

Last night I had a phone conference with several other bloggers (Kristen, Amber, Elora, Dan, and Lindsey) for a panel I will be a part of at the Idea Camp.  We are talking about how to use social media for orphan advocacy.  I am going to give up some of my secrets right now.  But this is the honest truth: in any given week, I wonder how many funny stories I need to tell before I can talk about orphans again.  A huge part of my vision for having a blog – beyond a space where . . .

I am working at home today – trying to catch up on assignments before I leave for Idea Camp, and trying to suppress my inner whining as I sit inside on a holiday with gorgeous weather.  Mark took the kids down to grandma and grandpa’s.  Meanwhile, I keep getting mysterious emails from the online geocache forum with random clues.  DId you look under the rock?  Did you turn at the welcome plaque? It’s there, keep looking. And I’m wondering – are these people reading my . . .

When I was writing out the story of my relationship with Mark last week, I had a wave of nostalgia for the couple we once were.  It was weird looking through old photos and remembering our life before kids. So much of our relationship, and even our initial attraction to one another, was based on a sense of adventure.  We loved to travel, to get out in the world, and to experience different things.  We were active and spontaneous.  If I’m honest, I would even say that the . . .

All my men are sleeping in the garage tonight.  In a tent.  A few weeks ago, Jafta got really excited about the idea of camping.  And when he gets excited about something . . . well he just does not stop talking about it.  So we finally agreed that the boys could spend a night in the tent in the backyard.  Except that, it’s been pretty cold.  And tonight – the night that was promised – it is raining and blustery.  So the tent is in the garage. The boys were . . .

This week at the OC Register, I’m talking relationships.  Specifically – what to do when bickering starts to take over your date night.  I’ve heard this happens.  To some people. I have a friend . . . *cough* Okay, this totally happens with us.  First of all, we are lucky when we even schedule a date night, and if they are two few and far between, inevitably the evening turns to tense conversations because it’s the first time we’ve been alone in a month and someone wants . . .

What I Want You to Know is a series of reader submissions.  It is an attempt to allow people to tell their personal stories, in the hopes of bringing greater compassion to the unique issues each of us face. If you would like to submit a story to this series, click here.  Today’s post is by Sarah DeNike of www.thewilltosee.com.   What I want you to know is that it is hard to have kids that are not quite “normal.” I am Sarah and have 2 beautiful little boys, Jackson age 6 and . . .

I’m preparing to lead a workshop at the upcoming Idea Camp, and one of the aspects of my research is looking into the idea of “orphan culture”.   Culture is a huge topic of discussion in adoption circles: cultural loss, cultural heritage, cultural identity . . . and when we talk about it, we are invariably referring to a child’s racial or ethnic background.  As prospective adoptive parents we spend considerable energy educating ourselves on bridging the culture gap.  But as . . .