Cathartic journaling of an adoptive mom.

Latest Posts

  • New challenges. New boundaries.

    New challenges. New boundaries.

    We have experienced first hand how addictive the iPhone can become. When we watched from the sideline the other families, how easily they gave in to kids’ demand of iPads and iPhones, we decided to have a proactive approach and implement boundaries for ourselves first. Conrad has an app limit which he abides by most often. …

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  • Reflecting

    Reflecting

    In the heat of the moment I may be witty, and have lots to say. It may be cathartic to dump my thought, to air them out. Alas, there is purpose in writing. I hope to look m back and glean the truth, have an authentic perspective over how things were, and how it happened.…

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  • Social engagement for two introverts

    Social engagement for two introverts

    Today Conrad talked about writing books to a class of 11 year old kids. They were engaged, asked great questions, and the hour flew by. It all started with his #Exolegacy book. The teacher bought the book, read it, loved it, and during science fiction week, she told the kids about it. That was last…

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  • Equals

    Equals

    The summer I met my lifetime American friends I was 14. They were from California and they asked us all to call them by their first names. We ever called any adults in such a direct way. This invitation created a type of closeness that we delighted in. We felt seen. Adults liked us and…

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  • Time

    Time

    We can’t say we don’t have time for connection, for conversations and to read worthwhile literature.  We have conversations. We have connection. We pray at meal time and at bedtime. But we never read the Bible together. I take the kids to church to Sunday school to Christian school and to Christian camps. I take…

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  • 40 % battery 

    40 % battery 

    Adjusting expectations is a safe bet. I have an old Mac book air. Top of the line when I was working at Apple. But it’s now 10 years old. It still has a usb port that I need to connect to the timeless printer. Jackie writes some of her school projects on it. It’s slow…

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  • Seasons

    Seasons

    I was reading a post I wrote less than a year ago, about how difficult my relationship with my older daughter was. https://dordeacasa.altmann.haus/cerul-sigurantei-si-preadolescentii/ I entered into an apparent regression of cooperation, of organizational skills, of following several steps without the work of persuasion or reminding him. A persistent state of dissatisfaction triggers all kinds of…

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  • Valentine’s note from my 10 year old daughter

    Valentine’s note from my 10 year old daughter

    I love youYou make me talkI distinguish you asBeing very beautifulBecause you help mewith homework I love you.You’re magic. Not tragic.I’m glad you are magical Thank you.You make me be funnyYou are a heavenly gift,Mommy! Mama, you intuitively knowWhen fear grips meI love you, mama! Jaky

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  • About our beginning

    About our beginning

    I picked up another book to read. Ann voskamp’s last book. She starts with her beginning. And she is honest, and veiled and poetic, but brutally honest. And it inspires me. It’s marriage week and this reading and reflection is serendipitous. We also started naive, faithful, hopeful. Innocence is priceless. What we don’t know (a…

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  • On loan for a while

    On loan for a while

    In a strange political context, where children belonged to the state, and the state took over the care and education (kids still benefit from free education and health insurance till they become adults no matter their familiar circumstances) from early stages.  To gain double the workforce and educate the children according to its values, my…

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  • Naming that small fox

    Naming that small fox

    This weekend I got to read and be encouraged by a blog post and it made me reflect further on my own life. A wise woman builds her house, does not destroy it with her own hands.  A seed of doubt was planted many seasons ago in my heart. In darkness and humidity, it sprouted…

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  • Goodbyes

    Goodbyes

    A month and a half of family time. Sweet and real, challenging and emotional, hard and deeply beautiful. We are saying our last goodbyes. The girls have never wavered in their joy and delight of being here. Not even once. It gave me permission to feel all my emotions, and at times I wished I…

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Books to read