Day of Love – Денна любовта (Den na lyubovta)
One of my favorite days of the year is fast approaching. What was formerly known as our Bulgaria Open House, has been renamed to be our Eastern European Adoption Day. It is so rewarding to me to see so many families that have a heart for Bulgaria and Ukraine in one day, in one place! We have expanded the day to include our families that have not just adopted from Bulgaria, but also from Ukraine.
I love seeing the children that have come home, and how they have grown and blossomed from the love and security of having a family. In some cases, children have been home for over five years and then there are some children who have only recently joined their families this summer. Regardless of the family, I love hearing their successes and what they have overcome. Seeing their beautiful faces is the reward for all the hard work of helping families come together.
I love introducing families in process and prospective families to our “veteran” families. Their experience and knowledge are invaluable to the “newbies”. It is so encouraging to hear the families that are home with their precious children speak so encouragingly of the Bulgarian program and their time in country. Having families who have previously adopted from Ukraine will hopefully encourage prospective adoptive families at the opportunity to adopt older children; the process of adopting older children from both Bulgaria and Ukraine is faster than adopting a child under the age of 3.
I love the community of families that MLJ Adoptions is building; a community with a love for the children of Bulgaria, and a common goal of celebrating their children’s culture. A group of families eager to share about the need for families to adopt the children in Bulgaria that are still waiting for a family of their own. This community builds the upon MLJ Adoptions’ families who have previously adopted from Ukraine and continue to build relationships with each other. Earlier in the year, and even now, I have been encouraged to see fellow families who have adopted from Ukraine gather together to raise awareness of the current political unrest in the country and what that means for the children.
While I have previously adopted four children from Ukraine, I am continually impressed with the adoption process from Bulgaria. I have shared with many families, Bulgaria is one of my favorite programs. The stability of the process is a much needed element in the world of international adoption, as many other countries adoption programs have become more unstable. The country of Bulgaria’s dedication to their children is like a breath of fresh air. There are many children in Bulgaria waiting to find their family. The need for families willing to adopt from Bulgaria is great. There are sibling groups, older children and children with special needs available with little to no wait.
I encourage you to consider adopting from Bulgaria. If you are open and considering, I want to invite you to a very special day – a day of love! MLJ’s Eastern European Adoption Day on October 25th! We will be holding an information session for prospective adoptive parents at 10:00am. All of our Bulgaria and Ukraine families as well as prospective adoptive parents are also welcome to attend our Eastern European celebration which begins at 1:00pm. Click here to RSVP.
For more information, please contact us.
Lydia Tarr
Lydia Tarr works as the International Program Director for MLJ Adoptions’ programs in Bulgaria and Ukraine. She is the adoptive mother of four children from Ukraine and was recognized as a 2013 Angel in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s (CCAI) Angels in Adoption Program.
Lydia Tarr
Lydia Tarr works as the International Program Director for MLJ Adoptions’ programs in Bulgaria and Ukraine. She is the adoptive mother of four children from Ukraine and was recognized as a 2013 Angel in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s (CCAI) Angels in Adoption Program.