Blog

For the most part, friends and family have been extremely supportive of our adoption of a special boy from Ukraine. However, a few times, someone questions us about the timing. They ask why in the world we would choose to bring more children into our home, when ours are beginning to spread their wings and ...

So many hearts and homes have been opened to help the children of Haiti, following the devastating earthquakes. The MLJ Adoptions, Inc. team has volunteered several hours and days, researching reports, confirming details, and making contacts with those in Haiti, in an effort to create opportunities for as many people to help as possible. The ...

I can still imagine the stifling heat, singed with tropical breezes and the beautiful, friendly smiles; images of the resilient island of Haiti. I think back to people I knew; productive, innovative and appreciate people, now surrounded by a horrid suffering that our minds can’t begin to comprehend. During our trip to Haiti, we saw ...

Our journey to Ukraine was absolutely amazing! Our journey began October 17, 2009 and ended on November 24, 2009. Even though we ran into some delays we had not expected, our trip was so rewarding. The director at Cayden’s orphanage was so caring, kind, and generous during our trip, and our facilitator was knowledgeable and ...

We were so thankful to find out on Thanksgiving day that we had received our Hague Approval. It was no small feat, and we are very thankful for the hours of planning, preparation, and meetings our directors put in over several months to complete our application. Our approval means that the Council on Accreditation (COA) ...

As we celebrate Christmas with our families, we want to thank you for letting us be a part of your family. Our hearts swell with every smile of a child now home with a loving family. It is an honor to share in your adoption journey. We love receiving your pictures, watching your children grow ...

I drew inspiration from the events of this week one evening. I was lying in my room and thinking about what all we had experienced when the words just began flowing: “I’ll love you forever,” some mothers will say But sometimes that is just how it goes I did not mean to leave you alone ...

As I mentioned, the 9 & 10 year olds that I got close to were very loving and affectionate,maybe even a bit clingy. I noticed that to be largely the case with the children from about 6-11 years old. Perhaps they felt that at their ages they still had hopes of a visitor deciding to ...

What do you think of when you hear the word “Thanksgiving”? I’m guessing that what comes to your mind is some combination of family, turkey, parades and football. Well, this year I did not spend Thanksgiving with my family. And while we did have a traditional turkey dinner, we did not see a single play ...

I wanted to take time to share with you a great need. I know there is need everywhere and this time of year is hard due to all the holiday buying… Monday we were at the orphanage and one of Griffan’s friends came in to be with us. When he came in he was instructed ...

Today’s guest blogger Tara Michener is very involved in promoting diversity and inclusion through education, public speaking, writing, and advocacy. She leads workshops on self-esteem, creative writing, diversity and social networking for people of all ages. She is the author of The "Who I Am" book series which promotes self-esteem and diversity in kids, allowing ...

The Blind Side is not your typical adoption story, but the feeling that adoption chose you (rather than you choosing adoption) may be familiar to many who have gone through the process. The Tuohy family saw a child in need and acted immediately. What they found was that he changed their lives. They learned very ...

Each year, November is recognized as National Adoption Awareness Month. It is a time when state government, communities, businesses and organizations celebrate adoption as a positive proactive way to build a family. It is a great time to celebrate family and spread adoption awareness. Here are a few small ways that you can promote adoption ...