Thinking about Chinese naming customs last week, I recalled how my husband, Erik, and I struggled to solve our own challenge: how could two non Chinese speaking people possibly give their daughter the appropriate [Chinese] name she deserved. Here’s our story. Several months before we met our daughter, we received what is called a “referral,” a […]
Adoption
Adoptive Family Dilemmas
Traveling in Asia as Caucasian parents with an adopted Chinese daughter presents its own unique challenges. When our daughter was a baby, visits to China invited small crowds. Strangers would attempt to pick up Elisa, squeeze her cheeks, and speak to her in Chinese. Now that she is older, those who speak English often approach […]
The Letter
The advent of email has meant very little news is exchanged the old fashioned way, via a letter delivered by the postman. I had almost forgotten the feeling of joy, anticipation, and mystery associated with waiting for and then finding a personal note in my mailbox. It all came back last week when I received […]