“That’s Not Your REAL Kid”

I have noticed that most of the adoption pieces floating around the internet are geared towards people who are adopting or considering adoption. That makes sense, yes, but they’re not raising a whole lot of awareness for anyone else. If we don’t write articles geared towards everyone, how will we ever change the adoption stigma? (There is…

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Intrusive In Laws, Awkward Moments and Family Questions

Welcome to Mailbag Monday 7.0! Our first question comes from the Dim Sum and Doughnuts email inbox: Hi, I have a husband and 3 kids. We are both Greek and our family life is a lot like the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” except it’s not my parents who are overbearing, it’s his parents.…

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My Biggest Adoption Mistake

There’s an organization called Adoptimist that “connects expectant mothers and hopeful families considering adoption.” I wrote a piece for them not too long ago and they asked me to write another one. The piece is called “My Biggest Adoption Mistake.” Truth be told, I thought they were going to have issues with the piece so…

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It Really Does Take A Village

When I moved away for college, I didn’t think I was coming back. I loved Michigan; I just always assumed I’d end up somewhere else. I lived in Columbus, Ohio for several years after college, but when my best girlfriend accepted a job offer in the Detroit area, I figured it was a sign.

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In Defense Of Black Dogs: The Bruno Marshall Story

(From the archives: February, 2015) I read an article once that said “Black dogs are less likely to be adopted than dogs of other colors.” I never forgot that article because I didn’t understand. Why would dogs get the shaft simply for being black? Some of my favorite dogs are black! In truth though, whenever I had…

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After The Wait

The sucky part about almost anything is the wait: Waiting in line, waiting your turn, waiting to get served. All of it. Sucks. Sometimes the wait isn’t that bad, but that’s usually for something that isn’t that good. But if it’s something good, like really good, there’s usually a wait.

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Why My Kids Are Going To End Up In Therapy

When you’re a parent, you can tell your kid to do pretty much anything you want and they have to do it. I’m not making any recommendations, or judgments— I’m just stating a fact: There is great power in being a parent.

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Lose Yourself

There are random notes all over the place with post ideas for Dim Sum and Doughnuts. I could bust out a piece tomorrow on so many different topics, but this piece…this one is giving me trouble. I feel pressure.

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Playing The Safe Card

Do you know what “Gotcha Day” is? Don’t feel bad if you don’t. Unless you’ve adopted or know someone who has, you’ve probably never heard of it. Gotcha Day is the day people who are adopting “get” their child. For us, it was the day my daughter got parents and we got a baby—and it…

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Charity Begins At Home

Every morning I walk my dog, Bruno Marshall, around the neighborhood. We live in a neighborhood where the houses are far apart and the streets are usually free from cars, unless someone is throwing a party. The speed limit is 25, but there’s a lot of space and the streets are long so many people think…

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