“And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” That’s a quote by Rumi, and it works well for anyone connected with adoption. My connection is as an adoptive parent: 2 sons, adopted from the US as babies, now 23 and 26; and twin daughters, now 24, adopted from Ethiopia when they were 6 years old in 1994.

I was also involved with adoption professionally for several years.  I was the first executive director of the Joint Council on International Services (1995-2000), interim  executive director of The Barker Foundation (2002), and executive director of Children’s Home Society and Family Services East (2005-06).  I also worked with Community Teachers Institute, a nonprofit that worked to recruit and retain teachers for urban public schools.

In the course of raising my children, I learned so much–so much about myself, about expectations, about stereotypes, about multiple ways to define success.  My sons and daughters are all in their 20’s now, and I have the most wonderful granddaughter in the world.

In the last couple of years, I’ve moved to Seattle, begun editing a book, gone sailing in Canada, and created art in my Gasworks Gallery Studio.  I’ve even sold a few pieces.  I’ve taken several leaps of faith, and often (though not always) landed safely. This blog is another leap.  I’ll be writing about adoption, art, the art of adoption, writing, family, creativity, hope, and resilience. I’ll close as I opened this post with Rumi: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”