In 2004 I sat in front of a computer endlessly searching for information about international adoption. Little did I know what that path would lead to. As I gathered more and more information about the country we would eventually adopt from I also prepared myself for the worst that could possibly happen. In the end […]
Sweet Hope
Visiting friends
I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful this trip has been. There is a bit of a fear factor of being so far away from home is a seemingly treacherous place alone, but underneath it all it is very safe and welcoming. You just have to get past the fact that it is not […]
My experience at Khor Village
There are very few things in life that compare to the emotional journey of international adoption. I am sure everyone has something in their lives that has effected them so profoundly that it is truly life changing. It just happens to be that spending time in a Russian orphanage during the process to become a […]
Travel Plea update
Do you ever have one of those days when you should be doing something but you can’t because there is something else going on in your life that takes up the majority of your brain cells? I know anyone who has been through an international adoption knows exactly what I’m talking about. When I last […]
A unique opportunity
Over the past few days Sweet Hope has been on my mind more than usual. It all started with a post I made on a Facebook page for adoptive moms. After the post I was contacted by another mom who is involved in a non-profit that works in Vladivostock. She happened to mention a man […]
Sweet Hope 2012
**This post was originally written at Sprouting Off and then moved here. If you are not new to Life of Elle then move along to the voting part.** This is a little out of my comfort zone. I’m used to readers knowing all about this. Let me give you a little background. My husband and […]
We did it!
Eight years ago I was researching grant opportunities for families wanting to adopt a child. I found a website that had a long list of charitable foundations that offered such grants. It is what propelled us into the realm of international adoption. I thought that with saving, hard work, a little fundraising and the possibility […]
In a heartbeat
I’m not sure if I shared this with anyone or not. After I finished the great candy-a-thon last year I asked my dear friend Willow if she would come over and take photos. I had packed 740 individual boxes of candy. That was a feat. Willow was so kind and at 9:00 on a Tuesday […]
Christmas
Last year at this time we had sold $1500 worth of Sweet Hope candy. This year $500. I’m not counting the large corporate order we had last year. I have suspicions about why the sales are so bad. I will cop to the fact that yes… we raised prices for the first time in 5 […]
Seven
I stare at this photo and wonder. I wonder what their life is really like. I know. I know it’s not good. I know that this is not how children should be raised. I know they should have someone to kiss them goodnight. I know they should have someone to read them a bedtime story. […]