As I searched online for places that one could shop to help those struggling in Viet Nam, I was pleasantly surprised to come across quite a few organizations that do just that. With the holiday season fully upon us, many are still trying to find meaningful gifts to give. The organization that I’m posting about today; the Catalyst Foundation, has remarkable gift options that will directly help children in need in Viet Nam. Some friends and family members may not fully understand the plight of poverty and disease stricken... more

Erin has posted some great ideas over on the Transracial Adoption Blog for gifts that help other people. To continue on with her idea, I’ve been doing some research to find gifts that you might consider purchasing that directly help the Vietnamese people. I know it’s a little late in the season, but with so many people doing last minute shopping and ordering gifts online, I hope that some will consider the organizations I’ll be featuring.

I have posted about... more

Depending on how you feel about American Girl dolls, you’ll either be thrilled or completely indifferent to the following information. Rumor has it that they will be releasing an Asian American doll later this year.

I have seen discussions pop up about the lack of an Asian American Girl doll in adoption circles for a few years now. In case you’re not familiar with the American Girl company, they have a line of incredibly popular dolls that represent different periods of American history and different races…except for... more

Who among us isn't a sucker for anything related to Viet Nam? Before I traveled to adopt Ella, I was hungry for anything that would help me feel a little bit closer to my little girl on the other side of the world. Now that we’re home and I’m almost always feeling nostalgic for Viet Nam, I love looking at books and items that take me back. I’m also always on the lookout for things to share with Ella to help her learn about and feel a connection to her birth country and to understand more about adoption.

The... more

Viet Nam’s traditional dress outfit; the Ao Dai, has an impressive and long history behind it. The long, flowing, collared top with slitted sides is worn over long, flowy pants. Decadent, colorful ao dais are most often worn to formal events, holidays and weddings, but plain white ones can be seen worn as school uniforms in some parts of the country.

Ao Dai means long dress and is pronounced ao (as in “ow, I stubbed my toe”) yai in the South and ao zai in the North. The Ao Dai most likely received its influence... more

Inspired by a reader’s comments and Faith’s post over at the Hoping to Adopt blog, I decided to dedicate a post to covering things to buy now, things to buy in Viet Nam, and things to buy after you get home.

Things to Buy Before You Travel

A few outfits for your new child(ren). If you can, wait until close to your travel date and ask your agency to get up to date height and weight... more

I don't know about you, but I have developed a bit of an obsession with finding cute Vietnamese themed things for Ella. Here are some that are just adorable:

T-Shirts at Beoi.com - these are beyond adorable! I have to order one (or more) for Ella. My favorites are the 'de ghet' (troublemaker) and 'de thuong' (adorable) designs. Precious Moments Vietnamese Doll-little Thu Nhi couldn't be cuter in her non la! You can purchase her at ... more