Shining Moments

“She’s so tiny,” I said under my breath when I saw Jenny for the first time. Kostroma, December 2002. Born weighing only 1 ½ pounds.     A miracle if she had been born here a doctor said. I knew from the time I saw that short video of her that she was my second...

Shining Moments

I glanced at the grade on the top of the paper     and my heart sank again. In discouragement I stuffed it into my folder     and walked back to my dormitory on the western New York campus. It seemed no matter how hard I tried to write a good paper for my English...

Shining Moments

Tennis. Love the game. Years ago I took lessons one summer. I had no idea what I was getting into. Back and forth the ball went. I swung my racket finding it much harder than playing the piano. But I liked it. Yes, it was the very first sport that I really got into....

Shining Moments

“How are YOU going to raise this strong baby?” The tall Russian doctor stared down at me as I stood in the waiting room    and for a few seconds my mind whirled with panic. What did she mean? I was already wondering myself how I would raise her to adulthood     but...

Shining Moments

I sat at the small table eating the most delicious borscht    while my newly adopted daughter slept in the bedroom. And although I felt the strangeness of staying in that Russian flat   I was so grateful for the unique opportunity. Growing up, I used to fear the...