Daddy-Long-Legs

For those of you in Southwestern Ohio, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is performing the musical Daddy-Long-Legs from March 13 through April 10. I haven't seen it myself, but I read that it is about an orphanage trustee who offers a college education to an 18-year-old girl on the conditions that she never know who he is and that she write to him every month though he will never respond. Her letters paint a moving picture of her life in the orphanage and capture her blossoming into a young woman. When the two finally do meet in person several years later, they have an instant connection.

The musical is loosely based on a novel by Jean Webster and was made into a Hollywood film with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron in 1955. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards related to music.

If you're interested in seeing the show, call 513-421-3888 for tickets.

If You Build It, S(He) Will Come

The title of this blog describes approximately what went through my mind last Saturday when I found myself at a local elementary school's annual consignment sale and bought $25 worth of kids' clothes. I could explain my behavior by noting that one of the adoption books I read said that parents waiting for a referral should act like expectant parents, so buying clothes fits the bill. But if I am honest, the whole thing was an act of faith, something I had to do to renew my confidence in the fact that some day our children will be here and need to be dressed every morning.

Here's a look at my finds. Not a bad batch for $25, methinks.

Adoption Comic

If you haven't visited this new website yet, you should check it out:

www.adoptedthecomic.com

The writer and illustrator are both adopted internationally and have only just begun expressing their experiences in this humorous and easily accessible way.

The Kite Runner

Those of you who know me personally are aware that I am an avid and discerning reader of books and lover of literature. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that I am now using this blog to recommend a novel.

Last week I finished The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and it was one of the best books I have read in recent memory. The plot is exciting with many unexpected twists and turns and the themes range from father-son relationships and childhood friendships to guilt, trauma, politics, and forgiveness. Add to that a fascinating helping of Afghan culture as well as 20th century Afghan history and you have a worthwhile, memorable page-turner with characters so real that it makes you wonder if you're reading a memoir rather than fiction.

In addition - and this is how the novel connects to this blog - the Kite Runner is a story about adoption. I do not want to spoil anything, so I will not divulge details. Instead, you'll just have to read for yourself or, if you don't have time for the book, watch the movie which I haven't seen and, therefore, cannot endorse.