Tomorrow, January 31, is the last day for public comment on agencies seeking Hague Accreditation. If you have not already given your input ... good, bad or indifferent ... please take a minute or two to add your voice.

Follow this link and fill in the Council on Accreditation's form. You can choose to comment anonymously.

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Passing along information:

This year's Vietnamese Heritage camp in Colorado is set for August 9-12.

This year will be an event rather than just a camp. We are excited and honored to be joined by the Vietnamese Adoptee Network for this year. Not only will VHC be filled with fun and education for the kids about their heritage, but
they will have a chance to interact with adult adoptees, many of whom were a part of Operation Baby Lift.

And from Debbie Borchers, MD, for parents of kids from Asia:

... an article of interest to parents as our children approach the teen years.

Asian Flush is a hereditary condition common to 40% of Asians (45% of Chinese) that make their systems unable to process alcohol normally. Those with this condition have no symptoms until they drink alcohol, with a red flush to their face and rapid onset of intoxication, even with small amounts of alcohol. With this inability to metabolize alcohol there may be a buildup of the toxin acetaldehyde, resulting in red blotchy skin, dizziness, nausea and an irregular heartbeat. With recurrent ingestion of alcohol this poison makes the individual more prone to alcohol related diseases long term, including liver and esophageal cancer.

According to the article I read, there is genetic testing available for the deficient gene. I was unable to find out more information about this. It is important for parents to know about this disorder, particularly to be pro-active in educating our pre-teens about how alcohol may affect our children even more than the others. Teen drinking is a huge issue for any family, but for our children it could be deadly.

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For those with Asian-born girls heading toward adulthood, Asiance Magazine, "caters to the glamorous, aspirational, 18-34 year old, English-speaking generation Asian American women defying boundaries & upbringings while pursuing careers & ideals not initially deemed respectable by the Asian Community."

From their website:

Meet the women who are transforming their culture in a country that welcomes and inspires it!
The asiance woman pursues her passions while caring for others.
The asiance woman is honest, hard-working, intelligent and educated.
The asiance woman is proud of her culture and is eager to educate and inspire the American public of her heritage.
The asiance woman is open to other ethnicities of the cultural melting pot that is America.
The asiance woman upholds all her ideals and values with integrity and commitment while maintaining success and respect in her life choices.
The asiance woman likes nice things and treats herself well.
The asiance woman is informed and doesn’t take herself too seriously.
The asiance woman is Asian, of Asian descent or simply loves Asian culture.
Not only are Asian American Women transforming the American people and culture, but Asian influences are increasingly making their way across the Ocean and penetrating American style and culture, ultimately fusing a Modern America with an Asian Twist. We are positioning “asiance” as a global brand, meaning Asian influence on American culture.

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For families like ours, multi-ethnic, racially diverse and interesting as all get out, I've come across a couple of resources that are fun and deserve sharing.

First, the Center for Asian American Media is dedicated to:

- informing and educating the general public about the Asian American experience through film and public television;

- advocating for increasing the presence of Asian Americans and the accuracy of the portrayals of them in mainstream media;

- exhibiting Asian American films and videos on public television and during our annual San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival;

- funding Asian American projects and filmmakers; and

- distributing their work to schools, universities, libraries and community groups around the country.

Projecting the lives of Asian Americans on the screen has been the heart of our mission for more than 25 exciting years. We have a lot to celebrate: Greater visibility. Popular and critical success. The thrill of seeing our stories on public television and at the movies

And if your family is multiracial of any flavor, here's a site with some REALLY cool stuff!

Intermix.org.uk is a website for the benefit of mixed-race families, individuals and anyone who feels they have a multiracial identity and want to join us.

Our mission is to offer a view of the mixed-race experience, highlighting icons, film, books, poetry, parenting techniques, celebrities, real lives and much more.

Their list of mixed-race films is reason enough to visit the site.