curated news for friends & family ™ 
GOTCHA DAY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS( family / adoption / holmes )
Today we were finally able to celebrate Gotcha Day with our now-16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. She and I both forgot about it on the actual day, December 10th. Her mom, Tara, remembered but Elizabeth was working late,... read more
KEEP YOUR DOG SAFE FROM DOGNAPPING( family / pets / advice / dogs )
If you’re anything like us here at Breed Advisor, we simply can’t imagine life without our four-legged family members. That’s why we were horrified to learn that approximately 2 million canines are dog... read more
DOG OWNERS SUPPOSEDLY MORE AT RISK FOR COVID( family / pets / dogs / covid )
If this was Denmark, the government would want to kill everyone’s dogs. Thank God I’m not Danish. They love ... read more
MY BROTHER'S CAT, HOBO( family / pets / religion )
He was a stray in the neighborhood I moved to when I bought my house. Based on neighbor reports, he’d been here about 5 years when I finally adopted him in August of 2016 -- I moved here in Sept of 2012 and he’d reportedly... read more
TELL YOUR PET YOU LOVE THEM( family / pets )
Hearing 'I love you' from their owner makes pups' heart rate skyrocket by 46 percent, study shows"If ... read more
MY OWN GENEALOGY( family / genealogy / holmes )
Got my genealogy DNA test results back. I have bits from all over the world:1% E.Central Africa (what!?) 1% Native American (Chile) 5% Middle Eastern (what!?) 91% Europe (Portuguese, Hungarian, Slova... read more
GET RID OF DOG URINE SMELL( family / pets / advice / dogs )
Does your whole house smell like dog urine? If so, you’ve come to the right place! If a dog hasn’t been trained correctly or is suffering from a health problem, it’s likely that it won’t be able to control ... read more
AFTER LOSING HOPE OF EVER FINDING THEIR DOG, PUP IS FINALLY FOUND LIVING LIKE KING AMONG DOTING PRISON INMATES ( family / pets / dogs )
Although this pup’s owners were frantic with worry over his disappearance, he was found only days later living like a king amongst the local prisoners...
... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol 1 No 1... read more
HIKING WITH ELIZABETH, PART 2( family / holmes / elizabeth )
continued from Hiking with ElizabethThe scariest part was when we stopped. Then he stopped. I had my phone in hand, looking at the map. There was a tense moment until he smiled and sa... read more
HIKING WITH ELIZABETH( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Went hiking with my daughter, Elizabeth, yesterday evening. There’s a nice little park in Thompson’s Station with fairly extensive walking trails on its south end, near the water tower. We saw an owl, so, with her new b... read more
OUR PORTUGUESE TABLE( family / genealogy / holmes )
My brother Doug talking about Portuguese genealogy on their January 22, 2019 podcast.
In today 39... read more
MY YOUTUBE VIDEOS( family / holmes / bill / movies-tv-video )
You will need the password for most of these.Cracking up over Lottery President (Jun 28, 2013). No password required.... read more
LIONEL ROCHA HOLMES MEMORIAL DNA FUND( family / genealogy / holmes )
Lionel Rocha Holmes Memorial DNA Fund Lionel Rocha Holmes (1919-2017) was an important part of the Sacramento, CA Portuguese community. He... read more
A FEW WORDS ABOUT MY DAD( family / holmes / lionel )
I tried to come up with the best word to fill in the blank in the following sentence: He was the most ----- man I have ever known. He was certainly the finest, hands-down, bar none. Most fair-minded, too. With seven kids ready to c... read more
TAKING ELIZABETH TO SKATING PARTY( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Preparing to take Elizabeth to a skating party, I said, "Here, take some money. Go ask your mom for more." I thought I had at least a $10, but only had $6. When she returned I asked how much she had now. "Forty-six dollars.""W... read more
PARENTING TIP #426( family / advice )
Parenting Tip 426: When taking out recycling/trash, check its contents. I almost threw out our daughter’s purse and wallet! parentingtips... read more
DIVERSITY( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Me (folding clothes): I need some of your hangers. Elizabeth: Here you go.
Me: Wow, a variety of hanger types, thanks.
Elizabeth: Well, I am diverse!
Her friends are diverse, actually, but it’s an ins... read more
YOU SAYING I'M UGLY?( family / holmes / elizabeth )
I was explaining to my 9 year old daughter what "networking" is, and that I'm not very good at it. She said, "That's because a lot of people judge you by your looks. And you're not ...""You trying to say I'm ugly?""... read more
ELIZABETH SKIING FOR THE FIRST TIME( family / holmes / elizabeth )
It was father-daughter day (for me, my brother, nephew and our daughters) at NorthStar ski resort in Lake Tahoe. See ... read more
I LOVE MY DAUGHTER( family / holmes / elizabeth )
There's something on the kitchen counter. I'm thinking it's a shriveled, rotting potato. Not that we usually have that sort of thing on the counter, but that's what I'm thinking. I point at it and ask my wife, "What i... read more
ONE TOO MANY CATS( family / holmes / pets / cats )
I was up a little earlier than usual this morning, which apparently surprised one of the cats in our house. The thing is, we only have one cat. Any more than that is too many. This one -- either a stray or just one of the neighbor ... read more
WATCH TARA THE HERO CAT ATTEMPT TO THROW A CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH( family / pets / cats )
Watch Tara the Hero Cat attempt to throw a ceremonial first pitch. The video is now missing from the Times, so there’s now a link to ... read more
SUNDAY RIDE( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Elizabeth dragged me onto another one of her outings this morning. If nothing else, she keeps me in shape. This time, she was on her motorized scooter (the kind you stand on), while I rode ... read more
FATHER'S DAY( family / holmes / holidays )
I'm just writing this post to get something new on the blog other than that free ad for Windows 7. :)We drove up to be with my wife's side of the family today for Father's Day. An "extra special treat" upon returning h... read more
HOLIDAY WORLD (2013)( family / holmes / elizabeth )
I rode a rollercoaster for the first time in I don't know how long. It was a blast! The Raven has been voted "most awesome or whatever wooden coaster" several time... read more
BIRTHDAY CARD FROM GRANDPA( family / holmes / elizabeth / birthdays )
Elizabeth received a birthday card from Grandpa today with $20 inside! She said, "I love your dad! Tell him thank you very much! Your dad is rich! I wouldn't have thought such an old old person would have so much money!"... read more
DAD'S 94TH BIRTHDAY, PART 3( family / holmes / lionel / birthdays )
DAD'S 94TH BIRTHDAY, PART 2( family / holmes / lionel / birthdays )
DAD'S 94TH BIRTHDAY, PART 1( family / holmes / lionel / birthdays )
Part... read more
CONTENTMENT IS...( family / holmes / pets )
Contentment is lying in bed, social networking on my laptop, listening to my wife and daughter "fight"-tease each other in the other room, while I've got the cat cuddled up on my left and two out of three pugs cuddled up on my right.... read more
FRANKLIN HAS BEEN ADOPTED!( family / adoption / pets / dogs )
Franklin has been adopted!Our daughter was sad to see him go, but he’s now in a good home. And they’re close to us, so she might get to visit sometimes.... read more
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY( family / holmes / elizabeth / holidays )
My daughter just made my day. Here’s her card to me.... read more
CHANDLER'S A GOOD DOG( family / holmes / pets / dogs )
Chandler’s a good dog. He’s been through a lot in this life (before we adopted him) and will probably never fully recover. Never fully trust anyone again. I know the feeling. Maybe that’s what we have in common. Whateve... read more
WHAT CRICKETS EAT( family / holmes / elizabeth )
After catching a cricket and putting it into her bug cage (yes, she has a bug cage), my six-year-old daughter Elizabeth asked, "Can you ... um ... look on the Internet and see what crickets eat?" I just laughed and said, "Yes, I c... read more
LESSON LEARNED( family / holmes / elizabeth )
I'll be spending all week (Spring Break) with my almost-6-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. Woo hoo! Yesterday was supposed to be my only "day off," as she was supposed to be in school (snow make-up day). But she's come down with the... read more
MONKEY JOE'S AGAIN( family / holmes / elizabeth )
This could get expensive coming here on a regular basis at $9-$10 every time, but Tara had a coupon that made it half price. We’re at the new one in Brentwood/Cool Springs... read more
YESTERDAY AT HOME( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Tara had a busy "day off." Her basic schedule consisted of: 1) taking our pug Chandler back to the vet (for the fifth or sixth time the past month) to check on his ul... read more
SUNNY CAME HOME( family / holmes / pets / cats )
I spent all day today wondering how I was going to tell our 5-year-old that our cat, Sunny, was no longer with us. Literally. After being awakened last night at 2:30 a.m. by the sound of a VERY close coyote, and then not fi... read more
ELIZABETH'S FIRST PLAY( family / holmes / elizabeth / plays )
Elizabeth, 5, came up with the following play just as we were finishing dinner the other day. Dinner theater, if you will. :) We were in Sacramento visiting my Dad, joined by my brother Greg and his wife June.MOM (Tara): Wh... read more
MISSING CAT RETURNS( family / pets / cats )
Good news from best friends Julie and Bert in Las Vegas. One of their cats, Tobie, went missing this past January. He was an indoor/outdoor cat and one day just disappeared. Needless to say, they were heartbroken and spent many hou... read more
SATURDAY WITH ELIZABETH( family / holmes / elizabeth )
As Elizabeth likes to say, she and I were "hanging out" today while Tara had a girls' day out with Ronica. I think Tara's was a belated birthday thing. Hers was on the 10th. Anyway, once Ronica finally called - after Tara had sta... read more
FIRST FULL WEEK( family / holmes / elizabeth )
... of kindergarten! Tara’s getting Elizabeth ready now. Elizabeth has been ready to go, already jumping into bed with us, then jumping out almost immediately, I guess because she couldn’t sleep. Tara will usually be ta... read more
LUCY'S BIRTHDAY( family / holmes / birthdays )
Today’s my sister Lucy’s birthday. She must be having a good one, because she has not replied to anyone’s email birthday greeting. The previous weekend was our nephew Daniel’s 2nd birthday party in Smyrna. That kid ... read more
UNCLES' OBITUARIES( family / holmes )
I have lost a couple of uncles this year. Below are their obituaries:Uncle Ernie
... read more
ROTTWEILER TRICKS( family / pets / dogs )
Here are some videos by my sister’s friend who bought... read more
A WARNING TO PET OWNERS WITH KIDS( family / holmes / pets / dogs )
I had to take our dog Chandler (my "best puppy", the "big man", or "Chanva" as our daughter Elizabeth used to call him) to the vet Thursday after I discovered, while ... read more
OUR ADOPTION STORY( family / adoption / holmes )
My wife Tara has written up our adoption story in response to that woman (not far from us, unfortunately) who returned that boy to Russia a couple weeks ago.
With the recent headline news about the Russian adoption t... read more
OUR RUSSIAN ADOPTION STORY( family / adoption / holmes )
With the recent headline news about the Russian ad... read more
PETITION IN FAVOR OF RUSSIAN ADOPTION( family / adoption )
Please sign the petition (at the bottom of this post) in favor of Russian adoption. I did. My wife and I adopted from Russia in 2007. You can watch the videos here and ... read more
FINNEGAN WALTER BROUNS HATCHED OUT( family / brouns )
Finnegan Walter Brou... read more
AN ENTIRE WEEK WITH ELIZABETH( family / holmes / elizabeth )
You will not believe what I’ve been through! :) Okay, maybe it’s not been that bad. You single parents out there are laughing at me, I’m sure. But I went an entire week taking care of Elizabeth, our 4 year old,... read more
ELEVEN ROTTWEILER PUPPIES( family / pets / dogs )
Help her come up with names starting with the letter "B" by leaving comments below! comments closedSee NightShadowRottweilers.com for more details.... read more
VIDEOS ON VIMEO( family / holmes / elizabeth )
All videos listed, below
122485652, ... read more
ELIZABETH'S FIRST HALLOWEEN( family / holmes / elizabeth )
She explains the process. Click here for the video... read more
AN ENTIRE DAY WITH ELIZABETH( family / holmes / elizabeth )
I can’t believe I made it. Of course, it’s not over yet. It’s only dinner time. It’s been a LONG day. I’m at McDonald’s as I write this. I tried to get online with their free wi-fi, but you have to have an a... read more
DOWN BY THE CREEK( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Elizabeth and I went down to the creek this cold fall morning. With all the recent rain, Indian and Mill Creeks both had a lot of rushing water. We walked along the edge of Mill Creek. Usually, we stick to the closer Indian Creek. ... read more
ELIZABETH CUT OFF ALL HER HAIR( family / holmes / elizabeth )
In the twenty minutes that Tara and I left Elizabeth alone, she found some (child-safe) scissors and cut off all her hair. At first I thought it was just wet. Then I realized she’d cut it all off. I laughed and said I was just ... read more
ONE HOUR WITH ELIZABETH( family / holmes / elizabeth )
We had a list of stops to make. First came Ace Hardware for a clothes line and a no-pest-strip. Elizabeth had rediscovered her Barbie electric guitar earlier that day and brough... read more
HOLIDAY WORLD (2009)( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Tara just brought me back from the pharmacy where I’m having a prescription filled. We used CVS because Tara had a coupon. She is the coupon queen. Doesn’t buy anything with... read more
ELIZABETH'S HOUSE( family / holmes / elizabeth )
The other day at the house, we had this conversation:Elizabeth: This is my house.Bill: Your house? I thought it was my and mom’s house.Elizabeth... read more
ELIZABETH'S BIRTHDAY( family / holmes / elizabeth / birthdays )
It’s this Sunday! Just FYI if you want to send an email or call or whatever. We should have pictures up here from tomorrow’s party at Chuck E. Cheese’s.... read more
ADOPTION VIDEOS UPDATED( family / adoption / holmes / videos )
You can watch them here:Holmes Russian Adoption, (updated)... read more
ELIZABETH DANCING( family / holmes / elizabeth )
It should be available here: vimeo /2412695... read more
A FEW MORE VIDEOS( family / adoption / holmes / videos )
I finally edited these a little bit and uploaded them:Chandler hanging outElizabeth’s baby... read more
DOUG SELLS POWER TOOLS( family / holmes / doug / shopping )
Used New Hilti Tools and Accessories. Hilti professional demolition/concrete tools. SHIPPING WORLDWIDE
... read more
WALKING THE DOGS( family / holmes / pets / dogs )
It’s something I do every night. I actually stopped for several months starting in May, I guess, when my back problems flared up. Then came my knee surgery, which kept me from walking much. Then I got to where I enjoyed not hav... read more
ELIZABETH'S FIRST VIDEO( family / adoption / holmes / videos )
Elizabeth’s directorial debut. A probing, provocative, sometimes introspective look at a typical weekend around the house with Mama and Papa and the pugs. vimeo /217269... read more
MORE PICTURES OF ELIZABETH IN CALIFORNIA( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Bill on Rosie, while Jeannie, Tara, even Shayden, fall for Elizabeth’s attention-getting antics.... read more
HAD A SCARE( family / holmes / elizabeth )
We had a scare a couple of Wednesdays back with Elizabeth. She was at pre-school/daycare when she tripped and fell head-first onto the pavement outside as everyone was told to get in line to go back inside. We figure, being so comp... read more
HOLMES RUSSIAN ADOPTION VIDEOS( family / adoption / holmes / videos )
The links to both 1 and 2 are here. has been updated slightly, in case you want to watch it again. might be updated eventually, too, if more pictures come in. Here are the links: ... read more
CALIFORNIA TRIP( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Tara, Elizabeth and I just returned from a trip to California. Ostensibly, we went for my nephew Thomas’s wedding (to bride Heather at Lake Tahoe), but it was also a convenient excuse to let everyone on my side of the ... read more
SLEEP-OVER AT RONICA'S( family / holmes / elizabeth )
I delegated the responsibility of reading Elizabeth her bedtime story :) By the way, she slept great! I put her to bed at 8:15 and she was asleep by 8:30. We woke up at 8:00 this morning. - Ronica... read more
A VERY ARTSY PICTURE OF ELIZABETH( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Just because I liked it, I’m posting it here! :) ... read more
BIRTHDAY PARTY PICS( family / holmes / elizabeth / birthdays )
Elizabeth’s 3rd birthday. April 2008. 3rd birthday... read more
BIRTHDAY PARTY( family / holmes / elizabeth / birthdays )
Well, Elizabeth's birthday party is this Saturday. She'll be 3, and it'll be her first "real" party. It'll be outside at a covered table next to a playground in a nearby park. I can't tell you here on the Internet exa... read more
GOOD FRIDAY( family / holmes / elizabeth )
It WAS a good Friday. There was nothing religious about it. If you know me at all, that wouldn’t surprise you. I was just reading my previous post and wanted to have something more positive this time. We’re all still ad... read more
FAMILY NEWSLETTER( family / holmes / newsletter )
Old stuff, but some of it's still funny ... It's basically the precursor to this website. Click the links in the table of contents, above. Otherwise, just do a search in the home page's ... read more
FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF DAYCARE( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Elizabeth spent her first official full day at daycare yesterday. The teacher went on and on about how wonderful and good and helpful she was. I say "first official" day because T... read more
RECENT PHOTOS OF ELIZABETH( family / adoption / holmes / elizabeth )
Around the house ... read more
DOCTORS SAY SHE'S NORMAL( family / adoption / holmes )
Tara took Elizabeth to the "international adoption specialist" doctors today for a psychological evaluation and another physical exam. They say she is perfectly average-normal for a girl her age. Of course, that puts her well above avera... read more
LUNCHEON FOR ELIZABETH( family / holmes / elizabeth )
I can’t believe how nice my coworkers at Franklin are. On Friday, they had a luncheon at work for Elizabeth and Tara. They invited me, too. :) Great food, several gifts, and the biggest surprise: a money tree. Tara and I were s... read more
BABY SHOWER( family / adoption / holmes )
Tara’s female family and friends threw Elizabeth a baby shower last weekend. I was the only man there. The only reason I went was so that any other men showing up wouldn’t be the only man. Oh well. I was able to get a lot o... read more
PETS PAGE( family / pets )
columns... read more
SETTLING IN( family / holmes / elizabeth )
I just thought I’d mention that Elizabeth is settling into her new life pretty well. Tara is her full-time parent, I just appear after work and on weekends. :) Even then, it’s Tara who does most of the work. Elizabeth ... read more
SUMMARY OF OUR RUSSIAN ADOPTION EXPERIENCE( family / adoption / holmes )
Fill out this adoption video permission form to get accessTo sum it all up: We love our daughter. Elizabeth is a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent little ... read more
STAY TUNED( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
I hope to get the rest of the photos and videos on here, at least in raw form, over the next few days. I think I’m getting over my post traumatic stress disorder from the trip and can now face looking at the video again. :)... read more
MORE PICS (12/28/2007)( family / holmes / elizabeth )
Elizabeth likes bows in her hair ... read more
A FEW PICTURES( family / adoption / holmes )
Finally, some pictures of Elizabeth. They’re not even the latest, but it should hold you over if you’ve never seen her before. ... read more
WE'RE HOME! (FOR GOOD, THIS TIME)( family / adoption / holmes )
And now I’m going to bed! :) I’ll blog tomorrow.... read more
RIDING THE METRO, PART DEUX( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
All three of us went to Red Square this time. I’m glad Tara was able to see it. Elizabeth was fascinated, too, but probably won’t remember a thing. ... read more
RIDING THE METRO( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We’re going to attempt to ride the Metro subway to Red Square today. Wish us luck. The exits aren’t numbered, they are listed by name ... in Cyrillic. ... read more
STILL IN MOSCOW( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We’re in a different hotel, the Holiday Inn - Moscow Sokolniki, for the rest of our stay. This is the one that was originally re... read more
TO THE EMBASSY( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Our last stop before the airport on the magical mystery tour is the ... read more
CAN'T LEAVE EARLY( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
... but at least it’s all over. The Embassy visit went fine. Delta said that the only way we could take the available seats on earlier flights was to pay $2800 extra FOR EACH ticket. We said no. Unless someone wants to dona... read more
MOSCOW UPDATE CONTINUED( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We’re in Moscow.Bill already summarized our trip here. I do believe that I am fully initiated into the sisterhood of Mothers. I have changed an exploding poopy diaper in an airplane bathroom, with turbulence! I’ll spare you... read more
UPDATE TO THE UPDATE'S UPDATE( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
I went ahead and paid for the 24-hour internet connection from the room. It wasn’t even double the cost of one hour. I also swapped out the flaky cable and that seems to have fixed the connection problem. Wrong. I had to c... read more
JUST ANOTHER WEEK TO GO( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
... maybe less! That cheers me up. That’s assuming everything goes as planned ... and it WILL. I believe in positive thinking (when I’m desperate, anyway, because it leads to positive actions, which lead to positive results... read more
PICTURES OF OUR LIFE IN ASTRAKHAN( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Tonight is our last night in Astrakhan. So, I thought I’d post some pictures of where we’ve been living for the past 19 days. We’ve had many battles over clothing. She thinks I put too much clothes on her. In the ho... read more
BACK IN MOSCOW (12/18/2007)( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We made it this far! The plane ride was terrible for several minutes when we had to fasten our seat belts, which Elizabeth did not want to do. She SCREAMED loudly for quite a while, ticking off everyone nearby. Luckily, part of it ... read more
51-1/2 HOURS( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
That's how long before we leave Astrakhan for Moscow. Not that we're counting or anything. The bad thing about these in-country flights is that they don't use "jetways," those expandable tubes that protect you from the weathe... read more
HERE'S YOUR UPDATE( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Everyone is wanting an update! Well, we’re parents of a two-year-old now. No time for updates!She is keeping us busy. Her favorite things to do are: play in the sink, play in the tub, and play in the toilet. She is a waterba... read more
SLEEP, WHAT A CONCEPT( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
I slept on the floor most of last night. It’s a little after 7 a.m. here. Elizabeth refuses to sleep in her crib, even though we’re told that’s what she slept in at the orphanage. So, she sleeps with us in our bed. That... read more
NOTHING MUCH TO UPDATE ABOUT( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
She’s just driving us crazy. Luckily, Tara is taking the brunt of it. I had to get out and walk around town in the freezing cold, just for the sake of getting out. I was at least useful, coming back with some groceries. Eli... read more
BOWEL MOVEMENT( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
I like a headline that demands attention!It’s official, I’m a parent. Elizabeth had her first bowel movement since we’ve had her, and it was on my watch! Tara was unable to put Elizabeth down for a nap while... read more
MORE PICTURES (12-09-2007)( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Here are some photos from today of the hotel and the closest major street to us. We didn’t get very far on our walk because it was too cold. ... read more
THE FIRST HOURS OF PARENTHOOD( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Oh my gosh! She’s a handful!Well, we left the orphanage without much incident. She told the orphanage staff that she wanted to leave in the car. But, she refused to let me or Bill hold her hand or touch her other than put he... read more
SHE'S OURS( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We have her in the hotel now. I tried typing that sentence earlier but she shut the computer down as I wa... read more
PICTURE OF US BEFORE COURT( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We visited Elizabeth again today. We caught her when she was in the music room with all the other kids in... read more
SHE'S WARMING UP TO US( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We had her laughing, smiling and giggling today. I pushed her around on the three-wheeler, then flew her around the room. She even let us chase her around, and it didn't scare her when I chased her!... read more
IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD WEEK( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
That’s all I wanted to say. :)
We had a shortened visit with Elizabeth today because we had to fir... read more
SATURDAY MORNING( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Tara made a good guess earlier. She thinks the orphanage caretakers are telling Elizabeth that we will be... read more
BEET SALAD( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
The time stamp on these blog posts are in US Central Time, not Russia time. It’s 6am ... read more
THE DAY AFTER( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Well, we’re much more relaxed now that we’ve gotten past the court appearance. The problem now is... read more
MUCH BETTER VISIT TODAY( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Elizabeth (a.k.a. "Masha") was much happier ... read more
WENT FOR A WALK( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
...... in the freezing cold, we were THAT bored. I’m starting to hate this place. There’s just no... read more
SUCCESS!( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
As you probably read below in Tara’s post, our court appearance went very well. Ten days from now we ... read more
AND THE JUDGE SAYS...( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
She’s ours!It’s official! Elizabeth is ours. The court hearing went very smooth. It took about an hour and a half. There was a judge, prosecutor, a rep from the Child protective services, and the Minister of Education. T... read more
IT'S SHOWTIME!( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We leave in an hour for Court. I just got back from breakfast. Tara did not join me because she can’t eat, she’s so nervous. Gotta go get dressed. Wish us luck!... read more
RUSSIAN BUREAUCRACY( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Oh ... my ... God. Do not EVER lose that document they have you fill out on the plane before you land! Stapling it to your forehead would be less painful than what Galina, Liena and I went through today. Vika was tending to the oth... read more
RUSSIAN ADOPTION CONSULTANT( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
I’ve taken a job here as a Russian adoption consultant. The hours are long, and the pay is in barter, but you gotta do what you gotta do, seein’ as how I can’t leave the country. :)But seriously, the ... read more
COMMENTS WELCOME( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
I set this blog so that you can now add your comments anonymously without logging in. So, comment away! I was afraid that the requirement for a login was keeping people from participating. Now you can go crazy because you’re an... read more
BACK IN ASTRAKHAN( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We made it to Astrakhan, but I’ve lost my immigration form that goes with the passport and visa. It’s just a little sheet that they have you fill out on the airplane before you land. If I’d known it was so important, I ... read more
IN THE AIR AGAIN( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Sunday, November 25, 2007, 5:00pm CSTWe're in the air on our way back to Moscow. Delta Flight 46. The current in-flight movie is "Evan Almighty," which we saw on one of our other flights to or from Moscow last time. You know, when... read more
MWEH YEDDUM V AEROPORT ETA OOTRA( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
You probably guessed what that means: We are going to the aiport this morning. It’s probably not grammatically correct, but I ain’t got no time for linguistic correctitude. :)Unlike last time when the cat kept waking me ... read more
TUESDAY (11/27/2007)( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Time flies when you lose nine hours. We fly to Astrakhan this afternoon. This morning, we’ll be having the free breakfast that the hotel offers. Then we’ll exchange our dollars for rubles (before the dollar devalues even mo... read more
BACK IN MOSCOW (11/26/2007)( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We made it. The flight was horrible. I think I slept about 30 seconds out of the 11 hour flight. It was not a full flight, and half the people around us were able to take up two or three seats, but we weren’t quick enough. The ... read more
INTERNET ACCESS( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
I’m wondering about internet access now that we’ve tentatively planned to stay in a weekly apartment in Astrakhan instead of the hotel the entire time. We’ll probably want/need that internet access for the sake of somet... read more
ELIZABETH'S ROOM( family / adoption / holmes )
OK, here are the pictures:Before ... read more
SKORA MWEH TAM BOOJUM( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Translation: "We'll be there soon." This time next week, actually. I really want to be able to communicate with our daughter Elizabeth when we get there. I've been playing ... read more
ROUND TWO( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We’ve received our court date. We’re haggling with the airlines now. One round-trip ticket for one adult costs a little over $800. One one-way ticket for our daughter’s flight home with us costs $1,600!! I suggested jus... read more
BACK IN ATLANTA( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We’re in the Atlanta airport now! Good to be on US soil, except that they keep mentioning George Bush (... as in the Houston Airport). :) It’s 1:45a.m. Moscow time right now (5:45p.m. EDT), but I’m not tired. I’m an... read more
WE'RE HOME( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
OK, now we're home! I'll try and do a trip summary tomorrow after a good night's sleep ... in my own bed. Tara says she feels like Dorothy, "There's no place like home!"... read more
ANOTHER GREAT VISIT( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We're feeling closer and closer to our child, especially after today. And I think we passed "the test" of having the psychologist there, observing. She was pretty cool, actually. She didn't stay the entire visit. I think she coul... read more
THURSDAY IN ASTRAKHAN( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
First things first: Our little girl is warming up to Tara. She gave her a kiss yesterday, I think without even being asked. Now, for some more random thoughts:Before I forget to mention it, I need to tell you what happened T... read more
LAST VISIT FOR A WHILE( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We'll be leaving in a few minutes for our last visit to the orphanage this trip. I'm practicing asking for my baggage back from the hotel baggage room. Baggage actually sounds like "boggage." "Please" is pa-ZHAL-sta. Fascinating,... read more
WEDNESDAY IN ASTRAKHAN( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We just got back from today’s first visit with the child (we’re not supposed to mention her name online). We’ll be going back this afternoon. In the meantime, Tara’s trying to catch up on her sleep. She had... read more
SIGHTS OF ASTRAKHAN( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
I’m attaching pictures we made of Astrakhan and our room. We are staying at the Hotel Azimut in Astrakhan. They are going through major renovations right now. It’s kind of funny to see the interior design mix. The lobby... read more
GREAT VISIT( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We had a great visit with our little girl this morning. There were no observers. That happens this afternoon. Vika mentioned we should think about showing more affection in front of the observers. It’s more in line with how Rus... read more
IT'S A GIRL! IT'S A GIRL!( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Oh My Gosh what a difference 1 day makes! So, we have a beautiful blond-haired, blue-eyed, 2-1-2 year old girl! First, the obvious question: "What happened to the 4 year old boy?" We don't know. After 2 trips to the Minister of E... read more
WHAT A DAY!( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Where to begin... The original plan was for us to go to the Minister of Education and submit our dossier and then formally receive our referral. What really happened:Galina called the ministry this morning only to find out t... read more
WE'RE IN ASTRAKHAN( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
After a nerve-wracking trip to the airport and getting through the airport security we finally made it to our plane. We were told that our Rep, Galina, would be flying with us. We never saw her until we were already on the plane. S... read more
CHECK-OUT TIME( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We check out in an hour.
We got a nice free breakfast this morning, then went back to that grocery store and managed to pay the right amount for t... read more
IT'S ONLY MONDAY?( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Monday - 1 Oct 07 - 6:37PMzzzDRAHST-vueet-ya, DRAHST-ya, BREEV-yet ee DO-bree-dyen from Astrakhan! I just (phonetically) said "Hello, hey, hi and good afternoon" (even though it's now evening here) in Russian. I couldn't remem... read more
FIRST TIME IN MOSCOW( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Well, we made it to Moscow!After a long plane trip, we managed to get through passport control and customs with no problems. And all of our luggage made it!Our CHI Rep and driver were late getting to the airport and we were w... read more
ADOPTION VIDEOS( family / adoption / holmes / videos )
OK, so it took a year, but here they are, finally: ... read more
LINKS TO ALL HOLMES FAMILY ADOPTION POSTS( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
This Time Next Week
Prepar... read more
WE'RE IN MOSCOW( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
We’ll be spending the night in Moscow, after all, and flying down to Astrakhan tomorrow afternoon. I was stressed out without an internet or even a usable power connection. But I’m obviously connected now. I had the pow... read more
IN THE AIR( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
28 Sept - 3:55pm CDT - We're in the air on our way to Moscow. A little bit of good news is that it's "only" a 10 hour flight instead of 12 as we had thought.... read more
TUESDAY (10/2/2007)( family / adoption / holmes / travel )
Just some random notes this morningThere’s a real stray dog problem in Russian cities; or, at least Moscow and Astrakhan. A lot of people even apparently let their dogs run loose. They’re almost all large dogs. ... read more
THE DAY BEFORE( family / adoption / holmes )
Sounds like a movie title. Anyway, it’s Thursday morning. ... read more
TRAVEL DAY( family / adoption / holmes )
We fly out today. It would’ve been nice to have gotten one last good night’s sleep, but the cat made sure that didn’t happen. Stupid cat. Anyone want one? Seriously. She’s very pretty; and sweet when she’s not k... read more
PREPARATION FOR OUR FIRST TRIP TO RUSSIA( family / adoption / holmes )
Tuesday morning. Everyone’s still asleep except for me, the pug Joey and the cat Sunny. In preparation for our trip, I’m trying to reacquaint myself with the digital cameras, ... read more
THIS TIME NEXT WEEK( family / adoption / holmes )
I’m happy to say that this time next week, we will be in Astrakhan, Russia! We leave the States on Friday, September 28 and arrive in Moscow on the 29th. Depending upon the schedule of the flights to Astrakhan, we may have to s... read more
OUR FIRST (AND BEST-EVER) DOG, DAISY( family / holmes / pets )
Daisy graduates! Pic One, Picture from earlier that day! Previous pictures: One and ... read more
ALL ABOUT DON( family / holmes )
Music by a brotherSee Music by a brotherConan Our cat Conan died of a kidney infection today (we had to have him put down). We had him 18-1/2 years. He seems to have known... read more
DOUG AND FAMILY PAGE( family / holmes / doug )
Doug sells power tools Doug 39... read more
ELEANOR AND LIONEL( family / holmes / lionel )
Eleanor’s back surgery a success! Everyone warned me against back surgery, she says. But, I’d be in a wheelchair now if I hadn’t had surgery! ... read more
ENGAGED... FINALLY!( family / holmes / bill )
Engaged... finally!Tara and I are finally getting married. We’ve felt married, but now we’re making it official, just for the sake of making it official. :) The actual wedding will be August 22, which w... read more
AN EMAIL EXCHANGE( family / holmes / bill )
From: Bill Holmes Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001, 2:59 PMTo: Tara McKinneySubject: rescheduled againBetter not bring any boyfriends home tonight. I’ll be here, after all. It’s been rescheduled for tom... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 8 NO 1( family / holmes / newsletter )
Once in a Blue MoonVol. 8 No. 1, February 1997 A lot has happened since our last newsletter, so let 's just... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 7 NO 1( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Wandering Eye Vol. 7 No. 1, March 19, 1995 We 're back! Sorry it took s... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 7( family / holmes / newsletter )
Yee-Haw The only newsletter we do! Vol. 6, No. 7, December 29, 1994Belinda Has Pupp... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 6( family / holmes / newsletter )
Coyote BreathVol. 6 No. 6, October 26, 1994 Don rides to Denver In August, Don rode ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 5( family / holmes / newsletter )
Behind the Eight Ball Who is that behind the eight ball, anyway? Vol. ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 4( family / holmes / newsletter )
Fish Stories Best when lightly buttered, with just a pinch of lemon. Vol. 6 No. 4June 28, 1994 ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 3( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Obtuse Moose Vol. 6, No. 3, April 21, 1994
Jeannie finds dog
Jeannie and John have... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 2( family / holmes / newsletter )
Falling Down a Manhole (can be quite painful and should be avoided)Vo... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 1( family / holmes / newsletter )
Itchy Trigger FingerVol. 6, No. 1, February 6, 1994Earthquake in Southern California! We 39... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 8( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Happy Hairball (something we keep coughing up) Volume 5, Number 8 December 20, 1993 Publisher: This guy - gt; gt; Editor: Same guy Distributor: Bra... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 7( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Rotten Apple Journalism with visible holesVol.... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 6( family / holmes / newsletter )
Hoot and a HollerVol. 5, No. 6, September 28, 1993 - Nashville editionJournalism at its finest! - Yearly subscri... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 5( family / holmes / newsletter )
the rabblerouser Vol. 5, No. 5, August 8, 1993 Bill moving to Nashville Bill is moving to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue his boyhoo... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 4( family / holmes / newsletter )
Not Just Another NewsletterMONDAY, JULY 19, 1993CIRCULATION: Fro... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 3( family / holmes / newsletter )
A Face in the CrowdVol. 5, No. 3, May 25, 1993 Eleanor Gets License After taking the DMV driving test every year since the age of 16, Eleanor has finally passed and been give... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 2( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Sacred CowVol. 5, No. 2, March 15, 1993 Dad sucked from plane! Well, almost. And it was ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 1( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Stupid Kangaroo Vol. 5, No. 1, February 1, 1993 Editor 's Note... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 8( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Leaping Lizard Vol. 4, No. 8, October 20, 1992 EDITOR 'S NOTE ... After Grandma '... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 7( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Belching Frog Vol. 4, No. 7, September 16, 1992 Thomas should like this name. ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 6( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Barking Dog Vol. 4 No. 6, July 22, 1992 "Who names these newsletters, anyway?" earthquakes, earthquakes! ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 5( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Broken Record Vol. 4, No. 5, June 25, 1992 Predictable, irritating. Really, no redeeming qualities what... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 4( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Squeaky Sprocket Vol. 4, No. 4, May 11, 1992 The intelligent person's ne... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 3( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 3, March 18, 1992 More of the same, basically. Doug ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 2( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 2, February 13, 1992 The quintessential newsletter. Warni... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 1( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 1, January 4, 1992 Everything you 've ever wanted to know about ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 8( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Leaky Faucet Vol. 3, No. 8, December 10, 1991 Steve Denise host Thanksgiving Turke... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 7( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Leaky Faucet Vol. 3, No. 7, October 14, 1991 Mike lands great job! Michael has been ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 6( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Leaky Faucet Irritating, yet soothing. Obnoxious, yet hypnotic Vol. 3, No. 6, July 30, 19... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 5( family / holmes / newsletter )
NEWS Vol. 3, No. 5, July 6, 1991 Northern California's leading newsletter since 1989 (except for those few months when we were Southern Ca... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 4( family / holmes / newsletter )
the Evening Star Post-Tribune Dispatch (we couldn 't decide on a name) Vol. 3, No. 4, June 4, 1991 Bikers ride to Yosemite On Mother's Day... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 3( family / holmes / newsletter )
and now...THE NEWS Vol. 3, No. 3 (yes, only No. 3 ) April 26, 1991 Do... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 2( family / holmes / newsletter )
the NEWSLETTER Vol. 3, No. 2 February 10, 1991 It's a girl... and a boy and... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 1( family / holmes / newsletter )
news from La-La Land HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Vol. 3, No. 1, January 4, 1991 Newsle... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 15( family / holmes / newsletter )
NEWS, ETC. Vol. 2, No. 15, December 18, 1990 Christmas Issue Lucy to Ho... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 14( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Daily Gargoyle Vol. 2, No. 14, November 16, 199... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 13( family / holmes / newsletter )
Hometown NewsVol. 2, No. 13, October 20, 1990Editor's Note: This is most definitely the last issue. Bill graduates! After... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 12( family / holmes / newsletter )
The Newsletter Vol. 2 No. 12, September 17, 1990 Your Only News... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 11( family / holmes / newsletter )
the NEWSLETTER Vol. 2, No. 11, August 13, 1990 Doug makes ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 10( family / holmes / newsletter )
Things You Need To Know Vol. 2, No. 10, July 16, 1990 Pioneer Portuguese n... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 9( family / holmes / newsletter )
WORLD NEWS Award-Winning Journalism Vol. 2, No. 9, June 14, 1990 ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 8( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol. 2, No. 8 Anniversary Issue May 25, 1990... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 7( family / holmes / newsletter )
the NEWS Vol. 2, No. 7, May 1, 1990Editor's Note: We would like to apologize for t... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 6( family / holmes / newsletter )
the NEWS Vol. 2, No. 6, April 16, 1990Back in spite of popular demand. WORL... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 5( family / holmes / newsletter )
Big News Other Stuff Vol. 2, No. 5 Yeah, another new name. March ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 4( family / holmes / newsletter )
Billy ClubA newsletter for the 90's and beyond! News That Hits You Over The Head ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 3( family / holmes / newsletter )
Billy Club Vol. 2, No. 3, February 8, 1990 aka Bullseye, Hard Copy, The Holmes Fa... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 2( family / holmes / newsletter )
Bullseye Vol. 2, No. 2, January 26, 1990 formerly known as Hard Copy; before that, The Holm... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 1( family / holmes / newsletter )
HARD COPY Vol. 2, No. 1 Hard-Hitting Journalism January 3, 1990 formerly... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 10( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol. 1, No. 10 - Worldwide Circulation - Decembe... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 9( family / holmes / newsletter )
A Newsletter With A Mission In Life! Vol. 1, No. 9 Worldwi... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 8( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol. 1, No. 8, October 23, 1989 earthquake! ... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 7( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol. 1, No. 7, October 5, 1989 Let's face it, these things... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 6( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol. 1, No. 6a, September 17, 1989 Ever... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 5( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol. 1, No. 5, September 5, 1989 Jeannie breaks elbow... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 4( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol. 1, No. 4, August 1, 1989 Largest Tri-Weekly Newsletter Cir... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 3( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol. 1 No. 3, July, 1989 Editor's Note: Due to profa... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 2( family / holmes / newsletter )
June 23, 1989 - Vol. 1, No. 2 - Since 1989 Editor's Note: This may be t... read more
HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 1( family / holmes / newsletter )
Vol. 1, No. 1, Since 1989 May 25, 1989 Editor's Note: T... read more