Here's my family, starting on the far left with Katherine, who's 12. Then comes Elizabeth, almost 14. She's next to my husband, Tom Gagen, who's beside me.   Also in our family is my stepson, Jonathan, who's 24. He now lives and works in Manhattan. Jonathan was 7 when I married Tom. He turned 11 while we were in China, adopting Elizabeth and was almost 13 when we adopted Katherine. Jonathan has been a wonderful big brother!   Now . . .   Then . . .   Our pets are important family members. Here's Pepper, our 6 year old black Lab, with Katherine.   Pepper works outside of the home. He's my co-therapist in my psychotherapy practice. Pepper helps people relax and feel welcome. At various times, he's been called "Dr. Pepper," "Pepperoni," "Pepsi," "Peps," and "The Pep."   Our family also has 4 cats! Starting at the top and going clockwise, here's Mango, Tiger, Pounce and Callie.   Elizabeth and Mango   In the summer of 2004, we returned to China with a group of other adoptive families. We went to Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Wuhan and Shanghai. In Wuhan, we visited the girls' orphanage. It was an amazing trip! Here we are at The Great Wall.   In Tiananmen Square, the kids flew kites!   Elizabeth with her kite.   It was 103 degrees in the Forbidden City! Katherine stayed cool with her fan and her Red Sox hat.   A great journey!         I started writing my first book, Hand Me Down Dreams, in 1973. This was so long ago, I used a typewriter!   Hand Me Down Dreams was published in 1981. Little did I know that 24 years later, my own daughter would be reading my book!   When Dreams was released, I was in graduate school, studying pet therapy with teenagers. My co-therapist and co-investigator was my dog, Toffy. He helped me with my research at a boys' detention center. Toffy also worked with me at my group home for adolescents.   When I graduated, I awarded Toffy his own, honorary diploma!   Three years later, Toffy and I met Tom and Jonathan. Tom and I got married in 1989 and flew to China to adopt Elizabeth in 1993, Katherine in 1995. Meanwhile, I started to write children's books. In 2000, I published Mommy Far, Mommy Near: An Adoption Story. My whole family was proud of Mommy Far!   Elizabeth was 8 that spring and Katherine was 6. Mommy Far, Mommy Near was very much their story!   That spring, we went to lots of adoption gatherings and conferences, doing readings and signings.   Perhaps the most meaningful moment with Mommy Far came in July of 2004 when we went to Wuhan, China. We were able to find Li Guang Hui, the former director of our daughters' orphanage. I gave her and her interpreter copies of Mommy Far. "Director Li," as we still call her, is in the middle of the picture.   I showed Director Li the acknowledgment page, where I thank her, and the picture that's based on her.   It was a powerful moment that I'll always remember.   Mommy Far, Mommy Near was published the spring of 2000. That fall, the day after Thanksgiving, our family went to Plimoth Plantation. We got there very early and a nice interpretative guide spent a lot of time with Elizabeth and Katherine. First she taught them how to "fetch hay."   Then the guide took the girls to the back of one of the small houses, where the girls found a cat!   As I watched my daughters admire the cat, I suddenly wondered: Did cats come over on the Mayflower??? An idea was born!   The Pilgrim Cat   Much later, after I'd researched and written Pilgrim Cat, I met my illustrator, Doris Ettlinger, at Plimoth Plantation. After we explored Plimoth, we went to the Mayflower II. We took very detailed photographs that Doris could use for her historically accurate sketches. We became good friends.   Pilgrim Cat came out in time for Thanksgiving 2004. The spring before Pilgrim Cat was published, we adopted two new kittens. Katherine named the striped kitten "Pounce" in honor of the cat in my book.