Happy holidays!

Sunday night we watched the 22nd annual “A Home for the Holidays” on CBS, hosted by Gayle King and produced by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, and I will tell you, I wasn’t the only one sitting on our sofa, crying. The show tells the story of families created through foster-adoption, and every year when I watch it, I’m overwhelmed with a feeling of absolute gratitude for how adoption has transformed my life and our family, and for being part of what I think of as my tribe, my people, my adoption community. I’ll never stop counting my blessings. Happy holidays from my family to yours! ~ Jessica, Tim, Olivia and Mateo (ages 18 and 16). PS: The kids are standing on a fence post behind us. They’re tall, but not that tall! 😉

Review in New York Journal of Books

I’m thrilled and honored to have my novel reviewed by Paul LaRosa in “New York Journal of Books.” Here’s a short excerpt. Please click on the link here to read the entire review. I’m especially grateful to LaRosa for noting the complexity of what I was striving for with Mother Mother. And because he mentioned my memoir, Mamalita, describing it as “page-turning.” How amazing to read that. This is where O’Dwyer uses a storytelling device that elevates Mother Mother. The author doesn’t merely have Julie and the reader imagine what happened. She switches gears to tell the story of how Juan came to fall into the adoption process, and it is a harrowing tale. Suffice it to say that Guatemala was, during much of its recent history, a very violent country. Its citizens are still poor and ripe for abuse. The photo above is of three friends and me in Guatemala, maybe two years ago, on a day we climbed a (small-ish) mountain near Antigua and finished with an impromptu poetry reading. In the Acknowledgment section of Mother Mother, I thank these three–Susan, Gretchen, and Wende–“who are as obsessed with Guatemalan history as I am.” One of these years, we may be able to return to Guatemala for another reunion. In the meantime, please read Paul LaRosa’s review. It’s really good!

18!

Olivia is 18! We celebrated Covid-style, in our house with just us four (five including Charlie). I’m proud of the young woman Olivia has become: strong-willed and independent, perceptive and artistic. I stand in awe of Olivia’s quiet self-confidence, her ability to navigate any situation, her willingness to see the best in others. May this be the beginning of a beautiful adulthood. We love you, Liv!