Bread and Honey

Celebrations as Triggers

2012-01-25T10:28:00.001-05:00

One of the things I wish I had known when I brought my children home from Ethiopia is that speical events would be a major trigger for our kids for the first year they were home. A special event is something out of routine: any holiday or event or celebration that people get excited about or put time into preparing for or talk about ahead of time. I first clued into this when it was time

My dad is gone

2012-01-18T18:13:00.000-05:00

Patrick Henry Walker, Sr. died peacefully at home with his loved ones early Wednesday morning, January 18, 2012. He went to join his beloved granddaughter Anna Walker, great-niece Lona Nadal, and daughter-in-law Sue Walker who have been busy getting a party in Heaven ready for him. Pat was an excellent and gentle husband, and a good father. Pat was born on April 14, 1931 in Hazelton, PA to

How to Change the World

2012-01-14T11:48:00.001-05:00

It's easier to be overcome with compassion fatigue if you're paying any attention at all to world news. Or rather, 'misery-at-realizing-the-ineffectiveness-of-our-range-of-responses fatigue.' (Seriously, if you ever feel overwhelmed with the state of the world, take some time to read the article at the other end of that link.) Even if you limit your intake to national news, there are a whole

Your Work ≠ Your Job Description

2012-01-13T08:21:00.001-05:00

This morning as I drove my daughter to school, we were talking about her work schedule. She is working at Panera for some teenage cash flow. She often works until close, which means she gets to clean the bathrooms at the end of the day. I said, "You're going to get really good at cleaning bathrooms." She shrugged. I told her about my days working on a nuclear power plant construction site.

My new theory: the natural conservation of Fine

2012-01-06T08:56:00.003-05:00

Note: I created a song on the way home from dropping Jordan at school, then I got in the shower and this stream was unleashed. I'm too shy to share the raw song, so you get this. Hot off the brainwaves, people. Let’s say that about 50 percent of my life is Fine, and about 50 percent of it is Not So Fine. Because I grew up in this American culture built on a strange combination of

Stop Trying So Hard

2012-01-05T10:55:00.003-05:00

I'm 50 years old and just beginning to see a few things clearly. I tried to hard to give my first three children a better life than mine, or at least, a better childhood than my childhood... less rules, more fun, good food, good books, many songs, hugs and words of love. My childhood wasn't so bad, but I grew up with a lot of loneliness. I so wanted my kids to know they were not alone.

My Plan to Occupy Christmas

2011-11-30T07:24:00.001-05:00

Here's my question: people complain about commercialized Christmas and how crazy Christmas shopping is, but do they Step Away from the Cash Register? Over the years, I have learned that family members and friends care more about expressions of love and gifts of time than anything you could possibly buy for them in a store. If you ask my five siblings about their favorite Christmas

more greens, more water, more walks, and this

2011-11-16T13:26:00.001-05:00

Simple Meals for the Busy Family

2011-10-04T11:01:00.002-04:00

aka Grab-n-Go or the Four Bin Food System A healthy, eco-friendly alternative to depending on fast food restaurants in the age of travel soccer I have four athletic kids. Three of them are on travel soccer teams. Three different teams. And one is a senior in high school who plays varsity volleyball and lacrosse. We have practices and/or games almost every day of the week in the fall. Plus

Instead of painting a room while Laird is away...

2011-10-02T13:12:00.000-04:00

...I have updated my blog. Ms. Reality Check (I visit her in the mirror) said to me, "Face it, Ms. Soccer-x3-Volleyball-Scientist Mom, you do not have the time-energy-discipline to Write That Book. Good ideas, yeah, but writing a book and getting it published is a Huge Project, huger than a PhD, Sweetie, so until your kids # 4, 5 and 6 are in college, you need to put that thing on hold." Now, I

For Struggling Parents

2011-09-30T12:56:00.002-04:00

This letter is an expression of my grief. This letter is written with love and hope for parents who are having a hard time loving (and/or liking) the child(ren) in their family. Dear Parents who are struggling with children who don't behave as you expected, Please do not use food as reward or punishment. Please do not lock your child in isolation. Please do not withhold attention for long

This little illumination of mine, I'm gonna let it shine

2011-04-03T20:05:00.005-04:00

It's taken me thirty years to formulate a succint answer for why I refuse to believe there is "only one right way" to G-d. I believed for most of my teen years that a certain brand of Christianity was the only right way to G-d, and that it was my duty to tell others that, and especially to point out to them when their choices were bad and sinful and not part of that one right way. When I was 20,

emotions are your internal weather

2011-04-01T11:10:00.003-04:00

Here are a few things I know about weather.1. There is no bad weather, only lack of appropriate clothing.2. Whatever is happening right now will not go on happening forever. It probably won't even be happening for the rest of the day.3. Unpredictable! 4. Weather can really mess up your plans, unless you make a plan for what to do in case of certain kind of weather.5. Sometimes, the weather is a

I heart my feet

2011-03-24T23:41:00.003-04:00

Day eight: a photo of something you enjoy doing.I started my Couch to 5K training program today and will run my first 5K ever on my 50th birthday... in about six weeks. So, I have been thinking about my feet and my shoes a lot over the past couple days. Went to Merrell's website, because I have two pairs of Merrells and they are the most awesome shoes in the world. Comfortable and long-lasting,

If I were in charge of the world...

2011-03-22T11:38:00.004-04:00

Human Rights would be THE PRIORITY.Day seven: a photo of something you stand for.Anyone who can't lead without treating people with respect and dignity: you lose your privileges. Early bedtime AND no screen time. Forever.

Day six: a photo of someone you love

2011-03-10T09:36:00.003-05:00

Someone I love: God in us. God as in God=Love, God=Peace, God=JoyThe OneThe Divine in Each One of UsThat drive for justice that rises up from deep in the core of each of us.That place in each of our souls that creates music out of suffering, art out of hunger, dance out of nothing, song out of Hope.I have been wondering what discipline to practice for Lent. I have a long list of changes I'd like

Day five: a photo that makes you laugh.

2011-03-08T18:29:00.005-05:00

Bananas.So, this was the Fall of 2009. The kids came here from Ethiopia - two in March and one in July. They ate everything we let them. Three servings if we let them. Big servings. And since all the books said "let them eat," that is what we did. Together, the three of them weighed only a little more than I did, and between the three of them, they ate about nine times what I ate at every

Day four: a photo of a place you'd like to visit

2011-03-02T14:50:00.003-05:00

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. Not because I wanted to step on the moon, but because I wanted to see earth from out there.But now, that trip breaks my Rule of Reasonable Carbon Footprint for Sustainable Travel. I really think we should invest our money and fuel and intelligence on reducing our use of limited resources, and teaching people how to live responsibly and

Day three: a photo that makes you happy.

2011-03-02T08:25:00.004-05:00

This is Thanksgiving Day 2010. My whole family in my sweet home, plus my aunt and a friend. Tegan made a superb dinner, and even delegated some of the work to others. Everyone was having a good day. This... is the good life.

day 2

2011-02-25T22:05:00.005-05:00

I know... day 1 was so long ago. It took me that long to organize all my pictures. Not really. I gave up.So here is day 2, because I'm nothing if I'm not tenacious. A photo of myself at least a year ago.April 2009. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Where people are more important than things. More important than productivity. More important than clocks. More important than property. Where people look

A month of photos, day 1

2011-02-12T14:06:00.004-05:00

Me.This is the most recent picture I have of me. I don't have many of me, because I am usually the one taking the pictures.I'm sitting in my dining room. I painted the walls "Fresh Pear" in October when Laird was away for three weeks. It was bold; could have turned out to be really too much. I was sick of my dining room having too much clutter and all the walls were white and dirty except for the

Comfort

2011-02-12T11:08:00.004-05:00

Woke up this morning - it's a new day. This video given to me yesterday via facebook (thanks, Alison!) had fermented in my brain along with all the great fish oils from the sushi we ate yesterday and helped shape my overnight thoughts. Not to mention the french fry grease. And the lack of sleep. (But that's another post.)Tenderest video I have ever seen. Whenever I am finding it hard to like

Not Feeling It Anymore

2010-10-11T23:58:00.003-04:00

We all know that money, don't buy you loveYou just get a job and somewhere to liveYou have to look for happiness, within yourselfAnd don't go chasin' thinkin' that it is somewhere else-Van MorrisonHere's what I'm not feeling anymore:my jobspending my life energysupporting Coalthe burning of coalthe mining of coalsure, we fund research that finds waysto burn it cleanerbut seriouslyI would GLADLY

The Next Generation

2010-10-10T00:18:00.002-04:00

Gives me Hope!My daughter, Tegan, is raising funds for her semester abroad in Costa Rica.My nephew, Jake, is raising funds to launch his company which creates game applications for mobile phones that encourage recycling and teach users about environmental issues.

Our Energy Plan: Just Add Umph

2010-06-20T06:58:00.009-04:00

Here is a list of our family's efforts to use less of the fossil fuel(s): (1) We are still without a dryer since it broke three or so months ago... the "solar dryer" (aka clothesline) is working fine even with six people in our house. I usually wash one load in the evening, hang it out in the morning, take it down in the evening. (2) We try to ride our bikes when we go downtown, especially

miles 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9

2010-02-28T20:06:00.002-05:00

we skied to the HolyChurch of the Snowy Woodssang Hallelujah to the skyfound redemption

we interrupt this poem to bring you this important message

2010-02-27T00:42:00.003-05:00

mile 4breaking trailthrough three feet of powderafter hours of drivingsnow drifted roadsincluding helping out an oil-thirsty Volvowe skied one mileof course, we could have driven a mere 15 minutesto ski for three hours at the amazingly snowy Cooper's Rockbut by golly we had planned for a day at Whitegrasswith dear friends up from North Carolinaand we were going to get our full van thereuntil the

mile 2 and mile 3

2010-02-25T21:45:00.002-05:00

mile 2I walk away from work on the trailbeyond the place where the snow plow stoppedfenced in on government propertywith lots of treesjust up the hill from the riveracross which is the mouth of a coal mineoh industryit's not quietbut I am stillanimal tracks in the snowto and frommy commitment to comfortable shoespays offfor the first time in monthsit seemsI feel the pound of my heartin my headI

poem in progress

2010-02-23T14:29:00.005-05:00

40 miles for Lentg-d saiddon’t give upanything for megirl, you need to give ingive in to yougive to youI want you to walk40 miles not for mefor youwalk 40 miles for youremember who you aremile 1almost a week after Ash WednesdayI am a slugfor five days I have been intendingpretendingexcusing myself from myselfjustifying my sluggy wayswith the noblest of justificationswork children sleep foodtrue,

Really

2010-01-24T14:39:00.005-05:00

Got a new haircut. Well, actually, I did it. I took the buzzers, and I went at it. Then Laird helped. And it is not pretty. But, it was free. And fast. And easy. And it is real. Picture later. Which leads me to Becky's post. Read it.And after that, go read the one about the party she and Brandy had where everyone wore wedding dresses or bride's maid dresses. The plan some kinda real,

Holy Organic Underwear!!!!

2009-10-29T08:26:00.005-04:00

My daughter, Tegan, organized this event at Va Tech:That day, spurred on by a website called 350, people all over the world worked to raise awareness about Climate Change. Check out this video of 15,000 people in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Tegan sent her picture in to PACT, and they sent her some awesome underwear. It is manufactured with cradle-to-cradle philosophy. Every part of the process has

The Power of Unity

2009-10-23T21:28:00.002-04:00

And the power of intention. On Monday, the team I am leading is going to start doing the work for which I hired them. I had to pull together all kinds of papers and supplies and approvals and agreements from government and contract people who are all up to their ears in end-of contract transition to make this happen. I love that my manager trusted me to do this. I love that having a positive

I Believe In Radical Collaboration

2009-10-09T11:02:00.004-04:00

“I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly the things we hold in our hearts, and that too often are said only behind closed doors,” the president said then. “There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, to seek common ground.”Congratulations, President Obama, on winning the Nobel Peace Prize. There are people

A Short

2009-09-24T23:27:00.001-04:00

Forever's Not So Long

Another Good Reason

2009-09-22T22:06:00.000-04:00

Now is the Season for Action

2009-09-21T21:15:00.000-04:00

Secret to Soccer

2009-08-29T23:15:00.005-04:00

Ball touches.The more you touch that ball, the better you know it. If you touch it enough, you will know exactly how big it is, and how it responds to the different ways you touch it. There is NO WAY to get good at soccer without really getting to know that ball. Spending time with it, with and without other friends. To really love it and want to help it get to its goal. To share it, let it

forever schmorever

2009-06-19T16:07:00.003-04:00

Just a little note today to question a well-worn term in the adoptive community (generally EXTREMELY careful with their words) that makes me bristle. Yes, forever folks, I have to quesiton the use of the term Forever Family. It's not just that I don't like it, or that it doesn't resonate with me. Maybe it is because at one time I was pregnant unexpectedly and considered making an adoption plan

Check it off

2009-06-02T17:35:00.003-04:00

My niece wrote about being addicted to to-do lists. We are related. There is something about lists in our genes.I am also a to-do addict. A do-do-do addict for short. I used to have three calendars. Just for personal stuff. Ridiculous. Work is work. Of course I have a calendar there, and a post-it note list of what I am working on. Not too hard to keep track of. I am blessed with a job

A Start

2009-05-26T10:27:00.005-04:00

Yes, we are back from Ethiopia. I spent four weeks there, and got out of a lot of habits. It's been a month since then. It's a whole new world, but still has pieces missing since Helen was unable to come home with us (I'm still mad at the CDC). I'm going back to pick her up in another month. Hopefully. Everyone loves the boys and they are doing really well. Thank you to everyone who has

Three beautiful hours of sleep

2009-03-25T09:57:00.004-04:00

We're leaving in two hours.I am not ready.I have everything I need. Good traveling companions. Open heart. Arms waiting to hug me.It's the paradox of life on earth - not ready, and yet, able. Amazing adaptable human beings.It's the biggest love journey I have ever been given. Everything I've ever experienced has prepared me for this. This one journey. I am breathing. I am being. I am

In memory

2009-03-18T08:49:00.004-04:00

Haregewoin TeferraHere is her story.But, if you really want to be inspired to live your best life, read There is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene. This book will teach you the history of Ethiopia, the history of HIV/AIDS, but best of all, the story of this gracious woman who thought all was lost when her daughter died, but then went on to love and provide for many, many orphaned

Put your hands in the air!

2009-03-08T12:49:00.005-04:00

So... I can't really believe how long my to do list is. Seriously, I am the mistress of lists. I make lists like nobody's business. With my lists, I can figure out how to get things done that can't be done. So, I am kinda surprised that there are all these things I could have done before we passed court that aren't done yet and now I have to do them along with all of the things that I can do

Konjo means beautiful

2009-03-05T09:02:00.005-05:00

WE PASSED COURT!!!!!!!!!!!!As we say here in West Virginia:YEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!Meet our konjo kids:Abel, Helen, and RedietMore later..... I got peeps to call! And a huge TO DO list that just kicked out of Waiting Mode and into Active Mode.Thank you ALL for your prayers and vibes and love and encouragement!

Beauty

2009-03-05T08:38:00.001-05:00

Note: scroll down and pause the playlist before you press play on the video.

Unfortunately, adoptive parents cannot resort to Pitocin

2009-03-04T08:24:00.008-05:00

Can I just say that this week is C.R.A.W.L.I.N.G? Never have I awakened so many times in one week thinking it is Thursday. No, maybe it is the day before Thursday. Seriously, at this moment, I don't even know for sure that it is Wednesday today because I have so wanted it to be Thursday. Even when I was a know-it-all third-grader one day insisting it was Thursday when it was really Wednesday

Happy mother's day, a few months early

2009-02-23T08:49:00.006-05:00

There's a baby in my house, and her wonderful big brother who is almost three. They are delightful. Their energy is priming the pump for our coming venture in parenting. I am secretly hoping that sweet Liam will let me hold him on my lap and read him a story. Or three. Seven stories, I'd be happy to read him seven stories.I am so grateful to be a mom and to have a wonderful mom. If you want

announcing....

2009-02-20T19:54:00.002-05:00

My blog has now been musicified for your listening enjoyment thanks to Playlist.

I parent teens. What's your superpower?

2009-02-17T21:24:00.004-05:00

This is an entry for me to read whenever I feel frustrated with my very important job as a parent to teens... Encouragement.Keep on showing and telling your love and affection, in whatever way you can. Teens need to know they are loved, and they need to have strong, clear boundaries set and enforced for them. They need your love, they need back-rubs and hugs (when they let you near them). They

It's a small planet

2009-02-12T11:12:00.005-05:00

And now, a message from one of my heroes, Amory Lovins, of Rocky Mountain Institute. Does a Big Economy Need Big Power Plants?And, 207 Benefits of Distributed Resources.

I love my daddy

2009-02-05T16:11:00.004-05:00

I really love this story about the relentless love of a good man. That's What Daddies Do by Mary over at Owlhaven.

A holy night

2009-02-03T22:45:00.008-05:00

Christmas in Lalibela, Ethiopia.BBC slide showSmithsonian Magazine article

My Mom is a Teacher

2009-01-30T22:19:00.001-05:00

What teachers make.

Letting Ani speak for me today

2009-01-25T13:28:00.003-05:00

Laird and I were blown away by this song last night listening to Mountain Stage.A glorious hymn to the atom by Ani DiFranco.Better sound here from her cd "Red Latter Year". You can also hear it here as part of the archived podcast of her January 16th Mountain Stage performance, but it takes a little more effort to get to it. Definately worth it.Lyrics here.

What if the mightiest word is love?

2009-01-22T19:23:00.009-05:00

We went to the Inaugural Ball at the WVU Alumni Center to dance with a great crowd of people celebrating a new day in America, a new day for the world. When I woke the next morning, I had this thought: there are two kinds of Americans. There are the Americans who think this country is great because it is prosperous. And there are those who think America is great because people are free. (I

I need Africa.....

2009-01-19T18:51:00.001-05:00

Delay

2009-01-19T18:14:00.003-05:00

Well, the electric stayed on, so court did progress. Sixty percent of our agency's families passed court on Friday - yippee! - all of them first time court dates. We, however, did not pass. The judge wants one more piece of paper from the local government from which the children came. Our new court date is March 5, and if we pass that day, we may travel in late March or early April. I think

Tonight is a Big Day

2009-01-15T11:36:00.002-05:00

Friday is our court day in Ethiopia. Which means tonight, our time. Please send electric family vibes to Addis to expedite the homecoming of our three brave and bright Knights.

Oh, what a beautiful morning...

2009-01-10T09:57:00.007-05:00

Maybe it is because I went to bed at 8 pm last night, it has been a Wonderful Morning after an exhausting week. I'm not sure why work was so tiring this week - we met our big deadline without a whole lot of stress and overtime - but I was so tired last night I fell asleep on the couch at 7 and went to bed at 8 after my wonderful husband finished the load of laundry I had put in that morning and

ode to anger

2008-12-31T07:23:00.004-05:00

you disguise sadnessyou build a fortressaround the heart tenderedby grief <---> you blamewhen self is too weak to standin sorry <---> you find faultwhere there is nonebut natural imperfectionyou power the passionate rantand righteous indignationagainst disappointment and hopelessnessyou black-start the boiler of human rageyou hide many sins from the sinneris there anything you cannot doto cover

Getting sad out of the way so I can have a happy new year.

2008-12-30T19:45:00.007-05:00

I am avoiding my bills. In a little while I will leave this little house with three dogs in it and pick up the Benster to continue avoiding my bills by going to see Yes, Man. Otherwise, I would curl up with Amelie. The others are at the ski chalet... having some winter fun. I have work work work, and I'm supposed to be paying my bills and getting some papers together to go see a banker or two.

Every Birth is Holy

2008-12-18T18:18:00.004-05:00

This is a Christmas video for all, especially for anyone who has ever been pregnant and alone. [The song was changed, so open two windows and play this while you watch that.]It reminds me of my first husband, Steve, who is a wonderful person. He fell in love with my son and me when the Benster was a toddler. He adored us and chose us as his family. He's a great dad to his three kids. He is a

note to self

2008-12-17T00:06:00.004-05:00

things to do more of: sing, sleep, salad, walk, water, encourage, adore, compliment, breathe, see, thank, let gothings to do less of: cheese, TV, complain, lecture, "actually", whelm, want, busybusy, drivethings to let go of: papers, stuff, knick-knacks, broken things, perfection, resentment, haf-tos, pillsburythings to hold on to: kids, songs, poems, sunshine, snow, hope, honeypie,

The BIG Three

2008-12-15T21:29:00.002-05:00

No, not Ford, GM, and Chrysler. Puhleeez. $39 billion? Even $15 million? For spending the last few decades in bed with the oil companies? Let's invest instead in their employees, by using our taxes to create a center of Green Economy wherever out-of-work autoworkers are (and coal miners, too, while we're at it). But really, let's think about the BIG big three. I'm talking HIV/AIDS, TB, and

A Pootiful Weekend

2008-12-14T22:48:00.007-05:00

I helped Laird snake the drain yesterday. "Why," you say, "Was it clogged?" Well, not really. It's just that he is making what was a cinder block room with a toilet into an actual bathroom. With a shower. And towel racks! And tile! It is downstairs, formally known as the basement, now "the ground floor," with two bedrooms and what will be a family room. The end with the bedrooms has normal-sized

Happy Day!

2008-12-13T22:20:00.004-05:00

We have a court date!!!! January 16th. This is the day an attorney (hired by our agency) represents us before the Ethiopian judge to make the adoption final in Ethiopia. So, if the judge approves, that is the day we will legally be parents to our three brave and bright children, who are waiting for us. Then, about a month later we will travel to pick them up.Tonight I was reading Jenny and

People Who Think

2008-10-25T17:25:00.003-04:00

My friends, please watch this video.Thanks.Also, when you vote using a machine, please make sure your vote is recorded properly. There are some machines flipping straight ticket votes from one party to the other. If the machine you use does not have a paper back-up, ask for a paper ballot. See this link for more info. Vote early if you can!

Just Be It

2008-09-30T09:43:00.005-04:00

This morning, I read about the chemical attack on the mosque in Dayton, Ohio, during a Ramadan prayer service. News story here. More here. More here."Will our disbelief, confusion, and fear only be activated toward change when we hear the sound of killers at our own door? We must rouse ourselves, awaken to our predicament as humans, as people who know there is goodness in all of us." -Alice

Break In

2008-09-23T17:08:00.010-04:00

Yes, I am trying to embrace my default status as a once-a-month blogger. I fantasize about daily pithy posts; for instance, I would have loved to give you a wonderful Happy Equinox and Happy International Peace Day bulletin full of inspiring words. Getting on my computer just didn't seem to be the way to honor such a day. And it would be fun to be writing about the Bible study I am doing

On our way on

2008-08-27T10:06:00.004-04:00

Our homestudy is complete and approved! Yippee!!!! It has been sent to USCIS so they can pre-approve visas for the kids. We have also sold out lot and celebrated our third anniversary. Laird and I spend last week putting together our dossier and we will send that off to our agency tomorrow. Then we're going sailng for the weekend to celebrate. J is ready to start high school including four

Take the scenic route

2008-07-25T19:57:00.005-04:00

It's been a long week. Worked extra hours to meet a deadline on a big project. Full-on thinking all day at work every day. Pretty intense. Couldn't ride my bike because of rainrainrain and needing to shuttle papers here and there for signatures trying to wrap up the homestudy. We are almost there! I did get to ride today - it was glorious. The sides of the rail trail were bursting with

Happy IndepenDANCE Day!

2008-07-04T19:34:00.005-04:00

Oh no! I totally missed the entire month of June!Well, actually, I didn't miss it. I lived it full and well. Just didn't write about it. Here's a quick summary:---Worked my scientist buttocks off, as usual.---Rode my bike 216 miles to and from work between June 10 and July 3. ---Made up five or six songs while riding bike.---Got re-fingerprinted THREE times... one each for the three

We Are the Powers That Be

2008-05-28T10:26:00.006-04:00

The other night I had a long dream in which huge waves were crashing and rolling into shore - tsunami like waves that should have scared me, but I was just enjoying them completely. And last night, my dream was filled with horses and then I was some kind of superhero repelling off a bridge and saving the day. So... I guess I am learning to happily manage even the stresses that could easily be

Wake Up Call

2008-04-19T07:33:00.004-04:00

Good Morning! I got up early. I was lying in bed thinking of my first trip with our Ethiopian kids to the grocery store. Yes, I know, this won't happen for at least another 7 or 8 or 9 months. Yes, I know, there are so many things that need to happen before that. Like our homestudy being approved. Our basement being finished. Our kids' visas coming through. The impossible task of picking

Keep Moving Forward!

2008-04-10T20:43:00.006-04:00

Spring is here and we are rolling!We have officially sent our application in to our homestudy agency! Wooo hooooo!!! Here is our Adoption To Do list up to our next Wait Time:Finish paperwork for homestudy and send to AFS.Set up appointment for first homestudy visit.Finish I-600A application and send.Finish gathering papers for AAI and send.Do Hague training (AFS requirement).Watch Attachment

Life is a Party!

2008-03-20T22:38:00.004-04:00

Okay, so I'm behind....The World Party was a blast! Even though I had the flu. Thank you all for coming... I hope you didn't get the flu. Laird has it now, so that's why the thank you notes haven't been written. (Don't ask why the wedding thank you notes haven't been written...).So.... we don't have pics or anything, but check out Becky's blog. She and Sandor and Brandy and John and Pat and

A Few Small Stones

2008-02-09T15:52:00.000-05:00

This morning was one of those mornings where Grouchyme slowly inturded and took hold while Happyme was trying her hardest not to let her. It is my only day off this weekend and I made a list of things to do, as usual, but I kept it shorter than usual. This was victory number one. First thing I needed to do was get my money in order. I got organized, had a bowl of cereal, and entered

A New Day

2008-01-03T18:47:00.000-05:00

I do have a long piece about something new I am doing, but I still have to fix it up a little before I post it. Today I was inspired by Clare over at 3 Beautiful Things (3BT) who has a new blog called Once Around the Park. Each day she chronicles her walk with thirty words. People all over the world have been inspired by Clare and she has a long list of 3BT blogs by those people. Check them

First official step

2007-11-17T19:49:00.000-05:00

Last week, we sent our application to AAI to adopt a waiting sibling group from Ethiopia. Family growingI will learn your wordsI will learn your worldI will rock you to sleepfeed you, clothe you, help you growlaugh with you and sing with youThis is my commitmentThis is my hopeI will find youMy children, I will cross the oceanI started with desireand the whole worldfor thirty years I have

Introducing... my honey.

2007-10-11T18:34:00.000-04:00

He's sweet. We found each other after a dance. A month after I had given up on men, then, at my friend Maggie's prompting, wrote a list of what exactly I wanted in a sweetheart. It was a very specific list. It was a pie in the sky list. A no limits list. It included the words: available, chemistry, communicates, dances, and poetry, among many others. In other words, for a 43-year-old woman with

The bread is on to rise

2007-10-09T18:46:00.000-04:00

So, I wanted the title of my blog to connect me somehow to Ethiopia. I searched all over for Amharic words and phrases that had something to do with me and my family. I couldn't find anything that fit. Then I tried to think up a good title. Came up blank. I'm a poet, I should be good at this. But usually I am naming a composed work, not a blank page. And this... this is a huge book of blank

Just a minute....

2007-10-08T17:00:00.000-04:00

Here I am... finally.It's been on my to-do list for a long time.... Start a blog. And now, I've gotten through the first three steps and it's time to get down to the nitty gritty but it's also time to go pick up my daughter. Probably should have gone with the first name that came to mind: Just a Minute.I'll be back. I'll fill in my profile and get some links up and tell you all about who I am