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 Matt's blog and they have a great thing they do for each birthday in their family. They pick a charity to donate to, and ask anyone who is willing to honor the birthday person with a gift to that charity. I think we'll start doing this with everyone in our family. This Christmas we are seriously downsizing the amount of stuff we buy, and amount of money we spend. We will give a gift to a charity. I think maybe we have a vote on Christmas morning for what charity to give to, and have each person in the family pledge the amount they would like to give.
Watch this video.... it is so inspiring:
Think about it! What kind of change do you want to make with your celebrations?
Peace!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
People Who Think
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!
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!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Just Be It
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.
Please FIND A WAY to make some portion of your time, energy and money go towards creating peace and justice in this world. Somehow. Pick something to support. Pick some group of people to encourage. Pick some issue that moves you to action. Do it. Be Love. Be Justice. Be Peace.
The slide show below is Alice Walker reading her preface to the book "The Other Side of War: Women's Stories of Survival and Hope" by Zainab Salbi, available at Women for Women International.
"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 Walker
Please FIND A WAY to make some portion of your time, energy and money go towards creating peace and justice in this world. Somehow. Pick something to support. Pick some group of people to encourage. Pick some issue that moves you to action. Do it. Be Love. Be Justice. Be Peace.
The slide show below is Alice Walker reading her preface to the book "The Other Side of War: Women's Stories of Survival and Hope" by Zainab Salbi, available at Women for Women International.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Break In
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 called Hungry for Justice. It is a radical look at conversion, and I am being transformed. And the news for today, well I should have been shouting it all over the place last week.... but I have seriously entered into nesting mode because of it, and have been whirling through the house cleaning and getting rid of things we don't need and making plans for projects that will streamline the mundane and facilitate the fun of having three more kids in the house. I'm thinking and writing in run-on sentences because of all the energy I have towards this huge undertaking: Get This Home Ready. I tell you, freecycle is my new best friend. 
YES! I said three kids. We have received and accepted our referral for three wonderful kids who live in Addis Ababa. Yes, we are crazy! Crazy in love with life! Crazy happy we get to become parents together! Crazy excited to be welcoming Blessings, Shining Light, and Breath into our home. Those are the meanings of their names. And there is a whole lot of all that shining out from their picture. They are 9, 9, and 8, all in third grade. They have been waiting for a family for two years. The same two years it has taken us to (1) mentally prepare to adopt and then (2) take the many steps to make the adoption happen. I'm sorry they had to wait this long for us to be ready to find them. And I'm sure it will take all of the next four or five months of waiting for our court date and travel date to get the house ready. Not to mention learn how to make injera and to braid hair. But, we are so glad the time is getting closer. We can't wait to get them home and head down to Positive Spin to get them bikes. Problem is, they'll be arriving here in the midst of winter, so we'll have to wait on the bikes. We hope to travel in February or March. We also hope we won't have to miss World Party 2009, but if we do, we think our guests will understand.
We've been learning a lot along this journey towards our kids, and one thing we have been learning about is HIV, because so many families in Ethiopia have been affected in some way by this virus. Along with poverty and war, it is a major reason there are so many children who need families in Ethiopia. Yet, there is such a stigma against people with HIV that people fear losing their jobs and homes if others find out they have the virus. About 6,000 children a day in this world lose a parent to HIV, because not everyone is able to get the medicine they need to manage the virus. And it can be managed! There is somewhat of a stigma here in the U.S., too, but things are getting better. Here, HIV+ people can get health care and medicine and are protected legally in many ways. I think it is really important for everyone in the world to understand HIV so I have added a gadget to the left with the basic info and a link to the CDC website. And, if you want to make a difference in the lives of children with HIV, so they can get medicine and education and create a happy life, here are some ways to help.
Lisa Qualls and her family offers beautiful AHOPE t-shirts to raise funds to support AHOPE for Children, a home and outreach service for HIV+ orphans in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
They are now also offering bracelets like the ones in this photo.
Or you can sign up to sponsor a child at AHOPE or simply send a donation directly to AHOPE here.
There is also a new organization whose mission is to help families adopt HIV+ children. They have a great website with some cool ideas for getting your whole family involved in helping a child come Home.
May you be at peace.
May you be at peace.
And may you be transformed!
YES! I said three kids. We have received and accepted our referral for three wonderful kids who live in Addis Ababa. Yes, we are crazy! Crazy in love with life! Crazy happy we get to become parents together! Crazy excited to be welcoming Blessings, Shining Light, and Breath into our home. Those are the meanings of their names. And there is a whole lot of all that shining out from their picture. They are 9, 9, and 8, all in third grade. They have been waiting for a family for two years. The same two years it has taken us to (1) mentally prepare to adopt and then (2) take the many steps to make the adoption happen. I'm sorry they had to wait this long for us to be ready to find them. And I'm sure it will take all of the next four or five months of waiting for our court date and travel date to get the house ready. Not to mention learn how to make injera and to braid hair. But, we are so glad the time is getting closer. We can't wait to get them home and head down to Positive Spin to get them bikes. Problem is, they'll be arriving here in the midst of winter, so we'll have to wait on the bikes. We hope to travel in February or March. We also hope we won't have to miss World Party 2009, but if we do, we think our guests will understand.
We've been learning a lot along this journey towards our kids, and one thing we have been learning about is HIV, because so many families in Ethiopia have been affected in some way by this virus. Along with poverty and war, it is a major reason there are so many children who need families in Ethiopia. Yet, there is such a stigma against people with HIV that people fear losing their jobs and homes if others find out they have the virus. About 6,000 children a day in this world lose a parent to HIV, because not everyone is able to get the medicine they need to manage the virus. And it can be managed! There is somewhat of a stigma here in the U.S., too, but things are getting better. Here, HIV+ people can get health care and medicine and are protected legally in many ways. I think it is really important for everyone in the world to understand HIV so I have added a gadget to the left with the basic info and a link to the CDC website. And, if you want to make a difference in the lives of children with HIV, so they can get medicine and education and create a happy life, here are some ways to help.
Lisa Qualls and her family offers beautiful AHOPE t-shirts to raise funds to support AHOPE for Children, a home and outreach service for HIV+ orphans in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
They are now also offering bracelets like the ones in this photo.
Or you can sign up to sponsor a child at AHOPE or simply send a donation directly to AHOPE here.
There is also a new organization whose mission is to help families adopt HIV+ children. They have a great website with some cool ideas for getting your whole family involved in helping a child come Home.
May you be at peace.
May you be at peace.
And may you be transformed!
"Change your hearts and mind, for the reign of heaven is about to break in on you." -Matthew 3:2
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
On our way on
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 honors classes and volleyball JV - and a new puppy of her very own that is cute as a button! T is off to college, marching band, working and taking ballet. B is working, too, and almost has health insurance!
Next on the adoption front, we will get our referral and sign a paper committing to adopt the three siblings who jumped out at us from the Waiting Children video. And then we work to get the house ready, get our shots for travel, collect donations and clothes of various sizes, learn Amharic, and wait wait wait. We hope to travel in January - that is best case scenario. Could be more like Spring. If anyone would like to help us pull together World Party for March 2009, we are forming a committee now. It's pretty turn-key since we did it all last year, but we will need some committed helpers to make it happen, as we will be traveling close to the date. We especially want to add to our advertising effort.
Please take a moment to watch this video of Michelle Obama's speech. It moved and inspired me as a mom, as a woman, and as an American! The world is turning towards respect, dignity and love for ALL. There is Hope. Even if you don't plan to vote for Barack Obama, even if you would never vote for him, please just take a moment to listen to Michelle's words and to think about all the people of this country and feel proud.
Next on the adoption front, we will get our referral and sign a paper committing to adopt the three siblings who jumped out at us from the Waiting Children video. And then we work to get the house ready, get our shots for travel, collect donations and clothes of various sizes, learn Amharic, and wait wait wait. We hope to travel in January - that is best case scenario. Could be more like Spring. If anyone would like to help us pull together World Party for March 2009, we are forming a committee now. It's pretty turn-key since we did it all last year, but we will need some committed helpers to make it happen, as we will be traveling close to the date. We especially want to add to our advertising effort.
Please take a moment to watch this video of Michelle Obama's speech. It moved and inspired me as a mom, as a woman, and as an American! The world is turning towards respect, dignity and love for ALL. There is Hope. Even if you don't plan to vote for Barack Obama, even if you would never vote for him, please just take a moment to listen to Michelle's words and to think about all the people of this country and feel proud.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Take the scenic route
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 wildflowers because no-one has been able to mow with all the rain.
It's July and I miss dancing myself to exhaustion at music festivals. I did get to one with my girls, and it was fun to watch them totally enjoy being social. But, I didn't get to dance a whole lot. I was going to go to Thomas to dance tonight, but no-one responded to my invitation to go along, and I decided not to spend the gas money and time to drive somewhere to dance alone. Though, remember, one time I did that I met my husband. I wonder if tonight I was going to meet a soulmate friend. Have I messed it up by not heeding the call of the accordion?
Did I mention the homestudy is ALMOST done?!?!!????
Now, we get to gather documents for the dossier and get them certified by our secretary of state. I think then they have to get certified by other people at higher levels before they get sent to Ethiopia. Oh yeah, and there is the waiting to do. Waiting for visas, waiting for translation, waiting for a court date. But plenty to do while we are waiting: learn Amharic, find a translator, get our shots for travel, remodel the house, get the photobooks up to date, make room for the kids. I had a flood in my house and a root canal two weeks ago and I am still cleaning up from that. The flood, that is. My awesome dental care team took care of the tooth and saved my gold crown in a very timely fashion.
In the middle of my ride this morning, I was trying to decide whether to turn off the rail trail to try to get to work a little faster. I remembered someone's advice to me to always take time in some way each day to take the scenic route. It dawned on me that it didn't really matter what path you take, it is all scenic if you just wake up to the scene around you. In West Virginia, it is hard to go anywhere without experiencing the beauty of trees and hills. It is truly wild and wonderful. But even if you are walking through a place of destitution, you can wake up to the scene around you and be present in it. You can smile at other people and wish them well, even if in silence. This IS the scenic route, people!
It's July and I miss dancing myself to exhaustion at music festivals. I did get to one with my girls, and it was fun to watch them totally enjoy being social. But, I didn't get to dance a whole lot. I was going to go to Thomas to dance tonight, but no-one responded to my invitation to go along, and I decided not to spend the gas money and time to drive somewhere to dance alone. Though, remember, one time I did that I met my husband. I wonder if tonight I was going to meet a soulmate friend. Have I messed it up by not heeding the call of the accordion?
Did I mention the homestudy is ALMOST done?!?!!????
Now, we get to gather documents for the dossier and get them certified by our secretary of state. I think then they have to get certified by other people at higher levels before they get sent to Ethiopia. Oh yeah, and there is the waiting to do. Waiting for visas, waiting for translation, waiting for a court date. But plenty to do while we are waiting: learn Amharic, find a translator, get our shots for travel, remodel the house, get the photobooks up to date, make room for the kids. I had a flood in my house and a root canal two weeks ago and I am still cleaning up from that. The flood, that is. My awesome dental care team took care of the tooth and saved my gold crown in a very timely fashion.
In the middle of my ride this morning, I was trying to decide whether to turn off the rail trail to try to get to work a little faster. I remembered someone's advice to me to always take time in some way each day to take the scenic route. It dawned on me that it didn't really matter what path you take, it is all scenic if you just wake up to the scene around you. In West Virginia, it is hard to go anywhere without experiencing the beauty of trees and hills. It is truly wild and wonderful. But even if you are walking through a place of destitution, you can wake up to the scene around you and be present in it. You can smile at other people and wish them well, even if in silence. This IS the scenic route, people!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Happy IndepenDANCE Day!
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 different agencies checking out my background.
---Filled out more papers and sent them to our agency.
---Joined up with others at Jones to start preparing for Vacation Bible School because I couldn't resist the Beach Party theme.
---Visited the fam in PA to celebrate T's graduation.
---Bought J a new bike.
---Attended Z and J's wedding and signed the license.... and was on the tent crew!!! Me Jane, me STRONG.
---Prayed every day for the three children in Ethiopia that Laird and I hope to parent. They have been waiting over a year for a family, and we are trying very hard to get all the p's and q's in place so someone can hand them a picture of us and tell them that we are coming to get them soon. We have many hurdles to leap between now and then. Please hope (and pray) with us.
Oh yes... we signed with a realtor to sell the lot. Please spread the word. We need to sell the lot to avoid getting loans for the adoption fees.
This morning, as I drove with my toothache towards Thomas to spend the 4th weekend with my honey, I listened to news of Jesse Helms death and Bush speaking at Monticello to new citizens and people protesting the war. An orchestra played the Star-Spangled Banner while rolling by my windows were gorgeous misty mountains and meadows and farmland and flowers and trees and wind turbines and forest. We have all kinds of people here, don't we? What a country.
Add to my list: Bought a Banjo! Wooooo hooooooo..... it's not here yet, but I am looking forward to learning how to play Cluck Old Hen. And the Boll Weevil song. And The Roving Gambler (Raging Acorns version). And that song I heard while driving through Mon Forest written by Phillip Bimstein who was inspired by Zion National Park. When President Harding Came to Zion. Recorded by Red Rock Rondo. "300 acres I nursed all my life. Why can't they let me live here 'til I die, 'til I die?"
Send news from your place in the world..... Life is Good.
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 different agencies checking out my background.
---Filled out more papers and sent them to our agency.
---Joined up with others at Jones to start preparing for Vacation Bible School because I couldn't resist the Beach Party theme.
---Visited the fam in PA to celebrate T's graduation.
---Bought J a new bike.
---Attended Z and J's wedding and signed the license.... and was on the tent crew!!! Me Jane, me STRONG.
---Prayed every day for the three children in Ethiopia that Laird and I hope to parent. They have been waiting over a year for a family, and we are trying very hard to get all the p's and q's in place so someone can hand them a picture of us and tell them that we are coming to get them soon. We have many hurdles to leap between now and then. Please hope (and pray) with us.
Oh yes... we signed with a realtor to sell the lot. Please spread the word. We need to sell the lot to avoid getting loans for the adoption fees.
This morning, as I drove with my toothache towards Thomas to spend the 4th weekend with my honey, I listened to news of Jesse Helms death and Bush speaking at Monticello to new citizens and people protesting the war. An orchestra played the Star-Spangled Banner while rolling by my windows were gorgeous misty mountains and meadows and farmland and flowers and trees and wind turbines and forest. We have all kinds of people here, don't we? What a country.
Add to my list: Bought a Banjo! Wooooo hooooooo..... it's not here yet, but I am looking forward to learning how to play Cluck Old Hen. And the Boll Weevil song. And The Roving Gambler (Raging Acorns version). And that song I heard while driving through Mon Forest written by Phillip Bimstein who was inspired by Zion National Park. When President Harding Came to Zion. Recorded by Red Rock Rondo. "300 acres I nursed all my life. Why can't they let me live here 'til I die, 'til I die?"
Send news from your place in the world..... Life is Good.
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