Cost: $5 per ornament (+ shipping ~$1.50-$3.00 depending on quantity)
If you buy 5-10 ornaments, they are $4 each.
Ways to Pay:
1) Paypal via the "Donate" button on the right side bar
2) Check or Cash to our home address
Left: Front Right: Back
Monday, September 12, 2011
CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS FOR SALE
Yes, we are selling Christmas ornaments for adoption #2. We find ornaments to be fun, easy and appreciated this time of year....plus you can support a creat cause: a forever family for another child. Now I know the message is similiar to our ones fom two years ago.... Below are pictures of the ornaments. (If you would like to exchange the bible verse for your child or family's name, let me know. It will be handwritten with a slightly different white template.)
Cost: $5 per ornament (+ shipping ~$1.50-$3.00 depending on quantity)
If you buy 5-10 ornaments, they are $4 each.
Ways to Pay:
1) Paypal via the "Donate" button on the right side bar
2) Check or Cash to our home address
Cost: $5 per ornament (+ shipping ~$1.50-$3.00 depending on quantity)
If you buy 5-10 ornaments, they are $4 each.
Ways to Pay:
1) Paypal via the "Donate" button on the right side bar
2) Check or Cash to our home address
Out with the Old (TShirts that is)
These were our fundraising t-shirts when we adopted Tedi. Now that we are beginning the process of our next adoption, we wanted to clear out our stock....
(keep in mind I just realized that we still had "stock" today)
New Price: $10 (includes shipping)
Sizes Available:
1 - 6 month old
1 - Youth Medium
3 - Adult Small
1 - Adult Medium
4 - Adult Large
7 - Adult 2XL
1 - Adult 3XL
Contact us if you want any of these:
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Enkutatash: Ethiopian New Year 2004
Yes, Ethiopia's New Year is on September 11 (except on leap year when it moves to Sept 12). And yes, in Ethiopia it only 2004. Below is a little explanation on their calendar:
The Ethiopian calendar, also called the Ge'ez calendar, is the principal calendar used in Ethiopia and also serves as the liturgical calendar for Christians in Eritrea belonging to the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic Church and Lutheran Evangelical Church of Eritrea. It is based on the older Alexandrian or Coptic calendar, which in turn derives from the Egyptian calendar, but like the Julian calendar, it adds a leap day every four years without exception, and begins the year on August 29 or August 30 in the Julian calendar. A seven- to eight-year gap between the Ethiopian and Gregorian calendars results from alternate calculations in determining the date of the Annunciation of Jesus.
The current year according to the Ethiopian calendar is 2003, which began on September 11, 2010 AD of the Gregorian calendar. It has six epagonemal days and so the following year (2004) will begin on September 12, 2011.
Enkutatash is the word for the Ethiopian New Year in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. It occurs on September 11 in the Gregorian calendar, except for leap years, when it occurs on September 12.
So today, we decided to head to our local Ethiopian restaurant, The Queen of Sheba, for an Ethiopian New Years celebration with the Hardman family and several other adoptive families and local Ethiopians. The experience was fantastic. It was more than our usual dinner....there were traditional breads (not injera), music, discussion of traditions with children, the popcorn and coffee ceremony, baklava dessert and just a great time. I can honestly say it was worth the money and despite being tired, it was a fantastic time. We also got to visit with our friends from Stanford, KY, the Hannahs. Loved catching up with them and the Gibsons. I am glad we have the opportunity to festivities like this to help maintain pieces of Tedi's culture and heritage.
The Ethiopian calendar, also called the Ge'ez calendar, is the principal calendar used in Ethiopia and also serves as the liturgical calendar for Christians in Eritrea belonging to the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic Church and Lutheran Evangelical Church of Eritrea. It is based on the older Alexandrian or Coptic calendar, which in turn derives from the Egyptian calendar, but like the Julian calendar, it adds a leap day every four years without exception, and begins the year on August 29 or August 30 in the Julian calendar. A seven- to eight-year gap between the Ethiopian and Gregorian calendars results from alternate calculations in determining the date of the Annunciation of Jesus.
The current year according to the Ethiopian calendar is 2003, which began on September 11, 2010 AD of the Gregorian calendar. It has six epagonemal days and so the following year (2004) will begin on September 12, 2011.
Enkutatash is the word for the Ethiopian New Year in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. It occurs on September 11 in the Gregorian calendar, except for leap years, when it occurs on September 12.
So today, we decided to head to our local Ethiopian restaurant, The Queen of Sheba, for an Ethiopian New Years celebration with the Hardman family and several other adoptive families and local Ethiopians. The experience was fantastic. It was more than our usual dinner....there were traditional breads (not injera), music, discussion of traditions with children, the popcorn and coffee ceremony, baklava dessert and just a great time. I can honestly say it was worth the money and despite being tired, it was a fantastic time. We also got to visit with our friends from Stanford, KY, the Hannahs. Loved catching up with them and the Gibsons. I am glad we have the opportunity to festivities like this to help maintain pieces of Tedi's culture and heritage.
I love this little man.
Claire Hardman having her hands washed....traditional Ethiopian custom
Tedi was getting ready to mash some injera, cabbage, alecha sega wot, lentils and beef
Claire...too cute
loving his whistle toy that was gifted to him today.
My Place: September 11, 2001
Today has many purposes.... the memory of many lost, the Ethiopian New Year (see next post).... I want to briefly talk about teaching about hate....
We all have our "place".....the place where we were when the planes hit.... like people did when JFK died. I was sitting in the lobby area of the Preston Center at Western Kentucky University. I was getting ready to start my weight lifting class with my now best friend Emily Godbey Fox and we watched the second plane crash into the tower. Only a year and a half earlier I was in NYC for the first time for a chorus trip (I don't sing; I just love to travel). We had stayed at the Marriott....address: 3 World Trade Center, New York, New York. I was only seventeen at the time. Fast forward to watching the towers tumble. At eighteen, a college freshman, I could not fathom the magnitude of the loss. I knew it was bad... I knew it was sad....I knew it was devastating for our country. I still have our college newspaper from that day. I went to prayer services. We discussed the Muslim religion in my Religion 201 course. But like everyone else who did not lose a loved one or friend, I moved on. It was not until I moved to New York City in 2007 that it really it home. It was not walking amongst Ground Zero or the church that still stands. It was meeting my patient....a man who had a lung resection because of cancer.... Cancer he developed after going into Ground Zero for 17 days to cut wires to decrease the electricity. Or my friend who was an EMT.....he had just finished his night shift and was heading across the George Washington Bridge...too far away to help his colleagues. Or my rotation at Bronx Lebanon Hospital and having the nurses show me the spot from the 16th floor where they watched it all happen. Or visiting a loft turned museum in Tribeca ....the photographer was the one hired by FDNY to photograph the cleanup....a piece of the plane sat in his loft. The stories he had were not really stomach-able but real. There is a big difference between 18 years old and 25 years old...It was then I realized the depth of the pain from that day. It was then I realized the depth of hatred it took to do something of this caliber.
Today, Tedi, my four and a half year son, glanced at the TV and asked why there was so much smoke. I tried to explain to him in simple terms that some mean people flew big, big airplanes into the tall buildings where boys' and girls' mommies and daddies worked and how this is not nice or what Jesus wants us to do to others. He asked "so their mommies and daddies died?" Broke my heart. Yes, they died. We talked about it simply a couple of times and I think he understood on his level. BUT here is the real question. How do we teach our children about hate? And how to overcome it and not be part of it? We must, but how? A question I can not answer right now but definitely food for thought on a day like today.
We all have our "place".....the place where we were when the planes hit.... like people did when JFK died. I was sitting in the lobby area of the Preston Center at Western Kentucky University. I was getting ready to start my weight lifting class with my now best friend Emily Godbey Fox and we watched the second plane crash into the tower. Only a year and a half earlier I was in NYC for the first time for a chorus trip (I don't sing; I just love to travel). We had stayed at the Marriott....address: 3 World Trade Center, New York, New York. I was only seventeen at the time. Fast forward to watching the towers tumble. At eighteen, a college freshman, I could not fathom the magnitude of the loss. I knew it was bad... I knew it was sad....I knew it was devastating for our country. I still have our college newspaper from that day. I went to prayer services. We discussed the Muslim religion in my Religion 201 course. But like everyone else who did not lose a loved one or friend, I moved on. It was not until I moved to New York City in 2007 that it really it home. It was not walking amongst Ground Zero or the church that still stands. It was meeting my patient....a man who had a lung resection because of cancer.... Cancer he developed after going into Ground Zero for 17 days to cut wires to decrease the electricity. Or my friend who was an EMT.....he had just finished his night shift and was heading across the George Washington Bridge...too far away to help his colleagues. Or my rotation at Bronx Lebanon Hospital and having the nurses show me the spot from the 16th floor where they watched it all happen. Or visiting a loft turned museum in Tribeca ....the photographer was the one hired by FDNY to photograph the cleanup....a piece of the plane sat in his loft. The stories he had were not really stomach-able but real. There is a big difference between 18 years old and 25 years old...It was then I realized the depth of the pain from that day. It was then I realized the depth of hatred it took to do something of this caliber.
Today, Tedi, my four and a half year son, glanced at the TV and asked why there was so much smoke. I tried to explain to him in simple terms that some mean people flew big, big airplanes into the tall buildings where boys' and girls' mommies and daddies worked and how this is not nice or what Jesus wants us to do to others. He asked "so their mommies and daddies died?" Broke my heart. Yes, they died. We talked about it simply a couple of times and I think he understood on his level. BUT here is the real question. How do we teach our children about hate? And how to overcome it and not be part of it? We must, but how? A question I can not answer right now but definitely food for thought on a day like today.
My friend Lee Ann posted this pictures on facebook today from our NYC trip in April 2000.
You probably can't find my 17 year old self but this is taken from the Statue of Liberty.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Race: Our First Conversation
JT: Is Sam your new friend?
Tedi: Yes, Daddy.
JT: What does he look like?
Tedi: He is white. I am brown.
JT: What color is his hair?
Tedi: White like yours daddy. Mine is black.
JT: Yeah.
Tedi: Okay, when can I play my new game?
It was as simple as that. Someone told me recently that kids will get you in the car when you aren't expecting it...and they were spot on. We were driving home tonight and that was our conversation, the first one on race. I know two weeks ago in school they talked about what makes each person different....maybe skin and hair came up.. I am not sure. But as quickly as the thought was in his mind, he was onto something else. At least we know he realizes the difference....But the beauty is the fact that it (race) really does not matter to him... Sam is his buddy. Simply his friend.
Tedi: Yes, Daddy.
JT: What does he look like?
Tedi: He is white. I am brown.
JT: What color is his hair?
Tedi: White like yours daddy. Mine is black.
JT: Yeah.
Tedi: Okay, when can I play my new game?
It was as simple as that. Someone told me recently that kids will get you in the car when you aren't expecting it...and they were spot on. We were driving home tonight and that was our conversation, the first one on race. I know two weeks ago in school they talked about what makes each person different....maybe skin and hair came up.. I am not sure. But as quickly as the thought was in his mind, he was onto something else. At least we know he realizes the difference....But the beauty is the fact that it (race) really does not matter to him... Sam is his buddy. Simply his friend.
Inadequacy
I am sure I have may have blogged on this topic before. My biggest struggle is the intense feeling of inadequacy....as a mother, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a doctor, co-worker. I love my job and almost every minute I spend in the hospital, yet I find my sincere joy in caring for others' childrens keeps me away from my own child. I can not dedicate enough time to my friendships because the time spend away from work is appropriately given to my husband and son. I do not see my parents, whom I love, or my sister very often. Then in the midst of all of this, I am not leaving enough space to spend time in prayer...and maybe that is why I can't ever get all of the other stuff together. Well...I know it is.
At any given moment, I am thinking.... "Why am I fat? Why can't lose the weight? Why am I not as smart as him? Why can't I spend more time at home? Why can't I be as good of a mom as her? Why can't I cook? I want to read a non-medical book. Does God hear my pleas? Do those around me know I love them without me saying it? Should I wake a little earlier so I can get home earlier...4am is early....okay, I can do it?" This could all take place in one single minute. I am woman......so this seems natural.... Yet, when I start thinking this way, despite my desire to listen to sad music like Angel by Sarah McLachlan or read Sylvia Plath, the quote below comes creeping into my mind. I don't really have great commentary on it but feel it speaks to my heart even when I do not want it to. I hope you get something out of it.
Our Greatest Fear
it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
—Marianne Williamson
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Why......
As a disclaimer, I do not feel required to answer to people or explain our decisions.....However, I think it is helpful to others going through or considering adoption.....and just being nosy :-) You never know who you may convert to adoption...
.......adopt again?
We want to grow our family. We are called as Christians to care for the "least of these" and we feel specifically called to adopt. It was never a doubt that we would adopt again....it was just when.
......now?
Well, with me in residency through June 2013 (and fellowship from 07/2013 to 06/2016), no time is ever going to be a good time, until I guess July 2016...but then I have a "real" job. So, really, is there a good time? Is there a good time to get married, to go back to school, to get pregnant, TO DIE? There is never a "good" time for anything. This is I know. However, having lost seven dear family members to death in the last 11 months has made the brevity of life very palpable. I do not know if I will ever have a "right time" or tomorrow. Will I be more tired....Yes. Will I be stretched.....Yes. Will I be able to deeply love and be loved..... Yes. So now is the time for us....we only get back what we are willing to give, if we only take the time to give it.
...... NOT our "own"?
Well, I have answered this before, BUT our adopted child(ren) are OURS. When you hear my son say, "Hey my mommy..." there is no doubt that he is OUR son. However, why not biological kids? Much of the time Tedi has been home has been sans birth control... Yet, I am okay with the absence of pregnancy in our world. At times, it will creep into my heart and I will get bitter.... Then, I get in check and hear Tedi's footsteps or sweet voice and know God's plan for our family is not that of typical. Will we ever "try" again.... Maybe. Will I be less of a mother? No. Will I live unfulfilled? No.
......adopt from Ethiopia again?
I could simply say, "Why not?" That is true, for sure, but not entirely. When we originally began Tedi's adoption in 2009, our USCIS (US government paperwork), form was written for two children, either sex, aged 0-5. Since we only brought home one child, the paperwork is still good for an extension for a second child less than 5 years old.... So that definitely played a part in our decision to return to Ethiopia, but we also sincerely love this country, it's people and the culture.
.....our agency?
The agency we used for Tedi was Arise for Children. At the time they were partnered with Hope, another agency, who was technically Tedi's "placing agency". Arise went through several changes and was bought by Lifeline Adoptions. Because the two ladies, Britney and Lesley, who worked for Arise stayed on with Lifeline, we decided to stick with them. Lifeline is a very well established agency in China and other countries. That in combination with knowing Britney and Lesley confirmed our decision to use Lifeline.
So, really...... WHY?
This is why we do it.... this is why we take the harsh words, the doubting, the waiting, the heartache, the joy.
.......adopt again?
We want to grow our family. We are called as Christians to care for the "least of these" and we feel specifically called to adopt. It was never a doubt that we would adopt again....it was just when.
......now?
Well, with me in residency through June 2013 (and fellowship from 07/2013 to 06/2016), no time is ever going to be a good time, until I guess July 2016...but then I have a "real" job. So, really, is there a good time? Is there a good time to get married, to go back to school, to get pregnant, TO DIE? There is never a "good" time for anything. This is I know. However, having lost seven dear family members to death in the last 11 months has made the brevity of life very palpable. I do not know if I will ever have a "right time" or tomorrow. Will I be more tired....Yes. Will I be stretched.....Yes. Will I be able to deeply love and be loved..... Yes. So now is the time for us....we only get back what we are willing to give, if we only take the time to give it.
...... NOT our "own"?
Well, I have answered this before, BUT our adopted child(ren) are OURS. When you hear my son say, "Hey my mommy..." there is no doubt that he is OUR son. However, why not biological kids? Much of the time Tedi has been home has been sans birth control... Yet, I am okay with the absence of pregnancy in our world. At times, it will creep into my heart and I will get bitter.... Then, I get in check and hear Tedi's footsteps or sweet voice and know God's plan for our family is not that of typical. Will we ever "try" again.... Maybe. Will I be less of a mother? No. Will I live unfulfilled? No.
......adopt from Ethiopia again?
I could simply say, "Why not?" That is true, for sure, but not entirely. When we originally began Tedi's adoption in 2009, our USCIS (US government paperwork), form was written for two children, either sex, aged 0-5. Since we only brought home one child, the paperwork is still good for an extension for a second child less than 5 years old.... So that definitely played a part in our decision to return to Ethiopia, but we also sincerely love this country, it's people and the culture.
.....our agency?
The agency we used for Tedi was Arise for Children. At the time they were partnered with Hope, another agency, who was technically Tedi's "placing agency". Arise went through several changes and was bought by Lifeline Adoptions. Because the two ladies, Britney and Lesley, who worked for Arise stayed on with Lifeline, we decided to stick with them. Lifeline is a very well established agency in China and other countries. That in combination with knowing Britney and Lesley confirmed our decision to use Lifeline.
So, really...... WHY?
This is why we do it.... this is why we take the harsh words, the doubting, the waiting, the heartache, the joy.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Big Announcement
Yes, you are reading correctly. We are adopting again. We are adopting from Ethiopia again.
More details will follow in a longer blog by JT.
We are super excited to start this again.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Next Stop...... Vice President
As I posted yesterday, Tedi went before Judge Paula Sherlock to become legally our son in America and to be an American citizen....allowing him to get a passport. Passport = Fun Vacations! It was a special day for our family and I am so glad our friend Elizabeth was there to capture the moments for us. What a great job she has done with our family pictures in the past and yesterday's special moment. Tedi was very well behaved and followed instructions. I think he really liked getting to use the judge's gavel.
Now my boy can not be President of the United States according to the Constitution, but he could be a Senator or even Vice President.....if he so chooses. Regardless, yesterday made it possible. He is ours, yet again. Below are quite a few pictures from Elizabeth. Enjoy because pics are the best part
This really is my son!
Banging the Gavel
With Judge Sherlock
With Ms. Jessica, the guardian at litem attorney
with Elizabeth
with his new Nemo toy from Judge Sherlock
Nemo and Daddy fist bumping
Stay tuned for some big updates coming soon!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
American Citizen
Today we went to the court house and finalized Tedi's adoption on the US side of things... Our good friend, Elizabeth, joined us there and photographed the entire ordeal. For that we are so appreciative. I hope to post some of her pics from inside the courtroom... In the meantime, here are a few pics from before and after the big event! Enjoy. What a beautiful boy we have?!?!
Post Court lunch at City Cafe
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Instagram-"ing" Our Life
So for the last several months I had seen people on facebook post pics using some app called instagram....well, honestly, I was a little annoyed. I was like "just post the picture".... nothing fancy. Well, I got a new phone and I must apologize....because these "fancy" pictures are fun. Here is a week in instagram.
the quietest time of the day....and the most precious
loving the candy canisters at Sweet CeCe's
Chocolate covered banana at Comfy Cow (yeah we are sweets kind of family....or mommy rather)
Chillin' at Cardinal Towne
Rockin' the nautical hoodie
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Zoo, Zoo, Zoo
We spent a few hours of my day off this week with the Brown family who I talked about two posts ago. Tedi enjoyed the water park and playing with their boys, Kenenisa and Chera. Enjoy a couple of pics.
Chera in orange and Tedi in yellow
Monday, August 22, 2011
Welcome Home Brown Family
Our friends Justin and Donna Brown had no children this time last year. They were anxiously waiting bringing home their daughter, Zoey Hiwot, from Ethiopia while their paper work on their sons, Chera and Kenenisa, drug on in Ethiopia. Zoey came home in December 2010 and their sons were still not here. Into the spring of 2011, they found out they were pregnant. Their son, Asher, was born in July 2011. FINALLY, almost three years after starting the adoption process to bring home their sons, Chera and Kenenisa walked down an escalator in Louisville, Kentucky. You read correctly. They had zero children this time last year, and now they have a 1 month old, an almost 2 year old, a 4 year old and almost 7 year old. We rejoice with this sweet family. JT even had the opportunity to meet the boys and Zoey while they were still Ethiopia last July. The pictures below are from the airport on Satruday night. This is the best part of adoption....celebrating with others.
Loving the Escalator
Tedi and Dawit....
Justin with Kenenisa to his right, holding Zoey with baby Asher (with their friend's son)
Chera, the oldest, hugging Tedi...
(he hugged everyone but Tedi was a little shy)
First Day of Pre-K
Who is this boy? I am not quite sure. There is an undeniable difference in the small child who started pre school last year.
Our goals for school last year:
1) Learn our colors (we thought he was color blind....who was I kidding...he now knows 'tan', 'beige')
2) Share (we are working on this but much improved)
3) Write our name (not absolutely there but getting there)
Now, a year later, he told us he liked school. He came home and could count to ten in SPANISH today. I think that would be his fourth language (tribal language, Amharic, English...) His teacher, Senor Pete, taught him this. I wish you could hear him say "Senor Pete." It was so funny and cute. Unfortunately, I was unable to be there to take him to school...you know, that work thing. BUT his fabulous daddy took some great pics for us to cherish. Check out the difference. Look what some love, some food, and some time can do for a child. Man, we are lucky parents!
August 24, 2010
First day of pre-school
August 22, 2011
First Day of Pre-K
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Collateral Damage
I read an article the other day on a friend's facebook discussing how UNICEF is against international adoption in order to keep children in their home country. The author of the article discussed how children in these countries are often "collateral damage" for the sins and choices of adults....
....the children in the African horn, specifically Somalia, are dying because of war and fighting and famine. I do not claim to know the politics of Eastern Africa, but as I watch Anderson Cooper's special on the healtcare and death in the region, my heart aches. Not only do I ache watching this for the 600,000 children that are dying, the children so malnourished I can see their bones.... but I ache thinking of my own son's birthplace, his birth family. Even now, children are being prohibited from getting vaccines, thus dying of preventable diseases like measles. And here we are as a world. Here we are with dead children. Children without parents. The drought...maybe not of man. But the death, death from starvation. Bono said it best on the program, "You can blame droughts on God, but famine is man made. We know how fix this." Children are the collateral damage in this world crisis.
....but this is not a "developing" country problem alone. Unfortunately in my job (as a pediatric resident at a children's hospital), children are the collateral damage from our choices... who is injured in the car accident when the adult is intoxicated. After the economy crashes and people lose jobs and tempers flair.....who are the victims....victims of abuse. Think about it. Every choice we make affects other people, no doubt. However, children, the most vulnerable, are the most affected....every decision we make can affect our children, and not just our children but the ones around us... When we text and drive and wreck into someone else's car....when we are frustrated and selfish and do not tip as well as we should, the waitress may be short on her normal food budget....when we turn our back to children starving worlds away because the aren't "our children", children die.
Collateral damage. I do not know how to fix it but I know it is enough to make you think.
....the children in the African horn, specifically Somalia, are dying because of war and fighting and famine. I do not claim to know the politics of Eastern Africa, but as I watch Anderson Cooper's special on the healtcare and death in the region, my heart aches. Not only do I ache watching this for the 600,000 children that are dying, the children so malnourished I can see their bones.... but I ache thinking of my own son's birthplace, his birth family. Even now, children are being prohibited from getting vaccines, thus dying of preventable diseases like measles. And here we are as a world. Here we are with dead children. Children without parents. The drought...maybe not of man. But the death, death from starvation. Bono said it best on the program, "You can blame droughts on God, but famine is man made. We know how fix this." Children are the collateral damage in this world crisis.
....but this is not a "developing" country problem alone. Unfortunately in my job (as a pediatric resident at a children's hospital), children are the collateral damage from our choices... who is injured in the car accident when the adult is intoxicated. After the economy crashes and people lose jobs and tempers flair.....who are the victims....victims of abuse. Think about it. Every choice we make affects other people, no doubt. However, children, the most vulnerable, are the most affected....every decision we make can affect our children, and not just our children but the ones around us... When we text and drive and wreck into someone else's car....when we are frustrated and selfish and do not tip as well as we should, the waitress may be short on her normal food budget....when we turn our back to children starving worlds away because the aren't "our children", children die.
Collateral damage. I do not know how to fix it but I know it is enough to make you think.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Soccer Man
I know, I know. I have been a bad blogger. I am not quite sure why I have been so absent because I love blogging. I keep writing all kinds of blogs in my head. There is one that I keep writing over and over and am sure it will be posted soon! In the meantime, we have been busy around here...
Tedi spent the end of June and three weeks of July taking swimming lessons. He went four days each week, and though he continues to protest that he needs his swimmies, he does quite well. He also went to four days of soccer at Mockingbird Soccer Camp, thanks to his Granny Sylvia. He was so excited for soccer.... Well, day 1 came with some issues. I showed up thirty minutes early to watch to find my son not listening to the coach, ending up in time out. (Thankfully the coach believed in discipline.) I took him to JT's office where he got a talking to...I will admit it; I was upset. Tedi knew it. Well, the next day, he apologized to his teacher and his babysitter made sure he listened. He came home that night and told me how he listened and hoped we were happy. I do not want him to do things to "please" but he does have the kindest heart. I love this little man and his wonderful heart!
Tedi also went to bible school with his "favorite cousin" Grant. He loved the Panda theme seeing as how he loves Kung Fu Panda. The last day they made panda masks.... He and Grant were too cute even if they have looked a little bit like bank robbers!
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