Have you ever really thought about how breakable life is? We fasten seat belts, wear helmets, stop at stop-signs, look both ways before crossing the street and go about our lives as if we never knew a different way of living. Lesson parents teach very clearly in order instill a respect for our own lives, and the lives of others. It is ingrained in us from childhood and we practice it until the day that we die.
Just like our bodies are breakable, even more so are our spirits. It's in that fragile bed of vulnerability that we trust those that raise us to best decide what to plant on our hearts and minds. We hold out for hope, faith, purpose, pride, respect and love. I wonder though, how many millions of children in this world will never have that?
What would life have been like had you been born on a different continent, in a different home, in a different body, in different skin? Have you ever really spent the time to think about that? I've been struggling with these thoughts for weeks now. I'm not sure if it is the state of the world overall, or the immense guilt I feel in not being able to change it, but my heart is heavy with the weight of it. I am ashamed at the lack of help I have given.... we have given, at the blindness I have ignorantly lived in for far to long.
What would happne if we taught our children what it means to live in a third-world country and what we can do to help? If we taught our children the value of a dollar in our country and the power that same dollar has in others, I wonder how much more money would be flowing to countries that are far worse off than our own?
There is something we all can do. There is always a way to help- we just have to believe in it, practice it, and teach it to our children. Find a way to give beyond what you already do. Pocket change can be a child's survival.
If you need direction on how or where to give- look to your right- you'll find all the resources you need.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The International Food Crisis
If you aren't aware of the international food crisis that is hitting our country and thousands of others, let me help clue you in.
World Vision, one of the world's largest humanitarian organizations, announced Tuesday that it cannot feed 1.5 million of the 7.5 million people it fed last year and made an urgent appeal for international donors to step in.
In three years, prices for the basic staples that feed the world have risen by a staggering 83%. For those in the developing world, affording food to is a daily struggle for survival. Without action, 100 million people around the world will face deeper poverty and hunger, and hundreds of thousands will confront famine and starvation.
Some of World Vision's food aid programs have been cut altogether affecting people in nearly every region of the world. The magnitude of the shortfall is unprecedented and likely to get worse as the year progresses.
If the world community doesn't invest this now, everyone will pay for it later and there will be massive economic implications for much of the world. Their work forces won't develop properly, not to mention the horror of it from a humanitarian standpoint.
The cutbacks have already begun, said Dean Hirsch, president of World Vision International, in a written statement. "Despite our best efforts, more than a million of our beneficiaries are no longer receiving food aid."
More than half of them are children.
In Haiti, a child sits eating cakes made of mud mixed with a little sugar and oil to try and beat the hunger pangs. Stop for a moment and picture that child. Now imagine that child is yours.
In the face of this suffering, we cannot be silent. Please help.
Click HERE to send the following petition to President Bush:
President Bush,
The soaring cost of staple foods and the resulting hunger crisis has caused riots from Haiti to Bangladesh, threatens hundreds of thousands of people with starvation and could push one hundred million more people deeper into poverty. Please build on your recent commitment by taking immediate action to:
1) Prioritize issues of global poverty, including the world hunger crisis on the agenda of the G8 Summit this July in Japan.
2) At the summit, secure commitments for additional resources for all types of food assistance and increased agricultural productivity in developing countries.
World Vision, one of the world's largest humanitarian organizations, announced Tuesday that it cannot feed 1.5 million of the 7.5 million people it fed last year and made an urgent appeal for international donors to step in.
In three years, prices for the basic staples that feed the world have risen by a staggering 83%. For those in the developing world, affording food to is a daily struggle for survival. Without action, 100 million people around the world will face deeper poverty and hunger, and hundreds of thousands will confront famine and starvation.
Some of World Vision's food aid programs have been cut altogether affecting people in nearly every region of the world. The magnitude of the shortfall is unprecedented and likely to get worse as the year progresses.
If the world community doesn't invest this now, everyone will pay for it later and there will be massive economic implications for much of the world. Their work forces won't develop properly, not to mention the horror of it from a humanitarian standpoint.
The cutbacks have already begun, said Dean Hirsch, president of World Vision International, in a written statement. "Despite our best efforts, more than a million of our beneficiaries are no longer receiving food aid."
More than half of them are children.
In Haiti, a child sits eating cakes made of mud mixed with a little sugar and oil to try and beat the hunger pangs. Stop for a moment and picture that child. Now imagine that child is yours.
In the face of this suffering, we cannot be silent. Please help.
Click HERE to send the following petition to President Bush:
President Bush,
The soaring cost of staple foods and the resulting hunger crisis has caused riots from Haiti to Bangladesh, threatens hundreds of thousands of people with starvation and could push one hundred million more people deeper into poverty. Please build on your recent commitment by taking immediate action to:
1) Prioritize issues of global poverty, including the world hunger crisis on the agenda of the G8 Summit this July in Japan.
2) At the summit, secure commitments for additional resources for all types of food assistance and increased agricultural productivity in developing countries.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The Hard Parts
So there are some definite moments of struggling during this adoption process. While we have a busy few months ahead and an endless "to do" list to conquer (which I am thankful for), our baby is constantly on my mind and heart. Yes, adoption is hard folks! The wait is longer, the information is minimal, and the instability of it all can be unbearable. There is a hole in my heart knowing that I am not able to experience this part of life with our child. It's an ache that I can not describe knowing that I am so far away and so out of reach.
Don't get me wrong, I would make the choice to adopt a million times over, and I would encourage others to do the same, but the wait is, at times, heartbreaking. Some moments are harder than others, and there are long periods of time when I am thankful for the months we have to plan for the transitions that are ahead. The distractions of change can last for days, but then I'll see a pregnant woman and in an instant, my breath is gone and my heart begins to ache.
I know that adoption may not have the physical joys and pains of pregnancy, but the desire for those experiences is there, and the longing to hold my child is no less. There is such a real part of me that wants to feel my stomach flutter and see my child's face on a sonogram. Part of me wants to watch my belly grow and know that in only a few more months the life being carried will be welcomed into our arms and brought home forever. The miracle of motherhood is one that goes beyond pregnancy, but there certainly aspects of those precious 9 months that I wish I could experience with this child.
It's the peace that comes after those difficult moments that always amazes me. When the "waiting" tears stop falling by the bucketful and I can pick myself up off the puddle on the floor, when all of the aching subsides and the weight of the world begins to lift off my shoulders I realize, this is nothing. All of that hurt and all of that pain is just a fraction of what my child's family must feel, what their mother will feel, what my child will feel. Those moments of loss are God given gifts that I have been given. Those moments stir up feelings that connect me to my child and his/her mother and family. Feelings that I can't begin to compare to their own, but that give me a window into the heartbreak that they must feel.
There is not a doubt that our child is where God has wants him/her for this time, for his purpose. That said, I long to have our baby here, home and in our arms. I miss our little ones that we don't even know. What a miraculous thing, to adopt. While I may not be the woman privileged enough to carry my children, I certainly feel bound to them, the woman that brings them into this world, and to the family that they come from.
Don't get me wrong, I would make the choice to adopt a million times over, and I would encourage others to do the same, but the wait is, at times, heartbreaking. Some moments are harder than others, and there are long periods of time when I am thankful for the months we have to plan for the transitions that are ahead. The distractions of change can last for days, but then I'll see a pregnant woman and in an instant, my breath is gone and my heart begins to ache.
I know that adoption may not have the physical joys and pains of pregnancy, but the desire for those experiences is there, and the longing to hold my child is no less. There is such a real part of me that wants to feel my stomach flutter and see my child's face on a sonogram. Part of me wants to watch my belly grow and know that in only a few more months the life being carried will be welcomed into our arms and brought home forever. The miracle of motherhood is one that goes beyond pregnancy, but there certainly aspects of those precious 9 months that I wish I could experience with this child.
It's the peace that comes after those difficult moments that always amazes me. When the "waiting" tears stop falling by the bucketful and I can pick myself up off the puddle on the floor, when all of the aching subsides and the weight of the world begins to lift off my shoulders I realize, this is nothing. All of that hurt and all of that pain is just a fraction of what my child's family must feel, what their mother will feel, what my child will feel. Those moments of loss are God given gifts that I have been given. Those moments stir up feelings that connect me to my child and his/her mother and family. Feelings that I can't begin to compare to their own, but that give me a window into the heartbreak that they must feel.
There is not a doubt that our child is where God has wants him/her for this time, for his purpose. That said, I long to have our baby here, home and in our arms. I miss our little ones that we don't even know. What a miraculous thing, to adopt. While I may not be the woman privileged enough to carry my children, I certainly feel bound to them, the woman that brings them into this world, and to the family that they come from.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Giving
I have been overwhelmed this week by the generosity of families in the adoption process with us. There are so many of them going far above and beyond what is expected, but let me explain...
The agency that we are working with has a close relationship with AHOPE (see link on your right), another Ethiopian agency that provides housing and medical care for children in Ethiopia that are suffering from HIV/AIDS. AHOPE houses 80-90 children at any given time and supplies for the children often run low. It has been common practice for many of our agency families to bring donations for AHOPE along with them when they travel to pick up their children.
I have learned that many of these families have used their talents to make baby bibs and blankets, also taking the time to gather medical supplies and find children's clothing, all to help supply AHOPE with things they desperatly need.
It is a spirit of giving and gentle humility that I am so proud to watch grow and develop in this small little world of ours. It is easy for us to forget how blessed we are simply because we were born in one of our blessed 50 states. We have so much that we can give, and so much beyond that we take for granted.
While we can't fix all the problems that we would like, we can improve the life of some, even if it is only a handful.
I would encourage everyone to find an agency you believe in and find out how you can support them. Sometimes it is much easier than you might think.
To all of my forum family and friends- YOU ROCK!!!!!
The agency that we are working with has a close relationship with AHOPE (see link on your right), another Ethiopian agency that provides housing and medical care for children in Ethiopia that are suffering from HIV/AIDS. AHOPE houses 80-90 children at any given time and supplies for the children often run low. It has been common practice for many of our agency families to bring donations for AHOPE along with them when they travel to pick up their children.
I have learned that many of these families have used their talents to make baby bibs and blankets, also taking the time to gather medical supplies and find children's clothing, all to help supply AHOPE with things they desperatly need.
It is a spirit of giving and gentle humility that I am so proud to watch grow and develop in this small little world of ours. It is easy for us to forget how blessed we are simply because we were born in one of our blessed 50 states. We have so much that we can give, and so much beyond that we take for granted.
While we can't fix all the problems that we would like, we can improve the life of some, even if it is only a handful.
I would encourage everyone to find an agency you believe in and find out how you can support them. Sometimes it is much easier than you might think.
To all of my forum family and friends- YOU ROCK!!!!!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Morning Rituals!
I woke up this morning to the sound of the shower running. I laid there with my eyes closed thinking how amazing it is to have the simple things in life like running water, a full fridge, and a bed to sleep in. I rested for a minute enjoying the moment- loving the fact that I had slept 12 hours when I rolled my head to the right, opened my eyes and saw/felt Dudleys nose on mine.
For those that don't know Dudley- he is the best dog in the universe (nothing bias there) and easily the most spoiled. He is a family dog and is everything we ever wanted in a pet. He hates being away from us, so naturally he has a hard time sleeping in a different room, let alone his kennel.
His bedtime ritual begins on the floor at our feet. I would guess that within an hour, maybe less, he quietly perches with his paws on the bed until he is convinced we are asleep, at which time he manuvres onto the bed and finds a resting spot somewhere between Garrett and I. We have woken up in the morning on more than one occasion and found 3-4 feet between us (which puts us on the far ends of the bed) with the dog on his side, legs fully extended, contently sleeping with his beloved owners on either side.
That said, if one of us leaves the bed (even if it's only for seconds)- he, very quickly and cautiously, finds his way to their spot before it gets too cold and proceeds to take up as much room as possible there. This is what obviously happened this morning. Dudley had not only taken over Garretts side of the bed, but he was curled up as close to me as he could be with his nose a quarter of an inch away from my shoulder. When I turned, he lifted his, just enough to give me a good morning love lick and big exhale of dog breath!
Let the day begin! Life is good!
For those that don't know Dudley- he is the best dog in the universe (nothing bias there) and easily the most spoiled. He is a family dog and is everything we ever wanted in a pet. He hates being away from us, so naturally he has a hard time sleeping in a different room, let alone his kennel.
His bedtime ritual begins on the floor at our feet. I would guess that within an hour, maybe less, he quietly perches with his paws on the bed until he is convinced we are asleep, at which time he manuvres onto the bed and finds a resting spot somewhere between Garrett and I. We have woken up in the morning on more than one occasion and found 3-4 feet between us (which puts us on the far ends of the bed) with the dog on his side, legs fully extended, contently sleeping with his beloved owners on either side.
That said, if one of us leaves the bed (even if it's only for seconds)- he, very quickly and cautiously, finds his way to their spot before it gets too cold and proceeds to take up as much room as possible there. This is what obviously happened this morning. Dudley had not only taken over Garretts side of the bed, but he was curled up as close to me as he could be with his nose a quarter of an inch away from my shoulder. When I turned, he lifted his, just enough to give me a good morning love lick and big exhale of dog breath!
Let the day begin! Life is good!
Monday, April 7, 2008
Fighting For Life - Official Trailer
Want an idea of what Garrett may be doing when he is done with med school?
This movie is showing in limited theaters around the country. I can't wait for it to be released on DVD.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Surpise Homecoming
I hope that all who read this blog have the great joy of good friends in their lives. Friends that you can count on for love and support, humor, blatant mockery (:P) and even tears whenever life calls for it. Garrett and I have been blessed with such people in our own lives and we are so thankful that they have returned home to the U.S. after two long years away.
What an honor it was to watch two families reuniting. Everyone has looked forward to Nate and Tacie returning home for months, but to play a part in such a great surprise for the families was very humbling. We are so blessed to know such amazing people!!! We love you guys! Welcome home!
To Matt and Lou- we have thought of you so many times over the last couple of weeks, knowing this was coming and wishing you could be here. We're thankful that we at least got you on the phone. You are missed by all of us more than you know. We love you very much and can't wait for you to get your own arse's back home! We'll be seeing you soon too! Yeah!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Adoption
This couple puts into words, what many of us in this adoption process fail to. The gift of adoption is so much more than simply bringing a child home. This process has been so much more than a learning experience. It has been about daily walking in faith, learning to trust in a God so much bigger than we can even imagine, and watching as he provides for all of our needs along the way.
I can't tell you what a blessing it has been and how many tears we have shed over the miracles that God has given us over the last 6 months. Whether they come in the mail or through our front door, it has been one after another and each one, just as much a miracle as the next.
Thank you to those of you who have been able to help whether it is through finances, prayers, or encouragement. Without ALL of you in our lives, this process would have been so much harder.
You have been, and continue to be, an example to us, of what we want to be for others.
Thank you a million times over and please continue to keep us in your thoughts!
On a lighter note- and one full of immediate joy- check out the blog for "Hotflawedmama" (look on the bar to your right). This couple is in Ethiopia picking up their son! They are keeping up on their blog daily and I was sobbing as I read their story of meeting Tariku, a beautiful boy they now hold in their arms! Wow! I had goosebumps!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
I Love the Weekends!
I know that it is odd to most, but I am just beginning my days off this week and it is such a great feeling! After working a full week in four days- it is WONDERFUL to have three days off.
I especially look forward to this weekend. The weather is supposed to be great and I intend on spending as much time as I can outside! Add to that, more boxes to pack, laundry to filter through (what to keep and what not to), and the much dreaded Spring cleaning! Oh how the dust has collected! I can't wait to clean the place up and make it livable again. It feels like all Winter long I have been hibernating in our dark little den, and I am SOOOO ready to open the windows up and let some fresh air in!
The flowers have started blooming and the garden is ooh-so-happy to see the sun. I think part of my appreciation this year is knowing that next year we will be living in a state that stays cold FAR longer than our beautiful California. I am such a native! The adjustment will be a tough one, but I look forward to the change.
Change is a comin' people, just around the corner! Wooooooo Shooooooo!
I especially look forward to this weekend. The weather is supposed to be great and I intend on spending as much time as I can outside! Add to that, more boxes to pack, laundry to filter through (what to keep and what not to), and the much dreaded Spring cleaning! Oh how the dust has collected! I can't wait to clean the place up and make it livable again. It feels like all Winter long I have been hibernating in our dark little den, and I am SOOOO ready to open the windows up and let some fresh air in!
The flowers have started blooming and the garden is ooh-so-happy to see the sun. I think part of my appreciation this year is knowing that next year we will be living in a state that stays cold FAR longer than our beautiful California. I am such a native! The adjustment will be a tough one, but I look forward to the change.
Change is a comin' people, just around the corner! Wooooooo Shooooooo!
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