ok- so its my birthday today- It started at 2:00 am with a wake up call and then about 2 minutes later I answered the phone and it was a lovely voice singing happy birthday to me- it was my good friend Joan. she is the study coordinator, research nurse in Cape Town- I first met her in 2002. I have now worked with her for 5 years and we have taught together in cape town south Africa twice, Washington DC, Durban South Africa, and earlier this week in Uganda- we are currently en route to Zambia where we will teach together again. We have developed a relationship over time as we do roughly the same job on different continents- only she does so much more than I ever could as far as studies go. She has 400 patients on the TB study we first started working on back in 2002, whereas I get a bit stressed if I have 8 patients on a meningitis vaccine trial! She also has 4 kids and works full time. She is an amazing woman and freind. So...back to my birthday- in order to get to Zambia from Kampala, Uganda- you have to wake at 2:00 AM, drive 45 minutes to Entebbe, Uganda, wait in a very slow line to check into the plane. they had no computer so the attendant had a scratch piece of paper where she had hand written all the seats- you ask for a seat (an aisle) and she looks at her scratch paper and crosses off your seat (taken). you then fly to Nairobi kenya- you must wait in several lines prior to getting on the plane ( at this point since 2 am I have waited in 6 lines) then you are on the flight to Lusaka...however- there is one stop before you get to Lusaka...Lilongwe, Malawi. So any of you who know me well know I have wanted to go to Malawi for a long time. Mark’s father was born there and he has family still there-here is one project they created: http://www.kindleorphanoutreach.org/index.html
So here we are on the runway in Lilongwe Malawi - its my birthday and I cant get out of the plane (will post picture from window!) So, the irony in this trip is that there are two places in Africa I would very much like to visit- Malawi and Ethiopia- I will spend time in each country but only from the plane or the airport. So, Joan just walked across the acr and gave me some Amarula for my birthday. She remembers that I always bought this while in South Africa so she got me some on the plane (Duty free!)
So..I wanted to blog about this- me being in Malawi- while I was actually in Malawi from the plane...because at least i can say I have been to Malawi- on my 39th birthday. On to Lusaka. To sleep maybe?
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Uganda
I am in Uganda- we are training a site to implement a study that will look at two HIv treatment regimens in children from 6 months to 3 years old. Its been an amazing 2 days as you can imagine. I have not seen much of Uganda having been in Kampala only and since I have been teaching the whole time- but what I have seen is beautiful. The more I see of this continent the more I WANT to see. I leave in a few hours for zambia and will fly out through the countries of my baby boys birth, Ethiopia. I was not able to stay on there unfortunately but will be back.
I was able to see some of the pediatric clinics here in kampala as well as the pediatric ward - or hospital. the clinic space that is funded by the research studies is really pretty nice compared to some paces I have seen in other places- but the ward was overcrowded with antiquated tools and low staffed- everyone was so friendly and incredibly bright! But the nurses make so little they cant afford to work there and so the care is not what it should be. I saw children suffering and parents by their sides in most cases...who were also suffering because it is so hard to have a child who is sick. Anyone who has taken their child to the emergency room or has had their child hospitalized knows this. its heart wrenching when there is only so much you can do. the children were so beautiful- I can't even begin to describe them.
what I found so interesting was that while walking through the medical complex there was a place for Johns Hopkins and a new clinic being built by Baylor and an oncology clinic funded by another entity and so many many different places funded by NGOs, research institutions, educational institutions and governements...its seemed so incongruous. And the word of the day was "Sustainability" the example was a lab machine donated for Tcells and they said the funds to run it would only last 3 years and then what? these patients do not have money to sustain the machine or ability to obtain the materials to run the assays long term...an incredible lab funded by Pfizer- for 3 years - and then what...I was saying how amazing it would be to have a new pediatric ward and they were saying- yes but how will we keep it staffed without any nurses since they are so underpaid they leave the country to fill spaces in south Africa to fill the spaces by those nurses who have gone to Saudi Arabia...and then it came up how our dear president is using Ugandan Soldiers to fight our war in Iraq. It was all a bit incredulous and then you thought about the faces of the children and the mothers. Photos I cannot post here due to privacy. i will post what I can when i return to the O.S. Next stop Zambia...same 2 day training.
I was able to see some of the pediatric clinics here in kampala as well as the pediatric ward - or hospital. the clinic space that is funded by the research studies is really pretty nice compared to some paces I have seen in other places- but the ward was overcrowded with antiquated tools and low staffed- everyone was so friendly and incredibly bright! But the nurses make so little they cant afford to work there and so the care is not what it should be. I saw children suffering and parents by their sides in most cases...who were also suffering because it is so hard to have a child who is sick. Anyone who has taken their child to the emergency room or has had their child hospitalized knows this. its heart wrenching when there is only so much you can do. the children were so beautiful- I can't even begin to describe them.
what I found so interesting was that while walking through the medical complex there was a place for Johns Hopkins and a new clinic being built by Baylor and an oncology clinic funded by another entity and so many many different places funded by NGOs, research institutions, educational institutions and governements...its seemed so incongruous. And the word of the day was "Sustainability" the example was a lab machine donated for Tcells and they said the funds to run it would only last 3 years and then what? these patients do not have money to sustain the machine or ability to obtain the materials to run the assays long term...an incredible lab funded by Pfizer- for 3 years - and then what...I was saying how amazing it would be to have a new pediatric ward and they were saying- yes but how will we keep it staffed without any nurses since they are so underpaid they leave the country to fill spaces in south Africa to fill the spaces by those nurses who have gone to Saudi Arabia...and then it came up how our dear president is using Ugandan Soldiers to fight our war in Iraq. It was all a bit incredulous and then you thought about the faces of the children and the mothers. Photos I cannot post here due to privacy. i will post what I can when i return to the O.S. Next stop Zambia...same 2 day training.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Proof we are Sox fans...
Here is Cal for Halloween in 2004...classic Damon....Cal was 7 when he first saw the Sox win the series...now we have many more Sox fans...and one Matt Holiday Fan (see Dorothy...)
yes and as Jennifer said- when Maddie was two she had the Red Sox Line up memorized...:)
yes and as Jennifer said- when Maddie was two she had the Red Sox Line up memorized...:)
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Friday, October 05, 2007
My 100th Post
Well you can see that when I got to my post back on June 28th...I kind of just stopped. Partly because I was afraid of coming up with 100 things about me...and partly because I had heard yet a few more things that the agency we used to bring our boys home had done. And these were the worst. Pretty much the king of the bad things you can hear about an agency. And what I wanted to do was come on here and just go off...and we all know I am capable of speaking my mind...but instead I focused on the summer, trying to sell the house, helping to plan my mom's 70th birthday party, a long anticipated camping trip to Yellowstone where we would hang out with some of my closest friends from CWA, and continue to work very hard at the clinic here in Denver. So, I owe you all some pictures from the summer...but I also owe you the list....and later we can talk about the ethical practices of ethiopian adoptions...
100 things about me:
1. I have 5 kids
2. I gave birth at home to two of my 5 kids
3. I was taken to the hospital just minutes before my Cal was born
4. My youngest two boys were born in Ethiopia and came home in June 2006
5. I have witnessed open heart surgery on a 2 year old. I saw her heart beating, then stopped while on bypass and then restarted
6. A year later my 2 1/2 year old had open heart surgery - I could picture the whole thing in my head while I waited in the waiting room, having just seen it done year earlier.
7. I am a Midwife and I have caught 40 babies and helped over a hundred moms labor and birth their children
8. I used to love being on stage
9. Now I would hate it
10. I met my husband in High School – we were in the play Cyrano De Bergerac.
11. We became close friends- but I told him (or warned him) that I would marry him one day
12. I really like beanie babies. And it’s my mom’s fault.
13. I love cappuccino chip ice cream
14. I have a beagle
15. We used to have a guinea pig and he died when we came home from Ethiopia. He was on the porch too long. And he was also very old.
16. I love Sunrye Ale. It only comes out in the summer.
17. I started my undergraduate education at The College of the Holy Cross. I was premed. I wanted to be an Obstetrician.
18. I took Russian in college
19. But learned French in middle and high school
20. I spent a summer in France. It was the summer Geraldine Ferraro was running for Vice president. I remember having political discussions in French with my host father.
21. I finished my undergraduate degree at Cornell University.
22. I got a degree in Communications
23. I spent a year and a half in California after graduation
24. I lived in San Francisco
25. We got our dog, Egg, there. (I loved him)
26. I love Pepsi
27. I decided to be a Nurse Practitioner after I left California.
28. I wanted to work with Kids with HIV and this seemed to be the best way to do it.
29. But I still wanted to deliver babies.
30. Mark and I were married when I was 23 and he was 25.
31. We had known each other for 8 years.
32. But had dated for only about 3.
33. We had Maddie in an old farmhouse in the fingerlakes in upstate New York.
34. I was 24.
35. We then moved to Connecticut where I went to the Yale School of Nursing and became a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who specializes in kids and families with HIV.
36. I love my mother-in-law’s chocolate chip cookies- there is nothing like them in the world.
37. I hate driving. Really hate it.
38. I love watching TV.
39. I don’t have a new favorite fall TV show yet…its very disappointing.
40. I can’t wait for LOST to start again.
41. I went online after the episode where Walt is appearing dripping wet to find out what he was saying. He was talking Backwards. Its really creepy. When I listened to it it was very late and I got really scared. You can listen here: Walt talking Backwards
42. I have been watching survivor since season 1.
43. I met my favorite Survivor- Jeff from Survivor Australia- we took a picture together and I made fun of him because of the million dollar bite of peanut butter.
44. I could write 100 things about Emily and TV- easily. (maybe another post?)
45. I have 2 brothers and one sister.
46. One brother lives in NY and the other in LA.
47. I have 4 nephews and 3 nieces. They are all amazing.
48. My dad lives near us.
49. My mom lives far away.
50. I want a puppy. (Mark says I am crazy)
51. All three of my birth children have a midline defect.
52. Maddie had a heart defect
53. Cal has two uvulas
54. Phoebe had ear tags
55. My Ethiopian born baby had an extra finger
56. My Ethiopian born boy has many scars. I have never counted them- because I think it would be depressing to know the number.
57. I asked CWA if the kids had any scars or unusual features. They said no. 11 fingers is really fairly common in Southern Ethiopia. So its not unusual for them. I guess neither are the scars.
58. I have never had surgery.
59. I have never spent the night in a hospital.
60. Cal was born at 12:35 and I went home first thing in the morning – so I don’t count that.
61. I am a Red Sox fan.
62. I love Halloween.
63. I grew up in upstate NY
64. One of my favorite regions is New England- camping on Cape Cod, going to Tanglewood, enjoying Northhampton, watching the Red Sox at Fenway.
65. I marched in China in the spring of 1989 – on Tianemen Square. A week after I came home was the massacre. It was amazing.
66. I have been to film festivals in Hong Kong, New York, Telluride, Sundance, High Falls, Ithaca, San Francisco and Denver.
67. Did I already say how much I Love DOTS?
68. and gummy bears?
69. and Doritoes?
70. I broke my foot in college
71. I draw blood several times a week on kids and adults with HIV. I am not bad at it. Pretty good actually!
72. I have had to give people very bad news
73. and very good news
74. and I have been able to help people through both.
75. I am a Christian and have been since I was a little girl
76. We home schooled until we moved to Colorado
77. Now I have 5 kids at 4 different schools
78. My favorite Broadway show was “True West”
79. I saw “On Golden Pond” 15 times in the theatre. Sometimes I saw it twice in a row.
80. I love the movie “Once Around”
81. I have many favorite movies- you can find some of them on my “profile”. Have you ever seen “A Room With a View”?
82. I stitched up a guys hand my first night in Romania where I was for a mission trip.
83. Before that I had only stitched up women after childbirth. (and not many of those)
84. I fell in love with a little girl in an orphanage in Romania. I still pray for her and think about her.
85. In the year that I was 21 and 22 I experienced more about life and death than in most other years of my life combined.
86. I also learned how to milk cows that year.
87. If I had not miscarried my babies in the fall of 2005 I might not have my Maren and Yasbera right now.
88. Their court date fell on the due date of the babies I lost. It was God’s way of saying, “This is right.”
89. I still miss those babies.
90. I love watching Madeline act.
91. I love watching Cal play ball
92. I love watching Phoebe play by herself in the yard
93. I love watching Michael in the rear view mirror when he is singing in a language he no longer understands
94. I love watching Yabsera play at school in the few moments before he knows I am there and drops everything to yell, “MAMA!” and come running to hug me.
95. I love watching my husband do just about everything.
96. I can’t take my eyes off of him sometimes
97. I love my Mom, Dad, Sister, brothers, mother-in-law, Sister and Brother in laws, nieces and nephews more than anything in the world. Its best watching them laugh.
98. My sister is one of God’s greatest gifts to me
99. Cal not having any homework this year because his teacher doesn’t believe in it is another one of God’s greatest gifts to me
100. I am so blessed to be able to do what I do- its the greatest gift after my family.
100 things about me:
1. I have 5 kids
2. I gave birth at home to two of my 5 kids
3. I was taken to the hospital just minutes before my Cal was born
4. My youngest two boys were born in Ethiopia and came home in June 2006
5. I have witnessed open heart surgery on a 2 year old. I saw her heart beating, then stopped while on bypass and then restarted
6. A year later my 2 1/2 year old had open heart surgery - I could picture the whole thing in my head while I waited in the waiting room, having just seen it done year earlier.
7. I am a Midwife and I have caught 40 babies and helped over a hundred moms labor and birth their children
8. I used to love being on stage
9. Now I would hate it
10. I met my husband in High School – we were in the play Cyrano De Bergerac.
11. We became close friends- but I told him (or warned him) that I would marry him one day
12. I really like beanie babies. And it’s my mom’s fault.
13. I love cappuccino chip ice cream
14. I have a beagle
15. We used to have a guinea pig and he died when we came home from Ethiopia. He was on the porch too long. And he was also very old.
16. I love Sunrye Ale. It only comes out in the summer.
17. I started my undergraduate education at The College of the Holy Cross. I was premed. I wanted to be an Obstetrician.
18. I took Russian in college
19. But learned French in middle and high school
20. I spent a summer in France. It was the summer Geraldine Ferraro was running for Vice president. I remember having political discussions in French with my host father.
21. I finished my undergraduate degree at Cornell University.
22. I got a degree in Communications
23. I spent a year and a half in California after graduation
24. I lived in San Francisco
25. We got our dog, Egg, there. (I loved him)
26. I love Pepsi
27. I decided to be a Nurse Practitioner after I left California.
28. I wanted to work with Kids with HIV and this seemed to be the best way to do it.
29. But I still wanted to deliver babies.
30. Mark and I were married when I was 23 and he was 25.
31. We had known each other for 8 years.
32. But had dated for only about 3.
33. We had Maddie in an old farmhouse in the fingerlakes in upstate New York.
34. I was 24.
35. We then moved to Connecticut where I went to the Yale School of Nursing and became a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who specializes in kids and families with HIV.
36. I love my mother-in-law’s chocolate chip cookies- there is nothing like them in the world.
37. I hate driving. Really hate it.
38. I love watching TV.
39. I don’t have a new favorite fall TV show yet…its very disappointing.
40. I can’t wait for LOST to start again.
41. I went online after the episode where Walt is appearing dripping wet to find out what he was saying. He was talking Backwards. Its really creepy. When I listened to it it was very late and I got really scared. You can listen here: Walt talking Backwards
42. I have been watching survivor since season 1.
43. I met my favorite Survivor- Jeff from Survivor Australia- we took a picture together and I made fun of him because of the million dollar bite of peanut butter.
44. I could write 100 things about Emily and TV- easily. (maybe another post?)
45. I have 2 brothers and one sister.
46. One brother lives in NY and the other in LA.
47. I have 4 nephews and 3 nieces. They are all amazing.
48. My dad lives near us.
49. My mom lives far away.
50. I want a puppy. (Mark says I am crazy)
51. All three of my birth children have a midline defect.
52. Maddie had a heart defect
53. Cal has two uvulas
54. Phoebe had ear tags
55. My Ethiopian born baby had an extra finger
56. My Ethiopian born boy has many scars. I have never counted them- because I think it would be depressing to know the number.
57. I asked CWA if the kids had any scars or unusual features. They said no. 11 fingers is really fairly common in Southern Ethiopia. So its not unusual for them. I guess neither are the scars.
58. I have never had surgery.
59. I have never spent the night in a hospital.
60. Cal was born at 12:35 and I went home first thing in the morning – so I don’t count that.
61. I am a Red Sox fan.
62. I love Halloween.
63. I grew up in upstate NY
64. One of my favorite regions is New England- camping on Cape Cod, going to Tanglewood, enjoying Northhampton, watching the Red Sox at Fenway.
65. I marched in China in the spring of 1989 – on Tianemen Square. A week after I came home was the massacre. It was amazing.
66. I have been to film festivals in Hong Kong, New York, Telluride, Sundance, High Falls, Ithaca, San Francisco and Denver.
67. Did I already say how much I Love DOTS?
68. and gummy bears?
69. and Doritoes?
70. I broke my foot in college
71. I draw blood several times a week on kids and adults with HIV. I am not bad at it. Pretty good actually!
72. I have had to give people very bad news
73. and very good news
74. and I have been able to help people through both.
75. I am a Christian and have been since I was a little girl
76. We home schooled until we moved to Colorado
77. Now I have 5 kids at 4 different schools
78. My favorite Broadway show was “True West”
79. I saw “On Golden Pond” 15 times in the theatre. Sometimes I saw it twice in a row.
80. I love the movie “Once Around”
81. I have many favorite movies- you can find some of them on my “profile”. Have you ever seen “A Room With a View”?
82. I stitched up a guys hand my first night in Romania where I was for a mission trip.
83. Before that I had only stitched up women after childbirth. (and not many of those)
84. I fell in love with a little girl in an orphanage in Romania. I still pray for her and think about her.
85. In the year that I was 21 and 22 I experienced more about life and death than in most other years of my life combined.
86. I also learned how to milk cows that year.
87. If I had not miscarried my babies in the fall of 2005 I might not have my Maren and Yasbera right now.
88. Their court date fell on the due date of the babies I lost. It was God’s way of saying, “This is right.”
89. I still miss those babies.
90. I love watching Madeline act.
91. I love watching Cal play ball
92. I love watching Phoebe play by herself in the yard
93. I love watching Michael in the rear view mirror when he is singing in a language he no longer understands
94. I love watching Yabsera play at school in the few moments before he knows I am there and drops everything to yell, “MAMA!” and come running to hug me.
95. I love watching my husband do just about everything.
96. I can’t take my eyes off of him sometimes
97. I love my Mom, Dad, Sister, brothers, mother-in-law, Sister and Brother in laws, nieces and nephews more than anything in the world. Its best watching them laugh.
98. My sister is one of God’s greatest gifts to me
99. Cal not having any homework this year because his teacher doesn’t believe in it is another one of God’s greatest gifts to me
100. I am so blessed to be able to do what I do- its the greatest gift after my family.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
What a year can make
This photo of Maren was taken in September of 2006 when he had been home in Colorado about 3 months.
This photo was taken of Maren about a year later. He has lost his two front teeth so I was taking pictures and then tonight I looked at the picture (taken about a month ago) and remembered this older "matching" picture (above).
I am amazed when I see pictures of him while he was still in Ethiopia or when he first came home. One thing I notice now but did not back then is how his body was somewhat out of proportion. His tiny legs and arms in comparison to his head and chest. It makes sense when you realize the deprivation he suffered. He remembers only eating potatoes and popcorn with his Uncle (Or grandpa or dad- who knows who the man was who cared for him before coming to CWA's care center in Sodo). But look at how he has grown. According to CWA records he is now just 4. But we are calling him 5 1/2 and we think he is closer to 7. But he fits very well in kindergarten, both with size and development. And Lord knows when he is nearly 40 he will be happy to be a younger age than he might really be! he really likes being 5! Note the length of his legs one year ago are about the length of just his calves now. The pants he was wearing a year ago - his 2 year old brother is now wearing!
This photo was taken of Maren about a year later. He has lost his two front teeth so I was taking pictures and then tonight I looked at the picture (taken about a month ago) and remembered this older "matching" picture (above).
I am amazed when I see pictures of him while he was still in Ethiopia or when he first came home. One thing I notice now but did not back then is how his body was somewhat out of proportion. His tiny legs and arms in comparison to his head and chest. It makes sense when you realize the deprivation he suffered. He remembers only eating potatoes and popcorn with his Uncle (Or grandpa or dad- who knows who the man was who cared for him before coming to CWA's care center in Sodo). But look at how he has grown. According to CWA records he is now just 4. But we are calling him 5 1/2 and we think he is closer to 7. But he fits very well in kindergarten, both with size and development. And Lord knows when he is nearly 40 he will be happy to be a younger age than he might really be! he really likes being 5! Note the length of his legs one year ago are about the length of just his calves now. The pants he was wearing a year ago - his 2 year old brother is now wearing!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
One Season Wonders
As I watched the final episode of my favorite new show of this TV season, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" the other night, I was feeling- once again robbed of a great television show. I feel like someone out there who has a lot of control took away a show with great actors and amazing writers and yet they let another season of something lame with Donald Trump as the lead get renewed. Studio 60 was well done, interesting, funny and smart. You couldn't wait for the next show. My only consolation is that they let the final episodes air rather then shelving them. So as the summer reruns began, we had something to look forward to on Thursday nights. And it ended in a multipart season ending story. Well done. But it got me thinking of other great shows- shows that deserved a second chance, a second season, a better time slot. Here is a list of my all time favorite one season wonders. I have added a couple of two season wonders in for good measure- as well as a couple of my husbands favorites. Here they are in no particular order....
Freaks & Geeks 1999 Who couldn't love this show which takes place during the 1980's. This is the same time I was in middle and high school and I remember the "freaks" and the "geeks". There were a lot of cultural references to the 80's but the themes were valid today...only now we have "Emos" and "Preps" or something like that! Plus it had the great John Francis Daley as Sam.
Homefront 1991-1993 3 seasons Ok- this had three seasons. But I loved it- I think I should probably do a new post with three season shows I loved...and then 4 season shows I loved...I think I see a trend. Anyway, this show was about a small American town right after WWII ends and all of the relationships that are changed due to the war and how the war affects the whole town. Notably, the whole reason I adored the show was because I had a small crush on one of the lead actors, a young Kyle Chandler, who you would later see in that "Cat see into the future after reading the newspaper" show "Early Edition", and more recently, the new hit show "Friday Night Lights." And if you watch Grey's Anatomy- you might remember him as the Bomb Squad guy who was killed after Meredith did whatever dramatic thing she did when she did not die...man she has almost died a lot. In fact, he came back this season in her "near death experience scene."
My So-Called Life 1994 Here you got to see a young Claire Danes and she breaks into her career. This was a well done show- but I do remember that it was pretty depressing. I was a new mom then and thinking, "Why is she so bummed out all the time? She has her whole life ahead of her."
Jack and Bobby 2004 I LOVED this show. I was so sad when it was canceled. The premise was that these were two brothers, Jack (older) and Bobby (younger) are growing up and one of them will become president. The show flips back and forth from the present day "future" where its clearly a documentary on the life of a president who has been assassinated. You spend the whole show trying to figure out which kid becomes president. Once they knew they were being canceled, they made a long season finale that wrapped everything up nice and neat in hopes of one day selling a DVD boxset of the one and only season. I don't think they made the DVD.
Andy Richter Controls the Universe (2002) I actually never saw this show- but it was on everyone's top ten lists and since I LOVE Andy Richter- I am certain I would have loved it.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip 2006 This is the show by the creators of West Wing which inspired this blog post. This post which has nothing to do with Adoption, Ethiopia, or HIV. I am going to have to create a whole new tagline for "Entertainment". Which by the way is a great thing to have at the end of a long day involving the above three things. I loved this series. I love the actors in it- I love seeing Mathew Perry doing his "Non- Chandler" acting- which he does VERY well. And I also enjoy watching him as Chandler for the record.
The Comeback 2005 OK. I watched this show last summer when I had first brought the boys home from Ethiopia. It was a hard summer, but one of the things I looked forward to was watching this show. It is so darn funny. Its one of those shows where you are watching the main character and just cringing. In one scene I am laughing so hard- side splitting, really- and then you see Lisa Kudrow's Character doing something and you are sitting there crying- you are literally laughing and crying at the same time. Its Brilliant! Someone on the IMDB said that its much smarter than Sex and the City- another HBO show- and its really true. It works like "The Office" because its a dramatized reality show. Beautiful.
Gidget 1965 This show was on MTV when MTV was a baby. I was about 13 or 14 then and LOVED the show. I named my cat Gidget- because back then when you loved a show you named your pets after it...now we just name our children after Television...Phoebe.
The Mole 2001 I liked this reality show a lot- it was really funny and I enjoyed always trying to figure out who the Mole was. I never knew- they were very good at hiding the fact that they were the mole. When it was down to the last 3 people, it was so intense- the idea that there are 3 of you- and one of you is lying to your face. It is a lot like the real world, really- there are always moles out there...right guys? It's what keeps you on your toes. Plus I like Anderson Cooper, and he now does all that newsy stuff on CNN!
Sports Night 1998-2000 2 seasons OK! Who out there saw this show and can't say it was one of the best shows ever on TV??? I know it lasted one season longer than most on this list- but it was an amazing funny and brilliant show with an incredible cast. Is this one on DVD? If it is..run, don't walk, to your nearest video store and grab it. But you will be as sad as me when the second season ends and there are no more....
The Honeymooners 1955 'Nuff said.
Ned and Stacy 1995 2 seasons I enjoyed this show...it had Debra Messing before Will and Grace and Thomas Hayden Church from Wings. It was funny. I liked the cast a lot and it left after two seasons...of course Will and Grace came along and the rest is history.
The Bonnie Hunt Show 1995 This show was on for one season- it was funny- Bonnie Hunt is so talented...but then she came back with a new show, "Life with Bonnie" which aired for 2 seasons..they were basically the same story idea and some of the same characters. Well done. Bonnie Hunt is amazing.
The Monkees 1966 2 seasons The Monkees, Like Gidget, was on when I was a teenager. I remember trying to tape every episode on VCR and somewhere in my mothers basement is an old box of VHS tapes with Monkees episodes. This was the perfect show for my teenage brain. Clever and funny and predictable. Same plot line every show, but you wanted it that way. And I loved the music!
Do you have any One Season Wonders to add to my list???
Freaks & Geeks 1999 Who couldn't love this show which takes place during the 1980's. This is the same time I was in middle and high school and I remember the "freaks" and the "geeks". There were a lot of cultural references to the 80's but the themes were valid today...only now we have "Emos" and "Preps" or something like that! Plus it had the great John Francis Daley as Sam.
Homefront 1991-1993 3 seasons Ok- this had three seasons. But I loved it- I think I should probably do a new post with three season shows I loved...and then 4 season shows I loved...I think I see a trend. Anyway, this show was about a small American town right after WWII ends and all of the relationships that are changed due to the war and how the war affects the whole town. Notably, the whole reason I adored the show was because I had a small crush on one of the lead actors, a young Kyle Chandler, who you would later see in that "Cat see into the future after reading the newspaper" show "Early Edition", and more recently, the new hit show "Friday Night Lights." And if you watch Grey's Anatomy- you might remember him as the Bomb Squad guy who was killed after Meredith did whatever dramatic thing she did when she did not die...man she has almost died a lot. In fact, he came back this season in her "near death experience scene."
My So-Called Life 1994 Here you got to see a young Claire Danes and she breaks into her career. This was a well done show- but I do remember that it was pretty depressing. I was a new mom then and thinking, "Why is she so bummed out all the time? She has her whole life ahead of her."
Jack and Bobby 2004 I LOVED this show. I was so sad when it was canceled. The premise was that these were two brothers, Jack (older) and Bobby (younger) are growing up and one of them will become president. The show flips back and forth from the present day "future" where its clearly a documentary on the life of a president who has been assassinated. You spend the whole show trying to figure out which kid becomes president. Once they knew they were being canceled, they made a long season finale that wrapped everything up nice and neat in hopes of one day selling a DVD boxset of the one and only season. I don't think they made the DVD.
Andy Richter Controls the Universe (2002) I actually never saw this show- but it was on everyone's top ten lists and since I LOVE Andy Richter- I am certain I would have loved it.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip 2006 This is the show by the creators of West Wing which inspired this blog post. This post which has nothing to do with Adoption, Ethiopia, or HIV. I am going to have to create a whole new tagline for "Entertainment". Which by the way is a great thing to have at the end of a long day involving the above three things. I loved this series. I love the actors in it- I love seeing Mathew Perry doing his "Non- Chandler" acting- which he does VERY well. And I also enjoy watching him as Chandler for the record.
The Comeback 2005 OK. I watched this show last summer when I had first brought the boys home from Ethiopia. It was a hard summer, but one of the things I looked forward to was watching this show. It is so darn funny. Its one of those shows where you are watching the main character and just cringing. In one scene I am laughing so hard- side splitting, really- and then you see Lisa Kudrow's Character doing something and you are sitting there crying- you are literally laughing and crying at the same time. Its Brilliant! Someone on the IMDB said that its much smarter than Sex and the City- another HBO show- and its really true. It works like "The Office" because its a dramatized reality show. Beautiful.
Gidget 1965 This show was on MTV when MTV was a baby. I was about 13 or 14 then and LOVED the show. I named my cat Gidget- because back then when you loved a show you named your pets after it...now we just name our children after Television...Phoebe.
The Mole 2001 I liked this reality show a lot- it was really funny and I enjoyed always trying to figure out who the Mole was. I never knew- they were very good at hiding the fact that they were the mole. When it was down to the last 3 people, it was so intense- the idea that there are 3 of you- and one of you is lying to your face. It is a lot like the real world, really- there are always moles out there...right guys? It's what keeps you on your toes. Plus I like Anderson Cooper, and he now does all that newsy stuff on CNN!
Sports Night 1998-2000 2 seasons OK! Who out there saw this show and can't say it was one of the best shows ever on TV??? I know it lasted one season longer than most on this list- but it was an amazing funny and brilliant show with an incredible cast. Is this one on DVD? If it is..run, don't walk, to your nearest video store and grab it. But you will be as sad as me when the second season ends and there are no more....
The Honeymooners 1955 'Nuff said.
Ned and Stacy 1995 2 seasons I enjoyed this show...it had Debra Messing before Will and Grace and Thomas Hayden Church from Wings. It was funny. I liked the cast a lot and it left after two seasons...of course Will and Grace came along and the rest is history.
The Bonnie Hunt Show 1995 This show was on for one season- it was funny- Bonnie Hunt is so talented...but then she came back with a new show, "Life with Bonnie" which aired for 2 seasons..they were basically the same story idea and some of the same characters. Well done. Bonnie Hunt is amazing.
The Monkees 1966 2 seasons The Monkees, Like Gidget, was on when I was a teenager. I remember trying to tape every episode on VCR and somewhere in my mothers basement is an old box of VHS tapes with Monkees episodes. This was the perfect show for my teenage brain. Clever and funny and predictable. Same plot line every show, but you wanted it that way. And I loved the music!
Do you have any One Season Wonders to add to my list???
Thursday, June 28, 2007
7 things about me
Since I have not posted a picture in while here is Maren and Yabsera watching "Spirited Away". Completely entranced.....
I have been tagged by Laura to list 7 random things about me...but since my 100th post is coming up soon...I am going to list 7 things about me and the life of HIV. But first a photo of Yabsera Rock climbing in the Rockies...
I have been tagged by Laura to list 7 random things about me...but since my 100th post is coming up soon...I am going to list 7 things about me and the life of HIV. But first a photo of Yabsera Rock climbing in the Rockies...
My 7 things.....
1) I accompanied my friend for an HIV test in 1990. That was my first time coming that close to this disease. He tested negative, but tested positive about 8 years later and is now living with HIV.
2) I held my first baby who was HIV exposed in the fall of 1990. She was drooling on my shoulder and I wondered if I could get HIV from being drooled on. I had taken a job caring for kids with HIV and yet I had no idea what that meant or how you got the disease. There was no internet to do research. That night I found out that you do not get HIV from being drooled on. That baby ended up being uninfected. Her birthmother has long since passed away.
3) I first fell in love with children that were not my own in the fall of 1990. 3 of them had HIV and two of them did not. I loved these kids like they were my own and it was the first time I really knew that I would probably one day adopt a child.
4) I watched my first child with HIV die in the spring of 1991. I held her at night and we sang and rocked. She was in a great deal of pain. I blogged about here here.
5) I said my first goodbyes to the children I had really grown to love and cherish in the summer of 1991. My first of many heartbreaks over saying goodbye to a child. One of the children with HIV died a few years ago at age 18, and the other child who is now in her 20's is still alive and doing well. The two uninfected children are also all grown up and doing well.
6) I met my first "Buddy" with HIV in the fall of 1992. Her name was Veronica and she was 21 and the mother of two girls. Neither girl was HIV infected. I spent 4 years getting to know this young woman. We were almost the same age, both from Upstate New York, both children of the 70's and teenagers of the 80's...we had a lot in common. She died in the spring of 1996 of complications related to HIV disease. I made her a quilt piece that is now part of the AIDS Quilt.
7) I started caring for families with HIV, as a medical professional, in 1996 when the new HIV Drug Cocktail, including Protease Inhibitors, came out. This is the magic year when the new drugs were available that would change the face of HIV in the Western World. If Veronica had lived a few more months, she might be alive today and if Tina was born in 1996 she not only would be alive today- she would probably not have been born with HIV at all. No other disease, in the history of diseases, has made this type of progress this quickly. Six years was the difference for Tina and Veronica, and its also the difference for all of those kids in Ethiopia who have a chance to access these life saving medications. Many of these kids are even being adopted here in the US and other countries. Not long ago international adoption of an HIV+ child was only rarely possible. Now I have gotten about 4 emails in the last month from families who are interested in adopting an HIV+ child.
And finally- Maren- falls asleep on the wood floor at my feet. I suppose even our wood floor is more comfortable than some of the places this kid slept while in Ethiopia.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
The "Helen Keller" you have brought home
I was just emailing a friend of mine who was telling me about her daughter she just adopted who is about 7 or so. She was saying that she has these tantrums that are so visceral and almost animal like and it can be really hard on everyone. She can't even leave her with her older kids for fear that she might have one of these spin outs when she is not there. She says its getting better but its still so hard. I told her how normal it is and that it also gets better. It really does. And the families whose kids come home and don't do this- does not necessarily mean their children are better adjusted- they have different coping styles and who can say that child who never cries and yells for an hour or two without being consoled won't have major issues as they grow and process all of their losses and grief. Grief is ok and normal and healthy and letting them cry in a safe place is important and as their language skills get better they can talk to you and tell you how they feel. this is what I wrote to her about our experience:
The tantrums are completely normal- she has no other way to say how completely crazy she feels inside- how upset, sad, full of grief, confused she is- Maren actually talks about his tantrums now and says that he was scared and angry (his words). "Like an animal" describes it well and its why its like "Helen Keller". We also could not leave Maddie with Maren- we can now but only for easy, short times- you may remember the first time we tried it (we had been home 5 months) and we had eaten Ethiopian food with Melissa Faye Green and then went to the book signing- I think being around the Ethiopian kids and food might have set him off- we got a frantic call from Maddie- it was terrible she was just crying and sounded scared because Michael was really loosing it. Your daughter needs to get it out and when she can talk better it will help- just like having a toddler (terrible twos) who can't really talk yet so they throw themselves around and have fits. She will get better. I also have the people who comment on Maren's energy level and to me it doesn't seem like its abnormal or too high most times. He also does spend a lot of time just lying on the floor with his cars and playing quietly. But get him in a public or different situation I think he just can't process it as well- this makes sense - if he spent a lot of time alone (which he did) and also if he was never expected to act a certain way in social situations then all of these gatherings must just seem so odd and foreign, because they ARE. I think The Weavers Craft has a lot to say about toddlers- but I think the information is probably useful up to about age 8 or so with some of the behaviors she talks about. It will get better. I promise!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Monday, June 04, 2007
The Other 5,999,268
The New York Times Article on Ethiopian Adoption
In the article they point out how fast adoptions in Ethiopia have grown over the past few years and cite the pitfalls of growing too rapidly, including bringing up a scenario with the agency we used CWA (Christian World Adoption). In the article they speculate that the mix up of three babies was a mistake that could happen when an agency grows too fast. What is not pointed out is that, I believe we all recognize there is human error involved, but it's how the agency chose to handle it after the mistake had been made where I find fault. How they dealt with it and how they are dealing with it is where there is room for improvement.
I also found myself saddened to read that Ethiopia is one of the few countries who not only encourages but asks that you meet the birth family and learn from them for the child you are bringing home. Its very progressive and its what we know to be a good thing for adopted children. They need to have the story and see pictures. This helps when you have been plucked from the only place and people you know and brought half way around the world to a place where there are new smells, strange food, funny sounds, and a different language. It helps to know you were loved in Ethiopia and these are the people who loved you.
I am sad because CWA did not allow, encourage or help us meet any birth family. In fact the one thing that we hoped to have was the ability to meet our kids in the care center where they spent the last 6 months of their lives. Talk with the nannies, take pictures of them with their friends...how nice it would have been to come home and when Maren was so sad and grieving to pull out an album with his friends in it so he could look at them and talk about them?
That was the part of the article that made me sad. So choose your agency wisely. We went into it being told one thing and ended up with something else.
Bottom line- I am so glad that people everywhere are adopting from Ethiopia- with nearly 6 million orphans - the 732 kids brought to the US last year (2 of whom are my Maren and Yabsera)- are just a drop in the bucket. So much more needs to be done. Adoption is a bandaid really.
In the article they point out how fast adoptions in Ethiopia have grown over the past few years and cite the pitfalls of growing too rapidly, including bringing up a scenario with the agency we used CWA (Christian World Adoption). In the article they speculate that the mix up of three babies was a mistake that could happen when an agency grows too fast. What is not pointed out is that, I believe we all recognize there is human error involved, but it's how the agency chose to handle it after the mistake had been made where I find fault. How they dealt with it and how they are dealing with it is where there is room for improvement.
I also found myself saddened to read that Ethiopia is one of the few countries who not only encourages but asks that you meet the birth family and learn from them for the child you are bringing home. Its very progressive and its what we know to be a good thing for adopted children. They need to have the story and see pictures. This helps when you have been plucked from the only place and people you know and brought half way around the world to a place where there are new smells, strange food, funny sounds, and a different language. It helps to know you were loved in Ethiopia and these are the people who loved you.
I am sad because CWA did not allow, encourage or help us meet any birth family. In fact the one thing that we hoped to have was the ability to meet our kids in the care center where they spent the last 6 months of their lives. Talk with the nannies, take pictures of them with their friends...how nice it would have been to come home and when Maren was so sad and grieving to pull out an album with his friends in it so he could look at them and talk about them?
That was the part of the article that made me sad. So choose your agency wisely. We went into it being told one thing and ended up with something else.
Bottom line- I am so glad that people everywhere are adopting from Ethiopia- with nearly 6 million orphans - the 732 kids brought to the US last year (2 of whom are my Maren and Yabsera)- are just a drop in the bucket. So much more needs to be done. Adoption is a bandaid really.
Its a wonderful thing for 732 kids and the families it affects on both sides... but its not the only answer...what about the other 5,999,268?
Sunday, June 03, 2007
How Many Orphans in Ethiopia?
According to UNICEF:
The number of orphans in Ethiopia, Children (0-17 years) orphaned due to all causes, in 2005, is estimated at 4,800,000.
Many other sites bring this current number closer to 6 million, which makes sense because this is only a 2005 estimate.
So....
The US census bureau estimates that there are 4,514,342 children under 18 living in New York state as of last year. So, you can safely say that if you take every child under 18 who lives in all of New York State and remove their parents you have roughly the number of orphans they estimated there were in Ethiopia 2 years ago...if you go by the more current estimates then you would have to add the state of Massachusetts at 1,448,884 kids under the age of 18 in 2006 and we are still about 100,000 kids shy...so lets add the District of Columbia with an estimate of 114,881 kids-
So we would have to take all the kids under 18 in New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia - remove their parents and then you would have the number of children who are orphans in Ethiopia.
"When will the day come that our dignity will be fully restored, when the purpose of our lives will no longer be merely to survive until the sun rises tomorrow!"
-Thabo Mbeki
The number of orphans in Ethiopia, Children (0-17 years) orphaned due to all causes, in 2005, is estimated at 4,800,000.
Many other sites bring this current number closer to 6 million, which makes sense because this is only a 2005 estimate.
So....
The US census bureau estimates that there are 4,514,342 children under 18 living in New York state as of last year. So, you can safely say that if you take every child under 18 who lives in all of New York State and remove their parents you have roughly the number of orphans they estimated there were in Ethiopia 2 years ago...if you go by the more current estimates then you would have to add the state of Massachusetts at 1,448,884 kids under the age of 18 in 2006 and we are still about 100,000 kids shy...so lets add the District of Columbia with an estimate of 114,881 kids-
So we would have to take all the kids under 18 in New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia - remove their parents and then you would have the number of children who are orphans in Ethiopia.
"When will the day come that our dignity will be fully restored, when the purpose of our lives will no longer be merely to survive until the sun rises tomorrow!"-Thabo Mbeki
Friday, June 01, 2007
Just 10 posts away....
10 posts until I get to my 100th post- and you all know what that means- I have to list 100 things about me...I have 10 posts to make that happen...well...9 now....
Since one year ago today I was in Addis just getting to know my two little boys I leave you with a photo of them with me on the beach of lake...Langano- I think. Its amazing how much they have changed...and for posterity I am also adding one of my favorite photos of Cal- taken when he was about 7. So these are my boys- and they don't look like this any more (Yabsera is now wearing the clothes that Maren is wearing in this photo and the shoes are too small for Yabsera's giant feet!) - Maren, Yabsera and Caelan....bungy jumping
Since one year ago today I was in Addis just getting to know my two little boys I leave you with a photo of them with me on the beach of lake...Langano- I think. Its amazing how much they have changed...and for posterity I am also adding one of my favorite photos of Cal- taken when he was about 7. So these are my boys- and they don't look like this any more (Yabsera is now wearing the clothes that Maren is wearing in this photo and the shoes are too small for Yabsera's giant feet!) - Maren, Yabsera and Caelan....bungy jumping
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Forever Day
"Mom, I don't know what that mean, 'forever'."
"Forever means that it goes on and on. It never stops. It means always."
"I don't know what that mean 'Forever Day'."
"Today is the day that mommy and daddy were in Ethiopia, one year ago, and Dagne gave you to us and we kept you forever. It means we will never give you back. You will always be our little boy, our baby boy...forever...never ending....always."
Adoption is forever. Never ends. Always.
Today we celebrated one year- had lunch at our favorite local Ethiopian Restaurant with my brother and my father. We celebrate one year ago today when our lives changed inexorably, beautifully, wonderfully and joyfully. Thanks to all of you who were here along the way.
Here is one year ago....
"Forever means that it goes on and on. It never stops. It means always."
"I don't know what that mean 'Forever Day'."
"Today is the day that mommy and daddy were in Ethiopia, one year ago, and Dagne gave you to us and we kept you forever. It means we will never give you back. You will always be our little boy, our baby boy...forever...never ending....always."
Adoption is forever. Never ends. Always.
Today we celebrated one year- had lunch at our favorite local Ethiopian Restaurant with my brother and my father. We celebrate one year ago today when our lives changed inexorably, beautifully, wonderfully and joyfully. Thanks to all of you who were here along the way.
Here is one year ago....
Sunday, May 27, 2007
What Ethiopia Spends on Healthcare
This is one of my all time favorite blogs. It's written by an American Man who is living as an Ex-pat in Ethiopia with his wife and child- and two cats-oh and a dog. His latest entry is worth repeating. Please click here to read it. It is short and to the point. And stunning I might add. It's no wonder my Maren looks like a 3 or 4 year old when he is really much older. He came from the poorest part of one of the worlds poorest countries.
Ferenge Blog on Health Care Expenditures in Ethiopia
Ferenge Blog on Health Care Expenditures in Ethiopia
Friday, May 11, 2007
Yabsera's first haircut
This was taken on a hike a few weeks before the haircut.
Before....
Hmmmmmm.......
Bald! :(
All 4 kids got a cut- but you cant even tell Cal's was cut!
Before....
Hmmmmmm.......
Bald! :(
All 4 kids got a cut- but you cant even tell Cal's was cut!
The Cousins and Maren's 3rd birthday in one year
Maren has his 3rd and final birthday since he came home...the other day he said "when is my birthday?" I said...now you have to wait like everyone else for a WHOLE YEAR! When we got him he was supposed to be three but he was really older so we have aged him up with little parties throughout the year. My sister in-law makes a cool tablecoth with each year on it so people can sign it. So we have signed 4, 5, and 6. But its kind of sad to have 1, 2 and 3 all empty!
Cal and Yabsera- pre haircut
The cousins!!
Cal and Yabsera- pre haircut
The cousins!!
The Dedication
Maren and Yabsera were dedicated the Sunday after Easter. It was beautiful. We had just started going to a new church and we met with the pastors prior to the dedication and in just that short they got the true essence of both boys. I would like to type here what the pastor prayed over them because it was beautiful. I remember he said that Yabsera was a "Son of Ethiopia" and he would return to his country one day. And he said that Maren's joy reaches everyone like his smile that extends from the east to the west.
Here is my verse for Maren. His name means "Have Mercy".
Psalm 30:10-1210
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help."
11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
Here is Maren's teacher who came- Mrs. Peterson. She is just like Miss Frizzle and Maren has learned so much from her! We are so thankful to her for her patience and cultural sensitivity. We will miss her.
Here is Mark's sister, Sharon and her husband P. These are Maren's Godparents and he just loves them so much! They came all the way from New York to be with us.
This is Mark's side of the family. His mom, his sister and brother -in-law and our niece and nephews and our kids of course!
Here is my verse fro Yabsera, whose name means "The work of God".
Isaiah 43:5-7:
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-
7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."
Isaiah 43:5-7:
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-
7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."
Here is my verse for Maren. His name means "Have Mercy".Psalm 30:10-1210
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help."
11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
Here is Maren's teacher who came- Mrs. Peterson. She is just like Miss Frizzle and Maren has learned so much from her! We are so thankful to her for her patience and cultural sensitivity. We will miss her.
Here is Mark's sister, Sharon and her husband P. These are Maren's Godparents and he just loves them so much! They came all the way from New York to be with us.
This is Mark's side of the family. His mom, his sister and brother -in-law and our niece and nephews and our kids of course!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Please Pray for Lucas
Hey all- This is one of my favorite blogs - on my blog roll its called "My wake up call" because he really pushes you to think outside the box. Anyway- his son has suffered severe burns and is asking for prayer, You can read about it here:
Pray for Lucas!
They recently brought home their kids from Ethiopia afer a very long wait.
Pray for Lucas!
They recently brought home their kids from Ethiopia afer a very long wait.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Easter with the Boys, one year later
Last Easter this is what I wrote. So here I am one year later and - its true- we had a huge group around our table (the photo below is all the "kids" who were there). I do remember life before Maren and Yabsera- but barely. It's a distant memory. I love my kids so much and can't imagine not having all of them! It was icy cold for the egg hunt- and Maren did not really "get it" until there were only a few eggs left- he was moving along so slow looking for big eggs and pretty eggs while all of the American born and raised egg hunters were out to get as many eggs as possible...as soon as there were only a few left- it clicked...and then he was running around like crazy- but it was a little too late...but now he knows...
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Pastor Bob Barr
My husband's father, Bob Barr, was born in Malawi Africa. His brother and sister -in-law still live their and work with SIM Malawi. Their kids are still their and have started Kindle Orphan Outreach. Bob was a pastor of a large non-denominational community church in Fairport N.Y. He died 16 years ago of ALS. Even though Mark and I met in high school and were very good friends, I did not know his dad at all really, which was odd. It is odd to be so close to someone and not really know someone who is so important to them. When his father was diagnosed I was a sophomore in College. I remember getting the phone call and I am pretty sure I said something really stupid because I did not know what ALS was. I did not know that you die from it. I remember Mark was frustrated with me when he called me. We stayed close during this time while Mark left school and ultimately went home to live with his dad during his last years. I know that time with his father is precious. We were dating by the time I actually sat down and had a conersation with Pastor Bob. He was 3 years into the diagnosis and the conversation was done via a computer "light talker" because one of the first things he lost was his voice - wouldn't you know it - the man whose profession was speaking and who had an incredible singing voice- looses the voice before other muscle groups. It is different in everyone. That conversation felt a lot like the "I need to meet the person whom my son will spend the rest of his life with" even though we were not engaged and I was leaving for California, it is like he knew that. (Maybe Mark had told him)
Anyway- he died on April 2, 1991- and we were remembering this yesterday when there was a Frontline episode on ALS called "So Much So Fast". It was too much of a coincidence. The story is a remarkable one (like many ALS stories) of a man who was only 29 when he was diagnosed and he was in love and he got married and had a baby- all while he was loosing his ability to walk, talk, hold that baby, and hug his wife.
They call it an "orphan disease" because there are not enough people who have it to finance the amount of research that needs to be done to provide medication or a cure for this disease. And when you are disgnosed you are lucky to live 2-4 years so people do not live long enough to become really vocal or take up the enormous cause. But this family, that was on Frontline, did. I wish I had a picture of Bob to post for you...but I don't so here is his son. My love. With his baby boy.
Anyway- he died on April 2, 1991- and we were remembering this yesterday when there was a Frontline episode on ALS called "So Much So Fast". It was too much of a coincidence. The story is a remarkable one (like many ALS stories) of a man who was only 29 when he was diagnosed and he was in love and he got married and had a baby- all while he was loosing his ability to walk, talk, hold that baby, and hug his wife.
They call it an "orphan disease" because there are not enough people who have it to finance the amount of research that needs to be done to provide medication or a cure for this disease. And when you are disgnosed you are lucky to live 2-4 years so people do not live long enough to become really vocal or take up the enormous cause. But this family, that was on Frontline, did. I wish I had a picture of Bob to post for you...but I don't so here is his son. My love. With his baby boy.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Cousins, Cousins, and more Cousins...
We had so much fun with all the cousins on Emily's side of the family in Colonial Williamsburg...we have 10 grandkids from 18 to 4 months old....Here they are marching through town...
We went to an amusement park and the only thing Yabsera could play in was this egg...
Carolyn was the first born and she is now in college...she loves her little cousins so much. She was the one who just yelped with joy when she heard we were adopting from Ethiopia. She is an amazing and Godly woman and inspires me so much and I am so very proud of her.
When we left we had to get one shot with all the kids...the money shot!
I will have to post more photos from the trip because there are so many really fun pictures- but I have to get back on a plane tomorrow- three trips to the east coast in three weeks...my head doesn't know which way is up and I have no idea what time zone I am supposed to feel like I am in!
We went to an amusement park and the only thing Yabsera could play in was this egg...
Carolyn was the first born and she is now in college...she loves her little cousins so much. She was the one who just yelped with joy when she heard we were adopting from Ethiopia. She is an amazing and Godly woman and inspires me so much and I am so very proud of her.
When we left we had to get one shot with all the kids...the money shot!
I will have to post more photos from the trip because there are so many really fun pictures- but I have to get back on a plane tomorrow- three trips to the east coast in three weeks...my head doesn't know which way is up and I have no idea what time zone I am supposed to feel like I am in!
Friday, March 16, 2007
HIV Links As Promised
Sorry this took so long to post. I know several of you have been waiting for this...This is a list of helpful links to learn more about HIV and AIDS. Much of this information pertains to living with HIV here in the USA. Its not as pretty in other parts of the world and the stigma is worse in other parts of the world. The stigma is what causes many of the problems and also is at the root of the rapidly growing transmission. If we can stop the stigma here at home, and work on ending it abroad change can occur.
The Elizabeth Glaser Foundation for Pediatric AIDS
NPHRC at the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center in partnership with the Center for HIV Information at UCSF provides the latest and most current information on mother and child HIV infection
From that same site you can navigate to a link that has global and country specific information and links on HIV/AIDS in other countries and around the world.
New York State DOH site: Excellent site with all of the current guidelines on testing, treatment, and psychosocial issues related to Pediatric HIV
One of the better and most accurate site on Living with HIV or for information about HIV on the internet. Used by health care professionals as well as people living with HIV. Not specifically pediatric focused but a lot of great links and accurate information.
An excellent site devoted to women with HIV. A great site for up to date information on pregnancy and HIV, and what your child will be coping with as an adult woman with HIV. There is also useful information on disclosure for children.
A good list (though not exhaustive) of summer camps and programs designed for kids living with HIV as well as their uninfected siblings.
The Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric HIV Program is where I work.
This is an article written about international adoption of HIV infected children.
The following two abstracts were written and presented back when there were many children in the USA with HIV who were living in hospitals and institutions (1989,1990). These abstracts show that it is possible to adopt these children and discusses the support systems put in place for this scenario some 16 years ago. This is now commonplace in the USA and there are many adoptive families raising children with HIV.
This is an article about the founder of “Chances by Choice” who is helping to find families for children with HIV all over the world.
Here is the Chances by Choice website.
This is a short article highlighting the fact that children living with HIV in the United States are now living with a chronic condition verses a fatal condition. There are many studies and articles out there that show this change in the long term prognosis of children living with HIV in the US.
This is the link to the AHOPE website.
And finally one of the foremost champions of HIV infected children around the world, Jane Aronson MD, who also has good information on HIV testing in Ethiopian Adoptions.
The Elizabeth Glaser Foundation for Pediatric AIDS
NPHRC at the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center in partnership with the Center for HIV Information at UCSF provides the latest and most current information on mother and child HIV infection
From that same site you can navigate to a link that has global and country specific information and links on HIV/AIDS in other countries and around the world.
New York State DOH site: Excellent site with all of the current guidelines on testing, treatment, and psychosocial issues related to Pediatric HIV
One of the better and most accurate site on Living with HIV or for information about HIV on the internet. Used by health care professionals as well as people living with HIV. Not specifically pediatric focused but a lot of great links and accurate information.
An excellent site devoted to women with HIV. A great site for up to date information on pregnancy and HIV, and what your child will be coping with as an adult woman with HIV. There is also useful information on disclosure for children.
A good list (though not exhaustive) of summer camps and programs designed for kids living with HIV as well as their uninfected siblings.
The Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric HIV Program is where I work.
Articles and Links specifically related to adoption of an HIV infected child
This is an article written about international adoption of HIV infected children.
The following two abstracts were written and presented back when there were many children in the USA with HIV who were living in hospitals and institutions (1989,1990). These abstracts show that it is possible to adopt these children and discusses the support systems put in place for this scenario some 16 years ago. This is now commonplace in the USA and there are many adoptive families raising children with HIV.
This is an article about the founder of “Chances by Choice” who is helping to find families for children with HIV all over the world.
Here is the Chances by Choice website.
This is a short article highlighting the fact that children living with HIV in the United States are now living with a chronic condition verses a fatal condition. There are many studies and articles out there that show this change in the long term prognosis of children living with HIV in the US.
This is the link to the AHOPE website.
And finally one of the foremost champions of HIV infected children around the world, Jane Aronson MD, who also has good information on HIV testing in Ethiopian Adoptions.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
"Freedom" is just another word for "nothing left to loose"
CWA, Christian World Adoption, in their infinite wisdom did me the service of cutting me off. I can no longer post on their web board and they have erased any posts I did write...so anything about HIV testing, medical information, travel information, information about the Guest House where we stayed - all gone. I guess I was being a subversive. Some would call it "Christ Like" (But I wouldn't go that far). Below is what they posted recently about meeting birth families after only the third family traveled to Sodo and actually met two of their three adopted children's birth families. I guess this caused a firestorm on the CWA web board of people talking about the pros and cons of meeting their child's birth families.
Seems easy. Let's see folks:
Cons: Its hard, they might ask you for money and you have to say no, birth family might be emotional, you might be emotional, child might be emotional (but all of that is ok, right?...I mean its sad right?)
Pros: The child will desire this information. Your child WILL want to see a photo, he will want to hear any tidbit of info you can give him about where he came from, that is a guarantee. Ask anyone. Read it in any adoption book. Its the ABC's of Adoption.
A: Adopt the child into your heart and make him your own
B: Bring their story with you from their birth family to your family
C: Connect the dots for your child so he doesn't feel unending gaping bottomless pit of sadness as he grows and wonders about where he came from.
They (CWA) wrote this email out, right after they wrote an email saying that families could travel to the orphanages from where their kids came from. But then a family did it and now more families want to do this, so they wrote this email- I have cut the top part off about the laws of orphanages in Ethiopia and am just including the part where they want to discourage people from actually traveling to the regions where their children are from and from seeking out any remaining birth families:
"Here are some things to consider if you choose to pursue meeting your child's biological family:
1. These are closed adoptions. CWA and CWAE are not able to facilitate family meetings, contact biological families, make travel or lodging arrangements. What? Closed? I thought the Ethiopian Government encouraged families to meet their child's birth family? See Revised Family Code Article 183 from the Ethiopian Government.
2. Giving a biological family contact information may give other biological families the impression that ALL adoptive families will give them their contact information. Not every family is willing to do this. Duh.
3. The biological family may go to the orphanage that placed their child and see post adoption report photos and hear a summary of the report, but neither CWA, CWAE, nor the orphanage will share contact adoptive family contact information. Does the birth family know they can do this? And what about the time when the birth family actually did get the contact information and contacted the family in the USA and asked them for money? OOPS!
4. Giving a biological family money can be construed as child buying and this could cause legal problems for the orphanage and CWA/CWAE. Duh. No one is doing this. Only two families have even met birth family and they did not do this. Interesting that the CWAE staff might have been construed as encouraging it though. Also interesting that CWA has hired birth mothers (two to be exact- that we know of).
5. Giving a child's biological family money may give other children's biological families the impression that ALL adoptive families will give them money. Not every family is willing to do this. See above. You already said this.
6. Orphanages don't have family counseling resources for biological families.
Why not? Seems that since it costs hardly anything to employ someone in Ethiopia, and we all know they need the jobs, that providing a staff member who is dedicated to provide grief counseling for the families who are now grieving the loss of their children should be very high up on your list of priorities. Just one of your many Business class tickets to Ethiopia should cover the cost of several Ethiopian Staff. You could have several people dedicated to this type of counseling. How about counseling birth families before they make their decision to find out if its in the child's best interest to be posted on the "waiting children website" that seems like it should be at the top of the list of things to do. You have the money...so do it. Do the right thing.
We all understand the love you have for your child or children and your desires to know more about them. Our goal is to educate you and help you to make wise decisions. Thank you for your time, your understanding and your willingness to try to understand and respect the country and people of Ethiopia." And thank you for respecting the children you are placing for adoption and the families who gave birth to them. It's simple.
and thank God for HB Whipple.....
"All we want in Christ, we shall find in Christ. If we want little, we shall find little. If we want much, we shall find much; but if, in utter helplessness, we cast our all on Christ, He will be to us the whole treasury of God."
-- Henry Benjamin Whipple
Seems easy. Let's see folks:
Cons: Its hard, they might ask you for money and you have to say no, birth family might be emotional, you might be emotional, child might be emotional (but all of that is ok, right?...I mean its sad right?)
Pros: The child will desire this information. Your child WILL want to see a photo, he will want to hear any tidbit of info you can give him about where he came from, that is a guarantee. Ask anyone. Read it in any adoption book. Its the ABC's of Adoption.
A: Adopt the child into your heart and make him your own
B: Bring their story with you from their birth family to your family
C: Connect the dots for your child so he doesn't feel unending gaping bottomless pit of sadness as he grows and wonders about where he came from.
They (CWA) wrote this email out, right after they wrote an email saying that families could travel to the orphanages from where their kids came from. But then a family did it and now more families want to do this, so they wrote this email- I have cut the top part off about the laws of orphanages in Ethiopia and am just including the part where they want to discourage people from actually traveling to the regions where their children are from and from seeking out any remaining birth families:
"Here are some things to consider if you choose to pursue meeting your child's biological family:
1. These are closed adoptions. CWA and CWAE are not able to facilitate family meetings, contact biological families, make travel or lodging arrangements. What? Closed? I thought the Ethiopian Government encouraged families to meet their child's birth family? See Revised Family Code Article 183 from the Ethiopian Government.
2. Giving a biological family contact information may give other biological families the impression that ALL adoptive families will give them their contact information. Not every family is willing to do this. Duh.
3. The biological family may go to the orphanage that placed their child and see post adoption report photos and hear a summary of the report, but neither CWA, CWAE, nor the orphanage will share contact adoptive family contact information. Does the birth family know they can do this? And what about the time when the birth family actually did get the contact information and contacted the family in the USA and asked them for money? OOPS!
4. Giving a biological family money can be construed as child buying and this could cause legal problems for the orphanage and CWA/CWAE. Duh. No one is doing this. Only two families have even met birth family and they did not do this. Interesting that the CWAE staff might have been construed as encouraging it though. Also interesting that CWA has hired birth mothers (two to be exact- that we know of).
5. Giving a child's biological family money may give other children's biological families the impression that ALL adoptive families will give them money. Not every family is willing to do this. See above. You already said this.
6. Orphanages don't have family counseling resources for biological families.
Why not? Seems that since it costs hardly anything to employ someone in Ethiopia, and we all know they need the jobs, that providing a staff member who is dedicated to provide grief counseling for the families who are now grieving the loss of their children should be very high up on your list of priorities. Just one of your many Business class tickets to Ethiopia should cover the cost of several Ethiopian Staff. You could have several people dedicated to this type of counseling. How about counseling birth families before they make their decision to find out if its in the child's best interest to be posted on the "waiting children website" that seems like it should be at the top of the list of things to do. You have the money...so do it. Do the right thing.
We all understand the love you have for your child or children and your desires to know more about them. Our goal is to educate you and help you to make wise decisions. Thank you for your time, your understanding and your willingness to try to understand and respect the country and people of Ethiopia." And thank you for respecting the children you are placing for adoption and the families who gave birth to them. It's simple.
and thank God for HB Whipple.....
"All we want in Christ, we shall find in Christ. If we want little, we shall find little. If we want much, we shall find much; but if, in utter helplessness, we cast our all on Christ, He will be to us the whole treasury of God."
-- Henry Benjamin Whipple
Thursday, March 01, 2007
A Day in the Life
Here is the day in the life of Emily...I got this idea from Mary over at Owlhaven . I chose March 1st because one year ago today was the day we got our referral for our Ethiopian Adoption. We had fed exed out Dossier the day before and Tracy at CWA had the referral just waiting for us...that was back in the day when you did not even wait for a referral. We had asked for a toddler boy and an older child of either gender who would be less than 7. We got Maren and Yabsera. A baby and a three year old going on 30. One year later we have the toddler boy and the older child who is less than 7 (just slightly). So, here I am...its March 1,2007 and I am not up in time for work...at this point Mark has already left with Cal and Madeline...I am getting ready for work. I have to figure out (every morning) how to make the bed with the beagle sleeping in the middle of it.
This is a verse that my close friend Shelley made me- she sent me several little verses and I have hung them all over my house- this one is in my bathroom so I can start each day contemplating it. I met Shelley through CWA. Her boys and my boys were in the orphanage together, they are like brothers and we are like sisters.
Then when I am all ready to go, I come out and Yabsera is always standing there ready for hugs and kisses...sometimes he is banging on the shower door. He is usually pretty stinky at this point and needs a bath!
Phoebe then comes running for her morning kisses- of which she steals many from me.
I look up and Maren has his hand in a jar of Chocolate covered raisins. Left over from our Oscar party. He knows this is wrong and yet he does this right in front of our nanny, Genet's, nose!
Here is Genet. She is trying to encourage some other choices for breakfast. I take the raisinettes and put them up very high.
Genet loves Yabsera...she says that he speaks Amharic. She swears on it. All he can do in English is sing "Happy birthday to you!" It's quite cute actually. We have started to see if we can only sing to him to get him to speak English.
We have had some beautiful weather in Denver. We have more sunny days than San Diego or Miami believe it or not- but not this winter. Here is me driving to work...
Here is where I work...I work in the HIV clinic.
We used to be in the main hospital. But HIV does not bring in as much money as cardiology so we got moved across the street.
Now we are here.
I left my badge in my office..but I am lucky that Patty comes in early so she could let me in. This is me stuck outside.
This is Patty. She is one of the nurses I work with. Our clinic would never be the same without her. The families LOVE her and so do we!
This is Neferttiti. She is a huge help to me and I could not do what i do without her!
This is my office. I spend a lot of time here. These are some of my pictures...if you saw Survivor Australia then you will recognize the man I am with in the photo at the top of my bulletin board. It is Jeff from survivor Australia (my favorite season and my favorite guy on that season) He took a million dollar bite of peanut butter. Back in the day I just couldn't believe a guy would give up a million dollars for a bite of peanut butter. I get it now.
This is the other side of my desk...more pictures of my kids and my family and some of my patients. the white binders are all studies I work on for kids, youth and pregnant woman with HIV. Most of those are local studies but some are international. It's what brought me to South Africa and ultimately to Ethiopia. HIV and AIDS.
This is where I sit and work. My computer. We are getting ready for a big site monitoring visit. This takes a lot of time. We have to check our work in minute detail and its very time consuming and also one of the parts of my job I don't like. But since I am good at that part of my job they just give me more and more and more of it.
This is Kathleen. She is a research assistant. We work closely. I was bugging her so much this week. Every time she sat down to eat I would yell through the wall, "Where is that HIV RNA PCR on that 1059 study patient?!?" and she would curse me under her breath. She works very hard. I goof off and want to talk about LOST a lot.
I gave my camera to my patient. This patient wins the prize for being so darling. I wish i could have taken a picture of her freckles. But since I work with kids with HIV I have to be very careful about confidentiality and really if you saw her freckles then you would know her immediately.
These are her feet, her mom's feet, and my striped feet. Th other set of feet are Patty's. She thought we were taking pictures of people's feet with one shoe on and one shoe off...she is a bit crazy if you ask me!
It is fitting that on this day, March 1, 2007 when I am celebrating one year from my referral, one year since I saw photos of my two youngest children, that I would see one of our Ethiopian Families in clinic. I actually met relatives of this family while in Addis! This little person- who is also very sweet and adorable- has HIV. I had this little friend take pictures of our hands. wish I could show you. Because you would see that you cannot see HIV when looking at this face. Not even slightly.
We just finished our blood draw.....this amazing little human being is so brave- I wish I could have shown you the whole thing!
At Children's Hospital we have this very cool ball machine. Its just the coolest and most mesmerizing thing. Its in front of the lab. Behind the ball machine are two of my patients. Again, trying to be discreet!
I say goodbye to my freind. The mom and Dad are wonderful, loving and kind and want to cook for me- I am happy about this because I love Ethiopian food and so do my baby boys!
This is my car when I come back out to leave. I leave early enough to pick up my kids from school. Today was supposed to be a great day. It was hard in some ways because of some things that CWA did to me that day. CWA is the agency I used for my Ethiopian Adoption. I was surprised and hurt by some of the things they have done...but today was one of the worst. I got in my car and headed to the school.
I was late getting Maren. He was the only kid left- but his wonderful teacher (who reminds me of Miss Frizzle from the Magic School Bus) said I could take their picture!
Notice his fly is down, he is not wearing his winter coat, no mittens, and the lovely pink boots...but he is most concerned about his Chinese Lantern that he made for Chinese New Year. He does not want it to get wet. Monday will be "Ethiopia" day in their trip around the world!
Ahhhh....Home at last...time to take the valentine flag down and put up the St. Patricks Day Flag!
Genet- ready to go...as soon as I come home she is in the car. Yabsera is sad to see her go...
but happy to see his mama...
Maren has his snack and cuddles up with his bear...and one of his cars...
Soon I am back in the car to pick up Phoebe from school...she had an art class!
It's not long before I find Maren asleep on the couch- and dinner is not even here yet.
Mark is working late and has ordered up Pizza! Which the dog is trying to steal from the baby.
And the baby thinks it's funny...
Maren goes to bed without any supper and no jammies- he was REALLY tired! He is still in his coat!
Phoebe sleeps among her animals...
And I get ready to watch LOST! (I like this part of my day a lot!)
But before I can enjoy the show I check on Cal and Maddie who are being loud upstairs....
My husband is home now and ready to watch LOST! with me- he will, however, fall asleep at about 5 minutes into the show...like clockwork!
Before bed, I check my email. I read my emails from my close friends who have helped me get through this hard day- by sharing verses, warm words, encouraging thoughts and gratitude. I love them. Also, one of my best friends is in Ethiopia right now meeting her three new children! She will bring her boys home and have to go back to bring her daughter home in a few months. So, I am praying for her and checking for updates on their trip to Sodo where my boys are from.
Finally, in bed, with the dog and TIVO
Good night!
This is a verse that my close friend Shelley made me- she sent me several little verses and I have hung them all over my house- this one is in my bathroom so I can start each day contemplating it. I met Shelley through CWA. Her boys and my boys were in the orphanage together, they are like brothers and we are like sisters.
Then when I am all ready to go, I come out and Yabsera is always standing there ready for hugs and kisses...sometimes he is banging on the shower door. He is usually pretty stinky at this point and needs a bath!
Phoebe then comes running for her morning kisses- of which she steals many from me.
I look up and Maren has his hand in a jar of Chocolate covered raisins. Left over from our Oscar party. He knows this is wrong and yet he does this right in front of our nanny, Genet's, nose!
Here is Genet. She is trying to encourage some other choices for breakfast. I take the raisinettes and put them up very high.
Genet loves Yabsera...she says that he speaks Amharic. She swears on it. All he can do in English is sing "Happy birthday to you!" It's quite cute actually. We have started to see if we can only sing to him to get him to speak English.
We have had some beautiful weather in Denver. We have more sunny days than San Diego or Miami believe it or not- but not this winter. Here is me driving to work...
Here is where I work...I work in the HIV clinic.
We used to be in the main hospital. But HIV does not bring in as much money as cardiology so we got moved across the street.
Now we are here.
I left my badge in my office..but I am lucky that Patty comes in early so she could let me in. This is me stuck outside.
This is Patty. She is one of the nurses I work with. Our clinic would never be the same without her. The families LOVE her and so do we!
This is Neferttiti. She is a huge help to me and I could not do what i do without her!
This is my office. I spend a lot of time here. These are some of my pictures...if you saw Survivor Australia then you will recognize the man I am with in the photo at the top of my bulletin board. It is Jeff from survivor Australia (my favorite season and my favorite guy on that season) He took a million dollar bite of peanut butter. Back in the day I just couldn't believe a guy would give up a million dollars for a bite of peanut butter. I get it now.
This is the other side of my desk...more pictures of my kids and my family and some of my patients. the white binders are all studies I work on for kids, youth and pregnant woman with HIV. Most of those are local studies but some are international. It's what brought me to South Africa and ultimately to Ethiopia. HIV and AIDS.
This is where I sit and work. My computer. We are getting ready for a big site monitoring visit. This takes a lot of time. We have to check our work in minute detail and its very time consuming and also one of the parts of my job I don't like. But since I am good at that part of my job they just give me more and more and more of it.
This is Kathleen. She is a research assistant. We work closely. I was bugging her so much this week. Every time she sat down to eat I would yell through the wall, "Where is that HIV RNA PCR on that 1059 study patient?!?" and she would curse me under her breath. She works very hard. I goof off and want to talk about LOST a lot.
I gave my camera to my patient. This patient wins the prize for being so darling. I wish i could have taken a picture of her freckles. But since I work with kids with HIV I have to be very careful about confidentiality and really if you saw her freckles then you would know her immediately.
These are her feet, her mom's feet, and my striped feet. Th other set of feet are Patty's. She thought we were taking pictures of people's feet with one shoe on and one shoe off...she is a bit crazy if you ask me!
It is fitting that on this day, March 1, 2007 when I am celebrating one year from my referral, one year since I saw photos of my two youngest children, that I would see one of our Ethiopian Families in clinic. I actually met relatives of this family while in Addis! This little person- who is also very sweet and adorable- has HIV. I had this little friend take pictures of our hands. wish I could show you. Because you would see that you cannot see HIV when looking at this face. Not even slightly.
We just finished our blood draw.....this amazing little human being is so brave- I wish I could have shown you the whole thing!
At Children's Hospital we have this very cool ball machine. Its just the coolest and most mesmerizing thing. Its in front of the lab. Behind the ball machine are two of my patients. Again, trying to be discreet!
I say goodbye to my freind. The mom and Dad are wonderful, loving and kind and want to cook for me- I am happy about this because I love Ethiopian food and so do my baby boys!
This is my car when I come back out to leave. I leave early enough to pick up my kids from school. Today was supposed to be a great day. It was hard in some ways because of some things that CWA did to me that day. CWA is the agency I used for my Ethiopian Adoption. I was surprised and hurt by some of the things they have done...but today was one of the worst. I got in my car and headed to the school.
I was late getting Maren. He was the only kid left- but his wonderful teacher (who reminds me of Miss Frizzle from the Magic School Bus) said I could take their picture!
Notice his fly is down, he is not wearing his winter coat, no mittens, and the lovely pink boots...but he is most concerned about his Chinese Lantern that he made for Chinese New Year. He does not want it to get wet. Monday will be "Ethiopia" day in their trip around the world!
Ahhhh....Home at last...time to take the valentine flag down and put up the St. Patricks Day Flag!
Genet- ready to go...as soon as I come home she is in the car. Yabsera is sad to see her go...
but happy to see his mama...
Maren has his snack and cuddles up with his bear...and one of his cars...
Soon I am back in the car to pick up Phoebe from school...she had an art class!
It's not long before I find Maren asleep on the couch- and dinner is not even here yet.
Mark is working late and has ordered up Pizza! Which the dog is trying to steal from the baby.
And the baby thinks it's funny...
Maren goes to bed without any supper and no jammies- he was REALLY tired! He is still in his coat!
Phoebe sleeps among her animals...
And I get ready to watch LOST! (I like this part of my day a lot!)
But before I can enjoy the show I check on Cal and Maddie who are being loud upstairs....
My husband is home now and ready to watch LOST! with me- he will, however, fall asleep at about 5 minutes into the show...like clockwork!
Before bed, I check my email. I read my emails from my close friends who have helped me get through this hard day- by sharing verses, warm words, encouraging thoughts and gratitude. I love them. Also, one of my best friends is in Ethiopia right now meeting her three new children! She will bring her boys home and have to go back to bring her daughter home in a few months. So, I am praying for her and checking for updates on their trip to Sodo where my boys are from.
Finally, in bed, with the dog and TIVO
Good night!
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