honeymoon, interrupted
In all of the adoption books we read in preparation for Kembe's homecoming, the experts described a honeymoon period, which would be followed by a period of limit-testing and acting out.We had a wonderful first couple of weeks. Oh my word, it was lovely. Kembe was happy and exuberant most of the time. He and his siblings got along so well. He was sad on occasion, but he just cuddled into us, so it was cute and endearing. We were trying to minimize his transition trauma, so we were letting . . .
convert
Well, will you look at that?Guess who's sold on ice cream?Now all I have to do is get him to fall into a tv-induced coma for the 30 minutes that Diego is on.(And to stop calling the soccer ball a football.) Then our family indoctrination will be complete. . . .
the “s” word at church
We had a great night at church tonight. Mike was speaking on poverty. He referenced the Glenn Beck call for Christians to run from churches promoting social justice (the one that got me hot and bothered last week). He talked about how completely opposite this is from the Jesus we see in scripture. And then, he "went rogue".He encouraged people who felt that they had an excess, to think about giving. He encouraged people who have skills that they could donate, to meet up and make a list . . .
haircut
Chapter 3827 in Kristen's series entitled"OMG These Kids Are Growing Up So Fast"(India's first haircut)Totally sad, but totally necessary due to the tantrums after every bath when we had to comb it.I had her sit in the high chair. I cut it myself. I tried to remember watching my mom do it.Goodbye, cute ringlets of blonde.Goodbye, baby curls.Hello, shorter 'do and easier brushing.When I told India I was going to cut her hair, she asked me to cut it just like Kembe's. So I put it into two-strand . . .
I need adoption
The following is a piece that ran on NPR last week about the orphan situation in Haiti. I thought this was an even piece showing the complexity of the problem, and revealing the disparity between UNICEF ideology and application. They also allowed someone to speak that is rarely given a voice in this discourse: the affected orphan. Read to the end . . . it's heartbreaking, and there are no easy solutions. March 9, 2010Debbie Elliot Haiti is a country of children. Half the population is . . .
culture shock
It's been intersesting watching Kembe adjust to the culture here. There are many, many things that translate. One of my favorites is our bedtime routine. In the orphanage, they always read a story out of the children's bible, sand songs, and said prayers. We do the same thing here. I think it is a big comfort for him.We also have a trampoline, and jumping on the trampoline was his favorite thing to to in Haiti. He spends a lot of time out there with his siblings, laughing and jumping (and . . .
survivor guilt
I am a little uncomfortable with calling myself an "earthquake survivor". When I got back from Haiti, I had my little 15 minutes of fame as all the local news channels clamored to get an interview with the "local Orange County woman who survived the earthquake". It all seemed very overdramatic to me - but I realize (sadly) that people tend to be more interested in a story about someone they identify with. I did the interviews, most of them on my first full day home, because I wanted to use . . .
social justice . . . nazis. same diff.
I don't really think the latest Glen Beck quote needs any editorial from me. (Though I'm probably going to give it. Once my blood pressure returns to a manageable level)."I'm begging you, your right to religion and freedom to exercise religion and read all of the passages of the Bible as you want to read them and as your church wants to preach them . . . are going to come under the ropes in the next year. If it lasts that long it will be the next year. I beg you, look for the words 'social . . .
blogging and spirituality
I was asked to speak at my very first blogging conference this year. It's the Casual Blogger's Conference (code for "those of us not making a ton of money off this thing"). (Also code for "girl's weekend"). (You should come!) I'm excited but also getting a wee bit nervous. The topic of the panel I am on is "Blogging Your Faith: How to Incorporate Spirituality". I am starting to panic a bit (as I am prone to do) about whether or not I even know how to do this. I am spiritual -yes - but I . . .
costume drama
The kids had a book fair at school tonight. Each class was given different instructions for how to dress. India and Kembe's class were supposed to dress like pirates. This was kind of a hard sell for Kembe, since he has no clue what a pirate is. So I made the obvious choice for mothers trying to introduce their Haitian children to pirate culture: I showed him a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. He was sold.Jafta, on the other hand, was not so easy to convince. His class instructions were to . . .
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