It’s been interesting processing my trip to Ethiopia over the past few days. Oftentimes people who have visited or served in developing areas will describe a process of re-acculturation, in which they resume their lives with a new lens. This phenomenon is usually accompanied by a series of revelations involving a renewed sense of gratitude, a changed perspective of the world, frustration with the excesses of American materialism, and a vow to make sweeping changes. I’ve done a . . .
ethiopia photo dump
I’ve still got some stories to share, and some unpacking to do (both literally and metaphorically). I’m working on a post to try to articulate the bizarre sense of peace I’ve experienced since coming home (in stark contrast to the agitation I’ve previously felt during the re-acculturation process). I’m also working on a post to address a comment (and valid) question I’ve received in regards to Food for the Hungry: “I’m not a Christian, so why would I sponsor a child through a . . .
two links: why I decided not to discuss the Colorado shooting with my kids, and analyzing the ugly human impulse to victim-blame during tragedy
Today I woke up to the tragic news of a gunman who opened fire on a movie theater in Colorado, killing at least 12 people and injuring up to 50 more. Such a senseless act is difficult to comprehend, and like many parents I’ve pondered about whether or not to talk to my children about this tragedy. My children are 7, 5, 5 and 3, and at this time I’ve concluded that they are not mature enough to process the idea of a mass shooting. Read more about why I decided not to talk to my kids about . . .
friday finds
I found these green divided trays on Zulily- which continues to be my go-to spot for great deals online. Green Toys is one of my favorite toy companies – they make their products from recycled milk jugs – and apparently they’ve ventured into tableware for kids. I got them in green but they are also available in orange and turquoise. They are dishwasher safe, unlike the melamine sectional trays we’ve used in the past. Shaun White’s line at Target is my favorite source for . . .
should children be on facebook?
Last week I wrote an advice post on Babble Voices about kids and facebook. I offered some advice (you can go read it here) and also some different perspectives of moms of tweens. It seems like moms are pretty divided on this one. I didn’t weigh in myself, since my kids aren’t really in that lifestage yet. But I will admit: If facebook changes the rules and allows kids under 13 to join, I’m probably likely to let them on. It’s not that I’m a “free-range”, liberal type of . . .
epic summer giveaway: anthropologie, jcrew, 31bits, and more!
Today I am THRILLED to be hosting a massive giveaway with some of my favorite bloggers. Some you might know, some you might not. You can check out their blogs below. Jessica from The Mom Creative The Nester Jessica from Allora Handmade Megan from Sorta Crunchy Kristen from We Are That Family Lindsey from The Pleated Poppy Lisa-Jo from The Gypsy Mama Hayley from The Tiny Twig We decided to put together an epic summer giveaway of great prizes. Anthropologie! J. Crew! And some . . .
five awesome features of the windows phone
I am a bit of a tech-junkie when it comes to phones, so I was excited when Windows asked me to take their new Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone for a spin. The Windows Phone is shaping up to be a serious contender in the smartphone market. I’ve been using one for the past month, and wanted to share some of the aspects of this phone that I really like. In the coming weeks, I will also be sharing some of the features I think moms are looking for most in a phone (namely – what apps will . . .
meeting our sponsored child
The highlight of my trip so far was meeting India’s sponsored child Ayantu. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I found myself with butterflies in my stomach as we pulled up to her house, and I can only imagine how she might have felt to have a stranger from another country coming to visit. Ayantu was very shy when we first met, but her personality came out when we started to chat. I told her about India, and some of the things that India likes doing. I asked her what she enjoyed, . . .
the car ride through the river, and a meeting with community leaders
One of Food for the Hungry’s mission statements is "”we go to the hard places.” I guess they wanted us to see this first-hand today. We had a meeting with some community leaders in a nearby village, and we had to take a river to get there. A river cruise in a Toyota. There was about 9 miles of road that looked like this . . . one big river. It was so deep that there were a number of times I was sure the car would just start floating. I took my seatbelt off at . . .
the story of gadissa and his aunt
The second home we visited here in Ethiopia was that of a boy named Gadissa. He is 10 years old, and lost both of his parents at the age of 5. He now lives with his aunt, who is living with HIV. Click here to read his story over at Babble Voices. . . .
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