Cheating a little

Digging up an old post from last year....in honor of November and National Adoption Awareness Month

Journey to Tigger.

National Adoption Awareness Month

November is National Adoption Awareness Month.  Now some people automatically get all mushy and hearts start flying in the air and violin music and all that.  Others are more quiet about it, mostly meditating on ethics surrounding adoption as a whole.  Like most things in life I'm a middle-of-the-road gal.

I care about adoption happening the right way especially through foster care since that is my arena of interest.  I also get sentimental as November of last year was when Tigger was finalized and officially a member of the family--my family.

The truth of the matter is, foster care and adoption from foster care should be a topic of interest as it impacts our society.  Whether or not children in foster care reunite with family or are adopted into a new family, they are our kids.  We interact with them, they go to school with our kids, they are part of our future for a better place. It's high time we got involved in making sure ALL of the children in our community have a good chance at life for a future.

What are some ideas that we can do?

• be more mindful/helpful with the neighbors....especially the neighbors you think are struggling
• be mentors to your children's friends
• be mentors in the community
• Get involved with the department of family services in one way or another (donating, mentorship, contemplate being a foster home or an adoptive home if you feel that it is something you can do no matter how little (or not) gratitude/give back there is
• support families that have adopted from foster care
• be respite homes
• offer services or financial support if a family needs to pay for therapeutic services for their child 

Adoption is not all roses and butterflies, however, with AWARENESS, my hope is that we all can help our kids, our community find their place....a better place in this world.  

What can I say, the weekend before halloween

So this post is just a must:

pumpkin carving

She'd rather play with the insides

She wanted a happy face

My bee

pony ride at fall festival

Little petting zoo

A "Blonde moment"

So this is just a warning to all of you to make sure to absolutely KNOW what you put into a microwave even if you're spaced out due to minor illness.

Yes friends I almost caused a fire at work today.  The microwave looked something like this

after putting in what I thought was a safe item in the microwave....travel mugs with plastic and metal are never safe.....sigh (and I know this, but for some reason I was just not thinking today...I just wanted tea because I felt ill).  Oh well, it provided excitement and prolonged jokes at my expense for the rest of the day.  

Random link to a movie trailer....I really liked it!

Ok so tonight I'm going to be random and share a trailer of a movie I just saw this week.  It's not a blockbuster, while I do enjoy my "blockbuster men in suits with guns and fast cars" type of movies, I also can enjoy a good documentary or indi/small film.

The movie is called "The Namesake".  Apparently there is a book also and this movie is based off of it.  I've never read the book, but loved the movie.  While my parents and relatives are pretty much assimilated to America, I will say that it still is interesting growing up as a child of parents not born in America.  Almost as though we are between two worlds in which we don't "fit in" 100% but we do the best we can, succeeding yes, but often times still wondering where our place is.

This is why I love movies like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" or any documentary that has to do with immigrants or first generation Americans living here.  Anyways I thought I'd share the trailer with you and just say that it's a great movie to see especially if one's parents were not born here but one is!  Also a good reminder to go easy on the folks even if there are differences that have to do with culture clash.

Tuesday Truisms: why 2 year old girls are fun

"I have no time for anything, cut my hair, do my nails, do every housework needing to be done, BLOG regularly, but in the end I know this age doesn't last and I need to live in the moment of magic"

"apparently when Mom doesn't oblige a request, a heart felt prayer and shout-out to Jesus is supposed to change that making for interesting moral dilemma on not squelching faith and not giving in to manipulation"

"apparently even if it is not introduced or encouraged, the mystery aura of "the diva" parades into the house and comes full force at times"

"modesty/humility is not present at all"

"The louder you cry, the more dramatic it sounds"

"I've never felt something more beautiful than a 2 year old hugging me.  There is something genuine and sincere about that"

"One day you wake up and are having short conversations with your child and you wonder how that came about!"

If I haven't said it enough, I will say it again.  I LOVE the 2 year old year.  This has been the.best.year.so.far.  Yes there is drama and at times some need for time-out....but I find nothing terrible about this age.  Tigger you are awesome and have your mami wrapped around your little finger (for love not for breaking rules or boundaries though...sorry girl!)

I looked around yesterday, I looked around today, and I'm sure I'll look around tomorrow

And I hope you will see someone who is content with life.  Before Tigger, I was content.  Sure I always wanted to be a mom, but really I was living the content life, enjoying my small house, work, and family.

I will not lie, I looked around and knew that I could provide a home and it's natural for individuals to be in constant communion with others and so I tried to provide a home and Tigger came into my life.  I am living the content life, enjoying my still small house, 2 year old, and family.

I think about the future.  An older child, maybe lots of ups and downs...maybe more relationships????, who knows....but I pray and hope that contentment is still a companion.  Why?  because life is not predictable.  If I don't enjoy my today's for all it's ups/downs and insecurities (yeah my state can't get it's budget together) there is never a promise of tomorrow.

My goal in life is to live each day content with my life.  I look around...my small house, the laughter I hear in the next room from Tigger, I smile and I know, I am living a life that even Kings and Queens would envy!

I hope that each of you that stop by and read here hug your families more and really just stop the madness and enjoy the life that is yours.  It may not be perfect or how you envisioned it, however, it is enough...and when you know you that you have enough, added blessings are like treasure!

Tigger and her cousin playing a game only 2 year olds would find amusing....run and fall into the grass