A poem

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

by Dorothy Nolte, from her book "Children Learn What They Live: Parenting to Inspire Values".

Clothes, Clothes and more Clothes......

Love this hand-me-down thing!!!!

Thank you Melissa and Molly!

Making Applesauce

I was on the phone with my friend Gayle, who has two daughters Lydia, 4 and Adaline, 1. We were talking about the daycare center she recommended and that Arny and I visited a couple of weeks ago. The kids were home because of election day and and while we were talking, I could hear them in the background. Gayle was making applesauce and the girls were doing some sort of art project. Addie started to cry, partially because she got her hand caught and partially because her big sister was not paying her enough attention. I could hear Gayle picking her up because the crying got louder...much louder. Previously, I would have done the "gotta go" thing, as the sound of a crying baby was not one of my favorites. Instead, I felt a pull at the other end of the phone that made me wish I was the one there to comfort her. We continued talking, or I should say, I listened as Gayle did the comforting........and still I felt that pull........what was it? ..................mmmmmmmm.........I do believe it was "maternal instinct" kicking in........................

She's Out There

Today I realized for the first time....She is out there waiting for us. Actually, it was my friend Julie, who I have known since I was six and is almost as excited about the adoption as we are who mentioned it. We were on the phone and she said "only a few more months and you'll see her". "Yeah, yeah, yeah", I thought to myself rather nonchalantly. You see, now there is only waiting. No filling out forms, no writing checks, no fingerprint appointments. Just waiting. There is nothing to do so there is nothing to say. People keep asking, "what's happening?". "Nothing". "Any news?". "No". "Any word?". "Nothing". Nothing, nothing, nothing, just waiting........and waiting..........................and waiting.

But then, after we hung up, I started thinking. I started calculating. They refer children no younger than 6 months and we are expecting our referral in March, and well, that's 4 months away.

Oh my God, she's out there!! Waiting. Hopefully snuggling in her crib right now, belly full and warm, dreaming of things that will make her wake with a smile. Does she sense we are waiting to come for her? Does she realize how many people here can't wait to meet her? Does she have a clue how crazy we are and how much fun she will have eating ice cream and pretzels (my favorite) for dinner? As I wonder, there's a tug on my heart........

Halloween: A Conspiracy

It is. I truly believe this. A consortium of diet industry executives got together and figured the whole thing out. I imagine, it went something like this....

Bob: You know, we have done a pretty good job of brainwashing the entire world on their need to diet in order to a) be happy, b) be successful, c) get the man/woman of our dreams, d) make lots of money, e) fit into the dress you wore at your high school prom 20 years ago. What we really need now is that failsafe way to insure that in the slight chance all of the crap we advertise actually works and people really do loose weight, people will still gain weight and need to diet.

Jim: I know!! - let's invent a holiday where once a year, little kids dress up and go around asking for candy. Adults will have to buy this candy and they will swear not to touch it. But, ha ha ha, they will not be able to resist!!!!!!!!!!

Carole: Yes, but it will have to be a multi-tiered approach. It isn't good enough just to keep it in the home. We have to expand....

Bob: Right you are Carole, let's encourage people to bring the extra candy into the office.

Jim: Excellent idea, Bob. That way, we get all those people without kids who may think they are safe if they keep their door locked and lights off during the night, so they don't have to deal with the whole "candy buy".

Carole: And, with the holiday season fast approaching, those extra pounds will have to come off fast. This will make all of our "superfast" diet programs that much more desirable.

Jim: We're good.

Carole: Yes, we are.

Bob: Let's celebrate. Outback's having their all you can eat buffet..

Carole: I'm there!!!!!!!!!!!!