Finally, Goodbye November.

November 30.  Thirty days of posts.  Every.Single.Day.
Done.

Here is a few things I learned about myself during the last thirty days :

1.  When at a loss for what to blog about, I can always seem to talk about my Tes.
2.  I don't like blogging because I feel like I have to.  I much prefer just blogging whenever I feel like I have something to complain talk about.
3.  Holy sh*t, I really can finish something I start!
Who knew?

As a bonus, here are a few things I already knew about myself, but I re-learned today :
1.  When riding the bus, my double-chin jiggles.  I never notice I have a double-chin until I'm on the bumpy bus.
2.  I think Mondays suck.
3.  Everyone is crabbier on Mondays.
3.  Or maybe I'm just crabbier on Mondays.
4.  'Cause Mondays suck.

So, thank you to all of you who stuck with me during the last thirty days.  I know they weren't all great.
I'm sure we all look forward going back to quality instead of quantity.

(For Lyn-Dee, and others that may be interested - here is the picture's stats...)
Camera : Nikon D40
Exposure : 1/80
Aperture :  f/1.8
Focal Length : 35mm
ISO Speed : 200

My photography is very amateur, but if anyone is interested, I have plans for a basic photo post coming soon!


Peace.

Christmas Trees & Turkey Soup

The tree is up and decorated!  Below is Tes' interpretation of "stand in front of the tree for a quick picture, please."

Hmmm... we may have a class clown on our hands.

We ended the day with Brad's homemade turkey noodle soup.

I'd give you the receipe, but I doubt if there is one.  He tends to just make things up as he goes.

Or at least that is what he tells me.

Maybe he is just trying to impress me?

It worked.  I'm impressed.  And my tummy is full.

Only one more day of NaBloWhateverDoMo.  I'll have to think of something good as a finale.


Peace.

Crabby, Haircuts, and Eyebrows

We struggled a little bit today.  A little bit of defiance (her) + a little bit of yelling (me) = ugh.  I don't want to teach Tesfu that screaming at people is any sort of useful sort of conflict resolution, so I truly try not to do it.  But today... today didn't work.

We have already promised each other tomorrow will be better, for both of us.  Well, that, and she already knows two 'not listening' infractions tomorrow and the handheld video game goes in the closet.  Now why didn't I think of that this morning?

Probably too busy being angry.  Not a good Mom day.

Good news is, the whole day wasn't a bust.  We did some secret Christmas crafts to give as presents that she had a blast doing.  I also had a chance to take down all of her braids today and trim her hair.  And look, it doesn't even look uneven! 

Ahhh... hello sweetie.  Sorry I was a pain-in-the-butt Mom today. 

And you better be sorry you were a pain-in-the-butt kid.

I just realized while looking at this picture, that this is probably the clearest picture of her eyebrow scars I have ever seen.  Anyone in the know of Ethiopian culture recognize these scars?

Can you see them?  They are perfectly parallel to each other, and obviously very deliberate.  Best I have ever been able to find is that they were a part of a traditional medical procedure - but I don't know for sure, or exactly what for?  We didn't notice them while in Ethiopia, so I didn't ask anyone.

I've always been curious, and I am sure she will wonder one day, too.  Anyone have any input?

Anyway, looking forward to a better day tomorrow - we are putting up the Christmas tree!  Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Peace.

mailing it in.

Pretend it is a Wordless Wednesday, because all I'm throwing out there today is a picture.

Day number 27 - check.

Peace.

Thanksgiving

24 hours, two get-togethers, one hosted by us.  Lots of laughing, a whole lot of eating, and probably not enough giving thanks.

It is a hectic holiday, but this was probably the best Thanksgiving I've experienced in a long time.  I really worked on not worring about the how, but tried to focus on the why.

And I have much to be thankful for.

Hoping everyone had a wonderful holiday.

Peace.

Wordless Wednesday

Wasting My Time, and Apparently Yours, Too.

Why hello... how cute are you?!
pendant

Oh!  And you.

Why yes, you too.

Sensing a theme?  I like gnomes.  And I love etsy.com.

I can't stop!  I must eat my Honey Bunches of Oats out of this.  I simply must.

The world just won't be right until it happens.

I would carry you two in my pocket.  You'd be my super secret pocket gnomes.
Perhaps I would teach you kung-foo.  You could be my super secret kung-foo pocket gnomes.

Have I mentioned how awesome etsy is?

Take a look - and support handmade goods.

It will make the gnomes happy.
And everyone likes a happy gnome.


Peace.

Library Day, the Stinky Edition

We are a library lovin' family.  On Sunday's trip the Little One and I happily lugged home 14 books and 5 dvds for her to enjoy.  It wasn't until we were already checking out that I thought perhaps I need to start double-checking Tesfu's library picks?

Oh my.  I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to giggle or be grossed out while reading this book tonight.  Even worse?  While looking up the title online to get this picture, I realized there is a whole Walter farting series out there.

Oh my indeed.

Good news is, this totally confirms my secret thoughts I could write children's books.

Walter farted thoughtfully.

Peace.

(P.S. to TORP - I totally know a certain tiny little someone who is getting one of these come February.)

mus-mash

Best $0.25 spent ever.

Seriously, this thing cracked us up for awhile.

So odd... 

So funny...

So disturbing.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  It's time to welcome the Thanksgiving week!

Peace.

Reminisce

I know, nearly every single post has been all about Tesfu.  I do have hobbies, I swear - but the kid is just so darn adorable.  Funny, too.  I feel it I need to spread the cuteness around a bit.

Pretty much my civic duty.  It would be criminal to keep this all to myself.

So, tonight I was looking through some older pictures of when Tes first landed in America.  Here is one of her very first bath here.  Oh... those chubby cheeks...  That baby face...  The squishy baby belly...  That - that really clean tub?!

So tonight I am reminiscing.  About a certain bubbly little toddler who is now so a big girl, and a time when I thought life was busy, but I had time to do things like clean the tub.

Because cleaning the tub?  Doesn't so much happen after kids, apparently.

Peace.

A Princess, A Frog, and Tesfu

Tes was very excited tonight when she saw an article in her National Geographic Kids magazine about this :

A new movie being released in December, The Princess and the Frog.  Movie?  Princess?  Frogs and alligators?  This is right up her alley.

And me?  I'm glad Disney finally decided to make a Black princess.

Every little princess wants a princess that looks like her.  Even this one :

Honestly, Disney - what took you so long?


Peace.

Sshhh! Present Sneek Peek

I'm a sucker for homemade gifts.

I am also the mother of a little girl who can recognize all of her capital letters.

*insert Mommy pride here*

Yet she knows none of her lower case.

Unfortunately for this young student, her mother is very frugal cheap.

Fortunately for her, she is however a tad on the crafty side.

Hey - I did say 'a tad'.  Not claiming masterpieces here.

Just homemade flash cards.

I still have v-z left, and they'll need to be laminated before I drop them in her Christmas stocking, but they are almost complete.

I have really enjoyed making them, and given her love of flashcards / pictures of things she likes / and learning letters (she is a bit obsessed with letters lately) - I think she'll enjoy them too.

I like win-win situations.

Peace.

Wordless Wednesday

W.W.

Peace.

no energy. no inspiration. no to NaBloPoMo!

My sentiments exactly, kiddo.

Well, it has happened.  NaBloPoMo Day #17 and I am at a bit of a loss of what to blog about that would hold anyone's attention.  Actually, I do have a big ole' 'What I Want to Change About Christmas' post churning around, but I just don't have the energy to finish it right now.  So, that will have to wait.

I could take a moment to wish a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my bro.  Happiest of birthdays, Jer!  Viva la revolution!

Hmmm... that didn't take up enough time nor space.   Still must come up with more...

I could have shown you pictures I took at Tes' dance class last night, but there are two issues. 

Number one - They didn't turn out great.  Next class I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and use the flash so I can quicken my shutter speed.  Those little dancers just move too fast!

Number two - I would have to take the time to blur out a bunch of the other kids faces.  And I just don't have that in me tonight.

What else?  It is 8:40pm and I can STILL hear Tes farting around upstairs in her bed.  For cripes sakes, kid, go to sleep!  6:15am comes fast, you know.  And no one likes a crabby preschooler.  Especially a crabby preschooler who has a dentist appointment right over dinner time tomorrow.  Yep, excellent planning, Beth.  Excellent.

How about some photos?

Here is a picture of my cat.

Here is a photo of what my cat would look like if you had a blood alcohol level of 0.06 while looking at him.

Here is what my cat would look like if you made his ears into horns.

Okay, that is enough for now.  I believe that satisfies NaBloPoMo for Nov. 17th, wouldn't you say?


Peace.

Rich List

                                                             *

I am not sure how accurate this really is, but it certainly got me thinking either way :

Global Rich List

According to this, with Brad and I's combined income, we are in the top 0.85% richest people in the world.  It is amazing what a modest income in the U.S. means to the rest of the world.

Another fact from the site :

Three decades ago, the people in well-to-do countries were 30 times better off than those in countries where the poorest 20 percent of the world's people live. By 1998, this gap had widened to 82 times.

Check it out.  How rich are you?  And what are you going to do about it?

* Not my picture

Peace.

The Story of Hummus

Though we have a picky-ish eater on our hands, one thing we know she will always happily eat is is hummus.

Yummy!

You have to be careful, though...

You never know whose coming to steal a few bites!

Peace.

Fair Warning

For anyone who decides to eat any bake goods from my house... well...
You should know I always have a helper...

... who really likes batter...

... and  who apparently does not subscribe to the old adage 'cleanliness is next to godliness'.

Hope everyone had a happy Saturday.


Peace.

First Gift - Water for Christmas

Those who know me, know this is an issue that holds my heart.

One billion people lack access to safe, clean drinking water.

To me, safe water should be a RIGHT extended to all, not a PRIVELEGE extended to the wealthy nations.

Unclean water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.

I cannot accept this.

The average American uses 150 gallons of water per day.
The average person in a developing nation struggles to find 5.

And I hope, neither can you.

$10 will provide one person in Africa clean water for 10 years. It will literally change and possibly save someone's life. A mother. A child. A brother. A grandfather.

We are rallying together for a cause. Clean water. One day. $10. Asking everyone to let this be their first gift. Let water, let life be their first gift of the season.

We can be part of the solution.

http://www.water4christmas.com/

* Edited to add : I don't know why the video is sometimes showing up, sometimes not.  Follow the water4christmas link to see the video if it is not there, or better yet, to donate!

Why people need to filter their thoughts before spewing their crap at me...

... because I'll just blog about you after your done.

I will fully admit I'm not good at small talk.  It is not a talent of mine.  Or even a usable skill.  But when I am forced into a situation where silence can even be more awkward than my lack of conversation skills, I soldier on.

This was the situation today, with a lady I will call 'Small-talk Stranger'.  The topic somehow turned to children, which turned to my child, and I thought - oh yeah!  This just happens to be my very favorite subject!  I can do this!  So yada-yada-yada... Tes is really looking forward to attending school... blah-blah-blah... my daughter is a picky eater, too!...  on and on, until a picture was produced from my purse and shown to her.

Small-talk Stranger : Oh!  She is adopted?
Me : Yes, she is Ethiopian - 
Small-talk Stranger : - wow... I just can't imagine loving a stranger like they are family!

Oh dear. 
Number one - Keep your damn ignorance to yourself.  Number two - Apparently this must mean she is a kin to her husband, because how could you possibly love a stranger.
It goes on.

Me : *stunned silence, and probably a very angered and bewildered look on my face*
Small-talk Stranger : I mean, I just can't believe you've never gotten to experience the miracle of childbirth... I feel so bad for women like you.

No, I didn't punch her.  But it was only my deep-down staunch belief that violence doesn't solve anything that kept me from it.  And believe me, I momentarily wavered.

So let me clear the air a bit, in case there is anyone out there, like Small-talk Stranger, who feels sorry for 'women like me'.
Don't.
I assure you, yes, I love my daughter.  Being adopted does not make her a second class child.  It makes her - my daughter.  S-t Stranger is lucky I never caught her real name, because I would totally be tempted to search out her phone number and post it so all you 'stranger lovers' such as I, an adoptive parent, or you loving step-parents, or you dedicated foster parents - all you out there who apparently have the unbelievable skill to love strangers, could give her a call and let her know what love really is.  And it ain't just genetics, baby.

Secondly, you are correct, I didn't get to experience the miracle of childbirth.  And I do actually agree, it is a miracle.  (After all, I was born, wasn't I?)  However, even though I didn't experience it, my child is still a miracle, a miracle her Mother got to experience.  I don't regret that for one moment, nor the two years they were able to spend together - because it would be dismissive to her experience, and to my daughter.  There are, of course, things I wonder about.  Did she have a lot of hair when she was born?  Was she a happy baby?  When was her first smile?  First steps?  Which tooth came in first?

Things I wonder?  Yes.  Things I regret?  Not for a moment.
I would never selfishly wish away those two years my daughter and her Mother were able to spend together, not for a moment.  Yes, she got to experience the miracle of birth.  Saw the first step, smile, and heard the first word.
But I got to experience the miracle of adoption.  Saw her first smile at me.  Got to hear the first time she told me "I love you".   I get to wake up each morning to her sleepy, smiley face, and end each evening with her 'big hugs!' and lots of kisses.

Don't feel sorry for me.  I am a blessed woman, indeed. 
I'm sorry you can't see that, S-t Stranger. 
It must be a very small world you live in.


Peace.

Wordless Wednesday

W.W.

Peace.