We have the pop-up version of the book. G has been helping me read it lately. Do you remember the last page, where the caterpillar turns into a "beautiful butterfly?" Oh, but you need to see this version....
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Continuing the Saga
So tonight we go into the camera store to pick up some photos.
G looks at the guy behind the counter suspiciously, backs up a little, and says "No hurt me."
I say: "No one is going to hurt you, G."
I turn my attention back to Counter Guy, who asks for my name.
G asserts: "No owie, Dentist."
I say: "He is not the dentist, G. We are here to pick up our photos. That's all. Just to buy some photos."
Counter Guy looks a little suspiciously at us.
G makes a decision. He turns to Counter Guy and opens his mouth up WIDE: "Aaaaaaahhhhhh."
Oh my word. The child is funny.
G looks at the guy behind the counter suspiciously, backs up a little, and says "No hurt me."
I say: "No one is going to hurt you, G."
I turn my attention back to Counter Guy, who asks for my name.
G asserts: "No owie, Dentist."
I say: "He is not the dentist, G. We are here to pick up our photos. That's all. Just to buy some photos."
Counter Guy looks a little suspiciously at us.
G makes a decision. He turns to Counter Guy and opens his mouth up WIDE: "Aaaaaaahhhhhh."
Oh my word. The child is funny.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Dentist
I love going to the dentist. Having someone work on my teeth so I leave with a shiny smooth smile... love it.
G went to the dentist tonight. Apparently, he does not love the dentist.
Perhaps it was me scooping him up after day care; force-feeding him dinner at warp speed; and dashing off into the Arctic night, trying to get there on time.
Perhaps it was having to sit in the waiting room for 1/2 hour while Pat Sajak screamed at us from the lobby television.
Perhaps it was the frantic, behind-schedule hygienist who flung open the door and herded us quickly back, despite G's concerned "whazza?" regarding the suspicious vacuum noises from the next room.
Whatever it was... he was NOT opening his mouth.
Well, except for the brief moments when he cried "No hurt me" and "No owie!" Then, his mouth was open. But he still carefully hid his teeth behind his turned-in lips.
What the heck?
Finally, Harried Hygienist departed, and the dentist came in. He actually took the time to be reassuring with G... exchanged high fives, demonstrated how he would just look at the teeth, showed him the prize chest he'd get to choose from afterwards.
Didn't matter.
The lips were sealed.
I wonder what the librarian is going to think when I go in tomorrow... this time requesting books about going to the dentist.
Happy Oral-Awareness Month, from our home to yours.
G went to the dentist tonight. Apparently, he does not love the dentist.
Perhaps it was me scooping him up after day care; force-feeding him dinner at warp speed; and dashing off into the Arctic night, trying to get there on time.
Perhaps it was having to sit in the waiting room for 1/2 hour while Pat Sajak screamed at us from the lobby television.
Perhaps it was the frantic, behind-schedule hygienist who flung open the door and herded us quickly back, despite G's concerned "whazza?" regarding the suspicious vacuum noises from the next room.
Whatever it was... he was NOT opening his mouth.
Well, except for the brief moments when he cried "No hurt me" and "No owie!" Then, his mouth was open. But he still carefully hid his teeth behind his turned-in lips.
What the heck?
Finally, Harried Hygienist departed, and the dentist came in. He actually took the time to be reassuring with G... exchanged high fives, demonstrated how he would just look at the teeth, showed him the prize chest he'd get to choose from afterwards.
Didn't matter.
The lips were sealed.
I wonder what the librarian is going to think when I go in tomorrow... this time requesting books about going to the dentist.
Happy Oral-Awareness Month, from our home to yours.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Assertion
Recent quotes from my four-year-old:
"Das mine!" (when I dared to take a dollop of his lotion)
To Joseph, when serving him dinner: "Iz not tchours (yours). Iz mine." (warning Joseph, who had absolutely no interest in G's dinner).
After telling him that it was almost time to clean up: "I no wanna one mo' minute. I wan lotsa minute."
When I took his hat off: "I do it mysel. ... Not tchoo (you)!" Then he proceeded to put his hat back on so that HE could take it off himself.
I'm considering taking a vacation, since I'm so clearly not needed here.
"Das mine!" (when I dared to take a dollop of his lotion)
To Joseph, when serving him dinner: "Iz not tchours (yours). Iz mine." (warning Joseph, who had absolutely no interest in G's dinner).
After telling him that it was almost time to clean up: "I no wanna one mo' minute. I wan lotsa minute."
When I took his hat off: "I do it mysel. ... Not tchoo (you)!" Then he proceeded to put his hat back on so that HE could take it off himself.
I'm considering taking a vacation, since I'm so clearly not needed here.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Free Advent Study
With this being G's first Christmas home, I have a blank slate for creating new traditions.
I've been thinking about how I typically spend December vs how I want to spend it. In my mind, it should be much less about running around for events & gift-buying than it always is. I want to get to December 25th and just be culminating a CELEBRATION of what God did for us... leaving his throne, choosing humility, and sacrificing to make himself known to us... everything worth celebrating. But without fail I rush through the season, just trying to survive. I give my nods to God, and zip on to the next event.
This year, we've got something new. And I can share it with you!
I found the link on the Sit A Spell blog that I've been reading. It's for a Free Advent Celebration. There's a simple bible reading & thought for every night, along with a coordinating ornament to hang, and an action step for the next day. It's exactly what I've dreamed of. Including - did I mention - it's free.
We started it last night. I lit a candle to make the event feel different. Maybe next year I'll get an advent wreath. But, for now, a cheap candle. Although it is a "hot chocolate" scented candle - which makes it about as Holiday Themed as I get. I digress.
G snuggled in with me. Joseph read. G declined to hang the ornament, but did want to blow out the candle. (Good thing I'm such a holiday mood-setter, eh)
And it was perfect. Very brief, but enough to teach my boys and myself, and to build our Christmas anticipation. Love it.
If you want to join us, here it is.
I've been thinking about how I typically spend December vs how I want to spend it. In my mind, it should be much less about running around for events & gift-buying than it always is. I want to get to December 25th and just be culminating a CELEBRATION of what God did for us... leaving his throne, choosing humility, and sacrificing to make himself known to us... everything worth celebrating. But without fail I rush through the season, just trying to survive. I give my nods to God, and zip on to the next event.
This year, we've got something new. And I can share it with you!
We started it last night. I lit a candle to make the event feel different. Maybe next year I'll get an advent wreath. But, for now, a cheap candle. Although it is a "hot chocolate" scented candle - which makes it about as Holiday Themed as I get. I digress.
G snuggled in with me. Joseph read. G declined to hang the ornament, but did want to blow out the candle. (Good thing I'm such a holiday mood-setter, eh)
And it was perfect. Very brief, but enough to teach my boys and myself, and to build our Christmas anticipation. Love it.
If you want to join us, here it is.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Another Choice
It's been a while since I tried to write anything of significance. Some days, it's all I can do to slap a photo up here for my mom to enjoy :) I know this isn't my most coherent post, but see if you can understand my meaning....
November was National Adoption Month. One of the Sundays in there was "Orphan Sunday." I heard & read volumes about adoption.
All month I was bombarded with the messages:
It breaks my heart. I cannot imagine what it would be like to grow up without a parent. Especially in a country with no social services.
AND YET.
I look at the solution we passionately embrace. Christians especially seem to push adoption:
People gladly ask their friends for money, and do fundraisers, and take out crazy loans in faith to fund their adoptions.
The average cost of adoption, as reported in Adoptive Families magazine, was between
$25,000 and $35,000
Which makes me think about:
Amazima in Uganda, which offers the opportunity to sponsor a child. For $300 a year, each child receives an education, a uniform, two hot meals per day, school supplies, and any minor medical care.
Real Hope for Haiti, which can staff their cholera house for $10 an hour.
The Livesays in Haiti, who help save the lives of children who are dying of malnutrition. For appoximately $100 a child can be on Medika Mamba, a lifesaving nutritional product - and the product is produced in Haiti, creating local jobs.
Heartline in Haiti, which runs all kinds of programs to educate and empower women. For $500 a woman can go through the sewing program, and receive a way to support her family.
You know I could go on.
So I look at those dollar amounts - so expensive that few people actually donate.
And I consider that -when those same people are driven by the desire to add a beautiful child to their family or community, they will stop at nothing to raise the necessary funds.
... the same amount of money, that - if raised - could provide
10 Ugandan children with 10 years of education, food, and medical care
4 months of round-the-clock Cholera care
300 starving children with lifesaving nourishment
60 women with the employment needed to support their family
AND THEN I imagine that I am a woman in Uganda or Haiti or .... That I am a mother. Perhaps I am a mother suffering from AIDS. Or one who will die of cholera. Perhaps I am a mother listening to my children cry from the pain of their hunger. Or one whose children have stopped crying because they know there is no food. Perhaps I am a mother, looking at my children and deciding: which one will eat today? which one will I send to the city or to an orphanage - hoping that they are fed and educated. How does a mother choose? How does she survive after making the choice?
And why should she have to?
If I were that mother, I would be grateful to know that someone would take my child, through adoption, and feed him, and educate him, and love him.
But I would be even more grateful if someone would make adoption unecessary.
Why can't Christians gladly ask friends for money, and do fundraisers, and take out crazy loans in faith, and raise $25-35,000 to PREVENT ORPHANS? To keep families alive and together?
I recognize that millions of current orphans desperately need and deserve families of their own. I have been blessed beyond belief to adopt my precious son. I am intensely grateful for the many friends who sacrificed to help me bring G home. I am not trying to discourage adoption. Children need families and families need children. We should sacrifice for that.
I'm just saying - let's not stop there.
November was National Adoption Month. One of the Sundays in there was "Orphan Sunday." I heard & read volumes about adoption.
All month I was bombarded with the messages:
"Over 147 million orphans in the world"
(The population of the U.S. is just over 300 million)
"Every 2.2 seconds another orphan ages out - without a family to love & support them"
"Every 15 seconds another child in Africa becomes an AIDS orphan"
It breaks my heart. I cannot imagine what it would be like to grow up without a parent. Especially in a country with no social services.
AND YET.
I look at the solution we passionately embrace. Christians especially seem to push adoption:
"Adoption is God's heart for the orphan."
"If just 7% of Christians would adopt, there would be no more orphans."
People gladly ask their friends for money, and do fundraisers, and take out crazy loans in faith to fund their adoptions.
The average cost of adoption, as reported in Adoptive Families magazine, was between
$25,000 and $35,000
Which makes me think about:
Amazima in Uganda, which offers the opportunity to sponsor a child. For $300 a year, each child receives an education, a uniform, two hot meals per day, school supplies, and any minor medical care.
Real Hope for Haiti, which can staff their cholera house for $10 an hour.
The Livesays in Haiti, who help save the lives of children who are dying of malnutrition. For appoximately $100 a child can be on Medika Mamba, a lifesaving nutritional product - and the product is produced in Haiti, creating local jobs.
Heartline in Haiti, which runs all kinds of programs to educate and empower women. For $500 a woman can go through the sewing program, and receive a way to support her family.
You know I could go on.
So I look at those dollar amounts - so expensive that few people actually donate.
And I consider that -when those same people are driven by the desire to add a beautiful child to their family or community, they will stop at nothing to raise the necessary funds.
... the same amount of money, that - if raised - could provide
10 Ugandan children with 10 years of education, food, and medical care
4 months of round-the-clock Cholera care
300 starving children with lifesaving nourishment
60 women with the employment needed to support their family
AND THEN I imagine that I am a woman in Uganda or Haiti or .... That I am a mother. Perhaps I am a mother suffering from AIDS. Or one who will die of cholera. Perhaps I am a mother listening to my children cry from the pain of their hunger. Or one whose children have stopped crying because they know there is no food. Perhaps I am a mother, looking at my children and deciding: which one will eat today? which one will I send to the city or to an orphanage - hoping that they are fed and educated. How does a mother choose? How does she survive after making the choice?
And why should she have to?
If I were that mother, I would be grateful to know that someone would take my child, through adoption, and feed him, and educate him, and love him.
But I would be even more grateful if someone would make adoption unecessary.
Why can't Christians gladly ask friends for money, and do fundraisers, and take out crazy loans in faith, and raise $25-35,000 to PREVENT ORPHANS? To keep families alive and together?
I recognize that millions of current orphans desperately need and deserve families of their own. I have been blessed beyond belief to adopt my precious son. I am intensely grateful for the many friends who sacrificed to help me bring G home. I am not trying to discourage adoption. Children need families and families need children. We should sacrifice for that.
I'm just saying - let's not stop there.
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