Gels room August 30, 2007

D is almost done with the girls room, Anna is moving in with Hope the room looks soo cute, its this shell color with a datish green, I am so excited to decorate their room.
Doris watched the kids for the evening on Mon so D and I could celebrate our 13th year together when we got engaged, we went to this wine tasting restaurant, bought some clothes at buffalo, and had our favorite ice cream ever. It was awesome going out without any children. we were a little loopy from the five glasses of wine, so we went on a walk around the downtown in B.

Subtle racism August 30, 2007

Racism, is sickening,
In line at the goodwill a woman behind me was smiling at Hope, she asked me “what nationality is her father?” WHAT I had never been asked that, I said what do you mean? she said “Is her father mexican” I said no he is English…, then she said ” well here in the valley there are many mixed breeds, so you never know?” I said mixed breeds????
I really do not get it I mean if she is picking something with me Mrs. white and baby white, what is she doing to people with any color or to multi cultural families,
I can only think what is it going to be like with two beautiful black children, I will not tolerate anything like this ever to be said to my children,
I am so totally amazed by the hate in this world.
Thank God my parents are not racist in any way, its absolutely a miracle to me that my mom did not get tainted by her parents living in white white neighborhood in Dallas TX. her father was a subtle but not so subtle racist, my mom would not even hurt a moth she gets sad if fish are in small tanks, so you can only imagine her towards the HR, she loves people all people ,(even mean people??) my adopted dad grew up in a primary white area in long Island NY. he is a amazing human as well.

In my family there are only two adoptees I’m “half way” adopted so I don’t really count, my uncle and aunt have two kids adopted from Peru. D’s cousin gave up her baby 20 years ago, I am hoping there will be more adoptions in the near future, in our church hopefully there will be 7 kids from Ethiopia in the coming year.

Packing list 101 August 24, 2007

To do before we go to Ethiopia

Meet with attorney to go over our will and trust.

prepare sleeping areas and rooms
buy blankets, sheets, pillows. two futon mattresses, with covers
put together the two kids wardrobes
X this by 2 : 2-3 sleepers, 10 pairs socks, 2 pairs shoes, 5-7 outfits each, coats, boots, under ware, diapers, church outfits,
buy toys, dolls, stuffed animals,
two britax car seats on craigs list,
Possible double stroller “maclaren” brand.
Possible Highchair or booster depending on age.

buy closed toe shoes, with

arrange childcare for 10 days, pack for kids, diapers wipes, school books, blankets, health cards, letter of power of attorney,

Buy gifts for the kids while we are away
arrange animal care.

Ethiopian packing:
Suitcases, carry on and day packs small backpack for four year old, lice medication, benadryl, homeopathic med, scabies medication,medicine dropper,triple-antibiotic ointment, thermometer, portable fan, duct tape,
airborne, vitamin C packets, vitamins, formula, bottles, snacks: dried fruit, nuts, candy,gum, bi, ipod, headphones, paper pens,
Medication, first aid kit, toys for kids on plane stickers,cell phone,beads string, Moby wrap X 2 maybe, small blankets, clothing and shoes, dypers, wipes, disposable juice cups, hand santitizer,
whiskey to kill sickness, phone numbers, vontage phone, computer, camera converter, video camera, gifts, money, documents, toiletries, copies passport, stroller or portable seat, spill proof containers, pull ups, sunscreen, diaper ointment, prayer book, small icons, instant hot water kettle, diaper changing pad, small bags and zip-locks, small photo album
for children’s birth family. hair care items, comb, product, barrettes, hair ties,swim suits for us all, sunglasses and hats.

Weekly update August 24, 2007

Adoption: we are 1/2 way done with our wait according to the agency, so three people are ahead of us, she said we should be getting a referral early fall, thats soon!
We went up to the mountains yesterday to a natural hotsprings, it seemed really creepy driving four miles out on a dirt road with it nearly dusk, we hiked in to the springs, a man was sitting there soaking his feet and drinking Coors light, he was “awfully” friendly, I looked up and saw a memorial I asked him what happened, he looked at me rather funny and said he couldn’t say what happened with the small kids around, I inquired a little further using slight terms, it turns out he was mur -dered there very recently , it really took the joy out of the place, as did the resent land- slide through the springs, then 4 80’s punk rockers walked by they made it feel a little safer.
The water felt really good, then we completely got attacked by mosquitos it was baaaad, we ran and ran back to the car and threw everyone in so we could get dressed without getting eaten, the drive home was nice even though we all reeked like sewer/ sulfur, I had brought fresh apples, gudda, chocolate flax muffins, crackers and water=dinner, today I called my dad Steve, we talked about 30 minutes about: film, falling off of ladders, falling down stairs, bottled water, siding, u-tube, madoonna, “sundanse” film fest, It was good real good!

D started in on the interior painting.. ya!

Anna is at girls camp with the nuns… lucky!
Recently I have been talking to my older brother, he lives in Boston, he’s lonely and single, also my oldest brother in Denver is expecting sometime in March their little one is 7 months old.

I made my sister a blanket, Basil can whistle now, Hope says kitty, Sage, doggy, mommy, serene, Corban, she is getting more and more teeth, as well as non stop babble, she loves baby dolls, throwing things away, playing with Symeon, talking to Jude, dancing to music, sticking out her tongue, feeding me, petting the kittens, petting sage, being outside, eating blueberries, reading books, and getting into everything!!!!!
the two little boys are playing daddy non stop, they have three babies “Kaden, Hope, and Samuel” they tuck them into their cribs every-night as well as sliding them in their cribs all over the house, they were even breast-feeding them under their shirts… HA!!!

D got a really really really great portfolio job for someone realty really famous, I don’t want to say who yet, not until he is done!!!

I have been praying to the saints more and more, its pretty different, its really cute to see the kids pray to their saints, Basil said tonight as he was schoolin Jude on how to pray that you say ” Oh holy saint Jude well pleasing to God please love me” …heeeehee its ” “please pray for me “

Marry Me August 18, 2007

From my Husband today in my inbox…..

“So I’m taking a shower, thinking about how we met:

how you took the breath away from me when you would walk into a room.

how I looked at you with amazement, not knowing if you were going to hide in a rack of clothes, hand someone a flower, paint a picture, bake a meal, or reach over while driving my VW bus and hold my hand for the first time.

at the alter, after walking down the isle to marry me, and get me a tissue because I’m balling my head off.

these memories will always be in the front of my mind.

what I would be without your hug, or smile, or when I actually do something nice for you, I know it is the woman I love that I cook, lay next to, drive, catch a baby, book a ethiopian plane ticket, hold our first grand child together, and I will always look over at you, and say in my heart, - YOU ARE WHAT MAKES ME LIVE. I say this in a letter, still having that Love that I had when I sat at my first real job and hid a letter that I would write under my keyboard, anxiously trying to finish and send in the mail, I would wonder- what you are doing right now… at nite I would look at the stars. “is she looking at the same ones” - sitting on your deck, counting shooting stars 14-years later. I can I say I Love YOU even more.

how can I climb the most stairs in Rome with a stack of suitcases and 2 little ones holding on. how could I not think, WOW what a amazing woman who would jump on a plane, travel on the other ends of the earth with ME.

I’m IN LOVE with you, everything about YOU. I deeply need YOU. as my lover, friend and wife. please forgive me, but I will LOVE you till the end, with the last breath I have, I pray my eyes will be on you, and have your hand close to mine…

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo to the best most beautiful woman in the world.

I love you Mrs. Dancer

Juicy Couture August 17, 2007

As I was wandering through Wall-mart buying natural toothpaste, litter scooper, tolietpaper, q tipers, while navigating through large Isles and around large people, talking to my ever stylish sex symbol brotha in LA, I called him to tell him I was in his favorite place, honestly I will pay myself to never set foot in there again, between Costco (love the food hate the place) and Wall you know what, I went to an Outlet grocer as well, the only outlet should be in your wall.
I drove past star-bucker there was 10 cars in the drive through line that line should be reserved for physically impaired and mothers with small kids in car seats… finally I made my way to my oasis shopping place the natural foods store bless them I know a lot of the people that work there and shop there I love it there I have spent about zillion dollars there and have been going there since I was four (25 years). when I was preg with Hope I ate there every day, I meet people there all the time, last week I was there and they gave me free blueberries because I was waiting in line for so long with two small and ready to leave kids, I almost started crying I had such a hard day before the lady handed me the blueberries, Hope started eating them and calmed down right away.
Today I decided I really do not like this town I like the old town but the rest is disgustingly ugly and depressing. Why couldn’t I have been born in Italy: because my husband would most likely be cheating on me, and my kids would live at home until they were a hundred, and I would never have any grandkids and I would be catholic and not Orthodox and I would get really really sick of Italian food and not gelato, I would never travel because I am Italian and they stay in their villages I would not have a car because I am too poor and I would go visit the David every day and this would be in Italian and not English, and I for sure would not be adopting from Ethiopia where is thata??

Today was grocery day I went to the butcher as well as the apple orchard, I told D when I got home with his
16-oz freshly cut steak, that the butcher told me he loves eating meat and LOVES cutting the meat and seeing the blood and watching the bones get cut with the veins and all, I had him going for awhile, I said they are just crazy about meat down there, and they are: the one man that helped me buy twice as much meat for two people 32 oz of meat is A LOT of meat for two people, but he guaranteed me that was the “perfect” amount for none meat eating people. I am going to make him buy SOOO much broccoli when he asks me how much to buy, when he wants some nice crunchy broccoli.
Thanks a lot guy, tomorrow is a non meat fasting day..

Mama says don’t stare August 17, 2007

People are so impolite, I seriously can’t believe the crazy turn around in your seat and stare at us the entire time we are in the “restaurant” eating and while she was waiting in her car for her friends ( its peach on the outside with cowboy slash train decor, paneling on the walls and ugly tables, supposedly they make the best burger in all of our state?? I would like to taste the worst) my kids were very very good, I have a solution I am going to carry a camera with me and take a photo of the next person to stare and post it on Flickr with a whole series of starers.
The funny thing was the whole restaurant was looking at us, it must have been my army green spandex with my Alabama band tee and blue eyeliner, D has his spiky british rock star hair with his large Orthodox Saint Andrew cross, we all had blueberries all over us from picking 20lbs, Oh ya and i forgot to put in my false teeth… maybe thats why everyone was look-in…

Is Africa Trendy August 10, 2007

I find it hard to believe that adopting children from any part of Africa would be considered trendy, now I do know five families adopting from Ethiopia but I know of hundreds if not thousands of families who go on vacation to warm places, drive cars, use tooth paste, get married, get divoriced, have babies, go to the Dr, remodel their homes, landscape their yards, shop at walmart, buy stuff online, have wireless internet, go out to eat on Fridays, buy school clothes, are those all trends, trends for the millions, but 400 something mainly orphaned kids came home from Ethiopia their home country in 2005 and thats a trend

There’s lots to say from people who have never been to any part of Africa, my brothers have been to many countries in Africa, one of the Islands my older brother stayed at had one nurse for the entire island and he said the people on the Island were lucky to get a cup of water a day, he had to drink his water privately, it would be the same as flaunting your money around.

“Imagine if a third of the kids at your local primary school were AIDS orphans. That’s a reality in Africa where the parents of 13 million children have been killed by AIDS.”
“Look at what happened in Southeast Asia with the Tsunami. 150,000 lives lost to the greatest misnomer of all misnomers, “mother nature.” Well, in Africa, 150,000 lives are lost every month. A tsunami every month. And it’s a completely avoidable catastrophe.”(Bono)
HIV/AIDS Epidemic
With widespread infection rates and too little prevention education, Africa is at the heart of the global AIDS crisis.

According to recent statistics, over 17 million Africans have died from AIDS. Last year alone, 2.3 million died from the virus.

Currently, 28 million Africans are infected with HIV; approximately 1.5 million are children.

Studies predict there will be more than 15 million AIDS orphans in Africa by the end of the decade.

Because of widespread poverty, infected Africans cannot afford medication or treatment for HIV/AIDS.

Secrets Of Ethiopia Adoption
“There are very few agencies within the country that allow for or manage Ethiopia adoption. With the recent trend taking over Hollywood, people are flocking to do the right thing and adopt babies from African nations like Ethiopia(how many like one??). The Ethiopian government has authorized very few adoption agencies to work within the country itself and if adoptions are arranged by outside means, the government will not allow the children to leave the country legally. The prospect of Ethiopia adoption is made difficult by an uncooperative government that holds serious limitations on the prospect of adoption in their country, but one must appreciate the safeguard measures in place.It does indeed seem, within our Western culture, that it is somewhat of a trend to partake in the prospect of African adoption (400+ adoptions a trend??). In the case of Ethiopia adoption, not only do the government safeguards make it hard to get around but the process can be a little bit slower because of the standing red tape. In 2005 alone, American citizens adopted roughly 440 children from Ethiopia alone. This further cements the notion that Americans are responding to the push to adopt African children from a variety of influences including celebrities and other elements.”(What about China almost 8,000 kids were adopted from there in 2005)

FY 2005 FY 2004 FY 2003 Adoptions Stats for three years
1 7,906 - China (mainland) 7,044 - China (mainland) 6,859 - China (mainland)
2 4,639 - Russia 5,865 - Russia 5,209 - Russia
3 3,783 - Guatemala 3,264 - Guatemala 2,328 - Guatemala
4 1,630 - S. Korea 1,716 - S. Korea 1,790 - S - Korea
5 821 - Ukraine 826 - Kazakhstan 825 - Kazakhstan
6 755 - Kazakhstan 723 - Ukraine 702 - Ukraine
7 441 - Ethiopia 406 - India 472 - India
8 323 - India 356 - Haiti 382 - Vietnam
9 291 - Colombia 289 - Ethiopia 272 - Colombia
10 271 - Philippines 287 - Colombia 250 - Haiti
11 231 - Haiti 202 - Belarus 214 - Philippines
12 182 - Liberia 196 - Philippines 200 - Romania
13 141 - China (Taiwan-born) 110 - Bulgaria 198 - Bulgaria
14 98 - Mexico 102 - Poland 191 - Belarus
15 73 - Poland, Thailand 89 - Mexico 135 - Ethiopia
16 66 - Brazil 86 - Liberia 124 - Cambodia
17 65 - Nigeria 73 - Nepal 97 - Poland
18 63 - Jamaica 71 - Nigeria 72 - Thailand
19 62 - Nepal 69 - Thailand, Brazil 62 - Azerbaijan
20 54 - Moldova 57 - Romania 61 - Mexico