Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will.
May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.
May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
Three weeks ago, at the Blog Union, my friend Lauren and I were shocked and awed by the behavior of some of the young children. Lauren said,"Some kid just said,"Hello Ma'am to me." We looked closer at these rare creatures, and agreed instantly that they couldn't possibly be from Los Angeles; they were far too polite.
Well, they just met their new brother in Ethiopia.
I almost bought this to see if my elusive referral was hidden inside.
Did you know that in Canada they sometimes use the word, 'proposal' instead of, 'referral'?
Doesn't that sound nicer?
We propose that these are the children who should be entrusted to you.
Referral, like the picture, could just be for a plumber who doesn't overcharge, or a dentist that doesn't give you a hard time when you refuse an x-ray.
Proposal.
If you don't mind, I think I will use 'proposal' when the time comes.
Hope your Monday is going well. Just a quick reminder for all book club members, (it's not too late to join!). Today marks our first goal date. Please check out today's post at Eyes on Books, and throw in your two cents!
Oh, and check out someone who had a GREAT weekend. Congratulations to my cute neighbors!
Unfortunately, I feel like I am way too low in spirits to write a proper tribute. I am thrilled, however, that I got to speak to him yesterday on his 92nd Birthday!
Happy Birthday Papa!
I will fill in this feature when I figure out how to sum up your 92 years in one blog post. No small feat.
I've been thinking a lot about mothers lately. It is obvious why I am thinking about them so much. My mother was just here visiting for a week, and Steven has been in Arizona with his mom since the beginning of the summer.
In spite of my feeling like a walking Cymbalta commercial, I thought I'd share my thoughts.
I have been thinking a lot about life and death; about beauty and ugliness, about joy and sadness, about how we live, and how we die.(Great, you're probably thinking, just what I need on a beautiful summer day! Feel free to click on one of my links at the right to avoid these subjects all together).
I wonder how we, as humans, continue to go on. How we manage to pick up the pieces and move forward. How knowing what we know, and seeing what we see, we are able to continue to live.
(Holy Crap. Please don't pull my dossier, I am just a little bit down. I am just reaching out a bit here).
Let's talk about the good, the beautiful....
My mom....
My mom. I love my mom. She is great. She is smart, and funny, and kind. I know it might sound strange for a woman of my age to say, but having my mom in the next room for seven days was so reassuring.
My mom was inundated with all things Ethiopian while she was here.
She ate it up,(well most of it, the wat was too spicy). She is very interested in Ethiopia, and her future grandchildren. She even attended Pip's Birthday party...
She listened to my political pleas....
She made me laugh out loud. We had gone to Barnes and Noble. She had a gift card from a student, that was burning a hole in her pocket. On our way out of the store, THIS MAN thought we were following him. He said,"Hello ladies." He had just been signing copies of his book at the B&N Store. I said, " Don't worry,we aren't stalking you." He said, "I have lots of experience with that!" Then he quickly introduced himself. My mom introduced herself back...
"I'm T.C." (T.C has been my mom's name since she was a kid.) John gave her a look and she said...
"Top Cat."
Later I called her Top Cat, and started laughing. Here in LA, if you introduce yourself as Top Cat you might as well break out the pasties because you are obviously a stripper. My mom said, "No! Top Cat! You know the cartoon."
Here is Top Cat, my new favorite cartoon character...
When I dropped my mom off at the airport on Monday,I immediately began to weep. Would that be the last time I spent with my 'healthy' mom? How long do I have left with my parents? Why do we live so far away from each other?
So often during her visit, I imagined what was going on in Phoenix. I saw these and thought of Chris...
I saw this and thought of my husband...
It's hard to see. It is the 'Sisyphus' watch. I think that you would agree that my husband is having a Sisyphean summer.
My husband and his mother are spending time together too. Their time is weighted, heavy, and sad. I hear my husband use the words, 'disappointing', and 'futile'. I hear the weariness in his voice, and the sadness in his heart. I wonder how we hold on, and what makes us want to continue.
I feel like I am about to break, and then I see something else...
I see mothers.
I see mothers and children...
I see the strong , single mom and her daughter...
I see the sensitive mom and her son...
I see the mom who just threw a great first Birthday party for her six year old...
I meet a mom who chose Ethiopia because she could adopt an infant, but on the way her heart swells and she adopts a Habi, a Habi who was waiting just for her...
I read about a mom who handles a setback with grace. I read about a mom who inspires me to run.
I hear the sweet voice of a new mom, reassuring her new babies in their first language.
I meet another mom,who is also a Julie in Los Angeles...
I meet this mom, who wrangles two small body surfers without even blinking.
I see that they too, like me, are moms in their hearts.
I think about these strong women, and the other women out there,(in my life, in cyberspace, on my blogroll), and I think about how beautiful motherhood, and I hope you don't mind me saying this, but especially adoptive motherhood is. Thinking about this brings me a flash of joy, a smidgen of optimism, a hope for the future.
I also think about my husband and what a great father he will be. I think about my parents and how lucky I am to know them. I resist the urge to write something here like,"Go call your parents! Tell them you love them!"
Okay, so maybe I don't resist the urge.
Go call your parents. Tell them you love them.
I think about what kind of mom I'll be. (Right now that would be the ill-tempered, quick to anger, weepy mom.)
I think about my mother-in law.
I think about her sons. I think about her life. I think about how life seems futile and unfair. I think about what an amazing job she did raising her sons.
I worry and I weep. I wonder what they will do without her, what I will do without her. I know that we don't have much time.
Oh, one more thing, I am so happy for Ricki. After over sixteen months (that's right sixteen months) Ricki has finally received her referral for a beautiful baby boy. Congratulations Ricki and Bruce!
Heather is a mom to two. Charlie F. is a big brother, and Daddy Adam still has his appetite. Pop on over and give them a big Congratulations.
I almost saved this for a Friday Friend or Family Feature, but the cuteness had to come out. Heather has been such a supportive friend to me. Since the day I started this blog, she has offered her support and wisdom here, and on our adoption agency's forum. I am so grateful to her.
To fully grasp the sweetness of the Beauchamp family, I highly recommend watching this video.
Heather's sweet lilt confirms my suspicions that she is, indeed, a Georgia peach. I really hope that I get to meet her in person one day.
When I met an Atlanta family at the blog union this past weekend, my first question was not,"How long have you had your children?" but instead ,"Do you know Heather B.?" When they confirmed that they did, I just stood there speechless, with an idiotic grin on my face.
Congratulations sweet friend! The world just got a little brighter.
I am opening a can of Spaghetti-O's in your honor.
Boy meets Girl. Girl moves in. Boy marries Girl. Boy and Girl try to start a family. Girl is pregnant. Girl is not pregnant. Repeat. Girl gets cancer. Boy and Girl keep trying. Nine Years later, they may be getting close. Only Time will Tell...
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