"Content of Their Character"

"They will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Can you imagine how great this world would be? We still have so much work to do...

Shopping

What to get for that person that has everything? How about a copy of the NEW Faces of Layla Book? Perfect for anyone who has or is in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. Erin's review here is great! "Faces of Layla: A Journey Through Ethiopian Adoption" is a beautiful, large, hard-cover book that is full of stunning photographs of life in Addis Ababa and of Ethiopian orphaned children living at Adoption Advocates International's Layla House orphanage. The photographs are by photographer Emma Dodge Hanson, the foreward is by author Melissa Fay Greene and the text is by author Jennifer Armstrong. You can order a copy through the BenefitOrphans website
here or go directly to the AAI website & they can gift wrap it for you.
For more gifts that BenefitOrphans be sure to check it out! Great gifts galore!

Thankful

I am very Thankful for

My kids - they are indisputably and undeniably best things that ever happened to me. I can not imagine my life with them in it (even with the chaos).
My family - I love my family dearly. I am so thankful that they live close enough that we can celebrate together and remain close.
My health - without my health, where would I be? I thank God each & every day for my health, my kid's health, and my family's health.
My country - we have access in this country to so many things other people only dream about; clean water, an abundance of food, warm clothing, a solid structure to shelter us from the elements.
My friends - I would be lost without the love and support and humor of all my friends, those that I see all the time, and those on-line whom I've never met.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

My Favorite Adoption Post

Thanks to Erin at Transracial-Transcultural Adoptions Blogs for this one.

Adoption Is Hope

Thank you Erin.

Blessings...

I have been reading a lot of different posts regarding adoptions on a lot of different blogs. Nancy's post here really got me thinking about how my own life has evolved. I was pregnant at 18 & when my husband (boyfriend at the time) told my parents, I subsequently moved out. I had been living at home, working & attending a junior college. I couldn't live there anymore, it was not a pleasant place to be. My parents thought adoption would be the best plan, and wanted me to seriously consider it. It wasn't a plan I wanted, or wanted to hear about, so my husband's (boyfriend at the time!) parent's allowed me to move in with them while we searched for an apartment we could afford. I was so fortunate to have my in-laws on 'my side'. We got on with our lives, we began to heal the relationship with my parents, and we began to prepare for the baby. When my oldest was almost 8 months old, we were expecting again! A shock definitely, we were taking all the appropriate 'measures' to make sure that didn't happen. We weathered on, 2 stupid kids really. Then my husband passed away when Shannon was about 16 months & I was 8 months pregnant with my middle child.
I had a choice and I am glad I made the choice I did. I am where I am today, single parent to 3 of the most amazing kids I know, because of strength, determination, faith, love, and the willingness to do whatever it took to keep us afloat. Luckily enough for me, it was not only me that had those characteristics, my family had them as well.

Pictures!

I realized today, that I absolutely need to add some pictures to this blog, so here goes.



ALL 3 were in a wedding in early October! Aren't they too cute! Out of 5 pictures, this was best - yikes! Too bad we couldn't get everyone to look at the camera & smile at the same time... Rocky thinks it's 'cute' now to make faces at the camera, so I don't think we'll ever get another decent photo. Oh well!

Ethiopian Diamond

Since the girls were both busy over the weekend, Rocky & I headed up to the North Side for dinner Saturday night at the Ethiopian Diamond. We had a blast. The lady asked us if we woudln't mind sitting in the back, and Rocky said sure! He wanted to be close to the band that was playing. We had a great time. He enjoyed the music & watching the musicians, and the food was delicious. Mmmmmmmm. Can't wait to go again!