Journey to Global Community
Morehouse College is the alma mater of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and this past Sunday President Obama addressed the graduating class of 2013. There has been some discussion over why measures weren't taken to protect the students from the heavy rains during the ceremony. This quote from Facebook presents a very interesting perspective as to why every part of that day was deeply meaningful to our country and the continued progress of human rights: This picture of Morehouse … [Read more...]
This is our favorite (and very easy) recipe for fruit leather. Ingredients 4 cups sliced strawberries (about 2 baskets) 1 peeled and chopped apple ½ cup water The juice of one orange The juice of one lemon ⅛-1/4 cup honey 2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional) Instructions Preheat your oven to 140 degrees (or as low as it will go). In a saucepan, add the strawberries, apple, and water on medium-low heat until it reaches a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let … [Read more...]
A news story reporting that the NYPD re-mentioned to their officers that women could legally go topless in public has gone viral. Everyone has an opinion! There are many countries around the world where both men and women will be out in public topless, but since the US has traditionally only accepted males to go topless, this has caused quite a stir. This post is less of a debate on topless laws, and more of an examination of this specific area of male and female anatomy. So, what is … [Read more...]
Yesterday, we asked, on our Facebook wall, how much money you would donate to charity if you were to win the Powerball (As of yesterday it was at 600 million USD). Our group, overall, was extremely generous, but the percentages had a pretty wide range. Tonight, I happened to catch this article from the Wall Street Journal website that told the story of the changing idea of philanthropy. John Arnold was a natural-gas trader at Enron who founded his own hedge-fund with monumental … [Read more...]
Beach Day! We took the boys to the beach yesterday, and spent the entire afternoon playing in the sand and ocean with them. It reminded us of our own childhood memories and why those memories are so important to us as adults. "To myself I am only a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me." -Isaac Newton … [Read more...]
The Mursi tribe of Ethiopia's Omo Valley is one of the oldest and most easily identifiable tribal cultures of Africa. Most Mursi children nurse past toddler-hood, and clothing for women commonly leaves breasts exposed. The breast area for the Mursi tribe is viewed as nourishment for children and signals to men peak nubility of the woman, based on shape and texture. The Mursi people are at risk for displacement. From Mursi Online: Since the 1960s, the extension of government control over … [Read more...]
Our first book club book discussion is underway! If you haven't already, head over to the forum and join the conversation. We are on to our second book! We have chosen Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah Born in 1937 in a port city a thousand miles north of Shanghai, Adeline Yen Mah was the youngest child of an affluent Chinese family who enjoyed rare privileges during a time of political and cultural upheaval. But wealth and position could not … [Read more...]
Have you heard about The Geography of Hate project created by Humboldt State University undergraduate students? They sifted through a year of geocoded conversations from twitter to find hate words used in a negative context (which is important to note, since many people now use these words in a positive or neutral manner). The words were then applied to a color gradient map. The map shows certain areas I was surprised to find concentrated with hate speech. (Especially in the San Francisco … [Read more...]
"Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen 4:9) … [Read more...]
A billboard featuring a woman breastfeeding her infant (with the breast area blurred out) and the caption (coming from the infant) “Jealous?” is making news because a website geared toward matching younger men with older women is using this as their advertisement. Regardless of the true intentions of a company that put this thought out into the world, it does bring up some obvious issues. Advertising is like a time capsule revealing some of our more shameful ideas of the past. … [Read more...]
by Terran McCabe Whoever said a picture can speak a thousand words was right, even when I could speak none. A group of breastfeeding women, including myself, all took part in a photo shoot with the intentions of letting others know breastfeeding is possible regardless of your situation. My main contribution, or so I thought, was that I happened to have twins. Boy was I wrong. Another woman and I, who both served in the Air National Guard, also took pictures in our uniform to show that even … [Read more...]
What is the best way to handle unexpected media attention? RUN! Just kidding. If you are an advocate, you may think receiving media attention will never happen to you, but never say never. Whether it be one article in mainstream news, or a media firestorm, be prepared. Here is what I’ve learned from my own experience... The less you say the better. I was speaking to a friend who has been in the media now for decades and she laughed when I was telling her all my interview horror … [Read more...]
I wanted to share this letter written by Sister Donna to Waves for Water. This trip taken by Jack Rose of Waves for Water would not have been possible without your donations. Read this and know you made it happen. December 17,2012 Dear Waves for Water, What a blessed thing happened when Jack Rose came in a world-wind trip to Ethiopia and Heartland. No idle tourist is he, not a beat or step in any direction except one, the bringing of, teaching about, workshop for, and installation of … [Read more...]
When Brian had his vasectomy, we had so many people feel obligated to chime in about how much we would regret it. Some of their reasoning was a bit too morbid to even be amusing: You’re so young! I’m old enough to know I’d like to reach my golden years. What if something happens to your family/child? I am not even going to entertain that possibility. You can’t replace human beings/family members/children. It doesn't work like that. What if you … [Read more...]
Did you hear about this Spanish organization for abused children that found a way to hide its message from adults while still reaching at-risk youth? Do you think the hidden message will be effective? … [Read more...]
If I could have written a letter to myself before we started the international adoption process, here are some things I wish I would have known. Some I already knew, but after adopting (or going through the process) others became much clearer to me. Adoption and parenting in general are selfless. Keep in mind that you are not just adopting a family member, but there is a mutual merger of birth and adopted families, culture, and country. Research thoroughly. Melissa Fay Greene recommends The … [Read more...]
In 1968 a third-grade teacher named Jane Elliot was compelled to give her students a lesson in discrimination after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Watch the PBS 10-minute clip of A Class Divided: *Thank you to my good friend Erin for sharing this video with me last night. * … [Read more...]
Here are five steps to take to determine whether you are negatively judging someone without warrant. 1. Identify who or what is being threatened. Negative judgment is generally fear-based. Understanding what is causing the fear/threat is the first step in understanding and working through healthy judgment. For instance, strangers who followed the Casey Anthony trial may have judged her because they felt she was acquitted of murder even though she actually committed the crime. This … [Read more...]
“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day.When you’re 9 years old and a girl, I suppose being an emotional wreck is to be expected. Ah, heck. When you’re 37 years old and girl, I suppose being an emotional wreck is to be expected. But sometimes, it’s hard to know which 9-year-old wrecks are I Stubbed My Toe And That’s A Great Excuse To Let Go Of The Emotional Mess Smouldering Inside Me, and which wrecks are Real. Yeah, yeah. I know they’re all real. But the Real … [Read more...]
I don't know who has more fun with this play dough, the kids or me! Ingredients ¼ cup cornstarch ¼ cup brown rice flour ¼ cup salt 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon vegetable oil ½ cup water ½ teaspoon essential oil ½- 1 teaspoon natural food coloring *(derived from vegetables and plants, and can be found at most Whole Foods and health food stores) ½- 1 teaspoon dried herbs or tea (optional) Instructions In a small saucepan add the rice flour, salt, cream … [Read more...]
I love this definition of Philanthropy Wikipedia has: "Philanthropy etymologically means "love of humanity" in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, and enhancing "what it is to be human"—on both the benefactors' (by identifying and exercising their values in giving and volunteering) and beneficiaries' (by benefitting) parts. The most conventional modern definition is "private initiatives, for public good, focusing on quality of life."' -Wikipedia To embrace and support humanity, … [Read more...]
Probably before, but ever since Time Magazine’s “Mom Enough” cover came out, people have been labeling parenting practices that are similar to or in alignment with “attachment parenting” as extreme. Most of us laughed it off because there was a clear disconnect between what the families' lives were actually like in these "extreme parenting" scenarios and what society thought went on in their homes. It was (and still is) such a foreign concept to so many Americans, that the general … [Read more...]
The Nyangatom tribe resides in Ethiopia's Omo Valley. They are known for for their heavy (beautiful) necklaces. Women wear the necklaces with long goatskin skirts. Breastfeeding is celebrated, and given the culture's attire, babies seem pretty happy about the easy access to their mother's milk. :-) … [Read more...]
If anyone watches Southland on TNT you probably saw the beginning episodes (of the most recent season) covered the topic of breastfeeding as an active duty police officer. The character Lydia is an LAPD detective who recently gave birth to a baby. As a single mother and an active duty police officer, they portray her frustration as she attempts to breastfeed and quickly realizes her life situations make her desire to breastfeed almost impossible. I think the writers did a … [Read more...]
All the water in the world, however hard it tries, can never sink the smallest ship unless it gets inside, and all the evil in the world, the blackest kind of sin, can never hurt you in the least, unless you let it in. -Unknown … [Read more...]
books on homosexualityHappy Sunday! Here are some of my picks for children's and adult books educating and celebrating same-sex relationships.Children's Books covering the topic of LGBT families (but also some touch on the topic of interracial families and adoption). <3 Gay Christian Reading: Strengthen or Evolve: Debate and Counterpoint Reading: books on homosexuality … [Read more...]
Guard your light and protect it. Move it forward into the world and be fully confident that if we connect light to light to light, and join the lights together of the one billion young people in our world today, we will be enough to set our whole planet aglow. - Hafsat Abiola … [Read more...]
“Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.” ― Emily Dickinson … [Read more...]
I remember watching The Oprah Winfrey Show a couple of years ago, where they had a woman on who spoke about ‘clean’ living. I was shocked (and mildly grossed out) when she stated that funeral homes have been reporting less formaldehyde being used on corpses in the last decade or two, because our environment and the food the person ingested during their life had done the work for them. Well, as much as I support Oprah and living a less toxic lifestyle - this statement seems to be an urban … [Read more...]
Samuel’s hair color faded and so he asked for pink when we recolored it. We were shocked at how well the pink latched on. Seeing his vibrant pink hair made me wonder how certain colors became gender specific. Pink was not always a color assigned to little girls. However, the majority of children (regardless of sex) were dressed in white dresses until around the age of six. Early 1900s- Boys in Pink When color (mainly pastels) starting integrating into children’s fashion in the US, … [Read more...]
The importance of our children's role against war and terrorism should be a conscious thought for all parents. As adults we are actively making a difference, but with our children we have invested so much more in a future of peace. … [Read more...]
A friend of ours introduced us to bullet-proof coffee the other day. If you haven’t heard of The Bulletproof Executive, it is a blog/website by Dave Asprey, who follows what seems to be a diet similar to the paleo diet. Anyway, he seems to have gone through quite a dramatic physical change and gives tips on how to live in “the state of high performance.” That’s where the coffee comes in. Asprey came up with this butter coffee recipe using grass-fed butter and unrefined oil (like raw … [Read more...]
The Institute of Medicine has determined the adequate amount of water per day for men is 3 liters (13 cups) and for women 2.2 liters (about 9 cups). - Mayo Clinic That’s a lot of water! Granted, we are getting some of our water intake from other beverages and fruits and vegetables we consume, but many of us know we aren’t consuming enough fluid in a day for our bodies to run their best. Drinking an adequate amount of water has been shown to improve complexion, help maintain a balanced … [Read more...]
The Dolls of the World Collection has been around since 1980. However, this week it has been receiving a lot of attention for playing up cultural stereotypes. They must have missed Amazonia Barbie in 2009: It seems Mattel's 2012 "Mexico Barbie Doll" has been criticized for being offensive because the doll comes with a pink passport and Chihuahua: Critics are claiming that the passport is touching on immigration issues. However, every doll from their new design concept comes with a … [Read more...]
Note: Kim Phuc has taken everything that life has given her with such grace and determination. She is married with two sons, and works on behalf of children of war through the United Nations and her non-profit, the Kim Foundation International. Many remember the haunting image of nine-year-old Kim Phuc taken in Vietnam after an aerial napalm attack: It has been forty years since the photo was taken that would forever change Kim's life. This photo was captured by Nick Ut, … [Read more...]
Are you racist? Most of us feel we can answer this question with certainty, but a online test may tell you otherwise. Harvard University created a “race preference” test with their non-profit, Project Implicit. The test uses black and white images of "African Americans" and "European Americans" along with words that are categorized as "good" or "bad". It is a very quick test, so if you have ten minutes to spare go take it! To … [Read more...]
Katie Makkai- Pretty I think this generation has their work cut out for them. We need to figure out how to appreciate aesthetics and physical beauty, while not having it define us. As Katie beautifully points out, when we start allowing our self-worth to be defined by our outward appearance (or teach that to our children, male or female) the positive aspects of beauty completely vanish. I believe the more we teach our children, and personally embrace the differences beauty in other … [Read more...]
Allowing infants to stay close to their mothers, by their side at work, is one of the key components to the happy and well-rounded staff at Henna Preschool in Huntington, South Africa. Peggy O'Mara has a popular quote that isn't technically about bringing your child to work, but I thought was very fitting of this circumstance: “Don't stand unmoving outside the door of a crying baby whose only desire is to touch you. Go to your baby. Go to your baby a million times. Demonstrate that people … [Read more...]
300,000 women each year will be diagnosed with Preeclampsia or HELLP Syndrome. Knowing the signs and symptoms is the single most important thing you can do to increase you and your baby's chance of survival. Unfortunately, you can't always trust the medical community to make an early diagnosis. Preeclampsia, and especially HELLP, are finicky diseases in the beginning stages and often go undiagnosed until the situation becomes severe. Preeclampsia affects between 5-10% of all pregnancies. … [Read more...]
This past year was one of the most poignant of my life, but not for the reasons you may think. 2012 brought me to the home of my son’s birth family and his first mother, the person who gave him life. 2012 also brought me to the man who ended my brother’s life, the police officer who shot him that horrible, horrible night. In the beginning of 2012, I felt moved for various reasons (in large part, because Brian had had some unsettling encounters at work) to write the police officers … [Read more...]
I posted the photo above yesterday on the blog Facebook page, and it was the first time I could visibly see the number of “likes” of the page drop within seconds. I’ll give the people who were offended some credit, because they went quietly without any “I’m leaving” announcement (I still don’t understand the point of that. Not every facebook page is going to be one you decide is right to follow. Just unlike the page, don’t make it a big production when you exit.) It has been on … [Read more...]
I read an article by a Forbes blogger right after the Time cover came out. The article ended up being linked by all the other Forbes bloggers in their pieces, but was ultimately removed by Forbes. I hope this was because the people in the corporate office understood how inflammatory and inaccurate the actual piece was. Normally, I’d take a stab at bloggers and generalize that most have a complete lack of respect for truthful journalism, but considering that the legitimate journalists … [Read more...]
"An illiterate, impoverished daughter of freed slaves built the largest black-owned business in America, made a fortune, and touched thousands with her philanthropy." - PBS's "Who Made America". One of my role models is Sarah Breedlove Walker, and the border between black history month and women's history month is the perfect time to gush about her. Because she made her fortune in Indianapolis (where I grew up), she has always been a hero to me. She is a fantastic role model for women, … [Read more...]
We arrived to the beautiful Madikwe Safari Lodge and were escorted to our bungalow to freshen up. We took in the views from our room, splashed water on our faces, and rushed back to the common space to meet for tea and snacks before our evening bush drive. We met our guide, Andre, and hopped in our safari vehicle in the hopes of seeing some exotic and slightly dangerous creatures in their natural habitat. Aram hadn’t adjusted to the time so he happily slept during … [Read more...]
After about a five hour drive from Johannesburg, we made it to Madikwe Safari Lodge (very close to the border of Botswana). From the moment we entered Madikwe we were welcomed by hundreds of animals. On just the drive up to camp, we saw right next to our vehicle: elephants, giraffes, impalas, zebras, wildebeests, and many many more. It was like a Disney movie where the animals heard our excited arrival and they came out of the happy bush, smiling and about to break out in a welcome song. … [Read more...]
One of the most heartbreaking stories of racism to receive national media attention was the story of Emmett Till. Emmett was a 14-year-old boy who was brutally killed in 1955. The reports on what happened prior to the abduction and torture of Emmett seem to be that he was bragging to his friends about his segregated school. Emmett’s friends then dared him to sweet talk the woman in the shop they were in during the conversation. Emmett said something to her (reports are anything from a … [Read more...]
We are framing this photo for Samuel, taken by Kyle LaMere in Ethiopia, September 2012. Under the photo will be Maya Angelou's "Love Liberates" quote. How beautifully she sums up the importance and love of the birth mother and family. How true love frees; it does not enslave. Someone once said, "Children need two things: One is roots and the other is wings." I know Samuel's birth mother was strong enough to provide our son with wings. Now our prayer is that together we can provide him with … [Read more...]
A story was told to me a few nights ago about two brothers and their love for each other. This is a story of hope and love led by example of the most unfiltered, precious, and discerning people on the planet- children. Parents tend to boast about their children's Western accomplishments. Various awards are given out for excellence in academics, sports, and the arts. We all know, or are guilty ourselves, of bragging about physical attributes of our children. How many of us have spouted off … [Read more...]
Today, as I fly to Houston to raise awareness for phase 2 of our water project with Waves for Water, I will be thinking about my friend Laura, and her family. Laura has reminded us what mothers really are at war with. Mothers around the world are fighting daily to preserve the health and wellbeing of their families. This is what the world should be outraged about. This is the true "mommy war." There is so much we can do. "The Brightest Light . . ." Letter from Laura … [Read more...]
This meme has been circulating on the internet for awhile now. Most of the people who share it are siding with the Dove campaign and say something negative about the Victoria’s Secret ad. Occasionally, it will be the other way around. I find the meme and comments for or against either row of women completely degrading to every woman pictured, and women, in general. No matter how this meme is presented, the focus is always negative. By putting these two … [Read more...]
“As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation -- either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.” -Martin Luther King Jr. This is a day to reflect on how much progress we’ve made since the days of segregation and how much farther we have to go to fight racism. This past week, I’ve … [Read more...]
We would like to announce the beginning of a new project, jointly run by Tracy from Evolutionary Parenting, Abby from The Badass Breastfeeder, Kayla from Baby's Breastie, and Kendall and me here on I Am Not the Babysitter – The Extended Breastfeeding Project (www.TheExtendedBreastfeedingProject.com – site coming soon). The overarching goal of this project is to help normalize and put an end to the common misconceptions surrounding “extended” breastfeeding (we use this term simply … [Read more...]
Hope to lift everyone's spirits today with a happy story. This just happened in Ethiopia. These photos were taken at the Haile Resort in Awassa prior to the long (and bumpy) road to Argisa. Haile is located on the other side of Lake Awassa from Sister Donna. The lake water is just as dangerous to drink here as it is where she lives. As you can see, it is no longer a problem: As soon as I get an update from Jack about how the training went in Ethiopia I will let you know! … [Read more...]
Thanks to everyone reading, this is the message I am able to deliver to you: By the end of this week, Argisa, Ethiopia will have clean water! Most of you know that you all raised, over the course of one week, the money we needed for our first phase of the Ethiopia project. That, in and of itself, was a miracle. Jack, from Waves for Water, boarded a plan on December 12, and I have just been informed he has landed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Jack will be bringing 80 Sawyer filters to the … [Read more...]
Did you know? $1 can give clean water to one person for over a decade. Why is water life-altering? Unsterile water is the number two killer amongst children. Around the world, fetching water is a woman’s task. Thus, one of the most crucial health issues for women in Africa is the clean water shortage. 1 in 5 children worldwide dies of a water-related disease. Water is a women’s issue. In order to get access to clean water, women and girls must carry up to 50lbs of water every day … [Read more...]
We had the Waves for Awassa Event in Los Angeles on World AIDS Day. (December 1) Jack, from Waves for Water, gave a water demonstration and showed videos of what can happen to a community when it’s given what every human needs access to- clean water. When he was done speaking, a couple who attended (fellow adoptive parents, but that is all I will say so that they can remain anonymous) asked us when we were planning on going. “March at the latest.” I replied. Jack jumped in to … [Read more...]
Care Pack Project The other day, my friend Ashlee blogged about putting together care packets for the homeless. She was inspired by her friend (who was inspired by Pinterest, it seems!) and I was inspired by all of them. Most people have reservations about giving cash to someone begging on a street corner. I am not sure I agree it is wrong, but there are definitely times I don’t feel it is right for us to do. However, when someone is asking, I feel we should always … [Read more...]
I was talking to my friend the other day about how she was led to her career as a social worker because of her heart for children. It evolved into a conversation about what life experiences helped to shape our passions in life. Unlike my friend, my passion is not as much for children as it is for mothers - which ultimately benefits children. With my own children, or children living at the center without parents, I have a close connection, like some people have with all children. However, when a … [Read more...]
Brian requested that I write a post about sex because it bugs him that the majority of society doesn’t understand “attachment parenting” and makes assumptions about the sex lives of the parents who practice attachment parenting. When I starting writing this post, I questioned: Why would other people feel it is in their place to comment on other’s sex lives when they know nothing about it? I believe that the madonna-whore complex that we suffer from here in the West supports a … [Read more...]
Baltic Amber is a natural analgesic and, when worn on the skin, it releases healing oils that help babies and young children to stay calm and more relaxed throughout teething. While you used to have to wait months to get Amber from Lithuania, Julie at Spark of Amber recently based her company in the United States. As a work-at-home mom of three children, Julie was a power-seller on Ebay before starting Spark of Amber. She has all of her Amber tested to ensure authenticity. Unique Facts … [Read more...]
Our hope is that people will get a chance to see a family that may look a little different, but is as close and loving as a family that meets the stereotypical ideal. It is time to break barriers, stop making assumptions, and realize that families come in all different shapes and sizes and can still define the term. Find Out More ››
