VOTE HERE
If you have been reading this blog, you know that the Lord used the miraculous story of Katherine Wolf to begin leading us to adoption. She has submitted a video to Oprah and she needs our votes. You can go to Katherine's website here to read more.
OR you can read below. (Taken from http://www.katherinewolf.info/)
After much back and forth and many strange confirmations, we decided to enter me in the Oprah “Host Your Own Show” contest on the very last day to enter. Jay shot this little video of me on our video camera at home in two takes. Oprah Winfrey is developing a new network, and this contest is to pitch your show idea and why you should host it. The finalists will be chosen based on the top 5 highest votes, as well as several others picked by the producers.
Please vote for me as often as possible in the next few days (voting ends July 3, I think). Also, pray that the right producer will see my audition, out of the thousands of entries, and want to do it! I am pitching my show idea, ‘Hope While You Cope’. It would take a miracle for this to happen, but I believe in miracles (I am one!)
VOTE HERE
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Organizing Toys for Baby Gresham
We have a new furniture store in Atlanta called The Dump. I went with my friend Shea the first weekend it opened. It is pretty neat, although I don't think their prices are all that great. I spotted this fun basket during my first visit, but I didn't really know what I could do with it.
A few weeks ago when we were arriving back in Atlanta from the beach, we decided to make a quick stop at The Dump to look around. Well...that fun green basket was right there. Only this time, my mom had a great idea for it. It could hold toys in the den. Every few days, I can just trade out a few things so that Baby Gresham will have new things to play with.
When I brought it home, I decided to put a few things in it just to make sure it will work.
I was able to fit several books, a game, and a ball with room to spare.
For now, it is the perfect place to keep blankets. :) Even in this hot Atlanta summer, sometimes you just want to cuddle under a blanket to watch a movie.
Thanks mom for the great idea!
A few weeks ago when we were arriving back in Atlanta from the beach, we decided to make a quick stop at The Dump to look around. Well...that fun green basket was right there. Only this time, my mom had a great idea for it. It could hold toys in the den. Every few days, I can just trade out a few things so that Baby Gresham will have new things to play with.
When I brought it home, I decided to put a few things in it just to make sure it will work.
I was able to fit several books, a game, and a ball with room to spare.
For now, it is the perfect place to keep blankets. :) Even in this hot Atlanta summer, sometimes you just want to cuddle under a blanket to watch a movie.
Thanks mom for the great idea!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Baby Carriers
One thing that I am looking into for Baby Gresham is a carrier. Some research shows that baby wearing can help with attachment, so I am willing to give it a try. :)
Based on reviews I've read from other adoptive moms, I think we will buy a Beco. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any stores in Georgia that sell Beco carriers. There are LOTS of online retailers, so I may go with this option as long as they have a good return policy. Also, there is a store near Colorado Springs (where Raleigh's parents live) so I could buy one there next time we are in CO for a visit.
Here are a few carriers that I think are fun and stylish. The black one is pretty plain, but I thought it might look good with a monogram on it.
Based on reviews I've read from other adoptive moms, I think we will buy a Beco. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any stores in Georgia that sell Beco carriers. There are LOTS of online retailers, so I may go with this option as long as they have a good return policy. Also, there is a store near Colorado Springs (where Raleigh's parents live) so I could buy one there next time we are in CO for a visit.
Here are a few carriers that I think are fun and stylish. The black one is pretty plain, but I thought it might look good with a monogram on it.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The Giving Pledge
I saw a segment on the news tonight about The Giving Pledge and it seems pretty neat. Basically, Warren Buffett along with Bill and Melinda Gates are pledging to give the majority of their wealth away to philanthropy and they are asking that the wealthiest individuals and families (specifically billionaires) in America do the same.
I read Warren Buffett's pledge and he clearly states that he knows others sacrifice a lot more than he ever will by giving of their wealth and time. He will not have to sacrifice anything by giving away 99% of his wealth.
The Giving Pledge is a good reminder to me that Raleigh and I should constantly look at our spending and find areas where we can cut back on personal pleasures in order to give more away more of our time and money.
I read Warren Buffett's pledge and he clearly states that he knows others sacrifice a lot more than he ever will by giving of their wealth and time. He will not have to sacrifice anything by giving away 99% of his wealth.
The Giving Pledge is a good reminder to me that Raleigh and I should constantly look at our spending and find areas where we can cut back on personal pleasures in order to give more away more of our time and money.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Beach Reading Update
We had a great trip to the beach and I am so thankful we were able to go.
I enjoyed reading Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Child by Patty Cogen. There were lots of great nuggets of information that I will keep in mind as we prepare for our child to come home.
One neat idea that I had not heard of before is something the author calls the "Three-Photo Story." The first photo is of your child before the adoption, ideally the earliest one you have. The second picture represents the "handover" showing you recieving your child from the orphanage director or foster family. The third picture is you and your child and represents the child's new family.
The author suggests combining all three pictures onto one sheet and then making multiple color copies and laminating them if possible. The Three-Photo story is a simple way to tell your child his or her story and open the conversation about the child's feelings. Dr. Cogen also mentions that as the child gets older (possibly at age 4 or 5) the child may want to add other special symbols to the photo story, such as his or her birth certificate, passport, flag of birth country, etc.
I finished the book pretty quickly, so I also read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Cline and Jim Clay.
I highly recommend Three Cups of Tea, especially to other teachers. Sometimes as a teacher it is easy to get bogged down in the "details" of the school year and lose sight of the big picture. The book is about a mountain climber who eventually built schools in Pakistan and Afganistan. There is also a young reader's edition to the book and I am planning to read it next. I'd like to see if it is appropriate to read to my kindergarten class in the Fall. In Atlanta, is is easy for my students to take education for granted but I think it would be good to help give the children a global perspective about education and how not all children in the world are able to go to school.
Although I did not agree with everything in the book, Parenting with Love and Logic was a good read and I'm sure I'll be able to use some of the strategies as a parent and as a teacher.
I enjoyed reading Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Child by Patty Cogen. There were lots of great nuggets of information that I will keep in mind as we prepare for our child to come home.
One neat idea that I had not heard of before is something the author calls the "Three-Photo Story." The first photo is of your child before the adoption, ideally the earliest one you have. The second picture represents the "handover" showing you recieving your child from the orphanage director or foster family. The third picture is you and your child and represents the child's new family.
The author suggests combining all three pictures onto one sheet and then making multiple color copies and laminating them if possible. The Three-Photo story is a simple way to tell your child his or her story and open the conversation about the child's feelings. Dr. Cogen also mentions that as the child gets older (possibly at age 4 or 5) the child may want to add other special symbols to the photo story, such as his or her birth certificate, passport, flag of birth country, etc.
I finished the book pretty quickly, so I also read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Cline and Jim Clay.
I highly recommend Three Cups of Tea, especially to other teachers. Sometimes as a teacher it is easy to get bogged down in the "details" of the school year and lose sight of the big picture. The book is about a mountain climber who eventually built schools in Pakistan and Afganistan. There is also a young reader's edition to the book and I am planning to read it next. I'd like to see if it is appropriate to read to my kindergarten class in the Fall. In Atlanta, is is easy for my students to take education for granted but I think it would be good to help give the children a global perspective about education and how not all children in the world are able to go to school.
Although I did not agree with everything in the book, Parenting with Love and Logic was a good read and I'm sure I'll be able to use some of the strategies as a parent and as a teacher.