Wordless Wednesdays with Grandma

Fowl Ball

Young's Life's grandest tradition: Turkey Bowling!



No turkeys were harmed during this game. Well, okay, three. But there were no fowl balls, and leftovers to spare. (You know you are just gobbling up these puns.)

Having apparently avoided contracting any form of salmonella sickness, I am off to pick up my mom at the airport soon. She and my dad were in Florida last weekend for my cousin's wedding, flew home Sunday, Monday morning she taught kindergarten, then had conferences, taught this morning, and flew out here in the afternoon. Whew! Grandchildren are quite the stamina-boosters, it seems. But how am I going to keep up?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Deep Thought

Bill Ford Jr.: has not taken a salary since 2005.

Matt Millen: employed and paid until 2008.

Now that is just WRONG!

Sunday

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message,
so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ.

Colossians 4:2-3

Overheard at Nap Time

Sound: Squeeeee.

Sound of door opening.

Aaron: Ah, nooooo.

She was playing the harmonica. She'd reached through the crib bars and pulled it from the toy pile.

A musician never rests (when she's supposed to).

Crack(er)ing Me Up

In a stunning (for me) exercise of foresight, I did my grocery shopping today for Thanksgiving and beyond. Anna was kind of a weenie in the cart when she got bored, but a relative angel at the checkout, so we'll call it a wash. I don't know why the Goldfish crackers which were sheer heaven last shopping trip were cast away with a howl this time, but whatever. She's two like that sometimes.

Yesterday, in fact, she was having some kind of irrational cracker spaz-out before dinner. She asks for crackers or Goldfish a lot, and I was going to let her have some as I was getting dinner ready. I even let her choose. Power to the two-year-old people and all that. Goldfish, graham cracker sticks, or regular crackers--she pointed at the regular crackers and surprisingly did not demand the opposite .75 seconds later.

However, there was an opened sleeve of the same crackers on the counter already, so I gave her one of those. NO WAY. CRACKERS is what I demand, you tricksy mama! THOSE CRACKERS, FROM THE BOX. I tried to show her that they're the same. That one's not open; this one is. See, I'll demonstrate how good they are.

NO YOU WILL NOT, I WILL SMACK IT AWAY FROM YOU TOO, CRACKERS FROM THE BOX NOW OR I WILL DIEEEEEEEEE HERE ON THIS KITCHEN FLOOR! CRAAAAAAACKERRRRRRRRR!

A tad dramatic sometimes, that one.

I tried to get her in her chair and started on some food--there were actual tears by now. Pasta and cracker were rejected. Fishsticks were grudgingly accepted since they arrived with a side of banana. When all else fails, resistance to the banana is futile. And it works as a gateway drug to fishsticks and crackers. Even crackers from a previously opened sleeve.

Whatever, girl. You can have your crackers moods; I have the bananas. And she who holds the bananas will always be victorious.

Wordless Wednesday: Series of Tubes

X Marks the Part

Here are a couple hairstyles I've tried for Anna semi-recently.

First, just to change up the parts so she doesn't get perma-part, I tried an X marks the spot do:



Also, the cutest overalls ever.

A week or so ago I tried a veil style for the first time. For a first attempt I thought it looked decent and it stayed pretty well. It would be cute with colored rubber bands, I think, but mine were cheapies that kept breaking, so I used black and put the little clippies in.



I think I may need to try some new products because her hair and scalp seem a bit dry lately. I've been putting it off because I'll have to buy online. I also want to attempt some cornrows and twists. But my first attempts may not be blog-worthy--except to provide humor.

Sunday

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! . . .

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.

1 John 3:1-2

When One Part Rejoices, All Rejoice

I have been holding these thoughts in my heart for over a week now, trying to find true enough words. I also wanted to be sensitive to those disappointed in the election results, because I know that can be difficult. But a couple friends who voted differently took the time to graciously say congratulations, good work for your candidate. And besides the fact that I did so, so little, here’s the thing: sure, I’m happy and proud for me. But I’m rejoicing for these brothers and sisters:

Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, election night

When one part rejoices, every part rejoices with it.

Oh, yes, I’m pleased that Obama won and hopeful that he will be a wise president and bring about progress on health care and other things that concern me. I’m relieved that the election was not decided by prejudice or muddied by recounts. I’m thankful that all those who gave up so much to do so much for what they believe in could see their labors pay off and encouraged by the level of determination to participate in democracy.

But my deepest happiness is for those to whom this means so much, much more: our fellow citizens who because of color have felt (even if they didn’t really realize it until now) not quite represented, not quite included in the possibilities, not quite sure they would ever see a brown, bold, beautiful first family like this one. The grandchildren of slaves, the survivors of Jim Crow, the marchers and riders and friends of the martyrs, the millions who have borne the burdens of our tangled American history—this means something to them that it never quite could to me, and I am proud that America has affirmed their hope.

I hope we can all recognize the significance of this moment for many of our brothers and sisters even if we do not feel the same or voted differently. We can be happy or disappointed about the electoral outcome, and for me, I am happy—but for black America, I rejoice. I share in their joy in a spiritual way knowing this was more than a political moment. We share it as a human moment.

I rejoice for John Lewis.

I rejoice for Jesse Jackson.

I rejoice for Ebenezer Baptist Church.

I rejoice for the black boy of about nine who tried to explain what it means—“It means no one can tell you you can’t do something . . . No limitations . . .”—but he choked up so badly he had to sit down, his friend patting him comfortingly on the back.

Their joy, pride, and emotion has humbled me and brought me to tears many times this week. I hope we can all recognize the significance of this moment for many of our brothers and sisters even if we do not feel the same or voted differently. We can be happy or disappointed about the electoral outcome and still share in their joy in a spiritual way knowing this was more than a political moment. We share it as a human moment.

What does it mean for the future? Who knows. Black Americans know better than most that inequalities don’t disappear because somebody shared a nice moment. We are not now “post-racial”; we are not “colorblind.” The absurdity of this should be as plain as the ridiculousness of Steven Colbert telling a guest on his show, “I don’t see color, but I’m told that you’re black. Is that true?” Of course he sees color. We all see color, and there is nothing wrong with that. I see color, I see hair—I see brown skin and cornrows on the White House lawn, and it is a beautiful sight!

For me, right now, it means just one less question my daughter will ask: “Why aren’t there any brown presidents?” (A thousand more will still test my—our country’s—ability to answer.)

It means the possibility of seeing one of the first daughters on TV and saying, “Anna, check out Sasha’s twists—should we try your hair that way tomorrow?”

It means many who sometimes felt not quite represented now feel more connected to the community that is our nation, and that is a good, good thing.

It means our children may believe, and that is the greatest of all.

These two boys waited as a long line of adults greeted Senator Obama before a rally on Martin Luther King Day in Columbia, S.C. They never took their eyes off of him. Their grandmother told me, “Our young men have waited a long time to have someone to look up to, to make them believe Dr. King’s words can be true for them.” Jan. 21, 2008. © Callie Shell / Aurora for Time

LINKS for perspective:
"In Our Lifetimes" by Henry Louis Gates at The Root
"Free Our Minds" by Lynne Duke at The Root
"The Imagery of Tuesday" at Jack & Jill Politics (I encourage you to read the comments on some of these election night and day after threads)
"We Rejected So Much History and So Many Rules That Have Bound Us" by Baratunde Thurston
"Daring to Dream of a Black President," leading black voices share what it means to them

In a Word

I decided to do this meme that's been floating around since it's fast and easy. And you know me--above all, I'm lazy.

Only one-word answers allowed!

Where is your mobile phone? bag

Where is your significant other? downstairs

Your hair color? brown
Your mother? chatty

Your father? mellow

Your favorite thing? laughter

Your dream last night? employer?
Your dream goal? writer

The room you’re in? office

Your hobby? forgotten

Your fear? insurancelessness

Where do you want to be in 6 years? home

Where were you last night? home

What you’re not? driven

One of your wish-list items? sabbatical

Where you grew up? Michigan

The last thing you did? eat

What are you wearing? schlumpadinka

Your TV? calling

Your pets? shedding

Your computer? addiction

Your mood? work-avoidant

Missing someone? yes
Your car? mommyvan
Something you’re not wearing? trends
Favorite shop? Target

Your summer? uncertain

Love someone? many!

Your favourite colour? yellow

When is the last time you laughed? dinnertime

When is the last time you cried? yesterday


Next to meme? You!

Wordless Wednesday

Neither Amish Nor Friendly

Amish Friendship Bread is neither Amish nor friendly. Discuss.

Okay, I'll start.

First of all, I'm not even sure it's bread.

Second, when did the Amish start using Ziploc bags and boxed instant vanilla pudding?

Third, giving it is not a sign of friendship. It's more like a curse. Every ten days it multiplies to four times its original size. I guess I am supposed to make three friends a week, because I ran out of my original friends. Or we're not friends any more after I infected their houses with this stuff. It's like giving them Gremlins.

Fourth, due to the inclusion of the Amish Boxed Instant Pudding (see point 2), should one attempt to get ahead of the multiplication curve (see point 3) by making a double batch (who the heck has 8 Ziploc bags and friends to spare?) and in the process accidentally omit some ingredient . . . such as, say, apparently, flour . . . one will have invented the newly trademarked Amish Charcoal Cement. It is a lovely substance, with an oily, goopy center cradled in an impenetrable coal crust. Even after five days of soaking, scientists have been unable to completely eradicate it from the pan.

I think I would like to go back to banana bread. Can someone stop by with a metal spoon and an exorcist?

Manic Monday

Yesterday was really one of those Mondays that's so very . . . Monday!

Aaron has been having terrible back pain. A while ago he had some tight muscles and muscle spasms, but this round is more in his side and chest as well as back, like the way his ribs hurt after his heart surgery. So Friday he got an x-ray and Monday the doctor was supposed to look at it.

In the afternoon I was trying to get my mishmash of a Young Life talk straightened out so I would only make a fool of myself during the humorous parts of the evening, not while trying to be deep and wise. No small task. In the middle of naptime Aaron came home to quickly drop off all the stuff for Club because the doctor was trying to work him in and he didn't know how long it would take. The doctor decided to make him go get a CT scan--which is fine since the x-ray was useless and better safe than sorry, but this was at 5:00. So he headed to the hospital, I rushed to try to get Anna fed and ready to drop off with the sitter, remember all the Club stuff, pick up Aaron's pain prescription, figure out if I had to pick up any kids, and try to get to the Clubhouse before the student leaders got there (I failed but another leader was there).

We had to alter Club plans a bit since Aaron couldn't go doing any crazy dance moves again(!) and we were just hoping he'd make it in time. He did, and Club went well considering how frazzled at least I felt. Perhaps we are funnier when we mess up than when we rehearse!

All that to say, I'm glad my talk is done with and I can get back to battling dishes, dog hair, and editing deadlines--all of which seem to lurk around every corner around here.

No actual diagnosis from the doctor yet--message was nothing serious, we'll call back. I will update if there's anything to tell.

Lame Update of the Week

I have finally kicked my cough, though once I finished some rush work on Sunday, I still was low on productivity. Somehow I was still in a fog this week, and Wednesday I was an emotional wreck. Finally yesterday I was able to make progress on my Young Life talk for Monday and some work. Really really need to work lots this next week before the cash flow issues get out of hand.

We got a gianormous TV this week. I mean really ridiculously big. Someone from church was looking to get rid of it and offered it to us. Does my husband ever turn down free electronics? Of course not. And when did he start moving out the old TV and messing with all the wires and receiver? Oh, on Tuesday, just as East Coast polls were closing. NOT COOL. I started getting twitchy watching static as Ohio was about to be called, but he got things plugged in in time for everything important. Waltino was here for a while helping with the TV, the eating of chili, and the exchanging of celebratory terrorist fist jabs (offered for Aaron's bemusement).

No word yet on Waltino's bid for write-in mayoral runner-up. Perhaps it's in a recount. We concede nothing.

Tomorrow our super TV will hopefully bring us the sight of the Lions' first win--though I have stopped holding my breath and almost stopped caring. Unbelievable, I know. Call it a case of "You have to laugh at yourself, because you'd cry your eyes out if you didn't."

Speaking of the Lions losing . . . my mom is coming out for Thanksgiving, only two and a half weeks away.

Meanwhile we are missing my cousin's wedding in Florida and the funeral of one of Aaron's aunts, in Michigan. Of course both families would like to have us present and we would love to go, but that's not remotely practical or possible at this time. The un-joys of living far away. We send our thoughts and prayers.

That's all the update I can muster right now--I should be working.

My Punkins

Too much going on to post anything else picture post...Anna with Daddy and her punkinbear!

Wordless Wednesday

Small Town Values

My girl America, stop can't you see
It's not the circumstances that determine who you're gonna be
But how you deal with these problems and pains that come your way

It's for you that I pray with hope for a brighter day
And so I say, your deliverance is coming

Don't stop believing, my girl America

Mat Kearney, "Girl America"

Get out and vote!

Saturday Bullet-in

Bullet point post!

• I am still sickish. This cough is just hanging around. Annoying to self and others.
• I got really behind on my work (what else is new?) and will need every hour I can squeeze out of this weekend. Thank goodness for Deadline Savings Time!
• We had something going on every night this week. Again. (Result: see above.)
• What I'd really like to do today is sit on the couch with roasted pumpkin seeds and watch about five hours of the TV shows we haven't had time to watch. (See above and above and above.)
• Homecoming festivities were grand. Anna wore her pumpkin vest and hat getup last night. Because she doesn't get enough comments about her cuteness already--riiiiiiight. She was terribly wiggly and tired by halftime, though, so we bailed out early.
  
• I have a billion pictures to go through so I can post some and yes, send to relatives. Hopefully soon.
  

Wordless Wednesday

Early and Often

I turned my ballot in today. Signed, sealed, delivered (after a slight delay...)!

I would have done it Friday but I messed up the envelopes. There is a security envelope and an outer envelope you sign; I put my ballot in the outer envelope thinking that one went in the security envelope, then realized that's all wrong and it's smaller. Yes, I'm a person who goes out and reminds other people to vote and can even tell them where to check on why they didn't get a ballot, but I'm too incompetent to fill out my own!

Fortunately it was no problem, thanks to our early/mail-in system. I just went in to city hall to see what I should do (answer: reseal outer envelope and sign to indicate I'm the one who taped it up), and because I turned in my ballot there instead of the drive-though drop box, I was able to obtain the coveted I Voted sticker! I am so easily bribed. Like a patriotic four-year-old.

This is why I am glad to see so many states allowing early voting this year. Already people are waiting three, six, eight, almost twelve hours to vote. And there have been some problems with machines and ballots. Can you imagine the chaos and lines in some of these places on November 4 if there had been no early voting? I am sure we'll see problems in some places, especially with the expected heavy turnout, but at least a lot of places have been able to work out the kinks before then without anyone losing their opportunity to vote.

So I heartily encourage you to take advantage of early voting or turn in your mail-in ballot early if you can. As my dad likes to say . . . vote early, vote often!*

P.S.: I celebrated with an elitist fair trade organic latte from my small-town mom-and-pop real American coffeeshop (I'm so confused). Oh yes I did.

* Technically my dad is a politician, since he holds elective office. But rest assured he is hardly the Mayor Daley of Allhomers Township!

Overheard in Youth Work

Smart aleck announcer 1: The quarterback takes a knee! And . . . she hands it off? Umm, I know it’s Powder Puff but I’m pretty sure that ends the play.

Smart aleck announcer 2: Actually, rule 34a of Powder Puff states that when the quarterback takes a knee, it’s an automatic turnover.

The girls dominated tonight. Seems like they always do.

This Week in Here

I'm feeling much better, thanks y'all. (Can I say y'all? I should move somewhere that will make me qualified to do so, because I'd like to.) I even made it out canvassing for several hours Saturday--another gorgeous day!--and ended up no worse for wear. Sunday Aaron preached a doozy of a sermon, if I do say so on his behalf, and we had Frontline with, again, at least 30 kids.

We had an announcement at church reminding everyone that they can bring food for the local food bank anytime, not just communion Sundays when we usually encourage it. Aaron also mentioned in his sermon, when talking giving each person dignity, about how we have kids who not only load up on snacks but also quietly ask leaders if they can take food home because they don't have food there. I don't mean they don't have Oreos--I mean they don't have peanut butter. Tuna. Canned beans. Anything to stave off the embarrassing indignity of your stomach growling for all to hear.

Sure enough, after Frontline one of the girls was weak and dizzy and actually fell down. She hadn't eaten. We made her have a couple crackers and juice and bagged up some canned food. Sigh.

(Of course she was flirting with a boy on the way out and swung the bag at him, I think, and it broke wide open--talk about indignity! Don't you miss being fifteen?)

Another busy week here. It's homecoming week, which is all kinds of crazy around here. Tonight is the girls' Powder Puff football game and our now annual Young Life tailgate party/crowd riling event. Aaron and Waltino will be doing their famed (and/or dreaded) John Madden impersonations from the booth, because after all, "Powder Puff is one of those 'once-in-a-lifetime' things that happens every year." Tomorrow is something involving boys called Meatball Volleyball; I'm not sure exactly how "saucy" they'll be but I already feel a little bit icky. But we'll go laugh at them too. Support your local fake sports!

Also, SmallPort residents, be sure to write in Waltino for mayor. Our goal is to get him enough votes that his name gets in the paper. Because what's more awesome than a guy that's not really running getting like 5 percent of the vote? And that really wouldn't take too many . . .

Welcome to Camp Wannahockaloogie

I have the sickies today. Started with a funny tickle in the throat--allergy/sinus drainage thing. By last night I was feeling hot and cold and blah, didn't sleep well, had a couple nasty coughs this morning.

I am actually feeling a bit better now, although I haven't achieved any real productivity yet. Maybe I will be able to keep my voice--sometimes I start to lose it with this kind of thing, and I need it for the busy days ahead, including canvassing, Frontline, and homecoming week festivities such as Powder Puff.

Time for some soup and then I really do need to get a lot of work done today.

Wordless Wednesday

Surviving Weekends; Alienating Babysitters?

That was a really long short full weekend. (Kind of like this post. Sorry. Everybody needs an editor and I'm too tired to be mine.)

Friday is normally Aaron's day off; he had to go in to work, and I went to church for a while to get some things ready for our big congregational workshop Saturday. (Then we had a really nice evening with friends, but that is beside the point because I'm trying to garner sympathy here, okay?)

Saturday I went to church at 8:00 a.m. (I know!) for our 9:00-2:00 meeting. I had to give the first part of the presentation, trying to act all smartypants with my PowerPoint and my statistics and my worksheets and my making the people hold up their fingers so they would remember what number group they're in (a very sophisticated business technique). We had a great turnout and everyone seemed pleased with the discussions, so I guess all went well--but that's just draining when you're largely responsible for making sure it does.

Rescued the babysitter, put Anna down for her nap, entered catatonic why-aren't-I-napping-too? state. Got Anna up and bundled us up for the youth group bonfire on the beach. We had about 25 people enjoying hot dogs, s'mores, football, and (in Anna's case) getting sand all over themselves. It was chilly at first but the wind actually died down and it was really nice to be out there. (Photos to come.)

I brought Anna home for a bath, and by the time Aaron got home she was running around like a crazy, diaper-clad Tazmanian devil: spinning, dancing, falling down, crawling back and forth under the dog, and doing her favorite cheerleading moves (the Irish Rumble). She was so hilarious! We just sat around laughing at her and shaking our heads at her insane antics.

Sunday we had church (again! in the morning, again!), then watched football, if that's still what you call it. Anna was a wicked combination of overtired and stubborn and didn't fall asleep until 4:00. I don't know what was up but after about an hour she woke up screaming . . . and pretty much didn't stop for an hour.

Aaron had to leave just after she got up and she FREAKED. OUT. and wouldn't settle down. She was in almost constant meltdown, falling apart at any little thing or no apparent thing. She didn't want to eat, wouldn't really let me eat, had no patience and a hundred demands. I had worried that the weekend would be too busy for her (babysitters and going places and teenagers--all beloved but exhausting) but wouldn't you know it? I couldn't skip Frontline because we would be splitting up the guys and girls and I had to be on the "panel" for the guys' discussion.

Somebodyerother's Law: The only time your child will need you to stay home will be the one time you cannot skip out on being somewhere else. Or to put it another way, if there is a function you must attend, your child will choose one hour before that function to FREAK OUT.

Now mind you I'm not mad at Anna for this. She clearly was overtired and needed some quiet time at home. I'm not sure if/how attachment factors into the clingyness and anxiety that seems to show up at such times but if us going off and doing things makes her feel insecure/needy, well, that's not her fault either.

So at 5:30 I called the lady from church who was going to watch Anna during Frontline and said I didn't know exactly what I was doing but didn't think I should take Anna to her house (where she's never been before). I thought maybe I'd go late and leave early and have somebody amuse Anna at church for as little time as possibly necessary. Now mind you we'd already had a little confusion and changing of plans that morning as to the evening's arrangements. So I felt like a real schmoe telling this lady who obviously now was all ready and excited to have Anna over that I wasn't going to bring her. But I really felt like if I took her to this new place and then left, there would be total meltdown that I would be paying for much longer than the hour and a half.

Anna did settle down by about 6:00 and I called back and said if you could come to church and watch her during the discussion part, that'd be great, and if not because you've written me off as a weirdo indecisive paranoid advantage-taking freak who can't understand the concept that you wanted to be at your house because it's not easy for you to get out and about, that's okay, I'll ask someone else who is there or whatever since this is really all my fault and problem anyway.

Okay, I didn't exactly get all that out. I don't know what I said but I hope it sounded somewhat humble and intelligible, and mostly I hope that she doesn't think it was about her or her house at all and will be willing to try again another night. It really wasn't--truly Anna was not in a good state and I didn't want her to think I was punishing her for it. But how do I explain the attachment issue connection when I'm not even sure if there is one? Objectively I think she was just tired but in my gut I think if I'd pushed it there maybe could have been some attachment implications. Or whatever you call her velcroed to my leg crying for three days. I don't know, maybe not, but I didn't want to put her (or me) through it.

People with attachment/adoption experience, what do you think? Am I fully or only partially nutters? I need some parental affirmation here!

Of course Anna was a bouncy little angel the whole time in the nursery, thus ensuring it seemed like she would have been fine anytime anywhere. Oh well.

The good news is that even though we had to be gone again Monday night, she had a grand time with the friend who came over and was good today despite being up late again.

The further exhausting and scary yet exciting news is that we had at least FIFTY-THREE high schoolers at our first Young Life Club on Monday, practically busting out the walls of the little clubhouse. May I remind you that this was the first club and there are only 225 kids in our high school--a fifth were there. And I'm pretty sure it was the rowdy fifth! Oh, lordy . . . what the heck are we going to do with them all?!

Whew. For some reason I'm tired. Thus I'm publishing this in its ridiculously long and wordy state. If you made it this far, you are now probably as tired as I am!

Donation Total!

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on my Blog Action Day donation challenge post! Many of you had great ideas for little things to do to help those struggling to provide enough food for their families and to support organizations around the world. I encourage you to check out the comments.

And the grand total? Your comments here and at the EOR blog (thanks for the cross-post!) "earned" a $30 donation from me split between Ethiopian Orphan Relief and our local voucher program. And even better, my mom and my friend Jem have each pledged to match my gift, so this simple, small exercise is making three times the difference! Not bad for something I threw out there on a whim. Way to pay it forward, friends!

Follow-up: World Food Day and "Please" Campaign

To follow up on yesterday's post: today is World Food Day as recognized by UNICEF. You can find information about the day and current food security challenges on their website.

I would also like to highlight efforts by Compassion International to addresses the strain the global food crisis is putting on families and communities where they work around the world. Having had the opportunity to visit the child we sponsor in Ethiopia, I can assure you that their work impacts not only the sponsored child but their family and community as well and that every penny you give is accounted for and used as directed. So if child sponsorship is not for you, Compassion is still an organization you can trust if you want to make a donation to their Global Food Crisis Fund. You can learn more at the website for their new initiative called Please.

Just another idea for you. Meanwhile, leave your comment on my last post to increase my poverty-fighting donation by tomorrow night!

Blog Action Day: My Poverty Action Donation Challenge

Today is Blog Action Day, and the 2008 theme is poverty. You can read some of the thousands of participating posts on the Blog Action Day website.

As you've probably been noticing recently, global poverty is one of the issues that tugs at my heart, and I try to be an advocate for fighting poverty through the work of charities, through actions in my community, through organizations working around the world, through pushing our leaders to make and keep promises on these issues, and by blabbing to you all on a regular basis about how the dots connect in my life and our common life in this common world.

Why my harping? Because 26,000+ children die from poverty-related causes every single day, and many people don't give a shit. What's worse, to paraphrase the venerable Tony Campolo, some of you care more about the fact that I just said shit than about those 26,000 children.

I truly believe that looking out for those with less is the right thing for us all to do (see: Golden Rule, interconnected global economies and environment, etc.) and, more specifically for those of us who call ourselves Christians, caring for the poor is the best way we can reflect what Jesus was about, do what he told us to do, and really understand the heart of God. Why else those 2,000 verses about the poor, more than any other subject?

I don't believe there's any one right way to fight poverty, though. You may feel a desire to help in a different way than I do, and that's a good thing, because different actions help in different ways. Child sponsorship can't get a government to forgive another government's crushing debts, but political advocacy can't let a little girl know she matters enough that someone remembers her birthday. Some people and groups take care of wounds that are gushing right now, while others try to find the source and stop it. We need it all.

What can you give?
Advocacy.
Charity.
Even just a bit of empathy.

Here's what I will give back today:

For every comment on this post, I will donate $1 to Ethiopian Orphan Relief or our local SLR voucher program (donations split 50/50 -- and I suppose I must set some limit!). For every comment sharing what you are doing or will do to fight poverty, I will donate $2.

Will you write a letter to your sponsored child? Email your state representative? Take some extra food to the food bank? Repeat this same challenge on your own blog? Get involved in something, let me know, and watch my gift grow! Game ends Friday at midnight PST. The real challenge never ends.

Come back soon to read the story of my Ethiopian schoolgirl friend. She says so much more than I ever could.


Links for further inspiration:

"Being Poor" by John Scalzi
"Working Poor Problem Getting Worse" (MSNBC)
The Girl Effect (start with this sweet video)
"I Repent" (Holy Experience blog)
Blog Action Day 2008

Wordless Wednesday: Multitasking

So This Is What the Weeks Look Like Now?

Yikes.

We are moving full tilt into insanity season around here. At least one of us has had something going on every night for ten days straight, and it's the same through next week with the exception of Friday. Young Life is starting up, Frontline is going strong, there's all kinds of school events, and these days we both have church meetings too. (Added bonus: Aaron's back is killing him.) I am trying to be organized by planning meals ahead so it can be something easy on busy nights, so I don't have to cut into my work time to get dinner ready, but I think we'd better get used to the kitchen looking like this:


Okay, clearly we're already used to this. But I do try to draw the line at cultivating mysterious fungi.

Anna was clingy and whiny and grumpy as all get-out today and I hope it's not because she's been with so many different sitters lately. I think she was tired and is getting another tooth. But Mamaaaaaa she says. Maaahahahahaaahmaaaa, noooooo, don't go to the bathroom without me, I'll diiiiiiiieeeeeeee.

It's really not her most charming mood.

Of course we took her with us for a YL meeting and she could not have been happier to run around and dance and play with everyone. You'd never know she'd been grumpy, unless you'd been in the van ten minutes earlier when she thought we weren't going to be joined in five seconds by Daaahaahaahdaaaaa.

What is this? Some sort of anxiety or missing us, or just a moody toddler?

I hope that if she's better rested tomorrow and I give her some extra attention if she needs it she'll be more mellow. Even extroverts need some quiet time. Or their mothers do, anyway!

Why I'm Doing What I'm Doing Tomorrow

We get a rinky-dink free mini-newspaper every week. These items made up the front page this week:

• Housing Crisis Pains Hippieville
• Dental Van to Offer Free Clinic
• Number of Homeless Youth Grows [on pace to be double last year's number]

And this sign has been on our church door for a couple weeks:


These vouchers, which several local churches give out, are for emergency help with gas, utilities, food, medical expenses. It has never been able to help everyone. Now there's nothing left to help anyone, until the next month. Too many people needing help. Too many problems.

This is a tough place to live in a lot of ways, for a lot of people. Fishing and logging are no longer major industries; the work that's left is very seasonal and service-oriented, which means it goes away in winter and when the economy suffers. My wise friend who knows the community and the medical/insurance world well observed, "This is the worst I've ever seen it," in terms of families struggling to find work, get insurance or medical care, to just make ends meet. And that was a couple months ago. All signs point to things getting worse before they get better.

Meanwhile I watch the news and read the blogs and follow the campaigns. I fret about our budget and the church's budget and whether this investment we made in our home still holds any equity and how we'll ever obtain health care if our situation changes and the kids taking home food the church has collected after youth group because their cupboards are bare. I feel alternately disgusted and inspired and alarmed by the things I hear and see and read. I'm sad, I'm upset, I'm hopeful, I'm determined.

And I'm not going to let that be the end of it.

I am going to do something.

Tomorrow I am going canvassing to register voters and talk to people about Barack Obama and other candidates. I've never done anything like this before. Never been involved in politics at any level beyond voting and a couple of local school or community issues meetings. But like I told the guy when I stopped by the Democratic office today, if I say this is so important, I have to do something. I need to harness and channel my angst and my obsession and my desperate hope into something productive. I need to know that if I'm disappointed, it's not because I didn't do anything. If my kids ask me someday what happened in 2008, I want to say: I did my part for what I thought was best.

I can't explain in this one blog post why this election feels so important to me--other than to point you back to the problems above and your own nightly news--or why I've chosen the candidates I have. And I'm not going to try, because right now I'm not asking you to think like me. I'm asking you to act on what you think.

I honestly want everyone I know to vote, no matter how they'll vote. Most people have an opinion on how things should be, but far too many Americans don't follow through on this fundamental way of expressing our views.

So let me practice my spiel on you:

• Are you registered to vote? Are you sure? If you've moved or haven't voted in a while, you should verify your registration before the deadline, just in case. Oregon's deadline is this Tuesday, October 14.
  
• Do you know where you stand on issues?
• Do you know where the candidates stand?
• Will you be sure to vote on (or by) November 4?

That's really all there is to it, this voting thing. But this democracy thing? That requires a bit more of us to work at its best. I'm looking forward to seeing it from another angle--to see what we'll observe in neighborhoods, what stories people may tell, what people are concerned about, who I'll get to know. I'm sure it'll be interesting, if nothing else.

Report to follow, film at 11.


Disclaimer: These thoughts are the sole property of the person who just happens to be the sole owner of this blog. They are not intended to be partisan (see section 6b, "vote for whoever you want") but if you feel they distract you from your sole goal of seeing how cute my baby is, feel free to pretend this post never happened. Those of you who would like to discuss this topic or others, feel free to leave a comment!

Twenty-One

Anna is 21 now. Months, that is, though it seems it will be years before we know it. One day a week or so ago we couldn't stop staring at her--has she grown inches and months in one day? Maybe it was what she was wearing or her hair ("six-five, with the afro six-nine..."), but she seemed oh so grown up all of a sudden.




Favorites at 21 months:

• Words: water (pronounced "dowww"), hi, hot, football
• Food: cheese, fruit, pizza
• Clothes: shoes, because they mean going somewhere; half-removed pajamas
  
• Activities: running, dancing/spinning, sitting on dog, looking at pictures of herself
• Sport: "Foobaaaaaall!" (raises arms in touchdown signal)
• Places: Beach, playground, Aaron's office or nursery at church
• Toys: balls, books, Magnadoodle, baby doll, coasters, slammable drawer, food
  
• People: Dadadadadada! (as he's called when he comes home), MAMA! (as I'm summoned downstairs to say goodnight), cheerleaders, teenagers, church ladies, and our friend the big rough redneck Dreamy Lumberjack (go figure)
• Mode of protest: Full body sprawl

She is working on words but seems to be more into motions/actions. For example, she'll strum on her stomach like playing the guitar when she sees one or a picture of one (or a violin) or to indicate where one is, like the front of church where Aaron plays. She can point to lots of body parts but not say them. She does a lot of very insistent pointing and patting and dragging you by the finger to indicate what she wants or where she wants you. I don't know if this means anything about her speech or learning style or not--is she a physical learner, perhaps? But she is slowly increasing her vocabulary too and certainly chatters frequently and sometimes incredibly loudly.

If she's upset she will do the toddler full body sprawl, spinning around if she's holding your hand and throwing herself onto the ground. This was charming when she tried it in the post office, but unfortunately for her didn't embarrass me.

Generally she's very good in public though. She will test us at home and if necessary gets a time-out in a chair in the corner. Recently she got about five in a row because when Aaron told her to put her books on the bookshelf (yes, she knows how) or she'd get another time out, she kept choosing the chair. Literally. She went back to it. Of course when he put her in it she realized that she wouldn't rather be there. She still tried ignoring him, though, so he kept at it. Quite an entertaining show they put on for me, really. SuperNanny would be proud of my man!

She is really into Winnie the Pooh and football. If she sees anything football related--game or commercial on TV, picture of football or helmet, football players on the back of the box of crackers--she says "Foobbaaaaaallll!" and raises her hands like the touchdown signal. She also knows how to push a small football behind her through her legs when I say "hut hut!" (I am training her for the oft-overlooked position of long snapper, since it is an important specialization with relatively low risk of injury, less glory but still plenty of cash to take care of her momma in her old age.)

She loves to go to the school playground and go on the slides, go for walks out behind our house, and help me pick eat the blackberries around our house.

Best of all, she loves hugs, cuddles, tickles, and us.

Is that a teenager scarfing down all our pizza?



Must be. She has the pouty face down.

Wordless Wednesday

Sunday Sad-Day

Knock knock!

Who's there?

Owen.

Owen who?

Owen sixteen! (0-16) The Lions stink!


Unfortunately, they also no longer know who to fire. Hmm.


UPDATE: Through the wonder of Google's 10th anniversary time machine, you can search the oldest websites Google has stored and find the Lions' website from 2001, when they celebrated not being the NFL's first-ever 0-16 team, having won their first game of the season in . . . December. Oh dear lord.

Ask and Ye Shall at Least Get Your Question On Record

I was almost proud of our Congress over the last week. They were told they had an emergency and given a crappy bill, and for once they did their job, going to work turning it into a better bill as fast as possible. They worked together like serious grownups—well, then they didn't, but I think that was just a lame cover-up. (Hey, I did say almost proud.)

The more important lesson is that making our wishes known makes a difference. Citizens went ballistic over the original bailout bill, thinking it was rewarding the crooks, and the House killed it. Citizens went nuts again this week after the market tanked, saying they need to do something, and they are getting it done.

Shaping our democracy is about so much more than November of every four years. Call your representatives, write letters, tell them why something is important to you, and they are likely to listen, especially if enough people do it. Whether it's because you convince them on the merits or they just want to do what their constituents want almost doesn't matter. Just make them get it done. Give them the political will by proving that it's our will.

This is what the ONE Campaign is all about. This is what Bread for the World is all about. This is what groups from Save Darfur to the one saving your local school help us do.

We didn't get a question about global poverty, hunger, genocide in Darfur, human rights and/or religious persecution, or the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the first debate. I understand that because the format did not allow for many questions (only 8) and some of them were diverted to the economy. But the next debate is a town hall format with questions from the audience and submitted over the Internet. If enough people demand that these questions are asked, they will be. Later we must demand that the answers are followed through on.

What would you ask if you had just one question?

Wordless Wednesday