Gandhi's birthday....

* It's Gandhi's birthday today. I've always been a big fan of Gandhi. I mean, who isn't, right? :) * Being that he is a national hero in India, and it is a national holiday in India, today we celebrate it. :) With cake, of course. :) Gandhi is on all of the money in India. Well, he's everywhere. Everyone loves Gandhi in India, well, and around the world. * In class today, I talked about how Gandhi invented peaceful non-violent protest. And, how he used it to help South Africa get equality. And, then he used peaceful protest to help his own people back in India get rid of British rule. Martin Luther King Jr studied Gandhi, and used his non-violent protest methods in the civil rights movement. * Gandhi was a wise peaceful man. He was shot in his backyard one evening, when he went out to his garden to pray. * I showed the students pictures of him, and I showed students many of his quotes. His most famous being, "be the change you wish to see in the world." I love that quote. He is so wise. * After I told my students that, I asked them to journal a half of a page. I told them they can write a reflection about Gandhi in anyway they wanted to. Then I gave them some ideas. They could respond to, "what did you think," "what did you feel," "what did you notice," "what did you connect with," "what did you realize," or interpret the quote. They could answer any one of these questions, all of them, or any combination of them that they wanted. Or they could write in their own way about Gandhi. * 1st hour, one student, "why are we learning about Gandhi?" * Me, "I told you at the beginning remember? It's because we are studying memoir, and it is Gandhi's birthday. And, I just thought it would be someone interesting to talk, and write about for the memoir unit." * Same student, "I don't get it, I don't know anything about him." * Me, "remember, we just talked about it. He invented peaceful non-violent protest to help South Africa, and India. Martin Luther King Jr used his methods in the civil rights movement." * Same student, "I don't get why we are talking about him. Why is he important?" * Me, "He created peaceful non-violent protest." * Same student, "I still don't get it. Why are we talking about Gandhi again?" * Me, "it's his birthday, and we are in the memoir unit." * Same student, "what? I still don't get it." * Me, "well, why don't you write down all the questions you have in your journal?" * Student, "I hate this class. This is so stupid." * Ahhhhhh. That was just one student though, well, it might have been 2 or 3 different kids by the end of the day, that said similar things. But, the majority of the kids said some really cool stuff in their journal. Oh man, kids, gotta love em. :) And I do. :) * Then with the family, we had dinner, and cake. Gandhi cake. Gotta love it. :)

Somebody, .... had their very first birthday party ever...

It was a great day. Friends, pizza, cake, swimming. S. was so excited. She was happy about everything.

Finalized....

S.'s adoption is finalized. Praise God. Closure to a very long arduous process. I am so happy. So happy. My sweet girls. I am sooo grateful. :)

6 Months Home...

It's been 6 months since a tiny 5 and 1/2 year old walked around the corner to meet me, her new mother, for the first time. I hugged her, and put her on my lap, and kissed her, and told her I loved her. We blew bubbles, and ate suckers, and laughed. It was magic...

8 year Gotcha Day....

OH, I love these girls. E.'s 8 year Gotcha day today. I can't believe it's 8 years, since I first held my baby girl. It was a magical moment. I am so greatful to be her Momma. And, I am so proud of this girl. She is magic.

What if ? ... or ... My long lost sister / friend...

What if, your sister, (or your best friend), was, for whatever reason, no longer able to take care of her child? Heaven forbid, but say she died, or no longer had the money, the will, the power, or whatever raising a child takes. Would you take your niece or nephew in? Would you love your niece like there was no difference between her and any other child in your house? Would you tell her how wonderful her first mother was (or is) ? How her first mother loved her more than anything in the world ? How her first mother wishes she could be here caring for her ? Would you tell her it's okay to love her first Mommy, and you ? And that you love her first Mommy too ? What if you had a sister you never knew about, across an ocean, and she could no longer care for her child ? And, say, she found you, and sought you out, because she wanted to leave her beloved with you ? Older child adoption is complicated, and it's simple. It's complicated because the child has a history that you do not know, and you are afraid you may never understand. It's simple, because somewhere there is a child that needs you, and a first mother who is praying for you to come along. So, yes, it's complicated. And yes, it's simple. It's simply love. (This sounded a lot better in my head. :) But as I was thinking about all of the emotions, and bumps, and ups, and downs, of older child adoption the other night, I was thinking, of this scenario. And, I was thinking, of course, of course, I would love my sister's child as my own. And, then I was thinking of Sonjena's first mom as my sister, and saying to the universe, and God, "of course, of course, I love her as my own," because she is my own. It's that simple. And, as I stated above it's also complicated. But any journey worth taking is.)

S.'s first 4th of July...

Happy 4th Everyone!!! :) S. will be home for 5 months on July 7th. Things are going well. :) The more English she has, the better things go. ;)