Grief

Lately my days are filled with dilemmas, from what to pack for school lunches to finding patience for bedtime fears. My latest dilemma has changed me forever: my daughter's best friend is dying of leukemia and I don't know how to tell Honeybun. How do you explain why a sweet child had to suffer 8 years of torture? How do you face this and help your child do so too? How do you justify everything when something like this uproots that very same everything?

What I have learned is this: we have now. No matter what befalls us in the little annoyances, joys, lack of patience, sleeplessness, etc., we have right now. Tomorrow may never be, so gather all the moments of pure joy you can. Sorrow like this cuts my very soul.

On My Way Back.....

Hi there! I know that you have probably forgotten about me by now, but I am on my way back home to Tale of Two Kiddies. After a long hiatus, we will be back on the air at least 3 days a week with all kinds of topics, giveaways, and basic chatter. Please do join me? Posts will begin in earnest on Thursday of this week. In the meantime, those of you with kids, that like kids, that teach kids, or are kids, head on over to The Crafty Crow at http://www.belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/ for fun crafts, great photos and links, and this week a cool giveaway for an apron pattern!

See you on Thursday!

PS. Went to the Ethiopian Culture Camp this past weekend, and had a fab time! We'll be saving our pennies for the whole weekend next year. Here are the girls in their new Ethiopian finery!

Congratulations America!

Though I am fighting a horrible virus, I just have to quickly post and say how proud I am of my country. It is so inspiring that WE elected the man we wanted to represent us. The groundswell of excitement for Mr. Obama gave me goosebumps, and just when I was so tired of smug, rich, compromised white men pretending to stand for all of us - in walked a man that resonated with my very soul. I don't know him or his family personally. I was lucky enough to work for his campaign in my state, and to shake his hand with my youngest daughter when he came to New Hampshire in the very beginning. I have withstood questionable comments about my daughters' color, watched years of descrimination, segregation, the insidious undercurrent of racism in my section of the country, and "jokes" made even by my friends involving color, race, religion, or origin. But with this step of electing Mr. Obama, we have stepped beyond all of that. We have stepped out of the smog and into real light and possibility. I hope that that light can shine on the cockroaches that I know still exist among us, and expose them to what can be if we leave behind all of our jealosy and hate.

I'm proud of my country, and of our new president. Like I said, I don't know him personally, but I do know what he has given up to serve as our leader. I'm proud that there was a man that comes from a solid family and a foundation of community that wanted to lead us. I stand with you, Mr. Obama, and may all the subversive forces in the world step back in awe of the power of the people.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Hi all,

So sorry to have been absent for so long. Life has taken a busier turn, but I think I'm on a more even keel. Looking forward to a new year of regular posts and will include the following topics in the next month or so:

Racism/difference in public schools
How your child views race
Attachment disorder & book reviews
Solidifying your family's foundation

Sound interesting? I'm looking forward to discussing these topics, so get your typing fingers ready. In the meantime, have a very safe and happy New Year! See you in 2009! :)

Latest from Toad Cottage

Hi all,

Life is whistling by with preparations for the parents' 50th anniversary party, so there has not been time to post about the deep subjects I've been hoping to post about. So, as a small commercial break, (please play Jeopardy music in your head while reading...) and for the A Little Bit Pregnant readers that wander over for proof of Sweetpea's existence, here are a couple of pictures.

Independence Day from Hair Horror

Well, I know it is a definate and rather selfish departure from the discussion of diversity in schools I had planned, but today being Independence Day and all.....

A pair of lovely blogs I read (here: http://whoorl.com/ and here: http://mooshinindy.com/ ) are doing a fabulous contest and the randomly chosen winner gets a hair makeover! (I am not a lucky person, but still hold out hope that I will be made over into a long, curly haired person!) So, here is my entry.

Though I am loathe to admit it, here is what my hair looked like in my "Ugly Years". Now don't laugh because you know we all have them! Mine just lasted a bit longer than I would have hoped.







This one is me relatively recently, though I just had a run-in with a far too overzealous stylist enamored with razorcutting.

Now, I am aware that making over a short haircut is more than a challenge, but surely I can count on all of you to collectively cross your fingers that I might win this thing. I will offer my head in a no-holds-barred challenge. Honeybun has suggested going for a lively pink shade. Hmmmmm.

Hello! No, I haven't been stolen by gypsies, joined the Foreign Legion, or disappeared into a crack in the earth. End of school, etc. has been keeping us hopping. So, in the meantime, until next week when life will slow down to less than warp speed, I've tweaked the montages and made them into DVD's . Take a peek here if you like.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

and, of course, here.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Next week I'll be addressing the issue of diversity (or lack of same) in NH public schools, and how we as parents/educators should deal with this. Lots to say on this and will be interested to see what others experienced and have to say. See you then! Meanwhile, my little girl is graduating from kindergarten on Monday! EEEEK! What happened to my teeny baby? Hard to believe that I can love my daughters this much and not explode with the force of 3 million super novas.

~B