A Natural Family

Change Your Reader

2009-06-23T12:56:00.001-04:00

I am moving to Wordpress. Find me at anaturalfamily.wordpress.comSee you there!

Two Meetings.

2009-06-23T11:38:00.005-04:00

In the past week, I've had two meetings with people working towards adoptions--specifically adoptions from Ethiopia. One woman lives in Chicago, her aunt knows my parents, we talked on the phone. The other is a friend of a friend who lives in my town and we got to meet face to face for coffee.I just have to say that the ways in which adoptions bring people together are pretty much incredible to

And We're BACK!

2009-06-23T08:49:00.003-04:00

Alright. I've got the urge to blog again. It is summertime (not that you could tell by the weather) so work is a little slower, Kid's growing and changing by leaps and bounds, J's finished the doctorate, and me... well... I've been thinking. Thinking often leads to blogging. Lucky for you :)Let's see. I think some new blog goals are in order.1. Vent about parenting challenges2. Provide a soapbox

Good Luck, and Good Night.

2009-02-19T20:54:00.005-05:00

Well folks, my son turns one in a matter of hours. He is sleeping like the little angel he is, and I am reflecting on the past year of my life that he has been in existence and the past seven months that he has been physically with me. What an incredible time. There really are not words for the massive amounts of emotion that have taken over my body. I honestly have the most perfect kid on

February.

2009-02-09T10:42:00.003-05:00

My current thoughts:1. Is Em ready to go down to one nap? It takes longer to put him down, he does still seem tired, but he remains in pretty good spirits either way...2. Why is Ken Starr trying to forcibly legally divorce the same sex couples who were married in California? I mean, we are talking 18,000 people here (or marriages, I forget)--but more than that we are talking about a whole lot

argggh.

2009-02-02T18:15:00.002-05:00

my utility bill just came. $590. do i have that? yes. do i want to spend it on my utility bill? no.my son ate an entire little tiropita (cheese pie with feta) and he is spitting up... in various places around the house. it is stinky.i am gaining back my salmonella weight. it makes me feel weird. i don't like it.i am tired of there always being laundry and dishes. i don't even do the

Is there a Doctor in the house?

2009-01-29T13:13:00.005-05:00

Not quite. But close. J successfully defended his dissertation on Tuesday. So, after some edits and turning in a final draft, all of his committee members have agreed to sign off on it and he will officially graduate in May. I did my best to make a weirdly anti-climactic day seem climactic by hosting a small dinner at our favorite Greek restaurant, but J was mostly just tired and worn out from

THANK GOD.

2009-01-20T09:32:00.003-05:00

What an historic day.We spent yesterday evening listening to speeches by Dr. King and reading a book about Coretta Scott.Today we're going into Brooklyn to watch the Oath of Office and Inaugural Speech with friends. We are very excited to participate in this event with others--with our family, but with other people around us.So, grab your tissue box. Let the power of this day get to you. Let it

Final Post-Placement Visit

2009-01-16T21:55:00.003-05:00

Today was our last visit with Wide Horizons For Children. Our last post-placement visit. Wow. It was so anti-climactic. We've been working on this adoption for YEARS now... and to have our involvement with our agency be finally... well... over seems weird. Who will check in on us? Who will ask us about his development, what we are doing to remember his culture, how parenting is going?

Oh yeah... and there's this one:

2009-01-16T21:47:00.003-05:00

Apparently several people have something to say about ACT 1 in Arkansas. Check this one by the NYTimes (Editorial section, posted 1/5/09):W.H., an infant, was reportedly removed from her parents by Arkansas’s Department of Human Services after she was taken to a hospital with injuries that strongly suggested abuse. Fortunately for W.H., her grandmother, a registered nurse, was eager to take her

Adoption News.

2009-01-16T07:53:00.002-05:00

This is not to be interpreted as a rebellious attack on more conservative members of my family in Arkansas, but as a restatement of something I would want Em to know I feel strongly about if and when he ever grows up and reads this blog. (LOL! You know 'blogs' are going to be sooo uncool when our kids get older.)This from the Arkansas Times:Election Day Robbery by Adam PertmanFor many boys and

Snow Dayz

2009-01-15T10:30:00.002-05:00

Picture This.

2009-01-14T10:27:00.004-05:00

K, J & EA sitting on the couch, having kind of a 'family moment.' Everyone is happy, smiling. EA is crawling on our laps, giving hugs, etc...I say to EA, "Da-da, this is Da-da. Can you say Da-da?"EA looks at J, with a smile on his face, and replies, "Ding-ding!"Profound insights from the mouths of babes.Hope everyone is having a good middle of the week!

Life Situations

2009-01-10T12:00:00.004-05:00

Last night we were lucky enough to spend some time with some of our close friends who live in Brooklyn. Every now and then, we talk (*guilt?*) them into coming down to lame New Jersey to hang out with us and Em. They make Em giggle like NO other couple can. I don't know what it is about them and him, but we don't hear him belly laugh so much as when they're around.We went to our favorite Greek

Ugh.

2009-01-05T09:41:00.003-05:00

Em has decided to boycott sleep. The past *several* nights he has been waking up every couple of hours. He rolls to his stomach, outstretches his arms, and pops his head up looking around. He does not go back to sleep without help which usually entails one of us getting up to rock or cuddle him or getting him a bottle depending on how many hours it has been since he last ate, etc... The

quiet example.

2008-12-31T11:57:00.005-05:00

Sometimes if you aren't watching, you don't notice the small and powerful things. And, as I have been accused of not sharing my spiritual moments ( :) ), I wanted to share one of the highlights of mine and Justin's Christmas experience this year. As you all know, from my previous post, our house was b-u-s-y busy this year with family and friends all around. But, in the middle of it all, very

Back to reality

2008-12-29T10:52:00.005-05:00

Well, the last of our family leaves today. It has been quite a whirlwind of families, emotions, presents, and fun the past ten days or so. We had 12 adults + 2 babies at my enormously long awesome dining table for Christmas dinner. Now it is time for J and I to get back to real life. I am at work this morning. J is back to teaching a Winter Session class at RU. Emadu will have to adjust back to

Doctor Visit and The Events of The Day

2008-12-17T19:09:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we schlepped into NYC despite the snowy rain to see Dr. Aronson for Emadu's 9 month visit. Turns out Em's doing well. Just like we thought. He is right around 50th percentile for height and weight and about 75th percentile for head circumference. He weighs 20lbs 13 oz.Oh yeah... and he has some bronchitis like virus. I thought it was just a cold. Ooops :) So, we're nebulizing

Adventures in Parenting

2008-12-14T17:25:00.005-05:00

I think I shared this article with the blog back in the summer when it was originally published in the NYTimes. However, now that we have been officially parenting for several months now, I thought it would be nice to revisit the article and concept of Equal Parenting and see how it has all shaken out.The article is When Mom and Dad Share it All by Lisa Belkin and was in the New York Times

Secret Family Getaway (Poconos)

2008-12-14T17:17:00.001-05:00

Boston

2008-12-14T17:14:00.001-05:00

(Auntie Jenn looks hot for having just had surgery, right?)

Angels in the Wilderness

2008-12-06T21:45:00.003-05:00

**J wrote this and presented it as the Call to Worship at our church on the day of EmAdu's dedication. I think of it often (and usually get teary). It is worth reading all of it. Even if you've heard it before.Call to Worship 9/21 – Dedication SundayTwo Sundays before we left for Ethiopia, I shuffled into a pew at Christ Church New Brunswick, the local Episcopal church we attend when we aren’t

He's FAMOUS!!

2008-12-04T15:08:00.000-05:00

Justin sent EmAdu's picture into one of the blogs we read--antiracist parent. And look who is featured today!!

Adoption Truth.

2008-12-03T14:40:00.001-05:00

If you have any interest in international adoption, you have to read this article.(thanks, straightmagic for the link.)More later about this. But, this is why we went with WHFC. I can trust that this didn't happen with us.

Funny Names

2008-12-02T15:04:00.002-05:00

Ok. So, J was on the phone with our doctor's office yesterday, trying to get Adu an appointment for a Flu Shot. Well, you see, we haven't taken Adu to our doctor yet because we've continued to see Dr. Aronson (and probably will until we can't afford it or she kicks us out of her practice), but we do plan on making our doctor Adu's primary care physician so that we have somewhere close to take

And that is what I have to say about that!

2008-11-23T09:08:00.002-05:00

Adoptive Families Unite. Or just eat chicken pot pie.

2008-11-19T13:33:00.003-05:00

Last night we had our (new) friends the Zilas over for dinner. I have become quite the chicken pot pie pro this Fall season and they approved. I even tried my hand at iced tea and did pretty ok. (They're from Georgia, so they would know...)What is nice and enriching and refreshing and *special* about spending time with them is that they are also a transracially adoptive family. Our stories are

Sleeping Arrangements

2008-11-09T16:13:00.003-05:00

As many of you know, Em has been in a co-sleeper since he has been home with us. For a while we switched sides of the bed and took turns getting up with him and caring for him during the night. During my bout with salmonella, the sleeping arrangements became more solidified... Justin slept by the co-sleeper and had night duty. Last week some time, Em let us know that the co-sleeper wasn't

Disappointed.

2008-11-09T10:04:00.002-05:00

I am and will continue to be disappointed in Arkansas because of this. I am and will continue to be disappointed in the conservative church of my youth because of things like this. I view this as very poorly thought through and based on ignorance.Disappointing.

A Must Have...

2008-11-04T13:27:00.002-05:00

So, an election day post is a must have for me this year. In my family, we don't talk politics. I don't even think my parents ever actually came out and said who they voted for (it can always be assumed that they voted Republican, but maybe there are some surprises in there mom and dad?). J's family is a little bit the same. They did actually verbalize their Republican support this year. But

Halloween Time

2008-10-29T08:13:00.000-04:00

cute penguinoout and about as a fam on halloween nightpracticing our penguin over our skeleton pj's last weekhalloween t-shirt that CC madethe most delicious things ever.

Working Girl.

2008-10-20T14:07:00.002-04:00

Well, I am back at work today. I have the perfect schedule, but I guess it will still take some adjusting. Here is a list of thoughts, stream-of-consciousness style:geez it's earlyguess i really did forget how to set the alarmthis office is freakin cold.not much has changedit is 10:30 a.m. and i have already eaten all the food i broughtyearly evaluation the first day backboredwhat're they up to

Emadu learns a new trick.

2008-10-18T11:36:00.003-04:00

Good morning Emadu! What are you up to? I have learned a new trick.I can take my diaper off. When I roll over my cheeks are exposed.

West Virginia

2008-10-07T20:29:00.006-04:00

peanut.peanut and aunt christie.learning to walk? (no...not really.)first teething biscuit.making crazy faces in the tub. (same tub that daddy bathed in when he was this little.)7 hours is a long car ride for peanuts.but it was pretty.leaves turning in pennsylvania.mountaineer.aunties and cousin em.checking out the outdoors with aunt jennie.

In Awe.

2008-10-02T10:40:00.004-04:00

I am truly in awe of my own husband. I know, I know... a mushy 'husband' post. But, really, if you aren't also in awe of my husband, it is only because you don't know him. Honestly, that could be the ONLY reason. In the past month, he has written two papers (35 pages in the last nine days), worked three part-time jobs, taken me out on a couple of dates, hosted people in his home, maintained

Post-Dedication Celebration

2008-09-22T11:00:00.000-04:00

Dedication Service

2008-09-22T10:54:00.001-04:00