Words of Wisdom

It's been a crapper of a week so far.

But a bumpersticker at Wal-Mart today has jarred me. It read:

HUMANKIND

Be both.

I have work to do.

New Philosophy

This last week I had the chance to see "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" which was produced by the Pleasant Grove Children's Youth Theatre.

I've never seen this play before and I LOVED it.

I did have a favorite musical number and I'm taking it all to heart!

Here's a clip of Kristin Chenoweth performing the song as Sally Brown. However, Becca Varney stole my heart as Sally Brown in her rendition of the song.

Enjoy!




"Why Are You Telling Me?"

~ My New Philosophy

My Favorite Movie

My Favorite Movie

By Ethan

My favorite movie . . . hard choice. I don't really have a favorite movie. If I could only choose one, it would have to be "The Sixth Sense". The reasons I like "The Sixth Sense" are for the spine-tingling story, the amazing effects, and towards the end, it's not so scary. I think "The Sixth Sense" is the best movie I've seen.

Score: 18/20

On an unrelated matter - why is Ethan having a hard time sleeping in a room
by himself?

Bling

Look who's sportin' some new bling

I'm thinking of installing this set up in my home.

It contains and quiets the person in it.

Just what the doctor ordered!

Have you noticed that it's much more "COOL" to have braces now than 20 years ago?

Smile!

This story on the Today Show caught my eye yesterday.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The idea that your childhood photos can be an indicator if you and your spouse will stay together is intriguing.

So, I took a look at a sample photo of mine and Jeff's





Jeff's gotta be a little worried . . .

I Dreamed a Dream

I'm on the Susan Boyle bandwagon!

Wouldn't it be GREAT if everyone could see each other's true potential at first glance?

And if we each could realize those dreams we dream?

I watch this and feel as if I can do those things!

Sherry, thanks for the email this morning, you made my day!

Closure

Last week Jeff and I signed formal settlement papers against our adoption agency's insurance company.


Essentially (I believe) this settlement means the following things:

1. We will be compensated for the out of pocket money paid for Wayde's adoption that 'fell through'. (Lawyer's fees being paid first, of course)



2. A settlement with the insurance company is a sign that the US Attorney's are NOT filing charges against the adoption agency - as they didn't do anything illegal.



3. I should probably take down Wayde's photo hanging in the front room.

I like how a settlement and 'closure' only makes me think of the whole thing more. I have contemplated my actions, the birthmom's actions, the US Attorneys actions and my agencies actions.

I have a few observations and things I want everyone to know:

1. Jeff & I did call the Better Business Bureau, talk to references and look up Marshallese law BEFORE we ever adopted Emma - much less Wayde.

2. I feel tremendous guilt that I didn't work harder to have Lo with us for Thanksgiving - as this would've kept her out of the hands of the US Attorney's longer.

3. I believe that a small group of over zealous, self-righteous women involved themselves in this case when they shouldn't have. And in so doing, mis-translated and mis-guided the US Attorneys and birthmoms.

4. I am disgusted that the lead US Attorney was arrested for lewdness and other such charges while trying to tell me what was 'right'.

5. I know that Lo wanted us to keep Wayde. But her inability to speak clearly and forcefully tied our hands legally. With her one break in expressing a desire to keep Wayde, she made it virtually impossible to keep him.

6. I would never have kept Wayde after she asked for him back. You have no idea how difficult it is to take someone else's child. When I receive another woman's baby into my arms and watch her heart break there is a bond made. With this difficult situation, it was impossible for me to deny her what she finally asked. How could I tell her that I was the mother now and deny her? I'm not like that.

7. Believe it or not, but Jeff & I did pray for guidance and got it. To those who have rubbed my nose in not being righteous and spiritual enough for this adoption to go our way . . . I feel bad that you have so little understanding of the power of prayer!

8. Jeff and I did hire a qualified and good man to be our lawyer and represent us. He did NOT let us down and did exactly as we would have him do. He went above and beyond to support us and some of the other families. I have not appreciated those who have criticized us on this aspect.

9. Our adoption agency is full of kind and loving people who were NOT trying to disobey any law. If anything was done unlawfully - I believe it was done unknowingly. I know that one day I will have the whole story to reflect on.

10. I will always hold a place for Wayde in my heart. Things do get made right, whether now or at a later time. I don't always know what is right and am comfortable accepting whatever it turns out to be!

Closure - does it really even exist?

All I know is that to all who have made this 2 1/2 year journey with me and eased the pain - I thank you, deeply!

Easter Ham

Just wondering why I ate ham yesterday for Easter.

Cuz the only thing I could think of to serve with it was Funeral Potatoes.

But then it felt like a Funeral meal - not a Resurrection meal.

(Josh wants funeral potatoes and egg mcmuffins served at my funeral - FYI)

Dear Wal-Mart Shopper

Dear Mrs. Oblivious:

My apologies for not addressing this letter more personally, but I was unable to catch your name the other day. Regardless, I simply needed to clarify our encounter at Wal-Mart this past week.

For starters, I realize that some of the craft aisles at Wal-Mart are rather narrow and may be an element of the equation that brought us together. There you were browsing craft do-dads and hee-haws while I scoured the paint section for the perfect bunny paint. And an inevitable passing of shoppers was bound to happen, right? (Except you could've chosen to turn around and head your cart down another aisle).

I wasn't much interested in the craftee hoo haws you were looking at so I was completely unprepared when you passed my paint section and had to stop and look at the paint I was looking at. I had stepped aside so you could pass me and I could continue shopping. But you stopped instead!

Stopping isn't a crime . . . . but when you turned your cart sidewise in the aisle pinning me up against a protruding display of pipe cleaners I felt somewhat VIOLATED. There simply isn't room for a 200 lb woman with chunky cheeks and your shopping cart in the arts and craft aisle! I believe I have a bruise on my butt from the pipe cleaners (sorry to be vague on that point, but I can't see back there and refuse to let anyone look).

I realize that you had NO CLUE what was happening in the aisle since you glanced up at me and smiled a really sweet little smile. Clearly you missed the shocked, anguished grimace that came back at you. Perhaps that should've been the moment we introduced ourselves . . .

In closing, I would like to suggest a few shopping strategies for future encounters you may have. First, shopping carts do not get parked crosswise in aisles with shoppers pinned up against anything. Second, when picking a paint color . . . . HURRY! And lastly, YOU can definitely assume that the peals of laughter in the aisle you just left are about you.

Yours Truly,

Vindictive

It's official!

I have a vindictive personality.

I play a stupid, stupid, monotonous game called Mafia Wars.

You take your little gang of thugs and attack other people's ruthless teams.

I usually try to do this as politely as possible.

I attack a team here, a team there -- usually I attack twice when I find a team with a nasty name (my own form of righteous retribution).

BUT I NEVER attack one team more than twice in a row! That is just bad form.

There are people out there who do attack, like, 14 times in a row -- and when it's ME . . . .

I. LOSE. IT!

I will do ANYTHING to get back at that person.

I put multiple bounties on their heads, I buy recruit additional mafia members, I stomp and moan around the house and finally raise my hands and call down all manner of Italian-mafia curses upon that person's family!

But then I remember a few things that rein in my fury:

1. I cannot spend $25 out of my account to 'recruit' additional mafia
members (see conference talks that refer to spending money wisely).

2. I cannot keep soothing my anger with pasta and meatballs.

3. I don't even KNOW the guy who is attacking me and for all I know
it could be Brad Pitt!

4. It's a freakin' GAME!

Clearly I have some aggression issues that need to be worked out.

Or I need to publish the Mafia Wars etiquette hand book.

Or I need to find something more productive with my time . . . .