Well, not our new name. The new name of the blog - "The Family" - and the new address, as well as revisions of some previous posts.
As teachers, we instruct our students on all kinds of safe and smart things to do. Then, we violate that common sense ourselves. Like about posting on the internet.
Good sense dictates that we remove identifying details from the blog. The generic names will continue. Also, we've decided to start referring to each other as "Mother," "Father," "Eldest," "Daughter," and "Youngest" around the house.
Otherwise, a calm and quiet night at home. Mother is asleep on the floor, Daughter is watching disc 3 of season 3 of "Little House on the Prairie," (with Willis, from "Diff'rent Strokes," playing "a genuine negro"). Eldest is at a dance - with real girls! - and Youngest is changing the oil in my car.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Another family you should know
Do you know a perfect family, the kind you wish your family could be if only it didn't take any effort?
Other than us, I mean.
Kidding.
We have friends like that. The kids - four of them - are smart and cute and sweet and perfectly behaved. The parents never raise their voices. They never make any decisions on a whim, and, it seems, they don't make bad decisions. They are humble and gracious and funny and never gloat or have any airs of superiority.
Don't you just hate those people?
We would, too, if we could. But these friends of ours are pretty tough to hate.
Once, at lunch, a bunch of us were talking about what we had done over spring break. We had gone to Disney, played on beaches, bummed around. This guy, the dad? He went to Honduras to help build a hospital.
These are the kind of people that, despite having four kids - a sizable family this day and age, more than I think I could handle - open their doors to foster kids. And then, when the kids move on, they stay in touch.
And then, as perfect as they are - and they would object to that label, so let's just say wonderful (they would object to that, too - they keep getting better. Or, at least, they keep living their values in ways that are more and more inspiring.
How?
They have adopted two orphans from Ethiopia.
We had a shower for them here at work yesterday. Soon the parents will travel to Africa to pick up their two new children. The mom is learning how to cook Ethiopian food.
Imagine: They have two new children (it was made official this week.) They have not met these children. They aren't sure what language the children speak. They do know that while facing the many challenges of entering a very foreign culture and a brand new family, these kids will also be coping with the worst kinds of losses to the worst kind of disease. And to these kids, this family says: Come on in. Whatever you need.
I find this family to be inspiring. You will too. Meet them here.
At the Not-Babies Shower
Their new son and daughter
Other than us, I mean.
Kidding.
We have friends like that. The kids - four of them - are smart and cute and sweet and perfectly behaved. The parents never raise their voices. They never make any decisions on a whim, and, it seems, they don't make bad decisions. They are humble and gracious and funny and never gloat or have any airs of superiority.
Don't you just hate those people?
We would, too, if we could. But these friends of ours are pretty tough to hate.
Once, at lunch, a bunch of us were talking about what we had done over spring break. We had gone to Disney, played on beaches, bummed around. This guy, the dad? He went to Honduras to help build a hospital.
These are the kind of people that, despite having four kids - a sizable family this day and age, more than I think I could handle - open their doors to foster kids. And then, when the kids move on, they stay in touch.
And then, as perfect as they are - and they would object to that label, so let's just say wonderful (they would object to that, too - they keep getting better. Or, at least, they keep living their values in ways that are more and more inspiring.
How?
They have adopted two orphans from Ethiopia.
We had a shower for them here at work yesterday. Soon the parents will travel to Africa to pick up their two new children. The mom is learning how to cook Ethiopian food.
Imagine: They have two new children (it was made official this week.) They have not met these children. They aren't sure what language the children speak. They do know that while facing the many challenges of entering a very foreign culture and a brand new family, these kids will also be coping with the worst kinds of losses to the worst kind of disease. And to these kids, this family says: Come on in. Whatever you need.
I find this family to be inspiring. You will too. Meet them here.
At the Not-Babies Shower
Their new son and daughterTuesday, January 16, 2007
Holiday Hoo-hah
We return to post once again. Where has the time gone. Is anyone still out there?
Accusations have been made that Father has hijacked this blog, using photos of Telly Savalis and lies about Thanksgiving to send Mother fleeing. And yes, perhaps I was a bit over-excited about the narcissistic possibilities of blogging. But I didn't mean to take over! Really! Look, Mother, you've got me using exclamation marks.
My rather lame post ridiculing elementary teachers was an attempt to goad Mother back, and certainly a photo of a shaven Rick Springfield should have been proper bait.
Mother, where are you? The public awaits your return.
I thought she might return to post some holiday photos, but, alas, MLKJr. Day has come and gone, and still no sign of Mother or Christmas. It is well past time to share with you the news that Christmas happened, and we performed all due Christmas duties.
We decorated the house,
displayed our new artificial tree,
and created edible architecture.
Mother's fine folks, Bumma and Grandpa, joined us for food-house making. Grandpa did all of the work and Bumma stared into space the whole time.
We decorated the tree;
it was Daughter's year to put the star on top. (That the kids remember whose turn it is every year is quite impressive to me.)
Other highlights included wonderful meals and family gatherings all over the place, gifts, a nice night out with Oma, gifts, family cookie baking, brother-in-law beer and shopping expeditions, gifts, savior births, gifts, and things I'm forgetting. A nice, family-type New Year's was spent playing Apples to Apples (gift!) at Mr. and Mrs. Neighbor's house, until Mr. and Mr. Other Neighbors showed up drunk and rowdy and showed us how much fun New Years is for the kid-less. Still, I ruled at Trivial Pursuit.
Yea, Holidays. We all had a wonderful, wonderful Christmas season.
But that was a while ago, and other things have happened since. Mother, why don't you share news of our wonderful trip?
Accusations have been made that Father has hijacked this blog, using photos of Telly Savalis and lies about Thanksgiving to send Mother fleeing. And yes, perhaps I was a bit over-excited about the narcissistic possibilities of blogging. But I didn't mean to take over! Really! Look, Mother, you've got me using exclamation marks.
My rather lame post ridiculing elementary teachers was an attempt to goad Mother back, and certainly a photo of a shaven Rick Springfield should have been proper bait.
Mother, where are you? The public awaits your return.
I thought she might return to post some holiday photos, but, alas, MLKJr. Day has come and gone, and still no sign of Mother or Christmas. It is well past time to share with you the news that Christmas happened, and we performed all due Christmas duties.
We decorated the house,
displayed our new artificial tree,
and created edible architecture.
Mother's fine folks, Bumma and Grandpa, joined us for food-house making. Grandpa did all of the work and Bumma stared into space the whole time.
We decorated the tree;
it was Daughter's year to put the star on top. (That the kids remember whose turn it is every year is quite impressive to me.)
Other highlights included wonderful meals and family gatherings all over the place, gifts, a nice night out with Oma, gifts, family cookie baking, brother-in-law beer and shopping expeditions, gifts, savior births, gifts, and things I'm forgetting. A nice, family-type New Year's was spent playing Apples to Apples (gift!) at Mr. and Mrs. Neighbor's house, until Mr. and Mr. Other Neighbors showed up drunk and rowdy and showed us how much fun New Years is for the kid-less. Still, I ruled at Trivial Pursuit.
Yea, Holidays. We all had a wonderful, wonderful Christmas season.
But that was a while ago, and other things have happened since. Mother, why don't you share news of our wonderful trip?
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