We have a name

We have decided on naming our son Jordan. Now if we could just get the paperwork done!

Plumpynut

Good new story about malnutrition. Please click the link to view a video clip

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/19/60minutes/main3386661.shtml

The Big Picture

Please click on the link below.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/06/ethiopia_in_food_crisis_once_m.html

Learn Earn Return

While on a flight to Miami this week I read an uplifting article in Ebony magazine written by Jerome Bettis. Bettis is the former running back for the Steelers, who has since retired. Coincidentally, his position was filled by my cousin, Willie (Junior) Parker. In the article, Bettis discusses his philosophy of the three stages of life.
1) Learn: Education, Growth and Development 2) Earn: Make a living, Provide for your family, Earn a place in life 3) Return: Combine what you’ve learned and what you’ve earned and return. The return stage is where you have the ability to change lives.

Bettis states, 35 years ago a man in Detroit set out to make a change in his community. The man felt if he could influence at least one child he would have succeeded in improving his community. That man was Reggie McKenzie former NFL player and that child was Bettis. Now Bettis is on a mission to Return. When he was a freshman in college Bettis would return home to Detroit on breaks, determined to reach out to other inner-city kids at churches and rec centers about making the right choices in life. Bettis is also the founder of a Foundation for at risk children. Talk about paying it forward. Bettis believes that success is not about being successfully, but the ability to make others successful.

While Bettis feels it’s important to learn and earn it’s equally important to return and give back. To help others with what you’ve been privileged with. I believe this is true for every person, you don’t have to be in the NFL, rich or famous to return and give back. If you are reading this you are privileged. I know that the world will not change because I have made a contribution to a worthy cause or adopted a child, however that child's life will be forever changed.

Compliments

Within the past 24 hours, I received two awesome compliments. Today I received word that one of my cousins whom I’ve sent several e-mails regarding Ethiopia is considering adoption! Wow, my blog has only been up a few days and it’s already had an affect on someone. The purpose of this blog is for me to share my story as well as inspire others. It’s an amazing feeling to have accomplished that in less than one week. If sharing my story will inspire just one person to adopt that’s one more child who will have a better opportunity at life. Love you D!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating that you should go out an adopt a child. What I am saying is we as African Americans can do better. Adoption isn’t the solution to Ethiopia’s problem. I don’t have the solution, but I can’t sit by knowing that children are dying without doing something. When we travel to Ethiopia we will have an opportunity to personally deliver Humanitarian aid to some of the Orphanages. Those of you who are interested in donating a non monetary gift please continue to follow my blog, as our travel date approaches I will post a list of items needed at the orphanages. Some of which you can pick up at your local discount store for not much at all.
Compliment number # 2 came from my husband. Last night he looked at me and said, he’s never before realized how much I resemble Ethiopian’s. It’s funny because I’ve been called a lot of things from Mexican to well I better not say. But being told I look Ethiopian is a compliment to me because they are among the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen. Love you babe!

A woman adopting from Ethiopia made the following comments.

Well, I knew it was coming! Someone was bound to make an insensitive race remark considering my mountain white-bread family. It was bound to happen. So: My grandpa is an old southern mountain guy. Very successful in business, but he is a self-made man. He only had an 8th grade education, grew up poor in the basically white-only mountains of VA, that sort of thing. Anyway, when he is perturbed, mad, or about to ask a pointed mean- spirited question that he knows he should not ask his glasses "jump". His nose starts twitching and his eyes blink and it makes his glasses jump. It is actually kind of funny and he has no clue he is doing it. When his glasses are jumping, you don't mess with him. Anyway, we are at my grandparent’s house and at the breakfast table my grandpa says, "Why Africa?" and his glasses are twitching. You could see it all over his face! All I could think was "Oh my gosh! My grandpa has a problem with me adopting from Africa!" You could just tell! I just said, "Grandpa... kids are starving, kids are DYING! I have to do something! These are my kids and they need me!" I said it very sweetly and was telling him some of the situations going on in Africa... then... Later that day I got my pictures out and showed my kids to him. He glanced at them and when I took them back I said, "They are cute, aren't they?!" He looked at me... glasses twitching... and said with a smirk "I don't know, I can't tell if they are cute or not!" TRANSLATION: I CAN NOT TELL IF THEY ARE CUTE BECAUSE THEY ARE BLACK!!! BULLCRAP!!! Anyone who has seen the pictures knows... these kids are gorgeous! Come ON!!! Maybe I am biased... but you can at least LIE TO ME! I just laughed and said "They are cute! Don't do this to me!" and walked away... but it hurt... bad!!! I think they have a few problems with this adoption, but I know they have enough sense to not show it in front of the kids and when I get them home I know they will fall in love with them... they just don't like the "idea"! When I told my mom about the whole thing she said my grandpa's brother made a smart-butt comment. He saw the pictures of my kids and did not say a thing. My grandma then showed him pictures of my uncle’s white/peachy kids and he said, "Now those are some kids I could love! My mom was LIVID! She said, "I could love any child, it is sad for you that you can't". That made my day! I am grateful my mom is sticking up for them and is "owning" them as her grandchildren!!! Anyway, it is terrible but my grandpa is VERY ill and does not have long to live and really I could get the call any day that he has passed because his heart is BAD, so really I do not worry about my kids being exposed to his bigotry. Not saying I want my grandpa to die, but practically speaking, there is no need for me to fight the battle, he is not going to be around for long. And my great uncle who made the other comment I NEVER see... so whatever! Anyway, just wanted to share my frustration, but at the same time I learned a great lesson about how my mom really feels... HOORAY!

I thought the grandpa dying part was hilarious, sometimes you just have to laugh!

Friends

Today I sent an e-mail notification to several of my friends informing them of my blog. I’m curious to see how many of them will actually take a peep and leave a comment.
I have been somewhat fascinated with blogs since the first time I read one, mostly because I was searching for insight into international adoption. Since I didn’t know anyone who had ever adopted internationally the search began. Wow, the things people say when they are not really speaking directly to anyone can be very amusing to say the least. I especially love how non African Americans’ speak candidly about their experiences raising African American children or should I say a child of color.
Let’s just toss the political correct stuff out the window now, African American takes too long to say and type. We all know the majority of people with brown skin will be considered Black no matter where they originate. Personally I don’t mind be described as a black girl, especially now since I’m 30ish. I think it’s the girl part I like best, but I digress.
I have taken an excerpt from another blog that I thought was interesting. I will post it next so this post isn't extremely long. I hope you don’t get offended when reading it; sometimes you just have to see the humorous side of things.

Primary Reason

For those of you who know me well, know I’m not a very religious person, however I do love the Lord. So what I’m about to say may sound a bit out of character. The primary reason I’m adopting is because I was directed to do so by God. I can’t explain it and I don’t question it, I was led to do it and I’m doing it. I’ve been blessed and selfish most of my life and now it’s time to be a blessing to someone else in need. I truly believe what God ordains he will maintain.

Today is the day

After months and months of reading other blogs I decided that today was the day. Today I created my very first blog. My DH (husband) and I decided to adopt from Ethiopia shortly after our wedding. I began researching agencies and discovered that most agencies required couples to be married two years prior to beginning the process. So the wait began, we are now only a few months away from our second anniversary and I’m counting down the days. Because I've had almost two years to research Ethiopian Adoptions I have already started collecting some of the required documentation needed for immigration approval as well as our foreign dossier. We are hoping to have our child home by the end of 2009 or early 2010. Please keep us in your prayers as we journey through the process to bring our child home.