how to deal with stolen yard signs

For some reason, only the Obama signs disappear in our neighborhood. Many have resorted to displaying them from inside their homes.

Here's another option.

Love it!

enjoying the show

A few weeks ago, I gathered with several friends to mark the passing of 15 years since graduating from Heidelberg College. Thinking that the kids wouldn't have a whole lot of fun, I left them home with dad and instead spent the day "alone" with my fellow Berg alum. While I had a great time and loved seeing the campus again (my, how it has changed!), there was one aspect to the trip that was a nice little surprise.

In attendance was a couple we hadn't seen for many years -- Chris and Jen. They came with their 4 kids -- older daughter and 3-year-old triplets. Oh My Goodness! You see, because of the nature of our family, we are fairly used to feeling on display sometimes. Whether it is people smiling with delight or scrunching their faces up in confusion, we get stared at. Even by those who know us. You get used to it and just ignore it. Well, except when conversations start -- that's a whole 'nother part of it all. So, on this day, it was a nice little treat to sit back and watch another family go through the spotlight routine. (Yes, I will admit that I was among those fascinated by their story, but I am proud to report that I kept far away from those pesky personal questions people like so much.) When people asked me if I had kids, I was able to say, "Yep, 3," and pretty much stop there. Didn't get into one adoption conversation.

Instead, I marveled as Jen told their story of (obviously) successful IVF and how the two implanted eggs turned into 3 kids -- yep, that's right, one of those eggs split into twins. She showed a picture of herself at almost full-term pregnancy. Oh my good lord in heaven, a human body is NOT meant to do that! Ok, I guess since it did, then it is meant to, but it sure did not look like it should. How she even stood up for this picture I will never know.

Although I do enjoy talking to others about our journey and our beautiful children, it really wasn't until that day that I realized how often we are in that position. I really don't mind -- especially when good comes from it. I guess I just hadn't realized how much work it can be until I was able to sit back and watch it. For totally different reasons, Chris and Jen go through it all the time, too. (I also realized that I think I prefer our reason over theirs. Zowee! I made sure to tell J all about it -- oh, he could have had it much worse!) I thank them for showing up with their whole family and taking the stage. It was nice to be in the audience for a the day. :)

Go Berg!!

one of these people is not like the others. . .

As I spend my days beholding my beautiful brown-skinned children, I often forget my own paleness. Sure, ya see it and ya know it, but it is very easy to become unaware of just how lacking in pigment you really are. Until. Until you look at those pics of you and the kids. Until you are standing with one of them and looking in a mirror. Until you have your big parent hand wrapped around or entwined with their little child one. Until you look at other children and think they look damn pasty white and could use a little color.

It's like your eyes become accustomed to what they see, and you forget that not all share the same characteristic. Even yourself.

Which makes me wonder.

Is it happening in reverse? Are my children looking at their parents' pale faces and internalizing that shade as their own? Do they get surprised sometimes when they look in the mirror, too? Or, is it different for them because there is more brown in the house than white?

I think I got my first clue about this when I was standing at the bathroom sink with S, and she declared that her nose was becoming white like mommy's. I'm not sure what she was seeing to make her think that -- maybe the light was making her nose a little brighter and, therefore, look a little lighter, but to my eyes her nose was still the same color.

J, on the other hand, seems to have always been aware of his brownness. Maybe because he was the only one for so long. I can't wait until we go to Guatemala, and I'm the one who sticks out while he blends in. (Should be quite humorous, actually, since I speak more Spanish than he does.)

So this is one of our challenges. Letting color lines blur while still maintaining identity. (Easy as pie, right?) On PBS, they have a kids' psa about color, and they talk about how it is everything and it is nothing. I think that boils down this complex topic to the absolute bare bones truth.

Color is everything and it is nothing.

Finally!

Got down to our Probate Court today and filed the necessary paperwork to readopt the kids. WooooHoooooo!!!!!!!

For those who haven't been crazy enough to go through this process, if your child enters the country on an IR-3 visa, you don't need to go through the readoption process, but most will still go through the hoops for changing a name and getting a birth certificate. If your child enters on an IR-4 visa (like most Ethiopian children do), then you must readopt in your state. County probate courts set the rules for doing this, and some are easy and some are a pain in the patooty. Even though it has taken me the better part of a year to get this done, I have discovered that our county is pretty easy. (It would be nice if they would put all of the forms online like they do for everything else that they handle, but that would just make sense.) Mainly, it has just been a pain to have to park downtown, get the papers, get them filled out, and then find the time to get back downtown during their hours to get them filed.

I finally did that today, and got a date for our hearing: December 5th. Wish us luck!

Oh, and I voted today.
:)

so many captions, so little time. . .

This pic makes me laugh every time I see it. OMG!
Can't imagine why the Grampy McSame campaign is tanking.

oh my goodness! I have a 9-year-old!!

This morning I watched my big boy walking off to catch the school bus on the corner, and I marvel at how he has grown. From a stocky baby to a tall lean third grader, he is proof of how fast time goes. He is 9 years old, smart, funny, and full of non-stoppable boy energy and boy humor. Fart joke, anyone? How many ways can we use different forms of "butt" in a sentence? Have an urgent question regarding caterpillars, turtles, or reptiles? J's your kid. How about a challenging game of soccer? And I dare you to try to build anything as cool as J can build with his Legos -- seriously. Of course, if you are needing a more serious discussion, say on the evolutions of Pokemon characters, like Turtwig, then call up our oldest child.

But while we celebrate the nine years of life we have enjoyed with our son, there is a woman in Guatemala who may be struggling with her loss. Every year on this date, I wake up and think of two things: My precious son and his first mom. As I give him his good-morning birthday hug and kiss, I wonder what she is doing, thinking and feeling. While we spend the day celebrating J's big day, I also spend the day thinking about her -- this woman that I have never met but who gave the greatest gift a person can give. I hold him tight, not just for me, but also for her, as if I can magically and telepathically send the warm embrace to her. As I kiss him all over his face and tell him how much I love him, I think of the love she is sending to him.

I could go on forever about my sweet, beautiful boy, but I'll keep some of it to myself.

feliz cumpleanos, mi hijo.

hypocritical much?

As life starts getting ugly. . .

There is this man.
Brownish skin.
Different name.
I've heard things about him: Not Christian, Middle-Eastern, pals around with "bad" people. Crowds of people love to gather to hear him speak, and that can't be a good thing.
Different crowds of people gather to stop him. To even call for his death.

I've also heard that he's got this thing about hope and peace and working together.


Who am I talking about and who am I talking to? I am talking about Jesus, and I am talking to those who pray to him without attempting to live like him.

Before you yell, "Off with his head!" and "Terrorist!" and incite a mob mentality that may lead to irreversible violence, maybe you should ask that famous question: What would Jesus do? Or better yet, What was done to Jesus and should I do the same to a fellow human being? To a fellow Christian? To a fellow American?

I'm sick of the hatred.

cellular elimination

Just need to vent a little here. . .

We've all heard of cell phone etiquette, right? Most of it is just basic common sense, and I think most people try to follow the social rules we have established. But, in addition to that, I think we have also stretched those rules a bit and have become more accepting of the way people use their phones. You know, no one really freaks anymore when someone's blackberry starts chiming in the library. Go ahead, talk it up.

But there is one practice I am having a really hard time with. Let me set the scene:

I am at work in a very nice professional building that houses not only the branch of the university I work for but also other businesses and firms. As I walk toward the restroom (ya know where I'm going with this now, right?), I am following a woman from one of those other offices. She is talking on her cell phone.

At first, I thought nothing of it. I don't know what I assumed -- she'd get off the phone? was just going to fix her hair? No. She walks right into a stall and closes the door. As I went into a stall myself, I just stood there in a moment of shock and disgust. Yes, the woman went on to take a pee while talking on her phone, flush the very loud public toilet, and then walk out to barely wash her hands.

Now, I know there is only so much privacy in a public potty, but come on!! Does pissing in the presence of complete strangers have to extend to those they are speaking with on the phone???

Am I just a prude? Out of touch with today's acceptable behavior? Where does Miss Manners stand on this? Sorry, it just makes me go ewwww.

it's mr. mumblerrr's birthday!!

Stick a sombrero on his head, clap loudly, and sing a made-up version of "Happy Birthday" while a bunch of strangers sit in relief that it is not them.

No, we will not do this to him. Probably not.

M had a milestone birthday last year, so we'll call this one a milestone plus one year and two kids more. (Last year we knew about them but didn't have them yet.)

As he continues in his role of fabulous husband, extraordinary dad, and amazing chef for Sugardaddy's, let's share the top ten fun facts about our birthday boy that you may or may not know. Ready? Here we go!

10. He once served lunch to Alan Alda.
09. His college nickname was Harpo.
08. He beat Bobby Flay in a throwdown.
07. His nose is slightly crooked. (Can't remember if that is the fault of a brother or lacrosse.)
06. His math skills are wicked in the kitchen.
07. He makes beautiful wedding cakes but don't ask him to unless you are related to him.
06. He is a liberal and not afraid to share that.
05. He is a fan of Jane Austin literature.
04. He knows the Harry Potter series inside and out.
03. He loves the St. Louis Cardinals, Kentucky basketball, and has become quite the Buckeye. :)
02. He often survives on very little sleep.
01. His is greatly loved and loves greatly.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY HONEY!!
Olive Juice! I love you forever and ever, amen.
:)

merry christmas

You know it's Christmas time right? Really. It is. Yes, I know that you haven't picked out your Halloween costume or even bought the candy you plan to pass out. Oh, I am aware that you haven't had your turkey, cranberries and pumpkin pie. So what? Just go walk through your neighborhood big box and see for yourself.

Apparently our economy is so tanked that they can't even wait a few more weeks until we are at least almost done with Halloween like they normally do. No, instead you have to go down one aisle with witches, skeletons, and jack-o-lanterns, and then turn the corner to see santa, sleigh bells, and fake snow. Oh, this helps me remember the reason for the season, as they say. Let me tell you, trying to explain these upcoming holidays to S is hard enough without having them blasted to us all at once. She's already confusing them.

And along these lines can someone explain to me why it is so wrong to wish another person Happy Holidays?? I mean, gee whiz, we've got at least 3 major ones going on at the same time, and that's not even including other religions and minor federal holidays. Whatshisname on the radio declares every year that there is a war on Christmas. Maybe he needs to thank his president's failed economic policies for that. Just a thought.

So, if you are one of those super multi-tasking type of people who needs to do as much as possible in order to feel productive (and I will admit to this occasionally), then this holiday season is for you! Before you know it, we'll celebrate the new year in November!

Happy Hallothanksmas.

early early early!

Those of us in Ohio have this wonderful thing called "early voting." If you live in Ohio, take advantage of it!!

It is so cool. Now through Oct 6, people can actually register and vote the SAME DAY. After that, they still have early voting available for those who are already registered. In Columbus, we can go downtown to Vets Memorial during the week OR EVEN ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS until election day and VOTE! How fabulous is that?? Oh, we also have the option to vote by mail.

Now, I know that Ohio has screwed up a lot in the past (thank you Ken Blackwell), and they may continue their ways this year, but this is one change I am so thrilled about.

I am sure I don't have to tell all of you patriotic Americans to make sure you are registered by your state's deadline, and then you actually need to go and vote, but just in case, check out these pretty people convincing young people to do that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olpCyDA4kYA

Or, if you have already registered, and you no longer fall into the 18 to 25 category, just enjoy watching the pretty people.

Oh, and in case you are undecided, I'll give you my "mom in middle America" opinion: OBAMA.

OBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMA

:)

when it's time to change. . .

I've been thinking that it is time to make some changes to Mumblerrr! Now seems like a good time. New season, new month. But I thought I should give you some warning as to what is coming.

First, cosmetics. I'm in search of a new layout and learning how to change it. I am no techie -- usually fumbling my way through something until I figure it out. So, one day, you will just be surprised. (The best kind of prize is a Surprise!)

Second, content. While I will still occasionally share kid stories (like E singing a U2 song right now. Gotta raise 'em right!) I am going to shift the focus from inside our home to the greater world. I want to look at what is happening out there right now and give our perspective on it. The view from our multicultural/multinational/multiracial home might be somewhat different from others. Or, it might be very much the same. Good to do a little comparison/contrast, don't ya think?

So, in addition to adoption stuff and family stuff, there is going to be more social commentary. I'm going to leave it nice and broad -- hey, it's my blog. I can write about whatever I want, right? I am hoping it will spur me to write more often and more passionately.

Stay tuned!