Outsourcing to India

Just read an interesting article about outsourcing to India. We all know it happens. I mean that guy named Andy on the other end of the phone is probably Andan or Anand from somewhere in India.

However, this is outsourcing of a different kind. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I figure if the women are taken care of and the babies are going to good homes, it's a win-win situation as the women will be able to take care of their families in India.

I know there's a lot of debate about the issue right now. When isn't there a debate over reproduction, adoption, or surrogacy. I still think it's worth some serious thought though.

Next Birthday Snack?

We were making deviled eggs tonight and my mother decided to add smoked salmon to them. Not quite my thing, but it's okay. Figured I just didn't have to eat more than one when they're served tomorrow.

However, in the course of making the deviled eggs, we find out tonight that the Pipsqueak LOVES smoked salmon. couldn't get over watching her shovel it into her mouth like it was candy. She likes it so much in fact, that she said she wanted to know why we didn't have it at her birthday party this year. She also said she wants it next year at her birthday party.

Yup- I can see that party. Smoked salmon to go with your juice boxes kids?

Is She Real?

The Pipsqueak is finally starting to understand the difference between real and make believe on the TV. I've made sure to let her know that things such as cartoons, or the movie "Matilda" aren't real- but are made up. Those things really don't happen.

The other day we were watching the Rachael Ray TV show. Pipsqueak turns to me and the following conversation ensues:

P: Is Rachael Ray real?
Me: Yes.
P: No, I mean is she a real person or make believe?
Me: She's a real person.
P: Is her name really Rachael Ray?
Me: Yes.
P: She really does those things?
Me: Yep.
P: You mean she really cooks on her show and does that other neat stuff?
Me: Yes.
P: Cool.

Mind you, she's been watching 30 minute meals for a few years and has always liked watching RR. In fact, she used to stand at her play kitchen and mimic the whole "Hi. I'm RR and I make, etc...."

I thought the entire conversation the other day adorable and it was great that I was again privy to how her brain works. I love it.

Let the Holidays begin!

The Pipsqueak's school musical was last night. It was performed by the 1st & 3rd graders and was about a moose named Martin that wanted to fly so he could pull Santa's sleigh.

The Pipsqueak was a reindeer. Brown shirt, jeans, and the cutest antlers plus stage makeup for the nose and cheeks.

It was a cute program and she had a blast. We went out to eat at a local place after the program and had a late supper. Nice Christmas memories... though I still wish I had a cam corder or a digital camera that took better indoor pics. I think from now on I'll switch back to the film camera for her programs. The pictures turn out a bit better.

Okay- off to the relatives tomorrow... Over the river and through the woods to auntie's house we go..... for our extended family Christmas.

Wish us luck that the weather is good and we don't have an ice or snow storm.

Wordless Wednesday

Teacher Humor

This was forwarded to me in an email.... I enjoyed it thoroughly.


This is the message that the Pacific Palisades High (School ( California) staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine.

This is the actual answering machine Message for the school. This came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework.

The school and teachers are being sued by parents who want their children's failing grades changed to passing grades - even though those children were absent 15-30 times during the semester and did not complete enough schoolwork to pass their classes.

The outgoing message: "Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options before making a selection:

* To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
* To make excuses for why your child did not do his
work- Press 2
* To complain about what we do - Press 3
* To swear at staff members - Press 4
* To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyrs mailed to you - Press 5
* If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
* If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone-Press 7
* To request another teacher, for the third time this year-Press 8
* To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
* To complain about school lunches - Press 0
* If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!
*If you want this in Spanish, you must be in the wrong country.

Snow Day

No school today. The Pipsqueak is thrilled. She's hoping to play outside today with the dog in the new 8" of snow that fell yesterday and last night.

Apparently the roads have ice under the snow- thus no school today. Hopefully tomorrow will be a 2hr delay or school all day as I'm scheduled to work and need to work.

Will be checking out my car later to make sure I can get the doors open. Right now my mother's car doors are frozen shut, so I figure mine are too. Should be fun to try and unstick them.

I really don't mind the snow too much. I missed the seasons when I lived in the SouthWest and am happy to again see fall (my favorite), winter, and spring, as well as summer. I just wish frozen cars didn't come with the winter.

Think I'll head off and maybe bake some cookies- if they turn out, I'll share the recipe- before heading out to play with my kid in the snow.

Winter Fun

Oh what fun we had! A local zoo has a day each December whereby "Santa Visits the Zoo". For a nominal fee, you and the child(ren) of your choice can go and do many projects, learn about different animals that like to stay out in the cold weather, and meet the big Guy himself, not to mention one of his reindeer. Oh, there's also cookies and hot chocolate from Mrs. Clause in the local farmhouse.

The Pipsqueak got to make a cereal necklace, a paper plate filled with peanut butter and bird food, not to mention make an ornament out of an apple slice. We then hung the said objects on trees and bushes around the zoo for the local birds.

Face painting, sitting in Santa's sleigh and on his lap were also on the agenda.

However, what does my kid keep talking about?

Vincent, the Vulture. That's right folks. A blind, flightless vulture. Apparently Vincent was hit by a car a while back and lost an eye. He also had a wing shattered. Therefore, he is now a permanent zoo resident living it up on zoo chow rather than roadkill. This is what the Pipsqueak is telling everyone about. Vincent.

Not the face painting, not the bird food crafts, not the reindeer. The vulture.

Oh well, she's already used the gift she got from Santa. A pretty cool art set with paints, markers, scissors, pencil, and eraser. At least she didn't paint a picture of the vulture.

Wordless Wednesday

Must be Santa

The Pipsqueak got a phone call tonight. A very important phone call.

From Santa. That's right- Santa.

She was totally shell-shocked during most of the conversation. She did manage to tell him her two most important "wants"- a science kit and a life size candy cane.... However, the real show was after she hung up the phone.

What I wouldn't give for a camcorder (no- I STILL don't own one).

Her screams of "Santi called! Santi called! I said Merry Christmas to Santi! He really called me!" Filled the house along with squeals and much running and general merriment.

It was great.

Commercial

The Pipsqueak made a commercial tonight. While jumping on her personal sized trampoline....It goes as follows.

Hey kids!
Do you want to be cool?
Do you want to have tons of friends?
Then you need this
(she pulls her jump rope from behind her back)
Dum ta da dum…
Jump Rope!
That’s right, this princess jump rope is great.
You just put your finger on the characters and jump.
It’s good on the go and can help you be a princess, spy, or even super hero.
This jump rope is convenient- you just fold it up and take it with you for lots of never ending fun wherever you are.

She then jumped the rope quite a bit on the trampoline.

See! You can jump like never before
So give us a call to order your sparkly, wonderful, new jump rope!

Is it just me, or is it a bit scary that a seven year old knows how marketing to the masses already works?

New Christmas Carol?

The familiar version:
Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Don we now our gay apparel,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la.
Troll the ancient Yule tide carol,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.


The Pipsqueak's version:

Deck the halls with bells of collie,
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
'Tis the season to be jolly,
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Don we now some kids apparel
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
Trolls are ancient yultie carol
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Please don't ask what a bell of collie is.... I don't know. Though I do have visions of collies wearing bells while decorating long hallways. As for the yultying of carol- not sure what's up with that, but apparently some ancient trolls are involved in the nefarious scheme.

Ahhh... to be young and mispronouncing Christmas carols again.

Wordless Wednesday

Unbelievable

A British teacher was found guilty in a Sudanese court of naming a Teddy Bear... A teddy bear folks.... Muhammed. Apparently, this is an insult to Muslims in Sudan.

She was sentenced to 15 days in jail and deportation back to England. Mind you the court wouldn't allow anyone from the British embassy into the hearing or people testifying on her behalf.... even though Sudanese courts are open to the public. Even her own lawyer had to fight his way in.

Here's the link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22007049/?GT1=10547

Just unbelievable.

Still Sick

I'm still sick, but doing a bit better. Antibiotics seem to be working and for that I'm glad.

I have a job lined up tomorrow that I won't cancel no matter what and hope the next three weeks before Christmas bring me a lot of work days.

My Pipsqueak is home with a fever today- but after a bit of tylenol, seems good to go. She'll be back at school tomorrow.

I keep hoping things will get better and stuff will "fall into place", but that never seems to happen. Maybe, just maybe, it can for once.

To paraphrase Tevia* "Would it ruin some immortial plan if I were a wealthy person?" Heck, I'd take "Would it ruin some immortial plan if I had a full time job?"


*From Fiddler on the Roof

Ugh

It never fails. Things seem to be going okay, than wham! Something happens.

I had a great job set up for today- was hoping to work most of this week... I really need to. However, most of my voice is gone, I'm barking like a seal, and feel as if I've been hit by an ice cream truck.

Guess I have whatever is going around. Cancelled today's job so I can still work Friday's job. Will spend the day sleeping resting and regretting the loss of income.

Life sucks without paid sick days.

Finally- time to do my first Meme

Motherhood & Other Ramblings tagged me....So, here are the rules of the 8 Random Things tag game:

1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.

2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

3. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

4. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Here are 8 random things:

1. I hate grape flavored anything.

2. I love real grapes.

3. I can't stand kool-aide.

4. The first thing I ever cooked were English Muffin Pizzas. I was 8.

5. I once had a German Shepherd who would throw her water or food bowls down the stairs to let you know she needed a refill. She would also carry her food bowl to wherever I was if she wanted company when she ate.

6. My favorite season is Fall.

7. I don't like mint with chocolate except in Andes brand candy.

8. I love the smell of chlorine and bleach. Probably from my lifetime of being on the swim team.

Hmmm... now I'm supposed to pick 8 others to do this. That does pose a problem as I don't know that I know enough folks to do this. I mean, I just don't want to randomly pick anyone......So instead, I'll list 8 blogs that I enjoy reading in no particular order.

1. Confessions of a Pioneer Woman
2. Because I said So
3. Terrible Mother
4. Nzingha's Soapbox
5. Cheaper Than Therapy
6. So it's come down to this
7. Peter's Cross Station
8. Mrs. Figby/ Letters from the Zoo

Of course there are lots of others that I enjoy. Narrowing down to 8 is tough.

OH- and does anyone know how to put the link to the web blogs that I listed?

Mother Ramblings

"I have a fat cat. His name is Sam. He likes to play with a ball."

So ends the writing endeavor of my 7 year old. No, we do not have a fat cat named Sam, rather it is wishful thinking on her part. We're both allergic to cats and therefore will not have one. At least no time soon.

Reading the story the Pipsqueak wrote got me to thinking. When did my child grow up? I mean, I know she's getting older. Heck, she has a birthday every year.

When did she become such a little girl though? No longer a pre-schooler, even different than a Kindergartner, she has blossomed into full fledged 'little girldom' and I'd like to know where I was when this happened.

It seems like just last week, she was that small 17 month old, just off the plane from India, or the short firecracker beating up all the kids in her first daycare. Suddenly, she had glasses, was dressing herself, speaking English, and was toilet trained.

Then, time for pre-school. She enjoyed it immensely, as did I. The field trips, the alphabet books, the beginnings of social interactions and the meeting of a best friend from school began.

Suddenly we were into Kindergarten. Not such a good year. Why wasn't my Pipsqueak loving it as she loved pre-k? Why couldn't she copy from the board, remember her phone number or address, read words I know she knew as she had been spelling/reading them for at least a year? Convergence Insufficiency diagnosis. Vision therapy began and her world began to open up.

Now, we are fully into the throws of first grade. Playground drama- who knew little girls could be so catty at such a young age- though it's better than last year has begun. She's reading, she writing. Adding, subtracting, learning her numbers, she knows her phone number and address. She can put her dishes into the dishwasher, make her own bologna sandwiches, cook a hard-fried egg.

I have been here with here during these transitions. Her normal growth from baby into childhood. Yet I feel as if I somehow missed the growth, though I participated in it, helped her through some of it.

I hear myself mimicked in her words sometimes, my father's mannerisms, my mother's colorful speech. She is, after all, what she has always been, her own little person.

I think Steven Sondheim had it down, "Children will see and learn. Careful before you say, listen to me. Children will listen."*

I think it's time I listen to her. Perhaps parents can learn as well.

*From the musical "Into the Woods"

What happened to Thanksgiving?

Am I the only one that gets a bit miffed with the idea that the Christmas merchandise comes out the minute Halloween is over? What happened to Thanksgiving?

Yes, Christmas is nice. It's a great holiday. I love the idea of Santa and his Elves sitting around with the Reindeer playing games and waiting for their big moment to deliver toys to children around the globe. I can't wait for the Rankin and Bass movies to start- heck, I own the Rankin and Bass movies for my daughter to watch.

However, Thanksgiving is a holiday too. The fact that FDR pushed it from the last Thursday of November to the third Thursday of the month to extend the Christmas shopping period doesn't make me like it any less. Thanksgiving is the holiday where the family gets together on the actual day.

It doesn't have the "pressure" of Christmas, it has great food, the weather is still semi-okay and you don't have to worry so much about traveling.

Doesn't anyone remember "Over the River and Thru the Woods to Grandmother's House we Go?" A Thanksgiving song thank you very much. How about a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving? I mean who doesn't love seeing that ping pong table and chairs attack Snoopy?

Who decided to take Thanksgiving out of the holdiay season? Who decided that Christmas was the only portion of the holiday season of which homage should be paid?

The commercialism of holidays is bad enough. I mean, President's Day Sales for crying out loud! But still, something rubs me even more when I don't even see an acknowledgement of Thanksgiving.

Yes, Thanksgiving isn't all great if you go back in history far enough. I'm glad I wasn't part of the landing settlers or the first native people to meet them. Still, I enjoy Thanksgiving for the idea it embodies, family coming together. Either the one you're born into, or the one you choose as you get older. Or if you're lucky, both.

There was reason Ben Franklin wanted the national bird to be the turkey.

I, for one, won't be decorating, listening to, or watching any type of Christmas stuff until the day after Thanksgiving. It's too bad the retailers won't follow me.

Diwali

The Pipsqueak brought home a book from school about Diwali. For those that don't know it's a Hindu holiday that celebrates the Hindu New Year and is often called the "Festival of Lights" because of all the lights involved.

As we aren't Hindu- I've never really brought up this holiday to the Pipsqueak.

She was thrilled to read about how the holiday is celebrated in India and asked if we could celebrate. We've decided to have a big family meal for our Diwali celebration and she was good with that.

I am glad that she's showing interest in her birth country. I've tried to incorporate Indian aspects in her life through literature, and art.... but somehow Bollywood movies, traditional dress, and fairy tales don't seem to do the country justice.

I'm doing the best I can though and that's what we're going with in this family.

BTW- her favorite "Bollywood" movie is actually "Bride and Prejudice" by the same director of "Bend it like Beckham". It's English speaking and she loves to watch the dance scenes and dance and sing along.

Thursday 13 becomes Thursday 20

I decided to make a list of the most different names I've come into contact with IRL. Most of these I've come across as a teacher, some I knew while in school, and others I've met as an adult.



Here are my top 20 in no particular order.



1. Mister

2. Lady

3. Edge

4. Lemon-Jello (Lu-mon-ja-lo)

5. Orange-Jello(Or-on-ja-lo)

6. Anakin

7. Radius

8. Mogen David

9. Shanteria

10. Princess

11. Tsar

12. Kennethia (kuh-nee-thee-uh)

13. Honey

14. Toy

15. Deja

16. Xavier- (X-zavier)

17. Saydiah (Sod-ee-uh)

18. Domino

19. D'Antonio

20. Keonte (key-on-te)

Trick or Treat!

Picture it: Halloween Night, 2007. A little girl and her stuffed dog, Spot get ready for a night of unmitigated fun and perhaps even a bit of a scare.

The dog and girl were dressed almost identical. Two witches walking around the neighborhood. Daring to ring door bells and beg for treats while at the same time threatening tricks.

Finally, after walking almost the entire neighborhood - or a least where the lights were on... it was a return to the home front. The candy was dumped, the squeals of delight were heard, the horror was observed as licorice sticks, laffy taffy, and the ever dreaded wax candy was picked out of the pile to be disposed of in a humane way.

A pixie stick was ingested, followed by a chocolate bar, cookie, sweet tarts, and finally a piece of bubble gum. Have you ever tried to do homework with a child after such a sugar ingestion? Fun, I tell ya fun.

As the Pipsqueak runs off to brush her teeth before the next dental bill produces more horror, I bid you a Happy Halloween.

A Rambling Rant

I am miffed. As in so mad I could spit nails. After struggling for 2+ years as a sub because I moved back to my homestate, I applied (yet again) for a job opening. My grade, a school I loved. I was never even phoned for an interview.

Fine. They hired someone within district.

Except, they didn't. After being told by I don't know how many principals and human resource folks that "we hire off the sub list", "the longer you sub, the more likely you are to get in", I find out today that a first year teacher was hired for the job.

I've taught 6 years in an inner-city environment. My evaluations were always the top, my former principal wrote glowing recommendations.... so why can't I get hired? Because I don't know anyone in the system. I was told, yet again, by another teacher, "it's not what you know, it's who you know". Oh, and this one... 5/6 years- might be too many to hire- you're too expensive.

Too expensive?! An experienced teacher who loves to teach, who hasn't bothered getting her master's yet in order to "not cost too much".... UGH! I feel like Charlie Brown.

The system I'm talking about is the 2nd largest in my state. It has inner-city, low socio-economic, title one schools, etc....This is what I've come from in Texas.

What do I have to do to get a job in this state? Hell, what do I have to do to get an interview?!

I am to the point of giving up. That's right folks, an educator giving up because it's just so damn frustrating to survive like this.

I love teaching. It's where I belong. I just can't do this anymore. Other people's classrooms, promises that aren't kept, not knowing what to do to even get interviewed.

Ideas? I'll take any and all ideas right now because I'm seriously trying to figure out a different career. Problem is- I have no idea what I should do as I love teaching.

Maybe selling home made doggie treats. My dog loves them, maybe it's time to branch out and start an internet business.

Pumpkin Carving 101

Step 1: Draw the face

Step 2: Get out the pumpkin guts

Step 3: Admire your newly carved Jack O'Lantern

Wordless Wednesday

Pet Peeve

Wow! Another post, already. I'm starting to feel prolific.

Anyway- saw an add on tv for free popcorn. Popcorn that's free. Who wouldn't want to try this? I diligently get to the website, fill out the info, hit the enter key and Wham! I am hit with a $5.90 shipping and handling fee.

The free popcorn is not longer free. I quietly close the window and decide not only will I not get the free popcorn, but I won't even try this brand of popcorn if it ever hits my local store shelves. So sorry D*** & Th**** won't be trying your brand.

I've tried free offers before. In fact, I got a rather, um... interesting K*shi bar in the mail today. It was free. No shipping and/or handling.

In other words.... Free. Meaning free.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen random things, thoughts, or ideas.

1. Just because you can cartwheel doesn't mean you should do it in the house.

2. Playing hangman at school should not involve calling the
"hangman" the name of a child who "bugs you and is mean".

3. A piano horn is just as annoying as a recorder if your 7
year old plays it as loudly as she can.

4. Fall weather is wonderful. Wonderful that is, when it
goes below 75 degrees.

5. I am a human dictionary to my 7 year old.

6. It's a good thing the 7 year old doesn't ask me to spell
words that are any more difficult than "because or I'm".

7. If you drove your parents nuts when you were a teenager,
they will drive you nuts in their 60s.

8. Mothers never stop giving advise. Wanted or not.

9. You can never have too much cheesecake.

10. Homework stinks.

11. Just as you begin to enjoy the quiet, you realize it's too quiet.

12. The Spongebob theme can easily get stuck in your head.

13. Why would you use that toothbrush for the dog?

Lucky 7

Now you can call me Lucky 'cause Lucky's my name
Singin' and dancin', that's my game.......

I was born 'neath a lucky star

They said I'd go far.....

______________________________________

Yup. The Pipsqueak is 7 today. I still can't believe how old she is. Seems like yesterday that a little, scared 17.5 month old came off the plane from India and was handed to me.

So Happy Birthday Little Girl. I know you'll go far.

Monday, Monday

Today is Monday. Monday is today.

Today it reached 90+ degrees. In the midwest. In October. What in the world is up with the weather? Ninety-plus degrees in the midwest in October is so wrong on so many levels I'm not sure where to start.

First, the leaves. They should be changing. Some are, most aren't. It's a bit depressing to know you should be seeing the lovely autumn hues and instead are trying to keep the air conditioner running at a decent temperature to avoid heat exhaustion.

Pumpkins. Where are all the pumpkins this year? I should be able to stop almost anywhere on a country road and buy a pumpkin. I can't find them. I refuse to spend $6.00 for a grocery store pumpkin when I am surrounded by farms on which I know pumpkins grow. I think I'll be heading to an Amish farm this week to see if I can find a pumpkin- or I'll be heading to the local pumpkin farm that supports our local schools field trips.

Fall clothing. Summer clothing. They are one in the same thus far. I'm never quite sure what to dress the Pipsqueak in for school in the morning- so I send her in layers. I'd love to be able to start wearing the fuzzy sweaters and sweatshirts. Will I ever be able to wear my favorite flannel shirt again?

I've just heard the weather report- 70 degrees tomorrow. Oh how I hope the weather folks are right.

In the Classroom

Things I never thought I'd hear myself say. Ever. (In the elementary classroom)

1. Math manipulatives don't go up your nose!

2. If you hadn't put the rubber band around your head, we wouldn't be in this mess right now.

3. Why, why did you put your head through your desk? (In which the boy proceeded to get stuck and have to be gently tugged out.... it was an old-fashioned desk btw)

4. Do you stand on the toilet seat at home?

5. Get the crayon out of your ear!

6. You are not a dog. Please stop chewing on your pencil, shirt, paper, etc

7. Child: "She called me the K word." Me: "What's the K word?" Child: "Krazy!" Me: "Oh"

8. Why did you lick his shoe?

Anna Mae Custody

I found out today that Anna Mae Baker/He was returned to her biological parents in July- after 8 years of living with another family in Tennesse. I wrote this when the Tennessee supreme court treated Anna Mae like a piece of furniture rather than a child in their decision in January.

Alot of wrong was done on both sides... if you aren't familiar with the case- simply google Anna Mae Baker or Anna Mae He.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It doesn’t matter now who was right and who was wrong in this situation.
What matters is an 8 year old girl who is aboout to be taken from the only family and only country she has ever known.

Anna Mae isn’t Chinese. She is Chinese-American. She doesn’t speak Chinese, she doesn’t “think” Chinese, or “act” Chinese. She is American in this.

To take her from her family and give her to complete strangers- which the Hes are to her is unfathomable.

I know that bloodline is important in Chinese culture. To Anna Mae- bloodline is what is ripping her from her parents and siblings. Because folks- the Bakers are HER family… in HER mind- that is her family and no judge, no bloodline can change that.

Perhaps legally Anna Mae belongs with the Hes.. emotionally, she is with her family. To send her back to them- only to then have her go to China- I can’t imagine her fear. She is a U.S. citizen- she should not have to go to a country she doesn’t want to go to- perhaps an immigration attorney will take up the fight to keep her here based on emotional damage… who knows?

This is a mess- but the deed is done and Anna Mae needs to know that there are 2 families who love her. Perhaps if the judge had offered to cut Anna Mae in two- we would have seen the “real” parent step forward.

The Bakers and Hes should probably share custody of this child- it is what is in the best interest of her.. .she is not a coffee table. She is a child and she has a family and I can’t imagine how she will cope if taken from her family.

Sometimes legal right isn’t moral right.

And this case just amplifies one reason I chose international adoption… because I KNEW that 1 year, 4 years, 7 years down the road- I would NEVER have to deal with a bio-parent coming back and saying- I want my child. I made a mistake, I didn’t understand what I was signing.

It’s awful what we do to children in this country in regards to adoption and custody.

Thursday Thirteen

So, Thursday 13. I guess this is my first venture into that arena. I'm still not sure how to link to the site where this originated, but hopefully I'll learn in time.

Since we're slowly moving into fall where I live, I decided to write about my 13 favorite things about Autumn. They are, in no particular order.

1. The sound of leaves beneath your feet.
2. The smell of burning leaves.
3. The leaves changing colours.
4. Sweaters.
5. Sweatshirts.
6. Halloween.
7. The local hometown Halloween parade.
8. Visiting the pumpkin farm with my Pipsqueak.
9. Decorating pumpkins.
10. "Fall food"- such as chilis, soups, beef or chicken w/noodles and mashed potatoes, etc.
11. The new T.V. season.
12. Longer bike rides.
13. Sunny fall days.

Much Ado about Nothing

What to say? What to say? What to say? Therein lies my dillema as of late.

I like the idea of a blog, I really do. It's just that things seem to go by so quickly that I want to blog about, I mean to blog about- but then it never happens.

I'm not sure if it's time mangement issues or just a general lack of blogging/alone time and having the worst cold ever standing in my way.

Anyway- I figure if I'm really going to blog, then I need to do so. Blog, I mean. Write. Write about something, anything, nothing.

The results of course, are this entry.

Not bad, not good, but a start I think.

Yes, a start. And that's good enough for now.

The Wedding

The Pipsqueak and I attended a wedding a friend's wedding last night. It's very strange to me, that this little girl, whom I met at 4 years old is now a lovely, married woman starting a new life in a different state.

Must be just as strange for her parents.

Pipsqueak loved the reception and danced with anyone who would give her the chance. The bride's youngest brother kept passing Pipsqueak off to his friends to dance. It was very cute.

We got home around 1:30 a.m. - the wedding was 2 + hours away- and Pipsqueak even let me sleep in this morning. How great is that?

On a side note, she's excited for school to be starting on Monday. I wonder how long that will last?

The photo is of the shoes my daughter wore to the wedding. Very comfy and stylish.

We're Off!

We're off to the lake for a week starting tomorrow. Not sure if anyone even reads this blog, but decided I'd post this just in case.

Pipsqueak is excited about being able to swim everyday and it should be a lot of fun.

Moody

I'm in a funk. No other way to describe it. The end of summer is coming. School is almost ready to begin for my Pipsqueak in a few short weeks, and I am still w/out a teaching job.

The state I live in is tight for teaching jobs and if my family wasn't here- I think I'm to the point that I'm ready to move for a job. I did it before. However, that was before Pipsqueak and now that we've moved back- I don't foresee moving again.

Don't get me wrong, I'm doing okay as a f/t substitute, but it's not the same as having your own classroom. I miss that a lot and wish someone would retire so I could be hired. Then again- we need the money in the school budget to hire someone and the rate our governor is going that may never happen.

Guess it's time to stop feeling sorry for myself and look forward to the wedding I'm going to in August- though I can't find any clothes to wear to the wedding.

Ah well, hopefully, I'll be out of this funk soon.

19 years later update

I just watched an interview with Jo Rowling on Today and had a couple of questions answered. Thought others might like the answers as well.

Ron and Harry are Aurors at the ministry and have revolutioned the department. Harry is the head of the department actually. Hermione is high up in Magical Law Enforcement- a wizard lawyer.

The ministry has changed and is now a good place to work. It was changed by Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

There's a new headmaster at Hogwarts and Jo promises to tell us who when she writes the Encylopedia of Harry Potter.

Luna is probably wandering the world as a naturalist, finding interesting things out that no one has discovered before.

Jo said that Mr. Weasley was to die in book 5, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. I'm glad he had the reprive.

Jo also said she doesn't see Snape as a hero. He may have been brave, but if he hadn't loved Lily, he wouldn't have cared what happened to Harry one bit.

And on that note- I'll sign off

All is well

I loved Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I may not have liked everything that happened to all of the characters. I may have wanted even moooore details on the trio at the end of the book. Overall, however, I'm thrilled to have Harry end this way.

Introduction

Well, this is my first foray into the world of blogging so I guess an intro would be in order. I'm a single parent to a wonderful girl, adopted from India in 2002. My Pipsqueak is now almost 7 and I can't believe how time flies.

This isn't necessarily and adoption blog, nor a parenting blog. I'm not sure what it is as of yet. Hopefully it will evolve into what it is meant to be as time dictates.

I don't know how frequently I will post, but hopefully at least once a month. My life truly isn't all that exciting at the moment. However, that may change as I stalk the UPS driver tomorrow waiting for the new Harry Potter book.