Thursday, May 15, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Racism
My paradox for the day...how can someone proclaim themselves Christian yet be overtly racist?
Racism is one of the great contradictions of the Gospel in modern times. I have come to believe that those who do not oppose racism publicly and rigorously are actually part of the problem and can contribute to further injustice. No one can be neutral or silent in the face of this great evil.
Through my daughter's adoption we have become much more aware of the passive (and some not so passive) racism that exists everywhere. We are being called more and more to be more actively anti-racist in our lives and actions. I feel so unqualified for this task, yet would do anything for my children. God doesn't call the qualified, but qualifies the called.
Racism is one of the great contradictions of the Gospel in modern times. I have come to believe that those who do not oppose racism publicly and rigorously are actually part of the problem and can contribute to further injustice. No one can be neutral or silent in the face of this great evil.
Through my daughter's adoption we have become much more aware of the passive (and some not so passive) racism that exists everywhere. We are being called more and more to be more actively anti-racist in our lives and actions. I feel so unqualified for this task, yet would do anything for my children. God doesn't call the qualified, but qualifies the called.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Posting at last.....
We really didn't fall off the face of the earth....really.
- Wood is still looking for work and is a top contender for a really good position. Pray that he gets this job - this has been a really difficult time for us.
- Much to my doctor's dismay, I had a less radical surgery than the bi-lateral mastectomy. I may have the big surgery later this summer - especially if Wood gets the job.
- We are all settled into our new house. I really like it, but there are a few issues:
1. It's ugly from the outside. Really ugly. My older daughter tells her friends it's the house that looks like a martini olive. It's an odd shade of green with a redish purple colored front door and shutters. And it seriously needs to be sided.
2. The house is COLD in the winter. Really, Really cold. We live in an area where this is significant. It was only 40 degrees today, and it's May 12th. We're still wearing winter coats. We can't plant flowers until early June due to frost. When you have 9 months of winter, keeping warm is very important. It gets too hot on the main floor of the house (it's a tri-level) where the bedrooms are, and it's freezing everywhere else. The livingroom, dining room and kitchen are above the garage, so we get the added bonus of having the floor be freezing as well as the rest of the room. We apparently don't have enough air returns, and it's affecting how the heat circulates. It won't be cheap to fix. We're looking at adding insulation and eventually we probably need to put a gas fireplace in the basement for supplemental heat.
3. Our home is the highest on our street, and we have a breath taking view of Lake Superior from our living room window. The Lake is about a mile from our home. The sun rising or setting is just stunning. However, that means my house is on a hill. Our yard isn't level anywhere....and is just the perfect angle that when the kids throw or kick a ball, it immediately rolls down the hill into a neighbors yard, or into the street. We need a fence.
Other than those issues, it's a great layout, perfect size, and meets our needs.
- We're off to Children's hospital this week for G's appt. She has pneumonia once this winter, bringing it to 3 times in the past 18 months. She's missed considerably less school this year, but we're still having issues. She's on 4 daily meds to control symptoms. She seems to have developed acid reflux and is also having other digestive issues. She has grown, but not much. She will be 6 in a month, and weighs 36 pounds, wears a size 5T and toddler size 10 shoes. It was shocking to see her with her peers at the Mother's day performance her class did last Friday. She is so tiny compared to them. However, she's reading at a third grade level (not bad for a kindergartener!), received a Christian leadership award this year, and seems to have more energy than she used to. I will take my blessings as they come.
I will post some pics soon, and it won't be as long until I post again...I promise.
- Wood is still looking for work and is a top contender for a really good position. Pray that he gets this job - this has been a really difficult time for us.
- Much to my doctor's dismay, I had a less radical surgery than the bi-lateral mastectomy. I may have the big surgery later this summer - especially if Wood gets the job.
- We are all settled into our new house. I really like it, but there are a few issues:
1. It's ugly from the outside. Really ugly. My older daughter tells her friends it's the house that looks like a martini olive. It's an odd shade of green with a redish purple colored front door and shutters. And it seriously needs to be sided.
2. The house is COLD in the winter. Really, Really cold. We live in an area where this is significant. It was only 40 degrees today, and it's May 12th. We're still wearing winter coats. We can't plant flowers until early June due to frost. When you have 9 months of winter, keeping warm is very important. It gets too hot on the main floor of the house (it's a tri-level) where the bedrooms are, and it's freezing everywhere else. The livingroom, dining room and kitchen are above the garage, so we get the added bonus of having the floor be freezing as well as the rest of the room. We apparently don't have enough air returns, and it's affecting how the heat circulates. It won't be cheap to fix. We're looking at adding insulation and eventually we probably need to put a gas fireplace in the basement for supplemental heat.
3. Our home is the highest on our street, and we have a breath taking view of Lake Superior from our living room window. The Lake is about a mile from our home. The sun rising or setting is just stunning. However, that means my house is on a hill. Our yard isn't level anywhere....and is just the perfect angle that when the kids throw or kick a ball, it immediately rolls down the hill into a neighbors yard, or into the street. We need a fence.
Other than those issues, it's a great layout, perfect size, and meets our needs.
- We're off to Children's hospital this week for G's appt. She has pneumonia once this winter, bringing it to 3 times in the past 18 months. She's missed considerably less school this year, but we're still having issues. She's on 4 daily meds to control symptoms. She seems to have developed acid reflux and is also having other digestive issues. She has grown, but not much. She will be 6 in a month, and weighs 36 pounds, wears a size 5T and toddler size 10 shoes. It was shocking to see her with her peers at the Mother's day performance her class did last Friday. She is so tiny compared to them. However, she's reading at a third grade level (not bad for a kindergartener!), received a Christian leadership award this year, and seems to have more energy than she used to. I will take my blessings as they come.
I will post some pics soon, and it won't be as long until I post again...I promise.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Mother's day - bittersweet
When I look at her,
I see you.
When her eyes twinkle,
I see your eyes
When I brush her hair,
I think of your curls
Your love for her made her part of me
And she will forever be a part of you.
Thinking of you today.....and everyday.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Other news
We're not proceeding with the legal action against Wood's former employer. We cannot bear to have the comments made about the racial makeup of our family, and about our daughter, made public. We live in a small town, and it would be front page news. It hurts my heart too much to even contemplate. Are we taking the easy way out? Maybe. Too much on our plates right now.
G has been learning about MLK Jr at school. She was shocked, to say the least, that people were treated so poorly because of the color of their skin. She said "but momma, didn't they know that God created everyone in all different colors?"
G has been learning about MLK Jr at school. She was shocked, to say the least, that people were treated so poorly because of the color of their skin. She said "but momma, didn't they know that God created everyone in all different colors?"
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Can they hear me?
Dr's appt yesterday. He appeared to listen to my concerns about the type of surgery I could get up here, and the type that I really wanted that isn't available up here and I'd like to have it done elsewhere. Then, he proceeded to tell me, that he ALSO thought I needed to consider having my ovaries removed. Gave me statistical numbers about amount of years added to survival after having this done at age 35 with my particular issues and risk factors (umm, I'm older than that already). Somewhat in shock, I tell him "wow, that's a bundle of surgery you are recomending" I told him I had reservations about being thrown immediately into menopause. He responded "you aren't having any more children, are you? So you might as well go ahead. I don't see why you would even hesitate". Yup, we can get rid of any body parts that aren't currently being used. Am I really using BOTH kidneys?????
Then, he tells me that he thinks I've been reading too much, and have too many options in front of me, that I need to go back to the local surgeon and reconsider having the mastectomies done here. That I'm giving myself unecessary anxiety. Ok, you've just signed me up for 3 significant and major surgeries and you think I have unecessary anxiety????? I just don't think they hear me. I'd bet he'd ask questions too, if it were his life, his surgery.
Then, he tells me that he thinks I've been reading too much, and have too many options in front of me, that I need to go back to the local surgeon and reconsider having the mastectomies done here. That I'm giving myself unecessary anxiety. Ok, you've just signed me up for 3 significant and major surgeries and you think I have unecessary anxiety????? I just don't think they hear me. I'd bet he'd ask questions too, if it were his life, his surgery.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
ET child with cancer...
Some of you know that another family near us adopted siblings in 2006. We are the only 2 families (thuse far) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with Ethiopian children. Their adoption was far from smooth, with the younger child having to have an extended stay in Ethiopia due to testing positive for TB. Shortly after she finally arrived home, her older brother was diagnosed with Leukemia. He was treated successfully and has been in remission for only 9 months. His cancer is back, and his prognosis is poor, having had responded to the treatment for such a short time frame. Ultimately, they are looking at a bone marrow transplant for him - probably a daunting task to find a match for an Oromo Ethiopian.
Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers. They have been through so much. As I've recently found out, getting specialized treatment in the UP is challenging, to say the least. They must travel to Wisconsin to get treatment for David. Here's a link to David's Caringbridge site:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/davidgockenbach
Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts for our family. They are greatly appreciated. I'm finally fully recovered from my latest surgical procedure and starting to feel more positive. I see my dr tomorrow.
Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers. They have been through so much. As I've recently found out, getting specialized treatment in the UP is challenging, to say the least. They must travel to Wisconsin to get treatment for David. Here's a link to David's Caringbridge site:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/davidgockenbach
Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts for our family. They are greatly appreciated. I'm finally fully recovered from my latest surgical procedure and starting to feel more positive. I see my dr tomorrow.
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