Square Biz- School Daze

I have my first squares for Baby I's quilt and they came from no one other than her Mommy!  Yes, that would be me.  The oldest and most meaningful fabric item that I had to contribute (and was saving anyway for my daughter) was my prom dress.  Let's face it, Baby I will probably never wear it even if she is into vintage clothing.  It was a tad bit mermaidish, but in 1987 I was the shiznit! 

I have you to know (while you are laughing) I was the ONLY one in Las Vegas with that dress.  I know this to be true because I made my mother go to every formal dress store, in the area, with me to make sure!  Good times.  We paid a cool $275 for that dress back in the day, so I was stylin' (I still have the tags also).  I know you appreciate the blue eye shadow.  Don't laugh or talk about me.  I've seen a few of your photos rockin' that same blue eye shadow.  The guy in the picture was my boyfriend Javier...ahhh, young love.  Oh, I digress...back to my dress in preparation for my pumpkin's quilt.  So, the dress before I cut it up for a square (I burned the dress tonight while ironing, but I just cut around that) this evening:

The dress after:

And Baby I's first square:

Can you tell, I'm so excited about her quilt?  I also found a couple of people in my neighborhood this weekend who can assemble the quilt.  I am supposed to meet with them (one day) to discuss commissioning one of them for this project.  That sounds expensive doesn't it?  I had to remind them I am going to be a single mom and they said "oh, don't worry we will work it out".  Oh, yea...uh, hu...okay.  

Calling All Squares

Per my post last week, I am getting a quilt made for Baby I.  To make my baby girl's quilt (and to make it extra special) I need the assistance from my friends in the blogosphere.  If you would like to be a part of Baby I's quilt this is what I need from you:

1. Choose ANY 100% cotton fabric that you like of African origin.

2. Pre-wash and press the fabric. Then cut two (2) 8" squares from the fabric.

3. Include your "good wish note" on a 3 x 5 card, being sure to sign and date it.  I will place all your wishes in a scrapbook that will be given to Baby I one day.  If you decide to participate THANKS and I can't wait to see the squares you send!  If you don't participate...I'll still like you anyway, read your blog and let you read mine.  :-)  

Please leave me a message (with your email address if I don't have it) if you would like to participate and I will send you my mailing address.  I only ask that you send the squares by January 1, 2009.  This way it gives me time to gather all squares, send to whoever will make, sit and wait patiently.  Notice I didn't say quietly.  :-) 

All "Dressered" Up

Remember months back when I said I was purging my home and moving things around?  Well, I got a new office unit and took what I was using for storage out and put it in Baby I's room for her dresser (it is a dresser by the way).  I don't know anything else about what her room will look like but it will be based around the dresser (which I love).  Stay tuned for more nursery updates!

Tag You're It!

Better late than never!  Blame it on Robbin she made me get a baby picture.  Since I had to pull them out I thought I would post a few.  I wanted to see how this would feel since I need to get ready to post those pictures for my waiting weeks...  And Kristine also tagged me so this is for both of them.  I'm not sure it's because I'm interesting like my friend Laura, or because I'm funny...ha ha.  Well, let's see if I can come up with any semi-interesting and hilarious things about me that I haven't said before.

1. When I moved into my house the basement was not finished, it was dark, dank and I was afraid to go down there...well not until I had an I-chingist come do some mojo on it and get rid of the dead energy!  Yup, I did that!
2. When I traveled to Morocco I was being misdirected by a "guide" so I got to the center of a square and started crying like a baby until someone who spoke English came to help me out of that mess.  I knew I was going to be a slave somewhere and they would have been very unhappy because I don't follow directions too good so I figured I should cry.
3. I don't know how to do a cart wheel.  I was always afraid of flipping over so I just sat on the sidelines and watched.  Pretty exciting I know.  
4. When I moved into my house I had perfectly beautiful green grass.  I am so against mowing...translated: lazy...that I killed it and planted flowers.  Then Cicadas came and the weeds came after that, it has been a loosing battle ever since.  My neighbor and I have a shame on you pulling weeds event periodically...I'm one up.  Oh, how I long for the days of that beautiful green grass!  I really would love to have that HGTV show Curb Appeal come to my home and hook the outside up!  Does anyone out there have any connections?
5. I love Twizzlers and normally eat them until I am sick.  I just don't feel satisfied until then.  
6. I can't drink milk by itself (I think it is gross) or without flavoring and neither can my mother.  I'm also lactose intolerant (TMI I know).  When I was a kid in camp I tried to tell the counselors that, they didn't believe me, so they made me drink it before my juice...needless to say it was not a pretty sight at the dinner table.  They never made me do that again and it was chocolate milk for dinner.  
7. I love, love, love Christmas movies!  I can't wait until Thanksgiving because my Tivo is set and ready to go!  I will tape almost everyone of them and watch them all!  They do my heart good and often times make me laugh.  

Since I'm so late, I won't tag anyone but if you want to play along just join in.   Hey Char have you been tagged yet?  

Is 7 Enough?

Is seven enough?  Doubt It!  But you gotta luv Brangelina.  They have the money and the heart...or is that the nannies to take care of all those kids (yeah, yeah...they do it themselves...whatever, man!).  It's official, per Telegraph.co.uk, they are on their way to adopting again, after they wait the obligatory six months to make sure their bunch is adjusting to the other kids.  Angelina said the children aren't even phased anymore when new kids come home.  I guess it's like..."Hey kids, you have a new brother/sister, come make them feel welcomed, go show them their room, share your toys, educate them on the media and teach them how to smile and make nasty faces".  

Anyone want to take some bets on the country/sex/age of their new child.  I remember hearing once, they want each of their children to see another that looks like them.  I'm going to say it will be another child from Africa.  Maybe Liberia.  I think there are enough boys (too much testosterone in the household) so girl, age 2-3, Zahara will stay the oldest.  

Anyone Want to Quilt Memories With Me?

I'm going to make (okay have made...dang, how do you do strikethrough on blogger again?) an African 100 Good Wishes Quilt for Baby I.  Come on!  Join me!  This will give you something to do during your wait!  And if your baby is home, what a great gift to pass down generations.  Just do it!  So, even if you stink at being a mother everyone will have forgotten and think you were great simply because you were so thoughtful and got a quilt made! Hey, maybe I should sign up for two then!  ;-) 

We currently have 9-12 participants and would love to have more. Here is how it works:

In China, where this tradition began (but I promise you will want one for each one of your kids, regardless of origin, once you get started), it is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.  

Here is what participants would need to do:

1. Choose ANY 100% cotton fabric that you like of African origin. There are lots of rich, gorgeous African fabrics in fabric stores and on the Internet. It just needs to be a design and color that you like.

2. Pre-wash and press the fabric. Then cut one (1) 7" squares from the fabric.

3. Include your "good wish note" on a 3 x 5 card, being sure to sign it.  We will place all your wishes in a scrapbook that we will give to the baby someday.

4. Send a square to each participant. They will each send you a square. Everyone ends up with a beautiful assortment.  Then you can assemble or have some one else do it...I'm all for the later.

Ideas for good wishes note: Well... what would you wish for a child to have in his/her life? Some ideas that come to mind are good health, perseverance, compassion, and sense of humor...you know stuff like that.

If you want to see examples of what these quilts can look like, go to http://www.originalquilts.com/100_good_wishes_quilts.htm.

So, if you want to participate in the group, leave me a message ASAP with your email and I will forward to the person in charge of organizing this.  I'm only the messenger.  Happy Quilting!  

Say It Ain't So Lo'

'I'm really happy with Samantha... and I want to adopt a child', says Lindsay Lohan.

I guess now that she's finished with rehab and in a good relationship (don't kill the messenger...i.e. me) she's ready for a family? Oh..boy!  Do you think her dad will be visiting and/or babysitting much?  

This week on EthioAdopt

This week on EthioAdopt:

Sally told Margie (names changed to protect the innocent) I don't know what I should do about educating my Ethiopian child.  We enjoy living in our homogeneous neighborhood and feel it is much safer than moving to a more diverse area.  We don't think our child will be adversely affected.  Will he Margie?  I mean it just seems to me that some people think white people shouldn't (a) adopt black kids or (b) should live in black neighborhoods regardless of the cost of safety, schools, etc.  so the children can see more black faces.  This baffles me.  I mean I've never heard of diverse neighborhoods or any neighborhoods with majority black people that are safe.  And heavens to betsy, there can't possibly be any schools that have a lot of black faces with smart black kids, that just can't be so.  Sally do you really think that is true?  That's what they say in the paper Margie.  

On the other side of town, a group of mothers were having a race discussion at a park, while watching their little ones play nicely...too bad everyone can't get along like that.  "The parents who are alive and giving up their children don't give a rats A$S  about whether they are being raised by white people or will go to a more than white school...they are sacrificing for their children so that their children can have a life.  My boy's mom never said to me, 'will they go to a school where more people look like them? I'm seriously concerned about their self esteem as they grow up.' "   So,  Marilyn because the mother never said those words to you what?  Discount the fact that they are black?  Don't acknowledge it?  Don't believe it has anything to do with building positive self-esteem?  Oh, I know...they are different than the other little black kids?  That will be a great self-esteem builder and help them to make lots of friends in high places.  They should do well with other people that look like them and don't look like them.  Oy, vey!  

"Joshua!  Stop pulling Kaylie's hair!"  

Shana Tova!

There is a thin line between love and hate.  There is also a thin line between reasonable and ridiculous.  You have heard me talk about the Ethiopian adoption boards before, so here I go again.  Maybe this should be a weekly update, board craziness.  

Sundown on September 29th began the Jewish New Year and since there are many Jewish families adopting someone had the audacity to say Shana Tova.  Wadaya they do that for?  Boom!  Here we go again.  It had religious content and that should not be posted on the boards because it was not about Ethiopia or adoption.  Huh?

Shana Tova  as far as I can tell means (in Hebrew): A Good Year, A Good and Sweet Year, or May You Be Written and Sealed for a Good Year.  Well, I don't know about you, but with this recession I can use all of the blessings I can get in any language it may come to me.  Please send me some additional blessings in any language you know: Greek, Italian, Geek, Pig Latin...heck, I'll take them all!  

So, people lighten up!  And I know it is a little late, but Shana Tova everyone!  

P.S. Do you think I'll be having this discussion about the boards around Christmas time if someone says Merry Christmas?  Things that make you go hmmm.  

What's in a Name?

I know you all have heard about the father who abandoned his 9 children under the Safe Haven Act in Omaha, NE, however that is not what I am writing about today.  This morning I was watching the Today Show and as Ann Curry introduced the man's family she said his step-daughter twice.  His daughter corrected him twice saying daughter.  The second time she said she was his daughter she made it clearer, "He is my real Dad, all there is is blood".  Ahhh...from the horse's mouth.  Unfortunately, Ann Curry didn't hear her and I'm pretty certain this won't be the last time she introduces someone as a stepchild OR adopted child.  The only thing we/I  can continue to do is keep telling people about the importance of the words they use AND names/titles do make a difference.  Good for that young lady.  You go girl!