Baby Teeth

It was brought to my attention I am currently growing a baby, so having a baby is in progress. I mean technically I have one inside right now. At least that's what they tell me.

Also I flossed every day for an entire month. I almost forgot one day at the end but luckily didn't. I found it both theraputic and nasty to see what's between your teeth EVERY day. Nasty.

Good Job

I used my iTunes giftcards today. I should be embarassed that I had to put it on my list, but it happens. Also I remembered I made a new recipe, some chocolate chip cookie bars. They were pretty good, but I like cookies much better. Good work for making progress on my tough goals self.

I remembered

I remembered I had a blog and a big list of things to do, and then I realized I did some things on the list!

I finished the work I was going to do on Lorena's quilt, today started reading the Old Testament, this week I got my ham radio license, and sent another piece of real mail for last month. I also realized that I am behind in my journal writing (shocker) and am trying to decide if I write more than once a week if that counts as a catch up.

That's my update. For myself. Or for you if you are reading and keeping track.

What About...

Aaron said: "but what if you want to make new goals in a year or so?" This list is not intended to stop me from doing other goals. It is just a list of some of the things I have been putting off, or things that I want to try but need an excuse to do so.

101 Things in 1001 Days

Original link with rules/idea.

I think I will just keep this as the original list, and update on the sidebar.

Start date: January 26th, 2008
Ending date: October 23rd, 2010

The list:
1. Write my Ecuador book
2. Finish Lorena’s quilt
3. Turn my old shirts into tote bags
4. Read 12 books (0/12)
5. Come back to Ecuador again
6. Get scuba certified
7. Make 5 iTunes play lists (0/5)
8. Learn how to play Acoustic #3 on the guitar
9. Begin sailing around the world with Aaron
10. Re-learn how to crochet, make a scarf
11. Make a quilt for my own bed
12. Have ample food storage supply
13. Go to bed by 10 for a week straight
14. Photograph another wedding
15. Read camera manual all the way through
16. Buy a new lens
17. Hike to Leigh Lake
18. Have a baby
19. Make a skirt
20. Read the entire old testament
21. Do pilates or yoga 2x week for two months
22. Write in my journal once a week (0/143)
23. Take Aaron to Disneyland
24. Get my foundation set up
25. Go surfing 5 times (0/5)
26. Learn to juggle
27. Read 2 books in Spanish (0/2)
28. Visit 5 temples I have never been to (0/5)
29. Donate hair to locks of love
30. Have a real life dinner party
31. Read 2 more books on teenage self-esteem (0/2)
32. Carve a pumpkin with my husband’s face on it
33. Create storage system for all digital pictures
34. Print wedding photos & put in album
35. Print honeymoon photos & put in album
36. Don’t complain at all for 1 week
37. Take some sort of class
38. Visit a country I’ve never been to before
39. Successfully take care of a plant for a year
40. Buy a bike at a garage sale
41. Not eat at a restaurant for 2 weeks straight
42. Build a bridge out of popsicle sticks or toothpicks. Put weights on it to see how much it can hold without breaking.
43. Write a thank you letter once a week for 6 months.
44. Find at least one genealogy name and do the work
45. Plan a fundraiser
46. Can something other than jam
47. Follow Fly Lady’s schedule for one month
48. Cook 10 new recipes (0/10)
49. Do a triathlon
50. Throw a huge party
51. Go snowboarding twice (0/2)
52. Cook four dishes in the pressure cooker (0/4)
53. Floss every day for a month, 3 times (0/3)
54. Frame 10 photos (0/10)
55. Learn a new song on the piano
56. Learn how to make the ultimately delicious macaroons my dad makes
57. Learn to like one type of fish (is this possible?)
58. Read a book on astronomy
59. Figure out the recipe for El Jordan’s tabbouli
60. Purchase the perfect croquet set
61. Build something out of wood
62. Carve something out of wood
63. Golf an entire 18 holes
64. Beat my mom at ping-pong
65. Find a Google whack
66. Get brows threaded (I hope Liza will take me)
67. Go snowshoeing
68. Road trip to somewhere I haven’t been before
69. Send a real piece of mail every month (0/34)
70. Make baby blankets for new arrivals
71. Submit book to publishers
72. Go to 10 year reunion
73. Give away or sell 101 things
74. Learn Photoshop
75. Join some sort of photography challenge group
76. Skydive
77. Swim across Lake Washington
78. Make Aaron a suit. He says he will wear it if I make it.
79. Make Eden an article of clothing she will wear
80. Make myself pumpkin and coconut ice cream. Separately.
81. Get Ham radio license
82. Acquire unbreakable habit of brushing teeth at night
83. Go to the symphony with Aaron
84. Make and keep updated address book
85. Create sweatpants overalls
86. Eat only healthy foods for 1 week
87. Sell something I made
88. Learn to tie 5 knots (0/5)
89. Launch an Ecuadorian globo
90. Explore stock photography options
91. Use my iTunes gift cards. Seriously, shouldn’t need to be on the list.
92. Buy and complete a big big puzzle
93. Win a contest
94. Make a cake in the microwave
95. Go waterskiing
96. Have a bingo party
97. Put Rosero’s videos on DVD for them
98. Learn 10 children’s songs in Spanish
99. Get wedding dress cleaned and boxed
100. Create will and force husband to do the same
101. Manage to see a sunrise without feeling like death

A story behind everything

I feel like this should go on my blog because I hope that no one reads it and it's kind of depressing.

Yesterday we went and saw Sor Teresa because it was Saturday, and we took her flowers because I figured she was sad that Gonzalo left. And she was. They have been best buds for pretty much his entire life. I remember when we saw her last year in Santa Isabel that she told me that when she was in Cuenca she would go visit him and take him for walks around the block and tell him "whenever you feel sad or alone, just walk this same path and remember me."

All this week I've been thinking about how great that these kids are getting adopted, and it is great. But what is not great is that he has a family. He has a mom, who lives here in town, with other siblings, most older, but one who is only 8 months old. Why is he getting adopted? Because she is an alcoholic. She works at a market in town, but most of the time she is too drunk to do much of anything. He's been back to see her, but she doesn't want him.

Sor Teresa told me she would practice writing his mother's name on the board, and he would erase it. She would ask him to name the flower that she shares a name with and all he would say is "it's a flower". He's 7, he's not stupid. He knows that he has a family, and that it's a family that cannot and does not want to care for him.

I used to think that the worst thing was being an orphan. Not having a family, not knowing where you came from, or who you belong to. I've changed my mind. The worst thing is having a family that doesn't want you, that can't take care of you, and you knowing them and knowing that they are taking care of your siblings.

I am so happy for Gonzalo and his 2 year old sister. Their new family is so nice, so loving, and they seem happy. Gonzalo won't let go of his dad's hand. I know it's the best option for them, but I can't help but worry about him, how angry he is, how confusing and strange it is for a 7 year old to go through something like this.

And then I think about all the other kids who are in similar situations. Or worse. And then I get depressed. So I'll stop this blog now, I just wanted to write before I forgot that not everything is so cut and dry.

A Deal With God

Today I was complaining to God, telling Him that if I was in charge of problem X, I would do everything in my power to fix it, which is something I tell Him and myself a lot. Today He said to me: prove it.

"If you knew that you would die today,
Saw the face of God and love,
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you knew that love can break your heart
When you're down so low you cannot fall
Would you change?
Would you change?

How bad, how good does it need to get?
How many losses? How much regret?
What chain reaction would cause an effect?
Makes you turn around,
Makes you try to explain,
Makes you forgive and forget,
Makes you change?
Makes you change?

If you knew that you would be alone,
Knowing right, being wrong,
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you knew that you would find a truth
That brings up pain that can't be soothed
Would you change?
Would you change?

How bad, how good does it need to get?
How many losses? How much regret?
What chain reaction would cause an effect?
Makes you turn around,
Makes you try to explain,
Makes you forgive and forget,
Makes you change?
Makes you change?

Are you so upright you can't be bent?
If it comes to blows are you so sure you won't be crawling?
If not for the good, why risk falling?
Why risk falling?

If everything you think you know,
Makes your life unbearable,
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you'd broken every rule and vow,
And hard times come to bring you down,
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you knew that you would die today,
If you saw the face of God and love,
Would you change?
Would you change?
Would you change?
Would you change?

If you saw the face of God and love
If you saw the face of God and love
Would you change?
Would you change?"

-Tracy Chapman "Change"