White Christmas

If I squint my eyes and think really hard I can remember wishing desperately for a white Christmas. But honestly, it's been a while. It's no secret that I hate cold and anything associated with it. My sweet baby O, on the other hand wanted nothing more than snow on Christmas Day. She thought that Santa couldn't come without snow. I suppose it has something to do with landing on the roof...

But this year, she got her wish. Amazing isn't it? In a region that doesn't get very much snow, we got around 5 inches or so. So of course today was spent frolicking (I only use this word when it is absolutely true), giggling, and loving every last inch of that fluffy white stuff. Seeing her so happy made me forget the cold... for about five minutes. :)

I hope your family loved it as much as my Olivia did. It's the little things in life, you know, 

like making a real snow angel! 

-Mel

If you're not thrifting, you're spending too much

So most of you know I can thrift with the best of them, thanks to my lineage ;) I come from a long line of thrifters, which I consider a most valuable trait. So Momma, Olivia and I were wrapping up Christmas shopping last night and decided it would be an easier trip home from Dallas if we got our junk fix first, so we stopped in the McKinney Goodwill. Holy Moly that was a good move! I scored 31 children's books for $19. Yay, most of them looked brand new! I got several Dr Seuss books, Junie B. Jones books, as well as a few other leveled readers. My favorite score of the trip, no doubt.

Oh, ya see the "Go, Dog, Go" book by Dr Seuss?? My girl read almost the entire thing herself. Does that blow anyone else's mind? She just started to read this year. Amazing. Why can't my brain learn that fast!?!

Anyway, sorry for the mess around here. I finally have a break from school and the opportunity to reconfigure a few things!

Merry Christmas!
-Mel

Merry Christmas from the Lee Bunch!

We finally had more family pictures taken this weekend, and I couldn't wait to share them! Huge thanks to my lovely friend Rachel for switching out family photos with me! I cannot tell you how hard it is for me to get photos! But I am happy now, my Christmas cards are on the way, and I have new photos to find places for on my walls.... an equally difficult task!

We felt pretty guilty taking photos without Mr. Landan. It is so hard when your family is scattered across the country. He did get to go to New Mexico hunting with Steaven this year, so I do have this recent photo of him. Good job, honey! They had a blast, and I am still pretty jealous. What I wouldn't give to go spend a week in the mountains... especially in the fall!

Merry Christmas!
Love,
Steaven, Melanie and the gang!

Parenting

I think that as parents we have a long of list of things that we want for our children. We want them to love the Lord, to be happy and healthy above all. We want them to be smart, successful, and to be good people. Another thing that is really important to me is empathy. I think empathy is amongst the most valuable of human traits. I strive to show Olivia that empathy is important to me. She knows about the "kids" in Guatemala and why I go there. But, at her age she's yet to show much empathy herself...

This past weekend I went to help out my dear friend, Jessica, with her indie craft fair "Funky Finds". I was gone for three days. It seems that lately Olivia is going through a stage where she doesn't really want for me to be gone away from her. On friday night, I called her from the convention center. She told me "Mommy, I cried because you are not here". It broke my heart into a million pieces. This really started to worry me because I have been trying to plan a trip to Guatemala with Refuge sometime in the next few months. But now, how can I leave her for seven days?

This morning, on the way to school, I decided I should just ask her opinion. She's old enough to understand somewhat. I told her that mommy was thinking about going to Guatemala to help the "kids" that are sick. She asked what I would do. I told her that I would give them medicine and take their temperature like I do her when she is sick. Then I told her that it would be seven whole days away. She asked several questions to better understand the idea of seven days. I told her, I won't go if you don't want me to. She thought about this for a minute, and then she said

 "but Mommy, who would help the kids?"

My heart swelled with pride and I wanted to cry! My baby was showing true empathy. She was genuinely concerned about the "kids" over her own desires. This child amazes me more than words can say. I know that every parent thinks that their child is amazing, but I just wanted to share. I thank God for that child. I also thank God for showing me every now and again that I'm not doing too bad at parenting. 

-Mel

Sweet Sweet Summer

Hi friends! I apologize for not posting for so long! This summer has kept us super busy! 

It seems that learning another language is quite difficult, especially at my age! ;) So while I have been glued to the computer or at school for most of my summer, Miss Olivia has been quite the trooper. God really blessed us with that child. She can sit quietly and play by herself as long as I ask her. But, thankfully Grammy has come to our rescue on more than one occasion this summer. Apparently Grammy loves Barbies as much as Olivia does, so it hasn't been too bad.

Our Friday trips to the "club" to go swimming have been a life saver too! Olivia is such a little fish these days... again, she acts just like me! I remember living for summers as a kid, hoping to spend every second possible in the pool. I loved nothing more than swimming. I try to remember that and take her as often as I can.

 She also loves to learn. For as long as I continue to give her "assignments" she will sit happily at the kitchen table doing her "homework". She wants to read so badly, and is learning to sound out words. She is so smart. ....And spanish?? She thinks she speaks it fluently. I've taught her to count, a couple of songs, and some other random things in spanish. She now roams around the house stringing all of those words together to form her own version of spanish conversation. I want so badly to find a spanish speaking lady to keep her in the afternoons and only speak spanish to the both of us. I think she would pick it up quickly if she had a better teacher.

I don't have anything exciting to report on the mission front. Still hoping for the Saul Project to go through. I promised myself when I left Guat last that I would not return until I was fluent and could really make a difference. So I wait patiently. Every month or so I see pictures from Refuge International's latest trip to Sarstun or San Ramundo and it renews my encouragement. This is a long road, but it will be absolutely worth it in the end. Maybe one day I can give to Guatemala what Guatemala has given to me.

Adopt!

My sweet sweet Aunt Shirley came back from the recent Funky Finds in Longview and brought me this for my birthday. She said she saw it and knew it had to be mine! Steaven asked me if I cried when I saw it. They know how much this all means to me.

Adoption is by far the most wonderful experience of my life. People often ask me "why" I would adopt when I physically am able to have a child. This question always gives me a little chuckle inside. I think that a lot, or most, women have that "I must carry a child" feeling bred into them. I did not. When Steaven and I were only dating we agreed that we didn't want anymore children, and that if we ever changed our minds, adoption was what we wanted to do. We have both always been very aware of the number of children without loving homes. For several years before I even wanted a child, I searched for an adoption agency that I could work with to photograph children for adoption. For what ever reason, I always hit a brick wall. But, through all of that searching, I guess I saw one too many little faces needing a mommy and daddy. So, one morning I woke up and could not stop thinking about it. I had to do this. And with a little persuasion, Steaven felt the same way. :)
Admittedly, it is hard. Don't let anyone tell you it's not. Once you sign papers and know you will become an adoptive parent, you get a feeling of anxiousness and nervousness that I am guessing feels a lot like the feelings you have with a traditional pregnancy. After having every corner of your life checked faults - physically, emotionally, financially, etc, you then start the hurry up and wait of an endless path of legal and international paperwork. Form by form you fill out, mail to the consulate, wait for it to be mailed back, mail to Guatemala, wait for it to be mailed back, and only then can you start the next form. After you do this with every form you ever dreamed possible, then you are matched with your child and the process starts all over again. Only this time your child has been born. And she is being rocked by a strange person. Fed by someone you will never meet. And once a month you get a picture from someones flip motorola phone and a "Yes she's doing fine". In a country where it is common to feed your baby honey water, cleanliness is second rate and the idea of health and safety standards are a joke, you try to find comfort in knowing she is safer inside this strangers house than outside of it where gang violence IS the law. This makes the monotony of this cycle of paperwork excruciating. In my case, four months into this I was finally able to go to Guatemala to visit her. They brought her to my hotel and left her with me for the weekend. She was four months old and the most precious thing I'd ever seen. She seemed to be healthy and happy. I loved every minute of it. Then I had to give her back, not knowing when I might see her again. I didn't know if it would be a month or a year. All I knew is that I had already missed four months of my child's life. Three more months went by, ever so slowly. Never knowing from day to day when and IF I really would get to bring her home. In the midst of all of this, the news played and replayed the story of the Florida Adoption Agency busted for taking children from mothers in Guatemala, and giving them up for adoption, selling them really, without the mothers consent. And I didn't know, not really. All I could do was pray to God and beg him to bring her home to me. And he did. January 25th, 2008 we were able to go and get her. I remember the elevator ride down to the lobby of the hotel to get her. I'd never seen the look on Steaven's face before. It was a mix of relief and excitement and pride. We walked out the front door of the hotel. A lady got Olivia out of her car, put her in my arms, and drove away. That was that. She was ours. Really ours.
It is funny. Unless I consciously think back to 2007/8, I don't think of Olivia as adopted. She is my daughter. We don't look the same, but we act the same. She is my little shadow, my little me. And yes, she will openly tell you that her mommy and daddy flew on an airplane to Guatemala to get her... probably without your asking. She is a healthy, happy American kid.

And of course miss Olivia is always beautifully dressed, thanks to our lovely friend Renee, from OuttaHand Creations! Thanks Renee! 

Edited to add a few from my visit to see Olivia in Guatemala...

Bubble Jar

So, today is my birthday. Another year older. So this morning, bummed a little about being *over* thirty and not for the first time, I was trying to have a good day. Rushing out the door I spilled my coffee on my shirt. Back inside and in a new shirt, I tried to overlook that small setback. On my way to Commerce, I decided that since I had to go to school on my birthday, I at least deserved some good coffee to brighten my day. Out the door of the new campus coffee shop, tickled with my caramel latte, I tried to hop over a patch of mud and FAIL I landed in it. I didn't fall to the ground, but I somehow managed to cover my foot and flipflop with nasty gritty mud and spill coffee on myself for the second time in an hour. And yes, a couple of folks saw my less than graceful stunt. Mouthing things I wouldn't want my momma to hear I made my way back to the car, wondering why I deserved such poor luck on my birthday, of all days. I found myself a napkin and some bottled water to clean up my mess. As I was wiping away the mud I realized just how selfish and immature my reaction was. I suddenly remembered cleaning my feet in a stream atop a mountain in Sarstun, Guatemala, thankful that I had shoes to protect my feet unlike the children I was following. All of the sudden I was SO ASHAMED of myself. Let's recap:

I drove my used yet nice Altima to the University I was so blessed to attend. I bought myself a cup of $3 gourmet coffee and complained about getting my overpriced sandal muddy... I realized that I was behaving like a selfish spoiled brat living in my American Bubble. So with my shame, I went on to class.

After class I drove straight home and made this...

Now everytime I catch myself having one of those selfish "American Bubble" moments, I will put the appropriate donation into the "Bubble Jar". Today, I donated $3 to represent that $3 cup of coffee. When the jar is full, I will mail the donation to Refuge International.

The secret is out!

Sooo for some reason that I am still not sure of, I have been hiding my new life. I have returned to school and closed the studio. Some of you might have noticed that there is now a small boutique, Spoiled Rotten inside. Niki Taylor, Steaven's cousin has lots of gifts and pretties to see, you should go visit her! :)

After my mission trip last year to Guatemala, my desire to work with the children of Guatemala has morphed into a seemingly massive life change. I wanted to find a way to do more for the kids of Guat and somehow make a greater difference than a photographer can, both here and in Guatemala. So, I decided to become a Bilingual Teacher. I can work in a bilingual classroom here in the states and work as a teacher or translator for the medical missions that I love so dearly in Guatemala. However, there are about three years of school ahead of me. I am excited though, and feel like the time will pass before I know it. Wish me luck!

And because no post is complete without a picture, hereI am in Sarstun, Guatemala atop a mountain surrounded with the babies I love so much. Please excuse my blink, I love the pic anyway!

Change the World!

You have heard me talk about Refuge International many times. It is the organization that works in rural Guatemala that is so close to my heart. They are a small organization that does so very much for the health and well being of the children and the people of Guatemala. It really is amazing the difference this small organization makes with just a few volunteers. They send medical and dental teams to Sarstun and San Ramundo, Guatemala several times a year. They perform all sorts of surgeries and health care. Twice a year they (try to) provide Albendazole, the drug that treats infection due to stomach worms, to all of the school children in Guatemala. They are presently drilling water wells to provide clean drinking water to villages in rural Guatemala. They provide education to these remote villages as well. I wish so desperately that I could convey to you the impact this organization has on these children, and the impact that any volunteer or donor has on the whole of this organization. They NEED your help. This isn't some charity on t.v. that promises that your money will go to their cause. This is a real team of doctors, dentists, translators, nurses and people like you and I from North East Texas, as well as some from other states, that are working diligently to help these kids. I've seen it with my own eyes. It is very real.

Sorry, I know that was long winded! But I told you all of that to tell you how you can help. Refuge International has an annual bike ride and run in Gilmer, Texas as their main fundraiser. If you would like to run, bike, or just donate to this event, please check out Refuge Internationals website for more details.

Clean. Water.

Such a simple thought. Just turn on the faucet, right?

Unfortunately it is not nearly that simple in many countries, RIGHT NOW. This isn't a history lesson, folks.

I stumbled upon this website today and couldn't wait to share it with you. I like to share information from organizations other than my beloved Refuge International and to countries other than Guatemala to show you that I am interested in providing healthy, safe lives for children all over the world. This organization is called Charity : Water. It is a really cool group that takes donations from folks like you and I and uses those funds to provide clean drinking water to people in developing countries. Fantastic idea, right? And your money is actually spent to provide that water! I checked out their project map, and while Guatemala is not currently listed, Honduras is. They have a very similar water crisis to that in Guatemala, and they share Guatemala's southeastern border.

So, if you are planning on getting a birthday present from me this year, you just might be getting one of these instead - pretty cool, aye?