Pumpkin Pie and Cocoa Snuggles

Just a quick post today - in honor of fall (and because I promised my mom) I've been binding these two quilts. Correction. I just finished binding them. Now I can move on to the 3 or 4 others I have sitting around longing to be bound.

I like to call this quilt Pumpkin Pie. Because of the pumpkins, of course, but also because the tan and brown center 'circles' look like a bunch of pies all lined up, waiting to be eaten.

Here's a close up - I really loved how the quilting turned out on this quilt.

And another one. All the outside pumpkins are quilted like this...such detail. I love it!

This quilt is all flannel. Robert recognized that this was "pretty" fabric. It's so cozy. I shouldn't say this (it will scare my mom) but Eden thinks this quilt is for her. She has the hunger, Robert said.

Another close up so you can see the quilting. It's a very romantic quilt. Perfect for snuggling up under with a cup of hot cocoa fresh from the CocoaLatte!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: A Novel by Lisa See

One of my favorite 'side effects' of the incurable love-of-reading-disease is that you come to know all sorts of seemingly random things. Even if all you ever read were well-written (it's sad that I feel I have to add that qualifier) novels, you would develop a deep well of knowledge. This is fact, I promise.

Snow Flow and the Secret Fan was, pretty much, my first exposure to early nineteenth century China. I was engrossed by the details of the culture, history, and daily life of women. I came to know and understand the culture and traditions on a much deeper level than I had previously been acquainted with.

It's a beautifully written and compelling story about friendships, art, love and regret, and, (oh what the heck), atonement. The narrator, eighty-year-old Lily, is finally ready to tell her story in the hopes that those she has known and loved who have gone before her will hear and understand her. And perhaps even forgive her.

I love the theme of language, specifically the written word, as a means of reconciliation - a facilitator of atonement. Even though it was the secret written language that caused misunderstandings and pain, Lily still reaches out to seek forgiveness through that same medium.

Perhaps it's a good caution to think about what you read: the difference between severing a relationship and healing one is slight.

Open House by Elizabeth Berg

Actually, I finished this one a while ago, but never got around to posting about it. (Adoption consumed my life and blog there for a month or so).

I picked Open House up for two reasons: I enjoyed The Art of Mending and I liked the bathtub on the cover. I've said this before, and I'll say it again, I'm sure - you totally can judge a book by it's cover. Besides, if you've heard it's a good book and you don't like the cover, just look for a different edition. That's what I do. Even at the library. Honest.

Books are so much more enjoyable when they are pretty. (I'm not sure I even have to vocalize this but I will - people look at what you are reading, I promise. You don't want to be caught with an ugly book in your hands. You don't want people wondering why on earth you are reading that horrid book.)

I digress. Sorry.

I enjoy the lightness of Berg's writing. It's still quality writing, just light. I love that her characters are so real - you feel like you could know them. She (the character) might not be you but she seems familiar - like your neighbor or the woman you stood behind in line at the store today. Berg's stories could be anyone's stories. That's the bulk of their appeal.

Comparing the two, I think I liked The Art of Mending more. But that could be strictly because the woman in that one likes to sew - quilts, to be specific. I loved the mending theme.

Open House is still worth the read. The only drawback I had was that there was no real drama. You got the feeling, throughout the entire book, that everything would be ok for Sam, the protagonist. The heroine would prevail. That mystery was never there (I'm the type of reader that thrives on the will she? won't she? mystic in novels) . You keep reading for other reasons: the humor, mostly, and to see just how she will prevail.

I think the best lesson I learned from the book was that when life starts feeling small, when you begin to become consumed by your problems, the best remedy is to open up - open your heart, your mind, and maybe even your house.

Dear Ruby

I just read this post on Aimee's blog. It is so inspiring. I was totally crying. Hope you like it!

Red Riding Hood Jacket GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Red Riding Hood Jacket GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Cute Pics of Ajua!

Lois just emailed me these pics and I just HAD to post them ASAP.

Oh man! I miss her soooo much!

She would laugh so hard when I "ate" her neck. It was so funny.

This picture is just so Sarah. A woman at the guest house put "black" on her eyebrows. She felt so glamorous...I don't think Gloria approved very much.

Here is Gloria, Kingsley's wife, carrying Ajua around on her back. Kingsley and I were out taking care of paperwork, we left Lois and Ajua at the school with Gloria.

Older Orphans

Here are the pictures of the older orphans who live with Kingsley.

I love, love, love Ebenezer, Patience, and Dorothy. I was able to spend some time with them and they are just the best kids ever! They are so helpful and so kind. Actually, it seems that all the children are helpful and kind. I guess my favoritism leans simply to those I spent the most time with. Typical.

Anyway, if we were old enough (Ghana law requires that adoptive parents must be 20 years older than the child they are adopting) Ebenezer would top my list. He was so awesome with the other children - he always took Ajua away to play when we were leaving so she wouldn't be too upset. And boy does he love soccer!

Sandra, 11 years
Dorothy, 8 years
Paul, 9 years
Vida, 11 years
Mary, 10 years

Elizabeth, 13 years
Ebenezer, 14 years
Enoch, 15 years
Edward, 12 years
Patience, 11 years

Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

What Happens in Ghana

So for all of you who have been wondering...here's the story about our adoption fiasco in Ghana.

It's been hard getting myself to the computer to write this out. It's still painful for me :(

Anyway, our lawyer told us we would have our adoption decree when we arrived on the 9th. (Actually, we were told they would probably have it around the 4th).

We arrived in Ghana to find no decree. Not only that, the lawyer didn't have ANY paperwork from the social welfare worker in Ghana. It turns out the report was (hand) written, and the SWW's secretary just decided she wasn't going to come into work for about 2 weeks. So it was sitting there waiting to be typed.

After volunteering my services to type up the report, things got moving. It finally became clear to the SWW and the lawyer that we meant business and we needed to hurry if we were going to make our flight back home.

We were sent on long, wild goose chases for paperwork, we had numerous meetings that went nowhere, and we blew out 3 tires. At the end of it all, we finally had a court date (2 weeks into our stay).

The judge hearing our case was new. The lawyer is of the opinion that he has never done an adoption before. Our hearing, according to the lawyer, was a big mess and nothing went 'the normal way'. Our judge told us to come back in November and he would give us our decree.

Everyone (lawyer, SWW, Kingsley, and myself) consulted and agreed we should re-file with a different court. The lawyer knows another judge who can get it all done quickly. I met the judge, informally, at the lawyer's office. Once that was decided, I made arrangements to fly back home a few days later. Our lawyer said if I stayed they could have it done in 2-3 weeks, but I just couldn't stay another month. I needed to get back to work.

So my return was empty-handed, sad, and painful.

Ajua wouldn't kiss me goodbye. She was very mad that I was leaving her behind. In fact, Kingsley said whenever I am brought up, she says she is angry with me.

lol. Am I crazy to think that is cute? It doesn't really upset me. I figure it's a god sign that she cares about me and is bonded to me. Really, it would be a lot worse if she didn't care one iota that I left. That would be sad.

So I am home. The house feels quiet and looks lonely....

Oh, and due to the market fiasco that happened while I was gone, all those clients I was eager to get back to have decided to wait a bit. They are just sure home prices will come down some more and want to wait about a month. Awesome. I need to pay for another plane ticket, here people!

One for Jenifer

Ok Jenifer, here's an AWESOME picture of Mathilda.

She was, uh-hem, trying to eat her flip-flop. Gloria, Kingsley, Lois and I (pretty much in unison) went rushing to her to take it out of her mouth. The rushing was, of course, accompanied by some yelling & etc.

Mathilda was so angry with us for taking her shoe away. She started crying. Don't take this the wrong way, but her little fit was awesome. lol. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen....

So I took a picture. It doesn't happen often, but when she cries, this is what it looks like:

For the record, I'm laughing right now.