Slurping Life

SOOC Saturday ~ There was Wine in the Frig

scan of 35mm photo Christmas morning 1999

The funniest most precious toddlers ever...Mac, Wil and Lee.

Lights of my life and oh my stinkin' heck where did the years go?

There was also a seventeen year old son and eight year old foster girl in the house.

Oh, and one dog and one cat and one husband.

Not much later a newborn foster baby boy came along.

Can't you imagine my life then?

maybe not...my hair always looked a lot like Mac's

You can bet there was wine in the frig.

Good grief, how did I manage?

besides the wine

Oh yeah, love.

What are you loving this SOOC Saturday [or Sunday]? Pretty please share a favorite SOOC photo.

❤

Ok, next week it is back to the list linky. Though I love how they look, the thumbnail links are giving many people problems and many of my participating friends are not posting. I missed you this week and apologize for your inconvenience.

If you have trouble with the thumbnail linky, leave your link in comments and I will add it. 

Like...

1. Tracey Clark, Perfect Days

*click on thumbnails below to visit other participants

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Thumbnails:  22 entries so far... you're next!

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1. Slurping Life 2. Diva Days 3. Kari-Splash of Pink 4. MAOP 5. Amy @ Marvelous Mommy 6. Melissa @ ChaoticMommy 7. Puna @ LifeSignatures 8. My Little Engineer 9. 2nd2theright 10. Kids, Weeds, Sunset 11. rickismom 12. Playmates 13. Mommas Pixie Dreams 14. SoCoMom4James: Coach 15. golightly 16. The Power Of Three 17. Danette 18. Frogmum 19. Once Upon A Miracle 20. MAOP SOOC 21. Sweet sleeping girl! 22. Pigeon up high!

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Channelling Eeyore

 

The old grey donkey, Eeyore stood by himself in a thistly corner of the Forest, 

his front feet well apart, his head on one side, 

and thought about things.

Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" 

and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" 

and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about.

~~ A. A. Milne

❤

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

That there is a resounding need to type this fact shatters my heart.

Children should be coddled and kissed and adored...

not beaten, starved and raped.

I am a mother of four sons.

My three younger sons are precious gifts of adoption.

They were severely, unimaginably abused as infants.

By all human standards they should have died.

Why? Wherefore? Insasmuchas?

It's really difficult for me to mentally relive the physical and emotional pain, starvation and deprivation my children endured.

Only, really, I do not relive it. They do.

Though they have no conscious memories, my sons forever carry emotional and physical scars.

They are older now, and we have to explain their abuse to them.

Understanding is part of the healing.

It is a part of their hope.

 And it is their hell.

Please, reach out, support and report.

At-risk families need help.

Children's lives depend on you.

Strangers saved my children's lives.

❤

I expect to pass through this world but once;

any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature,

let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

~~ Ettiene De Grellet

❤

Please consider tweeting this post.

A tweet this button appears beneath the post footer.

If you do, I personally know three boys who would hug you if they could reach you.

So would their entire family.

With grateful heart,

Melody

Comments are open for your thoughts.

Read About My Brother Charlie and Enter the Giveaway

Life for each of us is filled with challenges and differences; and the reality is that each of us is more alike than different.

Our family consists of a dad, a mom, a neuro-typical adult son (his wife and 3 month old son), a 15 year old son who lives with Bipolar Disorder, an almost 13 year old son who lives with Autism (Asperger's), a 12 year old son who lives with Cerebral Palsy, and one ridiculously spoiled dog who has allergies and sheds a lot.

Our family practices acceptance and appreciation of the unique gifts every person has to offer.

When given the opportunity to receive a complimentary copy of Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete's book, My Brother Charlie, I did not hesitate to accept. Ms. Peete's advocacy on behalf of autism, as well as tolerance for differences with which many children live, is well-documented. I knew this book would be the real deal.

It did not disappoint.

In a simple, loving story Holly and Ryan have conveyed the message that human differences exist. Above all they have lovingly expressed our sameness and "how every one of us can find value in the uniqueness of people".

In this joyful story, told from a sister's point of view, we meet a family whose oldest son teaches them important lessons about togetherness, hope, tolerance, and love.

Callie is very proud of her brother, Charlie. He's good at so many things -- swimming, playing the piano, running fast. And Charlie has a special way with animals, especially their dog, Harriett.

But sometimes Charlie gets very quiet.

His words get locked inside him, and he seems far away.

A perfect compliment to the story is Shane W. Evans' illustrations. Each picture is simple yet vibrant, filled with life and love. I appreciate the illustrations because I know that Mac, my son who lives with Asperger's, thinks in pictures as do other children with autism. Though my son is older than the target audience of My Brother Charlie, as he read the book it was evident that he saw himself in the character of Charlie.

Regardless of whether or not you are parenting a child who lives with autism or any special need, every family with young children should read My Brother Charlie. Actually, I think everyone should read it.

 “My Brother Charlie is a book about how special all children are, and how every one of us can find value in the uniqueness of people.

Mainly, this is a book about hope and love.” 

-Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete

♡

In recognition of Autism Awareness Month (April), three copies of My Brother Charlie will be given away - one copy autographed by the authors. The first comment number chosen will receive the signed copy with the second and third comment numbers chosen each receiving one of the remaining two books.

To be entered for a chance to win:

Simply leave one comment on this post to be entered in the random drawing. No purchase or further action is necessary to enter. Comments will close at 12:00AM EST on Tuesday, May 4, 2010. Winners will be published on that date here at Slurping Life. Winners will be chosen via random.org.

If you should win and would like to be contacted directly by me, please leave a valid email address (comment form allows for this and your email is not published). In the event a winner does not contact me within five days of the announcement of winners, an alternate winner will be chosen.

*The book is available for purchase from Scholastic.

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SOOC Saturday ~ A Glimpse

 He was a much too small and frail one year old when placed into my arms and heart.

They said severe abuse and neglect had broken him.

Every single day for eleven plus years, I have looked into his eyes and seen straight through to his soul.

Nothing is broken.

He is love.

He is beauty.

He is faith.

Truthfully, I believe he is a glimpse of heaven.

❥

Hoping you'll share an image this SOOC Saturday [or Sunday].

❥

Trying a thumbnail MckLinky this weekend.

If you have trouble, a link may be left in comments and I'll MckLinky it later. 

❥

Edit: Please know that I visit every link and leave a comment; HOWEVER, if you have a Blogger hosted blog and do not allow comments using Name and URL, it does not usually accept my Typepad Profile and my comments are rarely accepted. Just letting you know I was there.

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Let the Rain

Let the rain kiss you.

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.

Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

~~Langston Hughes

☁

 

Un-alive. Void.

The mouth of depression insatiably gulped me and almost

almost claimed my last breath.

A mother who is unable to keep her son at home is not capable of loving enough

and has completely failed.

She is worthless.

And for months that is where I was.

Unexpected moments take me back to that place.

Only now I am able to leave the darkness safely with a clear head and a hopeful heart. Mostly.

Last night I returned to that place.

My son begged them, "I need to talk to my mom now, right now, please, right now."

He was allowed to call me.

My child sobbed to me by telephone last night.

His heart ached hopelessly. His soul laid bare. 

How does a mother lovingly say, "For your well-being it is not the best choice for you to come home now"?

Where in those words could anyone find comfort?

I could not hold him.

I could only cry with him from a distance,

while praying that the rain would come and sing him a lullaby.

He loves the rain.

☁

Please join me in a rain dance for Lee.

Simply say "I am dancing".

[Dancing in your heart counts]

I believe in the power of doing together.

Together is the most beautiful word.

Thank you

Love,

Melody

☁

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