Violet

There are lots of different types of violets. All pretty.

Wild Violets


Wood Violets


Sweet Violets


African Violets


As a flower, Violet has a variety of meanings: love, modesty, virtue, affection, and faithfulness. Violets are fragrant and have heart-shaped leaves.

Violet is a combination of blue and red.
Red: focusing, dynamic, active energy
Blue: cooling, calming and expansive.
Violet represents harmony because it is a combination of red (yang) and blue (yin).

Can it get any better? Why, yes! Yes, it can.

Violet is the name of her great-great grandmother.

We don't know if it will be her first name or her middle name, but we are feeling certain about Violet. Plus, I love nicknames and Violet can easily be shortened to Vie (French for "life").

Yes, HER.

*It should be carefully noted that none of the reasons for loving Violet include Ben or Jen. Lovely people, I'm sure. We've always loved the name. It has been our girl name for as long as I can remember. When Jen was pregnant and it was rumored that her girl would be named Violet...oh, I was NOT happy. I'm over that and now I am able to embrace that they just have good taste also :)

I DID IT!*

I bought a sewing machine.

We stared at each another for a few days.
I read and reread the instruction booklet. I read and reread patterns. I bought material and thread and a seam ripper.
Tommy asked me when I was going to use the machine.
I told him I wasn't quite ready.
Tommy glanced at it, spent .8 seconds threading it, and began to sew.
I told him it was MINE (I learned from Judah) and that I was finally ready.
I made two skirts.
Here's one:

(the model is my lovely niece on her 2nd birthday)

I'm proud. Very, very proud.

*one of Judah's favorite things to say...

UNICEF?

I've thought a lot about charities. Which ones I like to support. Especially right now, when my heart feels so heavy and aches for the people of Haiti.

There is no doubt that UNICEF has done a lot of good work for children who desperately need it.

I disagree with their stance on international adoption.

Click here


What do you think?

No words

I haven't written a word about Haiti. I can't.

I'm consumed with images. I couldn't sleep for a few nights.* My heart is broken. I'm sure yours is too.


* The American Red Cross
* Food for the Poor
* World Vision
* Care

*If you know me, that's the one area I excel in. Sleeping. Seriously excel. I fall asleep within a minute of laying down and stay that way until my alarm goes off. It's more like a coma than sleep. Nothing wakes me. When we were waiting to bring Judah home, I had seriously panicked filled moments about it. I feared that I wouldn't wake up when Judah needed me at night. This fear did not materialize. His slightest peep wakes me (even though my dog standing on me licking my face does not).

Judah's First Movie Review

Tonight Judah went to his FIRST movie theater movie. He laughed his great belly laugh, kicking his feet and throwing his head back at the good parts. When the music played, he enthusiastically snapped his fingers.

He loved it.

We decided that we needed to document his thoughts and feelings.