Good News - Mostly...

Thanks to all of you who signed the One petition that I blogged about a few weeks ago...

"Great news today. The 2011 US budget that passed Congress last night preserves nearly all funding for key programs fighting poverty in the developing world.

The threat of Congress severely cutting these programs was very real. In fact, the budget that's currently on its way to the President's desk for his signature makes some of the most significant cuts to the federal government in American history. But we campaigned hard to make sure Congress prioritized programs that save lives, and now programs that fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, and hunger will maintain full funding."

Other good news: Thanks to many of you who have purchased necklaces, I was able to commit to sponsoring TWO of these beautiful women in Ethiopia! They will be given micro loans to start their own small business. I am so honored to be able to do this and look forward to having contact with them. I also love the idea that some of us (adoptive moms/fellow bloggers) may even meet up with these women some day...a few of you have expressed interest in an adoptive mom type mission trip...sounds great to me!

Now it is time for me to travel to the "windy city" (Chicago) to watch my lovely daughter and her awesome dance friends compete this weekend. I am looking forward to watching some great dancing, enjoying an all "girls" weekend, doing a little shopping, and reading a great new book.

Many of us have read Melissa Fay Greene's book There Is No Me Without You, and I was excited to order her new book as soon as it came out. I am only on the first chapter, but am already loving it! She writes about parenting in her new book...she has nine children, five who are adopted (four from Ethiopia).

The one tiny little bummer to report, is that last night Grace learned not to walk in the path of a swinging baseball bat. She took a hit to her eye. It immediately swelled up and turned purple. We spent some time at the after hours doctor's office. She checked out OK, so now we use ice, apply ointment, and try not to stare at her too much. Sometimes we forget that there are things she still doesn't fully understand (like stay out of the way when your brother is hitting the ball).

Her siblings taught her to say "you should see the other kid."