Thursday, March 5, 2009

A horse knows a cowboy when he sees one

My parents are suspects in the case of urban sprawl! Their condo backs up to a "farm". Really it is more of a farmhouse with a couple of barely standing out-buildings. They also have a horse-a very sorry looking horse- that gets fed too many apples and gets a tummy ache-probably because people feel sorry for it. I will admit he does look well fed, if nothing else. The kids were yelling for the horse to come over and he obliged. They fed him apples and grass, which he seemed to enjoy very much. He took a definite liking to Collin and his cowboy hat.I think a horse knows a cowboy when he sees one! It was really funny. The video is a little long but cute. Collin actually gives the horse a kiss.
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Technology

The night before last we got a phone call at about 10pm from a number we didn't recognize. As soon as I heard the voice I knew it must be someone calling for Mama Rosa (Collin's Foster Mother)in Guatemala. I didn't really understand the broken English but I thought he was saying something about talking on the computer. I though he meant e-mail. I finally figured out that he wanted to chat online. By the time I figured it out and set up an account they were offline. The next day I was on the computer a couple of times and saw he was logged on but never got a response. Last night, I was on again and an invite to chat popped up from Rosa! Even better she has a web camera and I was able to see them live! Technology is really unbelievable! Who would have thought that we would be able to see someone and talk to them on the computer let alone someone in Guatemala. So needless to say, I had to go get a web cam. I wish they would have had a computer when Collin was there so I could have seen him every day. I probably would have done nothing but sit in front of the computer though! It was really cool seeing her family again and to see how big the kids are getting. I just got my web cam set up so hopefully tomorrow they will be able to see Collin live on the computer! I just can't get over the fact that all of these advancements have been made during my lifetime. We never had a computer growing up. The first time I used one was in college. The first time I owned one I was in my very late 20's. Now, I am lost without it. Sometimes I think we spend too much time on it but I'm grateful to be able to document Collin's story this way and to be able to share it with people literally all over the world.

Hopefully Collin will cooperate tomorrow and show off a bit for Mama Rosa and her family. I know it will make them so happy to be able to see him again.
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Guatoberfest Cruise 2009

My soapbox about the Advent Conspiracy

I came across this video on another blog. I have to admit I only looked at it for entertainment value. I assumed with a title like that, it had to be some wacko conspiracy theory and who doesn't need a good laugh. Suprisingly enough it really touched me and made me think. It didn't grab my interest because of it's religious value, because that's not really my thing. I am not the type of person that flaunts religion or believes in pushing your beliefs onto others. It touched me because of it's human value and because it shows me how quickly I forget.

When we were in Guatemala it was truly a life changing experience for a myriad of reasons, only one of which was bringing home a baby! We saw poverty that we could never imagine in this country. I remember thinking when I was there that despite all of the stress of the situation, I was more at peace than I had ever felt in my life. Among other things, there was no pressure to have more...there was nothing to have. People just lived their lives. Families worked together, lived together in cramped housing-if they had a roof over their heads at all-and they were happy! We were forced to enjoy eachother without our "creature comforts" and I loved it. I now remember hoping that once we got home, I would never lose that idea that we don't really need much at all. I realized our society makes us think we need more but we really don't. And after watching the video it makes me realize that I have failed miserably.


I had made up my mind that in order to honor my new found attitude and our sons heritage, we would sponsor a Guatemalan family every year so that they could have food and heat and their children could go to school-things we take for granted on a daily basis. For some reason I can never seem to find the money to do that- BUT- I can find the money to buy coffee every day, sometimes several times a day, Collin will see a room full of gifts on Christmas morning, I can go out to eat, I can do whatever I want for the most part. My priorities have gone right back to where they were before I experienced Guatemala and it makes me sad. That is the reason that I am posting the video in a permenant spot on the blog, so that I am constantly reminded, not only during Christmas but all year to give PRESENCE to my friends and family not PRESENTS and to give back to something that I feel very strongly about. I don't write this to push Guatemalan charity or any charity but to encourage anyone reading this to slow down and take a look at your life and see what means the most to you and see where it takes you.

Advent Conspiracy