Posts tagged family

Happy birthday, Brandon! I didn’t take the two in the bottom right - that’s actually me with my awesome brother (damn him for being the cute one). Brandon and I are very lucky to have friends who are like family.  The big picture includes three people we know we can always count on - Bill, Michelle, and Mark. I’m so, so happy they could make it tonight!

Happy birthday, Brandon!

I didn’t take the two in the bottom right - that’s actually me with my awesome brother (damn him for being the cute one).

Brandon and I are very lucky to have friends who are like family.  The big picture includes three people we know we can always count on - Bill, Michelle, and Mark. I’m so, so happy they could make it tonight!

Nana on her birthday - a mediocre picture of a truly wonderful person.

Nana on her birthday - a mediocre picture of a truly wonderful person.

Classic Tourist Photo: A couple of my Australian cousins at the French Lick Springs Hotel.  Though tempted, I did not talk them into drinking the Pluto water from the spring behind them. Carlie’s t-shirt says “And then I snapped” below the camera. 

Classic Tourist Photo: A couple of my Australian cousins at the French Lick Springs Hotel.  Though tempted, I did not talk them into drinking the Pluto water from the spring behind them.

Carlie’s t-shirt says “And then I snapped” below the camera. 

My hostesses in the DC area.

My hostesses in the DC area.

I spent some time reading about the Democratic Republic of Congo this morning. It’s hard not to despair. Extremely violent rape is a weapon of war leading to an epidemic of vaginal fistula - baby girls as young as 12 months. Boys taken from their families to become soldiers and the instruments of this violence. HIV/AIDS. Starvation. Lack of drinking water. Five million orphans.   I stopped reading and looked at pictures of Chad and Ian (the babies my cousin Stori and her husband Jamey adopted from the DRC) - I needed to grab onto a little hope in their faces. They were orphaned, Chad had malaria, they were underweight for their (presumed) ages.  Now they have parents, extended family, and community who love them. They are safe. They will grow up to do good in the world. And because they are here, more people will know about the DRC and maybe somehow, someday, things will improve there. Even a little.  If you have a chance, please vote for Our Family Adoptions to receive a Chase Grant. You can help in other ways: Donate to Our Family Adoptions Take action through the Enough! campaign Donate to Mercy Corps Donate to Doctors Without Borders Learn about the DRC: Democratic Republic of Congo country profile News from the DRC Sexual Warfare in the Congo Fistula epidemic Congo Women photos

I spent some time reading about the Democratic Republic of Congo this morning. It’s hard not to despair. Extremely violent rape is a weapon of war leading to an epidemic of vaginal fistula - baby girls as young as 12 months. Boys taken from their families to become soldiers and the instruments of this violence. HIV/AIDS. Starvation. Lack of drinking water. Five million orphans. 

 I stopped reading and looked at pictures of Chad and Ian (the babies my cousin Stori and her husband Jamey adopted from the DRC) - I needed to grab onto a little hope in their faces. They were orphaned, Chad had malaria, they were underweight for their (presumed) ages.  Now they have parents, extended family, and community who love them. They are safe. They will grow up to do good in the world. And because they are here, more people will know about the DRC and maybe somehow, someday, things will improve there. Even a little.

 If you have a chance, please vote for Our Family Adoptions to receive a Chase Grant.

You can help in other ways:

    Learn about the DRC:

      Yesterday I took pictures for the paper at a pancake breakfast fundraiser (featuring the Guinness Record holding Chris Cakes). The Ford family is adopting a baby from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  The fundraiser will help with their travel expenses. My cousin Stori was at the fundraiser with her husband, four children (two are from the DRC), her parents, in-laws, and grandparents.  In this photo, Stori is holding Chad while her mom Carol feeds Ian some pancakes.  That’s her grandmother Lil looking on.  Lil seemed happy that I got a picture of their four generations (though we’re missing Livia and Parker).

      Yesterday I took pictures for the paper at a pancake breakfast fundraiser (featuring the Guinness Record holding Chris Cakes). The Ford family is adopting a baby from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  The fundraiser will help with their travel expenses.

      My cousin Stori was at the fundraiser with her husband, four children (two are from the DRC), her parents, in-laws, and grandparents.  In this photo, Stori is holding Chad while her mom Carol feeds Ian some pancakes.  That’s her grandmother Lil looking on.  Lil seemed happy that I got a picture of their four generations (though we’re missing Livia and Parker).

      Baby Caleb in his overalls.  He was post-nap happy and holding his Dad’s hand.

      Baby Caleb in his overalls.  He was post-nap happy and holding his Dad’s hand.