The Canadian government is now matching individual donations to Haiti. One agency approved to accept these donations in PLAN Canada.
RBC and Walmart have also agreed to match donations to Haiti relief. Just drop by any location to make a donation.
See this news article in the Sun for more info:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2010/01/13/12456551.html
Friday, January 15, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Haiti Earthquake
I was on a long drive home last night when I heard about the earthquake in Haiti. I had called home for messages and on the machine, there was a concerned friend who let me know about the earthquake...I hadn't heard yet.
So with D asleep in the backseat I frantically tried to find a radio news station for more info. I couldn't find one but I managed to get a hold of my mom who I implored to please quickly go online and find out more. Where did happen?!!! How bad was it? Upon reading all she could find was that it was a 7.0 on the richter scale, a hospital had collapsed, and that thousands were dead. The rest of the way home all I could think of were the faces that I have been studying for the past several months. I know all their names. Oh my God. No. I feel like I know them all. One of them is my son! Were they alive? Were they okay? I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. My heart was aching. I began to pray. For 45 minutes I quietly drove home and wondered if a nightmare awaited me there.
As soon as I got in the door I dove for the phone number of the adoption coordinator for HCH. Thankfully, she answered on the second ring. Somehow, she had spoken to the orphanage director before the lines became jammed, or dropped or lost and was assured that everyone was okay. Thank God. Exhale. So far disaster averted.... for me....for now.
Unfortunately though, not for the tens of thousands feared dead. No, the nightmare is just beginning for those families. In the staggering damage of the earthquake on this third world country, it is as one news article put it; like kicking them when they are down. A nation where many make and eat mudchips as a viable way to cure their hunger. What is in store in the aftermath of a country abused by nature like a shaken baby.
Thankfully, many relief organizations are already stationed in Haiti and have hit the ground running. If you wish to help the relief effort in Haiti, you can do so by donating to any of the organizations listed in the upper right, or you can click the 'donate' button in the top right hand corner of this blog and I will ensure that the money finds the hands of the people working to help Haiti.
So with D asleep in the backseat I frantically tried to find a radio news station for more info. I couldn't find one but I managed to get a hold of my mom who I implored to please quickly go online and find out more. Where did happen?!!! How bad was it? Upon reading all she could find was that it was a 7.0 on the richter scale, a hospital had collapsed, and that thousands were dead. The rest of the way home all I could think of were the faces that I have been studying for the past several months. I know all their names. Oh my God. No. I feel like I know them all. One of them is my son! Were they alive? Were they okay? I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. My heart was aching. I began to pray. For 45 minutes I quietly drove home and wondered if a nightmare awaited me there.
As soon as I got in the door I dove for the phone number of the adoption coordinator for HCH. Thankfully, she answered on the second ring. Somehow, she had spoken to the orphanage director before the lines became jammed, or dropped or lost and was assured that everyone was okay. Thank God. Exhale. So far disaster averted.... for me....for now.
Unfortunately though, not for the tens of thousands feared dead. No, the nightmare is just beginning for those families. In the staggering damage of the earthquake on this third world country, it is as one news article put it; like kicking them when they are down. A nation where many make and eat mudchips as a viable way to cure their hunger. What is in store in the aftermath of a country abused by nature like a shaken baby.
Thankfully, many relief organizations are already stationed in Haiti and have hit the ground running. If you wish to help the relief effort in Haiti, you can do so by donating to any of the organizations listed in the upper right, or you can click the 'donate' button in the top right hand corner of this blog and I will ensure that the money finds the hands of the people working to help Haiti.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Welcome 2010!
Did anyone see the blue moon last night/this morning? It was big and beautiful like a grey harvest moon and hung low in the sky.
For those who are unfamiliar, according to wikipedia, "A blue moon is a full moon that is not timed to the regular monthly pattern. Most years have twelve full moons which occur approximately monthly, but in addition to those twelve full lunar cycles, each solar calendar year contains an excess of roughly eleven days compared to the lunar year. The extra days accumulate, so that every two or three years (7 times in the 19-year Metonic cycle), there is an extra full moon. The extra moon is called a "blue moon." Different definitions place the "extra" moon at different times."
In addition, a blue moon occuring on New Years happens only every 19 years.
I plan to consider this a good omen for the year to come. I am happy to close the door on 2009 with little sentimentality.
Bring on the New Year! Welcome 2010!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
ack! no more whining!
Does anyone else have kids who turn into little monsters after Christmas? I can't believe how awful they are today! Grrr. Over sugared, spoiled and tired. That's it! Next year, no presents. No candy. More rest.
Really. They got so much that it is just ridiculous. I feel embarrassed. All of this extravagance is so distracting from the essence of this time of year. Everything that I love about Christmas. The magic. The spirit. The mood that I apparently try to re-create through the disproportionate amount of food and presents. It has robbed me of fully experiencing what I set out to encounter. The value of appreciating what you have. Enjoying the gift of nature, of life. Gratitude and joy!
Instead, I am left with this post-Christmas hangover of greed, consumerism, and over-indulgence. A deflated sense of disapointment looms over my head like a Eeyore's raincloud. Do you know how many bags of garbage are going out in the trash tomorrow morning? I am embarrassed at the pile that will be sitting on my curb. Of packaging and non-recyclables. Not to mention all that plastic toy goodness that will spend the next 6 months in my basement and three thousand years thereafter in the landfill. Thank goodness the garbage man comes early and the days are short, so it should still be dark at pick up time! If I am lucky, my neighbours won't notice. I am so sorry planet!
It's no wonder there is such thing as a New Year's resolution. How could you not want to turn over a new leaf after all of this gluttony? Yep. Next year I want to try something new. No presents. No excess. This is my New Year's resolution. Can someone please remind me of this when the mad Christmas rush starts again next season?
Really. They got so much that it is just ridiculous. I feel embarrassed. All of this extravagance is so distracting from the essence of this time of year. Everything that I love about Christmas. The magic. The spirit. The mood that I apparently try to re-create through the disproportionate amount of food and presents. It has robbed me of fully experiencing what I set out to encounter. The value of appreciating what you have. Enjoying the gift of nature, of life. Gratitude and joy!
Instead, I am left with this post-Christmas hangover of greed, consumerism, and over-indulgence. A deflated sense of disapointment looms over my head like a Eeyore's raincloud. Do you know how many bags of garbage are going out in the trash tomorrow morning? I am embarrassed at the pile that will be sitting on my curb. Of packaging and non-recyclables. Not to mention all that plastic toy goodness that will spend the next 6 months in my basement and three thousand years thereafter in the landfill. Thank goodness the garbage man comes early and the days are short, so it should still be dark at pick up time! If I am lucky, my neighbours won't notice. I am so sorry planet!
It's no wonder there is such thing as a New Year's resolution. How could you not want to turn over a new leaf after all of this gluttony? Yep. Next year I want to try something new. No presents. No excess. This is my New Year's resolution. Can someone please remind me of this when the mad Christmas rush starts again next season?
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
A new beginning; another mountain
I have been waiting to write this post until I was comfortable enough with this decision to put it into words. We have decided not to renew with the new Imagine for various reasons. A major factor was our decision to begin an adoption from Haiti late this summer. We initially intended to proceed with both countries, but have now settled on Haiti alone.
We feel we have come full circle, since Haiti was our first country of choice, however, at the time we began our adoption, we did not meet the country's requirement of being married for 10 years. So this summer, when our adoption practitioner mentioned that there were 12 baby boys waiting for families in Haiti, we re-assessed our situation and discovered that we will have been married for 10 years by the time we get to court. We realize the risk in starting all over again, and it is a calculated one, however, the risk is no greater than proceeding with Ethiopia, either. We have learned the very hard way that there is no guarantee in International adoption.
On a lighter note, we LOVE everything about the orphanage we are adopting from. We are doing this adoption privately right from the orphanage. Which means, we work directly with them, with no facilitator in between. We are very confident in the people running this orphanage and are so happy to have access to information, pictures and videos along the way. I have posted a video at the bottom of this blog from Haiti Children's Home. If you have ever considered adoption, please watch the video with an open heart, as the majority of the children currently residing in the home need forever families!
I want to thank everyone again for your loving support on this journey.
We feel we have come full circle, since Haiti was our first country of choice, however, at the time we began our adoption, we did not meet the country's requirement of being married for 10 years. So this summer, when our adoption practitioner mentioned that there were 12 baby boys waiting for families in Haiti, we re-assessed our situation and discovered that we will have been married for 10 years by the time we get to court. We realize the risk in starting all over again, and it is a calculated one, however, the risk is no greater than proceeding with Ethiopia, either. We have learned the very hard way that there is no guarantee in International adoption.
On a lighter note, we LOVE everything about the orphanage we are adopting from. We are doing this adoption privately right from the orphanage. Which means, we work directly with them, with no facilitator in between. We are very confident in the people running this orphanage and are so happy to have access to information, pictures and videos along the way. I have posted a video at the bottom of this blog from Haiti Children's Home. If you have ever considered adoption, please watch the video with an open heart, as the majority of the children currently residing in the home need forever families!
I want to thank everyone again for your loving support on this journey.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Gratitude
First of all I would like to say a gigantic THANK YOU to everyone who showed your support at the garage sale.
We live in the best community in the world!! The show of love and support was outstanding. It makes me all emotional to realize what a solid support system we have here - great neighbors, great friends and great people. We are truly overwhelmed by the generosity and caring. Full of gratitude!!
The sale was a great success!! I believe the last count we were at about $1500,and we haven't even added up the recyclables money yet! Fantastic!! We are all wonderful :)
On another note, I had a dream last night that our referral came in. For some reason, it was a little baby boy. I got to meet his mother. I was crying and bouncing off the walls I was so happy. So since I woke up and realized that I was dreaming I have been feeling a little down this morning. I hope that one day I will be able to cry those tears of joy and scream with excitement. I pray for that day every day. I will keep at it until we bring our children home. Thank you all again for helping us take another step in that direction.
We live in the best community in the world!! The show of love and support was outstanding. It makes me all emotional to realize what a solid support system we have here - great neighbors, great friends and great people. We are truly overwhelmed by the generosity and caring. Full of gratitude!!
The sale was a great success!! I believe the last count we were at about $1500,and we haven't even added up the recyclables money yet! Fantastic!! We are all wonderful :)
On another note, I had a dream last night that our referral came in. For some reason, it was a little baby boy. I got to meet his mother. I was crying and bouncing off the walls I was so happy. So since I woke up and realized that I was dreaming I have been feeling a little down this morning. I hope that one day I will be able to cry those tears of joy and scream with excitement. I pray for that day every day. I will keep at it until we bring our children home. Thank you all again for helping us take another step in that direction.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Good News!
I got to go on Global Edmonton tonight to talk about the restructuring plan!
Yahoo!
All is looking good. What a difference from almost 2 months ago when our world shattered. This is totally an answer to our prayers, and a resounding echo to our mantra from the very beginning "Yes We Can!"
Late Friday night we received a restructuring plan from BDO Dunwoody that outlines a very viable plan to allow our adoptions to be processed. Each family has been asked to contribute a $4000 renewal fee which will allow the agency to resume operations and complete our adoptions.
Another huge blessing is that many of the creditor's who were not families have agreed to reduce their claims, which have kept the restructuring costs lower.
There will be a new board of directors, and the new agency will be closely monitored by both the Trustee as well as the Government.
I am trying to remain cautious, as this plan hinges on the approval of the majority of creditors at the creditor's meeting on Sept.21st. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we wait to exhale.
If you want to check out the news clip from this evening, go to the following link and click on Sept.7th evening news - it is about 8-9 mins in.
Thank you all who have maintained your love and support through these past 2 months.
http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/video/index.html
Yahoo!
All is looking good. What a difference from almost 2 months ago when our world shattered. This is totally an answer to our prayers, and a resounding echo to our mantra from the very beginning "Yes We Can!"
Late Friday night we received a restructuring plan from BDO Dunwoody that outlines a very viable plan to allow our adoptions to be processed. Each family has been asked to contribute a $4000 renewal fee which will allow the agency to resume operations and complete our adoptions.
Another huge blessing is that many of the creditor's who were not families have agreed to reduce their claims, which have kept the restructuring costs lower.
There will be a new board of directors, and the new agency will be closely monitored by both the Trustee as well as the Government.
I am trying to remain cautious, as this plan hinges on the approval of the majority of creditors at the creditor's meeting on Sept.21st. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we wait to exhale.
If you want to check out the news clip from this evening, go to the following link and click on Sept.7th evening news - it is about 8-9 mins in.
Thank you all who have maintained your love and support through these past 2 months.
http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/video/index.html
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