Outrage

I am mortified by the recent return of an adopted Russian buy.  If you haven't heard, a boy (now age 7) was adopted from Russia by a family in Tennessee last year (September, I believe).  This past week, the boy's adopted Grandmother (GRANDMOTHER, not mother) bought him a one way ticket and put him on a plane back to Russia, hired a driver, and had him delievered to the Russian education ministry--unannounced!!! 

What in the world possessed this woman to do something so henious, especially to a child!  And not just any child, but one who has had more heartache than any child should have to deal with!!  It breaks my heart and I just want to cry.  I have such a heart for parentless children (surprising, since I'm not crazy about kids).  For as long as I can remember I have wanted to adopt an unwanted child--to choose to provide a home to someone without one. 

I think what gets me more than anything is that it was the GRANDMOTHER!!!!!  Where was the adopted mother in this?  I get that things were hard--they will never be easy with adoption!  I get that there are struggles, but to completely disregard not only your legal obligations, but also your moral obligations with taking this child in and promising to love them as your own. 

According to an article on CNN, the boy--Justin--cried that he missed his grandmother--the same woman who deliberately abandoned him! I really really hope that there is some way this woman will be prosecuted.  She has single-handedly threatened adoption-relations between the U.S. and Russia. 

I'll say it again, this just makes me cry. 

I'm trying not to be boring (although failing miserably)...

I really enjoyed this weekend.  The weather was wonderful for every bit of it--made it a little hard to come back to work today.  Saturday evening was very enjoyable--I found a great rain coat (on clearance!), ordered take-out, and listened to Dvorak's 8th Symphony.  It was beautiful--just the thing I was in the mood for.  The second movement, particularly caught my attention.  It had such a sweeping, emotional (read: romantic) melody. 

Church on Sunday was really good.  We actually got up in time for Sunday School.  It was the first time we'd been at this church and we definitely want to keep going.  The minister just started a study on Revelations.  The sermon was also wonderful, yet heavy (in a good way).  We will be going through 2 Corinthians for a time.  I'm looking forward to what God will teach me during both of these studies.   

I also finished the sixth Harry Potter book.  I've been working my way through them and this was the first one that I really noticed a much more mature writing style.  I didn't like the fifth book and the fourth still seemed somewhat juvenile (although I really liked it).  So, the seventh has begun, but my paper is getting in the way.  :-)

Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Oh What a Beautiful Day!

It is a gorgeous (although pollen-y) day here!  I've enjoyed it immensely thus far.  Wonderful, relaxing wake up, breakfast (that someone else cooked) outside in the sun, and wonderful weather to enjoy.  I spent some time on my plants this morning--I don't have a green thumb, although I'm trying.  All the blinds are open and the natural sunlight is intoxicating.  I plan on running some errands later and plan to enjoy the weather while I'm out and about.  Now, if only I didn't have to work on my paper.  :-/

The Beginning

Well, I'm going to try and give this a go...again.  :-)

I've never been very successful in the past, but I plan to approach this a little differently.  First, I tend to be long-winded, so I get discouraged because I don't seem to have enough time.  Second, I'm a realist (although most would say pessimist).  No one wants to read about the horrors of life.  I'm not doing this to get a great following (although I do hope someone stumbles across it), I'm doing it as a bit of an outlet for me.  I tend to hold things in and stew over them.  Third, I love art-be it visual, audio, or edible.  I love to view it, listen to it, and create it.  My husband, who loves food, regularly compares meals to works of art (a big complement when it happens to be a meal I've cooked).  I've talked about creating a food blog, but ultimately decided that wouldn't be interesting enough because most people aren't as fanatic about cooking as I am.  Fourth, I'm a bit of a wine snob, coffee snob, tea snob, spice snob, you-name-it snob.  I like the finer things in life and love to share when I find something wonderful.  Fifth, I have been slacking lately in recognizing my Savior in the both the beauties and pitfalls of life. 

So, here are my goals:

1.  Short, concise posts--for the most part

2.  Try to recognize the beauty of life around me which will help my need to become more positive

3.  Share victories of life, things that become art--whether permanent or temporal

4.  In those victories, recognize the grace and presence of God