About Me

We only go around once, but if we do it right, once is enough~

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Orphanage In Brazil


When we were living in Brazil, our travel and social schedule was hectic. When free time finally became available,
I wanted to see be part of everything. When asked if I would like to visit one of the orpahages that was not too far from Brasilia, I jumped at the opportunity.

The first day for me to visist this little outpost felt rewarding yet bewildering. The children seemed only curious about the four of us. Even though we had brought toys and smiles, their little faces didn't change. They held onto their fixed sad face. They didn't even smiIe as we handed them a toy.
Their sad little faces seemed to be the only look they knew.
I couldn't help but wonder if our presence made them insecure in some way. I couldn't assess what they were thinking. Was it that they never had visitors and didn't know what to expect? Maybe they knew what I didn't know at the time ~ the toys would only be collected after we left. Being glad and happy didn't seem to be a part of their world.

Two slight built and no doubt over-worked nuns lived there with the 20 or so children. As you can see, they were dressed in regular clothes. They were soft spoken and kept their distance. No one met us as to be in charge. We were allowed to mingle and go where we pleased. This was my first time ever to visit an orphanage. Didn't take long to know it wouldn't be my last.


I fell in love with the little girl you see sitting on my lap. She was the most beautiful child I had ever, ever seen.



Each visit was basically only to take toys and socialize with the little ones. All they wanted was to be near, be held and perhaps snatch a brief moment of love.
The little girl on my lap had an ear full of drainage from an untreated ear infection. It was easy to want to whisk away these children and make their lives better. My love for this little girl soon overwhelmed me to the point of seriously wanting to adopt her. To my great disappointment, there was a mother somewhere in the picture making her unavailable to be adopted.
That didn't keep me from driving the 70 kms out of Brazila when possible to take things, visit all and hold that little girl.

Toys taken one week would not be there the following week. When I asked the nuns about this, was met with silence. We learned not to ask about this, as the toys were always sold.
Wash day was everyday for all these children. A couple of tubs outside for this task and hang clothes on barbed-wire clothes lines. Clothes pins would have been a luxery for this place. She is using the fence and bike as well.

One day when walking through the one large room where the children slept and stayed if not outside. The room had rows and rows of little beds.
In a far courner was a little boy on his bed apparently sleeping this mid-afternoon. A closer look told me he wasn't well. A touch told me his fever was extreme. He didn't respond at all. I guessed him to be about 6 or 7 years old. I always thought of my own children when I encountered the unknown illness...
and went immediately to the nun who was in the kitchen.

Did she know the child was very, very sick? Yes, she responded and kept on with her task. Can we get a doctor to see him? The doctor would be there on his routine rounds which was due in two weeks. "No, he can't wait," I said, "this child needs to be seen immediately."
She was calm and unmoved. "Can't we have the doctor come to see him now?"
She explained he had a schedule and only came once a month.

Here I was, interjecting my own culture into the world they knew. When I realized the woman was doing as well as she could, I returned to the child
to assess him more closely. For sure, he was in very serious condition. I wanted to scoop him up and take him with me to the Embassy Doctor, but knew this would not be acceptable. There was no choice but to leave him there. In my heart, I desperately wanted to help this little guy.
I thought of our own doctor.

The 70 kms went quickly as I drove to the American Embassy and into the medical clinic.. "What can we do?" The answer was 'nothing.' To interfer could even cause an International incident. To take and administer medicine was ill-advised. I was to stand down and do nothing. Was too late in the afternoon to return and with nothing to do. I went home...to ponder and think of how awful poverty is in this world.

I wish I had taken that advise in full and stayed home the next day, but no...as soon as my children were on their school bus, I was on my way to do what I could for this little boy who was dying all alone in this room. It hurt to know no one was there with him...no one to wash his face and care for him. No one to love him.

When I drove up to the orphanage, the children were scattered here and there. I walked straight to the little boys bed. My heart sank ...the bed empty....it was made up all neat and orderly. Children had followed me into the building and now looking up at me with those big eyes. No one smiled...not even me.
I picked up my little girl and they all followed me outside to sit in the sun.


iJune

"Mom Jeans"

What an insult~
The Fashion Designers have given a name to descent looking blue jeans.
Our classis denim jeans...the ones
that come up to a properly cinched waist now have a name~
they are now known as
"Mom Jeans"?
Am told Mom Jeans or any slacks that isn't a 'hip hugger' are totally out of style.
The fashion designers are saying that by cutting 3 or so inches from the top of the pants to place it down on the hip,
gives the illusion our bottom ends there.
Making the look of a
much smaller bottom.
~THEY HAVE TO BE KIDDING~How stupid do they think we are?
They have only created the 'Muffin Top.'
"Muffin Top"
is the name for the flab of an oversized waist that hangs over the top of the in style jeans.
When we see this, are we supposed to still
think this person has a small bottom?
GIVE ME A BREAK.
I know, there isn't anything else to buy.
My answer is Muffin Tops could wear a long shirt to cover the unattractive
mid section instead of tattooing.
Do you agree?
iJune

BRAZILIAN ORPHANAGE MEMORY


Am FINALLY going through photos saved over the years, looking for special photos to add to this and that story.


Finally found the ones needed for upcoming story.

Brazilian Orphanage story to post tomorrow.

Thinking about that those experiences kept we awake last night...

We can usually deal with most things in life, but when it comes
to children and to know we are powerless to help,
sends an invisible sword into my soul.


iJune

Friday, February 1, 2008

Amazon River


On one trip up to the Amazon River, this little monkey came to me...
but they wouldn't let me take him back to our home in Barazilia.
One of my lifetime dreams was to see and travel the mighty Amazon River~

~ Dream comes true ~

Another Amazon traveler...
Another tour boat passes us.

The river is over 4,000 miles long~the GREATEST River in the World.
Children board the boat to sell trinkets...we socialize and buy their hand made necklaces.
Indian Villages and little towns along the Amazon River

are built on logs to rise and fall with the river.

Dry season is one thing, however, it is said when the rainy season comes, the river can rise 30 feet or more over night. On logs, they are safe from floods.
River boats make frequent trips up and down the AMAZING river.
The water isn't clear ~ always muddy as you see.
Traveling the river we came to places that are so wide, you cannot see either shore. The great river branches off in all directions into the dense rainforrest and jungle. The branches are are rivers onto themselves and so wide at times,

it almost impossible to determine which is true course of the main river.







Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Della


When my granddaughter gave me her school paper, my heart swelled.
She and I have had a prodigious bond since the day she was born.
When she tells me "I love you," those words register directly into my heart.
Then I wonder ...
Did I ever expressed that to my own grandmother, Dell? She was the one person I always loved beyond words.
Did I ever TELL her?
Della was my heroine. When I was born, she had already lived most of her life.
As a young woman, she married into a family who actually was still recovering from the Civil War.
As most families, ours suffered deep wounds and losses not only in battle, but suffered the loss of their culture, their way of life.
And as all people of the South in the years after, Della's life most certainly had not been easy.
My family's peaceful and beautiful place was once know as "a plantation."
Now, "The Waaar" as they called it had changed everything.
When Della marred Stonewall, (my grandfather) she moved in with his parents.
(my great-grandparents)
This beautiful spread of land was now "a farm."
The fields of cotton, corn and vegatable garden continued to be planted and harvested. The fruit orchards spread over the hill side. The barns and iron shop were busy as was the making of syrup from sugar cane.
It was a beautiful place to be born.
Della was a beautiful and loving grandmother.
Long dark hair with gray highlights was worn in a braid on her head like a crown.
Della's face was that of an angel.
I always knew I had her eyes. as did my Dad.
She wore long dresses with lace-up boots. The dresses were not fancy, but cotton and cool with petticoats to make them moderately full.
On a busy day, which was everyday that company didn't come,
she wore a large apron over the skirt of her dress. The apron was pulled up to quickly become her basket to gather eggs or pick apples for a pie.
As a little girl,
I toddled in her shadow.
I knew very little about her.
I only knew that I loved her.
iJune

It's A GIRL !!

To learn the gender of an expected baby is as exciting as having to wait until the birth.
Today, we rejoice. It is A GIRL !!!
God willing and all goes will, she will be delivered via c-section
to Katherine and Garrett
on June 10th.
Can't wait to meet her.
iJune

Monday, January 28, 2008

A Somber Question

It was 1 o'clock in the morning and everyone "who had any sense," as my Dad used to say, would have been in bed sleeping.

We weren't, of course. We were somewhere in the Caribbean Ocean aboard a Cruise Ship. There, in the Ball Room of the ship, the band played all our favoirtes to happy people on the dance floor. They didn't seem to notice the ship rolling from one side to the other, as if to keep in rhythm with the music. What great music. We could see the moon on the water. What a beautiful site. It was totally surreal. Was one of those evenings that you wish would never come on an end.

My thoughts went to my friend who had invited me to join her on this cruise. She and I went to high school together. A very long friendship, indeed. This night, she had already turned in, leaving me with all the gang we had met on the ship.

My friend had just been told she was in remission from cancer and the doctor advised her to do everything she ever wanted to do and do it as quickly as she can. When she called with this good news, she went on to say she had always wanted to go on a cruise and wanted me to go with her. I was so honored that she thought of me. We booked it immediately and booked it First Class. And, bottom line~ we had a BALL.

Back to this night, thinking of her situation put me in a somber mood.

I wanted to ask all the people at the table a question that actually I had been thinking about. This is the quesion.

"What would you do if you were told you had only one year to live? You would be in reasonably good health up until the very end and then a quick demise. How would you want to spend this year?"

After much consideration, everyone answered.

My own answer was sentimental.

Dwelling later on my answer, I decided to carry out my thoughts and do it right away, which I did. I had a deep desire...like a wish, to revisit all the people who had played a significant roll in my life. I wanted to spend time with them and talk one to one ~ to know them now and know how they view life. Doing this lead me to discovering many people I had lost along the way. T'was a fabulous experience.

Please share how you have lived out your wishes.

iJune








Ex- Idol Performs at Birthday Party


And now I KNOW why I had to babysit all the grandbabies this past weekend~

~ The Washington Post tells it all.
Why?
A Birthday party~
I knew Bucky Covington, an ex-Idol contestant was there to perform. He was cute, but not my personal favorite.
I didn't know ex-Idols were available to rent, did you?

Here is the story that is in the Washington Post this morning~
In case you can't read it~
"A Birthday Serenade From Her Favorite Idol
Now we know how was placing all those toll-free calls! Diane Schuler, of Great Falls got a special surprise for her 40th birthday party, hosted by her spinal surgeon husband Tom, at the Briar Patch Bed and Breakfast in Middleburg. Country singer Bucky Covington wom you may (or may not) remember as the long hair who placed eighth on "American Idol" in 2006....etc, etc..."

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Heavy Duty Babysitting Weekend

Toys everywhere~ children everywhere~
noise replaces the usual tranquil morning. Sounds of little cars and children's chatter, the dog running.
Ahhhhhhhh or should I say Awwwwwwwww
It's babysitting weekend.
As they grow older and heavier they
still want me to
carry them up the stairs.
From somewhere comes the strength.
We can't complain.
Soon these days will be gone forever.
iJune

Memories ~ Life is a great trip!


View My Stats

Blog Archive