Operation Eden

Here at Operation Eden a talented young man tells the story of the little town, Pearlington Mississippi, his Mother and brother live in. He has taken some wonderful pictures of the people and devastating pictures of the damage that hurricane Katrina did there. He has of a list of things that the people there need, things that are not getting to them through the Red Cross or FEMA. Like most blogs you need to start at the bottom and read upwards. He has a talent with photos as well as words. Check it out if you have the time.

I was going to post yesterday, but Blogger was down for a scheduled maintains. It was supposed to be only one hour, but 2 hours after it was supposed to be finished I still couldn't get on. This morning I don't remember what I was going to say. Oh well.

I had to get a new key board. Aidan spilled juice on my old one. It was 7 years old, and ergonomic style keyboard. So now I am having to get used to this new one. It's just a cheap traditional keyboard. The design is a little different, and of course the board it's self isn't split like my old one, so I keep hitting the wrong keys. (sigh) I'll get used to it, and my typing speed will get back to normal soon enough.

Aidan has learned to say "I love you too." It actually sounds more like "Of you too." But it is so sweet to hear. He has been watching Dora lately, and says "Backpack" but not when they ask kids to say it during the show. LOL He know what the backpack is though, because he points to it and says "Backpack". I'll have to see if he knows his backpack is a backpack.

Yesterday DJ turned 1. I wish I cold have been there to give him hugs and kisses and plenty of love. It was really nice spending so much time with him back in February. I miss my family so much! And my friends! I'm hoping that we can get back to Oregon pretty soon. I just don't know when that will be.

Tears of love.

I read The Girl almost everyday. This morning I got all teary eyed, because I wish I could be there to help her, because I love her and her family. And because I can't be there. I'm sure she knows that I love her, that I would do anything possible for her. However, I can't do anything about this particular situation. I have every confidence that she will be able to handle whatever life throws her way. Go in love, Little Sister.

Except for allergies I'm feeling much better now. Whatever it was went away almost as suddenly as it came. Thank goodness.

I'm thinking about baking some cinnamon rolls tonight or tomorrow. I've been wanting cinnamon rolls the last couple of days. Maybe I'll bake some bread too ... Maybe not. LOL It's getting easier to do things while Aidan is awake. He likes to pretend he is washing dishes while I cook. So I give him some plastic plates and cups and turn of the cold water. He will happily "wash" them for up to half an hour with out getting bored. Sometimes there is water on the floor but that's not too much of a problem considering I can do things in the kitchen and not have to worry about where he is and what he is doing.

Now that everything is finally cleaned up after my visitors this summer, I hope I can keep it up. That will keep my life more relaxed. We still haven't heard about moving, Howard is really getting tired of California. He would pack up today and go back to Oregon, if we had enough money to get a U-Haul. I'm a little more cautious. I'd like to have a plan before we do anything. I'd also like to have the adoption finished. But I don't know if that is going to happen. It could take 6 months or more, once we figure out how much money we will need. I have read that a home study isn't necessary, so that would save some money, if that is true. There are also ways to have some of the fees waived. I think it would be easier, and quicker to do it here. Aidan was born here and there are plenty of people who could testify about the situation. Oh well, I guess we will do what we have to do when we can.

Unknown illness.

I've had head aches and upset stomach for the last 3 days. All I've really wanted to do is sleep. That is something really hard to do when I have a family that doesn't seem to be able to function with out my help. Actually they do fine for the most part, but neither of them are used to not having me around to do things, so some things don't get done. I think I'm feeling better tonight so maybe it's past.

I need to e-mail my Mom to let her know that we aren't going to have a cell phone for a little while. We can't afford it right now, the service we were using didn't have a good connection around here, no connection in the house, and the battery on the phone wouldn't hold a charge very long. We tried to take it back to the store, and they said that they couldn't even order a new battery for us we would have to call the main office and talk to them. The main office told us to go to the store and refused to believe we had already done that. I need to let her know because I was calling every week-end and I don't want her to think I'm upset or anything.

Comment for charity.

This wonderful man will donate $1 to help those suffering from Katrina, for every one who comments to his post. He asked that the link be shared around the internet, so here it is. Go on over and post a comment. While there you might want to check into the rest of his blog, he's a writer with a book almost ready to present to publishers. I found this on His blog.

A story of a cake and a boy, in pictures.

More words!

Today Aidan came over to me and said "Gi me fie." and held his hand out palm up. It was so exciting that he said some thing new and knew exactly what it meant. So I "gave him five" as asked and he said it again. We played this game for a few minutes, then he got distracted by something across the room.

What Aidan is up to now.

Right now we are watching Sesame Street, they are singing the "School" song in Elmo's world. For those of you who don't know about Elmo's world, all the songs are sung to the tune of "Jingle Bells" and the words are repeated over and over. So the "School" song goes something like this: "School, school, school. School, school, school." I'm sure you get the idea. Anyway, Aidan is standing in front of the TV singing with them! What he is singing sounds like "Cool, cool, cool." but it is obvious that he is singing and dancing with Elmo and the others. It's the first time he has done this, and the first time he has used the word School.

He has also started to say "Eww, yucky!" when someone farts. Sometimes he uses it when he doesn't want something, or if he isn't hungry and is offered something to eat. He still doesn't say important words like "hungry or thirsty" or any other words to get what he wants. He does often say "thank you", and sometimes "you're welcome". It seems like he is making some progress with talking. My Mom thinks he doesn't talk because he doesn't have to, that might be part of it but I think it's more than that.

Happy Birthday!

Today my son, Allen, turns 23! I so, enjoyed his visit but wish that it had been able to last until his birthday, so that I could have been with him. Oh well, I'm sure he has plans. Anyway, even though I know he doesn't read blogs, I just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my sweet little boy.
(Ok so he isn't so little any more, but he is sweet.)

Word verification turned on.

I got my first comment spam today. I deleted it and turned on the word verification for comments. Now when you comment you will have to verify that you are a real person and not a bot. I'm sorry it's a bit of an inconvenience.

Summer 2005

I was playing around with the photo editing program that came with my printer/scanner and added text to some of them.

Here are a few of my favorites.

Photos

Belinda and Allen.


Xander with Belinda in the back ground. I'll post some more when I can find the camera.

Everyone went home.

Saturday we all went to Turlock so the kids could play in the park with Cody's kids. I think that Xander had a good time with the kids, Aidan couldn't really keep up with them all the time but he had a good time as well. Then we went to Cody's house and I was able to visit with Kelly and everyone until about 11PM! It was great. But then we had to come home. Allen, Xander and Belinda had to stay at Cody's so that they could go to San Francisco Sunday. I miss them so much. Sunday evening my Mom came down from Cody's and stayed until this morning. Now all I have left is dirty dishes, and a house that feels very empty all of a sudden!

I enjoyed spending time with Xander, we were able to talk some. He is really fun to have around. I wish I lived closer to him so we could spend more time together. I enjoyed Allen and Belinda as well.

Now I have to figure out how to stop feeling so alone! I didn't really realize that I missed my family so much, until they were here.

They are here!

Allen, Xander and Belinda made it here early this morning. It was about 3:45 AM when the called to get directions. By 4 they were here. They all laid down for a little bit. My Mom, who had driven them down here, slept for almost an hour. Then she went up to my brother Cody's house. Right now Allen and Belinda are still asleep, Xander woke up a little while ago. We are watching Dora the Explorer, because I'm too tired to do anything else with him right now. Maybe I'll get a nap later. Howard is working with his cousin right now, but when he gets back he is planning to fill the ring on the top of the pool with air and fill the pool so that this afternoon the boys can play in the water. I know there will be lots to tell you all about this visit, I'll try to update often.

Things I am not happy about.

Feeling like 95 degrees is a relief from the heat!

BUGS! I can't seem to get rid of the bugs, I've cleaned and sprayed and squashed, and still the ants keep coming! We've had other bugs as well, even the dreaded roaches. (I think we are actually making progress but I've had to resort to bug sprays and unpacking things I didn't want unpacked.)

Terrible two's! Especially because he doesn't talk enough yet to tell me what he wants.

Diapers! We are trying to potty train Aidan, but since he doesn't say "potty" or anything else it's kind of frustrating for all of us, but I hate changing diapers so I have to knuckle down and do it.

Feeling tired so much of the time.

All the aches and pains that go with being older and overweight.

feel free to repost as a statement against homophobia

I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian.

I am the prostitute working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman.

I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights.

We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.

I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.

I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.

I am one of the lucky ones, I guess. I survived the attack that left me in a coma for three weeks, and in another year I will probably be able to walk again.

I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.

We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted to rent a one-bedroom for two men.

I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.

I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.

I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.

I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am male.

I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.

I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.

I am the man who died when the paramedics stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual.

I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I didn’t have to always deal with society hating me.

I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don’t believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.

I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.

Snagged from Purple Goddess. Who got it from Flidhais

Allen and Aidan updates.

Allen called yesterday, they are in Oregon and doing well. I guess they missed their flight and had to wait 6 hours for another. But everything is fine now. They are planning on leaving to come down here on either the 20th or the 21st. Hooray! I can't wait to see them.

Aidan update: He still calls all animals "Buddy", but he thinks our cats name is "Kitty". He says Buddy strangely too. Something like "Buh-DEE". He reminds me of Allen when he was this age, not the talking specifically, just in general. He will eat a lot on some days, and almost nothing on others. He is thin, but not skinny. He would always rather be outside than inside, no matter how hot, cold, wet, or windy. He hasn't figured out that rules are always rules, he seems to think that it's ok to do something later even though we told him not to before.

August visits.

Allen, Belinda and Xander are going to be in Oregon today! Actually I'm not sure it will be today, or tomorrow, but I like to think it's today. Later this month they will down here for a few days before going back to NYC.

I don't think I've seen Xander for nearly 4 years. I've seen pictures, of course, and I've talked to him on the phone several times over the years. I hope that he won't be too bored while he is here, and that we can figure out enough vegetarian food for everyone to be happy.

I am really worried that things won't be right during their visit. Our house is so small, it's summer and we can't get rid of the bugs. It's going to be hot, I don't know very much about vegetarian cooking, and I don't have much for a 6 year old to do.

I hope that Aidan will not cause too much of a problem, I know that Belinda doesn't want to have any kids, two year olds can be quite a pain for even the most tolerant of people. I haven't met her so I don't know he feelings about kids. She might love them, enjoy playing with them, be tolerant of every little quirk even the worst behaved child can have, but just doesn't feel the desire to have any of her own for her own reasons. Or she could be nervous around kids, quickly irritated by them and grossed out by the thought of grubby little hands touching her. I'm sure that she wouldn't be coming to visit if she really felt the latter, I'm sure that Allen has told her enough about us that she knows how things are around here. But I worry anyway. I want her visit to be good, I want to get to know her and to become friends with her. Especially if she is going to be in my son's life, and the life of my Grandson.

I want Xander to be happy while he is here as well. In fact I'm more worried about how he will feel about Aidan than anyone else. 6 year old boys and 2 year old boys don't have a lot in common. It can be quite annoying when someone keep bothering you, Aidan is good at that. (Oh, and I'm sure Xander won't like being called a baby. That's what Aidan says when he sees kids, to him they are all babies.) From what my Mom and Dad say Xander is a very nice and polite child, so I'm sure that he won't make a big fuss, but I don't want his visit to feel uncomfortable to him.

It will be okay I'm sure. I'm just looking forward to this visit so much! I want everything to be as perfect as possible. (Sigh)

"Everything will be fine. Everything - Will - Be - Fine." Whisper to myself.

Adagio Tea

This place has some really great teas. I like their paper filters which are kind of like tea bags but allow you to fill them with the tea you like best. Howard can take them to work and make a cup of tea without any mess. I would like to have this for here at home. I don't drink a lot of tea, but I might if it were easier. Howard like Herbal teas, I think I'd go for Green or Black myself. Anyway, if you get the chance check them out. Try their teas. I think you'll like it.