I am sitting here surrounded by my TV, TIVO, Laptop, desktop, laser printer, photo printer, toys, etc., and wonder how life got this way. Not just my life; but everyone’s life. When did it get decided for us that we needed all of this stuff. Believe me I have bought in to this accumulation lifestyle. None of the aforemention things were thrust upon me unwillingly. What did I do before I had all of these things? Is it possible to survive without them? Do I really want to?

we received our adoption contract today from AAI for our next adoption. She here starts again the adoption process. I had forgotten the shear amount of paperwork that is needed and here we go again….

There are only 5 countries that do not guarantee paid maternity leave for its mothers–Papa New Guinea, Liberia, Lesotho, Swaziland, and the United States of America. Also–65% of all countries offer some form of paid paternity leave.

For all of our freedoms and our worry of women’s rights in other nations, American Women have completely forgotten how bad we have it here in our own country. We have been brainwashed–yes a strong word–by big business and our own desire to be as important in the business world as men. Only 12% of companies in America offer paid maternity leave–while 71% of women work. Yes there is FMLA, but this only guarantees time off–not pay–and it does not apply to everyone. This shouts loud and clear that the value of family is at the bottom of the list and the value of the all mighty dollar rules supreme.

A WOMAN representative from the department of labor was defending big business and stated many amazingly anti-family sentiments. She stated that women must take responsibility for their own actions as if having children is somehow an irresponsible decision. She also said that families must plan better to be able to afford unpaid leave–if eligible–or to provide child care. Has feminism taken us so far away from the importance of family? She also agree that people who don’t have children have the right to be upset that people who have children might get some sort of leave. As though there is absolutely no sacrifices made by those of us who take it upon our shoulders to bring forth the next generation. Yes, having a family is now a choice, but it was not always that way–only since the complete and total over population of the world.

Another sound byte that this woman managed to utter was that it would be economically devastating if we instituted mandatory paid maternity leave. yeah I am sure in this time of record profit that a few weeks of paid leave would hurt America’s corporate bottom line. This is a status quo statement propagated by big business who doesn’t want to give American workers anything that they don’t have to. Never mind that it is increasingly thought that happy employees are more productive and I have to think that a woman who is given 6 weeks paid leave will be happier and more productive than a woman who takes her two weeks vacation to have a baby and then goes back to work with no additional time off.

We are a lost nation that is wowed by the Almighty dollar and ruled by the ideals of those who hire nannies to take care of their offspring and send them off to boarding schools. Of course this set doesn’t understand the importance of family. Nor can they see they are cutting off their nose to spite their face. It is evident in our country the effects of this unraveling and under appreciation of the American family.

1. FIRST NAME: Dawn
   2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Just the sunrise
   3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Like really cry? or tearing up at a tv show? The last time I really cried was when Minnow was in the hospital in Ethiopia.
   4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Mostly
   5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Ham
   6. KIDS? Minnow 10 months–does my hubby count?
   7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOURSELF? Maybe
   8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Right now this blog is it.
   9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? absolutely–i might go whole days without talking if I wasn’t sarcastic
   10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
   11WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Not now that I am a mom.
   12WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Oatmeal.
   13 DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? I wear slip ons all the time–I don’t untie my tennis shoes.
   14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I can bench 135.
   15.WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Ted Drewes–it is a local frozen custard place
   16. SHOE SIZE? 9
   17. GREEN OR PINK–Green
   18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I can be unforgiving.
   19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My hubby when he is working.
   20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Not a message–if you want to copy and paste knock yourselves out
   21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING ? Loud striped fleece pants and tan ugg slippers.
   22. LAST THING YOU ATE? Three Muskateers.
   23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Minnow snoring through the baby monitor.
   24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Passion Purple (is this a real color? if not it should be).
   25. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SMELL? Garlic cooking.
   26. WHO IS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My hubby on my way home from class tonight
   27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Eyes.
   28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes–I copied it from someone I like a lot.
   29. Favorite DRINK? Coffee with Hazelnut syrup and a splash of cream
   30. FAVORITE SPORT? To play: cycling–yes it is a sport. To watch: football.
   31. HAIR COLOR? brown
   32. EYE COLOR? green.
   33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yes if I am not too lazy to put them on.
   34. FAVORITE FOOD? Mexican.
   35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Both
   6. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Crank
   37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? cream.
   38. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer, summer, summer–the hotter the better
   39. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs.
   40. FAVORITE DESSERT? creme brulee.
   41. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? not a clue
   42. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No idea.
   43. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Too many to list and they are all about either the history of composition or theories of composition
   44. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I am mouse padless–that’s what is great about optical mice
   45. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Top Chef Finale.
   46. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Minnow’s laughter
   47. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? The beatles
   48. THE FURTHEST YOU BEEN FROM HOME? Ethiopia
   49. TALENT? I can make people feel better.
   50. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? August 31, 71–St. Louis