KONY 2012: My thoughts on your negative ones

For the last five years, I taught high schoolers a class called African-Asian studies. It was a survey of the history, culture, religions, and geography of two continents that my students often didn't know much or anything about. Throughout my teaching career, the Invisible Children organization came to my school and presented their different videos and informed kids what was going on in Uganda. Every year, I saw students affected by what they saw. Sometimes disbelief, but often sadness and a desire to help make a change for the children of Uganda. Students started clubs, raised money for schools in Uganda, and opened their eyes to the world beyond Chester county.

This week, Invisible Children released a new campaign called KONY 2012. There has been a great outpouring, but with lots of criticism as well. If you haven't already, take the time to watch the video and understand what the purpose of the KONY 2012 campaign is.



"KONY 2012 IS A FILM AND CAMPAIGN BY INVISIBLE CHILDREN THAT AIMS TO MAKE JOSEPH KONY FAMOUS, NOT TO CELEBRATE HIM, BUT TO RAISE SUPPORT FOR HIS ARREST AND SET A PRECEDENT FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE."

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

For me, the negativity is hard to understand. It's hard to comprehend people's criticism of a group trying so desperately to make a change to better the lives of people in Central Africa. It's hard to understand why people can't see the hope of the message found in Invisible Children- the idea that no matter who you are you can make a difference. IC started with 3 college kids who saw the devastating circumstances children were living in and have spent the last 9 years working tirelessly to try to make a difference for people they could have just forgotten about. It's hard to understand how the critiques can be made and yet so many of the people critiquing it aren't coming up with any other solutions to the problem.

And, when it comes down to it---

Isn't this what we want for future generations? Don't we want kids to see beyond themselves and to the great needs of the world? Don't we want to empower them to dream big and to leave the world a better place than when they came? 

Well, I do. And if it takes something like the Invisible Children organization to motivate, educate, and grab the attention of our youth and the world, then I think they're right on.

two years

Everett-

I can't believe it. Two years, already? It seems like just yesterday we held you for the first time and, then again, I forget what life was like without you. This year has been so much fun. You really grew from a baby to a little boy. You mastered the art of running and also of falling. You found a love for swimming and baseball, horses and dogs, Buzz and Woody. You went from one or two words to more words than I can count. You make us laugh every day at the funny things you say and repeat and do. You'll do anything to make people laugh and love an audience. You bring so much joy, so much laughter, so much life to our family. We can't wait to see all that this year holds. I can't wait for more adventures and getting to see you as a big brother!

Happy 2nd Birthday my sweet boy.

I love you so much,

Mama

month by month

He was so little. So mobile and smiley and into everything, which still hasn't changed. 

Summer time. Everett loved everything about it. Swimming in the pool. Going to the cottage and the cabin in Canada.
 He still had what we lovingly refer to as his "Michael Strahan smile."

Blonde and tan. Summer looked good on Everett. He had a blast at the beach with his buddy Nolan. 

Trips to Springton Manor and Mimi and Pop-pop's.  Lots of petting zoo fun and Halloween candy.

Steeler love. Plenty of horsey rides and lots of fun at Christmas.

A little bit of snow and a lot of Woody. Excited that Mama has a "baby in her belly"

three plus one

Yep, that's right. There's another Windle on the way! We are so thankful for this sweet little life and a brother or sister for Everett! Baby 2 will be here sometime in September! 

2012 home shtuff

Just like last year, I'm getting around to my DIY house goals a month into the new year. whatever. This year I'm going to try to finish up all the rooms that are 3/4 finished, and have a few new projects.

1. Clean, organize, goodwill, throw out and organize our finished basement (already started).

2. Create a collage wall in the living room reading nook.

3. Paint vanity and frame out builder grade mirror in half bath.

4. Paint master bath, get new lighting, frame out builder grade mirror.

5. Get new lighting and frame out the builder grade mirror in the hall bath. 

6. Paint guest bedroom a lovely gray and paint ceiling, trim and closet doors white.

7. Move guest bed to the basement and somehow create a play room/guest bed area.

8. Make Everett a big boy bedroom!

9. Find a nice large piece of art for the dining room.

10. Clean up the walkout area below the deck.

Still to finish from last years list (whoops):

1. Get artwork for master bath and master bedroom.

2. Paint ceiling fan in master bedroom.


There you have it. Lots of little things and a few big jobs. Sorry husband- we've got work to do!

ALOHA baby!

A few weeks ago, we had dinner with our friends Steve and Helene. Aaron and Steve were best friends in high school and have been friends ever since. Steve was in our wedding and Aaron was in his. We try to hang out every time they're in PA and any time we are in the vicinity of their home in Richmond, Virginia. So anyway, we had dinner together a few weeks ago, and randomly Steve asked if we were going on vacation this summer. We said yes, probably the usual Canada and my parents cottage in Tionesta. And then Steve blurted out, "Do you want to go to Hawaii?" Umm ... is that really a question?! We just about fell off our chairs! You see, Aaron and I have been trying to plan a vacation to celebrate 5 years of marriage. Things kept coming up- 4 new tires, bonuses spent on health funds, and we were no closer to a second honeymoon than back in July. Enter proposed Hawaii trip. Steve and Helene are going in May, have a 2 bedroom timeshare and they invited us to come! Free place to stay with great friends = awesome! All we needed to do was figure out a way to pay for the plane tickets. Enter tax refund. Normally we'd spend it on something like paying off student loans or try to save it, but the chance to go to Hawaii may never come around again! Tonight we made it official. We sat on the couch, compared flights and then booked two tickets to Kauai, Hawaii in May! We are SO excited!!! Hawaii here we come!

what a difference curtains make

So remember last year when I finally, one year late, revealed Everett's nursery? Yeah, well, another year after that, I feel like the space is finally finished. It only took 2+ years. When we started the nursery, I had a hard time deciding on window treatments. I decided I didn't want curtains because of the nice big windows and originally found these cute bamboo roll down blinds. I loved all of the light that streamed into the room and then quickly changed my mind when I realized it was waking Everett up with the sun. Insert faux wood blinds here. These were better at blocking out the sunlight, but I just kept thinking that something was missing.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I've been brainstorming ideas for Everett's big boy room. He's found his way out of his crib multiple times and it's making me think that we're going to need to switch his bed soon. I was randomly looking at west elm's website and found these amazing curtains! I'm going with gray and white in his room and so these looked like just the right fit. Best of all they were on a super sale, so I snatched them right up! Much to my surprise, when they showed up at my house they were not gray at all, but brown. It was quite a lucky surprise considering they looked perfect in the nursery (and the fact that I couldn't return them)! So here's Everett's room reveal- take two.

as you can tell i'm no photographer- stupid light

the curtains are closed pretty much all day because of nap time and night time

the actual design- love it!

And just for kicks- a quick before/after:

So there you have it. Another room reveal. I'm loving these curtains. I never realized what a huge difference curtains make until I started making them focal points in my house (here and here). I've also since decided that getting new curtains are like buying new clothes, but better.

so much to learn

As a parent, you think you have so much to teach your kid. I mean you do, really. What I didn't know is how much I would learn from him and how much Everett could teach me in two short years. I don't know what it is about life that somehow at 28 you can lose some perspective about little things in life and sometimes the important stuff in life.

Most days I am "busy" checking things off my list and sometimes am too busy for others. I didn't notice it until Everett really started talking and understanding the concept of hello. Everywhere we go, he says hello to the people we pass. In the grocery store, in the parking lot, out to dinner, at the playground. He makes eye contact and says hello to everyone he sees. He doesn't pay attention to age or gender or race. He doesn't mind if people are crabby or don't say hello back. He still continues to say hello to the people we meet. It's the sweetest and it's a lesson that I needed to learn. A lesson in loving people no matter who they are or if I even know them. Learning that sometimes giving someone a hello and a smile is what they needed right then, and evidence that someone cares.


Everett- you're such a good teacher. Thanks for helping me become a better mama and wife and person. I'm so glad you're mine.

Come on- don't you want to say hello to this?!

some doggie love

Tonight I watched the movie Marley and Me. I've already seen it, and I still cried like 4 separate times. Just such a sweet story of life and family and a crazy dog. It reminded me again why we got our dogs in the first place... because we love them. because we want them. because they were the first kiddos in our family --- the first of my babies that I learned how to sacrifice for and love and take care of. 

Sometimes it's hard to see past the daily taking the dogs out and cleaning up their poop and random barking outbursts that wake up sleeping children (read Everett). Somewhere in the daily grind of life as a working mom last year, I lost some joy in my doggies. They weren't doing anything different, just wanting attention from someone who didn't have any to give. Being a stay at home mom has been really good for Marley and Kai too. They're a little less crazy, and a lot less attention deprived. Interestingly enough, Kai has become even more attached to his mama just like Everett. 

It's strange how it can take a movie to have you reflect on what you've got and what you're sometimes taking for granted... like the fact that our son is madly in love with our doggies. So much so that he insists on saying goodnight and I love you to both dogs, every night. So much so that he insists on sleeping with two stuffed dogs that are no doubt replicas of his favorite playmates. So much so that each morning he yells "doggies!" doggies" while still in bed. So much so that he wants share his food with them all day long. So much so that he doesn't mind being run over, bumped into, knocked over, or licked to death.

Here's to you Kai baby. Thai! Thai! to Everett. My sweet one. My "I'm going wherever you go" dog. My playful puppy.Everett's favorite. I love your soft fur and sweet kisses.

And here's to you my Marley dog. Mar-nee to Everett. My smart one. My "I'll do anything for a treat" dog. My crotchety old man dog. I love your head tilts and the way you curl up under my feet in bed and that occasionally for a treat you let Everett take a "ride."

Two big dogs in a townhouse can make life a little harder, a little more complicated. But, having dogs, our dogs, certainly makes life sweeter.

the best of decisions

Marry the right person. 

This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.

via

I saw this on pinterest the other day and it just reminded me so much of my relationship with Aaron. It's been something that I've been reflecting on and thanking God for a lot this past year. Neither of us will ever claim to have the perfect marriage, but I think we both agree that it's pretty great. There is an incredible friendship that others see and have asked us about. Really, if I could only have one friend ever, it'd be Aaron. We even started out our relationship as friends, both floundering college freshman trying to sort out who we were. I think that base, that friendship, has just continued to grow and became such an incredible foundation for our marriage. 

And so, that's what I'm thinking about and thanking God for today. For my sacrificing husband, who does the dishes at 6:30am before he leaves for work because he knows how much I hate them. For my kind husband, who only laughs and then kisses me when I'm still wearing the clothes I woke up in. For my sweet husband, who gets up with Everett on weekends so that I can sleep a little longer, even though I get to sleep in all week. For my hardworking husband, who puts in an insane amount of hours and still comes home and chases Everett around the house, gives him a bath, and reads stories with him. For my loving husband, who affirms his love for me in words and actions.

He makes me laugh always, sacrifices for me daily, and loves me even at my worst. 

Aaron- you're the best decision I've ever made. 
I just love you and want you to know that today.