Chinese Twitter Finds Missing Boy
A Chinese boy who had been kidnapped three years earlier was found thanks to the nation’s version of Twitter. From NPR,
The message: If China can manage to host the Olympics, why can’t my child be found?
Then Peng turned to the Internet. He blogged and he flooded weibo — the Chinese equivalent of Twitter — with his son’s photo. Journalist Deng Fei from Phoenix Weekly, who has 100,000 followers on weibo, helped in his search.
“At big festivals I kept tweeting his picture, since my followers would be going to their hometowns to celebrate, and I believed the kid had been sold to someone in the countryside,” Deng says.
The family will not press charges against the widow of the man who kidnapped the boy. In fact, if the son still wishes to see the family he was living with, the boy’s real father will allow it. This is an amazing story both because of the power of the Internet and the generosity of the boy’s family.
A Glittery Valentine’s Day
In what was a most inappropriate comment – yet also one of the funniest ever made – my brother said glitter was the social disease of crafting. Glitter is truly a nightmare to clean up, but it’s also perfect for those who like shiny happy things.
After scouring the house looking for the remaining Star Wars themed Valentines from last year and realizing that I did, indeed throw them out, and we weren’t going to the store to get new ones, I gave my son the option – pink or red construction paper, sharpie and glitter if he wanted.
Much to my surprise, he was game to make little red cards, write Happy Valentine’s Day and outline them with some glitter. These were for the boys.
I wish I had made Valentine’s cards for work tomorrow. It’s too late now. I hope your day is filled with love, whether through little arms hugging you, a call from your best friend, or a romantic dinner with your spouse!
Wordless Wednesday: When Chocolate is Good For You
Omelets Are the Best
I adore Katie, daughter of Les,
SIX YEAR OLD KATIE: I’m gonna vomit.
ME: Just try it.
SIX YEAR OLD KATIE: This is good.
ME: Toldja.
SIX YEAR OLD KATIE: I ain’t gonna vomit.
I once ordered a cheese waffle instead of a cheese omelet. I got a waffle with cheese melted on the top. I like Katie’s conversation better.
Time to Leave the Crib
When my children left the crib, it was such a natural process that I don’t now remember what triggered it. Perhaps they just seemed ready. Neither girls were big climbers, so I know we did not transfer them to regular beds for fear they’d fall from their crib rail.
This was why my sister-in-law graduated little Aubrie to a toddler bed, though. And the baby girl was thrilled with her new sleeping arrangements,
After lunch, we made a run to one of my not-so-favorite places, Wal-Mart. This was so that Aubrie could pick out a toddler bed set. She already knew what she wanted…Tinker Bell. She was so excited when we got the toddler bed put together and put the sheets on them.
The baby jumped right in bed that night at beddy-by time. Her brother seems to be having a harder time adjusting, though. I do believe it’s so important to keep children on a regular sleep schedule. Absent that, they grow into what my own daughters are – they stay up until 2:00 or later and then sleep 12 hours … ready to stay up late again and again and again.
How I miss those toddler days!
Little Lillian is Radiant
I just found Lillian Grace and have fallen in love with this baby. She is sick, but her parents clearly provide top care for her. It’s not just about having a baby who is ill, though. Look at the joy she brings,
Lillian’s days at home have been blissfully uneventful (that bliss is tempered a bit by Lillian’s night-owl tendencies). Every now and then she bestows a radiant smile on one of her admirers, but otherwise she concentrates on eating, squirming and sleeping. She loves her nightly bath, and listens intently when someone sings to her or reads her a story.
Seriously. I just want to cover her with kisses! ADORABLE! This is a baby and family who I will keep in my prayers for strength, good health, and love always.
Remembering David … and a friend
Though Sonia seems to be very spiritually grounded, her words about losing her brother David struck a chord with me. I learned yesterday that a former colleague passed away after a three year battle with pancreatic cancer.
My former co-worker Kathy was a friend to everyone. I have never before been around anyone so cheerful, kind, and loving. She was sure to brighten your day anytime you chanced upon her. I told my former boss when I heard the news that we just lost an angel here on Earth.
I found comfort today in Sonia’s words,
The next few days are going to be rough ones. I’m sure that I will need to be reminded numerous times that if I would keep my focus where it belongs, things would be so much better. I cannot change the circumstances. I cannot change other people. All I can change is me…my attitude.
A green pasture sounds so cool and inviting. It sounds like the other side of the pillow feels to a fevered brow. Like cool water from the garden hose on a hot summer day. Refreshing. Soothing.
I hope she also find peace during these difficult days in front of her.
Photo by Richie Diesterheft through Flickr Creative Commons.
Murphy’s Law of Family
Driving in the car last night, my daughter got angry at me and yelled, “Big Stupid!” in my direction. My husband and I discussed with her how she’d like it if we nicknamed her Big Stupid. I commented that I knew of a blogger called Big Stupid Tommy – a name that always cracked me up. Despite the humor of Tommy, I wasn’t laughing when my daughter said it to me.
We handled it.
It did remind me of how all families experience bad times or accidents or what will become “good” stories. Like Tracie Meyer in A South End Journey,
What could go wrong? Not enough paint!!!!!!!!!!! Also, the directions clearly state use a natural bristle paint brush not synthetic…. no one told me this. My fancy new brush becomes a solid mass of some sort of science project gone bad right before my very eyes. Pretty crazy. This leaves me with the bargain basement brush Nichole locates.
Her whole story is one of things that went wrong! Nothing like a good story…
Words of the Year
I have not traditionally focused on specific words each year. A friend of mine recently wrote about her words this year, last year, and the year before.
From Shauna,
But I have once again chosen a pair of words to focus on this year. Last year I chose
LISTEN & WAIT
and the year before it was
GROW & RESIST.
This year I’m going with
NOURISH & ACCOMMODATE –
two words that focus less on my personal growth and more on how I treat others.
I think this is an amazing tradition. MollyMadonna has one word she’s focusing on this year, focusing on it in a most beautiful way,
Everything about this season is calling me to grow, and my prayer for 2011 is that I will…in a number of ways. I can already count on my belly growing (and hopefully my patience and eventually my pain tolerance along with it:), and my ability to love unconditionally will certainly grow as we expect this tiny child.
Read her whole post… it really is lovely.