As many of you know, I am a writer in my heart. I have always dreamed of being a writer. The kind of writer that makes money and people actually read what I've written. I believe I have been truly blessed with love and babies and more love. I am also blessed with an ability to see things from a different perspective than most. As a teenager, I thought I would someday write fiction, which I may still. As an adult, I recognize how unique my life is and I think there may be a market for my perspective on life and parenting.
A little over a year ago, I started writing a book with another mom, Aimee, who is an adoptive parent of 2 African American children. We met in the Parenting Across Color group that I facilitate every month. Aimee is one of the founding members of the group that is sponsored by St. James Episcopal church. The book is called Brown Babies Pink Parents and we liken it to the girlfriend's guide to parenting black children. Aimee and I noticed how scholarly the books about transracial adoption are and they aren't real page turners. In my opinion, they read like the thesus for a PhD.
So, we start writing a book from the perspective of real moms in the real world. We have high hopes for commerical success and spend 8 months tempting publishers with our brilliance. It came as a complete shock to me that we would receive a letter of rejection. After all, I was raised by Pollyana.
On Monday, August 18 I stayed up late reading O (Oprah) Magazine. I read a section of the magazine I never read and something caught my eye. A reader was asking the O Staff how to publish the book she had written. In black and white simple language, O outlined the steps to take to get a book published. I stayed up all night following the directions.
I finally went to bed about 3 Am, having contacted a dozen or more literary agents. I got up the next morning to read my e-mail and SHAZAM! I have a response from an agent in California who is an adoptive mother and interested in our book. A few hours later, SHAZAM! Another agent is interested! My head was spinning!
Aimee and I are hard at work on a formal proposal for each agent. Honestly, writing the formal proposal is harder than writing the actual book! We are having a great time putting this information together that I know will benefit other families like ours. I am hoping we can put these proposals in the mail before the end of the month.
Please keep all fingers and toes crossed for us. Once we get the book published, we are going to put together a course on "diversiying the culture in your home" to present to foster and adoptive parenting groups around the state. Our hope is to educate parents on caring for their child of a different race. Stayed tuned!
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
School Uniforms
McKenzie is back at Mt. Sinai and this week marks the beginning of the school year. The students are required to wear a uniform during the year (they get a break during the summer program). I found this cute dresses at Wal-Mart yesterday and McKenzie was in hog heaven this morning. While Madison always wore pants or shorts, McKenzie needs a dress that twirls!
Last night I was in my office working on the book. Ah, you say you don't know about the book? Well, I shall tell you soon. Kim calls up the stairs to me to look out the window. I pulled up the blinds and looked down into the backyard where I see my big babies playing so sweetly with each other. I opened the window to listen. I heard Madison playing teacher and McKenzie playing .... you guessed it, teacher! I listened to Madison asking McKenzie which classroom she was in and offering to escort her there. It was so cute. I took some pictures through the screen and they aren't great, but I thought you would like to see them.
Last night I was in my office working on the book. Ah, you say you don't know about the book? Well, I shall tell you soon. Kim calls up the stairs to me to look out the window. I pulled up the blinds and looked down into the backyard where I see my big babies playing so sweetly with each other. I opened the window to listen. I heard Madison playing teacher and McKenzie playing .... you guessed it, teacher! I listened to Madison asking McKenzie which classroom she was in and offering to escort her there. It was so cute. I took some pictures through the screen and they aren't great, but I thought you would like to see them.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Holiday Weekend
It hasn't been a super exciting weekend, but we have definitely enjoyed having more time together. Madison and McKenzie are learning (slowly) how to clean up the game room. I put together a dresser for Nanny's room and am very proud of the results. We had a great cook out with friends Danielle and Christi and their 3 children. And Kim gave Morgan a bath. When I walked into the bathroom, I couldn't stop laughing. There Kim sat in the tub with the baby and Morgan was bobbing like a cork in her Bimbo.
McKenzie fell in love with the goodies from Julie. Thank you Julie! Here she is in all her finery.
Madison is the one who finally got Morgan to laugh. It starts as a slow giggle and builds into a bigger giggle. We were eating dinner when it happened and I was so glad the camera was nearby.
McKenzie fell in love with the goodies from Julie. Thank you Julie! Here she is in all her finery.
Madison is the one who finally got Morgan to laugh. It starts as a slow giggle and builds into a bigger giggle. We were eating dinner when it happened and I was so glad the camera was nearby.
1st week of kindergarten
Well, we survived the first week! Praise God! Madison thoroughly enjoyed her first week of school. She really likes her teacher and is making new friends. Some of the highlights include:
* Madison has had problems going to bed for the last 1 1/2 years. For the most part, she has slept on the floor of our bedroom on a small pallet. We've talked to many experts, a therapist, and some well intentioned friends and the problem persists. Until the first week of kindergarten! Our bedtime problems are now self correcting ones because Madison is EXHAUSTED at the end of every day. She barely makes it through dinner and then we send her outside to play some more. By 8 Pm, her eye lids are half open and we put her in HER bed without any resistance. I am loving kindergarten!!
* Every morning, Kim and I have packed a lunch for Madison. We've given her lots of choices and a few have come back upopened. On Friday, we received a bill from the cafeteria. Apparently we failed to explain that you either bring your lunch OR eat in the caferteria. To Madison, life is a buffet from which you pick and choose!
* I love my children. However, they don't always love each other. Madison and McKenzie can fight with each other to the point where I want to pull my hair out. But not this week. McKenzie has cried every morning on our way to Mt. Sinai because she misses Madison so much. Madison is McKenzie's rock. Madison shows McKenzie how to behave in new situations. It has brought me to tears nearly every morning over the love they have for each other.
* Madison has had problems going to bed for the last 1 1/2 years. For the most part, she has slept on the floor of our bedroom on a small pallet. We've talked to many experts, a therapist, and some well intentioned friends and the problem persists. Until the first week of kindergarten! Our bedtime problems are now self correcting ones because Madison is EXHAUSTED at the end of every day. She barely makes it through dinner and then we send her outside to play some more. By 8 Pm, her eye lids are half open and we put her in HER bed without any resistance. I am loving kindergarten!!
* Every morning, Kim and I have packed a lunch for Madison. We've given her lots of choices and a few have come back upopened. On Friday, we received a bill from the cafeteria. Apparently we failed to explain that you either bring your lunch OR eat in the caferteria. To Madison, life is a buffet from which you pick and choose!
* I love my children. However, they don't always love each other. Madison and McKenzie can fight with each other to the point where I want to pull my hair out. But not this week. McKenzie has cried every morning on our way to Mt. Sinai because she misses Madison so much. Madison is McKenzie's rock. Madison shows McKenzie how to behave in new situations. It has brought me to tears nearly every morning over the love they have for each other.
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