Greetings from Cali...

Emma and I made it to San Fransisco on Wednesday to help out before and after my Dad's surgery. The flight was interesting--to say the least. Emma did really well, but it was pretty rough. I am already dreading the flight back--but maybe it will give me lots of time to think about ways airlines can improve traveling with children! Anyways, after we learned Dad's surgery went well and he was in recovery, I snapped some pictures of Emma around the house. We also went to the park where she enjoyed the swings for a few minutes.

Oh and just because I can't not mention it (excuse the double negative)---Go Sarah Palin!

Greetings from the Beach

Well, 3 duffle bags, 5 tote bags, 1 inflatable kiddie pool, 1 exersaucer, 1 sound machine, 2 monitors, 40 diapers, 1 can of formula, 1 stroller and 1 highchair later, we've made it to the beach. We arrived late yesterday afternoon (after spending a night with the Fountains in Dothan) and the weather was beautiful. This morning we woke up and our view from the balcony looked like this:

So we checked the radar and it looks like this:

So we're hanging out inside, where Emma looks like this:

Stay tuned...

And we're off...

An Olympic sport it's not, but yesterday Emma certainly got into the spirit of the games with her own movement: the one legged crawl. Since a picture is worth 1,000 words, here's a video:





And while I'm into posting as many videos as possible these days, here's one more. Emma was in a fantastic mood when she woke up from her nap this morning. I sat her in the bathroom while I got ready and we played some good old fashioned "peekaboo." Her laugh was too funny not to preserve!

Emma's Babbles and Head Shaking

I happened to be near the digital camera this afternoon and captured some good Emma moments. The video below is of Emma doing her "head shake." For some time now, Emma will occasionally (and rather violently) shake her head side to side. I'm not sure if she means "no" or just enjoys shaking it. I hope this doesn't mean we're in for raising a female head banger! Regardless, I got a bit of it on video.




Next, Emma was babbling this afternoon so I recorded some of it. It was also really funny to watch her while I played the video on the computer. I promise she talked back when she heard herself through the computer! Too funny! She is really growing fast! Enjoy if you're interested (sorry parts are kind of slow--and this one is over 4 mins. long...)




Oh, and p.s. I think she's pretty close to crawling--maybe a week or more away!

Sad News from China

Just when I began to feel a bit guilty for being outspoken about the injustices of the Chinese government, and just when I truly wanted to commit myself to the idea that good can come from the Olympics in Beijing, Jason emailed me this story. It seems that the little girl (age 9) who sang in the opening ceremonies during the presentation of the Chinese flag was (at the direction of the Chinese government) lip singing, Milli Vanilli style. The voice heard by billions, was another Chinese girl (age 7) who won a competition. At the last minute the government decided she wasn't "cute" enough, citing her buck teeth as a problem. The article explains:

"The main consideration was the national interest," [The Musical Director] said. "The child on the screen should be flawless in image, in her internal feelings, and in her expression. In the matter of her voice, Yang Peiyi was flawless, in the unanimous opinion of all the members of the team."

But she wasn't "flawless in her looks." The article continues:

"So we made the choice. I think it is fair to both Lin Miaoke (the girl on camera) and Yang Peiyi (the actual singer) - after all, we have a perfect voice, a perfect image and a perfect show, in our team's view, all together."

My heart is so sad for both of these girls--and for the millions like them--the girls who are "chosen" as "perfect" and those cast aside as flawed. How desperately this nation is in need of Christ's love, grace and salvation and HIS offer of unconditional love, regardless of performance or appearance. I have often thought critically of our own media for spawning rampant eating disorders by barraging us with air-brushed pictures of the "ideal" image of beauty. I can't imagine living in a culture where the government dictates it.

But what is possibly the most heartbreaking is Yang Peiyi's own thoughts about being rejected to be on camera. Only 7 years old, she reportedly said that "she was happy to have been chosen to sing at all." Even if this is a heartfelt statement of extreme maturity beyond her years, my heart still goes out to her.

Despite such disappointing news, however, the best solace is certainly God's sovereignty and that He remains at work. Another interesting twist is simply that the story was actually reported--and the music director of the opening ceremonies felt the need (and supposedly the freedom) to tell the story in an interview to a Beijing radio station. It might not be much, but it is something!

Botanical Gardens

Thanks to a wonderful offer from a great friend to borrow her nice camera, we took Emma to the Botanical Gardens Saturday morning for a "photo shoot." I know, I know, it was hard to find time for the photo session with the Communist "Freedom Facade" masquerading as the Olympics and the confirmation of John Edwards' affair (despite his wife's terminal cancer), competing for our attention, but somehow we made it work. Below are some shots (unfortunately, the nicer camera did not miraculously transform me to a better photographer--go figure, right?). Thanks Kitty!

I'm Just Hot...

All of my republican family will probably disown me, but props to Paris Hilton for her recent response to McCain's campaign ad. You can check it out here. In the midst of what is surely going to turn into a nasty race for the White House, why not laugh a little (or a lot)?