2010 South African World Cup Theme Song

A few weeks ago we were flipping channels and stumbled upon a mesmorizing performance by a unique hip hop/reggae artist on PBS, of all places. His name was K'naan, meaning "traveller" and he was born and raised in Mogadishu, Somali living there during the start of the Somali civil war. To make a long story short his family was eventually able to move to Canada where he taught himself English by phonetically copying rap lyrics. He eventually caught the attention of a Senegalese singer when K'naan performed a poetic piece to the UN criticizing their failed aid missions in Somalia. One thing led to another and he is now a major worldwide artist being compared by some to Bob Marley. Here is a video of his song "Wavin' Flag" which is going to be used by Coca Cola as their theme song for this year's World Cup in South Africa. Pretty cool. I really like the song because I think it well represents all the children throughout the world affected by war and the hope for peace.



And if you are like me, a little dual personality, here is a totally different version of the song:

New Read for Sleepless Nights

I seem to be having a difficult time sleeping so I picked up this book at Target. Looks like it will be a emotioal read but very relevant to all that is on my thoughts. Here is the website for the book:

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/sayyoureoneofthem/content/index.asp

"My Love Goes With You"

This waiting is breaking my heart. It's been 10 months since we started the paperwork for our second adoption, over 6 months since our dossier was complete; and 11 weeks, 76 days, and 1,824 hours since we have been awaiting our referral. I knew that the timeline would be unpredictable but it does not make the wait any easier. Here is one of my favorite songs that reminds me of my kidos who are waiting on the other side of the world. Yes, it sounds better when you hear it but like the words of this song, I hope that they are able to feel our love. They are in my thoughts in the morning, when I check my email for updates throughout the day, when I tuck my kids into bed and look at the empty crib, when I fall asleep and while I am sleeping I dream about them.

Lyrics to "My Love Goes With You" by Mishka

If there was one song that I could sing to help you through each and everyday
I would sing a song to remind you that were only ever living for today
My love goes with you yeah, in all that you do
My love goes with you yeah in all decision that you make.
Well sometimes we get so tired of the struggle when we seem as if there’s no way out
Umm so caught up in desire and so hot that you no fire and your lost in doubt
My love goes with you yeah in all that you do
My loves goes with you yeah in all decisions that you make
In every book your reading and every glass of water your drinking
In every breath your breathing and every little thought that your thinking
I hope that you can find a little free time for yourself
Yeah I hope that you can find a little music after your own heart.
Cause my love goes with you yeah in all that you do
Umm I hope that you can find your balance between the mystic and mundane
I hope that you can navigate your way between the sacred and profane
Yes I hope that you can find your vision between the sunshine and the rain
That when you find your truth within and when you do it doesn’t cause you too much pain
Cause my love goes with you
My love goes with you
My love goes with you
My love goes with you
Yeah you know I get so concern and I wonder how your gonna make it
If I cant be there for you all the time how you gonna take it
Well then I don’t worry no cause my love is strong
Then I don’t worry no no no my love for you is on and on and on
And my love goes with you, with all that you do
My loves goes with you in all decisions that you make
My love goes with you in everywhere you go
My love goes with you
My love goes with you
Yeah ooooooooooh

Well Said: "Why Wouldn't I?"

While We Wait

We have been filling in the time by reading as much as we can to learn about Rwanda so that we can not only be educated when we visit this beautiful country but also so that we can teach our children about their birth country. We felt is very important to read specifically about the genocide from the viewpoint of those who were directly impacted. I do warn you the stories in these books are very difficult to read but also very important to try and understand something that we will as outsiders never be able to fully grasp. But we also wanted to read about Rwanda as a country apart from the genocide, to learn about Rwanda's rich heritage and culture, hence the first three books listed here. I would highly recommend them for cultural information. Amazingly most of these books we were able to check out from our local library. So here is a sample of the books we have read, or are in process of reading, specific to Rwanda:

Culture and Customs of Rwanda

Rwanda, 3rd: The Bradt Travel Guide

Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rwanda

Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You

The Bishop of Rwanda

Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust

We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda

Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda

If you cannot get them from your library (try inter-library loan) all of them are also available on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Rwanda+&x=0&y=0ld-keywords=Rwanda+&x=0&y=0)

Disney's Princess and The Frog

FINALLY!!!!! Disney has come to their senses and are releasing a new film with a African American girl as the main character. I have avoided buying Disney Princess themed stuff for my daughter because it has always irritated me that there was not a African American princess. So I was excited to see that the dolls are already out and the movie trailer is being released for the film which will be in theaters in December. It is titled "The Princess and The Frog" and is unique in that it involved hand drawn animation as a alternative to all the new computer animated films. It is a comedy set in New Orleans. Now I am sure it is not completely historically accurate and there will be some controvery over Disney not getting it right. But it is a start. The website for the film is http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessandthefrog/

And my favorite (A little expensive but worth it) African American hair care line is marketing on the film and will have available for a limited time this fall a Princess and The Frog themed girls hair care line at http://www.carolsdaughter.com/display.do?ruleID=100396&utm_source=cheetah&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20090923-FREESCRUBMEMBERCHANCE

Great Kids Video

We made a visit to the library the other day and loaded up on videos and books to keep the kids busy and to add to my Rwanda reading list. My daughter picked out a interesting video titled "Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me". I looked at it and realized that it was based on a popular children's book for African American girls. Turns out the video covers several stories centered on positive self-acceptance and in-between each story it features a real child who is somehow different but through the video the kids learn that we are all really the same on the inside. It featured a boy who is blind, a boy who takes dance class (the only boy in his class), and a child with cerebal palsy among others. I can't think of a more timely message for our kids, not only acceptance of self but acceptance and tolerance of others as well. I highly reccomend this video to everyone, not just adoptive parents. And it turns out it is only $11 on Amazon.com if you want to buy it. http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Be-Nappy-Other-Stories/dp/B0009WIE52