Fedline

I'm so excited! I finally have a little girl! Yes, that's right.. a cute little girl named Fedline (fed-lean). She's from Haiti and will turn 5 in April. She's my compassion child and I'm so thrilled to have have her!

I've just started the process so I haven't exchanged any photos yet but I'm waiting for it! All I know is that her birthday is April 23, she likes to jump rope and she's above average in pre school. She lives in a small town (village) about 75 miles from Port-au-Prince.

When I travel back there next June, yes I'm going back, I'll have the chance to meet her. I saw her picture and just knew she was a special girl who needed a chance.

I'll keep everyone posted on my adventures with Feline!

xox
mel

It's not just a color, it's a way of life, Longhorn Burnt Orange

It's not just what you wear in Austin, it's everything. From socks to pjs, from ties to watches, from BBQ's to wine glasses, it's all about the Longhorn Burnt Orange. And everything is better with it. I love burnt orange, as well all know only too well. I mean let's be honest, how amazing would it be for me if I could bath myself, my home, my animals, my car, my computer and my cell? I could live out loud with my love of orange. In Austin it's not just a color, it's a way of life. What's the point of getting dressed your shirt doesn't have a longhorn stamp? Why would you buy a watch without the bull when you could buy one with it? It's like a sickness over here. The love of the horns, the pride in a school. And the bull is for everyone, you're never to young to have longhorns. Cooper, the UT Mascot is kid friendly so even the next generation UT'ers can be covered in longhorns.
It's hard not to get swept up in the whole UT pride. We went out to the dueling piano bar and I counted at least 5 people that had the longhorns on their shirts and not just a t-shirt but some guy had on a nice Tommy B style shirt and of course there were the horns. Crazyness. Today I wore my burnt orange shorts and I fit right in. I was just showing some Texas pride!
Another great reason to live in Austin. I could come out of the darkness and wrap my arms around the color orange! If anyone was made for spirit, it was me!
Peace.. or rather, longhorns..

Honkey Tonk Bars and Two Stepin'

Are you kidding me? I was made to be a Texan. I mean really. God, Football and Whiskey, it's what matters in Texas.
That and the color burnt orange for UT is pretty much everyplace you turn. I went to a honkey tonk bar last night, where Willie Nelson and Waylon J started out! I did the two step. Not well I'll have to admit but after a few spins on the dance floor I was getting better. Lucky for me Dane was sweet and willing to teach me. He did leave me alone a few times to go actually dance. Learning to follow isn't my strong suit. As Dane said "You need to move to Texas to find a Cowboy who will put you in your place" Nice, eh? The whole night I felt like I had just stepped into a movie. Not to many cowboy hats but a lot of country and a lot of fun.
Texas is slowly sucking this girl in!
Peace

Live from Texas, Austin that is

The adventures of Monica and Mel in Texas started the moment I step off the plane in Austin Texas. I arrive shortly after 6:00 pm local time. After a quick tour of Monica's work, OutYouth, we went and has us some collard greens, coleslaw and brisket at a cute little hole in the wall BBQ joint called Rubys. Then we came home, talked over a cup of coffee and settled in to watch 1980's hit flick, Urban Cowboy. What a trip! If you haven't seen it, it's a must! Debroah Winger and John Travolta are fantastic if not a bit abusive and whiney. Monica has a little dog name Darla who is a punk ass if I ever saw one. She barks every time I move! I'm hoping that tonight she gets use to me being here because she'd wake up during the night and start baking at my room! Needless to saw my night was a restless one. This morning we woke up and grabbed a coffee (at Starbucks no less) and then walked Darla at the park. It was a great stroll and Monica and I got to take in the morning and catch up. Tho, really what's there to catch up on, we talk a million times a day as is! We got home and had breakfast and now are getting ready to go out and explore the world of Austin. Tonight we're meeting up with Dane and he's taking us to a real Honkey Tonk! I can't wait!!!
I'll start snapping photos cause this place is super cute and I'm in love with it already! Monica lives in a two bedroom house with a laundry room and a very large backyard for, get this, 800 a month! Hello!
Peace

Faith

Is faith something we pocess or something we practice?

giving blood

if you haven't you need to. i'm doing that right now and i'm blogging with one hand. see how easy they make it!!

Silence is the voice of complicity.

Every American (over 18) has been given this amazing freedom to express their opinion and VOTE. Every one of us has this beautiful gift, the chance to be heard and make a difference in our world. We might not always see the change right away but unlike so many places, there is a chance to make a change. We have the right and privilege and most of all, duty to vote. Voting doesn't just make a change in our country but it shows other counties how change happens and the results of freedom of expression. When we don't vote we're saying so many things about who we are as people and as a nation. We're taking for granted our freedom that so many people in this world don't have. We're throwing away this golden chance to be counted. When you say your vote doesn't count you couldn't be more wrong. It's all that counts.
So if you haven't voted yet, make sure you do. And if you don't know the issues or who to vote for, do some research. Or pick the one thing that's most important to YOU and vote with whomever agrees. But always remember that silence is the voice of complicity, if we we don't speak up then we should remember to shut up when things don't go they want we wanted.