Olivia Rylan Gibbs

We have waited for this day for so long. After a long adoption battle, many doubts, even more tears, and seemingly endless waiting periods, the day has come. And she's not leaving. Olivia is here to stay. And we are so very happy! Joe and Courtney - Thank you for your example in all this - you are my heroes.

Yoga and Human Trafficking

Last weekend I went to a human trafficking and yoga retreat. It sounds like a crazy combo, I know, but it ended up being really good. Good in a breaking-me and moving-me and inspiring-me way.

The greek word for compassion is "pasio" (to suffer) and "com" (with). True compassion means to suffer with those who are hurting. So we went to some really hard, dark, dirty, messy places this weekend - in hearing stories of women both who have been freed from bondage and who are still there.

One of the goals of the weekend was to move from ignorance and judgment to compassion and action. I discovered my own ignorance. I care deeply about human trafficking, but thinking it is overseas puts somewhat of a comfortable distance between me and the problem.

I had never seen prostitution in Kansas City, Missouri, as being part of the sex trafficking trade. But it is. Girls are seduced by men who claim to be their boyfriends. The boyfriend, after a couple of months, will tell her they really need some money and ask her if she would go on the street to make some. He then slowly becomes her pimp, controlling and manipulating her. Prostitution isn't just the foolishness the church makes it out to be or the glamorized career the media makes it out to be. It is emotional, physical, sexual, and mental bondage of little girls that turn into women.

So now I am faced with the fact that something I care a lot about and an evil that comes directly from the pit of hell is happening around the corner. I am afraid to take the leap and get involved. But I can't just sit and let it happen.

It Must Be Spring

Last night we took our little yellow-elvis-esque boat out for the first time this season! It was so much fun. We got out to the glass-top lake at dusk. Dinner and drinks completed the evening. The sea-gulls, or lake-gulls, whatever they are, par-took in our dinner, as well, as Tim and Lauren threw chips into the lake to feed them - they were circling us and swooping down a couple feet from the boat. It felt somewhat like "The Birds." I won't lie.

Did That Just Happen?

I found out yesterday that I was chosen to be the banner carrier for the law school at the KU commencement ceremony.

So today in class, my professor congratulated me in front of the class, which was kind of her. She then went on to ask how the Banner Carrier was chosen. Someone else said they thought it was faculty-voted. My professor then responded with the following:

"Well I didn't vote. I didn't know about it" And I said with a grin, "But of course you would have voted for me if you did, right?" And then she said - and I quote

"No, maam. I wouldn't have voted for you. I think you are too short. You carry the banner on a big stick, which will go above your head. And I don't think you'll be able to see over the banner."

And I think she was kidding, but Really?

PS - I should put a dislcaimer on here that I really wasn't offended (I kind of like being short) - it was just kind of a strange-funny-akwardish moment in my morning.

So Classic

There aren't very many ways in which I am old fashioned, I don't think. But in the past couple of years, I have discovered a love for classical music. I don't know if that makes me old fashioned but for some reason, I feel like my 76-year-old grandma when I have it on.

I only listen to it when I am studying, but it works miracles in helping me focus. Music with words is way too distracting while studying, because I start singing or humming along.

I just finished writing 5 pages of questions to ask the main witness in a case for tomorrow night, but the time kind of flew by, and I didn't get frustrated; my brain just worked somewhat effortlessly and my fingers followed.

And much to my old piano teachers' dismay, I never recognize any of composers that come on (I listen to it through Pandora.com) except George Winston occasionally. But for some reason, studying with classical music extends my academic longevity and brings peace to my soul.

Tats

I think I want a tattoo. One of my friends in Lawrence has a white tattoo. It is subtle and really sweet looking. So I think I want one - one problem - she is tan - I am not. So I don't know if a white tattoo would show up at all on my skin. But I think I want one, and I might take the plunge and just do it. But I am not quite sure.

I have a couple of ideas rolling around in my brain for what I think I might get if I do it- I am not quite sure yet; a couple of amorphous thoughts have yet to take shape.

GoodSearch.com

It is the small and practical ways that help me not feel so paralyzed to "make a difference."

www.GoodSearch.com is a search engine that donates to one of the designated non-profit organizations every time you do a search. So set it as your default search engine (save it in your bookmarks toolbar) and use it to search instead of google or yahoo. It only gives a penny everytime you search, but together we can change the world pennies at a time!

If you don't know what organization to choose,Veronica's Voice is an incredible organization that helps women formerly in commercial sexual exploitation get out of slavery, renew their hope, and start living life. Check it out - http://www.veronicasvoice.org/.

Justice? For Sudan

The International Criminal court just released a warrant for the arrest of the president of Sudan, Omar Al-Bashir. In response, the president is forcing all aid groups to leave. This is going to leave the situation even worse, and people already standing in line for hours for water and getting only seeds as sustinance in refugee camps. If the ICC continues with the warrant (and doesn't postpone it as some are requesting), the president's arrest has the potential to create a monster cultural situation that will "dwarf" the genocide, rape, abuse, and hunger that already exists there. But this man is a war criminal - he has commited crimes against humanity. I don't understand what justice looks like here.
It frustrates me that this crisis - and that is what it is - isn't making news on the US websites. You have to go looking for this kind of information. I don't understand why.
I don't know how to solve the problem, but I think the first step in that direction is recognizing that there are lives behind the faces and the direness of the situation. I don't know the practicalities of justice, but it certainly is not ignoring the situation.

And I don't speak judgmentally - I am as guilty as any.

"Over here in America, we have no enemies. Our only enemy to justice is apathy. Therefore, if you leave here and do nothing, you are automatically part of the problem." - A Wise Man

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!

Beautiful days make me so happy. I think during the spring, when the days are so nice all the time, I take them for granted. But every so often, the Kansas sky gives us a 75-degree day in between snowstorms. Yes, it snowed last weekend and it is supposed to snow again here on Saturday, but I don't mind because today is beautiful. And I love studying outside - it makes reading not such a chore.

Paul "fed" (in his words) our lawn a lot last fall, so it is bright green, already! And our daffodils and tulips are coming up, and surprise lilies, too. So I love beautiful days in between snow and little flowers peeking up in March. Today has brought both.

Bubble Tea - My Love

I realized yesterday my love for bubble tea. I have had it several times in the past, thanks to my wonderful friends from China who expand my tastebuds and food-experiences. But I didn't understand the depths of my appreciation for bubble tea until yesterday. I have tried many different kinds - all good - mango, taro, black bubble tea, but yeseterday I had a thai bubble tea. And it was unbelievable. A better treat than I expected. So the moral of the story is that you should try it. The black bubbles are weird if you haven't tried them before, but suck it up (literally) and try it! It will make your day much richer :)

You Never Thought It Would Happen...

So I have given in. Yes, that's right. I have a blog. I decided that I welcome any excuse to do something other than study. Senioritis has taken its toll.