Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

Lila and her best friend, Maggie

Even as our country feels more divided than ever in my lifetime...

Even as Governor Paul LePage says "Kiss my butt" when NAACP officials question why the state of Maine won't be represented at a respected and long-held statewide Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration...

Even as Wake County, North Carolina dismantles its nationally-hailed school integration program, paving the way for a 1950s-styled resegregation of black and poor students...

Even as the recession slams African Americans at an alarming clip, thus solidifying Martin Luther King's insistence that the fight for economic justice was just as important as the fight for racial justice...

I'm reminded every day that this part of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream—"that one day... little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers"—is necessary, possible, happening...

And beautiful.

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. Take the time today—if only for a moment—to reflect, believe, inspire and serve someone who is less fortunate than you. It is our duty. It is what Dr. King wanted. And it is only right.  

Peace, then love.

{Wordful Wednesday} Black Snow Bunnies: My Babies and their Granddad On Christmas Vacation

There is absolutely nothing more peaceful to me than spending time with three of my favorite people in the world: My daughters and my dad. Where he lives,  there is peace. And around this time of year, a bit of snow, too—something my girls don't get to see much down here in Georgia. So, as you can imagine, it was no time before they were out rolling around, licking and throwing the white stuff—just as I was putting my new iPhone Hipstamatic app to good use. Here, some of our favorite moments in the snow. Enjoy!

Footprints in fresh snow

And it wouldn't be good, clean fun without some snow angels!

This child has been eating the white stuff since her first snow at eight months. We taught her early: Stay away from the yellow snow. 

All that chocolate in snow ought to be illegal!

My Mari, keeping her head to the sky

Did I mention that my father NEVER played in the snow when I was little? The man will do anything for his granddaughters—even take some cold ones to the dome. Ha!

My Mari took this shot. Made me look pretty.

My Daddy, with his handsome self.

How could you not find peace on such a beautiful piece of land?

 

My people.

She's My Favorite Girl (And Happy Mother's Day)

Sunday is Mother's Day.

And my mom is gone from here.

I struggle to find the words to express the profound longing I feel this time of year. So I won't—not this time.

Instead, I'll look at her pictures, open her jewelry box (miraculously, it still smells like her), and say a prayer thanking God for the time I did have her in my life.

I love you, Mommy.

And miss you tremendously.

I encourage you to head over to Parenting.com, where a tribute I wrote in honor of my mom, Bettye Millner, after she passed away, is being posted (CLICK HERE to read it).

And for my MyBrownBaby crew, Happy Mother's Day...

Celebrating Our Beautiful Earth

I was going to have Mari write a "Earth" poem like the one she wrote HERE, or get Lila to draw a beautiful picture celebrating Earth Day—maybe post a few tips on how we could be better about reducing, reusing and recycling, like those I found HERE. I even considered posting Marvin Gaye's "Mercy, Mercy Me," the ultimate Earth Day anthem. Each of these things was meant to remind my MyBrownBaby friends to protect our planet at all costs. After all, we have but one Earth; who are we to do anything but revere all that the Lord has made?

And then I started flipping through my iPhotos and came across some breathtaking pictures—each one of them taken over the past year as our family made a much more conscious effort to enjoy nature and the great outdoors. I'm more of a keep-it-in-the-house kind of girl, but I have to admit that I really enjoyed breathing in the fresh air and admiring the wonders of nature. Here, our year-long celebration of the Earth, in pictures. My hope is that you'll be inspired by our journey, and perhaps create some beautiful outdoor memories of your own.

Snow Balls, February 2010

Lila and her best friend, Maggie, got a kick out of seeing who could make the biggest snow ball!

The Secret Life of Bees, April 2009

When our cousin found a wall-wide beehive nestled in the porch wall of his house, we got a lesson on bees that we wouldn't soon forget. Mari waited patiently while the beekeepers got the job done.

Spring Flowers, April 2009

Who can resist spending quality time out on the front lawn when Spring is in bloom? We sure can't!

Mother's Day, 2009

Sometimes it's the simple things, like watching your children run and play and giggle in the park, that make Mother's Day the most special.

Carnival B-Day Party, June 2009

What do you know about egg races, hoola hoop contests, and water balloon tosses? I can tell you they're GREAT summer party games, especially if you're partying outdoors. This is Lila, dead serious about winning a pack of gummy bears for keeping her hoola hoop going the longest.

Camping Trip, June 2009

A whole weekend outdoors. With bugs. And weird night noises. And campfires with s'mores and lots of great grilling. Not sure I want to do this again—but I will have stories for the grandkids!

Hilton Head, July 2009

Our family vacation in one of the most beautiful towns we've ever visited—full of great history and natural beauty.

Kentucky Wind Mills, August 2009

I shot this picture of the incredible flat lands of Kentucky while riding with The Blogrollers back from BlogHer 2009. Man was that ride fun—matched only by the scenery of our beautiful country whizzing by.

Black Butterfly, August 2009

Black butterfly/Sail across the waters/Tell your sons and daughters/What the struggle brings. (Man, I love that song—that Niecy Williams sure can belt it out, can't she? This butterfly, which we found in our driveway, was a source of endless fascination for the kids.

Gone Fishing, September 2009

The kids had a blast getting fishing lessons from their Uncle Marvin, but it was my mom-in-law, Helen, who schooled everybody when she caught three fish!

Our Garden, September 2009

Every year the girls and I plant and maintain a container garden out on our back deck; the rosemary, thyme, sage, peppermint, flat-leaf parsley, cilantro and basil give our food the best zing, and the colorful flowers keep butterflies and hummingbirds aflutter just outside our kitchen picture window. We tend our garden with love.

Soccer Game, November 2009

The girls stayed active out on the soccer field—the perfect way to get in some exercise and enjoy the outdoors.

Martin Luther King Day, January 2010

This is my beautiful nephew Miles, who volunteered at this year's MLK Day celebration in Atlanta, at the MLK Center, a national historic park site.

The Great Snowstorm, February 2010

We actually got enough snow to make two snowmen. This one, with carrots for eyes and a nose and a random Gap hat (because our snowmen are supa fly!) was pulled together by Mari.

ENJOY THIS DAY, AND EVERYDAY, CELEBRATING THE WONDERS OF OUR PLANET—AND HAPPY EARTH DAY!