vision piece

Bedtime reading, "The Giving Tree." Recently we have enjoyed the following authors: Frank Ashe, "Happy Birthday Moon" and "Moondance" We absolutely LOVE these books!! http://www.frankasch.com/home.html Todd Parr, "The Peace Book", "It's Okay to be Different" and the kids really get the giggles with his "Underwear dos and don'ts" my oldest gets the giggles most on this page...DO put your underwear away, DON'T put it in the freezer... http://www.toddparr.com/

http://aryab.blogspot.com/2005/11/teaching-5yr-old-secrets-of-universe.html

Based on questions from moms, and on my love for the new little ones and their mothers, I am trying to compile the information I found most useful for my children... Food: Our family has a litany of food allergies, so before attending other children's birthday parties etc. I make a cake with my children which does not have egg, nuts, milk/dairy, wheat, soy or refined sugar. I have found some lovely cookbooks, where the cakes actually taste like cakes "Simple Treats" is my favorite. They have a bakery and the cookbook is a result... http://www.simpletreats.com/ Undoubtedly, when I come with such a cake there are other children who have allergies who benefit as well, so it becomes my little service project. And, I have yet to have my youngest get upset by the fact he can not have something. Double Fudge Brownies 2/3 cup rolled oats(ground into course flour in food processor) 1/2 cup plus 2 T Sweet Potato Puree (organic canned--I have also used pumpkin and added a little ...

my friend passed this morning a little before 8, in his sleep.

My oldest son after explaining more about the imminent death of my friend, said "When someone dies why can't a girl have a baby?" Profound... It reminds me of 'Abdu'l-Baha's analogy of this world being like the spiritual womb for the next world. We are developing our spiritual arms and legs so that in the next world we have the ability to move freely and communicate, like the baby develops arms and legs inside the womb--there is no purpose for them in the womb--but we understand their use once they are born. "Death is a messenger of joy to thee; why dost thou grieve?" In this case, it is truly a messenger of joy. It is only the people left behind that suffer. And, a new life... like the water bug who wonders while swimming around under the surface, "What happens to those who go beyond? When it is my time I will definately come back and tell everyone what it is like." Then it was the bug's time and he rose to the surface, sat on t...

I spoke with David Shanks' social worker and she said that he needed the money from the sale of the home regardless of whether or not he had been victimized by mortgage fraud. Ideally if he had a trust fund, they would have kept the home but he needed the money and would have sold the home in order to get the money anyway. And, the money(the majority of it has been returned to him). She said that he is where he needs to be, which is in a home for disabled adults.

Our home is on the cover of today's Chicago Tribune with the previous owner, in a picture I witnessed being taken. The poor man is the center of an article entitled "Mortgage Fraud: The New Street Hustle". http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/broadband/chi-mortgagefraud,1,2001047.htmlstory?coll=chi-news-hed http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/chi-mortgage-1-story,0,5744461.story My husband and I (obviously had no idea this occurred, and) are united in our desire to give the home back to him, but as he can not afford having a mortgage payment, and should never have had one, we are incapable of giving it back to him without assistance. Please say prayers for justice.

chicago just named as A cluster...have been working on the development of children's classes for past two years, and now they are coming into being the way we envisioned. currently tired, but happy....love all of you.

We went camping this past weekend. It was wonderful to be a part of nature. The kids came back so much happier. Before we went camping, we stopped at my grandma's apartment. She will be 93 this next month. The boys tested out their new sleeping bags on the floor of her living room.

Hurricane Katrina - Our Experiences By Parmedics Larry Bradsahw and Lorrie Beth Slonsky EMSNetwork News Tuesday 06 September 2005 Two days after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, the Walgreen's store at the corner of Royal and Iberville streets remained locked. The dairy display case was clearly visible through the widows. It was now 48 hours without electricity, running water, plumbing. The milk, yogurt, and cheeses were beginning to spoil in the 90-degree heat. The owners and managers had locked up the food, water, pampers, and prescriptions and fled the City. Outside Walgreen's windows, residents and tourists grew increasingly thirsty and hungry. The much-promised federal, state and local aid never materialized and the windows at Walgreen's gave way to the looters. There was an alternative. The cops could have broken one small window and distributed the nuts, fruit juices, and bottle water in an organized and systematic manner. But they did not. I...

We are selling our car we bought just prior to child #1, unable to fit all 3 kids...

Another picture of marjan from yesterday, and a few pictures of our guests (7 total)from this past weekend.

These are all photos from yesterday, first meal of rice cereal for the baby, painting gone crazy, and visit to my mom's house, and first day janan was successful peeing in toilet...no photos of THAT!

Katie's birthday cake Originally uploaded by rosechildren . On my sister's birthday Marjan and I served cake...is she asleep, or trying to see around mommy?

Each child, it is amazing!, recreates the family space, carving out an identity in the spectrum of the family which we didn't realize was needed. And, in so doing recreates all those around him/her. Like a box of crayons left out in the sun too long, the personalities of the others leave portions of themselves which can not be taken away or ever be left in it's "pure" form. I look to my oldest son as an example. Prior to my second son being born, he didn't know how to ask for affection, or socialize with others. He has since made great strides in learning how to socialize with other children, and now is learning how to communicate and be nurturing/loving/gentle from his little sister(with an intense love for all that is female and pink!) I wonder what my other children would be like had they been only children. All of this makes me contemplate how we are moulded by each other, and how each new relationship (diversity emphasized) recreates us, making us more...

How much of where we find ourselves in life is related to the attachment/or lack of to our parents? How can I insure that I will not repeat the negatives of my upbringing? New book(to me) "It's Not My Fault" by Patricia Romano McGraw http://www.amazon.com/ How can relationships, with other people and with God heal us? There is so much healing to happen in the world. New concept/discipline approach(to me) Love and Logic http://www.loveandlogic.com/

The pain/suffering of those around me has caused me to think more deeply about our personal chances and choices, and how that effects our lives. After receiving your responses I plan on forwarding them to my dear family member who is feeling the painful repercussions of her choices. My hope is that after reading your responses she will not feel alone. 1. Are there any chances you have had in life which you chose not to accept? What were the results of that decision(s)? 2. What are some of the choices you most regret? 3. Are there any choices you regret which happened today? 4. Are there chances in life that you grasped and are continuing to benefit from? 5. Which choices are you most happy/proud of?

The tag questions: 1. Name a few things or activities that lift your spirits and really get you going. 2. Name a few things or activities that drain all of the tension out of your body and mind. 3. What helps you get or stay focused? 4. Are there any things you've tried and taken off the list? My husband and I are going to answer this together as thoughts randomly cross our minds, in no particular order except Selvi's outline: 1. spending unlimited(without children) time in the library, going to the House of Worship in Wilmette, spending time in a pristine natural environment...grasping the earth between my bare toes...feeling the sun upon my face, and warm rain upon my back...a refreshing breeze on a humid and hot summer day...serving/teaching children, seeing the service of others, a smile genuinely spread across the face of another...spending time in a movie theatre seeing thought-provoking artistic and respectful films...music which brings diverse elements/musicians/instru...

In contemplation...upon the chances we have been given, and the choices we make....we are given complete "freedom" to choose our direction, and then we deal with the consequences or feel inspired through confirmations. There are times we choose wrongly and experience hell, choose correctly and have heaven on earth. "Whosoever desireth, let him turn aside from this counsel and whosoever desireth let him choose the path to his Lord." How do we recreate this as a model for our children, as a method of discipline? ... Using questions and choices which have rewards and punishments, which are a direct result of their decisions? Encouraging them to make the decision? Whichever path, always providing love through a gentle or torrential rain, and/or warm sun?

Jokes have always been a mystery for me. It is me who always tells the punchline first, or forgets the punchline all together. My dear friend, Maryam, would tell people that I am funny without knowing it--I still don't understand what she meant by that. So, as a mother of two boys who like to giggle, I am in the process of trying to find good jokes the kids will somehow understand, can memorize and share with others. Thus, my intense mommy research. SO, if you know some please share! In my research, here are some that tickled me, and made me think as well: 1: A noise woke me up this morning. 2: What was that ? 1: The crack of dawn! What do you call an ant from overseas? Import-ANT! Q: What did the bee say to the flower? A: Hello honey!

personal expression Originally uploaded by rosechildren . proud of his artistic abilities--I think he gets it from me!

personal expression 2 Originally uploaded by rosechildren . entertainment on a hot day

dad with new baby Originally uploaded by rosechildren .

family of 5 Originally uploaded by rosechildren .

MarjanCU Originally uploaded by rosechildren .

She will be one week old tomorrow night, Thursday at 9:05pm. Thank you for prayers. After using castor oil, black and blue cohash and having my membranes stripped while in early labor the contractions began getting slightly painful around 5 pm. The labor although extremely intense was extremely quick(5 hours--with 2 hours of contractions with very few breaks), and so my body doesn't have to recover as much as it did with the first two (42 hours and 15 hours of hard labor). Focusing on the entrance(doors) of the Shrine of Baha'u'llah in my mind's eye and saying "...prepare the means...make straight the path...open Thou the doors..." The baby came out in 3 pushes(15 minutes(about) after contemplating an epidural): head, shoulders, placenta. When focusing on the prayers the pain was localized, whereas the pain when I wanted to give up was throughout my whole body and not tolerable...so as a needed defense I recited "Allah'u'Abha" in my mi...

Dream: "The Sister" She wanted to be a boy, then she had an idea, she wanted a hair cut, she held the rubber band in her clenched fist while they cut her hair. "the Tunnel" A dream about the hospital and a long tunnel... Thoughts/story: Lions go down the slide, the dogs go under the house and then the elephants go in their big house. The cats go in their little house.

"The dog eats...CRACKERS!" He, he, he, he! "The dog eats...CABINETS!" Ha ha ha ha!! Our dinner conversation...he he he, genuine belly laughs from my two small boys inbetween bites of chicken, salad and rice. Earlier, in the car, my boys were debating when the new baby would arrive. My younger son wanted the baby to come today so he could go see Grandma...(sorry), and my older son said "No, no...tomorrow...I want the baby to come tomorrow."(we'll see!) Amazing pieces of reality according to an almost 4 year old and a 25 month old.

Before going to bed, I turn on the light and open "the Hidden Words"--so tired lately I need something short. "Despair not" it says..."all this will pass away"...rejoice not in prosperity or despair in poverty... I think "all this will pass away" must become my mantra. As I went through labor with child number two, I repeated "Allah'u'Abha" over and over through the contractions. My midwife said I was too comfortable and had to get up and move around. Through our difficulties I think of repeating "all this will pass away" in like manner. Releasing, calming and preparing for the third which should be coming sooner than 9 months ago when concieved.

I have felt guilty for being scared of the responsibility and work of having this third baby. Just tonight, my due date, my heart is consciously opening up to this new life inside of me. When I went to this spiritual healer recently, she told me this baby is just like me, very sensitive. That all we have gone through during this pregnancy, we have both gone through together.

How do your thoughts, your stress, your prayers influence the future personality of your child? My first child is calm, balanced, quiet...while he was incubating I was not working, slept a lot and ate a lot, said at least an hour of prayers in the morning, every morning, said prayers for him, and prayers for his father, focused on how I could be of service...now I am desperately trying to find time to meditate...eat and deal... saying--not necessarily feeling--prayers while children are climbing on me... How does the personality/interests/gifts of the child influence the mother? my second son started dancing before he started walking...in utero I danced with my husband and older child almost every night after dinner...NOT what I do now, or ever did prior... expected release upon the world: April 27

tsunami waves leave the body clinging, blistering drops of pain cascading down the spine glistening, shimmering the hand lets go and grasps at kindness moments too late. ... what won't kill you will make you stronger ... "the true lover yearneth for tribulation..."