What gets ignored is translated as unimportant

I am way behind in reading blogs.  This morning I read Kevin's blog.  Growing up adopted in a transracial household, Kevin has thoughts all adoptive parents should read.
Take a minute to read his blog posting from June.

What is so suspicious about a young man sitting under a tree at the library?

I read an article in the paper about a young black man who reportedly had a gun across the street from a school.  The good news- the police got the "bad guy" and he is in jail.   That sounds great on the evening news or as a blurb in the paper  but that's not how this story plays out.  As a mom to a Ethiopian child (who is black) and a mom to a child who was diagnosed with institutional autism, this story breaks my heart on so many levels.  As I read more about the facts, I see the story is much more than reported. 
Here's what I read:

• Someone calls the police saying they saw a suspicious man at the library with a gun.
• Schools go into lockdown
• police officers are dispatched
• officer sees suspect and question him
• Suspect gets irate, attacks officer
• suspect breaks free
• Canine unit finds suspect
• Suspect arrested

  Okay- above is my abbreviated version. 


Click here for the complete story

 The part that wasn't in the newspaper:

• Investigators never found a gun, and now say the initial caller never actually saw a weapon
• The young man was waiting for the library to open (outside the library!)
• The young man has autism
• Schools are locked down because of false report
• An innocent man is being chased by the police and hunted down by dogs
• an officer is hurt

Someone saw a young, black man sitting under tree at the library.  This person assumed the young, black man was bad and had a gun.  The police were called.  Seriously?  This is 2010, why would you ASSUME any of that?  What made this person call the police?  If the young man were white would the call have been made?  Should this young man be in jail because someone reported he had a gun?
I wonder - what if this happened to Igor or Henry.  What would I be feeling as a mother and what should "justice" look like for all involved?
Here's the mom's version of the story

For more news coverage, articles and how you can help click here

Vacation

This year our vacation money is going toward our adoption.  We still wanted to get away so we vacationed at Rob's Aunt and Uncle's house and at Rob's parents home.... maybe we should call it Famcation instead of vacation?  We had an awesome time.  Here are a few pictures that summarize what we did all day

Summer

Igor asked me if today was the first day of July.  I said yesterday was.  His reply- This summer sure is going FAST!
The boys are having fun this summer.  here's a few pictures

we are a foster family to a hermit crab

enjoying the children's museum

 

water balloons on a hot day

sneaking up on dad

 finding the perfect spot for getting others wet

 

Henry

Henry loves to wake up early- before 6AM.  Most mornings Rob puts Henry back in his room to play until we are ready to get up.  The other morning I went to get Henry and this is what I found

25 feet of Christmas wrap decorating the floor of his room.