I Said Yes!

     Yes, I am engaged! I must begin by stating that both Todd and I truly do believe in the commitment of marriage. We have an open mind though and feel that different people commit in different ways. We believe in love and if you are in love and happy, we support your personal choices whatever they may be. Todd chose this special time in our lives to ask me and I was oh so happy to say yes! 4.26.11.

Let me tell you about how it happened.  Then I will tell you all about the ring...

      My father owns a beautiful farmhouse that sits privately on a lake. I thought Todd, Koa and I were going to the park to play but on the way there Todd says, “Lets go stop at the farmhouse one last time before we move to Hawaii, I know how much you love it there.” Meanwhile, I am thinking in my head why the heck does he want to stop there, I was excited to play with him and Koa in the park and we still have a few more weeks before we move…

      We pull up to the farmhouse and I immediately remember why I love it there so much, the charm of the old house, a large piece of land, deer, trees to climb and play in, a stream, greenhouse, birds- it’s a special place. On a tree, I see a sign with my name and arrow pointing in the direction it wants me to follow. I was confused but very intrigued. I walked in the direction of the arrow and in the distance on another tree right by a gorgeous little stream is another sign that reads “Kimberly, I love you,” flowers everywhere, there is a small picnic set up for us and it is perfect; tons of fruit and little snacks and a small tent for Koa to play and relax in. I immediately turn to tell Todd how cute the entire picnic is, and he gets down on one knee. I don’t even know how to describe this part in words. I was smiling and I think I said yes before he could even finish his beautiful words to me. We started crying and he opened the box and showed me the ring. It was perfect, he knows me so well.

     Now to describe the ring that Todd put so much time and work into making for me. Over the past few months Todd has been secretly having a small couple from Canada make my ring. The couple designates and entire month per ring. “We believe that wearing a wood ring speaks volumes about your commitment to the environment and to the concept of simple living. “Check out there site, what they do is wonderful…

      Todd designed the entire thing and they sent him pictures at each stage of the process.  Every ring this couple makes is designed for a special person, and each ring is unique and one of a kind. That is what makes me love it so much- it is both natural and designed with love. The outside is made from Koa wood. Weaved within it, in the shape of the symbol of infinity, is the Paua shell from New Zealand (see link below), Sage and a Hawaiian shell. The inside in made from bamboo and has a secret message from Todd to me. It is simply beautiful. The day was amazing and I will hold its beauty with me forever. He is perfect.  I look forward to growing old with this man. The next stop on our journey together is Hawaii.

Please check out the sites and pictures for more details!

http://www.touchwoodrings.com/

Paua Shell:http://www.reijewellery.co.nz/what_is_paua.htm

Raw Health

     If you are not aware at least 50% of your diet should be RAW. Raw foods are those, which have not been cooked, processed, pesticided, micro waved or genetically engineered. This belief is based on the notion that cooking food denatures the naturally present enzymes and nutrients in food.  According to raw food experts, enzymes are the “life force of a food.”  They help us to digest food and absorb nutrients. Enzymes are greatly connected to life, health and longevity. If you overcook and/or over consume all of the foods you eat, your body will not get the nutrition and enzymes it needs to thrive.

     It really becomes about researching and understanding the best way to cook and eat your foods so that you receive the maximum about of nutritional value. For example, the cancer-fighting compounds in broccoli (sulforaphanes) are significantly reduced when broccoli is cooked. Vitamin C is also destroyed by heat. However, some foods become healthier after cooking. For example, cooked tomatoes contain more lycopene than raw tomatoes.

       If you are committed to improving your health, then eating RAW is one step in the right direction. Remember: "Disease is found right at the end of your fork." :)

For more information check out: http://www.justeatraw.com/.

Short and Sweet Thoughts About My Beautiful Baby Boy

I see the ocean in his eyes and the sun in his smile.

Ten fingers, ten toes.

He inspires me with every breath. 

Those big blue eyes.

The chubbier the better. 

Baby talk warms the depths of my soul.

My son has stolen my heart.

I look forward to teaching him about the world.

To have him see, touch, taste, smell and listen to the magic found in everything.

There is such a wonderful beauty found within his purity.

Having a child is the most wonderful thing is the world. 

The love a mother has for her child can not be described in words. It is only understood by mothers.

He is perfect. Just perfect.

Love is My Religion

     I am always thinking about love.  My love for Todd, Koa, the rest of my family and friends, nature and even the love I have for myself.  In essence, when it comes down to it love is my religion. However, try telling that to family members who are all traditional Catholic souls!  I decided to write about this issue after having a recent conversation (or more so a lecture) from many different family members regarding the baptism of baby Koa.
     Why is that they all struggle to except my spirituality and views about religion? It is like they  cast a scarlet letter on me every time we have a discussion about religion and how I do not consider myself affiliated with any label even though I was baptized Catholic. They get even more upset by the fact that Todd and I are choosing NOT to baptize Koa into any religion. We refuse to give into this social obligation especially as it seems  a bit hypocritical to baptize your son Catholic when you are not planning to practice or even take any part in the Catholic practices or faith.  If and when Koa is ready and would like to baptize himself into a certain religion, Todd and I will happily support his choice as we believe it is his choice to make.  I want him to have knowledge of many religions and cultures and if he feels the need to label himself into one of them, so be it. Until then, my belief is to expose him to as much as possible so he does not view things (like my family) from such a limited linear point of view.
      While I do hear my family's arguments in terms of values and tradition, I hate how they are so closed minded to alternative perspectives. There are other ways to instill values into your children aside from Catholic teachings.  It has been very difficult for them to respect  our choice not to baptize baby Koa.
      I am curious about other peoples perspectives on baptism and invite you to comment and share...

The Power of Hemp

     I woke up this morning, poured myself a bowl of cereal and then reached into the fridge and grabbed my hemp milk. Then I had a thought, I am aware of the nutritional value of hemp products, but it is time for me to start spreading the word about this wonderful little seed.

     Hemp is a very misunderstood little seed. Let's set something straight, HEMP IS NOT MARIJUANA.  Fact- hemp contains 0.00% of THC. In truth, hemp is one of the most sustainably grown plants in the world; not to even mention its nutritional value containing all the "essential amino acids, tons of antioxidants, protein, omega 3s,  magnesium and iron." Oddly enough, the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper and Thomas Jefferson and George Washington both farmed hemp. If our society would bring back hemp farming to the United States, it could be used for an abundance of resources such as building materials and food. This hardy little plant could do a lot of good in this world! In terms of food, it offers an alternative source to dairy, its is vegan/ gluten free and can be grown without pesticides! Doesn't this all sound like something to spread the word about?

     If you are one of those people who have their head in the cloud and want to have nothing to do with introducing the cannabis plant back into our society, you really need to wake up.  Educate yourself for all our sakes, PLEASE!

Check out this site and video for more information!

 http://www.livingharvest.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHgoNlm1igU

The Affectionate Mother

I thought I would share this beautiful Buddhist poem about mothers and parenthood. 

It touched my heart, I hope it touches yours...

Kind, Pitiful, our refuge she that fed us at her breast.

A mother is the way to heaven, and thee she loveth best.

She nursed and fostered us with care; graced with good gifts is she,

A mother is the way to heaven, and best she loveth thee.

Craving a child in prayer she kneels each holy shrine before.

The changing season closely scans and studies astral lore.

Pregnant in course of time she feels her tender longings grow,

And soon the unconscious babe begins a loving friend to know.

Her treasure for a year or less she guards with utmost care,

Then brings it forth and from that day a mother's name will bear.

With milky breast and lullaby she soothes the fretting child,

Wrapped in his comforter's warm arms his woes are soon beguiled.

Watching o'er him, poor innocent, lest wind or hear annoy,

His fostering nurse she may be called, to cherish thus her boy.

What gear his sire and mother have she hoards for him "May be,"

She thinks, "Some day, my dearest child, it all may come to thee."

"Do this or that, my darling boy," the worried mother cries,

And when he is grown to man's estate, she still laments and sighs,

He goes in reckless mood to see a neighbor's wife at night,

She fumes and frets, "Why will he not return while it is light?"

If one thus reared with anxious pains his mother should neglect,

Playing her false, what doom, I pray, but hell can he expect?

Those that love wealth o'er much, 'tis said, their wealth will soon be lost

One that neglects a mother soon will rue it to his cost.

Those that love wealth o'er much, 'tis said, their wealth will soon be lost.

One that neglects a father soon will rue it to his cost.

Gifts, loving speech, kind offices together with the grace

Of calm indifference of mind shown in time and place —

These virtues to the world are as linchpin to chariot wheel.

These lacking, still a mother's name to children would appeal.

A mother like the sire should with reverent honor be crowned,

Sages approve the man in whom those virtues may be found.

Thus parents worthy of all praise, a high position own,

By ancient sages Brahma called. So great was their renown.

Kind parents from their children should receive all reverence due,

He that is wise will honor them with service good and true.

He should provide them food and drink, bedding and raiment meet,

Should bathe them and anoint with oil and duly wash their feet.

So filial services like these sages his praises sound

Here in this world, and after death in heaven his joys bound.

— Jataka translation Vol. V pp. 173, 174

You Are What You Eat

     It frustrates me how little people know about what they eat. I get overwhelmed every time I look into my own family's food closet and see boxes of instant potatoes, canned fruit and vegetables, loaves of white bread and tons of unhealthy snacks that they pack in my little sisters lunch box each day.   The closet is one huge processed mess that my family refuses to acknowledge.  The best part is when they see me eating healthy local fruits and greens and buying cage free organic eggs, they have the nerve to tell me that I don't eat right. Like so many families throughout this nation, they have it completely backwards. They are overwhelmingly naive and uneducated about the realities of the food they eat.

     In many ways I feel that is it impossible to re-educate my family about food. They like what they eat and have never had any serious health problems caused by food and therefore assume all of my preachings are nonsense. They trust the industry over me, yet another mistake. If you are battling a similar situation in which you are trying to educate someone about the realities of our food industry, there are a few great videos that can start you off in the right direction.  The films Food Inc. and Fast Food Nation shed some light onto the realities that occur in the industry. From exposing viewers to the horrible conditions that animals are raised in, to getting an inside view of the factories where our food is made and processed, the videos can help lead people to think a little bit harder about how healthy and sanitary the foods they are eating really are. I am sure if they thought they were eating pesticide residue, they might begin to think twice before buying certain products.

     Aside from my frustrations with my family and people who don't care to educate themselves in regards to what they eat, I wanted to spend some time writing about the credibility of the "organic" label.   When I refer to an organic product, I am really speaking about a product that is produced, processed and packaged without using any chemicals. In the past few years there has been a rapid growth in the organic industry and large companies such as Walmart have begun to sell more and more organic products. If you are a politically minded eater, you are aware that this rapid growth has lead companies to use the same industrial size farming and long distance shipping, as non organic products. The point being that while an organic apple shipped halfway around the world is still healthier for the consumer, it is not as good for the food system or our planet.

     This leads me to the local v. organic debate in which more and more people are realizing that an even healthier way to eat than organic, is to eat locally grown foods.   Living on a farm in Hawaii, I knew exactly where my food came from. The food was delicious and my body thrived and felt extremely healthy. It is my conclusion that eating local is the healthiest and best way to go when choosing foods to eat. If possible, I encourage more people to buy from the local farmers in your area, so that you know exactly where your food comes from. Also, people who buy from local farmers help keep their money  within their communities, which in turn helps to preserve agricultural land and green spaces. In truth, I believe our entire food system needs to be restructured. However, since the food industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, I do not think this is happening anytime soon. If you are an environmentally considerate individual think twice about what you eat and even do some good by rethinking your spending habits and buying locally.

Topic: Do enough teachers truly believe in students? Hakim's Story-An inspiring example of what students CAN do.

     I can't tell you the amount of classrooms I have been in in which teachers do not believe in their students capabilities. Maybe this is because they are burnt out, over worked, or struggle with behavior management; or maybe it is because they are meant for a different profession. Nothing frustrates me more than when I see or hear a teacher undermine a students capabilities. 

     While working for Center for Literacy in Philadelphia a little over a year ago, I was placed at the E3 Youth Empowerment Center off Broad and Girard streets. The E3 Youth Empowerment Center is a non-profit organization that focuses on reengaging out-of-school youth in their education. E3 stands for Empowerment, Education and Employment. The primary goal for the youth who attend E3 is to obtain their GED while reestablishing an appreciation for learning and/or gain work exposure. The E3 program’s main initiative is to serve as a safe place for the youth and to help them regain the confidence and strength they need to face their everyday lives as well as to guide them towards becoming self sufficient members in a larger society.

     Most of the youth who attend this program have or are currently struggling with outside hardships such as: family problems, financial restrictions, drugs, crime, pregnancy and a variety of other emotional and physical disorders. I served as the E3 program’s college advisor and literacy specialist. My roles included meeting with students individually and in small groups to help them understand who they are as learners in order to help them develop the literacy skills they need to pass the Language Arts portion of the GED. My entire curriculum was built from a life skills and/or real life framework in which the students were exposed to a variety of “texts” that address issues and situations of their everyday lives. Relationships, school struggles, sex, drugs, street mentalities, are to say the least some of the topics I addressed. Journaling played a predominant role in this process as it helped many of the students find their unique writing voices.

     It was an everyday battle for these students to believe in themselves, to stay on track and make good decisions in life. Most of the student’s did not realize their potential and felt disempowered and worthless inside. They saw the future lives they wanted, but most of them did not believe they would ever get there. This frustrated me, as often times I wished I had a magic wand to jolt them with empowerment. However, I attempted to redirect my frustration towards a sense of belief and empowerment by challenging my students to push and develop as writers.

     I am a huge believer in the power of the written word, as I believe it can serve as a force of empowerment. I believe in challenging my students to write about things that are important and meaningful to them. The first step in this process is finding ways to get them to take risks and simply write. It is through these free-writes, that I find ways to embrace my student’s unique writing voices. I try to use writing as a source of empowerment by helping students realize that they have something to say and their own special style of saying it.

Attached herein (at the end of the blog) is a potential college essay that my student Hakim spent weeks developing. The inspiration for this essay was developed from Hakim completing different free-writes about people and/or situations that anger or have angered him in his life. Anger was an easily observable force of disempowerment within Hakim. My hope was that journaling would help him understand where his anger came from and how to cope, address and manage this anger.

     Challenging Hakim to talk and write about previous forces of disempowerment in his life was an extremely therapeutic exercise that helped him to process and attack some of his previous fears. Writing was a nonthreatening way to put Hakim’s emotional distress on the table. Each day, the process of writing became more fluid and in the end Hakim had a personal narrative/college essay he was proud of. My interactions and experiences with Hakim reinforced my belief in the power of the written word. It also reinforced my statement that all students have unique capabilities that teachers need to believe in.

Personal Statement/College Essay

Surmounting Typical Expectations

Angry. Worthless. Harmful. Unconstructive. Failure. Disappointment. Weak. Negative.

These are words to describe the role models of my life.

My dad is a disappointment to me. He was never there when I was growing up. He was always involved in negative activities- smoking, drinking and getting lockup were some of his usual habits. I remember one time he got pulled over by the cops and they asked him for his name. He could not give it to them because he had a bench warrant out for his arrest. He ended up giving them my name. The cops ended up showing up at my house asking for me. I was like, “Bench warrant for a D.U.I., hold- up wait a minute, I don’t even have a car?” No sooner than those words left my mouth I knew my dad was in trouble… again.

Mr. fristen, my six-grade teacher was another harmful force in my life. He was always putting me down and telling me, “Hakim, you’re not going to surmount to anything in life!” In middle school I never knew what the word “surmount” meant. Now I know what it means, and I know that I can surmount to anything in life. In six-grade, Mr. fristen made school feel very difficult for me. I did not do his work because he did not want to help me. I did not like school. I thought to myself, was school for me? Back then school was difficult for me, and difficult ultimately lead me to droppin out.

Today, many things are still difficult in my life, but I am determined not to give up and to push myself to go to college. My grandma always use to tell me that you can learn from both the good and the bad people in your life. From the good, you learn to lead not to follow and from the bad you learn not to let anybody tell you can’t surmount to anything. My role models were obstacles in my life that taught me to get ahead in life, I must work hard, push my hand out and grab my dreams and be the strong African American male I know I am.

I want to be the first person in my family to go to college. I will prove my dad and Mr. fristen wrong by going to college. I still feel anger, but these negative role models taught me not to be like them. Now, I have several goals. I will get my G.E.D. and graduate from the E 3 center. I will get into college. I will go to college. I will graduate from college. After college, I have a dream to become an auto mechanic and to own my own shop. I still have the pain inside of me, but I am not going to let it pull me down.

Successful. Determined. Positive. Strong. Helpful. Handsome. Satisfied.

These are the words I want to be remembered by.

Dancing Naked At The Edge of Dawn- You Will Become a Kris Radish Fan

     Dancing Naked At the Edge of Dawn was the first Kris Radish book that was put into my hands by my college friend, Katherine. Her mother had given it to her to read and she knew after reading it the next person to pass it to. She said something along the lines of, “I think you need to read this book and let in inspire you.” She could not have been more right for at the time I was in need of some feminine inspirations and strength.

     Kris Radish in an author who believes in the inner connectedness of women and the power found within mothers, daughters, sisters and friends. Lets face it girls, we need each other and we need great novels to remind us of how lucky we are to have sisters all around the world who understand us.

Over the years, I have passed this book to several of my girlfriends, all of who have loved it and found their own inspirations from it. It truly is a great book that all women can find their own connections within. It is about the power of a woman’s spirit. Reviews describe it as:

     “What if a wild moment in your life gave you the power to move to a place you only dreamed of? What if you really could dance naked at the edge of dawn every single day of your life? This story of a life coming round to where it should have started is a strong vision for all who know the power of change and chance and those who may need inspiration to be what we have always dreamed of being. Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn is an eloquent novel, that "reads like a poem" and will resonate through the hearts of women everywhere. Life, love, the joy of friendship, family bonds and the notion that, only our hearts, and not society or someone else's rules, can tell us how to live make this a book that will make every reader definitely dance. “

     You will get lost in this book and want to pass it on to the women that surround your life! In my opinion, it is a much better and more inspiring read than Elizabeth Gilbert’s, Eat, Pray, Love. Enjoy!

Aquaponics- Get with Sustainability

     In Hawaii, Todd and I had the chance to live in a tree house in the mountains of Waimanalo, the Windward (East) side of Oahu. Close to this tree house was the organic farm, Olomana Gardens. Olomana Gardens is a permaculture farm that prides itself on serving the local community and promoting sustainable growing systems that anyone can learn and benefit from. Glenn Martinez is the man who makes this farm run. If you are ever on the island of Oahu, he is a wonderful person to contact and learn from. His website is attached under the “Organics” section of my blog. The farms main component is its aquaponics style farming, which produces vegetables and food that feed several people and families each day. This sustainable system, which uses fish to farm, is a fascinating revolution in the way we produce products. Glenn dedicates his life to this cause and he truly believes in the power of sustainability. His goal is to have an aquaponics system (which is very easy to build yourself) in every backyard of America.

     From volunteering and observing aquaponics farming, I have come to see and believe in the benefits of sustainable farming systems. I encourage you to explore Glenn’s website and continue to educate yourself in topics surrounding the ongoing organic revolution.

Our Tree house

Aquaponics Systems