Blog Tour + Review: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Join Vanessa Diffenbaugh, author of the women’s fiction book, The Language of Flowers  (Ballantine Books, August 23, 2011), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in September on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About the book…

The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, aster for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.
Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes that she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market inspires her to question what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

About the author…

Vanessa Diffenbaugh was born in San Francisco and raised in Chico, California. After studying creative writing and education at Stanford, she went on to teach art and writing to youth in low-income communities. She and her husband, PK, have three children: Tre’von, eighteen; Chela, four; and Miles, three. Tre’von, a former foster child, is attending New York University on a Gates Millennium Scholarship. Diffenbaugh and her family currently live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where her husband is studying urban school reform at Harvard.

You can visit Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s website at www.VanessaDiffenbaugh.com.

Amy’s review…

The Language of Flowers is a truly unique tale in which the author, Vanessa Diffenbaugh, tells a back story in alternating chapters within the context of her current plot.  It is a literary device that works as we see Victoria’s life at 10 in a wonderful pre-adopt home with a single woman named Elizabeth and alternately at age 18 being emancipated from a terrible group home.   Why didn’t Elizabeth adopt Victoria?  How did she wind up back in the system?  And what is the language of flowers?

The need to answer the first two questions and interest in the language of flowers itself, drove me straight into the plot of this book.  Everything about Victoria’s personality and demeanor is “hard”–she is quiet, full of anger, full of contempt for the world.  Yet she tenderly cares for flowers–their names, their “definitions” (apparently yellow roses don’t mean “friendship”), and helping people with their own issues by making meaningful bouquets when she manages to snag a job at a flower shop. Her social awkwardness is excused by her innate ability to match flowers to people’s needs.

Despite her love for flowers and plants, Victoria isn’t “girly” and I adore that about her.  She doesn’t care how she dresses, if she smells, or how much she eats–even in front of guys!  She is a refreshing protagonist, who at times, isn’t even likable.  But as the reader comes to know Victoria and as Victoria comes to know herself, there is an increasing awareness of the depth and softness of her character.  Though there is a romance in Victoria’s life, this book is far from romantic. Even though the world “flower” is in the title, this book isn’t flowery.

It wasn’t until I stayed up way past midnight finishing The Language of Flowers that I discovered “Victoria’s Dictionary of Flowers” in the back of the book.  Apparently, Diffenbaugh spent hours pouring over various conflicting Victorian definitions of flowers to compose this dictionary, even consulting with botanists.  It would seem as if the author herself puts the same detail into her work as her characters put into the tedious task of growing flowers. The Language of Flowers is an excellent book, full of emotion, characters that have dimension, and a fresh premise in a world of tired story lines.

Visit Pump Up Your Book! to read an excerpt from The Language of Flowers.

*With thanks to Pump Up Your Book!, Vanessa Diffenbaugh, and Ballantine Books  for the review copy of this book.*

Have you ever heard of the Victorian “language of flowers”? (I hadn’t until I read this book!)  Does this sound like something you’d read–why or why not?  What do you find interesting about The Language of Flowers? If you read the book, what did you think?

Pre-order Shaun Groves’ THIRD WORLD SYMPHONY to help fund adoptions

Musician Shaun Groves is releasing a brand spankin’ new album on August 30 called Third World Symphony.  I met Shaun Groves years ago when I did a bit of grassroots promotion for his first album and thought it was a very nice musician, but since them I moved on with my life.  I was glad to be introduce to Shaun and his music by a friend who sent me a link to this post: “This Much I Can Tell You.”

In the post, Groves talks about raising funds to adopt a sibling group from Ethiopia from sale of his upcoming album.  Groves writes, “So, we’re not asking for donations. We’re not having a garage sale. (Yet.) We’re simply asking that you continue to champion this record, Third World Symphony, across the internet and in the real world too. It won’t be in stores. It won’t be on the radio. So, you are our marketing strategy…and now you are our adoption fundraising team. There’s not a better one in the world!”  Awesome, right?  I love that Groves has produced a product to fund his adoption and he’s asking others to help him.

I bought three albums–one for myself and two for a future giveaway (see, you benefit, too!)  But don’t wait for my giveaway.  Pre-order the album NOW.  If you read “This Much I Can Tell You,” then you learned that Shaun and his wife were asked to adopt a four year-old boy immediately, and of course, the Groves’ welcomed him into the home.  Quite an adjustment for all.

Another thing I appreciated about Groves’ post is this–he’s realistic about adoption and its after costs including time off from touring to help the new kiddo adjust and gain stability.  He’s being real about it and not asking for a bunch of donations–just to buy his album, which by the way, is awesome!  You can listen to the whole album on his site or on SoundCloud.

Personally, I’m glad to take in a grassroots promotion for Shaun Groves again;  it’s been far too long.

{Also posted on Backseat Reader for maximum exposure}

Friday Faves: Werewolf Attack Edition

I’m ba-ack!  Clearly, I’ve been “back” for over a week now, but I think I missed “Friday Faves” the most during my mini-vacation and blogging break.  For more deets on my adventures, check out my post on Backseat Reader, “Where She (Me) Went,” which also includes links to a ton of giveaways!

Now on to new business…I have survived a vicious attack by a [Boston terrier mix] werewolf named Bloodthirsty One [Buddy].  What, you ask?!  Werewolves in Macungie?!   Yes, friends, they’re not just in London anymore.  I suspect by the next full moon I will be howling at the sky, joining a pack of hairy dudes, and maybe getting a T.V. show of my very own called “30ish Wolf”, that won’t be nearly as awesome as the original movie starring Michael J. Fox.  I would show you a picture of the injury I sustained, but I fear the pictures are far too horrible to publish on the Interwebs.  Suffice to say, I had to get the BIG band-aids at Target, and yes, I did cry.

Not the werewolf who attacked me.

Fortunately, Bloodthirsty One [Buddy] doesn’t seem be accepting any new members into his werewolf pack  [is up-to-date on his shots],  only maimed me for life [my injury isn’t serious], and didn’t steal a bit of my soul [all my flanges are intact].  However, due to his heinous behavior,  I will not be reading any werewolf novels for a very long time.  I’m sorry, Andrea Cremer, author of Nightshade and Wolfsbane, but I can’t read your books now after what Bloodthirsty One [ Buddy] did to me.

Also not the werewolf who bite me. *Sad*

I won’t [will] relent, not even [especially]  if you, Andrea Cremer, personally send me autographed copies [or even random used ARCs] of your fascinating books.  Someone’s got to take a stand against these werewolves or we’re going to turn into that town on the Red Riding Hood movie starring Lehigh Valley native Amanda Seyfried.  I don’t care if her werewolf-boyfriend *is* hot; we can’t let these beasties push us around anymore.  Well, maybe the hot ones can take a little nibble…

Enough of this werewolf talk!  I have a lot of faves to share with you and anti-werewolf legislation to draft, so on with the show…

*Currently the Summer Giveaway Hop is in full swing!  Around 300 bloggers are giving away bookish goodies, including me!  Right here at Backseat Writer, you can win a copy of the book that “ruined me”–Passport Through Darkness by Kimberly L. Smith (read review)!  The giveaways end on August 7, so get enterin’!

Munch Munch is available for adoption from Prarie's Edge Human Society

*Know what makes a great pet? (Not wanna-be werewolf Boston terrier mixes, that’s for sure!)  Guinea pigs!  In fact, my first pet was a lovely brown and white guinea pig I named Darcy.  I was a mere 6 years-old, but I was ready for the responsibility of caring for my guinea pig (my dad changed her stinky cage), feeding her healthy food (let’s just forget about that time I almost poisoned her with grass doused in weed killer), and of course, dressing her up in little outfits and carting her around in a toy baby carriage.  Come on, what girl doesn’t take her guinea pig for a stroll around the block?  When I saw PetFinder’s information on guinea pig adoption, I felt a little nostalgic about my ol’ guinea pig, Darcy.  Then I remembered Vanessa, Gwynne, Mya, Harry, and Abigail (R.I.P. one and all!) and decided that I should leave some GP’s alive for the rest of y’all.  Still, guinea pig adoption–what a great idea!

*You may think I only love Jonalyn Grace Fincher’s book, Ruby Slippers: How the Soul of a Woman Brings Her Home, because of its pretty sparkly cover.  While I admit Jonalyn’s book cover does start me into a Wicked sing-a-long, Ruby Slippers offers freedom for women who have long felt out of place in a patriarchal church society.  Similarly, Jonalyn continues the work she started in her book on her Soulation blog.  Recently, Jonalyn posted an intelligent response to Mark Driscoll’s “opinions” of gender roles.  I’m not going to lie; Mark Driscoll scares me.  Jonalyn, however, doesn’t back away from stating her opinion, even using *gasp* the Bible.  Here’s one of my favorite quotes from Jonalyn’s post: “Mr. Driscoll is another unfortunate example of theology that justifies strict gender roles wedded to a fallen male-driven honor culture. The mixture is toxic, not just for women, but for the men who must now take all responsibility for success or failure. Not even God thought Adam should handle all that.”  To read more of Jonalyn’s excellent insights, visit her at Soulation.org/jonalynblog.  You will love her, be challenged by her, and most of all, you will find unwavering honesty in Jonalyn Fincher.  (Her husband, Dale, is pretty special, too!)

*Maybe the video’s been posted on YouTube since May, maybe I told Bebo’s publicist that I would post this video 2 or 3 months ago. Maybe.  After the stress of my recent werewolf attack, I can’t be sure about anything.  And isn’t the important thing that I’m posting it now?!   The song is called “God of My Everything” and it is from Bebo Norman’s latest album, Ocean (Read interview.) I have a very special post about Bebo coming up in the next week or two (it’s heart-warming!), but until then, just watch this video repeatedly.  After all, Bebo Norman is my absolute favorite singer/songwriter on the planet.

*Finally, Crystal at SoulMunchies mentioned on Google+ that she started reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, and I said, “Crystal, what are you doing?  We need to read that together!”  Well, Crystal told me that she isn’t that far along and with my awesome reading skills, I’d be able to catch up to her in no time!  Without Crystal’s approval or knowledge, I invited other people to join us in reading the book, and I guess Crystal was OK with it since she ReTweeted it on Twitter.  Anyway, so if you want to read the book with us, let me know!  I have no idea what it means to read the book with us, but I’m sure it will be fun and glitter will be involved!  While I’m on the topic of glitter, I mean Crystal, I’d love for you to check out a wonderful post she wrote this week on BibleDude.net called, “I Will Not Leave You Orphaned.”  And it’s not a big advert for adoption either.  Read it, think on it, pray over it.  Thank you, Crystal, for your beautiful writing!

And, thank you, lovely reader, for supporting, reading, commenting, and subscribing to Backseat Writer!  A lot of writers say they write for the pure joy of writing, and while that’s why I write in my journal, Backseat Writer is all about reaching out to you!  So if you’re reading this, then I want to let you know how much I value you and thank you for being a part of Backseat Writer.  Have a wonderful weekend!

So…do you like or dislike werewolves?  What about Michael J. Fox–do you like him? What do you think his best T.V. or movie role was?  What was your first pet?  Are you thinking about adopting a guinea pig?  If so, what will you name him or her?  What did you think of Bebo Norman’s “God of My Everything” music video?  Did you enter my giveaway?  Want to read One Thousand Gifts with Crystal and me? Do you think I need to talk about more manly topics to get in touch with my male readers?  Doesn’t Jonalyn have beautiful hair?  I mean, doesn’t Jonalyn have a beautiful style of writing?

Show Hope :: Purchase For A Purpose

Introducing Show Hope Merchandise, Benefiting Orphans Around The World; Show Hope Offers “Shirts Of Hope” Adoption Fundraising Opportunity Show Hope™, the adoption organization founded by Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman, wants to make your Christmas shopping easy this season while also making a difference in the life of an orphan. Introducing Show Hope’s merchandise line where every purchase is for a purpose. From the plethora of Show Hope merchandise such as t-shirts, leather wrap bracelets, canvas bags, jackets, hats and more, each purchase can change the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable children. By purchasing and wearing these products, you are also raising your voice on their behalf. So let Show Hope make your holiday shopping easy this year for you entire Christmas list. Now through December 15th jackets and other outerwear is 10%, so when checking out be sure to use the code JACKET10. Additionally, for a limited time the leather wrap bracelets are only $10. Simply visit Show Hope’s online store and choose from their vast array of merchandise for girls and boys, men and women. There’s something for everyone! Another way to show hope for the world’s orphans is through “Shirts Of Hope,” a program to sell Show Hope t-shirts to help raise funds for adoptions. Shirts Of Hope is available to anyone wanting to raise money for an adoption, have it be for your own, for a family member or a friend, or a church family. For an application to participate in Shirts Of Hope or to find out more about this fundraising opportunity, please click here. About Show Hope: A ministry founded by Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman to help care for the millions of orphans around the world, Show Hope helps to provide waiting orphans with forever families by giving financial grants to adoptive families. To date, Show Hope is now an internationally recognized voice for orphan advocacy and has given more than 2,600 financial grants, affecting the lives of children from 45 different countries, including the U.S. In addition to giving financial grants, Show Hope also empowers families, churches and communities with adoption and orphan care resources and advocacy efforts to change the world for orphans.Show Hope also provides for orphans with special needs in China through Special Care Centers. One of these centers is Maria’s Big House of Hope, a six-story healing home facility located in Luoyang, China. Opened since the summer of 2009, its mission is to provide the highest level of care for orphans who are in desperate need of surgeries and medical attention, thus enabling the children to thrive and increase the orphans’ chances of being adopted. In recent months, additional centers have opened in the Henan province of China, operating in two state-run orphanages as an extension of the care being provided at Maria’s Big House of Hope.  ShowHope.org

National Adoption Month:: Learning to be Human

November is National Adoption Month here in the states, so to celebrate I think we should all go out and adopt a child.  Just kidding, that would take months and months.  I mean, adopting a child is a little more complicated than picking up a kitten at the humane society.  But wouldn’t it be lovely if we all had the resources to start the adoption process this month?  Even though most of us probably can’t adopt (or foster) a child right now, we can be praying for kids waiting for homes; individuals, couples, and families in the process of or considering adoption; and for the case workers working with both sides.

Since my best friend Sarah transferred to the adoption unit over two years ago, I’ve learned a lot about adoption.  Most of the children Sarah works with are older kids whose parents have had their rights terminated as a last resort.  These are kids who have been in and out of foster care for years, who have been returned home and then removed again.  They have been hurt by those who should have loved them the most and an imperfect system has only added to their alienation. This doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement for adoption, does it?

Here’s the thing—just because a child is difficult does not mean that he or she is defective.  When I hear about these kids, something stirs up inside me that screams, “Then I will show that kid the love she never had!”  It’s not an easy path.  I guess that’s why most people want babies—less emotional baggage, but—oh man!—lots of poopy diapers.

John Cusack and Bobby Coleman star in MARTIAN CHILD

Over the weekend, Sarah and I watched Martian Child starring John Cusack, his sister Joan, and Amanda Peet.  The story follows famed science-fiction author David Gordon (John Cusack) as he decides to adopt a young boy who thinks he is from Mars.  While the movie makers have taken liberty with the actual adoption process (i.e., sending a social worker for an unannounced visit, not setting up in-home services, and other “behind the scenes” stuff), Martian Child is still a pretty good flick.

Here’s a summation of the plot courtesy of Wikipedia.com, “David Gordon (John Cusack), a popular science fiction author, lost his wife Mary when they were trying to adopt a child. Two years later, David is finally matched with a young boy named Dennis (Bobby Coleman). Socially awkward, Dennis believes he is from Mars and only goes outdoors when under the cover of a large box to block out the sun’s harmful rays. Although initially hesitant to adopt a boy by himself, David recognizes a part of him in Dennis and slowly coaxes him out of the box and into his home.

With the help of David’s friend Harlee (Amanda Peet) and sister Liz (played by Cusack’s real life sister Joan), David and Dennis begin an arduous process of learning about each other, from Dennis’ incessant photo-taking habits, his inclination to eat only Lucky Charms, and his perpetual stealing, to David’s continuing love of his wife, his love of baseball and his own struggles to be accepted by others.

As David teaches Dennis how to be an ‘earthling’, both earns each others’ trust and eventually, they find someone who loves them unequivocally.”

The whole concept is fascinating to me because how many children in foster care waiting to be adopted feel like Martians?  How many think that no one loves or wants them?  Foster families try, but the homes are temporary at best.  Instead of dealing with that reality, Dennis creates his own.  He’s on a mission from Mars, so naturally his housing situation is temporary.  He has to collect data, learn about humans, and then he will be taken back to his permanent home.  The problem is that Dennis knows deep down that he’s not from Mars; he just can’t bear to be a resident of Planet Earth.

Martian Child is chock full of great lines including a conversation between David and Dennis that takes place after David discovers his new son has been stealing items in the house for observation purposes.  David asks him, “What are you doing?”

“Learning,” Dennis replies.

“Learning what?”

“Learning how to be a human, how to be part of a family.”

Oh, man!  That line just hits me in the gut!  I mean, it sounds like something we’re all trying to do—adopted or not, child or not, parent or not—we’re all trying to learn how to be human and how to be part of our families!  It is a never-ending experience!

Dennis also sports a gravity belt (batteries duct taped to an old belt) that keeps him from floating into outer space—a sign that shows Dennis does want to remain on Earth.  His social worker points out, “He probably thinks he’s going to float away because he’s intelligent and sees how people and things are temporary.”  Oh, Dennis, how I understand!

After an argument with David, Dennis decides the Martians are calling him home and climbs a water tower to meet his family in the sky.  But it is David who climbs the water tower to meet Dennis.  Once David finally convinces Dennis that he’s just a little boy, the child asks why his family would leave him.  Then John Cusack-as-David utters one of the best cinematic lines ever, “Because they’re stupid!”  David lists Dennis’ many fine qualities and finishes his monologue with this promise, “There’s nothing you could do that would ever change the way I feel about you.”  The music swells and we know there’s a happy ending in sight.

While Dennis’ story is a happy one, it is also a fictional one (based on the award-winning novella by real-life science fiction writer, David Gerrold).  There are a lot of interesting kids right here in the United States that would love to be welcomed into the loving arms of a parent—so they can learn how to be human and how to be part of a family.

For more information on adoptions in the United States, head on over to AdoptUSKids.org.  Pennsylvania residents, you can check out AdoptPAkids.org to learn about kids who are looking for families.  Prayerfully consider if God would have you adopt one of His beloved children.

Orphans Deserve Better [Than Summer Horror Flicks]

On July 24, another lame summer horror flick will hit theaters.  This Warner Bros production is called Orphan, and it’s about a disturbed orphan child named Esther who enjoys murder.  But only because she’s psychologically unstable due to the horrific deaths of her parents.

Needless to say, adoption advocates are disgusted and so am I!  It’s hard enough to find families to adopt troubled kids, and now this movie may make some parents think twice.  It’s definitely not good PR for adoption.

Fortunately, more than 50 Christian organizations joined together to start a grassroots campaign called Orphans Deserve Better.  The goal of the campaign is to increase public awareness about orphans, adoption, and how people can help.

Here’s what’s the press release about the project says::

“The movie Orphan does no favors for the boys and girls who share its name,” said Jedd Medefind, President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans. “Organizations, advocates and ordinary citizens have every reason to raise a respectful but firm counter voice–orphans deserve better than the messages this film conveys.”

Orphan advocates are concerned Orphan will feed perceptions that children who’ve lost their parents are oddities or worse, while also reducing chances they will be received into permanent families through adoption. Meanwhile, movie reviews describe Orphan as the “anti-adoption horror film of the year”–sure to “scare prospective parents from ever adopting.” The controversy has prompted Warner Bros to remove its most inflammatory line from the trailer, but the movie is sure to stir more debate when it is released on July 24.

The website www.OrphansDeserveBetter.Org serves as a hub for the campaign, which supporters explain is intended not to “bash” Warner Bros but to educate and stir response to the needs of orphans.

Individuals are invited to join the campaign in a range of ways. The site enables families and individuals to post their own stories, pictures, blogs and videos that “tell a truer story” than the movie Orphan. The personal accounts show with real-life color that, although sometimes requiring sacrifices, serving orphans brings the kind of joy not found anywhere else.

The site also offers practical steps ordinary people can take to help orphans. In addition, individuals can sign a letter to Warner Bros, urging that a portion of profits from the movie be used to help orphans.

“This campaign is just one small way to answer the prophet Isaiah’s call to ‘Defend the cause of the fatherless,’” said Scott Hasenbalg of Show Hope, which supports orphan care and adoptions worldwide. “We do want to stand up to the distortions portrayed in Orphan, but even more important is to harness this opportunity to enable Christians to live out their mandate to care for orphans in both word and deed.”

The film’s main character—the orphan—is named Esther.  Interestingly, Queen Esther of Bible fame was also an orphan, who was raised by her cousin, Mordecai.  Out of hundreds of beautiful woman, Esther found favor with the king and became queen.  Then she went on to boldly save her people, the Jews, from genocide.  Not bad for a little orphan girl named Esther, is it?  Now someone should make a film about that.  Oh, wait, they did.

First Fido & Pet Peeves

I love this photo--just a boy and his dog. Err, make that the President and the First Fido!

Well, it’s about time!  I mean, since President Obama’s November victory speech, we’ve been speculating on what kind of dog the Obama family would get.  While I still think a shih tzu would have made a perfect pet for the first family (and smoothed over our relations with China), it came down to a Labradoodle and a Portuguese water dog.  In the end, the Portie won and since Edward Kennedy just so happened to have a few of his own; he gave the Obamas a hook-up.  Not only that, the puppy was trained by Kennedy’s personal canine trainers in Virginia.  And today Bo Obama made his world debut (except a few photos slipped out early last week.  But shhh!  No one told Bo).

Nothing like a romp on the White House lawn with your very best friend.

Of course, animal rescue groups are criticizing the Obamas for not choosing a shelter dog.  However, the Obamas contend that due to elder daughter Malia’s allergies, a Portie was necessary and Porties are rarely, if ever, found in shelters.  I suppose the Obamas could have hunted down a Labradoodle to “re-home,” but really, doesn’t the first family have a right to get whatever dog they want from wherever they want?  Plus, Sen. Kennedy gave the Obama girls up with a pedigree already house-broken puppy for FREE!  Yep, I’d go for the Portie, too.

As the owner of a pedigree canine, I find it amazing how much guff people give me.  I’m often asked why I didn’t adopt from a shelter.  Uh, because they didn’t have any shih tzus.  OK, actually there were two shih tzus at the humane society–two 12 year-old brothers that had to be adopted as a pair.  I wanted a single female puppy.  There were quite a few ultra-hyper Jack Russells, which were probably at the shelter for being ultra-hyper (a characteristic of this highly intelligent breed).   Just because a dog is looking at me with its sad eyes behind a chain link gate doesn’t mean I am required to take it home!  I am not the one who abandoned my dog at the shelter;  the former owner is.

So why am I villified for buying a shih tzu from a in-home breeder?  Maddy is a darling little dog who came from a very loving family that breeds shih tzus as a hobby.  There are so many dogs out there that need homes, I’ve been told, I should really head to the shelter or a rescue group first.  Who says I didn’t?  In the end, I picked the puppy that appealed to me.  Honestly, I prayed for her.  That probably sounds cheesy, yet it’s the truth.  Madalyne is the puppy I prayed for and I really do believe that she is a gift from God.

Still,  I’m angry that some people seem to care about the welfare of animals more than the well-being of people.  Sometimes I want to say, “There are so many kids out that that need homes; you should really try to adopt first.”  But, no, when it comes to kids who are infinitely more important than dogs, adoption is a last resort.  Interesting how that works, isn’t it? I don’t say this to undermine anyone.  I merely want to scream for the kids in foster care throughout the United States who are looking for adoptive homes.  Parents, if your child is yours by birth or adoption or foster care, I am proud of you for loving on that kid!  My point is not to insult parents but to question why we hold homeless dogs in higher esteem than abandoned children?

Suffice to say, if you can rescue a dog (or a child), good for you!  If  you decide to bring a pedigree in your home, good for you!  However, if you go the designer dog route, then be aware that you’re paying a ton of cash for a mutt.  But wherever you get your new pet (probably not from Edward Kennedy), be sure to give it a loving FOREVER home.

And take my advice, get a shih tzu.  Unless you’re the President of the United States, then get a Portie because it looks more manly than a shih tzu.  We don’t want our Commander-in-Chief to have a wussy toy breed!

Anyone want to adopt 800 puppies?

AP

This is the most space these guys have had to themselves in years!

ATTENTION READERS:  I AM NOT GIVING AWAY THESE DOGS.  YOU CAN GO TO THIS LINK FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF ARIZONA TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON PUPPY ADOPTION.  I ONLY COMMENT ON THE NEWS.  GO TO THE LINK…GET A DOG…OR GO TO PETFINDER.

I love dogs…a lot. Given how much I talk about my two pups, I’m sure you’ve gathered that (heck, I call them my “little girls”). But, even I, who thinks more the merrier when it comes to pets am flabbergasted at this story–an elderly couple kept 800 dogs and 82 parrots in their triple wide trailer home. The 82 parrots is bad enough–I mean, my cockatiel is a pretty messy eater. I can only imagine her and 81 others.

My dynamic duo, Maddy on the left and Cassie on the right.

Then there’s Maddy, my one year-old shih tzu, who though adorable, likes to do things like steal underwear and socks for attention. Imagine her having 799 comrades to join her in these hijinks. Cassie, who turns 9 on March 24 (the day after my 28th birthday–yes, my birthday is on Easter!), would hate us if we made her put up with any more dogs in this apartment. Maddy’s enough for her. She barely tolerates my mom’s two hyper-active pooches. Last Saturday, I took Cassie and Maddy to my mom’s house for a visit. At one point, my mom’s two dogs and my dogs were all sitting on my lap–that was ridiculous. The scene becomes one of horror when I think of adding 796 more dogs to that equation.

Cesar and his pack…looks like he’s holding one of those rescued dogs.

Like me, I am sure you have questions including, how do you fit that many dogs anywhere, but especially in a triple wide trailer? How much does it cost to feed all those animals? What’s it like to take 800 dogs for a group walk? And how do you remember all their names? I know that dog behaviorist Cesar “Dog Whisperer” Milan has a lot of dogs in his “pack”, but even Cesar would consider this situation out of control. Instead of calling in the Dog Whisperer, county authorities were called in to deal with the situation.

Among the ginormous canine pack were chihuahuas (at least they’re small, you could fit a couple dozen of ‘em in a duffel bag), pomeranians, terriers, and lhasa apsos, and Chinese cresteds. As you can see from the above AP photo, the dogs are a good-looking bunch, unfortunately according to the AP article, some dogs were missing paws from being attacked by other animals or getting their feet caught in the fencing outside (read full article). Apparently, the eldery owners of the dogs were breeders, but developed a habit of hoarding, unable to part with their puppies.

The good news is that the dogs have been rescued and will be up for adoption shortly. The bad news is that the pack will have to be separated because no one seems willing to adopt 800 dogs altogether. No word on what is to become of the parrots.

AP

Look at those cuties…Sarah, can we adopt one? Just kidding.

Vlog: Fun @ the Animal Shelter

Here’s a still shot of Chris and Douglas Oliver. Ain’t they a cute couple?

It’s the weekend, so that means it’s time for another vlog (video + blog = vlog). Today’s entry is all about the importance of adopting pets from your local animal shelter. Sarah and I were at the shelter because we had to buy 2008 licenses (which we were supposed to have Jan. 1…whoops) for the dogs. On our way in to the shelter, we met Chris who was exuberant about adopting her new friend, Douglas Oliver, who’s orange. I love orange cats and people who love orange cats.

Juno: Strikingly Real Characters

This afternoon I found myself in a dark theater with two other women, a mother and daughter I didn’t know, for what seemed to be our private screening of Juno. I’ve read everyone else’s take of the movie, and armed with a small notepad, I was about to form my own opinion.

For me, the character Juno, a smart-talking unpopular 16 year-old girl, is what I envision when I think of a teenage girl. Sure, half of them dress a bit more “girly”, but Juno herself encompasses a piece of many teenage girls that have been dear to my heart. Yeah, I have a special relationship with the intelligent, sarcastic, artsy, guitar-playing types–big surprise!

In all honestly, Juno (Ellen Page) reminds me of this girl I mentored in college. She was a new Christian, a year or two younger than me. She looked very similar to Juno, right down to her unique fashion sense and petite stature. The only difference was that April had red hair and didn’t play guitar, choosing instead to study bioengineering. Man, I loved April. She always asked the best questions, wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, but did so in such an endearing way…and in some moments, she was so real it made me cry. Yet it wasn’t a particularly gooey or emotional moment…just raw and honest. There’s something beautiful about blatant honesty.

Juno’s a bit of a contradiction. She’s precocious and sarcastic, but still believes in true love (or wants a reason to). As Juno goes along, she figures things out for herself without any real adult guidance. When she first discovers she’s pregnant, so goes to a clinic to get an abortion, but then decides against it. Only after that experience does she tell her parents, who think it would have been better if she had gotten expelled from school or been in trouble for drunk driving.

She and her friend, Lea, pick prospective parents from a “Penny Saver” and it’s Juno who decides that Vanessa (adoptive mother) should be the one to keep the baby after Vanessa’s husband leaves her.  For a kid without strong authority figures, Juno makes some pretty good decisions.  Ironically, it was the moment she had a lapse in judgment that seemed to define Juno as a “bad girl” to the outside world.  Yet to moviegoers, Juno does the best she can in a situation in which no 16 year-old girl wants to find herself.

I was also struck by Vanessa, the adoptive mom portrayed by Jennifer Garner.  So much attention has been paid to Ellen Page (and rightly so), that I hadn’t even realized that a big star like Jennifer Garner was in the movie until like two weeks ago when I read the fifteenth blog review of the film. I loved Vanessa from the moment she came on the screen, and not just because I think Jennifer Garner is awesome.

Like Juno, Vanessa was real, but in an entirely different way. Garner managed to capture the feelings of a woman desperately seeking to adopt a child. I’ve seen that look on the faces of many women, women who were “born to be mothers”. Every time she looks at Juno, you can see the question marks in her eyes, “Will this girl really give me the baby in her womb?” A particularly touching seen that had me digging through my coat pocket for a crumpled tissue was when Vanessa and Juno run into each other at the mall. Juno invites Vanessa to touch her belly when the baby is kicking. Gingerly and tenderly, Vanessa kneels down in the middle of the mall and talks to Juno’s belly button. The whole scene would’ve cracked me up, if not for the love and want for the baby were on Vanessa’s strained face as she self-consciously spoke to her unborn child.

Juno’s lackadaisical attitude towards the baby in her womb and Vanessa’s absolute awe are in stark contrast.   Although Juno has her moments of wonder, like learning her baby had fingernails at 10 weeks and seeing the baby on the ultrasound.  The strange part, for me, is that after Juno has her baby, her life seems to fly into a new normal.  It’s like she’s had a baby, and some things have change, but not much.  It’s a movie, right?  I mean, it can’t all be real.

That’s why I find Ginger Sinsabaugh MacDonald’s article What Juno Didn’t Tell You so refreshing.  She doesn’t mine words when she talks about a topic close to her heart–teen pregnancy.   Plus, you can download a free excerpt from her book, Life After Birth (or buy a copy at her site, TastyFaith.com)  at Youth Ministry Exchange.  While you’re at YMX, check out Adam McLane’s article of What Does Juno Teach Us About Youth Ministry?

Still to come, “Randomly Funny Things About Juno”…