451st Friday Blog Roundup

Thank you for all the notes and comments and Facebook updates and Tweets for the twins.  They’ve been reading it all, feeling good about the article.  And it once again cements in my mind that aphorism that it takes a village to raise a child.  All your words are part of raising them too in this global community, where the actions of adults (giving them a chance to write this article and helping them out during it and cheering them on after its done) guide the future of the children.  Because you wrote a comment, the twins felt encouraged.  Because they were encouraged, they’ll continue to write.  Because they continue to write, they continue to feel good about themselves.

So not to get all gooey emotional, but it is emotional to see people care about two people you love a lot (and think are pretty great, even if they do set up their matchbox cars and Legos all around your desk so that you step on them when you try to get up from your seat) and make their world bigger.  I try to always do this for other people since I can see how much opportunities or support can change a person.  And all of your support has definitely changed them for the better.

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It feels like summer is moving at warp speed.  Like school just got out yesterday and now we’re suddenly at some midway point and then in an eye-blink summer will be over.  I don’t know how to slow things down.

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And now the blogs…

But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week.  In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• “One. Enough?” (River Runs Dry)

Okay, now my choices this week.

First post by new blog, The Second Bedroom, is a frank look at an infertility diagnosis, as well as moving into a new blogging space, one that gets her to say quietly, “This is me, an infertile.”  It conveys that disbelief one feels ending up somewhere completely unexpectedly.  It’s a great first post.  Go welcome her into this corner of the blogosphere.

I am really really happy that the Listen to Your Mother videos are now up for those of us who couldn’t crisscross the United States to support our fellow ALI bloggers.  Both Family Building with a Twist and Lavender Luz have up videos of their performances.  Please let me know any others that are up (sorry — I’m behind in my blog reader) so I can update this entry.

From IF to When has a powerful piece on the way the online ALI community has changed.  She writes, “Like the elephant in the room, it’s sucking up the clean air to the point where all I can smell is shit. I’m stating a fact that’s been somewhat apparent for a while, but that no one has wanted to address. Me included.”  It’s a thought-provoking piece, meant to start a conversation.

Lastly, Project Progeny has a post about going back to Albania.  I love this line because it’s applicable to so many places and people: “It took me five seconds to remember why I love Albania, and three days to remember why I was so ready to leave.”  It’s a post about finding the place you love is also the source of your frustration.  Sort of like family itself.  A great post.

The roundup to the Roundup: Thank you.  Summer is going too fast.  And lots of great posts to read.  So what did you find this week?  Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between July 5th and July 12th) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week?  Read the original open thread post here.