It feels good to give & be involved!

I guess that is one of the reasons that ones' heart wants to parent? To give our precious baby o, ( who will come someday) love, support & to be involved in her life. The thing about giving, it seems to always give back in some form. I think giving opens the heart.

Speaking of giving.....lately as you know I have been very involved in our election for a certain Presidential candidate who starts with an O! I want our country to be a better place when baby o gets here. My gallery along with many of my artists & other jeweler friends participated in raising over $20k for Obama at the Fashioning Change show in San Francisco. It was incredible to be a conduit to help in what I feel is a life changing journey of Barack Obama (hopefully) to become our next president! (oooooh chills....) It was so exciting to see so many young people out at a presidential fundraiser. It was an incredible feeling to be part of and I am so looking forward to a change in our government. And what a good sign that the young people are inspired too!

A shot from Fashioning Change runway show featuring Ocelot Clothing & April Higashi
enamel jewelry.

As a jeweler, one aspect of my work is making wedding + commitment rings for my clients. I have been doing a lot of same-sex couples rings lately.

One day a month or so ago, a beautiful, thoughtful woman walked into my gallery and she was waiting for her partner to discuss rings. I said, "Are you marrying a man or a woman?" She had just married a woman and they would have there celebration party later. I love that I can ask that question, and I did so kind of matter of fact.

Turns out the three of us did a lot of work to find out what they wanted and I found them some unique & beautiful stones. When they received the quote, they felt very torn between spending the money on themselves as a sign of their commitment to each other or donating the money towards NO on Prop 8. No on Prop 8 is a proposition here in California which keeps the rights for ALL to marry.

I really felt deeply and strongly that this issue concerned me too. I offered to donate $500 towards OUR cause, of my profit so they may possibly do both. Now mind you I did this because I felt truly compelled that this cause aligned with my inner beliefs of equality.

The commission when forward, the clients were so touched they sent me a wonderful gift certificate to my absolute favorite restaurant. Now I was even more emotionally touched.

But more than that I am so glad I had the opportunity to contribute to something I believe in! And my clients gave me an opportunity to see and be touched by their lives, their struggles and their hopes. I can only respond to what touches me and be myself.

I am so excited
&
tense
&
excited
&
sad
&
ready to cry
(in joy or sadness)

for the outcome!

I'm still waiting for you baby o.....but in the meantime. I'm not sitting around!

p.s. please come soon.

O !

Oh.

O?

What is the "O" for?

Well I haven't written much these days because I've been quite worried about this dear country of ours. The one I want to bring "baby o" into.

The election / the stock market / all the people losing their homes / the soldiers in Iraq...shall I go on.

As many of you fellow & future adoptive parents do, I read blogs about adoption in some of my free time. Now this issue has really gotten my goat! I won't say where I read it but it is on several adoptive mom's blogs.

Now one thing I can't understand is why do people who are PRO LIFE feel like they need others to live by their values. Why would they want our government to dictate what we do with our bodies? I am PRO CHOICE.

As a future adoptive parent, I'm glad I have alternative choices to creating a family. What if our government controlled our choice to adopt? How is that any different? Why should government play God?

I'm all for people having choices in their lives, and I guess what this blog post is about the biggest O, I can think of right now.

O B A M A

I am voting for Obama because I truly think he supports all kinds of people and encourages them to be critical thinkers in this world. I am all for it!!!

As a jeweler, lately I've been doing a lot of same-sex wedding bands. San Francisco leads the way in yet another issue I think that should be each person's choice. Marry who you love! I can tell you these same-sex couples are as diverse, excited, and committed as all the opposite-sex couples I make rings for. I love that they are getting to commit to their partners and their families with acknowledgment by their society. And some of them have adoptive kids and have been raising their kids for years. I personally have sometimes dreamed of being raised by two gay men. They would take me shopping at Barney's and brush my hair.

Hey we all have our story, our blended families, both from choice, fate, and chance!

So O is for...

my baby o

Oh let me make my own choices based on my values!

Opposite & same sex marriages

& the biggest, most important O right now....

O B A M A!

oh please!