Olive!

OK, the new dog has a new name: Olive. And she's slowly starting to come out of her shell. This picture explains why we will be finding an obedience class toot sweet!

I Hear Hope Calling Me ...

OK, I know we're all a little weary of the presidential hype, but I was cleaning out Kate's backpack and ran across this little gem among her poetry assignments:

"I Am Barack Obama" by Kate

I am true and kind

I wonder if in the future anyone would understand

I hear hope calling me

I see my children's hope

I want peace on Earth

I am true and kind.

I pretend I'm in the White House

I feel sad for the hungry

I touch the basketball my dad gave me

I worry that I can't help people myself

I cry about my family

I am true and kind.

I understand that beggars are scared

I say, "Yes We Can!"

I dream of a better place

I try to help the economy

I hope that faith will lead me down the right path

I am true and kind.

Ema In the News

After writing a blog post about how my mom doesn't like to be called "Grandma" but prefers "Ema," I got a call from a reporter at Maclean's, Canada's national weekly current affairs magazine.

Check out what other non-Grandmas had to say on the topic.

A New Tail

We did it. There's a new dog in our house!



We visited the South L.A. animal shelter on a tip from a friend that a beautiful lab's number was about to be up. Debbie turned out to be a BIG dog that, in the span of about five minutes, knocked over two big potted plants, an ashtray filled with water and butts and one little boy, who subsequently became soaked by ashtray water.

I hated to leave her behind, but another little black lab caught my eye. No bark, jump or other typical theatrics – just a calm stare that said, "Hey, would you pet me?"

I know that any minute now she might come alive and chew the sofa, dig up the sprinkler system and poop on the one square of carpet in my house, but for now, she's been nothing but ladylike. She plunks down next to you when sit down and curls up like a peanut at the foot of Jack's bed when it's lights out. All we need now is a good name for this girl.

And the shelter experience was a positive one for our otherwise sheltered children. The site of all those shaky chihuahuas, forlorn poodles and alert shepherds was almost more than I could bear – and Kate seemed to grasp the desperation of it all. But we saw and met several great volunteers, who take it upon themselves to find homes for these critters. One volunteer we met maintains a blog on the rescued pooches and kitties she transports to new homes throughout the city, and captured Kate and Jack as we were about to jump in the car with our new family member. This is her photo.

(And one final note: Debbie the rambunctious lab got rescued from the shelter!)

Obama-Rama

Where are you watching the inauguration on Tuesday? Chances are, unless you head out to sea or retreat into a dark cave for the day, you won't be able to avoid it. And who would want to? This is an amazing historical moment. In that vein, here are a couple of Obama-related items to chew on:

• The Pilgrim School in Los Angeles is sending 16 eighth graders and two teachers to witness the event. The students represent L.A.'s ethnic diversity and are being helped by the WorldStrides organization, a company that enriches students' lives through experiential travel. In D.C., the students will attend an inaugural dance and get to be among the first to arrive at the event.

• Can't make it to the nation's capital? Then watch it from this special block: Legoland California. Modelmakers have been busy "pre-creating" the historic scene, capturing the new president taking the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol in Miniland U.S.A. Hundreds of minifigures were "invited" to attend. The scene goes up today and will stay up through Memorial Day Weekend. And while you're there, check out the LEGO mosaic depicting Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. 

• Do your kids want to dress like the president's kids? They've been spotted in a line of tees called TEASE, a contemporary line that is hand-crafted with colorful smiley faces and peace signs. (Where are the big-girl sizes?!) 

• Michelle Obama is also ushering in a new era as First Lady. Knowing that lots of us will be interested in keeping up with her as she grows in her new role – and how she's going to do that with two young daughters – Mommytrackd.com is dedicating a section of its site to News and Notes About Michelle Obama, Modern Mama. This section will be hosted by Shari MacDonald Strong, a senior editor at Literary Mama and editor of the anthology, The Maternal is Political, and Kuae Mattox, former editor-in-chief of Black Family Today and national Director of Media Relations for Mocha Moms. Other guest writers are expected to chime in.