|
President's Letter
November 2010
|
What are you most thankful for this season? I bet if we did a quick CAFFA survey
asking this very question, we’d end up with a 100% overwhelming response, "Family".
Being an adoptive parent, I feel so fortunate! We aren’t constrained by a finite definition
of family tied to blood, appearance or other genetic traits. We get to experience. first
hand and early on through our children, that our family extends beyond traditional
boundaries.
This really came home for me today, Veteran’s Day. Our elementary school principal
sent out an email a few weeks prior requesting students with family who were veterans
participate in the school wide assembly Veteran’s Day celebration. We do not have
family living close to us ... that is, family defined by conventional standards. However,
we have created family in our community especially with one neighbor affectionately
known as "Farmer Tom". Believe me, farming in the suburban community of La Grange
is no easy feat. Early each spring Farmer Tom plants his crops around his house, a
50’ lot shared with his house and very understanding wife, Regina. From May through
October, he welcomes the neighborhood children (and adults) to come plant, water and
pick more fruits and vegetables than you’d find at the local farmers market.
Farmer Tom lives across the street and a door down. In August 2005, when our moving
van pulled in front of our new La Grange home, Farmer Tom was the first to welcome us
to the neighborhood. This included a thrilling tour of the moving truck cab specifically
geared for our two-year old son. Since then, we’ve had countless impromptu happy
hours, block parties and discussion on everything from taxes to village flood levels.
Farmer Tom was even instrumental behind our last year’s Cub Scout entry into the
Pack Pinewood Derby. He generously loaned us his tools, instructed us on the finer
points of this even and came for the running of the cars!
Farmer Tom is a veteran of the Korean War. Like with most veterans, memories of
their war are too painful to discuss. From the little that I’ve gotten from Tom, he was in
the middle of it, a Marine of course. In spite of all the pain, he has embraced our sons,
both adopted from Korea. They love getting a Korean greeting from Farmer Tom yelling
across the street: "Obaseo" (hello). "Aon yong hash-a-meka?" (How are you?). It’s like
their secret language with a man that they regard with as much love as they have for
their grandparents.
So when this Veterans Day invite came out, we made sure that Farmer Tom was
included as a guest of our oldest son, Jet (2nd grade). Jet was so proud to walk Farmer
Tom into assembly, ... then to the reception ... then to his classroom ... then to his
brother’s kindergarten classroom ... then to the library ... then to the front door ... all
in the spirit of being a good host (with the added bonus of missing his math class).
Farmer Tom was the only veteran to step forward and speak that morning at assembly.
He has a great sense of humor and a wonderful way of relating to children. By
comparing sharing a bunk with six fellow marines and one pet rat to sharing a room with
a sibling or two... he brought to the students some of the magnitude of the sacrifices he
and others have made.
At the morning reception, after assembly, each student and their family member had
to introduce themselves. Farmer Tom stood, introduced himself and Jet. He told the
group that he was a Marine, his rank and that he was a Veteran of the Korean War. He
then told the reception that this was how Jet and he were connected ... they were both
from Korea.
When several moms recounted this story that afternoon at school pick-up, my eyes
were teary and my heart was bursting with pride and love. It reinforced once again that
family goes so far beyond the constraints of blood, genetic lineage and appearance. It
does take a village to raise a child and that love, no matter where it comes from, is the
substance needed to grow and mold that child into wonderful, caring adult.
If you come to the CAFFA Fundraising Garage Sale in the Spring, you may have met
Farmer Tom while he was running over card tables or tools for us to sell. You may have
glanced down the block and wondered, "Is that corn growing in the parkway?" Well,
yes ... yes it is! Feel free to knock on the door and ask for a tomato or two if you are
around during the harvest. As we count our blessings this holiday season, we’ll be
counting the blessing of our family ... in all it’s unconventional wonder!
|
|