Lonestarchild

The last couple of years have been a bit more than our usual insanity. We like things a little wild and chaotic, but it has been a little too much lately! In the last 3 years we've lived in 4 countries on 3 continents -- not to mention all of the other travel we've done. At the moment, we're in Texas looking after my mom and 93yo grandmother. Starting to get restless so we're actively looking for our next landing spot. In the past, we lived in Malta, Cambodia, Vanuatu, Ghana, Tanzania, and Australia.

"We" = me + my 16yo daughter who is the coolest (and most patient!) kid around. I simply adore her and consider myself to be the luckiest mom on the planet in that she shares my gypsy feet and is always up for the next adventure! She is a protector of all living things and her compassion stuns me on a regular basis.

Other than being constantly in need of new luggage, I'm an American child rights lawyer and researcher. When I practiced law in the US, I prosecuted child abuse and neglect cases. After I left practice, I was a law school professor for almost 20 years and taught child welfare courses. Now, I'm semi-retired and mostly research and write on street kid and child labor issues.

My teenage daughter and I travel ALOT. She has a bucket list of places to check off before she goes to college. She's 16 and on her third passport! So far, shes managed to check off 22 countries.

I'm an artist wannabe. I don't have any special talent but I quilt, sew, do various kinds of needlework and have lately gotten into paper crafts.

1980 hair bands. Shameful but true.

Huge reader. We've spent most of the last 10 years living in developing countries where there is no such thing as TV -- that suits us fine because we are readers. I'm currently into the Outlander series, but I also like any historical fiction and lawyer/legal thrillers.

I also spend way more time than I should on Crosswords!

Random things that make me happy:

1. smell of new books
2. envies -- handmade and plain color storebought to decorate
3. pens & paper and stationary & stickers
4. beads & sequins & ribbons and funny/unusual things to attach to mixed media pieces of art
5. washi
6. handknitted socks! (or nice cotton/wool ones -- not the synthetic cutesy ones)
7. Crossword puzzles! (in the US: the ones from the Dollar Store make me happy! Also happy with freebies from the paper, just also include the answers please because I cheat.)
8. new/unused postcards (not tourist ones)
9. blank journals/notebooks - especially ones with recycled paper...pages are a little rough like newspaper, not slick & shiny
10. handmade pottery -- tiles and plates
11. Nancy Drew
12. Wooden spoons
13. bags -- any kind: small ones for pens and such and tote bags...all kinds of bags (fabric & leather, but not plastic)
14. Address labels -- for me (info only; no pics) or blank to send out
15. the ocean -- and ocean colors
16. envies of randomness!
17. old mags -- I cut them up for stuff so I don't care how new/old they are
18. paper scraps -- LOVE paper and anything at least as big as a postcard is awesome! . .

THINGS I CAN HAPPILY LIVE WITHOUT:

1. almost all the isms,
2. crimes against kids,
3. horror/gothic/vampire/scary stuff,
4. smelly lotions & potions,
5. tv,
6. spicy food,
7. caffeine free coke,
8. coffee,
9. cold weather,
10. make-up,
11. high heels,
12. fridge magnets, shot glasses, tourist spoons/thimbles, keychains and that sort of thing (even if it is a "requirement" of the swap -no sense wasting your money on it!),
13. Hello Kitty and that sort of thing

IF YOU DON'T GET SOMETHING FROM ME, LET ME KNOW PLEASE.

Postcard Wishlist: Given the option, I'd rather they blank/unused in an envie but naked is fine too. I don't really care what kind of card, but my most favorite are ones with children on them. I also really like interesting images, watercolors, birds, books, maps, animals, clocks....

Not a fan of tourist cards.

No Religious, Rude, Crude, or Mean cards please.

I like to recycle stuff -- Please don't be offended if I use newspapers or mag pages or other interesting materials for envies and mailers. Thanks!

** Please use the messaging system on SB and not my email account. My email is subject to review by third parties and I'd much rather my personal stuff not mix with my work stuff. Thank you!