It was bedtime, and Miles kept thinking of more things he needed.

M:  I know what I need!  The Mommy Blankie (a particular blanket that was mine until he usurped it)!

A:  Okay, I’ll get it.

I went and got the blanket and tucked him in.

M:  I’m still chilly.

A:  Do you need another blanket?

M:  I wish you could snuggle me.

And great snuggling commenced.

{this moment (with special thanks to Darah)} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

This is one of the clearest and best summaries of Pedro, Emily, and Logan’s experience that I’ve seen.  And finally, a happy ending.

They’ll remember their tears: tears of anguish when Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials snatched Pedro Guzman from outside his family’s home in Durham and sent him to immigration hell in a remote Georgia prison.

[read the rest]

{this moment (with special thanks to Darah)} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

Miles drew the picture below and showed it to me.

M:  It’s me and my daddy.

A:  That’s really nice, honey.  And who’s that over there (pointing at the figure on the left, thinking maybe it was his in-utero future sibling)?

M:  That’s my friend I carry in a sack.

Miles told me he wanted noodles for lunch.

A:  Would you like long spaghetti noodles or short curly noodles?

M:  C-c-c-curly.

A:  O-k-k-k-kay.

M:  Not k, c.

{this moment (with special thanks to Darah)} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

I just got back from the grocery store, where I bought Miles his first Popsicles.  He didn’t want to try them at first, but he had recently (minorly) hurt his finger, and I told him holding the Popsicle might make it feel better.  While he was at it, he decided to try it.

M:  Mmmm…I sure do really love Popskittles.

This is my high school friend Emily’s story about how our flawed immigration system has threatened to destroy her family. His hearing is later this month, at which time it will be determined whether he can return to his wife and son or whether he will be sent back to a country he hasn’t lived in since he was a little child, where he has no friends or family or connections of any kind.  Stay tuned and visit http://www.logansdad.com for more information.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/23614425[/vimeo]

Miles was asleep.  He had been talking in his sleep some, including, “Hi, Daddy.”

M:  (most emphatically)  THEEEEE END.

And then he opened his eyes and woke up.

{this moment (with special thanks to Darah)} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

This afternoon, Miles and I were going to run an errand, and he opened the door by himself.  That somehow got me singing “Let My Love Open the Door,” and before long Miles was singing it with me.

[quicktime]http://www.aprille.org/media/thatswho.mov[/quicktime]

Miles was eating a kind of couscous that has pine nuts in it, which he calls treasures.

M:  I found a treasure!

A:  You’re my treasure.

M:  No I’m not.  I’m your little king.  No!  Your little queen.  No!  Your little maniac.  No!  Your little prince.

Denny was getting ready to do some touch-up painting followed by yard work, so he put on his grubby clothes.

M:  Nice costume, Daddy!