So Much Need...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all the need...  no many that have so little, and it weighs heavy sometimes.

Are you following along with what has been happening in Egypt?  I have a friend that is living just outside of Cairo.  If you want a real persons view of what is happening you can read her blog here:  Expats in Egypt

So many people, literally staving now and she is helping by handing out food and sandwiches.  It only takes $10 to feed a family of four for a whole week.  I have never fed my family of four using only $10.

See what she is doing here and here.

If you would like to help, you can do so here:

www.maadicommunitychurch.com
egiving
community care

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And then there is this:


15 year old Addisyn decided to make a difference in the lives of some children who made a difference in hers, so for 100 days she gave up her lunch eating only a small bowl of soup and a piece of bread so she could give her lunch money to these children.  Because $3.00 feeds one child from Adami Tulu preschool in Ethiopia for a month!  She inspired us to also make a difference - one lunch, one day and you know what happened?  Many people made a small sacrifice to give up one lunch - and together donated $3,620.13!  Isn't that amazing?


If you would like to help, you may do so here: 

Online donations: http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html  (indicate for the Adami Tulu Preschool).


How about you?  Is there something that is currently tugging on your heart? 

Black and White Wednesday {Weekend In Review}

 

I am joining in this weeks Black and White Wednesday with a few of my favorite shots from the weekend.

Here Rylee is trying to convince me about just how boring it is to watch her sister cheer at the basketball game.  She is pouting because the battery on her DS went dead right at the start of the game!

This one just makes me want to kiss her neck!

Spring time and horses - they just warm my heart! 

One of my favorites!

Just had to add this one in, from only two weeks ago.  How quickly the weather changes here in the south!

Sunday Snapshot

I am participating in Snapshot Sunday with Ni Hao Y'all.  If you would like to join in, click here.

One of my favorite things that we did this weekend was spend some time with Minnie.  If you have ever loved a horse, then you know there is nothing like the soft nuzzle and gentle gaze of this powerful animal.

At what age do we consider mustache removal?

And no we are not talking about me... Rylee has been obsessed with what she calls her "moose-stachio!"

Let me back up a little bit.

A couple of weeks ago Rylee asked us (while in a restaurant eating dinner), if she has a mustache?  I being the brave soul that I am, said "Ask your Dad." So she turned her questioning gaze on her father.

"DAD!  I don't have a moosestachio do I?"  We all look down at the table, and busy ourselves with the suddenly fascinating dinners that are sitting before us.

She stares us down.

Hanna caves first:  "Yes, Rylee you do have a moosetachio, but really it's okay because I have a uni-brow!"

Rylee looks at her Dad:  "DAD???"

He said "Don't look at me, your mother is the one that said you have a mustache!"

I consider dumping my dinner over his head...

I turn to her and said "I DID NOT say that you have a mustache, but if you really want to know you just need to look in the mirror yourself.  What I am saying is that you are incredibly beautiful and perfect."

She looks at me "I know that Mom, but do I have a moosestachio or not?"

I sigh... "Rylee, eventually everyone has some form of a mustache - some are just easier to see than others..."

Why, oh why are we even having this conversation???

She puts fingers on her upper lip, rubbing up and down her brow crinkles and she announces in an extremely loud voice "I DO HAVE A MOOSETACHIO!!!  WAAAAAAA"


People are looking... a lot of them...

I tell her we are done talking about this for now.  Thankfully, she lets it go.

But not for long...

Two days later we are standing in the bathroom, doing her hair.  She brings it up again.  "Mom, do I really have a moosetachio?"  I look at her for a minute trying to decide what I should do.  Finally I hand her a little mirror and say "you tell me".

She studies herself from every angle.

Than she glares at me "I DO have a moosestachio, and it is big, and dark, and you can see it really good!  WHY didn't you tell me this mother?  We have to do something about this right now!  Make it lighter Mom or I know, lets pull it out..."  She runs for the tweezers.

"No Rylee, we are not pulling it out! Listen to me... Everyone has this, your hair is just really dark, so it shows up a little bit more.  But it really is not very noticeable at all baby, and you are perfect just the way you are."

She narrows her eyes at me, with a stubborn look on her face that tells me in no uncertain terms - she's not buying it!

"Think about it Mom, think about it!  We need to do something about this!"  I distract her with other things, which works for a while. But not really...

She has now been studying the upper lips of all the girls at school.  I now know which ones have nothing there, which ones have very light hair and I also know that there is not another girl in THE ENTIRE school that has a moosetachio like Rylee.  I know this because I get a daily report from her.

This morning as she heads out the door, she brings it up again.  "We ARE doing something about this today Mother!"  I groan... she growls...

Suggestions?  Advise?

Rylee Visits The Dentist

You gotta know that Rylee visiting the Dentist, can't just be any old trip right?  I am sure that they clearly remember last time when she tried to talk through an entire filling, kicking and stomping her feet the whole time.

This time her legs were really still, no kicking at all...  Instead she was doing a bird flap type movement with her arms.  Several times she chased away the dentist with her flapping arms, as he quickly rolled away for safety.

Each time after the wild flapping escapade, she would give the dentist two thumbs up - practically landing her thumb up the poor guys nose!

WOW that nitrous oxide is really something...

I could barely contain my stifled laughter as I stood in the corner of the room watching this crazy scene!

Finally he turned his questioning gaze at me after he was treated to the third double thumbs up close encounter.  I could only shrug my shoulders, as I have no idea why she is doing this.  Plus if I even attempted to open my mouth, all that would come out would be the laughter that was fighting to spill over!


I mean just picture this...

Drill starts up... dentist is concentrating... arms start flapping... dentist frantically rolls out of the way... arms go down... dentist cautiously rolls back to his place... he leans back over to resume his work... double thumbs up almost shoved up his nose... dentist ducks to the side barely reaching the safety zone on time...

Poor guy - I really did feel sorry for him.

Finally he was able to finish up and I hope he had time to take a break before he had to move on to the next child!

On the way home I was talking to my husband on the phone telling him about it.  She says from the back of the car "I will tell you why I was doing that Mom!"

"I was using my arms to tell him to get his big head out of the way of the movie, when he did move I was giving him thumbs up so he would know that he was out of the way and I could watch the movie again - I don't know why he kept getting back in the way again - gosh with his BIG head!"

Okay then... maybe I should warn him next time...

Reading the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, Post #1

When I read that an online friend of mine was following this reading plan, I knew that this was one for me too.  I have had trouble focusing on my daily time with God lately and I think this will be just the thing to make sure that I spend at least a little quality time with His Word every day.

Today I want to share a little of my thoughts:

January 5, 2011

Jesus Heals Many 

In Luke 4:38, Luke tells of Jesus healing Simon’s Mother-in-Law.  In Luke's version it doesn’t say he literally touched her, but in Matthew’s telling (8:14-15) it does.

This started me thinking about the times when I have been touched by God.  Whether or not Jesus actually touched Simon’s Mother-in-Law really doesn’t matter.  When He is near, when He wants His presence to be known and when He wants to heal you, it is felt so deeply that a physical touch is not needed.

There are times when I have felt Him near me, drawing me to Him.  Times when He did not leave my side until I surrendered my own will and let Him completely fill my heart.  And a time when He healed my broken heart.  As I was on my knees praying, sobbing and pleading, completely overcome with devastation, He came to me.  As deeply devastated as I was, as broken and wounded as my heart had been, in an instant the pain was gone and my tears were dried.  It didn't erase the past or change the things that had happened or any of the circumstances at all.  But where there had been a dark, shattered heart, now there was only love.  Deep, unending and undeniable love.

Something incredible happens when we are touched by God.  Your view of the world changes, your view of people changes, the things you care the most about changes.   

If you are broken and He has not yet come to make you whole, you only need to invite Him in.  He is waiting for you…

11 Years Ago Today She Arrived...

 

And nothing has been the same since!  I can so vividly remember wrapping her up in a pooh bear snow suite that was WAY bigger than she was, even though it was a newborn size.  She was six tiny pounds and mine to care for and to love.  The weight of that responsibility was so heavy the day we came home from the hospital.  I rocked her when we first got home, while my husband unloaded the car.  Savage Garden was playing on the stereo in the background, "I Knew I Loved You" was the song.  I was overwhelmed staring at the precious little face that belonged to my new daughter.  How was I supposed to know how to be a good Mom?  How could anyone think that I would know what to do with this tiny, precious child that now held my heart squarely within her tiny little fist?  Tears streamed down my face and I prayed that I would be worthy of such a huge responsibility.

11 years later I am still praying.  As much as I tell her I really need her to just take a break from growing so fast, she refuses.  It won't be long and she will be taller than me, and I am sure it won't be much longer before she thinks she is smarter than me too...

She has a beautiful heart, a gentle spirit and a great sense of humor.  I have loved every moment of being her mother and am eternally grateful for the tremendous blessing I have in her.  I love you sweet girl!  Happy Birthday!!

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus

I would have loved to been there for this!

People tell me that she is just like me...

I just don't see it.

At all.



She even turns a little Mommy, Daughter pampering into a riot!  Such a funny kid :) 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful day, surrounded by friends and family.  We have had a really great family day today and I am constantly reminded of all I have to be thankful for.  So many people have touched my life, enhanced it and some have forever changed it.  I am thankful for all of you today and missing many...

Some of my most precious blessings:

I hope you are filled with a happy and peaceful heart...

Adoption Photobook

I wanted to share the photo book I made for Rylee, using pictures from our trip to China:

You can view the whole book by following this link:   http://www.poyomi.com/book/547a3e77bf30407790a833b48444fb37

Rylee really loves the book, it was so sweet to see her reaction when we looked through it for the first time.  She put her hand on my face and told me "Mama, you have just the right face and the best nose".  She gently touched my nose and then put her hand back on my cheek, looked straight into my eyes and told me "you are just the Mama that I always wanted, and I am so glad you have the right face, you are the best Mama that I exactly wanted"...

I am not quite sure what she meant about having the right face, but I am thankful that I do!  In any case, it brought tears to my eyes.  I am not sure how we got so lucky, but I am ever so thankful that she is part of our family.  She is exactly perfect for us!

If you are interested, I am giving away three photobooks.  You can enter here.  The contest ends 11/26 at midnight and has very low entries!

No I am not allergic to my blog...

Today I received a message from someone asking if I had developed an allergy to my blog.  I started laughing, until I realized that it has been 5 MONTHS since I posted anything here!  Is anyone even still out there? 

What is wrong with me you might ask?

I do not have a good excuse... just busy working, raising a family, blogging, working, watching my house pile up with dust balls, working, taking pictures that fill up my laptop and just sit there, working and blah, blah, blah.... I know these are not nearly good enough reasons to be failing my loyal reader (you are still there right mom?)...

So today I am turning over a new leaf, or maybe I should say an old one, and am determined to catch up my blog, return to practicing my photography skills (which are getting rusty, while others of you have gained amazing skills during my absence!) and find out if any of my old friends are still here!


I am doing some clean up of my blog, deleting some really old stuff, changing things up a bit and making room for more.  It may be a bit messy for a little while, but I'm pretty sure we can all use a break from the bright pink background...

So I am going to leave you with two small bits...  with the promise of more to come (for real!):

Conversations with Rylee:

Rylee:  Mom, do you want to know what I am very, very, very thankful for?


Me:  Yes I do Rylee, what are you very, very thankful for?

Rylee:  I am very, very thankful for our swelter!!!

Me:  Okay, and what is swelter?

Rylee:  You know the very, very top of our house with the points on it and the little brown square things?

Me:  You mean the roof?

Rylee:  Yes MOM!  I am very, very, very thankful for the roof that is on top of our house, that is the swelter!

SO when you are all counting your blessings this Thanksgiving day, do not forget to add your swelter!

And I also give you this, because I think you need it:

 Consider it a gift :)

You just gotta love pure 7 year old delight!

It's five minutes long, but how sweet Rylee was with her excitement about her Birthday gift!



Pictures and details to follow :)

Update 6/3/2010

When I picked Rylee up from day camp yesterday she hops in the car and I hear her repeating this over and over:

"Seven not six, seven not six, seven not six, seven not six..."

After several minutes of this I ask her what she is doing. She says "Well, I just don't feel like I am seven yet, so I am making myself know that I am seven not six!"

As of this morning, she still had not convinced herself!

"I knew I would..."

Tomorrow is Rylee's 7th birthday (crazy isn't it??), so tonight I made her very favorite meal (Ramon Noodles) for her for dinner.

Just as I was finishing up the noodles I heard her mumble something under her breath.

I said "What did you just say?"

Ry: "I just said something about you, but I can't say what."

Great must be another one of her spicy comments, I was thinking. So I just shrugged my shoulders and went on with what I was doing.

Ry: "Okay, I will tell you what it was. I said I knew that I would get a good Mom."

That stopped me in my tracks and I went over to stand in front of her. "What do you mean, you knew you would?"

Ry: "When I was in China I knew that I would get a good Mom. In China I did not have a good mom."

Not quite sure what to say I just asked her why she says that...

She gets a big grin on her face and says "Mom you know! In China she made me wear pants that showed everybody my booty! That is not good! Peoples don't want to have everyone seeing their booty! Also I had boy hair!"

And then she threw her arms around me and kissed me about 100 times!

Cleaning up...

These chairs seem to be a dumping ground for the girls after they get home from school. Daily they are piled with books, papers, backpacks etc... and every day I have to get after them to clean up their spaces.

Today Rylee was so pleased to show me that she had cleaned up both chairs - and believe me with end of the year books and papers coming home in record numbers the piles were especially high.

I was so please and told her how wonderful it was that she cleaned up not only her own chair, but also her sisters as well - without even being asked!!

She looked at me, like she was all perplexed...

"But Mom we sang the song together!!"

Now I was confused... The song?

She rolls her eyes at me "YES Mom, the song... Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere, clean up, clean up, everybody do your chair!"

I actually did not tell her yet that we are actually singing "do your share" and am still laughing!!