Live Love Matter

Let's be the Hands and Feet

2011-12-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon a blog a couple weeks ago that tugged at my heart. (First off, they are in WA, and well, lets face it....having been born and raised there it is "local" to me still.) The Buoniconti family just adopted an HIV+ child a few months back. It's been a hard road, but they are a close knit family, and they are leaning on God and following His calling to take care of Hunter. His

Shop with a PURPOSE!!

2011-11-29T15:23:00.000-08:00

This year it looks like we are off on a record-breaking-money-spending holiday season. Retailers took in $7 BILLION in additional revenue over last year, for a whopping $52 billion for the weekend. WOW. Those numbers are staggering. There are other numbers just as staggering..... the fact that there are around 147 million orphans in the world. The fact that 1 billion people are hungry and

Redeemer

2011-10-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

God has been crazy at work in my family's life. So many things I just still can't put into words, though I will keep trying. Plus other things that aren't my story to tell. Not yet, anyway. But there is something that has been in my heart the last couple weeks, and God reinforced it loud and clear with a message from a dear friend, and I just had to share. Without too many details, life has

Consumed with Guilt

2011-09-17T17:19:00.000-07:00

Guilt is overtaking me. It is a tangible presence right now. For brief moments I can escape it, but then it slowly creeps back up to overtake me. Some people know, some do not, for I have not made a big official announcement, but we are expecting another child. There is part of me that (after the shock wore off) wants to shout it from the mountaintops. We were not trying, it definitely was

It's a Blog Shower!!!

2011-08-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Lara over at the Farmers Wife Tells All!! Her dear friends hijacked her blog to throw her a Blog Shower since they are anxiously awaiting a court date in Ug*nda for their adoption of a sweet little boy. The Shower/Giveaway is to raise the last needed funds for plane tickets, lawyer fees, and in-country living expenses while awaiting adoption finalization. There is a Grand Prize for the

Autism Speaks Fundraiser

2011-08-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine hearing the words "your child has autism"? In a split second, life - as you know it - has changed. For a different family every 15 minutes, tomorrow will never be the same. My friend Lacy is walking in honor of her son in the Autism Speaks walk in Portland at the end of this month. Her teams goal to raise for the walk is $1000 and they are at $60. In an effort to help

Beautiful Things

2011-06-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Two posts in three days?? REALLY?!?! Am I sick? Nope! I just have FABULOUS people and events to write about!! <3 I have said it before, and forewarning, I will say it again, I love the people I meet doing what I do! One of them is Mitzi. I just gave Mitzi's blog a makeover, and in the process started getting to know a wonderful woman with a heart for Jesus who knows that daily she needs

On Distant Shores

2011-06-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things in bloggy world has been the people I have been blessed enough to "meet". Some of them have just been through finding each others blogs, and others have been through my designing blogs. The following family I met when I did their blog. Robert and Darbi are a wonderful couple in the beginning stages of a domestic adoption. They just finished their homestudy and are in

Visible Grace

2011-05-31T06:28:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to inform you about a fabulous non-profit and my even more fabulous friend who started and runs it. Ashby Rauch started Visible Grace a few years ago. In Ashby's own words, Visible Grace is "a non-profit organization committed to providing faith-based education to children in need. Our goal is to help alleviate poverty by empowering children through education. With a holistic

Lots of stuff going on!!

2011-05-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

I have been absent from blogging for over a month again, and it's from lack of time to just sit and write! Things are kind of crazy around here with lots of different things going on, which I'll update on later. For now I would like to point out two very very important things happening that are near and dear to my heart from two non-profits that I work with. First off is the Love Feeds Raffle.

No two are alike

2011-04-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant with Jazmine, I was tiny and petite, no one even realized I was 7 months pregnant if I had a sweatshirt on, I wore my regular jeans the entire pregnancy, she kicked and kicked and kicked for hours upon hours every single day, I was never sick, never tired, and honestly, minus the fact that she was competing to be an Olympic Soccer player in my tummy and actually bruised me

Wasting my gift

2011-04-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

I am not a boastful person, so these couple paragraphs are going to be uncomfortable for me to write in a way. I usually underplay most of my accomplishments. Truth be told, I feel guilty about them most days. I am by no means anyone that people would consider "gifted" but I have been blessed enough to be successful at pretty much whatever I set my mind on. Sports came easy to me. Softball,

Love Feeds

2011-03-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

WOW! It's been a month and a half since my last post. Might be my longest hiatus thus far. February was crazy crazy crazy busy, and well, March...just haven't been able to put my thoughts into any sort of organization when I had something to share. So I have tons of drafts and no postings. LOL. Maybe I will work on editing some of those into readable posts sometime. :) As for now, though,

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T08:21:00.000-08:00

2011-02-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

Well I mentioned the other day that I had someone new to introduce you to....so without further delay I'd like you to meet Amy. She blogs over at feet 2 our faith. Amy and her family are in the middle of adopting two children from Uganda. Currently there is a fundraiser going on to help Amy's family through Uppercase Living. Let me tell you....I have never heard of Uppercase Living until this

5/28

2011-02-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am cheating! Yes, I pulled this pic from one of my older favorites. But this so perfectly is the love that my children share for each other which makes this mama's heart overflow with more LOVE than I even know what to do with!...... (I'll try to not cheat tomorrow...hahaha!)

4/28

2011-02-05T05:46:00.001-08:00

Hello! Okay, yesterday was just one of those busy days. Basically left the house at 6:15am and not home until around 9:30pm. So I am just now posting yesterdays pic....and I see LOVE in the beauty that God gives us everywhere we look.

3/28

2011-02-03T21:09:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will have an actual post introducing you to a wonderful new friend! Today, I just have my Love Strand Challenge Photo. This one is about my love of quiet time to just be......Every morning I wake up before everyone else, grab my coffee, and relax to prepare for the day. I'll read, pray, listen to worship music.... It starts my day off on the right foot. And honestly, it makes my

2/28

2011-02-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

I have to say this is one of my fav new pictures....my dear husband riding a pink bike down the street just in order to show his precious princess girl how to ride without training wheels. I love how he adores his daughter!

1/28

2011-02-02T08:16:00.000-08:00

I am terrible about blogging and totally sporadic. I might post daily for weeks and weeks at a time, and then nothing....for a month at a time. So to challenge myself to post something every day, I joined up with Amy over at feet 2 our faith (you'll hear more about her another day!) to do her Love Strand challenge. The goal is to post one picture a day for the month of February, with the theme

Miracles in a Witchcraft Village!!

2011-01-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

Today I wanted to introduce you to a couple of great people/groups of people. This first amazing lady I have written about before, but, well, I love her to death and she needs our support! My dear friend Christie gave up all modern comforts and abandoned her "American Dream" life she was living to move to Uganda. There she has landed herself smack dab in the middle of a witchcraft village.

Stroll down memory lane....

2011-01-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

I was trying to clean up my hard drive the other day and found some old pictures. And as old pictures usually do, they brought back tons of memories. One particular set of pictures really got me. However, first let me start this off by saying I am a control freak who obsessively has to plan. And then I have back up plans, with back up plans, with more back up plans. In my crazy mind, if I

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-25T14:38:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! As I look at my children, hear them talking about how gifts are not what Christmas is all about, I am overwhelmed with gratefulness. Grateful that God gave me these two amazing gifts to love and nurture and raise, and so very grateful for the gift that was given to each and every one of us in Jesus Christ. A King was born to ultimately die so we

Fun break

2010-12-17T19:29:00.000-08:00

Instead of writing about the craziness around here right now, I thought I'd take a fun break! I want to thank Amanda over at Bumber's Bumblings for tagging me in the Versatile Blogger award. Amanda introduced herself at my blog one day, so of course I had to run over and say hello to her! I have had fun learning about her and her perfectly created by God family via an open adoption. So here's

Katie Davis speaking

2010-12-03T13:25:00.000-08:00

I have shared my heart many times about Katie Davis' blog, the wonderful things happening through Amazima Ministries, and how the journey of this young woman to follow her heart to caring for God's children in Uganda has been a huge inspiration in my life to strive to follow Jesus and take care of the least of these. I found these videos the other day over at a new blog I follow, and was moved

World AIDS Day

2010-12-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

"History will judge us on how we respond to the AIDS emergency in Africa....whether we stood around with watering cans and watched while a whole continent burst into flames....or not." ~Bono "Every minute of every day, a child under 15 is infected with HIV - the overwhelming majority of children under 15 who are HIV-positive get infected through their mothers at birth. Without treatment, half of

Meet Christie

2010-11-30T16:22:00.000-08:00

I would like to introduce you to my new friend Christie from COMPASS IN MY HEART. She took a trip to Uganda, fell in love with a village where they still practice witchcraft, and came back here to the US determined to make a difference for them. She has helped get the village people clean water, helped build a new school so that 100 more children can attend school than were able to before, took

And the winner is.........

2010-11-23T16:17:00.000-08:00

Hello from Seattle!!! We had to leave about a day earlier to come visit family for Thanksgiving because of BAD weather conditions, so sorry I didn't get a winner posted this morning. Now that we are here and settled in, my beautiful nieces helped me pick a winner. I can post pics once I get back home, as I do not have a USB cord with me.....but after putting all the names into a shoe box (

Recycle Love Orphan Sunday

2010-11-20T17:04:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share a few of the videos from our Recycle Love Orphan Sunday event over the next couple days. This is Aaron and Marcy and their two amazing treasures. We were blessed by this wonderful family coming to share some of their story and heart. And as many times as I have seen this, I am moved to tears every time...... Take a few minutes and listen to how God worked wonders in

Give-Aways and Shopping!

2010-11-19T13:50:00.000-08:00

Have I ever said I love give-aways? Hehehe...if not, I DO! First off, a reminder about the RECYCLE LOVE TEE give-away here on my blog....GO HERE for a refresher about it and to ENTER! Only a few days left to enter and it is SO EASY! Your choice of the Orphan Sunday tee or the Buy Less Give More tee. After entering that give-away, hop on over to my friend Lara's blog...The Farmer's Wife.

Win a free Recycle Love shirt!!!

2010-11-13T17:42:00.000-08:00

I am so excited......it's the very first give-away for this blog! This is your chance to win a Recycle Love shirt! The shirts are American Apparel and printed on their SUPER SOFT and comfy tri-cotton blend. You will have your choice of the Orphan Sunday "Love" tee...or the Christmas "Buy Less Give More" tee. I am new to this give-away thing, so bear with me...haha! I've tried to make it

T-Shirt Reveal!!

2010-11-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

Okay, not really....haha. The shirts are already on the Recycle Love website, and I have been posting them for days on Facebook....I just liked how exciting that title sounded! Here is the deal....shirts are only $10 again! WooHoo!! They are currently only on a pre-order basis. As soon as we have sold enough shirts to fulfill the printing requirement, we will have the first set of shirts

Adoption Spotlight......Starkey Family

2010-11-09T21:08:00.000-08:00

Meet the next family in my series of Adoption Spotlights. I first stumbled upon the Starkey Family blog when they were in the process of getting their homestudy done, and have been following along ever since! Here is what April had to say....... ~What led you decide on adoption? What role did your faith play in that process? We had known since before we were married (we had dated since we

Meet Suzanne!

2010-11-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the blog world and how people are so easily connected! Suzanne stumbled upon my blog one day last week, so of course I had to check hers out....and I LOVED what she is doing! I just had to introduce you as part of my series of adoption spotlights! :) Here is her story in her own words...... Hello! We are Phil and Suzanne and were soon to be empty nesters, my youngest is a senior in

Adoption Spotlight......Lara

2010-10-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

**November is National Adoption Month. With Recycle Love putting on an Orphan Sunday event on November 14th, we thought we'd start a series of adoption spotlights. The idea is to hear about different families and their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and different stages of the journey to their child. Our hope is to raise enough awareness, feed a passion for orphans, or spark enough curiosity

Give away time!!

2010-10-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

Have I ever said how much I LOVE give aways? In case I haven't....I LOVE THEM! This first one is from Melissa over at Along the Narrow Road....they have been officially placed on the waiting list for their child from Ethiopia. She is giving away the chance to win $150. Yep... $150. Definitely worth a trip over there! This next give away I am *kind of* involved in...haha! Rachel is

Coming soon!!

2010-10-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

November is National Adoption Month. On Sunday Nov 14th, Recycle Love is putting on Orphan Sunday here in Lebanon. More details to follow very soon....but for now....mark your calendars!! (Oh, and T-Shirts coming soon!!!)

The Blog Guidebook

2010-10-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Ever want to find some good blogs but looking for some organization? Looking for Giveaways? How about some Linky parties to join? The Blog Guidebook is fabulous!! You must check it out!!!

Urgent Prayer Request

2010-09-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

Here I am humbly asking for prayer. As this is a public blog, I need to keep details pretty non-existent since it isn't my story to tell, but I am asking you to pray and to trust. A very special person in my life needs prayer. They are struggling with more issues than I could even list right now, and if they were to just open their heart to God, He would sustain them. I know He would. I have

Time for a change

2010-09-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

I have a few different posts in the making right now...but thought I'd start off with the name change of the blog. :) When I originally started blogging, I had not really started my walk with the Lord yet, (though I was just going to church to go to church), I was suffering a bit of depression and the lack of a personal identity mommies can sometimes get, especially when they are stay-home-moms

Love to Junk Posse!!!!

2010-09-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

A few months back I had the opportunity to FINALLY order something for myself for Mother's Day from JUNK POSSE! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE her work!! We worked together and she came up with this design for me. The back charm says "LIVE LOVE HOPE PRAY" Knowing how kind of a heart she has, and that most of her work goes to orphans and adopting families and such, I ventured out and asked about a

Recycle Love Festival 2010

2010-08-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

At the end of the night on Saturday, a dear friend asked me how I felt. The word that came to mind was "humbled". That one confused her as it was the last thing she expected to hear. She was thinking I'd be breathing a sigh of relief that it was over, and excited that it went so fabulously, (and I did feel those) but first and foremost I felt humbled. The whole day we could just feel the Holy

Warfare

2010-08-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

Time seems to be zooming by! There is less than a week and a half left until Recycle Love Festival! Behind the scenes EVERYONE involved has been hard at work doing their part. There have been car washes, speaking to churches, speaking with businesses, calling radio stations, giving newspaper interviews, putting posters and flyers up all over town and the neighboring towns, making those posters

Making a difference

2010-08-05T09:24:00.000-07:00

In case you were wondering...we still have some T-Shirts left. :) I must admit, I am enjoying how widespread these shirts are getting shipped....California, Alaska, Florida, New York....very exciting!!! But what is even more exciting is that for every shirt sold, 3 children in Africa get clean water for a year!! If you are interested in a shirt that will make a difference in the lives of

Would you give this to YOUR children?

2010-07-31T13:59:00.000-07:00

Charity:Water is the organization our Recycle Love Festival is working with on the sale of our t-shirts. Buying just one t-shirt will give 3 children in Africa clean drinking water for one year. At only $10 a shirt, that is a fabulous deal! They are super soft and comfy, and we just got the last of our shipment in! So ALL SHIRTS are here and ready to be sent out!! Head on over to the the

Bring Baby Walser HOME!!

2010-07-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

I am so excited!!! A wonderful blog friend just received a referral for a precious 4 yr old baby girl!! They were JUST placed on the waiting list officially on Friday, but they got an immediate referral as soon as they opened up their hearts to an older child. This precious girl has been on the waiting list for a while now, but older children are harder to place. The hard part her is that

T-Shirts are IN!!!!!

2010-07-23T16:24:00.000-07:00

The Recycle Love T-shirts are IN!! And they look fabulous!!$10 to get a shirt....and each shirt sold will provide clean drinking water for a year for 3 children in Africa! Go to the Festival website to orders yours today! www.recyclelovefestival.com Any payments that are received today will ship out TOMORROW! Anything ordered over the weekend ships out Monday!

Give Clean Water!!!

2010-07-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

Our design is finished for our Recycle Love Festival T-Shirts!! They are printed on American Apparel Tri-Cotton blend and will be super comfy!! The shirts are $10 and the best part is.....with each sale, THREE children in Africa will have clean water for one year!!! So instead of children drinking this.... You will be giving the gift of clean water!! Here is the design for the tee...

Recycle Love Festival

2010-06-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Forewarning....this will NOT be the only post about this Festival... rest assured that I will pretty much drive you crazy talking about it! :) First off, a little background.... when I started trying to find a new church here in our new town, I ended up contacting the pastor of the Foursquare Church asking a ton of questions. Mitch was amazing, answered all my questions, and made us feel truly

That was easy.... :)

2010-06-19T17:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, well that was easier than I thought!! I already have 3 volunteers, and because I am in a giving mood...ALL THREE will get a new blog!! :) I will make them in the order people signed up....it just might take a few days!! :) I guess I better get busy!!!!

Blogger Volunteer Needed! :)

2010-06-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

I am looking for a volunteer. :) I am just about ready to start advertising and doing blog makeovers for people, and I am looking for someone who would be willing to have me give their blog a new look...for FREE. I need more practice, plus I would like who ever the volunteer is to be willing to make a post about the makeover and refer people to my design site when I am ready. Oh, and to

Relay For Life

2010-06-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

This Friday (June 11) a friend from high school is participating in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. This years relay is commemorating her 10 years of being cancer free. I would love it if people were able to make their way over to her donation page and help out a little. Her fund raising goal is only $100. I think we can help her get there by Friday! The page is set up as $10

$130 MILLION

2010-06-03T08:10:00.000-07:00

**** First off, I would like to thank everyone who responded to my post on home schooling. If you left me an email address...I will be emailing you! :) The last couple days have just been hectic, plus given the fact that hubby wasn't working and never shares the computer...I haven't had time to type out all my questions until today. But don't worry....I have plenty of questions coming your

To Love Their Husbands Tuesdays

2010-06-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

I am linking up with Lauren over at Living By Faith for her "To Love Their Husbands Tuesdays." This past week husband was back at work on Monday. Which we were very excited about! And then Friday, he was laid off again. And we love our men, but you take away their ability to "be the man" and provide for their family, and well, it makes them kind of grumpy!! My husbands "outlet" is his

Calling All Home Schoolers!

2010-05-30T18:21:00.000-07:00

It is getting close, really close, to "that time". The time that this Mama needs to figure out what to do about school. (excuse me for one second while I have a panic attack about the fact that my "babies" are getting so grown up............ okay, panic attack over!) I am completely torn up about their educations. I am like a yo-yo that just goes back and forth, back and forth. Home school,

Another "opportunity" to have faith

2010-05-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

It's not a secret that things have been tough around here. Hubby got laid off in January, and had been laid off up until May 4th. He worked 4 days, and was laid off again. Off work for two more weeks, started a job he actually really enjoyed (for the first time in a couple years) on Monday, May 24 and just now is getting laid off again. We were told going in that this job would be for 3 or 4

Give Aways, Give Aways, and MORE Give Aways!!!

2010-05-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

I just LOVE Give Aways!! (I never win them...LOL....but I LOVE them and the reasons and the reasons behind them!) So take a few minutes, and follow this Give Away trail I am making for you!!! First stop, (and yes, I have posted this one before but it is just THAT great!)...head on over to Storing Up Treasures. Make any size donation and help 26 families bring an orphan home to their forever

Help heal the pain

2010-05-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my grocery shopping day this week. Sometimes all 4 of us go as a family, and sometimes I go with one child. Husband surprised me with a bit of quiet time and I got to go alone. Yes, that made me giddy! The store I go to is in Corvallis, so I had about a 30 min drive to myself. I never know what I'll end up thinking about in times like that. Instead of blaring music, I let the

To Love Their Husbands Tuesdays

2010-05-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite blogs that I follow is Lauren over at Living by Faith. And every Tuesday she posts about ways to love your husbands, and everyone joins in. I love reading, but have never participated. Thought I'd go for it this week!! First off, for those that don't know me that well yet, my husband is spoiled. Hence, part of the reason I haven't participated in this blog link before. I

Check it out!!

2010-05-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

I love the idea behind this, and I LOVE the T-Shirts! This family is raising funds for an adoption. Check out this great video!! Remember, please, that not that many people in this economy have the $30,000 just sitting around to pay the ransom for a life....but every one of these families I tell you about have the means to support another child!! (Actually a lot of us have the means to

$5 is all it takes!!

2010-05-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

Another wonderful Jesus-Loving, Orphan-Saving family on the adoption road!! :) Can you help the this family with just $5? Yep, that's it. That simple. One less Starbucks this week. One less trip through the drive through window. One less movie rental. Our willingness to help out with just $5 gets this family that much closer to their child. And getting that much closer to their child,

Matter of life or death

2010-05-06T07:21:00.000-07:00

Jazmine got a kitten for her 4th birthday. We took a family trip to Wal-Mart, bought a cart full of goodies and headed to the shelter in town. We all went into the kitten room and mommy very closely watched how each kitten responded to the children. Two kittens seemed great in my mind. They weren't apprehensive of the two toddlers invading their space, and they both wanted to climb into their

Trip to Washington

2010-05-04T06:41:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday was my mother-on-law, Doris's, 70th birthday. The trip down here is hard on her, and though it's only 4 1/2hrs, she usually has to make it in two days. Because of that she doesn't make it down as much as she used to, and so we thought we'd go to her! Since we were going to be in WA, we figured we'd try to visit as many people as we could and get as much stuff done as possible!!I

Give Aways!!!

2010-04-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

Maybe it is that Spring is in the air...but there are some fabulous Give Aways going on right now in the fabulous blog world!! :)This one is my favorite (and the one I really want to win)...... The Road Less Traveled is giving away a gift certificate for Junk Posse as a THANK YOU for everyone helping with their adoption fundraising. And speaking of Junk Posse.... there is a give away on her

Nothing is too big for God!!

2010-04-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

I just had to pass this on and ask for help!! There is a precious 2 day old baby boy who was born with Down Syndrome. The adoptive family that was already lined up for him backed out as soon as they heard he was born with DS. In what can only be a GOD MIRACLE, there was a family who instantly stepped up ready to bring him this precious angel. They are ready to LOVE HIM right now!! Here is

Bit of an update

2010-04-05T18:27:00.000-07:00

First off, thank you to everyone who reached out to share your love and support and prayers! Our family is humbled beyond belief. We made it through another month of no work, and couldn't of done it without you. I was starting to let thoughts of doubt creep into my mind, and you all rescued me! Praise God for brothers and sisters in Christ! I feel rejuvenated again!On the home front, a

Crazy Love Party

2010-03-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

I have sat here for well over two hours deciding if I was even going to write this post. There are a million things running through my mind, and the two biggest are "I have no problem with people I don't know learning about our circumstances, but I am embarrassed for the people I do know to learn of them". And the second biggest thing in my mind is "why do I think I would even *think* to join

Radical

2010-02-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

I have been away from blogging for a bit, and have missed it. But with moving, hubby being laid off, and with the whole family being sick, I just hadn't gotten around to it. I have like 3 posts I started and haven't finished that I may get to working on soon. But there is something more pressing on my mind right now.We know my passion for the orphans and starving children in the world, and I

The Invisible Woman

2010-01-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

I saw this on another blog this morning, and I loved it!! I just had to share with all the fabulous ladies out there. It was perfect timing to lift my spirits after my third night in a row of maybe two hours of sleep (which was had on the floor of my children's room) and wishing someone would just say "thanks for all the sacrifices you make". (Please don't get me wrong....I KNOW that happy,

Broken for Haiti

2010-01-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

I am asking for forgiveness ahead of time because I am pretty sure I am going to botch this post. I am not good with words, and never really have been, so trying to write what I am thinking is difficult, but I am going to try. Please keep in mind that this is just how things appear currently from my perspective. I am in no way saying it is definitely this way.Haiti is heavy on my heart still.

Human Sacrifice and broken souls....

2010-01-19T08:19:00.000-08:00

I had a different post I was getting on here to type today. But now I am going to save that for another day. As I was checking out my Blogger Dashboard and all the blogs I follow, I read one that was about Satan and Ugandan children. It was posted by a wonderful blogger who is adopting from Uganda, and it was just a link to a Fox News article.It was talking about how a BBC investigation has

Putting it into perspective

2010-01-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

Today was the day we had been expecting. The day hubby got laid off again. We knew it was coming. But I held out hope. And it was a selfish hope. We had just decided to go through with the application process for adoption. So I selfishly was hoping that the lay off wouldn't come. I had my application fee ready to go and was just needing to fill out the paperwork.I will admit I cried. Not at the

The Mingi Children

2010-01-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

These amazing faces in this video are of children who were supposed to be murdered. Their tribe thinks they are cursed and will curse the whole tribe if they are on the land. So the children are to be tied up and tossed into the river to drown. Bale, the first child saved, simply had her top teeth grown in before her bottom. That was her "crime".This fabulous organization is doing everything

Faces of the Fatherless

2010-01-07T06:40:00.000-08:00

This video breaks my heart. Literally brought me to tears when I just watched it a couple minutes ago. It is just scanning SOME of the faces of an orphanage in Uganda. It kills me that these children crying have no mommy or daddy to hug them, kiss them, wipe away their tears and tell them it is going to be okay.I have said it before, I'll say it again and again....not everyone is called to

Awaiting it's arrival

2010-01-06T07:16:00.000-08:00

Here are a few excerpts from this book I just ordered - The Hole in Our Gospel - and can not wait for it to get here.***************************************************"Let me use a different example. If you read in a newspaper about hundreds of children dying of malnutrition in a famine in Africa, you might pause for a moment of genuine sadness--but wouldn't you finally turn the page, read the

Asking for prayers...

2010-01-05T19:36:00.001-08:00

There is an wonderful Canadian family trying to bring their adopted children home from Africa, but the Canadian government is not allowing that to happen right now. Tomorrow, Wednesday January 6, 2010, there is an effort to get people praying and even fasting pleading for the Lord to work miracles to let the paperwork hurdles with the Canadian government be overcome so this family (and the

Reflections on last year, looking forward to the new one.

2010-01-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

Last year at the start of the New Year I chose to not necessarily have a "resolution". Instead, I looked over my life like I looked at things the way I did back in the days when I was a career driven woman. I thought about what I wanted to "accomplish" and tried to figure out what one or two things would give me the BIGGEST impact on my life without stretching myself too thin with too many

Zazzle

2009-12-28T13:39:00.000-08:00

I've had a little Photoshop fun lately and thought I'd use it to promote my love for Africa! These are the only things I have right now, but now that the Holidays are almost over and I can get some more computer time, I have another design in the works right now!

Cancel that church talk...lol

2009-12-21T07:29:00.000-08:00

Okay, so never mind when I was talking about checking out that church we always drive by. Out running errands on Saturday we drove by and I wrote down the name and service time. After reading their web page and such, it just isn't for me. However, I get this nagging feeling that God is trying to tell me something with relation to church. I just haven't figured it out yet. :)

Church talk

2009-12-18T07:19:00.000-08:00

When we first moved to town someone told my husband about a church we had to check out. They said it was great. AND IT WAS!!!! Truth be told...when we first drove up to it that first day, we almost turned around and went home. It was big. Way too big for us and our preference for small little community churches. But we figured we drove all the way there....may as well check it out. It was

Randomness....

2009-12-09T18:25:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a bit, but I have had tons going on and tons of thoughts swirling in my mind. I'll forewarn now to those who are about to read....this is going to be long, disorganized, completely random, and maybe even make no sense. And it's going to be too much information about my life. But that is what my mind is like right now... so consider yourself warned. ;)Things have been

Perspective

2009-11-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

Jazmine fell into the river while we were fishing this summer. I heard a splash and saw her completely under the water with those big blue eyes looking up at me. She kicked and kicked and was trying to get above water. I was petrified. I instantly jumped into the river to grab her. That was my baby. Floating in a river. I am not a strong swimmer. Not strong enough to be able to swim

Yikes!!! LOL!

2009-11-02T13:08:00.001-08:00

I did it..... I just decided to "go for it". :)Wish me luck and lots of prayers that this works!!www.designs-by-jenn.blogspot.comThe site is not perfect, by any means. There will be "tweaks" and changes and more photos and services added as the next few days go by. But I know me, and if I waited until I thought is was perfect, it would never get up and published!!

Talking to the Church

2009-10-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

The other day I emailed the Pastor at church in charge of Missions asking about what all we have done for our missions activities. Our church goes to Mexico once a year to build a house for a homeless family, and once they built 2 churches. And then one year the High School youth group volunteered at an orphanage for a week. We also have a couple whom the church helps support the work they do,

Rough day

2009-10-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a rough day. Today still is, too. Today's tears are being shed for yesterday.Everyone who knows me knows I take and take and take, refusing to be defeated, insisting on smiling at the world and saying "I feel fabulous, thank you!". And then one day, it's too much. I crumble. I feel defeated. I hurt. And then the awful sinner in me lashes out. I hurt so bad that I lash out

Mocha Club

2009-10-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

One of the websites I have been so excited about officially launched it's new site last night, and I am can't wait to shop! Family reading this.... chances are your Christmas gifts will come from here... ;)Now, as I was clicking around on the new site and reading the "Read Me" section, they had ministries listed that are good ones to check out. The first one, AMAZINA.org is already one that I

2009-10-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Forgot what it was like....

2009-10-17T07:51:00.001-07:00

Grandma Doris has been here visiting the last couple weeks. As a stay home mom with no car, I LOVE the company. :)Well, I have had some Red Lobster gift cards for over a year, and we just don't get the chance to go out to eat often enough for me to be willing to take the kids there just yet. So we just keep holding on to the gift cards. However, Grandma decided that Mommy and Daddy were going

2009-10-16T07:16:00.000-07:00

In the course of reading all the adoption blogs I am enjoying so much, I came across this family's blog. They have already adopted previously, but received a call from the adoption agency they used asking them if they wanted to adopt again in a "pilot" program they were launching. Well, if THEY call YOU, ASKING to adopt, I am thinking that is a HUGE sign that the Lord has plans for you to have

I can't begin to comprehend.....

2009-10-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am so baffled. I can't get my mind to stop trying to rationalize, and I just come up with nothing.There are so many people who think that my passion about the orphan crisis is a sweet "stage" I am going through. They can't even begin to understand where I am coming from. I have always wanted to help children who need families my whole life, but until recently I had no idea how BIG of a

Update

2009-10-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

It has been a chaotic couple of days. Friday we left home to head to Tillamook, where hubby and I were taking a guide out fishing on Saturday. Grandma came along to watch the kids in the hotel while we were gone. It really was a ton of fun. It was just the three of us on the boat, and he was a super nice guy. We caught a couple beautiful Coho Salmon, one of them the biggest I had ever seen,

147 Million Orphans

2009-10-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

~There are more than 147 Million Orphans world wide.~Every day 5,760 more children become orphans.~There are an estimated 14 Million AIDS orphans in Africa alone.~Each YEAR 14,505,000 orphans age out of the system.~Each DAY 38,493 orphans age out of system.~Every SECOND 2.2 orphans age out without every having a forever family to love them the way they deserve."...once our eyes are opened, we

Help an Orphan!

2009-10-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

Starting now, you will start to see a lot of stuff about orphans, the orphan crisis in the world, and links to blogs of families that are trying to adopt. I hope and pray that you will be just as moved by this as I have been. Anything helps. Prayers are needed, money to help fund adoptions, or feed orphans, or even just spreading the word.This first blog I am linking to is the Walser family.

Words to live by

2009-10-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

Happy moments, praise GodDifficult moments, seek GodQuiet moments, worship GodPainful moments, trust GodEvery moment, thank God

Not merely coincidence....

2009-10-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

I have had this "idea" swirling in my head for quite a while now. Going all the way back to when I was still just in high school. The last month or so, it has really been pressing on my mind and heart. I feel like I truly struggle at knowing what God wants me to do and that path He wants me to take. But I feel I may be close to figuring it out. I think maybe I am on the right path. A friend

My children melt my heart!!

2009-10-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

(This is a duplicate post from the kids' page....sorry, but I was so happy I had to share twice!)For as long as I can remember, whenever the kids go to put clothes on that don't fit any longer, I take them and put them in a box. I then tell the children that those clothes are going to babies or younger children who don't have clothes that fit them, and really need some. As soon as I got busted

Prayer for Today

2009-09-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Lord,Help me to hear your voiceeven when the noise of lifethreatens to drown it out.

Just for Today

2009-09-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

Just for today, I am going to be more patient.Just for today, I am going to read the children an extra book.Just for today, I am not going to stress about things that I can't control and don't matter.

Fallen off the wagon.....

2009-09-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

That is what I feel like. I feel like the last couple months I have fallen off the wagon. I have lost focus on what is important in life. I have veered the last couple months from my New Years Resolution that happiness, fulfillment, strength, can only come from the Lord. Through HIM all things are possible. I am getting refocused right now. Some how, though she has no idea she does it, my

I am such a slacker

2009-09-13T21:31:00.000-07:00

I have been so terrible about blogging lately. Trying to do tons of projects, but also just been pretty busy. In all honesty, I was going to write about what I have been up to this past month, but I got sidetracked. My typical "routine" when I log in to Blogger is to see what my friends have been posting first. Once I feel I am done catching up with everyone else, then I take some time to do