an afternoon of fun

 Kara and Chad decided to treat the kids to an afternoon at Kokomo Joe's a month or so ago.  

(can you tell I'm getting caught up on my picture blogging?)

My kids are so stinkin' lucky to have an aunt who adores them (and spoils them) like she does!!

First up?  Go Carts!

Blake

Silas

Hunter

Aunt Sissy

Chad

Gray was too little to ride the Go Carts, so she played in the bounce house!

I think she had fun, what do you think?

Smile!  You're at Kokomo Joes!

The boys had to hit a few balls before we left as well

Hunter's Birthday Build a Bear

 Kara and Chad have taken each of the kids to Build a Bear for their birthdays this year.  (You can read about Blake and Silas' trip here.)  Schedules were tight around football season and the beginning of school, but we finally came up with a day that would work for both of us and they took Hunter a few weeks ago.

Hunter and Chad picking out the special friend...

This is the one!

Now you have to stuff him...

Warm his heart....

...and do a little dance.

Make sure he's all clean in the bathtub...

and pick out some awesome clothes!

Birth Certificate time!
"Northy"

 Thanks Sissy and Chad for making time for each of the kids individually and creating special memories with them!

dear baby {letter 1}

 Dear Baby,

I'm not sure what to say in this letter to you.  I am 16 weeks pregnant with you right now.  We found out we were expecting you on July 21st, which seems like an eternity ago.  I won't pretend I wasn't scared when we found out you were on your way...I was.  Very scared.  How would I care for another little one?  How would I do going back to the "baby stage"?  Your big sister is almost 4 years old.  That's a long time to be without a baby in the house!

 

I was much sicker this pregnancy than I ever have been before.  You gave us a scare at 6 weeks, but I went in for an ultrasound and your little heart was beating away, and you measured right on!  Since then you've been doing great!  I'm growing quite a bit, and in all maternity pants at this point.  

I've been very scared each time I go in for a doctor's appointment, scared your heart won't be beating.  But there are you, beating away, music to my ears each time.  Each time, growing my faith in a God that takes great enjoyment in healing hearts.  We have 25 more days until our next ultrasound.  25 more days until we find out if we'll be adding a little sister or brother to our growing clan.  25 more days until this Mommy's mind can rest and my heart can start growing exponentially to add you in.  25 more days until I can start laughing, and dreaming, and hoping.  I can't wait to know that you are healthy and that you'll not only be in my arms, but in my home for years to come.   

Your big brothers and sister are very excited about you coming.  They love you so much already they've decided that they will all help change diapers!  Wow.  Now, that's love coming from 7 year old boys!  Your sister is sure you are a boy.  Only because she had a dream that she took the toy cart away from you while I was doing the laundry and you cried, then she gave it back.  In the dream you were a boy apparently.  She's talked about that dream for weeks.  I'm praising God for knitting you into your siblings hearts long before you arrive.  Nothing is more precious to me than to see your brothers and sister loving on each other, just as I know they will do with you when you arrive.  

Much love,

Mommy

clean water.

If you don't read Lovelyn's blog, "moments with love", you need to.  She has a beautiful heart...and 7 children.  She takes beautiful pictures, and has recently traveled to Uganda...back to the beautiful continent of Africa that stole my heart over a year ago.  Today is her birthday, and she is hoping to raise money to build a well if the village of Busoga.    This post comes from her blog, and I am reposting  it because I hope that you'll join us in building that well!  She's asking you to donate 32.00 for her 32nd birthday!  Make sure you hop over to her blog and let her know that you did, (and leave me a comment letting me know you did too!), because she's giving away a copy of Kisses From Katie to one of the supporters! 

Ready?  Set?  GO!!!! 

this baby lives in a village called Busoga in Uganda, Africa.

she drinks this water:

so do around 549 other people that live in her village with her. they drink this water,

cook with this water, allow their animals to drink this water & bathe with this water.

this is the village that i wrote about visiting here.

 

over and over again in Uganda, i'd wonder,

how can i profess to love God if i'm not doing everything in my power to love

my neighbor as myself?

His word is really complex, but really simple, too.

Love God. Love others as yourself.

how much would i love to drink that water?

how much would i love to serve a glass of that to our children?

i don't want to drink that water and they shouldn't have to...

it's as simple as that.

so, after some research, i've found out that someone else saw our brothers & sisters

in Busoga's water and wanted to help, too. they have a team

ready to put in a fresh water well as soon as the funds are raised.

 

it happens to be my birthday tomorrow & i'd like nothing more than for you precious

friends to build [another] clean water well with me!

for my 32nd birthday, i'm asking people to give $32

towards this well.

we will need 250 people to give $32.

click here and scroll to the bottom & click 'chip in'

to give to the Busoga Well Project.

i'm excited to partner with 250 of you on this.

i'm thankful for each of you that can give, each of you that can pray, for

each of you that can spread the word in every way possible.

if you are doing any of those things, [one of the 250, praying or spreading the word]

please feel free to comment on this post.

i have a Kisses for Katie book & other surprise goodies from Uganda for one of you!

thank you, friends. let's get these precious people some clean water.



a smile

I was driving through town when I noticed a tour bus broken down at a gas station.  Sitting on the sidewalk was a bus load of a military men and women...probably on their way from boot camp to their first station.  They had their big green duffle bags with them, the ones that I remember sitting around my house every time my dad came to and from TDY's.  As I drove back through town I saw two of those young men, in full uniform walking toward a young lady whose car had broken down just down the road.

Be still my heart.  

Thank God for the people who don't just take advantage of living in a free country, but are willing to fight to defend it's freedom.  Thank God for young men who aren't too wrapped up in their own youth and selfishness to help a woman in need.  Thank God for young people who show respect and sacrifice.  

It put a smile on my face...I hope to remember it for a long, long time.  

"Too many children" {Words of Wisdom from Mother Teresa}

"How can there be too many children?  That is like saying there are too many flowers."

- Mother Teresa

I fell in love.

When I walked into a perfectly clean home 

(because he knew he was leaving for 3 days and didn't want me to stress about the house when I had the kids to care for), 

I fell in love.

When he ran a soda into my office on Mobil quarter day, just because he thought about me, 

I fell in love.

When he toasted our family at a very common family dinner "and all the fun we have together", 

I fell in love.

When he saved me from the spider on my sweater and then jokingly showed me his muscles, 

I fell in love.

I'm so blessed to fall in love with my best friend, my husband over and over again.  

The "F" Word

Such an important message...

1 Cor. 13 for Moms

I read this on Jill Savage's Blog and had to record it here.  Such an important reminder!

I can read bedtime stories till the cow jumps over the moon and sing “Ten Little Monkeys” until I want to call the doctor–but if I don’t have love, I’m as annoying as a ringing phone.

 I can chase a naked toddler through the house while cooking dinner and listening to voice mail, I can fix the best cookies and Kool-Aid in the neighborhood, and I can
 tell a sick child’s temperature with one touch of my finger,  but if I don’t have love, I am nothing.

 Love is patient while watching and praying by the front window when it’s 30 minutes past curfew.

 Love is kind when my teen says, “I hate you!”

 It does not envy the neighbors’ swimming pool or their brand-new mini van, but trusts the Lord to provide every need.

 Love does not brag when other parents share their disappointments and insecurities, and love rejoices when other families succeed.

 It doesn’t boast, even when I’ve multi-tasked all day long and my husband can’t do more than one thing at a time.

 Love is not rude when my spouse innocently asks, “What have you done today?”

 It does not immediately seek after glory when we see talent in our children, but encourages them to get training and make wise choices.

 It is not easily angered, even when my 15-year-old acts like the world revolves around her.

 It does not delight in evil (is not self-righteous) when I remind my 17-year-old that he’s going 83 in a 55-mph zone, but rejoices in the truth.

 Love does not give up hope.

 It always protects our children’s self-esteem and spirit, even while doling out discipline.

 It always trusts God to protect our children when we cannot. It always perseveres, through blue nail polish, burps and other bodily functions, rolled eyes and crossed arms, messy rooms and sleep overs.

 Love never fails.

 But where there are memories of thousands of diaper changes and painful labor(s), they will fade away.

 Where there is talking back, it will (eventually) cease. (Please, Lord?)

 Where there is a teenager who thinks she knows everything, there will one day be an adult who knows you did your best.

 For we know we fail our children, and we pray they don’t end up in therapy, but when we get to heaven, our imperfect parenting will disappear. (Thank you, God!)

 When we were children, we needed a parent to love and protect us. Now that
 we’re parents ourselves, we have a heavenly Father who adores, shelters us and holds us when we need to cry.

 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love But the greatest of these is love.

~Author unknown

ABC's of Me

A. Age: 28
B. Bed Size: King (and we need bigger!) 
C. Chore that you hate: Bathrooms!
D. Dogs: nope.  Hopefully never again.
E. Essential start to your day: A few minutes of peace and quiet.
F. Favorite color: I really don't have one.
G. Gold or Silver: silver
H. Height: 5'7''
I. Instruments you play: None. I have played percussion and the flute in my past though!
J. Job Title: Wife, Mom, Secretary to the Superintendent
K. Kids: Blake (7), Silas (7), Hunter (7), Claire (2/10/06), Graysen (3), and Baby R (3/29/12)
L. Live: Missouri
M. Mother's name: Georgia
N. Nicknames: Mom, Ash
O. Overnight hospital stays: Just when I gave birth!
P. Pet Peeves: sadly, too many to list.  (I'm not proud of it) 
Q. Quote from a movie: "I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow." - Gone With the Wind
R. Right or left handed: Right.
S. Siblings: younger sister, Kara
T. Time you wake up: between 6:15 and 6:30 on weekdays.  Weekends?  As late as possible!
U. Underwear: Everyday.
V. Vegetable you hate: Cooked Carrots
W. What makes you run late: my kids.
X. X-rays: Yeah, lots.
Y. Yummy food you make: Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Z. Zoo animal:  Anything that I can't smell!

Man Up {Trailer} *Updated

 Wow.  

Man Up and Go - Trailer Version 2 from Man Up And Go THE MOVIE on Vimeo.

Why would an unlikely band of American brothers go on an adventure, a road trip, to the depths of Ethiopia and Uganda and join with African men? To combat the heartbreaking problem of over 7,000,000 orphans suffering. Not dismayed by the staggering numbers, the men literally man up and go to change lives and discover their own lives are most impacted.

This cast of characters is joined by a common passion — to love and care for orphans and hurting people. Many call home Missouri, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Uganda and Ethiopia. Miles apart geographically and worlds apart socially, economically and culturally, this band of American brothers includes a seasoned cop, a retired military man and an architect. Then there is the standout ex-college football player, highly successful businessman, well-known publicist, celebrity athlete and teenage boys. With over 30 adventurers on this rag tag team, most previously have never stepped on African soil.

Focusing on five Americans, the film reveals the unique stories of the men…before the trip even starts. We see them at home, work and play and connect with their unfolding lives. The film’s journey continues as the team come together at an airport in Washington DC — for most, a first time meeting, yet they unite as one.

The American’s are contrasted and compared with the lives of African brothers. Included are harrowing stories of survival through unthinkable situations — one being left for dead on a mountain of bodies and the second once orphaned himself, living in a dump. These stories and others represent shining examples of manhood and the spirit of the adventure.

Strongly drawing attention to the touching lives of orphaned children, the Man Up team travels to hidden children prisons and a dump site, which is home to thousands of orphans. The journey continues to a ministry for street children, a remote village in the middle of Ethiopia and to a multitude of orphanages. The needs of the precious children are revealed by the spirited actions of the Man Up team, entwining strong, common threads of hope, joy, love and the power these have over adversity

In-the-end, the American team travels home to their comfortable lives…but will they ever be the same? Will the choking facade of the American Dream grip them like it used to? The men return with the truth planted that life is not just about them; they are transformed by their African adventure and brothers, and are united with a strong commitment to love big and to be fathers to the fatherless.

FILM MISSION
Man Up And Go, a documentary motion picture, is being produced to bring significant awareness to viewers regarding the critical needs of the growing number (50,000,000 currently) of orphans in Africa and the desperate, heartbreaking lives that these beautiful children and people are forced to live.

Engaging character driven stories will unfold from the film’s main subjects, a group of men from America and Africa that are part of a team calling themselves Man Up 4 Orphans. With vastly different lives that contrast and compare, the film will illustrate that simple actions taken by normal people like you and me can produce encouraging, powerful change. Instead of focusing the film’s viewers only on the despair and heartache associated with the orphans, Man Up And Go looks to empower, inspire and lift people to act…and one-by-one we can make a difference.

When completed, Man Up And Go will be a feature-length documentary movie (Approximate 90 minutes with an anticipated PG rating). The film is scheduled to be filmed and edited over a one-year period with a release date in summer 2012. Shoot locations will be in the USA, Ethiopia and Uganda.

For more information contact:
Randy Bacon, Producer/Director randybacon@randybacon.com
OR
Jonathan Murphy, Producer/Senior Editor
jonathan@harpcreative.com

Our night away

Sometimes life gets tough, you know?  Just monotonous and boring and you forget how to have fun with the people that God has given you in your life. 

We were there.  So, what better way to remember than to have a family get-a-way!

We surprised the kids and headed to St. Louis.  They love staying in a hotel...

 especially one with a swimming pool!!!

(and a coffee maker, TV, blow dryer, and iron in the room!  Yes, those are the things the kids mentioned

about our hotel room.  They. are. funny.)

We love hotels with breakfast.  They think it's so neat to have so many choices like a restaurant, and for it to be unlimited! 

(That's my boys...eating endlessly!)

The next day we headed over to Grant's Farm.  Hunter, Graysen, and Lincoln had been there once, but Silas, Blake, and I never had!

Silas got chosen to help feed the elephant during the show!

multi-cultural

We're blessed our kids go to a school where they value educating them on different cultures!
Blake is playing a Malaysian Instrument during a presentation from a visiting University Student.