Bloggy friends, I’m so thrilled to share with you my Haiti adventure!

The mission trip I’m going on Aug. 24th is organized by Mission of Mercy and they are investing time and energy and resources to the orphanage our church family sponsors. We will be simply serving and loving children at the Haitian orphanage. I would be so honored if you contribute by CHEERING and PRAYING and JOINING in on the fun of helping me reach my goal of $1,300 for the mission trip.

We’re all in this together.

RAFFLE CONTEST.. this is a 1st for me!

$10.00- earns 1 ticket
$25.00- earns 5 tickets
$50.00- earns 15 tickets
or more…

Just add your name & address & phone number!

The raffle will end July 10th when Zoie turns 18 months old!

You win a BRAND NEW iPod Touch and so much more.
100% of your contribution will go toward my Haiti Mission Trip. Any additional money raised will be donated to the Haitian orphanage… hand delivered by me.

Thank you for helping me chase a WILD GOOSE ADVENTURE!
On your mark get set GO…..

Quote from my church about the mission trip:
“We have an exciting opportunity to partner with Mission of Mercy and bring new hope to children in Haiti! This is an amazingly new effort to reach forgotten children in the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. Together, we can impact the lives of hundreds of children by sharing the love of Jesus.”

3 little mermaids

Aunti M

Tay Tay & H

Birthday girls:)

What crazy things are you doing for summer fun in the sun??

THANK YOU for all your suggestions!!!!!!!!!! The winning prize pick is…………. iPod Touch!!!
I’m so honored & excited to join the JRA team and serve in Haiti. I’ll share more about the mission trip, too. (I leave Aug 24th)

OK… for all you less than techy-savvy geniuses (like me) here’s some additional information about the
BRAND NEW 2nd Generation iPod touch:

• This player is the iPod touch, not the Apple iPhone
• 8 GB capacity for 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos, or 10 hours of video
• Up to 36 hours of music playback or 6 hours of video playback when fully charged
• 3.5-inch widescreen multi-touch display with 480-by-320-pixel resolution
• Supported audio formats: AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV; supported video formats: H.264, MPEG-4; supported image file types: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG

Raffles starts with a BANG on Monday morning!!!

Bloggy friends,

I am GIDDY!! I just found out that a very generous donation will be made for these 2 items toward my HAITI MISSION TRIP RAFFLE. I’m literally jumping up & down! I have to pick one for my raffle contest. The best part…. YOU WIN!
OK…. here’s where I need your help. They are both SUPER AWESOME PRIZES, but which one do I choose for the raffle? Take a peek & VOTE for me today! Leave me a comment & then I’ll start the raffle contest next week!

Prizes…. which one?

Apple iPod touch 8 GB (2nd Generation) LATEST MODEL

PRICE: $216.00

OR

Kindle- for all the crazzzed book fans:)

Display	6″ diagonal E Ink®
Size	8″ x 5.3″ x 0.36″
Storage	1,500 books
PDF Support	via conversion
Rotating Display
3G Wireless
Books in Under 60 Seconds
Text-to-Speech
Whispersync
Price	$359.00
Availability	Now

Bloggy friends, I just had to jump back on today & share a happy with you!!! I’ve been waiting to go on a mission trip this year. It’s almost been a year since Ethiopia. My heart yearns to serve at an orphanage…. anywhere!!!!!!!!!!! I got a call yesterday that a spot, ONE more spot was open for our church’s mission trip to Haiti. I will admit, I’ve been begging the Lord for this one!!!! I adore my pastor’s wife & she is taking a small group to Haiti to serve at the orphanage we sponsor as a church family. The trip was full. I’ve been WAITING. They purchased my ticket today & now the fundraising starts:)) I’m doing this a little backwards…. ticket bought, now how to pay!!!!

I’m a faithful blog stalker & know many of you out there have had SUPER successful fundraisers. Can you give me any fun ideas for me to do? The mission trip is Aug. 24th, so I have to start now! The cost is $1,300- includes everything from A to Z.

It’s so much fun to blog about a certain subject & BOOM out of nowhere God says….. GO NOW!! Its time!!!
Please pray for me.

Waiting and Enjoying the journey. It’s a challenging request. How in the world can we enjoy waiting for something we REALLY want? I can recall a few “top” waiting highlights through the years… waiting for my birthday, waiting for Santa Claus, waiting for a puppy, waiting for a boyfriend, waiting for my 1st kiss (17 & it WAS Mr. Dreamy) waiting for graduation, waiting to teach, waiting for my wedding day, waiting for my babies to be born, waiting for healing to come after loss, waiting to move, waiting to make a new friend, waiting for trips, waiting for dreams to come true, waiting for Zoie, waiting for 4 front teeth:) waiting for the Lord’s direction, waiting for our home to sell, waiting for my next BIG adventure, waiting WAITING, WAITING!!!!!!! I think you get the point. We are always waiting. Can we enjoy the journey?

“I’ve learned that the longer the wait, the more you appreciate. If it had taken half the time, I would appreciate it half as much. I don’t know what detours your life has taken. I don’t know what delays you have experienced. Maybe life has taken some unexpected turns. Maybe you feel like your dreams have been delayed or detoured. Life has not gone according to plan. I feel your frustration, and I empathize with your confusion. But that is the essence of adventure. The unpredictable twists and turns of life can drive you CRAZY. Or you can learn to enjoy the journey!!
The choice is yours.”
(WILD GOOSE CHASE)

Believe me, I’ve failed miserably waiting and I’ve won personal medals. I can start my day off positive and strong and steady, but crumble in tears by afternoon. I’m learning that waiting with joy is a daily renewal!! The best is yet to come.
I’d love to know what you are waiting for. How are you doing??
Please share your WAITING stories with me today:)

Bloggy friends…do you like red beans & rice?? Do you like it when your hubby cooks? Rog aka: My Mr. Dreamy found this recipe in Runners World & showed off his culinary skills. He hit a home run with this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This recipe is SO DARN YUMMY!!

WHAT YOU NEED:

5 cups of chicken stock
2 cups brown rice
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic (or the stuff in a jar)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound smoked turkey sausage links, cut in 1/2 coins
2 15 oz cans of kidney beans
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (tip: I get the tom. with green pepper & onion:)
1 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
ground pepper to taste
Hot pepper to taste (optional)

HOW DID HE DO IT:

In a pot, bring stock and rice to a boil. (or cook rice in a steamer) Cover rice, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 40 min. Saute’ peppers, onions, and garlic in oil until softened. Add sausage and saute until brown. Add beans and one cup of bean liquid, diced tomatoes with juice, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 20 min., stirring occasionally. Season with pepper and hot sauce. Add rice to bean mixture. Stir to combine. Remove bay leaf. Serves 6

ENJOY!! Let me know what you think??
I want to see your food pics. If you have baked, cooked or burned:) any of the recipes I’ve posted on WOW…take a pic & email me!! I’ll post them on Wednesdays!!

It’s a VERY big day for many AWAA ET families!! Please join me praying for mighty miracles for 12+ families to pass court today!!! Many of these families have not passed due to the MOWA abandonment hold or paperwork problems in Ethiopia. These families have done EVERYTHING they can do, but now must sit back (ugh) and WAIT!
We’ll keep you posted as soon as we hear news!!
Kim & Jaime… I’m holding your hands today:)

How can we support YOU today with your adoption?

MIRACLES TO SHARE:
If you passed court today, can you leave a comment so the bloggy world can celebrate with you:)
Gillmans, Jaime, Edith, Jacksons, Bushre’s, Dragovich families!! whoooohoooo

For the families who did not pass, please know we are holding your hands and praying for mighty miracles!!!
xoxo

My sis, Erin shared this with me and it was such an encouragement!! There are so many challenges and changes and unknowns in my life on a daily basis… I want to be a professional surfer!!!!

“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6 (NIV)

It’s easy to look around right now and get discouraged. The news is certainly grim, with little hope on the horizon. Something we used to take for granted—the state of our economy—has turned out to be a house built on shifting sand. We wonder: why did we ever trust in something that has turned out to be so fragile? As a nation, our confidence has been shaken.

But how about as individuals?

As we move through these uncertain times, it’s normal to question many things. Some of us might be questioning God right now—wondering where He is in all of this and whether He cares enough to intervene? Our questions can lead us away from God, or they can turn us closer to Him as we seek His will. Instead of trusting in the almighty dollar, we can trust Him like never before.

I recently read a quote in Oswald Chambers’s classic devotion, My Utmost For His Highest: “The surf that distresses the ordinary swimmer produces in the surf-rider the super-joy of going clean through it.” As I thought about this idea in light of the current economic distress, I realized that we all have a choice to make. We can choose to let the current overtake us and drag us down. Or we can choose to ride the crest of the wave and soar through these challenging times, allowing God to teach us valuable lessons and turn our focus to where it needs to be.

We can do this by taking steps we might have never taken before. Intentionally working to pay off debt, tithing to your local church, setting up a monthly budget, communicating about spending with your spouse, and doing away with credit cards are all good steps to begin taking. When we make these kinds of choices, we honor God with our money. And as we honor Him, our eyes are opened to His activity on our behalf and we learn to trust Him all the more. As we move towards a life of financial freedom, we experience the abundance that Jesus spoke of in John 10:10. We realize it’s not about material abundance, but something so much better.

I have heard many people talk about how the collapsing economy is causing people to take a good hard look at what’s important; to push the reset button on a lifestyle of spending and excess, and choose instead to make wise, informed decisions in the days to come. If you are struggling financially right now, perhaps God intends to use this trial to teach you to overcome with His help. We can choose to go under in despair, or ride the wave with confidence—not in ourselves and not in the economy—but in God alone. Surf or swim? I know which one I choose!

Dear Lord, please help me to overcome these circumstances with Your help. I confess that I have let the bad news and uncertain times pull at me. I want to learn to trust You in a whole new way and to honor You with my money like never before. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
(Proverbs 31 Ministries)

“Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, I am only a child. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do NOT BE AFRAID of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
Jeremiah 1:6-10

“When Jeremiah voices his hesitation and FEAR, God-the God of the galaxies- reaches out and touches his mouth. It’s a gentle and affectionate gesture, something a loving parent would do. Through this illustration I realize that I don’t have to worry about not meeting HIS expectations. God will ensure my success in accordance with HIS PLAN, not mine.
This is the God we serve, the God who knew us before He made us. The God who promises to remain with us and rescue us. The God who loves us and longs for us to love Him back.”
(Crazy Love-Francis Chan)

If you are called to adopt, don’t wait in hesitation or fear any longer. If you are called to help an orphan, don’t wait in hesitation or fear any longer. Don’t allow fear to paralyze your direction, your God-ordained passions and visions. Some of the crazy fears that paralyze us from moving forward with adoption… finances, paperwork, waiting, loss, the unknown… We don’t have to worry about not meeting HIS expectations. Take comfort in Jeremiah’s story that God will gently reach out and touch you and help you and guide you and give you the strength and courage to fulfil HIS PLANS.

Simply Love.

I’d love to hear what you think about the book CRAZY LOVE. How has it inspired you through the adoption journey or What fears have kept you from moving forward with your adoption?

Today I was on the back deck & noticed something moving…. slithering across the yard. It was ENORMOUS!! I had an instant flash of… do we have big black poisonous snakes in our neck of the woods?? I knew it wasn’t a black mamba (ha) but couldn’t remember quick enough all the snakes I’d memorized at camp in the Ozarks! I decided to get a closer peek, but TOTALLY FREEEKED out when it coiled back at me. That bugger wanted to bite me.

(Zoie at 6 months old)

Sweet and happy and helpful and funny and affectionate and playful…. we LOVE YOU just the way you are Zoie!! Happy 17 months today!!!