Christmas Update

Well, I decided to take a break from blogland over Christmas because my wonderful hubby took a lot of time off from work so we had a lot of family time. It was the best way to spend the Christmas season. Crud...now I can hear Jackson waking up from his nap so I will just leave you with some pictures as I try to corral him:) I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and I can not wait for AGCI to open up next week!

decorating the tree with daddy
nothing like playing in a box

decorating the gingerbread house

No mommy, I am not eating ALL of the M&Ms

you can tell his mouth is full of candy....

it was supposed to be a gingerbread church with stained glass.......

our gingerbread family minus one.....



That's Rex from Toy Story....he was carjacked shortly after this photo


He didn't have on his cute Christmas jammies because he was sick and well we will just say they were dirty:)

I got some awesome gifts this year and will post about them next time:)

Amy Bottomly inspires me again:)

Amy and her husband Josh have written a book! I just went to the website and read the introduction and I can not wait until it comes out! This is really going to be great......but I have come to the conclusion that everything Mrs. Bottomly does is great:) Check it out.

Traditions

Well, the tree is up, the decorations are all out, most of my shopping is done, and the lights are on the house (but at this moment not working due to some blown fuse? ask my husband). I absolutely love this time of year because we try and spend all of our time enjoying each other and really trying to remember why we celebrate this holiday. I am a huge fan of traditions and we have started many that go on throughout the year but Christmas traditions are my favorite.

Since this is only Jackson's second Christmas we don't have many traditions yet or I guess the things we did last year will become traditions when we do them again this year:) My favorite is Advent. We light the candles and read the passages out of the bible after dinner and talk about what they mean. Then we sing some Christmas carols (Jackson absolutely loves to sing and we are always singing pretty much 24/7). This year we got Jackson the little people nativity set and we have been acting out the Christmas story during advent as well. Last night though, I found one of the wise men in Mary's spot in the manger so we still have some work to do:) Some other things we plan on doing again this year is making our own gingerbread house from scratch, making hot chocolate and going out in the car to look at Christmas lights, going to see Santa, and watching lots of Christmas movies together.

I would love to add some more fun to our holiday and really be able to teach our kids that Christmas is not all about presents. So, help me out, What are some of your families traditions? What do you do to show your children the reason for the season?


These pictures are all from last year but I promise to put up current ones before Christmas:)

We tried to make a replica of our house. We even made our
gingerbread family:) Jackson's is crawling with a diaper on.

just a quick update

Ok I have been gone for like a week, well not really gone just not writing:) I have a post in mind but haven't gotten the time to write about it yet! So anyways, the point really is that we are UNOFFICIALLY 15!!! Yep that's right we made a huge jump down yesterday! I am so excited I can barely breathe! We are supposed to get our official numbers today but they won't be correct since they had like 6 referrals yesterday and you don't officially go down until all the families get their paperwork turned back in so that is kinda a bummer, but if my subtracting and stalking is correct we are sitting pretty at 15!

Kristi J, my darling, I can not believe you are a single digit!!! Are you like 6 or 7 now?? AHHH!

unofficially #19

yep. :)

unofficially #20

AHHH! I can't believe it! I was secretly hoping to be 19 by our December update....it might actually happen! We are unofficially #20 which I am almost dead sure on:) I mean it would possibly be lower but still, 20! my head is spinning! Some days I wish we didn't have numbers because I get so wrapped up in it but I AM THANKFUL FOR NUMBERS TODAY:)

Watch It!

RLC has been busy, busy. Thank you for coming along side of us and brightening up the world:)

98 and counting!!!

We have 98 kids sponsored!! RLC decided on the Kebebsteshay Orphanage which has currently 120 kids there. So if your heart is tugging on you to do something big, join us!!! You only have a little time left! Scroll down to read more about this awesome opportunity! These kids are so beautiful, I would post some pictures but I am probably not allowed to. So take my word, they are all BEAUTIFUL BABIES:) Also if you have visited this orphanage or know anything about it, comment me! I would love to hear your story! Thanks.

Update on RLC Ethiopia

Ok so for the last couple of days I have been telling you a little about the orphanages in Ethiopia and how you can sponsor a child with Red Letters Campaign and Children's Hopechest. (If you have no idea what I am talking about just scroll down.) This has been so exciting..... WE NOW HAVE OVER 80 KIDS SPONSORED!! Can you believe that? It is so huge.

Today I looked at the calendar and realized that it is Roma's birthday. I find it ironic that today, with 80 sponsored children and hopefully more to come, I get to share with you a little bit about my Hopechest sponsored child. Roma turns 15 today and is a Russian orphan. He is so beautiful....I am not sure he would want his picture posted so I will tell you that he has blonde hair which he has been growing out this year and rosy red cheeks, and he hasn't lost that sparkle in his beautiful blue eyes.... That, I believe, is because of Children's Hopechest. We started sponsoring Roma about a year ago, and I have really been able to witness the wonderful things this organization does for orphans. Not only do they provide him with the opportunity to grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and educationally, but most importantly spirtually. Koysta is Roma's Hopechest discipler. He teaches Roma about God and how He has a special plan for my little Roma's life. He prays with Roma. That in itself is huge. Koysta sends us quarterly updates about the kids at Roma's orphanage and how to pray for them and through that we get a glimpse inside his life. The best thing about Children's Hopechest is that they won't leave Roma when he ages out of the orphanage.... A 15th birthday for many other orphans is scary. It just reminds them that they are that much closer to the day when the orphanage director hands them a couple hundred dollars (if that) and sends them on their way....knowing no one.... having no where to go. But Roma has hope. Hopechest will offer him a home with other transitioning orphans and the opportunity for an education or teach him the skills to get a good job. Roma wants to be a truck driver or a chef:) and with Hopechest and our sponsorship, that dream just might come true.


I don't tell you this so that you can think we are really great for sponsoring a child....I tell you this because you have the opportunity to join us and change the life of a child in Ethiopia. Watch the video posted below. These kids need the help that Hopechest can provide for them. They need sponsors to write to them and tell them they care....to remind them God has not forgotten them.....to be the only person to wish them a happy birthday. And the best part of this is that you aren't doing it alone. Red Letters Campaign is a community of people that believe that God is at work in the poor. They are offering a place to get to know one another, our sponsored children, our orphanage, and annual trips to visit if you want. If you haven't checked them out, do it. You can be as involved as you want. I could go on and on about the wonderful support that we have gotten from people with RLC, but don't take my word for it....find out for yourself....www.redletterscampaign.com



send me an email if you want to know more:) deedee1784 at yahoo . com

Tagged:)

I have been tagged by Tisha to post the fourth photo in the fourth file of my computer. (I like this tag by the way, its way better than writing 8 bazillion things about myself that no one really cares about:)

This is Jackson at about 1 month old in this picture and we thought it was really cute to find him asleep like this in his little snow outfit that we had to put him in on EASTER in TEXAS! Yep it was a weird day....


hmmm I am not sure who hasn't been tagged so I'll tag Kristi J, Melissa H, and you if you want to do it! Thanks for stopping by:)

Children's Hopechest in Ethiopia

Here is a video of what I posted about last time. There is still time to make a difference. Join us:)

Do you want to be involved in a child's life?

Are you an older married couple who are done with the "kids" stage but desire to be a part of an orphans life?

Are you a married couple who are done having children but want to be "long distance" parents to a little one who has none?

Are you a young single whose not ready for marriage and children but understands the incredible need for caring for orphans and wants to be involved?

Are you someone whose never considered being involved in helping the estimated 143,000,000 orphans in the world but feels maybe this is something you should pray about?

Do you desire to be involved in a community that is part of an orphan care ministry but your church has no involvement?

Well we have an incredible opportunity for you! Children's Hopechest and Red Letters Campaign are partnering to launch holistic orphan care in Ethiopia!! Yes, this is child sponsorship but it's so much more than that! Here are the 5 key areas in which the children will be cared for:

1. Spiritual Development. These kids will have a personal counselor/discipler to meet with weekly. This is HUGE when it comes to an orphans life. Yes, a life without parents, but a consistent adult in their life to show them love and guidance.

2. Physical Needs. This is pretty self explanatory...food, water, shelter, clothes, ect.

3. Education. They will have wonderful education and will even get help in finding and applying to a university! This will also extend to skills training, learning how to interview for a job, ect.

4. Medical and Dental needs. Keeping the little ones healthy. :)

5. Emotional Support. The life of an orphan can be extremely stressful. These little ones will be loved by the incredible caretakers.

All this for $34 a month. $34 a month??!! Just give up a couple lattes and a few other things you don't need each month and a child with no future has hope and love and health and more!

Personal contact with your child will be much more personal than the average sponsorship. You can write them letters and there may even be access to email once in a while. You will receive a couple yearly updates on how they are doing and will be able to give money for them to have a birthday and Christmas gift. Another incredible opportunity will be the annual trip offered to go visit your child and their orphanage!! I think this is an incredible addition and will help build the community even more.

"The Community" that I am mentioning will consist of people from all over the states who are sponsoring a child at the same orphanage as you. RLC will be a place to go and get to know each other a bit and keep up to date on our orphanage and children.

Without good orphan care these little ones could very likely end up on any of the following paths:

-prostitution (which could very likely lead to death from AIDS)
-drugs (also could lead to death from AIDS)
-death from a preventable illness
-sex slavery

But a child who experiences incredible orphan care and knows that someone far away loves them and prays for them...these kids could become the most incredible leaders in their country...the brighter future of Ethiopia. I truly encourage all of you friends, family, fellow adopting parents, stalkers :), random visitors to think and pray about this and then ACT!


If you want to know more....contact the lovely Amy Bottomly at amyde63@hotmail.com


By the way, I copied this off of Joy's blog because she already did a great job of writing it all out and well let's just face it....I'm lazy. :)

Tom's giving away a free trip to Africa!!

Yep, you read that right. Children's Hopechest and Beliefnet are doing a big fundraiser through blogs and they are giving away a free trip to Africa with Hopechest! I know, it's makes me giddy just thinking about going to Africa:) Anyways, they are trying to raise $500 a day through blogs throughout the month of November. I really can not think of a better organization to give to than Children's Hopechest. Their care for orphans is so complete and focused on Christ. So if you're already in that giving spirit just click on the donate button below or here to read more about it on Tom's Blog.

1 month

Today marks one month of waiting on the waiting list. It really doesn't seem like it's already been a month, but I guess compared to the 8 years it has been since I walked into that orphanage in Romania, a month really isn't so bad:) This month has been really good to us, too. We went from #26 to #22 and we witnessed the generosity and support of our friends and family through the giving to our grant. And as the deadline for the grant comes close, I just want to thank each of you that has come along side us. We really could not do any of this without you guys.....

Hmmm, I really thought I had more reflective thoughts to write about but of course we are watching Toy Story for the bizillionith time and anything resembling intelligent thought has just left my brain. Happy 1 month:)

Officially......

Please continue to pray......

I know today is a crazy day with elections and all but I would like to ask you to continue to pray for my sweet little friend, Abby Riggs. She is having a tough time with her chemo and I just ask you to lift her up to our Father. Also, please pray for Michelle, her mom, because I can only imagine what she is going through. Thanks.

Happy Halloween!

So I have had Jackson's dinosaur costume for over a month, hoping that I could get him to like it and actually wear it on Halloween. So Friday at 4:00pm we were still battling with tears and screaming and flailing of limbs. He has been pretty sick all week so after about 2 minutes I gave up and decided he would just be Jackson. But alas, I forgot my secret weapon was coming over.....grandparents with light sticks. A little bribing and a little GiGi, and dinosaur Jackson hit the neighborhood with his BFF Aidan (who was also a dinosaur).









So I realize these aren't the greatest pictures but this was the best I could get of the child as he ran around the neighborhood shouting "BUTTON! BUTTON!" instead of Trick or Treat. This is because he only wanted to ring the doorbells. And because of that this was the pitiful loot we came home with.....




And since this turned out so cute I will leave you with one more Jackson gem "carving" a pumpkin.

Pumpkin Carving- Ugandan Style

Yesterday we did pumpkin carving with the entire choir. It was a lot of fun and the kids had never done it before, although their pumpkins were very impressive. Then Erisa, Junior, Jackson, Auntie Marci, baby Jackson, Paul, and I went home for dinner and to finish Back to the Future. After that we went bowling and had so much fun that I forgot to take pictures! Oh well, here are some of the pumpkin craziness.

You want me to dig that out?

Auntie Marci

Uncle Godfrey's

Jackson carved his name!

Junior the ham:)

Ester

Grace

Erisa and his pumpkin with ears

Viola, i think

Jackson

Ivan being silly

Erisa

Jackson

Erisa

my boys