I am so PUMPED!

Chris surprised me with Brooke Fraser tickets the other day! She's coming to Annapolis! You might remember me posting her video "Albertine" a few months back. This New Zealand native is blessed with musical talent that has led us in worship in our home many times. Her song "Albertine" is one that touches us deeply, and was brought to our attention right around the time when we decided to adopt from Ethiopia. It speaks of her time in Rwanda and eloquently expresses her conviction that we can no longer turn the other cheek. Faith without deeds is dead. True worship is looking after the orphans and widows, the fatherless and oppressed. We are looking forward to worshipping with her in person!(and BONUS - an overnight date night with Chris!) Check her out in a new video joining Hillsong LIVE.

Sad news

"Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.

Maria, one of the Christian singer’s six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol."(The Tennessean)

This news has saddened and humbled us. We had the pleasure of meeting Stephen and his two sons back in March when we received a grant from his organization, Shoahannah's Hope. We can only imagine how very devastating this is for the Chapman family. Please pray that they will find comfort and peace in Jesus Christ through this terrible trial. Our children are not our own, but a gift from the Lord; go hug them.

Thoughts: rainy days, complaining and I hope my girls have food....

Why is it raining so much? Water leaked into the basement, AGAIN!


The U.N. Children's Agency UNICEF says a recent drought in Ethiopia has caused a food crisis and estimates 126,000 children are suffering from severe malnutrition.



The produce at Walmart stinks! I am NOT paying THAT much for milk. They are out of white grape juice AGAIN?



SIRARO, Ethiopia, May 19,2008 (Reuters) - Ethiopian mother Ayantu Tamon has lost a child to hunger every year for the last four and now cradles her severely malnourished and weakened three-year-old son Hirbu in her arms. "I just hope God lets him live," she says. "I have only two children left."


Look at those gas prices, $4.00 per gallon, WHATEVER! (Filler-up, glug, glug)


There are fears that the next harvest also will fail. "We are crying with the mothers and the children."

Red Letters Campaign

Have you noticed some of the new tag additions to my blog? I have joined with Red Letters Campaign as an Adoption Journalist! What is the Red Letters Campaign you ask? They believe that YOU (we, us, I) have the power to reduce extreme poverty, fight preventable diseases and connect orphans with loving families. Their mission is to provide the tools, a network of partners and like-minded people in order to create a solution. We all can play a role in using our faith to fight this fight. It all boils down to finding where you fit into the big picture. My part just happens to be contributing content via my blog, and raise awareness for the orphans of Ethiopia and around the world.
Where do YOU fit it?

Buy a pound of coffee, feed an orphan for a month.

This is the best idea EVER. If you need a warm, yummy mug of goodness every morning to get your day started like I do, go here. Saint's Coffee partners with Children's Hope Chest and Five for 50, and donates a third of the net profits from every sale of their coffee. We purchased a few pounds of their Ethiopian Sidamo to give as Christmas gifts last year and it was a hit! Father's Day is just around the corner and Saint's Coffee is the perfect gift! It keeps on giving, it's yummy, and it is probably much cheaper than whatever "man toy" your hubby is asking for!

waiting...

DHL rocks!

DHL SMS Notification
To: Addis Ababa
April 30 2008 2:23PM- Awaiting pick up by recipient as requested-Addis Ababa

Yippee! Our dossier finally made it all they way across the world to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Africa! Phew! Praise the Lord!