Feliz Navidad

Baby doesn't like Santa too much. LOL love this.

May each and 
every one of 
you be blessed 
to spend Jesus' 
birthday with 
loved ones!

The G Series: Giving

MY CHRISTMAS LIST

This year is different. I know some of you may be thinking you already give to other charitable organizations, why another? My family does gifts in each other's name to World Vision among others. But as I've become more involved in certain causes this year, I'm asking you to consider also giving to the children of Uganda or Haiti. Since I am dear to your heart, and they are dear to my heart, they are like an extension of me :-) And how wonderful to know that I will be there to personally give and to be able show you how your gift has been put to use. This is not in lieu of other donations, just in place of a gift to me! Just think: no trips to the mall, no scouring the internet, no wrapping, no wondering what I want, LOL you get the idea.


Many of you know about my involvement with different orphanages and ministries. Last April I had an amazing opportunity to go to Uganda. That Vision Trip was focused on checking out possible care points and places in need of sponsorships. Now this spring I am so blessed to take a team on a volunteer trip back to a particular town and orphanage that a friend of mine and I are personally working with Children's HopeChest to support.


Our team will focus on the children who have been effected by the loss of their parents through the HIV virus and war. We will be traveling to Uganda to help rebuild a kitchen and to bring encouragement to the people of that area. Having met these children almost a year ago, I'm very anxious to see what has been and will be accomplished.


Before April comes around again there are a few things I need to do. 

• First, as always, there's a lot of mental, emotional, and spiritual preparation. And this time there is a lot more detailed work in planning and leading the trip.
• Second, I would like to gain a prayer partnership with those of you that support me and are compassionate towards the cause. 
• Third, I need to raise financial support to finish the well (currently being built) and to build the kitchen (we will work on while we are there). The cost of each is approximately $10K. 
• Fourth, I'm also looking for $3K additional for travel and ground fees in Uganda (this is per person and there are others with gifts to share who would like to go and are in need of financial support as well). The trip to Haiti will be about $1500 total.

I'd like to invite you to consider being a part of this opportunity along with me. There are still a few spots left to join the group (contact me if interested). Your prayer support means so much. And any amount of financial support you feel impressed to give will be put to great use for these children and their surrounding communities.


You can donate via PAYPAL button on the right side of my blog. Below I've also included a response card that can be mailed to my home address. Contact me to have the PDF file emailed to you or for other options. And for those of you who would prefer to donate to the efforts I continue to do in Haiti, I will be serving there the first part of January and hopefully back again in Feb, May or Aug (or all of the above:)). If you have a preference, please just indicate where you'd like the donations to go.


Regardless of whether you decide to support me thru prayer and/or financially I want to thank you for your time. May you and your family have a blessed holiday and continue the blessings thru the New Year!

LOvE, @

And as God’s stewards, giving decisions are simply a matter of 

thinking through how He wants us to allocate His money.

Isaac's health update

Since my last visit, my prayers have focused much more on one realization: my baby is getting older and I desire so much for him to do so with me. I want to give him the one-on-one attention and interaction he deserves. His life, just like all of ours, is in His hands. I have faith that it will all be fine, but as a mama I just want the very best for him always.  


Kervenson (Isaac) recently went to the doctor. He has been shaking his head quite a bit, especially when sitting alone and when there is a lot of commotion around. She thinks it's a habit kind of like sucking his thumb. (A self-stim behavior). She did not think it was a neurological disorder, but encouraged his caregivers to make sure that he gets lots of extra attention, as he doesn't usually do it when he is focused on something.  


He was also evaluated by the psychologist (he needs these evaluations for his file as well) and just got that report back this week.  She feels that it could be neurological, but isn't sure so she recommended a neurological consult to get another opinion. They will try to schedule that within the next week. On his psych. eval. he tested at 1 year, 3 months instead of 1 year, 6 months. This does not worry me too much bc as many of you know children are behind by own development standards in these types of environment and in developing countries. His issues are that he is not walking or holding a cup to drink by himself yet... (although he did the cup thing fine with me :) ). She recommended the same thing as the doctor... Lots of 1 on 1 attention. And thought that he would catch up quickly with that.


His recent cold/cough is gone and Chris has been giving his meds AM and PM. She is having the girls bring him up to the balcony in the afternoons so they can meke sure he gets lots of attention :)  The upstairs at the "O" is where Chris and Hal eat, sleep, and care for their own kids as well as those with extra special medical needs and new additions. It makes me feel so much better to know he'll get the extra attention and LOVE. 


Please continue to PrAY pRaY PrAy!

Before I was a Mom

Author: Unknown

Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put them down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

Paperwork Update

I may have been approved in MOFA in September, but the files are not yet in IBESR. (Steps here) Kervenson's paperwork is not ready yet. Sad day. He should be going to the doctor today.

Mandado Del Cielo

baby Tasha, Kevenson's niece

one of HIS homes newest additions

   

Not flesh of my flesh

Nor bone of my bone,

But still miraculously my own.
Never forget for a single minute,
You didn't grow under my heart,
But in it.

lookin fresh ;)

bedtime... playtime... same thing

Few cute shots of Isaac with Gma and Gpa