Sunday, September 30, 2012

Oh September

Well September kicked my butt.
I told my mom that if we have another child with a September birthday, I'm going to just throw in the towel.
Caleb and Blake's birthdays are just a little over a week apart.
Her due date was the day before Caleb's birthday so I really should stop my grumbling.
It could have been a lot worse.

What did I do for my dear sweet husband you might ask?
Well, I sent my big tough cop of a hubs on a scavenger hunt for his present!
It was awesome!!  
He walked around trying to act so put out that his wife was making him hunt for his presents.
Oh it was great!  (and a great peek into our relationship dynamic)


Little Miss delivered the first clue and since I am a nerd and love to write, each clue was a little rhyme as to where the next clue would be.

And then off he went, to Blake's playhouse, the mailbox, the basement, the backyard
(Note:  Huskies love clues too and might demolish anything left within their reach)

 And then he had to call my Mom for his final clue...  this is his I'm excited but trying to act tough face.

Which lead him to............ THIS!
Yep it's an iPad-  this little sucker took me quite awhile to save up for without him noticing.

He forgave me for the hunt once he opened his present!  :)

Happy Birthday, babe!  Your girls love you!!!


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Trading Places?

Yesterday I received my very last blogging assignment for Compassion International.
September went way to fast which means the blog challenge flew by as well!

In case you missed it here are the links for this month's blog challenge!
  Week 1:  
  Week 2:
  Week 3
 (Follow my new pinterest board and repin!!!  Help spread pinterest awareness!!!)

And for Week 4:  I'm supposed to write about what it would be like to switch places with my sponsored child, Melly.

So here it goes.......  Enjoy!

I wonder what it would be like to wake up in Tanzania.
And I'm not talking a super nice touristy hotel, I'm talking in the heart of Tanzania.
Living like the way the majority of the people do.

The sun comes streaming in through the cracks of our concrete house.
What a beautiful morning it is.
My neck is a little sore from the hard dirt floor, but nothing that a little stretching won't take care of.
I look down at my feet.  They will never be clean, I can't waste precious water them.
I have come to find comfort in knowing my feet will always have a coating of dirt on them.
It shows I work hard, and I am proud of that fact.
God has given me the body that can work hard for others.

As I walked several miles to get water,  I enjoy the coolness of the morning.
The beauty of the trees and the sun streaming through the leaves captivate me.
Then comes the walk back... it is not as pleasant, but I know how much my family needs this water.
I haul that heavy bucket of water back to my home so it can be boiled and nourish my body.
Oh water, how much we need it, but it is so much work to get it.
Some days, there is not enough to go around.  We really have to ration it out.
Even when I'm thirsty, I know I cannot drink because I have drank my portion for the day.
I remind myself to be grateful that I can lug a big bucket full of water... it could be empty.

Next comes time for me to go to the child development center.
There are meet so many wonderful people.
A beautiful piece of paper is awaiting me with my name on it.
Someone far away knows my name.
Someone far away loves me and cares about me.
My mom and dad don't even see me or write me, but these people from the U.S. do.
These letters uplift my soul.
I love my grandparents with all of my heart.
They take great care of me, but it is so nice to know someone else thinks of me.
I have my teacher read me the letter and help me write one back.
And then I will anxiously await a new letter to come for me.

We sing to God and dance!
We read stories of how He takes care of His people.
I have more than enough!  He provides every day for me.
I am so blessed.

I walk back home to tell my grandma about my day.
She hugs me tight and tells me she loves me.
We eat our rice and beans that my grandpa has worked so hard to bring to us.
Yes, life is good.
We sit around our fire and talk and watch the stars decorate the dark sky.

And as I close my eyes, I thank God.
He loves me.
He provided for us today.
I trust He will provide again tomorrow.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Wickles!

I wrote this blog on my old blog while I was pregnant with Little Miss.  This craving lasted the whole dang pregnancy!!!  So in honor of a new blog I am following I had to share this for her pregnancy link up party!  Seriously everyone should share HERE what your biggest craving was.  It could rather entertaining to read everyone's craving!!!







Please meet my latest craving, obsession, whatever you want to call it!  Wickles! I'm in love! It's basically pepper relish and I LOVE it! I really love it on my sandwiches (which are veggie with no lunch meat) and the other day I even put it on my shells and cheese for dinner.
When I found this wonderful jar I about screamed for joy in the middle of Walmart. It took everything in me to not call Caleb and wake him up to tell him of my discovery. But I refrained. And I LOVE this jar... in fact this picture makes me want to go eat a spoonful and it's only 10:00 in the morning. Problem? I think so!









Thursday, September 20, 2012

Whoooooo Lives in a Pinapple Under the Sea???


I guess when you have a girl, you envision, princess parties, complete with pink, ruffles and tutus.
Never in a million years would I have dreamed that we would have had a Spongebob Birthday for the Big #2!

Now you might be saying, "Hey Jami, you do have control here...."  You are right I do.  But when you see this girls face light up when anything Spongebob crosses her path, you only want to make her face light up even more with a Spongebob overload party!

Well, then came the challenge of creating a girly Spongebob birthday.  I mean, go look, everything SB related is all blue and boyish.  Definitely not ok for a 2 year old girl... so I knew I had my work cut out for me.  After multiple trips to any and every craft store in town, and any and every party store in the world, here is a sneak peek into Blake's special day.

(birthday table)  

(birthday banner)

(breakfast muffins)

Then came the friend party at the park.
All of her little friends came to play and I had one table to decorate at this party.

(i didn't get a totally done picture but here is the in progress one)

(this cake was a HUGE hit and she got to keep all the toys and the house)
(thank you, Target, for carrying this awesome cake)

Our house is still recovering from the overload of Spongebob, but she couldn't get enough.
I think it was a success and I'm so glad that it is finally over.  

Here are some more pictures for enjoyment.
 










Thank you to everyone who made this such a special day!!!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Little Miss is 2

So I love to blog and I love to blog about my daughter.
So you'd think on her birthday, I'd jump at the chance to blog about that....  but nope.
I was so busy enjoying my kiddo (and playing with all of her new toys from Emmy and Papa) that I forgot to write her a birthday blog post.
So here is is now, a few days late.
But I guess she will get used to her mom being late on everything.  :)


Oh my beautiful girl, it feels like just yesterday that you were born.
Time has flown and now you are 2!!!

These last 2 years have been some of the best years of my life.
You always make your dad and me laugh.
And no matter how bad our days are, your sweet smiles makes it all better.

From the time your goofy self wakes up in the morning. (with your wild and crazy hair)


To the time you give us your "daddy scowl" that you are a pro at giving!


Watching you grow and learn has been such a blessing.  I have enjoyed every second!



Happy Birthday, to our Little Miss!
Mommy and Daddy love you so much!!!


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

My Ungrateful Heart

Dear God,

Did You know that when you made us we'd disappoint you?
Did You know we would spend our lives challenging You and Your plan for us?
Did You know that the majority of us would live in poverty?
Did You know that the blessed few that lived extravagantly would be ungrateful and want more?

Lord, I have a house over my head.
There is food on my table every night.
I have a wonderful family.
We drive not one, but 2 cars.
We are in the percent of the world that lives extravagantly, yet I long for more.
Oh Lord, forgive my selfish heart.

As I fold the laundry and cook our meals, I find my eye drift towards the picture of the angel you brought into our lives.
There she is, the big brown eyes looking at us through that camera.
Standing on a dirt floor and in front of a concrete wall.
Her letters speak of a good life.
They speak of a wonderful relationship with her grandparents.
Never does she say, I wish I didn't live here.
I wish I had a nicer house, or carpet on the floor, or running water.
Nope, she is happy where she is.

She tells me of her Bible stories she is learning at her school.
She tells me how grateful she is for Your love.
She tells me she is grateful for me.  Me?

Who I am?
I am someone that battles an ungrateful heart.
As I wish I had wood floors so I wouldn't have to vacuum stained carpet, she is happy with concrete floors.
Lord, please give me that contentment.
Please give me the contentment that our sweet Melly has.
Help me fight this battle against this never content heart of mine.

I think You knew the key to being content is loving others.
Help me love this girl, not just through our money and our letters, but through our lives.
Thank you, Lord, for the amazing gift of Melly.
Thank you, Lord, for bringing me to You through our relationship with her.

You really do work in mysterious ways!




Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The Faith of a Child

I had just finished my Senior year of high school.
I was going to be a Freshman in college.
Man, I thought I was cool.

And then my life changed.....
I went with a group from church to Honduras.
I saw life lived in a completely different way.
People lived with barely any food or clothes.
A small cement block with a door served as their home.
The hurricane had taken everything from them.
And yet, they were happy.

Kids ran in the streets playing soccer (football)
Families loved balloons and singing songs with their kids.
These people really knew Jesus.
They had to, they relied on Him day in and day out to meet their most basic needs.

It was then I realized how much I'd taken for granted.
I wish I could say this trip permanently changed my thinking.
I wish I could say that I never complain when something doesn't go my way.
I can't say that... but I can say, this trip serves as a reminder that I am beyond blessed.

I wish I could spend my life living in third world countries and helping these families.
God has not led me there, he has led me to Colorado, to be a wife to a great man and a mother to an amazing daughter.  He has led me a different path but one He wants me to live.
But I long to be connected to people across the world.  
So for almost a year now, we have taken our new honorary family member, Melly, in as part of our own.
We sponsor her, write her, 2x a month, her picture hangs on our family wall, we pray for her, and send her birthday gifts.  This girl has blessed my life!

She reminds me to slow down and enjoy what I have.  With each letter I get from her I am filled with joy.  How can such a young girl challenge this almost 30 year old to grow stronger in her faith?
I sponsored her because selfishly I wanted to help change her life, but instead she is changing mine.

I highly encourage you all as a family to look through THESE pictures, pray for these kids, and maybe even decide to bring one into your family!  I can promise you that God will work through the relationship you build with your child.  

And maybe just maybe, your life will change like ours did.

Melly with her grandma- wearing her new dress and shoes!



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