2 Girls Go To The Mall And.....

Kristi and I did some shopping at the mall and saw no lines for the Easter Bunny...so we got our photos taken :)

"2009"

The Kitchen @ Tru-Vine

An update on the kitchen that my wonderful grandparents 100% sponsored to build at Tru-Vine. The Kitchen is done and I have 2 photos of it almost at completion and 1 photo of it's first time serving food to the orphans. As of February 19th the kitchen is feeding the 420++ orphans 2 times a day. I will get more photos to post online and of course see it in person and get a lot of photos this June/July. Getting photos from the people that are caretakers in Uganda seems to be hard since internet is hard to come by and is not a constant (or stable) thing like it is in the USA. At least I know the kitchen is built and doing it's job for these once neglected children.... Praise the Lord!!!!

PS- Tru-Vine is Tom Eggum, and Hope 4 Kids main site, where Kristi and I spent a lot of our time last November. It is a facility with a day school, boarding school, medical clinic, church, missionary house, widows housing projects and a widows' store. All part of Tom Eggum's vision for the orphans and widows of Torroro Uganda. The kids who board here are sponsored by people in the USA and are orphans.

Taken Feb 9th, 2009


Taken Feb 19th, 2009 (this is Grace, she has 3 kids and her husband died. She is a widow. I send her son Godfrey to highscool boarding school in Jinja). She is making the rice/bean meal that came free from "Feed My Starving Children". Hope for Kids received an 18 month supply of food from this US nonprofit.


The kitchen..... still thinking of a name for it :) I will get a sign made and hang it in a little ceremony come this summer!!! Maybe some embroidered aprons too. Something to make these widows feel special. They have a thankless job taking care of these parentless children. I do admire them! They don't ever get a break and sleep on a dirt floor of a shack or hut at the end of the day, with no running water. These women, no matter what, have the strongest faith in God and never doubt his love for them. They are true Christians and they humble me. Praise God!!! Or as Tru-Vine's Pastor Wilbur would say "GOD IS GOOD"!!!!

Happy Birthday Schmookey

My lambie pie's 38th birthday was on March 24th.....we celebrated by watching Evan's scrimmage soccer game and chocolate cake.

This is Robb at an age where he looked so much like Aiden...Happy Birthday!

Smile Africa Clinic

"God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try," ~ Mother Teresa

The Smile Africa Clinic, or Bethel Clinic, as it is called was 1/2 complete when my Hope 4 Kids November group was there. The clinic was not being used to it's ability and it was actually pretty sad to see this shell of a building in such bad shape. The facility needed $15k to finish it's construction. Kristi and I got home November 18th and by Christmas I had fundraised $9k to go towards the construction costs. So the clinic is in the midst of finishing. Windows have been placed in each empty bay, electric wiring has been installed and the outside haved been getting stucco on them. This summer I get to see everything in person and taken photos.

Before photo:





A work in progress..... so far the "after" photos. Tom Eggum is there right now on a mission trip, that is him with Pastor Ruth who runs Smile Africa. The Clinic was started last October 2008, so the plaque reads 2008 for when the project started, not ended. Even as a dirty shell of a building, the clinic did see patients:





Can't wait to take the completed real "after photos" this June/July... thank you Julie, Ryan & Rose Mary for the generous donations that lead to the $9k for Hope 4 Kids and this clinic that will save lives!!! These are a few of the kids who are at Smile Africa daily and will use the clinic on a regular basis. You 3 have touched their lives and made a difference half way around the world!!! Thank you for caring and making a DIFFERENCE to those forgotten....





"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat, " ~ Mother Teresa

Reilly & Shawna

My sweet and very talented friend Janet had waited over a year for the most wonderful news.....her daughter was born. Janet was blow drying her hair and got "the call". Unknown to her Reilly was born the day before in Atlanta and was availible for adoption. Janet litterally dropped her life in Arizona to go get her newborn. All of my dear friend's prayers were answered and she jumped on the next plane to Georgia (with her hubby Todd in tow of course!). This is Miss Reilly Iris (Iris after Janet and Todd's wedding song by the Goo Goo Dolls) and I chillin' at the soccer fields. Janet and I have sons who play competitive soccer together (11 year old big boys!).

If anyone needs any faux painting or mural work done, let me know. That is what Janet's specialty is in!!! She is a talented artist!



PS~ That is not my A&W ice cream next to me, that is Aiden's!!! I am trying to be good for the Bahamas :)

Paris & Robb

The official "Dad & Daughter" dance photo. Just got their's back from the photographer!!! Sweet huh????

In 1 week....

We are taking the kids to see Beatles' "Love" by Cirque du Soleil. I have seen it before and loved it. We were going to Vegas anyways for soccer, so I thought lets go a day early and see "Love"

Welcome Home Kristi!!!

My cousin Kristi arrived back in the USA last Saturday evening after a week long mission trip to Haiti. She went with Parkway Christian Church and spent time working in an orphanage with babies and toddlers being adopted by Americans. I hope to post some of her mission photos on my blog soon! She had a great time. Kristi was my "other half" in Uganda. Well, Robb, the kids and I decided to surprise her at the airport when she arrived home on American Airlines flight 1875 at 8:16pm last Saturday!! Kids made a poster and we stood by the security check point. I think we caughter her off guard and surprised her, and her whole group!! Actually, she looked really touched and a little teary eyed.... I missed my Kristi!!! Glad to have her back on American soil!!! 3 months until Uganda!!!

Friday Night Cheer

The Spring cheer season has officially started! Paris' friend Prima also joined cheer this season, along with her friend Tatum. Here are pictures from their first game. Aiden is playing flag football, and the games were at the same time. So this Friday I hope to get photos of Aiden playing. This season they cheer for flag football, not tackle football. Oh and Paris has the odd skirt because her uniform skirt was too big. It's getting altered and she'll match this next Friday!









10 Fridays of Fun!

Micah and Shayla's Wedding

Micah and Shayla's Wedding at The Castle at Ashley Manor in Chandler.....