I'm Home

I'm home.

The time was great.

6 little people really need me right now.

More later.

Lauren's Bday Date

We started a new tradition this year. Rick and I take each kid out together on a date for their bday. The goal is to do it in the bday month, but that didn't happen with his Swazi travels. We took Lauren out this week.

She chose Panda Express

Orange Chicken and Chow Mein, Baby!

Daddy and daughter

Me and My Girl

Starbucks Vanilla Creme' with Caramel for dessert.

It is always so good for Rick and I to have one-on-one time with each child. They open up in a way they normally wouldn't. We don't have an agenda when we take them out. We just talk about them and try to learn as much as we can about where they are right now in their lives. It is always such a treat to spend that time with them.

I also took Lauren to have her pictures made recently. These were her favorites:

We realized after the pictures were taken that she forgot to take off her watch and bracelets!!!

Double Digits!! Next thing you know, she will be a teenager!!

Holdin' On

"I know that there is pain, but you hold on for one more day, and you break free, break from the chains."

Remember that song by Wilson Phillips? I remember it from my teaching days before Rick and I were married.

That sums up how I feel today. I am holding on until my overnight getaway.

I am trying so desperately to break free from so many chains that hold me back. It is painful.

It feels so much like a 1 step forward, 3 steps backward process.

I have a day of encouragement and growth. I have a day where I see a difference.

Just when I let my guard down, the attack ensues.

I am talking "take my breath away/punch in the gut" kinds of attacks.

I am left on the ground curled up in a ball trying to make myself get back up and continue the good fight that I know is so worthwhile.

This time away can't come soon enough.

I need it for rest. I need it for reflection. I need it for strength to continue the battle.

Adoption Story - Rick Style

I wanted to share with you a link to our adoption story that Rick has put together.

Many of you have read my take on the whole process.

Now you can read his.

Check it out here.

Beyond Survival - 4th Annual Swazi Walk

Many of you have asked how you can be involved in Beyond Survival. Here is the next event and opportunity that we have planned for you to invest in. You can participate or donate towards this cause. I can't wait to see how many kids are able to go to school once we get this school building built. You don't have to live in Colorado Springs to invest in this opportunity.

Vanguard’s 4th Annual Swazi Walk: August 28th, 2010

Walking so Others Can Learn

How We Started?

In the rural community of Engculwini, located in Swaziland, Africa, Pastor Walter Malaza decided to make a difference to feed and care for orphans of his community by establishing eight different Care Points among the 10,000 people in his community. He discovered that there were over 500 orphans without the necessities of life.

He went to his chief to relate the desire God had given him to feed the hungry children, asking permission to carry it out and for eight plots of land to be designated for this purpose. The chief agreed to the dream and Pastor Walter is now coordinating a work at each of the eight feeding centers, or Care Points.

The number of orphans is increasing daily. Swaziland hosts an ever growing orphan population due to its exploding HIV/AIDS crisis. In the 23-29 year old age bracket the infection rate is 56.5%. There are literally thousands of children who have no one to care for them. Walter is attempting to make a difference in their lives. We are investing with him.

How Can You and I Make a Difference?

Through Vanguard’s 4th Annual Swazi Walk, we will be walking so others can go to school. This event provides an opportunity for the people of Vanguard to tangibly help the people of Swaziland by creating an opportunity for children to be educated.

Last year, we were able through the generosity and commitment of Vanguard Church to raise enough money to launch the Rose Geranium Farm. Soon this farm will not only be producing jobs for the jobless but also resources to help with the needs of our Care Point.

This year funds raised will go to help build new classrooms and educate children who otherwise would not have the opportunity to go to school in Swaziland, Africa. The Swazi Walk funds will go to build more classrooms for the school at our care point. Our church plant, Agape Church, on our care point is the springboard for this school. Right now we have grades 1-5 with the last two not in any class room. Our building will be used for 120 kids a year. No kids will be sent home from this school for not being able to pay, for not having the right drawing set, or for any other reason. This school is for orphans and vulnerable children and is a partnership between the government of Swaziland and us. Without this school these kids would have no option for education. They would just be part of the 56% of the kids in Swaziland that are not in school because they cannot afford it.

We would like to see this school be the catalyst for more schools to be built in Swaziland. We envision a place where our kids get a new level of education and can grow up to have opportunities to become something in life. We have a desire to reinvest into the next generation of orphans and vulnerable children. In the end, Swazis must take care of Swazis and that will never happen without good education. Thanks again for investing into the lives of the Swazi people.

How Much Will It Cost?

The classrooms will cost $15,000 and provide multiple opportunities for orphans and vulnerable children to be educated. Will you help make a difference?

How Can You Invest?

1. Walk. By gathering sponsors, you can help raise money for this cause. You can get sponsors that will donate a particular amount or others who want to sponsor you based on the distance that you walk. Sign up for the walk at the sponsorship table, grab a sponsorship packet to use in your gathering of sponsors, and walk with us on August 28th.

2. Give. Give by sponsoring a person who is walking, you can go online to vanguardchurch.org.(Go to the Give tab at the top of the page and select Swazi Walk Account), or write a check to Vanguard Church with “Swazi Walk” in the memo.

3. Share. Pass the word along about Beyond Survival ( HYPERLINK "http://www.beyondsurvival.org" www.beyondsurvival.org) and how others may partner to invest into the lives of Swazis in Africa.

Today

I went shopping at 4 stores with 6 children.

Cody's football camp schedule got changed so I had to totally rearrange and coordinate for that for the rest of the week.

Our basement flooded(and I mean really bad this time) for the second day in a row.

I had an appt. today that was good, but always challenges me emotionally.

Enough said.

I can't tell you how excited I am that I get a night alone in a hotel on Friday night(yes, you read that right, just me staying in a hotel all by myself, pure heaven). One of the best Mother's Day gifts I could ever receive. I am cashing it in!!!

Random Thoughts

1. Laila told me that she loves me for the first time yesterday without me prompting her. That was off-the-charts special for me.

2. Cody is gearing up to play football for the first time. He has football camp this week. He is either going to really love this or really hate it.

3. It gives me great pleasure to say that the For Sale sign is no longer in my yard. In less than a day, my house is already a disaster. I may never clean again!

4. Today marks 1o yrs. of serving at Vanguard Church for our family. Lauren was just a month old when we moved here. Seems like yesterday and years ago all at the same time.

5. I cooked supper 3 times this week. More than I can remember in a loooong time.

6. One of my favorite things to do is lay in my bed and cuddle and sing with Laila while the air conditioning is running in my room.

7. Isaiah's imagination is wildly creative. Every time I go to get him up from his nap, a new unknown adventure awaits me. Today, he had a new baby girl named Hannah.

8. School begins in only 2 1/2 weeks. I still have to shop for supplies and figure out if the kids have all the uniform items they need. Can you say, "I am procrastinating on that one?"

9. According to Laila, in her class at church, she eats goldfish and sings "Single Ladies."

10. Abby needs to see an allergy doctor and a heart doctor in the next couple of weeks. Good times. We really need some answers for these headaches she has been having over the last year!

11. Lauren mopped my kitchen floor today and made cookies this week all by herself. I am loving her getting older.

12. Sam has a robe that his Grammy got him that he wears all the time around the house. Rick said he just needs some slippers and a pipe to complete the outfit. It is quite funny.

I know that was the most thrilling and random post you have ever read. That is my life right now, thrilling!