BEMM fundraiser-thru this week only!

So I've been prayin' and thinkin' and plannin' about...fundraisers. The first three letters of that word do NOT describe it accurately for me at all. Whatever it stems from I'm not sure, but bottom line-I don't like fundraising. I'd much rather be giving it to someone else...so when a friend messaged me about this fundraiser today I decided to jump on it-a way to do both!

Steffany is a fellow AP (adoptive parent) and in her blog posts she loves to use acronyms!! She has created an organization called BEMM (Because Every Mother Matters) to help Ethiopian mamma's and prevent more orphans. She is trying to purchase an ambulance for a village that could save 40 mama's and their babies every month, and she is raising the funds for this project

THIS WEEK

If you click on the link below, there's a BEMM 'button' on the right hand side of her blog. Anyone who donates $20 to the ambulance fund can put our families name down in the 'notes for recipient' line as you are reviewing your donation, and we are entered in a chance to win some cash for our adoption fund! Win/win! Do it soon, though-we only have until sunday! and only donations with our name on it will be used toward this project.

Here it is in her words, but blogger wont let me link to it:

http://toliveloveandlaughtoday.blogspot.com/2011/08/adoptive-parent-talk.html

or you can go straight to Because Every Mother Matters website and donate.

Thanks, and have a great week!

trippling our fun

What's going on with us lately? well, church. In the south, it seems, we have a phenomenon where when people go back to school (in our case at MC-college) they come back to church. It's just the ebb and flow of church attendance I guess. This year, our 'storefront' church building that holds 350 people with 6 classrooms and two potties:) was definately a fire hazard!

Here it is in my pastor's/hubbie's words:
http://pinelake.org/pinelake-clinton-campus/adding-a-third-service/

Here are some pics that don't do our people justice, but I was so surprised and excited that I just started snapping :) We had about 100 people come to church last week that couldn't fit in our worship center, overflow room, or Den (where fussy babies and their parents go to see the service). so they huddled lobby furniture around-including rocking chairs from the nursery and faced the little TV in the lobby to worship together!


Michael trying to direct people and not sure what to do!


standing room only in the worship center!


people starting to gather for worship in the lobby. Welcome to church!

please pray for our body as we embark on another journey of faith!

Recess

The courts are at 'recess' right now in Ethiopia, so our numbers may be slow moving through october when they reopen. It's the rainy season, and I pray they really do get rain. The drought is so severe in most of the country as well as throughout the horn of Africa. I'm so glad God is sovereign in the midst of suffering. Please pray with me for the people of Africa!

Our August number is officially 117!

7 years together

Not too shabby for a self-portrait of us, hun! Michael and I got to celebrate 7 years together this weekend!! Saturday we went to the Fairview Inn and ate at Sophia's restaurant, then we went to Belhaven and rocked in the rocking chairs and remembered where our love began. It was so sweet and fun! 'our swing' by the lake isn't there anymore, but the rocking chair's in front of the fountain are, and we had many late night talks there too :) Having such a love is truly one of the biggest blessings of my life and one that we try not to take for granted. Marriage takes a lot of maintenance work, but is so rewarding! We've had lots of adventures in our 7 years together (Myles being the biggest) and are looking forward to many more to come, Lord willing! This year, as a wife, I was challenged to really intercede in prayer for my husband in an intentional way. I've had times when I did this well, and times I haven't, and I can really tell that my prayers mattered. I would encourage all the girls out there to be praying for your husband (future or present) and to get specific. God delights to answer us and bless us in our relationships!

May you be blessed in yours today!