A Journey in JOYful Living

New Blog!!!!

2011-09-03T20:00:00.003-05:00

I have good news! I am making the switch over to a new blog I've been working on.... I hope you continue to follow our crazy life to Kenya over there!!!

Future posts will be at

mangomama.org

See you there!

Joyful

2011-09-01T21:27:00.006-05:00

Psalm 104:1
Praise the LORD, my soul. LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

Psalm 113:3
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.

Psalm 105:1
Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

Isaiah 58:10
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Phase 2 begins!

2011-08-30T03:32:00.002-05:00

Our family has officially entered into Phase 2 of transitioning to Kenya. Last weekend we moved out of the temporary house we were living in for the month of August and are now living in Minneapolis to spend this last month with family.

3 kids. 5 hours. 14 million pounds of luggage in a mini van packed to the ceiling....I'm just glad we made it! The kids were awesome and were rewarded with a big ice cream cone today for their awesomeness.

My husband is staying back home for a couple of weeks to finish up work. He will join us later this month.

We have so much to be grateful for today. Our kids are healthy and have seemed to transition well into this phase. Now, if only I could get my poop in a group and finish my 'to do' list, I'll be good.

Big changes are underway for my blog. I won't share specifics, but I hope you like it. I really want a place where people can come and see what life in Kenya is like as well as look into the world of orphan care-and feel compelled to act.

For now, this is our crazy life and it's crazy uncomfortable but we're happy and at peace completely knowing that this is where we are supposed to be.

Oh, Benjamin

2011-08-19T20:18:00.000-05:00

"My favorite thing about going to Kenya, Mama, is getting to teach all my new friends my favorite sport". ~Ben

Phase I almost complete!

2011-08-18T20:04:00.002-05:00

Tonight, I sit here with 10 days left of our "Phase I". So much has happened in this phase. I feel like the closer we get, the more walls are put up to break through.

I say, bring it on, baby.

This month, the day after we rented out house and moved into our temporary location, the donor completely pulled out. I had to go through raw emotion of grief that week to process the "whys" and "hows" and even "if this is the closing door to this chapter of our lives, then we will still be okay, right".

It was tough. But this wasn't a surprise to God. He has provided over and over again in these last 20 days. Let it be a testimony to how much God cares and watches over us NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

I had the chance to attend the Global Leadership Summit and soak in tools that will benefit Mattaw when we get out there. I purchased the MP3 files so TJ could listen and study as well as to the Huffmans if they are interested in learning more. It was good stuff covering how to lead well and building an organization.

Also this month we had our plane tickets donated to us by some fabulous folks. We fly out of Minneapolis on October 4th. Booking these tickets definitely made us take a step back and say "whoa, this is really happening". YESS!

God always takes our valleys and turns them into good. Because of the lost donor, we were able to gain access to an awesome media outlet, The Christopher Gabriel Program, and speak about the vision of Mattaw and speak about the need for a new donor. As a result, we have had several positive prospects approach us and when the time is right, I will share more about this. But nonetheless, God is in this. I just know that a lot of the trials we have faced this month is preparing us for the journey ahead.

Though our year in Kenya may look a bit different than expected, we are confident that this was not an accident.

There is still an awesome opportunity to partner with us in building Sprouts Baby Home. If you are interested in partnering with us, feel free to email me at mattawsprouts (at) yahoo (dot) com for opportunities available.

Green isn't just for hippies....

2011-08-13T19:01:00.007-05:00

This year has been monumental for me. Not just in the moving overseas-kind of way.
I've started to look at ways that I can be more responsible in how I shop, eat and clean.

As the "being green" movement was becoming a trend, I was intimidated by it.
It seemed so.....hippie.

I was uncomfortable.

But, I started having conversations with moms about making small changes in our lives rather than a complete overhaul.

So, I have started slowly. Using paper or reusable bags rather than plastic when I grocery shop.

Simple. Even my kids got involved and would SCOLD me when I forgot my bags (those darn first born kids) at home.

I started to understand more about buying local and why it was so important, when possible, to shop local brands and farmers markets. Instead of ordering online, I've tried to make an effort to support the small guy, even if it cost a bit more.

Simple.

I was challenged a little deeper last winter.

My son was going through some health issues and I was feeling helpless. My pediatrician was less than desirable to work with and nothing seemed to be helping. My son was put on more rounds of antibiotics and nebulizer treatments than I could count.

I started to look at environmental factors that could be attributing to his health issues.

Allergies? The tests tests proved negative. (45 injections later)

Talking to doctors (NOT my Ped), I was challenged to look at inside my home. Thus, this started the process of elimination.

Out went the Glade air fresheners, Pine-Sol floor cleaners, bathroom cleaners, bleach, laundry soap, etc.

My house smelled like NOTHING and it drove me nuts. I started using Shaklee products. Skeptical, I wondered if it really cleaned as well as the other products I was using.

I educated myself. I read many articles comparing store brands and other ‘green’ brands to Shaklee.

I learned that not only do Shaklee products clean as well as the other store brands, but because it came in concentrated formulas, I was saving money and waste. I also learned healthier ways to scent my home by using essential oils (HELLLLO LAVENDER!)

Today, I am an Independent Distributor, because I wholly believe in Shaklee’s products. In completely overhauling my cleaning system, as well as implementing nutritional components into our daily routine, the trips to the doctor have been cut more than half for all of my family.

CUT MORE THAN HALF.

Today, I am linking my Shaklee business with supporting the Sprouts Baby Home. It seemed like a no brainer.

Sprouts needs the funding to support the babies that will live there. ALL the money earned from you purchasing Shaklee products through me goes directly to building Sprouts.

Choosing to sign up to become a Distributor helps even more. Becoming a Distributor joins me in funding Sprouts. Not only do you get to pave your way to an awesome career and promote healthy living, but you earn an income and help babies in Africa, too.

Do the research for yourself. We all encounter many crossroads in our lives. Perhaps this is one for you. Choose non-toxic cleaning. Choose health. Choose to do your part in recycling an changing lives a half a world away at the same time.

Transitioning kids

2011-08-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

I've tried to be as transparent as possible on this journey to help remember this season in our lives, but also to be somewhat of an encouragement for you who may be on the same path or may have thought about doing something like this.

Working as a Treatment Foster Care Social Worker in the past, I'm familiar with the grieving process that kids go through when they are taken out of their familiar environment, and the behaviors and issues that arise as a result. I am not claiming to be an expert, by any means. Here are some things we have learned:

Transitioning children is a big deal. It needs to be intentional and planful, when possible. I know that TJ and I will be okay, we will be able to handle the upcoming changes with minimal discomfort. Our children have never been to Kenya before. The way they handle the new culture, food, sights, and sounds will all be very different, because they are different.

Be intentional about how this transition makes them feel. Asking open ended questions to get kids talking about their emotions.

What do you think about our new house? What do you think of our move? Are there questions you have that are making you feel ______?

We continue to have ongoing age-appropriate discussions with them daily about moving.

Give kids power to choose.

We have already sent suitcases to Kenya with a team that went to Kenya from our area 2 weeks ago. The boys helped pack and choose toys they wanted to send in advance to have waiting for them when we arrived.

We have given the kids each a suitcase that they can put whatever they want into it without mom and dad giving an opinion. The boys chose pictures, toys, and various things that they wanted to bring.

Bring familiar items from home.

We are bringing their bedding from home, to give a sense of familiarity to them. I am packing picture frames, photos of family, grandparents, aunties and uncles, cousins and friends they have here to keep in their room to remember those who love them back in the States. I also am packing the essential oils/air fresheners that we use in our home today to use in our new home in Kenya.

Keep your routine.

Examples would include bedtime stories, family meals, songs, games and any elements to our day that we can keep similar when we arrive. Keeping kids' routine the same as much as possible is helpful in transitioning them to a new environment.

There is so much more to this I know. If you have any advice to help us get these three monkeys transitioned well let me know.

This kind of sums it up......

2011-08-08T21:28:00.002-05:00

A song tonight that has meant so much to us in this journey. Oh, how He love us.

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

Yeah...he love us....OH how He love us

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

You LOVE us.

God is doing great things

2011-08-08T10:45:00.002-05:00

A week ago, I was sitting at my kitchen table sobbing, wondering what was going on. Trusting God has a plan and feeling at peace at the same time. We chose to take last week to just "be" and process and grieve and wait.....

Anyways, today is Miracle Monday. Because Jesus loves us so much, he stirred in the heart of an anonymous family who gifted us with plane tickets...and then some, to fulfill our needs to get to Kenya.

KENYA DIG IT!?!?!

So, in this hour, we are dancing and celebrating for all that God is doing in this journey. God is carrying us every step of the way....

I hope this encourages you like it does us. Prayer works. That's all.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for this gift. God's ways are HIGHER than mine, we know that full well.

........and it would be embarassing to mention my "grand" idea.

Sprouts update

2011-08-06T07:36:00.004-05:00

God gives and takes away. We still choose joy and we move ahead. This journey has never been about us, but about bringing a voice to precious lives in Kenya that need advocacy.

Orphaned and abandoned children who need safe homes.

This week, our family moved out of our home, after finding an amazing family who was able to rent it and all that was in it until we return. It was a complicated weekend, but we somehow managed to move our stuff into a new, temporary home in the same town. This new home does not have a lot of furnishings, but it has allowed us to stay in our community and sort through the rest of our belongings until we move to Minneapolis in Sept. This also allowed us to organize our shipping container to get it ready to ship it overseas.

Last Monday, I was prepared to present our family's itinerary to our donor that we have worked with since January and receive a check that allowed us to purchase the rest of our furnishings for Sprouts and finalize our freight container to be sent off next week.

Last Monday, I received a phone call saying that our donor was no longer able to give. Nothing. No more. No reason, or explaination.

It was over.

It was a very difficult moment to swallow. It was the icing on the cake of the very difficult weekend that we had endured just a day before.

So, here we are. We can choose to be bitter, angry and spiteful. We can choose to seek revenge and go on a smear campaign.

Instead, we grieve, and process the emotions of this all and move forward with anticipation and joy for what is ahead. Our example and witness can be in how we react in these situations, too.

God's ways are higher than our ways. Sprouts is God's. HE knows our year ahead and the needs of Mattaw.

We are now in need of a new donor and in need of funding we had not anticipated for our freight container and our plane tickets.

We are asking God to provide, and informing people of the need. If you are interested in giving towards Sprouts, you may go to Mattaw's site here. Please indicate on the donation form what you would like it to go towards specifically.

Stay tuned for major miracles ahead.

Flying by the seat of my pants

2011-08-02T21:37:00.010-05:00

Tonight, I'm sure God is looking down and seeing a lot of me looking up at him like this...

Today,

this week,

this year....

I've had to learn how to fly by the seat of my pants way more than I have been comfortable with.

If you are a visual being like me, then let me entertain you with some visual art of emotions I have experienced this year.

Bloody fear.

Ticked. Off.

JOY JOY JOY

ARGH!!!

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

The journey is far from over. In fact, in a lot of ways, I know it has only just begun. We are currently in a temporary house in the same town, waiting to leave. Just a few more details, big details, to go.

Our kids are great. We are adjusting slowly to new changes. New emotions every day.

We are finding joy in flying by the seat of our pants.

July 28th

2011-07-28T21:13:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I'm sitting here bawling my eyes out after just taking down Alayna's crib and bedding from her little bedroom. It's moments like this that catch me off guard as I process and grieve the life we created in this home. Breaking free from the comforts and memories of life here in Minnesota and looking ahead to the unknown.

This week has not been easy. We are currently packing up our home and preparing this house for the next family who will live here. I can count the number of days we have left in this house on one hand.

It's with mixed joy, anticipation, weariness and hope that we move forward to this next step.

Our possessions here on this earth have dwindled down to a few boxes, but our hearts have never been so full.

That's the life that Jesus brings. I am humbled to be chosen to be on this journey with my family. With Jesus.

Lessons

2011-07-21T13:57:00.004-05:00

It's been way too long since I've posted. An update is well deserved. This is going to be a bit scattered, because I'm having a hard time collecting my thoughts.

My heart and my brain are full-so full of joy of what He has done in our lives this season. I'm sitting here, blank, trying to find words to appropriately describe what I am feeling at the moment.

Every.single.need.has.been.provided.for.

*tears*

We are ready.

Our house didn't sell. But God knew about that. He provided the perfect family who needed our home until we wanted it back. Our furniture, too. We've learned that our desires are not His desires. We've learned that His ways are always perfect.

God taught us lessons of downsizing while we lived in a shell of a building that used to be our home. We've learned that it's not our home. It's God's home. And whoever wants to use it is welcome to that-and everything in it.

We prayed, begging God for help to answer our kids' tough questions about life in Africa. He gave us words. We've learned that God gives us just enough for today. Today is all we need to worry about.

We have learned to pray to ask God to change our hearts and not to change our circumstances. There are so many things to learn within our circumstances that it would be a tragedy to wish it away.

Be challenged to pray bigger. Prayer works. I wish I realized the depth of this years ago. However, I'm thankful for this journey we have had this year and all the lessons learned from it.

Just about there. More updates to come.

Want an awesome bug repellent?

2011-07-13T20:49:00.004-05:00

Perhaps your neck of the woods could be described like this right now.

Our summer has our backyard infested with mosquitoes. Thankfully, my babes haven't had many welts on them like past summers.

Mix one part of Shaklee's basic H with two parts water and VIOLA!!!

....you have yourself some awesome non-toxic bug repellent. I've been spraying my kids with this stuff all summer. It works. It even works on your animals.

My kids also think I've gone all crazy on them by chasing them with a "water bottle".

Basic H is a concentrated non-toxic formula that is also great for cleaning your kitchen, your bathroom, your windows, your carpet . . .

You can purchase Basic H right here.

ALL profits I make from your Shaklee purchase goes directly to funding Sprouts' monthly operating costs.

yes, the anxiety is still there.

2011-07-12T21:56:00.007-05:00

"God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house.

God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives.

God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war.

God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives,

and God is with us when we are with them." -Bono

I try to sit and process how on earth we will process the suffering we will see and experience on a daily basis. This has often come to mind as I think about bringing my kids to a third-world country.

I don't know how to do it, guys.

I don't think I'm supposed to know. That's okay. I don't have a choice. I cling to the truth that God doesn't thrust us into situation that He hasn't equipped us for. God is with us when we are with the poor, the addict, the destitute, the homeless, the orphan, the widow, the _____________.

But c'mon. I'm still human and I'm axious.

The numbers are not numbers. They are children. Like yours.

2011-07-10T22:35:00.003-05:00

Sponsorship is something very close to my heart. I dove in for the first time "sponsoring a child" 10 years ago. I've told you about Priscillah before. She struck chords deep in my heart and became my daughter, before I even knew what parenting was about.

A 13 yr old girl who had suffered through abuse I had only read about in my college text book reading. Priscillah had lived a lifetime already and was barely in the 7th grade.

I get emotional thinking about it. Children should never have to suffer the way she had to.

Priscillah is one of the 1.9 million orphans living in Kenya. Now a mother herself, she is fighting to provide for her son so he isn't left motherless, too.

Sponsorship works. Sponsorship is more about writing a check each month. The resources we are blessed with should be helping others no matter what color or culture differs from our world.

Sponsorship became a real relationship to me, from far, far away. A few dollars a month completely changed her life. I also sent her letters and had a phone call a time or two. She changed my perspective on orphan care.

Orphans in Kenya need you. YOU. Sponsorship defines the lines of life and death to many kids in Kenya.

Specifically, at Mattaw, we are in need of sponsorships for many of our kids. It will be far more than just a check you write each month. You will have opportunities to write to, send gifts to and perhaps one day VISIT her (or him).

The kids at Mattaw need YOU to give resources to them that allow them to thrive in an environment that raises them to be responsible citizens of their country and teaches them about a God who loves them more than we can articulate.

Please consider opening your heart to one of our kids in Kitale. Then when YOU come and VISIT US this year, you will have a chance to love on the little boy or girl who will forever change your perspective on what life is all about.

To inquire about sponsorships, please email mattaw (at) yahoo (dot) com.

How to tick off a llama.

2011-07-05T15:25:00.006-05:00

I really love the 4th of July. It's one of my favorite times of year! We spent the weekend out of town with family in North Dakota. The kids had so much fun and truly embraced moments of their own that will be going in their memory books.

Let me explain.

(this is where I realize how I would love to have a family photographer following us at all times. Some moments are TOO awesome to not have a camera!!!)

.....

My sweet, Alayna Joy, totally ticked off a llama this weekend. Yes, a llama. Her name is Hannah Montana. Oh, it gets better.

We were visiting a dairy farm that had quite the collection of animals including rabbits, donkeys, goats, sheep, and yes, a llama. Her name is Hannah Montana. She is very tall and hairy. Hannah loves the goats she shares a pen with and she loves to give kisses.

Hannah walked up to me while I was holding Alayna about 2 inches from my face. I got a kiss (awwwww!). Alayna proceeded to rake her fingers across Hannah's face to grab and tweak Hannah's nose so hard that Hannah sneezed, stared and stomped away.

She's kind of a diva. Hannah, not Alayna.

However, I'm sure Alayna will act like a diva one day.

..............anyways, Alayna also got her chance to ride a goat. She was squealin' louder than any animal in that pen as she rode! Perhaps it's my mother's Western roots coming out in her.

I was also educated on the process of milking. God bless all of you who farm. I will never look at a glass of milk the same.

Collin- I know I don't need to say very much that would surprise you about this kid. If you have been reading long enough, you would know that he has had his moments.

Well, he gave us his glory this weekend. We caught Collin peeing on a tree in the middle of a park Sunday afternoon during a pot luck. It was part of a family reunion we attended.

He loves giving grand first impressions.

We lectured Collin as to why we do not pee in public (this isn't his first time).

About an hour or so later, we look up and see Collin dashing behind a large tree far off in the distance. My motherly instinct takes over and I yell to my husband that Collin is peeing on trees again, and he runs over to help Collin tinkle in a more appropriate place.

Off to the bathroom they go. They return a few minutes later and my hubs informs me that Collin was caught full monty going...ahem....#2 by the tree. "Mom, I couldn't find the bathroom".

I have a feeling that this is not going to be our last issue with this.

Ben- He is pleased to tell you that he followed ALL the rules this weekend, and supervised the safety of others as we were lighting off fireworks....

.....because he is so laid back that way.

I love my kids. How on earth are they sooooooo different!?!?!!?

Hope you guys had a great 4th! Updates on Kenya soon to come!

More miracles....

2011-06-30T13:58:00.003-05:00

We have so much celebrating going on at the moment, I can hardly contain myself.

First, I have to give a HUGE shout out to my sister, Nicole. She just got engaged last night to her long time love. He's been called Uncle Chris for a while now, but FINALLY we can make it official! Welcome to the family, Chris! Oh, and if you haven't checked out my sister's blog, then you need to go here. She cooks as if it's her last day on earth. You'll love her!!!

Also on the homefront, we had a huge step forward last night. I'm telling you what guys, PRAYER WORKS. The impossible CAN happen. We are still in a bit of shock that we are going, actually going, to Kenya.

We thought that something like this was too far out of reach. Or, only to be done only by watching other people doing it and would never be applicable to us.

We will be booking flights to leave for Africa by Labor Day weekend. I will share more about how this came to be so soon once I get my thoughts together. For now, I'm so scattered!

Boys.....

2011-06-28T21:19:00.003-05:00

Funky Family Friday

2011-06-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Whoa! Well, I've been a bit forgetful behind on getting Funky Fridays posted.

I've had a few things going on........

******The purpose of Funky Family Fridays was created to give ideas on how our family functions, sometimes it's creative activities, traditions or just a funny moment during this past week.******

This week, we celebrated my son's 5th birthday. We have a tradtion that recently started at the dinner table. We go around the table once a week or so and take turns saying one thing the like and appreciate about each person.

On Collin's birthday, we all took turns saying our favorite thing about Collin. When it came to be my turn, Collin looked at me, rolled his eyes and said,

"oh great. Yeah, yeah I know Mom, you love all of my kisses and snuggles. Good grief".

I just sat there with my mouth open. OF COURSE that is my favorite thing!!! Does the number 5 make him too old for that stuff!?!?

.........he has no idea what's coming. Wait until his mama picks him up from school wearing a large, purple velvet hat and blasts Will Smith in my mom-mobile.

Encouragement

2011-06-23T16:14:00.003-05:00

If you're not praying big, pray big. God has no ceiling.

Psalm 50:10 "...for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills".

Meaning, EVERYTHING in the world is God's. (Psalm 50:12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.)
We have nothing to fear. (Psalm 5:11 "But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.)

We can ALWAYS trust Him. (Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you....to give you hope and a future")

There is nothing God cannot do.

We just have to ask.

30 days and counting

2011-06-21T20:37:00.002-05:00

In 30 days, we are scheduled to leave.

We have a house to sell and the rest of our support to raise. We need to purchase plane tickets and sell the rest of our stuff. In our little Midwest homeland, we have this little saying that goes, "UFF-DAH" meaning, "that's a lot on your plate".

Yeah, feeling that way.

I'm not overwhelmed or stressed, I'm totally in peace. Peace knowing that we have surrendered this entire process and we are TRUSTING Him. It's a full plate, but He is carrying it and refining us in the process....and my knees and elbow are pretty scraped up :)

I was skyping briefly with another mama overseas the other day and she really encouraged my heart in so many ways. She made me feel validated and really excited
to see mind-blowing miracles in the next 30 days.

Miracles to pray for:

We have a big meeting on Thursday at noon. HUGE. I'd appreciate prayer for this. It's a real cornerstone for us to be able to get the container shipped and us to Kenya. Whatever is meant to be, right?

I have a garage sale planned July 16th to sell our stuff. Daring? That's how I roll! My mini entrepreneur (my first born) is selling cupcakes to benefit orphan care at our sale. I hope you come and eat a ton of them and buy our stuff. :) Or, just come and visit and say hi!

To be fully supported.

Oh, an our house to sell. Is that too much to ask!?!!?

It's all in His precious time. And we wait.

Summertime is for.....

2011-06-20T08:00:00.005-05:00

I found this at a garage sale over the weekend for $3. The go-cart...not the man in the tie-dyed tshirt. Just to be clear.

This toy has brought more joy to our boys than I've seen in a long time! I'm thinking this will be brought to Kenya with us to share with our Kenyan family. It's too fun NOT to bring.

Living in a "newspaper" world. Change.

2011-06-18T12:10:00.003-05:00

I do not know many of you who read my blog. But, I feel lead to show you this 10 minute video.

John Piper has been one of the billions of pieces of my life's puzzle that God has used to mold me in who I am today.

Suffering has been on my mind lately. It's been one of the BIGGEST heart issues that as a mom I have aggressively wrestled with this year as I tell God

"NO, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE PART OF ME...NOT ALL OF IT. I STILL WAN'T CONTROL OVER MY HEALTH, MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY FAMILY".

I've feared suffering. "No, not me, God". Not my family or my kids.

I found myself living and building this false sense of security and safety.

Safety and security doesn't exist. You can build your walls higher and wider. But in reality, I've failed.

You may not understand things John Piper talks about fully in this brief sermon. But, I challenge you to listen to every word and be moved. Be disgusted. Be offended. Know Jesus. Be challenged.

Isaiah 58

2011-06-15T21:10:00.003-05:00

I've been reading Isaiah 58 over and over again. It's wierd. I'm drawn to it. I wake up at night and Isaiah 58 is in my mind.

What is God saying to me? I've never been one to audibly hear God speak. I've never been one to have scripture just come to me like that. However, in my little, small world, I've been pummeled by the reality of how RELEVANT God is to my life today. I'm longing to be in His word more and I'm thirsty to know what His ways are for my life.

I've not been a morning person much of my life. Recently, I've been awake at 4:45am for several days in a row. Laying there. Staring at the ceiling. Coincidence?

"Isaiah 58. Spend yourself".

MMMMMMMMMM K.

"Spend yourself on behalf of the poor".

Mmmmmmmmmmmm ...... k.

I thought I was kinda doing that...right?

"Isaiah 58"

Okay, so apparently there is more I need to learn. I'll keep you posted.

Sprouts Needs List

2011-06-14T21:02:00.003-05:00

*****Update*****

Toy, feeding and clothing donations can be gently used. They do NOT have to be new!!!! Please avoid anything that is broken or torn. Thank you!

*****************************

So I'm in the phase of beign ::this close:: to ordering a container to ship on its merry way to Kenya filled with treasures YOU have generously given to Sprouts. I'm also stashing some goodies for other families in Kitale as well as stuff for our family.

But we have a little ways to go to be fully furnished for the baby home. I'm not trying to get this home to be like the "American way", however, there are essentials we need and there are some products that we need that would make life with 50 babies a lot easier for the staff caring for them.

If you are interested in getting a group of people together to go in on a bigger product or starting a campaign on your own FB page or blog, that would be HUGELY helpful in getting this list finished off.

Please remember that if you do donate through paypal on the button on the right side of this post, please remember to designate on the donation form specifically what it is for.

Alright! Here we go!

35 cribs - $100 each- handmade by a Kenyan craftsman in Kitale

Toys = rattles, blocks, rings, water toys, outside toys, etc
*please no stuffed or battery operated toys

Feeding = bottles, nipples, dinnerware, bowls, plates, sippy cups
15 highchairs - $120 each - **need to be ordered very soon!!!

Clothing = 24 month to 3T pajamas, tshirts and non denim pants

**It's not a huge list, but they are all things that are needed to top off our donation list!

If any of you are local, we are having an inventory organizational party at my house on Saturday starting at 1pm. Please email me if you are interested in coming!!!!

Seasons

2011-06-14T07:15:00.009-05:00

I've heard it said many times "there is a reason for everything" or "it's just a season". Have you? It couldn't ring truer for me right now.

Last weekend our family went and visited the town I grew up in Northern Minnesota. The weekend was filled with mixed emotions as I intruduced my family to people who meant the world to our family growing up and showed my family the home we lived in, the window I used to sneak out of, the woods my brother and I used to build forts in, and the trail we would ride our bikes down and harass golf players to buy golf balls from us. I ran into the father of my best friend growing up who lived just down the road from us and got an update on my dear friend that I have searched for but never could find!

We jaunted briefly across the Canadian border so the kids could get their first stamp in their passports.

We saw many bald eagles on the way in which Ben affectionately started reciting The Pledge of Allegiance to each time he saw one (we saw 2). Perhaps this is his following of his mother who seems to burst out in "America the Beautiful" at every 4h of July fireworks show.....but I digress..

It was an awesome weekend.

In many ways, the weekend was very healing for me. See, growing up, I did not make the best choices. My perspective was that I was doing normal small town stuff. My family decided that it was in my best interest for me to move to Wyoming to live with my aunt and uncle just before my junior year of high school. Leaving at that time, for me, was very traumatic and I've had this dark cloud over that part of my past for a long time.

I gave a brief presentation to my little home church I grew up in. Many people attended that I remember from growing up. Many people I spoke in front of about how Africa has wrecked my life prayed for me during those tumultuous years and I had no idea. Prayer works, people.

Coming back as an adult to the town that partially haunted me was a good thing. It gave me a different perspective. Hearing people's memories of me-joyful memories- was so healing, as my perspective and belief about myself was always so negative.

Looking at my oldest son and seeing that I was exactely his age when I moved to this town and having this sense of things coming full circle was amazing.

There is a season for everything. I'm thankful for the seasons HE has taken me through and I'm thankful for the season I am in now.

God isn't done with us yet. He is not finished working in our hearts. Some things he continues to sift me and refine me to be more like His image.

I just want to GO!

2011-06-07T16:13:00.006-05:00

Sometimes I have days like today where I wonder "hmmmmm".

I'm not discouraged. I'm joyful. I'm trusting in His plan for our family. But sometimes I just wonder "hmmmmmm, what is God doing?"

I'm not one who plays things last minute. However, this is all this journey seems to be. I'm clearly out of my comfort zone most of the time.

Have you ever been there?

There are so many details that need to pan out for us to move. I've been wrestling with feelings of fear pelting my spirit yelling, "what if this doesn't work out?" What I've learned is that I (we) need to be content being the kind of vessel that God has called us to be. This journey is not about us. If our family was meant to be used to have a community united to build a beautiful baby home for Kenya's tiniest treasures, then Praise God. The icing on the cake, for me, would be to live in Kenya and watch Sprouts be built from brick 1 on up. That is the direction we are headed.

Today, I am feeling challenged to surrender the plans that I have for my life and be content where I am today. I struggle with pride and I struggle with being discouraged easily. Does that make sense? I know God is refining me in these areas of my life on a daily basis.

I feel like I've been living 'in the future' for months and I just want to be in Kenya. I know I need to be focused on today, the present, and stop worrying about the "what ifs".

Yesterday, we had sweet time with my Grandparents. My kids' Great-Grandparents. This meant the world to me to have them together as they have not seen our kids since Ben was 9 months old.

They stopped for lunch on their way back home to Colorado. They poured their years of life and wisdom and filled my soul with much needed encouragement.

I'm so thankful to have generations before me who have loved God deeply and have loved me unconditionally despite the "detours" I have taken along the way.

This verse came to mind after I had posted these pictures and it seemed fitting.

Psalm 100:5
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Why our Pastor rocks

2011-06-05T20:55:00.002-05:00

So, this morning, we went to church like any other Sunday. My husband has been away for several days, so I frantically got the kids ready to go AND the house tidied up for yet another open house.

The kids "earned" their promised treat this week of a cinnamon roll and a hot chocolate for sitting so well in the service last week. They were thrilled.

Anyways, our Pastor's sermon today was on "The Sermon on the Mount". Pastor Glen had memorized the entire Matthew Ch. 5-7 and spoke it as if Jesus were preaching it to us. There was a lot of fun emphasis and props. Ben had a lot of questions during his sermon today, such as

"Why, Mommy, do I have to cut off my right hand if it sins?"

or

"Why, Mommy, do we have wood in our eyes?"

Oh....Benjamin....

But, what really made me gasp was when we were driving to the beach today and he told me,

"Mommy, Pastor Glen really makes me want to read the Bible more. I have so many questions".

I could have turned into a puddle in that moment. I pray every day that my kids crave the Word of God and want to learn more about Him.

God is so good. God has known my little mothering heart and known my longings for my children. I just love it when God encourages me like that.

Things to pray for this week:

1. To gain stride in our family's support raising.
2. To sell our home (dropped the listing price, have had 4 showings since Friday)
3. For our inventory for Sprouts to be filled so we can get the container shipped!!!

God is good, all the time. There is no other timeline I'd rather trust.

Pressing ahead.

2011-06-02T11:31:00.003-05:00

Today is a day that I am feeling confident, but overwhelmed! In looking at my "to do" list, there is NO WAY I can get it all done by depending on myself. Someone told me that it seems like a ballet dance. Yes, that's an accurate description. There are so many details that all need to be timed perfectly for us to go.

Selling our home. Plane ticket purchase. Being fully funded. Scheduling the container to be shipped to Kenya. Etc.

Trusting God has given me a new perspective. It's not just about s few things in my life I can easily brush off and "hope for the best". It's trusting Him wholly, completely, and ultimately, to make many, many details of this move to Kenya a reality.

I've been so overwhelmed with people's compassion and generosity recently, it has left me speechless. Strangers who have never seen my face are giving their resources to Sprouts. If you are reading this and are one of them, THANK YOU.

All I want this little blog to be is an encouragement to anyone who reads it as to how God is real, living, relevant to our culture and life today.

Never in my life did I think our family would be moving to a third-world country and leaving all we know behind.

In this season, I want to remember that God is faithful in sustaining us in the very moment we need it. Since I am one who loves to have things mapped out, it drives me crazy to get things in last minute and be disorganized.

Disorganized and last minute is all that I'm feeling! I feel like this is not by chance, but it is a part of God slowly refining me for a greater good.

There are still many ways to give if any of you are interested. I will put a post up soon about specifically needs left for the baby home. I'm also excited to share with you about a new project coming up to benefit Sprouts and another struggling group in Kenya-widows.

This is not about me, or our family, or about us. This is about all of us choosing to step outside our comfort zone and use the resources that have been given to us to bless others who have n.o.t.h.i.n.g.

Sponsor one of Mattaw's kids.
Be a donor towards Sprouts.
Pray for us.
Be an advocate for orphan care.

These are all ways you can be a part of this. For more info, please email me at mattawsprouts (at) yahoo (dot) com

Blessings just keep coming

2011-06-01T14:34:00.000-05:00

Thank you.

The voiceless. Why care?

2011-05-30T08:44:00.003-05:00

I wanted to share a post today that touched my heart. Amy did a great job explaining that there is such a time as being too late.

check out Amy's post

In a while

2011-05-27T16:29:00.000-05:00

I'm gonna go offline for a while. I need a break.

Maybe I am being irresponsible....

2011-05-24T21:51:00.005-05:00

It is my prayer that all of you who read this will never lose the sight that what we have been given is a blessing from the Lord. I pray that the desire to give back and not be attached to the "stuff" that consumes our lives to become more valuable than our relationship with Jesus.

To me, these kids are worth it. Jesus is worth it. If you are not familiar with this little guy, I want you to click here and read about where he came from.

No, I have no idea where my children's college fund will come from nor do I know how we are going to retire.

Living life "normally" for me includes building relationships with others so they may be pointed to growing closer to Jesus. Living normally, for me, means using everything that we have been given to bring Glory and honor to the One who deserves it.

Please, view this sermon and let it wreck your heart. I am praying for your heart to be wrecked in Jesus' name because it is only through Him that it can happen.

Funky Family Friday

2011-05-20T21:36:00.002-05:00

They're here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alayna, clearly, is wondering what she's been born into.

Homeschooling

2011-05-19T08:33:00.002-05:00

Homeschooling has been an internal battle for me for over a year now. It's been mixed with feelings of dread and insecurity and gradually has evolved into excitement and anticipation.

Looking back at the journey of God gently peeled my tight grip from my will and lovingly disciplined me to pursuing HIS heart. When I finally let go of my will, which included NOT owning a mini van or living in the frozen tundra prairies, it's been a journey of living by the seat of my pants.

It's been an amazing ride.

Homeschooling has me really excited. Did I really just say that? Never ever did I foresee me feeling excited about it. I find myself on websites and in stores looking for creative ways to teach our kids the next 2 years.

So, we will be starting THIS SUMMER with homeschooling. Ben, being 11 days away from summer vacation, has other ideas about what to do with his time. We figure if we start now, it is one less thing to adjust to in Kenya....and I think we would benefit from that.

Thank you for all of your encouragement with homeschooling. I know there will be struggles ahead. Please keep filling me up with what works for you and what hasn't worked!

Why I don't run

2011-05-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

It's marathon season here in Fargo. My husband is obsessed. I would like to take this week and celebrate why I do NOT run.

1. Froggles - a term my husband speaks. a.k.a "the jogging farts". Are you kidding me!?!?

2. Bleeding nipples - tshirts chaffing...gah! do I need to explain? Looks like a great time. Sign me up.

3. Pooping in pants - apparently the bowel system unleashes when you run and forget to clear out the pipes.

4. Being chased by dogs. Or, being bitten by TJ's personal favorite, a Bischon Frise. Ruff Ruff.

5. Hypothermia (in this part of the country, not freezing to death requires a minimum of 11 layers of running gear)

Oh, and did I mention that 9 months out of the year it feels like it's dark from 7pm to 6am? So, in order to get a good run in, one must look like a glow stick to not get run over by a car, snowplow, or whatever....

6. The gear. Tight pants, short shorts, shoes that look like this!

Nothing about this screams "HEY! I'M HAVING A GREAT TIME!!!"

TJ swears it's a great stress reliever. I coupon and paint my toes. We all have different coping skills.

Perhaps you are a lover of running. If you are running ANY event this year, I salute you! I also will be "that gal" wearing an obnixious outfit and holding some poster up commenting on how warm, relaxed and "not thirsty" I am.

Ode to TJ

2011-05-16T21:59:00.013-05:00

I love my husband because...

He lets me go public with this photo.

Because he moves our Christmas tree all around the house, from room to room, until I decide where I want it. And he smiles.

When he is sick, he never complains.

Goes out to shovel our driveway at 6:30am because our snowblower broke down...

...and smiles.

He takes his family to the lands of the unknown.

Flies around the world with me.

..to visit our Kenyan daughter.

loves and loves

and loves orphans

and of course...loves Jesus SO much, he preaches the Gospel like the world is ending tomorrow.... :)
p.s. if you think it was easy to make this photo...well then you don't know us very well!!! (Kenya 08)

...and loves orphans some more.

He's one helluva guy.

Funky Family Fridays

2011-05-13T20:00:00.000-05:00

Fridays on this blog are now dedicated to my family, to share with you why I love them and perhaps share a trick or two that we learned this week, or just something to make you laugh. I love Fridays because that means the weekend is very near!!! I want to encourage you to link up on future posts to share a fun memory or crazy picture of your loved ones that can make us laugh!!

So, here goes my first!

....Something tells me Alayna is teething....

I don't know what it is.....

Just a feelin'

Happy Friday!!!!

Wrap a Babe in Love

2011-05-12T12:18:00.000-05:00

There was a blogger error and the original post was deleted. Thank you to those of you who did comment before to let me know you had donated a blanket. THANK YOU!!

*******************************

My dear friend, Krysta, from KB Photography, is doing something really special for Sprouts. She is giving away a photography session to one of you who donate $8 towards a baby blanket for Sprouts.

$8. Purchase a blanket. Get a photo session entry. ($250 value) Can it get any better?

Our goal is to have 300 Aiden and Anias blankets donated towards Sprouts. Please, check out her site, donate and get entered to WIN.

...and wrap a Kenyan babe in love!!!

"Kenya" catch his dream has been caught!!!!

2011-05-10T09:18:00.001-05:00

Ben came inside from playing outside. He had been looking at the box of gloves that had started to collect.

I could tell he was a little discouraged when he said he felt like he would never reach 100 baseball gloves. So, we prayed that God would continue to provide for his baseball team at Mattaw. It was so sweet to hear his little prayer, so earnestly seeking and believing with all his heart that God would answer his prayer. He would pray at bedtime, his little fists and eyes clenched so tightly, begging God, "please please, Jesus, I really want to show the orphans how to play baseball. I know they will love it as much as I do and I know you are hearing this right now, so will you please help me get enough baseball gloves".

He went to bed that night feeling a little encouraged, I hoped.

*******

God is in the details, right? Do you believe that? God is rocking my world in ways that leave me speechless.

GET THIS!!!

During the flood about a month ago, Chuck, the owner of MAC'S Hardware in town, finds an old baseball bat in a storage site he was cleaning out. As he was shaking the water out from inside this rotted bat, he turned to his wife, Ellen, and told her about the baseball equipment he was expecting. Ellen asked Chuck if he knew about what Ben was doing in collecting baseball equipment for Kenya. Chuck wasn't aware of this.

I received a phone call from Ellen last week notifying us about baseball equipment shipment they were expecting. They told us that the Archdiocese had collected baseball equipment that was to be sent to Venezuela. The equipment was not able to be shipped to the country due to complications at the border, so they decided to sell it to MAC's Hardware Store. Chuck and Ellen said that they didn't know all that was coming to their warehouse, or what shape it would be in, but they would call us when it arrived.

Fast forward to last Saturday. We met Chuck and Ellen out at the warehouse and saw this stacked in one of the rooms.

Pallet after pallet FULL of new bats, balls, gloves of every size and hand needed. Ben was on top of the moon!!! Ben spent the morning with Chuck and Daddy going through and picking out whatever he wanted to bring to Kenya.

He came home with about 80 baseballs, 120 gloves and 20 bats, on top of what we have already collected.

"Mama! God provided all of this! Can you believe it, Mama?"

Needless to say, a huge answer to prayer. Ben stops me from time to time reflecting on last weekend saying he can't believe that God knew about all of that baseball equipment. His heart is full of hope and joy and is reassured that God cares for his needs.

My first Mother's Day

2011-05-05T21:00:00.004-05:00

Contractions all night. Rushing to my 8am appointment to see my OB praying that I would finally have this baby.....

The weeks of anticipation was overkill. My first pregnancy. All the dreams, hopes, and excitment that went along with my pregnancy to this point was at a peak as we drove to the hospital.

Later that cold, May evening, Benjamin was born. My first Mother's Day.

The feelings of fear, anger, confusion, panic swept over me like a tidal wave that wouldn't stop pounding on me.

Breathing issues? NICU? What did this mean? I didn't anticipate this. He was considered "full term".

My husband and I couldn't have anticipated much of any part of the year we had been having. Unplanned pregnancy. Wedding. Adjusting to new married life. Baby boy. Now, he's having health issues?

It was almost too much to bear. I remember being really angry as I looked out the hospital window watching the world go on as normal. Oh, how I wanted to scream and shake my fist in the air resenting the fact that people could go on like normal WHEN I HAD A SICK NEWBORN IN THE HOSPITAL!!

My first Mother's Day.

I look back at that day and see how God has used motherhood to shape me, refine me as I grow in knowing Him. He doesn't waste our suffering. He doesn't waste the times we feel like failures as moms.

Yes, that day I felt like a failure. Did the extreme stress I felt during this pregnancy thrust my body into labor? Did I do something? Did I not do something?

Today, Benjamin is a loud, energetic, healthy 7 yr old. Praise God. It's been motherhood that has humbled me the most, as I've stepped out covered in poo and baby spit up to grab a gallon of milk, as I've walked sheepishly out of the store with a screaming toddler in the grocery cart...

I'm sure this has never happened to you.

Motherhood has me reminded consistently the grace God has shown me when I've screwed up. I'm thankful He still seems to trust our family enough to move across the world and be good stewards of the resources we receive to help the people in Kenya.

Oh, how precious is the flow, that makes us white as snow, NO OTHER FOUNT I KNOW, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.

Fundraising opportunity

2011-04-30T18:48:00.003-05:00

Our family is in the middle of support raising. It's been a faith-building road for our family. It's humbled us and brought us into many amazing relationships with people who love us and love what God is doing in Africa. If you are one of them, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

One of the recent ways we are fundraising is really fun! My dear friend, Wendy, whom I love to bits and pieces, lavished her artistic talent upon us and created a design for a t-shirt for an upcoming marathon in our area.

Though I do not have a photo of the actual t-shirt, I do have the design for the front.

Catchy, eh? She's talented!!!

The t-shirts are unisex sizes and come in S, M, L, and XL. We also are offering kids sizes.

The adult t-shirts are a royal blue Under Armour dry-wick shirts. The children's sizes are a cotton blended shirt, also blue.

Perfect enhancement to any wardrobe!!!

Cost is $15 for kids and $25 for adults. 100% of the profits from these shirts go right to our family for our salary while we are in Kenya.

If you are interested in ordering one, please email me at
mattawsprouts (at) yahoo (dot) com

:)

2011-04-27T22:07:00.000-05:00

When I find out which one of you gave my kids permission to grow up........

(first swing ride)

(preschool graduation)

It's with gratitude I say....

2011-04-27T11:02:00.003-05:00

I'm so grateful I can be real here. There is nothing more than to be transparent with the process of our family going over. To share the ways God is providing for our family, to share the hurts, the tears and the joy that comes with this season in our lives is precious. To know it is safe to do so here, with your support-well, there are just no words.

One thing that has proven true always is how God sustains us, no matter what. He knows my heart, He knows my husband's heart, He knows our unspoken feelings, words and He loves us the same.

On the note of transparency: In the news recently, I'm sure you have heard of the drama surrounding Greg Mortenson. The "Three Cups of Tea" author has been caught in the middle of deceit and fraud, after claiming he was building many schools in Afghanistan. Although I believe he started with really good intentions, it made TJ and I realize that we are all human. What can start out as a really good cause, a really well-intentioned purpose, things can get carried away very quickly.

That is why we want you to know that we intend to have ultimate transparency with every resource that is given to us. Aside from financial support, we have been blessed with generosity and support of all kinds. Emails, phone calls, meals, watching our kids, prayer, hugs-without you, this process would be even more difficult than it is already.

So, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Thank you for partnering in this journey with us.

We will be starting a monthly newsletter to keep all of you updated who may not be able to follow our blog as often as you want. I anticipate that the posts will be flowing when we get out there, because there will be so much to share.

No, I don't have a clue how to put a newsletter together. So, bear with us :) If you are interested in having updates by email from our family starting in August, please email me at tlkenya (at) yahoo (dot) com and I will put you on our email list.

To end this post, I wanted to share a video that can be found here. In a culture where people believe you are born into your fate, look at Narayanan Krishnan ministry. I hope it inspires you!!!

Today is a crappy day, just sayin'

2011-04-26T17:49:00.005-05:00

"There goes Mom crying again," I hear more than once over the past week.

Letting go is hard.

Transitioning is hard.

Today, is a hard day. Today is a day that I look up at the sky and ask God "Why, why us?" Today is a day where I can say that I feel like crap.

Letting go of "my treasures" is not easy. I'm sick to see the piles of junk that we've accumulated over the 7 years we've been a family.

Why did I feel like all this stuff was necessary? Some of it is sentimental. Some of it is "just in case" fancy plates, "on sale" extra holiday decor and "oh this is cute" picture frames. Why am I so attached to it?

I sit in an almost-empty shell of what used to be our home and I don't hear the kids begging for the toys that are in storage. I don't hear them wishing for that one shirt that is in a tub somewhere in the garage.

I see them playing with the few toys left out they do have. I see them playing more make believe outside now that it is nice out. I see them unfathomed by wearing the same small number of shirts they have left in their drawers.

Oh, how I long for being a child again, some days.

On the other hand, I'm not seeking to put out the world's biggest pity party. Just being real with where I am.

I always fall back on the little phrase "if not me, then who?".

Who? I have no idea how what we are doing today will impact tomorrow, our family, or those around us.

But I find myself praying for little people half way around the world I haven't met yet. I find myself praying for my children to be drawn closer to Him and for their little hearts to be wrecked for God's glory for all they see, hear, smell, taste and experience in Africa. I pray for Sprouts-for Mattaw, for all the missionaries in Kitale that we will be joining because I love the ministry of orphan care.

If not me, then who? If not US, then who?

Even though today is a crappy day in my little world, I'm thankful to know and be reminded that we have food, a house, vehicles, employment and friends. I know that tomorrow is a new day and all days are not like this one. But today, for now, life is hard. That's all.

Sprouts Shower update

2011-04-25T13:57:00.003-05:00

How was your Easter weekend? Were you filled with a new sense of hope and joy at what our Savior did for us???

I wanted to update everyone on where we stand with donations for the Sprouts baby home!!

I'm amazed and grateful at all of your generosity and giving towards babies you and I haven't met yet. Oh, how I pray for these little lives today and ask for God to put His hedge of protection over them, wherever they may be today.

Today, we have received donations for 8/50 cribs and 7/25 highchairs! We will continue to receive every penny with joy and anticipation as we prepare to break ground on Sprouts Baby Home in January! Please look to the right of this page and consider donating towards furnishing the baby home. PLEASE indicate what you would like your donation to go towards!!!

Also, if you are a savvy garage saler, we are in need of clothing for babies ages 0-2. I am asking for knit pants, and short sleeve and long sleeve onesies. Other toys, board books, bottles, and blankets can be found at the Sprouts Amazon Store or by YOU at a garage sale or another retail store.

In other news, we have officially listed our house for sale!!! I'm now in the world of keeping my house very very clean and waiting for the right buyer. God knows. I'm not worried.

I'm thankful that we have finally reached outdoor temperatures that my kids can play in for more than 10 minutes at a time so we are not in a constant battle of picking up.

I think I've entered one of the more difficult phases. One of which I didn't anticipate being so difficult. This is trying to decide what to donate, what to sell and decide if it is worth paying a mini storage fee to store while we are in Kenya!!! Talk about a real lesson in where my treasures are.

Have a great day!!

Hallelujah

2011-04-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

He is ALIVE!!!!!

Boasting only in the cross and what He has done.

EVERYTHING He did, He did it for you.

2011-04-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am overwhelmed with gratefulness for what He has done for me. What greater love than giving up His ONLY Son for me?

This song is one I sing with my boys before they go to sleep. I want them to know nothing more than how much God loves them and wants a relationship with them.

Prayer request.

2011-04-13T16:56:00.003-05:00

Our faith is being stretched more than ever this week....and I know it has to be because He has something greater coming in the future that this lesson will benefit us. Isn't that why the Lord allows us to have trials? To bring us closer to Him?

Why wouldn't I trust God who was willing to put his Son on the cross for me? To give up his Son for what I had done? Because of this, I know that I can trust Him with ANYTHING, including our finances.

Will you please pray for us?

I'm excited to share with you how He provides. His eye is on the sparrow.....

Homeschooling...yeah right!

2011-04-12T18:37:00.007-05:00

I've come to learn that God laughs when I give him my agenda.

Me: "I'm going to marry an accountant, have 2 kids and live in Colorado."
God: "heeeheehheee"

Me: "I will never own a minivan."
God: HA HA HA

Me: "I will never homeschool. There is NO WAY I could ever do that".
God: "heheheheeeeeeeeee"

....I'm sure you've never experienced that.

I've never considered myself to be one who would homeschool my kids. In fact, the entire idea petrified me. My younger siblings were homeschooled for a period of time growing up, so I knew some of what it entailed.

I wasn't interested. I classified homeschooling families as denim-wearing, goat-milking, unsocialized kids and I certainly wasn't going to inflict THAT on my children.

But I'm certain that we will be picking eggs, milking goats and churning our own butter in the near future. Don't worry, I'll take a few photos.

A friend once told me "Homeschooling isn't bringing school home, it's leaarning at home, and it doesn't have to look like school". I'm thankful that there are so many opportunities and cirriculums out there to choose from. I'm thankful for a husband who is completely on board with this and is excited about it. I know that just being in another country will give our kids an amazing learning enviornment.

......and I live in Minnesota and yes, I do have a minivan. He is wrecking me one step at a time. It's so uncomfortable but it's been the most amazing ride!!

{If you currently are homeschooling or have in the past, would you please share with me your experiences? Any advice is much appreciated as we bound over this hurdle as we make our way across the big pond!}

In a culture of "doing", remember this....

2011-04-11T15:14:00.002-05:00

"We are human BEINGS, not human DOINGS".

Remember to rest in Him today.

I heard this during yesterday's church service yesterday and it resonated with me. We are in a culture of 'doing' and 'going' and business that we (or I) often forget to sit at His feet and just BE.

I hope this encourages you today!!

Shaklee for Sprouts

2011-04-07T19:12:00.005-05:00

I recently became a Shaklee Independent Distributor. I was attracted to the corporate responsibility the company takes to use minimal waste in producing and packaging their product. I also love the fact that it is a non-toxic formula and I can still get the same clean results that the other store brands give me without exposing my family to the harsh chemicals.

I've recently started using some of Shaklee's supplements and have found them to be amazing. Typically, taking vitamins has given me a stomach ache and I have found that Shaklee's vitamins, for me, have not done that. I have also found product that kick my head colds to the curb in 48 hours, similar to what products like Airbore claim to do.

I'm hooked.

I'd love for you to consider taking ONE of Shaklee's products and trying it. The product is called Basic H.

This product contains a concentrate that makes 48 gallons of cleaning product. Think of the plastic that saves our enviornment. Not only that, but think of the gallons of fumes you won't have to inhale.

Basic H cleans my kitchen, my bathroom, my windows, my walls, my floors, and our toys for our kids.

My goal is to get a ton of this product out to Sprouts. Not only that, but the profit that I make from my Shaklee business website goes to fund the monthly operating costs of Sprouts. 100% of my profit. My goal is also for Sprouts to be cleaned with Shaklee products and to be able to afford to have the babies on supplements as soon as they can.

Please consider taking this ONE product into your home and giving it a try. If you are not satisfied, Shaklee will give you your money back, no questions asked. There is nothing to lose.

Your purchase of Shaklee ---> fills your home with awesomeness ----> supports Sprouts' monthly operating costs. WINNING!!!

*If you are interested in donating a bottle of this to Sprouts for us to take with us, please email me.

The Sprouts Store is here!

2011-04-06T22:12:00.005-05:00

Update!

Congrats Teri! You've won the book!!!!

*****************************************

Original Post:

Here we go! A fun day! I've created an Amazon store that allows you to go and shop for items we have hand-picked for the baby house. All you have to do is click on the store link in the right column and shop away!!! All of the product will be delivered to my town and will be stored until it is shipped on a cargo container overseas the end of June.

We.are.so.excited!!!!

Categories include: clothing, feeding, diapering, toys, etc.

Oh, did I mention that by you shopping by clicking that specific link on my blog gives Sprouts baby home a percentage back of what you paid? So, it's a win-win. You fill our home with awesome gifts AND we receive a cash donation!!

You will see many products are eco-friendly. Remember my goal is to keep all products in the baby home as 'green' as possible. Not all fit that category, but my goal is to have it 100% green in 5 years ;) We'll see.

Now, go shop!

I have another giveaway! Please do not forget about the one happening here!

Today you have an opportunity to enter to win a copy of Anne Voskamp's book "One Thousand Gifts". It has been a blessing to me in so many ways, and I'm hoping it will be an encouragement to you, too. It also makes a great gift!

Both winners for the necklace and today's giveaway will be announced tomorrow morning. Both winners will be picked at random.

Here are the rules to enter:

You get one entry for doing each of the following....

1. Tell me your favorite baby product
2. Post about this baby shower on your Facebook
3. Blog about the baby shower and link back to my blog
4. Tweet about it!

So, you have up to 4 entries you can submit for helping me spread the word.

Thank you thank you thank you for ALL you have done this week. There is no too small of a gift. I can't wait to see what you all pick out!!!

Lindz

Poopsie Whoopsie!!!

2011-04-06T00:00:00.001-05:00

My goal with Sprouts from the get-go has been to keep it as eco-friendly as possible. When discussing how we are going to handle the diapering 'situation' that babies tend to have, it brought on quite the challenge.

Currently, I cloth diaper my daughter. Initially, it wasn't because it was the "green" thing to do. It was way more about saving money for us. Going down to one income and adding one more child made our budget tighter. At first it was a love-hate relationship for me.

Now, I wouldn't do it any other way. If you are diapering your baby now, the Bumgenius Flip system is as easy as using pampers...for real!!! I would seriously consider it. I wouldn't have said that a year ago.

When looking at Sprouts, we quickly realized that we were going to be throwing away a minimum of 500 diapers a WEEK!! Kenya doesn't exactely have a great landfill system, and the landfill they do have has already said "no" to diapers coming into it.

That means, 500-700 diapers a week would be thrown into the streets of beautiful Kenya.

It's a no-brainer, don't you think?

Sprouts will use ALL cloth and biodegradeable liners/inserts. This also means that we are trusting that YOU will help us keep our closet full of fresh diaper inserts.

We are still giving a lot of care and research about this because we want to be a good steward of your dollars and be efficient and eco-friendly in how we dispose of the...ahem "waste".

Currently, I am considering using the gDiapers and the Bumgenius Flip system. Both we can get at wholesale cost. Both have biodegradeable liners. Both have cloth options. Hmmmmm....

The wipes situation I'm still trying to wrap my head around. 2 wipes per diaper change x 8 changes a day x 50 babies. OYE!!

Please consider donating towards a diaper fund. I really want to preserve Kenya's beauty and not pollute it with disposable diapers. I'm sure when you come out to rock the babes you will want the same thing, too.

$10 gifts us with 1 diaper cover. Our goal is to have 500 covers in stock.
$5 gifts us with a package of approx 18 biodegradeable inserts for the diapers
$8 gifts us with one cloth insert for a diaper.

Have you checked out the giveaway going on? Winner announced Friday morning!!

There will also be one more giveaway sometime today. I'm giving away a copy of Anne Voskamp's book "One-Thousand Gifts". It will knock your socks off!

Giveaway

2011-04-05T15:34:00.010-05:00

Giveaway Winners Update!

and we have a winner for the paperbead necklace!! Congrats #12 Jody! Please email me at mattawsprouts@yahoo.com to collect your loot.

...and because I love you and because I am completely in awe of what God has done this week....and because I can....I'M PICKING ANOTHER WINNER!

Congrats #1 ERIN! again, please email me at mattawsprouts@yahoo.com to collect YOUR loot!

******************************************

Original post:

Okay, I cannot take it anymore.

I need to do a giveaway. You guys just rock. The gifts and encouragements you have given all of us this week has been overwhelming. Sprouts is going to be one rockin' baby house.

Ally is a 13 yr old girl that came to Kenya with a team I led last summer. Her heart was wrecked for a little boy at Mattaw Childrens Village named baby Georgie.

She came home from our 2 week trip and learned on her own how to make paper beads and since has been selling them on her etsy shop. She started to sell them with the goal to raise enough monthly support for baby Georgie to help raise him at Mattaw.

It first started as this....

Turned into this.....

...and now, has turned into many, many artistic designs, like this.

You are never too young, or too old to start making change. Ally is proof of that. She is an inspiration to me.

So, to honor her and to continue to support baby Georgie, I am giving away one of her "mixitup" necklaces pictured above.

To enter, all you need to do is go to her Twirling Trees etsy shop and tell me which creation of hers is your favorite.

Winners will be chosen at random sometime Friday morning!

Hush little baby......

2011-04-05T00:00:00.003-05:00

Your $5, $50, $120 donations are doing something about the orphan crisis. It's allowing us to provide tangible resources for these babies that otherwise would be left to die.

Again, thank you so much for your encouraging words through Facebook, email, Twitter, and phone calls yesterday!!! Thank you for those of you who donated towards highchairs for the precious home we will be bringing these babes into.

I was thinking last night how some of these babies are, right now, a twinkle in God's eye right now-the PLANS He has for them already. Incredible how Sovereign our God is.

Okay!!! Bring on more baby stuff!

Like yesterday, continue to donate through the Paypal 'donate' button or on the ChipIn button. Please always indicate what you are donating for: a specific item or for just the "Sprouts" general fund.

I've heard the best dreams start from being rocked in one of these.

Or, perhaps one of these

...and soothing bedtime stories? A must.

All cuddled, warm in their jammies.

James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world".

Thank you for looking after them....

April is a good month for Showers

2011-04-04T00:00:00.003-05:00

SO LET THE SHOWER OF ALL SHOWERS BEGIN!!!!

The babies in Kitale need YOU!!!! The time has come for us to join together and start furnishing the Sprouts baby home in Kenya. This week I will be featuring something new everyday. Please consider spreading the word on your own blog or facebook page.

Today, we need twenty-five $120 donations for highchairs!

There are many ways to donate.

1) Donate using the ChipIn button on my blog (this is tax-deductible)
2) Go to www.mattawchildren.com, go to the bottom of the page and make your tax deductible donation.
3) Mail your check made to Mattaw Ministries to:

Mattaw Ministries
PO Box 375
Moorhead, MN 56561

Please mark your donation as "highchair".

Stay tuned....one day this week I will be doing a giveaway-you're not going to want to miss it.

Are you ready?

2011-04-03T21:47:00.000-05:00

The shower starts tomorrow!!!!!

A few reasons why I love my family

2011-04-01T21:51:00.011-05:00

I have a husband that adores his children.

I am visited by a "loco" Chihuahua every so often that perches on my couch....

...and continues to tolerate her partnership.

My 4 yr old sneaks dog treats out of the doggie jar...and enjoys them.

Ben loves his sister despite her projectile vomiting.

I have sisters that I love more than anything in the world.

Uncles that wrestle my kids...and always willingly lose.

Squishy, happy, cuddly daughter.

...and one of the best friends that God could bless a girl with.

Today, I am focusing on gratitude for all that we have been blessed with in this life.

'Kenya' catch his dream??

2011-03-31T20:36:00.003-05:00

As parents, we are trying to find creative ways to creativly prepare and transition our kids from the US to Kenya. We both know that there will be bumps in the road and it will not be easy. So, whatever we can do for our kids today to prepare them and have fun doing it, we will do.

My oldest son, Ben, loves baseball and is a gifted player. Baseball is a key event in his life that will be missed greatly when we move. Kenya does not have baseball teams. So naturally, Ben says to me one day "Mom, I want to bring baseball gloves to Kenya and teach them how to play".

Our goal is to have 100 gloves by June 15th. Will you join me in finding gloves for us to take over? There are many ways you can give.

First, if you know me, drop it by our home! If you live far away, you can mail the gloves to:

Mattaw Childrens Village
PO Box 375
Moorhead, MN 56561

OR

If you don't have baseball gloves but would like to donate money for us to purchase one, please click on the 'donate' tab to the right of this page and giving $10 so we can buy one.

The sweetest part of this journey has been to see how God and provided and answered specific prayer requests our kids have had. To watch our kids grow and learn about how God does care for us and provides for our ever need has been neat. I love their faith.

We pray with the kiddos before bedtime and we ask them to first thank God for all He has blessed us with and then ask God for something they would like to see God provide. Past requests have included providing passport money. Answered! Next has been finding a good home for our dog, Macy. Answered! And now, Ben is praying for 100 baseball gloves.

Will you help Ben reach his goal? What ideas do you have to help me process transitioning 3 kids to another country??

We Don't Want To See It.

2011-03-28T21:47:00.001-05:00

Too many orphans to count. We don't want to see it. We want to pretend it doesn't exist. I dare you to watch this and dare you NOT to be moved. Don't waste your life.

Introducing....Sprouts Baby Home!!!!

2011-03-23T21:01:00.000-05:00

Today, in Kenya, there are too many orphans. Too many children who go to bed at night without a blankie. Without clothing. With a very hungry tummy.

Without a family.

The numbers are staggering. Depending on what stat you look at, it is estimated at in Kenya alone, there are 2.3 million orphans. Of the 2.3 million, 1.2 million were orphaned due to HIV/AIDS.

That doesn't account for the kiddos orphaned due to poverty.

Anyone of us can get overwhelmed when we think about the statistics, but I choose to focus on a solution. Mattaw doesn't want to just rescue babies. Mattaw invests in the lives of these kids to be a sustainable part of their nation.

I firmly believe that once we have seen situations such as the orphan crisis in Africa, we are responsible to act,to bring change,in some way.

I am so excited to announce Mattaw Children's Village newest addition coming next year.

Introducing.....

Sprouts is going to be Kitale, Kenya's second baby rescue home. We will focus on rescuing Kitale's sweet babies ages preemie to 2 years old. We are shooting high to make this facility as "green" as possible. Meaning, our goal is to keep all the product we bring into Sprouts limited to recycled product or recyclable and toxic-free. Due to Kenya's weak sewage system, we will utilize biodegradable diapers or cloth diapers at all times. The cribs that will furnish Sprouts will be made by a Kenyan man right in Kitale. We will clean and disinfect the Sprouts home with Shaklee products to ensure that our kids are not exposed to harmful chemicals and we hope to supplement our kids' diet with good multivitamins.

Sprouts is designed to nurture up to 50 babies, with 8 bedrooms, dividing the developmental ages of the babies as well as a large playroom in the center of the building. We will provide basic medical care on site, with the goal of building an on-site clinic to provide more extensive care to babies who need inpatient medical care. When our babies are healthy and strong enough, they will be transitioned to one of the Mattaw homes where they will live until they graduate high school and move on to vocational training.

It's going to be amazing. In fact, I've been staring at the blueprints on my kitchen wall for almost a month now. It's been a lot of blood, sweat and tears but it has been amazing to see how generous you all have been in giving towards this ministry.

Want to come help build/help paint/fold little blankets/swaddle little babies/whisper prayers into their little ears?

Stay tuned because in the next year, we will have many opportunities for you to come serve at Mattaw in Kitale. I hope to meet many of you one day.

Coming up April 1st, we will be hosting a HUGE Baby Shower for Sprouts. You will be able to go online and purchase product for Sprouts to help us furnish is. This cannot happen without YOUR help.

Piece by beautiful piece....it's all coming together!!

They're out!!!

2011-03-08T21:11:00.004-06:00

Okay, BIG deep breath!!! They are out! The last few support letters are OUT! Do you have any idea how nervous I am? We have never been down this avenue before-raising support, and it's a bit nerve-wracking.

Or maybe it's the fact that we are leaving in 4 months.

Or maybe it's just that this winter is showing no signs of going away-and when it does go away we are going head to head with a flood.

We are so thrilled to be a part of Mattaw. THRILLED! And the timing is ONLY God's. Details have fallen into place all over that confirm that it's the time. Funny how that happens.

I (Lindsay) am heading up the donations and design of Mattaw's precious baby home, Sprouts. I have many MANY details coming up this week about how YOU can be a part of helping Kenya's precious babies have a safe, healthy childhood.

It's gonna be good. Don't miss it.

Meanwhile, I've been obsessing about these. Yeah, the Pioneer Woman rocks my world and I've made these twice already, and have almost eaten the entire container of frosting I've made. It's not agreeing with my Turbofire workout or "healthy" diet plan. I'm using "i'm nursing" as my excuse for as long as I possibly can.

So for now, we are continuing to make memories in our community with friends and our kids. We are taking steps forward and God is sustaining us each.and.every.time.

I'm not really sure how to move a family with 3 kids who have only known America to a Third-World Country. But God does. I don't know how to cook there. But God does...and Kimberly does (thank goodness). I don't know how we will homeschool the kids. But God does.

This has been a journey of complete surrender. Reckless abandon.

We need prayer right now for these things. Will you join me?
1. A good home for our dog, Macy.
2. Provision for 3 kids' passports
3. Wisdom for when to put our house on the market.

God knows. God always provides. Always.

Moving ahead!

2011-02-19T08:11:00.004-06:00

As our famiy continues to make steps in this move to Kenya, I seem to have this thought in the back of my mind about how to deal with feeling torn between two loyalties. The first, living in a country doing what you feel called to do and second, being so far away from our families.

I'm learning more and more about how I need to be trusting God more with how I respond to people's questions. I find myself stuck in mid-sentence sometimes when I get asked things like "why can't you just help orphaned kids here in the US?" or "why do you want to be so far away from family".

These are truly questions that I need to rely on my Savior for the words to say. I don't know how to answer them. Most of the time, I answer with a big lump in my throat as I struggle to "make sense" of why our family is going down this path.

Do we want to live so far away from family? No. Do we have to go to AFRICA to serve orphaned and abandoned kids? No. We could stay in the US and continue to do what we do, but this is a season where we feel the Lord saying "go". So, we must obey-with joy. And we are. I don't know how to balance my excitment for serving in Africa and knowing that goodbyes are ahead for our friends and family.

We started learning Kiswahili this week. It's been funny. There are some great youtube videos that give the basic greetings, numbers, and questions in both Engilsh and Kiswahili. Our kids seem to be enjoying it. I will try to post some video later on.

Today, we are continuing to sort our belongings: donate, keep for now, bring to Kenya. We do not have a large home, however, the STUFF we have is crazy. We met with our realtor this week and our goal is to have the house on the market by early April. Praying for temporary housing for the summer (assumming we sell quickly).

Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are HIGHER than ANY other. If You are for us, then who can be against us?

Here are our three heartbeats....

God is in the details. And we continue to take steps forward.....

Baby gear-oh my!

2011-02-16T07:26:00.005-06:00

Love me some Africa gear! Anytime I see some clothing item associated with Africa, I get kinda googly-eyed.

But that embarrasses my kids, so I try not to do it around them.

But sometimes it still happens.

But when I heard about a sweet girl who was trying to raise support to work in Kenya with Mattaw, I couldn't pass this up.

Betsy has an amazing heart to serve the "least of these" and I want to work along side her for a long time.

Please consider purchasing one of these adorable onesies for your babe or for a babe you know! You WON'T be disappointed!

You can check out her blog or email her at betsydavis42(at)yahoo(dot)com

Miracle Wednesday

2011-02-09T20:58:00.003-06:00

Here is an image of the sky deck on the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago, Illinois. People have the option to walk out to this glass box, of sorts, to get a view of the city from a sky-high view, without the obstruction of a wall or cage blocking your view.

It looks thrilling, doesn't it?

This is a picture that comes to mind when I think about faith. Living by faith does not mean we get the luxury of seeing the step ahead of us. Living by faith, to me, is taking that step and trusting that God will be there to catch you-to sustain you, even when I can't see what's ahead.

I am beginning to see a clearer picture of what His plan, His purpose, is for my life, and His people, you and I.

We were created to know Him and to make Him known.

Christianity is not about rules and regulations. There is no checklist. It's all about a relationship.

I love building relationships with people. I often find myself retreating backwards when I feel vulnerable with someone, especially in areas that I feel that I would be most judged and perhaps rejected.

Tonight, we received a miracle.

Several weeks ago, when the Huffmans were here visiting, we met with a man from the area that became interested in Mattaw Childrens Village. We had dinner with him and ultimately we learned that he wanted to fun the entire baby rescue home and perhaps a couple of clinics.

Then he vanished. Completely fell off the radar.

Personally, I felt discouraged. I really don't like getting news like that and then hitting a wall. Ha.

Fast forward 6 weeks to tonight. Tonight some folks from our dinner meeting got in contact with this man and met with him tonight. He confirmed that what he had said that night was true. He is intending to fund the baby rescue home, Sprouts, AND come to Kenya this summer, possibly with his wife, to visit Mattaw.

I'm still trying to process all of this. I'm now venturing into territory I have never walked in before. Dreaming about what this baby home could be. Imagining all the babies that haven't been born yet, or will be born very soon, that we will be meeting and having the honor of giving a safe haven to.

My 6 yr old's face lit up when I told him what God had provided tonight. Ben told me "Mom, why are you so surprised? God has all the money in the world".

Yes, Ben, God does have all the money in the world. It's about taking the next step and saying "yes" even when it feels impossible.

Jesus, thank you for giving provision in areas we had no idea that needed provision. Thank you for allowing us to be stewards of YOUR money as we move forward in finding a location for Sprouts!

Kenya 2011

2011-02-08T20:02:00.005-06:00

"Dreams come in a size too big so you can grow into them".

I wish I knew the person who I could give credit to this little saying. When I first read it, it sank in me and reassured me that my dreams aren't unreachable.

I was 15 or 16 yrs old. A seed was planted in me when I started seeing commercials of starving children across the world. You know, flies in the eyes, crying and filling their bloated stomachs with porridge while some man begs you to give.

And I did.

I started to want to "have an orphanage in Africa". People thought I was nuts.

While I was home for a summer in college and working in Minneapolis, I worked in a group home with staff members who were from Kenya. I began to taste a piece of African culture. I was invited to one of their homes where I shook hands with everyone in the room (not knowing that it was polite to do so immediately upon greeting a Kenyan), ate some strange food and spoke of a country that I never knew existed.

A year later, I decided to take some money I had received from my grandfather and travel to Africa. So, I googled "African Orphanage Volunteer program" and came upon a program that seemed to fit me well. I communicated with them over the course of several months and made the plunge.

I rode buses that wheels fell off of as I trekked to the border of Tanzania and Kenya-at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro and touched baby elephants at an elephant orphanage. I spent 2 1/2 months of my summer playing with street girls that were ages 5-16 and I met my sweet, Kenyan daughter, Priscillah, that I still sponsor to this day.

I never knew how a sweet, orphaned girl would change my life.

I returned to the States and the relationship I had been in for almost 2 years, the "love of my life" dissolved and I resumed my last year of college.

I knew I wanted to return to Kenya one last time before I settled down on a job. I was not excited to enter the world of "9 to 5". I returned to Kenya once more and spent an additional 6 weeks that summer of 2003 where I loved on the same girls I had spent time with the summer before. My (now) husband was also with me on that trip and we fell in love.

Tucked in our hearts, we knew that Kenya had a place in our life, one day, somehow.

Fast forward 7 years to TODAY!

The Lord has been faithful. Not to sound so "Christianeese" or whatever, but it's true. Our marriage has had many twists and turns, joys and heartache as we've mulled over what the Lord wants us to do with our life.

The corporate America journey did not appeal to us, yet going overseas to work in Kenya seemed so impractical, unsafe, insecure for our family.

If you have been reading my blog for some time now, you are familiar with my heart for orphan care. You have been with me through our journey as we were to be moving to Kenya a couple of years ago.

You cannot force God's timing. God has HIS plan in place...what I've learned is that I need to let go and let GOD. Little did I know that I had a TON of heart work that needed to be done before we were ready to go.

To make a long story short, I am excited to let you know that the time has come. OH YES the time has come. It is God's perfect timing. It's been a long wait, however, I truly believe that GOD allows us to dream BIG dreams and if we surrender to HIS will for our life, we grow into our dream...HIS way.

I never thought I would ever have an orphanage in Kenya.

But we are!

In September 2011, our family is moving to Kitale, Kenya full time to work with Mattaw Children's Village. My husband, TJ will be helping with the self sustainability programs and I will be assisting in the operations of Mattaw's baby rescue home, "Sprouts". Sprouts will be built late this year, Lord willing.

We are more than excited-thrilled. Yes, we have lots of loops to work through and a lot of work to be done in the coming months. We have completely surrendered our lives and feel this is the path we are being led down.

Will you pray for us? We need to be bathed in prayer in this year and beyond.

Here is a song that has really spoke to us this year. If God is for us, than WHO can be against us?

To run, to hop, to skip, to jump.......

2011-01-26T13:27:00.004-06:00

In the past, my workouts have always felt similar to this...

You?

My husband has been on the fitness bandwagon ever since our first son was born in 2004. He has completed a full marathon and several half marathons and is about to start doing these things called "adventure races".

Me? Well, I've been resisting anything that sounding like "exercise" and I've been enjoying eating whatever I please. "I'm nursing" has always been my excuse :) Ha.

My hubs inspires me. Truly. He grows on me. Like mold. But he smells WAY better than mold. And for the record, there is no fungus growing on me.....but I digress.

I've started officially working out. Daily. Even on a nutrition plan!

My kids think I've lost my noodle as we have ousted all the junk food from our cupboards. It's baby steps people. I've replaced cookies with carrots and brownies with bananas and apples.

I'm not so much concerned with losing weight as I am as just our family, as a whole, being intentional with our nutrition and health.

My good friend,Lyz, is also a newbie to this fitness world. She incorporates cross country skiing into her routine and pretends it's not exercise. Keep goin' Lyz!

The program I personally follow is done through Beachbody. TJ is following P90X which I'd rather skin myself alive than do that routine.

I am following Turbofire. I like Turbofire because it's short workouts and I can fit it into my schedule everyday very easily. Not to mention it's FUN!!!!!

But I do whine. A lot. Don't worry, I'll get over myself.

But anyways, our local marathon is coming up this spring and my husband will be writing posts to keep those of you who may be interested in training for the full or half marathon this year informed in how you can reach your goal.

Do you have fitness goals this year?

Week with the Huffmans

2011-01-19T13:11:00.011-06:00

The first week of January my husband and I hosted the Huffman family. They are from Texas but live in Kenya working as the Directors of Mattaw Children's Village. The time they spend in the States is dedicated to raising awareness about orphan care in Kenya and raising support for Mattaw. My husband and I visited them back in 2008 and I lead a team in June 2010. My husband also plans to lead another team from our church sometime this summer.

But it's not all work-there is plenty of time for play.

See, these fellow long horns have not ever experienced the weather that comes with living in Minnesota/North Dakota.

It.Gets.Cold.

People question how individuals like us can live in conditions like this. (Mama always said we make the best Christians...you know, because we have to endure so many hardships and all.....or something).

They had seen snow before, but didn't know that it got so cold that you couldn't form snowballs with the snow.

They played.

They were venturous in their outings.

They sure stayed cozy.

We had a great week with the Huffmans. They are more like family to us than just friends.

This particular week we were working hard towards raising money for Mattaw's baby rescue house that will be called "Sprouts". It's fitting, because after the name was thought of, we realized that in Isaiah 61:11 it says, "For as the soil makes the SPROUT come up and a garden causes the seed to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations"

Cool, eh?

As we said our bitter-sweet goodbyes, we know that it will not be the last time we see them. Surely, we hope to join them soon in Kitale and support Mattaw Children's Village.

Will someone just make sure they returned to Texas with all of their fingers and toes?

My idols

2011-01-18T17:56:00.006-06:00

Last night I was talking with my husband about how I can now truly identify with other moms who say "I'm lucky to get a shower in on a given day". For the 7 years I have been a mother, I have been a working mother. I was thrown into the routine of being up, showered and dressed and sweeping my kids out the door, into the van and to daycare.

It was the hardest 7 years of my life.

At least I smelled good :)

Since November, I have had the privilege of loving on my kids full time at home. It was a difficult transition for me, all of a sudden we were not in need of my income. We had worked very hard to pay off our debt so I could be at home. November was the time I had yearned for for 7 years. It came...and it was hard.

I learned that my profession was something I put my identity in-it became an idol and I was struggling with my pride to let it go. I was struggling with letting go of the income I was making because we would be on a tighter budget.

Now, as a full time mama to my three little loves, I can say that I wouldn't trade it for a second. I'm lucky to get a shower every day....and to get a shower without a little fist knocking at the door, now THAT would be a gift.

Trust Jesus.

A lesson I could never get sick of learning.

Even as I type this with one hand and hold my daughter in the other, I look at her and thank God that we put the discipline and sacrifices in our lives that we did for me to not miss another moment of my kids' growing up.

Being at home broke me if my pride and idols I've had in my life without knowing it. Thank you Jesus.

As this year unfolds, it is my prayer that my identity remains in who I am in Christ and not how great or not great of a mom I am.

Food for thought

2011-01-04T21:59:00.007-06:00

"Better to love God and be an unknown than to love the world and be a hero; better to be content with poverty than to die a slave to wealth; better to have taken some risks and lost than to have done nothing and succeeded at it". -E Lutzer

2011 Woot!

2011-01-01T15:08:00.005-06:00

It's a new year. Naturally, this is a time where most reflect on the year that just past and the year that is yet to come.

One of our biggest highlights of 2010 came on November 9th 2010, when we welcomed our third child, and FIRST little girl, Alayna Joy. She was 8lbs 1oz and 21 inches long.

She's protected by her two older brothers who love her more than "chocolate ice-cream" (which is a LOT)

In 2011, I am looking forward to being present with my kids, as I am now officially a stay at home mom and doing may things with them that we haven't had the ability to do because of my husbands and my work schedule. We are also looking forward to taking a team from our home town to Kenya in the summer again and traveling to see extended family in various parts of the country. What are your plans, hopes and dreams for 2011? What were highlights from your 2010?

Happy New Year!!! Make every moment count!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T19:00:00.002-05:00

Growing up, we went trick or treating every year. I have fond memories of making up fun, homemade costumes and getting gobs of candy.

We have fun doing this with our kids. This year, I've opted not to go out and about, as I am about to burst with our 3rd child, but was active in getting the kiddos all dressed up.

In previous years, Collin had never wanted to participate. Dressing him in a costume seemed to be as if we were skinning him alive. This year was the first year he was EXCITED to participate fully! Though he came home early tonight, he had a good time. We've learned that once Collin has had enough, there is no chance in talking him back into participating. Perhaps it was because he was a dinosaur this year, or because he's come to grasp with the reality that the end results in a bag full of candy, but this year, he is completely diving into dressing up!

On the flip side, our oldest son, Benjamin, fully participates in whatever character he dresses up as. Any one of his costumes has him in full blown dramatic play all day. This year was no different. As the "mad scientist", Dr. Snaggle-Tooth, he has been trying to conduct many experiments as possible this week, along with his wicked laugh. He always gives us so many laughs during this time...I'm sure drama class is in his future :)

So HAPPY HALLOWEEN! From our munchkins, to yours!!!

What NOT to say to a pregnant woman

2010-10-10T17:20:00.002-05:00

Around this neck of the woods, hunting season has taken full effect. I can be ever-so-humbly reminded of that thanks to my permanent goose-like waddle, the creature that is being sought out around here at this time.

I'm 36 weeks pregnant.

The season of be being "uncomfortable always" has fully set in. I've braced myself for this, being this is my 3rd pregnancy.

A girl. Woot!

With feet in my ribs and going potty every 15 minutes, I'm holding on tight for the home stretch.

This pregancy has gone by much faster than my other two. I've also gained considerably less weight this time around and have managed to have more energy overall.

However, ahem, this has not off set the amount of comments that seem to shoot out of mouths of others that make me laugh and shake my head.

For those of you who can relate, I will share some of my favorite comments I have recieved recently. Perhaps some of you will come away with a good laugh, or a good reminder of what NOT to say to a gal who is with child.

#1 "My, you're looking very healthy these days!"

#2 "When are you due, next week?"

#3 "Uh oh. Again?"

#4 "I bet TJ (husband) has to put up with so much!"

Seriously? How do I respond?

Now, I'm not meaning to be mean here, but these comments were all made by men. MEN! Humph! Clearly, my husband knows better that if any of these dripped off his lips, there would be much sucking up to do. Much.

Perhaps you are nodding your head because you can completely relate. Perhaps you have been one to spurt off such a comment. What's your story?

A season's change

2010-09-19T21:21:00.004-05:00

Where has the time gone? I've found myself in a whirlwind since I've returned from Kenya being torn between being a mama to my precious boys, a wife to my husband, daughter to my King and somehow managing to work full time. Blogging has had to be on the backburner. Praise the Lord I do not have to "do anything" to earn my Father's favor, huh? I'm thankful for the man I am married to who unconditionally loves me, despite my failures and for the children God has blessed me with.

It has been a difficult road. A sweet journey.

As this season turns over, I feel as though I am doing the same thing. So many changes has happened in our lives since June. I'm excited to share, with the hopes that my thoughts and experiences can be an encouragement to you.

With that, I would love to know what the highlight of your summer has been? Camping? family reunion? Building the _______ you FINALLY got around to? I would love to hear!!!!

BEAUTIFUL SLAVE

2010-06-26T21:02:00.001-05:00

Here is an amazing song that speaks to the heart of human trafficking. It's real. It's heart-wrenching. It's happening right now. Can you be HOPE for these children?

I had a good cry today

2010-06-21T21:29:00.007-05:00

I was driving home from work today. End of the day-a good day. The car was quiet and I was enjoying just being in familiar surroundings again.

It just hit me.

This face.

and this face

and this face

and I cried.

Not tears of sadness. But joy, for the work that God has done in their lives. Tears of knowing that Jesus is faithful and is the same no matter what.

I seem to have a period of awkward transition when I return from Kenya. This trip has been no different. How does one slip between two opposite cultures and just move on?

My heart is in two places and I pray that God allows the two worlds I call home become one.

It's so tough to put into words what was seen, heard, smelled and tasted. A land that millions of fatherless children try to survive in every day.

I know that Jesus is the same-no.matter.what. That phrase kept coming to my mind with each situation I listened to of the suffering, of the joy. Stories of death resulting from the political violence that erupted 2 yrs ago. Stories of hope as Priscillah's son is being nursed back to health. The stories of neglect and abuse the Mattaw kids endured and how now they are rescued and are being restored and are future leaders of their own country.

God has a plan. It may not be our plan. No matter what the cost. Our lives are to be lived in such a way that brings to Him and Him alone-no matter where you live.

And sometimes, a girl just needs a good cry. Growing hurts.

Home again

2010-06-21T09:45:00.002-05:00

Well, we have all made it back to the USA safe! We praise God for that. So much to process, so much to think about as we all transition back to American culture. It seems like now I am fighting a stomach bug of some sort, but I am thankful that it is now and not during our trip.

So, for now, I am going to catch up on work for a bit and when I received pictures from one of our team members, I will post.

Thank you for your kind words, thoughts and prayers when we were gone. Thank you also so much for those of you who cared for my family when I was away-having them over for dinner, bringing groceries, cleaning....TJ has said numerous times how blessed he felt to have that when I was gone. I too, am so thankful for those of you who helped!

Oloiktoktok

2010-06-17T12:59:00.003-05:00

Well, another fun, adventurous day we had! We woke up in disappointment to find Mt. Kilimanjaro was all covered in clouds. Typically, mornings show the full mountain but it has been "June gloom" here in Kenya quite a bit.

We spend the past day in Oloiktoktok right on the border of Tanzania. Homeless Children's International (HCI) was the program I visited in 2001 and 2003 and volunteered with along with my husband for several weeks. We fell in love there and soon after were married. It was so fun to see some of the girls who are living there still all grown up after all these years. They took us into town to give us a mini tour. We started to get hollared at by some locals who thought we were taking photos of them saying "we are not animals" and such-so we left quickly. I don't want to mess with mentally ill or intoxicated, angry locals :)

The drive home gave us views of many gazelle, giraffe and ostrich. I also have a hilarious story to share about one of our team members scouring the Maasai grounds for lava rock from Mt. Kilimanjaro erruption from looong ago, but it needs to wait until I can post pictures to go along with it. It will be worth the wait. I promise.

We got into Nairobi today about noonish and cleaned up and went to Java House for lunch. Boy, that chocolate shake never tasted so good. YUMMO!

We went to an amazing beadshop afterwards called Kazuri. You can check it out online at www.kazuri.com. It's a program that employs around 340 single Kenyan moms-some who have been employed for 20-30 yrs there. Beautiful jewelry and yes, I did bring some home for you!

Later tonight we ate at Carnivore and feasted on wild game meat. I'm not a huge fan of meat, but I was a trooper and tried ostrich meatballs, and other meat anyways. I had a gag a time or two. Eck!

Tomorrow morning I will be going to see Daniel in Kibera with a team member, Ryan. We will take a matatu and go into the slum to see where he is living with Priscillah's sister. I decided not to take Daniel along to Kitale for a variety of reasons and I feel like I made the right decision. We will hit the market for some fun finds in the afternoon and then fly out of Nairobi at about 10:30 tomorrow night. If all goes well, we will be in Minneapolis at 4:30pm Saturday. Pray we have no delays!

Back to the real world I go. It's tough to think I'll be at work Monday morning. Really tough. I thought coming back from Kenya would be easier each time, but it's not. As a team we are looking forward to sharing our experiences and I know everyone will have a different perspective and have learned different things. I don't think anyone has come back the same person as when they left.

Pictures and stories will be coming very soon! Promise! See you when I get to Minnesota!!!

Nairobi

2010-06-15T11:55:00.002-05:00

We made it to Nairobi. I found how "OCD" my team is. Talk about the need for organization and diesel fuel-free air. Sheesh. Who'da thunk :)

God has answered prayers beyond my expectations...but I never doubted that. Jesus is the same no matter what happens here-I dunno why that keeps going through my head, but it does.

We are able to hire a private vehicle for cheap to take our group rather than public transport. It may seem like a small detail, but it is soooooo BIG here.

Everyone is healthy. Food is great-or at least we've grown enough bacteria in our tummies to make the food withstandable. :) I think the kiddos are getting a little homesick but all have been such troopers through all of their firsts. Love them.

Ahem...now, pardon me, but I need to finish my amazing chai tea and shower off my crustiness/deisel fuel goo before bedtime.

Monday

2010-06-14T12:49:00.003-05:00

What day is it anyways? Time is completely gone when you are here.

Wow-last day in Kitale and it was UH-MAZ-ING! We took the kids on a field trip in Kitale town-some of us went to the museum and others explored the markets downtown. A few rode a "picky picky" (spell?) around town and got some good pictures. A Picky Picky is a dirt bike/motorcycle. Cheap. Fun. No, I didn't do it. I'm prego, why do you think??? :)

Afterwards, we took the kids swimming at the Kitale club. A REALLY posh place!!! It was a great way to kick back and relax and it felt like a completely different town in that place!

We had a sweet man from Eldoret, about an hour away come to our guesthouse with all of his knick knacks from his curio shop-and some of us got our shopping fix in. Yes, I got a bunch of multi colored paperbead necklaces. So, for those of you waiting for them, they will be in Fargo in a week!

Our plans for the rest of the week will be to head to Nairobi tomorrow. We will be staying at the Mayfield Guesthouse for the night and then renting a matatu (a van/taxi) and driving 3 hours to Oloiktoktok. This is a small, village town just on the border of Tanzania and Kenya, a the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. This is the town I visited back in 2001 and 2003 with TJ (where we fell in love awwwww) and worked with the street children's program there through Homeless Children's International. We figured since we had some time to kill, we may as well see more of Kenya. We will be there only one day and then head back to Nairobi for some more touristy stuff.

Our team has been wonderful. Bud and Kimberly and our fearless team leader, Scott have been wonderful people to host us in Kitale. Many things went unplanned, but that has made this trip more fun and exciting. I hope some of you that read this may one day desire to come and visit as well-whether we are living here or not.

Please continue to pray for our safety. I'm sure that you may have heard about some bombings in Nairobi yesterday during a rally for a pro-abortion movement. This is just a reminder that we are in the hands of God's mercy and grace and that living in a 3rd world country means that things like this can come up at anytime. Jesus is the same no matter what.

Oh, and did I mention I was in my first "earthquake" yesterday? I was sitting and the room began to shake and outside it sounded like a big truck was rolling by-very common here. Well, it turns out I had felt the after shocks/tremors of an earthquake that measured at a 5.0 in Lake Victoria, about 130 miles away. It's never a dull day here in Kenya. Oye.

I'm not sure how much internet access I will have from here on out. I will try to update as much as I can. I'm looking forward to seeing Priscillah's son, Daniel this week and having some fun, chill time with the team before we head home.

I miss my sweet boys and it was great to speak to them today briefly. We fly into Mpls Saturday around 4:30pm.

Looking forward to seeing lots of you when we return to Fargo!!! Love you!

Sunday

2010-06-13T05:49:00.004-05:00

Today is Sunday and it's a day that is filled with the people of Kenya dressed in their best clothing-which varies between prom atire and holey jeans and a cut off tshirt. Many start their day early to walk to church or take bikes and motorbikes to go and worship.

This morning we spent our last Sunday with the children at Mattaw. It was precious and I was overcome with emotion to see such young, small children praise and cry out to God who they believe wholeheartedly has a plan for their life. He has a plan for your life sweet children.

The past few days we have spent playing with the kids at Mattaw. A family who has travelled, the Quandts, sponsor 2 of the boys that live at Mattaw and have seemed to have formed a bond with them. It's sweet to see the meaning sponsorship has to these children. It is way more than receiving a check or bringing gifts, but rather a relationship with someone across the world.

We spent a bit of time at In Step Foundation baby home, run by a couple from Washington State. There, I held tiny, weeks old babies, one of whom was found in a bush being eaten alive by ants as she screamed. Today she has the scars to prove she is a survivor and I'm looking forward to watching her grow up.

I have spent many hours with the missionaries that live here. It doesn't seem like "missionaries". It is an amazing group of families that come from all over Kenya with a love for the people of Kenya. I have come full circle-the rose colored view of Kitale and Kenya have definately worn off and I truly see and understand the life that my family could live if we made the committment to live here.

It's worth it all.

I have no doubt that God is working in both the hearts of my husband and myself, as well as our kids. There is meaning as to why we are not here yet-because it is not HIS time or us to come.

I am so encouraged by our team who has maintained flexibilty, joy and pursued meaningful relationships with children and adults they did not know 2 weeks ago. I believe their hearts are changed for the rest of their lives.

We have laughed, cried, and have seen God work in ways we could not have imagined. I am excited to get some pictures up next weekend when I finally have a computer that will allow me to do that.

Thank you for praying and following us on this journey. It's not over yet. We spend one more day in the community with the kids and then we return to Nairobi Tuesday - Friday for some fun.

Though Kenya weighs heavy on my heart, I am looking forward to returing to some of the luxuries of America-flushing toilets, warm water always, nobody stealing my internet or phone line, fast food and my bed. I am most looking forward to seeing my boys again and being a family. God only knows where we go from here.

Giveaway

2010-06-09T11:25:00.002-05:00

Another great day-no words. Just a fun quiz for you guys and a sa-weet giveaway!

Answers to this can be found on google, and the websites www.mattawchildren.com and www.huffmansinkenya.blogspot.com

Ready? If there are several people who get the answers correct, I will go to random.org and randomly choose the winner. Winner receives a soapstone sculpture that I will pick out later this week. All comments/answers need to be in by noon on Friday.

1. What is the capital of Kenya?

2. How many children live at Mattaw Children's Village?

3. What does "Mattaw" mean?

4. What is Kenya's #1 export?

5. What are the Kiswahili words for:
a) I'm sorry
b) come here
c) chicken
d) you
e) thank you

6. Name a slum in Nairobi.

7. Where is Mattaw Children's Village located?

8. What are the names of the Huffman's 2 children

9. James 1:27 says what?

10. What is name of house #1 at Mattaw Children's Village?

Good luck!!!

I think I may eat the turkey....

2010-06-08T09:53:00.003-05:00

....if the turkey doesn't shut it's trap, I may eat it for dinner tomorrow. PU-LLLEEEZE! At least the cell phone tower and duck squawking-or whatever was gone. Thank you Tylenol PM :)

I posted a bunch of pictures on my facebook account if you want to have a look. I will try to post as often as I can.

It has been another incredible day! We brought out some books that we brought for the kiddos. Boy, did they go wild. Dr Suess is popular wherever you go. Everyone pitched in with the laundry, which is done by hand Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. It can take anywhere between 2-4 hours to complete.

I'm thankful for my washing machine and will NEVER complain about laundry being behind again.

Adam is doing better-he still did not make it out to Mattaw today and stayed behind, but now seems to be able to have soup and water and not have it come up again.

Did I mention I forgot a bag at the airport...oh, it arrived on time..but I just FORGOT to pick it up. Well, another miracle is that today, we got through to the baggage claim and it turns out it is still there. It will arrive in Kitale tomorrow morning. Kim, it was your bag. SORRY!! I am praying now that all the items inside are still there. My rain gear, shoes and loads of school supplies were in there. That is just one of the things I seemed to have forgotten this week...am I prego or something??

Guys, I dunno if I'm coming back. This trip has had a much different feel. I've been completely relaxed and at ease with my surroundings and feel more of a sense of getting to know other families in the area. So, I'm doing just that. I'm picking the brains of other missionaries about how they came to Kitale and what they wish they knew before they came from the US-or wherever. There are some incredible people who live here. Not only that, but I strongly feel that God has made me wait-made US wait for our family to come for many reasons. It just wasn't time yet. As impatient as I feel, I know it is God's timing at play and not mine. Please pray for discernment as TJ and I try to figure out what's next.

Oh! I found out that it takes only 3 1/2 hours to get to Mt Kilimanjaro (by Loiktoktok) instead of 11+ hours like it did in 2001 when I traveled. So, our team may have the opportunity to see Southern Kenya as well. It depends on what they would like to do.

I can't believe it's Tuesday. I hope Salem VBS is going well. OH, how I miss my sweet boys back home. My baby is kicking a ton inside me and I"m thankful for this new life--I can't wait to meet him/her!!!

Please continue to pray for our health and safety and provision, as "TIA" This Is Africa and anything can change at a moment's notice. God has been faithful thus far. No matter what, my Jesus is still the same during good times and bad times. We are all thankful for His Mercies given on this trip.

I have a turkey outside my bedroom window.

2010-06-07T04:12:00.002-05:00

If you live in Africa, you are to assume that you will have many experiences that are unique to anywhere else in the world....at least to the United States.

I have a turkey living outside my bedroom window. A big one. Not far from this turkey is another turkey that attacked one of the Mattaw staff at this guesthouse not long ago while he was brushing his teeth. White turkey is now locked up...it's huge, and I'm thankful for that.

I went to bed last night AND woke up today to turkeys gobbling, a flock of ducks honking, and a cell phone tower alarm going off at such a piercing high pitch noise. Maybe the power will go off today. Maybe not. This is Africa. It feels like home.

Today, we are at the Mattaw Children's Village with all the kids. Wes is dressed to the nines looking like Indiana Jones and is wife, Teri, is almost a replica of a Maasai warrior's wife. It suits her, as their family lives in a grass roof hut at the guesthouse-

We are learning how to cook-Kenyan style and slowly learning that time isn't a big deal here as we all adjust to the relaxed lifestyle. The sun is so hot and I'm trying to remember the new names of kids that were not there when we visited Mattaw in 2008. Everyone is doing amazing. We have met and chatted with folks all over the world and listened to the journey they have been on and how they came to live in Kitale. It is an amazing community.

Today, one of the Lutz boys woke up with a serious stomach/intestine bug that has laid him out for the day. We took him to the clinic that confirmed it was a bacterial infection and not malaria. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

We will be visiting a baby house later this week and taking the Mattaw kids on a field trip.

It takes a while to post pictures here, so I will try to get some up if I can...we have some fun ones :) I spoke to my husband and kids last night and it sounds like they are doing well. Thank you to those of you who have invited them for supper. It has been a huge blessing to them.

I will try to be posting as regular as I can.

Love,

Lindz

Kenya!

2010-06-06T05:07:00.002-05:00

Hello!

It has taken some time, but I am so excited to announce that ALL of us have arrived safely in Kitale, Kenya. We left 8am Thursday morning, went through a back injury, eye injury and a flat tire and we arrived at the Minneapolis airport an hour before our flight took off at 3pm. Do you think someone didn't want us to be going??? ;) Bring it.

We're here! All of our flights and bus travel were great. It rained cats and dogs on us (chickens and goats?) yesterday, as we are in the midst of the rainy season, but we arrived safely.

Traveling with this team has been an amazing journey in itself. I see God breaking down barriers in every individual and it brings me back to the first time I traveled to Kenya in 2001.

When we left Nairobi, I got a surprising, unexpected visit from Priscillah. Wow, was that a sweet moment. When we arrived, it didn't appear that meeting her would work out. We sent her off to school on Friday and she just hugged me so tight and said 'thank you'. Work hard sweet girl. Your son is so worth it and we love you so much!

The smells, sounds, feelings, smiles and hospitality that I dearly remember are surrounding us again. We were able to get to Mattaw Children's Village this morning for church and love on the kids a ton! We got our "Kisses For Kenya" sweets out to many adults and children. Of course, the kids tried to trick us into receiving a few more than just one, but I think I would too.

Some of the youth in our group went in front of the church and played guitar and drums and lead some worship songs. Time was spent praying over those needing healing.

We have settled into our guesthouse and are feeling at home. Thank you everyone for your prayers thus far. We truly have felt them as we have walked each step of the day.

I will continue to keep you posted as we are here the next 10 days.

Love you!!!

Feeling........

2010-05-31T21:59:00.006-05:00

I have logged in here several times-started a post, saved it, and logged off. So, bear with me. :)

I have so many random thoughts going through my head.

I leave for Kenya with 8 FABULOUS people on Thursday. Robbyn, Ryan, Trevor; Wes, Teri, Jordan, Adam, and Ally.

I have all my stuff sprawled out on the floor-but not in my suitcase.

I'm wrapping up last minute work details and spending as much quality time with my family as I can.

I feel peace moving forward with this team-I've never lead a team before, and I'm completely relying on the Lord to give me the wisdom and assurance I need to bring them.

I feel similar pangs of attack the enemy used when TJ and I went to Kenya without our children back in the Fall of 2008.

I feel JOY from the phone call I received this morning from a sweet Kenyan woman informing me that I will be able to hug my sweet daughter, Priscillah and her baby boy, Daniel on Saturday morning, as they intend to meet us at the bus stop before we head to Kitale.

I feel apprehensive as I feel our third child kick me inside my womb as I have never traveled pregnant before. Grateful for the life God has given this baby and anticipating his/her delivery and be witness to the purpose this child has been given (Psalm 139) and the honor of being her/his mom.

I pray for safety and protection for our team.

I pray for God to break our hearts for the least of these and for the team to be sparked a passion that can only come from God to be a catalyst for change.

9 people. 1 country. 14 days. 18 hands, 18 feet. God, multiply our works and help us run this race for the least of these!

Daniel

2010-05-06T20:56:00.004-05:00

Oh, my heart! I woke up today and went through my normal routine-shower, drop off kids sans makeup (I do NOT care now), come home and snuggle with Collin through Dinosaur Train and then start my work day. Today, when I was checking my email, I received the GREATEST news!

I have often spoke about Priscillah where you can read all about her here. She is such a blessing and joy in my life. Since leaving Kenya in Oct 2008, Priscillah gave birth to a sweet little boy, Daniel. Having a baby at her age-still in Secondary School- in Kenya means she is forced to drop out. Priscillah has spent the past 18 months it's been since I've hugged her living in Kibera slum with her son. I've received 3 videos and a few emails from her always in a very happy, upbeat tone and lots of smiles. She is proud of her son and loves being a mom-but she struggles, a lot.

It breaks my heart.

I spoke here about how we were going to try to get Priscillah into a program in Kitale. To make a long story short "this is Africa" is all I will say, and we were disappointed to learn that it just was not going to work out due to various barriers that came up. I was disappointed. Very. But, I still believe that God has a purpose and place for everyone-everyone....and Jesus is still the same yesterday and today-no matter what.

Last week I learned that Daniel, being almost a year old, is extremely underweight and is not developmentally on track with milestones and needs medical help. With the care of Homeless Children's International, Priscillah starts school on Monday. Daniel will also have all of his medical and nutritional needs met through sponsorship.

Priscillah has to leave her son in Kibera so she can go to school. Her sister, Anne Wango, will be caring for Daniel when Priscillah is in school. It's a huge responsibility for Anne, being she already has 2 kids of her own.

Homeless Children's International gave me permission and blessing to take Daniel for the 2 weeks we are in Kenya and travel with him to Kitale.

I'm stunned, excited, overjoyed by this opportunity. I've never met him, but I am looking forward to getting to know him more next month. I have a lot of fears-has he seen a white person before? How sick is he? I also have will have the opportunity to visit Priscillah in the school she will be at just north of Nairobi. I hope to take him there also to visit his mama-since she will only be home for 30 days every 3 months of school. I can't imagine how hard this much be for her.

Wanna help our team who leaves June 3? We are collecting various school supplies and are looking for crummy suitcases/dufflebags to put all the donations in that can be left in Kenya. If you have any of these to give, please let me know!

This should be a no brainer

2010-05-04T08:42:00.003-05:00

If you have linked up with HopeChest since our launch of Bukedea last December, you may be familiar with their campaign fighting against human trafficking.

There is a massive Facebook, Twitter and blogging campaign going on right now to boycott Craigslist as a way to show that supporting a site who rakes in such a massive amount of money from sex ads will not be tolerated.

Tom Davis writes on his blog that 33% of Craigslist's income is a result of sex ads.

One third.

Sex ads exploiting children for prostitution in the UNITED STATES. Yes, in our own backyards.

This, for me, is a 'no brainer'. Why would I choose to participate in shopping for merchandise that supports such a horrific real-life issue?

Think about this and consider blogging/facebooking/twittering about this very issue to bring light to one of the most horrific forms of child abuse happening on our own soil.

The value in investing in children

2010-04-30T10:31:00.003-05:00

Psalm 138:7-8

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes,
with your right hand you save me.

8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands.

I cling strongly to these words in the Bible when I feel myself become overwhelmed with the needs of orphans across our nation and around the world. I am moved by the numbers of Christians who have decided to adopt are who have taken orphan care points under their wing, called them their own and have become the voice for the voiceless.

God cherishes life. God's plans carry out in and through every child no matter what the journey may be.

The orphan crisis is something that is growing in volumes by the thousands every day. Will we rise up and support God's children who have no one to call their own? I believe it needs to take more than families adopting

It will take churches rising up and adopting a community of orphans to bring change. Can we rise up to that challenge, to THIS CALL?

In order for this to continue to happen, we need to invest our young people and children to the need of orphan care. God has laid this so heavily on my heart as the team I am taking to Kenya is June prepares for departure.

Of the 9 people going to Kenya June 3-18th, 5 of these people are youth ages 12-18. OVER HALF! I didn't think of this until a couple of weeks ago. We have FIVE YOUTH from our church's youth group going to Kenya-spreading their excitement and anticipation of what is ahead of them. We have FIVE YOUTH who attend a local Christian School in town that has gone before their Administrative Board asking for a partnership with Mattaw Children's Village school.

We have the power to change the lives of thousands of orphans by coming together and using the resources we have to impact children who are so vulnerable.

God wants us to be His vessels-to be His hands and feet to defend the cause of the orphan.

Want to start? Please email me at tlkenya (at) yahoo (dot) com if you would like to help.

We're back....long time :)

2010-04-23T12:15:00.006-05:00

Are you all still out there??? It's me, remember? I know, I've been gone a long time, but in all honesty, I needed the break. Between working full time, being a mom and a wife to my husband, something needed to give. Blogging needed to be it for a while. I have had a lot going on in my life since my birthday back in early March, some good, some great, some very stressful. But God is good and has used EVERY DETAIL for his glory and we are standing stronger because of Him.

First, we found out we are expecting our 3rd little joy sometime in mid November. I know, I was as shocked as EVER and I think I may have dented our budget just a tish with all the tests I took "just to be sure". Sorry hubs :/ I just couldn't believe it. We are so excited and thrilled for this one to arrive.

So, what about our adoption? This was a struggle. We had started our home study and were and continue to be excited about the adoption process, but have decided to put a hold on it until after the baby is born. This was probably a detail that we struggled the most with, because we were sure of God's timing in this, and still are sure, but it pained me so to speak the words "put it on hold please". As I have started to feel our baby kick and flutter all the emotions of excitement and anticipation have built up again and God has held me in reassuring me that it is HIS plan for our life that we are following, not our own.

Finally, I will be leading a team of 8 people from our church and taking them to Kenya to visit Mattaw Children's Village June 3-18th. UH-MAZ-ING story in how God orchestrated this entire thing. I have lots of things on my mind to share about the joys of letting go and letting God. I've heard that saying over and over and over and truly feel as though I've learned what that means over the past 6 weeks. We have a family of 5 and a family of three. 4 adults and 5 kids ages 6th grade to 12th grade. Incredible people. I can't wait to share with you more about the team going and what we will be doing.

Though I haven't been writing, I have been belly laughing and crying with you and have been so encouraged by a lot of your blogs that I have continued to read. Adoptions, deaths, births, missions trips, mommyhood, orphan care-it's been so fun to read.

It's good to be back.

Quietness.

2010-03-13T07:26:00.004-06:00

This morning I sit here, in my parents' home. It's quiet. I do not get quiet moments like this very often. In fact, I get quite lonely when it's too quiet. But right now, I am really enjoying it.

We woke up this morning looking into the backyard and witnessing a fox stealing the woodpecker's sewit that had fallen down from the perch a squirrel had torn open. For 20 minutes we watched as the fox hid the sewit all around the yard to prevent other scavanger from finding it. Stepping outside this morning onto the deck brought back so many memories of my childhood. The trees in the backyard, the smell of wet wood, the birds, misty/foggy air, not any sounds of busy vehicles rushing to get to work.

Peace.

Today we are celebrating my birthday as well as my mother's birthday. We haven't done this for years. I'm thankful to be so loved. We are celebrating with a brunch make especially for us by my sisters and a GIRLS ONLY tea. Later tonight my sisters are again cooking Chinese and Thai cuisine.

Birthdays were always a big deal in our family-we'd each get to choose the design of our cake when our birthday came and mom would cook us our favorite dinner. I have found myself carrying on the same tradition for my boys on their birthday.

As I get older and realize that our lives could soon be changing and these treks to celebrate siblings' and parents' birthdays could become fewer and far between, I try to not take these opportunities and weekends for granted.

Barbara's Story

2010-03-03T13:22:00.006-06:00

Imagine waking up every morning on a mat that resembles a placemat-maybe a bit bigger-because it was one of your other 8 brother's and sisters' turns to use the twin mattress that also lays on the floor.

Imagine going to school every day on an empty stomach, doing your best to absorb what instructors are teaching you that day and coming home to a meal of rice and a few beans-if you're lucky.

Did I mention you are only 14 years old? Did I mention that not only do you try to go to school on an empty stomach, but you are also at risk of being sexually exploited on your walk too and from school?

Barbara's daily life is just like this. She lives in Uganda and is one of the 2 million orphans that live in her country. Both of her parents are passed away and now she survives on scraps of food and lives in a home with 7 other brothers and sisters.

Despite these hardships, she is described as active, composed, extroverted, friendly an dloves to sing dance and read books.

For $34 a month, you can guarantee her a life where food will come daily, more than once a day!!!!! It will give her the guarantee of going to school each day. As her sponsor, you will be able to have a relationship with her! Through letters, cards, and even opportunities to visit her and hug her.

If you are intersted in sponsoring Barbara, please email me or leave a comment and let me know you are intersted. There are several kids like her -boys and girls of all ages- I have here on my desk waiting to be sponsored.

Sisters...precious

2010-03-01T12:00:00.001-06:00

I have 2 sisters. I love them both so dearly. I will tell you about one of them first. Noelle is a loving, sensitive, spontaneous, Jesus lover and has travelled around the world searching for where God may be taking her.

As a soon-to-be college grad, she will be venturing out of the Midwest to Colorado Springs *sniff* to find her next adventure.

Introducing my gifted, beautiful, youngest sister, Bethany Noelle (though, call her Bethany and you will find yourself swung on the other side of the cliff she is climbing)

Her newest song (and first to be put "out there")

"What Love Is This?"

V1:
You who did not spare Your Son
But You gave Him up for us
You gave up Your Holy throne
And came to wash my feet, Lord

Chorus:
What love is this
What love is this?
That's poured on me
Despite what I do
What love is this?
Its so pure and matchless
It brings me to my knees in awe and worship!

V2:
What can I say?
For my God fights for me always
My sufficiency and strength
Names me his beloved

Chorus repeat

Bridge:
This love
Cannot separate
This love
Cannot be torn away from you
This love
No man or woman
No ruler, angel
No height no depth
No past No future
No failure no tears
No weakness, danger
No persecution
No insecurity
No stress or hurting
Can separate you from the love of Jesus!

I don't want my children to be happy......really.

2010-02-28T21:26:00.004-06:00

Missy sums it best for me in that, I do not strive to be my child's best friend-but their mom. Their mom who will always love them no matter what. No matter what.

Thanks Missy for sharing this.

Dear Shepherd, Sissy, Maggie and Ikey,

Recently we were told by people whom we love and respect why they oppose our plans to adopt. One of the reasons given was that we would not be able to pay for your college education.

It's true.

You all have college funds - college funds which recently took a terrible hit - but "they" say that by the time you're 18, college will cost anywhere between $200,000 to half a million dollars each. You might as well know now, we won't be covering that. I'm telling you now, babies.

The people said that the day would come when you would look at us with resentment because you had to apply for school loans while many of your friends got a free ride from their parents.

Maybe you will. Maybe you'll resent us. I really hope not. But maybe I should tell y'all now why your dad and I have decided to do what we are doing.

I know you're going to think I am going off topic (I do that a lot) but several years I saw a story on a TV show about how the latest trend was for parents to give their daughters boob jobs for high school graduation (I don't know what they gave their sons.) When interviewing one of the moms, she said, "I just want my daughter to be happy." And as I tossed a throw pillow at the television, this really huge thought occurred to me: I don't want my children to be happy.

My goal as your mom is not your happiness, sugars. In fact, I spend at least half my day making you unhappy. If I had a nickle for every tear that falls in this home on a daily basis, we wouldn't need to worry about college tuition at all.

Happiness is fleeting, sweet babies. That means it doesn't last. It's a quick feeling that comes from a funny movie or a heart shaped lollipop or a really good birthday present. It's great. I love to be happy. But happiness is a reaction that is based on our surroundings. And our surroundings are so very rarely under our control. Even when - especially when - we think they are. So no, I absolutely don't want you to spend your life chasing something that has so little to do with your own abilities. You'll just be constantly frustrated.

There are two things I desire for you, precious loves. There are two things that I spend most of my time as a mother trying cultivate in you. Happiness ain't one of them. (This means, sorry, no boob jobs for you.)

The first is, I want you to be content. Being content is so much different from being happy. Being content is not based on your surroundings. Being content comes from within. Contentment is a spirit of gratitude. It's the choice you make to either be thankful for the things you do have, or to whine about the things you don't have.

As you know, because I've told you lots of times, Paul talked about being content. Paul said that he had "learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." And Paul was in some rotten situations, kiddos, really rotten.How could Paul be content whether he was in prison or if his life was literally a shipwreck? Because Paul was constantly seeking to be in the will of God instead of his own, was constantly sacrificing his own comfort for the sake of the gospel, and was constantly being confirmed, strengthened, and blessed by God because of his obedience. He was given a supernatural power - that means something kind of like magic, God magic - to do things that most other humans could not do. And guess what? The bible tells us (in Ephesians 1) that God will give you the exact same power! If you want it!

Which leads me to my second desire for y'all.

I don't want you to be happy. I want you to be holy. That means, I want you to seek that God-power to make you content. I want you to want the Kingdom of God more than your own kingdom. And that's hard, babies, that is so hard. And that usually means passing up a lot of what the world considers happiness. But it means that you will achieve blessings directly from God that most of the world never dreams of because they are too occupied with the achieving the perfect birthday present!

This means you may be poor, 'in want' as Paul said, and that's okay. It will never, ever be okay with the world for you to be poor. So you'll be up against the world. But not your dad and me, loves, because it was never our goal for you to be wealthy - at least not in the way that the world considers wealthy.

Darlings, we love you so much. You will never even grasp how much we love you until you have children of your own, and then you'll get it, and then you'll apologize for the ways you treated us ;) But our goal is not to please you. Our goal is to please our Heavenly Father. And nowhere in the bible does the Lord command that we save our money to send our kids to college.

But the Lord does command us to care for the orphan around fifty times. He does tell us to care for the poor around 300 times. He does tell us that when we care for the neediest, we are caring for Jesus Himself. And in chapter six of the book of Matthew, He tells us to seek His kingdom first, and let Him worry about the rest, like college tuition. Because it's all His anyway.

They said that one day y'all would resent us for using 'your' college money to go and get your sister out of an orphanage in Ethiopia and bring her home to you.

But I know my babies. Even at your tender ages, I know your hearts, and I have already seen you weep for the least of these. I know the prayers I offer up to God that He and not the world would shape the desires of your hearts. I am trusting Him to answer those prayers.

So, sugarbears - I just don't believe those people.

Love,
Mommy

Temporary home, right?

2010-02-22T21:02:00.003-06:00

How do you view life today? Do you strive to save and to have a secure nest egg? How do you respond to those you are surrounded to who are desperately in need? This is not written to pass judgement, or to suggest that we should be neglectful of taking care of our family. But what's heavy on my heart today is, am I keeping the real perspective on life that God has intended this life to be for?

We are living in a temporary home. Right? Have you grasped that truth? How do we respond to that?

Music constantly inspires me and when I find a good song, I have to post it.

So here you go. I hope this puts things into perspective as it did for me-again!

He does it again :: The Ring

2010-02-21T19:31:00.006-06:00

Meet my 3 yr old, Collin. Cute, eh? Yeah, I thought so too. But do not be deceived...he is so full of mischief a 24 hour period with him will leave you feeling as if nothing else could surprise you.

Today, he surprised me.

We spent the weekend with my parents repainting the interior of our home. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. However, our ceilings look amazing...our wall, well, they are a force to be reckoned with.....

anyways.....

This morning, leaving for church, I could not find my wedding ring. This was the second time in 2 months this has happened. I'm sure you know the feeling

P.A.N.I.C.

The feeling you get when you do not find your wedding ring where you swear you left it just hours before.

I asked both of our boys "where is mommy's ring???"

"I dunno!" was the response I received from both. I looked over, under, upside down, toppling everything I saw around the area I left my ring at over.

Then it dawned on me. Bribery works.

"Hey boys, the first person who finds mommy's wedding ring will get a homemade blizzard (ice cream blended drink) with any candy you choose".

Collin promptly stands up and states. "I know where it is Mommy...it's in my bank!!! My little boy football bank."

Seriously?

Yup.

My husband took him into his room to empty out his 'little boy football bank' as I continued the trashing of my home. He came out holding my ring.

I do not recommend bribery as good parenting technique, but desperate time equals desperate measures, right? A blizzard is cheaper than the purchase of a new wedding ring-or insurance claim, or whatever and tonight my heart rests easier....

What desperate measures have you taken in your desperate mommy moments!!?!?!

Where YOUR treasure is.....

2010-02-10T15:25:00.003-06:00

Last night, TJ and I prayed together. Pleading with God to show us clearly the path he wants us to follow. I heard a sermon a few weeks ago from our new pastor regarding discerning God's will for our life. It brought me peace (again) that God has a plan-a clear plan-that He doesn't keep these plans a secret.

WE HAVE TO PURSUE IT!

Fears about moving to Kenya that I have been sharing with people recently have been:

as a mom, will moving to Kenya make my kids hate me when they are older? I mean, what about all the 'stuff' they are going to miss?

will homeschooling be too challenging?

what about retirement...that's what I'M concerned about! What do we do when we are 65-70 yrs old? I mean, I worked for it, now I should enjoy it, right?

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 16:24-25

I got my answer today. I GOT IT GUYS! Through my tears, I post this. God met us with this. What am I thinking? God knows my needs!

Watch this. Watch it again. Watch it three times and share. Does this change your perspective on whatever it is you may be battling with?

DON'T. WASTE. YOUR. LIFE.

Not Me! Monday

2010-02-08T08:42:00.003-06:00

Not Me! Monday was created by a dear blogger, MckMama as a blog carnival for all of us mamas to come clean about our inperfections of things we certainly NEVER do.

...like the time recently I cooked a gormet meal for my family..you know, the time when I most certainly did not cut my finger, burn the palm of my hand AND start a blanket on fire in a span of about 5 minutes. Not me! I am quick with my hands, gentle on the stove and certainly do NOT wrap up in blankets while cooking. Especially when cooking gormet...you know...like Dilled Salmon and carrots. That is why when I did NOT cut myself, I was certainly NOT making corned beef hash eggs. Not Me! I always cook major gormet for my hubs as a big thank you for working so hard.

Wanna join? Go here for the offical rules and link up!