Give us this day...

Today I was eating a chocolate chip cookie after lunch thinking to myself, well, I might as well live it up since I'm going to be eating goat and bananas for the next 3 months. Even though I was full, I had to indulge and finish the cookie anyway.

I just read a news article that said that there are now officially 1 billion people that are malnourished in the world today. That's over 100 million more than there was last year. That's 1 out of every 6 people.

Suddenly, that cookie brought my perspective back to the amazing privilege I have to go and prayerfully to bring some hope and healing to the children that have been through the pain of watching their family members suffer and die because of a treatable waterbourne illness, or becuase they were starved to death.

It's not really a matter of feeling guilty because I'm rich and can eat a chocolate chip cookie when I want to, and they can't. It's a matter of being truly grateful and thanking the Lord that we have food to feed our children and that we don't have to bear that kind of a burden.

Wow, Lord, You are truly our ultimate Provider and thank you for giving us this day our daily bread...

The Countdown begins...the laughs and the ludicrous

As of today, I have 12 days before I leave for Rwanda. It's crazy! I still can't believe that I'm going and it's getting so close! People keep asking me if I'm getting excited and usually I start getting excited as soon as I'm actually sitting on the plane, after all the loose ends are tied up (or not), the bags are packed and checked. But until then, It's difficult to focus and I'm sure the next several days will be even crazier than the ones I've had this week.

Here are some of my favorite crazy moments from this week:

Having Nick tell me he would email to let me know when my computer was finished being worked on. (how can I check my email when I don't have my computer...)

buying a huge box of fruit gummies for the kids at the orphanage

Playing pretend "sleepy time" with Kyla - her touching me on the cheek saying "ok honey, you just need to go to sleep now"

Trying to figure out how in the hell I'm going to pack all of that crap (!!!) into my suitcases and trying to keep the cat out of the suitcases

THEN having a friend tell me that maybe after I suck all the air out of those vacuum pack bags (w/all my clothes) then it would weigh less! (I'm pretty sure she was joking...)

My most favorite though - waiting in line at Kinko's for 10-15 minutes to get atleast 150 pages scanned to a CD (just basic black and white copies...),

then having the little guy tell me that it was going to cost me $1 per page. After "discussing" that price for a few seconds, I slammed the papers on the counter and yelled "that's RIDICULOUS!!!" then stormed out of the store.

Oh yeah... I was pissed and oh yeah... I will fully admit to succombing to one of those little crazy outbursts that ummm.... runs through the family. :)

THEN I went to Ross and bought myself a cute little dress for 15 bucks and I told Mary that I needed some therapy because I was feeling fat and angry...

So am I getting excited? sure. I just need to get through the craziness then the excitement will start!

Austin's Graduation Day!

Today Austin graduated with an AA in applied Sciences and a certificate in Autocad and Drafting.

Samantha was SOO excited and screamed when she saw her daddy walking down the "row". "I see him, THAT'S MY DADDY!

A long time dream for him, he took a big risk a couple years ago and started at Highline. So after 2 years of being a full time daddy, full time student and having a full time job, today was the day he got to walk down the aisle to get his diploma!

We are all so proud of you Austin for your big accomplishment for working so hard and for following your dreams!

Change your channel

The last couple weeks I've been feeling very foggy, headachy and generally spiritually yucky. I have also been saying to myself, I really need to go down to the beach and take some pictures of that beautiful sunset...Usually by that time at night I'm sitting on the couch watching TV shows that are for the most part completely mind numbing and I have no motivation to go anywhere.

So last thursday, as I was struggling with the spiritually yucky thing, I just got up off my little bubble butt, grabbed my coat, my tripod and my camera and ran down to the beach. I always love sunsets, but this one was particularly amazing, there were huge wind gusts and waves. I could see the rain and the setting sun reflecting off the rain clouds in the distance. Truly Amazing and indescribable...


So I changed my channel and God was saying, "OK toots, whose in charge NOW?!?" Of course He's always been in charge but it's SO SO easy to forget that sometimes!

here are just a few of the pictures, along with the words of a song called Who Am I, by Casting Crowns, a song that's been running through my head ever since.

I am... A flower quickly fading

Here today and gone tomorrow

A wave tossed in the ocean

A vapor in the wind

Still you hear me when I'm calling

You catch me when I'm falling

You've told me who

I am...

I am Yours.

If you'd like to listen to the song click on the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyjBxP91150