The saga continues...

I left off just telling about how I decided this was the trip God wanted me to be on. So now what do I do? How do I possibly raise $3400 to go? What will my family say? How will I tell them? There were 1,000 questions that surged through my head...although I can honestly say...I was concerned about money, but never felt like I shouldn't go. I think I just knew this was the trip I was meant to go on.

So what are the ways I fund-raised for this trip? You name it I probably thought it! Oh by the way, did I mention that Jayson was having to raise about $2800 at the same time. Let me just say...money is our problem...not God's. "What He favors He funds" that is what a friend told me and I can say now...that is sooo true!

God provided and then some. He used so many of my friends, co-workers and even a family member to help raise the funds! In my mind I wanted to believe people would step up and help me go...but to be honest, I know I was doubting it would happen that way! You better believe He did!!!!!

Some other fundraisers I did were: I have an incredible neighbor who taught me how to make some awesome hot sauce...so I sold that! I also did what I could when the church had fundraisers, I had a garage sale, and I sold suckers! There were so many other ideas that never come to fruition, but there are more trips to come in our future I can raise for!

I have a lot of stories to tell and ministries I want to share, but I want to tell it from the beginning. This was just the next step in this story and the next one will be the traveling involved to get there....whew!


ON A STATESIDE NOTE...LOL!!!

School starts for the kids on Monday.

Me usually the week before school starts:

is decorated...ready...lessons are at least on their way at worst!

Me this year:

blank room and what are lessons?..lol! Okay so I am exagerating on the lessons a bit, but not the room. I just sit in and look around and cannot think of what I want to do with it. It's like I have writers block for a classroom...ugghhh! I will post a picture of what I do when I finally decide and do it!

The kids are excited! I am excited! Ready or not here it comes!

Here's some pictures from Jayson's trip:

A heart divided...the beginning...

So how it all began...

Last summer my pastor decided he would offer a mission trip to Malawi, Africa. Right away my husband and I just knew God was calling us to MOVE. For so long we have just said we wanted to go be "doers of the Word"...but now we had the opportunity. We signed up!

The trip would consist of each person having a translator and going to remote villages and spreading the Gospel. Can you imagine getting to tell people who had never heard the name Jesus that He lives and He loves them and He sent us to tell them there is life beyond these hard times.

Then, a little later, my pastor's wife decided she would sign up to go to Uganda, Africa to visit orphanages and love on orphans and neglected children. Btw, they are adopting from Uganda.

Shameless plug...you can follow their heart for adoption, their already beautiful family stories and help fund their international adoption on their blog (www.thelorickfamily.blogspot.com).I highly recommend purchasing one of their CD's of Jenna singing...

...it will not disappoint. Okay, so Jenna's gonna kill me for that plug, but I just could not help it! Love you Jenna! Cannot wait for Kenzi!

So right away I knew this was the trip God planned for me. There were 9 of us from Malakoff who answered this call.

I really plan on blogging more...so besides the day to day blogs I hope to be putting on here lots of stories and pictures from mine and Jayson's mission trips this summer to Africa. Where we left pieces of our heart!

It's SNOW fun without chili

So what ingredients do you need to make a great weekend?

First, let's start with NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY! What? That's right folks, they canceled school for us on Friday due to low attendance. They believe the flu and weather is to blame, so no school today to disinfect the schools. : ) Let me just say I cannot afford to miss any instruction days, but I am so grateful for the break!

Second, SNOW...'nough said! All week long I have been thinking `if it's going to be this cold it needs to at least snow`! So I am going to be honest, all I really wanted to do was stay in bed and watch it out the window...it was so nice...warm bed, beautiful white snow, sleeping when wanted...however, my kiddos AND HUSBAND had a different plan. Let's play in the snow...Let's play in the snow...Let's play in the snow! So guess what we did...you got it...



At neighbors house on trampoline




Aren't they sweet

Last, but certainly not least...CHILI! My husband made me my favorite dish of his...chili. I have been asking for it since the very first cold day, but it is never cold enough he says...so today I said,"It can't get any colder than this!" So he gave in and I got this...



MMMMmmmmmm....

Oh yea...one more thing! DESSERT! A few months ago I had this incredible dessert with a few of my bible study girls. It was so good. I have been meaning to make it ever since. Today was that day. I had a helper the whole time. She wants to do EVERYTHING! She must hold everything, pour everything, stir everything...can you say "control freak"...of course, I have no idea where she gets it! ; )










Oh yea...and tasting it...lol!

So now you know! I hope everyone enjoyed the snow and the weather. I know we did. Blessed is the word of the day!

Remembering...

Do you ever have those times when you get to take time and remember someone you love who you do not get to see anymore?

My daughter and I had an idea to have oranges...but what are oranges without sugar? So we decided to eat us some oranges and sugar. There's one person in particular who loved sugar with EVERYTHING. In fact the idea of sugar with my oranges was her idea. She and I shared this love of sugar together. We always loved the same crazy stuff. That person is Granmama...who we call Mama! This was my husband's grandmother. She died a couple of years ago.



That is a picture of her and my husband. They truly had a special bond. He still thinks often about her and still loves her greatly.

So I could not possibly eat that delicious snack without honoring Mama's memory and saying that we still love you so much and treasure the memories we have.





That is my baby girl...so as you can see I am passing on the love of those before me through our love of sugar. lol!

I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3

Thank you God for allowing me to know such an amazing woman who was and is loved by so many and made a lasting impression on each of us.