Journey 2 JT

Walgreens Pharmacy

2012-01-12T16:01:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

On December 31 the contract expired between Walgreens and Express Script due to a failure to come to agreement. This means that those who have insurance that deals with Express Scripts will no longer be able to use Walgreens to fill their scripts. This is enraging customers because they will not have to possibly drive further and use pharmacies with less convenient hours, and certainly without the discounts Walgreen always offers it's customers.

Walgreen's attempts to renegotiate this contract involved an attempt to help support military and military families by negotiating a better contract for Tricare, which serves the military. This was a failed attempt on Walgreen's part as Express Script would not allow WG to put a lock on rates so prescription rates could not increase further.

In the meantime, Walgreen's is trying to help the affected customers by offering a special discount on annual membership for its Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. If you are effected or enraged by the situation feel free to contact your local media to let them know what is going on and that you aren't happy about it. Support Walgreens in their fight against riding medical costs by following Walgreens on Twitter or by liking Walgreens on Facebook.

Snuggles, Drool, and Unconditional Love

2011-11-12T19:00:00.001-05:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Puppies vs. Babies for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

In case you were in the mood for a little cute overload today... head on over to the Puppies vs. Babies online contest. They are accepting votes until November 23 for the cutest baby and the cutest puppy, so get your votes in asap.

If I had known about it before submissions closed I would have definitely submitted this adorable moosh photo of Trig when he was a puppy.

I mean how could you not vote for that little cuddlebear. And yes, he still cuddles like that. Heh. Well head on over to vote for Puppies vs. Babies and comment on my blog which one you voted for. While I would vote for Trig if I could I am going to have to choose another to vote for. :)

I had to vote for Samson. My Trig loves to play with tennis balls. In fact, Trig will throw a ball up in the air and jump and catch it. Pretty talented yes? Gunnar took the cake for me too. Irie's blue eyes captured my vote right away. Despite Harley's adorable ears, I had to vote for Belle. Especially with that bandana, she just looks edible. Make sure you let me know in my comments who you voted for!

follow me :)

2011-10-05T10:58:00.000-04:00

we have moved our family blog.. if you want to follow us there comment below with your email address and I will send you an invite :)

Journey To Adopt

2011-10-05T10:55:00.001-04:00

Beta Registration is now available!

http://journeytoadopt.org/

Sign up now before registration closes. All beta testers will have a say in development and get a sneak preview of the member site for JTA, and will be entered in a drawing for a JTA present.

US official: Ethiopia underestimating drought need - Yahoo! News

2011-07-11T13:01:00.000-04:00

US official: Ethiopia underestimating drought need - Yahoo! News

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — A U.S. official said Monday he fears Ethiopian officials may be underestimating the country's needs in its drought crisis, even as the government announced that 4.5 million Ethiopians need food aid, 40 percent more than last year.

The U.S. government aid arm is looking for ways to help the hungry on Ethiopia's side of a three-country drought crisis that is also devastating communities in Kenya and Somalia.

"We are concerned that we are underestimating the situation, especially in the southern provinces," Jason Frasier, mission director of USAID in Ethiopia, said of that country's food crisis.

Ethiopia's state minister of agriculture, Mitiku Kassa, said Monday that nearly $400 million is needed to fill the country's food gap. He said Ethiopia needs to distribute 380 metric tons of food.

A drought centered in the triangle where Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia meet has sent tens of thousands of people pouring intorefugee camps in search of food. The three-way border is a nomadic region where families heavily depend on the health of their livestock.

Uganda and Djibouti have also been hit. The World Food Program said it expects 10 million people in the Horn of Africa to require food aid.

The head of the U.N. agency for refugees said Sunday that drought-ridden Somalia is the "worst humanitarian disaster" in the world.

Somalis are walking for days or weeks to reach camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. The young and the old are dying en route. Families have little food or money after herds of cattle, goats and camels were wiped out after successive seasons of no rains hit the war-ravaged country.

Dadaab, the world's largest refugee camp, located in northeast Kenya, is seeing thousands of new arrivals daily. More than 380,000 people already live in the camps.

"I must say that I visited many refugee camps in the world. I have never seen people coming in such a desperate situation," the head of the U.N. refugee agency, Antonio Guterres, said Sunday after seeing new arrivals in Dadaab.

Faduma Sakow Abdullahi, a Somali mother, said her husband died after drinking contaminated water, and that two children died on the way to Dadaab from hunger and exhaustion. Others in need begged for help but she had none to give.

"My journey was like a trip to hell. I have seen and experienced a lot of sufferings on my way to Kenya," Abdullahi said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I reached a stage in which I didn't care about whether I die or live."

___

Associated Press reporter Malkhadir M. Muhumed in Dadaab, Kenya contributed to this report.

Found and Lost

2011-07-07T23:28:00.003-04:00

So a few weeks ago we were contacted about a baby who was going to be born only a couple hours from our house within a month. We agreed to proceed and were matched. Last week the baby was born. I was in the room for 16 hours of labor and delivery. Held her legs. Was handed the baby and named him. Fed him his first bottle. Spent one day changing diapers in the hospital, feeding, taking pictures, cuddling, kissing lips and cheeks and a beautiful little nose... At the last moment she changed her mind about placing him. While we 100% respect her decision and are hopeful that she can turn her life around for this little boy it was an emotional experience for us. Can you tell in this pic I had gone a couple days without sleep? ;) she called at 2am when her water broke this pic was the second day after only a couple hours sleep before getting back for the pediatrician visit. We loved being mommy and daddy for 1 day and are excited about the child that will be ours forever.

2011-07-02T12:49:00.001-04:00

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.'

When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.

'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'

Where have you been?

2011-06-15T11:42:00.000-04:00

Just working on some things. A situation was presented to us and we are excitedly pursuing it. I can't wait to share more. Hopefully soon!

Loving The Least Of These: The Urgency of Now

2011-06-01T08:26:00.001-04:00

“We are not faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked, and dejected with a lost opportunity. The tide in the affairs of men does not remain at flood-it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is adamant to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words, ‘too late.’”

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Loving The Least Of These: The Urgency of Now

Tissue Time - M

2011-05-25T10:09:00.000-04:00

These Little Lives: ***Africa, Part 3*** Visiting "M"

Lifesong India

2011-05-24T15:17:00.003-04:00

I interrupt our regularly scheduled blog postings to share this!

Imagine living in a house made entirely out of concrete, that heats up like an oven in the hot sun.
Imagine a bare lightbulb hanging from the ceiling as your only light. Imagine having no
toilet facilities or running water, but instead getting all your water from a community hand pump.
Imagine having parents who worked in the field, barely able to provide from day to day.
Imagine no hope, growing up in a hope of idolatry and severe poverty.

To Sindhu Babu this kind of life was normal. It wasn't until he (at age 10)
came to Lifesong India that he knew there was something better. Something far better.

Today, at age 18, Sindhu Babu not only has a hope for a future as he
studies to become an electrical engineer... not only does he live in a clean home with clean running
water... and not only has he heard the word of God, but in 2003, his parents,
who for years worshipped idols, gave their lives to Christ!

Praise God that He continues to replace hope for despair in the nearly
six hundred children we work with and their families!

Thank you for your continued prayer and support as we serve children in India!

Unacknowledged Beauty

2011-05-24T11:40:00.000-04:00

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/19/korea.beauty/index.html

I am literally crying at my desk right now. What can I do to change this? What can you do? What kind of world is telling these children that this is what beauty is, and this is how you get ahead in the world? This beautiful girl is literally breaking my heart in two. Lets pray.

Day In Photos 2011

2011-05-21T01:06:00.002-04:00

Well, not the most eventful day, but looking back at my day sure made me smile. :)

7:30am :: put pup in kennel and head to work

8:00am :: at the office, getting ready for the day

8:44am :: Working through my agenda

10:30am :: working away, got distracted and missed 930

11:30am :: cutest boy in the world picks me up to go to lunch

12noon :: cutest boy in world makes me laugh at lunch

and I ate this YUMMY eggplant gyro

12:45pm :: back at the office drinking my dc

1:45pm :: getting ready for whfc conference call

2:45pm :: still on the call, working in between

3:45pm :: a sidepeek at something im working on

and a peek over at carmen working away at her desk on the other side of the room

5:15pm drove home, picked up bry, headed to monty's for my nixfix and to help with the girls

5:45pm :: showed up at the nix house

and this sweet love runs to the door and yells "kimmy kimmy!"

and shows me the cinderella book she is reading

and this sweet arm belongs to my precious niece pc, who had a cold :(

6:45pm :: monty is putting pc to sleep and were hanging with aj while she eats dinner

I set up nemo on the macbook for her and she got a kick out of it

this sweet moosh fills my heart

7:45pm :: While AJ watches her movie I make a snack of fried green tomatoes for the big girls and bry :)

and bry cleans up for me :)

and since AJ cant stop shrieking in delight we decide to have a fgt picnic in monty's bed

this sweet girl rushes me at the end of the bed to peer into my lens :)

8:15ish :: jr surprised us by coming home early and catching us in his bed having a picnic LOL. anyhow since he was home to help we boogied to head home and this is my kiss goodnight

8:30ish :: driving home

9:00pmish :: got to anytime, realized i left my key at home, exhausted headed home

10pm :: watched the season finale of the best show on the planet while working

and thathathathats all folks :)

Addis Video

2011-05-18T15:01:00.002-04:00

just pretending im there today :)

Addis Documentary

2011-05-13T14:26:00.002-04:00

The City of Addis - A short documentary from Session 7 Media on Vimeo.

Be Still My Heart...

2011-05-12T11:11:00.000-04:00

My workbuddy carmen just told me about this couple that was on Opr*h that had this beautiful picture taken... so we found it and i have to share... is this the most beautiful baby picture youve ever seen? God bless them for caring for so many at once, but my goodness - how gorgeous!

Book Recommendations

2011-05-03T08:55:00.000-04:00

(not so) recent reading « uninterrupted prosperity

Heart of Haiti - Mothers Day Tribute

2011-05-02T23:52:00.003-04:00

This Mother's Day The Clever Girls Collective has asked some of us to write a post about a woman who has helped us. We are doing this to get the word out about The Heart of Haiti shop to benefit rebuilding Haiti by local artisans. If you use promocode: CLEVERGIRLS you will receive 15% off Heart of Haiti and Rwanda Path to Peace products from 5/3 - 5/8. Using the promocode might be a good way to get a good deal on a Mother's Day present for your mom.

I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a bit about my mom. A woman who has helped me. I grew up thinking that I lived in a family just like everyone else. As an adult I have met many people who have not been blessed the way I have with my mother. My mother always encouraged me, loved me more than I can fathom, and pushed me to exceed while clearly showing confidence that I could exceed.

I have plenty of friends now with parents who are cold, who remind them of their limitations, and who focus on their own issues and put that above their child's well being. I have learned to truly appreciate my mom. Yes, even as an adult I roll my eyes every time I hear her say to me "see I told you that you could do it" or "dont you know how smart you are?" But in reality, every time she says things like that to me it builds me up, and I truly am confident in my abilities as a grown woman. And that is a pretty awesome gift. So for this mothers day I would like to thank my mom for giving me confidence, education, and drive.

I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. All opinions are my own.

Book Recommendation :: Adopted For Life by Russell Moore

2011-04-27T15:37:00.004-04:00

You may have read a previous post from R Moore, but this week I have been reading his book, Adopted for Life. I have already gotten it into the hands of one of my biffles and working on the other. It is definitely a must read.

Moore addresses everything from finances, to trans-racial adoptions. If your spouse is not ready to commit to an adoption he has some bits of wisdom for you as well. There were many things he said that changed the way I viewed some scripture and he definitely brought me a renewed appreciation for God's heart for the fatherless.

Grab it on amazon, the kindle edition will hardly break the bank but most certainly break your heart... in a good way :)

11 Months Down

2011-04-27T08:55:00.000-04:00

The expected wait time for our referral is 8-12 months, though many are waiting 14 months right now. So we should have a few more months to go. Weeeeee!

2011-04-26T23:15:00.001-04:00

2011-04-26T15:29:00.002-04:00

"Joseph’s adoption of Jesus means Jesus belongs “to the house of David just as truly as if he were in a physical sense the son of Joseph....It is through Joseph that Jesus finds his identity as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise. It is through Joseph’s legal fatherhood of Jesus that “the hopes and fears of all the years” find their realization in the final son of Abraham, son of David, and son of Israel. " -Russel Moore

Easter Weekend with The Biffles

2011-04-25T12:41:00.001-04:00

Seriously!!!! Words can't describe how much I appreciate and thank God for bringing me biffles like these. We laugh until our heads hurt. We laugh until were doubled over. We laugh until we can't laugh anymore. And I am so excited about their passion for orphans! I am honored to have biffles like this and excited about what is coming!

Then Saturday, Bry, Anna and I went down to our FAVORITE ethiopian restaurant for lunch.

and Anna and I spent the weekend trying to figure out how to make those magazine beads...

Last night Bry and I cuddled up to watch The Passion of the Christ and cried our way out of Easter Sunday.

+ SO BLESSED +

Melkam Fasika!

2011-04-22T15:18:00.000-04:00

He traded his crown for a crown of thorns
He picked up His cross and laid down His sword
He stumbled down the road bruised and beaten for me
Jesus walked the way of grief
Hallelujah!

He knew it was to come from the very start
But his love for the world beat inside His heart
He climbed the road of suffering to the hill of calvary
Where the saints would be redeemed.
Hallelujah!

Jesus fixed His eyes upon the new horizon
Soon he would arise and the world would be forgiven!
Jesus fixed His eyes upon the new horizon
Soon he would arise and the world would be forgiven!

Hallelujah, Jesus rose again!
On the cross He she'd His blood on Calvary
I'm thankful for the journey of my King!

On the via dolorosa!
All my sin was carried away!
And the power of Him was broken
As He gave His life away
As He gave His life away

He traded his crown for a crown of thorns

-via delorosa by leeland

Medical Forms Mailed - Homestudy Update 100% turned in

2011-04-22T13:49:00.003-04:00

Easter Quilt Giveaway

2011-04-21T11:37:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter! Happy Good Friday! And Happy April! We are excited to announce that we are part of a fundraiser with onelessbrokenheart and two adopting families that will end May 15. We will be giving away a quilt that has been made with pieces from adoption shirts that have been bought from adoption fundraisers.

All you have to do to purchase a raffle ticket to win the quilt is to donate $1 on my chip in below. $1 gives you one chance to win this beautiful quilt. If you would like to chip in more than $1 - each dollar you chip in gives you an additional chance to win the quilt. On May 15 we will pool all the raffle tickets and draw a winner for the quilt. But thats not all....

... Onelessbrokenheart.blogspot.com will be doing a side give away of a family values canvas. Anyone who donates and gives a shout out on their blog/facebook will be placed in this give away for a personalized family canvas. I have one hanging in my kitchen that Suzanne made us and it is beautiful!

Here are some more pictures of the quilt closer up :)

Thankful Thursday

2011-04-21T06:04:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share some of my blessings with you this Thursday. Today I want to tell you how thankful I am for my sista from another mista, Anna. I get to spend the weekend with her as she is driving down from Atlanta for the holiday.

Bryan was teasing me telling us how silly and cute Anna and I am - as we have an official schedule/agenda for the weekend down to the minute planned with projects, walks at the lake, cooking projects.... oh yes we are going to have a good time. I can't wait to exploit every single moment I get to hang with my bud.

Oh yes - pictures will ensue. Oh yes - we will be eating all kinds of yummies. In fact - though I won't see her til after work tomorrow, she is currently en route in a car with her husband, her dad, and her son. I am chuckling to myself at what that journey is looking like from the inside. hehehe.

So thankful God gave me Anna the Banana.

The Lemanski Diaries: Lessons Learned in Gimbi

2011-04-19T16:13:00.000-04:00

The Lemanski Diaries: Lessons Learned in Gimbi

Meliski decided to go ahead and break my heart today :)

10 months... and some...

2011-04-17T15:10:00.000-04:00

... failed to post this last month...

Went to get our fingerprints redone last week

2011-04-14T11:02:00.003-04:00

Up the hill: God's spring cleaning

2011-04-14T10:59:00.000-04:00

Read my biffle's post this morning on spring cleaning - she made me catch my breath with her acknowledgement. Love it! Read it!

Up the hill: God's spring cleaning

Music :: Mandi Mapes - This Love

2011-04-13T13:38:00.003-04:00

Break out some tissues... just sayin

Mandi Mapes / This Love / P E M MA by jamesjosephaudio

This Love by Mandi Mapes

I’ve never felt this way before
funny how you found you’re way to my door
and suddenly my prayers are coming true
and these arms are not letting go of you

this love this love is the deep kind
you’re my baby, you’re my sunshine
I’ll hold your hand, be your biggest fan
and I’ll love you all of the time

our eyes are not quite the same shade
and your hair blows in the wind a different way
but I am your mother and
I love you just the same
so I’ll take your hand honey
and you can take my name

my heart has been redeemed,
adopted and now I know my Father
this grace that I’ve received
I want to show you
I want to show you

this love this love is the deep kind
it hangs on through the storm and the sunshine
I’ll hold your hand, be your biggest fan
and I’ll love you all of the time

Dolls Handmade in Uganda

2011-04-12T15:27:00.002-04:00

$18 - click to purchase

Awaka ad Craft Aid Items: Handmade Dolls. Mother and Baby

One Day Without Shoes

2011-04-05T22:59:00.001-04:00

Well - after only one day of no shoes, of being teased, sore feet, dirty feet, admonished, and inflamed feet I have a greater appreciation for those that go without.

started the day with clean feet

see - all clean

Bry fussed at me for driving barefoot but oh well

I think the floors at work need vacuumed

After a power surge killed a ups and our domain controller - I spent the day in the server room

Sitting back and waiting for bootups that never happened, ok they eventually did

boss made fun of my bare feet, but i didnt understand the old man reference he used

This was after cleaning my feet a couple times, and the mulchy playground that made my feet itchy

I am blessed to have a sweet husband bring me a footbath to soak my achy itchy dirty feet :)

Update

2011-04-05T00:28:00.000-04:00

Just a quick update to our process - our homestudy is about a year old and requiring an update - so we sent our form and check to get that done this weekend. Woot! One day!

We interrupt your scheduled broadcasting...

2011-04-04T16:34:00.002-04:00

to bring you cuteness... and come on - i mean anyone moving in an adoption is definitely taking a leap of faith ;)

2011-04-02T10:04:00.001-04:00

"If you can't feed one hundred people, then feed just one."
--Mother Teresa

Tortilla Tuesday!

2011-03-29T13:59:00.001-04:00

It's Tortilla Tuesday!!! Don't forget to send in your photos and stories to info@lifesongfororphans.org!

What difference does Lifesong Honduras really make in the lives of the 550 students we work with?

Nutritionally: Every day students at Lifesong Honduras receive 3 balanced meals. (Join us today for Tortilla Tuesday! Confused? Click HERE)

Educationally: The national average of students in public schools who go on to college in Honduras is around 1%. At Lifesong Honduras, about 40% of students go on to college!

Economically: In a country with a national unemployment rate of 70%, over 70% of Plan Escalon graduates have full-time jobs!

Spiritually: 2011 Vision Team member, Brian Kerz, speaks from what he saw first hand:

Isn't teaching the gospel message really what it's all about? And after leaving Lifesong Honduras to live on their own, 90% of Escalon graduates still consider themselves Christians and 85% continue to attend church on a regular basis!

Lives are being changed. Lives can continue to change because of the difference being made by people like you!

Our goal is:

We have two days left.

We need 63 commitments!

Will you help us continue to serve children in Honduras?

Can't commit to $30 p/mo? Give your best gift today... we can all make one sacrifice and come together as the body of Christ to make a big difference!

Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that we sent you from our blog! Your donation will be doubled thanks to a gracious giver!

Your support makes these stories possible!

All administrative costs are covered, so 100% of your donation will go directly to helping orphans.

Malaria Drug Breakthrough Made | Care2 Healthy & Green Living

2011-03-22T11:09:00.000-04:00

Malaria Drug Breakthrough Made | Care2 Healthy & Green Living

Do you remember Peter?

2011-03-22T08:38:00.001-04:00

If not - he was a boy who was about to age out of his orphanage and had mere weeks before there was no more chance for him to be adopted. We prayed with Linny - the internets ;) stood together in prayer for this boy... and now......

A Forever Family: Peter's Gotcha Day!

Tortilla Tuesday!

2011-03-22T01:29:00.000-04:00

Did you miss the post about what is going on at Lifesong Honduras? Click here.
Did you read about Tortilla Tuesday on Tuesday, March 29th? Click here.

What did you have for breakfast this morning?

Maybe some coffee? Yes?

Maybe some rice and beans, with white cheese and tortillas? No?

At Lifesong Honduras this is what a normal breakfast for the 550 kids we serve looks like.

For lunch they will get tortillas with either vegetable soup, pasta, or chicken with rice and vegetables.
For dinner they will eat rice, beans, cream (similar to sour cream) white cheese, eggs (2 times a week) and (you guessed it) tortillas.

Next Tuesday, March 29th join us for Tortilla Tuesday as we eat rice, beans, and tortillas for the day and provide tools for you to use in sharing with your family… in order to further teach out children about the lives of others.

Enjoy a meal at work or with your family or friends of tortillas, rice, and beans. This is a great way to not just talk about life for kids in Honduras, but to actually experience it, if only in one small way.

We want to encourage you to use this opportunity to share the need in Honduras with your kids, friends, and co-workers.

Here are a few facts and conversation starters:
1. Honduras is one of the poorest nations in the western hemisphere

2. Last year approximately 75% of new students coming into Lifesong Honduras were malnurished, their weight and height way below average, and needed extra vitamins and supplements. Pictured below are three 7th graders from this group:

"The reward comes in many forms... to watch them grow and their appearance change, knowing that you played a part in that. It is hard explain, but when you take one of our graduates and compare them to someone of the same age, from their own villages, even though the differences may range from ever so slight to obvious, it is visible."
-Lifesong Honduras staff member

3. There are innumerous un-reached mountain villages that still do not have electricity or running water, children without clothing or shoes, and families without food to feed their children.

- Homes are barely constructed of mud, sticks, cardboard and whatever material they can use to cover themselves.

-Many villages have no organized church, nor a pastor, nor a church building in which to meet.

-Students at Plan Escalon spend part of their education giving back… visiting mountain villages, where many of them came from, to bring food (rice and beans) and minister to the people.

- Imagine what it would it be like to live in a mountain village in Honduras… What would it be like? Would you feel hopeful of your future? How would you survive?

4. At Lifesong Honduras they have to make 3,500 tortillas made every day… on only 3 stoves!

- Can you imagine making that many tortillas every day? Think about how you would interact with others in the kitchen. How easy would it be trying to accomplish this with only 3 stoves?

*Be sure to have your camera ready for Tortilla Tuesday! Please send Lifesong a photo of you and your family or co-workers (or whoever you invite) participating in Tortilla Tuesday, your location, and a short story about the impact it made and the conversations you had to info@lifesongfororphans.org! If you have a blog or facebook, consider sharing it!

Our goal is:

Will you join us? Every dollar will make a difference! Every dollar will be doubled for the sake of orphans!

So far we have 4 commitments. Thank you! We still need more. Together we can do more for the children and the future of Honduras!

Contact Lifesong at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that we sent you from our blog!

Hear personal stories & follow the progress on our blog all this week!

Anniversary Weekend at Daytona Beach

2011-03-21T14:23:00.000-04:00

So we were blessed this weekend by Bry's mom who set us up at her timeshare at Daytona Beach Wyndham Ocean Walk Resort. We had a great time and feel so rested. Here are some pics. :)

Lifesong Honduras Blitz

2011-03-21T13:08:00.000-04:00

Honduras Blitz from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

What if every time you gave a dollar to orphans it became one more?

One more dollar towards food, education, shelter?

One more dollar towards sharing the Gospel and providing Biblical mentorship?

One more dollar towards changing the life of a child?

I love to use this platform to advocate for those in need... and thanks to a generous donor every dollar given to Lifesong Honduras will be matched… up to $120,000! We praise the Lord for this amazing gift and invite you to be a part of it.

Over the next 10 days we are teaming with Lifesong and are hoping for 100 1-year commitments of $30 a month. Just think, for about $1 a day a life in Honduras can be forever changed.

Partnering with Tree of Life Missions in Honduras, Lifesong for Orphans is able to work toward providing hope to the hopeless, help to the helpless and healing to the hurting. TOLM reaches kids through a program called Plan Escalon. (Escalon is translated "escalator" and is used to describe the children's escalator out of poverty/brokenness.)
Through this program we strive toward:

Providing an education to the poorest of youth
Providing food to the poorest of youth
Providing vocational training & micro-business opportunities
Providing free medical and dental clinics to those in need
Training young people to give back to their communities
Reaching people in the jungles of the Mosquito Coast

Stay tuned for stories, personal testimonies, and fun ways to spread awareness and instill a heart of giving in your kids!

Our goal is:

Will you help us? 100 commitments in ten days is no small feat, but with God it is possible. We have seen Him move mightily in His people to serve orphans and we pray that this ten weeks will be a testimony of that! Together we can make a difference in the lives of these kids! Together we can do more to bring joy and purpose to orphans!

Contact Lifesong at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that we sent you from our blog!

Hear personal stories & follow the progress on our blog all this week!

Check back often to hear personal stories and get updates on the progress. Please join us in prayer as we ask the Lord to raise up 100 commitments!

Its Looking Good Folks :)

2011-03-18T08:23:00.001-04:00

Momentum: POSSIBLE Good News Coming From Ethiopia

Tortilla Tuesday!

2011-03-17T14:20:00.000-04:00

Tortilla Tuesday!!

Next Monday we will be kicking off an exciting 10 day blog-a-thon to spread the word about what's going on at Lifesong Honduras. We will be sharing personal testimonies from changed lives, peeking into everyday Honduran life, and giving some tools to spread awareness in your families.
One of these tools is a little something we like to call (da-daDAAA!):

Tuesday, March 29th we will be dedicating 1 meal to eat what the children in Honduras eat on a daily basis... and we want you to be a part of it! We will also provide some great topical questions and discussion guides for you to share with your kids on what life is like for children in another culture.

Would YOU join us?

We'll share more as we get closer to the 29th, so mark your calendars, get your camera ready and head to the store to get tortillas, rice, and beans for the whole family!

Journey To JT

2011-03-17T14:07:00.000-04:00

Bryan and I are currently in the process to adopt our first child, JT. We don't yet know who he is or where he is, but we know the Lord is preparing our hearts to be his parents. JT will be our first child and though it may not be the traditional or expected way to start a family, the Lord has been growing an ache in our hearts for orphans around the world and a desire in our hearts to bring at least one home to our family.

In October of last year we performed a Both Hands service project to spend a day serving a widow and also to raise funds for our adoption fees. If you were looking for a way to help us with our adoption fees and to make a tax deductible donation you can do that here. Bryan and I have both been scrimping and saving and working extra jobs over the past year and are making some serious headway on those expenses. But adoption expenses being what they are, we would be so blessed if you wanted to help in that way and help bring JT home.

Process Updates

2011-03-15T09:44:00.000-04:00

So - here is an update from JCICS regarding the slow downs. It has not been confirmed by MOWA but brings hope back into the equation does it not?

In the meantime how about a poll in the comments about what you think Bryan and Kim's course of action will be?
a) hold tight - ethiopia will eventually happen
b) put the adoption on hold and have a bio child in the meantime
c) switch to another country (pick one in your comment)
d) domestic/foster (pick one in your comment)
e) move to X and open an orphanage (pick a country in your comment)

Adoption Video - Third Day - Children of God

2011-03-15T09:39:00.000-04:00

There is always hope

2011-03-10T09:47:00.002-05:00

http://everlastingmomentum.blogspot.com/2011/03/continuing-thoughtsethiopian-adoption.html

Ethiopia Cuts Down on Foreign Adoptions

2011-03-08T13:16:00.003-05:00

In response to this which was confirmed as factual by our agency this week there has been a prayer campaign started...

Please pray for the following:
1. For God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.God is in control. For those of you who are facing being stuck, remember that God is in control.
2. For God to breakdown strongholds of the enemy.Every child deserves the right to grow up in a health family, and adoptive families provide that for thousands of children each year. Pray that God would demolish the strongholds that are set up against adoption.
3. For God to fulfill His promises.God defines Himself as the Father to the Fatherless. He declares He will set the lonely in families. He warns those who would interfere with His plan to bring justice and mercy that is due to them. Find the orphan scriptures, pray them to God, and ask Him to fulfill those promises to the children of Ethiopia now.
4. For the courts and judges and government officials making this decision.
Ask the Holy Spirit to permeate the courtroom and convict the hearts of the judges and other government officials. Bring the power of the Holy Spirit into these discussions and proceedings--not that we would get our way--but that God's perfect will would be fulfilled in these decisions.
5. For the children and familiesThat God would shorten their wait times. Fortunately, God is bigger than these obstacles. Pray that waiting children would receive comfort. And pray that waiting families would experience peace, grace, and love from those around them.

As far as how this will effect our adoption, and how we will react - stay tuned :)

Abba Changes Everything

2011-03-08T13:02:00.000-05:00

Why every Christian is called to rescue orphans.

Russell D. Moore | posted 7/02/2010 08:59AM

I stopped and pulled on Maria's elbow. "Why is it so quiet? The place is filled with babies." Both of us compared the stillness with the buzz and punctuated squeals that came from our church nursery back home. Here, if we listened carefully enough, we could hear babies rocking themselves back and forth, the crib slats gently bumping against the walls. These children did not cry, because infants eventually learn to stop crying if no one ever responds to their calls for food, for comfort, for love. No one ever responded to these children. So they stopped.The creepiest sound I have ever heard was nothing at all. My wife, Maria, and I stood in the hallway of an orphanage somewhere in the former Soviet Union, on the first of two trips required for our petition to adopt. Orphanage staff led us down a hallway to greet the two 1-year-olds we hoped would become our sons. The horror wasn't the squalor and the stench, although we at times stifled the urge to vomit and weep. The horror was the quiet of it all. The place was more silent than a funeral home by night.

The silence continued as we entered the boys' room. Little Sergei (now Timothy) smiled at us, dancing up and down while holding the side of his crib. Little Maxim (now Benjamin) stood straight at attention, regal and czar-like. But neither boy made a sound. We read them books filled with words they couldn't understand, about saying goodnight to the moon and cows jumping over the same. But there were no cries, no squeals, no groans. Every day we left at the appointed time in the same way we had entered: in silence.

On the last day of the trip, Maria and I arrived at the moment we had dreaded since the minute we received our adoption referral. We had to tell the boys goodbye, as by law we had to return to the United States and wait for the legal paperwork to be completed before returning to pick them up for good. After hugging and kissing them, we walked out into the quiet hallway as Maria shook with tears.

And that's when we heard the scream.

Little Maxim fell back in his crib and let out a guttural yell. It seemed he knew, maybe for the first time, that he would be heard. On some primal level, he knew he had a father and mother now. I will never forget how the hairs on my arms stood up as I heard the yell. I was struck, maybe for the first time, by the force of the Abba cry passages in the New Testament, ones I had memorized in Vacation Bible School. And I was surprised by how little I had gotten it until now.

Gospel and Mission

When someone learns that I'm going to speak at their church about adoption, typically the first question is, "So will you be talking about the doctrine of adoption or, you know, real adoption?" That's a hard question, because I cannot address one without addressing the other. We cannot master one aspect and then move to the other, from the vertical aspect of adoption to the horizontal aspect, or vice versa.

Families, the Bible tells us, reflect something eternally true about God. It is God's fatherhood after which every family in heaven and on earth is named (Eph. 3:14-15). We know what human parenting should look like based on our Father's behavior toward us.

The reverse is also true. We see something of God's fatherhood in our relationship with our human fathers. Jesus tells us that our fathers' provision and discipline show us God's active love toward us (Matt. 7:9-11; Heb. 12:5-17).

The same principle is at work in adoption. Adoption is, on one hand, gospel. Our identity and inheritance are grounded in our adoption in Christ. Adoption is alsomission. In this, our adoption spurs us to join Christ in advocating for the poor, the marginalized, the abandoned, and the fatherless. Without the theological aspect, the growing Christian emphasis on orphan care too often seems like one more cause wristband for compassionate conservative evangelicals to wear until the trend dies down. Without the missional aspect, the doctrine of adoption too easily becomes mere metaphor, just another way to say "saved."

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/july/10.18.html?start=1

From Solomon and the Queen of Sheba to today's Christian rituals of Epiphany, Ethiopia has a rich and colourful history.

2011-03-04T14:30:00.003-05:00

Awesome story - check it out

From Solomon and the Queen of Sheba to today's Christian rituals of Epiphany, Ethiopia has a rich and colourful history.

As I climbed the path to the complex containing the Menelik II Mausoleum in Addis Ababa, I remembered the warning against taking photographs.

I had spotted a picturesque, cylindrical haystack. A soldier nursing a firearm sat in front of it.

I waited until I was sure the soldier could not see me, then took a picture of the hay.

A shout. An old woman pointed at me. The soldier hurried towards me.

I fumbled with the camera to show the picture of hay. Only when the picture had been deleted, was I allowed to proceed.

In the grounds of the mausoleum, bewilderingly, I was encouraged to take pictures.

I wondered just what had been secreted beneath the hay.

At the doors of the mausoleum church, I slipped off my shoes. The custom of leaving the dust of the world outside holy places may predate Islam and Christianity.

'Historical circuit'

Ethiopians trace the history of their former imperial family to Solomon, the much-married King of Israel.

King Solomon was famous for the wisdom of his judgements

Ten centuries before the modern era, Queen Makeda travelled from Ethiopia to Jerusalem and entered into a close relationship with Solomon.

The result was King Menelik I.

Queen Makeda is more familiar to the world as the Queen of Sheba.

At Bahir Dar, the first stop on the so-called "historical circuit" (followed by many visitors), I crossed Ethiopia's largest lake.

Lake Tana is bordered by monasteries and, even more importantly, is the source of the Blue Nile.

It seems that there is a long-standing dispute with Egypt about Ethiopian usage of the Blue Nile waters.

A hike to the Tissisat Falls the next day showed why.

A hydro-electric project has reduced the flow of the once awe-inspiring falls to a fraction of its earlier volume..

Ethiopia is big - bigger than Kenya and Somalia combined. Internal flights are almost a necessity.

It was clear that officials were not simply going through the motions of security checks at the airports. Ethiopia has enemies.

My principal destination was in the mainly-Christian north.

Gonder, the 17th Century capital of Ethiopia, contains fairy-tale castles decorating a vast royal enclosure.

Gonder is the place to see the Timkat celebrations. Timkat, or Epiphany, commemorates the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan.

Ark of the Covenant

Everybody in Gonder was wearing white, including me.

We took up our vigil in a square in the heart of Gonder known as Piazza, a memory of the four-year occupation of the country by Mussolini's Italy in the 1930s.

Suddenly a small group of young men ran into Piazza, waving long staves and chanting.

More groups appeared. Then a carriage drawn by white horses.

Every Orthodox church in Ethiopia has a replica of the Ark of the Covenant

From below, a brightly painted construction appeared in the midst of a jubilant horde of men and women.

Was this what we had been waiting for?

According to local tradition, when Menelik I returned to Ethiopia he brought a coffer containing the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses.

The coffer was known as the Ark of the Covenant.

The original Ark is said to be in a church in Axum, north of Gonder, but every Orthodox church in Ethiopia has a replica of the original Ark, known as a tabot.

I had been told to look for a cluster of brightly coloured umbrellas in the heart of the procession. Yes, there were the umbrellas.

Beneath them, priests - their faces partly concealed by curtains - carried the sacred tabots on their heads.

By now the noise of chants, sistrums and brass horns was deafening.

Before I could take evasive action, I was being swept down the hill by the joyful crowd.

'Red Terror'

Back at the hotel, I got into conversation with some locals.

I was not surprised to be asked my views on Ethiopia. I was surprised when an attack was launched on British journalists for exaggerating the extent of the 1984 famine.

"Famine occurs somewhere in Ethiopia all the time. But not everywhere at the same time.

"Thanks to foreign reporters, people now think of Ethiopia as the place that has permanent famine."

The speaker paused. "I would rather be dead than thought of as a beggar."

On my last day in Ethiopia, I visited the Red Terror museum in Addis.

Here members of the Derg - the communist military group which ran the country from 1974 until 1987 - are shown committing atrocity after atrocity.

One of the men in Gonder had told me how he remembered hearing gunshots in the streets at night as neighbours were assassinated.

Depressed, I left the museum and crossed Meskal Square, the stage for the Derg's triumphal parades.

Beside the railings on the pavement lay the inert body of a man.

Was he dead? Injured? Or just drugged? Where to get help?

I looked around me. There was the tourist office. I hurried inside. I explained.

The receptionist gave me a faint smile.

"Don't worry. He's just having a sleep. That is very common here. He will soon get up and walk back home."

How to listen to: From Our Own Correspondent

BBC Radio 4: Saturdays, 1130. Second weekly edition on Thursdays, 1100 (some weeks only)

BBC News - Ethiopia's biblical past and the Ark of the Covenant

2011-03-03T13:35:00.001-05:00

According to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption nearly 40% of Americans consider adopting, but only 1% move forward.

If you want to be one of the 1% email me for some encouragement. :) Remember there are 147 million orphans worldwide - 1% isn't cutting it.

Happy Adwa Day

2011-03-03T08:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Adwa Day in which Ethiopia celebrates their victory at the battle of Adwa, when they defeated the aggressing Italian forces.

Ethiopia's military victory over Italy secured it the distinction of being the only African nation to successfully resist European colonialism with a decisive show of force.

9 Months Down - on to 10

2011-02-28T17:48:00.001-05:00

look what happened while we were sailing this weekend!

2011-02-26T22:37:00.001-05:00

“Love to be real, it must cost—it must hurt—it must empty us of self.”
— Mother Teresa

Crafty Valentines Present

2011-02-24T09:52:00.001-05:00

I thought I would share with you a valentines present I made for Bryan a few years ago from a deck of playing cards.

You basically punch the holes in the deck of cards and tape little messages on top of each one like this:

Then you connect them with binder rings or I found I had a couple keychain chains hanging around (you can also buy these as ceiling fan beads. Either way works the same. Bryan loved his and it always makes me laugh to go back and read the things I wrote.

I got the idea from here http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=226651.0

moments with love: clean water.

2011-02-24T08:52:00.002-05:00

My heart was moved by what sixtyfeet shared with us at c2c... here is someone else talking about the same child imprisonment in uganda... grab a tissue and take a read

moments with love: clean water.

2011-02-23T11:54:00.000-05:00

1. Where do you usually have your thermostat set at in the winter?
- I think its at 76 right now but cold not heat - when it was cold we had it set to 68 before it turned on
2. What room do you tend to put off cleaning until last?
- office for sure - but just did a big cleaning on it this week :)
3. Do you like to clean with music on or off?
- music on for sure - preferably david crowder but sometimes just the country station
4. When do you take time to blog?
- lunch break at work
5. How much time do you spend looking at other blogs a week?
- way too much i have about 10 that i read religiously and 100 that i read when I can

Mailed off wedding clothes today... read more...

2011-02-22T10:02:00.000-05:00

http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/2011/02/wanna-kind-of-go-to-africa-with-us.html

Awesome News!

2011-02-21T10:04:00.000-05:00

To curb maternal mortality and reduce the number of deaths after road traffic accidents, which the country is well-known for, Ethiopian Ministry of Health launches this week pre-hospital healthcare program by distributing 51 ambulances to different regions of the country.

handover ceremony of the Ambulances February 17, 2011 Addis Ababa - Phot newbusinessethiopia.com

“By distributing the ambulances we now officially launched the government’s new pre-hospital healthcare program,” said Dr. Abreham Endeshaw, Medical Services Director at the Federal Ministry of Health at the handover ceremony of the ambulances to regional representatives, on Thursday (February 17, 2011) here in Addis Ababa.

http://newbusinessethiopia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=435:ethiopia-launches-pre-hospital-healthcare-program-&catid=27:health&Itemid=52

2011-02-20T14:20:00.000-05:00

"Insecurity stems from a feeling of unworthiness while humility stems from a knowledge of unworthiness." -me

Catherine Hamlin

2011-02-18T08:44:00.001-05:00

I would love to visit the Fistula Hospital when I go...

http://tsehainy.com/4621

In AmharicEmiye is an endearing term for mother: what Dr. Catherine Hamlin represents to those she has touched in Ethiopia and around the four corners of the world.
Like a mother she cares for the poorest daughters of Ethiopia. They are shunned and often think of suicide as an escape from their harrowing state.
They suffer from obstetric fistula- one of the most devastating childbirth injuries- usually caused by several days of obstructed labor. Often, a stillborn is delivered and the woman is left with incontinence.
Although obstetric fistula has been eradicated in the United States for more than 100 years it is still prevalent in developing countries.
For over 50 years Catherine Hamlin has not only been repairing these women from their injuries but she has educated them, loved them, and sent them home in a new dress.

Ohhhhhhhh JT!

2011-02-17T16:11:00.003-05:00

You have some STINKING ADORABLE cousins to play with :) I can't wait

Winner Winner Winner!

2011-02-17T15:59:00.000-05:00

Today I found out I am a winner not a whiner but a winner. I am sure I will be a whiner before long. Well I hope not hehe.

Anyhow - There is an 11 year old girl selling necklaces she makes to buy shoes for kids in africa. This girl is awesome. See the necklace I won above. :) See some other necklaces she makes below:

How very cool. This girl is for sure an awesomekid!

Have I mentioned Meliski has a COURT DATE! Woot

Join us in praying for:

Jen's Embassy date
Our adoption process
Our friends and family health and happiness
The boy in uganda that fits boys medium
Websites I am currently working on
More potential web development clients
Friends' adoption processes
My fear of flying
Our son, John Todd and his health heart and biological family especially his birthmom
Family member's chemo treatments
Family member's broken heart

Tofu Tibs

2011-02-15T15:31:00.002-05:00

For Valentines Day I made habesha food for bryan and I. Above is the tofu tibs - also made misr wot, Akilt alecha, and shiro wot... yummy :)

For my tofu tibs recipe click away

Contrast

2011-02-10T11:29:00.000-05:00

In design - it is very difficult to make something look pleasing to the eye without using contrast.

Would you use a dark blue pen to write on a black piece of paper or a light yellow on a white paper?

But white chalk would do great on a black piece of paper. The contrast between the colors of an object magnifies the true beauty in each one.

What I am trying to say is that I cannot wait to hold JT's little hand in mine and marvel at the beauty in the contrast.

Created For Care Retreat

2011-02-09T15:14:00.000-05:00

I am not sure where to start. This past weekend I went, with two of my biffles, to the C4C retreat in Georgia. Solely spending a weekend with two people so special to me would have been a treat, but to then meet up with 250 other christian women passionate about adoption... man... words can't express..

The retreat took place at Legacy Lodge in Lake Lanier - and man was it beautiful. I will post some more pics later. The rooms were great. The weather was chilly. Everything was just perfect.

We had main sessions where Dr Hillis and some others inspired us on our journeys with scripture and encouragement. We had breakout sessions where we learned specific and practical things. We also had fun sessions like African haircare and photography. And then there was the date with God.

I feel encouraged. I feel supported. I feel prepared and knowledgeable. I feel relaxed. I feel built up in every way. The weekend was exhausting - it seemed like gogogo all day - but all along we kept telling each other how amazing it was and how God was there through all of it with us. I absolutely adore some of the people I met, and some of the people who taught us. The sporadic little ones scurrying around brought a smile to my face thinking of the future. God taught me so much during my date with God that I believe has the power to change my life. More on that on my shutup blog later though...

I can't believe how well this retreat went considering how affordable it was and that this was their first time. Kudos to Andrea who let this event - and managed to tear up and make us tear up every time she got near the microphone. As I keep telling people who ask - it was a weekend of 250 amazing women and when we werent laughing we were crying and when we werent crying we were laughing.

Created For Care Retreat Photos

2011-02-09T09:40:00.002-05:00

Since I can't find the words yet - here are some pics....

got to see my nieces for lunch

2011-02-08T13:51:00.001-05:00

missed them

BFAS Loses License

2011-02-08T10:23:00.001-05:00

I have to say though I feel bad for the people using this agency who are now in a bad situation because of this agency's mistakes - I am happy for the Ethiopian Adoption System's accomplishments. Because the less agencies like this operating there - the less tragic scenarios will unfold for the children of ethiopia and the adoption system in general. If they continue to weed the bad ones out it will bode well for children who have a genuine need and agencies that are working to come alongside MOWA and bring resolutions rather than problems.

From adoption.state.gov:

February 8, 2011

On December 9, 2010, the Government of Ethiopia revoked the Better Futures Adoption Services’ registration to operate in Ethiopia because of the organization’s misuse of its license in activities concerning the welfare of children.

The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends that prospective adoptive parents who have entered into an agreement with Better Futures Adoption Services, or who are planning to adopt through Better Futures Adoption Services, seek the advice of a legal professional.

The Embassy's Adoptions Unit can be reached at consadoptionaddis@state.gov.

Please continue to monitor http://adoption.state.gov/ for updated information as it becomes available.

2011-02-08T09:23:00.001-05:00

Catching up on things - look for a blog tonight on the created for care retreat.

Can't Sleep

2011-02-06T01:14:00.000-05:00

At the retreat. Been up since early. Go go go all day. Exhausted. But I can't sleep. Absorbed so much today. Words arent ready to explain it. But the Lord is good. This weekend is incredible. And as I listen to my biffles snoring in the bed next to me (despite bringing earplugs due to my supposed crazy loud snoring) I feel so blessed to have such amazing friends in my life. I take that back. Anna just woke up and turned off the light I was using to see my keyboard. Oh well - I guess I still feel blessed. I pretty much don't look at the keyboard anyhow.

If they do this again next year - I highly highly recommend it. And so many awesome things going on that I can't wait to share about. Orgs like 60feet, 147mo, intothestreets.... oh just wait... the best part will probably be on shutupinmybones before monday - for you guessed it - mem box monday.

The Weekend I Have Been Waiting For!!!

2011-02-03T16:13:00.000-05:00

I am sooo excited to spend the weekend with my besties. I have been waiting a while for this. Its going to be so much fun. But its also the first time I have been away from Bryan since weve been married, which makes me sad. I am sure there will be some txting and facetime but it will also be good practice for when Bry goes for the second trip.

This can't hurt :)

2011-02-01T08:55:00.002-05:00

APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) The United States government on Monday opened the APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) The United States government on Monday opened the largest of its embassies in sub-Saharan Africa in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, a hub for diplomatic activities in Africa.

The new embassy was officially opened in the presence of the visiting US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, as well as Ethiopian and African Union (AU) Commission officials.

“The official ribbon cutting ceremony marks the end of a two and a half year building project that added approximately $16 million to the Ethiopian economy and employs in excess of 1,200 Ethiopian workers,” said the embassy.

The new building consolidates in one facility the US embassy to Ethiopia and the US Mission to the African Union.

The US embassy to Ethiopia now has all resident US government agencies under one roof. Previously, US government agencies operated in separate buildings and in four different locations around the city of Addis Ababa.

“The location of these agencies into the new building will enhance daily coordination on various diplomatic and development activities in Ethiopia,” said the embassy.

The building, currently the largest US chancery in Sub-Saharan Africa, employs the latest green technology and includes architectural features drawing on Ethiopian historical styles,” said the embassy.

The building is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified facility with energy efficient design employed throughout.

The exterior design subtly incorporates stone features from Ethiopian architectural monuments in Axum and Lalibela.

The US ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald Booth affirmed that the building “is a symbol of the cooperation and friendship that the United States enjoys with this extraordinary country.”

“This new state-of-the-art chancery building will better serve the US Mission in Ethiopia and support the continuation of productive and strong relations with Ethiopia and the African Union in the years to come,” added the ambassador.

http://nazret.com/blog/index.php/2011/01/31/ethiopia-us-opens-largest-embassy-in-sub-saharan-africa-in-addis-ababa, 01/31/11

–

United States Dedicates New Embassy Compound in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Media Note

Washington, DC

In an important symbol of America’s commitment to an enduring friendship with Ethiopia, as well as our bilateral relationships with the Government of Ethiopia and the African Union, Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg dedicated the new U.S. Embassy facility in Ethiopia today. Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and African Union Deputy Chairman Erastus Mwencha attended the ribbon cutting ceremony, as well as Deputy Director of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, Lydia Muniz; U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald E. Booth; and U.S. Ambassador to the African Union, Michael E. Battle.

The dedication of the New Embassy Compound (NEC) in Addis Ababa marks the 77th diplomatic facility to be completed by the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) since the 1999 enactment of the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act. In the last twelve years, OBO has moved more than 22,000 people into safer facilities. OBO has built 30 new facilities in Africa and has an additional seven projects in design or construction on the continent.

The New Embassy Compound, located just below Entoto Mountain and overlooking Addis Ababa, was designed to maintain much of the plant and wildlife that has existed on the site for many years. The building design integrates green building techniques and was one of the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) registered facilities in Ethiopia.

The multi-building complex provides more than approximately 1,000 U.S. embassy direct hire and locally employed staff, including the U.S. Mission to the African Union, with more than 19,000 square meters of working space.

B.L. Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama, under a design/build contract, constructed the NEC; the architectural firm of Page Southerland Page of Arlington, Virginia designed the facility. The total approximate cost of the project, which generated jobs in both the United States and Ethiopia, is $157 million. The new facility was completed in August 2010, with, at times, more than 1,200 workers involved in the construction.

For further information, please contact Christine Foushee at FousheeCT@state.gov

or (703) 875-5751.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/01/155654.htm, January 31, 2011

http://www.turkishforum.com.tr/en/content/2011/02/01/ethiopia-us-opens-largest-embassy-in-sub-saharan-africa-in-addis-ababa/

8 Months!

2011-01-29T10:32:00.000-05:00

and here is what I hadn't gotten around to sharing earlier this week...

heres to month 9 :)

I was at my sister's last night and she sent me home with a slew of baby things that Paisley had just grown out of, including a car seat woot! She said it may all be too small for JT when he comes home, but based on how tiny they come over who knows. Either way they are all nice additions to JT's empty room. :)

I think I am just at that place somewhere in the middle where you lose that initial excitement and start to feel like its such a long road it might never happen. So things like this that remind me of our goal is always a little burst of joy. And hey we could always go get our shots if we need another pickmeup. :)

New Species of Wolf found in Ethiopia

2011-01-28T12:02:00.000-05:00

During a field expedition to Ethiopia, a team of scientists noticed something odd: The golden jackals there looked more slender with a whiter coat than they do elsewhere. Now, genetic analyses suggest these oddities are not jackals at all but instead more closely related to gray wolves.

In fact, until now these "highland jackals" were referred to as Egyptian jackals (Canis aureus lupaster), and had long been considered a rare subspecies to the golden jackal (C. aureus).

With new genetic evidence in hand, the team suggested the animal be called the African wolf to reflect its true identity.

"It seems as if the Egyptian jackal is urgently set for a name change," said study researcher Claudio Sillero of Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU). "And its unique status as the only member of the gray wolf complex in Africasuggests that it should be re-named 'the African wolf,’" said Sillero, who has worked in Ethiopia for more than two decades.

(The gray wolf population extends to the Sinai Peninsula but doesn't exist on mainland Africa.)

Look-alikes

"We originally set out to study the jackals in Northern Ethiopia, and discovered this new species by chance through the genetic analyses," said study team member Nils Christian Stenseth, a research professor and chairman of the Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis at the University of Oslo in Norway.

Stenseth, Sillero and their colleagues, including scientists from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, analyzed the DNA from the feces of five individuals of the mysterious animal, one of which they had filmed defecating so they could link for certain this creature with its DNA sample. They got another tissue sample, for DNA analysis, from a road kill in Arsi in southeast Ethiopia. And DNA samples were also obtained from golden jackals in Serbia.

The DNA comparisons showed C. a. lupaster is more similar to the gray wolves than to golden jackals.

The work also suggested gray wolves reached Africa around 3 million years ago before spreading throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

"Our findings suggest that the colonization of Africa by the ancestral stock of gray wolves took place about 3 million years ago and is today embodied in the animal that has hitherto been called the Egyptian jackal," Stenseth told LiveScience.

The new wolf is a relative of the Holarctic gray wolf, which lives in northern Europe and northern Asia, the Indian wolf and the Himalayan wolf.

African fauna

The findings add to our knowledge about the so-called Afroalpine fauna, an assemblage of species with African and Eurasian ancestry that evolved in the relative isolation of the highlands of the Horn of Africa.

"A wolf in Africa is not only important conservation news, but raises fascinating biological questions about how the new African wolf evolved and lived alongside not only the real golden jackals but also the vanishingly rare Ethiopian wolf, which is a very different species with which the new discovery should not be confused," said study team member David Macdonald, director of Oxford University's WildCRU.

Rare Ethiopian wolves split off from the gray wolves even earlier than the newly discovered African wolf.

http://www.livescience.com/animals/new-african-wolf-species-discovered-110128.html

One Step Forward - Two Steps Back

2011-01-27T09:36:00.000-05:00

Why does it feel that every time you make progress on something you get thrown back twice what you progressed?

I think sometimes the Lord wants to give us a glimpse of what he has planned for us but then either we put more space between us and that goal or outside forces do. But just because it seems more and more impossible doesn't mean that it is any more difficult for the creator of the universes to accomplish for us. It just makes it all the more splendid when He does.

On another note - do you see what today is? If not I will show you later ;)

How to be an encouragement to the hands and feet!

2011-01-21T10:27:00.001-05:00

Read this exerpt and then click this link and post a comment

You know that T.V. show where the British Nanny woman comes to peoples houses and helps them get their kids in order… I am starting to think that the house moms that we have here at the orphanage should start their own show. In the past few weeks they have potty trained 4 kids under the age of 2! No, that is not a typo either! They are the true heroes of Drawn From Water, they change the diapers, hold the kids at night when they cry and do everything they can to equip these kids for the future ahead of them. Today I want us all to do something special for the house moms and other wonderful people who work with us here to make these kids lives the best they can be. But we are going to need your help….

There are 16 women in all who work directly with the kids in some way, some are dish washers, some do laundry and others are house moms, but each in their own way have given their all to these kids. Today we want to do everything we can to honor them and let them know just how much their sacrifice means to us.

So here is what you can do to let these wonderful people know how much we all appreciate them and that we are praying for them. Its simple really, all you need to do is post a comment below, we are then going to go and get the comments translated into Amharic and printed out for them to read, we will be presenting it all to them with some small gifts that we brought back with us from America.

We think that just knowing that there are so many people out there who know of the sacrifices they make every day will mean so much to these women who give tirelessly to raise these kids.

What do you think, can you help us show some love today? The more the better!

Levi

Tears of Relief!

2011-01-21T10:19:00.001-05:00

As if this week wasn't already awesome enough!

A Place Called Simplicity: Tears of Relief!

Blog Slacker

2011-01-21T08:57:00.002-05:00

Yes I have been slacking - just really busy on some websites - after this weekend I should be caught up a little more. :)

In the News

2011-01-18T08:36:00.000-05:00

Africa rebounds from global economic crisis

Addis Ababa - Africa's economy expanded by 4.7 per cent in 2010 and is expected to maintain similar growth over the next two years, according to a United Nations report released Tuesday.

The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2011 report, released officially in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, predicted Africa would post growth of 5 per cent this year and 5.1 per cent next year, although it warned Africa would still see some pain from the ongoing global recession.

Ethiopia hosts 16th Ordinary Session of African Union leaders

The 16th Ordinary Summit of the African Union meets to talk about Shared Values and the host of pressing problems on the continent. These include Somali Islamist rebels, the contested presidency of Ivory Coast and the aftermath of the independence vote in the south of Sudan. The rebels sent a bloody message to the bloc during the World Cup -- bomb attacks in Kampala that killed 76 people.

William From Lifesong

2011-01-14T15:22:00.002-05:00

William from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

Six year-old William once asked his mother, “Why do other children walk on the bottoms of their feet? Why am I like this? What did you do to me?” When she told him that it was God who did it, not her, William said, “Then please tell God to fix me.”
William was born with clubfoot, affecting both of his feet. If William had been born in America this common deformity would have been easily fixed when he was still a baby. But in Zambia it’s a different story. In Zambia, where the resources are few and the funds are even fewer, healing is only a distant dream.

Last February Lifesong Zambia coordinator, Dru Smith wrote about William in her newsletter. When Wendy in Illinois heard his story she was prompted to act. After a thorough investigation she discovered CURE Clubfoot International, which had a clinic in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia! In April William was fitted for casts (first in a series of 3) and then had corrective surgery on his right foot in June and his left foot in September (the video was taken in September just before his second surgery).
God used His people to “fix” William. Today William can walk! Soon he will be strong enough to return to school, play with the other children, and be able to do many of the simple tasks we take for granted!

Through this journey the Lifesong staff has been able to help not only William, but his family as well. William’s brother, Bright, and cousin, Gift, have both been enrolled at Lifesong school. In addition his father, Victor, who was unemployeed now works in the Lifesong gardens! We’re so thankful our God is the master at doing “abundantly and immeasurably more” than we even think to ask!

*Find out more about Blogging for Orphans here.

Drawn From Water Update

2011-01-11T21:26:00.001-05:00

Its been a little while since I gave you a DFW Update! So here goes...

Its Christmas!!! Which is great news to add to the fact that they just rescued another newborn (Eyenu) bringing the total to 6 newborns saved from infanticide. Especially if you are one of the ones who sponsored their Christmas presents for the kids take a look at the pictures of them receiving their presents:
http://wherearethelesters.com/Where_Are_The_Lesters/Melissas_Blog/Entries/2011/1/8_We_made_it!.html

There is no me without you!

2011-01-11T09:44:00.005-05:00

For Christmas my mother in law bought me a kindle. We had gone on a road trip for Thanksgiving and while she read on her kindle I was reading books on my iphone. She kept offering me to use her kindle but I didn't want to impose - plus I was really enjoying the book that I was reading (The Help). She was concerned for my eyes to be reading on such a small device but I was ok and didn't realize the benefit yet of the kindle. So I continued to read with my iphone and managed to finish the book on that trip.

Needless to say when I opened my kindle on Christmas morning I was shocked. I had never even thought of getting one because of the price but it was such a nice gift and I was excited to start reading it. Now I have to say - when I was a child I was a major book worm. My parents limited the television we were allowed to watch, and actually I don't really remember watching much tv at all until I was a preteen. We were also not allowed to have video game systems (at the time Atari and the first Nintendo were popular. My mom encouraged us to go ride bikes, play outside, read, and be creative. At the time I was partly annoyed and would rejoice when I would see a video game at a friends house. But I have to say that I enjoyed a very rich childhood compared to many kids these days who are parked in front of the tube.

Anyhow - I was the kid hiding under my blanket reading at night. I was the kid straining to get moonlight through the window of my room to strain my eyes and see the page after my mom turned out the lights for the night. And yes - I was on occasional caught with a flashlight under the blanket. When we lived on the boat I would go through books like they were ice cream. We had a book shelf downstairs in the main salon and when we stopped at the more populated islands we would look for a book store and stock up. So I would say that as a child I was obsessed with reading. As an adult I have grown lazy. Why read when you can watch tv/movies/read stuff online. It just always seemed too much work to find a book to read and then invest the time to read it.

However, over the past year of this adoption journey, reading blogs, reading adoption materials, etc, my passion for reading has once again been sparked. My sister recommended the book The Help and I had downloaded it to my iphone and read it as hungry for a story as my dog is for scratches behind the ears. LOL. (yes im in a goofy mood today). And then ENTER STAGE RIGHT this beautiful wifi+3G kindle! woot!

Since I got the kindle I have read "Choosing to See" by Mary Beth Chapman and as of yesterday completed There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Her Country's Children.

I wanted to recommend for you to read There is no Me Without You because I felt like after reading the book I was much more aware of the culture and orphan epidemic in Ethiopia. The book starts off with the story of a woman named Haregewoin Wolde who loses some close family members in a short period of time. Her grief kills the person who she is but she trades her old life for the life of a humanitarian. She inadvertently opens a foster home and becomes one of the few safe havens for orphans hiv+ and hiv-. The book explains much about the hows and whys of the AIDs crisis in Ethiopia but also follows the story of Miss Wolde and many of the orphans who came into her care. It is not only informative but a very interesting read.

And of course I would recommend you to grab a kindle to read it. The cool thing about the kindle compared to other ereaders is there is no backlit screen. while this may seem a disadvantage because you need a light to read in the dark - but the backlit screens create eye fatigue which is why your eyes often get tired faster on a computer screen/iphone/ipad etc than on a regular book or the kindle. I am digging mine and am very thankful to cindy for my christmas present. My love for reading has been rekindled...

Runner Updates

2011-01-10T15:44:00.001-05:00

On The Ground

Habesha Food

2011-01-07T15:00:00.000-05:00

So after my first experiment with making habesha food I hadn't done it much since due to my lack of injera. After talking a friend (Shoutout Jen) who was having trouble getting some ordered I decided to run down to Queen of Sheba and pick some up. So New Years day Bry, Mominlove, and I drove downtown and picked up a pile of injera and brought it home. I made it on Wednesday night after stealing my berbere back from my sister. I also made up some habesha style tofu and spinach. See my recipes here:

Baby Steps: Merry Christmas in Ethiopia

2011-01-07T10:46:00.001-05:00

Baby Steps: Merry Christmas in Ethiopia

Adoption Ruined My “Life” | My Crazy Adoption

2011-01-07T10:09:00.001-05:00

Check out this awesome post about an Ethiopian Adoption!

Guest Blogger – Adoption Ruined My “Life” | My Crazy Adoption

"So, rewind 4 years. My wife Christy and I were living a good life in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We were pastoring a church that we had planted 5 years prior and things were very good. We loved where we were living, enjoyed what we were doing and were very content. We had 3 biological children, all of whom were adorable kids, 2 cats and a Golden Retriever living in a century old farmhouse surrounded by farms, countryside and could watch incredible sunsets out our kitchen window. Things were very good.

Christy and I had talked about international adoption from time to time through the years, however I kept dragging my feet. I wanted it to be the right timing for us to start the process. Then on the night before Thanksgiving 2006, I broke the news to Christy – “I think it is time for us to start the adoption process.” That night we stayed up half the night researching countries and agencies and trying to figure out where to start. It took us awhile to find the right country for us and the right agency, but by May 2007 we had submitted out application and our full dossier that September and the wait began. Like most adoptive parents we were so excited. What an intense time full of ups and downs as we waited for that referral call!
While we were waiting, we sensed God starting to stir within us a transition coming. We stared to feel like our time in Lancaster was coming to a close and that within the next couple of years we would be moving from the area to do something different. Our plan was to move to Philadelphia and plant another church…but as many times can be the case, it seemed that God had other plans.

In May 2008 we got the call with a referral for beautiful little 5 month old Hanna Tessema from Southern Ethiopia......"

Storing Up Treasures: Promoting YOU

2011-01-06T08:34:00.001-05:00

One of the blogs I read is starting up a new bloggy linkup called Blogs of Note. Check it out - and be sure to read some of her parenting articles.

Storing Up Treasures: Promoting YOU: "
"

Drawn From Water Update

2011-01-05T15:18:00.001-05:00

Sacramento couple fights Ethiopian tribal child killings | News10.net | Sacramento, California | News

Friends of Ethiopia::: L.A.'s Ethiopians hold a fundraiser to aid the ill Seifu Makonnen

2011-01-05T08:18:00.001-05:00

Friends of Ethiopia::: L.A.'s Ethiopians hold a fundraiser to aid the ill Seifu Makonnen

Ethiopia lives in L.A. hearts
L.A.'s Ethiopians hold a fundraiser to aid the ill Seifu Makonnen, a former Olympic boxer. Such events are common in a community that believes 'when our brother needs us, we are here to help.'
January 03, 2011|By Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times

Fassil Abebe drives in rush-hour traffic to a bustling stretch of Fairfax Avenue, where the smells of cumin and roasting coffee carry down the street. With handshakes and cries of "Salaam!" he greets a dozen men and women who have gathered in the back room of a friend's restaurant to organize a fundraiser for Seifu Makonnen, a fellow Ethiopian immigrant who is ill.

Nearly every month in Los Angeles, Ethiopians host a benefit like this one. Last year, at events for two compatriots with cancer, Abebe's group raised more than $55,000.
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It's not as if they have time or money to spare. Many Ethiopians here work as taxicab drivers or parking attendants, and most send large remittances to relatives back home. But they give because they know that if ever they need help, they will get it. They give because this is a community that takes care of its own.

You can see it at the home of a family that has just lost a loved one, where friends arrive for days of mourning, each with food, drinks or an envelope of money. You can see it at the hospital, where it's not uncommon for an Ethiopian patient to receive 300 visitors a day.

It's a way of life they learned at home, and it helps keeps them connected here.

"In Ethiopia when someone is sick, the whole town brings food," Abebe said. "When someone is having a wedding for his daughter, he doesn't do it alone. We believe we are our brother's keeper, so when our brother needs us, we are here to help."

Seeking asylum

Makonnen was once one of the most feared boxers in East Africa. A heavyweight with a fierce punch, he was called Tibo, Amharic for "knockout."

He has a clutch of gold medals from various victories across the world and a tattoo on his right shoulder of five interlocked rings — a reminder of when he represented Ethiopia at the 1972 summer Olympics in Munich.

But he hit his peak just as a hard-line military junta swept into power in his country, after the 1974 ousting of Emperor Haile Selassie I.

The communist regime put him in jail for several months. Later he was sent to train in Cuba. On a layover in Montreal on the way back to Ethiopia, he slipped a letter to airport police seeking political asylum.

He moved to Los Angeles with refugee status in 1978 and gave up boxing for another fight.

When Makonnen arrived in L.A., there were no Ethiopian restaurants or churches.

"Back then, everybody was on his own," he said.

Run Across Ethiopia - to raise funds and awareness for ethiopian education

2011-01-04T14:11:00.001-05:00

http://www.onthegroundglobal.org/On_The_Ground/Run_Across_Ethiopia.html
http://twitter.com/runacrsethiopia
http://www.facebook.com/runacrossethiopia

A 400km ultramarathon to raise funds and awareness for Ethiopian education. The timer above is counting down the days, hours, and minutes until we kick off the run in Addis Ababa on January 8th, 2011.

More than 600 years ago, merchants trekked through the mountains and valleys of Ethiopia to export the world’s first cultivated coffee beans—thus beginning what has since become a multi-billion dollar industry. But in modern-day Ethiopia, despite the country’s coffee exports accounting for nearly 60 percent of the national GDP, many coffee farmers and their families live in dire poverty. Education, health care, and access to water are all very limited. In the Yirgacheffe region, where some of the world’s most unique and sought-after coffees originate, little more than half the region’s children complete primary school. The adult literacy rate is 36 percent. Life expectancy is 53 years.

But at the Ethiopian fair trade coffee cooperative of Negele Gorbitu, in the town of Afursa Waro, coffee farmers are taking their future into their own hands. They’ve used the premiums from the sale of their fair trade and organic coffee beans to build a health clinic and primary school. These were big steps, but they’re still not enough: the primary school is already overfilled with students and understocked with school supplies. Access to water and nutrition are minimal, at best.

For these reasons, the Run Across Ethiopia was formed. Starting on January 8, 2011 and spanning 12 days, a small group of runners will run 400 kilometers across Southern Ethiopia as part of a campaign to generate awareness and funding for education. The Run Across Ethiopia aims to raise $100,000 for Ethiopian education projects, including the construction of schools in other coffee-growing communities. Funds will be used to support the work of the Tesfa Foundation and the Oromia Cooperative Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU), a union of 129 fair trade coffee cooperatives that, together, represent some 800,000 families.

The evening before the marathon begins, runners will participate in a press conference and dinner hosted by the OCFCU. In attendance will be some of the most elite Ethiopian marathon runners in the world. Starting out from the capital city of Addis Ababa, the runners will drop into the lush and ecologically diverse Great Rift Valley. The run will then climb back into the Ethiopian Highlands and finish near the town of Yirgacheffe. There, residents of Afursa Waro and representatives from OCFCU will meet the runners and run the last 10 km with them through the countryside to the community of Afursa Waro, home to the Negele Gorbitu coffee cooperative and OCFCU member.

The run will end with a large community-wide celebration for the great work that fair trade premiums already have done to bring education here, and also for the ultramarathon fundraising to make completed education systems in these rural villages a reality.

Happy New Years

2011-01-02T12:17:00.000-05:00

In proper New Years form we burnt our christmas tree on the bonfire on Friday night. :) Happy New Years from our family to yours!

7 Months!

2010-12-27T08:42:00.002-05:00

Africa Review - 2,500 Ethiopian Jews begin hunger strike

2010-12-27T08:23:00.003-05:00

"Some 2,500 Ethiopian Jews have gone on a hunger strike to force the Israeli Government to repatriate them to their dreamland.

They say their continued stay in Ethiopia was subjecting them to untold suffering.
The Ethiopian Jewish community coordinators told the Africa Review that their members' living conditions were inhumane and many had died due to communicable diseases.

One of the hunger strike cooordinators, Mr Tadesse Arefeayne, said the Israeli Government had ignored their repeated pleas after they moved to Addis Ababa from their homeland in northern Ethiopia Gondar, 700km from Addis.

Some 6,000 Ethiopian Jews (Felasha- Mura’s) have spent nearly one decade near the Israeli embassy in Addis Ababa, hoping to benefit from easy travel arrangements promised by Jerusalem.
“After sleeping in the streets and suffering from hunger for decades, they told us go back to your home,” Mr Tadesse said."

Africa Review - 2,500 Ethiopian Jews begin hunger strike

Family

2010-12-22T08:39:00.000-05:00

At youth group this past Sunday one of our middle schoolers (love you kt) drew me a picture of our family while doodling. It made me smile so I share with you. Notice JT's large head - I guess thats from the malnourishment.Well if theres one thing my family knows how to do it is to feed the heck out of a kid. Well get him nourished in no time. :)

Last night while Bry and I prayed for JT - I thought about the numbers. In all likelihood JT is at least at the end of his first trimester right now. His heart, arms, and legs should be completing their formation. Join us in praying for his arms, legs, and heart to grow strong and firm in spite of the nourishment they may or may not be receiving right now. Let that heart prepare itself for the many days of JT's life. And to be loved beyond comprehension.

Bryan is blogging!

2010-12-21T14:18:00.000-05:00

Holy tarnation! bryan is blogging! take a peek at his blog :)

Things that Matter to me

Horray! | Drawn From Water

2010-12-21T13:44:00.001-05:00

We landed back in California late last night and made our way back here to our kids. Thankfully the flight went well and we were not stuck anywhere with all the crazy rains going on.
But get this! I checked my email this morning and Yabi our guy back in Ethiopia who is holding down the fort while we are away said that yet another newborn baby is being rescued as we speak! He is getting in a car and heading out to the small village where this baby was born in the past few days and will hopefully be rescuing another one! I will keep you posted, but in the mean time please be praying that everything goes well, rescues in the villages are never easy and do not always go as planned. Please pray that the elders do not decide to kill the child before the car arrives.
We are getting flooded with babies, its becoming clear that we need to expand our efforts and open more children’s homes as soon as we get back home.
Levi

Horray! | Drawn From Water

Blog Recommendation

2010-12-21T11:56:00.001-05:00

My friend Laura just commissioned into the greatest air force in the world. And she is BLOGGING! Yay! Go check out her blog - and i bet we have some interesting stories to follow over the next year.

Watch Out World!: Stories of a new Lieutenant