The Adoption Ideal

I'm guest-posting on the MomLife Blog today.

"Idealize (Def: to attribute ideal characteristics to)
Ideal (Def: existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only)
Christmas, Birthdays, Vacations and other special events are prime targets for any idealist. Marriage and motherhood too, especially if you are single and have no kids...."

Want to read more, check it out here...

For my birthday...

... watch this video. It is exciting!!



It is proof that the cycle can be broken.

And even more exciting... there is a piece of land available in Ukraine that Lifesong will buy if they raise enough money. This land will be used to plant strawberries. It will be used to give more orphans a chance to rise above and make something of themselves.

It will allow them to beat the odds.

Odds like 80% of orphans who age out of the system end up dead, doing drugs or in prostitution.

Terrible odds.

BUT, Lifesong is making a difference and YOU can help.

Here's how... for my birthday (which happens to be today) I am asking for presents:

$33 donations to Lifesong (in honor of my 33rd birthday)

Donations that will be invested in the lives of orphans, so we can tell more stories like Sergie and Andre's.

Go here now to give!

Faceless Self Portrait

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 21:  Faceless Self Portrait (almost)

Something Orange

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 19:  Something Orange

I had to make a special purchase for this. I hope you all appreciate the lengths I'm willing to go to keep this challenge, at least in a skip-a-few days kind of way.  "Something Orange" gives me the perfect opportunity to show off my newest Etsy purchase, but in order to properly show it off, I had to purchase a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks to go with it. For the record, also orange.

And since my partner in crime, armed with Puppy, just happened to be wearing his orange coat...

He made it into the post. Lucky him. Lucky me and my pumpkin spice latte wrapped in Etsy cuteness.

Your Shoes

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 18:  Your Shoes

I don't actually have the shoes I'm picturing here today in my possession, although they are on the way. Due to arrive tomorrow in fact. Here they are in all their tiny glory. If you squint and look really close (I couldn't figure out how to make the picture bigger without blurring) you can see why I'm so excited for tomorrow. They are my first pair of Toms.

I am sure you all know what Toms are? If you don't here is the scoop. Toms is a company that gives one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes you purchase. So while I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new pair of shoes, a child somewhere is anxiously awaiting the arrival of their pair new pair of shoes. Pretty cool stuff. 

Which brings me to my next blog topic... Gifts that Give back.

Last year I set myself a goal to give as many gifts as I could that gave back in some way, kind of like giving two gifts at once! My mom got a scentsy warmer that also funded an adoption. My dad received a beautiful piece of artwork (from pitter-patter art) that also funded an adoption. You get the drift.

I'm attempting this again this year and thought I'd share a few links with you if you'd like to do the same. 

Check out these shops:

The Mercy Shoppe - all proceeds go to benefit a maternity home in Kenya

Wild Olive T's - 10% of all profits go to help children in China and Uganda

Toms Shoes - donate one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you buy

Gobena Coffee - 100% of the profits go to support orphans in Ethiopia

Junk Posse - your purchase supports numerous non-profit organizations

Minus One Project - an adoption fundraiser

Hearts at Home - all purchases support the ministry Hearts at Home

These are just a handful, I know there are more. 

If you know of others, please share the links in the comments.

Happy Shopping!!

Technology

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 16:  Technology

Can I reuse a picture from day 13?

Cause I have been loving my iPhone. It, quite frankly, amazes me. 

Today I set my calendar to sync "in the air" through iCloud. If I make a change on my PC Outlook, it shows up on my iPhone. If I make a change on my iPhone a state away from my PC, it shows up in my Outlook within minutes. Woot! Woot!

It's the little things. The mind-blowing little things. Pandora. Skype. Facebook. Words with Friends. ITunes. Google Earth. Take a minute to think on what any one of these little apps can do, especially compared to ten-years-ago technology and it is CRAZY how far we've come so fast. 

Now my kids are growing up taking all these crazy technological advances for granted. I overheard them talking yesterday while playing a game on the computer, 

"Look, Aunt Leslie is on-line. We should skype her." 

Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy. 

Crazy, mind-blowing technology.

Eyes

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 14:  Eyes

She has the most amazing big brown eyes. They are one small part of what makes her beautiful. 

Eyes that all but disappear when she smiles, which just happens to be another small part of what makes her beautiful.

She is the only one in our family with brown eyes. Beautiful brown eyes. I hope she will always see them the way we do. I hope they will never become something that makes her feel different or excluded.

We are all different in our own way. Some ways are more obvious than others. But even more, we are a family, a team, by God's perfect design.

Her beautiful brown eyes add a unique flair to our family and we wouldn't be the same without her.

Yourself with 13 things

Tami's Photography Challenge Day 13, Yourself with 13 Things

That's me with my 13 favorite apps. Except there aren't 13 apps, there are really just a handful. Only one that I downloaded myself last night because I am a fresh, baby-new iPhone user/owner.

The phone isn't baby new. Kory's been using it for the last year, but he just made the upgrade to the 4s and I, lucky me, get his Iphone4. Sweet!

So I'm trying to figure this iPhone thingy out, including all the apps. And since I don't have 13 favorite apps yet, would you mind sharing yours?

What do you consider the must-have or funnest-ever or just-plain-cool apps that every iPhone user should have?

Halloween

Sorry, no sunsets today. I'm taking a break from Tami's Photography Challenge to post yesterday's happenings instead.

We were invaded by a candy-hungry crowd including a pirate, Heidi, a knight, Bob the Builder and Snow White. They were wild. I'm exhausted. And with the loot they brought in we are looking at a three month sugar high at least. 

Or maybe we will donate their loot to the troops, save our teeth and see if we can go longer than a month between dentist visits. Seriously, our dentist has gotten to know me too well over the last 4 months. There has been talk of naming a wing after me, or at least a chair. This is something I'd rather avoid. 

Unfortunately, I don't think Hubs will let me give up the loot that easily. He walked over a mile last night to earn his cut. He has a bucket labeled "Dad's Stash" and has warned us all their will be a penalty for stealing from it. 

As for me, I will spend the next month trying not to eat the candy as well as taking on the responsibility of rationing the sweets, adding the title "Keeper of the Candy" to my already too long list. 

Ah, the Joys of Halloween.

I'm being sarcastic.

Happy November 1st. :)