happy birthday to me

I turned 24 while we were in NY. It was a fantastic birthday! 


I chose dinner based on TripAdvisor.com's reccomendations for a good steak. If you remember from last year, my dinner choice turned out NOT to be a good one! But this year it was much better! We had a nice, quiet expensive, candlelit meal!

We also went to the 9/11 Tribute Museum, Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, got dessert at TGI Friday's. You can see most of that on my NYC trip post.

I feel so blessed to have another birthday and to have shared it with my sweet husband. :)

our journey to Uganda

Well... in the last month, Chris and I have traveled to Uganda and back...as most of you know. I've sat down many times to blog about it, but just felt like I didn't have to right words. So many emotions were involved in this trip, so many hugs, so many faces will forever be etched in my heart. How in the world do I portray my feelings into this little blog?? My husband is the one who is great with words and writing, not ME! But here I am. We've been back 3 weeks and now I will attempt to show you our journey to Uganda.


Chris did most of the blog while we were gone, so you can hear his thoughts and his heart at PCM's blog. So as I spend the next 2 weeks recapping our trip, I'll link to the specific PCM blog posts.


So here we go...
Stay tuned!

This will be the first of several videos. The way these children worship is incredible. This is them singing for us right before we had to leave to come home. 


/////update//////
Here are my posts from our time in Uganda
Ibanda
Rwemikoma
Mbarara
more!
saying goodbye

eat your own food!

As I was reading The Blessed Life by Robert Morris a few days ago and came to a part I thought I should share. Please tell me someone else can relate to this!


The book is about being obedient to God with your money. This particular chapter was about our selfish hearts; how selfishness is deeply rooted in each of us. He takes a lighthearted look at it and says that this explains why a woman assumes her man will be more than happy to share his food.


This dynamic plays out thousands of times each day in fast-food drive-throughs across this great land of ours.


A husband and wife drive up to the menu speaker and hear, "Welcome to Burger Circus. May I take your order?" The husband leans out the window and, talking quite a bit louder than necessary, says, "Yeah, I'd like a double cheeseburger and some french fries and a coke."


He then turns to his wife and asks, "What would you like dear?" And what does she say? "Oh, I don't want anything. I'll just have some of yours." Some of mine, the man thinks. Doesn't she understand that "mine is...well...mine? I ordered the amount of food that I wanted to eat!


Of course, the man doesn't actually say any of this. Instead he says sweetly, "Honey, if you want something, I'll order it for you. If you want some fries, I'll get you some fries." "No, no," she says, "I'm not really hungry." Of course, the husband knows that at least half of his fries are as good as gone.


That is US. Chris and I have totally had THIS conversation! But usually, when I think I'm not hungry and say I'm going to eat some of Chris', after we get our food my stomach gets very hungry for whatever it is he ordered! Sometimes Chris will order things he knows I don't like just so he knows he'll actually get to eat. Smart man. :)

almost time

Only 25 hours before we board the plane headed to Uganda!!

Well, if we're being technical, the first plane we're boarding will be headed to London. But after our layover there, we'll be headed to Uganda!

Chris will be helping out with Parental Care's blog while we are there. If you want to know what's going on, you can sign up on the website. Just scroll all the way down and enter your email address. 

Here are a few pictures of children that need sponsors. A $35/month or an annual donation of $420 can provide your child with school supplies, teacher's salary, uniform, security and food. 

I just can't wait to love on them and hug their necks.

And will get Chris to constantly remind me that we can't sponsor all of them! 

date night

Chris and I had a date night tonight!

Dinner was at a new place tonight. We tried out Shipwreck Grill and it was delicious!

 And then we went and saw Kung Fu Panda 2. It was so cute!! We both loved the first one too. Our favorite quote? "Skadoosh!!!"

We ran a few errands and got some new gum at the checkout at Hobby Lobby. It was really yummy! (Darn those checkout candy/gum displays. They always know just what I need want.)

And we got to come home to this adorable puppy! 

He's almost two, so I guess he's not a true puppy any more. 

But I think he still has far too much energy to be graduated to a "dog."

Uganda

Only 18 more days until we leave for Uganda and I get to love on these kids!!!

This is Abia. I know you've already met her. But I thought she deserved to be seen again. :)

She is wearing the movie star sunglasses we sent her. I love the first picture of her and the kids she shared her glasses with! (She's on the far left.)

And below is the most recent picture we got from the team that is on the ground in Uganda now. I can't wait to hug her!

We have raised about 95% of what we need for the trip. We have been very blessed by people giving, buying shirts and signs and thank each of you so much! BUT, we still have $400 more to raise. So if you would like to give, please leave me a comment! It can be tax-deductible if you would like.

We got a very brief itinerary of what we'll be doing while we are in Uganda. (I know most of you don't care about our schedule, but I know our moms will!)

June 22 Fly out of Texas

June 23 arrive in London/ layover/ leave London

June 24 arrive in Entebbe/ drive to Mbarara/ visit churches on the way

June 25 time at school/ go to new land/ building projects

June 26 church/ time with kids/ church fellowship

June 27 drive to Rwemikoma/ building projects

June 28 drive to Ibanda/ building projects

June 29 time at school/ building projects/ Texas night

June 30 wildlife reserve/ drive to Entebbe/ spend the night in Entebbe

July 1 leave Uganda

ITEMS NEEDED

Here are the items we are collecting for our team to take with us:

• tooth brush holders
• bar soap and plastic soap holders
• black shoe polish
• snacks - single serving; individually wrapped (animal crackers, cheez-its, goldfish, etc.)
• 1 liter plastic water containers for Rwemikoma
• travel size Bibles (OT/NT; NKJV or NIV)

Items we are able to collect by June 16th will go on our June trip. Items received after that date will be kept for future PCM trips. You can email me or comment for more information on donating!

Only 18 more days! I pray that God will continue to prepare our hearts for what he is going to do while we are there. Honestly I'm kind of nervous. Mostly because I like to think I know what to expect, but I have a feeling it's going to be very different than my experience in Kenya.

Nervous because I am terrified of speaking in front of large groups of people. (such a contrast from my public-speaking-teaching-communication-degree husband!) I have no idea if we will have to or not.

Nervous that the Lord is going to stretch me. Far. [Just being real]

Nervous that I'm not going to come home the same person.

(Also nervous that I might kidnap an African child!)

Chris and I are going to lead worship at least one night with the children. And Chris will be doing the blog the majority of the time we are there. And my parents have graciously offered their camera for me to use, so I'll be taking pictures. That is, if Chris gives it up long enough for me to use it!

I'm very excited though. If you would, please pray for us. Pray that the Lord will be very real to us in Uganda and that we will be willing to hear what He has to say and see what He has to show us.