help for haiti...

the earthquake has devastated the poorest nation in the western hemisphere...which also happens to be a special place for our family...haiti.

jerry went to haiti in 1998 with our church (at the time), heritage baptist in pinch, wv...one of the most mission-minded group of people we have ever met. for being a relatively small church, they did so much to help others around the world from belarus to haiti, it was amazing being a part of this amazing group of people for a small (too small really) season of our lives.

they went on a "christmas for haiti" trip and jerry had the joy of spending his birthday down there, serving in an orphanage and various churches and schools. nick, who was 3 at the time, went through his matchbox cars and had his daddy stash a bunch in his suitcase to hand out to children while he was there. and every time i have baked something using vanilla over the past 11 years, haiti comes to mind because of the amazing vanilla that jerry brought back for me on that trip. (i have about 3 tablespoons left...i tell jerry every time i use it that he needs to go back and bring me some more vanilla!) the poverty and lack of fresh water, along with the lady begging jerry to bring her baby to america so he could live (one in eight children die before the age of five in haiti) struck a chord for us, and we have always wanted to go back and get involved...unfortunately, it took this devastating earthquake happening to make it a priority for me, since life and finances have been reasons/excuses not to plan to go...

so how am i helping haiti? first and foremost, i am praying...for the people who are enduring this nightmare, for the people there helping them, and for the people of our country to rally around this situation and do whatever they can to help. i know God will bless our efforts and hears our prayers...so i am praying! (and considering a fast...)

secondly, i am blogging about this because i have seen how many people are donating money just for commenting on their blogs. you can find a good list of donating blogs here

additionally, i am planning a supply drive for needed items listed on agape flight's website. i have approached the principal of the school where i work about getting the children involved in helping, along with imploring my local friends to begin to get involved by helping donate items on their list, or monetary donations to hand to the plow because i know their ministry with Ms. Phyllis Newby is valid and that she will indeed get the money donated to help wherever the need is greatest. check out their site and find more information about this amazing woman.

also, i am going to commit to making a trip down there myself this year. i know i work full-time, have children (one under age 2), and am going to be busy taking my M.Ed. classes, but this is important, and i want to quit saying that i will go "someday"... and if it seems to be the right thing for us to do, whenever the timing might be right, i would like to adopt from haiti also.

so what are you doing? if you don't have an answer, then what are you planning to do? if you still don't have an answer, why not? don't just sit there, do something...if nothing else, go to the blogs and post comments to get others to donate money, but i challenge you to do more!

sleet, snowflakes, and icicles oh my!

woke up this morning to excessively cold temperatures for southern florida...there was snow while i was sleeping, sleet while i was driving, and icicles on the house when i got home from a morning errand. crazy thing is, soccer games were still held! but that's okay because both teams won, so booyah jack frost!!!

thankful thursday

as i took a few minutes to regroup from a busy day, i decided to sit in the front room and look at the christmas tree (yes it's still up) and plugged in the lights. as i sat there, eating a piece of my ghirardelli dark chocolate candy from santa, the ornament below seemed to stand out...



hope... i reflected on the fact that with a new year comes renewed hope in what the future holds, renewed hope in what God will do, and renewed hope in the blessings to come but as yet unknown...



just above the "hope" ornament was this one of santa kneeling at the manger. one of my favorites, because it reminds me that even though we have a lot of fun celebrating santa's visit, st. nicholas was a christ-follower, and we need to keep that as the focus all year long...



i got up and was looking more closely at the tree and reminiscing about different ornaments and their origins and stories of how they were acquired when the next ornament of "peace" struck me. after reflecting on the hope we have, i felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me, so it was fitting that this was the next one that i found. i then went on a mini-quest to find the last of the trio of the set of ornaments, wondering what the third word was, but couldn't remember for the life of me...



when my search concluded, i found "joy". how fitting is that? having confidence in the hope that we have brings about peace. once we have true peace, we can find joy even in the mundane and minute moments life brings.

i'm thankful for the time i was able to reflect and remember these truths...because life gets crazy and drama-filled rather quickly, and being able to look back at that little lesson sure helped keep me grounded during the almost immediate storm of drama that swirled about me just moments later.

20 things to remember...

for the new year, new decade, and life in general...

1. Get to know the real you - your strengths, your weaknesses, your values beliefs, things you hold dear.

2. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.

3. Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time.

4. Be forgiving of yourself and others.

5. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

6. Be generous.

7. Have a grateful heart.

8. Try to always view the glass as half full - not half empty.

9. When sorrow or misfortune strike ask yourself, "Do I want to be bitter or get better?"

10. Persistence, persistence, persistence.

11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.

12. Commit yourself to quality.

13. Happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige but on relationships with people you love and respect.

14. Be honest.

15. Be a self starter.

16. Be decisive even it means you might sometimes be wrong.

17. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.

18. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.

19. Take good care of the ones you love.

20. Treat everyone you meet the way you would like to be treated.

welcome 20-oh-10!!!

welcoming the new year properly...




hubby lighting sparklers for elisa and friends...




elisa and friends barely stopping for a picture...crazy running around commenced shortly!



my "resolution" is to set some attainable goals and work toward reaching them. more info on this to come...