Beautifully Busy

That could really sum up our life right now, we are Busy! Sometimes I would not put beautifully in front of it, but I want to always think that way of our crazy life. We have jam packed weekends that seem to fly by faster than I can blink. My weeks are full of long work days as I prepare to leave my projects behind for 12 weeks. We have appointments: doctor appointments, dentist appointments, family pictures, hair appointments, vet appointments. We are actually trying to do yard work this year and make our house presentable.Trying to pick up projects that have been sitting half way done.


At times I get stressed out (ok a lot of times) but other times I am thankful for this busy, thankful for my family that requires these appointments, for the job that provides for my family (even though most days I would rather just simply be a mom) for the yard that we have to work in, and for the family and friends that have functions every single minute of every single weekend.

I am trying to remember to use these moments to make memories and to not just get so busy that I don't take them in, sometimes I feel like I'm just barely breathing and keeping my head above water but I try to fight those feelings and look at it as simply "Beautifully Busy".

Here is a recap of our Busy (in pictures)…

 I helped to host a baby shower for a friend that has been doing life with me since middle school. Blessed to be part of her day and can't wait to meet her sweet girl! 

My sister and brother graduated from Purdue, making all 3 of us Purdue Alumni, I was so proud to be there with them and super happy to have them home! 

A sweet moment

I got to celebrate my sweet friend who is getting married to my best guy friend from college, I might have introduced them and secretly hoped they would start dating. I simply love her and little Lydia gets to be their flower girl, not gonna lie I'm a bit nervous but oh so excited for their BIG day!

Call Me Maybe?

I can't help it, this video makes me laugh. I can totally see my little brother doing something like this with his guys and it makes me like it even more. Oh the time these boys have on their hands. Baseball is really exciting people :) Enjoy, Happy Friday!!

Project Sangaalo Baby Cottage, Uganda

I am so excited to share with you the newest project for Voices 4 the Voiceless (V4V). If you follow V4V on Facebook or twitter (@v4vorphancare), you know that our founder Brantley and her husband went on a mission trip with Visiting Orphans to Uganda this spring.

I know Brantley felt there was a true tangible reason why God put her in Uganda this year and she was open to what that plan was, open to hearing what God wanted from her in this place. Luckily for her it came about loud and clear.

V4V would be used in Uganda, used in a real tangible and HUGE way. We would purchase land and build a new facility for the Sangaalo Baby Cottage!

Now, I'm not very well versed or familiar with Sangaalo, I have unfortunately not been able to meet the woman that runs Sangaalo and that has so greatly impacted Brantley and her husband. I have not seen the faces of the babies, held them or loved on them. I hope to in the future, in their new facility that WE (yes we, as in me and YOU) are going to help make a reality.

What is Sangaalo: A home with 3 rooms, tin roof, concrete floors, one room houses the chickens that are sold for rent. In one room there are two bunk beds, this is where the babies sleep at night (there are 9 at this point in time). There is no running water, the babies drink goats milk.

Damalie is the woman who lives at Sangaalo, she has two sitters who help her throughout the day but during the night it is her and the sweet babes. I'm sure it's hard to call them all sweet when you are in charge of 9 babies throughout the evening but she does it!

I wish I knew Damalie personally, she sounds like such a humble woman of God. When asked what they needed, she simply said baby clothes. Seriously, she has two sitters, watches these kids all night long with no running water and just asked for baby clothes.



Picture from Brantley's post about Damalie HERE



This is where we come in, we hope to provide Damlie and the babies of Sangaalo with much more than just baby clothes. We want to purchase land and build a new permanent facility for the children and Damalie. A structure that can act more functionally and provide safety and security.

Are you interested in being a part of this project? Here are a few things you can do to help:

1. PRAY! We are a small volunteer organization just getting off the ground, this provides it's own challenges in many many ways.

2. Donate by visiting HERE. Simply click on “Give a Voice – Donate” and when you enter the amount, you can select one time or monthly, and below that you can scroll down to Sangaalo Baby Cottage. This will also take you to our shop, that has been restocked with fun accessories from Uganda.

3. Follow us and keep up to date on the progress and needs for the Sangaalo Baby Cottage and share it with friends and family.

Blog: http://voices4thevoiceless.blogspot.com/

Facebook

Twitter: @v4vorphancare

Thank you from the bottom of my heart if you read this post and made it this far!! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to get involved in any way.

So. Proud.

Friday night marked a huge milestone and completion in a journey that started when Lydia was only a tiny blip on an ultrasound screen. My husband graduated with his MBA after 2+ years of hard work, 2 nights of class a week, working on projects with his groups on the weekends and studying for exams.
He FINISHED and not only did he finish but he kicked butt and did really really well. I'm so proud of him for sticking with it, (I'm also a little proud of myself for surviving this time as well) but my family of course helped a ton.

Matt, I am so proud of the hard work you put in to better our family's future, to make it brighter and to show our kids one day that they can do anything they want if they just work for it.

Here is to a bright bright future :) We are so proud of you!

A Letter to my 2 Year Old

Lydia,

Today marks two years since your dramatic entry into this world. Two years since you flipped my world upside down and changed me to the depths of my soul. You have no idea at this point in your life just how big an impact your little life has had on those around you.

In two years you have blossomed into a spunky, funny, defiant, independent, beautiful toddler who keeps us on our toes and laughing daily.

I don't know if I will ever stop tearing up on your birthday, if I will ever stop trying to remember just how I felt on the moment you were laid in my arms and outside in this world, my heart walking outside of my body. I hope I don't ever forget those feelings, the ups downs, the tears, ones of joy and frustrations, gratefulness and the intense pride I felt at being your mommy in those first moments.

My hopes and dreams for your 2^nd year:

That you continue to grow and learn everyday

That God prepares your little heart for becoming a Big Sister

That you will always feel safe and secure

That you will learn to stop hitting J

That you continue to learn to communicate with us

That each day is filled with dancing, drums, and singing/humming

That you will learn to go potty on the potty, no more diaper changes

That you will learn to like food

That you will be the happiest little girl on the planet!

I love you so much big girl, I look forward to what this year brings us. You are so special and may you never forget just how special and amazing you are! God has big plans for your life and I hope you will learn to follow him and that you will always know no matter what happens in this life that HE loves you, even more than your daddy and I do.

Happy Birthday, tonight we will have melty yummy Ice Cream J

Love,

    Your mommy

The Big Party

This past Sunday we had Lydia's 2nd Birthday Party. I was so overwhelmed by all those who love our sweet girl and turned up for a couple hours on their weekend to celebrate her, our friends and family sure came out big for our girl.

The theme was Strawberry Shortcake because the girl is obsessed. We had good food, yummy cake, and lots of presents to open. Opening the pile of presents was a bit challenging as the attention span of a 2 year old is very slim but it was so fun to watch her get so excited.

I was afraid she would get shy with all the people there but the only shy moment she had was when we all started singing to her, otherwise she was her typical self- dancing, singing, rolling on the floor, and running through legs and smearing icing all over face so she looked like a crazy joker child.

We had such a great time, what a fantastic party :) We love you Lydia Rose!!

25 Weeks

Hello....25 week bump up there!

- Hips are hurting like crazy by night time, my body didn't get the memo that we aren't actually birthing this babe the traditional way and they could stay put if they wish.

- Craving:  bagels and plain cream cheese, iced coffee (my treat to myself is stopping at Starbucks one morning a week for an iced hazlenut latte and a blueberry muffin), candy, and nacho cheese

- Feeling tons of movement these days I love this part, the flutters have become stronger but they aren't quite to the last few weeks where I flinch and brace myself for the impact. Just fun dance parties going on.

- Nursery progress: room painted, dresser purchased primed and color picked out, put the ax on the alphabet wall going for something more simple for this crafty-impared mamma (i'm not real good as much as I want to be)

That's about it, loving pregnancy and this sweet little babe that is ALL mine right now :) selfish I know but I love the feeling of having this baby all to myself for a bit. Love that the 2nd time around I'm not so anxious for the arrival, I'm just enjoying it and chasing my toddler around while I'm at it.