it's a wonderful life...

exciting news...part 2

2012-02-11T19:23:00.000-05:00

**if you are joining for the first time, please check out 'exciting news...part 1'! :)**

now that you know a little about children of the nations, i'm going to share a little about my next steps...how i join the children of the nations staff...

step 1: build up a family

one of the most beautiful things about cotn is the importance of family. many of the children who are cared for at the cotn children's homes arrived there without a family -- orphans in every sense of the word. but, all of that changes when they are cared for at the children's home. from day one, they walk into a family -- a family of brothers and sisters of all ages, a number of house parents, cotn staff who are like grandmothers/grandfathers. the children learn to fully trust and love their new family...crying together, laughing together, singing together, doing chores together, learning about Jesus together. doing all the things that a family does together!

house 2 girls -- sorting rice together

my first step in this process is to build a team of partners...a family of sorts! this "family" is made up of people who will pray with and for me and COTN, and those who will financially partner with me on this journey.

prayer family...
i need prayer. it's as simple as that! i know that God can and will do great things through prayer. and i am looking for people who will faithfully pray for me as i walk out this calling on my life.

girls praying in sierra leone

if you would like to be a part of my prayer team/family, shoot me an email or comment and i'll touch base with you! :)

financial family...

i need financial support, too. it is that simple, but let me offer a little explanation! :) before i go any further, i want to be honest and say that the financial piece of what God is asking of me has been the most daunting! i had so many questions and fears about what it would look like to hand all of my financial needs over to God. but then, He reminded me that it's all His to begin with! ha! and He placed great people in my life to walk me through the process. if you're reading this, you might have questions too! like, why do i have to raise my financial support? how does it work? i'll give you the short answers here...

why do i need financial support? cotn is a non-profit ministry. in order to keep overhead low and allow as much money as possible to go to the children that cotn supports, cotn staff members raise support.
how do i know what to raise? with the help of dave ramsey & cotn, i have developed an annual budget. this allows me to pay rent, bills, buy groceries, etc. my budget also includes ministry expenses (travel, computer upkeep, stamps, etc.), taxes, retirement, & savings. all in all, my budget allows for "life"...just as your salary does!
how does it work? individuals/groups will partner with cotn on my behalf by providing a monthly or annual financial support. these gifts will go into my account with cotn, and i will receive paychecks once i start working.

so, i'm looking for people who want to be a part of what cotn is doing by helping me join its staff! if you would like to partner with me & cotn, please give me a call or check out my cotn staff page. i won't go into any more detail here on the blog about support, but feel free to email/comment if you have questions.

step 2: get to work!
once i have raised 80% of my yearly support, i will officially start working as the community coordinator for Children of the Nations in the central florida community. God has given me a passion for this ministry, how He is changing lives through it, and i am so excited to share that passion with others!

children in ngolala doing chores & stopping for a "snap"

just because i know people will wonder -- i will remain at my current job until i have reached the 80% that is required before i can begin with cotn! in the mean time, building up my cotn support "family" is my part-time job! :)

so, there you have it...my next steps to join staff with cotn! as you can see, this isn't something that i can do on my own. it really is a "family" affair! :) i would love for you to consider being a part of my cotn family....praying for me and/or providing a monthly financial gift.

thanks so much for letting me share about this exciting next step in my life!

ps - for more information about my cotn journey, you can check out my staff page @ www.cotni.org/staff/amber-rettke.

old notebooks...

2012-02-06T23:22:00.000-05:00

recently i was cleaning out some of the nooks and crannies around my house. i tend to be a "stacker"...i like to pile things up, i telling myself i will organize them! i get around to it -- eventually! my current project is getting rid/using old notebooks. i have so many spirals/composition notebooks that are blank or half-filled with random tidbits of information. i opened an old composition notebook to start making some to-do lists and i found this...

have you ever come across some piece of your own 'history' and it sent you back to that exact moment in time? that's what this page did for me. as i read the verses listed, i remember exactly where i was sitting, what i was thinking in those moments. here are the verses i wrote down two years ago...praying through and preparing for my first trip to sierra leone --

trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

~ proverbs 3:5-6

come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and i will give you rest.

~ matthew 11:28

...to look after orphans and widows in their distress

and to keep oneself form being polluted by the world.

~ james 1:27b

what is even more ironic... i was making a children of the nations to-do list when i came across these verses! no matter where i am in life (traveling to africa for the first time, or starting a new job and trusting God to provide my every need) God's word stands forever...He is faithful! i'm so grateful!

exciting news...part 1

2012-01-29T22:48:00.001-05:00

so, a few posts back, i mentioned that i had some exciting news to share! are you ready? here it is...

i am changing jobs! i have accepted a position with children of the nations as the local florida office community coordinator!

i haven't started my job yet, and i know you probably have questions about what my job entails! i'll have to tell you about that soon! but first, let me start at the beginning...

if you've followed my blog for any length of time, you know that i love my current job as a child life specialist. but, when God sent me to sierra leone in 2010, my whole world/heart changed (you can read about my first trip starting here). i fell in love with these faces...and many more...

beautiful girls...sweet smiles and bright eyes!

with this love, came a responsibility for the things i saw, learned, experienced while i was in sierra leone. this new "knowledge" brought with it a calling...it just took me a little while to figure out what God was asking of me. God kept reminding me of a couple of verses...

the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

~isaiah 61:1

religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

~james 1:27

it took me two years, a ton of prayer, conversations, and many confirmations from God, but i have i finally "jumped" into God's plan for me. thank goodness for God's grace!

let me tell you a little about children of the nations! cotn provides holistic, Christ-centered care to orphaned and destitute children in africa and the caribbean. the children are cared for physically, mentally, emotionally and most importantly, spiritually. cotn is able to provide this care through two different ways...

the children's home program....

marie -- shy, but so full of love

i don't know when or why she came to the children's home, but because of this place, marie has a stable, loving home, with brothers and sisters and a house mother. she does chores just like any other 12 year old, she is learning at school, and she is dreaming about what she wants to be when she grows up! because of the children's home program, marie is being cared for!

and then there is the village partnership program...

2010 - theresa (right), me & a new friend in the village of mokpangumba

i began sponsoring theresa when i met her in her village in 2010. (read a little more about my sponsorship journey here.) for a year i wrote letters, sent little gifts and prayed for her! then, when i returned to sierra leone in 2011, i saw her again...

2011 - me & theresa

i was able to see how much she has grown. we read together. we sang songs together. we blew bubbles. we laughed. because of the village partnership program, my heart is bigger and theresa is receiving amazing care!

there are many other children who are being cared for because of God's work through cotn (and many more who still need sponsors)! and there are so many other stories i could share! i'll stop here for now...but know there is more to come! i haven't even gotten to the details about my future work with cotn...i can't wait to share more about this crazy adventure!

until then...happy monday!

ps - learn more about cotn!
ppss - check out my staff page!

getting crafty...

2012-01-29T14:53:00.001-05:00

hey strangers! it's been longer than i anticipated before signing on. but, i'm back..for a little while at least! :) this will be a quick little post...i've got some laundry and house cleaning i'm working on. but, i wanted to share my first card in quite a while. it's about time i get to work on some crafty things...it's been too long!

this card was created for someone who has been a beautiful influence in my life. and really, not just my life, but the lives of many others. i'm so grateful that God has placed people in my life to challenge me, to make me grow, to encourage my walk with Him! this person has been one of those people.

a little card history: i used cps' 5th anniversary sketch as some inspiration. if you're a fellow card-y...they are having a fun anniversary celebration at their blog! all of the papers, with the exception of the pink dotty paper are from pti! the "beautiful" stamp & dotty paper are basic grey and the other embellishments are from my stash!

thanks for stopping by today! i'll be back soon...sooner rather than later, i hope! have a great day!

amber

2012-01-01T22:20:00.000-05:00

i thought i'd take a little trip down memory lane to commemorate 2011...here are a few of the highlights! :)

january

trecking out to make some snow angels

my trip home was so fun and relaxing. i spent time with friends, family and then got snowed in! mom and i played in the snow and made snow angels! such fun memories!

february

it's my birthday month!

march

proof! i really did it! :)

april

old chippy white window

this might not look too exciting, but it really is! my friend melanie and i went out to an antique/flea market called rennigers! it was so fun to scrounge around hunting for treasures! and i was so excited when i found this awesome window.

may

erin, traci, debbie & me -- navy pier

i was able to attend the national child life conference in chicago this past year! may was also the month that i stepped down from working in the neonatal icu. it was a very difficult decision to say that i needed to leave those sweet babies, but i realize it was the best thing for me.

june

well, i can't seem to find a picture, but it's just because i was crazy busy! june was full of orienting new staff members and preparing for my return to sierra leone!

july

me & the johnny family -- theresa is the sweet girl i sponsor! :) love her and this family!

i love this smile! this woman is in the process of learning how to read and write!

my time in sierra leone was amazing! these are just a couple of beautiful memories...so many more to share!

august

when i returned from sierra leone, i immediately started working in my new units at the hospital -- outpatient surgery, outpatient pediatrics and endoscopy. it was a difficult but necessary adjustment. i still miss "my" babies, but i am loving building relationships with my outpatient population.

wynter, me & william - the bug show @ animal kingdom

it was a great break when my sweet friends wynter & william came to visit. we had a ball visiting mickey's house, animal kingdom & hanging out at their hotel!

september

i had the great opportunity to help out an event planner friend! when i said "yes", it thought i'd be helping out with weddings, but my first assignment was to play cat-in-the-hat! :) i was a little nervous, but once i had the costume and face paint, it was a blast!

october

theresa receiving some sponsorship goodies!

this sweet girl is theresa, my village sponsor child through children of the nations!! here she is receiving some fancy glittery shoes and a flowery dress! i wasn't able to see her receiving these goodies, so it made my day to receive this picture -- all the way from sierra leone! (what did we ever do without the internet?) i am so honored to pray for her and be a part of her life through sponsorship! what a blessing!

another highlight of october -- i started the application process to join staff with children of the nations! woo hoo! so excited about the journey God is taking me on with this organization! so blessed!

november

thanksgiving was spent with my friend's laura and scott and their familiy and friends! it was such a fun day, with great conversation, great food and lots of laughs! the christmas decorations started going up as soon as i got home! it took me the remainder of the weekend to figure out that the center section of lights were irreplacable (see above). i finally bought a string of lights to complete the tree, but, sadly, this will be the last year for this christmas tree! :( i'm hoping to get a real tree next year! :)

december

me, snow white & cindy @ epcot

my friends cindy & steven came into town to celebrate with mickey's very merry christmas! it was so fun to spend time with them! i'm so thankful for wonderful friends...even if they live across the states!

well, it's way past my bedtime, but i couldn't let 2012 start without looking back at some of the fun of 2011! this year included so much more than just these pictures: joy, challenges, growth, struggle, tears, fun, laughs...

i can't wait to see what 2012 holds! happy new year!

10 pic update...

2011-12-17T23:04:00.000-05:00

i've had trouble getting back into the routine of blogging. i'm not really sure why -- maybe a combination of being crazy busy? just needing a break? but, my mom (hi mom) has asked me multiple times "when are you going to post to your blog?", so here i am! :) to get back in the groove, i borrowed this idea of "10 pics" from my friend sarah. the idea is to upload the last 10 pics from your phone -- a photo journal of sorts. ready, set, go...

salted caramel hot chocolate...mmmm!

i purchased this cup of salted caramel hot chocolate the other day at starbucks. i had a just wrapped up a catch-up-over-coffee meeting with my friend julie! we shared about life, God, work, family, great purses...all of the important stuff! i loved the quote on the cup. :)

water boy!

i just love this kid -- disney melt-downs and all! :) my friends were in town for a vacation - this is their little boy. we played in epcot during one of our days. of all the things we did that day, he was enthralled with a jumping water fountain! i think i could have watched him run and chase the water for the entire day. he was so happy! it's the little things! :)

snow white at her wishing well!

jonah wasn't much for standing in line, so we tried to keep moving! we did, however, get one picture with snow white. i could watch the characters forever...i am amazed at how they stay in character all-the-time! so fun!

bambi

the flowers at epcot are amazing -- even when it's not the flower show! bambi was at the gate to greet us as we walked in!

oh Christmas tree...

my tree - before ornaments

jack the dog...

i love this picture for a couple of reasons. first, jack the dog cracks me up! he was visiting my house over thanksgiving and he LOVED laying under the Christmas tree. the other reason this picture makes me happy is the decorated canister you see. this was a girl scout creation way back in elementary school. it makes me grin when i look at it.

it needs a little help...

oh, this poor tree! it's the same one from pic. no 5. when i plugged it in, i learned that the middle section of lights (it's a pre-lit tree) were not working. i spent the rest of the evening trying to replace lights, fuses and re-plugging the lights in. i finally just went out and bought another strand to replace them. so, this will be this tree's last year...i'm springing for a new one during the after Christmas sales!

mmm...pumpkin

on thanksgiving morning i received a text of my mom donning her best flag football gear (but i chose not to include that pic...you're welcome mom!). she and my sister were the only 2 girls going to play on the thanksgiving day work flag football team. i thought they were half crazy, half brave! :) i would have loved to witness their skills on the field, but instead i was in florida baking a pumpkin pie...this was my reply.

big dog in a little bed (chris farley style)

before jack the dog could chill out under the Christmas tree, he chose to snuggle up in sage's bed. this is a regular occurrence for him when he comes to visit. he is curled up on sages bed...you can see his bed right next to him. i don't know why dogs do this...but it is hilarious to me! :)

#10

theresa's gold shoes

have you met theresa yet? she is my little girl in sierra leone. well, she's not MY little girl, she is the little girl i sponsor through children of the nations. here she is receiving some gold sparkly shoes and a dress that i sent her. look at that smile -- doesn't she just melt your heart? i am so honored to be a part of her life through sponsoring her. it is such a blessing!

that's all for tonight! i've got some exciting news to share...but i'll save that for next time! hint: it has to do with theresa! bye for now...

amber

one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish...

2011-09-21T21:28:00.000-04:00

so, i have been working really hard at getting out of debt. since coming back from africa, God has kicked my rear into high gear in this area. it's really been a long time coming, but i feel like i'm finally "getting it" and staying consistent! i have to say, it's an A-MA-ZING feeling to pay something off!!!

i'm using dave ramsey's method of the debt snowball. you can read about it here, but basically you line your debts up from smallest to largest. then you pay your smallest debt off, putting EVERYTHING extra you have towards that debt until it is g-o-n-e! then, you move the amount you were paying on debt #1 to the next one in line until debt #2 is all paid off. so on and so forth with any additional debts. all the while, you are to continue paying your minimum on all other debts until you reach them in your debt line-up. i think the biggest part of this process for me is learning to live on a healthy, realistic budget and then putting ANY extra funds towards the debt.

so, i've been doing that, and i feel like God is blessing these efforts (which is amazing -- He so doesn't have to do that). one of the ways He is encouraging me is by providing little odd jobs here and there. my most recent odd job..........

.............the cat in the hat!

i was asked to be cat in the hat for a milestone birthday! if you know me at all, you know this is way out of my comfort zone...i am not the crazy cat lady! :) but, once i got the face paint on it was a different story! i had a great time helping this family celebrate with their friends and loved ones -- snapping pics with all the guests, playing games with the kids, singing to the birthday girl. i was totally sore the next day (or if i'm honest, that same evening! ha!) but it was fun!

and, the best part -- this little gig allowed me to finish paying off a credit card! yay! all that to say, God will bless your efforts when you are obedient -- it just might not be in a way you expect! :) is there anything God is calling you to out of obedience???

that's all for tonight, friends!

engagement congrats -- cps 236

2011-09-20T22:17:00.000-04:00

it seems that everyone is getting engaged lately! two of my co-workers have gotten engaged, and then i ran into a friend who requested an engagement card for a friend of hers! i guess it's engagement season...so fun! i created this bliss card for the last friend i mentioned. i used the cps236 sketch for some inspiration!

i knew immediately that i wanted to use this lace! i just love it -- so frilly & romantic!!! once i had the lace, all of the other details slowly fell into place.

i stamped polka dot basics (pti) for the background, and then a heart from another stamp set (i can't remember the name of it.) the sentiment is a rub-on from basic grey -- LOVE! and then i used the sweet pearl rhinestones.

i love the soft feel of this card...and hopefully the bride-to-be will enjoy it as well! i'm sure she will treasure it because it will come with a sweet message from her dear friend! that's what i love about hand written cards -- they are personal, and filled with sweet messages from friends and loved ones.

thanks for stopping by! coming soon...another set of cards i made for a recently engaged friend & an update on sierra leone 2011!

until then, have a "bliss"ful week! :)

sierra leone - villages!

2011-09-05T00:07:00.000-04:00

so, two weeks later and i'm finally posting the next sierra leone entry! sorry it's taken me so long...i've been pretty busy! without further ado (is that the correct spelling???)...
we wrapped up children's camp on a thursday and prepared for youth camp to start up on friday afternoon. between children's camp and youth camp we took our first trip to the village of ngolala. i remember walking to this village last year -- this year was just as exciting. i was surprised to notice several changes in the scenery during the short walk -- a new bamboo structure going up along the path (probably someone's home), a large open clearing of red dirt (missing all the trees), and new farming land along the path. we arrived at ngolala and we were immediately greeted by many children, and women of the village.

such a wonderful welcome committee! :)

little sarah was one of the first children i saw -- you can't miss her spunky little personality! she is definitely full of life! i also saw her mother, batu, whose porch i sat on last year. i don't know if she remembered me, but she certainly pretended she did! :) i was also able to see hannah -- she is the mother of a sweet little one that i spent time with last year. i feel so blessed to have seen these women and their sweet babies for two years in a row!

little sarah

our time in ngolala wrapped up quickly as we headed on to senehun. this is one of the smaller villages, but so welcoming and friendly!

the view on the walk to senehun -- BEAUTIFUL!

this is the village is at the top of a large hill, with water surrounding the foot of the hill. last year we had to walk through knee high water to reach the village, but guess what -- they built a bridge! i have to say, though, i would have much rather walked through the water than walk on the bridge -- for some reason it was SOOO scary to me!

the new bridge to senehun -- i was shaking in my crocs!

the new bridge to senehun -- that's bamboo, folks...just bamboo!!!

one of my fondest memories from last year was in senehun. i was able to just sit with several older women of the village. i had snapped a picture with these beautiful ladies and was able to give them a copy of it this year.

2010 - beautiful women of senehun

it was such a beautiful thing to see their faces light up when they received something as simple as a picture of themselves. i could kick myself, though -- i forgot to snap a picture with them this year! :( i was busy spending time with the children of this village -- oh my, they are all just precious! our time together consisted of blowing bubbles, playing hand games, and playing drums and dancing in the church. it does not matter if you can speak their language -- play is the same in any language! here are few snaps of the children of senehun:

look at that smile -- sweet solomon

senehun buddies

a momma & her sweet babies

these are just a few pictures -- the blog is acting up a bit! i'll be sure to post a few more pics...maybe tomorrow! i think i might even have a video of the kids dancing...i'll see what i can do about uploading it!

as i said at the front of this post, it's been a few weeks since an entry. i'm so greatful for the opportunity to re-live the stories behind these photos (even if i'm the only one reading this). seeing these faces reminds me of God's heart for His creation -- all of His creation (whether in sierra leone, across the ocean in america and everywhere in between). we were created for relationship with Him...to love Him...to serve Him...to trust Him...to rest in Him...to live abundantly because of Him.

thanks for following along on my journey!

moxie fab + cps

2011-08-21T21:48:00.001-04:00

i created this little beauty using inspiration for a couple of sources! first, moxie fab had a great photo this past week --

moxie fab - tuesday trigger - girly & gutsy

i also loved the title...girly & gutsy! so, i was pretty excited to try out my hand at this little inspiring photo!

cps provided the next challenge...a great sketch!

here's my take on this little combo...

the first thing that caught my eye in the moxie fab pic was the pink & mustard/gold! such a fun color combo...and add it the black and white and it just pops...but it's not too overwhelming, either

as i was digging through my stash of goodies i came across these great old looking frames (i think they were from ki memories, but i threw away the packaging, so i could be totally wrong!) the black frame helped me develop my focal point, and then i found the "love" rub-on! i love it when cards come together so quickly!

when i was looking at the inspiration photo again, i notices the bold carpet. when i saw this large flourish-y rub-on (basic grey), i knew it would fit perfectly! :). then the hearts were punched from my favorite bazzill dot papers!

i really love how this card turned out...i just wish the pics were a little better. forgive my photo quality - i'm really struggling with an old point & shoot while my nikon is at the camera dr. i'm not sure if it's the operator, the camera, or what? but, i didn't want to miss out on these great challenges...and the card will be given tomorrow!

that's all for tonight! i'm already 10 minutes past my bed-time, and i HAVE to get to work on time! :) i'll be posting another "africa" entry this week -- it will be all about youth camp...get ready...

sierra leone - camp fun!

2011-08-15T23:18:00.000-04:00

**warning -- this post is a little long...i can't leave out any important camp details! :)**

before i share the sierra leone children's camp stories, you must know that i have experienced my fair share of kids camps! camp nunny cha-ha (yes, you read that right!), summer day camps, youth camps. i will say, that mosensie children's camp --our 2 day camp in sierra leone -- wins the award for most rewarding AND most exhausting of all camps!

arriving in country just one day late meant we only had one evening to get settled and plan the following days children's camp. thankfully, our team had already determined the camp theme while here in the states, and planned the basic speaking topics. our camp theme, who is Jesus?, was broken up into four sessions: Jesus as creator, Jesus as saviour, Jesus as friend & Jesus as protector.

our team, including the interns, loaded up in the vehicles and headed to mosenesie junction (maybe a 15-20 minute drive up the road) right around 8:30am. mosensie junction is an area of the road that splits into a "y". i know that one road takes you in the direction of freetown, and i have no idea where the other road leads. there were no kids at the church/school when our team arrived, so we went on a walk to invite the kids to join us! as we walked down the road it was like the kids came out of the woodwork. i was able to pull out the sticky bubbles and the kids had a blast...right there in the middle of the road. (i know, safety first, huh?)

once we had a good group of kids, we headed back to the site to officially start -- around 11am or so! that's what you call "african time"! :) we had one session, then crafts (i love tissue paper flowers), then a snack -- i think the kids had 1 cracker. following snack we split up the big kids and the little kids for game time. if you know me, you know that i stayed with the younger kiddo's. we had so much fun! we played a version of follow the leader, a copy cat game, red rover, dodge ball, and then freeze tag!

dodge ball @ mosenesie children's camp -- church/school in the background

funny story -- a few of the younger kids at camp were a little leery of us "pumwi", or white people. when we started the freeze tag game, all of the "leaders" were the taggers, chasing the kids all over the place. one poor sweet little girl, i'm guessing she's 3, was a little scared of us. every time we would start running, she would scream and tears would come to her eyes. :( i felt soooo bad, and just wanted to console her. but, when any white person (or stranger) would go to console her, she would get even louder. i can just imagine what she was thinking with all of these pumwi running after her friends, and her. so, lesson learned -- freeze tag in sierra leone might be a little traumatic for the little kids!
after games time, we headed back in to finish up with a story. then, around 2 or 3 it was time for "lunch". some how, all of the kids knew to bring their bowl, cup and fork. we were warned about "lunch time" and how many of the kids try to cut in line and get in line for seconds. this is not accepted, but kids will be kids. i had to walk several kids to the back of the line for "cutting".

this was my first opportunity being a part of feeding the village children. it was a humbling experience -- standing with children who might only eat this meal for their day. no wonder they tried so hard to go back for a second helping. i saw children share their bowls, cups and silverware with friends/siblings who did not bring a set. i also saw children hang their head when they were caught skipping in line.

sweet little brother finishing up his bowl of rice and potato leaf

once all of the children ate, our team and the other adults were offered the meal. it was community style...just grab a spoon & dig in. then, when you're finished, pass your spoon to another. i ate a spoon-full of the rice and potato leaf. if you know me at all, then you know this a pretty big accomplishment for my picky mindset! this particular potato leaf also had fish, and maybe some beans in it. i'm not 100% sure.

rice & potato leaf

"lunch" was the last event for the day, so we said our goodbyes and headed back to cotn. our second day of camp looked much like the first! :) lots of fun, learning about Jesus, playing games and we ended with lunch. here are a few more pics of the mosenesie camp activities!

i love her beautiful accessories!

such a cute little artist!

karate kid!

tissue paper flowers

shy little guy

check out his tie :)

tree climber
all of the kids carried their bowls & cups in bags like the one above

thanks so much for sticking with this entire post! :) i know it was a long one. i hope this little snippet of children's camp will let you see & experience sierra leone! if you are one of the many who prayed for us, supporting me financially, or donated supplies -- you made these kids' week! we were able to show these children the love of Jesus, and even though you were thousands of miles away, your are a part of that legacy!

don't go away...the sierra leone adventure will continue this week! up next...youth camp!

until then, let your mind wrap around the thought that God loves you, He loves the children in these photos, He provides for us every thing we need! oh, how He loves us!

moxie fab - botanicals

2011-08-08T16:41:00.001-04:00

if you're here looking for sierra leone pics -- just click here! i just took a little break to upload a card i created for an upcoming birthday. i can't tell you the last time i played in all of my paper and stamps...it has been too long! to help me get started, i decided to join the fanatical about botanicals challenge with the moxie fabbers!

i started by digging through all of my paper -- and i have a TON of paper! i knew i would find some beautiful botanicals to create my card. here's my finished product --

one of the things i am most proud of about this card is the fact that i only used 2 pieces of paper for the entire thing! the card base is one piece. all of the other elements on the card (the mat, the lace trim, the flower & stem) all come frome one piece of paper -- thank you my minds eye!

thanks for stopping by to check out my little creation.

next up, another sierra leone update! :) until then, have a wonderful day...

{moxie fab botanicals} goodies:

paper: white (pti), grandma, wild asparagus (my minds eye); ink: niagra mist (dew drops); stamps: take note (pti), damask designs (pti); miscellaneous: apron lace punch (fiskars), adhesive dots (hobby lobby), perfect medium/perfect pearl (ranger), pearl accents (my stash)

sierra leone - what's a bafa?

2011-08-07T07:00:00.003-04:00

the roller coaster (aka poda poda) of a ride to banta seemed like forever. my team mates would periodically ask me "how close do you think we are?" i never really felt had any idea...the road just seems to go on endlessly...

2010 - the road to banta...

but then, as we rounded a curve, i started seeing electric poles. these electric poles are bare, wireless with no connection to any source of electricity. ironically, as soon as these poles came into view, i knew we were close to the cotn village (a village with periodic electricity from a generator and no running water).

as our poda poda's pulled into the children of the nations village, we were driven down to the hill children's homes and immediately directed to the "bafa". i have no idea if i am spelling bafa correctly, or if it is even the proper word. but, as far as i know, a bafa is the hut you see below.

the "bafa" - a hut

it looks small in the above photo, but it fit most of the children who live at the cotn children's home, their house aunties, and our team of 14. we were warmly greeted with a welcoming ceremony, including the african name giving! since i received my name last year -- aunty sombo -- there was no need to offer me another african name. and, although i am clueless to my name's meaning, i will cherish it because it is "me"...it is my african identity! :)

throughout the welcome ceremony my eyes were scanning the bafa for familiar faces. i was so excited to be there, but also a little nervous. would i remember the kids names? (some yes, and some no!) would they remember me? what would a face-to-face reunion look like? the first girl i saw was marie. she was still shy, with the same beautiful smile. it was so funny to listen to the house kids say "you are marie's friend"! :)

marie - 2010

our first night in the cotn village was a busy one! we spent some time with the home kids (the children who call cotn "home")...i learned several new card games! we eventually ate some dinner, unpacked, and planned for children's camp that was to begin the next morning.

after four days, a bazillion boarding passes, 4 countrys, multiple airplane meals, and many hours in the poda poda, i was finally at cotn, banta mokelleh. i remember sharing with my roomie/team leader on the first night in sierra leone, that i wasn't quite sure what to feel. it was a bit surreal to actually return, to see the familiar faces, to be surrounded by amazing beauty and culture. i was excited, nervous, expectant, contemplative, happy, unsure, and a million other things. but, i was there...and if there is a place to process and think, it is in banta mokelleh (the middle of the bush) the wide open sky (you can see the milky way), and you're wrapped in lush green jungle (pretending there aren't any snakes around), and there is no technology to distract you (except the kung fu movies played late at night!).

up next - children's camp! until then...

sierra leone - never once...

2011-08-06T22:47:00.000-04:00

i was looking through my journal tonight, reading over my thoughts, emotions, experiences in sierra leone. i found an entry that i had forgotten about...and it was before we even made it out of the united states!

just a little history...
we arrive in dc. we were patiently waiting, eating, and getting to know one another until we boarded our plane to london. then, we heard the overhead man say "flight to london has been cancelled." if you could only see the faces of my team members (i'm sure mine was just as shocked)! over the next few hours our fearless leaders, along with airport bill, worked tirelessly to make sure all 14 of us, and our luggage could get to sierra leone. we received boarding passes to ghana and ran to the gate only to find out the flight was delayed becuase of "lavatory issues". the next plan of action was to fly to brussels -- the following evening. from brussels we would take a run through gambia to pick up some passengers and then fly on to sierra leone. thankfully the brussels flight worked out great, only putting us 1 day off schedule.

when we finally boarded the flight to brussels, our flexible and good spirited team was also ready to get there! to help pass the time i decided to turn on my ipod. just a short while into our flight i heard a new song by matt redman. the following song made such an impact on me that i wrote down every word in my journal. i thought you might like to hear it too...here ya go friends...enjoy:

before i sign off, i have to give kudo's to scott & laura, our amazing team leaders! they worked for two straight days (and probably more) to make sure we made it safely to sierra leone! if you're reading this - you guys are AMAZING! :) oh, and if airport bill is reading this (i'm sure he's not, but just in case)-- you are awesome too! :)

sierra leone - feel free...

2011-08-04T21:09:00.000-04:00

today marks one week that i have been home from sierra leone! just 7 days ago i was across the atlantic ocean, in a country where the majority of the population makes less than $1.25 per day! as i have been processing my experience, i realize that i have found myself focusing on things/ideas that i did not dwell on quite as long during my trip last year. everything was so new to me last year, that i was focusing on what i could see with my eyes, the chaos around me, the beauty, all of the new-ness. i was still able to take in the natural beauty and chaos of sierra leone this year. but, i have also found myself digging deeper...allowing myself to look past the "surface". i found myself thinking about the impact of poverty, the cyclical pattern many of the people are in, the far reaching tentacles of the rebel war, how all of these things have affected and will affect future generations. it can be a bit overwhelming...but i am learning to trust God...that He is in control and will work all things together for His good and His glory.

i know that many of you are wanting to "see" what my time in sierra leone was like. as many of you know, our flight into sierra leone was delayed by 1 day. so, our team started off with a bang...getting a head start on our flexibility and servant attitudes from the very beginning! :) when we finally arrived into freetown we headed to the "guest house" that was booked for our team of 14. the guest house is like a hotel...sort of...it was also described as an african version of a b&b...sort of! :) our guest house was located in the heart of freetown. last year we just drove through freetown without stopping, so i was excited to experience the capitol city in a new way! the "new york boutique" was located just below the guest house...it was closed when we arrive and when we left the following morning so i'm not 100% sure what they sell....i'm sure it's some high new york fashions! ;)

new york boutique was just below the "guest house"

they fed us really well at the "guest house" (and throughout the entire trip, actually). several team members ate dinner out on the balcony, overlooking the streets at night. it was so fun to listen to the voices, and all of the other "city" sounds.

view from the balcony of the guest house

i didn't see the "feel free" building until the next morning. i do not know what sort of businesses this building houses, or why the phrase was painted on the side of the building. but, i found it a nice reminder, very fitting for me...it reminded me of freedom...to feel free to be myself...feel free to experience God in whatever way He shows up. just be free!

"feel free"...view from the balcony of the guest house

i would like to introduce you to mama angie myles! she is the country director for the sierra leone children of the nations. originally from saint lucia (i think), she married a sierra leonean man and years later God called her to be the director of COTN. mama angie normally stays in banta mokelleh (the chiefdom where COTN is located). however, her doctor ordered her to remain in freetown (where her husband resides) to recuperate from some health issues. while she was recovering in freetown, her husband passed away unexpectedly. as i was listening to her share, i was in awe of her strength, how she trusted God and thanked Him for the time she had to spend with her husband. i am so glad we stopped to see her. she has an incredible story...and God has used her in mighty ways! i have only met her briefly the past two summers, but her beautiful reputation precedes her...i would love to spend more time getting to know her...soaking in all the bits wisdom she has gained during her life!

me & mama angie @ her home in freetown

the official poda poda ride began once we left mama angie's house! we drove on paved road for about 2 1/2 hours. we stopped off for lunch just before we started the "bumpy" part of the drive. this was our lunch view...

lunch break on the road

i am happy to report that we all survived the poda poda...all 6 or 7 or 8 hours of it (i can't remember!)...i'll leave you all with the beautiful mountain above. next up, seeing the kids again...

until next time..."feel free"...

i need God...

2011-07-31T14:50:00.000-04:00

i've been back in the states for several days now. my body is still adjusting to the appropriate time zone. i am ready to sleep promptly at 7pm...no matter where i am at! let's hope my body gets back on track quickly...work starts back tomorrow! :)

i am anxious to share some photos from my time in sierra leone, but you will have to wait a little longer. the card reader i need to purchase in order to download my pics will not be in the store until this week. i promise to upload pics as soon as i am able! until then, i'd love to share a video that i came across...

with each trip i have been on, i have returned home changed. God has marked me, stretched me, molded me to be more of who He wants me to be through my experiences in sierra leone. i love the video above...it is so true. i am also reminded that God does not need me, but that i need God. i can do nothing without Him...He is the only way to salvation. i can love on the people of africa, but it is only through His Spirit that they recognize that love as being from Jesus! one of the many lessons learned...
i look forward to sharing more soon! :) thanks for stopping by!

video the mocha club

2011-07-28T23:26:00.000-04:00

i'm home! sage is sitting on my lap. i have had a hot shower. i have 1 bag unpacked (1 more to go). i'm a happy girl!

we arrived safe and sound this evening. thanks to my sweet friend, mel, i didn't even have to drive myself home. she met me @ summit and drove me home.

in a few short words, my time in sierra leone was life-giving, beautiful, humbling, and oh so fun! :) i look forward to sharing more stories. but, for now, if you'll excuse me i'm going to cozy up in my bed and sleep until my body is ready to wake up!

thanks to each of you for reading & praying for our team along the way.

blessings,

2011-07-28T08:47:00.000-04:00

Hello Sierra Leone friends and family!

The team is has left Sierra Leone and they are on their way to London. Following London, they will be flying to DC then onto Orlando. They are set to arrive in Orlando at 8:00pm and will be back to Summit by 9:00pm. They have had a great time!

The following is a blog from Will dated 7/26/11:

We finished up our last day and it has been very bittersweet. The children and staff held a goodbye ceremony for us, and Nancy, our cook, "baked" us a cake over an open fire!

The children have been showing their gratitiude and warm wishes by giving us home made cards and drawings. There's been quite a few tearful goodbyes.

We are headed to Freetown early tomorrow so we can do some shopping at the market before we get on the plane. Thanks for all your prayers and support; it's been an amazaing trip and we're looking forward to seeing everyone again soon!

7-26-11

2011-07-26T15:55:00.000-04:00

Hi family and friends!

Just a reminder that the Sierra Leone Team will be landing in Orlando at 8:00pm on Thursday, July 28th and should be back to Summit by 9:00pm.
Below is an update from Will:

The home takeovers have gone great so far. It's been pretty easy since the kids are so well behaved.

This afternoon we walked to two nearby villages, Ngolala and Senhune, to visit with the people who lived there. Many of the children who live there are sponsored through COTN. We crossed a pretty amazing "bridge" to get to Senhune. It was kind of like walking on a balance beam!

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day in the village. We've got a full day to spend with the kids before it's time to start the long trip back!

Update

2011-07-25T15:06:00.002-04:00

July 22nd:

We finished up our day camp for younger kids today and it was great fun. Yesterday we had the help of COTN staff and interns, but today it was just us running the show (with the help of translators of course)!

We had more time to spend this afternoon and evening with the kids in the COTNvillage and we helped them cook and feed the pigs amongst other things. They are teaching us lots of Krio and Mende (two local languages) and we are all getting to know each other better each day.

Tomorrow begins a three-day camp for older kids and teens, and they will be coming to stay at the COTN village. We have all been enjoying the food very much, the COTN staff has gone out of their way to provide us with great meals!

July 23rd:

The past two days have been very busy with the youth camp we are helping to put on. Older (and some younger) children from surrounding villages have come to spend 2 nights and three days at the COTN village and we are having great fun with them!

Today we got to watch a soccer game between COTN children and staff vs. a team from a nearby village, and this evening we were entertained by the campers with skits and songs.

We’ve got a half-day of camp left tomorrow, and then our “home takeover” begins tomorrow night. We’ll be giving the house mothers a much needed break by taking over all the household duties.

July 24th:

We finished up camp for the older kids today – the time is just flying by! It rained most of the morning, however we had a great time playing indoor games until it stopped. By lunchtime it had cleared up enough for the kids to make chalk drawings to decorate the outside of one of the classrooms.

Amber and I have had a chance to meet the children we sponsor, and Noah and Carrie will have a chance to meet their children by the end of the trip. I actually got to walk my sponsored child home today and meet some of his family!

It is a beautiful night tonight; it’s clear and you can see so many stars! It was nice to have some time after the kids were asleep to stop and appreciate the beauty of where we are!

Update from 7/20

2011-07-23T13:04:00.002-04:00

We had our first day camp today for the younger children in a nearby village. It was a long but productive day. We began by walking around the village to remind the kids that the camp began today, and before too long we had quite a crowd following us.

At camp, we sang songs, played games, heard from Reverend James and our fellow team members about Jesus, and ate! We got to eat some wonderful authentic African cuisine.

We came back to the COTN village and played with the children here for a couple of hours before dinner. It's been a long day and I'm sure we'll all sleep well.

Update

2011-07-19T14:51:00.000-04:00

Hello all readers of Amber's blog. This is her friend Cindy again. They did finally make it to Sierra Leone. Sorry I meant to update you guys about that earlier but I had a crazy weekend wrapping up VBS at our church. Here is an update I received today from one of the team members Amber is serving with in Africa.

The team is doing great! We are prepared for a day of travel to the Banta Village where we'll be staying for the rest of our trip.

We have experienced great hospitality so far from Uncle Magnus and his wife, Veronica, in travelling from the airport and into the center of Freetown, where we stayed last night.

We are all eager to get to the village and to meet the children. We're told they are also eagerly expecting us! It will be nice to be able to settle down in the village after 4 days of travel.

Sierra Leone Update

2011-07-17T16:31:00.000-04:00

This is Amber's friend Cindy. Amber sent me this update this afternoon.

It’s been an exciting journey already! Our team made it safely to Washington dc last night. When we arrived to Dulles airport we learned that our flight to London was cancelled due to mechanical issues. Thanks, Jesus, for protecting our lives!

We met a great guy, airport bill, who worked 2 hours over his shift trying to get all 14 of us & our luggage on another flight so we could make a connecting flight to Freetown, Sierra Leone. We thought we were going to go thru Ghana, but that flight was delayed because there were lavatory issues. Because of the delay we wouldn't have made our connection. And, honestly, who would want to be stuck on an 11 hour flight with an inoperable lavatory? No thank you!

The next plan, which isn't yet definite, is to fly to Brussels and then catch a flight to Freetown, Sierra Leone. Please be praying for all of the travel logistics (baggage to arrive, people to arrive, etc.). We will miss our "free day" when we arrive, but it's all about joint in and serving, right. :)

Despite all of the "chaos", God has been working even still. I am so glad that He can & will work in a mess. Some of way He has moved so far:

- protecting our team from harm
- Team bonding, laughing, chatting & running thru the airport! We are trusting this will help us be even more effective as a team!
- We all had an unexpected night in a nice cozy bed
- One more precious hot shower before he bucket baths ensue! :)
- Precious time to pray and worship God as a team, even before leave he USA!

I am grateful and expectantly waiting for God to move in a big way! Thanks for your prayers...
amber

2011-07-16T00:02:00.000-04:00

exciting:
it is less than one day before i fly to sierra leone, west africa. i am so excited that i can barely contain myself. God has, once again, reminded me how much He cares about my concerns/worries. at the beginning of this week i was $1000 dollars away from my fundraising goal. honestly, i was pretty nervous. i knew in my head that God was in control, but i was still struggling with wanting to know how, to have a plan in place "just in case". well, God so gently showed me that He is still in control. on wednesday afternoon i was informed that only owe $400 dollars to meet the fundraising goal! praise God for His provision...one day i will learn to trust automatically. until then, i am thankful for His grace and His gentle reminders.

grieving:
today was also my last official day to work in the neonatal icu. despite this being my decision, today has been extremely sad for me. i think i'm grieving this "loss" (or change). the emotional reaction didn't hit me until i was packing up items and leaving my office. i stopped into the unit to say "bye" and let them know i'd be around after my trip. it was a struggle to hold back the tears until i made it to my car. i feel so honored to have had the opportunity to work in the nicu. the baby's amaze me on a daily basis. the staff is compassionate, talented and so much fun. i will miss serving the baby's and their families...i will miss holding them.

processing:
it is strange to feel such a broad spectrum of emotions at the same time. i won't be able to sleep because i'm so excited about sierra leone; i will probably shed some tears because of my transition out of the nicu. i think this trip could not come at a better time. i will have time away from work process how i am feeling. i will also be able to serve. serving the sierra leoneans bring such a unique perspective.

well, it's almost midnight. i should get to bed so i can hop out of bed bright and early! i still have several errands to run before crossing everything off my list! good night, all! chat with you after i return! :)

ps - while i am away my friend cindy will be posting any travel updates right here on the blog, so be sure to check back. {thanks cindy!!!}

one week from today...

2011-07-09T23:10:00.001-04:00

...i will be on a plane (or 3) headed for sierra leone, west africa!

if you have seen me or spoken to me in the last week, then i'm sure you have heard more than you ever wanted about my upcoming trip! my poor co-worker, anna, got an unexpected earful about my trip (and she was ever so patient!)!

it has been a long, exhausting couple of weeks. from the looks of my calendar, this week will be similar to last week. isn't that how it usually goes before a vacation? i don't mind though...that just means i'm a little closer to returning to sierra leone.

i would love to ask you all to pray for me as i prepare to go. specifically, pray that this week would be one of searching God's heart...listening to His voice...allowing Him to prepare me for what is to come. i hope to hop on to the blog before leaving again...but, just in case i don't get to, i'll leave you with a few snapshots of the beautiful country i'll be going to...

the road to banta mokelleh, sierra leone, west africa

selling peppers at the local market

snap me! snap me! -- beautiful smiles

i don't remember what these were called, but i loved them!

a mother's work never stops!

sweet faces!

sunset in banta!

good night, all! until next time...

ps-photos courtesy of 2010 sierra leone teammates...thanks to all for sharing your photo skills! :)

what do you pack for africa?

2011-06-26T22:42:00.000-04:00

the last few weeks have been crazy busy. a few of the things i've been up to --

chasing my run-away dog (keep an eye out for this story!)
planning for the run for africa 5k
praying that my air conditioner would start working (woo hoo! it's up & running now!)
transitioning roles at work
preparations for travel to sierra leone - buying skirts, skirts and more skirts!

it's crazy to think that will be boarding a plan for sierra leone in 21 days and counting! since my last post, i have received 1/2 of my support for the trip! yay, God! when i received the update about being 1/2 way funded, i about scared my office mate...i think i squealed with excitement!

our team is also collecting various supplies to take with us when we go! these supplies will be used for games, crafts, and other activities that we will lead during children's camp, youth camp and the home take-over! in case you're wondering how we transport all of these items...each team member will take 2 suitcases, one for personal belongings, and one for donated items. we will be bringing back the favorite craft from last year -- the tissue paper flower! some of the girls even wore them them as hair accesories!

below is the list of items we are collecting! we would love your help purchasing any of the items below. or, if you would prefer to give money to go towards the purchase of any of these items, you are welcome to do that too! we will need all items before july 13th in order to fill our suitcases full! :)

SPORTS:

utility balls (all sizes)

parachute

soccer ball, football

frisbees

big inflatable beach ball

jumpropes (longer ones)

whistles

CRAFTS:

Tissue paper (1500 sheets)

Pipe cleaners (500)
Scissors
card stock/construction paper (500 sheets)
Washable paint
Paint brushes (15)
Baby wipes
Sharpie marker (5)
Popsicle sticks (approx. 4,000)
Rhinestones
Beads
Seashells w/ hole for necklace (approx. 500)
seashells for decorating
Tacky glue (approx. 15 bottles)
Markers/crayons
Glitter
Computer paper (500 sheets)
Cord (leather/hemp) (500 ft)
beads (1,500)
Black construction paper (500)
Sidewalk chalk
Nail polish
Pumice stone
Lotion
Nail clippers
Nail file
Polish remover
Glue (Elmer's)

i promise that all these random craft supplies really will create something beautiful! also, if you would like to support my personal fundraising, you can give securely online by going to the summit website here. you can then scroll down to "make an online contribution" and follow the instructions.* thanks for considering giving! whether you are offering supplies, money, your prayers or a combination, you are a part of the journey to sierra leone! *if this is your first time to give online, you will have to register (but i promise, there's no spam...it's just to document you)

well, friends, it's past my bedtime! it's going to be a busy week. i hope to check in here sometime within the next week...i owe you a sage story...she's been quite mischevious lately! until then...thanks for joining me on the journey...

awakening

2011-06-07T00:15:00.000-04:00

i love how God knows what i need to hear & when i need to hear it. the lyrics below are an expample of that...

Dress down your pretty faith, give me something real

Leave out the Thee and Thou and speak to me now

Speak to my pain and confusion

Speak through my fears and my pride

Speak to the part of me that knows I'm something deep down inside

I know that I'm not perfect, but compare me to most

In a world of hurt in a world of anger I think I'm holding my own

And I know that you've said there is more to life

No I am not satisfied

But there are mornings I wake up and I’m just thankful to be alive

I've known for quite a while that I am not whole

I've remembered the body and the mind, but dissected my soul

Now something inside is awakening

Like a dream I once had and forgot

And it's something I'm scared of and something I don't want to stop

I woke up this morning and realized

Jesus is not a portrait

Or stained glass windows

Or hymns

Or all the tradition that surrounds us

I thought it would be hard to believe in, but it's not hard at all

To believe I've sinned

And fallen short

Of the glory of God

He's not asking me to change in my joy for martyrdom

He's asking to take my place

To stand in the gap that I have formed

With His real amazing grace

And it's not just a sign or a sacrament

It's not just a metaphor for love

The blood is real and it's not just a symbol of our faith

~sara groves

2011-06-05T21:46:00.000-04:00

i have been meaning to hop on here and share a little update; one month later, here i am! it is june...oh my! there has been quite a bit going on with life -- some of it mundane, some of it fun and exciting.

-- i just returned from a trip to chicago for the 29th annual national child life conference. this was my first time to attend and it was a great conference. it is always encouraging to be around those who can relate to the joys and challenges of being a child life specialist. the only down side to the conference was the icky weather!  rain, fog and temps in the 50's greeted us each time we left the hotel! even though the weather was not on our side, i did have some great laughs with some of my co-workers! the navy pier is always fun, and i was able to get some beautiful shots of the chicago skyline. i would love to be able to share the pics, but i just learned that i have to purchase a specific card reader to be able to download my pics! :(

-- preparations are coming along for the cotn run for africa 5k!   i have had such a great time helping plan this event! for one, i whole heartedly believe in the mission of this organization -- it gets down to the heart of God!  and second, i am loving the team of people who are helping plan the race! i have met some great ladies who are fun and hilarious, and not afraid to work hard. i'm so thankful for each of them, because i never know all that went into planning a 5k! if you are interested in running the race (and supporting cotn), you can register here! if you would like to help out on race day (and still support COTN), just shoot me an email or leave me a message in the comment section! :)

-- africa is right around the corner -- 40 days until i will be boarding a plan to sierra leone! my support letters are sent, and funds are slowly arriving. to be honest, my heart has been challenged as i have watched support come in on a slower pace than it did so last year.  at times, my nerves have gotten the best of me. but then, God sends a me some form of encouragement and reminds me that through this act of trusting my heart is being refined. i have also found myself comparing small parts of this experience with last years experience.  i am asking that God give me fresh eyes and a fresh spirit to experience this years trip to sierra leone fully, without the chains of comparison. i am learning to trust. i am learning to give my thoughts over to the Lord. i would love for your prayers in these areas as well.
**i have read over this section about 50 times trying to decide if i should leave it in this post.  it is not meant to cause anyone to feel uncomfortable if you have received a support letter.  i am just trying to be honest and transparent (see this post).

-- good works! this is a series that my pastor has been speaking on for the past 6 weeks. i am learning so much through the lessons taught from the book of philippians. these are some of the thoughts that i have come away with (via my pastor) from the past few weeks:

you cannot choose hope -- hope rests in the hands of the One we are called to serve
in the kingdom of God, greatness is to utilized your gifts for others good and God's glory. we were made for more than just to be "great at something" -- we were made to serve God!
don't allow your urgency to turn into anxiety -- God is good and knows that His will
the difference between effective and ineffective people is almost always in the context of their day -- jump in
you don't have to be worried that God is going to quit half way through. He is a better Father than that!

you can download the podcast and listen to the series too -- just click here! :) well, the clock is still ticking and i have a mess of laundry to fold before getting to bed! if you're still reading, thanks for sticking around! :) i guess if i would update more often, these posts might be a little shorter! we'll see how that goes!

why i love my mom...

2011-05-08T00:30:00.000-04:00

in honor of mother's day, i wanted to share a few things that i love about my mom...in no particular order. i was planning to simply list some of the reasons i love her, but then i started looking at some photos related to said reasons and i could not leave them out. there is a good chance my mom will call me as soon as she reads this post, asking me to remove many of these pictures (she does not like to be in pictures). but, these pictures are small glimpses of who she is...of who we are as a family. here's a little peek at my mom...and why i love her...

my mom has single-handedly raised my sister and i. despite what circumstances brought her, she knew that she was the only one that could be our "mom". she does not take that responsibility lightly.

mom & her girls

she has a great work ethic. i do not remember any time in my life when she has not worked. i am proud of her taking a new "role" at her job, for challenging herself. whether she is working at home or working at her job, she is always working hard.

mom working hard cleaning my great grandma's house

i love her unique name -- monita. i guess this really is no doing of hers, but it is her name.
she is a mom who loves "traditions"! i love making cookies with my mom every christmas, and all the other little things we do that make life special.

christmas cookies -- post flour-war!

my mom has always allowed me to walk my own path, even if it was different from hers. growing up, she made sure i had a way to get to church. more recently, she drove the moving truck, helping me get settled a long way from home.

mom -- moving me many miles away

she is not afraid to be silly! one of my favorite memories...hula hooping in walmart! a more recent memory...making snow angels during the 2011 "blizzard"!

mom making snow angels

i love how she steps up to take care of things that need to be done, even if it is difficult for her. my mom has made sure that ky and i had the opportunity to go to college.

mom, ky & me on ky's highschool graduation night

my mom loves me just how i am.

happy mother's day, mom! i am so grateful that God gave me you to call "mom"! i love you...

change...

2011-04-25T22:38:00.000-04:00

this week i have been wondering if i have changed? not necessarily in location, job, etc., but changed in my thinking, my heart, my belief system. i know that i have, but sometimes it is difficult to see it...to put a "face" to the changes that have occured in my heart over the last year.

anytime i think of the word "change", i am transported back to highschool and forest ridge baptist church. my youth minister was leaving. he and his family were called to take a break from youth ministry. as a youth, i struggled with this thought. i felt as though we were being abandoned. i know, this thought is a bit dramatic, but i was in high school! i had many discussions with my youth minister and his wife. during one of those conversations, he shared the following thought...

"change is inevitable"

those three little words have stuck with me...they come to my mind any time i think about change. when someone is changing jobs, when i am called to change some aspect of my life. when i am struggling with change. i am reminded that change is a part of life. it is, in fact, inevitable.

this weekend i found a half-used journal as i was organizing. i found an entry from last easter 4/4/10. one of several things i wrote about was being anxious about my upcoming trip to sierra leone. i was in the process of raising support, gathering supplies and getting shots. as i read that entry, i laughed a little. some of the pieces of that entry are very similar to a recent 2011 journal entry. i am currently raising support to return to sierra leone. i have called about my immunizations. i am in the process of gathering supplies. as i thought about the similarities in the 2 journal entries i realized that, although some of the words are the same, my heart is not. i was forever changed traveling to sierra leone last summer. and that change has stuck with me, and continues to mold my heart. my anxious heart has been tranformed to a heart of anticipation, excitement in returning. i am so grateful for the reminder of how my heart has been changed.

in recognizing this one change, my eyes have been opened to additional areas of my heart that have been or are in the process of being transformed. not all of those areas have been easy, but allowing God to move into those areas and change them for me....wow! as scary as it can seem, i can't wait to see what He does. i want Him to change me quick...to change my thinking...to change my heart. but, i am learning that change, the change that God does, is in His timing. i can't rush it. it's not something i can just "sleep on" and it will all be different in the morning. He does NOT change, but He changes us...and i'm so grateful!

"your luck will completely change today"

2011-04-10T21:58:00.000-04:00

i do not believe in "luck"...but i do believe that God knows every detail of every day...and He has every moment planned out for me.

let me start at the beginning...this week was a rough week. as i shared in this post, i'm working through some difficult things, and i've had ~~a couple~~ many challenging days at work lately. actually, i think it all goes together...dealing with difficulty in one area of my life, many times, leads to struggle in other areas. not on purpose, but it is just how it happens with me. in the middle of this, i found out about a little bank snafu that stressed me out more than it should have. to top it all off, i my iPhone was "stolen"* on saturday afternoon while i was getting my eye brows waxed! me and my red eyebrows were more than frustrated by the end of saturday. thankfully, though, i was able to keep my mind occupied at my friend mel's southern soul food party. chicken and dumplings & pw's chocolate sheet cake have a way of taking away stress! :)

by this morning i decided to have an old cell phone re-programmed while i was out and about...i had to have some form of contact with my family/friends...my mom would not have survived with out it! ;) after church i took a trip to at&t, and then picked up some peiwei before an afternoon meeting. when i finished my meal and got to my fortune cookie, my "fortune" read "your luck will completely change today." i laughed at that, thinking how perfect it seemed in reference to all the craziness of the last few days. and then i said a prayer and thanked God for having my moments figured out, whether good or bad or frustrating or joyful.

skip forward to 7:30 this evening. my old cell phone rang with a number i don't recognize. i never answer numbers i don't recognize, so i have no idea why i did so this time. my phone conversation went a little something like this:

man - hi, i found a cell phone

me - (gasp) oh my gosh!!!

man - i'm sorry i'm just now calling, but we have been at the bike show until now

me - oh my gosh!!! i can't believe you are calling at all

man - i found your phone in the parking lot of the bank

(*so, i guess my phone wasn't stolen. i just decided to leave it on the pavement at the bank -- oops!!)

me - wow! i am just so glad you are calling!

man - well, i figured someone was missing it

the phone conversation went on for a few minutes and before we hung up we set up a time and public place to meet. after discussing my whereabouts with my neighbor and making sure she had "man's" cell phone number, i was on my way to pick up my phone. as i was driving to meet roy (the man), i realized that i had no idea what sort of condition my phone was in...it could be all shattered and broken from a car running over it! but, as i met roy at the gas station, he happily handed over my fully functioning (well, it would have been if i hadn't suspended it) cell phone and i thanked him as many times as i could! when i told him i wish i could do something to thank him, he said "it's okay, i believe in karma". i do not believe in karma, but i told him i would pray that God would bless him for his kindness and honesty.

so, i think my "luck" (better known as - God's detailed plan for my days) has played itself out over the past week. God was there to hold me up in the difficult times, and He also sent a little joy my way in the form of a lost iPhone because He could. i know that i would survive without my trusty iPhone...but i am happy to have it back.

before i sign off for the night, i thought I'd share a new song that has been a great reminder for me lately...

have a great week! try not to let the "little" stuff bother you this week...i know that is a challenge that i am trying on this week!

honesty...

2011-04-06T00:12:00.000-04:00

it's almost midnight, and i am wide awake. this is so unlike me. today was one of "those" days for me. i guess it really started yesterday, but it carried over into today. i am walking through a healing process in my personal life that calls for digging deep, brutal honesty...a true look at how i am feeling, why and what has led to those emotions/reactions.

it's funny how these things work. as hard as i try, it is difficult to just "shut" those emotions off (or at least curtail them greatly) when i go into a different role, such as work. i try to keep work separate from other things, and vice versa, but today things just came bubbling to the surface. i guess that's a good thing -- it is stretching me, calling me to honest with myself, with God, with others. can i just say that sometimes honesty, as much as i desire it, is hard?

i crashed when i came home. made a quick dinner and quickly fell asleep watching a movie. now, four hours later, i can't seem to still my mind. i have taken steps to "right" the situation, and now i am just playing it over in my mind. ugh! i though this was dealt with! i've laid in bed praying for God to still my heart and mind...to rest in His peace. this is part of getting to that point for me...getting some thoughts out on "paper."

okay, thoughts are on paper -- off to bed for now...i hope!

2011-04-03T23:32:00.000-04:00

the updates have been a little slow going for me. but, it's 11pm, and i can't sleep, so i thought i'd share a little about what's been going on with me lately. it's a bit random, but here's an update of sorts. enjoy...

-- i'm slowly getting settled into my new place! it's been so fun creating a sweet little space that reflects who i am and some of the things i love.

-- the beautiful people in banta mokelleh, sierra leone have been on my mind a ton lately. we had some crazy rain storms here this week. in the middle of the storm i thought "how in the world would i tolerate a storm of this magnitude in the middle of the bush of sierra leone?" i'm sure this is not new to the people of banta, i thought about how scary storms must be to them...with little protection from the rain, other than their thatch roofed homes.

-- it took me three years, but i finally experienced the historic winter park farmers market! i can't wait to go back next week. i think sage will have to join me next week...i know she'd love it!

-- i am now the proud owner of a bouganvilla plant. it's been 1 day and it's still alive...woo hoo! praying i can keep it that way! :)

-- i have officially began volunteering with children of the nations! i am helping plan the run for africa 5k. race day is july 30 (that's 2 days after i return from sierra leone)! do you want to come run with us? do you know any one who would like to partner with this cotn for this event? just leave me a comment if so and i'll make sure to get info to you!

this is not "cyrano", but it is a harlequin great dane, & his little chihuahua friend!

-- while sitting @ starbucks today, i got to meet "cyrano" a harlequin great dane. he truly was was as big as a small horse...but so sweet (and very slobery-ugh)!

it's way past my bedtime now, and the yawning is beginning! until next time...

moving day...

2011-03-19T08:45:00.002-04:00

when i moved into my duplex 2 years ago, i told myself i wouldn't be moving again, unless it was out of state. i was planning to stay in this little spot for the remainder of my time in florida, however long that would be. but, God had other plans...better plans!

i'm moving today -- about 2 miles from where i am now. into a smaller place, and a cheaper place. my new place is absolutely cozy and homey, with all wood floors and a little running area for sage! i'm so grateful for God's leading...how he is teaching me to simplify my life (i still have a lot of work to do in that department), to continue moving forward into responsible stewardship (still working on this too!).

the skys are beautiful and blue today -- it's going to be a wonderful, exhausting day with great friends. i'm so grateful! for now, i am eating a donut...thankful for the lovely chaos that is about to begin! :)

what to do on a beautiful saturday...

2011-03-13T09:22:00.000-04:00

go skydiving!

"team amber, team chantelle & team rob"

this adventure all started last fall when my co-worker chantelle & i saw a groupon for skydive sebastion! we jumped on the deal and scheduled our jump for this past saturday. we invited our co-workers & friends & family -- knowing that we would need some moral support -- or i knew i would! :) the photo above not too far before we loaded into the plane.

me & uwe, my tandem partner

meet uwe (pronounced u-va). he's my tandem partner i met as we loaded the plane. this was probably his 8th jump of the day already...and he said he would be doing between 15 and 20 jumps today! wow! we were the first one's to board, meaning we were the last ones to jump. i thought that would make me nervous, but i did okay!

getting ready to jump

i had about 5 minutes of instructions given to me while i was on the ground. here they are:

1. sit on the edge of the plane

2. criss cross your arms

3. wrap your legs around the bottom of the plane

4. let your feet touch the bottom of the plane

5. after that, just enjoy the ride...

free falling...

smile for the camera...

my photographer, marcus, instructed me to look at the camera when i saw him. he was flying in front of us and the camera was connected to his helmet. i tried to look at the camera, but there were so many other things to take in...the views really are breathtaking. the atlantic, the interacoastal, the coast line, the land. it is one of those "hard to put into words" moments. please note the face flapping...i don't think there is anyway to avoid this when one is jumping out of a plane. i tried, but to no avail! :)

still free-falling...

pulling the chute...

once uwe pulled the parachute, the rushing wind hushed and we floated down. initially the parachute is a jolt, and the harness is very tight. but then uwe said "it's time to have some fun" -- translation: get ready to spin all over the sky! so, the tight harness, became a distant memory as i tried to take in all the sights and keep my tummy from getting upset.

thanking uwe for getting me back safe and sound

we made it to the ground -- it was a perfect landing...no falls or anything! it was an amazing rush, and a beautiful experience!

after the dive, most of us went to take in some lunch at captain hirams...the local river front restaurant. i couldn't get there fast enough. i was coming off my adrenaline high and was fading fast. that is one thing i didn't anticipate -- feeling so exhausted following the jump. but, once i got some food in my system all was right with the world!

so, skydiving -- highly recommended!!! now i'm back to the real world...packing boxes...until next time...

ps: acknowlegments:

thanks to chantelle & rob for being my fellow skydiving junkies!

thanks to mel for being my driving buddy (keeping me calm) on the way & my ground photographer!

thanks to julie for keeping my family/friends back home connected!

thanks to all who came to cheer...you made the day even better!

thanks to God for creating all things beautiful...and for allowing me a safe landing!

garage sale & trying out a new style

2011-02-26T21:01:00.000-05:00

so, today i held my first "solo" garage sale, meaning it was at my house and the majority of the "junk" was mine, with some items sprinkled in from friends! i'm so thankful a couple of friends came to join me throughout the day (thanks carlye & sarahbeth). i would say the garage sale was a success. i was hoping for a little more cash, but, it's such a relief just to be rid of some "stuff". i sold quite a bit of the "little" stuff and then shared the rest of my items with the lovely people at goodwill! aaahh...such a good feeling! i'll be moving into a smaller home in the near futuer, and i'm trying to start off "simple".

one of the main reasons for having the sale (other than the fact that i can be a bit of a pack-rat) is because i'm moving soon. i'm not moving far, just to a smaller place, and i'm looking forward to moving in with a clean slate. i am hoping to repurpose some of my housewares, to give them new life! i've been eyeing the cottage/shabby/vintage look for a while now. i think it all started when i found melissa phillips beautiful creations. each of her cards/books/projects just take my breath away...they are so personal and sweet and full of life! ever since finding her blog, i have been in love with all things shabby/vintage.

since i love the shabby/vintagey/cottagey look so much, i thought it would be a great way to create a homey fresh feeling for my new abode! the walls are already painted a kahki color. it's a little dark, but i think i can work with it. in preparation for this new style, i've been browsing a ton of blogs. can i just say, there are some really talented people out there! i've found inspiration from so many who have decorated their home. in case you'd like some inspiration, i thought i'd share some of the blogs i've found:

decor chick

dreamy whites

the old painted cottage

pretties and poseys

secret garden cottage

sweet pea home

i hope you enjoy their lovely homes. i'm off to do a little more browsing...see you soon...

bits and pieces

2011-02-23T21:54:00.000-05:00

i love my job. i knew what i was signing up for when i took it...loving on families, helping them understand what's happening through their hospital experience, walking the journey with them...the good and the bad. normally, the good outweighs the bad, the joy outweighs the sorrow. right now is not one of those times. i feel like my heart is in bits and pieces. i lost a patient over the weekend. this loss was sudden, and unexpected for me, and i feel like this has effected my grief process. i am walking through this process, only experiencing bits and pieces of what normally comes in a rush of tears.
i don't know why the grief is so choppy...unlike other times i've lost a patient, or had a difficult experience. i want to cry, but for whatever reason there is a wall up...blocking the flow of tears. i keep telling myself that God knows what i can handle. He is only allowing me to process little bits at a time for a reason. but, if i have to be honest, i don't like dealing with grief this way. i wish i could just get it all out...let the tears come and be done with that part.

as i am writing, i am listening to christy nockles sing "whole world in His hands". i will cling to the truth that God is in control, no matter what is swirling around in my feeble mind. God walks with us; He is not surprised by death, by our emotions. He is standing ready -- ready to catch our tears, ready to heal our hurts...no matter how long it takes.

thanks for allowing me to process a bit...

it's a good thing...

2011-02-21T21:00:00.001-05:00

it's a good thing i love this little face:

the sunday before valentine's i made some tasty mini peanut butter cup cookies! they turned out so tasty!!! as i unwrapped all of the candy wrappers i placed them in a small trash bag. the bag was left on a stool near my kitchen table, or at least i thought it was! when i got home on monday to pick up the cookies, this is what i found...

sage had gotten in to all of the wrappers...i guess the peanut butter/chocolate was just too much for her! she had to lick all of the wrappers!!! she is a smart dog (even though she pretends not to be). this is what she looked like when i came in the door...

she wouldn't make eye contact and her ears were as far back as they could go...and then she ran from me. it's a good thing i love her...because she's quite a mess when she wants to be! note: sorry about the blurry pic...she was on the run, and i was trying to capture this moment quickly!

ssmt - february

2011-02-21T00:30:00.002-05:00

it seems i have fallen behind in posting for ssmt...but, february is not yet over, so i guess i'm not too late! :) i have been working on my verses, just haven't had time to post about them.

my verse for the 1st of the month is:

summing it all, friends, i'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious -- the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. -philippians 4:8 (the message)

this verse has been more challenging than i anticipated, but i love it! i am struck by the last part of the verse - the best, the beautiful, and those things to praise! sooooo good!

my verse for the 2nd half of the month, the 15th, is:

you can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. -philippians 4:19 (the message)

this second verse came at the perfect time -- God has a way of doing that. i am moving in about a month and there was a hitch in my deposit plans. i was stressing out and trying to figure out how to work all the details out...and then i read this verse on the lpm blog! it couldn't have been more perfect. in fact, i think the entire blog post was just for me. i know, thousands of other people read it too, but man, was it perfect for me. just one more reason for me to trust God fully...He knows me too well! i'll leave you with a snapshot of february's ssmt envelope....

have a great day!

cps 206

2011-02-20T21:50:00.000-05:00

in between pricing garage sale items, i decided to get in a little crafty time. i decided to play along with cps 206. the sketch for this week is:

i had several ideas as soon as i saw the sketch, so i was pretty excited to participate in this one! :) my card turned out a little different than i originally envisioned, but i do love how it turned out.

i flipped the sketch, which i hadn't intended, and i also mis-judged the size of the "library card". but, i do love how it turned out. i'm loving lavender lately...such a sweet spring color.

that's all for today friends! thanks for stopping by...have a great one!

{cps206 goodies}
(all items from pti unless otherwise noted)
paper: fresh linen, lavender moon; ink: chestnut roon (cat eye), lavender (dew drops); stamps: librabry card, take note; other: sheer lavender ribbon (michaels), purple flower (prima) white flower (prima), doily (michaels), brad (my stash)

birthday fun...

2011-02-20T20:47:00.000-05:00

i turned a year older this weekend...i am officially a thirty-something. i guess i've been a thirty something for a few years now, but for some reason this new age seems more like a "thirty-something" than the previous few years.

the celebrating actually started on wednesday, when i received some beautiful flowers from my boss. then, on friday i received more flowers and a bouquet of balloons from my family. it was quite the adventure trying to get them all to my car, but we made it all in one piece.

the flowers sitting on top of the picnic basket are from my sweet nana! (mom, please show nana this post so she can see her flowers!). the balloons were a gift from my mom and sister! the bouquet on the right is from my boss. i love to use real flowers to brighten up my house...and it's great when i don't have to buy them! :)

for my actual birthday, i wanted to take it easy and enjoy a relaxing day. i was able to celebrate with some great ladies. some of us went to a matinee showing of "just go with it". it was a pretty funny movie. after the movie we met up with some more friends at the cheesecake factory down the street. mm...mmm...good! before heading home i went to barnes & noble with my friend melanie. i bought ree drummond's, (aka the pioneer woman) book "black heels to tractor wheels". i can't wait to read it! i know i won't be able to put it down once i start reading, so i'm saving the book for the perfect time -- maybe when i move into my new place next month.

one more thing before i sign off for the night! while i was perusing barnes & nobles, cindy called and said "can i tell you who left you birthday messages on facebook?" she proceeded to read every name of every person who left me birthday wishes. you see, i've been off of facebook for about 3 months now (just trying to simplify and not loose my time on facebook), so she knew i couldn't check my fb messages. so, thanks to each of you who left me birthday wishes on facebook! :) i won't be reading them anytime soon, but i'm so thankful for your kindness! and, thanks cindy for calling to let me know!

have a great monday, friends! here's to a new week...

spring butterfly...

2011-02-13T21:08:00.001-05:00

i've been so busy and had so much fun participating in pti's birthday celebration, that i couldn't not make a card tonight. tonight i decided to participate in cps #205. this was the sketch provided:

and here's my take on it....

i pulled out my fav pti color, ripe avocado, and then once i found this strip of floral paper (i believe it's from k&co), the card just came together. i love the gorgeous cream lace/crocheted ribbon...i'm planning to use every little inch of that ribbon! it's some leftover from a craft class i took at my lss.

here's one more pic...just so you can see how that cute little butterfly pops of the page! there were a couple of things on this card that didn't turn out as planned...that i once saw as blemishes. but, now that it's finished, this card is one of my favorite cards to date...blemishes and all!

well, this week will be a busy one...valentine's day, more purging of stuff in my house, preparing for a garage sale, birthday plans. all sorts of fun coming up this week. how about you? i hope it's a great week!

remember, you are loved madly & deeply by the God of the universe! so, whether you have a special valentine or not...God is for you and loves you more than you can imagine!!!

happy valentine's day!

a vintage find & some pti goodness...

2011-02-12T22:30:00.000-05:00

happy saturday evening, friends. did you have a nice, relaxing, fun-filled day? i have had a very productive day, without feeling stressed -- i love it when i can do that! i am in the process of packing up my duplex, taking my time, going through boxes that have been stored in all sorts of corners/closets for the past 2 years. i'm hoping to purge and end up with the really important things, rather than clutter and things that i have kept "just because". sentiment is a hard thing for me to "let go of"...i want to keep every little note, memento and gift from the years past. i am proud of myself, though...today i have filled several bags with items that are no longer going to cause clutter. and, i won't have to move them to my new place next month! i guess you could say that is good motivation! :)

i took a break from clean sweeping my house to run a few errands. i finally went to the amazing little shop that i have been eyeing for months -- the french nest. the women who own this shop have collected a beautiful array of vintage treasures. the shop is filled with furniture, books, hooks, notes, jewelry, linens...i could go on and on. i wasn't planning to purchase anything, but i couldn't pass up this beauty:

floral frog - side view

it's a vintage floral frog. (floral frog: used to arrange flowers in a vase/pot). i feel in love with this little treasure as soon as i saw it! it was laying amidst several glass floral frogs and a tray of antique silverware. i have several other types of floral frogs, but this is the first of this kind i have ever seen.

floral frog - view from above

i'm sure i will come up with plenty of uses for this little treasure. i have already put it to use displaying cards for photography purposes. here's my first one now:

this card was created for papertrey ink's 4th anniversary day 8 challenge. today's post by nichole was packed full of some exciting products and great creations! i was so inspired - i think it was one of my favorites!!! the challenge, inspired by one of the new stamp sets, was to create a card using a BIG embellishment/focal point. i kept it pretty simple and pulled out one of my large and in charge white paper flowers from CTMH. i stamped it with polka dot basics, threw a button and some ribbon in the center. i finished off the card with a sweet "sparkle" sentiment and sprayed some glimmer mist all over! this card was quite simple to create, but has a big punch! i love how it turned out!

thanks for stopping by...hope to check in at some point tomorrow!

pti - more celebrating! :)

2011-02-11T22:24:00.000-05:00

happy friday evening to you! i hope you have had a great week and are planning something fun for the weekend. i am looking forward to taking it easy this weekend. this is my first weekend in several weeks where i can just chill, get things done around the house but not have to stress about anything. some of the things on my flexible "to-do" list for the weekend are preparing for an upcoming garage sale, doing some purging (still working on simplifying my life), and maybe a run to the grocery store. pretty laid back, huh?

i am planning to participate in more papertrey ink festivities. i was wiped out last night, so i didn't even attempt to particpate. tonight, however is a different story! i created a card based on nichole's most recent challenge. the newest challenge is based on a couple of new products for the pti release this month -- make a project incorporating a tag and a frame.

some of the fun elements on this card include the circle tag cut from cricut's "doodlecharm's"cartridge, as well as the frame cut from the "stamping" cartridge. i pulled out the everyday button bits stamp set for the image and the sentiment (enjoy the ride). i realize you can't see the sentiment in the pic...more lighting issues.

thanks for stopping by to see tonight's card creation. hoping to post a little more over the weekend...maybe even something other than a card! :) have a great weekend!

{enjoy the ride goodies}
all products papertrey ink, unless otherwise noted
paper: dark chocolate, pure poppy, tropical blue (bazzill), white (my stash), kraft print (packaging from k&co); stamps: everyday button bits; ink: dark chocolate (cat eye); other: pure poppy buttons, brown pearl rhinestones (recollections), ribbon (my stash)

pti color fav's - erin

2011-02-09T22:07:00.000-05:00

for some reason, i haven't followed erin's blog since i found pti...but, after all the goodness i've seen, i think i'll be adding it to my list. i love her card...it's simple, but also has so many elements to it! and i love her color combo...one i'll be going back to for sure - ripe avocado, ocean tides, vintage cream, dark chocolate.

i used another of my favorite pti stamp sets...everyday button bits. i can't tell you how many times i've pulled out this actual stamp to whip up a card! i just love it!

and this is the "big picture" of my card. i've got several thank you cards that i need to send out...and i'm sure this will go to someone special!

thanks for sticking with me through all the color combo posts! :) just a couple more days until pti's release week begins! so exciting! hope to see you all tomorrow...

card base - vintage cream; background layer - ocean tides in bloom; focal piece - cream, agean blue ink, ripe avocado button, edged in chocolate ink; sentiment - olive green; other - dark chocolate scrunched binding ribbon, chocolate twine

pti color fav's - heather

2011-02-09T21:58:00.000-05:00

i loved heather's color combo...i think i'm saying that about every one that i did! :) her choice was: ripe avocado, spring rain, dark chocolate & kraft. ripe avocado is one of my top fav colors from pti! i just love it and i feel like it can be paired with almost anything!

i love how this card turned out...simple, but with quite a bit of texture. i've had that flocked butterfly hanging around my crafty space for a while now, and i think this was the perfect card for it! :)

just one more card/post for the evening...i applaud you if you're sticking with me this long! :)

base - dark chocolate; background - ripe avocado in bloom; focal image - kraft, sheet music w/ blue flocked butterfly; other - ripe avocado ribbon.

pti color fav's - dawn

2011-02-09T21:51:00.000-05:00

i always love dawn's color combos! her choice for this year was raspberry fizz, pure poppy, hawaiian shores, dark chocolate & kraft. i love all the layers on her card, but because i had so many cards to make, i tried to keep things simple. here's mine:

i absolutely love the polka dot background...one of my all time favorite pti stamp sets! :) i don't own any pti hawaiian shores, but i did have a color that looks just like the swatch i printed out, so i used it! i hope it's right! :) a basic birthday card...i found that many of my cards looked similar tonight. i'm not sure if that's just "my style", or if i'm just stuck; either way, i like this card...

base - pure poppy; background - kraft cs w/ chocolate polka dots; image - raspberry fizz/hawaiian shores; sentiment - red ink; other - red sheer ribbon, hot pink button, chocolate twine

pti color fav's - betsy

2011-02-09T21:44:00.000-05:00

betsy's color fav's are up next - scarlett jewel, hibiscus burst, harvest gold, rustic cream. you should definitely check out her card...it is gorgeous!!!
here's my version...

this is one of my favorite cards that i created tonight! i love the crown (also cut out from the cricut). it's a good thing this card will be going out soon, otherwise i don't think i could wait! i just love it, and i am excited for the recipient to open it up! i think they will love it! :)

just a few more posts...

base - rustic cream; background - scarlett jewel; trim - hibiscus burst; sentiment - cream w/ pink text & scarlett edging; crown - harvest gold with pink rhinestones; other - gold glitter

pti color fav's - maile

2011-02-09T21:33:00.000-05:00

i think that papertrey ink's anniversay celebrations are one of my favorite week! i have an "excuse" to stamp almost every night...and i always end up with a stash of cards to use as needed.

today's pti post is VERY exciting -- you can read it here. the challenge for today was to create a card (or cards) using the dt's favorite color combo's. we had the opportunity to create 10 card, but my little hands and brain just couldn't keep up tonight. i finished 5 cards, though, so it's a start! so, i will have 4 additional posts following this one for tonight!

NOTE: please forgive the photos (on all of tonight's postings). i'm having trouble finding good lighting and adjusting my little nikon.

i started out with maile's color combo - kraft, fine linen, lavender moon & harvest gold

don't you just love this little birdie! i cut him out using my cricut...i've been wanting to use him for a while now, so i can't wait to send this card to someone special!

thanks for stopping by!

base - lavender moon; bird - harvest gold; background - fine linen; trim - kraft

pti - the new make it monday!!!

2011-02-07T20:57:00.000-05:00

i can't even tell you how excited i am about papertrey ink's newest addition. it's called "make it mondays". how it works is someone from the pti team will upload a video demonstrating a new technique as well as pairing it with traditional card techniques. then, we can create a card based on that "challenge". i'm a challenge junkie, so this is right up my alley!
you can find the first "make it monday" vid by clicking here. i was pretty excited about this week's challenge...it's always nice to have another "go-to" sketch. here's my take on the challenge:

the plan was to create a sentiment "collage" of sorts. i've got several birthdays this month, so i decided to work on some b-day cards. i found out, though, that i didn't have as many b-day sentiments as i thought. oh well, that's the beauty of a "collage"...you can use as many or as few as you'd like!

thanks for stopping by tonight. this will be the only post for the evening - unlike last night's 6 posts! :) so, sleep well...i'll be back tomorrow night.

pti tags - lisa's tag

2011-02-06T23:29:00.000-05:00

i loved lisa's cute tag...so i created a quick valentine's card! flocking powder & glitter all on the same little tag --- love using that stuff!

that's my last card for the evening. i didn't get to the last three tags for tonight, but i know i'll be using them on something special soon!

don't forget to check out PTI's birthday bash festivities! if you're new to the paper crafting world i can guarantee you will love their products, their design team, and their wonderful way of making paper crafting fun!

if you stuck with me through all 6 cards - i owe you a hug! :) until next time...

pti tags - tiffany's tag

2011-02-06T23:22:00.000-05:00

when i saw tiffany's fun tag, i had a grand idea. my card didn't turn out quite how i had imagines, but i was able to use a tim holtz mask that i have had forever (and never used).

i might have to print out these tags again, and see if i can create my initial vision. but, i do like all the purples used in this card! :)

just one more card, and then i'm done for the night...

pti tags - heather's tag

2011-02-06T23:18:00.001-05:00

so, i was so excited when i saw heather's tag print out! i absolutely love the colors and the sweet little flower!

please forgive the photo quality...i was working with my iphone...waiting for my camera battery to charge! :) anyway, i absolutely love this sweet card, and i know just who will receive it! :)

thanks so much for stopping by...

pti tags - maile's tag

2011-02-06T23:13:00.000-05:00

i loved maile's tag from the get-go! i've never tried a white card with a what embellishments, but i have to say i love how this little card turned out. it has a pop of color from the orange ribbon and the stickles/markers on the pinwheels.

i can't wait to try this out again sometime! :)

alright...just two more cards to post...

pti tags - nichole's tag

2011-02-06T23:01:00.000-05:00

the next card up is nichole's tag! i love nichole's style...clean and simple - and her cards always come out so eye-catching! i've never been happy with the CAS cards i create, but i'll keep trying! :) i love the color scheme...i've actually used it several times in previous cards.

i also pulled out pti's polka dot stamp set...i just love that set!

next card will be up shortly...

pti tags - dawn's tag

2011-02-06T22:57:00.000-05:00

so, tonight i had my own little super bowl party -- although, i didn't watch the super bowl at all. instead, i relaxed and spent the evening creating cards. today's pti birthday celebration (read all about it here) allowed you to download some cute tags and use them in a creation. my cards are fairly simple, mostly because i wanted to whip through them pretty quickly.

i'm starting with dawn mcvey's cute tag...

i automatically loved the color scheme of the tag, and i also love the little yellow detail within it. i found a flower stamp that i thought tied together and whipped this little card up.

i've got several more cards to post, so i'll keep it simple...

quick pti post

2011-02-05T23:54:00.000-05:00

well, it's getting late, and i really should be in bed because i work tomorrow....but, i didn't want to miss out on the pti birthday celebration! in the near future papertrey ink (my favorite scrappy co.) will be turning a year older. one of the ways they celebrate is by having a week-long party - with all sorts of challenges and give-a-ways. now, i would participate, even if there wasn't a give-a-way...that's how much i love their products. the question for today: what is your favorite project from 2010. there are several that i really love, but if i have to choose one, i pick this one:

i remember when and why i sent the card, so there is also a little sentimental meaning behind it. i created this card using the following pti products: ocean tides cardstock, damask designs stamp set. the other items on the card are from a variety of sources (michaels, joanns, my stash).

alright...i'm off to bed for now. work will come early in the morning! :)

new "blog" direction & sunday morning ramblings...

2011-01-23T12:34:00.001-05:00

so, i have felt a little nudging from God that i need to break out of my protective shell and be a bit more transparent with my life. this is something i've always wanted to do, and until fairly recently thought i was living in such a way. however, through some recent "digging" (over the past year), i have come to the realization that i tend to show people only the "good". my thought has been, why ripple the waters with what i am reallly feeling? struggling with? thinking?  i am realizing that it is much more productive and healthy to be honest with God, myself and others.  so, you will begin to see more of the real me as you visit this little blog...just thought i'd give you a heads up incase you were just visiting to check out my crafty projects. :) here we go...

current tunes: never let go, dcb

it's a chilly sunday morning and i am sitting at starbucks trying to focus on a project i've been working on for 2 weeks. i've got david crowder playing on my iphone. his lyrics are always so moving and true! i should really listen to dcb more often...the songs always encourage me to see God in a more honest way.

current tunes: i believe in you, bethany dillon

so, back to this project. i am to write a letter addressed to me, expressing forgiveness and compassion for the areas in my life that i have "managed" on my own. talk about exhausting...this project calls you to look at yourself under a microscope of sorts. it is humbling, yet freeing all at the same time. i have already typed about four drafts...each one adding more and more areas that i have "managed".

current tunes: all i need is you, adie

it is amazing to me to see the multiple areas of life that i have tried to control or manage. some of the areas i controlled allowed me to "measure up" to those around me. other areas i managed in order to meet a need that was not met because of past experiences.  no matter the origin of my "controlling" pattern, there is forgiveness from God. i know that in my mind, because God's word states it is true. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace." (Eph 1:17).  as i shared in a previous post, sometimes it is difficult to wrap my heart around these truths. God is true to His word - i know that in my head, and i so desperately want to believe that in the depths of my heart.

current tunes: where the love lasts forever, hillsong united

on another note - i am excited to visit family and friends this next week. i will be traveling home. the last time i was at home - i my mom's house was may 2010 for my sister's high school graduation. it's been too long!

alright - i'm off to go find a winter coat to take home.  my old coat is a little too snug, and my blood has definitely thinned since moving to the sunshine state!  if you need any good worship songs, the one's listed throughout this blog were great for me this morning!  hoping you have a wonderful sunday...

until next time....

current tunes: the house of God forever, jon foreman

ssmt - jan 15

2011-01-16T21:11:00.001-05:00

as the 15th came around, i knew the "subject" of the verse God was calling me to hide in my heart...it took me a little while to find it. for the last part of january, i will be meditating on the following verse:

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand

When I awake, I am still with You.

Psalm 139:17-18

this verse is not new to me; infact, i've read it over many times. but, sometimes it is difficult for me to truly believe that God, the One who created every living thing, thinks of me. He thinks of me more than i can imagine. and He is not thinking "why did i create her?" or "i wasted my time on her." no, God has thoughts about me like: she is a lovely child with a beautiful heart; that girl (actually, He does know my name) is more precious to me than she knows." now, i'm not in God's head, so i don't know if those are His exact words, but it's what the Bible says He thinks about me.

and, you know what's even cooler than that...God thinks the same thing about YOU! whether you know it or believe it or not, you are on His mind; He loves you more than you can imagine.

because i need this reminder more often than not, i will be memorizing these two verses. i will probably be saying this every time, but God has already used the words in these two verses to teach me. even through this blog entry, which has turned out completely different than what i anticipated, God is teaching me, refining me.

thanks for sticking around...

we're all in this together....

2011-01-15T15:51:00.000-05:00

i was just reading the latest entry about Africa at my church's blog. it was written by a fellow traveler to Sierra Leone. it's so fun to read from another's perspective, and hear how God worked in their lives during the same exact trip!

side note: i love how God can do that -- He is such a personal God -- there is no "cookie-cutter" way that He works.

anyway, if you'd like to read a little more about Sierra Leone, check it out here: Go to Africa Blog.

enjoy!

ssmt - jan 1

2011-01-06T08:21:00.000-05:00

i've heard it said that to follow through with a goal you have set, it is important to make it your own...bring some of you into the challenge. this is a little post about how i did that...

since january 1, i have aligned myself with a group of women who are committed to getting into God's Word - the siesta scripture memory team. the goal is to memorize 2 scriptures a month. i, along with 8000 other women, will log on to this blog twice a month (the 1st & the 15th) and post the verse i have chosen to memorize. if you are interested in joining, it's never too late...all of the instructions are listed here. one suggestion to help along the way is to keep the verses you are trying to memorize handy. so, i created a little notebook of sorts to keep up with mine...

within the book, i have created an envelope for each month. by the end of 2011, each envelope will have 2 cards, with a verse on each.

just above are a few peeks at what the "insides" of my scripture memory book look like. on the 1st and 15th of each month, i will post the scripture i am working on along with the page for each month. let's get things started with january 1 -

Those who trust in, lean on and confidently hope in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides and stands fast forever. -Psalm 125:1 (Amplified Bible)

God has already used this verse to reframe my thoughts on several occasions...to remind me that to trust in, lean on and confidently hope in Him is safe. i can believe in what He is doing and wants to do through me. He never forgets about His promises -

So shall my word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless] but it shall accomplish that which I pleae and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. -Isaiah 55:11 (Amplified Bible)

alrighty...i've got to get ready for work. talk with you soon...

Mojo Monday #172

2011-01-05T19:23:00.000-05:00

just a quick card i created for the mojo monday contest for this month!

i was so excited to start working on this card because i knew i was going to use my new big shot! i used an embossing folder called hawaiian tropic. i love the look it gave..i can't wait to play with it some more! i'm sure you haven't seen the last of my embossing folders!!!

the rest of the card is all scraps...i love when i can do that! although, i didn't even put a dent in the scrap pile. maybe i'll have to see what else i can come up with!

thanks for stopping by...see ya soon...

A James Bond New Year...

2011-01-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

now that i am home from new years, i am wide awake...despite the fact that i was yawning all evening. please note, the yawning had NOTHING to do with my company...i think i'm just getting old...or maybe mature is a better word! my sweet friend melanie invited me to join a group of friends for th James Bond Dressed To Kill New Years Eve at a local theater. here we are now, just after midnight!

i had such a fun night! and i learned a bit of james bond info along the way...we watched the movie "thunderball". i'm thinking i need to watch all of the movies now...just to be an informed person...and so i can laugh at some of the silly parts! maybe i'll include that in my new year's resolutions! haha!

for real, though, i always love this time of year. the year is full of possibility...full of new beginnings and fresh starts! i have no idea what specific possibilities are ahead, but it excites me just the same!

now that it's way past my bedtime...i'll quit chatting...just one last thing:

happy new year from sage & i! :)

"appi krismes"

2010-12-26T22:04:00.002-05:00

translation: merry Christmas in krio

krio is the common language in the upper banta district of sierra leone. i wasn't so good at updating my blog upon returning from sierra leone this past summer. however, i thought this Christmas was the best time to share a little more about what God allowed me to be a part of this past summer. just a note - this entry has multiple pics, and is long...so get ready! :) the following is the a portion of the letter i recently sent out....

our team of 15 lived in the integrity house, one of 10 homes that provide shelter, food, and family to the orphaned children of Sierra Leone. during our visit we were treated like royalty, being provided with thick foam-like mattresses and bunk beds to sleep on, enjoying three prepared meals a day, hugged every time you walked out of the house, and reminded of God’s beauty each time you walked outside.

the majority of our time in country was spent helping lead youth camp! our days began at 7 each morning and ended around 11:30 each night. each camp day was filled to the brim - church services, leading arts & crafts, cheering during “futbol” matches, loving on village kids who were hanging around youth camp, more church services, and leading four precious girls during “dorm time”. dorm time was a highlight for me; for about 20 minutes each night, my girls and i would talk about the day, discuss their questions about God, pray together, and love one other. we even had a night where we did a little pampering.

hanging out at camp!

manicure night with my girls - please note the foam mattress we are sitting on...this is how they slept (if they were lucky enough to have a mattress)

as time allowed, we walked the country-side of Sierra Leone making our way to three different villages. ngolala (pronounced = “gwala”) is a village just across the “road”, about a 10 minute walk, from the COTN property. it was on our first walk to ngolala that I looked around and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the country. the village looks like one you might see in national geographic. i found so much joy sitting on a family’s dusty porch, just spending time with them.

the trees on the way to ngolala

make shift hair salon - i was needing some braids!

enjoying spending time with batu and her son david

we visited village of mokpangumba the second sunday we were in banta. the journey to this village consisted of a three-mile hike, including walking through two bodies of water and one scary canoe ride. i am happy to announce we arrived to the other side of the river dry!

our captain is paddling from the back...we are just about to turn around to cross the river...let's just say i was a little nervous!!!

once in the village, we were warmly greeted and led to their church. although church had ended by the time we arrived, we spent time with the people. this village will forever hold a special place in my heart. first, because the little girl i sponsor lives here. meet theresa johnny (in the maroon dress). she is in nursery school in her village. when she starts the 2nd grade she will begin walking to the school at ngolala; until then, she will continue learning at the school in her village.

a little girl who met me once we crossed the river...she walked me to her village

meet theresa johnny!

i will also always love this visit because was able to hold a little baby the traditional “african” way. little james johnny (theresa’s little brother), 7 weeks old at the time, was strapped on my back for about 10 minutes. i was a little nervous, but his sweet mom put me at ease, and didn’t stray far from her little one, the youngest of nine children! such a memorable moment for me...i can't wait to see both theresa and her family again!

james' mom is helping me get started!

we don't want him falling - he's got to be strapped in tight!

i'm thinking - "please don't fall out little james!" i'm not about to let go...although, i don't think my hand would do any good!

james, me & his sweet momma!

such a sweet baby boy!

senehun was the last village we are able to travel to. the walk to senehun, about 30 minutes from COTN, was breath-taking!!! we were surrounded by beautiful palm trees, making a hot day much cooler! the “lake” we had to walk thru to reach the village also helped with the heat! this rather small village rests at the top of a hill, and is full of beautiful, welcoming people. the afternoon in senehun was relaxing, allowing me to take everything in. i sat with two ladies while in senehun; i believe they are both grandmothers. we did not understand any words that were shared, but there were smiles just the same!

palm trees on the way to senehun - picture the scenery from jurassic park -- this is it -- beautiful!!!

this body of water is at the base of the hill leading to senehun...reportedly this is the cleanest water upper banta district

sitting with these beautiful women in senehun

each and every experience in sierra leone allowed me a unique glimpse at God’s love for His people. He has met their every need; and as His children, they are content to live in His provision, whatever that might look like. as you enjoy this Christmas season with your family, may you be reminded of God's provision for each of us through a baby named Jesus!

sunset in upper banta mokelleh, sierra leone, west africa

appi krismes,

**if you are interested in learning more about Children of the Nations (the organization we partenered with) or sponsoring a child please visit their website.

papertrey december blog hop challenge & thoughts...

2010-12-26T19:25:00.000-05:00

even though i have a full "normal" week back at work starting tomorrow, i decided to relax and treat this entire weekend as if it were a long vacation! so, i had plenty of time to participate in this months papertrey blog hop! this is actually my first blog hop to participate in -- so exciting! the challenge was this: to create a project using holiday left-overs.

i had already bagged up all of my torn wrapping paper & boxes, but i did find some tissue paper stuffed in a gift bag. i figure it's not too early to start on some valentine's cards, so that was my goal! red tissue paper works great for valentines! here is my finished creation, along with a sampling of some of the left over tissue paper...

and, here's a closeup of my tissue paper flower. i learned how to make these flowers at my lss. i love the simplicity of creating them, and the finished "rough-around-the-edges-look".

even though i created a valentine's card, my heart is still very much thinking about Christmas! the cold & windy weather here in florida made it feel like winter, for sure! i was also able to participate in summit's Christmas eve service on friday...it was so beautiful! and today's worship was absolutely breath-taking. i was reminded yet again, that Jesus, born as a baby, holds the power of life and death and grace in His baby hands. even now, i am thinking of the tiny, fragile infants that i work with at the hospital -- He was like them...tiny and fragile. but He was also the fullness of power, even as a tiny, fragil crying baby. it is only because of His birth & later His death, that i can live a life full of redemption, joy, grace, mercy and love. i'm so grateful, humbled, thankful...

merry Christmas & happy new year (well, almost)! thanks so much for stopping by! hoping the rest of your holiday weekend is wonderful, relaxing and full of the joy that only baby Jesus can give!

{tissue paper valentines} paper: raspberry fizz (pti), bazzill strip (bazzill), sheet music (my stash); ink: rose chalk (cateyes); other: sheer magenta ribbon (celebrate it), gold stickles (ranger), red tissue paper (my stash), love metal (my stash)

winter in florida!

2010-12-03T23:21:00.000-05:00

so, i know it's been a while since my last post...sorry about that. thanks to any of you who may have checked back for any updates.

i just returned home from a wonderful cold night here in florida. a local garden hosts an outdoor movie night once a month, and tonights movie was "the holiday"...the one with cameron diaz, kate winslet, jude law & jack black. it's such a fun holiday movie...and we had such fun weather to finish of the night! now, not everyone enjoyed to chilly air, but it was perfect for me. it reminds me of being home, and actually experiencing the four seasons! :) here are a few shots of our group:

julie, meagan, reanna, debbie, meghan, nikki, nicole, & chelsea...enjoying some snacks before the movie!

me, julie, debbie, meghan (yes, my eyes are closed...bright flash :)!!)

it was so much fun to bundle up in all of our winter gear! such a fun night...i am so grateful for the wonderfully fun group of people i work with...and this is just one reason why! :) and now, i'm snuggled up in bed, thawing out from cold! :) see you next time...

covered by Your blood...

2010-09-25T21:52:00.000-04:00

i have been doing a lot of "soul searching" this week, trying to decifer pieces of me. in the middle of my searching, the Lord continues to show me Who He is, how true He is. no matter what i see in me, He loves me, He is constant, He is Healer.

God has used the words of the following to remind me, yet again, Who He is.

an unexpected weekend...

2010-09-15T21:28:00.002-04:00

this weekend was not what i expected. when i got off work on friday, i learned that levi (my best friends little boy) passed away. sweet little levi was born with a rare condition, hydranencephaly, with a brief life expectancy. most babies born with this diagnosis don't survive their first year of life....but, levi surprised everyone. he spent 3 1/2 years blessing all those who knew him. despite the fact that levi could not talk, or walk or run, he made a lasting impact on all those who met him; i know that i am a better person for knowing him. his life taught me about God's perfection...God knew exactly what He was doing when created levi, when He knit him together in cindy's womb. i watched as God work in levi's parents...giving them the strength to take each moment as it came, and to love levi with every ounce in them. for me, levi will always have a little piece of my heart. this is the last picture i was able to take with him, just about a year ago...

me & levi, october 2009

thanks to the little mishap on my flight home from africa, i was able to make the trip home for his service. it wouldn't have been possible without jack & julie watching sage, and also for wynter and her cheap flight wisdom! despite going home for a not fun reason, levi's little brother, jonah, did brighten every single day! he is nine months, and never stops! his little laugh is so stinkin' cute!!! i watched him on monday evening, and snapped a few pics...isn't he a cutie?!? every time i got the camera out, he would chase it...i think he was intrigued by the flash! :)

jonah preston...what a cutie pie!

since i was within driving distance, i took a little trip to chickasha to visit my sister at college. we went to lunch, toured her campus, and took a trip to wal-mart.

me & kylee @ usao, 9/12/10

i was also able to spend time with my mom and sister following levi's service. we enjoyed a little treat at pink swirls...mmm!

me, mom & kylee @ pink swirls

when i got home this afternoon, i started working on a couple of cards i had planned to make this weekend. i decided to combine two challenges. first, i used the color scheme for moxiefab lipsylicious challenge...

then, i used the sketch from this weeks mojo monday #156...

i had some trouble taking a good pic, so this will have to do. i couldn't seem to snap a true shot of what the colors actually look like. maybe i should try my hand at making a light box...it would probably help with the photos. but, here it is anyway...

off to bed for now...i'm sure i'll have a ton of catch-up at work tomorrow!

a visit to ngolala...

2010-09-11T22:10:00.000-04:00

our first hours in sierra leone were spent getting settled and organized. we ate our first meal provided by COTN…i think it was tuna fish on lebanese bread…i opted for peanut butter! my first night in sierra leone, i slept surprising well! due to the lack of electricity, the air conditioner is leaving your windows open, 24/7. i figured i wouldn’t need any sort of covers, but i ended up pulling sheet and blanket over me at some point in the night.

sunday morning we woke up, had some breakfast, and i took my first bucket bath. this was my first mistake - it was morning!!! i will try to explain how the bucket bath works. first, you use a bowl or cup fill a 5 gallon galvanized bucket with water that has been deposited in a huge plastic container in the bathroom. then, you pour water on you, lather up your soap and shampoo, and then rinse off with the rest of the water in the galvanized bucket. i later learned that my second mistake was not dumping the water on my head first. day 2 of bucket baths went much smoother, being that i showed at night, so it was still warm out, and that i started with my hair…it sort of takes the initial sting out of it being cold water. all in all, the bucket baths weren’t really all that bad. yes, they were cold, but i can see where one could get used to it…sort of. i my mind, it is better than bathing in the river.

so after our group was ready, we walked up the hill to attend “church of the nations”. this is the church that is held on the COTN property. COTN works in four countries: sierra leone, uganda, malawi & the dominican republic, and they have church at each one of the cotn properties in each country. but, only in sierra leone do they have “church of the nations”…churches that meet in several different villages, but all began through people who were involved with COTN. you can think of it as africa’s version of “multi-site”!  what i love about “church of the nations” is that many times, teenagers have a leading role in the church. one of the things that struck me most was the pride the children have for their church, and i’m sure it’s not only the children. each Sunday, it was someone’s “chore” to provide decorations for the church.

flowers picked from teh children's home to decorate church of the nations

i love that their decorations, although simple, were beautiful and showed respect for God and His creation.

after church we took our first trip to ngolala [pronounced: gwala]. this village is located just across the dirt road from cotn, and about a 10 minute walk down a trail. it was during the walk to ngolala that i first realized that there is absolutely no way i can adequately explain the beauty i see, and this experience as a whole. i was surrounded by huge tall trees, waist high grass, and all sorts of sounds. our team did see a monkey on our first trip…can you see it???

monkey in ngolala photo taken by the hensleys

i actually couldn’t ever see it, only the effects of it as the branches moved when it jumped. get excited, because this monkey is the largest animal you’re going to get from this trip. because ngolala is so close to cotn, the people who live there are quite used to “white people” also known as “pumwi”. word travels fast as the village children learn we are visiting, and several of them met us at the “entrance” of their village. the entrance to ngolala is absolutely breath-taking. as you arrive at the bottom of a hill, you are greeted on the left by a wall of trees split only by a stream flowing through the middle of them. on the right, the same water source is the filled with all sorts of children and their water buckets, busy collecting water for their homes. it is pretty impressive to see 3 year old children carrying buckets of water on their heads!

our team broke up into groups to visit people, and i went up the hill to the left with sarah. the young kids were a little nervous about us at first, but soon warmed up and were hanging all over us. beginning at about three to four years old, the children flock to the camera like a moth to a flame. they love having their picture taken, and then seeing their faces on the screen. meet some of the first children in ngolala who i met…

as i was snapping pictures of kids, the women of the village were sitting on their porches preparing food over fires, braiding hair and visiting. rarely did i see a woman just sitting and lounging…there is always something to do…no idle hands in ngolala. as we made our way around the village, there was one family who was constantly offering for me to hold their baby boy, i would guess he was about one year old. but, this poor little thing wanted nothing to do with me, or any other pumwi for that matter, as seen by his wailing every few moments! i kept trying to wave mom off, letting her know that i did not want her baby to be scared, but she just kept trying to pass him off to me. i eventually snapped a picture of her holding him. and here is his sweet little face when he realized i was looking his direction!

it was difficult to leave ngolala…the village life is so intriguing! but, our team needed to head back to the cotn camp to greet the teenagers arriving for a week long youth camp! more adventures to come…

a little de-stressing...

2010-09-09T20:58:00.001-04:00

hello all! today was a good day, but an exhausting day for me. i was able spend an extended amount of time with a precious baby at work today. once i was home, i watched the memorial service for miss ava belle hunter. she is a precious 5 year old from my church who bravely battled a brain tumor. after a 10 week battle, Jesus completely healed her body in Heaven. although i only know of this family through passing in the halls at Summit, i have prayed for them and followed their journey through her dad's blog. it has been a beautiful thing to watch as they tightened their grip on God's hand and He theirs. i guess, really though, God never tightened His grip...He has had a hold of them all along.

i needed to de-stress this evening. one of the ways that i de-stress and relax is through creating...making cards, crafty projects, scrappy pages, or something like that. i decided to create a project based on moxiefabs most recent challenge: Offset Scallop Gallop Challenge in the Moxie Fab World. the challenge was so fun...and check out that purse on the challenge page!

the challenge was to use offset scallops somewhere, somehow in your project. i could have created some scallops, but instead i decided to use up some tags that i've had hanging around forever! i pre-punched them a long time ago, and they have just been sitting there. looking at the card straight on, it is a little difficult to see the separate tags, so here's another look:

it's a pretty simple card...i stamped all of the tags with my polka dot basics stamp set. and tied twine on them to help them stand out a little more. i was wishing i had some of that red/white twine from papertrey ink...hmmm, i'll add that to my wish list! :)

thanks for stopping by! see you soon...

ps-if you are wondering about africa, i'm working on another africa post. i never thought they would take me so long, but i guess it's a lot to process! :)

growing up & cps 183

2010-09-06T20:00:00.001-04:00

my little sister has started college. she is living in an apartment, going to early morning classes (hopefully), and working on campus. she is becoming an adult! i'm so proud of her - i can't wait to visit her at "her place" someday! i remember how special it was to get mail when i was in school...so i made this little gem for her! card positioning systems provided the inspiration for this card...

when i first started working on this little challenge, i was a little stumped. then, i came across these great little phrases!!! they are just perfect for what i wanted her to know!

i also found this little "memo" paper...so cute!

alright, that's all for tonight. i hope you all had a wonderful labor day. i certainly enjoyed my day - i was crafty, watched movies on the couch while it rained, and read a bit of a good book! back to work tomorrow...

mojo monday #155

2010-09-06T19:46:00.000-04:00

my poor little crafty supplies have been neglected since my return from sierra leone. but, today i thought i'd get my stamps inked up and get a little crafty. mojo monday provided some inspiration to get me started.

i have been a little slow in sending out a few thank you's, so that is what i decided for my first card. the challenge was to use a tag of some sort in your project. initially, i had some cute little punched tags, but once i tried them on for size they were a little too big. so, i ended up using a chippy tag i had lying around. also, i was so excited to use some cork board sheets! i purchased this "paper" a long time ago to put together a card themed around "the office". you will probably be seeing it around many more projects...it is so fun!

here's a full view of my card. i used up several scraps, as well as inked up my polka dot basics stamps from papertrey ink for the first time! woo hoo! they are going to be a favorite, i just know it!

thanks for stopping by! i'll be right back with another take on a sketch challenge...

the road to banta...

2010-08-29T10:09:00.005-04:00

once our driver, phillip, replaced our spare tire for the poda poda, we hit the road and didn't look back. the first half of the drive was a nice paved road. we stopped for lunch and a "potty break".

potty break on the way to upper banta

the accommodations didn't seem too bad, until a team mate yelled "spiders" from her stall. the toilet was a cement square with blue tiles all over the outside for you to perch on. it was very dark in the stalls, so i didn't see any critters running around, thankfully! surprisingly, this was the most rustic toilet i had to use...thank goodness for bladder control!
the first half of our trip wasn't too bad -- then we hit the dirt road. uncle magnus warned us before we leaving in the morning that we would have a nice paved road, and then we would hit a very rough dirt road. he was not kidding! The dirt road had large craters that took up the width of the road. our poda poda would literally slow down, drive down into a cavern like hole, and then up the other side. most of the time these craters were filled with water. since i was in the window seat, i was sure i would get soaked, but i never got a drop of water on me. i am guessing, but i would say we drove on the paved road for 3 hours, and the dirt road for 4 hours. all i know is that it was a heavenly sight to pull through the COTN gate!

the dirt road leading to upper banta & COTN

i wish i would have had my camera out from the get-go, but i did not. when we pulled into the COTN gate and drove to the "church", the land cruiser, with part of our team, had already arrived. as we exited the poda poda, we were greeted by our team, sarah, mama jumbala (i have no idea if i'm spelling her name right), who is the clinic nurse, and many many children. honestly, it was a bit awkward - trying to figure out what to say, who to say it to, and to take in the environment. as we fumbled around our interactions and words, everyone was asked to sit down. as the new team, we were guests of honor and led up to front of the stage (can i just say even more awkward!). our little welcome ceremony ended up being so fun...we were officially given our "african" names. you see, in africa, everyone has an african name, and some people also have an "american" name. one by one, children were called up and asked to chose an "african" name for each member of our team. the young girl who was asked to give my name first said "auntie angie"...but that was quickly changed by the guy with the microphone! :) i'm sure she was just nervous! so, my "african" name is "auntie sombo". it took me the better part of two weeks to figure out how to pronounce it correctly, and i'm still not sure if i say it right. that's okay, though, i will always love it...whatever it means! also, in sierra leone, instead of using "mr." or "ms.", everyone is called "auntie" or "uncle". so, i was always called "auntie amber" or "auntie sombo", or just "auntie"! :)

once we were given our african names, we took our first walk down the hill to our house...the integrity house!

integrity house - our COTN home

this would be our home for the next two weeks! integrity house is 1 of 10 cement houses that provide a secure shelter for the children who live at COTN. the houses are nestled together in a circle, with the water faucet in the middle of the "village". each house has a multi-purpose room, 1 small bedroom (for the house parent), 1 larger bedroom (for 10 kids), two shower stalls and two toilet stalls, and a kitchen room out the back door of the house. in our house, all the girls slept in the large room, 3 guys slept in the small room, and another 3 guys slept up the hill at mama angies house. mama angie is the woman who oversees COTN in banta.

our first evening at COTN was wonderful...we were going to try to visit ngolala [pronounced = gwala], a nearby village, but instead our spent time getting to know the home kids, settling all of our luggage/donations, planning activities for the first day of camp, and just hanging out. we also had dinner at some point...but i don't recall what it was. maybe some rice, chicken and apples? whatever it was, it was tasty! yet, another surprise about coming to africa - good food! :)

until next time...

babies...

2010-08-15T21:30:00.000-04:00

so, it seems i haven't gotten as far as i expected in sharing my african adventures! more to come this week, i promise! :)

i have been busy re-adjusting to my work schedule, and just life in general. one of the things i am still working through related to work is the amount of technology we have available to us. while i was in africa, there were two babies born at the clinic of COTN. these healthy term babies came into this world the most natural way possible...no drugs involved. infact, one of the mothers went in to labor in her village, walked the 15 minute walk to the COTN clinic, and had her baby 1 hour later. can you imagine??? at my job, i am surrounded by babies who were born at various gestational ages...some as early as 23 weeks. upon entering this world, these infants are connected to many tubes, wires and machines, in order to provide them the opportunity to develop, despite their early arrival. in fact, on friday morning, i was blessed to hold one of these precious infants. this baby is an isolette, requires ventilation for to breath, and is on a handful of other monitors and pumps. even though this baby came into the world too early, it is being given the opportunity to develop...to grow...to attach to its family. the machines and medicines our babies receive are for their best interest; God Himself has provided the knowlege, that has in turn, afforded us the technology to support these infants. my mind is still wrapping itself around the fact that our babies have this technology available, and other babies, specifically ones born in comminities like banta mokelleh, do not have this same advantage.

i recognize that, no matter what sort of environment an infant is born into, God is in control. He knit this baby together in his mother's womb...He knew him even before he was born (psalm 139). He is ultimately in control, and no matter what technology we have before us, God's purposes will be done.

if you're still reading...thanks for hanging around...this is just me processing all the stuff that's jumbled in my mind.

have a great week...more africa adventures to come...

africa ~ sticky bubbles & the poda poda

2010-08-09T21:34:00.000-04:00

poda poda: pronounced "poo-da, poo-da". i know you can't wait to learn about this trusty vehicle, but before i get ahead of myself, let me start where i left off...

following our good nights sleep in the hotel, our team loaded up and headed to the ferry. the ferry was about 20 - 30 minutes from the hotel. once we arrived at the ferry our team unloaded from vehicles and took our tickets to the ferry boat, as the drivers guarded our vehicles down below. the ferry ride was a first for me, so i tried to take it all in. i can't even tell you how many people were crammed onto the boat...women carrying all sorts of things on their heads, children, men, all sorts of people, going all sorts of places. here is a pic that elaina took while roaming the ferry!

we were able to sit in the "first class cabin" of the ferry. we sat next to jambo, also known as the "dj".

"Jambo" displayed a picture of himself between songs!

as the ferry began rocking, jambo kept us entertained. he made sure there was all sorts of music playing on the tv's mounted on the walls -- think of it as african MTV. he even indulged us with an educational video about the sierra leonean war (i could have done without that video...it was a little graphic & pretty scary!). after a 45 minute ride, our team unloaded from the ferry. we were officially in freetown - the capitol of sierra leone. what a beautiful view!

view of freetown from the ferry

while awaiting our vehicles from the ferry, we took in the sights. including a truck who did not make it off the ferry. sarah, our in country host, said she had never seen this happen before...the truck was reversing down the ramp and missed the ramp. so, basically, he was stuck with his tires hanging over the side of the ramp. it was crazy to watch! with some revving of the engine, pushing and rocking and lots of people, they finally found a way to unload the truck from the ferry!

watching the vehicles unload from the ferry

once in freetown our team loaded up into their respective vehicles, the poda poda and the land cruiser. you know what a land cruiser is, but let me educate you regarding the poda poda!

picture a 1960's vw bus...beaten up and ragged. remove the comfy plastic seats and replace them with rusty metal benches. throw in about 27 people and you've got yourself a poda poda...the most common mode of transportation in sierra leone. despite the rustic nature of the poda poda, it proved itself to be quite a reliable mode of transportation - no breakdowns on the way to banta mokelleh. let me introduce you to our faithful poda poda...

ashley, laura, jamie & the trusty poda poda --
madonna decided to join us for the ride!

our poda poda fit 31 pieces of luggage, 7 carry on bags, 12 people. we were crammed in, but by african standards, i'm sure this was a like a limosuine! as we drove out of freetown, i was trying to take it all in. however, the seats were too high, and the window too low, so i'm sure i missed some of the sights. a fun fact - i learned that freetown just received electricity within the last 2 years...can you imagine??? a little ways outside of freetown, our poda poda pulled over into what looked like a gas station. as we all climbed out for a stretch, we learned that we needed to replace a spare tire...just in case we needed it along the journey to banta.

this pit stop afforded me my first glimpse into the children of sierra leone. as all of us "white people" stood near our vehichle, the children walked far around us, eyeing us closely. they were curious, yet hesitant. they would come a little close, then back away. we all tried to connect by waving, smiling, making eye contact, but even as uncle magnus (our national team leader) encouraged the kids to meet us, they were still shy. as i stood there so desperately wanting to connect with these children, my child life brain was yelling at me -- BUBBLES! i pulled out the sticky bubbles. it was so fun to let these children be kids...to watch them hop around and chase bubbles, to laugh and scream and smile. this was the reason for me coming to africa!

letting kids blow the bubbles (no they did not touch the wand!)

catching bubbles!

as our team loaded back into the poda poda, with the all important spare tires, i was so grateful for sticky bubbles! i love that God can use something as little as bubbles to connect people...to bring joy...to share love!

okay friends, that's all for now...more to come...until then, go find some sticky bubbles!

african time

2010-08-08T21:35:00.001-04:00

flower garden in front of COTN integrity house

it seems that "life" is trying it's hardest to become what it used to be. full of busyness, distractions, rushing around, wasted time.

i am struggling to remain on "african time". "african time" means flexibility - that you take each moment as it comes. you see, church might be scheduled to start at 9am, but in reality, it does not begin until 10:30. when you are spending your days in africa, you come to realize this is a blessing. although it may seem an inconvenience when you are the only one sitting at the church, this idea of african time brings freedom along with it. this "extra" time allows room for relationships, for being present in the moment, taking in the beauty that is around you, spending time with God.

i understand that i do not live in africa, and therefore, being an hour and a half late for a function can not be explained away by saying i'm on "african time". however, i am working hard at being present in each moment, carving out time to foster relationships - with God and with people. this might mean limiting my computer time, getting away from the netflix, getting out of my house and getting into nature.

Lord, chip away at the wasted areas of my life. keep my mind focused on You, rather than the distractions this world throws my way.

today's prayer...

2010-08-07T09:54:00.000-04:00

i will rejoice greatly in the Lord,

my soul will exult in my God;

for He has clothed me with garments of salvation,

He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

~isaiah 61:10