Happy (belated) 100th Birthday Arizona!

Sorry, this is kind of late, but better late then never, right?

The below card is what we sent out instead of Valentines on the 14th Enjoy!

Picture slideshow made with Smilebox

Change

Change can be hard, but sometimes it’s easy. Change can be good or bad. It can be sudden or it could take time. Sometimes it’s your own choice, but then other times it happens against your will.

This last week there was a change…

…and it was my own choice and I LOVE IT! Thirteen inches sent to Locks of Love!

Thanks to my Dad for these wonderful pictures!

January 2012

I can’t believe that the first month of 2012 is already over! WOW!

Here is what I discovered this month:

• That I miss Africa more then I thought
• I love Rend Collective!
• That leading people to Christ can happen in places you wouldn’t have thought they would!
• That 2 weekend trips to north Arizona in a row can really wipe you out!

Here are some pictures (because pictures are worth 100 words ):

Trip to the Zoo with brother and cousin

Rachel Chan singing with Rend Collective

Posing with Rachel Chan after the concert

Rachel Chan

Rend Collective (they are from Ireland!)

All dressed up for a friends birthday ball

Getting to meet the twins!!

(Jennifer Hanson’s twin boys)

My sweet siblings sitting on the rocks in Prescott

Today… 2 years ago

I was in Africa. The land I love. Today, 2 years ago I had just arrived in Kenya after spending (about) 5 days in Burundi. Burundi brings back memories of confusion, joy, fear, kindness, grief, but most of all love.

The way God orchestrated the whole trip was incredible. I can’t even list all the ways God worked in and through our team from my church.

I would love to share more, but this experience has already been written over at my Africa blog ;) To read about our first day in Kenya click here.

A repost from: The Journey

“I just want to remember,” she says matter-of-factly, and she pulls the covers right back up over her head.

It is well after our 8 o’clock bed time. I have been sunk deep in the couch and in the Word knowing that 13 pairs of feet were tucked snugly in 13 beds. But as I make my way from the couch to my room, something catches my eye and I peek my head in the girls’ bedroom.

There flat on the cold, hard tile floor is my 11 year old with her blanket pulled tightly around herself. It doesn’t look as if she has rolled out of bed; it looks intentional. I nudge her awake. “Honey, what are you doing on the floor?” Why would anyone ever choose to sleep on this, the hardest of surfaces, with a comfortable bed just inches away?

“Remember,” she mumbles sleepily, “I just want to remember. Some people don’t have a bed,mom. I didn’t have a bed, mom. God gave me a bed. And I wanted to remember what it was like to not have one.”

We have to remember. Because how can we ever move forward if we don’t look back? This God, He makes promises and in remembering we see the truth: this God, He keeps promises.

(The picture and the post surrounding it came from Katie’s blog the Journey. Katie is an amazing servant of God and a great example. She just published a book about her amazing journey, it’s called: Kisses From Katie)

Goals Complete

I ment to post a lot earlier, but life got a little in the way

 

In all I completed 27 of the 35 goals!! Of the 8 that I did not get complete 6 of them were half done.

 

I am glad I took the challenge and completed what I could. I learned that life changes and different plans and goals arise which makes it hard for some goals made in the beginning of the year to be completed. I hope you enjoyed reading about my 35 in 365 adventure as much as I enjoyed working on the project!

Goals #3, #18, #34 and #35 COMPLETE!

√    3. Memorize Proverbs 31

I did it! I memorized Proverbs 31:10-30!

√    18. Organizing; closet and cubbies in my room

I organized my closet and cubbies

√    34. Cook 5 meals for Mema + Papa — (5/5) 

I greatly enjoyed this one and I think my grandparents did too! Being able to serve them in this way was such a joy

√    35. Send 12 thank you cards (or ecards) — (12/12)

Sending out thank you cards was a lot easier then I thought it would. There is so much to be thankful for!

So I have tallied up how many goals I have completed in all….

….

….

….

….

And I will post that number in my next post

 

 

For now… I hope you have a VERY Happy New Year!!

Goals #13 and #14 COMPLETE!

√    13. Keep Reach Out website updated monthly — (12/12)
√    14. Post a picture on RO website monthly — (12/12)

I updated The Reach Out website monthly AND posted a picture once a month! Two more goals COMPLETE!

Maidens of Virtue

 

I read this book with my mom and I learned so much!! (Review coming soon )

 

Thank you Mom for reading this with me! I loved spending those special night time read with you. I love you!

 

√    24. Read Maidens of Virtue

 

Sister Party

√  Goal 29. Have a Sister Party

Yay! Another goal complete!

For my 15th birthday I had a sister party. It was a lot of fun as you can tell by the pictures

We did a “How well do you know your sister” quiz.

We did a little country dancing in the living room.

We played a get to know each other game called Whoonu (by Cranium).

We also played a word game called Linkity (by SimplyFun).

And of course we had good tea, food, and dessert

In all it was an absolutely wonderful birthday!

Thanks to all who made my birthday so wonderful!