Travel Team in June

Super excited to be settting up the details of a travel team for June to serve along side some awesome people (the veterinarian is my favorite) at FOVC in Southern Ethiopia.

Tentatively planning to be gone for 15 days. That means Ryan and I will be counting on family and friends to care for our children for 15 days. That's a long time!!!

Can't wait to see these details come about.

Birth Parent Meeting

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know that meeting #1 with Judah's birth mother didn't go so hot. It has slightly improved each of the two times I've seen her since. With the pictures I've seen lately of the Shanto area, the lack of rain is impacting EVERYONE there, including Judah's bio family.

As I prepare to go back to FOVC to serve, my Ethiopian family comes to mind. For those of you who've adopted, or just want to share your opinion, please help me think through what I hope and pray is my next meeting with Judah's birth mom. What questions would you ask her and the boys? Would it be ethical/appropriate for me to take them for the day and just spend the day with them? I would never want to jeopardize adoptions or cause any problems in her village, but I do want them to know that I love them and want to spend time getting to know them. Maybe, just maybe, she'll open up to me.

... And Back... love that!

I have already kinda-sorta mentioned a return trip to Ethiopia in June. It's happening. I'm excited. We have a lot of plans to make and details to work out in the coming weeks.

As we think about the specific things we have in mind for the trip, the purpose isn't set in stone 100%. The sponsorship coordinator, Ingrid, will do her thing. The veterinarian, my hubby, will do his thing. I'll play with the kids and sweet talk them into braiding my hair. Okay, I'll probably do more than that. In fact, I'm hoping to get a drip irrigation system and water catchment system set up on the compound, plus see the coffee tree production site, plus help the bee guru, Gregg, get the bee project off the ground. That last item might not require much from me but I'll be sure to take pictures :) We're also hoping to do some medical work but I'll leave those details up to Doctor Jo, my sweet friend whom I miss dearly, and those medical professionals that will say "here I am, take me".

How could you be used on this trip?

That's the question I'm trying to answer. I have a few friends that I'd love to take along. I know they'd be helpful. I know that even if they didn't have a super specific job, that they would be blessed just by being there, seeing the kids, loving on the kids, encouraging the staff, etc.

My mind is running like crazy about all things FOVC and Shanto related now... yippee! More posts to come in the next few days about all the things running through my little mind.

Here I am Lord, send me.

Bee Project

Today I was thankful to have the opportunity to skype with Desalegn in Ethiopia, Gregg in Denver, Ingrid in Minnesota, and Ryan in the neighboring town. We chatted about bee keeping in Ethiopia. And I'm not sure who's more excited (and nervous) - Greg or me.

A June trip to kick off this project and work on a lot of other little things is sounding very likely. Now, it's time to follow up with the FOVC board of directors and get to planning a trip and fund raising for the bee project.

Did you know that worker bees will immediately start making a new queen bee if the queen dies. And similar to some forms of government, the queen bee doesn't actually make any decisions, the worker bees do all of that. That's your bee lesson for the day from a simple minded woman who doesn't know a whole lot about bees.

6 New Necklaces

I posted six new necklaces for purchase. Each gives a little insight to my life and a description of the necklace. Check them out and let me know which one you'd like me to mail to you. I love visiting with one of the ladies at the post office so please give me a reason to go see her.

That was a little sneak peek. Would love for you to share and tell your friends about these cool necklaces :)

The Winner Is:

Captain Murdock over at GodWillAdd.

So, Captain, let me know which necklace you want from the lovely options available. And if you want to wait a few days to pick, I have 5 more to add.

Thanks for those who played.

Update

In bite-sized fashion cause I'm exhausted and need to be getting ready for work but I'm blogging:

1. The wells were completed recently in Shanto. So, for the first time, the people in this community have access to clean drinking water. And plenty of it.
2. But when the community with limited access to electricity loses what little they have, the pumps are unable to run. which means people aren't getting that clean water. We take so much for granted, like clean drinking water and pumps to bring that water into our homes.
3. It still hasn't rained in Shanto. They need rain in order to plant crops. They need crops in order to feed themselves. They need food in order to survive. Please pray for rain.
4. I've been email chatting with Gregg, the bee guy. Gregg is excited about taking over the bee project and moving forward. I'm excited for his enthusiasm!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you know that I've been specifically praying for someone to do that!?!?!?
5. I've also been praying specifically for someone to do the same for the coffee project. That might be my friend Rick. But it might not. So, I'm still up for someone to take that over. Enthusiastically.
6. Finding local bees is extremely critical in developing the beekeeping program. Communications with Ethiopia are sometimes slow and I'm anxiously awaiting to hear back from the local model farmer I met or the ag specialist guy. It's another thing to pray for - bees.
7. We're tentatively planning to head back to Ethiopia. In June. Wanna go? If you're interested but June doesn't work for you, let me know that too. We're up for some change and the June is a very rough, tentative date.
8. I sold 6 more puzzle tickets. 93 left. $7 each.
9. I love sharing with friends about FOVC. Shoot, I'll even share with strangers. If you want to know more, I'd be happy to talk your ear off. Just ask Kaight.
10. During March I plan to head to Minneapolis for an FOVC fundraiser on the 10th. If you're in the area, I would love for you to come. I'm also hoping to head to central Iowa on the 24th to see some friends and talk about FOVC. I love going but when I'm gone for a weekend, my home suffers cause that's when I usually clean, etc. So, my prayer is that I would stay healthy, that my funk of always being tired would ease up, and that God would be glorified in my over-tired attitude :)