tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52420089257556659212024-02-20T13:00:25.528-08:004boys2girlsA family joined by faith...and love.Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-44213901521466572702014-08-25T21:11:00.000-07:002014-08-26T09:32:15.559-07:00the day i sent my homeschooler back to public school<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">most people who know anything about me at least know this.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we homeschool. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">it hasn't been easy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">it hasn't always been pretty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">but it's ours, and sometimes that's all we have. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">well, this morning i dropped my son off at the front door of his new school. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">he's in the 8th grade....the big wig.....the top dog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the newbie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and i tried to be strong. and i tried to be happy. and i tried to act like i could handle this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">he walked away and i fell apart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we have spent the last two years talking about what it would look like if he returned to public school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we've done it before (pubic school), just not ever sure we would do it again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and he has always been the one to bring it up and ask about it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">he's curious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">he's always anxious to see what's on the "other side". </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and here's his chance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">homeschooling the last two years has given our family lots of freedom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we go to bed when we want</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> (cause we can get up when we want),</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we have lots of extra daylight hours to do the things we like to do</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(cause our school only takes a fraction of our time),</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we can travel whenever we feel like it</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(cause we can make up our time or take it with us),</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we can have lots of animals</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(cause we have the time to spend with them and learn about them),</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we pray and talk about God A LOT</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(because He's ALWAYS allowed in our school),</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we have hour(s)-long discussions on any given day about how to better ourselves, about who we wanna be, about what makes us tick and what works for our family and what doesn't, and about how we can be His hands and feet</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(because shorter school days allot for beautiful, amazing conversations),</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">and there are soo many other reasons....... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">but most and best of all......</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and this is the thing that would drive most people crazy......</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we are ALWAYS together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(with the exception of my coffee dates, Cole's work, baseball, football, ballet, Dic's work, etc, etc).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>today this is what i'm missing most.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>our together.</b></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">one big piece of my heart was missing today as i left my boy and he walked through those doors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">he was scared and worried and hasn't slept for many nights thinking about what it will be like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i think he was maybe peeking into the dreams i've had for years where i stand in the middle of a bunch of strangers and no one will help me and i know i'm suppose to be accomplishing something super big.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">his thoughts on the way to school were about not knowing anything...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> (and we're not talking academically here)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">....not knowing what to do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">that made me feel helpless as a mom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i knew he didn't want me to walk him into the building and show him the way, but as a mom i felt like i should hold his hand and guide him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">cause that's what i do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i protect my kids and take care of their hearts when they need me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">today i felt like he needed me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">these may be things that most people would never think about as they send their kids off to school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">these may be things that many people would never think about their kids. period.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">maybe it's only homeschool moms that get it....i don't know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i think it's kind of like trying to explain what adoption is like before you've done it.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">what parenting is like before you've done it......</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">what marriage is like before you've done it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i LIKE being with my kids and i have learned soo much more about them than i could have ever imagined because we were finally given the time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and they got a chance to see what I'M all about...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the good, the bad, and the ugly</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> (cause it gets that way....especially when i eat gluten :)).</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">it's tough when our time is divided.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">we see things happen when our family is divided. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">tonight, as i was saying goodnight to him, he told me that so far (and it's only been this one day) the hardest part about going back to school is that he doesn't get to be with us and do the things that we're doing (i took the other 3 for donuts cause that's what i do when i'm sad, and tonight everyone else was watching a movie but he needed to get to bed to make the bus on time tomorrow). </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">i told him that was the hardest part for me too.</span></i></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">and then my goofy, spirited, gentle-souled son sat up and hugged me and told me he loved me and that it's going to be alright.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i will get through my sadness and sorrow for him.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">i am soo soo proud of him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i know our sweet father is watching over him at all times and he will continue to answer my pleas and prayers for my babe's protection. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">most friends won't get this. i'm sure it's difficult to understand unless you've been in my shoes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">it's okay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i have pretty stink'n awesome kids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">that's all anyone needs to know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>zachie your mama loves and adores you more than you will ever know,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>and i'll do my best to keep telling and showing you.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>love,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>your mama </i></span></div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-80783572852894595502014-02-16T19:50:00.002-08:002014-02-16T20:48:06.044-08:00truth can hurt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I started writing this several weeks ago.......and then I left it. I'm ready to share now.</div>
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today i am thanking god for this child of mine.</div>
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i've done this more times than i can count over the last three years. </div>
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(it will be 3 years home on january 28th) </div>
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i am soo grateful that god chose me to be her mom.</div>
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but my heart is also hurting.</div>
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i have been feeling a pull and confusion.</div>
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there has been more talk of international adoptions closing in ethiopia</div>
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(my child's birth-country).</div>
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and this is sad and scary for soo many.</div>
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it is sad because we all (or at least those of us who have seen) envision orphaned-children living in orphanages for the rest of their lives.</div>
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no one wants that.</div>
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we've all seen what institution-living does to the human body and soul.</div>
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and there are families willing and able to love these children with all of their hearts.</div>
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so why would anyone want to keep this from happening?</div>
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my heart hurts because i am learning more truths than i knew before. </div>
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i am all about knowing the truth.</div>
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there are truths everywhere and unless we seek to find them we don't truly understand.</div>
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i didn't understand.</div>
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i couldn't understand why, when we were in ethiopia to bring aregash home, the US Embassy would hold us there and not allow us to bring our child with us.</div>
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i was angry. i was confused. i was in denial.</div>
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they all of the sudden decided that they needed more information about our case.....</div>
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about whether our child's story was truth. or not.</div>
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i didn't get it and all i wanted to do was bring my baby home....</div>
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the baby we had waited for for a year.</div>
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we had gone to court for her. she was declared our child. she had brothers and sisters at home.</div>
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and then by the grace of God our case was cleared.</div>
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the documentation they requested was provided by our agency.</div>
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.............</div>
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but today i wonder.........</div>
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is her story the story we were given?</div>
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is her story what we see on our paperwork?</div>
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is her story truth?</div>
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truth is what i seek. </div>
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we all know there is corruption in adoption. there is corruption in just about everything.</div>
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we have heard the stories about how adoption agencies persuade birth families to give their children for a better life, for a guaranteed education, for money.</div>
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and we choose to believe that it happens less often than not.</div>
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i know i chose to believe that. up until yesterday i chose to believe that.</div>
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i chose to believe that we adoptive families followed a calling by God to enter the adoption world and bring this child home.....that this child would complete our family......that this child may not have a family if she didn't have us.....that this child could live her life in an orphanage.</div>
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and i still believe those things.</div>
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but now i know more truth.</div>
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and i know that truth because God told me to open my eyes.</div>
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and when i did, my heart broke. </div>
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it breaks for the children.</div>
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it breaks for the adoptive families.</div>
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but mostly, it breaks for the families who called my child their own. first.</div>
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and in the time it took me to write the previous notes, we have bypassed our "family day" of 3 years...the day we arrived home with aregash......</div>
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we have completed our investigation into her story in ethiopia.....</div>
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we have learned more about the ugliness and unethical practices of agencies,</div>
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and several people have rightly been arrested in their wrong-doing of adoption in ethiopia,</div>
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hopefully to set an example that corruption is not tolerated.</div>
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the last few weeks have been a roller-coaster of emotions as there are conversations everywhere i look on Facebook. adoptive families who have gone through the process, and those who are still in it are emotional and angry.</div>
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we are all affected.</div>
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i have had some people ask me what good it does to investigate aregash's story.......</div>
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THIS is the good it does........</div>
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when our daughter is old enough to try to understand where she came from and how she came to be a part of our family (a heart-felt, mature interest),</div>
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when she reads about ethiopian adoption and the corruption that cost soo many children and their birth-families, and their forever families so much heart-ache........</div>
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i want to be able to say......</div>
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that we didn't understand the level of unethical practices at the time......</div>
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we prayed about and believed that our agency was one of the best and we weren't overly concerned about this. </div>
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our eyes were closed.</div>
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i want to be able to say......</div>
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that when we learned of these lies and money-ridden decisions,</div>
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that we did everything we could to find the truth for her.</div>
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that we pushed and pushed.</div>
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we questioned and questioned.</div>
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and then we went there to see for ourselves.</div>
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and even then.....we may never know the FULL truth, very unfortunately.</div>
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but that we did our best to find her truth.</div>
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to the best of our knowledge her story <i>seems</i> to be legitimate.</div>
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many many many families are finding differently.</div>
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and these families will have to deal with the hard of it all.</div>
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and i've also been asked what happens if we find untruths.</div>
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and my response.......</div>
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we will give this to our child when the time is right.</div>
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when she is old enough to understand.</div>
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will it be hard?</div>
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well, what about adoption is easy?</div>
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would it be better for us to avoid it all to make it more comfortable for ourselves?</div>
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or should we present our God-given daughter with the gift of knowing about her past whether it's the truth or not?.......</div>
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the chance of having a relationship with her birth-family based on truth rather than lies?</div>
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our child will be given this gift of knowing, to the best of our ability what her real story is, and she won't have to go looking for it as an adult on her own, </div>
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when time will have passed and family may not be around to tell her what really happened.</div>
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i consider this a gift.</div>
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agencies have lied to the adoptive families of these children.</div>
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agencies have lied to the birth-families of these children.</div>
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government officials have allowed corruption because of the money.</div>
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the american-side of these agencies have continued to process adoptions even when they learned of corruption. </div>
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no agencies are in the clear.</div>
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not even our agency.....the one we trusted. </div>
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birth-families have lied to place their children for adoption.</div>
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reasons for this are many, but mostly because they felt that they could not properly care for their children under their living conditions......</div>
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one or both of the parents are deceased.......</div>
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because they believed they would receive monetary compensation.....</div>
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because of the misunderstanding that their child would be educated and cared for and then returned....</div>
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and by revealing the truth now, they face the penalty of imprisonment, or worse.</div>
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and so they continue to lie.</div>
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it's heart-breaking.<br />
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so what do we do about this???</div>
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it's a LOT to digest.</div>
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we do what's right.</div>
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we find the truth for our children.</div>
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and if/when we adopt again (because there will ALWAYS be children who NEED to be adopted)......</div>
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we do what we need to to find TRUTH.</div>
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we DON'T sit in our little, happy bubble and pretend that nothing happens.</div>
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we DON'T dismiss the red flags that have always been there and we chose to ignore.</div>
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we get on the ground...and we spend the money....and we think about the children instead of thinking about ourselves and our happiness.....</div>
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and find the TRUTH, to the best of our ability.</div>
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and then.....when our children come to us when they gain an understanding.....</div>
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we can say that we did our best. </div>
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we don't wait until we have our children home and the feel the regret of not doing more.</div>
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adoptive families in process need to take what they are learning NOW and do something about it.</div>
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cause if we aren't in this for our children, then we shouldn't be in it at all.</div>
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i have questioned myself lately, especially as i look at the orphan adoption shirts that i designed to raise money for our adoption.......</div>
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and i wonder......</div>
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have we been CONTRIBUTING to the orphan crisis????</div>
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if there are soo many children who have been trafficked through adoption, then did we ADD to this problem rather than SUBTRACTING from it???</div>
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if children were placed for adoption when it wasn't necessary, if they were stolen from loving families so that we would adopt them, if our children were adopted based on lies.....</div>
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then we weren't really helping to solve the world orphan crisis like we thought.</div>
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and just because we didn't know then (and that truly wasn't our fault),</div>
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we can't say we don't know now.</div>
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and we can still do something about it.</div>
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i believe we need to do something about it.</div>
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and if we don't?</div>
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well, then that's on us.</div>
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and we have no one else to blame.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Once our eyes are opened, we cannot pretend we don't know what to do.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>~Proverbs 24:12 </i></span></div>
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we adoptive families have all used this scripture to explain our hearts for adoption....</div>
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to do what we were called to do because He asked us to.</div>
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now we need to use this same scripture to do right by our children and their first families.</div>
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we owe this to her.</div>
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she deserves it.</div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-36160208363899978862013-09-20T22:51:00.001-07:002013-09-21T06:25:58.416-07:00Matsiko in our Hearts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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dic was going through some videos and pictures on his phone tonight and he came across this one.</div>
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i was immediately brought to tears.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(pause my blog music in the upper-left corner to play video)</span> </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Jp9d7D0Nqo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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we miss those faces....those voices. </div>
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ya know, it's just like anything.....</div>
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the feeling starts to fade as time goes on.</div>
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but we think about them constantly (luke even asked me today if i missed them),</div>
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and talk of our time together a month ago.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOzu802aFddtbMLyhEXey12EX6B9XOvkRthSmFFZqKOpIgXzK-wkJqbFu5BL0fXJjFqY6jQDlHRV-yS1_Z9GtTqIOveduG95d2lmq4s9wIEzurll7x4GS7I48EyjfoS4EeG8byl-lJ5o/s1600/DSC02400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOzu802aFddtbMLyhEXey12EX6B9XOvkRthSmFFZqKOpIgXzK-wkJqbFu5BL0fXJjFqY6jQDlHRV-yS1_Z9GtTqIOveduG95d2lmq4s9wIEzurll7x4GS7I48EyjfoS4EeG8byl-lJ5o/s640/DSC02400.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fun day at Watiki Water Park.......got the GOGGLES!</td></tr>
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we aren't soo naive as to think that we are/were the only family that touched them and loved them.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7Ucb3yB-wGTwDYvGyZ6Re-KRF8pRn9ZAg_y8uQL0QGwA2HIOHYFk_lQ94kBuvbtLpwusmMaR0Me4pvWC-ZsERnssISiSVtY2W4QmLVj2RqIT_o51Vp3gfx6zXx2Qflu9I-TLishOGvo/s1600/DSC02288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7Ucb3yB-wGTwDYvGyZ6Re-KRF8pRn9ZAg_y8uQL0QGwA2HIOHYFk_lQ94kBuvbtLpwusmMaR0Me4pvWC-ZsERnssISiSVtY2W4QmLVj2RqIT_o51Vp3gfx6zXx2Qflu9I-TLishOGvo/s640/DSC02288.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a little bedtime arm-wrestle match with Diego (14) Sunnie (12)</td></tr>
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we only know that every single time another group of kids come here through matsiko we will love them.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ga-dbHD4tq7nHWneCClIa7JIFHgq6rt4eSpPuVawn88NoNKvt3QYHgrGFP1z6oPDC9IjWt7_1syfojP8JlvApz-RjVs_so_1B6BTYfHp3i8L0Sq13e7LvwEktj7H_tyK8KZGrHZyMk0/s1600/DSC02742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ga-dbHD4tq7nHWneCClIa7JIFHgq6rt4eSpPuVawn88NoNKvt3QYHgrGFP1z6oPDC9IjWt7_1syfojP8JlvApz-RjVs_so_1B6BTYfHp3i8L0Sq13e7LvwEktj7H_tyK8KZGrHZyMk0/s640/DSC02742.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love....our first time hosting boys......Jeremiah, Diego, Sunnie....we adore them.</td></tr>
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we have hopes and dreams for them.</div>
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every. </div>
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single. </div>
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one. </div>
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of. </div>
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them.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinblN1IVWcNl8atXc2Zyw062ZGqE2boUVsHxIph18w_4CdXus9hAe3Zni8aDtEayE7dqvocUuudrrnjNQV0O573h-n0P9eWHQCJJEptXb5wybi7sszv9ATtlRRs9CnobGMMW0_73RONdg/s1600/DSC02580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinblN1IVWcNl8atXc2Zyw062ZGqE2boUVsHxIph18w_4CdXus9hAe3Zni8aDtEayE7dqvocUuudrrnjNQV0O573h-n0P9eWHQCJJEptXb5wybi7sszv9ATtlRRs9CnobGMMW0_73RONdg/s640/DSC02580.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a sweet reminder of why i love to do this every year. a precious bunch.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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they are a light that can't be put out.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9NCUfGLRlQ0AH-YC9Nw6jqlMbXCunS3Q90WGxLgm2Nvi4YXtePHrgEtUbndbFEHTU8xJeCvHPwHquaIfp3qTqlOHly9kt3rInY6hF0KJlpUS9cf0yajCubUHYK9zkYKZsRFS8EygFAU/s1600/DSC02581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9NCUfGLRlQ0AH-YC9Nw6jqlMbXCunS3Q90WGxLgm2Nvi4YXtePHrgEtUbndbFEHTU8xJeCvHPwHquaIfp3qTqlOHly9kt3rInY6hF0KJlpUS9cf0yajCubUHYK9zkYKZsRFS8EygFAU/s640/DSC02581.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FAMILY doesn't mean you have to live in the same house.....FAMILY comes from the heart.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
we know
that they will return to their countries in november, after being in the
states for 10 months, and they will be changed forever.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXIA24Dhq_2USdpVwHcLQRNJxqpfo_uevuZihuT4sOvhNw090yCfjEIPSbyKFlHqansSwKa-9WxNmjESkvL8Y06vOXIvAB2L2WHxblzk-GOM52YIBhn7OVThI2EgB0EKeHJonZE4QPJY/s1600/DSC02655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXIA24Dhq_2USdpVwHcLQRNJxqpfo_uevuZihuT4sOvhNw090yCfjEIPSbyKFlHqansSwKa-9WxNmjESkvL8Y06vOXIvAB2L2WHxblzk-GOM52YIBhn7OVThI2EgB0EKeHJonZE4QPJY/s640/DSC02655.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">all our the Matskio boys. there were only 6 this time. </td></tr>
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they will have an experience that none of their friends or family will ever have.</div>
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they will have a hope that they never dreamed of before.</div>
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they will know they are special.</div>
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they will return to their country and be a shining example of HOPE that everyone longs for.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TKdy55T-ZY5Cf5atW8oA9WWBaK822R0m7q6xODjbY8YOqkiy7gBjLdE9N35nh-pWN9d80W-UCn9orNxAgt9WM6WnQkxfuS9TJ5tMKsAcVAX4qNscOaztH4LPzUAfP-AKjpMwV7pGa-k/s1600/DSC02772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TKdy55T-ZY5Cf5atW8oA9WWBaK822R0m7q6xODjbY8YOqkiy7gBjLdE9N35nh-pWN9d80W-UCn9orNxAgt9WM6WnQkxfuS9TJ5tMKsAcVAX4qNscOaztH4LPzUAfP-AKjpMwV7pGa-k/s640/DSC02772.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our last morning together. a few tears shed, per the usual. </td></tr>
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we are soo proud of each one of these young people and those who have held them tight along the way </div>
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(thank you Don & Jennie Windham, for your vision of wanting to do more</div>
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and following your heart and God's calling).</div>
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i'm sure it wasn't an easy journey for any of them.</div>
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but they have/will make it.</div>
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they are the light and love......</div>
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of Jesus Christ.</div>
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<br /></div>
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you have blessed each and every one of us with whom you came in contact.</div>
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we will talk of this experience for as long as we live.</div>
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God placed our family right where it needs to be.</div>
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each time you visit us, we become more aware of the need in this world,</div>
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which is what this is all about.</div>
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<br /></div>
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we will pray for sponsorship of every child until every one is educated.... </div>
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...until every orphan has a family....</div>
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....until every belly is full...</div>
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...until every child feels God's love...</div>
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...until every one knows Christ.</div>
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we will pray.</div>
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we love you all.</div>
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sweet blessings to you, Matsiko Family.</div>
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love, </div>
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the chiolis fam.</div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-34913053146364639042013-09-08T06:23:00.005-07:002013-09-08T06:45:13.506-07:00forced-blessings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
i look at this garden.....</div>
over-grown, messy, tired, unorganized, disappointed, sad, confused, heavy-hearted.</div>
this is how i've been feeling lately.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
worn. </div>
<br />
.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskHw_f8viZZCHV6jze7gXtEZBVQB_uC2d0yHyXH_7PZesd6nxJaCEKy2iKUJ6f2PZJD9Zk8fL-TSgdLbyg4gkUK_EG-BbBZqTpZZEE9FEs5UB6aCa4pdEeJGqTZlGbsfGMJyTfKQvodY/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskHw_f8viZZCHV6jze7gXtEZBVQB_uC2d0yHyXH_7PZesd6nxJaCEKy2iKUJ6f2PZJD9Zk8fL-TSgdLbyg4gkUK_EG-BbBZqTpZZEE9FEs5UB6aCa4pdEeJGqTZlGbsfGMJyTfKQvodY/s640/003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
i see these weeds and strawberry plants that have taken over<br />
and i feel like i could just lay down there and they would cover me up in a day,<br />
and my troubles would just go away.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AqDE4IOQUsFIZSw-fY3CylQ2QF8b8xHrbp3QigrLX5pdaubvTTWGCqzQ1xOv7aAArIj6EBGzBEoIM0j_TNV3c4Qns59k-j0UVSBTDIxEe704_F6S7HXTlgBMG2DLSkvSvf8tC4ElyaY/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AqDE4IOQUsFIZSw-fY3CylQ2QF8b8xHrbp3QigrLX5pdaubvTTWGCqzQ1xOv7aAArIj6EBGzBEoIM0j_TNV3c4Qns59k-j0UVSBTDIxEe704_F6S7HXTlgBMG2DLSkvSvf8tC4ElyaY/s400/002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and then my 10 year old boy wakes me from my self pity to tell me that i'm pretty.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"even though you're standing outside taking pictures in your bra and underwear", he says. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(at 7:00 on a sunday morning)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and i am forced again to see my blessings.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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</div>
Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-50400743782072285912013-08-12T15:00:00.000-07:002013-08-12T15:01:46.497-07:00MATSIKO WORLD ORPHAN CHOIR comes to Rapid City, SD!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MatsikoWorldOrphanChoir?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/MatsikoWorldOrphanChoir?fref=ts</a></div>
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIstjmKVbCIgYm7p6NoYTkb5kc6KLggISTUVsvdS_u-K8TUHLpOdmycahXLAjconMK6hnKq2uikM2ty8KimnFnJIoL9pwx1j7TpIMfEN1s5Pjay3UjrXDn8kN4f7S6ulmkzlh-SehBJQ/s640/MY+Matsiko+flier+2013.jpg" width="388" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Those of you who know me know that this organization holds a very special place in my heart.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This will be their 3rd time to Rapid City and we've had the pleasure of hosting and organizing each time.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4boys1girl-kchiolis.blogspot.com/2012/06/matsiko-world-orphan-choir.html">You can see how they've changed our lives here...... </a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
And they are coming next week.....a whole new group of kids.....but with the same concept. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They are raising awareness and dollars for their brothers and sisters a half a world away.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Their performances will allow people to actually see and touch a child who has been through the despairs of a third-world country. So many of us think that if we can't see them, they must not exist....or they don't matter. It's the reason people who travel across the world want to do something bigger than what they did before.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's such a perfect idea....to link the people of HERE to the people of THERE and know that we are all ONE. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Kudos to <a href="http://www.icnchildren.net/world-orpans-choir-icn">Matsiko (which means HOPE in Uganda) and ICN (International Children's Network)</a> for loving on the people's of the world.....on all of the edges and the in-betweens. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
From front-to-back and side-to-side and ocean to land. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjPPuYuSWvh3DuhR0mfNWoXu-ZBjhZpewqsZ5HyU_Iz80hrWIL4qzSYr9cx66zVFUg6eAuTp8DH-b3zHmZvjgoqjHvyZZzV9_7o3f_OCEAYr7VUvUT48lg1cHXrUZDvbc0SssROrIsiQ/s1600/1003531_10201097804580763_1543093004_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjPPuYuSWvh3DuhR0mfNWoXu-ZBjhZpewqsZ5HyU_Iz80hrWIL4qzSYr9cx66zVFUg6eAuTp8DH-b3zHmZvjgoqjHvyZZzV9_7o3f_OCEAYr7VUvUT48lg1cHXrUZDvbc0SssROrIsiQ/s640/1003531_10201097804580763_1543093004_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THIS year's group</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwCOuWTsyElOAqIgrX1GZ0l4aZq3-hOyl0_rVi9r4FlRBVGzFJ6SgqL54Btf56RMDP8uC-JD0cxXzxJCYFCDakSbBlW5vcsSz_Mn2j_t_EehFIv2XmfNthQ1sLoeI3qUaygC_exEU2k4/s1600/1146487_10201111723768734_89915843_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmwCOuWTsyElOAqIgrX1GZ0l4aZq3-hOyl0_rVi9r4FlRBVGzFJ6SgqL54Btf56RMDP8uC-JD0cxXzxJCYFCDakSbBlW5vcsSz_Mn2j_t_EehFIv2XmfNthQ1sLoeI3qUaygC_exEU2k4/s640/1146487_10201111723768734_89915843_n.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from Peru, South America & Liberia, Africa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbANmxyXh15ZSMOnFVOhAaUkIUz0qEVSgA0Bvds75w3fEH3Gdk-sIRw8D9zV2uyP-BHQRwHCLVQNCgJazdU89p12NicNjQ1ZKDCf3ENxl5e6KF1dI8Hcq7IeCYC_pbAJk-6Do1RvKrQs/s1600/1157691_10151592844538435_1493783436_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbANmxyXh15ZSMOnFVOhAaUkIUz0qEVSgA0Bvds75w3fEH3Gdk-sIRw8D9zV2uyP-BHQRwHCLVQNCgJazdU89p12NicNjQ1ZKDCf3ENxl5e6KF1dI8Hcq7IeCYC_pbAJk-6Do1RvKrQs/s640/1157691_10151592844538435_1493783436_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12 girls & 6 boys</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Hw5HbtVt7FaJwqRTCd1qPMj31rXioJVpG_0nsVyKdPUsCnhvu-BrZ0cgEBJ4RuLVZRjWbsmkoq-7lXxHBfGAlHgciIQp_zmLwO7oN0Joh0_CW5hSK-LwSsWDUWplLt-PZ9T0COZqQCA/s1600/Matsiko+Collage+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Hw5HbtVt7FaJwqRTCd1qPMj31rXioJVpG_0nsVyKdPUsCnhvu-BrZ0cgEBJ4RuLVZRjWbsmkoq-7lXxHBfGAlHgciIQp_zmLwO7oN0Joh0_CW5hSK-LwSsWDUWplLt-PZ9T0COZqQCA/s400/Matsiko+Collage+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our family with our girls from last year</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
this year our boys begged to host boys.....we've had girls the last 2x. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Aregash isn't as excited, but she's had her girl-time.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in fact, those girls placed a burden soo heavy on her daddy's heart that he said YES to adoption after they came in 2008.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLPG2nl5Jp5lVrManFg4L_Z3VayGhc-QqH9k5KayWLipiOEdHR6C004nG8Z2CMDAlqdTw-aGrnlijU0U48FmzCDcoheEWnMAPVPwLlFrqPUM45cFTnhCr_f0QnP5fhp4r0xmYZvJehbw/s1600/Uganda+Girls+030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLPG2nl5Jp5lVrManFg4L_Z3VayGhc-QqH9k5KayWLipiOEdHR6C004nG8Z2CMDAlqdTw-aGrnlijU0U48FmzCDcoheEWnMAPVPwLlFrqPUM45cFTnhCr_f0QnP5fhp4r0xmYZvJehbw/s640/Uganda+Girls+030.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our girls in 2008....a start of something beautiful</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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i'm sure that everyone who has come across Matsiko has their own special story......</div>
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and now we will have three.</div>
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the choir and the work they do will always be something we're passionate about.</div>
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i think the misconception at first glance is that the purpose of their journey is to create opportunities for these chosen children who are traveling the United States, when in reality, they symbolize everything that we CAN'T SEE across the world.</div>
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the money that is raised during their trip across America will provide sponsorship for their neighbors and classmates and siblings so that they will have the SAME educational opportunities as these few chosen children in the choir. it's an amazing cause and something i'm proud to be a part of.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghUbI_tmnSEV32sNw42gCka5EWLnM2Lh1zTA7PDZyQWs_h7tX1VOiM7RMQY30aBYQqxEIIq-rEwjpDLVDsGkB1rLCJ3mPJmEz4guKZg5NrXWuNTSWTTYrPPg8gXT0Nos0omAqL77blXbQ/s1600/968911_10151592843668435_31414306_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghUbI_tmnSEV32sNw42gCka5EWLnM2Lh1zTA7PDZyQWs_h7tX1VOiM7RMQY30aBYQqxEIIq-rEwjpDLVDsGkB1rLCJ3mPJmEz4guKZg5NrXWuNTSWTTYrPPg8gXT0Nos0omAqL77blXbQ/s640/968911_10151592843668435_31414306_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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if you can't come to Rapid City, SD to see them, look on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Matsiko-World-Orphan-Choir/177366902307102?ref=ts&fref=ts">Facebook page</a> for more information about where you can.....and how you can be a part of it all.</div>
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every time they reach another city or town they reach hundreds more people who just didn't know....or didn't care.....or didn't think there was anything they could do.</div>
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and now they'll know how to love someone who isn't a part of their family, or a part of their circle, or town, or country. </div>
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these children are not forgotten.</div>
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thank you, Lord.</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MatsikoWorldOrphanChoir?fref=ts">please go here to LIKE the Facebook page i've set up for Matsiko 2013 in Rapid City</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MatsikoWorldOrphanChoir?fref=ts"> and the years past and future too!!</a></div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-49265987494193336022013-07-11T14:22:00.000-07:002013-07-11T14:54:24.702-07:00a note to my husband<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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i tried this yesterday on facebook and decided the whole world didn't have to see my message to you. today i've decided that i don't care who sees how much i love you. </div>
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thank you for taking time out of your last few days to give me and our marriage what it needed. </div>
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thank you for putting up with me and all that i can sometimes be. </div>
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it doesn't have to be your birthday or our anniversary for me to tell you that you are an amazing, godly father and husband. </div>
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that your giving heart is something that will make your kids want to be better people.....</div>
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like it makes me want to be a better wife and mother and friend. </div>
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thank you for working soo hard to make it possible for me to be home with our family,<br />
for us to always be together. </div>
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i know it's not easy. forgive me for questioning that. </div>
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you are my rock and my best friend. </div>
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i've been a mess and you still hung with me even when i know you wanted to run.</div>
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and now that i'm back, i'm soo happy for the reminder that you are the man i want to be with for the rest of my life.</div>
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i believe that god gives us these times to make sure that we come back and lean on him, laying it all down in trust. </div>
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these are the times he gives us to make us grow and gain strength.</div>
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i know that this won't be the last of the hardships we endure, but i am grateful for this one more chance to see that you won't give up on me.</div>
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i appreciate and adore you, dic chiolis. </div>
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love,</div>
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me </div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-17256345671805210482013-06-22T07:40:00.001-07:002013-06-22T21:17:37.241-07:00praying<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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i am praying today for things as little as baseball games and as big as forest fires..... </div>
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to things as small as obedient children to things as big as a baby being born.</div>
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today i will pray for my relationships....with our families and with each other and with friends.</div>
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i will pray for broken promises and hardened hearts and resentments built. </div>
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i will pray that love is found in a place of despair and anger and loneliness. </div>
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i will pray and praise for the lost who are found and the children in families and the endless kisses given. </div>
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it feels like a great day to pray....<br />
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you know my heart, you know my needs,<br />
you know every part of me.<br />
so even if it's just to speak Your name.</div>
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lifting my hands......</div>
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i'm gonna pray.<br />
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-48576346322684608092013-06-14T11:10:00.002-07:002013-06-14T12:02:47.005-07:00God's story.....a leap of faith from Sweden to America.....and the in-between<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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i truly believe that god places us in situations to test our faith....to test our commitment to him.....</div>
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to see if we will do what he wishes of us.</div>
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this is a recent story that began in a mcdonald's late at night after a baseball game. </div>
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my family has learned to really dislike mcdonalds, for apparent reasons, but i felt this need to go there.</div>
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i even made the comment, "let's just go grab some cheap burgers".</div>
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i NEVER say that. </div>
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ick.</div>
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but this night i felt drawn to ronald mcdonald's house.</div>
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a god-thing?</div>
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now i truly believe it was. </div>
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on this night we met daniel. he had a little "set-up" at his table, which was very close to ours.</div>
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it was about 10:00 pm so the only other people there were some cute little grandmas sitting behind us talking about how their grandchildren never send thank yous for anything.</div>
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i felt like maybe THIS was the reason we were here.....</div>
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i was suppose to be learning a lesson from them....</div>
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but i almost always have my kids send thank yous to people.</div>
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so i'm good.</div>
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must be something else. </div>
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and then dic did what he usually does.....</div>
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he struck up a conversation with daniel.....a 20-year-old swede who found the desire to see the U.S. </div>
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the kicker? he chose to see it on a bicycle. </div>
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beginning in new york city and traveling across the country to san diego, ca.</div>
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lucky for us, he chose to ride through the coldest parts of the country (and even a little into canada).</div>
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he said he had wondered after a bit if it was a wise decision to possibly head south after he came across rotten, snowy, cold weather in new york. he actually said that there were nights he was soo cold he wasn't sure if he'd wake up in the morning.</div>
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when he had done his internet research, it appeared that new york would have descent weather when he started his journey in april.</div>
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not soo much.</div>
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and he HATES the cold.</div>
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he's such a positive person, so i could tell that he meant this when he spoke of the cold.</div>
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we are alike in that respect!</div>
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anyway.......we asked him where he stays when he's done riding for the day.</div>
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he tent camps.</div>
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soooo......at that moment he was in an area of our little town where there isn't much tent-camping (none), and the motels aren't much to speak of. but, he did say that someone had referred him to x-place.</div>
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x-place where someone was stabbed-to-death (or shot) last year.</div>
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not a nice place.</div>
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and then the words came out of dic's mouth.....</div>
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"would you like to sleep in our camper?"</div>
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i was a tiny bit stunned for a second<br />
(not sure why, as i have a heart for "strays"....but i've never brought a "stray" human home. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-NWMgx0AYGBdgw_ldWQGcfxMmhT1ub5pkj-4kTB4dp6IL0zCwC8fTkxqKtWOWCHisB4C15tTDUfJ6L3T8x7Xh0oAnDt2eQGK55NFArVxbTcdxrJy_uFc1DN9tznH5ksVosNSCtzZhpk/s1600/DSC09802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-NWMgx0AYGBdgw_ldWQGcfxMmhT1ub5pkj-4kTB4dp6IL0zCwC8fTkxqKtWOWCHisB4C15tTDUfJ6L3T8x7Xh0oAnDt2eQGK55NFArVxbTcdxrJy_uFc1DN9tznH5ksVosNSCtzZhpk/s640/DSC09802.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st morning.... bugs</td></tr>
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and now i realize that he wasn't a "stray" at all.</div>
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he was EXACTLY where god wanted him.</div>
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and us.</div>
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and so once the translation of "camper" came through and was understood, he shockingly accepted our offer.</div>
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and so our story begins.</div>
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and so GOD'S story begins.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mAi_Eg7WlWbjErvKIS748TbwjUoMnqnn1l-oVnZJYB8oBmqEAEPC82zH0FKzixJrFb_MR-ba4NsJXuxZ9-GhXb1ELLNeJi_TMRXdJSUIoqlpVdJekAil1LzA3Pp24oyQLmiMfeQLC9c/s1600/DSC09872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mAi_Eg7WlWbjErvKIS748TbwjUoMnqnn1l-oVnZJYB8oBmqEAEPC82zH0FKzixJrFb_MR-ba4NsJXuxZ9-GhXb1ELLNeJi_TMRXdJSUIoqlpVdJekAil1LzA3Pp24oyQLmiMfeQLC9c/s640/DSC09872.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">taking time out of weeding the flower beds to play </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">loud and crazy dance party</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBn3ywSN0l-dc5mIwCq_LjuU92v6q5urr3sKB3OkakNwwGibhpKvXvIC79YUDDbyr7kNkOp8zkB2MXAtoebsmzoVSdeDu61ZQOmobhtlmnikNvA891esdBdbB-QZCif3bSWyoi6jDehKA/s1600/DSC09899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBn3ywSN0l-dc5mIwCq_LjuU92v6q5urr3sKB3OkakNwwGibhpKvXvIC79YUDDbyr7kNkOp8zkB2MXAtoebsmzoVSdeDu61ZQOmobhtlmnikNvA891esdBdbB-QZCif3bSWyoi6jDehKA/s640/DSC09899.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">daniel's first s'more</td></tr>
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he took our boys on a couple of bike-rides across the city.<br />
WE have never left from our house on bikes because of the highway traffic, yet we trusted our new friend with our kids.<br />
they had a blast.<br />
and came back very tired.<br />
22 miles later.<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6S8LOdytoy8DLygsjFInjj98eVscp1nAVJfZAaiIWrtsIhLR2vG2W2DL_REvcxTXZx4qrNAMkK7x0FvZ9nZBieky0Irxywd6ybHhZOR18pVPlZjMo2RA_rWOB90OpDAa_vyMujPlRiP0/s1600/DSC09840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6S8LOdytoy8DLygsjFInjj98eVscp1nAVJfZAaiIWrtsIhLR2vG2W2DL_REvcxTXZx4qrNAMkK7x0FvZ9nZBieky0Irxywd6ybHhZOR18pVPlZjMo2RA_rWOB90OpDAa_vyMujPlRiP0/s640/DSC09840.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">little one didn't get to go this time, but she sure looks good on her new bike, huh?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
he had planned to ride his bike through the Black Hills.......he hadn't experienced hills yet.....<br />
or mountains.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we asked if we could take him. </div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_Rp-IfT6k5jPxX-MXMoTfumDCs8lUdjmMN1l-Hj3a0Ijp58Td41wFjRerMvz1PwOXJ5fx2Dl0vkINfl-3tMxcpCZ2RzhwyhddmE65Oq9IIonPerXc-kjKztf8Azwv31IaVnrSzp8sS0/s1600/DSC00002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_Rp-IfT6k5jPxX-MXMoTfumDCs8lUdjmMN1l-Hj3a0Ijp58Td41wFjRerMvz1PwOXJ5fx2Dl0vkINfl-3tMxcpCZ2RzhwyhddmE65Oq9IIonPerXc-kjKztf8Azwv31IaVnrSzp8sS0/s640/DSC00002.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">he's waited a very long time for this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEoWVvipp2AGLZVBJ8rF7o4aLM_cZWkBd9oY42juSQB5qpJc4ROTnIAesAimQiciw9qu0BOO7ut2NSOcQ3cw-dNxTSapJ-ASsKUPOcZA5MLxg2q3jcxMK8QojyHTueK9whVW5eze9Yfo/s1600/IMG_1562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEoWVvipp2AGLZVBJ8rF7o4aLM_cZWkBd9oY42juSQB5qpJc4ROTnIAesAimQiciw9qu0BOO7ut2NSOcQ3cw-dNxTSapJ-ASsKUPOcZA5MLxg2q3jcxMK8QojyHTueK9whVW5eze9Yfo/s640/IMG_1562.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">he was amazed and excited to finally be here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBd6KAYWeI0RONmFToJ7p-7OpWDpBe9KGUgT0SXZuwcyGK0OiGHRwigIDpH7LHYOO9vVAnEH0Fhzj9GU5tpDyukgUwL88is1zU1Cmz0UKxHAnDkSfj2Q28NYL9Irvg69vrHDbxuPmBB0/s1600/IMG_1623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBd6KAYWeI0RONmFToJ7p-7OpWDpBe9KGUgT0SXZuwcyGK0OiGHRwigIDpH7LHYOO9vVAnEH0Fhzj9GU5tpDyukgUwL88is1zU1Cmz0UKxHAnDkSfj2Q28NYL9Irvg69vrHDbxuPmBB0/s640/IMG_1623.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i love this picture. i thought i had moved far enough away from his shot. guess not. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4q_nQODhcraHX5PwEAJSUNxJMKv-004sVt4tJmkmnHlb2PtY2nij9w3CErsJGnFpK_pLHqA1ddWO2V4KEBoa9F8Vs9fIScNRpO_ISxXN3Xbcp_FTdjS-V1lO0hjIvUvlaobMmL-sx0G0/s1600/IMG_1615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4q_nQODhcraHX5PwEAJSUNxJMKv-004sVt4tJmkmnHlb2PtY2nij9w3CErsJGnFpK_pLHqA1ddWO2V4KEBoa9F8Vs9fIScNRpO_ISxXN3Xbcp_FTdjS-V1lO0hjIvUvlaobMmL-sx0G0/s640/IMG_1615.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">is HE our 5th child i've been wondering about???</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPT2h2BcqqHVdJ0fmSgQeTLSE7ofPE5oHvAtpqNpm0X0yvu35M30VXUa5eyolYuPl8CCpMZz39nJSt9D3tHwQEUyW1C9hiBvVucuF32TYeGx7-uLqtsHngM91UOxl0doE1QDGlSag75F0/s1600/DSC00047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPT2h2BcqqHVdJ0fmSgQeTLSE7ofPE5oHvAtpqNpm0X0yvu35M30VXUa5eyolYuPl8CCpMZz39nJSt9D3tHwQEUyW1C9hiBvVucuF32TYeGx7-uLqtsHngM91UOxl0doE1QDGlSag75F0/s640/DSC00047.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hiking up to Harney Peak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSYj2_Um_u2sUuARdJSdrbu8EVcf31dQDh2liGx6_r3gFyGPX_6JzOLVWOAAtzwTS7z8VoczR1OqjMhHawU77Ju8_pjSC1l176jiTqad7iXN2-2KlpmaYl1Xna80ef3SURc__nmZE0Hk/s1600/DSC00089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSYj2_Um_u2sUuARdJSdrbu8EVcf31dQDh2liGx6_r3gFyGPX_6JzOLVWOAAtzwTS7z8VoczR1OqjMhHawU77Ju8_pjSC1l176jiTqad7iXN2-2KlpmaYl1Xna80ef3SURc__nmZE0Hk/s640/DSC00089.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at the top</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4MV76qxRkzswQlIHZoB1XECDJkGPCImx1LjWRANz5DL-6pABB7024uHCqGLmoGlavee8Q7suSEwcMMl4EiLXdzG8KgCZ3xWGL-hc5bip1AW3YmDvOzd1-T7EFXkYGbjZhyf2gpIJmYU/s1600/IMG_1711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4MV76qxRkzswQlIHZoB1XECDJkGPCImx1LjWRANz5DL-6pABB7024uHCqGLmoGlavee8Q7suSEwcMMl4EiLXdzG8KgCZ3xWGL-hc5bip1AW3YmDvOzd1-T7EFXkYGbjZhyf2gpIJmYU/s640/IMG_1711.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">we were above the clouds....soo cool!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
daniel had NEVER seen a baseball game. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
he told us about a sport in sweden that would be closely related to baseball and would translate to english as "smash-ball". you use either a skinny bat or a flat bat and a tennis-like ball.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxKx8KAto86MMhvqqVBwC2h8IQTpUteHgjYQFxPQ-yoc5xs-VA7eYb23Y_PNwYbsx3xu5wOmnpWbA5YRJICK8v6hT362HrNTqjeuc1aejwuBSgZxbcWHK7QnSfP24TiTBwLMKetHWo-0/s1600/DSC00139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxKx8KAto86MMhvqqVBwC2h8IQTpUteHgjYQFxPQ-yoc5xs-VA7eYb23Y_PNwYbsx3xu5wOmnpWbA5YRJICK8v6hT362HrNTqjeuc1aejwuBSgZxbcWHK7QnSfP24TiTBwLMKetHWo-0/s640/DSC00139.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">he stayed an extra night to watch zach play baseball--zach is playing 1st base (shown behind daniel)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEDkjZJzm89kVykVfZ6TpmS0MtBEPViZUccL-TETwGUkUPzaTC6vQZd-fr9m6WtyyXFrxaqfpsX1eRaSuRnhw0pEO4XtEuzyYjfyk42zL_JogHsQujDBh7r_zVrNZk1WxR3sj3MyjJAs/s1600/DSC00149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEDkjZJzm89kVykVfZ6TpmS0MtBEPViZUccL-TETwGUkUPzaTC6vQZd-fr9m6WtyyXFrxaqfpsX1eRaSuRnhw0pEO4XtEuzyYjfyk42zL_JogHsQujDBh7r_zVrNZk1WxR3sj3MyjJAs/s640/DSC00149.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JVN41zjQLLbRxKcI29SvzdwTJWI2g_DHQQUIMKt5PoO03K-ZpivAibrM8F2WcA1Z1Dl-YJv46hg96_rffHQGCIX9QFCkquPvqQN9-oC_6TvNABe7oTPQEQWqXcM86iTYAh7yKdveaas/s1600/DSC00181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JVN41zjQLLbRxKcI29SvzdwTJWI2g_DHQQUIMKt5PoO03K-ZpivAibrM8F2WcA1Z1Dl-YJv46hg96_rffHQGCIX9QFCkquPvqQN9-oC_6TvNABe7oTPQEQWqXcM86iTYAh7yKdveaas/s640/DSC00181.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">chairlift to the presidents slide in keystone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJcZJpi8nYyjatlrU7trXA8ZeQBUp-nLIUw1vg7X9wNmoX6JMJrujLYO-IkYSdRKcOxPL7RKJwtT91et_eYYz0BZfevpcqKQbX0DPkfnMDb2p0bKfGD9LsMFIqNOu_BiStywh1Q76iyk/s1600/DSC00218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJcZJpi8nYyjatlrU7trXA8ZeQBUp-nLIUw1vg7X9wNmoX6JMJrujLYO-IkYSdRKcOxPL7RKJwtT91et_eYYz0BZfevpcqKQbX0DPkfnMDb2p0bKfGD9LsMFIqNOu_BiStywh1Q76iyk/s640/DSC00218.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ready to go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63yoGSh2R8ebI0qrrsmK8kIRiKVfdm-0FQVsCJmjw4T8UfyqptAIA3y1gqmCrwySW7hwRA1RpERv0t5vwpBizDxKpV3g3NVjpd4RcccBnwYCf-nmqCZ2Bsf8tH5mrbGmOtyyT90znwAM/s1600/DSC00234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63yoGSh2R8ebI0qrrsmK8kIRiKVfdm-0FQVsCJmjw4T8UfyqptAIA3y1gqmCrwySW7hwRA1RpERv0t5vwpBizDxKpV3g3NVjpd4RcccBnwYCf-nmqCZ2Bsf8tH5mrbGmOtyyT90znwAM/s640/DSC00234.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crazy horse monument</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFnwFt_CTDlI694tht9OFDpwW2F31QmOvYRhlt2w8BZ7QbGTg9sehluV6F1czTZ0qW1KWHSn0NiEcQDmfz_U0hm1rENj2PTTsWI5VN6TWa4JCjHxOKlWlSmg5E9phsJUANj-MNUWiET8/s1600/DSC00252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIFnwFt_CTDlI694tht9OFDpwW2F31QmOvYRhlt2w8BZ7QbGTg9sehluV6F1czTZ0qW1KWHSn0NiEcQDmfz_U0hm1rENj2PTTsWI5VN6TWa4JCjHxOKlWlSmg5E9phsJUANj-MNUWiET8/s640/DSC00252.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sylvan Lake...one of our favs. places. soo beautiful</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PPSTc0CLpnQb3VzA7R0J7jRy58UTF3b3rQSFgq6Y-ZwYXJprt0tt2I2-NiNHvy15rfaqkJDlpkWs06onODT4Osn1ClA2GQg9pmTDEj8OcboHzT7sA7du3lezYVytxmGh4DtWnDzb3y4/s1600/DSC00282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PPSTc0CLpnQb3VzA7R0J7jRy58UTF3b3rQSFgq6Y-ZwYXJprt0tt2I2-NiNHvy15rfaqkJDlpkWs06onODT4Osn1ClA2GQg9pmTDEj8OcboHzT7sA7du3lezYVytxmGh4DtWnDzb3y4/s640/DSC00282.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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and then it was time to say goodbye.</div>
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daniel had intended to stay in rapid city for 3 days. </div>
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he stayed for 8 full days.</div>
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because of rain and wind he was held up a little longer than he'd anticipated.</div>
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(oh, and because he LOVED us!!!) </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5OwSerK_YP8_x854A8CG7iAqz3YK-Ijx3J9O2_n7_MTwjQw8ntWpTadXUr5amp0VUVfH5_v3zg0wjVU9A6wSyUY1DTysCLhyB7f5iHOXF3Z2N9ZKCLBy3FWRHCwqR2NdcS5YhQnh7Mg/s1600/DSC00330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5OwSerK_YP8_x854A8CG7iAqz3YK-Ijx3J9O2_n7_MTwjQw8ntWpTadXUr5amp0VUVfH5_v3zg0wjVU9A6wSyUY1DTysCLhyB7f5iHOXF3Z2N9ZKCLBy3FWRHCwqR2NdcS5YhQnh7Mg/s640/DSC00330.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mapping out the roads of the big horn mountains and yellowstone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlUGiCi2UOO4wXnJdKpVoyTzejDJ3iXCw1zXJyBxkRmQklyhuR73qzapZx0QMhoPeCyKhEdSpkSLm75qpLCrv5Iq2iG1s2EJzvv2kn9ocaAqR5kIo_ooKtrO14GGh-M7yZnIJWtAKLbU/s1600/DSC00344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlUGiCi2UOO4wXnJdKpVoyTzejDJ3iXCw1zXJyBxkRmQklyhuR73qzapZx0QMhoPeCyKhEdSpkSLm75qpLCrv5Iq2iG1s2EJzvv2kn9ocaAqR5kIo_ooKtrO14GGh-M7yZnIJWtAKLbU/s640/DSC00344.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dic had a great time having daniel here.....we both did. </td></tr>
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dic drove daniel into the big horns to make up a couple of days he had lost.</div>
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his goal is to meet his parents in san diego (flying in from sweden) to continue on to Hawaii for vacation.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztRdMVzDQoYisbKq-ndHHq-0SD6iZRyjDHAamiX0IgpkkjJJmw2I9gPTFW9jeOkl1JCc3u_CH3y3zmkvQDs2RYzn531iiAnQ6Lw2J83NuGVl7IDGy2EZ2L37Wu8yVycGjEu65-cPfyhI/s1600/DSC00362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztRdMVzDQoYisbKq-ndHHq-0SD6iZRyjDHAamiX0IgpkkjJJmw2I9gPTFW9jeOkl1JCc3u_CH3y3zmkvQDs2RYzn531iiAnQ6Lw2J83NuGVl7IDGy2EZ2L37Wu8yVycGjEu65-cPfyhI/s640/DSC00362.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i was disappointed we didn't all get to see him off, but seeing pictures, i'm pretty sure my tears would have been flowing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqejg8xcziNeamS6Zttr0Fd_wGKyt7fz_W0aNKht9xgXK3iIXCqNjcBWNM8mju02RmPPrrPaVgQwSWOJUxkD1gHaNiAE-cuAmvo5JErWK3MNcza8T8CeUaTKT8APGHyig2Shlb0pJTQo/s1600/DSC00367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqejg8xcziNeamS6Zttr0Fd_wGKyt7fz_W0aNKht9xgXK3iIXCqNjcBWNM8mju02RmPPrrPaVgQwSWOJUxkD1gHaNiAE-cuAmvo5JErWK3MNcza8T8CeUaTKT8APGHyig2Shlb0pJTQo/s640/DSC00367.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">all ready to go!</td></tr>
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this was an experience we will never forget.</div>
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and hopefully God brought daniel into our lives to KEEP him a part of our lives.</div>
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we all talked about having him come back next summer to stay and work and hang out with us.</div>
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(hopefully our next house will have a spare bedroom so he will have his own space).</div>
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he loved it here!</div>
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we loved him here!</div>
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here is the video dic took of him riding away. *sniff sniff*</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzkdAerp1YuOV4evVkiEmntOaWBO0AUNsLmA40vkK4_KyG0QBgpzrg5hOJvyjoPRuYSwCVvZgL8TxTKc1LxBw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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we love and miss you daniel!!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGV1dD_QeJG8P3k5DtiZkeb92QUJ3V4RAo7wldo8sQlfOqYserLW8z7aU5kAE4lB0QaQfY9x2cjrpajqYCxS4Id_NvOaZYS5No1yhF3L5uTCgWw9-V4UqOFSd_U3K3Q0bICxai_cMHs0/s1600/DSC00167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGV1dD_QeJG8P3k5DtiZkeb92QUJ3V4RAo7wldo8sQlfOqYserLW8z7aU5kAE4lB0QaQfY9x2cjrpajqYCxS4Id_NvOaZYS5No1yhF3L5uTCgWw9-V4UqOFSd_U3K3Q0bICxai_cMHs0/s640/DSC00167.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hands from across the world.....from africa to sweden to the u.s.</td></tr>
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god's story is the greatest story.</div>
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and from this time on i will remember that even when things seem a little bit silly and crazy,</div>
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if i am feeling led to something,</div>
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i will continue to take that leap of faith and go with it.</div>
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...even if it means eating gross burgers at mcdonald's.....</div>
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...even if it means taking in a "stranger" at the drop of a hat....</div>
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...even if it means taking an entire week off of normal weekly activity to play......</div>
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FAITH is so important.</div>
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FAITH makes us grow.</div>
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FAITH is fun.</div>
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FAITH is LOVE</div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-10103916766811533422013-05-23T00:48:00.002-07:002013-05-23T00:49:07.262-07:00hair it is! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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so i'm up at o'dark-thirty cause i went to the film <a href="http://10x10act.org/girl-rising/">"Girl's Rising"(a link to the trailer......it's a must-see)</a> with my friend Pauline and we may or may not have gone for coffee before-hand and i may or may not have had a large-caffeinated beverage at 5:30p.m.</div>
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ugh!!!</div>
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the story was amazing and informative and hard to watch and i felt grateful all over again.</div>
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i am blessed to be soo fortunate to live in a country where women are free to do anything a man can.</div>
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i am soo excited that our little town of 60,000 people filled a theater to gain awareness about the crisis girls and women are facing all over this world.</div>
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it was inspiring.</div>
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and in this film i saw girls with the same hair as aregash.</div>
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so let's talk hair. :0)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTJaiV4khwZ9a4OD_Lo6gSN9EPHEh06REIyygYn_DO-D8inaoTHxc42CKBEDLyxYGGEELZ7QLpGJPLarz2ETL1rAkt3K2GguraRYc1okVwysnA1kk6_keFeY7jxFgwM0ktYMPSuObXgw/s1600/DSC09787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTJaiV4khwZ9a4OD_Lo6gSN9EPHEh06REIyygYn_DO-D8inaoTHxc42CKBEDLyxYGGEELZ7QLpGJPLarz2ETL1rAkt3K2GguraRYc1okVwysnA1kk6_keFeY7jxFgwM0ktYMPSuObXgw/s640/DSC09787.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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here is my beauty with her extensions i put in, with the help of my friend deena, and her daughter alyssa a few days after easter.</div>
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i have had to redo them several times since then.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5l-7zSMOOrP16Mr6Ipd-xIjWATOK9roHNFw4k42GM2mKcJXgTIgfevMG3DqkkXTI0VTFsHorRomhezkLIQphIyvxS8g5esC_Y7hPIC26tFQG_AVep1lZCBUTwuBhFaGTZv09GaSUIJI/s1600/DSC09789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5l-7zSMOOrP16Mr6Ipd-xIjWATOK9roHNFw4k42GM2mKcJXgTIgfevMG3DqkkXTI0VTFsHorRomhezkLIQphIyvxS8g5esC_Y7hPIC26tFQG_AVep1lZCBUTwuBhFaGTZv09GaSUIJI/s640/DSC09789.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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the other night we decided that it may be time to think about taking them out. </div>
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mommy misses her curly hair and even though it isn't much work on a daily basis like her natural hair,</div>
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they are still lots of work.</div>
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her natural hair is almost as long as where i cut.</div>
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WOW! it's long!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNr0gm6NLZ1nFUr3kv_SrY3W-9pszDNnVty8NwecoBJ4qr8hhvSV8IjMEq7DgyNrR7dRpxIV7Kaq3WUuM7Acfu5GCZfHB2nhE9WaYraA5Srv5x71fB61vlNL5S9607FQUJrOCQ-28nGo/s1600/DSC09790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNr0gm6NLZ1nFUr3kv_SrY3W-9pszDNnVty8NwecoBJ4qr8hhvSV8IjMEq7DgyNrR7dRpxIV7Kaq3WUuM7Acfu5GCZfHB2nhE9WaYraA5Srv5x71fB61vlNL5S9607FQUJrOCQ-28nGo/s640/DSC09790.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDoUhpxMY1DoIBn996dJLgrZDzMnjOTTzoTnQp7atnWTsj1KXGS3yqQen4rYF3FJDptGAv2cmF-rucQOnTFkyuAwSBCPtj-S1gMVOfqzR9TiSPAvhj3tA6mdNXo31QsQsWUbx5HhnPXE/s1600/DSC09793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDoUhpxMY1DoIBn996dJLgrZDzMnjOTTzoTnQp7atnWTsj1KXGS3yqQen4rYF3FJDptGAv2cmF-rucQOnTFkyuAwSBCPtj-S1gMVOfqzR9TiSPAvhj3tA6mdNXo31QsQsWUbx5HhnPXE/s640/DSC09793.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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tada!!!</div>
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still lovely and a totally different look.</div>
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this is similar to what it would look like if we just braided her hair without the synthetic hair.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZZ9sJKpN5vg3Oqf5ZUO33FhlmxK_7K5ss27CX4B1p79jUxdZi0RUOLEFauCpTPrUkx27LklDw72AcZbErqO40q94DJs3ZTZ41IboBWDkSkCFLs54eHj_TH62CCTVFLBkTNLJcxS_6wY/s1600/DSC09795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZZ9sJKpN5vg3Oqf5ZUO33FhlmxK_7K5ss27CX4B1p79jUxdZi0RUOLEFauCpTPrUkx27LklDw72AcZbErqO40q94DJs3ZTZ41IboBWDkSkCFLs54eHj_TH62CCTVFLBkTNLJcxS_6wY/s640/DSC09795.JPG" width="480" /> </a></div>
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the pile of "fake" hair, as she calls it. :)</div>
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so the plan is to let the braids unravel from the bottoms and when they get far enough up we will take the extensions out.....</div>
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if not before.</div>
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it very well could happen before. :)</div>
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wouldn't it just be soo fun to have hair that you can do all these fun things with???</div>
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hair 101. </div>
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i think the coffee is beginning to wear off now.</div>
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i sure did accomplish some crazy-amazing tasks while i was wired!</div>
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good night all!!</div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-4979168775192727692013-05-19T19:53:00.003-07:002013-05-19T19:55:57.878-07:00don't knock the rummage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Rummage sales are always soo much fun!!!! hahahahaha</div>
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One of the perks of homeschooling is that we finished with school a week before most kids we know</div>
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soooooo.....</div>
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MY kids got to help their mama wash up the gear that we were selling. YAY!!</div>
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One of my Mother's Day gifts was to have the garage cleaned out (which
we did ON Mom's Day)....and yes i helped.....because otherwise it
wouldn't have gotten as clean as it did.</div>
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We have huge storage in our rafters, a hunting room, and a storage room....</div>
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all filled to the brim with junk. </div>
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There were a few tears along the way because the daddio didn't want to go through every box and bag he had stored in the rafters and his hunting room to do away with treasures.</div>
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(I did find a "KEEPER" while we were cleaning....didn't know we had a cute little patio set in all the chaos...</div>
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BONUS). </div>
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I guess I should mention they were MY tears that were shed. </div>
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I started to have what I call my "African Moments" where all I could see was </div>
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STUFF STUFF STUFF</div>
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everywhere and I questioned what the heck we are doing. </div>
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Why do we need 50 pairs of hunting pants, 15 coolers, 3 extra bikes, etc??? </div>
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Why are we storing the toolbox that Dic made in high school in shop class when we aren't using it?</div>
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Why do we have to have 5 gas cans when only one is used?</div>
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WHY???</div>
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Most of it was in the middle of the garage floor to go to sale.</div>
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BUT.....it's gone now.</div>
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:0)</div>
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Yep, those are bottles of champagne and whiskey and Vodka in the right corner. </div>
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They came from my hubby's hunting room. </div>
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Guess he planned to have a bit of a party.....some day. </div>
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Seems he might have some hoarding tendencies. :)</div>
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We had the sale at my sister's, as she lives right in town and gets more traffic.</div>
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So with late nights prepping, early mornings, baseball practices, games, and shuffling kids....</div>
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it's over.</div>
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Thank you, God, it's over! ha! </div>
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We made almost a $1000 between the two of us.</div>
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I know. Crazy!!</div>
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It was well-worth it.</div>
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Since we have come home from Ethiopia I have donated everything, but there are some things that needed replacing.....like the dishwasher, and the mower, and the dining room table, and the vacuum cleaner. So this will help a tad. But I have to say that I'm pooped. </div>
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Rummage sales are NOT fun and it throws our family for a loop for a week.</div>
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I'm now feeling all cleaned out and ready to start a new week.</div>
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I can't wait to start doing some summer things with my kids!</div>
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Bring on the sunshine!</div>
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Bring on the baseball games!</div>
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Bring on the planting flowers and gardens!</div>
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Summer is finally here.</div>
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What a great weekend.</div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-43141310207873959002013-05-08T15:36:00.003-07:002013-05-09T07:35:38.287-07:00beautiful reminder<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_1">Days will come when you don't have the strength</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_2">And all you hear is you're not worth anything</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_3">Wondering if you ever could be loved</span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_4"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_4">And if they truly saw your heart they'd see too much</span>
<br /><span class="line line-s" id="line_5">You're beautiful</span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_5"> </span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_6">You're beautiful</span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_7"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_7">You are made for so much more than all of this</span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_7"> </span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_8">You're beautiful</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"> <span class="line line-s" id="line_9">You're beautiful</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_10">You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His</span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_11"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric"><span class="line line-s" id="line_11" style="font-size: small;">You're beautiful</span>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_12">Praying that you'd have the heart to fight</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"> <span class="line line-s" id="line_13">'Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight</span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_14"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_14">For all the lies you've held inside so long</span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_15"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_15">They are nothing in the shadow of the cross</span>
<br /><span class="line line-s" id="line_16">You're beautiful </span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_17"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_17">You're beautiful</span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_18"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_18">You are made for so much more than all of this</span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_19"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_19">You're beautiful</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_20">You're beautiful</span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_21"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_21">You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_23">You're beautiful</span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric"><span class="line line-s" id="line_23"> </span><br /><span class="line line-s" id="line_24" style="font-size: small;">Before you ever took a breath</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"> <span class="line line-s" id="line_25">Long before the world began</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_26">Of all the wonders He possessed</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_27">There was one more precious </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_27"> </span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_28">Of all the earth and skies above</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_29">You're the one He madly loves</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><b><span class="line line-s" id="line_30">Enough to Die</span></b>
<br /><span class="line line-s" id="line_31"> </span></span><br />
<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_31">You're beautiful</span>
<span class="line line-s" id="line_32"> </span></span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric" style="font-size: small;"><span class="line line-s" id="line_32">You're beautiful</span> </span></div>
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<span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Lyric"><span class="line line-s" id="line_33" style="font-size: small;">In His eyes</span>
<br /><span class="line line-s" id="line_36"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">~how do we expect our daughters to believe it unless we believe it ourselves?~</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">~do not believe anything other than what you hear from the Lord~</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">i am treasured</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">i am sacred</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">i am His</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/beautiful-lyrics-mercy-me.html#ixzz2Sk4uWlTF" style="color: #003399;"></a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/beautiful-lyrics-mercy-me.html#ixzz2Sk4uWlTF" style="color: #003399;"></a> </div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-52709791181837508372013-05-06T13:40:00.001-07:002013-05-06T13:50:37.050-07:00Lukey's Birthday parte'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The theme was JURASSIC PARK</div>
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(because he's been watching his share of JP movies lately)</div>
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**try finding anything to go with THAT theme locally....</div>
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i don't even think DINOSAURS are in anymore. it was a challenge**</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2O8Pb83JqODO7xLi7jAW197WMI0G3hECHvhk-cA7KcayVrI_YkfmWIoKg6m7IEgQxNfk8Pf-n8i3mrS6YnH5-gQoU7WS5PB63ZpMysJ8W3MI4Srf2UfuEPErZqyxMjOEcuwZaUxESrE/s1600/DSC09753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2O8Pb83JqODO7xLi7jAW197WMI0G3hECHvhk-cA7KcayVrI_YkfmWIoKg6m7IEgQxNfk8Pf-n8i3mrS6YnH5-gQoU7WS5PB63ZpMysJ8W3MI4Srf2UfuEPErZqyxMjOEcuwZaUxESrE/s640/DSC09753.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Luke chose a local pizza joint to party with his friends. </div>
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They played lazer tag and LOTS of video games.</div>
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we don't usually do many <i>family </i>parties anymore, except an occasional dinner-out on the actual birthday, because it gets to be too many people, and two parties are too much with 4 kids.</div>
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BUT......</div>
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Uncle Clay had his four littles who love Peppy's Pizza (& Luke), and it was great for Aregash to have some of her cousins to play with.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XkfpoPz3IZkyjYNIKWkoJ3W4qfr6Jow2TAlKthe8msHNaLJ8XS258BlSof6bwwW-LXZ2brw8qvmCqijYCfPe_ANr_-3EscVTJHCteo389igPBipJWRCR-KAEgBCV0WkcOxmAOnsRuzA/s1600/DSC09738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XkfpoPz3IZkyjYNIKWkoJ3W4qfr6Jow2TAlKthe8msHNaLJ8XS258BlSof6bwwW-LXZ2brw8qvmCqijYCfPe_ANr_-3EscVTJHCteo389igPBipJWRCR-KAEgBCV0WkcOxmAOnsRuzA/s640/DSC09738.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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fun times!! </div>
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Happy 10th Birthday, Luke!!!</div>
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time is flying!!!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdhgcSOLDH0JXJPW2ep-JrJuEA__AwlpN5DwG7o6orJzv5vIRyQbSzi7jnhUknADdUVs3orPM8wlP5vx_K9-i1qim54wiRE_msNgN3OEYtLGDbldqy94ezyvjDfG_L5kBKgVY1V1nTiU/s1600/DSC09723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdhgcSOLDH0JXJPW2ep-JrJuEA__AwlpN5DwG7o6orJzv5vIRyQbSzi7jnhUknADdUVs3orPM8wlP5vx_K9-i1qim54wiRE_msNgN3OEYtLGDbldqy94ezyvjDfG_L5kBKgVY1V1nTiU/s640/DSC09723.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the OTHER side of the cake (hey, did you see one of my cakes was voted one of the top cakes on Cake Central. com?)<br />
click the badge on my top-left sidebar.....it's the Star Wars cake with the name kchiolis. pretty cool!</td></tr>
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you are loved and adored, Luke Casey!!!</div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-9526558801192134812013-05-01T11:16:00.002-07:002013-05-05T12:24:29.756-07:00My Birthday Boy(s)...update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy Birthday to my May 2nd Birthday boys.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Luke is 10</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Dic....46)</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wwgGSuU6CoAdtbJcggE6dE8rLxl__JSXI3OIgPKpUmnWtRoJc7XnZ93sdXEB5ihgVlFaKJn5YzCz17jwIhVPfxg5STL-NmQpPuF0c2jOApl24iNlR66BF_MfOaI3RYb_Ck2JOFwvJt8/s1600/DSC01934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wwgGSuU6CoAdtbJcggE6dE8rLxl__JSXI3OIgPKpUmnWtRoJc7XnZ93sdXEB5ihgVlFaKJn5YzCz17jwIhVPfxg5STL-NmQpPuF0c2jOApl24iNlR66BF_MfOaI3RYb_Ck2JOFwvJt8/s640/DSC01934.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2012 Birthdays</td></tr>
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I remember the day well....</div>
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I
had been on bed-rest for the last 3-4 months of my pregnancy and I had a
class to finish to get my teacher re-certification. </div>
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I was bound and
determined to make it to the class.....</div>
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labor. or not.</div>
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My body chose labor.</div>
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It was facinating.</div>
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And if I would have had my way, Luke would have been born at home.</div>
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My contractions were only a minute apart when we left the house. </div>
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Thinking this could be my last pregnancy, I invited several of my friends to join us.</div>
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I was finally going to get my girl and our family would be complete.....</div>
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or so I thought.</div>
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Luke was the best Birthday gift Dic ever received.</div>
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Thank goodness.....</div>
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cause I didn't have time to shop.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ueo_Resic16Us08KVA16aYoM38IadCbcoMaCV8k2eD4JxUXBZ5nxbPAPnZY-WuALJzHnzxYKqfeFn4T146NBDDIdBOeEkH32XKghq-mNgeY7pMWuBY40706rFmzvtomjROWBzUejcx8/s1600/May+2004+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ueo_Resic16Us08KVA16aYoM38IadCbcoMaCV8k2eD4JxUXBZ5nxbPAPnZY-WuALJzHnzxYKqfeFn4T146NBDDIdBOeEkH32XKghq-mNgeY7pMWuBY40706rFmzvtomjROWBzUejcx8/s640/May+2004+020.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke 1 year old...2004</td></tr>
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I lost my 2005 picture file of Lukey's 2nd Birthday :(</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSA-RkvKbZT1w6eUv-HjCPmj8VXOquHsG4z5PxH0IjR2agzSGPjO24btTmgpmOYapcCXots73PkPVB0-tSbf8gLG_o3U3vBy8k0N3Ebn_14quYRhgKrcUZtnbgpzQOWJwSuYWjFNmYjI/s1600/easter+&+Luke%27s+3rd+bday+2006+050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSA-RkvKbZT1w6eUv-HjCPmj8VXOquHsG4z5PxH0IjR2agzSGPjO24btTmgpmOYapcCXots73PkPVB0-tSbf8gLG_o3U3vBy8k0N3Ebn_14quYRhgKrcUZtnbgpzQOWJwSuYWjFNmYjI/s640/easter+&+Luke%27s+3rd+bday+2006+050.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke 3 years...2006</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmUQXt5G4YFBCGJm0qC9y57bJl9DAgFEzKAzBsONsRMZiJQjIiHVxgaYlIa_l37JPvD9Llof-lBoa78k4cqIqhwurclSsIfYudsAMc2hzgq773uGIb4uM1e7YJPI6dlnY0syUfTa7a0M/s1600/Luke's+4th+Birthday+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXmUQXt5G4YFBCGJm0qC9y57bJl9DAgFEzKAzBsONsRMZiJQjIiHVxgaYlIa_l37JPvD9Llof-lBoa78k4cqIqhwurclSsIfYudsAMc2hzgq773uGIb4uM1e7YJPI6dlnY0syUfTa7a0M/s640/Luke's+4th+Birthday+028.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 years... 2007</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Dy73HLyZlppdoS1na7Hsnmmi2jNDFb8rnTr8Bq4LbdItXUeXE7GR3Ee7MbxlDOQ6FxEO_tfnPm8tY1G642_3iiEo9nCq4LOYpYphMCuHJUaMQJrsZmwAfbTgPv8vKqYqjqTJmNccVrA/s1600/Luke%2527s+5th+Birthday+047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Dy73HLyZlppdoS1na7Hsnmmi2jNDFb8rnTr8Bq4LbdItXUeXE7GR3Ee7MbxlDOQ6FxEO_tfnPm8tY1G642_3iiEo9nCq4LOYpYphMCuHJUaMQJrsZmwAfbTgPv8vKqYqjqTJmNccVrA/s640/Luke%2527s+5th+Birthday+047.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 years... 2008</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnnCdVeBUKf1hodTvm2yAF1LAX2bBwY8Iy3jz2YzaJv4c8JKwTOUsLVrNgSQCsZJrtfcWfZIdBhLp8h2HDegBxLUn0PWhtB2DTmXS13vlsQz4apQG5HHRzcmvlHlMbiiJfS8BMdaQ5Og/s1600/Lukey's+6th+Birthday+May+2,+2009+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnnCdVeBUKf1hodTvm2yAF1LAX2bBwY8Iy3jz2YzaJv4c8JKwTOUsLVrNgSQCsZJrtfcWfZIdBhLp8h2HDegBxLUn0PWhtB2DTmXS13vlsQz4apQG5HHRzcmvlHlMbiiJfS8BMdaQ5Og/s640/Lukey's+6th+Birthday+May+2,+2009+016.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6 years... 2009</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZ_WGTkmDJTf2sMPQuxVJyexGB2VUayKwWNhU_ASSKHySDzRKCH6AZH_Tn1UDBNIiZLYvIHM4I5lAlNVUzi5lfOa6RGYhZmfg5q38asiHPQNwanqBEEFMuO4Ax8w_ZmaPRfHYHHnVRZk/s1600/Luke+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZ_WGTkmDJTf2sMPQuxVJyexGB2VUayKwWNhU_ASSKHySDzRKCH6AZH_Tn1UDBNIiZLYvIHM4I5lAlNVUzi5lfOa6RGYhZmfg5q38asiHPQNwanqBEEFMuO4Ax8w_ZmaPRfHYHHnVRZk/s640/Luke+004.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7 years... 2010 he chose the same cake as his 4th Birthday--I had kept all the little fondant people. whew!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAWOiMYFpEQ-dogNfu_BC_kbv0F18wPEsgvrqaoTkcp_1WCwXjytpUm-J_qX-vSU7Q56dkOzxeaUaWccVFOkCDddCKb7n4hMjitHAiZBL0HknMMZQRvP7WjL0R5oDdM4lvQUuDmlBhqg/s1600/DSC06853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAWOiMYFpEQ-dogNfu_BC_kbv0F18wPEsgvrqaoTkcp_1WCwXjytpUm-J_qX-vSU7Q56dkOzxeaUaWccVFOkCDddCKb7n4hMjitHAiZBL0HknMMZQRvP7WjL0R5oDdM4lvQUuDmlBhqg/s640/DSC06853.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">8 years old...2011 that very day he took a line drive in the face playing with big boys at his brother's baseball game. :(</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpOrAe-0aje84GU_knhIn9NOZVEYrMFB3X55bmpPbRIPsGDS6M1g5-KTNOP93hKPJAP_E6Zy44qIblSCQhAa4lDN9wgQI8GP-LUt8UNc7KbWKNZWCSuIK7vs7FY6xeX6JvNgOrM4P0IA/s1600/DSC02112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpOrAe-0aje84GU_knhIn9NOZVEYrMFB3X55bmpPbRIPsGDS6M1g5-KTNOP93hKPJAP_E6Zy44qIblSCQhAa4lDN9wgQI8GP-LUt8UNc7KbWKNZWCSuIK7vs7FY6xeX6JvNgOrM4P0IA/s640/DSC02112.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and 9 years...2012 his first party away from home. he took several friends to our indoor water park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpYsUTaLFdzAobiqA1Y5tIO5HCT0KS83aeoSWnn92QVf0CvcVp06_xYXMp5DvxzLuKR9NOJsdVpK0lhwtsvtsjvVkol1KZug8e8I1-rp3A9FG1jsoOFOMuBMXtoYgTUrsGwRbHsZY0H0/s1600/DSC09752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpYsUTaLFdzAobiqA1Y5tIO5HCT0KS83aeoSWnn92QVf0CvcVp06_xYXMp5DvxzLuKR9NOJsdVpK0lhwtsvtsjvVkol1KZug8e8I1-rp3A9FG1jsoOFOMuBMXtoYgTUrsGwRbHsZY0H0/s640/DSC09752.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my big 10-year-old birthday boy!!</td></tr>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
my sweet boy who still kisses me on the cheek for no reason and tells me i look pretty.</div>
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the little brother who the other kids choose to watch when we pull out the home-movies cause he's always been soo stink'n funny.</div>
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the kid who worries about big foot being real, but continues to watch documentaries at grandma's regardless.....and his next desired movie....JAWS (yea right).</div>
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the dude who has more muscles than many grown men (seriously...the kid is ripped). </div>
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the child of God who prayed for a baby sister.....and received.</div>
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the kind soul who writes his mommy "i'm sorry" letters when he disappoints her.</div>
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the little man who made us call him JESUS for 2 weeks straight.</div>
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the one who, after trying a new dinner says,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"No offense, Mom, but that was horrible".</div>
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the tender heart who has such compassion for others that he stared at the crucifix for several days at a time because he was soo worried about the nails in our Savior's hands and feet.</div>
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the baby and child and boy, </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
whom i totally believe. </div>
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will change the world.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGrkVxb79V3LQP1Lv9P4wur7sCk4PxR7QP6qWM4LdAg4XIZ_wc4IlDIo8l0lG7Cte4qYIOcX8DQE8fhLkEH5-EUemYvGpvbT4hTOQ5R8eBhMSP0uP1PyoviI3tDMjjm10aLmH1w9JpcY/s1600/DSC01599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGrkVxb79V3LQP1Lv9P4wur7sCk4PxR7QP6qWM4LdAg4XIZ_wc4IlDIo8l0lG7Cte4qYIOcX8DQE8fhLkEH5-EUemYvGpvbT4hTOQ5R8eBhMSP0uP1PyoviI3tDMjjm10aLmH1w9JpcY/s640/DSC01599.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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happy birth-day to you my son.</div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-12901377532297596522013-04-25T22:35:00.002-07:002013-04-26T07:48:05.785-07:00I got away....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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last weekend i met 19 other adoptive mom's from the Beauty for Ashes page on Facebook that i have come to love.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i knew 1 of those 19 women.....my girl, Pauline<br />
( we met shortly after we brought our girls home from Ethiopia 2 years ago). </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we drove to Denver together to spend 1&1/2 days with 18 other mamas we only know from the internet....</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and some of them i don't think i've ever had a conversation with.</div>
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anyway......</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
it was good.</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnctsuc_6L7CJmKPfKunPNYUF_0We_faBTwPnFRcoDGz3xIZtN87IxWvrK9Fk2cimmfEbAKEJH4nAF_sMJU_0vGhLCI6qVcwDhN-IsSY9bwy7uVogSOYYVhrIEG5MV-ZlwhFnSzF4WSN0/s1600/DSC00037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnctsuc_6L7CJmKPfKunPNYUF_0We_faBTwPnFRcoDGz3xIZtN87IxWvrK9Fk2cimmfEbAKEJH4nAF_sMJU_0vGhLCI6qVcwDhN-IsSY9bwy7uVogSOYYVhrIEG5MV-ZlwhFnSzF4WSN0/s400/DSC00037.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">waiting for the many groups of women to come piling into the house</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
it was a great opportunity to be real with other moms who truly get the HARD and the GOOD and the FRUSTRATING and the CORNERS TURNED and the ACCOMPANYING LOVE and the HARD......</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
that comes with adopting a child(ren).</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr56hUCtqcXtrIWJazCIqXAiL98qEMJQXbBDwP5-YlppGcG9SRRDxsPCZlyb5dX27GOJINBpRe6jV93cQ2ToGkCF34YEaYDZSSsL9V80tCzFhc1bRYxK71qKq_eOn7i5MIC-K2f1o7V8k/s1600/DSC00041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr56hUCtqcXtrIWJazCIqXAiL98qEMJQXbBDwP5-YlppGcG9SRRDxsPCZlyb5dX27GOJINBpRe6jV93cQ2ToGkCF34YEaYDZSSsL9V80tCzFhc1bRYxK71qKq_eOn7i5MIC-K2f1o7V8k/s400/DSC00041.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pj party and meet/greet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i made some friends whom i really think i will be friends with forever. </div>
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everyone was awesome.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i just need a little more time to get to know people and i think visa versa.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5R_OQTAwvuYy6yDnbntaJV5SH8iC8p3D3Hh-G1g7XhRTWj0ecIDnY-8LNfb8HQouv4QgtmJ5Z7CyDSCKZ0sGzF-cVLAJBGuTSQOodcqwAmlZSJYKQm_TCKupuNu7teO-HDMxEXk5N5s/s1600/DSC00051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5R_OQTAwvuYy6yDnbntaJV5SH8iC8p3D3Hh-G1g7XhRTWj0ecIDnY-8LNfb8HQouv4QgtmJ5Z7CyDSCKZ0sGzF-cVLAJBGuTSQOodcqwAmlZSJYKQm_TCKupuNu7teO-HDMxEXk5N5s/s400/DSC00051.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hiking at Red Rocks</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
i NEEDED to get away.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i NEEDED a break.<br />
from things.<br />
and kiddos.<br />
and life.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOafhK0RSZAU3F18jeQlSQQBJleAgRqpEhuTZkppUiqa0oX8wbMgemscqlZHkss2013CEcFZClsBoGYSSDufeXHk_AYBLuwq16LL-PU8Zz70Z1UmVOnKyy8W1x2Lfssahw3Bp8kzNcwc/s1600/DSC00074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOafhK0RSZAU3F18jeQlSQQBJleAgRqpEhuTZkppUiqa0oX8wbMgemscqlZHkss2013CEcFZClsBoGYSSDufeXHk_AYBLuwq16LL-PU8Zz70Z1UmVOnKyy8W1x2Lfssahw3Bp8kzNcwc/s400/DSC00074.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the group of "newbies"--our 1st time to a BFA gathering. i wish i had a photo of ALL :(</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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what a blessing to just be in the presence with soo many other women who get my heart, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
who don't judge,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
who give grace, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
because they just understand. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
such a sweet time to share and laugh and love on each other. </div>
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<br /></div>
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soo glad i got away.</div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-9763904464582932162013-04-11T17:21:00.001-07:002013-04-11T17:35:12.671-07:00squash soup and talk<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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there are a few changes going on in this home of ours.....always changing.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
one of the things i wanted to provide for our children by homeschooling them was a chance to be able to connect with and grow their relationship with god. i wanted to take some time to be quiet and read and pray together. well, it's the end of the school year and i've only just begun. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i'm giving myself lots of grace because it's our first year and there were lots of changes that happened.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i do believe that what we have encountered through homeschooling this year was mostly positive.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsNr483b0LcseypgX0AUmcc5Zw9rsOqD72fIhdSEj8Mchs-qOAwxpapaTUnyiXXY4aHJZWeLzSZEBkyMPdKl5lKlmHe4tw8x3mqMLsr9BlkcDdL6GdhPM3nYVb9FY8PgDw6J52p-_HYU/s1600/DSC00028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsNr483b0LcseypgX0AUmcc5Zw9rsOqD72fIhdSEj8Mchs-qOAwxpapaTUnyiXXY4aHJZWeLzSZEBkyMPdKl5lKlmHe4tw8x3mqMLsr9BlkcDdL6GdhPM3nYVb9FY8PgDw6J52p-_HYU/s640/DSC00028.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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we've done lots of fun things together that weren't always possible when they were gone all day.</div>
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the other night we made some squash soup together </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(well, kind of...zach helped me) and then we sat down for a "family dinner", </div>
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(that's what the kids call it when we actually venture into the dining room and mommy and daddy have a seat) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and read a devotional from this little book that we just received as a gift</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(another funsie from <a href="http://teammarquis.blogspot.com/">deena</a>). </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we've tried devotionals at the table before and it just didn't go well. kids are hungry and giggly and just wanna eat and be done.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
this was a different night. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
crazy how when dic is out of town i can accomplish soo much more.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(not that we LIKE him being away, but i seem to be more organized for some reason--does anyone else feel that way?)......</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the fact that FB is no longer a part of my ritual sure helps as well.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(it was soo necessary to be done with it.)</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQYhN_rGO0qrTglsFHilWiEl961-8LRUhTEbPXlLiPPZg9U3R3qcAEEX3LVaTlZhVo2VFi9lWMtySaB-k6lI2eBRmnWy4IL0pimVdzWdGsQHtZC5zeJadx81TihC8GRY74Khj8BS_O3o/s1600/DSC09988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQYhN_rGO0qrTglsFHilWiEl961-8LRUhTEbPXlLiPPZg9U3R3qcAEEX3LVaTlZhVo2VFi9lWMtySaB-k6lI2eBRmnWy4IL0pimVdzWdGsQHtZC5zeJadx81TihC8GRY74Khj8BS_O3o/s640/DSC09988.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">these little guys need lots of our attention too. now there are 14 babies.</td></tr>
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speaking of squash soup.....<br />
(and home grown chickens ;) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we have been trying to eat from the earth more and less from a box or a can. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
wow! that's a LOT more work!! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
aregash and i have been visiting an alternative health-care professional (or medicine women as Deena would say :) and she is trying to help us get through some skin issues (molluscum, etc) and other junk (yeast overload) that arises when we take in too many of the processed foods that are soo accessible. so we're juicing and eating lots of veggies and things without grains and just keeping our fingers crossed that it will get easier soon and we will WANT to do it all the time. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we've been taking breaks on fridays.....and when friends visit....and for easter.....and......</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i truly believe it will make a huge difference in how we feel and look. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
so we're sticking with it.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
anyone who knows me and my family knows that sugar is very limited in our lives already, but we know that that can't fix everything and we are doing more.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
not everything we eat and drink taste amazing, but i have confidence it will. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and that's what i keep telling the boys,(we are ALL drinking a concoction to help get rid of the molluscum virus, wart fungus, my blisters on my hands, etc)......that things don't have to taste like sugar to get them to go down.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
they're slowly coming around.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and for anyone who thinks we're mean for FORCING our kids to be healthy.......</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
well, i'm learning to give grace to those with strong opinions and judgements. :)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgphj-VirvPswMnPt9nioGXPXDhOwfe7AQ3mjI47aqxxzUBRHsUzZPxiLeRBNtDW0RTswrQO3zt0PWdriTd71pDq7x3beByxE9K2AWYh6ubdZrQjJJm-LpdiVTncTONH4L1imLnVOIhbE/s1600/DSC00026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgphj-VirvPswMnPt9nioGXPXDhOwfe7AQ3mjI47aqxxzUBRHsUzZPxiLeRBNtDW0RTswrQO3zt0PWdriTd71pDq7x3beByxE9K2AWYh6ubdZrQjJJm-LpdiVTncTONH4L1imLnVOIhbE/s640/DSC00026.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">resurrection rolls that didn't make it to the oven for easter.....an evening make for a breakfast treat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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since my break on facebook, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(we'll call it a break since there may be a chance some day i'll return when i have enough self-control to check it once a week only) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we have been spending extra time on school work. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we are determined to be outside playing when the weather gets nice. it took some coaxing, but the kids are pretty excited at the thought of hiking, biking and going to the lake when all of their schooled friends are sitting in a toasty classroom. so we should be just about finished with our textbooks in 2 weeks or so. i know it seems crazy to be finished soo early, but when schools were taking breaks for in-service or snow days (the last two days), we stuck with the work. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and it will pay off. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXdXTTd6zH9vdtAynEvvIrCLu01pZGrHQWif3PwzNyJHPf2d5SkDPIQyFKcq0VtPPlILgw_wAAaZNbSUuO_BhZ59u80xo44pWvxVSx8NOLE9CzzdZG0u0j01vnldJrllQR-ukYR2TPHk/s1600/DSC00025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXdXTTd6zH9vdtAynEvvIrCLu01pZGrHQWif3PwzNyJHPf2d5SkDPIQyFKcq0VtPPlILgw_wAAaZNbSUuO_BhZ59u80xo44pWvxVSx8NOLE9CzzdZG0u0j01vnldJrllQR-ukYR2TPHk/s640/DSC00025.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">making resurrection rolls a few days late, but then again, it's always good to remember. yes??</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
it seems that all things happen when dic is gone. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
he went to germany for work this past week.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and the snow fell. it fell in great amounts. 20" came down in one day. a record. </div>
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and we couldn't get out. which is nothing big. we home school. i work from home. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
BUT.....</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
all i could think was......<br />
"what if there was a fire? what if there was an accident? what if we need a movie??? :)" </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and then there WAS a fire (just from a candle, but enough to scare me).</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and i WAS having some weird heart-attack-like symptoms. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and we DID need a movie!! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but then i woke up yesterday morning and i was still alive and the house hadn't burned down. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and we survived without the movie.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and as you can see, we were dug out by our rock'n neighbors who live across the way. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
thanks Roth Family!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FxZVxnzrhJoEbO9mmhsTzBO8QsvwXX_gQBIGLJxGYUMyby_ovdXf799ZvfcgCQtZuwsgrtjVRowPdOaL5fjcQkXM7vwYsXOJusl2mbwyqvfxSo09c4dSZBjNtEEd3sji9slgRItRm90/s1600/DSC00029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FxZVxnzrhJoEbO9mmhsTzBO8QsvwXX_gQBIGLJxGYUMyby_ovdXf799ZvfcgCQtZuwsgrtjVRowPdOaL5fjcQkXM7vwYsXOJusl2mbwyqvfxSo09c4dSZBjNtEEd3sji9slgRItRm90/s640/DSC00029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
well onto my life. it's 6:00 pm and we haven't eaten dinner and i have the movie "Lincoln" scheduled into our evening since we are having a test over the civil war in the morning.<br />
i thought it would be a nice addition.<br />
now that we're at the end of the year i'm gonna throw some goodies into the mix.<br />
we have several field trips that we had to post-pone due to south dakota weather.<br />
this teacher is about to get crazy-fun!! ha!</div>
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until next time.......</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
soo glad to be back!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i sure hope i'm not overwhelming anyone with my uber-blogging!!!</div>
<br /></div>
Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-1722909178967447002013-04-09T11:57:00.001-07:002013-04-09T22:45:06.309-07:00if you're looking for me........<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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i know it's a huge surprise i'm back with a post in just a couple of days.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
why???<br />
i quit Facebook.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
now there's a chance i may be visiting my blog more often . :)</div>
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cause as it turns out.....i like to post.</div>
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not that anyone may even come here.....</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
if you're looking for me,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
this is where i'll be.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMG4YEC3BvS2AIksIKJ4koc-RpgiwbCBMqum7WYjecitlSwU1CvHmRF4gDFy6fm3HJUgL68Ua_vu_rbSIemgC9-skkL4302iQGNGTvB8h9XaZ1rsvlUMNyAmZojpGxSXU5TJAC46uD8k/s1600/DSC00016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMG4YEC3BvS2AIksIKJ4koc-RpgiwbCBMqum7WYjecitlSwU1CvHmRF4gDFy6fm3HJUgL68Ua_vu_rbSIemgC9-skkL4302iQGNGTvB8h9XaZ1rsvlUMNyAmZojpGxSXU5TJAC46uD8k/s640/DSC00016.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">new hair--new jump-rope</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zAq0i_8bB8RwE9u7KWtsFl8pblXi7gxIlgCE42BRDrDT3SusVK_1daPt8hyphenhyphenXu5sTlX2VdUIpH1-jdLrVVUntKgnaRNFLAF63zqQ4a3ByzKwc7wN2q5Qm8pMsBGcwErxHIWZBJA-qE4U/s1600/DSC00003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zAq0i_8bB8RwE9u7KWtsFl8pblXi7gxIlgCE42BRDrDT3SusVK_1daPt8hyphenhyphenXu5sTlX2VdUIpH1-jdLrVVUntKgnaRNFLAF63zqQ4a3ByzKwc7wN2q5Qm8pMsBGcwErxHIWZBJA-qE4U/s400/DSC00003.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a day at the kid's fair ....just a mama and her girl.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
the daddy went out of town, the little boys were at baseball, & big brother was home catching up on school. </div>
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so me and aregash went out on the town......</div>
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to the kid's fair, to the girly store, to the cookie store, and then to see our friend's new baby.</div>
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we don't get to do this often, now that we are home schooling and we're all together all the time.</div>
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i don't get many chances to spend one-on-one. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrqK_ashbUBB1ggFKoCUGziJp36MC49yYDtRAxVSVXGpHYl09KXL8iWoGFmFX3KSWQCz_8h_8Hkwr0Z2Q1gfvBBJIvKWqIL_1N_PSE9EyEc3HyHCtEYjW2O6c2mCVCvzxhzUQWIW_sA8/s1600/DSC09999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrqK_ashbUBB1ggFKoCUGziJp36MC49yYDtRAxVSVXGpHYl09KXL8iWoGFmFX3KSWQCz_8h_8Hkwr0Z2Q1gfvBBJIvKWqIL_1N_PSE9EyEc3HyHCtEYjW2O6c2mCVCvzxhzUQWIW_sA8/s400/DSC09999.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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i'm feeling recharged.</div>
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& blessed.<br />
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and i was thinking.....<br />
since i'm planning to hang out here a little more now maybe i should get some more bloggy friends!<br />
if you don't see your blog on my side bar, feel free to drop me a note with your address so i can come visit YOU!<br />
please.<br />
and thank you.<br />
<br />
blessings, friends.<br />
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<br /></div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-52814415970930087382013-04-08T17:14:00.000-07:002013-04-09T11:19:57.263-07:00because we live here......with THE rock & the buffalo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSAZgRZZpAG7z9WSCD9_O2zb2O_KXzmDrTZ1Od1cAR5AWAAD-3OBxRX74trDV42K5IRpmqGo26ke3Wns7nDtcMesh4_bJc4bt9I0xkohTl_Aq9zdMLkskDo9V_9Oi2v0K-SoY9nZNxQA/s1600/DSC09800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSAZgRZZpAG7z9WSCD9_O2zb2O_KXzmDrTZ1Od1cAR5AWAAD-3OBxRX74trDV42K5IRpmqGo26ke3Wns7nDtcMesh4_bJc4bt9I0xkohTl_Aq9zdMLkskDo9V_9Oi2v0K-SoY9nZNxQA/s640/DSC09800.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">they're even cute from the back.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQeuHZqiTmMbE0dX7vUz6bgzw78cPHVRWMnrB6d-gVNYMlolljqKZP_lY9EWmzUMkFzhstrWOFdBTcRrqtwbp0lztS6rghwnXImHYn4gZBa5ugAlLbPNUiotDStqCJBD3U5LIw7yzZFI/s1600/DSC09816+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQeuHZqiTmMbE0dX7vUz6bgzw78cPHVRWMnrB6d-gVNYMlolljqKZP_lY9EWmzUMkFzhstrWOFdBTcRrqtwbp0lztS6rghwnXImHYn4gZBa5ugAlLbPNUiotDStqCJBD3U5LIw7yzZFI/s640/DSC09816+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
last week our sweet friends came to visit us in SD from Wisconsin. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the
mama, <a href="http://teammarquis.blogspot.com/">Deena, </a>and i found each other during our adoption processes through
blogging.....</div>
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3 years ago? </div>
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this is the 3rd time we have met
face-to-face </div>
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(2nd time for our husbands and kids).</div>
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and we all kinda like
each other. </div>
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we did a little bit of sight-seeing.</div>
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zach took this picture of the buffalo.</div>
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we were a little too close for comfort.....MY comfort.</div>
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but he treated us nicely. </div>
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you don't get a shot like this very often.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wind Cave National Park....one of the places where the "Buffalo Roam"</td></tr>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-10720885545432850792013-04-03T07:32:00.000-07:002013-04-05T10:50:44.204-07:00because of these two girls..........<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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because of these two girls.........</div>
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two mamas reached out to one another from different parts of the country. </div>
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because of these two girls..........</div>
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two families became friends when they otherwise wouldn't have known about each other......</div>
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because of these two girls........</div>
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they will have a friend for life who has a similar story......a VERY similar story.</div>
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because of these two girls.......</div>
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there is a LOT of love going around.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMXpjJAIflbLJJ9oMghiupvSvjsBPBipdUE0Kee895hw85LMLXZflarBs8eo3V-At-QT8dm-dSUmL0BUr2mmJI1XkIuUsQaYeLwtBW4m3QriPXNqO87BybQtp4to8ZmTnFywFzfbby4w/s1600/DSC09719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMXpjJAIflbLJJ9oMghiupvSvjsBPBipdUE0Kee895hw85LMLXZflarBs8eo3V-At-QT8dm-dSUmL0BUr2mmJI1XkIuUsQaYeLwtBW4m3QriPXNqO87BybQtp4to8ZmTnFywFzfbby4w/s640/DSC09719.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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because of these two girls.......</div>
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two families find a way each year to reunite.<br />
<br />
God blessed us all.<br />
so it's really because of<br />
HIM.<br />
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-39044897691502472882013-03-10T05:01:00.001-07:002013-03-10T13:54:45.030-07:00My Habesha and her Birth-day celebration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Aregash Faith Dejene turns FIVE!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and so we had a little party.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">oh. yes. we. did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this was a "girls only" party......</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">(well, except for daddy, and the brothers were free to hang and paint nails, but they chose the indoor water park instead)</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st time attempt at yarn-braids.....i don't think i did it right, but there's yarn in them-there braids.</td></tr>
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t<span style="font-size: large;">his was a "5-year-olds-only-party".....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">(except for those who just previously turned six...and the one who is 4. whoops!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this was a grand "TUTU-party".....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">where tutus were required, but provided.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(and THAT was the girliest thing i've ever made)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQw0R8TTWFRSuUPU9Ia3NJb8VBM6rYXrCnVCt09p-uFzZrJt6Ifl1pLGWB71RFITBcvcQrBHHfgaFCvCfaN5SXi4BbN_jryS1vglBI8WiiX_5drwTTQMRGjMxNhhYva9xbWwA8-FBm2I/s1600/DSC09163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQw0R8TTWFRSuUPU9Ia3NJb8VBM6rYXrCnVCt09p-uFzZrJt6Ifl1pLGWB71RFITBcvcQrBHHfgaFCvCfaN5SXi4BbN_jryS1vglBI8WiiX_5drwTTQMRGjMxNhhYva9xbWwA8-FBm2I/s640/DSC09163.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this was a VERY "pink-to-the-max-party"..... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(and we liked it that way. even if it DID look like <span style="font-size: small;">someone thre<span style="font-size: small;">w up pepto</span></span>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> #andyesillforeverrememberthatwassaid#:<span style="font-size: small;">0)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">an "elaborately-decorated <span style="font-size: small;">(for us)</span>-parte'<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>".....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKnco3tWrutilyAYimdV-nof4UzZjS1pvRctMleVCRoCKYWvONp46eaNjEAx-_AdaObJ-liZ9ZQKDZMKDwDC04PN440RL_JFFCOq6q84s211Nm6FhqIqD34w_Rs3qU79QN1uIZIJ6pVo/s1600/DSC09166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKnco3tWrutilyAYimdV-nof4UzZjS1pvRctMleVCRoCKYWvONp46eaNjEAx-_AdaObJ-liZ9ZQKDZMKDwDC04PN440RL_JFFCOq6q84s211Nm6FhqIqD34w_Rs3qU79QN1uIZIJ6pVo/s400/DSC09166.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">where the ballerina herself answered the door for her guests..... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">(well, most of them) </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4D2dOLHYDDmycho-lIS7jKbfXFTge-3hKc7KUIxSaNfkDBOH4NiWdIdcmx3gfiS0F2m3MblaqfYw0a7ls1XO1jJqI3_ixozARUtHjlhIlweyNcvSU7N3dlPIwoY6KqSH2AqumVkoFpGI/s1600/DSC09175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4D2dOLHYDDmycho-lIS7jKbfXFTge-3hKc7KUIxSaNfkDBOH4NiWdIdcmx3gfiS0F2m3MblaqfYw0a7ls1XO1jJqI3_ixozARUtHjlhIlweyNcvSU7N3dlPIwoY6KqSH2AqumVkoFpGI/s640/DSC09175.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a little cornrowing going on here too.....and maybe just a touch of frosting "glitz"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">where dolls were welcome on the cake table..... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(and part of the cake)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and th<span style="font-size: large;">ose</span> dolls really got "dolled-up" for the occasion..... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the ballerinas turned into fairies with a slip of a wand, some wings, and a head-dress......</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">fingernails were painted by experts..... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(the best <strike>cheapest</strike> we could find-ha!)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtFInXo6g5I_IdicHRwdnwwgyT2yX171MweH8bBDs_hOvV8DMH4yPsb4JvI2gTR0AM1fYN9CxsK-rZ1Z5TTpfMG1xtN3Rhrs0SWtovCJVgGFyWuMvO0_Y89-U4mgL7TC95ZMYcTbReLQ/s1600/DSC09229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtFInXo6g5I_IdicHRwdnwwgyT2yX171MweH8bBDs_hOvV8DMH4yPsb4JvI2gTR0AM1fYN9CxsK-rZ1Z5TTpfMG1xtN3Rhrs0SWtovCJVgGFyWuMvO0_Y89-U4mgL7TC95ZMYcTbReLQ/s640/DSC09229.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">crafts were crafted..... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(thanks to my friend <a href="http://teammarquis.blogspot.com/2012/04/graces-birthday-party.html">Deena</a> and Pinterest :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(in fact,<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>i need to thank <a href="http://teammarquis.blogspot.com/2012/04/graces-birthday-party.html">Deena</a> LOTS for letting me copy a many great idea) </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTh2qrs9SOJY8ZgJX5xJ02vsJXmQjjgmIiSEJ5kPIt2VJEwaf16srmL-XXqqCUV5EIBhb8Rp5d5P7xVVWztpOqMKM4SI28lsIKX97-WN0QFDj9sLHumRgvlAw-IbLenZ6L0xVszEA5xZY/s1600/DSC09235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTh2qrs9SOJY8ZgJX5xJ02vsJXmQjjgmIiSEJ5kPIt2VJEwaf16srmL-XXqqCUV5EIBhb8Rp5d5P7xVVWztpOqMKM4SI28lsIKX97-WN0QFDj9sLHumRgvlAw-IbLenZ6L0xVszEA5xZY/s640/DSC09235.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">beautiful hand-made-canvases were displayed for all to see</span>.....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAPtVaNHC_v2VThpLBvdtLrC6eLN6VilTHi0faZ_ccdlbkHxjME4fGNxtyqKBL1rRzHbc7D2xd1NOwoOy6P9PLe5yXWtYPgazPNJCCx0PmPR6w4k6eVnvJ6ddrdUC59LwqU2p-TyyWns/s1600/DSC09236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAPtVaNHC_v2VThpLBvdtLrC6eLN6VilTHi0faZ_ccdlbkHxjME4fGNxtyqKBL1rRzHbc7D2xd1NOwoOy6P9PLe5yXWtYPgazPNJCCx0PmPR6w4k6eVnvJ6ddrdUC59LwqU2p-TyyWns/s640/DSC09236.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and proud artists showed their faces.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and then came the requests....... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and i quote Macy <span style="font-size: small;">(2nd from <span style="font-size: small;">left</span>)</span>, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"i wanna do something else . i wanna cut that cake and eat it".</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtNJjji02bAQA1176bqn6WgGOlDjw_ylBszEGHhktOQ7aoTroZ1B1s1V28L82734JmF8ss64PqNtHzuYYh4IhAxXQpaT2mdo14NFoxLmLl-RAHZdb0BF_w6KED3nlZMJ-WcMVmD15beY/s1600/DSC09237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtNJjji02bAQA1176bqn6WgGOlDjw_ylBszEGHhktOQ7aoTroZ1B1s1V28L82734JmF8ss64PqNtHzuYYh4IhAxXQpaT2mdo14NFoxLmLl-RAHZdb0BF_w6KED3nlZMJ-WcMVmD15beY/s640/DSC09237.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">note phoebe under the table (in her party dress)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and so we did.......</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">not. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> we never cut the cake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">cause those cupcakes with cotton candy on top were in such high demand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><and cake="" doll="" font="" goooood="" how="" just="" know="" ll="" maybe="" nbsp="" never="" pretty="" tasted.="" that="" we=""></and></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">{and we may never <span style="font-size: large;">get to <span style="font-size: large;">see how go<span style="font-size: large;">ooooood that doll ca<span style="font-size: large;">k</span>e was, </span></span></span>cause it's really hard for me to cut <span style="font-size: large;">such th<span style="font-size: large;">ings</span></span> that are THAT "doll-ed" up.}</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
ha</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
ha</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
ha</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(no seriously. i'm not even joking)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uAzBtkwlWERopYAx4_b-XqC_fxCV8AZtE-JWFxqZgl7szApObGzj8kq4S2EaCDcXWJjK08GmSP5ZUBaj42FfxKp0IPgb3z-PXFgb38KBgJvkHpJLUzmKyXvZvKZ5yzCey79J5ma6X8s/s1600/DSC09270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uAzBtkwlWERopYAx4_b-XqC_fxCV8AZtE-JWFxqZgl7szApObGzj8kq4S2EaCDcXWJjK08GmSP5ZUBaj42FfxKp0IPgb3z-PXFgb38KBgJvkHpJLUzmKyXvZvKZ5yzCey79J5ma6X8s/s640/DSC09270.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">but we "cheers-ed" our friends with pink water.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(yea, you saw right. pretty can still be healthy)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> ~you're welcome mothers of children who were already sugared- up.~</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and then we stuffed our faces full of cotton candy.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">(whoops. sorry to said mothers) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">made straight from the pink machine thingy <span style="font-size: small;">(thanks Dominique!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and just a little bit of dancing and frolicking happened......</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aregash and her ethiopian "sister", yesi.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">until it was time to say "goodbye".</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and i have to tell you......</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this was the quiet-est bunch of ballerina-fairy-princesses i have ever come across.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">such well-behaved, sweet little things they were <span style="font-size: small;">(are)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">that we may [<span style="font-size: large;">most-definitely</span>] have to do it all over again next year. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">that smile. is it happy? or sugar? </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">she loved every single minute of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">feeling happy and blessed to do it up for this birthday angel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">she was tickled "pink". </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">thank you for ma</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">king her d</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">ay</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> soo special, little friends!</span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i love you baby girl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">when i went through the pictures and saw how your head stands so far above the counter tops it made me sad that you have grown so much in your two years home, but grateful that you are flourishing as you should be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">such a beautiful <strike>big</strike> little girl</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">who seems "tickled" to be "doing" life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and THAT warms my heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">happy happy birthday to my 5-year-old <span style="font-size: large;">ha</span>besha on your birth-day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">a bitter-sweet reminder of the gift that god gave me when he gave me you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">kisses from heaven rain down on you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">always.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">God, please protect her heart and let her know that she is always loved. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Always wanted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Always cherished.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">And may we never waste or take for granted any time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It'<span style="font-size: small;"> oh-so-</span>precious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thank you for showing me that.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Your love abounds and shows us faith.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">and Fai<span style="font-size: small;">th.</span> </span></div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-40713711770692062732013-02-14T08:43:00.000-08:002013-02-14T08:50:04.416-08:00Happy Valentine's Day!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">embracing the LOVE of our family, and sending bunches to YOURS!!</td></tr>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-8178790928241382602013-01-07T20:10:00.000-08:002013-01-08T07:23:19.744-08:00Melkam Gena!! (Merry Christmas in Ethiopia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Happy Birthday Jesus!!</div>
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Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 29th in Ethiopia, which is actually January 7th here. </div>
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We have talked about going to Denver for the celebration, but it didn't happen this year so I wanted to make it special for Aregash and also let our boys know how important it is to keep her country's traditions alive.</div>
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We've never made a Birthday cake for Jesus so this was a highlight. </div>
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Dorowat is the most popular Ethiopian dish....</div>
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made from chicken (doro)...and traditionally, legs are used. </div>
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Berbere' spice, ginger root, garlic, and onions give it it's taste. It can be pretty spicy.</div>
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Oh, and every person should get a hard-boiled egg.</div>
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Miser wat is made with lentils and some of the same ingredients as the dorowat, minus the red spice. Injera is a sour bread.....we love it, but it's pretty difficult to make.</div>
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Some day I'll try it.</div>
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Aregash & Mama in our cultural dresses.</div>
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Mine hasn't been worn since one of her "baby" showers.</div>
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It was time. </div>
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She was soo happy.</div>
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Christmas is not the big production in Ethiopia that it is here in the states. </div>
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The focus really is on the birth of Christ, so gifts are not the focus (which i really love). </div>
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I read that if gifts are given it is usually a piece of clothing.....so this is what we gave the kids.......with a fair trade chocolate bar. </div>
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They thought this was pretty fun. </div>
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My pretty girl.</div>
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I am soo grateful that God brought us to a place where we can embrace another culture.</div>
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I never would have dreamed 5 years ago that this would be our journey.</div>
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A journey that I treasure.</div>
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<span class="userContent">"in all our lives, we experience mysterious happenings.</span></div>
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<span class="userContent">some call them coincidence. others synchronicity. </span></div>
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<span class="userContent">and others, god.<br />
but when you look at the world through the lens of gratefulness and
thanks for what it is,</span></div>
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<span class="userContent"> life becomes an answered prayer. </span></div>
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<span class="userContent">grace steps in
and we develop a faith that hope is possible."<br /> ~living life as a thank you~</span></div>
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<span class="userContent">(a book i'm reading) </span></div>
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<span class="userContent"><br /></span>
<span class="userContent">grateful.</span><br />
<span class="userContent"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="userContent">Merry Christmas.</span></div>
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<span class="userContent">Melkam Gena</span></div>
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<span class="userContent">from the Chiolis family.</span></div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-82136566113599105602013-01-06T18:45:00.001-08:002013-01-06T18:49:29.788-08:00new to the world<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;">I KNOW!!!! Can you believe it's a post in less than a week?!?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I just had to tell you what IIIII got to do!!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I was asked to be in the birthing room for my little brother and sis-in-laws baby's birth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">What an honor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I have never seen a birth before. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It doesn't really count when it's your own cause you don't get to see much....and then there's the pain and all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> i had someone video my baby's births, but i know i recorded over the last one. ugh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">sooooooo.......meet the newest member of the THOMPSON family!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Riess (sounds like Reece) Elly Thompson</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">5lbs 6.5 ozs. 17.5" long</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">(our hospital<span style="font-size: small;"> doesn't all</span>ow pictures or video during del<span style="font-size: small;">ivery </span>anymore, but i got to get some pretty awesome photos after.) </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsOfj-PMZ-m9YxY3pYYW5kgiytLY8PyYt5eV5WvyqWT-tIoZ8TXWr0GD5J8wTvj8YgCIrtq69dfx420tOY6DxMlkz9sQ_DZoIFMBhvhaR_vdoP2e-Ci7QjWMYktwcRagNGfeBFdQUE9U/s1600/DSC06029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsOfj-PMZ-m9YxY3pYYW5kgiytLY8PyYt5eV5WvyqWT-tIoZ8TXWr0GD5J8wTvj8YgCIrtq69dfx420tOY6DxMlkz9sQ_DZoIFMBhvhaR_vdoP2e-Ci7QjWMYktwcRagNGfeBFdQUE9U/s640/DSC06029.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">teensy weensy, but healthy as ever</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">the mama and the papa</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">proud parents--minutes after she entered this world</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">the auntie</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> (Kenj is what they call me)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riess 1 day old</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">and her cousins...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> who love her oh-soo-much</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this doesn't help the "i wanna baby sister" situation we have going around our family right now :)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">that's 15 <span style="font-size: small;">kids total between me and my siblings</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Casey-4</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Clay-4</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kendra-4</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kim-1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dana-2</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">does anyone miss my music like i do??? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> i can't figure out how to add music anymore since Mixpod died. :(</span></div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-63073255387301981592013-01-01T21:48:00.000-08:002013-04-09T11:21:10.501-07:00grateful<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;">it's all about aregash. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">that's right....i have 4 children, but it's all about her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">because i am feeling rather grateful. and not because i am not usually, but because i feel a truly BIG sense of grat<span style="font-size: small;">itude<span style="font-size: small;"> w</span></span>hen i recall all that she and i have endured together in the last year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">some day i will tell our story, but i have to find the words and it isn't easy to open a can of <i>share</i> on something soo big.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> it must be done very delicately. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">i have to say that our relationship has come soo far that i am having a difficult time grasping it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> i really wondered if we'd ever reach this point....and i am feeling blessed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">i am feeling true love. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> i am feeling compassion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">i am feeling peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw0JCXB9LFm5pcOmnpoU01B2vipR6d3cqWpktCYYBOqOwTPR5WlMK5dsPwZiUK2ef5wgOH0sMPJsRsbfIQ9uX5-IBznwNw9DTqqwbE-YKICpt-irTP-kp_1Cik7eS5VBv-wAb4uWVQaE/s1600/DSC05997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw0JCXB9LFm5pcOmnpoU01B2vipR6d3cqWpktCYYBOqOwTPR5WlMK5dsPwZiUK2ef5wgOH0sMPJsRsbfIQ9uX5-IBznwNw9DTqqwbE-YKICpt-irTP-kp_1Cik7eS5VBv-wAb4uWVQaE/s640/DSC05997.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> this past week has made me look at how far we've come and the journey that we've walked because there are soo many families right now that will not be soo lucky.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> families in-process in russia are in limbo and aren't sure if they will ever see or know their children. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">and there are those who have had their children home for a period of time and are still struggling greatly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">my heart aches for them all.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1kN_0yPda_bI50MgsMSGmj3RJmfxJHljyyIt5gqfWG1MeTWnxe1PlpkNF191xG78X5rihz0yTkzTDnTRHH2MpSopJD4CHwd6pTNK9B1iTHScI4arI_ngWOYOdXT4B4hI1I1iBoA2b80/s1600/DSC05336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1kN_0yPda_bI50MgsMSGmj3RJmfxJHljyyIt5gqfWG1MeTWnxe1PlpkNF191xG78X5rihz0yTkzTDnTRHH2MpSopJD4CHwd6pTNK9B1iTHScI4arI_ngWOYOdXT4B4hI1I1iBoA2b80/s640/DSC05336.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> aregash and i have made strides in our trust and love for one another that seemed soo far away, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">even 6 months ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">it's something that most people don't understand unless they've been there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQ1Pc3K6GEbnn0Tb5PHY6MrG5wmkJ7HdRRZ4NxmbYgZm9Ao145dHw9xktVlE48DYfybKyo3M9SC_vCUaTsa4qxSLdKcNpxwP4XxO8EgfGqTZWaRV6yFbwrnUwo9iFHkqoJ6-1g816CjI/s1600/DSC05820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQ1Pc3K6GEbnn0Tb5PHY6MrG5wmkJ7HdRRZ4NxmbYgZm9Ao145dHw9xktVlE48DYfybKyo3M9SC_vCUaTsa4qxSLdKcNpxwP4XxO8EgfGqTZWaRV6yFbwrnUwo9iFHkqoJ6-1g816CjI/s640/DSC05820.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpM301r1fDA-jXHVzW0ssQp917GDh4E9AbrGDYpAz4bHwcWgxNWPKv7CC1L8Ud7nVEULm3N6W1zlNhtKN3dVE1pqMOowFkTj3sQLEy9cgf192DEFH6RhxbiA31ZTsTs0ijkshzVVtOEc/s1600/DSC05795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpM301r1fDA-jXHVzW0ssQp917GDh4E9AbrGDYpAz4bHwcWgxNWPKv7CC1L8Ud7nVEULm3N6W1zlNhtKN3dVE1pqMOowFkTj3sQLEy9cgf192DEFH6RhxbiA31ZTsTs0ijkshzVVtOEc/s640/DSC05795.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">most of us don't realize how you have to work for love, because it just seems to happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">but when you want it to happen soo badly and it doesn't...... heartbreak sets in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1agZgP7M0rAPkV0o2QV_hR5q8Bg8ERIMqmtMzFWMSW_RSNz484LqK_MROeR9k5N4J6PWkBsqSU3g7eAL7iTVidEc0_so2rlrMI-nGm_Nbx30uAjsCcDtNakjK5QXVvhtKagyroWT9Bs/s1600/DSC05964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1agZgP7M0rAPkV0o2QV_hR5q8Bg8ERIMqmtMzFWMSW_RSNz484LqK_MROeR9k5N4J6PWkBsqSU3g7eAL7iTVidEc0_so2rlrMI-nGm_Nbx30uAjsCcDtNakjK5QXVvhtKagyroWT9Bs/s640/DSC05964.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">we don't have to worry about that now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">grace has shined upon us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">i am thankful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> there are friends who haven't made it this far. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">but they will. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">god-willing, they will.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">they will feel the joy. and the love. and the compassion. and the peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">and their child will feel it too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8QaleIHRQqbCBfxDMhAyL83lM-RJ5wjnGMTnkjFUW6hgEBsGgAsS2RUWVnXs6DxH868DpgPgQpVwhNMVlG19MAUXHUYWuI1Eh61HivtX-Cyk6_6z1RnB3ytiJ0hYy0DXI5T_ErKYIjg/s1600/DSC05926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8QaleIHRQqbCBfxDMhAyL83lM-RJ5wjnGMTnkjFUW6hgEBsGgAsS2RUWVnXs6DxH868DpgPgQpVwhNMVlG19MAUXHUYWuI1Eh61HivtX-Cyk6_6z1RnB3ytiJ0hYy0DXI5T_ErKYIjg/s640/DSC05926.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">they need us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">they need families. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">through their hurt and their pain and their quiet suffering of loss. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-Ijx0UKi4aMFx0uBA4gsNTQg8Ri8VKPfdUR3_oNV5E34Stn95OWQI9JEtlZ7wzKVyrVWlDQwLfycsigCUojqRz6POjR3OdJLs0BwgULRs5-XpCFszxXqdZaST5h2ZffHu7NWiY-ROow/s1600/DSC05929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-Ijx0UKi4aMFx0uBA4gsNTQg8Ri8VKPfdUR3_oNV5E34Stn95OWQI9JEtlZ7wzKVyrVWlDQwLfycsigCUojqRz6POjR3OdJLs0BwgULRs5-XpCFszxXqdZaST5h2ZffHu7NWiY-ROow/s640/DSC05929.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">they need to know that there is someone who will dream for them. someone will stand up for them. someone will guide them and reassure them. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">someone will love them because they are worthy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> they are meant for love.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">they deserve love.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">every one of them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">every. single. one. of. them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">needs love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://oureyesopened.org/2012/12/what-you-can-do.html">every child needs a family</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">and a family....</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> needs them even more.</span></div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-49140749739387310232012-11-19T13:43:00.000-08:002012-11-20T08:46:26.977-08:00donate $10 to love a child for Christmas == enter a drawing for some sweet stuff!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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there are children all over this world that are barely living because they don't have the basic necessities.....clean drinking water, food, shoes, a family to care for them......</div>
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there is a village that was built after land was purchased by a group of local (South Dakotan) men.</div>
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it was built to give children and families a hope....a life. </div>
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it's called Hope Village....in West Africa. </div>
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and there is an organization that was created to support this Hope Village. </div>
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it's called <a href="http://www.bridgesofhopewestafrica.com/">Bridges of Hope</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.bridgesofhopewestafrica.com/raffle-with-a-cause/">http://www.bridgesofhopewestafrica.com/</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5242008925755665921"> </a>. </div>
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You can visit the official website here--pretty great page. you can see the real children, the real school buildings, the real water wells, etc. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIq2HGQgpXFzrpIN53WDXEchimQByp4W1iALclBv0kGX7Q-KW7oIgHk5FhNrGeSzc6NGfSnSiFbV3PDZRGtiuzhbiRXRDhVVeWPMYro2Lobv4bOZ2fC_Nfv45tRWuOpZPjBNQnUdD4juee/s1600/bridges+of+hope+babes+%25231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIq2HGQgpXFzrpIN53WDXEchimQByp4W1iALclBv0kGX7Q-KW7oIgHk5FhNrGeSzc6NGfSnSiFbV3PDZRGtiuzhbiRXRDhVVeWPMYro2Lobv4bOZ2fC_Nfv45tRWuOpZPjBNQnUdD4juee/s400/bridges+of+hope+babes+%25231.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7fA0Lv04dzCqExMiXzpDnGZklvz94xLLgRtAlCp-Nosr2RzK0o4au2wmDy9aJk-cACVdGpB7sI1b6c-EUNB-dLzssZF8CgcvbkgN8G52YoCfNS6QYFqauIQKBcVDhiSh1a43qWYD3AsV/s1600/Bridges+of+Hope+classroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7fA0Lv04dzCqExMiXzpDnGZklvz94xLLgRtAlCp-Nosr2RzK0o4au2wmDy9aJk-cACVdGpB7sI1b6c-EUNB-dLzssZF8CgcvbkgN8G52YoCfNS6QYFqauIQKBcVDhiSh1a43qWYD3AsV/s400/Bridges+of+Hope+classroom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_1jqI-J8cypTJsbBMI73Dkiyl8_ArBcR6WQIrhlUbOwPrMgmMTYuqe2cTinxQHU4CyYYY8Fya7PclXFEBkTbTwvQZSNILZkPm3DFT8KRFsB0XYmxGVSTE-yuOqHQhYRp_kirKBqH3_Gn/s1600/bridges+of+hope+babes+%235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_1jqI-J8cypTJsbBMI73Dkiyl8_ArBcR6WQIrhlUbOwPrMgmMTYuqe2cTinxQHU4CyYYY8Fya7PclXFEBkTbTwvQZSNILZkPm3DFT8KRFsB0XYmxGVSTE-yuOqHQhYRp_kirKBqH3_Gn/s400/bridges+of+hope+babes+%235.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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BOH has built a school and orphan homes (foster care for children living as orphans). it has purchased livestock and a well for clean drinking water. the children are taught by teachers who are paid by Bridges of Hope. and now Brides of Hope is asking for sponsorship for 300 children in the surrounding area to be able to attend school in Hope Village. with all of this, BOH is trying to teach the people to be sustainable, so that some day soon they will be able to provide for themselves without soo much help from the states.....but that all takes time.</div>
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bridges of hope needs our hands.......</div>
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desperately. </div>
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here's our chance:</div>
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<a href="http://www.bridgesofhopewestafrica.com/raffle-with-a-cause/"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVZop1CP86O1gMdRqVbisj1xHekdlvJAvpFOPTLZPohR4X9ovHCr6WH_EVCq1P_MOBym1Fw8JaXvDriETXKQtNyf-RF9sjY9jkztw-eIdaEH4pKF0Q_K7-UkRIMWdMXdXumEiTRXHfkOP/s640/rafflewithacause.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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i am now sitting on the board for Bridges of Hope.</div>
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it is a organization that was started in the little town of Rapid City, SD. </div>
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so i can tell you EXACTLY where your money will go,</div>
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should you choose to contribute in some way. </div>
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100% of monies are sent to Hope Village in West Africa to pay teachers' salaries, provide rice, purchase chickens, etc, and to support and sponsor the children there.</div>
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my hope is to visit soon to see the progress in-person. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oEeeOpvVlHPUOkvFAZnhJlY0wMd8vi6ubDYrxrtMw6mn2ZrPyf78hyphenhyphen9HZsNkBBWoYZhA7IiqAjWvcyiHDS2pcn27GkNR5KU8zqV9EEs1GzspaanfVP_jXsbNMiLj7H4DKDhPnE9-0xjP/s1600/brides+of+hope+babes+%234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oEeeOpvVlHPUOkvFAZnhJlY0wMd8vi6ubDYrxrtMw6mn2ZrPyf78hyphenhyphen9HZsNkBBWoYZhA7IiqAjWvcyiHDS2pcn27GkNR5KU8zqV9EEs1GzspaanfVP_jXsbNMiLj7H4DKDhPnE9-0xjP/s400/brides+of+hope+babes+%234.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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you can go right to the <a href="http://www.bridgesofhopewestafrica.com/raffle-with-a-cause/">Bridges of Hope page</a> to enter your name (or someone you love) in the raffle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpUGPtJ3Qn-XcD3_R0SlvhZh9gulMjAe2RPx0CgZAZwZhpVNS19uvbtW_EdAnSqab7VGMjQzuB5c_1NGMrSYYJzKsLiEjvWT5PWncgLmAdDAyxfzoR3FJ4oD80uuMd2NPI-RuwwuXvCfa/s1600/bridges+of+hope+%2310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpUGPtJ3Qn-XcD3_R0SlvhZh9gulMjAe2RPx0CgZAZwZhpVNS19uvbtW_EdAnSqab7VGMjQzuB5c_1NGMrSYYJzKsLiEjvWT5PWncgLmAdDAyxfzoR3FJ4oD80uuMd2NPI-RuwwuXvCfa/s400/bridges+of+hope+%2310.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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for every <a href="http://www.bridgesofhopewestafrica.com/raffle-with-a-cause/">$10 raffle chance</a> you purchase, your name will be entered once.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPa5i8IQ4GGBzAnQ8gvsyOhxyVeQai-9YjYb-Ee4LUrkqOPXHYRUTzv2VF1TKW8P1Lhkmjejhy-Naj3_v9bHSkz2d1QKKa4rtDZfBNqBJkOgDlw9Bb3q7vopBpHfPX5HP3vucc2GAqYVLd/s1600/bridges+of+hope+%2311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPa5i8IQ4GGBzAnQ8gvsyOhxyVeQai-9YjYb-Ee4LUrkqOPXHYRUTzv2VF1TKW8P1Lhkmjejhy-Naj3_v9bHSkz2d1QKKa4rtDZfBNqBJkOgDlw9Bb3q7vopBpHfPX5HP3vucc2GAqYVLd/s400/bridges+of+hope+%2311.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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so should you like to purchase MORE than 1 chance ($10 ea.),</div>
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you will be entered over and over again!!</div>
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there are soo many reasons i see a winning situation.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIq2HGQgpXFzrpIN53WDXEchimQByp4W1iALclBv0kGX7Q-KW7oIgHk5FhNrGeSzc6NGfSnSiFbV3PDZRGtiuzhbiRXRDhVVeWPMYro2Lobv4bOZ2fC_Nfv45tRWuOpZPjBNQnUdD4juee/s1600/bridges+of+hope+babes+%231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIq2HGQgpXFzrpIN53WDXEchimQByp4W1iALclBv0kGX7Q-KW7oIgHk5FhNrGeSzc6NGfSnSiFbV3PDZRGtiuzhbiRXRDhVVeWPMYro2Lobv4bOZ2fC_Nfv45tRWuOpZPjBNQnUdD4juee/s400/bridges+of+hope+babes+%231.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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you will be blessing a child who has gone without.....</div>
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you will be pleasing yourself for giving a child a chance....a hope.</div>
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you will be entering yourself in a great giveaway.....</div>
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you can't loose.</div>
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look at these faces. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1udCGUwOrzsWcImOOJL89SPMcrnEP_tgxkBrIz8VmXS4r_6icRMh0mp-erZZyrhd1MdYfm4W1cChPg5sY8mWQf7EFkO7ieeJ295yOc0e9ESwtd8_5BEiLDmbIjD7bT9uGtCXWajEZ7DvF/s1600/bridges+of+hope+babes+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1udCGUwOrzsWcImOOJL89SPMcrnEP_tgxkBrIz8VmXS4r_6icRMh0mp-erZZyrhd1MdYfm4W1cChPg5sY8mWQf7EFkO7ieeJ295yOc0e9ESwtd8_5BEiLDmbIjD7bT9uGtCXWajEZ7DvF/s400/bridges+of+hope+babes+%232.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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she will thank you....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrTLdn9eTTeWQluOdr5hJmx8Ee-INzKGff9AGKo0X0Xf2w_qW2Y-kngcaVZkW9-M7Sk8jBlsPAfKAOKDLMw-sgfzpoqKo3rwAYHjzN9BcXykxkM8RDMMpXRM7qwNGCWfb6SC1ttxFFDBB/s1600/bridges+of+hope+babes+%233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrTLdn9eTTeWQluOdr5hJmx8Ee-INzKGff9AGKo0X0Xf2w_qW2Y-kngcaVZkW9-M7Sk8jBlsPAfKAOKDLMw-sgfzpoqKo3rwAYHjzN9BcXykxkM8RDMMpXRM7qwNGCWfb6SC1ttxFFDBB/s400/bridges+of+hope+babes+%233.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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they will be grateful.....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Jsul4DW8dhAznCnduQN-r_pkqiVfhzWbTXdDUOdgRsiyv4cCETiX-rSmcRrXUDqQ9kYk2NYrGlOes12nk2ttJjNpLN9V9f4Ur5KA6FWq4_SWKH1gNcYpxzL5ZnXTz0KSfUP1T23np6L3/s1600/bridges+of+hope+babes+%234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Jsul4DW8dhAznCnduQN-r_pkqiVfhzWbTXdDUOdgRsiyv4cCETiX-rSmcRrXUDqQ9kYk2NYrGlOes12nk2ttJjNpLN9V9f4Ur5KA6FWq4_SWKH1gNcYpxzL5ZnXTz0KSfUP1T23np6L3/s400/bridges+of+hope+babes+%234.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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their future will be brighter</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKouTHbvAWS7QMUNqXhbi8ztCwOn6wEsM2fletVxPzebyCWOWSOSHVO-cFftCiayQB9zLHbnvm7uiKPaFlc5BszRkJj_aiByGtMggCEm63tFojdAEIYtYEn1aEZhKlpzxjz0P-wnr-wvi/s1600/bridges+of+hope+babes+%236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKouTHbvAWS7QMUNqXhbi8ztCwOn6wEsM2fletVxPzebyCWOWSOSHVO-cFftCiayQB9zLHbnvm7uiKPaFlc5BszRkJj_aiByGtMggCEm63tFojdAEIYtYEn1aEZhKlpzxjz0P-wnr-wvi/s400/bridges+of+hope+babes+%236.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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and hope will be alive.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvEy6voxPtVbspQLDztlEoEjIzcppyk9lmnXFP7i6KXbgCGK8IWmCutrh5x4qzbCqAEhEqOwZ2UVfMOsjHqi1JYyu2qJofho7FYaEj0kjxTUw88F9vlTLtKJvTGrVJnV-S4tbSSUTfzq1/s1600/bridges+of+hope+babes+%237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvEy6voxPtVbspQLDztlEoEjIzcppyk9lmnXFP7i6KXbgCGK8IWmCutrh5x4qzbCqAEhEqOwZ2UVfMOsjHqi1JYyu2qJofho7FYaEj0kjxTUw88F9vlTLtKJvTGrVJnV-S4tbSSUTfzq1/s400/bridges+of+hope+babes+%237.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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wanna be a part of something BIG??</div>
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here are more details...............</div>
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FROM <a href="http://www.bridgesofhopewestafrica.com/" target="_blank">Bridges of Hope</a>:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Starting today, November 14, 2012, we are
hosting the first ever </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
BRIDGES OF HOPE: RAFFLE WITH A CAUSE! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We are so
excited for this. We are able to offer <b>4</b> fantastic prizes: <b>a
brand new Apple iPad4 with retina display, a brand new Kindle
Paperwhite, a brand new Apple iPod Nano and a brand new Apple iPod
shuffle! </b>So how do you win one? Easy.
Entries are ONLY $10. You can enter as many times as you want AND donate
any amount you want – increase your chances of winning. The fundraiser
ends on December 14, 2012 so get your entries in right away. Want to
find out more? Click over to the page where all the information is laid
out: </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bridgesofhopewestafrica.com/raffle-with-a-cause/">http://www.bridgesofhopewestafrica.com/raffle-with-a-cause/</a></div>
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if you have any questions about the raffle or about Bridges of Hope, just leave me a message. </div>
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this organization is very near and dear to my heart.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>thank you for passing this along to every single friend/ blogger you know!!!</b></span></span></div>
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SMOOCHES!!<br />
<br />
to listen to the beautiful music in this video you will have to click the pause button on my music above (<span style="color: #990000;">red badge on the top right of the page</span>)<br />
enjoy!!....and meet (some) who you'll be helping<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/51367759?badge=0" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/51367759">Bridges of Hope: Hope Village - 2012</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/bridgesofhope">Bridges of Hope West Africa</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5242008925755665921.post-43503607850339945312012-11-10T10:59:00.000-08:002012-11-10T11:36:04.002-08:00~`~Surrendering to Something Heavenly~`~<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyRNGncBcwrqSAH1_MEpX4VlKEVziWRVp4A4fNGsazgnQE-uf8OnpiEacWTwfNDgHtTn0ululm28z90C41yjfYyeK6AAAMZt9F2Sl60lfeLgDfqXloaUlt2dl4cfx9sLPslB1pbNeY6aO/s1600/DSC04197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyRNGncBcwrqSAH1_MEpX4VlKEVziWRVp4A4fNGsazgnQE-uf8OnpiEacWTwfNDgHtTn0ululm28z90C41yjfYyeK6AAAMZt9F2Sl60lfeLgDfqXloaUlt2dl4cfx9sLPslB1pbNeY6aO/s640/DSC04197.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> i can't even explain what's been happening to me lately.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> i know it's a God thing. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>i have learned through some really tough things the last few years what God's presence feels like. there are soo many times when i wish i could feel that presence and it just isn't there. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it feels amazing to feel the Holy Spirit working in me. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>i have been at a loss for words. i can't seem to figure out exactly what it all means.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> i have this spirit. this energy. this passion. a love for others that i can't explain. i want to help. i want to give. i want to go. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it's crazy how badly i want to go.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it's really rather difficult to sit still and be quiet and patient while He works on me and gives me answers.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> i'd rather jump! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>tell me what to do with all of this!</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08smJSt_8VGrvAETTq2EXk21IiV1KX4kEOH1T788jWiZkwsWbKkg7B1adiX0hhrMQeEYUi9j40iwXpoBwVBNXOjgq30pXj4szCyDXcpi-46gR3zkU_HeZ8O62h-5OIgPXP0XR5aN0ecpy/s1600/DSC04198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08smJSt_8VGrvAETTq2EXk21IiV1KX4kEOH1T788jWiZkwsWbKkg7B1adiX0hhrMQeEYUi9j40iwXpoBwVBNXOjgq30pXj4szCyDXcpi-46gR3zkU_HeZ8O62h-5OIgPXP0XR5aN0ecpy/s640/DSC04198.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> i have been fighting for the orphans and the widows more than ever.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> is that what this is about??</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> are we suppose to adopt again? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>(<span style="font-size: small;">the kids have been talking and praying</span>)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> are we supposed to move somewhere where we can be closer? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>what is it?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>i asked some advice from a wise soul and was advised to keep doing what i'm doing.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> i know it's not up to me. i know that there is a perfect time for everything. i know that i can make a difference whether i'm here or "there". but i know there is a plan to go. dic has told me to trust and listen about that.....that it isn't up to us or about us. i am keeping my faith, as i know to do, and trying to be as patient as possible. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and i have asked dic to keep an open mind about what's to come. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>our family has found a place where we trust God more than ever before. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>i love that. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNtFnRH2Ios8pNyy-AhiA4G6oNN7jwGwbrIsmewJ2QjtjaAWKbeS6FqBmtFk6DELVnCK-ObpCFgIQP1r2QbMPPnCotG4UiHieaULc3IOZMeesJILFIu4VFialhoRfjBg-VuUn1RUBqIeC/s1600/DSC05171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNtFnRH2Ios8pNyy-AhiA4G6oNN7jwGwbrIsmewJ2QjtjaAWKbeS6FqBmtFk6DELVnCK-ObpCFgIQP1r2QbMPPnCotG4UiHieaULc3IOZMeesJILFIu4VFialhoRfjBg-VuUn1RUBqIeC/s400/DSC05171.JPG" width="157" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>so in the meantime i will give of myself. i will care for the needy. i will support the families who work soo hard to give children a family. i will lend a hand when i can. i will fight for the widow and i will fight for the orphan. i will trust my God when He says He has something big planned for me and my life. i will try to be still and quiet and listen for His words.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> changes that happen in my life, i am learning, are not about me. these changes will bring glory to my creator. i am His tool. i am His Shepard. </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>i have given it all to Him before.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>i am prepared to do that again.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>for the love of God.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>i am ready for something big.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>something's happening.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>it will be HUGE when i figure it out.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>i'm praying and asking questions.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>maybe i'm not asking the right questions.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>i surrender<span style="font-size: x-large;">......</span></i><b> </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b><span style="font-size: small;">to<b> </b></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">whatever you're doing inside of me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">it feels like chaos, but somehow there's peace.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">it's hard to surrender to what i can't see,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">but i'm giving in to something <i>HEAVENLY</i>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6aBrza0YFw-lF68ES9el7uj4XZE2PAAYTCcoCp-Fbubb6s3nNoFT5qLuKq87xYXa5uu6ipxlMn8D8YvUnPs22ywCZKh3jav0u5rPJt8pFGqOYwp2Rly_NU0P3CxYR3ECfpSuoUtiWszo/s1600/DSC04446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6aBrza0YFw-lF68ES9el7uj4XZE2PAAYTCcoCp-Fbubb6s3nNoFT5qLuKq87xYXa5uu6ipxlMn8D8YvUnPs22ywCZKh3jav0u5rPJt8pFGqOYwp2Rly_NU0P3CxYR3ECfpSuoUtiWszo/s400/DSC04446.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>surrendering to something</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>heavenly.</i></span><br />
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Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09940754394594870352noreply@blogger.com0