Our son is dreaming big for Uganda!

So, I've debated putting this up on our blog for various reasons. The biggest is simply because of the fact that people might not agree with allowing a child to ask for money (you know...tugging at peeps heart strings). But, in this instance this is the real deal for our son, a real dream that he is pursuing and I hope and pray that he is able to discover that dreams can become reality if and when you try and you walk with Jesus in them.

This past May was our son's 7th birthday. My sis and I made him a "playground" birthday cake as inspiration for him to continue dreaming big!!Ever since O has been home from Liberia he has talked about wanting to be a pilot and a builder. More and more his dreams of becoming a builder have grown and have evolved into building something very specific. He has told us over and over that he would like to build a playground in Africa. At first I wasn't quite sure if it was a passing phase or something he really wanted to do. It's been almost 2 yrs now and after our last trip to Uganda for 7 months, his interest to bring fun to the kids of Uganda has become a daily conversation.

O and I have talked about what it would take to be able to build a swing set and/or teeter-tater and raising money was the first step. We brain stormed about the different fundraisers he could do and he liked the idea of a lemonade stand for his first attempt! When we moved into our new house this summer, our small church group called Bridestone and family came to lend us their time and muscles. O and his friends set up his stand in our front yard and sold all his lemonade!! He made $23.00. We also visited their Grammie in Michigan this summer and she gave each grand kid $5.00 to spend on some toys for the beach. O couldn't find anything he wanted so he decided to put his money towards the playground, bringing him up to $28.00. My good friend, Laura gave O and his sister, F each $5 to buy something fun and both O and F wanted to put their money in the "playground fund". So the final total as of today, Sept. 19, is $38.00!!

O is on his way to building a playground in Uganda with the help of friends along the way. Our good friends, Kami and Jeremy (http://kaminablue.xanga.com/) just returned from Liberia after building of a school/home for the kids of Addy's Hope. They also built a playground for the children with the help of some loving friends who donated the money. You can check it out by clicking here http://kaminablue.xanga.com/710282537/remembering-matthew---part-2/

Jeremy has offered to help O pick out the hardware for a swing set and share his knowledge on how to build one in Africa. So O's next step after raising money is to purchase the gear, like seats, chains, eye hooks, etc... We will only take over what we need and what we may not be able to find in Uganda. There have been many learning opportunities with this project including expressing/writing his feelings, practicing handwriting, counting money, planning and organizing, and learning what motivation and perseverance looks like. Below is O's final draft of his "playground project". It's a bit hard to read because it was written in pencil but worth reading!

So, here it is. O is asking for your help to bring joy, laughter, and fun to kids in Uganda. As many of you know, Jeff and I, together with our church community in Fort Collins, are working in a village in North West Uganda called Ombachi. We hope to continue our community development projects once we return and O would like to join us by building the first playground in Ombachi. A few bucks goes a long way, especially when we join with one another. So, if you would like to donate to O's playground project you can email me at xtkatie@gmail.com and I can send you our address. I know O will be so excited to actually see his dreams become reality!! Thank you!!

Bad blogger....Bad!!

I'm really surprised that I have ANY followers at all to this blog! I have never been great at keeping up with our blog, but lately I've just been plain horrible!!! Sorry everyone, and thanks for sticking around even though it's been a bit lame-o this summer. It's not like a ton of life, fun, challenges, and celebrations haven't been happening. In fact we have been swirling in a whirlwind of activity all summer. We've enjoyed family vacations with Jeff's family and mine, had dinners with friends, laughed till we cried while celebrating birthdays, and moved into a new house!! We have been home from Uganda since April but it feels like the days and weeks have flown by too quickly. Our kids are growing up so fast and we're already beginning to think about our journey back to Uganda in October (we think). God has been SO good to us!! He has lavished us with His love!! We get to share life with the most amazing, loving people. We were able to go on vacation with our families, and God blessed us with a new house!!

Here's some pictures from the highlights of our summer!!

Our new house!! We had a kid sleepover on our first night in the new house!! It's such a blessing to have more room and have friends over!! Our trip to Michigan...including a trip to my dad's cabin in Canada. O fishin' with Uncle Phil! Grandpa hiking with Fatu and Osobie

Visiting with friends!!

Grandma took us blueberry picking while we were in South Haven at a beach house!South Haven, MI. sun, sand, and diving into the waves!! We had a blast!

Grammie and Fatu!!

Auntie Meeks and the girls put on a Barbie's fashion show! They had a red ribbon for the Barbie's to walk down and played Yanni on the CD player!

Lunch with Great Grandpa Weber (92 yrs. old!!) and Grandma Eleanor!!

Thanks for a great time together!

Mekay and I cleaned out my mom's garage for a surprise.. took us all day!

The big reveal--Garage Makeover!!!
Great Grandma Thieme at 97 yrs. old!!! The kids love her and copy her sayings like, "Oh my stars and oh, me, oh my"! It was too cute!

Dinner at our good friends the Rowlands! RIBS = LOVE and happy kids!!

Vacation in Steamboat Springs with Jeff's family!!

Lunch at the Alpine slide with Grandma and Grandpa B!Alpine slide with Aunt Linda, Uncle Brian, and cousin Kyle!!

Fishin' on the lake!! Celebrating as a family!!

PHOTO DE NOVO!!

OK.... Aren't these fabulous??? I can't take any of the credit because these were taken by our friend and super-amazing-talented-creative photographer,....Sarah Boyd Neubert !!!

Please go check out her site!! http://www.photodenovo.com/

Sarah set up a "photo booth" as it were...right in front of 'Sweet Pea' our VW van on the fourth. She took some hilarious shots and the photo booth was the hit of the party!! Thanks Sarah!

And here's some more of our photos from our July 4th celebration!

Friends!!

Fatu doing a little of the hula hoop!!!

Sweetness

I know I said I would post about Uganda and how a life CAN be transformed by our choices to serve, love, give, and pray....BUT, I can't help but share this nugget of goodness with you all.

So, the other day I had a heart to heart with our son, O. I have to be honest and say that our transition home to America after spending 7 months in Uganda has been hard. We've been spinnning around like tops for the last month and a half since we've been back. It's been SO fun, life giving, refreshing, and full of LOVE, but I think we all have felt a bit overwhelmed with the instant busy-ness of life in America.

Most people have asked us how the kids are doing adjusting to the transition home and our general answer has been "good". Yeah,...they seemed to be doing just fine for the most part. Although I had noticed a bit of a change in O since we've been back. There's been an increase in his disobedience and his attitude has been pretty "poopy". Being a new mom I'm still learning how to read my own kids and I didn't think that it had anything to do with being home. So, finally after weeks of attitude and disobedience we sat down and had a serious heart to heart. We talked about what had been going on for the last month and he agreed that he had a hard month.

I never would have expected to hear the next few words that came out of his mouth. (A little background on O: He is all about movies, fun activities, electronic things that make noise and flash, he's into the BIG, LOUD, MOVING, FLASHING, FAST anything!! So, picture us in Uganda with minimal electricity, no movies really, very few toys, and well...that's it.)

Anyway, he told me he was having a hard time being home in America. I asked him why and he said, "I MISS HELPING PEOPLE". Oh my,...my heart broke and rejoiced at the same time and the tears started to flow. He continued to say, "I miss walking together as a family everywhere, I don't like that we have to drive in a car all the time". He continued saying, "I miss hunting and killing cockroaches with you mama!". Oh my... I NEVER would have expected to hear this from O. In fact many times I have prayed that God would prepare our kids hearts if He calls us to go back to Uganda. I honestly thought O and F would be upset to go back because they would miss all the comforts of America. And here sat my son telling me he missed our simple bug filled but Kingdom filled, life in Uganda. This was the best gift a mama could ever get. Our son GOT IT! He gets it!! He gets that life in God's way is SO much better than any flashing, beeping toy or any 3-D movie in the theatre. He can sense in his little spirit that listening to Jesus, loving and serving others, and obeying God when he calls is WAY MORE FUN than the best amusement park around.

Eversince O has been home from Liberia he has wanted to be a pilot and a builder. He has always told us that his dream is to build playgrounds for kids in Africa! After living in Uganda for 7 months and spending time with our Ugandan friends in thier villages, he is determined to make his dream come true. We are going to start something and we've been playing around with a name, fundraisers, (lemonade stands, bake sales, etc..), and all the "how to's" of making it happen. I want O to see that he CAN make a difference in someone's life. He can love and serve others in the way God's called him.

So, we celebrated O's bday the other week and in honor of his "dream" we made him a "playground cake"! Jeff and I put it together with skewers and duct tape and Auntie Mekay and I decorated. Here's to dreaming big and loving others!

We surprised O with an Ethiopian birthday dinner, his favorite!!!

FEEDING THE FORGOTTEN!

I know I just posted from my friend Brandi's blog but obviously Uganda is deep in our hearts as well as in hers. This is her blog post that I copied and pasted. I so believe we can make a difference. I have seen my friends here in Colorado make a difference in the lives of friends in Arua, Uganda. They sacrificed grande lattes, desserts, and going out to dinner in order to bless, serve, and love a family in need in Uganda. Their dollars made a difference, and so can yours! I wouldn't post a link to an organization I didn't trust or believe in. Children's HopeChest (CHC) is doing great work in Uganda, Ethiopia and elsewhere in the world, and I had the privilege to meet them and work with them while we were in Uganda this past fall/winter. In fact, CHC has become a partner with Bethesda Int'l. and Rapha school to facilitate a sponsorship program through churches. So,...please...read on and see just what your dollar can do to change a life!

FEED THE FORGOTTEN

Too often we hear heartbreaking stories like this (that I posted on Saturday) and do nothing. We feel helpless. . . and so we move on. Not this time. There are people DYING in Uganda right now. There are children who's bellies are hungry and aching. There are mamas who are too weak to stand and babies begging to be held. There are people trapping termites hoping for food and eating dung in helplessness. DO NOT CAVE TO DESPAIR. YOU CAN DO SOMETHING.

Join us and Children's HopeChest to FEED THE FORGOTTEN!!!

For $0.14, we can (and WILL) feed someone a meal of posho and beans. (posho is cornmeal, which is filling and beans are protein). Take that in for a moment. . .
$0.14 a meal
$2.86 for 20 days
$1 per FAMILY
$20 feed a family for 20 days.
How much was my Chick Fil A yesterday? How much is your Starbucks? The bigger question is how much am I willing to give up SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT EAT?
Remember Jesus story of the Good Samaritan? Remember how his very neighbors walked right by him? They probably looked at him with pity. . .probably thought "oh poor guy, that breaks my heart" but the fact is THEY DID NOTHING.
What will you do? These children are starving. . .

these actual children. . .

will you help? The money raised will feed those precious children. There are 3 - 4 villages that we are targeting (I'm hoping for more after we see how much we can raise!) to bring food relief to asap. These people are literally starving. . and waiting for you to act. Will you help? Even with paypal fees (2-3%) even $1 will feed 6 people! You CAN make a difference.
Spread the word, blog about it, facebook it, twitter it, ask your church or school or business to give, post the blog badge anything. Truly, we are begging you. . .on behalf of these children not to forget this post and move on to the next in your google reader list.

Stop, pray, act.GIVE TO FEED THE FORGOTTEN CHILDREN!!!!!
(note: please write FEED THE FORGOTTEN in the notes section when you give)

UGANDA LOVIN'

Please go check out my good friends blog....

http://www.brandisthoughts.com/

Brandie is a fellow Liberian adoptive mom that we connected with 2 years ago while adopting Fatu and Osobie. Brandie and I met officially in Jinja, Uganda last October when her and her husband along with Children's Hope Chest brought over a U.S. team for a Uganda ministry tour. They visited Bethesda International on their trip and I was able to be a part of the team for a few days! She's amazing....really. If I had as much energy as this mama of 3 I would be stoked!

Brandie's church is now sponsoring almost all of the Bethesda International children at Rapha School. Brandie is returning today from her second trip to Uganda leading another team of pastors and folks interested in sponsoring, supporting and doing ministry in Uganda. I am so thankful for her and her heart for the children of Uganda!

If you go to her blog, you should scroll down and read the handful of posts she put up from her recent trip to Uganda! I promise you will be inspired and informed about all that is happening in Uganda. And who knows...maybe even led to be a part of the change and transformation that is happening in children because someone took the time to love and care!! There is huge need in Uganda and I know first hand how one person's love, support, prayers, time and money can not only change one life, but the lives of many!!

*My next 2 posts will be about this very thing... so stay tuned!!

Thank You Africa!

Fatu on her birthday eating her dinner of choice...Ethiopian!!!

Well, as most of you already know, WE ARE HOME FROM AFRICA!! We came home April 1st and I'm just now finding some time to post! Ahhhh!! It's been quite an adjustment to come home to the fast pace life of America. I definitely slipped into the simple and slow way of life in Africa because now that I'm back, I find myself spinning in circles. Just today I found myself staring at the walls wondering how I was going to tackle my way too long "to do" list. How is it possible? I thought I told myself that we wouldn't "do" full schedules again. I thought we'd keep the simple life and just say NO to busy-ness. It is hard to do, especially when you have such amazing friends and family that you want to see!!

I thought I would post some photos since we have thousands (yikes) as well as post blogs that I wrote while we were in Uganda but couldn't post due to lack of electricity and various other interesting things.

THANK YOU AFRICA...

For opening my eyes to a glorious world that has been buried in distraction.
For teaching me PATIENCE.
For teaching me how to have a grateful heart.
For accepting me despite my ignorance, pride, and selfish-ness.

For helping me experience the PEACE that surpasses understanding.
For showing me what it really means to give.
For teaching me about reducing, reusing, and recycling.

For living in JOY.
For sharing your land, your lives, and your hearts with us.
For sleepless nights.

For stirring my heart and challenging my mind.
For helping me to see God’s beautiful creation with new eyes and appreciation.
For giving God the greatest praise.
For hands that hold HOPE.
For not keeping silent.

For teaching me about an eternal truth…LOVE,
loving God and loving one another!

Boda boda style...papa and Fatu

Sunday school Football!! The boys from down the street came over as often as they could to play with F and O and a real soccer ball!! We played games, sucked down mangoes, and laughed a lot!! Jeff coined these times as "Katie's kid's club" Fatu peeking out of the bus window at the yummy ground nuts for sale

God's Will Ladies Choice store!! oh, yeah!!