Puzzlin'

This one is actually different than the one on facebook, for those of you that frequent both sites.

:)

Talkin'

With Dawson in Florida

Florida

We spent a week in Florida with my family and it was soooo much fun!

The beaches were beautiful (my dad found some tarballs the last day we were there, but other than that, we didn't notice the oil spill). We went deep sea fishing one day and caught an enormous amount of red snapper. Darrin, me and my two brothers were fine, but I think everyone else was sea sick. At one point while the boat was driving us to our next spot, Darrin and I were facing everyone else and we were watching about 8 people throw up over the side of the boat. Awesome.

We ate some great food and played triominoes. Hudson loved Dawson, especially after Dawson shared a popsicle with him.

We rented a scooter one day and all took turns driving...worked in a little shopping and some ice cream. It was fun and I would definitely recommend Destin, Florida.

I can't wait until Hudson is a little older and enjoys water more, although the beach and pool did grow on him while we were there. He's not a big fan of the way sand feels, though!

A few pics of late

Hudson has been learning to "self-feed"....He's always been great at finger food, but now he's starting to want to use the spoon, although sometimes he just holds the spoon and then uses his other hand to shove everything in his mouth.

Here is one from the car ride back home from Salina. The travel DVD player is the best invention. ever.

Salina Trip

We all had a lot of fun on our short trip to Salina this past weekend! Jen (Darrin's sister) babysat Hudson so Darrin and I even worked in a movie while we were there! Thanks, Jen! It's so nice to be around family and have a little relief with Hudson, too, sometimes! Darrin and I rarely have time alone these days! We also went to Martinelli's (this great little Italian restaurant in downtown Salina) and Hudson sat with John (Darrin's stepdad) and ate his spinach like a good little boy!

Another one

More video

There is a reason behind this blog...

other than Hudson, that is....

While feeling philosophical, I've decided to blog about actual content, rather than just post pictures of my son, even though I know that's what most of you get on here to see anyway.

:)

That being said, we received a package tonight from Luvuyo (our sponsored child through World Vision, who lives in South Africa). Darrin and I decided to sponsor him after our church did a 6 week series on the book, "The Hole in the Gospel," which was written by World Vision's CEO....I've always been skeptical to involve myself in these organizations, mistrusting as I am. I did some research and it is a wonderful organization. The monthly sponsorship is $35 and about $32 of that goes directly to the child. We chose Luvuyo because he was born on the same day as Hudson, 4 years earlier. He turned 5 this year and for his birthday, we sent a cash donation. 100% of the monetary gift went to him and his family. Tonight, we read the letter from him (written by the missionary assigned to him) and we received pictures of him and his grandmother next to the items they had purchased.

I pray for Luvuyo and when I do, I have to admit, I don't always know what to pray for. For his birthday, I prayed that this gift would bring him as many physical items as possible that would make his (and his family's) life better for as long as possible. I prayed that he would get cake (or some sort of birthday treat that he doesn't usually get)....I prayed that he would get a toy (or something that is not pure necessity). In his letter, he thanks me (and some things are lost in translation, but that makes it even sweeter) and he goes on to list that he "brought the following things: cream cake, 2l sunfoil, eggs, 12.5 kg sask flour, sunlight powder, tea bags, 2 kg meat, 10kg sugar, energade bottle juice, potatoes, black shoes, white shirt, gold shirt, grey trouser, sport shoes, school belts, boys jacket, boy tracktop, boys grey socks, bag, 2l coocee, corn flakes, 3 loaf bread, bonnita long life and meal."

The first picture shows him looking directly at the camera, holding his cake, standing next to the rest of his loot, small, open-mouthed smile that looks like he knows more than he should after only 5 years on this earth.

The second picture shows him on the same side of his loot-pile with his grandmother on the other side (he is being raised by his grandmother because his mother died of AIDS and his father was never involved). His grandmother stands at attention looking upward, as if she's unsure of what to do in front of a camera.

Now...I'm not posting the events of Luvuyo's birthday gift to gratify my own need that is indeed met by sponsoring him...shamefully, this process does, in fact, meet a need in me as well. In fact, I sometimes feel guilty for feeling good that we are sponsoring him in the first place. For feeling good about anything. I guess I'm blogging because I opened this package after coming home at 9pm from a 7 hour car trip, exhausted, with a screaming child who is ready for bed. I came home, feeling negative and abused by this car ride, to my 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1700 square foot house to give my son a bath in a bathtub with warm running water and put him to bed in his crib, in his very own room. I then unpacked my suitcase and sorted clothes. I did laundry in my washer and dryer....and for some reason, tonight, it didn't bother me that my washer and dryer is in the garage and not in the house like it should be. Like most newer, shinier houses' laundry rooms are. I was just so thankful that I have my home. That I have my husband. That I have my amazing, beautiful son. That I have everything I have and that I was born to the family I was born to and in the circumstances that were dealt me.

I'm amazed at what little it takes to do so much for one other life in another world so far away. I pray that we can continue to do more. I pray for Luvuyo and I hope that his life is better by being connected to us in some way. I know that my life is better, being connected to him.

Time to Post!

Okay, I know I've been slacking on the posting so here it is!

:)

We hosted a July 4th get-together at our place. You can see fireworks from 4 cities at the end of our block. It was great! The Halls were able to come and stay the night and The Martins were here with their girls and The McDonalds and Luke and many others, so it was a house-ful 'O Babies!

Darrin has been busy at his new gig, Irving Macarthur HS, trying to get everything ready to start the new school year.

Hudson is still NOT walking, despite mine and Darrin's efforts....he crawls so fast, I think he's just decided that's what he's going to do. Either that, or Morgan and OJ are his main source of influence in this house and they walk on all fours.

He's a happy boy, learning more and more every day. He's getting more hair, even has some 'bedhead' from time to time (if he inherits his father's bedhead, we're in for a real treat in this house).

We're leaving for Salina, KS, tomorrow for a few days to visit Darrin's side of the family....then it's Florida for a week with my side of the family!