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!

Trout Pics

Anniversary weekend

We went to Gruene, TX last weekend for our 5th wedding anniversary and it was AWESOME!

It was about a four-hour drive, not bad at all. We stayed in the Gruene Mansion Inn Bed and Breakfast and everything was within walking distance (GREAT restaurants, over-priced antique shops and Gruene Hall, Texas' oldest Honky Tonk....been open since the late 1800's and has never closed its doors). We woke up early on Saturday morning to go Fly-fishing on the Guadalupe River with our guide, Kevin, who was awesome. Darrin has done some fly-fishing before, but I never had....we both loved it. I caught a little-bitty sunfish (no one jumped for the camera on that one). Darrin caught two trout, one of them a 5-pounder.

This week has been "back to reality" with Darrin working hard trying to tie up loose ends at Paschal HS and transition to his new job at Irving Macarthur HS. We are both VERY excited about the changes in our life. We both have new jobs and I've got to learn how to be a working mother. I brought Hudson to daycare Wednesday and Thursday this week and he LOVED it. Yesterday, he was so worn out that he slept from 7:30pm until 9am this morning. I had a rough time Wednesday and cried when I dropped him off, but yesterday was better. I know the first few weeks of school will be difficult and I'm hoping the more I can do this summer to prepare both of us, the better.