tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65556093500114653062024-03-13T00:33:06.536-07:00In the Palm of His HandPippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-36741070180023706822011-04-19T08:01:00.000-07:002011-04-19T08:10:23.383-07:00Warthog<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFqUvDD2LmvDHsRai0K0a59a_8hfAnMu0lmU4ThVEBozfn16mfkS3rQvX9et-OMbiIwzZUhgCaAh-ml7hq-v6Y2uiljJpW5XzqLjaan6sFAQVyKNizvIDPZt1qDz7R5z03JsQt6d5ODg5/s1600/IMG_1213.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFqUvDD2LmvDHsRai0K0a59a_8hfAnMu0lmU4ThVEBozfn16mfkS3rQvX9et-OMbiIwzZUhgCaAh-ml7hq-v6Y2uiljJpW5XzqLjaan6sFAQVyKNizvIDPZt1qDz7R5z03JsQt6d5ODg5/s320/IMG_1213.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597311132879674962" /></a>This, my friends, is a warthog. For my mother's viewing pleasure. There is a story that goes along with this picture, but you'll just have to be content with this until tomorrow when I post it!Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-79407654907358872492011-03-22T05:11:00.000-07:002011-03-22T06:15:08.099-07:00Dance for Jesus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy1qkvvDwKoy57ryN0mjR2uUKQNUyZ-aIn9gmsSeozDbaUOmKVNMh3gaD2uThF_dCG8JLuFruedaSo4PCfdq-QPS7ITcL5fs7dTO3D-3EaC3g0RNlxt2JaYUlot8ntU-13IyiPIzP3EYT/s1600/IMG_0622.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy1qkvvDwKoy57ryN0mjR2uUKQNUyZ-aIn9gmsSeozDbaUOmKVNMh3gaD2uThF_dCG8JLuFruedaSo4PCfdq-QPS7ITcL5fs7dTO3D-3EaC3g0RNlxt2JaYUlot8ntU-13IyiPIzP3EYT/s320/IMG_0622.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586890718390743458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFGL56SVI71dFO3VfjGQFrhPczSKe2F1xYe8wgXNSGb2dPph_3SJogyCeFxjut2LxWfwvnQ8HhcqPCF7kqHYEhQHfYRABQeuP7wCeiwAvK-NBsUc853E18ayA8zIhyphenhyphenrZaJy_IQ20LJVvp/s1600/IMG_0623.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFGL56SVI71dFO3VfjGQFrhPczSKe2F1xYe8wgXNSGb2dPph_3SJogyCeFxjut2LxWfwvnQ8HhcqPCF7kqHYEhQHfYRABQeuP7wCeiwAvK-NBsUc853E18ayA8zIhyphenhyphenrZaJy_IQ20LJVvp/s320/IMG_0623.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586890712424772962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmDUp9bNV6JuKJ2qhQCoFEMgmTOYghK23a6zeYqkPk16UcAlHW_qGOT22PlLPqUt6Zm9D_tvubRMjgfYn8kvB9HP8NaycVfwVsfFQhxRZWk8Jx8dhqdkCFi7UUXTUapnt6y-4dq7xmlzb/s1600/IMG_0624.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmDUp9bNV6JuKJ2qhQCoFEMgmTOYghK23a6zeYqkPk16UcAlHW_qGOT22PlLPqUt6Zm9D_tvubRMjgfYn8kvB9HP8NaycVfwVsfFQhxRZWk8Jx8dhqdkCFi7UUXTUapnt6y-4dq7xmlzb/s320/IMG_0624.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586890706394298482" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOzYcXaZY8k">This</a> song on my heart this week...Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-45876933445353218332011-03-16T08:48:00.000-07:002011-03-16T08:57:56.559-07:00Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5E-RJvuaZi5SKZSoHG-H88N9HS-QmZkcZmIxmgKgZA8hdEOQYdhzhUCFF0CsPn5whKU8VRetd4Cf7_DPsaJu1u-xkz3D9kl9rqwCjxPYdIE8QJrkGa04a09cikpVeIGK2axIThjXORtx/s1600/Uganda4+043.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5E-RJvuaZi5SKZSoHG-H88N9HS-QmZkcZmIxmgKgZA8hdEOQYdhzhUCFF0CsPn5whKU8VRetd4Cf7_DPsaJu1u-xkz3D9kl9rqwCjxPYdIE8QJrkGa04a09cikpVeIGK2axIThjXORtx/s320/Uganda4+043.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584707572873287394" /></a>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-85120666852765569382011-03-15T15:55:00.000-07:002011-03-16T08:47:52.950-07:00Thoughts from a Hospital Room... or Six Months.As I write I'm sitting in a government hospital with a 7 month old on my lap who refuses to eat. Jess and I are on the night shift and are taking turns sleeping and trying to make him eat. Although the situation seems a bit dire, I know we're both hopeful his appetite will kick in and he'll begin to actually absorb the things we're trying to feed him. <div><br /></div><div>We're praying, and hoping, and giving him lots of kisses, and not sleeping. </div><div><br /></div><div>But all this wakefulness is giving me a lot of time for thinking... and thinking is something I'm doing a lot of. <div><br /></div><div>I've been dwelling a lot on being thankful. Thankful that God brought me here. Thankful for the immense homesickness and pain I experienced my first few months. Thankful for all He taught me through that time. Thankful that He continues to teach me even though it's not so hard anymore. Thankful that He still breaks my heart every day. Thankful for my children. Thankful for the itty bitty blessings He bestows on me all. the. time. Thankful for the friends he's given me who *get* me, and who *get* my hurt, my struggles, my heart. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thankful that this has become <i>home. </i></div><div><br /></div><div><i></i>Being here, living here, <i>loving here. </i>It's still almost unreal. This huge and painful blessing God's given me for this season of life. I truly just sit back in wonder at our wonderful, merciful Savior. Who called me out - who <i>still calls me out - </i>told me to GO, and who gave me the strength to obey, and who provided me with the tools to obey, and who still gives me the energy to obey each and every day. He's orchestrated everything perfectly so all the glory goes <i>directly back to Him. </i>I can't claim any of this amazing life I'm living for myself. It's all Him.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I love it. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>I have now lived here for over six months. <i>six. months.</i> When I first arrived that time period seemed insurmountable. I wasn't sure I would be able to survive it. God knew better. I can just imagine Him shaking His head at my foolish mortal thoughts and gently whispering <i>"Don't you know that I've brought you hear for My purpose, dear one? Don't you know this pain, this hurt you're experiencing is all for My glory? Don't you know that I am your All-In-All? Don't you know that I WILL sustain you, uplift you, keep you close in my arms all the time?" </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>And He did. And He DOES. Amazing... </div><div><br /></div><div>Six months doesn't seem insurmountable now. Sitting here with this tiny bundle of life, six months feels like what it really is - a drop in the ocean, a short chapter in this incredible life I'm living. And not enough.</div><div><br /></div><div>Good thing I'm here for three more.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-45805495261398931082011-03-01T07:01:00.000-08:002011-03-01T07:19:45.878-08:00The Hat.<div>Pius and the gnome hat that's been floating around our home.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHH1SPnppQocE_86eJHfgLNj-6vquhGnoogL5VAjZ4j94t6zpsNKZogeU1m3WZqAqmpDYcWLfDGkQ1uUlIDsPdiFhIeLokYLvae4np3xlsITzq9HWUtqoyXexTEgPSi2uh9e3CBq_pUFQt/s1600/IMG_0540.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHH1SPnppQocE_86eJHfgLNj-6vquhGnoogL5VAjZ4j94t6zpsNKZogeU1m3WZqAqmpDYcWLfDGkQ1uUlIDsPdiFhIeLokYLvae4np3xlsITzq9HWUtqoyXexTEgPSi2uh9e3CBq_pUFQt/s320/IMG_0540.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579127985061742466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0xKdFGE1nqVAiJDBYoYIV9jxfXAOVLuafw2vhLYjSi7CvL5EHQFgvFk_4oC69V4UgBy71guwOhNFZ-KWzeQ7AMBBBE9-C5ZxVr7NbOTzgI2lYBL8qAIbzyAax0oKScR_dVpfQe8a_vtI/s1600/IMG_0541.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0xKdFGE1nqVAiJDBYoYIV9jxfXAOVLuafw2vhLYjSi7CvL5EHQFgvFk_4oC69V4UgBy71guwOhNFZ-KWzeQ7AMBBBE9-C5ZxVr7NbOTzgI2lYBL8qAIbzyAax0oKScR_dVpfQe8a_vtI/s320/IMG_0541.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579127973384750338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2xHnUme5emMgM7Te4gmT9kvpsAATP29jIYaHOxaGUFKJ4hOOLZKGUDMDzpjTNmBo0Lsagf5dj45fCu2Rac0JNfMsdRx3ftrM3EojeXjHj6qORvnZO5RMFgOuuNvFrhtVTqEhWzMIzQQg/s1600/IMG_0550.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2xHnUme5emMgM7Te4gmT9kvpsAATP29jIYaHOxaGUFKJ4hOOLZKGUDMDzpjTNmBo0Lsagf5dj45fCu2Rac0JNfMsdRx3ftrM3EojeXjHj6qORvnZO5RMFgOuuNvFrhtVTqEhWzMIzQQg/s320/IMG_0550.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579127969171287602" /></a>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-74151562488210312732011-03-01T05:48:00.000-08:002011-03-01T06:06:18.048-08:00This Boy...<div style="text-align: center;">Makes my heart go yoli-yoli...</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFA9ugRiQBdk8B7iPIa99Sh5dT15K1oJLz9nRNzRNC55LixBFf578j_UNh0a1A8oBx45_7q8cKGvI4HkXqyXC1qpz1-p9osqIhoGDbuC2hvsdRcgiMuHAVAtsYhAIRcqxdgv2kz5N8ogZp/s1600/IMG_0690.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFA9ugRiQBdk8B7iPIa99Sh5dT15K1oJLz9nRNzRNC55LixBFf578j_UNh0a1A8oBx45_7q8cKGvI4HkXqyXC1qpz1-p9osqIhoGDbuC2hvsdRcgiMuHAVAtsYhAIRcqxdgv2kz5N8ogZp/s320/IMG_0690.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579111629969473922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyg7g5mPigGJfD1qjwu3Ed-72caXO5sY-owSN0Ky9sUVdIuPNV539rOxNK6T95r2iyRdfzbX4HLkToZJ3PlLPJ-CwdpTpjRlzASQuxdfZAzPgjWEIJIHtllue5M5hirMZhqV6MW3yzA_l/s1600/IMG_0691.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIyg7g5mPigGJfD1qjwu3Ed-72caXO5sY-owSN0Ky9sUVdIuPNV539rOxNK6T95r2iyRdfzbX4HLkToZJ3PlLPJ-CwdpTpjRlzASQuxdfZAzPgjWEIJIHtllue5M5hirMZhqV6MW3yzA_l/s320/IMG_0691.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579109430386630498" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGdNV-Q8HssMONret-hflQLTVthyauIBhyphenhyphenbbNGp-xpa7t7XaBxjFMVvwVAmGx8xwh-y4O1wnE1UVGeppMzSCqrL822RtDuwl2O2htai2nejsEGhgK2208h7ZTWxzhQgQUkpzB0kZQi0Qp/s1600/IMG_0692.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGdNV-Q8HssMONret-hflQLTVthyauIBhyphenhyphenbbNGp-xpa7t7XaBxjFMVvwVAmGx8xwh-y4O1wnE1UVGeppMzSCqrL822RtDuwl2O2htai2nejsEGhgK2208h7ZTWxzhQgQUkpzB0kZQi0Qp/s320/IMG_0692.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579109425662928018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltsbQSl5fy_Xi19WRKU4MfQkXS46qzp0AQM2XVfNe7-xejC9IqpWbumNYqvv2K8SrZlCSte4MnHnrrUdqkVp5RGGSr88jX8nq1EU1JK2Y84Y4oeHDkyrDXhQdEUp_nXC2Z2eow7Syk8kz/s1600/IMG_0693.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltsbQSl5fy_Xi19WRKU4MfQkXS46qzp0AQM2XVfNe7-xejC9IqpWbumNYqvv2K8SrZlCSte4MnHnrrUdqkVp5RGGSr88jX8nq1EU1JK2Y84Y4oeHDkyrDXhQdEUp_nXC2Z2eow7Syk8kz/s320/IMG_0693.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579109426224782850" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88r-mQmCBmsYMkqGtEOLOrCU5-GhZ4Q5ICRfT2vTgkOf3FfXcoBSXdMU3zwtMjwjRkt5K8h89kNZlQ_xoEjwliX7ONbYRgbw8jjaCmMYIg2bnhemfBGKMLvY3YNnRh8wYFT6Deso1_sVs/s1600/IMG_0694.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88r-mQmCBmsYMkqGtEOLOrCU5-GhZ4Q5ICRfT2vTgkOf3FfXcoBSXdMU3zwtMjwjRkt5K8h89kNZlQ_xoEjwliX7ONbYRgbw8jjaCmMYIg2bnhemfBGKMLvY3YNnRh8wYFT6Deso1_sVs/s320/IMG_0694.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579109414546378322" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9NRDdVo1xX8gXuZ01jnj72sUgnKM38ORgj91pfaiP2Q2XDW8B_STtc58KHkZ2OHccu0U5WZdItEXo2o1XD45LQNB3P4VJDoRIwT8n0qf1kqMd3myInX4pd1wgdcEfrrmCt4Iw_wgBgtb/s1600/IMG_0695.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9NRDdVo1xX8gXuZ01jnj72sUgnKM38ORgj91pfaiP2Q2XDW8B_STtc58KHkZ2OHccu0U5WZdItEXo2o1XD45LQNB3P4VJDoRIwT8n0qf1kqMd3myInX4pd1wgdcEfrrmCt4Iw_wgBgtb/s320/IMG_0695.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579109414783005810" /></a>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-24559189806119053312011-02-22T06:47:00.000-08:002011-02-22T07:01:53.077-08:00Whaaaaaaat?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpFsKfAfzvKgKD7Dd2rC3iG0V2Z18R9dsbrTaD0toU_tIax7DehgXYt7wMqzgs3MiNWlXezMfZk7lxmT4wscTjs0KfoqE1Tn4zE1jlYj9EKLq_23KwcFWua1_TShJQWJllCtMgeRFKsB5/s1600/IMG_0702.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpFsKfAfzvKgKD7Dd2rC3iG0V2Z18R9dsbrTaD0toU_tIax7DehgXYt7wMqzgs3MiNWlXezMfZk7lxmT4wscTjs0KfoqE1Tn4zE1jlYj9EKLq_23KwcFWua1_TShJQWJllCtMgeRFKsB5/s320/IMG_0702.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576526688083163202" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I bin sick! Not malaria, but a nasty virus that moonlights as such. Not too much fun.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiL-6Z9E5X0PhfRIt8LPu2KnaSp7fFyXaVcTylkWvTqN8wdDjXoLICmr6pPO75h2lX4pZeg9JJEl9owrNSd8gmM-t4lY5E17ljvGADOaAqhUXfQw3K_pAn3dtgQuEXWbDvOiGkt5SLCp6E/s1600/IMG_0651.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiL-6Z9E5X0PhfRIt8LPu2KnaSp7fFyXaVcTylkWvTqN8wdDjXoLICmr6pPO75h2lX4pZeg9JJEl9owrNSd8gmM-t4lY5E17ljvGADOaAqhUXfQw3K_pAn3dtgQuEXWbDvOiGkt5SLCp6E/s320/IMG_0651.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576526685803816546" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">What happens when you're sick and bored.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzrTjrF-otDHDiKrl3pOnY1cvf1cwWYFPJO79wrp92FlSmTimw5-f2ZS8GWkV4lw0q1lmg0DmiLvHSTFypiawBfVl51SjnoFH9b0a2Ye9SizwOUoAo8VnoAHMNtEQQpbCr9hCcMhw2uZg/s1600/IMG_0652.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzrTjrF-otDHDiKrl3pOnY1cvf1cwWYFPJO79wrp92FlSmTimw5-f2ZS8GWkV4lw0q1lmg0DmiLvHSTFypiawBfVl51SjnoFH9b0a2Ye9SizwOUoAo8VnoAHMNtEQQpbCr9hCcMhw2uZg/s320/IMG_0652.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576526674958671922" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I'm pretty artistic.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfhRy-TE_0xESDsHtKB7a4PhX2ReF4vUEfEQfvwhv1x46Nj58ptkIpCenGJVQOLs4JPBkDy1q6NIYWEwO0ytqIt_fE8LFIKVrAookNzcG6PwTGZyCHkP9uGvyfJz4Ykfu4Kph_UxesiTg/s1600/IMG_0663.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfhRy-TE_0xESDsHtKB7a4PhX2ReF4vUEfEQfvwhv1x46Nj58ptkIpCenGJVQOLs4JPBkDy1q6NIYWEwO0ytqIt_fE8LFIKVrAookNzcG6PwTGZyCHkP9uGvyfJz4Ykfu4Kph_UxesiTg/s320/IMG_0663.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576526674867483330" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A well-meaning child brought me this lovely picture of Joseph being seduced by Potiphar's wife. That pretty much made me better on the spot!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm definitely on the mend now - thank you for all your prayers!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love, </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mommy Pippin</div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-69159968280132390982011-02-22T06:05:00.000-08:002011-02-22T06:54:20.828-08:00Meet Kevin!<div style="text-align: center;">Our newest arrival!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7EMIrToLVMWgFbONQPq4_Bi2xcMgyd9xzwl0p76-J7o6pbZ_NXFZMnZxoOfW5J9gxO7dmUF60_XfRKyHZmpHvtkBKGfqfc7x7h-vx0HQ6nJyci0qI5NWGeWNVDs2F2fCBWh31AGT2bOh/s1600/IMG_0495.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7EMIrToLVMWgFbONQPq4_Bi2xcMgyd9xzwl0p76-J7o6pbZ_NXFZMnZxoOfW5J9gxO7dmUF60_XfRKyHZmpHvtkBKGfqfc7x7h-vx0HQ6nJyci0qI5NWGeWNVDs2F2fCBWh31AGT2bOh/s320/IMG_0495.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576525717031404738" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Like Nathan, Kevin is very malnourished and has severe TB. But we look forward to seeing him heal as well!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXJmXhb7fvKStHkkVKPB2U6dozR17O_HXBxVrXXF4KneAuY78ArADkq6sSvknz0iomuSLrzEmsCwmNeLvZ4LWluW8YTZwI0m0dL94S164z7yI69_jEujpgkYJxO01zojPrN8BpvZw675L/s1600/IMG_0501.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXJmXhb7fvKStHkkVKPB2U6dozR17O_HXBxVrXXF4KneAuY78ArADkq6sSvknz0iomuSLrzEmsCwmNeLvZ4LWluW8YTZwI0m0dL94S164z7yI69_jEujpgkYJxO01zojPrN8BpvZw675L/s320/IMG_0501.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576525719345404066" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Kevin and Nathan meeting for the first time.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA4SWyMOpjZLAQowzZnxP8QDQm9rvB1WQkM1o16UEBd8A_zamqUFvOTC5Vfmt3kqxdSOFlIKPH9V6kxbYSB4eQEito5966kKh7ymVQaR9ATbenTUs2mzwlnt2GQMGc5tB5ZPXQ6Y9vWX4/s1600/IMG_0504.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA4SWyMOpjZLAQowzZnxP8QDQm9rvB1WQkM1o16UEBd8A_zamqUFvOTC5Vfmt3kqxdSOFlIKPH9V6kxbYSB4eQEito5966kKh7ymVQaR9ATbenTUs2mzwlnt2GQMGc5tB5ZPXQ6Y9vWX4/s320/IMG_0504.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576525715150865298" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Don't be fooled. They love each other.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFg9EHCT9TczNYLhweNyvE-BqFzSnL7GjeeeEiHga8zcxHJvgV3dk1jBSaoW-Q-i8hGmmIBmZtRsWePRGfAuGlTitSn637knEe7eyHqGEFW-fZaxGeHQ6iq-WyqRj6knCsqprHb1vBf13n/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFg9EHCT9TczNYLhweNyvE-BqFzSnL7GjeeeEiHga8zcxHJvgV3dk1jBSaoW-Q-i8hGmmIBmZtRsWePRGfAuGlTitSn637knEe7eyHqGEFW-fZaxGeHQ6iq-WyqRj6knCsqprHb1vBf13n/s320/IMG_0505.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576522674234033010" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Really!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Vo-JxtAEXlJF5lmAFvP2c3n52_1-1rLtfyhhjAwIXc3RAX7C_fCUBfMq-lbCRjlVk_ks-rV8NuAdAcnAO-rfaU-T-aF9WKbHTRNO_28khlKnl6eNTGrmy7Oo27ie_ticiimGGZDiKM_G/s1600/IMG_0566.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Vo-JxtAEXlJF5lmAFvP2c3n52_1-1rLtfyhhjAwIXc3RAX7C_fCUBfMq-lbCRjlVk_ks-rV8NuAdAcnAO-rfaU-T-aF9WKbHTRNO_28khlKnl6eNTGrmy7Oo27ie_ticiimGGZDiKM_G/s320/IMG_0566.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576522675417079634" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Uncle Derek and his baby!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwL4pQTkZTGAHtkP5AtV2fUWKIaSsE7ldT1zCApU_VKcekpMit4Bmtr0KZC8ZoOgVinF6qREg13BnFPD20NTDHq6C-qNKuwshq_B7jiPImhqUSbrH-EUm1Kx_-c7xevCc3vnzR7vbvVAzE/s1600/IMG_0567.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwL4pQTkZTGAHtkP5AtV2fUWKIaSsE7ldT1zCApU_VKcekpMit4Bmtr0KZC8ZoOgVinF6qREg13BnFPD20NTDHq6C-qNKuwshq_B7jiPImhqUSbrH-EUm1Kx_-c7xevCc3vnzR7vbvVAzE/s320/IMG_0567.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576522672996432386" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyy_yJugds_EzEy5_Ogdrf882ZWm1ik92SBErqzpjesh4TYGNlKB64VW0CSgM1EDYXJwZ11F9VXtA5eY_hhLEJC7uSebhO11Em_Ekml9pdKWYwL6hYu5IWw8OywzKJw6ShvM5_3OA8-a6I/s1600/IMG_0613.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyy_yJugds_EzEy5_Ogdrf882ZWm1ik92SBErqzpjesh4TYGNlKB64VW0CSgM1EDYXJwZ11F9VXtA5eY_hhLEJC7uSebhO11Em_Ekml9pdKWYwL6hYu5IWw8OywzKJw6ShvM5_3OA8-a6I/s320/IMG_0613.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576522668298021458" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is Kevin's face when he's not being held. It's funny.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Please pray for Kevin as he begins to heal! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mommy Pippin</div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-73281339845601629102011-02-22T05:53:00.000-08:002011-02-22T06:33:19.637-08:00What's Up?<div style="text-align: center;">What have we been up to lately?</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbs7abYMrXVgC1rizofsP058eoyF0TVo_IV3AntytcGaYQxrpbx3KhbbnyuulqX-aDKd2kGrIFqhbJeyM11VADXodEI10-xnttJw7oPQ6Qn2z0yTUEFXocYkFrs0jJTLJ7Dwt5T4U71AqK/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbs7abYMrXVgC1rizofsP058eoyF0TVo_IV3AntytcGaYQxrpbx3KhbbnyuulqX-aDKd2kGrIFqhbJeyM11VADXodEI10-xnttJw7oPQ6Qn2z0yTUEFXocYkFrs0jJTLJ7Dwt5T4U71AqK/s320/IMG_0080.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576518642747503346" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hospital visits.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4Lb4xI6KgfLvjiLVnYxZjM4z8KyjWQKPNBx8-CMBfoup-gWKpd7wpMTeB0Uj6t6dOUaLqglPm27LYqwYD_PqRU1GQAb-ypJ499BnRQDw8bPvGUIkEug2wuYtE8uB-KVIaW8LFhRpQqX2/s1600/IMG_0509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4Lb4xI6KgfLvjiLVnYxZjM4z8KyjWQKPNBx8-CMBfoup-gWKpd7wpMTeB0Uj6t6dOUaLqglPm27LYqwYD_PqRU1GQAb-ypJ499BnRQDw8bPvGUIkEug2wuYtE8uB-KVIaW8LFhRpQqX2/s320/IMG_0509.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576518636466886770" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Shading.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzN2J0-o4rD-Nv_4WAVqrLJTgxchaUyeYhgFsE-NeDLsu-mOpvRjTswM7q1pXkep_ghRVRpQ-hlnAX-g0gXC7k59qtUVsYgiK2s7wf07qFxKnzTvNAW4X3ljkI-_1GlXdf0MIw8tCL39A/s1600/IMG_0510.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzN2J0-o4rD-Nv_4WAVqrLJTgxchaUyeYhgFsE-NeDLsu-mOpvRjTswM7q1pXkep_ghRVRpQ-hlnAX-g0gXC7k59qtUVsYgiK2s7wf07qFxKnzTvNAW4X3ljkI-_1GlXdf0MIw8tCL39A/s320/IMG_0510.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576518631764730674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZysgtsl5-YxUXqJl6eCDrDgBxR2mlAaUf_QO3DDpOUeui4uZQCCJE-DTDqR-9lJgkr6Q7ZeHV36i3AmhEDsqVvE6TBeQ9fq-kdZ20C-3YrJS4WC7_gr-iPVUIA2D9k14Vwstqpr4I62p/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZysgtsl5-YxUXqJl6eCDrDgBxR2mlAaUf_QO3DDpOUeui4uZQCCJE-DTDqR-9lJgkr6Q7ZeHV36i3AmhEDsqVvE6TBeQ9fq-kdZ20C-3YrJS4WC7_gr-iPVUIA2D9k14Vwstqpr4I62p/s320/IMG_0511.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576518626898148194" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-U30eQfmZGHxk1XGv3IKDn67jzjSC8xhD6zU5HQoilMJ2c7752kC3kYEydVPprk5XoatULzTcAXsz9zqZqKM1xHVgJaDibCaZwZ9y41iIWD6n9lY-IrwumHy3eL4v8qMdNmZB7fY5Z_D/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-U30eQfmZGHxk1XGv3IKDn67jzjSC8xhD6zU5HQoilMJ2c7752kC3kYEydVPprk5XoatULzTcAXsz9zqZqKM1xHVgJaDibCaZwZ9y41iIWD6n9lY-IrwumHy3eL4v8qMdNmZB7fY5Z_D/s320/IMG_0538.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576518629874016770" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Breaking our arms. Poor Cathy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQhxinqoDegdGwOGBOypL37-JSH8JSuJR-wehdvgbgzS-FYPXGrcMUXRskkrntjBiJAD1qAmXeTAmFoHzE1XyPaA9s9eX20ZAxHqn4ZUXYHuowEf2rAmK54A-VVtph-gteScMiD48pbM9/s1600/IMG_0568.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQhxinqoDegdGwOGBOypL37-JSH8JSuJR-wehdvgbgzS-FYPXGrcMUXRskkrntjBiJAD1qAmXeTAmFoHzE1XyPaA9s9eX20ZAxHqn4ZUXYHuowEf2rAmK54A-VVtph-gteScMiD48pbM9/s320/IMG_0568.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576516739658127362" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Watching movies.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFtFinkeFWnn5n4RnU7g4GUH-ckSjYbgcBa0rIVIxBwdVg1RKWdNaSsSSFuTeOXJRR9qEFoU6lda9L7LsqDZUk8ZMElRZFf04aCHx4A9zl045_JIuzGd6Y-EbK4PG3nK4NQMO3PSEqDTs/s1600/IMG_0618.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFtFinkeFWnn5n4RnU7g4GUH-ckSjYbgcBa0rIVIxBwdVg1RKWdNaSsSSFuTeOXJRR9qEFoU6lda9L7LsqDZUk8ZMElRZFf04aCHx4A9zl045_JIuzGd6Y-EbK4PG3nK4NQMO3PSEqDTs/s320/IMG_0618.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576516728652537522" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Taking bathing seriously.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmwCNLY_xhe-B1AxWtkLkrRcYHy4DeyDDPaDkcL2LW-fZ6LfQamdxrcoXoMmBflaP9cd55SEiXHY6q9Btd-pb7x2chEmRH9H59x03HgprWgg91NOPyuCnWHttV6ZACcscU9muv4IzaN-G/s1600/IMG_0664.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmwCNLY_xhe-B1AxWtkLkrRcYHy4DeyDDPaDkcL2LW-fZ6LfQamdxrcoXoMmBflaP9cd55SEiXHY6q9Btd-pb7x2chEmRH9H59x03HgprWgg91NOPyuCnWHttV6ZACcscU9muv4IzaN-G/s320/IMG_0664.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576516728341698642" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Living.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYOtw8sDIEy18FbZwYnCxzcyZGVs-zakjtUez1sZdb3iqWiJ7G_G8eyqTOsQU8d3X9pivj-n_rDx2GhBLM9LN_rrKNhtJzey0tsM0KVPx6bKJcpufow7EYzZ0hu_7DjNwqevMY7kdXDMN/s1600/IMG_0669.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYOtw8sDIEy18FbZwYnCxzcyZGVs-zakjtUez1sZdb3iqWiJ7G_G8eyqTOsQU8d3X9pivj-n_rDx2GhBLM9LN_rrKNhtJzey0tsM0KVPx6bKJcpufow7EYzZ0hu_7DjNwqevMY7kdXDMN/s320/IMG_0669.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576516720836946562" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Playing pretend.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAeQ730Ma48KBWy7AM5Ha5BWBDzF4bEiSgz8PS-wVwUlzteuXfDEQ2UJGgPej3tAw0wL5EXRTebqqVXClFN823BY-aRlSDbymdnw2eleyPBcBb3RjfJ7i1aqpbQAUeWlpbvycAkMPk5Ug/s1600/IMG_0673.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAeQ730Ma48KBWy7AM5Ha5BWBDzF4bEiSgz8PS-wVwUlzteuXfDEQ2UJGgPej3tAw0wL5EXRTebqqVXClFN823BY-aRlSDbymdnw2eleyPBcBb3RjfJ7i1aqpbQAUeWlpbvycAkMPk5Ug/s320/IMG_0673.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576516720776666114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">More shading.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC95_bSjpeGqI3LRucvluiLeFIZIumHYGN2RV8xXy0qoo7bXaMdbNqWtXMQbTFGYQBVnlBN6ahwvhHo6l7W4OjWkxDuOgD9JyFUW6xHmCuP2TVIhEmT49EPJuVda2QR3SbPWtofdM-azY/s1600/IMG_0704.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC95_bSjpeGqI3LRucvluiLeFIZIumHYGN2RV8xXy0qoo7bXaMdbNqWtXMQbTFGYQBVnlBN6ahwvhHo6l7W4OjWkxDuOgD9JyFUW6xHmCuP2TVIhEmT49EPJuVda2QR3SbPWtofdM-azY/s320/IMG_0704.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576514832229792882" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Loving.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDKzG3wC5TTRR9Quc4o-L9VK8-IuWnvx-Zl8pM413Kbj61uzzgHbji19A9sngD_T44HfjIKbZrC0rOTQk1bHn9aLyjN9DaIrmmcBtGF03hyphenhyphenXjswbJ7LM_4p7poR8vhtd-VjYaKtHqMxu9/s1600/IMG_0720.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDKzG3wC5TTRR9Quc4o-L9VK8-IuWnvx-Zl8pM413Kbj61uzzgHbji19A9sngD_T44HfjIKbZrC0rOTQk1bHn9aLyjN9DaIrmmcBtGF03hyphenhyphenXjswbJ7LM_4p7poR8vhtd-VjYaKtHqMxu9/s320/IMG_0720.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576514824876976306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Playing house.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinom4xQWd_TkUxVm6iRoXXCZnadUbXsUrxqA3q-SiafuLFjPUzJ-0Oq4d_GyunI0pALUx_R5YL5vC_0nZg0zP_nJkEEdLPIgxd1d4X33TfQSAUPniHLIJMcuDpofyP_tbXyPrwgIJZG2o7/s1600/IMG_0721.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinom4xQWd_TkUxVm6iRoXXCZnadUbXsUrxqA3q-SiafuLFjPUzJ-0Oq4d_GyunI0pALUx_R5YL5vC_0nZg0zP_nJkEEdLPIgxd1d4X33TfQSAUPniHLIJMcuDpofyP_tbXyPrwgIJZG2o7/s320/IMG_0721.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576514819356663746" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Aren't they creative?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzrAuv1o2xmz1yvRc62tbkD9sTR-OyxSwBAz8dBmHpmKrEUxweAy48Y4AI68Hb2sz7EcdW7oIxb4PHEbSPvug6m8T-nITPgvdzNPssFTEIi4pAgW4ILjbhD-mapiwrtf8PAuByGgZxbzE/s1600/IMG_0728.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzrAuv1o2xmz1yvRc62tbkD9sTR-OyxSwBAz8dBmHpmKrEUxweAy48Y4AI68Hb2sz7EcdW7oIxb4PHEbSPvug6m8T-nITPgvdzNPssFTEIi4pAgW4ILjbhD-mapiwrtf8PAuByGgZxbzE/s320/IMG_0728.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576514818685898306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Being cute.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What have you been up to?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mommy Pippin</div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-30859097174909820622011-02-22T05:52:00.000-08:002011-02-22T07:06:27.659-08:00Remember?<div>Do you remember <a href="http://onedaughtersjourney.blogspot.com/2010/11/meet-newbies.html">these boys</a>? Well, here's what love, food, meds, and Jesus can do in three and a half months! Check out these giggly, smiley little men!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSpimt7xDfz30zWvhOm00vyZV2gAsDYzlbCafkbB6QfnwHg8ZjMCtnLTgtX1iJnAo2qjOrIj8dQbNMiAk3JQKui_pPxOADdttsSLqxvbjYyiNf9VwwpSLps9yi1mJyIusxcbCBbZWTv_F/s1600/IMG_0497.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSpimt7xDfz30zWvhOm00vyZV2gAsDYzlbCafkbB6QfnwHg8ZjMCtnLTgtX1iJnAo2qjOrIj8dQbNMiAk3JQKui_pPxOADdttsSLqxvbjYyiNf9VwwpSLps9yi1mJyIusxcbCBbZWTv_F/s320/IMG_0497.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576514506125804146" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Baby Nathan - 10 months. He still can't sit up on his own, but we're getting there!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEDvCjsaDOdqfcbx8LJZRuF5H-exer_ogSKC2E0m63PlbBENT0ZoHBY0RovhRsN09pFoFJEUB0LFd2n5svrIKpLBlSonJbHkSC93QfwozD0SgjFuddc08-9LUGTGMzD1xlVIL5PH2UuFt/s1600/IMG_0560.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEDvCjsaDOdqfcbx8LJZRuF5H-exer_ogSKC2E0m63PlbBENT0ZoHBY0RovhRsN09pFoFJEUB0LFd2n5svrIKpLBlSonJbHkSC93QfwozD0SgjFuddc08-9LUGTGMzD1xlVIL5PH2UuFt/s320/IMG_0560.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576514501064465778" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Isma - 5. My snuggle bug.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl96hak7ecVJDLPpjbNralkr_a2t2a4QFVPa4ZPyKbhJKIU4ZSX3SUIlud6HSI3jtO1R7cXxfmQgqdfcmOrCIigk_84k7b-WYeAyePogrjiNmhXyV1pOg_rKMM95f6WaG5XJmsfNQSWL4W/s320/IMG_0668.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576514497370702850" /><div style="text-align: center;">He's pretty much the biggest ham EVAR.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXCqc0v_ABqLKAhNTOL-75HFPS37WGUve1GlGH8XyTRmhOupyIslS14-aiV9nlfGy-nwkjLeCB_P8kvjhlo5Tv4uPA8-4GAlrcLYOPhgcwl-P5dhn8b9GS9Lm_y7yVSrRE_yvQ2GuCKEA/s1600/IMG_0667.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXCqc0v_ABqLKAhNTOL-75HFPS37WGUve1GlGH8XyTRmhOupyIslS14-aiV9nlfGy-nwkjLeCB_P8kvjhlo5Tv4uPA8-4GAlrcLYOPhgcwl-P5dhn8b9GS9Lm_y7yVSrRE_yvQ2GuCKEA/s320/IMG_0667.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576514497448042290" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGuILXMfhhhxqLreB3c7hFXuhWwRnVmOGqe6-fCcwno2T5nA1jCHPM3YeG7ypt5OdRdExspd2OVIoRZwGZpv67hk0yZChrXeo1Y5dXSYcjPhB07z9fXQ5RV52LCV5WajCTEocZ6UVwBOs/s1600/IMG_0571.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGuILXMfhhhxqLreB3c7hFXuhWwRnVmOGqe6-fCcwno2T5nA1jCHPM3YeG7ypt5OdRdExspd2OVIoRZwGZpv67hk0yZChrXeo1Y5dXSYcjPhB07z9fXQ5RV52LCV5WajCTEocZ6UVwBOs/s320/IMG_0571.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576512979500191730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgA7JtrjFi2wkH3-W4VBGOzL6pZmV0RlSkx6CG2noORH7hxgewsyzM7sZH6tFgyyvqGn3OD7bEgq1lF7N6hx6b-W19jyJEsZFEGRYJftUruG_qD6XR_rZiqq4T5IMsWsQW2Oud2HzfbIrO/s1600/IMG_0650.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgA7JtrjFi2wkH3-W4VBGOzL6pZmV0RlSkx6CG2noORH7hxgewsyzM7sZH6tFgyyvqGn3OD7bEgq1lF7N6hx6b-W19jyJEsZFEGRYJftUruG_qD6XR_rZiqq4T5IMsWsQW2Oud2HzfbIrO/s320/IMG_0650.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576512978385163218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqZ7FCZqTmepFbVijDyTBoKUpj_t0ich3SZrARozXQD0AZH839a51DNEoz54ZjE_w-B7xSX9YByMaNxIXZILqiZUkAbSpLXLOBxNgruTij62TNttIqxdWVKPBReJh8kA7H2ZuVLZeuH6k/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqZ7FCZqTmepFbVijDyTBoKUpj_t0ich3SZrARozXQD0AZH839a51DNEoz54ZjE_w-B7xSX9YByMaNxIXZILqiZUkAbSpLXLOBxNgruTij62TNttIqxdWVKPBReJh8kA7H2ZuVLZeuH6k/s320/IMG_0492.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576512977821826994" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVV8Qs_2P8oHXNsbns6bqV7hN6rbPI4QmRJ__Sb6F-hGtEtuzE1BJp0QTsrcOnWWf28iBnXq7iFGHLSpv6jXIWJhnuN3aUosgqqRrwPMllyl9lZOxtZ06Fwhe94u1ePiE6wCwcuQdq7lOS/s1600/IMG_0718.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVV8Qs_2P8oHXNsbns6bqV7hN6rbPI4QmRJ__Sb6F-hGtEtuzE1BJp0QTsrcOnWWf28iBnXq7iFGHLSpv6jXIWJhnuN3aUosgqqRrwPMllyl9lZOxtZ06Fwhe94u1ePiE6wCwcuQdq7lOS/s320/IMG_0718.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576512977463704626" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">God amazes me SO MUCH everyday. When Isma came, his feet were SO swollen with edema that he couldn't even walk for the pain. Now he RUNS! </div><div style="text-align: center;">Praise Jesus! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">These two cuties are absolutely doted upon in our little abode.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We are blessed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mommy Pippin</div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-75017086559981353662011-02-22T04:38:00.000-08:002011-02-22T05:52:40.293-08:00Babies in Panties<div style="text-align: center;">Our baby (toddler, you say? NEVER! Babies always) boys recently got some new "panties" in the mail.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUJsNyv_2zEMd_Z4u-SyJJVfLMYrnyr-Dw2WxUFQki90xdFavi7f6VFGYNcBiinYwIfZbrzhnP0GOZuaXZQnVMKagt17eUrkW2MzqOz-1PsMTn7kJEUpLc5S3tyDzhvAf5W-pUVjh2rQo/s1600/IMG_0463.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUJsNyv_2zEMd_Z4u-SyJJVfLMYrnyr-Dw2WxUFQki90xdFavi7f6VFGYNcBiinYwIfZbrzhnP0GOZuaXZQnVMKagt17eUrkW2MzqOz-1PsMTn7kJEUpLc5S3tyDzhvAf5W-pUVjh2rQo/s320/IMG_0463.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576499650582490050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Isma, Moses, Elijah, Josh.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJqHWirFkTUTSzxR89gMsaQvXWHTMxAbyMNbIKRbL6N3a5fhNLJbXkFapJ26tjF-YdchHfc0tnsSAqQdQoXnVIgpx1NUr1kWfZfPyw0NGnNAIpn2CCEFz0i_9WnVLeSQD43moBTME-UTA/s1600/IMG_0474.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJqHWirFkTUTSzxR89gMsaQvXWHTMxAbyMNbIKRbL6N3a5fhNLJbXkFapJ26tjF-YdchHfc0tnsSAqQdQoXnVIgpx1NUr1kWfZfPyw0NGnNAIpn2CCEFz0i_9WnVLeSQD43moBTME-UTA/s320/IMG_0474.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576499645281116882" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-Gxog9pfyOufMPPhu8uPtqVJqgS6g5CBPP7IMOS6Ce5ZBi98RAfKQi1hdzuI9V5WCVjq4pRsJS9s5T3I9sngaVB9420argPlusgvWK3_lIC72Y_EOUXyh8GO9tC_pyDfyuJxcpJzD6Dp/s1600/IMG_0476.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-Gxog9pfyOufMPPhu8uPtqVJqgS6g5CBPP7IMOS6Ce5ZBi98RAfKQi1hdzuI9V5WCVjq4pRsJS9s5T3I9sngaVB9420argPlusgvWK3_lIC72Y_EOUXyh8GO9tC_pyDfyuJxcpJzD6Dp/s320/IMG_0476.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576499644803291778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pI-barWRggf6-Yggl3ao8A5VN1_qEkCg-4EsASXfgIbGraddn_NxWGdh2zjRBfjtSwXLd22nemO4xUhsBiywd-NC3srR-gOlr3M-ZubO-CZwJGehQMwuboMdr0AeD9gm9L9ZD5NsRAzz/s1600/IMG_0482.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pI-barWRggf6-Yggl3ao8A5VN1_qEkCg-4EsASXfgIbGraddn_NxWGdh2zjRBfjtSwXLd22nemO4xUhsBiywd-NC3srR-gOlr3M-ZubO-CZwJGehQMwuboMdr0AeD9gm9L9ZD5NsRAzz/s320/IMG_0482.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576499639037052914" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Just a bit of sqeeeeee for your day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mommy Pippin</div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-45835060008192425522011-02-22T04:35:00.002-08:002011-02-22T05:03:27.461-08:00The Amazing Race<div style="text-align: left;">Our older kids were on holiday for all of December and January, and although they are rather good at entertaining themselves, we get to supplement that with fun things to do as a family. Jess and Derek got super creative with the stuff Derek brought back from Canada and planned our own version of "summer camp". In the afternoons when the small ones and babies were asleep we gathered all the big kids for group games on the boys' side. They divided the kids up into teams complete and used a point system to determine the winner. They've been going strong since the beginning of December, and we had our <i>piece de resistance </i>to wrap it all up just a little while ago: The Amazing Race. </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fB6VYDNWDSKCJE0szJULInXICUuNKhfv4TmEhdVtE3vnoAfwM1FLjDENx_GvwLsELtZPpB65iMfzzQeW2b6HKWlFBqKuy2KDzJdfp7X1R8jFoo3Dsk6C2xtTGixweQnPE8hAdKPAH44k/s1600/Uganda4+076.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fB6VYDNWDSKCJE0szJULInXICUuNKhfv4TmEhdVtE3vnoAfwM1FLjDENx_GvwLsELtZPpB65iMfzzQeW2b6HKWlFBqKuy2KDzJdfp7X1R8jFoo3Dsk6C2xtTGixweQnPE8hAdKPAH44k/s320/Uganda4+076.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576495252925487986" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Uncle Benji explained the rules: there were four locations in America they had to visit - Arkansas, New York, California, and Kentucky. At each station the teams had to complete a challenge while they were timed. The team who did it all in the least amount of time got the most points. </div><div style="text-align: center;">(Do they actually know where these places are? No. Do they care? Nope!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SptXiVgJ1B-3bYLuAs8Ht7rNIbFLL52ANR2bdCnbid5ABWoYoWoZp8NvxnO_yooaZZc0nvuXyema1NtxT8oABw8C1AtJ9EJ8HeiEEL3UN33ZaZv6LHUQfvw4K5TBmN3z6EUx1362kZJA/s1600/Uganda4+080.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SptXiVgJ1B-3bYLuAs8Ht7rNIbFLL52ANR2bdCnbid5ABWoYoWoZp8NvxnO_yooaZZc0nvuXyema1NtxT8oABw8C1AtJ9EJ8HeiEEL3UN33ZaZv6LHUQfvw4K5TBmN3z6EUx1362kZJA/s320/Uganda4+080.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576495251335825234" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">But first they had to visit me to get their maps. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0X5k3HiIKbhRXJx8i2Fw6NUK-R9osSEwEck23H2XjSlgcpI1evhXjABAfWSgOsJUHPrS9J6Wuc_K_1D4hvq7pVy5m_u2NY0iGrKfeDDf6gIUxx3v8WCTwYeQ5u0UnMpnRz4FSoezUJvx/s1600/Uganda4+081.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0X5k3HiIKbhRXJx8i2Fw6NUK-R9osSEwEck23H2XjSlgcpI1evhXjABAfWSgOsJUHPrS9J6Wuc_K_1D4hvq7pVy5m_u2NY0iGrKfeDDf6gIUxx3v8WCTwYeQ5u0UnMpnRz4FSoezUJvx/s320/Uganda4+081.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576495242157929458" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">They were a bit impatient. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2C9WHToEN5KVp3O_hehizQ4Uh1VBTKeEL3vuKtGfhKKozWA7sW4zRYrYDV-LN5jCfg3bOkger-TmoLZba7JpK5XmFFkeeNaSimHl2ha3ghEvEPIjTUCL5JY9NYeeDT-sQlHWZReTkbt_y/s1600/Uganda4+082.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2C9WHToEN5KVp3O_hehizQ4Uh1VBTKeEL3vuKtGfhKKozWA7sW4zRYrYDV-LN5jCfg3bOkger-TmoLZba7JpK5XmFFkeeNaSimHl2ha3ghEvEPIjTUCL5JY9NYeeDT-sQlHWZReTkbt_y/s320/Uganda4+082.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576495237528563074" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphRqF8pXCq-7kMe5_CriD2FfrDLGuycCA6mZTP7V9LiZfaf3N3kaMH52tVWu1xvNx0fBDZ3uwMVrJrJZG1aCX53ColfOXYnJuyTSWRRicYrQ4XO4MUvePLmC5fbGWITmuwcbPTqVnvhX2/s1600/Uganda4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphRqF8pXCq-7kMe5_CriD2FfrDLGuycCA6mZTP7V9LiZfaf3N3kaMH52tVWu1xvNx0fBDZ3uwMVrJrJZG1aCX53ColfOXYnJuyTSWRRicYrQ4XO4MUvePLmC5fbGWITmuwcbPTqVnvhX2/s320/Uganda4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576495239446164466" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">There was also some confusion. But they got over it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrFRT9-GFhkzmzvpx8XpGpHmSCnobw0Xexa2Etim6V0BvWu_M5_bwWJ2bxkPlqlMUamY1nS4OXmHZ7eyQJXxned5m09ey81Qyn1-aa70lw_squTENdThP6iigp6FD_78OPHqgh8YufmSh/s1600/Uganda41.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrFRT9-GFhkzmzvpx8XpGpHmSCnobw0Xexa2Etim6V0BvWu_M5_bwWJ2bxkPlqlMUamY1nS4OXmHZ7eyQJXxned5m09ey81Qyn1-aa70lw_squTENdThP6iigp6FD_78OPHqgh8YufmSh/s320/Uganda41.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576493864687424306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The Kentucky Derby challenge with Mommy Jess.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMJ7ier7DWwpwIzQPQD4UITi9fR8T5NxKGyUAU2rY5v21Mf4H8oew0xUXrIGCLu_5U04X1HkEBsw91or7ZQfQEHIJTImyUCuAO_k6KWckIY01mg2EA1rbFPci6RgH09zqVGFbSrhx0v8w/s1600/Uganda42.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMJ7ier7DWwpwIzQPQD4UITi9fR8T5NxKGyUAU2rY5v21Mf4H8oew0xUXrIGCLu_5U04X1HkEBsw91or7ZQfQEHIJTImyUCuAO_k6KWckIY01mg2EA1rbFPci6RgH09zqVGFbSrhx0v8w/s320/Uganda42.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576493862174897314" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The obstacle course in the subway system of New York with Uncle D.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiro_hTU4atYuNUtL7A-1q2J8h_ddLNef0WoVFQGgkIObnvFdXZ0kNLMXcsZhHbYghFQ7NCPw5hTpDjpF4oBNkL_zT18ukEkcTzS0zBCnQDQrVhkFGjg4OPWwLugMQLvTqb6OHUIaATR1/s1600/Uganda43.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiro_hTU4atYuNUtL7A-1q2J8h_ddLNef0WoVFQGgkIObnvFdXZ0kNLMXcsZhHbYghFQ7NCPw5hTpDjpF4oBNkL_zT18ukEkcTzS0zBCnQDQrVhkFGjg4OPWwLugMQLvTqb6OHUIaATR1/s320/Uganda43.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576493858858098002" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Acting out movies in Hollywood with Mommy Kayla.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIn4sCOwcCQ6qQErAzJECyRKpAKRusgNLEeil68VC1oQ-4-GlJeUA3oIfzwVdm39jvfjy28pfwpT4O9ef2T_RT8e-57ZzCuUIv4jT_zgkqlM_voSnLsCe_rY0XccXZGc-ZY5YAcMldv67o/s1600/Uganda44.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIn4sCOwcCQ6qQErAzJECyRKpAKRusgNLEeil68VC1oQ-4-GlJeUA3oIfzwVdm39jvfjy28pfwpT4O9ef2T_RT8e-57ZzCuUIv4jT_zgkqlM_voSnLsCe_rY0XccXZGc-ZY5YAcMldv67o/s320/Uganda44.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576493859116851250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">House building in Little Rock, Arkansas with Uncle Benji.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">All in all, a success. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Just another day here in Uganda!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mommy Pippin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">PS- Team yellow won both the Amazing Race and the whole she-bang earning a trip to Kingfisher Resort for swimming and eating!</div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-18751431549791480992011-02-22T04:35:00.001-08:002011-02-22T05:50:02.931-08:00An Adventure.<div style="text-align: center;">Not too long ago, Andrea and Jenny and I took some of our big small girls on a field trip to Kilombera, a local textile place.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymu2Ums6zxuWExotbvT7uSJAWieu5vSWMzeATPHfqzkFd97-ZpzCHGJ-kDJxo-JsTOOT4ULzrOGngGxDOpag0nvWL7rpS9Zz4184P7XXiNING61T_AOcKcQJnrGsWUJcs6DrczrAbdw6N/s1600/Uganda4+015.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymu2Ums6zxuWExotbvT7uSJAWieu5vSWMzeATPHfqzkFd97-ZpzCHGJ-kDJxo-JsTOOT4ULzrOGngGxDOpag0nvWL7rpS9Zz4184P7XXiNING61T_AOcKcQJnrGsWUJcs6DrczrAbdw6N/s320/Uganda4+015.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576499314779064866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEvM4WY7yY5RmD0S8BNGdPpT_kYVdIl-mhGQSvLf-iWHfMd87hkfViEEXTfcvsEsndU7MCJjZfG9_mR9Hx39g_Uye-nWJEpCop4rRxu1aE6FxuIm-UpHRTgzRkxlFbgShNhpJPcdlT5xO/s1600/Uganda4+016.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEvM4WY7yY5RmD0S8BNGdPpT_kYVdIl-mhGQSvLf-iWHfMd87hkfViEEXTfcvsEsndU7MCJjZfG9_mR9Hx39g_Uye-nWJEpCop4rRxu1aE6FxuIm-UpHRTgzRkxlFbgShNhpJPcdlT5xO/s320/Uganda4+016.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576499314989895362" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucwXO1a85fG5D15cPkCCQoYahdRXVTgBgaOomRX6gvs1LsBpyhjRwqrXoJLPnCZ1O4MAJcBMI1FTk_NdAwzyZ6sp5sywlIikIcj0KgX9-o1VAPGqqn6WXuQUQqtCDfU7DbnJKUWouM-_a/s1600/Uganda4+017.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucwXO1a85fG5D15cPkCCQoYahdRXVTgBgaOomRX6gvs1LsBpyhjRwqrXoJLPnCZ1O4MAJcBMI1FTk_NdAwzyZ6sp5sywlIikIcj0KgX9-o1VAPGqqn6WXuQUQqtCDfU7DbnJKUWouM-_a/s320/Uganda4+017.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576499308718749250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Don't be fooled by how nice this looks. The boda ride was INCREDIBLY dusty. I was four shades darker when we arrived.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3j8YpEPDtR9AX8GLWDihNhZZiqOihEWHAJ9NMwH1roqMPK31UlSxq-SzPntixF1pNX8_-X_xSDdRtaiepSe66HaDVy0unuL7rEgkZ7pr4siLgo9d3Kt3lKQl_zPgANOypwvCu47ET7_r/s1600/Uganda4+020.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3j8YpEPDtR9AX8GLWDihNhZZiqOihEWHAJ9NMwH1roqMPK31UlSxq-SzPntixF1pNX8_-X_xSDdRtaiepSe66HaDVy0unuL7rEgkZ7pr4siLgo9d3Kt3lKQl_zPgANOypwvCu47ET7_r/s320/Uganda4+020.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576496369739717090" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1m5fUh9o8BG4DMi3dRp3AGb_JtbKAz6a-zYSkUxjUHOaerwDyeQ1njEFIRcqkIa3VMqRDAEFzj6ga7g1jz-Lfv_sZ0td6GP39nupCEGpubdLF2rYxwBXucHHboZ0poIK2mAkqwGze0sGW/s1600/Uganda4+022.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1m5fUh9o8BG4DMi3dRp3AGb_JtbKAz6a-zYSkUxjUHOaerwDyeQ1njEFIRcqkIa3VMqRDAEFzj6ga7g1jz-Lfv_sZ0td6GP39nupCEGpubdLF2rYxwBXucHHboZ0poIK2mAkqwGze0sGW/s320/Uganda4+022.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576496363394267650" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrGYFQrIwlb08ivcjODYXXeWS3s8ZjVnBrX5hhgOKiWs0iieVtK4cFj-Q-A-zTFh6BUukda48ezQcbXG0aUwGW97F8nF89I-9ghn561zYItsn-xLTVI8HVtFfa3cNQ4umRBUT3V0d8TnJ/s1600/Uganda4+023.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrGYFQrIwlb08ivcjODYXXeWS3s8ZjVnBrX5hhgOKiWs0iieVtK4cFj-Q-A-zTFh6BUukda48ezQcbXG0aUwGW97F8nF89I-9ghn561zYItsn-xLTVI8HVtFfa3cNQ4umRBUT3V0d8TnJ/s320/Uganda4+023.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576496363311611826" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXenr-as6LBLM7mRCaBgpNXkXn9GgeVdCc6eRxVWNcWvvAYSwzl7cLjeprv6EY-forNV-rF82q7hOx4DSFxKuPqczu2KyK2IUT-EvSUbQRy3T49io5B8pVPE6wvJbueqaaABzWXuOtT1ql/s1600/Uganda4+025.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXenr-as6LBLM7mRCaBgpNXkXn9GgeVdCc6eRxVWNcWvvAYSwzl7cLjeprv6EY-forNV-rF82q7hOx4DSFxKuPqczu2KyK2IUT-EvSUbQRy3T49io5B8pVPE6wvJbueqaaABzWXuOtT1ql/s320/Uganda4+025.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576496360481539186" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5RbovnjOuHoPxqH8ZDgdE6LnnwT17BvKQM8AAZamfdAAw-9Lr53cvyTPKcPUerQaAlwmUKrhilb3c_-hpLY_9qgZgrE_gahE46Ysp5f4gJ7XgN84iMF_1VgjuZZKw9uYItnIjn3kihOy/s1600/Uganda4+028.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5RbovnjOuHoPxqH8ZDgdE6LnnwT17BvKQM8AAZamfdAAw-9Lr53cvyTPKcPUerQaAlwmUKrhilb3c_-hpLY_9qgZgrE_gahE46Ysp5f4gJ7XgN84iMF_1VgjuZZKw9uYItnIjn3kihOy/s320/Uganda4+028.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576494870053772834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBJa1JX1-0ZqafPdF1maj1gcEqg_np-kIVkyHeKclrJ_tzr9VGkigArh4s5TtPlcLZlercQM7Qy1yYmazSoKKg5gwYuxz-qqL96nOKm9DWydbifHDxFEl36ZXPUFPDWM-uFmV4-HBB8P6/s1600/Uganda4+029.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBJa1JX1-0ZqafPdF1maj1gcEqg_np-kIVkyHeKclrJ_tzr9VGkigArh4s5TtPlcLZlercQM7Qy1yYmazSoKKg5gwYuxz-qqL96nOKm9DWydbifHDxFEl36ZXPUFPDWM-uFmV4-HBB8P6/s320/Uganda4+029.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576494863614264194" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UHV8q2zQUuh1hrmyvWihSvZRaWzhMSZN4HPzhtu7f0NPwOLOWilOpS01uhXdI8OS84vhU59812nAkk-cjy30A1zvh7VZ70eubT3hOV1HeiisZUXzmLM794QzNX20tMfgnkLAiXqNKRgB/s1600/Uganda4+031.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UHV8q2zQUuh1hrmyvWihSvZRaWzhMSZN4HPzhtu7f0NPwOLOWilOpS01uhXdI8OS84vhU59812nAkk-cjy30A1zvh7VZ70eubT3hOV1HeiisZUXzmLM794QzNX20tMfgnkLAiXqNKRgB/s320/Uganda4+031.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576494863204390370" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxExbfTEIldghtk1luXM7vFfPteGuAzKSpX1PYkDidz2HvgWEtJzrSA9vk6Bvhs5wkwAGBGinheb-g80FBeYkXZwsOsdHSnqpY-OHbT661fqCTzAU3U3g4sLXOFl8eEW7BhIsApmWdlIA/s1600/Uganda4+032.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxExbfTEIldghtk1luXM7vFfPteGuAzKSpX1PYkDidz2HvgWEtJzrSA9vk6Bvhs5wkwAGBGinheb-g80FBeYkXZwsOsdHSnqpY-OHbT661fqCTzAU3U3g4sLXOFl8eEW7BhIsApmWdlIA/s320/Uganda4+032.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576494857513960434" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlab4JdNIw7Tgz7jsyR4IjPyKUMoQNWQu8hyphenhyphenyVatUl58DlIRi9jJ3NHOG1cKLoi3J0iA0At-iQOxAxppnnV1lxVNXFg2ifglJcKoEmsIc55mKtBOeL5VMfgzOZXiuYzmc6ndnnFwio-V6/s1600/Uganda4+035.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlab4JdNIw7Tgz7jsyR4IjPyKUMoQNWQu8hyphenhyphenyVatUl58DlIRi9jJ3NHOG1cKLoi3J0iA0At-iQOxAxppnnV1lxVNXFg2ifglJcKoEmsIc55mKtBOeL5VMfgzOZXiuYzmc6ndnnFwio-V6/s320/Uganda4+035.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576493591855833730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl68F7Ed9xte6F7GdgsxnivbT4xxbA8hioR6nr8knP5dtv7gb0QfHaB1QFVXnleY9H-d-xgqLbrKQw21y6saFOhAUYA6GBygOEZ6YPhL-Ycojt4ge7g_ub-NwJcRl3Y4Tne7PdhiCXUZJr/s1600/Uganda4+037.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl68F7Ed9xte6F7GdgsxnivbT4xxbA8hioR6nr8knP5dtv7gb0QfHaB1QFVXnleY9H-d-xgqLbrKQw21y6saFOhAUYA6GBygOEZ6YPhL-Ycojt4ge7g_ub-NwJcRl3Y4Tne7PdhiCXUZJr/s320/Uganda4+037.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576493591336270482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">It's a beautiful, peaceful place to be, but dangerous for your wallet. So many scrumptious things to buy! Baby slings! Skirts! Bags! Bed spreads! Curtains! Tablecloths! Headbands! Hammocks! Etc!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3pLgAjPez5HdmuEFgNyP6e2JJgVwwDxVUdX_Bx8vj06diPBEeoli82vWWiIFOU0_LbxFHvR89i9PVyUtp0KliZ8vnwvqrNtCGypQGw-zs1MVcC_TqIORg9flwjGIVj8Neni-t1mbQi3m/s1600/Uganda4+041.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3pLgAjPez5HdmuEFgNyP6e2JJgVwwDxVUdX_Bx8vj06diPBEeoli82vWWiIFOU0_LbxFHvR89i9PVyUtp0KliZ8vnwvqrNtCGypQGw-zs1MVcC_TqIORg9flwjGIVj8Neni-t1mbQi3m/s320/Uganda4+041.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576493594337613650" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">One of our bodas broke down... we had to commemorate the moment.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6nfzXNumUORxczO_Ufnh0xQPwtyn67B6Nh4ZxeGu2CJxM6XxJxhFqbLboqYipUZv8oAcWCS6_IF87MTEAVKfr6S6-Cv3mnsBo7Qqr-iWF8yTlJCc-N-EXjJVeuWX51LGAOHjNxhirvjR/s1600/Uganda4+042.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6nfzXNumUORxczO_Ufnh0xQPwtyn67B6Nh4ZxeGu2CJxM6XxJxhFqbLboqYipUZv8oAcWCS6_IF87MTEAVKfr6S6-Cv3mnsBo7Qqr-iWF8yTlJCc-N-EXjJVeuWX51LGAOHjNxhirvjR/s320/Uganda4+042.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576493578054000770" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Me with Esther, Big Daphine, Getu, and Stella l-r. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love, </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mommy Pippin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-63049689548343011152011-02-08T06:08:00.000-08:002011-02-08T06:20:40.170-08:00Normal<div>The thought hit me the other day as I was walking down the street to buy water from the shops.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>This is normal.</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Having to buy my water or get it from our jerrycan is normal. So is not being able to drink out of the tap. </div><div><br /></div><div>“Cool!” I thought, “I’m getting used to this Africa stuff.”</div><div><br /></div><div>But then I really started thinking about my *new* normal and counting the things that are every day and commonplace to me, but are very foreign concepts in the States…</div><div><br /></div><div>Things like frequently not having power, or sharing my kitchen cabinet with cockroaches and rats (not to mention my bedroom), or getting around on the back of a motorcycle (A boda-boda). It’s normal. </div><div>Or washing my clothes by hand, or not taking standing up showers because we have a hand-held showerhead (and praising the Lord for running water all the time!), or having constantly filthy feet, or our routine of LIFE here. </div><div>It’s all normal. The weather has even become normal for me (praise the Lord!!). Hot, hot, and more hot with a bit of rain thrown in here and there. J</div><div><br /></div><div>I began to praise God for this revelation. I thanked Him for having finally fully settled in, and for being able to laugh at things like rats in my drawer or constantly dirty feet. For understanding that I will get dirty and need a shower every day because that’s just the way that things work. For knowing that I won’t always be able to get internet or call my family in America because this is Africa. For having to let go of my ideals of how things should look here and trusting in God totally. </div><div><br /></div><div>For loving all of these things. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I do love them, rats and all, because this is my <i><b>life</b></i>. Just because I’m not living here forever (for now ;) ) doesn’t mean I should or can live like it‘s temporary. God has made it clear that I am here for a purpose - HIS purpose, and I must live each day as fully as I can. </div><div><br /></div><div>And so I do. </div><div><br /></div><div>Because this is my life, and my life is normal. </div><div><br /></div><div>It just happens to be in Uganda </div><div><br /></div><div>Love, </div><div><br /></div><div>Mommy Pippin</div><div><br /></div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-72778285033817436402011-02-08T06:00:00.000-08:002011-02-08T06:23:16.879-08:00When it Rains.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVgdycm6hFGcoP03OA5GLG5DJrMDAQAliDMbTJM9wbiYTaSEMKb4FroYzuEyAYxCvJA4A2Afl_t0V04JuVB9V6EFYhEX9MoU-dz5uqdiTixf-MySyOeTTL3a3cUf99LcIxZJirvINA4cP/s1600/Uganda4+069.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVgdycm6hFGcoP03OA5GLG5DJrMDAQAliDMbTJM9wbiYTaSEMKb4FroYzuEyAYxCvJA4A2Afl_t0V04JuVB9V6EFYhEX9MoU-dz5uqdiTixf-MySyOeTTL3a3cUf99LcIxZJirvINA4cP/s320/Uganda4+069.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571319368717047762" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUHjuiR8QgXd-5k4KWOboqWAb1p8UyzeBBTB40KDlKC0pkEZGZ2oXHiVdTwBOeu1m4cTzdb7QxBZkGfNcPl_Uan-WIkJpUOUQYX4bEqZt9Ed4uUFeQd-hVTneK2e76CKBrpMcTLrYFE-4/s1600/Uganda4+068.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUHjuiR8QgXd-5k4KWOboqWAb1p8UyzeBBTB40KDlKC0pkEZGZ2oXHiVdTwBOeu1m4cTzdb7QxBZkGfNcPl_Uan-WIkJpUOUQYX4bEqZt9Ed4uUFeQd-hVTneK2e76CKBrpMcTLrYFE-4/s320/Uganda4+068.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571319364135306306" /></a>Thanking Jesus for sweet rain to ease the heat.Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-91310710837960633552011-02-08T05:53:00.000-08:002011-02-08T06:22:03.919-08:00What Happens...<div style="text-align: center;">When a rat gets into your room... </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmWdElQPubuHuFsV8ANYBzMlf90zl6Db6HBqzGNda-JIPMccQHI1FDnwi9ad-wE2jEw2YPESzz9NRUjTa-l9KSri6Znyh840lrMKxY6bi1LaoIOPQWfroruCWGoSZQqxA_V9mqcFXZsR8/s1600/Uganda4+014-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmWdElQPubuHuFsV8ANYBzMlf90zl6Db6HBqzGNda-JIPMccQHI1FDnwi9ad-wE2jEw2YPESzz9NRUjTa-l9KSri6Znyh840lrMKxY6bi1LaoIOPQWfroruCWGoSZQqxA_V9mqcFXZsR8/s320/Uganda4+014-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571317522847730274" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">And you absolutely cannot kill it yourself...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDROr6ULmT_02dZeYX6tn2lvVuYza8BdO_oQ0RzLi2MKgknedXwrhoKoYTXd35X_1_MNQg6iw2PZnuzDyHgqywIPYx2dT42u_COzN-CIKUCLVI3tgMFfkq7NoZyB9WJi5qR2mthndRbhT/s1600/Uganda4+013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDROr6ULmT_02dZeYX6tn2lvVuYza8BdO_oQ0RzLi2MKgknedXwrhoKoYTXd35X_1_MNQg6iw2PZnuzDyHgqywIPYx2dT42u_COzN-CIKUCLVI3tgMFfkq7NoZyB9WJi5qR2mthndRbhT/s320/Uganda4+013.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571317512442137458" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">And so you ask 6 of your girls to do it for you...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hX-p1oMAI_Qs4Yzpc6of2xEfsYQjM28IYGplloYZhcJ-_xyMP45ljWG5BFbhCVWf11AuS23Te8nqm7zLa7cHIbjb4L8g29RAHOm0RoMGdZBzZciltZrDyGLlIwT31-TpUNffDvdDZjoe/s1600/Uganda4+011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hX-p1oMAI_Qs4Yzpc6of2xEfsYQjM28IYGplloYZhcJ-_xyMP45ljWG5BFbhCVWf11AuS23Te8nqm7zLa7cHIbjb4L8g29RAHOm0RoMGdZBzZciltZrDyGLlIwT31-TpUNffDvdDZjoe/s320/Uganda4+011.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571317506753491058" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">And they do.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">With maybe a little too much gusto.</div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-15670196740818774092011-01-22T05:26:00.000-08:002011-01-22T05:36:38.102-08:00Things I love...<div>~ Being bowled over by a dozen small children trying to hug me first thing in the morning…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Taking walks down dusty Ugandan roads with my children….</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Singing at the top of our lungs while walking down dusty Ugandan roads…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Being greeted by a dozen small voices chanting “Mommy Pippin! Mommy Pippin!” whenever I walk in the gate…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Evening devotions…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Getting my hair “tied”…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Morning school time on the porch…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Trips into town…. </div><div><br /></div><div>~ Being reminded of just how awesome God’s creation is every time I walk outside…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Babies crawling all over me the minute I sit down…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Attempting to play futball…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ The freshest fruit you’ve ever tasted… </div><div><br /></div><div>~ Seeing Jesus everywhere…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Becoming friends by just saying hello…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Boda-boda rides...</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Acacia trees...</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></div><div>~ Crazy days…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ Lazy days...</div><div><br /></div><div>~ The JOY I experience every. single. day. </div><div><br /></div><div>~ My life…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ My children…</div><div><br /></div><div>~ God’s goodness…</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Uganda</i></div><div><br /></div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-13906440611625453382010-12-14T04:38:00.000-08:002011-01-22T06:21:02.719-08:00In Which I Play Nurse....<span class="Apple-style-span" >So by now you've probably figured out that I live in Africa. Let's just say that medical things here are really relaxed. That, coupled with a shortage of medical staff leads to situations like the one I will shortly describe. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Tuesdays are our days off here at OOH. Usually they're spent just hanging out, going into town, sleeping, etc. But Jess, Derek, Anna, and I spent Tuesday a few weeks ago a bit differently. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Jessica and Derek had stayed previously with a woman in town who was involved with some medical programs in the village. They had gone once before, and were invited back whenever they wanted to help out. They, in turn, invited Anna and myself, and thus began our grand medical adventure. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Let me first say that I love the village (a term referring to any little, um, village in the country. So really, there's not one, but we just say it like it is). I love pretty much everything about it. So I was doubly happy to go. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >We took a matatu (taxi) into the village, and arrived there just as the women were trickling in. It was the pre-natal and infant immunization day. Fun stuff! We were thrown into the mix, starting with taking the ladies' blood pressure (we were instructed on that), and writing down their basic information. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Then Christine came. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Christine is probably THE funniest person I've ever met. She made jokes that weren't entirely funny, but then laughed SO HARD that you couldn't not laugh. And everything was funny to her: us asking for help (aHAHAHAHAHAHAAA), not being able to find the baby's head (aHAHAHAHAHAAA), questions (aHAHAHAHAAA). She was the midwife at the clinic, and taught us girls (Derek went to immunize babies) how to do a proper pre-natal exam... with only a tape measure, a pen, and a fetal heart listening thingy. Fun stuff. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >So that's how we spent the morning.. the women would come in, we would ask them a few questions about themselves (as well as we could depending on the language situation), examine them, write down the details, and say bye-bye. For some of the women it was their first time at the clinic, so we took them to get blood tests as well. After we got the hang of things, we were able to tootle along at a chipper pace with our patients. Made me feel like a real midwife! We were also given the option to give injections as well, but I couldn't quite stomach that... maybe next time! :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Our ride home, though, was easily WAAAAYYY more eventful than our morning. In order to flag down a matatu, we had to stand on the side of the hot, dusty, dusty, dusty, hot road waving a thumbs-up sign in the air. When one finally stopped, we were crammed 5 to a seat in the very back... which wasn't even the worst part... </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >We were tootling along at a chipper pace when our matatu slowed, threw a quick u-turn, and started going back the way we came. We barely had time to glance at each other in consternation before it pulled off onto a little dirt road and stopped. Four of the guys got out and began to push it down the road, causing us further confusion and worry. We stopped again a little way down the road and sat for about 30 seconds. All of a sudden, everyone in the matatu started making a MADDASHSCRAMBLE to get out, and running away from the van. We got out too and ran a little way down the road before we noticed that everyone else had stopped running. We stopped too. Very confused. The men started pushing the matatu down the road again, a bit faster.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >By this time we were no longer scared, but were all very shaky and worried. None of us had a clue what was going on, so we asked a lady standing next to us. "Police patrol down the road. The driver does not have a license for this many people." </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >We were given the scare of our lives because our matatu had to many people in it. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >TIA, after all. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >We eventually got back in the matatu and set off for Jinja town again and arrived there with no further complications, thank goodness. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >It was, overall, a quite extraordinary day. </span></div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-16060549097581857152010-11-30T07:23:00.000-08:002010-11-30T07:46:46.708-08:00How I Got Here Part 2<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Oh wow, hi! This sure was a long time in coming, and I apologize for that. I just realized I left you hanging without part 2 of my story. Sorry.... I shall continue.<br /><br />Remember how I wanted to be an actress? And remember that night God changed my heart? Well, it wasn't quite that simple (things rarely are, I've noticed). Looking back, I realize God had been working in my heart for quite sometime, and I just hadn't noticed. He brought His change of plans to the forefront of my mind at exactly the right time for me. My heart was ready to accept them then.<br /><br />Did I still want to be an actress? You BET I did! In fact, that very summer I entered into an intensive drama conservatory with a well-known theatre company. As well as being the time that holds some of the best memories of my stage life, it was also the time I was at my lowest spiritually. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">See, when I'm on stage I tend to throw myself into my roles with pretty much everything I've got. In the theatre world that's good - in fact, it's encouraged! You NEED to put all your time and energy into a role in order for it to "work". I had always done that in the past (and would continue to do it in the future) with my homeschool theatre company, and it had never been a problem. But this time it was different. I won't go into details, but some of the things I was directed to do did not line up with the worldview I had grown up in. It made me uncomfortable... and not in a good way. It wasn't the sort of situation where I felt I could speak up and not do the scenes. I was scared that I would get asked to leave the program - something I REALLY didn't want to do. And I knew the response I would get if I opted out of the exercises: reminders that the acting world was cutthroat and to "make it" I'd have to do whatever I was told to do. And I knew that. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">So I went along with everything.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Don't get me wrong... I don't regret that summer. I made some awesome friends that I'm still in touch with today, learned new acting techniques, and had a bunch of fun. And cliche as it may sound, it did have an influence on who I am today. That summer made me realize how much I would have to sacrifice - both spiritually and morally - to become the kind of professional actress I was aspiring to be. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">But that realization was in hindsight... as I was in the throes of theatre I became more and more aware that the things I was doing were not Christ-like. And do you know what scares me? <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">I became ok with that</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";color:black">. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">I was fine with looking more like the world and seeing how far I could push the standards I had set for myself. I did share my faith with my friends (I was still a Christian, after all) and we had many discussions about faith and relationships and the like. But at the end of the day, my actions were not reflecting what I was saying. I was talking the talk, and not walking the walk, if you will.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">And guess what? That makes me SO SAD! I really want to go back and shake my naive, foolish, 16 year old self! Here I had this AWESOME opportunity to present Christ to my friends, and I ruined it by looking more like the world than I ever had. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Stupid flesh.<br /><br />Fortunately, after that summer my faith began to get stronger again. I am SO thankful God chose not to let the enemy have me, even though I was giving him so many footholds, and reeled me back in. I still had a desire to be a missionary-like person. But I really had no idea what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. So I spent a lot of time praying. My prayers went something like this:<br />"God, I know you have something for me to do. PLEASE show me what it is, and give me the courage to do it!".<br />And slowly God began revealing His plan for me.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">I don't remember exactly when the orphan crisis was first brought to my attention, but I do know that once I heard about it, God wouldn't let me forget. I read the heartrending stories of children who were starving and abandoned and unloved and I saw the pictures that were worth a thousand words. And an ache began in my heart. The more I read and learned about these children, the more the ache grew. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had to find them and hold them and love them. Thus began my passion for loving the unloved of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">All during that time my family was in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. In fact, we had been discussing/planning/processing our adoption since about 2005 or so. Because of this, Africa was very much a part of our life already, and my heart started falling more and more in love with it. Since I already knew I was supposed to go find the children who needed someone to love them, it seemed natural I go seek them out in Africa. But where? Ethiopia seemed the logical choice, but something held me back from pursuing it seriously. I looked into orphanages there, since God had kept up a pretty consistent love for orphans in my heart, but nothing felt *right*<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Then we got the referral for my new siblings.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">We saw their pictures and began to look forward to the day when they would come home to us forever.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">And suddenly every picture of an orphan turned into one of my siblings. The orphan crisis became very real to me, because I knew that that was the reality my brother and sister were living with<i> at that moment</i>. The ache I was feeling for those children became overwhelming, and Jesus really and truly broke my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">After that God just kept fanning the flames of the passion He had created within me. I read blog after blog of families who had adopted, were adopting, or were involved in some sort of orphan ministry. I SO DESPERATELY wanted to be a part of that, to be out there loving and advocating. But I still didn't know where God wanted me. Very frustrating.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Then one day I came across the blog of a young lady who had just moved to Uganda, East Africa to start a feeding program in a slum called Masese. She blogged about the children and the people and the hunger and the devastation. But more than that, she wrote about the hope and love and joy she saw emanating from all those she came into contact with. My interest was piqued. I started researching orphanages in Uganda, just out of curiosity, not really thinking anything would come of it. I found one and began to pray. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">As I began to pray more and more over the people of Uganda, I fell more and more in love with the country. For the first time, I began to feel a certainty in my heart. I began to realize that Uganda was where God was leading me. For real. I got excited. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">So I formulated a plan in my mind. I decided not to go to college right after graduating, but take a gap year to live in Uganda. Over the course of the year I would pray about where God was leading me next - whether it was to college, or to take up permanent residence in Uganda. I felt a peace about what would come next. Nothing, save the fact that I knew (that I knew that I knew) that God wanted me in Uganda, was certain. I didn't know where I would live and serve, when exactly I would go, how I would pay for it, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">But I felt SO at peace! God had showed me where He wanted me, and all I knew was that I was supposed to go. So I kept at it. The orphanage I found seemed like a good fit: I could live there for up to three months, play with babies all day long, figure out what came next during those three months, and ultimately live there for a year. Good plan, right? <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">God had other ideas. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">In January of '09, I went to on a retreat with my youth group. The topic of the weekend was becoming a pilgrim Christian as opposed to a tourist Christian. As you can imagine, that REALLY spoke to my heart. I mean, that's what I was doing, wasn't it? I was really, really moved. So after the lesson the first night, I went up to speak with the preacher, who happened to be the pastor at the college near me. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15.9722px; ">I explained what the Lord had laid on my heart, and how I had heard Him speak through her to me that evening. When I mentioned the orphanage I was interested in, she told me she had a student who had been to Uganda twice, and worked in that specific orphanage. She offered to get us in touch. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px;">As you can imagine, I was </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" >ECSTATIC</span><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px;">! I would be getting insider information! </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >So she put us in touch. The young woman's name was Jenny, and we started emailing back and forth. Even though I was pretty sure of where I wanted to go, I was keeping my options open; I hadn't officially applied to the orphanage. Jenny gave me a list of people who were living and working in Uganda that I could contact. She also told me a bit more about the orphanage I was looking into. She said that it was very well run and managed, but that they always had a plethora of volunteers. Meaning: they didn't really <i>need </i>my help. And I wanted to serve somewhere that needed my help more than they did. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15.9722px; ">Thus, God closed that door.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15.9722px; ">I emailed almost everyone on the list... Holly from Our Own Home was the only one who responded. I looked at their <a href="http://www.africaourownhome.org/">website </a>, I prayed, and I felt God saying YES very strongly. I knew this was where He wanted me. So, t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15.9722px; ">hrough a series of God-orchestrated events, they accepted me to work with them. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15.9722px; ">Thus, God opened that door, and pushed me through! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15.9722px; ">After that things moved very fast! I officially knew I was going for sure in June, and arrived in Uganda on September 10, 2010. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15.9722px; ">Thus ends my story. God was the creator of my desire to work with children in Africa, and He was the One who saw me safely through my many ups and downs. He is the One who continues to guide me now that I'm here.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >So there you have it, folks! HIS story through me. I'm just a vessel. And a broken one at that! His grace continues to amaze me every day... </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >God is good.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >I'm blessed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Love,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Mommy Pippin</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15.9722px; "><br /></span></p>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-75471239445200884402010-11-30T06:59:00.000-08:002010-11-30T07:45:30.161-08:00Thankful...<div style="text-align: center;">I have so many things to be thankful for... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My family at home...</div><div style="text-align: center;">My family here...</div><div style="text-align: center;">God's continued blessings upon me...</div><div style="text-align: center;">My children...</div><div style="text-align: center;">My health...</div><div style="text-align: center;">His love... </div><div style="text-align: center;">His grace... </div><div style="text-align: center;">Everything, basically!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlv15EiyQ6hdeFYD41coc9XKNOA0etT4Jv_TwzXoHt2LABGZBTQEqLiXX3AA-V-l2sY9p_0ZiMC0DPOsNATCxi4dvhuNWhpEpK1rwxWMGiwwpYRFXhww1r9KI42uo6RXxtPMprl8qysguZ/s1600/UG.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlv15EiyQ6hdeFYD41coc9XKNOA0etT4Jv_TwzXoHt2LABGZBTQEqLiXX3AA-V-l2sY9p_0ZiMC0DPOsNATCxi4dvhuNWhpEpK1rwxWMGiwwpYRFXhww1r9KI42uo6RXxtPMprl8qysguZ/s320/UG.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545368091411574306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">My Africa family.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl_-TJNP9nmUW9-YCPgPWIQXrYS4LrViB3vACqVjYM6Cx_B4C_LQ90BTd0T3Y8tf4bOFZ9ckakg4pUvLlxBhTtdbPUgDxX4SEMsnSJPJ1264p7LDi1BMEeUDCASvTqpenV4lrhpXYoiIF/s1600/_MG_0857.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl_-TJNP9nmUW9-YCPgPWIQXrYS4LrViB3vACqVjYM6Cx_B4C_LQ90BTd0T3Y8tf4bOFZ9ckakg4pUvLlxBhTtdbPUgDxX4SEMsnSJPJ1264p7LDi1BMEeUDCASvTqpenV4lrhpXYoiIF/s320/_MG_0857.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545366868966672290" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The amazing turkey Jakob created!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1GXz1nBZUCBRpFNQmFvllOQLY5oDnjAvIGRTyY7WSjHKou8moVYU-9SViOmGTCmwwy54a4hadGEreHL5wpmPreEOT6PE5o5sHS_KXqWsJYuzIR3RlrMx-Sc2rx8mXuYRGzpLvaj0h7Ha/s1600/_MG_0859.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1GXz1nBZUCBRpFNQmFvllOQLY5oDnjAvIGRTyY7WSjHKou8moVYU-9SViOmGTCmwwy54a4hadGEreHL5wpmPreEOT6PE5o5sHS_KXqWsJYuzIR3RlrMx-Sc2rx8mXuYRGzpLvaj0h7Ha/s320/_MG_0859.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545366866686038738" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Our spread.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjuuRX3EZwbl10VF5FY1wAyKtz4zbbLgD77CKU1cfEf_Hun6uM4NzfRakXdbRYFApTVAkFTkvFz5LvvEsgQoHEre57-VQj658omZTgYIll5KM_KC5U_4cJFbFFd-kas75NVtP0jiwpb5k/s1600/_MG_0860.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjuuRX3EZwbl10VF5FY1wAyKtz4zbbLgD77CKU1cfEf_Hun6uM4NzfRakXdbRYFApTVAkFTkvFz5LvvEsgQoHEre57-VQj658omZTgYIll5KM_KC5U_4cJFbFFd-kas75NVtP0jiwpb5k/s320/_MG_0860.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545365169605018130" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WZI9tMI4SLKe9B0ELvsWIURF2PKRpCDF9N_CaoEO6qZBTX_WdiXJuWzxRgeMcblAjgYASvd4pxKIJOjODuMVVEMSTm9oM7fgAme3SR-FpmRC8i_SBOmyTdH1qnqJ2orN76RUPegWeVH4/s1600/_MG_0865.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WZI9tMI4SLKe9B0ELvsWIURF2PKRpCDF9N_CaoEO6qZBTX_WdiXJuWzxRgeMcblAjgYASvd4pxKIJOjODuMVVEMSTm9oM7fgAme3SR-FpmRC8i_SBOmyTdH1qnqJ2orN76RUPegWeVH4/s320/_MG_0865.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545365169284395666" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">He was really proud of himself.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-JJ5xlo-SXxfZo05FSnH52dMwx4EY3NLpj5W4SeMNvszGG4ZIomSx7kXbdoqVNiaF3tjE_i2zcrOd38e3XxAcIlKcyMZA-w8cK1bEdL18uQv1X8X7NG933vpPdByAY5hmZT25217uM3t/s1600/_MG_0878.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-JJ5xlo-SXxfZo05FSnH52dMwx4EY3NLpj5W4SeMNvszGG4ZIomSx7kXbdoqVNiaF3tjE_i2zcrOd38e3XxAcIlKcyMZA-w8cK1bEdL18uQv1X8X7NG933vpPdByAY5hmZT25217uM3t/s320/_MG_0878.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545363294038263634" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Explaining to our Ugandan friends how this all worked.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4oyOZbbxJfISCufTn83SJPAGRVR1upR2zE-8ef-vO_f1eSx-fycJgxpk9IIz_Ob1QqD5mMrXeCT6HmARskT38eYn36caX1K1O-dXJuYE0xcrC19L2rDJ4E6kVqFoOj_s2h9uMKHK480v/s1600/_MG_0881.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4oyOZbbxJfISCufTn83SJPAGRVR1upR2zE-8ef-vO_f1eSx-fycJgxpk9IIz_Ob1QqD5mMrXeCT6HmARskT38eYn36caX1K1O-dXJuYE0xcrC19L2rDJ4E6kVqFoOj_s2h9uMKHK480v/s320/_MG_0881.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545363291880631730" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Carving...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GPUtQSuWOQPl1AQg9S_1UCyD_D6SWF2NXJAopC76tipqB0zfSgC3zAU1DXwkK9CDGjwlIj2uvXB783pKG7kQTd9ZFFgC55Gj7-uICJFwX2I0uNmNnBkAAkMZlAyZO5Oj7IrLydoyl7yW/s1600/_MG_0882.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GPUtQSuWOQPl1AQg9S_1UCyD_D6SWF2NXJAopC76tipqB0zfSgC3zAU1DXwkK9CDGjwlIj2uvXB783pKG7kQTd9ZFFgC55Gj7-uICJFwX2I0uNmNnBkAAkMZlAyZO5Oj7IrLydoyl7yW/s320/_MG_0882.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545362734681278194" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">"Smile like a kitty, Jakob!"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfhyphenhyphenB9nnnAYHIYo7xc6cyJfsRLhy5Fe26VmqIpkAUy6xFjLnsxVPUgqVihuEnr4DF8z0_kTUFqbfyMm5TZJLljnFYZKivvPGC2Z7OfVh9gujH1j9P8etTL_9BFFKYdI7cbUSZGJYCyqSg/s1600/_MG_0886.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfhyphenhyphenB9nnnAYHIYo7xc6cyJfsRLhy5Fe26VmqIpkAUy6xFjLnsxVPUgqVihuEnr4DF8z0_kTUFqbfyMm5TZJLljnFYZKivvPGC2Z7OfVh9gujH1j9P8etTL_9BFFKYdI7cbUSZGJYCyqSg/s320/_MG_0886.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545362730322670562" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Wonderful friends...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jlUnvPgWaiN7ElYg7WfM6y1fb3Pln2ovwr81UUL_LZjDlcqe-ctP4qB_gcbTbcKwx38w-a7FafEY-DVNrh3jk7RiO7Lh9y2eSyV-tks9I0RvqP8T7ulyJT-dDXHiKGCl3J_nnTwfFc0p/s1600/_MG_0887.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jlUnvPgWaiN7ElYg7WfM6y1fb3Pln2ovwr81UUL_LZjDlcqe-ctP4qB_gcbTbcKwx38w-a7FafEY-DVNrh3jk7RiO7Lh9y2eSyV-tks9I0RvqP8T7ulyJT-dDXHiKGCl3J_nnTwfFc0p/s320/_MG_0887.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545361822904934818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0V0Q8nMMlchE-Q4xhrXwVKmq4MaeVVepcjgp6s361VjI0AbyfkjEV8b5AyGDBFYwGIYN_PEjPVVDr703GjDTEwf_oj-CE6SltdGHF7s5ecr2wGoHGlCHt2tZUO-HearH2wgBIBpy71bQk/s1600/_MG_0889.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0V0Q8nMMlchE-Q4xhrXwVKmq4MaeVVepcjgp6s361VjI0AbyfkjEV8b5AyGDBFYwGIYN_PEjPVVDr703GjDTEwf_oj-CE6SltdGHF7s5ecr2wGoHGlCHt2tZUO-HearH2wgBIBpy71bQk/s320/_MG_0889.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545361818824421714" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I'm blessed, and God is good...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mommy Pippin</div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-70772350478262031662010-11-30T05:56:00.000-08:002010-11-30T06:58:25.505-08:00Meet the Newbies...<div>We were blessed last week to receive two new additions to our home! </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oI3sdX-9Nacw01-5gTmLDmXzZqi9uPLrxUjaeACwPOTtIBZI44UrhtZNaIuwsTxqVhVRojmxJ5eC2oE_lvWzUfdGNID-yVkY23dnkVGGXykkPN0FkV9IOamvPOBPBLTukt2LCZSdrr9M/s1600/_MG_0827.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oI3sdX-9Nacw01-5gTmLDmXzZqi9uPLrxUjaeACwPOTtIBZI44UrhtZNaIuwsTxqVhVRojmxJ5eC2oE_lvWzUfdGNID-yVkY23dnkVGGXykkPN0FkV9IOamvPOBPBLTukt2LCZSdrr9M/s320/_MG_0827.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545343584043104002" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Meet Isma (5 years old)...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklrLVkWTlQZ0l1BVM3WjXD13a1erWQ7Vlm21_tGwrlzlziZZ7qYqeBRAYQXCA6L01qe6eWr4RXbm1V8jq_JWccgAklqxJKo0uVsDkejCB0QdGxjjbCwi2cEInT42nhGKHWzBONZZWQWRi/s1600/_MG_0840.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklrLVkWTlQZ0l1BVM3WjXD13a1erWQ7Vlm21_tGwrlzlziZZ7qYqeBRAYQXCA6L01qe6eWr4RXbm1V8jq_JWccgAklqxJKo0uVsDkejCB0QdGxjjbCwi2cEInT42nhGKHWzBONZZWQWRi/s320/_MG_0840.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545343579856548418" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">And sweet Nathan (7 months old)!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3fGHVxPgcSg0Bxre2K5W1Fn5DHRXux_VlmLt5SezzSP-iwbLt9z6y_E3FwKx7-Wu3vTbWqw8_jceEE-BBlS2ddmtUaoP52g6XIVUSHAbB-41cm5lC0DftUqXix75pnuhHzUZow_Kl6ma/s1600/_MG_0835.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3fGHVxPgcSg0Bxre2K5W1Fn5DHRXux_VlmLt5SezzSP-iwbLt9z6y_E3FwKx7-Wu3vTbWqw8_jceEE-BBlS2ddmtUaoP52g6XIVUSHAbB-41cm5lC0DftUqXix75pnuhHzUZow_Kl6ma/s320/_MG_0835.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545343572460054338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCNpwU0mmgZI4C6Z_lOIXiCCH_kO-B4iSUU8-GMCZkWN2iPuyxJVnyW81lkwGRYn8PD0Imy8P9djDt00rwxDKH65Oo9y3N8syryP09DUtAtAXeDIoJqNv7WZP74qs-yu9Rd12c9hG7Fqc/s1600/_MG_0830.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCNpwU0mmgZI4C6Z_lOIXiCCH_kO-B4iSUU8-GMCZkWN2iPuyxJVnyW81lkwGRYn8PD0Imy8P9djDt00rwxDKH65Oo9y3N8syryP09DUtAtAXeDIoJqNv7WZP74qs-yu9Rd12c9hG7Fqc/s320/_MG_0830.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545343560197248610" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8JWYwT1lGGuFIbIjuwL1s6gImnavmRFgGvZsSVg5Xx_LsT0pf63VqVZgIa8OGn-n1Tn8M0t1tnSClZJFRXlL6oY6cCeNu_93Vvz7PPSEf2hpzYCXvSVKrs59C9o-oHtxKXIOCdKutkGg/s1600/_MG_0823.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8JWYwT1lGGuFIbIjuwL1s6gImnavmRFgGvZsSVg5Xx_LsT0pf63VqVZgIa8OGn-n1Tn8M0t1tnSClZJFRXlL6oY6cCeNu_93Vvz7PPSEf2hpzYCXvSVKrs59C9o-oHtxKXIOCdKutkGg/s320/_MG_0823.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545341830570486850" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHzmEcmYyS6diwKHhjJ3QrOyLAbxeElF1pTNaWm-DrBakkppCbDQx2fUuBNaWtT2iprOeHdxEsZ0grmrQ14zs2uD83N77fHBddStod0nLYnfq_zyw0IzRg4NxZwosmupHAeB7JoauyGsws/s1600/_MG_0822.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHzmEcmYyS6diwKHhjJ3QrOyLAbxeElF1pTNaWm-DrBakkppCbDQx2fUuBNaWtT2iprOeHdxEsZ0grmrQ14zs2uD83N77fHBddStod0nLYnfq_zyw0IzRg4NxZwosmupHAeB7JoauyGsws/s320/_MG_0822.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545341823075261058" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Both of them are severely malnourished and have been diagnosed with TB and protein deficiencies. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; ">But God is good, and we are seeing improvements in both of them already!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; ">Their personalities are coming out more and more, and let me tell you they are CUTE! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; ">Your prayers for their full recovery are greatly needed and loved. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; ">God IS good!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; ">Love, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.9722px; ">Mommy Pippin</span></div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-71727694500889792822010-11-02T09:17:00.000-07:002010-11-02T09:35:19.764-07:00The Boys...Don't worry, a deep and thought-provoking post is coming soon, but for now you'll just have to be content with pictures of some of my boys. It's a chore, I know :), but I love these little men so much!! They make me laugh every day, and I figured they needed a post of their own!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJfSUBLpkHRfl7IZFnJuMMpp6IuuaJrzYUzowAkSc3MGv5AKbH5rFMNkB-jVWawi2NHIlgPSP1DAZn4wDoP1NNIlWq79UsVbhl4B6RdAYNbNEFwRQ_ePGr2I8aB_4-PeTZT525uexiIMp/s1600/Uganda+1007.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJfSUBLpkHRfl7IZFnJuMMpp6IuuaJrzYUzowAkSc3MGv5AKbH5rFMNkB-jVWawi2NHIlgPSP1DAZn4wDoP1NNIlWq79UsVbhl4B6RdAYNbNEFwRQ_ePGr2I8aB_4-PeTZT525uexiIMp/s320/Uganda+1007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534990413422763762" border="0" /></a>Ivan<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGhGLAm3AdGaOO_hTgEHoYxR6KD9gi5uIpQs-kyQCZoTeCVjhECb7RBUmaUtdC7Tj0coxQqFiohzzRcpivEV28vi71yCFXriZpI9CngHZGXiOONDUoauvDn_iiGJYdc2SxH1Zh4uR2FRU/s1600/Uganda+1024.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGhGLAm3AdGaOO_hTgEHoYxR6KD9gi5uIpQs-kyQCZoTeCVjhECb7RBUmaUtdC7Tj0coxQqFiohzzRcpivEV28vi71yCFXriZpI9CngHZGXiOONDUoauvDn_iiGJYdc2SxH1Zh4uR2FRU/s320/Uganda+1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534990666945991042" border="0" /></a>Moses isn't too sure about this....<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6q3gV9aekbkXOHuUFILsfdGkX7RF-Vk14OJ6msqeOrE5WL8jWaGalyq1sWBx3gAQQ9Zyl5UBmktJbnuFgZCvRu27tQNCzbIyH5KgTR9C1oqS8BcTdm_Qm6JY6NC5N63T3_bDZCc-nkW1/s1600/Uganda+1006.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6q3gV9aekbkXOHuUFILsfdGkX7RF-Vk14OJ6msqeOrE5WL8jWaGalyq1sWBx3gAQQ9Zyl5UBmktJbnuFgZCvRu27tQNCzbIyH5KgTR9C1oqS8BcTdm_Qm6JY6NC5N63T3_bDZCc-nkW1/s320/Uganda+1006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534990219485901026" border="0" /></a>Wycliffe<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggx4lp1V9ia3yN-9N9TimtoiAIAP5DrYcJ5x8Jg0bSGkrXv0Dda_3qlnl1Me8c5ItmGuHTXsCqJgcTQRqdp7-iALuKKHqXhaBZ8Frr70mTVhaG5POihyWC82M0nc7cNlslqa67clNJm4go/s1600/Uganda+1005.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggx4lp1V9ia3yN-9N9TimtoiAIAP5DrYcJ5x8Jg0bSGkrXv0Dda_3qlnl1Me8c5ItmGuHTXsCqJgcTQRqdp7-iALuKKHqXhaBZ8Frr70mTVhaG5POihyWC82M0nc7cNlslqa67clNJm4go/s320/Uganda+1005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534989974305794002" border="0" /></a>Nikky.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_685PS-BAQIfv7FUEd3NNqkWWk49v4O2szmP64PF24Ihl6Op0m3vF4MakovIHtw8DE66EWz9AmoncKaaCmp6y_AcCtA15om5PqL6trV5CEBIJGgbSOhtTT17n8w7KfIRsz6lfv8UDnCv/s1600/Uganda+1004.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_685PS-BAQIfv7FUEd3NNqkWWk49v4O2szmP64PF24Ihl6Op0m3vF4MakovIHtw8DE66EWz9AmoncKaaCmp6y_AcCtA15om5PqL6trV5CEBIJGgbSOhtTT17n8w7KfIRsz6lfv8UDnCv/s320/Uganda+1004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534989720682207298" border="0" /></a>George. They were all having a bread eating competition :)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-HvwgG0dwuHD5iX_EJjTSEZFS5DWC_sHCppzQuaSoUhPVwUBsDtrOrwh_Zyp6B2FMO-smDA0zntT-8Y1ZRaP0vcoTVMXoZz13WB0KGtVfjrtmrHdast3ysZZKF30H6qZTB1vfx8AiGU2/s1600/Uganda+980.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-HvwgG0dwuHD5iX_EJjTSEZFS5DWC_sHCppzQuaSoUhPVwUBsDtrOrwh_Zyp6B2FMO-smDA0zntT-8Y1ZRaP0vcoTVMXoZz13WB0KGtVfjrtmrHdast3ysZZKF30H6qZTB1vfx8AiGU2/s320/Uganda+980.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534989491895240050" border="0" /></a>Dandaire<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0jK6nVFVo7cx5zDsZp5ysT0WnQ0vf00VWpcAbhRqfsc2QJV4Ti3myBzL22lNw5VCUrLfoWOD4iV9Diqo2Gu1zzJZnxEE5CRea4OTU8ND8x8F6KgmDBl31HOdig1gUavIqCaTlEVozPxt/s1600/Uganda+974.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0jK6nVFVo7cx5zDsZp5ysT0WnQ0vf00VWpcAbhRqfsc2QJV4Ti3myBzL22lNw5VCUrLfoWOD4iV9Diqo2Gu1zzJZnxEE5CRea4OTU8ND8x8F6KgmDBl31HOdig1gUavIqCaTlEVozPxt/s320/Uganda+974.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534989238904266946" border="0" /></a>Edsters<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslSl7vdSz_Wbiwg91EwZ9gPUuppBZda8coVOXwiR7b71Gqn1Rz8G6GXfyDunwCylebhRX0-iXabt0KPBXeU_cJlC7yBwbz-A5AL2nIqjdQwL703-IEOCCoB8kVkpZk__lAKjC0dth8EiE/s1600/Uganda+968.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslSl7vdSz_Wbiwg91EwZ9gPUuppBZda8coVOXwiR7b71Gqn1Rz8G6GXfyDunwCylebhRX0-iXabt0KPBXeU_cJlC7yBwbz-A5AL2nIqjdQwL703-IEOCCoB8kVkpZk__lAKjC0dth8EiE/s320/Uganda+968.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534989016543156978" border="0" /></a>Josiah<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3q1GPEfByQuW06KbY3Ri-lHoOn5-dUGQzsxpBVPcpgJaX2PznMD7c_mo1M1VxU105aZq3b1M3SsxNIQBiqYitlJLeZ4ZfmENyAlgRTgTAkctO2Reo05SVWFvF1CEcnLp-jQtEG1xnFWb/s1600/Uganda+946.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3q1GPEfByQuW06KbY3Ri-lHoOn5-dUGQzsxpBVPcpgJaX2PznMD7c_mo1M1VxU105aZq3b1M3SsxNIQBiqYitlJLeZ4ZfmENyAlgRTgTAkctO2Reo05SVWFvF1CEcnLp-jQtEG1xnFWb/s320/Uganda+946.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534988824893217042" border="0" /></a>Kevin... this kid cracks me up, no joke...<br /><br />Love, Mommy Pipppin<br /></div>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-55616040397414522522010-10-19T06:14:00.000-07:002010-10-19T06:45:58.264-07:00The Boy Who Cried Su-Su<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincv4XxG-HqWwW-all2MeOMF6wQsSeedaIdhqeqgN1-bRFS5ZW1QOIgOjWYS0C_HccjBIDRgFDIDxehpKC_pU4St1xxUrw1lc9ldOK2J2RsNmkxr5lMKyBR1xflthGlf6UiIqR73H5hdQ2/s1600/Uganda+529.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincv4XxG-HqWwW-all2MeOMF6wQsSeedaIdhqeqgN1-bRFS5ZW1QOIgOjWYS0C_HccjBIDRgFDIDxehpKC_pU4St1xxUrw1lc9ldOK2J2RsNmkxr5lMKyBR1xflthGlf6UiIqR73H5hdQ2/s320/Uganda+529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529752001709707490" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">You see this boy? His name is Moses, even though stinker would suit him better at times.<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kLcodfKR6KyF6Z8E7ZekFaqtpChEa994PwqtNo8zoGA-c19WqX9vgKbjXa6vJsqi2jZTkk8dELAfNhQTkZf4xwriyjL_UFuLEKnwDc4Wpxuvf8OFpFkllzepkyGb1nLFaPlh-NbwLd6Y/s1600/Uganda+528.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kLcodfKR6KyF6Z8E7ZekFaqtpChEa994PwqtNo8zoGA-c19WqX9vgKbjXa6vJsqi2jZTkk8dELAfNhQTkZf4xwriyjL_UFuLEKnwDc4Wpxuvf8OFpFkllzepkyGb1nLFaPlh-NbwLd6Y/s320/Uganda+528.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529752499444436978" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Every night Moses is put in his crib.<br /><br />And every night Moses asks to go su-su (potty).<br /><br />And every night Mommy Morgan gets him out of his crib to su-su.<br /><br />And he does.<br /><br />But the problem is that Moses doesn't just ask once.<br /><br />He asks again and again, and again.<br /><br />And after about the 4th time of being gotten out and not producing anything, Moses is left in his crib.<br /><br />Which makes him mad.<br /><br />He cries, he screams, he whimpers, he pleads, and all to no avail.<br /><br />Because us Mommies have wised up. We know that Moses doesn't really need to su-su.<br /><br />He just wants to get out.<br /><br />The stinker.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFnu-LPLwVBXU6Tv5QKmNkY_e387KXtPLdyFnIjNf1558Qf1iaH0WghkjM0BgmW4Iq6i_1-lpZs8LvigRbodxHXOwrvAhMCobkcicM724Dc4UvIES9zYS0q7-sJT-1HM7NICwDENOUulZI/s1600/Uganda+528.jpg"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6v8LmlDGmH0sh3GNX6jvxj1jofOBwL99mYv4HUIWP0YhNyRQ1iiZ8FPEZ2s3XPSltRTr8nL5HVYpSkCTuBwgSRtovEBhZQgYyNY8BiGDPJ5p4Vb6K2zoqkcwkxwARqR-V0EO6iSsZnMX/s1600/Uganda+783.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6v8LmlDGmH0sh3GNX6jvxj1jofOBwL99mYv4HUIWP0YhNyRQ1iiZ8FPEZ2s3XPSltRTr8nL5HVYpSkCTuBwgSRtovEBhZQgYyNY8BiGDPJ5p4Vb6K2zoqkcwkxwARqR-V0EO6iSsZnMX/s320/Uganda+783.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529746065343819730" border="0" /></a>Pippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-237962898808506612010-10-19T04:28:00.000-07:002010-10-19T06:13:58.533-07:00I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKETEBNAMdkcNQ2BiFE9jDWscv7UoH2-bA5TcR-egyPT8rsuLegtTaHKe27yQuyYkUN1Jgm1Snes2rBk0MAHLMjfIOj8yga10HDBuYkHUOe4Db46wT-6yBvy_Wa_hR4lorU6XUNcffpFs9/s1600/Uganda+585.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKETEBNAMdkcNQ2BiFE9jDWscv7UoH2-bA5TcR-egyPT8rsuLegtTaHKe27yQuyYkUN1Jgm1Snes2rBk0MAHLMjfIOj8yga10HDBuYkHUOe4Db46wT-6yBvy_Wa_hR4lorU6XUNcffpFs9/s320/Uganda+585.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529742011879299906" border="0" /></a>Sweet, sweet Lydia.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The <a href="https://www.mochaclub.org/">Mocha Club</a> has a saying that hit me like a ton of bricks when I first read it...<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I need Africa more than Africa needs me.</span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><br />I had never thought about it that way before, but when I stopped and looked around me I realized it's so true. I realized how much I can learn from the suffering I'm seeing, from the people I'm meeting, and from the children I'm loving. I realized how much I'm going to change.</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><span style="font-style: italic;">I need this change.</span> I need this break from all things familiar. I need this displacement of my comfort zone (and I'm praying that I never find it again!). I need this NEED for God!</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">But guess what? God doesn't need me.</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">Let me say that once more...</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">God doesn't need me!</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Italic" class="gl_italic" border="0" /></span></span><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">His Kingdom is already happening here, and I'm just another tool to build it. He didn't need me to carry out the work He's doing in Uganda, and yet He still chose me.</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">He. Chose. Me.</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">ME. A broken, faulty vessel. And He, King of the universe looked down and said <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I want that one.</span></span></span></span><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><br />Does that give you chills? I know I get 'em every time I think about it!</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">Matthew 20:28 says "For the Son of Man did not come to BE served, but to SERVE."</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">If I have Christ as my example, then I should strive for nothing less then the extent of servant-hood He exhibited on earth. I should serve these people of Africa with my WHOLE HEART. Not because I'm a missionary. No, because I have Jesus as my example!</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">And guess what? I'm BLESSED! God chose me, led me to serve, gave me the resources to serve, gives me the strength to serve, and loves me through it all.</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">God's good, people! Amen?</span></span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class=" on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Italic" title="Italic" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 4);ButtonMouseDown(this);">And because no post would be complete without my beautiful children, here ya go :)</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqKiAQuKp5ZS54bQAps5rJQM1PdIwBEWWYGDqQBRCMmyw9xQC6Kz2Z7BTpwNjeuUxjya8VcC04rL11gak5GEh5niqma-GXLYiL6gzy-B9LEQ6JkQAdKf1gLZxUU8GOxY3_WAbUHrW7IeN/s1600/Uganda+534.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqKiAQuKp5ZS54bQAps5rJQM1PdIwBEWWYGDqQBRCMmyw9xQC6Kz2Z7BTpwNjeuUxjya8VcC04rL11gak5GEh5niqma-GXLYiL6gzy-B9LEQ6JkQAdKf1gLZxUU8GOxY3_WAbUHrW7IeN/s320/Uganda+534.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529740434059651970" border="0" /></a>Moses and Janie.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuri0fPfRmEKO-a6bWg5njKGJUwjcwv82wwBfTPbDguf9rVBdQvVLjMxy803qguQmHwwdQodzeDSEoEhGx7kS6rnpsG1i_irDf7SZ1OZppAcQL5KB41rdilA9LaBGfKi6CHFzm7sAJPJ0/s1600/Uganda+555.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuri0fPfRmEKO-a6bWg5njKGJUwjcwv82wwBfTPbDguf9rVBdQvVLjMxy803qguQmHwwdQodzeDSEoEhGx7kS6rnpsG1i_irDf7SZ1OZppAcQL5KB41rdilA9LaBGfKi6CHFzm7sAJPJ0/s320/Uganda+555.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529739898350889250" border="0" /></a>Small Daphine and Esther.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlNgB3JenHiq4yP5Lw3fabzNohzezEyUak7-wXWwXyoE0-YXgxA7ZK2xu7DDYvPVtsRK7VnLWq8GWhZ1oIvtn2OxdY5bCm4KoR-FNXUfOipE_9yy4fI1sGzJ7_lNdxF1P0BedsHGDItLu/s1600/Uganda+545.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlNgB3JenHiq4yP5Lw3fabzNohzezEyUak7-wXWwXyoE0-YXgxA7ZK2xu7DDYvPVtsRK7VnLWq8GWhZ1oIvtn2OxdY5bCm4KoR-FNXUfOipE_9yy4fI1sGzJ7_lNdxF1P0BedsHGDItLu/s320/Uganda+545.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529739510418125042" border="0" /></a>Ronnie and I!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xObF310gT3AUoIvj5u3Lwz-PblRsUJTqzD_KEAm0mb7LxTn8oxuaMBCHBJgBiv1ao8MFx4dM2LhbTUHwMCJproeAbZQlIyx2wHet5HY4UltX-Grm9L7ZeSz8yX9tPWAIIYclZxGO73_S/s1600/Uganda+387.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xObF310gT3AUoIvj5u3Lwz-PblRsUJTqzD_KEAm0mb7LxTn8oxuaMBCHBJgBiv1ao8MFx4dM2LhbTUHwMCJproeAbZQlIyx2wHet5HY4UltX-Grm9L7ZeSz8yX9tPWAIIYclZxGO73_S/s320/Uganda+387.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529739026198551042" border="0" /></a>The babes.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzoS4j0mY-OZ91fq1-w4yMODD0w-qFmrOT8grmkJGb0jW4eJz6cPwU0dey5IxwMPpEflv_ReSFCjhwGWlj6Wy4QAf2YFE199mu4eg7CbjaeMjI837gwfsr9En5l__c8vB-miNuStvzYs7/s1600/Uganda+514.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzoS4j0mY-OZ91fq1-w4yMODD0w-qFmrOT8grmkJGb0jW4eJz6cPwU0dey5IxwMPpEflv_ReSFCjhwGWlj6Wy4QAf2YFE199mu4eg7CbjaeMjI837gwfsr9En5l__c8vB-miNuStvzYs7/s320/Uganda+514.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529737827290673378" border="0" /></a>Jane.<br /><br /></div>Love,<br /><br />Mommy PippinPippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6555609350011465306.post-28501952239727415232010-10-09T07:05:00.000-07:002010-10-09T08:07:04.055-07:00They call me Mommy<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLZ4jGS-fV2q20dVtkvgWztm4xoJNiH3rgpQp4Dt5Bl4lWdu0qp2f5azsBznSux2AuAop5qclt3dA-OOsiVEkZxGMkA1ZzF7HsHB_6xORMt-0m4KC63DqT2aB9a0FMxc0dTB6j1WChfqg/s1600/Uganda+315.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLZ4jGS-fV2q20dVtkvgWztm4xoJNiH3rgpQp4Dt5Bl4lWdu0qp2f5azsBznSux2AuAop5qclt3dA-OOsiVEkZxGMkA1ZzF7HsHB_6xORMt-0m4KC63DqT2aB9a0FMxc0dTB6j1WChfqg/s320/Uganda+315.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526062697604599762" border="0" /></a>My baby Jane and I<br /><br /></div>This is a post to let all who want to know know (finally) that I am alive and well here in Uganda. I realize that I’ve been silent for the entire month (!) I’ve lived here, but it’s taken me a while to process things, and honestly, it really doesn’t feel like a month has gone by! My time here is FLYING!<br /><br />I've been told that the first weeks are the hardest, and that really proved true for me. I missed my family, I missed my friends, I missed my home and my neighborhood and my city. I missed normal. And until I found my *new* normal, it was difficult for me to adjust. During those first few nights I was convinced that either it would take me months to settle, or I would never settle at all and I would be forever longing for home, for Chicago. I knew I had a commitment to Our Own Home, and I fully intended to keep it, but that didn't stop me praying that my time would go really, really fast and I would be able to leave as soon as possible. It probably sounds horrible to you, but rest assured that those thoughts lasted only a few days. There is a great team of volunteers here right now, and my roommates Anna and Morgan totally took me under their wing. They've been a wonderful source of information and support to me, and a complete God send! I’m now soaking in my time here, and although the days do go by pretty quickly, I enjoy each day as much as I can.<br /><br />I now also feel settled. I know what my days look like, how things work, what I should be doing when, where things are. I know my way around town. I grocery shop, and go to the clinic, and go places on my own. I love the people here, I love the country, and I especially love my children.<br /><br />And speaking of my children.... they are a delight and a joy and a challenge and an encouragement to me. They make me laugh. They frustrate me. They remind me of just exactly why I’m here. And…. they call me Mommy! If any of you have known me for even a small amount of time, you’ll know that being a Mom is one of the deepest desires of my heart. Having a large family has always been something I’ve looked forward to and wanted. And guess what? I HAVE ONE! I have a large family! I have children! 47 in fact, and they all call me Mommy. My all-time favourite quote is one from Amy Charmichael. She says, “It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desire which He creates.” God gave me a desire to care for and nurture and raise children, and that’s exactly what I’m doing with His help! Sure, they might not be *mine*, but I love them as if they are. And God brought me to where I am today. He orchestrated every moment of my journey here, and He is laying my path yet. How amazing is it to have a savior who cares enough about my sinful self to plan my future? Or better yet use me for His glory while giving me the exact thing I‘ve always longed for?!? It‘s so hard for me to comprehend! The song that keeps coming to mind is I Am Yours. The very first words are “Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt?”. The phrase I dwell on is who am I? Because really, who AM I? I am a sinful, selfish being who would at times prefer to go back to my comfortable, safe life and miss out on helping to shape lives like these….<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEeot5ijScVqDpNVSC9NWtva_pqyGrgyEx7z7UlT6n9hjnRT1nqH7OoFUqTBRzAbhiCTuKpLadv1m8QRVPkhabr98FM5IC8-FzEX1XNL4XjvOs6rKFXInfeV_ZmsY3iPuwVK8F_9UY9KM/s1600/Uganda+297.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEeot5ijScVqDpNVSC9NWtva_pqyGrgyEx7z7UlT6n9hjnRT1nqH7OoFUqTBRzAbhiCTuKpLadv1m8QRVPkhabr98FM5IC8-FzEX1XNL4XjvOs6rKFXInfeV_ZmsY3iPuwVK8F_9UY9KM/s320/Uganda+297.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526060075753703938" border="0" /></a>Daddy William singing with the little girls.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDwxvYVj-1_zjsgyNfKXAlD1F4s-EWo5OiKPP1f7dVk_QaVxcuqAL9_Rl3XPE6PpWzirGxq9XE0cW-q09OCQV8DPyV6db56OwDdeYlZTQiWq2GHkU6Ll1X8Zzi_DtpR-S_leALnEchq6C/s1600/Uganda+257.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDwxvYVj-1_zjsgyNfKXAlD1F4s-EWo5OiKPP1f7dVk_QaVxcuqAL9_Rl3XPE6PpWzirGxq9XE0cW-q09OCQV8DPyV6db56OwDdeYlZTQiWq2GHkU6Ll1X8Zzi_DtpR-S_leALnEchq6C/s320/Uganda+257.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526059735960002658" border="0" /></a>Elijah valiantly trying to make that barrow go somewhere!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgju2ZCL2_cCFI19P8I-9N76ALi3wqZ5RtuCwU-JTqxQ0MfG6_VysnskbvMJuROgH727ouve1q6ZDCpbHNnKZczAts7RKbohgrYFPT9BNXh1O96c4M_on7VR6a3JQe5KIRBrbHgj9ROLlzQ/s1600/Uganda+236.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgju2ZCL2_cCFI19P8I-9N76ALi3wqZ5RtuCwU-JTqxQ0MfG6_VysnskbvMJuROgH727ouve1q6ZDCpbHNnKZczAts7RKbohgrYFPT9BNXh1O96c4M_on7VR6a3JQe5KIRBrbHgj9ROLlzQ/s320/Uganda+236.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526056655894938690" border="0" /></a>Pious<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21MGpxidq6zpM_-PzEqqVF4Zj_O9_uT_Xga_o77KOpmUK1xbDKD_oZjnhXfJGFeRsjSUd3W_JvdU0Y1_slTaZsyJDgugdDDtujhX1wvBj9lqq2Z5PUfs1_OV03RYMlNoq6h1B7GxuKtel/s1600/Uganda+201.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21MGpxidq6zpM_-PzEqqVF4Zj_O9_uT_Xga_o77KOpmUK1xbDKD_oZjnhXfJGFeRsjSUd3W_JvdU0Y1_slTaZsyJDgugdDDtujhX1wvBj9lqq2Z5PUfs1_OV03RYMlNoq6h1B7GxuKtel/s320/Uganda+201.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526054645674229922" border="0" /></a>Cathy and Shayla<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxw5_K8wPIv2qdH_gmJw7AE58yotNjqih_PgAUzS1f7zBkBiCjzGP4SIGVQoTnl143zfhCpuplKGesgsuP_Coy8ENamsVGSpu32qjhkCOl1ENrpZfahCPwb_HAnPi58a2B6gWErTYPKSO/s1600/Uganda+191.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxw5_K8wPIv2qdH_gmJw7AE58yotNjqih_PgAUzS1f7zBkBiCjzGP4SIGVQoTnl143zfhCpuplKGesgsuP_Coy8ENamsVGSpu32qjhkCOl1ENrpZfahCPwb_HAnPi58a2B6gWErTYPKSO/s320/Uganda+191.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526054049028118850" border="0" /></a>Doreen<br /><br /></div>I would sometimes rather look after my own well being as opposed to that of others. I would sometimes rather fill my own belly with food then feed my starving children. Thankfully, God saw how comfortable I was getting and whispered that it was time for me to leave.<br /><br />Even though life here is relatively comfortable (compared to the rest of Uganda), every day I’m confronted by these children who each have a different, heartbreaking story. Some were unwanted by their earthly families, some watched their parents die, some were abandoned because their parents couldn’t or wouldn’t care for them, some have relatives, some have no one else and were left to fend for themselves. All came here with some level of trauma, and I am blessed to try to drown out that hurt with love.<br /><br />If you’ve ever been a Mom, you will know that having to constantly give attention and love can become annoying, even when you only have maybe one or two children. I find that too, only times about 10! But every time I hear “MOMMY! MOOOOOMMMMEEEEEEE!!! HUUUUUUG!”, I turn and receive what ever child decided to fling herself into my arms, and give that child all of my attention for that moment. Because guess what? I’m the best they have, me and the other Mommies. If we don’t give love and attention who will? If we don’t pour scripture into their hearts who will? If we don’t tell them they’re wanted here on earth WHO WILL? My children are wanted. By me, by the other Mommies, by the uncles, and best of all by God himself. He placed each and every one of these precious children in this home to be loved by us, and who are we to say “Um, no. I’m too busy today to love you, hon. Sorry”. God NEVER turns us away when we need love or encouragement or an ear to pour our trouble into. Who are we to give our children anything else?<br /><br />I’m learning so many new things by living here. How to improvise in day to day activities, how to hand wash my clothes (you may think you know but you really don’t), how to be patient with pretty much everyone, how to have boundless energy…. Ok, I haven’t learned that one yet, but I sure wish someone would teach me!!<br /><br />I want to thank each and every one of you who helped me come here, whether it was through a financial contribution or through prayer. I have been feeling God’s presence SO DEEPLY since being here, and I truly treasure every moment I have with these wonderful children. I can’t imagine missing out on this life I’m living here, and so I thank you for your support. It means SO MUCH to me to know that I have friends and family back at home praying on my behalf and on behalf of my children! THANK YOU!<br /><br />Love,<br /><br />Mommy PippinPippinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01408980855211583179noreply@blogger.com7