Take for granted

While in Africa I realized just how many things in my life I take for granted.. It was a really big eye opening experience for me to go there. Some of the big things I am greatful for are:

Running Water! They have to walk to the well to get water to bring back for bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc. If they didn't own a well or have access to one they would walk to the nearest little creek with thier buckets and soap. They would bathe in the creek then bring thier buckets full of water back home.

This is a picture of the another well they are digging for the orphanage, unforunately it has already dried up.


A Washer and Dryer! They wash loads of laundry a day then hang it to dry it is an all day activity especially since they use small towels and wash clothes as diapers the kids constantly leak onto thier clothes and thier bedding adding more loaundry



An Iron! They use a metal iron that they fill with hot ashes, I never thought of being grateful for my iron you plug in to the wall but for that I am!


Electricity Hello! The power of light is so amazing! Enough said!

Then agian maybe having all that stuff makes me to spoiled, I wonder how we would act here if we had less of the material things that we have.

Can you be to love?!

I have said it once, I'll say it again! I am in love with this little girl!!! SO IN LOVE!!

Got Milk?

Annabel gets breast milk through her feeding tube a vies times a day, we get the milk from the milk bank and while it is an amazing company for all they do they pasturize it which takes some of the nutrients out of it. I have heard that mom's can induce lactaion to nurse thier babies so I decided I would give it a try and see if I could do it for Annabel, well after hormone pills, certian foods, and LOTS of pumping we have MILK! While it is still the beginning stage and lots of pumping with little amounts of milk I am honored and privilged to do this for Bella. I love that I am able to give her something that few people have and know that I have done something for this amazing little girl!!!

Here is the first amount of my milk I gave her about 3 ounces


Here I am bolusing the milk into her tummy, yummy!


This is my little pumping station in my bedroom


This is my milk from the past day and a half 6 ounces!!!





I know some people may think this is wierd or gross but I am so proud! I did this! It is from me! I am helping Boo! I'm thrilled!

(I know this seems like a small amount but to me it is huge hopefully it will continue to increase!)

Thinking of you...

This is how I find myself several times daily, with my mind somewhere else.. Thinking of those amazing kids who changed my life! Missing and loving you guys more every day!!

Murwira Children's Home

Here is a side view of the kitchen, the "hall way" is where we held one of the classes, the kids ate lunch, and where it connects to the main orphanage building

Here is a side view of the front of the main orphanage building

Here is a picture of Jasper's office and the garage where tools, bikes, and other things are kept. Off Paula's side of the flats

Here is a picture of the flats that Paula and the volunteers sleep in (her door is the one on the left ours was the door on the right)

This is a view of the orphanage from the top of the mountain that sits behind it.

This is the main room of the orphanage where we did nightly deovtional, sat by the fire, watched movies, etc.

This is the room where the babies and a matron sleep

This is the hallway when you enter from next to the kitchen

Here is a back view of the kitchen

Here is a picture of the green house, it is connected to the building where the flats off my side

This is the "clothes" room where clothes and stuff that were donated are kept, this is what connects the green house to my side of the flat

This is one of the water tanks, there are several on the grounds

This is a front view of the main building

Here is a view of the kitchen

Here is one of the bedrooms, at least 15 girls sleep in this room

Here is the playground that the kids played on daily!



Other parts of the oprhanage are the fields, fruit trees, water wells, a couple huts, the chicken coop, the guard building, the boys dorm and a few other things.

Fall!

I absolutely love the changing colors of the leaves in fall!!!!

Family Time

Since I flew home this past weekend for the SYTYCD tour I was able to spend alot of time with my family, my mom was so thoughtful and nice and even made an early Thanksgiving dinner for us so I could eat with the family. As always it is such crazy, hectic, wonderful busy fun when I am with my family! Thank you for the fun weekend, Love you all!!!