Follow your Dream...That deep desire in your heart!

In Case You Ever Wonder...

Hello, you-

the one with that dream in your heart,
that idea on your mind,
that desire that just won't go away.

You wonder...can I do this?

You can do all things. (Philippians. 4:13)

You ask...do I have what it takes?

You've got all you need. (2 Peter 1:3)

You question...is who I am okay?

You're more than okay, you're His. (Psalm 139:14)

So go for it.
Dare to make that difference, take that step, follow that dream. God will go with you, and love will see you through.

Kisses in the wind

KISSES IN THE WIND (The Waiting Child's Lullabye)

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.
You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.

I know you wonder where we are... what's taking us so long.
But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.

Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...
Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.
I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.

Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.
But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.
And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night.

--- © Pamela Durkota, written for Josh

Something here is wrong
There are children without homes
But we just move along to take care of our own
There's so much suffering just outside our door
A cry so deafening
We just can't ignore


To all the people who are fighting for the broken
All the people who keep holding on to love
All the people who reaching for the lonely
Keep changing the world


Take a look around
Before the sun goes out
What's lost can still be found
It's not too late now
It only takes one spark to make the fire burn
So reach inside your heart and let this be the start


You can see the suffering
How they gonna recover when
People just look over like they don't even notice that
Everyone is focusing
On ending all this hopelessness
You can change the world by changing who the world is hoping in


I see the sun coming up
It's a brighter day
Let's show the world that love is a better way
So lend a hand join the fight
'Cause time is ticking away

One for One

One for One
TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about. The TOMS One for One business model transforms our customers into benefactors, which allows us to grow a truly sustainable business rather than depending on fundraising for support.



Why shoes?
Many children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or going to school, these children are at risk:

•A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the skin through bare feet. Wearing shoes can help prevent these diseases, and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause.
•Wearing shoes also prevents feet from getting cuts and sores. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected.
•Many times children can't attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don't have shoes, they don't go to school. If they don't receive an education, they don't have the opportunity to realize their potential.


One for One is spreading
TOMS has also inspired other companies to implement a One for One model. Ralph Lauren sells co-branded Polo Rugby TOMS, giving a matched pair with every pair sold. Element Skateboards has issued limited edition TOMS + Element shoes as well as a One for One skateboard. With every skateboard purchased, one will be given to a child at the Indigo Skate Camp in Durban, South Africa. It is TOMS’ hope that as our One for One movement continues to grow, more and more companies will look to incorporate giving into what they do.



Our Story
In 2006 an American traveler, Blake Mycoskie, befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by caring TOMS customers.



Since our beginning in May 2006, TOMS has given over 600,000* pairs of shoes to children in need, through the purchases of caring customers.

*As of April 2010

Our children are so Blessed to have the best Daddy!! Can't wait for the girls to be with us next Fathers Day. I think of them so, so often. But I'm a ~Holiday~ ~Special Day~ kind of girl...so when something special happens it makes me think of them even more. Wishing they were experiencing the same thing. Aweee...just to hear them laugh with the rest of the family. That time will come. Until then I'm soaking up all that is around me and the life we have right now. :)

I would gather Children

I WOULD GATHER CHILDREN

Some would gather money along the path of life,
some would gather roses and rest from worldly strife;
But, I would gather children from among the thorns of sin,
I would seek a golden curl and a freckled, toothless grin.
For money cannot enter in that land of endless day,
and roses that are gathered soon will wilt along the way.
But, Oh the laughing children, as I cross the sunset sea,
and the gates swing wide to heaven, I can take them in with me.

--Unkown

it's not so deep just basic child stuff... :)

One of my children has a book:

801 Questions Kids Ask About God, with answers from the bible.

One of the questions in the book is... Why did God make people red and yellow, black and white? The answer: Can you imagine a world in which everyone looked the same--the same height, weight, color of hair, lenghth of nose, color of eyes, size of ears, and color of skin? That would be boring--and how would we tell people apart? Instead, God created all kinds and colors of people. Some are tall; some are short; some are brown; some are pink; some have straight black hair; some have curly red hair. They are all special to God. He created them, and he wove each person together in their mother's womb. Don't you just love the diffrences and what makes you special? God Does!

KEY VERSE: In this new life, it doesn;t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumsied, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. (Colossians 3:11)




It's that simple!! Who cares what color of anything you have. God loves you! Therefore we all should Love and not judge. We are aware that when our girls get home someone is going to judge them or us. Even Christians. Someone will judge the color of skin our girls have. They will pick that one thing and judge them. Color of skin?? Why does that matter so much? When in fact if you were to line up our families arms together in a row, they would not all match. There are several different shades.
That is just complete ignorance to me.
Have you ever heard of some one with straight hair absoulutely not like anyone with curly hair? Or have you heard of someone with green eyes say I will not like anyone whom doesn't have green eyes(I'm sure some where in this great big world there is). It's absurd to me!! Try and look far beyond the outside of someone, find out what's inside. Teach your children the same! Because children are taught prejudice, until then they are open to anything.

The Starfish Thrower

The Starfish Thrower

Once upon a time there was a man
who used to go to the ocean

to do his writing.

He had a habit

of walking on the beach

before he began his work.
One day he was walking

along the shore.
As he looked down the beach

he saw a human figure

moving like a dancer.

He smiled to himself

to think of someone
who would dance to the day.
So he began to walk faster

to catch up.
As he got closer,

he saw that it was an
older man and the man

wasn't dancing.

Instead he was reaching

down to the shore,

picking up something
and very gently

throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out,

"Good morning! What are you doing?"
The older man paused,

looked up and replied,
"Throwing starfish into the ocean."

The man noticed

there were hundreds of starfish

all washed up on the beach

from a storm the night before.

He watched as the man carefully

continued to pick up the starfish

one by one.
"I guess I should have asked,

‘Why are you throwing starfish

into the ocean?’"
"The sun is up

and the tide is going out.

If I don't throw them in

they'll die."
"But don't you realize

there are miles and miles of beach

and starfish all along it.

You can't possibly make a difference!"
The older man listened politely.

He bent down, picked up another starfish

He looked at the starfish

as he prepared to

throw it into the ocean,

past the breaking waves and said –

"I will make a difference to this one!"

Adoption...aDoPtIon....adoption....ADOPTION. How many times has each member of our family and even our close friends said that word in the past few years? ALOT! At times it has consumed mine and Chris' every conversation. Though every moment it is mentioned we have a beautiful peace that we are doing God's will. Well honestly that is about the only thing that has been beautifully peaceful about our adoption journey thus far. Adoption has been very stressful, time consuming, hurtful, emotionally and monetarily draining. I once read from Heidi..." Ain't nothin' about this whole "following Jesus" thing that is supposed to be convenient. Ask Jesus if the Cross was "convenient" or glamorous.


We always read "oh, it is so worth it in the end." Which we cling to those words believing them completely. Waiting is so hard! If there is one thing we have learned for sure thus far is It's all in Gods timimg! For sure not ours or I would be holding two little girls in my arms right now. But one thing is for sure.....God's timing is perfect!!! We wait knowing that!

Psalm 40 1:3

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
and put their trust in him.