Jessica

Hey guys! So most of you who know me have heard me talk about the two kids we sponsor through Compassion, Kevin and Parfait, and how they have truly touched our lives.  Kenlee and Emerson each carefully picked one packet each and it has been so sweet to see our two babies praying for those two precious kiddos. Everyday we talk about what we are thankful for and what/who we need to be praying for and Kenlee usually says she is thankful for her friends, her princesses, rainbows and dark purple while Emerson will say "I don't know..." then bust into a smile and say "MOMMY!!!." Both of them however pray for Kevin and Parfait and Kenlee's prayers in particular are so real and so tangible. Kenlee prays for food, and for clothes, she prays for flowers to grow and make them happy, and for their mommies and daddies to always hug them.

We really entered into this journey thinking we would reach out and pray and be intentional in these children's lives. That we would love on them the best we could oceans away. I never ever imagined how they would change our lives. Kevin (a 9 year old little girl) is old enough to write us herself where as Parfait (a 4 year old little boy) needs help so the letters are less frequent but just as touching. Kevin talks about her family praying for us, for our safety, to have enough food to eat everyday, to be able to see a doctor whenever we need one. Her needs are so different from ours and that sweet, sweet spirit miles and miles away says such sincere prayers for this spoiled American family. She talks of feeling loved  and loving us and thinking of us every day. She talks about the letters and stickers and pictures we send. My heart skips a beat every time a letter arrives from one of them. Everyone in the house jumps up and down and hangs on every word they say. It is really, truly an amazing experience and journey to take.

I have committed to Compassion to find another child a sponsor. This is a beautiful little girl named Jessica Acquah. She was born August 30th 2005 and lives in Ghana.

You may notice that she has been waiting TEN MONTHS for a sponsor. So when you write a letter, it is collected and dispersed to their school all at once, with all the other letters other sponsors with children at that same school have sent. You read stories of them crowding around waiting to hear if they have received a letter this time. My heart breaks to think this sweet little girl doesn't even have the encouragement of knowing she has been picked, that she is important, that she is wanted and loved.

I must ask you to prayerfully consider sponsoring Jessica. It is 38 dollars a month and provides her with her physical needs (food, water, schooling, medical care etc.) but also her spiritual needs. It helps her to be involved and mentored in a church where she can learn about the God who loved and cherishes her just the way she is.

You may have read this and thought it doesn't appeal to you one bit, but just sit on it. Think about it. Pray about it. If this is something you feel led to do, I will send you her packet immediately so you may begin learning about her, her family, her world immediately.

Fall Favorites

Oh Fall, how we love you! That time where summer clothes are rapidly getting small but who wants to buy new clothes for such a short time?? The days are just beautiful however, so we tug on the short sleeves and shorts, keep tugging them over those sweet little bellies in hopes they will magically lengthen by 2 inches, pack a light sweater and head outside. Many of my most favorite memories are outside, hopping around and acting silly with those two! Here are a few of our recent events- displayed by about a million pictures. every time I load the pictures onto the computer I think how in the world did I take this many pictures in such little time?!? 

We headed to the pumpkin patch with our sweet friends Kellan and Declan.

 (Awww!!)

 Kenlee did not want to take a picture with me. She was kind of in a grumpy mood this day, but I firmly believe that if you do not want to be a part of the picture, than I am not going to make you.  Unless it is actual family pictures in which case you do not have a choice :) I just think it makes for more genuine, happy pictures. I LOVE that Lacey snapped this picture of me talking to her about it though. I think mommies in general get left out of the pictures a lot because we are either taking the pictures, or just wanting to enjoy the moment without pictures being taken. Also, most of the time I look disheveled, and just a mess but I have learned it is important to just take it anyway. Your kids think you are the most amazing, beautiful person in the world and really that is all that matters!! Emerson was happy to pose with me. 

 Our fabulous friends!

 Then came our church fall festival. Here are my sweet little princess and frog prince.  This is the first year Kenlee has cared about what she is and I have to say, this was a hard one for me. It's not that I don't like princesses, or that I didn't think every little princess I saw was precious... it is just so..... princess-y. Anyhow, we had fun making her little costume together and I think it turned out pretty cute! I really enjoy making their costumes for many reasons but a big one was that their costumes together cost around 30 dollars and then they won 15 dollars in a costume contest. This may be the last year that they let me have input but then again, that candy can be a strong motivator...

 At fall festival

 Then we headed to the trunk-or-treat at daddy's school

 All that excitement made for thirsty babies, so we stopped at grandma and grandpas for a little break. 

 Looking at the pictures grandpa took

 These two sillies were just laughing away in the bathroom, so I peaked in and found this!

One day while Kenlee was at school, we hopped back to the pumpkin patch with Emerson's good friend Cash. 

 Cash and his beautiful momma! He is such a little joy!

 Braver this go round.

Kenlee had to be a storybook character for school, so we whipped up a little bo peep the night before and she adored it. 

 Her fall party at school

 Dancing around during musical pumpkins. 

 Then we went to the fall festival at Papa and Nonnie's church.

 All Emerson had his sights on the whole night was the firetruck. He saw it before we even got unbuckled from the car and pointed and talked about it the whole time. It is what he is looking at in almost every picture. 

 Finally, success!!! He made it on and DID NOT want off. 

 This is what Kenlee cared about. We waited... in a line... to sit in this carriage because my sweet little girl looked up at me on the way out and said "Mommy, we have to go sit in that BEAUTIFUL circle. Pretty please mommy." SO around we turned, got in line and it was worth every moment.

 Kenlee's dance class

 Daddy and brother waiting outside. Emerson was upset because he wanted to go to dance class too. 

 She cracks me up. She LOVES dance and anxiously awaits Thursdays. It certainly helps that one of her best little friends Caden is in her class this year. Caden is such a doll and I am so thankful they have remained such great friends. 

 Halloween finally arrived, and as you can imagine from the 14 other events we attend, we were all pretty over it. We were going to stay home and pass out candy but got invited to go trick-or-treating with some sweet friends and I am SOO glad we did. Our kids had the BEST time. Kenlee kept saying "this is so fun mommy" and Emerson would say "I have fun!!" every time she did. 

 We are so thankful for all the friends and family who are involved in our kiddos lives and who love on them daily.  After a very long week, they ended the night with a campout in Kenlee's room.

This ultimately ended in Emerson wanting in his bed. So we dragged the tent and all its filling into Emerson's room because Kenlee was a little bummed. Then a while later, Kenlee was in her bed and the tent was empty but the memories were made and they both thought they were pretty big to have (started) sleeping in a tent. 

So thankful for the special days and the every day. 

-Mommy and Daddy