Saturday, August 30, 2008

An honor, a challenge and a post...finally, a post!

Thank you all my fans for continuing in your patience...I know we are all so so busy, but this blog has been yelling my name ever since I got back! It is a jealous blog and kept saying, "Where are you???" "Why aren't you stamping?!" "You even missed my anniversary!!" Hoo boy. So sorry! I have been overwhelmed with projects to finish before school, but it's all good. Really!



First...I received an award while I've been 'gone'. This one is so cute and school-like! Thanks, Rox! I love your blog, too! My friend Roxanne sent this award my way and I'm so glad to know her.

Also I do have a card that should have been posted two weeks ago!

Gasp! My SBS9 green and purple card challenge began mid August and here I am just posting now...hoo boy. SBS9 sisters, please comment here and link your challenge card in the comment. I will add all your cards to my blog and on the last day of the first week of school (Friday, September 5th) I will randomly choose an SBS9 sister winner! Here's my card to get you inspired!! {Gina K stamps, JOY sticker from creative memories and my SBS secret sister, Lulu and the new kiwi color from SU as well as PTI's purple paper and ribbon; and two OTC brads} :)

Also, I want to share this little booklet that I made for my trip to Mozambique...you see, I have both prayer and financial partners who support my trip when I go...and because they commit to pray for me the whole month...I pray for them, too. This is the way I kept track of who to pray for while I was on my trip. The stamp set is Clear Artistic stamp's Delicate moments. I stamped a piece of vellum for the cover, cuttlebugged it, glued it to a covered piece of piece of CS with SU's Winter designer paper, and used Nestabilities oval diecut to make the book and pages with the same DP. I attached the vellum piece with a glue stick. Then I calligraphered the name(s) of those individuals who supported my trip on each page. I originally had ribbon on the ring, but they kept falling in the dirt floors in Africa, so I put them as markers in my bible instead! :)

Me? Oh, I am working on my report from Mozambique, editing a friend's book, stamping thank you's for my mission supporters, prepping my lectures for my college class, organizing for school stuff {for both me and my girls! Our exchange daughter, Em, arrived from Denmark two weeks ago today! See her below?} Oh, and I'm coodinating a mission month for church with new speakers every week in September. Oh, and getting ready for that cruise I told you about last spring. Yes, six more weeks to go for that and boy, will I need it!



I am so missing blogging, stamping and hanging out with all of you! Know that you are all on my mind, but God has been so good to me with all of my 'projects', how can I complain?! And for those who continue to keep my mom in prayer...she remains in the hospital (she was out for a few weeks while I was gone, but back in a few days after I returned!)...so continue to keep her in prayer, please! A lot going on there too! I am longing for the routine of school just so there is a routine. I'll post more soon! Blessings to you all and happy fall!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

You've all been so patient!! and a Mystery solved!

My randomly chosen winners of my sketch challenge for July are here! (My daughter randomly chose numbers with no idea who was who) You will receive a prize from me soon!
Now, for the Winners names!
Roxanne S (nonSBS9)
Natty K (SBS9 Sistah!)
Congrats! And thanks everyone for playing along!!
Also, I have the color challenge for this month for my SBS9 sisters, so look for my green and purple card soon! Any one can feel free to play along, and I will post all your cards, even though a prize will only be awarded to an SBS9 sister!

I also have a special announcement! Three of my very very talented stamping friends have started their own blogs:

Visit their blogs, drool over their creations and leave a comment or two...we've all been at the starting gate in blogland before, haven't we?? They'd love to hear from you!

And!! Mystery solved!! Remember this post?? Well, it turns out that my mystery blessing is none other than Becky R whose new blog I mentioned above!!! She told me the day before I left for Africa that she had a little something for me...well, it was a big something!! When I checked out this post on her new shiny blog, the mystery was solved...so fun!!! Isn't it??!!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

So much!

I'm home!! And so much to say...but not a ton of time to say it...I am still reeling from the time change...it took 30 hours of travel to get home...and my body is still 7 hours ahead time wise....up at 2:30 am two nights in a row! Then suddenly around 8 pm, I feel exhausted and my eyes droop!!

Our Team from the church...our team leaders were Bill and Carolyn...the man on the end of the row and the woman kneeling. We were joined by Bill's sister Penny (to Bill's left). Doug and Will, Bill's Cousin and Uncle had already left when this pic was snapped, but they were part of our team as well. I am in the shade behind John and next to Jeff and our Pastor Matt stands next to Penny. Don't we look so enthusiastic?!
Our Mozambique Team for the week....see me in the second row third from the right?

The trip in a nutshell: we were able to build A LOT of the church we were working on...we were the middle team, so there is a final team there now finishing the church to ready it for its dedication the first week in September. It was an exciting time full of blessing (the church services were amazing musical services) and adventure (one of our team killed a rat in the dining building and four of our team fell 12' from the scaffolding when our first attempt at putting up the roof trusses collapsed) But God was in control of it all and we all are safe, sound and home. The days were long (10-11 hours) and we were exhausted and filthy from all the construction dust and such, but thankfully there were showers (slightly warmer than cold) and our hosts prepared good food, so we were ready to go again by 6 am every morning. Sadly, the opportunity for using my puppets with the kids did not present itself this time. School was in session during the day so we were not around too many kids. I did meet a few at the bible school where we stayed as their families were up late grinding corn...my puppet Pedro made a new friend, Dominga. There were also a few kids at the house where we prepared and ate our lunch, so I did get to hang out with them a few days. Mostly though, it was all about the building of the church. I can now say I have been a carpenter, mason and all around menial laborer! And it was fun and very rewarding. The church members were there working alongside us and it was a blessing to toil together for the Lord! We are all healthy, if a bit sore of muscle, and no one missed a day of ministry. How Good God is! Oh, we didn't really see animals on this trip as we were in a city all the time, but here is a termite hill just a stick's throw from my tourquoise tent! (Matt is 6' tall, btw)



Now begins the real whirlwind here at home...getting ready for our exchange student from Denmark, starting the teaching of my college class (a week from Monday! Eek!) and Missions emphasis month in church through September (guess who heads that up!?) I am crazy! But God is so good and I will be blessed! Thank you for all so much your support and love of me and my mission! I want to leave you today with a video I took with my camera at the church service in Mozambique. This scene was played out over and over again throughout the services as each group of people (young adults, fathers, mothers, and even visitors--that meant us on our second week there!) stood up and sang praises to God. Just incredible.

Back tomorrow with my sketch challenge winners! Blessings!