My heart has been stolen.....

By this.

I don't know where it's taking me.  I don't know how it's going to go.  But I have a vision that I will continue to HELP change the lives of those in need!  

How did I come to this?

I had been home at this point a couple weeks from Ethiopia.  Where once again, my world had been rocked.  I was on a "WHAT MORE CAN I DO HIGH"....I knew there was something that was weighing on my heart that something more was needed from me.....well then this one day happened......

Not kidding, it really kinda' fell in my lap.  I was sitting at home one morning, sipping on my morning coffee watching the TODAY show before the kiddos get up.  I see up next: Jen Hatmaker (I have followed her blog for quite some time, they have adopted from Ethiopia, and she's an amazing blogger, great to follow in all aspects-not just adoption) so i was excited to see her segment.  She was on, loved her , she did great-so I had gone on to see what people were saying! After I had read so many comments that had commented on her wearing Noonday, and lookng great with Noonday-Noonday Noonday Noonday! Ahhhh, what was all this Noonday about?!

I googled it. To say that i was "touched" was an understatement......

This is what I read:

At Noonday Collection, we believe every child belongs in a family. While the owner is no longer raising money for their Rwandan adoption (though they think more adoptions will come), the vision remains the same. We advocate for the orphan by:

• Providing jobs that create a pathway out of poverty for families. A stable income means a family is less likely to abandon their child.
• Help families raise money for their own adoptions. We give 10% of trunk show sales directly to the adoptive family when they host a trunk show.
• Aside from donating 10% towards qualified adoptive families, Noonday Collection also gives towards orphan care and prevention. Watch the video to see one of our beneficiaries.
• The dream: Take YOU on a trip to visit artisans and visit orphans in their distress.

AND on top of that, have you see the stuff?! OMG-amazing......So as I sat and looked, and thought and prayed about it, i got the courage to reveal this to Ryan.....we talked a lot about it.  HOW was I going to continue my success with what I already have going, AND add another direct sales job to my resume!? Well, through a lot of PRO'S/CON'S discussion, it is with great pleasure that I joined the Noonday Family.  I have taken the leap of faith, that if only a small amount of success is achieved with this, I have already made such a difference in the lives of women, and families across the world......

AND the best part. I am able to, with the help of Noonday provide fundraising opportunities for adoptions! Really?! The biggest passion of mine, and I get to HELP?!?! 

Now, I am not super-woman, but I am going to give this all i got.  I am not leaving my Thirty One family....that has been and continues to ooze out of my pores as well, but these are 2 entirely different companies, with 2 amazing back-stories! I like to "think" I got this.  I sure do hope so!!!

What does it mean to "Sponsor" a child a Bright Future Academy?

Many people have asked me, even prior to our trip what it means to sponsor a child at Bright Future with Awake & Alive. This is what it means to US-

About a year ago we signed on to sponsor sweet FITSUM.  He's about 5 years old. His mother is an alcoholic, and that is how she would get the courage to go out and beg on the streets for her and her children.  We all picked Fitsum out together, and decided that he was the child that we would sponsor.  We were able to send letters to him, photos of us so he knew WHO we were.  In return we received an update, and a painted hand print from him.  It was SO awesome to see, and to have that personally from him-FOR US.  The kids absolutely loved it.  

We had gotten a photo of him for our refrigerator.  Ezra would ask DAILY to hold it.  Rylee would take it and put the picture in his remote control truck and Fitsum was having the time of his life, in that car and didn't even know it! We got such a kick out of it.  And-so fun to see that Rylee "gets it".  One day, in the words of a 5 year old, had asked if Fitsum was going to come here and live with us.  We explained to him, that the BEST part of what we do, is that we are trying to make sure that they can stay in Ethiopia if they CAN with their families, if that is what is meant to be.  

Fast forward, to having sponsored this sweet boy for now a year, it was such a surreal experience to actually meet him.  To see the sweet little boy that we've been giving new life to in person was something we were ALL looking forward to.  On this trip, there were many sponsors that came, so to witness them meeting eachother for the first time was very, very powerful! 

As you can see, below is the first time that I met Fitsum.  This was after they were all on the front steps singing their WELCOME song for us all as we arrived!

It means Being able to change the life of atleast ONE child and their family.  It starts with ONE

It means LOVE.

It means giving these children an education.  A SAFE place to learn, and build their future.  This is something MANY do not ever get a chance to do in Ethiopia.

 It means looking into their eyes and telling them they are LOVED.  They are cared for and THEY MATTER.

 It means speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves......

 It means feeding them 2 meals a day! They get to school for breakfast, snack and are able to have lunch at school! The people of Kechene are the poorest of the poor. When I walked into Fitsums home, there was a tub of a couple onions.  It was heartbreaking to know that this is how it is for MOST children in Kechene.

 It means coloring, cutting, drawing and LEARNING!  They could sing songs to us in English, count and dance! This is HUGE, as their own mothers, grandmothers, etc cannot even write their own names!  We are starting them out with a BRIGHT FUTURE!

 It means FAMILY.  I was showing Rahel her sponsor family.  I explained to her that she is taken care of, prayed for and loved by her sponsorship FAMILY and that those were GIFTS from them all! 

 When we handed sponsorship bags out to the children, they didn't know what to do or how to react.  It really was amazing to see, and sad at the same time.  These children are not used to getting anything-at all.  More less a WHOLE bag of gifts just for them! They all wanted to put their new clothes and shoes on right away! SO MUCH fun, SO humbling.

 It means looking at your sponsored child's photo for the first time and making the commitment that their life will now be different.  That you are making the difference of that ONE child, to love and nurture them from across the world with the help of Awake & Alive!

 It means that these mothers can be at peace.  It was VERY emotional for them to be able to stand on celebration day and give a testimony on what Bright Future Academy has done for their babies! In Ethiopia, it's very rare for a woman to stand and have a voice, to be able to give such a testimony.  As my eyes scanned the crowd of mothers, grandmothers, uncles, etc on celebration day while their kiddos were up there singing, there were MANY tears, but with those tears BIG SMILES!  

 It means making sure that they are taken care of.  They receive healthcare!  WHAT a miracle! This child is now getting treatment because she is sponsored with Bright Future Academy.  

It means NEW LIFE.  To see the smiles, and the laughter from these children is out of this world!  It's because of child sponsorship that these children are here, safe, healthy and being loved! The staff at Bright Future are simply amazing.  

It was so awesome to be here to witness first hand the movement that Awake & Alive is making in Kechene, Ethiopia.  I can't tell you how honored we are to be a part of something so beautiful.  

If you don't feel that you're able to give $44/month, but would like to still help in someway-you can give a one time donation as well! Please just visit the page of Awake & Alive here to HELP NOW!  Don't forget to LIKE Awake & Alive on FACEBOOK-spread the word : )

As it was written above:
SPEAK UP FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

Sweet Ez is 3!

Not sure how we've already celebrated our sweet girl turning 3, but it happened! Well, they say time flies when your'e having fun-and isn't that the truth.  In the last 2.5 years we have endured a lot of changes and struggles, but if you can't have FUN while learning, and living-that could be a huge problem! And this girl has taught us all about that.  I look into her sweet, sassy, feisty and lovable face every day, and cannot help but to JUST be THANKFUL and feel BLESSED.  Especially, coming off of the heels of my trip to her

 birth-country-sweet, sweet Ezra-you teach us something new everyday.  Thank you for a new perspective, for smiles everyday, and all the challenges and joys we get to celebrate not just on your birthday, but every.single.day! We love you!

(And ignore the i before the e, I am NOT going back to change that after I have already spent way too much time on that) : )  That's your mama for you Ez, it is what it is! XO

Ez on her actual birthday-loved mommy's cupcakes!

And then well, the birthday party-next year we have plans to skip that for Ezra T.  She is NOT a fan of crowds or the attention being on her.  Like, Not At All. At all. Sooo, next year we will save the money on that and take her away, somewhere-her choice, and people can come visit on their own time and celebrate with her-lots less stress for everyone.  That's not to say the Barnyard Bash didn't come with A LOT of laughs and like i said, she teaches us something new everyday.  Not every child is the same and loves the same things-but one that I'll have to teach her, is we learn to LOVE our birthdays around here-they are one year longer on this earth that we get with our loved ones! Love you Birthday sweet-girl, someday you will-

 Thank you Erika Karber for the cutest birthday cake again!

She liked her first card, barely got to the gift before meltdown.....it happens

 Big Brother was excited to stand in, and lend a hand

 Well, then it kinda felt like it just turned into a baby shower or something.....

 The boys, they had their own agenda....watch out Nolan!

 We "secretly" sang Happy Birthday.....

 And whatta mean, not everyone has to "pitch" a pinata to their almost 13 year old nephew to break it? That's what we do when plans A and B fail.....

Worked for them......

Almost......

After 2 hours at the park, we took the party back home for those that could come, and she was MUCH better.  The girl loves her home.  That's ok sweet Ez, we do too.....you're home, this is your HOME, and you are loved and safe.

FOREVER