30.9.11

October Dress Project Photo Shoot 2011

Tonight, a group of ladies who are committing to the October Dress Project (read about it here and here) who live in my town got together for a photo shoot to kick start our month long journey of wearing the same dress every single day. We had a blast! Thank you, Nate Mundell Photography for taking our pictures!

We started the shoot with the four girls who did it last year and are participating again this year: me, Jennifer, Ida and Cathy (who all have fabulous blogs that you can visit by clicking their name). Here are our pictures.







And then we had everyone join in the photos. Not all of the ladies who are participating locally were able to come, but we did have a great turn out. It is so exciting to have all of these new ladies joining us this year! We start on Saturday and I couldn't be more excited!!! And it was just fun to be on the other side of the lens for a change! (Side note, Nate Mundell Photography will also be taking our family photos on Saturday morning for our Christmas photo and I am super excited about that as well! Can you tell I am just excited about life?)
   




It really is encouraging to know that there are many women who are going to take on this zany challenge and that while we are doing it by ourselves, we truly have one another right along side us. 


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28.9.11

Adoption?

This is the follow-up to this post.



My heart has always been in Africa. Ever since I was a little girl I was always intrigued with the safari, giraffes, the dark skin and white teeth of the continent of Africa. I may have also been swayed towards Africa because I had a pen pal from there, Lilian Njuguna from Kenya, Africa. A woman from my church had gone to Kenya as a missionary and connected some of the girls in the school she was teaching at to some of the kids at my church. It was exciting and exotic to receive post with beautifully colored stamps and Lilian's unique script. I wish I still had one of her letters, but I know they are long gone now. Writing to Lilian helped my 5th grade brain expand to understand that the world did not just include my little town. The world was much more vast and diverse then I could fathom.
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I don't know when the desire to adopt became a part of my life, but I don't remember it not being there. Somewhere deep inside me I knew that I would one day, whether or not I could have children myself. This idea of adoption was never presented to be directly and I did not grow up knowing any families who had adopted, but nevertheless, it was in my brain. And even though I have two beautiful children of my own, the desire to adopt has not left and I don't think it will ever leave.

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Craig and I would like more children. Even though some days are hard and our frustration is through the roof, we still want more kids. We've talked about the possibility of having more children ourselves, but after two emergency c-sections, the risk is greater to try for another child. A third c-section is a very risky procedure, so we have talked about the idea of having a home birth with a midwife attending the VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). I have done a lot of reading and am well informed about the risks and the benefits, so know that we are not going to do anything rash or dangerous for me or a future baby. But our hesitions are these:

  1. I HATE being pregnant!
  2. I am finally loosing the last of my baby fat, 2 years later.
  3. We are not sure we are alright with another c-section if the VBAC is unsuccessful.
  4. Our insurance doesn't cover pregnancy or birth.
  5. There are already kids here in central Florida that need parents.
  6. And I'm an actress! There aren't many parts for pregnant ladies! 
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We have contacted several agencies about adopting and are leaning towards adopting children from the foster care system. Those children are stuck and need a way out. We have a home, food, and love. Why can't God use us in this capacity like God has used Francis Chan's downsized home? I am not naive thinking that it will all be flowers and smiles during the process. The children that are in foster care waiting to be adopted have come from horrible circumstances that I can not imagine. There will be baggage and obstacles along the way, but I can't imagine not responding to that need. We are not the wealthiest family, but our hearts are eager to give what we have to help others and if that means opening our doors to several children from other parents for the rest of their lives, then we are ready.
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Me on the far right with the core group of students who lead the Invisible Children movement on campus.

In college, I was an activist for the Invisible Children. Based on a documentary about the war-torn nation of Uganda, Invisible Children was filmed by college students who began a movement to end night commuting. I became a part of the movement by raising awareness, money and support to help stop the vicious cycle of child soldiers. My heart broke when I saw the film and I could not stand by without doing everything I could. A friend of mine actually joined the Invisible Children team based on the work we were doing on our college campus. Unfortunately that season in my life did not allow me to help more, but it softened my heart even more to the people of Africa.

We all didn't speak for the day to promote the movie screening.

Art work done by James Cernero, which was later turned into buttons that people purchased to support the Invisible Children.

Our group with the actual Invisible Children team and their tour RV.
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Today at the park, a mother was there with her two blond children and her two Ugandan children. Three of her kids were four years old and they all just warmed my heart. The little Ugandan boy kept saying to me, "Look at me! Are you looking? My mommy and daddy's names are mommy and daddy. We are eating pizza. Are you looking? Watch me!" My heart melted and I was charmed by his smile and warmth. His older sister gently told him to speak so that I could understand him instead of speaking Ugandan. I could understand him perfectly. He was speaking out of his exuberance for life and I was right there with him.

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Maybe all of these things are connected. There might be a reason I have always wanted to adopt, always felt drawn to Africa, and now have a heart for the people of Uganda. We aren't doing anything about these connections today, but within the school year we are making a decision about the size and by what means our family will go from four to possibly eight. We are putting our faith into action and trusting God to lead us. If you see that my status update says I am flying to Africa, I'm sure you can guess what I am doing! Until then, we will continue to pray and think and dream about our bigger family, while enjoying and loving the one we already have.

Homemade Hot Chocolate

We drink the most delectable warm beverage in the fall and winter. It is a special treat in our house, meaning we don't make it that often because it is a little pricey to make, but it is so tasty! It blows those little instant hot chocolate packets out of the water and we will never go back.


Everyone in the family approves. Just look at that chocolate mustache and goatee! This is a picture of him "savoring" his drink last night.

I found the recipe in my favorite crunchy, all-natural cookbook: Nourishing Traditions. It has fabulous recipes in there, but don't be surprised if you don't recognize all of the ingredients on the pages. She pulls from a wide variety of foods we quickly disregard in our SAD (Standard American Diet) meals, but are found in the animals and plants we already consume here. The book also has a lot of nutritional and dietary information in the front of the book that is educational to teach yourself about proper nutrition. Example: butter is actually good for you! And so is cholesterol, when used from the right sources and in moderation. Anyway! If you are interested in learning more about eating in a way that is better for you, check it out.


Here is the recipe:

Milk Warmer

1 and 1/2 cups milk
2 tbs carob powder
3 tbs maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp chocolate extract

-Heat all ingredients gently over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture becomes warm. 
Do not over heat! 
Enjoy!


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27.9.11

Pen Pal Revival

I am super excited about this post! It is not as serious as a couple of my last posts have been, but it strikes at a similar heart to the video in this post: Life is too hurried

We are inner connected in many, many ways and sometimes too over-connected. I have a Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Hotmail, Gmail, Amazon, YouTube, Yahoo, Wordpress and Blogger accounts. That is a lot of online presence, but does any of this give me a sense of closeness with the people I interact with? In some ways yes, but it most ways it doesn't. It takes very little effort to jump on the laptop and shoot a quick message to someone. I can exert even less energy by simply clicking "like" on someone's photo. These activities give the impression that I am involved in their lives, but I might not even know them hardly at all. And I know it takes very little effort for my friends to do the same back to me. Mind you, I do appreciate my friends letting me know that they read my blog posts, Facebook updates and tweets with a comment and I would feel sad if I didn't receive any feedback at all.

But all of this internet connectivity does not take the place of genuine, heart-felt, honest communication. Whether that is face-to-face over coffee or chatting on the phone or working side-by-side at a soup kitchen. Something happens when you can actually look into someone's eyes and hear their voice and read between the pauses and posture to understand the depths of that person. Or at least a little peek into their soul. Isn't that the ultimate goal? To have someone know your thoughts before you even speak them?


That being said, I think we have lost the art of communication through the written letter.

There is something about opening a fresh pack of stationary, pressing the pen to the page, licking the envelope, applying the stamp and putting the envelope in the mail to a far off destination that puts a smile on my face. Maybe it is the reminder of my childhood days of pen pals and friends I had left behind as we moved states with my Dad's career. Here are pictures I took back in 1996 of my 5 pen pals from Michigan to Missori to Texas to Pennsylvania to Kenya, Africa.



I'm the blond in this picture.


Digging out these old photos reminds me that I do miss writing letters! My best friend Karen and I will still write each other the occasional letter. I love that! She lives in Maryland and I am here in Florida and despite the fact that we interact with one another online and talk on the phone, it means a lot when she takes time to jot me a quick note, throw it into an envelope, jab a stamp on it and drop it in the mail box. Writing this post makes me want to write a lot more often.

The whole inspiration for this post was because there is one man who has received letters from over 3,000 people from around the world. Why, you ask? Because he has thrown over 4,000 messages in a bottle into the ocean in hopes of getting a reply. Now there is a man who knows the value and connectivity that can be found through the written words of a stranger. (Watch a video about him by clicking here.)

(UPDATE: A friend of mine has just told me about Post Crossing. I am totally excited to try this out! It is a free site that allows you to send and receive post cards from around the world. I guess I will have the opportunity to start writing again! And I'll give you an update as I receive and send postcards around the globe.)

26.9.11

Downsizing Our Home?

We have been inspired to live simply. From reading One Thousand Gifts and The Reason for God to watching Fran's Chan sermons online, our hearts have been spurred to change. Everywhere we look, we see opportunities to help, assist, sacrifice for the good of others, but we find it hard to fit that into our middle class lives. For years we have developed a typical American life: successful careers, 2 kids, 3 bed/2 bath house with privacy fence and 2 car garage, vacations with family over the holidays, eating out once or twice a week, on and on we go. That isn't a bad thing, but for us, our comfort trumped our obedience to God.


The time has come to change.


I read this article from Thriving Family magazine just last week and I wept as my eyes took in the words. Francis Chan and his family have downgraded their home to give their extra money to those who truly need it after Francis witnessed first had the poverty and depravity in Uganda. Many have questioned this decision, wondering how this sacrifice could be beneficial for their four children, but the Chans have not wavered in their decision to live simply for the purpose of serving others. The section of the article that struck me the most was what their 14 year old daughter said about a difficult time for them when a single mother who only spoke Spanish and her four children came to live at her family's house:




 Does that not just touch your heart? I want my children to grow up and know that this is not their home. This life is only temporary, a fleeting moment, a dim reflection in the mirror. How can they learn this from me if I am digging my nails deeply trying to grip the sand of this life as it slips through my fingers? If the disappoints of this life make me yell and scream and kick my feet in protest, how do these reaction send the message that this life is temporal?


We are inspired and motivated to change.


Just the other day I said to Craig, "If we are going to have or adopt more kids, we are going to need a bigger house." Wait. Do we need another house, or would it be more comfortable to have a bigger house? Craig's gentle reminder put the perspective back where it needed to be. As Americans, we are blessed more then we can fathom. My daily complaints are over luxuries that the majority of the world has never experienced: driving, air conditioning, purchasing new things, healthy children, wardrobe options. Most of the world worries about life altering dilemmas: clean water, typhoid, child soldiers, human trafficking, poor nutrition. How shortsighted I become when I choose to ignore the daily ongoing needs of those around me and around the world. How blinded I am when I think, "I don't have the resources to help them." Don't I serve a big God? Isn't he capable of anything?


Change is the only option. 


Craig is a teacher. I am a photographer. We have 2 preschoolers, a mortgage and student loan payments. We have great reasons not to serve, not to reach out, not to give of ourselves. But that isn't an option for us anymore. As Christians, we are called to help the orphans and widows. We are commissioned to share this hope we have in Christ with others. We can no longer continue on this path of self preservation, knowing that others need us to respond. We aren't going to be as drastic as the Chan family by downsizing our home, but we are making changes. I'll write about those another time, but for now the biggest change is our outlook on life. We are truly rich in every way, and it is time that the wealthy give to the poor.


UPDATE
 After writing this post, a friend shared this project with me and I think it is a fitting addition to this post. This is a picture project of by Peter Menzel that captures families and all of their possessions. It really gives a perspective about how much we own as Americans. Take a look by clicking here.

I have written a post about one way we are going to implement these changes. Read it by clicking here

24.9.11

The Pier Aquarium // CENTRAL FLORIDA TREASURE

This was our second family day trip this month and it was a treat, despite the rain. We received free tickets to The Pier Aquarium through the Smithsonian because today was national museum day. Asher has been anxiously anticipating our trip to the aquarium for a week and we knew it would be a great time. 

We had lunch at Fresco's Waterfront Bistro, which was fun for the kids because we overlooked all of the boats. While eating, the rain began and we had to act creatively as we walked a mile or so to our destination. Everyone was a little wet, but thankfully, we all love the rain!

 The Pier was packed with families waiting to enter the aquarium. Thankfully there was ice cream, balloon making and other activities for the kids to watch while we waiting. As soon as we got off the elevator, Asher was glowing.

It was magical to watch the kids' faces light up as they saw the first tank of glorious fish. Nothing could be better then witnessing the wonder and awe at God's creation.
Of course, my children saw "Nemo" right away. They both parroted it over and over again. It was funny to hear, since they have only seen 15 minutes of the movie. They are little sponges, aren't they?
Even though the place was crowded, it almost felt like we had the place to ourselves as my children stood in absolute awe of every fish, coral reef and crab.
We were very excited about the touch and feel station that I read about online on the museum webpage, but due to the crowds, it was closed. We will just have to come back another time! Thankfully, Asher didn't remember that we told him he could touch the sea creatures.
Craig and I wish he knew a little bit more about what we were looking at. Unfortunately, we could only say, "Wow. Look at that one!"
This was a diagram of what the insides of a fish look like. Asher thought is was fascinating.
The kids really loved flipping up this flaps to see what fish were underneath.
Asher tried playing with this for a bit, but couldn't figure out the purpose and neither could I, honestly.
And to end our trip, we had a stranger take a picture of us. Yes, Alethea does have her finger up her nose. Oh well! Add that to our dilemmas, I guess!

22.9.11

Restless

The other day Alethea fell fast asleep on my chest while we were playing together. It was the strangest thing. We were laughing and giggling and then, BAM. Fast asleep. It was the sweetest moment, though and reminded me of the comfort and peace that is brought to my countenance from a sleeping baby. I miss that.


This quite moment reminds me of how I am with my heavenly father.

My children run around, never stopping, always moving. 
Hands finding toys to tussle about. 
Mouths singing and speaking in a constant flow. 
Minds discovering new things as fast as their eyes blink.

But when they get into my arms, they stop.
Calm.
Quiet.
Peaceful.

And then they are up again, remembering the toy they put down or the book they left unread, or the fact that they didn't see how fast their legs could take them from one side of living room to the other.

How often am I like that with God?
Facebook checking.
Blog writing.
Photo editing.
Making meals.
Laughing with friends.
Connecting with husband. 
Writing e-mails.
Putting in laundry.
Grocery shopping.
Attending church.


Restless.



How often do I stop and rest in His arms? 

Not nearly enough. I am up and running on to the next "important" task, forgetting that time of peace and safety and calm in the arm of my eternal father. And just like my 3 year old, when my tasks become too much for my feeble arms, I throw it down and scream, looking for the one who can make it all better. How much easier my life would be if I just rested in God all the time.

The chorus of this song sums up my thought so nicely.

Time for me to rest. 



20.9.11

Losing Weight 101


I am trying to loose weight. My daughter is almost 2 years old, and I am still holding on to my last 10 pounds of baby fat. It probably doesn't help that I cook with butter, make a baked good once a week and snack on kettle chips and ice cream several nights a week, but I think it is more then that. I think my metabolism has finally changed.

Growing up, I was always thin. I didn't have to try to be thin, I just was. With a fast metabolism, home cooked meals and an active lifestyle, I never worried about exercising or intentionally watching what I ate. It was the state I found myself in all of my days without any conscious thought on my part. (I know, some of you are throwing stones at the computer as you read this, but that was just the way God made me.) I have always been thin, until I had Alethea. I was 180+ pounds when Alethea was born. Here are a couple of pics to show you the changes I have undergone over the last couple of years.
Playing around on the set of "Oklahoma!" before a show in  2007



Performing at TWH annual award ceremony, 7 months pregnant with Asher, June 2008
With Asher on the set of "Kiss Me Kate," spring 2009
Dancing with my brother at his wedding, 1 week before Alethea was born, December 2010
Performing in "Sound of Music," March 2011











 Now, I have weight to loose and feel clueless as to how to do it! I know that you are suppose to gain weight with pregnancy, but I put on a lot of unnecessary weight having not recovered physically and emotionally from having my first child only 17 months earlier. Since then I have lost 40 pounds, but I still have more to go. It was so easy to loose weight before kids and now I feel like a stick in the mud of cellulite: stuck forever. It has become very hard for me to budge the scale even a fraction. Having that scale (and my "punishment pants" as Karen calls them) reminds me that I need to make bigger strides towards my goal: getting back to my pre-baby weight. I have accepted that parts of me will never look the same, but I do want to be back down to 130 pounds, which is a healthy weight for my height and age.


Now the questions is, how do I loose weight? I love food too much to "diet." Seriously. I LOVE FOOD!!!! I would consider myself a novice foodie, and am ALWAYS willing to eat. Give me any food and I will try it at least once. Love me some food! Also, I have a family of four to cook for and we are organic eaters. So as far as dieting goes, that rules out shakes, bars and any other dieter meal replacement things. Is my only option salads? Salads for three meals a day? I do like salad, but how do I make them amazing? Suggestions? I also have a hard time finding information about what size portions I should be consuming, beside what the FDA recommends. I have found this article, but it does not give portion sizes. How do I know how much to eat? Is the tedious task of counting calories the only solution with my salads? Dieting, how I hate thee!

On the exercise front, I am training for a marathon, run three times a week and zumba twice a week. I do love zumba because it is fun, engaging, different and burns 800 calories a class. Yep. You read that correctly. 800 calories a class! Burning all of these calories isn't helping with the weight loss though! Ughhhh. This is getting frustrating!

According to that quote I put at the top of this post, I need to convince my mind that I can do it. I guess it is time for a little will power and mind over body action. I just wish it was easier! Can I get an "amen?" Is there anyone out there that feels the same way? Am I alone is this weight loss stand off? 

I guess it is time to go make a salad for lunch...