Continuing to pray with a heavy heart for the country, the people, the workers, the families. . . .

Senye,

Ala nou kontan

se pa nou k’ap kenbe ou

men se ou k’ap kenbe nou.

Lord,

How glad we are

that we don’t hold you,

but that you hold us.

I was with my friend Clint (aka @difted aka videographer extraordinaire ) last week in El Salvador.

We first met on a trip to Haiti in 2009 with Compassion.

Clint posted a video this morning ( from that trip in 2009)

that

is

breathtaking.

it so captures the beauty of Haiti and her people. . .

Continue to pray & give to Haiti

“Remember The Times
Do You. Do You, Do You,
Do You,
Remember The Times”

So then I had to google that song and listen and watch some youtubes and 15 min later I am back!

Speaking of back. . .back to “Do you Remember” .

I started singing this to myself “Do you Remember the times. . .you used to blog keely oh oh keely oh?” I did . no lie. sang it. . .Out Loud and Proud!

Anyways I do remember and I do miss it! Both blogging and reading blogs. I opened my blog reader for the first time the other day and no lie there were 6,976 unread post in there. I marked all as “read” and was excited to see the new ones the next day and thankful I didnt have a weakness in my obsessiveness to feel the need to read through each . un . read . po . st!!

So here I am starting right back up  . . . fresh!

Since we last talked here’s a lil recap of my happenings. . .

Nashville . The flood

Thankful we did not have any damage in the flood ( We live downtown,but on a hill) however our neighborhood and many many others were badly damaged.

Here’s a quick little video from the morning of the flood in our area. . .

It has been so amazing to see the community of Nashville come together! There are people working endlessly on helping their neighbors rebuild!

It is beautiful!

A few of my Nashville Compassion Co-Workers & friends helping clean up a house!

The flood happened the first weekend in May and early that Sunday morning I had to catch a flight to El Salvador.

So after some tricky driving and back roads I made it to the flight!

It was hard to leave Nashville that morning but we had an amazing trip!

So many new friends and new stories!

ooooo AND how is zip-lining through the mountains of El Salvador for a new experience??

I changed my flight home from El Salvador to make a lil stop in The great state of Texas to visit my mom for Mothers Day!

And one of my best friends Cassie ( from Nashville) was in Houston visiting with her husband Nate AND (extra bonus) her parents from Australia!

Sooo We finally got to have our parents meet and hang. . .

The month of May flew by

and before I knew it We were on a plane headed to Texas for an amazing weekend retreat outside of San Antonio, in the hill country!

We floated in the Frio River

photo courtesy of CassieNash

We Read

We Relaxed

We Watched

We. . .

well I could go on and on but I wont today!

There is a whole post about the weekend on my “need to finish this post” list!

So that is To Be Continued!

And now we are at the end of June.

END OF JUNE.

Craziness!

The end of June is one of my favorite times of the year. . .

The 26th is our anniversary ( happy 6th this year!)

It’s also my daddy-O’s bday!

Happy 60th!!!

Thats a Big Time Bday!!

And Then . . .

The 27th is my Gabey’s bday!

Happy 35th!!!

Also a Big Time Bday!!

And now we are Caught Up!

See? that wasn’t too bad! We are all caught up! Did you stick with me?

Caught Up!

Which is also how I feel in life. . .

Caught Up!

well as caught up as you can be!

The last couple months have been so refreshing and such a great time at home with my cute huz and our fun friends!

Loving these moments!

Hope you are enjoying moments this summer!

and speaking of moments & summer & enjoying. . .

It’s crazy hot this year huh?

Phew. . .its been a while since I have written! I have had a great week 1/2 just catching up from my travels! But now I am out again. . .

I am in Texas visiting family for Easter

as a friend of mine twittered to me “Welcome home! So fitting that you should spend Easter in the promise land of Texas!”

And did I tell you. . .

It’s Antique Week in Round Top!!

One of my favorite things of the year. . .

First may I just say the wildflowers ( bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush’s) are DIVINE!!!

And question would ya’ll still be my friend if I hung a cow on my wall? My husband said “No”.

Last night was the Junk Gypsy Junk O Rama Prom O Rama. . .the biggest and best party in Round Top. Great music, Great outfits, Great Junk and more. . .

It makes me want to move back to Texas EV-ER-Y -TIME!

Off to do more antique-ing today.

Good thing these boots are comfy. . .

located right in the heart of Nairobi, the valley is about 1 mile wide x 2 miles long, and is home to over 800,000 people.

800,000

p e o p l e.

We visited Vincent’s home, and as we sat in his 8′x6′ mud room he told us the translation to a song they sang when welcoming us to the Mathare Compassion project. . .

“This world is not our HOME, Take us, Lift us up, and Bring us HOME. . .”

Here’s a look at The Mathare Valley and as you watch and hear their voices remember. . .

This world is not their HOME, Take them, Lift them up, and Bring them HOME. . .

An ATV ride along the Nile River and thru the Ugandan Bush passing crazy terrain, muds, villages, streets… you name it! And did I mention we were riding on an ATV!!

Did I mention we got DIRTY! I am talking wash your hair 3 times and it is still Red Dirty!

But let me just say. . .

It Was A BLAST!

Today is our last day in Uganda…we will be on a plane tonight….

Cant wait to share more pics and stories!

What a great trip!

I have a book given to me by friends at Compassion that is called “God is No Stranger” its a collection of prayers said by Haitians. This morning as I sat watching the news and praying for Haiti I opened this book… reading through the prayers I was reminded of how strong Haitians are and how beautiful their faith is. . .

I thought of these women I sat with last year as they sang, prayed and worshiped. . .

Senye,

Ala nou kontan

se pa nou k’ap kenbe ou

men se ou k’ap kenbe nou.

Lord,

How glad we are

that we don’t hold you,

but that you hold us.

And these sweet girls at one of our churches right in the heart of Port Au Prince. . .

Papa,

Mwen aprann ke yon moun ki fo

nan kalkil, yo rele I’ matematisyen.

Se ou ki pi gran matematisyen an

paske ou kapab konte tout moun

men ou we nou chak.

Father,

I have learned that one strong

in calculation is called a mathematician.

You are the greatest mathematician

because you can count all the people

yet still see each one of us.

Continue to Pray for Haiti and for my friend David who is still missing in the Hotel Montana. David and I have been on a few Compassion Trips together ( he is one of the amazing videographers I have the privilege to travel with).

Pray for the rescue crews at the Montana and for the protection of those trapped.

As well as the protection of Haiti and the amazing relief workers who are hard at work giving what they can during this time.

Please give to Compassion:

http://compassion.com/helphaiti

You can follow Compassions Haiti Updates here:

http://blog.compassion.com

http://twitter.com/compassion

Senye,

Mesi deske ou ban nou non Kretyen.

Kounye a, ban nou fos pou nou pote I’.

Lord,

Thank you that you have given us the name Christian.

Now, give us strength to carry it.

But alas this morning I have a little sooooo

Here are a few photos from the last couple of days. . .

My heart is so heavy for Haiti. . .I have traveled there a couple of times and my heart is hurting for the people there.

Compassion has set up a way for you to give PLEASE PLEASE visit this site to see how you can help!

Compassion Disaster Site

Also you can Text “disaster” to 90999 to give $10 to our Haiti relief efforts

wiShInG yOu A mErRy ChRiStMaS!

Have ya’ll decorated?

I tend to take photos of decorations at antique stores. . .flea markets. . .whatnot. . . you know to inspire!

Now if i could only find a feather tree with ornaments like those. ahhh.

Said amazing feather tree photo above was taken in Round Top Texas at the Antique Fair.

ooooo Maybe I will blow up the photo and put it on a tree stand.

Off to listen to Mindy Smiths Christmas Record. . .Have you listened?

Its the perfect soundtrack for your work day. . .decorating day or just tuesday.

Stop now and listen. . .you will thank me.

ohh and if you find a feather tree thats not a bagillion dollars holla.

and ohh ps: I do realize I am a wee bit behind on decorating. but I do have some things up.

and I have a beautiful christmas candle by nest that smells like a tree.

Here is a quick little video to tell you a bit more. . . .

I was reminded of what Photographer ( and creator of Help-Portrait) Jeremy Cowart said:

I love hearing the naysayers say things like ‘The last thing a homeless person needs is a picture.’ THEN I love seeing the reality. . . .

The realities I saw today:

• Four sweet girls from a local Ministry ,a ministry that provides hope and healing to young women battling issues such as: drug & alcohol addiction, depression, eating disorders, unplanned pregnancy, abuse or self harm. They sat laughing with each other as they got all glamed up with their girlfriends enjoying a break in their journey. Each struggle with self image and today I watched four beautiful girls see and feel beauty in an image.
• A joyful man, who seemed to know everyone there, shared how he ministers to other homeless men and women under the downtown bridge. He brings them to church and visits them throughout the week. He came by to see what we were up to and to “check in” on his friends. And as he held the framed portrait of he and his dog he smiled and said “Thank You”. He had never held a photo of himself.
• A man who told me the only time he had a photo taken was when he had been arrested. And he jokingly added “They dont let you keep those”  He never knew his mother and he told me about a woman at his church who has taken him in and has played such an important role in his life. And as we stood getting his photo framed he said with excitement. . . “THIS will be the perfect gift for her!”

And today, not only in Nashville but in hundreds of cities across the world there were thousands of realities. . .

As of just a moment ago the latest update came in

• 17,200+ pictures taken
• 1400+ photographers
• 2720+ volunteers

And this is with only 43% of locations reporting!!

What . A . Day!

Meals and clothes were passed out…moments and realities were captured…

Photos were Given.

Hope to see you join Help-Portrait!

Photographers, Volunteers, Make-Up Artists, Hair Stylists…see you in 2010!