Eva's first year

Happy Birthday sweet pea.....

Gobena Coffee

Ever since we went to Ethiopia in August 2007, we felt an even greater burden for the orphans there and throughout the world. Since coming home, we've been praying and thinking of ways we can give back. Coffee seemed to be the best way, because Ethiopia is the birth place of coffee, and approximately 60% of Ethiopia's employment is related to the coffee industry. It's a huge part of Colombia's culture as well.

So, we started Gobena Coffee to sell freshly roasted, Fair Trade coffee from Ethiopia, Colombia, and Guatemala.

By buying Gobena Coffee you are helping in two ways:

1. Buying fair trade coffee helps the farmers in those countries get a fair share of the revenue to help them provide for their families.

2. 100% of the net profits from Gobena Coffee will be reinvested in the lives of orphans throughout the world.

You can check it out at Gobena.org. Go to the store link to order your coffee and have it shipped to you, or just send us an email at GobenaCoffee@yahoo.com to place an order, and pick it up.

Spread the word!

Worship

This is an excerpt from Carlos's blog

I’m in verse 2 and I look to my left and am hit like a blind side pick and roll.
Swaying on the front row was a guy I later learned was named Matt.
Standing in front of him was another guy named Jefferson.
It was a moment that stands out above all else in my 11 years of leading worship.
You see Matt and Jefferson were worshipping God, together.
Literally.
Jefferson has severe cerebral palsy. He has little, if any control over his body.
Matt was standing behind Jefferson.
Holding Jefferson.
20 minutes.
Dancing with Jefferson and singing at the top of his lungs.
Jefferson was singing too. I think could hear him.
And it was the most beautiful song I have ever heard.


I’

AMAZING!!!!!!

Voice

Oh how I miss the sound of his voice.....




THE BEST

GOD LOVES YOU

For GOD so Loved the World that HE gave HIS one and ONLY SON that whosoever BELIEVETH in HIM will NOT PERISH but have EVERLASTING LIFE John 3:16

Eva

On March 3rd we re-adopted Eva....so now she has an Illinois birth certificate and her name is legally Eva Danae . We had an AWESOME case worker Jennifer..she is the one on the far right...She has been with us since Isaac was 6mon. old. We will miss you Jennifer, but hopefully we will keep in touch.

Violet

Introducing Violet Grace

The new family of three plus Eva

The proud mama

Uncle Steve holding Violet

Aunt Danae holding Violet

What a good looking bunch

Baby News

BABY NEWS!!!!!!

Nat and Gerb had a little girl Violet Grace on March 12th weighing 6lbs and 14oz and 20 1/2in. long. All are doing great. Pics will come later

I have been tagged

You've been tagged!Rules of play:Post 10 random things about yourselfChoose 5 people to tag and a reason you chose each person (can be totally nonsensical)Leave them each a comment directing them to your blog so they know they are it .You can't tag the person who tagged you (you'll have to make new friends)As a courtesy to the person who tagged you, please let them know when you have posted so they can have the sheer delight and extra work load of reading your answersPlay!!



So I have been tagged by BETH AND GARRETT so here we go.....

#1. I love MEXICAN food, it is my all time fav.

#2. I love active stuff like hiking, biking and four wheeling

#4. If I could be anything that I wanted i would like to be a UN ambassador

#5. I love being in and learning other peoples cultures

#6. My husband and i are starting up a company that sells coffee and all the proceeds go to help out orphans in some way. Stay tuned for more on that!

#7. I am a total people person. I would rather talk to you on the phone than email you any day.

#8. I would love to be able to rock out on the guitar and drums

#9. I love cosing up to the fire with good snacks and watching a movie with my husband

#10. I love meeting new people on this blog. It would be great to have a bloging reunion sometime .

I tag.....
Heather w. Because she is an Awesome cook....(great enchalada's)
Amy B. Because I think we would be good friends
Haley Because she is a Awesome photographer
Holli because she lives in England
CarlosW. Because he is Carlos

Solid Rock

As you can see we changed a few things on the blog...This picture that you see was taken on the Comassion Trip to Uganda that our friends went on. We thought that it was very fitting since we are solid rock. Anyway this picture was taken by Keely who was on that trip as well. The picture was taken at one of the Compassion International projects. Thanks Keely for letting us use the pic.

Being Real with yourselves others and God

I am big into this authenticity thing. I really think that it can make a big change in this world that we live in . I have a friend who always say's "Be true to yourself, others and God", so I am going to take that quote and run with it. I am going to be true to myself, others and God!!!! How about you? What do you think?

Here is a quote from the Velvetine rabbit:

What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?”

“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

Chop Chop

Eva's friend maya

This is Eva's friend Maya, they were in the orphanage together...anyway I don't think she likes her turkey dog.


P.S. David and Theresa its fun watching Maya grow...we need to have a reunion soon