God will provide.

As many of you know, I am returning to Uganda February 1st! God put it on my heart to purchase the ticket in faith even though I am no where near fully funded. If I'm honest, I probably would have ignored his nudging to step out in faith had He not provided the money for the ticket in such an awesome way. 

Long story short, my sweet friend Emily felt called to give to me and in a step of obedience wrote me a check for exactly the amout I lacked for a plane ticket. Oh by the way, Emily is a college student and will be working at a full time unpaid internship next semester. This is huge!! I cannot tell you what this courageous act of obedience did for my heart. I could just hear God saying, "Trust me baby girl. I did not bring you this far to leave you stranded!" 

So even though it took every ounce of faith I have, I bought my plane ticket!!! While I KNOW that God is going to provide, I also know it is going to take many more people listening to the voice of God telling them to step out in faith and give. 

I want you to know a few things... 

I know giving monthly isn't easy. I know a lot of people don't have a whole lot of wiggle room in their budgets these days. I know that if you hear "it's only one less night out a month!" one more time you will want to punch someone. 

I also know that God is a big God. God knows it isn't easy, the wiggle room is sparce, and you hate hearing that line. But he is greater than all of it. If you think you hear the voice of God asking you to give, to anyone, listen and obey. See what he will do with your courageous act of obedience! Maybe there won't be some immediate gratification. I would go as far as to say there won't be. But God will provide. And even if the only reward you ever get for your obedience comes in the form of hearing "well done good and faithful servant" when you reach heavens gates, it will be worth it! Obedience to God is always worth the cost. You can never lose when you say yes to what The Lord is asking you to do. 

My challenge for you right now:

Ask him if he is calling you to support me monthly with an honest and open heart. If he says no, leave it at that in peace. If he says yes, take that step of faith and obey! It would be a tremendous blessing to me. I can't fund myself. It is going to take The Lord working in all of you to make this happen. God will provide. Will you be a part of it? 

My sweet friend Kayla

I have amazing friends both in America and Uganda. They are always so encouraging and bless me beyond measure. Today I want to tell you about my friend Kayla.

Kayla is a rockstar! Kayla lives in Mbale, Uganda with her husband Matt and her two beautiful children Micah and Julia. Kayla is a fairly new friend, but she was a fast friend. When she realized I would be leaving for the holidays and was in need of someone to help me keep things running smoothly while I was gone, she offered her service immediately. 

I can't even begin to tell you how thankful I am for this lady!!! Before she offered to keep things going for me I was having nightmares of all the crazy things that could happen while I was gone and trying to figure out what I would do about it. God is good. He brought her to us at just the right time! 

I have been able to breathe easy and enjoy my time at home knowing that she is there to keep things going and handle anything that may come up. She has been so wonderful and I can tell from the pictures that the women love her just as much as I do! 

What a blessing. What a blessing to know that business is happening as usual. What a blessing to know that the women I love are getting to know Kayla, be blessed by her, and bless her too. What a blessing to be able to know what is going on! What a blessing to have such a wonderful friend. 

God is good friends! 

A few thoughts (aka a rant) on Happily Ever After

I read something online today and it got me thinking about the term "happily ever after." 

We have all heard it, and possibly even fallen for it.

She met the perfect man and lived happily ever after...

He got the perfect job/promotion and lived happily ever after...

They finally got pregnant and lived happily ever after...

The adoption was finalized and they lived happily ever after...

They bought a huge home, nice car, sweet boat, (fill in the blank) and lived happily ever after...

You get the idea. And most likely, you relate to one of those statements. But if you're human, which I'm hoping you are, you're probably wondering what happened to happily ever after. 

I've fallen for it. I tend to fall into the category of waiting for my happily ever after. IF I could just (fill in the blank) I would live happily ever after. But there are a couple happily ever afters I seem to have misplaced. 

I would like to tell you a little bit about one of my misplaced happily ever afters...

I first went to Uganda in 2011. Honestly, I had zero expectations of ever wanting to go back, let alone live there before I went the first time. It was just going to be a neat experience and a check off of a bucket list. Then God moved. Big time. Long story short, a year and a half later I found myself at a board meeting asking permission to work for ichooseyou in Uganda for at least 6 months. They agreed! By the grace of God I was going. THIS was going to be my happily ever after. Ha...

This is what happily ever after really looks like:

Cold feet. About a month or so before I was supposed to leave for Uganda I started getting cold feet. I would worry about being homesick, not making any friends, not knowing what to do, how to get around town, how to communicate, etc. I was one big worry. It wasn't my proudest moment. 

Homesickness and literall sickness. For the first month or so in Uganda I was unbelievably homesick. Looking back, I wasn't willing to loosen my grip on my fears enough to let God take them away. So instead I was just miserable and feeling like I had made a huge mistake. Thank God for his sweet mercy and grace in the form of Malaria when my homesickness was at its worst! I know that sounds crazy. It sort of is. Don't get me wrong, malaria is awful, but I did it! I survived my first battle with malaria. And in the midst of it all, God have me the sweet gift of friendship. I realized through my physical illness that I had a lot of people around me that were trying to be my friends. A couple people in particular helped to turn things around for me. One of my Ugandan friends was constantly encouraging me to go to The Lord when I felt bad. A couple sweet Mzungu girls were reaching out to me and inviting me in. (One of them literally invited me into her home. Now she can't get rid of me! Haha) I don't know what I would have done without those friends! 

Inadequacy. I hope I'm not the only one that struggles with this, but there it is. I said it. I fall short in every area of life you could imagine. 

Language learning. Why is it so hard?!?! Where do I even start?!! Do I have to?

Starting a business. Haha. Enough said?

Learning to communicate in a new culture without offending people every other second. Who knew it would be so easy to offend people?!

Maintaining relationships back home. I'm awful at this. It is a miracle that my friends and family still talk to me and love me. Thank you. 

I think you get the picture again. I fall short. Every time.

Then there are the day to day things...

Falling off the boda boda on my first attempt at sitting side saddle. (Go ahead, laugh. I do too now.)

Getting peed on in church.

Getting peed on in namatala.

Eating rice and one small piece of meat every night for 6 weeks. 

Cleaning wounds every day. So. Many. Wounds.

Learning appropriate boda prices and realizing I've been cheated in the process.

Malnutrition everywhere and not enough money to help everyone. 

Finding poop on your bedroom floor because your baby girl is too thin to keep a diaper up.

Having to clean up poop at the local hotel because your baby girl had a bit of a poop explosion by the pool.

Power outtages. Every day.

One very long power outtage and 4 kerosene lamps that don't work. 

Rain, rain, and more rain.

Having to leave your babies.

Again, you get the idea. 

Happily ever after is a very wonderful thought, but highly unrealistic. 

Crazily ever after with a whole lot of fun and happy and unfortunately a little bit of sad in between might be a little more realistic. I think we tell the happily ever after stories as a way of maintaining hope. The problem is that it is false hope. 

What we should really be doing is telling stories to maintain true hope. Hope in Jesus. Hope for eternity! 

What if we were honest about it? Sure, I'm going to live happily ever after. When I reach heavens gates! Until then, I will live my own special version of ever after that is quite a bit more messy than the fairy tales. It will be worth it. And I will be grateful for what I'm given and hold onto the hope of heaven when things get hard. 

My point?

Encourage eternal hope in someone today. Fill you children's minds with hope that lasts instead of unrealistic expectations of happily ever after. Live out your own hope for eternity when your happily ever after seems to be misplaced. 

Thanks for reading. If you made not all the way to here you are a champ. Rant over. 

The same grace...

I know that Jesus died on the cross for everyone.

I know that passage in the bible that says it is the sick who need a doctor not the healthy. Yet somehow I manage to continue to categorize sins subconsciously.

I don't think I'm alone in this. You know, that line we all draw for ourselves where we decide, "That. That sin is the one that pushes a person out of the reach of God's grace." For some its divorce, for others murder. For some infidelity, for others abuse. For some it's sexual impurity, for others it's addiction. We have all drawn that invisible line at some point or another. But the line is a lie. The truth is that we can never out-sin God's grace.

This whole thought process got shoved in my face during worship tonight. For the past week I have held anger and bitterness towards Ana's parents for allowing the situation to get to the point it is at. I have thought to myself, "who does that? Who allows their children to go through things like that? Who neglects their kids like that?" etc. Tonight it hit me...

We were singing something, I cant even remember what it was, and all the sudden it was as if Jesus himself were speaking saying "I died for them too!" It's such a basic concept of our faith and yet it hit me like a ton of bricks. Jesus died for Chede and Ana's parents too. It doesn't matter how many horrible things they have done, He CAN redeem them and draw them into His love and a life of freedom. Then something else got me...

My job as a Christian is not to fix them, or teach them better parenting skills. My job is to show them Jesus. The best thing I could ever do for my sweet baby girls is to show them and their parents who Jesus is and the life of love and freedom they could have in Him.

Am I doing that? Or am I judging them in anger? I want to display Christ's love for them. I want to tell them about Jesus so that they can first be set free in Him and learn to grow in Him and live and love like him. The grace God has for me is the same grace he has for them. There is nothing out of the reach of His grace. My sins are just as disgusting and filthy as theirs. I'm deceiving myself if I think any different. Praise God for his grace! The same grace...

When Oceans Rise

"Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed, and You won't start now

I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours, and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior"

(Oceans by Hillsong United)

"When oceans rise"... 

I was sitting at a stop light today listening to this song and thought to myself, "what is my ocean rising?" I think if someone asked me this 6 months - a year ago I would have said that my ocean rising was fear of the unknown and this huge leap of faith I was about to take by going to Uganda. 

My ocean has changed. 

In this very moment my ocean rising is a skin infection of my sweet baby girl that I can do nothing about. It's a fear that I left her when she was the most vulnerable and now when she "needs me" I can't be there. It's a realization that I actually have to be able to stand on what I believe in order to survive this. It's a fear that I won't make it...

I guess my ocean really hasn't changed that much. It's still fear. 

Praise God that His grace abounds in deepest water. Praise him for holding me in His embrace when oceans are rising. Praise Him.

"This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the Lord ? And who is a rock, except our God?— the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless."

(Psalm 18:30-32 ESV)

This Saturday!

This Saturday I Choose You will be hosting our annual benefit. This is our biggest event of the year. It's where we tell you exactly what we do, why we do it, and how you can help. If you have ever wondered about I Choose You or felt the need to get involved, this is the best place to get started. 

Now I won't lie, this is a benefit. Some might call it a "fundraiser." I am aware that times aren't the greatest and money is always a touchy subject, but the event is free! The only cost you would incur aside from a donation IF you so choose to do so, is $5 per plate for a Ugandan meal. But the meal is optional! So in theory you could come and not spend a penny. 

Let's get down to what I'm asking for. I'm asking for your time. I'm asking for you to come with open ears and an open heart. I'm asking for you to pray about whether or not God wants you to be involved with I Choose You and if so, what that involvement is. I'm asking you to tell your friends and bring them with you! 

I'm not asking for you to donate half of your paycheck. I'm just asking for you to come and be open to what you hear and to giving if you are able and feel called to do so. 

I would absolutely LOVE to see all of you there Saturday. It would mean the world to me and really show me that you care about me. 

The benefit is from 5-7pm at Cypress Creek Church in Wimberley, Texas. 

The address is:

211 Stillwater 

Wimberley, TX 78676

If you have prior engagements but would like to learn more about us, sponsor a child, or give a one time donation you can visit our website:

www.ichooseyou.org 

On a much lighter note... TIA!!

 

 

What? You've never seen 20 chickens tied to the back of a motorcycle?!

 

The boda umbrella is a fantastic invention!

 

 No clothes, but he made sure to have his red rain boots on!

 

Playing in Karamoja!

 

Yes, this is a bridge in need of a bridge. Yes, we did drive over it.

 

 

New do! Get it girl.

 

Priceless.

He loves her more than I do

It's true.

He loves her infinitely more than I do.

Christ's love for my precious baby is higher, wider, deeper, and stronger than any love she will ever receive from anyone else, including me.

When I'm filled with sorrow from watching her suffer through this skin infection she has had for months, I can be assured that He sees and he is grieved by it even more than I am.

When I am saddened by her situation at home I can trust that He sees, He knows, and He is saddened by it even more than I am.

When I have to say goodbye and feel like I cannot do it, I will remember that Jesus loves her infinitely more than I do and that He holds her life in His hands.

I will remember that there is no safer place for her to be and I will hold my hands open and release her willingly.

She was never mine to hold. She has always been His, and He has graciously allowed me to be a part of her life. I will say thank you and pray without ceasing that he comforts, heals, protects, and holds her all the days of her life. I will pray that those days are many and that I am allowed to continue to be a part of them.

I will trust Him.

He loves her more than I do.



" Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 Romans 8:35-39 ESV

A few things I want you to know...

I'm coming home in a little less than two weeks! I have been thinking a lot about what it will be like and praying for God to give me a smooth transition back into American life. I have realized in all of this thinking and praying that there is something I want everyone to know before I come home...

I have changed.

It's true. I've changed. I don't think its a bad thing, but it is worth mentioning. I may sound funny at first (oh Ugandan accents haha.) I may be overwhelmed at first. I may cry a lot, or I may not cry at all. I may talk about Uganda way too much, or I may not want to talk about it at all. Certain things will frustrate me and certain things will bring me great comfort and joy. I hope to handle the transition with grace but if I don't, I'm sorry. Thank you for understanding! Thank you for loving me anyways. 

Of course there is something else I want you to know too...

I am still the same.

This is also true! I am still me. I still love you! I have missed my family and friends every day that I've been gone. My longing for Uganda has NOTHING to do with my love or a lack thereof for you. I love you just the same or maybe even more than before I left. I greatly appreciate your love and support for me, and I am humbled at the thought of your continued love and support for me along this journey. Thank you! 

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:3-6 NIV)

The rundown in pictures

A friend of mine recently inspired me with her blog post. I have been so busy these days and have neglected my blog. Instead of trying to catch up I think I will steal her idea and just post pictures for you! Hope you enjoy!

 

The moms and I had a blast getting dressed up and taking pictures. I absolutely love these women!

 

As some of you may know, I have been taking care of this precious baby girl. Ana is 2 (or 2 1/2) and weighed only 14 lbs. She is growing slowly, but the biggest change I have seen is in her demeanor.

 

She smiles now! And she plays, laughs, runs, jumps, and is trying to speak in English. I am seriously going to miss my baby girl.

 

 

And her big sister! Love my beautiful girls SO much.

 

 

We had a wonderful day at the pool with our sweet friends Flower, and Esther. Thanks Flower and Esther for playing with us all day! We had a blast!

 

 

Swinging is universal fun!

 

 

I've had way too much fun with the ICY kids. Especially during their holiday!

 

These girls are great friends and they are always coming to visit me! We have TONS of fun.

 

My favorite little man visits me often as well! Bless him for letting me hug and kiss him :-) Guess that's just what mama's do! (I have become "Mama Teko" because my dad and I sponsor him.)

 

I am amazed at what God has done in this sweet girls life. The change in her is miraculous, and the change in her mother is encouraging beyond words. Thank you Jesus!

 

 

My lovely friend Kyle came to visit me!!! She was such a blessing to me and the moms, and loved our ICY kids so well. I couldn't have asked for more!

 

 

Kyle was here during the busiest week of my entire trip, but she was a rock star and helped out in so many ways. She also took on the daunting task of keeping me sane!

 

Medina hard at work!

 

 

Peace showing off her beautiful smile and our beads!

 

Jaja Faizo is such a sweet woman. I have so many new mama's and Jaja's (grandmothers) now!

 

Jennifer. What can I say? We couldn't function without her. Love this woman!

 

I have been having a blast working with 25 incredible women. We learn so much from each other and I am so blessed by them. Thank you Jesus!

Finally an Update!

Where to begin?! I guess with an apology. I know I haven't been the greatest at posting blog updates and I'm truly sorry. Life happens, even here in Uganda, and I always seem to be busy with other things. So with that I will also warn you that this post may be all over the road. I'm going to attempt to cover a lot of what has been going on but it may not be as cohesive as I would like. In fact, I think I'll just use headings and try to at least keep it somewhat organized that way.

IChooseYou-

The children are on Holiday! I really hate to rub this in but... I get to see the kids EVERY DAY! It's amazing! Let me tell you, it literally fills my heart with joy to see their beautiful faces every day. There is a pretty specific group of children that come to the "club" every day. (The ones that haven't gotten too old and too cool for coming to see me.) We play and laugh and I give out hundreds of hugs and thousands of kisses. They greet me in the morning with hugs and a sweet request to "assist me the game!" The game, Temple Run, is definitely cooler than I am. That is until they realize that Temple Run can't take them to the supermarket! Oh, the supermarket... Let me try to accurately describe our trips to the supermarket. It usually begins with me taking the game away and then announcing as quietly as I can that we are going to the supermarket. I say it quietly because I absolutely LOVE to see their faces as each of them register what I've just said. Once they do, it is sheer chaos. A group of usually about 15-20 kids and I then start walking down the road to Paradise. They take turns running in front and behind, fighting over my hands, asking me questions, singing and teasing each other. People stare. Oh my do they stare. And the children love the stares! They giggle, hold their heads high and grip my hand a little tighter as we walk past people that stare. Sometimes people make comments in Luganda or another language I don't understand, and I have a chorus of little voices translating for me. eventually we arrive at the supermarket in Paradise. The first couple times we went the man working the counter tried to chase the kids away before he realized they were with me! Now he knows, I'm the crazy mzungu that brings all of her children in for sweets sometimes. Usually before we get to the supermarket we discuss the price range of what they are allowed to get. Once we enter they start the search and the man working helps them decide on what they are getting. Then he counts them as they walk out so that I can pay. while I pay they wait, whisper, compare (even though they almost always get the same thing) and smile from ear to ear. then once I come out they playfully argue over who is going to carry the bag and my purse etc. we make the march back up to the club and when we get back they run wild showing their moms and playing and eating whatever it is that they got that day. The supermarket is fun because they get sweets, but it is so much more than that. The supermarket is a time when the children get to be children. They get to know, and I mean really know, that I love them because Jesus loves them. The supermarket trips provide a time when they get to ask me questions and tell me about themselves without distractions. It reinforces our little family a little more each time. I know they like the sweets, what child wouldn't, but I also know that the sweets would mean nothing without the trip to get them. I am seriously loving this time!

Amina-

I have the best job in the whole world! Being at the club with the Amina moms is too much fun. I can hardly call it work. A couple weeks ago one of my best friends from home came to visit me. The moms had been waiting for this week since we first began working on the new products for Amina. We were working overtime trying to get everything ready for Kyle to take back home with her. It was crazy! I don't know what I would have done without Kyle there. I needed about 5 of me and she made up for at least two or 3 of that. As life would have it I got sick with a bacterial infection in my stomach about half way through the week. God works all things for the good of those that love him and trust him. It was a blessing in disguise for me to get sick and have to back down. When I backed down the moms stepped up and I got to watch them shine! They had beautiful ideas for designs. They managed themselves wonderfully, only really needing me a few times for little things or questions. They worked together as a team, more like a family, to get everything done. God is good. Kyle, like I mentioned before, was a life saver! She organized the club and made sure everyone had what they needed to work efficiently. She took care of me and graciously put up with my crazy. Trust me, there was crazy, and it wasn't pretty. By the time the week was over we packed almost two full suitcases to send back with Kyle to America. There are tons of new designs in jewelry, bags, scarves, etc. so keep your eyes open for the new and improved Amina products! Have I mentioned that I love my job? Thank you Jesus. You are too good to me.

Hope-

Baby Hope is still in the nutrition center. For those of you that don't know the story I'll try to give the short sweet version. One day one of my Amina moms pulled me aside and told me she had a friend staying with her that has a sick baby and asked me to just come look. I was reluctant because I had committed to taking care of Ana already and there was another baby that lives near her that I was trying to help. Hilda asked me again and then when I hesitated took advantage of the moment and grabbed my hand and lead me inside. Wise woman. This poor baby girl was sick. She was clearly severely malnourished and not well. As I held her praying about what to do I had the thought to ask what her name was. When Hilda told me her name was Hope it was as if the Lord said to me directly, "There is still hope! Stop for this one." So I called a mzungu friend that has more medical knowledge than I do and he came. My Ugandan friend Paul came inside with the mzungu friend I had called and as we looked at her my mzungu friend confirmed what I pretty much already knew, this was bad and the best plan of action was to take her to the main hospital and get her in the nutrition center. As we told Hilda and she told the mom the mom kept saying no. She was scared and didn't understand exactly how sick her baby girl really was. Thankfully Paul was there and he gently but firmly told her that her child was much more sick than she realized and if she didn't take her in, it was only going to get worse. Finally with tears in her eyes the mom agreed and we immediately packed up and took Hope to the hospital. Now she is in the nutrition center and is improving by the day. Hope is no where near healthy and normal for a three year old, but she has almost improved enough to be released. She was going to be released this week but she and her mom both got malaria and that set her back a bit. Hopefully it wont be too much longer. Please pray that the mom would be able to provide Hope with the types of foods that will keep her on the path to becoming a normal, healthy little girl. If not, I'm afraid Hope will end up back in the same situation as before and may not make it.

Ana-

Ana is growing and changing by the day! She is still entirely too small for her age but she is eating and she has really started playing and interacting more like a normal two year old. She has even started trying to talk more! Chede gets jealous at times but she is beginning to realize that Ana was sick and she needed help to get better. The biggest change I have seen in her is how alert she has become. She doesn't seem as groggy or like she is in pain anymore. She is alert, active and happy! Keep praying for her as she still has a long road ahead of her. Pray for me too! Leaving in 8 weeks is going to rip my heart apart. I need prayer for extra trust as I leave her in two months. It is going to take every ounce of trust and faith that I have to place both Ana and Chede in the Lords hands and trust Him to take care of them as I walk away for a season.

Teko Brian-

My sweet baby boy has been sick for a long time. Finally I decided enough was enough and I took him to the doctor that I go to. Turns out he had malaria and typhoid and they wanted to keep him for a drip and for treatments. He was scared and had a bit of a traumatic experience with the IV and it nearly broke my heart. Finally things settled and his sister arrived. She told me that his Jaja had just left to go be with his mother in the village because she is very sick and took a turn for the worse. Pray for Teko Brian and his family please. Nine years old is too young to lose your mom. Pray for complete healing for her and that she would be able to be with her children again.

My Future Plans-

Pray for me please! I will be needing to make some tough decisions about my future soon and no matter what I choose it is going to be bittersweet and hard. I have come to the realization that my heart will always be in two places. I am depending on the Lord to lead me to his will and take care of the rest. As of now I'm still not sure what the future holds. I would really appreciate prayers for guidance and a peace that passes understanding when I come to a decision. Thank you!


I think that covers most of what has been going on around here lately. It has been a busy but joy filled season and I couldn't be more thankful for this time!

Being a pseudo mom

These days I'm a pseudo mom. My room is full of baby things and I carry sippy cups, rattles and diapers around in my purse. I know she isn't mine to keep. I still take her home to her parents every night. But during the days I'm her mom. Ana is a beautiful 2 year old girl that is much too small. She fits into size 3 diapers and 3-6 month onesies. Her parents are unable to care for her and her sister Chede, so they asked a friend to take them and care for them. This friend is wonderful and an amazing mother but also has a lot of children of her own and isn't able to give Ana the type of care she will need to grow and develop into a strong 2 year old. So we all decided that they would bring Ana to me in the mornings and I would keep her during the day and make sure she is eating well and work on a few other things that 2 year olds should do but she isn't. I could write about this all day but I'll spare you. Instead, here a just a few things I've learned and want to share:

1.) God's grace is sufficient! Oh how this is becoming real to me. There are days when I don't feel like I can face what she needs from me. Days when I feel completely inadequate. But God's grace is sufficient and He always gives me His strength to continue to love and care for Ana.

2.) I have the best mother in the whole world! I would never have even known where to begin caring for Ana if it weren't for my mother. Thank you mommy!

3.) There is no way to love and care for this baby girl fully while trying to hold back my heart. I know that she has parents who love her and long to be able to care for her. I know she isn't mine. I know I'm leaving in a little over 2 months. But I also know that she deserves all of me, even if it is going to hurt a lot more to say goodbye. 

Please continue to pray for Ana and the countless other children that need extra care and nutrition. Pray for me also that The Lord would guide me and that I would have the strength to continue to give her all of me and trust that she is in the lords hands when it is time to walk away. Thank you! 

She Calls Me Mama...and other good gifts I may never get over

I took Chede swimming at Mount Elgon hotel last weekend. It was amazing. She was terrified of the water but loved being in it as long as she was in my arms. She eventually loosened her grip around my neck and splashed around some. She even let me teach her how to swim for a while! We ordered pizza (which she did NOT like) and chips, aka french fries. She ate an entire plate of chips by herself and loved every minute of it!
We were walking to the pool chairs after getting sodas and I wasn't holding her hand because I had the drinks. My friend Paul had come with us to help me translate since she doesn't speak English very well. Paul loves to Tease Chede, and I don't remember exactly what he was doing but he was teasing her somehow and that's when she said it. She called me mama. Now she and I both know I am not her mom. She has a mom that loves her very much and tries to care for her as best as she can. I don't know why she decided to call me mama for the first time right then but it startled all of us a bit. I brushed it off thinking maybe she just didn't know what else to say (she has a hard time remembering my name) and didn't want to just call me Mzungu in front of everyone at the pool. The day went on and I took her home. I saw her in church the next day but she slept through the whole thing. She cried when I left her at the end of church, which is something she hasn't done in a long time. We both left and I didn't see her again until this Sunday.
Yesterday at church I held her as usual and she slept through most of church, as usual. When she woke up she started acting a little strange. She wouldn't let me put her down, she had to be touching me at all times, and she would be awake for a few minutes and then fall asleep for a few minutes. When the food was served we had to sneak through the line before everyone else and go into the church where the mzungu food was being served because she wouldn't let me walk away from her. I went and found the jaja that lives next door to her, and she told me that Chede was sick and they thought she had malaria. That explained the neediness so I let it slide and kept her with me while I had lunch in the church. Finally, it was time to go. I took her outside to the jaja and when I put her down the waterworks began. I'm not talking about just a few tears either. Chede was sobbing and saying, "mama, mama..." and reaching for me. Everyone around was laughing and teasing me saying she wanted me and I was her mama, but it was breaking my heart. If anything ever happened to her parents I would be her mama in a heart beat, but she has parents and I am not her mom. I know she knows I'm not her mom and I know that she would be devastated without her real mom but it carves a small hole in my heart every time I hear her say it.
I love my baby girl more than I thought would ever be possible. I am honored that she loves and trusts me enough to call me mama! I hope she knows that no matter where I am physically I am always loving her, missing her and thinking about her. I hope she knows that my heart lights up every time she calls me that, or shows that she loves and trusts me in the things she does. Mostly, I hope she knows that I am so proud to be her second mama. She is my first baby girl and I will love her forever! There are some gifts God gives us that we will never get over.

Since we are on the subject of having children, there is something you all need to know. I now have 50 of them. That's right, I now have 50 children. Ok, I don't actually have 50 children, but there are 50 kids in ICY and I will claim each and every one of them! Sometimes I will be on a boda in town and see a group of my kids. They yell and wave at me and the boda will say "Are those your kids?" and I just smile and reply, "Yes they are!" One day I was on my way home and had to ask the boda to stop so that I could break up a fight between some of my kids. Rocks in the hands of 10 year old boys that like to tease girls is a bad combo. Especially when the girls they chose to tease don't mess around! Today I was on a boda on my way to the homework club when I came across a group of my girls walking. I had the boda drop me there and walked with them all the way to mama's house where we do homework. Along the way they were fighting over the spots next to me and holding my hands while each giving their own version of what happened last week when I didn't show up at the homework club (because I was moving) and jaja (different jaja, the maid at mama's house) told them I had gone back to America. They each gave their own dramatic rendition of what Jaja said and how they reacted. I was in heaven. I felt so loved by my girls and I took joy in loving them right back. We did homework and played and took hundreds of pictures and loved on each other all afternoon. Just when I thought there couldn't be any more love in my heart, my boys showed up. Of course getting love from 10 year old boys is much different than getting love from 10 year old girls. They asked for "the game" and played on it for a long while. (Temple run. It's universal.) I was inside talking to a new mzungu friend that is staying at mama's house when my son came in. Teko Brian is sweet and shy. He hardly ever initiates conversation with me so you can imagine my surprise when he lets himself inside Julie's room and announces in a loud voice, "I'm sick." He walked straight to me and sat down and rested up against me. He was burning up and coughing through his words but he was telling me what was wrong and he was letting me mother him and love on him. This is a big deal. A really big deal. I gave him some fever reducer and told him that I would be at school in the morning to take him to the doctor. (This fever and cough have been going on too long. I am going to take him myself this time and probably annoy the heck out of the doctor but at least I will hear straight from his mouth what is going on.) I told him I loved him and I was sorry that he was sick, and that I was going to make sure he got better because that is what mamas do! He sat there for a while and just rested against me and let me hold him for a few minutes. He didn't even care that his friends Ausman and Peter were watching him. Thankfully they didn't tease him, and he didn't move. There are some gifts God gives us that we will never get over! Thank you Jesus for that priceless gift! How I pray he knows I love him and feels as loved from me as I did from him today. How I pray even more that he knows that his Heavenly father's love far outweighs any love I could ever give him.

I could sit here all night writing to you about the different gifts that the Lord has given me since I have been here that I will never get over. There comes a point, or many points, in your life where you realize that God's good gifts are not dependent on your good works, God's love isn't shaken by your sin, and God's faithfulness remains the same even when we are completely faithless. The lord has to continuously remind me of these truths. I'm not sure I will every fully understand them or learn them, but I know that he isn't ever going to stop teaching me. It is a humbling experience to feel the complete weight of your inadequacy and literally watch the complete strength and sufficiency of the Lord and his grace in that. I'm not sure I have ever experienced this more than I have in the past few weeks here. Honestly, there are some gifts God gives us that we will never get over. Praise Him!

Gomas

Last week was full of new experiences. The Gomas was my favorite. I asked all the moms to come wearing Gomas on Wednesday so that we could take pictures and have a fun day. Gomas is the traditional dress around here. There is something regal about a Gomas. It is beautiful! I'm sure you can imagine how happy I was to find that one of the Jajas had brought a Gomas for me!!! 

They helped me put it on and made me look very smart!!! Everyone yelled and clapped and danced for me in my Gomas. It was such a sweet experience. Then we took pictures all afternoon. Oh my. There is just no way to describe how much fun we had! The moms LOVED having their pictures taken. They loved seeing each other having their pictures taken. They loved everything about it! I loved it more. I could have jumped right out of my skin from all of the excitement! I got to take a few of the moms to Mt. Elgon hotel and we took some more pictures and just enjoyed being together. Some friends had ordered too much pizza and they shared it with us so the moms got to try pizza for the first time! At one point in the day Medina grabbed my arm and Grace's arm (because she knows English) and started talking really fast. When she was done Grace translated, "She said this is her first time here, it is my first time too. She said she has never seen a swimming pool, I have not either. She is very happy you brought us here. We all are very happy you brought us here! Thank you!"

I could have died. It was so sweet and they were so happy. The day was perfect. :-) 

New experiences

As many of you know, we had a minor earthquake last night! It wasn't even strong enough to knock anything over so it was kind of fun! We were having evening prayers and the couch started shaking. At first I thought the kid sitting next to me was shaking the couch, then I realized the whole house was shaking. Mama Aidah stopped singing, said "earthquake!" and started singing again as if it were completely normal! That was definitely a new experience. 

Yesterday I was asked if I wanted to help kill the chicken. I said no. I sort of regret saying no, but sort of don't. (<--That one was free.)

Today it rained. I know I'm from Texas but rain isn't THAT foreign to me. What was foreign was the fact that you could see and hear the rain coming toward you. People were terrified and running away from it. It was hilarious! I wish I had a video. It was literally a wall of rain that was white and LOUD. At first I thought the people were overreacting a bit, but then it got closer and I joined the crowd running for cover. It was insane. I literally had JUST made it home when it reached me. It poured so hard you couldn't see anything but rain and the lake it was forming in the courtyard. It was crazy. 

Well, those are my new experiences lately. Hope you are as entertained as I was! 

He held my hand...

He held my hand and everyone cried. It was the right thing to do for him, but we had to leave 4 other children alone in a home with no parents, not even an adult. The oldest is 13 and the youngest is 7. As we drove away we all were hating ourselves for just walking away, but we didn't have another option. 

His father died before we met him and his mother died last month. When he went home for the burial he never came back. He didn't want to leave his siblings alone and I don't blame him. He also doesn't have a very good living environment here and was afraid of coming back. After talking with relatives and family friends we all decided that bringing him back was best, but it wasn't easy. We weren't aware of how many children were there living alone. Or that they were honestly living completely alone. Sometimes a friend of their mother comes to check on them, but she has her own family and can't be there all the time. 

So yesterday we drove away from 4 children under the age of 13 living completely alone to bring their brother to a place that offers education and a future but for the moment, an unstable living environment. He held my hand and we cried. He tried not to cry in front of us, but he was hurting. Eventually I got him to talk to me a little. We stopped and got cokes and snacks and I let him listen to my music with me. But when we reached his village here, he tensed up and held my hand as tight as he could. I knew he didn't want to go back. I knew I would do everything I could to move him somewhere safe and comfortable, but he had to go. Every turn we made he gripped my hand a little tighter until finally the van stopped. He looked at me in hesitation and then got out and said goodbye. I don't know what will happen to those sweet children but I do know that God is good and that he will make a way. Pray with me for these kids please. They need a home. 

Two Homes And One Eternity

It turns out that my heart really is in two places. So now I have two homes here on earth, unfortunately I can only be in one at a time. One home is in Texas with my American friends and family, and one is here in Mbale, Uganda with my Ugandan friends and family. I don't know if you have ever experienced this feeling, but having two homes so far from each other is wonderful and miserable all at the same time. Sometimes I have to stop and praise The Lord for the life He is allowing me to live, and other times I cry out asking "why me?!" I don't understand why The Lord has entrusted me with this burden-blessing but He has. I don't feel worthy of the blessing or strong enough to carry the burden. The only thing I do know is that no matter where my home is here on earth there is one eternity. In eternity I won't be torn between two homes like I am now. In eternity I will be with my savior and all of this will be so worth it! 

Please pray with me for peace about what home is, but I'm also asking you to pray with me for the people that I encounter that don't have the assurance of a home in eternity with Jesus. I would be completely lost and hopeless without Him. I can't imagine living this life without the hope of the next one with The God that loves me enough to take on my sin and die on a cross for me. I have made some new friends here that don't yet know our Father's love, and my heart is breaking for them. Pray with me that my new friends that don't know The Lord would come to know him, trust him, and love him.

Thank you!

I got my eyebrows threaded today!

I did it. I was a little nervous, but I did it. I got my eyebrows threaded today! A new friend of mine told me she goes to a sweet Indian woman that lives near me and I decided to give it a try. My eyebrows look great! Finding her was interesting but once I did it was a great experience. I'll definitely be going back! 

Please forgive me for taking so long to write a blog post. I've been overwhelmed and honestly I just didn't know where to start! The team left a few weeks ago and I've been here on my own getting used to every day life in Uganda. Last week I took my first day off (not counting sick days) since I've been here! That was much needed. I met up with some new friends and we went to the pool at Mt. Elgon hotel. The next day after church they invited me over to play games and talk. I was so thankful for that blessing from The Lord!!! He knew I needed to make friends and he brought them to me at just the right time. 

My first week and a half on my own were a little strange. I was having a hard time organizing people and schedules so I wasn't quite doing what I thought I had come here to do. I had to fight to keep from getting discouraged about that but The Lord is faithful and he brought so much good from those weeks. As I'm sure most of you know by now I got malaria at the end of my second week on my own. I am so thankful for the doctor that stayed late to see me and for the people that took care of me. I am 100% better now! This week has been a great week. I am finally starting to feel at home here in Uganda and I have started doing the work that I came here to do! Working with the sewing club moms has been an amazing experience so far and I am so very excited to see what The Lord has for us in this new season. Tutoring the children has been challenging but so sweet. When they come, we have a blast and they enjoy receiving help and love. Now if I could just get them to start coming consistently! 

Teko Brian is number one in his class, so he doesn't get to come to the homework club. It makes me so sad to have to turn kids away but I would have 50 children in my room every evening if I didn't! It sure is bittersweet. I am so proud of my baby boy for working so hard to be excellent in his studies! (He would be so mad if he knew I just called him that! Haha sorry Brian. Like my mama always says to me, you will always be my baby!) 

Chede is cute and sweet as ever. She goes to school! She is in the baby class at Child of Hope Primary School. Her little personality is hilarious. She has learned to say a few adorable things in English and she has learned what to do when I say "give me a kiss!" Or "can I have a kiss?!" It's ADORABLE. The other day I was with her waiting for our little burn patient to arrive so I could check on her. I started singing "You Are My Sunshine" and about the third time through she started trying to sing along with me! She sure knows how to tug at my heart strings :-). 

I can't make any promises but I am really going to try to be better about posting blogs. I know a lot of you have been asking! Please continue praying with me that The Lord would bless and guide my time here in Uganda. I am comforted every time I think about my family and friends covering me in prayer all the way from home. Thank you! 

More soon,

Callie

The Peace of God Passes All Understanding

I had a very hard time leaving home as many of you know. I am so blessed by all of my friends and family that love me so well that saying goodbye was NOT easy. To be honest the first few days here were just as difficult if not worse. There were a couple moments when I wasn't sure what I was doing here or if I was even needed. Praise God that He is faithful and He never leaves us alone. I know that many of you at home are praying for me constantly and I am so thankful for that. My prayer for myself has been that God would reignite a passion in my heart for his work here and that I would be able to see purpose in my being here. 

Praise God for his faithfulness! Over the past week I have been shown many glimpses of his purposes for me here and I am being filled with new passion for what The Lord is doing here through ichooseyou ministries. The peace of God really does pass all understanding. 

At some point I hope to fill you in on what we have been doing everyday but for now I just have one special day to tell you about. 

Yesterday we loaded all of the IChooseYou children onto a bus and we took them to the zoo! The zoo is about 5 hours from Mbale. (6.5 with a bus full of kids that need to go potty!) When we got to Entebbe we went to eat lunch on the beach (which is really lake Victoria) and everyone got chicken and chips (which are really french fries!) The kids LOVED it. After we were done eating the kids got to go look at the beach but they weren't allowed to get in. (Apparently we had to be dry to go to the zoo!) We took group pictures at the beach with all of our IChooseYou children and then we got back on the bus to go to the zoo. When we got to the zoo the children were completely silent! They had been told by mama Aidah that we wouldn't be allowed in the zoo if they were loud. Once we got inside and started seeing animals there was no way to keep them quiet! I have never seen so much joy in one place! Every child was smiling the entire time. My "son" Teko Brian was torn between being by my side and running around with his friends. I gave him my phone to take pictures and he would disappear for a while and then come back to show me what he had done and then disappear again. It was so special for me to get to make that memory with him! After the zoo we took the children by the airport to see the airplanes. That was the first time that most, if not all of our kids had seen a real airplane. After that we went to where all of us were staying for the night. The kids washed up, we had dinner, and then they sang for us. I always love it when the kids sing for us. It is always so beautiful and they sing straight from the heart. Mama Aidah told us the words to one of the songs and explained that ichooseyou has completely changed the lives of all of the children. As she spoke I sat there with Teko Brian in my lap and just held him tight and thanked God for being the wonderful father that he is. I am still in awe that the maker of the universe had all of this planned from before we were even alive. He knew that Brian would be the first child I took a picture with in Namatala that first year, and he knew that I would be his "mama." Thank you Lord! God knew when I was little that a silly name for my first pet was so much more than just a silly name. It was the name of the child God had planned for me to love and care for as my own and send to school through the ministry of ichooseyou. How great is our God?! Once again, the peace of God passes all understanding. I hope to be able to write more soon! Thank you all for your love and support. I'll leave you with a few little treasures from our zoo trip! 

Teko Brian on the bus ready to begin our journey!

Teko Brian with his chicken and chips and orange Fanta! He loved it and even finished some of the other kids food! 

On the beach at Lake Victoria with my "son" as happy as can be!!! 

Teko Brian and an ostrich! 

You can't see them but we were enjoying a lovely show from some chimpanzee's here. Teko Brian thought it was hilarious! 

Our view from where we stayed in Entebbe. God is good. 

2 Months!

It's been a long time since I have given an update about what's going on in my world of preparing for Uganda. I had to go read my previous posts to find out what I had already said!
On January 4 I wrote about how my fundraising was coming along. (If you haven't read it you should.) At that point in time I had $9,500 in my Uganda account, a couple days later I had reached $10,000 and I was ecstatic! About a week or two after that my mom came home from church with a check from some friends in her sunday school class for $1,500! About a week later I was there, $12,000. Just in case this hasn't quite hit you, God provided the $12,000 in less than two months! This is amazing, wonderful, and far beyond what I am worthy of! But God...two words I always love to see...but God didn't stop there. As of yesterday I have $14,375 in my account!!! God is so SO good!!!

There is no way this could have happened if it weren't for my God. I'm not that talented. God did this to bring glory to His name! So stop what you're doing for a minute and praise Him with me please!!! Thank you Lord!

(If you still want to give please do. We never know what our God is up to!)

As far as the rest of my preparation goes I have to be honest... Where do I start?! I know that once I'm not working anymore I will have a clearer mind to process exactly what I need to get done before I go, but right now it's a jumble and it feels overwhelming! The good news is that all of the major travel details have been sorted out. I have my plane ticket, Visa, (or so I am told...I'm still praying like crazy over that one) and I know where I'm going to stay until I find my own place. Thank you Jesus for that! I would be a wreck if I didn't at least know that much was taken care of. Now it's just odds and ends to wrap up in the states and the oh so dreaded packing! If anyone has experience packing for 6 months please give me advice!! I have never done this before.

If you don't mind, I have a few prayer requests.
Please pray with me that:
1) The Lord would continuously renew a passion in my heart for HIM. Not Uganda, not missions, but Him. If there is passion in my heart for my God then there will be passion in my heart for those other things as well.
2) I would hold on to The Lord in this new season when things are hard. To be honest, things are already getting hard. I find myself slowly pulling away from people and things to try to defend my heart but I know that isn't what God wants. My heart will hurt when I leave the states. I will miss my family, friends, and ice. (No ice in Uganda. Sad I know. This is serious.) But my heart will be joyful to be in the place it has hurt for in the last year! So this won't always be easy, and that's fine. Just pray with me that I would go straight to The Lord first when times get rough.
3) That God would do such a mighty work in Namatala that there would be no choice but to praise the name of the One true God! I know God is moving and it is going to be amazing but please pray with me that God moves through Namatala, Mbale, and the rest of Uganda like fire!!!

Thank you so much for taking this journey with me! I'm sure I will begin to post more as it gets closer to May. When you have free time check out www.ichooseyou.net and take a look around! (If you get re-directed hit the back button. We are working on this. Sorry!!)

Also, check out our Facebook page, IChooseYou Ministries, and follow us on twitter @ichooseyouminis for more frequent updates about ICY.

Thank you Jesus

If you don't journal, blog, or at least write down prayers I strongly encourage you to do so. Looking back today has taught me a great deal about the God I serve.

All I can say is I am so unworthy. It is the strangest feeling to look back on things that were wrong and even destructive and see Jesus covering it completely. It is beautiful and humbling. I just want to say thank you Jesus. THANK YOU. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for your blood that covers all my sin. Thank you that past mistakes don't dictate my future. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that you gave to us as a helper! I couldn't navigate this life without you Lord. Thank you Jesus.

Everything Is Yours

There is a song by Audrey Assad that says: "If everything is yours, everything is yours! If everything is yours, I'm letting it go. It was never mine to hold."

It was never mine to hold...

Hailey, Hannah and Rylan, they are yours Jesus.

Chede, she is yours.

Teko is yours.

IChooseYou is yours.

My future is yours.

My past is yours.

My present is yours!

It was never mine to hold. Amen! Praise God that none of these are mine to hold. I would surely drop them or suffocate them. No, they are yours Jesus. Thank you Lord!

Week 1!

Week 1- No electronics while the kids are awake.

Other than missing a day of work due to a killer sinus infection, week 1 has been amazing.
Hailey and I got some one on one time Monday afternoon, so we got cozy on the couch and I asked her about all of her favorite things. She is amazing. Her favorite food is pizza, she loves to get ice cream on the weekends, and her favorite color (that day) was blue. Precious girl got a pillow, put her head on my lap and let me play with her hair and ask her questions. I'd say we have very similar love languages. :-)
Yesterday while Hailey was at school, Hannah and I played all day. We danced and sang songs and danced some more. We played with Rylan and snuggled a lot. She LOVES it when I put on music, pick her up and dance around the living room with her. I love it too :-)
This weeks challenge just might stick. It has been wonderful.

Can't wait for week 2! Real listening, real answers. Keep praying with me please!

My full time job is to be a part time mom...12 Weeks of Nannyhood Challenge

That's confusing I'm sure. Let me explain. I am a full time nanny. I take care of three beautiful children for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. While I know that I am NOT their mother and never will be, I do mother them. Let me repeat something before we move on so no one freaks out. I know I am not their mother and never will be. The have a fabulous mother and father and I am blessed to be working for them and to be entrusted by them to take care of their children 10 hours a day. That being said I do mother them. If they get hurt while I'm here I kiss the boo boo. When they are disobedient, or sometimes just downright mean to each other, I discipline them. I feed them, dress, them, put them to bed for nap time, answer deep questions from Hailey that seemingly come from no where. I know Rylan's different cries and Hannah's different fits. I know what each child will and will not eat and try to come up with new fun ways to get them to try things. (I often fail at this. Who knew eating would be one of the most difficult parts of taking care of children?!)

Here is the part that stops me dead in my tracks sometimes. They know me. They know that I love Jesus. They know my heart is with them and in Uganda. They know when I'm losing my patience. They know when I'm not giving them 100% of my attention. They know when I'm not engaged at all.

Lately this has been a struggle for me. To be engaged here and now. I have so many other things happening and coming in the near future that easily take my attention.

I love my kids in a way I didn't know was possible! This family has given me purpose for the here and now which was an answer to many prayers. I am getting real life experience for raising children! I am bathed in the unconditional love of three kids every day. I want to love these children well. I want to point them to Jesus every day.

A couple new friends of mine have said something like this to me at least once if not multiple times, "live in the present while you are still in the states. You don't want to find yourself wishing for or only planning for Uganda while you are home, or home while you are in Uganda. Live in the present." That has been something I really strive to do daily but fail at some days. I want to give Hailey, Hannah, and Rylan 100% of me until I leave. I want to make sure they know Jesus. I want them to know that Jesus loves them. I want them to know that I love them because Jesus loves them. Some days I fall short of loving them well. Some days I lose my patience. Some days I just want to get through the day instead of live in the day. Sometimes, I miss opportunities to point them to Jesus. I am thankful for a God that redeems and loves despite my failures. I don't know the kind of despair I would be living in if it was up to me to be good enough. But I also want to give Him my best because He gave me His best! I am forgiven for my failures and His mercies are new every day! I want to worship Him with my best!

I have really been thinking about this over the weekend and this morning. When I put the kids to bed for nap time I got out my lunch and my phone and got on twitter (bad habit.) I came across Jamie Ivey's blog and a pod cast about her Year of Motherhood Challenge. Basically she wanted to be more intentional with her children so she made new goals for each month and set out to be a better mother. I think what I loved most about her goals is that they were simple and I could relate. One of her goals was to not be on her computer when the kids were home. CONVICTION! I so often find myself zoning out on my phone while the girls play by themselves rather than playing with them or talking to them while they play. Sure they like to play alone sometimes, but in 4 months I'll be in Uganda and I won't have the opportunity to watch them play anymore.

After reading her blog for a while and listening to her podcast I decided that this conviction wasn't going to change me unless I took action. I may not have a year but I do have 4 months (give or take a week or two) left with my kids and I want to be intentional.

I have decided to do a 12 Weeks of Nannyhood Challenge. :-)

Week 1- No electronics while the girls are awake. No phone, IPad, tv, nothing. (Except to answer texts from their mom haha)
Week 2- Actually listen to what Hannah and Hailey are saying and answer accordingly. No uh huh's and ok's just to pacify them. Real listening. Real answers.
Week 3- Be intentional with our conversations this week. Point them to Jesus every time we talk.
Week 4- Play with Rylan when he is awake and the girls are sleeping. Don't just put him in his bouncer to get stuff done the whole time. Play with him.
Week 5- Have an exciting craft or game planned for the days that both girls are home. Think outside of my box.
Week 6- Spend one on one time with each kid twice this week.
Week 7- Love them well. Be gracious when they mess up. Give lots of hugs and kisses and say I love you until they are tired of hearing it.
Week 8- Make creative and FUN healthy lunches! Think outside my usual healthy lunch box.
Week 9- Tell Hannah and Hailey that they are lovely and beautiful and wanted. Tell Rylan that he is handsome and strong. (even though he may not understand yet!)
Week 10- Say yes when I would normally say no at least once a day. (Obviously to things that wouldn't harm the kids.)
Week 11- Repeat week 7. They need to know they are loved so very much!!!
Week 12- Repeat week 3. They also need to know that Jesus loves them more than I ever could.

(Disclaimer- I DID take most of my ideas for this from what Jamie Ivey did with her children. I am not smart or wise enough to come up with any of this. Thanks Jamie for being awesome and a real life super hero for me even though I don't know you personally.)

So there it is. My 12 Weeks of Nannyhood Challenge. Jesus help me to follow through each week and not give up when I fail, because I will. Now I have to go because my kids are waking up and I can't be on the computer when they are awake!

-Callie