Hello, Beautiful, Fearless Self

Fearlessness. We all have our own ideas of what that looks like in our lives. For some it may be bungee jumping (I simply call that foolhardy!) while others may find it in the very thought of stepping out of their own front door. But what ever degree of fearlessness that you are challenged with, do you step up to it, or simply let it slip away? And what is it that you know you need to do but are fearful of doing?



And here is the conundrum that we face: There is fear in the fearlessness, but if we don't step up to the challenge then there is simply regret. And isn't life too short for that?



So today when you are challenged to be fearless, ask yourself that very question...What will your most beautiful, fearless self do at this very moment? Come on! I dare ya!!!!!!





Thanks to Lisa at her most fabulous blog, http://curiousgirl-lisa.blogspot.com/

for the picture!!!!

Your Predictions are Needed!!!!!!

Not it's your turn! What predictions do you make for Allie? Her due date was on the 12th.Wanna play? Post it as a comment and I'll put it on....come on, don't be shy!



Debra Keyes says:Jan 23 @ 5:45 am 7 pounds 4 oz 19 1/2 inches long

Jak says: jan. 17th @ 3:27 a.m 5.89 pounds 18 in. long

Megan hall says: I guess 7.15 lbs and 20.26 inches long and the due date of the 19th.

Lindsey Hall: I predict the 20th, 8.9 lbs., 21 1/2 inches, 3:20am


Aunt Debbie posted her prediction, but I think that I must have hit the reject button and not the publish button!!!Yikes!!!Sorry, Auntie Deb!!!! I think that her prediction was............................................01/20/10, 10lbs, 2 oz (Ouch!) and 22 1/2inches..............................In otherwords, a real MONSTER!!!EEEK!!!He might eat you out of house and home!!!!!Garrison, better get a second job!!!!!!! O.k., maybe not...........


Auntie Deb, if you would like to repost for me what you wrote, I will promise NOT to press the "reject" button!!!!!!

Baby Predictions

So tonight we made our final predictions for Baby H! It will be fun to see who is the closest!



Mom- Weight: 8.9 Length: 21 in. Day: Thursday, 21st Time: 4:25 a.m

Dad- Weight: 7.9 Length: 22 in. Day: Monday, 18th Time: 7:00 a.m

Stevie- Weight: 7.7 Length: 27 in. Day: Thursday, 14th Time: 7:01 a.m

Karli-Weight: 8.5 Length: 21 ½ in. Day: Sunday, 17th Time: 1:08 a.m



We'll have to wait and see who's right!

Goodnight Everyone!



~Karli~

Held Hostage by Babies and Blondies

Sometimes life feels like it's on hold for me. It's just as if I have been holding my breath for the last couple of days now. Have you ever had that experience before? And yet life is going on around you, and there are things that you need to do, but during that time, you just. don't. care.

My life is on hold. Held hostage by others. Specifically, by a little baby and a girl in Uganda.

Do you realize what an impact you two have on me? And on my family?

Baby Henry, you have no idea the power that you have! Not just on your parents, but on your grandma. For example: The phone rings and it's your mommy calling me. Immediately the question flies at me from those in the room- Is she in labor?! In town people ask-did she have the baby?!When is she due?
Do you see? Waiting around for you is really almost as exhausting as giving birth. Well...not really. But almost.

As for you, Miss Megan, I have been holding this laptop hostage beginning at 9pm every night in hopes that you might pop up on Facebook again. And I can get pretty nasty, too! If someone wants to peruse on the Internet, well, no way, Jose!!! Right now as I'm writing this post I check the Facebook chat in hopes that your name will magically appear. I just miss you.

O.k. guys, I just have to get my head back in the game of life-the other life that is not wrapped around you! But hey, how can I NOT continually think about the cutest baby to be? And I really never tire of pondering about all of the crazy new experiences that Megan must be taking in right now in Uganda. I just marvel at the thought that tonight she is beginning her tomorrow.


But my today continues on, right now.

Megan's Message from Uganda!!!!!

Well, here it is! Finally Megan was able to send out a message. I cried from relief, happiness, and the ache in my heart knowing that she is soooo far away......

But God is so great, isn'tHe?! Pretty amazing how he works everything for His ( and our) good. I was starting to really worry about her and obsessively check Facebook and Hotmail hoping to hear from her when she popped up on the Facebook chat! We chatted for a bit when she was on (it kept signing her off) and she shared that the first day she went to a HUGE celebration that lasted from 1-8pm!

Keep her in your prayers. She hasn't been able to run and I know that she needs to. Enjoy the message!!!!!
Kelly






Megan sent you a message. --------------------



Subject: Mommmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello!! I am so excited to finally be able to get online for the first time since I have been here. I have so much to tell. I can't even write in my journals at night because everything that happened in the day is way to much to summarize. And I am so exhausted by the end of the day that its super hard to stay awake and write. But for what you want to here is that I am super safe and well. I did have a head cold for the first 3 days. Thanks Jack :P But today I am almost all well. And I woke up this morning wondering if Allie was in the hospital having little Henry!!!! Is he?! Is he?! I have been enjoying telling my family all about you guys and Allie. Mom, and family, I have been blessed to stay with one of the best host families offered this year with USP. My African momma is a teacher of English and science at a secondary school. And my papa Joseph is a reverend at the St. Phillip and Andrew Anglican church. I went there yesterday. It was very interesting. The church body shows a lot of reverence to God and they preach a lot about having one wife and not cheating on your husband. But also, whenever we travel anywhere the papa (revern) prays for our journey and our protection :). I have a mom and a dad, then I have a little brother who is 8 and his name is Isaac. A sister who is 6 and her name is deborah. And a really little sister named Docus who is 1 :) Then there is a house maid, I think her name is Adison. She doesn't know English. I found that out when I tried talking to her and she just looked at me weird :P. But I have learned that thank you in uganda is Webale. So when she makes food for us I say webale. Aww i have so much to tell..but I don't want to trail off. I think I will have to save some for my blog. Hmm Oh also there is a girl who is just staying for a little while to help around the house. Zuraim is 18 and I wish she would stay. She asks a lot about the US because she has never been. I want to tell her everything! And then one more guy stays with us as well. His name is Charles. He looks like he is at least 26 but he is 34! He looks so young! I have enjoyed talking to them. I have already learned soo much! And mom! Totally God for the gift ideas! If you remember what we got and the people in the family..you will see how perfect everything was. I gave the dad and charles the hats. They didn't know what football was!!! they said maybe on tv..but they still looked confused after I explained and acted it out and told them how much dad loves football and has parties and friends over. The mom loves her little shawl I got her. Zuraim felt really special when I gave her the little anklets, and she shared with the house maid. Then the little kids love the playdough and stickers and coloring book. I am waiting to get out the book and other things for special occasions. and I asked the mom if she would like the letter you wrote her before or after, she said after. so I am saving it. But that was a really good idea. thank you!! I have only been with my family for 1 and 1/2 days but there is sooooo much to tell. and so much that I have seen. I will show you pictures on facebook or blog. but to give you a small summary of where I am staying is: I have a squatty potty for a bathroom. A small bucket kind of like the ones the horses eat their food in to bathe with. So you bend then scoop then throw the water over your body. Good bye long, warm relaxing showers :) But I don't mind it..its like an adventure. Picture standing naked next to a little bucket wondering how you are going to wash your hair :P I didn't know how so I just stuck my hair in the bucket. hahaha. and you are trying to talk to me on facebook and I cant chat and write a message at the same time so I will end this to catch you!. But I am well and love you and have cried missing you guys. But this is good. I havev never smiled so much in a day :) Love you!!!!! Let me know how everything is back at home :) Daughter megan--------------------

New Year Mantra and Dreams of Spring

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason.

If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy your life."

-Author unknown


My new mantra-even though it's just way too long for my pea brain to remember, but at least I'll try to honor the spirit of it in my life. And isn't it worth that? There was a time when I would have disagreed with some of it; about the forgetting about the ones who don't treat you right. I would have argued that I need to love and care for all, even those who don't like me. But how silly! Life is too short for that, and really, can we all get along all the time? Neah.



On another note, I'm ready for spring! Aren't you? Really, how many of us say, "Wow, this cold, drenching gale that soaked me right through my coat is sooooo exhilarating!" or, "Just LOVE the mud that your stinkin' shoes just brought in! Thanks so much for sharin', Hun!!!"

And don't my pictures below make you long to go on a long hike and enjoy the sun and warm wind? Oh, to wear shorts again!Oh, to be rid of chapped, dry hands!Oh, to banish that wet dog smell from my house!!!!

The pictures are of my favorite place to run and walk. Want to know where it is? Too bad, I want MY beloved bluff to myself, thank you very much. Go find your own.

3am Phone Calls and Momma Guilt

Well, yesterday was THE DAY. The day to see our 20 year old on her way to her next big adventure-living four months in Uganda. And this was a new adventure for me as well.Even though she had been attending college in Eugene, roughly seven hours from us, it is much more unsettling sending your child to a third world country, no matter how old she is!

It's crazy how my mind works. Megan's plan was to call us when she arrived in Dulles airport, her first stop on her way to Entebbe. And she did just that, at 3:00am, which is totally what we wanted. However,I couldn't get back to sleep! I just kept thinking about Megs pulling her big blue bag behind her, wandering around that enormous airport all by herself.The sound of those luggage wheels click, click, clicking their echo as she walked the empty corridors, all by herself. Megan patiently waiting to meet up with her group for those nine long hours, all by herself. You see?! How could I possibly sleep, when she was all by herself and so far away? It brought back that feeling I had when she was five years old and we drove home after church, forgetting her there.Pure momma guilt.

But she survived, reminding me again that she is all grown up and not that five year old that we had left by herself on that pew at church.And God continues to remind me that He has control over every detail.

As it turned out, she finally connected with some of the other students and found instant friends. Her last call to me as she was getting ready to board the plane helped put my heart at ease. I could hear excitement in her voice and a sense of relief at traveling with the others. Her new adventure begins, and I am so excited for her. I think that tonight I'll sleep a little better.