Pizza Fusion

I LOVE this place!!!

They offer a gluten-free crust, soy cheese, whatever your little allergy sensitive heart requires. Plus, it is absolutely delicious. Plus, on Thursdays, there is no upcharge for GF crust and half-off GF beer. Plus, it is very eco-friendly.

Yum-o.

Plus, they have a location in Saudi Arabia, so that just says it all.

Liberia

This is the professionally made video that we made during our trip to Liberia.

Getting Involved in Liberia from SP Video on Vimeo.

Compassion Part II

So I was feeling like maybe I came off a bit too strong in my previous post where I emphatically suggested that every Christian family should be sponsoring a child. That very day I got a letter from our Compassion child in the mail. To hear in her words how grateful she is for our sponsorship just totally confirmed my feelings. She was able to buy school supplies, a school bag, hair oil, soap and go to the doctor last month because of our sponsorship. How great is that? Show hope to a child in need.

God has a sense of humor

To check my pride in check, I had to get up with Carter (sick) and/or Sitota (bad dreams) approximately 12 times last night. Ha, ha, ha.

So I was asked an interesting question at church yesterday- "Erika, do you do drugs?".

Ahh, nope. (this was especially ironic to me since just the day before I saw a man pull out his crack pipe in the middle of McDonald's). Apparently this man (church man, not crack man) had noticed that I always seem perky and happy and well-rested (which I am obviously not all the time). He was trying to find out my secret to being well-rested despite the fact that Carter has rarely (and I mean like five times), slept through the night in his 5+ years.

Okay, here is the secret:

I used to get so angry with God in the night for not making Carter sleep. I mean, He COULD do it. Didn't God see my exhaustion and misery? I KNOW He did. Trust me- I was telling Him about it all night long. One night, it came to me. Give it up. Give up the anger. If God is choosing to allow Carter to wake up 5 times a night, I will trust Him to supply my rest and energy. And guess what? He did it.

Now I'm not saying I never get tired and I definitely enjoy my morning coffee, but God is doing a miracle in my life everyday by providing daily energy for me.

I gave up the anger and He supplied my need.

There it is.

Compassion

I've really been thinking lately that every Christian family should be sponsoring a child through World Vision or Compassion International. I can't think of any excuse to not do this. It is an amazing way to transform the life of a child who is in desperate need as well as the lives of that child's whole family. What a great way to teach your own children about compassion and to help then be grateful for their life here in America. If you can think of an excuse not to do this, I'd love to hear it.

Small Victories and More Waiting

Looks like we should get our DCFS approval today or tomorrow- yay! Things are moving on the adoption front. Seems like with adoption you are always waiting for something- next we wait for approval of our I800a. Heard it is not too long of a wait these days. Gotta bring our girl home!

World AIDS Day

This is my first World AIDS Day since I returned from Liberia and saw AIDS with my own eyes.

I can't sit back. I can't sit still. 33 million people are living and dying with HIV right now. My heart breaks for the mother who knows her time on earth is short. Who will take care of her children?

I called my senator's offices today and asked them to please support an appropriations bill that will support AIDS programs to the tune of 7.2 billion dollars (sounds like a lot, but it is a puny fraction of the 2010 budget).

What if it were you, lying on a dirt floor, too weak to sit up, too weak to swallow, your children with that look in their eyes? What would you want me to do for you? Am I doing it?

Come, Lord Jesus.