"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Winston Churchill

"I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love." Mother Teresa

Jarod and I are so excited. 90 days. I feel like we're crawling towards February.

Yesterday our Pastor talked about a giving heart. I hope that when I die, people will say that I had a generous and giving heart. So often I hold so tightly to the things that Jarod and I have worked for because we have worked very hard for what we have. No debt AND a savings account. It comes naturally to Jarod. He could give everything we have away and probably not think twice about it. I however, love my stuff. I'm selfish I guess. But I'm working on it.

So on that note, I think we're giving our mattress and box springs away. Possibly our couch and love seat too. If you're interested or know someone who truly needs these...let us know.

We met the "Bishop to Rwanda" several weeks ago. He said that Rwanda is the safest place in Africa right now. He should know, his family was the ethnic group targeted in the genocide. He lost pretty much everyone. He has hope like I've never witnessed. It's pretty amazing.

I'm still totally nervous about this packing stuff. 80 lbs. Not cool.

We saw the Watoto children's choir perform last Thursday night. It was incredible! There were 18 children aged 5-13 and everyone of them are orphans. They told their stories of how they came to Watoto. One kid, Godfrey, was 8 when his parents died. He was left to take care of his 2 young toddler brothers. They sat on the streets begging for food until a "Christian lady" took them to Watoto. Now they have a bed, food and family. We are so blessed! We, Americans, do not realize what we have. We're all, for the most part, so selfish. Not everyone, but mostly everyone. It's sad. I don't want to be selfish. Once again, I'm working on it.

I'm very sad about not seeing my Laila, Caden, and Deagan...they just left last week but it just doesn't seem enough to see them only one more time. They are too wonderful to go without for 2 years. I told Caden I was going to miss him when he went back to California...and he said "well I'm going to miss you when you go to Africa." Pretty much broke my heart. Someday-he'll understand and hopefully respect what we're doing. It's a big thing giving up two years. It's not my life to give but I feel like it is sometimes. That's when I forget who I belong too. Africa needs help. And we're just the couple to do it.

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Teresa