Craziness and Quilt Giveaway

Don't forget that I am raffling off a quilt! You can help Ugandan Orphans and Amazima by donating just a little! A little goes a long way!

Wow! it has been crazy here! I still lack a few things to turn into DFCS. I tell you they wanted a book!
It is actually frustrating because some of the forms they had us fill out were SUPER silly. Yes, I kow they have to make sure we are not crazy people BUT honestly! I had to interview the kids (including the baby) and ask stuff like how would you resolve conflict with a new sibling or how do you feel about sharing your room, etc. Here was Fletcher while I asked him the questions:

"How do your parents punish you?"

I think he is okay with the whole idea. What do you think?

We also have to get CPR certified and First Aid. I explained Devin had ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and they said that MIGHT work. What?????
I asked if Devin had to have First Aid since he went to med school and is an ER provider. They told me "yes"...we BOTH must take First Aid! This is our government at work folks.....they can't think outside the box or on a case by case basis. At any rate....we got CPR and first Aid taken care of. I hope to have everything gathered by early next week and ready to turn in.

Crazy schedule this week...much more to do outside the home than I am used to. I relish staying home and getting school done and house hold stuff done but alas....kids have dental and orthodontic appointments. we are also moving some bee hives and running a ton of errands. Blah! It's just that time of year......

One more question I had to ask Fletcher. (all the kids, actually)
"How do you feel about sharing your toys and personal things?"

Hmmm....I am pretty sure he's not parting with that pacifier!!!!

Help Ugandan Orphans, Enter to Win a Quilt

There are about 147 million orphans in the world.
2.5 million of those orphans live in Uganda.
1 million of those children in Uganda are orphans due to AIDS. Their parents died.
Who will help them?

Although my family and I would love to adopt a child or two from Uganda, it is not our calling at the moment.

Does that mean we cannot help? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Over the last year we have followed Katie Davis and her journey in Uganda, helping so many orphans and others.

You can follow her too! You will fall in love!


What I really want to do is send Katie some money so she can continue her ministry. You see Katie has a program called Amazima Ministries International.


She sends orphans to school. In Africa you don't attend school unless you can pay tuition. Nope. No government run school systems like here in the US.

Amazima also feeds children and teaches them about Jesus and helps them feed their families.
Amazima helps women earn a living and become self sufficient.
Amazima helps with medical care for many people. In Africa if you can't pay the doctors, you do not get care. Nope. No medicaid or medicare like we have in the USA.

Katie and Amazima are doing great things and I want to help. I want to encourage others to help.
My goal is $1000 by April 13th. An Easter gift to Katie and Amazima.

I need your help.
The orphans in Uganda need your help.

I made a quilt. I pieced it together and had a friend professionally quilt it.

It's full of purples and yellows. 20 different fabrics that I bought from a quilt store here in town.

I want to give it away, to help the orphans. To help Katie and Amazima.

Please Chip In! On the left side of my blog is a Chip In button. $10 gets you one entry to win this quilt. $20 gets you 2 entries. $30 gets you 3 entries, etc.

Plus you will be helping out in a BIG way! You will be helping the least of these, the orphans. I'm ready to give, are you?
Let's reach the goal!!!! $1000 in 30 days!

So It Begins

Time for my spiritual armor!
The paperwork has started and I must say that it takes A TON of papers and procedures to adopt through DFCS. Whew! I have been told that satan will throw many obstacles your way once you start the adoption process including but not limited to major car or appliance issues (things that cost a bunch of cash), doubting family members who offer their unsolicited discouragement, and your current children will turn into unruly monkeys who make you question why anyone would even want kids and why would they want YOU to have them since it is clear you cannot handle them!

On the upside I met a wonderful lady today at the DFCS office who is taking this same leap of faith! We are kindred spirits and I was excited to have met her...we have mutual friends too which is even cooler.

Meanwhile, i have a ton of sewing projects staring at me in pure disgust over my neglectful attitude towards them. I have 4 quilts that need binding, 3 quilt tops that need finishing and my skirts? Well, I have not even cut patterns out yet! In good time, dear projects.
Right now I have to write a book about our lives and obtain all but a DNA sample for the folks at DFCS.

I will part with a picture of some beautiful chicks my daughter hatched in her incubator!

17 Years!

Today is our 17th wedding anniversary! WOW!
I made a picture video for Devin and of course added awesome music! Enjoy and have a great weekend ya'll!

The Bees Are Out!

What a glorious day for bees today! It has been warm the last week or so and today was a beautiful sunny and 68!
That means it is time to open the hives and see which are still alive and kicking and which need boxes swapped.
I am very happy to say that my dad's hives were fantastic looking and I even made two nucs (small splits) from 2 of his hives. The bees were completely filled out in 2 hive bodies and they all had some drone brood capped, so I am confident that my nucs will raise a queen successfully. I am crossing my fingers that we do not get a late freeze and also that most of the nuc bees do not fly out and back to their original hives. *sigh*

I have 2 hives still here that mad it through winter and although one looked great, the other was weak. It had a queen and brood and eggs but only a cluster of about 100 or so bees. I put them all in a nuc so they would have less area to keep warm, etc. I am sure they will make it if the weather stays warm and we keep some nectar flow going.

Today I finished spring cleaning minus my porches and the yard. rain is moving in so it will not be finished until next week some time.

Today the young ones helped me make yogurt, actually it is making as I type. I bought a 2 qt yogurt maker with some swag bucks and am so excited to see how it turns out. We also decided to make granola, although I am not sure how it turned out. I only had quick oats and the granola is kind of soft. It baked for 20 minutes. Any suggestions?

It smells like french toast and tastes yummy!...just softer than I would like.

Now, on to other news. Tomorrow Devin and I are attending an orientation at the Human Resource Department here in our county. We are hoping to foster adopt. I will keep you all posted on how that goes. We originally looked into an African adoption and that is not totally ruled out, but Devin has his heart into domestic so we are checking it all out. The social worker we are dealing with is very nice and was quite happy when I told her we have 7 children already. I was shocked to see her excitement. Most people gawk in amazement and think we are crazy. Well, Devin is a little crazy but I am sure I am perfectly sane...most days:-)

Adoption is something we have had on our hearts for at least a couple of years now and tomorrow we will take some steps in that direction, God willing.

I have NO pictures to post........

Ah...here is a glorious sunrise Journee snapped a picture of this morning! Spring is almost here to stay.
I couldn't post without a picture and that Georgia sunrise is a beauty!

A Little Bit o'Crazy

Today we started a spring cleaning fest which will take the entire week, I am sure of it.
With this many people under one roof and with so many hoarders for children it is a HUGE task. It must be done, however, and I am determined to get rid of clutter! Clutter is one of those items that really serves no purpose and just keeps a full house in disarray. I cannot function with a mess and a mess is all clutter will bring. Do we really need all of this stuff anyway?

This weekend Devin and I went to the mall to do a little birthday shopping for two girls who have birthdays next week. It opened my eyes as to how much we buy and want and really...do not need.

I read an article Saturday about a NM woman who has the measles and she flew back to the US on an international flight from Europe. Anyway, she was not vaccinated and got measles from who knows where and now the US and the CDC have issued warnings to passengers who were on her flight, etc. All out panic for a disease that is almost eradicated in the US thanks to vaccines.
Did you know that on Saturday thousands of people died from the same illness in a third world country and yet NOBODY here reports on that fact. NOBODY!

We are so wrapped up in our lives to even consider how great we have it in the US. I am as guilty of this as anyone. It is easy to go about our lives "not knowing" or pretending to not know about the trials and troubles of our neighbors. Neighbors.

Is it just fear or a lack of faith that keeps us from stepping out of our comfort zone to help a neighbor or a child or anyone who needs help? Or both?

Again, I am guilty of this too but I intend to make a true effort to step out a little. Step to the edge and see what faith and fear really can do. Devin is in with me too and so are the kids. This family is stepping out to take a peak over the edge.

"...once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act."
Proverbs 24:12

Chocolate Pound Cake

So here we go with a very delicious dessert that feeds alot of people. It's very rich and dense so don't slice it thick. Easy? You bet!
I added coconut and chocolate chips to make it even richer, but it would great without. Perhaps I might put a dollop of whipped cream on a slice. However you prefer it, it would be a great compliment to your Sunday dinner. Enjoy!


Chocolate Pound Cake (my adaptation from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion)

1C unsalted butter
2 1/2 C sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
5 large eggs
3 TB instant coffee powder
1/4 C warm water
3/4 C buttermilk
1 C cocoa
2 C all purpose flour
1 C grated coconut (optional)
1 C chocolate chips (optional)


Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease a bundt pan.


Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.


Dissolve coffee in warm water until dissolve and add it to the buttermilk. In another bowl sift the cocoa and flour together. Beat dry mixture into egg mixture, alternating with the buttermilk.Blend well.
Add cocnut and/ or chocolate chips if desired. Stir in well.
Pour batter into bundt pan and bake an hour and 20 minutes or until tester comes clean. Remove from oven to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. Dust with powder sugar.