Hairy, Scary, Fairy

I use Facebook as I am too lazy to pick up the phone to keep up with my friends and family. Most of the time it brings me joy. Last night it brought such sadness. The news has eclipsed my need to write a long overdue update on the boys and the accounting of our recent sojourn in Arizona. Mayhaps that will come later.

Lisa Peters Harris finished her battle with cancer yesterday. She fought with grace, dignity, laughter and loads of love. I did not know her well and had not kept up with her after high school; but when your graduating class has a whopping 40 members you cannot help but KNOW your fellow classmates. Lisa was always a bright light. She had a ready smile and a heart for adventure.

I watched her fight on facebook. I saw her complete Hood to Coast this year. I was blown away. She was a force to be reckoned with. I just KNEW that if anyone could kick cancer's ass, it would be Lisa. I regret that I placed that heavy honor squarely on her shoulders. She lived with dignity and grace until the end and the outpouring of love is overwhelming evidence of a life well lived.

I was so blown away by the news that I could not sleep last night. I prayed. And prayed. And cried.

And when I finally fell asleep I had an epically long dream about chin hair. Namely, my chin hair. Yes....work that one out. Please?

Lucky for me, Opie woke up no less then 2.5 million times last night. Therefore, I had 2.5 million chances to dream a different dream. And yet, every time sleep came again, the tweezers were a-flying.
Needless to say....I woke up exhausted.

AND....
I woke up with the realization that something was definitely missing in my life.


A hair fairy.

Clearly this house needs this fairy FAR more than a tooth fairy. Tooth fairy....pfffft.

I promise to sleep on my back if said hair fairy would visit my house.


As I am pretty sure this would not be a look I would be okay with.

Please join me in keeping Lisa's beautiful family in your thoughts and prayers. 

And Finally.....

This MARV-elous month of October is nearing an end and our final giveaway for the sweet Marv is ready to begin.

This kid is too stinking cute!

There is a giveaway still going for the Book with No Pictures and there are 13 entries left before we draw a winner. A $5 donation to Marv here will enter you to the drawing.

Today begins the giveaway for the Toddler Elsa Doll. This doll MUST be under your Christmas tree this year! It is currently retailing for $32 online but supplies are limited. You can enter to win this coveted doll simply by sharing this giveaway. That's a no-brainer...right?

THE LOW DOWN:

Donate $5, $10, $20 or more into Marv's Grant HERE and then post a comment on the Facebook post or on here. Share, share, share for an additional entry every day! 

$5 = 1 entry
$10 = 2 entries
$20 = 6 entries.

As I said above, sharing on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social media outlet will get you an entry as well. One entry per share for sharing. Please remember to comment here or on the Facebook post that you have donated and/or shared! 

And at the conclusion of the month, the person with the most shares will get $100 for the Angel Tree child of their choice and will be the proud owner of Marv the Moose! 

Hello! I am Marv the Moose!

$100! 

If that doesn't grab your attention....maybe this will?

Speaking of the Angel Tree.....

Have you signed up for the Angel Tree yet? There are 76 66 children waiting for their warriors! Step on up! You can be the catalyst that finds that child a home. You have nothing to lose....and they stand to lose everything. Just saying....SIGN UP!

We have raised $760 for Marv this month! Let's keep the momentum going, but most importantly, Marv needs to be seen! Share those dimples!! Marv is counting on us!

With that....

ON YOUR MARKS!

                  GET SET, 

SHARE, SHARE, SHARE!

NEED

Need.

The world is filled with need. If you have small children, your day might be filled with unending declarations of need. "Mom, I need that toy!" Mom, I need some water." Mom, I NEED the toy that Evan has RIGHT NOW!" These declarations are quickly followed by my NEED for chocolate/coffee/ice cream/naptime....

As humans, we have needs. That is reality. 

For most of my adulthood, I have been keenly aware of one massive need. The need for families. The need for love in action. In our busy lives filled with an abundance of superficial needs it is easy to become distracted. I am guilty of this. 

So let me state it simply. 

People NEED love. 

This is not a want. This is not something we can thrive without. People are designed to NEED love. 

We are CALLED to love. To BE His hands and His feet.  I want my actions to speak love, my life to personify love, with self-denial, acts of service and with a commitment to saying "yes" as often as I can. Being human and acknowledging my own limitations and frailty I admit I could do better. It is easy to simply try to be His voice...but that is not what we are called to. Let me say it again. We are called to be His hands and feet. To reflect love with our actions and choices. 

In the face of the tremendous need for love in our world, it may be daunting to act. To start. Let me offer a suggestion. 

Pray for orphans. Invite this crisis into your heart and mind. Let it become real. The most vulnerable in our society are in need. They are deprived an essential bond of love and security. Do not despair, there is something YOU CAN DO! 

You can offer:

Time. 

Acknowledgement.

Prayer. 

Compassion.

You can prayerfully consider adoption. 

Perhaps you honestly cannot adopt at this time. That doesn't mean that the crisis fails to exist because you cannot adopt. Do not hide your eyes from their faces. Do not deny their pain. Hold it in your heart and pray. Prayer moves mountains. Become involved!  

Please consider Marv. 

For 13 years Marv has survived, hoping for a family.That is a very long time to wait and to maintain hope. A long time to put on a brave face. To survive. He deserves love. He deserves to be cherished. He desperately wants to play soccer. Hugs would be readily welcomed. 

He does not demand a perfect family. He does not have any concept of what a family truly is. He simply wants to be wanted. To belong. To be supported. At the heart of it all, isn't that what we all crave?

Is that asking too much?

Someone that has met him says: "He is great, He loves soccer, really loves it! He seemed to me to be totally cognitively typical. Though I am sure he is behind peers here in America, to be expected. He is very very small for his age (I saw him 18 months ago) He also loved playing with the camera. He expressed several times wanting to be adopted. He seemed to be a good balance of assertive but not aggressive. Being small for his age he still got out and played soccer with all kids much bigger than him."

Look at those dimples! 

His main need is for family. FAMILY!  Please see him. 

Pray for him. 

Share his face. 

Consider him. 

As we enter Holy Week, pray for this sweet boy and all the other children who anxiously wait to be chosen. 

Leggo my Lego!

Happy Sunday everyone! The sun is shining on this beautiful autumn day and we are again announcing Laura Welchert as the winner of Anna and Kristoff! Congratulations Laura! Thank you for sharing and donating! You are making a difference in Marv's life!

THANK YOU, LAURA!

The 2nd giveaway starts today. Let's usher in the age of Lego in honor of Marv.

Aviator Action Pack!

If you have boy-children....you know you need this under the tree this Christmas! It is worth $41 at a retailer near you but you could win it for FAR LESS!

Every time you share a giveaway or share Marv's sweet dimpled goodness you will be entered not only into the giveaway but your share will also be tallied for a month end drawing that could win you Marv the Moose AND $100 for your Angel Tree child. So...suit up and get sharing!

Share on Pinterest!

Tweet, tweet, tweet!

Make Facebook work for you! (and for Marv!)

Sharing is caring!

If you have Christmas presents to buy...look no further! You want it, we have it...you could get awesome presents for a bargain AND help Marv find his family! The gift keeps on giving!
Up for grabs in Round 2 is this aerodynamic Lego set. Your little one will have hours of fun AND think their parents are the greatest ever when presented with this. (I know..a tad over the top, but CMON! It's for Marv!)
Here's how to get these LEGOS for CHEAP and benefit a sweet boy! Donate $5, $10, $20 or more into Marv's Grant HERE and then post a comment on the Facebook post or on here. Share, share, share for an additional entry every day! 

$5 = 1 entry
$10 = 2 entries
$20 = 6 entries.

As I said above, sharing on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social media outlet will get you an entry as well. One entry per day for sharing. Please remember to comment here or on the Facebook post that you have donated and/or shared! 

Round 2 and the Leggo my Lego giveaway will conclude on Friday October 17th at 8pm PST. Round 3 will begin on Sunday Oct 19th.  

Let's DO THIS!

Mission to Marv

Here is your mission, if you choose to accept it.

For the Marvelous month of October we are sharing Marv's face a story. We are praying for his family to step forward for him. We are raising money and we need your help!

The first fundraising giveaway starts right now. IF you are anything like me, you might be considered a teenie bit competitive. I see that as a positive! I don't know about anyone else. . .but I think it's awesome.

Every time you share a giveaway or share Marv's sweet dimpled goodness you will be entered not only into the giveaway but your share will also be tallied for a month end drawing that could win you Marv the Moose AND $100 for your Angel Tree child. So...suit up and get sharing!

Share on Pinterest!

Tweet, tweet, tweet!

Make Facebook work for you! (and for Marv!)

Sharing is caring!

If you have Christmas presents to buy...look no further! You want it, we have it...you could get awesome presents for a bargain AND help Marv find his family! The gift keeps on giving!

Up for grabs in Round 1 are Kristoff and Anna..a match made in Disney heaven. Your little one will have hours of fun AND think their parents are the greatest ever when presented with these dolls. (I know..a tad over the top, but CMON! It's for Marv!)
Here's how to get them for CHEAP and benefit a sweet boy! Donate $5, $10, $20 or more into Marv's Grant HERE and then post a comment on the Facebook post or on here. Share, share, share for an additional entry every day! 

$5 = 1 entry
$10 = 2 entries
$20 = 6 entries.

As I said above, sharing on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social media outlet will get you an entry as well. One entry per day for sharing. Please remember to comment here or on the Facebook post that you have donated and/or shared! 

Round 1 and the Christof/Anna giveaway will conclude on Friday October 10th at 8pm PST. Round 2 will begin on Sunday Oct 12th. Let's DO THIS!


From Reece's Rainbow: 

Marv

Boy, born October 2001
Crossed-eyes, development delays

From someone who met him:
Marv is a very sweet, happy boy. He loves to play soccer, even though his vision problems make that very difficult for him. He has been living in a boarding school for typical kids, and receiving his own private lessons, but recently was transferred to a facility in another region specifically for children with special needs. His favorite class is math, and he gets great grades in math. His least favorite class is Ukrainian. He is said to learn more slowly than other children, which is why he has required private lessons.

He is cheerful, friendly, and sociable. He said several times he would like to be adopted by an American family.

$117.50 has been donated towards the cost of my adoption!

The Marv-elous Month of October

Fall is definitely in the air. There is a chill to the day, there's the excitement leading up to Halloween...the hint of cinnamon and mischievousness in the air. I love it. This season makes me want to curl up with my loved ones and snuggle a little more often. To take stock and to appreciate the people that I get to call mine.

October is also Marv's month. His birth month and this year, it ushers in his teen years. As I was looking through the database to find more pictures of Marv the multitude of 12-13 year old boys without families was just too much. To survive 12-13 years without the love of a family, I cannot fathom. Some faces are still open and hopeful, some show signs of anger and some appear quite sad and hopeless. All of those little faces crying out for love, for guidance, for family. Sigh. Boys! Why are so many boys waiting? I have 3 of my own and the joy of boys...it's immeasurable. Let's get this boy home!

I mean...seriously? Dimples galore!

When it all starts to feel hopeless, I like to focus on what I CAN DO. SO.....I am partnering with the delightful Annie Trenda this month to bring some attention to Marv. To share his face and his story. To celebrate his birth month and to raise his grant so that when his family sees him, they can bring him home quickly.
An advocate has met him and this is what they have to say about him: Marv is a very sweet, happy boy. He loves to play soccer, even though his vision problems make that very difficult for him. He has been living in a boarding school for typical kids, and receiving his own private lessons, but recently was transferred to a facility in another region specifically for children with special needs. His favorite class is math, and he gets great grades in math. His least favorite class is Ukrainian. He is said to learn more slowly than other children, which is why he has required private lessons.

He is cheerful, friendly, and sociable. He said several times he would like to be adopted by an American family.

Seriously, I cannot even stand the cuteness. 

Marv will not be overlooked this month. We are recognizing his birth ALL MONTH LONG! Happy Birthday sweet boy!

Each week we will be hosting a quick giveaway to raise funds. Awesome items up for grabs!! If anyone wants to donate an item for this cause, please let me know! We are really hoping to get his grant moving. He has been at $103 for WAY TOO LONG!

Here is the teaser: Start your Christmas shopping now!!

This will start soon (Sunday Oct 5th)...so keep your eyes and ears open! It is going to go fast!

Here's how to get them for CHEAP and benefit a sweet boy! Donate $5, $10, $20 or more into Marv's Grant HERE and then post a comment on the Facebook post or on here. Share, share, share for an additional entry every day! But don't start yet, each week will be your chance to score one or more of the items above.

$5 = 1 entry
$10 = 2 entries
$20 = 6 entries.

Sharing on facebook or twitter will get you an entry as well. One entry per day for sharing.


This campaign will conclude 10/31/14. The advocate with the most shares will not only be the proud owner of Marv the Moose, but they will also secure a $100 donation to their AT child or a Waiting Child of their choice!

Let's rally for Marv!

Oh water and whispers

I give you permission to call me Preachy McGee today. I will likely earn the moniker.

The past few days have been one heck of a roller coaster ride. The emotions, thoughts and fears that have been smashing around in my skull have been overwhelming and I got completely caught up in the whirlwind and I completely missed it.

A whisper.

A whisper that told me that all is not lost.

That hope exists.

That love DOES win.

That GOD HAS THIS.

I, once again....nearly missed it.

"God speaks in the silence of the heart. LISTENING is the beginning of prayer." Blessed Mother Teresa

The grief that would have saved me is embarrassing. Once again; I am being prompted to stop, breathe, listen. To release my clenched fists. Someone far more capable has GOT THIS.

My idea of strength has been going through a metamorphosis for the past 20 years or so (yea, I might be the world's slowest learner.) I once believed physical strength made me strong. A strong intellect clearly exhibited strength. Then I threw myself into believing that a strong prayer life was the ticket. And again, controlling a situation and getting my way CLEARLY meant I was strong.

Sigh.

I look at this week. At my brokenness. My helplessness. The desperation. The noise in my life. The chaos. My goals, my hopes, my desires, my to-do list. MY, MY, MY.

And I was knocked on my butt by a whisper.

A whisper.

I can admit that I am the queen of mistakes and misnomers.

Today a whisper was more powerful that two days of internal shouting. Pleading and begging. A whisper carried more weight and promise. Effortlessly.

That whisper exuded strength that I have never heard in a shout. A strength that does not manifest itself in shows of physical strength or in masterful control of every possibility. That whisper did not need to fight fire with fire. That whisper quietly doused the fire that was churning inside of me. What is the point of fighting fire with fire anyway? It only yields more fire. Rarely does it achieve the result you are hoping for. You cannot build with fire. Fire destroys and ravages.

With a gentleness that I cannot wrap my head around, that whisper kicked my heinie.

Big, strong Becki was blown away by a whisper.


I spent more than my fair share of time today crying and surveying my kingdom. With new eyes, seeing all the little ways that love, kindness and gentleness are manifested daily. The fruits of these are indescribable.

I am committing myself to shifting gears. Gentleness shall be my goal. When I feel like shouting. may I whisper. When my fists and jaw are clenched may I remember to release them. May I remember that just because someone feels like arguing, I need not oblige. May I become strong with gentleness of mind and spirit. May my actions allow love in. May I be kind and in that kindness find my strength.

May I forever remember today and the strength of that whisper.