Pray for Hope for Ethiopia...how can you help?

*There are approximately 5 million of the world's estimated 147 million orphans in Ethiopia alone.
*10% of infants die during or shortly after birth.
*One out of ten children die before reaching their 1st birthday.
*One out of eight die before reaching their 5th birthday.
*The median age in Ethiopia is 17.
* The average life expectancy is 45.
*The average family of 6-7 people lives in a 30 sq. meter mud and thatch hut.
*16% of the population lives on less than $1 a day.
*Half of Ethiopia's children will never attend school, and 88% never attend secondary school.
*Aids, hunger and poverty are driving families to give up; 1 in 3 adults are HIV+.
*Almost half of children under the age of 5 are malnourished.
*Over 1 million people died in the drought of 1984.
*A quarter of Ethiopia's population does not have access to clean drinking water--a major contributor to diseases

And we make cake...

This is a double layer banana cake with homemade cream cheese icing! I decided to keep this cake and give it to my sister in law for her b-day.

Valentines Day Fundraiser Prep & Help!

We made flower arrangements, sugar cookies and tons of other little things. Lots of work go into fundraisers. Also I had a wonderful / terrific team helping me...they were amazing. A scrapbook lady (Donna) came from Champaign and sold some of her merchandise. Brook brought tons of beautiful Mary Kay decorated up for V-day (and Tammy helped her). And Beth came all the way from Decatur with homemade chocolates! I wish I would have taken some pictures there...but I didn't. :( I just want to give a HUGE thanks to the girls for being so wonderful and helping out, I appreciate each of you very much! And a special thanks to Brook for being such a wonderful friend and giving so much of herself to our adoption. You and people like you are what make the world a beautiful place. And for being such a good friend with a listening ear, I appreciate it. I also want to thank Julie Young for donating some Uppercase Living, Bells Floral, Lawyer Richey Floral, Country Market Charleston floral, Shannan Strode for homemade soaps and tats, & Towne Square Jewerly. I'm sorry if I forgot someone. :) We made a total of $770!!!!

2/9/10

Mailed in the first of many payments to Bethany. And the process is beginning to feel as if it has officially started! :) Fundraiser this Saturday @ Salisbury church from 8am-noon. Its a Valentines Day shopping experience...we will have Mary Kay, massage gift certificates, flowers, plants, sweets...and much more! Come buy for your Valentine and help us make a difference!

Waiting Waiting Waiting...

For our Homestudy packet to come in the mail. Its fine really, I have plenty to do now without that mountain of paperwork. We have the Valentines Day Fundraiser coming up on Feb 13th...so I have been preparing for that and fighting food poisioning, so I'm a peace with it taking its time to get here!