This last weekend, we celebrated my mom's 75th birthday. The whole family met at Lost Pines Resort outside of Bastrop. It's the first time in 8 years that all five of us kids have been together. And, it was the first time ever that all the grandkids have been together. We had an amazing time. Everyone was on their best behavior. It was perfect. 

We had a really nice dinner on Saturday. We came up with "Tonight's Top 10 Things You Hear Mom Say." I thought about posting them, but then decided not to. Mom can have a potty mouth... and more than half of the top 10 involved bad words. Haha. In fact, a few I can hardly say without blushing. 

I hope that we can continue this tradition and get together every year. I'd love for my kids to really know their cousins. 

I am truly blessed...

Merry Christmas!

So, I know I've been the most terrible blogger ever. How many of you are still out there? If I know there are actually people reading my blog, I promise I'll post more often. Just leave me a comment and let me know you're still interested in our crazy life :)

Here's our Christmas card! It's the first time in years that Daniel and I have actually been in it!

Hopefully I'll post again before Christmas, but if I don't.... I hope your Christmas is blessed beyond measure!

Mercy Project

P.O. Box 3005  l  Bryan, Texas 77805  l  214.673.6732

Mercy Project Post

There’s an estimated 7,000 children who work in the Ghana fishing industry. Some of
these children are as young as 5 and 6 years old.  All of these children are slaves.

–Mercy Project

Today many in our country will take a day off from our jobs to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers.  No matter if we’re celebrating at home or at the beach, we’re entering into a tradition that has largely been shaped by Labor Unions - organizations that are dedicated to protecting workers’ interests and improving their wages, hours, and working conditions.  Today as we lounge around or hang out with friends and family, we’re not only celebrating hard work, we’re honoring fair, ethical working practices and the laws that prevent discrimination, abuse, and child labor in our country.  Without these laws in place (and enforced), the most vulnerable members of society suffer.  Who are the most vulnerable? Children.  

Today as we’re celebrating the systems in our own country that strive to prevent injustices like child trafficking and child labor, we’re mindful of the many child slaves around the world who are unprotected and the organizations, like Mercy Project, who are working to free them. 

As a mother, it’s difficult for me to imagine my children working 14 hours a day, 7 days a week.  I’m unable to wrap my brain around the thought of my children engaged in long, hard days of physical labor, eating one meal a day, and then falling asleep at night on a dirt floor filled with other slave children.  Yet this is the daily reality for kids who have been trafficked into the fishing industry in Ghana, Africa.  As with much of Africa, there is a great deal of poverty in Ghana. Unfortunately, this leaves many mothers in an unimaginable position: sell their children to someone who can take better care of them or watch them starve to death. Most of the mothers are told their children will be given food, housing, and an education. Instead, the kids are often taken to Lake Volta where they become child slaves and their mothers never see them again.  Thankfully, Mercy Project is working to break the cycles of trafficking around Lake Volta by providing alternate, more efficient, sustainable, fishing methods for villagers – ultimately eliminating the need for child slaves.  Because of the work Mercy Project is doing in Ghana, the first group of children will be freed this month from Lake Volta. 

VIDEO

We invite you to watch this moving, 10 minute documentary about the issues surrounding child labor and trafficking in Ghana and most importantly the hope Mercy Project is bringing to children and entire communities in Africa.  Mercy Project is the only NGO working on Lake Volta addressing the injustice of child labor and child trafficking at its root - by strengthening the Ghanaian economy and eliminating the structures that cause the demand for trafficked children. 

Whether these ideas of child labor, child trafficking, and modern-day slavery are new to you or you’re aware of these injustices, but need to hear some good news every once in awhile, we invite you to become a part of what Mercy Project is doing in Ghana.  When Mercy Project frees their first group of children this month, we can all celebrate together.

Learn more and get involved by – 

• Watching Mercy Project’s short documentary. [link provided below]

• Following Mercy Project on Facebook. [link provided below]

• Connecting with Mercy Project via Twitter.  [link provided below]

• Spending some time on Mercy Project’s website.  [link provided below]

• Sharing about Mercy Project’s work in Ghana with your friends.  [link provided below]

Although child trafficking, child labor, and the unstable economies that result in these injustices are a tragedy, we’re grateful for what Mercy Project is doing to protect the vulnerable and for allowing us to be a part of this story.   While we’re commemorating labor laws and ethical work in our own country today, we invite you to follow along on this journey with Mercy Project to protect and free children in Ghana.

Links You May Need

Link to Mercy Project’s Website: http://mercyproject.net/

Link to the documentary - http://youtu.be/b4Dwv5KbMYI

Embed code for the documentary – 

Mercy Project’s Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/mercyproject

Mercy Project on Twitter - https://twitter.com/mercyproject

First Day of 2nd Grade

Monday was the first day of 2nd grade for the twins. They are still in the Dual Language Program at South Knoll.... they get half of their instruction in Spanish and half in English. They have two teachers... Spanish: Mrs. Luna, and English: Mrs. Gallagher. They are super excited to start school again and see all their friends. But, I think Cal's a little worried that it's going to get harder. This morning he got a little weepy and said, "But I just want to stay home and be with you." Sweet boy.

David woke up ready to go to school that morning and was so so so sad that he had to stay home.... until he was back home alone with ALL the Legos, Wii, computer, and Sonic toys all to himself!!! 

We are super blessed that our cousins are still at South Knoll with us! Chloe went on to 5th grade at a different school. But, Phoebe is in 3rd grade and Isaiah started Kinder. It won't be long until David and Jude start Kinder.... sniff sniff. 

Here's to a wonderful and blessed school year!!

David... Age 3

David turned 3 on May 14th. Like his brother, Calloway, 3 is proving to be more challenging than those Terrible Twos! David is such a boy... he loves anything rough and tough.... dirty and gross.  But, I find a little Patti in him too.... he likes things clean and neat (well, to his standards at least).

He loves Spiderman, Superman, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario and Legos!  His favorite show right now is Peppa Pig. His favorite movie is Toy Story 3 and Ninjago.

I have a hard time getting this boy to eat... but, his favorite snacks are goldfish, fruit snacks (he's picky about what characters), and he loves apples and bananas. He can drink a gallon of chocolate milk a day.

Because of his older brother and his friends, David is terrified of the dark, Zombies, Ghosts and Vampires. I've done my best to explain that they aren't real... and every once in a while, you can hear David say, "They aren't real... Jesus will protect me."  He begs to go to Chuck E Cheese, but once there, he screams and cried because he's afraid of Chuck E Cheese. He'll even tell himself (in between sobs), "I'm not scared... it's just a costume." Because of all the drama, he is attached to my arms. I can't complain too much... it won't last forever. But, it's hard when I need to get dinner ready.

He's so smart... and so loving. He adores Cal and Patti... but, he also loves to fight and argue with them as well. They are good about playing the Wii together... David's favorite Wii game is Super Smash Brothers Brawl (sounds like such a wholesome sweet game huh?). It's crazy how good at it he is... he'll even beat Daniel (fair and square).

The boy loves to sing Eye of the Tiger... it's so stinkin' cute!

Here are some of his favorite phrases:

"Mommy, I want to cuddo (cuddle) wif you."

"It's not wet, it's drive."

"Where's Caddoway?"

"MOMMY!?"

"Can I want waffles?"

"Can I want chocolate milk?"

"My tummy's choking me." (I think this means he's burping?)

"But.... but.... but..... "

(When he prays... ) "Thank you for God... Mommy. Thank you for God... Daddy. Thank you for God... "

(Eye of the Tiger) "I have the tiger... "

"Mommy, my Wii-mote needs batteries."

There's no way it's already July! Oh my. Well, Cal and Patti finished 1st grade... they had a wonderful year. David is so happy to have them back home all day! I noticed that I skipped David's birthday in May... poor third child. So, he turned 3 May 14th. I'll try to blog later this week about what a little character this boy is. Be prepared... he's a mess!

After school was out, we took a trip to South Padre. It ended up being a terrible trip, but I won't go into all that. Daniel and I had both gotten sick, but I really wanted to try and get a few good pictures on the beach. Despite my grumpiness behind the camera, I was able to get a few genuine smiles out of the kids. 

Outside one of our favorite restaurants in Port Isabel....

After we got home, I tried again to get some more pictures of the kids... another failed attempt. As soon as we got to the park, we were swarmed by mosquitos. It was downhill from there. The kids scratched and complained the whole time... I got attacked as well... so I was sympathetic and we went home. I did get a couple cute ones though.

Happy Monday!