Great Mother's Day Weekend

What a wonderful weekend, despite not feeling all that great (again)! I'm tired of being sick...3 times in 5 months is too much. All respiratory related. This time, I'm going to the doctor to inquire as to why so much but I figure it has a lot to do with working with 33 Kindergarten students!

So to start, we went to the Shriner's Circus in Presque Isle, Maine.

What terrible parents we are considering Noah had never been to a circus (that he could remember anyways). We had only taken him to the circus once when he was still in a snugly carrier and I remember THAT day all too well. It was STIFLING hot at the Moncton Coliseum and we took our nephews to see the circus (along with Noah in the snugly, cuddled all in tight to my chest). It was SOOOO hot and stinky, it was unbearable!


So we met some friends (that we had met at camp in the winter) - or tried too. It was so busy, we couldn't find them until intermission then the boys came to sit with us for the last half of the show.


Here are some of our favourite parts of the show:

The clowns, for sure!

The tigers!

The dogs, I LOVED the grey dude on the left!

This acrobatic!

This was my favourite clown - his name was JINX.

He had a broken arm - how appropriate!

This was my FAVOURITE act...

Thought it was absolutely amazing when this girl started getting INTO this little box.

Then when she got in, absolutely amazing.

BUT....

when the 2nd girl got in we were ASTOUNDED.

This all happened on Saturday afternoon....then my Mother's Day was the absolute best!

Then ALAS, Mother's Day

My day started very early with Noah bringing me a card he had made.  It was SO cute.  On the front, had a flower pot glued with 3 flowers with stems.  You could pull out the flowers and written on each stem was a 'coupon'.  One for Noah to make my bed, one for Noah to make a tea for me and one for another chore to do for me.  It was SO sweet & special!

Then our day was started.  Without a question of what I wanted to do just happened!  We made plans to drive a friend of Noah's (and his little sister) to a hospital in Quebec City (about a 3.5 hr drive) to visit their mom (as a complete surprise to their mom!).  It was a wonderful day with 2 extra kiddo's in the car.  The boys had a blast...singing and dancing.  We had SO much fun.

When we arrived, we all had a big cry watching the kids surprise their mom.  It was AMAZING....  So we left the kids at the hospital while Jacques and Noah took me out for a Mother's Day lunch (at a place we found (and LOVED) the day we flew out to Orlando).  I was one happy girl!

Though this photo is blurry, it was the MOST hilarious when it happened.  The boys were 'rockin' in out with their pencils (pretending them to be telephones) singing and dancing to the song 'Telephone' by Lady Gaga!  It was SO cute and fun.  Just two bud's, on a road trip, having some good ole' fashion FUN!

Here's Destiny & Isaac getting ready on the elevator to surprise their mom on Mother's Day!

ONE HAPPY MOM...

NOTHING could have topped this gift that we gave to Monica & her kids.

Almost 8 hours of driving time, NO dvd player and only ONE side of the highway pit stop!!!

Another highlight to my Mother's Day:

The PERFECT gift (next to Noah's card and coupons)! 

Thanks so much for the MOST wonderful Mother's Day, boys!

One Last Chance

Regarding my previous post in request for Donations to the Orphanage (THIS POST) - I'm sending out one last call. I'll be shipping a box of goodies along with a cash donation to my friend Leslie (next week) for when she travels to Vietnam to pick up her precious baby girl, Meg.

If you are interested in donating, PLEASE have it to me no later than Sunday, April 6th.

Check out Leslie's post Reaching Out and Donations to the Orphanage from her blogs. She is just a concerned mom to a baby girl that she has yet to hold (who also happens to be in the hospital right now recovering from pneumonia). She wants to do right by her daughter, the only home her daughter has ever known and her daughter's birth country.

Won't you find it in your heart to help. Click on the donate button (top right corner of the page) and follow the instructions (note: you do NOT need to have an account with pay pal to use this method).

Thanks again!

Won't you please....HELP?

My dear friend Leslie is adopting from Vietnam. They recently received their referral (finally - after a long 22 months of waiting) of 'their' baby girl, Meg and she is a little beauty! They should be traveling by May or June and have asked for support. On her blog, she asked her blog buddies for some help with Donations to the Orphanage.

When I emailed her the other day to see how I could help, this is the response I received from her (of course, she did not know that I would be posting the response on my blog!!!):

Tara, this orphanage is so sad. there is VERY little to feed and care for the kids. I have heard from a few different families that finally were able to go pick up their children and they were extremely malnourished (11lbs at 1 yr old). Meg should be fine because our agency has a fierce and passionate woman (our agency director) that advocates for their care. The rest of the children are not faring as well :( it breaks my heart.

Now after reading this email and chatting with her on the phone about the state of the orphanage that their daughter has called home since she was born, I felt compelled to do something. Anything to try and help. I feel SO completely comfortable helping her because I KNOW (and have her guarantee) that 100% of what I send/donate will go directly to those sweet innocent babies in Meg's orphanage.

She also told me that when she is in Vietnam she will be buying items that are not easily transported (most importantly - FORMULA and food for the children of the orphanage).

NOW......she has told me that she does not feel right asking for a monetary donation and I can completely understand because I wouldn't feel right either. HOWEVER, I don't have any issues asking for her:

• Would you consider donating a few bucks to such a worthy cause, as well as her daughter's only home she's ever known and the country of her birth. Skip your coffee for a few days and donate even just $5.00 every little bit will help buy formula & food to feed those innocent babies.

Things the orphanage needs (to name a few):
Crayons, toothbrushes, medicines for scabies, Tylenol for young babies, stimulating baby toys like link chains that are non fabric (because of scabies), coloring books, mild soaps.
So that's where I am asking you for your help - would you consider donating some items or possibly a small cash donation?

I will be sending a care package with a cash donation from our family at the beginning of April, so please have your items to me by April 6.

Email me for more information: tara.morin@hotmail.com

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart (and the bottom of those poor baby's bellies)!!!

PS: A 'DONATE' button will be set up on the top corner of my blog. Click to donate and follow the directions to complete transaction.

Valentine's Day Gifts (that give back)

Our criteria for this years Valentine's gift giving was the same as at Christmas - no cards, no flowers, no chocolates - only GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK!

Though I don't like to admit it, I have been having so much fun volunteering in Noah's class 3 days a week that I did not get Jacques gift until Valentine's Day morning - woops!!! I had browsed around several times, trying to find him a special gift that would mean something to him.....though I didn't quite find it, I DID get him 2 gifts that are really special!!!

Gift #1:

• 6 pairs of shoes for $15

BUT, these shoes are not for him, it's for those in need.

Click on 'Soles4Souls' below to find out how you can help?




Gift #2:

• 15 raffle tickets to hopefully win a $100 (US) gift card (drawn at the beginning of March)
  

Purchasing these raffle tickets is to help raise funds for shipping costs to send shoes and toys to orphans in Guatemala.

A dear blogger friend of mine, goes to Guatemala every December to deliver Christmas parties, gifts and shoes to those children in need. This year, Vanessa's goal is to deliver 1000 pairs of shoes (with 7 months to go, she is already 1/2 way to her goal). As of Feb 10, she already has 144 toys. Now, shipping a box costs about $400 and she can only afford one box on her own this year. So she needs ALL the help she can get.....won't you please help out!

To read more of her mission, visit "JOURNEY OF THE HEART" or check out her cutie kids (2 biological blessings and one blessed through an adoption from Guatemala) on her family blog "Mommy's Little Blessings"


NOW.....a little explanation of MY gift from Jacques. Okay, so he didn't get me anything - other than one step closer to a dream of mine coming true! He sent me the most heartfelt, vulnerable, loving & honest message in an e-card. I cried the 'ugly' cry when I read it - THIS was all I needed. Then he gave me one more gift. Though this gift cost NO money and one that I would have ever expected or dreamed of....

A short story to explain: I have been wanting to go on a mission trip for almost 2 years now (dreaming about it, praying about it, etc) - but my girlfriend who I was supposed to go with can no longer go. My fear had taken me over and I've realized that this mission trip will probably not happen anytime soon. Though I once said I would do this alone because I was so passionate about this trip, I just don't think I am strong enough to travel this road alone. Secondly, is the issue with the finances. Jacques & I have talked (since the year we got married) that we would take a trip on our 10th wedding anniversary (which is coming in 2010). Considering our adoption is under way, we both have been feeling that maybe we should take our trip this year because if we wait for next year, it may not happen if we welcome a child to our family. We both feel it would not be right to leave a newly adopted child with a sitter while we vacation down south for a week. Assuming that we will not have a new child this year we both agreed that maybe we should travel THIS year.

ALL this said, we know it is NOT possible to fund both this trip and my mission trip. So, my Valentine's gift: Jacques offered to take a mission trip TOGETHER before the adoption goes through (instead of taking our vacation to the south).

I can hardly believe it - what a wonderful present: one from the heart, one that cost no money and one that will give back. I pray now that we find a trip and that our finances permit us to go....

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

1 Corinthians 13:4

OPERATION: SUUBI (hope)

Welcome to Operation: SUUBI (hope)

Have you seen these hand made beaded necklaces from Uganda, Africa before? If not, let me introduce you!

A little background:
Suubi (the Lugandan word for HOPE), was birthed in 2007 when a young family adopting from Uganda met two women selling these necklaces. After they met these women, they visited 60+ women who met each Sunday to bead together under a jackfruit tree.

HOPE is the essence of the SUUBI (hope) project and they have 2 visions which are:
1. creating incomes for women in unemployable areas in Uganda allowing them to provide food & pay school fees
2. a quote from the web "we have been shown a HOPE that doesn't make sense and has changed everything. Therefore, we simply want to spread HOPE."

Visit this link for the whole story about the project: SUUBI (hope) from Light Gives Heat.

I was introduced to these beautiful necklaces at this link: My Favourite Christmas Gift. I purchased 2 necklaces from Wendi (a fellow blogger buddy) who explains the vision & product VERY well in her video (I suggest watching) - better than I ever could. I highly suggest watching the video!

Since purchasing my necklaces, I've had MORE compliments and questions about where I bought it. Unfortunately, you can not buy these in the stores (around here, anyways)!! BUT, I have GREAT news.....for a limited time I AM SELLING THE NECKLACES (while quantities last) - so don't miss out on your opportunity.

Prices are as follows:

• Chokers - $13 CDN
• Slim Multi - $20 CDN
  
• Long Multi - $26 CDN
  
• Long Black & White - $26 CDN
  

All shipping will be done through Canada Post (with insurance). Note: I've tried several postal codes from NFLD to AB and zip codes to the USA and all costs were between $10-15 for an 8.5X11 envelope (which would hold 2-3 necklaces)....so it could be less.

NOTE: %100 of the money from the sales of these necklaces go back to the project Suubi (hope). So you probably ask, why am I doing this?
I'm doing this because:
1. I love the product
2. I care
3. I want to spread HOPE

• Won't you please help me spread HOPE?

Hurry, hurry - while quantities last. Here's what you have to do (& know):

• Email me your orders at tara.morin@hotmail.com (with your address) or make a comment advising which necklace you wish to purchase (if choosing a 'Multi-Long', please specify which item you want numbers in bottom right corner of photo).
  
• I will send you an email with your 'exact' shipping cost as well as the total amount due.
• I will ship only once I have received your payment in FULL.
• REMEMBER - first pay, first serve!!! (this means, if two people are interested in the same necklace - the first one to pay will be the one who wins the order)
• A "DONATE" button has been added at the top right corner of my blog for ease of paying.

Below are photos of the necklaces for sale, click on photo to view larger view.
Hurry while quantities last:

• ALL NECKLACES SOLD IN ONE WEEK

Slim Multi - $20 (CDN)

Please help bring HOPE to these beautiful women of Suubi (hope):



If you have any questions, please email me: tara.morin@hotmail.com.