two little boys... who melt my heart

Through my journeys to Ethiopia, I have found people who have taught me so much. They taught me how to be thankful for everything I have, that God made everyone for a special reason and has a perfect plan for every ones life.  They have shown me how to be strong and not afraid of what others think of me.  

My first trip to Ethiopia was 3 years ago and we brought home my amazing brother Leul. He is the cutest, funniest, sweetest kid ever. He has such a heart for others and is very attached to me. He loves the Lord and always asks me to pray for his birth mommy and biological brother in Ethiopia. He asks me to bring them water and food so they aren’t hungry. I can’t describe the way he has changed since the day we met him in Ethiopia to this day today. He always puts a smile on my face and keeps me going day to day. 

Abe. Sweet little Abe really touches my heart. When I get to see him (which is not very often) his precious little smile just melts me heart. He gets so excited to see me whether it is on skype or in person; he always puts his smile on for me.  He has shown me to never give up and keep reaching for my goals in life. His daily goal might just be to open up his hands and reach out for something, or no matter what it is, he shows people to never give up and keep trying. And not only to keep trying but also to do it with a smile and happiness.  Abe ALWAYS has a smile on face no matter if he is having a good or a bad day, he always has his beautiful smile on. He is truly an inspiration for me and I’m sure for many more people too.  We HAVE to be thankful for what we have and can do, and be happy, loving, and forgiving.  

There are many more people who have inspired me but these two boys really just touch my heart daily.

 Even the people who think I am crazy for trying to help Africa, help keep me strong for what I believe in and for what I am trying to do.  

i saw what i saw

Such  an amazing song and video.

drawn from water...

When i was in Ethiopia, we went to this orphanage called, "Drawn From Water." It was such an amazing orphanage and the thing that was the most amazing was the way they bring the kids into the orphanage. I hope to be able to do something like this one day!

In rural Africa there are three tribes that practice what is called “mingi”, which loosely translates to mean dirty or unclean. There are many ways in which a child may become “mingi”, but once the label has been placed all children suffer the same fate, they must be killed.  But now there is another way, in January of 2009 Lale Labuko an educated man from one of the tribes who practices “mingi” and Yabibal Abebaw worked together with a group of visiting missionaries to start Drawn From Water, an orphanage who’s mission is to take in the children who have been deemed “mingi” and to educate the tribes that these children are a blessing and not a curse. In the three tribes, which practice “mingi”, there are a total of roughly 130,000 people living in hundreds of villages spanning an area totaling hundreds of square miles. It is estimated that more than 1000 children are killed each year because they were “mingi”. Drawn From Water is working to save as many of these children as possible. In the first 12 months 21 children were saved. Our hope is that with God’s help we will be able to reach the tribes with the gospel and ultimately help them see that these children are a blessing and not a curse. 
~ this is from the Drawn From Water website 

here is a little more about it...

1 year ago!

Wow! I can't believe it has been a year already. This week last year we brought home my amazing sister, Yanet Jazzlin Thorne!! She has been such a blessing to our family and we don't know what we would do with out her. She is smart, strong, tough, funny, a drama queen, sweet, adorable, and much more! She is the typical girlie girl.

the... "gotcha day!" 

welcome home Yanet! 

 

first time on the airplane!

first time to the snow

me meeting her!

first halloween

first time in Hawaii

first picture as a family with Yanet in it! 

I can't say how blessed we are to have you in our lives Yanet! We all love you!

shirts and jackets!

I still have some t-shirts!!

These are white very soft fitted t-shirts. $15

This is the jacket. Very warm and cozy but i only have a few sizes left so hurry up and purchase if you want one! $40

 I am leaving to Australia in a few days so if you want to make an order please do it ASAP. The money goes to Dube Bute so instead of paying to me, you can put the money on my campaign. Thank You!

raffle for Dube Bute

The Alexander family has been such a blessing to me. They allowed me to travel with them to Ethiopia and have an experience of a life time.  They are my second family and love love love visiting them in Texas!

 We are going to be kicking off the new year with a little fundraiser here at Team Alexander.  It will benefit the people of Dube Bute and of course whoever wins!! :)  2010 was so FULL for our family as we had the blessing of traveling to the very village where Eyasu spent the first 2 years of his life.  2011 is the year that that village receives HOPE in the form of 27 clean water points, new schools, a library, a health clinic and a vet clinic. Here is a way to help bring that hope and win some cool stuff!

 Last chance to enter the raffle today.  We have been blown away by the support you all have shown for the people of Dube Bute.  Be sure to let me know if you have put on facebook or your blog so I can add your name to the drawing.  Abe is working hard to get his hand all nice and stretched out to pick the perfect name tomorrow. :)

Some of the items donated will be mailed directly to the winner so they aren't in the above picture.

THANKS TEAM ALEXANDER!!

Happy late New Year!

Wow! I can't believe it's a whole new year now. I had such a great 2010 and here is a list of some of my favorite memories...

1. Ethiopia to pick up my new sister
2. Ethiopia for dental work and Dube Bute
3. River with the family
4. Being with the Alexander family for 3 weeks
5. San Francisco trip with my dad
6. Hawaii
7. Raising money for Dube Bute
8. Getting 5th in the Western United States at a gymnastics competition
9. Christmas with the whole family and Yanets first Christmas
10. Spending New Years with my best friends (maddy, zoe, chanen)

I am so blessed for everything i have and was able to do in 2010. I got to travel and serve others in many different places. We had a crazy year and we had our ups and downs but overall it was a great year that i will never forget!

2011-

Cancun
Australia
Ethiopia
15th Birthday
Permit
Jared and Taylor leave for college
Ghana (pick up my cousins that are being adopted)
Photography
Friends
Europe

So... That is what i can think of so far for 2011. A lot of travel and i am more than excited. Happy 2011 Everyone!

"This is my command- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9