Doing Hair with Tears

Saturday is hair day around here. It does sometimes mean tears. Long minutes and hours sitting still and lots of combing and twisting and braiding and parting and conditioning can lead to tears. Tonight the tears were mine. In a few days it will be 4 years since I left for Uganda. That means it has been 4 years since 2 children arrived at an orphanage, within days of each other. It means that 2 women that gave birth to 2 beautiful babies, could no longer parent their babies for whatever reason. It means hearts were broken. Hard decisions were made. Two moms became a part of me becoming a mom. I wonder about these women. I can't imagine what they went through. What were the circumstances that led to their babies being placed in an orphanage? Are they still alive? I want to hug them. I want to cry with them. I want to laugh and celebrate their children with them. Their babies are beautiful, healthy, strong, smart, fast, awesome, and so Ugandan! I want to ask them questions--Where does she get her sassiness? How did he get the scar on his neck? Did you sing all of the time like he does? and dance? I want so much for them to be able to know, and love, and touch, and see their babies. I want to thank them for helping me become a mom. I pray that I am the type of mother they would want for their babies. I want to wish them a Happy Mother's Day.

Three Years

I can't believe it has been three years since we got on a plane in Uganda and started home. It was an awful trip!!!! But it was worth every second!!!!!! There have been hard days, but the awesome, amazing, happy, joyful, wonderful days have left them in the dust.

And have gone from these cute little munchkins...

to these superheroes!!!! If you are considering adoption--GO FOR IT!!! I'm not saying it will be easy, but it will definitely be worth it!!!!

Independence Day

Today we celebrate Independence Day in the US. Thank you to all of the men and women who have served our country to help us enjoy the freedoms we have!!! We will never be able to thank you enough for the sacrifices you and your families have made. Olwazzi would like to ask you to consider celebrating Independence Day by giving the girls and women of Kamengo-ffunvu independence. The girls and women of the village do not have access to feminine hygiene products. This means that they miss out on going to school and to work during their periods. They develop infections and get sick from using rags and other unsanitary materials. We have been given the opportunity to send 2 women from the village to attend a training session by Days for Girls International. Days for Girls is an amazing organization that trains women to make sanitary supplies for themselves and others. The women going to the training will learn how to make kits for women in the village and can teach the other women to make them as well. This would be life changing for these women!!! We also have a huge praise going up--Nakato and Babirye do not have HIV!!!!! Their mother is receiving treatment for her HIV!! Hopefully the family will be back together soon!! Thank you again to the Ugandan adoptive moms for their help in paying for thier foster care! Please pray for Kawoya. He is a young boy from the village that was hit by a boda(motorcycle). He was taken to the hospital for treatment and has been released, but still has a long way to go for a full recovery. Thank you again for all of your prayers and support.

Mama Florence's Birthing Center is Finished!!!!

Sorry that I haven't posted pictures until now. It was a busy weekend, in Uganda and in Alabama!! Please click on the link to the right and go like our facebook page to get quicker updates!!!

Now, on to what you have been waiting for!!!




Putting on the final touches.






Nice new beds.



A new baby scale, thanks to John Mark.



And a new baby to weigh!!!



The first baby born in the new birhting center and her mom.

Thank you to Keltie, Holly, Ruth, Andrea, John Mark, Melissa, and the Craft Aid volunteers who helped with the project and provided supplies for Mama Florence!! Thank you so much Godfrey for managing the project!! You have had a tremendous impact on Kamengo-ffunvu and we can't thank you enough!

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!!

Mama Florence is getting a new birthing center!!!!





I want to start out by saying THANK YOU!!!!! to Keltie McDonald!!!

While I was in Uganda in December, Keltie contacted me about helping Kamengo. We discussed the needs of the village and the project she felt drawn to was a new birthing center for Mama Florence. So she got together with some of her friends and started raising money. They raised $3000 and 3 of the ladies are on their way to Uganda as we speak to visit Kamengo and see a dream being built.

The new building will be large enough to hold 2 to 3 beds and a crib. It will have new beds and new equipment for Mama Florence!! It will provide a safer place for the mothers of Kamengo to give birth to the future of Kamengo.

We will be posting construction updates as we get them.

If you haven't visited the Olwazzi Ministries blog or facebook page, please go check them out and keep going back for updates.

I Want to Give Them Jesus!!

Olwazzi Ministries

I know in my earlier post I said I sucked as a blogger. I also said that I was busy. I was busy organizing and starting a project that means so much to me. When God called me to adopt, I thought it was just 2 children. Little did I know that He would give me a heart for a country and a longing to do whatever I could to help the people there. Please take a minute and go to the Olwazzi Ministries blog. Take a look at what we are hoping to do in Kamengo-ffunvu, Uganda. Think and pray about helping us. If you get a chance go and like our facebook page.


God called us to be doers of the word, not just hearers.

Let's Face It...

I suck as a blogger. I have all of these wonderful ideas of things that I want to write about and never get it down on 'electronic paper'. This is another thing that I hope to get better at in 2012, if there are any of you out there that still care.

I am going to be posting about Uganda and all that happened while I was there soon. Trying not to tease, but this mama is BUSY!!!

Thankful Diary--Day 9

I am thankful for my students. Each class is unique! Every student is special! They usually teach me more than I teach them;).

Thankful Diary--Day 8

I am thankful for my Aunt Martha. She travelled to Uganda with me and never slowed down in her work at the orphanage or with the children. I would not have been able to travel back with 2 children without her. She is a great example of what a Christian woman should be!! She cares for everyone she comes into contact with!

Thankful Diary--Day 7

I am thankful for my job as a teacher and for my co-workers. I may not like every new 'education reform' that comes down the pike, but I love my job. The faculty and staff at CES is just a bonus. They are a great bunch of people that support and love one another!

Thankful Diary--Day 8

I am thankful for my Aunt Martha. She travelled to Uganda with me and never slowed down in her work at the orphanage or with the children. I would not have been able to travel back with 2 children without her. She is a great example of what a Christian woman should be!! She cares for everyone she comes into contact with!

Orphan Sunday

Please take a moment and watch this video. We are commanded to help! What can you do to help?

True Religion from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Thankful Diary--Day 6

I am thankful for my wonderful church family. It has been a pleasure to grow, learn and worship with them. I am so glad that God brought us all together.

Thankful Diary--Day 5

I am so very thankful for my wonderful parents. Words cannot express how much I love you and appreciate all that you do for me and my children. I hope I can be as good of parents as you!

Thankful Diary--Day 4

I am thankful for my children. Andrew, my sweet, big ol' mama's boy and Willa Rae, my sassy mama!! I can't imagine my life without you!!

Thankful Diary--Day 3

I am thankful for the Holy Spirit and his guidance. I don't always follow, but I am trying to get better at that, LOL. Forgotten God by Francis Chan is helping. If you haven't read it you might want to add it to your list!

Thankful Diary-Day 2

Today, and really everyday, I am thankful for Jesus, and His blood that saved me.

Thankful Diary-Day 1

I usually do this on facebook, but thanks to another blogging friend, I have decided to do it here too!! Everyday this month I will post something that I am thankful for. I encourage you to do the same thing. It will change the way you look at things. Please join me!

Day 1

Today, I am thankful for God, my Father, from whom all blessings flow!

Help a Sister Out!!

It has been a busy summer and I haven't been able to blog, but I have to help a sister out!! There is a special family in California that needs help. They are special because they are adopting a very special girl!!! A girl that I know that needs to come home to her forever family...along with her brother. Things have been progressing for this family and they need to raise money for their adoption QUICK!!! AND you get to help! AND you could win an IPad2!! Just go and visit their blog for more information and to follow their adoption journey. Click here now!