We've had a couple of lousy days on this end. The kids are battling a whopper of a virus. The bonus is we've been able to hunker down and not leave the confines of our petite home since Saturday. Saturday. However, we do have much to cheer about! Let's see, the top stories making tonight's headlines...
1. Proud momma reporting that Karis Elizabeth is now sitting by herself for a good 20 seconds or so! That is until she topples backward. I remember as a little girl trying to sit my baby doll up and she would fall back just like Karis does now. Makes me laugh! Same perfect posture with her little bent arms out to her side. She is such a doll.
2. JERRY JOHN
And I debated about putting this first, because we are SO excited -
Jerry John is now a part of our family!! Doesn't his name just make you smile?! I knew Donald would love his name too. My hubby with the WVA roots who halfway teased this want-to-be Southern Belle about naming our son Jimmy Don.
I am very embarrassed to say we have talked for too long about sponsoring a child, though this one year anniversary of Haiti's earthquakes did our hearts in. The kids and I got a call this morning from Donald to chose someone, anyone, but to do it. So we threw open the laptop and prayed that God would hook us up with just the right child. After pages of too precious, extremely adorable faces Caroline was quick to point out the only photo we had seen with a red heart in the corner. We had found our someone.
The red heart meant the child had been waiting for over 6 months for a sponsor.
I still can't get that out of my head. I have a hard time thinking people have been passing his photo for 6 months. I have a hard time thinking we've waited so long before taking action on a constant pull. It breaks my heart to think of children all over this globe in such dire need -- of clean water, attention. I really dislike how tightly I've been clinging to the few tens we'll be sharing each month, as if I can look back and say they made any real difference in our lives. I really, really dislike how easy it is to be informed, feel horrible, and still ignore.
BUT! I really like to imagine how Jerry John and his parents will react when they learn they finally have a sponsor! I really like how thrilled our kids are to be helping someone they've never met, picturing Jerry John wearing his school uniform for the first time, perhaps a healthier year for him, easing his parents worry, the kids writing to him, watching him grow through photos taped to our fridge, praying for him. Julie Andrews singing "My Favorite Things" is floating through my head, but with different lyrics. I wonder what he looks like sleeping. Now, I can watch the news about Haiti with Jerry John in mind. It's personal now.
