Updates...galore...

This is a day for updates and a sweet little commentary about a new baby in my life...First...thank all of you that have prayed and sent best wishes out to Buddy Will. Buddy Will has gone to a caring and loving home and I have absolutely no qualms about where he is now residing. Thanks again...especially to my sweet friend Sandi...from "Holding Patterns"...you mean so much to me and Mr. Buddy Will.

Secondly, last night I was able to visit my friend in her home and get an update on their precious daughter...Stephanie. She has been in ICU since the accident on Thursday night of last week. While I was at their home...Stephanie's husband called and informed her parents that she was being moved to a private room....hallalejah...all the breathing tubes have been removed, she is sitting up some...and even walked to the bathroom and rode in a wheelchair to see her baby daughter very briefly in the ICU waiting room...isn't this just the best news. I am so thankful for their entire family...hopefully, Stephanie will be able to come home to her mom and dads to re-coop very soon! My friend is so thankful that her daughter was protected by God's hand last Thursday night...we all know she is recovering b/c of a miracle...while we know that Steph has a long road of recovery ahead of her...she has a lot to recover for...and she is grateful. I took over dinner and also downloaded one of the pictures my daughter had taken of them last Wednesday... I still can't believe it was just a week ago that we saw her and the baby...and Jackie was snapping pictures of them...laughing and playing. I put the picture in a sweet little frame for Steph's mom to take to her...so she can have Miss Brooklyn with her at all times...plus it was such a cute picture...I knew it would make her happy showing it off to all the hospital staff...I know she will love it...THANKS! Jackie...you did an awesome job with the pictures!

Now...for this picture...
I'm sure you are all wondering who this precious baby is...she is my little "formula" baby...Kezi...I know her through another friend of mine...actually her daughter is a Registered Nurse and is volunteering for one year in Sudan...she will be leaving her post in August...but she has graciously updated us on all the sweet babies and orphans that they treat at the school and in the clinic of the orphanage where she volunteers. This sweet young woman....Emily...has the biggest heart for the Lord and for helping those in need. She emailed her mom an urgent request about the babies outside the orphanage that for one reason or another did not have enough milk to survive. A lot of these babies lost their moms to Aids or in childbirth and are being raised by other family members...but b/c it is such an impoverished country they have very little food, water and shelter...not to mention very inadequate medications and supplies. She told us that the orphanage was going to have to start to turn away starving babies b/c they were running out of formula. Apparently formula is outrageously expensive and very difficult to come by. So through Harvesters International they set up an account specifically for "formula babies" these are babies that are not provided for by the orphanage but are from neighboring villages. Well, we know we can't send starving babies home w/o formula...so Emily started stretching what she had left in supply to its limits and then placed a "plea" out to many of her family and friends to see if we could help support these babies. Lots of folks really came through for this cause...the last I heard they had enough money in the formula bank to feed 10 babies for almost a year...I believe. So this is my baby...or I like to think she is...I send a monthly check to the baby formula plan at Harvesters and this is the picture Emily sent back of one of the babies Harversters Formula program has helped save. I am in love with all these kids she sends pictures of...even with nothing, these kids in the orphanage ALWAYS have a smile on their face...they are so grateful for anything they have...what a blessing for all of them to have had Emily there to care for them...but I think if you asked her she would tell you she is the one who has been blessed.


I know there are children starving and have needs in our country as well, I do not for one minute choose one child over another. I feel I have a very blessed life...so I do try my hardest to help wherever I can...I just want to encourage all of you to remember all of our children in this world...please remember them in your prayers...in your conversations with others...in your heart and if possible with any donation or extra time to whatever organization fits your personal beliefs. I love having children all over the world...and I know I will meet them all one day.


This is Emily with a baby she helped deliver out in the villages surrounding the orphanage. These people are so desperate for help and medical treatment that at times they will risk life and limb by going outside the safety of their own villages to "borrow" the nurses and aides from the orphanage to help with delivering babies and other medical emergencies. I believe if I remember correctly this baby was born under very dire circumstances, was delivered using very antiquated equipment...survived in spite of all of it...and to honor Emily...the babies parents named her Emily...awesome!

I think I am enamored by these children, their stories and those sweet faces...b/c when I was younger...I wanted to be the next Mother Teresa...REALLY...no kidding...kind of funny but I really did grow up thinking I was going to be a Missionary nun...I DO NOT know why...seriously, other than my grandfather used to tell me I would be a nun...I am so not the nun type...I mean I love the Lord, I love what the nuns do throughout our country...but I have a laywomans MOUTH...that at times could get a nun in trouble...yes, I 'm a bit sassy and have been known to throw out a word or two...not becoming a nun...to top it off...a tall muscular blond man came into my life..and WELL he drew me in with his gorgeous brown eyes...and becoming a nun went right out the window!! I decided I couldn't live without him, married the tall muscular blond and was blessed to raise our two wonderful children. But, now thankfully b/c of that tall muscular blond man...I can spread a little love throughout the places I so wanted to travel in my youth!

Blessings to all....thanks for all your prayers for all that has been happening around our little Ponderosa these days...it's been a whirlwind few days...hopefully, next week...I will be posting about fun stuff...I pray!