I Have the Perfect Gift for You

UPDATE: OVER $2400 HAS BEEN DONATED TO THE CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR

KIND HEARTS SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT SO FAR!!

 

Once a year my mom and I wake up in the dark of the night and we sneak out of the house.  It’s tradition.  We’ve planned out the details the night before.  We’ve made a list of places we’ll go.  With our purses in tow, we gently close the door behind us and quietly roll out of the driveway, so as not to wake the children or men. 

Are you wondering where such wild women of the night are headed?  For some, the answer is as plain as daybreak: the Black Friday sales, of course!  That’s right, every year my mom and I join the masses and spend the entire day wandering about, chatting and laughing, until our feet hurt and the guilt of staying out too long sends us staggering home.  And every year, to nobody’s surprise, we come home almost empty-handed.  We’re not disappointed.  We know that’s the way it will turn out before we even start planning.  The reasons are simple.  We don’t need anything.  We can hardly think of a thing to buy anyone.  We already have too much.

If you can relate - you have a list of people you’d like to give a gift to but are tired of buying more stuff just to buy more stuff - I have the perfect gift for you!  No waiting in lines, no returns necessary, no making room in the closet or cupboard, no wrapping paper, no second guessing, no shipping, and one size fits all.  It’s a card, one that will help build a school for hundreds of orphaned and destitute children in Ethiopia.

Kind Hearts, a Children’s HopeChest CarePoint, in Ethiopia is currently serving more than 200 children.  The CarePoint provides them with nutritious food, clean water, clothing, medical care, education, and Christian discipleship.  For these kids, it is, no doubt, a complete life changer.  However, they are serving a greater number of children than they have room for, and still many more watch from a distance, waiting and wishing for the day there is room for them.  Plans are underway to build a new school building which will DOUBLE the number of children they are able to serve.  Would you consider making their wish a reality by sending this card to someone on your list this Christmas?

click on picture for a clearer image 

Giving a gift in someone’s honor is incredibly meaningful. It says, “I know you appreciate the significance of a good thing.” If you ask me about gifts I’ve received in the past, these are the gifts I remember. The simplicity of sending this card to family and friends can help improve the lives of hundreds of children for a lifetime. That’s a worthy gift.

If you’d like to cross a few things off your list and send a gift that truly exemplifies the spirit of Christmas, here’s how you can do it:

Use the PayPal button to the left.  First, select the amount of your gift from the drop-down box.  Next, enter the names you would like listed on the “To” and “From” lines, and the recipient’s address (where you would like the card sent.)  Be sure to separate your information with commas.  Repeat for each card you would like to send.  I am asking a minimum donation of $10 per card.

Because we will send absolutely 100% of your donation to Children’s HopeChest for the school building project, my husband’s Christmas gift to me is as many cards as you will order. (Guess what he’s getting?  Postage for as many cards as you will order :)

I'll be making daily trips to the post office so your card will be delivered as soon as possible.  If you would like multiple cards sent to your home address so that you or your child can hand deliver them, let me know how many to send. I can package them together and leave the envelopes and cards blank so you can fill them out the way you'd like.  However you'd like to do things, that's exactly what I'll do.  If you have any questions, just send me an e-mail.  Definitely stop back for updates!

For more information on Kind Hearts, please visit my friend Karen Wistrom’s blog, http://www.family-from-afar.blogspot.com/.

When you gather the profits of your hard work, leave some for the foreigner, the orphans, and the widows.  Then the Lord, your God, will bless you in all you do.  Deuteronomy 24:19.

Happy 7th Birthday, Trey!!

Happy birthday to my sweet, silly Trey!!

You’re as sweet as pie and as cute as a cupcake.  You put a skip in my step and a hop in my heart.  I am ridiculously happy to be your mom.

Love ~ The Luckiest Mom EVER



Trey –

Happy 7^th Birthday Big Boy! I’m proud to call you my son. Keep smilin’!

All my love – Dad



Trey,

You are the happiest boy I know.  Your smile easily lights up a room and your eyes are always shining.  You are so funny and curious.  I’m lucky to have you as my brother.

<3 Sammie



Trey,

You are funny, sweet, and adorable.  You’re always so peppy and excited.  I’m proud to be your brother.  I don’t know what I’d do without you.

Love – Big Bro Toby



Trey ~ You are such a delight.
I love you so.
You always make me feel so special.
Thanks for coming into my life.
Happy 7th birthday!

Love ~ Mimi



Trey -

Your curious mind and energetic spirit are a blessing to our family.

Grandpa Paul



Trey -

We love you and think you are a special boy. You have an awesome smile that lights up a room. Happy Birthday.

Love - Uncle Paul, Aunt Jamie, Paul C, Isaac, Luke and Aaron Bruns



Hi Trey,
I bet you're having a great birthday today. Lots of presents and goodies to eat!! You must feel like a big boy now that you're 7 years old.

Love you,
Granny & Grandpa H.


 

T is for Terrific, one of a kind

R is for Ready for action

E is for Energetic, cheerful & smiley

Y is for Young whippersnapper full of life

You are a perfect addition to the Davidson family!  We all know you are heaven sent.  We look forward to watching all of the Fun & Great things that happen in your life J

 

Love ~ Aunt Paula and Uncle Dave

Trey,
 

From the first time your Mom and Dad introduced your picture to your soon-to-be new family, I saw a light in your eyes. I knew then, just as I know now, that God has something magical in store for your life.
  

I remember the first time we met ~ you had me at "Aunt, Tamara"!

Happy Birthday, Trey!

Love, Aunt Tamara

 

 

Eleven for Eleven

Toby,

Eleven years ago today, God blessed us mightily when you were born. As I’ll point out later, you are unassuming, but remarkable in so many ways. Today, I’d like to share with you 11 things I love about you, my 11-year-old son.

You are Tenacious: If you asked me to use one word to describe you, this would be it. I thought about using the term persistent, but persistent isn’t a strong enough term.  Tenacious – this was the adjective to describe you when you were a baby, and it remains the same today.

Once you get something in your mind, it’s all over. I love it that you have a never-give-up attitude (even if sometimes I’d like to you give up.) Stay tenacious, Toby. Never give-up when something is hard and never give-up fighting for something that’s right.

You are a Great Brother: I’m not sure what Sammie and Trey would do without you. Yes, you rough house with Trey a little too much, and you antagonize your sister (like any good brother would) a bit too much, but you are like glue that binds our family together. You’re the one with the big ideas and you’re the one that always makes sure everyone is included.

You Get Things Done: How many 11-year-olds wake-up before the sun comes up and, without request, start studying? How many kids don’t have to be told to do their homework or to pick-up their clothes? Some days I stumble out of bed (after you) and see you at the counter taking care of business and I think, “Man I wish I had that kid’s gumption.” You can thank your mom for this quality.

You are Honest: Sadly, an all too uncommon trait among people of all ages. I was going to say, honest to a fault, but I don’t think there is such a thing.

I remember when you were in pre-school, mom would tell me stories of you running out of class at the end of the day filled with anxiety. It was clear to her you had something on your mind. Without hesitation and without coaxing, you would open-up and let mom know about the “naughty thing” you had done that day. The funny thing was, you never really did anything very naughty, but I admire that you just wanted to get it off of your chest.

In this regard, you haven’t changed since pre-school, and I hope you never change. As cliché as it might sound, honesty is always the best policy.

You Always Wash my Truck on Saturdays: Wait, that’s not true, but if you’d like, you are welcome to do so!

You are Tactical: You think a lot and carefully weigh the options and opportunities presented to you. For example, most 11-year-old boys when asked by their mom if they’d like to go to Target would immediately respond, “No thanks.” You, on the other hand, calculate the potential benefit of the trip (like an ICEE) and tactically consider your response.

You are Responsible: You take care of what needs to be taken care of and you do it well. You know what’s right and what’s wrong. And while not always easy, most of the time, you choose right over wrong.

You are Unassuming: The quintessential offensive lineman. You’re just here to do your job. You don’t want anyone to make a fuss over you, and at the end of the day, you are your biggest critic. In a world of big egos and personalities, your humble personality is a refreshing one!

P.S. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

You are Just the Right Amount of Cool: There is no doubt you are a cool kid. Not the kind of cool that’s arrogant or dismissive, but the kind of cool that makes other people feel comfortable and unthreatened.

You are Respectful: Yes sir, please, and thank you are common to your vocabulary – I like that! While you consistently get good grades, it doesn’t go unnoticed that your best, most consistent grades are for being kind and respectful.

You are Thankful: God knows we are blessed in many ways, and oftentimes even mom and I take things for granted. I don’t think you do. I don’t think you did when you were younger, and I don’t think you do today.

You are Humble: Well, at least you used to be.

I’m proud to be your dad.  Much love to you on your 11^th birthday.

Dad

They Have Come. Now Let’s Build It.

The kids are in their second week of school.  While they are always most excited for the first day of school, I always look forward to the second week of school.  At this point, the party money has been turned in, the “Getting to Know Me” forms have been completed, the books are beginning to feel familiar, and we are starting to fall into a routine.

I have found myself waking up this past week feeling deeply aware of how blessed my children really are.  I have always known that our children are privileged to attend quality schools, complete with big libraries, smart boards, and computer labs.  This year, however, as I stand in the bus line with Trey, dressed in his new shoes with his new backpack, my gratitude has been multiplied.  I cannot help but think that had things gone slightly different in his story -  if he still lived on the street in Ethiopia - he would most likely not be going to school.  He would not be eating hot lunch.  He would not own a notebook or even a pencil.  My heart struggles between feeling blessed for my children and burdened for the many others who won’t be starting school this fall.

During this second week of school, I do feel especially grateful for organizations like Children’s HopeChest and for my friend Karen Wistrom.  I am thankful for their dedication to making education a reality for those children who are equally deserving, but would otherwise go without.  I am grateful for the Kind Hearts CarePoint in Ethiopia which provides for 150 orphaned and destitute children.  These are the faces that come to my mind throughout the day:


Back to School from Dave and Robyn Davidson on Vimeo.

150 more children are waiting.  There are plans to expand the school at Kind Hearts so that 150 more children can attend school, receive healthy meals, and clean water.  This is the point where things can go different in their story.  It’s not a matter of “If we build it, they will come.”  It’s a matter of “They have come. Now let’s build it!”

If your heart connects with this and you’d like to be a part of this project, here’s one simple way we can help:

Apryl, who blogs at Not Quite Done, is selling magazine-bead bracelets and earrings.  She is donating the proceeds to the building project at Kind Hearts.  I ordered some bracelets a few weeks ago and was really impressed with how wonderfully made they were.  I should have taken a picture to share, but I gave them to a friend as a thank-you gift.  I’ll definitely be ordering more.  While it’s only August, I think they would make really sweet Christmas gifts if you’re the type that likes to shop early.  I love this fundraiser.  The beads are purchased from a non-profit organization that helps support impoverished women in Uganda (www.beadforlife.org), the bracelets and earrings were made by teenage girls (I always want to support and encourage young people who are trying to make a difference), AND they will help to build a school for children in Ethiopia.  How great is that?

If you think you would like to know more about Kind Hearts, you can visit their page on the Children’s HopeChest website.  If you would like to know how you might become involved, I would love to talk to you, or you can e-mail my friend Karen at kjwistrom@yahoo.com. 

First Day of School: I’m an Eighth Grader with a Kindergartener

It was back to school for the Davidson kids yesterday.  It was Trey’s first day of kindergarten and he was insanely excited to be going to the same school as his big brother.  No worries.  No tears.  He climbed onto that school bus without a moment of hesitation and wildly waved good-bye with a ginormous smile smeared across his face.  He makes things easy on a mama’s heart.


Toby’s a big 5th grader this year.  This will be his last year of elementary school.  Toby always enjoys school, digs his teachers, and looks forward to seeing the guys (and the girls :)  Yesterday, he was mostly excited for Trey. 

Sharing some last minute advice at the bus stop:
 
My favorite moment of the day:  On the school bus (which my kids love), the kindergarteners sit in the front, and the older kids sit further back based on grade.  Toby was finally big enough to sit in the very back (where all of the good stuff happens).  Instead, he independently and happily sat in the very front seat with Trey, right in the middle of the kindergarteners.  That kid makes my heart gush.

Sammie started her 8th grade studies yesterday for her second year as a homeschool student.  We had a great 7th grade year and I anticipate this year will be even better.  We will be visiting a few high schools this fall so she can explore her options.  We’re both torn over what to do next year.  We’re leaving it up to her.  However, for now she’s quite happy to do her studies curled up in a blanket, take long walks with her mom over the lunch hour, and still spend four hours a night at the gym with the sweetest group of friends a girl could ask for.  We both think she has a good thing going.

We made a few changes to the curriculum we’re using this year. 

In case you’re curious, here’s what we’re doing:

Math: Teaching Textbooks.  Last year we did Math 7 and Pre-Algebra.  This year it’s Algebra 1.  I could rave about this program all day.  I love it.  I even have Toby doing Math 5 and he likes it!

History:  The American Republic by BJU Press

Science: Earth Science by BJU Press.  Of course, it rocks!

Language Arts: Daily Language by Evan-Moor, Easy Grammar, and Wordly Wise

Writing: Sammie is working with a writing coach through the Write Guide program.

Bible: Bible Truths by BJU Press

Spanish: Rosetta Stone

It’s ridiculous how excited I can get about textbooks, science experiments, and lesson plans.  I keep telling Dave how smart I’m going to be someday.  It’s so much easier to be an 8th grader when you're 39 years old.


Here’s the recap I got from Trey about his first day of kindergarten:
“I loved school.  It was so fun.  My teacher is nice.  I have lots of kids in my class.  One was naughty.  It wasn’t me.  We had cheese pizza for lunch and we wiggled to a song in PE.  We have a fun slide at my school, but no swings.  I wish we had swings.  At story time we read a book about a dog.  Or maybe it was a bunny.  It was hard to tell.  I rested at naptime, but I did not sleep.  Two children fell asleep.  One was a boy and one was a girl.  I do not know anybody’s name.  My favorite part of the day was snack time.  Oh, and lunch time, too.  I love school.”

Cinnamon Rolls or Donuts? Yes, please!!

When Samantha was a little preschooler, if somebody asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would tell them that she was going to be a doctor. If you ask Trey, he’ll tell you that he’s going to be a pilot someday. Toby, nutty Toby, always proudly told everyone that he was going to live at the Embassy Suites and work at the Krispy Kreme bakery.  He is a child with a passion for donuts, a fact he is quick to remind us of of every Saturday morning.

Every year at Christmas time, my family plays that crazy gift exchange game where you bring a gift that costs a specified amount, wrapped but untagged, and take turns stealing the best ones from each other (because that’s so Christmassy). You might snag something pretty nice, or you might go home with soap-on-a-rope. No pouting.  Now that they’re a little older, we let the kids join in the adult game. Toby, who has learned the strategy of stealing and clutching the most coveted gift while giving the evil eye to anyone who glances in his direction, brought home a mini donut maker last year.  (Can you guess who brought the mini donut maker as their gift?)

Of course, we tried it out as soon as we got home.  We made a mountain of mini-donuts, both glazed and covered in cinnamon sugar.



They were simple to make and turned out really cute. However, they tasted more like cake than donuts, and the thing is, we Davidsons don’t really like cake. So, I reluctantly found space in the kitchen to store away the mini donut maker, thinking that someday somebody might want one and I could secretly give them ours.

Then earlier this week, I saw a recipe on Pinterest for making cinnamon rolls in your waffle maker, and since cinnamon rolls and waffles are number 2 and 3 on Toby’s list of loves, I wanted to give it a try. However, because my waffle maker is a Farm Yard Waffler and makes waffles in the shapes of cows, hens, pigs, and barns, it was a little tricky and took more patience than I was willing to invest. Then I thought, “What if I put the cinnamon rolls in that donut maker?” So I did.



They were delish, super simple, really inexpensive, easy to clean up, and took only 1-2 minutes to make. That’s how I like to do it.

Here’s how you can:
1. Spray and preheat donut maker.
2. Unroll pre-packaged cinnamon rolls into strips. Cut into thirds.
3. Wrap into wells of donut maker and cook 1-2 minutes.
4. Drizzle with frosting.
5. Be loved.

(Notes: I used the store brand cinnamon rolls and they were the perfect fit. One can made about 18 donuts. Don’t worry if you need to cut a few extra pieces to fill in the gaps; they bake together perfectly.)

Our Hillbilly Holiday

This year we broke tradition.  Rather than making our usual trip to Clear Lake, Iowa, to celebrate the 4th of July, we loaded up and headed south.  Every year, a group of girls from Sammie’s gymnastics team travel to Crossville, Tennessee, to attend Flip Fest, a summer gymnastics camp owned by Olympians, John Macready and John Roethlisberger.  Sammie was not going to miss out this year, so at 5:00 a.m. on July 1, Dave, Toby, Trey, Sammie, Maddie Roth and Allie Zimmerman (Sammie’s friends), and I packed the car (and I mean packed) and kicked off Summer Vacation 2012.

Seven hours later, we arrived at Lake Frances in Crossville and checked the girls in at Dogwood cabin for a week of back handsprings, flyaways, layouts, yurchenkos, dancing, tubing, tug-of-warring, tightrope walking, and  more.  The girls, who had been looking forward to the trip for months, were ready to jump in.  So we pulled away, leaving them in the 108 degree gymnasium and shouted, “Work hard and have fun!”


Since this was Samantha’s first year away at camp, we wanted to stay relatively close and had decided to turn the week into a trip to the Smoky Mountains.  Neither Dave nor I had been to the Smokies before, but we were excited to be spending the week exploring the great outdoors and were ready for a peaceful stay at the Riverstone Resort in the sleepy, little town of Pigeon Forge.  Silly us.

Here’s what we were expecting:

(photos from the resort website)

And this is a little bit of what we were greeted with as we drove into town:


What???  We had been bamboozeled!  This was not at all what we were expecting!  Why had our friends (that means you, Karen Grimshaw :) not warned us that Pigeon Forge, the delightful town “nestled in the foothills of the mountains with beautiful scenery for every season,” was not entirely that?  Shame on y’all, and  shame on me for poor research and overlooking the fact that our resort was located at 212 Dollywood Lane.

In fairness though, the resort was very nice and the mountains were really just a few minutes away.  So, we decided that even though a trip to the local Food City was a bit like NASCAR with grocery carts… and you needed to travel 20 miles to a liquor store to buy a bottle of wine that wasn’t Boone’s Farm… and you could roar down the streets with your kids rolling around in the back of your pickup truck…we were going to have fun with it. 

Here’s a little video we put together to help us remember the good times we had.  We’ve mixed in a little hiking, a little gymnastics, and a little of the local “culture.”  Feel free to clap along.


Hillbilly Holiday 2012 from Dave and Robyn Davidson on Vimeo.

The girls absolutely loved Flip Fest, didn’t want to come home, and are already making plans for their return next year.  That’s the year we’ll start carpooling like everybody else.  Although, there is one thing we will miss, which in my opinion was the crowning jewel of Pigeon Forge…corn fritters.

A Boy and His Sister

A Boy and His Sister by Trey’s friend Chloe Grimshaw (age 6)

Preschool Graduate

Trey graduated from Adam Lamb preschool a few weeks ago.  It was a great experience for him.  His teacher Mrs. Stellhorn was a peach.  He easily made friends with all of the children in his class.  He was often greeted with a chorus of of little voices calling out his name.  On one occasion he remarked, “Mom, I have all deez friends.  It diz so many friends I have.”  And the teacher didn’t say so, but I’m pretty sure he was at the top of his class when it came to hopping on one foot and marching.

In the fall, Trey will start kindergarten.  He is looking forward to going to the BIG school that has four playgrounds.  He can’t wait until he can climb on the bus with the other neighborhood kids.  However, he’s most excited that - for one year – he’ll get to go to the same school as this guy:

HaPpY 13th BiRtHDaY SaMMiE *<:D

Happy, Happy Mother’s Day - Over $3400 Raised for Kind Hearts!!

All of the Mother’s Day cards have been sent.  Over $3400 was donated to help build a school in Ethiopia in honor of our moms!!  What an incredible blessing that will be.  Donations were made on behalf of mothers, grandmothers, wives, aunts, teachers, friends, and daughters who had become mothers.  A sweet 10-year-old named Caroline had been saving her money and ordered six cards for the special moms in her life.  A donation was made on behalf of a friend who volunteered her time to visit sick children in the hospital.  I also noticed one daughter made a donation in honor of her mother, and a short while later, the mother made a donation in honor of that same daughter.  I wonder if they had planned it that way or if it was a true case of “like mother, like daughter”.  Oh, and two cards were sent by a daughter who was my babysitter 35 years ago! (To her, I’m sorry my brother threatened to shoot you with the toothpaste :)

The craziest part of the fundraiser, however, was that we ran out of cards!!  All of the cards were pre-ordered so they could be sent in time to arrive before Mother’s Day.  I thought when we placed our order that we were dreaming big and wondered what I was going to do with a bunch of left over 2012 Mother’s Day cards.  The donations kept coming though, and on Friday morning, I had to post that all of the cards were gone!  It was a bit of a disappointment knowing there were others who wanted to give, but what an incredible way for things to turn out – love and generosity exceeding expectations.

So, thank you again to everyone who was a part of this.  I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend.  I especially hope your mother enjoys knowing that her card will make a lasting difference in the lives of the children at Kind Hearts CarePoint.

What Will Your Mother’s Day Card Do?

THANK YOU for your interest in the Mother's Day cards. We had an enthusiastic response and all of the cards have been sold! We created a specific number of cards in advance and they have all been designated for specific Moms in honor of Mother' s Day. All of the funds given will help fund a new school building in Ethiopia for orphaned and destitute children! On behalf of the children who will now have an opportunity to go to school - WE THANK YOU!

UPDATE!!  OVER $3000 HAS NOW BEEN DONATED ON BEHALF OF OUR MOTHERS
TO HELP BUILD A SCHOOL IN ETHIOPIA!!

I’m very excited to share that in the past few days, over $800 has been donated on behalf of our mothers to the building project at the Kind Hearts CarePoint. WOW!!! To those of you who have chosen to be a part of this, I can’t thank you enough. If you are just reading about this for the first time, here’s what’s happening:

Outside of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, Children’s HopeChest manages a carepoint named Kind Hearts. Currently, there are 150 children who are either orphaned or from very poor families that are served at this location. They are provided with food, clean water, clothing, medical care, Christian discipleship, and education. It is a wonderful program that is having a life-changing impact on the kids who attend. However, the classrooms are overflowing, the furnishings are in disrepair, and still more children are waiting in hopes of joining the program.

There are plans underway to construct a new school building at Kind Hearts, creating the potential for the older children to advance and making room for new students who will be enrolling. This will allow the carepoint to DOUBLE in size and serve up to 300 children!!! In addition, the plans include bathroom and shower facilities for the kids. For most, this will be their first experience with running water, flushing toilets, sinks with faucets where they can wash clothes, and showers where they can actually bathe. It is hard for us to comprehend the reality of daily living without these things, so you can imagine the excitement this new project will bring.

If this sounds like something you would like to be a part of, would you consider making a donation to this project in honor of your mother or another special woman in your life this Mother’s Day?

For each donation received, I will send a card to a special mother in your life letting them know that a donation was made on their behalf to help build a school in Ethiopia. What mother wouldn’t be proud to be celebrated in this way?

Here’s what the front of the card looks like:


Inside top of card:


The bottom half of the inside, which I will personalize for you:


And the back:


If you would like to make a donation and order a card, you can use the PayPal button on the left. Be sure to include the recipient’s name, your name, and the address you would like me to mail your card to. I would also be happy to send the card to you (tucked inside a larger envelope) so that you can deliver it yourself. Just send a message to let me know. Absolutely 100% of your donation will be sent to a special account set up at Children’s HopeChest. If you don’t have a PayPal account or you have other questions, you can contact me at davidsonfamilystl@sbcglobal.net and we will make it work! All cards will be mailed to the recipients a week before Mother’s Day.

For many of us, we have a hard time thinking of something our moms will really appreciate. If mom’s kitchen cabinets are already stuffed, she probably doesn’t need another kitchen appliance – even if it does make little baby pot pies. It doesn’t matter if you got the Kohl’s 30% off coupon. If mom already has a stash of scented candles, she might not care if she adds Coconut-Breeze to her collection. If you want to show your appreciation for your mom but there’s not a thing she really needs and you’re looking for a fresh idea, I encourage you to start a new tradition and honor your mother by changing lives.

Maybe you already have a special Mother’s Day tradition and mom has been hinting around for weeks about how much she really would like a magic pan that makes perfect little brownie squares. If that is the case and you still plan to run to the store and stand elbow to elbow with everyone else trying to find the perfect Mother’s Day card, consider presenting this one with your gift. I don’t think you’re going to find a more meaningful card. Plus, I looked and all of the good cards are already taken ;)

To learn more about Kind Hearts, visit www.family-from-afar.blogspot.com

In Honor of Inspiring Mothers…

When our family traveled to Ethiopia in 2010 for our adoption court date, we were able to visit the kids at the Kind Hearts Care-Point outside of Addis Ababa. Kind Hearts is a care-point managed by Children’s HopeChest which provides nutritious food, clean water, clothing, medical care, Christian discipleship, and education for orphaned and destitute children. Our friend Karen Wistrom, who is the coordinator for Kind Hearts, encouraged us to make time in our schedule to spend a day with the kids there. We would be able to meet our sponsor child and see first hand the care-point that we had become involved with.

We had no idea what our visit would be like. However, with the exception of meeting our son for the first time, this was the highlight of our trip. Upon our arrival, the children came pouring out of a small school building where they had obviously been waiting for us. They were running, they were smiling, and they were cheering. Every child wanted a hug. Every child wanted to be noticed. As soon as you would put one child down, another would be reaching up into the air hoping you would love on them next. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. They sang for us, prayed for us, and thanked us for coming. While we had brought donations (food and small gifts for the children), it was clear that we were the ones being blessed that day.

At the end of our day at Kind Hearts, before we piled back into our van, one of the men approached Dave and I to say goodbye. He shook both of our hands and with great sincerity he humbly said, “Please, do not forget about us.” Of course we would never forget this place or the beautiful children we had met that day, but I knew what he meant. He meant, “We need you. We need others to help make this work. We need others to keep partnering with us.”

So, I am incredibly excited to be helping with this year’s Mother’s Day fundraiser. When we visited back in 2010, there were 90 kids enrolled at the care-point. Today they serve 150 children, and Karen said the classrooms are overflowing. There are plans underway to have a new classroom building constructed, allowing the older children to advance and to make room for new students who will be enrolling. The plan includes a new school building with four classrooms. They will also need desks, chairs, chalkboards, and school furnishings to replace the broken and rickety furnishings they are using now. The construction of a new school building will allow the care-point to serve 300 children!

Would you consider making a donation to this project in honor of your mother or another special woman in your life this Mother’s Day? 

For each donation received, I will send a card to a special mother in your life letting them know that a donation was made on their behalf to help build a school in Ethiopia. The photo up top shows what the front of the card will look like. Below are pictures of the inside and back. All cards will be mailed to the recipients a week before Mother’s Day.

If you would like to make a donation and order a card, you can use the PayPal button on the left. Be sure to include the recipient’s name, your name, and the address you would like me to mail your card to. Absolutely 100% of your donation will be sent to a special account set up at Children’s HopeChest. If you don’t have a PayPal account or you have other questions, you can contact me at davidsonfamilystl@sbcglobal.net and we will work it out!

To learn more about Kind Hearts, visit Karen’s blog:

 www.family-from-afar.blogspot.com

Note to Mothers:  Please know that it is completely appropriate to give your family hints that you would enjoy being a part of this fundraiser.  You can leave my blog open on your computer (repeatedly, if necessary.) You can send your husband and children links to this post.  You could also try making seemingly random comments such as, “While I truly love the snow cone maker I received last year for Mother’s Day AND the oversized soup ladle I received the year before, I have always thought it would be amazing to help build a school in Ethiopia!”  Let me know if you need more ideas. 

Smiley Face :)

Samantha ~ Age 12

Braces are so much fun…on the first day.

Florida 2012

The GQ Level 7 Girls & the Davidsons at St. Pete Beach

for the Tampa Bay Turners Meet.