bracelets & soccer balls - the update!

wade and i are 2 weeks out from the marathon (yikes!).
then we're 2 weeks out from my little brothers wedding.
and then we'll be 2 weeks out from ethiopia.

exciting!

and making it even more exciting ... we've started to get soccer balls + bracelets in the mail for our trip. we've had an awesome response. i love putting this blog into action.

soccer balls from mama bear. and a little arm party for a very good cause!

(don't worry - i just put them on for the picture!)

i love getting snail mail - especially when it includes an envelope full of gifts for the kids of the awassa children's project! these amazing bracelets are from one of my sponsors this month - bonny bee designs on etsy:

the summer after bonnie's junior year in college, she volunteered in tanzania for 5 weeks. while she was there, she taught women at the community center how to make bracelets so that they could sell them. one of her new friends made her a bracelet and she put it on that day (over 4 years ago). worn and a bit smelly, she reluctantly took it off for the first time earlier this month. and then she read our post about our trip. she emailed and volunteered to make bracelets for the kiddos ... some w/ the very same cord she had bought in tanzania.

we're so very grateful for her sweet bracelets and the time it took her to make them! please check out her etsy store and support her w/ us! and of course - message me if you'd like to get involved too!!! there's still time!

speaking of bracelets - have you heard of band for good?

my friend faith brought me one of these bracelets over the weekend. and i love it! i love the bright colors - but even more i love that it is fashion w/ purpose.

each year, off the mat - a program bridging yoga and activism - sponsors an international service project called the global seva challenge. these off the mat global wristbands support local artisans in thailand and otm’s 2012 seva challenge focusing on rehabilitating women and children involved in sex trafficking in India and worldwide. check out the offthematintotheworld.org and globalwristbandproject.com for more information and to purchase your own!

better days challenge ...

better days // starting oct 23rd from cross point church on vimeo

i've mentioned it before ... w+i have been away from home each and every weekend this month! that's crazy. more crazy is that i've only been at our home church 1 sunday this month. thanks to twitter i found out about a challenge from my pastor this past sunday ... and i've decided to extend the challenge to you all:

the media today is filled w/ fear. there's poverty, war, crime, political unrest ... even natural disasters all constantly playing over and over in our minds. as a result, we're left w/ a mindset shaped more by the media than by scripture. pastor pete has challenged us to list 3 things each day that we are grateful for ... 3 things that breathe hope into our lives during such an unstable time in our world. what an amazing challenge! catch the full message here.

psalm 103:2
let all that i am praise the Lord;
may i never forget the good things He does for me.

tuesday, october 25th, 2011:
1 // creativity & independence in my career
2 // the couples in our bible study that have become family here in nashville
3 // random dance parties w/ my husband bc they remind me that he loves me when i am completely being myself.

wednesday, october 26th, 2011:
1 // walking to work on perfect fall days
2 // catching up w/ a good friend
3 // my constant - aka my husband

join the challenge! tweet #betterdayschallenge.