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The strands wove in and out making a glorious mass of curls.  Dainty little flowers with pearl centers were a beautiful compliment to her richly hued red, gold hair.  She was the picture of loveliness and womanly grace.  When did we go from being young girls to women?  It was very surreal for me as I watched her untie ribbons from packages and pull clouds of tissue paper from bags.  Approximately every 2 years since I was 14 I have been in a wedding.  This is year two and I am a bridesmaid for the 5th time.  I am very honored.

Looking at the picture above of the girls from one of the new orphanages makes me smile. Someday they too will go from girls to women.  Because you gave them the opportunity to have a future.  A future where they are educated and given skills to help them make a good life.  So please give at least $5 dollars today to continue this amazing work.

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Styled by Karen}

The small hand didn’t move as I stood there, and although the large hand really didn’t make a noise it seemed to sound out the perfectly precise beating of a drum.  Everything froze for those few moment that felt like forever.  Me waiting before the three judges to give my speech.  Somehow I was calm and still breathing as I viewed the clock at the back of the room and contemplated the oddity of time.  The segments of which we measure events.  How can something that is so regulated to the very second at times seem to slow down to a halting stop or race by at such a rate as to blur vision? There are moments that seem like I have been doing this project for a long while now but most of the time I feel like the days are rushing by me.  Yet I feel peace.  I am actively waiting to see what will happen.  I am looking forward to seeing how many orphan homes we can open and how many lives we can effect.  42 days left to raise $43,000.  We don’t really know how much time we have been given so lets make it count!

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Styling by Karen}

Seasons change from fall to winter, winter to spring, spring to summer.  (Or if you live here, fall, rain, rain, rain, and summer).  After it being wet here in Oregon for several months I was delighted to bask in the sun yesterday.  That may sound rather uneventful but when you haven’t really seen the sun for months then it is extremely exciting. (What’s that yellow orb in the sky?!?)  As the seasons change so do our lives.  I can’t believe this year is almost to the halfway mark.  Sometimes I need to just stop and take.a.breath.  If what you are doing isn’t working for you then change something.  Don’t be content with a ho hum life.  No it won’t be a holiday all the time but it can have meaning and purpose and joy.  Is there something you have always wanted to do but haven’t because of such and such?  That was me.  It is O.K to make a change.  You never know what might happen.  You may just wear the same dress for a 100 days to raise money for orphans. 🙂  Don’t hesitate.  Please give today!!!

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Styling by Karen}

Her little rosebud mouth curves into a heart and my heart is hers so I bend down to receive her kiss.  His small arms wrap around my legs in a tight clasp and my heart runs love in his little embrace.  She gives me an adorable saucy look and shakes her precious head and yellow ringlets bounce.  He tells me I will miss him so much and to send pictures.  I smile and melt.  My niece and nephew hold a special place in my heart.  At the ages of 2 and 4 I can’t imagine what their lives would be like without their wonderful parents.  What if they were orphans??  I can’t stand the thought of that…  What if your sibling, friend, or relative was an orphan?  Can you imagine your child, grandchild, or any child that you feel close to being abandoned and uncared for?  For me that makes this project feel very close to home.  It is easy to think of “orphans in India” more as “something far off and irrelevant”, but really they are all sweet little lives that need love and care.  Will you donate today in honor of a child you love and are close to?

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Styling by Karen}

Let me start out by saying that it is often thought that beauty is in the eye of the beholder… This week I made a quick stop at the post office to see if there was anything in my box.  Much to my surprise and delight there was a pale lilac envelope.  I slipped my finger under the fold and opened it up to find the nicest little note and a 1 dollar bill.  Written on the card was this “It’s not much, but we can give this.”  It left a HUGE smile on my face.  Here was a young lady doing what she could.  And it was beautiful.  Today I received an email update on how much money had come in.  One donor gave $100 and another $1,000.  It completely blew me away.  Each giver was extremely generous.  They gave what they could and I think that is beautiful.  It is your heart of giving that matters the most and not necessarily the amount.  These people desired to give and then ACTED on that desire.  They didn’t wait.  I find that extremely beautiful.  In fact it made me catch my breath and look twice because giving to orphans is insanely attractive.

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Clothing borrowed from Heidi}

I stretched out my thin arm and laid it on the rest of the chair.  A nurse took a stretchy band and wound it tightly above my elbow.  As a child I used to watch the process but once the sliver of metal is prepped I now look away.  I catch my breath and exhale as it slides into my vein.  Bright cherry red cells swirl into the slender glass vial.  Leviticus 17:14 says this, “For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life…”  Yes, the beautiful rich scarlet that runs through my body carries oxygen, nutrients, and thus…life.  Someday the plasma and cells will lie quite.  The life will have flown and all that will be left is a figure…and what we have done for or to others.  I want to make every doughnut shaped cell count.  Do you?  What will you do with the life you have been given?  Will you reach out to another suffering life and bless them?  Please help the orphans.  Their lives count.

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Styled by Karen}

Somethings take a lifetime to learn.  A lifetime to process.  A lifetime to enjoy.  Yet it starts with today.  One thing I am in in the process of learning is letting go.  Open hands and an open heart.  Resting in the here and now yet looking to the future with excitement and anticipation.  It was once said by Alice Morse Earle that “The clock is running.  Make the most of today.  Time waits for no man.  Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery.  Today is a gift.  That’s why it is called the present.”  Do you see today as beautiful gift? You are alive!!! Let’s not sleep walk through life but take in each moment with eyes wide open.  Will you make the most of today?  It starts by looking for the gifts all around us and being thankful for them.  I am thankful for all the amazing readers I have.  I am thankful for all the money donated to rescue orphans.  I am thankful that we can effect the future.  We have been given this time so let’s make it count.  Will you join in changing lives today by donating??

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Outfit styled by Karen}

We giggled like school girls.  We rocked out to the music.  We just “were” together.  Sitting across from one another swapping stories.  Living in the now.  Having a fabulous time.  Making memories.  Me and my kindred spirit.  My Anne of Green Gables.  For my birthday my dear friend wrote an acrostic for me…it was the sweetest gift/scavenger hunt.  I was inspired to write one for the word ORPHAN:

O:  Ongoing
R:  Resources
P:  Provide
H:  Hope (to the)
A:  Abandoned (and)
N: Needy

Only $768 dollars to go in opening our second orphan home!!! 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Styled by Karen}

Oh craziness. It kinda hit me funny yesterday about this whole adventure.  I have worn the same dress for 50 days…!!!!!!!!  Bear with me since I am a little slow. (Obviously 🙂 ) I only have 49 more days left and it is going to swish on by.  Here’s the thing, I’m not amazing.  I’m just one person doing something random to help others.  I need others to help me help the orphans.  Will you donate $5 dollars today?  That amount makes a difference.  If everyone that came to the site gave that much money then the “Total Raised” amount would be going up.  Fast.  Those individual gifts may seem small or insignificant to you but to an orphan it is a fortune.  Let’s do something amazing.  Together.

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Clothing borrowed from Michelle}

Ever met anyone who can make just about anything?  I have.  My father is an incredible man.  Yes, he made those bracelets in the pictures.  Yes, he made those earrings you see as well.  Yes, he built our last house and just about everything in it.  Yes, he is creative.  Not only is he very gifted in what he does but he also lives an exemplary life.  My father has been a rock for our family.  He is always faithful and takes such wonderful care of us.  He is always serving us and providing for us.  My father loves Jesus and it shows.  I am honored to be his daughter and friend.  Daddy I greatly respect and admire you.  Thank you for always loving me and encouraging me to be the best I can be.  I love you and think you are the best. 🙂

HELLO halfway through the project!  Time is flying by.  Make sure to give today.

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

{Last photo taken by my mother}

{Bracelets and earrings made by my father, Dan}