I am only one...

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything­, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." ~ Edward Everett Hale

Sean and I have been struggling to figure out how to bless others through the blessings our Abba has given us. We feel He is calling us to help with orphans - what that means, we aren't sure in the long run. There is an overwhelming need in the world, and it's hard to know where to being or what one family can even really do.We know in the short term in means doing what we can to help others bring home orphans to their forever families.

Here are two local families called to the front of the adoption lines:

The Stutzman Family - Eight by Grace
You can support this family bringing home baby girl Seble by donating or purchasing a t-shirt.

Erik with a K
You can support this family by donating or entering their raffle.

Want to know more about the plight of children who are considered Special Needs who need to be adopted? Get your heart and your tissues ready and check the No Greater Joy Mom blog, then see what Abba may be calling you to do:
I Left My Heart There
Reckless Abandon
Treasures of Darkness
Sharing my Heart

She also has links to families seeking funding to adopt these little ones who are in desperate need.

You can help support orphans and widows who are building a business and gaining skills to support themselves by purchasing from the Visiting Orphans store.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" James 1:27

We'll Have Fun Despite the Cold

Well, the coldest early summer in any of our lifetimes didn't slow us down too much. I've uploaded the June and July photos so far:

• June 2010
• July 2010

In June, we took the girls to the Portland Zoo for the first time. It was freezing! I had coats for everyone but me and had to buy a long sleeved shirt. The girls are still talking about the giraffes and elephants. They had fun on the jungle drums, and Anya got a giraffe in her zoo meal that proceeded to pee all over the zoo.

 

   

   

 

Jumping is very popular around here, although sometimes little sister's prowess seems to cause Anya some degree of consternation.

   

 

The Molalla Fourth of July parade was much better this year, and the girls quickly figured out to jump and wave for candy. The were probably most impressed by the horse on top of a trailer, with the fire truck running a close second.

 

Here's the monthly fashion update:

   

 

And Anya's most recent family portrait:

July has finally decided to warm up, so here's a day of pool fun with the Swamp Thing (a.k.a Daddy). You'll also notice something a little different about Sean...yup, he finally shaved his head! I think it looks even better than I thought it would!

   

   

 

 

And lastly, yes, I will still get the videos uploaded to Flickr someday. But now I gotta go, because Willow is tugging on my arm, dressed in a striped onesie and a princess crown, telling me I need to come out into the living room and party hard.

A couple of videos

Springtime in the DB Household

Birthdays, fish faces, CrossFit, fashion and Battlestar Galactica! I have tons of new photos up at Flickr (click here) so you can catch up on what we're doing. I'm attempting to organize all of our videos and get those uploaded as well since Flickr has introduced that features, but, uh, yeah, that's kind of a low priority. I really need to get on it, because with my luck I'll crash a hard drive right before I get them uploaded! :)

• April 2010
• May 2010
• CrossFit Kids

 

The short little sunny spring we had back in April meant it was time for a photo shoot:

     

 

 

Anya dances, tells me stories and cuts paper eerily like paper from the Battlestar Galactica 'verse.

 

Our little fashion diva turns two:

   

  

 

Fish faces are hilarious and trendy sunglasses make the whole outfit:

   

 

A wonderful Mother's Day for this mama with her lovely girls and handsome hubby:

 

  

 

Anya is in the pilot program for CrossFit Kids at CrossFit Salem. Her squats are textbook, but the push ups could use a little work. I love the look on her face when she gets above the bar for her pullup too! The awesome owner/trainer Carol is nice enough to indulge Willow on occasion too - but rubber boots aren't exactly workout wear!

 

 

 

Pretty girls playing in the yard. Anya is wearing her beloved Lightning McQueen shirt, while Willow is rockin' a tutu and skulls. Holy crap, my kids are cute!

   

Photos from the first quarter of 2010 are up!

We've been busy this year so far with preschool, ballet, homeschooling, tea parties, playdough, elaborate obstacle courses in the living room, tattoos, a visit from "da boys" and oh yes, being sick what seems like every other week!

You can view the photos here:

• January 2010
• February 2010
• March 2010

 

Willow is quite fashionable these days:

     

 

Anya Argia, Ballerina:

     

 

Anya practices her letters and her name on the white board:

 

A few of my favorite photos this year so far: