Fun with Fundle

BB's Fundle arrived today! This is the best dog sling for my little B. First of all, it comes in her favorite color . . . PINK! And it comes in her favorite size . . . MINI! And, I can carry her around HANDS FREE! This will give the hubs a lot of freedom from my asking him to fetch things for me because Beeps is sleeping peacefully in my lap.



The Fundle is the best dog carrier for BB because it is designed to give the feeling of being held in your arms. It has a zipped cover with a breathable mesh top, a safety leash, and two roomy pockets on the outside. Plus, the shoulder strap is adjustable.










BB is super excited about her new Fundle. She's ready to go camping!!

No Shave November

My sweet baby-face hubby spent the month of November participating in a facial hair contest to raise money for helping a well-deserving family sponsored by the St. Lukes Angel Tree. I am not a huge fan of hairy faces. So November was a real struggle for my marriage. Especially as the hair started to come off in stages. These creepy photos tell it all . . .
The full beard look:



The goatee:


And my least favorite--the handlebar mustache. For this one, I decided Danny needed some props. So out came the doo rag. He had it on with his button-down work shirt, and I told him that was a look from "What Not to Wear." So he put on a white t-shirt. And it was, shall I say, just right.




Don't you just love this look! Apparently the guys at his job site loved it, too. Someone said he looked "gay"--and then I admitted that he did look a lot like my dad's gay cousin, who also sports a handle bar mustache. (disclaimer--Danny does not think this is funny.) So, when it was time to get ready for the mustache look I suggested he wear his cowboy hat--for the Marlboro Man effect. But Danny said he just couldn't believe anything I said anymore. I just don't think he was willing to risk any "Brokeback Mountain" comments. So he went without the hat.




I think a mustache looks like a giant hairy caterpillar.

At least on handlebar day, he didn't end up looking like this . . .



And finally...Baby Face day arrived! This is the face we all know and love.



By the way, it is true. I can't be trusted.


bertie bird

Lena gets a new winter coat

The sponsorship through JMI provided Lena with this new winter coat. She didn't have anything warm to wear. It was cold the day she received the coat. It made her very happy! And warm! It is amazing how a little thing can make such a huge difference in the life of someone else. There is such a contrast in how little these orphans have and how much many of our teens in America have. I struggle with understanding how different life in Straseni is for her than life for Richard is here. Even though he has an abundance, he still seems to struggle so much.

I am so grateful for the blessings in my life, including Lena, and all she is teaching me about giving.

Oklahoma!

We made a quick weekend trip to my home state, Oklahoma. I've always thought the west has beautiful scenery, I guess I like the wide open spaces. We are driving along I-40 in Oklahoma, and the scenery looks pretty much like this . . .



Danny wakes me up from my nap to ask me "Do you think you can find out where there is a Starbucks around here?"
I look out the windows and can't see anything but brown grass for miles and miles—it is flat here, so you can literally see for miles and miles. My answer: "Umm, NO!"

Knowing that my husband is a coffee snob, I had the forethought to tell him to bring some of his favorite Starbucks coffee with him. Which he did, but I think he was panicking, afraid that he might run out. One of those weak moments when you realize you are suddenly in the middle of nowhere and every town you come upon only has one exit.

No Starbucks. No Target. But you'll be able to find a gas station, a mobile trailer sales lot, and probably a Walmart.

This was one of the few times I've been in Oklahoma when the wind isn't about to blow me down. We had a great time shooting pistols and rifles.

Our Target. I did the head shots.

Jack and Barbara scope out the target. Babsie shows off her shooting skills.

Uncle Tommy has some really nice rifles. He was nice enough to let me try out his 308 caliber sniper rifle. I still have a bruise from the kick. He said it wouldn't kick, but when I fired, it moved me back several inches!

Another highlight of the trip was driving around on the fancy new tractor. The picture doesn't really show you how large it is. I am good at backing up.

Visiting with Mimi was a treasure. She turned 85 last month.

Until next time,

Bertie Bird

Justice and Mercy International

What is Straseni time? You may be wondering, why do I have a Straseni time clock widget on my blog?

Well, Straseni is a village in the country of Moldova. The Straseni orphanage (state run school) is where Lena (L-eh-na) lives. Lena is my sponsored Moldovan child. Her mother died 5 years ago, and her father is working in another village and unable to care for her and her younger brother (Petru) and sister (Maria). I put a time widget on my blog, so I can quickly check the time in her part of the world.

God put a call on my heart to sponsor Lena through Justice and Mercy International. JMI is based here in Franklin, and I have many friends who serve on the board and attend mission trips to Moldova each year to minister to the kids.

The sponsorship allows Lena and I to write to each other, and for her basic needs to be supplied. Things like warm boots, a coat, toothbrush, underwear and socks are provided for the kids who are sponsored through JMI. Lena is only a couple months younger than Richard, but she is in the 9th grade and she will graduate this June. She plans to attend a school to become a professional tailor when she graduates from the state-run school.

I believe God put her in my life so I may help advocate for her as she prepares to leave the orphanage and live an independent life. Moldova is a place where there are many injustices to women, young girls, and even boys. The statistics say that 80% of girls who leave the state-run schools end up in human trafficking situations or in prostitution. The work of JMI is to help these kids have a chance to form a life of their own. The kids need to know that on the other side of abandonment, there is hope! Someone cares enough about them to write to them and to help them.

One of the first things Lena let me know was that she needs a winter jacket. The sponsored kids got winter coats last year, but she was not sponsored then, so she did not get a coat. This is a huge need for the kids there. Many times the heat inside the buildings is not good. Now that I am sponsoring her, my support will be used to provide for these kinds of needs that she has. JMI will take her shopping for a jacket.

Please pray for Lena, that the people in her life will be good people who will not harm her.

Lena's younger brother, I know, does not have a sponsor. His name is Petru (Petrica). He is 11 years old. He is one of many children longing for someone to sponsor them. It is a good thing, but it does require a monthly commitment and a commitment to be attentive in writing a couple times a month to your child.

If you are interested in learning more about JMI visit their web site. www.justiceandmercy.org or click on the title of this post and it will take you to the JMI site.

A woman on the edge

I got brave and decided to attend a "Women on the Edge" trail ride campout at Catoosa Ridge. Those who know me well may be surprised to think that I would need to feel brave to go do anything on my own. I am quite independent. However, when I am hauling horses around in a 1 ton truck with 6 wheels and a really big horse trailer equipped with all kinds of contraptions for convenient living, I am a little nervous that MAYBE something MIGHT go wrong.

Well, Danny really is protective of me and wasn't very excited that I was going off to spend a weekend with the girlies. He thought that I would have the time of my life and see how easy it is to actually operate all the contraptions on our weekend camper, thus gaining a new independence and leaving him at home all the time.

All was going as planned, and I did find that things weren't too hard to figure out. I learned that it is important to make sure your water hose and electric hoses REACH the hook ups BEFORE you level out your trailer and unhook from the truck.

I learned that the awning isn't something that requires a wrestling match to put up and down.

I learned that I have been very, very spoiled by my husband who makes my coffee and brings it to me every morning.

When it was time to go home, all was going as planned until I tried to hook up the trailer to the truck. I could not get the coupler pin to drop down through the coupler plates! This is what secures the trailer onto the ball hitch. A very important thing to work properly.

I learned that I must make sure the water hose and electric cord are UNHOOKED BEFORE I hook up to the truck. : )

I learned that as edgy as we women are, sometimes you just need a good man around to help out. None of us could get the pin to work, and so I tracked down one of only two genuine cowboys at the campground to come rescue me.

He was able to get the pin to bend around and slip into place.

After I got home, Danny and Rich were "fixing" the coupler pin. I only heard one thing said, and that's all I needed to hear--"It was working fine until Berta got ahold of it!"

Well, Danny, you need not be so worried about my taking off without you any more.

Enjoy the pics from the trails....
Berta


Cody and Me



Me and my shadow!


Ferns everywhere!


Sheryl, Pat, Lisa (Missing from this photo: Leslie Cromwell. We missed you, girl!)



Pat and Lisa make it to the top of the hill!


My good friend, Nora.



On the trail.


Riding with friends.


The bridge.
And the Hill. That is 20% grade folks.



Elizabeth.


Tuffy and Nora


The end!

Hi Sweetie.

Finally figured how to get on this thing and stay in touch. Have been keeping up daily with your blog, though I got the info fast from Linda about your last scare. Thank heavens all is well. Those precious little boys must be proud of their "stuff".