this past month

this has been a VERY crazy month! my oldest graduated from his young fives, my youngest turned 3. he has officially been potty trained through the night now for almost a month!!he still thinks it's hilarious to pull his pants down, get on the coffee table & "sprinkle" our living room. (yes he gets spanked, yes i have since rented a rug dr to thoroughly clean the carpet) he has also become a dirt eater. this is very recent so for his 3 yr check up his dr ran a full lab on his blood b/c eating dirt is a sign of anemia or lead poisoning. his iron was a little low, not enough that he ought to eat dirt as a supplement. i think he's just a bit crazy & driving me there with him! but the trick that about pushed me over the edge was when he painted himself & our walls with lipstick then tried to clean his hands on the carpet. i was outside planting & he had to stay inside (punishment for eating sand out of the sandbox) i was only out for about 15 minutes & he made a disaster of a mess!

soccer season is quickly coming to an end for eddie. then it's golf lessons! he is very excited about this! he went to avalanche bay with friends over the weekend (an indoor water park) and learned how to surf! he is excited for summer for sure!

i finished training today to be a jewelry consultant for women at risk. i have worked one party and assisted becky at another party. i will be hosting my first party next week and consulting another the following. it was a great day. we learned so much more about the ministry background and a breakdown of the money that the jewelry brings in. here is something i learned today:

90% of the profits made on the jewelry goes directly to the girls. the other 10% is for handling & administration costs. of that 90% here is how it works: the girls get paid for working 8 hrs a day. they earn as much working on the jewelry as a male college graduate earns. they get paid to work for 8 hrs a day however they only work for 4 hours a day. the other 4 hours are spent in counselling, praise & worship, education, on the job training. the safehouses provide healthcare for the girls & their children, education for the girls & their children, food for them. this is just an incredible program! so, if you love jewelry you should think about hosting a party! it's fun & the products are beautiful! OR if jewelry is not your thing, you can purchase a GOAT! yes, you can buy a goat for $50 for someone in africa or nepal. this gives the women a bigger status and helps provide for her family. you will be able to name the goat & get a certificate about your goat. this is a great project for families-save your change & buy a goat & name it after your family!!