Georgia

Nothing like a wedding to make a vacation seem like more work than your normal job. I love the south tho. Located in southern Georgia (Brunswick and Waynesville), my sis' wedding was beautiful. She was an even more beautiful bride. And she married into a great family. It was fun getting to meet most of them ♥ ♥ ♥

Driftwood beach was the best part in my opinion. And then staying an extra day to take Isaac to the beach and then head to Jacksonville to stay with some great friends we know from work in Haiti.

GObama

Such Good News after recently returning from UGANDA! On Monday, President Obama signed the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act into law, and released a personal statement recognizing the "hundreds of thousands of Americans who have mobilized in response to this unique crisis of conscience." In doing so he became the first U.S. President to publicly pledge that ending LRA violence and recovery for affected families across central Africa would be lasting priorities.

President Obama held a rare signing ceremony, with an unusually long speech praising the work of NGO's and activists... many of them students and inspirations to all of us.

By committing to helping the four African countries affected by the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army), we are officially pursuing justice for thousands of people and children who have been killed, raped, and kidnapped into the armies. The reality of child soldiers is something that should shock and touch anyone with a heart for others. The LRA has been terrorizing for over 23 year's. The leader Joseph Kony has been indicted for war crimes by an international court. I'm proud of the US for taking this step.

Our Battles and Our Calling

There are many things to be said for the character that comes from our battles. Some seem big and some small. Sometimes the big ones help us to get thru the smaller ones or visa versa. I am grateful for mine. They have made me an even more complex creature, while at the same time simplifying my life.

There’s a song on Vivian Green’s new album titled “Caught Up”. I love the message. It is simple and true for everyone. No judgment. We ALL get caught up. It’s a matter of how far, how many times, recognizing it, and bringing yourself back to what is important. We all know the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

So I am settling into the ‘new normal’, as one of the other adoptive mothers put it. I’m focusing on what I cared about before and balancing it with what I care about even more now.

One thing that becomes clearer ever year is how much I believe everything happens for a reason. So cliché right? Well the reason is according to HIS will. Every Christian has a life purpose. The struggle then lies in our discernment of what that is. It is so easy to get “caught up” in life. You have to be careful to pursue what He has for you as opposed to what you envision for yourself. I promise you, His plan far exceeds any expectations you may have and will fulfill your life beyond what you or society have in mind.

Pastor John Ortberg once said “..for many people a career becomes the altar on which they sacrifice their lives. A calling, which is something I do for God, is replaced by a career which threatens to become my god.” How true is this! We all have different goals and different visions of how we will ‘make it’. It is so hard to set those aside to listen to His voice.

I’ve found myself with stronger desires in a few areas of my life… in particular; my schooling, vision for making a difference for those in need, and for my present (and future) family. I go between feeling sure of the desires of my heart and praying God will show me and fulfill them, to doubting that those desires are what He has in store for me, and praying for discernment about what truly comes from Him. Then I find myself grieving a lost dream even though I have more now that that dream really ever entailed. Then I come full circle to this calm, yet exciting, wonder about what is happening now for me to be prepared for the future.

Okay Lord, my blindfold is on. Lead me and I’ll try to keep from cheating and peaking under and going where I think is safest.

Psalm 37:4,7 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass... Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him

1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually.

Psalm 25:9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

Proverbs 2:6-9 For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course.

Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

UGANDA arrival

Here and enjoying the slow pace. After a day in Jinja and taking a boat down the River Nile, we had a very long ride back to Entebbe and I realized it was the first time I’ve had to begin to reflect on the last year since my previous time in Uganda. It’s almost unfathomable, even before January 12^th.

Blessed to be back and excited for new opportunities and memories.

That time again.... DONATIONS

From May 3 - 13th I will be in Uganda again with a group from Children's HopeChest. I've been in KC for two and a half months straight and kinda itchin to go again ;)

Wasn't sure I could leave my lil man for that long, but just as my very smart dad told me about him going to pre-school: not that long ago i was only seeing him a few times a year. Plussssssss... my really good friend, Anna, from Drake and in KC, is coming along and I can not WAIT to experience this with her :-) And..... another amazing friend of mine from Drake, with an equally amazing family... and who's mother has been thru a lot in recent years, is feeling great and traveling with us too. This is going to be one for the books!

So far we have a group of 17 so this will be interesting (usually it's 10 or less). This trip will be less travel than the 'Vision Trip' last year. We will be able to spend more time in one area and with the kids. We will do some sort of Sunday School/Bible Study at every site. We will also be having a Soccer/American Football clinic. Fun huh!!! We will be doing one or two painting projects at Kayango and possibly Nabukalu. Of course plans are always subject to change...

We have plenty of donations for balls and pumps. Need items such as soap, toothbrushes, crayons. Bubbles are always a big hit. Monetary donations are the easiest and for many reasons best, but I'm packing 2 bags full of stuff so I'm open to all types of donations. Other suggestions are Advil, Tylenol, anti-itch cream, anti-fungal, antibacterial creams. (Please no clothes or stuffed toys)...

Uganda Data: from CHC's site

• Number of Orphans: 2 million +
• % orphaned due to AIDS: 48%
• 57% of children in Uganda will complete primary school.
• 3% of secondary school graduates will go on to higher education
• Over 50% of Uganda's population is under the age of 15 making it the youngest country in the world
• A girl's likelihood of contracting HIV/AIDS is cut by 50% by simply completing primary school
• Over 1,000,000 children in Uganda, between the ages of 6-12, are not in school

HAITI and my Hiatus

It's been a while since I wrote about traveling. Mainly because I haven't been anywhere in 6 weeks now! Wow, that's forever to me. But also because my last trip took a very unexpected turn...

I was in Haiti from January 4-14th and when the earth shook my life was forever altered. I could and I have gone on and on about it. You can read about Haiti, my adoption, my baby boy, politics, feelings, news, organizations that help the people of Haiti, etc. on my blog Miss Taylor.

There are links to media from my return, fundraising, and about Isaac... as he was granted Humanitarian Parole.

Nothing (I hope) in my life will ever compare to this tragedy again. Even tho it was hard and still is hard... I am better, stronger, and happier for it. All credit goes to the Man above!!!

NYC

On my Midwest flight to NYC i found myself overcome with emotion... again. It's not as if i haven't been back to NY in years. I was here in August for a product launch event with my ex to see Kanye, who was performing.

After a series of events this year and in my persistent efforts to trust in God's will i have finally felt like i am letting go of Big. Maybe i'm thinking about this because i have experienced so many firsts in this city with the greatest love of my life (to date). Maybe it's the nostalgia. We had been so connected and our happiness together was so tied up in our dreams and our efforts to get him to the US or at least figure a way to get us in the same place.

New York was the first stop. I remember when he didn't know our friends' address in Manhattan and Big actually wrote "Fulton Street" on the customs form! Oh the influences of hiphop ;) I could imagine the way he thought it would be here and i remember fearing when he would realize the reality was much different.

But none the less, we loved it and loved being in love here. Each time he came to the states he flew thru NY and we'd spend time here together. Even in a diverse city like that we attracted stares and comments. Welcome to America! I will always remember walking the streets with him, the Illy Cafe, Brooklyn shopping, Senegalese restaurants, first time i saw the ring he was buying me... i'll go ahead n stop there.

Oh the Lord has brought me so far. When my last ex, the one i was in NY with, and i broke things off it was truly the first breakup in three years that i didn't grieve Big again. Of course i still think of him. It's sad knowing that Paco's passing away was what really spurred conversation between us again. And being with him in Miami in August was a blessing in so many ways. If i end up with a man half as wise and caring i will have surpassed any expectation my mind could have ever created before.

I think that in our shared "dream" i learned how people/places/things can represent something much greater. Just 3 weeks ago i was in Haiti with my baby, Isaac. I played Jay-Z's Empire State of Mind over and over for him. I told him how one day i'd take him to NY and how the possibilities for him will be endless. With these experiences i've seen just what a city can represent... it's really not about the place, it's about the DREAM.

Home is where the heart is. And i'm really good at leaving my heart in far away places. My heart right now lives in Port-au-Prince, but in all reality isn't even of this earth.

In the meantime, i'm going be strong and grateful for the love i have for this city that represents people like Big and Isaac and myself. I'm going to shop for my baby and think of him often. I enjoy the ironies that my other ex, who i talk to regularly, is possibly being traded to the Yankees as i write this. And i'm here with a girl that i met in Africa to celebrate her birthday - it's her 1st time in the city and i get to share that with her :-)

LOVE LIVE LAUGH LOUD!! (shout out to shorty for that;))