Get a Pizza, Feed an orphan!!!

I just wanted to remind everyone to order a pizza for this Friday and Saturday. Their is a post about it a few post down or click the button off to the side called "147 million, feed 1" to find more information. Also, start ordering now so we kind of have an idea of how many we will need before hand. Friends and Family back home, you know who you are, if you want a pizza let me know. I will be coming home on Friday night and could get them to you! So start calling or commenting on the posts to order!!!

Walz's Halloween Party

The sky outside our house on Friday night. It was gorgeous!

I decided to have a little Halloween party for our kids on Friday night. I decorated up the kitchen.

Put together each kid a place setting. They had a coloring sheet, their pumpkin they picked out, and paint.

They each got their own masks. Oh, my little monsters!!!

I made a brownie Frankenstein cake. Not my best work but the kids approved!

Daddy and I wanted to me scarey monsters too!

Ash's first time carving a pumpkin! He laughed so hard. I wish you all could hear his laugh, it melts my heart!

Mekie's first time she smiled and laughed but didn't get too excited. She went back to painting her pumpkin. Derek finished carving it yesterday. It turned out so cute. I should've took a pic but didn't get to it!

The kids had so much fun painting their pumpkins.

Then we played a few games. Pin the nose on the pumpkin and a pumpkin search in the basement! Ash and Mekie had some many firsts in one day. It is so much fun showing them all these new experiences. Garrett and Ethan have fun teaching them about it and then watching them when they do it.

147 Million Orphans, Feed 1

Derek and I are joining with 4-5 other families in our area for Orphan Sunday. We have an exciting opportunity to feed the orphans! Read on to find out how you can help.

November 7th is Orphan Sunday. In honor of orphans everywhere we are sharing a deep dish pizza with any of you in the Fort Wayne area. In return, we'd love for you to make a donation to help feed orphans.

You place your order.
We deliver it to you along with a free copy of Answer the Cry video.
You give us a donation made payable to Show Hope.
You have a fun family night at home enjoying pizza and a movie that will get your family talking.
Your donation goes on to make a huge difference in the life of an orphan.

Click this flyer for more details.

Pizza date and time choices: November 5th 4:30-8:30 and November 6th 4:30-8:30. We ask that you choose a 30 minute window on one of these dates for us to delivery your pizza. We will do our best to get it to you hot and yummy and on time. We need to receive your order by noon on the date of delivery please.

One way to order is to post your order here http://brownstreeintheforest.blogspot.com/2010/10/147-million-orphans-feed-1.html as a comment. We need to know how many pizzas you want (pepperoni or cheese, one deep dish pizza feeds 5 adults), delivery address, date and time.

There is also a dessert/discussion night on Sunday, Nov. 7th, that you are welcome to attend. The flyer has more info about that.

Can't be a part of these events this time, but still want to get in on this opportunity to give? Post a comment to get in contact with me!

We are so excited about this and I hope you are too!

Wendy

Derek's Birthday

So yesterday was Derek's Birthday (31!!!) In the morning, I put together a candy bouquet for him with a big Happy Birthday balloon. And when I picked the kids up from school we went down to Derek's work to surprise him. I called Sandy, she works across from him, and she let me in so he had no idea we were coming. So my plan was for all of us to surprise him together but Garrett took off and stood in front of Derek's office saying "Mom, he's right here!" But he was still surprised to see us and excited about his candy! So we visted for a while but then hurried home to finish getting things ready for when he got home. We had to wrap his presents, bake and decorate a cake, and try to clean up the house from the weekend. This is how the cake turned out! So I took 3 candles and then added the 1st birthday candle to make 31 but I was doing it upside down and it's backwards. Ooops!

The kids were so excited for Derek to come last night. Ash and Garrett decorated the kitchen with streamers. They picked the different colors and where they wanted them. I just helped them reach! So our kitchen was very colorful! I also told the kids that we were going to hide and when daddy got home we were going to jump out and yell happy birthday! So I sent Ash outside ( I know he would have the most patience to wait). So Ash was out there for about 10 minutes and I went out to check on him and he was sitting in the same spot, he hadn't moved at all! What a good little boy! So we finished waiting together and when we saw him we ran in to hide. The kids were so excited, they were trying really hard to contain themselves. So when Derek came in, the kids jumped out and said "Happy Birthday Daddy!" I made Derek is favorite meal, meatloaf, potatoes, baked beans, and grean beans. Then we played outside, since it was such a gorgeous day. Then came in for cake and ice cream. We lit the cake and sang "Happy Birthday". Ash and Mekie were so excited. This is another first for them, a birthday party!

Derek (and Ash) blowing out the candles!

After cake we had Derek open his presents. This was how excited Ash was! He knew what Derek was getting and wanted to tell him so bad but was so excited about the Derek opening the presents.

Garrett and Ash made Derek cards.

Derek got a new shirt, belt, wallet, and a digital picture frame for his office!

Garrett and Ethan loved the ice cream cones. Even Ash and Mekie are starting to like ice cream more. Ash ate half the cone before he couldn't eat it anymore. Mekie ate all of it! I can't believe their are kids that don't like ice cream!

Well Happy Birthday Honey! I love you so much and I hope you know how much we appreciate you!

Orphan Sunday November 7th!!!

Well I just found out that November 7th is Orphan Sunday. A friend that adopted twins from Ethiopia a few months before us posted about this upcoming day. And I went to the website: www.orphansunday.org and checked it out. And as you all know, we adopted two beautiful orphans so we are truly passionate about orphans. So I am asking you to go to the website and check out what you can do for the orphans on this day. It can be as simple as a your family or a small group praying for the orphans. I am attaching this video to watch. I watched it last night and cried and cried. I saw those orphans on the streets, I saw the need. Just check out the website and do something, no matter how small.

True Religion from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Some more pictures

This is how Ethan's photo shoot went. I had to post them because when I was looking through them they made me laugh. He wouldn't cooperate at all but now I love the pictures. So I wanted you to see them.

Garrett's picture.

The kids' feet!

Mekie

Mekie with her baby doll. She is starting to play more now with baby dolls. She carries them on her back like they do in ET, gives them bottles, changes their clothes....etc. This day I did her hair in braids and then used a butterfly clip to hold them. You can't tell from the picture but I need to improve on my braiding. But she loved it!
This is what happened yesterday! Garrett tells me "Mom, is it okay if I dress up Mekie". My answer, "Sure, I don't care" and this was the result. She had in a headband 2 flowers, butterfly clips and pony tails. She did have a dress on and I took it off before I took the picture. I now wish I would've left it on because it completed the look! And then she had lip gloss all over her lips and chin. They were up there for quite a while and I was starting to get concerned about how she was going to look and how messed up her room would be. Then I heard Garrett yell "MOM" So I went to the steps and here comes Mekie "Mommy, look, me pretty!!!" Yes, she was pretty all right! She was so happy and full of joy! So these are a few pics of her (some with her silly faces when she gets a little wound up)!