Pinch me...

Our 1st day in Africa....hold on, let me say that again...OUR FIRST DAY IN AFRICA!

Today is Sunday, August 28th.  And I will say it again...we are in Africa!!  Today we are set to visit with a women's shelter and then on to an orphanage.  Here is the link to both.

http://www.zaracharity.com/supported-organizations/huruma-women-group

http://www.zaracharity.com/supported-organizations/kilimanjaro-orphans-centre

Here are a few fun items we are gonna be handing out.  Morphotek provided a few polo shirts, hats and a blanket.  OVA1 provided some t-shirts.  Teal Diva provided shirts, beads, nail polish and ribbons.

Here are the awareness cards:)!  Can't forget my girl Carey:)!

So we are gonna be out in the streets of Africa.  I can't even tell you that I have ever even thought about this day being a reality.  Unbelievable.  So some of you know that JJ works in construction and is fluent in Spanish.  So, his co-workers were very inquisitive about this trip.  One of them, Sabino, asked if he could give us a few dollars to take some pictures.  I thought that was so sweet so I told JJ I would make him a disk.  Just before we left, JJ came home and told me Sabino gave him $45.  He told JJ he wanted to make sure he found someone who 'looked' really poor and give him/her $10. JJ asked him why?  Sabino explained that he came from poverty and by coming to America, he found he could live a rich life.  He is so thankful and wanted to pass something along to someone else. 

Does this put a smile on your face or what?

Teal Diva goes global

today we begin our trip to africa.  i can't even believe i just said that.  you know how when you say you want to do something and some of what you say seems so far out of reach but then when it becomes attainable, you have to take a moment and ask yourself...am i dreaming? 

i plan to turn our route to africa teal.  i have teal nail polish.  i have t-shirts.  I have teal ribbon stickers.  i have awareness cards in swahili and english.  and by golly, i have the excitement. 



i would like to dedicate this day of our trip to my good friend ruth.  today is ruth's survivor day:)!  we both had the same type of cancer...clear cell.  a little about this amazing lady...she is one of the most genuine people you could ever meet.  hopefully we all find strength in our cancer diagnosis...ruth found hers by giving back to other cancer patients through jewelry.  she makes earrings and GIVES them away to other survivors and their caretakers.  you can find these beauties in the infusion room at presbyterian hospital in charlotte, nc.  ruth will also be the calendar girl for presby this year representing ovarian cancer...you go girl! i will be taking a pair of these fab baubles with me on the climb. 

i will also be taking the following items from people who are no longer with us or could not make the trek themselves...or those who are not crazy enough to do it.  here are a few items I am taking with us...

the above and below photos are a combination of items from my friend Theresa, Carin with Lydia's Legacy and earrings compliments of my mom made with the oh so talented Ruth Reynolds.  Carin started Lydia's Legacy after losing her mom to ovarian cancer.  Lydia loved seashells.  I know she will be close to us and we will certainly pull from her strength.

This is from my friend Patsy.

this is just a reminder of everything i have been through and where i was at 2 years ago.

this bracelet reminds me to have the faith of a mustard seed from my stepmom, a fellow survivor.  she also is letting me borrow the teal scarf.

the bracelet is from an angel who will be watching over us.  we will pull from kelly's strength as well.

we also want to take this time to thank our sponsors of our trip:

so as we begin travels, i leave you with this...

may the drinks be plentiful and meals be fresh; may those who are sick stay home; may those who travel with children who cry, run up and down the aisles and/or kick the back of your seat, take another flight.  may those who think bathing is for sissies, bathe.  that goes for brushing your teeth too.  may those who think a belt buckle will not set off the metal detector be in the line opposite us and that goes for those who wait until the last minute to remove their shoes in security.  may the ticket counter person love their job and the movie selection people choose good movies.  may the pilots get a good nights rest.  when our climb on kili begins, may any pain with legs and feet go away quickly.  may the food be edible and water be drinkable.  may the altitude sickness skip our group...any sickness for that matter.  may we all make it to the summit.  and may God shine down on us with safe travels and bless us with his presence at all times.

oh, for all you haters who think i don't update my blog enough (because i don't)...i have scheduled updates for every day of the week:):):):).  just for you!  **MUAH!**  I do plan to journal and update upon my return.  I have heard that service can be quite slow so bare with me on updating with live updates.

jack and skeeter

Oh my goodness.  let me start by saying there are those who plan for things and those who don't; those who happen on things by chance and those who let chance pass them by.  Our little furry friend...you know Skeeter...my heart...now has a big brother named Jack.  And what a pair, let me tell ya.  We did not plan on this happening.  We questioned whether or not we should add to our family.  Would it be too much?  Can we afford it?  Nothing left to do but try it out.  So we had a play date that resulted in a lot of starring, smelling and hissing.  That was pretty much the routine for the first week.  Then one night while I was making dinner, I heard a thump and thought now what in the world was that...I go into the living room to see a WWE kitty wrestling match.  I broke them up thinking no good can come from this.  A little while later, again.  I have since learned these two love to wrestle.  The way it is initiated is usually by Skeeter walking up to Jack and pawing his leg out from under him.  Jack gets annoyed.  It seems like they like to stare at one another until the other makes the first move.  If it takes too long, one grows impatient and paw slaps the other. Then they duke it out, wrestle until one gets pinned down.  And then they separate for a few hours until they feel like going at it again.

Jack is about 7 years old, a Maine Coon (same as Skeeter).  Skeeter is 4 years old.  They are almost identical.  I mean, there are some pretty apparent differences, but at a glance, it can be difficult to tell.

Their personalities are certainly different.  A few character traits we have noticed over the past few weeks:  Skeeter is a total instigator.  He loves to be the center of attention.  He loves attention period.  Whatever room I am in, he is in there too.  If I am changing the bed, he helps me by chasing the sheets as I am trying to take them off the bed or put them on.  He's not a cuddler.  Every once in a blue moon, he will share the couch with me.  He loves play time...at all hours of the day and night.  He loves to help us with dinner (by sitting on a step ladder and observing).  Skeeter is very much like his dad in that he loves to eat.  We have to move him away from Jack's bowl on a daily basis.  Sometimes he gets a little jealous and lets you know by glaring at you from across the room.  If you try to go pick him up, he tosses his nose in the air and turns his head.  He then walks away with his tail straight in the air.  He likes to go outside and sun bathe, chase bugs and eat moths. 

 

Jack is super fluffy.  He is the total cuddler.  He gives big hugs.  He jumps on the bed almost every night and makes you pet his head by shoving his head under your hand repeatedly....over and over...and then some.  He has a very loud motor.  When he lays down, he doesn't just lay down, he falls over.  He LOVES shoes...loves to lay on them and tosses his body all over them.  He loves shoestrings...just ask JJ when he is tying his shoes.  Whenever he trots through the house, you can actually hear the pitter patter of little feet.  He hates the outdoors and is very verbal about it. 

These two are so stinkin' cute.  I have caught Skeeter licking Jack's head from time to time...so I would say this is a match made in heaven:)!