Kendall-isms #3

Kendall: I speak bear. Aren't you impressed?

Kendall: Do you love my outfit? You know how I know I look good in it? I looked down.

{Kendall gets up from a nap and gives me a huge hug!}
Kendall: My hair feels cool after I slobber in it.

Kendall: Today was the best day ever! It wasn't the worst day, because that day would be a disaster. Today wasn't though!

Kendall: Guess what Mom? 
Me: I don't know K, what?
Kendall: Sometimes, I fart when I run.

Kendall: Mom, I had a terrible accident while I was twirling. I broke my ankle on the door knob.
Me: How?
Kendall: {Showing me her elbow} See?

Kendall: Mom, I'm pretending I'm a secret agent! Did you see those bad guys in the parking lot? They're killing flat tires with their swords!

Kendall: Mom, guess where I am? 
I tell her where she is. 
Kendall: How do you always know where I am?!
Me: Moms have super powers. 
Kendall: I don't believe that's true.

{Earlier that night I had looked at Kendall's tonsils.}
Kendall: Mom, I looked in the mirror, but I couldn't see my tentacles.

Kendall: Mom, look at this! What does it do? 
Me: It's a tape deck. It plays tapes. 
Kendall: What is a tape?

Kendall: Will in the morning be tomorrow?

Kendall: Mom, I don't want you to get old! Then you won't be able to go on any more adventures with me!

Kendall: You know why you always have to be the queen? Because you're tall and a mom. Plus you're smaller than Daddy.

Kendall: Mom, I need toilet paper! Don't come in here though! It smells like plants! 
Me: Girl, that does not smell like plants!

{Joe went fishing today and got really sun burned.} 
Kendall: Wow Dad! You look hot! 
Daddy: That's inappropriate!

minted.

Hey friends! Have you ever heard of minted.? Minted is a marketplace of independent artists and designers from all over the US. They create beautiful products for you to customize and turn it into something that you love!

They have art prints and decor. You can pick your piece, color, size, and frame. Like this African Drum picture. You know I love Africa so this piece is a favorite!

They do stationery and events, planners, gifts, and party decor! They just recently added wedding invitations as well! I wish I had known about them when I was getting married. I printed mine out on my printer at home. These are gorgeous! I would of loved being able to design them from home!

Now, if you know me-- you know that I love pictures! One of my favorite things I have found on their website are these holiday booklette cards that show travel highlights. We're thinking about sending them out at the end of the year! How cute are they?

This weekend you can get 15% off all wedding and kids' birthday party products using the code MEMORIAL15. It ends on Tuesday (5/26/15) so you'll have to act fast and have fun doing it!

This post is sponsored by minted.com. As always, thoughts and opinions are 100% my own!

Jennis

Fair Trade Friday: box #8

Happy Fair Trade Friday Friends! You know already that it is one of my favorite days of the month. I love getting mail and mail that empowers women around the world is even BETTER! 

Your box employed approximately 4 women this month. 

This gorgeous bag is the Trendy Reversible Tote Bag from 3 Cords in Haiti! 3 Cords is a social enterprise founded in September 2010 to train, employ, and empower Haitian men and women.  Our mission is to provide opportunities for physically handicapped  women and men, and to show them that they are both beautiful and valuable.  We do this by training our employees as artisans in a loving, community oriented environment. 

The name 3 Cords comes from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: 

“Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up… Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of 3 strands is not easily broken.”

We chose this verse to represent us because we believe strongly in the power of community.  An added bonus is that the name “3 Cords” goes along with our main product line – a braided cord headband!

This is the Wooden Wrap Bracelet from Freedom Firm through Ruhamah Designs. Freedom Firm works in India to Rescue minors who have been sold into the commercial sex trade, Restoration of their identities, and seek Justice against those who perpetrate these crimes.

This is a crochet jar or lid opener from The Refugee Project in Houston, Texas. All the items are handmade by refugee women of Burma, Bhutan and Nepal who have been relocated to Houston, Texas by the United Nations for religious and ethnic persecution. By purchasing an item, you are empowering women by helping them meet some of their basic needs.

If you haven't tried Fair Trade Friday yet-- what are you waiting for? 

wheels on the bike

For Christmas my girl got a beautiful new bike from her grandparents. She absolutely loves her bike. For a six year old it translates into new freedoms with new opportunities. 

Like becoming an expert at jumping off her bike right before it crashes to the ground. "I'm okay Mom! I'm okay! I just jumped off." I didn't know I was raising Evel Knievel. I should have seen this coming though. We always say Kendall should of been born with a helmet. The kid has no fear. 

Or scouting for onlookers to view her bike riding triumphs. "Did you see those boys Mom? I know they saw me riding my bike. You know they thought I looked cool!" I am getting glimpses of what she's going to be like later. I'm not ready for that yet. If she could wait until I'm like 50 maybe my heart can take it then, ya know?

Today, the thing that brought her the most joy was putting a Barbie bike on her handle bars so she could ride around with Elsa. I feel like I might have needed a degree to get the bike on said handle bars. 

As I watch her riding her bike around with the little Barbie bike and her anchor tights I know for sure these will be the easy days. The days when kissing her boo-boos still works, Barbie bikes make me "the best mom ever", or playing secret agents in the neighborhood while the neighbors look on confused. 

It's going by so fast. This motherhood thing is ever evolving. I feel like once I master one stage and have gained the wisdom it procures; she has moved on to a new stage and we start all over again. Who keeps wiping off the game board? 

As she continues to grow she's only going to get more freedoms and opportunities. Time keeps rolling on kinda like the wheels on her bike. I'm not sure what's to come. I hope it will be more about Jesus and less about drama. Until then, I'm just going to try to enjoy the days while I still know the answers to her questions and have the solutions to her problems. Like, "What is a tape?".  If you don't know the answer to that question you won't find it here. I've decided to only explain that once, because it makes me feel old. Mmmkay? 

Brave

People always tell us we're so brave for going to the field, bringing our daughter, eating the food, and for doing the hard things.

I never knew that bravery felt a lot like terrified.

I mean, I wonder what this bravery thing is that people talk about.

Right?

Most of the time, I'm just scared. Sometimes, terrified. Crazy right? That this girl who is crazy in love with Jesus would be scared sometimes a lot.

But you know what?

I think maybe that's what this whole walking by faith thing is all about.

Being terrified of what you can see and think, but knowing and trusting that His plans are better.

They are.

The world won't tell you that.

Your heart will deceive you.

People will let you down.

There will be pain and suffering.

So what do you do?

You keep walking blindly with Him as your guide.

You keep putting one foot in front of the other to what He has called you to do allowing the architect of your life to guide you.

Going in blind, but going anyway.

That's what makes you brave.

Hey May!

We are really excited to share with you that Kendall is officially allowed to go to Ecuador with us in June! We can't wait for the trip and what the Lord will have for us there! 

Jenn and Kendall will also be heading out to Louisiana at the beginning of June for a mission trip. The trip emphasis will be to learn and do evangelism in Grande Isle, LA. Grande Isle is a primary fishing spot for Louisiana. After hurricanes and the BP oil spill, the population of Grande Isle has diminished to only 1,000 people. Most weekends, there are close to 10,000 people coming for vacation and fishing with some weekends coming close to 20,000 people. There is also a camp for children living on the Island Tuesday to Friday which is run by summer missionaries. We will have the opportunity to work with them. They will be gone June 2-9.

Please join us in prayer for Grande Isle, Ecuador, and Guatemala! We still need to raise $3,000 for Ecuador and Guatemala. The ways to take part in these trips is to pray and when we ask pray, nothing is going to be accomplished in our own strength, we need the Power and Voice of God. Another way to partner is if God lays it on your heart after praying is to donate. All donations are tax exempt and taken through Crosswalk Community Church. Their address is 77 N. Carpenter Rd. Titusville, Fl 32796. Please put Hennis Family Mission Trips in the memo line. If God leads you to give could you send us an email that you did so for our records? We would REALLY appreciate it! We thank you for your time and consideration and look forward to hearing from you!

In His Love, 
Joe, Jenn, and Kendall Hennis