Happy Birthday Dad - oh and Happy Easter too!

Today is Dad's birthday and we all had a great day today - in this beautiful weather!

Delicious dinner, followed by Easter egg hunts with lots of laughs.  I thought Corinne was being a great sharer, giving Connor some eggs when she'd get to them first.  Turns out she was shaking them first and if they were empty, those were the ones she'd hand over!

After a jellybean break, Corinne tried to hide the eggs for us.  We were supposed to have our eyes clothes but a couple of us were peeking (not setting a great example, I know) and saw Corinne put an egg down.  Then Connor in all sincerity exclaimed "Oh! I found one!" And then Corinne - "No Connor, those are not for you to find."  He didn't quite get it but it was fun nonetheless. 

Dad made Corinne and Connor laugh and laugh by directing his birthday Beethoven symphonies, and he tried to get Serenity to drink his Chinese Pu Er Tea (dirty fish-tank water). 

We had a great day together, and I hope all of you had wonderful days too!

In the meantime, I'm figuring out what country or state I'll be focusing on this month.  The problem as of yet is not finding an issue, it's narrowing it down. Stay tuned!

A New Goal

Mom and I went away on her Women's Retreat this weekend and had a lot of fun! Our guest speaker shared her recent travels on a pilgrimage on the Camino in Spain, and a very recent (last week) trip to India. 

While listening to her tales of her travels, I was thinking about my recently renewed passport and my goals for travel.  I was also thinking of all the amazing organizations I've learned about this weekend and got to thinking...(watch out!)...what if I combined my love of travel with my desire to participate in some way in all these amazing causes and... WAPOW! New goal for this year (and many years to come because it's going to take a while):  Help every country in the world, and all 50 states, in some way. 

I'm going to need some guidelines, and I'm fully aware that as I undertake this challenge I will learn - and possibly grow - and redefine my guidelines.  But for now:

* I will research the causes and organizations I'm interested in before giving.
* There will be no willy-nilly giving.  The cause/org. must be something I'm passionate about or interested in.
* If a country - or state - does not have an organization that does not inspire and/or isn't safe and secure to make a donation, I will give to another country of my choice on that country's 'behalf'. 
* I will give at least once a month, but try to find creative ways to give besides simply donating. 

For the first country this month, I get to check India off the list.  Our guest speaker at the retreat, Terri Todd, told us about a family in Namakkal in India, who need a new home.  They are about to be evicted from the home they are currently renting because in India, the law says that if a person rents for long enough the house can become theirs.  Their village is so small that there is no where else to go, and it costs about $5,000 U.S. to build a house, a sum that is very much out of their range.  The two little girls in the family have to walk a half mile just to use a toilet, and that walk is not safe for little girls about to reach puberty.  I can proudly say that in one night, the 65 women at our retreat were moved to give over $1,200 toward the house. 

I got an extra bonus this weekend too.  Terri brought back some beautiful scarves made by women involved in OneMother.org.  Women that are HIV positive and therefore untouchable, and/or part of the sex trade for lack of any other choice are given the opportunity to make products to sell for an income that gets them out of the sex trade.  I won this beautiful scarf in the silent auction, and when I looked up the organization, I discovered they're based out of Centennial, Colorado! Hooray for hometown helping!

They also have gorgeous quilts and placemats for sale too. 

So there's my new endeavor! I appreciate your support as I take on the world.  India, check!