MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Hello, Everyone!

This year we decided not to send Christmas cards. That's a little sad for me, because I LOVE to send Christmas cards every year, but we opted to use the money to bless others this year, so I can't be sad about that. However, I couldn't go the season without sending a hearty Christmas greeting from the Smith family. The picture at the top of the blog was going to be our Christmas card, so stare at it and imagine it came in the mail. :) Below is a beautiful rendition (if I must say so, myself) of I Love You Lord, performed by the amazing and talented Xzayvier and Mekyla Smith!

We have had an amazing year and we are thrilled to celebrate the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We have been so blessed by our many friends and family and we want you to know how grateful we are for you. We love you so much and we wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! We are praying you each have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year. We hope you relish in the season and remember the ultimate gift we received in Christ's birth. 

Xzayvier and Mekyla performed this song with the Christmas Choir at church. They've been singing it ever since they learned it, so I thought we better capture this. Mekyla loved singing it in Spanish, so she learned the entire song. So proud of them. Enjoy!

Wanna Send Us to Africa?

Maybe I should rethink that question...some might answer, "Yes, forever!" hahaha

Well if you answered "yes" and you were referring to sending us on a mission trip, then keep reading. We (I keep saying "we" but I really just mean I...Rob doesn't want to admit to selling jewelery) are selling some beautiful hand-made beads from Uganda. A friend of mine found a glorious ministry called Outreach Uganda. The ministry is focused on empowering Ugandan women to raise themselves our of poverty through training and employment.

We were able to purchase beads from them to sell to fundraise for our mission trip to Ethiopia. These beads are gorgeous! I just wanted to get pictures of the items we have on here so you can 1. see how pretty they are and 2. buy everyone you know some for Christmas. They will make for great teacher gifts, gifts for your mother/mother-in-law, sisters, friends...all the lovely ladies you know.

Bracelet $15

Medium Length Necklace (approx. 14 in.) $20

Extra Long Necklace (approx. 22in.) $25

Baby Evelyn

My first newborn session. EEK! Well, I definitely learned a few things for my next go round...like keep the baby happy and warm. Evelyn was such a champ, but I am certain she would have been a much happier naked baby, if she were warmer. Here are some the the sweet faces I captured.

  

'M' Family

I had so much fun with this super-photogenic family. The only down side is I could never pick a favorite shot. There are a ton of great ones. THANKS SO MUCH, 'M' FAMILY!

'B' Family

"We don't have children, but we have two dogs." 

Dogs? Oh no. Um, I'm NOT professional. I've never taken photos of dogs. I will do my best, but...did I mention I'm not professional?

And this sweet couple said, "that's okay, we want you to take our photos." And this is what we came up with. Thanks, 'B' family!!!

All Things 'G' Family

I LOVE THIS FAMILY. I admit it, I'm partial. Tabitha (far right in the 1st picture) is my best friend and her mother-in-law, Teresa wanted a large family photo, so I was THRILLED when they asked me to capture it. THANK YOU so much, friends!

 

'B' Family

To say that Ashley was not looking forward to family photos would probably be an understatement. As we began to walk and talk, she wouldn't answer my cheesey questions or laugh at my jokes. I thought for sure I was doomed. Then I turned my camera on and she lit up! She's such a sweet girl and I had so much fun with this family. Thank you, 'B' family!

 

 

'C' Family

I had so much fun chasing these sweet girls around. It didn't hurt one bit that they and their parents were super-photogenic. Thank you, 'C' family, for your support and trusting me to capture these moments.

What do you call a photographer, who's not really a photographer?

Soooo...I decided to start this whole photography thing. Well, who am I kidding, I didn't decide to. I was prompted to do it over and over again before I finally gave in and said, "yes." I took family pictures for a dear friend, just because she asked me to and I wanted to do it. Afterwards, people were asking me how much I charged. Charged? Really? I'm not even a professional. I've never been formally trained. People still asked. So finally I had a little conversation with Jesus and said, "if I do this, you have to lead. I don't even know how to be a photographer. I just like my camera and I like taking pictures. The rest is on you. Right down to the payment."

So, now I am doing photography, NOT as a business, but simply to fundraise for my next mission trip to Ethiopia. I've been blown away to see the Lord show up in the details and I have had a blast spending time with friends and meeting new ones in the process. I've already raised 1/3 of my total. PRAISE JESUS!

So if you are looking for a good photographer...well, I am not a good photographer. I just have a great camera, really cute/pretty/handsome subjects and a great big God.

Ethiopia...where I saw Jesus in every detail

Okay, so if you didn't already follow the Ordinary Hero blog for updates on my trip Ethiopia, YOU SHOULD HAVE! It was beyond incredible!!! God blew our minds every step of the way. If you missed out on all of His work, here are our team's blog posts so you have easy access to them. They are in order from beginning to end.

Meet Team 3 -- New OH Team off to Ethiopia
Day 1 -- Team 3 Day 1 in Ethiopia
Day 2 & 3 -- Our Power Team in Ethiopia Day 2
Day 4 -- Team 3 in Ethiopia Day 4
Day 5 -- Power Team 3 Day 5 in Ethiopia
Baby Levi -- OH Team 3 Shares About Baby Levi
Last day -- Last Day in Ethiopia for Team 3

Ordinary Hero just posted the new dates for 2012 trips as well...more than they've ever had before. Pray for us, as Rob and I consider a trip back to Ethiopia. Also, pray to see if YOU'RE supposed to go too! ;) You can check out the dates here http://ordinaryhero.org/Ordinary_Hero/Mission_Trips/Mission_Trips.html

The boy in the picture...

If you are on facebook and you've seen any of my recent posts, you have probably noticed that I recently went to Ethiopia, had an amazing trip and I'm back...nearly at 100%. If you read the Ordinary Hero blog, looked through my pictures or saw my facebook profile picture, you probably noticed that I got to meet our sweet, sweet sponsored child, Ashenafi while I was in Ethiopia. It is something I will never forget. It was so much easier to send our money and pray for "the boy in the picture" before all of this. But now I know him. I saw his sweet face. I talked to him. I witnessed what was completely normal to him (which by the way is NOT normal for anyone in this country). I saw what he sees every day. And I care now, more than ever before. I want to encourage you to sponsor a child. We sponsor Ashenafi through Food for the Hungry and I asked them how could we possibly help him and his community more. Their biggest need is sponsorships in Ethiopia and all over the world.

For a little more than $30 a month you could change a child's life. Not only are you helping Food for the Hungry (or any other organization, should you decide on a different one), you are giving a child hope. I can't begin to tell you how excited these children are to know that someone in the United States even knows their name, let alone cares about them, prays for them and genuinely wants what is best for them.

If you are (or have been) skeptical about sponsorship programs, I am here to tell you that I saw him face-to-face. He is real. So I can tell you, without a doubt, that Food for the Hungry is a way to meet the needs of sweet children around the world, no fluff. It's the real deal. And that is just my experience. I also met the children that are sponsored through Project 61, and that's the real deal too. REAL children having their REAL lives changed by REAL people.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child, PLEASE DO! Visit http://www.fh.org/give/sponsor to get more information about sponsoring with Food for the Hungry or http://p61.org/sponsorship.html to get more information about Project 61. Those are just two options. Two great options.

The hardest thing I did while I was in Ethiopia was leave Ashenafi. But the best thing I've done in a long, long time was meet him, hug him, kiss his sweet face and tell him that he has an American family and that we love him very much. Knowing that we will have a lifelong relationship with him brings me more joy now than ever before.

Keep Up With Me in Ethiopia

Family & Friends,

I have had this swimming around in my head for weeks now and it seems completely unreal that if I don't send it now, I may not have time to do it before I leave for Ethiopia. WOW! It blows my mind that this time next week I will have my feet on African soil. I am sending this to you to give you some details about the trip and how to keep up with what we are doing and to literally beg for prayer.

First, the details - we will begin traveling this Sunday the 28th. We will not actually make it to Ethiopia until late Monday for you (early Tuesday for us, Ethiopia is 8 hours ahead of us CST). We will begin traveling home on September 5th and should return to Nashville Tuesday, September 6th. First prayer...please pray for the details of travel. Pray we have no issues with our luggage, no missed flights (unless it's God's will) and easy transitions through customs, both in Ethiopia and returning home.

Second, keeping up with us - I will be writing a blog (big surprise, right?), but it will not be posted on our family blog. I will actually be writing the blog for the organization that we are going with, Ordinary Hero. This will give everyone keeping up with our team one place to go to see what we're up to. So bookmark the web address and check in often for updates. Also, if you have shared this trip with anyone or you know folks have donated items, money or prayer to this trip definitely share the blog with them too. We will hopefully have tons of pictures, so you may see your contributions being given out. You can keep up with us at www.ordinaryheroblog.blogspot.com.

Now here's my gigantic prayer request. I am begging you to join me in prayer for this. Let me give you a little history so you'll understand this request. My friend Kelly went to Ethiopia last year. When she returned she shared a video that Ordinary Hero had posted about a trip to a trash dump. They were advocating for sponsorship of the children that live in Korah, which is a village in and around a trash dump. There was this little girl who immediately caught my attention. I WANTED TO BE HER SPONSOR! But I dropped the ball and never responded. A few weeks later, Kelly reported that all the sponsorships had been filled. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that my girl at least got a sponsor. Well, a few months later I received a newsletter e-mail for Ordinary Hero and there that video was again. I watched it and once again started thinking about "my girl". I mentioned it to Kelly and she said that just because the sponsorships were filled, didn't mean every child got a sponsor. DUH! Why didn't I think of that? So she encouraged me to e-mail about her and I did. At first they thought she was too young, so we got on the waiting list in hopes to sponsor her this summer. Well through many corresponding e-mails, we have learned that no one has seen this sweet girl around for a while. Now I know this might be far-fetched, but I promise you that the Lord has called this sweet girl to our lives. My children know her face and know her name and we pray for her every single day, as if we were already sponsoring her. Fast forward a few more months and here I am planning to go to Ethiopia...halfway around the world WHERE SHE LIVES! I have prayed and prayed and prayed about what to do about our sweet girl, whose name is Sintayehu (Sin-tie-yu). And I am confident that the Lord has confirmed that I WILL find her. Now let me be clear...I have NO idea what that means. I don't know if we'll sponsor her. I don't know if she's an orphan. I don't know why the Lord would put her on my heart. I just know this... he did put her on my heart...one year later I have not forgotten about her...she is part of our family, even if she doesn't know it...I just happen to be going to the exact place where I would find her and I have a bag of clothes and gifts all packed up for her. I am going fully expecting God to make it happen. I want her to know we love her. I want her to know God loves her. And if he would bring some spoiled white girl halfway around the world to tell her that, I am hoping and praying that she will never question His love for the rest of her days. So here's my request. Please pray that I find her. Please pray that I can encourage her and share the gospel with her. Pray that she accepts Christ as her Savior. Pray that whatever God's plan is, that I am submitted to it and that Sintayehu feels more love than ever before. -- That being said, I wanted to share that very video that took my breath away. She says her name, but so you know when to pay close attention, Sintayehu is at the 5:26 minute marker of the video. http://vimeo.com/13948413 I have also attached a photo of her. She's the one wearing the blue jacket. Please print or save this picture and pray for her. Pray that our paths cross. Pray that my eyes are open to see her.

Okay my dear, sweet family and friends, that's it. This is going to be a wild ride. Would you come along for the ride in prayer and petition, trusting the Lord to work through this team of ten who are just taking one step at a time, trusting that He has already stepped before us? I would be honored and delighted knowing I have your support.

Trusting Him,
Delilah

Kreid is 3!!!

I still hate saying or typing that. Three is such a big step. Like a graduation from being a sweet little baby. And Kreid has certainly graduated. He is a big boy, complete with being potty-trained, getting dressed by himself, knowing how to ride a bike and getting nearly everything he can for himself. So what am I really trying to say? That I am miserable because my "baby" doesn't need his mommy to do much for him anymore. He may as well be 8, like Ky and Zay. On the up side, he's still my super-sweet, lovey, snuggler. There are many mornings that he and I sit under his "buh-lew blanky" and snuggle while we watch Super Why. I LOVE this. I soak up every second. And normally that's about how long it lasts, a few seconds, and then he's off to ride his motorcycle (which translates into sitting on the arm of the couch, leaned forward with his feet tucked under his little tush, making 'vroom vroom' sounds), or he's jumping and dancing or playing his drums or with a monster truck...you know, all those little-big boy things. He's such a joy though. His smile is infectious. He is not normally whiney at all unless he's either sleepy or being told to go to sleep. He hates to have his hair washed, but loves to be wrapped up in the towel afterwards. He hates to take a nap, but snoozes with the best of them once he's down. He is very easy going, so much so that he will let a one-year-old little girl rough him up. I don't know if I should encourage it, tell him to be more firm or just crack up laughing.

Kreid is so much fun. I think we all agree. Well, maybe not Mekyla, when he won't get out of her room or destroys something she just cleaned up, but the consensus is, he's adorable, sweet and so much fun.

Happy, happy birthday sweet boy! We love you so much.

Here are a few pictures from his birthday party and his three-year portraits.

He was SO excited about his motorcycle cupcakes. Thanks to Aunt Tabitha!

What a blessing, Rob made it home three days before Kreid's birthday!

Money maker!

Rainy days inspire me to blog

It's a rainy afternoon, thank God, because we really needed rain. If nothing else, just to drop the temperature below 100 degrees. So since it's raining, Kreid is upstairs, rustling around before he crashes for his afternoon nap and I've a few spare seconds, so I thought I'd blog to catch everyone up on all things Smith family.

You probably already know that I am going to Ethiopia in a few weeks. Wow. A FEW weeks. Crazy. If you didn't already know, click here to read all about it. I am excited, nervous, overjoyed, exasperated, and probably about a hundred other emotions about this trip already, so God only knows what is in store. For one thing I am certain, God is leading the way. I began this journey not certain if I should fundraise or just work hard to save up the $3000 to pay my way and the $500 extra for traveling expenses. At my first attempts to fundraise I did not receive a huge response, so I thought, 'well, maybe we're supposed to make the sacrifice and save, save, save'. I talked to Rob (he was deployed at the time) and he said, "we'll just pray about it and see where we are led." The next day, I had five (seriously) people ask me how they could help contribute to my trip. OKAY, Lord, I got your message LOUD AND CLEAR. So there, I began my fundraising journey. Little did I know then that the Lord was really going to show off. I mean REALLY. The week before our first due date, when half of our total was due and I just knew I'd be writing a huge check that next week, I received a super-generous contribution that knocked that number down substantially. And it just snowballed from there, to include many contributions both small and large (it ALL helps!) and a $500 grant from Ordinary Hero because SO many supported me by purchasing items which I earned commission for. You can read more about that here, on OH's blog. Now, I am so excited to report that my portion of the trip has been completely funded. I am however still fundraising, because not all of our ten-person team have raised their funds. Anything above and beyond my $3000 raised will go towards another team members trip. So if you were interested in helping us go to Ethiopia, we still need your support.

Okay, enough about that for now. This might be a long blog...I hope you're up for some reading. ;)

This summer was fun and horrible all in the same. How do you manage that, you ask? Well, you enjoy a fantastic summer with half of your family, but wish the other half was there for everything too. This summer, like last, Xzayvier spent it in Texas with his mom. It is wonderful for him, because he has two younger brothers who he loves so much and he gets to spend so much time with his mom. It stinks for us though. Kreid adores Zay, so he asked about him nearly every day. The other downer was Rob was deployed through almost all of the summer. While I try to keep my head up while he's away, it's hard not to fall into a full-on pity party on a daily basis when the person you love most is nowhere near you for months. Praise the Lord, Rob is back home for a while and Zay will return this weekend. The Smith family will be restored to it's original parts before we know it.

Charley also visited this summer. Charley is Rob's daughter. She is the sweetest, most easy-going, awesome 13-year-old I know. We had so much fun with her here. Mekyla especially loved having her big sister around, even if it was just for a week. We can't wait until her next visit.

Charley

The girls during our bowling night.

Rob and Charley

Kreid and Charley, swimmin' it up.

So Kreid is three now. Wow that makes me excited and sad all in the same. I L.O.V.E. the three-year-old version of Kreid. He is so stinkin' sweet it's ridiculous. I get at least 20 kisses a day from him. He's my snuggler and I love to cuddle, so he speaks my love language. He is THE baby of our family. BUT he's no baby anymore. That makes me sad. I just wasn't ready for toddler-dom to strike so soon. Either way, we're having a blast, I just have to take the sweet 'baby' things he does when I get them and encourage him to keep on track to be a big boy too.

Too big. Too cute.

Our pretty girl.

Mekyla...well, not much has changed in that department. She is still princess of this roost, as much as we try not to give in to that, she's persistent. The funny thing is, she's becoming a little tomboy but she still wants to be treated like our sweet little girl. She's still sassy as ever though, so being treated like that sweet little girl doesn't always work out. She and Xzayvier will begin third grade this year. How did that happen? Wasn't Kreid just born and didn't we JUST send them off to kindergarten? Goodness time flies.

Okay, onto the next blog, where I will finally write for Kreid's 3rd birthday...you know, only three weeks late. :)

Kreid's 1st Hair Cut

This has been a long time coming. Three years and almost two weeks, to be exact. Kreid was born with a head full of hair. He probably could have used a hair cut at birth, but we loved his hair, so we let it grow. Short of a quick snip of an extra "poof" of hair (as we called it), it's never been touched with scissors. Until today.

It took me this long to get tired of fighting with it, to feel okay about cutting it and to find someone who I trusted enough to do it. I asked my hairdresser (who is amazing) if she felt up for giving it a go and she did, so away we went. Thank you, Jenny, for doing such an awesome job!

Sooooo the big question, did we CUT it or did we trim it? Well, we did something in between. He still has a fro, but it is much shorter. It's not as wild and crazy, but more neat and clean. Still a fro. Still crazy hair. Still cute as ever. ;)

Here's the before, during and after after...

Wild and crazy

With hair like this, you get used to being bought off to sit still. Today was no exception.

He was cracking us up as he made faces at himself in the mirror. Silly boy!

There it goes.

Finished product and I'd say a pretty handsome one at that!