{blog for compassion}

recently, i signed up to be a compassion blogger... very simply put, i want to use my blog for things bigger than myself, and compassion is so much bigger!

every month, they give a challenge to blog about.  this month's is to get people to sponsor 3,108 children.  very simply, there are so many kids who need the basics- food, clothing, an education.  i look at my little preschoolers who come in so excited for school and it gives me such an image of what my little girl, esther, in uganda looks like.  even at 9, 12, 18, these kids are excited for school because in their countries, school isn't a chore, it's a privilege!

so why get involved with compassion?  #1. you get to help a child, and it's not just like you send money, but you get to have a relationship.  you get to write letters, send pictures, and even have opportunities to visit you child.  these kids are amazing- so many of them have been through some awful times, yet they are filled with joy and hope!  when i see a tan envelope in my mailbox, it is usually opened right there because i know what's inside- a letter from esther filled with stories about her friends, family, and how God is blessing her.
#2. you make a direct impact on poverty.  one of my favorite mother teresa quotes is "if you can't feed 100 people, just feed one".  with compassion, you get to do that.  one by one, a child gets to be freed from poverty, and given a chance- a chance to become a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer- a chance to better themselves and better their country, ending the cycle of poverty.
#3. you get to meet some pretty great people.  i've been blessed to work events for compassion, and the people who work for compassion are amazing.  i've never been involved with such a large organization that creates a network of kind, caring, fun individuals.  at every event, they are so excited to tell people about compassion, to catch up on lives of volunteers, and to just be joyful, Christ-serving individuals.

if you're remotely interested, or just want to look at precious children, go look here.  4 years ago, i prayed for a little girl in africa, and God gave me a sweet, precious child that has impacted my life forever... i hope and pray each of you get to experience an impact like her too!

{we're getting married!}

oh my goodness!  it's been a fun past few days!  ian and i want to thank friends and family for all their joy and congratulations.  we have felt so much love these past few days and we are so thankful for the community God has put in our lives :)

ian and i weren't able to see each other monday or tuesday, so monday, he asked if i would be interested in going to ramsey's for apple fritters.  who turns down ramsey's?  so wednesday, we met at his house and walked to dinner.  i later found out that he had called the restaurant and told them he was proposing later and really needed a table since they don't do reservations.  apparently the whole place knew we were getting engaged that night, because on the way out, one of the guys whispered to ian 'good luck'.  i heard nothing of the sort, so ian was in the clear for the surprise.

we dropped our leftovers off at ian's house and took a walk downtown.  this is totally normal for us- from the time we've started dating, we have really enjoyed going for walks- campus, downtown, neighborhoods, cemetery's... wherever we can find!  we wound our way downtown, walking by rupp and triangle park, then up vine street.  we ended up near thoroughbred park.

there's a little history there... the night before ian asked me out, a big group of us went and walked around downtown after a wedding.  i had a coke slushy from speedway, and there's something about them (that i discovered after this night) that messes with me.  like in bad ways.  i had one before we went and walked downtown, and it hit me as we were about to walk.  ian noticed something was off with me and asked me how i felt and walked with me near the back of the group.  i knew i liked him and had a big ol crush on him at this point, and was just trying to focus on not puking in front of him (now there's how to get a guy!).  i ended up feeling better, and as the group stopped at thoroughbred park 2 years ago, all i could think about was holding his hand (and the feeling, as we later found out the next night, was mutual).

we walked up to a park bench with a 'wet paint' sign on it.  ian convinced me this was a joke (which i later found out was planted on purpose so no one else would sit there).  we sat down and he started reminiscing about our first night there.  he then informed me that we had been dating 2 years, 2 months and 2 days.  he went through each of those days and told me how our relationship had changed.  after many sweet things, he got up, pulled me up with him, got down on a knee, and asked me to marry him, and told me he loved me for the first time :)

i turned around and katie and brad were in the bushes taking pictures!  a very nice homeless man acted as a lookout for us, and when he saw us, told katie and brad to sneak in and take pictures.  i feel so blessed that i had 2 great friends and photographers there to document and then celebrate!  and then we drove to their house where more friends were there!  erica and whitney even drove down from northern kentucky to be with us :)

sitting on our bench

the moment :)

we kind of like each other

ring picture

best friends! (and quite the sneaky photographer along with her husband!)

wet paint sign + sammy

friends!

everything was perfect... it could not have been a better night, and i am so blessed God put such a wonderful, caring, thoughtful and life-challenging man in my life.  i get to be his wife!!!!!