Really? 9 months!

I can't believe it has been 9 months since my last post. ALOT has happened in 9 months! Lets see... the most important thing...We moved. Rob is now a Sr.Pastor, the kids are in new schools and me,mom...well I am at home ALL day by myself. Which is good and at times not so good. But "the move" has been fantastic for our family. I remember walking into our new home for the first time. Each kid ran to the room they picked out. All of the newness is new to all of us, not just Yabby. That is a very good thing. We all decided together to get a dog. Well sort of, I was the last one to decide. Two things that Yabby has been hoping and praying would happen (besides the dog)Happened! She lost her first two teeth and got glasses(only for reading) all in the same month!
So that is the tip of the ice burgh...
I'm going to close so I can return to eating my bon bons and watching the snow fall:)

Today was a very special day for our family. All three of our children were baptized.They all three have a unique relationship with our creator. It is so fun seeing how they are learning to listen to the Spirit and follow Him.
The pastoral staff at our church is amazing. They are our family. Each one of our children have a pastor (uncle) that they connect with. Each one was baptized by that "uncle" pastor.
PS.They love their "Auntie" Betsy too! Thanks for praying that meant a lot!

I am someones baby

Before I left for my most recent trip to Ethiopia God showed me that I was to go on this trip with my mother eyes wide open. In the airports before I even left the USA I met 3 mother's. Mother's with love and dreams for their children. Two African Mom's and one Mom with an adult son and his family in Ethiopia. In this video please look at the faces of these children. Look at them through the eyes of a parent, through the eyes of a family member. These little ones are someones. Someones Princess or Buddy.
Please consider giving them hope through your sponsorship! You can contact me for details at heathersparr@gmail.com

Big Snow!

We were hit with about two feet of snow and there is more to come this week!

It has taken me days to write this as I finally felt like after months that I had something to say. But I still feel completely inadequate to take on this task. I compare myself to the others in my group that have been off and running since before we left and that makes me feel less than able. But the Lord keeps reminding me "It is not yours but my will be done...in My timing and under My circumstances." So, here you go. This is my offering...

Life is different. I am different.
While I was in Ethiopia I couldn't write about it. I am typically and have always been a very emotional person. But I wasn't while I was in Ethiopia. God protected me from not being able to see clearly through literal tears. I saw, smelled and experienced things that can't be done justice by pictures or words.
Do you remember holding your baby in your arms and dreaming of who God has made them to be? As they grow dreaming with them of becoming a doctor or a nurse or a pastor and seeing in them the gifts God has given them to be those things. For many parents in Ethiopia they will never be able to see the hopes and dreams they have for their children come true. Poverty brings with it death, hunger and lack of opportunity. Imagine something taking away your child's hopes and dreams. You would do everything you could to keep that from happening! I'm asking you to do that for someone elses child. My breath is taken away when I put myself in the place of my daughters first mother. Not knowing what would become of my child after my death. I have now seen both sides. I have seen what my daughter has described and experienced. Children going hungry for days, maybe having one meal a week, if you can even call it a meal. A piece of injera(bread) and some tea. Being alone in a home while a parent or care giver is at work making pennies a day. The home that a child stays in is nothing like the US. Corrugated metal, dung and sticks, dirt or rough wooden floors, rats and no in door plumbing( bathrooms or water spickets). Or taking care of a dying parent at the age of 3 or 4 years old. There is very little hope of school because even public school costs money. So, do you feed your family or send your child to school. Families make decisions both ways. Many have one set of clothing and not a complete set according to our standards... maybe no shoes(or very worn and ill fitting ones), no undies or socks or even pants. Can you imagine sending YOUR daughter to school in her fathers old big shirt and nothing else because you wanted her to have an education so badly and that is all you had. This my friends is all reality just a 17 hour flight from here!
But, I have seen how God can change all of that. When God's people give these children hope there is no telling what they can do. When you sponsor a child for just $34 a month they will go to school, eat twice a day!, have clothes to wear, have access to medical care and most importantly be told of and see the love of Christ! If you are interested in changing a life please leave your email in the comments section and I will contact you.
There is a very special place in Ethiopia that our sponsorship program will touch and it is the town of Shone. We will be working with an organization there called Look development. In the posts to come I will be giving you a clearer picture of what the partnership looks like.
If you are thinking that sponsorship isn't enough and God is calling you to something in addition and it is adoption, that YOUR child is in Ethiopia(or anywhere else) and you want him/her home, I would love to talk with you .Do not be afraid for whatever He calls you to He will provide.

Lost in translation

Ah, Christmas morning!


I know I have not written about my trip yet and I'm sorry. I am still processing in my mind what God showed me. But I promise I will write about it later.
But I had to share another word that got "lost in translation". Right before Christmas my husband was commenting to me loud enough that the kids could hear," Honey, I forgot I 'll have to buy some mistletoe so you can kiss me under it!" He was expecting to gross out the kids but not in this way. Yabby exclaimed,"OOOOO,Daddy! Mommy doesn't want to kiss your stinky toes!"