random monday list

shorts to hem for adrian
skirts to hem for annabeth
barbie zippered wristlets for april
a quilt out of baby clothes for kara
there's always sewing to be done... but instead i went scrapbooking
it had been sooooo long. 
i have a lot of pictures i want to scrapbook
it's mostly all for and of the boys
i know they will appreciate it
i'm planning one day a month for scrapbooking at felicia's this fall
 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
fall is coming! adam had his first scrimmage on friday
football is back! 

i've got two books to finish reading and two bible studies coming up next month
genesis and john - my first BSF class, and another beth moore study with my DSUMC gals.

kids go back to school next monday
i'm ready! 

daily workouts and early morning cooking will be important
PTA duties as secretary will keep me on my toes 
our first event is today... a luncheon for school staff who return to school today! 

thursday is back to school night 
meet the teachers, drop off supplies, look around the classroom
i'm excited! 

boys still need backpacks 
gotta make a trip to Sam's to stock up on lunch food 
early mornin's, rise and shine! school starts at 7:30 
(it's 8:30 here now and one boy is still sacked out)

have a blessed week!

Instafriday

linking up my phone pics with jeannette again this week.  

if you are on instagram i'm aacurtis.

me and the boys had a great week in NM visiting my brother, mom and step dad. 
helped us not miss adam so much while he finished his last week of travel. 

the drive is long from here to there.
 i enjoyed the hour of quiet while the boys slept. 

these windmills signify about halfway there. 

they LOVE their memaw's little dogs. sadie and sophie.
i'm not completely sure the feeling is mutual.

visiting memaw at her office

so happy to have facetime with adam the THREE weeks he was in malaysia.

god bless all the single parents out there.

we spent an early saturday morning at the park. my kids get up so early, and we were adjusting to mountain time as well.

we spent a little time at the local splash pad. it was HOT that day.

mom fired up the quilting machine while we were there to finish quilting this for a friend.
my mom is so talented. 

finished product. so pretty, mom! she quilts so beautifully.

this quilt will be mine when it's finished. yay! i love all my quilts mom has made.

my brother took us to the zoo.

techy family.

 two TV's in one room, two laptops going. multiple iphones, an ipad, two DS's, and a Wii.

all while we watched lots of olympics!  it was a perfect week.

my brother taught me how to make the best blackberry homemade ice cream in the world!

using this cool machine. it was SUPER easy, and quick.

i can't wait to get one. 

i made mom and i this yummy salad for dinner one night. 

had to do something to counter balance all the ice cream eating!

so bummed.. ronnie accidently spilled hot coffee on his ankles. got some pretty nasty burns.

the next day we visited his wound doctor and he said they should heal up just fine. praise God! the nurses there love him. 

it was all hands on deck when he arrived.

we did a little back to school shopping.

 the boys both got their first pair of shoes with laces to tie.

 time to learn to tie your shoes coopcorb!

i loved doing what i could to help out with my brother's care. i washed his bed cover almost every day i was there. just because i love him. :)

we brought home a HUGE bag of sweet corn.

from a company with our last name. 

we all thought that was super cool.

i have a new camera! feels so awesome to have an upgraded model.

 it's been almost 7 years. i'm still in love with Nikon.

thank you bro!!

and finally we all made it back home to texas safe and sound last night. 

we were so happy to see adam, home safe from asia!!

happy 8 years, my love

happy anniversary jadam!

i'm so grateful for you.  

and blessed by the covenant we made 8 short years ago, 

and have kept to one another. 

the good and bad, it's all been worth it.

the rewards certainly come in the longevitiy. 

the ups and downs stretch us, 

grow us, and make us better for each other. 

i'm happy to call you mine. 

i'm thankful for the father you are to our sons.

i'm so proud of you. and so in love with you, still.

Camping {summer 2012}

adam and i love to camp. 

 we camp in a tent.

 it's fun to set up our campsite. 

this time we stayed 2 nights, 3 days. that was perfect.

it was the 2nd time for the boys to camp.

state park in the hill country only 46 miles from home. yay!

lots of rocks and hills

 way cool HUGE old trees

most of this area has been under water for a period of time, at one time or another

we did a lot of hiking to get to the water

we had a fan for everyone

it was actually bearable 

the dog is spoiled

this parks restrooms and showers were so clean 

the boys had fun riding their bikes along the trails

this big yellow igloo full of ice cold water kept us nice and hydrated

we roasted marshmellows

fried potatoes

grilled chicken fajitas

and eckridge sausage wrapped in tortillas

pop tarts and fruit for breakfast

sandwiches for lunch

adam rigged up the fans in the tent 

we were nice and cool all night

boys collected bugs

and climbed trees

camping 2012 was a super fun success!

we may go again this fall with our friends :)

Instagrammy Friday

linking up my iphone pics with Jeanette at Life Rearranged 

new treadmills at the Y... awesome, with built in fans.

i'm afraid my coop is a tad bit OCD like me :( organizing he and corbin's kinder papers.

coach hanging with the guys in the front while doing yard work

the boy's sunday school class did a books of the bible song for us on sunday. so super cute

diamond and i made the local newspaper in her town when we went to africa.

i needed africa more than africa needed me. amen! amen!

this exercise ball offers lots of entertainment. and my boy looks so grown up here.

camping was fun.

camping requires a lot of stuff. ugh!

such a cutie ... and time out travels even when swimming while camping :(

someone got bit with the fishin' bug

i can't wait until he gets to catch his first fish.

Uganda {Elevare}

my sister in law, Diamond and me went to africa together. 

we were side kicks. sometimes called pete and repeat.

 we stayed together all the time.

i was thrilled to have her as travel buddy.

our 2nd sunday in uganda

we are assigned to Elevare after church 

half day medical and dental clinic

overcast, cool and rainy day

beautiful landscape

we set up inside an unfinished building with minimal electricity

diamond and i liked working in the pharmacy

it really didn't matter how untrained and unqualified we were 

we had a servant spirit

 and were so happy to help out

 these ugandans walked here in hopes of receiving some free medical and dental attention.  they heard we were coming.

 the pastors in the communities work with kelly green to show him where to send help. 
where to set up clinics... then get the people there on the right days...

 we were at this location sunday afternoon, all day monday, tuesday, and half a day wednesday. the most common ailments are cough, muscle ache, sexually transmitted disease, malnutrition, worms, malayria, allergies. we gave away a lot of antibiotics, and tylenol and ibuprofen. vitamins, anti fungal cream, antibiotic ointment 

felt like we were offering a mere band aid for a physical ailment

but there is a sense they needed more than they were asking

our prayer was to give them a light towards eternal hope where spiritual healing is free.

the location was beautiful

right on the nile river

below is the gate we entered through

there were lots of people down at the river 

outside the gates

 collecting water 

bathing

washing clothes

 we took a break and went up to Mashah Village, an orphanage right up the hill built by the Met church in Houston

these are the house mother's,

and sarah & jennifer from the Met church in Houston

Leah in the blue skirt is a teacher from Houston who has moved into the orphanage for the summer to be another house mother. 

wow! talk about radical. her heart is huge!

beautifully laid out place. so new and clean. 
so different. what a blessing.

everyone's kitchen is outside in uganda
 cooking involves a lot of burning
 no electric appliances
 no automatic dishwasher or fine china

that afternoon when we returned from the orphanage one of the last patients to be seen was an elderly man who had been seen by members of our team last year. he has a terrible fungus that is eating away his feet. so sad. so little we could do for him.

unimaginable pain

discomfort beyond my comprehension

he walked to us

bless his heart

we gave him a huge bottle of iodine, fungus creams

antibiotics

tylenol, i think

he really wanted to see the dentist as well

but arrived too late in the day

:( heart wrenching realities 

more elevare another day...