Give a Hoot - New Project

Hey y'all!
I've been MIA for a little while - traveling, getting a daughter off to college, taking care of a friend's cutie pie kids.  Writing has taken a back-burner to those things, as it should have.
But I have been busy working on a few things that I want to share; my favorite of which I want to share today!
If you know me, you know my heart lives in the mountains of Honduras at Mission Lazarus.  Our family travels there about 3 times a year and I fall more and more in love every time.  I hope to share more about our trip in July with you in a future post.  For now, I want to share an opportunity for you to help me support ML.
It's called....(drumroll, please)...

Here's how it works:

• Think of Toms or Bobs - Buy one, Give one
• I'm making one of a kind owls in all sorts of textures and patterns.
• You buy an owl (small, medium, or large) and I make a coordinating small owl toy to give to a child in Honduras.  (get it?!?!  GIVE a HOOT!!!)
• The owl for the child will be delivered by me on my next trip that involves food and clothing distribution.
• I'm really excited about having a sewing circle at church with women and girls.  We can teach the children to sew and maybe a little more than that too!  They will help me stuff and close the owls that will be delivered.  The children at church love to be part of the Honduras mission too!

My first Owl was for my daughter, a freshman in college.  I had scraps leftover from making pillows for her bed and knew I wanted to make an accent pillow with it.  That's how the owl was born!

Here is part of the clutch?/flock?/whatever a group of owls is called.  Each one has a name - and you get to name the donated owl!

And here is my etsy page, where my little friends will soon appear!  Don't forget, every owl you buy means a cute little Honduran kid gets a new toy!!!

Run Forrest Run

I don't think I have shared my Father's Day gift for my Daddy with you yet.
A couple of years ago, my dad lost both of his legs above the knee after battling a really aggressive infection for over a year.  Sitting in a wheel chair and learning to do everything from a seat has been difficult - physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Daddy has always been active in the sense that he was always up to something - fixing cars, building furniture, or trying something new.  Some of my favorite childhood memories were in his workshop in the basement of our house. I can remember hearing all of the noises downstairs in my childhood - the clang of his hand tools, the grinding power tools, and the loud exhales during his exercise routines.
If there was anything in the world I could have given him for Father's Day it would be new legs so he can get back to his active lifestyle.  I can't do that, so I decided to give him my own. Since I can't take them off and give them to him, I decided to use my legs for him.
I plan to run one 5k race a month until I am ready to run a half marathon.  I'm hoping that will happen in February and I'm certainly praying that we can get him there at the finish line with me!  Daddy and I will be doing this to raise money for several special causes that are important to both of us, beginning in September.
He's got a really big heart.  He likes to do things for others and see the smile that appears on their face.  He's always finding some little toy or treat to give to any child he comes in contact with.  His children, grandchildren, and surrogate grands are all so precious to him!  I wanted to give him something that helped him give more.

Below are the dates, the race, and the charity we will be raising money for.
September 3 - Color Run, for Team OneVerse (you can click that to sponsor me)
October 20 - Race for the Cure, for Cathy's Chemo-sabes
November 11 - World Run Day*, for the Greater Birmingham YMCA (?)
December - ? (Wish I could do St. Jude, but maybe I'll be ready for that half next year!)
January - ? 
February - Mercedes HALF MARATHON, ?

Here's the problem - I'm NOT a runner!  Well, I wasn't a runner.  I am becoming a runner!  I am on week 8 of Couch 2 5k.  I ran 2 miles straight this morning. I'm still a slow runner, but I'm doing it!  Every time I run and I want to stop, I just think about my Daddy who can't run.  Ever.

I wish Daddy had running legs!

*World Run Day can be done anywhere with anyone.  We are doing this at the local YMCA so Dad can ride in his chair next to me while I run.  I'd love to have a whole herd of people with us that day!  Anybody want to join us???