"Reading" Mommy's magazines.
On the move!
Playing in his tent!
Shelby seeking higher grounds...
Mom, can I watch Borat?
Check out this cool door!
What am I going to do with this kid?
Mealtime fun!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Watch Out, Here Comes Little Man!
Month 8 has been a HUGE milestone around the Rushing household! Little Man is crawling like a champ, his first tooth is cutting through, and he's talking up a storm! What happen to this LITTLE man?! He says 'da-da', 'mum-ma', 'ya-ya', and 'ba-ba'... we're not quite sure that he knows what they mean yet (other than 'ba-ba' for sure!). Although he mainly says 'mum-ma' when he's crying his crib, but who knows! Here are some pictures from this week ... let the destruction begin! Watch out Shelbydog & Skip!!!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Love Transcends
So I've been putting off writing about Peru since before I even left, not only because it felt like such a gigantic topic to tackle (say that three times fast) on here, but because I had about 14 million things to do to prepare to leave Little Man and the hubs behind.
It all started a few months ago when we saw a mention of a missions trip in our church bulletin. Brandon and I have been working really hard to put ourselves in a position where we can comfortably give back and give more, so when I saw the mention of the Peru missions trip it instantly struck a chord with my heart. I've always wanted to travel and have always had it in my heart to help those less fortunate. After I talked to Brandon about it and we realized we could actually afford to send me, we began to see that God had been working out this plan long before we ever saw or heard about the trip to Peru. (Isn't that always the case?) Whenever things like this had come up in the past we always had a million excuses: work, money, etc. Well, since I am able to stay at home with Little Man, there was no work to take off from, and with our recent budgeting and tax return (no more medical bills or credit card bills! Wahoo!) we actually had the funds to use. The only obstacle we had to face was making sure Little Man could be taken care of ... and it just so happened that our amazing neighbor was able to TAKE OFF WORK and watch him for a day, (yes, she took off work to watch our little guy - its pretty safe to say we have AWESOME neighbors!) my in-laws were able (and excited!) to watch him for two days and Brandon was able to take two days from work to watch him too. It was really crazy at how easily it all fell into place. You know the saying, 'It takes a village to raise a child'? Well, it takes a village to watch a baby so Mommy can go to Peru and be God's hands and feet!!! All of these helping hands were just as much in Peru as I was, because if it weren't for them I wouldn't have been able to go.
Then came my quick weekend trip to Annapolis. I thought this trip was perfectly timed so that I could break myself in with one night away from Little Man before leaving him for seven whole days... it had the complete opposite effect to say the least. I missed him so badly that my heart hurt! I never anticipated that I would miss him so much just being gone from him for one night. When I got back I was seriously doubting my ability to be away from him for seven days, and even considered different scenarios where I wouldn't have to go. I prayed profusely before leaving that I would be able to focus on God's work while in Peru and take comfort in knowing that Little Man was more than well taken care of. Even with this doubt, not getting my passport until three days before I left, and some adverse opinions about me making the decision to go, I knew in my heart that there were more important things at work here. Even with the anxiety, doubt, and fear in my mind, my heart was so still and strong with my decision. I knew that I had nothing more important to me than time with my husband and Little Man to give up to serve God's people who were in need, and sometimes being a little uncomfortable is far worth doing what you feel is right in your heart.
God more than honored my simple sacrifice of time and distance from my family with one of the most amazing experiences of my life (only second to my marriage and birth of my son). Not only were we able to build a home for a widow on a mountain side, help take care of an orphanage and visit another, go on a home visit to a Compassion International family ... but we met and built relationships with the people there and with each other that will forever be in my heart. I learned that regardless of language, culture, economic status, or poverty level that God and love transcends beyond the limits of our human understanding. He is the same everywhere. Love is the same everywhere. We are all the same, and its your character over image that is important. I was so intolerant of intolerance and hate long before this trip, but now I have a small glimpse into a much bigger picture where intolerance and hate are simply ludicrous.
What I didn't anticipate from this trip was the amount of time it would take to readjust when I returned. I think its because the trip goes by so quickly and its so emotionally intense that you don't have time to process all of what you see, think, and experience while you are there. Things are so drastically different, but are the same simultaneously. It is like double culture shock: once on the way there and then again when you return. I saw all that you can live without and still be happy, loved, and content. It puts so much into perspective and you almost have to adjust the perception you have of yourself, your place in the world, and what is truly important.
Anyways, enough rambling on with things that probably don't even make a whole lot of sense. =)
It all started a few months ago when we saw a mention of a missions trip in our church bulletin. Brandon and I have been working really hard to put ourselves in a position where we can comfortably give back and give more, so when I saw the mention of the Peru missions trip it instantly struck a chord with my heart. I've always wanted to travel and have always had it in my heart to help those less fortunate. After I talked to Brandon about it and we realized we could actually afford to send me, we began to see that God had been working out this plan long before we ever saw or heard about the trip to Peru. (Isn't that always the case?) Whenever things like this had come up in the past we always had a million excuses: work, money, etc. Well, since I am able to stay at home with Little Man, there was no work to take off from, and with our recent budgeting and tax return (no more medical bills or credit card bills! Wahoo!) we actually had the funds to use. The only obstacle we had to face was making sure Little Man could be taken care of ... and it just so happened that our amazing neighbor was able to TAKE OFF WORK and watch him for a day, (yes, she took off work to watch our little guy - its pretty safe to say we have AWESOME neighbors!) my in-laws were able (and excited!) to watch him for two days and Brandon was able to take two days from work to watch him too. It was really crazy at how easily it all fell into place. You know the saying, 'It takes a village to raise a child'? Well, it takes a village to watch a baby so Mommy can go to Peru and be God's hands and feet!!! All of these helping hands were just as much in Peru as I was, because if it weren't for them I wouldn't have been able to go.
Then came my quick weekend trip to Annapolis. I thought this trip was perfectly timed so that I could break myself in with one night away from Little Man before leaving him for seven whole days... it had the complete opposite effect to say the least. I missed him so badly that my heart hurt! I never anticipated that I would miss him so much just being gone from him for one night. When I got back I was seriously doubting my ability to be away from him for seven days, and even considered different scenarios where I wouldn't have to go. I prayed profusely before leaving that I would be able to focus on God's work while in Peru and take comfort in knowing that Little Man was more than well taken care of. Even with this doubt, not getting my passport until three days before I left, and some adverse opinions about me making the decision to go, I knew in my heart that there were more important things at work here. Even with the anxiety, doubt, and fear in my mind, my heart was so still and strong with my decision. I knew that I had nothing more important to me than time with my husband and Little Man to give up to serve God's people who were in need, and sometimes being a little uncomfortable is far worth doing what you feel is right in your heart.
God more than honored my simple sacrifice of time and distance from my family with one of the most amazing experiences of my life (only second to my marriage and birth of my son). Not only were we able to build a home for a widow on a mountain side, help take care of an orphanage and visit another, go on a home visit to a Compassion International family ... but we met and built relationships with the people there and with each other that will forever be in my heart. I learned that regardless of language, culture, economic status, or poverty level that God and love transcends beyond the limits of our human understanding. He is the same everywhere. Love is the same everywhere. We are all the same, and its your character over image that is important. I was so intolerant of intolerance and hate long before this trip, but now I have a small glimpse into a much bigger picture where intolerance and hate are simply ludicrous.
What I didn't anticipate from this trip was the amount of time it would take to readjust when I returned. I think its because the trip goes by so quickly and its so emotionally intense that you don't have time to process all of what you see, think, and experience while you are there. Things are so drastically different, but are the same simultaneously. It is like double culture shock: once on the way there and then again when you return. I saw all that you can live without and still be happy, loved, and content. It puts so much into perspective and you almost have to adjust the perception you have of yourself, your place in the world, and what is truly important.
Anyways, enough rambling on with things that probably don't even make a whole lot of sense. =)
Missions Team at the Hogar Para Ninos - Camino de Vida
The house we built in a day!
The front gate at the orphanage - Hogar Para Ninos
This is Jesus, our Kid City Program at NLC sponsors him!
This is Lucero, she was a 2 year old little girl who is part of the Compassion Project.
(Lucero means 'the brightest light/star' in Spanish - I hope to sponsor her in July when she becomes available. I will hopefully be able to see her again on the next missions trip.)
Love transcends all.
These are some of the kids at New Life Children's Home - another orphanage we were able to visit.
Compassion International - They sponsor 50 single moms and their babies by teaching them income generating skills, basic child care, prenatal care and supports the children's social, motor, and cognitive development until the age of 3. This program is absolutely amazing - it is a comprehensive and detailed curriculum to help these women and their families.
Well, that is all for now. I absolutely love the passionate and loving people we met, and cannot wait to go back! We plan to go back as part of the missions team with Next Level Church sometime around October of this year. There is still so much work to be done!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Shopping Fun
We have been crazy this week trying to get things ready for my trip to Peru. Not only have I been getting myself packed, but getting Peyton's things ready for the week, and getting together as much as I can for Brandon. More about Peru soon... Here are some pictures for now!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
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