Baby Kieren is now 33 weeks along, between 4-5 pounds, and is the size of a pineapple! She is moving around all the time and continuing to get stronger. We had a doctor appointment this week, and she is healthy and happy (okay, I threw in the happy). I'm beginning to feel more 'pregnanty' these days as she grows, but all is normal for this later stage. We are getting there people!!
The beginning of December is right around the corner, and we would love you to be aware of something on the horizon other than the wonderful Christmas holiday. Monday, December 1st is 'World AIDS Day.' December 1 has been designated as World AIDS Day each year since the 1998 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention. The United Nations theme for World AIDS Day 2008 is Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise.
Casey and I were privileged to work with an incredible organization in South Africa, Living Hope Community Center, who works courageously and tirelessly towards AIDS prevention, education, and care. We will surely never be the same, as we now have friends who are living with HIV and AIDS and working to stop this deadly disease in the lives of others.
But AIDS is still a disease causing much pain and suffering right here in the United States, and Sarah has recently started working with an organization in Raleigh that is fighting the disease right here at home. This organization is called the Alliance of Aids Services Carolina; more information can be found at http://www.aas-c.org/.
We encourage you to learn more about AIDS in our world and how you can be a part of helping to stopping this deadly and tragic disease. Check out the sites below for information, or join us on Monday for this service right here in Raleigh:
Monday, December 1 | 7 pm World AIDS Day Interfaith Worship Service Opening Ceremony of The AIDS Memorial Quilt Temple Beth Or | 5915 Creedmoor Road, Raleigh
More information can be found at UN World AIDS Day Page - http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/. World Vision: World Aids Day Page - http://www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/pages/2008world-aids-day
Video created by World Vision about World AIDS Day
Hey everyone! Kieren Joy is now 32 weeks along and the size of a JICAMA - what?? I do know that it almost sounds like JAMAICA, which is certainly a place I would love to be this week instead of cold, wintry, North Carolina :) She is growing and moving all the time, and it definitely feels like it's getting more crowded in there. I am feeling good, just getting more and more fatigued, but enjoying the movement of this baby girl.
We were so blessed this past weekend to have another baby shower thrown for us by some families in the Grace youth ministry. We have an incredible church family here in Raleigh, with so many kids and adults that we LOVE to share life with. They make our lives so much richer, and it was very humbling to us that they want to support and celebrate the new life to come in Kieren. Good times were had by all!
Thanks to our gracious hosts: Chris and Karen Latta and Alan and Lane Morgan
Casey's sister Kristy Coughlin even came to our fun event!
Kieren is now the size of 4 navel oranges - yum!! She is moving A LOT lately, especially when I am resting or attempting to sleep :) We had our gestational diabetes test last week and I'm all clear - and baby continues to be healthy! I am personally feeling more fatigued and 'full' as Kieren takes up the space where my insides use to be. Prayers for energy and health!
The life you hoard, gather, play safe with is, in in the end, a life worth little to anyone including yourself - only a life given away for loves's sake is life at all. -Frederick Buechner
Holy cow - I have reached 30 weeks of this pregnancy!! How time flies... not! Some moments it feels like I have been pregnant forever and others it feels like it's flown by. For the most part, I am really at peace with this stage, still feeling pretty good (if by good you mean all the normal and gross pregnancy symptoms everyone has), moving around a lot, and having fun dreaming about Kieren! Mom and baby are healthy so we are thankful!
Kieren Joy is 30 weeks this week, the size of a head of cabbage (seriously, what's with the veggie references?? Like us preggos really dream of vegetables!!). She is about 3-4 pounds this week, and moving all the time (I can even SEE her rolling around when I look at my stomach!).
Recently there have been some fantastic articles published about Cape Town, the World's Most Beautiful city! One was this Sunday in our very own local newspaper, the News and Observer and the other was given to us by our friend Katie Davis from the Smithsonian magazine. Both are terrific. Check out the links to them here:
What an incredible week this is?? No matter how you voted and how you are feeling about our county today, it's been an exciting time to be an American and I have loved it! In the election spirit, this is the ONLY thing I want to share on our posting. It is a group of kids from the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta who have made up their own lyrics to a popular hip-hop song. Check it out for yourselves :)
Performance of Ron Clark Academy with "You Can Vote However You Like"
Full CNN interview with the kids - they are really smart!!
Lyrics: Obama on the left McCain on the right We can talk politics all night And you can vote however you like You can vote however you like, yeah
Democratic left Republican right November 4th we decide And you can vote however you like You can vote however you like, yeah
(McCain supporters) McCain is the man Fought for us in Vietnam You know if anyone can Help our country he can Taxes droppin low Dont you know oils gonna flow Drill it low I’ll show our economy will grow
McCain’s the best candidate With Palin as his running mate They’ll fight for gun rights, pro life, The conservative right Our future is bright Better economy in site And all the world will feel our military might
(Obama supporters) But McCain and Bush are real close right They vote alike and keep it tight Obama’s new, he’s younger too The Middle Class he will help you He’ll bring a change, he’s got the brains McCain and Bush are just the same You are to blame, Iraq’s a shame Four more years would be insane
Lower your Taxes - you know Obama Won’t PROTECT THE LOWER CLASS - You know McCain won’t! Have enough experience - you know that they don’t STOP GLOBAL WARMING - you know that you won’t
I want Obama FORGET OBAMA Stick with McCain and you’re going to have some drama We need it HE’LL BRING IT He’ll be it YOU’LL SEE IT We’ll do it GET TO IT Let’s move it DO IT!
Obama on the left McCain on the right We can talk politics all night And you can vote however you like You can vote however you like, yeah
Democratic left Republican right November 4th we decide And you can vote however you like, I said You can vote however you like, yeah
I’m talking big pipe lines, and low gas prices Below $2.00 that would be nice
But to do it right we gotta start today Finding renewable ways that are here to stay
I want Obama FORGET OBAMA, Stick wit McCain you gone have some drama MORE WAR IN IRAQ Iran he will attack CAN’T BRING OUR TROOPS BACK We gotta vote Barack!
Obama on the left McCain on the right We can talk politics all night And you can vote however you like, I said You can vote however you like, yeah
Democratic left Republican right November 4th we decide And you can vote however you like, I said You can vote however you like, yeah
Recently we got a call from our friend Pat McInnes letting us know that an African children's choir was going to be in the area and in need of host homes. Pat knows that we buckle whenever we hear the words Africa and kids. So, on Monday night we had 4 girls staying in our home: Mercy (pronounced Marcy), Carol, Gladys, and their chaperone Amanda (she's a recently graduated American college student). After picking them up from a local church we had dinner with several other host home groups at the McInnes'. Then, we came home, gave them a tour, got settled, and then watched Napleon Dynamite with them! They laughed very hard. Much of the humor was lost on them, but they were having a great time anyway. The kids are from the Daraja Children's Choir, which is part of an organization called 410 Bridge. (www.410bridge.org) The ironic thing was that I had recently been hearing about 410 Bridge through the Catalyst organization. It was such a joy to have these girls in our home. It was such a short amount of time, about 12 hours, but we were blessed by the opportunity. They will meet so many people throughout their tours in America, and we hope that we were part of a large picture they are getting of how the family of God should look.
Video about the Daraja Children's Choir
Sarah with the girls
Watching the movie 'Napoleon Dynamite' - they thought it was HILARIOUS!
Congratulations to Casey who ran in the City of Oaks half-marathon this weekend in Raleigh!! He wanted to beat his personal record of 1 hour 51 minutes 40 seconds and ended up running a CRAZY 1 hour 47 minutes and 20 seconds! Way to go, Case!! Team Casey is VERY proud!
We had our first baby shower this weekend, put on by our wonderful friends Kevin and Karen Bell (and the help of many others) for a bunch of our friends who are couples. It was such a blast! We had great food, O'DOUL'S non-alcoholic beer (what?? best shower ever!), cute pink cupcakes, a beautiful diaper cake, thoughtful and generous gifts, and INCREDIBLE friends. We feel so blessed to have such a great group of people around us to help us start this crazy new phase of our lives. Kieren is going to have so many people loving and supporting her - and we already do.
THANK YOU to everyone who was a part of this shower - you blessed and loved us!!
