For Jennilee and Matthew :-)

I'm not 100% if I've mentioned it before, but two of my treasure-friends (Matthew P and Jennilee) are going on an 11 month (!!!! in the words of just about everyone) mission trip called The World Race and they're both leaving in September. Being broke and jobless, I've been trying to help Jennilee with little things, like the barbecue dinner she did the other night and the yard sale she's doing in a few weeks (I love 'hands-on' help, honestly). She still lacks around 3,000 dollars to meet her goal, so if you'd like to help her be the hands of Jesus, go to www.jennileebaird.theworldrace.org (here's Matthew's link as well- http://matthewpoole.theworldrace.org/)
Both of these people have impacted my life in indescribable ways, and both of them have very powerful testimonies. Jennilee became one of my dearest friends, and God has used her to encourage me and remind me of what I needed to hear (even if I didn't want to hear it...and if I could count the times that I've said 'You told me so...'). God's used Matthew to speak truth into my life and encourage me so many times. I wish I could tell both of them how much of an impact they've had on me, but it would honestly take WAY too long to go through that.
During their trip, they'll be working with orphans, which is my heart, and I know is the heart of many people, especially families that have adopted. I'd encourage you to go to theworldrace.org and see if you can support them and this ministry.
:-)
(PS-went to see the Medallions in June...will post pictures soon, I promise. There's one that I obsessed over, because i wanted it to be pretty...which will take more explaining than the blog-o-sphere needs to have ;-) but needless to say, it's ended up being one of my favorites. And I may be taking the girls to see them soon, which will result in more cute pictures of Ellie and her BFF Josh)

I promised a sweet story....

and this sweet story will be shared...but not without a very goofy picture of my two favorite little people in the entire world...

at one point at the medallions concert, Ellie was attempting to take a picture...and couldn't quite get it...enter Josh, her new best friend. Josh grabs my camera and takes the picture for Ellie (of Justin in the last post). He then takes this super cute picture of me and Ellie
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But the sweetness didn't end there (Josh is a very, very sweet guy, as I learned). At one point, Ellie fell asleep during the concert. I was trying to wake her up, but she was very, very grouchy. Josh saw me and Valerie trying to get her awake and walked over, picked her up, and they had a very nice talk (from what Ellie told me). They sat down, at at one point, Josh sang the backpack song from Dora, just to make her smile)
and my mother wonders why I love these guys....

Special Moments

There were some special moments Saturday. I can't deny it.
I took the little sisters to see the Swingin' Medallions for the first time, and they had a ball. Especially Ellie, who is a little more outgoing than Josie-Tatum. I think it's fair to say that she stole a couple of hearts

especially this guy in the blue. Ellie's new best friend (and possibly mine). His name is Josh, and he was SO very sweet to Ellie. Josh took this picture of Ellie with my camera...silly guy loves to steal cameras...he also took the below picture of Justin, the guitar player (who is really, really awesome). Promises for more pictures later, and a sweet story about a sweet duet :-)