Why we love you...

Today is Elliana's 4th birthday. It's hard to believe our baby is four! She is so full of a love for life. We often say that Ellie is our "little firecracker and that we went out with a bang!"



Here are just a few of the reasons we love her so. I hope you can capture a glimpse of her personality.

Happy Birthday Ellie~bean!!! We love you farther than the moon...

P.S. The little Belle cake is from the bakery at Walmart. It was only $5.88! You can get Belle, Cinderella, or Sleeping Beauty {and a couple options for boys too~ but I can't remember what}. They are really cute! I just made a 13x9 cake to feed everyone else!

A whole bunch o' randomness with pictures...

Life has been full lately. This has meant more time in the real world and less in the virtual one. I'm actually thinking that's a good thing. Does anyone else out there struggle with balancing the two?

So here's what I've been busy doing...

I took a photography workshop which was just perfect for where I'm at in this whole process of venturing into a little business. What a fun day, but I have so much to learn yet!! Here are a few images I took that day...

I've consulted for a couple more Women At Risk, Int. jewelry parties ~ I love doing those! It gives me a great outlet to talk about the precious women I met on my trip, to be able to bring awareness and raise funds for the battle against human trafficking. {Today I had training for being a consultant and I am so excited to be part of this ministry. God continues to confirm that this is the right place for me} Anyone want to host a party??? The hostess rewards are out of this world~ literally! ;)

Last week, my hubs and I took a getaway trip to the Smoky Mountains. We stayed in a cute mountain cabin in Tennessee. {Would you believe I won this trip at my church's women's retreat!!! I've never won any prize this big~ I was sooo excited!}

our cabin

We went for a hike in the Smoky Mountains...we were able to walk behind this waterfall.

Have I mentioned this area is my favorite part of the United States?

I've also been busy doing a few Tulip Time photography sessions {Our area has a big "touristy" Tulip Festival every year- thousands of tulips, parades, dutch dancing, shows, carnival, junk food, and lots of kids in dutch costumes}. Of course I had to do a little session with two of my own cuties...

Then on Monday, after watching all four kids in our town's Memorial Day parade, we spent the afternoon with family celebrating Elliana's 4th birthday!! {She'll get her own little post on her birthday on Thursday}.

A picture that captured her favorite things... the color yellow, Belle, ducks and a dress. {Grampy would make her "favorites" picture complete}. Notice the little bit of yellow frosting on the left side of her cheek!

If you've made it this far~ wow~ thanks for sticking with me!

A widow's miracle

One of the days on my trip to Thailand, we had a specific prayer time for a Nepali widow. This woman is raising goats to feed her family and generate revenue. She lives in a village where traffickers prey on the women, often scamming them into the sex industry. WAR, Int. is desiring to help this widow with a goat farm so that other women can raise goats and support their families too.

This precious woman was crying out to the Lord as her goats, {her livelihood} were dying. She was being mocked by the other villagers because their goats were not dying, and they snickered that her God could not save them. She is also the first believer in this village. She holds a church service in her home for a couple of people every week.

Oh how my heart went out to this woman I had never met. As a team we gathered and beseeched our Father on behalf of this dear one. I know praying for goats certainly doesn't sound very spiritual, but any of my teammates would tell you that God's spirit was present, and we knew He was going to intervene!

Days passed, and we heard from Nepal that the woman went to the market to buy another goat. Unbeknownst to all involved, she got more for her money. Much more. You see, her goat was pregnant. When it birthed, it birthed the exact number of goats that had died!! I am pretty sure it was more than four which I am told is quite amazing! Don't you love it? Can you imagine the impact this is having on the village?

If you want to hear more about the goat project in Nepal and Sudan too, click here. {You can even donate money to purchase a goat for one of the women!}

Big Enough

I'm excited to share how God's been tillin' in my heart as of late...

He has revealed to me that in a particular area in my life, my concept of Him is not big enough. Over the years, I've learned He's big enough to trust with a sister and Dad with cancer, miscarriage and infertility, change of careers, unemployment, financial needs, a move across country, a move overseas, safety of my children, deaths of dear ones, a chronic illness, and countless other ways.

But I've been hung up on my own inadequacies. Deep down inside, my concept of Him has not been big enough to trust Him to work in spite of them. Somehow, I have this narrow view of the criteria one needs to meet in order to be used.

Over and over God has been whispering to me; "Tammi, you need to stop focusing on who you aren't and focus on who I Am." whoa. convicting.

I have recently become a {volunteer} consultant with Women At Risk, Int. A W.A.R. consultant attends the jewelry parties/events and shares the heart of this organization and speaks on behalf of the thousands of women and children needing a voice. This is the organization that I went on my trip to Thailand with. The purpose of this role is to raise awareness and move hearts to action in joining the battle against human trafficking. If you've read this post you know that I haven't felt adequate for this role.

Last Friday I spoke at another jewelry party. On this night, God gave me the challenge opportunity to flesh out what He'd been teaching me:

*We left later than planned for a party that was several hours away.

*There was an accident that kept us inching a long for 45 minutes. We arrived right at 7, when the party was to start. We still had to set up the jewelry {which takes quite a while}.

*People were late {which I did pray for, so this really is a praise :)}, and others had to cancel last minute.

*I realized I left my notes sitting in the computer printer at home, a short 3 hours away.

*The video presentation of my trip that a friend of mine had done for me was gone. We lost it completely.

*The power point presentation we did in place of that wouldn't work right. The song we wanted to play with it wouldn't play. {With the ingenuity of my bro-in-law, we eventually worked this out}

* I stumbled with some words and remember thinking, "Am I making any sense and connecting with the women here?"


If you looked at this with human eyes, the evening should have ended up being a flop. But God was at work~ as usual.

Out of 20 women who came, 15 women bought. Of those 15 women $1,000 in product was sold!!!! This is in the Detroit area where the economy is one of the worst in the nation. That my friends is a BIG GOD!!! Hearts were touched, lives changed, women were moved to get involved in various ways. That is a BIG GOD!!! Can I hear a sista with an "Amen" ????

And another thought...could it be that our very inadequacies/weaknesses were created, not only to bring Him Gory, but to draw us to Him?

He doesn't need me skilled or unskilled to serve Him, but He wants me to be available.
He doesn't even need me to serve Him. But He wants me to...Just as He wants you too.

Is our God big enough for what is on your heart today?

Psalm 105 :1 "Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done."

**Coming up I have some exciting stories of how God is working in the lives of trafficked women to share with you!!