Little Life Update

So I am finally feeling good enough to write another blog post. So much has happened that I want to write about. But I'll start with a basic update.

Manarola, Cinque Terre Italy

In August, Jacob and I enjoyed a two-week vacation in Italy; something we really wanted to do before having kids. We traveled through Rome, Cinque Terre, Florence and Siena. It was really hot, but absolutely wonderful. My master plan is to write a blog post about each place. We'll see if that happens.

About a few months ago (September), my husband and I found out that I am pregnant. Now I'm 4 1/2 months along. Oh yeah, and we're having twins - a boy and a girl! We are so excited and we're looking forward to all of the new adventures we will experience.

Jacob and Me (4 Months Pregnant)

The reason that I haven't written a blog in so long is because I was one of the lucky pregnant women to meet morning sickness face-to-face. Oh yeah, and it's not anything like how they make it seem in movies and on TV; where the character woman simply "spits up". No, it is like having a flu all the time and for me it lasted 2 1/2 months. Morning Sickness also brought her friends - Migraines and Mood Swings. lol. Luckily, I started feeling better a few weeks ago - just in time for the holidays. I feel like my old self again - with some minor side effects.

So what's on my plate now? I've started the process of converting our guest room / office / "drop the junk in here room" into the baby room. Jacob and I registered at Baby's R Us and realized just how much "stuff" comes with these little ones - especially since there's two. So, we need to get rid of a lot of stuff. That's all for now. My goal is to get back into the swing of blogging - so get your eyes and minds ready!

xoxo
Amber

Inspiring Story of Helping Others

Today I just came across an article about this wonderful eight year old girl, Vivienne Harr. She learned about Not For Sale, a non-profit that is helping to abolish slavery and human trafficking across the world. Here is a little bit about her according to her website - Make A Stand Lemonade:

"i am vivienne. i am 8 years old. i am MAKING A STAND. a lemonade stand...and a stand against slavery. i will sit at my lemonade stand every day--rain or shine--until i raise $150,000 for: not for sale an organization that is "re-abolishing" slavery. “MAKING A STAND” means doing the thing you think you can't. these kids don't get to set up lemonade stands in the sunshine or go swimming or play with stuffies. when you buy #MAKEASTAND! lemonade, you aren't just buying a drink, you are MAKING A STAND! 100% of our profits go to not for sale.

i am vivienne. i am MAKING A STAND. will you please MAKE A STAND with me?"

Picture Source

She has been holding this lemonade stand for over 40 days as of now, and has raised thousands of dollars to help against human trafficking. In one day, she raised $10,000 through online donations. I absolutely love what this sweet girl is doing. It just goes to show you that you do have the power to help others, no matter where you are in life.

When I went to summer camp as a counselor for our youth group this year, they had a service where they taught the youth about human trafficking and how prevalent it is, even in the United States. They encouraged us to step up and help with this issue, as it is a huge problem in the world. But, I didn't really leave with a sense of what I could do. After all, I don't know anyone who is a slave. But that didn't stop Vivienne. She has found a very creative way to make a stand and I'm sure that many lives will be forever changed because of her efforts.

I want to encourage all of you who are reading this (that might be like 1,000,000 10-20 people - lol) to go out and find a way to help others. Even if you don't raise thousands of dollars, you can still make a difference in someone's life. Whether that is making a donation to a charity that's close to your heart, collecting clothes or blankets for a homeless shelter, volunteering somewhere, running a 5K with sponsors for a cause, or reaching out to a neighbor - there are so many ways we can help others. Can you imagine if everyone had the mindset of "How can I help?" ? This world would be a different place.

I hope that Vivienne's story has inspired you - it has definitely inspired me. Here is Vivienne's video so you can hear her heart on the matter. If you would like to help her cause, you can donate here.

God Bless!