Sunday, November 16, 2008

Mr. Macey..

Happy Birthday to...
the boy who left a dozen roses outside my dorm sophomore year because i had a horrible boyfriend and he knew i deserved better!

the boy who sweat in a giant foam suit all night to be my shining white tooth!

the boy who danced with me at every pi phi and beta formal even though he didn't want to!

the boy who had to stand in front of a whole room of pi phi's and tell them how he proposed to me and sing the beta song to me!

and finally HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the man that I married and who makes my dreams come true everyday!

Friday, November 14, 2008

do you have any...

Nick asked the head of the school we will be volunteering at if it was okay if we bring things for the children and what types of things would be best. This was her reply, if you have any of these small items around please let me know, I will come to you!

Yes it's a good idea, but please do not bring anything that would cost a lot as we do not want the children to think they get a lot from overseas volunteers. Here is a list below of things that you can bring if you have them at home :


- Old blanket or towel for animals

- White board marker

- Any educational game (easy ones)

- Calculator (it's good to teach them how to use one !)

- Puzzle (easy one)

- Card game

- Any little present that we can give them when we do game and that they win such as :

- cheap watch

- sample perfume (given usually when you buy perfume)

- any small cosmetic

- any small little cosmetic bag or accessories for girls

- any hygienic stuff like small soap, tooth brush, body lotion ect....

- small packet of sweets

- any small kitsch toy that usually privileged children get (it must be cheap as we don't want to give expensive present such as computer game ect....)

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Daktari Bush School and Animal Orphanage


Since I was a teenager I have wanted to go to Africa, and the main thing I wanted to accomplish before I got married was to do a service trip to Africa and Nick knowing this promised to me when we got engaged that we would go before we have children....and tonight he surprised me with the trip all planned out! The last two weeks of January we will be staying and volunteering at the Daktari Bush School and Animal Orphanage in Limpopo, South Africa!! My heart and mind are racing and thinking about all of that we can get together to take to them and raise for them and I am sure this trip will be all you will hear about from now on!

Namaste, Shalom, Ukuthula

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

the perfect sunday



after a great husband made breakfast, we walked to the park where Oscar played with his new 70 lb best friend for hours then a delish brunch at the Goddess and Grocer then back home for naps for the boys while I quilted and then a surprise date to Table 52 including a walk through the park in the rain on the way home! I love my Boys!
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Sunday, November 2, 2008

nick edited the former title

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=14&entry_id=32216

I want to be friends with Barb Young, who knew.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

kiva update.

This week I received updates on 2 of the 3 businesses I have given loans to in Africa. After another lonely week in Chicago it feels so good knowing that somewhere in the world I have a friend.

This is an update on your loan to Matale Lending Group 2 in Uganda.
Christine is pleased to report that business is great! Since
establishing her retail grocery and sundries shop over a year and a half
ago with her first loan from Pearl Microfinance, this friendly wife and
mother of 5 children has since expanded her product selection to meet
the demands of her village, purchased a cow so she can sell milk in her
shop, bought a refrigerator to preserve her milk, sodas, eggs, mineral
water and the fresh juices she prepares daily. Christine was also able
to afford a couch for the home she and her family rent. She’s used the
proceeds from the current loan to replenish her supplies and add new
items to her store. Operating this business has many challenges and
opportunities. Christine struggles to accommodate the customers, most of
whom are her friends, who want to pay on credit. Many times, she’s not
able to collect on this credit and it’s uncomfortable when she has to
ask. Eventually, she wants to apply her knowledge of retailing and
become a wholesale distributor. rnrnThis business has taught Christine
many valuable business skills. As a young housewife, she had no formal
business skills training before opening her shop. Now she knows how to
finance her business needs; plan and budget; manage and save money;
identify and purchase merchandise that her customers want to buy; manage
inventory and, of course manage her loan obligations - all great
entrepreneurial skills!rnrnChristine hopes to take out another loan
after this one to further expand her product selection. Her family hopes
to use the additional profits to buy a plot of land and build their own
home.rnrnWith the support of Pearl’s microfinance program, Christine
and her husband, an electrician, are able to provide 2 meals a day for
their family and pay for school fees. Her kids are attending better
schools and wearing nicer clothes. She’s says her life and her
family’s lives are much better off now. She’s grateful to Pearl
Microfinance and her Kiva lenders.

This is an update on your loan to Matale Lending Group 2 in Uganda.
Robinah is a widow and the single mother of 7 children aged 7-15, and
the sole wager for her household. Two of here children are her late
sister’s orphans. She owns and manages a Malwa bar, a local brew made
from millet (the author tried a sip and let’s just say it’s an
acquired taste and quite potent!). She used the proceeds from her August
2008 loan to buy bulk millet flour, firewood and brewing supplies.
Robinah has a couple of different varieties of Malwa. The style pictured
takes 2 weeks to produce and is best enjoyed in her comfortable and
pleasant café. The other variety requires over a month and is generally
sold in bottles. She started in business with her first Pearl microloan
as a Malwa reseller. Soon after, she learned how to make her own Malwa
and saw a significant boost in profit. Shortly after, with her third
loan, Robinah opened her café, seeing sales rise still further. She now
offers her bottled Malwa through local retailers in her village.rn
rnRobinah says Pearl’s microfinance program “has helped me so
much.” Without Pearl’s assistance, she would still be a peasant
farmer unable to support her children or pay for their school fees.
Without her loans, she fears her children would have to discontinue
school. And she would not have been able to afford the home they all
live in together because of her Malwa business.rn rnBecause her
customers continue to increase, Malwa believes her next loan requirement
will be 1,500,000 UGX to finance the purchase of larger supplies.rn
rnRobinah is grateful to Pearl and Kiva’s lenders.

My third loan was given to a father of 11 who has been a teacher for 30 years and heard about the loan process and thought it could help him finish the house he has been trying to build for his family for years, whenever he could he would buy steel supports and was always building bricks and now he can do it all at once. He has never been late with a payment, and it feels so good to help a man who has helped so many young people stay out of the violence in such a war torn country. My heart swells for the people of Africa, I am going to put together a package for Nick and I's 3 year old Zambian "daughter" Loveness today and dream about our trip there next summer, hopefully.

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