Have a got a good shot for this week's flashback... In honor of our trip (tomorrow!) to the Gila Wilderness for hiking, camping, campfire-ing goodness, I'd like to share a shot of a hiking excursion from, let's say, the 'early years'. It's a little blurry on the side, but you get the idea.


How awesome is this backpack frame for hauling your kid up the mountain? (Looks like I am tied in with a bandana?!) How awesome is my Dad for hauling me up said mountain? And how awesome are those hiking boots with the red shoelaces? I would wear them next week if I had a pair in my size. No doubt.

Enjoy the weekend...

We're gearing up for the 2nd Annual "Run 4 Their Lives" relay run. Same weekend, Oct 28-30, same course from Dallas to Houston, same distance of 240 miles. This year, however, we have two teams making the trek for a total of 16 runners. We have a few runners returning from last year (those that were crazy enough to come along again!) as well as several new runners joining our crew. Team "Chakobi" is named after a little boy that Chris helped rescue in August '09. We got to meet him at the Village of Love in Tema this summer. Team "Abraham" is named after a little boy who is still on the lake working – also one that we met this summer.

I'm excited to make this trek once again, to build new relationships, strengthen old ones, and most importantly to continue raising awareness for the sweet kids in Ghana still out on Lake Volta. Each runner has pledged to raise $250 through our relay efforts. Last year, we raised $4-5,000, kicking off our first Mercy Project fundraiser. It's time to blow that out of the water! If you'd like to contribute to the cause, post a comment or visit the Mercy Project site for a link to PayPal.

Meanwhile, I am glad for one more month to get ready for the run. I know how many hills there are between here and Houston, and it ain't pretty! Gonna be so much fun though! Please keep all the runners in your prayers as we prepare for and embark on the journey.

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Speaking of hills... I believe it's time to head to the mountains. Amber and I are flying out early Friday morning to meet Mom, Dad, and 'the Gila clan' for a week in the wilderness. So ready to get away to cooler temps, no technology reception, and starry skies. Check back tomorrow for an early Flashback Friday, then we're off to New Mexico.

On Saturday, Kathleen and I decided to spend some quality time in the kitchen. We made one recipe of strawberry jam, two recipes of peach jam, and one recipe of apple butter. Whew! So much fun. Here are a few shots:

everything set out and ready to go...

strawberry...

K measuring peaches while the strawberry cooks. We define 'multi-tasking'.

strawberry canned and sealing...

peach on the stove...

peach jam sealing...

and the apple butter...

apples cooking on the stove...


I had to leave before the apple butter was finished, but I hear it was a winner!

Holy cow... it's already Friday again. I'm not sure what happened to this week aside from the fact that it's already coming to an end. I'll try to get another post up over the weekend, but for now... Happy Flashback Friday!

Though many of these old pictures will include my partner-in-crime brother, they won't all. I just haven't scanned anymore in yet. Here's a shot in honor of it STILL being well over 90º here in Dallas. Snow day! Mom used to put bread sacks over our hands and feet to keep them dry. Here I am protesting the fact that DM just pushed me down in the snow (Look how I have snow all over my front and then look at his smirk. Point made.), and all Mom wants to do is take a picture of us smiling and getting along. Or maybe I'm just squinting into the sun. I'll let you decipher that one.

Dreamed I was a POW, running from mean people with guns, trying to escape this gigantic prisoner complex. I made it 'across the border' in time, but not without the loss of several fallen comrades... rolled out of bed relieved that it was only a dream and a little freaked out.

Fired up the Mac... read emails and to-do list for the day.

Threw on a bandana and jeans with holes... no need to get fancy.

Toasted some cinnamon bread... medium sized glass of milk required.

Answered aforementioned emails and got to work on a few design pieces.

Client MIA for a deadline... made coffee.

Started spray painting some shelves for my room... black fingers for the day.

Back to Mac... did a little research.

Early lunch... pbj and apple from the Ranch.

Drove to pick up a set of business cards from a nice lady... who is now a fan of Mercy Project.

Tuned in to Pandora... Owl City Radio.

Posted a few items to Craigslist... anyone need a bookshelf or some darkroom supplies?

Rewrote to-do list... made a few plans and appointments for the week.

Worked on getting some pictures ready to print... yes, from Ghana.

Waited on client revisions... started this blog post.

Ate goldfish for a snack... shout-out to Wyatt and Emme.

More spray painting, which there is a fine art to... and I have yet to master.

Dreamed about wrapping up a project or two... kept dreaming.

Finished spray painting... room remodel pics to come.

Client shows up... at 4:59.

Owl City ran its course... switched over to Matt Shockley.

Early dinner... smokey roast wrapped in a tortilla.

Last item on the day's work agenda... done.

Left with Allison for our running group at the Bridge... ran with a guy from Jersey who is 6'8".

Shower... much needed.

Watched outtakes from Dan in Real Life... brought back some good memories.

Uploaded and ordered pictures... 75 prints for free at Shutterfly.

Set out running clothes for in the morning... hoping for a dreamless night this time around.

Read one chapter of Harry Potter... book #6.


Welcome... to the week.

Lots going on this week; it's been a bit on the wild side. I meant to post this earlier today, but it got pushed to the back burner. Anyway, welcome to what I'd like to call 'Flashback Friday'. I went through some old pictures at Mom and Dad's last weekend... brought a handful back to Dallas with me. So for as long as I have pics that I don't mind sharing with the general public, I'll try to post one every Friday. Get excited, should be quite entertaining.

Here's the first, a rather fond memory of my growing up years. DonMark and I used to go 'hunting' in the living room. A bit unconventional, right? But our imaginations certainly were not lacking. We dressed in our hunting garb (although I'm not sure why I'm wearing a pink jacket here...), made a duck blind out of couch cushions, loaded our wooden/plastic guns, placed a few stuffed animal ducks around the room and went to shootin'. This particular afternoon, I believe I brought in a few more birds than DM. I mean, even with my pink jacket on, I could at least see out from under my hat!

Big milestone: this is my 300th post, and it only took me 4.5 years! In celebration, I will be looking for 300 comments today...

Actually, the true celebration today is for some sweet kids in Ghana: Mercy Project has gone full-time!

It's amazing to look back over the last year and see how MP has taken root and shape. Started last August, the original goal was to raise a one-time $40,000 for a house for rescued kids. After 11 months of relays, World Records, and many other endeavors, nearly $70,000 has been raised and the support to launch Mercy Project full-time has been provided. Official today, Chris begins work as the Executive Director with a solid foundation and plan to be the voice for so many kids on Lake Volta. Great things are in the works for this organization; I'm so excited to see how God will use my dear friends and so many others to further the Kingdom in this way, and I could not be more blessed to be part of the journey.

A huge THANK YOU to all of you who have prayed, donated and dreamed big with us! God is so good!

Along with the news, we've launched a new website! Check it out here. You'll be able to read about the kids, see pictures and videos, and find out how you can get more involved.

And if you want to leave 300 comments, that would be ok too. Blessings on the day~