Edrisa and I <3  our little frowny boy is growing up and look at that smile <3 This is the little guy that we support, if we could we would double, triple, quadruple that support and send as much as possible to this baby home. I cannot stress how these lives are being changed because of your generosity when you donate to download, and because of Momma Fay and her dedication to these children.

Home Sweet home, I don't know if I promised I'd blog or not on our recent trip to visit Edrisa and the baby home... either way, I did not. I was too busy painting, playing, chatting, living. What an awesome experience to revisit the children and just love on them. Here are some updated photos of our boy,  Edrisa, and his brother's and sisters at the baby home... not too many are babies anymore.

Momma Fay is raising up the next generation, and let me tell you- I only know I am getting older because these kids are getting older... surreal. I get how a parent keeps track of time- because with no kids, me and the hubby are still 23 and 27 forever <3

While we were there my Mom and I painted decorations for the new baby home, taught in the classroom, loved on the kids, painting with the children, did activities with the kids after school, and just loved on them and enjoyed them. What an experience to share with my mom.

I got just about enough hugs to hold me over until next time... which is going to be in the near future. Last time it took 5 years to return, this time I am hoping and praying it will take way less. Planning for our future trip back is something I've already started!

Edrisa and I

Edrisa and his Fanta

Kids are Kids no matter where

Posing?

We painted their personal boxes, so they would have a save place to keep their treasure. Each older child has 2 or 3 littles that they will share their box with. These children understand the importance of sharing, and caring for other. It blesses my heart to see the generosity of children who do not have everything, yet willing to give so much.

my mom doing what she does best, teaching and loving on children and other teachers.

we took a day of rest and visited Lake Mburo National Park

check out those horns. Check out the heart on her head, check out the baby checking us out.

I got to paint decorations for the new baby home

my mom might have fallen in love

children ARE a gift from God.

Saying goodby is NEVER easy

Someone was reading her new book.

new pillow cases sewn and donated by Gigi <3

in all my glory, overalls, plaid shirt, paint up to my elbows.

painting.

after church on Sunday we all piled into 1 vehicle and went for sodas- yes 1 vehicle, you count :)

Everyone loves a Stoney <3 a Strong Ginger soda.- so good.

 If you would like to donate to this baby home, you can do so through our blog,  Donate button or you can visit www.toafricawithlove.org and choose to donate monthly, or even a days worth of milk for the kids. You will be surprised at how far a "dinner out" will go when changing these lives.  It costs about 130$ a month for each child-  that might be a little steep for your budget, and I get that, but you can choose a smaller amount to donate, and working together we can achieve our goal of fully supporting Edrisa, and ultimate every child in this home.

I am so grateful that we had this opportunity to visit and serve in anyway we could... I cannot wait to return- more painting is on the agenda- the walls will be plastered soon, and they will need huge colourful murals- I'm starting to plan that trip already!

I hope you know how much I appreciate all of you who donate to download, and those who give to help support Edrisa, and his brother's and sisters...

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M.

Home By Melissa Baker Nguyen

After countless moves as a little girl, and a few more moves under my belt as an adult... I think I may have finally figured out what home actually means.

I've not so secretly been working on writing and illustrating a children's book about home. During our stay in Vietnam, we saw people come and go, we came and went, and well... when you pack up your life into 6 suitcases and move across the world, Home ends up having a different meaning.

This book is for the movers and shakers...  it's for anyone and everyone who has ever made a move, or is planning a move... it's for the Expat kids, children of Military men and women, your best friend... it's for everyone.

I hope you will order your copy and enjoy it ~ available on Amazon!

Can't wait to hear what you think about it!
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M.

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN : Facebook cover image (72dpi- not for print) : personal use only. Donate to Download :)

Ack, I'm homesick. I feel sad, frustrated, annoyed, antisocial, and lonely. I miss Timothy the dog, I miss my nieces and nephews, I miss the crazy loud Nguyen family (although I do hear lots of noisy Vietnamese people right here in my own apartment. Who knew the Vietnamese were loud a people? I always thought it was just Duy's family, apparently it's all of them! and it's awesome!)

I miss my mom, I don't live close to her - but knowing that she was just an hour flight away had a calming effect, I could go anytime... I miss my dad, 3 hour drive, I can do that solo and hang out... My sister, her hubby and kids... I miss them all! AND that doesn't even get into the fact that I miss things, I miss my mugs, I miss my favourite chair, my books, the blue skies, the fresh air, the familiarity...  I even miss how the dust dances across the sun shining in my windows.

It's crazy what you miss... I mean I am in communication with everyone, but it just isn't the same... they are just that much further away, and I miss them...

Today isn't going to be the only day I am homesick... it'll happen over and over and over again, and somedays I'll entertain it, and somedays I won't... today I am entertaining these thoughts... But I'm also keeping in mind that Home is where you make it.

In order to make this my home, I bought a new couch... looks an awful lot like my couch at home... same colour exactly - and it makes me happy just to see it. I'm on the hunt for a new mug, OR I'm going to take a pottery class and make one, that will kill two birds with one stone. We've found a church that is full of amazing people who are fast friends and we've become part of a new church community. I'm signed up to be a seller at a Christmas Bazaar. I'm getting up my nerve and energy to have a few people over for a CreativiTEA Party-bring the stuff you are working on, and lets have tea, cookies, conversation and create! (and that tea, will probably end up being coffee - cause, well, you know me.)

So I'm trying to carve out a new life here. Is it easy? No. Do I spend way too much time on Facebook trying to keep up with all of my friends from home? Yes. Will that change? Probably not. Will I be ok? Absolutely. Will I be ok today? Well, let's just say I will survive-

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M.

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN Personal Use Only

Throw back to Grandma's house and a time when everybody had one of these signs... I guess I got a little nostalgic there for a minute and really wanted one in my house... couldn't find one that I liked -so I made this one, and thought I'd share it!

What is your mantra, or thought process when you are cleaning your home, tidying up after others, or even yourself (I'm the main messy culprit here for making messes- I get all excited to start a project and then I start, and I keep adding to my collection of supplies, then I get side tracked or have to get back to work work... putting supper on, loading or unloading the dishwasher... laundry - ps, I am still doing laundry from our Uganda trip, can you believe that?! ya, me neither...can you say major side track?)

What are the words you speak over your home are they positive words of appreciation?
I thank you that I have clothes, to put in the washing machine that we are so blessed to own...

or negative;
I can't believe this guy, who raised him- seriously how hard is it to put your socks in the hamper... oh these kids they have so much and they don't appreciate any of it, I hate laundry...

Change your words, speak gratitude and appreciation and see how things will change... After spending 5 weeks in Uganda and brushing our teeth with bottled water because there is no such thing as clean drinking water there... no matter how clean you think it is, if you drink it, you will get sick...
every time I turn on the faucet here in Canada I whisper a prayer of thanksgiving. There is so much stuff I take for granted...

So print this sign, frame it, and every time you see it, whisper a prayer of gratitude for the roof over your head and the people you share it with... Every time you walk by it and whisper it,  He hears...

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M.

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN God Bless Our Home : 8x10  donate to download : Printable : Personal Use Only

This is a fun little ditty, because I get so sentimental when I am home with my mom. I grew up, for a big portion of my life, in these parts, and I miss it. I miss the people, I miss the open space, I miss the smell, I miss the sea, I just miss it. When I come back, it just feels normal, like I'm home.

I've started a petition at my house to make a move back here. It has one signature on it, it only needs two- but getting the other one will take awhile. Every time the hubby says "ok, let's go"... I think about all of the packing, the selling, the readjusting... and... well you know how that goes. I just settle in a little more... look around me and see all the wonderful friends and family that surround us, and I appreciate them even more.

My heart is happy here, My heart is happy at my home, My heart was happy in China, My heart will be happy in Uganda ~  Happiness is a choice, Happiness is knowing that all is well... no matter the situation, the location, the participants... Find Joy in the Journey.

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M.

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I'm Home! Back to business in my own way. I had an awesome time on the other side of my beautiful Country. I never quite understood the weather difference between one side of Canada and the other, it is so different. I loved the green, the lushness, the tepid temperature... and I even enjoyed the rain. It was beautiful. No wonder they call it Beautiful British Columbia.

Now I'm home and getting back into the swing of things, back to my favourite chair, back to my office, back to my list of things to do, and back to introverting. I got to spend an entire week working with a friend on a really big project, and life, and living, etc. It was awesome, and today back in my own little world... I hibernate.

It's going to be awesome.
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M.

If you haven't seen my video on our Living Life On Purpose 2015 Africa Journey- Please check it out here.  We are in the throws of fundraising- and I'd love for you to be part of that. If you like our story, and like my blog, please share it with your friends!
Thanks~
Missie.

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Is today Fat Tuesday? or Cat Tuesday? the cat totally won.

I don't have a cat, but for those of you who do, I know you love them as much if not more than I love my Timothy the Dog. Also I believe If I were an animal, my preferred lifestyle is that of a cat, or a bear. Cats always find the sunniest spots for napping... and bears, well they eat all summer and sleep all winter... So Maybe I'm a CatBear.  :)

Anyway Happy Shrove Tuesday!
If you haven't seen my Lent Calendars, perfect to start tomorrow!
Check them out here >> LENT CALENDAR <<

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M.

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Home is where the heart is,
where the art is,
where the good coffee is,
where the Dog is,
and Home is where I want to be.

I'm so happy to be home, now if I could just shake this jet lagged feeling of wheezy breath, heavy ocean waves running through my body and the desire to do nothing more than go to bed. Ah- but you know what- tomorrow it will be less, and the day after that- and then gone, and life will be back to normal. My Favourite.

What is your favourite thing about home?
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M.

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So we've been away for about 21 days...
and I am starting to miss the things that make home -home.
Namely Timothy the Dog.

If you are a Dog lover than this one is for you :)
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M.

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