SRKindredSpirits

A Dream So Big -   Our Unlikely Journey to End the Tears of Hunger by Steve Peifer (with Gregg Lewis) Rating:4 Stars The Peifers were living the American dream and financial stability when their lives were impacted by the birth and death of their third baby, who lived only eight days.  Seeking a change, the family accepted a year-long position as dorm parents for missionary kids at a boarding school in Kenya, Africa. That decision led the Peifers to a third-world setting where daily life was impacted by drought, hunger and poverty. Steve, the successful corporate executive, shares many of the hard truths he learns about himself as he faced a world of poverty and pain, however, in the mist of the beauty of the land of Africa. Steve Peifer treats the issues of childhood hunger and its relationship to failed education as a business problem. He comes up with a solution that is simple, and doable. One that has a chance to reall...

The Badlands were by far our family's favorite part of our trip out west this summer! Wow - what a breathtaking, beautiful sight! We loved the fact that when the trail ends you can keep on exploring.... Someday, we'd like to go back and spend a week just exploring the badlands - mile, after mile, after mile..... Pictures really don't do justice, but hopefully, they will help give you an idea of the natural beauty! If you get a chance - go, see it for yourself!     thankfully, we never saw any.....   It looked like God made these huge sand castles.....   my hubby and me...... (it was windy!)     there were prairie dogs every where - and they were not afraid of people either! It goes on for miles and miles.......   the colors were beautiful!     off to explore.....     Stephen and the oldest two kids pose for a pho...

After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that is cancerous in April 2012 – here are some thoughts on what I wish you would know when it comes to cancer. Don’t drop by without calling – I maybe having a rough day, a messy house, still in my pj’s, or simply not wanting company. When and if you do stop by. Please don't expect me to cook dinner and entertain you all day - sometimes I feel worn out after 'serving' my company. ( Yes, I do realize we don't invite people over - it's just too stressful for me ) Don't take it personally. Don’t pity me – I have Cancer, yes – but I’m not looking for sympathy. Say a prayer instead – not just for me, but for my hubby and kids as well, this is hard on all of us. Don’t tell me, that I don't look sick. I already know that and I have this huge sense of guilt. I don’t look unhealthy. I have long hair. I am not frail. I look like the person next door. I look...

Ok, so the other night I was browsing online for something to make for supper, when I found Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas from Stacy Makes Cents .  The only problem was: #1- It was a crock pot meal and (I know this sounds terrible, but I don't know how to use my crock pot very well) or maybe, I'm just not a big fan - you have to plan ahead to use a crock and I don't plan ahead when it comes to meals.  #2 - It takes like 4 hrs. to cook and it was already past supper time. #3 - It called for items like peppers and onions (my family don't eat peppers and onions) Anyway, after going out to the shop and  telling complaining to hubby about how I found this good recipe, but I couldn't make it, etc. and after, putting it off as long as I possibly could, I decide to come back inside and get super duty over!  But, I couldn't get that wonderful yummy sounding recipe out of my mind, so decided to try to make it anyway - only with items that my fam...

After 12 States (Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan), 5,100 miles, 3,200 pictures, 10 days, and lots of memories, it's great to be home from our trip out West! I thought I'd share some of the highlights with you all! After being on the road for only 5 hrs., the three year old decided that she had to go 'potty' about every 10-15 min. but every time we stopped, she wouldn't 'go'. After about an hour, I was starting to think the trip might be a very 'BAD' idea at that point! Thankfully, she finally settled down and fell asleep and we didn't have anymore problems 'of that kind' the rest of the trip! I've never been a fan of Illinois and after driving over snakes on the road multiple times - it helped to confirm the way I feel about that state - I'm still not a fan of Illinois or the snakes! Iowa was flat and full of corn field...