Change The World Bucket List

I'm currently listening to the Young Adult Version of Three Cups of Tea, One Man's Journey to Change the World, One Child At A Time by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin.  I want to drop everything I'm doing, and go change the world.  I want to find kids who don't have opportunity, education, love, a home, shoes, etc.  I want to know them, learn about them, love them, and help them. I feel this way deep down in my soul.  But when I'm caught up in my own life, I tend to forget.  So I'm making a list.  These are the places I want to go, the charities I want to participate in, the people I want to help, etc.

Mothers Without Borders
http://motherswithoutborders.org
Whether children are orphaned as a result of disease, poverty, violence or natural 
disaster, the results are the same - children alone. Mothers Without Borders is committed to supporting programs that offer sustainable, long-term solutions to this global orphan crisis.




Pennies For Peace
www.penniesforpeace.org

By participating in Pennies for Peace you make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time.  While a penny is virtually worthless, in impoverished countries a penny buys a pencil and opens the door to literacy.  Join Pennies for Peace and give lasting hope to children half a world away.

Toms One For One
http://www.toms.com/our-movement/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MV3HWQHl1s&feature=player_embedded

VIDA
http://www.vida4all.org/#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHE1E_HI44c  (This is the video from the year I went)

"Never before has man had such a great capacity to control his own environment, to end hunger, poverty and disease, to banish illiteracy and human misery. We have the power to make the best generation of mankind in the history of the world."
    President John F. Kennedy




And of course, what started this post:
Central Asia Institute
http://www.ikat.org
Central Asia Institute empowers communities of Central Asia through literacy and education, especially for girls, promotes peace through education, and conveys the importance of these activities globally.


"One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something."
    Henry David Thoreau, poet, writer, philosopher 

These are just a few that I thought of off the top of my head.  I welcome and and all suggestions.  Have you volunteered abroad?  Where?  With what group?  What did you do?  How did it feel?
My experiences have been a significant part of my life and like I said, I feel a drive to continue having those experiences.  Right now I have some flexibility to be able to GO and DO and that's what I want.  However, even as life changes, I want to continue DOING and GIVING, and GOING if possible.  I want to hug little children around the world and make sure they are loved and cared about.  A lofty goal I know.  The Three Cups of Tea story has touched the teacher in me.  I believe in education and that it truly empowers people.  I thought today, maybe I need to just get some teaching experience here under my belt, so that I can have worked through some kinks and learned how to put into practice the teaching strategies and techniques that I learned in school that show to be Best Practice, and then I can take those skill and experiences and be an advocate for education elsewhere.  AND I can empower my students here in the United States with understanding of diversity, the important role it plays in our lives, a cultural awareness and understanding of places and people they don't call home, and a compassion for all the people that live in this marvelous world.    

"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."
    Edmund Everett Hale 

The Post for 2012

It's October.  The 16th.  How in the heck did that happen?  (reminds me of the comedian that says 'Where the heck is C').  It has been a busy year. Busy busy.  I have some more family now. 2 new sisters-in-law, which means 2 married brothers,

13 April 2012
Portland
Nathan and Carissa

30 June 2012
Mt. Timpanogos
Caleb and Estefania

a Sara who is now connected to us for-e-ver, 

28 June 2012
Manti
Tom and Sara

and a new family member coming soon...in March I think, which will make 3 kiddos for the seasoned married brother (4 years already!)  

In June I sat in the sealing room with all the members of my family (except the little ones of course).  I've waited a long time for that.  It was beautiful.  Here we all are later that day:

I moved once in March and will move again in a month. I have the same job, more perks and new employees.  We're kinda like family.  I just have a special place in my heart for every single one of these people and so appreciate the relationship I have with each of them.  I do after-all spend the majority of my time each week with them.  We sometimes get to do really fun things like basketball knock-out, lunch, pinatas, barbecues, camping, painting, and we laugh a lot.  Oh, and we work hard too of course.

Reagan, Jocabed, Ronnie, Shannon, Aron, James, Mark, Kenny, Steve, Mark, Roy, Kiff, Robert, Me, Lynda

I went to Girls Camp again for the first time in 10 years. Yup.  The biggest stress of the year, and probably one of the greatest experiences of the year.  These ladies made it for me.  I learned so much from them and laughed so much with them.  We spent the year planning and it was of course all worth every minute.  And the girls.  It's a precious week for these girls in the 12-18 stage.  I'm so grateful to have been a part of it.

Kali, Megan, Jane, Becca, Daynon

Speaking of 10 years, my 10 year High School reunion was this summer, which I didn't attend, but still.  That means I'm 28 years old.  That was a long time ago that I graduated.

I feel a world away from that time and place sometimes and it made me think a bit about the choices I have made that got me here, a world away.  I have been so so blessed with many fantastic experiences, and so many important people.  Here are just a from this year.

Clue.  Best Group and Best Overall

YSA Conference in Austin...I may not look like it all white with my red hair, but I truly am latina at heart.

Scorpions Soccer Game with Alisha, Amber and Breanne

My long lost work buddy Lynda

1st trip to Corpus, Padre Island.  Camping.  It was VERY humid.  We slept on the sand.  Man the shower the next day was blissful.

Miniature Golf for FHE with the Branch

My little dears.  Haha.  I love this one.

"You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"... One even dropped to his knee for me ...

Camping with the Branch.  Kali and Mandy (who is now a missionary in Portugal!)

We love Chick-Fil-A.  We love Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce. We love lemonade. We love breakfast.

We also love fascinators.

And so we quickly approach the holiday season.  My favorite time of year, other than the summer, spring, and warm-ish winters of course, I just love ever time of year...But I'm anxious to spend some quality time with my fam.  And then....I'm already planning some GREAT adventures for next year.

The end. For now.