Icing on the...gingerbread houses

Last weekend was the best I can recall in some time.

My niece and nephew stayed with us and it was laughs and games and

fun most of the weekend.

As Sunday drew long, I was dreading for them to go home.

It had been so long since we were all together

and I had a camera ready,

that I just had to add icing to the whole weekend.

 

By making gingerbread houses.



 

Each of the kids had their own house, and they had a blast decorating them

and eating what didn't stick to the icing.

It was all-around good times and exactly what the holidays were meant to be.

Togetherness, fun and icing.

 

You can never go wrong with icing.

 

 

One of my favorite people and Ethiopian travelling companions called yesterday.

She was working on a blog post about K, she and I's friendship and the book.

As we talked, she was perusing her pictures from last year's trip to Ethiopia.

 

She asked me if she had sent me all of the photos from her camera.

I couldn't remember if she had or not.

So I told her to email them to me just in case.

 

Enjoy.

 

I did.

 

 

But this one is my absolute favorite!

Probably of all time.

 

I have less than 200 still in my possession.

I am blown away and truly humbled by all of this and I am honored that you all have supported me so much through it all.

I just can't wait to sell the remainder so we can start planning the REAL fun...global, clean WATER solutions!

 

So if you want to order, click on the BUY NOW button and order before Friday, so I can ship it for Christmas.

 

You can now find the book on Amazon and Barnes and Nobles.com.

If you received your book and loved it, please go to these websites and rate the book.

 

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

That's Your Job.

 

 

Almost 250 books have left my hands in the last two weeks.

Another 500 are being distributed by Amazon, BarnesandNobles.com and several private book stores.



I am excited, humbled and amazed that you all have been walking this journey with us.

 

The Hero asked me what I was going to do when this was over.

When all 1000 books are sold and we've chosen a site for the well.

I told him I really wasn't sure.

 

A really great friend is leaving for Ethiopia in the coming months.

She offered to take a copy of the book with her and read it to K.

It sounded great.

K would see the book in record time and would have a copy to keep.

 

I was telling The Hero her offer the other night.

He let me finish.

 

"Linz. Reading your book to K is only one person's job.

Yours."

 

I love it when he's right.

Just the thought of another trip to Ethiopia makes my heart leap.

I don't know dates or times or length.

But the last copy of my book left in my possession is already spoken for.

Where are We?

It's been a few days since our last post. I've been to Texas and back and then to Tulsa and back again with the book signings. My little family is feeling the stress. But they also are embracing our mission. 1000 books. One water well. A family mission we've all gotten behind. I think that I have about 200 book left in my possession. This number is rough.
The original printing was split equally. One half to me. One half to a distribution company in Tennessee. They have placed the books on all the usual suspect sites...Amazon, Barnes and Nobles.com and several other book sellers. I took the other half to do book signings and appearances in my area. Wow. And there are only roughly 200 left in my possession.

1000 of any thing can boggle the mind. But 1000 prints of my oldest son's profile is the most exciting, fearful, amazing thing I've done in my entire life. You may order the book at the Pay Pal button above. Look for us on facebook to spread the love and the page dedicated to the book.
Thank you again for just being willing to go on this amazing journey with us.

Painting this Season Differently

 

I've been thinking and praying for a while about how to do Christmas differently this year.

I want my kids (and myself) to feel the wonder of the season,

instead of just the pulse of MORE STUFF.

We've prayed about it as a family

and I've begged Jesus quietly on where the RESTART button

between Thanksgiving and the end of the year.

 

I told The Hero I even wanted our Christmas cards to look different.

We are not the sweater and chino matching type.

And even though I try so hard to try to keep up with that image,

we are never going to be a J. Crew family.

 

I saw a pin on Pinterest awhile back about a photo shoot that involved paint.

I knew in an instant it was for us.

The perfect start to a different kind of holiday.

I called my friend, turned photog-pro Vanessa at Dear Okie

and asked if she was crazy enough.

 

I think her exact quote was "HELL. Yes."

 

I found us all white shirts.

And we "looked" like we'd take average ole, "stand in front of the fireplace" pics.

 

You should have seen the kids' faces when Vanessa and I pulled out the paint.

 

 

Vanessa explained we were going to paint the canvas as a family.

I doled out the brushes and

The Hero set up the canvas.



The kids got busy chucking paint.



I got lost in just being together.



The Dinosaur almost hyperventilated when The Hero threw paint on him on purpose.

He was so worried about his shirt.

Until I tossed a brushful in his hair.

And begged he do it back to me.

 



 

We painted one another.

Then went back to the canvas.

We tossed paint and wrote on each other for the best part of two hours.

Laughing and screaming.



 

Letting the paint and joy drip all over.

 We covered paint on every inch of each of us.

Including Vanessa.

(thank God we spared her camera).

 

I've never seen The Dinosaur make this face before.

Here is the masterpiece we created:

 



 

Out of the 340 pictures Vanessa took, only five of them were of all four of us staring at the camera.

The rest were so perfect, we didn't need to be looking at the camera.

It was us in our glory and mess.

Just like every day.

 



But with free license to embrace who we are without all the expectations.
Be. Still. My. Heart.

 

Here is to you and yours this holiday season from a family who is trying to start our traditions all over again.

And praying that we paint it right this time,

while covered in love and joy.

 

If you haven't had a chance to buy my kid's book yet, go to the top of the blog and hit the "Buy Now" button for paypal. All proceeds from the book go to build a water well in honor of our sponsorship son through Children's HopeChest. There are only 1000 copies printed and we are praying they are sold as soon as possible. Thanks and God bless.



A Black Friday I Can Be Excited About

 

 

 

I didn't expect to hear from my book printer for the next two weeks.

I just opened my inbox from my printer saying they had finished the first 500 books.

He wanted to know if it was okay to go ahead and ship them to me?

 

Uh....YES!!!!

 

So here you go.

The first peeps to see the cover of the kid's book that took me almost three years to complete.

 



Isn't my illustrator amazing?



I think so too.

 

So here is where I start begging you to buy the book.

I only had 1000 copies printed.

Because selling 1000 copies will pay for a water well to be built in our sponsorship son's honor.

And to be really honest with you, I didn't have enough faith or garage space to house any more books.

The book won't be available on Amazon or another online outlet.

Just here.

And a few in-person places in Oklahoma City.

My sights are really just set on this first printing.

If God has further plans for this simple children's story, then He will handle the details.

You may order at the button on the side of the blog.

If you are local, I will hand deliver your book to you.

Will love and tons of kisses.

Thank you so much for being on this journey with me.

If you've read here longer than two blog posts, you'll know my family's passion and love for Ethiopia and our desire to see the people of the world educated about clean water.

 

Can't buy a book?

No problem! Please help Tweet, Facebook and blog about this opportunity.

 

Thanks Again,

I couldn't do this without you.

And I wouldn't have written this story if it weren't for him.

Thanks Is Not Enough

 

 

 

Thank you Jesus.

There is simply nothing I did or will do to deserve the love of these three hearts.

 

 

 

Full with a thankful heart today.

Love to you and yours.