Julianna is headed to Kenya

While Tessa and I were in Washington DC we got a phone call from Julianna who told me she wanted to go to Africa with her High School Ministry group. My first reaction was definately - Yeah! Go! I was more timid with Julianna and said "go to the meeting and get all the information". Julianna is my stepdaughter - I have been her Stepmom since she was just three years old. She has no memory of life without "Dawnie". A few years ago we were all set to go to J'burg - and go to group homes through Acres of Love. As things do work out at times - Tessa got VERY sick and we were unsure if we would be able to make the trip. About three weeks prior her dr said that she did not feel comfortable having Tessa go to AIDS homes with her weakened immune system and because we had no idea what Tessa had (it remains a mystery to this day) that she would actually be compromising the children IN the homes. Long story short - Julianna was devestated as we were unable to go to Africa.

Went to Europe instead - did not seem very holy but it was fun. :-)

Julianna has grown in her own faith over the last few years and is now headed to Africa without me! It is amazing to me that she is going to get there before me??? I have wanted to go since the fall of 2002...So for 9 years now almost I have prayed, at times planned and then had to cancel my own trips - and here goes Julianna! :-)

She is in the process of raising her support as the trip is very costly and honestly part of the process for her is in the faith to raise the funds, the personal sacrifice that she is making. She is willing to not recieve any Christmas gifts for the funds to go to her trip, she is babysitting and even Tessa is going to babysit and give Julianna money for her trip. Way to go family!

If you would join me in praying for sweet Julianna - she is overwhelmed at this time - she will be missing NINE days of school and that is stressing her out as well the details that she personally has to tend to to make the trip happen.

Blessings,
Dawn

home...

I just sort of stopped writing. We had a change of plans for the last few days of our trip due to the death in Frank's family. I ended up leaving DC and driving back to New York to attend the funeral and Tessa fly home solo.

Now that we have been home for a few weeks.... and the memories are all good of the trip. :-)

I would say over all that I loved DC the most and would love to go back at some point and enjoy the museums at a pace that I want rather then an eleven year old.

I know that Tessa will be headed back to school in the traditional setting soon and that makes the time that we have spent together even sweeter. It has been bumpy - I would not say I am cut out to be a homeschool Mom. I have a lot of respect for those that can do this and do it well. I think I am basically not wired up for it - but know that through God I have been able to work through the challenges and the hard times - not always gracioiusly! LOL

Our next trip is to Paris in December - I will be sure to write about it. It is for the whole family so I might have to change the name of the blog :-)