Little Turner Bundle of Joy!

How blessed am I?! Recently we let friends and family know that I am pregnant. Yes, indeed, pregnant! Yay. We are so excited. It has been over 7 years since having a little one around, and what a joy it is to be expecting another child!

We have had two ultrasounds so far, and have another one next week. I suppose when you have a few complications, as a trade off, you get to at least enjoy the increased frequency with which you get to see your baby through imaging! Most pregnancies do not have ultrasounds quite as often, and have to wait longer between ultrasounds - which can be hard to do! I have had two in the last week, and have another one next week. I know....I know...although it could be labeled a "high risk" pregnancy, I could also look at it as God's gracious blessing to see little Baby T so frequently!

We are all rooting for little Baby T to continue to grow healthy, and for this pregnancy to keep me and baby both safe and sound for the next many months.

More to come!

And I get to call this a job!

And I get to call this a job! How blessed am I?!

Program Director, Water to Thrive

http://www.watertothrive.org/

Yes, that is me, and my dad....all the way across the world. Africa. Ethiopia to be specific.

Even though we get to be a part of the process of getting thousands and thousands of rural villagers clean water for the first time in their lives....the gift that we get in return in priceless. Life changing. Transforming. Without adequate words to describe.

My life has been changed by this "job." My life has evolved. My heart has expanded. I am so blessed...over and over and over again.

The pictures above were taken this past June (2010), and I return in just a few short weeks. I was so blessed to have the experience of my father going with me on this past journey. It was rough. The conditions were not always easy. The travel, the jet lag, the physical adjustments, battling illness, and so on and so on....but it isn't until you come back home, and begin to process the experience over time that you look back and realize what a tremendous, once-in-a-lifetime, and absolutely God-given opportunity we were just a part of.

That was my second trip to Ethiopia. The first trip I took was in May of 2009. This coming October will mark my third trip.

My time in Ethiopia has impacted my life in so many ways. I hope to write about this much....and to provide you with a fuller sense of what getting involved with something like my organization can do, not only for those in need, but for your own life too.

God desires us to help those in need. But what we may not always realize is that out of our own selflessness, we get so much in return. We learn. We grow. We become better educated. We understand humanity a bit better. We understand abundance a little bit better. We understand our own situation and circumstances a little bit better. We understand how thankful we should be. We come to know that life is bigger than us.

We all have purpose. But are we doing something with it? I am.

I thank God that I am. Because it has changed me.

Much more to come on my work with Water to Thrive. Much, much more!

Please Pray for J

If you are open to praying for people you might not even know, then please pray for my dear friend - let's just call her "J." She is currently enduring a difficult time in her life, as she, her husband, and their entire family wait through their adoption process.

She is anxious. She is ready to have her child, or possibly children, in her home. She is ready to know them. Know who they are. Know about them. Love them. Care for them. Comfort them.

She is also seeking some clarity around the process as she and her husband discuss their current adoption plan, in conjunction with a possible new direction they are considering.

I pray for her patience through this process. I pray for her to find clarity in the questions she may have.

Introducing the Turners!

Introducing the Turners!

From left to right: Dad, Megan (older sis), Elle (younger sis), Mom, and Lawson in the front.

Happy Blog Day

Seems like a great day to say hello to the world through this blog! So....HELLO WORLD! I have been writing for years, and my entries have stayed in a journal, on a computer, in my head, or in my heart. For now, I will try to place them here.

Faith and freedom! There is a freedom that comes through faith. It sets your soul in flight, and allows your heart to soar, and your "self" to feel free. For a long time, I was not comfortable with the idea of sharing my life as openly as a blog can sometimes require. I felt that many pieces of my life were personal, and sacred. And still, many are. I also know that we are called to be "Christ-like," yet I know that at times I fall short - - and for that, I feared judgement, ridicule.
But faith teaches not to fear. So here I am.

I have arrvied at this place where I can do this "blog thing"...and I can share with you more about who I am, where I have been, what I have learned, where I might be going, and all of the other sweet nuggets of life along the way!

I can't wait to share insights that reflect on my three basic elements of living: (Om. Shalom. Home.) More to come on those in future posts!

I have been blessed in so many ways. I have also been called in many ways to share the story of those blessings. So I will attempt to share my story, regularly, with hopes that I can glorify God, uplift others, and continue to grow personally.

I pray that this blog blesses others. I pray that this blog blesses me, and my family. I pray that this blog will also make a positive impact in the world around us (through us!).

Thank you for being part of this journey.

I will soon share a bit with you about the name of my blog: Om. Shalom. Home.

As for now...