Countdown to 35... Birthday Memories

One year, I think my ninth, my mom made me a birthday cake (from scratch - that's her way) and decorated it with candied violets. I don't have a picture, but I thought it was so cool that you could eat violets.

On my 27th birthday, Casey took me to the Richardson Animal Shelter and I got to pick a dog and take him home. Bix is still one of my favorite birthday gifts ever... He's the sweetest puppy dog.

My first surprise party was thrown by my college roommate during our freshman year and I was completely surprised! Sweet Melissa threw two more for me while we were in college. She is the surprise party queen and I love it! Casey threw me a surprise party that he planned in one day - he's so spontaneous :)

By far, this birthday campaign has been my favorite way to celebrate my birthday. I just wish I could fly to India and hug the cute kids in their uniforms! Maybe one day...

My goal is to raise $3,500 in the 35 days leading up to my 35th birthday for 70 kids in India to get school supplies and uniforms. Just 2 days left! 12 kids have been covered already. Would you consider helping me reach my goal and make a donation in any amount to Covenant Children's Homes (a ministry of India Christian Ministries)?

To give a gift of school supplies, click the PayPal link below:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YTQTXCQNL7BX6

To learn more about the kids at Covenant Children's Home, visit:
http://www.cch-india.com/
and
http://www.facebook.com/covenantchildrenshomesindia

Countdown to 35... Birthday Princess

Just one week to go! There has been almost $500 given in the last 28 days (which means 10 kids will have school supplies and uniforms!) and I'm really hoping this week will see the fulfillment of the birthday campaign goal!! If you haven't contributed yet and want to - go for it!

This last weekend we finally (after all being sick) got to celebrate my niece, Betsy's, fifth birthday. It was so fun to watch her revel in all the festivities that were just for her! She wasn't shy about it - she knows she's loved, fabulous and well worth celebrating! Oh, to be that free...

We are each loved, beautiful and worth celebrating. That is one of the reasons I'm so excited to celebrate my birthday with gifts for these precious children. There are so many voices telling them that they are less than. AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE! If I can do something to emphasize the truth of their worth to Jesus and to the world, I'm just compelled!

My goal is to raise $3,500 in the 35 days leading up to my 35th birthday for 70 of these kids to get school supplies and uniforms. Just 6 days left and we're well on our way to making it happen! Please consider making a donation in any amount to Covenant Children's Homes (a ministry of India Christian Ministries).

To give a gift of school supplies, click the PayPal link below:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YTQTXCQNL7BX6

To learn more about the kids at Covenant Children's Home, visit:
http://www.cch-india.com/
and
http://www.facebook.com/covenantchildrenshomesindia

Countdown to 35... School Days

Oh, how I loved school! Every bit. The kids at Covenant Children's Homes do, too! So many kids in their villages don't get the chance to go to school; their families need them to work. But these precious kids - who have lost one or both parents - have come to live in a home with parents, siblings and the chance to learn! Such an amazing model that is going to transform villages, a region and a nation!

My goal is to raise $3,500 in the 35 days leading up to my 35th birthday for 70 of these kids to get school supplies and uniforms. Just 11 days left and we're well on our way to making it happen! Please consider making a donation in any amount to Covenant Children's Homes (a ministry of India Christian Ministries). That is the best birthday gift I can think of...

To give a gift of school supplies, click the PayPal link below:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YTQTXCQNL7BX6

To learn more about the kids at Covenant Children's Home, visit:
http://www.cch-india.com/
and
http://www.facebook.com/covenantchildrenshomesindia

My second grade school pic, in uniform :)

Countdown to 35... Paige just beat me

My sweet friend Paige (the inspiration for my birthday campaign) turned 35 today. Since we first met during our freshman year at Westmont, she has been faithfully beating me to each birthday... Today's post is in her honor. She did a birthday campaign "Mats to Mattresses" which was a TOTAL success!! Yay! So happy the kids have beds and pillows. Now, let's get them some school supplies and uniforms :)

Paige is an amazing human being. She loves with abandon like no one else I've ever known. She's very passionate, uninhibited, fun, smart, and brave. She LOVES a schedule and a plan and a strategy. She is 6' tall. She can sleep comfortably on the floor and often volunteers to. She lived in Thailand when she met her (now) husband, Sean, who lived in Sweden. Now they live in India (with an upcoming 8 month stint in Santa Barbara to have their first baby). They are very international for people born and raised in Southern California!

Paige and I both share the middle name Marie (as do 47% of the female population.) We both love numbers and number patterns. We have lots of funny across-the-world connections. I'm going to try to describe them because they fascinate me, but sorry if it's confusing...

1. My friend Morgan went to Wheaton College for only 1 semester. One of the handful of friends she made while there was Melissa. Melissa married Paige's brother, Nathan.

2. Paige moved to Thailand to work with a pastor, who is the brother of Deborah Ung, a missionary in Cambodia that my church has supported for 20 years. Paige met Deborah and her husband Sophal while in Southeast Asia.

3. Sean's brother, Todd, lives in NYC and is really good friends with my sister's (Cathie) boyfriend's (George) daughter and son-in-law, Jess and Paul.

4. Paige and Sean now work for a indiginous Indian ministry in Ongole, India. My friend, Vanessa, lived in Ongole and worked with the same ministry and is good friends with the couple who run the ministry.

Each time one of these world-wide, international connections are made, I tell Paige it's just God's way of telling us we are supposed to be friends.

Jett and "Aunt Peachy" on her wedding day

In New York City, celebrating our 30th birthdays

In Orange County, celebrating Paige's 33rd birthday

Happy Birthday, Paige. So thankful for you and your friendship. I'm excited to see what God has in store this year!

Join me in raising $3,500 in 35 days for school supplies and uniforms. Fifty dollars covers 2 uniforms, 2 shoes, 3 socks, school bag, pens and pencils. If I reach my goal of $3,500, 70 children will receive the school supplies and uniforms they need to succeed!

Please consider making a donation in any amount to Covenant Children's Homes (a ministry of India Christian Ministries)! That will be the best birthday gift I could receive!

To give a gift of school supplies, click the PayPal link below:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YTQTXCQNL7BX6

To learn more about the kids at Covenant Children's Home, visit:

http://www.cch-india.com/

and

http://www.facebook.com/covenantchildrenshomesindia

Countdown to 35... Uniforms

One of the many wonderful things about being a Haun is that the "day-after-Christmas-blues" can be put off until January 2 (because we celebrate on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day), at which point, my birthday month (which you also celebrate as a Haun) celebrations can commence and after-Christmas blues are almost forgotten! If only someone would come put away my Christmas decorations for me, I'd be set!

I'm so happy that a contribution has already been made to my birthday campaign! Birthday month celebrations have begun... Having grown up wearing a school uniform all my school days from 2nd to 11th grade (minus a handful of jeans days - thrilling! - per year), giving the gift of uniforms is really special. I loved not having to choose clothes to wear to school every day. I often envy my sister-in-law, Morgan, who works for Southwest and wears a uniform to work. Recently, they've added a cute dress to their options and Mo looks so cute in hers...

Flying the friendly skies...

Most of the Indian village children in the area where Paige and Sean work will go to government schools and will be given a free uniform to wear to school. All of the orphan children in the Covenant Children's Homes are attending private schools, where nothing free is given out, including uniforms!  Before Paige and Sean began their work in Ongol, there were no funds for school uniforms or shoes or school bag. The children went to school carrying plastic bags and wearing old tattered clothes. This made them stand out. Most of the kids at the private schools come from wealthy families who provide all the needs of their children and more.

At first, Paige knew which children were theirs because they were the only ones in the classes without uniforms. Uniforms because top priority after that. They want these precious kids to know Whose kids they are, to walk in dignity with no trace of an orphaned spirit.  They want them to feel part of a family. Uniforms help the children feel worthy of the education they are receiving.

I am doing a campaign to raise $3,500 in the 35 days leading up to my 35th birthday to buy school supplies and uniforms for $50 per child (includes 2 uniforms, 2 shoes, 3 socks, school bag, pens and pencils). If I reach my goal of $3,500, 70 children will receive the school supplies they need to succeed!

So, if you want to celebrate my birthday with a gift, please consider making a donation to Covenant Children's Homes (a ministry of India Christian Ministries)! That will be the best gift I can imagine...



Before uniforms and bags



After uniforms and bags!

To give a gift of school supplies, click the PayPal link below:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YTQTXCQNL7BX6

To learn more about the kids at Covenant Children's Home, visit:
http://www.cch-india.com/
and
http://www.facebook.com/covenantchildrenshomesindia

Happy New Year!