What? Yea, I couldn’t think of a title for this post so that is what you are stuck with. I hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend. And now a little trip down memory lane. The year after we graduated from college Chris and I moved to the amazingly wonderful nearly perfect state of Hawaii (yes, I miss it terribly). It was the opportunity of a lifetime and a cherished time for us during the post-college/pre-kids years. We worked with international students that attended the University of Hawaii. We made life long friends, sadly most of our closest friends from that time were from every corner of the globe so it makes it difficult to stay in touch. I could go on and on and on, but I won’t. Good times. Stinkin’ good times.
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These girls taught me some amazing recipes…none of which I can still make, but they were amazing. The sweet lady (second on left) would randomly drop of packages of bite size chocolate chip cookies at our apartment. She took good care of us.
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The funny thing about this picture is it reminds me of an arguement my brother-in-law (at that time he was just my sister’s boyfriend) and I got into. We were on this hike and I was getting winded and made a comment about how it was easier for him because I take 2 steps for every one of his. We got into a big debate over that….and that is what I remember from this hike. Love you Eric….thanks for giving me a neice….and helping with my garden.
I can’t tell you how much I love this family. When they went to the hospital for the birth of their second daughter, their oldest daughter stayed with us for a few days. Chris and I had no experience with kids and she didn’t really speak much english. It was day two before we realized she was hungry for rice…we hadn’t made any and she was used to it several times a day! Our time with her made us realize we were ready to leap into the possiblity of starting a family.
Some of our other dear friends were another married couple, Travis & Sarah.
Here is Travis & Sarah now…with their two cuties.
And now to the quilting portion of this post….meet the Fullingims. They are our very dear friends. They are in the final stages of bringing home their 3 sweet kids from Swaziland.
One of my blog readers told me about a trip she is going on to Swaziland in September. Her group is trying to gather 40 quilts to take for the children they will be working with. 40…that is barely anything considering the amount of you that read this that own a sewing machine. So…grab some fabric and get quilting. If you have kids, let your kids be involved too. They can pick out the fabric, help come up with a pattern, and depending on their age can help sew. Click here for more info.
If you are super cool you could drink coffee while quilting with flea market find vintage fabric….and a doily.
The PhotoAccountant Solution giveaway ends tonight…scroll down to enter.
by AshleyAnn
show hide 22 comments
Sarah - Thanks, Ashley, for posting this. We really appreciate you and this amazing little blog!
Lisa - I didn’t know you lived in Hawaii for a length of time. I miss living there, too! AWESOME WEATHER and GREAT FRIENDS!
You’re photos took me down memory lane, thanks!
boogie. - i love that font as much as i love the pictures!!! so great!
Amanda Fuentes - Great opportunities here!
Love the Hawaii pics, it was trip down memory lane for me as well. We lived there for 3 years and my 2nd daughter was born there in the pink Army hospital on the hill!
Rhonda - I’ve been following your blog for a couple weeks now – wish I was close enough to participate in one of your SnapShops, but for now just learn from your posts.
It’s so great to see people adopting from and working in Swaziland. My parents live there and work in radio, but have told me about all the orphans there. I’ll try and get a quilt put together for the group.
emily anderson - love this post
carrie elliott - I LOVED your post. We are currently living in Hawaii, with our 2 adopted Swazi kiddos. It is fun to see the pictures of old Hawaii:) Your husband Chris actually connected Melanie and myself and I was able to be in Swazi with her over the holidays. How’s that for a quilt of lives coming together? I am BEYOND EXCITED that Melanie is there and will be bringing those sweet children home. Only wish I were in OK to fill the house full of balloons
The look on Moses’ face would be priceless 
Sending the quilting link to a friend who just returned from Uganda and made over 300 pillowcase dresses for the kids there (thanks to one of your past links).
Wouldn’t it be fun to see it all from God’s perspective and the true quilt of lives coming together to touch others through a simple blog! Thanks for you ministry to those of us all over the world.
PS I can put some spam musubi in the mail for you!
lifeologia - How cool… living in Hawaii – you guys always knew how to do it right!
Lovely info about the quilts.
meg duerksen - this post was great.
it has my mind going with ways to help. i wanted to make a quilt…maybe i can for them!
Elizabeth Ludlam - Sowbona! It is amazing to see God working in the lives of many for one purpose…to bring HIS Hope to the country of Swaziland. PS. I LOVE your blog!
chantelle - loved the trip down memory lane! took me back to Thailand pre-kid era! I am a big supporter of adoption so will go buy some coffee for summer pool side iced coffees right now!
robyn - your stories are always so humanitarian. inspires me to get more involved!
Haven Rector - Thank you so much for this post!! I will also be returning to Swaziland with HopeAlive and cannot tell you how much this post means!
Rachel Saul - I am part of the Swaziland mission trip. Thanks SO much for your wonderful mention. Thank you
Shannon - Oh what a fun time y’all were able to have! Sometimes I regret that we weren’t able to have many adventures before children, but such is the life of college students! And I never regret having my kids!
I think I have some fabric I could round up into a quilt…once I get past a craft fair and I am doing and some camping with the young women from my church.
Kellie Ann - Love your blog! I don’t usually comment but I want to say this post not only incorporates awesome photos but worthwhile causes. I just bought 2 bags of Espresso to help your friends bring home their little boy
Anna Joy - Thank you for this post! I would love to get something quilted!
rachel denbow - OH, Melissa Moon! Well, I know it’s something else now but I miss that girl. We played soccer and had a ton of classes together.
This is a great post. I’ll see what I can do about something quilted…
Lynda Hetrick - Wow, thank you for sharing about Hopealive2010.com. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes as I see all these things being knit together by the Almighty. I was born and raised a missionary kid in Swaziland, so to see the work taking place in this desperate nation, touches my heart in a deep way. By chance that we have a ministry taking place in Swaziland and you have friends adopting from Swaziland, I think not!I would love to talk to your friends,the Fullingims, about adoption from Swaziland. I will return in September to Swaziland for a month, preparing for the team to arrive. Again, I can not say thank you enough!
Esther Nelson - You have no idea what an amazing blessing this is! Thank you so much for doing this post. What a beautiful family the Fullingims are!
the inadvertent farmer - Great times…young and childless in Hawaii, wow! We love Hawaii too, we’re going again in a few months. If it doesn’t start warming up here in Washington I’m not coming home!
Thanks for the information about getting involved…hmmm, a quilt might be fun! Kim
Yanet - I love your stories. Thanks for the info on the places to get involved.