Overwhelmed by Love

Over these last few weeks I have been raising support for my trip to Honduras in August and I have been overwhelmed with the generosity of people.

When I first learned about this trip I kept praying that if this is what the Lord wanted he would keep the doors open. I had also already committed most of June and all of July to summer school so if I was going to go on this trip it had to be when I wasn't in summer school, its not. So that door has remained open. Another possible door could have been my family, I know I am 25 and living in Boston so they could not have physically stopped me from going on this trip but if they were not supportive I would be questioning this trip. My mom, in her protective way, worries about me going to other countries. I tell her I want to go to Israel and she worries I will be blown up in a car bomb or when I talk about going to Africa she worries I will get AIDS. I know it is a motherly thing for her to worry about me but I was nervous she would not support this trip because of all her mother some worries. But she has been the very supportive, which is great. Actually, when I originally mentioned this trip they thought I was going by myself. I mean they knew I was going with Living Water but they thought I would be alone not knowing anyone I was with, so they were relieved I was going as a team with people from my church. So they were more supportive then I thought because they were supporting me when they thought I was going by myself. Another door for me could have been the shots. I mean I hate shots but worse than that is I didn't have a doctor here in Boston. Well that had to be fixed for multiple reasons not just my shots. Now I have a doctor and I have gotten both my typhoid, first rabies shot and I go in on Wednesday for my second rabies shot and Hepatitis A, then after one more rabies shot I will be done for trip.

To see more on all of this go to "Blaire Goes to Honduras Blog."

While all these doors could have stopped me a long the way, the main reason for this post is to thank people for all the support have been given. I keep thanking God about how blessed I am to have people who are supporting me in this journey. I have never really been on a missions trip like this. I have gone on trips with Campus Crusade but they have all been in clean America, nothing outside the country. So I feel in a way this is my first mission trip.

When I was younger, I felt guilty for not being called to the missions field. My older sister went on mission trips and my younger sister wants to go to Africa and she told me once she wanted to die a martyr. I have never had that conviction. I went to my dad all upset that I didn't feel called to the mission field. He told me that if every Christian was called to go to Africa or China there would no Christians in America. For awhile I could live with that answer and consul myself that answer. But lately I have been feeling that there has to be more. Last Christmas, as usual my church did our Advent Conspiracy tradition and I saw this sign...

This sign tugged at my heart strings, because I love children, I can't stand the fact that children, the most innocent creatures are dying because they can't get clean water. So I wanted to do something. I can always give money but more than that I wanted to go and dig a well. Like most people I thought the need was in Africa, so I had my heart set on Africa. Because of the length of a water project in Africa, short tern mission trips are only allowed to go to Central or South America. But the more I learn about the water issue the this makes great sense. In Central and South America the water is close to the surface but they dig wells they haven't covered them properly meaning that animals get inside them and contaminate them. So while I would love to one day go to Africa my heart is set on Honduras.

Since I have never been on mission's trip I am not really for sure what to expect. But one thing I was not expecting was the out pouring of generosity. I have to raise $2,000 and as of yesterday I am close to $800 dollars. It has amazed me how many people are willing to help. I am also surprised when people "sorry it's not much" because to me it is huge and I feel so blessed to have people who are giving so generously. This is the real purpose of this post to thank people for their generosity and how amazing it feels to have this kind of support and love.

If you are interested in supporting me please contact me so I can give you more details. THANKS!

Catching Fire... and the obsession continues

I don't know how I am going to write this book review with out giving away some spoilers so if you plan on reading this book you may or may not want to read this review. But before you look a way know how much I loved it and if you have read the Hunger Games you have to read this book too. Also have a copy of Mockinjay near by for when you finish because you are going to need it.

OKAY people who don't want spoilers look away.

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In Catching Fire we join Katniss and gang six months after she and Peeta have been declared victors. Their act of "love", eating the berries, is seen as a act of rebellion which has caused a spark in the districts. Six months after the games the Katniss and Peeta have to tour the districts, which is a rub in the face to the districts to prove the Capitol is powerful.President Snow comes to Katniss to warn her that she has to put out the spark. She has to convince the districts that she and Peeta are really in love and not acting out of rebellion but they doesn't seems to be enough to please President Snow or stop the spark. The tour is not ideal but they can only hope life will be okay but then the worst comes... this year is the 75th Hunger Games and being such a big occasion the Capitol has a surprise for them. President Snow announces that each district must supply their tributes from previous victors. This means Katniss for sure and Peeta takes Haymitch's spot. Katniss has set it in her mind that Peeta must come out of the games alive, he is the only one who can help the growing rebellion. But what will happen in the end?

I admit I am on "Team Peeta". When I was reading the Hunger Games everyone was asking me if I was on "Team Gale" or "Team Peeta" but to be honest I didn't know because I didn't know Gale from just that one book but Peeta captured my heart when he announces his love for Katniss. I am a sucker for a love story. It just crushes me how much he loves Katniss and can't accept his love. I know she keeps saying that she wants Gale but her actions reflect that she needs Peeta. I mean is he is the one that calm her down and stop her bad dreams and he is the one that keeps putting himself on the line to protect her. So I love Peeta and I just wish they could be together forever.

I am so hoping that Peeta and Katniss get together that my co-worker who is on page 300 of Mockingjay has told me that if they don't end up together I am going to need therapy. Yeah I get swept up in love stories.

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I also get really wrapped in stories, in general, and these are great novels to get wrapped up into, so when they announced that Katniss would have to go back into the arena I was really mad. How can they do this to her and to me again. How can she and Peeta survive another time in the arena. The only thing that got me through this torture was what my friend said when I was reading the "Hunger Games" is that the story is told through Katniss' eyes so she has to live. I kept telling myself every time I worried that she would not make it out of the arena alive. Even with this knowledge my heart pounded in indication of what was going to happen and how was she going to survive. I don't know if I would have survived these books if it was not for my friend's good insight.

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I will admit when I am reading a book that has me holding my breath, I read the last page to see what is going to happen. The last line of them saying there is no District 12 I was like what the what? How much more are these people going to go through till it ends? I guess I will find out when I finish Mockingjay. I want to finish so I can stop holding my breath but I don't want it to end because I love these characters and these stories and I don't want them to end. Because like Peeta says "I wish I could freeze this moment right here, right now, and live in it forever." I don't want to live here forever as I know there are other books to read I just love Suzanne Collins writing she keeps me on the edge of my seat and I just don't want to put it down. And when I am in these books I just escape into another world and I love books that allow me to escape.

I am so glad my friend made me read the Hunger Games... I will put them on my list of books to read over and over again.

I know this is not actually in the movie just liked it.
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The two things I hope for in MockingJay....

1. Peeta and Katniss will end up together or else I will just cry

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2. That Cinna is alive, I hate what they did to him

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I can't believe I thought I wasn't going to like these books and now I am just absorbed into them.

Gilmore Goodness

Song: Raise your glass

As you get ready for this weekend I hope you enjoy watching 

this little montage of the great seasons of Gilmore Girls. 

Have a great weekend. 

Happy Birthday Audrey!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUDREY HEPBURN!

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Audrey Hepburn is by my favorite actress and my favorite movie of mine is
Roman Holiday.

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I love the movie so much that when I went to Rome, I tried to find the exact seat she sat on at the Spanish steps so I could say I sat in the same place as Audrey Hepburn. 

This is me on the steps.

Here are some of my other favorite movies/photos of Audrey Hepburn.

Sabrina

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Audrey and Humphrey Bogart 

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A great classicly Audrey outfit

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My Fair Lady

Song: Loverly

I always thought it was a shame that they didn't allow it to be Audrey's voice

In sixth grade I was in choir and I thought I could do this as a solo

so I learned every word to this song.

I love this ball gown

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Charade

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Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn were great together. 

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A great ending scene:

Funny Face

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Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn

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Since she was a trained ballerina I thought it was great how much dancing she got to do in this movie. 

Now my favorite co-star of hers:

Peter O'Toole 

How to Steal a Million 

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She is so beautiful

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This film is full of comedy and 1 liners

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But Audrey Hepburn was much more than a great actress and a great beauty. 

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I know Audrey Hepburn lived in Holland during WWII. Trained to be a ballerina but she was too tall to be a prima ballerina and never trained to be an actress. Later on went to be Good Will Ambassador for UNICEF.

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Writing this post and finding these pictures and clips reminds me just how beautiful she was inside and out. She only made 27 films but she probably the most known actress in the world. 

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I could not finish this post with out this clip from Breakfast at Tiffany's