Ashleigh

I am going to brag on my big girl, who by the way will let you know she is now 10.  She is in a  homeschool speech and debate club.  Basically at her age the kids are learning public speaking skills (kids 12 and up can be in the debate part their topic has to do with India and US relations).  My first public speaking class was in college and I dreaded it especially the persuasive speech part.  Well back to Ashleigh's speech class.  Their assignment on Jan. 15 was to prepare a 3-5 minute persuasive speech.  She was the least bit thrilled.  As a typical child she put it off until I nagged her enough this past Tuesday.  She had no idea what to speak about, so with mom's help she decides to persuade her friends to give their change to help orphans.  After the Steven Curtis Chapman concert last spring we have been saving our change in a bucket "Change for Orphans" check out showhope.org.  Ashleigh did an awesome job yesterday!  Not all the class was prepared with a speech.  The teacher I found out later had not even shown the video about persuasive speeches.  She told in her speech that she would be bringing her bucket for the next several weeks for any change they wish to give (the change goes to showhope not to us)  Last night she gave her speech to her daddy.  He was very impressed.  We may be using this speech later to help with our adoption (just changing the bucket part).

Please pray for our friends Todd and Gretchen (campus ministers in Illinois) who left today to bring hope their Ethiopian daughter.  They will meet her on Tuesday.

Also pray that we receive the rest of our documents soon so we can get our dossier completed!