Giving Thanks

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Happy Thanksgiving! We had planned to travel south to camp, as we did last year, but due to inclimate weather we decided to stay home and relax, get some work done around the house and play together. We invited our good friends Tammy and Ian over for dinner, as they are our family away from home here in SLC, with their new 4 month old baby Annika it felt like a real family get together. We cooked up a big turkey and all the trimmings, drank wine, and had some awesome apple pie after a nice long walk around the neighborhood after dinner. It was a perfect evening, even while missing those back in MI and CT. Kathy is in Arizona, so we missed her as well, but she was in our thoughts as we stuffed ourselves silly. :-)

Black Friday took us away from the crowds and on to the trails. Tammy and Ian (and little Annika) joined us for a hike up Grandeur Peak trail. Grandeur Peak is a beautiful trail up the mountain (3 miles up, with 2419 feet elevation gain) in Mill Creek Canyon. We went to the saddle, but it was getting windy and chilly so we decided to head down with the baby. We were only about 400 feet short of the summit, so we had a good haul up still before heading back. It was the perfect option to the insanity at the malls and stores!

Saturday, Rich and I worked on some projects around the house - I'm painting the "art/massage" room and redecorating it - as it was, it was totally uninspiring and I finally decided to take the plunge to re-do it. I'm envisioning a peaceful, Zen space that will be lovely to be in while I paint, or do art projects. I'll post pics when it's done, it was covered in "old man pajamas" wallpaper that just had to go! After stripping off the lasf of the paper, we went for an awesome trail run in East Canyon - 4 miles along a wooded path to the lake and back, although cloudy, it was really pretty in subtle browns and golds.

Today, Sunday, we have patched the room and are waiting for it to dry before priming. Not sure what we'll do for fun... hike? run? bike? :-)
Hope you all had a great weekend as well!

Try a TRI

I jumped. I am now officially a triathlete. Last Saturday I did my first triathlon. It was a mini sprint, meaning very short - good for me due to my lack of swimming ability! haha. Total distance was 3 mile run, 13 mile bike and 250 meter swim. It was a lot of fun. My friend Eli, who talked me into doing it, her husband and I did the race. We went up to Weber State University for a 9:00 a.m. start. It was cold - around 30 degrees, but promising to be a nice day overall, at about 50 or so. The tri was done backward, presumably because of the short swim (which was in the pool), and the cold temps. The run started off with two laps around the track then outside for a good climb up a hill, around the event center and back to the bikes. The bike course was a 3 lap course, with a wicked long, hard climb on the backside. Then, on to the pool for 5 quick laps. I did well, and really enjoyed myself - 13th out of 39 women and third in the 40 - 49 age group. Here are some pictures, but none of them are of us, as none of us brought a camera! These will give you a feel for the day, though. What next? A winter tri (run bike ski), then a sprint distance in March, an Olympic lite (with a trail run) in June, and a full Olympic distance in September....

Women For Women International

I came across this organization in Time Magazine and was profoundly moved by the struggles of women around the world and the mission of Zainab Salbi to try to make a difference. Below is the link to the web site for Women for Women International to learn more. I have decided to become a sponsor. I will get my sponsor kit in about 4 weeks, with the name of my sister, and I cant wait! I am so grateful to be able to do even something so small to make a difference, I wish I could do more. Think about the things that you spend $27 on regularly, wouldnt it be awesome to spend that somewhere that will really have an impact on someone less fortunate than we?

http://www.womenforwomen.org/index.php

What if you can change the course of one woman's life in a war-torn region of the world? Now what if you knew her name?

Women for Women International's Sponsorship program creates a unique experience by building a one-to-one relationship between you and a woman who lives thousands of miles away.

By sponsoring a woman you not only provide her with the financial assistance she needs to get back on her feet but also the hope and emotional support that are the keys to rebuilding her life after war.

What is Sponsorship?

As a sponsor, you will be matched with a woman in a country in which we work. Your monthly contribution will provide her with rights awareness education and job skills training so she can continue to support her family in the future. She will also receive a portion of your contribution in direct aid so she can provide her family with basic necessities.

The Connection is real...you know her name

When you receive your welcome kit, you'll receive the name of the woman you are sponsoring, information about her country of origin and her background information - does she have children, is she married? She learns your name too, because until she is matched with you, she cannot begin the program. So she knows it's your commitment that's given her this opportunity.

The letters

You'll not only know her name, you can exchange letters. In fact, your letters are a powerful tool for helping women in these desperate regions of the world know that there is someone out there who knows of her existence, who actually cared enough to sponsor her and write to her. Many women in our programs have never received a letter addressed to them, so you can't imagine the impact it has on her self-esteem.

Sponsoring a woman can profoundly change your life too

Not only do your monthly donations and your letters help women from war-torn countries, but your connection with them can change your life too. Many sponsors feel they unexpectedly “get” far more than they receive. You’ll be astounded at the strength and courage these women have in the face of so much adversity.

"I thought it was going to be me that did the giving, but I was the one who truly received the gift." - A Sponsor, January 2006

Women for Women International Keeps You Informed

You’ll receive updates on the progress of women in our programs in the Outreach newsletter and in email updates. And to the extent that she's able, you can receive letters in return. Translators in each country work with participants to write letters to their sponsors. Letters are also dictated for the many illiterate women in our programs. In Sudan alone 94% of women cannot read or write. And when you receive notification that your sponsored sister has graduated the year-long program, you’ll know you’ve significantly impacted that one woman’s life, her children’s lives and her community.

What Your Support Means

Each country’s program varies due to economic, political, cultural and religious factors. However, in all countries where we work, your monthly support ensures that your sister receives the following tools and support over the course of her one-year participation:

• Direct aid on a monthly basis in cash.
• Emotional support and encouragement from her trainers, fellow participants and from you, her sponsor.
• Training on leadership, rights awareness and the role of women in society.
• Job skills training applicable to the local economy.
• A network of women to connect with in her community.
• Small business assistance and in some countries Microcedit.
• Access to a variety of other programs, depending on the country or region where your sister lives. These include, for example, literacy training in Kosovo, HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention training in Nigeria, savings and investment counseling in Rwanda and infant care classes in Afghanistan.