How beautiful this love

Our friends Chris and Anna founded an amazing ministry called Restore One.  Their mission is "combating human trafficking and human exploitation by means of public awareness, practical prevention, restorative care and building domestic and international partnerships."  If you've never heard of sex-trafficing, as many have not, it is REAL and happening ALL around us.  Check out the Restore One facebook page and website for more information and to learn about human trafficking.


https://www.facebook.com/RestoreOne
http://restoreonelife.org

Friday night Chris and I went to the Restore One Celebration Banquet.  We enjoyed lots of good southern food (ie-- mac and cheese, cabbage, green beans, 3 types of chicken, ham, rolls, hush puppies and banana pudding or peach cobbler), an amazing and inspiring survivor share her story of hope and powerful gospel music!  

Saturday morning we rose early, made a quiche, and headed over to enjoy breakfast with Sharon, John, Rachel and Desi (Rachel's friend).  Everyone seems to be traveling a lot this month so wanted to make sure we spent some time together before another month goes by in our busy lives!  There's nothing like spending time with family... especially since they are like 3 minutes down the road.

Many of you may already be aware but I was very surprised and excited when I started to do some research about homemade cleaning products-- they are EXTREMELY easy to make and INCREDIBLY better for us and the environment!!!  The website I used to find a lot of my recipes is:  http://homemademothering.com/  My first batch of homemade cleaning products are straight up white vinegar which has LOADS of uses for cleaning windows, mirrors, counters, baseboards...it's just as good if not better than the Windex multi-purpose cleaner with vinegar I was previously using...and WAY cheaper (1 gallon white vinegar $2.38 + spray bottle $0.98 = less than $4.00!)  I also made a furniture polish...which was a combination of a few different blog recipes I found.  The recipe I used was something like 1 to 3 parts olive oil to water + a few splashes of white vinegar and a few drops lavender essential oil.  Used with an old rag or sock this stuff works quite well and again, DUH, cheaper than Pledge and less wasteful compared to the throw away wipes or cans.  Needless to say-- our apartment is SPOTLESS due to my new found green cleaning products...this place has never been as clean as it is today-- I think it quite possibly may be cleaner than when I started renting it.  I should charge them for all my hard work today.

Since we both worked so hard today, Chris wrote a paper for school and I cleaned, we decided it was a good evening to treat ourselves to a meal out.  We went to Japan Inn where I got sushi and Chris got hibachi.  It was really good for the most part.  I learned something new tonight, I do not like mayo on my sushi.  EW!  A perfectly good sushi roll, but they put mayo on it.  Yes, I knew it was coming but I didn't think it was going to be like it was.  No.  Gross.  Never again.  I will stick with the raw sushi with NO MAYO please and thank you.  

We are very excited!  There are many fun things coming up this week.  Friday Chris's brother Aaron will be graduating from Navy boot camp, we are so incredibly PROUD of him.  End of this week I get to go with FUSE (the college ministry at Ignite Church) on their fall retreat to Washington DC.  

Tomorrow Chris will make his debut playing his bass guitar at both services at Ignite Church.  I am so EXCITED for him.  I know he is very excited to be playing again.  Yes, I will be there for both services =)  It's late...time for bed!  Thanks again for keeping up with us.