Home With Presents...

Well, I am home from El Salvador now. It was a quick trip, and I've traveled abroad before.... But I've never come home with this before.... a paracite friend! My stomach is so upset. It's not pretty, but I have the weekend to recover before I have to go back to work at starbucks. I have more pictures I will be posting as I continue to digest the trip. We visted 3 different projects, and each project gave us a warm but different welcome. Im working on some video clips to post so you can experience it as well. These people love so well! Also, Check out a whole bunch of pictures I posted on my myspace at www.stephanieisagirl.com
Kepp it real peeps...
S

El Salvador

I met Mariela today in El Salvador. She is the little girl I sponsor through compassion international. I traveled from Nashville, TN at 6am to Miami, FL and from there flew to San Salvador. We met up with the rest of our team and headed to our first project visit. At that visit, we were warmly welcomed with signs and songs and balloons. They had the whole afternoon planned for us. I kept looking around to see if I might be able to pick out Mariela, but it was so overwhelming with nearly 200 kids reaching for hugs and hand shakes- I couldn't find her. It was long though until I was standing in front of the children and we called Mariela up. Before I could realize what was happening, she nearly to me already and she threw tiny self around my legs. I won't ever forget that moment. My documentation cannot do it justice, I will have pictures and hopefully video of the moment soon. It blessed me so much to have her run to me and throw her arms around me. She hardly let go for the rest of the afternoon. This little girl was wearing her best dress and she had such a quite, gentle spirit. Oh she was such a delight! I always knew Compassion was a wonderful organization, but it took experiencing the other side of this to completely get it. I met with her mother and brother and had the opportunity to ask lots of questions. It was such a joy to exchange presents with her. She and I had so many things in common! I'm still on a high from it. What a blessing this trip has been!
I want to encourage you to sponsor. Your money is handled with integrity and it has such a huge pay off. There is such a need here! Please, if I can afford it- you can. I live off a near minimum wage salary at Starbucks. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
Stephanie

Hoooome

Hello Everybody,
I am home for the next 2 months- except a quick trip to El Salvador in Dec. I've been busy busy busy, but I appologize for the lack of updates. No excuses.... I stink. I have tons of pictures to upload on myspace and share from the past few months- but I posted a few for you on here. Some of these are from back in Oct when we went to California for the YS event (Annnd we may have flown out a day early to go see Brian Regan). Also, the guys and I made our way to Grundy, VA for a week long outreach with OneLife Virginia. Everyday I went into the pulbic schools and shared a "positive message" because I wasn't allowed to talk about Jesus obviously, and then in the evening, we invited the community out to see a rock show etc. It was a long week, and I had a cold allllll week- boo hissss. We had no cell phone coverage for miles, but the guys were troopers and we had a great but tiring week.
Anyway- More to come!!!
S

Exciting Day...

I filmed my first clip for HearitFirst.com today! I am the official WinterJam 2009 correspondent and I have the privilege of interviewing the other artists on tour before, and throughout the entire tour! So make sure you're staying updated! The dates will be released on monday on Hearitfirst.com/winterjam so check it out and see if we are coming anywhere near you!
I also got my new t-shirts in today, as well as some spiffy new business cards.... annnnnd I got some great news- Emily gets to come with me on WinterJam!!!!! So far, its a positive day ;) I'm about to cut my guitar players (Loren) hair.
Stay outta trouble kids....
Stephanie

PA is awesome

Howdy! I am in a van with 3 beautiful ladies driving through PA on a magnificent fall day! I forgot how amazing Pennsylvania is in the fall! I love Tennessee but it's just not the same! There was a low fog hovering just below the mountain tops and we were in the valley between two mountains where the sun was waking up and illuminating the haze. Right now we are headed to a Secret Keeper Girl event in OH and we just finished a Pure Freedom event in PA that went great!
I'm learning some covers for an upcoming halftime show at a Preditors game in Nashville... If your local, come check it out! I will post some pictures of good ol PA when I get on my computer later!

growing up

I am trying to be more responsible. I have covered this before in my blogs, but I am not a huge fan of responsibility- but I am slowly encourperating more of it into my life. Recently, I went to the Dr for the first time in about 3 years, I have an eye appointment tomorrow morning because my mom said I was looking crosseyed, and I just got an oil change in my car. I still tend to get intimidated easily... for example. I went into AT&T today to get an iphone, but they were really busy and I didn't really know what I was doing... so I asked one question, and left! I needed moral support! Can someone go with me please?
I'm growing.
S

Oh.... whats new in life

Penn State beat Purdue today in college football. My family "bleeds blue and white" (in their own terms) and even though my mom is employed by Purdue, she still roots for Penn State! My brother flew into Indiana from Baltimore because any chance he has to attend a PSU game, he takes. And I made the trip with a special friend because I don't like to miss a party ;) I guess Im glad they won and all, but I was more excited to get to know my mom's new man-friend Doug, see my bro etc.
I'm really excited about the video being done soon- hopefully in a week or so. I just know I had a blast shooting it, but I have no idea what the final will be like!
I work at Starbucks this week- several closing shifts to look forward to, then I fly to Cali at 6:30am to see Brian Regan in San Fransisco and perform at the YS conference in Sacramento. Then, I take a red eye to PA, rent a car, drive to Harrisburg for a Pure Freedom event and do a 2 day conference there. I have a day of in PA, then onto a Secret Keeper event. Yeah! I like being busy! I also like to sleep, but eh, there is time for that on planes and trains etc ;)
I hope life is treating you well.
Stephanie