When the grandchildren of this generation ask what role you played in the crises of 2020, what will you say?    What will you tell them about how your voice, your actions shaped the narrative that is now history, permanently embedded in the fabric of the society in which they now live? Will the stories … Continue reading What Will You Say?

What if I told you that I have a go-to, delicious, and easy dinner option for you which requires less ingredients than a box of mac' n' cheese and tastes at least 837 times better?    Wha, wha, whaaaaaatttt? I know, too good to be true but it is.    Just. Listen, do yourself a … Continue reading Dinner Without Trying

Who’s ready to see what’s left in my Rwandan Kitenge earring stash? 🙋‍♀️ My supply is dwindling and I’m giddy over it. I would love to see all of you adorned in these beauties, an empty bag of earrings, and a giant check heading off to Beatrice to continue the life-transforming work she is doing … Continue reading Update on Rwandan Kitenge Earrings!

Want to make an impact with your gifts this Christmas season? I’ve got a little somethin’ for ya! Beatrice is a bright shining star I met in Rwanda earlier this year. She is smart, kind, compassionate, and so so driven. A survivor of the 1994 genocide, former nurse midwife and now NGO founder, she’s doing … Continue reading Rwandan Kitenge Earrings

We popped out of the dusty trail below the Acropolis, sun just beginning to drop in the summer evening sky. It must have been 7pm already and no dinner in sight, which no one really seemed to mind. I mean, we were in Europe after all, and everyone was settling in nicely to the later … Continue reading Take the Wild Stairs

BambinoOne too many meltdowns in the last month had Ben and I hell bent on finding a playground for our kids to just run, without risk of being hit by a car/donkey/bajaj/motorcycle or just simply losing them into an unmarked abyss on the sidewalk. After consulting the guidebook, Father Ubald’s niece directed us to a … Continue reading Insights From Abroad: Revelations, Quandaries, and Hilarities, Episode 3

Bathrooms, toilet(te)s, water closets, long drops, call them what you will. We all need one and when you’ve got to go, especially while traveling in a developing country, it can be it's very own adventure. While staying at the lodge in the Simiens in Ethiopia, our oldest daughter needed to use the bathroom during dinner. … Continue reading Insights From Abroad: Revelations, Quandaries, and Hilarities, Episode 2

Father Ubald held his chin and furrowed his brow. Several moments passed as he considered our request. Traveling with kids is not a common practice for him, and we knew we were throwing him a curveball here. “Yes!” Came his response, emphatically. “We shall go and make joy for the children!” Relief washed over us. … Continue reading Make Joy

As an eighth-grader, I would read the tiny blurbs in my local newspaper about the atrocities happening in Rwanda with great horror. Occasionally I would write up reviews in my current events notebook when I could muster up the courage to repeat the unbelievable awfulness. If you had told me then that I would be … Continue reading The Secret of Peace

Our final adventure in Ethiopia was in the eastern part of the country, in a small walled town called Harar. Some fun factoids about Harar: 1. Largely Muslim, it is considered the 4th holiest city of Islam. 2. It has been named an UNESCO world-heritage site for living out its mantra of "peace, tolerance, and … Continue reading Harar