Adventures of Trent and Jordan: Day Two

I don't have any crazy exciting or hilarious stories to tell you about day two, but no worries - it was a great day! 

For a year now I have been nannying at 5:30 in the morning every weekday. Though that sounds like a miserable job (and sometimes is) I often find must joy spending my mornings with 4 year old Brooke and 8 year old Brady. Problem is, this job didn't go away while Trent is here. Thankfully, my sweet friend Brittany has been sitting at my house at the crack of dawn while I go to work. Love that girl. 

This day in particular, Trent decided to sleep in so he woke up after I was already home. I am certain all mommy's out there feel this way, but there is just something special about greeting a child when they first awake and are still half asleep. Good morning hugs are the best! This morning was no different, and as it put a big smile on my face I remembered all the mornings many years ago me and Trent would snuggle on the couch when he woke up. He is getting old! 

Once again we went to work (so fun, I know!). 

We then went to the pool. If you didn't know it ... it was REALLY hot yesterday, forcing us to stay in the water the entire time. If you didn't know it.... kids turn in to monsters when entering a pool, forcing me to be continuously shoved under water for hours. Though a tiring trip, it was a lot of fun. My dear friend Ashley joined us and it was so great to catch up with her (during my breaks for air above water). 


For our night time activities we made a really awesome wooden race car. Trent said, "lets paint T and J on it so I can always remember I made it this week with you." So sweet! 

The nightly mail check also brought excitement! Trent got mail! Shout out to Ma and Papa who made a little boys night! I am not sure if it was the card or money in the card that put a smile on his face. Who am I kidding? It was the money. 



We then decided to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Trent had never seen it and I hadn't in years. First of all, the original movie is way better. Secondly, Johnny Deep is the creepiest thing ever. Thirdly, did you know? 

Did you know the seven children represent the seven deadly sins? Mind. Blown. 

1. Augustus Gloop: gluttony
2. Veruca Salt: Greed
3. Violet Beauregarde: Pride
4. Mike Teavee: Sloth
5. Grandpa Joe: envy
6. Charlie: lust (not sexual. He has a intense desire to have something.) 
7. Wonka: Wrath 

Cool, right? It was fun re-watching it while knowing this! 

That's about it. Here we come day three! 

Adventures of Trent and Jordan: Day 1

As you have read before, my best friend is eight. I am very blessed to be part of a not so normal family where I have brothers much younger than me. This is Trent's last week of being eight, so to celebrate he is living it up with me in Raleigh! Trent was only five when I moved to Raleigh and often I feel like I have missed out on his life. The lack of time together makes the time we do have together extra special.

The adventure started Sunday at the lunch table. Carson, the youngest Ellinwood, protest it was his turn to go to Raleigh and that Trent must celebrate his birthday at home with mom and dad. He got really innovative in making sure this would actually happen. "Whoever drinks a sip of their drink first gets to go to Raleigh," he said. My Dad threw up his cup and quickly drank a sip while the entire family burst into laughter. Carsons ideas didn't end there, they went on and on and on.

My Dad being the jokester he is decided to join in the fun saying, "whoever is wearing a gray shirt gets to go to Raleigh! We all laughed and looked around quickly noticing there was no one in a gray shirt. I personally expected Carson to jump from his chair and run upstairs to change. Every head turned towards my dad with blank faces to which he responded, "this is gray right?"

My father is color blind, which we often forget. My dad in fact was wearing a aqua shirt ... not even close. Maybe you don't find this funny, but I sure did! It was a great start to my adventure.

Sometime I forget how kids truly do say the darnedest things. My favorite Trent sayings from our drive to Raleigh were: 

Me: "Trent, do you like watching baseball?"

Trent: "Yea I do. I meannn, if I had the choice between Duck Dynasty and baseball I would definitely pick Duck Dynasty, but yea, I like it!"

"I have a five tattoo trust rule. If you have more than five tattoos I just can't trust you!"

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Day one me and Trent had loads of fun! He came to work with me and was a big helper.

We then went fishing on Lake Johnson. I thought it would be a good idea to rent a Jon Boat.... if you didn't know - they move at negative twenty mph.

To cool off from the hottest fishing trip everrr, we dug into the best watermelon everrr!

To end the night I listened to Trent play his guitar and we ate stove-top popcorn while we watched a great movie called Parental Guidance! LOVED IT! (I may or may not have cried). 

I am so blessed by this boy and am looking forward to a week full of adventures!

Fred's Story: A Story of Injustice

" Fred is a small boy. He says his age is ten but he looks to be maybe seven at the most. What he lacks in size he makes up with spiritedness. He seems to hold his own fairly well with the other boys at program although he is definitely smaller then them all. Before he came to the streets Fred reached primary 3 in school. When he grows up he dreams to become a teacher. He explained that teachers teach people new things and help them become what they dream of through education. This is part of his story....

"My mother's name is Coleen. I have never known my father. I came to the streets of Kampala sometime in April and I have been living on them for a month now. I ran away from home because of my mother. She used to beat me and sometimes deny me food. When I left my home in Waskiso and started traveling to Kampala I was helped by a man. He was on a boda boda and he let me ride with him to Kampala. My plan was to visit my uncle. He lives in Kampala. The problem was that when I got to his house it was locked and no one was there. The neighbors told me that my uncle was in prison but they didn't tell me why. I didn't know anyone in Kampala other than my uncle. I came to the streets because I have nowhere else to go. I do not want to go home. Life on the streets is not good. It is hard to get things to eat. I don't have clothes like I did at home. I sleep on the ground with other boys and sometimes we get chased away from where we are sleeping at night.  When this happens we have to walk in the dark to find another place to sleep.

Please pray for me. I want to go back to school. I also want to have a safe place where I can live and be happy.""

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There are over 10,000 children like Fred in Kampala, Uganda. Children without food, education a home or a family. Fred and the thousands of others are such a perfect example of injustice.

If you would like to fight for justice by sponsoring a child, email aperfectinjustice4@gmail.com for more information. 

(This blog is a excerpt from Abby Kaketto's blog. To read the blog in entirety go to http://aperfectinjustice.blogspot.com/ ) 


"Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy." 
- Psalms 82:3