Giving back . . one glass of water at a time . . .

There are many things that the adoption process has taught me, not the least of which is that I kind of complain....a lot!  Well, maybe not A LOT but some, I find myself saying things like, "I wish we had a bigger house", "I wish we had a softer bed", "I need new shoes", oh the list goes on and on.  Since realizing, and now admitting, this about myself I am trying to change.  I realize I am pretty darn lucky!  I have a wonderful husband, we have a beautiful house, a great dog, loving friends and family, good food on the table every night, heat that works, and water to drink whenever we want it!  

I have been thinking a lot about the people in Ethiopia, specifically the strong, courageous women like the one that will (hopefully) soon give birth to our daughter.  She will almost certainly not be as fortunate as we are in not having a house like ours, a soft bed like ours, good and varied food on the table and most importantly a nice clean fresh glass of water to drink when she wants it. If I can do something small for her and her family to thank them for the huge gift they are giving Eric and I, then I am going to do it!

Here are some startling facts:

• The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.
• Lack of sanitation is the world's biggest cause of infection.
• Every 20 seconds, a child dies from water-related disease.
• In just one day, more than 200 million hours of women's time is consumed for the most basic of human needs--collecting water for domestic use.
• Almost 2 in every 3 people who need safe drinking water survive on less than $2 a day and 1 in 3 on less than $1 a day.

I have spoken to Eric about my dream to to be able to, some day, sponsor a well to be built in our daughter's town in honor of her family.  Now, this dream is somewhere off in the future but there is surely something I can do now!  For only a $25 donation I can give someone in Ethiopia clean water for the rest of their lives.  IMAGINE!! 

So, that is what I plan to do this holiday season.  Eric and I are not getting each other gifts, as we are saving all we can for our adoption BUT we will be donating to a wonderful cause in honor of some of the usual gift recipients on our last this year, a gift we hope they like and don't want to return :)

I will be honest, even though we are not buying gifts I have decided we are each going to purchase one of the water bottles CUTIE PIE Matt Damon is holding below!  All the proceeds go toward a clean water project! 

You too can be as cool as us by clicking on CUTIE PIE Matt Damon below and ordering your very own limited edition water bottle :)

I encourage everyone to check out Water.org, read some facts and get inspired to change someone's life forever!