About a week ago I mentioned my upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic with Compassion.
And since then I realized I will need to absentee vote in the Presidential elections.
I’ve never been good with dates.
I’m sure other people thought of that immediately, but it didn’t dawn on me until I heard someone refer to election day on November 4 and I was all like “November 4? Where am I going to be November 4? That date means something for some reason.”
Oh yes. I’ll be out of the country.
No watching hours of endless media speculation and early projections for me.
I can honestly say I’m not even sad about it. Just let me know what happens when it’s all over.
Anyway, the point is that I wanted to tell y’all who else will be on the trip with me so you’ll know who else will be early voting.
1. Mary at Owlhaven. I’m so excited Mary is going because I’ve read her blog for years and just love her. She has ten kids of her own and I’m hoping she might temporarily adopt me while we’re in the Dominican.
2. Jennifer at 5 Minutes for Mom. I’ve emailed with Jennifer since I started my blog because we are both Aggies, even though she has the great misfortune of living up north right now. But we share a love of Kyle Field, the Dixie Chicken, and Double Daves pizza rolls.
3. Marlboro Man at Pioneer Woman and his two daughters. I feel certain that most of you know who Marlboro Man is because over a gazillion and a half people read his wife’s blog. I think we’ll have a lot in common because I sometimes see cows as I drive down the road and he is a cattle rancher.
4. Tim at Challies.com and his son. Tim is Canadian so he won’t be early voting.
Our fearless leaders will be Shaun Groves and Brian Seay.
There may be a few last minute additions to the group, so I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, we’d all appreciate your prayers as we begin to prepare for the trip.
Wow…sounds like a great group! How cool that MM is going and bringing their girls. I think all young people should see a 3rd world country to give them some perspective. Excited for you! And I’m a little jealous that you’ll be missing all of the election media hype. I think I’d rather just hear the results when it’s all over.
i can’t believe PW is letting her man out of the country. what will she have to take pictures of?
Ok now I’m really jealous!
Melanie, do you know what project(s) you’ll be visiting? One of my sponsored kids is in D.R. and though I know there are a ton of projects and the chances are slim you’re going to his, if you ARE, I want to know about it so I can write him and tell him to jump in front of any cameras he sees ’cause I’ll be watching!!!
) 
) 
) And I have to write now for him to get it in time!! 
)
mmm …. double dave’s pizza rolls. if only KY wasn’t so stinkin’ far from College Station.
Praying for your preparations, perspective during and after the trip, packing, planes, people you come in contact with and people you leave impressions on, your peeps at home while you are gone and God’s promises for you during this trip and His provisions for you and your family.
I hope Ree sends along some goodies to eat with that MM of hers! You will have a wonderful time I am sure!
MM???? She’s never mentioned they have a Compassion child or that MM is going!! Shocked!
So how did this all come about anyway?
Is Brain Seay related to the Seay singer from Houston? I was praying for them today. Have you heard if their church in downtown arts district is okay? What about their family? Did you all get some flooding or damage? You are going to get your world rocked with your trip to DM. I went there with 20 teens and loved it!!!! I have a great story about soup made with garbanzo beans, veggies and pigs ears…oh my…
That sounds like a fun and very diverse group
YOu guys are going to have a blast!
How neat you get to do an absentee ballot
and all b/c you will be out of the country working for God – too cool
BTW: if you need another blogger to go on the mission trip I think my arm could be twisted to come along – hehe
Seriously though I will be praying for ya’ll
God bless,
Kim
I’m sure you will have an incredible time. I love Compassion. We sponser three kids in Africa and my husband and I have said we’d love to take a trip and see our sponsered kids. Be glad you’ll be out of the country during election, I would be too. My husband told me today that Tina Fey signed back on to SNL through the election and more depending what happens because she looks so much like Sarah Palin. She does look like her.
Take care,
Julie
Wow! You lucky thang! I was shocked about MM and his daughters! Why not PW too I wonder…
i just can’t help but think there is a mccain/palin sign in your front yard. isn’t a moose hunting, fashion conscious veep mr. and mrs. big mama’s political dream come true??
I am SOOOOO excited for you! What an amazing opportunity!
And now that I’ve seen your famous gorgeous locks in person, I highly doubt there is such a thing as you with bad hair.
I’ll be praying.
And, oh my, number 3 had me laughing out loud.
If I haven’t said it before, I love your sense of humor!
I think you will be forever changed ( in a super way ) by this experience. As if you weren’t already super. I will be praying for safe trips and lots of success as God leads you around doing all kinds of goodness. It’s on my bucket list of stuff to do to take a mission trip like that. It actually at the top of my list too.
I can’t wait to read and see everything you all encounter there. I also applied to go and have a heart for these kids. I pray that this trip will not only impact the kids you come in contact with, but also you and the others going.
What a fantastic opportunity. Everyone I know who has done something like this has come back with such an incredible, tangible sense of God’s work in the lives of people around the world — I can’t wait to hear you share your adventures and insights from the trip.
And I’m not going to lie, I’m a little bit envious that you get to meet the legendary Marlboro Man and his two adorable girls in the flesh!
I read you first every day that then PW, or sometimes I switch you two up. And if I never have time to read any of the other blogs I love, I ALWAYS, ALWAYS read you and PW. That being said, I’m ridiculously happy that you get to go on a trip with PW’s husband! I feel like I’m reading a really happy novel!
Such an awesome opportunity! I am thrilled for ya’ll!
No, if you tell me that MM is wearing his chaps on the trip, I’m really going to be jealous!
What a great group! I actually submitted my blog for consideration and I’m sure they are going to totally pick it for the following three reasons:
1. I’ve been blogging for all of a month and a half.
2. I have a readership of about 25 people.
3. We sponsor three kids but they are from other organizations.
Hmmmmmmm.
Or maybe not.
Well, I guess I’ll just content myself with praying for all of you and hoping that God uses this trip is a mighty, mighty way in your life and the lives of those around you .
And I totally feel you on the bad hair thing. I’d have to resort to a hat 24 hours a day. My three hairs wouldn’t stand a chance.
What a group! Ree hasn’t mentioned it on her blog..or I missed it if she did! Heard it here first!
Your heart will be touched, left with a “heartprint” that will forever be remembered.
We went to the DR this summer for vacation. Trust me when I tell you that the DR we saw is NOT the real DR. We stayed at a resort with AC, running water, constant electricity and refrigeration. I loved it but it wasn’t even close to how the Dominican people live day to day. There is a real need for help there. You will enjoy the people, some of the nicest I’ve ever met.
Just because everyone else is saying, “Ooh, Marlboro Man,” I have to jump in and say, “Ooh, Tim Challies!” I read PW and Challies (and Big Mama) every day!
I survived Ike I am sure you will survive DR. We could be w/o a/c for a whole month. Darn I hate washing clothes in a bathtub. Oh, the joy of living on the coast. aka arm pit of Texas
My unsolicited and unqualified hair advice for your trip:
Do like the women on that show Survivor (that I haven’t seen since season 3) do –
1. don’t even try to wash it – just wet it in a local pond or with rainwater and let it dry naturally – and after about three days, it’ll look “earthy”
2. bring some sort of bandana that you can tie it up in in all sorts of manner to create a different look every day. (Just please don’t wear said bandana as a tube top or around your upper arm like a gang member).
What a great traveling group! I went to high school with MM, he’s a nice guy and shouldn’t make too much fun of your hair!!! ha.
I will be praying for your trip and safe travel. Looking forward to hearing all about it.
Oh Double Dave’s how I miss thee…dunking in ranch dressing and grease dripping! I think I gained 10 pounds just thinking about it.
Whoop Class of 95′
This sounds like such a great opportunity…AND you get to meet MM and two of PW’s punks! It’s going to be a great trip!
Sounds like a great trip.
I’ll let youi now who wins the election.
P.S. My husband is an Aggie.
Total coolness! How about if I just watch your blog (and read your twitters) instead of the election stuff. I may even absentee vote just for kicks, in case Compassion ever decides to take a Commenters Only Tour (put in a good word for me?) sometime, so I’ll already know the drill.
Wait, so there’s an ELECTION??
Are you going to be able to call him by his real name, or do you think the MM tag has stuck completely? *grin* And for the person who asked why Ree wouldn’t be going… she loves her beautiful home too much! And you know, Charlie. She makes no bones about that. The only reason she left it a month or so back was because Wetsy had a baby
I’m so excited for you… and more so that you’re meeting Malboro Man and the girls than going to the Dominican Republic and being changed forever.
If you’ve not seen them already, please go find and watch the movies “Raising Arizona” and also “Napolean Dynamite”
— that’s all I can think about looking at that picture across the street!!
That is going to be so great. I will pray that you’ll be blessed and lives will be changed.
funniest part hands down: “…b/c I sometimes see cows as I drive down the road and he is a cattle rancher.” Point taken. Hilarious!
Yeah, I’ve been thinking that a special Fashion Friday is in order — What do you wear when you are in a third world country, visiting the garbage dump that children scavenge for food and clothing?
FYI — I think that I’ve been to the Chicken maybe five times in the whole of my time at A&M, and I know that at least once it was to have a burger when we were there as a family. . . .
Don’t you maybe just a smidgin wish that Ree was going along with her husband and the group? We were at the State Fair of Oklahoma on Sat and as we were watching the cattle showing, I leaned over to my husband and said, “I wonder if Pioneer Woman and her punks are here.” He said, “Oh, that lady that cooks all the great recipes?” I just wanted to say to him, “Oh, honey, she’s known for so much more than just the recipes!!”
I’m so excited that you’re going on the DR trip! Can’t wait to read all about it!
OH. MY. GOSH.
You mean you’re going to find out MM’s real name?
That’s just insane.
I really mustn’t fall so behind on my blog reading ever again.
Seriously, that sounds like an amazing group, and I know your life will never be the same. I’ll be praying for all of y’all while you’re gone.
I’ll even lift a Double Dave’s pizza roll in your honor.
Melanie,
So exciting to know MM and his girls are going. Are you going to recognize him without his chaps? Seriously…I think I’ve seen his butt more than my own DH. LOL!
MM