Happy Anniversary

Today is my parents' 41st wedding anniversary. Here is a picture taken in Hawaii of them last year on their 40th anniversary:

In their honor, we purchased onil stoves for the families of the students we sponsor in Guatemala. The indigenous people of the Guatemalan Highlands use wood for cooking. Their kitchens are usually small outside structures with dangerous open fire pits. Kitchens typically do not provide for smoke ventilation. After food, firewood is the largest expense for families who are unable to gather it themselves. They typically pay 5 days wages per month for a supply of firewood which lasts less than one month.

These fuel-efficient wood stoves have financial, health, and environmental benefits. The stoves which are 70% more fuel efficient than traditional open-fire methods. Through hundreds of installations, significant reductions of monthly firewood expenses, reduced incidents of respiratory ailments, as well as reduced deforestation impacts have been observed. Forestation is very important in the Guatemalan Highlands to minimize fatalities caused by mudslides.

There is also a very nice congratulatory note for them on the Mayan Families website: http://mayanfamilieshonors.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/congratulations-ted-and-sandy-shooman/

Nathan and Sela decided to give Mom and Dad a surprise of their own this morning, and wanted to bring them breakfast before going to school. Unfortunately, my kids were so excited that ran in the house and right into the bathroom where mom was, and she was really surprised!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! May you have many more happy and healthy years together!! We love you!!!