4 generations.
Bigs with his favorite niece and nephew. His words, not mine. ;)
Smile...
No more photos?
Saturday, 14 December 2013
Jenny's wedding
Arkansas Act 1
I spent some early morning quality time with this cute boy while everyone else slept.
Saturday, 2 November 2013
Je t'aime
I treat this blog as a scrapbook of our family. I say that I'll print it out so that my kids can sit around and look at it but we will see if that happens. This is my way of tangibly counting my blessings and documenting it for my children. Things I want to remember...moments I want them to remember...stories of us...blessings. I'm not usually too introspective but today my heart is a bit heavy and there are some things I want my kids to know.
In what seems like a looooong time ago I was blessed with this amazing opportunity to take a little trip to Paris, France. And, by trip I mean move there. Even as I type this, it doesn't seem real. I lived in Paris for two years. I learned about and loved the people and the culture and God tied my heart specifically to the immigrant population who called the Île de France home. As I type, it has been five years since I returned to the States and I'm not sure I have fully processed my time in Paris. The people with whom my path crossed during those two years will forever be some of my favorite. The challenges I faced while there were hard. My God, he was faithful. Just as he always has been and always will be. He was faithful to provide friends, to protect, to soften my heart, to teach and guide. It was a beautiful time. So beautiful that, again, it does not seem like it really happened. Je t'aime Paris. I loved my time there. And, I love the people I met while I was there.
There was one specific aspect of my time there that is still a part of my life now, thanks entirely to facebook. You see, I was the "volunteer coordinator" for our team which means that I got to hang out with the really fun and awesome people who lived in the US but wanted to see what God was doing in France so they came on these week-ish long trips to help us with projects and pray. I planned these trips and worked with these teams as the helped us in the community. I'm not sure that they knew how much God used them in my life. They were blessings. They were light. And, now we have a continued connection. Hopefully God will allow my memories to remain fresh so that I can tell you about all of them.
There is one woman on my heart today. She is the reason that lately it has been sooo hard for me to put my baby girl down to sleep at nap and bed times. I just want to keep rocking and rocking and rocking. You snuggle in and suck your thumb and are so relaxed on my chest. You occasionally pop your head up to flash me a big smile or talk to the baby girl in the mirror. ;) And, I just can't lay you down. I just want to hold you forever. Back to the lady from the team. Her name is Tommye-she worked for one of our partner churches and she made multiple trips. She was full of joy and grace and faith. She loved her two adult daughters. I specifically remember her telling me about her daughter, Amy and how they had been in a lifelong battle against the ugly disease of cystic fibrosis. I listened in awe as she told of a double lung transplant and how big and good they both believed God to be. After all that, she grew up to be a nicu nurse. Fast forward to the last couple of years. Amy needed and received another double lung transplant and for the last year has been fighting one hardship after another. I watched, via facebook, these two fight and love and worship like nothing I have ever seen. Every time I read a post from Tommye I found myself so encouraged by her understanding of God's great, tight grip on her and her baby girl that I was inspired to press and press and press on to know that great God. Last night, the post that so many had prayed against was there on the screen. "Amy went to heaven." One minute she was worshiping her God frail and weak in a hospital bed and the next she was worshiping him whole and healed before his throne. Hallelujah! He came to save and he has saved. Thank you, God, for the voices of the faithful...the saints whom you love and who bring much fame to your name!
My heart is so broken for this Mama who woke up this morning without her baby girl. I am so challenged to worship God the way she did and does and to love my kids with a passion that points them and all who see to this Jesus who was raised from the dead, to this eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, to the things unseen yet eternal. Sometimes the pain and the darkness that I see all around me seems so thick. But, just like with my volunteer teams, God causes his light to burst through. Jesus overcame death and sin so that we can take heart when that darkness seems too much. That darkness cannot hide the light. Still we can pray:
Jesus, come quickly!
In what seems like a looooong time ago I was blessed with this amazing opportunity to take a little trip to Paris, France. And, by trip I mean move there. Even as I type this, it doesn't seem real. I lived in Paris for two years. I learned about and loved the people and the culture and God tied my heart specifically to the immigrant population who called the Île de France home. As I type, it has been five years since I returned to the States and I'm not sure I have fully processed my time in Paris. The people with whom my path crossed during those two years will forever be some of my favorite. The challenges I faced while there were hard. My God, he was faithful. Just as he always has been and always will be. He was faithful to provide friends, to protect, to soften my heart, to teach and guide. It was a beautiful time. So beautiful that, again, it does not seem like it really happened. Je t'aime Paris. I loved my time there. And, I love the people I met while I was there.
There was one specific aspect of my time there that is still a part of my life now, thanks entirely to facebook. You see, I was the "volunteer coordinator" for our team which means that I got to hang out with the really fun and awesome people who lived in the US but wanted to see what God was doing in France so they came on these week-ish long trips to help us with projects and pray. I planned these trips and worked with these teams as the helped us in the community. I'm not sure that they knew how much God used them in my life. They were blessings. They were light. And, now we have a continued connection. Hopefully God will allow my memories to remain fresh so that I can tell you about all of them.
There is one woman on my heart today. She is the reason that lately it has been sooo hard for me to put my baby girl down to sleep at nap and bed times. I just want to keep rocking and rocking and rocking. You snuggle in and suck your thumb and are so relaxed on my chest. You occasionally pop your head up to flash me a big smile or talk to the baby girl in the mirror. ;) And, I just can't lay you down. I just want to hold you forever. Back to the lady from the team. Her name is Tommye-she worked for one of our partner churches and she made multiple trips. She was full of joy and grace and faith. She loved her two adult daughters. I specifically remember her telling me about her daughter, Amy and how they had been in a lifelong battle against the ugly disease of cystic fibrosis. I listened in awe as she told of a double lung transplant and how big and good they both believed God to be. After all that, she grew up to be a nicu nurse. Fast forward to the last couple of years. Amy needed and received another double lung transplant and for the last year has been fighting one hardship after another. I watched, via facebook, these two fight and love and worship like nothing I have ever seen. Every time I read a post from Tommye I found myself so encouraged by her understanding of God's great, tight grip on her and her baby girl that I was inspired to press and press and press on to know that great God. Last night, the post that so many had prayed against was there on the screen. "Amy went to heaven." One minute she was worshiping her God frail and weak in a hospital bed and the next she was worshiping him whole and healed before his throne. Hallelujah! He came to save and he has saved. Thank you, God, for the voices of the faithful...the saints whom you love and who bring much fame to your name!
My heart is so broken for this Mama who woke up this morning without her baby girl. I am so challenged to worship God the way she did and does and to love my kids with a passion that points them and all who see to this Jesus who was raised from the dead, to this eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, to the things unseen yet eternal. Sometimes the pain and the darkness that I see all around me seems so thick. But, just like with my volunteer teams, God causes his light to burst through. Jesus overcame death and sin so that we can take heart when that darkness seems too much. That darkness cannot hide the light. Still we can pray:
Jesus, come quickly!
12 months
The last month of our lives is a blur, so I'm not quite sure what was new. At 12 months our sweet girl was sweet and happy. Cutting more teeth and not quite ready to take a few steps.
We played a lot of peek a boo.
Boo!
And, she does not care too much for those bows in her hair.
But, does try to put them back in her hair.
Saturday, 12 October 2013
Stitches and Glue
While playing in the cul de sac with the neighbors', Mr. Manny and Mrs. JoAnn, grandsons you were scootering along happy as could be. When you went to scoot up the driveway, you hit the bump where the surfaces change and went forward a bit as your scooter came back on you. As you turned to run to me, I realized it hurt more than it looked then noticed a thick stream of blood. Uh oh. Thankfully, there were helping hands around and I realized once again and all the more how we have hit the neighbor jackpot. I made a few calls and the given the time of day and your young age, off to the emergency room we went. A couple of stitches later we were on our way. I saw God's grace all over. There was no waiting and everyone was so kind. Your daddy met is there. You were so calm and brave and followed instructions so well. You impressed everyone with how still you were. I am so proud of you and blessed to be your Mama.
The very next day we were off to the airport. You were a great traveller and enjoyed the short flight up to L.A. 
As we went to board our flight to XNA, you tripped. We quickly realized the gash on your chin needed some attention. People offered tissues, sought ice, and alerted medical personnel. The airport staff were quick to care for us and accommodate. You were so calm and trusted your Dad and me so well. Again, it was all God's grace.
The decision was made for you and your Dad to head off to the hospital while your sleeping sister and I caught the flight. I was so sad to leave you. When we landed in Arkansas, I saw a stream of photos from your adventure.
A ride in an ambulance.
Happy.
Glue this time.
A taxi ride that you might never remember.
Dinner and a night in a hotel provided by the airport. They also put you two on a flight to me. Hurry up and get here.
I hope you have some memories of this, but I hope you mostly recall God's steadfast love and faithfulness to us. And, no more trips to the emergency room, ok?
Monday, 23 September 2013
Three
Some favorite things:
Color-blue
Food-you said, "begetables and pizza". I say it's Mac n cheese and any kind of pasta plus anything sugary sweet.
Toy-trucks
Book-Bang Boom Roar A Busy Crew of Dinosaurs and Big Joe's Trailer Truck
Bible story-The one about Naaman.(this is a daily request from the Jesus Story Bible.)
You are sweet and cuddly and funny! You sing all day long. Songs you have learned and songs you have made up are a regular sound that fills our home. You have started humming actual tunes. You are a delightful child.
Some cute things said lately:
You use pronouns really well but have recently been flipping her and she. I think it's cute so I'm not yet correcting it...i.e. You will say, I want she to come with me or her went to sleep. Also, I'll tell you, "All of my life I've wanted a little boy just like you." You excitedly say, "What was his name?!" ;)
This was taken on your birthday. Sweet boy! You play hard and sack out!
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Truck on over...our boy is THREE!
We enjoyed celebrating our three year old in our very own backyard! Your cousins, grandparents, friends, great aunts, and neighbors new and old joined us to celebrate. Reminders abound of God's steadfast love and faithfulness to us.
The scene:
A pic from every month since September 2012 on display:
Waiting for the races:
Generous friends:
The scene:
A pic from every month since September 2012 on display:
Generous friends:
The races: (Your Daddy planned out truck races for you and your friends, then made these great trucks from leftover moving boxes. A highlight of the party, for sure! And, he's never even been on Pinterest! ;))
The treat: (You asked for brown cupcakes and brown icing. It's true, the apple does not fall far from the tree. ;))
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| Happy Birthday to You, Sweet Boy! |
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| The candles went our on their own... |
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| Re-light, thanks Pops! |
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| Now, make a wish and blow them out! |
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| Then, enjoy. |
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| Looks like she enjoyed hers... |
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| And, so did he. ;) |
P.S.: (Your baby sis had a grand time, too.)
Guests:
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| Mrs. B, Mrs. K, Mrs. C, and Noni |
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| Der-Bear and his daddy |
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| E |
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| Cuzins |
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| Great Aunt Nancy, mama, Kelly, and Noni |
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