a time for mourning

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: ... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance..." Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 We have been in a season of mourning with our community at Uptown Church. Last Thursday a friend and a sister in Christ was taken home to be with her Savior and King after a fatal car accident less than a mile from the school where she taught. Aimee Powell was a daughter of the Good Shepherd, full of life and emotion. Today we mourned her death and celebrated her life. I am shocked by the entire thing, it seems unreal. I am shocked that I sat at lifegroup praying for her the Sunday before and the following Sunday I sat and prayed a different prayer for her: I thank my God everytime I remember you Aimee. In all my prayers for you Aimee I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you Aimee will (and did) carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:3-6) Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints (Ps 116:15). Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven (2 Corin 5:1). Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to Aimee has really served to advance the gospel... For to Aimee, to live is Christ and to die is gain (from Phil 1:12, 21). Thank you Father for the time we were able to enjoy your precious servant while she was here on Earth. Help us to mourn well, as those who have hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

shut up

So yesterday I had my first experience with Caleigh repeating something bad that I have said. After a hectic day of Andrew fussing basically the entire day (he is cutting his first tooth) around 6 pm we were in the car and he was screaming like usual and I said (kind of under my breath) - shut up Andrew. And then I hear this cute, tiny voice from the backseat, "Tut up, A-drew." Great. Love it that Caleigh decided to repeat me at that exact moment. I tried to conceal my laughter because it was pretty funny to hear a 2 year old tell her 7 month old brother to shut up, not knowing at all what it means. I talked her through it and we prayed for forgiveness for Mommy, but wow... it is really an entirely different ballgame when you have a little mimic following you wherever you go. Having a child really does show you your sin.

7 months

Bruzey boy is 7 months old. Hard to fathom. This little guy is cutting his first pearly white - I can see it glistening below the surface of his lower gums just waiting to break through (and in the meantime making him as grouchy and drooly as ever). He has transitioned to nursing 4 times a day (8, 11, 3, 7) and eating 3 baby food meals a day. We have tried letting him play with Cheerios and Gerber puffs and he gets them in his mouth from time to time but he is basically just experimenting. He is down to 2 naps a day too. He still is not rolling over from back to front - and while it is seriously stressing me out - the doctor says it is totally fine. He is sitting up pretty much 100 percent of the time. I keep thinking one day he is just going to start army crawling across the ground but it has yet to happen (I will probably regret ever wishing he would crawl sooner rather than later). We haven't been brave enough to move him into Caleigh's room yet, though their room has been set up with both beds since last October. I really keep wanting to move them in together but he is such a light sleeper (especially since he is used to sleeping in basically a cave). We will see if I ever make any progress on that. It is so hard to believe we are in 2010 and in this year he will turn 1. I can't believe he is growing up so fast. Yesterday Adam snuck a peek at him while he was snoozing and he was all cuddled up with his silky and sleeping on his side and Adam closed the door and said, "Aww, I want another one." I was like - hmmm, why don't you hold onto that thought for a couple of years and once I haven't been pregnant or nursing a child for 33 out of the last 34 months then we will talk (is that right - that really puts it in perspective). Seriously. Not for a long time. But I am rambling - we are thankful for you bubba boy!

country, take 2

We just got back from the "country" - Holly Hill, SC. We enjoyed a weekend away with awesome friends to celebrate our friends the Hunts who are leaving for Prague this month. It was awesome to be away without kids and to really enjoy each other. I am hoping to post pictures from that soon (when I get them from everyone else - I didn't take a single picture!).

happy new year

Over New Years I was in the midst of working 6 days in a row, so after working on New Year's Eve, this is how we spent our New Years Day (morning) - hanging out in the bed, having a big breakfast, and skype-ing.

Just a little shoulder rub... Andrew, let me read the Bible to you... And the kids played a tune for us...

Happy New Year!