Chicago b-day celebrations

This morning we are laying low around the house as Dad is "suffering for the work of the Lord" in Florida while we are home in Wisconsin with a forecast of snow possible. Actually, it's been rather refreshing to just hang out around the house together. It's hard to believe just a week ago today we went into the city to hang out at the zoo and with my sister and brother-in-law. What a beautiful spring day it was (and all of Chicago joined us at the zoo). I love the picture below of Tom and the 2 boys...one, it's just a cute picture...but mostly for the memory of my two kiddos with "shoe/boot issues." Isaac won't leave his shoes (or socks for that matter) on, and Josiah seems to think he "has" to still wear boots even though the snow really is gone (or so we thought). Due to driving separate vehicles on this particular day, Tom had wound up with these two in his car and wasn't the least perplexed by forgetting shoes for both of them...Si, of course, did have boots on (we finally had to hide his boots to get him to stop putting them on, we usually would not catch that he had put boots instead of shoes on until we were en route somewhere...church was always a smashing presentation....dress clothes and thick winter boots which were of course pulled up to his knees with his trousers in a wad above); Isaac, didn't have any on because I figured it was easier to keep track of his shoes and socks if I just put them in my purse. Well, Tom gets the resourceful Dad of the week award for searching high and low through the suburban to come up with a pair of dress shoes to put on Isaac (without socks) as I had to park a long distance from where he had parked before we met up in the zoo later. This is probably a confusing story but it really, really cracked us up. I am very thankful for a husband that reminds me what is and is not important...and teaches me to laugh about the insignificant. I am remembering another trip to a museum late last year when Tom had not noticed that Cole had mistakenly put on Si's pants. He had highwater pants by a literal 5 inches....neither Tom or Cole were the least bit bothered! I still can laugh out loud when I remember that day.

Later we went back to my sister's where she surprised Si with a really, really cool cake. There was an elaborate lion and giraffe made out of fondant on the cake. It was by far the neatest cake we have ever had for a b-day. She had special ordered the filling to have fresh strawberries as Josiah adores eating them (more than cake)!

Many thanks to Amy and Steve for a delightful day!

Happy B-day Preston!

Joint baby dedication--August 2007

Isaac & Preston, cousins

It is so sad to realize that we have only been with you a few short days of your first year in our family...we love you so much and wish we could have been with you to help you celebrate. What a sweet, snuggable, huggable bundle of love you are!!

Happy B-day "Si"!

6 years old!

Josiah, being the animal enthusiast he is, really enjoyed going to the Rainforest Cafe on his birthday. Today we are off to the Lincoln Park zoo in Chicago for him to get his fill of the real thing. He is such a joy to watch, especially in his enthusiasm and delight in all things wild. It was a really sweet night to remember how very special he makes our family.

I don't know, Nana & Gramps...do you think he likes it?!

Looks like all his grandparents know him pretty well!

All good things must come to an end

Be sure to see the conclusion of Sense and Sensibility (Sunday night, PBS) if you can. This is a new reendition and I found it thoroughly delightful. This is also the conlusion of The Complete Jane Austen series, which showcased all six of her books. In my humble opinion, I enjoyed Persuasion the most of all.

Happy 8 years old to you...cousin Tyler!

(Better late than never :-)!)We wanted to take this opportunity to say how thankful we are that you are in our family. The picture above reminds us all of a really fun walk we got to enjoy while we were camping together last summer. Have fun playing ball this summer...we want to hear all about it!

Free ink refills for your printer...

...this Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at Walgreens. Just take your printer cartridge with you (color or black ink) and use the coupon from their weekly ad flyer (it was in Sunday's paper but they always have them in the store right inside the door). I missed it last time but am planning to definitely get in on the deal this time around!

Make a photobook - it's easy!

Isaac's opinion of cute Easter hats

Grant on the move...

Happy B-day Jules!!

My sister-in-law, Julie, was my friend long before I ever thought her brother would look my way with any interest in his heart. It has been so fun to experience all four of my pregnancies within relative proximity of hers. The picture above was taken last summer in the mountains of Montana with our latest two beautiful babes!

One of my fondest memories of Julie (and I have many, many) is the night we went on a double date....to the men we would both one day marry. Robb and Jules were just getting back together and it was my first official date with Tom. The guys had really gone all out and planned a boat trip from the Bible college campus we attended in Florida to the restaurant we would eat at where we would dine outside and watch an electrical boat parade. Well, the plans went just a wee bit awry when Julie and I BOTH fell getting into the boat. We both scraped our legs up pretty bad on the cement dock....but acted like we were fine because we didn't want to go back. If memory serves me correctly Julie fell first....but I went down right after her with a loud exclaimed "ouch!"....to which she later told me she was so relieved to hear because she was hurting so bad but not wanting to look lame....I sorta covered the "lame" part for her! To make a long story short...the boat had problems, we had to turn around and go back, ended up going to a different restaurant after all...but the evening ended with a balmy walk along the intercoastals of Palm Beach (doing one of my still favorite things to do with my now husband) just talking about everything and anything.

Over 15 years later, we still have the scars to remind us of that crazy yet beautiful night. We now have 10 children added to our collective families, and the memories just keep growing with our expanding families.

Now it's your turn: I thought that some of you who went to school with Julie might enjoy sharing your favorite memory of Julie....or better yet, dig out the old pictures!

Augustine

I know you've all been on pins and needles waiting to hear if I made it to the end...and what meaty thoughts I have to share from my reflections on it. Let me say that this was a "plow read" through and through. I never would have finished without the accountability of my reading group. I am glad I finished but still have trouble putting it all together.

I loved the quote on the back of the book by editor Rosalie De Rosset (lit prof, Moody), "Augustine never thought of God without thinking of his sin, nor of his sin without thinking of Christ." It is a daunting task to think of writing a spiritual biography in which you lay open an account of your sin for all to read. I can't imagine attempting to do so for public consumption...but that is just what his account is.

Our reading group found his relationship with his mother to be rather co-dependent, though certainly a beautiful picture of a mother's unrelenting hope for her child to be in Christ. His relationship with his concubine, his illegitimate child, his view of women in general, and his parents insistence on a "suitable" marriage our all such foreign concepts through our 21st century lenses.

His knowledge of Scripture and ability to quote it and weave it into his memoirs incessantly is nothing short of incredible. In books 1, 7 and 10 he talks about the nature of sin, how it is really just a perversion of the good that God has created...and ultimately seems to say that the cause of sin lies in free will. Augustine is a true seeker and in the end comes full circle to the saving faith his mother raised him in (from book 1, "I was sealed with the mark of His cross and seasoned with His salt"), and prayed over him fervently in all his years of wonderings.

"Too late loved I Thee, O Thou Beauty of ancient days, yet ever

new! Too late I loved Thee! And behold, Thou wert within me

and I was outside, and there I searched for Thee; deformed I,

rushing amid those beautiful forms, which Thou hadst made.

Thou wert with me, but I was not with Thee. Things held me

far from Thee, which, unless they were in Thee, would not exist

at all. Thou calledst and shoutest, and burstest, my deafness.

Thou flashest, shonest, and scatterest my blindness. Thou

breathes odours, and I drew in breath and pant for Thee.

I tasted and hunger and thirst. Thou touchest me, and I

burned for Thy peace."

Although my life is very different than Augustine's if you were looking at them from the outside in, you may be surprised to see the similarities...left to myself I would "darken" every affection (Romans 1:21) I set my eyes upon...but left to the God who calls, shouts, bursts through, and shines blinding light upon my darkness...this God I need...He is the air I breath....my water and food...my peace.

Around the same time I was finishing Augustine, I received a copy of one of Selah's cd in the mail and I was moved to tears by the second song "There is a Fountain." The writer, William Cowper, struggled all his life to experience the assurance of God's love he penned so beautifully in these lyrics. He suffered a nervous breakdown, attempted suicide several times, and was even confined to an insane asylum for a time where he was straitjacketed for his own protection. It is said that on his deathbed, however, he looked upward with amazement on his face and said, "I am not shut out of Heaven after all."

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's vains
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day
And there may I, though vile as he
Wash all my sins away

E'er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be till I die

And therein lies my journey mapped out...to ever remember what I am saved from...but also to truly lose the guilt of my stains (by Christ's atoning work on the cross) and allow Love to redeem my life's song.

Hearts

Last weekend I had the great privilege of traveling to Normal, Illinois to attend my 4th Hearts at Home Conference. Hearts is founded by Jill Savage, a pastor's wife and former teacher whose passion in life has become professionalizing motherhood (a title of one of her books) and affirming mothers in their decisions to pursuit their vocations with 110% of their being. Maybe later I will write more about what I learned this year...because there was a lot to glean. I was able to hook up with old friends from Michigan, my old pastor's wife and my old friend from church, Jill, who moved away last year, as well as travel down with some friends from here. I left feeling very encouraged that the "power of 15" effects so much...in 15 seconds, an attitude snaps; in 15 minutes, you can tackle so many jobs and become a better time manager; in 15 years, the better part of your molding influence will be had...make these years count...for the best...while you have them.

Amy & Kim

Kim gave me a great resource while there called "Gather Round the Table." It is a Lenten devotional you can do with your families...very applicable for smaller children...purchased at www.creativecommunications.com for around a dollar. Next year I am buying them for all the kids I come in contact through childrens ministries.

Brooke & Laura (from Michigan)

Michelle, Melissa, Heidi (from up here),

& Jill (recently moved away)

"Good-bye" came too soon!

I John 4:19 "We love because He first loved us."