First Taste

of rice cereal

Teddy Bear Picnic

We heard a book about a teddy bear picnic at library story time this week, so Lily really wanted to have one.

Tummy Time

Click

Yesterday at swimming lessons, something clicked for William. All the sudden, he realized we weren't giving him instructions to keep him from having fun in the water- we were instructing him how to have even more fun by actually swimming in the water, specifically, how to go under water safely. By the end of the lesson, he was excitedly swimming back and forth between the instructor and me over and over again. The instructor had him stop for a second and he emphatically said, "I want swimming!"

That's how it normally is with William. We work and work and fight and fight, and nothing happens. And then one day it clicks. I thought about that last night when William took a Little Einsteins book to bed with him. A year ago he couldn't match photos to their object. But now he recognizes color cartoons and even some simple or familiar line drawings.

So, would you please join me in praying for another area that needs to "click"? It's potty training. We've been working on it for three years now. So often I've felt like we were about to conquer it, only to experience another set back. And now I'm fairly certain that having an older brother that's not potty trained is what is holding Lily back.

I know God cares about these very personal details of our lives, and I know He hears our prayers. He always answers. Thank you for joining me!

Ready for our Morning Walk

Lily got all decked out in her new Kitty Kitty gear for our walk this morning.

Four Month Stats

We finally had Abby's four month well check today. The stats did not surprise me at all. Here they are:

24 inches- 50th percentile for length (same percentile as last time)
15lbs 3oz- 80th percentile for weight (up slightly from last time)
16 in- 90th percentile for head circumference (not measured last time)

She took her shots like a pro and was great while the kids and I played a game of mini golf and got some ice cream before heading home.

She may not be super tall for her age, but she's still getting too big for her bouncy seat.

Bye, Bye Carpet

Our basement flooded Monday night. Grandma and Grandpa B, bless their hearts, came over today in the heat and humidity and helped get the carpet out. We all agreed it wasn't worth saving.

The kids thought it was fun and exciting at the time, although Lily kept asking why we had to throw it away and if we would get new carpet and could she please watch another movie on the computer upstairs.

The word is still out on whether the couch is salvageable. We got the fan running down there trying to dry it and the bookshelves out. This is one of those times I'm glad we don't have expensive furniture.

The water made it over into the other side of the basement, but in God's kindness it did not ruin Eric's guitar. At this point, that side stinks worse than the family room side. I'm not sure if it's the carpet in there or the baskets of wet items waiting to be washed.

Sitting Up

Aunt Marian

Eric's Aunt Marian came to visit us for a couple days this week. What a treat! Aunt Marian is Eric's special aunt- the one who took a special interest in him and took him and his siblings on fun adventures when he was a kid. (Everyone should have a special aunt, don't you think?)

It was a real treat for me to get to know her. She's pretty much lived my ideal life- traveling the United States and the world. She's a prolific reader and a history buff. I especially enjoyed hearing about her experiences volunteering in institutions for children with physical and mental handicaps in India and China.

She was a great sport, going with us to an African Safari park. I thought we'd be in air conditioning the whole time, but that did not end up being the case. I think she handled the heat better than either Eric or me. I'm sorry I totally forgot to take pictures at the park. I guess I was too busy waving carrots out the window trying to entice the giraffes... Anyway, here's one at bedtime.

Thanks so much, Aunt Marian, for taking the time to invest in Eric and now in our kids!

Teething?

Song Reservoir

I'm so grateful for my childhood. In challenging times like this week, I find myself remembering experiences and songs from GFC, the church where I grew up. I know people sometimes make fun of the "clappy happy" songs of the Jesus movement, but the foundational truths they contain and childlike faith they proclaim are a reservoir of grace for me:

"This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

"I've got a river of life flowing out of me...opens prison doors and sets the captive free...Spring up, oh well, within my soul...and give to me that life abundantly."

"As the deer panteth for the waters so my soul longeth after Thee. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship Thee."

"God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me."

Just Like Jessica

This week we got to spend two days with Jessica, the girl from church who was my mother's helper a couple summers ago. The kids enjoyed her as much as ever!

Painting

Our Hope

As many of you already know, the president of our family of churches, CJ Mahaney, announced this past Thursday that he is taking a leave of absence to deal with a number of charges against him. This past week was a busy one for Eric and me as we've been learning and processing what this is about. It's been very sad and sobering.

Last night God spoke to us through the evening's Daily Light entry. The opening verse was 1 Cor. 3:13, "The Day will disclose it." The final passage was from Jer. 32:18b-19:
"O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds."

Our hope in this process is not in our leaders (though I was greatly encouraged to hear Josh Harris' description of and response to the situation in his Sunday sermon at Covenant Life Church this morning). Our hope is not in an independent panel. It's not even in the power of the truth. Our hope is in God. And whatever happens with this process, He knows all, He has seen all, and He will reward each according to their deeds.

This is an in-house situation, so all the sins committed are forgiven sins. And yet there will be a Day when God will bring everything to light and will reward His people for the good they have done, seen and unseen. In the meantime, He will continue to build His Church. I'm so glad He is in control.

Two Front Teeth

My boy is growing up! Last week William lost one of his two front teeth. This week he lost the other. I think it makes his smile even more adorable.

The Greatest of These

I was in high school when my youth pastor talked one Sunday about 1 Corinthians 13 and how we can't please God without faith, and yet love is greater. I was really struck by that thought. I've been thinking a lot about that lately along with 2 Peter 1:5-7:

"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love."

I know not every list in the Bible is progressive or chronological, but this one seems to me like it is. Faith comes first. Then you grow in knowledge and virtue. Self-control and endurance are another level; they lead to godliness. I thought it was interesting that Peter made virtue and godliness two different things. He also lists brotherly kindness and love as two different things. And love is at the end- assumably not because it's least important but because it's the hardest.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about that last point- how hard love is. Not just that it's hard to do, but I'm often not even sure what it looks like in a situation. It's more than the absence of sinning against someone. It's more than being kind. It's more than serving.

I read the accounts of how Jesus relates to people- how He sees them and reaches out to them and gives Himself to them and speaks words that bring them life. Then I look at my little world and wonder what that would look like. Obviously, I'm not Jesus, I can't give people life. But I am called to love. What does loving my family look like? What about my friends and my neighbors and my church?

Does anyone know any good resources (books, Bible studies, articles, messages, etc) on loving? Thanks for your help!

Sisters

Smile

William is into drawing smiley faces... everywhere. Here's one he drew this morning on the back of his school picture. Looks like a happy robot to me...

Great Grandma

My dad's mom is my last living grandparent and my children's last living great grandparent, so we were so glad that she was able to visit us yesterday and meet Lily and Abigail for the first time.
Grandpa R brought her, so we also gave him a warm welcome. =)

Cranky

One of William's favorite Thomas character is Cranky, the crane. Grandma and Grandpa B got him a Cranky toy at Christmas which he loves. It has a magnet that connects to little box cars to lift on and off trains. That's super fun, but William often tries to lift more than just those box cars. He's constantly constructing new ways for it to lift engines using other magnets, rubber bands, play dough, and legos. This morning he used a playmobile ladder. I love to watch his little mind work.

Big Girl Bike

Lily has been longing to go on bike rides with Daddy and William, but her little tricycle just can't keep up. So we told her when she could make the pedals go on William's bike, we would get her her own big girl bike. Well, that day has come. We ended up going with a Princess model (surprise, surprise), and the only one at Wal-Mart was still in a box. Dear Daddy spent a long time putting it together, largely due to the fact that he had three eager "helpers." By the time it was ready to go, it was getting pretty late, but of course we had to let Lily try it out before heading to bed. Here is the tired but happy bike rider. =)