Ahh, sweet....

Merry Christmas, everybody! We've had a great day at home today. Since we didn't make it to Muncie yesterday because of our little accident, Scott's mom and dad came here for the afternoon. It was a wonderful, relaxing day, and my sweet mother-in-law even brought the entire meal! Such a blessing. We had fun reading the Christmas story together this morning, courtesy of Aaron, opening packages (after explaining that they each got three and talking about the three wise men and their gifts!), baking a birthday cake for Jesus, and playing with new legos sets, a new guitar, loving the geotrax, and using the new ripstick in the hallway of our apartment (shh.....) Tonight, I was talking to my boys about what a great day it has been, and Isaac said....

"I want baby Jesus to come over."

Precious.... absolutely precious....

Christmas and my kiddos....

It's 11:10 on Christmas Eve according to my clock. Each of our kiddo's three gifts are wrapped and displayed, ready to be discovered in the morning.... the stockings are stuffed.... the cookies have been eaten (YEA!).... and I'm debating if I will stay up and wait for Scott to get home after our 5/7/9/11 services.

And I am overwhelmed with gratitude tonight, and I may ramble....

We were on I-69S, driving to see Scott's parents in Muncie. The road was a sheet of ice. A car went flying by us, lost control, hit the guard rail, and hit us. We ended up driving in the median, and praise God, Scott was able to regain control before we headed up into oncoming traffic on the other side. Everything happened in slow motion.

And God was with us.

And we are fine.

I am certain that God protected us. As fast as the other guy was going, it could have been bad. Really, really bad. But it wasn't.

And Ellie, our little darlin' who hates her carseat, was an absolute gem as we waited for a long time for the police officer to arrive. I couldn't take her out as we were afraid someone else was going to lose control and hit us again.

And our Isaac? He just said, "He crashed us!"

And our Aaron, "Oh man, I dropped my pen!"

Yep, sweet little ones. Sweet, sweet little ones. And I am extra grateful tonight. And I am thinking....

My Christmas is different with children. A little boy's tender voice....


A bigger boy who no longer believes in Santa, but who has a life that is already marked by the Savior's presence in His heart.
And a precious, precious little girl who reminds me of all that babyhood entails. Coos, spit ups, dirty diapers, fussy nights, gas bubbles, snuggles, and smiles....

And then, I think of Mary. And I think of her rocking a baby, too. THE baby.

God IS with us. Emmanuel.

After the Christmas Eve service tonight, Aaron told me he liked his new word, "M.U.L." It took me a minute, but I figured it out.... Emmanuel. We had a great conversation about what that really means.

Motherhood makes me see Christmas differently. Not only because I begin to see it through their eyes. But because my eyes are different now, too....

Merry Christmas. God IS with us!

The mouths of babes....

Aaron was just holding Ellie and said, "Mom, her breath smells like cheese."

Um.... sorry Ellie, but he was right....

Flashback Friday....

So, a few weeks ago, we decided to decorate our little apartment for Christmas. It ended up being such a fun and simple family night.... one of our best ever!

We only brought one small box of holiday decor from NY.... it included our kiddos' favorite nativity and cute little santa hats....

And our stockings (so, so funny.... I was working on something else and looked over and caught this glimpse of Isaac.... I laughed SO HARD....)

And of course, our itty bitty tree!

The kiddos had a blast making ornaments and "garland" for the tree!

One of our holiday decorating traditions is that we ALWAYS make chocolate chip cookies when we decorate the tree. This year was no exception! I'm convinced that Scott has never looked more handsome than he did MAKING yummy cookies and "wearing" Ellie in the Baby Bjorn!!! So sweet! :)

This one totally makes me smile.... Isaac was absolutely, 100% convinced that the bubble wrap needed to go ON the tree. You can definitely tell that we are a family in transition when we have bubble wrap ON the tree! HA!

Need a little Christmas cheer?

This may help....

.... or maybe not! :)

We wish you a Merry Christmas....

Scott is lucky that we decided to not buy each other gifts this year....

Check this out. And this. Yikes.

The Silent Monks

charity:water and ltlol

If you view my blog directly and not through Google Reader, you may have noticed a little addition.... the charity:water button above. Scott and I are big believers that when we combine all of our efforts, we all CAN and WILL make a difference in the world's water crisis.

1 billion people (that's a WHOLE lot of zeros.... 1,000,000,000.... and that's a WHOLE lot of PEOPLE who are loved by GOD!) do not have access to clean drinking water.

1,000,000,000!

1 in 8 people on our globe.

I want to make a difference.... Scott and I are choosing to dive into the Advent Conspiracy to free up some resources to make a difference.

charity:water is a great place to read, watch, learn, and grow.

Another terrific organization: Let Them Laugh Out Loud. Our dear, dear friends in Buffalo started a great organization to make a real difference.... last I heard, they are close to digging the first well.... cool. Very cool. And you can even get a cool ringtone to join in making a difference! (love you, Joe and Kate!)


Another cool thing.... both of these sites have really cool products that you can purchase and still make a difference! Check them out! Great Christmas presents!!! :)

Three months....

Yep, it's official.... Ellie is a three month old this week! Can someone please find a pause button somewhere? Please?!!! She is an absolute gem, and we're pretty crazy about her (EVEN in her fussy moments!) :)



At three months, Ellie....

* Loves smiling and cooing. My favorite moments during the day are right after she nurses and is laying on the boppy pillow, so, so content and happy. We'll have a little "conversation"... complete with "ooh's" and "oh's" and lots and lots of grins!
* Continues to be so strong. She loves holding her head up and looking around at all the action.
* Seems to have a favorite song which is momma's creation, "There was a mom who had a girl and Ellie was her name-o.... E-L-L-I-E...." (I know, I know.... very original!) :)
* Has big brothers who continue to adore her. Aaron has been THRILLED that we've let him carry her once in awhile with supervision now that she is a little more sturdy. He is SO proud of her! The boys have not shown one ounce of jealousy! Hoorah!
* Has us wondering if separation anxiety is starting REALLY early this time around. In all of our years as parents (you know.... SEVEN!), I've only ever been paged by the church nursery ONCE (and it was when Aaron was 18 months, fell, and had a bloody nose). I have already been paged for Ellie twice, and she immediately calmed down when she was in my arms.... I am sure it looked lovely when I walked out of church from the front row just as my husband was walking on stage to preach this week!!! :) I promise that I LOVE to hear him preach.... really!!!
* Seems to be getting a little more used to the idea that she has no other option when it comes to the carseat.... but she still cries about that thing!
* Will sleep for a 7 -8 hour stretch at night but is still pretty unpredictable.... sometimes, that stretch starts at 7:00 and sometimes, not until 11:00.
* Usually takes one nap in the swing each day. She usually likes to eat, then play for a bit, then, is ready for another nap!
* Has been SUCH a cat napper over the past couple of days (momma is hoping that it is just a phase!)
* At a few family gatherings and get togethers with friends, has definitely only wanted mommy or daddy (oh my, could Scott and I actually have a child who is an introvert?!?! Only time will tell!!) :)
* Is still in all of her beautiful 0-3 month clothes.... but is getting close to graduating to a new size.
* Has big beautiful BLUE eyes like her brothers. I don't understand genetics.... Scott and I don't have blue eyes and we're three for three now.... interesting....
* Loves to chew on her hands when her pacifier falls out.
* Continues to have darker brown hair.... except for her cute little bald spot on the back!
* Is definitely teaching mommy and daddy that there IS a difference between boys and girls!!!
* Is absolutely loved! We are so thankful....

Wanna win?

Here is a link to a great giveaway!

Thankful Thursday....

Today, I am thankful....

1) For three amazing months with our Ellie!
2) For Scott's amazing job and the Lord's provision!
3) For a furnace that works. I'm definitely praying for those without heat today....
4) For the fact that we only have one outside wall at our apartment, so we're hoping that will help reduce our heat costs this winter. Ahh, again, thankful for the Lord's provision!
5) That our sweet realtor is hosting yet another open house in NY this weekend. In that regard, would you please pray for the "just right" buyer to come along soon? We were a bit disappointed.... there was a couple that was very interested in our home, just needed to get their current home listed.... but they just "changed their minds." However, God revealed something really, really cool to me while a friend was praying for me the other day (thanks, Ang!).... Scott and I love our old neighbors in NY. Really, really love them (yep, crying right now as I type that....) I care more about them having a good neighbor in the future than I care about my bank account. I really and truly do. In Scott's message on Sunday, he talked about how Jesus always, always picked people before power and possessions while He was on earth. I am choosing to pick PEOPLE today as I think about the whole house thing.... and I am CHOOSING PEACE until He brings the JUST RIGHT new neighbors along for my old neighbors! God has it all figured out, and I am CHOOSING to rest in His hand!

Have a blessed day, full of gratitude! I love you....

Conversation of the day....

This morning, we had a really cool event at our new church called "Breakfast in Bethlehem." It was a blast (pictures to come....)

But, as we were at home getting ready this morning, Aaron was scurrying around, getting dressed and ready for his role as a shepherd, he was asking questions about what to wear, and I attempted to answer.

He told me, "Mom, leave it to daddy, he's the pastor- you're not a pastor- you're just a mom!"

WHAT?! But he redeemed it when he paused and then said, "BUT.... you're a REALLY FUN MOM!"

I proceeded to ask him (after much laughter), if he thought being a mom is a hard or easy job.

He said, "Hard.... 'cause you have to get up all night long with Ellie to feed her!" :)

Such a sweetie! Even though there ARE days that ARE hard, I wouldn't trade being a mommy for anything in the world.... even if I AM "just a mom" in his book for now!!! It's the best "job" that I've ever had..... ;)

As a mommy...

.... sometimes, I just need to know that I'm in good company and that there are other mommies in the world going through the same "stuff" that I am. I read this today on Amanda's blog and felt very encouraged (love it.... she is Beth Moore's daughter....)

".... isn't it an honor to be a woman? As hard as it is and sometimes unfair, we get a front row seat to see the magic of a life growing from tiny cells into a baby, a toddler, a preschooler, and so on. And to feel it all so fully! To others and often to ourselves our lives can look utterly mundane and common. Every day I load my babies in and out of my Jeep with my oversized purse and huge diaper bag falling down my shoulder and smacking into the baby's face. Meanwhile, junk falls out of the floor boards and onto the driveway, and I know another Chickfila receipt is going to wander into our neighbor's yard and, help me Lord, she's going to know that I didn't recycle it! My son has lost his shoes inside the car and I'm thinking "Calgon, take me away!" Only that's what they said in our moms' day and I don't even know if they make that anymore. But maybe I can find some Thomas the Tank Engine bubble bath in the kids' bathroom!

The thing is, God is using us to grow lives. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. Stop and marvel at whatever new thing your three-year-old said or did today. In all likelihood (as long as it was pure and lovely, of course), he learned it from you! In case no one else says this to you today, well done mama. You're doing an important job and you will be richly rewarded, even if for the time being it's a big hug around the knees every time you have to wipe your preschooler's rear."

I love the Christmas story....

.... and it doesn't get ANY better than this....



Isn't that THE sweetest little voice you have EVER heard?!?! "An agent of the Lord".... "A baby wrapped in coats".... PRICELESS! :)

Advent Conspiracy....

What's in MY manger? What's in YOUR manger?

Up for a challenge? Listen here.

Is it your time?

You already know how I feel about the ministry that Compassion does. Amazing.... Incredible.... Life changing! Remember THIS POST AND VIDEO?

Well, maybe it's your time to dive in, too.... pray about it.... if you are feeling stirred, I promise that you won't regret it. It will change your life to get involved. It will change your kids' lives, too (my boys love two little children on the other side of the globe!) It honestly is the best money that we spend each month!

My sister is participating in Christmas with Compassion this year and is looking for a sponsor for a precious little boy in Rwanda (she already sponsors other kiddos, too). He even has "Isaac" in his name.... so sweet! I'm praying for him, too, and I know that he needs some love and some help from the other side of the world.

His birthday is September 25, 2003.
His parents are sometimes employed as farmers.
There are 5 children in his family.
His favorite activities are soccer and running.
His performance in kindergarten is average.

"What more could you want for Christmas than to share the joy of sponsoring Irakoze and know you are helping him learn and develop physically, mentally and spiritually?"

Let me know if you're interested in learning more.... what a sweet little face!!! :)

No more Santa....

Aaron just said, "Well, since the tooth fairy isn't real, I don't think Santa is real either. But who eats the cookies and drinks the milk?"

Hmmm..... my response EVERY time, "Well, what do YOU think?"

Aaron: "You and Daddy. Um, he's not real...."

The end of the Santa era for Aaron.... we always have said that we'll answer directly if he ever asks directly.... the time has come at our house....

Does that mean HE can do the shopping to fill all the stockings this year?!?! :)

Today....

.... I am remembering again...

I love my boys...

.... REALLY, I do. But I also enjoy little breaks from my boys, too.... REALLY, I do.

Does that make me a bad mom to admit it? I am feeling some mommy guilt for admitting it. But REALLY.... truly, I think that it is healthy to get a little break from my kids once in awhile. I have precious, precious friends who really and truly do not like to be away from their kids.... EVER. That is not me.

I love my boys, REALLY, I do. BUT.... I am SO thankful to live close to family again and thankful for the fact that my boys are having a slumber party at Grandma and Grandpa's house for two nights.... REALLY, I am.

I will be more than happy to see them again tomorrow.... REALLY, I will. But for today, I am enjoying a little peace in my home.... REALLY, I am.

We're already excited....

.... about Toy Story 3 (well, I should correct myself.... Scott and I are excited.... we haven't told the boys about it because we would never hear the end of it UNTIL the movie actually comes out in theaters!) Check it out.... fun, fun!

Thankful Thursday...

Today, I am thankful...

... for way too many things to list here! I am a blessed woman.... and I am thankful that I had a day to set aside to focus on living life with a grateful heart! Attempting to live with gratitude every day!

Happy Thanksgiving! Much love!

Advent Conspiracy

Our family is a part of the conspiracy again this year.... wanna join us?!?! :)



Scott is preaching at Sonrise for the next four weeks on the conspiracy.... I'm excited to be challenged and inspired....

On my mind and in my heart....

This completely grips me....

See here.

Thankful Thursday....

Today, I am thankful....

1) That I have been able to dive right into a new MOPS group at our church. I really enjoyed it today.... great speaker.... great discussion group.... fun craft! And Isaac even did okay in childcare.... except, he said, "Those mean kids fight me." Ahh, the joys of a three year old learning how to SHARE! :)
2) For the new show, "The Middle". It cracks me up.... it's good to laugh!
3) To be close to family again!!! We had a fantastic day with Scott's parents on Saturday.... can't wait to spend Thanksgiving with my family next week! We even got a lunch date on Sunday after church because our kiddos were in the care of family! Such a blessing!

Just enjoying time together on a beautiful, sunny Saturday!

4) That Aaron seems to be settling into his new school just fine. And only one "behavior" call from the teacher so far! :)
5) That I get to go to WCC's Holiday Tea on Saturday and will be able to hear my dear friend, Angie, speak!!! I am thankful for the miracles that God has done in her life and in the life of her family.... can't wait to see, firsthand, how God uses her that day!!! I am also thankful that I was able to see Ang and Austin while they were at Lutheran for chemo on Monday. I sure love that sweet family! :)

Have a blessed day! Love you!

Encouragement for Today

"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation" (Psalm 5:3).

I love the Psalms.... I love that they often give my soul words....

I am a blessed woman....

Flashback Friday....

Right after we moved, we were thrilled to enjoy the big "Harvest Fest" at our new church! The boys had a blast dressing up, getting candy, and playing the games, and L'il Miss Ellie slept through the entire thing!

The funniest moment of the day for me happened when a sweet lady said to Aaron, "Wow, you're a great COWBOY!" It looked like it took all of the Jesus he has in his sweet heart to not scream, "I beg your pardon?!?! I AM NOT a cowboy, WOMAN! I am INDIANA JONES!!!!!" He just smiled and said, "Thank you...." um, with a little (or a lot) of prompting from momma!!! :)

All three of our kiddos have put on this little orange attire for their first Halloween (yes, even though Isaac was born in MAY.... what a peanut he was AND is!)
And I'm pretty sure that I have a picture of all three of them with the hat falling down, too!

Thankful Thursday (a little late....)

Today, I am thankful....

1) That I am living with all HEALTHY PEOPLE!!!! HOORAH! PRAISE GOD! It's been nearly a month, but we are finally all healthy!!! While my entire family got nailed with a virus form of the crud, I got nailed with a bacteria version of the crud last Friday (as confirmed by blood tests.... praising God that they did rule out mono though!) So thankful for the antibiotics that I started on Monday and that I am ALMOST back to 100%, too, along with the rest of my clan!!!
2) That Scott has the opportunity to preach at Sonrise. He challenged, encouraged, and totally inspired me on Sunday.... if you have a little bit of time, check it out here. (We are God's Workmanship- Like it or not, 11/8/09). I don't think you'll regret it!
3) That my in-laws agreed to keep our 85 lb. chocolate lab, Ollie, while we live in an apartment (and my mom and dad will keep him when Tom and Kathy are gone on trips). I cannot imagine doing apartment living with that dog on top of all of this (he's very, ahem.... energetic.... to put it mildly!) With the options we found, we would have been in a TWO bedroom apt. with him since this one won't allow dogs that large. YIKES!!!!!! I would have needed to turn in my SANITY CARD if that had been the case!
4) That Aaron's bus goes straight from our neighborhood to the school.... and that he is the first stop after school, too.
5) That God cares for us and that selling our house in NY is HIS problem and not ours.... and the last time I checked, His shoulders are MIGHTY BIG ENOUGH to handle it!!! I am choosing to not be anxious about all of that and know that He will continue to provide faithfully as He has always done! :)

Hope that you have a blessed day and a fabulous weekend! Much love!

Lovin' my Creator....

Whew! My friend, Lisa, posted this, and it was JUST WHAT I NEEDED this morning.... perspective. It's ALL ABOUT HIM.... I'm havin' a little praise inside these four walls this morning!!!!



"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning, I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation" (Psalm 5:3).

Guess who....

.... turned two months old today?!! Ahh shucks, you guys are TOO smart! :) I know that every parent says this.... but where does the time go?!? REALLY?!? We are totally soaking it all up and enjoying our sweet little darlin'!

At two months, Ellie....

* Continues to look SO much like her big brothers (except with brown hair)!
* Is SO close to cooing.... sometimes, she just LOOKS like she wants to have a conversation! I have a feeling that from the day she speaks a word, it will be NONSTOP from there on out!
* Is still SO STRONG! Whenever we hold her on our chests, she will not snuggle in and lay down; she's too busy looking up and looking around (of course, those big brothers of hers give her PLENTY to watch!)
* Generally takes one of her longer naps of the day in her swing.
* Has decided that she doesn't like her bouncy seat. Boo!
* Still doesn't like her carseat either. Boo again!
* Has the cutest little bald spot on the back of her itty-bitty head!
* Had her first bottle last week and did pretty well. Hoorah... that could mean a date night for Scott and Deanna in the near future!!! :)
* Sleeps every night swaddled in her "Miracle Blanket", snuggled in between a baby sleep positioning wedge! Loving those inventions! Marvelous!
* Is still a bit unpredictable when it comes to sleep though. Some nights, she still wakes up and want to eat every 3 to 4 hours but has actually gone 9 hours a few nights, too!
* Has stayed in the nursery twice.... did just fine once and mommy had to be paged once because she decided she was hungry!
* Is very passionate about Mylicon drops! Her tummy is definitely a tender one!
* Is still totally adored by her big brothers without an ounce of jealousy from them! She is certainly adored by her mommy and daddy, too!

Don't ya just love how hard Aaron is working to settle her down? So sweet.... I love seeing my rough and tumble firstborn SO tender....

I wish you could all hear Isaac exclaim, in a precious, high-pitched voice, "Hi, Ellie-girl!" Now, if I could just convince the boys that she could see them better if they weren't two inches from her nose!!!

Goodbye NY!

We paused for a minute to take one last family picture with our home before we pulled out and headed west on Monday, October 26th (we were ready to roll, as evidenced by the back of our van and the closed trailer!)

If you have a minute, can I ask you to please pray that our home in NY sells soon? We loved this home.... and more importantly, we loved our neighborhood.... but to be quite frank, we don't want this house anymore (I wish that we could have brought our neighbors with us to Indiana though!) Our first open house is happening tomorrow.... yep, prayers appreciated! :)

A little flashback....

... because I finally found my USB cord after the move and can actually download pictures!!!

Two weeks ago at this point, I was actually driving home from Buffalo Children's Hospital with our sweet Ellie. That originally would have been our moving day, but life just worked out differently. This was a scary time for me.... feeling pretty alone at points because Scott couldn't visit because he was at home sick (with two sick little boys, too).... but was thankful for visits from my mom and dad once they came into town to help with the move.... and even more grateful to take a recovering baby HOME with me! I was thankful to be able to take a few pictures so that Scott could picture where his little girl was hanging out....

This was actually a thrilling moment for me as a mommy because my itty bitty was getting her PASSIONATE cry back! When we got to the ER on Thursday, she was very lethargic and had a whimper.... she just wasn't herself and just didn't feel good.
Isn't she tiny?! For part of our hospital stay, she was on more of an adolescent wing.... the nurses seemed to love attending to such a sweet, itty bitty!Right before we went home! I was totally rejoicing because my girl was getting her smile back!!!

My mom and I said that Ellie was making a fashion statement in her "lovely", orangy-peachy hospital gown!Thanks so much to everyone who prayed for our precious Ellie!

Thankful Thursday...

Today, I am thankful....

1) For healthy children. Now granted, Isaac spiked a fever of 103.5 yesterday and a low grade fever was still hanging on this morning.... BUT, for the most part, they are healthy! It was at this time two weeks ago that I was sitting in the ER of Buffalo Children's Hospital with Ellie, waiting for them to admit her. It was on this very night that I laid up all night, watching the oxygen saturation number on her little monitor dropping and while it never got at a scary, scary level, as I watched it slowly going down from one number to the next, I had an awful pit in my stomach, just thinking, "I don't know when it is going to stop and I have absolutely no control right now...." (it didn't help that I had seen a segment on CNN that day about the number of people who had already died from H1N1. Darn media hype....) Today, I am thankful that God chose to heal my children. That visit to the hospital grew my heart immensely for children and their families who deal or have dealt with the hospital as a regular part of life.... to those of you whom I know read this blog occasionally, you are my HEROES and I love you (Angie, Krista L, Katie, Brittany.....)
2) To friends and family members who helped us with the move! Thank you! A huge shout out to my parents who absolutely went ABOVE AND BEYOND.... spending two weekends in NY helping us pack.... pulling a trailer out both times.... and continued to remain patient with this crazy family in the midst of an enormously stressful time!
3) That we found a three bedroom apartment to stay in until our house sells in NY! We were just about to sign a lease for a two bedroom because that is all that we could find.... now that I'm living in a three bedroom and still can't figure out where to put all of our stuff (and children!), I am HUGELY thankful that we are not in the smaller TWO bedroom!
4) For the amazing meals that we've had over the past two months! We had some amazing women who brought us fantastic meals in NY after we had Ellie.... and to help in the transition, some amazing women at Sonrise Church have been bringing us meals now, too! The other night when Aaron got home from school, he said, "Hey mom, who is bringing us dinner tonight?!" to which I replied, "Mommy actually cooked!" His underwhelming response: "Oh....."
5) For an amazing new ministry and opportunity for Scott and our family! Sunday was our first one at Sonrise.... and we just felt at "home". It was good.... really, really good. Scott is preaching this Sunday.... and it will feel good to listen.... really, really good....

BEYOND amazing....

Yeah, read THIS. I'm BEYOND blessed to have played a little, little part in this story....

I love my friends....

Whirlwind....

Wow, a few things have happened since that last post....

* All four of my beloved family members were very, very sick. Because the four non-baby members of our family were all vaccinated against the seasonal flu, we are fairly confident that H1N1 hit our house hard. But.... we survived.... and we are grateful.
* Because sweet baby girl is an itty-bitty and got a "high" fever for a baby, she and momma spent 3 days/2 nights at Buffalo Children's Hospital (Thursday- Saturday). Bless her sweet heart... she survived countless pokes trying to get an IV/blood drawn and even a spinal tap, but she is doing GREAT now, and I am praising God for that (and praising God for the fact that the doctors and nurses took such great care of her). She was officially diagnosed with "Influenza, Type A".... and we were told that 99% of the cases that were sent on for further testing were coming back as H1N1; hence, we're just assuming that is what nailed our house.
* We were supposed to move to Indiana last Saturday. We didn't.... we were in the hospital instead.
* We moved to Indiana on Monday.
* It was crazy.
* Sweet baby girl REALLY doesn't like her carseat.
* Scott went on an overnight staff retreat on Wednesday.
* I registered Aaron for school today, and he will start on Monday.
* Scott's official start date is Sunday.
* I finally found my dishes and glasses yesterday.
* I still can't find Aaron's lunch box.....

Missing in Action....

Forgive me, dear blog. I've been a little busy lately.

Maybe it's the fact that we're moving in four days to a state 7 hours away.

Maybe it's the fact that I have a 6 week old baby (who already holds up her sweet little head!)

Evidence :)

Maybe it's the fact that we have 1944 square feet to pack. Maybe it's the fact that we have 1944 square feet to sell.

Maybe it's the fact that I had a sweet, little 7th birthday to celebrate in the midst of it.
Maybe it's the fact that my sweet 7 year old is now home from school with a fever, headache, cough, dizziness, and runny nose.

Maybe it's the fact that I have to say goodbye to some new and dear friends.

But for whatever reason, you, dear blog, have been neglected. I will be back soon. But for today, please don't feel badly, dear blog. Poor Isaac hasn't even had a bath in five days....

UPDATED TO ADD: You'll all be happy to know that all of my children either bathed or showered at 5:00 PM this evening!!! :)

I love....

.... Vetriselvi in India. I've loved her since I "met" her in 2000. I love a little guy named Melkamu in Ethiopia who doesn't have a mom or a dad. I've loved him for the past two years. My kids love them, too. I love Compassion International. It has transformed our family to be in relationship with these precious children. God breathed words into me awhile back when I was feeling like my hands were tied and feeling like I couldn't make a difference whatsoever. These were the words:

"Deanna, you may not be able to help them all, but you CAN help ONE.... do it...."

This is not the first time that I've talked about Compassion on my blog.... and I'm certain it won't be the last. I just have to look at one letter from Vetriselvi and Melkamu to know that....

Would you consider joining me if you haven't already? It's worth it.... I promise. This video reminds me of that....

Catalyst 2009 Compassion Moment from Catalyst on Vimeo.

Oh, how I loved the movie...

..."Big"!

Our beautiful, baby girl....

Ellie wore her first dress on Sunday. It was my first time to put tights on an itty-bitty.... I felt like I was dressing a DOLL!

Ellie just had her one month appointment today. She weighed in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces and was 21 3/4 inches long (50%ile in both... but she certainly is ABOVE average in my book! She is perfectly WONDERFUL!) And why am I posting this little stat for your enjoyment? Because, dear friends.... her baby book is already packed, and my laptop is not (and yes, I don't want to forget....)

Please, please pray for us. We have managed to stay sane up until this point and are seeking God and hoping to maintain sanity for the next 11 days as well.... my sweetie is in California until tomorrow, and then, we'll REALLY hit the ground running....

In other news.... showed one couple the house today.... got a call shortly thereafter from another family. And that is just after we've put a sign in the yard! We're now on Craig's List and will be in the paper soon! We don't know if we'll be able to go the "For Sale By Owner" route, but we figured it is worth a shot and are hopeful!!! :)

Our sweetie....

.... is one month old! Ellie is an absolute gem, and of course, we are crazy about her! We're enjoying every smile.... every bit of snuggle time.... and flat out, everything about her! Precious darlin'....



We received a card that I thought was so sweet....

"Things You'll Soon Discover With Your New Baby Girl....

That raising your own princess beats any fairy tale.

That a lot of great big people can be wrapped around one tiny finger.

That a toothless smile can light up the world like instant sunshine.

That watching her sleep is (sometimes) more satisfying than finding sleep yourself."

Your mommy loves you, sweet baby girl....

I love this guy....

For any of you who aren't already my "facebook friend" and didn't already see this note over there, I thought I would post this from Scott. Whew.... I love this guy; he is amazing! Such a fun and crazy journey!

_____
I may be overestimating you actual interest in why we are moving...but here are some thoughts about what's been happening lately. (Please note: reading this entire entry may test your ability to stay awake or make you question how much time you really do spend on Facebook)

To say that there is a lot going on right now is quite the understatement. Not sure that I have ever taken on this much at one time in my life. (Job change, new baby, geographic move...) At the same time I am incredibly confident that God is in charge. I'm confident that "He" is the one "calling". I am confident that His abilities far outweigh any circumstance I could ever find myself in. So, my "yes" is on the table and off we go.

In case you have not heard already...at the end of the month, Deanna and I will be leaving Western New York. I have accepted the invitation to be a part of the staff at Sonrise church in Fort Wayne, IN. I will be the Teaching Associate Pastor there starting November 1st. My heart hurts thinking about leaving my friends, neighbors and co-workers here...but I am confident that we serve a God who is "Big Enough". I leave The Chapel with great memories and a deep sense of gratitude for all that I have had exposure too. I have incredible confidence in the team of staff and volunteers that I have trained, worked beside and had the privilege of leading. "Creating moments for families that create momentum for life" has never been about me! King's World and Family Ministry will continue to do that because of the team that owns it and our God that inspires all of us. There is a "deep bench" at The Chapel and I look forward to watching from a distance how God uses the incredibly gifted team I've worked with for the last two years.

Now, to look ahead. My brain has been buzzing lately about the future God is calling me to. I can't wait to work with Stan (founding Pastor) and the entire team at Sonrise. I think our shared past (Stan and I were both former youth pastors at Selma UMC) and our common interest, to give "every man, woman and child the opportunity to see and hear the Gospel"*, is going to make for a really fun ride! Doing that in Indiana with my existing network of longtime friends and family gets me juiced as well. If I am honest, teaching and leading are things I love. I don't take either responsibility lightly. I am humbled to be chosen to do both of those in this next step in the future of Sonrise. While I may have my moments of insecurity and doubting my own abilities (ideas rooted in lies from the enemy), I take great confidence in the fact that (like you) "I am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do the works tat HE has prepared in advance for me to do." (Ephesians 2:10)

So, since HE has already set this up in advance for me, I say...Game on! "Game on" to leveraging creativity to make God known. "Game on" to church planting. I say, “bring on” multi-site campuses, video venues, Internet campuses and probably a few other un-tested ways to reach people for Christ. Bring on "reducing the lostness" in Southwest Allen County, Fort Wayne, Central Indiana and wherever God has "set up" in advance for us to go. Bring on future leaders, stories of redemption, healed marriages, reconciled relationships, remodeled thinking, and the presence of the all knowing and forever loving God! God, have your way...and help me to get "out of the way". (PS. 68:28 Summon your power, O God; show us your strength, O God, as you have done before.)

To the people of Sonrise...we can't wait to meet you all. We are making this move to Fort Wayne and preparing to dig in. We are approaching this move with confidence that this is where God is leading and planting us. Deanna and I may have roots in Muncie and Warsaw...but we're ready to fully commit to our new community. We can't wait to grow with you, “do life” with you, and partner with you to share the Gospel with a region that desperately needs to hear, and see it! This is going to be fun!

Many people have had questions about this move...let me take on several of them here.

Q: When are you guys moving?
A: My first Sunday at Sonrise is November 1st. We'll be leaving WNY sometime the weekend of October 23-25.

Q: What about your house?
A: Our house will be "on the market" within days. We'll probably be "apartment living" in Ft. Wayne until our house sells unless a different temporary housing option pops up in the next few days. If you are one of our WNY friends, we would appreciate you passing the word about an awesome 2 year old home in Wheatfield being offered at a great deal with really cool neighbors an a brand new deck that we've not even enjoyed yet...I'm not bitter!

Q: How did all of this happen?
A: Too much to type. Cliff's notes version: (IMPORTANT NOTE: I wasn't shopping around for a new job.) I spoke on a Sunday morning at Sonrise in July before speaking at Camp Adventure for a week. (Camp Adventure is the Middle School camp where I accepted Christ at age twelve and where Deanna and I met…see a pattern?) This was not an interview...just a chance to speak at a cool church. After spending a week at CA with the Sonrise staff, it became pretty obvious that God was "up to something". We prayed... a lot. We prayed more. They prayed more. We talked. Deanna and I consulted wise counsel in our life to make sure we weren't "thinking wrong." We prayed again. I made a quick trip to Ft. Wayne to meet some more of their team. More prayer. God spoke (not audibly...but that would have been cool). He spoke through peace. He spoke by not shutting the door. His presence in our stillness revealed His bigness. My journal entries and documented prayers since July would hold up to the test...He was asking us to trust Him and make the move.

Q: Is there more to this story?
A: Nope. There is no weird "back story" to any of this. I love The Chapel. If I landed in WNY tomorrow, this is where I would bring my family to church and where I would want to be on staff. The Chapel has taught me a ton, and I take those lessons with me...and hope to continue to learn from The Chapel even though I won't be "on site."

I want to make a difference with my life. I've told God that, and he seems to have taken me seriously. I think he is putting me in yet another position to make a difference. I am grateful! I am humbled. I know my mission is to know Him and make Him known. Can't wait to see how all this plays out! Thanks for reading all of this (if you made it this far).

I close with this...in the midst of trying to listen to God for wisdom and direction, I came across this quote that challenged me greatly and gave me confidence to seek out God's directions and be obedient to it...even if it meant moving again. I hope it challenges you as well.

“The things that made the early church leaders usable were not their leadership personalities, profiles or styles...it was that God has access to everything they were. They made their lives available, and the rest was history. “


Fellow History Maker,
Scott
__________

*** See, I told ya he is amazing..... :)

We are MOVING....

.... to FORT WAYNE, INDIANA in THREE WEEKS!!!

Yep, you read that correctly! MORE big news from our house! While things at The Chapel have continued to be great and we love it here, an amazing opportunity came our way towards the end of the summer. When we visited Indiana in July, Scott had a fantastic opportunity to preach at a great church and work with their team for a week at Camp Adventure. On the heels of that ministry opportunity, much discussion began with their Lead Pastor, and then, Scott was later offered a position as the new Associate/Teaching Pastor at Sonrise Church on the south side of Fort Wayne (right on SR 14/Illinois Rd.) and after much prayer and discussion, decided to accept! It is very bittersweet for us as we love our new friends in WNY, but we are very excited, too, to be closer to friends and family in Indiana! Please pray for us in this process.... that our house here sells quickly, that we find a great place to rent, that Aaron gets settled into a great new school, that we find a terrific pediatrician for our new little sweetie, and that we have a lot of fun diving into new friendships! It's going to be a fun and crazy journey....

Anybody have any advice for moving with a 6-week old?!?!? :)

We've got proof....

.... that she already smiles at 3 weeks! Ellie is such a doll, and Scott captured this on his cell phone earlier today....

Precious! I'm bummed that we didn't capture this shot on our Canon, but nevertheless, still thankful that it's captured!!! I'm crazy about this little girl.... :)

Whoa, baby....

Have I mentioned that I am thankful that Ellie ONLY weighed in at 7 pounds, 10 ounces?!?! Check this out!

Sweet pictures of our new little sweetie....

Thought you might enjoy seeing our sweetie's hospital pictures.

Click HERE.

Isn't she LOVELY?!?! :)

Thankful Thursday....

Today, I am thankful....

1) For a sweet, healthy, baby girl! Ellie has been an absolute joy.... of course, we are missing sleep, but she is worth every minute of it!!!
2) For an incredibly generous and helpful hubby. I couldn't get through these first couple of weeks without him. Recovering from surgery.... crazy hormones.... adjusting to sleepless nights.... two busy boys. He has been absolutely amazing!
3) For amazing friends and coworkers who have been so great about keeping my family fed since Ellie arrived. One of Scott's coworkers organized meals for us, and they have all been SO YUMMY. Also, the website: Take Them A Meal has been an incredible blessing! I highly recommend it!
4) For gorgeous, September days. I love this weather.... it's been perfect "new baby" weather, too.... perfect for sitting outside and enjoying lovely evenings with all of my boys and my new baby girl!
5) For the fact that God is WITH US through all of the ups and downs, highs and lows, good times and bad times, of life. We're in the midst of an incredibly interesting season here at our house, and I am always SO THANKFUL to know that we are not alone.... He is PRESENT, and we are LOVED! :)

Have a blessed day! With much love!!!

Two Weeks

It's hard to believe that it's been two weeks already....

At two weeks old, Ellie....

-Weighs in at 7 lb. 13 oz.! 3 oz. over her birth weight of 7 lb. 10 oz. (she gained 10 oz. in the past week! Hoorah!)
-Loves to eat, but often, has to be awakened by mommy to nurse
-Usually likes her baby papasan seat and her swing


-Went to Target with mommy for the first time today... and even found some cute things for next summer on the clearance rack (hoorah.... mommy can finally drive again!)
-Likes her carseat on most occasions
-Still sleeps away most of the day
-Has a favorite time to be awake: midnight to 1:30 AM Thankfully, daddy is very helpful at times, too, and says that he is catching up on his late night TV viewing! :)
-Still seems to be getting the hang of a pacifier.... we keep trying different kinds!
-"Watched" her first Colts game last night!
-Is absolutely adored by her big brothers! Aaron continually says, "Mom, I REALLY love her!" Isaac asks to hold her a lot but only for short periods of time.

-Will sometimes do 3 1/2 hour stretches at night.
-Has actually smiled, FOR REAL, two or three different times. Not gas pain smiles.... REAL, purposeful smiles (I promise that I know the difference.... after all, this IS baby #3!) :)
-Speaking of gas pains, we KNOW that Ellie is not an Italian at heart.... she HATES garlic (uh oh, and her mommy LOVES garlic!) :(
-Finally lost the yucky umbilical cord thingy a few days ago! Isaac continually says, with excitement, "Her ouchie is all gone!!!"
-Has some of the most adorable clothing awaiting her because of the awesome packages that have arrived in the mail!

Crazy about my God.....

....and enjoyin' some worship, too....



Yep, sleep deprived mommas NEED some great worship!

Whew....

Pardon me for not posting for nearly a week.... I've been a little distracted by a new little beauty in my life....