A Happy Surprise: Awaiting Baby #6

In October, our family got a happy surprise. Though we were (and still are) actively waiting to adopt again, I'm pregnant! (Due early July.) We weren't trying for a pregnancy -- no medications, no timetables -- rather, we've just been extraordinarily blessed once again. After years of infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss, this new pregnancy came as an absolute shock. In fact, I still feel stunned, unprepared, and completely undeserving of such a blessing a large majority of the time. I am so very grateful.

We made it through the first trimester without any significant upsets. There were a couple of precarious appointments initially, primarily related to those early first sonograms looking for the heart beat, but the issues we had were related to necessary date adjustments and not to any poor development of the baby. My initial due date was adjusted by eight days, and now baby and I are measuring right on target.

Me at 18 weeks pregnant

Another fun tidbit: this baby is a boy! After a run of little ladies, it's finally time for a little more testosterone. A misread sonogram and a misread genetic test initially led us to believe this tiny one was another little lady, but my Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist both reread the genetic test ("Y chromosome indicated") and provided us with several clear ultrasonic images of baby boy parts. There's no denying it, and James and Bub couldn't be more thrilled! Now, if we could only decide on a name...

Waving Hello

It's a Boy!

Overnight in Austin

On Saturday, our family attended the quarterly "waiting family" support group weekend at our adoption agency. We've been active with our agency, waiting to adopt again, since the summertime. We were matched with a birthmom in December, but before we could take custody of the baby, she was pressured by her family to relinquish to a distant cousin. CPS got involved as our agency was pushed away, and ultimately, that little girl wasn't meant to be ours. Our social worker felt awful about the failed match, but we know God has a greater plan and we had peace. The social worker joked that maybe this loss meant there was a little boy in our future, but we'll see. We'd be blessed by a new little family member, regardless of gender. In the meantime, we wait -- and attend support group meetings.

Because we had to make an out-of-town trip for the meeting, we opted to make the whole weekend one of getaways. James took the day off work on Friday, and he and Bub spent the day in Houston at a baseball card convention. They added a few cards to their collections before enjoying a night in a hotel room, then we all drove in from different directions to attend the meeting.

After support group, James took Bub and the two littlest ladies home while Gracie, Brystol, and I drove to Austin. Because we were coming in in the evening, we drove straight to South Congress Avenue to browse the cool shops and hit up the food trucks. We dined on Thai food, bought sweets at Big Top Candy Shop, and tried on sunglasses and vintage clothes at a few of the shops. We picked up a couple of new Barbie dolls before heading back to the hotel room (where two happy girls played together for a couple of hours before sleeping). The next day, we enjoyed the hotel pool and hot tub before hitting up the Round Rock outlet mall on the way home. It's always so special to have some alone time with one or two kiddos. We all enjoy the individual attention and time to reconnect.

Snow Day 2011: A Magical Day in Texas

A Magical Day in Texas



Snow days in Texas are always magical. Sure, we're entirely unprepared for them -- we don't own snow boots or waterproof gloves, stores never carry more than three or four snow shovels, business shut down and roads are impassible. Life slows down, whether you like it or not. Fortunately, we like it.

Stepping Out and Changing My Heart

As we've prayed about agency choices, I've continued to pray for our would-have-been birthmom and the twins she's now parenting. For the last couple of days, I've felt strongly compelled to send a little something her way -- practical things, things I know she needs -- to show that we wholeheartedly support her choice to parent and harbor no ill feelings towards her. As we were getting ready for bed last night, I told James how I was feeling, but he was reserved -- he didn't want my gesture to come across incorrectly or for it to seem like we were stalking her or her babies. Initially, I agreed with him and decided to ignore the burden on my heart.

By this morning, though, that burden was back and stronger than ever, so I decided to go against what my husband thought -- not normally something I'd recommend. On Black Friday, I stocked up on boxes of baby wipes, so I snagged a box from the storage shelf and headed towards Babies R' Us. I had some coupons and reward dollars from some Christmas purchases I made, so I justified my plans by committing to keep my spending around what I could pass along for free or for very little money. The closer I got to Babies R' Us, though, the more I worried James was right. Maybe she wouldn't understand my gesture as one of genuine love and honest support and maybe I would seem like a stalker.

In my concern, I didn't call my husband -- I called my mom. I told her what I'd felt and what I thought I was supposed to do, then I asked her if she thought it was weird. "No, I don't think it's weird, I think it's nice, but here, talk to D." D is the babies' grandmother, and she played a significant part in connecting us with her daughter. She and my mom were working together today. After the adoption didn't work out, I didn't really expect to talk to her again, but she seemed very happy to talk to me and apologized for things not working out as we'd all hoped. I assured her we were fine and that we were so honored to have ever been considered as possible parents for the babies. Despite that arrangement falling apart, God is faithful and He has a plan for us.

I explained to D that we've been praying about our next step and the agency we're to work with. (Side note: we've decided we're going with the little local agency we loved so much before having Brystol). I continued by telling her that I've still been praying for birthmom and the babies. I shared that I felt impressed to pick up some diapers and essentials as a gesture of love and support, but that I had concerns about my offering being offensive or coming across as predatory. D was overjoyed. She said my gift would be a tremendous blessing, that birthmom was completely overwhelmed and deeply struggling. She said that birthmom was in a very hard place financially and was actually coming up within the hour to go to the store with D to pick up diapers -- diapers D couldn't actually personally afford to buy.

At that point, I called my husband for forgiveness (because sometimes it's easier to get forgiveness than permission -- ha!). I relayed the conversations and told him I was outside of Babies R' Us, then I confirmed it would be okay for me to buy a few things. When he knew the gift would be well-received and wouldn't seem weird, he was behind it, so I picked up some diapers and a few other essentials and headed towards the Home Depot where my mom works. I just planned to drop the stuff with a note, but about ten minutes before pulling in, D called me to say birthmom was so grateful for our gift and wanted to talk to me. She gave me her number and encouraged me to call. So, I did.

I'm so glad I did.

All the "conversations" we had before the babies were born were mediated by our respective moms, or were between me and Grandma D. Several times, James and I offered to meet birthmom and her boyfriend to let them get to know us better, but birthmom was scared and boyfriend was oppositional. Talking to her today was so natural and easy. She talked to me like I was an old friend and went on about how overwhelming parenthood is. I did my best to encourage her and I promised it would get easier. She said if she hadn't decided to parent, I was definitely the mom she would have picked for her kids. "Thank you," I replied, "I would have been honored." I told her I was on my way to the store to drop off the things I'd collected, and she said she was on her way up to meet me there.

Birthmom was so beautiful-- just a regular girl in a puffy black jacket with hair dyed pink and a rhinestoned bow. She noticed my nose ring and compared it to hers. She thanked me for the diapers and asked if I wanted to see the babies. I did, of course I did.

The babies were so beautiful -- scrunched little bundles of honey skin with tufted black hair, perpetually drowsy. They looked like Gracie as a baby, a small version of James. We visited for a few minutes, and when we parted ways, I did not feel sad. Sure, those sweet babies were perfect and would have been wonderful additions to our family, but they were perfectly hers and my heart was at peace.

Meeting this birthmom today was such a blessing. As long as we've planned to adopt (both before Brystol and of late), I've had some concerns about open adoption. Our situation with Bub is special. We've heard amazing stories about open adoption, but our adoption story with Bub is different, and we can't look to it as an example of something we can hope for in the future.

When we began exploring open adoption and had to consider including a birthmom in our lives for the long-term, Bub's birthmom is the sort of birthmom that came to mind. Long story short, the thought of inviting someone like her into our stable lives is not something I've ever personally been very excited about. We expressed concern to our social worker, even asked about the possibility of having an anonymous adoption, but he assured us that, when the time comes, God would bring the right match to our family -- both baby and birthmom. He reminded us that, even then, we have choices and can negotiate for things that make us comfortable. Still, I've remained unsure about that relationship.

Stepping out and doing something unconventional today led to a face-to-face meeting with our would-have-been birthmom, and meeting her both opened my eyes and changed my heart. She wasn't an angry and aggressive person. She wasn't high or strung out on anything. Nothing about our conversation was forced, uncomfortable, or frustrating -- we talked easily like we'd known each other for a good, long while. We hugged when we parted. She was just a regular girl who wanted the best for her babies, and who, at one point, thought adoption might be that best thing.

Sure, she didn't choose me to parent her children, but today she showed me that there are indeed nice, normal people out there considering the adoption option, and that what I've always assumed will be an impossible relationship might not be so bad after all.





photo credit: tensionnot.com

Getaway: Door County, Wisconsin

James had to visit a client on Washington Island in Wisconsin this week, so Brystol and I traveled with him and enjoyed three lovely days in Door County. We ate freshly-caught lawyer fish, cheese curds, and cherries (there are almost 50 orchards across Door County!). We wandered through the quaint villages and along the rocky beaches. While James worked, Brystol and I watched seagulls following a plowing farmer, we visited the woods at Mountain Park, and we admired the lovely limestone at School House Beach -- one of only five limestone beaches in the world.

The "Cape Cod of the Midwest," Door County is one of the top ten vacation destinations in North America, but only one short month ago, I had no idea Door County, Wisconsin even existed. Boy, have I missed out! We visited during the off-season -- a couple of weeks yet before the area really comes to life -- and even still, we enjoyed so many fantastic things -- nearly all that Door County had to offer. (I did miss out on some antiquing -- boo!) Truly, a beautiful and very relaxing work-week getaway!



Collage Images from top left to bottom right:
Snowmobile Crossing sign, Sturgeon Bay
Cedar Tree Roots in the Woods at School House Beach, Washington Island
Plowing Farmer/Feeding Seagulls, Washington Island
Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Fish Creek
Stavkirke Prayer Path, Washington Island
Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Fish Creek
Limestone Shore at School House Beach, Washington Island
Passenger Ferry Boat, Washington Island
St. Michael's Cemetery, Washington Island
Limestone Shore at School House Beach, Washington Island
Rocky Waters at the Marina, Sister Bay
Paddle Boat on Residential Inlet, Washington Island
Seagull on Pier, Egg Harbor
Winding Road to the Car Ferry, North Port
Mossy Tree Roots at Mountain Park Lookout Tower, Washington Island
The Stairway to Mountain Park Lookout Tower, Washington Island
The Diving Raft at School House Beach, Washington Island
Sunset on the Marina, Sister Bay
Blue Crab Claw, Egg Harbor
Farmhouse, Sturgeon Bay
Egg Harbor Beach near the Alpine Resort, Egg Harbor

The Reason is Really Irrelevant

Look at what I just got!

This Canon Rebel EOS T1i EF-S (plus starter kit) is an early
Birthday-Anniversary-"Hey, thanks for bearing my child"
gift from my thoughtful husband.

My birthday is on the 20th, my anniversary is on August 5th, and the baby -- well, we're fairly certain she'll show sometime among the days between the two dates. Those two weeks will certainly be very busy, which is the reason James gave for my getting the camera now. However, I personally think he's trying to distract me from "The List" -- particularly considering how a portion of our house has been without power since yesterday when I shut off a breaker to try my hand in installing a new light fixture. I'm out of control!

Regardless of the reason, this is the greatest Birthday-Anniversary-"Hey, thanks for bearing my child" gift ever! Thanks, James -- you're the BEST!

The Bright Spot in an a Very Bad Day

My mom's medical scare orchestrated a very sweet meeting as my brother and his beautiful family rushed down for the night. Rae Lynn's early arrival (she's still not due!) coupled with our family vacation and very full returning schedule has thus far prevented us from making our way towards Oklahoma. Seeing my precious loved ones and meeting that tiny miracle was a beautiful bright spot in an otherwise overwhelming day.

How wonderful it was to have a squirmy little snugglebug spend the night! Rae Lynn is a sweet, peaceful baby. Such a blessing to us all...

Meeting for the first time


Daddy's Girl


A Cousin's Gotta Eat


Saying hello to Nanny
(...who looks like she's just been through labor!)


Beautiful Baby


Sleepy Girl


Daddy's Hands
This gives you an idea of her size.
At three weeks old, she's only now 5 pounds, 8 ounces!


Tiny Tummy


Tiny Toes


"An harmless flaming meteor shone for hair..."
-- Abraham Cowley, Davideis (bk. II, l. 803)


"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well..."
-- Psalm 119:13-14



Contented Child

I am truly blessed...

"In God's economy even those who mourn are blessed. The Greek word translated "blessed" in Matthew 5:4 beautifully expresses the essence of the blessed life. 'Biblically, one is pronounced blessed when God is present and involved in his life. The hand of God is at work directing all his affairs for a divine purpose, and thus, in a sense, such person has lived coram Deo, before the face of God.' Sometimes the circumstances of our suffering may not change, but the circumstances of our hearts are changed in the midst of them through a keen sense of God's presence and a lively perception of His activity."


-- Beth Moore, Stepping Up

When waiting comes to an end...

Giving birth
is like taking your lower lip
and forcing it over your head.
-- Carol Burnett

Several weeks ago I mentioned my sister-in-law, the other Amanda, is pregnant with my new little niece Rae Lynn. After a struggle with sketchy blood pressures and today's 36-week appointment that revealed low amniotic fluid, Amanda is now in the hospital being induced. They've settled in for the night, and delivery is anticipated sometime tomorrow.

Dustin called me around lunchtime to share news of the appointment and the plans of the day. I then tracked down my mom while he made arrangements for their older daughter and helped Amanda gather her things. My mom shuffled personal plans and work obligations (since she didn't anticipate being back in Oklahoma before the middle of October) and quickly hit the road. I tried and tried to figure out a way to tag along. Unfortunately, I can't be a part of their big day since our travel plans are just around the corner -- there's just not enough time. Fortunately, they're all so understanding.

I've been on the phone with my brother and my mother several times today, and their excitement level is through the roof. I wish in so many ways that I could share their joy...


photo credit: billaday

Cast your [cookie] cares on Him...

I recently posted about God showing up in the smallest of matters, revealing his care of us through things we may not even think to pray about. Mary at Owlhaven repeated the theme today by writing about how God showed up with a cookie.

"Give all your worries and cares to God,
for He cares about you."

-- I Peter 5:7

photo credit: territu

Encouragement when I needed it most...

Speaking of sleepovers, I came home the other day to this note and gift on my porch. Gracie's friend Kilauni, who spent the night a couple of weeks ago, left it for me. It's wonderful to be called "the bestest mom in the whole wide universe," even if your own kids would beg to differ.

God Cares

Our pastor is in the middle of a really difficult (read: convicting, gut-wrenching, life-changing) sermon series called Help! The first message was about control (ahem), last week was about worry (ahem, again), and this week, negativity (sigh). I related to all kinds of things from the sermon series, but one thing Brandon said nearly in passing was that because God cares for us, He cares for all the things that we care about.

When I hear that, my first thought always goes to the big things we need or that are important to us, rarely do I think about the small things. Honestly, when I'm impressed to pray for something that's not life-changing I feel silly because I feel like I'm being a bother. (I'm that way in all aspects of life, not just in my prayer life. Asking for help makes me uncomfortable.) Anyway, I caught what he said in passing and noted it as I generally do, but three times that week I was reminded of God's beautiful provision in those small areas, in areas that would have never been asked about.

---

Emily

My cousin Emily just moved to Germany for three years. Before they prepared to move, she was really into cloth diapering. She loved cloth diapering for the environmental factor, for the cost savings, and because of the beautiful fabric on her baby's backside. As they prepared to leave for Germany, though, she packed away her diapers and transitioned to disposables. They didn't know how long they'd be left in a hotel, nor did she know if there would be a washer in the apartment they'd eventually be assigned.

They arrived in Germany, went through processing, and were assigned an apartment within days. They had their pick of three (which is really unheard of) and chose a newly remodeled one with a W/D. Nearly immediately afterwards, they were in another office and were inquiring about where to buy a baby monitor locally as the one they brought with them would give them access to government secrets or something. Someone else in the office overheard their baby related questions and came to Emily to ask if she cloth diapered. Such a strange question! Emily told her she had for a couple of years, but they'd just arrived and she had to leave her diapers behind. The woman handed her a bag full of brand new cloth diapers, liners, and covers in the pricey brand Emily prefers. They were all in Samuel's current size, and and the ones she left behind should arrive before he outgrows the ones he's got. She never even thought to pray about her diapering desires, and yet God provided for her heart's desire in a miraculous way.

---

Karla

My dear friend Karla broadcast an e-mail about an experience she'd had. She and her husband Erich attended a conference on prayer. Though prayer was already a part of their lives separately, they made a new commitment to rise early to pray and seek God together. In her e-mail, Karla talked about that first morning. She shared both the blessings and the struggles of rising early to pray.

In the way of challenges, Karla loves sleep like I love sleep, and undone chores are difficult to ignore. As for blessings, she was amazed by the amount of extra time to prepare for the day. No one was rushed, shoes and backpacks were easily uncovered. As they drove to school, a hot air balloon peeked over some trees. Her kids were excited to see it, but Karla was especially excited -- she loves hot air balloons. Her kids begged to follow it, but normally, a rushed school morning would disallow that. Instead, by rising early, they had plenty of time to get a look up close and make it back to school in enough time to park and walk in all together. Karla felt so blessed that her early morning devotion was met with something that she'd never think to ask for, but that brought such joy to her heart.

---

And finally, Me

I was talking to my friend Marcie about her BSF group when I mentioned that I needed to register for the upcoming women's Bible study at our church. Our church is on the smaller side, so we have one Bible study per semester. Beth Moore's Stepping Up was scheduled, and I wanted to be a part. Marcie and I finished our conversation and hung up the phone. I opened my laptop to check my e-mail, and before I could double-click the Outlook shortcut, the phone rang again. It was the Bible study facilitator from our church calling to see if I'd be interested in being a small group discussion leader in the Stepping Up study. I was so surprised, and immediately agreed. I felt so blessed to be asked because I really do love to help and serve, particularly in adult ministries, and that small group discussion format is absolutely my cup of tea.

The first meeting was Thursday, and part of my responsibility was to arrive early to mingle with other participants, making sure new members felt welcomed. I came in the room and put my things down at a table when a lady I didn't know came up to me and introduced herself. She was fairly new to our church and this was her first Bible study there. We sat and began to get to know one another when slowly my table began filling up. I greeted each lady as they walked up and took note that I had some pregnant women at my table.

When all was said and done, there were seven women at my table (or eight, including me). Four of those women were very pregnant, one was trying to conceive, and one (my friend Karen) has a newish little baby at home. I don't know where the last lady was with regards to her conception status, but if she sticks around long, there's little question. As I sat talking to the ladies, I was mentally checking myself (Is this okay? Am I going to lose it? Do I have Kleenex in case I lose it?). As I checked myself, I scanned the room and can't say that I saw another pregnant woman at any of the other four tables. I could be wrong and will look more closely this week, but it was like my table was a magnet for the gestating.

In my mind, that would normally not seem like a blessing, but it was. It was a little funny that I would be so bombarded with the baby thing. It was so obvious that I couldn't help but chuckle a bit about how clearly a point was being made, and while I'm not yet sure what the point was exactly, I will say I not only made it through, but that I was genuinely okay in that situation. I felt comfortable in my skin again -- a true blessing indeed.

---

"Delight yourself in the LORD,
and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
trust also in Him,
and He shall bring it to pass."

-- Psalm 37:4,5

photo credit: Cliph

She Slugged Me!

On my porch today, I found an adorable package covered in slugs...

... a fun little blessing from Evelyn at I'm a Sew Sew Girl.

Inside the box was a carrier with airholes...

... and a new little buddy for Babbit!

My sluggish new friend is super cute with rosy pink cheeks and itty-bitty beady eyes. He sports a tag that reads, "Garden Slug, c/o Amanda -- Texas or Bust." Flip the tag over, and it states that slug food is included, which must be the beautiful fabric leaves Evelyn hand-crafted and sent along.
(This woman's talent and creativity is beyond me -- I am not even kidding.)

Thank you, Evelyn! I love him already!

Evelyn's slug is named Doug.
What should I call my new little friend?

We Turn Eight!

In honor of our eighth wedding anniversary,
here is a list of eight things I love and/or appreciate about James.

** James is a Godly man. One of the things that first attracted me to James was his desire to know and love God. Different things about James and his personality have changed over these last many years, but this one thing has never changed. James loves God and longs to be like Jesus, and I know with absolute certainty that there is no better quality under the sun.

** James is an excellent husband. Long before I ever became a married woman, I had an idea in my mind of what a good husband would be. Little did I know, I had no idea. At various times in our lives together, I've realized he's much more than I ever knew I needed. James is kind and generous, loving and reliable, funny and compassionate. I thank God for bringing him to me.

** James is a family man. There is no place in the world James would rather be than somewhere with his family. A slight disadvantage to this is that his friends often think I'm keeping him home or somewhere else with us, when that is not at all the case. However, that disadvantage is far outweighed by the fact that he loves to spend time with us, just to be with us.

** James is an incredible provider. He works hard and without complaint to make sure we have all we need and much of what we want. He works long hours, spends a lot of time in traffic, travels often -- all for us. Fortunately, James loves his job and finds great satisfaction in his work, but I believe he works as diligently as he does as a sacrifice for us.

** James is an amazing father. James is not a perfect father, just as I am not a perfect mother, but he loves his kids deeply and makes them a priority. He is diligent to spend one-on-one time with both Bub and Gracie cultivating their relationship, and helping them to understand just how special and loved they are. His qualities and capabilities as a dad make me long even more for that "quiver full" of children.

** James is exceedingly generous. James gives of himself and of his resources without question. More than once, he's opened his heart, his home, his checking account to others in our life. He has given hours and hours and hours to others who struggle with various habits and hangups. He didn't hesitate when we had the opportunity to adopt Bub. He didn't hesitate when we had the privilege of taking in Chelsea. He doesn't complain when our house is filled with people and our pantry is rapidly depleted. He actively looks for ways to give.

** James is devoted. Primarily, James is devoted to God; secondarily, to me. Beyond that, he expresses intense devotion to a few select things -- to our children, to our church, to our extended family, to our ministry opportunities, to his job. When he sets his heart towards something, he is completely devoted to it in an unswerving, unmovable way, and I respect him deeply for it.

** James is the love of my life. Before James, I missed out on a lot of love. I came from a very complicated family situation where love and affection wasn't really available, and followed that with dating relationships with men who were quite self-centered. From the time that he knew he loved me, James has never been shy or reluctant to express that to me, and his tenderness towards me has brought healing to very deep wounds in my heart. Throughout the course of our lives together, we've had ups and downs and dramatic challenges, but whether through actions or by spoken words, James consistently reminds me of his unending love.

Happy Anniversary, James!
Here's hoping you can stand me for eight or eighty more years!

Alive with Christ

Today was a very special day for our family. A little while back, Bub made the decision to become a Christ-follower. At VBS this summer, Gracie followed suit. They took the next step in their walk by following Jesus' example of baptism, and both were baptized today at the lake.

Though the experience of baptism was so beautiful and special, I was reminded from the time we pulled up to the property until we nearly reached home again just how importance our reliance upon the Lord truly is. From the time we arrived, I spent the majority of the evening failing in quite possibly every single way. Except for the very moment they were being baptized, both of my children acted like lunatics, which, as I'm sure you can imagine, brings out the sweet mommy in me. Ahem.

As we made our way to the beach, I told Gracie to stay out of the water, but when I looked up after sweeping sand out of the bandage on my foot, Gracie stood before me absolutely soaked, dripping wet, shrugging like she had no idea what happened to her clothes. More than once I said to one or the other of them, "Get off that kid/that jet ski/that jagged, rocky ledge." While everyone was trying to take in the tender moments of the various baptism experiences, I nearly fell on my face in the water trying to get to my son who was kicking mud on the other people waiting in line (not intentionally, but still). Instead of falling on my face, my bandaged foot landed squarely in the sloggy water, and who knows what kind of bacteria I invited into my bloodstream by way of the hole in my foot. (Needless to say, I came home for a heavy-duty scrub with Hibiclens.)

As I had Bub disassemble a grouping of sticks he'd arranged in a way that could have potentially impaled a passerby, I watched another family embrace one another in quiet celebration. For a moment, I felt a twinge of envy. Not one member of that family was kicking mud on anyone, no one was throwing rocks, no one was trying to pilfer the property owner's jet ski. I thought to myself momentarily, "Why couldn't we be like that, for once?" But then my sand-coated girl ran by squealing with glee and I thought, "Eh, nobody's perfect...

Thank the Lord for His grace*."

Our Ministry Staff: Rob, Brandon, and Eric


Confirming their decision


Introduction


"For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized.
And with him you were raised to new life
because you trusted the mighty power of God,
who raised Christ from the dead.
You were dead because of your sins
and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away.
Then God made you alive with Christ,
for he forgave all our sins.
He canceled the record of the charges against us
and took it away by nailing it to the cross..."

-- Colossians 2:12-14 NLT


New Creatures in Christ Jesus




* "So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good.
The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right,
but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate...
And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
I want to do what is good, but I don’t.
I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway...
Oh, what a miserable person I am!
Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

-- Romans 7:14-15, 18-19, 24-25a NLT

Aloha, Oahu!

After many long months of business travel -- late nights, early mornings, lengthy layovers, and busy weeks -- James has accumulated enough frequent flyer miles and hotel reward points to take our family of four to Hawaii virtually for free. After some optional upgrades, we'll spend eight days at a beachfront hotel in Oahu, and all for less than $200. Unbelievable!

James booked our travel on Saturday.
We leave in exactly two months.
Babbit cannot wait.

On Becoming a Wife

"The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
and he receives favor from the Lord."
-- Proverbs 18:22 NLT

When I became a Christian fifteen years ago, one of the sweetest women took me under her wing, mentoring me and teaching me about the Lord. Not only did she have head knowledge about what it meant to serve God, she was (and is) a living example of Christ in the flesh. I have been blessed to have her in my life all these years.

For as long as I've known her, Lois has waited patiently for God to bring her a husband. As her friends married, she waited. As her mentees married, she waited. As the children of her friends became adults and married, she waited. Some days were harder than other days, but Lois was diligent in seeking the Lord constantly, making certain that He remained her focus and priority.

The Lord has honored her faithfulness, and Lois will be married on 08/08/08. Yesterday, I gathered with several of her friends and we showered her gifts and prayers and words of blessing. It's amazing to see God's promise come to pass.

"I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Most High."
-- Psalm 9:1-2

Summerama

We've had a fairly uneventful week. It literally took a couple of days for me to get back into the swing of things, what with the grocery shopping and with the regaining of energy. After a couple of days, though, we were all ready to being with the summer fun.

Chelsea is here for the summer, and so far, we're all enjoying ourselves. Well, my family is enjoying having her here, but she's a teenager, so I can only guess that she's having a good time. When she comes down for short stints, we always do it up and take her all over the place, but with the plan for her to be here most all summer, I'm having to exercise some discipline and adjust my thought that hanging out together is not enough, when I know realistically that it is. Some of my sweetest memories are times I spent doing nothing with my Aunt Laura or Aunt Ruby. Chelsea's so level-headed and doesn't need constant entertainment. It's me having a hard time shifting my mindset of viewing her as a family member instead of a guest.

So far, we've avoided extravagance and limited ourselves to things that we would already do, like going to the pool and using our season passes at Six Flags. We've done a bit of shopping, played video games, and swapped some novels. I've been teaching her a few things in the kitchen (like how to make guacamole and mashed potatoes) and she'll play Bunko with my group on Monday. We have plans for some weekend road trips, group classes at the gym, and trips to the library, and other than that, we'll just hang out.

It's been sweet to watch Gracie emulate her and love on her -- it's like having a brand new big sister. Bub really couldn't care less about Chelsea being here, but having someone else to entertain Gracie leaves more time for video games and pogo stick bouncing. As for James and I, we always have fun with Chelsea. James keeps telling her she was our kids' age when he met her for the first time and she tolerates his wandering down memory lane. I'm enjoying our great conversations. She is a real blessing, and I just love having her here. I'll be sad when the day comes that she goes home for good.

Bitty Baby Girl

My sister-in-law Amanda is 22 weeks pregnant and progressing nicely. I got the call today that a very clear ultrasound revealed for sure we'll be welcoming a new niece -- Rae Lynn -- in October. Congratulations, Dustin and Amanda!

Miracles in Metal

James got home late Wednesday night, and while we planned to hook up the new washer and dryer then, my mom (who was in Oklahoma) asked that we wait until she got back to Texas. She said she really wanted to help with the installation and even said something to the effect of, "I'll stick around to wash the clothes."

At that, what was one more day of appliances in the garage, really?

A very small sacrifice to make a mom (or two) happy, in my opinion.

My mom is employed by Home Depot as an Appliance Specialist and has been after me to upgrade my machines for years. "They'll change your life," she'd say, as I rolled my eyes. "They're like a miracle in metal," she'd proclaim, as I sighed heavier than a thirteen-year-old. She nearly considered postponing her trip to Tulsa when I called to tell her that I'd finally, after all these years, made her wildest laundry dreams come true.

On Thursday, Mom finished her day in Oklahoma at the OB-GYN office with my sister-in-law, hopped in the car, and raced south towards the Red River. She was delayed slightly by the highway construction that's been conveniently ongoing for the last four years -- the construction that just happens to force drivers to creep by last Oklahoma casino before leaving the state. She got here about 7 P.M., scarfed down some dinner I'd made, and made a beeline for the front loaders.

As we hauled in the new and hauled out the old, she giggled with excitement. For her, it was better than Christmas. I thought maybe I was imagining things, but when I mentioned I wanted to turn the dryer vent hose a quarter-turn to move the machine two inches closer to the wall, she hopped on top of it and dangled head first behind while I held onto her leg. That sort of request would normally elicit the eye-rolling and heavy-sighing on her part.

Clearly she wasn't thinking straight.

And I have proof.


I'll want to remember how lovely they were
when the day comes that I break them.


Better than Prime Time: fresh watermelon and a new washing machine.


With the exception of one towel and a few T-shirts,
this huge basket holds one load.


This posting about the new washer -- it's a sickness.
I'm deeply distrubed.