This is for Uncle Perry, Auntie Dawna, Derek and Shawn

Well we didn't end up moving out in your directions, but I thought that you might like this shot of Ben and Mike with their t-shirts they would have worn almost every time we came to visit you. Oh how I love Value Village you find the most wonderful things. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Go Lions Go!!!!!!!!!!!

Are we not Comanded to Love one Another?

I heard a story today about a few people that I know that made me wonder about the love that Christians are suppose to show to one another. My first reactions was to be cruel and ridicule back, but that is not how I should respond. I too was hurt by the actions of another in this story that I heard, but I need to move beyond that and I truly struggle with becoming bitter and angry. The tongue is a true and mighty sword that can hurt deeper and longer then any surface wound.

I was also watching a movie just the other day (Mean Girls, I know it is totally cheesy) and the story that I had heard was about women talking bad about other women, so this made me wonder....... Why do women have such a cycle of bitterness and anger towards each other? I'm sure that men are not immune to this sort of behavior but it seems to be more prominent with women of all ages. I even saw a documentary recently on TV that was about young girls being violent towards other young girls. This seems to be a small theme in the things that I see and hear in my life right now. Why are we this way? Can I be different? How could a teach a daughter of mine to be different, if I had one? Is this a problem from one generation to the next or is it a cultural thing? Or could it be the alternate battle of nature vs. nurture?

Well, instead of becoming bitter and angry this one time I thought I would put my thoughts out there for people to hear and think about. Also to calm my heart so I would reflect on my mind was taking me places that even I didn't want to go.

Our News Advetures as a Family

Here is a little update of our family and what is going on with us this fall. Mike is already back to school and he has started his pastoral internship @ Olivet Church as the middle school youth worker. These are both great things for Mike but they both come with struggles. Of course with Mike in school that means that we have less of an income. My parents are gracious enough to let us live @ there house for a fraction of what it would cost us to live anywhere else. This is truly a great help, but we still struggle with everything that has to do with finances. We are still learning what is important to spend our money one and how to save together. Mike in school also creates a little tension so we really truly need prayer for patience with each other and the journey that God has set us on. We need prayer to be humble through this experience and also that we are able to create a balance between work, school, church and family.

Soon I will be starting a new job of being a nanny for my niece in Port Moody for four days of the week. I am filled with anticipation for this new beginning and a little nervousness too. Talking to my sister in-law Jana has gotten me even more exited and nervous about this. I love working with children because you can be a part of shaping who they will be but that is the same reason that I am nervous, I am going to be part of who this girl will be one day.

Over the last week or so I have been thinking of things that I would write about in an update for my blog and right now I seem to have forgotten most of them.

I just ask for prayer for our little family as we embark on so many new adventures this fall. Prayer that we raise Ben as God intended and that when we do make mistakes that he is protected from them. To keep us safe physically and emotionally in our jobs and that we can learn to live and laugh through all of the struggles that life will throw @ us.

8 Months and Seems so Old

Ben is now 8 months old, I thought that you know kid's grow up, but I am still amazed at the rate that they do the growing up @. It seems like Ben is getting faster and better at getting around with each day that passes. He also thinks that he is growing up and for the last week or so he had decided that he no longer needs naps. What can I say, it's been a really long week. Here are a few pictures of Ben and is growing too fast.This is Ben is his snow suit that was to be for this winter. It is way too tight for him, so tight that he was having a really hard time sitting. I had to quickly shoot this one before he fell down, he couldn't bend @ the waist.

It totally looks like he is standing on his own here. He is leaning on the chair.

I sat Ben down in his bed so that he wouldn't get into trouble while I was doing something and he grabbed onto the rail of his bed and pulled himself up to standing. He seems to like the view from standing and tries to get to standing whenever he can.

Here's a better shot of him standing in his crib.

To the things I didn't realize I knew

Today was an interesting day, filled with ups and downs but in the end I think it was good (pending on a little guy falling asleep really fast). The day started with church where I started to think about the words that I speak to others. Mine aren't always the most encouraging and they should be. Then a relaxing afternoon with Mike and a stressful one with Ben, strange how an afternoon can be both. Then this evening someone reminded me about a little girl I met the first time I was in Africa and that made me think of Benard, the 18 month old boy that I also met the first time I was in Zambia. The I thought of the circumstances of Zambians and how I am truly,truly blessed to be where I am today and to have my little family. No matter how I look at things, I have more than in my life than anyone that I worked with in Zambia could ever dream of. I have a husband who loves me and respects all aspects of who I am and respects my opinions. I also have a son who is super healthy and is such a joy in my life, even though some days I don't seem to see that. And they are both just the start of what I have, what else could I ask for?

I know this is truly sappy, but lately I've been in a little bit of a funk and this day just was a slap in the face that even with all the hard changes and decisions that I have to make in my life, God is with me and he is blessing me. "Thank you Lord for all that you have done for me. I do not deserve the love that you give to me. Thank you for Your blessing."
Here are just a few recent shots of my little family because I know that I like pictures to go along with a blog posting. first; mike and I at a ball game, above; ben and mike at the rodeo.

POOP Happens Everywhere

My little Ben is almost 8 months old now and I'm proud to say that tonight was the first time that he pooped in the tub while he was having a bath. All of a sudden there was this rumble from beneath him and then there were little logs in his little tub. My mom was asking me the other day if this had happened to us yet and I proudly said, "no," but no longer is that the correct answer. He pooped in the tub and well, I'm sure that it will not be the last time.

Ben Standing on His Own

My mom put Ben in her laundry basket today and so she yelled at me to get my camera to take pictures because it was just too cute. He was being cute and just playing around in there and then all of a sudden he pulls himself up and he's standing. Of course he is holding on for dear life but he is actually doing it. I was so amazed and just kept taking pictures. It was a good moment. When I told Mike about it later, he was all cool and calm like the kid does this every day. I tell you, I was so glad that I had my camera out because it is not every day that your kid stands for the first time. It was great.