A Holiday Centerpiece

Last Saturday, Anna made a really cute holiday decoration while she was over at Miss Kristen and Miss Cindy's house.  She did such a great job with it that I decided to make it our dining table centerpiece.  Anna and Micaiah really enjoyed spending time with Miss Kristen and Miss Cindy and their 4 dogs.  Afterwards, they took such good naps that they didn't wake up until dinner time!!!

Thank you Miss Kristen and Miss Cindy!!!!

Together

Here we are at the Louisburg Cider Mill back in October.

We really enjoyed the day...especially the apple cider and cider donuts!!!

I know the timing of sharing this picture is about 2 months off, but I wanted to post it

because our annual trip to the cider mill is a family tradition.

A lot has changed since this picture.

Anna and I both have gotten our hair cut shorter.

Between homeschooling and working, these last 5 months have
been very challenging for me...and in many ways its been a great thing.

I could probably go into more detail, but I'd rather not go into all that right now.

So for now, here are a few of the kids' latest milestones:

Anna is counting to 50, identifying and drawing shapes, numbers, letters, colors, writing and sounding out words, learning bible verses, playing soccer with neighborhood friends, and taking Tae Kwon Do classes.  Also, we finished reading the first "Little House on the Prairie" book, so we're looking to start the second one soon.  She has really enjoyed reading the first book and would often talk about and ask questions from the stories throughout the day.  Anna will attempt to wear a skirt and/or a dress in winter!  I have learned that long-sleeve sweater dresses and leggings are a great solution to her fashion diva ideas.  Anna is excited for Christmas, but she is even more excited that her 5th birthday is coming in February. 

Micaiah is saying new words everyday, saying 2 and 3 word sentences, likes to color and fingerpaint,  plays with trucks and trains, and likes to watch football!!!!  When we are out shopping, if he sees a football game on a tv or sees someone dressed in a football uniform, he will yell, "FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL!!!!"  (so funny!!!)

I guess I don't have to tell you what our family likes to watch on Sunday afternoons!?!!

Check out this giveaway!

One of the blogs that I enjoy reading is: Storing Up Treasures.
The author is Courtney.

Courtney is featuring a fantastic giveaway!!!

It is a year membership to SmartyAnts (a supplemental reading program for preK-1st), 

an interactive pup, AND $100 Visa gift card sponsored by BlogHer.
The giveaway ends Dec 17th.

To read about and participate in this giveaway, click HERE.

Holiday Treats

One of our family holiday traditions is making gingerbread houses!!!
Last week we got together with our friends Ed, Molly, Dylan, and Megan to make these yummy treats.

This one was built by Anna and Mama.

This one was built by Micaiah and Papa.

I set them on the table to dry overnight...and...

...the next morning Micaiah was caught eating the roof off of one of the houses!!!

Another family holiday tradition that we are looking forward to doing this month is

driving around to look at Christmas lights and displays.

My favorite seasonal tradition is lounging around and watching movies with

the glow and warmth of a fire burning in the fireplace!!!

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Thanksgiving

This image reminds me of the story of the prodigal son.

"But when he came to himself...he arose and came to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him...But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.  And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.'  And they began to celebrate."  (Luke 15:17-24)

Oh, the love of a father for a child!

A heart full of love, forgiveness, and mercy...that is what Thanksgiving is all about!!!

Thank you Father for your love and for your son Jesus, the Messiah, that has brought light into this dark world and salvation to all who believe!!!

What I'm thankful for:
- Amazing family and friends!!!
- A visit from Grandma.
- A day with no work.
- Living a daily adventure with my family.
- Health
- Opportunity
- Talent
- Encouragement
- Passion and purpose

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!!!

My Beloved

I am very thankful for my husband.

He has been a tremendous influence and support to God's plans and purposes in my life. 

He tries his best to provide a stable, Christ centered foundation for our family.

I respect him for his great strengths of perseverance and commitment.

He has an exceptionally high standard of integrity, honesty, and work ethic.

I love him for that, because sometimes being brutally honest is needed to humble ourselves.

Our children really enjoy the fun and spunk that he shares with them.

He loves playing with them and it has allowed them to share lots of laughs and hugs.

I am daily encouraged by his love and care for our relationship and marriage.

He has this habit of making me smile, even when I'm trying to be mad at him.

I love holding his hand.

He is my very best friend. 

Thank you Brian!

Considerations

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."  

 (James 1:2-6)

"Is that it!??!!!!!" I heard myself say, as the waitress placed a plate of food in front of me.

Immediately after saying it, I knew in my heart that I was guilty. Contentment and thanksgiving was not the attitude and expression of my heart.

Sure, it had been five hours since I had last eaten. And yes, I tend to eat every 3 hours, so this had been a long wait for me. Of course, while on a date with my husband I was allowed to be a little selfish, right?

All I really wanted was to enjoy a big pile of garlic mashed potatoes.
And yet my reaction of dissatisfaction before I even took a bite was very self-centered.

But this is only one of the many moments that God is opening my eyes to the reality of living in contentment (and my current lack thereof).

Well, at least it gave my husband a good laugh. He busted up in chuckles. He understood how hungry I was and knows how I can become like a bear when I've waited so long to eat.

And after I realized that my reaction was very un-content-able (sp?), I giggled right along with him. That is how easy it is. To live out of a self-centered reaction for your own wants and desires. But for the grace of God, there go I.  It takes much more consideration (and prayer) to live selflessly.

It was in those moments of composure and with an intimate conversation of confession and repentance with my husband, that I've become more aware and intentional with embracing the deep, vast love of my Lord Jesus by finding my contentment only in Him. There are so many things in this life that can distract us from having and knowing peace....and unfortunately at times for me it can be triggered by a lack of food.  Maybe this is why Jesus gave us the example of fasting AND praying.

Peace and contentment go together, kinda like peanut butter and jelly. I've got to get my mind off of food! Where there's peace, there's contentment. Where there's contentment, you'll have peace.

And what is peace? And how do you get it?
And how do you teach children about the peace of God if you've never experienced it?
And how do you exemplify to your children to be content?

The answers to those questions may or may not be a simple word, yet I believe it must go beyond our words and thoughts--into our very interaction with our spouse, our example to our children, and our witness to the world.  What are we exemplifying?  Does the sacrifice and atonement that Jesus paid, give us a fresh perspective on how we are living our lives daily?

May the movement of God's Spirit cause us all to consider.

Papa's Journal: Micaiah's Second Birthday.

My husband and I are both bloggers. We both struggle to update our blogs. So I'm going to cheat a little bit and share the link to his latest blog post. I say its only cheating a little bit because half of the post is mine.  Okay, so maybe its not cheating---its more like sharing!!!  :)

(click on the title "Papa's Journal" below to view his post)

Papa's Journal: Micaiah's Second Birthday.: " The 24th of October was Micaiah's second birthday. What's really amazing about this little man's birthdate is that he was born one month..."

Micaiah's Birth Story

When I think of Micaiah's birthday, I will always also be reminded of Hosanna
and this precious gift of life. 

I do not believe in coincidences.

I know that life is full of divine providence.

For me, October 24th just happens to be one of them.

In June of 2008 during the fourth month of my third pregnancy, I was diagnosed with a rare genetic blood disorder called anticardiolipin Igm (click for more info).  Not only had our family experienced the loss of a child (Hosanna at 8 months on Oct  24, 2007) and now we are faced with the uncertainty of future child bearing.  This genetic blood disorder is an autoimmune deficiency that has no cure and does not necessarily show symptoms.  It causes blood clots and elevated levels of antibodies that will fight and destroy healthy tissue.  I was at ease to finally know the reason for the stillbirth of my son and for the blood clot in his brain that had caused his demise.  Yet I was worried about how the current pregnancy was going to go.  Such mixed emotions ran through the course of this third pregnancy.  When my midwife found out the results of the test, I had to find a perintologist.  The first thing I asked was, "what is a perintologist?"  These are specialists who focus on high risk pregnancy.  After enjoying the first pregnancy, I never thought I'd be at a high risk for failure to carry out a pregnancy.   

At KU Med, I was put on a daily injection of blood thinner, baby aspirin, and folic acid.  It was so awkward to give myself shots every morning.  I just kept reminding myself that this is for the health of the baby and myself.  What the doctors kept finding was that the blood pressure going into the womb was very high.  This is where the blood clotting issue was given weekly attention and concern.  I am so thankful for the medical care and attention that helped me get through this pregnancy.  It seems as though this blood disorder may only affect me while I'm pregnant, with the chance of causing miscarriage, premature labor, heart attacks, and other possible complications.  Weekly visits to the doctor were hard on Anna and I, especially as the pregnancy progressed and I was fatigued.  

Every weekly visit consisted of a blood pressure check, weight check, 

growth check, sonogram, and 3-D video scan.

November 24th -- was the due date we were told.  A Thanksgiving baby would be a wonderful thing to be thankful for!  After getting to the 8th month, I found myself becoming more at peace in the expectation of the health and survival of baby boy Rich.

This little boy would show us his fight for life and be a reminder to us of the Lord's redemption at work in our family's lives.  On October 24th (4 weeks early, on the same day one year after we found out the sad news about Hosanna), came the unexpected early arrival of Micaiah.  I woke up that morning with heavy bleeding and headed straight for the ER.  I was sent to the maternity triage.  After a brief exam and an internal sonogram, the doctor told me that everything looked good but that I was in labor.  I didn't know it yet, but the laboring pains were just beginning.  This was scary to me because of the lack of growth that would be missed in the last month.  I was reassured by the doctors when they explained that all the sonograms had showed good development of his lungs, yet I knew he was going to be a small baby.  While laboring in the evening, the doctors became concerned when the baby's heart rate began to fluctuate and decrease, so they prepared me for an emergency c-section.  I really wanted to do a natural birth, so I asked to have the anesthesia given to me at the very last moments.  The doctors agreed to give me an epideral in the operating room.  This would also allow Brian to be present during the delivery.  As I was wheeled in to the operating room, I could see Brian's nervous look in his eyes as he was dressed in sterile surgery garb.  As I sat up on the operating table prepping for the epidural, I sensed a familiar urge to push.  It was time!!!  I was complete and fully dilated.  Since I had not been given the epidural yet, everything was stopped.  As soon as I laid down, I distinctly remember the doctor telling me that I had to wait to push.  I was ready and those were the longest seconds of the day!  At 10:39pm, he came out blue with a cord wrapped around his neck twice and making no sounds.  They unraveled the cord, cut the umbilical cord, and he finally let out a loud cry.  WHEW!!!  

From the very beginning of his life in this world, he has been a fighter.
I was so relieved that I didn't have the epidural because it was so wonderful to be able to walk to the NICU immediately after his birth to visit him in his "little house."  He was incubated for five days and had to do phototherapy in a special light blanket for jaundice.
We brought him home a week later and marveled at how precious the gift of life is.  

October 24th is a day that I will never forget.

From struggles of grief and surrender, to tears of joy and thankfulness.

My hope is in the Lord, and in Him I entrust all the days of my life.
And the lives of my husband and children,
no matter how short or how long their life may be.
He's got the whole world in His hands!

Anna means, "full of grace."

Hosanna means "save, we pray!" (an exclamation of praise)

Micaiah means "who is like the Lord?"

There is one thing that gives me peace and comfort through the turmoil, the struggles, and the great joy that I've experienced in this life...
...it is the unchanging love of Jesus Christ that has and is changing me and how I live my life.
I am so grateful to put my faith and trust in the Lord our God who gives and takes away,
yet my heart will choose to say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Goodbye rash, Hello sleep!

Okay, so...the nurse at Micaiah's pediatrician's office and I were both wrong.

It was not an allergic reaction.

It was not even a virus or viral rash.

This little boy has a double ear infection that caused him to break out in an itchy, bacterial rash from head to toe.  (little sleep for three nights)  Then his eyes started to become infected making them puffy, swollen and itchy.  He is on medication now and beginning to feel better...and sleep better.  Four days of little to no sleep had everyone a bit on the cranky side in our house.

  

And some other good news is that Micaiah is up to 22 pounds!  He gained two pounds in the past two months, which is a great increase for him.  It must be from all the ice cream that Papa is feeding him!!!  :)  Praise the Lord!  And thank you for your thoughts and prayers for him.  It is such a relief to us that his growth and development is slowly, yet continually increasing. 

And some (not-so-much) bad news is that right now

Micaiah's favorite word is------'no!'

Okay thats probably bad news for Brian and I more than anyone,
but sometimes he does say it to answer a question.
I think thats just hopeful thinking that its
not going to be a tough year with training him?!?!?!?!?!!

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it."  (Proverbs 22:6)

Besides getting little sleep, working at the studio, and getting even less sleep...
this weekend was really fun!!!!

I'm looking forward to sharing more about it soon.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Look what Anna learned this week!

This past week has been lllooooonnnnngggg!!!!

The reason being that Micaiah is sick.  He has a viral rash that is very itchy and it makes him very cranky.  He has had it for 3 very llllooonnnngggg days, so I hope it clears up soon.

 Anna has had quite a week.  She learned to sound out and spell a few words all by herself!!!  She gets so excited when she learns to do things on her own.  She asked me how to spell a word and I simply told her to try to sound out the word and write down the letters.  The next thing I know, she is writing MAMA, PAPA, ANNA, and CAR all by herself!!!  WOW!!!  I was pleasantly surprised and excited for her.  She is well on her way to reading. 

Since the weather has been nice, we've been going to the local parks.  Anna enjoys riding her bike and I found a walking trail that is nearby so Anna can ride and I can walk...until it gets too cold. We've had some nice warm weather, even days that didn't require a jacket or hoodie.

Juggling

I've often viewed life as a juggling act.  You know, putting all the different roles that you are in a day all thrown into a juggling rhythm that you try to keep going, even if you drop one.  Ah, wouldn't it be nice if it was really that easy.  Hmmm....until you actually try to do it!  So how is it possible to be a wife, mother, teacher, photographer, cooker lady, house cleaner, doctor appointment taker, and grocery shopper???!!!   Well, there are no easy answers, but there are solutions to time efficiency!  (thank you Lord!)  I thought I'd share a few time efficiency tips that would bring you encouragement and humor while you juggle through your busy day!

1) Take a deep breath!  The extra oxygen helps to clear your mind and focus.
2) When the kids color with marker on your dining room table, google search for remedies BEFORE the husband comes home.
3) Cook dinner during the day while you have energy so that all you have to do is heat it up later when you're ready to eat.  The kids can help too!
4) Keep a schedule and set time limits...kids and adults thrive better with consistency.
5) Know your responsibilities and manage obligations. (learning to say no is important for this one)
6) Purchase food and cook meals in bulk to save time and money.
7) Spend at least 5 minutes a day either tickling or dancing with your kids. :)
8) Always kiss and hug your husband when he arrives home from work!!!  (one of the best rewards after a day of work.)
9) Take walks around the block as often as you can for as long as you can.  Exercise is good for the body and soul.
10) Take the last half hour of the day to prepare for the next day, if possible.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."  (Proverbs 17:22)

"Save, we pray!" (Psalm 118:25)

  

"The best and most beautiful things in this world 

cannot be seen or even heard,

but must be felt with the heart."  

(Helen Keller)

Recently, my thoughts and prayers have been for two of my friends who have both experienced a miscarriage of twins.  For these two wonderful ladies and their families, please know that I am thinking and praying specifically for you during this time of grief and surrender.  

Please join me in praying for these two ladies.

As we enter into the month of October, I am reminded of Hosanna, our son who did not survive in October 2007.  Throughout this month, I'll share more about our family's experience and about what the Lord Jesus has done in our hearts and lives through the past 3 years.

The above image is

in memory of Hosanna and the many precious little ones
 that are safe in the arms of Jesus.

Friday's Favorite

This was going to be my post last Friday until "Stitches" got his stitches.

With homeschooling, comes the ability to structure our days around learning and fun.

So Fridays are (usually) field trip days!

Earlier this month, we spent the day learning about farm animals at
The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead.
This is one of our favorite places because there is so much to do.
Not only is there a petting zoo, but there's a pond to go fishing in, pony rides,
baby goats to feed, hayrides, and lots to explore.

Isn't that the goofiest caterpillar face ever?!!  What a silly boy!

Anna enjoyed Charlotte's calves (below), and learned about milking a cow.

We got to watch Charlotte the cow being milked.
And even learned about cows having 4 stomachs.
Anna also learned that a male chicken is called a rooster,
and a female chicken is a hen.
(What?! Why does a male and female have to have different names?
Aren't they all just called chickens????
I know she was thinking this by the puzzled look on her face.)

We spent the day on one side of the park,
just to give you an idea of how big and how fun this place is.
We look forward to going back again soon.

"Stitches"

With an unexpected visit to the emergency room today, Micaiah left with 8 stitches in his forehead!  This was his first (of what I suspect may be many to come) incidents that require medical attention,
if he is anything like his Papa.
Micaiah is quite a curious, fearless (and in some cases ignorant), 

and at times mischievous little boy.
For the next five days until he gets his stitches out,
his nickname will be "Stitches."

It was an unexpected fall (or was he jumping?) off of the ottoman when he gashed open his forehead and required 8 stitches.  Anna and I were in the dining room while he was playing in the living room.  Even though we didn't see it happen, we heard his body thump when he hit the ground and his immediate crying.  When I picked him up, he was already covered in blood and I knew this one wasn't going to feel better with just a kiss.  While the nurses and doctor were stitching him up, he laid on the hospital bed screaming, "GO HOME NOW!"  It was his first three word sentence!!!  And in his desperate cries, the sense of our safe and familiar home was what he was demanding.  

His pleas for "home" captured my heart.  Home is where the heart is.  

Isn't that a famous quote or something because I know I've heard that before? 

While comforting Micaiah and telling him that we would go home when it was "all done," it was as if the Lord was showing me the delight He will have on the day that He will come to take His church home..."Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."  

(Revelations 21:1-4)

Though for now we can find encouragement in this:

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies." 

(2 Corinthians 4:7-10)

The road less traveled

"He who obeys instructions guards his life,

but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die."
(Proverbs 19:16)

To fear God's instructions is to travel on the path of honor.
To obey them is our security.
If we keep the Word, the Word will keep us safe.
Our duties are thus identified with our privileges. This is the first successful effort to shake ourselves from the deep sleep of laziness. Yet, the power to obey God's instructions is not within a man. Is it not rather a matter of God working in us, through us, with us? Let the world know that we do not exercise obedience in a covenant of works, but that keeping the commandment evangelically is keeping our own souls. This is the way of present happiness, the seal of everlasting mercy, and the pathway to heaven.

This summary of Proverbs 19:16 is from the
commentary "Proverbs" by Charles Bridges.

Spot Time

So, what does Micaiah do while I'm working

with Anna on teaching time???!?

Micaiah has spot time!!

He gets to choose a few things to enjoy playing with on his own (something that only happens during this time of the day) and he gets to choose where he wants to play. Spot time is great because it allows me to focus my attention on working with Anna, yet he is learning to have quiet play time on his own. For Micaiah, this is his time to explore, try new things, and figure things out without being chaperoned by his sister. Imagine--no fighting, no arguing, no craziness for at least half an hour out of the day! Its marvelous (to me!). Some things that Micaiah likes to do during spot time is: ride his tricycle on the balcony, play with trucks or legos or empty boxes, and cook on the cooker set.

Teaching Time

When it comes to homeschooling,
our favorite spot is scenic and peaceful.
Anna, Micaiah, and I head outside to enjoy sitting out on our balcony enjoying the nice weather while learning, working, and playing. Of course, its much different than the lazy days of summer when they had a lot of play time. Yes, we call homeschooling 'teaching time' because really its just a lot more fun to say!!!

Homeschooling Anna is a lot of FUN. She really enjoys it and surprisingly enough, I am enjoying it too. It can be tough especially when Micaiah is begging for attention. Yet it is so worth it to see her grow and expand on concepts and ideas, as well as allowing Micaiah to join in during coloring activities and reading time.

In our home, teaching time is three days a week (Mon/Tues/Thurs) in the mornings from 9-11:00am. For this semester, we are working on putting letters together to make and sound out words, handwriting, identifying and writing capital and lowercase letters, writing her name, identifying and writing numbers, counting to 20, shapes, primary and secondary colors, weather, and reading. Most of the handwriting, alphabet, and number lessons are done in workbooks though I'm not using one specific curriculum. I like to include one activity or craft that reinforces one of the lessons for the week. We also have lots and lots of reading time. Usually, I will read to Anna for 20-30 minutes a day out of a chapter book we've chosen. Right now we're reading out of "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Its the first book of the series and we plan to read all of them.
Anna really enjoys reading...and storytelling.

I'm excited to post some of Anna's work.
Thats our homeschooling journey so far.

The wonder of it all!

Here's Anna and Micaiah enjoying the jazz festival that we went to this past weekend.
They absolutely enjoyed it, especially because this was one of the few times that we have kept them out this late at night. This was their first experience seeing a live performance with all the instruments, sounds, and food.
They were mesmerized!

Anna's favorite instrument was the saxophone.

Micaiah liked dancing to the music.

We all had a great time!

Snow in September!

For my birthday...it was quite a day and quite a year to remember!

Brian and Anna made the traditional pineapple upside-down cake (my favorite!).

Anna, Micaiah, and I played in the snow! Okay, well, first we made the snow from a science kit. They were so curious about it all. It was especially fun and occupied them for most of the day.

Brian surprised me with...dark chocolate raisinets!!! One of my new found (hard to find) favorite cravings!!! It was so sweet! Then, he completely surprised me by taking me out on a dinner date to my favorite restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory. And of course, I enjoyed my favorite cheesecake, Godiva Chocolate.

This was, by far, my best birthday yet! We didn't stay out late though because it was a school night. Here's a picture my half eaten cheesecake with the birthday card that Brian gave me in the background.
Birthdays always remind me of all the special people that I have gotten to meet, know, and love in my life. There are so many!!!!! I'm especially thankful for my family and friends...and pray that each and every one of them know that they are loved!

I am 29 years young...and already I have had many experiences in life that have shown me how short and fragile this life is. When my mother's mental illness brought pain, confusion, fear, and death to our family. When I experienced the sadness of my parent's divorce. When I tried drinking as a way to forget the pain and as a social avenue. When a friend died. When my friends weren't there. All this happened before I was 21... And then on April 8, 2001, I could finally declare that was my old life. From that day on until now, I (try) to rejoice every morning knowing that I have another day to live my life with purpose, with passion, and with sincerity. I am a new person in Jesus Christ, and I live my life differently now. Through hardship, death, and frustration, my choice to fear the Lord my God above it all has brought peace, joy, and redemption in ways that I could have never made happen on my own. Not only have I been changed, but I have changed and affected others' lives. I share this in earnest that each of us may consider the direction and path our life choices are taking us in. It is never too late, until the last breath, to make a choice to make a change. May we be willing to change. May we become aware of the things that we cannot change. May our hearts be open to experience and embrace the greatest love in the whole world. Jesus Christ is as real as the air that fills your lungs and gives you breath. And may we consider how we use each breath to live before the living God, our great Creator and Redeemer.

"What then shall we say to these things? If GOD is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through HIM who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-39)

Milestones and More

Wow, life has been so exciting in our home!
There have been many new developments in our lives recently.

Here's what happened in August...
(I know its September but hang with me,
I think you'll find its worth the read)

Micaiah : Every day new words come out of his mouth! He attempts to ride his tricycle but his legs aren't quite long enough to reach the peddles. He finally got his two upper "fang" teeth (still waiting for the bottom ones) AND at 22 months old, he weighed in at 20 pounds 7 ounces!!!! YEAH! We knew he could do it. He's over twenty pounds now, but still in the zero percentile so we still have to watch his weight. He likes to jump A LOT.
Here's one of his many new funny faces he makes.

Anna : What can I say about Anna?! She is just getting so big. Her latest milestones are: brushing her own hair, swinging herself by pumping her legs, crossing the monkey bars on her own, treading water, writing her name, and drawing people. She is really looking forward to riding her bike and going to the pumpkin patch this fall. Oh, and she got her first 'slap' bracelet--yes, those slap bracelet things that bend when you slap them on your wrist. (they were a big hit when I was in middle school...yes, it kinda made me think I'm old but at least I don't feel it YET) She likes wearing the slap bracelet and calls it her 'watch'.
Here she is being a monkey.

Brian : I am so happy for Brian because he is studying to become a certified personal trainer. This is something that he has wanted to do since high school. He really enjoys learning all these long medical terms that make no sense AND he is just so excited to help and encourage others to have a healthy and active lifestyle.
He studies a lot when he isn't working and his goal is to be certified by Jan 2011.
Of course, I think its going to be rather nice to have my own personal trainer too. ;)

Mama Rich : So, maybe I am a bit of a simpleton. Its funny how the littlest things bring me such great joy! Like reading the Little House on the Prairie book series to my daughter. I bet you didn't see that one coming. :) Yes, I used to read these as a child and I still enjoy reading them. The added bonus is that they are real life, wholesome, family-oriented stories that are bursting with history and fun. The books are so interesting to read about a different kind of culture and way of life. I am looking forward to blogging more about our homeschooling journey. In my own personal reading time, I've been reading Amy Carmichael's biography written by Elizabeth Elliot titled, "A Chance to Die." It is a book that I borrowed from a friend and I am so glad that I did. I hope to blog about the book more later too. For the second part of our fifth wedding anniversary celebration, Brian took me to Worlds of Fun to ride roller coasters together! It has been five years since I've ridden one. It was scary at first, but I really enjoyed surrendering to the fun of it all. Well, something new that is going on for me is that I've decided to become a certified zumba instructor. I'll be certified in October and looking forward to instructing classes. I'm very excited!!! If you're wondering what zumba is, its a low impact cardio workout that is based on a variety of dance steps that makes it fun to work out. It is so much fun!
I'll share more about that later too.

So that pretty much sums up August for us.
This summer was so refreshing and as we head into fall,
we are looking forward to all that God is going to do.
We will miss the swimming pools and the long hot days as they are replaced with cooler nights with jeans and hoodies. Yet this change in season is but a reminder of the seasons yet to come.

"Be strong and courageous.
Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed,
for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

"For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."
(Romans 8:24-25)

(PHEW!)
September here we come!!!

If You Say Go

This song has been an encouragement to me for years.
The movie clips from The End of the Spear are a provoking reminder of the power of forgiveness.
When I came across this, I had to share it.

Grandma's visit

I figure that its better late than never!
Especially when it comes to blogging, so....
About a month ago, Brian's mom (aka "Grandma") came out for a visit.

So we all went to the airport to pick her up. Micaiah and Anna were so excited to find out why we came to this strange place with people carrying and pulling bags. (side note: for some reason Anna is convinced that she is going to live in China one day so going to the airport opened up a lot of conversation and questions)

Grandma visited for four days and we took her around town and did a lot of fun stuff.
One of the days, we spent at the Liberty Memorial and
the National World War I Museum.

And Anna was so excited to take Grandma to eat at Fritz's.
Its a train themed fast food joint that has electric powered trains that deliver your food to your table. You have to see it to believe it. Its very cool. We took Grandpa (my dad) and Grandma Ruth to eat at the Crown Center location the last time they came out for a visit.
This time we took Grandma to the newest/closest one in Shawnee, right down the street.

We had a great time hanging out with Grandma. Thanks for visiting. We love you!!!

Starting the year off right

Well, where to start?

The past few weeks have been busy indeed!

Wow--just thinking about it all reminds me of how blessed I am!

How amazing is the grace of God.

This summer, I started a new tradition called "Mama and Anna dates." Once a month, we plan a time and pick something fun to do together--just the two of us. She always looks forward to our dates and it has become an important part of our relationship. It has also been an opportunity to prepare and encourage her for the years to come. We've had some really great times and I know we're both glad that we started this new tradition.

Right now for many, its the start of a new season, a new chapter.
Its the start of a new academic year!

I am very excited!!! This year is going to be great. Anna is really looking forward to homeschooling. Of course, mostly its because she really enjoys playing with her brother and she really wants to learn to read.

When we sat down to start our homeschooling session this morning, Anna said to me with a big smile on her face, "I really like my teacher."
She looked at me and I asked her, "Well, who is your teacher?"
She giggled and responded, "You are Mama!!!! You are my teacher and I will learn from you."

In the moment when she said that, my heart was filled with such peace and delight.
I looked at her smiling up at me.
This is just a glimpse of the joy of motherhood.

Check out Angie's blog post about homeschooling.
Hope you all had a refreshing summer...and a great start to the academic year.

My Two Little Monkeys

My Two Little Monkeys
(a poem for my kids)

My two little monkeys like to wiggle and giggle, climb and swing.
They are very good at all those things.

What, you ask, do you feed your monkeys?
I tell you, they eat everything even veggies!

These two little monkeys make a lot of noise
And know how to get out all the toys.

And when it comes to dolls and dresses,
You'll find the other one is naked while making messes.

When its naptime, I know to look
For at least one of them reading a book.

There's one that likes to lead in everything
With the other following under her wing.

The two of them love to play together
Which makes it great that they're brother and sister.

Their favorite thing right now to do
Is play with Thomas the choo-choo.

Its quite a sight to see them play
With Papa at the end of the day.

My two little monkeys, as you can see
Are the cutest little climbers--to me!

~With Love, Mama Rich

5 years and counting!

Today, Brian and I are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary!!!!!

So I thought I'd share 5 pictures of special moments we've shared in the past 5 years.

Plaza III - This is where Brian proposed to me!
We went out to dinner on his last night in KC
after we took a trip to Israel and the middle East.
I thought he was going to propose to me while on the trip.
Right after we ordered dessert, he got down on one knee and proposed!
It was the perfect way to end the two weeks that we got to share together.

Here we are at a park in PA in 2006. Anna was only 3 or 4 months old.
This was our first trip with a child. It was a fun and memorable trip.
I like this picture for its location and one of my best friends, Allyce, took this picture.

Here we are after a long weekend trip to Omaha, Nebraska in 2007.
I was pregnant with our first son Hosanna.
Not long after this picture, we found out that we would not
have the privilege of raising this son.
Though he was stillborn, we continue to share many fun memories
and good thoughts of the eight months we shared with him.
This picture, to me, is a reminder of the joy of faithfulness.

Well....for some reason, I am having trouble uploading the last two images.
I'll have to come back later and try to post them again.

Anywho...I really enjoy being married to you Brian!
And I'm looking forward to many more moments, memories, and
the adventure that still lays ahead of us on our journey together.

About Mama Rich

Some random things about me:

-My favorite sweets--almost anything dark chocolate!-
*I average 15-25 miles running a week.*
>I like wearing high heels.<
- I enjoy listening to classical music in the car.-
*The most influential advice anyone has ever given me is: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.*
>My favorite color is any hue of blue.<
- I like to zumba and kickbox.-
*My greatest fear is drowning.*
>And...apparently I don't like billy goats!!!!
(LOL - only in this picture!)<

A Miracle!

This post was written by Ed McInnis, a witness to this miracle and a very good friend of ours.

Last night (June 30th, 2010) while entertaining the Rich's, I accidentally ran unto (with my wheelchair) and parked on for a brief instance, the foot of Mr. Moo (their one year old son). 530 pounds of force was on his ankle and as he fell back screaming in pain and trying to free himself, he twisted his ankle into a most precarious angle.

When he was finally rescued and we began taking off his sandal, we discovered his foot was compressed, twisted, purple, and swelling.

Folks......I have seen mangled bodies and I know when things are "not good."

I, as "under cool fire as I am," saw his ankle and foot, I, even I, already had the creeping, nauseating suspicion that we were going to have to go to the ER due to a broken ankle/foot.

To quote David Hogan, "Faith kicked in before reason."

We laid hands on his foot and began to pray and immediately the color returned to normal, there was no swelling, and his foot was restored to its natural form.

Mr. Moo was comforted by his mom as he ate a popsicle; he wanted down and when his foot hit the floor.....well.........

He ran and chased his sister with NO sign of distress at all!!!!!!

PRAISE GOD!!!!

This was an actual, visible healing....

PRAISE GOD!!!!!!