Happy Birthday Jack!

Jack, you are playful, loving, kind, generous, giving, insightful, crazy cool, strong, smart, willing to try even when it is hard, tender, huggable, fantastic, loves the Lord, bright eyes, lovely smile. gifted hands on the piano, beautiful opera voice (family joke!) and you are one decade today.
We celebrate you today and love you so much. We watched your baby video today and it makes me cry every time. I wanted to hold you so badly the darn nurse took SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO long doing who knows what, but I was just waiting and waiting and when I finally did you made me melt. What a joy you are to our home and because of you we are complete.

I praise you Lord because Jack is fearfully and wonderfully made!!!

love you Jack and Happy Birthday to you!!!!!

Just me and my Dad!

Welcome to the world of Katie and Daddio! She observes and studies him in ways that are new and exciting! She is growing quickly and demonstrating her wee personality. Love it!
To love her, cherish her and hold her at this precious stage is fleeting. Daddy takes the moments he can when he is home.
She is two months. In just a short while she will be making new noises, giggles and in high need of the exersaucer!!! Time flies.
My question today: How am I making the most of today?

So much more

A dear soul I have met at church has been truly inspiring in more ways than I can count. Her gospel centered life is apparent and radiant. I wish I had her zeal and tenacity for life like her many years ago early in my marriage and as a young christian!!! She is newly married (well year and a half) and wise beyond her years. She knows that God is calling her to love Him, her husband and pray about what the future holds.
She has read so many books I have and we share many thoughts and words that are so similar. I read this book, So Much More, a long time ago. She posted about this and I had to add this paragraph to my blog tonight. I have been so convicted lately about my role as a mother, wife, friend and servant and needed to read these vital biblical truths. Thank you Christina Beth!!! I am going to keep reading this book and remind myself of the following:


Teaching and discipling younger women to be keepers at home, submissive wives, loving mothers, modest, and good (Titus 2:3-5); helping to provide and care for widows in their immediate family (Ruth, 1 Timothy 5:16); creating garments and other necessities for the poor and visiting the sick (Acts 9: 36-39, Matthew 25:35-40); giving to the needs of the church (Matthew 27:55, Luke 21:2-4, Romans 16:1-2); talking about the things of God in the home to instruct fellow christians (2 Timothy 1:5); extending hospitality to saints and strangers alike (Genesis 18:6, Genesis 24:15-20, 1 Samuel 25:14-42, 1 Kings 17:8-24, 2 Kings 4:8-38, Matthew 8:14-15, Acts 16:14-15, Romans:12-13, 1 Timothy 5:10, Hebrews 13:2, 1 Peter 4:9, 3 John 1:8)
(So Much More, 277)
Is all of this easy to do? Would all agree? No, but I know that doing the above honours God and that is what is important. I know the word submissive is tough for many women. I am blessed to have a husband that cherishes and loves me in countless ways. That word does not scare me as it did years ago. A journey that continues today!! I am blessed and thank God for what He is doing in our family.

The love of my life

I started this post yesterday. Like everything in my life right now, it remains undone. I am constantly trying to finish one thing. I have determined that as far as the house goes, at least the kitchen will be done at some point. Everything else wait in anticipation of my next action! I have wanted to write about the love of my life for weeks now. I want to honour him and thank him for walking me through the deepest pain, most significant journey - birth.
Duncan I love you and thank God for you. Around here you are our leader, loving father and beautiful husband. Thank you, thank you.....

I can laugh sweetly when I look at this picture for so many reasons! While I was in labour Dunc was so many things for me. He was my prayer warrior, hand holder, game player (see above!!), he even tried playing scrabble with me during contractions. I have to say that did not go so well. I let him win!! He also read scripture out loud to me. He may not realize this, but the impact was significant in ways words can't adequately express. The words resonated deeply in my soul. The fact I have a husband that knows the power of scripture and  the fact I needed to hear the words was powerful.
He also brought in our portable ipod. I was able to listen to worship music. I forever will hold the song by Stephen Curtis Chapman, "Be Still and Know that I am God." God placed that song in my heart and for the entire time I was there and I listened to that song over and over again. Being in for 48 hrs gave me a great deal of down time. Time to heal, reflect and praise God for his goodness to me and Katie. She arrived safely and I delivered (however painful and crazy it was) God was there. He held me. He gave Duncan to me as a gift. He gave me nurses that truly cared for me and walked me through the distress and pain. I was really able to mentally gather myself enough to pray. Although at the end, I was in serious trauma for me! So fast and furious I could not get it together. That is when God really revealed himself to me. I was able to hear enough of what the nurse was telling me so that I would not have multiple stitches etc. She was amazing and I am grateful to God for her.

In Duncan's blog (http://www.asipassthroughthewaters.wordpress.com/) one of his entries of late talked about the horrible realities of adultry in our society. We are committed to one another and that means so many wonderful things. We also need to be aware of the dangers that loom and how we need to constantly be safeguarding our marriage and selflessly loving and praying, spending time alone. God first and then our marriage. Yes, we love our children, but if our marriage is failing so will our children in so many ways. We have a responsibilty to uphold our vows and through thick and thin be what God has called us to be - man and wife united in Christ.
I love you babe!

What they do...

From forts, to baby dolls wrapped in a gift (thanks Heather!!)

 Katie has used it but has beens stolen by Sara for her brood!!

To our cat using the forst as her resting spot, Sara putting her treasures in Jack's piggy bank, Samantha's stuffed toys all arranged in perfect order...

There are so many little things that make our day unique. I am thankful for these little things. It is what they do....