Love

Kaleb says to me, "Mom, I just know that lady was a Christian". "Really? What makes you think that she was a Christian?" He, in his wise old age of seven responds, "I could just tell by the way that she loved children that she was a Christian".

"They will know we are Christians by our love...by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love"

The TRUE Pandemic

So far in 2009, 5,000 deaths worldwide from H1N1 have been reported to WHO (WHO Pandemic Update 71).

So far in 2009, 37,779,567 babies have been murdered in their mothers' wombs, with this number increasing by about 1 little life lost a second (Abortions this year).

There is a pandemic raging through our world, which is deserving of a state of emergency declaration from the Oval Office, but it has nothing to do with the H1N1 virus, nor can it be curbed with a vaccine.

Hannah-isms

There was a loose pit bull in the neighborhood recently. Hannah came to report this to me: "Mom, Daddy said there is a stray Pinch Bullet in the neighborhood".

For some time now she has been excited to be eating "Cum-cubers".

And last but certainly not least, when informed that it would not be appropriate for her to kiss any boys but Daddy on the lips, she thought for a moment and then sweetly asked if it would be okay with me if she kissed her husband on the lips. Of course I told her that would be fine:).

Photographic Catch-Up

I am so thankful to get to report that my world is looking less and less green and my couch and bed becoming more and more foreign to me. I am fourteen weeks and feeling so, so much better. It was truly a rough first trimester (plus a few weeks) for all of us. When momma is out of commission, it really throws everyone off their axis. We're all glad to be resuming some sort of normalcy again. And our reward?!?! A sweet heartbeat announcing that all was not in vain. Praise the Lord!!!

So before I jump back into blogging, I thought I would do a bit (or a lot) of photographic catch-up! Despite feeling pretty miserable, summer, with all it's fun, treated us to many lovely memories. Here's a peek into our last few months:

Sarah Grace, on her 2nd birthday

A Hello, Kitty cake made by Daddy

The day we found out that we were expecting, we left for Alaska to visit Craig's parents. We spent the first three days camped along a BEAUTIFUL remote lake. We enjoyed kayaking and canoeing around the lake, listening to the loons and watching the sun go down around 11pm!!!
Kaleb would have spent the entire time kayaking! He loved it!

Craig's dad, Craig and the girls. I think Sarah nearly fell asleep kayaking around that peaceful lake. Who could blame her?!?!

Sweet Sarah, preparing "Grass Soup"

The boys took a nice hike WAY up into the mountains.

Upon our return home, Noah found this in his garden, snapped the picture himself, and chose the border. I think it is a marvelous picture, don't you?

Not long after returning home from Alaska, we loaded up once again for a camping trip at Silver Creek State Park with several families from our church in Newberg. There's nothing quite like camping when you are a child. The Fabulous Four had so much fun!!!!

Noah is looking so grown up to me these days. I have only a few more months in the single digits with this one. Where has the time gone? His interests and conversations are becoming more mature in nature. I am really enjoying and treasuring my time with Noah.

Our Hannah Joy...

(Just for the record, I did not ask her to pose! This was all her own doing! If she added a "Please" to that face, I'm most certain we'd give her the world!!!)

I think my husband should get an award of some sort. Like the "Sherpa Award" or something! Little legs get tired going uphill and Daddy legs get very strong.

In August, Hannah celebrated her 4th Birthday with a trip to the zoo and a picnic dinner with grandparents.

Rounding out our summer involved lots and lots of fishing. When so many other foods found themselves on my "Gag me with a pitchfork" list, grilled salmon never failed to hit the spot!!! Craig has found himself one dedicated fishing companion! Though both boys went out many times with Craig, it was Kaleb who eagerly rose every single morning at o'dark thirty to join his daddy on the river.

I am looking forward to blogging again, when time permits. Thanks for taking a journey through our summer with me!

The Latest Knitting Project

I have had good reason to be away! You see, there is a wee one being knit together in my womb by an extraordinary Creator!!! Yes, for those who do not know yet, the Fabulous Four will become the Fantastic Five in March (Lord willing). We are so very grateful for this little one, so humbled and delighted that the Lord would chose to allow us to love and raise one more for Him. The reason for my absence, however, has been the EXTREME nausea I have experienced this time around. I am trying all sorts of things to make it more bearable but have not had much success yet. I welcome any and all suggestions! Until I get a better handle on this thorn in my flesh known as nausea, I likely will continue to be a bit sporadic in my postings. Be assured, though, that all is well here and we are enjoying our summer immensely!!!

The Home Warrior

As arrows in the hand of a mighty warrior, so are children of the youth.

~Psalm 127:4

Did you catch that? Our children....they are arrows.

Not just harmless arrows, but like arrows in the hands of a warrior.A mighty warrior.

Are you believing the lie from the depths of hell that you are nothing more than a housewife, a maid, a server of all but yourself? Are you settling for nothing more than children who walk a straight line, stay out of trouble, and get good grades? Do you view your husband as simply the man who brings home the bacon and changes the oil in the car? If you must honestly answer "Yes" to any of these questions, than stop! Stop believing the lies and start believing the Word of God.

You, as well as your mate, are a warrior, a person ENGAGED in warfare. Who is your enemy? The Bible tells us quite clearly who our enemy is, if we are believers and followers of Christ: "your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). What is your greatest weapon? Your children! The ones who leave fingerprints on your windows, who bicker with their siblings, who scrape their knees and bang their shins. They are our greatest weapon!!!! They are arrows and they're going to be used to fight against somebody's enemy, either God's enemy or the devil's. We MUST not be complacent! The devil, our adversary, IS walking about, seeking whom he may devour and you know who he wants the most? Our children, because he knows God's Word is true (better than many of us Christians do)! He knows what dangerous weapons our children are! If the devil knows it and believes it, shouldn't we?

Love your children, treasure them for what they are (arrows in the hands of a warrior), pray for them and over them, and get on your knees before the Commander and ask Him, beg Him, plead with Him to make you and your husband warriors equipped and able to raise these arrows for Him. You will find me there, on my knees, too, petitioning the Lord to take our feeble, miserable attempts at raising our children and make it something powerful for the glory of His kingdom.

The next time I have to fill in the blank "Occupation" on a form, I wonder what would happen if, instead of writing 'homemaker', I wrote 'Home Warrior'? I think I'll give it a shot!

P.S. The bow and arrows in these pictures were beautifully crafted by Craig's father and given to him just recently. Such a treasure!

Whirlwind Days

Oh, its been a whirlwind of days. Camera-less days, at that. I have no proof that I've been doing what I've been doing so you'll just have to trust me!

Friday was spent enjoying a Civil War Reenactment provided by the NWCWC. It was a host of fun, though the very warm weather caused us to pity those in wool attire and ushered us sooner than we had planned to the comfort of our air conditioned vehicles. We are looking forward to attending another reenactment when the opportunity arises.

Saturday, not only did we get to enjoy the company of my sister-in-law and my adorable niece and charming nephews two, but also the city's annual 4th of July parade complete with too much candy! The rest of the day was spent slip-sliding (all 50 ft of it!!!), eating, chit-chatting and watching fireworks with 27 children and their parents. Tons of fun, I tell ya! Tons!!!

We continued to enjoy our visit with my sil and children through out the weekend, saying goodbye to them yesterday afternoon. Laundry beckoned, naps enticed, and quiet enveloped the busy-ness of us all.

Which takes us to the present, looking forward to celebrating in just a few days Sarah Grace's arrival into the world two years ago, visiting Craig's parents in Alaska, and soon an anniversary. And thus continues the whirlwind: a grand and blessed whirlwind!