the Little things

Life around here has been hectic. Amidst Trying to pack, Suffering from Sinusitis (me), Preparing for the garage sale, and Writing our Prayer letter and Support list, and Owen getting 2 stitches above his eye, the kids have been a little bored. This morning C said, "I didn't have any fun yesterday when you were sick, Mommy"

Last week midway through our date night of watching Robin Hood, I suddenly became ill with the chills, and fever, and a rapid heart beat. I have been dealing with it all week and it is probably the worst sickness I have had in a long long time. We are going to try and see it again tomorrow night, with the rain check the movie theater kindly issued us. Naturally the kids wanted to see Robin Hood, so I ordered it for them on Netflix.

I thought it would be fun for the kids to watch the "same" movie that mom and dad were going to see in the theater. We watched it tonight and it brought back childhood memories. Before the movie, C was trying to figure out what Robin Hood was all about and said, "It's the one with the wolf and the girl with the hood that goes to visit her grandma."

Haha, oh that is so cute, unfortunatley that is Little Red Riding Hood. Which until then I never thought one could confuse the two, now it makes perfect sense.

Here's to hoping no sickness befalls midway through this movie and we have to leave the theater again.

Long Live Robin Hood

p.s our 2009 family photo album came in the mail and really made me smile :)

Its time

"Come alive to the real world, the world where Jesus is Lord, the world into which your baptism brings you, the world you claim to belong to when you say in the creed that Jusus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead.........It's time to wake up! you've been asleep long enouth! The sun is shining and there's a wonderful day out there! Wake up and get a life!"

(N.T. Wright)

We are moving

7 years in this house and in my hometown. I think the problem I am most faced with when I come to the end of a certain chapter in life is wondering if I truly enjoyed it all. I would have been a better daughter, sister, friend, in-law etc... I would not have let myself be hindered by my dillusioned fears. To really engage yourself in the moment, is really hard work and takes a lot of foresight and determination. With my kids, for the most part, I put aside the "to do" list in my head and sit down to play with them, because all to soon they will be grown. Sometimes I am so aware of what kind of parent I want to be, but don't translate that into my own relationships. A friend in college once accused me of having my own agenda all the time. Naturally, I was annoyed at the comment. Unfortunately he was speaking with more discernment than I would have liked to grant him. He was basically calling me selfish and he was right. I am task oriented, I like to get things done. Thankfully I married a people oriented person, who has taught me a lot about the importance of relationships. He values people. For example we took a family trip to the beach and both of us had conversations with other parents. Mine was a 5 minute surface conversation with another mom from Chicago. His was a 45 minute life sharing and gospel presentataion with a devout Jewish man and in the end they exchanged business cards. I hope my boys grow up more like their Dad in that regard.

As a couple there has been a tug on our hearts to live differently. To let go of everything this world entangles us with, and to live in such a way that when we are at the end of our life's chapter, we don't cry out "I've wasted it all." I have talked about how much the book "Don't waste your life" by John Piper has challenged me and it just might have been the catalyst for getting us off our lazy bums in our comfortable home and out into the world of Faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. What do I really hope for, a happy life, subtantial wealth, nice things, well-behaved kids, a good figure, etc? Is all that really worth putting my hope in? Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. How can hoping in the temporal ever allow me to glorify and enjoy God?

There must be more than just having a nice life. To be free in letting God use us as He has planned, even if that means a lack of security and comfort (2 things we Americans value most).

"Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter." (Francis Chan) I don't want a life that doesn't matter.

God gave me this mission statement recently, to be on the forefront of our hearts and a reminder of how our family should live: Live as a family who brings glory to God the Father and pursues the hope of Jesus Christ through missionally living out unconditional love and sacrificial giving to all God's people.

It's time, time for us to come alive. God has fueled a passion in our hearts to wholeheartedly obey and follow Him. In California, Mike and two other friends will be launching Elevate Worldwide, Inc. The first year will consist of making contacts and connections with the greater NorCal churches & partnering with Lassen Pines Christian Camp to run their programs for the summer of 2011. So we as a family will be moving to Redding, California. The future is unseen, but filled with Hope that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. I know that I need to be careful in thinking that moving will automatically transform us into radical living for Christ. It doesn't matter where we live, but at this present time, God is calling us to leave our life here and trust Him for what lies ahead.

Please pray for us:

1. for diligence and direction in the coming weeks

2. for safety as we travel

3. a place to live when we get there

4. a wonderful school for Caeden

5. to find a Bible believing, truth living, community reaching Church

6. financial support

kids

Happy Birthday Caeden

Caeden Michael is 5

Happy Birthday to my 5 year old son who makes me laugh hard, think deeply, pray consistently, and love completely everyday! You are such a treasure, better than a pirate's treasure! I pray that you will treasure the wisdom God imparts into your life. Seek His kingdom and His righteousness all your days.

It is hard to believe that 5 years has gone by. I remember the first few weeks how you would sleep outside our room in the pak-n-play and I could hear all your noises and ALL your cries. I remember how you used to love pushing the tonka truck around the house at full speed, but wouldn't walk on your own. I remember your first word was cookie. I remember your bald head and big smile with a wide mouth. I remember how you would suck your thumb and hold Owen's hair. I remember when you were barely 3 and played in a basketball league but were so overwhelmed you would join us in the stands instead. I remember when you learned to ride a bike and couldn't stop smiling. I will always remember how much you love fearfully love life and wholly love your family.

There have been many times in these past 5 years that I have failed you. I apologize. I am trying daily with God's help to train you in righteousness. Know that everything I say and do is born out of love and I hope that as parents we never exasperate you. You are my specials!!!!

Happy Birthday

I love you

Momma & Daddy

smoothie heaven

I have figured out how to make the smoothest of all smoothies

15 oz can coconut milk

12 oz bag of frozen of berries

1 banana

1 tbs coconut oil

fresh squeezed lime juice

sprinkle of flax seeds

Motherhood

Motherhood

the toddler years

by Melanie Connell

One fine day, our love was born, life together

nurturing, napping, feeding, staring, snuggling

a short time later, "mommy do, mommy please"

reading, cleaning, disciplining, going, teaching

while his life is more "I do it myself"

playing, wondering, exploring, laughing, learning

If we are not careful, our souls collide, compete

frustrating, exhausting, escaping, crying, distracting

After those days, I sit, think, reflect

Reminiscing, engaging, thanking, longing, praying

Oh Lord, without YOU, we are just

wasting, striving, searching, self-indulging, separating

Only through YOU may we be

seeking, respecting, uniting, communicating, serving

May we be One family, with One purpose

Glorifying

"Only one life,

‘Twill soon be past;

Only what’s done

for Christ will last"

Ship Ahoy

"The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can’t do. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man or you can’t. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you’ll have to square with that some day." – Pirates of the Caribbean

With a love for pirate's this strong it just might be in our blood. Who knew that #3 of this Feburary post would be the theme of our 5 yr olds birthday party.

On May 1st, 16 of us set out on a 90min. cruise aboard the Pieces of Eight Pirate ship.

It was the most fun outing we have done in a really long time.

The whole thing was geared toward the children. We brought 4 of Caeden's friends, Chad, Ty, Ben, and Andre. Kylie had made a comment that she thought Caeden was on cloud 9 the whole time. We invited each child to come dressed as a pirate.

Owen has a sword and a gun

I love this GQ pose of my nephew, Chandler

I think Chad wins for best costume and he wore it the entire time

They began the cruise with a song and dance routine, then took a short break for face painting/tattoos!

This is how they celebrated the birthday boy, and he loved every minute of it.

They sat the kids down and taught them about the life of a pirate and they shot of a very loud canon at black beard's ghost.

A buried treasure was brought out so the kids could pick some through the pirate's booty

We saw a few dolphin, the weather was beautiful, the water was so green, and children were all smiles, it really was one of the best days ever!

My husband, the craftsman

It has been quite some time since we talked about building a bunk bed for the kids. Thanks to my husband, the craftsman, it is finally complete and quite incredible. Mike was the designer and builder and we are very impressed. It serves as a two beds, a pirate ship, great hiding places for hide-n-seek, and extra storage. Right now Caeden sleeps on top and Owen sleeps on the bottom. The bottom was Caeden's original bed, seen here with the mattress taken out. (also built by Mike in 2006.

He built it at the shop at Woodsmoke, then varnished, stained, and assembled it at home.

Above is the ladder and below are the steps. The doors on the steps open and close for extra storage.

The boys are always eager to help Dad with any project, especially if they get to handle the tools.

This is the top bunk

Caeden's old bed just slides underneath making it more of a loft bed than a bunk bed.

This is the final result, I took this last picture with the computer camera, so not the best quality.

Thank you, Mike. You amaze me!