Everything Crane

Judah's First Haircut!

2012-01-21T17:09:00.000-05:00

Today was a monumental occasion, first haircut. Ever since we've been home my dad has said, "We need to take him to get his hair cut at the barber shop, like a big boy!" I really wasn't ready for such a big step (those curls!) but it really was starting to hang in his eyes. So, I figured, might as well go on. I knew it would mean a lot to my dad and would be such a fun memory for all of us to have done that together.

So my dad, Judah and I loaded up this afternoon and headed to Mostettler's Barber Shop in Lincolnton, NC. It's a nice little shop, frequented by many hunters and outdoorsmen around this area - my dad's kinda place! At first he didn't know what to think when we sat him down in that chair on the little booster seat. He was looking around at all the deer heads on the wall and didn't want that cape around his neck. The barber knew this might be a problem and just clipped a paper towel around it instead.

He asked how I wanted it done and I said I wanted to keep his curls and just get it trimmed a little and then to get the front part out of his eyes. Next thing I know, hair is flying and the curls have been clipped and nicely placed into an envelope. Goodbye curls! It's fine. I'm a little teary eyed just thinking about it. But it's just hair right? It'll grow back. He's going to get older, there are going to be changes. He's growing up! I can't stand it.

All in all it was a great trip to the barber shop on this dreary, rainy day. The barber said that in all his years, he can only count on one had the number of kids that had done as well as he did. I'm glad my dad was able to join us - this was a day I'll remember forever! Love you Papaw.

Despite Me

2012-01-20T21:33:00.001-05:00

“Here’s simply what we’re celebrating here. That, despite me, despite my continued failures, despite my shortcomings and foolish heart… God, because of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ to me, and His wrath absorbing death on the cross, and His resurrection, now sees me as perfect and spotless and holy. And not because I am! But because He is! Which is why Ephesians 2 is going to say that even the faith I had to believe in the grace was given to me by God, so I honestly have nothing to boast in! Like, I can’t even say, ‘Well, I believed!’ because the belief given to me was actually a gift! So that God so owns the glory, that everything is His. That’s why no one should walk with a swagger in the Kingdom, and no one should walk with a limp. Because we’re His.”

- Matt Chandler

Full Sermon HERE.

Judah at 19.5 months

2012-01-14T23:47:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to do a quick update on the things Judah is doing at 19 months so I won't forget!

Judah's vocabulary is expanding rapidly day by day and he's getting where he can almost repeat any word we tell him. Current words are: uh oh, hey, bye bye, hot, cold, clock, dog, cat, dada, mama, gee gee (grandpa Jack), papaw, mamaw, baba, more, up, shoe, sock, no no, water, naner (banana), apple, cheese, shew (stinky), cool, eye, nose, hair, hello, ruff ruff (when he sees a dog), moooo, Ooooo ooo oooo (like a coyote), choo choo, cow, truck, Shhhhh (finger up to his mouth), all gone (throws hands up in the air), hellooooo (like he's shouting into a cave), trash, tractor, boo, quack quack, tank ou (thank you), Elmo, la la la, cookie

He is starting to copy things we do by acting them out. He can: brush his hair, clean up by wiping with a cloth, drink with a cup, wave, give five, brush his teeth, wash his hair, dance, feed himself, feed someone else, spray air freshener and say "SHHHH" like it's spraying, blow his nose with a tissue, play peek a boo, pop up and say baaaa (like boo), brush his teeth

He's an expert climber, can eat with a spoon and fork with a little help, can drink out of a straw and also out of a cup but its pretty messy. He can walk backwards and has started running and we've been trying to teach him to jump but it's mostly just bending his knees and standing up really fast. He can fake cough, fake laugh and smile. He gives hugs and will lean in so you can kiss him on the cheek.

It's hard to believe only 4 short months ago Judah was learning to walk and now he's running and in only 4 1/2 more months he'll be 2 years old!

First Light

2012-01-13T09:00:00.004-05:00

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Ps. 19:1

Found on this blog

Reading

2012-01-03T16:08:00.004-05:00

One of my observations from being able to teach in different settings over the last few months is that (some) people love good book recommendations. They go into LifeWay or Barnes & Noble and they are overwhelmed at all the choices of "Christian" books available. Most of them are fed up with the self-help nonsense, they want something deeper, something meaningful, maybe even something to help them better learn how to read and understand their Bible. They don't want an academic textbook, they want something accessible, practical, readable, while also profitable to the soul. If you are one of those people I have a few book recommendations for you. These are all books I have either read myself or am planning to read this coming year.

J. D. Greear’s Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary. This is the perfect book for Christians who need some theological and devotional “caffeine” and even more importantly, who need to rediscover the blazing center of the Christian life—the gospel.

Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen’s The True Story of the Whole World. This slim little 170-page volume presents the Bible as a unified and coherent narrative that is the true story of the whole world. For a more in-depth treatment by the same authors, see The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story.

John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life and/or David Platt’s Radical. Both are unsettling books. Piper and Platt challenge the reader to be shaped more by Jesus’ call to discipleship than by the American dream. Be careful with these books—they are dangerous.

C. J. Mahaney’s Living the Cross-Centered Life is a concise little book that shows us how to center our day on the life-giving reality of the gospel, and how to avoid the life-sapping temptations of legalism, condemnation, and feelings-centered Christianity.

Tim Keller's Prodigal God is a short little book that will blow the mind of most Christian readers. I have read and heard numerous sermons on this little Biblical story, but when I read this book I felt like I was seeing my faith in a whole new light, a very convicting and sanctifying read.

If you are still reading this post...good for you! You can handle these last two suggestions. The wimpy readers checked out when they read the title and saw there were no pictures with this post. You guys have read this far you can travel with me (via book) to the Middle East. Having done a good amount of research on good Middle Eastern books these are the two I came down on and plan to start on shortly: The Ayatollah Begs to Differ and The Shia Revival.

See also "Sending Santa to Amazon" by Bruce Ashford

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T15:14:00.002-05:00

Knowing this was our last Christmas at home for a while made it a bittersweet one for me. I really tried to soak it all in and enjoy every minute of it. It's been fun this year hearing Judah say "Ho ho hoooo!" when you ask him what Santa Claus says and watching him open presents on his own a little more. I know it was a special one for our families as well.

We went to my parents' house first thing Christmas morning to open presents and then spent time with our extended families. We were even able to squeeze in a Skype call with Thomas's parents and his brother Zeb and nephew Christian. Here are pics from some of the highlights.

Stockings

What's in there?

So excited!

Talking on his new phone

Playing with gifts from my dad's side of the family

Mamere and Jack

Cranes

Thanks to all our family who made this Christmas really special. You guys mean the world to us and we're really going to miss you next year this time. Love you!

Christmastime is here!

2011-12-21T23:07:00.004-05:00

McAdenville

This week we visited McAdenville with my parents. Judah had fun sitting on Papaw's lap checking out the lights.

Judah and Papaw

Another day my mom and I went to Southpark to do a little shopping and so Judah could get his picture taken with Santa. He didn't quite know what to think about him and just sat on his lap wide-eyed. After he got down he kept turning around looking at him and reaching his arms out like he wanted to go back.

Judah and Santa

Yesterday we went with my mom and Kelly Allen and her kids to the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte. We'd been wanting to go for a while and we heard that they had some fun Christmas stuff for kids. We got there early and did the tour of the Library, which consisted of a talking cow named Bessie, a scavenger hunt (which Will enjoyed), several videos of Billy's life and some great exhibits. Thomas was disappointed that there wasn't really an actual LIBRARY so he could peruse through Billy's favorite books. :) Oh well. It was still pretty fun.

Billy Graham Library, Charlotte, NC

Bessie the talking cow

Our favorite, the International Exhibit

The kids enjoyed the live manger scene and the horse and carriage ride. We only had to wait 2 HOURS with 3 kids under 7 and no stroller. Lesson learned on that one.

Will, Judah and Emily - Don't they look happy after an hour of waiting?

Finally on the carriage ride

Today Judah and I went to visit my friend Stacy and her beautiful son Will. He is such a cutie and I loved seeing him and watching Judah run around. I think they had a good time "playing" with each other.

Judah and Will

Stacy and Will

Stacy has a fun blog if you want to check it out. I love that I have other friends that blog too!

Merry almost Christmas!

Visiting Friends

2011-12-14T23:02:00.002-05:00

A week ago, Judah and I went to visit my friend Whitney and her daughter Emery for a play date. Emery is five months older than Judah so it was a lot of fun to see how they interacted with one another. She's such a cutie too.

Watching Emery run around with lots of girlie energy!

Checking things out

Cute!

Last weekend we traveled to Williamston, NC to visit the Griffins. We had a wonderful time with Simon, Eleyse and Susan and they made us feel very at home! Judah's new thing is watching Elmo on YouTube singing, "La la la la, Elmo's song!" He's always walking around saying, "La la la," now. Sunday after church he hopped in Eleyse's lap and wanted to watch Elmo on their computer.

Every time we visit Susan has gotten Judah some new cool toy or outfit and this was no exception! Here he is checking out his new orange cow.

He also got a fun rubber ball that held a bunch of other balls.

Cheese!

So happy!

Judah with Simon, Susan and Eleyse

We had met Susan in Wake Forest so she rode back with us part of the way. After being in the car a while we turned around and Judah was back there holding her hand, so sweet!

I'm loving being home and visiting family and friends! Less than six weeks left to go...

Visiting Brent

2011-12-05T16:55:00.001-05:00

Last weekend my mom and I went to visit my brother in Atlanta. He was kind enough to let us take over his house for a few days, because whenever Judah's involved, he does tend to take over a space. As soon as we got there he got into some Christmas decorations. He thought he was cool.

We had dinner one night at a really good Italian restaurant called Pasta Bella. We had lasagna, stuffed mushrooms, salad and topped it off with a GIANT piece of cheesecake.

Judah enjoyed the strawberries covered in syrup and also tried cheesecake for the first time. He was eating it by the handful. It's amazing what all you can get away with being with grandma all the time. ;)

Mouthful of strawberry and begging for more

After dinner we drove through Lights of Life and saw some fun Christmas lights. Judah seemed to enjoy them and it was fun to see all the different scenes made out of lights. My pictures don't really do them justice.

We spent a lot of time in the car but Judah hung in there and was in a great mood the whole time. Here he is holding mom's hand on the way home from the restaurant.

Sunday we visited Brent's church and then it was time to go back home. It was a great visit and I look forward to seeing him again at Christmas!

Judah and uncle Brent

Us outside Brent's house

I miss seeing my brother, so it's always good when we get to spend some extended time together. See ya again soon Brent!

Birthday and Thanksgiving!

2011-12-01T14:37:00.001-05:00

This year my birthday happened to fall on Thanksgiving which was fun! My mom got a set of really cute cupcakes from Splat! Bakery in Lowell, NC. It was a fun twist instead of just a traditional cake and they were yummy!

Cupcakes! Every one was different.

My mom cooked a turkey for the first time this year, she was SO proud, as you can see...

Turkey!

It really was very moist and delicious. I was proud of her too! I think she watched about four YouTube videos on what to do, hilarious.

The past week or so we've all come down with a chest cold so that's a major bummer. Judah even has his first earaches, in both ears! Hopefully we'll get back on track soon. We don't really feel bad, we're just coughing a lot and it's super annoying.

Judah has starting liking noodles lately (with white sauce only) and learned to slurp them up. It's not very good manners, but it's very cute and funny. He had his 18 month appointment yesterday and he weighs 23.11 lbs. and is 30.5 in. long. He's kind of short but is well proportioned! I think his stats are at 25% for height and weight and 50% for head circumference. He's learning new words all the time still and his new thing is trying to jump, but he's not quite there yet!

Slurping noodles!

This weekend mom and I are off to Atlanta to visit my brother. Road trip! Should be a good time.

November...

2011-11-21T22:17:00.001-05:00

It's been a crazy few weeks. I think I'm going to be saying that every few weeks until a year from now so bear with me! Anyways we moved out of our house last week because it was already reserved for someone else for a month, so we're currently homeless. Yay! We moved out on Friday and on Saturday we left for Virginia for our appointment week with our new job. It was sort of like an orientation with the company and it was culminated with a big service in Mississippi. It was a really special time to get commissioned and meet all the people that will be at training with us in January.

While eating dinner at the church before the service a lady walked up holding a bouquet of roses. We were surprised at first and wondered what it was about. Then she handed us a card and said that Thomas's parents had contacted the church saying they were sorry they couldn't make it to the service but that they were very proud of us. We were both moved by their thoughtfulness.

Us with our flowers!

We got back from our trip on Friday and on Sunday Thomas spoke at my home church in Cherryville. He did a great job by sharing his testimony and then preaching on the book of Jonah. I know I'm biased and everything, but he did a great job. I'm so proud of my husband! I know I don't tell him that enough, but I truly am.

Outside the church

This week we're taking it easy and just having fun playing with Judah and hanging with family and friends. Today was warm so we took Judah outside to play. He loves being outside. Every time we try to get him to go back in he pitches a fit! We walked around in the leaves and we sat him up in the seat of my dad's tractor. He was so funny turning the steering wheel and pulling on the levers. He even said the word tractor for the first time!

Yay!

Sitting in his car

Love those eyes

Curls!

We're looking forward to Thanksgiving this week and spending time with family. Turkey and dressing!!

More Fall fun!

2011-11-10T23:09:00.001-05:00

We had a great Halloween this year with Judah. As you can see he dressed up like a pumpkin. My aunt Phyllis came over and hung out for the afternoon and we went and visited my grandpa Houser. That night we went to the Fall Festival at FBC and Judah had fun walking around and trying to play the games. He enjoyed the treat of eating a few Reese's Cups!

Judah with Aunt Phyllis

The following Sunday I went with Natalie to the Daniel Boone Inn in Boone, NC. I've never been there before and it was so much fun! The food is Southern and served family style in big bowls for everyone to share. We had fried chicken, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttermilk biscuits and delicious black cherry preserves. I haven't stopped talking about them since we left. I'm about to drive Natalie crazy!

Me and Natalie!

Yum!

Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains

One day last week Mom stopped by the house and was chewing some gum. As she held Judah it was funny watching his reaction to the bubbles she blew. He would get scared and put his hand in front of his face and get surprised when the bubbles popped. I know it's just a parent thing, but we got a good laugh out of it. His faces were so cute.

Mercy Hill

2011-10-26T10:23:00.003-04:00

Some very good friends of ours are gearing up to plant a new church in Greensboro, called Mercy Hill. Leslie and I would highly encourage you as an individual or as a church to partner with them through both prayer and giving. The following was written by J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church.

- T.C.

We are committed to planting churches for several reasons: First, church planting is the means by which the Great Commission will be fulfilled. The Great Commission then is about more than evangelism; it is incorporation into a covenant community. The Great Commission is not making converts, it is about making disciples, and that can only happen in the context of community. The local church is God’s “plan-A” for the completion of the Great Commission.

Secondly, we need more churches in cities of influence. You might think there are churches on every corner, but consider that in 1900, there were 28 churches for every 10,000 Americans, whereas in 2004, there were only 11 for every 10,000. This weekend, only 17.5% of Americans will attend church. Just to keep pace with population growth, we need to increase the rate at which we are planting churches tenfold!

Finally, we believe the best way to benefit existing churches is to plant new churches. New churches reach people that existing churches otherwise would not, and they help raise the spiritual climate of the entire city. When the water in the harbor rises, all the boats rise.

We are excited to be sending our next church plant to Greensboro, NC. We praise God knowing there are many strong churches in the region already, but we also know that there are many people in Greensboro who will never hear the gospel outside of new churches being planted. Greensboro is a very strategic place, and we are praying for not just a new church there, but a church planting movement.

When it comes to church planting, there are no sure wins. But I want you to know that I believe the combination of Andrew Hopper, the team he is assembling, and their destination is lining up to be as close to a sure bet as anything I have seen. Andrew has been a member of our staff, mentee, and friend of mine for the last 4 years. We believe in sending our best and that is certainly the case here. I believe this will be a win for the Kingdom, The Summit, and could be for your church as well.

I want to invite you to partner with us in this endeavor. Frankly, we won’t be able to do this alone. We would love to partner with you in this, and have you as a part-owner of this exciting new venture.

- J.D. Greear

Carrigan Farms Hayride

2011-10-22T21:41:00.001-04:00

Today, Mom and I took Judah to Carrigan Farms in Mooresville for a hay ride. This was our first time going back since Thomas and I were married there in 2005. We tried to go get some shots of the quarry but there was an event going on so we couldn't, boo! Anyways, we had a great time on the hay ride and it ended at a pumpkin patch and we each got to pick out our own pumpkin to take home. Judah enjoyed walking around and checking out all the pumpkins. Thanks for a fun day Mom!

The past few weeks...

2011-10-22T00:46:00.001-04:00

We've been in Cherryville for about three weeks now. It's kind of surreal coming back to your home town after having lived away for a while. I'm thoroughly enjoying being back and close to friends and family again. We've been spending lots of time with my parents and Thomas's grandparents and I've gotten to hang out with a few friends from high school. Thomas's sister even came through town and we got to spend a night with her. She had a great time playing with her nephew.

Aunt Mary

We went to the Homecoming football game one Friday night. It was interesting to go back and experience that with 13 years behind me.

Homecoming court girls in their dresses

Us with our friend Faith

A week ago we had a little scare with Judah. He was climbing on a little chair in the living room and went over the back of it. The result was a split lip, a chipped tooth and a very bruised chin. We ended up driving to Henderson so our good friend and dentist, Dr. Burnham could stitch up his lip and take a look at his teeth. I will be forever grateful for his tender care with Judah.We're blessed to have such good friends who love and support us in so many ways. Well, two stitches later Judah was good to go. Poor guy! I was a nervous wreck over it and am still torn up over his tooth being chipped, but at least it's a baby tooth. I guess boys will do that sort of thing but I can't imagine how I'm going to endure the next 20 years of cuts and bruises! Ahh!

Judah with his friend Carter, aka the Burnham's grandson

Stitches on his bottom lip

Still happy!

On Sunday we visited a church in Cherryville and by the time we made it home for lunch, Judah was worn out! He must have had a lot of fun in the nursery because he fell asleep in his high chair. That's the first time this has happened so we got a good laugh about it.

Sleepy guy

Judah is learning new things every single day and it's so much fun to watch. I love this age! He has learned how to: say "Shhhh" and put his finger up to his mouth, bark like a dog, pretend to talk on the phone, wash his hair, and my personal favorite, dancing. Check out his moves.

Dancing!

Today Mamere watched Judah while Thomas and I drove up the Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville for the day and had a great time walking around downtown. I had a delicious sandwich, called Turkey Day, for lunch. It was carved pieces of turkey breast with a slice of stuffing, cranberry sauce and a side of gravy. YUM.

Delicious lunch

Beautiful views

It's been a great few weeks. I'm loving every minute of it.

Cleveland County Fair

2011-10-15T11:56:00.001-04:00

I had really been looking forward to taking Judah to the Fair this year since he's bigger than he was when we went last year and can now enjoy the rides and food! My mom and dad had been talking about giving him cotton candy for about 6 months so I was happy to oblige them finally! Thus came the family trip to the Cleveland County Fair in Shelby, NC.

Mamaw and Papaw

Trying cotton candy for the first time

Next up it was time to ride some rides. There was a small section of ones that were toddler appropriate as long as someone rode with him.

Riding the Helicopter

Sad the ride is over

We had a lot of fun walking around and enjoyed some good food while we were there. Between us we had grilled corn dipped in butter, french fries with vinegar, lemonade, Bridges BBQ sandwiches, a corn dog, funnel cake and a bison burger. A good time was had by all!

Judah walking!

2011-09-17T22:33:00.000-04:00

Marriage

2011-09-16T18:43:00.002-04:00

Pat Robertson recently made some moronic statements in regards to marriage. Unfortunately those statements have been circulated all over the news (both secular and Christian). In stark contrast to Robertson stands the life and example of Robertson McQuilkin. The below is a brief clip taken from his resignation speech as the President of Columbia International University. As you will hear in the clip McQuilkin resigned at the height of his career to stay at home with his wife Muriel who had Alzheimers.

McQuilkin's book on the same subject is called A Promise Kept and can be found HERE.

Russell Moore wrote a blog response to Pat Robertson this past week and here was the money quote:
"Somewhere out there right now, a man is wiping the drool from an 85 year-old woman who flinches because she thinks he’s a stranger. No television cameras are around. No politicians are seeking a meeting with them.

But the gospel is there. Jesus is there."

Learning

2011-09-15T15:20:00.001-04:00

We've been working on teaching Judah to point out his nose, eyes and head. I just happened to actually get it on video last night, check it out! (It needs a bit of editing so if you want to skip right to the action go to 45 seconds)

It's official!

2011-09-14T15:49:00.000-04:00

After much praying and planning for the past several years, Thomas and I were officially accepted yesterday for our job overseas! I put my notice in at work today and will finish up in two weeks, then we're off to Cherryville for four months before we head to training. Exciting times!

We will be sending out email updates to keep people in touch on a more personal level and the blog will still serve in keeping up with our day to day lives. If you'd like to get added to our list please email us.

Move number FIVE

2011-09-10T14:21:00.002-04:00

It's kind of hard to believe that in 6 short years of marriage we have moved five times. First it was from Charlotte to Korea, August 2006. Then it was from Korea to Cherryville in 2007. Cherryville to an apartment in Wake Forest in 2008. To our house in Wake Forest three months later. For move number five we packed up our house and have taken a Uhaul full of boxes to storage unit in Cville. We're currently living in a townhouse in Wake Forest until the end of the month when we'll move to a house in Cville until the end of January...I think this is a picture of what life's going to be like for the next few years. I'd better get used to living out of a suitcase!

All this transition is really making me rely on the Lord though, I will say that. I can tell that we're being covered in prayer and I appreciate that more than people know. Thomas and I are getting along great throughout it all and Judah's hanging in there well.

I am really looking forward to being in my hometown for a few months. I haven't lived there since I graduated college and moved home at the end of 2002. And that was only a few months because I moved to Charlotte early 2003. I'm excited about eating Shake Shop, drinking a ton of Sun-Drop, going to RO's for their famous BBQ slaw and of course spending time visiting friends and family. We've also talked about starting a small group/Bible study out of our house there, so if anyone's interested just let us know and we'll give you the details after we get settled.

Eww green stuff!

2011-09-10T13:40:00.002-04:00

Yucky

We've started moving away from baby food for the most part and going with finger foods that Judah can eat himself, but it's hard to know how much he's getting to eat and it's hard to get vegetables in that way. Every once in a while we can still get him to take down a few bites of some green stuff. This is a video of my mom making an attempt.

15 months

2011-09-08T13:25:00.001-04:00

Well, Judah is taking steps here and there but not full on walking yet. He's getting there! He continues to stand on his own and is doing that with more frequency and he can walk while holding onto our hand or by grabbing our finger to steady himself. He's also starting to be a climber – watch out! Just the other day I looked up to see this:

Little climber!

He's started eating grapes, raisins, graham crackers, Cheerios, crackers with peanut butter and has even been spoiled by his daddy with a little Nutella.

Eating breakfast

He's been better lately about sleeping on his own, mostly because I think we've worn him out with all the traveling around. His schedule isn't typical in that he goes to bed around 10:30pm when we do and then wakes up around 9 or 10am! Thomas says he takes after me in that I'm more of a night owl that likes to sleep in as well. Fine by me!

Speaking wise he is babbling away all the time, we say he takes after his uncle Brent. His favorite words right now are: hey, bye-bye, uh-oh, thank you (Brent says it sounds like taco...TA-cooooo!) So cute. I've also been trying to teach him to point to his nose, so I can ask him, "Where's your nose?" and he'll touch it...sometimes he gets an eye though, so we're not quite there.

Last week we went home because my grandma Houser passed away. It was a nice distraction to have Judah around to dote over and take our minds off of things. We were able to spend quality time with my family in Cville which was much needed after the past few weeks. Judah had fun taking a spin on the lawnmower with Papaw. He didn't quite know what to think.

Weeeeee!

Saturday was opening day for dove hunting season and Thomas decided to dress him appropriately for the day.

Hey!

He found a new toy while we were home too, see if you can find it. :)

Goodbye Mamaw

2011-08-29T22:42:00.005-04:00

I have wonderful memories of my Mamaw Houser. I still remember all the times at my grandparents' house in Bessemer City making biscuits, playing the old piano, painting with watercolors and learning to crochet. She's the one I got my creativity from and I will never forget that. Even last year she was still crocheting away making all the ladies in our family a set of new snowflakes for their Christmas tree. I loved going over to visit my Mamaw and Papaw, having a glass of sweet tea and eating some peanuts while I had a look at what new project she was working on. I still have the little dog she made for me as a child that I slept with until I was 12.

There are never words, you know. To really say how you feel in moments like these. I couldn't sleep last night, knowing the end was drawing near for her. She loved me so much and she never missed the chance to tell me. And she loved Judah too, and Thomas. I have an envelope full of her sweet words and drawings that she mailed to me just this past year and I'll treasure them forever. I just sat there and remembered all the good times and thought about how much I was going to miss her. Thinking of the emptiness we'll feel because a major part of our family isn't going to be there anymore.

Thomas and I are in the middle of packing up our house, selling most of our things, packing the rest away in storage and saying goodbye to our life here in Wake Forest and eventually to North Carolina. It can be overwhelming at times but I can tell we're bathed in prayer by people that are supporting us along the way. So tonight I mourn my grandmother's life, but celebrate the new life that she now has with Christ in heaven. I'm thankful for the strong Christian lady that she was and am blessed to have had her in my life. I rejoice with the angels that welcomed her Home today and look forward to the day I'll see her again in glory.

I love you Mamaw!

Urgent Prayer Request

2011-08-27T10:09:00.003-04:00

On the right hand side of this blog is a link to a site for Russ and Hilary. This couple is very dear to Leslie and me. For the last year they have been living and working in Central Asia. Hilary has been pregnant with their first child. This morning she went into labor and had serious complications. The baby has been flown to a larger city which hosts a more advanced hospital. At one point the baby did not have a heartbeat and was only receiving minimal oxygen for 15 minutes. They are not aware of the extent of the damage. Noah is still in critical condition and fighting for his life. Please pray for Russ and Hilary and their little baby.

Camo

2011-08-24T13:35:00.002-04:00

What a redneck

Laughing with dad

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

2011-08-18T08:55:00.002-04:00

We love you!

14 months

2011-08-15T16:26:00.003-04:00

Judah is all over the place now. Still pulling up and cruising all the time. He took a few steps this weekend to massive applause, but it hasn't happened since. We're experimenting with more finger foods and he's getting pretty good at feeding himself. He's been given a spoon to try out on his own but it resulted in peaches splattered across the room and down the kitchen wall. He enjoys eating cheese, toast, crackers, peanut butter, applesauce and fruit. He's a pro at the sippy cup and we're officially off the bottle. Now to tackle the paci! Our biggest obstacle right now is getting him to sleep through the night in his crib. We've been traveling so much and had a lot of visitors so it's been a crutch to just put him in our bed to get him back to sleep quickly. I checked out a few books from the library so we'll see if I can find some tactics that help without driving us all insane. Hopefully sometime soon I'll have a video of him finally walking!

Still going…

2011-08-04T07:49:00.005-04:00

Well, Thomas's parents were here last week and I didn't get any pictures of them at all! I wish I could write a really good post about how much fun we had at the lake accompanied by some cute pics of us all together. I even meant to get all the photos from Renee's camera, but that didn't happen either. The time went by way too fast. It was a sweet time getting to see Renee for a few weeks and then David last week. They were in awe of how much Judah has changed since they saw him last. Thomas's sister Mary even made it down for a few days and it was nice catching up with her. Another milestone that deserves to be mentioned, our nephew Christian turned one last week! Isn't he so cute!

Happy Birthday to our nephew Christian!

You can check out their blog here.

On the way home from Cville last weekend we stopped off at the Tanger outlets in Mebane. They have a really nice playground so Judah had a big time crawling around and pretending he was a big boy.

Climbing the stairs

See ya later!

In the playground

Down the slide!

This last video is of him in the car after we'd left. He was whispering "hey" to me. Love him.

Hey

Funtimes with JW

2011-07-29T16:15:00.003-04:00

Judah likes Pad Thai!

Fake Smile

He's a good listener

Birthday gift from Aunt Mary

Tearin' up the Jumparoo!

Instagram

2011-07-28T14:04:00.001-04:00

, a photo by LeslieECU on Flickr.

I've been having a lot of fun lately playing around with the Instagram App. He's such a good subject!

Weekend Update

2011-07-19T14:34:00.005-04:00

We went to Cville again this weekend for a baby shower and a family reunion. It was great to see Mamere and Jack again since they're back from their travels and for those who didn't know, Renee is in town for a couple weeks. Our first stop was the movies to see Harry Potter 7 part 2. It was SO good. I want to go back and watch it in 3d – now if we can just find a babysitter ;)

Stacy and Will

Saturday morning I went to a baby shower for my friend Stacy. It was great to celebrate with her and see some old friends.

Some of the hostesses

Please look at this gorgeous cake! It's from a bakery in Gastonia, I would put a link to it but I'm not sure of the name.

Cake

We had dinner at our regular spot in Shelby, Joe's. Judah had fun gnawing on a chicken bone, just like his papaw used to do when he was a kid.

Sunday was the Haynes family reunion, my dad's mom's side of the family. It was good to see family and show off Judah of course!

Me, Dad and Papaw with Judah

He had a lot of fun crawling all around the family life center!

Clapping

He's on the verge of walking but hasn't gotten there quite yet. We're thinking it will be in the next few weeks!

Changing every day

2011-07-14T15:54:00.004-04:00

I haven't posted in a while so I thought I'd give an update on what's new with Judah. He's doing so many new things and is changing so much every day. He has successfully learned to wave and he can say "bye, bye" and "hey" to go along with it whenever he's in the mood.

He's learned to eat out of his snack trap and likes Cheerios and Gerber puffs.

He's climbing on everything and has learned that it's smarter to get down feet first instead of head first.

He has also learned how to play peek-a-boo and will pop up from somewhere and say "Boo!" He stood without assistance a few times after pulling himself up to a stand and has even clapped his hands while doing so! Thomas's mom is in town for a few weeks and his sister and dad are joining us as well for the last week of July. We're hoping he'll be walking by the time they leave. I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

Check out all the videos here.

Beach weekend

2011-07-05T20:31:00.002-04:00

We were once again blessed by a beach weekend at good ole Ocean Lakes in SC with the fam. My mom as always was a gracious host. And like last time, most of the pictures are of Judah. He had a blast this time crawling on the beach and playing in his little swimming pool. He was a true beach bum!

Chillin under the umbrella

My brother came down for the weekend too and had fun playing with Judah. One night Judah copied him when he had his hands raised, so for the rest of the time Brent could get him to raise his hands whenever he did. No one else quite had the touch.

Uncle Brent

Cute

He was not afraid of the water this time and had fun crawling around in the shallow end when the tide was out one day.

Crawling

There was so much excitement it wore him out!

Naptime

Another thing he's been doing lately is this fake smile. He knows how to turn it on when I get the camera out! He has to be in a mood of course. What a ham!

Fake Smile

We got a blow up pool to take out to the beach. The kicker was, my brilliant mother blew it up BEFORE she came down to the beach, so she she had to hang on to it while driving the golf cart. I can't even imagine what a loon she looked like. Anyways, Judah really seemed to enjoy it.

As always there was the annual golf cart parade. Judah even got some candy and enjoyed his very first sucker and beaded necklace.

First Sucker

It was a fun beach trip and I can't wait to go back again soon. So thankful for the time we got to spend with my mom and Brent. Love you!

New York Part III

2011-06-20T10:14:00.005-04:00

The reason we decided to visit NYC when we did was because of the Renegade Craft Fair on June 11-12, at McCarren Park in Brooklyn. The weather was warm and beautiful the whole time we were there...until Saturday when it was cool and rainy for our outdoor fair! My friend Karen met us to browse around. There was lots of cool stuff to see!

Monsters

Cranes

I really liked the prints and shirts at this booth and even ended up getting Judah a robot long-sleeve T since it was so chilly.

Hoody with horns

Judah had fun helping me hold the umbrella!

Back to the subway

Naptime!

It was a tiring day so when we got back to the room, mom and Judah passed right out! That night we had dinner at a really neat Moroccan restaurant and watched Thomas's favorite movie, Casablanca, while eating.

Then we got some sweets to go from the Chocolate Room.

The Chocolate Room

Judah in the carrier

By Sunday it was time to go home, boo! Here's a shot in our room right before we left.

See ya next time New York!

Bye bye!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T13:25:00.002-04:00

Well, I had all these grand ambitions of taking Judah's picture with this card that said Happy Father's Day, but it didn't exactly turn out as planned. It was worth a shot I guess!

Thomas, you've been a father for a year now, and a great one at that. I've been so pleasantly surprised at how you've really jumped headlong into the role and really embraced it. From the moment Judah was born you took on the task of changing diapers and caring for his needs. Together we've marveled over how he grows and changes every single day. We've watched as his personality has begun to take shape and how he's undertaken each milestone.

Thank you Thomas for being an amazing dad. For wanting our son to know the Lord so much that you're already buying him Theology books. For loving me as a new mom and being patient with all my worries. I love you, we love you, thanks for being...you.

New York Part II

2011-06-16T12:56:00.003-04:00

It was definitely a different experience traveling with a baby this time around. Every day we were lugging around a stroller, a 20 pounder, a few toys, diaper bag, baby food, a bottle and our purses. It was a lot to keep up with! And imagine going up and down the subway stairs numerous times a day. Judah would just be sitting in his stroller looking around at everyone and taking it all in stride. I keep telling everyone it was like a 4 day workout. I swear my biceps are firmer. We also had to just make it work with Judah's eating and napping which were not able to be on any sort of schedule. Here's a great example, after we stopped in Greenwich Village to visit a few shops, Judah had his lunch on the counter in a deli shop.

Eating Lunch

After the Village it was on to the toy store!

FAO Schwarz

I think Judah had fun looking at all the bright and colorful toys and enjoyed studying all the other kids running around.

Trucks

He was getting a little antsy by the end.

Toy Soldier

It was super hot outside to we stopped off at Bubba Gump and had an appetizer.

He makes the funniest faces

The view was amazing.

Had to get the signature photo in Times Square!

Then it was time for another nap! He really just goes with the flow.

Napping in Times Square

Subway again!

That night we met my old college friend Karen and her husband for dinner at The Farm in Brooklyn. It was so good! I hate I didn't get any pictures, but I was able to really enjoy our time together.

One more post to come!

New York Part I

2011-06-13T13:35:00.007-04:00

From June 8-12 my mom, Judah and I went to New York for a short vacation. We had an amazing time and I'm so sad it's over! Judah did wonderfully on all aspects of the trip and was doted on by everyone around us, truly a sight to behold. I've never realized before what a cute baby can bring out in people!

First airplane ride!

When we got off the airplane it was a balmy 95 degrees outside! Our car service was running late so we had to wait around in the heat for him to show up.

We stayed at De Koven Suites in Brooklyn, a lovely B&B run by a lady named Susan and her husband. They were super nice and made us feel right at home. Literally!

De Koven Suites

After arriving we were happy to get going into the city, so we took the subway!

First Subway Ride

Our first item on the agenda was the NY Water Taxi to see the sights from the Hudson River. Judah was worn out already and slept peacefully in the stroller.

Napping

Statue of Liberty

Thursday we set out to the Brooklyn Museum and the Botanic Garden. We stopped off at Tom's Restaurant for brunch. It was delicious!

Brunch

Tom's Restaurant

Brooklyn Museum

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

After riding the subway back we stopped off for some NY pizza.

Snacks for Judah

Pizza!

We stopped by a corner store and even saw Sun Drop! That was fun :)

Sun Drop in NY

More to come…

Traveling

2011-06-08T14:16:00.002-04:00

Just an update to let everyone know that Thomas made it to Senegal safe and sound. Please remember to pray for the trip he's leading. They've started a blog that you can follow here.

Birthday Party!

2011-06-06T15:12:00.004-04:00

Cupcakes

Judah's Robot Cake

Banner

But Papaw, I don't want to wear it!

Mom, Dad and Grandpa Houser

A few attendees! ;)

I'm not so sure about this...why is everyone staring at me?

Yay!

Happy Birthday baby boy!

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate our special day for Judah's birthday and Thomas's graduation. It was great seeing everyone!

Memorial Weekend Beach Trip

2011-06-01T13:46:00.003-04:00

We had a great time at the beach this past weekend. Although Judah went to the beach several times last year, this was the first trip where he really knew what was going on. He seemed to really enjoy himself, especially with all the Gran attention!

He got a new "ride." And you could tell he thought he was super cool.

He had a big time on the beach and looked pretty darn cute in his trunks.

Caught up on some reading with dad.

Hung out by the pool.

Ate some snacks..."Mom enough with the pictures!"

He even had his first taste of ice cream!

I can't imagine a better beach trip and I can't wait to go back. Thanks mom!
To see a few videos from the trip, click here.

1 year ago today...

2011-05-31T11:54:00.005-04:00

…this amazing bundle of joy was born. It's truly hard to put into words just how much Judah has changed our lives and changed us. He's brought more joy than I ever could have imagined. Even though it's been a year I still find myself staring at him trying to remember every detail about his tiny little body. I just want to soak in every moment...every little facial expression, every time he picks up a tiny object with his thumb and forefinger, every yawn, every smile, every eye rub, every funny little word. The past year has gone by with lightening speed. I wish I could stop time and bask in the wonderful joy that is my son Judah. I couldn't be happier.

If you want to look back at the birth story, here's a link to the post from last year.

Baby mama travel advice please!

2011-05-19T10:36:00.004-04:00

Any moms out there have advice for traveling with an infant/toddler? My mom and I are taking a trip to NYC in a few weeks and I'm trying to figure out which direction to take. (no pun intended!) I stumbled across this nifty strap that attaches your toddler car seat to your rolling luggage. Anyone have one of these?

Right now Judah's still in an infant seat, but he's at 20lbs, so he'll be moving into a convertible seat soon. I was thinking about going ahead and getting the bigger car seat and using the strap to attach it to my luggage so we can get around the airport and then I'll be able to use the seat for the cab ride into the city.

Any well-traveled mamas out there have any advice for me? I'm kinda nervous about traveling with a 1 year old. I'm going to be "that person" on the plane with everyone praying he doesn't freak out and cry the entire hour long flight!

What's new with Judah

2011-05-16T11:34:00.002-04:00

For some reason, this is Judah's new face when he's
fake crying to get your attention. So funny!

Clapping!
(if you're in Facebook, click here to watch video)

Graduation

2011-05-11T22:41:00.001-04:00

After 3.5 years, 90 credits, 1,300 hours worth of class time, 10 research papers, 6 sermons, hundreds of written pages and countless hours reading and studying, graduation day is finally upon us.

We are happy to announce that Thomas will be graduating on May 20, 2011 from Southeastern Seminary with a Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry. We thank our friends and families for their support over the past few years and covet your prayers as we begin to move into a new stage of life and ministry. Exciting times are ahead!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-09T12:30:00.003-04:00

Judah and I went home this weekend to Cherryville to spend Mother's Day with my family. It was a great trip and Judah was a trooper as always. Here are some of the highlights...

Happy Mother's Day Mom! Thanks for making it so special. Now that I'm a mom, this day means so much more. Not only for the fact that I'm a mom too, but I have so much more appreciation for you and all you've done for me throughout the years. I couldn't be more blessed. I love you.

Great weekend

2011-05-02T07:53:00.002-04:00

This weekend our friend Letha came to visit from Washington. She and Thomas went to high school together at RVA and they started at SEBTS at the same time. She graduated last year with her MA and moved so this was our first time seeing her again since then. It was a glorious reunion! Thomas always jokes that she's his oldest friend and it's fun to see how they've kept in touch. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of us, but it was a great visit nonetheless.

Saturday Thomas and I got up bright and early to go participate in the campus yard sale. We did very well and Thomas sold lots of his books, much to the chagrin of a few of his professors whose books were represented on the table. Even though we did well, we still had a lot of things left over so we'll be having another yard sale in our neighborhood on May 14th along with several other families.

Later on Saturday we went to church and heard an amazing sermon by J.D. and had a great time of worship. Then we went with some friends to eat Ethiopian food at Abyssinia.

Video of him crawling

Sunday, Judah and I took a walk down to campus and I let him get out and crawl on the grass. He seemed to like it. Now if we can just get him up off his belly when he crawls! Oh, I also was able to take his 11 month pics. I can not believe he'll be one at the end of this month!

Love the flared nostrils and crossed feet!
And notice how small the monkey looks btw.

Here he was a 1 month so you can compare. Hard to believe!

We'll be going to Cville this weekend for Mother's Day. Hope to see some of you there!

Yard Sale this weekend!

2011-04-29T16:23:00.004-04:00

New videos

2011-04-26T23:11:00.002-04:00

This is a new development in the past couple days - pulling up to a stand. He's almost a toddler! I can't take it.

If viewing on Facebook click here for video

Here's another video for the grandparents
of him feeding himself pears.

Easter Weekend and a crazy story!

2011-04-24T22:27:00.004-04:00

We had a great Easter weekend. It was nice having Friday off work and Thomas and I got a lot done thanks to a lovely friend watching Judah for the day. We were able to put mulch in our flowerbed and pack up some things to sell at the SEBTS yard sale this coming weekend.

We attend church on Saturday so that's when we celebrated Easter with our church body. We had a lot of baptisms after each service and Thomas and I both had the opportunity to be baptism counselors. I met a really nice girl named Rachel who just became a believer at 25 years old after attending Summit for only a few months. It was encouraging to hear her testimony and to see how God is using our church and it's members to bring people to Himself.

Judah also started saying a new word this weekend, "Uh oh!" We would say it and he kept saying it back. It was so much fun!

Judah saying uh oh!
(if you're reading this on Facebook, click here to watch the video)

Chilling on the front porch

Sunday we had lunch with some couples from our small group down at the park close to our house. It was a great time and a beautiful day at that. When we got home we decided some more time outside as I washed the car and Thomas did some things in the yard. Judah hung out with us too in his Jumparoo on the front porch. Here comes the crazy story part...

Judah started to get a little fussy so I was going to go inside and grab a paci. As I walk up to the glass storm door, which the Jumparoo with Judah in it is sitting right in front of. I look down at the floor inside the house and what do I see looking up at me with it's head raised but a black SNAKE. I screamed and immediately picked Judah up and ran off the porch. THOMAS!! There is a snake...IN OUR HOUSE! Haha! My awesomely brave and manly husband ran inside the house and shut the door as I clung to Judah shaking. A few minutes later he comes out holding the snake with our kitchen tongs and is wielding a shovel from beside our fireplace. Before he can get it on the ground it briefly gets wrapped around his arm, then he finally shakes it off and cuts off it's head with the shovel. It lay on the ground for at least 10 minutes still writhing around headless. It was pretty crazy! I just kept thinking of all the what ifs...and imagined it crawling past Judah to get into the house. SHUDDER.

Snake my manly husband murdered

A Miraculous Book

2011-04-21T08:46:00.003-04:00

"The Bible is a unity. That is, perhaps, the most amazing of all the amazing things that are true of it. It consists of sixty-six separate units, written over more than a thousand years against a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, by people who for the most part worked independently of each other and show no awareness that their books would become canonical Scripture. The books themselves are of all kinds: prose jostling poetry, hymns rubbing shoulders with history, sermons with statistics, letters with liturgies, lurid visions with a love song.

Why do we bind up this collection between the same two covers, call it The Holy Bible, and treat it as one book? One justification for doing this - one of many - is that the collection as a whole, once we start to explore it, proves to have an organic coherence that is simply stunning. Books written centuries apart seem to have been designed for the express purpose of supplementing and illuminating each other. There is throughout one leading character (God the Creator), one historical perspective (world redemption), one focal figure (Jesus, who is both Son of God and Savior), and one solid body of harmonious teaching about God and godliness. Truly the inner unity of the Bible is miraculous: a sign and a wonder, challenging the unbelief of our skeptical age."

- J.I. Packer, the forward to The Unfolding Mystery by Edmund Clowney

Prodigal Son Story

2011-04-18T15:47:00.003-04:00

This past weekend at the Summit Church the sermon text was Luke 15. Luke 15 contains the story of the Prodigal Son. When the sermon was over they showed this video about Rick (one of the elders at the Summit) and his son Mike. It's about 8 and a half minutes but it just keeps getting better and better as it goes on. Leslie and I were both in tears. This really is a remarkable story and the video guys at the Summit did a great job with it. Enjoy!

Prodigal Son Story from The Summit Church on Vimeo.

If you are reading this in Facebook go HERE to see the video.

The Gospel is Better Than Religion

2011-04-13T15:19:00.002-04:00

“In a sermon Dick Lucas once preached, he recounted an imaginary conversation between an early Christian and her neighbor in Rome.

“Ah,” the neighbor says. “I hear you are religious! Great! Religion is a good thing. Where is your temple or holy place?”

“We don’t have a temple,” replies the Christian. “Jesus is our temple.”

“No temple? But where do your priests work and do their ritual?”

“We don’t have priests to mediate the presence of God,” replies the Christian. “Jesus is our priest.”

“No priests? But where do you offer your sacrifices to acquire the favor of your God?”

“We don’t need a sacrifice,” replies the Christian. “Jesus is our sacrifice.”

“What kind of religion is this?” sputters the pagan neighbor.

And the answer is, it’s no kind of religion at all.”
(Tim Keller, King's Cross, p.48)

I love the weekends...

2011-04-10T22:37:00.001-04:00

He's such a happy baby

More crawling action

The Simplest, Most Complex Commericial

2011-04-10T10:20:00.002-04:00

I had some of my friends make this for my Grandmother. Enjoy.

He's changed a lot...

2011-04-08T12:09:00.001-04:00

Judah's Growth, a photo by LeslieECU on Flickr.

10 months

2011-04-04T13:18:00.003-04:00

love how his feet are crossed

He's on the move

Going...

Gone

A few new pics

2011-03-30T14:34:00.002-04:00

Judah's army crawl!

2011-03-29T22:53:00.001-04:00

Visit to Cville

2011-03-25T15:40:00.005-04:00

Last weekend Thomas and I went to Cville to visit family and take care of some other things. Every time I'm home I have to visit the Klassy Kids Consignment Shop. They have a huge selection of baby clothes and lots of other goodies. If you have kids and live in Cherryville and have never been there, you really need to check it out. We had a great time visiting with my parents and our grandparents and letting them spend some qt with Judah. A good time was had by all.

Rocking with his Gran

Great Grandma and Grandpa Houser

Papaw

Grabbing Mamere's glasses

Cute face

Ggpa Jack

Is it just me or does this collared shirt make him look like a toddler? I can't believe he'll be 10 months old next week!

This video is of Judah playing with some blocks that were mine when I was little. He seems to really like them. This probably won't interest anyone other than the grandparents...just fyi.

Wanted

2011-03-19T23:14:00.002-04:00

Apparently he's being charged with multiple offenses.

Tutorial

Reverse Thinking

2011-03-18T08:47:00.001-04:00

9 1/2 months

2011-03-15T22:08:00.002-04:00

I only got two pics with the sticker on his shirt, then he proceeded to eat it.

Papaw

2011-03-11T06:55:00.001-05:00

Papaw a video by LeslieECU on Flickr.

Judah finds it hilarious when Thomas keeps saying Papaw

Colorful Cupcakes

2011-03-06T16:54:00.002-05:00

I've been seeing these around the blogosphere and decided to try them out for myself. It was pretty easy but I think they'll turn out even better next go round. All you need is some white cake mix, cupcake liners, food coloring, icing and 4 bowls to separate out the batter so you can mix your colors.

Supplies

Batter separated out

I went with the neon food coloring

Food coloring mixed in
(about 10 drops each)

I used silver tin liners with paper inserts so the cake colors would be a surprise

Layer the colors in the liners one at a time...only a spoonful each

Out of the oven...I overfilled the first batch!

Surprise! Pretty layers and Rainbow Chip frosting

Pretty AND delicious!

Bath Time!

2011-03-03T12:15:00.005-05:00

Cousins!

2011-02-28T16:28:00.002-05:00

New Videos

2011-02-21T07:58:00.002-05:00

Here are a few highlights from what he's been doing lately. Love this kid.

Jumping in the Jumparoo

Squealing

Playing in his crib

8 month Monkey Pic

2011-02-21T07:53:00.004-05:00

Finally got around to taking his monthly monkey pic this weekend. The more mobile he gets the more of a challenge it becomes!

God often uses the most unlikely…

2011-02-15T11:57:00.002-05:00

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^{1 Corinthians 1:26–31}

The Need and the Urge

2011-02-15T10:15:00.000-05:00

That means, of course, that the need is the Call. Men are dying. You have the Message of Life. Are you going to withhold it from them? The responsibility rests upon you... To me the Call is that divine urge, that compelling impulse, that passion within that makes it impossible for me to resist. There is something within that is calling, ever calling. I am restless. I am like a hunter’s dog on the leash, straining to get away. It is that irresistible “must.” The divine fire burns within my heart. I rise from my desk and rapidly pace the floor, praying, crying to God. My mind is not on what I am doing. I see the distant fields. I feel that, come what may, I have no choice but to go. I am not satisfied to settle down where I am.

Source

What Is Love?

2011-02-14T10:22:00.003-05:00

I found this post here. I thought it was a good one to share since it's Valentine's Day. I love you Leslie!!

Here is Paul Tripp’s definition of love: “Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another that does not require reciprocation or that the person being loved is deserving” (What Did You Expect? p. 188).

In the following he unpacks the definition (pp. 188-189):

Love is willing.

Jesus said, “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18). The decisions, words, and actions of love always grow in the soil of a willing heart. You cannot force a person to love. If you are forcing someone to love, by the very nature of the act you are demonstrating that this person doesn’t in fact love.

Love is willing self-sacrifice.

There is no such thing as love without sacrifice.

Love calls you beyond the borders of your own wants, needs, and feelings.

Love calls you to be willing to invest time, energy, money, resources, personal ability, and gifts for the good of another.

Love calls you to lay down your life in ways that are concrete and specific.

Love calls you to serve, to wait, to give, to suffer, to forgive, and to do all these things again and again.

Love calls you to be silent when you want to speak, and to speak when you would like to be silent.

Love calls you to act when you would really like to wait, and to wait when you would really like to act.

Love calls you to stop when you really want to continue, and it calls you to continue when you feel like stopping.

Love again and again calls you away from your instincts and your comfort.

Love always requires personal sacrifice.

Love calls you to give up your life.

Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another.

Love always has the good of another in view.

Love is motivated by the interests and needs of others.

Love is excited at the prospect of alleviating burdens and meeting needs.

Love feels poor when the loved one is poor.

Love suffers when the loved one suffers.

Love wants the best for the loved one and works to deliver it.

Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another that does not require reciprocation.

The Bible says that Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. If he had waited until we were able to reciprocate, there would be no hope for us.

Love isn’t a “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” bargain.

Love isn’t about placing people in our debt and waiting for them to pay off their debts.

Love isn’t a negotiation for mutual good.

Real love does not demand reciprocation, because real love isn’t motivated by the return on the investment. No, real love is motivated by the good that will result in the life of the person being loved.

Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another that does not require reciprocation or that the person being loved is deserving.

Christ was willing to go to the cross and carry our sin precisely because there was nothing that we could ever do to earn, achieve, or deserve the love of God. If you are interested only in loving people who are deserving, the reality is that you are not motivated by love for them but by love for yourself. Love does its best work when the other person is undeserving. It is in these moments that love is most needed. It is in these moments that love is protective and preventative. It stays the course while refusing to quit or to get down and get dirty and give way to things that are anything but love.

There is never a day in your marriage when you aren’t called to be willing.

There is never a day in your marriage when some personal sacrifice is not needed.

There is never a day when you are free from the need to consider the good of your husband or wife.

There is never a day when you aren’t called to do what is not reciprocated and to offer what has not been deserved.

There is never a day when your marriage can coast along without being infused by this kind of love.

Adopted for Life

2011-02-02T08:40:00.003-05:00

Thomas and I have talked about adoption ever since we got married. We're fortunate to be part of a church that sees adoption as a high priority and know many people that have adopted from overseas. That being said, I was excited this morning when I learned that the Free audio book of the month at ChristianAudio.com is Adopted for Life by Russell D. Moore. We've been hearing great things about this book but I haven't had the chance to read it. Now maybe I can listen to it on my long commute to work!

8 months old!

2011-01-31T10:36:00.002-05:00

This little man is 8 months old today. 4 months from now he'll be 1 year old. I still can't believe it. Tooth number 2 made an appearance this weekend. We love him more and more each day and enjoy watching him grow and discover more each day about the world around him. Foods have become a little more tricky as we're finding out that he doesn't like everything we feed him anymore. Imagine that! The nerve! This weekend I made potatoes and mixed it with a little pureed peas and carrots. He wasn't a fan. Well, at least we can always fall back on sweet potatoes!

A World Without Jobs

2011-01-19T11:16:00.002-05:00

As remarkable as Steve Jobs is in countless ways—as a designer, an innovator, a (ruthless and demanding) leader—his most singular quality has been his ability to articulate a perfectly secular form of hope. Nothing exemplifies that ability more than Apple’s early logo, which slapped a rainbow on the very archetype of human fallenness and failure—the bitten fruit—and made it a sign of promise and progress.

Interesting quote from the article, "A World Without Jobs."

Makes me think a little bit more about that little glowing apple on my laptop now.

How loud can you scream?

2011-01-17T22:04:00.004-05:00

This video is kinda long, so fair warning if watching babies babble isn't your thing.

Recently Judah has been getting very spirited when he's eating. He'll flail his arms around and bang on his high chair tray. He's even started testing out his lungs just to see exactly how loud he can get.

On another note…
Thomas is in London and Senegal for the next ten days preparing for his World Changers trip to Senegal this June. Please be in prayer for his safety and that he gets a lot out of this training. This is our first time without him since the summer and I know he's really going to be missing us, as we're definitely going to miss him. At least my in-laws are still in town so it's not as lonely as it could be. They're a fun distraction for sure, and I love watching them dote on Judah.

For all the baby mamas in Raleigh, don't forget about the Kids Exchange Consignment Sale this weekend at the Fairgrounds! I'm looking forward to stocking up on clothes for Judah. Man he grows out of stuff fast – used is definitely the way to go!

You're no match for me applesauce!

Do I see a tooth in there?

7 1/2 months!

2011-01-13T08:10:00.004-05:00

I finally got around to taking Judah's monthly pic for his baby book. It's been really interesting to look back at his early photos and notice exactly how much he's really changed in the past 7 months. He's getting increasingly aware of his surroundings, grabbing for everything in sight! He's still eating like a champ and hasn't met a food he didn't like. We've added pears, bananas and spinach since I last wrote. Peas are up next! It was nice having time off work for the ice because I was able to make a few batches of food to freeze.

Here's a fun video I got last week of him testing out his leg muscles!

Happy, kicking Judah

Ba ba ba ba

2011-01-08T11:17:00.002-05:00

Judah trying out his first syllables. So much fun!

Baby Food and New Pics

2011-01-06T15:30:00.009-05:00

Judah in his camo crocheted hat

Proud Gran

Judah playing with Whitney's daughter Emery

Here are just a few pics from our last week at home over the Christmas break. I was super spoiled by getting to be with Judah for 2 whole weeks! My mom's friend Charmaine crocheted him this cool camo hat. The next pic is him playing with Whitney's daughter Emery. It's hard to believe that she's a year old and Judah's 7 months and they're close to the same size. She's so cute and petite. Happy Bday Emery!

Judah's doing well with eating foods. He's liked everything so far which includes rice cereal, oatmeal, apples, sweet potatoes, carrots and green beans. Trying to think about what to try next. I'm thinking bananas then peas maybe to get another green vegetable in there. I'm also attempting to make my own babyfood too and that's going along well. Thomas got me these great containers for Christmas to store it in. I really like that the lids screw on and don't just pop on, that way you can throw them in your diaper bag and don't have to worry about spills. They're also freezable, microwavable and dishwasher safe.
And I bought this book to give me instruction and ideas on how to make the food and which ones to start off with.

I'm thinking about getting this book too. Does anyone else have it and do you like it?

Still haven't had time to take his 7 month monkey pic. He's been going to bed around 7-7:30 and I don't get home from work until 5:30 so that's not really enough time. Maybe this weekend! Looking forward to hanging out with my two favorite guys.

Christmas!

2010-12-28T21:24:00.003-05:00

Christmas Eve

We had a great Christmas this year with Judah. Both sets of grandparents spoiled him rotten with lots of toys and books. He of course was more mesmerized by the boxes and wrapping. I didn't get as many photos as I'd have liked but that's ok.

Christmas Outfit

Opening Presents with Papaw

Cousins Rachel and Dana, Aunt Phyllis and Mamaw Houser

Judah had a handful of Grandma's wig!

Thomas's Parents, Uncle Jimmy, Valerie and Morris

The snow sure was pretty here in Cherryville. Hard to believe we got 6 inches!

My Parents' House

Pine Trees

Great Grandparents' House

Judah Laughing

2010-12-25T22:26:00.002-05:00

We've worked so hard many times to try and get Judah to laugh and when it finally happens he stops the minute we turn on the camera...until now! Finally got a good one. It's a Christmas miracle!

The History of Redemption

2010-12-21T14:56:00.003-05:00

This is the coolest website I have seen in ages (maybe ever?). With all of the influence I can muster, I encourage you to go to this website. Watch the "sermon" (it's not really a sermon...it's way cooler, I almost cried 3 different times) and check out the book.

The History of Redemption

Judah with Santa

2010-12-18T22:45:00.002-05:00

Here's Judah's Christmas pic with Santa. Renee and I braved the crowds yesterday at the Triangle Town Center Mall in North Raleigh to get this memory captured. Bummer Santa's kind of creepy looking. At least Judah's looking at the camera!

Judah Eating Carrots

2010-12-16T12:22:00.000-05:00

Photo Effects

2010-12-15T12:22:00.004-05:00

As you know I store all my online photos on Flickr. I love how you can organize them by sets and collections and that it's a fun online community to be a part of. It's always interesting to see which photos get commented on and added as favorites by people I don't even know. Usually I do all my photo editing in iPhoto or for heavy duty work, Photoshop. I usually don't spend a lot of time on them as they're mainly just to showcase our daily lives and aren't really an artful expression. I wish I were as talented a photographer as my friend Kristel! But alas, I am not. Anyways, I recently discovered Flickr's online photo editing software Picnik. It is so much fun! And easy to get sucked into. Check out a few random creations.

The beauty of it is, it only takes a minute and there are tons of effects you can accomplish that would take you multiple steps in Photoshop.

On a different note...
One of my favorite "mom" blogs is Dear Baby. She has an 11 month old little girl and just announced that she's expecting number 2. This is a post from a few days ago with an awesome quote. I wish I could write like that.

You know what is the beautiful thing about becoming a mother? You get to always be one. It’s not like being a child or a teenager or a twenty something - those are all phases. They are all moments in life that come and go. But to be a mother. To become that woman who holds a tiny newborn in her arms and who watches that newborn grow into a unique individual. To become that woman who knows the feeling of loving another being with every cell in her body - the beautiful thing about that is that it never ends. No matter what happens in life. Becoming a mother is a journey that always will continue.

This weekend

2010-12-13T09:51:00.005-05:00

Judah with Meemaw and Peepaw Crane

For the first time in over 10 years I attended the Cherryville Christmas parade this weekend. It was neat to see it with Judah in tow and was such a nice surprise to see my friend Whitney, her mom and her daughter Emery there!

Whitney, Emery, Judah and Me

Later we went by Mamere's house to visit and got some cute pics of Judah with his grandmas.

My mom, Mary Etta and Renee

Later that day, my mom and I went to visit my aunt Phyllis. Matching hats!

Judah with aunt Phyllis

He's been getting better and better at it, but check out the big boy sitting up all by himself! He finally mastered it well enough for me to get some good pics. He looks more like a little boy and less like a baby every day.

Judah Sitting Up!

Judah and his Gran

Papaw

Merry Christmas!

The Christmas Story from the Jesus Storybook Bible

2010-12-13T09:17:00.000-05:00

The other side of the screen

2010-12-09T08:19:00.001-05:00

Techno Savvy Babies

2010-12-08T09:32:00.002-05:00

It's no secret that we're big fans of Skype. With us being in Korea for a year and Thomas's parents living overseas, our whole family is quite adept at using this amazing software.

The weekend before Thanksgiving we went to Williamston, NC to visit with some great friends since David was to speak at their church on Sunday morning. Eleyse (our gracious hostess) got this great pic of us talking to our nephew Christian in Kenya. Is this the future or what? Now where's my flying car?

Baby Gear

2010-12-05T21:51:00.013-05:00

We're in that stage of life where we have lots of friends that are pregnant, having babies or adopting so I thought I'd do a post on some of my favorite baby gear thus far. I always like reading "baby blogs" to see what other people like to get ideas so figured I could put my own two cents in.

Boppy Lounger

This was given to me by a good friend who had one of these when her son was a baby. She said it came in so handy that she was giving it to all her friends at their showers. It was definitely the most used item in our arsenal for the first 3 months or more of Judah's life. It was so convenient to put him in the lounger because it propped him up a little so he could see what was going on and to give us a little break from holding him so we could get something done around the house.

Fisher Price Take Along Swing
Thomas's Dad calls it the "magic swing" because of it's ability to calm Judah down. He's since outgrown it but this thing was a lifesaver for a long time. We have a different version but this one is basically the same thing, just the newer version. I will say that I've learned that consignment shops are the WAY to go for baby gear. Not for important safety stuff like car seats necessarily, but for extras like this, for sure.

Moby Wrap

I used this more when Judah was a smaller baby. Now he's too heavy for it, but as a tiny baby it was nice. The only drawback I'd say is that it was kind of a pain to get on because it's a super long piece of fabric that took a bit of effort to get wrapped around you. And if you have a summer baby, it can be HOT. Other than that, it was super comfy because the material is jersey and Judah seemed to like it a lot.

Diaper Champ
I'd read about the Diaper Genie but then a friend that's a mom told me about the Diaper Champ so I went with it instead. The great thing about it is that you don't have to buy special bags like you do with the Genie and you can use regular trash bags. No sense in getting something where you have to buy their brand of bags when you can use your own bags for a lot cheaper.

OXO Candela Tooli Rechargable Night Lights
Ok, these things are kind of unique looking but if you know me, you know I kind of like some weird stuff sometimes. These things have been great, literally my favorite thing for the nursery and nighttime with Judah. For one thing, they have a super long charge life. I hardly ever have to charge them and we've been using them for 6 months! They have a very soft glow so if you need to check on baby in the middle of the night or reinsert a paci, no problem with waking them up with a bright light shining in their eyes. It's also a great nightlight for those first few weeks where you're taking turns getting up multiple times throughout the night and you don't want to wake up the other person who's lucky enough to still be sleeping at that moment!

Graco SnugRider Infant Car Seat Stroller Frame

When I was pregnant I went to this huge baby consignment sale in Raleigh at the fairgrounds. For someone without a baby yet to say it was overwhelming would be an understatement. I do remember however seeing all these ladies getting these stroller bases and thinking, what ARE those things? I Googled a bunch of terms to try and figure it out and came up with this thing. At first I'd registered for a one of those expensive stroller/car seat combo sets but after finding this decided against it. I went with the Graco SnugRide 35 Infant Carseat and just got this as my stroller for it. It's been really great because it folds up so easy and takes up minimal space, which with all the other baby gear you tote around is a definitely plus.

Bob Revolution Stroller (aka the Cadillac)
Ok, if you click on the link for this thing you'll see that we never could or would have gotten this item on our own, but were amazingly blessed with it as a gift from Judah's Granny Willie :) hahahaha She LOVES that name btw. Love you mom! Anyways, this thing is beyond awesome. It's great for going off road, has shocks so it's super smooth, has a front tire that revolves making weave in and out of things a breeze. It's great to take to the park or a walk around town over rough pavement. We even borrowed the infant attachment from a friend so we could snap in his infant car seat. As you can see, Judah loves it! Especially when he goes for walks around Wake Forest with his Peepaw Crane.

So there you are. A taste of some of the gear that's been a big part of our daily lives over the past 6 months. Maybe you'll find something you can use too. Happy shopping/registering mamas!

6 months

2010-12-04T22:06:00.003-05:00

Half a year old...already! This year has literally flown by. I'm still in shock that it actually snowed today too. Here are Judah's monthly monkey pics.

Now that he's getting more mobile it's definitely more difficult to get a good one! I imagine it's only going to get worse.

Cool Video

2010-12-03T08:24:00.001-05:00

Check out this video for Shine by my favorite Christian group, the David Crowder Band.

Eating for the first time

2010-11-30T21:12:00.003-05:00

Judah has been breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months. Today he had his first bite of food, rice cereal. My mom came up to help watch him for a few days so she was able to feed him his first bite. I can't believe he's half a year old! Sock monkey pics coming soon :)

So proud!

2010-11-29T21:45:00.003-05:00

Judah and Thomas with his 7 pointer

Childhood Toys

2010-11-19T09:37:00.003-05:00

With the holidays approaching it's really started making me think of toys I had as a kid. While pregnant and since Judah was born I've been feeling really nostalgic about my favorite toys. Here are some that I remember having. Blast from the past 80s style!

My mom always made Christmas so much fun as a kid. I guess it was partly because she was an only child so my grandparents really went all out for her Christmases.

I'm really looking forward to going home for Thanksgiving and seeing our families and of course showing off Judah. Latest news – he's got a tooth starting to poke through!

Tony Merida on Adoption

2010-11-16T11:55:00.002-05:00

I've been at SEBTS for almost three years now. During these three years I have attended the majority of the chapel services. Without a doubt my life has been heavily impacted by many of those messages. Recently, Tony Merida, teaching pastor at Temple Baptist Church in Mississippi came and gave the below message. It is one of the finest I have heard. I'm not sure if it's because God laid adoption on my heart years ago or if it's just because this sermon is that good...but either way this is one of the better chapel messages given in the last three years.

Tony Merida - From Slavery To Sonship - Galatians 4:4-7 from Southeastern Seminary on Vimeo.

If you are reading this in Facebook and can not see the video please click HERE.

You should go to this! Click on pic for link...

2010-11-04T16:28:00.001-04:00

5 months

2010-11-03T08:47:00.002-04:00

Little man can now roll over, he's on the verge of a belly laugh, he can pass objects from hand to hand, still teething like crazy but no teeth, tipping the scale at 15 lbs or more, can sit up assisted, loves getting strolled outside in the BOB with his Peepaw Crane, loves riding horsey with Meemaw, smiles all the time, loves to cuddle, sweet, laid back personality. Love him SO much.

Judah Update and State Fair

2010-10-18T22:08:00.006-04:00

It's been so much fun keeping up with Judah's monthly pics. Granted, the 4 month one doesn't have the sticker because it didn't match his outfit and he was getting fussy by the time I decided to put on a white onesie. Maybe I'll get one before he turns 5 months which is only a couple weeks! I love how you can really tell how much he's grown and changed in just 3 months time.

This past weekend my good pal Natalie came to visit from Charlotte and since the State Fair is going on we decided to go. Since it was Saturday afternoon on the first weekend, it was super crowded as you might imagine. Here's a crowd shot:

State Fair Crowd

Every year the Fair boasts a weird food item. Usually it's something unusual that's deep fried. Last year I think it was deep fried butter and a fried cheese burger. This year, in true Southern style, it was a cheeseburger between two Krispy Kreme donuts. Of course, Thomas being the thrill seeker he is, decided to have a go at it. He said it was pretty good!

Yes he went with some bacon too! Good Lord!

Look at that cute kid with Natalie!

It was a fun weekend. As always it went by way too fast. I had a great time hanging out with Natalie, Judah and Thomas!