Squeaker-dee-doo

My sweet daughter has been doing far better than I ever expected. We have had her back and forth, apartment and house, and she is so tired and I'm sure confused. Today was I think the first time she has really complained about teething, and was actually cuddly. If you know Squeaky, you know she is not a cuddler...so I knew she wasn't feeling great. I also knew this week was going to be hectic, and possibly exhausting as we threw ourselves into the thick of final packing and moving, and drug Ava along for the ride. So, over all, she has been quite the trooper.

My baby also turned 8 months old! WOW. Here's classic Ava: ornery, cute, flirtatious, and silly all rolled into one...

Ava was excited about the prospect of getting a grill, and quickly volunteered to help.

She was also thrilled at the deal we got on bubble wrap! Being taller than something she was sitting beside may have just made her day.

Eating is probably her favorite thing, hands down. She loves food. Hmmm...she must be her mother's daughter!

Can you guess what she is hiding???

Haha! She loves blueberries...can you tell? :-)

Ava is practicing her dictatorial skills by making sure daddy packs things correctly.

P.S. Ava says "da da da", and loves it when daddy repeats is back to her. When she cries in sadness she will say "mama". It's so sweet. I'm waiting to hear her actually call me mama when she is happy. :-) Another recent hilarious achievement is her waving and saying "Hi"...well, at least something that could not be anything other than hi! She is quite the character.

The New House!

Our cute little house on Thunderbird Drive! I love it. The openness, the homey-ness, the wonderful floor plan for entertaining and being hospitable.

I know. You want a tour. Well, here is your virtual one... :-)

The front door is red. I love it!

Looking in from the front door. Like the red sunroom? It's very nearly my favorite room.

French doors open into the sunroom, where sliding doors grant access outdoors on one side, and there is a door across the room as well. It's so naturally lit and beautiful in this room!

The front door is on your left with the entry closet. Stairs go up to the bedrooms and down to the family room.

My kitchen!!! After an apartment with carpet in the bathrooms and kitchen, I am thrilled to have hard surfaced floor to clean.

The upstairs bathroom. The weird purple walls, and the weird yellow walls are paired with blue floral linoleum, an aqua colored sink, and a blue-green countertop. It is unique. :-)

The guest room is blue, but flash makes it appear white. All the bedroom closet doors are mirrored, and this room has some extra built in storage.

Ava's room is white, and is the bedroom with two windows. She also has a ceiling fan, and loves it!

The master bedroom. I'm not sure what to think of the wine colored carpet and matching window shade, but I'll survive somehow. *wink*

Now downstairs! This is the family room. You can see the stairs coming from the living area, and stairs going down to the basement. This is where we walk out onto the patio (it is a step down from the sunroom on to the patio). There is plenty of room for Scott's "office", the piano, bookshelves, and an in-home theatre space.

The basement. You like our dehumidifier? The tile is so pretty, and so cold. :-)

The basement bathroom. I love that guests can stay in the family room and have their own bathroom and complete privacy.

Laundry room! My own washer and dryer! The ability to do laundry as needed and not have to think about how many quarters I will need! Yippee!!!

We are officially moving June 4-6. The carpets are being cleaned, and the soda is chilling in the refrigerator. Our wonderful helpers are lined up and ready to go, and the filled boxes keep piling higher! Our pizza coupons are ripe for the using, and the house is ready to be made a home!

Thank you for joining me on this virtual tour. We look forward to hosting as many people as we can and seeing how God uses our new home to bring glory to HIM!

My Utmost for His Highest, June 2nd

"If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives--not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying. How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us? To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy."
~Oswald Chambers

Sweet Little One

After 15 weeks of pregnancy, I described it as this: "I finally just stopped fighting what was happening, relaxed and let the pain do its work. I stopped fighting what God was allowing, and surrendered my baby completely to Him, knowing that my child would be with Him, and I will meet my baby someday."

I'm absorbing the impact of missing someone so deeply that I never met, never felt, never heard. Last night I sat in bed and thought that I should go take something for my heartburn. Then I realized that I didn't have any...and I cried to my husband that I never thought I would miss heartburn, ever. I felt sadness as I easily buttoned my jeans, and looked at my BellaBand, now sitting forlornly with my other maternity clothes.

Where there is sadness, there is always a greater purpose. At the end of my day, at the end of my tears, at the end of my thoughts, there is this: hope. God has given me endless hope, and endless peace in everything. I will see my baby someday, and I am thankful for that. I am also thankful for the empathy I have gained for other women through this, and I am thankful that I can have more understanding and love for others because of this. God works all things together for good for those who love Him, and he bring joy renewed ever morning! Great is His faithfulness!

Endless thanks go out to those who have lifted us up in prayer and have poured out their support and love to us. I only pray that I can give back in my lifetime.

Blessings to you, and love and peace through the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

When it Strikes Home

I recently had an opportunity to watch a video about a very godly man who has poured much of his life's work into helping others. His goal (and widespread outreach) has been to improve the condition of water in third-world countries. His mission is amazing, and his heart for the Lord and for helping others moved me greatly.

Non-profit organizations that help others have been at the forefront of my mind lately. Their help for others and their love for each and every person they help is amazing. I wanted to share some of these with you, and encourage you to help as you are able. It truly is amazing to know you have helped someone. (I think of Matthew 25:40 here.) Here are ministries we have been blessed to contribute to and pray for:

Ruth Harbor is a Christ-centered home for young women who are alone and facing unplanned pregnancies. "Ruth" means compassion; "Harbor" means a place of refuge, safety, retreat, shelter.

Compassion International: "Releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name"

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

The Voice of the Martyrs is a non-profit, interdenominational organization with a vision for aiding Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ.


Thank you for taking the time to read this! I know that each person has ways they share, and there are endless possibilities on who to contribute to. I would love to hear of any organization, person, ministry, etc. that you love to give to! As Christ followers and Bible-believing saints, I firmly believe that we should always be looking for ways to show others the love God has poured out on us.

Knowing that our resources come from God fuels a desire to give back to Him with our whole hearts! In every way we give to others, our desire is to glorify God and do everything in His name.