zee lah*

january 30th

2012-01-30T15:08:00.000-05:00

oops. three weeks in and i've already fallen behind. true turned six weeks old and is ALL smiles and coos (that and a fantastic case of baby acne!) :) she loves when we mimc the noises she makes and will carry on a conversation of sorts with you. haven's favorite shows are madeline and sesame street and she's loving rediscovering old toys that we are still unpacking. we had a family date night this week to our mall's chick-fil-a and h and jon rode the train in the rotunda! it's physically impossible to smile more than she did-- so great. jon and i each spent some time dreaming and vision casting for the year and had a great time sharing with each other ON A DATE! our youth group watched haven (and a bunch of friends from church) and los campos kept true for us. it was great having a face-to-face conversation without interruption. we're excited to share more about one venture in particular soon, but just know that we want your bibles for our birthday.

january 20th

2012-01-21T08:26:00.000-05:00

teaching true her ballet moves :)

smiling at haven

this past week has served as a trial run for me. jon's been home with us since we came home to nj as a party of four and i've grown use to having him by my side 24/7 (literally). friends are still helping us with a few meals throughout and jon is just a shout away, but i've tried better to 'run our home' and return to my role as primary care-er. let me just tell y'all that there is an equation they do not teach in math classes i've come by--when you add one child to a family, the time it takes you to accomplish anything increases by 'x'; when you add a second kiddo to said family, said time increases by 'x+72 / the square root of how much laundry remains undone'! i'm curious to find if this remains true after infancy or could possibly grow even more.

jon's begun work on the fence--his big hope to accomplish before returning to work. he is the best of the best and so humbly serves me and our family. haven was excited to return to bible study ("school") this week. we've been learning about the letter 'm' this week-- glueing marshmallows to 'm' outlines, eating m&m's, and finding books and roadsigns with our letter of the week. true's volunteering a few smiles for us, staring into space, and cooing more than ever. she's an attention hog and must be near your person at all times. two cars had issues that jz totally handled.

we talked a bit about dr. king with haven this week and it's funny what sticks in her sweet mind. 'martin' (as she refers to him--i wonder if he would mind, sorry dr. king...) lives in heaven with God, but used to live in 'merica before he died and he taught people to love each other no matter what you look like in your eyes. we definitely talked about this hero in three-year-old terms, but i love that she's getting the heart of his message. we are so thankful for the sacrifices he and his family and so many others have made, simply for the existence of ours.

i'm sitting in 1thes 5 and soaking in being prayerful, thankful, and joyful in all things. it hits me, pretty often, this overcoming joy at this season of life. it causes me to wonder if it is in part to the sorrow that we've known-- if darkness makes light shine brighter? whatever way, i'm loving l o v i n g this season and humbled to feel so blessed.

january 13th

2012-01-20T20:26:00.001-05:00

someone is one month old today!!!

our sleepy girl is doing so well-- tummy issues have disappeared and her first nj doctor visit was a success! all four of us, our doctor friend, a med student and all our favorite nurses squeezed into a tiny examine room; quite the site. two pounds bigger and almost two inches longer in this short month. haven was meant to be a big sister-- she is in her element and true loves her attention best it seems.

thankful for...
::friends with delicious dinners
::family dates to wendy's for frostys
::healthy girls
::caffeine
::a husband who installs dishwashers and wakes for midnight feedings
::white collar on netflix
::sunny windows
::isaiah 40:29

january 8th

2012-01-08T21:13:00.000-05:00

haven is a great big sister!

true is awesome at sleeping-- yay!!

so tiny

the newest family photographer sans pants, but with princess gloves so we're good, right?

our first christmas as four!

happy birthday jesus!

introducing the sisters...

h was so excited, she waited outside for t to arrive

look. at. those. lips!!

meeting our daughter for the first time

i'm lost for words to describe the joy in my heart. God is so good. and gentle. and perfect in timing. and just plain ol' awesome. we are loving life as four and adjusting to 'fake' life (jon's on leave for a month) nicely. i'm challenged to learn/know/live ephesians 4:1-3, especially in my role as mama to these two girls. loving listening to haven recite over and over again the story of jesus' birth with her little people set. thankful for a date with h today at b&n for some book readin' and cupcake eatin'. can't inhale enough of the sweet smell of miss true. amazed at all my husband has accomplished this week and how he leads our family. thinking the christmas tree may never come down. oops.

announcing

2011-12-27T22:55:00.000-05:00

it is with unspeakable joy that we announce our second daughter

true elizabeth

our tiny bundle, born december thirteenth, joined our family on christmas eve

and we are overwhelmed by God's gracious gift

seven pounds, six ounces, and eighteen inches of goodness

"Glory to God in the highest..." -Luke 2:14a

(*we're sure this announcement is unexpected news to many,

know that this beautiful girl has caught us a little by surprise too!)

(**more pictures will surely follow-- mommy left her camera cord out of state!!)

new headband= spring cutie

2011-05-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

our weekly run to our favorite box store ended in the capture, payment, and never-left-out-of-sight easter clearance headband. i have to say i love it almost as much as miss h herself!

the flower fades

2011-05-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

"The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our Lord will stand forever."
-Isaiah 40:8

all of the grass

and all the flowers

all the baskets of laundry

and all the best cooked meals

all the hollywood gossip

and all the home improvements

will.

fade.

away.

only the eternal remains.

where am i spending my time, energy, and resources?

more than eggs

2011-04-28T08:00:00.032-04:00

i LOVED easter this year! haven is at a great age to really have some fun. all of these pictures seem to center around eggs, but the things i really want to remember weren't captured with my camera's lens.

all week leading up to easter, we talked about jesus' death and resurrection. the sunday before easter, haven's nursery class learned all about jesus death-- waiting until the following week to present the good news that he is risen again! she came home saying that 'ee-ter is scaw-y.' we quickly told her the rest of the story and she's still reminding us that 'he awive!' i love her three year old grasp of the resurrection story-- they hit him. he died. the rock moved. jesus alive! he went home with his flip flops on. :)

on good friday, we remembered jesus' death by keeping our home dark-- no lights on, no tv (*jon works from home, so his office escaped our plans). haven complied pretty easily, i seemed to have a harder time. every light switch and remote was a reminder that the sky turned black and creation mourned the death of God's true son. this sweet family commemorated good friday this way last year and i've been waiting to recreate it for haven all year.

we also followed this recipe/agenda in making resurrection rolls on friday. reading through john's account of jesus death with haven and jon was probably my favorite part of the weekend. h cried when we had to put jesus in the 'tomb'-- whoever thought to have jesus' body represented by a marshmallow, truly knew the treasure of a three-year-old's heart.

haven could have cared less about dying the eggs after the initial drop into the dye (*which in retrospect probably worked out best for my table and floors...). i got busy too and we both forgot about them resulting in really bright colors!

after church on sunday, we had friends old and new over for lunch and a little egg hunting. honey glazed hams are heavenly. This is miss h with our friend josh. it was his first real egg hunt too!

"jesus is awive!"

Burp cloths (*insert WAY better title here)

2011-04-25T08:00:00.001-04:00

These were SUPER easy to make and super quick too (and super cute, if I may say so!). I got the idea from this site, but changed the dimensions based on a store-bought cloth.

I bought a full-sized, ribbed towel from Tar-jay to use as the backing. The yellow/grey fabric is from Amy Butler. I love Amy Butler.

First, cut a piece of terry cloth and patterned fabric approximately 7 x 18 inches. Then, with right sides facing, sew the entire rectangle leaving a gap just a couple inches wide. Before turning the burp cloth right-side out, clip the corners so that the fabrics will lay smoothly. Turn out and press.

Finish by sewing a quarter inch inside the perimeter.

Burp and wipe. Repeat.

With two baby showers in two days and even more friends with babies on-the-way, there was a need for mass-produced little baby burp cloths. (*Haven's on this kick where anyone her age or younger is a 'tiny wittle baby'. so stinkin' great) Anyways, I tied up two cloths with a grey ribbon and a board book inside.

"How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." -Ephesians 3:18

Hallelujah

Holy is He

2011-04-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

painting by Lance Brown

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us - Eph 1:7-8a

...the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. -1 Cor 11:23-26

Clickity-clack!

2011-04-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

This week's hair-do (oh please last two weeks!!) is great-- I always know where Haven is. Clickety-clack. Clickety- clack.

I'm loving this site, Happy Girl Hair. One of the two sisters has hair very similar to H's in texture and the mom keeps a little gallery of her daughter's hair styles. I went through and picked out a couple then let H pick which one she wanted. We even made a special trip to the 'hair store' to pick out new tiny, tiny barettes. We didn't have ones small enough and certainly not in the quantity needed.

Welcome Baby Wren

2011-04-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

Sweet, sweet friends of ours are expecting their second bambino in early May and we had SO much fun dragging them in to town for a baby shower. They recently moved their lives to VT where they're planting a church. When word spread that Christin was coming, everyone jumped in to help out-- so I dare say who hosted, but Laura was definitely the mastermind behind all the goodness and opened her home to all of us. (*not even two weeks after moving?! she's amazing...)

Girl is a planner and organizer extraordinaire. Like, way better than anyone you'd pay to come in your home to tell you where to store your christmas tree. Like, 'made-a-spreadsheet-for-the-shower' good. Here she is with our friend Ruth. Isn't she beautiful? And with perfect hair? (*she's totally hating me right now...) :)

Anyways, Christin is creating a shabby chic nursery for little miss Wren so we carried the theme into the shower.

Soup, salad, and quiche were on the menu followed by an unbelievable trifle and cupcakes by ~~Martha Stewart~~ Glorianne. Yea, they had pear icing.

Then, we played baby shower games. 'Guess how big Wren is' involved ribbon, scissors and Christin's waistline. Praise the Lord you don't play this game at adoption showers. I'm not really sure I want to guess how big my waistline is, much less 20 of my favorite girlfriends. Present bingo was super fun to watch. I didn't get to play-- the game pieces were pastel M&M's and well, we all know what happened to mine.

How cute is this little 'wren' mobile? ~~Martha~~ Glorianne made it!

All of our guests took home these little Freesia bulb favors to plant in their garden to celebrate Wren's coming. We also had everyone sign a little message to the princess-to-be in this copy of Amelia Bedelia (*did you read this when you were little?) as a guest book of sorts. We jotted down a list of goodies and who gave them on the back cover for Christin to keep too.

Finding God in the Waiting

2011-04-05T08:00:00.003-04:00

An old friend wrote a beautiful post here that I would TOTALLY recommend reading. Nope. Scratch that, subscribe to her whole blog-- it's fantastic. God-glorify-ing-ly fantastic. She has a way of putting into words the things that get stuck swimming in my head. Things like finding God in the waiting rooms of life.

Most of the last year has been a waiting room for me. Waiting, rather impatiently most of the time, for a baby, or a child-- but a new member of our family. I've grown more and more anxious as day after day passes with a still empty crib in my home... an empty womb... two collapsed adoption plans... a phone silent with news that my family will grow anytime soon... as my plans, my dreams distance themselves further and further away from my reality.

2011 has been a battle ground for my content-ness. I have fought hard for what I thought I wanted--cried out, frequently and loudly, for the family I so much desire. Praise God he has met me in this midst, in this messy yuck season of my life-- not 'messy yuck' because of my circumstances, but 'messy yuck' because of the condition of my heart. Met me and is healing me. Holding me. Allowing me to remember where my true joy lies. What my real desires are. That my plans are childish and incomplete in comparison to the wondrous, perfect plans he has for me (jer 29). A perspective I can trust when I cannot see (is. 55). A character I can lean hard in to (ps 16; lk 11).

I posted this song in response to the work He is mending in me. Redeeming. Restoring. Making more like Himself. In spite of myself.

"And He is the point of all this waiting. For while we may be yearning for macaroni and cheese, a friend to visit, a man to marry, a baby to hold, a child that turns to the Lord, or a relationship to form or heal…while all these yearnings may be good and God-given. God may not give them…or He may just not give them immediately. He tarries, not to drive us crazy, but to drive us to Him. He waits, not to cause us to sin, but to turn us from the sin of loving these things more than we love Him."-Burning Bushes, April 2011

I took down the crib last week (*Jon did actually, because brave and obedient doesn't always translate into unemotional and handy). Not because i'm done waiting or angry or redecorating or for that weird thinking that it'll happen now that i'm not anticipating it. But because if there's never another baby to sleep there, Jesus is more than enough. Because instead of counting down days or stalking adoption websites, I will worship Him and glorify Him with a content heart. I will wait on Him. He is the point of the waiting. I believe it. I stumble through it, but I'm learning to mean it more and more each day. Learning to be content like Paul (phil 4). Learning that Jesus is Lord and not the idols I fail to recognize as such. God is so good to grant joy and hope for the journey. So blessed. So, so blessed and in love with our Gentle Shepherd.

How are you using your waiting room? Have you discovered He that doesn't leave or forsake yet?

I am Lost for Words

2011-04-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

::Jeremy Riddle
::"More than a Friend"

Look What I Found in the Garage!

2011-03-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

There's nothing cuter than a ballerina with two twigs drumming out "Holy, Holy, Holy" in your garage on this first warm day of the year.

Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.

For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.

Psalm 33:20-22

Three!

2011-03-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

She has a hard time holding up her fingers the right way, so she'll show you the okay symbol and exclaim she's 'free'.

Her party was a fairy-jump-dance-blast. When the music stopped they had to find a polka dot to stand on-- she'd pick hers up and move it to stand right next to her friends. They danced (read: jumped) for almost an hour BEFORE the sugar. We did cake and ice cream last so that everyone's blood sugar crash happened on their own turf.

Flower PB&J's are way tastier than triangle ones I'm learning in party-aftermath.

Haven found this little family a couple weeks ago and had the worst day when I told her we had to leave them at the store. This was a first for us, and I left feeling like the worst mama. Our good friends who listen and love just about as best as they come rescued the little family and delivered them to their rightful three-year-old mama. So great.

Our camera failed to accompany us, but we had the BEST time at the Please Touch! museum in PA. Tiny grocery stores, puppet shows, carousels, child-driven buses and rubber duck rivers were the order of the day. Jon took the day off to spend with his best girls and we ate it up.

Birthday morning she awoke to candles, favorite donuts, and another round of the song she loves to hear with her name smack in the middle.

Tents and princess crowns, magnadoodles and tiny figurines are doted upon all day. Lunch is had at the slightly scary Rainforest Cafe (really, a snake right at the entrance?)

Three just may be my favorite. I say that with every stage, but I mean it this time. Potty trained, filled with 'why?', wants to fly, lives in a princess dress, thinks I'm 'boo-ti-ful' and applies chapstick at every turn is wonderful. And I don't take it for granted. Thank you, Lord.

About to crash at the end of a great day of celebrating God's good gift.

The Party House and Conjugating Verbs

2011-03-18T13:48:00.000-04:00

Haven's bestest buddy turned three last month and had a 'potty house'-- which, translated, means there were streamers and balloons at his party. For the whole month, Haven has been talking about said party house and asking for a one too.

"Where Hay-ben's party house be mama?"

(*See, a couple weeks ago Haven began trying out new verbs. Horribly and oh so cute. 'To be' seems to be the major culprit of misuse.)

One night after a certain birthday-girl's bedtime and about a week before her party, I whipped out the twine and paper circles and went to town garlanding anything that didn't move. Birthdays draw into birth weeks at our home and decorations go up and stay up. Why not, right? The Christmas Hippo is still next door, so what could be wrong with a few early polka dots?

I'm in a little bit of a polka-dot-love-phase and Haven awoke to a party house of her very own. A little bit of wrapping paper taped into frames and a couple coloring pages completed our decor.

Fairy Water and Abby Wands

2011-03-16T13:01:00.000-04:00

You can't have a fairy party without fairy water and Abby Caddaby Wands! (wink) I stumbled upon this idea from this site and simply had to recreate it for Haven's party. It was a little detail that was a lot of fun to create and one the 'fairies' enjoyed as well. One little guy drank the whole thing in 5 minutes flat and was racing in and out of the bathroom for the rest of the party.

I began with the cheapest water bottles I could find, some crystal light in a kid-friendly flavor, wrapping paper, curling ribbon, mailing labels, and bend-y straws.

After ripping off the water's labels, I used one as a template for the size and shape needed from the wrapping paper. I tapped the paper on, but wonder if a glue stick would have worked as well too.

I used labels that were on-hand and printed "Fairy Dust Package *sprinkle generously into bottle to create FAIRY WATER" via Avery's online print site.

From there, I stuck, cut, curled and tied everything together. Voila!

The Abby wands are really just glorified sugar cookies. Really great sugar cookies though-- I'll have to post the recipe soon.

They're way cuter than they are difficult. Just as I pulled the cookies from the oven, I transfered them to cooking racks and inserted bamboo skewers.

After that, a circle of icing was added and then mashed into a plate of pink sprinkles. Edible glitter and pretty pink royal icing would be super great too, but a gals gotta budget. A little more curling ribbon and you're all set (I tied the ribbon around sandwich baggies for some of the wands so that the cookie wands could go home with our guests)!

Happy Birthday Oma!!!

2011-03-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

We love you Oma-- we even added a few extra verses to your birthday song! Hope you have a great day filled with cake and ice cream and lots of love!!

You're invited...

2011-03-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Well, not really. That is, unless you actually received an invitation in official crayola-covered, glue and popsicle fashion. The littliest one is turning three this month and this is by far the most epic event of her tiny life. she has been waiting for and talking about her birthday non. stop. for at least six months! She's a birthday pro-- knowing her birth month, the date, and how to hold up three fingers. I watch her in the rear-view mirror practicing on the way to the store (which probably says a lot about my driving).

Since Abby invites were scarce to be found (read: they weren't at Tar-jay), I decided to make an "Abby-wand-invite" myself. I searched online for Abby coloring pages and shrunk them down before printing and copying. Then, I used a star cookie cutter to outline the images and cut them out. I glued them onto construction paper (yea, nothing fancy here) and then cut the star shape out, using the orignal shape as a guide. The next morning, Miss H helped by coloring the pictures while i wrote out the party details for the other side. She then helped me glue the pop sticks and yarn to each invite. Sorry for the lack of documentation. Glue seems to do crazy things to a toddler.

This year we're going with a polka dot/ Abby Cadabby theme. I kinda just picked Abby after H went on a video binge from the library starring the little fairy without really knowing that it's SUPER hard to find any birthday Abby gear. Oh, and we're not expecting as many toddlers at our house as wands-- most were honorary invites to family that live out-of-state. Not to fret, we've got everything under control and ready to rock and roll. More cuteness to come!

Waiting and White Paint

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, we received news that 'our spell' in life's waiting room was going to turn into 'a season'. Our family has been hoping for and actively pursuing growth for a year now. This by no means is a record for any family, but has been hard on my heart all the same, especially with two adoptions that fell through in the final stages. More on heart issues and adoption stuff later-- this posts is about projects! So, with failed plans came a need to be busy and this can of paint...

...did just the trick! I splurged and went with the off-the-shelf white from the Home Depot that ALSO contains a primer. Worth.It's. Weight. In. Gold. This stuff is awesome. It goes on easily, covers quickly and has a very mild odor too.

Every time I walked through our family room, my eye was drawn to the growdy-jody trim. Even though you buy the pre-white trim, you still need to paint the pre-white trim. I'm embarassed to tell you how long this has been installed in our home, but let's just say it was (*FOUR YEARS!*) time to paint over the dirt-highlighting-spackle and dull trim.

Painting our trim brightened the entire room! I'm amazed at what a difference a little paint can do.

Next up was a recently rescued coffee table. Thanks, Laura! our friends received a new-to-them really great, old trunk for Christmas and needed to find a new home for their old coffee table. Our family loves free and I loved the idea of a table that was big and sturdy enough to play at. I got a little paint feisty and didn't take an actual 'before' picture.

Ta-da! Two coats later and this guy is looking fantastic! I don't even want to know how many layers a primer-less paint would have taken. Unfortunately, our table is still a work-in-progress. There was only one day in February warm enough to paint (*I'm pretty sure it was a Godsend just for my need-to-redirect-and-find-a-quick-fix-project self. Thanks, Lord!) so our poor table has gotten a few scuffs while awaiting a last coat of paint and a couple coats of polyurethane to finish him off. Soon enough. In the meantime, it's good enough for a wee little princess to dine casually at. Raisins are our afternoon choice this week!

Rainbow Hair

2011-03-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here's our latest conquest in all things hair...

RAINBOW HAIR!

Little H requested Tiana hair and so the style began with the bottom row of box twists and green beads with a centered puff on top. She loved it. The problem was it lasted all of 17 minutes before it turned into a puff centered in whispies and frizz. She still loved it of course and so I ventured out to the library hoping I wouldn't get pulled over by the hair police (you only think they don't exist because you have not met them yourself...) between there and home. Luckily, we escaped with only a few 'bless your mama's heart looks'. Thus, the next day needed a hairstyle even better than Tiana.

Nothing's better than Tiana. Nothing except more beads! After a few too many episodes of Dora, Dora, Dora the Explorer we were ready to rock and I'm happy to admit Haven hasn't mentioned Tiana hair since. The yellow row starts just above her ears (since the hair on the fringe is too short to make it to the top pigtails) and the box twists are off centered from the green row so that everything would lay nicely. From there, the two pigtails were brushed out and divided into four twists-- super fun for a three year old who loves to hear the clickety-clack of every head tilt and dramatic spin.

It's been two weeks and this style has held up really well. It definitely could use a refresh in the coming days, but has kept up with us pretty well!

Reason No. 7648, Why I Love NJ

2011-03-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Christmas Hippo is still out and about!

This is who we've seen every. single. morning at our breakfast table since Thanksgiving. I'm thinking she (see the skirt?) is just hoping to get in as many holidays as possible this year.

I will personally ensure she doesn't make any memorial day appearances though. We'll call it a late Mother's Day gift to myself.

(*This gal has made appearances for a couple years now. The first year, I couldn't figure out what she was. Then I spent the next two years trying to come up with WHY she was. Nothing says 'Happy Brithday Jesus' quite like a hippo, ya know? THen Jon informed me of that classic "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas". Y'all know it? Yeah, me neither.)

Just after I realized how upset I was getting at our neighbors for leaving Santa and his hippo out in the cold for so long, I noticed I still have up some Christmas prints in my kitchen. Oops. Guess I'm more Jersey than I thought.

happy valentine's day!

2011-02-14T14:47:00.004-05:00

i'm not sure why, but i've really been into valentine's day this year. i tried out this recipe on just about everyone that lives within a mile of us (*so i missed the line about freezing half the rolls...). 13 pan-fulls later, i'm just now emptying my sink! h and i did a fun stamping craft...

jon zila and i went out for dinner with everyone. else. in. the. state. on saturday night while h went to her first little valentine's day party. you know it's been a good night when she cries the minute you walk in the door to take her home! our favorite part of the weekend was borrowing a projector from friends so we could watch H U G E movies on the wall-- we had a blast.

tonight i'm attempting not to burn dinner with this recipe that we LOVE from cheesecake factory. nothing compares. it's unbelievable. within the last seven days there may or may not have been two seperate burning incidents in our kitchen. there also may or may not be singe marks on the backsplash behind the toaster oven as evidence. in case you were not yet aware-- bacon does not reheat well in the toaster oven. who knew.

happy valentine's day!

Sink Snow

2011-01-26T20:07:00.001-05:00

It will not. stop. snowing. period. Today it came down steadily for hours, keeping us huddled inside for most of the day. Since we weren’t (easily) going outdoors, we brought a little bit inside to us. My friend Rebecca introduced me to the thought of filling the sink with snow and we quickly followed suit. H had a blast digging, packing, eating, and melting the goods. We even made a snowman with a nose-fourteen times too big. Resourceful. That’s what we’ll call it.

remembering

2011-01-17T23:06:00.002-05:00

"We must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but we must speak."
— Martin Luther King Jr.

i'm thankful for godly men and women who have gone before, smoothing out the road for this generation. it is an honor to remember you today mr king, and also to continue speaking out against injustices however quiet or small our voice may seem.

like a lake

2011-01-05T21:24:00.002-05:00

i'm realizing that when words don't seem to come, i seem to post song lyrics. :) this is one of my favs right now. sara groves. love her.

so much hurt and preservation

like a tendril round my soul

so much painful information

no clear way on how to hold it

when everything in me is tightening

curling in around this ache

I will lay my heart wide open

like the surface of a lake

wide open like a lake

standing at this waters edge

looking in at God's own heart

I've no idea where to begin

to swallow up the way things are

everything in me is drawing in

closing in around this pain

I will lay my heart wide open

like the surface of a lake

wide open like a lake

bring the wind and bring the thunder

bring the rain till I am tried

when it's over bring me stillness

let my face reflect the sky

and all the grace and all the wonder

of a peace that I can't fake

wide open like a lake

everything in me is tightening

curling in around this ache

I am fighting to stay open

open open oh wide open

open like a lake

God is good. i'm so glad he is the potter, and i the clay; and not the other way around. i will gladly (with tears mind you!) walk this road as it brings me closer to you. i'm learning that prov 3:5-6 does not translate as easy and comfortable, but an alignment with His purposes. mm, Jesus-- you are good.

white christmas

2011-01-02T20:18:00.003-05:00

we were in the altanta area just in time to witness the first white christmas in over 100 years. here's the proof. :)

happy new year!

2011-01-02T20:00:00.002-05:00

no christmas card this year. each year we add a picture to our tree though, so here's what is goin' up!

we're praying for you baby scarlette!

2010-12-01T18:31:00.003-05:00

friends of ours welcomed their sweet bitty girl a little earlier than most. little miss scarlette vonne weighs in at a little less than two pounds. while most mamas are able to cuddle their bundles and complain about poopy diapers, kayla and jeff rejoice over the few moments they're able to touch their baby with just a single finger and shout praises over every small bowel movement-- that is no small feat in their daughter's life.

even before she was born, haven has been praying for her tiny friend. when we pull up kayla's blog each day to see any new updates, haven declares "there's scarlette!". i'm not sure why i feel so connected to kayla, maybe because of past infertility or our unique entrances into motherhood; BUT i do know it is God who compels our family to pray so fervently for scarlette and her parents. would you stop here to join us in praying for them? yes, you and yes, right now. :)

you can head over HERE to read kayla's fabulous blog and keep updated with her sweet scarlette. kayla, i wish i could be there to hug your neck and make you dinner. know that your whole family constantly fills our family's thoughts and God is good to use the most random things to prompt us to pray for your sweet girl. we entrust you to our Might God, the Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, and Everlasting Father.

who needs presents?

2010-11-22T08:10:00.000-05:00

i'll take a box, please! they've been playing 'house' for about an hour now. love it!

giving thanks

2010-11-16T14:08:00.004-05:00

i cried on the phone with my mom last night. over what to make for thanksgiving this year. we weren't in an arguement, and i wasn't emotionally torn between martha's or paula's recipes. i was broken. am broken. over how rich we are. not like 'gold encrusted mercedes' rich-- like running-water, extra-food-goes-bad-in-my-fridge rich. a year ago i spent a week in kenya where water must be carried home regardless if you are frail or pregnant or to small not to spill and days pass. between. meals.

i am so thankful.
i am so blessed.
i am so undeserving.

if you are reading this, you are too-- blessed and undeserving. but you must choose to be thankful. full of thanks. and next week, if you live in the US, you'll celebrate thanksgiving, but you must choose to give thanks. to GIVE thanks. my hope is that we'll be intentional about our giving-- recognizing from Whom all things have been given. realizing just how much He's given us. remembering those who have less and fulfilling God's heart to love them as we love ourselves.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations. -Ps 57:9

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. -Jm 1:17

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -Jn 3:16

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' -Mt 22:37-39

can't believe it's november

2010-11-09T13:22:00.006-05:00

today was beautiful!

little picassos

2010-10-14T10:33:00.004-04:00

is it picassos or picassoes, i wonder. well, we're not going to be sought out for our color technique or brush strokes anytime soon, so i guess we've got some time to figure it out! thanks oma-the-great and papa for the coloring books-- we're still filling them up with our beautiful colors!! everyday we're moving a little further from baby and a lot more towards big girl. you can't really see, but h has some pretty cool big-girl braids in her hair. and this kiddo can talk circles around you! our current thing is telling jokes-- the big one this week is identifying everyone as either 'girl' or 'boy'. she does a pretty good job, but loves to call daddy a 'girl' and then laughs and laughs.

apples!

2010-09-30T08:37:00.004-04:00

milking the cow--from an interesting angle...

"aaa-puuhhl"

this is second year picking apples with our bestest bud. this year was way more successful (read, we picked more than two apples) and sooo fun! we're regulars at the farm during the summer months and haven loves running around in the fields, driving the tractors, and feeding the farm animals. mom really loves these apple cider slushie thingies that are so. yummy.

beads

2010-07-22T13:56:00.002-04:00

sorry we've been mia for a bit-- it's been a wild summer. here's some pics from today's trip to the playground. this is my first attempt at beads in haven's hair and i have to admit i'm pretty proud! she loves to swing them around and hear them clickity clack.

i surrender all

2010-06-09T13:31:00.000-04:00

All to Jesus I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
Refrain:
I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!
-Van DeVenter, 1896

the moe-mas

2010-04-22T16:33:00.003-04:00

haven's oma and grandad came to visit for easter-- she calls them both 'moe-ma' most of the time. we had a great time doing a lot of nothing, eating cake, jumping at hopscotch, watching princess and the frog, coloring in jumbo books, and swimming at the moe-mas hotel pool!

the queen mother

2010-04-22T16:21:00.002-04:00

haven came downstairs from her nap with her easter dress in tow. she's been asking to wear it for a couple days now. it's a princess dress of course. (*who teaches little girls to be princesses by the way? love it) so, in a world where she hears 'no' so many more times than 'yes' -- we went with her plans. over the top of her existing outfit no less. to play in the dirt. because, really-- what else is a princess to do in her beautiful gown? :)

ps- please excuse our hair style--we're in between do's today.

lost in translation

2010-04-12T19:47:00.003-04:00

tonight at dinner i explained to hae that we were having 'hot soup' for dinner. be careful. blow. it's hot.

she responded, 'mmmmmmm, rat poop'. with gusto. no sarcasm. she's two. and jon's out of town.

oh dear. it was as clear as a bell.

here are my options...
A- our two year old who parrots everything we say stumbled on a couple consonants
B- our kiddo enjoys delicacies i know nothing of
C- my cooking has gotten even worse, this is highly unlikely as there's not much room for anything but improvement, but there's always the surprise dinner that reinvents the meaning of 'worst of the worst'.

i'm crossing my fingers for A, but fearful for C
aye, oh.

here's hoping your dinner was better than ours tonight, but filled with just as many giggles! :)

two years: documented

2010-03-23T15:03:00.003-04:00

i can NOT even begin to fathom where the last two years have wandered off to-- when i see pictures of haven just days old, it feels like yesterday and an eternity ago all at the same time!

she is our sweetest joy and keeps us on our toes these days. her little personality emerges more and more, and we love who she is growing in to being.

over the last year, haven has...

:: got a stamp in her passport

:: traveled to the caribbean

:: relaxed at the beach

:: visited the magic kingdom and became memorized by all things 'princess'

:: traveled to visit all of her grandparents and great-grandparents

:: cemented her fear of the doctor's office

:: made little friendships in spite of a sad track record of sharing (we're getting better and better though!)

things she is saying all the time these days...

:: help me please

:: alright! you did it!

:: nice!

:: no thank you

:: love you

:: bye y'all

:: i hold you

:: mmm, good chicken

:: (gasp) oh, no!

:: wait, shhh, patient

things that make two really fun...

:: she has the best sense of direction and knows where each of her friends live, the library, and which grocery store has the cart-cars to ride in

:: the way she sings the alphabet song, twinkle twinkle, where is thumpkin, happy birthday

:: she pretends like she's asleep and waits for you to tickle her awake

:: greeting everyone where ever we go-- i'm pretty sure she's made a couple people's day this way

:: singing along to the radio-- we're making our listening choices wisely these days :)

:: sleeping on the floor by her door and absolutely not in her bed

:: bubbles, stickers, and snacks

:: saying 'mmmmmm!' whenever we pass mcdonalds (whups)

:: grabbing hands and saying 'amen' when we pray

:: shaking it off when she falls down

:: playing pretend

:: dancing and singing with daddy

:: covering her eyes when snow is falling

:: her desire to have her name written and a fish drawn every time she sees a pen

reasons why people call it 'terrible'...

:: huge tantrums for little problems

:: screaming 'ow!' in the middle of the library; all screaming in public when surrounded by people who seem to have never had children who were two once

:: getting weighed and measured and everything after at the doctor's office

:: NOOOOOOO!!!

:: waking up grouchy-- not always, thank God!

:: no more naps

we're really proud/thankful of...

:: her counting to ten

:: a gentle spirit

:: a joyful laugh

:: her love of snuggling

:: her hair is growing! (this is huge!) :)

:: a teachable spirit-- most of the time

:: she likes to eat everything

:: her helpfulness-- she throws away trash after dinner, puts her toys back, and empties the silverware from the dishwasher

she's just starting to...

:: be able to put on clothes

:: spell her name

:: put three or more words together

:: do easy puzzles

:: love books

:: notice/identify colors

:: say 'love you' and give hugs and kisses on her own

we are more than blessed.

bubbles and slides

2010-03-17T22:11:00.003-04:00

appy dirf-day hay-ben

2010-03-15T21:10:00.005-04:00

chocolate donut holes-- our favorite!

'where's haven?' (*she's hiding)

one rich little lady!

cheesing it up for the video camera!

all we can think is wow. two years goes by way too fast when there's a tiny person involved. we are blown away by God's goodness in creating this family.

guitar hero

2010-02-25T21:43:00.004-05:00

complete with sunglasses and all...

...gotta love some laurie berkner!

play doh and playdates

2010-02-19T10:03:00.004-05:00

this is haven with one of her favorite friends in the world. they've been pals since before either could walk and are about a month apart in age. until we get the sharing thing down, they have a love/hate relationship. but really, they just crack each other up all the time. the first picture is pre-kiss, the last shows these two just after i caught them pretend-snoring. the middle are a very funny story h was telling. it was long. and funny. and about a horse. but that's all i got.

in other haven stories, she's been working on a coloring page from the church nursery displaying the wisemen bringing gifts to toddler jesus on mary's lap. haven is pretty determined it's 'mo-ma' (oma). we also had to take the yellow marker away because it kept ending up in her nose. go figure. :)

the helper

2010-02-11T11:53:00.002-05:00

haven's not a huge fan of the white stuff. yet. but she loves to get out of the house after being confined all day yesterday. we survived by making valentine's cards, washing farm animals and legos in bubble bath (and my phone too, but it survived-- another story for another day...), trying on all of mommy's shoes, and watching monster's inc for the first time. and second time. don't judge-- a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do when trapped with a soon-to-be-two-year old. :)

i am so thankful for good friends who stopped in knowing jon was stuck in tampa on business and even shoveled our walk. we are so blessed by our family. :)

we picked jon up at the airport this morning-- the snow drifts were hip high and took me an hour to uncover my car (that has less to do with the snow and more to do with my abilities i'm afraid).

the frankenstein walk

2010-02-06T19:12:00.005-05:00

haven was so excited to go outside in the snow only to hangout with dad on the sidewalk. she had fun though! thanks kate and kevin for the loan on tiny snowboots and suit!

::iRECOMMEND::

2010-01-24T21:33:00.002-05:00

i feel like i've recently stumbled upon a wealth of great resources too good not to share. here's the first of some funny/serious/life-changing recommendations.

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

grab a box of tissues and prepare your heart for radical challenge and your world view to be expanded. this blog is the chronicles of a young girl mothering orphans in uganda. she has an amazing ability to paint pictures with words and uses scripture humbly to pierce the heart. my time in kenya makes the issues she faces on a daily basis much more real to me. start in the beginning and read through the years. i dare you not to be changed.

as you finish glancing at this post, will you humor me? would you please pray for katie and the people she ministers to today? it'll only take a second...

coloring and twinkling stars

2010-01-21T15:43:00.001-05:00

echoing

2009-12-31T21:53:00.003-05:00

(** i wrote this post after coming home at christmas and somehow it missed getting posted. hmmmm...)

we just returned from a trip visiting family. i smile thinking about how haven now kneels on one knee when singing 'ring around the rosies' with her babies. and how when we pass a mirror or picture of herself she exclaims, 'that's you!' in a way that you know she thinks this phrase to be her name. time spent playing with grandad and his aging knees and listening to a mama recount over and over again the baby in the pictures with mommy and daddy have left their mark. she echoes what she sees. hears. she clearly displays what we do. are. i wonder what i echo. soon, she won't be so obvious in her mirroring. like me, she'll be inundated with things to reflect back. but, oh, to echo one thing. and to echo it well. simplify my voice in 2010, lord.

i listened to this sermon ten years ago and passed it along to a sweet friend this christmas. you can listen or read, it's lengthy and challenging, but oh so worth the investment.

repeat the sounding joy

2009-12-14T22:07:00.002-05:00

may you be filled with peace, granted much grace, and given many opportunities to bless others in 2010

merry christmas

giving

2009-12-08T22:52:00.007-05:00

(*it's about time for a new post, huh?)

ever since i returned from kenya, my mind has been stirring about giving. y'all, i have stuff. a lot of it. not enough to make it on that hoarders show, but definitely more than one needs. and money. it spills out of my purse, haven finds it in between the cushions and we even keep a little in the bank too. i bet you have some in all the same places. anyways, this week i've really been thinking about this story...

The Widow's Offering

21:1 Jesus [1] looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. [2] 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

... and pondering what it means. for me. for now. not that i'm looking to regift the three half-used bottles of body lotion in the bathroom. but what if i gave more like the widow and less like the rich? joyfully. trusting. all. less like the couch cushion fund-- more like the bank account. more like heifer international-- less like best buy.

haven just learned the fabulous new word, that she doesn't just say, she articulates. 'MIIINEEEEE'. as we try to emphasize sharing, it's our hope that she learns nothing is really ours to hold to tightly.

Lord, my prayer is that she, that we, would give as the widow. trusting that you will provide for our needs. giving freely of what you've entrusted to us. not what comes easily, but what takes sacrifice.

the post that almost wasn't

2009-11-09T20:20:00.005-05:00

i've been back from kenya for a few weeks now and yet i'm still struggling with how to write about my time there. i'm still struggling with how to process what i saw. felt. lived.

it was a good trip. it was a hard trip. we helped a lot of people-- roughly 2500 saw a doctor, received treatment for a wound, and/or were vaccinated that would not have received help had we not been there; because they couldn't physically get to a hospital, were too poor, or their local medics didn't have proper know-how/ equipment. along with that though, there were so many more we couldn't help. the days weren't long enough. we turned people away.

i saw an old man cry because he hadn't eaten in days and was hungry. i cuddled a baby while his mothered learned she had aids. i held a starving boy, years older than my daughter, and far smaller. i overheard an orphan ask the woman who sponsors him with complete sincerity, if she thought about him/ missed him/ loved him when she was at her home. i guarded a door so that the crowd wouldn't crush those nearest to the building. later, they broke down the door, realizing not everyone would be seen. people like you and me, they were desperate for basic medical aide.

i learned a little more of myself, what i'm capable of and what i'm not. i learned what it means to put your hope in the Lord, what it means to have nothing else to put your hope in. i learned the names of some of the 145 million orphans-- they're naomi, warren, toba...

the need is real. the commercials on tv are real. the reality is emblazoned in my mind and is more than you can imagine.

i had a hard time eating breakfast right when i returned, because i had more than enough. my pantry had more than enough and even if it didn't, i could jump in my car and stare at a store with rows and rows filled with more than enough. this is not the case everywhere. whole communities are hungry without pantries/options/stores.

i look at my little girl and wonder how she and i were so blessed to be born in america. so blessed to have shoes. so rich to have water. forget taxes and mortgages and credit card statements, you and i are rich because we have access to w-a-t-e-r.

i'm searching for what to do with this new awareness. how to live in america with painted toes and decorating magazines with voices of orphans singing songs playing through my thoughts. how to go christmas shopping knowing that people i have sat with may go days without eating.

i haven't figured it all out yet--mostly, i just get overwhelmed with how great the need is and what little i can do to help. tonight, i read haven the story of david and goliath and thought about how the need feels like a towering giant and how tiny my influence looks in its shadow. but, i will not be overcome by fear, i will choose to act. to trust God with the details, but follow in what i know he has said. what his holy words in my worn bible say. love my neighbor. in africa. in america. i will love until it feels uncomfortable, and when i start to get comfortable with that, i'll give until it gets uncomfortable again. because, a $25 check isn't much of a stretch in our household it doesn't really 'cost' us. but a $250 check? a $2500 check? it hurts a little. it means we don't get to eat out for a while. or buy new clothes. or find our security in a bank account. it does mean that someone gets to eat. wears clothes. that i become vested with someone else's worth. and that is love.

could i challenge you to get uncomfortable? allow your heart to break over the reality of your neighbor's need and love them enough to walk with them through it--whatever that means in your neck of the woods?

pig tails

2009-11-05T10:41:00.003-05:00

waiting for the garbage truck

'the mommies on the bus go 'shh,shh, shh'"

ladies and gentleman, we have pig tails. it's taken almost two years, but they have arrived! i couldn't help myself-- posting about hair. this is a big deal folks.

is this girl the cutest, or what?!

poodles scare me

2009-10-30T09:29:00.003-04:00

not the little ones-- the ginormous ones. which makes haven's halloween costume all the more frightful. kenya pics to come....i'm still processing the experience.

Changing the world

2009-10-23T13:44:00.003-04:00

Just received an update from the leader of the team Jen is serving on...

Jen will be home Sunday night. Thanks to everyone for all your prayer and support!

we are doing well, the medical clinics were amazing, we saved many people's lives...what an amazing feeling! we have helped mabye more than 2,500 patients. it has been life changing for all of us. we are all well and feeling great. about to drive to kisumu for our flight to nairobi where we will take the day to see africa tomorrow, safari and shopping. all the gifts have been greatly appreciated by the children. we just had our final clinic this morning for the last of the children at tumaini and had our game day. everyone was a winner thanks to your generosity! so thank you to each of you who have helped us with this project.

as always we will have many stories of our wonderful time in Kenya, we are deeply toched by these people.

Change the World

2009-09-25T08:32:00.002-04:00

There are millions of children orphaned worldwide. Millions who die each year because they lack basic medical attention or enough food to fill their bellies. It's overwhelming, right? Almost easier to shut our ears to it than attempt to change things. But each number represents a name, a child just like mine, a person created in God's image.

I'm only one person. Only a stay-at-home-mom. Only Jen. What could i possibly offer? A lot. Hope. Love. A voice.

I'm joining a medical team traveling to four towns and two orphanages surrounding Lake Victoria in Kenya October 16th through the 24th to help serve the forgotten.

I can't help 10 million orphaned children, or feed an entire country. But, you and I, we could help one mom just like us, or three siblings, or six tiny babies. We might not all move to Africa, or write million dollar checks, but we need not stand paralyzed.

Won't you join me in loving our neighbors? I'm collecting the list below to bring with me and would love your help, no single item costs more than $10, most are less than $5. There are many other ways to meet the needs of these. Take a step. Make a difference. Let me know if you need help.

::80 children's underwear
::40 small umbrellas/rain jackets
::20 boxes of band-aids
::30 packages of Neosporin
::10 soccer balls
::30 frisbees
::15 children's tylenol

Along with meeting physical needs, there are spiritual needs to be met too. Would you commit the month of October to praying for the country of Kenya? Pray for a good crop this year, a peaceful government, a cure for AIDS, enough food for the poorest of the poor, caregivers for every child, others to have compassion.

I'm excited to see how God will work-- both in our hearts and in another land. Thank you for your love and support in advance!

Blessings,
Jen

PS- If you'd like to donate, but don't live down the street-- I'd be happy to send you an address. Thank you!

::Matthew 25:34+ says, "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' The the righteous will answer him, saying ' Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of thesemy brothers, you did it to me.'

18 months

2009-09-20T22:20:00.002-04:00

every month i re-decide that haven is at the greatest stage and this month (even with meltdowns and tantrums) is no different. she is such a joy and is learning so much.
:: she says mommy and daddy really well now although she gets them mixed up
::she loves to have a job whether it's feeding beau (read 'dropping his food all over the floor two feet before the bowl') or throwing the napkins away at dinner
::i can braid her hair! okay, that's more an accomplishment for me than her, but i'm pretty proud and thankful that it looks better than i imagined my abilities would allow
::she's starting to like forgotten veggies again
::she's speaking along with her signs for many of them now-- peeze, moa (more), boat, dar (car), side (outside)
:: driving in the car at the grocery store is the highlight of the week
::beginning to interact with other babies at playdates
::loves baby dolls and feeding/caring for them. the latest thing is to hold them to the sky and then put the baby down to tickle them so. cute.
::washing hands at every given opportunity, brushing teeth, and putting on lotion are so fun
:: she's pee-peed in the potty twice now, but for the most part just likes to act it out and flush paper down the toilet
:: she's so aware and knowledgeable of so much more than she let's on to-- she remembers rules we've told her from previous days and adds motions to songs that she saw over a month ago
::she loves reading her storybook bible and having it read to her and even bows her head to pray at dinner with us
::she has beau wrapped around her finger, he'll bring her a ball to throw and play
::the gal has super sonic hearing and points to the sky every time a plane flys over-- even when we're inside. she waits for you to recognize it too, which can get a little tiresome since we live so close to three major airports!
::'mel-mo' and baby signing are still the favorite videos, but when i need to braid her hair (45 minutes +) she LOVES marley and me and waits for the dog to come on screen to point him out.
:: she loves to please and will applaud herself for a job well done and loves to get a high five for recognition

responsibilities

2009-08-21T23:59:00.001-04:00

in october i'm leaving the country. leaving my husband and baby behind. for kenya. most would furrow their brow and think if not say, that this is not very responsible of me. have i prayed about it? is this a wise decision? none of these thoughts or questions have been asked without myself first asking them. the answer is yes. resoundingly yes.

my husband and i have made it a priority to teach our daughter of the love the Father has for her. although she is only one, she knows much about love. she can even act out the motions to one of her favorite songs that sings, 'Jesus! he cares for me'.

for as much as i love my sweet girl, God loves her even more. he loves her more than i can imagine with a love that cost him his son. it is the same love he has for you. the same he has for the men and women filling our prisons. the same love he has for the children in africa. children without clean drinking water, without parents, without food enough to fill their bellies. without hope.

that i could steal just a week from my calendar to fly across the globe, give out a few stickers, hold a few hands, and kiss a few foreheads will not make any headlines. it's impact will be so minute compared to the millions in need across the sea. but oh, that it would be a fragrant offering to the One that beckons. and that he would change me into someone that resembles Him more through the process.

it is my responsibility. it is my desire. he has commanded us to go. whether that means out of state, out of country, or out of comfort zone. it is i who is to love you. love that sees you as better than myself, love that sacrifices my wants for others daily needs. it is i who through grace alone am hands and feet of a God who lives. for if not me, then whom? if not you, then whom? if not now, then when?

so, yes, i will leave a dearly loved baby girl safe with her daddy and family whom love her fiercely and will travel to towns where streets have no names. there, i will love-- love lavishly with my whole being so that someday even though bellies go empty and rain tarries someone's little girl might say, 'Jesus?! yes, he cares for me!'. for His glory.

i saw what i saw

2009-08-21T23:55:00.000-04:00

africa

2009-08-21T22:24:00.000-04:00

i've tried writing this post two or three times already and will surely hit the delete button a few more times before sleep finds me tonight. my head is just swimming and my heart, it yearns. filled with excitement and something else i can't quite put my finger on. i'm trading this continent for another in a month or so. completely thrilled and uncertain of all that kenya contains. but it's less about what kenya has and more about what He does. less about safari, more about sacrifice-- not my own, mind you, but theirs. and His. to minister to the mom who goes without so her children may eat. to join Jesus in loving his people.

i've been reading the bible, words spoken by God himself and found myself identifying more with pharisees than followers of the Way. something about being hearers of the Word and not doers. don't misread me--there's nothing glorious about spending one week of a lifetime along dirt roads in africa--i don't intend that every christian american needs to make a trek to the bush. but what would happen if we all just allowed Holy Scripture to affect our lives more than just perfect attendance at church on sundays? what if it really moved us?

::what does it mean to seek justice for you? (micah 6:8)

::when Jesus reveals the second greatest commandment, who exactly is our neighbor? how are ways that you show that love? (matthew 22:39)

::Matthew 25:34+ says, "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' The the righteous will answer him, saying ' Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' (emphasis, my own) do you even know anyone that is truly in need? to think that the first fulfillment of this passage that came to my mind was the bag of torn and stained clothing that i donated to goodwill this year. this is what i'm offering to God??

::lastly, are you giving according to what has been entrusted to you? (luke 12)

there are so many more questions to ask, and these i ask myself before others. i don't do a good enough job. there is more for me to be faithful with, more ways to show love and fulfill the commands left. but for now, lasik will wait until hunger is gone, we'll go out of our way to build a relationship with the man across the street, and i'll fly to kenya to leave a part of my heart there and bring back a vision of more that is to be done. for His glory.

summer nights

2009-08-09T21:25:00.003-04:00

h playing with salt dough and eating blueberries while we make pizzas and blueberry muffins

there's a lollipop in between the couch cushions. dvd's strewn across the floor. and flour in both our hair. it's been a good day.

vacation '09 part tres

2009-07-21T20:52:00.005-04:00

part three was spent in orlando. friends that we were with have a house there with a pool in the back (and a hot tub too!) we had fun spending hours in super wal-mart (none here at home), getting free slurpies at 7-11, playing adults-only putt-putt, and on our last day--we caved and went to disney world. jon and i haven't been in over 20 years and even though we were worried haven was too little to enjoy it, she had a ball.

jon, h, laura, and braden watching the AWESOME fireworks at cinderella's castle

haven couldn't stop smiling on the carousel-- she 'princess' waved at everyone we passed

stuck inside for a little rain shower

we were a little worried about how to handle naptime, but h took care of that for us in the middle of the haunted mansion-- she just passed out in the dark coolness! here she is on jon's shoulders watching the parade pass by-- she loved dancing to the music and waving at everyone going past.

a pirate's life for me!

our first ride (as recommended by haven's friends) and by far, haven's favorite-- it's a small world. i love being a mom--i got teary watching haven take it all in, she sang along and danced with the dolls. for the rest of the day she'd go back to 'humming' and swaying to the song.

this is our 'before' picture' (*notice, i didn't post the after-- it was hot and sweaty) on main street. we were given 'i'm celebrating' pins which we claim was to mark our 5th anniversary and branden and haven got 'first visit' pins.

can't pass up free chick-fil-a! all the ladies dressed like cows for free lunch. laura and i went back with branden and jon for dinner. it's just. that. good.

after hitting chick-fil-a twice in one day haven now say's "moo" whenever she sees a cow :)

vacation '09 part two

2009-07-21T20:42:00.003-04:00

part two was spent in fort lauderdale, fl with jon's dad, pops. we had a blast! mark works at a super swanky hotel with the greatest staff -- we stayed the night (but will surely be back for more!) and felt like royalty everywhere we wandered. :) thanks for the beautiful rooms and the amazing view!!

playing with pops

walking down the strip-- the beach and it's sea turtle nests were on the left

yummy seafood at bubba gump's-- thanks mark!

heading to the mall where haven had her own little dance party outside brookstone

breakfast at the hotel

vacation '09 part one

2009-07-21T20:15:00.005-04:00

our vacation this year consisted of three parts, here's numero uno.

we went with two other families to grand cayman island-- thanks to the recession, our little budget went a loooooong way!

haven at the pool

building sand castles

haven is such a beach baby-- she loved the sand and wasn't scared of the ocean at all! everyday, we came back to the room with half the shore's sand in her diaper.

jon and branden are the little heads in the middle, jon's on the left.

daddy and hae 'on a boat'-- we (ALL twelve of us) went out to snorkel in two spots and to stingray city--a sand bar where TONS of stingrays gather for fishermen's cleanings. more pics to come of this stop...

haven loves her drummers! either going in for the kiss or the drumsticks--not sure. j is an excellent three-year-old drummer-- he's playing with branden and us singing worship songs.

an inside-out oreo kiss.

no fear. there were lizards and iguanas EVERYWHERE and h wanted to touch them all.

all the kids were invited to feed the barracuda and tarpin near one of the restaurants at the hotel-- see the splash?

h and her ducky lifejacket

laughing in the sand

'bye-bye'

first fruits

2009-07-21T20:06:00.002-04:00

last summer we tried our hand at a couple tomato plants and a few peppers too. THIS summer, we went all out-- our little garden is packed with corn, tomatoes, peppers, onions, squash, zucchini, basil, cilantro, and mint. here's haven with our first harvest.

note: if you go on vacation, you come home to monster vegetables!

lesson #87993

2009-07-21T20:01:00.001-04:00

clapping your hands while covered in strawberry yogurt results in a freshly mopped floor and clean windows--and a wardrobe change. :)

pb&j...&h

2009-07-21T19:53:00.003-04:00

to all the new and future moms out there, never leave your child and a peanut-butter-jelly sandwich unsupervised (even in the amount of time it takes you to put the wash in the dryer) during lunch. the sandwich will explode all over said child and the white t-shirt you dresses her in, especially if she just got out of the tub hours prior. cheese.

backseat driver

2009-06-29T20:50:00.004-04:00

friends from church passed down the 'golden ticket' of all toys for haven this weekend and we haven't stopped playing in it since! h first had her eye on a more recent model at the local toys r us, but she just wasn't feeling the payment plan attached to a brand new model. so, like her mom and dad, she went the 'pre-owned' approach and hasn't looked back since. without a gas cap, it's never going to pass state inspection, but then again, without gas, does it really matter? so far this car only works in reverse (which is the cutest thing ever), but i think with a few more lessons, parallel parking and forward movement are just around the corner. ps- this kiddo is a bug magnet! can you see her poor little right eye covered in bites? we obviously 'missed' an inch. if anyone's got any natural poor-it-on repellant alternatives, i'm happy to hear!

down on the farm

2009-06-10T08:18:00.003-04:00

this past week, great friends introduced haven and jen to strawberry picking and life on the farm. they had a blast! here's a few pictures to prove it. haven had no fear of the barnyard animals, but was scared silly of the geese! smart girl.

She has a "Super Good Feeling"

2009-06-07T17:43:00.002-04:00

14 months

2009-05-18T22:53:00.003-04:00

happy mother's day!

2009-05-09T09:13:00.002-04:00

happy mother's day from the cutest kid on the block!

our little cheese puff

2009-04-29T16:01:00.002-04:00

asking oma 'please?' for a cheese puff

enjoying the spoils of oma!

okay... so these pictures are a couple weeks old, but they so accurately relay our season of life this past week. no clothes and cheese puffs. we've had record hot weather and were determined to hold out on putting our ac window units in until it was at least june; therefore, haven has been going clothing optional in hopes of staying cooler. we've spent time playing outside in the hose and making afternoon trips to run errands where the ac is nice and cool. here's a glimpse at month 13...

::the greatest giggle i've ever heard

::all the motions to itsy bitsy spider

::signing 'please' 'more' 'all done' 'thank you' 'baby' and a few that she invented herself that mean i'm really excited/want to eat that now

::the loudest shrill scream i've ever heard at the most inconvenient moments-- think public places, especially airplanes!

::yesterday she blew her first bubbles all by herself

::she loves being outdoors--swinging in the swing, riding in the wagon, picking up rocks

::she can say momma, dadda, and bye bye; attempts at oma and beau

::wants to help put on lotion, hair product, shoes, and glasses

::pushing food around with utensils and sometimes getting something in her mouth

::cutting her first molar

::loves to snuggle and hug

::plays patty cake, peek-a-boo, and 'chase'

::can climb up on the couch and into laundry baskets

::will do anything for a cheese puff or to watch the baby signing dvd

HE is RISEN INDEED!!!

2009-04-15T16:06:00.003-04:00

peek-a-boo!

Happy Easter!

aloha!

2009-04-15T15:49:00.004-04:00

LOST, anyone?!

the snorkel-ers return!

yea, this was the hotel lobby...

the ocean was right behind us--breathtaking

coconut shrimp for lunch...mmmmm

jon and i were so blessed to spend a few days in Hawaii at the beginning of the month. jon was recognized for his contributions at work, and we were both lavished on far beyond our expectations. my parents came up to care for the tiny dancer and fed her h's first ice cream, not once, but three times! we were so thankful for the get-away and for our return-- isn't that what makes a good vacation?

and the cuteness award goes to...

2009-03-20T12:25:00.003-04:00

the baby in the bowl!

haven has been absolutely hilarious this past week in the kitchen. when she finds a toy interesting, she'll take it into the kitchen to 'show the baby in the dishwasher or oven' (her reflection!). she'll sing and dance and even kiss 'her'. this is the reaction i got when i opened the dishwasher with a perfectly placed bowl. love it. love it.

our little leprechaun

2009-03-17T11:51:00.002-04:00

happy saint patrick's day!

queen for the day

2009-03-16T15:58:00.004-04:00

here's a few shots of the party girl on her special day.

haven loves to grab whatever we're doing and 'help'. she's helping me sweep before her party.

anybody know who's cup this is?

bubbles! bubbles that haven' doesn't have to blow-- even better!

our friend matt (*who haven secretly likes, but always makes grumpy faces at!)

not a fan of the hat or the cake

blowin' bubbles with branden and kate

these are the cupcakes that haven didn't drop on the floor. :)

arrivals and delays

2009-03-15T20:47:00.004-04:00

today marks the first anniversary of our daughter's arrival. when jon and i awoke on this morning a year ago, we had no idea that a tiny girl had been born a thousand miles away who was and is in fact our baby. our baby. when we did get the call that changed our history forever, it was all i could do to sit still for the rest of that day. not weep. or laugh hysterically. or knock on every neighbor's door to tell of our wonderful news. and oh how i craved to kiss her. smell her. count her little toes. but i couldn't.

i had missed the arrival.

i have a handful of sentences and just a few pictures that tell of her arriving. but no memory of holding my sweet haven on her birthday. so today, i am thankful for low- grade fevers and upset tummies. thankful that in the whirlwind of our weekend, in between birthday parties and church gatherings, running errands and cleaning house, tantrums and chasing toys, a sweet little girl desperately needed snuggling and to sleep on her mom's chest, hushed voices and back rubs, calming songs and hair kisses. these things that already seem to be slipping away as we transition from infancy to toddling.

a bit of the arrival, a year delayed. what a sweet way to celebrate and remember. how redeeming our Father is and how perfect are His ways.

i love you haven kennedy, sweet daughter of mine. you have always been loved. it's my prayer that you grow in wisdom and truth, grace and humility, courage and strength, joy and love. that you embrace God and glory in Him alone, that you fearlessly follow His voice and lead others to follow your example. that you become a city on a hill, a refuge, a fortress-- not for your name's sake, but for His. amen. so be it Lord.

happy birthday oma!

2009-03-12T08:42:00.003-04:00

sorry we're a day behind--we're usually a day behind...

happy birthday!

final product

2009-03-11T12:56:00.002-04:00

here are some of my favorite pictures from the Wyatt's shoot a couple weeks ago. birthday girl pictures are on their way!

playdates and pictures

2009-02-25T21:53:00.002-05:00

aren't these the most gorgeous kiddos? check out these blue eyes!

yesterday, sweet friends of ours ventured over state lines for a visit. haven had a blast playing with her three friends while i tried to get my camera to capture just how beautiful this family is. here are a couple 'raw' images until i edit them a bit. i'll hurry susan! :)

really?

2009-02-25T21:43:00.004-05:00

why are there pockets on my little girl's pants? don't retailers know that she needs no additional assistance in hoarding and hiding food in her clothing? this morning's diaper change resulted in a sweep of our bathroom-- cheerios, raisins, a macaroni, and enough graham cracker crumbs to equal a little square--really?

If you haven't laughed today.....

2009-02-17T11:32:00.002-05:00

can you count to eleven?

2009-02-15T19:12:00.002-05:00

i can't. :)

happy valentine's day!

2009-02-14T19:46:00.002-05:00

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." -John 13:34-35

i had such good intentions of posting a cute pic of our favorite valentine this morning; but alas, the combo of a clogged toilet and food poisoning has taken priority instead (what are the odds that your toilet will quit at just the moment you need it most?!). our family has officially postponed v-day until monday when we'll head to cracker barrel for breakfast(a treat here in the northeast), exchange cards, and actually eat something other than a few pieces of toast (ps- haven is totally healthy and cuter than ever).

in the spirit of the day and the inspiration of this site, i did want to brag on a friend of ours whom we love dearly. this morning, way too early for a saturday-much-less-valentine's-day, kevin showed up on our doorstep with everything you could need to clear a toilet and the full intention of taking care of the issue for us. i shooed him away claiming i could handle it with the right supplies (ha!) and thanked him for his kindness. after a full day of adding to the problem and having no success with the plunger, liquid plumber, or closet auger, kevin reappeared to our rescue with the-mother-of-all-plungers which saved the day! without hesitation or an "i'll help when it's convenient for me" attitude, kevin sacrificially came to our aid twice today.

we are so thankful for our friend and his selflessness and the perfect reminder of what love looks like in a world where it is too often masked under expensive dinners and boxes of chocolate. and the end. :)

things you can't find at target...

2009-02-09T16:41:00.002-05:00

wow. the simplicities of childhood. this girl just sealed the deal that she'll never receive an electronic purchase in her life-- she finds way too much joy in plastic spoons and crinkly bags! as jon and i were emptying out our purchase and getting it hooked up (goodbye gym membership, hello wii fit!) this sweet gal fully entertained herself with the bag. the bag. for like 30 minutes. (*fully supervised at all times, we take the warning on the side seriously folks-- it is not a toy...just don't tell that to hae) so what would any parent do? put their child in said bag. we thought this would just be a cute/short photo opp, but she figured out a way to shuffle around in it and we laughed our heads off. who needs cable...

If you can walk you can dance

2009-01-29T18:44:00.003-05:00

Everybody do the Frankenstein

2009-01-24T16:01:00.002-05:00

This one's for you Pops.

fridays are my favorite

2009-01-23T13:08:00.003-05:00

fridays are my favorite. by this time in the week, most of my to-do list has whittled away and i can really focus and enjoy playing. on monday, jon and i had the great blessing of being able to visit with old friends with new babies. it got me thinking though, of just how quickly time flies and blends together. i was trying to remember when haven hit milestones like sleeping longer through the night and beginning cereal, etc. and couldn't put my finger on when these occurred. so, in the spirit of enjoying the days before they too quickly blur, here's a snapshot of life as we know it. this will surely bore most, but will be my joy to look back on later.

::haven slept in this morning until 8 (she goes to sleep at 9) and gave me a huge grin when she spotted me coming to get her out of the crib. she doesn't really cry when she wakes up, but like a recurring alarm, let's out a little noise every few minutes/seconds to let us know of her wakeful presence.

::i'm trying to be more conscientious of feeding her 'big kid food' and not just a taste of something or cheerios. she had a piece of homemade banana bread for breakfast with her bottle and leftover manicotti for lunch.

::hae played in the tub today, which was long overdue, but it's just so cold. she loves to 'drink' the washcloth and splash water all over her face.

::of course, because today was the day of her bath, she proceeded to smear tomato sauce and cheese from lunch all throughout her hair. beautiful. i still can't get it all out! :)

::she signs 'all done' and we're trying desperately to teach her 'please'. i think she's close, last night we made a game of it, but she still won't sign it on her own.

::a switch went off on monday and we've gone from taking a few shaky steps, to all out walking! she's getting good and fast. jon was struck by her ability to walk to a toy in the middle of the room, pick it up, and keep going.

::she's only taking one nap a day now (sigh) and just went down. before that though, she played for a good ten minutes at opening and shutting the tv cabinet doors. there's a little metal piece that causes them to stick once they've closed, so she really has to pull to get them open, walk around to the other side, push it shut and begin again. i waved at her from across the room while she was doing this and she waved back which made me laugh. she followed too.

::singing solves everything. patty cake is still our no. 1 hit, but zaccheus, old mac donald, the b-i-b-l-e, and itsy bisty spider are up there too.

::she doesn't seem to have a favorite toy, but is currently enamored by beau's tennis ball collection (gross!) he gets really excited when she finds one in a spot that beau couldn't reach (i.e.- under the tv) and waits for her to drop it to make off with the goods. then she crawls after him. it's sorta like fetch. sorta.

::we're trying to make reading a part of our daily routine and hae is great to sit still and listen to the story. she loves to turn the pages back and forth, back and forth.

::peek-a-boo is finally a fun game and doesn't scare haven to jump each time. she loves to play with a blanket or bib, holding it over her face and throwing it down.

::she's beginning to understand the word 'no' and whines when she doesn't get her way.

::haven's got the best belly laugh (and deep voice) and loves to be tickled and kissed until she's rolling.

10 months!

2009-01-15T14:04:00.004-05:00

so curious

see my new top teeth?

'kissing' her bear from pops

we match!

hooray!

haven is keeping us on our toes! she loves to explore and study. her new thing is opening drawers and removing everything it contains. lovely. :) now, we just have to teach her how to put things away! her walking is getting better and better by the day-- she's still most secure in sliding her feet sideways; kinda surfing through the living room. she loves to eat everything! we've begun to share more of 'our' meals with her and she's quick to let us know when she needs more. she's also starting to mimic roles like brushing her hair, wiping her face or putting lotion on-- it's SO cute.

snowmen, gated communities, wonderchairs, and machine guns

2009-01-10T08:58:00.003-05:00

it's snowing here at the gated community! no, we didn't move, but we are surrounded by gates and are learning to hurdle well. a certain two-footer (who shall remain nameless) has taken to climbing the stairs at lightening speed, eating toilet paper from the roll (tell me someone else's kid has a fancy for this delicacy!) and splashing in the dog's water-- so our fortress now is complete with gates! i'm watching her now as she tries to find a way around the one at the stairs...

last night jon took his two girls out or a date night. we had fun window shopping at the mall and trying to guess the ages of the middleschool/highschool scene (we're so old...). now, to many of you, this may appear as a lame date; however, with the chill keeping hae and i indoors most days, it was great to get out and walk. another bonus, you don't have to settle on a restaurant-- you can have italian for dinner and then chick-fil-a ice cream for dessert! but, the best part of the date was 10 minutes in the wonderchair. i have no idea what you really call it, but it's immortalized in my mind as the wonderchair. brookstone has this massage chair that costs as much as a new-to-us car would sitting in the back of the store. the ones in the front are just fine for those quickly passing by, but the ones in the back are reserved for the wives of whom's husbands know they exist, ask the sales staff to turn it on, and then take your child on a stroll while you melt into the leather. best. date. ever. (okay, so maybe not ever, but it certainly was great!)

haven has this little toy that was passed down from our neighbor. it's a little steering wheel/car toy with barney's voice telling you to buckle your belt, stop at red, and turn your blinker on-- you're turning left. anyways, there's a little key chain with an pretend keyless entry button. our sweet girl has figured out that if you hold down any said button, the noise will st-st-st-stutter. so this morning as we were all hanging out in bed, jon and i look over wondering how we provided our daughter with a machine gun baby toy. haven released the button on the car and looked up at us and laughed while barney finally anounced 'the doors are locked.'

have yourself a merry little christmas

2009-01-01T14:04:00.003-05:00

we had a great time touring around ga for christmas. our flight was a few hours delayed, but we made it just in time to attend a christmas eve service at my parents church. speaking of delays, when traveling to the airport with a baby, make sure you pack more than one diaper. hypothetically speaking of course. surely this didn't happen to us. :) late that night we made our annual trip to waffle house and got to visit with friends from high school until it was officially christmas. haven spent about 2 hours opening her gift from my parents the next morning. i thought she'd love ripping the paper off of things, but she was way more interested in my parents' plethora of remotes. jon and my dad won the 'best gift' award with tickets to see the Rutgers bowl game-- RU won and they had a blast. haven LOVED my sister (who wouldn't?!) and sought to play with her at every moment. we drove down the following day for haven to meet jon's mom for the first time. it was great. we even enjoyed walking the beach in tee's and dining outdoors. we then detoured albany and visiting my grandparents, sadly, to avoid the stomach bug epidemic. our last day was jammed pack with a tour of the 'world of coke' museum and a wonderful visit with h's firstmom/birthmom. we were pretty anxious leading up to seeing her again, but were soooo thankful for an amazing visit and a chance to tell her 'thank you' for her sacrifice and our joy. hae learned to blow kisses, say 'mama', and dance while in the south.

we're in business!

2009-01-01T13:52:00.003-05:00

while our family was in GA, we saw a little sign at a light declaring that said company would come and pick up your christmas tree for disposal charing $10. jon and i thought, 'what a great idea!'-- we could run around our little town and collect trees, but then to top the idea, we'd use a chipper and sell off the mulch from the gatherings. great idea, right? (except for the fact that we don't have a truck or a chipper...)

so, this morning, jon returns from walking beau, totally frostbitten and beaming. "we're in business!" what? someone *graciously* tossed their ex-christmas tree on our driveway. i was ticked. but, to make matters better, jon and beau found a $10 bill crumpled up on the sidewalk in front of the cemetery! at least they paid in full. :)

happy new year!

the last of 2008

2008-12-31T16:43:00.003-05:00

just got back home. tuckered out. had a blast. more to come. :)

santa, baby

2008-12-21T17:12:00.003-05:00

jon and i enjoyed wendy's frostys after lunch-- haven enjoyed the spoon

hae did wear tights and a bodysuit under her little dress this morning; however, there was a minor accident this morning in nursery in which she lost both. she was plenty warm i assure you all... mom. :)

this post is for branden and laura who weren't in town this morning and missed seeing this great outfit. the best part is that the hat's a little too big, so while our church enjoyed breakfast and fellowship before worship this morning, you could hear a little shriek every few minutes from about knee-height when haven's hat slipped over her eyes and she couldn't figure out what was going on. unlike any other baby i've ever met, haven doesn't mind hats and has never reached up to pull one off-- which became a little torturous, but oh-so-cute this morning.

oh, and haven stayed with me during worship music this morning (*jon led and did an outstanding job if i may say so) and was so sweet. she clapped her hands, sang loudly, and even raised her hands a couple times-- it was precious and unprompted, so great.

wowie-zowie no. 7

2008-12-16T16:35:00.001-05:00

hi.lar.ious

y'all HAVE to see this video-- my favorite part is what's for dinner... i LOVE quiche and chai!

dog house video

whats for dessert?

2008-12-14T20:01:00.004-05:00

I snapped this picure of Haven today on our way to lunch. She is always ready to eat....even in her sleep!

merry christmas

2008-12-14T18:58:00.000-05:00

Make a Smilebox greeting