Holy

Triune God, Uncreated, perfect three in one

Sacred bond, humble friendship

Living dance of light

Draw our lives into the wonder of your Majesty

Your fellowship divine.

The Spirit's liberty

The grace of Jesus Christ

The Father's faithfull love

The sharing of your life in holy communion,

One God!

Sunset in South Bend

The sunset is so beautiful tonight. My front room is glowing a rosy golden color and this is the view from my front porch.

Avalanche Ranch

Getting ready for the last night of VBS . . . Yahoo!

This year our VBS was set out west at Avalanche Ranch. Madelyn and Chloe and their little friend Hannah came too and I'm pretty sure they all had a wonderful week by the sound of the cheering in the sanctuary each night. Noah was so dissapointed that it was only 5 nights; he thinks it should go all Summer! He wants me to find another church that is doing this program next week. I don't know though, I really need a break! But it is very pleasing to know how much he enjoyed vacation Bible school.

Hawaii Five O . . .in my front yard

Busted! This afternoon I looked out my front window and found what looks like a drug bust goin' down. I think this is our neighbor getting arrested. We haven't met him, but we've been listening to his loud car and blaring rap music for a few months now. Noah was so very interested in what was going on out front . . . a few minutes after I took these pictures, there were 3 more police cars out front. Yikes!

Josh said he saw an unmarked car staking out the apartment yesterday. We're thinking that he's been dealing. What do you think? I don't think that a traffic stop looks like this!

Packing

Mom and I drove Jayme home to Chicago this morning and stayed for the day helping her pack. They have to be out of their apartment on Saturday and on the road for Boston on Sunday.

It was hot work, but we took many breaks to look through photos and yearbooks and reminisce. She showed us pictures of their new place on Long street in Alston -just outside Boston. It is really adorable and Jayme, I know that you will quickly make it home sweet home for the next two years. (By the way James, when we say we don't want you to go, it means that we'll miss you, not that we don't want you to start this new and exciting chapter in your life. We want you do what is in your heart, your passion, and we are sooo excited for this to be happening for you. So please don't take offense when I say, I wish you weren't going. I'm just going to miss you so much!)

I'll have some pictures soon ;)

Blasting into summer

Merrifield Park - water pad

Doesn't that look fun?

This morning, I packed a lunch and Noah, Bronwen, Annabelle and I headed for the splash pad at the park to meet the other moms from church. This is the first time I've ever been the first one there! I would have had some pictures to share, but my batteries were dead and the extra ones were not in the case. These pictures are from two summers ago when we went to the splash pad with my neices, Madelyn and Chloe and my nephew, Mason.
With school out now, there were many kids there and this intimidated Bronwen a little . . .she stuck to the edges, but Noah had a blast. We were there for a couple hours and even though it was a very hot, humid day Noah was so thoroughly drenched that his skin had a slightly purple tint and he was cold.
Next we were off to Mom's house for naps, dinner and then VBS. It was a great day.

Psalm 135

Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord! Praise Him you who serve the Lord, you who serve in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his wonderful name with music.

I know the greatness of the Lord- that our Lord is greater than any other god. The Lord does whatever pleases Him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths.

He causes the clouds to rise over the earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses.

Your name, O Lord endures forever; your fame, O Lord, is known to every generation.

All you who fear the Lord, praise the Lord!

The Lord be praised from Zion, for he lives here in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!

Three months

A momentous day, Annabelle is three months old!

Message in a bottle

Noah and Bronwen received a surprise on our porch this afternoon! A message in a bottle . . . an invitation to a pirate party to be exact. Noah is so excited because for his 4th birthday we did a pirate party and he delivered his invitations this way. And now, he gets to experience being invited to a pirate party. How fun!

All that remains

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until this violent storm is past.
I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens!
May your glory shine over all the earth.
My heart is confident in you, O God;
no wonder I can sing your praises!
(verses from Psalm 57)

Today we celebrated an incredible life and Ashli's mortal remains were laid to rest. If you have time, read all of Psalm 57 . . . Ashli's favorite passage of scripture. I know that it was a comfort to her during a difficult time. She wrote in her blog last year: April 13, 2006
"Now, here is the message I want all of you to really hear: I listen to kids' problems all day long. I tell them over and over again that so much of who we are is not what we go through, but how we react to it. Yeah, your life might totally and completely suck. Your dad can get locked up or walk out of your life, but you are the one to decide if all your problems -- past and present -- take your future. I absolutely refuse to sit and mope and cry about this. I have cancer. It is now a fact of my life." She was asked once (my paraphrase) if you had a choice, would you choose to be well and live away from God, or have cancer and walk with God. Ashli answered that she would choose cancer because it has brought her into a closer walk with God.
Ashli was not perfect - she had her flaws because she was human- and when someone has passed away we tend to only remember the amazing, wonderful things about them, but I know that she trusted God no matter what. If I could learn one thing from her it would be that - to trust God more fully.

Laugh

Annabelle laughed for the first time yesterday - because I was tickling her. Today she laughed for the first time because I was laughing!

A fish story

This is Satchmo. I've had him for 5 1/2 years now, and he's grown quite large. His wife Ella was a much larger Ryukin Fancy goldfish and very beautiful. I bought Satch and Ella together and they soon shared their home with Billie and Pearl too. After a few years, the other ladies succomed to the same fate that goldfish often do - an untimely death - but Satch and Ella remained a couple. Late last year, Ella began to get sick and I could not find a cure. She kept a happy face and bravely fought her illness, but was eventually so weakened by her condition that this Spring I had to put her to sleep.

It was difficult to say goodbye to this beautiful fish, but I knew that she was suffering. Now, I know that some of you reading this may think this is silly, and that fish are dumb. But I'm telling you that I had a relationship with these fish! I spent long late hours of insomnia watching them peacefully swim about, or sleep at the bottom of the aquarium (yes, fish do sleep.) My fish, especially these two, responded to me and usually swam to the glass when they saw me. I bought them so I could relax and watch them in the wee hours of the morning when I was up with my new babe, Noah. We've been through alot together. So I was sad to see how sad Satch had become after he lost Ella. He really let himself and his aquarium go.

So, I decided that Satchmo needed a companion, someone who could help to keep the place clean. And while no one could ever take Ella's place, I thought that a pet might help . . .you know, give him something to get up for in the morning. Taking care of something might help him think less of his loss.

Noah picked out this Plecostomus (Suckermouth Catfish) . . .we just hoped that Satch would not be allergic. He's had snails before, but never a Pleco.

Here, Satch appeared to approve of the newcomer. He's already percked up a little and though he keeps his distance for now, he doesn't seem to mind the company. I know you're all going to be concerned as to how this will work out, so I'll keep you updated.

Gone Home

Ashli lost her fight tonight. She is now at home with Jesus. . . no more pain.

Our prayers have been answered

I finally arrived

The healing that had been delayed

Is now realizedNo one's in a hurry

There's no schedule to keep

We're all enjoying Jesus

Just sitting at His feet

If you could see me now

I'm walking streets of gold

If you could see me nowI'm walking tall and whole

If you could see me now

You'd know I've seen His face

If you could see me now

You'd know the pain's erased

You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place

If only you could see me now

My light and temporary trials

Have worked out for my good

To know it brought Him glory

When I misunderstood

Though we've had our sorrows

They can never compare

To what Jesus has in store for us

No language can compare

update

A phone update has come from the inner circle around Ashli.
Ashli is coming to the end. I don't have much info but I know that everyone is at the house and that it is not looking good. The time frame of up to 2 weeks was given, but I'm not sure where that is coming from. Her sister Anne called the church office today to report that she had made it through the night, but was not expected to make it through today. If you are reading my blog, please pray for Ashli and her family. This is a very difficult time. Also for the close friends that are dealing with this.(Karl and Danielle, and Holly Young have been there for Ashley through a lot of this, and I know there are many others) And of course pray for a miracle.

I don't know how to post a link to Ashli's blog, but here is the address if anyone wants to read about this amazing woman and friend of mine. I went to Bethel with Ashli, we were both English majors. She has a wonderful sense of humor and I have lots of good memories. But there are many more people who are much closer to her than I, so there are many hurting right now.

http://heplera.blogspot.com/

Priorities

Yesterday I got a hair cut . . . one of the worst of which I've ever been on the chopping end. In my post pardum state of mind, I was very upset for the rest of the day.
Today I found out that my friend Ashli, who has been struggling with a rare cancer, is not doing well and not expected to make it through today or tomorrow. The family has called for our pastor to come.

I'm so ashamed for making such a big deal out of such a little thing. My hair will grow back. Lord, please forgive me for mixing up my priorities today.
Please be near to Ashli and her family, help them to feel your peace that passes all understanding. Because this is so hard to understand.

Two!

Bronwen really loves ice cream but right now hates to have her picture taken. Just seconds before I snapped this, she had a lot more chocolate ice cream around her mouth (the reason I wanted to take the picture,) but because she was hiding from the camera, most of it ended up on her shirt. She finally shot me a quick smile but most of the ice cream was wiped off. Oh well, look at those big brown eyes!

She's trying to show me that she's two, but can't quite get her fingers to work!

Wow

What a precious gift. You can see in her face was a sweet girl she is.

Home Improvements

March 2006

November 2006
June 2007

Things are coming along! The work on the outside wall has been such a hard endeavor but the effort is really beginning to show as the landscaping comes together. Josh has really spent alot of blood sweat and tears, quite literally, on this project! I'm very proud of his work, he's really learning alot along the way. Many thanks to those who have been able to help us along the way. Last March (2006) we had no idea what we were getting into and how long it would take us, but there were several road blocks that came up. Suffice it to say, we don't ever want to build another retaining wall! But that's ok, our list of outside projects is still long enough to keep us busy all summer. The backyard is blooming, but all we can keep up with for now is cutting the grass. It amazes me how much everything has changed in the 2 short years since we had all of those trees felled. We have thick green grass and all of the other plant life has really come to life. And the children have a beautiful yard to play in.

Inside the plumbing problems seem to have finally been corrected and the ceiling is up in the dining room! We've also finally decided on a chandelier for the dining room and a cast iron, claw foot tub will soon be occupying the upstairs bathroom in place of the monster shower stall that started the whole fiasco.

Tonight Josh is priming the ceiling and hopefully tomorrow we'll paint and the following night hang the light.