my fisher-man

Matt went up to his favorite pond last night to fish. He was a little frustrated because the fishing wasn't that great this time, but he did catch an awesome trophy-size crappie, along with a few smallies. I don't think I've ever seen a bigger crappie. It freaked me out considerably, because after 40 minutes of being out of the water it was still breathing and trying to flop off of the counter. It was staring me down, saying (with his big eyes), "Lady, you better not eat me, or..." I don't know what he would have done. His reptilian coldness utterly grosses me out, so I didn't stay to find out. I hid out in the living room and let Matt make fillets out of 'im. We're having fish for dinner tonight!

Please pray for...

our friends Justin and Holly Miller. Holly is due to have her second little boy at the end of this week. His name is Luke and he has a heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. If you look to your lower right, you'll see a link to their blog, with a better explanation of what this condition is. The gyst is that Luke will have to have a series of surgeries, the first one being very soon after birth. Please pray that 1) Holly would go into labor on her own; 2) she would be able to deliver Luke on her own without any stress to baby Luke; 3) that God would heal Luke; 4) that God would comfort and sustain them durning this time; 5) and that God would use this entire situation to show His glory to all of their doctors, friends, and family. Holly is an ObGyn herself, so she's better informed than the rest of us mommies, but I'm sure that she needs God's peace and comfort just as much as the rest of us. Please remember them in your prayers this week and I'll try to post more information as I hear it.

Rock On!

Man, who's the studly rock star?

book in hand

Clara has really started to love books. She even reads during diaper changes. It's very funny. She's pretty serious about it too. She'll point to the pictures and tell me what each thing is, in baby-speak. Everything's a "bubba" right now. "Bottle" is "bowbow". Her blanket is "bubbah". Dana and Janie are both "Dahna". I love this age. Every little insignificant thing is exciting to her. It's all a cool surprise. I love thinking back to this time a year ago and seeing the visible change in her. She's so much more content and flexible. I'm very thankful.

nice hat!

Clara tried on a hat that Auntie Katie gave the kids. She loves hats and after I put it on her, she proceeded to promenade around the living room, like it was a fashion show. I guess she's used to having to show off her cuteness for attention...

Dana's Do

I made a deal with Dana last week. His hair is so thick, that it's hard for me to wash his hair while he sits up in the tub. I told him that he either had to start taking a shower and washing his own hair, or he had to let me cut his hair with the clippers. He's afraid of the clippers, so haircuts were getting diffiucult and they took twice as long, due to using mostly scissors. He chose to get a short haircut, which surprised me. Due to major bedhead on Sunday morning, I buzzed it off that morning before church. He was super excited about showing his friends his new do. Matt's not to big on no bangs, but I love it. He's just overflowing with little-boy handsomeness.

Oh, and by the way. I had to take him to see Dr. Spraggins yesterday, because his ear hurt. The nurse said he weighed in at just under 50lbs! That means he's gained 8 1/2 lbs since August!!!! No wonder he always says he's hungry.

A new favorite

Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.

Your voice alone, O Lord, can speak to me of grace;
Your power alone, O Son of God, can all my sin erase.
No other work but Yours, no other blood will do;
No strength but that which is divine can bear me safely through.

Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest, And set my spirit free.

I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear, each lingering shade of gloom.

I praise the God of grace; I trust His truth and might;
He calls me His, I call Him mine, My God, my joy and light.
’Tis He Who saveth me, and freely pardon gives;
I love because He loveth me, I live because He lives.

This was written by a Scottish minister named Horatius Bonar in 1861, which I believe he wrote during a notable revival in Scotland (can't remember the name).

In his newest cd, Nathan Clark George sings this hymn. I can't stop singing it and thinking about it. The words really speak to my heart's need for security in the cross. I struggle so much to let go of my need to measure up and dig deeper into the relationship that God wants with me. The more I struggle, the more I know that this is God's work and I need to trust Him to finish what He's started.

SNOW DAY!!

Hurray for our first real snow in a few years! It will probably be gone by nightfall, but it's been fun to revel in the novelty of it all. The kids woke up at 6am this morning to see if there was snow on the ground and we were outside by 7:30. Matt built a great snowman and I even saw someone (a reporter?) stop to take a picture of it this morning. Maybe we'll be in the paper.