Anticipation

This morning, I have been thinking about the coming of Yahshuah (Jesus). Of course most of us know that December 25th isn't really the day that Yahshuah came into the world but it is when we celebrate his birth.
I've never been able to relate to this story until this Christmas. Now being a mother and knowing the anticipation of a coming child I can relate to Mary so much. For those of you who have been pregnant think about your 9 months of pregnancy. No big deal right!? haha.
Take into consideration Mary's story: Mary, with the help of Joseph, is trying to lift herself up on the back of a donkey for a 90 mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem! 90 miles on the back of a donkey in your last few days before your baby is going to be born! Can you imagine how uncomfortable that would be? At this point in your pregnancy you are hungry every minute, think you are having the baby every minute, and you most certainly do not want to ride on a donkey for 90 miles let alone 1/2 a mile! Mary, you are a trooper.
I think on the conversations between her and Joseph during their journey. I'm sure Joseph was just praying to get somewhere safe fast so Yahshuah could be born out of danger of Herod. Not only was Mary anticipating Yahshuah's birth but she was probably tired and scared. This is when faith and trust in Yahweh Nissi (The Lord our Banner) is needed.
What was Mary thinking? Did she still believe that she was going to give birth to THE coming Messiah that was Prophesied!?  What an amazing example of faithfulness and strength.

I don't know about you but now that I have had my own child, I get SO excited anytime a baby is about to be born. This Christmas I am SO excited for Yahshuah to be born! I wonder what he looked like as a baby? That cute scrunchy face, the long fingers that look bigger than his hands.
Did he have a full head of hair? How long was he, how much did he weigh? Babies are such an amazing gift to receive. I wish I could have been there to visit him and hold him. Think about the love Mary and Joseph have for their coming son. So much love.

Don't you think that if your child was born on your birthday or Christmas that they would be the most important thing to celebrate and not opening presents? You would be holding your child all day, staring into their face and thinking about how crazy it is that they are finally in your arms!

Let us celebrate this coming child! Anticipate his birth with me this Christmas! Hold him in your arms, stare into His eyes, spend TIME with Him! Praise God for this wonderful gift!

"But Mary treasured up all these things in her heart."

Luke 2:19

Did you know your toes Travel?

This little piggy went to Rome.

This little piggy went to Brussles.

This little piggy went to Rio.

And this little piggy went to Madrid!

But, this little piggy went "Oui, Oui, Oui, Oui, Oui!" 

 All the way home to Paris!

"Did you know your toes travel!?", I asked Ezekiel today.  He just looked at me with eyebrows raised and a slight smirk almost as if to say... "Yes Mom, of course I knew that."

One thing I really like about having our own kid is that we get to make up new traditions. Including making up our own words to songs of old. For instance "Little Bunny Foo Foo". Have you ever really listened to the words! It's horrible! Boppin' field mice on the head? How cruel! (Ok, so maybe it's not that bad but I really dislike that song.) So Kevin and I made up our own words to the same melody but ours is about Dinosaurs!! Please enjoy below:

Little baby Stegosaurus, troppin through the forest

Looking for all the green ferns and lickin' em' with his tongue!

Little baby T-Rex, running with his little arms

Finds a tasty morsel and CHOMPS it with his teeth!

Little baby Long Neck, masticating Ginko leaves

Swings his little tail around and bashes the T-Rex down!

Little baby Pteranodon SWOOPIN over the canyon

Gives a big loud, __(insert Pteranodon call)___ and that's the end of the song!

Now, tell me that isn't WAY cooler!? And it's educational! haha.

Well, I hope this has inspired you to make up some new traditions and or songs with your kids! It really makes it special.

Bringing you up to speed!

Wow, it's been awhile since we blogged! Here are a list of some things that have happened in the past few months:

1. Ezekiel turned 5 months old

2. We had a yard sale

3. We did not move up to the farm

4. We moved in with Kevin's parent's

5. Ezekiel turned 6 months old

6. Zeke and I traveled to Leann's baby shower in Illinois

7. We moved into a 3 bedroom home in Springfield (we love it)

8. We bought a used Volvo wagon - she's a beaut!

9. Ezekiel turned 7 months old

10. Janie came to visit (such a blessing)!

11. Getting our bellies ready for Thanksgiving!

Hopefully that brings you all up to speed with our lives. Here are some recent pictures of Zeke. Next blog we will have our video of new home.

Falling into Fall

Zeke is 4 1/2 months old now and doing all sorts of new things! 

He loves to bounce in his Jumperoo, hold his feet, snuggle, wrestle with Daddy, babble, babble, and babble some more, and really loves outside. Zeke is even trying to get up on his knees already! 

This past weekend we had a beautiful day outside. While Kevin and I did planning for the week, Zeke enjoyed looking up at the trees and talking with the birds. Zeke also helped me get the laundry off the line the other day! He is so much fun and we are seeing his personality more and more each day. 

Enjoy the pictures!

My Tongue is a World of Trouble

 Consider this:

"When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." - James 3:3-12

My tongue is a world of trouble. 

I have read this passage many times before but it wasn't until this morning that it really meant something. For the past month or so I have been remembering the shame and embarrassment I have felt from the words that have come out of my mouth. I think back on times where this has happened and all I can see is hurt that I have inflicted on others. For any of you who still have an open wound from me or even just soreness... PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I am truly sorry.
I have belittled, disrespected, and embarrassed many.  James was right when he wrote in the above passage that our tongues are, "a restless evil, full of deadly poison.". The thing is, it doesn't just poison others, it poisons my life as well. It is ruthless. A habit that has gone unnoticed for a long time; just what the enemy wants.

For this reason last night I decided to practice the discipline of silence once a week. This is hard for me. I am a verbal processor and that is where I lose control of my tongue. Today was the day, and this morning I woke up and totally forgot. I think Kevin forgot too because he was talking with me, haha. Some might think that this blog is a way to be verbal. Yes, I think so too, but I felt the Holy Spirit pushing me to write this whether it is just for me to look back on or for someone else who needs encouragement with the same struggle. 

In conclusion, please pray for me. I need your love and encouragement through this battle of the flesh I have taken on.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." - James 1:2-4

Zeke's first trip to the Zoo and more...

Zeke has been growing like crazy! Wednesday he will be 4 months old! He has his first tooth already, talks and laughs and smiles a ton. Even as I write this he is talking up a storm! We really can't believe how much he's changing each day. It is such a cool experience. Here are some pictures of his first day at the zoo! Tomorrow Nonna & Papap (my parents) are coming to visit. We are looking forward to it big time!

ready to enter the zoo!

this peacock made Zeke cry

best part of the zoo!!!

tired Zeke with Daddy looking at the Giraffes

Zeke really liked looking at the tiger!

end of the day at the zoo!

love.

Moving on up...

Our new home!

Yes, we are moving again... not to the "east-side" but to the country. We will be moving to Dunnegan, MO which is about 50 minutes north of Springfield, MO. Our friends just bought some property up there and have asked us to rent the house across the street from them (which they own)! Kurt and Jess and their son Benjamin (and #2 baby on the way) are such a blessing to Kevin and I. 

We have become such good friends since we moved to Springfield and are so excited to be neighbors in the country together! There is a lot of detail that goes into all of this property so if you want to know more than just ask. The house we are moving into is a two-story, Amish built house. It's a little bit of a fixer-upper but has great potential. The property is 8 acres and has a barn, a wood-shop, chicken coup, a large garden, 4 greenhouses. Hope to have some more pictures available another time. As of right now we are planning on moving the last week in September! 

We are excited for what the Lord has in store for us in this new community!

Chicken coup to the left. Chickens & Goats not included.

Our little wiggle worm is 3 Months!!!

Here are some recent pictures of Zeke in action! Enjoy!

He Loves Reading!

Nakey Time!

Cousins hanging out...

Time for his first swim!

All snuggled up after his swim

Duuuuude....

Riding the waves...

Jumping with God

 Some pretty amazing things are happening in our lives right now... God has been working on our hearts in a lot of different areas. Now Kevin and I, along with Zeke, are starting a new adventure. What I have learned is that sometimes jumping forward is needed even when you can't see all the results. God wants to stretch you and teach you new things. If we aren't willing to jump, we aren't trusting, and you won't grow. I know that no matter what the results God will be right there to jump with us. 

Who better to jump with us. 

Our family is ready to jump, we did, and even though it was scary at first now it is SO exciting to see what's next with God. 

Yes, i know this is vague.

Answered Prayer

Matthew 6:25-34

As most of you know Zeke has been really sick with a viral infection for the past 10 days. Not only is Zeke tired of being sick but Kevin and I are really tired too. During this sickness there have been some pretty scary moments for us as new parents but I can honestly say that if we didn't have faith in God and His healing power and sovereign will we would have been even more tired and scared. Through the scary/confusing moments we have cried out to God with all our hearts. It is such an amazing feeling to feel God's comfort through the Holy Spirit and to see his healing being done in Ezekiel during this time. We wanted to post some pictures of Zeke today to just celebrate and praise God for the work He has done in our family during this time! Thank you for your prayers. They have been answered. And will continue to be answered because we serve a Mighty God who cares so deeply for us. I pray that the verse above will give you the comfort you need in hard times just as it has done for us.

Happy 4th of July!!

Our sweet boy.

Pictures of Ezi

Zeke is now 2 months old and is enjoying every minute of it! He loves to coo with anyone who gives him attention and even reads (coos) along with Daddy and I as we read to him books like, "Are you my Mother?" and "There's a Woset in my Closet!". It's been so much fun to see him grow every day. I'm so thankful to be at home with this awesome little guy! Well, here are some pictures of Ezi from the past month. I hope you enjoy!

too cool.

Snuggling with his Elephant from Noni & Gramp!

Looking at the fishes with Grandma

Just chillin' with Pa and Naomi

Snuggling up with Granny

Wahooo!

I look funny but he's SUPER cute!

Benjamin and Zeke = Best Buds!

Talking about Daddy's day at work.