Moments In Life

Counting my blessings

2011-12-19T11:12:00.000-05:00

I thank God for these little girls every single day. God has blessed us so greatly.

I have been trying to figure out how to write this post. I do not know if I can put into words how much someone I do not know has affected me. Last week, I found a blog (through another blog) of this incredibly amazing family. Take the time to read the story of Courtney and her amazing little boy Tripp. I cannot imagine the pain of what they are going through. Tripp is very sick and Courtney has devoted her life to making his the best it can possibly be. Tripp is a beautiful gift from God. I am amazed. I cannot get this sweet family off of my mind and all I can do is pray for them. I know that this is the best thing I can do for them and I know that God has put them on my heart for a reason. I have prayed for this family, wept for this family, and I will continue.

I do not know understand why such pain exists here on earth, but I do know that God can and is using it to His glory. I also know that, after reading their story, I have been in constant awe and gratefulness that God has blessed us with two healthy girls. I have always thanked God for our girls' health, but after reading about this family, I am grateful on a whole new level.

Please pray for Courtney and Tripp. I don't think they will ever know the impact they have had on my life.

Don't forget to thank God for your blessing every day!

Gwinnett County Fair 2011

2011-10-12T13:36:00.000-04:00

FAIR 2011!

We had so much fun! Lorelei keeps wanting to go back to the fair! I wonder why...rides, animals, funnel cakes...a great night for a kid!

We started off riding the train!

Madelyn spent the first 30min or so at the fair like this...

Daddy and Lorelei on the carousel

Look who woke up happy to be at her first fair! She loved all of the lights when it got dark outside!

Of course we went to the petting farm

Daddy even tried to knock down the joker!

We won prizes for L and even ended the night riding the elephant ride! What a wonderful night!

Now, if we can just get Lorelei to understand we have to wait a whole year to go back...

Prayer

2011-09-30T11:11:00.000-04:00

One of the most precious moments I have experienced as a parent happened this past week...

Our family was in the car and Adam and I were talking. I heard Lorelei talking in the backseat but didn't think much of it. Then, I looked back and saw her with her head bowed and her hands folded and she was saying "Thank you God, for my blessings, Amen" It brought tears to my eyes and prayers of thanksgiving! She kept praying so I grabbed my phone to get it on video and caught the last few seconds...

Enjoy :)

Noises from the backseat

2011-08-24T11:45:00.000-04:00

I wish that I had a video or sound clip to go along with this post, but unfortunately you will have to just take my word for it.

Something I was not prepared for: Madelyn hates the car. HATES the car. I think it stems back from when we first brought her home the weather was so very hot and she has not yet forgotten it. Lorelei was a great car-rider from the first day we brought her home. Just put her right to sleep. Madelyn...lets just say it has been a challenge to go anywhere.

In our search to find something that will soothe her, we popped in the new children's Christian music CD I had bought. GLORIOUS! Somehow, she loves it! So, if you see us driving down the road, you can be almost certain that we are bopping along to "Arky, Arky" or perhaps "Father Abraham." It is awesome that our little baby loves to worship at such a young age! Honestly though, it is hard to be mad at the driver in front of you when you are singing along to "He's got the whole world in His hand..."

Sometimes when I forget the music is playing and I am deep in thought, I hear from the back seat Lorelei shouting "AMEN" to "If you're happy and you know it" and it just warms my heart. Lorelei is getting to know most of the songs on the CDs (notice CDs is now plural) and it makes the car a happy place and to hear Lorelei actually starting to sing praises to God...I cannot tell you what a joyous sound it is.

Also, if Madelyn is upset, Lorelei starts saying "Its okay Madelyn, Shhhhhh" in her sweet little voice.

Turns out, maybe it was a blessing after all that Madelyn didn't like the car :)

For everything happens for a reason...

Ashley

To God be the glory!

2011-08-09T11:41:00.000-04:00

What a very special night! My amazing husband was baptized! For the past year or two, the Lord has put it on his heart that he needed to be baptized. Adam became a Christian at the age of six and was baptized at the age of nine. However, he really rededicated his life to Christ after college and now that he is a husband, father, and leader of our household, the Lord put it on his heart that he needed to make a public declaration that he is a follower of Christ.

August 6, 2011 at 12 Stone Hamilton Mill at the 5pm service, Adam was baptized by Pastor Kevin Queen. It was so special to be there with him. What made it even more special was that Lorelei was there to see her Daddy be baptized. While she didn't really understand yet, she will understand more someday and she will get to see the video too! Whenever we talk about Daddy getting baptized she says "Daddy's bath." Oh so sweet!

I am so proud of my husband! I have had the privilege of watching him mature in his faith each year that we have been married. I cannot wait to see what the future holds as he continues to lead our family in His path! I love you Adam!

Here are our sweet friends who came to support Adam (and Heidi and Ryan who didn't get to make it to dinner). Dinner was very chaotic with 4 children 2 and under and I loved every second of it! It is so wonderful to share life with so many wonderful Christian friends and babies! Love our small group!!!

Adam signing the baptismal

Mommy and Me Gymnastics

2011-07-30T22:17:00.000-04:00

I have been looking for something special for Lorelei and I to do together and I think I have found it! Mommy and Me gymnastics! Today was our trial class and she did so great! She loved it! I realized on the way home that this is probably my only chance to do something like this w/ her b/c once she is three she has her own class...no need for mommy. So, I will soak up every second I can!

We played with hula hoops

She got to do the tumble track

Complete with the foam pit at the end!

She loved the balance beam

She even did a roll!

Trampoline time

We had so much fun! We finished up the morning by bringing donuts and coffee home to daddy. I love love love that little girl!

Campmeeting Videos

2011-07-29T23:24:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I should start by saying that I know this is a riduculous amount of videos for one post (I had to leave the computer uploading while I went to sleep the other night). However, I wanted to share some of those oh so special moments of Campmeeting. If you don't have time for all of them, make sure to watch the last one...so proud of Lorelei!

Babyland fun!

This is not the typical music of Campmeeting (I never remember any music like this)...but it was so wonderful I thought I'd record a little to share...

Sweet Madelyn enjoying church

Just a glimpse of the hayride

This was the 3 and under game of the Loudsville Olympics 2011. It started out where they were supposed to carry the rocks in the shovel and put them in the bucket, it turned into just putting the rocks in the bucket...turns out it is hard to "organize kids 3 and under"...OH WHAT FUN! Just so sweet!

Then there was a game for the big kids that involved shaving cream. Lorelei decided she wanted to check it out and this is how it started...

This is how it ended :)

A little time with Grand Nana and Papa Jim late one night

Lorelei singing! She did so good!

That is all for Campmeeting this year! What a wonderful time!

More Campmeeting Pictures

2011-07-26T22:24:00.000-04:00

Just hanging out on the bench on the front porch

During the Olympics, Lorelei started playing w/ the shaving cream for the big kids game...this is how it started...

This is how it ended...

Lorelei playing the "Gone Fishin" Game w/ Grand-Nana and Papa Jim

Memaw and I found a new place in Helen...a train store! It was a whole country.

The whole family in front of the arbor

Lorelei did the slip and slide! Well, truthfully she only made it about 15 feet but that was good! Check out daddy's bowling stance after sending Lorelei flying :)

I will post some Campmeeting videos next :)

Campmeeting--Day 2 and 3

2011-07-25T21:36:00.000-04:00

Lorelei getting ready to sing in the morning kids program

This year's theme was the 10 Commandments so we were writing the commandments with sidewalk chalk...doesn't Lorelei have beautiful handwriting for a 2 year old :)

Nana had a lunch at her house. Her great grandchildren love her!

Later that day we went to Babyland. My mom loves this place more than most kids :)

Where is Lorelei?

Where is Madelyn?

Lorelei climbed up in the bed to play with the dolls.

Madelyn wanted to join her

Dinner with the whole family in Bette's tent

Lorelei did so good singing "This little light of mine"

Fun matching outfits!

Hayride time! Lorelei is excited!

The first time around is dry and the 2nd and 3rd time around everyone throws water on the people on the hayride

Lorelei had so much fun! She didn't like it when the water hit her but she loved being wet! Here we are afterwards...soaked :)

That must mean it is time for watermelon!

More pictures to come in the next post...

Campmeeting 2011

2011-07-19T00:22:00.000-04:00

We are here! Campmeeting 2011! So excited! This year will be wonderful but definitely a challenge w/ 2 little ones (one being only 5 weeks old). Adam had to work today so I came on up with the girls this afternoon.
Lorelei was excited to go for a walk around the campgrounds.

Lorelei had fun sliding down the slide at the playground. It started raining, but I let her keep sliding anyways :) Watch the dismount b/c the slide was wet and fast!

She was wet, dirty, but look at the joy on her face!

Then it was time to get cleaned up for dinner and church. Nana took her swinging.

Church time!

So, church with two little girls is quite interesting! We actually made it through the whole service (I know, I was surprised too). Lorelei mistakenly thought the lady in front of us was Nana, she was excited and said she would be her Nana for tonight and picked her up. She held her and played w/ her for about 20 minutes of the service! Lorelei did get a little restless but all in all did a wonderful job!

Madelyn on the other hand, slept almost the whole time in my arms! Sorry for the very fuzzy picture, I was trying to be fast since the sermon was going on.

Welcome to the world Madelyn Joy Yates

2011-06-29T15:58:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the world Madelyn Joy Yates! You are loved more than you could ever know. Born June 10, 2011 at 8:06am 6 lbs 8 oz 19.25" long. We are now a very happy and blessed family of four :)

A couple of videos

2011-05-20T15:01:00.000-04:00

So it turns out that I am pretty bad at blogging :) I wanted to share a couple of cute videos from Lorelei's end of the year preschool program

She knows the motions to this song...we practiced and practiced...can't you tell :)

She did a little better with this song :)

This was from about two weeks before

More Fun in the Snow

2011-01-13T16:16:00.000-05:00

Snowed in!

2011-01-12T15:30:00.000-05:00

Wow we have had some snow in GA! These pics are from Dec 26. Lorelei LOVED the snow! She thought it was so much fun to play in!

Then we were lucky enough to have the Snow Storm of 2011. So far, we have had 3 days of family time together! So much fun! Lorelei LOVES sledding! She thinks it is the funniest thing in the world.

Lorelei and Rose would have kept sledding all day if we let them!

I hope everyone is staying safe and warm! Enjoy the snow :)

Lorelei's Christmas Program

2010-12-16T16:36:00.000-05:00

I know I am way behind on posting, but I am hoping to catch up soon. Here is a video from Lorelei's Christmas program today! I hope you enjoy!

This is old...but I saw the picture and wanted to post

2010-10-30T17:09:00.000-04:00

Last mother's day we were at my parents house. Lorelei was sleeping and Adam, my mother, and I ran out to go somewhere leaving her with my Dad. When we got back (20-30 min later) this is how we found her:

When she woke up, he couldn't find the clothes we left and he thought she was cold so he put her in one of his big t-shirts and was feeding her on the floor of the basement. He refused to feed her the veggies so she was getting some kind of sweet fruit. So sweet! I love it! Love you daddy!

Daddy Daughter Time :)

2010-10-23T23:04:00.000-04:00

A fun moment on our trip to Statesville, NC.

Here is my heart :)

I just had to share!

Love,

Ashley

Our new favorite activity and welcome to the world Brooks!

2010-09-29T13:37:00.000-04:00

Lorelei's new very favorite activity is going to the playground. She LOVES the swings.

However, her absolute favorite activity is to climb up the slide and slide back down...sometimes backwards on her tummy, sometimes sitting up (w/ mom or dad holding her hand) and every once in a while she will head down head first and mom or dad will have to save her :)

Welcome to the world little Brooks Lee Beck!

Thank you for letting us visit you on your very exciting birthday!

You are already loved more than you know! You have amazing Godly parents! Congrats again Heidi and Ryan!

Gwinnett County Fair 2010

2010-09-22T11:55:00.000-04:00

Gwinnett County Fair 2010!

I should start by saying that I LOVE the fair! I just can't help myself, the food, the rides, the shows, the animals, the excitement, the kids...I have such great memories growing up of going to the fair. I was so excited this year to bring Lorelei to her first fair!

She has no idea what she is in for :)

Lorelei rode the Merry-Go-Round for the first time! She wasn't so sure at first but for the rest of the night whenever we passed it she would point and let us know she wanted to go do that again!

Then we were off to the 4-H petting zoo. Lorelei got to pet a chick

Then we saw a 4 day old donkey

Then we saw a chick that had literally just hatched (mom and dad thought this was cooler than Lorelei did)

Bad Mommy and Daddy may have let her try a funnel cake...hey we were at the fair right?

She loved the funnel cake so much that when she saw me throw a little bit away, she started crying.

The fair would not be complete without Daddy winning his little girl a prize :)

Overall, the Gwinnett County Fair 2010 = a total success!

Last Two Days of Campmeeting

2010-09-17T12:55:00.009-04:00

First of all, sorry this is so late. I need to do several VERY late blogs of our summer. Here is the first one...

Last Two Days of Campmeeting!!

Daddy was able to be there for the morning singing and story time!

This morning we learned about Easter...so we had an Easter Egg Hunt!

And they are off!

Lorelei loved finding eggs.

Mom, Dad, and Lorelei all went to Helen for the day and had a blast.

Lorelei is finally learning to pay attention now that it is the last day :)

The last morning we were there was the day we let go of the balloons. Each year the kids attach a letter to the balloons and ask if anyone finds it, to send it back. Each year, about one person finds the leftovers of a balloon and sends it back.

The balloons are the colors of the salvation bracelets. First, we let go of the black balloons because they represent sin and Jesus paid or our sins. Then, the rest of the balloons are let go.

Lorelei did not want to let go of her balloon :)

Time to go home. We will be back again next Campmeeting. Until we meet again...

Who am I working for?

2010-08-24T20:14:00.002-04:00

Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

This piece of scripture is so difficult for me to actually live out. The Bible says whatever you work for, if it’s not the Lord, is an idol. That’s a tough one to swallow. It makes me think that often times I am actually practicing idolatry. This is something I struggle with daily. I look for the approval of man, when God’s approval is all that is needed. I could just kick myself when I think about working for myself or others and putting God in the backseat.

This all comes full circle for me after Thursday of last week and reading this passage today. I often chase so often the big stuff in my work. I get frustrated easily when I walk into a school and they aren’t ready to purchase 100 projectors that day. It hit me like a train on Thursday. As I visited school after school, I was asked about cables and other small equipment. Nothing big, nothing expensive, and nothing I could actually make any kind of money on. As I started to get frustrated at the day, I was reminded by God that maybe, just maybe, this is why I do what I do. Maybe I’m the one that needs to sell them this kind of stuff and just be happy that I have the ability to come out to them and cater to even the smallest of needs. I started thinking this is what we do as a company. This is why we exist. Why has it taken me so long to realize it and accept it and be happy with it? Sure, I can continue to chase the big stuff when it comes up, but the small stuff is why I’m here doing what I do. I can break it down and start thinking about the little money I will make off of these items, or I can realize that is why our company exists and that is what I’m here for. Since God is in charge of our finances, it doesn’t matter what I sell whether it be large or small. God tells me all the time, give me your first fruits and I'll take care of the rest.

I want to work for you God, not myself and certainly not man. I’ll continue to struggle with this always trying to gain approval from this person or the next, but ultimately I know who I am working for even when I don’t always live it. I have to turn back to Colossians 3:23-24 every once in a while and remind myself. My prayer is that God tap me on the shoulder and remind me who I am working for in this life. Thank you Father.

The Beginning of Reflection...

2010-08-15T21:27:00.002-04:00

I am beginning a journal of life where I get the chance to reflect on each week. It's nothing too profound or anything. It will just give me a chance to reflect on the week and remember and journal some of the moments and "lessons learned" of the week. I think it will be fun and insightful to record some of the memories and lessons I learn each week in order to grow into a more developed, spiritual, mature husband and father. Here are some of the things I learned this week:

- I need to carry God’s peace with me and show it to others. Be that non-anxious presence in other’s lives.
- Don’t expect plans to stay the same. Changes happen. All the time. Adapt or let it eat away at you.
- Some annuals (plants) are not annuals. They will continue to come back every year. Each year a little thicker and a little taller. We were those neighbors with the overgrown weed garden in their front yard. It was supposed to be a butterfly garden. So much for that.
- Don’t forget people’s last names. Especially ones that know you. Also, don’t expect for the person you are asking to see this person that you forgot their name to not make you feel stupid when you obviously got the last name wrong, but you had the first name right. Beckie Miller, Beckie Hitch. Very close.
- When you hear about a single mom whose ex-husband flees the country and leaves behind their two kids with a baby on the way and a job that just got cut back from 40 hours to 12, you realize just how good you have it and how very blessed and favored you are.
- When Kroger has a 2 for $5.00 sale on half gallons of organic milk, you buy at least 2. Another good lesson is don’t decide to start drinking organic milk when your child just gets to the age where she is drinking milk instead of formula and drinks roughly 20 ounces a day. With those figures, Lorelei drinks a half gallon every 3 days. On sale, that is $2.50 / 3 days or $0.83 per day. She drinks that $0.83 in about 6 minutes if you add up her three feedings. That’s 13.8 cents per minute, but who’s counting.
- Listen to my wife when she insists that I need help when putting together tables. If not, you end up doing something wrong and getting tendonitis in your elbow and unable to lift anything for 1 to 2 weeks.
- Expect to spend at least an hour at the Varsity before a Falcons football game. So many people in line for hamburgers and hotdogs. Really? It’s a burger with some American cheese (probably Kraft singles), and chili (probably canned). Somehow, all together, it’s magically delicious.
- Hold the Sabbath sacred. It’s so special to spend the day with family and keep it simple. What a way to end the weekend.
- Don’t be so quick to give yourself a pat on the back. Keep your expectations high. Never settle for an okay job even when it may be extraordinary to someone else. Character is everything. Do the right things even when no one else is looking because God always is.

Here's to another great week with little ability to use my left arm.

Aha moment... a.k.a. God moment

2010-08-09T23:20:00.003-04:00

I was listening to a sermon last week that discussed God's presence in our lives. Something that really struck me was the fact that everything that happens to me is already known by God. It goes through what the pastor called a father filter and maybe, just maybe everything is perfectly designed for my life to shape me in the way that God wants me to be. Even my little problems that occur are designed specifically for me and are a challenge to see how I will react. Am I the only one that has never thought about that? It hit me like a train last week as I was up in Dalton, GA getting my shipment of computer tables into the school where I was to put together 177 tables with the help of one other person.

I was on a mission. I had my agenda set. 177 tables. I was figuring about 5 tables per hour each. That's 10 tables per hour for 2 people. 9 working hours. That's 90 tables per full day. We went up on Tuesday. We had to unload the truck that morning, so only a half day the first day. We had to go to another school with 15 of those tables. We should be in and out by end of day Thursday. Done deal. No going back. All tables complete. Another satisfied customer.

Ha.... That would be too easy.

As we are unloading the tables, I notice several pallets that are just wrecked. Looks like bent metal, crushed table tops, etc... It looked like a complete mess. We got all the tables out of the truck, inside, and assessed the damage. Okay, not as bad as I had thought, but now my mind goes back into calculation mode. Okay. We just lost 2 hours. We have about 20 damaged tables. Great... There goes being done on Thursday. I'm going to have to come back up here to put together 15 or 20 more tables. Such a small problem to others. I know. For me, my agenda was devastated. Then, I remembered just what I was listening to on the way up. God designs our life and puts obstacles in our way to see how we will handle them and grow because of them. He is our Father. He wants us to learn and grow and deal with problems that pop up. Not only that, but he is actually the designer of our lives and coordinates situations that gives us opportunities to grow and change while ultimately knowing the outcome. All of a sudden in that moment, it didn't matter that I will definitely have to come another day and possibly another after that. I knew that small issue was designed for me to see how I would overcome my ridiculous agenda that I always set for myself in completing the tasks of my life.

I learned through this that my focus on something gets so involved that I lose focus on the bigger picture. Sometimes my agenda is so narrow that I get upset at every little thing that is not a part of it. Is my life Adam's agenda or God's? Sometimes I forget who is really in charge.

Why Us?

2010-07-23T15:53:00.004-04:00

I've been praying strongly for healing lately. That seems to be the bulk of my prayers these days. They used to start with asking for safety, strength, and guidance. I still ask for those, but healing is first on my list. Since we've been at campmeeting (with no TV, AC, or any other modern day luxury), I've had a lot of time to pray (in the heat) and most of my prayers have revolved around healing.

I don't know why, but it seems as though an epidemic of sickness is hitting all around Ashley and I and Lorelei and sometimes it feels as though our family is floating around in a tiny, little germ-free bubble (no bio-suits required). I often find myself asking God "why us." I know how that sounds. Isn't that something you say when things are going badly in life? I kick myself for even thinking it, but I do. I don't know why we have stayed immune to the world around us, but we have and I think about how completely unfair it is. Why us? Why are things so good for us when all around us bad things pop up to such good people. I guess that is the age old question that no one ever fully understands. Why do bad things happen to good people? Deep down, I know why and I know that life is just not fair. God never promised it would be. Then why is it so fair to us? We did nothing to deserve this and yet if something good could happen, it does for us. Seeing what others are going through and the trials that God is putting them through is so difficult, yet possibly bittersweet. I think that's the right word to describe it. I know I've probably offended anyone who may read this and I must sound pretty horrible for describing these scenarios in such a way. Hear me out though. The sweet part of all this is that I know God never gives someone more than they can handle and the pain that is being inflicted now will only make these people stronger in their faith and a testimony to others in the way they've handled these circumstances. I've already seen it and been personally influenced by it. It has made me realize the things we take for granted in our bubble. The bitter part comes from the present pain that must be going on; that must be felt by these great people and I can't begin to understand that sitting in my bubble staring out into the rest of the world.

Therefore, I must become a warrior of prayer because I know it works and there is great and mighty power in the act of prayer and God is bigger than anything we could ever imagine in this world. Why us? I don't know, but one thing I do know is that blessings flow from our God in all directions. We are being hit by them every second and all I can do is continue to thank God for all that we receive and pray for healing and blessings to pour out to those that are hurting and need the almighty power of healing from our Lord and Savior. Why do we get the favor of health and prosperity and others don't? Maybe we can't handle bad situations with such grace and strength and hopefullness that others can. Maybe God really does know how far we can go; how far it is out there to that breaking point where all hope fades to nothing. Maybe our day is coming where we will need prayer, strength and the almighty healing power of God. For now, I will continue to count my blessings, be that prayer warrior for others, and thank God for the days that I get to spend in my bubble with my wondeful wife and daughter.

Many prayers go out daily to those I'm writing about and much love to them. There is a running list of people out there right now that need prayers of healing. I will continue to pray and I will continue to remain faithful and I will probably continue to ask God "why us" and ponder that age old question.

God, we need your power of healing. You are our heavenly physician and your strength is needed during this time. We pray for healing, strength, and continued faithfulness. Amen.

- Adam

Campmeeting -- Day 6

2010-07-23T11:17:00.006-04:00

What a wonderful day! Lorelei loved singing again!

You can't really see her face, but I just love this picture b/c you can see her smile all the way from the back.

Here we are getting ready for the Loudsville Olympics!!!

The first event was a relay where the kids ran down filled up a bucket of water ran back and dumped it on themselves.

Lorelei thought it was hilarious! She just kept laughing!!!

Then it was time for our relay. For the kids who were too small to walk, the parents ran them down, dunked their bottoms in water, and ran back.

After a few more events, the Olympics always end with a water balloon toss.

Adam and I cooked dinner! For dinner we had pot roast and veggies (which is not too pretty so I decided to put a picture of dessert instead). We received the biggest compliment when Aunt Bette said "This meal reminds me of how mother used to cook." Aunt Bette's mother is Big Momma and she is known for her amazing southern cooking so this was quite the compliment--thank you Aunt Bette!

Time to go to church
Lorelei playing in the shavings during service--bad mommy and daddy--but it kept her quiet for a while.

Campmeeting -- Day 5

2010-07-22T00:19:00.008-04:00

Wow what a day! I am exhausted! So much fun though! This morning we made it down in time for the children's singing...

If you were wondering if Lorelei liked it...just look at the joy on her face

She even paid attention a little bit.

Then for crafts we did salvation bracelets. Lorelei is checking her bracelet out.

It was almost nap time for Lorelei so it was on to the next adventure...tubing down the river with Nana and Alice.

We had a wonderful time! I worked very hard to keep them safe and make sure everyone had fun. We made it all the way until the very end and then Nana decided she would just get herself out of the tube instead of waiting on me to help...and she fell in. She didn't get her hair wet so it wasn't too bad but she was completely soaked. We had to race back in our wet clothes to make it for the hayride!

Lorelei's first hayride!!!!!!

The hayride makes several laps around the campgrounds. The first lap is the dry lap for the little ones and then after the first lap everyone at the campground throws water on the kids as they come back around. We only stayed on for the first lap.

Then mom and I decided to check out the new attraction called Goats on the Roof which is a gift shop/ice cream/fudge place and...you guess it...they actually have goats on the roof.

Then it was nap time again for Lorelei. For dinner we went to Bette's tent again and had pizza together as a family. Then it was time to get ready for church.

Lorelei was pretty tired tonight so Daddy took her on up to bed.

Good night from Campmeeting--sweet dreams!

Campmeeting -- Day 4

2010-07-20T23:24:00.006-04:00

Today was the first day for the children's program!

Lorelei slept in a little later than normal because we had her out late at church last night so we missed the singing. We did however get down there with plenty of time for the crafts. Lorelei loved playing around in the shavings with the other kids and making her crafts (well mom made them but she got to hold them).

Each year, the children have a wooden name tag that they keep all week. These name tags are usually kept on nails inside of the cabins for many many years to come--a decoration of sorts. We have many from my childhood and now Lorelei has her first Campmeeting name tag!!!

This morning's lesson was about Christmas so we decorated Christmas ornaments, the children received a gift from the Campgrounds--a Bible, they gave out jingle bracelets (well they were really just pipe cleaners with bells on them) and we went around the campgrounds "Jingling for Jesus" and shouting "Wake Up! Happy Birthday Jesus!" Then they decorated Christmas cookies (we opted out of that part).

We went over to Aunt Katherine and Uncle Tommy's tent and visited a while. Lorelei loves the big checkers they have.

So far, Lorelei has been taking about a 2 hour nap in the morning, a 2 hour nap in the afternoon and sleeping 11 hours at night. The girl is loving Campmeeting but it is wearing her out! After her 2 hour morning nap, it was time to go to Jess' wedding shower at my Nana's house. Jess is marring Drew in 11 days--welcome to the family!!

Papa Jim cooked his wonderful spaghetti dinner--yummy! Then it was time to get ready to go to church tonight.

Tomorrow's Adventures:

Somehow I got roped into going tubing down the river with my Nana and her friend Alice. You don't say no to grandma right? Also, Lorelei's first hayride. So excited!!!

Campmeeting -- Day 3

2010-07-19T23:29:00.005-04:00

Today's big activity was Babyland. For those of you who may not know, Cleveland, GA is the home of the Cabbage Patch kids. This year they moved locations and opened up the new Babyland.

Four generations went together today (Grand Nana, Grannie, Mom, and Lorelei).

Mom had to play find Lorelei in the dolls since dad was not there.

Overall, Lorelei's first visit to Babyland was a success. She seemed to like the babies and she even got 2 babies (we had already checked out with this adorable little lamb baby and then we found a newborn baby that giggled and Lorelei loved her--So Grannie spoiled her with another one).

We then went to Grand Nana's house and visited for a while. We went back to the Campgrounds, cut up the biggest watermelon I have ever seen, and Adam and I cleaned the dishes (no such thing as a dishwasher here--other than us of course).

Tonight was the first night for service. Technically Campmeeting started tonight with service. This is the only picture Lorelei let us take of her before or during service.

She was pretty good for service and mom and dad actually got to stay for the whole thing! I wonder if that will continue throughout the week???

Campmeeting -- Day 2

2010-07-18T23:19:00.005-04:00

Today is family reunion day. Every year, the first Sunday of Campmeeting, we all leave the campgrounds travel about 5 miles into the town of Cleveland, GA and go to the American Legion for our annual family reunion (the location has changed throughout the years but this has been the location for a few years now).

Why would we have a family reunion when the whole week is like a family reunion? That I could not tell you. This is a tradition and around here...we keep our traditions. This particular group is made up of the Blacks and the Bells (about 1/4 of the tents at Campmeeting I think). We are part of the Black family and a long time ago a Black married a Bell and now we get together at the American Legion for the Black Bell reunion.

It is a potluck meal and is pretty delicious. The president tells us all of the births, marriages, weddings, graduations, and deaths in the family and then we go home (or at least today we went to the new Walmart).

The line for the food
Talking to Papa Jim

Lorelei sure loved the food!

Everyone else did too!

Lorelei made some friends

Mommy's necklace--perfect entertainment when we are supposed to be being quite for announcements...

The rest of the day was spent sitting around playing games and enjoying each others company.

Now it is 11:30 at night and the breaker just blew out so we have no electricity. So much for Adam's 4 fans blowing...although I have to admit, I'd rather hear the beautiful noise of the crickets...

Good night world.

Campmeeting -- Day 1

2010-07-18T10:59:00.006-04:00

Hello folks! We are in Cleveland, GA at Loudsville Campmeeting 2010. For those of you who do not know, this is a tradition my family has gone to for years. When I say family, I mean most of the people here are related to us somehow. We stay in what we call tents but are really more like rustic cabins. There is no air conditioning and it is Georgia in the middle of the summer so many people think we are crazy, but if you grew up here it holds a very special place in your heart. The children LOVE Campmeeting. They get to play outside all day with their friends and there are not too many rules. The adults sit around a talk and tell old stories of the Good Ole' Days. There are two church services a day (11am and 8pm--although some people just go to the 8). The morning starts at 9 where the children have singing and crafts. During the day there is are children's activities (i.e. hayride, Loudsville Olympics, tubing down the river, bonfire, etc). I just love Campmeeting.

This will be Lorelei's first Campmeeting (well she actually came for a few hours when she was about 5 weeks old but this will be the first time she will be here for the whole week).

To get an idea of what I am talking about please enjoy a few pictures of the cabin and the campgrounds. Note, this cabin is like a luxury cabin to the one I grew up with that had shavings on the floor and we all stayed in one room of bunk beds and approx 10 people shared one bathroom--I miss the old cabin sometimes but Adam and mom appreciates the new one.

The view from our tent of the campgrounds. You can see the arbor in the middle where we have church.

The view from inside the arbor

The outside of our tent

The kitchen in our tent

Our room all set up with a play area for Lorelei. Note the 4 fans blowing on the bed for Adam. This is by far the largest room in the house.

Lorelei loves Campmeeting already! She loves to swing :)

Campmeeting is exhausting!!

More to come as the week goes on!!!!

Our 4th Anniversary

2010-06-21T13:41:00.004-04:00

Wow...I have the most amazing husband. I already knew that, but Adam has now outdone himself again. Wow. I am so incredibly blessed.

Now, prepare to sit back and enjoy a little romantic story that usually only occurs in the movies...but I actually got to live it out :)

I knew Adam was up to something. I was banned from getting on his computer and his Droid. He kept making and receiving phone calls where he would walk out of the room. He would always smile when he got back and say not to worry about it. Now you have to understand, my husband is a horrible liar. I can easily see when he is up to something, but I enjoy surprises so I try not to ask questions. I am usually a good guesser so he has learned to be as secretive as possible.

We were supposed to have our neighbors over for dinner the night of our anniversary (we take turns and it just happened to fall on that day). Adam suspiciously tells me those plans are cancelled and he has taken care of the details. He also has arranged for a babysitter for us. Now this may not sound like much, but we have not been out on very many dates since our little angel, Lorelei, was born. Yes, we have left her for things like company parties, a couple of concerts, and small group, but only one or two just dates. We love dating, but we also love bringing our little Lorelei places. So, to go out just the two of us on a date was quite the special occasion.

Adam brings me to Ippolitos on the Suwanee Town Square. It is this adorable little Italian restaurant. We ordered a bottle (gasp...not just a glass but the whole bottle) of wine, enjoyed our garlic rolls, got a good laugh when the poor waiter broke one of the wine glasses on our table (no worries--we got extra garlic rolls) and enjoyed our dinner and time together to the fullest. Adam ordered spaghetti and meatballs and I had sun-dried tomato and chicken stuffed shells. DELICIOUS!! Everything was so good. We decided to opt out of dessert since we were both so full.

Afterwards, we decided we should go for a walk around the square. There is a fountain that the little kids were playing in and I suggested we go watch. Adam said "Lets walk around the circle first and then we can sit on the other side of the fountain to watch." Sounded good to me so we began our walk--hand in hand as we so often are.

As we are walking, I notice up on stage is a violin player. I LOVE the violin so I excitedly say to Adam "Look there is a violinist. We should go watch." Adam, with a huge smile on his face, agrees. At this point, I realize something is up. I say to Adam, "You didn't do this?!?!" He can no longer hold it in and with a half laugh, says "Maybe." As we walk closer there is a photographer suspiciously taking pictures of us approaching and I realize...yes my husband has hired a violinist and a photographer just for me.

We proceeded to go onto the stage and dance for over an hour to the beautiful sounds of a professional violinist. We had many people who would stop and watch and sometimes sit for the show, but we didn't care. It was just us, in our own little world, dancing the night away. It was absolutely magical. We danced the waltz mainly and also at least one tango. We laughed, hugged, kissed, and just loved each other. All of this was also captured on film because my thoughtful hubby hired a photographer too. Pictures to come (she said maybe 3 weeks). The night was perfect. It was a warm summer evening in GA and Adam didn't even mind being hot. We were both on cloud nine. It will be a night I will always remember. We had so much fun.

We ended the night with a stop for dessert at Sonic. What a perfect night :)

I love that man so much. Not because he does incredible things like this, but because he loves me so incredibly much. I mean, who does that? I understand maybe a dating couple...I joked the people watching probably thought we were getting engaged. But no, for a 4th anniversary? Not a 20 or a 50 but a 4th? My husband is incredible. I am so very loved. He knew how much I love dancing and how I missed it. He wanted to make me smile. One time during the night when I was laughing in joy, he said how "it was all worth it for that laugh alone".

Our magical night together. Forever in my memory. I love you Adam. Thank you for an amazing night.

Trust Me

2010-06-12T08:51:00.001-04:00

Does trust have to be earned? I think for most adults, myself included, we have a hard time giving the gift of trust to others. As I study this picture (and I often do) I see many things. I see a woman I love with all my heart who puts her full trust in me daily, not because she has to, but because she wants to. She trusts me with her life and her heart and I do the same for her. I think we’ve earned that trust from each other. I believe some was given in hopes that it would never be broken. I also see a smile that says it all about her view of life. If you know her, you know you don’t have to be around her long to see that kind of smile. It’s regular and infectious. There is pure joy in those eyes as she looks down on our daughter.

What about Lorelei? What is she thinking? I love the look she is giving her momma. That is a look of pure trust. I’ve gone back to this picture over and over again and I can’t get enough of the look that is on Lorelei’s face. The slight smirk says it all. It says “mom, I trust you with my life and whatever comes along, I know you’re here for me.” Lorelei doesn’t require her trust to be earned. She gives it freely. As young as she is, she knows the love her momma has for her runs deep. There is reassurance of this love in those eyes. Lorelei trusts with all her heart. It’s a pure, non-wavering trust and she has a faith that is already strong. She may not know who God is yet, but she has faith, hope, love, and trust. She has a faith in her mom that she will be taken care of and her needs will be met, a hope in the future, an instant bond that forms so quickly between her and her parents, and a trust that all is well in her world and her parents will help get her to the next step in life. She’s already made us so proud. Just look at her mom’s face. Can anyone look more proud of another person?

It has been wonderful watching our little girl develop so much in the first year of her life. We are her world right now. She trusts both of us so much and I want to hang on to that as long as I can. I know as she grows and matures, she’ll gain more knowledge of the world around her and mom and dad won’t be super heroes forever. For now though, we are as cool to her as Mickey and Minnie.

God: Our Provider and Protector

2010-05-14T15:28:00.003-04:00

I don't know why things happen the way they do. Ashley and I were all ready to embark on a risky venture that was going to take time and money with the possibility of making a nice profit at the end. We were about to close on a townhouse we had found and decided to flip. It was a small place, very manageable, and had lots of potential. We were excited, apprehensive, but faithful throughout the process leading up to closing. We hit some bumps along the way, but the inspection was successful and the appraisal came in higher than our contract amount. Everything was looking okay. All the while, I was a little nervous and I don't know if I was forcing some kind of peace about the situation, but my human side was reminding me all along the way just how much money we were about to fork over to the bank to purchase this house. Maybe I was ignoring that funny feeling in my stomach, but I kept praying every night for protection and that God would rescue us from this situation if it were not to be. From the mouth of John Maxwell, "we all are only one step away from stupid."

Two days ago, we were ready to do it. Insurance application was done, underwriting was complete, addendums were signed, and all that was left was the closing day where we sign over our life and wire the bank a bunch of money. We were going to have to wire the bank our money. Sounds like something that happens in a movie, doesn't it?

Then, I get an email. It turns out our bank made a mistake processing the loan, and now the loan amount they were going to give us was about 20% lower than expected. Jaw drop! Even though I was livid at the bank for dropping this on us 3 days before closing, I felt a small sense of peace. Suddenly, I realized that we're not supposed to do this right now. It may be the right time one day, but just not now. I felt it. It couldn't have been clearer. God was protecting us from a situation he knew we shouldn't be in at this time. It doesn't really matter the reason why we were kept from this. It may have been a financial reason, the loss of crucial family time, an injury that occurs during the renovation, the list goes on... Only God knows the reason and that's all that really matters. We are incredibly gracious and blessed that God loves us enough to give us that clear sign that we needed to call this off. He continues to provide for our family and protect us from bad decisions we make all the time. We just have to keep praying, listening, and feeling for that ultimate guidance. He's always there. The guidance is always there. It may not always be a hammer to the head or a light bulb that goes off, but it's there. Some situations call for a clearer sign than other situations. Even when we ignore the small signs early in the process, God continues to provide more signs along the way choosing to make them clearer and clearer. What an awesome God we have!

So let us keep our minds, ears, eyes, and heart on the one who provides and protects. Amen.

- Adam

- Adam

Mother's Day

2010-05-12T14:46:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day 2010...what a blessing!

This Mother's Day was absolutely the best Mother's Day a girl could ask for despite the fact that I managed to ruin all of the sweet and wonderful surprises my husband had for me.

What a family I have. I am so very blessed. I cannot even begin to comprehend how much the Good Lord loves me. Mother's Day was just one of those days that reminds me and puts into perspective how wonderful my life is.

Friday afternoon before Mother's Day, I came home and accidentally saw the Mother's Day card my sweet husband and daughter had for me. It was out because Adam had put Lorelei's hand print inside and he was waiting on it to dry! HOW SWEET! To make it even more wonderful, he allowed Lorelei to put her own little mark on it (chewing on the crease). It will definitely be a card I will save and cherish.

Saturday morning before Mother's Day, I wake up and hear Adam's phone "Droiding." Without thinking much about it, I look at it to see if he is getting texted or an email or something, no I see it is his alarm reminding him to "Call Baskin Robins." Oh no, I have ruined another surprise! At the same time, YES he is ordering me a Baskin Robins ice cream cake--in my opinion the BEST ice cream cake in the world. I am so very excited.

So, although I have ruined Adam's sweet surprises, I am already so excited for Mother's Day.

Mother's Day morning:

We wake up to the sweet sounds of Lorelei playing in her crib. Without rushing, we get up, get ready, and head out to J. Christofers--AWESOME BREAKFAST! We go grab the ice cream cake and go to church. Church was awesome this morning--I just couldn't get past how blessed I am and I cannot thank Jesus enough for the little Angel He gave me in Lorelei. She has changed how I view life and I have never been happier. To have the love of a sweet child, to know that my Maker is entrusting me to pour His love into her life, to have a husband who loves me and is my best friend, I cannot describe how blessed I feel.

To finish the afternoon, we stopped by Longhorns to wish my Nana Happy Mother's Day, spent the afternoon at the pool (too cold to get in but enjoying the sunshine), landing a flip on the old trampoline, and going home to curl up on the couch with the two people who mean the world to me.

Mother's Day was absolutely perfect.

Thank you to my family for your love, thank you God for my family. Let my life be to glorify You.

With all my love,

Ashley

$2.99 Happiness

2010-05-08T23:50:00.003-04:00

It's been too long since my last post. I have so many thoughts in my head and so many moments I want to share. I have to pick a couple to catch up and then go from there. I think that's the best solution.

I had a moment the other day that I really can't put completely into words. It was one of those moments I will not forget. It involved no words, only a look that told me everything I needed to hear.

Lorelei and I went for a daddy and daughter grocery store trip. We've only had a few of these together where it was just us two. Normally, all three of us go and have a great time, but this was just the two of us. I'm still learning those special moments as a dad. I can tell you this. Pushing a cart with your little girl strapped into the kid seat on the cart looking at you as you shop and check your items off the list is one of the most precious times in life. We talk the whole time. Okay. It's me doing all the talking and her looking at me with that, I can't understand what you're saying, look. However, today was different. We get our cart set up with the cart cover, strap Lorelei in, and head for the produce section to start our trip. As we are walking towards the vegetables, I get distracted by the bread and wonder if we need bread for our dinner that night. After I make the decision to pass on the bread, I turn back to start the cart in motion and I notice Lorelei looking up. Naturally, my head pops up to see what the distraction is and there they are; dozens of mother's day balloons with a few Happy Birthday and Get Well Soon balloons sprinkled in among them. Oh, I get it now. She likes balloons. What kid doesn't? So, we're both looking at the balloons now, then we both drop our heads and look at each other and she gives me that classic smile. She then points her eyes up at the balloons again keeping her head pretty much straight on. She drops the eyes and puts them right back on me and gives another smile. There was no need for verbal communication at this point because I knew exactly what she was saying. I know I don't have to tell you what happened next. Let's just say, the cart didn't immediately begin to move toward the vegetable section. We took a little detour before we continued our shopping and ended up with a $3.00 Happy Birthday balloon tied to the cart in reach for Lorelei to be able to hit and bounce it into daddy's head. In her 10 short months, my daughter has never communicated with me so well. She said "daddy, I really want that balloon." It didn't have to come out of her mouth for her to say it. She said it loud and clear and I did the only thing I knew to do. I bought her the balloon. At that moment, I don't really think it mattered how much it cost. Sure there was a limit on what I was willing to pay, but that day Kroger could have taken advantage of me and my loyal business. I would have been one of the only people to have ever purchased a $20.00 balloon and still felt as though I was the one taking advantage of them. That kind of communication and pure joy is priceless or maybe $2.99 at the most. I don't know who was happier that day, me or Lorelei. I guess her happiness from the balloon will fade... until next Kroger trip.

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T16:10:00.011-04:00

Easter 2010...Lorelei's first Easter! How exciting! I had so much that I wanted to do and of course we waited until Easter weekend to get everything done. No worries, all the must-dos were accomplished. God blessed us with incredible weather all weekend. On Saturday, the hunt for the perfect Easter basket began. We found all we needed at Babies 'R' Us and Target (although mainly at Target).

We had a wonderful but long day Saturday with a little shopping, then lunch at The Atlanta Bread Company, then to the park for some disc golf and walking, then swinging by Bruster's for some ice cream, then back to shopping. I am worn out just thinking about it. Was our day over? No way. We still had to go visit the Easter Bunny! So, we changed Lorelei into the brand new spring dress we just purchased at Target and headed to the mall. Our little angel, although tired, was a very good sport for the Easter Bunny. She lasted just long enough for us to get a couple good pictures and we were on our way. Then to the grocery store to pick up what we needed for Easter dinner then home for dinner with friends. Wow what a Saturday.

Easter morning!!!

Lorelei wakes us up right on time at 9. We get her up and go looking to see if any surprise visitors may have come and left any fun baskets around the house. Look-a-there there is a huge bunny and an Easter basket just for Little Miss Lorelei. She loves her new bunny and Easter basket filled with bath toys, socks, and bubbles. A little bit of fun, then its time for food and getting ready for church.

Lorelei gets all dolled up in her Easter dress complete with matching bow and shoes. What a sight! We head to 12 Stone for Easter service expecting it to be packed. It was full, although not too bad I guess since they had 4 services this morning. Service was great! Then, Lorelei goes to the nursery and we go to teach the 3 & 4 year old class for the 12:30 service. Awesome! There were more kids than normal and most of them were new. Great interaction and we just loved it! We left church around 2 extremely happy and blessed and thoroughly exhausted.

We went home for some rest. Lorelei took a nap and we just relaxed for a little while. Then, Lorelei woke up so we had a photo shoot outside with some Easter eggs. Next, we brought dinner over to Mimi's. Pot Roast...YUMMY! It was wonderful to visit with Mimi and she just adores Lorelei. What a great day and what a great weekend! I am sleepy even thinking about it! Good thing we have Spring Break to rest this week :)

God bless!

Eat Something We've Never Eaten....

2010-02-24T21:03:00.006-05:00

The beautiful bracelet I gave Ashley for Christmas came with some special committments to fulfill throughout each year. I call them "fun committments". One of those committments involves eating something we've never eaten. You have to understand, I am one of the pickiest eaters alive. So, this was totally for her because she is the adventurer of the relationship.

Being the fun guy that I am, what day do I decide to fulfill this committment? That's right, I choose Valentine's Day. Instead of taking my wife to a traditional romantic meal with white tablecloths and pleasantly lit candles, I make reservations at a slightly less attractive restaurant which actually turns out to be a converted Burger King. Give it up for Cottage Ethiopian restaurant. You have to laugh when the reviews say something to this effect. "Don't let the outside deceive you." Thanks for the comfort Mr. Restaurant Review guy.

Well, I decided not to let the outside deceive me and made the reservation two days prior to Valentine's Day. I'm pretty sure whoever answered the phone that day was not expecting someone to be making reservations to their little Ethiopian dive in Atlanta. But, she was nice and took my reservation or so I thought she did. She could have been pretending to write down my info for all I know. Shortly after we arrived, I realized they must have had a good laugh after my phone call two days prior. I think Ashley and I were 2 of maybe 12 people in the whole restaurant. At that point, I didn't feel the need to tell her we were Yates party of 2 until later. The waitress kind of smurked when I told her that we were the reservation for 6:30 that evening. I thought all restaurants were packed on Valentine's Day. Nope, not Cottage Ethiopian.

Prior to arriving at the Cottage, Ashley had no idea where we were going. She did, however, have a slight stomach ache. Perfect. What better way to soothe an uneasy stomach than put unfamiliar exotic food into it. As I was driving, I was thinking "great going Adam. You really outdid yourself this time." So, to help prepare her stomach for what was about to happen, halfway into the drive I told her where we were headed and apologized for her uneasy stomach and the food adventure we were getting ready to embark on. She had that nervous excitement look. Don't get me wrong, she was incredibly excited because it's something we've talked about doing for quite a while, but obviously a little nervous for good reason.

As the three of us got there (you didn't think we would go to a Valentine's Day dinner without our beautiful daughter, did you?) we sat down (without admitting that we were the dummies who made a reservation for a restaurant that had barely enough people to fill the bathroom) and began to interpret the menu. The waitress was very sweet and guided us through the menu pointing out that the raw meat was the best and most flavorful. I, embarrased by my lack of knowledge of other culture's food habits, asked if you could eat raw meat. She informed me that raw is how they eat it (not offended by the question at all). Okay. I politely told her I don't think I can eat raw meat and since the only other choice was well done, we ordered our meat well done. We decided to go with the sampler plate which included beef, lamb, chicken, and a variety of vegetable mush along with a very odd spongy bread with little flavor of its own. It was really just there as a collection tool used to get the food to your mouth. As we were told, you eat with your hands, so that is what we did.

We took in all that the experience had to offer and loved every minute of it. We were one with Ethiopia that night and I have to say that the meat (cooked, by the way) was delicious. Ashley, Lorelei and I enjoyed each other that night. It was our first family Valentine's Day and what a way to spend it. We laughed, acted silly, looked ridiculous as we took pictures of our food and each other, and most importantly didn't care what anyone else in the world was doing at that moment. It was our night and we were going to make it memorable. And so we did.

How Often We Forget...

2010-02-03T22:56:00.015-05:00

How often we forget the power of our God and the things in which He creates. I wish I had written this post a while back so I could remember the vivid details of the moment. I like to call this a "God moment". You know these moments. The moments where you really feel the presence of God and the times in which you know He exists, not because you've been told He does or it just makes sense, but when you actually know without a doubt. Even myself as a Christian and firm believer can become so involved with the world and my place in it that I become casual in my belief in an almighty and powerful God as designer and ruler of this universe.

A couple of weeks ago Ashley and I and two of our good friends headed up to the lake for a weekend of fun and relaxation. At the time, I was knee deep in the story of Job in the Bible. I can't believe I had never read through the book of Job. It is such a powerful story and so relatable to our lives. It reminds us of the power of our God and even when tough times ensue in our everyday lives, God still exists and we must remain faithful. I wish I could spend hours writing about this book of the Bible which has quickly turned into my favorite book.

Saturday morning I was awoken by the dogs, of course, who both needed to go outside. As I let them outside, the sun was rising and there was little light to fill the sky. I decided to walk down to the dock, have a short conversation with God, and enjoy the beauty of the morning. God decided I needed to stay a while. While looking out upon the water, I was reminded of my recent readings in Job and it all came together. The visualization of what I had been reading was awesome. Two days prior the following verses were the central theme of my Bible reading.

Job 26:7-10
He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it. He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness.

Now, you can imagine how invigorating it felt to be on the dock looking out upon the water at a small layer of fog, the reflection of the treetops on the surface of the water, and the feeling of a sense of presence on this ball of mass we call Earth. Oh the power and awe of God. As Job struggled with his faith, he was still able to write these beautiful verses. It's easy to forget the power of God and the control He has over us and this universe. As the book of Job continues, Job gets frustrated with God and this is where it becomes so relatable. Job was the kind of man that lived to please God and yet he received misfortunes, so like we often do, he turns to God and pleads with Him and tells Him how all he has tried to do is love Him and do as He instructs. Finally, God gets his time for rebuttal.

God proceeds to remind Job and us in Chapter 38 that He is the creator of the universe and the power He has is unmatched. God gains nothing from us. He is perfect. He can not learn anything from us, we can not teach Him anything new, and we can't show or do something He hasn't seen or done with the exception of sin. No verse from the book of Job has stuck with me more than the following verse and standing on the dock in the early morning watching God do His work made this verse come alive.

"Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place." Job 38:12

Let me think, hmmm...thinking...uhhhh...no. Wow! That verse really puts me in my place. How often we forget the power of God. I can't say it enough. When I try and justify my accomplishments and obedience toward God I want to think back to this verse and remember the actions my God is taking each and every second without recognition. He is choosing to order the sun to rise each day and set each night. He allows the rain to fill up the clouds and sit there until it is time to release the water and let it drop down upon the Earth. He continues to allow this great ball of mass to suspend in space at the exact distance from the sun for us to live and breathe. How often we forget...

Kicking her way to independence

2010-01-29T12:17:00.005-05:00

It is hard to imagine a moment of pure joy and utter sadness within the same experience. I experienced one of those moments last night as my wife and I bathed Lorelei. It wasn't just a normal bath night. As we laid her in the baby bathtub with a small amount of water, she began to kick repeatedly. Her kicks led to water splashing everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Water splashed on the mirror, all over the counter, on me, on Ashley, and plenty on the floor. It was pure joy for Lorelei as she realized exactly what she was doing. Oh the laughter that followed those kicks was heartwarming. After each bout of steady kicks, she would pause, look over at us, give us that priceless smile, and then continue her playful kicking.

With every kick and splash, laughter increased for both Ashley and I. We realized how much fun our daughter was having and for that moment I, being the type A personality that I am, didn't have a care in the world. I didn't care that I was now soaked, there was water and soap all over the mirror, my socks were drenched from the water splashing over the sides onto the floor, and time was being spent not getting the job of bathing Lorelei done. Oh the insanity. It was definitely a moment of joy.

And then, reality sat in. As I looked at our daughter, I realized just a few months ago we couldn't even lay her in the actual tub. We had to use the small elevated platform that came with the bathtub. Now, she barely fits in the bathtub itself. So, there is some sadness that comes with the joy of the moment. While, I don't get caught up in the sadness, I can't completely expunge it from my mind. Every new accomplishment comes with a realization that her dependence on us is finite.

Super Mario: Video game icon to ultimate friendship igniter

2010-01-25T15:53:00.011-05:00

We all know and love the super fantastic video game character (need I say Icon), Super Mario. I read recently he is the 2nd most distinguishable fantasy character in the world, 2nd only to Pacman. I tell you folks, Pacman has nothing on Super Mario's ability to bring together people and forge a friendship that will last a lifetime. How about that for 45 bucks?

What began as the very last, I mean very last (not so sure if I should spend that last bit of money) Christmas present to Ashley has quickly become the ultimate catalyst to a great friendship. Who knew that a video game could bring four people so close? Wait a minute. I know. God is always thinking about his plans for us even when we're not.

If you really think about it, it all makes sense why an awesome video game designed after the original 8-bit Nintendo Mario that now allows four people to play simultaneously would ignite a friendship. How clever the makers of this game must have been. Although, I can't help but think how this plan could backfire in some circumstances. Some would say it's insane to allow four people to run through a world filled with flying turtles, spike throwing cloudmen, flying fish, and fireball spitting plants with the ability to throw one another, bounce off each other's heads, and smush each other as the board closes in on the slower players. I say it's genius. The excited high fives as we beat yet another seemingly impossible level to the yelling and the blame that occurs just after the last person alive leaps into the molten lava as he/she sees the finish flag in sight are all part of the bonding experience that is Super Mario Wii. For us, maybe it's the game experience along with the coffee & brownie breaks and the lighthearted spiritual conversations that ensue after another level is completed that makes for such memorable moments. While the 3 and 4 AM nights may further sink us into permanent sleep deprived zombies, that is little sacrifice for the amazing friendship that has resulted from these nights.

So, for those who only thought Super Mario was capable of amazing jumps, stomping on turtles heads, and saving the Princess, think again. There is much more to the whole experience that has created memorable moments of joy and silliness for us and our new found friendship.

Humble moments: A bowl and a washcloth

2010-01-24T18:02:00.001-05:00

Before I begin, I am wondering whether I should add “moments of humbleness” to the description of this blog. I don’t know if I will ever experience a more humble moment in my lifetime, but a part of me hopes that this may become a common occurrence, which will encourage me to add the category.

A few weeks prior, I had the pleasure of washing a lady’s feet. No, it was not my wife’s feet, although I would be happy to do so. It certainly would not have been as uncomfortable. Who was it, you might ask? Well, she was a complete stranger actually. Her name I will not reveal; one reason is because I only know her first name and second because I am not completely sure how to spell it. That is not important anyways. The importance of the experience is that I was blessed enough to be able to get down on my knees on the floor with a bowl of lukewarm water and a washcloth and perform one of the most humbling acts I can think of. For that very moment, I was able to physically emulate Jesus when he washed his disciples’ feet on the night of the Passover Feast. Now, please don’t think in any way that I am comparing myself to Jesus. I am simply stating that it is not often we get to (or choose to) emulate Jesus in such a way.

As I knelt down and she placed her feet into the lukewarm water, I felt a sense of panic and embarrassment because I didn’t know what to do. Then, I remembered that my normal day doesn’t include feet washing and it makes sense that I may be slightly nervous. So, I took a breath and prayed to God to help me through this because I didn’t want to make her as uncomfortable as I felt at that moment. I could feel my anxiety exuding from my body and I prayed that God would show me what to do. A sense of peace rushed through me in those short seconds and I began sprinkling the water over her feet and rubbing them down with my hands like I was a foot washing pro. I thanked God for the guidance, finished washing one and then the other, placed her feet on a soft, dry towel and patted them dry. Silence resumed, but that was okay. There was not a big need for conversation in those moments, so I let it be. I felt humbled, yet proud of myself for doing such a task. Then, God tapped on my shoulder and we reminisced about our two feet washing experiences.

To put things into perspective, let me set up two scenarios. In one scenario, an ordinary, sinful man kneels with a nice contemporary designed plastic bowl with rust colored swirls (probably purchased from Pottery Barn or somewhere similar), with carpet on the floor to cushion his knees, a nice hand towel, clean water that came from a sink, and a pair of already well kept, clean feet.

In the other scenario a man kneels, but not an ordinary man; a perfect man unlike the world has ever seen since. The Savior of the world knelt down as a servant on a dirt covered floor with a small handmade rag of some sort, water taken from a nearby stream or pond, a wash basin, and washed 12 pairs of the dirtiest, most calloused feet you could imagine. In those days, people wore sandals (if they were lucky enough to own a pair) and worked in the fields all day and walked on dirt roads. A bath was a luxury not everyone had the opportunity to enjoy and soap was not even a concept at that point in time. So, you can imagine the condition that these twelve pairs of feet were in. Beyond the hygiene issues associated with feet in those days, one of those pairs of feet belonged to a man who betrayed Jesus not long after Jesus washed his feet. Imagine willfully getting on your knees to wash the feet of a man you know is going to betray you. And yet he gladly did it, and would do it again without hesitation.

So while I begin to think about my humble experience as somehow virtuous, I try and keep things in perspective all the while thanking God I was able to share this experience with Him.