Henry at B.J.’s Last Week

Home Coming

Henry watching Daddy get home from work today.  He was so excited.  The window is always that dirty.  Dog and toddler.

Eating Spaghetti yesterday.

Job 19:25

Job 19:25 (New International Version)

²⁵ I know that my Redeemer ^[a] lives,
       and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. ^[b]

Some Cousin Photos and After Shots

Teagan and Henry this afternoon.  Looking out the window at Maggie this afternoon.

Some after shots of our kitchen.  The color looks more yellow than it really is in these photos.

It’s too cluttered right now to take more photos.

Some Photos

Henry doing his acrobats Sunday

Fun with Annie-Clare Sunday

Grampa & Henry on Sunday

Henry at Annie’s mom’s house on Saturday

I think this chipmunk lives in Dave’s truck

A view of our house a week or so ago.

We Were Born Compromised

We are the only ones who are dumb enough to believe we are smart enough live a life apart from God and still be happy.

We are all born into this body of sin and death.  No escaping it.  We were born to worship God and it’s such a paradox but so true – only when we become slaves to Christ do we taste true freedom.  Our brains and our feelings can lead us down paths of strongholds and fortresses that keep us captured without even knowing it.  Thank God He knows exactly what we need to set us free.  Sometimes it’s a life long pain like Paul had in 2 Cor 12: 8 – 9 that serves to remind us we are compromised and only His grace is sufficient.  Thank God for the thorns in the flesh whether it’s a physical ailment, the loss of someone so dear or broken relationships.  God uses them to break down the walls of our fortresses that have enslaved us for years. 

Some tips via a fellow slave (me):

Submit your feelings to truth.  So many people (we all) don’t do things because they don’t “feel” like it.  That’s a very enslaved way to live.  As a mom, some days I feel like having a break but I still have to get up all night, feed my child and take care of him all day.

Enforced discipline brings genuine obedience.  I learned this from my pastor in Baltimore.  This is what athletes practice and why Paul compares running the Christian race to being an athlete.  It can be applied to reading the Bible, winning souls for Christ, praying, and being diligent in the mundane things in life like working, cleaning the house and taking care of our family. 

Being diligent in the mundane can glorify God as much as being a missionary in a foreign land.  We can praise and worship God by utilizing  His power to push through our feelings to be faithful in the details of life (my continuing education that never ends :).

Thank God His grace is sufficient.  Something I am learning in a deeper way every day like all of the above.

Isa 26:3

³ You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
      Because he trusts in You.

 

We win freedom on the battlefield of the mind (Breaking Free, Beth Moore)

Isaiah 43:2-3

² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
      And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
      When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
      Nor shall the flame scorch you.
³ For I am the LORD your God,
      The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
      I gave Egypt for your ransom,
      Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

And You Thought You Had Bad Renters

Check this out…

After the tenants cleaned – if you want to call it that…

and three weeks of the owners working hard…

the mess is still unfathomable.

Bad.  I’m talking b-a-d.

Their barn has collapsed due to holes cut in it from the renters.  The interior of the house looks like an earthquake hit.  The trash you see is AFTER three solid weeks of the owners cleaning. 

the good news for everyone (selfishly speaking), the renters are gone.  The house is getting fixed.

Before Pictures

Kitchen

Stairs/ front hall

Master bathroom

Basement Stairs – this doesn’t do it justice. The last two “steps” (if you want to call them that) were missing.  The drywall was new but rotted 1 1/2 up from basement flooding. 

Rare Occasion

Going out to eat is becoming a rare occasion compared to pre-child days and Laundromat days when we that’s all we did.  Today we had a family lunch out and Henry did very well. 

The beginning of the after shots.  I can’t tell how much I love how the paint in the kitchen is turning out.  I love it!

 

We had a very fun weekend with our church friends from Mass.  Thanks for coming up!

My Little Acrobat

Acrobats on the chair.

Daddy does not like this at all.  Mommy thinks it’s smart and cute, but she doesn’t tell Henry.  She just snaps photos.

We bought all these samples and I didn’t choose any of them.

Cousin Love

Teagan and Henry today after I picked her up from school.

A cute grumpy pants.

13 Months

Appreciating the Mommy Things

• Snuggling with Henry even if it means a 13 month old clinging to my head early in the morning
• Juggling groceries, cuddling a fussy boy and a full grocery cart
• Grinding cheerios into the floor in front of an in home appointment
• Being desperate enough for a toddler distraction to open my not so organized cabinets in front of clients
• holding a child while trying to use the facilities
• Not turning back once I’ve made it to the car even if it means “holding it for hours” because turning back adds hours
• Eating animal crackers or raisins with my boy in the car instead of a lunch date
• Learning how to con people into helping me get my coffee to go, so I don’t spill or burn
• Pulling a full grocery cart vs. pushing – it’s almost impossible to push and lug a child
• Privacy is a thing of the past and I wouldn’t trade it for anything
• Hugs
• Laughs
• Love
• Henry

Unfailing Love

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

(Isa. 54:10)

A Moment Worth Recording

Henry has been standing up holding onto furniture for several months.  Maybe even since six months.  He’s still not walking.  He has a fear of falling.  He’ll stand up on his own without holding on if he’s on our bed.  He’s been doing that for a while.  He’ll stand and walk along furniture, but he won’t walk by himself and he won’t stand up without hanging on unless he doesn’t notice.  Our house only having wood floors may have something to do with this.  Yesterday he took some steps by himself.  Tonight he stood by himself in the middle of the hallway and took off towards the washer and dryer.  I think he forgot. 

In the Wake of a Spaghetti Dinner

A little fussy

A little happy

A little naughty

A Sneak Peak at our Windows

Helping Aunt Sissie with flowers