Happy 2nd Birthday Caleb!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Caleb!! Enjoy his 2 year pics:

Highlights from his year: Caleb had a big year! He learned to walk around 14 months. He had been saying words, but has really taken off in his speaking in the last few months. Some of his favorite words are: Ball, No, Elmo, Butt, Damma (Grandma-haha), Dum (gum, haha), Becky... and the list goes on. You can really see his personality coming through, and he has the temper of a 2 year old. He is really into Elmo now, and loves all of his Elmo stuff, and Bert & Ernie! He is a solid little boy, over 95 pecentile for height and weight! He sure keeps his mama busy!

Why I love Caleb: He is a sweet little boy, he loves to read books, and he loves to make a mess! He will say bed, bed, when he wants to snuggle, and won't let me get up until he is done snuggling. God created Caleb and picked me as his mama. I am so blessed to be raising this little guy and I look forward to what God has in store for him.

Happy Birthday Caleb, we LOVE you!

Here are more of my pictures for my non-facebook friends (and FYI, I fixed the links in the post 2 down):

WSCC Staff Party: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=192083&l=ec386&id=559060122

Christmas 2008: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=194444&l=46e3b&id=559060122

More Christmas 2008: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=194449&l=f53cc&id=559060122

Santa, Christmas cookies, & more... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=192072&l=1e908&id=559060122

Caleb's 2nd Birthday: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=205550&l=3f984&id=559060122

Kids Say..

I just wanted to share something really cute Julia said today:

We were eating ice cream, and she said out of no where "I really like Jesus, when are we going to go the Heaven so we can play with him?"

How sweet is that!

I will post an update on Caleb and his 2nd Birthday soon!

New Christmas Tradition

I know how important traditions can be for families. We do a lot of the typical Christmas "traditions" decorating the tree, visiting Santa, opening presents on Christmas morning in new pjs (thanks to Grandma this year), etc. I decided I wanted to start a new tradition to focus us on Jesus, so I thought it would be fun to make Jesus a birthday cake, and on Christmas morning have "cake and eggs" for breakfast. Yes, I am going to feed my kids cake for breakfast, and they will think I am the coolest mom in the world! I will also be setting a place at our table for Jesus that morning to remind us that he is always with us.

We made the cake tonight, and will frost it on Christmas Eve, and I was talking with the kids asking them if they know who we were making it for, why, etc. They knew all of that. I asked them, do you know how we get to Heaven? Ethan's answer "By being good, and obeying your mom and dad" and I said "Well that is important, but that is not how we get to heaven" Then Julia chimed in "In an AIRPLANE!!!" Ethan and I both started laughing. And Julia goes "Well you can't get there in a car or a boat!!!!!" My kids are the best! I then went on to tell them that we have to accept Jesus as our Savior, and that it is a gift from God, and that is why we give each other gifts, to celebrate the greatest gift we could ever receive, Jesus!!! It was a great night with my kids that I will cherish forever.

Cutest Thing Ever....

Ethan and Julia had just finished brushing their teeth, and were talking while I was cleaning up the sink. A side note, Julia always likes to tell us about her dreams, and she must have been telling Ethan about one, and this is what I heard:

Ethan: "Julia why do you dream so much?"

and without a pause her response was

Julia: "Because dreams come true!"

Is that not the sweetest thing you have ever heard!? I love my kids, they are such a blessing!

"Bring the Rain"

“I can count a million times
people asking me how i
can praise You with all that i’ve gone through

the question just amazes me –
can circumstances possibly
change who i forever am in You

maybe since my life was changed
long before these rainy days
it’s never really ever crossed my mind
to turn my back on you oh Lord
my only shelter from the storms
but instead i draw closer through these times
so i pray


bring me joy, bring me peace
bring the chance to be free
bring me anything that brings You glory
and i know there’ll be days
when this life brings me pain
but if that’s what it takes to praise You
Jesus bring the rain

i am Yours regardless of
the dark clouds that may loom above
because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
by suffering Your destiny
so tell me what’s a little rain
so i pray..
holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty…”

~ “Bring the Rain”.. by Mercy Me

I LOVE this song. It is how I feel with the trials I have been through lately, circumstances cannot change who I forever am in Christ Jesus! I have grown so much in my relationship with Jesus and have learned to trust God in ways I never have before. God is so good! He will work all things together for his good. I have hope for my future, becuase I know who is in control!

For my non Facebook friends here are my latest pictures...

Halloween 2008 : http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=172522&l=32ad9&id=559060122

November 2008: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=181829&l=12603&id=559060122

Thanksgiving 2008: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=184219&l=0882c&id=559060122

Christmas Decorating: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=187165&l=20451&id=559060122


Have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! Enjoy time with your family and friends. And remember Jesus IS the reason for the season. Let us celebrate the birth of our Savior, Gods greatest gift to us!

Pics

Life has been very busy, and exhausting, but God is good! Maybe I will have a minute to give a real update soon, but for now, for my non-facebook friends, here are links to my latest pictures:

Pumpkin carving fun:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=171196&l=b2e8a&id=559060122

Random Oct pics:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=169776&l=0474c&id=559060122

Kids hair cuts:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=169774&l=4e677&id=559060122

Pumpkin Farm:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=165153&l=1f00a&id=559060122

Sept 2008:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=163779&l=78d07&id=559060122

Moms conference:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=163029&l=5d2ec&id=559060122

Catching Up

I have been really bad about updating this so I thought I would do a quick update. I had hand surgery on my right hand on the 16th, will have the left done in about a month. I am so blessed to have such great family and friends to help me! I have no idea what I would do without them! I can't lift more than a coffee cup with my right hand for three weeks, so this should be fun! Changing diapers, and many task just take a lot longer than they used to. I pray God heals my hands because I need them!

My best friend Taryn and her husband Donald just visited from Washington. It was so good to see them and I had fun hanging out with them. I miss having Taryn around!! Pictures to come soon.

I start work with West Side Community Church tomorrow. I will be working Mon. and Wed. from 9am-3pm. This jobs is such a blessing and I am excited to start. Julia is not so sure though. She kept crying tonight saying "Mommy I don't want you to go to work, I want you to stay home!" And I am so blessed that my mom will be watching them on Mondays and Grandma Judi will be watching them Wednesdays. How perfect!

I know I am late with my pics from August, but I have been busy! I have decided to just link to my facebook albums, for those of you who still don't have it!! I will not be doing any more "Google albums" so I don't have to post them twice. I have a lot of pics from August to share, seriously, TONS!!! Again, these have already been posted to facebook.
Enjoy!

Picture links:

First Day of School:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=154536&l=38b40&id=559060122

Baptism:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=151370&l=d1521&id=559060122

General August Pics:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=146337&l=310cb&id=559060122

More general Aug pics:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=151366&l=64a56&id=559060122

Zoo:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=148031&l=9bf07&id=559060122

More Zoo:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=148038&l=7cce8&id=559060122

Going to the fair...
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=141924&l=0fe64&id=559060122

Vacation Bible School:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=145322&l=06efa&id=559060122

Friday Night Live:
8/1/08
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=141919&l=76c56&id=559060122

8/15/08
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=145328&l=22656&id=559060122

West Side Community Church Events:
Strawberry Social
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=146290&l=36544&id=559060122

Service & picnic on the property
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=146294&l=73506&id=559060122

Japan Children's Museum:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=141548&l=6f0c6&id=559060122

Harbor Days Parade:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=141536&l=74226&id=559060122

I am FREE!!

I love this picture! Thanks for taking it Judi!! This was taken at my baptism tonight 08/24/08. When asked if I had anything to say I yelled "Jesus is Lord", and when I came up I said "I am Free" It was a very special night, and I am so thankful to have this awesome picture to remember it by!! If you notice the sunlight on the water looks like a cross!

I was baptised as an infant but felt like I should be baptized again after truly coming to know Jesus as my savior. As I was looking up information on Baptism, I found this: "Baptism is for those who can confess that Jesus is Lord. Once a believer makes that profession of faith, they should be immersed in the water to represent the death, burial, and resurrection." I was baptized in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ as a public testimony of my salvation.

My parents and my grandparents, Sean's parents, my boss and his wife, and others from church were there. I am so blessed to have so many family and friends who love and support me! Over 40 people were baptized tonight, and God deserves all the GLORY!!

July pictures and a clip

Here are the rest of my pictures from July, don't forget to read the captions!

July 2008

Here is a clip of Caleb saying his FAVORITE word "BALL"!!!!!! "Ball" was like the only word Caleb would say ("mom" and "that" sometimes). He is starting to say more now: bear, baby, and a few others.



Note: If you are reading this from Facebook, click on "view original post" to be able to watch the clip.

Cherry Festival and Church Pictures

Here are my pictures from Cherry Festival, what fun!
I used the captions to explain what event they are etc:

Cherry Festival 08

And here are some pictures of our church building. We had a desert social on Wed. night and prayed over the building. It is so exciting to be a part of West Side and to see God working!

WSCC Social on Property (July)