My Long-Term To-Do List

There are things that run across my mind, things that prompt me to think, "I gotta do that someday!" I'm unfortunately not a very ambitious or driven person. Not that I am a sluggard...I get to work on time, I completed my degree in 4 years, I rarely ever spray Febreeze on my jeans so that I can wear them one more time before having to wash them, but I do have a fairly laid back approach to life. I may not be consumed with acheiving greatness, but I'm not a slacker either.

So long-term to-do lists are really not my things. I like to wait and see what occurs and then tell people I totally meant for that to happen. But there are lots of things I would like to do in this lifetime so I thought I would jot them down...just to see what happens.

1. Learn to play the mandolin.

2. Have a daughter named Elinor.

3. Take up photography and get really good at it.

4. Become completely fluent in Spanish.

5. Learn how to sew.

6. Ride the 10 biggest roller caosters in the country.

7. Memorize Romans.

8. Actually read all of the books I own.

9. Celebrate my 50 year wedding anniversary.

10. Develop a green thumb and grow flowers (and fruits and vegetables that I will use to make soup for my neighbors.)


One day, there will be many checkmarks next to these items. Then maybe I will add more goals...or maybe not.

On a completely unrelated note, scroll down to the picture of Asher's legs and um...boy...and tell me if you don't see a picture of a cat. His legs look like paws and those two light spots look like eyes. Weird, right?

My Friend Robin

Robin seemed to be a little hurt that I dedicated a whole post to John Mayer and Sheryl Crow. I even had the nerve to post a picture of them. My excuse was that Robin does not have stock photos on Google Images so I could not possibly have posted one of her. She retorted (that's right--retorted) that I probably never bothered to Google her to find out. She's right. I have not. So I decided to. Please copy and paste (I tried to link--it didn't work) this address to view a picture of Robin Stephenson.

www.rolltide.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8000&ATCLID=240138

This isn't really the Robin I know, but it is a picture of a Robin Stephenson. It's the best I can do until Google gets on the ball.

It's a...

No mistaking that! We were thrilled to discover today that our little miracle is a boy! His name is Asher Owen Rives and he is right on track. The ultrasound showed that he is growing and healthy and we could not be more grateful. I was SO nervous going in! They didn't let Kris go back with me at first so I was laying on the table as the technician began the process of measuring him. She asked me if I was OK and I told her that I was just really scared that something went wrong and that I've had some problems with previous pregnancies. So she turned the screen for a minute and let me see his little heart beating away! I just started crying--I was so relieved! After about 15 minutes of measuring, she went and got Kris and then let us see the screen. She pointed out all of his little parts. He was facing my spine the whole time. She tried so hard to get him to turn around so we could see his face, but he was apparently not in the mood. So we have some great profile and back shots, but none of his face. Here is one of his whole body and of his sweet little legs!




We know that it is God alone who has sustained this heartbeat and knit together this little body. We are so grateful that He was pleased to allow this life to begin and continue. Yet another example of how the Lord has truly lavished us with grace upon grace. Soli Deo gloria!

Friday Night...

...I'll be hanging out with these people. Maybe hanging out is not quite accurate. Maybe it's more like they will be on a stage and I'll be sitting on a large grassy slope really far away. Either way, I'm excited!

thoughts on motherhood

We were over at the Vogels last night and Rachel and I were discussing motherhood and all that it entails. She said something really powerful that I had never thought about before. She told me to think about the kind of child I want to raise and the person that I want my child to become...and then to become that myself. I have to be whatever it is I expect of my children. If I want them to be lovers of God's Word, I have to love it. If I want them to be tender-hearted and forgiving, I have to be that first. It may sound really obvious or simple, but I was totally humbled as I realized that my children will be little walking reflections of me. And if I am not reflecting the character of Christ, I cannot think that all the training and teaching and discipling will make up for the lack of godliness in my own life. So it's not that I want to have all these Christ-like characteristics merely so I can pass them on to my children; I want to have them because my love for God requires nothing less. But it is helpful to have the perspective that recognizes I can only lead my children as far as I have been. I have a long way to go.