What We've Been Up To

Wonder no longer. I will fill that gaping hole in your soul that constantly yearns to be informed of the daily goings-on in the liveses of the Riveses. And I shall do it in bullet-points...

--We bought a used dresser for Jude and Kris is in the process of painting it. It's a long dresser that will serve as a changing table too since space is at a premium in the boys' room.

--"The boys' room" is sort of a misnomer because Jude will not sleep in there for quite a while. But his clothes and diapers will be in there so I guess he can consider it his room, too. He will be in the pack-n-play in our room until Asher graduates to the big-boy twin bed. I want them to share a room eventually, but until everyone is sleeping on about the same schedule, I see no need to have two boys waking in the night when I can keep it down to just one.

--I have decided that the only way that it is economical to have one boy is to have more than one boy. I took down all of Asher's 0-3 month clothes (which I swear I just packed up a few days ago) and was really thankful that we are getting more wear out of them. We have quite an investment wrapped up in baby paraphernalia so I'm glad it will get put to good use again.

--I've also decided I'm really glad we don't ever have to be first-time parents again. As hard as "two under two" will be, I am comforted knowing that at least we aren't going to be blind-sided by how stinking hard it is to go from "life is about us" to "life is about the baby." We are still selfish people and will struggle against that all our lives, but at least we are no longer laboring under the dillusion that it is all about us. Thank you, Asher Owen.

--Kris is working a lot this summer. He is getting the opportunity to put in a lot of contract hours doing audio stuff at one of the larger churches in our area. I am so thankful to have a hard-working husband who cheerfully provides for us.

--I am 35 weeks today!

--Asher spent the night at Mamaw's house last night. She bought him his very own "TA-gah!" (That's "guitar" for those of you that don't speak Asher.) She said he played it, in his car seat, the whole way home from the store. And when I called to check on him this morning, the sound of sweet music could be heard in the background. Pictures and video to come, I'm sure.

--I am currently reading two great books for the two women's bible studies that I am a part of. In my monday morning "Mommies" bible study, we are reading Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper. I have been so challenged by reading the stories of these women whose love for God and desire to serve Him made them willing to face persecution, humiliation, heartache, and sorrow. And they didn't face all of that because they thought that the more miserable they were, the more that God would be pleased with them. They faced those things because they knew that this world is fleeting and they rejected the heresy of "Your best life now" for the biblical teaching of "Your best life later--when this passing world is done and we are with Christ."

In our church's women's bible study, we are reading The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. I have read this one before, but it's subject matter is such that I will spend my whole life trying to wrap my head around the concepts Dr. Sproul addresses. My prayer is that, as God graciously helps me to understand who He is more, that I will have a deepended desire to serve Him with abandon, as the women in the first book that I mentioned did. When reading books on theology, the temptation for me is to just acquire knowledge and then feel really smug and secure in knowing "about" God. But if knowing about Him doesn't lead to a greater humilty before Him and a greater desire to obey Him more fully, then all the knowledge I gain is worthless. That, in no way, lessens the importance of having solid, biblically-sound theology and doctrine, but if "having" it never leads me to "living it out" then it's pointless.

I guess that's a good place to stop for now. Be sure to check back for the much-anticipated "Hospital Bag-Packing Update" post in which I will tell you about how I took out all of my nursing camisoles to pack in my bag and how they are now sitting on our guest bed. It will be riveting, to say the least (that's right, Robin...riveting!)