Sip N See

On Sunday, my very good friends held a "Sip n See" for Asher and me. If you are unfamiliar with this, it is kind of like a baby shower but the baby is actually there...and you see him...and you sip something (punch and tea in our case.)

It was a lot of fun! My good friends that I hardly ever get to see anymore where there. Here are a few pictures...

Angie and Asher


Tina, Asher, and me


Hilary, Donna, and Reese


Stacy, Sandy, Kara, Carolyn, and baby Cameron


And here are a few of Asher in his new bumbo that Donna gave him. He loves it!

Date Night

Kris and I have been wanting to see Shrek the Third so Asher's wonderful Mamaw came over to babysit last night. We haven't been to a movie in quite a while, so we were really looking forward to going on a date. Since we didn't want to be gone too long, we went to the theater near our house. We usually like to go somewhere else, because this theater is not the cleanest. We were reminded why we don't go there as the evening progessed.

First of all, it was filthy! To find a seat, we literally had to pick the one with the least popcorn on it and brush it off. It was so bad that Kris actually went and told a manager how gross it was. A few emplyees came in and started sweeping the trash around, not really "up." Then there were problems with the movie so it started late.

The movie finally begins and we chuckled at a few things, but it wasn't all that great. I was so tired and missing Asher on top if it, so I wasn't having the best time. Then, with about a quarter of the movie left, the screen goes blank. We looked at each other and Kris said "Let's get our money back and get out of here."

So after haggling with the manager, who wanted to give us passes and not a refund for a movie theater that we never intend on going to again, we got our money back and went home. The tickets, by the way, were $9.00 each! Ridiculous! Our new policy is to wait until movies come out on DVD and rent them from the $1 a day kiosk at the grocery store.

To sum up...Shrek is not that good, tickets cost way too much, and I would rather spend a night at home with my husband and baby then go out. I think I'm officially old now.

Our Family

I feel the need to post

...but I can't think of anything fascinating to write. I really wanted to come up with some thought-provoking, insightful words to really give my readers something to chew on, but that just doesn't seem like it's going to happen. I haven't slept through the night in over 3 months so my brain activity is not quite up to par. So I'll just give you a few tidbits of what is going on in our lives now.

1. Asher is doing great. He is sleeping better (although right now he is in his bed protesting his morning nap...loudly!) He is smiling all the time (except for when the camera is out.) He is 14 weeks today!

This one is a little dark, but you can still see the smile.


Here's one with Uncle Micah.




2. Kris has decided to get his teaching certificate. He loves working for his dad but the drive (over an hour each way) is getting to be too much, especially when you have an adorable baby to come home to. He hopes to find a PE job because his degree is in health so most of his upper level classes are Kinesiology based, but will probably also take a qualifying exam for grades 4-8, just in case a PE job doesn't come up. He will be a fantastic teacher and any school will be incredibly blessed to have him!

3. South Beach diet fun continues! It has been profitable though because I have lost almost 20 lbs. and Kris has lost over 20! I have promised myself not to eat the way I did during my pregancy with Asher when I am pregnant next time (which will be quite a while from now, Lord willing.) I'm almost at my pre-preg weight, but in order to get to my wedding day weight, I still have about 20 more to go. My goal is to be there by my birthday(Nov. 18), which is 9 months after I had him...following the 9 months on, 9 months off theory.

4. I entered the "Real Simple" magazine organizing contest. You send in 2 pictures of a room that needs help and hope they pick you to come and work their magic! Here are the 2 photos I submitted of our library/recording studio/office/sewing room/guest room.

I should totally win, right? I'll let you know...

I guess that's it! Have a great day!

A lot changes in 3 months...

I can hardly believe how much he has grown already! The sagging skin and wrinkled forehead are gone! In its place are fat rolls and two chins!

This weekend we will attend the NICU reunion. Apparently every year, The Woman's Hospital hosts a reunion for all the babies that have been in the NICU. I think it is to encourage those of us with babies still trying to catch up by seeing the older kids that have risen above their tiny beginnings. The nurses come too and I'm sure they are encouraged by seeing their little patients doing so well. We are definitely looking forward to it!

p.s. new pics on Shutterfly :)

I forgot to tell you...

I finished Asher's bedding!

And he is sleeping in his bed!!! I started the whole "Babywise" thing last week and he is doing great with it. He sleeps in his own bed and takes several naps during the day---which he never did before. I was worn out and so was he! Last night was a little rough, but he has been averaging about 4 hours from feeding to feeding during the night. It was every hour and a half so I am thrilled with the progress! He fusses a little when he goes down for naps, but at night, he goes right to sleep.

He is almost 13 weeks and packing on the pounds (roughly 10 of them.)


****UPDATE: We went to the dr. today (5/8). He's been waking up at night not able to breathe very well--she thinks he has acid reflux :( But the good news is he weighed 11 lbs. 4 oz. !!! Granted that was with a diaper, a onesie, and shorts on, but still...! *****


Here are a few recent pictures...

Check out the leg chub! We are most proud of it!




He went over to Tye's house and played a few days ago. Here is a great picture of the two of them...what do you think the caption should be for this one?

Cute little man

Art for Asher

I had this cute picture made for Asher's room. Christine at dreammore did such a great job!

Not a lot happening...

Things are pretty slow around here, which is good, but I thought I would give a run-down anyway of what is going on the the life of the Riveses.

*Grammar note: Rives is singular. In order to make it plural, you must add an "es" to the end since it ends in an "s." Contrary to popular opinion, you do not add an "apostrophe s" becuase that would indicate possession, not plurality. It looks stupid, but "Riveses" is correct.

Let us continue...

1. Asher will be 10 weeks old on Wednesday. We went to the dr. today and he is a whopping 7 lb. 14 oz. and 21 1/4 inches long! Poor little guy is still in the 5th percentile, but he is trying his hardest to catch up!

2. Kris and I are doing the South Beach Diet. As it turns out, I am SO not genetically wired for baby weight (or any weight) to just fall off me, so I'm having to work at it! Not fun, but I have a closet full of clothes that I want to wear. Maternity clothes, after you have had the baby, are just not cute.

3. I am still working on the bed skirt! I'm so close to finishing...I just need Asher to take longer naps (or I need to stop typing and go finish it now...)

4. There are new pictures on Shutterfly.

5. We have cooked at home everyday for the past 3 weeks with very few exceptions! That is huge for us and we are very proud of ourselves!

6. I got a new jogging stroller .

I think that's about it for now...Asher just woke up!

Asher Rives: Man About Town

Asher had a busy week...

He got to meet his cousin, Reagan.



He went over to Josiah's house and played with him and Tye.





Then, he got to meet my cousin, Ashley's little girl, Gracie. They were born 4 days apart. Guess which baby came early!



He stays pretty busy these days. How he does it on so little sleep though is truly remarkable!

The Bumper is Finished!

...now I begin the bed skirt!

Asher and Josiah

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desired granted is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12




We were so excited to go visit Dirk and Kathy's new little boy, Josiah, today. He is absolutely beautiful (I mean, handsome...sorry Dirk!) After both of us experiencing the loss of two babies during early pregnancy, it was extra special to be sitting there with babies in our arms. This time last year, we both wondered if the Lord would ever grant us children and now we are blessed with healthy baby boys!

Josiah is already a little bigger than Asher, but Asher is handling it well. He's a secure guy! I've decided, however, that I am going to make a onesie for him to wear when we go out that says "I am 8 weeks! Don't glare at my mother!" Everyone assumes he is 2 or 3 weeks old so I look like a horrible mother for having him out in public. But this Wednesday, he will be 2 months! But I digress...
We are thrilled that Josiah is here!! We rejoice with the Littlefields and Thompsons at the birth of this new little one!

More pictures on Shutterfly!

Stop by and check them out!

You are not going to believe this!

If you know me at all, or if you have read previous posts of me bemoaning my lack of "Martha Stewart-ness," you will be shocked to hear what I am doing!

After months of searching and finding nothing, I have decided to make Asher's bumper pads and dust ruffle! Everything I found in the stores or online was either way too expensive or way too ugly. So I went to Hancock Fabric and found these two lovely fabrics and am in the process of making the bedding. Here's the thing though...I don't really know how to sew!




Here are the two fabrics that I have selected.The chocolate brown polka dot will be the dust ruffle and here is the bumper pad waiting patiently on the floor for me to sew the ties on to it.

The goal is to get it finished in the next few days...we'll see!









And because no post is complete without an Asher picture...

My Boys

One Month Old!

Asher reached the all important "one month old" milestone yesterday! He celebrated by nursing, then sleeping, then staring at the wall for a while. That boy knows how to party.


He also had some company the other day. His buddy, Tye Leatherman, came over to play. Asher is confident that he can reach, possibly surpass, Tye's size in just a few months.

Guess who this post will be about...

If you said Asher Rives, you are correct.

Tomorrow he will be 3 weeks old. He is doing great. He is finally starting to get the hang of nursing. The bottles that they gave him in the NICU turned him in to what is known as a "lazy sucker," but he is recovering nicely from that and has almost resigned himself to the fact that he will have to work a little harder to get his meals now. He is not always happy about that, but he is coping. It is nice to not have to pump so much...speaking of pumping...you have to go to
Dad Labs. It's a website where dads try out various baby products. Trust me...it's hilarious!

Anyway, back to Asher, I posted some more pictures on Shutterfly. I've never taken so many pictures in my life. It's amazing how much you change in a matter of weeks.

Kris and I were discussing how much life has changed and how the Lord has used Asher already to reveal our selfishness and laziness. He's only been here 3 weeks and already I see the sanctifying effect that having a child produces. Not that the Lord doesn't accomplish sanctification in His own through other ways, but I have never been as humbled and as dependent on the Him for wisdom and strength and mercy as I have been in the past few weeks. We are so grateful to God for the grace He has shown us by pointing out our sinful ways that we were oblivious to. Through Asher being here, we are being shown(and will continue to be shown) areas where we need to repent...what mercy not to allow us to persist in sin, but to give us opportunity to recognize it and, by grace alone, turn from it.

As for other changes, our house has been taken over...and I haven't even had a shower yet. Family and friends have been very genorous and given us clothes and diapers and various other baby necessities. Our house is officailly Baby Central now. I look around at the swing and the bouncer and the bassinette and am in awe of how quickly the decor has changed around here---for the better, of course!

We're Home!

Finally, we got to bring Asher home today! It has been a hard 2 weeks, but we could not be more grateful to have him here with us. The Lord has brought him so far during this time--he breathes on his own, he eats like a champ, and he could not be sweeter! He is sleeping in his bassinette right now so I thought I'd take a minute to share some more pictures (check the Shutterfly site) and let you all know he is home!!

Pictures of Asher's First Week

I have uploaded the pictures that we have taken so far on to Shutterfly (thanks for the suggestion, Robin!) Just click on the link on the left side of the screen.

Please go by and admire our incredibly beautiful baby boy!

My Sweet Little Boy!

Asher is here! He was born on Wednesday the 7th at 2:05 pm. My due date was March 21 so, needless to say, we were caught a little off guard. I, of course, had NOTHING ready...if this doesn't cure my procrastination, I don't know what will! I am working on getting all of the pictures uploaded to Flickr, but for now, here is a glimpse of our little guy!

He is doing SO much better now. He was downgraded tonight to the Level II NICU which means that the doctors are confident that his lung issues have been corrected. His next big hurdles are to maintain a consistent respiration and to eat on his own. He currently is being fed through the tube in his nose and through the IV in his poor little head. When all of this happens, he will get to come home with us!

We are doing really good. We are so grateful for the prayers that everyone has been lifting up for us. It was very hard to go home last night and leave him there, but God has been so faithful and we trust Him to bring him home to us at the appointed time.

Asher is the sweetest little thing! He is very strong and big for making his appearance 6 weeks early! We have already discovered little things about his personality and preferences that he has. It is so amazing to see him there...proof that two really do become one.

I will write more later beause there is so much to share about the whole event...but for now I just wanted you all to see him!

6 Weird Things About Me

I have seen this on a couple of blogs and decided that it would be great to know more about each other. So I will start and then I will be checking the blogs of others to learn what is weird about you! Then you tag 6 people and on and on the fun goes. If you don't blog (like our buddy Jason Stephenson,) then you can leave your weirdness in the comment section (which would clearly be commenting, not blogging.) So here goes...


1. I have at least 10 lip products in my purse at any given time.

Lip gloss, Carmex, lip exfoliator, lipstick, you name it. Sometimes I will have 2 of the same thing.

2. I love to fold clothes but I hate to put them away.

I can sit for hours and fold laundry, but the thought of actually putting them where they go nauseates me. I make myself do it, but I really hate it.

3. I hate pulp in orange juice.

I definitely have food-texture issues and this is at the top of the list of things that gross me out. I hate the way it feels in my mouth so I buy only pulp-free juice!

4. I am addicted to Tetris.

I have a little hand-held Tetris game that I play way too often. My record, just so you know, is 630 lines. You don't want to know how long that took.

5. I love Kenny Loggins.

I know, I know...but I do. I love his music (except for Highway to the Danger Zone.) For those of you who do not know who he is, call your parents right now
and ask them why they did not love you enough to expose you to the greatness.

6. I could eat at Jason's Deli every day of the week.

I love that place and I don't get sick of it. Maybe it's because the first Jason's Deli is in my hometown of Beaumont, Texas. Maybe it's because Kris and I went their on our first fight, I mean, date. Maybe it's because it is the best
place ever. I'm not sure why. But if you ever ask me where I want to eat, I
may refrain from saying it, but it will be the first place that pops into my head.


Now it is your turn! If you read this, consider yourself tagged and list your 6 weird things on your blog or in the comment section. Then tag a few people to join in!

Sneak Preview

We went in for our check-up (32 weeks!) on Tuesday. The nurse took my blood pressure, as she always does, BEFORE we hear Asher's heartbeat, so it is always sky high. Then I hear it, I'm fine, and the BP returns to normal.

But this day's visit went a little differently. The nurse said she would just let Dr. Schroeder check my BP again when she came in. So Dr. Schroeder comes in and asks me how I'm doing. I mention that I was a little worried because all day Monday and then on Tuesday morning, I hadn't felt any movement. I told her I felt a little that day, but definitely less than I had been feeling. She got this really concerned look on her face and told me that she thought it would be best if I went down to the hospital and got checked out. She is an "err on the side of caution" kind of doctor, which is fine with me! She looks at my feet and notices they are really swollen and then asks me if I have been seeing spots, which I have. Then she takes my bp again, AFTER saying she wants me to go to the hospital. It was 160/90! Like it is going to drop after she tells me that.

So Kris and I drive down to Women's Hospital to be monitored and have a complete bio-physical profile done on Asher, which consisted on blood work and a thorough ultrasound. We were put in a room and I was hooked up and poked and told to lay on my side. Eventually, the nurse, who was super nice, came and got me to take me to get the ultrasound. The technician did the ultrasound and told us that Asher was behaving very well and doing all the tricks she needed him to do to know that he was OK. It was so amazing getting to see his little face. The image is grainy, but we could tell what he looks like and that he has chubby cheeks! The doctor that came in to check Asher out also said things looked good and that he is weighing in at a hefty 4 lb. 4 oz. right now. They assure me that that is not overly huge (58th percentile) but considering I still have roughly 8 weeks, I'm a little nervous!

Then we go back to the room, they discharge me, tell me everything looks good, and send us in our way. We were so thankful that Asher is doing well and reminded again how we are completely dependent on God to supply each heartbeat. We can do nothing on our own. We must look to Him to supply what we need, from heartbeats to salvation. So after our little "sneak peak," we are beyond excited and so anxious to meet this little guy!

of frogs and hippos

My in-laws gave me a gift card to Pottery Barn for Christmas. So far, I have purchased one $6 item at the PB Outlet for myself (one of those stainless steel bars in the shape of soap that is supposed to get the smell of onion or garlic off of your hands after you chop it) and 3 things for Asher. My friends with kids always used to tell me that once you have kids, it's more fun to get them things. It is so true!

I bought a monogrammed stocking for next non-specific Winter Holiday (some of you may call it Christmas,) a combination diaper/wipe/changing pad thing that is in his very cute colors of chocolate brown and light green, and a frog towel (also personalized.)

I liked the hippo towel. But I am boycotting all things hippo. I was recently traumatized by watching the National Geographic Channel. On it, they had a show in which a sweet little baby hippo got brutally murdered by a big mean man hippo for no good reason. It was awful and I cried. And now I do not care for hippos.

But I really like these towels and I wanted to get one for Asher. The pink bunny was out and the lamb looked more like a brown pig to me, so I went with the frog. What is strange about this is that if I ever see a live frog, I freak out. I have gotten in trouble on several occasions by my husband for screaming when I saw a frog. He gets mad at me and tells me I am only allowed to scream like that if I am being attacked, but I just can't help it. So the fact that I ordered a frog towel is really uncharacteristic of me.

The towel is really cute though. The only bad part is that instead of being just a regular hooded towel, it has frog feet and hands attached to it. It looks a little like a terrycloth frog pelt. If I would have seen the feet and hands that are spread out ready to suction on to something, I probably would not have purchased this item. But it's here and it's got his name on it, so it is ours to keep. And one day I will post a very cute picture of my little boy in his frog towel.

Cooking and Entertaining...Jamie-style

Tonight I hosted a Southern Living at Home party. I had a good turn-out and a lot of fun hanging out with good friends! I have had this party on my calendar for several weeks now. So that means I planned what to serve and went to the grocery store well in advance and then prepared everything yesterday so all I would have to do is lay it out today...right?

Wrong.

I was on the internet searching the Food Network's website at about 11 last night trying to find some good dips to make. Then, during the workshop I had to go to today, I made a grocery list. Then, I went to HEB when I got out at 3. Then, I went home, scrambled to make it all, cleaned up the house, and sat down on the couch to rest because I am in the process of making a human. Then, the doorbell rang and my friend Susanna was there ready to set up all her Southern Living paraphenalia. She got set up, friends showed up, and a good time was had by all (I hope!)

I kept thinking, as I was at HEB, "Rebecca would not be here now. She would have made all of this yesterday." But I managed to pull it all together, in spite of my lack of preparation. Maybe one day I'll learn or maybe not ;)

Let's just say that my giftings lie elsewhere...I'm not sure where, just elsewhere!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have to admit, I do not know much about this man. I have heard positive and negative things about him, but have never really looked carefully into who he was or the approach he took to provoke change regarding civil rights. But as I was reading some articles on Desiring God, I ran across one Piper wrote about his church's focus on racial harmony. In it, he referenced Dr. King's Letter from Birmingham Jail, written on April 16, 1963.

I have to say, it is probably the most concise and well-written commentary on civil rights issues that I have ever read. The letter was addressed to the clergymen in the South that were either attacking him for his position or encouraging him to back off a little, even though they agreed with his stance, and give it some time. It honestly made me think, if I were living with the choice to either be ostracized for associating with black people or to just lay low enough to where I never had to take a stance either way, what would I have done? I found it interesting that he was more critical, not of his the overtly racist people who hated anyone not white, but the average person who simply did nothing, namely the average Christian.

I would encourage you to read this letter. His remarks about the church are especially convicting. Like most great thinkers, he hit a lot of things spot on, and fumbled on some major things as well. I think God purposes that so that we can keep the right perspective of these men...simply, that they are men, sinful and imperfect, but granted a perspective that the rest of us do not see in order that we may be encouraged, corrected, or informed. All this to say, I liked the letter and I would love to hear your thoughts on it, too.

Fun Book Meme?

Robin tagged me to participate in a "Fun Book Meme" (I'd never heard of it either.)

Here are the rules:

1)Grab the book closest to you
2)Open to page 123, go down to the fourth sentence.
3)Post the text of the following 3 sentences on your blog
4)Name the author and book title
5)Tag three people to do the same

However, I must offer this caveat. I teach second grade and am on my lunch break (the whole, fabulous 25 min.) so the book closest to me right now differs from what it would be if I was doing this at home.) But here goes...

"After a brief shower of orange juice, low clouds of sunny-side up eggs moved in followed by pieces of toast. Butter and jelly sprinkled down for the toast. And most of the time, it rained milk afterwards."

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

This book does not have 123 pages, so I went to page 12. (Is that OK, Robin?)

So now I tag anyone else who read this blog who isn't Kathy, Rebecca, or Robin :)

Mookie-sitting

We are dog-sitters this week. Our good friends, the Sokolowskis, have gone out of town and we are watching their 4th child, Mookie for them. Mookie is an interesting little guy. He loves to lay on the couch, so he and I are getting along quite well. He was a little disoriented yesterday, trying to figure out why he had just been abandoned, but this morning, (at 4am!) he was back to his old self. Apparently his day gets started a little earlier than ours. Kris (much to my delight as I hope it is a reflection of things to come) got up with him and let him out and back in. He was wide awake at this point.

He even enjoyed a little quality time playing with his latex chicken.


In Mookie's mind, the chicken has been bad and he likes to correct it.


There is also a "bad chameleon."




We are told that every once in a while, Mookie works up the courage to play with it, but not often. The bad chameleon makes a scary noise and sticks out his tongue, where as the bad chicken just takes it without retaliating--much more Mookie's speed.

When he's not sleeping or disciplining his latex animals, he is staring at the door waiting for Laurie to come through it. I keep telling him only 2 more sleeps and then she will be here, but he doesn't care.

But all in all, good times at the Rives' with our friend Mookie.

This really isn't a "baby blog"...

...all evidence to the contrary. But it's where I'm at now, and I figure that since I am only remembering about 43% of what happens on any given day, it doesn't hurt to have a record of these things to look back on later. So here's the update...

We went to the doctor today, where we ran into Josiah's mom and dad. I weigh more than I ever thought possible (I'll spare you the number) but everything looks good. Asher is in sort of a "C" position, where his head is downward, but to the left and his bottom is against the right side of my uterus. He still has a nice strong heartbeat. It always really good to hear the sound of it beating! I measured at 31 weeks, but am just starting my 30th. So now I start going every two weeks up until week 36. Then I will go each week until he finally is here! We're getting closer!!

Asher's Room (and new bed)

I have decided that Asher's room will be in these shades of green and brown. I registered for everything at Target in this line that DID NOT have an elephant on it, with the exception of this pillow. I can handle one elephant, not a room full. There is such a thing as too much elephant, believe it or not.

I really like these colors together and most of the bedding is either a stripe, solid, or polka dot in the green and brown. The only thing that won't work for me is the bumper, which is way elephant overkill. So I am looking for a chocolate brown fabric with tiny white polka-dots and I am going to have it made.

We (and by that, I mean Kris) are going to paint his room with the light green at the top and then a light brown or taupe at the bottom with a white chair rail dividing the two colors. I want to do all white furniture. I think it is going to look really sweet once it all comes together. I'm excited!

And here is Asher's baby bed...


It's one of those convertable cribs that can be changed into a toddler bed and then a full size bed, but we are planning on getting some mileage out of this baby bed. It will be staying a baby bed for, Lord willing, seveal more babies.

Thankful Thursday #3

Since it has been about 5 months since my last Thankful Thursday post, I thought it would be appropriate to have another one. So here are 10 things that I am utterly grateful for this Thursday afternoon (as before, in no particular order.)

1. That Asher Owen Rives is making me look like this and that he is growing and kicking me and keeping me up at at night!

2. Reading through Ezekiel with my husband.

3. Our electricity bill being under $50 for the second month in a row.

4. A new compressor in our refrigerator.

5. The warm fellowship we have enjoyed with good friends over the past few weeks.

6. When I woke up this morning, there were new mercies.

7. The 24/7 Pregnancy Pillow that Laura let me borrow--it's fabulous!

8. Finally making something for dinner that tasted good (poppyseed chicken recipe that I got from Robin that she got from Rebecca!)

9. Prenatal vitamins

10. There are only 10 weeks until Spring Break!

State of the Union Address

Doesn't the president do one of these in January? I'm not sure, but either way, it's how I've decided to kick of my year on the blog. Here is where we are at as 2007 begins.

1. I am 29 weeks along today! I can't believe that in just a couple of months, Asher will be here (in the "out of the womb" sense.) It's still a little surreal but it continues to sink in more and more that in about 11 weeks, we will be, Lord willing, holding our little boy!

2. We have been in our new home on Knob Hill Lake Lane (that's right--4 words) for about 5 months now. And we just finished unpacking the last of the boxes a few weeks ago. It's a little overwhelming being homeowners at times...like when the refrigerator breaks and you go to call the office and then you realize that you are the office. That's fun. (The refrigerator is running nicely now though--we called a repairman and got it taken care of, you'll be glad to know.) Kris is in the process of painting our living room and we will soon be getting Asher's room together. But as fun as all of that is, we are constantly reminded that although this is where we live now, it is not home. Wood and bricks and super glue (and whatever else is holding this house together) are wonderful provisions, but are nothing to cling to. We are grateful, but we long for the day when we are home, in the truest sense of the word.

3. Kris is still working for his dad and running sound on Saturdays at Second Baptist's North Campus. I am still teaching (wrangling?) second graders. I'm hoping to work until spring break and then bid a fond farewell to the world of public education. So if any of you need a bunch of teacher crap, you can have mine...just let me know.

4. We have decided, through much prayer and a series of events, that the time had come for us to look for another assembly to worship with. There does come a time, we have learned, when the best thing to do is to part ways. We have a deep love for the believers who gather to worship at GRBC and continue to enjoy the fellowship of those to whom our hearts have been so closely knit. But it was time and if we didn't fully believe that the best thing to do was leave, then we would still be there. So we begin the new year looking for the place where the Lord would have us gather to worship Him and serve the Beloved there.

5. Kris is about to turn 32 (January 30)! I'm married to someone in his mid-thirties! I am still barely out of the cradle as I enjoy the last few years (ok...last 2 years) of my twenties. Seriously though...I am so grateful for the man God has given me to who proves to be more perfect for me than I ever could have dreamed someone could be. I am thankful for the years God has granted him thus far, and pray that many more will be given, because each new day brings a new reason to marvel at how good God has been in providing my husband for me.

So that's where we're at...no clear-cut future or solid 10 year plan, but trusting the one who clothes the lilies and feeds the birds of the air will give us what we need and withhold what we don't.

soli Deo gloria.