Happy Birthday, Brian!

We love you, Babe. Have a wonderful day!





And by the way, for those who want to know Brian's age, I will give some clues. (Remember, I used to be a math teacher!) It is a prime number and the sum of the digits is 4. That should give it away unless you believe he is 13. Hehe!

New Favorite

Chris Rice - Untitled Hymn (Come To Jesus)

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

New Photos

Hi all! Our little family of three had some new photos taken today. You might notice our John Deere theme. :) Hope you like them!

You been drivin' long?

Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy

I feel like I have spent half my life bouncing on an exercise ball. And no, it is not because I have an overwhelming desire to get in shape. It is because Daniel can only fall asleep when being bounced. It all started when he was about two weeks old. He was colicky and cried for long periods each day. We found that bouncing helped quiet him and lull him to sleep. It was such a blessing to find something that worked!
Now, fast forward about seven months. Daniel still needs the bouncing to fall asleep. Therefore, I bounce him to sleep before each nap, before bedtime, and during his night wakings. Lately, it has become harder and harder to get him to sleep though. I find myself bouncing him for close to an hour sometimes. Needless to say, I am tired of bouncing and I am tired of being tired. Brian and I finally decided to try out some sleep training techniques. We discussed letting him cry it out, but I know myself. I could not stand it for long. So, I finally decided to put him down when he was drowsy, yet awake, and to stay with him until he fell asleep. Last night was our first time to try this little experiment. I laid Daniel in bed, and he looked up at me with big, round eyes. I pulled up a chair and sat next to his crib. At first, Daniel seemed to think this was some new game. He jabbered a little, squealed a little, and then became bored. He scooted up next to the side of the crib where I was sitting and stuck out a little hand. I reached up and held it. We sat like that for quite some time, and then Daniel started crying. Oh my soul, I just wanted to pick him up and bounce away. Instead, I stood up and put my hands on him and talked soothingly. To make a long, long story short, I was practically in the crib with him before he finally fell asleep. But...he fell asleep without bouncing! My resolve weakened during the night though, and I bounced him to sleep again. I know I must be consistent, but it is so difficult when I am exhausted. We will keep trying, and in a few weeks, I hope every exercise ball in the house is deflated and packed away!

Five years ago today

...Brian and I got engaged! I just adore our love story. We met in college when I was a freshman and he was a senior. We were at a harvest party for Christian Challenge. Brian knew how to swing dance, and I was watching from the sidelines as he took different girls around the floor. I desperately wanted to dance with him. And I about fainted when he asked me! We danced together for the rest of the night. A few weeks later, we began dating. However, God was calling both of us in different directions, so just after Christmas we went our separate ways. We remained friends, but slowly lost touch after he graduated. I had not talked to him for almost two years when an email arrived from him. He had moved about 2,000 miles away and was working as a hot shop technician in an art museum. Over the next two months we traded many, many emails. He returned home to see me in July, and we were engaged by August. The day he proposed is forever engraved on my mind. Brian and I had gotten up early to see the sunrise together. We were on a hill just south of my family's home. The sun was coming up over the water as we talked and read our devotionals together. On the water's edge landed several great white egrets. We ventured over to them for a closer view, and when I turned around, Brian was down on one knee asking me to marry him. Of course, I immediately said yes! He is my best friend and the love of my life. I am so thankful that God wrote such a sweet, sweet love story for us.

Our little visitor

Tonight we ate supper on the deck because the weather was just beautiful. I could hardly believe the temperature was so mild in the middle of August. Our dog, Annie, was roaming through the back yard. She suddenly began sniffing around like something was out there. Brian went to check things out, and he found this tiny baby bunny. The little guy was so adorable! And our gentle Annie did it no harm. Most dogs would have eaten it up for an after-dinner snack, but Annie seemed to just want to play. However, Annie's "play" has been deadly for many a grasshopper and beetle, so we put her in the house. I hope the little guy finds his way back home!