oh dear

is it really almost august?? good grief!

i just turned my calendar (that hubs gave me for Christmas) to august and look at the picture i get to look at for the next month!!

awwww... aren't we cute?  actually, isn't HE cute?!    this is a picture of us the night "it all began".  am so glad it did... :)

finny, fin fin!

i know i'm a tad bit early... but... just wanted to say...

happy birthday finian!  i can't believe you are ONE!!  you are such a precious little guy.  your big, sweet smile can turn any bad day into a good one!  uncle steven and i love, love, LOVE you!

community

was catching up on the blogs i follow today at lunch (killing time) and came across a new post from beth moore.  here is a quote from that post: 

"The way God ordained it, we don’t just need our vertical relationship with Him to make it in life and marriage. We need one another. We need Hebrews 10:24-25 kind of people. We need folks around us to cheer us on and even to question us and hold us accountable. We need people who will not only pray for us but laugh with us and cry with us. Eat Mexican food with us. Live life with us! We need more than Facebook and blogs and tweets, as much as I enjoy them. We need real people and real face-to-face, life-to-life relationships."

to read the full post, click here

steven and i desperately need more community.  after selling our house (and before even), life to me feels so out of whack.  i guess living in the apartment is making me feel like we are "in limbo" right now.  what i need to remember is that this is where the Lord wants us to be RIGHT NOW.  even though its temporary (PLEASE!!!), it is not as if life is on hold... waiting for the next step.  i spent way too many years when i was single waiting on life to happen (get married) that i didn't realize that i was already in the middle of it.  there is always a "next step"... and if we get so obsessed with waiting on that next step, we won't be able to enjoy where we are now.  so thats where we are.  craving community... craving to live life fully NOW.

anyways... enough with the rambling.  anyone want to go out with us and "do life" together?  :)  am praying that we will find this community (or they find us) soon. 

waiting

if you've been any part of my life... or if you have read any of my blog posts, you will know that i have a hard time waiting.  and actually, i have come to realize that my struggle with waiting directly reflects my struggle with trusting.  ugh. that realization is hard to swallow.  i want to control everything. i want for things to happen NOW or at least know when they will happen. wow my heart can be so filthy.

this morning as i was driving into work, i heard this song on XM radio. the words just stirred something inside me.  so many times when i'm waiting...on whatever it may be - either trivial or significant... i seem to stop everything else. no. i must serve Him while I'm waiting... i must worship while I'm waiting. what a beautiful view of what it looks like to truly trust Him... trust Him with ALL things even when the future is unknown or scary. i pray that this be how i respond while I'm waiting.

"While I'm Waiting" by John Waller

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

Merr-bear

Happy Birthday to our niece Merritt!  Wow!  5 years old!  We love you bunches!

(I love her expression here!!)