15.5 months!

Levi Blaze,
I'm smiling right now just typing your name. Every night, after we put you to bed, your dada and I have a conversation that always includes phrases to express our continued amazement that we have the cutest little dude in the entire world and that we are crazy about you.

We know that other parents have the same sentiment about their own children, as it should be, but Levi Blaze, we just can't get enough of you! I am not exaggerating when I say that each and every day, we are overcome by the goodness of God through you. Our hearts are so full of love for you and delight in you, that it always amazes me that somehow, the next day we have even more love and even more delight. You are our treasure.

This spring has been such a fun adventure. It's pretty incredible how quickly things change. You've been cruising along furniture since Thanksgiving, but one day, all on your own, you took an interest in a walker toy we have had sitting in our living room. A few days later, just a week before you turned 15 months, you were a walking machine!

I love, love, LOVE watching you walk. You hold your hands out for balance, just as you did when we first started carrying you. Your face just glows with accomplishment and joy when you are on the move. It took hardly any time at all between the transition of taking a few steps to full-fledged walking, being able to stand up without needing to grab on to anything, and picking things up while in motion.

We love watching you discover things from a new height level, which gives you a new perspective on life. You notice different things now, and you have learned that you can reach things that aren't just on the edge of the table anymore. Your mom and dad have learned this lesson, too!

We also love watching the way you process things. It amazes us what you understand. You have figured out what sounds and expressions you make that will crack us up every time, and now you do them with the expectation that we will laugh. And we do, we just can't help it!

About two months ago, when dinner was finished, we would say "bath time" and you would immediately grab for your shirt, ready for it to come off so you could get into that tub. You would actually shake with excitement once we turned the corner into the bathroom. Bath time was undoubtedly your favorite activity.

Fast forward to now, where you have realized that bath time means that bed time is coming. When you hear your dad running the bath water and see me coming for you, you run the other way with a grin on your face.

You are becoming quite the independent little dude, wanting to do things yourself. And your facial expressions? Priceless. This series is a pretty good representation:

 

And, here's your stoic look. This look comes out frequently for cameras. I sometimes wonder if I'll have to assure you that you did have a happy childhood because so many photos have this expression! It's still pretty cute, though. Those cheeks!

Every day is a new adventure with you. We love it!

Love,
Mama (and Dada)



In a nutshell…
Favorite foods: Avocado, banana, fish sticks, yogurt, Chex, raisins
Least favorite foods: Most vegetables, unless they are cleverly disguised
Milestones: Walking, lots of babbling, pointing to things you want, stacking things in addition to tearing them down
Things you want: Anything in our hands or on our plates!
Things you don't want: To be told "no."

Welcome to the world!

I've been remiss in announcing the births of two beautiful babies in the last six weeks!
This little lady was born a few days before her due date. What a gift to her mom, whose own birthday was right around the due date. No one wants to see a due date come and go, but so few babies come on or before, so we celebrate that!

Her parents are some of our favorite people, and our life group leaders, and our spades partners. Taylor brought her into the world with zero medication. One tough cookie, that woman. It's been fun to watch their family expand! You'll recognize Taylor from our amazing Levi photo sessions. This baby girl is going to have one gorgeous portfolio of life.

I had forgotten what it felt like to hold such a teeny little thing!

And this handsome little guy is baby number two for some of our best friends. He was born about a week and a half ago.

Ashley has been my trailblazer in the world of children, and I've been continually thankful that her daughter came a few months ahead of our little dude, so I could watch and learn. She's a natural at being a mom, and she's one that lots of people go to for advice. And now that there are TWO, I know that her wisdom (and patience!) is multiplying quickly.

Here is big sister getting to meet her little brother - so sweet!

We love you all so much and CELEBRATE this new life!

Walking

We have a walker! Our little guy is on the move in a whole new way!

Springtime!

We've had some beautiful weather in the last week. We took advantage of one particularly beautiful day, spending the afternoon under a huge shade tree on campus. The kids were entertained, the mamas were entertained, and many passers-by were entertained!

This little lady was so kind to share her crackers with a very willing recipient:

He couldn't help but gaze into that beautiful face!

It's amazing. When a nine-months pregnant lady pulls out carrots for her lunch, suddenly two children who normally refuse carrots take an interest!

Nothing draws this crowd in quite like raisins:

What a fun day!

Days like today

While I can honestly say that I love where we live most every day, days like today make me stop for a moment of thankfulness.

On days like today, you get home from work later than expected. Your first stop is the community clothesline to hang a bag of wet clothes that have been sitting in your trunk for a good two hours already.

On days like today, your neighbor comments that you look tired, not as a criticism, just an observation. It's been a few weeks since you've seen each other, so you take a moment to catch up, comparing recent haircuts even though hers is hidden under her hijab. After the two of you finish your respective laundry, you say good evening.

And then, moments later, this same neighbor reappears with a plate full of dinner, a homemade Egyptian dish with a name you can't pronounce and a taste you can't quite put your finger on, other than to think about how delicious it is.

I'm so thankful for the kindness of this community.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me well.

Friends forever

Although it seems like I graduated college last year, that just isn't the case. And while it sometimes seems that I frequently get to see some of my best friends that I met during those years, that just isn't the case either. Unfortunately, several months and sometimes even a year or more will pass before I get to spend time with friends living out of state.

I cherish getting to reconnect with some of my favorite people, and this past weekend, I had that opportunity. I attended a shower, where I was able to see and catch up with a few girlfriends, and I even got to see my sister (!) who was, by some miracle, just minutes down the road, but I spent most of my time with these beautiful ladies:

When I'm with these two, it's like no time has lapsed since our last reunion.

We stayed up into the wee hours of the morning talking and laughing. Someday, maybe the three of us can live on the same street and pop into each other's kitchens unannounced, but for now, we'll have to take full advantage of the time we can get.

I can tell you story after story involving these gals. Road trips, living together, ski adventures, one-liners… my college experience wouldn't have been the same without these two friends, and they still bring so much joy to my life.

I hadn't yet met this little beauty, who isn't much older than Levi.

And, playing with these sisters made our time even more fun and entertaining.

Lindz and Mindo, I love you both. I'm so thankful for you!

Seated in the gallery of awe: Nefarious film

About this time last year, GP called me over to watch a trailer for a documentary that was about to be released. As I watched the trailer for Nefarious: Merchant of Souls, I had goosebumps. Somewhere in my mind, I had filed away that slavery was not just a thing of the past, but I didn't realize the extent to which it existed today.

Gib researched Exodus Cry, the film's director and any information he could find on the actual content. He wanted to see the film, but that was only possible by finding a venue where the Exodus Cry team was screening it. The nearest venue to us was hours away, so we decided to go ahead and pre-order the DVD to be here in October 2011.

Fast-forward to October 2011, when we received news that the DVD release was postponed due to the huge response the tour was getting internationally. Instead, Exodus Cry decided to do a second screening tour. With that news, hope was planted that maybe, just maybe, Exodus Cry would come to Norman.

With the blessing of our church leadership, we began communicating with the organization, and they accepted our proposal to add Norman to their spring tour. We danced, we rejoiced… and then we began looking at what something of this magnitude would require. It would involve a venue, volunteers, money, publicity and prayer.

We started with prayer, and God, in His kindness, wasted no time in providing us with not one, but two venues for two screening opportunities. He provided money. And then, to our utter amazement, people interested in helping make this thing happen started appearing. When I say that they jumped on board, I mean it. You see, the Lord hadn't just put this film and this issue on our hearts… He was already moving, long before, drawing the hearts of others in the same direction. To Him, of course, but specifically to the issue of human trafficking.

When I think about the way dozens of volunteers have come forward to help with all aspects of this event, I am amazed. It has affirmed for me that when God plants His vision in the hearts of His people, He works out the details. All of them.

When I think about the group of eight people who, for months now, have come together on Friday nights, I tear up. They are mighty prayer warriors, crying out to God, interceding for the victims of trafficking, interceding for this event, worshiping, thanking God for His victory, for His abolitionist plan, for His heart, for His goodness. They come for hours, and we brainstorm, we plan and we connect. During our time together, I am often overwhelmed by God's plan, and how perfectly He puts things, and people, together.

Since finishing our Equip training school last year, I hadn't felt this sense of deep community with a group of people that I didn't see all of the time. Each time we get together, Gib and I are amazed. We love this crew so much, and we hope we get to be part of each other's lives for years to come!

Although a big focus of our time together is preparing for the screening events, we have also gotten to hear firsthand about some of the amazing things happening here in our area to fight trafficking. We have also gotten connected with organizations working internationally, and we are inspired. Our interest was first to see the film, but it's about so much more than a documentary for us now.

We see God's hand in connecting people, we are amazed at the way He works, and it is our joy and passion to be part of the way He is calling His church to live out  Isaiah 61:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn in Zion--
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.




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