Late Night Wisdom

Last night, we had a 2am visit from Mr. Newton.  He climbed in bed with us, which doesn't happen often so when it does we let him stay for a while.  As he settled in, he said, "Jesus wants us to love our enemies."  

Not quite what I was expecting at 2am but I loved it!  We have been talking a lot about how to love people that are mean to us after a difficult time playing with a neighbor the other day.  Sometimes I think that what I say goes in one ear and out the other, but that was evidence that they really are listening!

Six and Kindergarten!

Happy 6th Birthday, Mr. Mister (a few days late!)

On the morning of your birthday, we looked at pictures of you when you were born.  You were so tiny and cute.  Here you are throughout the years ...
 

Newborn

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

You are such a big boy now and fully boy in everything you do.
Intense. Creative. Confident. Adventurous.
I love watching you grow in every way. Your mind is always thinking.  You ask a lot of questions, some of which I don't even know how to answer.  You are figuring out the world and learning how to trust even when life doesn't go your way.  You are a rough and tough warrior with a loving and compassionate heart....a beautiful combination .  Someday, you will change the world because you don't take no for an answer.  Right now, that can be hard on this mama.  But that's why I pray a lot and daily remind myself to see far beyond today. You are a gift and a blessing and I am proud of the boy you are becoming.

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Your birthday was also your first day of kindergarten!

 

We all walked with you as you scootered down to the bus stop.
 

You joined the group of neighbor kids so confidently. 

You came back for some quick hugs as the bus pulled into sight.

Then ran off without looking back.

You sat by the window in the first row.  As the bus pulled away, you smiled and waved out the window and that's when the tears started.  Mine, not yours.  Just like that you are grown up.  The days are certainly long but the years sure are short.  Thankfully, you were home by lunchtime :)

I love you, Mr. Mister. 

Cool Shirts for a Good Cause!

Our friend's sister is in the process of adopting a little sister for the sweet girl she just brought home from India a few months ago.  Check out these shirts she created and is selling as a fundraiser.  She has already raised over $3,000 from this and it ends Monday, Aug 26th at midnight so check it out soon!

She is also a photographer on the side and is taking family pictures as another fundraiser.  She just took our family pics on Friday night...I can't wait to see them!

Check out her blog here to see her story!

Going Home...

Tomorrow we go home.  We've been gone nearly eight weeks.  It is definitely bittersweet...a happy-sad day, as they used to say in the Cabbage Patch Kids book my mom read to me when I was little.  I know it will be good to be home and I am excited to see people we haven't seen all summer. We love and have missed our family and community there.  And I can't wait to see our house...some pretty amazing people took it on as a big project this summer and we have no idea everything they have done except that it will be an incredibly beautiful blessing.  So there is much to look forward to.

But we are sad to leave as well.  It's hard to leave the day to day life of being in this journey with our family here.  It's been a summer of love and growth for everyone and our relationships here have deepened tremendously.  It has been such a gift for my husband to spend his days with his dad and for us to live daily life with my sister-in-law and her family.  We really love them and have so enjoyed the time we have had with them.  Can you believe that after eight weeks of living together, we are all sad that the summer is over?

So we head home knowing that this transition is just as much a part of our journey as coming here was.  We trust that the Lord goes before us and is with us and is our rear guard as we go home just as He was when we left.  We pray that the spiritual growth that took place in us this summer...the depth of our relationships with Jesus that I believe can only happen in desert seasons of life...we pray that that would remain even as we settle back in again.  We know He will continue to work even after we leave and we continue to trust as we anticipate what is to come.