Almost two months has past & the transition from 2 to 3 is almost complete. Paul has been working very hard and yet still manages to come home and help with Eli. He amazes me daily. It is interesting that watching him love Eli has caused me to love Paul more. I don't have many pics of the two of them together, but there is definitely a unique bond between them.

I've been trying to get Eli to be on his stomach like the pediatrician advised. He only makes it a few minutes before going into hysterics. I think it's because he wants to go somewhere but can't yet. He does hold his head up pretty well, though.

Since so many family members live far away, I am determined to post pictures of our growing son. A picture a day is a little too much responsibility for me right now, so I've committed to a picture a week. I'm a little behind so here are the 5 week pics.

We visited my grandmother who is 92. These are pictures from that weekend.

                Proud grandma, grandpa and great-grandma.

How do you live with a newborn?

I find myself savoring and dreading each day---how is that possible?

How can you have two opposing feelings or thoughts with the exact amount of strength?

I treasure these days where Eli is my main responsability. I know they are limited and of short duration. On the other hand I can't wait until he gets a little bigger and he can just tell me what he wants.

Precious & trying days---pray for us.

Eli Paul

Tuesday, May 27th will forever be etched into my mind as the day I gave birth to my first child. I now have a son---his name is Eli. Three letters that hold so much meaning for me. My little man-Eli Paul. He is small but not fragile. He is handsome like his dad.

My husband beams around him. He is very proud of his burps & farts. (Typical Paul, right?) 

Eli has small feet & hands but is very strong. 

He is my little man, my sweet boy.

For the few people who still have hope that I might post something...

This is the end. Life has changed and will be changing drastically in the next few months(no I'm not talking about a baby)...I begin graduate school soon. I am trying to cut out anything non-essential. Call it "cutting the fat" on my activities and obligations. I'll soon be entering survival mode. All that to say that I will no longer be posting on xanga. For those of you who know me, call me or e-mail me. Farewell.

I had lunch with a woman from my church today. It's funny how God works. We've been trying to get together since last summer...each time we tried something just wouldn't work out. Originally, I wanted to meet with her because she was new to our church and I wanted her to feel welcome. She has been coming faithfully since last summer and is now no stranger to our church. I had wanted to minister to someone else...and yet God saved this get together for this day. A day when I needed encouragement...a day when I needed someone to minister to me. God sent this wonderful woman to minister to me TODAY. It was nothing special...just lunch @ Wendy's and yet it was what I needed to get through the day.

Remember, when things don't work out...maybe God's just saving the "good stuff" for a day when you really need it.

Though some of you may know of a certain recent trip to Hawaii....you will have to wait for the pics and updates. There are simply too many other things to discuss first. I'd like to take you back to last Summer. Hopefully, it will be encouraging to think of sun and fresh squeezed lemonade and lazy Sunday afternoons on such a rainy day!

For those of you that don't know, I have the privilege to be apart of a church plant. We've been around for about 2 1/2 years. Last summer we relocated to a nearby Recreation Center. I love the Rec Center. It is an old school building with lots of character.

      The above pictures decorate the hallways. They were commissioned by the government to instill a sense of patriotism in the students. I stand where those students stood one hundred years ago and cannot help but feel a sense of love and duty for my country. The building is full of woodwork and has a beautiful staircase.

I love my church and I love going to worship in a building with so much history.

Today my pastor preached on marriage, divorce, and re-marriage. I am glad to have a pastor that encourages us to look at what God's word has to say on these issues. There are so many Christians who don't talk about them. Our God is just but He is also gracious. I learned two things today. One was the fact that even if we have "messed things up" in the past that doesn't mean we have to continue to disobey God. We can decide today to follow Him and His word. Secondly, those of us that have been protected by God and have not been put in "difficult" situations have no right to despise or look down upon people who have made "the wrong choice" under pressure. Sin is still sin and I won't justify it. But people need to be loved not labled. They need to be encouraged  to stay on the path now and not just get scolded for what they did in the past.

I'm still working through my own understanding of things, but I'm glad to go to a church that spurs me on in my studies. My desire to know God and have a personal relationship with Him grows and does not diminish.

Praise God for the people in your life who spur you on in your faith.

Praise God for the areas in your life you have been protected.

Praise God that He is gracious and forgiving...that He sees His Son and not our sin.

IT'S BETTER THAN COFFEE...

                             IT'S THE PURE, REFRESHING, REVIVING, ALL-NATURAL...

                                                                  WORD OF GOD

PRAISE the LORD, all you Gentiles!

 Laud Him, all you peoples!

                                                              For His merciful kindness is great toward us,

And the truth of the LORD endures foerver.

                                                                                        Praise the LORD!

Sometimes I fret that I have not made the time to give to this site...that I should purpose to speak out, post photos, express myself!

(However, I...am in the process of revamping my thinking in several areas. Lucky for me-God calls us to change our thoughts-though He does give us some guidelines.) 

You see, I have not been consistent on this site, though it is only from lack of time.

Time that I have given to someone else or something else. Some of these things are good. Like husbands. Husbands need time and husbands should get some of the best time we have to offer. Jobs take time-though necessary at times, I think many people give too much to this category. Of course, God should get our choicest cut of time-like sacrifices in the Old Testament--He deserves and should get our best.

Lately, I have been challenged about how much time I give to leisure. I am tempted to say "I deserve....X amount of time for down time or reflection and relaxation." My logic is that since I have given time to those things which are not enjoyable I have a right to balance it out with something that is. This is poor theology...poor thinking.

As a Christian, I have been put here to work and to strive--to witness. I have a God-given task. Though at some point I will need rest--it should come from my loving Savior--and not because the culture says I owe it to myself to take a break, and while doing that spend money and live selfishly.

How do you spend your time?