Catching up...

I assure you all that we are alive, if not entirely well. Isaac has a cold that he just can’t kick, which is very unusual for him!  I am thankful that so far it seems to be the same cold I already had (from him) so I am not getting sick. Of the two of us, he’s by far the more stoic sick spouse.  I tend to be rather dramatic and pitiful. I know you’re less than shocked by that revelation.

Anyway, we’ve been living life, and things are happening, but nothing to write about just yet. (Disclaimer: NO, WE ARE NOT PREGNANT!!!) I promise that when that time comes, I’ll announce it in a more personal way than just blogging.

I’ve been hard at work sewing for birthday gifts and special orders, which is why I haven’t had the attention span to blog lately. I’m keeping the gifts a surprise (and it’s killing me!!) at least until the first baby receives hers.  I’ve also started trying to increase my special orders!

I knit, crochet, and sew, and I enjoy always having something going. What better way to do this than take orders?!  I don’t want to go crazy and open an etsy store or anything that daunting, but I DO enjoy creating for those around me. 

Anyway, I’ll be posting some of my projects on here that I’d be willing to tackle again if you want to contact me about pricing! J

In other news, our Charlie dog is starting to look rather rascally! He’s taken a good sized notch out of his left ear and has a small bald spot on in the middle of his forehead.  While I’m concerned that our handsome boy is getting raggedy, Isaac loves it. He’s proud of how hard Charlie plays. He loves to run off the trail near our house and jump and tunnel through the brambles. Charlie doesn’t seem to mind the alterations to his appearance.

Last on the Charlie front, we clipped his nails for the first time this weekend. Any advice there is highly welcome! Some of the nails he let me do without much fuss, others he really reacted badly about. Is there a difference in sensitivity between clear and dark nails? I was very conservative as it always makes me nervous to get too near the quick (sp?). 

Though my blogging is sparse at times (I'm very guilty of mentally blogging and never actually sitting down to put fingers to keys and post), Isaac's blog is consistently posting once or twice a week, so go check it out: The Kingdom of God and the Modern Mind

Feeling thankful!

Today I feel an overwhelming spirit of thankfulness for the little and big blessings in my life!

To name a few, in no particular order:

1. My husband who faithfully walks Charlie each morning and then makes me coffee!
2. Starting the day with Top Pot Donuts! Yum!
3. Charlie dog putting himself to bed so I don't have to wrangle him into the spare bathroom!
4. Train commuting!
5. Thinking my hair was an out of control mess and having a friend tell me it looked like a hair volume commercial!
6. Bathroom stall doors that actually lock and stay shut!
7. Isaac for praying over me each morning
8. Isaac for trusting me enough to edit his blogs, and sharing his thoughts with me first!
9. Seriously -- a Top Pot Donut for breakfast! It's so delicious!
10. NOT being gluten-free!
11. Drinkable vitamins!
12. Walking to work to the sounds of Josh Groban
13. Our amazing new over-the-stove microwave! I'm thrilled! My man knows how to spoil me!
14. Time in the Word each morning
15. Feeling sore after a new workout
16. My incredible view from my desk
17. Just how much I love my husband! It just fills me with joy to love him
18. Wearing jeans to work
19. Awesome co-workers who randomly bring donuts to work (they're awesome regardless of donuts, but that makes them that much more amazing!)
20. My sweet Charlie dog!

Working in Seattle: Lunchtime Walk

There are times I thoroughly enjoy working in downtown!  I'm just a couple of blocks away from the waterfront, so on sunny days I find my way out there to soak up some vitamin D!  

I kind of love seagulls!!

  The ferris wheel is pretty awesome!

Inadequate.

I struggle often times with feeling inadequate. It brings me to tears more often than not and brings my husband running to embrace me.  I am ever more thankful for him.  He knows me so well, even knowing each other such a short time.  God has truly orchestrated our romance and is guiding, protecting, and flourishing our marriage.  It is so much more than either of us could have expected or asked for it to be.  All glory to God.  We both readily admit we are fallen creatures in need of saving. 

The great thing about God is that we (I!) can come to him with my inadequacies and with His perfect love He, too, comes running and puts His perfect arms around me.  He calms my fears and assures me that I am perfected IN HIM.  He urges me to rest in Him and reassures me that in Him I am being glorified day by day.  “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Rm. 8:20).  In fact, in Christ the work is already complete.

I may be an imperfect, sometimes unloving, easily overwhelmed, selfish, and so many other things that make me feel inadequate as a wife and a child of God, but He is more than adequate. He is perfectly everything we need in abundance.  He is rich in the sense that He has so much He cannot help but give.

And so today I am clinging to the peace that comes from knowing that He loves me in my imperfect state. And that I have a husband that lovingly emulates Christ in his selfless love of me.  I am doubly blessed. 

Too Much Christmas

There is, apparently, such a thing as too much of a good thing.  Christmas, instead of being the exception to this rule, proves it like no other holiday!

We came back from caroling, had a delicious dinner made by Brian, then settled in for a bit more play time before bed.  It was bedtime that started the drama.

Turns out kids running on no sleep and lots of sugar are prone to complete and utter meltdowns!



It turns out it's impossible to get two utterly exhausted kiddos to settle on a single book for bedtime... It's even harder to get a happy picture of them following the book debacle.  Ava managed to be won over with the promise of silly faces...Noah was a harder sell. He was "not in the mood".

This is the ultimate "TOO MUCH CHRISTMAS" picture.  Isaac says I should stop here. So if you listen to Isaac, you'll stop at these pictures immediately below.

If you'd rather end on a happier, less pitiful note, I present to you: CHEEZY NOAH! 

After some snuggles from mommy, he recovered quite nicely to show off his awesome new pjs from Auntie and made his cheesiest of grins!

'Tis Truly Better to Give Than Receive

Grandfather is still in the hospital recovering from surgery for an intestinal blockage. He's been feeling pretty low being in the hospital so long (he's been so healthy!) and was feeling incredibly weak. Still, he's been making progress each day! He's recovering from surgery, bounced back from kidney failure, and has been walking the length of the hall with a walker...and all at 96 with no stronger pain relief than Tylenol!  He's a rockstar!!!

Anyway, my Auntie Jeannie thought it would be the best gift to Grandfather to surprise him with some caroling on Christmas!  Boy, was she right!  We assembled in the lower lobby at Valley Medical and waited for him to arrive.  We started singing as soon as he appeared.

He was beyond touched!  Let's just say this is the first time I've ever seen my Grandfather cry! It was by far the best part of our Christmas. We are so joyfully blessed to have such a man in our lives as our GF! And to have such a family that will drop everything on Christmas day and drive to the hospital to sing for him...it warmed me to to my tippiest toes to think of it.

I must say (in the words of Xandra), "we sound goooood!" and we did! We even drew a crowd!  It was such a blessing to me to bless him, and I know the rest of us were feeling the same.

He called each kid over and hugged and kissed them, and chatted a bit. I'm sure it was exhausting for him, but I'm equally sure it was worth every bit of strength it took!



The newlyweds even made a surprise visit!

The entire caroling chorus (minus me, of course!) 

Fam, Fam, Family Time Christmas!

We had a great Christmas with the Coury Crew, and Ma and Pa Hendricks! 

The Courys just got a new wii so we spent a good bit of time learning the games and trying to beat each other through the learning curve! It turns out those kids are a couple of ringers! Ava at golf and Noah at bowling! The boy got a 190 in his first game!!! 

There were lots of presents to be opened: 

Some were decidedly less serious than others while some were sweet:

And then it was time to relax and enjoy what we'd received! Ava and Noah were blessed to receive big kid razor scooters from the parents and grands! They couldn't wait to try them out and since it was stormy outside, they took to the wood floors! 

Ava was insistent that she apply her new nail polish herself with a "supervisor".

It's always fun to see the classic toys make a comeback! Turns out army men are still fun!!!