family family family

We've been busy this week! Since last Friday, we have been in Raleigh, Greenville, and Charleston! We are blessed with a BIG family. For those of you who care (aka our family) here's some pictures from our time together!

Raleigh, NC

Henry's G-mama



Hank's mom, Sally's side of the family



Henry's great-grandmother, Gannie




Greenville, NC

Hank's Dad, Sam's side of the family



Henry's cousins, Holland (Woody)and Jackson (Buzz Lightyear). Toy Story is their favorite movie! Holland has named everyone in the family with characters from the movie. Hank, Henry, and I are the aliens:)



David, Hank's brother and Pop



Jackson and Henry were so cute together! They would growl at each other.



Henry and Bo



Charleston, SC

Henry learning how to share. (look closely and they are sharing "joseph")



Griffin and Henry with Gigi. I hate that I didn't get any pictures of Oliver and Katie! We only got to be with them for a day!



Henry and Granddaddy

the move and 5 months

This past month has been crazy, thus the lack of blog posts. Also, I haven't really processed the move yet which makes me not want to say anything at all. It's no secret that saying goodbye to Auburn has been hard on me, so for this internal processor, it may take a while. There is so much to say. From our dear friends giving us a goodbye party, to the Auburn team helping us move on one end and the Lifelines team on the other, to closing up our first house where we brought our firstborn son home for the first time, a lot has gone on the past two weeks.

I feel like I'm going to learn a lot of lessons about where my identity is found. There is something about moving to a place where I don't know anyone and people don't know me that has started that ball rolling:)

The good news is that the move is over! I had been dreading saying goodbye, driving the 12+ hours with Henry, and unpacking. Two of the three are done and we are about 80% unpacked!

Henry's 6 month bd is tomorrow, so i'll post some 5 month pictures while I can:) This month he experienced his first haircut! I hated to cut it, but it HAD to be done. Notice how long it had gotten in the back.

we're here

we're here ... and still alive, though buried in boxes:) When we get internet hooked up, I'll have pictures! Merry Christmas!

Dec 10th

As of two days ago, we have renters for our home. It is a precious couple and their 6 month old son. We are so overwhelmed and grateful for God's provision! When they came to look at the house, they said that they wanted to be in before the holidays. My first thought was, "what constitutes as the holidays?" "Surely not Thanksgiving!" I'm grateful that the "holidays" meant Christmas:) However, they want to be in by December 10th and that is a mere four weeks away.

There are definitely mixed emotions with this date. Part of me is just so thankful that the time of waiting for the next step is over and the other part of me is really mourning the loss of Auburn. I've known for months that we would probably be moving, but to have a date makes it super real.

I was reading the book, 31 Days of Praise, and this is what a quote from an unknown author had to say,"I can be willing for You to shift me anywhere on life's checkerboard, or bury me anywhere in life's garden, gladly yielding myself for You to please Yourself with, anywhere and anyway You choose." This is a desire of my heart, that we would be so surrendered to the Lord that we would always be willing to go or stay. Because He is our dwelling place, we can be content and secure with wherever God places us, for He is our home.

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!" Romans 11:33


A few pictures from the last month!

father/son bonding in the backyard..





Henry's first time for baby food!



Henry is happiest when we are outside, so we spend a ton of time in our front yard;)

"Be at rest, O my soul"

"Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you." This verse from Psalms has been playing in my head for the past couple of months. We are in transition. Its a long story, but Hank needs more physical activity in his job which is taking us away from Auburn. I thought we'd be here for a couple of years. We bought a house, had a baby, put pictures up on our walls. In our books, this is bad timing and a little crazy! But, I have to keep on reminding myself that God is in it and His timing is perfect.

so, this is where we are headed...



We are going to stay with Crusade, but will be joining a team at the University of Virginia with a college ministry called Lifelines. Lifelines is on six college campuses right now and uses the outdoors to help people grow in relationship with God, in relationships with each other, in character, and in leadership. We will be trained on the team at UVA with the hopes that we will start a Lifelines ministry in the future (a little farther south)!

Our culture is changing in that students are less likely to show up to a weekly meeting or Christian gatherings. Lifelines allows us to still focus on college students but minister to them in a way that is non-threatening and meets them where they are.

We are sad to be leaving Auburn, but we know that this is what God has called us to. I admit, I'm overwhelmed but I know that we are going to be ok:)

On another note, we've been loving the cooler weather! Every day, I try to get us out for a walk or just hanging out in the yard.

A recipe and three months

I got a great new recipe from my friend, Amanda. I don't enjoy cooking. So, the top requirements of a good recipe is that it is 1. easy 2. few ingredients, and 3. guaranteed leftovers so that I don't have to cook the next night-glory! Notice that tasty doesn't even make the top three. This recipe, however, hits all three categories and it tastes REALLY good!

This is what you need..



1 package lean turkey italian sausage (hot not sweet)-i get this at kroger
1 jar julienned sundried tomatoes in oil
1-2 cans artichoke hearts, quartered
white wine (pinot grigio)
1 medium to large can chicken stock
basil and parm cheese to garnish
1 box of rigatoni pasta

pour a little of the sundried tomato oil in a pan and heat to medium high. add sausage and brown(squeeze sausage from casings and break up with a spoon in the pan). deglaze pan with a cup or so of white wine and let the alcohol simmer out. drain the sundried tomatoes and add along with drained artichoke hearts and a 1 or 2 cups of chicken stock depending on how much liquid you like for the sauce. then just let simmer on low until you are ready to serve or until the sausage is fully cooked. sometimes i add a little salt at the end if the wine makes it taste too sweet. it can even be made early and easily reheated when the pasta is ready. top with basil and parm. cheese.

*from Amanda Bowen adapted from Giada Delaurentis

Henry is three months old today. He is so big! My mom weighed him two weeks ago and he was 18 pounds, so who knows how much he weighs now! His hair just continues to get longer and longer. How young can you have your first hair cut?!

Henry's baptism

Henry was baptized today! We were blessed to be able to have my parents (dad did the baptism) and Hank's dad with us for the weekend.






Henry also had a great time watching football with Grandaddy,




reading with Gigi,





and hanging out with Pop.



Henry's first and last time to wear a gown. Mom got his name and date sewn on the bottom in cream as well as a cream cross at the top. I'd like to pass it down throughout the years.



I'm way behind in posts, but Hank turned 30 and I'd hate to not at least acknowledge it through a picture or two:) We were actually able to celebrate with friends on the 24th and 25th! I made Hank's grandmother, G's dirt cake (his favorite)!

Three years ago today

I pledged to the Lord and Hank Uzzell to love and cherish him for the rest of my life. There are so many things that I could say, but it all comes down to being thankful for the Lord's faithfulness in our lives. "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."Lamentations 3:22-23

back in the saddle again and Ella Hulsebus!

I decided that today I was going to start "getting back into shape." Easier said than done. As i was silently doing the pilates video (as to not wake Henry sleeping on the couch next to me), I was so surprised at just how out of shape I had gotten...ouch! Hopefully it will get easier as the days go on...

On a more exciting note, one of my best friends, Victoria had a little girl this morning. "Ella" was 6 pounds 11 ounces, 19 1/2 inches long! I can only imagine how tiny she was. I think Henry was that big at 30 weeks:)

Here's a few new picts of my chunky monkey



That's an "Oh Henry" bar in his hands:)

thankful

I am thankful to say that his week we were at Sunset Beach with Hank's family. The trip could not have come at a better time! The walls in our house were starting to cave in around me and a trip to the beach was exactly what I needed! Granted, I didn't spend a ton of time actually ON the beach:0 But it was fun to be out of town, visit with Hank's wonderful family, and have lots of helping hands with Henry.


First time on the beach! It was a really windy day so we didn't stay out for long




Hank's brother David and sister-in-law Meri, and their two kids, Holland and Jackson and his step sister, Emily.





Henry after we took pictures

lately

Last weekend we had a wonderful visit from Hank's dad and step-mom...


(Henry's new position that calms him down no matter how riled up he gets)



Other than that, I've just been doing a lot of hanging out around the house changing dirty diapers, clothes (his and mine), and getting to know our new little man:)