a very "Clemson" day

Henry went to his first baseball game this week. Clemson was playing  Moorhead State. He loved it and we lasted 3 innings! Believe it or not, we were impressed that our family of four could sit for that long;)

I couldn't bring myself to buy a Clemson t-shirt for Henry, so we opted for just an orange one. I'm sure this will change, but I felt like I was cheating on my Auburn tigers! I was a tad horrified that I showed up in the opposing team's colors. I guess I need to buy some more purple and orange stuff.

We came home, and Hank took Henry to the baseball field/park across the street where he happened to meet Dabo Swinney (Clemon's head football coach). We haven't gotten a picture with him yet because we're wanting to play it "cool" since we'll be seeing a lot of him as his son practices there a lot!!!

We just found out that we'll be spending the summer in Charleston on the Historic Charleston Summer Project. We are super excited and will be gearing up for being gone for the summer in the next two months!

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For my memory, I wanted to write about Catherine at 9 months. She is busy busy busy. C is army crawling and moving continually. Last week she slipped in the bathtub and chipped her two front teeth. What is it with my kids and their two top teeth? Henry did the same thing when he was 13 months old. We got one of his buffed down and haven't decided what to do with hers yet. It is pretty scarring having to hold down your child at the dentist! She says "dada" and we ve gone to using all bottles except twice a day breastfeeding.

Catherine's first boat ride at Victoria's lake house on Lake Kiowee.  

The "S" word

Nope, not THAT "S" word! Support....

Everyone has their own set of things in life that keeps them trusting the Lord, depending on Him, and reminds them that they are not in control. Our major one right now is support. For those of you that don't know, CRU is a support based ministry. That means that there are no central funds. It's amazing how it all works. There are 26,000 people who work for CRU and all of them raise their own support... even the president, Steve Douglas. Salary, benefits, ministry expenses, it all is raised. Do you know what is cool about that? When people come along side of us financially, they are literally our ministry partners. They have just as much of a role reaching students for Christ as we do!

Confession though...

Staff friends, Elizabeth and Katherine from our team in Auburn 2009 (pre kids for all of us).Who's that skinnier well rested girl on the right?! 

Auburn students at the Atlanta Christmas Conference

I don't revel in having ministry partners all the time. I even believe the lie that if we weren't on support that things would be easier. My faith can be so small. In one breath I can tell amazing stories in how the Lord has provided for us over the past 5 1/2 years, and in the same breath I could tell you about the anxiety and fear that creeps into my heart when it comes to finances. It is not always like this, but we naturally go through seasons where it is more on our minds and hearts.

UVA leadership students

UVA team our first year

I was asked recently if this was really what we were supposed to be doing. Believe me, we have asked ourselves that question countless times!! But, it comes down to this. We love Jesus, we love college students, and He has called us to this ministry. And you know what... If it wasn't support, we fully believe that there would be something else that the Lord would allow so that we would depend on Him! Oh how I long to faithfully trust Him!

Vision trip to Clemson

*Support is not the only thing that we have to trust the Lord with (I could ramble off several more things). Just keeping it real:)

the move and 8 months

I read one time that moving was one of the top five most stressful things that you can go through.

I. believe. it. Ya'll, it took an army for us to get packed up, load/unload the truck, and unpacked in our new house. We are so blessed to have such incredible friends and family that helped us! 

G-mama and Papa Hal came to get Henry for a couple of days

I'm pretty sure that one of God's purposes in moving us so many times is to stretch us to where we have to rely on Him. That is a good thing, but sometimes there are some growing pains involved:) Henry asked us the other day if we could go home. He hasn't said anything since then, but everyone is going through a lot of transition in many ways. 

We're getting settled in and are praying for friends for all of us! 

This little girl has had a big month! She is eating a lot of solids/baby food and FINALLY is taking a bottle when I need her to (Alleluia)!! She is laughing and smiling more this month and has stolen all of our hearts. You can tell by the drool on her shirt that she has been teething. She now has four teeth on the top and two on the bottom. 

Moving... again!

We're excited to officially say that we are moving to Clemson, SC to work Lifelines (Cru)! Our time of training is coming to a close at UVA. We think it is going to be a great fit. I'm thrilled to be farther south;) Our kids had the flu this week so we did a crazy 36 hour house hunting trip down the Clemson. We figured if they needed to rest, then they might as well rest in the car. After barely surviving (literally) the trip, I'm not quite sure that was great logic. However, God provided a house to rent, so we are grateful to be able to move February 15th. This is truly when I wish that we worked for a company that would send movers to come and pack up our house. I think we are going to need every day of the next month to get ready.

I never said anything about Christmas! It was a whirlwind (four cities in 10 days)! Despite all of the traveling, it was pretty restful. The kids' favorite gifts were cowboy boots, a guitar, and a baby doll.  

Catherine's baptism (Dad officiated) 

Catherine turned 7 months yesterday and was weighed today at the doctor's (18 pounds 9 ounces). She  has been one sick little girl the past week and a half:( She can now sit alone better and is still loving that thumb! 

Catherine at 6 months, Henry at 2 1/2

This is really the only place that I write anything down about our kids, so here we go. Catherine turned 6 months old a couple of days ago. She's a slow mover! The day before her "birthday," she finally rolled over. We went to the doctor the next day and she weighed 18 pounds, 7 oz (26 1/4 inches). Her favorite things are taking a bath and watching her brother try to make her laugh! She is still sleeping like crazy. I'm very thankful, but it makes getting out a rare thing. I'm learning to be content being at home A LOT.

Henry turns 2 1/2 in a couple of days. He is constantly moving (unless he is being read to or watching "PS" (PBS). He is very curious and gets into just about anything that is within his reach. Getting on top of a table for something to be in his reach is not out of the question either ;) He's just like Hank in so many ways. The more people around the better, as happy as a lark outside, a love for good food/music.  The things we are working on are having self control during meltdowns, giving people their personal space, playing by himself for longer than 2 mintues, and faster obedience.

Dear Jesus

By Max Lucado

Dear Jesus,

It's a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod's jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won't you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger. This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,

Your Children

home

This is the first year (besides when I lived overseas) that we haven't been with family at Thanksgiving. We were gone for half of November with Cru stuff, and just couldn't stomach another road trip. Surprisingly, it hasn't been as depressing as I thought it might be. Actually...we are elated to just be at home:)

While Hank was at a 9 day training with Lifelines, I went and stayed with my parents. Nine days was way too long to be a single mom, and we had not been to South Carolina since March. Griffin, Henry's three year old cousin came and visited for a night.

Gigi and Granddaddy took the boys to the Zoo!

Catherine at 5 months! She's reaching for things, a lot more verbal, and is VERY interested in her big brother. I feel like she is more laid back than Henry, or I guess it could be a second child thing!

We've got some big changes coming up, I'll write more on that soon!