Early Family Update

Miles: This little guy is chatty! The other day my mom quoted him as saying, "I knock it down." The speech-language pathologist in me is thrilled! He is still pretty attached to mom, but is finally appreciating the funness of dad. Miles is in that independent stage. He wants to do everything by himself, but he can't quite pull off many of the tasks. He is becoming a picky eater and would stick to a not-so-healthy diet of dinner rolls, bananas, pickles and suckers if I let him. Miles has the funniest faces I have ever seen. And when I say funny, I mean sassy. It is so hard to keep a straight face when he scrunches up his whole face up and sticks out that lower lip. Relations with his big brother are coming along. He still does not appreciate all the "love" that Owen tries to lavish on him, but the boys have been caught playing together from time to time.

Owen: On a good day, Owen is the sweetest, kindest, most caring little boy. On a bad day . . . he is still pretty cute. Owen loves babies and is always cooing over any baby he comes across. Owen is great at sharing, especially at the dinner table. That kid is willing to share almost anything he is eating, even if it is his special treat. Now, toys are a different story. Don't mess with his train tracks or cars. He might be willing to share, but a little negotiation may be required. Speaking of Owen's train tracks . . . he is an amazing little engineer. He is always putting together different tracks. I love to see how each track is built so uniquely. I'm thinking that Owen's love language is quality time. He just wants you to be right there with him, watching and listening. I can't count how many times he directs my gaze with a gentle touch of his hand to my face each day.

Brandon: This man does it all! He works really hard at the church and then comes home to be superdad. Brandon pitches in around the house and makes sure I can get out with friends or do something fun. He cooks the best "Dadbelly" sandwiches around and the boys adore his eggs for breakfast. Daddy makes life fun by shuttling us all out to the Belvidere Oasis and Rock Cut State Park. He also makes really cool slide shows and videos of our family. The boys love wrestling and playing "I don't think so" with daddy. Brandon still makes me laugh whether its his silly McDonalds order or honking at the deer in the State Park. He keeps us all on our toes! Brandon will be off to the Ukraine this summer for a missions trip with the Senior High students. He has faithfully served at the church and has seen God do amazing things! He spoke at GROUP's national youth ministry conference this year and has even had a tech idea published in their magazine.

Me: First, I must admit, I have fallen off the exercising bandwagon. I need to get back on. I will. Planning and organizing events is still a hobby of mine. I loved planning our family vacation and already asked Brandon where we can go next. Even if it is another year or two, I can still start thinking and dreaming! Sometimes I wonder if I should have been a travel agent. With retreat being finished, I am moving into the area of connection within women's ministires. This is an area that needs to be developed so again, lots of dreaming. Another project I've started is editing a book. I'm not an official editor. A man from our church has written a devotional book for teens and has asked if I can look over the book. This is something totally new and different for me! I am looking forward to the summer. Hopefully, the boys and I can have some fun adventures. I see parks, pools and zoos in our future!

Easter

Some time ago, I posted a poem I had written during a time where I was faced with the reality of death. A dear friend had lost a young daughter several months prior, my grandfather had just passed away, and in a few months I would lose a child to miscarriage. Strangely enough, the comfort and hope I received during that season of death was rooted in the death of another. On this Easter Eve, my thoughts turn to my comfort, my hope, my Jesus. Tomorrow I will celebrate the one who was raised from the dead to die no more. He is the author and perfecter of life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16