Congratulations

Last Saturday our dear friends, Matt & Tara got engaged! We are so excited for them! It has been a fun journey watching the faithfulness of the Lord in bringing them together. We love you both!

Adventurous Morning

For several months Jeremy and Carson have been talking about killing this opossum. This past Sunday morning they spent an hour and a half trying to get the opossum out of our garage after realizing it had been living under the workbench! Jeremy finally grabbed it by the tail and slung it onto the driveway, chased it into the woods, and then finally shot it! Carson and Bryn witnessed the whole thing and cheered him on. And this picture is what I woke up to and couldn't resist taking a picture. They got 'em:)

a sweet vist

Last week the kids and I met Jeremy & Dara Adams with their sweet daughter Olivia in Greenville at the park. They are in the States for more training before returning to Slovakia at the end of the summer. I so enjoyed getting time in person with Dara. She is a dear friend of mine and I'm always so encouraged from time with her!

Thankful...

...for good friends

Time at the Lake

We went to the lake last week for a few nights and enjoyed time with family and time relaxing. We are so thankful for a place to go and have fun and relax! Thanks mom and dad for your generosity. We love our time with you!

Lydia's first jet ski ride....she slept most of the ride

this is such a typical "Lydia look"

Bryn finally got brave (after much drama at the ladder) to go swimming in the lake!

Guilty of Guilt

If you are prone to guilt in your life as I am then you have got to read this post by Kevin DeYoung entitled "Are Christians Meant to Feel Guilty All the Time?" It is so well said and helpful! He says, "we should feel guilty sometimes, because sometimes we are guilty of sin. Moreover, complacency as Christians is a real danger, especially in America. But yet, I don't believe God redeemed us through the blood of his Son that we might feel like constant failures." So he asks why so many Christians feel guilty all the time and suggests 4 points:

1. We don't fully embrace the good news of the gospel.
2. Christians tend to motivate each other by guilt rather than grace.
3. Most of our low-level guilt falls under the ambiguous category of "not doing enough."
4. When we are truly guilty of sin it is imperative we repent and receive God's mercy.

Again, it's worth reading the whole post. May we walk in the freedom that Christ died to give us!

Night Season

This has been a difficult season for me. In many ways the aftermath of the miscarriage has been more difficult then the actual miscarriage itself. I am still struggling to sleep well and so life has felt like survival. My goals are not lofty these days. I'm focusing on caring for the necessities of my family (food & clothing) and reading my Bible. There are times I allow myself this grace and walk in freedom to be where the Lord has me. And then there are other times....times that I am ruined with guilt as to all the areas of my life that feel as though they are spinning out of control and I feel like I'm failing miserably in so many areas of my life. It is hard to be so weak some days. I want to be able to sleep again and be past this season so badly! I am so reminded of how frail and weak I am and how I'm desperately in need of my Savior every moment of every day. How I long to better keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and nowhere else! Today I picked up my copy of "Beside Still Waters" by Charles Spurgeon because I just knew God would use it to speak to my soul! And He did! Here are a few excerpts...

"God does not put heavy burdens on weak shoulders. God educates and tests our faith by trials that increase in proportion to our faith. God expects us to do adult work and to endure adult afflictions only after we have reached a mature status in Christ Jesus. Therefore, beloved, expect your trials to multiply as you proceed toward heaven."

"When racked with physical pain, we need the Comforter. Some pain an be endured, but the sharp fangs of certain pains push into the marrow of our nature and horribly bore their ways through the brain and the spirit. For such pains, much grace is needed.

When your head throbs, when your heart palpitates, when your system is upset, it is natural to say with Jacob, "All these things are against me." We complain of providence, but this is the time to apply the promise with power. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand" (Is. 41:10).

When pain gives every sign of increasing, when we wait for the surgeon with his dreaded knife, if we are to be sustained under suffering that makes the flesh shudder, we need the upholding gentleness of God. "Fear not, for I am with you." This promise, like the nightingale's song, is most sweet when heard in the night season."

Lake Day

Today we met up with Papa, Nana, Amy and the Elliotts at a nearby lake area. We grilled burgers and hot dogs and enjoyed being together. The kids had a ball playing together in the lake! The weather was perfect for being in the lake.

Bryn & Amy

Lydia & Kaleb

A beautiful site...

Stitches

Yesterday we met some friends at the park and just as we went to eat our picnic lunch Carson started wailing. As I approached him I saw that his head was bleeding hard. I grabbed a napkin and held it on there and the blood slowed down so we ate lunch and then evaluated. As usual, I called my mom to ask her advice as to what we should do. She thought we should go get stitches because the cut was gaping open still. So, thankfully, Jeremy was able to meet me at home so that the girls could go down for their naps and I could take Carson alone. So we waited for our turn at the urgent care place for him to get stitches. It was so hard to watch him in pain as they did the stitches. I'm the worse person to sit and watch that kind of stuff, seriously I almost passed out and burst into tears myself. Whew, it was rough! What is neat is that we both got our first stitches (from an accident) in the same room and by the same doctor...only difference is that he was 5 and I was 31! I hope this isn't a sign of things to come!

College Leadership Retreat

The kids and I headed to Edisto to meet up with Jeremy last Friday to join him for the college leadership retreat for 4 nights at the beautiful Kneece house on Edisto Island. The college leadership team is a great group of college students. It was so neat watching them interact and seeing their love for one another. They are a fun group! We enjoyed some beach time, bike riding, and spending time with the students. It's always good for me to get to know some of them better by being at this retreat and to see Jeremy at "work" and be a part of his ministry.

This year Carson got his own bike and did a great job keeping up with everyone! Such a big boy!

Lydia's hair was especially curly at the beach, so cute!

We went on bike rides every evening, sometimes twice a day. It's a great place to ride bikes. The kids loved it!

The whole group (except Heather Mack who left early)

Grammy's visit

Last week, while Jeremy was in Edisto for staff retreat, my mom came down for a visit. We had a great time together while she was here. Here are a few things we did during her visit...

the kids love for Grammy to read to them...

we went to the Greenville Children's Museum

This is Lydia in the wind tunnel, I think this picture is hilarious!

Carson at the kids size grocery store, they all loved this area...

Bryn checking out Lydia at the grocery store

the veterinary clinic

the water area...

one day we went for a little walk in the woods nearby

we had a great time with you Grammy, we love you!