where in the world is ryan?

well ryan is still in india, sleeping right now most likely. we thought he would be home by now but he didn't get on his flight...long story short he will be coming home on saturday night for sure -we are anxious to see him and hear about his adventurous trip. it has been a great trip with lots of learning, exploring and seeing the ministry of Shalom for Asia. Our friends Pastor Shantilal and Grace were amazing hosts and their whole family embraced Ryan with open arms. Now they all want to meet, "the Rachel", so maybe I'll visit someday too.... Here are a few pics from our time without Ryan, we missed him a lot, but we have survived. you can still pray that ryan makes all his flights from india, to manama, to germany, to ohio, to ca. yea! we are excited to see him soon.

Destination India

Ryan called a few minutes ago and arrived in India (yes he got first class and was able to sleep 8 hours straight!), spent the night in the airport and flew to Ahmadabad to meet Pastor Shantilal, Grace and their family. He was welcomed by friendly faces, a sign with his name and the ministries' name Shalom for Asia, and roses. He will be staying in an apartment down the street from the family and will now begin his learning adventure. I'm thankful that we will be able to speak by phone when he is available and the time zones have us both awake. Malachi, Abram and I loved hearing his voice, we are missing him already but excited for the opportunity he has to visit Shalom for Asia and be with friends. Pastor Shantilal, if you haven't met him, is a very persistent man and he has been asking Ryan to come to India for about 3 years. Amazing, the day has finally arrived. The boys and I are looking forward to my mom coming tomorrow morning too. Please keep Ryan in your prayers for the next week and us too! We will keep you updated on the trip.

VOTE, it is a priviledge

4 months and 2 year well baby

Today I took the boys to the doctor for their well baby check ups - malachi's last one as a "baby." I scheduled the appointments together, which I think worked ok. Thankfully Dr. Castillo was open to holding Abram while I got Malachi to sit in the stroller instead of standing to wash his hands. Getting the shots back to back wasn't the highlight of the visit, but they were both troopers. I don't think they both cried at the same time, just one right after the other. This new oral vaccination is a good thing, now if all of them were that way, wouldn't going to the dr. be so much easier. Big bonus of the day was that the dr. had Cars stickers; amazing: malachi was awarded for his bravery with a red, sally, mc queen, mater, doc, ramon and sheriff stickers. Of course he still wondered why he didn't get a flo sticker... So thankful that they the boys were healthy, malachi has recovered from either hand, foot, mouth or his first case of "herpes" aka a canker sore outbreak. Not the nicest thing for the dr. to say I think your 2 year old may have had herpes. huh. I think hand, foot, mouth sounds better at this point, so those red sores on his cheeks will be explained as that.
So anyway, Abram is 27 inches and 15 lbs 12 oz. Malachi is 32 lbs and 3 feet tall. We came home after our dr. visit and watched none other than the "Cars Bottie (movie)" while enjoying our picnic lunch spread out on the living room floor.

avocados and marriage

so this is why i love california in january - our avocado tree. this is one of the avocados i enjoy on a daily basis, they are huge and so delicious. it's amazing to walk out the front door and have this goodness fall on my front lawn. love it! avocados bring me joy today.

my marriage also brings me joy today. in the midst of birthday celebrating ryan and i also celebrated our 8th anniversary. i am so thankful for my marriage and the amazing man that i call my husband, ryan. we were able to go to dinner together thanks to our friends, the Lozanos, watching the kids. we had dinner at a fabulous crepe place and walked around this great little neighborhood in Long Beach on January eighth without coats. looking back i wouldn't have thought we would ever celebrate our anniversary in warmth, it is january after all, but it was quite balmy that night. anyway. i am thankful for my marriage and the journey we've had and the years that are ahead of us. my cousin was married in december and her brother, Dirk, did at the message at the wedding. it was such a great word on marriage and it being the pursuit of holiness, not happiness, but holiness. i know today i am more holy because i have been married to ryan and he helps me, encourages me, challenges me to love Jesus more and love others more. it's in the day to day moments that our marriage is built and nurtured, not the next big event, but the tedious, seemingly mundane interactions as we keep on pursuing this marriage thing together. kind of like the joy i find in the simple pleasure of an avocado for lunch. you can miss it when it's right in front of you because it's not huge but its life. it's the joy in all the little pieces of our lives that makes me stand back and be thankful and joyful for my marriage and my husband. it probably also helps my reflective spirit to have amazing avocados and warm ca sunshine thrown in the mix.

if you're reading this and your married i pray for you too. that we would all continue to work through all of life to pursue holiness in our marriages. because it is not always happy. i would be lying if i told you i was happy even for a complete week or day for that matter. as grandma verwys said, as we sat across from her newly engaged, "marriage is, W O R K, work." she's right. a lot of work and a lot of joy. i know that over these short 8 years i can see clearly how there is great blessing in this commitment. a commitment to the holiness only God's grace allows us to chase.

hey if you live near by come over for some great guacamole any time, it'll make your day so much better

Malachi is 2

this past week my first baby, malachi, turned two. he is becoming quite the little man and fills our lives with joy, adventure and fun. ok so he also tests my patience by completely ignoring my instructions or having his first 2 year old tantrum. in all each day brings i am amazed at the gift we have been given in his life and how in two short years he has changed me and inspired me. malachi's name means messenger, and our blessing for him is that he is a messenger of life and shalom. it is amazing to see how God is already answering this blessing in his life. he loves life with full on energy and also brings such gentle peace into our lives through his love and kisses. so here are some highlights of our 2 year's old birthday celebration week. we went to the aquarium the day before his birthday (our anniversary celebration as well), celebrated on his birthday with Dirk, and then had a great party with friends on Sunday! Sunday was sunny and warm and we were surrounded by our "family" away from family.

What a great trip!

celebrating 9 nine years since our first date


SNOW!!




great shoes on great guys

the first meeting of our little guy

knibbe family

opa

abram snuggling with aunt rudy


playing with "mom's" toys