ONE YEAR OLD!

cake face one year later








We celebrated Abram's first birthday this weekend with friends and 2 uncles. Abram is 1 tomorrow and I am remembering a year ago coming home from an Over the Rhine concert and thinking maybe tomorrow?! Abram is such a content little guy and is my little snuggler. He is becoming more of a little boy each day. As he and Malachi play together more I realize he is 1. He is almost walking - he takes a few steps on his own and will walk around everything and with his push toy. He loves eating with a spoon or fork by himself, he makes this clear with grunts and gestures. He is attached to his swaddling blanket and enjoys falling alseep with his big brother in the rooom too. He prefers fruit over any other food and if he sees the plums or strawberries he will insist on eating all of them. He also likes our dog a lot and will pet her and give her kisses, thankfully she is very tolerant and just takes anything. We love Abram and are thankful to celebrate his first birthday. We pray he blesses those in his life and he becomes a friend of God.

a fun weekend of gatherings

CEDAR BIRTH SERVICES
we had a great weekend hosting parties. they were both birth related. first my friend taffy launched her official doula website. doulas offer emotional support, encouragement and wisdom throughout labor and birth. they also support women and families through the transformation that a new baby brings to a family. we had a doula at both of the boys births and it was a great support for us. taffy is a wonderful friend and an amazing doula because she is such a servant and encourager. so here are some pics of the celebration and if you are pregnant and live in the southern ca area i would highly recommend her services. check it out at
taffy's site is wwww.cedarbirthservices.com



PRUETT BABY SHOWER
The other event of the weekend was a baby shower for our friends Shaun and Tia. Shaun has been a friend since we moved here 8 years ago and he lived with us for a little while...Tia entered the picture about 3 years ago and we love her. Actually we think Shaun is a lot more fun to hang out with now that Tia is around, they just are a great pair... We are thrilled that they are having a baby boy this coming November and so we had a shower to celebrate the up coming arrival of baby p. We were all impressed by the baby trivia facts they both knew and enjoyed hanging out together.

our new niece, addisyn ranae

ok so another beautiful baby entered the world yesterday. ryan's sister, ruthanne had a precious baby girl. she is healthy and wonderful. ruthanne had a great birth. we are so excited that addisyn is here and ryan got the extra special treat of extending his chicago trip to see addisyn and her mom and dad in person! he surprised them today by just showing up at the hospital. we are jealous but very happy for ryan. welcome addisyn!!


miracle


look at that beautiful mama, pretty baby and that guy is pretty good looking too


proud daddy


uncle ryan


cutie


verwys ladies

verwys family visit

we had a great visit with ryan's parents and his brothers last week. my pictures from the visit are all on ryan's computer...so i stole these from ross. the highlights of our time together were: backyard landscape project, beach days, hanging out, a date day (yes whole day) for ryan and myself with an amazing hike, lunch and time together, and our boys being loved on by uncles and grandparents.


verwys boys at redondo pier


uncle ross and uncle rob


watching the waves in awe - he really doesn't like the ocean, or i should say the thought of being in it


malachi planning his get away


got the lemon


taste the lemon


abram's giggles

things a two year old says

Yesterday Malachi was playing in his room with his friend Micah and I overheard him say, "no, no Micah, you can't hide from God." so this little phrase comes from a kids bible story on Jonah and in the story Jonah is told he can't hide from God. who knows what was going through Malachi's head as he said this to Micah.

It made me laugh and then I started thinking about it. It is true we can't hide from God - he works in our lives despite us. We ignore him, try to hide or just become overwhelmed. I have shared with some that this past week I was overwhelmed with a lot of brokenness and hurt around me and in people's lives that I care about. To top it off on Tuesday night there was a dramatic arrest of a car thief across the street from our house. Note to all who live in the LA area, when the helicopter keeps on circling around your house you should just go inside and lock the door. So anyway. We have been reading Space for God in our Monday night group and I have just taken a lot to heart from the readings. One huge lesson is that prayer brings us to the places that break God's heart, to the brokenness in our community. Then this brokenness and injustice lead us right back to our knees. My friend read Psalm 121 on Monday, the words have gone with me through this week. Then when Malachi pulled the phrase on not hiding from God out of his memory bank, it led me back to this Psalm. God does always watch over us, we can't hide.
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip -
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watch over over Israel will
neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm -
he will watch over your life;
The Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Ok so I haven't been very attentive to this blog - but I have an excuse, actually 2. One my computer is not allowing me to save anymore pictures, yup I'm out of disk space. Second we have had visitors - my parents and sister Annika. We had a great time going to the beach, seeing the Korean friendship bell, playing at parks, and just hanging out together. We missed Sarah & her boyfriend Ryan but enjoyed our time together. I stole the pictures from my parents blog so I could give you all a glimpse into life here. The boys are great and full of energy. Abram is now in the final countdown to 1 and letting his personality shine. He has a new pouty face which cracks us up and he seems to like to use it. He is such a cuddly kid and loves giving kisses and snuggles. He is standing on his own now and walking behind anything that moves, chairs, toys, empty buckets. Malachi has a favorite new hobby, puzzles. He enjoys figuring out where the pieces go and as we call it is a great, puzzler. He also discovered a new "friend" in Ryan's old cabbage patch kid. Joey, now sleeps with him, goes to the potty with him, eats with him, plays with his toys - its very entertaining to see what Joey does each day with Malachi. We are also doing well - Ryan is enjoying the growth happening with Kingdom Causes - two new programs starting in the last months. Affordable Housing: Our Place Housing Solutions and a Landscaping Business/Job Training: Good Soil are both taking off, very exciting. If you live in Bellflower and you need your lawn mowed call, Kingdom Causes. After feeling really tired earlier this summer he is discovering new energy in focusing each morning on glorifying Jesus in each day, one day at a time. Simple yet something we need to be intentional about in life. I am learning more about being a parent and we trying to figure out all the best discipline strategies for our precious (sometimes stubborn, yes you can laugh) boys. What a 2 year old can't teach you would be my question of the year!? I am also enjoying working about 1 day a week consulting with Kingdom Causes main office. This is a transition back into a place I love working, yet in a new role. We also are loving having family here with us and look forward to Ryan's parents and brothers coming this week. We have recruited another family member to CA, Rob will be starting at Azusa Pacific this week!! This is our plan if you didn't know, slowly bring our family members to CA, one by one.

our little guy is growing like a weed and gets bigger in my eyes each day


malachi's new favorite past time - puzzles


reading with annika


dirk's place in hollywood


venice beach


11 months!


fun at the park with oma


learning to walk

if you've ever wondered where malachi learns his stuff...

WORD

I feel like when I have the chance to blog lately it is to just get something up and not very reflective or profound. I am just trying to keep up some days with everything, ok most days I am just trying to keep up. That is why laundry is unfolded, dishes are dirty and toys have taken over the house. But I continue to learn that it's ok to set that all aside to just be with God each day. Today I read some words from a couple authors that I enjoy and I wanted to share some of it - so I'm not being profound they are - but the words were good and true.

"I, who live by words, am wordless when
I try my words in prayer. All language turns
To silence. Prayer will take my words and then
Reveal their emptiness. The stilled voice learns
To holds its peace, to listen with the heart
To silence that is joy, is adoration.
The self is shattered, all words torn apart
In this strange patterned time of contemplation
That, in time, breaks time, breaks words, breaks me.
And then, in silence, leaves me healed and mended.
I leave, returned to language, for I see
Through words, even when all words are ended.
I, who live by words, am wordless when
I turn me to the Word to pray. Amen.

Madeleine L'Engle, The Weather of the Heart, p.60