Share a Coke

I chose this one tonight. Our glory babies are never far from this mama's heart...

Block Cake for Bart

Once we got home from our conference, we had a traditional block cake for our darling 1-year-old!  We celebrated his birthday (again) a couple of days late today...he didn't seem to mind! He is the sweetest baby we know, and we are so grateful for his life. Missing his brother today, but so thankful that God is trustworthy and holds him (and us) close. Happy birthday, Bart and Aaron!

Staff Kid Life

It's been a great week at our Cru Inner City conference! Grateful for the week...and ready to go home!

Birthday Bart

The birthday boy got to meet Dr. John Perkins today--and had a party in childcare beginning at 9:47 am, the time he was born! It was quite a day for our precious 1-year-old!

July 24 Throwback

My own special version of Throwback Thursday...to just one year ago today. I started my day by staying up late packing for the hospital, getting the house ready for my 4-day absence, and enjoying my last hours being pregnant. Oh, and trying to get my wedding ring off....for over 90 minutes. Our friend, Anna, stayed the course, and I am so thankful for that...pretty funny memory now, actually. I finally went to bed and got a couple of hours of sleep before baby time. When I look back, I realize that I posted so little in those first few days after Bart arrived, so now you can see that day....a year later!

When I woke up early on this day last year, something glimmered on the floor at my feet next to the bed. When I looked closer, this is what I saw. I had to do a double-take...what a sweet reminder of the heart of God toward me, toward us, and to our babies, whose hearts we had been praying for for 6 months. By the way, confetti hearts aren't something that normally hang around our house...I couldn't figure out how it had gotten there. So cool!

Moments before we headed back to the OR, Hoffbeast was busy entertaining me. He was a wonderful support to me that day, especially during surgery. This time around, I knew what was coming (by way of what a c-section is like), and I had become quite nervous, not to mention extremely anxious about the parts that I didn't know. Hoffbeast, as usual, made me laugh all morning. We have a good time together, we do.  During surgery, when I was sad and scared, he dried my tears, and after Bart was delivered, he took care of our baby while I couldn't. My handsome husband was a rock for me that morning, and I am so grateful for him. 

And then he was here....and there was great joy!

A Year Ago Now

A year ago now, I didn't know you.

A year ago now, you were just a dream...and a joy...and a sadness...and a miracle...and a reminder.

A year ago now, I was waiting, I was hoping, I was dreading.

A year ago now, I held my breath...

And then you arrived....alone.  And we rejoiced...and we grieved.  And then we worshipped.

God. is. faithful.  That is the repeated lesson, the lesson learned again and again on the wings of the pain.

Always there.  Always trusting.  Always persevering.  Never failing.

He is love.

Today, I know you.

Today, you are a dream...and a joy...and a miracle...and a reminder.

The sadness remains, but it resides in a corner of my heart reserved for him.  I take it out to remember....to remember him, but more, to remember Him.

Thank you, O Faithful One, for your great love which never fails, for walking with me into the tomorrow, where unknowns abound and joy awaits.

Bart and Aaron, Mama loves you both...so much.

Baby Hunt

Ten years ago right about now, our beautiful son, Hunt, entered the world. He was 5 lbs, 8 oz and perfect...but our hearts were broken because the LORD had called him Home. I'm so thankful to know that Jesus understands grief and wept with us as we wept for the loss of our baby. God was faithful, and as we entered the next few days of uncertainty and weeks and months of intense sadness, He held us tight, always offering the promise of His never-ending presence...thank you, Lord, for the years of mercy and gifts of grace that have followed that bittersweet day. Mama loves you, Hunt, and I look so forward to the day when I will see your sweet face again...for now, I just have to wait and continue to entrust you to His very safe arms. God is good...even in this...and we praise His name forever and ever!

Remembering Trena

This is a big week for us...tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the day our son, Hunt, went to be with the Lord. But the memories start before that day...just a few days before Hunt died, our dear friend, Trena, had gone Home and had been given a new, cancer-free body. We praised Him even as we grieved. Then, that morning, as we heard the words and knew their meaning that would forever change us, we remembered that she was There. I don't know exactly how Heaven works, but it sure was wonderful to think of Trena taking Hunt onto her lap and laughing as she told him stories about his daddy. We would name our son after my dad...and after Trena. Just a few years before, she and Dave had been a rock for us as we walked through our engagement, and on the day we married, Trena was right by my side, keeping me calm and making sure I was all ready. My heart is full of beautiful memories when I remember this dear friend...you are still very missed, Trena Weier! Can't wait to see you again...

Sweet Boy

His sweetness soaks through the photograph and melts my heart.  Nearly every time.  How could I ever refuse such a gift?

Number Twelve!!!

Twelve years ago today, two families were given the gift of these beautiful two children. What a blessing it has been for Rex to share his birthday with his good friend, M! Breakfast tradition at the Original Pancake House--delicious!  Happy birthday, Rex...we love you!

SITC Banquet

Every year, we love summer project.  But once every few years, an especially special group of students descends upon Milwaukee.  For me, this was one of those years.  I had a wonderful time getting to know quite a few of our project students as we looked for jobs together, prayed together, and made memories together.

But alas, our time with the students is over, and although they will continue doing ministry in our city for another month, we will no longer see them on as regular a basis as we were.

Tonight, we had our mid-project banquet where the staff hand off their project jobs to the students.  As has become tradition, we ate in the flower room at Buca di beppo and had a great time...

Molly, the girl sitting on the other side of Jeff, is one of the students I worked with in finding a job.  She ended up with two part-time jobs and is splitting her time between McDonald's and a neighborhood day care.  Caro, the girl on the right who is purposefully not smiling (just to be funny) came to my house every other morning with our intern, Katharine, to pray.  Just to pray...just to begin our day in dependence on the Lord.  It was a wonderful time.

I am so incredibly grateful that God called me to join staff with Cru all those years ago.  Every single summer, I get to revisit the great privilege of pouring into the lives of college students who want to learn how to walk with Jesus for a lifetime.  And I get to do it with this guy...

What a blessed woman I am!