the shepherd times

Rewinding 2011: School Dayz

2012-01-21T07:40:00.001-05:00

Remember the "H" word? Well, we decided to give it a go this year as well. I started homeschooling CJ and Will both at a K-5 level (practically the same as K-4), while Benji worked on preschool workbooks and puzzles. We joined a homeschooling group where the boys learn new material in class once a week, as well as other fun things like science, art, and music projects. We are all enjoying it and learning a lot together. CJ is an absolute SPONGE and cannot get enough information. Will's mind wanders a bit and he gets tired pretty easily, but he loves it too. Ben is a fireball and makes teaching the other two quite a challenge, but he's getting more interested in coloring and gluing (yikes!) these days. All in all, we are loving the start of the school year and look forward to the days to come! Here are my attempts at the first day of school pics:

CJ-my big kindergartener

Will-ready for K-4 (5)

sweet blurry boys

oh well...time to go!

Rewinding 2011: Fall

2012-01-21T06:37:00.001-05:00

We kicked the fall season off with a Labor Day weekend getaway. Some friends allowed us to use their vacation home at a ski resort in West Virginia. It is never completely relaxing with three little ones, but we sure did enjoy our family time away from the normal routines of life.

watching spiders and fish

deer watching

found a fish hatchery

the orange ones for william

king of the stump

rode the durbin rocket

real train whistles are loud!

First day of school up next...

FULL

2012-01-17T13:46:00.004-05:00

I'm sorry for the long delay in updating the blog. Life is just FULL these days. Fuller than ever.

Our house is FULL...Corey's parents and grandmother are relocating to Virginia and have been staying with us for just over a month now. It has been so fun having them around, but an adjustment for sure! There are now 8 people and 2 dogs in here!

Our life is FULL...Just to give you a glimpse, here is a list of the blog posts that I've been working on to catch everyone up on the Fall of 2011 and Winter of 2012 so far: garden, vacation, homeschooling, mason, roths' visit, will's birthday, ticonderoga, corey's birthday, zoo, ben's head, thanksgiving, cakes, ben's birthday, christmas, etc.
Terrible, isn't it? I tried to motivate myself with that "blog marathon" a while back, but I think I got kicked out of the race. Besides blogging for the small following of readers, I also do this for myself...to remember all this stuff! We're getting the blog printed so we can keep it like a scrapbook for years to come. So, I WILL catch up...eventually.

Our brains are FULL...decisions, decisions...what-ifs...and so on. We are still on the path of pursuing an overseas job. Medical clearances (done!!), job opportunities, replacements, house plans, etc. have been just some of the things on the agenda lately. We are continuing to ask God for wisdom and ask you to continue to do the same...thank you for praying. This is all so scary and exciting!

Our hearts are FULL. I continue to stand in awe at the blessings that surround me. Maybe I'm just going through a phase, or maybe it's because thinking of leaving puts a lot of things in perspective, but I've been brought to tears left and right lately. I don't deserve God's mercy and grace...and yet He pours it out in abundance over me.

With the new year comes goals and plans and resolutions. I'm trying to focus on one thing this year...well--this life!...here are some lyrics from a current favorite of ours...

What would make a man so bold
Make a woman lay her own life down
Only one thing
Jesus Christ, Magnified
All over the world
Lifted High, glorified
All over the world
Only One thing
Is Worth everything
Jesus Christ, Magnified
All over the world

One Thing by Matt Papa

like it so much we gave these cd's to all the youth

Bear with me as I seek to balance all that's going on and still try to keep recording all the fun here!

Happy Anniversary

2011-12-22T17:27:00.000-05:00

Both my and Corey's parents celebrate 38 years of marriage this month (14th and 22nd, respectively). We are so grateful for them and God's promises that have sustained them all these years. Here's to many more!

For A Little While

2011-12-12T11:23:00.000-05:00

We are overwhelmed with God's goodness to us in giving us Benji. We are so thankful that we get to keep him for a little while. Happy birthday to our miraculous boy.

Blog Marathon: Summer Rewinds

2011-12-07T23:38:00.000-05:00

So, did anyone notice I didn't post the blog marathon? I have some good excuses...but I'll get to that soon enough... :)
The summer of 2011 was jam packed full. I blogged here and there about some of our adventures, but here are some things I missed...
Will's trip to the ER--Will smashed his pinky finger between two rocks one day. The doctor thought he may have some bone sticking out, but it was too difficult to see through the swelling. So, off to the ER we went for an x-ray. Turns out, it was fine...didn't even need stitches. The milkshake and lollipop made it all better.

A Visit From My Sis--Kellye came into town to visit and to see our "cousin" Jenna graduate from high school.

shopping with mad money from dad

the boys with the grad

Soccer Camp--Corey and I assisted with the soccer camp our church put on. CJ participated as a camper and loved it. Will and Ben got to play with some of the other littles on on the sidelines.

corey sharing the gospel with signs i made

cj's team...the knights

Weddings--Corey was asked to officiate 3 weddings this summer. Two of the young men were in our youth group for several years so it was extra special for us. I don't have any pictures of those brides though! :(

3 brothers, the dad, corey (daniel's wedding)

wedding #2...andrew

jamie and jen

Church Retreat--A highlight of our summer, though lots of work, is our All Church Retreat. We spend the weekend worshiping, eating, praying, listening to preaching, playing, laughing, and on this particular weekend...getting soaked!! (Hurricane Irene reached us in the hills of Maryland!)

worship

ladies break out

the theme was prayer this year

Some of our very favorite people.....

Fall Rewinds coming next...

We're Alive.

2011-12-01T11:59:00.000-05:00

I promise.
First of all, how is it December? I can't very well blog about our Advent and Christmas happenings when there are summer and fall posts waiting to be published! This calls for some serious catch up. I am here by declaring this weekend "blog marathon." I will finally finish uploading the pictures and click "publish" on those half written posts. You can finally see why I haven't had the time. :)

"brothers stick together"

So, Happy December everyone! Oh, and just wondering...but am I the only person who waits until December to get out my Christmas decor? (We also actually wait until after the 12th to get a tree...to celebrate Ben's birthday.)

October 31

2011-11-06T14:29:00.000-05:00

Wow. We are already a week into November! I feel like time is moving at light speed. You know, except during those times of potty training that he "forgets" to go to the bathroom. And those times where one little gray lego piece is the cause of screams and fists and lots of tears. And when I'm doing laundry. But other than that...light speed!
So, our Halloween night was a fun one. We were invited to Jordan and Shelby's house (some of our young adults at church). The care group kids (ours and the H's) somehow began calling Jordan "Mr. Pancake" and Shelby "Mrs. Waffles." It's ridiculous and hilarious. But what put it over the top was Shelby's handmade costume for Jordan...

He DOES exist! (Mr. Pancakes, that is.)

What a riot! We enjoyed hanging out, eating pizza, doing a little trick or treating in their cul-de-sac, and making oreo and marshmallow spiders with Mrs. Waffles. (Thank you Shelby!)

For our costumes this year, we only had to travel to our dress up trunk...thanks to hand-me-downs over the years, we had lots to choose from.

fireman cj

buzz dub-d

ben-ha-meen baseball guy

Our night was filled with sweet fellowship and sugary treats! We wanted to bless our neighborhood kids with treats as well, so we left a sign and a huge basket of candy on the front porch. I'd like to think all the neighbors stopped by to get some, but I keep imagining a teenager dumping all the candy into a pillowcase. (Ok, so maybe I took more than my fair share when faced with that situation as a kid...) :)

Lots of summer and fall rewinds coming soon...

I Love My Kids

2011-10-28T10:25:00.000-04:00

I don't deserve this grace.

This Guy

2011-10-24T21:44:00.000-04:00

His birthday is today. He went to the dentist. He played legos. He disciplined kids. All he requested was an ice cream cake. We did a little more than that...but not much. Homemade cards, a new Connect Four game, a new billfold, and a promise for some new shoes. Even if we had unlimited resources, he probably still wouldn't ask for much more. Maybe tickets to watch Arkansas play. :) But, seriously, his treasure and heart are not for this world and it's very evident. He's just a sojourner here and I am a blessed wife to have him leading our family on this pilgrimage. Happy birthday to my very best friend. I love you Corey Shepherd.

The Announcement

2011-10-20T23:20:00.001-04:00

“Enable me to undertake some task for thee, for this refreshes and animates my soul, so that I could endure all hardships and labours, and willingly suffer for thy name.”
--The Valley of Vision

hmmm...

It is likely that you have heard by now, either from us personally or through the grapevine, that our little family may be going through some major changes by this time next year. We are considering serving overseas on a full time basis, endeavoring to take the gospel to Central Asia.
To say that we're conflicted about this is a massive understatement. Life here is good. Really good. We love the people of Grace Church, and gain a real sense of fulfillment by serving among them. Leaving our families and friends feels like a punch in the gut. On the other hand, we feel a real sense of urgency to take the good news of Christ to people who have never heard it.
There is so much to say. Spelling it all out on the blog is just not possible, but if you'd like to talk to us more, we'd love to make that happen. Shoot us an email, call, text, facebook us, or stop on by.
Here are a few verses that have had a shaping influence on us lately:
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
(Matthew 9:37-38 ESV)
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
(Romans 10:14-15 ESV)
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
(Matthew 4:19-20 ESV)

There is more to be said, but for now, we would covet your prayers. We are seeking counsel, asking God for wisdom, and trying to walk in faith. We know He will direct our steps.

My Excuse

2011-09-29T21:08:00.000-04:00

So last week while I was emptying the dishwasher, Ben and Will decided to bite the tops off of their markers and spit them out. I thought they were coloring at their desks. They told me they were "spitting colors."
A few days later, I ran upstairs to get a gift bag for a birthday party we were about to leave for, and when I came down Ben pointed to the kitchen and said, "mess." I walked around the corner to find a package of 18 eggs open on the floor and eggs splattered around.
Just last night we had to use tweezers to remove a lego from Ben's nostril.
Geez, I promise I do watch my kids!

So, that's my excuse for the lack of blog posts around here. There's more going on than just little boy shenanigans, but that sure does make life more complicated!
My heart has been heavy for a variety of reasons, but God gives grace each day (even in the midst of crazy kiddos). The book, "The Valley of Vision" has been particularly encouraging lately. It is a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions. Here's a snippet:
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

More pictures and updates soon, I promise. :)

Dub Turns 4!

2011-09-21T11:08:00.000-04:00

How is this even possible? Our sweet Will turned 4 years old on Monday. We took him out to dinner, but we'll have a more formal celebration next Sunday night. Our precious boy is such a joy...he marches to his own beat and I love everything about him...he's sensitive, passionate, emotional, stubborn, thoughtful, and so much more. So thankful for our little middle man.

Little Boys

2011-09-08T15:29:00.000-04:00

My neighbor tells me that "mothers of little boys work from son up til son down." Get it? :) These guys definitely wear me out, but they also steal my heart day after day.

Some sweet things I want to remember today...
--When CJ stands in front of me with arms outstretched and says in his sweet, demanding voice, "HUG!!"
--When Will prays for a meal with, "thank you for India...to believe in Jesus...and pray...and sing. Amen."
--When Ben says anything with a hard c or hard g sound (kuh and guh)...like milt (milk), piddy (piggy), and blorious (glorious...as heard on the video a couple posts back).

Love it. Love them. So blessed.

Rest from our Labors

2011-09-01T19:34:00.001-04:00

A bunch of posts and pictures are sittin' in the hopper. But, we are weary and need to get away. Thankfully, some friends are lending us a house in West Virginia for the weekend...so I'll be back with lots to tell on Monday.

what a month! (just a little tantrum)

Happy resting friends!

Summer Rewinds: Babies

2011-08-16T18:37:00.000-04:00

Two of my dear friends have had babies this summer...and they are BOYS! There are so many girls in my neighborhood and church family, and each of these friends had all girls first...so we were delighted to add these boys to the mix! Our church family threw the ladies a double baby shower and I hosted it at my house. It was so much fun!

The night before the shower I had all the big sisters (minus one) over to help me decorate and bake for our circus themed shower.

Madison, Georgia, Morgan, me, Autumn

diaper cakes and cotton candy centerpieces

Dorinda and I made homemade banners

the dessert table

The empty spot here was filled with my mom's 2-tiered plate stand with her chocolate covered strawberries...yum.

kettle corn/cupcakes/circus peanuts/cotton candy

all the little girls

prego Lea and I

prego Christie and I

Leah and Sam

"guess how much TP it takes to get around the belly"

At our church, we try to take every opportunity to pray together and get into the Word of God. We did a skit on a "mother's fears" and then April led us in a short Bible study about anxiety and trusting the Lord.

Cortney, Cyndy, Heather, and I

April teaching us

Julie's fruit carriage...so cute!

Ok, now for the really fun part...the sweet baby boys...
It is customary for a pastor to make a "hospital visit" when a church member is there. I tried to lighten Corey's load a bit and take care of these visits for him... :)

sweet Mason and I

Morgan, Madison, Mason, Andrew, and Christie

beautiful boy

adorable Charlie and I

look at that gorgeous hair!

Welcome to the world little Mason and Charlie. We love you and your families so much!

Whirlwind Roadtrip

2011-08-13T20:54:00.000-04:00

parked in staten island...took the ferry over

hi lady liberty!

kayla, shelby, me

shelby's first train ride

shelby's first ny pizza

look who i ran into!

and this girly too!

the new building at ground 0

grabbed some fruit before central park

love central park

BIG! (fao schwarz)

kayla's kitchen (she's in culinary school!)

a pic for my boys

did i tell you she got engaged the day before!?

dylan's candy bar

grand central market

cupcake bakery

grand central station

times square

train ride back to south ferry

goodnight nyc

I know we went to all the cliche places in Manhattan, but it was fun to show Shelby NY for the first time. I'd love to go back and spend time in Brooklyn and Queens and of course back to Rockaway Beach!

Ummmm...Yeah.

2011-08-08T22:09:00.000-04:00

So, I thought that I'd have so much time and energy (ha!) to update the blog in the evenings while Corey was away, but last week was quite a whirlwind. Actually, after the missions team left our house, I began feeling pretty yucky. By the next morning, I had quite the summer cold. I was in a fog for the first half of the week. Thankfully, friends were nearby to lend a hand. One friend brought a huge bag of children's books over, not knowing that I was sick. God's timing was perfect there...the excitement of the new books kept my guys settled and fairly quiet for most of the next few days. (Thanks Heather!) What a blessing! Another friend came with me to the movies with the kids and fed me and the boys dinner at their house that night. (Thanks Dorinda!)

Of course, my boys still found ways to keep me on my toes. One day, I put a video on while I stripped the sheets and did laundry. Evidently it was not a very amusing show because Ben and Will decided explore Mama and Daddy's bathroom. They found some lotion and baby powder...yikes. I put them both in the hallway and told them to sit against the wall while I tried to clean up some of the disaster in the bathroom. When I went to talk to them, they were sitting there...laughing and talking silly to each other. Those two are trouble!

Trouble he may be...but he steals my heart every day...check out this video...

By Thursday, I was on the mend and began planning a crazy trip to join the NYC missions team on Friday for their tourist day. Yep, we actually did it. We stayed up for an entire 24 hours to make it happen, but two young ladies from my church and I drove up to NY for the day. We had lunch with the team and walked around Ground Zero a bit before going our separate sightseeing ways (they had to get back for an evening evangelism event). Kayla, Shelby and I had a blast. Huge thanks to April, Rod, and Laurie and Sam for watching the boys so I could go on this adventure. Besides all the touristy things, the ladies and I had wonderful conversation throughout the drive and the day. We never once turned on the radio!
Pictures are being uploaded and will be posted soon!

Start Spreadin' the News

2011-07-31T20:48:00.001-04:00

Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! Psalm 96:1-3

the crew before departure

New York! New York! That's right, Corey took a team of 21 people from our church to go back to the Big Apple today and serve the ministries of Urban Impact. (For those of you who don't know, we lived there for the month of May last year, during Corey's sabbatical.) Urban Impact seeks to share the Gospel with the immigrants from West Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia...the nations living right in the middle of New York City!

remember this from last year?

There has been a lot of preparation for this trip (and not just all the late nights this past week!). Over the last few months we've had a spaghetti dinner fundraiser and a huge yard sale. This week we attended a cookout for the crew and their families, a "guys' night" at our house on Friday night, and everyone came here for lunch before departure today. Enjoy the pictures from these events and be expecting lots of blog updates this week (as I'll have some lonely nights!).

a friendly game of cards

prayer and praise at the cookout

yard sale prep

cortney and julia sorting toys

our resident artist, andrea, used her skills

paintin' faces

pirate face

our contribution to the sale

my cake for the fundraiser

my second cake for the fundraiser

more of andrea's skills/design

our youth serving the food

bff's

grammie and benji

As you can see, this trip has been a long time coming. They will be doing ESL classes, VBS, construction work, and street evangelism. Please pray for Corey and the team!

Summer Rewinds: CJ's 5th Birthday Party

2011-07-18T00:01:00.002-04:00

Sorry to the faithful few who keep up with the blog! I have not done a great job updating this summer! We had a birthday party for CJ back in May. We invited a few friends from the neighborhood and church and did a pirate theme (all the boys are into pirates these days, if you haven't noticed already).

What a joy to bless our little guy with this adventurous day. Here's what we did...

pinata and homemade decor

of course, i made a pirate ship cake!

When we invited the guests, we asked for no gifts, but requested a homemade card. Anyone else fighting the "battle of the stuff?" CJ was happy to ask for no gifts once we talked to him about how a few gifts from us and grandparents would be a great blessing...and how just playing with his friends would be so much fun. We were so thankful when all the kids showed up with pictures and cards they had made for him.

reading Steven's homemade card

I tried to save money buy making pirate hats for everyone out of newspaper. They got to decorate those and wooden treasure chests when they arrived.

cj+georgia=bff's :)

Some cheap swords and patches along with some painted mustaches transformed everyone into pirates!

the crew...arrrggh!

scarfing up grub (corn dogs)

No pirate party would be complete without a treasure hunt!

the map (paper bag, a marker, and a lighter)

corey leading the hunt

it was a tricky path to the treasure!

X marks the spot!

blowing out the "cannons"

playing with the "loot" from the pinata

enjoying FIVE bucks from Nana!

legos and other treasures from G+G

lego ship and pirate shirt from M+P

So much fun! Still can't believe our sweet CJ is FIVE years old!

El Paso in Pictures

2011-07-11T23:52:00.001-04:00

We still have suitcases to unpack from our trip, the boys are still on El Paso time, and we're missing our family out West! We had a great trip, but of course, we've jumped right back into life here! Yesterday we had people at our house from right after church until after ten...a "Serve Him Now" youth meeting in the afternoon, and a young adult care group in the evening. We LOVE having people over. Actually, CJ often asks in the morning who's coming over today! So, forgive the long pile of pictures. This is a glimpse of our fun and sweet times last week.
Lots of pool time...

This was a random hat shop in the mall. Ben became obsessed with that red baseball cap (that doesn't fit him and doesn't adjust). Marmo offered to buy the boys hats, so Ben got to keep it, Will picked out an "army" hat, CJ got a Nascar hat, and Corey found a soccer one.

For some reason, they wouldn't go for these...

The following pics are from Jumpin' Jaks, an indoor play house for kids. It was super fun on that hot day (I think 109*?). CJ became buds with a little boy named Carlos. I love his ability to make friends so easily.

Breakfast on PaPa and Marmo's balcony...

The discovery of Corey's old boxed set of Star Wars books...

A trip to the train station, train museum, and a flight and sound exhibit downtown...

LOTS of cooking and eating together... Some of our favorites were flank steak, ribs, tri-color salad, tomato salad, chocolate mousse pie, homemade shakes, homemade ice cream, and PaPa's hot breakfasts (nearly every morning!).

They had the recipe for this chocolate chip cookie cake picked out and I was excited to try my hand at it...the only reason we got a picture of it was because it had to sit in the fridge overnight...everything else was devoured on the spot. :)

We celebrated the 4th of July with red, white, and blue and a drive across the state line to watch fireworks from the car in New Mexico.

The boys made another stepping stone to match the ones in Marmo's yard from 2009. My, how their feet and hands have grown!

One of many attempts at a grandkids/grandparents picture...

Smores and homemade ice cream waaayyy past the kids' bedtime and they were lovin' it!

Tired parents...we hiked/rock-climbed/bouldered at Hueco Tanks that morning while Marmo and PaPa did the morning routine with the kiddos. It was really neat and fun. (Pictures from Corey's phone coming.)

Four generations!!

Whew! What a great trip!!! Thank you so much for everything, Mary and John!

Eleven Years

2011-07-01T13:38:00.002-04:00

A blog post can't convey the love, joy, happiness, and so much more that I've been blessed with through my marriage to Corey. Today we celebrate a very, very happy 11 years. God has given me so much more than I deserve in him. My heart aches with love for this man...

We plan to celebrate tonight with a date out, thanks to Mary and John. We are in El Paso this week visiting with Marmo, PaPa, and Grandmommy. Lots of updates and pictures to come! Here's where we've spent lots of time so far...

yep, that's a pirate ship floating in the pool!

Good News

2011-06-24T00:04:00.000-04:00

Doc called today and Ben's scan was normal. Our little bobble head just has big brains! We're thanking God today for his health!

Benji Update

2011-06-20T23:22:00.000-04:00

Thanks for all your prayers. Today's CT scan went alright. Ben cried the entire time and said, "I wan you git me oouuww." I wonder if they'll call us back in to try again with sedation. We should hear something this week regarding the results either way. I'll let you know...thank you for praying! Here's the happy boy after they gave him graham crackers and a stuffed bunny. So sweet!

Big Heads, Big Lessons

2011-06-19T21:31:00.000-04:00

Ben has a CT scan tomorrow morning. Our pediatrician wants his head checked out because its growth has been off the charts (above) for a while now and the trend is not slowing down. His height and weight have not been on the charts (below), but he's gaining steadily and slow growth is pretty typical for a preemie. The doctor doesn't seem too concerned because he is super healthy in almost every way. I would say I'm not too concerned either, but there is something about having to watch your child lay on a hospital bed that makes your heart ache.

I taught the preschool lesson today on Abraham and Isaac. Abraham trusted God with his son's life. He knew that God loved him and so he obeyed. What a good reminder for me. I want to walk in that faith every day. The kind of faith that trusts God and does not doubt His goodness.

So, pray for sweet Benji's head tomorrow if you would. I will update you with the results as soon as I know. I'm guessing they will tell us that Shepherd boys have extraordinarily large heads! (Jay? Terry?)

Overflowing

2011-06-13T23:00:00.001-04:00

My heart--that is. I've been hesitating to post anything for over a week as I've been thinking about this. Remember that friend I told you about a few months ago? Mary and Pete's little girl, Remy, was born at the same gestation as Ben. But their road has been much different. Remy passed away the Sunday before last after 95 days of life. Please, please pray for the Zappulla family. Along our road with Ben, we only began to taste the grief of "what if." They are experiencing pain that I've only ever imagined.

I've been praying for God's comfort and peace in their broken hearts lately..."Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27

My heart is also overflowing with the sweetness that came from our recent trip to Orlando with 14 young adults. We went to a conference called Next, geared towards college aged young people. This was not just a kum-ba-ya camp setting where we sang and talked about following Jesus. This was rich, theological teaching and singing and stirring. The theme was focused on understanding a Christ-centered worldview in a postmodern, relativistic world. The speakers ranged from Scott Oliphint and D.A. Carson to R.C. Sproul and Kevin DeYoung. I came away with a fresh awareness of the whole counsel of God. As Abraham Kuyper put it, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’" We were blessed to share this learning with the growing young adult group from our church...

This is the group plus Chris and Joanna and their three precious girls. They are former church members (and dear friends) who moved to SC last year and hosted ALL of us for one night on our trip down. We had such a great time catching up and recharging in their beautiful home. Thank you for such wonderful hospitality, Chris and Joanna!

Caitlin, Cathryn, Kristen Rae, and Cortney (behind the camera) got to meet and pray with Josh Harris--well known preacher and author, and founder of the NEXT conference.

Here's the group out for dinner one night. It didn't really matter where anyone sat...we all had such great conversations...both silly and serious. God is at work in our young people and it is exciting to be a part of it!

HUGE thanks to Grammie and Granddad for watching the boys for 5 straight days. They kept them so busy and so happy. What a blessing!

5 Years

2011-05-28T15:22:00.000-04:00

**yesterday's post--sorry for the delay**

I owe you lots of blog posts and pictures...I promise it's coming!! What a busy month we've had. Corey and I leave this morning to head to Florida with seventeen 20-somethings from our church for the NEXT conference. Grammie and Granddad are graciously keeping the boys for a 5 day sleepover (HUGE THANKS!!) while Corey and I enjoy sweet fellowship, amazing worship, and powerful preaching.

But this day is pretty important besides a big trip down south...it is our first-born son's 5th birthday! FIVE. I can't quite wrap my head around it. Caleb James Shepherd was our first precious boy. We had prayed for a baby for about a year and a half before getting pregnant with him. The pregnancy completely knocked me off my feet. I was so sick for so long. The labor was long and hard...but when we finally held that little guy...wow. The joy...the instant joy is so indescribable.

We celebrated CJ's birthday this past Sunday with a pirate birthday party. I'll post with tons of pictures when we return. But for fun, I thought I'd share some pictures of our sweet kiddo through the years on his birthday (I printed these out for a card I made for him today).

about to pop

1 day old

1st birthday

2nd birthday

3rd birthday

4th birthday

5th birthday

happy boy (with pirate mustache remnants)

Happy birthday to our smart, kind, silly, sweet boy, CJ! God is so good to give us this precious gift!

Coming Soon

2011-05-18T14:33:00.000-04:00

Blogger was acting up last week and I lost a post I was working on. Here's what's coming soon...

family visits
sports mix class
grace race
garden
spaghetti dinner fundraiser
baby shower
garden
deck

Here's a teaser picture...

dub after the fundraiser

(courtesy of andrea bacca photography) :)

Camera Thief

2011-05-11T00:16:00.000-04:00

New posts are almost ready. In the meantime, look who got a hold of my camera the other day...

Week in the Life

2011-05-06T13:02:00.000-04:00

Our days have been packed lately. We fall exhausted eventually, but we do love our busy life. God has given us such an amazing community of believers in our church and our lives are very much wrapped up in loving and serving them and reaching out to our physical community in turn. (By the way, Corey just preached a powerful message called, Community and What Kills It.) I thought I'd share some of the craziness of our weeks lately by going through 'a week in the life' of the Shepherds.

Tuesday
This is my catch up day. After a weekend (Sunday and Monday, for us) of fun, Tuesday is Corey's first day back at work and our first day of the normal week. Since last fall, Corey and I have been teaching a free ESL class on Tuesday nights (another couple from our church teaches on Thursday nights). Through the classes we met a sweet couple and the husband has bonded with Corey and the other male teacher. They've started a weekly Bible study and his English is improving. This man also happens to be a contractor and has offered to help Corey build our deck (a project we've been saving for and planning for some time). Wow! So, last Sunday, the deck building began...well, the post hole digging began! Both our church community and our neighborhood community lended a hand, and they had those post holes dug in no time. The ladies watched the boatload of children and we ordered a stack of pizzas for dinner. One neighbor brought over some leftover birthday cake, and we had a party in a matter of minutes! Fun!

More days in the life of the Shepherds soon!

Rain Delay

2011-05-03T23:14:00.000-04:00

It is 11:11 PM and pouring rain outside. I have a to-do list a mile long, including updating the blog with all the busy going-on's around here. But, I am so very tired, so the blog will have to wait. Blog is called on account of rain...or so I'm saying. :) For now, just know we are loving this spring weather!

Resurrection Day

2011-04-26T10:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter everyone. We had a packed, but wonderful weekend. We tried a new thing on Saturday night before Easter. Along with the tomb scene and telling the account of Jesus' death and burial, we did "sinning stones." I'd love to give credit to the source of this idea, but I read it on a random blog post in a list of reader comments. I don't even remember what blog. Anyway, each boy had a bucket and two stones. We asked them to tell us some of their sins and we wrote them on the stones and they placed them in their buckets. We talked about how Jesus died for those sins...and then a big stone was rolled in place to seal his tomb.

On Easter morning, the stone was rolled away and Jesus is alive! Those sad sin buckets are replaced with baskets of blessings. We talked to the boys about how Jesus conquered death and our sins are as far as the east is from the west.

Here is Corey's basket...yes there are 5 Reece's eggs...and yes, they come in packs of 6. Why do you ask?

Easter morning photo shoot...

what I get when I say, "smile"

After church, my folks came over for a lovely brunch and more Easter baskets...they spoil us! Corey caught this shot of my parents trying to get some pictures after church...too funny!

After a quick nap, we headed over to our pastor's home for a huge potluck, egg hunt, Easter skit, fellowship, and ultimate frisbee. God graciously held off the thunderstorms ALL evening...He's so kind to us! It was a good day.

I've been meditating on these words this week, but I am so grateful that the truth of this message is my song everyday. I won't pay my dues again...Jesus already did!
So three days in darkness slept
The Morning Sun of righteousness
But rose to shame the throes of death
And over turn his rule

Now daughters and the sons of men
Would pay not their dues again
The debt of blood they owed was rent
When the day rolled a new

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke holding keys
To Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave
Death in His Grave by John Mark McMillan

He is risen! (and you say...)

ARGGHHH!

2011-04-22T21:41:00.000-04:00

My Guys

2011-04-20T10:15:00.001-04:00

Have I mentioned that we love Mondays? It is Corey's day off, and I sort of take the day off too. I do a weekly (sometimes monthly) meal plan so that I can be frugal with our grocery money each month. Clipping coupons and sticking to the meal plan enables us to eat out on Mondays. (Keep in mind that anything with a waiter is a "fancy" place in our book...ha!)

So Monday night we headed to Eggspectation (woohoo...a fancy place!) because I scored a couple $25 gift certificates for just $2 each at Restaurant.com (seriously, coupons are the way to go!). We ate outside on the patio and then headed to the grassy area nearby for our own toddler version of sharks and minows.

Man, I love these guys...

racing to mama

rawr face

fake smile for mama face

what JOY to watch him run

tired and sweaty

sweetness


precious moment of helping

I love my little family. :)

Silver White Winters That Melt into Spring

2011-04-14T22:42:00.001-04:00

...these are a few of my favorite things. Two more favorites for today...

1. Spring!! Well, more specifically, gardening with my family. We got a little taste of gardening last year, and now we can't get enough. We've planned our veggies for this year and planting will begin on Monday. We've used this book as a guide, as well as the knowledgeable staff at our local garden center. Speaking of which, we've been able to get some great deals on shrubs lately by shopping in the "healthy, but over-wintered" clearance section!

3 blueberry bushes and clearance shrubs

flowers and herbs on the front porch

"BEFORE" (with returning strawberry plants)

2. The Jesus Storybook Bible. We love this Bible and our boys do too. The author connects every story to God's redemptive plan for man through Jesus. The subtitle says, "Every story whispers his name." We recently purchased the deluxe edition which comes with audio cd's. The boys LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to listen to the stories and have many portions memorized! We highly recommend it!

reading along with the cd at bedtime

High-Low

2011-04-05T21:44:00.001-04:00

I remember a scene from a movie a long time ago where the Dad asks the kids for their 'high' and 'low' of the day at the dinner table. It provided some interesting conversation. I thought it would be a quick way to recap a boring week in our house (boring is a relative term, I know).
First, the lows:

strep throat, colds, croup, and the like
little sleep for all parties involved
strange and cold weather all week (boy, do we have spring fever!)
Ben=trouble...just today he covered his face in eye shadow and took a bite of a dishwasher tablet (don't worry, I caught him in the act and got it all out of his mouth...and believe me, I'm watching my kid...he's just...quick!)

sick boy stack


supposedly he "wasn't tired for a nap"

Yes, that's Will, sound asleep, standing up, legs out of his pajamas...

Now, for the highs:

good, long skype with Meagan this week
CJ woke up 3 mornings with a dry pull-up (potty training is a SLOW process in our house)
yesterday was in the 80's
we started planning our vegetable garden for this year
we bought 3 blueberry bushes (come on, summer!)
I started making homemade granola bars (no more $3 a box!)

All of these highs and lows are such little things in the grand scheme of things. I have been reminded lately of God's kindness to us in Ben's life and health. An old friend from middle school and high school recently had a baby girl...28 weeks-just like Ben. They are sharing their journey here. Please pray for their little girl, Remy. As our boys sing all the time, "God can move a mountain...He can do anything!"

Old Friends Are the Best Friends

2011-03-28T21:38:00.000-04:00

We took a whirlwind road trip last week to Kentucky. Our first stop was near Lexington to visit some family friends. DeWayne and Sherri met Corey's folks in the laundry room of a German apartment building while both overseas with the Army (when Corey was a toddler). They became fast friends and have stayed in touch ever since. Corey even lived with them for a few years while he got his undergrad at UK. Sherri loaded the kids up with all kinds of treats and treasures. They are still enjoying their gifts and talking about "Miss Sherri."

they fell in love fast!

playing with the doggies

kisses!

We had fun looking through some old photos with Sherri. She came across this snapshot of Corey on their front porch, talking to his girlfriend long distance (me). Oh the phone bills back then!

Our next stop was in Louisville to see our wonderful friends, Clif and Sally and their two precious girls, Violet and Caroline. Corey's mom eventually joined us there to visit and then we dropped her off with DeWayne and Sherri on the way home so she could spend some time with them. It was a wonderful reunion (of sorts)! But way too quick!! (And not one picture of Marmo...Mary, did you get any good ones?)

Ben and Violet

having a snack at their church's playground

mamas and babies

found this one from 2009!!

double date (thanks marmo and lucy!)

goodnight kentucky!

Back to Reality

2011-03-22T08:22:00.001-04:00

Corey and I had an overnight date Friday and Saturday in Annapolis, Maryland. The weather was beautiful and we spent lots of time just walking through the old town, eating out, and shopping a little. (Big thanks to Caitlin, Grammie, and Granddad!!) It was wonderful...and way too short!

Right before our date, though, the boys were giving me a run for my money. Ben has started a new thing this week...biting! Like breaking the skin-leaving a bruise-kind of biting! Hours before we were supposed to leave he bit Will hard and proceded to dunk his own head in the toilet. And just minutes before we left, he somehow found a black marker and colored all over the wall right behind us as we were talking to the babysitter.
The day after we got back, there were meltdowns before church and later that evening, throwing up in the car. Wow...welcome back, right?

As terrible as all those things sound, this IS my reality. It seems that the best stories for the blog come from the most exhausting days of motherhood! But, I want to be sure that amidst it all I am full of gratefulness for this BLESSED life I'm living and this tremendous privilege of leading these little ones to know and love my Savior. And oh the joy they bring.

We've been working on learning this passage lately:
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:31-34
I'm seeing this verse come alive for me these days...may HIS kingdom be my reality and my heart's desire. The boys are starting to get the idea of it, but mostly it has been fun to hear CJ use "shall" as part of his normal vocabulary..."What shall I build next Mama? A turbo-blaster jet-plane? I think I shall!"

These Are A Few

2011-03-12T09:56:00.000-05:00

...of my favorite things. I had the thought over the last year or so to post recommendations on our blog. I read a lot of blogs that do "Friday Favorites," but let's face it, I can't be constrained to doing it on Fridays only. Time...it's all about when I grab a few minutes to write down a memory, or upload a picture, or offer a suggestion. So here goes...
Corey and I love music. You'd probably be surprised at the variety of music that we enjoy, but we are convinced that music is both for our good and for praising God's name. Our friends Clif and Sally introduced us to their church's music a few years back and we've been hooked ever since. They just came out with an awesome new cd. Check it out here.

I'd say this next favorite is for the kids, but I'd be fibbing. I've been thoroughly enjoying my Seeds Family worship cd's lately. They are scripture verses set to music...but they are better than other "memory verse" cd's I've ever listened to. And what a joy to hear the boys quoting scripture left and right around our house! I highly recommend these cd's no matter your age.

More favorite things coming soon!

Embrace the Camera

2011-03-10T22:04:00.000-05:00

We're missing Daddy around here. Sure, he takes out the trash and walks the dog (even on cold and rainy nights) and empties the dishwasher...but he's also my very best friend. And I miss him when he's gone. And he's also the boys' biggest hero here on earth. And they miss him when he's gone.
I know lots of people who's husbands are away for a LONG time. Corey's just gone for the week. My heart swells with gratefulness for that man. And breaks for those who are separated for so long. Prayers for you families who are missing your men!

Here's our email hello to Daddy yesterday...

Birthdays, Baking, and Boys

2011-03-09T23:26:00.000-05:00

I can't seem to be consistent with blogging these days! Here's what's been keeping us away from the computer...
Another birthday for me! Yay! (I am not one of those people who dread birthdays...it's reason to give thanks to God and reason to eat cake!) We celebrated one night with my parents and some of the Hamricks (long time family friends). The boys and I celebrated again with a lunch at Nana's house, and Corey has a special overnight date planned for me later this month. I'm blessed!

mom's beautiful cake for me

no smiles, but they really do love jenna!

laughing with nana

photo taken by cj

playing at nana's is hard work!

As everyone knows by now, I love to bake creatively. I helped plan and put on a double bridal shower last week. Corey will be marrying the two couples this summer and we are really looking forward to the joining of these families. Here's what kept me off the computer for two days...

Any celebrations coming up? Let me know and I'll bake something! :)

And oh BOY...these guys are too cute for words, but WHEW--they are full of energy! Too bad it is unsafe to leave them in the bathtub unattended...one of the few times they are in a confined space, playing happily together!

Our other boy (Corey) is in California this week at a conference. We sure do miss him! Of course, it would help if he didn't send beautiful pictures of the beach while he's gone!

Inspiration Has Come

2011-02-22T10:10:00.000-05:00

That's right, people. I finally bought me a little camera. I much rather SHOW you what's happening around here than just tell you. So how about a little update on these growing boys...and please don't laugh at the butcher job I did on all their hair...

Will is keeping us smiling and laughing. He is our sweet, sweet, boy. He tries hard to keep up with CJ, but has taken on the role of big brother as well. It is so fun to watch him be a leader when he and Ben are the only ones around. He loves to tell you stories (though he gets extremely worked up and begins to stutter a bit :)) and sing made up songs (well, actually they all do). He is still quite passionate and emotional...he still has a blood curdling scream that he resorts to using when things aren't going his way...we are working on "using our words." ;)

CJ is GROWING. He's pretty much out of 5T clothing and well into 5-6 little boy sizes. (I didn't realize how much that would sadden me...I have spent all of my parenting years so far making a bee line for the baby/toddler section!) He's also eating like a horse. I'm getting glimpses of having 3 teenage boys in the house...yikes! Also, check out those pearly whites! That's right, he had his first dentist appointment and sat wonderfully still. (I had flashbacks of holding him down for stitches and bloodwork and IV's...oh my.) He is a great big brother, and is beginning to grasp the idea of "looking to the interests of others" and it is a joy to watch.

Ben is a character if I've ever known one. This kid is so full of life. He is talking like crazy in that parrot/repeat stage and it is quite hilarious. We often call him "Benstruction" because he's like a little bull, pushing his way into everyone's business. He will NOT be left out of any activity. Talk about a fireball! He runs, jumps, dances, climbs, and even lays on the floor in defiance. Yep, this kid is keeping me on my toes, for sure. And I love it...most of the time.

How can you resist the lip?

Love Day

2011-02-14T20:55:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! As we've said before, Corey and I don't really celebrate this day like it is some sort of romantic holiday. I like to get into the theme and decorate a bit and make yummy treats (like red velvet/cream cheese sandwich cookies and chocolate covered strawberries this year). But, since everyone is expressing their love all over the place, I thought I'd take a moment to tell you we love you...friends and family...near and far...

And to think...just 2 years ago, I spent my day visiting my littlest guy in the NICU. Oh how good God has been to us! He gave us our son...and HIS...

How deep the Father's love for us,

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure...

Lyrics by Stuart Townend

I'm a Slacker

2011-02-08T23:46:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. I'm a slacker. We're all better from our sicknesses, but you know how it goes...catching up is a never-ending process. We've had a cold virus hanging out with us since the beginning of January and the week before last, it turned ugly...ear infections and terrible coughing...and eventually a nasty stomach bug that infected nearly everyone who came near us (sorry Grammie and Granddad!). By the way, when do kids learn to run to the bathroom to get sick? Just wondering...

hanging in mama's bed with fevers and raw noses

Between the illnesses, we managed to get out for an occasional family fun day. We're always trying to do fun things on Mondays, preferably out of the house. Winter days are harder for this, but we made it to Gravely Park for some airplane watching one day, to the National Building Museum for a Lego exhibit, and yesterday to Annapolis for dinner with friends and dessert at the docks. Here are a few shots from Corey's phone (almost have enough saved up for a little camera).

So back to grind we go. It is a happy grind, at least. :)

It's true that I'm a slacker though...on more than just blog updates. I fail at keeping up with so many goals I've made. Ahhh, but there is grace for that. God's mercies are new every morning, and sometimes every hour, if needbe. I recently came across a Bible reading plan that just might work for me.
Have you ever tried these? Maybe made a New Year's resolution to read your Bible in a year or what not? I have. And slacked. And failed. And have found His grace abounds more and more. So when I saw a Bible reading plan FOR SLACKERS AND SHIRKERS, I knew it was right up my ally! No really, it is a chart with Bible readings for every day of the week...but there are no dates. No failed February 3rd's or 5th's. Just Tuesday...and Friday...and so on. Just check the next box and be grateful for that time you spent in the Word. I'm excited to give it a whirl. I sure do love checking boxes. And I'm so aware at my desperate need to check off these particular boxes.
But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4
What do you say...wanna give it a try with me?
Bible Reading Program for Slackers and Shirkers

Where are the Shepherds?

2011-01-27T18:24:00.000-05:00

Sick.

Mama has the flu.

Please pray for us!

A Simple Christmas

2011-01-12T22:45:00.000-05:00

I've decided to adopt the Chinese New Year (February 3rd) as the start to my 2011. That gives me some time to catch up! Ha! Anyone else feel like there is no possible way we're nearly 2 weeks into the new year? We are slow-going around here. Slowly unpacking our suitcases, slowly doing laundry, and slowly getting back into our busy routine. Here's a quick recap from our Christmas...
For the 1st time ever, we woke up on Christmas morning with just our little family. After stockings, my parents and my sis came over for breakfast casserole and more presents. After naps, we went over to my parents house for a yummy dinner, then onto my godmother's house for dessert. It was a great day.

one gift and stockings

homemade cinnamon twists

dinner at whitmers with party poppers

LOVIN' our visit with aunt kellye

after church on the 26th

sweet little santas


best buds

I can't mention "a simple Christmas" without mentioning the greatest gift we've ever received...Jesus Christ! The simplicity of His coming...the humbleness!! A feed trough held our forever King. Oh that I would not pack away that thought with our ornament boxes!

CHRISTmas

2010-12-28T07:00:00.003-05:00

Christmas is all packed up at our house. We're heading to El Paso this morning to be with the Shepherds. We had a great time with my folks and my sister. Pictures to come. For now, here are a few things we did to focus on Jesus this Christmas:

Our Jesus tree. The boys love this and 'get' it. I'm sure as they get older the symbols of Jesus will increase.

Jesus gifts. We officially started this a few years ago after Meagan had given to several different ministries in our names as gifts one year. Now we read this passage:
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Matthew 25:35-40
Then we choose a ministry or creative way to give to one of those needs listed in the verses. For example, last year we chose, "I was in prison and you came to me" and we gave to Voice of the Martyrs. We wrapped a cartoon picture of Paul and Silas in jail and tried to explain it to the boys. Then, we attached the picture to the Jesus tree. The year before that we chose, "I was thirsty and you gave me drink" and we gave to www.bloodwatermission.com. We wrapped a picture of a little African boy using a fresh well. Both of our parents have joined in on this as well (not that we all didn't donate to various ministries before) and it is so exciting (and moving) to hear of how everyone is 'giving to Jesus.' It also reminds us that we have soooo much more than we deserve.

Christmas Eve Service. Every year our church has a simple service on Christmas Eve. I usually lead the children in a special song. This year, I was a bit more ambitious and decided to write a basic script for the nativity story. With my friend Julie's help, we were able to pull it off. The children did wonderful! Thanks to my dad for videoing it from the front row. (In the first scene, while the narrator talks, Mary and Joseph approach the innkeeper and he turns them away to the stable.)

The Making of Christmas

2010-12-22T21:31:00.003-05:00

More things keeping us happily busy around here...

Making Christmas treats for neighbors and church friends...

cookies for neighbors

treats for church friends via becky

Practicing for the Christmas play at church (for Christmas Eve)...

me directing caroline + morgan

our awesome narrator, colin

julie (co-director) makin' a sheep

our "angels" singing...er, standing

The next few days will be full and fun. My sis, Kellye, arrives tomorrow. YAY! Our Christmas Eve service is on Friday night at 6 (stop on by if you're in the area). Then, of course, Christmas! We fly to El Paso to visit Corey's family next Tuesday. We're hoping my other sis and her family can make a trip down from Dallas while we're in town.

Amidst all the preparation of these last days, our van called it quits. It turned out to be quite a blessing as it sold very quickly and we were able to get a new van this past weekend. (And by new, I mean a 'new to us' 2002 van with 90+k miles...but we're grateful!) It's always nerve-wracking making a big purchase like that, but even just a few days afterward, we're seeing God's hand in it.

I recently read a transcript of an old radio broadcast by Elizabeth Elliot, where she talks about the old Christmas carol, "O Little Town of Bethlehem." I found this quote particularly reassuring as we sold, bought, and prayed over all the car issues:
Most of the time, walking by faith means walking in a certain degree of dimness where we have to make our decisions and act and obey. And it's only the next morning that we can look back and understand.
We're looking back now and are amazed at God's plan for us...I hope to share more of that story soon.

Off to wrap presents now! I'll share a few of our Christmas traditions in the days to come!

Party Time

2010-12-20T22:17:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season for celebrating around here. Here are some highlights of our recent days...
Ben's 2nd birthday

Photo book from Meagan...tear-jerker!

2nd tier of Ben's cake...I call this "slam dunk."

Our Ladies Christmas dinner...wish I could have invited all of the ladies in my life for this beautiful night. My friend Elizabeth and I hosted a table together...

"...though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow..."

Youth Christmas Party...always a fun time...

Jordan, sharing his testimony

And another reason to celebrate...the first snow of the season...

Two Years Ago

2010-12-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

...This child came out of my belly and into our lives suddenly and amazingly...and we would never be the same. Although he wasn't supposed to be born until March, my body couldn't sustain his little life any longer...but God could. And He did. And what a little ball of life he is! Happy birthday to our miracle child and precious son, Benjamin Phinehas Shepherd. You bring us JOY beyond words.

Embrace the Camera

2010-12-09T14:14:00.000-05:00

So I've never really jumped in on any of the 'blog carnivals' out there, although I think they are great at keeping blog posts consistent and enjoyable. This one, however, I think I might try. Here's the explanation...I love it...ha ha..."embrace the pee." Right there with you, Emily! And thanks to my old college friend Natalie for giving me the idea. Love her blog too!

So this picture is the day before I took Ben to the NICU reunion this fall. Our miracle child will be 2 (two! TWO!!) this Sunday. I can't even begin to explain the joy that that statement brings. God is so kind to us. I am working on the rest of his birth story, so stay tuned.

Keeping It Real

2010-12-07T12:02:00.000-05:00

I don't have one Christmas decoration up yet. In fact, Corey just threw out our rotting pumpkins yesterday. On our front porch sits a poor bale of hay.

And that's okay! As I mentioned in my last post, I'm attempting to "sit out the holidays," which doesn't mean I don't plan to decorate...but I'm trying not to stress over the "stuff." There will be a tree and a nativity scene and plenty of holiday baking for sure. I'm just taking it slow and trying to remember that I have three small boys that need my care and instruction more than my front porch!

Ok, so some decorating has been going on. Someone was sent to the corner and smuggled a purple crayon with him. We might need to have a talk about that Harold character!

Alright, off to teach the boys how to match socks!

Happy December!

2010-12-01T22:58:00.000-05:00

I've begun this month with a rotten stomach bug, but thankfully I'm on the mend. During these last few days, my mind has been racing with all the things I need to do. Of course, my usual to do list has quadrupled with Christmas around the corner. God's timing is impeccable, of course, and today I read this blog post with the title, "Sitting Out the Holidays" referring to the story of Mary and Martha in Luke. A favorite quote:

Let’s take our cues from Mary. We shouldn’t wait until things settle down after the holidays. We shouldn’t postpone listening to Jesus until January 1. We must choose to sit and listen to the Lord’s teaching today: right in the middle of the Christmas crazyness. And we must strive to do so every day after.

There is a lot of talk of keeping Christ in Christmas these days...but oh that I would really treasure the Savior in my heart during this busy season...more advent thoughts soon...

Thankful Thoughts (3)

2010-11-25T12:21:00.000-05:00

...about my salvation.

Our pastor's wife recently shared with me a reading by Milton Vincent from his book, "A Gospel Primer: Learning to See the Glories of God's Love" (highly recommend by the way). I was struck by its reminder of what I truly deserve. In a world that says, "You deserve the best!" it is hard to not feel entitled to a good life. But God is gracious...He not only doesn't give us what we deserve, but He pours out blessings upon us. Today, my cup runneth over.

The Cup
by Milton Vincent
"Viewing life's blessings as water in a drinking cup, I know that I could discontentedly focus on the half of the cup that seems empty, or I could gratefully focus on the half that is full. Certainly, the latter is the better of the two, yet the Gospel cultivates in me a richer gratitude than this.
The Gospel reminds me first that what I actually deserve from God is a full cup churning with the torments of his wrath. This is the cup that would be mine to drink if I were given what I deserve each day. With this understanding in mind, I see that to be handed a completely empty cup from God would be cause enough for infinite gratitude. If there were merely the tiniest drop of blessing contained in that otherwise empty cup, I should be blown away by the unbelievable kindness of God toward me. That God, in fact, has given me a cup that is full of "every spiritual blessing in Christ," and this without the slightest admixture of wrath, leaves me truly dumbfounded with inexpressible joy. As for my specific earthy circumstances of plenty or want, I can see them always as infinite improvements on the hell I deserve.
When I look at any circumstance that God apportions me, I am first grateful for the wrath I am not receiving in that moment (The empty part of the cup never looked so good!). Second, I am grateful for the blessings that are given to me instead of His wrath. (Life's blessings, however small, always appear exceedingly precious when viewed against the backdrop of the wrath I deserve.) This two-layered gratitude disposes my heart to give thanks in all things and it also lends a certain intensity to my giving of thanks. Such a gospel-generated gratitude glorifies God, contributes to peace of mind, and keeps my foot from the path of foolishness and ruin."

Thankful Thoughts (2)

2010-11-24T23:34:00.001-05:00

I realize the following post is extremely random, but isn't that what being thankful is all about? Pursuing gratefulness throughout our days? That said, here are my random thankful thoughts...
...about houses and homes.

Beginning of snowstorm 2009

1. I'm so thankful for our house. It is truly more than we deserve, and to be honest, more than we need. We learned in New York that we could live quite happily in less than 600 square feet and in two bedrooms. And clean up was a snap! But don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the space, the ability to host friends, family, youth and kids.
2. I'm thankful for running water, heat, and clean air. When we first moved back to Virginia from Tennessee, we lived in a house on our church property. It was a huge blessing for 4 years, but after CJ was born, the house seemed to start to break down. The water ran out every day so I couldn't wash dishes (no dishwasher) and wash clothes in the same day...that is, if I wanted a shower. The propane tank had a leak, the family room could only be heated by a wood stove, and the basement flooded every time it rained...which meant mold! I definitely miss those 12 wooden acres (wouldn't our boys love that?!?!) but how I treasure my dishwasher and digital thermostat now!
3. I'm thankful to be a stay-at-home-mom. There are days I just want to get out of here, but I wouldn't trade this job for anything! There isn't a salary better than little boy Eskimo kisses, a baby running into your legs for a hug, and the sweet sound of "Mama?...I love you."

...about our kiddos.
1. We get to keep them for a while. There have been several moments in my short time as a mom where I felt the need to "give up" my children to the Lord. When Ben was in the womb, we had to wrestle with the idea that God may take him before we even got to hold him. When CJ got so sick right before Ben came home, my fears almost consumed me. I felt so helpless...I had no choice but to place him in the arms of our Lord. Today we are so grateful for these precious little ones and we'll hold on to them for as long as we can.

Feb. 2009, in hospital with strep, tonsillitis, and mono.

2. They make me laugh all day long! Oh, if I could just write down the adorable things they say all day. Here's a few. Recently CJ and Will have been asking about the meat we're eating (I may have to become a vegetarian.) like, "Is this a girl chicken or a boy chicken? Is it a baby chicken? What color is this pig-brown or pink?" Or how about Will's need to put "-ness" at the end of his words? "I smell some stinkiness! There's hotness in my mouth! What's all this wetness?" And lastly, I love how kids take things so literally. I've been telling Ben to chew up his food (he stuffs his cheeks like a chipmunk) and so he looks straight up as he chews! Also, recently I told Will (who was stuttering and daydreaming as he told a story) to "spit it out." Puzzled, he looked down and spit on the table before continuing. Oh these kids!


So thankful for these guys.

...about food.
1. What, you thought I'd forget to mention food? ;) No really, I'm grateful that we are blessed to have 3 meals a day and snacks in between. It's more than we need, really. It's tough to teach this to toddlers, but we're asking them to take one bite of every thing on their plate to encourage thankfulness even when it's not their favorite. We're fighting the battle of "picky eating" and complaining at the dinner table!
2. I love to bake! Although I don't really have time for it, I find myself in the kitchen whipping up a sweet treat for every event and occasion. It is so much fun and the more I do it, the more I want to learn to do it well! Here are some recent attempts...

Owl cupcakes for Youth Group

Purse cakes for friends' girls.

Dad's birthday cake this year.

3. Peppermint Chocolate Chip milkshake from Chick-fil-a. Need I say more?

Thankful Thoughts

2010-11-22T21:40:00.000-05:00

A little pumpkin seed craft by CJ and me.

We have entered into the season of whining with our toddlers. Saying no to them produces shrieks and cries and high pitched, "why's." I'm told that the complaining and whining phase does not end with the terrible 2's, 3's or even 4's. And if you think about it, it doesn't end with us grown-ups either. We just keep our whines under our breath or in our hearts (or sometimes on facebook or twitter!) I'm certainly not always heeding the command "in everything give thanks." In a recent conversation with my boys, I asked them, "Do you want to be a complainer or a thanker?" Showing them that the opposite of complaining is giving thanks has helped them tremendously. "But I WANT another candy corn!!!!" "Are you thankful for 5 pieces of candy corn in your hand?..." Anyway, it's a start.
My sister recently started an email thread with our family where she lists three things she's thankful for and everyone replies with theirs. She's been doing this for a while as a daily exercise. What a great way to focus on our blessings instead of our complaints. I thought I would countdown to Thanksgiving with a few of my own "Thankful Thoughts." So here goes...thankful thoughts about...
My Husband:
1. First on my list is his patience. Or maybe we should call it longsuffering. Whatever it is, he sure does put up with a lot around here. I fail miserably as a housewife and he continues to be incredibly gracious and helpful. For example, he almost always irons his own clothes...and does it happily. Wow, I'm blessed.
2. He's a wonderful Daddy. Our boys think so too. I think we've got 3 Daddy's boys here. They love Mondays almost as much as I do, knowing that Daddy won't be at work.
3. God's grace is clearly evident in his life. One glaring example of this is his recent weight loss. He's been incredibly self-controlled in the area of eating, and he is quick to give God the credit for His help with that.

Before (May 2010 in NYC)

After (November 2010)

4. He humbly learns new things/takes on new projects. Corey has never been a pro Mr. Fix-it, but has always enjoyed learning how to do new things and finish a project. Right now he's finishing up a shelf in the garage to help with clutter control.

The shelf (things not quite rearranged yet)

5. Lastly, he's my very best friend and I just enjoy being with him. He had a birthday at the end of October and I got him (us) 2 tickets to the UVA/MD college football game. Getting Arkansas tickets would have been better, but just spending that day together was so much fun. (Thanks Grammie and Granddad for watching the kiddos!)
Alright, that's it for now. More thankful thoughts tomorrow...

Happy Birthday Meagan!

2010-11-18T20:25:00.000-05:00

Today Meagan is celebrating her birthday half-way around the world. For those of you wondering, she moved to South Asia in October and has been adjusting to life there ever since. For security reasons, we're not sharing too much about the work she's doing there, but let me know if you'd like to receive her email updates. We're so proud of you, Meagan. In honor of her birthday, I'd like to share 3 things I love and miss about Meagan:
1. She enjoys food as much as I do...and will eat it with me. (No offense to all my health-nut friends, but Meagan and I can tear up some Red Robin and cookie cake!)
2. She likes to play...basketball and ultimate frisbee...7 hand Rummy and Catan...legos and lincoln logs.
3. She's seen me at my WORST and loves me anyway (sure do miss all our talks at odd hours of the night)!
I know Meagan is missing her little nephews like crazy, so here's a little video of some smiles and silliness these days.

Just Treats

2010-11-10T14:30:00.001-05:00

The population on our street has more than doubled since last fall, so Halloween was more exciting around these parts this year. Well, not as "exciting" as last year, but more enjoyable for sure!
We stopped by our new neighbor's house for a pre-trick-or-treating party and met some new folks in our neighborhood. Then, I took CJ and Will to about 5 houses around ours to trick-or-treat for the first time. They were in awe of the candy being dumped in their bags. Will would just look up at them in disbelief and say in a quiet, stunned voice, "Sanx." We walked past a house with cobwebs and creepy music and the boys both said they wanted to go home, so we headed back to our house to greet the trick-or-treaters.
Corey started a fire in the pit and I laid out a table full of smores stuff. I also wrapped Gospel tracts around about 100 handfuls of candy with a rubberband. We were thankful to put them in the hands of nearly 75 kids that night, many of whom even paused for a moment to roast a marshmallow. All in all it was an enjoyable night and hopefully will reap eternal fruit!
Here are our three superheros...everyone knows that superman's secret weapon is a hairbrush...

The struggle for power...literally...

(Excuse the lame pictures...Corey snapped these with his phone...and I'm on the hunt for a replacement camera.)

Fall Rewinds: Dub Turns 3 and Meagan's Great Adventure

2010-11-04T22:14:00.000-04:00

I know, I'm now "rewinding" fall! I'll catch up eventually!
Our sweet Will turned three years old on September 19th. We celebrated with a small family gathering...a monkey theme by request of the birthday boy. Dub brings so much joy to our lives. He can also...how do I say this...be a "challenge" at times. Remember this babe? Not much has changed. Here are a few snapshots of the fun...

We were grateful to have John, Mary, and Meagan here for the celebration. All were in town to celebrate Meagan's completion of training in Central Virginia a few days later. Meagan has safely arrived on the other side of the world and she's getting adjusted to her new life in South Asia. We've skyped a few times and we're excited for the adventures she's already having. Here we are on the "goodbye" day...

Let me know if you would like to receive her email newsletters from overseas. We miss and love you Meagan!

Cox Farm

2010-10-26T15:29:00.000-04:00

The boys and I went to Cox farm with our favorite photographer and friend Andrea. It sprinkled on us most of the day, so we received rain checks when we left. We were able to go back on Corey's day off a few weeks later and enjoy the park as a family. Love this time of year! Love the hayrides, apples, pumpkins, kettle corn...and these precious faces. Thanks for the beautiful pictures, Andrea!

Things To Do

2010-10-20T15:10:00.001-04:00

I don't know about you, but my to-do list is out of control. I write a new one every night, always adding the things from the day that never got done. It doesn't help that Target has already started stocking the shelves with Christmas decor! Yikes!
Today I read a quote by CJ Mahaney (Christian author/speaker) that I have read before...but boy did I need to hear it again!
"Only God completes His to-do list. We are not God. We are finite creatures with serious limitations. Therefore we need to humble ourselves by accepting our limitations and draw upon God’s strength to simply do what we can.”
What a good reminder. Trying to keep up with my crew is exhausting, and I need to remember that I need God's grace to sustain me in this season...well, always! So what about blog posts, you ask? Well, not having a camera has definitely lowered my enthusiasm to share on here. You all come here for pictures, right? :) Remember when I slowed down with the blog posts last year? Well, not much has changed...just trying to keep up!

More to come, I promise!

The "H" Word

2010-10-09T08:15:00.000-04:00

Many have asked over the years how we would school our children even before we had any children. We've avoided the question for years because it lends itself to so much controversy. Now with three toddlers, we're at the beginning of "school days." Corey and I are the products of mostly public school and some private Christian school. We know and love a variety of families who send their kids to public school, to private school, and who homeschool. So what should we do? Corey recently read one pastor's take on the schooling decision..."re-assess every child every year." That advice seems wise to us and so we plan to take that approach.
We prayerfully considered how to begin CJ's first year. He is eligible for most preschools (as is Will at 3 years old). The cost of several places we looked into was the first red flag for us. We'd have to rearrange our budget to cover that monthly bill. And what does that pay for? Learning to play and share with others? Learning the basics...early reading, numbers, shapes, etc.? Doing crafts and going on the occasional field trip? Hmmm, with three brothers, church friends, and a slew of neighborhood kids, lessons on playing nicely and sharing are all day, every day occurrences. The rest seems like what we are doing in our normal book reading and coloring activities anyway. So, we've opted to "homeschool" our boys this year and see where it goes from here. To give them the sense that they are "going to school" we've set up a school area with a desk for each of the older boys. We "do school" three mornings a week, although we read and color and learn all the time! They are learning to sit up straight and raise their hand to ask a question. They really do love it!
And how do I like it, you ask? I'm not gonna lie...there are times I envy the neighbors or friends who have "free" days to run errands while all their little ones are at school. But for the most part, I love it. For years people have told me to really cherish this time while my kids are young...that it just goes so fast. With that in mind, I LOVE the idea of keeping them home in these early years...treasuring every moment (except the ones where I pull my hair out :)). I don't think I'll regret that.
The biggest advantage I see at this point is pouring the Gospel into our children. It is our job to train our kids...as Deuteronomy says:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:4-9
What I really want for my children is not that they be happy...not as the world views happiness anyway. I want them to have real joy...the real joy that comes from knowing and loving the one who gave his life for them. I want them to love Jesus! I know that I can teach them this whether they learn their ABC's and 123's from me or another person, but for now, we are choosing to keep them home and focus on obedience and love for Jesus. The rest will come!

The not-so-classic "first day of school" picture...taken with my phone.

Summer Rewinds: 10 Happy Years

2010-09-28T16:17:00.000-04:00

Right in the middle of the craziness that filled our summer (and now fall!), we hit a milestone in our marriage. Ten years ago I married my best friend. Wow. I have so much more than I deserve. Here we are on July 1, 2000.

And here we are on July 1, 2010...out for a quick date night.

"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be..." --Browning

Summer Rewinds: Soccer

2010-09-17T16:14:00.000-04:00

When we returned from New York, CJ had one soccer game left, then the team party. Our little team did just fine without CJ during the month of May...one player in particular pretty much carried our team. His father evidently played soccer for Italy! Anyway, CJ loved it and gained more confidence each time he played. Both CJ and Will hope to play next spring on the same team.

From left to right: Amadeo, Georgia, Addison, Morgan, CJ, Cohen, Zach, and Zachary

Here's our star player, Zach, scoring a goal. CJ was right in the mix, but was happy to let Zach take charge.

Here's another look at our boy trying his best. All of them are pretty cute!

Fruit of our Labors

2010-09-01T10:33:00.000-04:00

Long time--no post! We've had bout with some summer colds around here. Back to blogging we come!

We planted a square foot garden this spring and we've been enjoying the fruit of our labors all summer. We already have plans to build another raised garden bed (and squeeze it in our tiny yard). It's been a fun (and yummy) family project. The boys love to "harvest" the crops! Feel free to stop by and grab a cherry tomato off the vine! We're still without a camera, but here are a few shots from Corey's phone:
Late April:

Early June:

Early July:

The first cantalope in its "hammock":

Summer lunch (ALL from the garden):

I love the imagery of sowing and reaping. The Bible speaks of this often and I recently read an excellent article about "sowing in tears." For all those feeling "tearful" right now, may this be an encouragement in the midst of the busyness of life. I look forward to my frequent tears being turned to joy one day!

Summer Rewinds: The Siege Turns 4

2010-08-20T16:25:00.000-04:00

We celebrated CJ's birthday several times this year. First, we had an early birthday party on the beach with Marmo, PaPa, and Aunt Meagan. Then, we treated him to a trip to Toys R Us in Brooklyn and then a sprinkled donut on the beach on the actual day of his birthday. Finally, we had dinner and cake with Grammie and Granddad when we returned to Virginia. CJ requested "An American Flag" birthday this year. You'll notice, in the pictures from New York, the patriotic cupcakes and decor (provided by Marmo) to oblige his request. And since our celebration with my folks fell on Memorial Day, it was fitting to continue that theme with a classic flag cake. It was quite easy compared to the cakes I've made in the past! CJ recieved his first big boy bike (with training wheels) from Marmo and PaPa and a huge train lego set from Grammie and Grandad. I guess my boy is growing up...old enough for bikes and legos!

Summer Rewinds: New York (Part 2)

2010-08-11T15:24:00.000-04:00

More sights and sounds from our month in NYC...

Just another drive through Queens...

A stroll through a Bangladesh street fair...

A stop in at a yummy Peruvian restaurant with our buddy, Jordan...

A visit with Corey's old friend from college, Rachel and two of her kiddos...

AJ and CJ (in a typical Corey pose)...

The last picture before the camera hit the pavement in Central Park...

One of our last outings in NY was on CJ's 4th birthday. We drove as far as we could to Breezy Point, then trudged through deep sand until we got nearly to the point of the peninsula (see star #9). It was cold that night and we barely missed a thunderstorm...but an adventure nonetheless!

Summer Rewinds: New York (Part 1)

2010-08-07T04:03:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd take some time this week to rewind the summer a bit and share some of what has been keeping us so busy. First up...our trip to New York. The last few weeks of May flew by as we got more comfortable living in NYC. Before we knew it, we were back in Virginia, fighting off the stowaways (bed bugs).
That was really the only negative thing about living there. Besides the itching and a little paranoia, it wasn't a huge problem until we left. We had to wash, throw out, or bug bomb/spray all of our possessions. Weeks later we realized that we didn't kill them all and we had to throw out all our luggage and our pack and play. Thankfully, there hasn't been any evidence of bed bugs in many weeks. The folks in New York had to tear up all the carpet and throw out all the mattresses to resolve the problem in the house! What pests!
Also, while we were gone, some friends who were waiting to move into their new house stayed here. There were slight adjustments after their family of 6 lived here for a month, so it felt a little strange to come home to a place that didn't feel quite right and not be able to touch anything we brought from New York until it had been sprayed or washed. That first week home for me was tough...especially since we loved our time in New York so much! Speaking of which, here are some pictures of the last few weeks there:
I took the boys to the Brooklyn Childrens Muesum one rainy day...

Marmo, PaPa, and Aunt Meagan came up for a visit...
Here we are at Lombardi's--the 1st Pizzeria--sooo good...

Walking through Manhattan...

Staten Island Ferry ride...

We had an early birthday celebration for CJ on the beach...

Sweet times...

A stop in at Dylan's Candy Bar--CJ was mesmorized...

More to come...

Back to Blogging

2010-07-28T21:43:00.000-04:00

Re-entry is painful. We've just re-entered our day to day "atmosphere" from our vacation "space" and we are wiped...not to mention our heartstrings have been snapped as we've said goodbye for now to Marmo, PaPa, Aunt Meagan, and Grandmommy. And Riley and Cooper. We spent a week in El Paso, Texas with the Shepherds eating, playing, and relaxing by the pool. We still don't have a working camera, but here are some from Meagan's camera and Corey's cell phone...
Fun at the park:

Fun out back (love Dub's half smile...gets me every time):

Beautiful weather...a few thunderstorms brought cool nights and rainbows:

The amazing views around their house:

Fun in the pool:

We found our inner child and chased diving sticks in the pool...yep, we're nerds.

We met up with my sister and her family (in town visiting her in-laws for the weekend) for a quick hug and ice cream. Will and Ben weren't really cooperating for the picture:

Went to a farmers market in Las Cruces, NM where we enjoyed kettle corn and live music:

Had lunch with some friends of Corey (missionaries to Turkey at the time Corey met them):

Corey, Meagan, and I enjoyed an early morning hike in the Franklin Mountains. We climbed to the elephant's tail...almost up to his back (can you see the elephant?):

Thanks Marmo and PaPa for a great week!

We're in Egypt!

2010-07-14T21:30:00.000-04:00

The Shepherds are alive, I promise! We are in the middle of our week of Vacation Bible School. It is going well so far, but we're completely exhausted! We'll update the blog soon with lots of pictures and the latest happenings.
Corey took these pictures with his phone...just a glimpse of our ancient Egypt adventure!

Please pray for us!

Calendar Baby

2010-06-30T16:29:00.000-04:00

Today was the deadline for submitting photos to Cranial Technologies for their annual calendar contest. I missed it. Actually, I gathered photos onto a disk, but never printed them out and mailed them. Oh well. We all know that Ben was the cutest baby ever with his Doc band. We're just letting those other babies shine this time. Here is the collection of photos so you can ooh and ahh and tell me how adorable he was.

I'm still praising God that correcting his head was one of the only major hurdles we've had to jump since the NICU!

Hey Hey We're the Monkeys

2010-06-27T21:13:00.001-04:00

I've heard through the grapevine that some are hoping for more blog updates. Really? I wasn't sure anyone reads this! You guys better give us some comment love every once in a while!

Seriously, though, I am up to my ears planning VBS and trying to keep up with three high energy boys. These videos are just a minute or so long...a tiny glimpse into our lives with these monkeys. Oh, and did I tell you Ben's new trick? No? Well, he likes to stand on the dining room table when nobody's looking. Nice. I am weary and ragged at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way. God is so good to give me this job of raising little men.

(The dancing in this clip is more like running around and yelling. We had music on but they wanted to "make the music". Also, please ignore my dorky cheering...for some reason I sound like I'm calling Ben "bee-an".)

(The days of keeping Ben separate from the boys and protecting him like crazy are pretty much over...he's a tough cookie and he'd rather be chasing his brothers than being held by me.)

We've since stopped the running in circles game...trying to avoid splitting any more heads open. :)

More pictures from NY and birthdays to come. Bear with me!

Father's Day

2010-06-20T00:45:00.029-04:00

Happy Father's Day to my dad and Corey's dad! Last year's thoughts are still true this year. And the year before that as well. We love our dads, and each year as our own children grow we seem to appreciate them more and more. We love you Doug and John!

It's seems natural for me to gush over Corey on Father's Day. He's an amazing daddy and so on and so forth.

No, but really...he IS amazing.

He tackles our boys and plays catch with them. He teaches them how to golf and fish and ride bikes. He takes them on adventures and lets them get dirty and wet. He teaches them to look people in the eye and shake their hand. He disciplines them with patience and love. He wipes their faces and changes their diapers. He feeds them breakfast and brushes their teeth. He tells them Bible stories every night and sings loudly with them. He prays with them. He lets them help him tell silly stories about Lou and Juicy and Cage and Neb. He helps them memorize Bible verses by the truckload. He tells them the Gospel over and over.

I could go on and on. Corey is a great father and he's only been at it for 4 years. We are blessed beyond measure. I'm so proud of him and our boys are too. They want to be just like him.

I have a lot to learn when it comes to these videos, but here's a little sampling of love for Daddy...

(The 1-6 thing that CJ was doing is Corey's way of teaching the boys the Gospel. Love it!)
Happy Father's Day, Corey!

Where Have We Been?

2010-06-18T14:15:00.001-04:00

Have you ever heard that saying, "Never a dull moment"?

In the three weeks since we've been home from New York we've had 4 doctor visits, 2 gatherings at our house, 3 bug bombs, 2 birthday celebrations, 1 soccer game, 1 soccer party, 1 church picnic, 2 Vacation Bible School meetings, and 400 loads of laundry.

On Wednesday, CJ and Will were running and "swording" in the house and I heard a "bang" and then screaming. I turned to see Will's face covered in blood. He had run into the wall and sliced the top of his head deeply. The doctor decided it was closing nicely and could be "glued" back together. Dub-D wouldn't let me get too close with the camera, but here's before and after. (His hair looks wet, but it's mostly blood...there was sooooo much! Poor CJ was even saying, "I don't want Will to bleed!!")

We have lots of pictures and stories to share...we'll get them up here soon. I've recently taken over directing VBS at our church because our friend Julie broke her foot! The last time I planned and directed VBS a few years ago I didn't have any children. Boy is it different now! I've had so much trouble thinking clearly, and our poor house is a disaster!

Now excuse me, I need to go look for my brain. It's probably mixed up with the laundry.

Wishes

2010-05-27T09:50:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the delay in posting. Corey and I will get to work soon on some updates. For now, just know we are busy and happy and itchy (bedbugs!).
As for the wishes...a special happy birthday to our sweet boy CJ who turns 4 today!

And as the boys have been saying lately, "We wish you goodbye!" (You, as in, New York City...we'll be home soon!)

G + G Visit

2010-05-19T11:16:00.002-04:00

As you may have guessed, getting on the internet isn't always easy here. We don't have TV, cable, or phone here so my cell phone is used to connect and the signal isn't always the best. It's working now, so I'll try to post pictures from the weekend with my folks...which includes:
The Bronx Zoo, Manhattan for Toys R Us and Bubba Gump Shrimp, Rockaway Beach, Dinner at Bayhouse with a Manhattan view...we were spoiled good. :)

Second Weekend

2010-05-16T21:55:00.003-04:00

We are at the tail end of a great weekend with Grammie and Grandad. Kristy is going to post tomorrow with a bunch of pictures.

In addition to the fun, I thought some of you might be interested in a couple of conversations I had on Friday.

There are no ESL classes on Friday so I went to the neighborhood (Jackson Heights in Queens) where the center is, and passed out ESL flyers, and looked for opportunities to have conversation about spiritual things with folks.

Having a flyer for FREE ESL classes is often a quick way to make friends. With the first few flyers handed out, conversations did not head anywhere. Then I went into a Tibetan restaurant--Shangrai-La, and ended up having two really good conversations. The first one was with this guy--not exactly a member of the people group UI is trying to reach, but there was clearly an open door for the gospel. Anyway, he was alone, and so I invited him to sit at my table to eat. After we exchanged the normal who's and what's about ourselves, I asked if he was a Christian. He is actually an atheist, and was frank about his objections to Christianity, and yet very willing to hear me. So we talked for 45 minutes or so about the nature of the gospel, etc. Afterward he bought my lunch, and asked me to email him so that we could meet up for lunch again next week. Cool.

The second conversation at Shangrai-La was with Dorge, the owner. He is a Tibetan Buddhist, who grew up in India. He makes a really good lentel mash, and if you tell him you like it, he'll keep bringing you more. Anyway, I met him last week, and he mentioned something about Buddhism, so on Friday I asked him to explain more about Buddhism to me, and he was happy to do so. He was also very interested in hearing about Jesus, and similarities and differences between Buddhism and Christianity. I'm hoping to take him a Jesus Film next week, and see if he'll watch it. Again, great conversation, and really exhilarating to speak for Christ with those who don't know him.

There is a Punjab barber in Jackson Heights where I'm hoping to get my hair cut next week, and again, look for opportunities to engage folks with the gospel.

Its a great privilege to be serving here. Thanks to those of you who are bearing our load at home, while we're away.

The Latest

2010-05-13T22:19:00.005-04:00

It's late, but many of you will be interested in a few tidbits.

On Tuesday night Kristy joined Linda Holcomb (Larry's wife) at the W African Center in Brooklyn to teach ESL. Kristy VERY much enjoyed this, and is planning to go back the next two Tuesday nights.

A few interesting things about the W African Center:

It is located in the same neighborhood where Louis Farrakhan once had strong influence, and key offices.
It is on the same block as a prominent mosque.
That same mosque plays the Adhan (Muslim Call to Prayer) five times a day, and can be heard for blocks. Kristy and I listened when we were at the center (she on Tuesday; I on Wednesday) and watched the W African Muslim men stream into the mosque.
Around the corner from the center is a secret mosque. Ask us about it sometime...interesting.

W Africa Center is located above this storefront.

Stairwell pictured leads to the W Africa Center.

On Wednesday morning, I spent time at the ESL class with a young Tibetan man named Shtri. As best as I could tell, he had never heard of Jesus before. I worked to explain God to him as the uncreated Creator. What a privilege to be here to do this kind of work!

Today, Larry and I made the most progress on the fence. I didn't think I'd learn how to build a fence by coming to NYC, but I have, and am thankful.

Tomorrow morning I am going to the Jackson Heights neighborhood (full of Nepali, Tibetan, Indian and Bangladeshi people and businesses) in order to pass out ESL flyers, and attempt to initiate spiritual conversations. At lunch, I will join Kristy and the boys, and Grammie and Grandad for some tourist adventures.

Kristy is doing a phenomenal job figuring out and embracing life in NYC. She has been happy and hard working, and this beautiful to watch.

The boys seem to have adjusted seamlessly, which is very encouraging for us.

To the people of Grace Church, we miss you, love you, and are praying for you. Thanks for allowing us to be here!

LIfe in the Big Apple

2010-05-10T22:43:00.001-04:00

New York City continues to be grand. Adventures and exhilarating work abound. We are very thankful to the people of Grace Church for giving us this time. Today I (Corey) worked again in an ESL class, and then on the fence. Tonight we adventured to the end of the peninsula we are living on, and happened upon a film crew.

Tomorrow I will be doing some work in the streets near the SE Asian Community Center, and Kristy will volunteer in the evening at the W African Center.

Below are a gob of pictures. Enjoy.

Friday Night work night with a local youth group.

On Saturday we went to a party for UI volunteers, and then took the F train into Manhattan. Getting home was complicated....R train passed our stop, then lost, then cab, then car.

Our ride to All Nations Baptist Church in Queens on Sunday.

The store where Kristy has done most of the grocery shopping.

Waiting on the Q53 bus to Jackson Heights. These 3-wheelers are to catch the bad guys.

At the ESL class on Monday morning with Shtri, a 17-year old Nepali student.

Indian Sweets.

Watching the beach renovation on Monday morning.

Boardwalk races on Monday morning.

At the Breezy Point beach on Monday night.

We happened upon the filming of an HBO miniseries at the Breezy Point beach tonight. The second picture is Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce filming a romantic beach scene. Who knew?

The only Shepherd boy willing to get within striking distance of the Horseshoe Crab.

Thursday and Friday

2010-05-07T21:38:00.002-04:00

After five days in NYC we are pretty much settled in, and still very glad to be here.

Yesterday I (Corey) spent the morning at the SE Asian Community Center where I was able to work with two Tibetan Buddhists doing ESL. We went over the 'be' verbs, and then read through the parable of the unforgiving servant. When the students have some degree of ability to speak English this is extremely rewarding work. First, the student are eager learners, and very grateful for the instructors investment. Second, because we work from stories out of the Scriptures, it is very easy to have conversations about the gospel. Yesterday while reading the parable one of the men asked what mercy meant. What a great opportunity to share the Good News! These two particular men were very open to talking about spiritual things.

Both the SE Asian Center and the W African center are closed on Fridays, so today was more about grunt work. Jordan (another vol) and I dug post holes, and then worked with a local youth group on various tasks around the mission house. This was also rewarding in its own way.

A couple of small things of some interest:

*For lunch yesterday we ate chicken and lamb gyros from an Algerian street vendor. They were very good.

*We think we've figured out the bus and train system well enough to go on adventures using public transportation. This is no small task. www.hopstop.com

*One definite impression over the last couple of days is that living in the suburbs makes you soft. It's just easier there. Everything is safer, more convenient, more accessible, less busy, homogeneous. The city is more crowded, moves at a faster pace, and happens in smaller spaces (no room for grocery carts in the store aisles). This does not make the burbs inherently bad....it just tends to produce softer people. One potential danger of this is that we suburbanites are going to find it more difficult to risk and suffer for the sake of the kingdom. I don't want this to be the suburbs' effect on my soul. But I can sense that, at some level, it has been.

That's all for tonight. I'll leave you with a couple pictures. Also, if you are on Facebook, we are posting things throughout the day there.

Thanks for reading!
First picture is Larry (the UI Director) in front of the entrance to the SE Asian Center. The second is our boys in some of the post holes we dug.

The Work

2010-05-05T22:55:00.002-04:00

FIRST: See below for a post by Kristy just tonight with lots of photos and some updates about fun things we've already been able to do.

I thought many of you would also be interested in very initial impression from the work here. Today was the first day on the job, so I took the Q53 bus 45 minutes from Rockaway to Urban Impact's SE Asian Center in the Jackson Heights neighborhood in Queens.

Once there I mostly observed the ESL classes functioning. Tomorrow I will be participating in these by getting together with 1 or 2 of the students and working through their material. Today a big part of the teaching centered on the differences between 'anything,' 'everything,' and 'something'.

You can see how ESL classes are an excellent bridge builder to the gospel. The students are eager learners, and grateful for the free instruction. In this context, building relationships and sharing the gospel is not difficult.

In the cases where students come to faith in Christ, UI works to get these students involved in local NYC churches.

A couple of tidbits that might interest you.

-On the subway in Brooklyn yesterday, I sat across from a woman with a fro who was holding a very well worn copy of JI Packer's 'Knowing God'. How cool is that?

-While sharing the gospel with a Tibetan Buddhist today in his restaurant a roach scurried out between us. He jokingly said, 'it has a yam....are you sure you want to kill it.' Yam apparently means soul. We were able to explain to him that its especially for humans that Christ died (that is, after we stomped on the roach).

-Yesterday I met a clearly Indian looking man who is from S. America. What country would he most likely be from then? I had no idea, until he explained it.

Keep praying for us--that we'd be fruitful and happy and faithful and safe.