Our Journey

Hurray for cut and paste!!

2009-09-26T20:23:00.005-04:00

Here are some pictures of our recent vacation to CA. It was awesome!

Doesn't this little guy look like one of mine? This is Gavin, Mine and Bryan's sweet nephew.

There were so many more that I wanted to post, but just too many!! We had such a good time in the plentiful land of California. Glad to be home. Hope you all enjoy the pictures.

Philippians

2009-06-28T22:20:00.003-04:00

Phil 1:19
For I know that as you pray for me and as the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will all turn out for my deliverance.

Phil 3:10-11
As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead!

Slacker

2009-05-06T20:47:00.003-04:00

I am a slacker. When I have ignored my blog for so long, it is hard for me to get back to it. I feel this overwhelming responsibility to update you all on the passed 2 months and I need to post pictures and tell you what happened and who we saw, or what we did... Sheesh! I finally have some free time to type, upload pictures, make my blog current again. BUT, Bryan took the camera to Bible study. BUMMER!!! Who knows when an opportunity will arise again for me to fill you all in and the longer time passes, the more motivated I am to delete the whole thing.

We shall see.

Here are some things that have been on my mind lately.
I am still in Isaiah... the journey has been long and I have to admit that I have been dragging my feet through the book of Isaiah. Why does our flesh resist this amazing Bible?

Isa 51:6-86 Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth beneath. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end!
7 "Listen to me, you who know right from wrong and cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people's scorn or their slanderous talk. 8 For the moth will destroy them as it destroys clothing. The worm will eat away at them as it eats wool. But my righteousness will last forever. My salvation will continue from generation to generation." NLT

Salvation lasts forever!!! I had this vision a few days ago of the perfect earthly life. Imagine a beautiful home with amazing greenery all around it. Imagine an adorable family. Maybe the kids are playing in the yard. The house is perfectly decorated and the home is well cared for. Imagine this is your home. There is sun light all around you. You are laying out on the perfect "floaty" in your swimming pool. Sipping the perfect beverage. Relishing in all that you have...a spouse, cute kids, comforts of home, friends, maybe you go to an awesome church, green grass, plenty of money, you name it, you have it. Now that you have this picture in your mind, pan out as if you are watching a movie. All around this perfect sunlit home, is destruction, darkness, disaster, cries, hurts, smoke, garbage, dirt, loneliness, sirens, begging, bleeding, fighting, killing. And in the midst of all of this darkness, you see little lights moving around the city. These lights are hope. These lights are people whose eyes are not on the things of this world, but are fixed on Jesus. They are moving from one broken heart to the next. They keep moving, because they do not have a home here. They view their life as temporary. See, the things of this world can distract us from our real purpose here. We are not here to live comfortably. We are not here to succeed. We are here to find a restored union with Jesus and then to love and show the world His Restoration. Don't be an ostrich with your head stuck in the sand. We all have to ask what the meaning of life is. We all need to get out of the pool, look over the fence and realize that there are dying people all around us. They are desperately searching for answers and we have to show them.

Sometimes I imagine the Holy Spirit like a great mother, flying around kissing her children, holding them when they are crying, nurturing them when they are sick. That is what we do when we are filled with the Spirit. We are His hands and feet.

Some pictures may be on their way...but I am not making any promises. ;)

Grief

2009-03-26T13:13:00.003-04:00

"Talk to me about the truth of religion and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolations of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand."- C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

At night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted.
Psalm 77:2

"O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you."
2 Samuel 18:22

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning.
Ecclesiastes 7:4

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

I cannot even put words to all that I am thinking on the topic of grief. My only hope is that we will understand that it is okay to grieve and it is even okay to question the LORD. He can handle ALL of our questions and misunderstandings. I am so thankful that I serve a God who loves me the way I am and doesn't want me to pick myself up by my boot straps, or put on a "happy" face, when I am completely weak. He wants to be my comfort and strength. He wants me to put my head in his lap and cry my head off. He patiently waits for the perfect timing to offer His condolences. He even weeps along side me.

All of this to say that we lost a dear member of our family this morning. Bryan's Aunt Joanne lost her battle with cancer but found her victory in Christ and went home to be with Him. Death is becoming a more familiar face to us. Pray that we would have wisdom and compassion as we desire to minister to our family.

Firsts...

2009-03-06T19:19:00.007-05:00

Over the past few days, we have experienced a few memorable moments in the lives of our kids. Lily is potty trained! YAY!!!! Warning: the following contains information not suitable for those who do not like to talk about bathrooms and/or what occurs in a bathroom, specifically on a toilet! She needed a little help going #2. So during the time she usually goes in her diaper, I sat her down on the potty and read her a book. This always seems to work for everyone else. Who doesn't have a book or a magazine somewhere in their bathroom? So towards the end of the book, she looked at me and said, "Mommy, poo-poo is working!" The rest is history. Yesterday as I was getting lunch ready for the kids, Xander was enjoying his usual dance/jump/ spinning routine that he seems to do when pretending just about anything these days. So as he was getting ready for the triple-jump spin, he slipped and smacked his head into a corner of one of our kitchen drawers. Oh my boy. I am sure this will not be the last acquired injury. --Would you believe that he had a second spill today? This time no blood, but can the kid take a rest? Not Xander. He is always going and I love that about him.-- So, Bryan rushed home and took him into urgent care. 2 hours and a Vanilla Ice Cream Cone later, he was home with 3 stitches in his head. They look pretty cute and even he thinks so. He spends a few minutes every now and then to stop and look at them in the mirror. He is so proud of his battle wounds.

Sisters

2009-02-19T19:55:00.020-05:00

I never had a sister, or did I? I was the only girl of three children. My brothers and I were not close in age. But I was not a lonely child. I grew up in a small church and it truly was my family. This week my "sister" Stephanie came to visit. I had so much fun showing her around E-town, watching her get to know my kids, talking about our memories growing up in the "ghetto", driving down to Nashville, and even getting a tattoo. She reminded me of the family I had growing up. Her claims of my mom being her mom (and vice versa) made me see my childhood church in a whole new light.

Steph, Thanks for giving me another perspective of what we all meant to eachother. My appreciation for all of the bonds we had in our "Fontana-days" have grown. I love you and hope to see and hear from you soon.

Emma

2009-02-19T19:51:00.005-05:00

7 years

2009-02-19T19:39:00.005-05:00

Bryan and I celebrated our 7th anniversary on the 19th of January. We celebrated by going to Joe's Crab Shack. Yay! Love you Bryan! Thanks Gabe and Jen for watching the kids for us.

Visit from Grandest Dad!

2009-02-19T19:24:00.014-05:00

My dad came for a visit this January and we had a lot of fun with him. The first thing he did with the kids was fall asleep. He is so funny. He can fall asleep anywhere. Dad, you work too hard! Take a break. Anyway, The kids had such a fun time. We took him down to Nashville and saw the Opryland Hotel and the Grand Ole Opry. He blessed us in many ways. Miss you dad!

Ice Storm

2009-02-19T18:48:00.012-05:00

We recently survived a widespread Ice Storm. I covered most of Kentucky as well as parts of Indiana, Ohio and other areas. We were without power for five days. Our gas stove kept us warm. Our days were filled with lots of coloring, puzzles, and go fish, while our nights were spent rushing through dinner before the sun went down, roasting marshmallows over candles, and cuddling together in the dark. It was an experience Bryan and I will never forget. Lily still says "mama, we have power" every time we turn on the lights. Here are a few pictures.

My attempt at ice skating on our deck...

Happy February.

2009-02-03T15:10:00.002-05:00

Things have been going well with my no computer less TV (i watch one show with Bryan) thing. We recently were without power for 5 days, so it made it so easy to stick with my commitment. We are in the process of updating our computer and I cannot get my pictures on here yet, so the posts I have planned for you all to catch you up on our life, will have to wait. I thought I would change our background to give you all a little excitement. Stay tuned for lots of updates!! They're coming, I promise!!

Isaiah

2009-01-22T14:57:00.003-05:00

So as I mentioned I am searching the WORD for comfort and power to enable me through my fears. The LORD showed me the book of Isaiah and I have begun my study through this crazy book. As usual, the LORD has so many other lessons for me. Here are some scriptures that seem to be screaming out to me...

Isa 1:5-7
5 Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever? Your head is injured, and your heart is sick. 6 You are sick from head to foot — covered with bruises, welts, and infected wounds — without any ointments or bandages. NLT

Isa 1:11-141 "I am sick of your sacrifices," says the LORD. "Don't bring me any more burnt offerings! I don't want the fat from your rams or other animals. I don't want to see the blood from your offerings of bulls and rams and goats. 12 Why do you keep parading through my courts with your worthless sacrifices? 13 The incense you bring me is a stench in my nostrils! Your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath day, and your special days for fasting — even your most pious meetings — are all sinful and false. I want nothing more to do with them. 14 I hate all your festivals and sacrifices. I cannot stand the sight of them!NLT

Isa 1:22Once so pure, you are now like watered-down wine.NLT

Isa 3:16-17
16 Next the LORD will judge the women of Jerusalem, who walk around with their noses in the air, with tinkling ornaments on their ankles. Their eyes rove among the crowds, flirting with the men. 17 The Lord will send a plague of scabs to ornament their heads. Yes, the LORD will make them bald for all to see! NLT

Isa 3:18-24
18 The Lord will strip away their artful beauty — their ornaments, headbands, and crescent necklaces; 19 their earrings, bracelets, and veils of shimmering gauze. 20 Gone will be their scarves, ankle chains, sashes, perfumes, and charms; 21 their rings, jewels, 22 party clothes, gowns, capes, and purses; 23 their mirrors, linen garments, head ornaments, and shawls. 24 Instead of smelling of sweet perfume, they will stink. They will wear ropes for sashes, and their well-set hair will fall out. They will wear rough sackcloth instead of rich robes. Their beauty will be gone. Only shame will be left to them. NLT

So how do these verse apply to my life? Well, there is sin all around me. I am addicted to the computer, addicted to television, to books. Pretty much anything that can give me an escape from my wifely and motherly duties. There are so many ministry opportunities that I miss out on, because I don't plan ahead and I waste my time. I will pray and say to the LORD, "okay this time I am serious, I am committing my time to You." But then I try to justify my sin and even try to make it seem like it is not sin at all. YIKES! And what does the LORD say? He is tired of my futile prayers and promises. They are a stench to Him. What does He say about phonies who walk around so proud? He makes them bald and puts scabs on their heads. He strips them down. UGH! I have to be real. I have to be transparent and cry out for accountability. Goodbye computer. Goodbye television. Pray for me that I will choose righteousness. The LORD requires Holiness and He is GOOD. My new commitment? I will only be going on-line once a week. Sometimes I may post on our blog, but sometimes I may just take care of my bills and return my e-mails. I am having Bryan put a password on the computer. My goals? I hope to fill my mind with ways I can bless my kids, ways I can minister to my friends, my family, and my husband. I need to make lists and be organize. Mostly, I need to OBEY!!! Pray for me, for us that this new step in my life would draw me closer and more dependant on the LORD. That I would really get to know my kids inside and out and that my husband would be blessed to come home every night. Feel free to call and check on how things are going. I am going to need the encouragement.

Until next week...

Let's Talk...

2009-01-09T08:30:00.002-05:00

trans·par·ent- adjective- easily detected or seen through

What does it mean to you, as a Christian, to be transparent?

Fear...

2008-12-31T08:06:00.002-05:00

So I guess it is confession time. I have to confess that I am afraid. I have a problem with fear. It grabs a hold of me and I am paralyzed by it. I don't go in elevators, I don't fly on airplanes. I mean, it is pretty well know that I deal with claustrophobia, but I have other fears also. I am afraid of losing a child. I am afraid of suffering. I am afraid of antibiotics and vaccines. I am afraid of aging, and possibly dying of cancer. I am afraid of terrorism. I am afraid that I am not measuring up. The list goes on and on. Bryan and I discuss this topic often. Beyond the eye rolling and the laughing, he has given me a challenge. In my life, I have always relied on what people tell me. I have been lazy when it comes to finding out for myself. So, I am accepting his challenge to find out what the LORD says about fear and how He desires to bring comfort. Sure I know the verses, but what do they really mean? What is His peace like? Is He really going to take His church up before the tribulation? Is that time soon? (I hope so.) I just don't want to be afraid anymore.

rEBelLiOuS

2008-12-18T15:39:00.006-05:00

There is something about God's Word and the life of Christ that compels me to want to be rebellious. Not, just a little bit, but a lot.

I have been discovering things about the heart of God and his heart for people and although I am pretty sure I don't have Him all figured out, I know that He LOVES. His love is so boundless and I crave the ability to love like Him. When I read of His love and see how His heart breaks for me and for the world, I want to run out of my house with a megaphone and yell, "Wake up World! He loves us!" His love makes me want to shock others around me. I want to show up with tattoos covering my arms and a ring or two pierced through my nose, maybe even shave my head.
But it takes me further than myself. I know He loves me and loves my creativity, because He gave it to me, but I also want to give all of my stuff away and go find the whore on the streets, or the family with nothing, or the orphans and widows and I want to be with them, live among them, share with them, provide what I can for them. Sometimes, I wonder why the LORD bestowed such insights into my life after He gave me my children. I think, "what can I do with these guys crawling all over me?". Maybe the LORD gave them to me to keep me from doing too much damage. Ha! Whatever the reason, let us not be trapped by our beautiful church buildings and our pretty Bibles and our certain seats that we always sit in every Sunday. God wants us to roll up our sleeves and serve. And what does it mean to serve? It means it is going to be HARD. It means we will sweat, we will be in pain, we will sacrifice and suffer all for the furtherance of His Good News. This has been the season of giving and what better thing to give to someone than the LOVE of Jesus. Freely we've received, now freely we must give. Let it not stop as we enter 2009. Get to know the people around you, at work, in your neighborhoods, maybe those people sitting in "your" seats at church, and find out how you can be Jesus for them. It is going to be inconvenient, but the LORD teaches us outside of our comfort zone. Sometimes the best lessons are learned there and the blessings we reap are so great.

Then the King will say to those on the right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' Matt 25:34-3634

Merry Christmas

2008-12-15T16:16:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Sorry

2008-12-09T10:34:00.001-05:00

Sorry for my post below being so choppy and disorganized. I had to do the whole thing while holding Emma. ;)

So much going on...

2008-12-09T09:15:00.024-05:00

Well a lot has been going on around here. After the ladies from CA left, we took on our upstairs bathroom. It was in need of a HUGE face lift as all of our bathrooms are and we wanted to get it ready before Bryan's parents arrived for their 2-week visit. We got the bathroom finished about 5 minutes before we were to leave for the airport to go and pick them up. Whew! But the excitement did not end there!! We had an awesome time with Oma and Opa. They were able to be here for Thanksgiving and really made the day special by making some traditional dishes from our family. We spent the day with our Emmaus family as well and it was filled with great food, fun activities, and even some healthy competition. Each family brought special dishes to share. We had the works, sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, potato casserole, sweet potato casserole (2 kinds!!), green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, drinks, and a TON of delicious desserts. The kids enjoyed their crafty side by making feather head-bands for their heads and beaded necklaces. They ran around like wild Indians outside while gathering vegetables for their special feast. The adults competed in a Turkey making contest. We were given a bag of assorted veggies and some toothpicks and had to create a turkey worthy of a grand prize. It was so fun. Each family made the day special and it was so great to have Oma and Opa there to be apart of it all. I am sure that I need to be separating this post into many more paragraphs, but since there is so much to fill you all in on, I am just typing away. After Thanksgiving, Oma and Opa spent their days playing with the kids, taking them to the Creation Museum in Ohio, and helping us with projects around the house. We FINALLY got rid of our nasty kitchen floor, but it was a HUGE project that seemed to never end. ;) Thanks dad for risking your life in our kitchen. Underneath our floor was a whole bunch of mold and we had to find the source of the mold which was behind a cabinet in the wall where there was a leak in one of our pipes. The leak had been there since the house was built (15 years ago). It was pretty GROSS.Our visit with Bryan's parents went so fast. We miss them already. Now we are getting ready for Christmas stuff and our calendar is filling up with so many fun things to do. Here are some pictures of the passed few weeks. Merry Christmas to you all. We LOVE you and hope that you have a great time this season soaking in God's love. We serve a Mighty and Awesome God!!

A Weekend To Remember

2008-11-10T14:15:00.004-05:00

For you bless the godly, O LORD, surrounding them with your shield of love. Psalm 5:12

This past weekend, I was blessed and loved on by the LORD. 2+ years ago, Bryan and I left all of our dear friends and family in CA and moved here to KY. We left the one and only church that we had been apart of since we've known each other. We left some of the dearest friendships we have yet to come across. We left our ministries and really we left our home. The only home we have ever known together as a couple. While the LORD continued to make it clear to us that HE wanted us here in KY, we never could have imagined all of the blessings that would follow. While living in CA, we were involved with our church's worship ministry as well as being apart of college groups which turned into newly married groups. We welcomed our first and second children. We never realized fully what all we were saying goodbye to, until we were here. All alone, on our own, searching for a new church, new friends, and for HIM in the midst. Soon after we moved here, we began to have visitors and e-mails, and the LORD spoke. One year later, we were joined by 3 more families from our same church back in CA. The LORD brought us together for an AMAZING work HE desired to do here in KY. I marvel every time I go over all of the details that fell into place during that time. As you all know, we opened the doors to our church for the first time back in March of this year. Emmaus Community Fellowship is doing well. The LORD is molding each of us more and more into His image and while it has been HARD, it has been so good. We continue to have visitors from CA and our church back home continues to pray for us. We really are just an extension of what Christ is doing all over. This past weekend, I was surprised by many many women who came out here from our church in CA to put on a very special Women's Retreat for the women of Emmaus. I am amazed at how the LORD continues to show His love for us. That He would move Bryan and I across the country to tell us 2+ years later that we never really said goodbye, we simply moved to another location. As brothers and sisters in the LORD, we are woven together. We know that distance is merely just that. Praise the LORD for planes, e-mail, cars, letters. It is like a modern version of the New Testament. As I said goodbye to my dear friends this morning and as their van pulled out of my driveway, I was encouraged by the LORD when HE said, "Just wait until you see what I do next." The blessings keep coming, the adventures keep presenting themselves and while there are very difficult times in the mix of it all, I see the LORD so clearly. He is there, He is here. He is the same God to each of us. Together we can all say, "We know Him".

Ladies of Wildwood, I am so blessed to be able to pray to our God together, to worship and sing to our God together and to serve our God together. Thank You for your Obedience and willingness to listen to His voice. We are all changed and I look forward to what He will do next.

Cool Enough?

2008-11-06T08:39:00.002-05:00

The Election is over and in a couple of months CHANGE will be coming to America. I have noticed so much controversy around about who to vote for, who Christians should vote for, etc. And, I have to admit that I was not sure who I was going to vote for this time around. There are a lot of "new" influences in the church. There are a lot of awesome things being said and a lot of ideas that the church, in it's past, has forgotten. We have a reputation of judging and with-holding. We have a reputation of making tradition our God instead of God himself. While a lot of these new things being brought forth are good, there is another trend arising, A New Kind Of Christian, that I am not sure I am "cool enough" to represent. I want to take this time to encourage all of my fellow believers, especially you young ones, to be praying. Pray for the LORD's Wisdom in ALL things. What does He want from us? What is His will? Get grounded in the WORD. The LORD wants us to be dependent on Him alone and not on the influence of anyone (good or bad). He alone provides, directs, speaks, loves, and fulfills us with exactly what we need. It is easy to get caught up in all of this new hype, especially when it looks like someone we want to be, but really, we need to be who God is telling us to be. Do not be persuaded by man. A relationship with the LORD is very real. He wants it to be just that. Seek the LORD. He will show you His ways. Pray for our country and for the world. This life really is all about glorifying Him and letting the world know about His amazing LOVE and GRACE.

Rom 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Matt 25:34-36 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

Jude 3-4 But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the truth of the Good News. God gave this unchanging truth once for all time to his holy people. 4 I say this because some godless people have wormed their way in among you, saying that God's forgiveness allows us to live immoral lives.

I am praying for the LORD's return. Come soon LORD, for this world is loss and you are my gain.

my tiger and puppy...

2008-11-02T18:09:00.000-05:00

An awesome friend of the family made these super cute costumes for the kids. They had so much fun getting dressed up and acting like growling tigers and sweet puppies. Thanks Salley!! Trick-Or-Treating was lots of fun and we got lots of candy. It was a great way to kick-off the rest of the season.

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-29T14:23:00.001-04:00

Halloween is just around the corner. I love this
time of year. The trees are all changing, everyone has their Fall decorations out, and the REAL Holidays are approaching. We have been getting in the spirit of Fall lately by making yummy soups and chillis, picking out pumpkins and last night we enjoyed a drive over to 31 Flavors for their "dollar scoop" night. Ice cream on a crisp Fall evening is so fun. After we returned home, we decided to carve our pumpkin. You can see the evidence of the Ice Cream all over Lily's face, and shirt (thanks Bagley's for the cute clothes for the kid's and Bryan!!!). Happy Fall everyone! There is so much to be thankful for.

Xander's campout

2008-10-29T14:13:00.001-04:00

After Xander's party, Bryan and he ventured to the backyard to have a special camp out of their own. A cold front was moving in that same night and the wind was blowing quite a bit. What a little tough-guy though. He slept outside with his daddy all night. It got near freezing temperatures, but I suppose they just kept each other warm. So precious.

Xander turns 4

2008-10-29T14:04:00.002-04:00

This past Sunday we celebrated Xander's 4th Birthday. He has been obsessed with camping, so we had a "camping" birthday party for him. The kids got to roast hot dogs and marshmallows, then they went on a scavenger hunt for their goodie-bags. The hunt led them to the Huge tent where their treasure awaited.

Happy Birthday Xander. Hope you had fun with all of your friends.

Hinton's Orchard

2008-10-29T13:52:00.002-04:00

We recently went to a Pumpkin Patch with our church. It was so fun. We played in the hay, checked out some baby cows, took a hay ride, picked out pumpkins, ate a yummy fall dinner, ran through a corn maze, and enjoyed a bon-fire together. Here are a few pictures of Xander and Lily.

Entrepreneur???

2008-10-21T18:20:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I officially became an entrepreneur. Well, maybe "officially" is a little extreme. I have been praying for a few months about offering singing lessons in my home. I felt like the LORD was saying to GO FOR IT, and after tons of fliers being passed out, a sign mounted in my front yard, lots of calls and no-shows, I was feeling like maybe I heard wrong. But each time I doubted, the LORD kept reminding me that HE will fulfil this promise. So I just waited and waited and prayed and prayed. Yesterday, I had my first student. YAY!!! It was awesome and hopefully the "word-of-mouth" will spread.

The LORD is so good and HE is teaching me to wait on Him for everything. He wants my full dependence. It is such an awesome thing to watch HIM do just what HE says.

She considers a field and buys it;From her profits she plants a vineyard.

Prov 31:16

Vonage

2008-10-09T13:31:00.007-04:00

Hey Guys, we just signed up for Vonage. How does this affect you? Well, first of all, if you want to call us, you will need our NEW phone number. You can e-mail me for it if you did not already receive it in the bulk e-mail I sent out. My e-mail address is mickynbryan4god@yahoo.com .

This can also be an opportunity for you to save money. Bryan and I are definitely feeling the effects of the economy and Vonage seemed like a great way to save money. What it does is it provides phone services through your Internet line, so you cut out your separate phone line all together. Of course you have to pay Vonage per month but it ends up being cheaper then having that separate line through your phone service provider. As apart of signing up, you receive the first two months free and if you mention that Bryan and I recommended you, we will also get 2 additional months free. It is a little bit of work talking with your phone carrier and also to Vonage, but once you figure it out, you can save save save! Just by switching we managed to cut out $27+ dollars per month and every little bit helps. I hope that this helps some of you out as well.

More Bugs...

2008-10-08T07:59:00.005-04:00

Xander, my boy LOVES bugs. He loves to catch them and put them inside containers, build houses out of rocks for them, and pretend that they are his pets. He caught 6 beetles the other day and did you know that those things bite? One of those beetles bit his finger and would not let go. Poor little guy. It left a mark.

We went to a pumpkin patch on Sunday and then came home. We did not buy anything, but we think we had a hitchhiker hitch a ride home with us. Check this bug out.

I think it is a Squash Bug, but if anyone out there has seen this bug before and knows it's name, please tell us.

Biggest Bug Ever...

2008-10-03T08:17:00.006-04:00

The other night we were enjoying the nice Autumn air outside on our deck and as I was talking to Bryan I looked over and saw this...

This was the largest Praying Mantis I have ever seen. I was pretty nervous to go near it, but the kids were all over it. We gave Xander a little container and He played with the bug for a good 15 minutes before dinner.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

For All of the Ladies!!!

2008-09-25T11:38:00.002-04:00

Check this out!! Who knows, you just might win!
http://www.handbagplanet.com/ This one is my favorite!!

Dicipline

2008-09-25T10:32:00.004-04:00

Isa 55:7-9
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways ," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and then you get distracted and you notice the funny outfit someone else is wearing or you notice that "so-and-so" just walked in. Whatever the distraction maybe, your mind leaves the conversation as you continue to smile and nod. I have been doing that with the LORD lately. I am hearing Him, but then I get distracted by other things. When my life doesn't seem to go the way I thought, I turn back to the LORD with my hands up in the air and I say,"Lord, I thought you said this...". Today the LORD said something back to me. He said, "Micky, you didn't let me finish." Huh? Oops. But I thought... Ouch!!

He tells me one thing, but before I hear the rest, I run off and try to do my own thing. Striving to make what He said, come true. The LORD alone answers, The Lord alone fulfills. He just wants me to fully depend, fully trust, and wait for Him to move. Okay LORD, you have my attention!!

I can be so lazy about things. Not wanting to be wise or meticulous, but my ways (oh so foolish they are) are not His ways. LORD rescue me from myself. When you speak I am humbled, but I am also encouraged to do better.

What is Bryan up to anyway???

2008-09-22T19:48:00.031-04:00

I have been wanting to do a post on Bryan for a while now. It seems that I am always talking about us as a family or my own struggles, or the most recent things that our kids are up to (or in to), and now I get to share all about Bryan and his 32nd birthday. The celebrating began this last Friday when I got a fabulous babysitter to watch the kids so that I could take B out to his favorite restaurant... We rarely get to have a date night without the kids and enjoying some yummy lettuce wraps was so awesome.We were joined by our good friends Joe and Miranda.

Emma and Jenna are only one week apart. Aren't they so cute? We have so much fun comparing them. Joe and Miranda also left their two other kidos at home, so we have a lot in common which makes for great conversation.

The experience was a first for the Joe and Miranda and I think they are hooked.

Doesn't the food look sooooooo good? We really had a lot of fun passing the plates around the table. After our dinner we went for a walk on the Riverfront. (right on the Ohio river) It was such a great night. Thanks Joe and Miranda for making B's birthday special.To continue the festivities, today the kids and I put together a special birthday dinner for Bryan. Xander and Lily each made him cards.And also a delicious cake.Then we enjoyed Cowboy Spaghetti. (Bryan's favorite meal at home)We sang Happy Birthday...Emma had fun even without eating any cake.

Bryan is still working for Cardinal Health and he really enjoys it there. He is meeting people and is excited about more opportunites to move up. He is also leading worship on Sunday mornings for Emmaus (our church). In his spare time he likes working outside while the weather is not too hot. He has been doing a lot of landscaping around our house and we keep adding projects to our "to do" list. He loves playing with the kids each night and putting them to bed. Together we are striving to serve the LORD more fully, making each thing we do somehow about Him. We are growing as a couple and are ready for more.

Bub, I love you so much. You work so hard around here and I and the kids appreciate all that you are in our lives. We thank the LORD for you. Happy 32nd birthday!

Movie Trailer

2008-09-22T09:11:00.004-04:00

check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm1dHQJ8BIY

Hurricanes in Kentucky???

2008-09-17T16:33:00.005-04:00

Well even Kentucky felt effects from Hurricane Ike. The Governor declared KY in a state of emergency due to a powerful windstorm that swept through on Sunday morning. We were all at church and hardly noticed anything more then dark clouds and some breezes, but when we got home, this is what we discovered...
Click here to see a before shot of our front yard. And this is the after shot.

The above photo is of our neighbor's tree. Now both trees have been removed.

Some parts of Louisville are still without power. It is amazing what wind can accomplish.

The Absence

2008-09-10T15:44:00.004-04:00

Last week I received this in the mail. It is a painting that my mother painted before I was born. She was an artist in many forms. I used to look at this painting (hanging in my house growing up)

along with all of her other "decorations" and I would think, I am never going to have stuff like this in my house. My mom was a "clutter freak" and she collected knick-knacks from all over the place. I had been looking around at my bare walls lately, trying to think of what I could decorate them with and I remembered my mom's painting. I immediately called my dad and had him pull it out of the garage and send it to me. It's funny how valuable her stuff is to me now. She would probably get a good kick out of me hanging her stuff in my house. I am missing her more and more. Having more children and watching life pass just feels so strange to not share it with her. I never imagined my kids growing up not knowing her. Not knowing that I had a mom. Today, Xander was picking out a video to watch and he handed me my wedding video. I put it in the VCR and pressed play and there she was. Walking down the isle with my little brother. She was breathing, moving, and had expressions on her face. It is so strange to see her there, but know that she is no longer here. She gazed at Bryan and I as we took our vows. Oh to see her look at me again...someday.

Mom, I love you and miss you. I wish you could see and know what my life is about these days. I wish I could hug you and tell you that you are a great home decorator. I am learning from you all of the time. I will see you in a little while.

A Small Glimpse of Heaven...

2008-09-01T13:39:00.029-04:00

It has been a while since Bryan and I have done anything without the kids and with my new found zeal for life, I decided to try something AMBITIOUS!!! This is the journey of our date we took this weekend.

This is us after we arrived to our destination, but let me start at the beginning.

The first thing I had to work out was find someone crazy enough to watch our kids over night for us. Thanks Marlettes. The kids had a blast.

So, after church Bryan and I (and Emma too) hopped in the car and headed off to...Chicago.

We grabbed some grub for the road...5 and ½ hours.

Emma enjoyed playing in her seat. Thank You LORD for a good baby!!

Of course you have to make a Starbucks run when you can.

Here we enter Chicago and we find out it costs a little bit of money to drive here.

$3.25 not too bad... and as we looked up passing through the toll booth we saw the Sear's Tower...

We really wanted to experience Chicago as much as we could in a short amount of time. We found this great place that served Chicago style pizza.

It was the best pizza we have ever tasted. Delicious!!

After dinner, we drove around the city.

There was so much to see and I am afraid I could not catch it all with my camera.

Here is the Sear's Tower a little closer up.

And here it is from right under it.

Here we are arriving at our final destination.

What really brought us to Chicago? Our very first Hillsong United Concert.

Here is the stage.

This Hillsong concert was AMAZING!! It was not like any other concert. We were with thousands of people and to see all of these people around with their hands lifted, I was sure that this trip was a Blessing from the LORD and that He wanted us there. It was a small glimpse of what Heaven will be like when the entire church is worshiping the LORD. I wanted to hug the girl next to me and say, "I will see you again, up There!"

There were so many things that stuck out to me during the night. The band had anyone who leads worship stand and they prayed over them. It was cool to pray over Bryan and I know he felt refreshed and inspired. Another inspiring moment was hearing the pastor talk about the LORD's church and how much He loves her. His eye is on us. 1 Kings 9:3 There are so many books out there suggesting that there is something wrong with the institution. Granted, the church doesn't always get everything right, but what a blessing it is to be apart of the body. The pastor there spoke about how our arms grow much longer when we are apart of the church. We reach countries in need, we minister to whole groups of people, and we meet and build relationships with other believers when we are a part of a group rather than only living as the church individually.

The coolest thing of all was what the pastor said about our leaders in the church. (Josh, all of our Pastors from Wildwood, My Dad, this is for you guys!!)

2 Chron 6:8
8 But the LORD said to my father David, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart
NKJV

What a blessing it is to know that the LORD's church is in your hearts. We know you all face discouragement at different times and in different forms, but the LORD loves you and "you do well in that the BRIDE of CHRIST is on your hearts". His eye is on His Bride and He never takes His eye off of us.

Bryan and I left encouraged and excited to take part in what God is doing down here. We anticipate the LORD's return. What a day that will be. Let us all be mindful to keep our leaders in our prayers that they would continue to keep their eyes focused on Jesus.

coveting and catch-up

2008-08-28T11:35:00.002-04:00

Covet. We don't talk much about this broken commandment, but I am sooooo guilty of coveting. I never really realized fully that coveting was my problem. I would say to myself, "I love my house, my car, my family, my...stuff". But, those aren't the only things we covet. I covet smiles and laughs, I covet praise and friends, I covet experiences and talents. Pretty sad, huh? I am learning that all of those times that I felt, "left-out" were really times that I was jealous of what other people did or had and I just did not want to be happy for them. Being a servant does not come naturally to us. The moment I think, "Thank you Lord for giving me this opportunity to serve (halo over my head)", that is the moment He shows me AAAALLLLLL of the opportunities I missed. YIKES! Yes, rejoicing for others can be service. Praising the LORD (the only one who deserves any praise) for the things He has done in others and laying aside our own junk is dying to self. Ouch! Of course He doesn't want me to sink down into depression. This is all Him trying to prune me and draw me deeper, molding me more and more into His image, but it can be humbling and humiliating.

On the flip side of this, the LORD has shown me what I consider the opposite of covet. AMBITION!!! The LORD doesn't want me sitting around watching the rest of the world have all of the fun. He says, "Mick, get up off that seat and go enjoy life." After all he made me to live and He pours the blessings over us in great relationships, special desserts (in moderation Micky!!!), inspiring music, the beauty of nature, experiencing different cultures, I could go on and on. Serving Him should be a JOY (not always, but a lot of the time). So over the past couple of months I have learned to stop waiting around for my turn and go do the things I really want to do. I think Aimee calls it, "Love God with ALL of your heart, and do whatever you want". I am 27 and I feel like I am now playing catch-up. There were so many things I have wanted to do, but kept waiting for the right time. The time is NOW!!! Don't get me wrong. The LORD has definitely said "wait" and "not now" and even "no", but He also says, "Go For It"!! Thank you LORD for your spirit and for inspiring us and for saying "yes".

Deut 30:19-20
9 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life , that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."
NKJV

Walk in The LORD's Blessings today, Choose to live for Him and Enjoy it!!

The longest post ever!

2008-08-21T08:45:00.026-04:00

Okay, this might be the longest post I have ever posted. First item of business, we found our camera!!! Yay. On our camera were a bunch of pictures from a camping trip we took with Emmaus this past June. We visited Red River Gorge (although we never actually saw the gorge) and hiked up to Natural Bridge. It was a fun time of bonding, 23 of us split between 2 cabins with a total of 5 beds and 2 showers. Oh yeah, we bonded all right!!
Xander could not wait to go on his very first camping trip. Sorry Xander, no tents this time.

Xander and Bella pose for the camera. They have become good friends.

Here we are before we hike up to the Natural Bridge.

Off we go.
We're going camping now. We're on our way.
Gonna climb up a mountain and run and jump and play.
As we hike along we're gonna sing,
Hallelujah to our KING!

We took a brief rest before we climbed on top of the bridge. There were some safety guidelines, basically Don't Fall Off Of The Side Of The Bridge!!!

On the way up, we had to walk through this narrow path and you can see the panic on my face. Needless to say, I was a bit scared.

Sigh of relief, we made it out okay.

View from the top. It was really pretty up there.

Bryan showed Xander all around the Bridge and made sure to hold his hand.

We found this sign and thought it would be funny to stand Xander next to it. He is always being creative and may have wanted to carve something up there...with Xander you never know what he might be thinking up.

I took Emma and Lily down this fun Ski lift. We felt like we were flying among the trees. It was very cool. Bryan and Xander hiked down and from what I hear, it was a bit tiresome for a 3 year old. Good job Xander, way to hang with the big boys!!

After the hike, we found some peddle boats. Lily made friends with Regina.

Don't they look like they could be a family? Lily had fun with Regina and Eric. So cute.

Bryan and I managed to pile ourselves, Xander, Emma as well as the four Dittmars onto one boat. We all spent some time splashing around. The water felt so good as it was a warm day.

After we got back to the campsite, we attempted to roast marshmellows. But as soon as we got our fire going, the sky opened up and it rained heavily.

So we made due with the fireplace inside one of our cabins. The smores were delicious. I think this was the highlight of the trip for Xander and Bella.

After we finished our smores, Mandy serenaded us with some worship. We miss you Mandy!! It was a fun trip and will make this summer memorable.

Here are some more recent pictures. Xander found and cought a frog. He kept him for a few days, but my heart went out to the poor frog after he was stuffed into a plastic bottle, thrown into a big bucket of water and then smothered in piles of dirt. We sent the frog on his way to live a happy life free of torture.

Finally, I put up some recent pictures of Emma. These were just taken yesterday. As you can see, she sucks her thumb.

Emma is such a delight. She is always happy, unless hungry or tired.

Emma is also sleeping through the night. Praise the LORD!

She is getting so big.

Whew! Well that is my attempt at catching you all up. We are excited for some new things coming up in our lives. I hope to get more regular with our posts. I hope everyone is doing well and excited for Fall. It is just around the corner.

Love,
The De Witts
xoxoxo

Xander and Salvation

2008-06-24T09:12:00.005-04:00

Okay so we all want our kids to give their lives to Jesus and make that decision to follow Him, right??? Well, Xander has been learning about Jesus. We talk to him about how God made the animals and gave Xander his toys to play with and things like that. He has also been learning things at church and it is exciting to hear what he has to say. He will repeat Bible stories to us and we actually get to have really interesting discussions about Jonah, and Joshua, etc. So, last night as I was tucking him in to bed, we had just gotten done reading about Peter and Jesus and I asked Xander if he would like to ask Jesus into his heart someday and his response was so funny. He very seriously and very matter-of-fact like replied, "Yes I would and I would also like to ask him into my stomach." I was fighting back the chuckles, but later Bryan and I had a good laugh together.

Little Xander...we pray that you would use your awesome energy and passion for Jesus. He has given you some amazing abilities. Seek after Him in all that you do.

New Pictures of Emma.

2008-06-21T18:58:00.008-04:00

Our little Emma is growing fast. She is smiling now and is such a good baby. She sleeps good and recently my dad bought her a new swing which seems to relax her quite a bit (praise the LORD!). The kids are loving her and they enjoy helping occasionally. This last week, Bryan was in Arkansas for work and I had all three kiddos by myself. It actually turned out to be a great week. We went to the park, visited Freeman Lake, took walks around our neighborhood and of course enjoyed a couple of Happy Meals from McDonald's. Here are some new pictures of Emma. Hopefully I can post more soon!!!

A New Hobby?

2008-06-10T16:41:00.003-04:00

So I have been fooling around with my camera lately. I usually get really interested in things and then give up about half way through, but I am determined to get a good understanding of my camera and I am in search of the perfect shot. Here is one that I took today. I call it, "Lily, let me wipe your face off because you have Oreo cookie crumbs all over it".

The Special Garden

2008-06-06T08:47:00.013-04:00

We recently enjoyed a visit from Grand-dad and Nana. While they were here they decided to plant some beautiful flowers and plants around the house. The kids were excited to help. Here are the pictures.

Taking a break...

Back to work...

Here are some pictures of what all they planted. This is the herb garden (Yay, I can't wait to try them out.)

Hydrangeas...

Rose bushes, Azalea bush, surrounded by Gerber Daisies and Dahlias...

Thanks Nana and Grand Dad, for so much fun. We miss you sooooo much. Come back soon.

Lily turns 2

2008-05-25T21:30:00.009-04:00

Lily turned 2 today. She is growing up so fast. Through this passed year, and mostly within the last 6 months, we have really seen Lily's personality start to blossom. She loves to be a clown.

She is full of smiles.

And of course she has a serious side. One of her most favorite words right now is "NO!".

Lily is so full of life and we love seeing the simplest things bringing joy to her.

Lily we pray you will run after this life with all your might. May Jesus' love be something you cling to always. He has many plans for you. One of those plans was that you would bless your mommy and daddy. "Little", we love you so very much. Happy 2nd Birthday!

A Visit From 2 VERY SPECIAL People!!!

2008-05-15T14:57:00.019-04:00

We had some very special people come visit and help us out with the kids and Emma. Opa and Oma, you helped in more ways than you know!!

Besides wanting them to see the new baby, Xander and Lily were EAGER to spend some quality time with their Oma and Opa.We went to Huber Farms.Opa was pretty silly sitting on this pig.The kids were able to pet and feed all of the goats, we had a great lunch, and there were some really fun "farm" like attractions like climbing up a silo.

We also went to the Louisville Zoo.Xander showed us how to get around with his trusty map.Lily and Opa stuck together,while Xander made sure to take care of Oma!!Even Emma was able to go, although I am not sure she saw much ;)By the end of the day, we were all pretty tired.Also during their stay with us, Opa taught Xander and Lily how to fish.Xander caught 5 fish, he got the hang of it right away.He was so proud to show his "catch" to Oma.There were so many memories made and I could not capture everything in this post, but we are so grateful to our family for all of the help and blessings. The kids will always remember their times with you.

The End Of Myself

2008-05-04T09:13:00.004-04:00

Have you ever come to the end of yourself? I think I have. This is the story of my labor and birth of Emma...

You guys know from my earlier post "Scared" that I was really fearful of giving birth to Emma. I have this terrible weakness of letting my fear consume me. I was so scared that I was waking up in the middle of the night having anxiety, not being able to go back to sleep for hours. I would cry and cry and all I could think to myself was, "I CAN'T DO THIS!". I would just stare at my belly and the fear would come over me and literally my kids would be getting into all kinds of trouble while I just stared off into space.

The night before my appointment to be induced, it all came to a head. I was crying uncontrollably while Bryan just held me. We were both helpless. There was no way out. I began devising different strategies. I thought, I am going to demand the epidural before they give me anything else and if they refuse, I will demand a C-section. (I was out of my head.) Finally the crying stopped and I took some Benadryl. The last thing I remember thinking about before I shut my eyes that night was Peter. My mother in law had reminded me of his fear in an e-mail earlier that week. He was so afraid while walking on the water that as he took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink. That was me. I saw the water all around me and I could not think of anything but drowning. Jesus just asked Peter to do one thing. He just needed to reach out his hand. As I was going to sleep I thought how can I reach out, what CAN I do? I felt the LORD say to me "just get to the hospital".

So the next morning, we dropped our kids off at our friends' house and went to the hospital. That was all I could do. They hooked me up to my IV and before they started any procedure, I began striving for some sort of plan through this mess. I was saying all kinds of things and the nurses were looking at me as if I had lost my mind. (I had.) But the LORD gave me exactly what I needed. My L&D nurse sat down next to me and we talked about all of what could happen, what I could control, what she could control, and together we decided to start the Pitocin. I was so afraid of so many things, and the hardest part was to just TRUST that the LORD was holding me. The contractions started and they were so gentle; more like pressure than pain. Before I knew it, the anesthesiologist was inserting my epidural. It happened so quickly and there was no panic involved. 4 hours later, Emma was born.

I remember praying in the days before Emma's birth for a pain free/panic free delivery, and that is exactly what the LORD gave me. How many times does the LORD have to humble me before I will understand that HE really does love me? He wants to protect me and hold me through the scariest times. Looking back I feel like such a fool for being so scared, but, as one friend has reminded me, that is exactly what fear does. It causes us to be fools. I do not have this fear/trust thing all figured out, but the LORD is bringing me closer. His grace IS sufficient. Somehow, I am getting there.

Thank you to everyone who prayed with me, for me, and continued to offer me God's promises in His Word. They were such a comfort to me.

Emma's First Pictures

2008-05-02T17:27:00.006-04:00

Okay, I want to tell everyone what an awesome birth I had with Emma, BUT I am holding her as I type this right now. The details will come in a later post. Here are some pictures of Emma. Enjoy!!!

Baby Is Here

2008-05-01T11:07:00.002-04:00

Baby Emma Madeline De Witt arrived yesterday @ 3:05.

She weighed 7 pounds 5.5 ounces and she is 19 1/2 inches long. We are all doing well. Still in the hospital. I will update you all when we are home. Thanks for all of the prayers.

SOL*D

2008-04-24T14:10:00.003-04:00

We are happy and sad to say that our dear car and oldest member of our family has been sold. "Dave" was Bryan's very first car. He was an '83 Toyota Celica Supra with 293000+ miles on him. He got us back and forth up mountains, to and from work, through heavy traffic, and he even took Bryan and I on our Honeymoon up the coast all the way to San Fransisco and back. He will be missed dearly.

SCARED!!!!

2008-04-24T14:04:00.003-04:00

Okay so "Labor" day is approaching very quickly for me. I am 38 weeks and I have already been feeling some pretty strong contractions. I am so nervous about all of it and I NEED your prayers. A good friend of mine reminded me this week that WE are NOT in control and as much as I can TRY to control this upcoming event, I CAN'T. So, I am TRYING to give it over to the LORD, but it is hard. Please pray that the pain would be mild, that I would get the epidural at the right time (early works for me) and that the baby would be born healthy without any complications. Here are some verses that are a REAL help to me right now. (Thanks Miranda!)

Come to me, all you who are weary & burdened, and I WILL GIVE you REST. Take my yoke upon you & learn from me, for I am GENTLE and HUMBLE in heart, & you will find REST for you SOULS.
Matt. 11:28-29

What you are doing is no good... You will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
Exodus 18:17-18

Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Ps. 62:8

The Lord himself goes before you & WILL BE WITH YOU; he will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Deut. 31:8

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.
John 14:1

Spring time fun!!

2008-04-07T11:06:00.010-04:00

One of our Biggest Blessings in life is having grandparents who LOVE to spoil our kids. They receive all kinds of fun things from both sides of our family and we are so Thankful. While in California this past winter, Xander and Lily's Oma and Opa gave them this awesome tent to play in. Since today was so beautiful, we decided to pull it out and set it up in our yard. The kids were so happy to play in it and they got pretty creative with it.

Xander thought it would be fun to roll around in this tube.

And Lily thought it would be fun to push Xander around in the tube.

They are having a blast with their new toy. Thanks Oma and Opa!!!!

This tent is such a blessing since it gets us outside in the fresh air and I can keep the house a little more in tact. 4 more weeks until Oma and Opa get here and hopefully the arrival of our new baby. Yay!!!!!

Easter Egg Hunt

2008-04-02T08:44:00.007-04:00

Here are some pictures of the kids enjoying an Easter party. Xander was so excited to drink SODA. Lily had her face painted (thanks Char) and they both got to go hunting for colorful eggs. They enjoyed lots of goodies at this party.The hunt begins...

Now where are all of those eggs?

It looks like they found a few.

The kids had so much fun. I could not be there because I was sick this weekend, but the kids made sure to bring me back some eggs to cheer me up.

Snow!!!

2008-04-02T08:32:00.010-04:00

A few weeks back it snowed!!! I mean really snowed. It was the heaviest snow fall for Hardin County in 10 years. So, of course we had to test this snow out. It took us about 30 minutes just to get all bundled up, but once we were all ready, we headed outside in the freezing cold to see what this snow was all about.

Lily enjoyed the snow more than any of us. She just kept jumping and tredging through it. Xander and I were wondering when the Hot Cocoa would be ready.

Poor Bryan was our photographer that day. He could not join in the fun because he was sick with the Flu.

This was the snow out our front door.

Here is a family shot and by that I mean myself plus the 3 children. I am hiding one under my sweatshirt.

Backyard...

Front yard...

Even snow at Emmaus that Sunday...

Updates...

2008-03-24T08:55:00.002-04:00

So much has been going on, or not going on. We have had a LOT of sickness here. Please keep us in your prayers. Bryan is battling some crazy cough that wont go away, the kids keep getting fevers, goopey eyes, and are now coughing, I had some weird infection and am now having whatever the kids have. We take our health for granted, but it really limits us when we are not 100%.

We had snow a few weekends ago and I promise to get some pictures up of that.

Easter Sunday was a bummer for us. Bryan was able to barely make it to church, while myself and the kids stayed at home sick. It did not even feel like Easter. We so wish we could have really had some good times reflecting on the gift God gave us, and also to have been able to reach out to those who don't know Him, but all of that got lost in this sick season for us.

Prayers? Pray that we will get healthy. Pray that our unborn baby remains healthy. She seems to be unaffected by any of this, just as active as ever. Continue to pray for Emmaus and that we would all be tuning in to what the LORD wants for us. I am almost 34 weeks and I am starting to have more and more anxiety about the labor and delivery. Pray for God's hand in all of that.

Thanks for all of the prayers while I was in the hospital. All of the nurses were so kind and the rest and hydration was much needed.

Pictures to come...Blessings, The De Witts

Emmaus

2008-03-02T21:14:00.015-05:00

Today was the first Sunday service for our church that the LORD has been putting together. Many of you know that the LORD called Josh and Charlene Marlette and their four children http://www.thesix.wordpress.com/ out here to plant a church in Elizabethtown http://www.emmauscf.com/. We have been blessed to be apart of the process along with two other families. Here are some pictures of our FIRST Sunday!!! Praise the LORD for all that He is doing. It is CRAZY and AWESOME to see it all unfold.

Here are the EmmausKIDS appropriately posed in front of a very special scripture. Ignore the GIANT lady in the photo and take notice of our cool nursery.

Here is a picture of Pastor Josh. He is our awesome leader and we are so thankful to be apart of this work with him and his family.

Gabe Dittmar made the coffee and it tasted so good. Thanks Gabe for not throwing it out before I helped myself to a second cup. Also everyone took part in painting and fixing the place up to call it our church home, but Char is responsible for the decorating and paint colors. Those of you Wildwood friends know what a great decorator she is. The place looks so great!!!

Our Fell0wship area...
Our Mother's Room...

Our Sanctuary... What a great day and one that we will look back on and remember how BIG and Wonderful our God is. Please continue to keep Emmaus in your prayers. Check out the above links for more information.

One more beautiful Spring/Summer Photo!!!

2008-02-22T13:58:00.002-05:00

I cannot wait for these days...

Spring, where are you?

2008-02-22T12:08:00.004-05:00

Well, I lost my camera battery charger and so I have not had a chance to upload any new pictures. Sorry for the delay in posts!!! Something that the kids and I (micky) cannot wait for is Spring. Here is a picture of our front yard last year at the beginning of Spring. We recently have had snow, freezing rain, lots of wind, and we are ready for the Sunshine. Some of our favorite things to do in the Spring are play in our sandbox, go to Freeman Lake for nice walks, and feeding the ducks and geese. I am getting bigger and more and more uncomfortable (29 weeks pregnant) and I am hoping to enjoy the spring before I am too uncomfortable to move. So, Spring would you hurry up and get here? We want to go play outside and enjoy our nearly completed deck. Pictures of the lake, the ducks, the sandbox and the the deck will hopefully be available soon!!!

Little Girls!

2008-02-04T16:59:00.001-05:00

Lily, has been into clothes lately. A friend of mine gave me a bag of hand-me-downs from her daughter to Lily and every day after Lily's nap she comes down stairs with a few extra shirts hanging around her neck.

The other day, we payed a visit to Old Navy's clearance section. Xander was occupied with some puzzles, but Lily was getting pretty frustrated sitting in the cart. I decided to try and show her some clothes, just to see if that might calm her down. She was so excited, she would have bought the whole "todler girls" section if she could have. I got her a couple shirts and some jeans. When it was time for her nap, I told her that we could try on her clothes after she woke up. Being the "girly" girl she is, as soon as she woke up, she drug our big Old Navy bag (there were a few items inside for myself as well) down the stairs to come find me. She wanted to make sure I held to my end of the bargain. After she tried on her clothes, she wanted to try on mine. (my clothes were Maternity) She could not understand that my gigantic clothes, were not for her.

In the pictures you can see her latest favorite thing to wear. She got this Tu-Tu for Christmas from her Auntie Kim and Uncle Jeremy. She just loves it. Little girls are so fun, and funny.

Leave us a message...

2008-01-21T16:59:00.001-05:00

I receive all kinds of e-mails commenting on our blog and I also see that our blog page gets a lot of hits. I wondered if maybe not everyone was able or knew how to leave a comment. Here are some simple instructions. No pressure... You do not have to leave a comment if you don't want. I just thought the information would be helpful.

How to leave a comment:
Click on the header of the blog post, (example "The Story") and scroll down until you see where it says, "Post Comment". Then click on it. After this you will see a box to type a comment and under that there will be a few options for how to sign your comment. If you have a Google password, you can use it, or if you don't then choose the "anonymous" option. If you choose the "anonymous" option, then be sure to sign your name inside the comment box so we can know who you are.

The Story

2008-01-17T11:53:00.001-05:00

Maybe you are wondering, 'That is an odd picture to put on a blog'. I (micky) just recieved a package from my dad and his wife and this little sticker was attatched. I thought it was quite appropriate for the story of my travels to and from California.

Many of you know that I suffer from claustrophopia. I have since I was very young (as long as I can remember). It seems that as I get older, my panic attacks have worsened. Just to give you an idea of how my life is slightly different, I do not ride elevators and have not for many years.

So here we go on our way to California and as soon as I bored the plane, I can feel the panic rise up inside. I managed to sit in the front row with Lily on my lap, but the panic and fear only seem to highten. I am shaking and all I can do it drink my ginger ale and read my daughter some books. The distractions are not helping. I find myself staring at the door of the plane, praying that it will open as soon as we land. We land, it opens and that is the last time I decide to EVER ride a plane again. Did I mention that the plane landed in Pheonix?

For someone who is experiencing great fear and anxiety, being in Pheonix is only a small hurdle to overcome. What did I do? I rented a car and Lily and I drove to Yucaipa. No problem.

The following day I simply canceled my flight home. Whew, no more thoughts of airplanes or being trapped, but as you may already be thinking, I had a new challenge. How was I going to get back to Kentucky? As Pooh Bear would do, I had to think think think. (We read a lot of Winnie The Pooh in our home.) There were many options and doors to try and pry open, but one by one, they all closed.

Another important factor in this CRAZY story is that Bryan had to fly home to go back to work while myself and the kids stayed in California to visit with our family a little longer. We had not been back to California in 18 months and we really wanted to spend some good time with our friends and family...and eat some good burritos.

I prayed about what to do. I felt discouraged for having this silly condition. But then the LORD did something so amazing. Bryan had been sharing with his boss all that was going on over in California and she became committed to helping him get his family home. Cardinal Health (Bryan's employer) gave Bryan additional vacation days to fly out and drive his crazy wife and kids home and money to help pay for all of the expenses of this rescue operation. The LORD provided a car for us to drive home in. A tiny PT Cruiser which we nick named Peetee. The LORD has to have a sense of humor, but we managed to fit ALL of our possessions (luggage, Christmas gifts, stroller, car seats, etc.) inside that little car. On top of all of the humor and laughs, Bryan was able to surprise his family by showing up just a few days before Christmas. We were all under one roof for the Holidays (Christmas and Thanksgiving).

God is so good to us. He accepts us broken. No requirements to go and get fixed. We had such a great time watching the kids play and strengthen their bonds with Opa and Oma, and Grand-Dad and Nana.

I am humbled once again by the VAST love that God has for us. I hope that this will bless your day and remind you of how much you are truly loved by Jesus.

Cousins

2008-01-11T08:40:00.001-05:00

This message is for Seth!!! Xander misses you terribly. He cannot wait to see you again. Take care bud. We think of you every time we watch Spider man!!!!

baby...

2008-01-11T08:29:00.001-05:00

Well, we have been able to confirm that we are having another little girl. She is very active in there. Veronica, you are 3 for 3. So now we are deciding what to name this little one. We have a few names we are throwing around, but feel free to give us your suggestions. We will announce the name in a future post.

Hard at work...

2008-01-11T08:16:00.000-05:00

While we were in California, Bryan was busy in Kentucky. He is still in the process of building our deck, (we will have finished pictures up when it is all completed.) He also spent a lot of time, painting and setting up our (his really) home theater. No pictures of the surround sound, but it is there. We are loving the new rooms!!! Thanks Bryan/Dad!!!

We are BACK!!!!

2008-01-02T10:10:00.000-05:00

WE had so much fun and there is so much to say. WE just got home a few days ago from our loooooooong trip to California. It was so good to be with ALL of our family. We miss them already. Thanks for prayers. The LORD did some great things for us while we were there. Many more posts to come!!!

Just One

2007-11-02T16:41:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought that you were hearing something from the LORD so clearly and you turned out to be 100 percent wrong? Well I(micky) am sitting in that boat right now. I thought for sure the LORD was telling me that I was going to have twins. Crazy? I know!!! So many things seemed to be pointing towards it. I was very bold about sharing this news with everyone I knew. So yesterday I went in for my ultrasound and (drumroll...) Just One! It's not that there isn't any relief. Believe me that I fully know that one baby is easier than two. I get that. And the humiliation really isn't so bad either. Yeah, I thought I was so sure about something and I turned out to be wrong. This is not the first time it has happened to me. But when you think that it is coming from the LORD, that you are hearing His voice, and you are trusting that His voice will prevail despite all of the doubting onlookers coming your way and then you realize that it was never His voice at all...I was devestated. Have I ever heard from Him? Do I really know how to trust? I am reminded how small I really am. I am shown that He wants ALL Glory. No amount of light can be cast on me. So wisdom? Spirituality? I am not an expert. I have been stripped once again of what I thought I knew. I am starting over again.

LORD, teach me how to hear you, and how to Trust even when I don't hear or when I am unsure. LORD, you will make yourself so abundantly clear. I am not forced to put pieces together. Help me to start again with you. Day by day, moment by moment. Help me to fall back on what you have already made so very clear to me. That you love me, that you want the very best things for me, and that you have me in the palm of your hand. Thank you for ALWAYS giving me what I need. Amen.

Biggest Fool Ever!!!

Welcome babies!!!

2007-10-25T14:46:00.000-04:00

We have had 2 new additions to our family recently. On October 2, Bryan's brother Jeremy and his wife Kimberlie welcomed their first baby, Gavin William. He has De Witt written all over his face.

And only a fews days later another De Witt was born. Bryan's cousin Chris and his wife Heather just welcomed their third baby, Tessa Elise.

Congratulations to you all. We cannot wait to meet the little ones at Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for.

Thanks Oma for the Dresses and the Bug Box!!!

2007-09-17T08:47:00.000-04:00

I love playing with my bug box and trying to catch Rolley Pollies.

Oma can you see the Grasshopper inside my bug box? Mom caught 4 grasshoppers for me and I fed them lots of grass.

Here is my pretty spring dress with scarf. It did not stop me from going down the slide though!!!

Oma made this pretty dress, bloomers, and hat. (i think Great Grandma Van Aken sewed the buttons and Salley helped too...thanks everybody!)

Oma, we love you and thank you for always thinking of us. We talk about you and Opa all the time and pray for you too. We miss you and cannot wait to see you in November.

Love, Xander and Lily xoxoxoxoxo

P.S. Oma, what does the bee say? Bzzzzz Bzzzzz Bzzzzz (from Xander)

Baby Name Contest

2007-09-10T19:59:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't like a little friendly competition???

Help us pick a name for our baby brother or sister!!!!

Tell us your favorite boy and girl names in the comments section.

When we find out who we are having (boy or girl) we will start a poll, using the names you all selected. Then you can all vote for what name you like the best. Of course Mom and Dad have the final say, but maybe YOUR name will win...

Give it a shot.

And Baby Makes 5!!!

2007-09-07T17:14:00.001-04:00

Well, we are adding another one to our family. I am sure the LORD will reveal the blessing in this...right? Yikes! We are totally freaked out, but like the Word says, Blessed is he whose quiver is full. For Bryan's sake, I hope that 3 means full. We are excited as well. It will be so fun to see who this baby is. Of course we will keep you all posted.

Visitors

2007-09-06T16:07:00.000-04:00

We had so much fun with you guys!!!
We miss you already!!

Thanks for a great time of fellowship.

We love you.

How Good It Is To Be Near God!

2007-08-01T09:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I was having a tough time. I got so caught up in my own "stuff" and I began to doubt all of what God had been showing me. I thought "maybe I haven't been hearing His voice." But the LORD is so good. He brought me to this passage. I had never read it before, but there it was just for me at that place and time. Every line has such depth and meaning to my life.

Psalm 73:21-28

21 Then I realized how bitter I had become, how pained I had been by all I had seen. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant — I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. 23 Yet I still belong to you; you are holding my right hand. 24 You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. 26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. 27 But those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. 28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Lord, I am foolish and ignorant...I think I know Your ways, but I do not have a clue...and You love me still. Everytime I open Your Word, you speak great things to me. I desire to be closer to You. "How good it is to be NEAR You." Thank You for not leaving me.

I hope that this passage blesses your day as it has become a favorite of mine. Please keep us in your prayers as we begin a new season. Here is a link to some friends' of ours blog page http://thesix.wordpress.com/about/. We will be joining them in planting a church here in E-town. Please keep all of the families involved in your prayers as warfare is expected and already all around us. Pray for Pastor Josh and his family. He is our leader and they are going through many changes, and adjustments to say the least.

I stole it...

2007-07-29T22:24:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine posted this on their blog a few months back...it Continually blesses me. Thanks "girl" !

My Child By Barry Adams

You may not know me, but I know everything about you. Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up. Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways. Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image. Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being. Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring. Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation. Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me. John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. 1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father. Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you. Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession. Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires. Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. Revelation 21:3-4

And I’ll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being. Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. 1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. 1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father. Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…Will you be my child? John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you. Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Father

Dirty Feet

2007-07-10T15:23:00.000-04:00

14 And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet , you ought to wash each other's feet . 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

John 13

Since our move here to KY, the LORD has been speaking so many things into my (micky) heart. I have had many days where I am so fired up for the people and I want to go out and "wash their feet". But, the LORD wanted to point me in another direction. He has been showing me that my plans are futile. I need to look to HIM. I need to be in HIS will for my life. Where is that? It is inside my home with my children and my husband. Before I get all carried away with my OWN ambitions, I have to first ask what does the LORD want of me. Then, I need to obey.

The life of a housewife is not glamorous, but it is right where the LORD has called me to be.

As you can see, the feet pictured are in great need of washing. I have my work cut out for me, but I am not alone. The LORD has been reminding me over and over that HE will take care of me. Thank You Jesus, for giving me a purpose.

Fun-filled Weekend

2007-07-03T21:51:00.001-04:00

We were able to enjoy the out doors this weekend. We went to a picnic put on by Cardinal Health (Bryan's employer). We enjoyed bounce houses, burgers, snow cones, cotton candy, and games. Sunday we visited a local church's (Severns Valley Baptist Church) Pre-Fourth of July fair. We enjoyed bounce houses, snow cones, (do you see a pattern?). Xander was able to ride a horse and Lily enjoyed playing on the play-ground. When the sun finally went down (close to 10:00pm) we all sat together as a family and watched beautiful fireworks. We had great company under the stars with our neighbors and friends. Fun Fun Fun!!!!

Welcome!!!

2007-06-26T12:57:00.000-04:00

We are officially apart of the blog family. The purpose of our blog is for all of our friends and family to see our process through this life. This life has been so full of "new" things and it is difficult to share them all with everyone. Praise the LORD for modern technology right? I hope you will enjoy and leave us a comment every once in a while.

Blessings,

micky