tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52059439688109847832024-03-12T23:07:55.155-04:00Life ReflectionsCarolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-69847300115290547612023-03-17T22:41:00.044-04:002023-03-18T22:16:20.189-04:00Powder MountainI wanted to share more about our trip to Eden, Utah over Spring Break. It has been my favorite ski trip so far! Eden is about an hour north of Salt Lake City. We went there to ski in <a href="https://www.onthesnow.com/utah/powder-mountain/ski-resort">Powder Mountain</a>, as my brother in law researched the place and thought it'd be a great place to ski with younger kids. We were there with Steve's family- a total of 12 of us for the trip.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd57mA3i33amP76KzWqT0eweMc4miLmlTkDQnU3K1WJdT7umIUX3TV_ZbASGEb5fCukrG5cUW26I48KOeSgROF8Mxe66wAHK7k-SyXObYHWKAWKVsCr0XqlZUvruSWznxJNYpe-9hWeWwHW5MMpooGpGPMaytHrZN4k1lmhM8HPzun7tS3QzeWFK6j/s4032/1ADA6A09-D7F4-48FF-8B48-6985ECAF1FE0.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd57mA3i33amP76KzWqT0eweMc4miLmlTkDQnU3K1WJdT7umIUX3TV_ZbASGEb5fCukrG5cUW26I48KOeSgROF8Mxe66wAHK7k-SyXObYHWKAWKVsCr0XqlZUvruSWznxJNYpe-9hWeWwHW5MMpooGpGPMaytHrZN4k1lmhM8HPzun7tS3QzeWFK6j/w400-h300/1ADA6A09-D7F4-48FF-8B48-6985ECAF1FE0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div>Powder Mountain has close to 9,000 acres of ski terrain, with 167 ski trails. They also limit the ski tickets they sell, which is great because it's not overcrowded. Our ski instructor said there are about 4 acres of ski terrain for every person!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kWL59lKTWwIxp_pdsB-zZ7dq10M3YkapDq4ABFFvZRN6LDhoUp37j9ymTvmsCRQ7y6R4AKnk_WKh2XR_YmC9cHdS_Lp9SElpw_s6hTWdnYNc_A1quy1mSOU872f74dSHTkarNPgUqGHZo7UMjYHoPUENh9bcsRS33D-K9aYFtLXmFXJvB4xL8Asa/s4032/BE07FB90-ED22-4BCE-9CB8-53A7AEB1944F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kWL59lKTWwIxp_pdsB-zZ7dq10M3YkapDq4ABFFvZRN6LDhoUp37j9ymTvmsCRQ7y6R4AKnk_WKh2XR_YmC9cHdS_Lp9SElpw_s6hTWdnYNc_A1quy1mSOU872f74dSHTkarNPgUqGHZo7UMjYHoPUENh9bcsRS33D-K9aYFtLXmFXJvB4xL8Asa/w300-h400/BE07FB90-ED22-4BCE-9CB8-53A7AEB1944F.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We arrived Wednesday before spring break and booked ski tickets for the next day. Looking back, we kind of wish we would've had a day of rest since the travel was taxing on all of us. Two plane rides, an hour long drive, buying food for the week, and picking up ski gear the night before, made for a very long day. I was not in the mood to ski that first day!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>First ski day: </b>Palmer and Lilly went to ski school, Jack and I had a private instructor, and Steve was off on his own. This is the first year, I actually learned how to properly ski even though I've been about 4-5 times. Up until now all I have known to do is to do 'pizza' going down the hill! I am glad we had a great instructor who really showed the proper technique. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKvp7KKbMAXLBCjTm9E2aUym9CIvIO8FPj1k-RS9BWNu_uMTPT23MHs9O-TQ-XTjwpkQvSiReCykpvSYcpsguDKOlPy44ogdaNjs1asn2C0H3U-RSSUGVr2gpBwPKJDzBU_ZssIXE7RS70pd4_UB_jdiaxhUZc-5BYTBGq5nBFuytF0BwZRI1ppVK/s4032/92BC06A9-9710-4F37-B351-1C4DBBBA6C39.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKvp7KKbMAXLBCjTm9E2aUym9CIvIO8FPj1k-RS9BWNu_uMTPT23MHs9O-TQ-XTjwpkQvSiReCykpvSYcpsguDKOlPy44ogdaNjs1asn2C0H3U-RSSUGVr2gpBwPKJDzBU_ZssIXE7RS70pd4_UB_jdiaxhUZc-5BYTBGq5nBFuytF0BwZRI1ppVK/w300-h400/92BC06A9-9710-4F37-B351-1C4DBBBA6C39.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Second ski day: </b>Steve, the kids, and I were feeling rested and confident, so the five of us ventured out to some farther and harder trails. However, we made a few wrong turns and ended up really far up the mountain and struggling to get back. At one point I asked Steve if we could call in a ski mobile to come rescue us (particularly me and Lilly who were struggling and terrified of some blue trails). After some falls, and resting on the side of the mountain, we mustered enough energy to continue with the trails. Thankfully we made it back safely!! I was so proud of Lilly for how brave she was. And for all of us for making it through some hard trails.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLoruEu9CBqoa-U5CujMUxnReKELI8JQyX-h8nIAuAlWDt9fUBN1d7pniHzJ7MJA7iY-gscPR2wYsvO0FvvW_mja_dvsA3aAeaqqPwP1CAb-4VTq98FntZNEwXzdCF1LVfIDePGZJ4AmTZvAjlaLyYTc1tcw2EiMgL620gFbfoXB1xB2tSLMYI3bk/s4032/21B3D7A5-82E6-455A-95F7-58B57D8FCB54.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLoruEu9CBqoa-U5CujMUxnReKELI8JQyX-h8nIAuAlWDt9fUBN1d7pniHzJ7MJA7iY-gscPR2wYsvO0FvvW_mja_dvsA3aAeaqqPwP1CAb-4VTq98FntZNEwXzdCF1LVfIDePGZJ4AmTZvAjlaLyYTc1tcw2EiMgL620gFbfoXB1xB2tSLMYI3bk/w300-h400/21B3D7A5-82E6-455A-95F7-58B57D8FCB54.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1RRBugaIGjIiKg_WkRTZWPF_1G17C85KFsSljjUQ0ODuS2ByN1tnol2170IIPtFB_rbIpRVSH_iWCHAaM6mI5iJtGWtIQjZRpINCXFJvLhfECB1F4dhZN9blLPhj7wOBMx9D0n8caZ0xh4bscPKrgi9EDFiXOpaxC3Fdjfn0sC538mwmamqrPiPRM/s4032/3EE917B6-C8E5-43F2-BC06-BE418CCD500E.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1RRBugaIGjIiKg_WkRTZWPF_1G17C85KFsSljjUQ0ODuS2ByN1tnol2170IIPtFB_rbIpRVSH_iWCHAaM6mI5iJtGWtIQjZRpINCXFJvLhfECB1F4dhZN9blLPhj7wOBMx9D0n8caZ0xh4bscPKrgi9EDFiXOpaxC3Fdjfn0sC538mwmamqrPiPRM/w300-h400/3EE917B6-C8E5-43F2-BC06-BE418CCD500E.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHxIjSUEbc_2C-NxlZi79e-1TsWu7Kc-9WV_NBMQ4pAjYpy5ZvaEtSHnJ2OdBawjrVaMvaatXkc8MDgMnJoQDqHw2kAnxhn7Xhfs5kxRbOu4RsnbBtsAFCAg0UZ1Sb_k-UihkJaie5cTECYNdV9sENcFPqfX1Z2xz1n8QesIdSjUs1M8My0_clbSh/s4032/0717C08F-1302-4A8E-83D8-EACE1EA979BD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHxIjSUEbc_2C-NxlZi79e-1TsWu7Kc-9WV_NBMQ4pAjYpy5ZvaEtSHnJ2OdBawjrVaMvaatXkc8MDgMnJoQDqHw2kAnxhn7Xhfs5kxRbOu4RsnbBtsAFCAg0UZ1Sb_k-UihkJaie5cTECYNdV9sENcFPqfX1Z2xz1n8QesIdSjUs1M8My0_clbSh/w300-h400/0717C08F-1302-4A8E-83D8-EACE1EA979BD.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi5I7Oc-25d8SKLN8dpX70sDeG6C_VGAniTSbJZZm0I_IMdyFAjy5XbwKjm_URmYmYpqzpbxSrSa8fogkOES3BSkX0uuU2n13VhhA3B9I_HAbYUIkaIKUvdfeCOWs9PwFTB6vqPYRwIbnW2C-_ZQlevrld38ueqKv_QvaWgZkjz9O3shls4ufJzbXe/s4032/810AA646-410E-4786-A3FB-0B93D8051F96.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi5I7Oc-25d8SKLN8dpX70sDeG6C_VGAniTSbJZZm0I_IMdyFAjy5XbwKjm_URmYmYpqzpbxSrSa8fogkOES3BSkX0uuU2n13VhhA3B9I_HAbYUIkaIKUvdfeCOWs9PwFTB6vqPYRwIbnW2C-_ZQlevrld38ueqKv_QvaWgZkjz9O3shls4ufJzbXe/w300-h400/810AA646-410E-4786-A3FB-0B93D8051F96.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVE79V0JomK06Qs-xNpKlpTsDmXiovSAcy-1NajRI7LomIkZ4P6lBbtV0YwLkCWGx27V4r1wjNZcYZWgpfhnz_kVhP9lmxKIjV9M9a9crRPWyvFb3EBUt-_OXTYLxvOOXpOXXcyDHT2JrOIuwh0smCcuC1_husHpiN9qh5Eq3J1vbFs-CJb8NwbxI/s4032/12909FD2-7D68-4109-AC19-11AF33D63456.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVE79V0JomK06Qs-xNpKlpTsDmXiovSAcy-1NajRI7LomIkZ4P6lBbtV0YwLkCWGx27V4r1wjNZcYZWgpfhnz_kVhP9lmxKIjV9M9a9crRPWyvFb3EBUt-_OXTYLxvOOXpOXXcyDHT2JrOIuwh0smCcuC1_husHpiN9qh5Eq3J1vbFs-CJb8NwbxI/w300-h400/12909FD2-7D68-4109-AC19-11AF33D63456.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Third ski day:</b> It snowed most of the day, making it VERY cold, and very low visibility. We stayed in the easier trails and I took it easy. I mostly stayed back with Lilly and Rae, so the older boys could venture to some harder trails with the adults. It was fine with me! I get nervous seeing them ski sometimes and I trust Steve to take good care of them.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJQI9WRaqS9A3BxDaFnVBX7CQdTy0JTQ0l8XwFxlyMEhObxZiBQ3rkFIQs0f_voLmSYXvo0WCTL5VOhqh5HVMxWxrAoic4kVjBvikyO084O-Tg0YmrNa8soCy27_KCXWmGbjzFYm1jVbFL0G7YfbeMHzm87sOg8bxN7IorAfgqkRTpQn52FifjFub/s4032/CBCB9567-91BD-4EF5-92C5-4F267552C1F0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJQI9WRaqS9A3BxDaFnVBX7CQdTy0JTQ0l8XwFxlyMEhObxZiBQ3rkFIQs0f_voLmSYXvo0WCTL5VOhqh5HVMxWxrAoic4kVjBvikyO084O-Tg0YmrNa8soCy27_KCXWmGbjzFYm1jVbFL0G7YfbeMHzm87sOg8bxN7IorAfgqkRTpQn52FifjFub/w300-h400/CBCB9567-91BD-4EF5-92C5-4F267552C1F0.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Yq1rrFezwMnd-OgUnjISG-PvlBBanQjd7fOqDAoKdWar714yg6YOQ3IgDaWAWGXu2rcvPVgwop7T6JSlwufxb7Ph72D-ERUpOvjf0x4BedKrDiHdK022ECepq3faulM2jaraFOumAgV5MjQkBroInqQo-nN8yLvVFWYHSjTSalf4i_1fCT7_3jzn/s2048/69568.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Yq1rrFezwMnd-OgUnjISG-PvlBBanQjd7fOqDAoKdWar714yg6YOQ3IgDaWAWGXu2rcvPVgwop7T6JSlwufxb7Ph72D-ERUpOvjf0x4BedKrDiHdK022ECepq3faulM2jaraFOumAgV5MjQkBroInqQo-nN8yLvVFWYHSjTSalf4i_1fCT7_3jzn/w400-h300/69568.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNbVhgf4cGSDjF8HXPpujZyVkQfApJtOhopEGNENCpAm8aLzfsSeRdMzvwRlGnNPT-_PqaJ9kfjtRycQUR_5G92Y0BXcuuvwmukk1zByL95jOi0HOAPBKarvYTHuMsu6_msgpVSyzE0ebvmG-5bExCv-SChtNxs8x3BZqElbbnna8Zxd5pgKLt1Zr/s1268/F480DBC2-7E45-4C11-A154-F8454F89D942.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1268" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilNbVhgf4cGSDjF8HXPpujZyVkQfApJtOhopEGNENCpAm8aLzfsSeRdMzvwRlGnNPT-_PqaJ9kfjtRycQUR_5G92Y0BXcuuvwmukk1zByL95jOi0HOAPBKarvYTHuMsu6_msgpVSyzE0ebvmG-5bExCv-SChtNxs8x3BZqElbbnna8Zxd5pgKLt1Zr/w400-h229/F480DBC2-7E45-4C11-A154-F8454F89D942.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfWpCmiZ5JaFJxH00i2kMKGekxoZPll3NpYaxIjdKIphnlfcFbZur4n3_L582-wDDCnOz7SyZEwg-w04JiQgix_BZZnTOzbZ7LHKx-4qxWs-fqryeTF6wH9gJ5H0gbL1SP7kEFOmmNOnrwpUeDGTBUZ4ceAur4yze5j-osrTQ65xCQ0ocicXv8QAE/s2704/69565.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2028" data-original-width="2704" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfWpCmiZ5JaFJxH00i2kMKGekxoZPll3NpYaxIjdKIphnlfcFbZur4n3_L582-wDDCnOz7SyZEwg-w04JiQgix_BZZnTOzbZ7LHKx-4qxWs-fqryeTF6wH9gJ5H0gbL1SP7kEFOmmNOnrwpUeDGTBUZ4ceAur4yze5j-osrTQ65xCQ0ocicXv8QAE/w400-h300/69565.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sb5XGSH4AOybOn1U7SYPBdgBEThe9f_gJ8PIpNCEYQZVObEjGxjduHUvQXORl2bJ-w8TRmNvV-K9CnZ6_QoKJ0yNhdTZQ_AgI6SjJAG0mvKKODQzRAger8P46zQMmpwRqpF78-gQ0D6OiH-_fzpe2vwp37spXQeDtyUa4zb1je8S_8JZ7HvSX6nh/s1405/69562.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sb5XGSH4AOybOn1U7SYPBdgBEThe9f_gJ8PIpNCEYQZVObEjGxjduHUvQXORl2bJ-w8TRmNvV-K9CnZ6_QoKJ0yNhdTZQ_AgI6SjJAG0mvKKODQzRAger8P46zQMmpwRqpF78-gQ0D6OiH-_fzpe2vwp37spXQeDtyUa4zb1je8S_8JZ7HvSX6nh/w236-h400/69562.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>We did squeze in tubing one day! We usually love tubing and have a lot of fun, but I would not particularly recommend this place. It was a little overcrowded and the kids got bored of it rather quickly. Except for Rae and Lilly, I think they enjoyed it the most.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOl1HYEj1xe3AQ1Y2bKsbm6c57J99i6yqQjqfVGqLKSmaH7MX4hFXEOfSWDyKo2ydGpm1U8em3JyOm-ER-s1frYR5kcee9q6oBYtIgcETbd9jliswbK6mG_t2NYVN_LNu5V-CKARPmmqouAgnqoFbpyJohsAZvEivVL5f-BDu58kVM4TFACCrV_DPz/s1024/884C9EB3-D903-43DD-A106-E460158DD572.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOl1HYEj1xe3AQ1Y2bKsbm6c57J99i6yqQjqfVGqLKSmaH7MX4hFXEOfSWDyKo2ydGpm1U8em3JyOm-ER-s1frYR5kcee9q6oBYtIgcETbd9jliswbK6mG_t2NYVN_LNu5V-CKARPmmqouAgnqoFbpyJohsAZvEivVL5f-BDu58kVM4TFACCrV_DPz/w400-h300/884C9EB3-D903-43DD-A106-E460158DD572.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>We ate all of our meals at the house and found a great local market close to us. We were grateful it was pretty reasonable and had great local produce. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jzU6gSSeeMPRJRCFae7-S-X2yckK155Nn6U8yEVoMzbpD58Vwc4lOyF8BrZxKCTgwErkBkT5U9y1RqsWfN-7rFbm6Vcw0RzhMNl1AskQkKUBaHTEeP84dVg2CtJrvaG3HIa5_VrQAPTvmEXRJoMuHSLzzI8Qy3E9iLFk1xYHN3ZEGBdObr6KhPiV/s4032/33E1499B-CCE7-4B04-BC4D-C270BF04B3BA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jzU6gSSeeMPRJRCFae7-S-X2yckK155Nn6U8yEVoMzbpD58Vwc4lOyF8BrZxKCTgwErkBkT5U9y1RqsWfN-7rFbm6Vcw0RzhMNl1AskQkKUBaHTEeP84dVg2CtJrvaG3HIa5_VrQAPTvmEXRJoMuHSLzzI8Qy3E9iLFk1xYHN3ZEGBdObr6KhPiV/w400-h300/33E1499B-CCE7-4B04-BC4D-C270BF04B3BA.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece Laney did not make it to ski, so I snuck a picture of her!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We only ventured out to eat one time for Mexican to Carlos and Harley's. It was delicious and well worth the time!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgwaz3UtTzS-0A4h8iRaT91qF9Mx86zhIL9qZoElRPMgUN0rzDQbWDbdQAg1Yuxyl_OklV5xQfcwyEM3G2U4WShsvHvH4021JIeuBsd27ATdnoI1-vv8SuUvHno_iwwwonShcgPaIH48XEbgttJ4yTKWDnNxxG28lydcVED8LL0V-uMon6twsMn-7/s4032/F937C68C-2183-4852-864C-777BBD67C786.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgwaz3UtTzS-0A4h8iRaT91qF9Mx86zhIL9qZoElRPMgUN0rzDQbWDbdQAg1Yuxyl_OklV5xQfcwyEM3G2U4WShsvHvH4021JIeuBsd27ATdnoI1-vv8SuUvHno_iwwwonShcgPaIH48XEbgttJ4yTKWDnNxxG28lydcVED8LL0V-uMon6twsMn-7/w300-h400/F937C68C-2183-4852-864C-777BBD67C786.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My sister in law Jessi, had a go pro camera and was able to get a video of the boys skiing our last day. They loved skiing and I'm thankful she was able to join us for the week.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwg6lhZU5_6yD4nAAiumHNtYhcJIeNii0ral63hnYwUzGcJzre3WYyWTeOyVGhDabXZ0Ka6WzpwH9AEjnx9Aw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>Even though there were 12 of us, I'm thankful everyone got along great and we all had a stress free week. A special thank you to my father in law for this tradition and encouraging us to go every year. It was a wonderful week with family.</div>Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-27790583079642162262022-07-14T15:19:00.004-04:002022-07-14T15:25:42.042-04:00On Andrew's 14th Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9IXdUywINlkG8u-jynva3mYkUXy6RnoV9OAl-aS4MAfv8JdbIqEKizB5puAy6OAd6GYrI5vmc7jVzRYjR7lMJ0vTusdsPkxz9PQIpy1saOLHfL64oLX7G0-hsKs4mlY_wJLJJtn19TWkiSCbusouAsJN_aK55QJGHWXtaluM8stz_ZUfe7OpuMmb/s1365/06750011.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1365" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9IXdUywINlkG8u-jynva3mYkUXy6RnoV9OAl-aS4MAfv8JdbIqEKizB5puAy6OAd6GYrI5vmc7jVzRYjR7lMJ0vTusdsPkxz9PQIpy1saOLHfL64oLX7G0-hsKs4mlY_wJLJJtn19TWkiSCbusouAsJN_aK55QJGHWXtaluM8stz_ZUfe7OpuMmb/w400-h300/06750011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Today marks 14 years from the day we welcomed Andrew. For the most part our life feels full right now, and we no longer feel the deep sadness of those first few years. I still long to keep his memory alive and it brings me joy to know others still remember him too. I still wrestle with how his life turned out, but I hold on tightly to believing God was always in control and had a special purpose for his short life.</p><p><br /></p><p>This year I felt I had nothing to offer, nothing to share, nothing insightful about Andrew's short life. But I strongly felt led to write something in his memory. I prayed and asked God for help, and he brought a story involving Andrew that has always brought me great hope. So here it goes.</p><p><br /></p><p>Two months after Andrew passed away, Steve and I decided to take a trip to Europe. It had always been a dream of mine and we wanted to get away in hope of a refreshed perspective. It was very spontaneous and last minute (it was not like us to do this, we always plan!), but we took a chance and the two of us went off for ten days to Europe. We visited Munich, Florence, Tuscany, Rome and Venice. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikd-_uN9gaAlpAE88Er0xpVQS8Ne6oGrIUJCd3d_Lx4U2eD5iTiGOyQisb_bznD8zleLxX_XFnHyEEG1wc4U2lX_7XOq1Od1omD1-54jzQq54IDe45wzvaLGu4SkZfUsPIU1VJw8XnUjQsUO7tMjAh_lxFD6yE1XsAaxiMv9SLrWgodXAy2-gXNd_k/s2592/Rome%202008%20(137).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikd-_uN9gaAlpAE88Er0xpVQS8Ne6oGrIUJCd3d_Lx4U2eD5iTiGOyQisb_bznD8zleLxX_XFnHyEEG1wc4U2lX_7XOq1Od1omD1-54jzQq54IDe45wzvaLGu4SkZfUsPIU1VJw8XnUjQsUO7tMjAh_lxFD6yE1XsAaxiMv9SLrWgodXAy2-gXNd_k/w400-h300/Rome%202008%20(137).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90ece4SAjqGfHWVVy4-luWKb-oS8gaTyaCTjar2mt7xcS18eNXdiGfqHCSg_xqRcBTa_TJCkmsKK-t4IZk-8VZJZyt0AWLRfsUEw4u9KbhZke9uxbCFY6rtNUdcaJCrSs2UuxaDECGewY6VL0zJvkGd6zAryAIpok5lEUBXIHihu1GGtnrjNnUoOk/s2592/Rome%202008%20(327).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90ece4SAjqGfHWVVy4-luWKb-oS8gaTyaCTjar2mt7xcS18eNXdiGfqHCSg_xqRcBTa_TJCkmsKK-t4IZk-8VZJZyt0AWLRfsUEw4u9KbhZke9uxbCFY6rtNUdcaJCrSs2UuxaDECGewY6VL0zJvkGd6zAryAIpok5lEUBXIHihu1GGtnrjNnUoOk/w400-h300/Rome%202008%20(327).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>We were not only grieving the loss of Andrew, but we were also wondering what our future would look like. At the time we didn't know what had caused Andrew to be so sick, and there was a very good chance he had died from a genetic disorder. If that was the case, there was a much higher chance that if we ever had children again, they would also have the same genetic disorder. If that was the case our future seemed very different from what we had pictured just a few months earlier. While we smiled for the pictures, I felt very hopeless that our life could ever be restored again. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyEwBWZQtktXVnaX5E2kYFjk2obOvIBNz0neJHgIKP1p-WODZUwC9GzW1ZwhkQT3pL1jrv2WfMAAaXihYGIjoRBC8cUKyKqP3R3fYo7_fWWLoDqWSOPnbSssIkW4RkIVeIVA9M0jMWrf3YRuL6bCuEpSqWFz7Ssltv20dS5LrFFfBSZnlnMIinl3I/s2592/Rome%202008%20(50).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyEwBWZQtktXVnaX5E2kYFjk2obOvIBNz0neJHgIKP1p-WODZUwC9GzW1ZwhkQT3pL1jrv2WfMAAaXihYGIjoRBC8cUKyKqP3R3fYo7_fWWLoDqWSOPnbSssIkW4RkIVeIVA9M0jMWrf3YRuL6bCuEpSqWFz7Ssltv20dS5LrFFfBSZnlnMIinl3I/w400-h300/Rome%202008%20(50).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ufe-w8cq0aGROZwLnaHY9icwKFQrMhLjR_-2E24CtJrA-tNJnXoUV7iqhJW2yaYUC8eY1VlO_kLe5UvWEcV5WIoGMYfWVC1xdqpcROR_Akdd4LxzDbzDKyz8f1DsAE3gzkg38biWjP7gN1mUbgLqapG2pmKcoTw3DEUnHwPz_ordTXfdSuWn0aiq/s2592/Rome%202008%20(248).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ufe-w8cq0aGROZwLnaHY9icwKFQrMhLjR_-2E24CtJrA-tNJnXoUV7iqhJW2yaYUC8eY1VlO_kLe5UvWEcV5WIoGMYfWVC1xdqpcROR_Akdd4LxzDbzDKyz8f1DsAE3gzkg38biWjP7gN1mUbgLqapG2pmKcoTw3DEUnHwPz_ordTXfdSuWn0aiq/w400-h300/Rome%202008%20(248).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>And it was in the beautiful green mountains of northern Rome that I opened my bible (I carried around a small travel bible most days) and this verse jumped out at me:</p><p><br /></p><p><i><b>But now listen, Jacob, my servant,</b></i></p><p><i><b>Israel, whom I have chosen.</b></i></p><p><i><b>This is what the Lord says—</b></i></p><p><i><b>he who made you, who formed you in the womb,</b></i></p><p><i><b>and who will help you:</b></i></p><p><i><b>Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant,</b></i></p><p><i><b>Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.</b></i></p><p><i><b>For I will pour water on the thirsty land,</b></i></p><p><i><b>and streams on the dry ground.</b></i></p><p><i><b>Isaiah 44</b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFo2SeFw6tRphSrl8h2Ql8Xc8qqj4XmGxgfB_PehV9X7dU1JrEcjphcbv69IowstruJ5VF--KeO9rp-yfkJ3DClUxDD1TAZT8Ubws9dqmOGVlIIr3CjnUGOUZPMJlJMAPetvE1eMrF53m4vFicdaugRme8u3mD9EYM7a0GGBt-YjWmU0fZ3dbBaI4/s2592/Rome%202008%20(365).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFo2SeFw6tRphSrl8h2Ql8Xc8qqj4XmGxgfB_PehV9X7dU1JrEcjphcbv69IowstruJ5VF--KeO9rp-yfkJ3DClUxDD1TAZT8Ubws9dqmOGVlIIr3CjnUGOUZPMJlJMAPetvE1eMrF53m4vFicdaugRme8u3mD9EYM7a0GGBt-YjWmU0fZ3dbBaI4/w300-h400/Rome%202008%20(365).jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j-BoI8VTSmj2nk1qinr2ckfMirG5SyLnvQpEkFyzoJDnLeWz64CH0CAUnmzyN6hofKyRAlKOzgj9t5hrf3CySDWBbhXLZ98NecX57pbAO9L_z_L_QWdbkn8SPPQe38Wz-OVlFGifL4rQVAEU6-1RJ1nTaEt8pitdkJxoaXs7nssHSXRW8ZKm7LYW/s2592/Rome%202008%20(382).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2j-BoI8VTSmj2nk1qinr2ckfMirG5SyLnvQpEkFyzoJDnLeWz64CH0CAUnmzyN6hofKyRAlKOzgj9t5hrf3CySDWBbhXLZ98NecX57pbAO9L_z_L_QWdbkn8SPPQe38Wz-OVlFGifL4rQVAEU6-1RJ1nTaEt8pitdkJxoaXs7nssHSXRW8ZKm7LYW/w300-h400/Rome%202008%20(382).jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">This bible verse brought me hope. It reminded me that whether or not Andrew had a genetic disorder, it was God who makes us, he forms us in the womb. My hope wasn't on the results from Andrew's autopsy. My hope wasn't on myself or my efforts to make my life whole again. I could find rest in knowing God saw my pain in that moment and he answered my deepest question.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">He knew my fears about the future, and he reminded me that I needed not to be afraid.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>He knew life felt empty and dry, but he reminded me he had the ability to change that.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT27LVsdS1YPO4eXhkOKAcYW1xhlDw11Sm5y42XAYOnV-UO9JIMJ-CkpBCuWAOsxlJ9zflYM4ecyuwQg039agOou8sTUMcFHhl_w0GCUpV0qYYtV62XxXo8ZkMXFaqGGPrzQU83kUOcf5So-PcyRtR3-7m54Wml0bFPqSj5Q4Hq8T3MoXWBU78f6Q0/s2592/Rome%202008%20(413).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT27LVsdS1YPO4eXhkOKAcYW1xhlDw11Sm5y42XAYOnV-UO9JIMJ-CkpBCuWAOsxlJ9zflYM4ecyuwQg039agOou8sTUMcFHhl_w0GCUpV0qYYtV62XxXo8ZkMXFaqGGPrzQU83kUOcf5So-PcyRtR3-7m54Wml0bFPqSj5Q4Hq8T3MoXWBU78f6Q0/w400-h300/Rome%202008%20(413).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X6zCpQze_r-UqHhJp6sWlOc2__RqbZ2hbYASEvlHFUwAH6Ah7i7rEufT0Z5nZ22HlQfzbMXb7hhZ2QnPLMjdxaxNpEMDGRJd2J1pdbak2U9kEepYYgbq3QijtMaeqFE4tfRsOqbNBKJ51Qgw8fuWWbtOsYeKnopAo80mjFDkMvt6HyNLKN1B2Mhj/s2592/Rome%202008%20(415).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X6zCpQze_r-UqHhJp6sWlOc2__RqbZ2hbYASEvlHFUwAH6Ah7i7rEufT0Z5nZ22HlQfzbMXb7hhZ2QnPLMjdxaxNpEMDGRJd2J1pdbak2U9kEepYYgbq3QijtMaeqFE4tfRsOqbNBKJ51Qgw8fuWWbtOsYeKnopAo80mjFDkMvt6HyNLKN1B2Mhj/w400-h300/Rome%202008%20(415).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I held on to this bible verse. I knew it wasn't a guarantee or promise God was giving me, but it brought me hope. Even now as I have wrestle with new fears about the future for our children, I go back to this verse to remind me of God's truth: He sees me, He loves me, and He is in control. </p><p><br /></p><p>Happy 14th Birthday Andrew! Until we see you again. </p><p><br /></p>Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-54579344032756477482022-05-25T15:27:00.016-04:002022-05-26T10:41:49.141-04:00Beauty for Ashes: Venezuela Ministry Update<p>Below are pictures the pastors from Venezuela have shared from their most recent bible and formula distributions.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMTn3IK9Obkv8Iux5Q8FaqpJBBvXPnSGa38TTlicftf_5ijWZUX0aopJ5YNXyh7WycA9VRn-wYazmDJsOxzduSlHaVK6G9wSpd4Z8Ot-lQTtWJBo_1P3ulvjzwwBwFqtRK0c6mY4jIRp07LO1Fg7CuAtE-dzzFxfpQWPi1v1lJoWe_wSO_OctqXYy/s1024/79be376b-daef-4db6-a12e-8a53b693f232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMTn3IK9Obkv8Iux5Q8FaqpJBBvXPnSGa38TTlicftf_5ijWZUX0aopJ5YNXyh7WycA9VRn-wYazmDJsOxzduSlHaVK6G9wSpd4Z8Ot-lQTtWJBo_1P3ulvjzwwBwFqtRK0c6mY4jIRp07LO1Fg7CuAtE-dzzFxfpQWPi1v1lJoWe_wSO_OctqXYy/w225-h400/79be376b-daef-4db6-a12e-8a53b693f232.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTm5EfRlspbWCGRb9idlxoPMP6S_PuDcEucyILkIg0Oor_agZMfArHyYEZfOXzYdhruJektZ2fjKA-r7PsGt-vkX3T4_YxRPr08jQWNJIlflJ3ow70YkfKn648L5uMKkUsQVXL2HGzlLUzWjVcUKHgxOBHkmz78nSGPNafgIA72rbq-vu30XTXg0OV/s1024/118a7de9-03a2-479d-a387-abc9a167bf8b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTm5EfRlspbWCGRb9idlxoPMP6S_PuDcEucyILkIg0Oor_agZMfArHyYEZfOXzYdhruJektZ2fjKA-r7PsGt-vkX3T4_YxRPr08jQWNJIlflJ3ow70YkfKn648L5uMKkUsQVXL2HGzlLUzWjVcUKHgxOBHkmz78nSGPNafgIA72rbq-vu30XTXg0OV/w225-h400/118a7de9-03a2-479d-a387-abc9a167bf8b.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IsQAPeS-ZMP-GCyRqXGkQI_xBaEq39yH7tzZC5jPTHKiYF8JGOMXIVeDYX3ABz6Rof6H8yEQmqMV-v9TDF0bq5a4dokmMKkt8zTaVLRmfhk1BrZP9p9Bki0V2EaFtpupaAv6fZ60nqmsj56FvQGxmpR4tLuOvv_7KZzug8psjaP-6NspqgBxK_v1/s1032/123e0208-16cb-4d6f-8669-6d985bf5c5bc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="489" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IsQAPeS-ZMP-GCyRqXGkQI_xBaEq39yH7tzZC5jPTHKiYF8JGOMXIVeDYX3ABz6Rof6H8yEQmqMV-v9TDF0bq5a4dokmMKkt8zTaVLRmfhk1BrZP9p9Bki0V2EaFtpupaAv6fZ60nqmsj56FvQGxmpR4tLuOvv_7KZzug8psjaP-6NspqgBxK_v1/w190-h400/123e0208-16cb-4d6f-8669-6d985bf5c5bc.jpg" width="190" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv69KI9UUZO_NziX2zTEeM9AniDgFzP9HQRalj1eqhUPpOGQPA3KOSEpYQ0kN337sg0_yY48YqvMhXZkHDeDl677zyvhQGVxC3NqWIo0u9B4ygvt9MNkV7A4hALPqdkEK2-vPdL7fO-uyDuh2Ae485nFh4sR0A-LGdMy3kHO3u1ZHTA7zaFv_T_v_J/s1032/709e65a4-236e-431b-8839-d1695ea093cb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="1032" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv69KI9UUZO_NziX2zTEeM9AniDgFzP9HQRalj1eqhUPpOGQPA3KOSEpYQ0kN337sg0_yY48YqvMhXZkHDeDl677zyvhQGVxC3NqWIo0u9B4ygvt9MNkV7A4hALPqdkEK2-vPdL7fO-uyDuh2Ae485nFh4sR0A-LGdMy3kHO3u1ZHTA7zaFv_T_v_J/w400-h190/709e65a4-236e-431b-8839-d1695ea093cb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwc4fdsX5ss5vd4DZZ1JJEuqXy1Rm5-7oVvRAAgSEFFqwDIYESVekppiBFeRNeU66Vl8wCIhhuAaz2EYF-V7BjS-QwM0cAH1fMADbAM2Shx9U_noK8-m7Xk-bhBZwdy7PTlq39sPLS90yQtmEBNNSAtmXmkAP9yDPnQly5PxdKrWIVYTyv2cmJet6w/s1024/ff8ca0e1-38d5-4216-8b26-83801c878836.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwc4fdsX5ss5vd4DZZ1JJEuqXy1Rm5-7oVvRAAgSEFFqwDIYESVekppiBFeRNeU66Vl8wCIhhuAaz2EYF-V7BjS-QwM0cAH1fMADbAM2Shx9U_noK8-m7Xk-bhBZwdy7PTlq39sPLS90yQtmEBNNSAtmXmkAP9yDPnQly5PxdKrWIVYTyv2cmJet6w/w225-h400/ff8ca0e1-38d5-4216-8b26-83801c878836.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcCENvj1UPxLeTiSrDs89xt50QCFjRlGzhSkSn0efSBndYSzDWdfh1PP-kLFvIb4othArl_zIr6guvX6lvZYZt-WDGG14b3uFWL4o9IN-CwUKNPyFlq-yeaYgckdmOhyPcYqg3FafEfug7XeBQtasyzI7AX5qdJBf2nSq04j6FWTBOyeTlJByYNKv/s1024/PHOTO-2022-05-22-19-55-54.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcCENvj1UPxLeTiSrDs89xt50QCFjRlGzhSkSn0efSBndYSzDWdfh1PP-kLFvIb4othArl_zIr6guvX6lvZYZt-WDGG14b3uFWL4o9IN-CwUKNPyFlq-yeaYgckdmOhyPcYqg3FafEfug7XeBQtasyzI7AX5qdJBf2nSq04j6FWTBOyeTlJByYNKv/w225-h400/PHOTO-2022-05-22-19-55-54.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH6fGxd4v6F6L72-BrifjapSysu66kqEb3MxpbAkuWeVUERFWCkmA-DxEUoE_DSvrI_lRuDEbLx1T5ZGMl_gGlh9YIOUhTVEOLvakkaNmDOxpzWbFYTZPyrcwoNKRtUIMz4LcJ6pBqmYONZLX8gBd2eswCUKzc-D4mCa5XDsGM3fplyEejQjYcjmx/s1080/PHOTO-2022-05-22-20-01-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1080" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH6fGxd4v6F6L72-BrifjapSysu66kqEb3MxpbAkuWeVUERFWCkmA-DxEUoE_DSvrI_lRuDEbLx1T5ZGMl_gGlh9YIOUhTVEOLvakkaNmDOxpzWbFYTZPyrcwoNKRtUIMz4LcJ6pBqmYONZLX8gBd2eswCUKzc-D4mCa5XDsGM3fplyEejQjYcjmx/w400-h379/PHOTO-2022-05-22-20-01-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnupQ28x-f-ud8jSdm_ArOlUFo-A5T2MWj687NU8voLECuCCvC26IGCfjnX1M7EjyPRPRMXhuFUn7Hf9olEQ5YTuht4j8n2yR_dZKrSpUKA_7KwJBv682gTTWNMXTuCMVRYaarHJuiD8d8cIq1cENBhsmGA7ct_J9qwMfbUpx7O4Qp3BP0S_6SrSi/s1024/PHOTO-2022-05-22-20-01-27.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnupQ28x-f-ud8jSdm_ArOlUFo-A5T2MWj687NU8voLECuCCvC26IGCfjnX1M7EjyPRPRMXhuFUn7Hf9olEQ5YTuht4j8n2yR_dZKrSpUKA_7KwJBv682gTTWNMXTuCMVRYaarHJuiD8d8cIq1cENBhsmGA7ct_J9qwMfbUpx7O4Qp3BP0S_6SrSi/w225-h400/PHOTO-2022-05-22-20-01-27.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><p>Below are some pictures of the bibles that have been shipped...</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyg-gc6uSCkYs63frKJNHNd0tTUE-ehC6mRojjY2dBpCprL1j-gXeejvcbh1_t2sNJQx__4J1jJpkH75eZAUHp9s0BQWxeFZVyVf-7Cs_PBMRiOFxrSECIMjQgrQun3Oa08aB2sY2mX7YO8wo3fCef0IWufaIxcsuM8CC86_S2tUTS0XR3y7TiHyxQ/s5184/Bibles.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyg-gc6uSCkYs63frKJNHNd0tTUE-ehC6mRojjY2dBpCprL1j-gXeejvcbh1_t2sNJQx__4J1jJpkH75eZAUHp9s0BQWxeFZVyVf-7Cs_PBMRiOFxrSECIMjQgrQun3Oa08aB2sY2mX7YO8wo3fCef0IWufaIxcsuM8CC86_S2tUTS0XR3y7TiHyxQ/w400-h266/Bibles.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2glqXABAeUCj42Uj8qBcK9yLoKiJuUoHApmlOg1bDPa9LVCo-iuSG5HmyuvTmAAO4e5D9Y7oCBcnj8PULWOowibP8H0fP9gpe5k6KCgQBsPeJR4nm0nWwualOl-3BPpuud5T5GqiTtmghrzLSZU0gUmZ-mxol9BSwEAWKsvWq2pPQobvu0BruPnba/s2048/IMG_0515.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2glqXABAeUCj42Uj8qBcK9yLoKiJuUoHApmlOg1bDPa9LVCo-iuSG5HmyuvTmAAO4e5D9Y7oCBcnj8PULWOowibP8H0fP9gpe5k6KCgQBsPeJR4nm0nWwualOl-3BPpuud5T5GqiTtmghrzLSZU0gUmZ-mxol9BSwEAWKsvWq2pPQobvu0BruPnba/w300-h400/IMG_0515.JPEG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHwOt22lutYXUVeWiTNu7nA-_NLzuFKDpk1vMxMRv9F1W-FI-5H-ox51nGuAjpY9UmrAmlu9fuNVOVFYhaOdp0FRuXXgG7HWIo3JHCiT4tY799aF6vzgQlHUohj4acWWk7Uq8xFtGQTjVD9M5CNORCNiv6fF80VX3l4ckCJft0LzQ9X8edufxkext/s5184/IMG_4737.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHwOt22lutYXUVeWiTNu7nA-_NLzuFKDpk1vMxMRv9F1W-FI-5H-ox51nGuAjpY9UmrAmlu9fuNVOVFYhaOdp0FRuXXgG7HWIo3JHCiT4tY799aF6vzgQlHUohj4acWWk7Uq8xFtGQTjVD9M5CNORCNiv6fF80VX3l4ckCJft0LzQ9X8edufxkext/w400-h266/IMG_4737.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFYPlPF8Julwcnd3EbGJB3m_bLN6Y9KdhwghfjjEx5e95hetDc_C7ADd7QMBUm9rKDmAyzx9kF9LIClK-tJSaYgOR3-1gcQYNH5p4vD_IZKsZPHoflAvn1J-k-SMxbuXQW4rVmyILqVHuaYwh1MkZb7nReohmQWuQyBMcdYEKHVylOIkvxranl5xJ/s5184/IMG_4739.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFYPlPF8Julwcnd3EbGJB3m_bLN6Y9KdhwghfjjEx5e95hetDc_C7ADd7QMBUm9rKDmAyzx9kF9LIClK-tJSaYgOR3-1gcQYNH5p4vD_IZKsZPHoflAvn1J-k-SMxbuXQW4rVmyILqVHuaYwh1MkZb7nReohmQWuQyBMcdYEKHVylOIkvxranl5xJ/w400-h266/IMG_4739.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">As you may know, there is a formula shortage in the U.S
which has significantly impacted our ministry of sending formula to Venezuela. Here
is a short <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/18/baby-formula-shortage-why-is-there-none-what-to-do-causes-explained">article</a>
expanding on contributing factors for this shortage.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Beauty for Ashes</b> had consistently been receiving formula
sample cans from a post office through a local church. This had been a blessing
for about a year and a half, as this provided a few hundred cans a month- these
cans returned to the post office by parents who did not want them. It was a
foundational part of this organization that unfortunately is no longer taking
place.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">In the beginning of the year we were able to still send a few
boxes of formula to Venezuela. As the year went on, our ministry began sending bibles
and children’s clothes to continue to help those in Venezuela. In the post link
below you can see many pictures we have received from the pastors in Venezuela from
their distribution.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I believe we should care and help those here in our
community in need of baby formula. As great as the need is here, the need in
Venezuela is even greater and exacerbated by the hyperinflation and inability
to get the formula to market. I believe God calls us to care for our local
community, as well as our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. I’m
thankful for the opportunity to give to those in Venezuela who are in desperate
need of formula.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">There is limited data on malnutrition and food shortages in Venezuela,
but below are some important facts.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">- T</span><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">he WFP estimates that one in three
Venezuelans is food insecure.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">- Venezuela’s collapsed health system has led
to the resurgence of vaccine-preventable and infectious diseases.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">- The UN Human Rights Office has expressed
concern over the absence of public data to monitor and adequately inform public
health policies. The government has not published epidemiological data since
2017.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">- Monitor Salud (NGO), reported 83 percent of
hospitals have insufficient or no access to personal protective equipment such
as masks and gloves, and 95 percent similarly lack sufficient cleaning
supplies, including soap and disinfectant.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">- Some 5.9 million Venezuelans, approximately
20 percent of the country’s estimated total population, have fled their country
since 2014, the Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants
from Venezuela reports.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">When you make a donation or contribution to Beauty for Ashes,
100% of your donation goes directly to those in need. No one is compensated for
work and there are no operational costs as there are in some larger organizations.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">You can give through PayPal at </span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;"><b>Paypal.me/venezuelaformula</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Blessings,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="es-419" style="mso-ansi-language: #580A;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="es-419" style="mso-ansi-language: #580A;">Carolina
Briggs<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-63017682316437759272020-10-28T09:42:00.003-04:002020-10-28T10:13:44.531-04:00Formula Shipment and Bibles Sent<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who generously donated
towards formula for Venezuela. I never expected to have such a great response and
have been blown away by people giving so abundantly and generously! To date I’ve
collected 503 cans of formula as well as financial donations towards shipping and formula.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s taken me a few weeks to figure out how to move
forward. I will be sharing updates on this blog and have created a Facebook page to provide updates on the formula
sent. I’d like to be as transparent as possible (I’m also shipping bibles and a
few other baby needs) to how this is distributed. I hope this will be a simpler
way to provide updates on Venezuela, let you know of needs that come up, and share
what I hear back from the pastor who is receiving all of this. A sincere thank
you, and excited to be able to send help to where its most needed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">First shipment of formula was sent on October 12<sup>th</sup>!
We shipped 95 formula cans and 50 new testament bibles, which will take around
4 weeks to get there. <o:p></o:p><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here are some pictures of our kids and friends helping tape Spanish bible verses to the formula cans. I would love to ship even more boxes at a time, but because the boxes are valuable and are target to be stolen, the pastor has asked me that I only ship 2 boxes at a time. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Will share an update once I hear that the boxes have made it safely over there!</span></p><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jNL_cDDGnpMW6VYq8agphfvjCWs1WG6IXwTT3iXXld62uFl9L86aH4oOfR_TCNHQWSvbZAAVZ5BAUMYEZuvJQlVFX5j3B2rjCHgbTMyFsYLNKe35l-vmYa_yTZguxsVyKEw29KD7Z2U/s2048/IMG_2602.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jNL_cDDGnpMW6VYq8agphfvjCWs1WG6IXwTT3iXXld62uFl9L86aH4oOfR_TCNHQWSvbZAAVZ5BAUMYEZuvJQlVFX5j3B2rjCHgbTMyFsYLNKe35l-vmYa_yTZguxsVyKEw29KD7Z2U/w300-h400/IMG_2602.JPEG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVTT25AtDzvdqkYAzj2HAfggC0voLq_O4ruVNgOwb6HiGiY1-ZZpqVLHTJWPWYTqpdYK2AeoWsirP3hTOZLzeSNtTh1BsNQH45SCzrwousddB2COFVEvZa84bxdA4vAaE5atIa7s5Zrg/s2048/IMG_2749.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVTT25AtDzvdqkYAzj2HAfggC0voLq_O4ruVNgOwb6HiGiY1-ZZpqVLHTJWPWYTqpdYK2AeoWsirP3hTOZLzeSNtTh1BsNQH45SCzrwousddB2COFVEvZa84bxdA4vAaE5atIa7s5Zrg/w400-h300/IMG_2749.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKM9bKjVqD95xdG5phXKJjIpSinksfG3FT8PqVu7HrTED-IW5z_An5lpKbhlqtdlEgm27qZX41FJl2oMcodiGjAgekdpt4PhSG2BfgwZpta6Du8jFW6M2EsHZSZYiBbfBBhk4O7hwkUL8/s2048/IMG_2754.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKM9bKjVqD95xdG5phXKJjIpSinksfG3FT8PqVu7HrTED-IW5z_An5lpKbhlqtdlEgm27qZX41FJl2oMcodiGjAgekdpt4PhSG2BfgwZpta6Du8jFW6M2EsHZSZYiBbfBBhk4O7hwkUL8/w400-h300/IMG_2754.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aqvTm7__VP81ftkuxatGrS9TS1GOEfH7kNi0QFDmxrZVHWqryzCVTs_3Mxyp2vkcbSBW4ohNGiznmpO1CJQz2bCW2U1nWr6p4odltuThIbuJ3SbQoqGP9zyTTPA6Qf2XvaUlA507W60/s2048/IMG_2757.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aqvTm7__VP81ftkuxatGrS9TS1GOEfH7kNi0QFDmxrZVHWqryzCVTs_3Mxyp2vkcbSBW4ohNGiznmpO1CJQz2bCW2U1nWr6p4odltuThIbuJ3SbQoqGP9zyTTPA6Qf2XvaUlA507W60/w400-h300/IMG_2757.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-42124107546763602962020-08-28T11:11:00.059-04:002020-08-28T15:59:40.749-04:00Update on Venezuela Formula Boxes<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Earlier this year our family collected cans of formula to send
to Venezuela. It was something that had been running through my mind for a few
months, until I finally had the courage to organize a drive and send to a
church connection we had over there.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately, after receiving the first box of formula cans
(which had about 35 cans) we did not hear back much from our church connection
in Venezuela. They did not give us any updates. When we asked for pictures of
moms or families who had received the formula, they replied with ‘no that it
would be too embarrassing’. Their lack of transparency made them untrustworthy,
and I did not have a peace to continue to send them anything else.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was so disappointed. I wondered if I had heard God right all along and if he had really asked me to do this? I had another large box of formula in
our living room, that friends had so generously donated and nowhere to send.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">That box sat in our living room for 4 months. During those four months I asked God would to open up a door for
us to give out of the abundance we have here. A place to give consistently and
that it would get to the hands of the right people. But for four months there seemed to be silence and I certainly wrestled with all of it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then in July of this year God very unexpectedly showed up. I
was on the phone with Patrick Carberry, the founder and director of Joshua Cord which you can read about <a href="https://joshuacord.org/about-joshuacord/" target="_blank">here</a>.
This is an incredible non-profit we support which focuses on supporting persecuted
Christians in the Middle East and Africa. Patrick is former FBI agent, and through his line of work has made connections in all kinds of countries, including Venezuela! Long story short, I was
able to find a connection through him and thought I would give it a shot.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On July 14th (I remember because it would’ve been Andrew’s 12</span><sup style="font-family: verdana;">th</sup><span style="font-family: verdana;">
birthday) I mailed the box with about 50 cans of formula. We sent it to a
pastor Pedro Pablo, a catholic priest in Caracas who said he would distribute
to a local maternity center (over 80% of hospitals operate without formula) and
malnourished children.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">He has been wonderful to work with and incredibly
transparent. Not just because he’s sent pictures, but all through the process
he has kept a detailed log of the kids who have received the formula, has kept
us up to date, answered any questions we had, and has even come up with his own
ideas to make sure the formula is not resold (which happens over there). He has
come up with some great ideas to ensure the boxes gets into the hands of the people that most need it. I am so incredibly grateful God opened up this door in his own time!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are some pictures from the last box sent:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9M1r4eYMPUpQizSkZTF8xAoP1KozyvZ8hL4kRuRkI35JfYHrvMXo_lEL9UMNYg2bSdiQfhDj0bolSYkprNOzwl1dzGOdTheGPzzujednQISSt5zSy8Fq8CkQ8seeq5owaMqwLwfjUHaE/s1032/ae2a2f64-0a6a-4e2c-9aa5-cbd2c7286f32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="774" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9M1r4eYMPUpQizSkZTF8xAoP1KozyvZ8hL4kRuRkI35JfYHrvMXo_lEL9UMNYg2bSdiQfhDj0bolSYkprNOzwl1dzGOdTheGPzzujednQISSt5zSy8Fq8CkQ8seeq5owaMqwLwfjUHaE/s640/ae2a2f64-0a6a-4e2c-9aa5-cbd2c7286f32.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7rrcQgDJvgwpcTWOI-LBmJDes4mE4OXz1sjO80mfz9HgHNpiaYcb75kETijoXIMSFlfszAmh6JCaBFLHiI9QQ6vc9cfejHYQmBxre2Tl3Mrq9LJgIgi7UqnGNY4u5OZxizcoeKB2adk/s1032/15732062-74be-41a6-a60e-e89c6757aeff.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="774" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7rrcQgDJvgwpcTWOI-LBmJDes4mE4OXz1sjO80mfz9HgHNpiaYcb75kETijoXIMSFlfszAmh6JCaBFLHiI9QQ6vc9cfejHYQmBxre2Tl3Mrq9LJgIgi7UqnGNY4u5OZxizcoeKB2adk/s640/15732062-74be-41a6-a60e-e89c6757aeff.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFCAYfQg1yEYkHj_LtyG8dVqa0VjtOmYDZ8-ki0gqWqsguBXUuQerGwlEpSli7jjup9wIWCeVRu5WlWa53qVnv4hQnQ8DR1RaY2c7KBQD67HULOBfhAfttWg50201ihaLVobsk7CZ_V8/s1024/720f3e4f-3da4-4020-a9ee-563eab8e02ae.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFCAYfQg1yEYkHj_LtyG8dVqa0VjtOmYDZ8-ki0gqWqsguBXUuQerGwlEpSli7jjup9wIWCeVRu5WlWa53qVnv4hQnQ8DR1RaY2c7KBQD67HULOBfhAfttWg50201ihaLVobsk7CZ_V8/s640/720f3e4f-3da4-4020-a9ee-563eab8e02ae.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDFDpQWSBQ3hRw-GCnvUswgW8YjXJE3mflUS5SkK_nhyphenhyphen1OI06CUQu6dHIm0OkPzo0cCnSEC9Mt5IOcodCZ2dVU26kgU3-LBngtx0eRhTJI3LaMGC5LfHnPOvXTU7HLtoEWzbYClK9nDQ/s1024/c1b03313-f861-489e-8886-42269a042de6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDFDpQWSBQ3hRw-GCnvUswgW8YjXJE3mflUS5SkK_nhyphenhyphen1OI06CUQu6dHIm0OkPzo0cCnSEC9Mt5IOcodCZ2dVU26kgU3-LBngtx0eRhTJI3LaMGC5LfHnPOvXTU7HLtoEWzbYClK9nDQ/s640/c1b03313-f861-489e-8886-42269a042de6.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1U2EVzrxv04izsj9y_5uzwR_m_TZa8WCUmSwPtV4C3Cp2hbT1pVPzW2mYSyZIAA6K4chLP9pbFvYov64MzY8alZQjSvZZRdamhKjoj_tV5rNaYR2G4x4DdZ6OGs9YhNvz4WB7KsGsf-s/s1080/80a64478-a54c-47ae-8ac0-3f91f0aebe3e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="809" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1U2EVzrxv04izsj9y_5uzwR_m_TZa8WCUmSwPtV4C3Cp2hbT1pVPzW2mYSyZIAA6K4chLP9pbFvYov64MzY8alZQjSvZZRdamhKjoj_tV5rNaYR2G4x4DdZ6OGs9YhNvz4WB7KsGsf-s/s640/80a64478-a54c-47ae-8ac0-3f91f0aebe3e.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I would like to ship more boxes and will be collecting formula- any kind, any size from sample sizes to large. All is very much needed over there as the infant mortality rate last published had increased by 30% in just one year. (You can read further into children's malnutrition in Venezuela in these articles from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/feb/12/venezuela-crisis-babies-die-malnutrition-depression-deprivation-infant-mortality">The Guardian</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/venezuela-malnutrition/">Reuters</a>).</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm also collecting bibles in Spanish. The pastor said preferably New Testament only, light bibles that can be handed out and will not weigh the box down too much, so more quantity of bibles can be sent. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">A very sincere thank you to all who helped and contributed to the boxes that have been sent! <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div>Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-70292486515164872872020-07-14T21:39:00.001-04:002020-07-14T21:39:38.259-04:00Summer 2020We have been enjoying lots of family time this summer. Lots of memories made in our pool, front porch, and time at the beach with grandparents. I have been off social media for a few weeks but wanted to share some of my favorite pictures from this summer!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jkvPkJaoZkoF1gdPPNvh_ZhMuV4mg_zhkBZfABbkgQXXRARh63PGak2-0Xszj_89eYVXkfzYzhnOHNDov7piAU1obyFMl3Ix4OgDOLbC9n3ZH6SSFgUe4AwKAZLuG11-nR8kVk1Cifk/s1600/IMG_1343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jkvPkJaoZkoF1gdPPNvh_ZhMuV4mg_zhkBZfABbkgQXXRARh63PGak2-0Xszj_89eYVXkfzYzhnOHNDov7piAU1obyFMl3Ix4OgDOLbC9n3ZH6SSFgUe4AwKAZLuG11-nR8kVk1Cifk/s400/IMG_1343.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviAItkYAlXTNaojfhazwtWWDdSKlrrPv2usb4c7aaq3eO1esbLysr57YMznjilI_ow-EgdE7_0t4yJlr5cQ0lmOuuCPMhaQtLRWxfUbqcWoTX60KmIVqOXNPyvsQ86J10crgsAEAslog/s1600/IMG_1345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviAItkYAlXTNaojfhazwtWWDdSKlrrPv2usb4c7aaq3eO1esbLysr57YMznjilI_ow-EgdE7_0t4yJlr5cQ0lmOuuCPMhaQtLRWxfUbqcWoTX60KmIVqOXNPyvsQ86J10crgsAEAslog/s400/IMG_1345.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRDMgQq2vSpxDKnWXGMcARMTYL8FGsoghaYEs0RH7N_yhLkvaAWpOYzZcQcBJ2UC_phVBqHuQ22qphbbKmGWR0CBla8DpjT9Mv4RM82mrfrLPmaypI8t5fjT1p0hWuBMfxAm4tHK8v0M/s1600/IMG_1334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRDMgQq2vSpxDKnWXGMcARMTYL8FGsoghaYEs0RH7N_yhLkvaAWpOYzZcQcBJ2UC_phVBqHuQ22qphbbKmGWR0CBla8DpjT9Mv4RM82mrfrLPmaypI8t5fjT1p0hWuBMfxAm4tHK8v0M/s400/IMG_1334.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOJMlmL1nZRSxG_Efm1tAxU697CTaOcfL7DmPnahXNLdq3-Goya24RpDLrUmqQ0Q4vu3Y0O5Ri9-788Vkwd78hHaxIkp8E64O1tlMMbXbaaG-1thevLe6wbCpH2JrlcEzrV8F_Yqnxlg/s1600/IMG_1335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWOJMlmL1nZRSxG_Efm1tAxU697CTaOcfL7DmPnahXNLdq3-Goya24RpDLrUmqQ0Q4vu3Y0O5Ri9-788Vkwd78hHaxIkp8E64O1tlMMbXbaaG-1thevLe6wbCpH2JrlcEzrV8F_Yqnxlg/s400/IMG_1335.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscpSKOta3wfhmMvH_ZMmPgaF7F9z7a9UQCb5qFmRWlDbPgnZbZaaSyzyNOovWi9OubMrITqrzR8EQJ-IvVv4lyxKIGLyaV-qnu2ZlHUYRRPghOuhn3piQvWNmmxKixqo3qrpDc0kykd8/s1600/IMG_1358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscpSKOta3wfhmMvH_ZMmPgaF7F9z7a9UQCb5qFmRWlDbPgnZbZaaSyzyNOovWi9OubMrITqrzR8EQJ-IvVv4lyxKIGLyaV-qnu2ZlHUYRRPghOuhn3piQvWNmmxKixqo3qrpDc0kykd8/s400/IMG_1358.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPBRhZm6MZ2BRhJ0mYuANbuC4SVJnyFZ_3i83aVZ_Ol52JSNbk17quAk0OuGD6q5xgsu3QGFZUiKWyz1iIbJav_o91q4TKtH-4Gd7X__qlmqv4H9GDu9-8kw0_8Pw104V-9yWolXraiI/s1600/IMG_1468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPBRhZm6MZ2BRhJ0mYuANbuC4SVJnyFZ_3i83aVZ_Ol52JSNbk17quAk0OuGD6q5xgsu3QGFZUiKWyz1iIbJav_o91q4TKtH-4Gd7X__qlmqv4H9GDu9-8kw0_8Pw104V-9yWolXraiI/s320/IMG_1468.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpfL6kfZcTtJZRCSpDH4kwc-ZeqDHMIFr8grbX7pXFm3QvW8OLX7yVbSxJkxzkBfFGVwTCj3RQPDzkJ7fSXvfE5M5AUt3E5XcsSVu5AVLsJpb6-bkGmosb8rC7Iap46Zj2BXTgU9SVqY/s1600/IMG_E1269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpfL6kfZcTtJZRCSpDH4kwc-ZeqDHMIFr8grbX7pXFm3QvW8OLX7yVbSxJkxzkBfFGVwTCj3RQPDzkJ7fSXvfE5M5AUt3E5XcsSVu5AVLsJpb6-bkGmosb8rC7Iap46Zj2BXTgU9SVqY/s400/IMG_E1269.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLEyqs_DY5sg6Qk_KqpjFu9zkVoMq8RClN66BDX4K1fNGtDrA16FE-dcYXbcAGPl3JiCB_FP3TwVSBrfLGjQrP4SxvA3UzYS-Juu8CxfIPE61UKjX9h2aLRDKk0fnyADkGMXcz7ILcWM/s1600/IMG_1291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLEyqs_DY5sg6Qk_KqpjFu9zkVoMq8RClN66BDX4K1fNGtDrA16FE-dcYXbcAGPl3JiCB_FP3TwVSBrfLGjQrP4SxvA3UzYS-Juu8CxfIPE61UKjX9h2aLRDKk0fnyADkGMXcz7ILcWM/s400/IMG_1291.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6K86rkieknE2tIlTZzjUkkXGsQYrSSOPU6oGTAPbppLf2Yj7XgeSFJJEG2igdR2r4nRUcVkHzrsj72BdJggGrvHQwvhenrQEETp6SKVWzu27NWZ59SFhbJItWfKL3xGKkDQAq1hitD8/s1600/IMG_1435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6K86rkieknE2tIlTZzjUkkXGsQYrSSOPU6oGTAPbppLf2Yj7XgeSFJJEG2igdR2r4nRUcVkHzrsj72BdJggGrvHQwvhenrQEETp6SKVWzu27NWZ59SFhbJItWfKL3xGKkDQAq1hitD8/s400/IMG_1435.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUfOJ71GT6-qRlNaupuCYPLfx4Ub6ziWnLzulWIY0o1pYLW6rjeIFjGrsMTI33Qd5kAaBRHOGgXk_JUAGGWvt4WmODMvW2svQw1Ons95X6T-w0Lrlc9y3Boa_gdIwxEgs4ToBSAUbjAw/s1600/IMG_1440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUfOJ71GT6-qRlNaupuCYPLfx4Ub6ziWnLzulWIY0o1pYLW6rjeIFjGrsMTI33Qd5kAaBRHOGgXk_JUAGGWvt4WmODMvW2svQw1Ons95X6T-w0Lrlc9y3Boa_gdIwxEgs4ToBSAUbjAw/s400/IMG_1440.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8YB3Blna9NIHUKN_efbyvXRoLNIc2klLJhScu3RkIJ94j3G1Yq5nfRIwbpHn4S-dKqfo7zSQWkkZnV1No79qNBEYubE2wJVsC3DoI2yocIKzchRtz_eTluwJOHXBhpRSqC4b5IoH9YQ/s1600/IMG_4060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8YB3Blna9NIHUKN_efbyvXRoLNIc2klLJhScu3RkIJ94j3G1Yq5nfRIwbpHn4S-dKqfo7zSQWkkZnV1No79qNBEYubE2wJVsC3DoI2yocIKzchRtz_eTluwJOHXBhpRSqC4b5IoH9YQ/s400/IMG_4060.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwbvDZ-2TewAj2jZHQKS5Aqr1_mmGLKT7pL7Li1Mo7VhF_4RY_bPlvht4c25140EHHRycViHJm7UcGGIYIwVsI2O72hDuhpQ_GtI8TwOCR77a2P3E0Lx3vfHAeZyTtqbET_wiN1keHzw/s1600/IMG_4068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwbvDZ-2TewAj2jZHQKS5Aqr1_mmGLKT7pL7Li1Mo7VhF_4RY_bPlvht4c25140EHHRycViHJm7UcGGIYIwVsI2O72hDuhpQ_GtI8TwOCR77a2P3E0Lx3vfHAeZyTtqbET_wiN1keHzw/s400/IMG_4068.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVB416dnye-KXLqS5jKMWP_rnKFIEknArVey5KY4lT83eGI3PyGtO9C8Cdmd7ZoqlyfUql0tGXHfaK1FhzGo8TH7WeOYn-fNtLMCEftY70cxLRd1iH8-z4vDTTG23fQaDrJanPD6JFVvQ/s1600/IMG_4073+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVB416dnye-KXLqS5jKMWP_rnKFIEknArVey5KY4lT83eGI3PyGtO9C8Cdmd7ZoqlyfUql0tGXHfaK1FhzGo8TH7WeOYn-fNtLMCEftY70cxLRd1iH8-z4vDTTG23fQaDrJanPD6JFVvQ/s400/IMG_4073+%25282%2529.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4M9Qp0vPOTnsr5XP5kCW3rf2dOqZDQQN3tHHWQl_KaFTb7e5RfQ0horh2OZnAF1SJWP09NkeYCYCLMITBRNl-SImw-5lAXO8O51ku0spOq7u0URC4zGIdB1AFxmJ7j6LwgZtUPrKKyI/s1600/IMG_4080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4M9Qp0vPOTnsr5XP5kCW3rf2dOqZDQQN3tHHWQl_KaFTb7e5RfQ0horh2OZnAF1SJWP09NkeYCYCLMITBRNl-SImw-5lAXO8O51ku0spOq7u0URC4zGIdB1AFxmJ7j6LwgZtUPrKKyI/s400/IMG_4080.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkrad80Z15Lf2P0HcrYSfwwh5mlkb0wbGR8KyC6yLIl9pz7EvtBVvkv3vq9yQFlZoWImPS0gX_UQDcsj0NcmFblFZELP-e6hHqDKVUEFcc9i7ZwY8erzhcTjGaan6HGk7wfhVTRd2gKo/s1600/IMG_4086+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1208" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkrad80Z15Lf2P0HcrYSfwwh5mlkb0wbGR8KyC6yLIl9pz7EvtBVvkv3vq9yQFlZoWImPS0gX_UQDcsj0NcmFblFZELP-e6hHqDKVUEFcc9i7ZwY8erzhcTjGaan6HGk7wfhVTRd2gKo/s400/IMG_4086+%25282%2529.JPG" width="301" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WNT5QEvRf6jKDerqef3sCLX0U7iifhy3eOczLqW-WiAvdpnKm8eugAMte2rjy9hzWg5wfy6iO5c0Dyye5jTmup2iumgwUP7mBfGMnWem9qi9hPev3DeTDCuBatnfzP-dqOpRwnHdlUM/s1600/IMG_4088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WNT5QEvRf6jKDerqef3sCLX0U7iifhy3eOczLqW-WiAvdpnKm8eugAMte2rjy9hzWg5wfy6iO5c0Dyye5jTmup2iumgwUP7mBfGMnWem9qi9hPev3DeTDCuBatnfzP-dqOpRwnHdlUM/s400/IMG_4088.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWV4MCvTLLTzQvorEpP7NaTh4FdHpaqZv7sBsqV7-tsdrdtmqPOwybl1CGGDFd8Naba2VjgNqw7c8clCtHmD8J6V-BP-GMeOEp8ODezIDtEQ20IOI-YwA8sDNDgf9UWns6NkMqv-xAmZM/s1600/IMG_4094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWV4MCvTLLTzQvorEpP7NaTh4FdHpaqZv7sBsqV7-tsdrdtmqPOwybl1CGGDFd8Naba2VjgNqw7c8clCtHmD8J6V-BP-GMeOEp8ODezIDtEQ20IOI-YwA8sDNDgf9UWns6NkMqv-xAmZM/s400/IMG_4094.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-22291909068292157462020-07-13T21:47:00.000-04:002020-07-14T21:40:50.841-04:00On Andrew's 12th Birthday<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tomorrow would’ve been Andrew’s 12<sup>th</sup> birthday. While
the grief and weight of the first few years has gone away, we still like to
take the time to remember our sweet Andrew. He is never forgotten and will
forever be a part of our family. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNd1HT5LxLeqOcfEC1vfzCoV1jGs42B6F1uQAvzmDFzHtQSC4sugtmXlJ9wBbaXJ-klgFE868yEokzJcu3SBvh3B5H5-bD-7UuLphXxtk6QFfhODo7CmnTyeRdU_V0PgsMCby36YxviM/s1600/1930312_526542842008_4731_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="604" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNd1HT5LxLeqOcfEC1vfzCoV1jGs42B6F1uQAvzmDFzHtQSC4sugtmXlJ9wBbaXJ-klgFE868yEokzJcu3SBvh3B5H5-bD-7UuLphXxtk6QFfhODo7CmnTyeRdU_V0PgsMCby36YxviM/s400/1930312_526542842008_4731_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Andrew was a wonderful gift, just as all three of our other
children have been. He was a special gift that was taken away unexpectedly and
much sooner than I ever imagined. But in that brokenness and place of wrestling,
God used all of it to draw me closer to him. I hope to never walk through
something like that again, and yet I know deep down that if have to walk down
that road again one day- God will be right there by our side. It is a special joy
to know that God is present in the most unthinkable of circumstances. To know
that he cares deeply for us in the midst of our pain and has a purpose for it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZeexqzUvxE3yMPHm_ap1aoHcKTX9gSZL0Pov0qRNtuOPmdYxie5dbTYWDk5AQbkjWM755KOinNSSz9Mg88ONmszULNq6dRuJzsKx7jhaSzm_BltaamlX8aUYzK2Yy5z8yUY-isoq_j8/s1600/336300_842575120788_1874836698_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZeexqzUvxE3yMPHm_ap1aoHcKTX9gSZL0Pov0qRNtuOPmdYxie5dbTYWDk5AQbkjWM755KOinNSSz9Mg88ONmszULNq6dRuJzsKx7jhaSzm_BltaamlX8aUYzK2Yy5z8yUY-isoq_j8/s400/336300_842575120788_1874836698_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday I was re-reading the book 'Daring to Hope' by Katie Davis Majors, and she put beautifully into words what I could not.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I was walking blindly into a new season, a place that didn't line up with my plans for the coming year. A place I never would have chosen, never wished or asked for. But God's promise to Abraham spoke to me. God wasn't promising me ease. He wasn't promising that things would go as planned. He wasn't promising a world without trouble, without heartbreak along the way. He was promising me <b>Himself. </b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>God's blessing isn't always what we think- the happy ending we wanted and the desires of our hearts fulfilled. Blessed is she who believes His promises. This blessing is different from blessing as the world sees it. <b>It isn't an easy life or one of success</b>. Blessing is that we find ourselves in a place that God has yet to explain, may never explain, a place or a life that doesn't line up with what we had in mind. He gives us a promise... <b>He will be here with us, our great reward. </b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1o8qPAX9wwEnz_z33R6uG5Oli16flX6bUkRWPjTJKxoUhg3_QL8rwGDK_vjD_ey27d7HIP6FGV9M1jmP2HKpZoa2KjAWpy83IqqmEkXFiWqfH6l-n9NgAUJ3uJnx_ppVu40aY5O0I3rg/s1600/daring-to-hope-book-mockup-updated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1182" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1o8qPAX9wwEnz_z33R6uG5Oli16flX6bUkRWPjTJKxoUhg3_QL8rwGDK_vjD_ey27d7HIP6FGV9M1jmP2HKpZoa2KjAWpy83IqqmEkXFiWqfH6l-n9NgAUJ3uJnx_ppVu40aY5O0I3rg/s400/daring-to-hope-book-mockup-updated.jpg" width="337" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
That is a beautiful thing. To see God at work even life doesn't take us down the road we had hoped for. To be thankful simply for God's presence no matter what the circumstances.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As our kids have grown up we've always encouraged them to talk about Andrew. As the boys have gotten older they don’t seem to talk
about him as much, but for some reason Lilly talks about him all the time. She often asks what he looked like as a baby and what he would look like today.
She reminds people with a firm and sassy voice that she doesn’t have two older
brother, but she has THREE older brothers and one of them is in heaven. We will lay
down in her bed and sometimes imagine what it will be like in heaven. It is
wonderful to have a small little side kick to think about all these things together. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWZmRo2Evk-UC8U-woOqysbLVa6kMVSnJXhLx97F-Vg6L9PvaC4jYyu5JR6f8_jCBKSboUwGBkKhgVCGnBfqXwzqShiUzfxyEx1-YLBGEMbsDLjkULpT0GGhHoaL9iDgANxpP-xr3j0w/s1600/IMG_4086+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1208" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWZmRo2Evk-UC8U-woOqysbLVa6kMVSnJXhLx97F-Vg6L9PvaC4jYyu5JR6f8_jCBKSboUwGBkKhgVCGnBfqXwzqShiUzfxyEx1-YLBGEMbsDLjkULpT0GGhHoaL9iDgANxpP-xr3j0w/s400/IMG_4086+%25282%2529.JPG" width="301" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CKCq0GRVMdNO1vUToIhHqziSwb_34REgt2DNYfjUtFeLOaQQbJtJ68FFULWnXA6SPphx5YYOMWKXooqZUNrEsZDus6gNzbdfIM9v7El3Hif4TtEEO-gXhZ4TnxtkTRoT7QeNgj7OZkc/s1600/IMG_4091+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1331" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CKCq0GRVMdNO1vUToIhHqziSwb_34REgt2DNYfjUtFeLOaQQbJtJ68FFULWnXA6SPphx5YYOMWKXooqZUNrEsZDus6gNzbdfIM9v7El3Hif4TtEEO-gXhZ4TnxtkTRoT7QeNgj7OZkc/s400/IMG_4091+%25282%2529.JPG" width="332" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
I am grateful for the good years and the hard years. I know it is only a matter of time before I'm back in a place again when I will wrestle with God the way I did when we lost Andrew. I will question him, I will doubt, and I will struggle with my faith. But I will remember my sweet Andrew and have hope that He will yet again come through. That His presence will be enough. That He will be my very great reward.<br />
<br />
Truth be told, there has been plenty I've wrestled with God since Andrew passed away: frustrations, broken relationships, circumstances that haven't changed despite my prayers, wondering why God seems so silent sometimes. But none of these struggles have compared to the loss of a child. None have left me as broken and dependent on God as that season did back then. And for that gift of seeing God's provision in the most difficult of circumstances I will always be grateful.<br />
<br />Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-56664999687782442072019-07-13T14:51:00.001-04:002019-07-14T19:16:04.900-04:00On Andrew's 11th Birthday<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’m going through the book Made for this: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Made-This-Days-Living-Purpose/dp/0785229078/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=29NR01FITP8GU&keywords=made+for+this+jennie+allen&qid=1563042440&s=gateway&sprefix=made+for+this%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1"><b><span style="color: magenta;">40 Days to Living your Purpose</span></b></a> by <a href="https://www.jennieallen.com/"><b><span style="color: magenta;">Jennie Allen</span></b></a> and it has been incredible and challenging so
far! It’s a 40 day devotional with questions at the end of each day to dig
deeper into any obstacles in my relationship with God. It helps look at life in
the big picture and examine where my purpose, time, energy, resources goes to.
It helps me to refocus on what’s important and eternal, and not on what’s
temporary and fleeting.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of the questions this week is below and wanted to share on Andrew's 11th Birthday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Recall a time when you were glad God trumped you in
your life?</span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There have been three major times in my life when God
interrupted the direction my life was going and he changed it to a different direction.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The first time is when I was 11 (and much to my disapproval)
our family packed up our stuff and left for Florida- where I would live the rest of my
life.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The second time is when I was 17 pursuing a wild party
lifestyle as a freshman at FSU, and God brought my husband Steve into my life.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The third time I was 26 and we had welcomed our new baby boy
Andrew. But we never got
to bring him home.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The most painful of these was losing Andrew. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>My life was going exactly as I had hoped.
Everything was going according to plan- and then it felt as if someone came and
broke into a million pieces the life that I was living. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>And it be years before those pieces
were put back together again.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This morning as I remembered Andrew, I thanked God for the
pain he allowed us to go through. Although it was an incredibly painful time, I
also remember it as a time when God was very real and felt close. It was during
that time that he showed me so many incredible things. I wrote about some of them highlighted below. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lifereflections-carolina.blogspot.com/2008/11/unconditional-love.html"><b>To stop striving for perfection</b></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: lime;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lifereflections-carolina.blogspot.com/2008/12/journey-not-destination.html"><b>To slow down and enjoy the journey/process </b></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: lime;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lifereflections-carolina.blogspot.com/2008/11/for-it-is-by-grace-you-have-been-saved.html"><b>The depth of His grace</b></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: lime;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lifereflections-carolina.blogspot.com/2008/11/fear-of-being-vulnerable.html"><b>To not be afraid of being vulnerable and love fully</b></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="background-color: lime;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><span style="color: blue;"></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To be bold in sharing my faith</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To rest in his sovereignty despite the pain of my
circumstance</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The shortness of life</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To not get so caught
up on material things</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lifereflections-carolina.blogspot.com/2009/07/andrews-birthday.html"><b>To be faithful in serving him in the small and unseen things</b></a></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lifereflections-carolina.blogspot.com/2009/03/end-of-story.html"><b>That He is the author of our stories and he's not done with us yet</b></a></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://lifereflections-carolina.blogspot.com/2008/12/hinds-feet-on-high-places.html"><b>That he is good and still God even when tragedy and unthinkable happens</b></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: lime;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><span style="color: magenta;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">among many other things.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I will never know the reason why Andrew passed away at 10
days old. While all of our friends at the time got to bring their newborns home,
we grieved and cried every day for the year that followed At the time I
felt forsaken and abandoned by God. I had cried out to him to heal Andrew and
he certainly didn’t seem to come through.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Looking back I believe whole heartedly that God did come
through for us. It was not his plan for Andrew to be healed and stay with us,
but it was his plan to shower us with His comfort and love during that time of
grief. We wrestled, questioned, doubted, and even rejoiced in a mix of emotions
that ultimately led us closer to knowing God more deeply. For that I will
always be grateful. God proved himself faithful in all his promises- His grace
was enough for us, he has restored all of what was broken, he has redeemed our pain for good, he has shown us Himself in the darkness. Despite my emotions telling me otherwise depending in my circumstances, God has been true to what His word says overtime.</span><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><b>I waited patiently for the Lord</b></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>He turned to me and heard my cry</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>He lifted me out of the slimy pit</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Out of the mud and mire</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>He set my feet upon a rock </b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>And gave me a firm place to stand</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Many will see and fear the Lord</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>And put their trust in him</b></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Psalm 40:1-3</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></i>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Happy 11th Birthday Andrew. Until we see you and hold you again.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj_xJEj5ExfkgnWcNFrM1EQdOqkbYeqqBD7AeZ2_ImniYLRQc_aaL2Ly7bFBSDYD0jZ9P-5j1PdRw_ydoiLn8OMa03sHJUCss5PyKgctvlrzSpqjV8QiaBZ_mmMMm4fR97k8csrR6yY8/s1600/552308_842575120788_1874836698_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrj_xJEj5ExfkgnWcNFrM1EQdOqkbYeqqBD7AeZ2_ImniYLRQc_aaL2Ly7bFBSDYD0jZ9P-5j1PdRw_ydoiLn8OMa03sHJUCss5PyKgctvlrzSpqjV8QiaBZ_mmMMm4fR97k8csrR6yY8/s400/552308_842575120788_1874836698_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span>Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-75916318484807832072019-05-30T22:23:00.000-04:002019-06-03T21:44:10.331-04:00Successes and Failures<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last week the boys wrapped up the school year and to be
honest I was sad. When they were toddlers I couldn’t wait for them to get older
so they could feed themselves (and you know wipe their own butts!) but now that
they are getting older I really wish I could freeze time.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jack finished 3<sup>rd</sup> grade and Palmer 1<sup>st</sup>
grade and both truly had a great year. Now that Jack is older he got to attend
a school wide 3<sup>rd</sup>-5<sup>th</sup> grade ceremony in which he was
given a few awards- for Honor Roll, Math, and Regional Spelling Bee. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we were sitting there that night waiting for his awards my
heart was so proud of him. And it was at that very moment I felt God quietly whisper
that this was not about me. The recognition Jack was receiving that night was
not a reflection of me being a good parent or having gotten things right. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">My kid’s success at school or sports does
not define my success as a parent</b>. When they get into the college or get
the job, my heart so easily can take credit for their journey in life as if it
was my own. And then the opposite takes place too. When my kids don’t make the
team, they don’t make the cut, or don’t get the awards their peers get, then I can
so easily feel like a failure. But God’s word reminded me gently that night
that I can’t live life being defined by my kid’s successes or failures. They
will have both in life and I will certainly be in a crazy rollercoaster if my
identity is tightly wrapped around them in that way. My identity (and their
identity) should have a solid foundation in who God says they are despite the
fleeting moments when they succeed or fail. And I have faith God will use both
in shaping them into the men and women he desires them to be. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all about cheering our kids on
and being proud of the hard work they put into things. But in this particular
time and particular instance I was taking credit for something that has always
come so easy for Jack. The truth is we didn’t work hard this past
year and yet he still breezed through 3<sup>rd</sup> grade. His awards were his
own that night and part of the story God is writing out in his life.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I read the books ‘Shaken’ by Tim Tebow (it is written for
young boys by the way but I read it anyway because I was given a few copies it looked AWESOME) and he says
it so well in this book (by the way I highly recommend it for boys 10 years
or above):</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tim Tebow says it so well in his book ‘Shaken’ in which he
says:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who are you when everything
is going great- when you’re acing the classes, winning the games, part of the
in crowd, when your life is picture perfect?</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now who are you when
your world is shaken- when you’re barely passing your exams, your parents are
fighting, your boyfriend or girlfriend leaves you? </span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What do you do when
your world is shaken? What do you do when your plan falls to pieces? What do you
do when your life is going in a direction you do not want it to go to? Better
yet what do you hold on to? I knew in that moment I had to hold on to truth. It
was the only solid ground I had. I had to remember what God said. </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Though I was disappointed,
I was trying so hard to bulk up my confidence. <b>Not in myself. Not in my
athletic abilities. I was drawing inner strength from the One I belong to.</b> In
the one who created me. In the One who loves me beyond all love. </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well said Tim Tebow. Well said. You may be a Gator but you're ok with me. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tim met God in a new way in the midst of his failure. It wasn't an easy journey after that and despite all the praise he received for so many years, he slowly had to figure out who he was in the midst of continuous criticism from the press that lasted for years too. What a great example to our teens and so thankful he took the time to write this book!!</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My prayer for our kids is that they won't be afraid of failures and that they will not become prideful in their success. I hope that I will be their biggest cheerleader along the way, reminding them that at the end of it all our stories are not all about us getting the praise or glory, but it is about God is and the story he writes out in our lives.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span>Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-12793853765493713282019-03-22T20:50:00.000-04:002019-06-03T17:09:53.479-04:00Venezuela over the last 20 years.<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's hard to keep up with all the events in Venezuela and wanted to write a summary of all that is taking place over there.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1980- Venezuela a Democracy and an oil rich country.</span></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 23.94px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Venezuela used to be considered a miracle country. Until the early 1980s, it was one of the only four Latin American countries certified by the World Bank as an upper-middle-income economy. It was also a stable, center-left democracy, quite an oasis in a region plagued by authoritarianism, insurgency, or unrest. Today, Venezuela is in ruins.</span>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">After the discovery of oil in the early 20th century, the nation quickly built its economy on back of black gold – and even today, Venezuela leads the world in proven oil reserves with 300 billion barrels.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #111111; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 23.94px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span>
</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #111111; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 23.94px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2mfAjCeq9yyv62pvkG8FuCERRdlh4MuJ_oiPuHQGyn3hOMgIk3OYW2ezS5IFVSEDSwdThP9jYK4fCBKCPB_BgXuJy6eSVRfo4qPAVf3xgUyEtNVyF0I8blLngdfmQqiGFnP3xg-rSzs/s1600/oil-reserves-venezuela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="875" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2mfAjCeq9yyv62pvkG8FuCERRdlh4MuJ_oiPuHQGyn3hOMgIk3OYW2ezS5IFVSEDSwdThP9jYK4fCBKCPB_BgXuJy6eSVRfo4qPAVf3xgUyEtNVyF0I8blLngdfmQqiGFnP3xg-rSzs/s640/oil-reserves-venezuela.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://money.visualcapitalist.com/richer-poorer-venezuela-economic-tragedy/</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #111111; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 23.94px; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>1998- Hugo Chavez becomes president and implements socialist programs.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After a failed coup to overthrow the government in 1992, Hugo Chavez is democratically elected to power in 1998 and he remained president until 2013. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Chávez focused on enacting social reforms.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Using record-high oil revenues of the 2000s, his government </span>nationalized<span style="background-color: white;"> key industries </span><span style="background-color: white;">and implemented social programs</span><span style="background-color: white;"> to expand access to food, housing, healthcare and education</span><span style="background-color: white;">Chávez's </span>populist<span style="background-color: white;"> policies eventually led to a severe socioeconomic crisis in Venezuela.</span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap;">* </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1e1e1e;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hELfyvsWQOYFAmHPLUK8xSoqRWgAAZWsPWH0OF9R6OfjENPxKSrI0rqctbzha0QSgqgt9MKw6kda9-5J5t9aUepG_8KezDjyvLZ69PJvgZAZvaI4S6B-nCbGNlCrq1FXs5Oiv6FroUc/s1600/628px-Hugo_Ch%25C3%25A1vez_salute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="628" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hELfyvsWQOYFAmHPLUK8xSoqRWgAAZWsPWH0OF9R6OfjENPxKSrI0rqctbzha0QSgqgt9MKw6kda9-5J5t9aUepG_8KezDjyvLZ69PJvgZAZvaI4S6B-nCbGNlCrq1FXs5Oiv6FroUc/s320/628px-Hugo_Ch%25C3%25A1vez_salute.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wikipedia</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl0_jYKVa_v3lLpqUFNYy9lNuSfC08pK8rMfylOMbj7Lvl7Vx6FcC1QqFv8ZSrAgH2Gcff09MM0-uid14AkalTy_GWdJEYuOZL5VASSHqWPqa1RxIYqpJCYzcalu6-x31BaH3WULigG8/s1600/_50927070_50927069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="304" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpl0_jYKVa_v3lLpqUFNYy9lNuSfC08pK8rMfylOMbj7Lvl7Vx6FcC1QqFv8ZSrAgH2Gcff09MM0-uid14AkalTy_GWdJEYuOZL5VASSHqWPqa1RxIYqpJCYzcalu6-x31BaH3WULigG8/s320/_50927070_50927069.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1e1e1e;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1e1e1e;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>2013- Chavez dies and Nicolas Maduro is elected to power.</b></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border-image: none; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.375; margin: 18px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="border-image: none; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.375; margin: 18px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nicolás Maduro was first elected in April 2013 after the death of his socialist mentor and predecessor in office, Hugo Chávez. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykw0oJbeTjVVyaUctH_nRavK-cCv-FqNvHehOaVG5nk5C9YY_BM5lwGZIC5X47c7xWmOVrgolZGegBsVfIAWgOXoux5RA3O1Whkn-6PxVW7b5mAxoxxElzCrKMhnh5e6z_G-f2VYWOlE/s1600/lead_720_405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykw0oJbeTjVVyaUctH_nRavK-cCv-FqNvHehOaVG5nk5C9YY_BM5lwGZIC5X47c7xWmOVrgolZGegBsVfIAWgOXoux5RA3O1Whkn-6PxVW7b5mAxoxxElzCrKMhnh5e6z_G-f2VYWOlE/s400/lead_720_405.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border-image: none; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.375; margin: 18px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Things got much worse.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Hyperinflation of 200-300% between 2016-2019. There have been </span><span style="color: #333333;">food and medicine shortages, soaring infant mortality, and one of the world’s highest violent crime rates.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Public health is just as bad. As hospitals have run out of imported antibiotics, surgical supplies and spare parts for medical equipment, infant mortality rose 30 percent, maternal mortality 65 percent, and malaria 76 percent in 2016. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A poll released in Feb 2017<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #111111; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 28.6px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"> among Venezuelan nationals found that 75 percent of Venezuelans reported losing “at least 19 pounds” in 2016, while 93 percent of Venezuelans said they do not have the money to secure three meals a day for themselves.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 28.6px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-shadow: none; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i><u><sub><sup><strike><br /></strike></sup></sub></u></i></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>2019- Juan Guaido is a self declared interim president</b></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWz_ym5CUO3Qs80JPSakCzQveqLmd1xVTFLhI-Ve9zsXaiQS5QV4gteSWF1RWKD0ceYt4xwQ2xKRY5euvFeBjqvKv83nhZxqrG8dgEel_9m8q7d4IwUIFY5mFsMY_XD27nNmfubHde6Y/s1600/9425368-6670193-image-m-43_1549384552868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWz_ym5CUO3Qs80JPSakCzQveqLmd1xVTFLhI-Ve9zsXaiQS5QV4gteSWF1RWKD0ceYt4xwQ2xKRY5euvFeBjqvKv83nhZxqrG8dgEel_9m8q7d4IwUIFY5mFsMY_XD27nNmfubHde6Y/s320/9425368-6670193-image-m-43_1549384552868.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>January 2019</b>- </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Assembly of Venezuela (outlawed by Maduro) elects Juan Guaido as the legimitate interim president of Venezuela. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><br />
<h3 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 33.6px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;">A lot of international support for Guaidó.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></h3>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> Guaidó is supported by the United States, the EU and other countries condemning the Maduro regime and questioning the legitimacy of the elections that gave him his second term of office.</span> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">
</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> US President Donald Trump announced shortly after the swearing in to recognize Guaidó as interim president.</span> <span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, says that Trump's government will ask Maduro to resign "in favor of a legitimate leader who reflects the will of the people".</span></span><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">
<span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> Maduro states that the opposition is trying to carry out a coup with the support of the American authorities, who in turn want to take part in the Venezuelan government.</span> <span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> He has called in the help of the army to preserve "unity and discipline" in his country. c</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b>February 2019-</b> Humanitarian aid is attempted to be delivered to Venezuela by the U.S and Canada. President Nicolas Maduro refused to accept the aid and sent troops to every border to prevent the trucks from getting through. There are reports of some trucks getting through and being set on fire before it reaches the people of Venezuela.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b>March 2019-</b> The main Guri water power plant in Venezuela goes out. This plan supplied over 80% of the country's power. Due to years of lack of maintenance, lack of engineers, and the capital to restore the plant, it is unclear of when it will be back up and running.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;">This creates a major blackout for most of the country along with lack of water as well. Hospitals are in the dark, food spoils in refrigerators, people are not able to go to the shower or bathroom. There is a great unrest and looting across the country.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Currently this is week 3 of no power or water and it is not clear of when it will come back on.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Please pray for the people of Venezuela. They are in desperate need of a savior and a mighty powerful God to come through and rescue them. Please pray against oppression, injustice, and for the country to be restored to the beautiful land it once was!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #281e1e;">a. </span><span style="color: #281e1e;"><a href="https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/book/venezuela-1980s-1990s-and-beyond">https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/book/venezuela-1980s-1990s-and-beyond</a></span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">b. <a href="http://origins.osu.edu/article/roots-venezuelas-failing-state">http://origins.osu.edu/article/roots-venezuelas-failing-state</a></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><i></i><br /></span>
<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>c. <a href="http://www.tellerreport.com/news/--self-appointed-interim-president-venezuela-recognized-by-several-countries-.SyzlwDIXN.html">http://www.tellerreport.com/news/--self-appointed-interim-president-venezuela-recognized-by-several-countries-.SyzlwDIXN.html</a></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #281e1e; font-family: "independent" serif "light" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><i></i><i></i><br /></span></span>Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-56239152041753799462018-07-10T16:22:00.001-04:002018-07-11T16:29:14.474-04:00Serving God in the Ordinary<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
These past 6 months have felt very quiet and routine. And I
have wrestled with my lack of excitement of serving God in the most ordinary of
places- being a stay at home mom. The truth is some days are filled
with hugs and kisses, and other days are exhausting and not-so-glamorous. There
are moments when my six year old cups my face with his hands and says ‘I love
you so much. You are the best mommy in the whole world!’ And moments when I haven’t
slept all night... and my two year old throws a temper tantrum while the boys
won’t stop bickering with each other (and I’m wishing I was in a far away beach
sipping on a margarita!).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Often I think I should be doing MORE for God, more to
serve outside my home, more to help our family financially, more to make an
impact on those hurting around me. And I have wrestled with that this year. I want to do all those things… yet I find myself today pouring myself
into our children and knowing this is where I’m called to be.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘’God had been teaching me the extraordinary
strength it takes just to be ordinary. To dwell knowledgeably and hospitably in
this place He has given me with my people is, in fact, an extraordinary call.
He has shown me the beauty of being attentive to one person, in the mundane,
again and again.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In a full life of
trying to do great big things for God and see His glory in great big ways, He
showed me He is glorified in the small too.’’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Katie Davis Major- Daring To Hope.<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;">These words jumped out at me when I read them in the book 'Daring to Hope' a few weeks ago.</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are days when doing laundry, changing poopy diapers,
making meals, cleaning the house, etc. doesn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">feel</i> that important or life changing. It doesn’t feel like I’m
bringing God glory in doing this day to day. Sometimes it is hard to do it over and over again with joy. But I am learning that even in the
most mundane and routine of places, in the unseen places of everyday life, God is still there. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve felt God whisper to me this year to love the people around
me well. To not love them half-heartedly, or give them half of my attention while keeping my eyes somewhere else.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘’What really counts
will be the quiet devotion practiced in our own homes. What will matter most at
the end of our lives are the people right in front of us who get to see all of
it- the happy stories and the tragic ones, the pretty good parts of us and the
ugliest part of us. At the end of time all that will count is that we lived the
gospel with our very lives, that we paid attention to the people God gave us.’’ Katie
Davis Major- Daring To Hope.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes I want to serve God in an extraordinary way. He seems to
be calling me to serve Him in the ordinary. And while He may call me to
something else in the future, today I will find joy and excitement in this very
place!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-84321360129493605582018-06-24T21:45:00.002-04:002018-06-24T21:56:59.532-04:00In the Valley<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Life has felt pretty steady lately. We’ve had our regular ups and downs as normal,
but no big news or life changing events. For the most part it has been <i>good</i> and we have so much to be thankful for. God has abundantly provided in so
many areas of our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But I know it’s only a season. While I’m not living in fear
of what could go wrong next (trust me I’ve done plenty of that in the past)
I’ve lived long enough and seen enough to know that sooner or later life will
be hard again. Sickness will come. Death of loved ones will take place. And I
will wrestle again with God questioning his goodness when life doesn’t go as
planned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This past week a little boy from Jack’s school was in an
unexpected accident and passed away a few days later. I visited his parents for
a few minutes while they held on hope for his life at the hospital and vividly
felt the pain they were walking through. I was angry and sad at all of it. And
desperately pleaded with God to spare them from the pain of losing yet another
child. Surely a good God would never allow this to happen, or at least He
should intervene to make it all better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yet the answer seemed to be ‘No’ to some very VERY desperate
prayers. From some very hurting people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How can I teach my children that God is a good and loving
God when such unthinkable things happen? Why would I teach them that Jesus came
to ‘give life and give it abundantly’ (as he professed in John 10:10) when He
would allow such hurt and pain to take place?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I’ll tell you why. Because I’ve had the privilege to see
first hand that God does indeed give life and give it abundantly from the most
broken of places.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For seven years Steve and I attended <a href="https://www.celebraterecovery.com/">Celebrate Recovery</a> and
we had the privilege to hear story after story of how God had taken the most
broken of circumstances, and He somehow brought the most beautiful things out
of it. I met countless people who had no hope, no joy, and had walked through
the most unthinkable of circumstances- a child who died to cancer after many
years of fighting for them, abuse of an innocent child, divorce, addiction, etc…
and God over the years wrote the most beautiful stories I had ever heard.
Ministries and purpose that were birthed from the very loss of life. Joy
restored. Hope breathed back into the lives of these people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Maybe, just maybe, the greater miracle takes place in the
making it through the darkest of valleys without falling apart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Maybe, God sees the eternal and we can only see the
temporary. And he is working towards life that will last forever, even if it
means going through some very painful circumstances in our earthly life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Maybe, we can trust God knows what he’s doing even during
times when we can’t understand or make sense of it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The truth is I have a hard time reconciling a good God to
all of this. A God that would allow children to be orphans, parents to bury
their children, rape, abuse, genocide, etc. But I will speak this truth to my
children: God can be trusted. He is trustworthy. He is true to his promises. He
is good. And He loved us so much that he found a way to reconcile us to Him so
that we could be in His presence. And it was all His plan and idea… and nothing
that we did on our own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And I can say all of this with confidence because He has
been all of these things to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Most of our friends know about Andrew and the valley we
walked through after losing him. But that <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hasn’t been the only time Steve and I walked
through valleys, it has only been the most public. There were many other
valleys before and there have been many valleys since- more private of course-
that we wish we would’ve never walked through. And each time God has come
through and restored all that was broken from each one of those. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, I’ve never seen restoration or healing
take place without holding on to our faith in Jesus. I’ve also met families who
have fallen apart after a loss, give in to addiction, and gone on to live very
broken lives for the rest of their years. I know it can go the other way to,
and how easy it is to go down that road. The road where we are too
angry to pray, cry out to God for help, and surrender our will to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So I will cling on to hope next time I walk through another
valley. I have no doubt I will wrestle with God and question what He’s up to, and
even feel angry at Him. I will probably hear silence again after some very heartfelt
prayers, and feel abandoned I have felt in the past. But I will
remember that at the end of it all He is always faithful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For the Lord is good
and his love endures forever;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>his
faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If we are faithless,
He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For our light and
momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs
them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, since
what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On an interesting note, I wrote this post Saturday night,
and our pastor at church spoke on this very same thing this morning. Here’s a
great sermon on why to hold on to God in the midst of injustice and brokenness. It's the sermon from 6/24/18.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">http://www.fishhawkfc.org/resources/sermons/</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-45815943238269504692018-01-20T14:06:00.001-05:002018-01-20T20:28:36.402-05:00Foster Care: What I wish we would've done<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">About five years ago Steve and I became licensed foster
parents. It was an exciting, joyful, difficult and humbling experience. We took on short term placements for almost two years. I will always be thankful for that time and wouldn't change the experience. But there are some things I would do differently if I could do it all over again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPc0mTeXjGv25lqX8CA6FDP1NsFUCLJzrluJ2_dVvPnbyFmtGiUyn7nfk5HpH4n4Gb6lITk40e5Os1vAc2uJ_4lf9t-vXv7MWZkKHxAB_qWkS6DvqksHLli2vzz9RRQZj9eFooLrr7PhE/s1600/Thankful2+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPc0mTeXjGv25lqX8CA6FDP1NsFUCLJzrluJ2_dVvPnbyFmtGiUyn7nfk5HpH4n4Gb6lITk40e5Os1vAc2uJ_4lf9t-vXv7MWZkKHxAB_qWkS6DvqksHLli2vzz9RRQZj9eFooLrr7PhE/s400/Thankful2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. I would pray for more direction before jumping ALL IN</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I remember sitting in Panera one night when I clearly felt a
leading that Steve and I should be foster parents. I wrestled with God and said
‘Well you’re going to have a talk with Steve because he is never going to say
yes to this!’ Just a few weeks later I mentioned the idea to Steve while we
were out on a date. Somehow without much convincing he said yes. I didn't even get to finish the whole speech I had prepared for that night. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was so excited that we were on the same page that I started the process the very next day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Looking back I wish I would’ve taken more time to pray for God’s timing on how
to move forward. For example, I wish we would’ve gone through the training with a Christian
based organization like <a href="http://www.adoorofhope.com/">A Door of Hope</a> or <a href="http://wffcs.org/">West Florida Foster Care</a> instead of being licensed through Eckerd. It would’ve made a huge
difference to meet other Christian families to encourage us on the journey! I also wish I would've prayed more about the timing of when to start, because I have no doubt that would’ve been different as well. We should've stepped back and taken
the time to pray for more direction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtpP0ObxCQtONvvJHeyIAzUlCnCdMVXH1CmEzWuNTp0AAu0NZ9vmGhFX7glEBZ0iVdvNKjtJp9cT6nEfppeglDi-9HLzXOJo3jqpbfLA1YNjVRaOkjMuwc7ZCPCrw1LYIlUibQ3njZ1Y/s1600/IMG_6982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtpP0ObxCQtONvvJHeyIAzUlCnCdMVXH1CmEzWuNTp0AAu0NZ9vmGhFX7glEBZ0iVdvNKjtJp9cT6nEfppeglDi-9HLzXOJo3jqpbfLA1YNjVRaOkjMuwc7ZCPCrw1LYIlUibQ3njZ1Y/s400/IMG_6982.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. I wouldn’t be
afraid to fail at foster care<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I remember when we finally made the decision that we wouldn’t
renew our foster care license. We knew that the short term care we were doing
was not what we had hoped for, but we also knew that we were not ready for the long
term placement of a child in our home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was disappointment with our
decision and I felt that way for months. I
thought maybe we weren’t just ‘good enough’ people to continue with it. Perhaps if
we had been more spiritual, listened better to God, or would be willing to make
bigger sacrifices we would’ve continued to be foster parents. I felt that we had failed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Looking back I wish I would’ve known God calls us to
different things on different seasons, and I would’ve extended myself more
grace. I went on to mentor a young girl in foster care which I
really enjoyed. We stepped up to coordinate the foster care/adoption ministry
in our church to encourage other families. There are seasons for different things and God doesn't all call us to do the exact same thing. I hope one day again that we will serve in a more tangible way as we did back then.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicE3ahcdWKDY8x_4a-CZGfEOPvqRw6v686WXzGnsZ5Naqa3prIuLjubVBUlt1HPUa5f8BsvaBR8rQri89HVkTcVNFVVXzyM1htYg81mAXbgrXya5E7BzdkPzhxqpo-JWD68ROhee7tz1U/s1600/IMG_5866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicE3ahcdWKDY8x_4a-CZGfEOPvqRw6v686WXzGnsZ5Naqa3prIuLjubVBUlt1HPUa5f8BsvaBR8rQri89HVkTcVNFVVXzyM1htYg81mAXbgrXya5E7BzdkPzhxqpo-JWD68ROhee7tz1U/s400/IMG_5866.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIqC32fnH-btkTck0r2Fc3PJBkmUanbTpSAhkBnRrTc6Wmz83AhKn9Z1DUq06jA8ZJdMzwZ2w8inxBWaAtr0A-C6qlcL0VsLBVfYI-_FpXQacqavf9b2-Xxv_T4SWEn4Sk6SA1NnSSXs/s1600/IMG_4030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIqC32fnH-btkTck0r2Fc3PJBkmUanbTpSAhkBnRrTc6Wmz83AhKn9Z1DUq06jA8ZJdMzwZ2w8inxBWaAtr0A-C6qlcL0VsLBVfYI-_FpXQacqavf9b2-Xxv_T4SWEn4Sk6SA1NnSSXs/s400/IMG_4030.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. I wouldn’t have
the false expectation that because God called us to do it, the journey would be
easy.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I used to believe that when God calls us to do something He also makes the process easy and smooth. Now don’t get me wrong there are
many when He has done just that… but there have also been times when He
has not. And when things get hard I tend second guess decisions, wrestle with God about why he's not helping more, and wonder if after all we made the right decision in the first place.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I’ve dived into the book of Exodus these past few months, I’ve learned that sometimes God clearly calls us to do something and the journey is still hard. I love, love the story of Moses: a man filled with insecurities and far from qualified for the job God calls him to do. He does EXACTLY what God asks of him, but the journey is still really hard along the way. Moses wrestles with God and asks him multiple times why He's not making things easier for him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It has
brought me so much encouragement to know this truth and know that God is at
work even when things get hard. For us in foster care, we had a hard time getting licensed and the process took almost a year. Also there were many times when it was really hard to say goodbye to these little ones. Some were easy but some were much harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cz853V3hu7F8KX18_ExbXJlJB7wdjxTOHL0EZN972nXbLZ3UaU0maYh3oTibjh1QuH20Qd90nieN8iuQu2-RXr0E9hcNw76IA8SET0QTGzN-nPoHmDH7mqLP2F_JyncQy4Flg021RMg/s1600/IMG_6668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cz853V3hu7F8KX18_ExbXJlJB7wdjxTOHL0EZN972nXbLZ3UaU0maYh3oTibjh1QuH20Qd90nieN8iuQu2-RXr0E9hcNw76IA8SET0QTGzN-nPoHmDH7mqLP2F_JyncQy4Flg021RMg/s400/IMG_6668.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYM-VQVsUAe3wL2Zc7mHG9HNQblJUiEYfpsD31y6qttc6YtB5RpPCHs35-wnNeXtcLzwUknppLaL9iqmQy3vrwpN64w9kKOQATgkZyIFs4VEyGZxXmXySdqjCliRNUFi9xqUEbGJzpB_Y/s1600/IMG_6673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYM-VQVsUAe3wL2Zc7mHG9HNQblJUiEYfpsD31y6qttc6YtB5RpPCHs35-wnNeXtcLzwUknppLaL9iqmQy3vrwpN64w9kKOQATgkZyIFs4VEyGZxXmXySdqjCliRNUFi9xqUEbGJzpB_Y/s400/IMG_6673.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last thoughts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wanted to share these drawings from a five year old girl
that stayed with us for two weeks. She came to our home late in the night one
day with nothing but a Publix bag with a few of her belongings. Her story I will keep private but it was heartbreaking to hear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first day she came in she didn’t say a single word but
she loved to draw. She drew countless pictures of sad faces with tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6f_jMSDB6VFoU3hOYLth4QkZNn863sVvCtAjU1VdtW1W0et-SNhAKD0OT0suI5XjYipKKXXzoDN8E2Y3vHE7ggvvfdicYSpWtT8PyIRQ0q3INhxYdsFxipIXTXSk_-edd3hrvxBG077Q/s1600/IMG_4316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6f_jMSDB6VFoU3hOYLth4QkZNn863sVvCtAjU1VdtW1W0et-SNhAKD0OT0suI5XjYipKKXXzoDN8E2Y3vHE7ggvvfdicYSpWtT8PyIRQ0q3INhxYdsFxipIXTXSk_-edd3hrvxBG077Q/s400/IMG_4316.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJVVICsh1ZFOWFy6zOx9jvSfmL6XsgI0IoiUtfXdo9A4Toxj2jHqoAHPA4MI5CXMD0Eqmtx6rQnUxkGlcmUdGCieWyxGm1UR4p2dAR-IPsuTjfEiAwLNx7fy_eE_tn8j8xRli7S5swxU/s1600/IMG_4317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJVVICsh1ZFOWFy6zOx9jvSfmL6XsgI0IoiUtfXdo9A4Toxj2jHqoAHPA4MI5CXMD0Eqmtx6rQnUxkGlcmUdGCieWyxGm1UR4p2dAR-IPsuTjfEiAwLNx7fy_eE_tn8j8xRli7S5swxU/s400/IMG_4317.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After a few days she did talk… a lot! The day before she
left she made this picture which I’ve kept over the years. It was a picture of
a happy face with no tears. I was so amazed that just two short weeks had made
some impact on her. These pictures made me realize just the huge impact that you can have on someone else... even if it's just for a short period of time. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ymG2r_uDzYnoEyufKBHseMZHd15Go5FhYvZgHQ_qQdawmK2T7tB8y-AdHeungYlHsNLa3xZBDHs3JQYxp5EFFytENFJcgEdofNGYuyQ6jji-ClZFCqzWOpxnonCORmQcN-ppeu59OAQ/s1600/IMG_4318+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ymG2r_uDzYnoEyufKBHseMZHd15Go5FhYvZgHQ_qQdawmK2T7tB8y-AdHeungYlHsNLa3xZBDHs3JQYxp5EFFytENFJcgEdofNGYuyQ6jji-ClZFCqzWOpxnonCORmQcN-ppeu59OAQ/s400/IMG_4318+%25281%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-49811370644012009582017-12-22T21:53:00.000-05:002017-12-22T22:02:02.796-05:00Christmas, Grief and Advent Baskets<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Two years after Andrew passed away we started a family tradition of organizing an Advent Basket for other families walking through grief during Christmas. I came across the idea in a blog- from a mom who had also lost her child and shared how helpful this basket had been for her. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is such an easy, practical and tangible way to encourage someone who's lost someone or is walking through a difficult time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The basket contains 25 small gifts for each day of Christmas. Each gift is wrapped, numbered, and has a bible verse taped to it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTo9xKNkjjci_Amot2nF2m2O4Yl-h16nCwwE7gO8XECi4vum39t8Ln9WfXnHHmIr97i38XeyVBkcz-4DFZDTXYARGaqJcA-1JCy94DXuhtHjVsrsTMG9YomwHrsEZ6S-MqYTEvxkFLuc/s1600/IMG_0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTo9xKNkjjci_Amot2nF2m2O4Yl-h16nCwwE7gO8XECi4vum39t8Ln9WfXnHHmIr97i38XeyVBkcz-4DFZDTXYARGaqJcA-1JCy94DXuhtHjVsrsTMG9YomwHrsEZ6S-MqYTEvxkFLuc/s400/IMG_0021.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">This year we worked on two baskets- one for three boys who lost their mom to cancer, and another one for three kids whose mom will be in the hospital for an indefinite period of time. Working on these really reminded me to be thankful.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Even though it’s been many years and our Christmas seasons these days are filled with joy I still remember walking through that first Christmas without Andrew. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I remember sometimes waking up in the morning and forgetting for a few seconds of all that had happened... and then remembering that he was gone. And the weight of the loss coming back.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I also remember having perfectly normal conversations with people and then going home to cry for hours. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqfgtB5He8wEVx_eq7YIRTqKVo0DNBgDM5rC6LJxb450w-Xdm6m1IUmENqlHg_7o9OSRkWvVhEdUH_l5m_D-P8BiYZuxHmVg2kftwO6BovGxOZCXfRJeEkGKjVKYEM79CBpTcD5zNWhU/s1600/DSC03610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqfgtB5He8wEVx_eq7YIRTqKVo0DNBgDM5rC6LJxb450w-Xdm6m1IUmENqlHg_7o9OSRkWvVhEdUH_l5m_D-P8BiYZuxHmVg2kftwO6BovGxOZCXfRJeEkGKjVKYEM79CBpTcD5zNWhU/s400/DSC03610.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I still remember feeling a knot in my stomach as Christmas Day approached hoping I could figure out a way to skip it altogether. I knew what was supposed to be a day of celebration would instead remind me of the empty space Andrew had left in and the pain we felt.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That Christmas we spent most of our free time with our dear friends David and Shelly Clark. I</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> believe God placed them in our lives to encourage us during this season of grief and I will always be grateful for them.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwagP1Mtzw066Tp91oDNJ6SJc_zMkiHPbF7qH1C3zuNGniSU4Q4wt8CGXkvszOjSbjxmzEIgcFMoPkdobUrMPAHZoqgmjux4Yi4IK3A3BqszuycupwVrGjSXIMR2qcTyHuQeDd5omch6Q/s1600/DSC03618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwagP1Mtzw066Tp91oDNJ6SJc_zMkiHPbF7qH1C3zuNGniSU4Q4wt8CGXkvszOjSbjxmzEIgcFMoPkdobUrMPAHZoqgmjux4Yi4IK3A3BqszuycupwVrGjSXIMR2qcTyHuQeDd5omch6Q/s400/DSC03618.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DadlE0LCgzDPnx2izDr9OlSN6Iwtr8sCufa2e8VUctUl_nlksN5_bkVKtzOl2mCge_zNzMTwr0WmkpQGBw3rBsKqsMaFKu_-McOjAw9H5ylqucV3dpC0b_-CKtJV-5y4944F9N7w410/s1600/DSC03621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DadlE0LCgzDPnx2izDr9OlSN6Iwtr8sCufa2e8VUctUl_nlksN5_bkVKtzOl2mCge_zNzMTwr0WmkpQGBw3rBsKqsMaFKu_-McOjAw9H5ylqucV3dpC0b_-CKtJV-5y4944F9N7w410/s400/DSC03621.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">It was that New Year’s Eve that I got pregnant with Jack. And that January Shelly and I would surprisingly find out we were both pregnant, and God would graciously bless us with two boys later that year. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Part of me is glad to have walked through this pain so that we can all these years later have a glimpse of what is like to walk through grief. Grief can be so much heavier, last so much longer and linger into so many more Christmas seasons.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Somewhere in getting ready for Christmas day, school programs, shopping, etc it’s easy for me even to this day to lose perspective of what's important and easy to get caught up on things that are not. I am thankful for this Christmas even though it's been far for perfect, (particularly the awful flu-like sickness that hit our home this week). This week has been filled with cleaning up throw up, keeping fevers down, holding babies, and surviving this sickness. Which I wouldn't have been able to do without Steve's help and him taking time off work to help. It's been really hard and easy for me to throw myself a big pity party (and believe me I have). But as I remember Andrew this Christmas, I'm reminded of the big picture. And there is so much to be thankful for. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Wishing everyone a very wonderful Christmas!</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-67772939102504864932017-12-11T20:33:00.000-05:002017-12-11T20:34:11.208-05:00Lillian at 18 monthsTime is flying by and wanted to share on update on Lillian. I can't believe she's already 19 months! I still remember Jack being this little not too long ago, and now here he is as an 8 year old... its bitter sweet to watch the little years go by. They sure feel slow when you are in the midst of it.<br />
<br />
Lillian is full of life but she also is completely exhausting. She is all smiles and hugs, and yet she loves to climb and explore anything she can find. She is snuggly and loves to be cuddled, but she's also bossy and loves to tell others what to do. She is such a mixture of joy and worry to me! I have found her with small batteries in her mouth, eating lego pieces, climbing on top of tables, and jumping on beds. Seriously, many days I have wondered how she has made it through and I know that its none other than God's pure grace. Because if it was up to me and my parenting skills I would've failed BIG time. I thought I would surely be more prepared after being through this a few times.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW0Nz1B0BGyHbKcFuvyuz5ylClb5TaKl2dtoUtdeu6ZXuQszzCADHD9SEAAeUtD16KkvLGZNDi-xpOQM04P_HyQoO_ej26zX2YbF_GF5QVk4QApm_m0_sTCaVUGgO2bFSl_gS-pOCtFc/s1600/IMG_3407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW0Nz1B0BGyHbKcFuvyuz5ylClb5TaKl2dtoUtdeu6ZXuQszzCADHD9SEAAeUtD16KkvLGZNDi-xpOQM04P_HyQoO_ej26zX2YbF_GF5QVk4QApm_m0_sTCaVUGgO2bFSl_gS-pOCtFc/s400/IMG_3407.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6SAoamN8ZswUxgfpg5TuecJITF_QpgeBLt-mdkpslLeqtjr11SSp4vu_snojsvVcmTMOHy1tI57s-F1xVm_xpEDT8CAB9PKhgBCr-OVs-GyrxBH2XCaRGaUWVU9EvesjGzDDE0GHmkw/s1600/IMG_3415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6SAoamN8ZswUxgfpg5TuecJITF_QpgeBLt-mdkpslLeqtjr11SSp4vu_snojsvVcmTMOHy1tI57s-F1xVm_xpEDT8CAB9PKhgBCr-OVs-GyrxBH2XCaRGaUWVU9EvesjGzDDE0GHmkw/s400/IMG_3415.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
Her first year of life people often asked me if it felt 'different' having a girl after having two boys. And honestly it really didn't feel that different other than I got to dress her up in girly outfits. But now that she is almost 18 months her personality is starting to come out. I am amazed at her attraction to necklaces and bracelets, anything sparkly, princesses, and my makeup. It's incredibly to see how God wired boys and girls differently and it can be seen at such an early age. And I find it funny because I'm not really a 'shoe' person, nor do I have anything sparkly, nor are there any princess books or movies in our house. We really have mostly legos, boy toys, and all kinds of truck books. This is all something coming from her! So yes it does feel different now as I start to think about all that comes with raising a girl. It feels strange, exciting, and certainly overwhelming at times.<br />
<br />
Boys I know. I've read the books and have the experience. Girls I know nothing about. I haven't read the books, don't have the experience, or have the faintest clue where to start. They feel so much more fragile and vulnerable to things boys are usually not prone to. They can be emotional, nurturers, and relationships with other people are important to them. These days when Palmer and Jack are upset or in trouble, Lillian runs to them to give them a hug and pat them in the back. She is a nurturer by nature. The boys were so different at her age!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhFPkQCkWBLoKuviftgrRFPcBmSdSmW7nV59XwMHl45CZwUGS-dPTbph8J19zMSzozcMBw86_7Q5HsHfi1S-zAQsN1bmBXcODOo2yXQqGv6-RPbeujEmw3OebOsO8kI1NKqDI12xMMbc/s1600/IMG_3437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhFPkQCkWBLoKuviftgrRFPcBmSdSmW7nV59XwMHl45CZwUGS-dPTbph8J19zMSzozcMBw86_7Q5HsHfi1S-zAQsN1bmBXcODOo2yXQqGv6-RPbeujEmw3OebOsO8kI1NKqDI12xMMbc/s400/IMG_3437.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQf7CBwLEdjwaU5v_Nb9FEFrYL2XQ3lJIHvj_HtvCPLs-irGSQ0fjf9xF4VQywMlRA2512ZtY7Z2LW-BFFbKfT8CAbjjVXSdFMoUEr1DPjYmBsxxhyphenhyphenXSRnUg2uGULNbczebs249zHDWM/s1600/IMG_3452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQf7CBwLEdjwaU5v_Nb9FEFrYL2XQ3lJIHvj_HtvCPLs-irGSQ0fjf9xF4VQywMlRA2512ZtY7Z2LW-BFFbKfT8CAbjjVXSdFMoUEr1DPjYmBsxxhyphenhyphenXSRnUg2uGULNbczebs249zHDWM/s400/IMG_3452.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRMGW7Nf0sbR6FvKdhORHGCYh7H_0kP3qsBxCNrVvJHwAVYnIoGNZLBoOJP40m2dslcf0tEVHGG35T3fYVP1XYF7dU-poktXYzRlPfK1PHZJaA8MgbdUGMzuxcHhlkanXu42PbaP6-2M/s1600/IMG_3462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRMGW7Nf0sbR6FvKdhORHGCYh7H_0kP3qsBxCNrVvJHwAVYnIoGNZLBoOJP40m2dslcf0tEVHGG35T3fYVP1XYF7dU-poktXYzRlPfK1PHZJaA8MgbdUGMzuxcHhlkanXu42PbaP6-2M/s400/IMG_3462.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EQ3ocfeeW9Ku-uU_V75hW9JIKyuDNcx-eelc-TZUaj5N6x9hUTMaKAbo7Uw9VTdPDxYfTYIA_7qhWMHwwfQiSkKyFg4ZzGxk6gztoDCkEHq4Wtot7cAoRkAvTzX_FOHRPzWXIgDi7UM/s1600/IMG_3403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EQ3ocfeeW9Ku-uU_V75hW9JIKyuDNcx-eelc-TZUaj5N6x9hUTMaKAbo7Uw9VTdPDxYfTYIA_7qhWMHwwfQiSkKyFg4ZzGxk6gztoDCkEHq4Wtot7cAoRkAvTzX_FOHRPzWXIgDi7UM/s400/IMG_3403.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
I am crazy about her and still can't believe she's part of our family. I am also so worn out at the end of the day from holding her and trying to figure out what she is trying to tell me. She has quite the opinion on what she likes and doesn't like, and has a hard time telling me since she's not really talking yet. She has been evaluated for speech, and although she's a little behind she seems to be on track.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvx6kulGsrxSMN8c80mXuYgt-_Hgx-3TlI8ZeOTjS2wx4yZfU3bN9t1tMmV978lnKSySx9XAmqVwxxiD4EOt1us_i_FVlMzFrTC0NIcxJO8VntooUrStfHNTmIEx1pyVNI9jcLmdcTB_w/s1600/IMG_3500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvx6kulGsrxSMN8c80mXuYgt-_Hgx-3TlI8ZeOTjS2wx4yZfU3bN9t1tMmV978lnKSySx9XAmqVwxxiD4EOt1us_i_FVlMzFrTC0NIcxJO8VntooUrStfHNTmIEx1pyVNI9jcLmdcTB_w/s400/IMG_3500.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Fy_iAEIx9Mj5ExMS3g3xSRD5HHiU2s3uLb1D1bPw5QK_BK3ryMFFqtXzsK-BP3tkzK85RwzAuOC_SoDCGKewQZhy6SuK9RFKHUyKSYVyclqWXLLYJ1BojbOpIvLCBF4sK48J0jUKXY8/s1600/IMG_3731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Fy_iAEIx9Mj5ExMS3g3xSRD5HHiU2s3uLb1D1bPw5QK_BK3ryMFFqtXzsK-BP3tkzK85RwzAuOC_SoDCGKewQZhy6SuK9RFKHUyKSYVyclqWXLLYJ1BojbOpIvLCBF4sK48J0jUKXY8/s400/IMG_3731.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Lillian,<br />
<br />
I am praying for great things for you. You are loved deeply by your family and by Jesus. I tell you that every night as you go to bed and I hope that you will always be firmly grounded in that truth.<br />
<br />
You have brought so much joy to our family. I hope I will remember all the things about you at this age that love about you and yet drive me crazy. Like how when you are tired you suck on your thumb and twirl my hair at the same time. Or how I find you talking to people on Christmas cards some days. And how you have a crazy attraction to my makeup bin and that is where you seem the happiest and most calm.<br />
<br />
I often wonder about what the future holds for you and I'm scared of all that it may bring. But I am trusting that God has his hand over you, and that even in the disappointments and trials He will always protect you as He has to this day.<br />
<br />
We love you Lillian Josie Briggs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVmWcfWmLtSoVOIHqCI1-owaLYCPBw0QTxBx8jSkbYR6vSVxugnCt1rJMBoA7MShyPk_DSYQJYUFbapi7KdD3pXQ9WCI4_sKSLf-WrL0-NcXN7nk8GxsvX8o_ZEg8eqJohlimIJdkQ38/s1600/Briggs+Family-1-4+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1060" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVmWcfWmLtSoVOIHqCI1-owaLYCPBw0QTxBx8jSkbYR6vSVxugnCt1rJMBoA7MShyPk_DSYQJYUFbapi7KdD3pXQ9WCI4_sKSLf-WrL0-NcXN7nk8GxsvX8o_ZEg8eqJohlimIJdkQ38/s400/Briggs+Family-1-4+%25282%2529.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLV4oZL-O_1Z_AoP_nechEV2BfpcY2VdBDI04fZM7ggUdwMgGC83KVsr85PuRBLi9BRORo5DAoRec3Sd829qQzssAcHBUDZ-wmieW6iiR8DAGqLs1cZagJfS0ZYoox0EQXIvUtfnhsywI/s1600/Briggs+Family-1-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLV4oZL-O_1Z_AoP_nechEV2BfpcY2VdBDI04fZM7ggUdwMgGC83KVsr85PuRBLi9BRORo5DAoRec3Sd829qQzssAcHBUDZ-wmieW6iiR8DAGqLs1cZagJfS0ZYoox0EQXIvUtfnhsywI/s400/Briggs+Family-1-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcgEPXyvjsGOYWFLY4T6nJwxtFAKT-oAIrjiMSqtaZtP76nKn6QDGIrmc_xxGJvkbQbpYGzR05qPmQbFqWBkibjJIAzBaTrowPFtbHS3xBWM8eIRiYf2P6QHW_DWtMdrjlM5bdOocr58/s1600/Briggs+Family-1-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcgEPXyvjsGOYWFLY4T6nJwxtFAKT-oAIrjiMSqtaZtP76nKn6QDGIrmc_xxGJvkbQbpYGzR05qPmQbFqWBkibjJIAzBaTrowPFtbHS3xBWM8eIRiYf2P6QHW_DWtMdrjlM5bdOocr58/s400/Briggs+Family-1-32.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-53967381518293890232017-07-14T13:48:00.000-04:002017-07-14T13:50:01.474-04:00On Andrew's 9th Birthday<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Every year on Andrew's birthday
I've written a blog post about him. But this year is different... I don't
really feel like writing or sharing much on how we're doing. It’s been a
physically and emotionally exhausting week in our family for different reasons,
and it would be much easier to curl up in my couch and not think about anything
today.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">However I know from experience if
I don't take the time to remember him on this day, a great sadness takes over me.
It is a subtle sadness and it lingers for days and weeks. I know how important
it is to grieve and allow myself to be sad, especially on his birthday and the
day he passed away. Because even though it’s been nine years I still think
about Andrew every day. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Sometimes when I get caught up in
the petty and temporary things, Andrew pops up in my mind as an ever present
reminder of what’s really important. Of how blessed I am on this day to have
health, a husband, and three healthy children. When I am tired and my kids are driving
me crazy (and I want to throw up a white flag and quit on this whole mom thing)
I remember the countless times I would’ve given anything to be a mom to Andrew.
To be up in the middle of the night when he was sick, take care of him when he
was clingy, or even deal with his temper tantrums and difficult days. Yes I
longed for those hard days I didn’t get to have with him. And sometimes when I’m
really struggling and my one year old refuses to sleep at night, I will
silently mutter a ‘Thank you God that I get to stay up with her’ tonight. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Today we are going to take a walk
on Bayshore as a family and then out to Outback. Bayshore was the very last
walk Steve and I had before I went into labor with Andrew. And then that night
we went out to Outback excited and in anticipation that Andrew would join us
any moment! Both places remind of us Andrew and it will be nice to take the
kids there today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Thank you to those who have sent
texts and notes today. It means a lot to us that he is remembered and loved
even after all this time.</span>Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-11986808390023283182017-02-02T11:38:00.005-05:002017-02-04T21:31:03.217-05:00The past month<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The month of January was a wonderful month filled with milestones for our family. I was slightly sad to be off social media on this month because I missed out on sharing so much of our lives. But I am glad I've stuck with it since I've sensed the Lord leading me to give it up for some time and it truly has been good. Now I'm even extending it for longer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To go all the way back- Here is a picture from New Year's Eve in our front porch. The kids had a blast staying up late and watching fireworks.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ba80O9Dr4qK0NTPw0i5YnSTc4prfHIiyblKlgo-h9o2ZNIW3Cu8DykOySK8eMEJ78IljNIytB-fzHPx5PjnFUgUSf3_CMK0sH82eAIgbpU91apzcxeUUSe6pK5QXzlYkhEu6A-wY3tk/s1600/IMG_1640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ba80O9Dr4qK0NTPw0i5YnSTc4prfHIiyblKlgo-h9o2ZNIW3Cu8DykOySK8eMEJ78IljNIytB-fzHPx5PjnFUgUSf3_CMK0sH82eAIgbpU91apzcxeUUSe6pK5QXzlYkhEu6A-wY3tk/s400/IMG_1640.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The second week of January I had the honor of hosting a baby shower for one of my dearest friends Laura and baby Lucy Grace. It was so fun hosting another shower for her, especially since we hosted a shower three years ago for baby Selah here too!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxTlHVUymb_fwmxPIr5HrMwACxxKHh6qDUWnlylgapAL9Y8FoF_UHwW-g0-ge79Wyx2OR1W8MUPtX372TjxFy4vkz7_CKqOXbTCGb5l99Dc4aO5bn6bAjo2mT6JAnOu8Sp1iJSH2iVAQ/s1600/IMG_1665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxTlHVUymb_fwmxPIr5HrMwACxxKHh6qDUWnlylgapAL9Y8FoF_UHwW-g0-ge79Wyx2OR1W8MUPtX372TjxFy4vkz7_CKqOXbTCGb5l99Dc4aO5bn6bAjo2mT6JAnOu8Sp1iJSH2iVAQ/s400/IMG_1665.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaaGI_a74rroEwt8zZnoNyAobNcBiZ5xvQ4xvuzonzUIuoexQXKxzOyYBwWR5vy1R7NqKvkPNmTaiIkU_u-_Y_Gm75j5-VPnET3UJCIom6u94now2NMCt2Av66ZngqpzM3aW_yBn9fHk/s1600/IMG_1668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaaGI_a74rroEwt8zZnoNyAobNcBiZ5xvQ4xvuzonzUIuoexQXKxzOyYBwWR5vy1R7NqKvkPNmTaiIkU_u-_Y_Gm75j5-VPnET3UJCIom6u94now2NMCt2Av66ZngqpzM3aW_yBn9fHk/s400/IMG_1668.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ywiXAQhgIuTyMMxb0WACy6vB9MSVpSOQzitamuuBXlYofWg7KaTVmTrQHAXIs3kFKXgdmoxRrxBkZ-pBCC35OqFrpb1eGzUDOAhFPFi-cNqo4LPpiz278bcrLyzS-s7uz5Zs6mr0veg/s1600/IMG_1669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ywiXAQhgIuTyMMxb0WACy6vB9MSVpSOQzitamuuBXlYofWg7KaTVmTrQHAXIs3kFKXgdmoxRrxBkZ-pBCC35OqFrpb1eGzUDOAhFPFi-cNqo4LPpiz278bcrLyzS-s7uz5Zs6mr0veg/s400/IMG_1669.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In January Jack also came first in his class for a spelling bee contest. From that he competed against other first grade classes and qualified to compete outside of school. So in a few weeks we're heading to Clearwater for another spelling bee contest. Who knew we would one day be going to spelling bee contests?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Ntz0JH4XINE5dqZWHc1xKm2X7PcEYyyiJGWG1Bf9Ye4yzLvsJW29Kqu_gUDBVTIVfxwwLpdZH0nh0tthsy318scjHbX-9YVTr85FUwPYrILGNzdHb1AsgAVRM4wfw3WkRahPDEDwG9g/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Ntz0JH4XINE5dqZWHc1xKm2X7PcEYyyiJGWG1Bf9Ye4yzLvsJW29Kqu_gUDBVTIVfxwwLpdZH0nh0tthsy318scjHbX-9YVTr85FUwPYrILGNzdHb1AsgAVRM4wfw3WkRahPDEDwG9g/s400/unnamed.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">January 21st was Steve's birthday and we were able to go away for a night. We enjoyed being away from the kids (oops did I just say that?) and having some time to ourselves. We were able to go down to Anna Maria and watch the sunset a few times. We didn't take pictures while away- not big fans of selfies!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">January 22nd we dedicated Lilian at our home church FishHawk Fellowship. It was a very special day because we waited for what seemed like sooo long for her, that it was a joy to dedicate her back to the Lord. I truly am so thankful she is part of our family and I thank God for the gift of her life everyday... some days I still can't believe she is here!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My mom and Godmother came into town and it was even more special they came. My Godmother has known me from the day I was born and she has been always a big part of my life. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsVbSuKx1HJ7TxdXgDcl39nGgRdlfKuGGdBrkCEiUZiKNeAlHOjemNStYz45ilzS5R_un6BubJC5thUFATXmUPEzrs6PT5Wvd8nM7XcHxoonCUrWZrhcPxN4awotE1YfJQnJnNKGxv_c/s1600/IMG_1677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsVbSuKx1HJ7TxdXgDcl39nGgRdlfKuGGdBrkCEiUZiKNeAlHOjemNStYz45ilzS5R_un6BubJC5thUFATXmUPEzrs6PT5Wvd8nM7XcHxoonCUrWZrhcPxN4awotE1YfJQnJnNKGxv_c/s400/IMG_1677.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEl9V6-aMlu6kaDwU8P3VkVQc4RNo7BhiYnyY1DqkXmz1LKXDyrr2aIB6TxBUCVxA55gEsxNhoaYDWw3kZWQIib5ixaOPTJiOD9vu7buTsKg1Cp8RzPd54GbYnfy0XvZ7bD8fD7UcL-A/s1600/IMG_1685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEl9V6-aMlu6kaDwU8P3VkVQc4RNo7BhiYnyY1DqkXmz1LKXDyrr2aIB6TxBUCVxA55gEsxNhoaYDWw3kZWQIib5ixaOPTJiOD9vu7buTsKg1Cp8RzPd54GbYnfy0XvZ7bD8fD7UcL-A/s400/IMG_1685.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksaw2MDqx_dsIQUDYFHzNG48RDF6yzX2U-1QWL2SYaNTsZYSi_g6XcJ5gzb2omA369_Jg_rs9dq4NVx7ZMNICA1FR0wi-vY7scazTI60iOqz1ZqNJW4Z91Q0nLIL2VeHEU1A0fuvotuA/s1600/IMG_1688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksaw2MDqx_dsIQUDYFHzNG48RDF6yzX2U-1QWL2SYaNTsZYSi_g6XcJ5gzb2omA369_Jg_rs9dq4NVx7ZMNICA1FR0wi-vY7scazTI60iOqz1ZqNJW4Z91Q0nLIL2VeHEU1A0fuvotuA/s400/IMG_1688.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPriGCfFq94y_7RG2gcFgb1C1KXItzGNbuKBLFNCw6sU_kVrRmtR2T8P3xDutX7o-mJFX44tmrd4wF7ZepGIG634O5uVDKGcyWc1iIs9c34usbB5PUi7GlPLn4wTsDt5kCEhLgGzsaosA/s1600/IMG_1694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPriGCfFq94y_7RG2gcFgb1C1KXItzGNbuKBLFNCw6sU_kVrRmtR2T8P3xDutX7o-mJFX44tmrd4wF7ZepGIG634O5uVDKGcyWc1iIs9c34usbB5PUi7GlPLn4wTsDt5kCEhLgGzsaosA/s400/IMG_1694.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">January was a very blessed month and I'm thankful for all we experienced! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>Digging Deeper</u></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Life seems more quiet and less filled with distractions being off social media. It has been hard to stay off in some ways, but on a good note it has been so much easier to hear from God during my quiet times. And they've been more consistent and regular. A big reason why I decided to take a break was because I hadn't heard anything from the Lord in months and He felt distant... and I was growing frustrated. It has been a joy to be able to hear from Him slowly again.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
</div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-90410291013324820032017-01-14T22:49:00.000-05:002017-01-17T20:27:20.194-05:00A post on Lillian<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">With my social media break I thought I would take the time to write
about Lillian and what it’s been like to have her in our family. I get asked
that question often, and for some reason it’s a hard question to answer. She
sure has been a joy and a delight to our family, and sometimes I feel guilty
for feeling that way. I think its because I don’t ever want to put her on a pedestal
or focus on her so much that she becomes the center of my world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRi9DoXjIzCg-zhaEO1q__ErcOXrtOqkudtAVKKYvazCeYbgmIgoVI-rJTCP1naU2x5n4kk-1ZrmApX_A2WHErzGm-lj-wAsiwWLcktj6YhWLBH3rwUnlHBhzaBPwbY6jL7FmGQxY66Jc/s1600/IMG_0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRi9DoXjIzCg-zhaEO1q__ErcOXrtOqkudtAVKKYvazCeYbgmIgoVI-rJTCP1naU2x5n4kk-1ZrmApX_A2WHErzGm-lj-wAsiwWLcktj6YhWLBH3rwUnlHBhzaBPwbY6jL7FmGQxY66Jc/s400/IMG_0649.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBE3uVN2-qDn3PT1ObPNxcmWfhRzJA5JHAO7zzKmPZkz_leQ2EqEz6NC4ILdhl7P3csadQw9jmIgnNutRq_0hHp0MoWaXoKf8U8xDasEIrB7kWMZr2tPE42ANJDVgyHpXTOb-fCRcpnNw/s1600/IMG_0648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBE3uVN2-qDn3PT1ObPNxcmWfhRzJA5JHAO7zzKmPZkz_leQ2EqEz6NC4ILdhl7P3csadQw9jmIgnNutRq_0hHp0MoWaXoKf8U8xDasEIrB7kWMZr2tPE42ANJDVgyHpXTOb-fCRcpnNw/s400/IMG_0648.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It also hasn’t been an easy last 9 months. Adding a baby has been
exhausting! There have definitely been adjustments, sleep deprived nights,
tired days, and days where I wondered how I would make it through the day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’m so thankful for the great bond with Lillian from the time she was
born. I definitely think a big part of it was having more skin to skin contact after
she was born (something I didn’t get with the boys, but I insisted on to my
doctor and the hospital this time around). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jskpogVUXBgaXYzz0VmL-kcFmCrkQzqCP5vDnNUI2ap-4irfpDuRROUFaotROVJuj1siqxtbvLrYxFFMVC_Hvkuu2XNz2tVIUWBkvHTdo7fuLZgWzkd33cu3cDCyqCa6uIW2UbflGT0/s1600/IMG_1821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jskpogVUXBgaXYzz0VmL-kcFmCrkQzqCP5vDnNUI2ap-4irfpDuRROUFaotROVJuj1siqxtbvLrYxFFMVC_Hvkuu2XNz2tVIUWBkvHTdo7fuLZgWzkd33cu3cDCyqCa6uIW2UbflGT0/s400/IMG_1821.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Also with both of the boys my mom came in town for the first 10-14 days
and helped me tremendously with them. She would rock them to sleep and hold
them endlessly for hours. I took that time to recover and try to catch up on
sleep! But when Lillian was born my mom was very sick and wasn’t able to come
until after a week or so… I was devastated and wondered how I would ever make
it through! But looking back it was a blessing in disguise, because those early
days allowed me to spend more time with her and develop a good bond with her.
Steve of course always helped tremendously, but he usually held the fort up
with the boys, meals, the house, and school. No easy task.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4ZyTUwVWLcxCdTv4B_OkMLoepRdjEAj3BYmE9HEtCnQxlOkqaV7JmTe9gvaqiVtbKqz-atd54vcqoQ_LRsM26xwvDutipsAA2tgPNzP8OKte9ZCrgVq8PXpmUorn805pry7pUM99I-g/s1600/IMG_0644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4ZyTUwVWLcxCdTv4B_OkMLoepRdjEAj3BYmE9HEtCnQxlOkqaV7JmTe9gvaqiVtbKqz-atd54vcqoQ_LRsM26xwvDutipsAA2tgPNzP8OKte9ZCrgVq8PXpmUorn805pry7pUM99I-g/s400/IMG_0644.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The first three months were very hard. She had severe reflux and that
made for a sleep deprived and fussy baby. After she was put on medication she
made a huge improvement and was able to sleep longer at a time. One thing she
always had going for her was that she never had her nights and days confused. She
would always sleep great when it was night (waking up to eat but going right
back to sleep) and she was a horrible napper during the day. These days she
sleeps through the night from 7pm to 6:30am and has been doing that for a few
months all on her own. She’s in a pretty good napping routine, although
recently she’s been changing it up on me as babies often do around 9 months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuIEWjZ1j7YXR3ZqJNVWScjuSgXb0-9w31KpeTgYc6UkkpM_I8NVuy8EdYxpFvY7FFujU9vK6dG5GVYHrTsvT6ebCf-Wk1qKxujJztAp-llOaxfT3RGNTOMa5UN3Exp2cEkZhF62h5Ug/s1600/IMG_1032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuIEWjZ1j7YXR3ZqJNVWScjuSgXb0-9w31KpeTgYc6UkkpM_I8NVuy8EdYxpFvY7FFujU9vK6dG5GVYHrTsvT6ebCf-Wk1qKxujJztAp-llOaxfT3RGNTOMa5UN3Exp2cEkZhF62h5Ug/s400/IMG_1032.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Her nicknames in the house are: sneaky ninja (because you’ll sit her
somewhere and two seconds later find her in a different room), sweetie-heart (by
Steve). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJKMGWQDuhObFSLkMI0eadLOafNbnvhgnTObLGdzrztFFOiauPcD9yURIUzQI3zGDqTX6wJrrqFfm_hcUH66KzRUWdcn_421Xc8bzpP5Xn5upEbgf9Y-Wa-ytRfmKIJzTKAgfxZFGpkI/s1600/IMG_1074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJKMGWQDuhObFSLkMI0eadLOafNbnvhgnTObLGdzrztFFOiauPcD9yURIUzQI3zGDqTX6wJrrqFfm_hcUH66KzRUWdcn_421Xc8bzpP5Xn5upEbgf9Y-Wa-ytRfmKIJzTKAgfxZFGpkI/s400/IMG_1074.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">She loves sweet potatoes and bananas. You mix any rice or vegetable with
either of those and she’ll go to town. I’ve also struggled SO much less when it
comes to feeding her. I had such a hard time with the boys but I think it was
mostly my fault. I would always spoon feed them baby food (and often force them
to eat when they didn’t want to) and with her I’m allowing her to pick up more
finger foods in her own (and never forcing her to eat). I think she likes it
and it gives her a sense of control. She doesn’t get as bored during mealtime
and has been a great eater thus far. She even loves raw peppers??! Who would’ve
thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I see a lot of Andrew when I see her. Her and Andrew where both born
with the same blondish-strawberry hair. They both had round faces. They both
had extremely big fingers and toes. Although for the first six months she truly
was the SPITTING image of Palmer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaVi_3c-SzhtyoUZz_a8D5jKNa3PgqQGY59JOHu1xvhWZ5H_tTm7D-rYEuZIekMHH5nunznSnMTPXjqHr5eMXZPx7FcoVAsN7OC-ctYKAEouEEuJY6qMDG5eL7o3tseqdJWRp1C4rVRM/s1600/IMG_1094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaVi_3c-SzhtyoUZz_a8D5jKNa3PgqQGY59JOHu1xvhWZ5H_tTm7D-rYEuZIekMHH5nunznSnMTPXjqHr5eMXZPx7FcoVAsN7OC-ctYKAEouEEuJY6qMDG5eL7o3tseqdJWRp1C4rVRM/s400/IMG_1094.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I am so in love with her smiles and giggles. She laughs often and I’m
soaking every moment in. It probably helps she has two older siblings
entertaining her every chance they get. The house feels quiet and empty when
they’re at school, and I even feel bad for her because I can tell she misses
having them around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I am thankful to have a daughter. And while I am thankful I also know in
my heart that having a daughter does not complete me as a person, or is in any
way better than it would’ve been to have another sweet boy. I have heard
comments along these lines from so many people and they are far from the truth. I know how
difficult it is to even become pregnant, that any child God chooses to give us
is a great honor and a blessing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaJGK426A1uOVcyY0MZku-LLirKbF7fkLgv5AziCP_aHpv8_48lioL4YJBMbLQtYrll3gpyduxfd7hlaAhQ8EYfu3iPe9Y9uEVX1GboDXXrOxpkHf2_hg11J0IQonFKFiwXxwWORYJsg/s1600/Lillian+Briggs-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaJGK426A1uOVcyY0MZku-LLirKbF7fkLgv5AziCP_aHpv8_48lioL4YJBMbLQtYrll3gpyduxfd7hlaAhQ8EYfu3iPe9Y9uEVX1GboDXXrOxpkHf2_hg11J0IQonFKFiwXxwWORYJsg/s400/Lillian+Briggs-15.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-51554550169335492952016-11-28T21:50:00.002-05:002016-11-28T21:50:26.546-05:00Christmas Time<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was the Tuesday
before Thanksgiving. We had just gotten home from the mall and I rushed to
Lillian’s room to put her down to sleep. She had fallen asleep in the car and I
was hoping she wouldn’t wake up, so I rushed the kids out of the car and ran to
her room! When out of the blue Jack asked:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Mommy, do you think Christmas is a
time when we should be greedy?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I didn’t even look at
his face but I could tell by the tone of his voice that it was a sincere
question. I could picture the wheels turning in his head trying to figure out what
was right and what was wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oh how this question
convicted me. See I had just spent the last week scourging for Black Friday
deals coming up on Thanksgiving day. I had made a mental and physical list of
all the things I wanted for myself and the kids. I knew I <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">was</b> greedy and it happened every single
year around Thanksgiving time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">For those last two
weeks I had <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">repeatedly</b> asked Jack
what he wanted for Christmas. Grandparents and aunts and uncles wanted to know.
I wanted to know! His answer was too simple: Legos. Nothing else. Not even a
second or third item on his list! There was not even a specific Lego he wanted,
he was pretty much happy with anything. And apparently this had not been good
enough of an answer, so I continually asked him to think about it some more and
get back to me. I needed more details and more ideas! Come on kid this is your
golden opportunity to ask for anything you want… and all you can think of is a
lego?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I didn’t answer his
question right away but I circled back with him later that afternoon. I knew I
couldn’t just give him the ‘politically correct’ answer because this savvy
seven year old would see right through me. I knew I had been greedy myself and
had bombarded him with questions about what he wanted. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I may have said with words that we should be generous, but my actions
were not saying the same thing.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That afternoon I told
him that Christmas was a time to think about others. To think about the gift
that Jesus is and that Christmas is a time to love on others less fortunate than us. I also told him it was easy to become greedy and that I myself struggled
with it every year. I shared how the TV ads on toys made it tempting for us to
want more and more things. And how hearing ‘What do you want for Christmas?’
over and over again would make us think <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">more
about us and less about others</b>. That afternoon we prayed and asked God to
change our hearts from takers to givers. And we talked about all kinds of practical
ideas that we could do to love on others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’m not sharing this
because there was a happy perfect ending. I have shopped online and still
managed to spend quite a bit of time buying Christmas gifts since then. After all I do have to buy presents for family... but I am now reminded that my children are watching closely. And
that as little as they are, they pick up on things quickly. My hope for them is that they will be generous young
men (or women) when they grow up. I hope they will truly understand what
Christmas is all about one day. And I pray that I will show them by example and
not just by words. </span></span></div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-18270850087456218442016-07-14T19:39:00.003-04:002016-07-14T19:47:30.494-04:00On your 8th Birthday<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Dear Andrew,</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Today
would’ve been your 8<sup>th</sup> birthday. This year it doesn’t seem as difficult
as other years and that’s probably because my hands are full right now with
your baby sister. Not that anyone would ever take your place, but it is a joy
to hold a brand new life and marvel at the wonderful things God does.
Thankfulness seems to surpass the grief this year.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I like to pause
and remember on your birthday what a blessing you have been. Over the years
your story has given us the opportunity to share our faith with others around
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When tragedy strikes someone close
by, we no longer turn the other way or shy away from the pain. Instead we can
share our story - your story- as a testimony that God can bring good out of the
most unthinkable of circumstances. When someone is hurting because they’ve lost
a loved one, instead of saying ‘Just trust God!’ we can now understand their
feelings of anger and doubt. And that it’s normal and not a sin to feel this
way at times.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It is a
blessing to be able to connect with the most broken hearted of people, and be
able to walk alongside of them during their grief. These are roads that very
few walk down upon and they can be very isolating. It is a privilege I never
wished or asked for, but now that I’m here I wouldn’t give it back.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">My heart
changed the day you were born, but it changed even more the day you passed
away. It had always been easy for me to trust the Lord when things were going good,
but after you were gone I had to learn to trust God in dark places where life
didn’t make sense. It wasn’t an easy process, it was hard and messy, imperfect,
and certainly there were more bad days than good days. But God used that season
to draw me closer to him and get to know some qualities about him I wouldn’t
have known anywhere else. And when it’s all said and done, what I strive for in
this life is to know God more, even if the process involves some difficult and
hard places along the way.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The
blessings that came from your life also came with a cost. My pregnancies since
you’ve been gone have been very difficult. I’ve wrestled with fear of loss in
all of them and wished I could’ve enjoyed them more. I thought about you every
day during this last pregnancy. Even to this day I often wonder what life would
look like with you in it.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">These last
three months have been joyful and difficult at the same time. I don’t take for
granted the miracle of new life, but I also know how fragile it can be. During
the newborn season I try so hard to be perfect- to make all the right decisions
to protect this new little human that’s been entrusted to me- and I’m really
hard on myself when I don’t make all those perfect decisions. I know it’s my
own way of trying to be in control and prevent something bad from happening.
Thankfully God extends His grace when I give in to worry and fear of losing
another child. Because the fear is still there and I’m not sure it will ever
fully go away.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Today I
remember your life. I am so thankful for being able to hold you for those short
10 days, even with the countless tears that have come over the last 8 years.
You were and are a great blessing, and I dream of the day when I will get to
hold you again. </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">"The Lord gives and He takes away, Blessed be the name of the Lord" Job 1:21</span></span></div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-50702881348280752852016-04-17T02:33:00.000-04:002016-04-17T02:53:21.748-04:00The Last Week<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It seems
surreal we are getting ready to meet Lillian in less than a week! While we are
very excited there are other emotions that always seem to creep up the week
before my due dates.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In my past pregnancies
with Jack and Palmer it was difficult for me to allow myself to be excited. Because
we had lost Andrew so unexpectedly after he was born, I didn’t want to go
through the pain of cleaning up things for another empty nursery. I didn’t
really talk to them in my belly like I did with Andrew, and when I did it was difficult
and painful. I didn’t really post any </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">pictures of my pregnancy with either. I
was very private about both pregnancies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this
pregnancy I have tried really hard to allow myself to be excited and it hasn’t
come naturally. Not because she’s a girl, but Lord willing, because it will be
my last pregnancy. I have many regrets of how I’ve done things in the past. I
regret not enjoying my pregnancies more and staying so stuck in fear. I regret
not getting ready for them as I should’ve, not singing and talking to them like
I did in the past, not allowing myself to anticipate their arrival with joy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even after
they were born, I regret wishing away that newborn season because it was just
plain hard and exhausting. Looking back it went by in the blink of an eye and I
wish I wouldn’t have looked so much forward to the future. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So this
pregnancy has been different and I have enjoyed it more, much thanks to the
help of friends and family. But as we get close to welcome her this time around,
I am often reminded of Andrew. I have thought so much about him these last few
weeks, multiple times a day. And I feel the same anticipation and excitement
this time around as we did with Andrew… and it bring back all the memories I
have of waiting for his arrival. There have been a few other things that have
felt similar to my pregnancy with Andrew (and even Steve agreed with me the
other night) that it has left me feeling unsettled and wondering how life will
change after this baby. One way or another it will change significantly in five
days, and I hope and pray that it ends with a healthy delivery and baby. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I sometimes
wonder how I can miss Andrew so much even though he was only with us for 10
days. We have very little memories together other than our time at the hospital
with him. We never got to know his laugh, his personality, or his perks. And
yet somehow I miss him so so much all these years later. It is incredible how
God gives us the ability to unconditionally love our children from the moment
they are born, and even during pregnancy. I not only long for the short time we
had together, but I think I also grieve all the dreams we had for him that didn’t
come to happen. And so these days I miss him a lot.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Other than this mix of excitement, fear, and missing Andrew- physically I am doing ok. I didn't think I was going to make it to my due date (per my big belly, pressure, and increasing contractions) but I think I will probably make it after all. I don't have the energy to do much these days and I've been resting a lot so I don't go into labor early. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Really
appreciate everyone’s prayers for delivery next week. I don’t quite feel ready
yet here at home, but I’m hoping that I’ll have time to wrap everything at home
during the days I’ll have at home before delivery. My c-section is scheduled
for Friday morning at 9am on April 22</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">nd</sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">. Thank you for your prayers
and encouragement!</span></div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-46642003321382379252016-01-06T21:09:00.001-05:002016-01-06T21:19:48.709-05:00Baby Briggs # 4: Boy or Girl?<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had our big ultrasound for baby Briggs this past Tuesday
January 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>. I was 23 weeks and 6 days, and we mostly decided to
wait until 2016 due to insurance reasons. While I would’ve been happy to wait
until the baby was born to know (we never found out with Jack and I loved it!) Steve was very set on finding out this time around, so eventually I gave in.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since the beginning of my pregnancy Jack was hoping for a girl and Palmer for a boy. Mom and dad were hoping for a baby human :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After being blessed with three beautiful baby boys….</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvJy7vU39s-gmGKT2BIeel4fP1h3eZSSD-WUrAuyJmRoCTfrMe2WqGYDi1c3qaqp5dhBrUda_2N8lcV4Uznb3ukHzHRW9YOQVbP6iCxgfO1QvRqrPJ8PAFrtC-N-VuCPzmDP9ivBnOFs/s1600/1930312_526542343008_1723_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvJy7vU39s-gmGKT2BIeel4fP1h3eZSSD-WUrAuyJmRoCTfrMe2WqGYDi1c3qaqp5dhBrUda_2N8lcV4Uznb3ukHzHRW9YOQVbP6iCxgfO1QvRqrPJ8PAFrtC-N-VuCPzmDP9ivBnOFs/s400/1930312_526542343008_1723_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmXdx8cmIux1muXHeDGLNjGa3WYX7WHqSJ50BOqbUTAXUCFRXcRKPWNm6kYiDQaYgsi-zwLGX8-lwy_cFBhJr-EEnPBLMr5dN1iV5X4Su5_pCI1l1HRdYWnTqpM07traMz7TYJGyZvTY/s1600/DSC04297B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmXdx8cmIux1muXHeDGLNjGa3WYX7WHqSJ50BOqbUTAXUCFRXcRKPWNm6kYiDQaYgsi-zwLGX8-lwy_cFBhJr-EEnPBLMr5dN1iV5X4Su5_pCI1l1HRdYWnTqpM07traMz7TYJGyZvTY/s400/DSC04297B.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvBzbGOrASXlTq1yTkyfKiRnew8W_jM0tEeT3cyIqneJiQTqVRFdNyK7gLM_VTszDwLkLIvCYZG5W2904g5gMR0DlWCVrsx4r94R9j5KElrPFXRcGcFuHg8FRJuvR9voGHT1wCgZ2DJQ/s1600/Palmer3%25284x6%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvBzbGOrASXlTq1yTkyfKiRnew8W_jM0tEeT3cyIqneJiQTqVRFdNyK7gLM_VTszDwLkLIvCYZG5W2904g5gMR0DlWCVrsx4r94R9j5KElrPFXRcGcFuHg8FRJuvR9voGHT1wCgZ2DJQ/s400/Palmer3%25284x6%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palmer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Baby Briggs # 4 is a…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuoDMQftuQzYmWHYoWBq0H6dvk9XtJDAGnS78am7JvSvs-IR8p4x1Nq3LNv4M72PTUglbuIkLJio5_Lr4NqWtWDk_AwfoFPabkoKSqQZN9KjvD_itbjjSmd4QzxJFKB3O3jSPtg_C6BI/s1600/BRIGGS_CAROLINA_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuoDMQftuQzYmWHYoWBq0H6dvk9XtJDAGnS78am7JvSvs-IR8p4x1Nq3LNv4M72PTUglbuIkLJio5_Lr4NqWtWDk_AwfoFPabkoKSqQZN9KjvD_itbjjSmd4QzxJFKB3O3jSPtg_C6BI/s400/BRIGGS_CAROLINA_5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Girl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are so excited to welcome a baby girl!! I would’ve posted
the pic of her bottom, but then who wants their first facebook picture to
be of their butt right? We are thankful from the ultrasound she looked healthy
and growing as she should be. I did ask Cathy (our ultrasound lady) to check
multiple times since we were very surprised and didn’t quite believe her at first... We could
tell from this ultrasound this baby has big hands and feet, just like her big
brothers :)</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And while we are excited to welcome a girl to our family, we
would’ve been just as thrilled had we been blessed with a baby boy. (I have to
say this because I don’t like comments like ‘Oh you finally got your girl!’
as if we were holding our breath hoping only for a girl). What an adventure and
honor it would’ve been to raise little men to love the Lord. I so love being a
mama to boys- doing all things boys like Star Wars, legos, and gun fights. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t even fathom what princesses and dress-up
will look like in this house, but I’m looking forward to that too.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We praise God for the gift of new life. He deserves all the
honor and glory for the little miracles He creates! The verse below has always been a good reminder that God alone has the power to give forth new life- no matter how at times I wish things were under my control or go according to my plan. It has been encouraging during times when I've struggled to get pregnant or wrestled with worry during pregnancies. Truly He deserves all the glory, honor and praise.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>'You are worthy our Lord and God <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><em>to receive glory and honor and power</em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><em>for you created all things</em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><em>and by your will they were created and have their being'</em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><em>Revelations 4:11</em></span></span></div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-62450816733633983592015-10-29T16:47:00.005-04:002015-10-29T21:47:43.359-04:00The Last Year<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are so incredibly grateful for the blessing to be
expecting another baby Briggs next year! But I can’t bring myself to share the
news without also sharing about what this past year has looked like for me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It has been a difficult and rather humbling year. After quickly
getting pregnant with Jack on our first month, Palmer on the second month,
waiting a year to become pregnant this time… well it felt like a very long
time. I know it may not seem like a long time compared to those who have been
in a season of waiting for many years, but it was still a season in which I struggled
and questioned God at times. The longer time went by, the more I felt that God
surely was closing this door for us to grow our family.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This season of waiting tested my faith. I prayed countless
prayers for another baby, in every way I could think possible. I did all the
things I thought I was supposed to do. I ate all the right foods, cut all the
bad ones… all the things that had worked in the past that seemed to have helped
me get pregnant- and yet for a period my request was not answered with the’
yes’ I was hoping for. It was particularly more difficult on the days when
friends announced their pregnancies, and while part of me rejoiced for them there
was also a part of me that felt discouraged and forgotten by God.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I knew after 9 months that something needed to change and I began
attending Celebrate Recovery. CR is a Christ centered recovery ministry that helps
people overcome any type of addiction, hurt, habit or hang-up (and you can
learn more about it <a href="http://www.celebraterecovery.com/">here</a>). I had been part of this program for many years in
the past, and it had always been a blessing to me and brought healing to many
different areas of my life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
May 4<sup>th</sup> of this year was the day I went back. I
remember the date because it was Palmer’s 3<sup>rd</sup> birthday, and I
unexpectedly broke down that morning in tears at his birthday party, something
I don’t think I’ve ever done before. His birthday was particularly difficult
because it was a very tangible reminder of how quickly time goes by and how
fast children grow up. The fleeting newborn stage is something I had wished
away so many times on long, sleepless nights (I had two really colicky babies!),
and now it was something I was not guaranteed I would ever have again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That night I walked back in to Celebrate Recovery at the
Crossing Church. Even though I should’ve been at home celebrating Palmer’s
birthday with family, Steve encouraged me go because he could see how broken I
felt. I walked in with my hair pulled back, no makeup, and a puffy, tear
stained face. I quietly made my way to the back of the place hoping no one
would notice I had been crying.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Celebrate Recovery did not have all the answers or magical
solution I was hoping for. But I realized two very important things while I was
there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, I quickly realized I simply did not trust God. It
sounds so simple doesn’t it? If I could only trust God my worry would go away
and it would all get better. But my lack of trust went a little deeper than
that. As it turns out I trusted that God was good, that He was sovereign, and
that He would only allow something difficult in my life to happen if he could
ultimately use it for good. I have had the privilege of watching Him do this
time and time again. But the truth is some of the trials He had allowed had
also hurt A LOT, and I was scared he would allow something that painful to
happen to me or our family again. And that fear of pain kept me from fully
walking in peace with Him, and it kept me tied to uncertainty of the future and
worry of the pain it could bring.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also falsely believed I could be stuck in a place of worry
and discontentment for years, if not for the rest of my life. What if it just
wasn’t God’s plan for us to grow our family? I wondered if I would always have
this sense of longing for more children, or feeling as if something was missing
from our family. And that fear kept me paralyzed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From what felt like a very difficult season, I am grateful
God took the time to bring to light areas where I was holding back from him.
And even though there were many things I surrendered to the Lord, I still was
unable to come to a place where I completely trusted him. I certainly wish I
had come to that place. I couldn’t understand why I was stuck in this place again
after being pregnant THREE other times. But somehow I was here, I was stuck,
and I couldn’t seem to find my way out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I realized nothing I could on my own would work. I began to
cry out to the Lord for deliverance from being in this place of waiting. I knew
He could answer in different ways- with a no (He could’ve changed Steve’s heart and mine), try something different (he could’ve led us to adoption which I
would’ve been thrilled with), wait (it will take much longer) or yes (he could
do what I was hoping he would do). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
this point my pain was much greater than my own will being done (for a lack of
a better word I was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">desperate </i></b>to come out of this season) and I was ready to accept
whatever His answer was.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was surprised to find out I was pregnant just a few weeks
later. To be honest I thought he would answer with a no. I was taken back to find out I was pregnant but of so incredibly
grateful. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was not any prayer, my
ability to stop worrying, or anything I did on my part to be graced with a yes.
I do not understand why God says yes to some prayers and no to others, but I do
know when he says Yes it is undeserved, unmerited grace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
God is a God who delivers from pits. It took me a long time to
know He finds no delight in us being stuck in there, no matter how we fall into
the pit. At some point I had begun to blame God for allowing me to be in
this place, but I don't think His intentions are ever to be in these dark places or
to stay there. Beth Moore says it very well:<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“We must never cease
to believe God cares about those in physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual
prisons. When we are suffering because of captivity (or any other reason) we
must learn to cry out! Yes God sees our suffering and cares deeply for us, but
acknowledging the slavery is a crucial place towards authentic freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is intimately acquainted with the sorrows
and suffering that result from slavery of any kind. He also has a remedy and is
the meter of our needs. Whether we fall victim, or fall into slavery because of
our own sin or disobedience… God has deliverance in mind. As long as the sun
comes up in the morning, God will keep offering to deliver His children”</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Beth Moore from the book ‘Breaking Free-
Making Liberty in Christ a Reality in Life.</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t know what the future holds. I am not guaranteed the
health or safe delivery of this baby, and part of me knows that no matter what
happens God would still be in the Throne, He would still be just, and He would
still be everything He says He is. I believe that whatever trials I experience
here on earth, there will be a day where He will wipe away every tear and make
everything new. His word says so… and I hold on tightly to those words on the
days where I question his goodness. On the days when I read about Christians
being persecuted, wars in the Middle East, mass shootings at churches and schools,
and the countless tragedies on the news.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But just for today I am trying to take it one day at a time. I want to rejoice on the miracle that being pregnant is and what joy it has brought
to our family, no matter what tomorrow looks like. Looking back what felt like a very long time really wasn't that long at all- and I wish I would've lived more in the present and not in the future as much as I did.<br />
<br />
I know at some point down the road I will experience disappointments
and trials, and when that time comes I am confident God will be there to meet
me with grace, as He has done faithfully in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-52971186621245264002015-07-14T08:24:00.000-04:002015-07-15T20:30:23.811-04:00In Memory of Andrew's 7th Birthday<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you for being here today. It is a blessing to Steve
and I to receive so much love and encouragement from all of you. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d like to share how Andrew impacted my life in the short 10 days
he was here. During the past 9 months God blessed us with a healthy and smooth pregnancy.
When we found out Andrew had swelling to the brain and was having seizures, the
first thought that came to mind was Why? Had we taken a wrong turn somewhere?
How could a loving God allow this suffering to happen?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I desperately dove into the bible looking for some answers.And I never found a single promise from God to shields us from pain and suffering. As I read through the bible those chosen by the Lord were asked to face great trials and dark storms. But they also had the honor and joy of experiencing something greater at the end of their stories:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mary endured the pain of watching her son Jesus be
crucified and killed. But at the end she also had the great joy of watching him come back
to life three days later when all hope was gone. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
David endured trials and persecution for many years before his time to
reign as King of Jerusalem. But once he reigned Jerusalem would have the greatest period of peace they ever experienced.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Job endured the pain of losing all his children on one day and his
wealth gone. But in the end of the story, God blessed him with more children, and his wealth was restored tenfold in God's time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most importantly, even God himself freely gave his only son to be
crucified and mocked, to save the souls of men and women who didn’t deserve it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These stories remind me that dark storms are only temporary.
That God does not promise to shield us from them. He
himself endured many dark storms. He promises to be there with us to help us
through it and that they too will pass, and there will be joy again in the
morning.<br />
<br />
I remember one night while Andrew was in the NICU, sitting with sister Elizabeth in our porch praying on our knees for Andrew's healing. My sister looked at me and with all the confidence in the world she said 'It is an honor that God is using Andrew for his plan and purpose. There are people who live all their lives without ever finding the purpose God had for them'. And that brought me comfort. She also told me there were a lot of good things happening around us but because we were so focused on Andrew at the time, we had not yet had a chance to see them. I clung onto these words as they brought me so much encouragement.<br />
<br />
There are two main things God has taught me during these last few weeks. The first is to be less judgmental of other people. No matter what walk of life they are from, what they look like, or where they are going... if they have breath and life then God is choosing to give them life because he loves them and has a plan for them.<br />
<br />
God also showed me how his love is unconditional. The day before Andrew passed away, I kept thinking about the future and the very high possibility that Andrew would be a special needs child. I wondered if I would love him just as much. And that's when it sank in to my heart- that God's love is unconditional for us. We are so far from being perfect and yet he still loves us, and has all the patience in the world with us. I knew at that very moment that I would love Andrew no matter what deficiencies he would have. I begged God that night to allow us to bring him home with us, no matter what the future would be- we just wanted the chance to love on our son.<br />
<br />
God called Andrew to heaven on a Thursday night, exactly 10 days almost to the hour from when he was born. When we received the phone call from the hospital that his heart was failing I felt an incredible peace come over me. The horrible anxiety and desperation I had experienced every second Andrew had been in the NICU was gone. I knew Andrew's life was now in God's hands.<br />
<br />
I still have questions and we are hurting over the loss of our precious child, but I can cling to God's comfort. And His promise that he loved Andrew much more than Steve and I did.<br />
<br />
<i>Today as I reflect on Andrew's life on what would've been his 7th Birthday. I am thankful for all the joy God has brought back into our lives. He has healed and restored so much, and He has been faithful to His promises. Not because of anything Steve and I did, or any faith we seemed to have- we have certainly struggled, wrestled, and doubted... and continue to this day. But simply because He is a good and merciful God. He is true to his promises, and He is trustworthy even through the most unthinkable of circumstances. Today I want to give him all the honor, glory, and praise for the story he is writing out in our family.</i> <br />
<br />
<i>A brief summary for those of you who don't know Andrew's story- He was
our son born after a healthy and smooth pregnancy. He was born seemingly
healthy at a whopping 8 lbs, 4 oz and a 9 APGAR score. On our third day at
the hospital, as we were getting ready to go home he was taken to the NICU where the doctors found half of
his brain was not working due to an injury to the brain. They did not determine when it happened and we have never really known for sure. He remained in
the NICU for the next seven days and then unexpectedly passed away when his heart failed at 10
days old. </i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhxH81cuappQasQzVDtLDzryV3lgNo8h9Ky-inpP0uvzZltv5yWdllxiMyBcMwuWsIQJ8K4dFjhiclaZ5-tOYEhODHp0_sxvEWJL8UbXw-GYY4vtCj3je3Eo-5sgmJlSh5FQFELLGrsc/s1600/06750022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhxH81cuappQasQzVDtLDzryV3lgNo8h9Ky-inpP0uvzZltv5yWdllxiMyBcMwuWsIQJ8K4dFjhiclaZ5-tOYEhODHp0_sxvEWJL8UbXw-GYY4vtCj3je3Eo-5sgmJlSh5FQFELLGrsc/s400/06750022.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdccyFRc3z3aM3dNlZ8hjbeBo5Krzlcs_vJ6qcUJejBa68w01tPe3N2YstJDZodJJ3qQ1CbPeyTHQcK_Au6reJmpLiXfOzZuehyphenhyphenSTwemeDCvCADRX0dyAYHuk1PXyrLClk1z030ITu3o/s1600/1930312_526542343008_1723_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdccyFRc3z3aM3dNlZ8hjbeBo5Krzlcs_vJ6qcUJejBa68w01tPe3N2YstJDZodJJ3qQ1CbPeyTHQcK_Au6reJmpLiXfOzZuehyphenhyphenSTwemeDCvCADRX0dyAYHuk1PXyrLClk1z030ITu3o/s400/1930312_526542343008_1723_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWhsFJKX5xUMkwpJXv6agxSpHig9g8lcv27KELx4K7GsvT7t5uVICmmCBVXfunFHOcAaB8_Trhl4NGVx7HwXfHtREYG5jGu1y0QWmxmTuHOVvEecN2MtDm8Axs6_IyCTlQKdA58W9rSY/s1600/DSC01752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWhsFJKX5xUMkwpJXv6agxSpHig9g8lcv27KELx4K7GsvT7t5uVICmmCBVXfunFHOcAaB8_Trhl4NGVx7HwXfHtREYG5jGu1y0QWmxmTuHOVvEecN2MtDm8Axs6_IyCTlQKdA58W9rSY/s400/DSC01752.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAHLSD-ZDUGdtGJwS1sICRxrTqyGPkiKMyGywCnnqo33JT0hwuWfFlszb3xF0zHvoo9f8ySeSJKA6dyTfLOxP13sYz2ejOBjnFgpkonYCJsfF4pgo0YKjQ4ytMmQEl3clpUw3ouljibE/s1600/06750008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAHLSD-ZDUGdtGJwS1sICRxrTqyGPkiKMyGywCnnqo33JT0hwuWfFlszb3xF0zHvoo9f8ySeSJKA6dyTfLOxP13sYz2ejOBjnFgpkonYCJsfF4pgo0YKjQ4ytMmQEl3clpUw3ouljibE/s400/06750008.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5205943968810984783.post-73136622603297150232015-05-22T20:39:00.000-04:002015-05-22T21:16:19.936-04:00Quiet Times<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wanted to write about things that have helped me dive into
God’s word during ‘Quiet Times’. This is my daily time of reading the bible and
praying, a practice I learned shortly after I accepted Christ in college. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This is not a post to share or brag about
what a good person I must be for having quiet times, but simply to share things
that have helped me over the past few years</b>. I have had misconceptions
about quiet times in the past, have come to times where I have gotten stuck and
in a rut, and there have been seasons where I have been inconsistent or not had
them at all. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These last few weeks I have been digging deeper on what it
looks like to not only ‘skim through’ God’s word (as I often do) but to receive
all that God intended it to be. For it to be <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">life-changing, mind-transforming, life-altering and everything else God
promises it can be.</b> I want that and often I don’t receive that and wonder
why. Whether it’s that I’m too busy, inconsistent, etc- I want more of God and
less of the world… and somehow I have ended up a little bit more on the worldly
side. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the last few years I have my quiet times during my son’s
afternoon naps. As they have gotten older their naps have turned into ‘quiet
times’ for them to play in their room. Because as a friend recently shared- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jesus may have been a morning person, but I
am definitely not a morning person!</b> I have never been able to be consistent
with getting up early in the morning before the day begins.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But over the last few months, afternoon quiet times haven’t
been consistent and when we do have them- the kids always have to go #2. Like
clockwork! It’s as if the word ‘go to your room’ triggers something in their
brain to find a way to get out of it. Particularly my somewhat recently potty
trained three year old who is still learning how to go to the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wasn’t working anymore and something
needed to change! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I was spending more
time scrolling through my phone out of convenience rather than reading God’s
word.</b> And I have a feeling that excuse will not hold up in heaven.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As of a few weeks ago I decided to set my alarm for 6am to
have a good uninterrupted quiet time. Although I haven’t been perfect, for the
most part it has worked really well. My days are so much different when I make
the effort to meet God before the day begins.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are some of the items I use read quiet times:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Jesus Calling Devotional- This is a short daily
devotional with a ‘letter’ from God’s perspective and a few bible verses
related to the devotional. It is a wonderful way to get started for the day! </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Prayer Journal- I started mine in 2011 and
continue to write in it. It looks very much like this one but in pink. You can
make your own with a small three ring binder or buy a new one at this adorable
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThroneOfGrace?ref=l2-shopheader-name">etsy shop</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4bhX4U_sUPGjJxbIUObKmssp4oDG5Gv5ajeaTBJEimr9BXRFPepqXyzbnHovU-ykXylk2iLKwA2FuNv0mo_Wb5ZX-Com8tSRLunEnj57xjWbkACPAn_Ck_tn1OXFv4MBPtH1ZHHoPxE/s1600/il_570xN.751850994_ihnc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4bhX4U_sUPGjJxbIUObKmssp4oDG5Gv5ajeaTBJEimr9BXRFPepqXyzbnHovU-ykXylk2iLKwA2FuNv0mo_Wb5ZX-Com8tSRLunEnj57xjWbkACPAn_Ck_tn1OXFv4MBPtH1ZHHoPxE/s400/il_570xN.751850994_ihnc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Travel Bible and Celebrate Recovery Bible- Just
the bibles I use. I love the CR bible because it has countless testimonies
throughout.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Journal- Just a regular journal to write down
thoughts for the day.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Gratitude Journal- I have started writing down
things I’m thankful for at the end of the day again. (using just a small three
ring binder).</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Prayer Journal- A place where I take bible
verses for each family member and write it out to pray over them. Or if I’m
struggling in a certain area I will pick specific bible verses to pray over it.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t go through all of these daily in case it seems like
a lot of stuff. What has been the most helpful life changing thing for me
recently has been using the SOAP method on a bible verse..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
S: Scripture (write out the verse)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
O: Observation (What are the facts observed from the verse)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A: Application (how does this apply to my life)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
P: Prayer (Write out a short prayer based on the verse)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although it takes more time, I have really enjoyed using the
SOAP method. It has helped me tremendously in not just reading through
something when I’m tired and groggy in the morning, but to really dive into God’s
word.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you have any suggestions on things that have helped you during quiet times I would love to hear it. Hope this post was helpful to you as well! </div>
Carolinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052196421914129444noreply@blogger.com