Easter, 2014

Like I said in Wilson's update post, we have been talking about death alot lately because of Andrew's grandfather's passing into heaven. If Wilson doesn't see or talk to someone for a couple of days, he asks if they died (ack!)... it's all kind of morbid, but it gives a good springboard to talk about spiritual things with him.

We were making Easter cards for family with crosses on the front and I asked Wilson if he knew what happened on the cross. Nope. (He can remember all the lines to Wheels on the Bus... but not this?! Side note.) He likes to make sure that Grandaddy really is getting a new body, because (was this a mistake?) he saw the old one in the casket and realizes it doesn't work anymore... that it's just a shell, a temporary home. I told him that the only reason Grandaddy can have a new body, the only reason Grandaddy is safe in heaven, is because of what Jesus did on the cross. 

How in the world do you tell a three year old about the most precious, incredible moment in human history? I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and not let go until he understood every word. I know that will come, and I know that our job as his parents is to weave these beautiful truths into everyday life for him... so I am praying God gives us a lot of grace to do that.

Easter was always one of my favorite holidays growing up, and I want to make it memorable for him, too. So I made this bunny cake. Maybe it's just from pictures, but I think I can remember alot of cakes my mom and grandmothers made growing up.... something that tastes SO good decorated really fun just seems to seer in the memory. It wasn't terribly hard but when we arrived at the egg hunt I was taking it to and it slid from the front seat into the floorboard I cried lots and lots of tears.

I must have had an angel in the floorboard, because by some miracle the cake survived. I can't explain it y'all... supernatural cake resurrection.

Our friends, the Smiths, had all the friends over the week before Easter for a egg hunt at their house. So thoughtful of them to host! One of my favorite parts was trying to get a picture of all our little people.

Do our friends make cute babies, or what?

We released the hounds outside to hunt down their ten eggs a piece.

Wilson tried to stop and open each egg to see what was inside before he put it in his bucket. A sly one. We convinced him that this was a terrible gamble and all the eggs and chocolate would be gobbled up if he didn't hurry.

On the Saturday before Easter, we went to another egg hunt at Wilson's sunday school teachers' house. They invite every child in the church and there must have been 100 kids there. Incredibly generous.

I kind of gabbed with a friend the whole time and didn't see Wilson hunt one egg, but I don't think he cared. By the time I got to him he was content playing in the sand box.

We loaded up on some more sugar and played with friends.

On Sunday morning I woke W up by telling him he had a surprise in the kitchen.

We didn't do an Easter basket last year and I felt the pang of it afterwards... you know, the mom guilt. So I put a little something together for him this year. 

Really I wanted an excuse to buy him these two CDs I've been holding in my Amazon cart for awhile. Hidden in my Heart sings mostly straight scripture and is definitely a lullaby CD (I tried to play it this morning during breakfast and it was lulling us all back to sleepy town.)... but it has such pretty arrangements and beautiful lyrics. The Elizabeth Mitchell CD (Thanks, Courtney for the rec!) is just straight fun... very folksy and upbeat and she sounds a lot like Sheryl Crow to me, whom I adore.

Also, he got his first pair of goggles.

Then off we went to have the words of the gospel washed over our souls. A beautiful sermon on a vindicated King and I left thinking how incredibly blessed we are to hear such life-changing gospel truths every Sunday... not just Easter.

Who is this dapper young fellow? And what did he do with my toddling Little Man? :(

We had a family Easter lunch (plus our sweet friend, Tori)... I cooked my first Easter lunch ever. (How did I make it this long without doing that?) and then we just lounged around in the hammock the rest of the day. 

And Charlie kicked his hardest kicks and made sure we all remembered he's on his way. Yes, we know Charlie... we are ready for you to join in the fun. Happy Resurrection Day to all.

Seven & Thirty

April is my favorite month of the year. I can't imagine a more perfect time to celebrate our anniversary and my birthday than when the world is turning green again and bursting with color. 

This year Andrew and I celebrated our seventh anniversary and that number seems so small to me. Could it only be seven? I can't really remember life without him and don't want to. He's the most beautiful constant thing... always laying down his life for me and making me feel like the most incredible woman in the world. I'm not, but I am humbled to think I'm married to the most incredible husband (who is currently ripping up linoleum on his day off because that's what kind of a servant he is). 

Mom came in to watch Wilson last weekend and sent Andrew and I off to celebrate in Point Clear/Fairhope, Alabama. It felt like our honeymoon all over again... except this time we were early risers and went to yard sales and played horse shoes and watched fish jump and read the newspaper over breakfast and oh my goodness, I really am 30! 

It was everything we needed. 

I only got one picture (selfie, classy) of us and it was blurry and terrible but who can think about capturing the weekend with pictures when you are having the best of best times?

Happy seventh, Andrew! Let's keep doing this marriage thing... it's fun. 

Yesterday I celebrated 30 years of life and unlike seven THIS number seems too big. I don't feel 30... but then again, what is 30 supposed to feel like?

It seems fitting to celebrate Easter in the midst of my birthday, because the gospel is really what gives me such contentment with where I am in life. I lack nothing. The veil is torn and it is finished... the Servant King has washed my feet and my heart. Everything else is just an overflow of goodness and grace.

I told Andrew that for my 30th I wanted all of our friends over for a grill out in our backyard. He got frustrated at me several times because I was doing too much hosting for my own party, but giving me the chance to host is a gift. It's my favorite thing and the older I get the more I'm learning how to use things that give me joy to bless others. 

I told Wilson all I wanted from him was a good picture of us.

After about ten tries and a little bribing, he finally obliged.

We had a backyard full of our favorite people and my favorite littles, and I was thinking that life really couldn't get better.

Can you see how W is learning how to brand his toys?

 Have I said too many times how much I love our friends here? In this season of life I feel like I'm desperate for other moms with genuine honesty, sharpening encouragement, and the desire to live in real community. These friends are all that and more. There's never been a time when I've had a problem and thought, "Who can I call?" because I have a wealth of grace at my fingertips. I'm going to lock them all up in our attic and never let any of them leave me... but really.

And all of their littles, too.

At some point my party turned into a Frozen dance party and I was thrilled to be so trendy. Who of the cool girls, hasn't had a Frozen party this year... I would have hated to have been left out.

A night I will store up and treasure in my heart. Here's to the next decade! I'm hopeful for the hard and the beautiful, because I know that they are both necessary to get me ready for heaven and to experience it fully now.

Lately

I'm stealing this from you, {Anne Marie}, because just thinking about writing a full post on all that's happened this month makes me hyperventilate a bit.

School has begun.

As God's blessing causes our ministry here at Southern to grow, Andrew's responsibilities grow with it. So while most days I am wondering when I'm going to see my husband again, we are incredibly grateful for what God is doing at Southern Miss. Last night we had our biggest weekly meeting at 70 students. During the meeting, we skyped with our recent alumni, Paula, who is serving in East Asia. It was a full-circle moment of what we are hoping to see happen here. Students understanding how to walk well with their Lord in college... and then leave to be a blessing to the world. 

                              

Andrew has started seminary.
Yikes! (It's a scary and exciting thing.) Our church is graciously providing the means for Andrew to drive to Jackson, MS one day a week to take classes at RTS. Andrew is already learning so much from his classes and reading; we are ever so grateful for this opportunity that was obviously a gift from the Lord. However, taking a load of classes and leading a ministry/shepherding a team is quite the balancing act. We need lots of prayers and grace to be able to live life well these days.

                                                    

Wilson and I are at home. Mostly.
I have to be candid here and say that all the instagram/facebook pictures of children being sent off to preschool has left me as an emotional push me-pull you most days. It's better for us to stay at home. Is it better for him to stay at home? I want to be his teacher. Am I equipped to be his teacher? I can shepherd him well here. Will anyone find out that I sat him in front of the TV for an hour while I took a shower and got ready? This decision to keep him home is partly financial and partly this inclination to keep him longer. I'll be honest and say that I wrestle back and forth if that's a selfish desire, making an idol out time with him... or is it just the call the Lord has on my life right now--that the way he wants me to nurture Wilson is to live life day to day with... minute by minute. With lots and lots of prayer.

                                   

Also, I could be enrolling him in preschool tomorrow.

The Jaegers had their baby boy, Levi!
This is big news for our little team of five that just became a team of six. When he reaches a month, we are going to send Levi out on campus to lead a Bible study. Only kidding, kind of, but he really is the cutest TINY thing with a head full of hair and Wilson can't wait to be his friend. Levi, he was only pretending at the hospital when he said he didn't want to touch you. I promise he will be your best friend once you learn to play with legos.



Wilson is not napping. Which is causing Mommy a lot of gray hairs and clothes get rewashed in the machine about three times because I keep forgetting they're done and they get hot and mildewy before they reach the dryer and YES that is all a direct consequence of Wilson not napping.

               

I am entering into some ministry on campus.
Another insecurity that instagram/facebook offers up on a silver platter is my involvement in ministry. Is every Cru staff mom going to their weekly meetings? Are they all meeting with 30 girls a week? Do they all get to have quiet times over coffee and muffins every morning? I'm thankful the Lord gives me great truth to combat the lies of comparison. I only get to see a fraction of peoples' lives on social media (which never gives the full picture) and it doesn't matter anyway! I have my own race to run. With that said, I have been blessed to dip my toe into the water of college ministry this year and I am loving the moments I get. Specifically, I'm getting to meet with our staff/student staff girls weekly to train and encourage them and I get to meet bi-weekly with the best group of leadership girls you will ever meet. Seriously, they are awesome... taking the gospel of Jesus near and far.

This season of life is fast and furious. I'm prayerful that the Lord will teach us to number our days so that we may have wisdom (as Moses prays beautifully in the Psalms... yes, there is a psalm of Moses!). If there were no God and no eternity, then each day would be swallowed up in meaninglessness. What would our days really matter? But I am grateful to live in light of the truth that my days count for something. They are marked and written. My love for Wilson, my obedience to Jesus, my dying daily to myself, my service to Andrew, my teaching the Word to a student... these are gathered up and stored for eternity. Lord, teach me to number my days.