Six Monthaversary

Now that we are days away from seven months, I figured I better get the six month milestone documented.

Miriam, you are such a happy, easy baby! You rarely cry for others, reserving it for me in your most tired or agitated moments. You have sadly been sick recently...and teething...and still you are mostly smiles and babbles until later in the evening. Even then, as soon as Daddy walks in the door, you are all smiles again. You love your Daddy so much. And you make these crazy flirty eyes at him! I think he would do anything for you!

You are still waking periodically to nurse, even though you eat a hefty dinner. But you go back to sleep after about 10 minutes, so it is hard to complain. Considering your brother has taken to waking more often than you, I have a hard time not cuddling you in the night too.

You don't crawl yet, but you love to be on your tummy and roll around. You get on your belly and kick both legs at the same time while flapping your arms. Daddy says you are going to be a butterflyer.

Two teeth have come in since the first week of December. You sit up reliably on your own and can reach over and grab things without toppling. You love love love to kiss and will hold my head in your hands and kiss my mouth. Or you will nuzzle your face to my kisses. So sweet.

Your babbles are beautiful! You sing when music is playing and make all sorts of coos when we are talking.

Eating is a highlight of your day. Once you got the hang of it, you gobble down anything I bring your way. So far, you have had avocado, green beans, peas, butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, banana and oatmeal. Yum!

You and Nathan have started to interact in a really fun and exciting way. He is getting a bit possessive of his toys, but overall you have a wonderful brother who adores you and loves to care for you.

You did a great job at your 6 month appointment (though Mommy was scolded many times by the pediatrician). You got a few shots, "scored" in the 80th percentile in weight and height, and put up with a lot of poking and prodding.

We love you, sweet Miri Ruth! 

Miriam vs Pooh Bear

Old Rugged Tree Tutorial

 As we were going though our storage closet last weekend, I realized that in the chaos of our moving experience, all but three Christmas decorations went to storage. In Augusta. Five hundred and forty nine miles away.

I wish that meant I had the opportunity to go out and get all new ones, but that is not how it works in fellowship (or most of life, let's be honest). So I sucked it up, stuck our gingerbread lawn ornament in our front planter and lit a candle. Then I started thinking (candles are inspiring, don't you think?).

So this weekend when Danny had some free time, we piled in the car and drove 20 minutes to the Home Depot that is less than a mile and a half from our house (gotta love D.C. traffic...even on the weekends). I convinced one of the guys in an orange apron to give me a wooden pallet from under the bags of cement. When we got home, I explained to Danny where I wanted it cut and he did the rest! 

A few lights later, we now have this glowing but rugged tree to remind us of how, through humble circumstance, the LORD of the universe became man to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. And those walking in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:2).

So here is the quick How To:

1. Obtain a pallet from your local hardware store. Don't buy the ones they sell...they tend to have less character and not have the single center plank. Yours might. But then you just spent $25 that you could spend on a manicure. Or legos. Or a goat in Yemen.

2. Sketch two lines going from just right of the center plank to just above the bottom cross beam (that will remain intact as the base) and just left of the center plank to just above the bottom cross beam.

3. Cut. A circular saw works best. A hand saw would be a work out.

4. Use the sides labeled "b" for the front and back wings. Lay the triangle labeled "a" on the floor and place one of the sides "b" on top, with the wide ends flush with one another (this is important so the tree has stability). You can nail it in if you have elf hands. Otherwise, you may need to use a powerful power drill. Measure out where it will go, drill pilot holes and then flip and repeat on the other side.


5. Screw in the first wing and then stand the 3/4 of a tree on it's base and screw the other wing in place, taking care to keep the bases flush.


6. Stand back and feel proud of your free-cycled Old Rugged Tree!

One More Time (we hope)

This week, we were faced with yet another life-altering decision. We had five days to decide where should Danny put into practice what he has been learning over the past FOURTEEN years (yikes!).

We were blessed with two opportunites that, to us, were equally wonderful in professional promise and location: Augusta and Charlotte.

Knowing that we belong to the LORD and that He has ordered our steps, we went to Him in prayer trusting that He would direct our paths (Prov 3:5). 

In addition to the invaluable lessons we learned about constant communion, His concern not only with the where but with the who-you-are-when-you-get-

there, and our unquenchable longing for home, He directed our hearts to join the practice and community of Charlotte, NC.

So at the end of June 2013, when Danny completes his fellowship here in D.C., we will be packing up and heading south once again. The practice he will be joining is upstanding and strong, comprised of men of integrity and the winning personality innate to all good urologists. He and one other doc will be spear-heading their branch in Monroe, NC, about 20 minutes south of Charlotte. We will likely live just outside the city, taking advantage of the land available while still having access to whatever it is a city has to offer (I still love whatever I can find in walking distance!). We are so grateful for what we have here in D.C., but will be ready to "settle down." The far more painful move will be packing up our storage unit in Augusta and really having to say goodbye to that sweet, sweet city. God blessed us abundantly there. It will always be our most cherished memories together and, of course, where the lives of our children began. We will never have another church like First Pres, and we long for the day when we worship together again before the throne. But we must now turn our eyes to what the LORD is doing in Charlotte and how He has called us to join Him there. Danny is thrilled at the prospect of finally getting started, and maybe even having dinner with us before 8pm. 

Thank you all for walking with us on this journey whether it was for miles or just rejuvenating spurts. If we are called to mind in the coming months, here are a few ways you can pray for us:

-We want dearly to cling to the somewhat simple life have lived while in training, confident that this will be a challenge in the midst of such a city.

-We need a church. Leaving our church was, hands down, the most difficult part about saying no to Augusta. We have hope that there is an active and sound church for us to call our own. 

-In the joys and trials of the coming year, we must remember to fix our eyes upon Jesus, just as we have during this challenge, knowing that He who promised is faithful.