A Messge for Daddy...

Daddy, we have a message for you...  We wanted to thank you SO much for taking such good care of all the books at the Hebrew Union Library!  You are so good at finding lost books and scanning and making HUC a cheery place!  I wanted you to know that I am taking VERY good care of your books here at home.  In fact, I am hoping to be just like you some day and work at the Library too, maybe. :)  Sometimes I just stand here and look at the BIG bookshelf- my goal is to try to climb to the top but right now I am on shelf #2.  Hmmm... which one should I read today?  Maybe Josephus or maybe Greek or maybe the Journey from Texts to Translations.  I am not sure but I am going over them just to make sure they are all in their right place- just like you would like them!  And I am trying not to chew on the covers- though I am so tempted to just pull one off and gnaw on it!  Well, daddy, thanks for working so hard for us!  Your books are safe with me- well, mabye!  :)
Luv, Jeremiah
aka- J-man

Amy & Jack

 Tuesday was a beautiful day here in Cincinnati!  I keep thinking that these could be the "last" nice days here before the weather turns cold so we want to take advantage of them!  So...  we called up Amy & Jack and they were free to go on a walk with us at Winton Woods!  Amy and I enjoyed the exercise and great fellowship together and I think Jack and Jeremiah enjoyed watching each other stroll along!  Amy has been a huge blessing to me since I have moved to Cincinnati and we are so thankful to see how little Jack is growing and developing and is almost a year old!  Wow!

Blessings

This weekend- we had a wonderful time spending some time outside in the beautiful weather!  We went for a hike with Steve & Stephanie Langdon and their kids to a BEAUTIFUL park on the Ohio River- Shawnee Lookout!  It was definately one of my favorite parks in Cincy so far!  Then we had a wonderful time of fellowship with the Langdons!  They truly have been such a blessing to us since we have moved to Cincinnati!  Sunday we drove to Louisville, KY to visit Faith Community Church and see some dear friends there and then had a wonderful lunch with Michael & Anne Marrs.  It was fun to catch up with some special people that we miss very much!  Today, Jeremiah and I are trying to take advantage of the beautiful weather- not many days like this left before winter comes!  :)

Trying to pull up on things- he is on his knees standing

Helping me with laundry- kinda

Now you see it- now you don't- our little hat photo shoot yesterday

Funny Jeremiah

Jeremiah is looking at his reflection in the oven- he is fascinated with everything!  The other day as I was coming into the kitchen- I caught him checking out his reflection in the mirror of the oven. :)  So funny!

Cincy Parks

 Our little family has been trying to go visit the parks in our neighborhood, meaning the whole city of Cincinnati- pretty big neighborhood!  We really want to visit all the parks in Cincinnati while we are living here.  We love parks!  So on Sunday evening as the sun was shining we headed to Mount Echo in Price Hill neighborhood.  They have one of the best views of Cincinnati- it was neat to look out over the river and see the city!  Michael said he used to come here when he was working for Common Ground- a ministry working in the inner city of Cincy.  It was a beautiful day and a beautiful walk.  The view was beautiful but the park I admit was a little getto. :) 

Cousin Love...

 Just like their daddies, these cousins love each other!  And they got to spend a lot of time together this weekend!  This weekend, we went to Grandpa Renner's funeral.  He was in his 90s and started to go downhill in a nursing home very quickly.  The babies tried to be quiet during the service but they loved the way the mausoleum echoed and therefore quickly discovered their voices.  We also spent some time at a park together, had pizza as a family, had one of Grandpa Growl's infamous cookouts and on Sunday night went to ECC's (our church) first Pinewood Derby Grand Prix- the boys were too young to make cars and race them this year, maybe another year. :)

 Michael- amidst his studies took a few moments to try to teach this boy the piano.  Jeremiah was amazed at how it could make sound when you pound on the keys.  Laura and I did a photo shoot this week with the boys and some pumpkins- though I admit I am far from an expert- at least I try to take pictures. :)  I do though need tips from expert photographers!  The past 2 1/2 weeks, Michael has had off for Rosh Hashanna- Jewish New Year and for Yom Kippur and for Sukkot and a lot of other high holidays.  Though he has lots to do- it has been nice for him to have a break from classes!  Jeremiah sure is keeping me busy as he really has figured out how to crawl- look out world- or rather, look out my kitchen- here comes Jeremiah. 

Because He Loves Me...

I have been going through the book Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick and it has been soo good!  I have been reminded again of the gospel and how I need the gospel not only for salvation but for daily life!  I need to think about the gospel when I am criticized or when I am struggling in a particular area of my life- I need to think and meditate on the gospel and I need it to change me!  Again this week I was realizing how easy it is to embrace the gospel when you first come to faith in Christ and then forget about the gospel for day to day life!  I realized again that in order to change and grow- I must not focus on my sin but on Christ!  Only by beholding Him am I changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to the next (2 Cor. 3:18)!  Instead of treasuring my idols, my desires and seeing my sin as glorious- I must look to the cross of Calvary and see HIM as more glorious and by beholding Him be changed!  I am praying that my day to day life would be different "because He loves me!"

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

Anniversary Trip to Cincinnati :)

 Michael and I always enjoy going away for our anniversary and this year we had an extra person with us so to celebrate 6 years, we called up Pop-pop and Mom-mom and they came to watch the little guy.  I am sure Jeremiah will like this train at some point- we went to Lebanon for the Apple Festival and then Grandpa and Grandma had him for almost 24 hours!  He did great and we enjoyed some time the two of us in downtown Cincinnati.

 We stayed in the Millennium Hotel and spent time walking the streets.  We went to a hamburger place on Friday night- Walnut Street Grill and then heard some Irish music in Fountain Square as well as having Graeters- yum!  Sunday morning we enjoyed a long walk around the city and walked across the bridge into Indiana.  We even went up the Carew Tower which was neat and saw a huge plane fly over for the Bengals game that afternoon!  It was a little weird having a plane fly at you on a tall building but neat to see!

 Our lunch on Sunday included "First Watch" which was an AWESOME breakfast and lunch place!  It was soo good- I will go back again!

 It was fun to get away and spend time together- something we want to make a priority in our marriage and I am thankful my parents are so kind to come out and help us do that!  Mom taught Jeremiah how to clap and I think I just heard him say Mom-mom for the first time this week!