Michael's Birthday & Louisville Trip

Well... though it was a week or two ago, Michael had a great birthday.  The Friday before- I took him on a Mystery Date and found 2 bookstores selling used books that he had not been to before.  We then picked up Gluten Free pizza at a place called "A Forkable Feast" and I packed a picnic and we headed to Ault Park.  We had not been in this area before- the East Side of Cincy.  The funny part of the evening was running into our friends the Carlsons- we had even mentioned to each other that we thought this was their favorite park and we turned around & there they were.  So they and their 4 girls showed us around the park!  Quite a great tour I might add!  We then came back for dessert at the Lyons.  I got Michael a gluten free Buckeye cake especially made for him and his mom made him his favorite- Butterfinger Ice Cream cake!  Jeremiah did great for his babysitters that night too!  

 We then headed to Louisville on Saturday for a short trip.  The Reigels were so gracious to let us stay in their apartment Sat. night.  They live out in a beautiful place in Kentucky near Louisville.  We then went to church at Faith on Sunday and enjoyed so much seeing so many sweet friends as well as connecting with our small group again!  They even bought us Hebrew National hot dogs.  :)  We also had a wonderful dinner and sweet visit with the Wojnicki family- our pastor and his family in Louisville.  Little Kate was so good with Jeremiah!  Sunday night, we stayed at another sweet hotel- our most hospitable hosts- Michael & Anne Marrs.  Michael surprised us with his presence as he was supposed to be away!  They were such sweet hosts!  And Monday I got to visit some people at work and had lunch with my co-worker Erin Joiner!  Jeremiah did great on the trip- we were a little nervous about his sleeping in the pack n play- but he did great- even slept through a pretty rough storm.  If we did not visit you- we are sorry- we only had limited time.  It was funny that my college friend Melissa Wagner also happened to be in Louisville so we met for a walk together.


Our trip ended in a unique way- as we arrived in Florence, KY- close to Cincy, and as we were about to eat our Chick fil A and I was nursing Jeremiah in the car- we saw some very severe clouds rolling in and the tornado warning sounded off.  We figured we should not be in the car, so we headed to the nearest store- Meijer.  Later- we were informed by Michael's mom that Mejer is the worse type of place to be if a tornado did come- oh well, we'll know better next time.  :)  We were very thankful to make it home.  :)

Mulch Madness

What do I do when Jeremiah falls asleep during the day for his naps...  Well, while he is busy upstairs snoozing...  I run outside and try to use the next hour or so to garden and start my flower beds.  Before I could make it look like this though, I had to dig up a lot of dirt by hand with a shovel!  I sure was sore after that!  Then Jeremiah and I headed to Walmart and Home Depot and planted the flowers and then one rainy Saturday we mulched it all!  I love spring and I love working outside and I love doing hard physical work!  I really do!  Next... on to planting a little garden in the back...

A Note To Michael/Daddy...

A Note to Michael/Daddy for his birthday on Sunday!  Instead of Sunday, we are planning a Mystery Outing for you today!  You will have one of several clues leading you to the next location of your mystery date...  Jeremiah decided he wants to read you the first clue of your first destination....He may even read it in Hebrew.  :)  Though he will not be along for this first place- Jeremiah wants to thank in advance Aunt Sarah Brown for watching him for a little while today as well as Grandma Lyons when she gets home from work!!  I will try to be really a happy baby for you guys as you watch me today!!  :)  I may even give you a few smiles- if you are nice! 

Daddy- the first clue is... (drumroll please)
Clue #1:  We will journey to a place that you will want to see, To a place in
Greater Cincinnati.  Rare treasures to behold it could get a little dusty, in fact you may like it so much- you may not want to leave. 


Happy Birthday to my Daddy!!!

Random Pictures

Jeremiah is 3 months old- we are very thankful for this milestone.  In the past few weeks, Jeremiah has become a MUCH happier baby than he was a few weeks ago.  Call it colic or whatever you want to call it,  he is definitely adjusting so much better to life in general- maybe it is the added bonus that now he can lay on his back on the floor and kick!  And he can actually put himself to sleep for a nap- wow!  He was not able to do that even a few weeks ago!  We praise the Lord for allowing us to persevere through his unhappy crying stage!!!  And I def. like the smiles and coos too.

Mother's Day lunch at the White House with both Grandmas and Mom Lyons.  Aunt Janet so graciously treated us there!

A baby taking a bath- he actually doesn't cry for this anymore either- just stares at me as if to say- why are you doing this to me.  And I love this little farmer outfit someone had given me- it is one of my new favorites!  :)  Well, gotta go- the babe has wakened from his nap!  :)

Reading

Lately...

I have immensely enjoyed reading the book Contentment by Lydia Brownback.  A sweet friend- Bonnie Myers sent this to me for my birthday.  I understand that they have many different books but this sweet friend new this was the one I needed as I had prayed and shared often with her at Southern that I struggled in this area of contentment.  This has been a neat little book to read while I am nursing Jeremiah to help me take advantage of these moments to ponder God's Word in this area.

A few neat quotes,
"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"  (Rom. 8:32)  Can we not be content if part of the "all things" includes some withholding?  For the daughter of God, any withholding is itself a provision, and we can experience it with joy when we know that the withholder loves us."

"Our problem really isn't that we need something we don't have; our problem is that we don't find God to be enough for us."  So true!!!

Just some thoughts on this rainy Saturday :)  I also have recently enjoyed reading Instructing a Child's Heart by Tedd & Margy Tripp- very good!  Trying to think what I should read next. :)

Mothers Carry Many Loads...

Happy Late Mother's Day.  I felt like this year on Mother's day, I was never more grateful for the mother I have.  This year, I am thankful for the Lord answering prayer and giving me the privilege to be a mom after a season of waiting and longing.  I am praising the Lord for the sweet gift of Jeremiah.  It has been a stretching 3 months but I am thankful for this new role.  I was also this year on Mother's Day- never so thankful for my mom.  I think becoming a mom has given me a HUGE appreciation for my mom in thinking through all she did for me and my 3 siblings.  When I think of how she had 4 of us- I am just amazed!  :)  I appreciate the discipline, sacrifice and care my mother gave to us.  :)  And I appreciate her new role as grandmother and all she has done to help with Jeremiah esp. in the first few weeks.  :)  This Mothers' Day I was also thinking how many women long to be mothers and how the Lord has in his timing and providence not granted their request, and though that is so hard to understand, I do pray we would be attentive to their hurts and longings and encourage them to be a "mother" to children the Lord has placed in their midst.  The Lord has given women the desire to nurture and care for children and we need to encourage singles, and married women without children to invest in the children's lives around them!

On another note, one of the most interesting Mother's Day sermons I have heard- was John Piper's- To Be A Mother is a call to Suffer...  Not quite the flowery type of sermon for moms but something to ponder and think about as we are called to suffer and sacrifice for our little ones...

My Birthday

Last Saturday was my 29th birthday.  My dear sweet husband was planning a fun evening- complete with Grandma Lyons babysitting Jeremiah and all- but our plans did not turn out as we expected.  Saturday was beautiful and we went to a park in Cincy- Mount Storm Park.  My goal this summer is to visit all the parks in Cincinnati.  Michael and I went downtown to eat some Japanese and then we were going to go on the Cincinnati Riverboat tour, but as we went up to the boat- they told us the river was too flooded.  So we were very disappointed.  Then we went to get a milkshake which took a long time for our server to get to us.  Then we were going to watch a sunset and it had clouded over.  :)  So our time was not quite what we expected but it was still a nice time along the flooded river of Cincinnati.  :)  We had a great view of downtown and enjoyed being out together. :)  Michael promised me a rain check for the boat ride- we just have to wait literally until it stops raining!  :)   We are thankful that Michael is finished with his 1 year at Hebrew Union!!!!  :)  We are so thankful for how the Lord has been with us this year! 

Oh and my birthday is not complete each year without a Dairy Queen ice cream cake!  Love them!!!

Jeremiah's Friends :)

Jeremiah loves his friends lately.  Lets see, we have Timmy the Turtle, Leo the Lion and Germy the Giraffe.  He loves to try to grab a hold of them or to knock them off of his stomach.  So we try to surround him with many friends.  :) 

Chip Stam: March 10, 1953 to May 1, 2011

Psalm 116:15, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."

A godly man has gone home to see firsthand the glory of Jesus.  He taught all of us at Southern how to suffer well and how to trust Jesus when life takes a turn we don't expect.

Chip's Story

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