Our Wise God!

It has been a whirlwind of a week here!  We enjoyed spending the week with my family- more pictures to come.  Michael has started his last year of "coursework"- meaning his last year of official classes he has to sit in and be prepared for- still a long way to go from the degree.  Amidst the business these next few weeks bring as Michael is in meetings at church, trying to work two different job, go to school, teach a class on Job for Sunday School and write a paper for the church on women in ministry- we are praying for the Lord to give us grace and strength! 

I have also been reminded this week of the shortness of life and the need for prayer and leaning on the Lord!  Michael's grandfather is in a hospital in Cincinnati dying and we have been trying to visit him every day.  And we found out this week a sweet friend's little 2 1/2 year old daughter was diagnosed with cancer.  There are some days we are reminded of the frailty of life and not knowing what each day will hold!  As I have been struggling some this week thinking about my friend and how she is doing and thinking as a mom how I would react- I am reminded from my husband's teaching on Job- that man cannot question the wisdom of God!  It is God alone who is all wise!  He alone is loving and good and knows what is best for His children!  He is a refuge and strength for those who Trust in Him!  I am reminded that we are dependent creatures- not meant to live this life on our own- we need our Creator and Sustainer- every hour! 

Getting Ready...

We are gearing up here and getting ready for my parents to come visit us for almost a week!! They arrive this evening and Jeremiah is so excited about doing some fun things with them!  We may hit the zoo tomorrow for half off admissions days and maybe the Children's Museum and maybe some other fun things.  Right now, Jeremiah is resting up for their arrival.  The boy lately loves to put his legs through the slats of his crib when he falls asleep.  Sometimes, Michael has to re-arrange his position so it is a little more comfy.  :)  He also is enjoying taking all my pots and pans out and sometimes he tried to cook his kitty. :)  Kids are so funny at this age.  Sometimes, I can't wait to hear what things he is imagining in his little head when it just comes out as babble.  The boy has been learning how to kiss this week.  He kinda reminds me of a boy that has never kissed before.  He lunges at me with his mouth open wide right at my mouth.  I usually die laughing- but lately he is now puckering those little lips and wants to kiss me right on the lips.  I was trying to teach him to kiss on the cheek.  :)  Grandma Renner thinks we better watch him when he is 16- she says he is going to be a kisser.  I'll take whatever kisses I can get right now as I know he will not want to kiss me probably sooner than I would like.  :)

This Week...

 This week, Jeremiah and I have a new little person coming to visit us two days a week.  Our first day watching little Katy went really well.  I even was able to use our double stroller someone gave to us for the first time!  I think it will be the beginning of many walks together.  Jeremiah loves being the one up front.  He loved having Katy here.  He would point to her and talk to her and bring her toys.  Though when she would cry, he would cry too.  Guess he didn't know what else to do.  At naptime, when I layed her in the crib- he got her special toy and put it in the crib with her- so thoughtful.  We are trying to teach him how to protect a little girl- you treat them different than little boys. :) 

 On another note- my Dahlias have finally bloomed even in this drought!  So at least some of my flowers have done well while others have seen better days.  :) 

Jeremiah- 18 months

Hard to believe that sweet little guy is 18 months!  Jeremiah loves to play hard!  He loves to sit and read books for long amounts of time.  He loves to bring us books to read to him.  He loves his stuffed animals!  He loves to jump on the bed and now wants to jump in his crib.  He loves to run around the apartment- sorry Ben & Laura downstairs- I am sure you hear the pitter patter of his little feet all the time!  He still loves to push things and loves to wrestle with his Daddy and to be chased all around the house.  His latest trick- kinda- is knocking on every door he can find.  And still on our walks- he loves trucks- his favorite being the Metro bus- I afraid he is a city boy so far.  And he basically loves big trucks in general.   So that is Jeremiah in a nutshell at 18 months.  He is still a very friendly boy and loves to go up to strangers and shake their hands.  And he loves to help Daddy with any project he can find- well maybe he is not so much a help as a hindrance. 

Getting Amazon boxes ready

Putting Mommy's fire pit together- now we are ready for smores around the fire!

Fight For Joy!

It is hard having a little toddler to find time to be in God's Word, even harder I am sure as your family grows.  Lately, I am praying the Lord would help me prioritize my time and to fight the desires of the flesh to be busy doing other things and sit down right when I get up or if not, at Jeremiah's nap time and be in His Word.  I am also trying to slowly read a book- one little section at a time during this time.

The past few days, I have yet again picked up the book When I Don't Desire God by John Piper.  This book is always such a refreshment to my soul particularly during seasons when I feel like my affections for God are not where they should be.  Today as I was ready just a paragraph, it again gave me such good thoughts to chew on. 
Here are a few quotes:
The goal- "To obtain or recover a joy in Christ that is so deep and so strong that it will free me from bondage to Western comforts and security, and will impel me into sacrifices of mercy and missions, and will sustain me in the face of martyrdom?"  "The key to endurance in the cause of self-sacrificing love is not heroic willpower, but deep, unshakable confidence that the joy we have tasted in fellowship with Christ will not disappoint us in death....Christ will be glorified in the world when Christians are so satisfied in him that they let goods and kindred go and lay down their lives for others in mercy, missions, and, if necessary, martyrdom.  He will be magnified most among the nations when, at the moment Christians lose everything on earth, they say, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain."  (Phil. 1:21)  pg. 20-21

Fun With Aunt Beka

A few weeks ago, (so I am a little behind) we had a fun day with Aunt Beka.  We went down to Findlay Market and then enjoyed seeing the newly renovated Washington Park.  Jeremiah really enjoyed the water rock at the park and all the neat stuff they have now for little ones.  Below is one of my favorite pictures from the summer- I think- what sweet and photogenic people!  :)  We sure have loved summer this year and Jeremiah is at a fun age now and sure loves to do lots of things.  We had a sweet couple at our church watch him on Saturday morning and they told me that he sure likes to play hard and that is true he surely does.

The saga of a 1 1/2 year old...

 This is what happens when you let an 1 1/2 year old be unsupervised for even a few short minutes.  Unfortunately, this is not the first time it has happened- just the time with the most losses of rolls.  My busy busy Jeremiah boy...

A new addition...

 This week, we have a new addition to our packed freezer- corn!  Jeremiah helped me husk the corn outside and then I boiled and froze it so now our freezer is full of corn for those long winter months.

 But what Jeremiah is really excited about is that Lord willing, he is going to be a big brother this February.  We praise God for granting us another child due around Feb. 15th next year.  So far things are looking good and we are so thankful to the Lord for this gift!  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Family Day

A few weeks ago now we took Jeremiah on a Friday morning to the Children's Museum in Cincinnati.  We are trying to enjoy this time before Michael begins the rigors of school again.  And we are trying to have family days here and there. 

On another note, the boy has been quite the sickie today.  He threw up this morning and has had a fever all day.  I find for myself it is so hard for me to handle the unexpectedness of sickness.  On one side, I love the extra cuddle time- a very busy boy actually sits in my lap and wants to rock and rest his head on my shoulder which has not happened since babyhood.  Yet, on the other side- I find that I get disappointed and frustrated as I deal with a cranky baby and realize that MY plans and MY expectations for the day have been interrupted and must be put aside.  It is a good check for me of what I value in my heart.  And it is good for me to learn ever so slowly to loosen the grasp of MY plans of my ways and my day and give myself to a little man who really just wants his Mama to rock him, watch Veggie Tales with him and read stories to him all day.  I should know that these needy, tiring little years will soon be past and he will be all grown up.