forgot the picture... sorry!

Thanks Amy for bringing the Bumbo!!! We are loving it!

Community, Conviction, Challenges

I just want to prepare you if you are reading this that it's not a family update and there probably won't be any cute pictures of the kids at the end. Well, actually there will be because I have a new one of Sam that I've been meaning to post, but my point is that I don't usually use my blog to "journal" or write out what I would usually write only for myself and my Lord to read. However, I have really had a day where my heart is heavy and I feel very burdened, and wanted to share some of my thoughts. I don't know if my hope is that I will feel better, or I might get some comments that make me feel normal when right now I feel like I might be completely alone in some of these things...

Most of my heavy heartedness comes from still adjusting to life here in the deep south. Don't get me wrong I really do love it here and I'm glad to be back "home," but Ben and I have really struggled since we've been back with the whole idea of southern hospitality, and how from our experience coming back here it seems like just words that are said, but not meant.

It seems like it's the expected thing to offer help or to smile when you pass someone in the grocery store, or to ask how someone is doing with no intention whatsoever of listening to their response. We're so busy, and so consumed that we don't even notice other people. I am not saying this about others, I am saying this about myself. I confess to love Christ with all that I am, but I fail to love those that He has created for His glory.

So, we have struggled with being preoccupied ourselves, and we have felt so much like outsiders coming back into this culture. We have been surprised by so many things, and recently we were able to hang out with a couple of families that are from the other side of the world and being with them we felt more comfortable and more welcomed than we have with those that speak and look just like us.

Maybe we're just weird, but the truth is that we came here to really try and love those that are far away from home, or even to just simply make people feel at home in our own home. I think that I will learn to do that by being around those that I am trying to be hospitable to. We have longed for community, and we want it to be one that is diverse, but real and genuine. Heaven, that's where I think that it actually exists. There it will not be tainted with our desire to please men or to not be uncomfortable, but only to be near Jesus and to worship Him!

The sermon this morning has really spurred on these thoughts, and it has truly caused me to search my heart in how I view others. It starts in my home. I get frustrated with my little girl, because she wants me to watch her do everything as I am trying to accomplish my agenda and to-do list for the day. She's not going to be 3 forever, and I need to realize that loving her and loving others is much more important than loving myself!!!

So, if you have read this and you understood any of it please pray for me that I would really let these thoughts sink deeply into my heart. That I would not be critical of others or of different cultures even if it's my own.

bean bags, birthdays, and more

We are enjoying these bean bags, so thank you G-daddy and G-mommy!
Lydi with Tinkerbell (or Pinkerbell as TW says) at the street festival downtown.
Another blessing has been meeting this sweet Chinese family!
Lydi with Princess Tiana. She was so excited to walk up and see the princesses! We recently got two frogs (African dwarf frogs which are really fun) and Lydia named them Naveen and Tiana!

We have had so much to report, and so little time to do it.

I'll share a few highlights as well as lowlights from the past few weeks.
Highlights First...
- TW turned 2 on June 30th, and we had a very fun time celebrating with a Thomas the Train party!
- TW and Lydi were given bean bags for his birthday and they LOVE them. This has been an item on the Christmas and birthday list for quite a while.
- Play group on Tues. has been a ton of fun for not only the kiddos, but for mommy as well:)
- Settling into our new home, painting, unpacking, working in the yard, unpacking, hanging pictures, etc.
- Meeting a precious Kazakh family that we will be hosting for the next year while they are here in officer training school.
- Staycation (Montgomery's word for a festival downtown during the 4th of July) so much fun!
- first trip to the dentist and it was successful.
- meeting neighbors and enjoying the convenience of our new neighborhood
- 10:30 showing of Eclipse (first date with Ben since Sam was born!)

Now for a few lowlights (all are pertaining to the brutal heat and mosquitos)
- A.C. broke at the beginning of the summer
- It was over 100 degrees here today; therefore, we could not swim in our little pool outside because the water was almost boiling. (OK, maybe not boiling, but it did feel like really warm bath water)
- Ben accidentally killed our fish in our pond outside spraying for mosquitos
- TW has had a horrible time with his skin this summer (we'll be taking a trip to the allergy dr. in the morning)

All things considered we are doing well. I can't believe how big our children are getting. Lydi now without her pacy seems like she's all grown up, TW just turning TWO and talking so much, little Sambo is about to be five months old and is ready to start trying some cereal. Time flies by, and I have been reminded this summer that life goes by so quickly. I want to capture every memory and moment with them while they need me for everything. Even though it is exhausting most days, it is such a blessing to have these little ones!