Weekend Pictures

Simon hanging out in our tree.

We've been enjoying this weather and our "second" living room - our porch!

It seems like I can't remember what it was like when Simon didn't have a cough!

When will these seasons-induced allergies end?

We started our our weekend with a "child swap" with the Foxes.

Brad and Maddie dropped off Ruthie and went out to eat, and when they came back, Matt and  I left them with Evie and Simon and went for a jog (I could only last ten minutes) then a nice couples only walk/talk.

Ruthie looks like she is getting ready to be a helpful big sister, come late January.

Simon and Evie accompanied me for a fall pedicure.  

Their behavior was amazing; I was so relieved.  

That's not always the case (children can definitely be lessons in humility as well as just about everything else), but I thank God for those times everything flows seamlessly.

At the airport greeting Alex and Sally who returned from India.

It was the oddest sensation, I actually felt like part of myself was in India while Sally and Alex were over there.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe because we love them so much, maybe because we know them a little better than some of the staff who go to India; I don't know.  Maybe because God put it on our hearts to pray for them so much as a team and so we literally felt connected somehow.  I haven't even seen pictures from their trip, but I feel like I was there.

This past month has just felt surreal almost, with all of the persecution in the Indian state of Orissa.  On one hand, it is hard to comprehend and digest, and on the other hand, I sometimes also literally feel like we are there with them and kind of carry around a sense of heaviness.

It just reminds me of what Apostle Paul says in Romans 8.  It feels like "birthing pains" and I can almost sense that we are one contraction closer (sorry for the imagery) to Jesus coming back.

Pancakes one morning this weekend.

Evie's first pancake.

Matt surprised us with pancakes one morning - from scratch!  Yummy!

Matt is such a wonderful servant-leader for our family.

I have saved three fun Craigslist stories for your enjoyment.

1)  A lady from Frisco bought something from us, and she was a believer, so we gave her a copy of Revolution in World Missions.  We usually either give people a copy of that book (if they are believers) or a tract if they have not come to trust in Jesus yet.

So, this lady actually emailed us a few days later to tell how much she loved the book and how her dad was "chomping at the bits" waiting for her to finish the book so that he could read it!

Recent Craigslist Story #2.

We have these new stories, because Matt recently sold some things to buy an ipod.

2)  A gentlemen that Matt met at the Apple Store -- to buy his old ipod was a Christian and was really into Gospel for Asia, and Matt has since communicated with him thru email.  

So, that's kind of fun.  Maybe something will come of that.

My FAVORITE Recent Craigslist Story.

Maurice - who bought an old router or something from Matt.

Anyway,  this gentleman was so personable.  He asked Matt where we were going to church that night (Matt had mentioned we'd gone to church for a couple of hours) and Matt said, "Prestonwood."  So, Maurice simply said, "Oh, okay.  I"ll just go with you."  Seriously.  He was just going to tag-along with us and our kids (we were going to meet at Prestonwood)

It actually didn't end up working out; he did meet up with us to buy the computer thing from Matt but he had picked up someone who needed some help and was giving the stranger a ride to somewhere.

The whole thing was very random.

Me to Simon:  You're so cute.  How did you get to be so cute?

Simon:  I didn't mean to get cute.