Gentle Friend

For those of you who are close to me,

you know my relationship with Brighty has been

strained

since Wes and I have had children.

But.

As I have taken moments lately to watch this dog with my children.

I must say, he has been a faithful companion in our family.

When Wes and I have been frustrated with him, he has been patient.

He is gentle, in every way.

He lets our children tug, pull, squeeze and rid him.

He welcomes a petting.

I chuckle as I think back to when I was first pregnant with Wyatt and Wes and I read a book on boxers - and how they respond to their owners' babies...

"Boxers will admiringly look up at their owner with the new baby in arms."

That became a phrase I often remembered with each additional child we brought into our home.

Brighty truly is a guard dog. He acts instinctively to this end. In all circumstances.

With each baby we have brought home to our home.

I recall that his guard instincts "heighten" for a few weeks.

It truly is awesome and precious.

How did this furry animal become a part of the family?

I'm not quite sure. But nonetheless, he has.

As much as I've tried to fight his place here, he truly has been a loyal, faithful, kind companion to our household.

I apologize to all of my animal-loving friends. I mean no harm in any way, I am just not that much of a dog person. But I have come to a new place with Brighty.

And I'm thankful that he has remained a very good dog.

Truly. We could not have ever asked for a better animal.

Brighty was Wes' and I's first Christmas gift to one another.

9 years ago.

:)

Walker's Special Day

I truly cannot believe that 3 years have gone by since our dear Walker Reeves Andrews was given to us by the Lord! He is a gift to us.

We are thankful that the Lord chose US to raise him.

He desired to dress up like a dragon at his birthday party. And invite his little friends to also dress up - so that's what we did...

we had a little party in the park/playground.

Wyatt, Lalla and the birthday boy

Our big 3 year old, Walker and his dragon cake

I got the recipe/design from this website

our friend Melissa was in town and helped me by loving on Lalla

Later that week, Anna Grace (whose birthday is close to Walker's) and her family as well as my mom and dad came for a special birthday dinner.

my mom gave Walker and Anna Grace birthday hats.

the birthday boy (3) and girl (7)

(funny note: I remember at Anna Grace's 4 year birthday party, I was "on the edge" of going into labor)

Cousins blowing out their candle in their birthday cupcake.

Happy Birthday, sweet boy! And happy birthday, dear Anna Grace. You are each a gift from the Lord. We count you as very special gifts that the Lord has given to us.

We love you!

**and our 2 sweet babies that were included of the birthday celebration.

Cousins T and Lalla

Happy Easter!

HE is Risen! Risen Indeed!

As we walked into the doors of the sanctuary there was a typed note on the doors that read:

Please greet one another this morning with the following:

"He is risen!"

and respond:

"He is risen indeed!"

Praise the Lord for our sakes that He is Risen!

If it were not for Christ's resurrection, you and I would still be in our sins.

But we have been forgiven and redeemed by resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who was first put to death on the cross, having taken the full wrath of God - for you and for me.

Happy Easter to you and yours.

May you live your life in light of the resurrection.

There is hope!

Even in death!

Because of the death and resurrection

of Jesus.

By the time we took pictures, Lalla was very sad.

Her brothers were very compassionate.

This is the best we were able to get of the 3 children on Easter.

Baby Pierce

So. This little guy, a baby born to friends of ours in seminary, came into the world a few weeks early.

Like 16 weeks early.

Lindsay, who is a full time nanny, has been healthy and had a normal pregnancy up until her body went into labor at 24 weeks.

Her husband, Nik is a full time student and began the same year that Wes did.

The picture above is their sweet little baby boy, Pierce next to a ball point pen. He is fighting for his life each and every day. Lindsay and Nik had been lead by the hand of the Almighty through this seven day journey...and continue to see His hand and experience His grace. The little guy has been through so much. Several times Lindsay and Nik have thought they were going to have to say good-bye. But the Lord continues to strengthen Pierce. And sustain him. This is a link to their blog -

http://www.littlebabypierce.blogspot.com/

Some friends through RTS have set up a link on their blog to help support the expenses that they are incurring each and every day. Lindsay has been their financial support as a full time nanny and with the surprising birth of Pierce, they were not prepared for any of this. If you so feel lead, please give in order to help a family in desperate need - of mostly your prayers for their son's survival and also, for their expenses. They, like us, live very modestly with the provider of the home being a full time student.

My heart is burdened for this sweet family, the Franks. Please take a moment to pray for baby Pierce.

We thank you for your love for the saints (whom you've never even met).

Nik, Lindsay and baby Pierce celebrating his seventh day of life!

Sushi!

We got together with the Vaughn family and made some homemade sushi!

We had a cookbook from way back when and had never ever made any.

So we invite a wonderful family over to make the sushi journey with us.

They brought half of the ingredients and we had the other half.

It was an absolute blast.

Our families about to begin...ingredients ready.

The Vaughns have 4 children, 3 daughters and 1 son. This is their oldest daughter Rachel rolling some sushi with Walker (eager and excited) and Wyatt (not so eager or excited)

Walker enjoyed rolling his own.

We made 3 types:

california rolls (with crabmeat)

salmon rolls

shrimp rolls

Here Rachel is rolling one...

everyone loved the sushi - every one.

Here Nicole (Vaughn's second oldest daughter) is cutting a salmon roll.

Wyatt, Rachel and Walker...

Walker, Peyton and Wyatt (my boys LOVE Peyton)

Chris with her sushi roll (that she and Jim made together)

Nicole with our rainbow roll (which was absolutely delicious)

the rainbow roll...

I had no idea it would be so much fun, so delicious and so easy to make sushi. I highly recommend it for your next hosted dinner.

Walker's 3!

almost...and this is his cake!

His little party is tomorrow at the park -

dress up, play and cake.

He is going to be a....dragon!

Happy Birthday, sweetheart.

We love you so much!