long overdue...

i won't even pretend to play catch up or explain our long absence in posting here. LIFE happens and we happily greet each day we've been given. there are, however, a few things that must be said...

1) we are expecting our son, jude william, to arrive in the next 4 weeks or so. BIG NEWS - but hopefully all of you who read this blog already knew that! we will make a better effort at posting pics of him (and ani, of course) after we meet him. can't wait to see his face!!!




2) will and i were baptized this past easter sunday (yes, that was in april). we need to record that here. it was a BIG day for both of us, many years in the making. for will, it had long been a desire to have his dad baptize him. and as steve and suzanne had just moved to the area (yea!) in the weeks before, the timing was perfect. for me, it has been a slow road of processing.

we were "baptized" as children who professed Jesus as God's son. will is confident that he did not actually encounter the Living God until he was 16 years old on a men's retreat with his dad. then he was intentionally discipled by a mature believer beginning his freshmen year of college.

i did not come to know my great need of Lord Jesus until i was 25, while living with a grieving widow. it was in those days i submitted my life to Christ and began to walk by His Spirit. i have wrestled for the past 6 years with how to explain the 18 years that passed between my childhood confession and adult conversion, but the fruit of repentance and obedience has been so different from my fleshly pattern of pride and self-sufficiency that i am now glad to be obedient in baptism.

it is significant to us that this is seen as our authentic baptism and not a "re-baptism" or "re-dedication." it is not as if the power of the Spirit was not sufficient on the first try! we are walking this way for the first time.

3) my uncle, lloyd legg, has battled a terminal diagnosis of cancer for the past 7 years (renal cell carcinoma). he has walked in perseverance and trust for all this time and was perfectly healed by the Lord on june 12. we gratefully stand as witnesses to his days on this earth and to the LIFE he now lives - "for that which was mortal has been swallowed up by Life." (2Cor 5:4) in his devotional book on july 26, 2007 he wrote, "the Lord has filled my cup, i'll drink it. the Lord has set the distance of my race, i'll run it." please Lord, may we be found faithful in this day and trust You in all things. saints who read this, remember his wife, Janet and children, Jeff, Allison and Hannah and approach the mercy seat for them.


jeff, allison, hannah, aunt janet & uncle lloyd - thanksgiving 09

PARTY!

well, it was a party worthy of the BIG occasion. can't wait for next year!



this is ani's DELIGHTED response to everyone singing "happy birthday."
the girl LOVES a good song.



wasn't totally sure what do do with the cake, but she caught on...







zoe KNOWS what to do with cake!


more, please?

on the move.






BESTIES!






it was SO great to watch them play together - what a gift!



happy birthday sweet ani! and thanks to everyone who celebrated with us - those who were at our house and those who wish they could be...
WE LOVE YOU ALL!

ANI IS ONE YEAR OLD!!!

here is a "short" list of all the things i love about ani...

1. her "alto" voice. she has had a deep voice since her first cries in the hospital. this adorable trait also translates to her laughter - LOVE IT.

2. she curls her toes under just like her daddy! this can make it difficult to put shoes on her feet, but still, delightful!

3. when she is concentrating she sticks her tongue out - like her mommy.

4. she gets really excited when we go to get her up from a nap - particularly to see cliff - who she always looks for and waves "hello."

5. ani's favorite books are "mr. brown can moo!" and "the very busy spider" - both are filled with animal sounds and other onomatopoetic words. she clicks her tongue every time we get to the hand knocking on the door.

6. she dances to whatever music we have playing, but her favorite is Pablo Casals' recording of Bach's cello suites.

7. whenever she enters a room that has a picture of will in, she never fails to point "da-da" out.

8. she has discovered "social" laughter. when will and i laugh at one another, ani joins in. the best part is, it is not her "real" laugh, but a manufactured fake laugh. TOO FUNNY.

9. she LOVES to see other children. she usually sees them coming before i do and begins to bounce with excitement.

10. because of the bird mobile that hangs above her bed, she refers to everything that is hanging from the ceiling as "bir(d)" - ceiling fan, chandelier, posters in restaurants. only once has she actually pointed out a real bird.

she is growing (now 18 lb, 12 oz and 29+ inches tall), and learning and getting stronger every day. i am thrilled to spend each day with her and be a witness to her life. thank you God for anabelle faber!!!









ps - the party is this saturday, so we'll post more birthday related photos then. these were taken by our friend whitney and were just TOO cute not to share!

8 MONTHS!

well, today the girl is 8 months old. STATS for the record: she is 8 inches longer than when she was born and 8 pounds heavier. her first tooth (bottom rt)has broken through and i think the next one is on the way. having mastered sitting up, she can now launch herself from your lap (if you aren't paying attention), army crawl across the floor, and is an accomplished eater of "solid" foods. just no bananas, please!
i have been watching her development and marveling. here's what i have learned in this season of extreme growth: there is GOOD reason the Lord describes our regeneration as the "new birth," or why Paul and Peter refer to young believers as infants. right now Ani's desire, her want to, her appetite for the "new" is voracious. but it consistently outreaches her ability, her will do, her answers for the "new." i have sat there as a believer: in the place of "the willing is present, but the doing of the good is not." (romans7:18) oh, but wait for tomorrow. i do not know what day Ani will crawl, or walk!!! but i do know if she persists she is one day closer to learning what she desires to know. this is the "law of development." unhindered and healthy - growth is inevitable.

"let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and now is seated at the right hand of God. for consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." heb 12:1-3

in other news: our niece emma joy is 7 years old!!! we were so grateful to get to celebrate with her in a special way this year. as she is now a "reader" and a big fan of the "american girl" books, jen and kolby decided to surprise her with a doll of her own. "delight" does not begin to describe her response. she thought her sisters and mom had traveled to TX for an impromptu girls weekend to celebrate mother's day. as we headed out from mimi and papa's house her biggest wish was for some lemon drops and (fingers crossed) a chocolate milkshake. but as we drove up to THE store she said, "why does that sign say American Girl?" (i told you she was a reader). mania ensued as her mama explained the REAL plan for the day. here are some pics of that special weekend...

joy overflowing.


(and chocolate milkshakes too!!!)







yes, it was a happy mother's day...

six months and sitting up!

today is ani's six month doctor appt - lots of shots!!! :(
her actual half birthday was last saturday (her aunt lezlie's birthday). she is becoming MUCH more mobile and is delighted by every new noise, sight, and even taste. i think she is beginning to get the hang of solid foods - applesauce being the favorite. our favorite new development is her laugh - it is a great spontaneous giggle (a little horse sounding) that thrills us to no end. we are trying to capture this on video and if/when we succeed it will appear on this blog. here are some of her best pics this past month...




"i'll do it myself!"

"what happened?"

"i'm warning you - get back mom!"

"look what i can do!!!"

"this is my first bath in the tub - don't you wish you had a cool duck like me?"