When your life is a circus...

Image via flickr, Thomas Totz

I received a prayer about three years ago from a friend who prayed, "This year will mark a season of life that no matter what the enemy throws at you you will be inoculated to its effects.  No amount of slander, misunderstandings, judgment, sickness, financial troubles--ANY fiery arrow--it will roll off of you like water off of a duck's back."  Seems hopeful, right?!  That word was indeed tested over & over again.

Sometimes it seems like in order for the promise to come to pass you have to endure the process.  The glorious process.

The one where some days are so crummy you hide your face in your pillow to shed a few quick tears without your kids hearing you, or those days of sheer exhaustion no amount of communication that flies out of your mouth will be words that you won't surely be apologizing for the following day, or those days where you CHOSE TO HOMESCHOOL impossible math and feel like running through glass for a sense of relief! (Wait, you've never had that thought!?  Weird!)  Indeed there are also days where you literally and figuratively climb a mountain or do something you previously deemed an impossibility.  In our HIGHEST highs and our lowest lows, the process invites us into friendship with God and what a sweet journey it is!

In the throws of the process we can oftentimes forget and begin to think there just might not be another side to this mountain.  Even though you are fully aware you've never endured a winter without a spring, there are days it feels like you just won't get through the other side of THIS--whatever your THIS may be!  Some days I encounter mind-numbing corruption, others I engage poverty in its worst form, other days I engage the hollow hearts of some of the wealthiest people I encounter, lots of days I escape to the Beauty of the beach, or stare at the "green screen" of my backyard.  (FYI--there's a gorgeous mountain in it and it just DOESN'T SEEM REAL!)

Yesterday was just one of those days.  It's silly, really.

To get you in the correct headspace I want to briefly describe our home.  Our home could be likened to a circus up-start--all the ingredients for a successful show but very little TAMING of the wild cats.  Our (currently) family of seven also has three adult women living in our home.  They are gracious, kind, helpful and mostly scared of their wild, safari-like environment.

A 24-hour glimpse:

6am--I am SHUTTING my eyes for the first time all night as the house begins to stir.  The baby was BRIGHT-EYED and DIRTY-PANTS'D alllllll night long.  In a desperate move I passed him off like a hot potato when the clock strikes half past five like my WHOLE LIFE depends on it.

9am--Husband barges into the room (Everything is louder when you're sleeping, therefore I'm standing my ground with BARGING IN!) to give me a run-down of the DETAILS of our day.  "Yipee--details and schedules and PLANS...my absolute FAVORITE!"--said me, NEVER!  On the agenda for the day: three meetings, a basketball practice, a grocery run and a litany of people requiring a timely response.  This is going to be AWESOME on three hours of sleep.  I said a quick hail mary that I wouldn't manifest all day long.  One can always wish upon a star.  ;)

10am--I have heard for the 4,812th time about the "great oil spill of 1989."  Man, those were hard times.  My son followed these repeated stories of the "great oil spill of 1989" by grabbing the olive oil in the pantry and asking if he could maybe put it ALL OVER THE FLOOR to see what the "great oil spill of 1989" was like.  One thing is not like the other and my olive oil is 15 BONES therefore PUT THAT GOLD DOWN if you care about your life.  Homeschool.  I just can't.

10:15am--Change Uya-TOOT-wa's diaper for the upteenth time.  This time though he went for a world record and poop darted out of him all the way to his hair.  Impressive buddy, I'm sure there's an award for that somewhere.  By all means, I'd love to change your clothes again.  It's so easy and all.

10:17am--Get peed on.  Change my clothes.  Get spit-up on.

11:57am--The beggings of the starving are beckoning.  Clearly, they've never been fed and rise up like an ARMY of DOGS barking and panting for their next meal like their ENTIRE EXISTENCE depends on it.  Geez, pipe down.  Get spit-up on.

12:30pm--SHOWER and pretend like I just woke up and this awesome day is only going to get better! Get spit-up on.

1:15pm--Begin wrestling the likes of the strongest 2-year-old in all of the world.  It's naptime and by NO MEANS is she going down without a FIGHT.  We call her #wildcat for her ferocious spirit and ear-piercing pipes.

1:30pm--Meeting in my living room. (In fact, a small highlight of the day<--said me, only ONCE... EVER)!  Get spit-up on TIMES TEN MILLION.

2:45pm--Must. RACE. to. dance. class.  I like to call these next 20 minutes, The Tale of the Missing Leotard, which is a perfect pairing for the other read, The Impending Doom of Being Late--AGAIN.  These reads can only truly be appreciated with their accompanying soundtrack, "The Crocodile Tears of the Miserable Seven Year Old."  These precious moments are followed by MOMMY-DAUGHTER "hair time."  "Hair time" is H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS time!  While wailing ensues my mind drifts off to all of those Instagram posts of mothers who LOVE to brush their girl's hair. I imagine them brushing their perfectly clean, tangle-free daughter's hair while worshiping to "Shine, Jesus, Shine!" and whispering in their perfectly calm child's ear, "Oh what a sweet dream come true!"  Yet, all I can think is, "I don't care if small, WILD, untamed animals start living inside of these tangles, I am NEVER EVER EVER taking a brush to your head AGAIN!  By all means, sow your wild oats and start those dreads TODAY, child!  With every bobby pin insertion I am reminded of how horrible I really am.

3:30pm--Enjoy about 20 minutes of silence and do some patchwork on the sewing machine--because having the hobby of a 75-year-old is my only SANITY.

4:45pm--Begin texting your husband like a crack addict in need of a fix asking desperately begging if he can teleport home because in another minute I might collapse from exhaustion.  Get spit-up on.

5:00pm--Smiling & peaceful husband arrives.

5:01pm--Crawl into bed and pretend like my bedroom is sound-proof from the toddler-hollers & elementary-aged bickering.  SLEEP!  SWEET SLEEP!

6:40pm--MORE BARGING.

6:42pm--Sweet friend offering to bring me my favorite meal.  BRIGHT SPOT.  The fog will indeed clear with a nap and FOOD.  It's like the fairy dust for bad attitudes.

6:43pm--Husband is leaving again for next thing, wailing 7-year-old is begging (literally on her knees) to accompany her daddy for the next few hours.  Don't let me stop you!  RUN!  Get in the car before he leaves like it's the last helicopter out of Vietnam!

7:15pm--Ignore the tornadic damage done to the kitchen at dinnertime.  If you squint hard enough it can, after all, appear clean.  That is, if squinting hard enough actually means closing your eyes and dreaming of Pinterest-worthy kitchen makeovers.

7:20pm--Enjoy fun conversation with housemate.  She's calm and an ADULT so any conversation is incredibly WELCOME.  Although I look haphazard she ignores my appearance and we indulge in pleasantries about our day.  I make up a few.

7:29pm--Receive phone call from husband asking me to look in car for my purse because we "MIGHT" have been broken into and my purse "MIGHT" have been stolen.  Optimism has its place but not when discussing my brand-new Christmas purse was stolen with all other purse trappings and by GOLLY, my BRAND-NEW LIPSTICK while beginning his opening arguments with an, "I swear I locked it."  WHAT ABOUT LOCKING IT MATTERS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE HANDBAG IN THE PASSENGER SEAT!?  But, I digress, he feels bad.  After all, he was buying birthday flowers for a friend when he was broken into.  Isn't ANYTHING sacred!?

7:30pm--Frantically call America to cancel credit cards and mentally race about that sweet picture of my brother and I that I have always kept in said missing wallet for years.  What could any thief possibly want with my stuff?  Credit cards are canceled, I don't carry cash, so just give me my STUFF BACK!

7:31pm--Friend arrives with favorite dinner.

7:32pm--Threaten kids to silence under penalty of 15 years of HARD LABOR!

7:33pm--Form tackle toddler to wrangle into bed.  She is bucking like a wild horse & screaming like she was just shanked.

7:59pm--Quickly look up Romans 8:28 wholly convinced that I had memorized it incorrectly all these years.  Fully expecting it to read, "And we know that [MOST EVERYTHING, ON PERFECT DAYS] God works for the good of those who love him, who are called according to His purpose."
To my shock and dismay I realize the words on the page have not, in fact, changed and His promise remains in every sticky process, "And we know that in ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love him."  ALL THINGS!??!  ALLLLLLL THINGS!?  Even, this?

8:00pm--Begin to calm down and realize that being stolen from, although is lame, doesn't get to dictate my perspective.  God is still good.  It's just stuff.


My days aren't extraordinary.  They're definitely nothing to write home about, though clearly I'm doing just that, they just are.  In the moments, in the details, God sees and knows.  He never leaves or withholds.  Just because my life isn't a picture of Hollywood perfection, maybe--just maybe, I like my version better even with all of its mishaps.  Maybe I wouldn't trade these moments, these highs and lows, for anything else in all of the world because I can meet God in the dirty, exhausting, mind-altering frustration of the menial & mundane.  The devil looks for every opportunity to steal our joy.  We can respond in like or we can choose to see God's hand in the midst of the muck.  He deals quite perfectly in our mess and is quite comfortable entering into our mud and pulling us out.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 

Psalm 40:2

What if God is un-phased by my flailing? What if He isn't shaken by my frail state?  What if He loves me just the same on my worst days?  What if I don't have to try and He's just there, readily available to wipe every tear (or spit-up stain)?

That thought surely can inoculate me from all the fiery arrows.

He holds ALL THINGS together, least of all me.

He is before all things and in Him all things hold together.  Colossians 1:17

11:00pm--do exactly this.

Can I get an AMEN!?

Sweet dreams everyone!

Disclaimer:  I love my herd of wild cats children.  No one was harmed in the making of our day.  You need not worry about my sanity, or you could fall to your knees, hide yourself in a closet and plead for it.  Whatever floats your boat, really!  Also, please be so kind as to excuse my atrocious grammar.  Instead, pray fervently for my children's education.  

The story of His Glory!

As I sit here today I can’t help but think of all the days spent dreaming of being right where I am, in this moment.  We are birthing a new baby church, growing a team of incredible friends, enjoying our beautiful city and reveling in His goodness and His perfect timing day in and day out. 

It’s a bit shocking to us the opportunities God has afforded us in our short time here.  We have met and disciple many future leaders of not only South Africa but the nations of Africa.  We have been afforded the privilege to utilize Jason’s education as a lawyer to combat sex-trafficking through consulting on cases, raising awareness at the university and joining brave men & women who fight on behalf of the oppressed day in & day out.

My favorite story though is one I will never forget and the purpose of this post.  This story is one worth sharing over and over again. 

One day standing in the kitchen, a teammate & roommate, Carmen, received a text message from a young woman in our college Lifegroup.  She had found herself in a situation she had no idea how to handle or escape.  She felt as though there was only one way out.  She informed Carmen of her pregnancy and her decision to terminate it.  Having very little time to prepare for what we would say or do in response we called upon the masses to PRAY!  We went to speak with the timid and fragile girl.  In her presence I quickly saw everything she was made to be, the power and influence that a life submitted to Jesus could result in and the humility to win the hearts of men & women worldwide.  I suddenly was full of faith for this young woman’s life.  How do you tell a 19 year old that her pregnancy is a gift in the face of family rejection, society scorn and friendly judgment?  It will, in no small way, change the course of her entire life.  Yet, there I was, having only met her once before, begging for the life of her baby.  I had decided many years ago that people’s decisions could not dictate my ability to LOVE.  So, that being said, at the end of the day, no matter what she decided to do I would love. However, far be it from me (and Carmen!) to let the opportunity pass where we did not literally beg for her baby’s life.  She adamantly told me she had made her decision.  I squealed and squawked for her to “CHANGE HER MIND!” -- to no avail.  Our conversation ended with a termination appointment looming in 12 hours, so we prayed for the TANGIBLE presence of Jesus Himself to fill her room, speak to her, love her, whisper His protection over her, give her revelation of His unchanging, unmoving love for her and His Promise to take care of her baby no matter what! 

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” –Ephesians 3:20-21

We came home and prayed more, wept some and awoke to the news that our friend had encountered something during the night that only the Bible describes so plainly.  God had moved on her behalf and restored her to Himself.  She was indeed going to keep her baby.  In her words, “Who am I to tell God that I know any better than him?”  There was a radical and quick obedience despite the impending scorn.  She looked at the cost and said to her child, “You are worth it.”

“For I know the plans I have for you.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you a hope and a future.” –Jeremiah 29:11

Her name is Zintle.  (Zin-slay)  Her name means, “They are beautiful.”

Zintle & Selah at her shower. February 28, 2015

This is Uyathandwa.

Isn’t he perfect in every way?

(Oo-yuh-tahn-dwuh) this is entertaining because I have no idea how to phonetically spell anything!)

He came out as a worshiper!  VICTORY! (March 2, 2015)
A tiny miracle weighing in as a 5.5lb heavyweight.

Leaving the hospital. March 5, 2015

God gives the best gifts.

“See I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” –Isaiah 43:19

  

There have been many questions and concerns.  How long will he be with us?  Most likely Uya will be with us for a couple of months until he goes to live with extended family who are eagerly awaiting their opportunity to love on him!  After much prayer we have decided that the future heartache doesn’t dictate our behavior.  We risk love because he’s worth it.  We risk separation from a boy we will love as our own because LOVE enters into every situation, it rushes in unhindered, always willing, no matter the outcome.  If I weighed every decision based on my controlled and calculated assessment of the heartache and risk ahead I wouldn’t truly live.  My only stance, my only choice can be love because of what Jesus Christ has done for me.  

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” –Romans 8:28

Please be praying for us as we journey into the unknown.  We love this baby boy.  We love his mama.  We are humbled by God’s willingness to entrust us with his precious life for whatever amount of time he will be with us.  However, let’s be real, I often make Zintle promise me that even when he’s sixteen that he can spend the night on occasion.  ;) 

The generosity of the masses for the sake of the one has always been something that has blown my mind.  Thank you friends and family for coming around us financially, emotionally & practically to see this future world-changer born into care, celebration, belief and unshakable love.

On behalf of his beautiful mama, Zintle, and our family, we are forever thankful.

May God receive ALL the glory from this precious life.

“Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”-Psalm 37:4

Selah's message for her new baby "brother"

life in Africa

SIX WEEKS IN AFRICA…an update on liiiiiiife.

I can honestly say I have loved *almost* every minute of the past six weeks of my life.  Seriously!

On the rare moments I feel errrr...maxed out, at least I have a constant theme song going on in my head thanks to Shakira and the World Cup.  It never fails to come to mind.  Circumstances with background music are always suddenly better.  Always.  Haven't you ever been to church?  Mood music, people.

We arrived and the insanity and hilarity began MOMENT ONE!  As many of you know driving in a foreign land is just strange in general.  Signs are different, roads are unfamiliar, everything is just a bit off…especially when one is forced to drive on the opposite side of the road AND drive a stick-shift on the left side!  Now, for those of you that know my husband he is a man of MANY talents.  One of which is that he, in fact, IS Google Maps.  No matter what country, what city, whether it’s our first time in that location or not, the dude can get us where we need to go…ALWAYS.  It’s a strange gifting, but one I’m quite thankful for.  That being said he’s not gonna win any safety awards for defensive driving anytime soon.  One might start praying from moment minus-one of arriving in an automobile he is commandeering.  So…back to my story.  Night one.  Arrive at the airport late.  I’m giddy and taking pictures of my feet and stuff.  Cheesy things that I had dreamed of doing since I was little.  Ya know, my feet, on African soil, calling it home…finally!  Jason is in ZERO hurry to get off the plane?  Why?  OH BECAUSE HE SLEPT THE ENTIRE FLIGHT!  Me, yep, eager beaver to get off the plane.  Re-circulating air, slight urine smell, stiff chairs, alwaysgettheseatwiththebrokentv (I do mean ALWAYS!), ya know…just ready.  So, we are the LAST people to get off the plane.  Haven is DETERMINED to pull her own suitcase, which is cute and all but in functionality and a DEEP DESIRE to leave the airport it can create a need to meet Patience the Person that dwells within.  (Note to self: NEED MORE REVELATION!)  Got our bags and made our way through customs without any problems except that the customs officials did have to ask Selah on several occasions to STOP acting like the bars in the waiting area were the tryout locations for the uneven bars event.  We are a circus and people stare.  Much to my amazement my family NEVER SEEMS TO NOTICE THIS!  Okay, geez, back to my story…we are finally in a rental van giddy as can be.  Jason hasn’t looked at a map but just going on instinct to our hotel.  I am relentlessly asking him to look at a map.  I mean, at this point it’s midnight.  Just MAKE SURE.  We’re driving, we’re driving, we’re driving, ohhhhhh all the while we are driving one should picture the stop-n-go motion of heavy HUGE CITY traffic.  No, there was no traffic on the road at midnight in Cape Town it was just the FEELING of that because of Jason’s not so graceful shifting of gears.  I mean, I just want you to get the whole picture, okay!?  Oops, need to u-turn suddenly!  OHHHHHH wow.  No turning radius on this bad boy.  Jason starts man-handling the gear shift like it’s gonna save his life!  He is thrashing and I’m so confused and asking what in the world is going on!?  He suddenly is NO LONGER IN OUR CAR!  (Pause for scene intake: we are downtown.  It’s dark.  At night.  We have somehow come across a street full of clubs.  Music bumping and actually some traffic coming RIGHT AT US! Jason not in car. ) I look up and to my dismay Jason is ATTEMPTING TO PUSH OUR CAR.  WHAT!?!?  The car didn’t DIE.  Yep, he just couldn’t figure out how to get it into reverse so with traffic whizzing by and SEVERAL strapping young men from da club coming to our aid he was able to back us out of our predicament while I took over the driving responsibilities the remainder of the way. (Okay, it was only like three more blocks, but STILL! Forever grateful for my parents teaching me how to drive a stick-shift in high school no matter how frustrating it might have been at the time, right Mom!?)

We arrive at our hotel.  (Can’t get into our rental home until the next morning.  No keys)  They immediately start referring to Jason as Lord Kennedy which has me laughing uncontrollably until they started calling me My Lady to which I looked around and in fact it DID look like a castle!  HA!  Stop it though, my name is Ashley.  Expedia booked us a SWEET HOTEL.  We didn’t even know but were super grateful for our posh beginnings.  It even came equipped with a washer & dryer!  WOOHOO!  I was ready to wash our travel clothes and get the plane smell OUT of our clothing.  A washer & dryer isn’t the correct saying anyways it was a washer/dryer in ONE.  So, the genius that I am I throw in the ONLY CLOTHES we brought in with us.  I thought to myself, “Hope this works because all of our other clothes are in suticases in a car that I have no idea the location of currently!  Ehhhh, it’ll be FINE!”  Welp.  Fast forward to the next morning and we are running late to meet with our rental agent to receive the keys to our NEW HOME…in AFRICA y’all!  Annnnnd I must’ve done something wrong with the laundry because Jason’s jeans are SOPPING wet…like wring them out dripping wet.  We try drying them again.  Instead, we WASHED them again!  So, in our fancy shmancy hotel my sweet husband put on his DRIPPING WET jeans and held his head high and waltzed right through that lobby to check us out with puddles in his wake.  It was awesome.

By the way, it was SLEETING AND HAILING the night we arrived.  SO BIZARRE for Cape Town but made our first several nights in our new home freakishly cold.  Cold was an understatement.  We were all on blow-up air mattresses on the floor and we might as well have been on a mountaintop full of SNOW.  Ah well, we were happy nonetheless. 

Three days later a group of 26 young world-changing, globe-trotting, hilarious, game-playing, Gospel-sharing students showed up on our doorstep and we were in for an adventure.  Unfortunately class at UCT was only in session four more days upon their arrival.  EVEN SO…they left us with so many people to follow up with!  Had they been here when school was in full swing we would have loads of people gathering.  These guys were humble, fun, engaging, generous and incredibly flexible. 

A few mini-adventures of their 3-week stay WITH US (yes, HALF OF THEM stayed in our home!)  One night a girl in her sweetest voice said, “Jason, our toilet is bubbling!” He didn’t think much of it as we had countless issues already with our toilets and plumbing in the four short days we’d been there.  When he went downstairs to check it out it was a fecal matter RIVER flowing through our garage.  I hate bathroom talk.  I hate even the idea of discussing it and this, by far, was one of the most disgusting things…EVER.  Through much dry heaving and gagging Jason mopped it up, cleaned it up, called a 24-hour plumber and still…to this day…is almost too traumatized to talk of it.  It was gross.  Ew.  I just shuddered thinking about it. 

Many many games of Nertz, Spades, Bananagrams were played with much passion.  I love me some competition.  And winning.  Stories were told, dreadlocks were made & friendships were formed.  I FELL IN LOVE WITH THESE PEOPLE!  It was soooo God that within my first week this amazing crew would show up, bless our socks off, encourage us & ride the waves of the unknown with us in our first month.  They loved people like Jesus does day in and day out and our city was deeply changed by their short stay here.  I’m certain of it!  Saying goodbye to them was terribly sad.

Then we had a few days of trying to get life in order and some details sorted out before our bestie BROOKE ELDRIDGE showed up!  Man, God LOVES ME!  In my first month I had a best friend visit!  Not only is she a dear friend she is ON OUR TEAM!  She committed to our team and this great nation in REVIVAL prior to ever seeing it so we touristed (word? No, don’t care.) it UP for a couple of weeks.  Played with penguins, drove on roads carved out of mountain-sides, went to where the locals are and had SUCH A BLAST!  Brooke keeps me sane.  She has a unique ability to KNOW EVERYTHING I’M THINKING, WHAT I’M GOING TO SAY, WHAT I LIKE…everyone deserves a Brooke in their lives.  Insanely refreshing, loves my kids like her own, happiest person of all time, incredibly effective with her time, passionate about Jesus and OTHERS, and helps me with the dishes with a happy heart.  Man, I LOVE HER!

Other updates: 

Kids are thriving.  They love the townships!  True really comes alive there.  And the beach.  HE LOVES THE BEACH!  We have a motto.  It goes something like this. “It’s a pretty day.  We should go to the beach!”  We are the only ones on the beach because we are crazy enough to go—it’s winter here.  We don’t care, it’s GORGEOUS!

Haven sings “My Soul Sings” at a deeper octave than any man I know but boy-oh-boy is it cuuuuute.  My kids love to worship.  With no television and STILL NO INTERNET they have plenty of time to do just that.  On occasion I zone out and notice Haven (eyes closed like she’s almost in pain and arms raised) is “worshipping” to “22.”  Um, oops, mom fail.  Love ya Taylor but not sure how that song surfaces on my ipod ALL OF THE TIME!

Jason is busy following up with people who want to know more about Jesus and also trying to get us a car, buy us appliances, set up house & home, get our visa situation in order, etc. etc.  Things here just happen sooooo slowly.  It’s good for us though. 

Selah is beginning dance classes again on Monday and she is very excited to meet girls her age.  Please pray for my kids to make amazing friendships quickly.

Oh, and we are still on air mattresses…some of us.  Our shipment doesn’t arrive now until SEPTEMBER. 

Homeschool begins shortly.  Sweet Jesus, help us all!

If I haven’t texted, or Skyped or overall been super communicative with you I’m sorry…we aint got no internets.  We have the data on our phones but that is precious and I’m burning through it at RAPID rates.  Oops.  I miss Sonic happy hour, Chick-Fil-A and fast internet with limitless downloads and data usage.  Oh and friends.  And syrup.  OK, I miss a lot of things but WE ARE THRIVING HERE!  Come join us!  You won’t regret it.  University students come back next week and we will be busy bees again and we are STOKED. 

Miracle updates: 

People have been saved, healed, set free on the daily.  No JOKE!

Also, I got insanely sick and wanted to be hospitalized with an IV of pain meds flowing through my body STAT.  Instead, we prayed and I was healed.  Like INSTANTANEOUSLY.  I sent out a mass text to friends and family that I knew would pray like crazy and within minutes I was feeling healthier than I had in YEARS.  Y’all, I went HIKING the next day.  Also, in that text mentioned we needed thousands of dollars for unexpected expenses.  Within 48 hours THOUSANDS of dollars had been committed.  Blown. Away.  I love the global Body and I LOVE MY GOD!  He so sees you.  He notices you in your need.  He is GENEROUS beyond compare.

I love everyone!

Isn't she lovely?  

Happy 4th of July y'all!  

True is truly in his element on the beach!

The happiest baby on the planet HANDS DOWN!  Mercy Rose is almost 7 months old!

Just love her.

Selah is always up for the next adventure!

oh how I love thee!

I LOOOOOOOVE love.  Who doesn't?  So, naturally, I love Valentine's Day!  Earlier in the week we had some sweet friends over for cookie decorating.  It was loud, hyper, high-pitched & a cuteness overload.  Seriously loved it.  The results weren't too shabby either...helped myself to plenty!  Although it was slightly difficult to get the kids to actually decorate the cookies prior to stuffing their faces.

cookie decorating!

(unsuspecting little sister got decorated with a heart smiley face!)

Valentine's Day started off just right with a hearty breakfast of champions and a Jesus Loves You party!  We all wrote encouragements to one another and stuffed them into our special envelopes (that I've been saving all year--hooray for remembering them!).  The kids were super stoked about their googly-eyed Valentine's to hand out at their respective parties at school that afternoon.  They came home with a loot of encouragements and candies.  Topped the wonderful day off with a hot date with my man!  We ate an AMAZING dinner thanks to Glen & Kat Miller (Gordon Ramsey ain't got nothing on him!) and then a surprise candlelit, rose-petal "indoor" picnic surprise afterwards.  Jason is always full of surprises and this year he out-did himself!  I LOVE MY FAMILY!  I feel insanely blessed to be in this season with our littles, full of chaos and yet SO full of joy.

Party Central!

My Valentines!  Geez, I love them.

syrup. even got in on the action this year...so fun!  I would love to devour one of those about...now.

Introducing...

...drumroll please...

...more drumming...

MERCY ROSE KENNEDY

Perfectly sweet.  She was born December 19th at 1:13pm weighing in at a whopping 6 pounds and 3 ounces.  Measuring 19.5 inches long.  We couldn't be happier.  Labor was awesome.  Seriously!

(Doesn't she look JUST like Selah!? We call her 2point0)

We were so lucky to get to have "G" there for the delivery this time.  She loves him already.

The other kids have adjusted amazingly and absolutely adore their baby sister.  At the end of December Mercy was hospitalized for RSV.  Awful experience but we are celebrating her recovery after contracting it a second time.  We are expert snot suckers these days and our tiny girl is a fighter!  Please pray for her continued health and improvement.

It's never too late to do a little introduction, right!?  It needed to happen.  4th child.

Dusting off the blog!

Dusting off the ol' blog with a much needed update:

Our family is truly on the ride of our lives.  An adventure like never before.  Changes often come with challenges and we've had our fair share of both over the past several months.  Exciting, exhilerating & exhausting and yet full of joy and promise.  I love these days.


In August...

• went to Portland with two of my greatest friends to get trained by Stumptown Coffee Roasters
• we said goodbye to our friends and beloved church in Norman, OK.  That was SAD! 
• we left a home/house we love
• our kids started new schools
• officially became a soccer mom
• we moved to a city we LOVE (Waco, TX!)
• moved into a rental home sight unseen (never again!)
• we reconnected with old friends

In September...

• we opened a restaurant.  Insanity.  Yet, God.  It's called syrup. and it is a blast with some amazing breakfast yummies and the most amazing employees on the planet.  I'm not even exaggerating.  I dare you to search the globe for better employees.  Won't find 'em. At least you won't convince me.  

I miss this little oasis on Main Street, Norman, OK.  God initiated this little project with us years before.  Alllllll profits go to supporting humanitarian and missionary projects worldwide.  If you are in the area, please eat there.  But beware.  It's addictive.  With coffee that's similar to crack you'll want to go back over and over again.  However, I can't take credit for it.  I barely even cook dinner for my own family.  It's 100% God-initiated, family-supported and run by friends.  We are just bystanders in awe!

In October...

• we celebrated our favorite five year old's birthday.
• we became curiously ill (sick for WEEKS!)
• Selah Strawberry Shortcake made the news while trick-or-treating.  She was CUTE!

In November...

• we visited our favorite city in America, home-sweet-home Portland, OR & got to re-connect with friends and our old church!  Such a sweet time!
• Ashley had an emergency hospital stay (due to curious illness)
• we drove to visit grandparents and great-grandparents for Thanksgiving
• True lost four teeth!
• moved into a second rental home after finding out the curious, incessant sickness was actually a mold infestation in our first rental!

In December...

• settled into rental home number two and was extremely thankful for a bit of calm & nesting time before sweet baby Mercy came!
• Jason's mom remarried and all the cousins gathered.
• watched two of our best friends get engaged!  
• had a sweet baby shower with long-time friends
• we had our fourth blessing!  Mercy Rose Kennedy was born on December 19th!
• we celebrated our first Christmas as a little family unit
• Jason started the bar exam prep course 6 days a week for the upcoming Texas State Bar Exam! (prrrrraaaaayyyyy!)
• Five out of six of us all got the flu!
• Mercy came down with RSV and had to be hospitalized. Sooooo sad.

In January...

• said goodbye to my best friend!  Kami and I have been best friends since my freshman year in college.  Her and her family moved around the world on adventure with Jesus!  
• we are FINALLY healthy after being sick for FOUR LONG MONTHS!
• we are preparing for our THIRD move in Waco. 
• we are adjusting to long, sleepless nights and being a family of six!
• we are FULL OF JOY and expectation for what God has in store.  

In February...

• Jason will be taking the bar exam
• we will complete raising financial support
• we will send off for our visas to LIVE in South Africa!  (dream come true!)

In March...

• we will be saying goodbye to friends & family

In April...

• we will be watching some of our best friends get married!
• we will be moving to beautiful Capetown, South Africa! (more coming on that soon!)

Why did we move to Waco?

GREAT QUESTION!  Our missions agency is based here and we are working diligently on strategy, planning, team-building and raising financial support so we can launch our dream team this Spring!

Phew.  You made it to the end.  Way to go!