Thoughts

Tonight, Caleb developed a cough...just at the end of another round of antibiotics. It has been a seemingly unending season of sickness after sickness in our home, and the swine flu scare doesn't help. When I became a mom, I began to struggle with fears I had never dealt with before.

I have come to believe that the news is designed to scare us and cause us to think that the world is falling down around us. But the fact is, we live in a world that is very marred by disease and death and crime and war. Yes, there are incredibly beautiful things about this world...like my family, tonight's sunset, friends, the Organ Mountains, etc. But, I felt like God reminded me tonight that all the wonder and beauty of this world is a mere taste of the world to come. Earth compares not at all to the splendor of Heaven. He has promised us that "in this world we will have trouble." But we can "take heart, for He has overcome the world."

"I sought the Lord, and He answered me;
He delivered me from all my fears."
Psalm 34:4

In Limbo...

Unless you have been living in a cave for the last few days, you are probably aware of the swine flu pandemic. We are scheduled to fly to Mexico City on May 12th. Obviously, with the recent events in that city, our plans are now up in the air. Parents of students going with us are understandably concerned, and we are now watching the news regularly. Please pray for us as we make some important decisions in the coming days. We need to decide whether to cancel the trip entirely, relocate the trip, or postpone it.



We are really bummed about it. The group that we have going is such a great group, and I was so looking forward to getting to know the students better. Angie, Brandon's amazing cousin, works with prostitutes and street kids in Mexico City...and our plan was to work alongside her for two weeks. Please pray for her as she serves the Lord in a country of people who must be asking some serious life questions right now.

Boys will be Boys

I have few memories of kindergarten, but one thing I can clearly remember is spending my free time playing with red cardboard bricks. We made forts. We made houses. We used them to make walls to keep the boys away. So, when this package was opened at Christmas, I was so excited. I didn't even know they were still around. Thanks again, Peltons.



I couldn't wait to see what creations his little mind would conceive. I pictured us spending quality time together building fortresses for Caleb and houses for "Wala" (his koala).

Instead, this is what Father and Son spend quality time together doing:









...over and over and over again. You should hear the laughing as the blocks crash on top of him. I don't understand those two half the time, but I enjoy them pretty much all the time.

Our Easter

I am just so excited to have a working camera and space on our computer...so there will be several postings of pretty much just pictures. :-) We celebrated Easter with good friends, good meals, an egg hunt, basketball games and egg-throwing contests. We love our team so much and had lots of fun with them on Sunday. Thank You, God, for making us alive with Christ...and for giving us good community. I am grateful.

Way too ambitious...

Aren't they pretty? I found them on Bakerella, a blog that my amazing-baker sister-in-law, Julia, mentioned on her blog. I fell in love with this site and couldn't wait to try her cakepops. It seemed pretty easy...just bake a cake out of a box, crumble it, mix it with icing, dip them in melted candy and voila!

Well, this is how mine turned out...



Nice sculpture, huh? I laughed a lot.



I did manage to get a few decorated. Nine total. Though I think thirty or so ended up in the trash, it still was a lot of fun making them. Practice makes perfect, I am sure, but I don't think I will be doing much practicing any time soon.

You have to check out her site! It's cuteness overload.

Happy Easter!

"That's what Christ did definitively; suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all, was put to death and then made alive to bring us to God."

1 Peter 3:18
The Message

Happy Birthday, Brandon!

I have such a wonderful husband. Every day, I think about how blessed I am to be his wife. We celebrated his birthday yesterday with a trip to hit range balls and another trip to El Paso to our favorite restaurant, Taco Tote. Several of our good friends joined us...in spite of the drive.

Thanks, babe, for being the perfect husband for me. I love you.


(And thanks to all you sweet people who commented below. I really like you guys and am excited to make something for you. :-) Andrea and Kel, I don't think I have your addresses. Could you give me those?)