Growing Towards Maturity

Our daughter Adley has needed some help with her speech so each week she meets with a speech therapist to help her pronounce her words and combine them in sentences. Today was a particularly painful session because they were encouraging her to use her words to ask for a puzzle piece before they would give it to her. In the past they would ask her to try but not force the issue as much. Today they were pushing her harder. You could see her struggle to say the words they were asking of her and just when she thought she was finished they would ask her to repeat it again, but this time correctly. As a mom, I sat in the corner knowing that this was best for her because it was growing her to the next level, but at the same time I was hurting for her because I saw how difficult it was. Part of me wanted to scream STOP, but the other part of me knew that this process was necessary.
To me this is a great analogy of our relationship with God. As his daughters and sons he often puts us in a painful and hard place, not because of anything wrong we’ve done, but because he wants to mature us. I love the purpose behind the process of discipline in scripture and that is to train for correction and maturity. Adley was being corrected with her speech today so that she will be able in the future to say things right. What a great God we serve to love us so deeply that he cares enough to grow us for something better! If you are in a hard place today be encouraged that your father loves you.

Clive Euans our new “Brussel’s Sprout”

 

Last shot of what it was like to just be four of us before heading to the hospital.

 

 

  

The long wait begins…what will he look like?

 

  

Here come our girls to cheer Mommy up on Monday night the evening the Doctors stopped labor to try again the next day.

 

 

  

He was definitely worth the wait (or weight 8lbs 13oz).

 

  

Clive meets Eleri for the first time…love at first sight!

 

  

Clive with his other Mommy. He couldn’t have a bigger fan!

 

  

Eleri and Adley with their brand new babies. Eleri named her’s Clive Emeth!

 

  

Dad giving lots of love to his three kids! Clive had better be a Buckeye fan or we are in trouble. (Go Bucks!!!!)

 

  

Clive ready to go home and join this crazy family.

 

  

Welcome home Clive!

Rain Deprived

I love the rain.  In fact WE love the rain.  It started in college after David and I met.  Most all our important or special moments together included rain like the day he proposed at a park and the day we got married.  I began to see rain as a visual picture of God raining His love down on us.  A symbol that we were not forgotten but instead very special in His eyes.

This summer was hard.  Lots of changes, lots of uncertainties loomed in the distance.  On top of that, we’ve had a bit of a drought so there’s been little rain.  I didn’t realize how much I missed that until this past week when I reached the end of a tough day and discovered to my dismay that our oven was not working.  This was of course right after I had mixed up a batch of pumpkin bread.  So, at 9 pm I called our neighbors to see if they would bake the bread for us.  I stepped outside feeling dejected and discouraged with a tear rolling down my cheek.  Then it began!  One drop after another falling from the sky.  I had forgotten but He hadn’t.  He LOVED me and it was visual and tangible to me in that moment.  What a difference a rainstorm can make.  Sorry to those of you who don’t like rain but I say:  Let it rain on down!

p.s.  The pumpkin bread was amazing!  If anyone wants the recipe let me know.

Little prayers, Big answers

We are a week down now with David at his new job teaching high schoolers Bible.  God has been faithful and although the hours are long as he writes curriculum, I see that he is enjoying the challenge and joy of shaping young minds for Christ.  It has been an adjustment for the whole family to have dad gone for 12 hours a day, but God is giving us more strength than we could have imagined.  David was thankful when his prayer for a good nights sleep has been answered nightly in spite of the stress of each day and the uncertainty of the next.

As you all know, the countdown for our little one arriving continues.  We have been praying about what to do for a vehicle wondering if we’ll be able to fit 3 car seats in our Subaru station wagon.  At the same time we didn’t want to buy something that would require a loan since we know that we will only be here for a short time before launching to Brussels.  Without our knowledge, God was already working out the problem.  Some friends and supporters of ours had just purchased a new vehicle and wanted to get rid of their mini-van when God put it on their heart to offer it to us at half price.  Not only are we getting something we never dreamed was possible to afford, but we are acquiring it at just the right time, a month away from baby 3 arriving!!  This left us in speechless amazement.

For those of you who are housewives, you’ll appreciate this next answered prayer story.  We have tried for years to find a sweeper that does a good job sweeping the hard wood floors in our house.  All the sweepers we’ve had have either broken down, not done what they’re supposed to, and the latest one wouldn’t hold a charge.  David was content to sweep the floors with a broom and dust pan, but with my asthma and the fact that we DO live in the 21st century, I was praying for a different solution.  He agreed last week that we could invest in another sweeper so for the first time I read all the consumer reports on which one to get etc., so that this would be the LAST time we’d have to buy one.  Anyways, with the expenses of starting school I knew we’d have to wait until sometime in Sept. to even think of buying one, but I was praying for patience in the meantime.  Two nights ago I went over to a friend’s house who was moving to pick up some of the food and cleaning supplies that they needed to get rid of.  Along with the food she loaded a SWEEPER into our car.  SOOO, we finally have one that works great and for the first time in a month I can walk around in my bare feet without picking up all kinds of crumbs!

Does God answer little prayers?  We sure think so and hope that this is proof enough for you.  Of course if you need more stories we could talk about how God has provided a new wardrobe for David, a crib for the baby’s room, school supplies for the girls…but we’ll save them for another day.

Name that Boy!!

Ok.  So the countdown has begun.  We are 10 weeks away from the due date and we cannot decide on a name for our baby boy, so now’s your chance to help us out.  Send us a comment and there may be something in this for the winner.

Long Time No Write

 

David and Eleri cooling off at one of our rest stops home from Charlotte.

I can’t believe that this much time has passed since our concert and the the last journal entry.  A lot has happened since June and I wanted to fill you in.

 

Right after the concert an amazing thing happened that could only be God working.  David was supposed to leave for 2 weeks to complete seminary classes in Charlotte.  I was going to stay here with the girls but at the last minute, the people he was to stay with asked him to bring the entire family.  So we all packed up in four hours and off we went on the biggest adventure of a lifetime.  The people we were to stay with were total strangers but by the end of the two weeks we believe we had found lifetime friends.  Dave and Leslie live on 10 acres of land so everyday we had walks to the creek exploring God’s nature and the amazing wildlife such as deer and all kinds of birds and rabbits.  They had chickens so we were privleged to eat fresh eggs each morning along with goodies from their garden.  It was a much needed break for us all.  Our cell phones didn’t work unless we walked up the long lane and the internet was down for the first week so we felt like we were at a resort and came back rested and ready for what we knew would be a crazy summer and fall.

It had become apparent a few months back that David needed to find a job since we were not bringing in enough support to sustain our internship salary.  At that time we were not sure how God was going to provide and as usual it came in a very unexpected way.  One of our good friends decided to move closer to family and in doing that opened up a Bible teaching position at Norfolk Christian.  David’s schooling has concentrated in the exact areas that the classes at the high school cover and he has a passion to teach others how to defend the faith and to know what one believes.  After applying a few weeks before the concert, we left it in God’s hands.  It was while we were in Charlotte that he got the call to set up an interview.  So, as God would have it, we feel blessed to say that he was offered the Job last week!  We will still be doing a part time internship at the church and living on some support to help supplement the salary from the school so all your financial support will still be needed in order to continue both jobs.  Our prayer is that more than we need will come in so we can begin to save up the funds for our one time moving expenses and the three month salary that we are required to have saved up before we can launch to Brussels.

So, as you can see, this fall will look very different for us.  We are excited about the possibility of connecting with lots of new people and churches through this new job opportunity along with continuing to grow our leadership and ministry skills.  God has been so faithful and we feel honored to be a part of building His kingdom.  We ask for your prayers as we adjust to this new schedule and the demands of working more hours along with a new baby coming in Sept.  In the meantime, I promise to keep you updated more frequently.  Thanks for coming back!

 

adley enjoying the time away from home.

We’re having a….

 Can you believe it?  We were slightly in shock but there was NO doubt in anyone’s mind what the gender was.  In fact if we would have wanted it to be a surprise it would have been impossible with as bold as this child is.  In fact the ultrasound tech couldn’t get over the fact that the legs didn’t close the entire time.  We feel blessed to know that everything looks healthy and that the baby is growing as it should be.  Life is so amazing.  The neat thing is that last night we felt it move for the first time.  So we welcome a BOY into our home.  At least David will have one on his side finally.  Today has been a day to celebrate not only eight years of marriage, but the gift of a child, and the birthday of a very special mom and grandma.  Happy birthday mom.

7 years 364 days

Tomorrow we celebrate love, commitment, and a journey that we never dreamt we’d be on.  May 20th, 2000 we promised each other for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health till death do us part.  Every anniversary is special in it’s own right.  Tomorrow we celebrate not only love but life.  We’ll find out more details about the little one that is growing inside me.  To hear what we’re having you’ll have to check back.  Any predictions?

Our Dear Old Agnes Is Gone

Though we only knew her during a snap shot of her life, she taught us a great many lessons.  Some of them are:  What does it look like to care for a widow or how do you stop an 80 year old woman from giving your six month old Coca-Cola?  Is there more to life then Southern goodbyes?  Who will be there for us when our bodies are left finishing the race though our spirits desire to be home with God.  Will we be this stubborn in the end?

People love to work, maybe we’re designed that way.  Others tinker on all sorts of projects.  Agnes loved to walk.  She would tell you she walked three miles today if she were still here, up to Ward’s corner and back, and that was mostly true except for the days she did that twice.  She was always open to hear our crazy theological and philosophical conversations and at the end she would just say “Hmmm, sounds interesting, or my husband should be here to talk to you about that.”

Last night after the viewing we took our two girls out for ice cream.  Agnes would of had it no other way.  So goodbye Agnes T. Nalls or should I say until we meet again.

Your affectionate adopted grandson,

David Davey

QUALIFIED

“You and your girls Eleri and Adley are qualified for the state health care program.”  Those were the words I heard this afternoon on the other end of the phone.  Relief, joy, unbelief were all emotions that ran through my body.  For those of you who know the details, this is NOTHING short of a miracle.  I was told by every person I talked to from the state that we would not qualify for numerous reasons, but they suggested we apply anyways.  I’m not sure how this happened except by God’s magnificent and powerful arm of salvation!  This means many things for us.

1.  We do not have to purchase healthcare for the girls and we will only have a $5 co-pay for every Dr. visit and prescription.

2.  My pregnancy and delivery will be COMPLETELY covered including the asthma medications that have been costing me $180 a month.

I “knew” that God was bigger than the government, money, and situations we find ourselves in, but now we’ve EXPERIENCED it in a real way.  True belief is not only knowing and agreeing with the truth, but it’s also acting in it as well.  We pray that God will cause us to remember that HE is our strength and our salvation.  What peace that brings.  Thanks for your prayers.