tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80030142505767007122024-03-04T22:01:24.377-06:00Pray for JosephAug 20 2004- Aug 21 2008 Joseph is finally at peace. Thanks for all your prayers and support.Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-3792814252019223702018-08-20T19:01:00.003-05:002018-08-20T19:01:35.836-05:0010 years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today would be Joseph’s 14th birthday, which also means tomorrow marks 10 years since he left us. When I look through these pictures it feels like all this happened just the other day, and then it also feels a very long time ago, as if it were another lifetime and it happened to other people. </div>
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Probably part of the reason for that is because our family now is teeming with life. We’ve been blessed with 3 more beautiful children since Joseph died and we are in that sweet season of raising them and helping them (with fear and trepidation) become the people God intends them to be. We have one well on her way to becoming an adult, one almost completely out of diapers, two in between, and 5,346 activities between them all.</div>
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When I look back on the last 10 years I’m filled with gratitude for all the ways God has led us and provided for us. As so many of us know, when you have a child there are these invisible strings that tether your heart to theirs. That doesn’t magically disappear once their physical body is no longer near you. Right after we lost Joseph, the physical ache we felt from longing to hold him, see him, and love him was completely debilitating. I wondered if I would ever feel or function normally again. </div>
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Thankfully that heavy weight of grief doesn’t feel debilitating anymore, although waves will still hit me at unexpected times. God has provided abundant joy in these four treasures we get to parent now, and I cannot help but be grateful and thankful for that. I used to feel guilty for enjoying them and “forgetting” Joseph but he doesn’t need me to be miserable and guilty. He is enjoying uninterrupted joy and fulfillment with Jesus and he actually doesn’t need me at all anymore (which was a very difficult thing to accept, given his age when he died). Our children really are God’s, and while they are our responsibility for a while He is their true parent. </div>
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I feel immense gratitude for the people God provided throughout Joseph’s cancer and then during the tender years after. We were overwhelmed with so much love, sympathy and support, and we would not have made it through without people being the hands and feet of Christ. Thank you to our friends and family who stuck with us when we were not much fun to be around. It takes so much kindness, empathy and love to walk with a grieving person and I’m just so grateful for our friends and family who walked closely with us.</div>
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I’m so grateful for Allen, the love of my life. I don’t know where I’d be without his sacrificial love and leadership in our family. He’s our breakfast-making, board game playing, adventure-creating captain. He still makes me laugh my head off, too, which I definitely thought would have worn off after 17 years.</div>
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I’m also so grateful to God, “ who daily bears our burdens” and is close to the broken-hearted. It seems God uses suffering as a key tool in drawing his children closer to His heart. Philip Yancey once wrote, “ Human beings do not readily admit desperation. When they do, the kingdom of heaven draws near.” We are always in need of God but our awareness of that need is definitely heightened in the midst of suffering/desperation. I’m grateful for the ways God has shown Himself faithful and present, especially in the midst of deep sadness.</div>
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We still miss Joseph deeply and I often wonder how the dynamics in our family would be different if he were the oldest one here on earth. I really wish the other kids knew him and had him as their big brother. Every new season brings fresh sadness as we see he would be starting middle school, starting to drive, etc. I don’t think we will ever come to an end of this grief journey here on earth. Joseph is a part of us and our family and we won’t ever forget the gift he was to us. But I hope we will continue to be thankful for all the good gifts God gives us and come to Him when our hearts are hurting. We definitely don’t always understand why God allows certain things but I do know He loves us and He is faithful to all His promises, and He will carry us in our strength and in our weakness. </div>
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<br />Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-8531659013269055532013-10-28T16:11:00.001-05:002013-10-28T16:11:28.532-05:00Stewarding Our PainRecently I read an essay by Frederick Buechner entitled, "Adolescence and the Stewardship of Pain." (If you have never read anything by him I would highly recommend giving him a read. This essay was in the book The Clown in the Belfry.) In it he talks about the parable where the master gives, five, two and one talents to his servants, goes away, then comes back to call them to account about what they have done with their talents. Instead of viewing this a bestowment of gifts or money to the servants, Buechner asks us to think about the talents as experiences of pain. What do we do with the pain we are dealt, the hard things, the painful memories? Do we bury them somewhere deep, in distraction and busyness, or do we open ourselves up and share with others this universal experience of pain?<br />
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I don't know about you, but sometimes I just feel like I'm burdening others with my pain. Do people really want to know how I'm doing when they ask? Sometimes I think they really don't. And I'm not at all saying we should open ourselves up to everyone who asks...sometimes just a "Doing okay, thanks" is the best answer for the moment. But with a good friend, am I protecting them or myself when I pretend and gloss over my pain?<br />
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One night about a year ago I was out at a birthday dinner with about 7 or 8 women. Everyone there looked so pretty and well-dressed and happy. The conversation was light and laughter was in the air. At some point the conversation turned to a young woman I viewed as having a picture perfect life--great kids, husband, looked beautiful, always smiling. Someone asked her how she was doing. They had had several big changes in their family life in the last year and so someone asked how everything was going. She smiled--then she became serious and said, "It's been a really, really hard year." Friends looked at her, not really knowing how to respond, so she quickly said, "It's been a good year, but it's also been really, really hard."<br />
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I already loved this friend but I knew from that moment I wanted her to be a close friend for life. To be so brave and vulnerable with good friends in a setting that was not exactly conducive to being open and vulnerable---it amazed me. But it also allowed me to see she was hurting and I wanted to be an encouragement and a friend if I could. How else would I have known she was hurting? I would never have guessed from outward appearances or her face (always smiling). It was a gift to me--to see her humanness and her need of friendship. In some mysterious way, instead of feeling burdened I felt emboldened--to not pretend and not be fearful.<br />
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In Buechner's essay he says:<br />
"To trade is to give of what it is that we have in return for what it is that we need, and what we have is essentially what we are, and what we need is essentially each other. The good and faithful servants were not life-buriers. They were life-traders. They did not close themselves off in fear but opened themselves up in risk and hope. The trading of joy comes naturally because it is the nature of joy to proclaim and share itself. Joy cannot contain itself, as we say. It overflows. And so it should properly be with pain as well, the parable seems to suggest. We are never more alive to life than when it hurts--never more aware both of our own powerlessness to save ourselves and of at least the possibility of a power beyond ourselves to save us and heal us if we can only open ourselves to it."<br />
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With the recent loss of my brother David, I am experiencing the pain once again of losing someone close to me. David was a gift to everyone who met him and especially to his family. Our family is now altered again in a very unwelcome way and every family gathering will feel hopelessly wrong without David among us. Allen and I were feeling so hopeful and comforted because God had brought so much healing to our hearts regarding losing Joseph. The pain was so deep and pervasive for several years after he died and in the last year or so it has just felt lighter and more intermittent. But now again I feel pummeled by sadness, as does everyone in my family--my parents more than all of us. And while we have the joy and hope of knowing he is complete and whole with his Savior, Jesus, we also have the deep sadness and feeling of loss here on earth. Why would God take someone who so obviously loved well and shared Jesus with everyone he met? And why to our family? We have already lost one child. Do we need to experience this pain again? <br />
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I know all the right answers in my head, but my heart still just doesn't understand. I guess I'm hopeful, though, that I can be brave and open in my pain, that I won't bury it but share it...not to be a burden but to be an honest friend. Jesus wants us to come as we are, but I think so often I try to come as I ought to be. I'm afraid what I have is too much or too burdensome, that I should get it together a bit before I bring myself to Jesus or to anyone else. But the beautiful thing about our Savior is that he welcomes the weak and weary, the lost and heavy-laden...it was us he had in mind when he died. <br />
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I know from experience I will feel this sadness for a really long time, that it will never feel right or good that David died, but I also know that my sadness and pain are only truly safe in Jesus' hands. Turning to any other good thing or person will ultimately leave me empty. Hiding it, ignoring it, and burying it will leave me bitter and cold. Only feeling my pain and anger and bringing them to Jesus will bring true healing. I just pray for the courage to do so.<br />
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"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.…" Matt. 11:28-29Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-75712991552674542682013-08-21T15:27:00.000-05:002013-08-21T15:28:23.248-05:00Happy Birthday, Joseph<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body...So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal<br />
2 Cor. 4:7-12, 18<br />
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"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things...For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."<br />
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Romans 8:31-32, 38-39<br />
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Joseph would be turning nine this year. Usually the weeks leading up to his birthday and day of death are the hardest weeks for us all year. Anticipating the heartache is usually harder than the day itself. I could hardly have imagined that we would be grieving another great loss to our family this year instead of anticipating these days. The loss of my brother David has impacted us and many, many friends in a huge way. Who knew the very great treasure of a person he was? He was such a humble, sweet, and often quiet person in our family. Little did I know the incredible leader and servant he was among his peers and for the kingdom of God.<br />
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Pondering over this I was reminded of the verse I wrote above about treasures in jars of clay. I read the note below this verse in my Bible:<br />
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"It was customary to conceal treasure in clay jars, which had little value or beauty and did not attract attention to themselves and their precious contents. Here they represent Paul's human frailty and unworthiness. The idea that the absolute insufficiency of man reveals the total sufficiency of God pervades this letter."<br />
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Thinking about both Joseph and David--children really (although David of course was older and mature beyond his years)--I was struck with how God chooses and uses the unlikeliest of people according to the world's standards---to demonstrate his great power and sufficiency in us. I'm thinking of David, the runt, in the Old Testament, Rahab the prostitute, Mary the teenager to be Jesus' mother, just to name a few. It seems God delights to surprise us with his great power in the weak, the young, and the outcasts. The only thing he requires is a heart that needs him and believes him.<br />
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My heart is breaking over David's death. Some days I think my heart might burst with sadness. I'm thankful that God has brought a lot of healing to Allen and I in the last year or so. (We were able to go on Nancy and David Guthrie's respite retreat last year for grieving parents and that began a journey of healing that we are so grateful for. Their example of hope and joy even after losing two children has been powerful in encouraging us.) Otherwise I don't think I could handle this new grief or deal with it with any hope at all. But the Bible tells us that we should grieve as those who have hope, because while death and sadness are real, those are not the ultimate reality. We don't live with only this life on earth as our hope. We should live with the view of heaven always in mind. It doesn't take the sadness or ache from our hearts immediately, but it does bring peace. And I can tell you from experience that this is true. <br />
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That first year after Joseph died I really wondered if I would ever be happy again, if I could ever enjoy being around people again, or if my life would ever feel meaningful. God did bring peace, but then he has also gradually restored those things in me that I had felt I lost along with Joseph: enjoying the company of people, real happiness, and a feeling of meaning to my life. In other words, he has rescued me (and continues to) from a life of perpetual self-pity and bitterness.<br />
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God is faithful to do abundantly more than all we ask or imagine. The other verse above is from Romans: "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things..." God deigned to become one of us, to take on human form and live a servant's life and endure a criminal's death. If He would go to all that trouble, won't he also graciously give us everything we need for this life, to live in a way that pleases him? <br />
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"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."<br />
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You are a treasure to God. He gave up his own Son so that you and I might live. You may just feel like a clay jar, but because of his Holy Spirit you are so much more. You may feel like God has forgotten or abandoned you. He has not and cannot. We are God's children (Romans 8:16-17) and heirs with Christ of an eternal treasure that outweighs all these trials we may endure on earth. He longs to give us everything we need for this life, but then we also have the promise of an eternity with Him. Hallelujah, what a Savior!<br />
<br />Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-3270554791337810632013-01-01T23:35:00.003-06:002013-01-01T23:35:27.545-06:00Keep Moving ForwardThe first time we went to St. Jude's it was days before Christmas. We had a few visits with the doctors then we were given the okay to leave for a couple of days to spend time with family. A kind young nurse handed me a brown paper bag full of large bottles of medicine I couldn't pronounce. I looked at the bag, then at her, and said, "Merry Christmas to us." Because I didn't know what to say.<br />
The nurse looked like she might cry.<br />
In the last month of Joseph's life we made a few trips back and forth to St. Jude's. We were always looking for fun movies for him to watch in the car to keep his mind off the fact that he would be going to see a doctor.<br />
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One of the last movies we found for him was one that I didn't watch much. I would be sitting in the front seat (for most of the drive), Allen driving, and the kiddos in the back. I'd hear bits and pieces and listen to the songs and it sounded nice and he seemed to like it.<br />
On one trip, we had watched something else and he was asking to watch "The shuture has ived!" movie. We were completely perplexed, frantically trying to find it as he was gettting more and more hysterical. I think after a long time we finally figured out he wanted to watch "Meet the Robinsons," which has a song at the very end called "The future has arrived." Phew. We were glad to figure that one out.<br />
It wasn't until after Joseph died that I really watched this movie, and I have to say I really love it. There are some inspiring themes about the importance of failure and trying, love and adoption, and moving forward. <br />
In fact, one of the main themes is "Keep Moving Forward." There are a lot of really creative types in the movie and the main character is an inventor and therefore tries dozens of times before he actually succeeds in making something work. (They even celebrate when someone fails, and dance around with glee saying, "He failed! He failed!") But they don't let failure get them down. It's an opportunity to grow and learn and try again.<br />
After watching it again this Christmas season, I'm wondering if there is a message in it for me?<br />
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There is a great temptation for me, in my love for Joseph, to look back a lot, to miss him and cherish those days when he was small and we had all the time in the world, to wish I had appreciated him and Holly so much more and to live in regret over lost moments.<br />
I think it is vital to remember in love and to keep Joseph as a special part of our family, but I know it's important to move forward with joy as our family is now, with two new members, and one up in heaven. It is a mixture of pain and joy, but we have much to be thankful for.<br />
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I feel like God is teaching me lately the joy in giving thanks for the hours we are given, for the "today" we are given, even if it doesn't seem special, even if it is filled with dirty dishes and dirty clothes and messy rooms. It was those ordinary days I had with Joseph that were such precious gifts.<br />
And it is those days now that are such precious gifts, with my children and my husband, my family and friends. There is glory in each day if we have the eyes to see it.<br />
Our June Bug is an example to me in rejoicing in today. She looks so forward to special events (like birthdays, or school days, or gymnastics days), and then when the day finally arrives she can hardly keep her joy from spilling out all over everyone. One day, after many days of us saying "Tomorrow is gymnastics" (because she doesn't quite understand time yet) the day finally came when it was gymnastics. She proclaimed, "Mommy, today is tomorrow!!" She meant that today was the day she had been waiting for.<br />
Maybe today is the day we are all waiting for. Maybe it's the "normal" we might wish we could go back to after a tragedy. Maybe it's the day we will miss in 20 years when our house is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. And maybe that person you have today (who might be currently driving you crazy) is the one you will miss after they're gone from this life.<br />
I'm hopeful that this year we will choose to give thanks for all our many, many blessings and even give thanks for things that don't feel like blessings. What feels like punishment could actually be a gift. And what feels like a plan gone wrong could be God's greatest plan for good. And that we'll keep moving forward in faith, whether we have it all figured out or not.<br />
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<em>"You, <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, keep my lamp<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14147BK" title="See cross-reference BK">BK</a>)"></sup> burning;<br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-18-28">my God turns my darkness into light.<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14147BL" title="See cross-reference BL">BL</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-18-29" id="en-NIV-14148">With your help<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14148BM" title="See cross-reference BM">BM</a>)"></sup> I can advance against a troop</span></em><em><span class="text Ps-18-29">;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-18-29">with my God I can scale a wall."</span></span></em><br />
<em><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-18-29"></span></span></em><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-18-29"><em>Psalm 18:28</em></span></span><br />
Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-62490344080054343102012-07-11T11:36:00.003-05:002012-07-11T11:36:37.881-05:00Exciting news!!Hello, blog friends! In the last six months since I wrote on here we have moved to Nashville, Allen started his new job as a pediatrician, and we had a new baby, Noah. Then, just to add to the excitement we received a letter from the researcher at UCSF we have supported through the Joe P. Rally Run to tell us some fantastic news. <br />
The last time we heard from him they were still doing tests on rats and their research was really in the beginning stages. But because of all the funds we have sent them from the last two Joe P. Rally Runs they have made some pretty incredible progress. He said they have been funded almost exclusively by the Joe P. Rally Run, which has led to several publications, and by the end of the year, hopefully a clinical trial! This is absolutely awesome news. Considering only one new pediatric cancer drug has been approved by the FDA in the last <em>twenty </em>years, this is huge. This drug may be the hope that some little boy and girl or parent needs when he or she is faced with the devastating news that they have a malignant brain tumor.<br />
So, let's keep supporting this much-needed research. The 3rd <a href="http://www.joeprallyrun.com/">Joe P. Rally Run</a> is scheduled for Labor Day weekend--Saturday, September 1st, 2012 at Centennial Park in Nashville, TN. If you would like to sign up or donate click<a href="http://www.joeprallyrun.com/"> here.</a> It is just 7 weeks away! There will be a 5K for adults and big kids and a 1K fun run for little kids. That Chick Fil A cow will be back again to see if he can outrun just one kid. Each child who beats him will get a special prize from Chick Fil A. And, the overall man and woman winners will receive a year's worth of free Chick Fil A meals! It promises to be another really fun day, celebrating Joseph's life while raising money for other kids who might need it for the fight of their lives.<br />
Ok, I can't leave out another very special little guy we have welcomed to our family: Noah Luke Peabody. Noah is such a sweet, easygoing baby and we are so thankful for him!<br />
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The girls are just ecstatic about him and have both taken on the role of big sister/second mommy really well. :) Everyone tells us he has his own look, but we think he definitely resembles Joseph and the girls quite a lot. We definitely feel blessed and are super busy and tired keeping up with all these little ones, but we wouldn't have it any other way. :)Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-14980553445794831372011-12-18T15:58:00.001-06:002011-12-18T15:58:56.464-06:00EmmanuelRecently I read to the girls the story of Jesus' birth via the words of the <em>Jesus Storybook Bible. </em>I love this Bible; it always presents the Word to me in a fresh light and through the innocent eyes of a child. This chapter was relating the appearance of the angel Gabriel to Mary:<br /><br /><em>There was a young girl who was engaged to a man named Joseph. (Joseph was the great-great-great-great-great grandson of King David). One morning, this girl was minding her own business when, suddenly, a great warrior of light appeared--right there, in her bedroom. He was Gabriel and he was an angel, a special messenger from heaven. When she saw the tall shining man standing there, Mary was frightened. "You don't need to be scared," Gabriel said. "God is very happy with you!" Mary looked around to see if perhaps he was talking to someone else. "Mary," Gabriel said, and he laughed with such gladness that Mary's eyes filled with sudden tears.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>"Mary, you're going to have a baby. A little boy. You will call him Jesus. He is God's own Son. He's the One! He's the Rescuer!" The God who flung planets into space and kept them whirling around and around, the God who made the universe with just one word, the one who could do anything at all--was making himself small. And coming down...as a baby.</em><br /><em></em><br />I was so captured by Mary's reaction in these verses: She was frightened, and when Gabriel said, "God is very happy with you!" she looked around, sure he was speaking to someone else. Why would God be happy with her? What had she done to deserve such praise? Why shouldn't she be terrified of this luminous heavenly being?<br /><br />I can relate so much to Mary in this interaction, and maybe you can, too? I feel it's easy to see my own faults and keep track of all the ways I don't live up to being the mom, wife, friend, or child of God I ought to be. There are so many things to be and do and I just never seem to have enough energy and patience to do them right. If anyone showed up and said joyfully, "God is very happy with you!" I would think they'd had a little too much egg nog.<br /><br />But the truth is, God is very happy with me, and if you have believed in Jesus, he is very happy with you. And that is a truth I choose to believe even when I feel it to be untrue. Because of Jesus' perfect life and sacrifical death, his record has now become mine and yours in God's eyes. It's amazing, too good to be true, unfair even! Why would God lower himself to be born in such meager circumstances, not even in a house, but in a barn for animals? Why would he live among us sinners and choose to be rejected and ignored and scorned and ultimately killed like a criminal?<br /><br />He did it for me and for you. He came to be "Emmanuel," God <em>with</em> us. So we are no longer alone in our failure and sin and shame and loneliness. Even when those things threaten to overtake us, His joyful voice brings light and truth to our lives as he says, "You are accepted. I am happy to call you mine." (John 1:12-13) He can relate to any and all temptations and feelings we experience because his life here on earth was no bed of roses. He often didn't have a place to lay his head. His friends betrayed him and abandoned him. He was not esteemed or valued or given the respect he deserved. He had no beauty or majesty that drew people to him. He was a man of sorrows and familiar with pain (Isaiah 53).<br /><br />I don't think I could handle it if God was unfamiliar with pain. Just think of a time you were feeling heartbroken or alone and maybe you talked to someone who just didn't "get it." They didn't think you should be so upset, or they were visibly uncomfortable with you being so vulnerable, or they encouraged you to do something to cheer yourself up. Clearly, they thought you needed to get yourself together and cheer up a bit, for everyone's sake. Really helpful, right?<br /><br />Then consider Jesus. Consider the friend He is to you. He can authentically say, "I know how you feel. I am with you, and I love you." He welcomes us in whatever condition we come and is so happy we have come. He is no longer the God who is far off. He came as a baby so he could be Emmanuel, God with us.<br /><br />We are moving to Nashville this week and leaving Atlanta, the place where all our children have been born and where the bulk of our "Joseph memories" lie. It is here Joseph learned to walk, made his first friends, discovered "Moe's," and many more essential life lessons. :) We are hopeful and grateful for this new move, but Atlanta has such a special place in our hearts. We have been revisiting places that were special to us as a family and saying "goodbye" again to another chapter in our lives. I don't even understand all we are feeling, but I'm grateful to have a Savior and a friend who does. I've been reminded anew this season that God is not far off in our lowly human states; he came to be with us all those years ago so we could have a God who relates and knows and understands. Hallelujah, what a Savior!<br /><br />Merry Christmas, and may we all feel God's nearness this season.Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-22464426529555382462011-08-19T19:51:00.002-05:002011-08-19T19:53:21.363-05:00Happy Birthday, Joseph<embed height="310" name="FLVPlayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="312" src="http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_view_player?p="" quality="high" scale="noscale" wmode="transparent" salign="LT" flashvars="&p=95721109c0ea215e66f7d6&skin_id=801&host=http://www.onetruemedia.com"></embed>
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<br />Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-72971366305390082982011-05-02T13:34:00.012-05:002011-05-02T17:51:19.825-05:00We Did It!Thanks to all of YOU, we met our goal of $30,000 to give to childhood brain cancer research! In fact, we exceeded our goal by several thousand. Wow! We feel so blessed and are so excited to fund new research!!<br /><br />The Joe P Rally Run of 2011 was again a freezing cold, cloudy day. But again several hundred of you showed up and volunteered and ran and celebrated Joseph's life. Thank you so much to everyone who came, gave, sponsored, volunteered and supported from afar.<br /><br />We did a kid's fun run this year, which was wonderful. The faithful Chick Fil-A cow came and can you believe every child beat him? That cow really needs to get in shape. :) It was really fun to have him and added a lot of excitement for the kiddos.<br /><br />Special thanks to Jennifer Barr and Elaine Kay who really pulled this whole thing off!<br /><br />Here are some pictures of the special day:<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602191452286194626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sdL2xSUwYUDgrOA8-3tgt4XnVghv0RfKZ0q1pVkZMnFYlpl-mJfd8QjRMHm8osLxG93GQRglVfmhzd6xJdhkrPotWgwEuS_MwEVm71f7e0MH-5stlJBMgOn51D-Bgq0MKmz4jpJQFCY/s320/joep+race.jpg" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xhbJP9W13_BOlfCmk4tI8m1Gbali4G_brxrY0aHAo1eHsqx1A98P3SDwdjReSOr-kWMIhBxDq-BFxpgC3-cI8olZN9WF48BA9gL6S7B-a1StZIlZW_C-saZ8Bq_kcebWmUVaH5xOyWg/s1600/joep+race+9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602198856525232594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xhbJP9W13_BOlfCmk4tI8m1Gbali4G_brxrY0aHAo1eHsqx1A98P3SDwdjReSOr-kWMIhBxDq-BFxpgC3-cI8olZN9WF48BA9gL6S7B-a1StZIlZW_C-saZ8Bq_kcebWmUVaH5xOyWg/s320/joep+race+9.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkHghUy3-zm5eVgc-9kw88pmnwxS-9antX1VZku0lW0cgCFK1s-DwIpB74b_QIeQ8T9YGZpg96N3MTYh10UG_0aVDLLZpktl3WiVvC6EsXyGeiMQxsfrU6Ox-ZjwaqJt9QK_8PsNf7Dk/s1600/DSC_8408.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602252198672548562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkHghUy3-zm5eVgc-9kw88pmnwxS-9antX1VZku0lW0cgCFK1s-DwIpB74b_QIeQ8T9YGZpg96N3MTYh10UG_0aVDLLZpktl3WiVvC6EsXyGeiMQxsfrU6Ox-ZjwaqJt9QK_8PsNf7Dk/s320/DSC_8408.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XGmQx2ADesC-zhWvKBS4knX_mIe2tsXFYD7g_O_-9dgIMZqyrn7tGHAbc1mfr9vajuA3KeCm0F9iULCFdzKtAFzqW0HDt3b_8Km7lkFHLQT-l8ThQiD1cKcysk5y_wa-YGd9sgCLMUE/s1600/DSC_8366.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602252195870676098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XGmQx2ADesC-zhWvKBS4knX_mIe2tsXFYD7g_O_-9dgIMZqyrn7tGHAbc1mfr9vajuA3KeCm0F9iULCFdzKtAFzqW0HDt3b_8Km7lkFHLQT-l8ThQiD1cKcysk5y_wa-YGd9sgCLMUE/s320/DSC_8366.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5EIxWVS_3HrFxFLdP1sbXh3wVXgqFaTWvou_aE6a6uKGOB6R-VdJeCWLM4F3MgJrHsCuEHVIFYgMpAoEPd9IhObcANqGcvzpa12K1D3G2J3XZKM6uGdiURBoc9ox8PXKmnUZ6nL0IXg/s1600/joep+race+8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602198850006651378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5EIxWVS_3HrFxFLdP1sbXh3wVXgqFaTWvou_aE6a6uKGOB6R-VdJeCWLM4F3MgJrHsCuEHVIFYgMpAoEPd9IhObcANqGcvzpa12K1D3G2J3XZKM6uGdiURBoc9ox8PXKmnUZ6nL0IXg/s320/joep+race+8.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDiEKH_RAdH1wRF68qXbNPv2Hjwj1JKDkG75DQ8USHKqxstpdvobVr5rim7JnBHQNxmdhdx3BiwfCpb-rTzQzA8FZ5kLU3JF-MAQbkuS-ZQ7-W54HCyI3drYp4ux5mgTsFBa1-d2QslA/s1600/joep+race+11.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; 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MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602198845515012354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGh7Fn2AWq6wdjC6TT3ATR5S8BrxpKFiG487mY8HRfP2TGK-6rfKBkAuh6C6HUAJ33W_wM_y9oHC1Z6_TMMjXkZWoa_XP9fMiowm3EY_OUKLvvVABKu16mnSxCknhCnRyXxs3DMWQqOFk/s320/joep+race+7.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJwaYRNHFqux84oUy7lkspWkGYheTrckzn3ajnHmBL6EBxvTTwguNgh0-c7LlskPfICk5M5MR31cFqLu4xwEDx2Eyw3TaUh1wPTirdSXJG_Cx5jv4WwDyjarxiouTpHmE8HUqae1HC0o/s1600/DSC_8295.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602192233704090818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJwaYRNHFqux84oUy7lkspWkGYheTrckzn3ajnHmBL6EBxvTTwguNgh0-c7LlskPfICk5M5MR31cFqLu4xwEDx2Eyw3TaUh1wPTirdSXJG_Cx5jv4WwDyjarxiouTpHmE8HUqae1HC0o/s320/DSC_8295.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheElfgPqjNNuFfMvbFZ14X-vS2QCicM89BR8ZNXuDvo3VHIh-MM-eH418bo70yFNcGamf9cKfU74J2hBnGM6L545Rmyjs5URdlUflspTh0djca1TRtrLNWIeBtMdXN8xRlkqgWBZhLHg8/s1600/DSC_8273.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602192227261019618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheElfgPqjNNuFfMvbFZ14X-vS2QCicM89BR8ZNXuDvo3VHIh-MM-eH418bo70yFNcGamf9cKfU74J2hBnGM6L545Rmyjs5URdlUflspTh0djca1TRtrLNWIeBtMdXN8xRlkqgWBZhLHg8/s320/DSC_8273.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNN0IJGbOW43bRMYpdFSltNBCXYW-zJIo4y8hNAPQwId1CcGYzfM9uAGRhpUThI9vY9kNCUxSQzf7Q2htw4_ANVNCie_t7KmoAU-FNDih5juc5NwF_tQX2WBFphAE0-ub1z0tY55PlGI/s1600/joep+race+6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602192223811545586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNN0IJGbOW43bRMYpdFSltNBCXYW-zJIo4y8hNAPQwId1CcGYzfM9uAGRhpUThI9vY9kNCUxSQzf7Q2htw4_ANVNCie_t7KmoAU-FNDih5juc5NwF_tQX2WBFphAE0-ub1z0tY55PlGI/s320/joep+race+6.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMmI2LHumXPH0AoyymeERA47YF9SiDirjQH7X_-hJX0PPKJEnwoKErgtKup4HyYLIeqOKk3u8o4UV4YG7N7Qtm5U85364nG11ho6JvJ_r223WjxkD51Z-lx_cBUgK5lhnik3rhAFt0bI/s1600/joep+race+5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602192218652494722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMmI2LHumXPH0AoyymeERA47YF9SiDirjQH7X_-hJX0PPKJEnwoKErgtKup4HyYLIeqOKk3u8o4UV4YG7N7Qtm5U85364nG11ho6JvJ_r223WjxkD51Z-lx_cBUgK5lhnik3rhAFt0bI/s320/joep+race+5.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1q-9x2QDiygp0bXU7bPYj0-3IkLO3ORVmO1gFkBXI797ocW-A_Dz10tvQkCmAt7XXQZHCn0iJbHGHYTfqy8ecKB5Zz9xDk8jA0U5tQDLFaZ122t-xo8fODOq9Mg9kjHeWAW8EhHur6J8/s1600/DSC_8302.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602192241239093122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1q-9x2QDiygp0bXU7bPYj0-3IkLO3ORVmO1gFkBXI797ocW-A_Dz10tvQkCmAt7XXQZHCn0iJbHGHYTfqy8ecKB5Zz9xDk8jA0U5tQDLFaZ122t-xo8fODOq9Mg9kjHeWAW8EhHur6J8/s320/DSC_8302.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDArUal_OF-QwOH6E9QgegAuUprRMA-6MmXprw44v1ieUdNUA1J6LP4VoZZfRSVTYH2lUMtej8TR0up9CacGMLYh2ZUUVzbc5vZ8yg53CUIyuelXl7osT3c0BR02CTUNGwlcI5igvvcRI/s1600/joep+race+4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 212px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602191474639501794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDArUal_OF-QwOH6E9QgegAuUprRMA-6MmXprw44v1ieUdNUA1J6LP4VoZZfRSVTYH2lUMtej8TR0up9CacGMLYh2ZUUVzbc5vZ8yg53CUIyuelXl7osT3c0BR02CTUNGwlcI5igvvcRI/s320/joep+race+4.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602191453050810978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRmbbbcFyrQwjl_gzEBUj3_m8CzWwngNQpegHk2FL5ivhdayVcvCyXDOHAYHhuUTbII2QTT20svamyavgF0Yvzjhpi7mudyXGiZavqxbBeZ2j-dmA31RlkgPa_sH4BrSqsr3WDHKVwis/s320/joep+race+1.jpg" /></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGQ0np1KvAFAZ4PZfD1Qe3VNNAZag1MYaJmJ_FKpkbjSl1zRDAyOExU3hX9faAxMzRGYAXrdK7S-BDrSW2XO-wLbU3VChAxTv9tFkgXEQYKWLK44oUUUiDlQjoX6kWWhrjabo0n8voBo/s1600/joep+race+2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602191454707225042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGQ0np1KvAFAZ4PZfD1Qe3VNNAZag1MYaJmJ_FKpkbjSl1zRDAyOExU3hX9faAxMzRGYAXrdK7S-BDrSW2XO-wLbU3VChAxTv9tFkgXEQYKWLK44oUUUiDlQjoX6kWWhrjabo0n8voBo/s320/joep+race+2.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! It was a great day and we so appreciate everyone who made it possible!</div><br /><br />A very special thanks to our awesome sponsors this year:</div><br /><br />e+ Foundation<br /><br />Morgan Keegan<br /><br />Waste Management<br /><br /><br />Advanced Network Solutions<br /><br />Icon Clinical Research<br /><br />Chick Fil-A of Brentwood<br /><br /><br />Brentwood Children's Clinic<br /><br />Caresafety.com<br /><br />AD-VANCE<br /><br />Bass Security<br /><br />Crossfit of Murfreesboro<br /><br />Loden Vision<br /><br />Merridee's<br /><br />United Healthcare<br /><br />Brentwood Pediatric Dentistry<br /><br /><br />Moe's, Brueggers, Dick's Sporting Goods, Starbucks, JC Interiors, Green Fleet Messengers, McDonalds, Big Move Games, Sodium, Snip-its, Learning Express, and Cafe Nonna.Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-70151227059680574682011-03-20T14:07:00.006-05:002011-03-23T10:20:46.812-05:00So Grateful!We have been so touched lately with all the efforts of our friends and family to make the Joe P. Rally Run a huge success. Thank you to everyone who is spreading the word about the run and to those of you who have set up fundraising pages, given, or signed up to run. If you haven't signed up yet, go <a href="http://www.active.com/donate/joeprallyrun">here</a> right now! And if you want to cry your eyes out, go <a href="http://lifelivedfully.com/">here</a>. (Thank you, Lindsay, for this beautiful and tender post.)<br /><br />Also, a huge thank you to my wonderfully talented sister-in-law, Jennifer Barr, who is working round the clock putting this race together with the help of the Rally Foundation and Elaine Kay, their tireless Nashville director. We appreciate all your hard work so so much!!<br /><br />A couple of weeks ago I got a message from a friend saying that her child's first grade class at Intown Community School would like to do a service project and their topic was "Sick Children." (This is the school that's a part of our church, and Allen used to teach 5th grade there many moons ago. It is a really wonderful school that encourages a lot of creativity and love of learning. The kids we got to know there seemed to have the exact opposite attitude towards school that most children have. If they had a day off, they would be really SAD because they would MISS school! I used to periodically ask the kids, "So, are you excited for Spring Break, etc.?" just to test them out and they would always answer, "Well, not really because we'll miss school." It is such a fun and lovely school I do think any child would be sad to miss it.)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZLyK2ThLZIykkLPS_SDPax8tds9cV3Eaw6HL4t4Bc3aHlNvqfOGFM0W4OO9SUp8pOzvu3JhyVSGg3oCe4ilEkawsuFtATCwsd7x9NXiH7dN4gQMBM7ucEjknT6YfpMfYa2UOhJiIAkE/s1600/IMG_8033.jpeg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587290653441098818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZLyK2ThLZIykkLPS_SDPax8tds9cV3Eaw6HL4t4Bc3aHlNvqfOGFM0W4OO9SUp8pOzvu3JhyVSGg3oCe4ilEkawsuFtATCwsd7x9NXiH7dN4gQMBM7ucEjknT6YfpMfYa2UOhJiIAkE/s320/IMG_8033.jpeg" /></a><br /><div>Anyway, this little first grade class decided that for their service project they would like to form a little fundraising team and have a day at school devoted to Joseph. They asked me to come and answer some questions about Joseph and his cancer, then they made a huge banner, and then they had a mini Joe P. Rally Run in the school parking lot, complete with the Chick-Fil-A cow!</div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgIl2r39d76V5Hq-UUw0Ps6_dLqnYB5Mx3_Xgl3cvvjzy09bXkuRwk27t1ruuyDW3WMzmnSBl3fq0MW3ZormfZl2RFOC70zQb5xbq6cB_sh1Kp6R1AeY54elqOXfoyReF_HV5swO-xIk/s1600/IMG_8051.jpeg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587290841959526706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgIl2r39d76V5Hq-UUw0Ps6_dLqnYB5Mx3_Xgl3cvvjzy09bXkuRwk27t1ruuyDW3WMzmnSBl3fq0MW3ZormfZl2RFOC70zQb5xbq6cB_sh1Kp6R1AeY54elqOXfoyReF_HV5swO-xIk/s320/IMG_8051.jpeg" /></a><br /><br />It was one of the sweetest most touching things I have experienced. Seeing these children running their hearts out so they could help other sick children was so precious.</div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwV3Fs0idHBF1-xjfxSdZR8P_0WktZpMwJDLUxeKvOxjibsgS_Pogp0yn-fSVHu-KOKjqeqPyySRcvlXI5DxyNAoO7kyoD3pwD6yl7SqhbwapQSbOxQiN90tiKNrpprs0nmkwWklZVcI/s1600/IMG_8045.jpeg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587290939677905186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwV3Fs0idHBF1-xjfxSdZR8P_0WktZpMwJDLUxeKvOxjibsgS_Pogp0yn-fSVHu-KOKjqeqPyySRcvlXI5DxyNAoO7kyoD3pwD6yl7SqhbwapQSbOxQiN90tiKNrpprs0nmkwWklZVcI/s320/IMG_8045.jpeg" /></a><br /><div><div>About a week after the race was over a mom and her son came over to me at a pizza place and the little boy asked me, "I remember you from Intown. Aren't you <em>Joe P.'s</em> mom?"</div><br /><div>I felt like a celebrity. Why, yes, I am Joe P.'s mom. Everyone can refer to me as that from now on. :)</div><br /><div>Thank you, Intown First Grade!! Your creative efforts are really going to make a difference in research towards Childhood Cancer Research.</div><div> </div></div>Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-23805329432030603842011-03-03T13:49:00.008-06:002011-03-07T17:54:52.809-06:00Twinklings of Joseph<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZKXX82-birqE65dK8xE9IfolIh324ot8DdWlWGgy05eqNGFftNmacJEV7_PnbLoCX22bBluCzxmzUx8CeL1k71La7siHs9xzYHQrzK2vHiMF_09pmzuF9kXNrVaudpBapZCZNWvUJ1Y/s1600/DCP_0615.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579952162725055314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZKXX82-birqE65dK8xE9IfolIh324ot8DdWlWGgy05eqNGFftNmacJEV7_PnbLoCX22bBluCzxmzUx8CeL1k71La7siHs9xzYHQrzK2vHiMF_09pmzuF9kXNrVaudpBapZCZNWvUJ1Y/s320/DCP_0615.JPG" /></a>Every so often (sometimes very often), I'll be going about my day, just doing normal everyday things when I'm struck so hard by a memory of Joseph that I have to take a really deep breath just to keep going. It happens in obvious places, like whenever I drive by our old house or am in that neighborhood where we wore a path with a stroller to and from that park. I drive by and I can just see Joseph and Holly bundled up together in the double jogger and me trying to get there fast enough to let them loose on the ducks! <div><br /><div>Sometimes it happens in more unexpected places, like a coffee shop. I was standing in line the other night, trying to figure out which of the 1 million choices of coffee combinations I was going to go with when my eyes fell on a little box of chocolate milk. All of a sudden my eyes teared up and I was back in Memphis with my boy, and we were all sitting around a table, overjoyed that Starbucks chocolate milk was the one thing Joseph would eat when he was feeling sick from the radiation. That little box of chocolate milk was always a treat for him, though, and I can recall countless sleep-deprived mornings with me driving through Starbucks for a coffee and him sitting back there hoping it was a chocolate milk morning, too!<br /><br /></div><div></div><div>There are so many opportunities to remember him, really. Just some days they strike me harder than others. This little memory I cherish because it was just him and me. I'm thinking Holly was napping and Allen was at work. We were looking out our back door at squirrels, as Joseph was prone to do, and we noticed an animal I was sure he probably hadn't seen before. He asked me what it was and I said, "That's a chipmunk! I don't think you've seen one before. Isn't it cute?" He cocked his head to one side and I could see him running through his mental list of "animals I know," and he came up with, "Das a chicken?" I told him "No, honey, a chip-munk." He looked puzzled again asked, "Das a monkey?" I could tell he was sure mommy had lost her mind, mixing up chickens and monkeys because surely chipmunk wasn't a real word. I always smile when I think of that little conversation.<br /><br /></div><div></div><div>I'm not really sure this post has point...I just felt like talking about Joseph. I hope you don't mind! I guess with the Joe P. Rally Run coming up, a lot of people have asked about how we're doing and are remembering Joseph especially.<br /><br /></div><div></div><div>We are really looking forward to this year's race on April 16th. It is going to be in Nashville again, at Centennial Park. There will be a kids' Fun Run at 8:30, so be sure to get there a little early if your kiddos want to race against the Chick-Fil-A cow. We will be there, bright and early, and look forward to seeing lots of you! There will be all kinds of booths set up from local businesses/restaurants and Starbucks has offered to provide the coffee. If you haven't already registered, you can do so <a href="http://www.active.com/donate/joeprallyrun">here</a>. We are so grateful to all our awesome sponsors who are making this possible, and to Jennifer Barr, who is heading up the race this year. I just know we are going to reach our goal of $30K.<br /><br /></div><div></div><div>Thanks to all of you who have already supported this race and to those of you who have become fundraisers. It is so exciting to see us getting closer to the goal. I have this little dream that maybe one day a family will get the news that their child has a high-grade brain tumor and instead of no good options, they are told, "Oh, we have a great treatment for that. No big deal!" And they would live to have lots more birthdays and fun discoveries and memories together as a family. Wouldn't that be amazing?<br /><br /></div><div></div><div>See you all <a href="http://www.active.com/donate/joeprallyrun">April 16th!!</a></div></div>Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-3200380578627286682010-12-08T09:36:00.004-06:002010-12-08T11:26:05.716-06:00The Babe, the Son of Mary<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3WeRtxa6Re3bFFW56e1ZMB9mNR0trkaJ11MjjyzBJP3v_mfcQotfqH3xejv7qtsrW6Qh3-GabepKuafmQTLWDzjcoNZNYe7iD4NBHVQUXt98wImIk43iCW4M16ngx9tvqeIEyjQU9Cc/s1600/Mary.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548361760583075970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3WeRtxa6Re3bFFW56e1ZMB9mNR0trkaJ11MjjyzBJP3v_mfcQotfqH3xejv7qtsrW6Qh3-GabepKuafmQTLWDzjcoNZNYe7iD4NBHVQUXt98wImIk43iCW4M16ngx9tvqeIEyjQU9Cc/s320/Mary.jpg" /></a><br />What Child is this who, laid to rest<br />On Mary's lap is sleeping?<br />Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,<br />While shepherds watch are keeping?<br /><br /><em>But he was pierced for our transgressions,<br />he was crushed for our iniquities;<br />the punishment that brought us peace was on him,<br />and by his wounds we are healed.</em><br /><br />So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,<br />Come peasant, king to own Him;<br />The King of kings salvation brings,<br />Let loving hearts enthrone Him.<br /><br /><em>He was despised and rejected by mankind,<br />a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.<br />Like one from whom people hide their faces<br />he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.</em><br /><br />Raise, raise a song on high,<br />The virgin sings her lullaby.<br />Joy, joy for Christ is born,<br />The Babe, the Son of Mary.<br /><br /><em>By oppression and judgment he was taken away.<br />Yet who of his generation protested?<br />For he was cut off from the land of the living;<br />for the transgression of my people he was punished.<br /><br />He was assigned a grave with the wicked,<br />and with the rich in his death,<br />though he had done no violence,<br />nor was any deceit in his mouth.<br /><br />Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,<br />and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,<br />he will see his offspring and prolong his days,<br />and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.<br /><br />After he has suffered,<br />he will see the light of life and be satisfied;<br />by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,<br />and he will bear their iniquities. </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>(Isaiah 53 </em>and<em> What Child is This)</em><br /><em></em><br />I was listening to this song on the radio this morning<em> (What Child is This)</em> and two things struck me: 1. The irony and sadness of the honor Jesus deserved and the honor we actually paid Him and 2. Mary's response as a mother to Jesus' crucifixion (that we don't know much about it).<br /><br />My baby, June, has been sick the last few weeks with a cold and an ear infection. I've had lots of time to hold her at night and rock her and also to think and pray about her future (after I finally remember in my sleepy state that Allen is working and will not be getting up with her as he usually does!). It's in the moments when my children seem the most innocent and helpless that I sometimes look with fear into the future. <em>I won't be able to protect them forever. Lord, please keep them from pain and suffering and harm. </em><br /><br />But, in my heart of hearts I know He won't. Whom of us has been spared any pain or suffering or harm? Whom of us hasn't had our hearts broken, ignored, or "held in low esteem." If we are honest, we all have been hurt and harmed by other people, whether intentional or unintentional. It is the sad state of our hearts. We all have been tainted by sin and we feel the effects of that.<br /><br />So, once I admit that my children have and will inevitably experience pain and suffering and some degree of hurt I wonder what I should pray next? I can't protect them forever. I couldn't keep Joseph with us forever or keep cancer from ravaging his beautiful life. Just the thought of it is too much to bear.<br /><br />Where do we go with this unspeakable fear and sadness? As a mother, how do we fearlessly entrust our children to God's hands, knowing full well it won't be a bed of roses? How did Mary accept the beautiful gift of being the mother of God, knowing His life would be full of rejection and pain and that He would be taken from her and crucified on a cross?<br /><br />I have looked through the Bible and I just can't find much about Mary in Jesus' later life (I am no Bible scholar, so if I'm missing it please let me know) or how she responded to His crucifixion. But I can imagine the intense pain, horror, outrage and anger. This child, this perfect son, whom she nursed and held and raised, treated as a lowly criminal and killed publicly for all to see. With no honor or respect or glory. The King of kings and Lord of lords, her own son.<br /><br />The only thing I can think of is that she knew He was God's Son first. That yes, He was her son, entrusted to her for a short while, but ultimately His purposes were so vastly beyond just the short while she had Him in her home.<br /><br />I know it is not really accurate to compare our own children to Jesus, because He is the Savior of the world and our children are not, but I think the idea still applies. That our children are gifts given to us for a short while, but their purposes and lives are God's and He is trustworthy to keep them safe. And not safe as we imagine safe, but safe in His love and safe for eternity in His hands. That Emmanuel, God with us, applies to all of us. Even in loneliness, sadness, and fear, God is with us. In the midst of a sinful, painful, fallen world, the beauty of Jesus can shine into our hearts. He<em> is</em> with us if we confess our need and open our hearts to His forgiveness and grace.<br />This Christmas season, (and every Christmas season) I find myself distracted by buying gifts, getting to the post office, checking everything off my "to do" list to be "prepared" for the big day. I am not focused on Jesus and I truly feel my heart "is deceitful above all things and beyond cure." But the Good News is that we do have a beautiful Savior who sacrificed for us and lived a perfect life in our place (<em>by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,<br />and he will bear their iniquities</em>.).<br /><br />In our busyness and distraction He still calls to us. He is Emmanuel, God with us. May He be with you and me this Christmas season.Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-22493791733235201842010-12-01T12:33:00.005-06:002010-12-02T10:32:04.480-06:00Joe P. Rally Run<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9Ohyphenhyphen9n5tSDtpK73zumb_iYIVbjgl_oaz07pjOdEZJ5LzZnCV2ByrfcPYrnYdcp82bFM0x_UsFDopjSTYlQbNxIkgjJImH4zOERswQVSByEfRwm9_XqCcUEsWw95y71rhar1S9319ubg/s1600/rallyrun14.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545788933960073666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9Ohyphenhyphen9n5tSDtpK73zumb_iYIVbjgl_oaz07pjOdEZJ5LzZnCV2ByrfcPYrnYdcp82bFM0x_UsFDopjSTYlQbNxIkgjJImH4zOERswQVSByEfRwm9_XqCcUEsWw95y71rhar1S9319ubg/s320/rallyrun14.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Dust off those running shoes, because the <a href="http://joeprallyrun.com/">Joe P. Rally Run </a>is coming up. It will be held on April 16th, 2011 at Centennial Park in Nashville, TN. We are so excited about this year's race. There will be a lot of new things, including a 1K Fun Run for the kiddos! The Fun Run will be at 8:30 and the 5K will begin at 9 a.m. The children will run against the Chick-Fil-A cow, and if they beat him (I have a sneaking suspicion he is very slow :)) they will get a prize from Chick-Fil-A!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>There will also be some amazing prizes for the adults running. I think I've heard rumors of free Chick-Fil-A for a year to 2 winning adults! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>But, most importantly we are excited to celebrate Joseph's life and try to raise money for childhood cancer research. We have raised the goal to $50k this year. Do you think we can do it? I do!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>A few high schools from the Nashville area have formed teams and will compete against other teams that form. I believe there will be a way to do that on the website soon.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>To register, go <a href="http://joeprallyrun.com/">here</a>.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>We hope you had a great Thanksgiving and have a wonderful Christmas. And, we hope to see you in April!</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><br />***P.S.*** My sister is doing a giveaway for a beautiful new stamper <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com">here</a>. It ends Friday, Dec. 3.</div>Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-27130034164880758452010-10-21T12:46:00.006-05:002010-10-21T13:03:29.552-05:00HungryThe girls and I have been blessed lately to spend time with some wonderful people we call "the sweet people." My dear friend Holly nicknamed the residents at a nursing home this because she said they were so sweet. She took her children to see them every week until she moved away a couple of months ago. My friend Beth and I decided to fill in for her since "the sweet people" loved seeing children every week and missed Holly and her kids (but I don't think we will ever compare to the famous Holly at this place).<br /><br />We have only gone twice but I just can't describe the impact these women have had on me already (there are some men, but it's mostly women). For one thing, many of them are as sharp as a tack. There is one lady I'll call Shelley who has become my favorite. She is a beautiful woman of 90 years old who is bedridden. She really never leaves her bed, except maybe to bathe. But she is full of encouragement and kindness and compliments. I am amazed that in a short visit of 5-10 minutes I come away feeling like a million bucks. We'll just be talking about the children or her grandchildren or something, and she'll slide in a compliment somehow that leaves me a little befuddled. (Aren't I here to encourage her? I neeed to focus more.)<br /><br />Today she revealed her age to me and I honestly was shocked. Aside from being unable to walk around she has great mental acuity and her face looks young and happy. When I said, "Wow, you do not look like you are 90," she quickly came back with, "I thought you might say that. That's why I told you." Then I said, "I would have guessed 55," with a little smirk. She then asked, "Can it go a little lower?" I confusedly asked, "The bed? I'm not sure I know how to move it..." and she said, "No, no, the age. Can't it go a little lower?" That made me laugh out loud. I guess I need to work on my compliments!<br /><br />As I was walking June out, I chatted with her roommate a bit and mentioned how quickly time goes by and how I can't believe June is already one. I didn't even think Shelley was listening because her TV was on the news and it looked like she was watching it, but she piped up without even looking over at me, "Time to have another one!"<br /><br />Already telling me what to do. I love it!<br /><br />Aside from being really amused by some of these sweet people, visiting them has also made me ponder my own life and what I value most. These women have a few pictures of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and maybe a few books and paintings in their rooms. After a full life of marriage, raising children, careers, and whatever else they accomplished in their lives, this is what is left: a small room and a few precious belongings.<br /><br />It would make me cry just thinking about it if they didn't seem so happy and sweet. This nursing home looks like a four star hotel. The residents are well cared-for and are given lots of little luxuries. If I ever need to be in a nursing home I want my name on the list here.<br /><br />But there is something that seems to mark every person we have visited: They are hungry. They are overjoyed that we have come. They want us to come again. They offer us little candies and little gifts. Every single room visit ends with a pleading, "Come back."<br /><br />Today June toddled over to a lady eating her lunch and put her arms up for her to hold her. The lady eagerly threw her fork down, reached for June and held her like she would never get to hold another person in her life. That interaction almost did make me cry. She was so thankful to hold a baby and so happy that June reached for her. I could tell she savored every moment of that sweet embrace.<br /><br />Every person we encounter is hungry for love and conversation and interaction. This is what they value most. They have all the time in the world and no-one to share it with. All of their possessions and achievements and jobs don't mean much to them now. What they want is to hold someone and love them and feel important.<br /><br />I think I have mentioned before how I tend to be a doer. A busy person. I like to have projects and things to do and see. Maybe you can relate? I do love people and I love my children but I often find myself putting my "to-do" list above the people in my life.<br /><br />But God seems to constantly be driving home this point to me to cherish the people and the days I have. I know one day I will be old (if I don't die sooner). That is a certainty. I'm not getting any younger. One day my children will be grown up and living lives of their own and I will be hungry to have time with them. I already know the ache of longing to hold and be with a beloved child.<br /><br />Right now they are hungry for me. They are little and need me for just about everything and I'm tired. But for this day I'm praying for the grace to enjoy the life God has given me and the precious people he has entrusted me to love.<br /><br />"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness!"<br /><br />~Lamentations 3:21-23Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-2491178485644823162010-09-06T21:34:00.003-05:002010-09-06T22:22:13.150-05:00SeptemberSeptember is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Just wanted to remind you all that <a href="http://www.createapepper.com/BigDay.aspx">"The Big Day"</a> at Chili's is Sept. 27th. On that day Chili's donates 100% of its profits to St. Jude's. Pretty amazing. So, eat at Chili's!! Not only are they extremely generous but they also have the best strawberry lemonade this side of the Mississippi.<br /><br />If you feel like eating at Chili's just isn't enough for you, we've come up with a few lesser-known places we feel are pretty deserving of donations:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.gktw.org/">Give Kids The World</a>: This is the resort where we stayed when Make A Wish sent us to Disney World. They provide beautiful comfortable accomodations for children and their families who are battling cancer. It is also a mini-Disney World in itself, with many fun activities for all ages of kids, along with free ice cream any time of day, pictures with Disney characters, and an indoor play castle.<br /><br /><a href="http://rallyfoundation.org/">Rally Foundation</a>: This organization, through volunteers across the country, raises awareness and funds specifically for childhood cancer research to find better treatments and cures for childhood cancers. We did the Joe P. Rally Run with them last year and raised $20,000 for childhood brain cancer research!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.choa.org/default.aspx?id=244">Aflac Cancer Center in Atlanta</a>: Recognized as one of the top childhood cancer centers in the country by U.S.News & World Report, the Aflac Cancer Center treats more than 350 new cancer patients each year and follows more than 2,500 patients with sickle cell disease, hemophilia and other blood disorders. Joseph was treated here after he was diagnosed.<br /><br />Another way of giving is simply donating toys to the children's hospital in your city. This is a great activity to do with your kids. They can help pick out the toys and imagine how excited a child will be who is sick in bed and can't get outside to play.<br /><br />We also wanted to let you know that the Joe P. Rally Run has been postponed until April 16, 2011. It will be in Nashville again.<br /><br />Thank you for all your support last year. Because of you, we were able to send $20,000 to the University of California San Franciso. They are testing new drugs to treat pediatric malignant gliomas (including glioblastoma multiforme) and are showing some promising results in the early stages of testing. We were so excited to hear this as very little is being done anywhere to research pediatric high-grade gliomas. Let's help to keep this research going! We will let you know when the website is up and you can sign up for the race.Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-57895784209589910032010-08-25T17:21:00.004-05:002010-08-25T17:45:32.602-05:00How to help a friend who has lost a childI had the honor of guest posting on my friend Missy's <a href="http://itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-help-friend-who-has-lost-child.html">blog</a> (It's Almost Naptime) today. She is actually a friend I have never had the pleasure of meeting in person, but I discovered her blog a while back and it soon became my favorite. We started emailing and it turned out she had followed Joseph's story and had been praying for him for months. Missy is one of the funniest and sweetest people ever. If you don't already read her blog you really should!<br />A few weeks ago she asked if I would write a little something about how to help a friend who has lost a child, so if you are interested you can hop over <a href="http://itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-help-friend-who-has-lost-child.html">there</a> and take a look.Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-55309693173091265382010-08-21T12:28:00.014-05:002010-08-21T23:10:32.181-05:00Gazing heavenward<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_njE3NLp-BoWXneJi9-9JcsrIPfp0uu_7NdpjSPW8ileJNdC9TdkMZgOnnJPAABvReyBo-tiweJ_zkFEBhr8CNSoltriDWYpc1NTfQLZ0LdPU8_4FGaooVLUPFyOgEeOLiB-D7MbXJ0/s1600/Carter+balloons3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507918487370331250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_njE3NLp-BoWXneJi9-9JcsrIPfp0uu_7NdpjSPW8ileJNdC9TdkMZgOnnJPAABvReyBo-tiweJ_zkFEBhr8CNSoltriDWYpc1NTfQLZ0LdPU8_4FGaooVLUPFyOgEeOLiB-D7MbXJ0/s320/Carter+balloons3.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXk8Wz0CdQ2uWDujx_6bkU8JmolJ3EQrphpNDB77LYOjtaYMhLLWLeM89xUnMQV92DhgNwVWiRHuaixem8_1u7swOXRYQ_dltfoX5OJ8fLj4BX5YiKCpB6rfcD78K_JIWBzi1am2m1Fk/s1600/Carter+balloons2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507917962279144274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXk8Wz0CdQ2uWDujx_6bkU8JmolJ3EQrphpNDB77LYOjtaYMhLLWLeM89xUnMQV92DhgNwVWiRHuaixem8_1u7swOXRYQ_dltfoX5OJ8fLj4BX5YiKCpB6rfcD78K_JIWBzi1am2m1Fk/s320/Carter+balloons2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sEVTpIrGDoLwnFMayUc2TF_fr0DJKFtAcr_Cu9yvyBvi9yxlC9J906j5e-qP8TMzZiW0e36qy295SKwjQeMlXpZ-1MrADi2hXPHslVYf_FFWhiLWbp2S1N14IJaW3ai27NPhyXuNOjg/s1600/Class+balloons1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507917953755591682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sEVTpIrGDoLwnFMayUc2TF_fr0DJKFtAcr_Cu9yvyBvi9yxlC9J906j5e-qP8TMzZiW0e36qy295SKwjQeMlXpZ-1MrADi2hXPHslVYf_FFWhiLWbp2S1N14IJaW3ai27NPhyXuNOjg/s320/Class+balloons1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jCXzzK4WH6bJeBQ69bMmb0BOkdgWAUcNcqAR88c3ySYRE6AE282dU9eQMypUlqZXOV3OGtqhUECojm9lNw7A-HFOH3C7yLe_VtaH5WY-plMD29A8Pi-FZN3H7UvDNVXYaAi-wg0nDSg/s1600/Fall+2010+025.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507975617590200242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jCXzzK4WH6bJeBQ69bMmb0BOkdgWAUcNcqAR88c3ySYRE6AE282dU9eQMypUlqZXOV3OGtqhUECojm9lNw7A-HFOH3C7yLe_VtaH5WY-plMD29A8Pi-FZN3H7UvDNVXYaAi-wg0nDSg/s320/Fall+2010+025.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOMXbkkc80SLIwHezhh2ZAbpHAGDkJyx7qgUXDbei2CQc4rxk_PfOBQKUNXdBlUzmNcWpojgBzPdfN_Db1phrO59MZf3HqSLKOPzXikyJkbf5tjsDoTZaqIZ35ya-l90D9RVQSptn7bI/s1600/WK+Balloons2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507917943613202130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOMXbkkc80SLIwHezhh2ZAbpHAGDkJyx7qgUXDbei2CQc4rxk_PfOBQKUNXdBlUzmNcWpojgBzPdfN_Db1phrO59MZf3HqSLKOPzXikyJkbf5tjsDoTZaqIZ35ya-l90D9RVQSptn7bI/s320/WK+Balloons2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_cmmlrfUT_bh1g9_98TtcCYxuaoBo0cIbMfscTQXa8dQA17SQJKvyJNTs4rWqvKrHSJQGu1pFT3raKAD-uiq_a-p4onQjlsfnrHzTmNjJuT1jGc0sGidXz_SHb1OuCy6C7sNrmRnvYs/s1600/Joe+6+bday+(20).JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; 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MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507917444975661714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zoss5-sNy25mOb-EvUoTbpn5O6xqeNctCsUUb5CWny4Q1uNQ-1Sl1S0LHf7PD7zHNDClvmHR7nFgoyv9TKu5Ey0SoaYB5c6JA3amPbS2rSpdZ9BxYSKUob88dBg_tkxfs8ASzOpDCXg/s320/Joe+6+bday+(6).JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvFqGdPGjb_65yV6ZlL6FbgdVWer-ftPJZ7wj9TNgfxrNJXI-WaQffMa6qLowoXQjasU8hwWBK3sb1kKziOH2jOYcAtB8pM5WtL8FpFdIw5BwWm8T32j2Rf-TyyWRJ7GYFl2DS4rvcSo/s1600/Joe+6+bday+(13).JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507917430786722242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvFqGdPGjb_65yV6ZlL6FbgdVWer-ftPJZ7wj9TNgfxrNJXI-WaQffMa6qLowoXQjasU8hwWBK3sb1kKziOH2jOYcAtB8pM5WtL8FpFdIw5BwWm8T32j2Rf-TyyWRJ7GYFl2DS4rvcSo/s320/Joe+6+bday+(13).JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBDl1XUgLWx-lfeft8AtcyPIzvYumxYSfVYTl0ibQ_rsA_wn_tMOzxU1oFhqP5HwKd1FDK8QgrXVpgPOiHfblWfbL4-rxoI2SQa_B6wtdNoCErmWogp3iFUmb9RP5qLSLOHRCtt5K3aY/s1600/Carrie+balloons2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 124px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507916811543255378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBDl1XUgLWx-lfeft8AtcyPIzvYumxYSfVYTl0ibQ_rsA_wn_tMOzxU1oFhqP5HwKd1FDK8QgrXVpgPOiHfblWfbL4-rxoI2SQa_B6wtdNoCErmWogp3iFUmb9RP5qLSLOHRCtt5K3aY/s320/Carrie+balloons2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQXi4Js3rCbnoEVUn-jU7mc5D3MT4VLt4D8aqXLzpc1BJGnlpjIGhp4WhdXdnxtAly3-2WZDyBL2kugDgNiwhJHYbwI4Hd0EvE-oJbvZYvUIhMffMMu55PVNetJx3qECrgZza5BuGdws/s1600/Carter+balloons.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507916807795122530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQXi4Js3rCbnoEVUn-jU7mc5D3MT4VLt4D8aqXLzpc1BJGnlpjIGhp4WhdXdnxtAly3-2WZDyBL2kugDgNiwhJHYbwI4Hd0EvE-oJbvZYvUIhMffMMu55PVNetJx3qECrgZza5BuGdws/s320/Carter+balloons.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTvAeNHFrECZOYwxGqAV7o2J74sAVoA0Jyox5fZPVBaMGKnRJ494Vz4DY2OrCVhZs2kg20r63tnmUGADvhxwoC7qUDEOIjRqQEjF7WoCUWe8IJBZQ3jCk_1EI3KlcO90fKvgC6R-ZLt4/s1600/carter+balloons4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 221px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507916803695363314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTvAeNHFrECZOYwxGqAV7o2J74sAVoA0Jyox5fZPVBaMGKnRJ494Vz4DY2OrCVhZs2kg20r63tnmUGADvhxwoC7qUDEOIjRqQEjF7WoCUWe8IJBZQ3jCk_1EI3KlcO90fKvgC6R-ZLt4/s320/carter+balloons4.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIvwrY_crCfv_SR9eKZsZ1j51BGK8nYWnksjmxpe9d5-heLN5R0ewQtCYMm-xf5Cgua4g8Jwm8TOEUQxT7iex9M_sTt4CPWSVUDDvJwuHFCA5bZY-q_aVle2LzXtuFK8M61OqiBp8c2U/s1600/WK+Balloons.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507916797826732322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIvwrY_crCfv_SR9eKZsZ1j51BGK8nYWnksjmxpe9d5-heLN5R0ewQtCYMm-xf5Cgua4g8Jwm8TOEUQxT7iex9M_sTt4CPWSVUDDvJwuHFCA5bZY-q_aVle2LzXtuFK8M61OqiBp8c2U/s320/WK+Balloons.jpg" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrLX3E3X7HRjUdU1IUe2MokLTvKLZ2EZGTTywcp5e7xIGMiyiSCgGMHxSu-Ct_E6lJjhLiaYZwPR0WEk9XqdJqze954TYzkFmwZ7iNMqyLTVhqf8FsqQFkbwlQavYTHBhBS5iYQH4wpE/s1600/Carrie+balloons1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 221px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507918672661554354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrLX3E3X7HRjUdU1IUe2MokLTvKLZ2EZGTTywcp5e7xIGMiyiSCgGMHxSu-Ct_E6lJjhLiaYZwPR0WEk9XqdJqze954TYzkFmwZ7iNMqyLTVhqf8FsqQFkbwlQavYTHBhBS5iYQH4wpE/s320/Carrie+balloons1.jpg" /></a>Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-58949549869123050182010-08-19T22:23:00.002-05:002010-08-19T22:24:09.026-05:00Happy Birthday, JosephThis is the slideshow we made last year of Joseph's life. We've added one more song that Allen wrote, called "Back Home." (This isn't the official polished version as it is still in production, but the slideshow distorts so much of the music that you can't tell.) Thanks again to John Moessner who worked for peanuts.<br /><br />Happy Birthday, Joe P.! We miss you more than words can say. One day we'll all be back home and what rejoicing there will be!<br /><br /><div><embed src="http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_view_player?p=95721109c0ea215e66f7d6" quality="high" scale="noscale" width="408" height="382" wmode="transparent" name="FLVPlayer" salign="LT" flashvars="&p=95721109c0ea215e66f7d6&skin_id=701&host=http://www.onetruemedia.com" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><div style="margin:0px;font:12px/13px verdana,arial,sans-serif;line-height:20px;padding-bottom:15px;width:408px;text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.onetruemedia.com/landing?&utm_source=emplay&utm_medium=txt2" target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none;">Photo and video editing at <span style="text-decoration:underline;">www.OneTrueMedia.com</span></a></div></div>Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-62809440062860371072010-08-17T22:42:00.000-05:002010-08-17T22:43:13.124-05:00Joseph's Birthday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLr2QgRfEiVB-MrjRlPsnavsPQshG1W6sPk3CWFL2W3De6_6wDwo9qn1SXHGxz8woZBSjhZA56LWHM6b_KBgAQ7H_HwtAxkiY0en1WOt_0ylZ6DoCNWnFpHvv9BP-59GAgO4e0ZE0z4g/s1600/may+08+013+-+Copy.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 186px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506587820370034786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLr2QgRfEiVB-MrjRlPsnavsPQshG1W6sPk3CWFL2W3De6_6wDwo9qn1SXHGxz8woZBSjhZA56LWHM6b_KBgAQ7H_HwtAxkiY0en1WOt_0ylZ6DoCNWnFpHvv9BP-59GAgO4e0ZE0z4g/s320/may+08+013+-+Copy.JPG" /></a><br /><div><div>We are almost at what would be Joseph's 6th birthday. Allen and I really don't imagine much what he "would be like" now because it's just too hard to even do that. To us he will always be 4 years old. But I can't help thinking that this would have been a big year for him, starting kindergarten and beginning to be more independent of us. I can just picture him so proudly wearing a big backpack and bounding up to new children and charming them with his infectious laugh and mischievous spirit. He always wanted to include everyone and make sure everyone was happy and having fun.</div><br /><div>For weeks I have been trying to prepare myself for these two days: August 20 and 21, but there doesn't seem to be any real way to make them better. To be honest, every day is difficult and in a way these days are easier because most of our close friends acknowledge that they are difficult and so we have support there. It is the random days during the year where we just feel down for no apparent reason and feel like everyone has forgotten him and forgotten that we miss him--those days can be the worst. But these two days are still hard as we have lots of memories that we relive and then there is just the pain of celebrating his birthday with his empty chair staring at us.</div><br /><div>We do believe that Joseph is with Jesus now and that his life had purpose. There is no way we will ever understand why this happened to him and to us but we do know God is the same God he was before all this and He is still our only safe refuge. There just is nowhere else to find real peace. For a while after Joseph died I just couldn't talk to God much. Still believed in Him and knew He still loved me but there was nothing to say, to him or to anyone. I felt so deeply wounded. I think I tried to ignore him and retreated into my shell of self-protection or self-pity. It was just hard to accept that life was still happening outside of my pain. But after a long time of that I am remembering how much I really need God for this life and self-pity is a slippery slope that leads nowhere good. God has been faithful to meet me as I crack open that Bible (mostly the Psalms) and open myself up to Him. And I feel so encouraged as verses really apply to where I am in life and instill hope in me for the future. One Psalm in particular has been very comforting--Psalm 73. The whole Psalm is wonderful but the last few words have resonated with me: "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." It is just good to be near God.</div><br /><br /><div>For Joseph's birthday we plan to go to his favorite spots again this year, have some cupcakes and send balloons up to heaven. If you would like to celebrate his birthday this way (sending balloons up), please do so. And if you get a chance to take pictures we would love to see them and maybe post them all on the blog.</div></div>Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-9816195788897863142010-06-01T07:41:00.007-05:002010-06-01T08:55:28.586-05:00Still here...Well, I'm not sure where the last 9 months went! Having a baby can be pretty all-consuming, I guess. But June is almost 9 months now, Holly is 4 and summer is here. I am so thankful for summer and pool days and lots of sunshine. Here is Holly going to her last day of school:<br />:))<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDutCZF3bpkTUNruxKG2RhI2fszmirUWBJH3xHsBl4hRki3BGUcGjFhclJwPl66EuL6t1unAZJq04S-uNA8KnHgU_W0tSzRJPW2A9VGUnKSRgfTLjgzC30jt_AQ5jigdlVk-j1EqNH5E/s1600/DSC_0016.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477785105709795218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDutCZF3bpkTUNruxKG2RhI2fszmirUWBJH3xHsBl4hRki3BGUcGjFhclJwPl66EuL6t1unAZJq04S-uNA8KnHgU_W0tSzRJPW2A9VGUnKSRgfTLjgzC30jt_AQ5jigdlVk-j1EqNH5E/s320/DSC_0016.JPG" /></a><br /><br />June playing with her "schoolhouse":<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbrRSRBM3KTPuvHVbLCAH9q-lJl8DqaqcHlVkpK0FbyFXDZH5kzIxMw_RkqFXHsfNLq_ac6iLvla6pXjBgLRrhPhG5Jgj7LdwQROmRrik74ZwmUgCJkGf6s5zhOyOHH9ICNlOPZ-y0r8/s1600/DSC_0003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477785094350328338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbrRSRBM3KTPuvHVbLCAH9q-lJl8DqaqcHlVkpK0FbyFXDZH5kzIxMw_RkqFXHsfNLq_ac6iLvla6pXjBgLRrhPhG5Jgj7LdwQROmRrik74ZwmUgCJkGf6s5zhOyOHH9ICNlOPZ-y0r8/s320/DSC_0003.JPG" /></a>Both these girls continue to bring us lots of joy. It is hard work but oh-so worth it. June's little personality is really coming out and it is so interesting to see how every child even within one family is so unique. She is very sensitive and loves Holly. If Allen and Holly are playing and Holly screams laughing, June cries. She thinks Holly is hurt and gets very upset. We keep telling her, "It's okay, June. And we smile and say "yay!" but she still cries if she thinks Holly is hurt. And Holly is equally as protective of her (most of the time). I think she cannot wait till June is walking and playing with her on the playground. She is really careful to pick up tiny little parts to her toys "so June won't swallow them" and showers her with hugs and kisses. Many times these hugs have ended with June toppling, but the intention is sweet.<br /><br />We still miss Joseph a lot. I was really distracted for many months after June was born and just didn't have time to grieve and be sad. But I think now it's hitting me again how much I miss him and wish he could meet June and be Holly's big brother, etc. Holly also misses him a lot. The other day she was saying how much she wanted to go up to heaven and bring him back and then he could never leave again. We finally decided she could draw him a picture and put it in an envelope with some candy and send it up with some balloons "to heaven." This really made her happy and she did enjoy doing it. As she's getting older she asks many many questions about heaven and dying. One book that has helped so much is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-about-Heaven-Little-Blessings/dp/0842373535">"What About Heaven?"</a> for kids. If you ever need a resource for children who are dealing with death and eternity this one is great. It asks a bunch of questions at the beginning of the book, then at the end answers them. Holly thought it was great that it never was night and always is day! She saw in one of the pictures that there was a bed in a kid's room and she asked a great question: "Why do they need a bed if it's never night?" She's always thinking!! If any of you have other good resources please let me know. I know she will continue to ask questions and we are going to need wisdom!<br /><br />We are drawing close to Joseph's birthday (and the day he died) and that brings so many memories and emotions. I will sometimes go back and read through this blog to look at pictures and be reminded of certain things and I'm always blown away at how loved and prayed for we were throughout Joseph's illness. I have no idea why God caused so many people to care for Joseph and our family. We were (and are) so blessed. Thank you to everyone for showing us God's love in a very dark time.<br /><br />Allen and I will celebrate 9 years of marriage tomorrow. I simply cannot believe what all life has brought us in our 9 years. We were looking through our honeymoon photo album and we were marveling at how young and carefree we looked (and skinny!). We had no idea what lay ahead of us. Lots of fun and great memories, but also a lot of sadness. But I am so grateful and proud to call Allen my friend and husband. He has been God's good gift to me throughout all the ups and downs. He has made wise and sacrificial choices for his family and I'm so thankful for that. We have had our fair share of struggles and hard times, but I have to say I'm still pretty fond of him. :) And he's still the funniest person I know.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477796772605835586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7i1WtektQVBpHWEaMf5k3yV-8ZswOPqfXkLSgFBXMGVRjEYU-yHiNqyzxuw1rN5TH2w7C1hio9ZFvvi_d7C7wmOGeT5vzdUTJk67JRAQyERDpJFPNlnXjZFD8sem5Hp6M3poNd6hDwpU/s320/DSC_0130.JPG" /><br />This is how we feel at the end of each day (and after Holly's birthday party :)).Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-52415755412678575392010-05-14T19:26:00.002-05:002010-05-14T19:31:38.966-05:00We Have a Winner!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CChF4qARg65FIH-9IOR7mFnBUzGumbjERgbTLIjxWNX4QTfgeC4CgUmgLZdvGn7ykHQ4RmY4f-JwxI4SKL40t-SPwpdrpBAiEBnU3KqfVJ27I1NMDCkTGJCNsc1k2k42-0kW5lUQMt0/s1600/DSC_0320.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 213px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471287833343290034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CChF4qARg65FIH-9IOR7mFnBUzGumbjERgbTLIjxWNX4QTfgeC4CgUmgLZdvGn7ykHQ4RmY4f-JwxI4SKL40t-SPwpdrpBAiEBnU3KqfVJ27I1NMDCkTGJCNsc1k2k42-0kW5lUQMt0/s320/DSC_0320.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Holly picked a number out of a toy pot, and the lucky winner is #17, trmills. That's you, Rhianna! Congratulations!! Rhianna is my dear friend and penpal so I am very excited that just maybe I will receive a letter on these gorgeous notecards (no, pressure, though!). </div><br /><div>Thanks, Lynny, for another great giveaway prize! </div>Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-89929508849807155922010-05-12T08:11:00.006-05:002010-05-12T08:48:31.834-05:00Giveaway Time!Well, my sister has again generously offered to do a giveaway, folks. She has gone back to school and has been busy acing organic chemistry (Yes, she's smart <em>and</em> beautiful...I try not to let it bother me) and other such classes, but I have begged her to not forget her first love: stationery. I think we can all agree that having beautiful stationery is a luxury a person should really try to not live without. :) And if it's free, it's even more beautiful!<br /><br /><br />So, here is your mission, should you choose to accept it:<br /><br /><br />Go to Lynn's newly designed <a href="http://ltootle.paperconcierge.com/">website</a> and pick out your favorite product and design and leave it in the comment section by Friday evening, May 14th. Please include your email so that I can contact you if you win!<br /><br /><br />The lucky winner will receive 25 of these beautiful Whitney English notecards (you may pick the design and personalize it): <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXqVYDHMm8q4Auuvjfwel1ez6Tw4T8cuw_3IV0EGNP3uzPg7UpYiNZarW8FOl_8dzhs2IXoFLCGgOK_-fdTKMGmzAn-qid0SOYvec6z13AzFUxNcenjRjPDygpUSgbQhXJqh2ADy-dwg/s1600/bird+toile.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 264px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470373710710415826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXqVYDHMm8q4Auuvjfwel1ez6Tw4T8cuw_3IV0EGNP3uzPg7UpYiNZarW8FOl_8dzhs2IXoFLCGgOK_-fdTKMGmzAn-qid0SOYvec6z13AzFUxNcenjRjPDygpUSgbQhXJqh2ADy-dwg/s320/bird+toile.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xx8Iu-RAO3BWhQoWf9ZAagAhp67GuNa8r1CbSTnxVO5FFoRd50zxQgEcpaOXVfDayxf5b-nBKSMZPftd3dRVnCyeOqd-RH1lquNTkDsTa5UTHbW5NhEsuEdy36nEgF7HN7XZXCqDTbo/s1600/lime+note.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 264px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470374846083525570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xx8Iu-RAO3BWhQoWf9ZAagAhp67GuNa8r1CbSTnxVO5FFoRd50zxQgEcpaOXVfDayxf5b-nBKSMZPftd3dRVnCyeOqd-RH1lquNTkDsTa5UTHbW5NhEsuEdy36nEgF7HN7XZXCqDTbo/s320/lime+note.jpg" /></a><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 264px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470374839930143554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy910fPTcnD4bIdn3yHg7DNRMNcF0UA7IT5TajOp_nFi7SMTDTKY7lCqzoB4erkiONQbiS3SmJk11-8oWU4KInbfUXZUjN4009VvsjFfM7xLZ62fLRrIugeerSNYJu5Iu7PWtyF3FYO-s/s320/charlotte+floral.jpg" /> There is also a section with personalized <a href="http://ltootle.paperconcierge.com/view_product/6328/2908/Initial_Note_Pad_A">notepads</a> for $4.75 in case you just need some or know a teacher who needs some. And, one more great deal is these personalized <a href="http://ltootle.paperconcierge.com/search/2895">notecards</a> for just $12 (They are listed as 50 for $60, but if you click on a card you will have the option to order 10 for $12).Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-46131931610505241552010-03-10T14:36:00.004-06:002010-03-10T15:08:48.097-06:00Little Miss PersonalityJune bug turned 6 months this week! I know every mom marvels at how quickly their child grows, but I have to say it: I cannot believe she is 6 months old. I know the next 6 months are going to go even faster.<br /><br />She has followed in Joseph and Holly's footsteps and is already crawling. She has become so full of personality lately and giggles and laughs at Holly nonstop. She is so happy. I picked her up from nursery the other morning and the sweet nursery coordinator said, "Is she always this happy? I'm sure she's not." But, most of the time she is. Here are some pictures of her royal cuteness :<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8cm6HJiuWKuuEapFIuBa7RFbrXwgRFFo4fMgeL1bEeo7VQO2LTpg54iS1mIbWrqYZX6h3ZoeqAa0kAGHWFkcKrqGBkKnJtnrhKAbzVuccWRsYVoSAzji-JYzBtwb0JVbE3ZHMz3EdSo/s1600-h/DSC_0009.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447107133803016402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8cm6HJiuWKuuEapFIuBa7RFbrXwgRFFo4fMgeL1bEeo7VQO2LTpg54iS1mIbWrqYZX6h3ZoeqAa0kAGHWFkcKrqGBkKnJtnrhKAbzVuccWRsYVoSAzji-JYzBtwb0JVbE3ZHMz3EdSo/s320/DSC_0009.JPG" /></a> All decked out!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUNhY231_hiLQxPbzQE6I62DNzgbp37PGgBs3grZsVQbLcFEZ7IxvNbHRH_nl1Hs414Vj2GJtorvVJHUYPlP1KvXVFUob7oha4VAoXgQeMmbefstONYnJceF4FLOTXl3vf4icPuD4T_E/s1600-h/DSC_0052.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447107157343953074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUNhY231_hiLQxPbzQE6I62DNzgbp37PGgBs3grZsVQbLcFEZ7IxvNbHRH_nl1Hs414Vj2GJtorvVJHUYPlP1KvXVFUob7oha4VAoXgQeMmbefstONYnJceF4FLOTXl3vf4icPuD4T_E/s320/DSC_0052.JPG" /></a> Best friends<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0_uWD0FqTzgREn0kmt8hOmVjw9PrlWDuQRekj6_GmpfyIu4vKJ2DFItTJRl4J_5Mqenez5iyiolci1Fuhh3v7DC97RIpQc4uS_BKwMkV6gsg-unfMZTDOT_AMNHyzH4x4ldeOHGKm-k/s1600-h/DSC_0037.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447107146811180130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0_uWD0FqTzgREn0kmt8hOmVjw9PrlWDuQRekj6_GmpfyIu4vKJ2DFItTJRl4J_5Mqenez5iyiolci1Fuhh3v7DC97RIpQc4uS_BKwMkV6gsg-unfMZTDOT_AMNHyzH4x4ldeOHGKm-k/s320/DSC_0037.JPG" /></a> I like my thumb, but my toe will do.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMdBx-QGfzQzMEL72_dZ4p42twRigwIIdWDoKIuh2r63QOZp3T6K1gPlUSE3FZp0r2FKRS3RUlik6qKTmLHY4yANxS6ei6CxOYnJSmN5SVOGH8S1A2ED1uxihtbrmTsyprvs0lRaAKeM/s1600-h/DSC_0020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447107140563700354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMdBx-QGfzQzMEL72_dZ4p42twRigwIIdWDoKIuh2r63QOZp3T6K1gPlUSE3FZp0r2FKRS3RUlik6qKTmLHY4yANxS6ei6CxOYnJSmN5SVOGH8S1A2ED1uxihtbrmTsyprvs0lRaAKeM/s320/DSC_0020.JPG" /></a>On our way out on our biannual "walk the dog" (okay, we walk her slightly more than that--but not much).</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>We moved back to Atlanta about a year ago now and I was just looking back at our time here. It seemed like when we moved back the sadness was still so heavy on me. I missed Joseph so much...it just consumed every day. Now I have suddenly realized that it's not the same anymore. I still do miss him every day but it is not so all-consuming. I thought before June was born, "Having a baby is not going to make this all better. I am thrilled and blessed to have a new baby but nothing will replace Joseph." I even resented that people might think that I was all better because I was going to have a new baby and we'd moved on. But for me, June has brought a lot of comfort and healing and new joy. It's not all lilies and roses--I get tired and frustrated like every other mom, but I am so grateful I get to be her mommy (and Holly's). Having her really has helped me heal and I am so thankful for that. </div><div></div><div>Holly continues to love her and be very protective of her. She definitely craves one-on-one time with me since I'm holding June or feeding her a lot of the time, but she is always saying things like, "You're the cutest little baby in town," or "You are so beauutyful." Although the other day, after June had napped over 2 hours she started making noise and I got up to get her, Holly said, "Just leave her. I think she'll go back to sleep!" </div><div></div><div>I guess everyone loves attention. :)</div>Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-34559676575883289392010-02-25T12:00:00.006-06:002010-02-25T14:18:14.756-06:00A Place For UsAh, the brewing post. I'm not exactly sure what that post was going to be about. A lot of times I will have a thought going and think, "I need to write about this..." then 2 days later it's gone. So, I'm sorry to have led you astray. I did have one brewing but you are getting another one. :)<br /><br />As you know, we were so very excited to be pregnant with June. For a while before Joseph died I was longing to have another child but for various reasons it seemed wise to wait. Then after he died the longing increased. Very shortly afterwards God answered our prayers and we were blessed with a baby growing inside me. In many ways this was my hardest pregnancy. I was already tired from all we had been through, then being pregnant just seemed to suck all the rest of the little energy I had left. I think I also just felt older and less resilient and then she ended up being a very big baby so I was pretty uncomfortable towards the end. But, none of that seemed to matter compared to the reward I was promised at the end: a precious little baby that we had waited for and prayed for.<br /><br />We weren't very busy during that time. Allen was waiting tables and I was taking care of Holly but had lots of help from grandparents. I had a lot of time to myself and had time to grieve my loss but also anticipate this new baby. I dreamed of what he/she would be like and couldn't wait to find out what he/she was so I could start decorating the nursery. Then when we moved to Atlanta we had (have) a small room for her---one just begging to be transformed into "all girl."<br /><br /><br />I'll be honest. I went a little nuts decorating this room. Maybe it was part of my nesting process or maybe I was excited to test out my new hobby: sewing. But this girl got more handmade things from me than Joseph and Holly combined. I sewed blankets, burp cloths, pillows, chair covers, really anything I thought I might be able to do. The thing I love about sewing is that you can have a finished product within a couple of hours in many projects. Patience is not my forte so this definitely appeals to me.<br /><br />We also painted the crib, the room, put up curtains, got out the sheets and blankets and somehow everything seemed to go together even though it was mostly a hodgepodge of things we already owned. For many weeks before June was born, she had a place waiting for her. And I mean, diapers, wipes, burp cloths, sheets, clothes. Everything was ready. (Which is so not normal for me, by the way. With my other two pregnancies I was not even close to being this prepared and I don't anticipate ever being this prepared again.)<br /><br />So as I sat in that room the other night with my almost 6 month old, I looked around the room and remembered when she wasn't in there with me. I would love to peek in and think with excitement that soon there would be a baby in the crib; soon there would be clothes in the laundry hamper and toys on the floor. But more than that, this room was full of June before she was even there. All those things I made or picked out or laid out were all there with her in mind. I was picturing her in that bed, her in those clothes, her in the rocking chair with me (boy, I hope she likes the colors!). She had no idea what all I had done for her before she was born. She was not aware of the stuffed animals or blankets or burp cloths that were all there for her. She was just born, and all this stuff is hers.<br /><br />Which finally brings me to the thought I had (thanks for bearing with me!): God does this for us. For us, who are so often oblivious to the work He has done on our behalf, the sacrifice he has made, the joy he feels that we are His children. He carefully made each one of us, thought about what we would look like, be like, sound like. And He goes ahead of us and prepares a place for us in heaven. If I (and so many mothers), in my limited, sinful, human state can put loving thought and excitement into decorating a nursery, how much more skill and love and preparation must God put into the place He has prepared for us. I, for one, cannot wait!<br /><br />This is purely my own imagination, but I started thinking that maybe this life we have on earth is just the "womb." God knits us together, teaches us, forms us to be more like Him, then death is our real birth into real life where our real room is ready for us. Not to minimize the life we have on earth. We all know how delicate and important the formation in the womb is. Our life here matters, but maybe it's just as C.S. Lewis says "the title page." The real story is yet to come.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeRc0JFS46ejNPS5W6wSewilnI0S-FLNDEe4JOrpQqoo-a4ZeNErwzHQpfX4NRthnS91GBJcQkQWzvprLDcyn5PezHKlMrWxjgLdH8kEpaBFvtUnpvcNtS36SWwSd2ZM2Vvp1HvyoqC8/s1600-h/July09+039.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442261646556047154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeRc0JFS46ejNPS5W6wSewilnI0S-FLNDEe4JOrpQqoo-a4ZeNErwzHQpfX4NRthnS91GBJcQkQWzvprLDcyn5PezHKlMrWxjgLdH8kEpaBFvtUnpvcNtS36SWwSd2ZM2Vvp1HvyoqC8/s320/July09+039.JPG" /></a><br />"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."<br /><br />John 14:1-4Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-27905024176473132082010-02-01T14:48:00.005-06:002010-02-01T15:35:42.966-06:00Happy Birthday, Holly Bear!Hey! Remember me? Joseph's mom? The lady who occasionally used to update this blog? It's okay if you've forgotten...it's been a long time. I do have a post brewing in my head but it may have to wait till next week.<br />Today is Holly's 4th birthday. Very hard to believe. We are so grateful for this little bundle of joy and look forward to another wonderful year of Holly! Here's a little "through the years" of Holly bear.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGngF9miP4dZbghbOsFqMjZ7RaAbrjuhEUMRmc0ErbczI5DC36ZPg2ydCqM3ak2V1qul3n1gtz9lrvY_O3_lSupV7GINq74C3AxACExzp5uMAUsmBZCqxxQ1k4ugwHgP_HKduO6Cyf2Tk/s1600-h/Jan.+10+040+(2).JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433390893254178690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGngF9miP4dZbghbOsFqMjZ7RaAbrjuhEUMRmc0ErbczI5DC36ZPg2ydCqM3ak2V1qul3n1gtz9lrvY_O3_lSupV7GINq74C3AxACExzp5uMAUsmBZCqxxQ1k4ugwHgP_HKduO6Cyf2Tk/s320/Jan.+10+040+(2).JPG" /></a> 4th Birthday<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98aUjwQRBkeoM-y-Mpr2pnQgqKbc1hp-cFuxJh2KZlb5n3omTc_vtYl6yR4ejE6DhHCR9WpXFI2wq1OWJprS92PD35vYf0s4q5fF_ldSrE1-9pFSxAlfZWULU2WURkVmHFl5TA6A749g/s1600-h/Feb.09+085.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433380745485017474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98aUjwQRBkeoM-y-Mpr2pnQgqKbc1hp-cFuxJh2KZlb5n3omTc_vtYl6yR4ejE6DhHCR9WpXFI2wq1OWJprS92PD35vYf0s4q5fF_ldSrE1-9pFSxAlfZWULU2WURkVmHFl5TA6A749g/s320/Feb.09+085.JPG" /></a> 3rd Birthday<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWukufEniESSG82j9Kso2CHgFNRgsVs8gFPKbbEp-JlUcsXF3VIh9a593XJPnEw-hgvoeP8RpuBsWDEmnWKaEqYybBzMZ3IzjFhXloHxcflZt8TP1acE4MySj-z2VBCLThT4jspwc1tI/s1600-h/Pirate+party+001.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433380731775262386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWukufEniESSG82j9Kso2CHgFNRgsVs8gFPKbbEp-JlUcsXF3VIh9a593XJPnEw-hgvoeP8RpuBsWDEmnWKaEqYybBzMZ3IzjFhXloHxcflZt8TP1acE4MySj-z2VBCLThT4jspwc1tI/s320/Pirate+party+001.jpg" /></a> (close to) 2nd Birthday<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIqJ_h0kEElJY-y89x41M19qld9XZ_gMigrpRDBTfzfp7g60IBdhGjbCK08J1yKWT5PxluSFxfSJaOX6ndaZevMI7DHNpNOYkOGPH8JnLECfmOKU0GelHkT3-GRjLb_ojK09-emYAj1Q/s1600-h/Feb07+043.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433380725897201730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIqJ_h0kEElJY-y89x41M19qld9XZ_gMigrpRDBTfzfp7g60IBdhGjbCK08J1yKWT5PxluSFxfSJaOX6ndaZevMI7DHNpNOYkOGPH8JnLECfmOKU0GelHkT3-GRjLb_ojK09-emYAj1Q/s320/Feb07+043.JPG" /></a> 1st Birthday<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzsH1ytA2L_KUJeIyrgWyLFMsq34-gyC_ID2AnZeUtmBRZleOj_oQh0qexpKbX2tsf0ao3PMx1WobGXGf2PSmIS0y7B0Vjt19xxCRBigv5847yg-OL1mftTA9SiwdUPA282_wqYcfBQE/s1600-h/Holly+birth+016.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433380714974199506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzsH1ytA2L_KUJeIyrgWyLFMsq34-gyC_ID2AnZeUtmBRZleOj_oQh0qexpKbX2tsf0ao3PMx1WobGXGf2PSmIS0y7B0Vjt19xxCRBigv5847yg-OL1mftTA9SiwdUPA282_wqYcfBQE/s320/Holly+birth+016.jpg" /></a> Newborn</div></div></div></div>Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8003014250576700712.post-49002314976070997842009-12-03T21:50:00.002-06:002009-12-03T21:58:44.907-06:00Winner Winner!The lucky winner from the giveaway is #17, Allyson. You can contact Lynn directly to pick out your two cute sets of notecards. Thanks, everyone, for participating.<br />Merry Christmas, and have fun shopping. Has anyone out there already finished? I started mine last weekend, but I still have quite a few more left to buy.<br />In fact, I think I might have to buy some of those notecards...Allen and Gillianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10555404343473667037noreply@blogger.com2