Adeline is 14 months old!

Oh, Adeline, Adeline Adeline. I'll be honest--I've put off writing this post today because you were a pill and I wanted to write happy things. But now you're in bed, at the end of your 14 month birthday, and you've stopped screaming, and I can peek in on your sweet face and remember that I love you.

I'm sure some of the EXTREME fussiness of the last 2 weeks is my fault--the last time you nursed was exactly one week ago. Plus there was diaper rash and some new teeth. But man, girl! You have shown your temper! Especially whiny around me, I just wish I had something that comforted you.

When you're not crying, however, you are toddling around the house like a tiny bug. It's so weird to see you walking! You nod when you want something and shake your head no when you don't, but don't say much else, besides "MAAAMMMMMMAAAA!"

I think you'll be ok. We'll just hang on for a little while longer. But I must inform you, that, when you're over this fussiness, I WILL be putting pigtails and bows in your hair again and you will like it because you are a good southern girl who will wear bows.

Looking forward to seeing your smile again,

Mom

What I'll miss. . . 2

Something I'm looking foward to: Walking across the street to go to chapel.

Something I'll miss: the sanctuary at our summer evening worship service--overlooking the marsh at Point Pleasant, our accapella hymns filling the building.

Hymn Sing Sunday

Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

Charles Wesley, 1742

Sam's party

Two down, one to go! Sam really wanted to have a birthday party with all his school friends before we head to Kansas. So we had an early birthday swim party Friday. It was easy, once I convinced my best friend/Sam's kindergarten teacher extraordinaire/ caterer/ babysitter/ baker to make the cake (where am I going to find another one of those in Kansas?!?)

What a cake!!!! Sam was originally very specific. He wanted a cake shaped like "the speed racer thing that Count Dooku used to escape the Jedi knights in Star Wars Episode 2." After an hour of googling, I found out it "Count Dooku's solar sailer" and impossible to make into a cake. He agreed to R2D2 instead and wonderful Tricia came up with this!



Here is the baker-teacher with the party goers, mostly from Sam's kindergarten class:

We got our 3rd Light Saber :-)

Lunch was pb&j or ham and cheese sandwiches, chips, and capri suns. The chips and capri suns are contraband at our house, so this was definitely a party!

Ella will be swimming like a fish by the end of summer. Look at her jump!

It was an easy party, and most of all, Sam had fun and felt special.

What I'll miss. . .episode 1

Not because I am melancholy or negative. Really, mom, it's NOT because I'm melancholy or negative. Just because I want to record these fun things about our home here so we can remember them. And to even it out, I'll add what I'm excited about, too. If anyone can think of a witty name for a post like this, give it, cause my brain is sleepy.

Looking forward to. . . . hills and watching the weather

I'll miss. . . the beach with friends.

Jeremiah 29:11

What?! You're moving?!

I've been hearing that a bit lately at which point I give my standard answer: Yes, we're military, we move. It's going to be a great year for us, and we're looking forward to it, but it will be really really hard to leave Savannah.

I realize I haven't updated everyone on our news, mostly because, as it is with much of our life, there are still a lot of variables out there. But here goes: Jess is finishing up his time with the Savannah District and will be heading to ILE. That's army talk for a one year school for Majors. It's at Fort Leavenworth, KS just north of Kansas City. Yes, there's a big prison there. There is also a beautiful post, a very active Officer Christian Fellowship group, and Nebraska Furniture Mart. It's an amusement park of furniture. We've visited Leavenworth (and Nebraska Furniture Mart) several times in the past, when we lived at Fort Riley. We tried for several months to sell our home here, with no luck, and are now trying to find a renter. We're scheduled to move the second week in July and already have our housing assignment at Leavenworth in the Infantry Barracks. Sounds exciting, huh? They are actually converted 100 year old barracks, but I've heard they are very very nice. Bigger than we have here, but more like apartment living, which will be a challenge with 4 kids and a big dog! We've been busy looking up satellite imagery on maps.live.com and shopping for rugs to cover all of those hardwood floors.

We know it will be great. But we're sad. We're very sad. We will leave our church and school where we've been for six (non-consecutive) years. And we have a lot of uncertainty. We don't know who will rent our house. We don't know where we will go to church. We don't know how we will manage without a backyard. We don't even know if we will homeschool the children next year or send them to public school! This isn't unusual for us. It just seems to get harder the older our children get.

Its enough to keep me up at night (oh, wait, that's kind of a bad habit of mine with or without anxiety). Then I think of this beautiful baby.

His middle name is Jeremiah. He's named for his mother's favorite verse about God's providence.

Couldn't you just eat him up? And he'll hug you too. Not like my kids. They squirm.

His parents (and their friends--me!) prayed for him long before he was born. And they were encouraged that God had a plan for them.

I am grateful that I got to meet him, and be reminded that God's plans are for our good, and we can trust Him!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Can't figure out what the fuss is about!

That's what Adeline is thinking here, as she gives a paci a try for the first time in 9 months or so. She found one, walked around with it in her mouth for 15 minutes, but never quite figured it out.