Affirmation

Would you please do me a favor? I am very interested to know who all reads this blog...so if you would just post a comment, short or whatever, just to let me know who I'm talking to...That would be awesome. I love sharing with you, and I know who some of you are, but I would love to know who I'm sharing with. Okay, that was all for now, I just thought I'd see if you would do that for me- thanks.

Thanks.

Present Shakers Beware

I don't really agree with this guy on many things, but this article was note-worthy:

"Every night at 8 p.m. on MSNBC, Keith Olbermann awards his daily pick for Worst Person in the World.

Worst Persons in the World’: Grinch-y family
'...our winners tonight, we’re not sure where to pin the blame here.
How about the whole unnamed family from South Carolina. Great Grandma got the 12-year-old boy a Nintendo Gameboy Advance for Christmas, but she wrapped it up, put it under the Christmas tree and told him not to open it. It was perhaps no surprise that the boy opened it anyway, whereupon his mother called the cops and had her 12-year-old son arrested for unwrapping the expensive Christmas present that you got him anyway too early. A not very functional family in South Carolina, Tuesday’s Worst Persons in the World. ' "

So be careful about how you handle whats under the tree this year! :D

Daddy's Little Saint

Thats right! He's all ready for the Saints v. Cowboys game this Sunday. Lookout Cowboys, the Saints have a new fan! Aaron took this picture, we've gotten a little "picture happy". I took the sepia one, that is actually his slipper on his foot he is holding-very flexible little guy. I don't know if any kid has had this many pictures taken of them like Luke has. Well thank you for visiting the Luke pictures website, We'll keep you posted on Luke's growing up. GO SAINTS!

Winter-wonderland

As predicted-the snow has come, around 5 inches. Aaron had fun shoveling the snow at home. The temperature tonight is supposed to be 9 degrees...bbbrrrr.... Quite a winter-wonderland. We are very cold. But I am happy to say that the thermostat isn't at an unreasonable temperature and I am not wearing warm socks and a sweater inside. yeah me. Samson absolutely loves the snow, I try to walk him as quickly as I can and all he wants to do is play and jump around. I can't blame him though, he doesn't get cold with all that fur.
Once again, the credit goes to my wonderful husband for the inspiring picture. :)

Durham genes

Well, if you know me and my family-we are ketchup lovers. Not just any ketchup, but Heinz Ketchup.
Oh yeah, ketchup snobs.
And here is my son-enjoying his first ketchup experience, the first of many I'm sure.
:D

Future Ice Skating Rink?

So check out our lake! This is our backyard...it has been raining a lot, A LOT.

But not to worry-because of the freezing temperatures in our future (at or below 32 degrees for the seven day forecast), the rain will turn to snow!

snow, Snow, SNOW.

It won't be long before we will be covered in snow.

6-12 inches of snow to come tomorrow, between 12:00am-12:00pm. The sleet has started, and the icicles have arrived.

Here we go winter! December 1st is here!

Thanksgiving

Well, we had the big Thanksgiving Meal: Turkey, Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, Asparagus Casserole, Cranberry Sauce, Rolls, Sweet Tea, Apple Pie and Ice Cream. Oh my goodness, we were full. And I think we will be eating the leftovers for a little while. Aaron made the turkey (it was good!) and I had my first attempt at making an apple pie (and those pies are yummy). We ate fairly moderately for our meal, we just never really stopped eating afterwords!! haha. Watched alot of football and just hung out as a family.
Here we are on Friday, Luke is wearing his Christmas pajamas while we watch football! Doesn't he look into it? We set up the tree and put on our ornaments, and set out our stockings and Nativities. We feel "Christmas-y" now! Luke liked to look at all the ornaments and he showed special interest to the Mississippi State ones, his father's son. So anyway, we had a great holiday and are looking forward to the next! Hope yours was and is good also!

Luke's Letter

Hello All,
Luke here...Life is pretty exciting these days. I can stand up (with a little help), and I am so strong. I'm very grown up to-I'm teething now. My very first photo-op will be in a few weeks-I'll let you know how that goes. Even though I talk all time, sometimes it seems like Mommy and Daddy still don't understand me-they'll learn. I really like to watch football, especially with Daddy, I yell at the TV but those players don't listen. My dog Samson is interesting, when he doesn't look like a rug. Did you know I sleep in my own room by myself? I do. I have for a long time now. I recently got an extention on my bedtime-9:00pm, I think they are tricking me to sleep longer in the mornings (I've got to watch them-they're always up to something).
Well, that's about it for now (plus this is getting boring).
Later,
Luke

Boggle

I am in love with BOGGLE! Maybe addicted is a better word?

Here are my words, can you find anymore?how cow tow stow who woe hot got tot lot dot cot cold colt told dolt hold gold old scold ode pet pets pest test testy step set sty hey chew toe hoe hog cog doth psyche sped loch log

I'm especially proud of psyche.

Routine

Hard to believe that Luke will be 3 months old on Sunday the 12th. Hard because it feels like he has been in our lives for much longer.
Luke has a bedtime now. It is very exciting for us! Around 8 o'clock he has a bath, then he "gets ready for bed" (lotion, q-tips, fresh diaper, PJ's, etc.). After that either Daddy or Mommy reads him a story, sings a song with him and sends him off to sleep in his crib. Usually he is gone by 8:30pm or 9:00pm, which is great because then Aaron and I can have "grown-up time" and catch up on chores or hang out together, watch a little TV or a movie; and then head to bed ourselves. We've tried to do this regardless of when he needs to eat. I must say-it has been great! I hope it is something we can maintain as he gets older.

Scary Luke on Halloween

So this is Luke's first Halloween and we dressed him up in the scariest outfit that we could find in his drawer. As you can see he didn't really like his costume too much. I guess we should expect that reaction when he has to wear the colors of a team that has lost 3 straight games including a loss to the Saints (Luke's favorite NFL team).

By the way no candy for Luke this year. We don't want to rot out his teeth that haven't even come through yet.

Special thanks to our bestest friends, Matt and Rachel Kumpf, from Pennsylvania for sending Luke his first Halloween costume. As they say around here Matt, "There's always next year!"

By the way, if you couldn't tell, this post (trash talk) was made by Luke's daddy, not Luke's mommy.

And just in case anyone was wondering...all soccer gear came in a close 2nd as the scariest halloween costume!

He the Speaker, me the instrument

October was Pastor Appreciation Month...Aaron felt appreciated! He received cards, gifts, was taken out to lunch (we went too!) and overall was given much encouragement this month. It is wonderful to see Aaron in this role of Youth Pastor because it was something we prayed about and waited for, for so long. Before we were married Aaron felt called to full time ministry and as he pursued that calling in prayer, the Lord focused it to youth and then sent us here to Central Bible Church. We are so thankful. It means alot when people encourage us in the ministry the Lord has called us to. Thank you CBC'ers! Please continue to pray for our family as we live in full-time ministry and serve the Lord with love.

Aaron had the opportunity to teach on Sunday, I'm posting his Sermon Notes here:

True Worship:
"Giving Worth to God"

I. What is Worship?
Definition: the act of paying reverence or adoration to God; devotion, excessive admiration. ~giving worth to God

II. True Worship:
(6 principles or characteristics)

A. Is focused wholly on God.
1. Not on other gods-1 Kings 11
2. Not on self

B. Is based on a proper attitude or motivation. (John 4; Genesis 4)
"True worship may involve outward action, but it is not based on outward action."

C. Is founded on true doctrine. (Psalm 86:8-10; Revelation 4:8-11)

D. Involves personal responsibility. (1 Corinthians 11:27-28; Galations 5:16; 1 John 1:9)

E. Is a way of life for the believer. (Romans 12:1-2)

F. Requires a personal relationship with God. (1 John 5:12)

He challenged us to look at ourselves and ask the questions: "Am I Giving Worth to God'?", "Does this resemble my worship?"
Wow.

Anticipation

My photography inclined husband took this beautiful picture of an example of fall that lives in our front yard. I just love it when trees change this color.

Its definitely getting cooler, we are enjoying it. This is the weather we love Illinois for! They are predicting snow flurries again for tomorrow (Sunday), that will be two times it will have snowed before November-yipes! But with the snow comes no more yard work (hooray for Aaron), though you do have to shovel snow (so sad).

The next few months have alot to anticipate-we have friends from MS coming up at the end of this month, Aaron will be teaching at CBC in the morning service one Sunday soon. Hopefully Mike and Jane will get to visit before Christmas, and of course the holidays are very exciting. We get to go to TX and see my family! My Dad will meet his new grandsons for the first time (Luke and Tre-my sister's baby), and we'll just get to hang out. At CBC: the Christmas programs (that may be in the plans), Aaron's High School Lock-In, and so much more. In the new year we also hope to get to see the Barths AND the Mussers, with their new addition, in WI. Not to mention all the growing up that Luke will be doing in these next few months, Oh My Goodness!

I suppose its easy to get excited about whats going to happen, all the planning and preparations that you can lose yourself in...but I am trying to remember to savor today and to enjoy it in all its presence, before it becomes memory and photographs. To be content in now.

I have however begun my Christmas shopping preparations! Lists are being made and the buying has begun! I hope to be finished before December (pleasepleasepleaseplease). Good luck with your own. Bye for now.

My Guys

Aren't my guys so cute! Luke is doing really good now holding his head up and he loves to play in the mornings before Aaron goes to work.
Here they are sitting in our new glider(from my Aunt Keeli), doing their devotions.

We don't really know who Luke looks like now, but we see glimpses of family in him. Several people point back and forth between Aaron and myself; my sister saw a bit of Aaron's dad-Mike (Luke does have blue eyes). Lately I've seen my brother Cody, when he was younger. Who knows!? He a great combination, he's Luke.

The many faces...

When Luke is tired, he can get so cute... because he laughs and cries at the same time, and he talks to you, telling you he is grumpy.

If you tickle him he smiles and laughs at you....

and if you stop tickling him-he gives you this face:

I find it pretty hilarious and just had to share! He is so cute.

Snow in October

SNOW!
Not just October, early October, not just snow in early October, RECORD BREAKING EARLY. Thats right...we're going to freeze to death this winter! You heard me, Suurrree I wanted the snow, but not this early.
Today is Luke's 2 month birthday! yeah Luke! He got snow for his birthday.

pray for us....we're gonna die.

Fall and Football

Well, the trees are turning, I can't believe it's already October, already Fall. We've actually had the heat on! It seems so different than Mississippi. This will be our second Fall in Illinois and I think we know a little better what to expect from this Fall and Winter. I'm getting excited about seeing snow again, I'm sure I'll be tired of it eventually again but it always makes everything so pretty (before it gets muddy and yucky).
It will be Luke's first...well, just about everything is his first for now! :D poor kid, football season is here and he is in possession of a Saints uniform, Texas and MSU. More have been promised-he won't know what's going on.
doesn't he look confused?

I guess I'll jump off the bridge too...

So if everybody else is doing it, I will too. I hope to be able to talk about what's going on in our lives day to day and put up some pictures. It seems like a way to really let people know what's going on without having to email each person individually (not that you aren't worth it but I'm a little lacking in time). So here goes...I am a blogger!