God is making our lives complete as we place all the pieces before him. We get a fresh start every day so we are watching our step as He rewrites the text of our lives by opening our hearts to His eyes.
Paraphrase Psalm 18:20-24
So we are getting our PEARL name out there in the community and networking with those who want to work with us in the human trafficking areas. it's a great thing when God just puts people in your path and they have all the answers and encouragement you need for a month! i nearly cried this week when i met a guy at the grocery store who may be just what we need in many areas. these pictures are from our team at a bazaar where we talked to many leaders about what we are doing and what they are doing here so we can work together. i think it was a great start for our town! (and beyond)
i have started working on ideas for selling things...trying new things...here are some lamps i have made out of bird cages. i think it's a better idea to sell in america...but ya know...if we just keeping making and dreaming...and rising and rising...the lambs will become lions
you can't see a lot of the detail on this one but it's good to make :D
summer time is almost here! but here it feels like summer all the time! we can swim year round...we sweat constantly...it's always sunny unless it's raining...life is good :D
Paul, Eli, Hazel and Bethany were making necklaces with me. And this was some of the conversation that day:
Paul: Man! That little bead is so small that God couldn't even find it! Bethany: yes He could! God sees everything! Paul: God made the world and we and this house are soooo small to God...he CAN'T see this bead. Bethany: Yes! God made the bead, he CAN see it! Paul: Mom.... Mom: Well...(getting my best theological voice) God is very big and He did make this world but I believe that God knows every little detail about us...even as little as you looking for the bead. He sees you...and knows you are looking for that bead.
about 5 min later
Bethany: "i once saw a rainbow in america!" Me: "oh yeah? didn't you just see one over your old house here in indo too?" Bethany: "no, that was at my YOUNG house."
about 5 min later
Eli: I LOOOVE american toliets! Paul: oh me too! you know why? Eli: cuz you can sit on them? Paul: yeah...and just rest if you want to. they are sooooo great! i love them too!
Hazel: do you like my necklace? Bethany: are you kidding me? it's terrible! (pause while hazel looks at her) Bethany: no its not hazel...i would NEVER say you make something terrible...you're my best friend!
Wow! I know everyone says this...but...WHERE DID THE TIME GO?!!! All of a sudden we don't have a baby anymore? he is walking and trying to talk. dancing and figuring out cameras. laughing from his gut and blowing bubbles from his own saliva. from the get go this guy has been trying to pave a new and different road for his life. he didn't want to come into our family and be the same old-same old! ha ha! no way! he had to go for the breech birth. he went for the complicated nursing. straight away he was a cuddler. i was really happy to finally have one of those :D he is still that way...he is also more daring. willing to climb most anything. he has no fear of opening a door and finding out what is on the other side. if he is told no, he goes back, and no and back and no and back and no and back and no and back. he doesn't let down easy. he can have baskets of 'things' emptied in record time as well. he is amazingly fast! he has earned a nick-name 'baby monster destructo' and he lives up to it! but as soon as he is caught...he turns on the charm and you get the biggest smile or the cutest satisfied grunt. he flirts with his eyes and has a lot of character coming out...this kid isn't boring! he gets right in there with gavin and paul and hazel and feels very hurt and left out if he can't participate. hazel will play beside him until he takes her things. paul is so completely rough with him but he loves it and begs for more. gavin is the oldest and you can tell he totally trusts him. he askes gavin to help him now. he gets a big lower lip and a real high cry if anyone leaves. his sister also likes to dress him up and he enjoys the attention. it's getting so that he will bring her or me dresses for him to put on. he is liking to carry around blankets or towels right now and wad them up and throw them down...lay his head on them. pick them up. throw them down...wad them up...throw them down. trip on them. lay on them and roll around. cute! the only time he sits still is when we put him in his chair to eat. he likes to sit in his "thrown" and watch the rest of us eat and have conversation. i always wonder 'what is he thinking???' cuz he seems to understand. he answers in english, javanese, and indonesian :D ha! with those three he is bound to come up with words every time he opens his mouth! his favorite part of the day is going to school to give lunches so he can socialize with all the people...he has a real eye for indonesians and prefers to flirt with them as we come into the school. and then at 3 o'clock...as we are pulling up to daddy's room to pick him up from school, he lifts his hands and screams, "da da!" and the world is good! our family is better with ian. we couldn't imagine life without him. he brings a lot of laughter and new ways of seeing things. he is only ONE but he has made a big step into our hearts and lives and i know it will only get better from here on out. we are going to have many stories on this kid! we love you ian :D
