Veteran's Day

(Ben) Once again, it is time to thank the Veterans you know. You are surrounded by them and even telling one how much you appreciate the sacrifice he made will make his day. This can't be done often enough. It's been several years now since I completed my tours at war, but we mustn't forget our friends and family still sacrificing their time, careers, families, and lives by serving overseas. I'm still in the military and would be honored to go again should I receive the call; our country and our way of life is well worth the risk. I am extremely proud to recognize two brothers serving overseas at war. My brother Mark, USAF, currently deployed to Iraq, and my brother Seth, USArmy, in pre-deployment training preparing to deploy to Afghanistan for a year. Thanks for carrying on one of the most noble careers in the world, guys. Love you both, God bless you, and come home safe.

Mark / Seth with Caleb

The Atonement Child

I just finished reading The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers at the urging of my friend Jessie. It was a hard book to put down once I started reading!

The moral and ethical dilemma's of the story envelope you as you experience life with a young woman who has a wonderful Christian family, is going to a Christian college, and is engaged to a wonderful Christian man who plans to become a pastor. Everything seems so perfect, until she is raped and becomes pregnant.

The reader travels through her emotions with her as she tries to figure out how to get life back to "normal". She tries to get Godly counsel from friends, a pastor, and others about abortion and if it's ok since she was raped. No one seems to really care, and all the "wonderful" Christians around her are pressuring her to just "get it over with" and end the pregnancy.

Her wonderful parents are on the verge of a divorce because of this situation, she is kicked out of the Christian college because of what people 'would think', and her wonderful Christian fiancee let's her go because she is 'defiled'.

I don't want to spoil the ending for you but I will say that this book stirs up so many emotions within the reader, you better have a big box of Kleenex nearby!

A Look Into the Future

The last 3 days we've been away from home, watching 4 kids for friends of ours as the wife and hubby take a little vaca in California! We're so excited that they got the opportunity to take a week together! Wednesday through tomorrow (Saturday) we've been an a future world as we get to experience life with 5 kids all under the age of 8!! As I told Ben after dinner tonight, this makes me so thankful for me free time at home while Caleb naps! There are no naps going on for most kids here and since it's getting so cold (and wet) there hasn't been much playing outside...so there's 7 of us inside this little house!

It's been quite an experience. Certainly a test of my selflessness, or should I say selfishness, since that is the trap I keep stepping into. This reminds me of when someone told us that marriage is the mirror to your sin...I'm finding that even more so with children added in the mix - whether they're temporary children or biological children! Every minute I'm relying on God to help me be more 'others centered', and isn't that how it should be.

Through this I am continually so thankful for Ben. He serves me so well. I spent the first few days feeling crummy, and he was so sweet and helpful. Tonight I'm even feeling better, but as I was giving some girlies a bath, I came out to find he had cleared the very messy table, loaded the dishwasher, and put things away. On top of getting Caleb ready for bed. I am so blessed.

...oh and I want to mention that Ben says the parents have agreed to take Caleb sometime so we can go on a little vaca of our own! :)

10 Months Old

I can't believe it, our little bug has hit double digits! He's as sweet and crazy as ever, and every day I have a moment of "aww" and "grr" with him!! :) He's still not officially walking yet, but taking more and more steps, so we know he'll eventually get there. In the last month he finally mastered clapping, and he's beginning to learn how to feed himself. He imitates us all the time, from body motions to verbalization's, he's learning to find our noses; when we say, "where's Daddy's nose?" he grabs onto it! He still loves lights, and he points to almost every one he sees, and he likes to play with our dimming light switches and make them go on and off. Oh, and I can't forget that he still sleeps 12 hours straight at night and takes 2 naps during the day!

Daddy's Boy

If you're reading this blog and keeping up with our family, most of you know that Caleb is such a Daddy's boy, and Ben loves every minute of it! The other day Ben walked into the room and Caleb yelped and clapped in joy when he spotted his Daddy! It warms my heart to see how much they love each other.

So yesterday when Ben was going out to work in our back yard, and Caleb was wining at the gate as Daddy got ready to leave, I asked Ben if Caleb could go outside too. Ben was ok with it, so I bundled our boy up and out they went together. These are some pictures I found when I got outside!

Caleb watching Daddy work from the back of a truck we're borrowing from a friend.
He liked to be in the middle of whatever was going on!

My two workin' boys!

Caleb's First Fall

We finally got a day where the ground was dry and the sun was shining! Here's our little guy playing in the leaves near our house!Ben thought this was really artistic.
He likes the crinkle of the leaves.
A sweet smile!

Now the days have turned rainy again and we're stuck inside listening to the pitter patter of raindrops on the roof. I'm so glad we got our chance to get our pretty fall pictures, because there is snow in the forecast for later this week!

Bathtime

Fall Mantel

I think that Fall is my very favorite season. Maybe it's the colors, the yellow, orange, green, and brown hues are so warm and comfortable. I love watching the trees change color, and I love the "smell" of the Fall air. So bright and warm, every day the sun shines I soak it up because I know that snow and sunless days are coming too soon. I also love Fall decor! Leaf garlands, candles, pumpkins, and my favorite fall tablecloth all come out to adorn our home! This year I was particularly excited because I have a beautiful mantel to decorate! Here is my very simple mantel this fall:If you're wanting more mantel eye candy and ideas, check out:
Fall Mantel at A Soft Place To Land
Fall Mantels at Life is So Delicious
Autumn Mantel Decorations at Classy and Sophistocated

Greenbluff

We had the chance to spend Saturday morning ar Greenbluff the other day! What fun we had taking our boy to his first pumpkin patch! We also enjoyed our fill of warm, sugared, pumpkin doughnuts which Ben and I look forward to every year...mmm! Caleb loved crawling all through the different pumpkins, with little kids all around! He was too excited about all that was going on around him to smile for the camera! Enjoy these pics, more fall pics to come!

Caleb Walking!