Our new every day life

We are having a wonderful time adjusting to our new normal. This little girl is such a joy and we are so thankful to have her here. She has been sleeping pretty well most nights, but has occasional bad nights. She had an appointment last week and was already up to 8lb8oz and 22 3/4 inches long, so she is growing well.





I've tried to slowly get back into cooking this week and I've found it's kind of nice to escape to the kitchen. I tried these sticky buns which were really yummy (probably because of all the butter...) - they are best hot out of the oven!

A couple good friends came down to visit this past weekend and we had a great time. Landon had fun playing his his friend Uriah (or as he calls him, My-riah). The first day Landon had a few hitting issues with him, but by the next day they were running around holding hands - it was so fun to watch them.





Friday we will be leaving for our annual vacation with my side of the family. We are very excited! Lots of riding on the boat, swimming, and relaxing. We rented a big house so we can all fit. I can't wait to meet my new niece, Aubrey, who was born just 9 days before Olivia. Hopefully I can get some packing done in the midst of caring for these two kiddos.

Olivia is doing well. She had her first doctor's appointment yesterday. She was 7lb 14oz, so basically back to her birth weight. She has been a little yellowish, so they checked her bili, but I think it should be getting better in the next few days. My dad was able to come down for a long weekend, so that was a lot of fun.



My mom is still here, which has been great to catch up on rest. I know I would be exhausted without her here to help with our very busy boy. Last night he was kicking field goals in our living room...



We are enjoying every second with our precious new addition and are praising the Lord for her.

More Pictures of our Olivia

Olivia Ruth Nienhuis

3:30pm - She is here!!!

Olivia Ruth is here!! She was 7 pounds 15 ounces, 21 inches. Marcie did super! She was not able to have an epidural because she was too far along.

2:00pm

6cm, 80% effaced, consistent contractions...the Dr. thinks baby will be here in the next 2-3 hours!

12:00pm

Well, things weren't really picking up so they just started me on a low dose of pitocin. Last they checked I was 5cm and 70%, so not much change. Hopefully this will get things started...

9:15

Well, they finally got in here and broke my water. They will monitor me for about 30 minutes and then let me get up and walk around. Hope things start moving along...

D-Day!

This morning we got a call about 5:30am saying that they were really full and I may have to be rescheduled. They told us to call back at 7:30am to see what to do. I was starting to get nervous because the hospital I am delivering at, I have to have our little girl by 7:00pm in order to do a VBAC. If I am still in labor beyond that, they will do a c-section. Thankfully, they called back at 7:00am and told us that they would work something out (I love my doctor!).

So, here we are at the hospital (7:45) waiting for someone to get in here to get things started. I would appreciate prayers to have this little girl before 7:00pm, but most of all for a healthy delivery. Thank you for your prayers! We will keep you all updated.

Wednesday 8:00am

Well, got a good night's sleep. If she doesn't come today, I will be induced tomorrow (which I'm really hoping to avoid). Anyway, I won't post anything now until something happens, so if this blog doesn't say anything new, that means there is nothing new :) I would really appreciate prayers for some regular contractions to start today. Thank you!

Wednesday 12:00am

There is no real progress to update. Mom and I went to the famous outdoor Oklahoma play to try to kill some time and take my mind off things. I've had a few sporadic contractions, but stopped timing them because it gets frustrating. Anyway, we are going to bed and I will let you know if anything changes.

Tuesday - Update

***Doctor's appointment update: She said I am 70% effaced and 4-5cm dilated. She said she stirred things up really good and thinks I may go tonight! After she stepped out of the room, Landon said, "sissy can come tonight." I was like, "Yeah Landon, that would be great!" So, we will see... I will keep you all posted.

I was having a lot of contractions yesterday evening, but decided to go to bed and they went away sometime during the night. Disappointing, but oh well, we will meet her soon! Today I have my doctor's appointment and she will strip my membranes, hopefully that really gets things going. My mom is on her way down and should be here early afternoon, so we are very excited to have her here! I will update later with the doctor's report. Still hoping to go before Thursday...

Monday

Well, I made it through the weekend, YAY!!! Now, we are ready for her to come whenever. Hoping she will come before Thursday so that I don't have to be induced. I've been trying to get things going. I have already scrubbed the kitchen floor, cleaned the bathroom, done laundry, etc... I have been having contractions, but nothing consistent yet. This evening I think Seth and I will go to the mall to walk around - it's too hot to brave the outdoors! I will keep this blog updated with any new info. We will have WiFi at the hospital so we are excited about that. Hope you are all staying cool in this hot hot weather!

39 Weeks - Baby girl moving

I think our little girl is ready to meet us. Here is her trying to pry her way out :)

Self-Inflicted bed rest

This weekend I decided to put myself on bed rest to try to get this baby to stay put to avoid a c-section. I was having quite a few contractions yesterday. It seems this little girl is ready to meet us. This is the last weekend I have to get through, so each hour I am very thankful for! Come Monday, I will give this little (well... probably big) girl a green light and will be doing a lot of walking and cleaning. My mom and possibly my sister will be coming down early next week to be here when she gets here. I can't believe it's less than a week until we meet her! We are so excited :)

Update

I had an appointment today. The doctor said I was 3 cm dilated and 30% effaced. So, I'm getting there. I have an appointment for Tuesday in which the doctor will strip my membranes and hope to get some contractions going. Otherwise, it will be Thursday the 12th. Please pray for the Lord's perfect timing with the hospital VBAC policies. Thank you!

Landon singing his alphabet

38 weeks & the menu for the Week

Still no baby and not a whole lot of signs that she will come anytime soon. I will have an appointment on Wednesday and hope to be showing signs of progress. We have decided that if she doesn't come by August 12th (my due date) they will induce. The 12th is a Thursday and I figure if I haven't had her by then I would be afraid of going into labor that weekend and then I wouldn't be able to have a VBAC (hospital politics). I was two days early with Landon and I am really hoping that I will be a couple days early with this little girl so that I don't have to be induced. I am praying though for the Lord's perfect timing and direction through it all.

Question for you all: What were some of your favorite songs or Bible verses during labor?
One of the favorites I've found is Isaiah 26:3 – “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you: because he trusts in you.”

I would like to go without an epidural this time, but I'm not going to be completely disappointed if I have to have one. I have just been thinking that if I can draw my strength from the Lord and focus on Him, that He can help me through it. Any advise in this area? I remember feeling like it was never going to end and that I couldn't take another contraction. I let my mind focus on the pain last time. Anyway, just thought I'd try to get some advise from you all :)


Here is my menu for the week:

Breakfasts:
Blueberry Banana Bread (never got to this one last week)
Baked Oatmeal
Bagels with cream cheese and Smoothies
Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

Suppers:
M: Chicken Burritos
T: Broccoli Chicken Divan - My sister-in-law will be having baby Aubrey!!!
W: Grilled steak and Zucchini
R: Eggplant Parmesan
F: Calzone
S: Lemon Honey Pasta
S: Jennie’s Heavenly Slow Cooker Chicken

Menu for the Week (as long as baby doesn't come...)

Breakfasts:
Waffles
Fruit and yogurt
Blueberry Banana Bread
Oatmeal with fruit

Lunches:
BLTs
Grilled Cheese
Vegetable Fried Rice
Leftovers

Suppers:
M: Ham and potato casserole
T: Chicken Enchiladas with Mexican Rice
W: Penne with pancetta and mushrooms
R: Honey Chicken Stir Fry
F: Homemade Pizza with whole wheat crust
S: Grilled Chicken and Zucchini
S: Sub Sandwiches

Pregnancy update

I had another ultrasound today (will be 37 weeks tomorrow) and it estimated her weight to be 7lb 6oz already. He said everything is looking great and if she doesn't come in the next 10-14 days we may need to look at induction because of size. I would really like to avoid that as I am still considered a VBAC and would really like to be able to have another one. The hospital I will be delivering at only allows VBACs during the week, not the weekend. I would really appreciate prayer that this baby would come during the week (not a weekend) and that we wouldn't have to induce.

Everything else is going pretty well, just trying to get everything prepared and ready.

Well, I have a little boy saying he's hungry, so I better get dinner ready!

Busy Summer

Well, I realized it has been just about a month since my last post, that is pretty bad! I do have a few reasons for the lack of posting though. Right after I last posted, I went to run some errands. I was gone for only about two hours. When Landon and I got home, the back door was opened. I knew that we had been broken into and waited for Seth to get home to assess the losses. The biggest things they took were our laptop and camera. I always appreciate Seth in situations like this though, he said, "oh well, they're just things." Thankfully, my dad had backed up our pictures and everything back in November, so we only lost about 6 months of pictures. A verse that my sister reminded me of really encouraged me:

Matthew 6:19,20
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

Anyway, it's kind of hard to post without a computer... We got a replacement though and a camera is in the mail (hoping to get it before baby gets here!).

We had a nice Fourth of July up in Iowa. It was so fun to be with friends and family. So many of my friends had pregnancy announcements - I can't wait for all these babies! Here is a little clip that my sister, Bekah, took of Landon hearing fireworks... He calls them "Fire engine cracker pops."



Speaking of babies, I will be 36 weeks pregnant tomorrow and things are going really well. I have an ultrasound on Tuesday so we'll see how big she is getting. She was estimated at 5lbs when I was 32 weeks! So, I think we have another big one cooking. I feel so blessed and can't wait to meet this little one. Here's a pic I took with photo booth, not the best, but give you an idea of my growing belly.



We have been working on potty training and Landon is doing quite well. He's been waking up dry 75% of the time and usually has one or two accidents a day, hopefully we'll get to no accidents soon (he hasn't had any today, so we'll see...). I hope he doesn't regress when the baby comes, but we'll just have to deal with it if it comes to that.
Here's a little movie we took a while back of Landon trying to be a potty trainer himself...



Tomorrow thru Saturday we will be having another Neighborhood Bible Club. We are very excited that it worked out to do one this year. I just wasn't sure with the baby coming and all, but I've been feeling well and we're just going to go for it. Seth will be teaching the lessons. The theme is on choices. His lessons will be Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and the two thieves on the cross. Each kid will earn several tickets and have to choose which jar to put them in as each jar will have different candy and prizes associated with them.

We went and handed invitations in the neighborhood and we made several good contacts so we are hoping for a good turn out. I was just reading a passage that encouraged me as I think of God's word going out to these little children:

Jeremiah 23:28-29
"Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the LORD. "Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?"
Pray that Seth will speak God's word faithfully, that God's word would pierce these little hearts, and these children would receive the Lord Jesus as their Savior.

Encouraging Thoughts from Camp and my weekly Menu

Last week, I had the privilege of being the camp nurse for a week at Sooner Bible Camp. It was so nice not having to cook for a whole week! It was a very encouraging time and Landon was a great assistant and trooper.

One of the speakers spoke on 5 of the 7 churches in Revelation. The example of the church of Ephesus was most convicting to me. The Lord praises them for all the things they are doing: for their hard work and toil, their perseverance in hardships, their intolerance for wicked men, etc...
But, the Lord rebukes them saying, "You have forsaken your first love."
Sometimes, it's so easy to get caught up in serving and being busy with things in the body of believers, that we totally miss the point. The Lord wants our hearts.

Psalm 51:17
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."



A HUGE praise from the week at camp. A girl named, Val, has been staying with the Erb family for almost a year and one afternoon at camp, she realized that she was a sinner and that the Lord Jesus paid the complete price for her sin, and she was brought into the Lord's family. What an exciting week!



Val had to leave yesterday to go back to her home in Mexico, we will miss her dearly (sorry, I can't figure out why this picture is so small!)

A Little late on this, but better late than never...

Breakfasts
Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie
Baked Oatmeal
Yogurt Parfaits with homemade granola
Purple Monstrosity Smoothie
Cereal with Fruit

SuppersT:Easy Mexican Casserole with chips and salsa
W: French Dip Sandwiches with homemade bread with a salad
R: Honey Baked Chicken with rice and a salad
F: Homemade Pizza with Broccoli Salad
S: Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Basil (minus the shrimp because of Seth’s allergy ☺) with salad
S: Beef Stew with a fruit salad

Sammy Bear

We decided to spend our Memorial Day weekend in Eureka Springs. We found out that there is a real train that you can ride on, so we've been telling Landon about that. When we were getting all packed up last night,
Landon said, "Bring Sammy bear on the train?" (Sammy bear is the bear we got a while back to remember our sweet Samuel, thanks Brooke and Robin!).
Seth and I looked at each other and smiled. We said, "Sure, we can bring Sammy bear on the train."
Landon replied, "Make Landon happy!" He smiled his cheesy smiled and gave Sammy bear a huge hug.

Even though we don't have our Samuel here on vacation, it's sweet to have this little bear to remember the part he has in our family.

28 weeks

Everything has been going well with baby girl. I had an ultrasound today and the doctor said everything looks great. She's measuring big like her brother. The ultrasound estimated her weight to be 3lb 4oz. She was in the breech position today. As you can see from this picture, her feet were all the way up by her head - that can't be comfortable!



...and this picture is from about 6 weeks ago.



I'm praising the Lord for these past several months with this little girl. He is a wonderful creator!

Weekly Menu

M:Broccoli-Mushroom Penne Pasta (Two Sisters Cookbook, 137)
T: Chicken Stir Fry with Basmati Rice
W: Grilled Chicken with Potato Salad
R: Homemade Pizza with Whole Wheat crust and a salad
F: Sub Sandwiches and pasta salad
S: Out of Town
S: Out of Town

Menu for the week

Breakfasts:
Waffles with fruit
Banana Muffins with smoothies
Oatmeal with fruit

Lunches:
Quick Quesadlillas (Tortillas with cheese, green chilis, and tomatoes)
Vegetable Fried Rice
Grilled Cheese
Leftovers

Suppers:
M: IHOP with Sophie (another little birthday celebration for Landon)
T: Veggie Stir Fry with brown rice
W: Oven Fried Fish with Tarter Sauce and a salad
R: Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup with bread and a salad
F: Hamburgers with Potato Wedges
S: Lemon-Honey Pasta
S: Carne Asada Chicken (didn't get to this last week) in soft tortillas with chips and salsa

Landon's 2nd Birthday!

Landon had a wonderful 2nd birthday. We were surprised to find out that my parents and sister, Rebekah, were coming to visit and even more surprised when my other sister showed up with her three kids! We had a blast.

Landon woke up to see his cousins Clayton, Halle, and Logan - he was so excited! We started his day with the family tradition of breakfast in bed.



Later, we had a family party. For the last couple of weeks when we've told him that his birthday is coming up he has said, "Tommy Birthday!" (meaning Thomas the train). We tried to live up to his excitement and I attempted a train cake. He thought it was pretty cool.



Landon with his cousins



Halle and Layla



Finn pulling Layla and Halle in the wagon - strong boy!



Heidi and baby Logan



Baby Zoey



Mom got balloons for all the kids - they really enjoyed them.



Bumpa helping Landon with his Zhu Zhu pet



Landon loved his bath toy trains! I can hardly pry these out of his hands. He even slept with them!



He was so excited to get several Cars - he was especially excited about "To-mater"



He loves his Thomas the train set!



It was so much fun to do a little party for my little boy. I can hardly believe it's been two years since we saw his face for the first time. We are so thankful for our little blessing.

Menu for the week

Breakfasts:
Waffles
Cold Cereal
Granola and Fruit
Pancakes

Lunches:
Pepperoni Rolls
BLTs
Leftovers

Suppers:
M: The best Veggie Sandwich
T: Zucchini and Potato Bake with greek pasta salad
W: Lettuce Wraps
R: Pasta Pomodoro
F: Ham and Potato Soup (never got to this one last week)
S: Carne Asada Chicken on Tortillas
S: Grill out

Menu for the week

Breakfasts:
Breakfast Burritos (for Seth to take to work, hopefully they turn out yummy!)
Oatmeal with cinnamon, raisins, and bananas
Waffles dipped in applesauce (Landon just loves to dip things, so I try to think of healthy dipping options...) with strawberries.
Banana Muffins

Lunches:
Cheese Quesadillas with apple slices
Loaded Baked Potatoes with salad
Leftovers from supper the previous night

Suppers:
M: Fettuccini Broccoli Alfredo with salad
T: Calzone with salad and Monster Cookies for dessert
W: Vegetable Stir Fry with Brown Rice
R: Oven-Fried Fish with Tartar sauce and peas
F: Ham and Potato Soup with homemade bread
S: Leftovers or Frozen Pizza with salad
S: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with homemade sandwich buns

Landon doing somersaults

A few pictures from Easter

We had a pretty nice Easter this year. Poor Seth was sick in bed all weekend. On Saturday I took Landon to a park where they were having an Easter egg hunt and lots of other fun stuff going on. We missed the Easter egg hunt, but they were nice enough to give Landon a few eggs anyway :) Landon got to jump in a big jupiter jump, he got a balloon sword (that popped before we got to the car), and candy from a few games he played. It was a lot of fun.

The next day we went over to Mamaw and Papa's house where he had an Easter egg hunt. He was so excited - he is still talking about the "Big Egg" that he got that had a Car's puzzle in it :)

What the baby says

Several weeks ago Landon came to one of my doctor's appointments. At the appointment they listened to the heartbeat. Ever since then, this is what Landon thinks the baby says...

20 weeks 4 days

Yesterday marked the point in this pregnancy of how far along I was when we lost our little Samuel. It is bitter sweet to be beyond that point once again. This pregnancy has been so different. I started feeling movement during my 15th week this time with big kicks now and Seth has been able to feel the baby move quite often as well. At this point with Samuel I was just feeling those little fluttery movements. Seth was saying last night that he was never able to feel little Samuel move. I'm not sure if it was because he was our first or because I was so swollen or a combination of both. I can't help but feel a bit of relief and a bit of sadness as I experience what I wasn't able to with our little Samuel.

I had thought the questions of, "Is this your first?" or "Do you have other children?" would be easier this time around, but they are still hard questions to answer and I think they will always be. If I say that I have just one other child, I feel like I'm not validating Samuel's life, but sometimes it's just easier to say that rather than explaining everything. Often I will say I have one in heaven and one here with me. I just have that need as his mother to always include him in our family.

I am looking forward to heaven when we won't have any more pain or sadness.

I was so encouraged by these verses yesterday:

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 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.

Baby Gift

Landon really wanted to buy something for the baby tonight, so this is what he picked out...

Menu Plan Monday and Pregnancy update

Here's who I get to hang out with for a little bit today :)



M: Chicken Pot Pie
T: Chicken and Cheese Stuffed Jumbo Shells with Salad and Bread
W: Cheesy Ham and Scalloped Potatoes with Salad and Bread
R: Chicken and Noodle Skillet
F: Calzone with Salad
S: Tacos with chips and salsa
S: Chili with Homemade Bread

Everything with my pregnancy has been going well so far. I am now 17 weeks along. My weight gain has been on track and the nausea is pretty much gone. We all had the stomach flu over the weekend which was not fun, but we are all feeling a lot better now! I have started feeling the baby move now, which is so amazing. Every movement is such a treasure. We should be able to find out the sex of the baby on Wednesday. I had an ultrasound a few weeks ago and it was looking like it is probably another little boy, but we will see for sure in a couple days. Thank you for your prayers as this little one grows!

Valentine's Outreach

Today, we had a Valentine's party for neighborhood kids, Sunday school kids, and kids from another outreach we're involved in. We had 13 neighborhood kids, 12 Sunday school kids, 6 kids from the outreach, and 2 other kids that Kimberly brought for a total of 33 kids! I'm pretty sure that it was the most kids that have ever come on the same day. I don't know how all those kids fit in our little house, but somehow it worked and the kids had a blast. I wish I would have taken pictures.

I was amazed at how well they all listened during the lesson about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). We talked about how the man who was attacked had a big problem as he was lying on the side of the road and how we have a big problem and that is sin. We then talked about how the Samaritan came to this man's rescue and how the Lord Jesus came to our rescue and wants to save us from our sin. Please pray that the Lord would be working in these little hearts and that He would help them understand their need for a Savior.

Also, Friday at the bi-weekly outreach, there was a little 6 year old boy who was really convicted by the lesson. We talked about John 3:16 and how the Lord Jesus died for him and that if he believed that Jesus took his place by dying on the cross then he could be saved from the punishment his sins deserve. He ended up praying to receive the Lord Jesus. It was so encouraging to see such child like faith, taking God at his word and holding on to the truth He offers.

I couldn't help but think of this verse as I rejoiced with this little one:

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Jesus Loves the Little Children

Baby #3

As many of you know, we are expecting another baby in August. We are very excited and thankful that the Lord has blessed us with another little one. We are treasuring each day as we realize this baby belongs to the Lord and as with any of our children, we don't know how long we'll have with each one. I have made it through the first trimester now, but am getting a little nervous as I will soon enter that period of time when symptoms arose before the loss of Samuel. I am comforted that the Lord is in control of whatever happens and that He created this precious one with a purpose.

Psalm 139:13,14
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Here is a picture of our sweet little one:

Post Tubes

Here's a few combined clips of Landon before and after surgery. In the middle clips he was acting really funny because they had given him some medicine to calm him down before surgery and to help with parent/child separation anxiety. The surgery itself went really well. The hardest part was when he woke up from the anesthesia and was pretty upset for about a half an hour. He took a four hour nap though and is doing great now! Thank you for your prayers!

Tubes

Tomorrow, Landon will be having tubes put in his ears. After about eight ear infections (it's hard to keep track), the doctors recommended that he have tubes. They said it's a pretty easy surgery and really only takes about fifteen minutes or so for the actual surgery. The hardest part will probably be tomorrow morning when he will be asking to eat and drink and we won't be able to let him. Please pray for no complications during the surgery and that Landon (and mommy) will do well :) Thanks!

Super Bowl Menu

Seth loves chip dipping food so we have a lot of that kind of stuff. I'm not making all this stuff, just a couple things. Just thought I'd share our yummy menu.

Phyllis' 7-Layer Dip - This dip is so good! A must have.
Queso
Pizza Pinwheels - I'm excited to try these, they look yummy.
Guacamole
Black Eyed Pea Salad - This recipe is amazing! Brooke's making it and I'm really looking forward to it!
Pasta Salad
Cookies

I thought I lived in Oklahoma?!

We had a crazy ice/snow storm pass through our area last week. Thankfully we only lost our power for 15 minutes (just enough to scare us into getting prepared!). It really brought back memories of the blustery winters in Iowa. That is one thing that I don't really miss :)

Happy Birthday!

I just wanted to wish my sweet Seth a happy birthday! I am so thankful to be married to such an amazing husband. Landon wishes his great daddy a "happy buday" too :)

Pray without ceasing

1 Thes. 5:17 "pray without ceasing;"

Landon is really teaching me the meaning of this verse. He often folds his hands and says, "Pray, Bekah;" "Pray, Joshie;" "Pray, Finn," etc... He patiently waits for me to pray for that person then asks me to pray for another. Although tonight he said, "Pray Tommy" (referring to Thomas the Train). He insisted probably five times that we pray for him. I tried to explain that we only pray for things that are real like people and that Thomas isn't a person. Then, he said, "Pray Percy" (since it sounded like person). How do you explain this concept to a 20 month old?

Menu for the week

I'm trying to get back into menu planning again after the holidays and craziness of life. It sure does save money to have it all planned out! I've been learning that the hard way the last few weeks with extra stops at the store or eating out.

I just put the chicken pot pie into the oven and it is making my house smell wonderful! Hopefully it tastes as good as it smells :)

M: Chicken Pot Pie
T: Chicken Soft Tacos
W: Homemade Pizza
R: Lemon Cream Pasta
F: Seth’s Birthday! Going out.
S: Pitas with chicken, veggies, and chickpea sandwich filling.
S: Baked Potato Soup

I haven't posted a video in a while, so I thought I'd share:

Our Great Hope

Romans 5:3-5
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

These passages were shared last night at prayer meeting. I was really encouraged by them. Those who know the Lord Jesus have such a great hope. This world is not our home and the Lord will bring us through. Often through pain and trouble since this world is full of sin. But the Lord can use the pain and suffering for His glory.

I heard a really neat example comparing our life here on earth with that of heaven. Someone compared our life here to the inside of a sweater, often times it looks all jumbled and messy to us. Although, when we get to heaven we will see the other side of the sweater - the beautiful design God was working in our lives all along.

I am so looking forward to heaven where the Lord will wipe away every tear and there will be no more pain. No more sin, no more sadness. The Lord will fill heaven with His beauty and perfection.

Revelation 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 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. - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Daisy Lou

Please keep my dear friends, Jenica, Andy, and their families in your prayers. After many weeks of prayers and tears, Daisy entered this world at just 22 weeks. She was just 14 ounces, tiny, but perfect. Little Daisy is now at home in our Savior's arms. These things are so hard to understand. The days ahead will be very difficult. I pray the Lord will bring them comfort, strength, and peace as they walk through this valley.

Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Jesus Loves Me

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.

Chorus:
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! This I know,
As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee,
Saying, “Let them come to Me.”
Chorus

Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.
Chorus

Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Chorus

Jesus loves me! Loves me still
Tho' I'm very weak and ill;
That I might from sin be free
Bled and died upon the tree.
Chorus

Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.
Chorus