Steve's Ordination

The elders and their wives laying hands on us and praying for us. A very powerful moment.

Pastor Buddy giving Steve the charge of eldership. Yes I know this is extremely blurry. We will forgive you dad for taking this blurry shot! You can't even see poor Pastor Buddy's face.

Not only do we celebrate Steve today for being a great father to his kids- we also celebrated his calling to be an elder of our church. He was ordained today which made Fathers Day extra special. We both feel humbled by the leadership role and consider it both a joy and a heavy burden. We are amazed that we have only been at Adventure for one year and within that year so much has happened: we adopted Greyson, we made amazing friends and got deeper into the Bible and we began to feel God calling us deeper. Steve accepted the charge to take over missions at our church and will be returning to Africa in the fall- this time to Kenya.

I had been feeling like God was calling me to something more also. It was an ever present tugging at me but I couldn't place it. I kept praying just wondering what God wanted me to do as I kept trying to be obedient being the best mom and wife I could be (often failing). Then through much prompting by the Holy Spirit I knew it was time for me to be bold. Through a ministry that already existed in Lexington, I found out about Bruised Reed, a ministry that serves women in the exotic dancing industry. I kept thinking about these women and thinking about these women and God would not let me go. So here I am starting the same ministry here in Louisville and wondering how exactly I got here! I knew my heart was with orphans in Africa but God also had something else in mind for me. I find that it often works that way!

So here Steve and I are on the day of his ordination knowing it was no accident that we ended up at a church called "Adventure" over a year ago. We often wonder what God will call us to do and feel scared but excited at the same time to see what it will be. I always pray for a spirit of boldness and that God will place people in our lives daily that we can love and show Jesus to in very practical ways.

If you read this blog and have a story I would love to hear it! I love to know how God is using other people- So don't just lurk-share your stuff!!!

Family Reunion/Birthday Celebration

Here are some more pics from our fun Saturday with our family at our house for a cookout. I am a dork and can't figure out how to take my uncles pics and make them bigger without messing up the resolution. Hmmm....

Happy 2nd Birthday Mr. Greyson!!!

Greyson showing his "birthday suit" to the world

Look at that new big boy haircut-how cute is that?

Loving his Spongebob cake!

I can hardly believe Greyson is two. It seems like just yesterday that we brought him home from Ethiopia and celebrated his first birthday. He has not only skyrocketed off the growth chart (mainly in weight-chicken nuggets will do that to ya) but he has grown into a little boy instead of a baby. He now talks all the time, sings songs, dances and copies everything Maddie and Lilly do. He is so full of love and is always wanting to give Steve and I a bear hug and a big snotty kiss. (his nose is ALWAYS running). It has been so fun to watch him change in the past year and develop this fun personality.

Happy second birthday little man. We fall more in love with you everyday!!!

May Memories Montage

Me and my best friend Melanie at the soggy Oaks

Dinner with grownups- what a concept!

Steve and I making some two dollar bets

What a great view of the muddy track!

The last days of school- Maddie and her best friend McKenzie

Maddie at her little desk- isn't she big?

Maisy and her new do.

Just the girls hanging out at Mayfest.

Maddie and Mrs. Lawson, the best Kindergarten teacher in the WORLD!

Maddie doing her model pose in Gratz Park

Lilly squishing my earrings into my head-

Okay my camera has been in limbo for a good month without a working USB cord so I finally get to download all my May pics and share with the three people who regularly read my blog (if you are a lurker please comment occasionally- I am lonely out here in cyberspace)

Brownie

Today Maddie and Lilly were chasing Greyson around the house and were yelling "Brownie" at the top of their lungs. He was laughing hysterically and they were too. It took a minute for Steve and I to catch on to what they were saying and realize how completely inappropriate it was because we had just woken up.
It is one of those moments that you are trying to correct your kids but you are about to start cracking up yourself. They are so innocent that they just don't realize how awful it would sound to someone in public. I asked Maddie why they were calling him that and she said matter of factly " because he has brown skin and he likes it when we call him that" After trying to explain to her why it was not a cool thing to say- I had to go into a civics lesson and remind her about what she learned about Martin Luther King Jr. etc. etc.
It was a moment that reminds me how innocently kids think- He looks brown so lets call him brownie!!! You know the angels in heaven love to watch kids.