happy birthday gwyneth grace!

we are so thankful for our little gwyn. she is our clown. our cuddler. our stubborn one. she thinks the world of maggie but is so very different than her. she adores her daddy. and the Lord has taught me much of His grace and mercy through her. we love you, gwyn!

and a special happy birthday to gwyneth's "twin" (one year later). it is on days like today that the possiblity of play dates and friend birthday parties seem just out of reach and over the ocean. we miss you ezra!

snowcream!

i watched the kids on monday morning and thought i'd give this a try. overall we liked it-especially after we added chocolate flavored syrup (don't think "hershey's") and squirty cream (don't think "cool whip"). gwyneth was the only one who wouldn't touch it or taste it.

and it's still snowing!!

it snowed again last night and it seems as though the whole country is frozen to a halt. we have enjoyed the snow but i'll have to say that i would be glad for it to go.

a new year's wish from 1811

"It is with the utmost sincerity, and with my whole heart, that I wish you, my love, a happy new year. May it be a year in which your walk will be close with God; your frame calm and serene; and the road that leads you to the Lamb marked with purer light. May it be a year in which you will have more largely the spirit of Christ, be raised above sublunary [earthly] things, and be willing to be disposed of in this world just as God shall please. As every moment of the year will bring you nearer the end of your pilgrimage, may it bring you nearer to God, and find you more prepared to hail the messenger of death as a deliverer and a friend. And now, since I have begun to wish, I will go on. May this be the year in which you will change your name; in which you will take a final leave of your relatives and native land; in which you will cross the wide ocean, and dwell on the other side of the world, among a heathen people. What a great change will this year probably effect in our lives!"
Adoniram Judson to Ann on New Year's Day, 1811
(My Heart in His Hands by Sharon James)

Happy Christmas!

soft dough christmas ornaments

the girls have been so sick we've hardly done any of our advent activities but this one seemed possible. it was a little crazy with the dough and the paint. gwyneth ended up with more on her face than on the ornaments. as usual, it was a time for the parents to grow in patience=)

happy advent season!

well, the girls still have a bad cough and steve isn't doing so great either. we have a temporary internet situation but are still waiting for the real thing. it's been a little slow around here but we're hoping we'll all be better for the carol service on thursday night. i'll try to post some of what we've been doing over the past month but here's some pictures from our advent.