First time at Grace

We have had a jammed packed last two weeks in LA, and I have so much to blog about, but so little time. This is Noah's first time at Grace Church, which was exciting for me (cause it feels like Grace is such a huge part of my life, so it was fun to include Noah in it!) Clint got the opportunity to preach in Crossroads which was great, and I got to listen cause Noah was in the nursery! I've forgotten what its like to sit in church and actually be able to concentrate. (I'm normally in a cry room at HBC) so it was great to worship without being distracted (I love my little distraction, don't get me wrong!)

And Noah's been loving getting to know Grandma and Grandpa. He's started initiating peek-a-boo with them, and is having a blast. Its fun to watch them interact. He loves this Peter Rabbit book that they are reading together.

Leaving on a jet plane

This morning at church they showed the Resolved trailer DVD, and the elders prayed over those from our church going (8 of us in total!) We leave tomorrow! 17 hours on the plane to DC, and then 5 to LA. I'm praying Noah will sleep but he's teething his molars at the moment, and waking up from his naps screaming (yikes!) But all of us are so excited. I only wish Noah knew the significance of this trip! First time meeting American granny and grandpa, and first time in America! LA here we come.

Life at home

I keep forgetting to post these, but we recently added a stoney pathway to the front of our house, I love it! Beforehand it was just a muddy patch, ick. There is still quite alot of construction going on around us on all the other houses and in our house, but slowly we are getting there.

Compromise. Noah's not allowed in the kitchen (for one thing he goes straight to touch anything that's a "no" so its just easier if the kitchen as a whole is a "no!") BUT he loves to touch the fridge for some reason. So he found the perfect solution: feet are out, but I can still touch it! :)

Its pretty hard to get chores done around the house with a crawler. But washing windows is one that is pretty easy cause he LOVES to watch the swish of the cloth against the window and all the fun spray stuff drip down on the windows.

Except the inside of my windows are usually dirter after I'm all done cause he smushes his face and hands everywhere, but its still fun to see his expressions!

Training wheels

Noah's friend Kristy lent him her walker since she's a few months older and is toddling around already. Noah loves it, and toddles around all over the place. He's learning to walk, and I'm learning what its like to be the mom of a toddler :) So we are both in training at the moment.

Shepherd's Conference

....sorry no photos for this post, my camera card reader is down at the moment. :)

--We just got back from a week away at the Shepherd's Conference in Johannesburg. The speakers this year were my previous High School Pastor Ken Ramey with his wife Kelli, and Jerry & Louise Wragg were there as well. It was so amazing to spend time with these two godly couples, and strange to spend time with my previous HS pastor and his wife! Just to think how much I've changed since then...and they were telling us about all the different things that have happened to them in ministry over the last 10 years. The most impactful sermon for me was Jerry Wragg's evening session on Jesus being the vine, and we are the branches. His main point was about how the Lord prunes us for our good, so that we can grow more into His image.

-I also got to meet my nephew Dyllan! It was so strange to hold a 2 month old when Noah is so big now! Noah didn't seem very jealous when I held his cousin....whew! :)

--6 days till we are in the States, I just can't believe it. Does any one have any tips for travelling 17 hours to Wash DC on a plane with a 13 month old? :) The Dr. gave me some sedatives, so hopefully that will help. I can't wait for Resolved, and for Noah to meet his Granny and Grandpa!

--Clint is thinking about studying his Doctorate (DMin) in Expository Preaching at Master's Seminary next year in 2009. It's correspondance, but the degree requires you to fly out to TMS to take classes twice a year for few weeks at a time. Three speakers at the Shepherd's Conference have just graduated with this degree, and spoke about all the amazing things they've learned, and Joel James gave away a copy of the book he wrote for his dissertation on Expository Sermon Preparation. So, we might be living the student life again soon. I'm excited cause I was the secretary for this degree when we lived in the states, and the material is so amazing I often wanted to sit in on the classes myself!

--I've been committed lately to finish the books I start reading, and I'm almost done with reading the book Idol's of the Heart by Elise Fitzpatrick, its so good, and so convicting. I normally read halfway through a book, get somewhat bored, and then move on, only to come back to it later not really remembering what I've learned. But my new resolution is to finish what I start.

Its a super busy week ahead before leaving for the States...so pray for us!

Crouching Tigger, Hidden Noah