Chew on this

My former boss in Charlotte has a very cool group on facebook where we read through scripture together and he leads in discussion...oh technology.
Anyways in lieu of that today he posted this. This is good and something to really chew on.
It's from Tim Keller's book Counterfeit god's

"Rejoicing and repentance must go together. Repentance without rejoicing will lead to despair. Rejoicing without repentance is shallow and will only provide passing inspiration instead of deep change. Indeed, it is when we rejoice over Jesus' sacrificial love for us most fully that, paradoxically, we are most truly convicted of our sin. When we repent out of fear of consequences, we are not really sorry for the sin, but for ourselves. Fear based repentance (I'd better change or God will get Me") is really self-pity. In fear based repentance we don't learn to hate the sin for itself, and it doesn't lose its attractive power...Fear based repentance makes us hate ourselves. Joy based repentance makes us hate the sin." (p 172)

Old, old, old

No this doesn't refer to how I feel...though it is a little true. I started the gym again after a holiday hiatus and I am SORE...

I am however, referring to pictures from Christmas. I never put any up from when my side of the family was here.

We really did have a lot of fun. But sadly I was so busy hostessing that I didn't get a ton of pictures.

So here are a few of what I got

And we had a sushi making party where I taught Pete and Caitlyn to make sushi.

It was a blast having everyone here! I hope we get to do again!!!

This is really just for the grandparents

Because they, well any probably Auntie, will be the only ones impressed.
Let's face it...all kids can do this.
But Blake sure is cute when he does!!!

Exhausting

Is the best way to describe the past few weeks.

At the beginning of last week my mom called to tell me that my grandmother was in the hospital. We knew she had an aortic aneurysm and this was likely the cause of her being there this time. All we knew was that she was in a great deal of pain. Later that day they concluded that was it and that all they could do was monitor her blood pressure and her pain level. Within a few hours...she was gone.

My grandmother was a great woman. She was a huge part of my childhood and adult life. She was a woman who would tell it like it was...but also make you laugh. She adored her family and we adored her.

We headed to the Dallas area for her funeral. It was a long few days...but I am so grateful we were able to be a part.

I sure miss her.

Here she is in October with the boys. I like this picture because it shows her playing with Owen...she was fun, I tell ya.

We spent the weekend with my parents and then came back to Houston, not feeling to well, on Sunday.

The not feeling too well turned in to the flu...for all 4 of us. So today is our first day back. Nate went to work and I haven't napped all day.

Like I said exhausting.

So to catch up on the long two weeks...here are a few pictures.

Here is Blake loving on his sick Dada...Nate was so hot that the boys would touch him and then blow on him...to cool him off like they do their food.

We have all had a little too much together time the past few days :)

Lately

we have been saying lots of new words - like "bubbles" and "purple"


we have started saying cheese when we see the camera


we like to act like we can't hear our mommy


we have been throwing our food


Here is Owen displaying all of these.

18 months!

Sunday my little guys turned 18 months old! I seriously can not believe it. Didn't we just have a 1st birthday! Time really needs to slow down!!

I remember when they turned 6 months I did an acrostic for their names. It's funny to see how some things are so similar and something have changed so much

OWEN

25 lbs 11 oz, 32 5/8inches long

O - Obsessed with the vacuum. Funny, right? But he will stand outside of the closet where the vacuum is and whine that he really wants it! He also will squat down to watch how it works while I vacuum.

W-Wiggler. This is the closest word to say he loves to shake his booty! Music takes him over and he has to dance!!!

E- Engineer. He loves to see how things work and imitate exactly what you do.

N- Never stops eating. Seriously...he eats more than any baby ever.

BLAKE

20lb 11 oz. 30 3/4 inches long

B - Busy. He never stops moving. Thus why he is so skinny. He just runs around the house all day.

L- Lovable. He has become our cuddler. He loves to sit in your lap and get kisses!

A-Agile. This kid is so clumsy, but like a cat always lands on his feet!

K- Kisses. My favorite trick he does is a fish kiss!

E- Energy. Like I said, he is non stop!!!