another sentence from Louie

It happened.

I had already prayed with little Louie and tucked him in when through his pacifier he said those three treasured words:

"i lub u."

(I lub u too, little buddy.)

Little Louie

Louie uttered his first sentence a few days ago. He simply announced, "I toot."

Mid-2008 Louie was diagnosed with a language delay but we've seen enormous growth lately. He tries to communicate with words, but when that doesn't work, he just shows us what he needs.

This morning during our family devotions, Louie toddled around the corner toward the kitchen. A few seconds later, he toddled back and plopped a block of cheese and bag of ham onto the piano bench. The boy wanted breakfast! So in between verses of today's hymn, I kept breaking off bits of cheese for little buddy. Evidently they were not big enough. Louie toddled back into the kitchen and this time emerged with a fork...

Sometime it's easy to wonder how much the little ones understand during our devotional times. Perhaps they comprehend more than we can imagine. Today, Louie happily ate his cheese and ham and then played while we read the Bible. But when it came time for Daddy to pray for each child, he came running up and placed his head under Dad's hand. That's a picture I'll never forget.

Williamsburg, VA and Bowie, MD

Courtney and I returned late last night from a weekend trip to the East Coast. We so enjoyed our time with the women of the Potomac District! Thank you for your attentiveness and for receiving the teaching with such thoughtfulness. And thank you Pastor Mark at Cornerstone for giving us the joy of being with you for service on Sunday. Your church was wonderfully diverse and warm. We felt free to share our hearts. We hope to see you all again!

an inspiring room

A few months ago, my handsome husband added a room to our home: an office for me to write and study in above the garage. After having my desk in our bedroom for years, I am so very grateful for the quiet space to just be and think.

Since I FINALLY figured out how to upload pictures, I thought I'd share the view with you. Yes, the color scheme is a bit unusual...but it's a dream office for me. The windows overlook a gorgeous old tree and a wonderfully unkept field. The room is open with fabulous attic-angled ceilings. And the steps are often graced with the "pitter-patter" and "thud-thud" of little feet coming up the stairs for a Mommy-hug.

the haircut

There's just something about cutting my kids' hair for the first time that brings me to tears. Yesterday it was Louie's turn. He's almost twenty-six months old and one of my friends (STEFA) has been asking about his "mullet" for at least six months...She was right, it was time.

So we drove around for over an hour looking for just the right barber shop. Both Grandmas, both older siblings, video camera and digital camera in tow, we invaded B Ray's Barber shop on Grand in Springfield, MO. I called at least six shops because I didn't want to walk into a fu-fu studio for my boy's first hair cut. "Yes, but do you do perms?" I'd ask whoever answered the phone. B Ray said, "No way." Bingo.

Once we arrived, we waited another hour for Louie's turn. He had the opportunity to watch Demetrius do an excellent job cutting Jonathan's hair, but B Ray himself was going to do Louie's. Placing a board on the chair arms, B Ray invited Louie into the chair. Everyone in the room was poised for a wrestling match, but Louie sat straight and still and giggled each time the razor got close to his ears.

Suddenly my baby was a little boy.

B Ray signed the first haircut certificates. Mom and I collected all of Louie's silky locks. Then we all piled back into the car. Throughout the ride, Louie would occasionally touch his head and look into my eyes. "Yes, my love," I said, "your first haircut. You did great!"

He heard my words, and he saw my smile, but he kept fixing his gaze on my moist eyes the rest of the night. My discerning son sensed the mixed message: Yes, it was time to cut your hair. Yes, you did great. And yes, mommy feels like time is moving way too fast.

on surviving devotions

I wish you could have been with us during family devotions this morning. No, not because it was glorious, but because it was gloriously normal.

Picture big brother egging on grumpy-I-just-woke-up little sister. Picture baby throwing everything on the ground frustrated that we haven't started coloring yet. Picture Mommy straining to read and play "O Come Thou Fount" wondering WHY ON EARTH the hymn writers had such an aversion to any key with less than three flats.

Picture all three kids now making faces at each other while we all sing sentences like, "Come Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace." Picture Daddy wrestling a wrangled baby while Jonathan reads the Bible and Keona moans because Daddy wasn't able to carry her downstairs like normal due to his swollen knee. Picture Daddy, praying over each of us with words that are barely audible over Louie's shrill squeals. Picture Dad and Mom feeling like they just finished running a marathon as we all say, "Amen" and head into the kitchen for breakfast.

And picture God smiling over this noisy, untidy, glorious offering of real life.

just back from Arizona

Monday evening my family lovingly sent me off to my annual desert prayer retreat in Arizona. For four days I focused on simply loving and listening to God. So wonderfully refreshing. I emerged with a theme for 2009: Lie low. Live lean. Love lavishly.


I'll include a few photos today and in the days to come. Attached is one of my favorite spots in the prayer garden: Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. The inscription to the left reads, "My Father, I do not understand You, but I trust You."