Brett, Liv, & So on...

Our Story

2012-02-06T19:54:00.000-08:00

God has been growing in us a heart for His Mission in reaching the lost. Two years ago we were approached by our good friends Steven and Lauren to consider doing missions with them in Thailand. After going through the application process, praying a lot, and being accepted by the team leaders, we decided for the following reasons that the time was not right: Obie would have been 2 months old when we arrived, Liv would have had no work experience, we had little cross-cultural training, and while we lived within a different culture, we were not yet engaged in that culture - specifically the local church.

Since that time Obie has grown to be a year old and we have had our first experience of pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum months. Liv has worked for over a year now and has moved to part time. We are actively discipling in our community and serving in an African-American Church which has given us a small taste of living/learning/growing within a different culture.

During this time, we have continued conversations with Steven and Lauren about one day serving together overseas. A month ago, a need on their team opened up and we were excited to have a second opportunity to consider joining in the work happening there. We began to pray and read. We asked God to close/open doors, direct our hearts and move us with His Spirit. We read nearly 200 pages in that month, seeking to understand the Biblical basis for missions. The more we read, the more excited we became as God gave us clarity through His Scriptures. Finally after both of of hearts had come to an agreement on where we thought He was leading us, we signed up for a weekend missions conference. Again, through the clarity of God's revealing Word during those 3 day, He further confirmed in our hearts, a desire and a leading towards overseas ministry.

God's written word speaks so powerfully. The theme through out scripture resonates of how God's heart for every tribe tongue and nation to know and worship Him.

Revelation 7:9

"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb..."

How God's heart is for the world...

John 3:16

" For God so love the WORLD that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes on him will not perish but have everlasting life."

Matt 24:14

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the WHOLE WORLD as a testimony to all the NATIONS and then the end will come."

Luke 24: 46-47

"Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to ALL THE NATIONS being from Jerusalem."

And how he has chosen his disciples to go out into the world of the lost and spread the gospel...

Matthew 28:19-20

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Mark 16:15

"Go into all the world, and preach the good news to all creation."

Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

And finally, the why and how we have felt called to move to Thailand...

Romans 10:13-15

"For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” "

Romans 15:20-21

"And thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”

Acts 20:24
"But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the
ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

We don't deny that we have fears. There are some hard questions, that are not easily answered, which I guess is what makes them hard questions:). But in light of or fears, we are seeking answers, and praying for the gift of faith. His word he has given us great comfort to this time of our faith being tried:

...Hebrews 11...

This chapter has fill us with so much peace and joy. It has made us so thankful that God has invited us to be a part of his kingdom work.

"...but as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to
be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city." hebrews 11:16

Above all, God has called us to an eternal perspective. Where our minds and hearts dwell and beat for Him. He desires us to worship Him through us being obedient to what he has asked of us to do.
And he longs for us to daily realize that...

"the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
1 john 2:17

For this is our reasonable service, to lay our lives down, on the altar, for Him... every day, in both the big and the small. May He grant to us the grace to love him with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and may we learn to do all things to the glory of Christ our Lord.

Thailand Trip!! (In pictures)

2012-02-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

We had a 14 hour layover in South Korea! We were able to spend all of that time with Justin (Brett's Brother) and Eve. It was so fun to be able to spend some quality time with them, and to see them and their adorable marriage:)! They are so cute together.

The Beautiful Couple

Here we go! Steven and Lauren had a moped waiting just for us (a friend of theirs let them borrow it). This was our transportation for the next 9 days. It was definitely the faster method to getting around because you can weave through all the traffic, but for a date night where you want your hair looking cute, it does not work so well:).

A little Thai food joint. They were all around, but this was the first place we ate, our first day there. We had curry chicken or pork rice soup. It was really good. Steven did all of our ordering the entire trip. We always trusted him to get us the best thing on the menu.

We went shopping after lunch. This was one of my favorite stores in Thailand. The things they were selling were amazing! Large pieces of wood that were made into end-tables, counters, and big kitchen tables!

We lite up our Lantern and sent it up into the night sky on New Year's Eve. With every holiday you'll find people lighting these lanterns and sending them off into the night. They have a festival once a year where they light thousands of these into the sky. It is beautiful.

Water Buffalo. The boys found them on a hike.

The Flower Festival. Fifty countries are represented here. Amazingly beautiful.

Twig flowers, with lights inside of them.

Four Seasons Resort. No, of course we did not stay their, we just stopped by for 30 minutes to be in awe of the luxury.

The work hut.

The pool

The best place on the patio

Their flower decor

At the snake show

Ewww! why are you kissing that thing! (Boa constrictor)

Hatley and Kristi and snake

Steven and Lauren. Why are you kissing it too!

I know what you are thinking..."Why?"

But see how limp it is :)

He is kissing a KING COBRA!!

feeding the elephants

Bathing

playing

painting (oh yes, painting, an elephant did paint that)

see they are painting

The paintings, one of them was $200!

Pretty view in the mountains. This was the long ride that we went on after the elephant show. It was 3 hours of beautiful scenery.

Group Photo

Temple visiting. This part of the trip was the most shocking of all! It is unfathomable to watch people as they sincerely worship a god/gods that does not exist. How can you be so devoted and yet so far from truth!!!

Language School. Very difficult, sure hope we can make it though this!

Fresh smoothies! I loved them. I could have sipped on one for every meal and in between.

A burial monument

Grace International School

A local preschool called "Sunshine".

A student at the preschool

The children. Adorable.

Playground

Getting ready to head out for our date night. Each couple went their separate ways.

The food from our date that night at the Ginger House. It was amazing, the place was an Anthropologie restaurant

Mine was delicious, except for when I bit into ahot pepper that closed off my left eardurm, swell half of my throat and face.

The night bizarre

Hated every minute of this. I did not even last the full 15 minutes. I was loooking forward to this, thinking it was going to be relaxing and fun. Boy was I wrong!

Eww!

Eww! again... This is the most discusting tasting and smelling thing in all of the world! I think that I may not even be exaggerating. Awful!

The boys rented bikes for their birthday. They had fun all day with out us.

Filled with the Spirit

2012-01-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Let me not think to receive the Spirit from him
as a 'thing'
apart from finding, drinking, being filled
with him.
To this end, O God,
do thou establish me in Christ,
settle me, give me a being there,
assure me with certainty that all is mine,
for this only will fill my heart with joy
and peace.

- A Puritan Prayer

A Beggar

2012-01-13T09:50:00.000-08:00

I heard this poem and was so touched by it. We are approaching our final decision about Thailand, and as we near it, the reality becomes so much greater, and my emotions so much stronger, and my fears so much larger. I don't want to have sufferings, but I do want know God. And it seems that the Bible makes it clear, you can't have one without the other. I know there is so much good and so many blessings that come with a decision like this, but right now my heart is dwelling on all the hard things. But God gives only good gifts, remember...

I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne
And begged Him for one priceless gift that I could
call my own.
I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would
depart
I cried, ‘But Lord! this is a thorn! and it has pierced
my heart.
This is a strange, a hurtful gift which Thou hast
given me.’
He said, ‘My child, I give good gifts and gave My
best to thee.’
I took it home, and though at first the cruel thorn
hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it
more and more.
I learned He never gives a thorn without this added
grace:
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil that hides
His face.

Martha Snell Nicholson

Obie is ONE!

2011-11-28T05:47:00.000-08:00

I am a whole month late on this post! I think I have put it off because I am having a hard time thinking of the things Obie's is learning and what is old news:)...

His birthday party...

We blew it out before he could burn himself:)

He really did not eat it that well...

But grandpa showed him how to pound them down!!

Afterward, Obie was kind enough to do a birthday dance for us:).

Missions Conference

2011-10-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

We were so blessed to be able to attend the 2011 National Missions Conference in Minneapolis, MN. We learned so much and were overwhelmed with excitement and joy, with all of the information.
If you have time please visit desiringgod.com to download some of the conference podcasts and listen to them while you are running or driving! They are worth the time. (Giglio and Piper are good places to start).

A few things that we learned...
1. "The Great Commission" could also be worded as "The Unthinkable Invitation": God is saying..."this is what I am doing... so if you want to be intimate with the Son of God, then you need to be where Jesus is. And Jesus is out reaching the nations. When we join him in this Mission, the nations are GLAD, and we have JOY." Louie Giglio
2. "A Christian is a person who takes Christ to everyone they meet." and "Have you hugged your Bible today?" and "Never despise or reject statistics when they are people." Greg Livingstone
3. David Platt- Why is the message of Christ so urgent for the nations to hear?:
Romans 1-

+ Their Knowledge of God is only enough to damn them to hell. No one out there is innocent.

+ The Gospel of God is powerful enough to save them.

+ The Glory of God is good enough to satisfy them forever.

4. Challenging question by Micheal Ramsden: "Is it possible, that if you were perfectly honest with yourself, that you would say that you are disappointed with your Christian walk so far?" We are trapped by shame and affluence. Read about the Christians that went down in history- Hebrew 11... so that you may not grow weary.

5. The Lord's prayer can be divided into a first half and the last half. The first half prays for God's name, kingdom, and his will. The second half prays for the RESOURCES for us to be effective vessels for those three things to come to past: daily bread, forgiveness towards our enemies, and deliverance from temptation. Micheal Oh

6. "Hold your models loosely and your gospels firmly." Ed Stetzer

7. "I mean to double your blessing by being a blessing, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive'." & "God gives his people material wealth for the sake of the world's worship." & "There is no correlation between having and happiness, but there is between giving and happiness." & "I bless you that your joy may be full includes your money, house, and food..... America is killing herself by not giving, material blessing will become a curse if you let it." Finally: "That is YOUR MISSION, and that is YOUR JOY = TO GIVE." John Piper

8. What does God have to say about the nations:

John 3:16

" For God so love the WORLD that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes on him will not perish but have everlasting life."

Matt 24:14

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the WHOLE WORLD as a testimony to all the NATIONS and then the end will come."

Luke 24: 46-47

"Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to ALL THE NATIONS being from Jerusalem."

....these were just a few things that we learned.

Obie update

2011-09-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Obie is doing so many more fun things. He started walking 2 weeks ago. And yesterday he really started copying words and sounds. I think now that he has mastered his walking there is room for more learning! Yesterday I found him in this pile of hot dog buns. I just finished feeding him lunch, but I guess he was still hungry...

To: Moms

2011-09-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

This link has a terrific article on being a mother and sharing the gospel with your children. Just thought I would send it to encourage the mothers out there. At the end of her article is a link to her blog, which is interesting too.

Check it out:

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-application#

To Go

2011-08-30T00:05:00.000-07:00

I think that Brett and I sometimes feel so unprepared, unqualified, and unworthy to bring the gospel to people. I was talking with my Aunt Lisa about this (who is an incredible example and inspiration to me), because her testimony of living outward towards the unreached and giving the gospel is so consistent and strong. I think she would agree with this quote by Louie Giglio in his blog about his local church. I need to realize that taking the gospel means intimacy with God. Because God's heart is for his glory, praise comes from his nations coming to him; if we go to them, then are hearts desire is for God to be worshipped.

"We cannot afford to wait until we are a more “mature” church to look outward to the unreached and under-resourced of the world, for the very maturing process of becoming all God has intended us to be is in the going. Jesus said he would be with us on this mission, even to the most remote parts of the earth. So, to be with him is to go. To lose touch with him is to settle and stay." Louie Giglio, Our Local Church and God Global Mission

Convicting...

2011-08-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

Thomas Carlisle's poem "You Jonah" ends with these words...

And Jonah stalked
to his shaded seat
and waited for God
to come around
to his way of thinking.

And God is still waiting for his host of Jonahs
in their comfortable houses
to come around
to his way of loving.

10 months

2011-08-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

Obie is 10 months and growing up so fast...

- Taking 5 to 10 step on his own.
- Kissing mommy and daddy with big open wet kisses (he has been now for a couple months)
- Saying a whispered "Bya Bya" when someone is leaving
- Eating table food. He loves spicy food, its hilarious.
- Is not the best at making new friends. He tends to hit them an pull their hair. He does it out of love.
- Biting mom more and more. I take it as his communication to me that he is hungry.
- I think he is beginning to need a little discipline, but I am unsure how to do that. (God help me!)
- LOVES his tractors more and more. His tractor sound is what he does best and he has been doing it since 8 months. It is the first "cognitive" thing he learned.
- Starting to learn that "Hi" is the same action that he uses for "Bye"
- Continues to try and climb everything he can possibly climb.

He is so much fun! We love him so much

Refocus

2011-08-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

Reading from Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, a daily devotional:

August 25

I AM THE ETERNAL I AM; I always have been, and I always will be. In My Presence you experience Love and Light, Peace and Joy. I am intimately involved in all your moments, and I am training you to be aware of me at all times. Your assignment is to collaborate with Me in this training process.
I have taken up residence with in you; i am centered in your innermost being. Your mind goes off in tangents from its holy center, time after time. Do not be alarmed by your inability to remain focused on Me. Simply bring your thoughts back to Me each time they wander. The quickest way to redirect your mind is to whisper my name.

How are you?

2011-08-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my good friend friend Lauren on Skype. I am so thankful for such a good friend. She asking me how I was doing, and I did not realize how many feelings were building up in my heart. The question was ask and the answer flowed...

"How are you?"

Slightly overwhelmed with wanting to develop the right motive for missions in my heart. The more I read the more I realize that really I just need to fall in love with Jesus. Then my heart will want to sing praises to him and bring him all glory that he deserves. Then I will genuinely want to see others come to Christ. But I get anxious and scared cause I don't want a pseudo love for God and I don't want just logically reasoning. I want strong emotion and passion for God's Glorification.
Last night I was asking myself if I love Jesus, just his name and who he is alone. I feel like I love the things he has done for me, his death, and the freedom, grace and redemption it brings to me, because it is those things that I am so familiar with, but I wonder if I am not in love with him because I am not familiar with him as a friend and companion?
God has so many deep things to work out in my heart. Which is another thing I have been asking lately... How long? how long does it take for him to work on my heart and move it, no, more then anything, to REFOCUS it. To magnify him and his greatness, and overwhelm me with his awesomeness and his great desire for all to worship him. How long? If I start to feel my heart welling up with love and joy and excitement towards him, can I count it as real. Or do I need these feelings to exist for a certain amount of time, so that they are not considered just a wave of a feeling, that may not stick around?

I know my God is jealous for himself and his name to be worship, hallowed, and honored. Piper says in Let the Nations Be Glad... "God's first and great requirement of all men everywhere is that they repent from seeking their joy in other things and begin to seek it only in him...For God's glory is most reflected in us when we are most delighted in him."

Psalms 105:3-4
"Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually."

God may I seek you continually. And trust that you are, and always will be, at work in my heart. For I know that I can be "sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (phil 1:6). Make me fall in love with you, for you are the only thing I long to serve.

9 months

2011-08-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Obie has been sick for over a week now, poor guy...

So what is new with the little guy. It has only been three months, I should be thinking of plenty of things.
- He crawls with no limitations
- Transitions smoothly when standing up from one support to the next (the couch, coffee table, mom's legs)
- Absolutely loves the attention of a cute, smiley girl (Oh no! Maybe I was wrong about the dramatic girl thing!)
- Opens and pulls out everything.
- Decided this month he prefers big person food, and definitely refuses all baby food. (We have half eaten jars piling up in our refrigerator)
- Last doctor appointment He was 75% Height and Head, but only 40% for weight!!! He had been sick for a week, and not eaten well, plus he is active, so I am thinking I don't have to worry.
- He OFFICALLY learned how to say bye-bye, by waving his hand.

For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure... phil. 2:13

2011-07-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, July 20th, Brett I and went to a doctor's appointment, excited to be told of the time when our new baby was to arrive! Dana the Midwife did the ultrasound, and in black and white we could see our little baby: his or her two little arms and legs, the head and the tummy... the size of a little peanut, SO CUTE. As she looked she began to sigh and apologize... "I am sorry, I don't see the heart beat, see right there (as she pointed)... there should be a little flicker, it is not there. I am so sorry."
Our baby has no heartbeat. She said he/she measured at 9 weeks, this is when we must have lost the baby. I am still carrying this baby, I wish God when bring it back to us. But for now we will simply have to rest in his promises and learn from the experience he has given us.

Surrender- To His Will. Our life, plans, desires all must be surrendered at the foot of the cross. "The heart of a man plans his way but the Lord establishes his steps." Prov. 16:9. We desire His Will above having our baby alive and above all else.

"And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of the Father abides forever." 1 John 2:17.

Humility- I am nothing, and all grace, power, mercy, and gifts are from God. A miscarriage at this time may be God's greatest mercy to us, for we do not know what may have happen had we kept the baby.

Prov. 22:4 "The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and LIFE."

Faith- Lazarus was raised from the dead on the fourth day. Everything about him was dead as he was buried, rotting and decaying, beginning to have a stench. When there was absolutely no hope of any life to be left in him, he was raise back to life, and only all glory could be given to God.
Our baby displays all symptoms of death. No flicker of life, no heartbeat, nothing. But maybe God will use this baby for His Glory.

John 11:40 "Jesus said to her, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?'"

I still want our baby, but God's will is so much greater of a desire in my heart than any our/my own wishes.

No Rain check...

2011-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Obie and I were out for a jog this thursday morning. We were enjoying the beautiful scenery, the fresh air, the owners with their dogs, and the slightly overcast weather. The run was coming to an end with only one mile remaining, and I felt a small little rain drop on my arm that fell from the grayish sky. I thought to myself, "There's nothing wrong with an occasional raindrop on a hot run..." About three minutes later the rain started coming. It started with no letting up, it only got worse. Eventually it was a complete down pour, and buckets of water were being thrown on Obie and I.
I am positive that all the cars that passed me during this time of me being completely drenched, my baby in his stroller completely soaked from head to toe (even with the little shade covering him), and me SPRINTING through the puddles and pounding raindrops, had to be thinking, "What a ridiculous mother. Did she not even think to check the weather?"
:(. Whopps! Nope... there was no rain check for that run...

Thankfully, Obie was very forgiving. He fussed by the time he was completely soaked, while making efforts to pull his feet under the little shade, in hopes of finding a little protection. His efforts were useless. I apologized many times during the sprint back to the car, and gave him his pacy which help keep him content.
When we got to the car, after putting him in his car seat, I attempted to dry him off with a burp rag. In my high pitched, crazy voice I said, "This is just crazy isn't it Obie? Mommy is crazy!!" And he smile with his purple cold lips. Needless to say, the little guy got a nice warm bath when we returned home, followed by a nap with his warm fuzzy blanket and tiger "Hobbes".

Meet Me in St. Louis....

2011-05-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

Brett and I had a two day get away during his spring break. I am lately on posting but it was so much fun to finally great a breather and get away, on our own... without Obie.

Old St. Louis... we ate at Morgan Street Brewery: where Brett found out that he loves Greek salads.

We went to the Zoo! The best part of the trip!!! I loved it, and there are the elephants.

This is our view from the very top, 29th floor.

More of our view.

The morning of our departure to home, and a very wonderful time of reconnecting!

Six Months

2011-05-10T19:38:00.000-07:00

Obie has been such a joy this past month! It has been so fun to see him grow up and learn how to do so much!

Like...

Eating.

Ornery.

Repelling.

Falling.

Resting.

Standing.

Climbing.

Conquering.

Five Months

2011-04-09T15:57:00.000-07:00

These are a few of my favorite things....
- Scooty wildly across the floor
- Attempting to crawl
- Taking my baths (always has been, and hopefully always will be).
- Staring at my hands as I twist them around and inspect every inch of them.
- Grabbing hold of my feet and trying to eat them.
- Being hyperactive, anything aggressive: throw me in the air, wrestling, flips, anything rough and physical
- Grandma's house (he's spoiled)
- When people sing to me (He tries to sing along with coos).
- Pretending to be big (as you can see from the picture)

My not so favorite things...
- Teething: 6 new teeth in two weeks is a lot to deal with!
- Getting my immunizations
- Taking my naps
- Sitting in my bumbo
- Dramatic girls (I have a feeling he will be complaining about these his whole life).
- When mom and dad leave me to go to St. Louis (Right Obie, I know you missed us!)

Obie's first food...

2011-03-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

Since Obadiah now is teething for his 3rd time... and because he just does not seem to be satisfied with just nursing... I have decided to begin introducing his rice cereal a little earlier.

HERE WE GO!!!!

Not only is this my first time eating, mom, but I am pretty sure I am big enough to hold the bowl too.

UMMMM!!!!

Pour it in...

I can't get enough of this stuff!

So, what time do I get to eat again?

PLEASE--- enjoy this video. The ending is shocking. I thought Bumbo seats came with a guarantee?

The longest blog ever!

2011-03-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

Haven't you heard? Obie started lifting weights a month ago...

So Obie went through this 2 week phase where he was constantly sucking his hands. They were extremely chapped and red, so for a day he wore socks on his hands so they could get a chance to heal.

Here Obie is with cousin Rosie enjoying himself at Aunt Sadie's personal shower. He was quite out numbered.

Obie finds it comfortable to sleep with his butt as high in the air as possible, along with the comfy monkey pj's grandma jackie gave him.

He loves chomping on that yellow thingy!

Cute Quinn and Sweet Sadie at the Rehearsal Dinner.

Jeff and Gretch, (expecting their third BOY!)

What a beautiful mother and daughter. :)

Someday we will look at this pic and think, "O, how young (and dumb) we look"

The cute girls and... the weirdo in black.

Obis found his feet, loves them!

He jut looks so cute here...

After a long night at work, I was so excited to come home and find these two waking up in bed!

See those obnoxious socks! Brett sent Obie to church with my Mom in those with that outfit on! HOrrible! Nobody bothered to take them off and put on something decent! O how embarrassing, I am so glad that we have husbands to blame for things like that!!

Little Livie, and big, fat Obie! He makes her look so tiny for her age:).

Obie is watching about 10 kids swim. He is intrigued.

Grandma was very entertaining. She had obie laughing and smiling! He had quite a good time.

He likes to sit up, but he needs something to do, so we combined the two.

THE END

The Working Women

2011-02-08T16:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I don't know about this, cause sometimes I feel like I can't.

Sometimes I feel like I can't be a mom, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister. An encourager, a sound mind, a listening ear, a thankful heart, a smile, a cheerful giver. A cleaner, a baker, a sweeper, a duster. Sometimes I feel like I have nothing left to offer.

This is when I wonder how people survive without my Saviour. How do you live without my God? For he is all things to me, and by him I can do all things. For He has given me life, and given it abundantly. Not so that we live only to survive, he wants us to thrive!

I have a cup that is spilling over. REMEMBER that he is a life and that he has promise to give it to us abundantly!

Obie...

2011-01-25T17:47:00.000-08:00

2 weeks

3 weeks - Naked tummy time

4 weeks - Papa Steffen's trick to keeping the pacifier in place

7 weeks - An old lady and an old man

8 weeks - Laughing with dad

9 weeks - Where's Obie?

Almost 3 months - Nap time in Aunt Danae's comfy bed

So BiG!!

2011-01-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

   The epiphany occurred early Monday morning. The past three days had been rough for the little guy, Obie! He cried most of the day on Thursday and Friday for the babysitters, and on Saturday he was fussy all day for Brett and I. I even gave him tylenol on Friday night because I thought he maybe had an earache that was bothering him.
   Well yesterday morning I brought him to bed at 6:30 to nurse. He smiled at me, and I noticed two little white dots on his gums. I felt them immediately: THEY WERE SHARP! I started dying laughing.... "Surely not!" I thought. But no, it is true, our little boy, who is still 6 days away from his 3 month old birthday has cut his two bottom teeth! And Obie looked and laughed with me as if to say, "Yeah, just wait... I plan on walking at 7 months!"
   I called both grandma's. Nana answered and died laughing and turned to tell Gramps. His question was if Obie had started growing his whiskers. :).

   Oh Obie, you are so BOY! You don't even know that your in the 95 percentile, 9.6 lbs at birth, and 15.1 at your 2 month appointment. Keep it up! You make your daddy so proud!!

Becoming a blogger...

2011-01-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

It is something I never thought I would do. After all, who really cares to read about the mundane happenings in the Steffen's sphere? Then, I began to see the great benefits to blogging after realizing...

I enjoy reading other's blogs
I never plan on scrap-booking
I have a terrible memory
My kids will love this some day
Words/writing helps me process things

I hesitated at this new revelation, despite its many benefits. Doubts arose like a flood, drowning my confidence. And if you know me, you are familiar with my negative self talk :):

It's one more thing on you "un-crossed off" list, titled: "Things to Do"
You can't write, it will be sooo boring.
You'll start it, and never blog again
If you make a blog, you'll need to come up with a title, and you won't be able to think of anything creative (which came true)

But in the end, I know that I am good at simple math. And it looks to me like the positives have outweighed the negatives by one! Hence... it is the new beginning of the "Brett, Liv, & So on" blog! May the stories and tales begin! And lets hope we have at least one follower, to make this all worth while :), (mom I am counting on you...)!