Planes, Trains and Automobiles

We were so excited to get family pictures taken with the extended family at a studio and of just the three of us outdoors with Lisa's friend, Jamie Neilson. Jamie had us meet in Georgetown, a district a little south of downtown Seattle. We had so much fun... Lisa and Jamie started working at a photography studio 10 years together! The Georgetown area had plans constantly flying overhead and we were right next to a train track... Kaden loved the planes and trains!

It's fun to be figuring out what Kaden is interested in... and at this moment it is anything with wheels, especially trains. We went to Country Village... a little old town plaza type thing near Lisa's parent's house. Many memories were made at Country Village... holiday concerts, field trips, cute little shops and the coolest bead shop. We thought it would be fun to get out of the house a little today and head over to Country Village... we fed the ducks and roosters... we played in the toy store...we walked around and explored the village. Then we saw a sign for a train ride... so, we forked out a few bucks and went on an 8 minute ride around the village. It was so much fun to see how excited Kaden was... but when we pulled back into the little train station and the conductor turned off the engine... Kaden immediately started to cry! Granted to say we had to go straight home. The biggest alligator tears were streaming from Kaden's eyes.

It was sooo sad... but we knew he could stay on the train all day!!! Here's a little video of Kaden riding the train.

Merry Christmas!!!

Wow..this year seemed to just fly by... check out how small kaden was last year in this post...as I sit here at 3am (yes, it's late... can't sleep) feelings of thankfulness and love overwhelm me. I can't really explain the joy that I have in my heart. Yes, not everything is a field of daisies in our lives... finances could be better, a job for Joel would be awesome, but sitting back... we have nothing to complain about. We have so many loving friends and family around us. We have a wonderful job for lisa, that is more than a job, it is full of people who love and care for us and our lives in such a deeper way than any employment office should. They pray for us regularly and genuinely. A new community with a church plant who is learning to care deeply for each other in ways that are humbling. A family that loves the three of us in ways we can never express...

This Christmas has been filled with anticipation! I was so excited for the season to start.... Kaden is at such a wonderful age that everything is exciting and new! We awed over lights, music, shimmering ornaments. He danced for joy at all the baking and cooking.

Opening gifts was so much fun... he wanted to play with each thing as we opened them. He didn't realize that there was 50 other gifts under the tree with his name on it with potentially cooler things. :) Joel and I have been buying little things for kaden the last few months and considered those his christmas gifts... but mistake #1: going to target the day before christmas. There were crazy deals!!! So, we got Kaden on thing. And then I saw something else he would c

ompletely love... and I justified it by saying I was going to save it for his birthday present. (Which is 104 days away)... what did I do??? I wrapped both of them! We love giving Kaden good gifts! Seeing the joy in his eyes... it's priceless. We know it's not all about gifts... and I think Kaden would be so content with just the one gift... at this age he wouldn't question "where's my other gifts?" "What about this or that that I wanted????" I think that's the coolest part we just want to give because it brings him joy. Pure joy!

How cool is it to think that's how Christ is??? He loves us sooooo deeply that he wants to bring us pure joy? He wants us to experience HIS gifts... the ones that He knows we need? I think as we get older we start to desire things... may not be even good gifts... but God knows so much better... he knows the things we really need and even want. As I lay here watching my baby sleeping he totally trusts in his parents and knows we have the best in mind for him. And I pray this year that I can peacefully rest in my Savior and know that he has the best things in mind for me. I want to live in the daily joy that Christ has for me. And I want to be able to share that joy to those around me... especially my son... that he may grow up in this beautiful joy that God has for him... that he desires God's gifts. And that we will all continue to live in an anticipation and excitement for the things of God!!! Merry Christmas!!! We are very blessed.

WHY???

There's been a lot of craziness going on in our little world lately... some awesome craziness, and some sad craziness. I (Lisa) have been trying to process the abundance of emotions in our family lately. And thought...where better to process than on our blog! :)

With all the holiday goodness there is a lot of sadness... we got THE call yesterday evening that a couple that went to our life group lost their baby. Their baby boy was born early with many complications, he had to undergo many surgeries and then he was also diagnosed with Downs Syndrome. Through it all the emails updates from the family were heart-renching... yet the hope and faith of the couple through it all was amazing to me. The baby passed away yesterday after a month of life... and all I could think of was WHY?

Another friend of ours is pregnant with their second child...They are experiencing some complications in their pregnancy and still have a few months before the baby is due... it is all unknown... they have a faith in our maker... and I sit back and ask WHY?

Friends that have had miscarriages after miscarriages... the desire to just have a baby... to start a family... and I question God... WHY???

Several other of our friends are pregnant and are experiencing great pregnancies and healthy born babies... and my mind wanders and wonders WHY?

WHY??? Why do I get upset or frustrated at my child... when I should be thankful... thankful that he is alive, healthy, happy...is such a joy! God, why do people who don't want kids or who don't take care of their kids having kids.... yet these people who love God and love children can't have any babies???

Why is such a crazy question... do I need to really know why? I know deep within my soul that Jesus loves us so much that we won't ever understand why he does! I surely don't deserve it... I know he makes himself more evident in times of crisis and pain... and all we can do is cling to the Hope that Jesus brings! I will never understand death.... especially death of a child... a baby... it doesn't make me doubt God or his love... it helps me to see that life is truly short... that every day is a gift whether you are a day old, a month old or 100 years old... and it's a choice to celebrate life, or to complain about it. I am choosing to celebrate it!