Sweet Sleep

In light of my sweet Isaiah turning one in just a few weeks (what?!) I've been reminiscing and going through some old journal writings and pictures from his first year of life. For someone who's ridiculously sentimental this is just asking for it, but I've relished in the memories and mostly held back the tears. One theme that I noticed in the first year of a baby's life is sleep. As a newborn, my babe slept so so much, hardly opening his dark blue eyes the first couple of weeks. I slept less than I ever had in my life. He's gradually slept less and less in a 24 hour period and I'm slowly sleeping more and more. It's a ride to say the least. I've spent far too much time agonizing over Isaiah's sleep and feel like I'm finally to a point where I'm grateful for the sleep we both get and just roll with it when neither of us get quite enough. What's the joy in regret anyways? So as I pondered this theme I found that there were quite a few pictures to go along.

My boy and I have had many sweet snuggles in the last year. As he grows, I hope I never forget the way he fits so perfectly in my arms. I know one day he won't want to snuggle anymore, so I'm getting as much of it as I can in these precious early years. A special thanks to Josh who thought these moments were special enough to snap a picture :)

Month 11 Update

11 Months 

LIKES: 

climbing the stairs 

dancing 

eating apples 

being tickled by Daddy 

Noah's Ark flap book 

clapping

The craziest thing about month 11 is that after 11 months comes 12! I can hardly believe my little man is about to be a year old. He is growing and changing every day and is at such a fun stage.

Some new milestones this month were include learning to sit back down once he pulled himself on things; this took a while to learn and it really frustrated him! Now that he can get up and down as he pleases, he's hard to keep up with! He cruises around the furniture and is he's still crawling everywhere. He is also able to understand several phrases such as "take a drink", "let's go to blank room", "clap your hands", "no-no", etc. He is chatting all the time, mostly saying Mama and bye-bye. He says a few other phrases consistently but I don't have a clue what he's saying :) My favorite new task this month was clapping. He randomly just starting doing it one day at lunch and he was so amazed at himself! Now he loves to clap about everything, especially when asked. He continues to climb the stairs at super-speed and darts to them any chance he gets. The stairs helped us learn "no-no" :)

We'll go to the pediatrician again next month, but I think he's gained a couple pounds and definitely a couple inches. He's outgrown several pairs of pants due to length! He's still wearing size 12-18 month clothes. He has six teeth and we've been out of the teething world for a few weeks which has been nice.

Isaiah loves to play. He's a really great independent player which is nice for me to get things done. But he really lights up when I join him in the floor. He loves his toys- balls, puzzles, and stackable cups seem to be his favorites. He LOVES books. He got several new ones for Christmas that he's enjoying daily. His favorite is a Noah's Ark book with pop-up flaps. He still loves to be tickled by his Daddy as well as being thrown over his shoulder and running around the house. It's pretty funny to watch as well :) He's learning to roll his ball, but sometimes would just rather hand it to us instead. He loves handing us things, actually. He likes taking selfies and watching videos of himself. And my absolute favorite is that he loves to dance! He started this in Gatlinburg with some crazy singing animals that his Randaddy had, and he has gained some new moves since! Anytime I play music or a toy sings, he starts bobbing his head, waving his hands, and rocking back and forth. It. is. so. cute.

A few fun/new things we did this month were a Boren Christmas family vacation in Gatlinburg, TN. There were 17 of us and we had tons of fun! We went to a "just for babies" storytime at the library here and made new friends, read a story, and learned some songs. It was super cute. Josh and I went on a date night while some sweet friends watched Isaiah at our house. I'm sad to admit that it was only our third date since Isaiah was born (we've had a little bit going on!), but we've resolved to make it a habit. Lastly, while Josh and I spent a day in training with a missions organization in Maryville, TN Isaiah spent the day with my mom and brother. It was by far the longest I've been away from him (even though they did bring him to visit during lunch break) and he did so great! Not even a tear. I did pretty good, too :)

Isaiah is still eating like crazy- three meals and we added an afternoon snack. He still nurses 5 or so times a day, more if he's sick. But he goes much longer stretches if we're out and about. He loves to eat apples, sweet potatoes, and small cubes of cheese. He'll eat most anything we give him, but he's quick to let us know when he doesn't like something by throwing it off his tray and into the floor! Some new things he tried this month were oranges, grapes, quinoa, dates, yogurt, kefir, pancakes, and toasted bread. It's fun that we live in an international area because he gets to try lots of flavors. He loved a dish that an Iraqi friend made recently. His least favorite food is avocado. He snarls his nose at the very site of it. He's a growing, eating boy and I'm pretty sure we'll go broke when he's a teen.

We had a rough cycle of sleep in the middle of this month. I'm still not sure what the deal was because he wasn't sick or teething, but it only lasted about 4 nights and he started sleeping better again. He goes to bed between 7-8 and sleeps in his crib until some time in the night when he wakes and I bring him to our bed. He sleeps very soundly in bed with us. I don't know how we'll ever break the habit but it is what it is and if I read another book on sleep I might go crazy. Right now, God is teaching me to be grateful for Isaiah's life and health and not to resent his sleep habits. Praise God I have a baby boy cuddled up with us at night. One day he won't want those snuggles, so I'm trying to enjoy them while I can. Even if it means longer than I ever dreamed without regular sleep :)

 "I'm over the pictures. Can you just hold me now?"

Isaiah,
You're upstairs napping right now. The house is so quiet and still when you are sleeping. For one small boy you bring a lot of noise and personality to the table! I've had fun with you the past few days since your Daddy started working. We're at home without a car and we've definitely made the most of it. We've cooked and cleaned, put puzzles together, stacked cups into towers just to laugh when you knock them down, crawled around the floor, climbed up the stairs, gone for walks, met some neighbors, and so much more. I don't know how I'll ever manage you getting a brother or sister- you keep me quite busy! But I wouldn't trade it for the world. Thanks for making me a mommy. 

Love you, Mama

 Isaiah,
You're napping for me as well (a few days later).  It's been a great month with Christmas, the trip, etc.  Our life seems to be taking some form of shape or structure.  I did get an interim job teaching at a Christian school.  I plan on finding out how to get licensed to teach.  Hopefully, I'll be able to take some steps in that direction this spring.  Anyway, we are thankful God gave me a job.  As for you, you have been so much fun.  I've started this thing where I put my mouth on your stomach and side and you laugh so hard.  It's been really funny.  Other things have been going, but your mom has summed them up rather well.  I look forward to when you are a big brother, and we take out on adventures together, while mom has your younger sibling (if that be the Lord's will).
Love you, Dad

the honeymoon is over

We've been in America for 6 months. I can hardly believe it! One thing I can say for sure is that transition is not my forte. I'm not certain which transition was harder- to the Philippines or back to America, but both have been trying. For someone who's never lived overseas for an extended period of time it sounds absurd to think that it would be a challenge to come back to a country where we'd lived for 20+ years after only spending 2 years away. But for anyone who can relate, you know it's true. There's a "honeymoon stage" where everything is new and exciting. Then reality sets in. No one wants to hear your Philippines stories, yet you don't really have anything else to share. You're American yet somehow you think so differently. Culture stress takes its toll...again.

Some things I miss about our life in the Philippines:

• the breathtaking scenery at every corner- mountains, ocean, rice fields, flowers, it's endless 
• coconuts in our back yard, and front yard, and side yard, and street 
• the sound of laughter and screaming in our outdoor kitchen, even when my baby was sleeping, because it meant our friends were there 
• mangoes. y'all, I really miss the mangoes. 
• having my freckles counted by silly kids 
• watching those same kids grow in their knowledge of the Lord and His grace 
• our first home as a married couple and a family of 3 
• simplicity. I long for the accepted simplicity. 
• some of my very best friends 
• the fresh air blowing through our open windows 
• cold showers on hot days
• the need to depend on the Lord for the simplest of things, because I really couldn't do much on my own there  

 Someone once told me that being a Christian was harder in America than in Africa (his home country). That sounded like the craziest thing I'd ever heard, but it makes a lot more sense now. We have so much at our fingertips in America. I've found that it's quite easy to forget about the Lord and rely on our own strength. There were nights when I prayed for Isaiah almost all night as I fanned him in the sweltering tropical heat when the electricity went out. It was so hot for such a little guy. I haven't exactly prayed for that here. More than once I've laid him down and walked out of his room (hello! he has a room!) before I even realized that I didn't pray for him. The same God who kept us in the Philippines keeps us here. He protects us and provides for us and loves us o so deeply. I'm praying as we embark on the 7th month of life in an affluent land that I will press into Jesus, acknowledging who He is, and pray without ceasing. 

I'm thankful for where we are in our journey. We believe we are where we are supposed to be. Thank you to those of you who have been a support to us in our transition back to the States. We're very grateful for the encouragement, prayer, and gifts we've received. God has been faithful.

Here's a little update on our status in Nashville:

• We've continued worshipping at The Church at Antioch that I mentioned in a previous blog post. We also got plugged into a small group there. We're so very thankful for the bond that is Jesus. We really know very little about most of the people in the group, but because we all love Jesus, it's such a refreshing time each week. We look forward to knowing them more.
• We've connected with other believing neighbors here and started gathering weekly to pray for our apartment complex, challenge each other, and visit neighbors who may not know of Jesus.
• We've learned that the majority of our apartment complex is made up of Iraqi and Hispanic families. There are also Africans and a few Southeast Asians that we've seen. And other Caucasians and African Americans as well. The nations are truly represented in this little pocket of Nashville! Most of our community is made up of refugees, seeking a life of peace in a new land. Join us in praying they'd find peace in Jesus.  
• Josh got a job! For at least the next semester Josh is teaching at a Christian academy in Smyrna, TN. During his job search, Josh sensed that God was telling him to be a teacher. In the future he'll pursue a master's degree in education, but God has so graciously opened this opportunity to get some experience at a school where an education degree is unnecessary in the meantime. This is a huge answer to prayer! 
• Isaiah is growing so fast- he'll be a year old next month! He's doing well and learning much. He loves life and his laugh is contagious. We're impressed by his new tricks daily. 
• I (Autumn) am praying about creative ways to contribute to our income, be home with Isaiah, and create a stronger sense of community for the refugee women around me. A few ideas have been tossed around so please pray for God's will in how I will spend my time. 

It's crazy to imagine that six months ago the following pictures were our life! 

 

 

Month 10 Update

 
10 Months

Likes: 
Puffs
Pulling up 
Being tickled
Christmas music
Peek-a-boo
Eating finger foods
Mama
Balls

Someone made the comment a few days ago that Isaiah had the look of a little boy now rather than a baby.  After I put myself back together, I realized he was right. My sweet baby boy is on the verge of toddlerhood. Only two more months until we celebrate a year of life for him. Month 10 has been one of my favorites as Isaiah’s fun personality has come out a lot more.

After getting over the flu during Thanksgiving, this month we’ve managed to stay well. We went for his 9 month well visit check up a little late and the pediatrician said he was exceptionally healthy. She also made note that he was very alert and verbal for his age. Our little chatterbox :) He’s growing well and still wearing size 12-18 month clothes.

A few new things this month include pulling up on every single thing in sight, climbing stairs, and more teeth! He loves trying to pull up on new things and is discovering that not everything can hold him (like the laundry drying rack!). As much as I try to keep my eyes on him, he’s gotten quite a few bumps and bruises along the way. He also learned to climb our stairs (with the help of Daddy) and he’s so proud to show off his new skill. It’s fun to watch him explore and play around the house. He also got two more teeth this month, making a total of 5. There’s another trying to break through right now. Those little chompers are sharp, too!

Some of his other favorite things are playing with balls and reading books. He actually enjoys looking at the pictures before he eats the book now! We discovered this month that his feet are super ticklish and he can barely handle them being tickled. His little tickle laugh is the sweetest sound. He likes to watch his daddy throw a ball up the stairs and see it bounce back down to them. He’s also amused by throwing things in the floor for us to pick up :) A good game of peek-a-boo will keep him chuckling for a while, too. He’s learning that Daddy is really a whole lot more fun that Mama, but he’s still very attached to me too.

Another highlight of the month is that the boy loves to eat. He still nurses about six times a day, but finger foods are so fun! It took him a while to really take to solid food, but he’s all in now. A few fun things he tried this month are salmon, coconut milk, rice pasta, and oatmeal. He still loves sweet potatoes, beans, pears, and bananas. He loves feeding himself pouches when we’re out somewhere. And his new favorite is puffs! O my goodness, he’s addicted. I found some organic vegetable puffs on a great sale and he loved them! He’s getting a couple more cans of them in his stocking for Christmas :)  He eats three meals a day with us, and sometimes I feel like he would just keep eating for as long as I kept putting things in front of him!

Sleep…what a wonderful thing. Some days are good and some days are not, in regards to Isaiah’s sleep. Lately he’s been napping very consistently for 1.5-2 hours in the morning and an hour in the afternoon. Yay! He naps well in his crib now, which is nice. This month we started transitioning him to his crib at night. He goes down for bed in his crib after I rock him and usually sleeps until midnight there. Depending on how tired I am, I either bring him to our bed or rock him for a while and put him back in his crib. He’s yet to make it past 3am in his crib, though. That’s ok for now, and a huge step for us! It’s been nice to have a few hours of sound sleep a night. I realize baby sleep is a personal and touchy subject. It’s amazing how much unsolicited advice one can get when sleep is brought up. After all the moving and transitioning our little guy has done, it is no wonder sleep is a struggle. We’re doing what works best for our family right now and co-sleeping is just part of it. The area of sleep has broken me more than once as a new mom. I’ve cried over it more times than I’d like to admit. And God has shown me His grace through those tired nights and days again and again. It’s another way that I’ve been able to lay myself down for this mommy ministry and allow His strength to carry me through. So, for any worn down, sleep deprived mamas out there, you’re not alone. You have the most wonderful, rewarding job in the world. You were chosen to be the perfect mommy for your little one. Be patient. Love them through the hard times. Trust in the Lord and let His strength carry you. I have to remind myself of this often.

Lastly for month 9-10, Isaiah’s little babbles have started taking shape. He loves to hear himself talk all the day long. He says Ma-ma and bye-bye. Cute! And he makes this funny “heee” sound when we think he’s trying to say “hey.” He also says “pa-pa-pa” and my dad is certain he’s trying to say Papaw! Next on the line up is “Da-da” since right now he calls Josh Ma-ma too :) He can also understand a few things I say which is so fun! I can say “Where’s Daddy?” or “Where’s your puppy dog/ball?” and he looks around until he finds Josh or his stuffed dog or ball. I can say “take a drink” and he’ll sip some water. I’m trying to teach him a few signs for fun (like “more”, “milk”, “yes” etc.), but he hasn’t taken to them yet. We love being able to communicate with this guy a little more. So adorable! O, and I can’t forget that he gives the biggest, wettest kisses around! 

 

Isaiah, You’ve taught me so much in ten months. I love to see you light up over small, simple things and to see how fiercely you love me. Your joyful composure is contagious. So are your meltdowns. I love that I get to stay home with you every day and be there as you try new things. Be sure to thank your Daddy one day for making sure we’re able to be together. He thinks that it’s important and I love that about him. Isaiah, I remember when we brought you home from the hospital in the Philippines (where you had been sleeping in the bed with me) and you slept in your bassinet beside our bed for the first time. I cried myself to sleep because it felt like you were so far. Now you’re ten months old and the first time you slept in your crib in your own room at night I didn’t cry, but I couldn’t sleep. I checked on you about 100 times before midnight. I love you little boy and it’s hard to watch you grow up sometimes. I know it will only get harder. The saying is true, the days are long but the years are short. 

I love you Isaiah. 

Love, Mama

Isaiah, You are getting to be more and more fun. This is a couple weeks late, so maybe I'm referring more to the 11 month update time period.  Anyway, I just heard your mama say that you pee-peed in the floor for the first time at this house.  Haha.  You really love her.  I am starting to think you like me more and more too.  You've been transitioning out of this mommy only stage.  It's been more fun for me, but obviously, you still love your mom. A lot.  Lately, I've decided to go into teaching.  I may have told you this last update, but if not, that's the new news.  I'm currently looking for a job.  It's definitely been an up and down journey even though I really have the odds with me.  We will see what comes of it, the teaching that is.  Isaiah Luke, I love you man.  Keep on keepin' on.

Love, Daddy

Hospitality and Emmanuel

I've been having a reflective kind of day. None of my reflections really go together and it's certainly nothing profound, but it's been a while since I blogged so I thought I'd share some of my ramblings here.

It's been 4 1/2 months since we moved back to America. This morning I saw a page in my journal where I had written things I was looking forward to about America. It included air conditioning, couches, change of season, family, favorite foods, and reliable electricity. I've been fortunate enough to enjoy each of those things since we've been here- on an almost daily basis. I've also been fortunate enough to keep memories from the Philippines fresh in my mind. Memories that include sweat and brown-outs and rice 3x a day also include laughing until my cheeks hurt, deep community, and a sense of purpose. I miss the people and the simplicity. Especially this time of year.

We've been in our new home for a month now. It's really coming together. We've found some neat pieces of furniture on craigslist and should get things hung on the walls soon. It's cozy and I love it (I'll post pictures when we're more settled!) but I am really longing to get into this community more. I'm ready to have people over and be a part of their lives. I'm ready to do life with our neighbors and to share Jesus' love with the people around us. I'm missing that sense of community I experienced in the Philippines. The really neat thing? Hospitality kind of stressed me out pre-Philippines. I don't enjoy being the center of attention or person in charge. I can take that role if needed, but I don't thrive in it. But the problem was my understanding of hospitality. I thought it was about doing or giving or performing. What I learned from the Filipinos is that hospitality is about being. You don't have to offer an extravagant meal and your house doesn't have to be in tip-top shape. You don't have to have the funniest jokes to entertain with or the ability to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves at all times. I learned it's just about being with people. Let them into my heart and get into theirs. Sit and talk. Make them a part of what I'm doing. I loved that about the Philippines and I hope to cultivate that in my home here.

With that said, I'm enjoying this most wonderful time of the year. Our tree is up and gifts have been purchased. We've been doing an advent devotional (sort of- we keep missing days and then catching up!) and listening to Christmas music. But what I've really enjoyed about the season is that it hasn't been stressful. I've loved sharing this time with my guys and preparing my heart to adore my Savior even deeper. After tasting a couple of Christmases in a place where it's not as glamorous and over-marketed, I can't imagine turning back. It's so beautiful to just enjoy Jesus' birth. No more and no less- just celebrating the birth of Jesus. We give to celebrate HIM. We fellowship to celebrate HIM. We sing songs and we even decorate, to celebrate HIM. It really is a wonderful time of year. Emmanuel has been coming into my mind over and over again this Christmas season. I'm so humbled and grateful and excited that we serve a God who came. A God who redeems and sets us free. A God who's with us. Emmanuel.

I hope that some of my randomness encourages someone else today. I'm thankful this Christmas for a home to share, for a husband and a son, for my life experiences (in the Philippines and beyond), and for a Savior who came.

Merry Christmas!

9 Months Update

9 Months

Approximately 21lbs. 

Likes: 

bathtime 

being snuggled and tickled

B-I-N-G-O

pulling up on the bathtub

his food pouches

exploring new toys & other items

being near Mama

Month 9 went by at lightning speed! I feel like I saw more change in our sweet little boy this month than most others. I'll try to remember it all here. We moved into our new home this month, so some things are a bit of a blur! 

This month was a much healthier month. Even with the cold weather, we've hardly had a sniffle. And we are humbled by and grateful for that. We haven't seen the pediatrician for his 9 month well-visit yet but that's coming up soon. Isaiah is in size 12-18 month clothes and cute little size 3 shoes :) 

Isaiah is a busy little bee, constantly crawling to new things around the house (which is why it's taking forever to unpack!) and moving from all fours to sitting and back again. He prefers to "army crawl" because it's faster but he'll occasionally get up on all fours. This month he mastered pulling up on things! He's so proud of himself, too. He first pulled up on the bathtub and has since pulled up on our couch and attempted quite a few other things. My parents bought Isaiah a walker a couple months ago, but this month he figured out that thing can move! Thankfully, he hasn't figured out he can leave the room so he wanders around the kitchen in it while I clean or cook. Otherwise, he's into the drawers which he also mastered opening this month :) 

One of the more challenging, yet rewarding, parts of the month was that Isaiah got three teeth! He has one on the bottom as well as his top front teeth. Cute! And it looks as if he's got two more trying to break through on the bottom. He's not too happy about it. He loves chewing on his wooden toys for comfort and we use some natural quick-dissolving teething tablets (thanks Ashley Chambers for the recommendation!) when it gets too tough. Since all my momma friends' babies got teeth at 5 or 6 months, I was glad to see those babies come in. 

His favorite "word" is ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, although he doesn't seem to be saying it with much correlation to me! He still says ba-ba often and sometimes pa-pa. He's constantly chatting and it's adorable. He plays very well independently when I'm getting some work done and it's really neat to watch him explore. Some of his favorite toys are a set of stacking cups (thanks Mrs. Rita!), a pair of rattling bugs, balls, and his wooden choo choo train (thanks Papaw!). He's grown a much greater interest in reading books this month and we stop several times a day to read. He still likes to eat the books, but he'll listen to the story first :) 

Bathtime is still one of his very favorite things. He loves splashing and playing with his rubber ducks. The wetter the better! He is also still fascinated with puppy dogs. We met a few peoples' dogs this month and he was overjoyed. I can hear the "I want a puppy" coming in a few years! He's developed a new favorite song to pair with his Filipino song...B-I-N-G-O! We sing it fifty times every. time. we. get. in. the. car. He hates riding in the car for more than 5 minutes. I hate it too. It's literally the most stressful part of my day. We actually don't even leave home that much to avoid it. If anyone has any advice for car distraction, we're open to it :) One of the sweetest moments of the month was when we were gone for a weekend and came back home. Isaiah got so excited when I sat him down in the living room floor to play; like he was so glad to be home. We loved the little glimmer in his eye.

Isaiah loves to eat! He's still nursing about every 3 hours during the day and has really taken to solids as well. We started experimenting more with finger foods this month rather than purees and he's loved it. He's mastered eating a banana and has tried other things like chicken, lamb, and turkey, cheese, potatoes, and broccoli. And he LOVES hummus. But his favorite thing of all is blends from these little organic food pouches that I scored for 25 cents a piece! He's learned to squeeze them and feed them to himself and he is o so proud. His favorite flavors are spinach-pear-mango and banana-coconut-prune. Yum, right? He also still loves drinking water from his straw cups.  

Finally, in his ninth month of life, Isaiah slept through the night! He went to bed at 8 and didn't wake until the sun was coming up. And even went back to sleep until about 7:30. It was glorious. Sadly, that was a one night fiasco. As for the rest of the month, he's been waking very frequently at night. We're hoping for a break soon. I'm pooped :) He's been napping well though, so I can't complain too much. He takes about a 30-45 minute nap in the morning and a 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon. And he sleeps around 11 broken hours at night. Since we moved he's still been sleeping in our bed at night until he gets used to his new home. The first time he woke up from a nap in his crib he was terrified so we're taking things slowly. I plan to let him sleep through the night in his crib once we're more settled after the holidays. We'll see how it goes. I'll miss my little snuggle bug, but I can't deny that I'll love having some space in the bed again. And since Isaiah likes to put his head in his daddy's armpit at night, I'm sure Josh won't mind a little space too :) I'll update on that in a month or two!  

He still loves to be close to mama, but Daddy has the best tickles in the world. He belly laughs so hard and we just melt. Being parents is the best!

Isaiah, 
You are 3/4 of a year old and I can hardly believe it! We moved into our new apartment this month and you seemed to have already claimed it as "home". You've opened every drawer that you can reach and squirmed around on every inch of the floor it seems. You love when I open the blinds in the morning and when we sit and play in your room. You are so funny and cuddly. Your Uncle Alan came to visit us this month and you loved laughing at him. You like to "fist bump" and "talk" to him. I wish you could stay little forever, yet can't wait to see the young man you become all at the same time. I'm head over heels for your sweet smile and your laugh brings me deep joy. Thanks for keeping your daddy and me smiling, even through the midst of this stressful move. We love you. 
Love, Mama 

Isaiah,
You took a turn for the worse last night.  After this month without much sickness, you had a terrible night of sleep.  I don't think your mom slept much either.  I would ask her if she wanted me to hold you and the second she lifted you off her chest, you started crying until you were back on her.  It's sweet to see how much you love and want her so, even being sick.  Nevertheless, we took you to the doctor knowing that you were far from your normal self.  They tested you, and you have the flu.  They said it would run its course in 5-7 days, and we got you some medicine that should knock a couple of days off of that time frame.  We're in Corinth now for Thanksgiving tomorrow.  It should be low key as we will try to avoid too many folks.  We haven't met too many people that like the flu.  We do like you though.  You've still been such a joy.  It's been a challenging month trying to figure out how "to do" America, and like Mom mentioned, you can light up our face amidst a lot of the things we let get to us.  Thank you Isaiah.  I'm thankful you're here with us, bud.
Love, Daddy

Disclaimer: The paragraph about good health and no sniffles was true of the ninth month, but before I could finish writing the post, the tenth month came and so did the FLU. The past couple days have been yuck, but we're on the upswing :)

 

It's that time again..

**Well I wrote this blog 10 days ago, meaning we've been in Nashville for 8 days now. I've been a little preoccupied and forgot to publish it. The update is basically the same though, so enjoy!

 ****

In just 2 short days we're moving to our new home in Nashville! We're giddy with excitement. And weary with all the details. The month of October was just what we needed. We loved getting to spend extended time with our families and catch up with some of our Trek-X supporters. (If we didn't see you and you would like to get together to hear more about our next steps, please contact us!) I'll try to recap the month for you here:

• We celebrated Josh's birthday, as well as my brother's and sister's, and Josh's mom's! 
• We spoke to a Sunday School class that has supported us as well as to 3 churches.
• We packed up all our things in Batesville and Corinth. I'm so excited to use some of our wedding gifts (2.5 years ago) for the first time! 
• We travelled to New York with some of the Borens (pictures below) 
• We watched our niece in her school play, titled "Let's Hear It For America!" Isaiah got a good dose of his heritage :)
• We went to the Sweet Potato Festival in Vardaman, Mississippi. Fun fact: Did you know that the sweet potato capital of the world is in our own backyard?? Let's hear it for Mississippi! 
• We had fun giving out candy and hot chocolate at my grandmother's for Isaiah's first Halloween.

About to embark the 27 HOUR train ride from MS to NY

Trying to survive the train with Randaddy

It was a long one, y'all

Just a little crawling practice on the train table

Central Park

FAO Schwartz's gigantic toy store

the whole crew

Times Square

We'll spend the next several weeks settling in to our new home. Many of you asked about and mentioned praying for us in our house-hunt. Thank you! We did settle upon an apartment in the southeast international area of Nashville. We like the area and already know some of our wonderful neighbors.

Josh will plunge into the job hunt shortly after we arrive. We're thankful of several opportunities we've heard of lately. Many of you have even shared that you know of people in Nashville and could help us if we were to need something in the meantime. We're praying God will provide the perfect job that will meet our needs and allow us ample time to spend ministering to refugees. Please join us in praying for that.
We plan to continue to write newsletter and blog updates regularly, so please keep in touch! We saw firsthand through Trek-X how vital a support/prayer team is. Though we will just be carrying on "normal" lives and loving our neighbors, we want you all to have the opportunity to come alongside us in opening our hearts and home to those seeking refuge.