Praise Him with thankful hearts

This Thanksgiving was our first holiday as a family "struck down, but not destroyed". 

We thought of Darin often and talked about the wonderful memories we have of him and the aching our hearts felt without him. 

I missed him... so very much. 

But we lit a candle (for both celebrations) in honor of his spirit that still lives on in heaven and our memories. I read this hymn  http://ingridschlueter.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/from-god-can-nothing-move-me/
(fyi-this is the only place i could find the lyrics online... i know nothing about the blog where it is posted)

Seriously check out that hymn when you have a moment... the lyrics are more than comforting. They are incredibly focusing. It's beautiful.

Here are some fun pictures from our Champaign Thanksgiving.

a relaxing afternoon

grandma painting with the girls (bell on left and bean on right)

Grandad with his grand-daughters

bailey

Bean - she looks a little intimidating here

Bean's "silly face"

Bell

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:9-11

 

 cousins all watching the first snow

we love snow

trying to get a great picture of all 4 at the same time is not easy

we got a few good ones though

to the untrained eye...this might look like a tower. it's not. it's a cd player.

all playing together

so sweet

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this 

all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  

⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. - 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

dancing in the rain

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” 

Bell

Bean

Bell

Bell

Bean

 

our sunday

So here's a peek into our Sunday - 
Church this morning:

Bell and Bean

Bell (l) and Bean (r)

Then we tied bows in our hair:

Bean with bow

Then we played hide and seek. The is Bean's hiding spot:

Bean - hiding

Then when it was time to clean up, I couldn't find Bean. I kept calling her name and she finally appeared from behind the chair like this:

Bean... with my tights on her head

It wasn't what I would call an exciting day, but I got my camera out a lot for silly things that were making me laugh. So, it was a good day. Darin would have enjoyed watching the game of "hide and seek". (they still don't quite have the hang of that, but it's funny to watch them have fun w/ their interpretation)

just wanted to post this, because i love the song :

"There's only One who never fails
To beckon the morning light
There's only One who set loose the gales
And ties the trees down tight
When all around my soul gives way
He is all my hope and stay
There's only One, only One Holy One"
~Caedmon's Call "Only One" (Holy One)

morning ballet

Morning ballet is a blast!

peeze! no poopy!

During morning prayers this morning:
me: "in Your name we pray .."
Bean (very loudly) "and peeze have my body have NOOO poopy!"

i just layed down on the floor laughing.
Bell: "mommy, you don't say amen?"
me: oh right.  "amen"

dress up - clean out

The girls LOVE dress up. In order to keep them out of my dirty clothes pile, I pulled out a few things that aren't in my normal clothing rotation. The good thing is that they are perfect for dress-up, the sad thing is that actually are still technically part of my wardrobe. scary....

yeah...this was cool senior year of HS

"mommy, my feet are gone" -bell

snazzy socks on Bean

bell - (college friends may remember that lovely coat)

Bell (referring to plastic Noah) : "He hiding in his seeking place"

:o)

animals and oatmeal containers

Bean called to me, "mommy! mommy! something's missing." I realized she was talking about the chair that is usually in front of the piano, but I said, "what are you missing?"
"hmmm," she said, "I missing something to stand on..... maybe this work. yeah, LOOK mommy! this work!"

Bean standing on the pillow (which made her about 2cm taller)  to play the piano.

 Bell: "I find Ernie for you.... beeee patient"

Bell and Bert

animals and oatmeal containers

we played hide and seek w/ the animals under the oatmeal cans for a really long time

bean with her rubber duck and bert

bell

bell

bell

bean

bean

bean

WBW - november 2009

Bean

Bell

they've left the house

We didn't go far today, but the girls made it outside for the first time in 4 days. They were very intrigued by the leaves in the front yard, so I grabbed my camera.

 

 

Bell - falling (on purpose) into the leaves

big Bean smile

little Bell smirk

Ben loving the leaf

Bell

Bean

 And these lovely ladies (yes, both girls) got left behind during the fun. I just thought they looked funny laying there. The girls recently named these babies.

Kaggo

Ponna

 Find rest, oh my soul, in God alone. My hope comes from Him. Psalm 62