merry christmas

just a few christmas pics...

it was a lovely, peaceful christmas this year,

albeit quite quiet with only a little family around.

we hope you had time to

see and worship Jesus.

much love to all those we love,

the seven sells

eating christmas eve lunch at nana's

decorating nana's tree

making a last minute visit to santa...

our girls said they didn't believe (thanks to the boys),

so we thought a visit might change their mind...

and it did - not mention they made it on the evening news.

, saying goodnight on christmas eve.

and trying out their christmas surprise.

daddy and papa labored over the past three days,

and not one of the kids had any idea!

the best christmas pageant ever

the kids had their christmas pageant at church this morning.

they were looking forward to it for weeks.

elias was so proud to have his first speaking part.

he recited 21 verses from mark 2 and

received lots of compliments on how well he read!

(and, yes, i was the mama who realized

moments before the pageant began that

my son had forgotten his script... and what did i do?

without much forethought i tore that page out of an old church bible.

only once he was on stage did i realize just how obvious it was.

we just won't count the number of people who asked me,

"um, did elias tear a page out of the bible?"

to whom i had to answer, "um, no, i did.")

but, micah and eva were quite content with their roles

as a shepherd and an angel,

and mara joy kept calling herself "lamby, lamby".

it then took her several hours to part with the sheep ears.

their favorite part, though, was not the sweet songs or lines...

nope, it was about halfway through the pageant...

the stable collapsed on mary and joseph while

the wise men worshipped,

and they were even happier to find out daddy

caught it on film!

merry christmas everyone :).

baby, baby, baby !!!

well, i just had a minute...

and in my intention to bring the blog up to date,

i thought i would post these before all the babies were already here.

jonas, of course, has been here a little while,

but these two little ones are on the way soon!

so, this is me, about a month before i was due with jonas

and laura, my sister, and shana, my sister-in-law,

about three months before their shared due date

with their first babies on christmas day.

thirty

so, for the last few months i have not really been looking forward to that little word.

it just seemed kind of... well, old. but today i had to face it. i am thirty.

i have a close friend here in philly who was raised as a missionary child in africa.

she is part of my "young" married womens' prayer group,

and in the past few years, several of us have turned thirty.

and, every time one of us complains, she gently chides us.

in africa, she says, each year is a gift.

the older you are, the more blessed you are by God.

so last night those girls surprised me with a party, and

since she was here, i knew i could not lament my age as they asked me how it felt.

and, as last night became today, i realized thirty feels incredibly grateful.

as i write, there is a gorgeous, healthy brand new baby boy lying in my lap.

and, there are four other wondrously created, healthy children sleeping upstairs

with a daddy putting the finishing touches on bedtime.

and, yes, there are days i am guilty of spending more time thinking

about how exhausted i am feeling or how overwhelming parenting is...

but the reality is i am doing something i am loving...

getting to know uniquely created little individuals and shaping little hearts

alongside a husband who is loving and devoted.

and along with blessing our family...

God has been carrying us through a long, hard season, but now...

we are living in a house that is amazing for homeschooling

and joel is actually seeing God working at school;

we are making connections with lots of folks

in the neighborhood and homeschool community;

and, through all of this, i are more deeply aware of just how much i are loved...

by God and by so many people He has put in my life in these thirty years.

i know this is sounding really sappy by now,

but i don't think i can remember feeling so grateful in a long time...

not to mention how talking to your dad as hes reminiscing about your birth and

your best friend as shes recalling all of the birthdays you've spent together,

along with taking your fifth baby to your six week visit

all on the day you turn thirty can do that to a girl (do i have to say woman now :) ?)

jonas maurice: a photojournal

well, for those of you who have not yet met jonas maurice, here he is...

he was born on october 29 at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

he weighed in at an amazing 6 lbs 11 oz and was beautifully healthy.

we are enjoying every minute with him,

and for those of you who have been struggling alongside our family

through these last several months,

you will know just what i mean as i write

that his birth has been the beginning of a new season

of joy and peace in our family and our home.

... so please keep checking back to the blog,

as i am beginning to find time for it again

and hope to be updating with all of the other happenings in our life soon.