On High Ground

Hope watching the water rise, feeling secure up on the porch.

On My Mind

Things on my mind
Too many to name
New nephew, floodwaters, Babylon

Things on my mind
Too much to explain
Afraid I will just babble on.

Take a Picture!

When we say, "Take a picture!" this is what Haven does.
She also makes a sound at the same time, "Ttchtch!" So funny :)

Be Careful, Me!

Picking up trash and cleaning up outside, I somehow snagged my finger
on something jagged.

While washing a knife, it slipped and bounced along my finger, cutting as it went.

Hope ran into my heel with her training wheel... 

I think these all happened in the span of about a week... Think I need to be more careful...

Pandas and Penguins

Last week we took the girls to the zoo here in Chiang Mai. We weren't sure what the day would be like exactly. For parking, zoo tickets, panda tickets, penguin feeding, bus and "monorail" passes, and lunch we spent about 18 dollars.

The Chiang Mai zoo is on the side of a mountain, and it is difficult to traverse without riding a bus or taking the rickety, one rail train. The monorail is nothing like what they have at DisneyWorld or Disneyland.

This panda was sleeping peacefully until Haven started talking.
Then it immediately looked up and stared at Haven.

The cost to enter the panda exhibit was more than the cost of entering the zoo itself!

We were going to go see a seal show, but it was closed when we got there. I guess they were cleaning or something instead... So we went to see the penguins and found out that Hope could feed them! She had a lot of fun.

Getting her boots on... 

Ready to meet the penguins.

The gloves were a little too large for her, but she had fun with the penguins anyway.

Alien Egg and Mr. Deadbug

Whatever bug this is wove such an intricate, spiky web around itself.
Very interesting. 

Mr. Deadbug

We found this dead scarab beetle in our yard. He's still in good condition though.

Love the expression on Hope's face!

Eight Days

It's been eight days since I've written a post on here. Sorry for the lag, but I really needed a break. I've barely even peeked at FaceBook as well. I'm really actually considering cancelling my FaceBook account.

Here are some pictures from today. I know there aren't eight to make up for the lag the last eight days, but I hope you enjoy.

The bike wasn't moving when I shot this. She was just taking a break.

Hope ran into me with the bicycle and the training wheel cut me. Whoops...

The Last Tear

I'd like to share the lyrics to a song that I love. It's by Andrew Peterson, and the song is called After the Last Tear Falls. Just click on the title to hear the song.

After the last tear falls 
After the last secret's told 
After the last bullet tears through flesh and bone 
After the last child starves 
And the last girl walks the boulevard 
After the last year that's just too hard 

There is love 
Love, love, love 
There is love 
Love, love, love 
There is love 

After the last disgrace 
After the last lie to save some face 
After the last brutal jab from a poison tongue 
After the last dirty politician 
After the last meal down at the mission 
After the last lonely night in prison 

There is love 
Love, love, love 
There is love 
Love, love, love 
There is love 

And in the end, the end is 
Oceans and oceans 
Of love and love again 
We'll see how the tears that have fallen 
Were caught in the palms 
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all 
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales 

'Cause after the last plan fails 
After the last siren wails 
After the last young husband sails off to join the war 
After the last "this marriage is over" 
After the last young girl's innocence is stolen 
After the last years of silence that won't let a heart open 

There is love 
Love, love, love 
There is love 

And in the end, the end is 
Oceans and oceans 
Of love and love again 
We'll see how the tears that have fallen 
Were caught in the palms 
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all 
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales 

'Cause after the last tear falls 
There is love


I pray that this song will bring a blessing to those of you with hurting hearts. May God's love and peace bring you comfort. Please know that I am continuing to pray for you.

Chickens

Three nameless chickens

One rooster must be ousted

They have grown so much

Counting My Blessings... 151-170

151. Garlic
152. Windows that open when the door won't
153. Playing at the park

154. Time to rest
155. Toddling steps
156. Learning to stand up

157. The many ways God answers prayer
158. Daily miracles
159. A beating heart
160. Breathing lungs
161. Amazing, life-giving blood

162. Pungent curry
163. Open-mouth baby kisses
164. Goodnight snuggles

165. Bedtime routines
166. Dry nights
167. Sleepyheads who are asleep almost before their heads hit the pillow
168. Rainbow promises
169. Sunshine at sunset
170. Sabbath at sundown

Two Years Past

Who knows what would have happened if not for the sorrow we endured two years ago.

I still think about that baby. The little lifeless form on the ultrasound. The pain and heartbreak that I felt. I never attached a name to that child. I don't know why not. I know some people do. I know that Jesus had a special name for "him" though. I always believed that baby was a boy.

Without that disappointing sorrow, we wouldn't have the joy of Haven today. I know that God is Love. I will never forget the child that might have been, but I am so thankful to God for the joy and laughter He has blessed us with through our two wonderful girls. 

Taking Hope to the zoo during that weekend two years ago.

Flower Crown

Obviously, I was the one behind the camera, so no flower crown for me. These three pictures should make up for the many that I haven't done daily the last several days, right?

Grand Canyon 2006

Two months till wedding

Tennessee to Idaho

Must see Grand Canyon

Bingo!

Learning is such fun

When games are there to play with

Hope shouts out, "Bingo!"

Fingers and Toes

Both fingers and toes

Two young sisters reaching out

Fast friendship forming

Down Our Road

Down around the corner from our house. If I went down to that bend in the road I would be in barking dog territory, so where I stood for this picture is about as far as I go without at least a can of Mace and a bicycle. They've been doing some kind of pipework along the side of the road. I'm not sure what for.

Thirteen Months

Haven turned 13 months on the first. Thought I would snap some photos of her 13 month old self. This one turned out the best.

Just today she hit the 17 pound mark. Yay for weight gain! Also, she's gaining new vocab daily. Today she's been saying water (wawa), bottle (baba), open (opeh), and also just babbling things that sound like sentences. She's amazing.

Miracles

In the beginning, God made our world out of something formless and empty. 

God spoke and there was light, air, earth, sun, moon, stars, trees, plants, fish, birds and animals.

God breathed into man and he became a living person.

I consider these all pretty miraculous. Who else could do any of this?

God sent a flood, that opened the fountains of the deep and poured water from the sky as had never happened before, to cleanse the earth of man's wickedness.

God gave an old couple a child of promise. He parted the Red Sea, parted the Jordan River, and caused the walls of Jericho to tumble. God sweetened the bitter waters, many times in fact. Water gushed from the rock at God's command. Manna came from heaven. God routed armies, told the sun to stand still, and even turned back time. God can work miracles for His people!

God sent oil and flour without fail, with water in the well. He brought a boy back to life. He carried his prophet away in a whirlwind with chariots of fire. This is only scratching the surface. There's lots more!!!

When Jesus came:

A virgin conceived and bore a son. An old, barren woman also conceived and bore a son.

Water became wine. Paralytics walked, the dumb spoke, the blind saw, the demoniacs were freed. The dead rose to life again. Jesus is able to do the miraculous. He can still do these things!

Five thousand were fed with five loaves and two fish. Water walking was not out of the question. The wind and waves obeyed His command. A woman's faith and the touch of His garment brought healing. A little girl woke up. Lazarus came out of the tomb. The widow's son was returned to her alive. I could go on and on and on... Even the Bible says that there was so much more that Jesus did than what they were able to record.

Miracles. God performs them for His people. Jesus says, "Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you."

Oh me of little faith! Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief!

Colors

Since I skipped a photo on Sabbath, I figured I'd put an extra one up today. So here it is...

Marker Face

I guess I took Sabbath off when it came to putting a photo on here every day. But here is one of Hope. I don't think she even realized what she'd done.

Something to Write

I have a huge something to write, but right now is too late. I'll try and write it tomorrow after all the more important things I have to do, like spending time with my husband and girls. Time with family definitely trumps Blogger. And I'm not going to apologize for that!

Counting My Blessings... 131-150

131. Crunchy almonds
132. Raindrop sunshine
133. Toddling steps of a one-year old
134. Increasing vocabulary of same one-year old
135. Fun trips to the store with Hope
136. Night-training successes that outnumber the failures
137. Growing chickens that go to roost by themselves
138. Developing friendship between young sisters
139. A peaceful nighttime walk in our neighborhood
140. Riding a bicycle with no fear of dogs
141. The Lord's protection
142. Sundown on Friday
143. Juicy lamyay and red dragonfruit
144. Breakfast for dinner
145. Hope's stories
146. Character development through trials
147. Homemade applesauce
148. Emails from good friends
149. Anticipation of new babies to be born this month
150. The lessons ants can teach

Veiled

Haven hiding in the cheesecloth.

Beneath lacy cloth

She plays and sits for moment

Not long will she stay

Poll Results

The poll that I created to assess your interest and what you would like to read is now closed. Actually, I'm not sure when it closed, but I just saw that it is. The winner of the poll is A Photo A Day. I was disappointed to only get 9 votes total, and one of those was my own. But now I know that most people don't care what I write about, and I guess that is a good thing in a way.

So, for the next month I'll be doing A Photo A Day. Here is today's:

Hope riding her new bicycle