Thursday, April 30, 2009

JUMP!

I think that's the best description for this photo, don't you?

Thursday, April 23, 2009

While We Were Gone

While Scott and I were skiing (ie. falling), Levi worked on his Dale Jr. imitation. **I'm thinking he does a pretty good one.

I am personally not a Dale Jr. fan. I cheer for Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson if I care to cheer for anyone. We'll be working on our "savvy California NASCAR driver look" next week.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Odd Things I Saw Today

A guy doing tai chi on the middle of the ski slopes.
5 year olds snowboarding circles around me.
People skiing in SHORTS and SPORTS BRAS.
A 65ish year old man skiing in jeans.
People sunbathing at the pool by the slopes.

It's a different world out here.

The Frigid West

Scott and I are enjoying some post-tax season quality time out West. Scott loves to ski (I would prefer a nice, warm beach, but oh well), so we found a resort with some great late season snow and headed out on Friday.

We are in Snowbird, Utah. About 30 minutes away from Salt Lake City. The base elevation is about 7000 feet and the summit is 12000. I won't be going anywhere NEAR the summit. :)



Sunday, April 12, 2009

A Few Easter pics

The Hills after the 8:00 a.m. service at Pinelake. (I'm not sure where I got that extra chin from in this picture, but I must've picked it up by mistake when I grabbed my purse off the floor. Hmm.)


A little grin before our egg hunt.



The best $2 train ever. Other than the fact that it runs off the track constantly, it is perfect. Levi seems to like it, hunh?



Our first experience dying eggs.

Happy Easter!



Saturday, April 11, 2009

Egg Wars

Levi is just getting to the age where he can appreciate a good challenge. We have never been to an honest to goodness, all-out, mass-chaos egg hunt before. But today, we felt up to it. So we met Levi's friend Baleigh at the park in Flowood for the big event.


Surveying the terrain.


Checking out the competition.




Then, in a flash it was over. I mean, maybe 90 seconds transpired before ALL the eggs were gone. Talk about anticlimactic.

Baleigh enjoying her loot.


Reveling in the one hershey kiss we got in our prize bag (seriously, there wasn't much loot involved at this shindig).



Taking a load off in the Flowood Fire Department chair.

Fun times!




Tuesday, April 7, 2009

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I’ll be honest. There has been a lot of dread at my house as 4.8.09 approaches. Try as I may, I haven’t always been able to avoid the “what if,” “if only,” “why” questions with each passing day. I’m so thankful that Aaron is Home. And I know I will see him again. Those are peaceful TRUTHs…but the selfish human in me still sometimes feels guilty, cheated and confused about why he is gone and the road he had to walk to get there.

It is hard to visit Aaron's sweet little grave when I want him here with me.


I was excited about going to see Beth Moore this past weekend. I always look forward to a special Word, particularly from a really great teacher like her. And I knew the opportunity to hear her speak came at an opportune time. Her text from the weekend was 1 Thessalonians 5. This verse really stuck out to me.

The NIV says to be thankful “in all things.” Not FOR all things. But IN all things. The distinction suddenly hit me…then Beth pulled out a letter that was written to her on my behalf before the conference. And she read this:
Tuesday, April 8, 2008 4:08 PM, CDT
Our Aaron is at home with the angels held tightly by our Lord. We got to hold him and rock him as he left this earth for a much better place. One of our doctors even rocked him with us and several cried with us. No more pain and suffering. We had not held him in 3 weeks, so we were thankful for this last opportunity on this earth. He only knew 2 weeks away from the hospital and we are thankful for each minute we had him.
We came here with Aaron to get a "new" heart for him. On Friday, he got this heart after 2 open heart surgeries and 2 heart caths. Some time between Saturday and yesterday morning, Aaron sustained a massive brain injury. No one knows the cause except our God. All the doctors are baffled and said it was not a clot or bleed, but severe swelling. The swelling was too much for Aaron to handle.

We can't begin to express our gratitude for all your prayers. We know our Father heard each one and they gave us comfort. Aaron felt peace from them as well. Even though we did not get a miracle healing of our son, we were blessed to have him with us for just over 7 weeks. Maybe that was our miracle.

**Thank you, Christi.

I don't remember feeling very thankful when I wrote that. In fact, I remember feeling numb. Devastated. Rocked to my core. In disbelief. And it was hard. Leaving the hospital without our son and flying 1000 miles home was difficult. I didn't feel very thankful. I was, however, thankful for the hundreds and thousands of prayers for Aaron and for us, for the support and for the love that was shown us at that time.
As I think back over the past year and all the kindness and comfort we have received from friends and strangers alike, I am reminded how much we appreciate kind words and comfort in our grief. Even simple things like a hug or a card mean(t) so much. Some of the people who have been the most encouraging to us are those who have themselves suffered the loss of a child.
On Sunday, as I reflected over the weekend, God showed me this verse:
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

I’ve read this verse countless times before, but never really thought about it in the context of giving comfort to others. I just paid attention to the part about God comforting us. I have been given several opportunities to offer comfort to mothers who have lost a child or parents who have received a frightening diagnosis. I can honestly say that it has been such a blessing to me to be able to offer a kind word to others during their times of fear or brokenness.
I may not ever know why God chose Aaron to suffer and die an earthly death at only 50 days old. The wound still seems so very fresh. And my flesh makes me long to have him here with ME. I would trade giving "comfort as I have been given" in a heartbeat to have my little fourteen month old son here toddling around. But that is not the road we have been given. We must instead give thanks IN all things and strive to offer comfort to others “with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
See you soon, Aaron.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

A Weekend Like Mine

Everyone should get to experience a weekend like mine every now and then.

First of all, I got to take off work on Friday. That in itself is worth a lot.

Next, I got to head to New Orleans with two of the best girlfriends anyone could hope for. Here's a couple of shots of the superfriends taking in some poboys at Petunia's in the french quarter.

Amber with roast beef...

Mmmmm.........good. I think the gravy even got in her wedding ring.

And Christi tackling the shrimp...


Yum, yum good.
After our great meal and some beignets, we got to spend several hours on Friday and Saturday with one of my favorite Bible teachers, Beth Moore. Unfortunately, I didn't get many great shots in the arena, but I'm sure I'll find some to post soon...
Today, Levi got to experience his very first Easter Peep.


It's one of his mom's favorite Easter candies. I think he likes them...don't you?

:)