Happy Double Digits!

Yesterday was my sweet Annie's 10th birthday. 

The night she came into the world was quite eventful.

 My water broke, right before one of Joe's basketball games (Triton Vs. Culver MIlitary).

 I can still see him running through the parking lot to get home(we lived right behind the school). 

I had to have  a neighbor run and tell him, since we didn't have cell phones.  After an uneventful labor(painful, but uneventful), where the Athletic Director called and asked us to please call him when I delivered so he could announce it at the game.  Sorry, but Annie wasn't ready yet.

 She was born at 11pm all blue in the face with her cord wrapped around her neck. 

Quite scary for a few minutes, but Dr. Joel saved the day! 

8 Pounds 15 oz.  and only 19 1/2 inches long. 

She has always been our best sleeper, and most out spoken.  She still says it like it is. 

God has big plans for our very smart, caring, justice loving daughter.  I can't wait to see where He takes her!

Benefit #3

3rd benefit from Psalm 103.... certainly not the only benefits which we receive from our Lord!


1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;


all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits-

BENEFIT #3:

5 who satisfies your desires with good things



so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

I just need to say wow.  We all have desires.  Some are true needs and some are just wishful.  Yet here it plainly says desires it does not say "needs".  Here chomp on this....

Our Lord knows our desires and satisfies them with GOOD things.  I think we all understand that some of our desires can be met with "not so good" things.  In fact sometimes we choose to meet these desires with some very damaging and unhealthy things.  Clearly though we need to rely on our Lord to meet our desires.  I am guessing (cuz i certainly dont have this figured out) that this will require patience and faith.

He is our Great Satisfier.

And then the reference of renewing our youth to soar like an eagle.... How awesome is that?

I am beginning to claim Psalm 103 as my favorite passage of Scripture. 

Hope you enjoyed.

Jb

Disney Fun

Notice we are drinking Hot Cocoa, once the sun went down it got quite chilly.  Especially if you are wet from splash mountain, where your brother lied to you and told you to sit in the seat where you won't get wet.  Amy was less than amused about being soaked! Haley and I were smart and didn't ride it.

Here they are shivering in the tree house, where I was sure there was too much weight up in that flimsy thing!  We survived
though, luckily. By this time the kids are begging to go home, because it is 40 and we are wearing shorts.  We saw every show(in warmth) and it was still only 9.  We left without seeing the fireworks, bummer.

Who doesn't love a princess in a glass carriage.  Well, Aaron I guess.  Parades are a waste to him.  We got to stand and watch the whole parade from City Hall where the bomb squad sniffed out our cooler and threw away all of our food.  No lie.  They gave us vouchers for hot cocoa, popcorn and water to apologize.  Joe was not amused.  "We had sandwiches in there", they apparantly equate popcorn with a sandwich.

Warmer times! The sun is so good!

Waiting in line for Pirates of the Caribbean, they created a tickling game.  I'm sure the people arond us were thrilled.  It kept them busy and not arguing.

Goofy's wild ride! The barnstormer, we almost got Haley on it, she escaped through the seats at the last minute!

Sunny and 75 to cold and sick..

We are back from sunny Florida.  Why do we live in the midwest again? 
We had a lot of fun in the sun with Grandma and Grandpa Reaker at their new winter place.  We went to Medeira Beach and Fort Desoto one day.  We also went to Disney's Magic Kingdom one day.  The rest of the time was spent relaxing and helping the grandparents fix up their new place and get it ready for renters next week.
More pictures to follow. Amy and I were hacking and coughing the whole way home.  7 people in a van with 2 coughing,  hmm what are the odds that no one else gets sick?
btw the extra kid is Haley, our neighbor.  We consider her family and this is her second vacation with us.

Christmas Checklist

Tree up and decorated. 
Nativities set up
Lights on the house
Field trip to tree farm with Andrews class, since we use a fake one.
Chtristmas cards sent out
The Nutcracker seen and enjoyed with girls
A Christmas Carol  seen and enjoyed with Aaron's class
Winter parties at school done and gifts for all the teachers and bus drivers
Christmas dinners with friends
Baked goodies passed out for all of our neighbors(17)
More baking than I care to count up!
Gingerbread house made
Advent calendar opened every day
Ornaments made and given
Gifts bought and wrapped
More basketball games gone to than I care to count
Sledding in our front yard
Work Christmas parties gone to
Reaker Family Christmas done
Bennett family Christmas done

All that is left is Christmas with my family on Christmas eve, here.  Christmas eve eve service on the 23rd due to the aforementioned.

And most of all Rejoicing in the Promises kept so many years ago to John the Baptist, Joseph, Mary and for all people.

We are so very grateful to be doing life with so many wonderful people.  Thanking God every day for our abundance of blessings.
tia
May God richly bless you this Christms season

Health Care Reform

Is anyone interested in this health care reform vote which happened this morning at 1am?

here is an article which, in my estimation, does a good job of explaining the current status.

not exactly the most exciting stuff yet very relevant.

jb

Benefit #2

Here we go again:

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;


all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits-

Benefit #2:
4 who redeems your life from the pit



and crowns you with love and compassion,
 
I am not certain that the "pit" alluded to here specifically means "hell". 
 
However...
 
I am absolutely certain that we all have fallen into "pits" in our lifetimes and have needed  a Redeemer.
 
So....
 
Not only are we dragged up from a pit....which is amazing enough... we are then crowned (like a King) with love and compassion.  I am not sure what this means exactly. To be crowned with love and compassion?  As I think about its impact on me in 2009 I feel comforted and buoyed to be more than I have been.
 
jb