Seattle

I'm not even sure I could express in words how wonderful my trip to Seattle last week was...just wanted to smuggle Katie & Luca in my suitcase coming home! Luca is just the coolest ever - the most laid back, HAPPY person you could meet! You can't be sad when you are around him, his smile and laugh are contagious. Katie posted on her blog too, but at the indian restaurant we went to, the waiter asked if we were twins...we'd like to think we are twins just three years apart. :)

The view on a walk around their neighborhood...literally RIGHT outside their doorstep...not so bad on the eyes, eh? The beauty of mountains always blows me away.

Felt like spring break coming from all the snow in Greensboro to THIS! Gorgeous blossoms!

Love these two so much

Luca LOVES bathtime...he is so fun to watch kick and swim...definitely not afraid of the water! :)

These smiles make ME smile. :)

Valentine's Murder Mystery Party

On Valentine's Day this year, Eric and I spent it with some of our close friends...dressing up for a murder mystery party - it was such a blast! We had such a fun time jumping into our characters...some of them were pretty out there! ;) Eric was Mr. Chock O-Lat who owned a chocolate shop and threw Hershey kisses at everyone all night...I was Ms. Rosie Valentine, who recently published a novel that was about to be made into a motion picture. Katie and Josh did a great job selecting everyone's characters...the whole night was a hoot! ;)

What a Month

Life is so unexpected. Just when you think you know what to expect next, everything changes. This past month has afforded us some of our greatest joy and deepest pain. Our faith has yet again been stretched and God's faithfulness is what has sustained us.

Natalie Grant's song, "Held" was very meaningful for me through this past fall...it has recently been taken to a whole new level for me. The lyrics sum up all that I am struggling with, aching for, rejoicing over, spilling tears over, and clinging onto (His promise) with all I've got. I encourage you to listen to it here or you can find it on youtube; she does such a great job reminding us of the divine Hope.

So glad Eric and I have each other through the ups and downs in life...but we would be nowhere without Christ.

Held

By Natalie Grant

Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling
Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
We're asking why this happens to us
Who have died to live, it's unfair

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held

This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held

If hope is born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our savior

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held
We'd be held

This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held

This is what it means to be held.....