Monday, January 17, 2011

Windy Corner

Max was off school for Martin Luther King Jr. day, and he wanted to celebrate. He thought we could join a march somewhere but I suggested we go out to lunch instead.
I read about this place opening up a few months ago, and it seemed like the perfect day to go for lunch. {please excuse the picture quality, they were all taken with my cell...moron forgot my camera at home}
windy Corner sign 1.17.2011
The owners {a chef and host/sommelier married couple who also own two other wonderful local restuarants} bought this old run down mom and pop market and completely renovated it withrecycled wood from a local horse farm. The best part is that it is that it is all local meats and produce.
windy corner
Max & Liam waiting for our po-boy's. :)
max.liam 1.17.2011 -Windy Corner Market
Ev. & I.
momandev. windy city market 1.17.2010
yummy chicken avocado po-boy.
chickensavocadopo-boy

the boys outside after a tasty lunch.
windycorner 1.17.2011

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

prayer.

{taken with cell, retro camera}


I've been thinking about prayer lately...and praying about prayer. I have to admit, I'm not the best at it. I'm not consistent about it. I think I fear I am praying to much with my petitions and not enough with praise, and then I tend to avoid it altogether as I don't want to feel like {and God knows if I am} I'm faking it. I'll pray in large groups {sometimes} but I feel like I am always fumbling over my words because I don't want to sound like I am trying to impress people, but at the same time I don't want to sound like a babbling fool.

Here is the thing though, that I have been thinking about more: God knows my heart. Maybe I'm not the most eloquent, and maybe I often times don't know what to say, or exactly how to pray but I know that I should just {like the old Nike ads displayed} DO IT. Our actions are a reflection of our heart, and my avoiding prayer has shown me that I don't see that it really boils down to me, my heart, and my pride.

As I've been thinking about prayer,this verse has been coming to mind.

" Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." {Philippians 4:6}

This includes being anxious about prayer itself.

Then the other day I stumbled across this:
"I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf."{ Romans 15:30}
Hello?! Wake up call?!
STRIVE to pray. When have I ever done this? To see God as my only hope and CLING to him and desperately cling to him. To do this through prayer. What an amazing gift that I really have taken for granted. A gift from a savior who has shown grace upon grace and I've so blindly ignored it for so long because of my own selfish fears.

When was the last time I have strived, struggled, and persisted in prayer? I think about the struggles of so many in the Bible, like Paul who PRAYED for those who hated him that they might be saved. I've never thought much how hard that could have been for him, to persist, and to struggle in having a heart of love towards those who hated him, to want them to know Christ like he did.

AMAZING.

So, this year as we welcome a forth child into our home and as we embark on new challenges and changes of what may happen, I hope that I can learn to pray more. That God would reveal to me the importance to be persistent in prayer.

To struggle. To STRIVE and to persevere in prayer and praise to him.

Happy 2011.

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

18 weeks

18weeks



18 weeks.
CRAZY. Nearly halfway done with the pregnancy already.
In the next few weeks we will also be finding out the sex of this little one.

I won't lie.

I am SUPER anxious. We even talked about not finding out, but I don't think I could take it...not knowing.

I long for a daughter, I always have. I'll even admit I have a small girl stash, which has dwindled a bit with friends having girls, but I've held on to my absolute favorites.

Don't get me wrong, my 3 boys have brought such joy to our home and though I don't think I expected to have three sons, here they are and I thank God for each one of them,their tender hearts, their differences,love for sports, and each of their personalities.

God has a plan. He's always known what our family would look like. Who would be a part of this family and for how long.
So I trust him. I am excited to have a new baby. He knows what is in store for us... girl or boy.

And you know what? There is great comfort and joy in just knowing that.

Monday, January 03, 2011

jennings, driver, and rodgers.

For Christmas, Justin's parents got the boys Packers Jerseys. I think Evan has worn it every day since Christmas except maybe the two times it's been washed.
packers10
they are well loved.
packers9
Max is QB Aaron Rodgers.{#12} Evan is wide reciever Greg Jennings {#85} and Liam is wide reciever Donald Driver{#80}.
packers6
I don't know if you caught the Packers/Bears game yesterday, but they all had a pretty good game.

packers3
uh, oh....Driver is losing it.
packers11
Driver it's ok...
packers12

The team back together again.
packers13
Happy New Year !