Lucy still really likes to dress up and dance.

KGB Elias

Wide eyed.

He loves to stick out his tongue and he loves it when you do it too.

They like playing together – not for real extended times but for a bit.  They especially love their “yelling time”  after baths.  It’s pretty cute!

I just read this interview with Steven Curtis Chapman- he is a Christian musician who lost their daughter in a  tragic accident about a year and a half ago.  The things he said reminded me so much of how we felt after losing Owen.  And not that I never feel that way anymore but the intensity and constancy is not there like it was those first couple years.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/music/interviews/2009/stevencurtischapman-nov09.html?start=1

I know some of you out there probably have the More with Less cookbook.  I am looking for recommendations of your favorite recipes.  So please let me know what it is from there you like to cook.

To those of you who don’t have this cookbook but have a recipe you would like pass on, you are welcome.  But one condition- no short cuts.  In other words I don’t have access to lots of canned stuff here – which seems necessary for most of the stuff I regularly cook!  I feel like I am learning how to cook all over again!

Lucy started school yesterday.  It was a big step for all of us!!  It’s a little preschool near our home.  It goes from 8-12 Sunday – Thursday.  We are only having her go from 9-11.  I am thankful they are flexible with us.  She seems to really like it.  Our main motivation was just that she was really missing her friends and really wanted to do it.  We are glad for the social aspect and also for the Arabic, she will  God willing, learn there.

Here is a picture of Elias and Lucy in Elias’ bed.  Lucy was yelling for me to come get him that he didn’t like being in jail.  I guess she felt sorry for him and joined him!

Here is a picture of Lucy in the Old City.  This is in front of Bayt Jabri- an old Arabic house turned into a restaurant.

I accidently posted this on Dustin’s blog earlier- oops!

We are adjusting shway, shway here.  Which means slowly, slowly or little by little.  We hope to have a better internet connection so hopefully my frequency will improve.

This Saturday Owen would be 6.  I can’t believe he’d be that big.  I don’t really feel like “being deep” and with the big move we are making I have sort of just turned off my feelings.  Part of it is busyness the other part is survival.

What I can say is I’m grateful to God for Owen and that I have all of eternity to know him.  That will be precious.

Here is a song our good friend Jacob wrote the night he found out Owen died and played at his funeral.

Owen\’s Song

Lucy has been asking about heaven a lot latley.  These are her two most common questions:

Will we get hurt in heaven?

Will we sin in heaven?

She just asked me these again a few moments ago as she is eating lunch.  When I said no, she said – Wow!

It was a good reminder for me of how much I should long for heaven and to be free from sin!

Last Sunday we had a dedication service for Elias at church.  A dedication involves surrendering your children to God and making promises about how you hope and will try to raise them.  Obviously this is something as parents I think we continually must do- especially the surrender part.  One of the promises that gets me teared up real fast is:  surrendering all worldly claim on them.   I also love the one that says we accept our children as gifts and will not use them.  Pretty hefty things to think and pray over.

As the elder gave a blessing to the children I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself.  It was from Hebrews 11.  He asked that they would run with endurance the race set before them .. lay aside every encumbrance.. . and that their faith would endure.  I chuckled because Elias, at least it seems to me, has a natural inclination to endure and is a very determined little guy!  As he attempts the steps, goes for the bookshelf, the shoes or whatever it may be for the 100th or so time in a row- I’m always praying Lord take this determination and energy and use it for your Kingdom!

I also chuckled because as I looked down I saw a chubby little boy whose pants were a little too short for him, a buggary nose, and sweating so much I could easily put his hair into a little mohawk!  He is all boy and I love every ounce of him!  Thank you Lord for the gift of Elias!