"Daddy, I think I'm going to start calling mommy 'sweetheart' from now on!" I just love him! :)

Blessings

Some have heard the thoughts that come from our little guy; he can be so sweet. Here are some of the things he's been saying in the last month or so:
*Mommy, you're nice.
*Mom, you're my best friend.
* (as he gently touches my cheeks) I'll never let anything happen to you.
*I really really really want to go to outer space mom, pweese?
*Mom, what's inside of pyramids?
*Dear Heavenly Father, I'm so thankful for...he starts listing things such as houses and Oma's new house being built after a fire destroyed the old one (my words, not his), and then says... M&M's, YUM!...In Jesus' name, Amen.
*Thanks for making this yummy meal mom.
*He drew a picture of me on our chalk walk and said, "Mom, this crooked line is your esophagus."
*Mom and Dad, what do you want to be when you grow up?
I want to be a doctor. A throat doctor.
ENT training here we come! ;)

And my favorite one so far that David heard was this:

Isaac: When babies spit, sometimes they spit more.
David: Yeah that's called spitting up.
Ike: It's much easier to spit down though.
David: That's right son... You're wise beyond your years.
Ike: Thanks daddy. You're wise behind your ears too.

We're so thankful for our little buddy. We are all excited about our new addition next March!
God has blessed us so much!

To every thing there is a season...

There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die,a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal,a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh,a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up,a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend,a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate,a time for war and a time for peace. ~Ecclesiastes 3:1-8~

It's been interesting, this time in my life. All the changes are somewhat sad to me, but on the other hand, it's very exciting to see what God is doing. David left to go to the Philippines today and I know God is using him to turn people to Jesus; that's awesome. I'm very thankful and humbled by the place God's given me with being David's wife. God is way good to me.
I've been thinking about this question a lot: "Who am I?" I know who I am, but are those defining qualities really who I am? I am a Christian, a wife, a mom, a daughter, a singer/musician, softball player, lover of the outdoors, a reader, a friend... Yes, those are all true. The first one "Christian" is the one I've been contemplating recently and have found great comfort in it. I put this song's lyrics as my facebook status the other day:

I'm not the clothes I’m wearing. I’m not a photograph. I’m not the car I drive. I’m not the money I make. I’m not the things I lack. I’m not the songs that I write.I am loved and I am free! I believe, help my unbelief.
Here's the second verse:
I’m not the house I live in. I’m not the man I love. I’m not the mistakes that I carry. I’m not the food that I don’t eat.
I’m not what I’m above. I’m not my scars and my history.

These are JJ Heller's words, but I really liked them.
I'm not defined by being in "my band" (which I'm no longer a part of), I'm not defined by how well I speak Spanish (fortunately!), or by all the places I've been or haven't been...GOD defines who I am and I am His. So the fact that I'm not in my band anymore does bother me and the friend I've potentially lost, but I know that God's child is who I am. He can do more than we can ask or imagine, so I know He's going to do great things!
"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." I read this verse in Spanish and English the other day in Hebrews 12:14. I've tried to make peace and I don't know any more to do. I love my friend and pray God will give her life in Him always. Being God's Daughter of the Promise, I have to live for Him the best I can and try to show His love to all around. I'm not perfect, but I try live for Jesus' honor. I've come from a nasty pit and God got me out. I know He can take anyone from where they are and place them on the heights! I pray that everyone will see the Lord when they look at me and know that I am a follower of Christ.
I heard today that my dear friend had a baby boy this morning! 9lbs 9oz! This event is one of those "pure & lovely" things I've been trying to dwell on recently. I can't wait to see baby Caleb.
Love to all of you out there!
~Caryn

March Forth!

Every year my mom, sisters and I race to call each other first on March 4th, just to say "March Forth!". It's been just another little quirky thing my family does. It has been good to hear it over the years though, reminding me to march forth even though I don't feel like it sometimes. I love our positive tradition that we've got going...the earliest I remember saying it was in 1998 or 1999 at college. I stood up and told the whole chapel assembly to, "MARCH FOURTH! Most did not get it at all and just looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe we all are a little, but we can all remember to keep striving, to look to God, to take one baby step at a time with His lamp guiding our feet. March forth everyone!

The small things...

Small, when I mean small, I'm talking about the things we see closely with the use of microscope or imagination or with our unaided eye. I'm just not really a big picture sort of girl, so I like the every day small things. Stopping to smell the roses is something I would totally do. In Biology, at Harding U., I learned about the small things I could not see and was amazed. I hated (I know it's a strong word and I'm sorry Tanya) cats (sorry to those of you have have them). Honestly though, I learned that cats are amazing animals and really anything living is absolutely awe inspiring. I love the verses in the Bible about ants. I could really watch them all day long. I remember watching them at a gas station in Nicaragua; I was not feeling well because I was pregnant and God gave the ants to me to cheer me up I think. Taking pictures of the small things helps my mind to stay focused on those "pure" and "lovely" things in life.

He makes all things new.

I've got a new thought, it's not mine, but new to me. I'm going to stop saying, "I'll try", and start saying, "I will do it". I guess it's just a new way to look at the verse about letting your yes be yes and your no, no.
That being said, I've decided to read the whole Bible this year. Unlike 2008, when I said that I would try to do it, I decided to say I will do it. I think it will make a world-view of difference in my life. And because ambition got the best of me I plan to read the New Testament at least twice this year, once in English and once in Spanish. God has already translated some important thoughts into my head. I'm reading the English much slower to translate the Spanish, so I'm absorbing a lot more this way.
I read the reading for today, proudly called my mother to tell her and realized I read the reading for Sunday (Romans 1 &2 in Spanish was hard!) BUT today is Friday! ha! oh well. :) I went back and read Isaiah 1-6 ("Here am I send me!") for the Friday's reading. Double the blessings!
Played a little banjo and guitar to start the year off right and even ate the traditional black-eyed peas! Happy New Year friends and family! I hope God blesses your lives through the good times, hard times, and all the time.
~Caryn

Azaleas, Romas, Zukes and Chives

Germinating plants. It's what David and I prayed about last night. It seems trivial, but when your crops actually bear fruit, it is so awesome, in the truest sense of the word. I really am more thankful to God for my food when I grow it.
David and I worked together to make a home for yellow squash and zucchini (I bought the lumber and he made the box). It was fun and Isaac thought he was such a big guy helping daddy with the screws.
My dad advised me to buy seeds instead of already growing plants...I hope it works (I know it does, but I've not tried planting my own before-at least not since elementary school ).
So here's the list: 3 kinds of annuals: (I feel annuals are a waste of money, sorry, it's true, but they are pretty), zucchini, yellow squash, chives, oregano, sweet basil, and thyme. These are all from seeds.
I also bought these plants:
Three types of tomatoes: Roma, Patio (small salad type), and some sort of bigger ones...I'm not interested in the details really, I just want the tomatoes. :)
Raspberry plants: 2 of them. I read today that they don't produce in their first year, stinky!
I really like the Azalea plant I bought...it's bright hot pink flowers are so pretty (and personally I feel that if you live in Summerville, South Carolina and you don't have an Azalea growing in your yard by the time the Flowertown Festival starts, then you need to live somewhere else!--I am totally joking, but you should get one-even if you're not from S'ville). :)
When plants grow, it's like my yard is shouting God's glory; it's absolutely amazing!
Hope everyone is planting something...