One Year Old and SO Busy

Our busy, busy one year old is so much fun!  And so exhausting!  But the good kind of exhausting where you know what you've been running around and doing all day is important.  Here's what our little guy is up to these days:

-Weight: 19 lbs, 4 oz (10th percentile)
-Height: 29 1/2 in (50th percentile) - his height and weight percentiles have been the same since he was about 2 months old.
-We are in the process of weaning.  He is loving his whole milk!  He's a little fussier and clingier since starting to wean, but he's taking the milk really well.  He's eating 3 main solid food meals a day with at least 2 snacks.
-He is VERY mobile!  He cruises on everything.  He can go back and forth between the couch and coffee table easily.  He loves to hold onto our hands and walk around.  He has a walking toy that he takes all over this big cottage!  He has let go and stood on his own a couple of times, so walking on his own isn't far off.
-He says "dada" and "mama" but so far that is it on his words.  We have worked on sign language for "more," "all done," "milk," and "please."  He occasionally uses the first three, but hasn't learned to use "please" yet.  However, he recognizes all of them, so if I sign them I can tell by his reaction if I'm understanding what he wants.
-He babbles ALL THE TIME!  It's obvious that he knows what he is saying, so we have many conversations.  Apparently, he also likes to tell jokes, cause he will talk and talk and then burst out laughing.  It is precious!
-He typically sleeps 11 to 12 hours at night though he's had a little trouble with this recently.  I think my milk quality has decreased, so as he gets more whole milk we are seeing better sleep patterns!
-He needs two naps a day: morning and afternoon.  But, that doesn't always happen.  His nap schedule has just been off recently.  I'm hoping as we finish weaning and settle into a different eating plan that he will develop a really good nap schedule too.
-He LOVES to read!  He has favorite books and prefers to only read those most of the time.  He will turn the pages for us.  He also will sit by himself with his books and "read" them to himself!
-He is such a happy boy 95% of the time!  He LOVES Bible class at church.  He likes to wave at everyone he sees when we are out in public.  He is definitely our child!

What a fun phase this is!  He keeps us on our toes, that's for sure.  But, we love watching his personality emerge more and more everyday!

Yet Again...Wonderful Changes for the Belts

At the end of June, Taylor and I will have reached a whopping 3 1/2 years of marriage.  In that time we have each changed jobs at least twice, moved twice, and had a baby.  Needless to say, our life is not dull. Each of these changes in our life together we feel has been led by the Lord.  And, this next one is no different.  

10 months ago when we pulled into the parking lot of the Children's Home with all of our belongings and our 9 week old son, we had no idea what God had in store for us during this time.  What we have come to know is that not only did we physically move into the desert, the Lord led us spiritually into a desert phase as well.  Desert phases are hard.  Don't get me wrong-they come with abundant blessings; but they are hard!  We wouldn't change a thing about our time here in Albuquerque.  We have learned SO much!  Each of us has taken individual journeys that only this experience could have provided for us.  Our marriage was SUPER challenged during this time - and has come out the better for it!  Our faith journeys have been rocked, and our hearts forever changed towards "the least of these."  Maybe one day I can talk more about what the last 10 months have been like, but that's another post for possibly another time.

So, what's this post about, then?  

Well...we are MOVING...again!  And SO excited about it.  Taylor has been offered a position as the worship minister at the Sugar Grove congregation near Houston, TX.  (Houston friends, S.G. is in Meadows Place right in the middle of Sugar Land).  We are thrilled to join this body of believers and for Taylor to get back to where his passions so strongly lead.  We have learned in the last several weeks that Sugar Grove is a place that gathers together as a congregation to teach, encourage, uplift, and support each other to really, truly GO and BE CHRIST outside the walls of the church building!  They have a wonderful group of young families that are striving to be intentional about teaching their children to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world!  As we have learned all of these things, we couldn't help but look at each other and say that this is where we want to raise our family!  

And so, here we go again.  On another adventure of our young married lives.  We will leave Albuquerque forever changed because of our time here.  It will be very hard to leave our kids.  This kind of change is immensely hard for them.  We have already begun conversations with them about why we are leaving and what amazing things we have learned about each of them while we have been here.  We are going to be present in their lives 100% until we walk out of the door because we do not for one second want them to feel abandoned.  We pray that this will also be a teaching opportunity for them about how God uses passions and gifts, and how He can and will place people according to His will even if it's for a short season.  

Isaiah 55:8 says, "'My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,' says the LORD.  'And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.'"  Wow!  Is that ever true!!!  Not long ago if you had asked me if I ever wanted to be a house parent I would have said no.  And now I wouldn't trade this time for anything.  I'm also not sure that without being here I would appreciate my husband's gifts and passions as much as I now do after he has not been using them to the fullest for the last 10 months.  The way that the Lord crafts our stories is just amazing to me!  

Please join us in praying for this transition in our lives.  We have one more week off starting June 15th, and we will be traveling to Houston to house hunt.  Our kids will officially move out on July 9th, and we will leave town on the 13th or 14th of July.  Taylor's first Sunday at Sugar Grove will be July 22nd.  Pray for our peace as things are always hectic with a move.  Pray for the kids as we also transition them to a new cottage on campus.  Pray for Sugar Grove as the Lord leads them on a summer of building relationships in their neighborhoods.  And, pray that the Lord will always be glorified in our lives no matter where we are!  

"For I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun!  Do you not see it?  I will make a pathway through the wilderness.  I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."  Isaiah 43:19