Little Lambs

Seven And Eight

2012-03-08T16:15:00.004-06:00

*As of:
Feb. 1, 2012,we have been waiting 7 months
March 1, 2012, we have been waiting 8 months

No letters these past two months. I couldn't do it, been in a funk.To be honest, these last two months have been really difficult, struggling with the wait. Struggling, yet KNOWING that this is the Lord's timing, not our own. However long we have been waiting, we have so much more to go...it seems like it will go on FOR-EV-ER. In reality and in the big scheme of things, this wait is just a blip in time...but this blip of "in-betweeness" is slightly maddening and lonely sometimes...just keepin it real.

Six.

2012-02-08T16:37:00.009-06:00

** As of January 1, 2012, we have been waiting 6 Months.

To Our Daughter,
Half a Year! We have been waiting half a year for you, little one. This month, I want to focus on how great your father is. He is handling this wait much better than I am. Sure, he gets impatient like I do, but he is far more calm, and can really see the big picture. He is like this with the adoption, as well as every other area of life. We are opposites. I get completely absorbed by details, and he can really see the end game. His eternal perspective is inspiring. I need him in my life. If he wasn't here to balance out my type A self, we would all be a mess. I am always amazed how the Lord has matched us up perfectly.
He really is the best husband.He is so good on knowing how to love me. He tells me everyday that I am beautiful, even if my insecure self has a hard time believing him. I am so incredibly thankful for him and his leadership of this family.
He really is the best dad. He and Ryann have such a sweet relationship.Ryann looks forward to his return home from work every night. He plays pretend with her every single night. It is the highlight of her day. I often think it is the highlight of his day as well. They are two peas in a pod, sharing the same face (I think they look so much alike) as well as sharing the same silly personality traits. I love how he loves Ryann. I look forward to him having a relationship with you too. I know he will love you so well.

Some of my favorite pictures of Mark

1. Travelling and learning about loving other cultures well makes Mark so very happy.

2. Mark and Ryann being silly. This was a big day, the day where we were fingerprinted and filed all our paperwork with Citizen Immigration Services. It was a big milestone,for sure.

3. Mark and Ryann on one of their Daddy/Daughter dates. This was when he took her to see the musical, Mary Poppins...I don't know which one loved it more.

4. Mark and Ryann at a Seattle Mariners game last Summer.Love.

Five.

2012-01-11T17:05:00.005-06:00

Merry Christmas from the Lambs: Mark, Erin,Ryann Cate, and Waiting Patiently for #2 from Ethiopia.

**Way behind on posting, so let's all pretend the date on this post reads December 1, 2011**
To our Daughter,
You have been on my mind so much this month. Christmas is a time for family. We consider you already a part of our family and felt like we had to represent you in our Christmas card this year. Ryann wanted to put your name on the card as well,but we don't know what we are going to name you yet, little one...although Ryann has a different name for you each week. The name of this week in Ryann's mind is Jane, after the little girl in Mary Poppins, one of her absolute favorite movies. We all actually love the name, Jane, but we are waiting to officially "meet" you(get a referral) before we decide on a name for you. We talk about you so very often, Ryann and I often wonder and talk about what are you doing at a specific moment.She told me just today, that she (Ryann) is getting to be such a big girl and will help me out all the time with you when daddy travels all over the world. That is a good thing about this long, long, long, wait...Ryann is growing older too. She is understanding more. Throughout all of our conversations about you, she seems to be "getting" it. It truly is a beautiful thing. A precious reminder, that my timing is not "it". I like neat little boxes, checklists that correspond with my timeline for my life. But, Nope, that is not what the Lord has for our family. He has called us to adopt. A process that definitely is not in a neat little box with a neat little checklist. And that is a good thing. A very good thing. It is leading us to YOU. A question I got a lot this Christmas was if we thought that we would have you by next Christmas 2012. I had to say over and over again,"I don't know." That's the truth, I have absolutely no idea, and I am okay with that, today. The Lord knows...and He has proved over and over to me that His ways are best and "it"

Four.

2011-11-09T15:01:00.007-06:00

As of November 1, 2011, we have been waiting on that waitlist, 4 months. I was talking to a friend, another adoptive mother, the other day about that waitlist. It is so nice to have people in my life that truly understand.I am so incredibly blessed to know someone who has been there, or is almost there, or is right where I am. I am so completely fortunate to have friends in my life that are in all of these categories. So Amazed by the goodness of the Lord to allow this to be true. When I get overwhelmed, it is comforting to just know that people are right there with me on that waitlist, or have just welcomed their blessing home, or are in the process of raising their little one from Ethiopia. Often times, people will say things, "oh it's just like you are pregnant, waiting for your baby to be born". Not really...Unless your baby has the gestation of an elephant. It is such a comfort to have people in my life that understand. And are waiting. And are Trusting. I am thankful for that today. I am also incredibly thankful for the people in my life that want to understand, that ask questions, that call and ask how we are doing with this process, and above all, that pray for us. Words cannot my gratitude for all of you. This Adoption is not an island, it is something we want to share.
Proverbs 3:5-6
New International Version (NIV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Three.

2011-09-30T19:56:00.004-05:00

To our Daughter,
We went on a family vacation this month to Disney World. Ryann kept saying over and over again that the next time we go to Disney World, she will have a little sister. I love that. I love that she is thinking ahead, and her view of our family includes YOU. I am thinking ahead too. I have to be careful about having my thoughts too far out there, anxious that I will miss the present. BUT, isn't the future fun to think about? Our family of THREE, longs to be a family of FOUR...you, my dear, are definitely the missing link.
We made shirts for our trip, each one having our names on them. Ryann, said to me that we HAD to make you one when we go next time...and we will..we look forward to all the next times and the new times in our lives with YOU in them. We love you.

Disney!

2011-09-27T16:16:00.009-05:00

This September was our epic Disney World vacation:) We have planned this trip for months and months, so I cannot believe it is already over. If you know me and Mark well, you know we are obsessed with Disney World. Yes, Obsessed is the right word;) We wanted to take Ryann on a special trip before we get our next little one, so we planned the trip a long time ago, thinking we would get our nextdaughter shortly thereafter...HA!Boy, were we wrong! Fingers crossed that Ryann remembers the trip when it is actually time to get her:) I know she will, It was one of the best times we have had as a family:) So Thankful!

Family!: When we tossed out the idea to each of our parents of meeting us at Disney World to join with us on our vacation, we were absolutely thrilled both sets of parents said YES. Living far away from family is a hard thing. Having your daughter not live close to her grandparents is even harder, BUT I think the time we have with family is much sweeter, because I never take for granted the time we spend with family. We made lots of memories on this trip, due to our parents being with us, SO fortunate to have such wonderful, loving, supportive people in our lives.

Characters!: These are just a few of Ryann's favorite characters (I took so many more pictures of all the characters Ryann met).Ryann's grandma gave Ryann an autograph book for all the characters to sign as she met them,and Ryann completely filled it up! So sweet to see her get so excited!

I know the highlight for us all,was the Bippity Boppity Boutique, where a fairy godmother turned Ryann into Cinderella. Following this, we went into Cinderella's castle, and *gasp* had breakfast with all the Princesses...this 4year old and 31 year old were in heaven.

All in all, this was a Wonderful trip, a moment in time...So incredibly blessed to have made all these memories with our girl and our parents.

Two.

2011-09-01T16:11:00.017-05:00

To Our Daughter,
It is September 1, 2011, that means we have been officially waiting 2 months for you. I often wonder if you are alive or not. Either way, I think about you every day, multiple times a day. With our age window being from 0-3yrs, you could be an energetic toddler right now,you could be a needy newborn, cuddly baby, or you could not even be a thought yet. The other day, I was recording things in Ryann's baby book (yes, I realize it is 4 years too late).I was putting things on the page in her book that had, popular songs on the day she was born, popular TV shows, etc. I googled,"Most popular song on April 4, 2007" to write down, and the answer was "This is Why I'm Hot"by MIMS.I laughed out loud about how ridiculous that was to write down in a book for posterity...but that is what google said, so I wrote it down.After many minutes of the line, "I'm hot cause I'm fly, you aint cause you not" going through my head...I wondered what I would write down in your book, since I have NO idea when you will be born...so let's pretend. If you were born TODAY, these are the things, me and your dad are loving...not what google says...

Our current favorite books are:

I realize we are not teenage girls, but this trilogy is soooo addicting. I read them all in 6 days. We are Dorks.

Your Dad's Current Favorite TV Show

Oh, how we love Mike and Frank

Your Mom's Current Favorite TV Show (I realize I am years behind the times, but have been watching the DVDs this summer on the treadmill)

Now, I can't endorse/recommend all that goes on in Dillon, TX;) But, I am in serious denial of there only being 5 seasons...RIP Friday Night Lights...Clear eyes, Full hearts, Can't lose.

Current Favorite Band for both Mom and Dad

Mumford and Sons!

Our Current Favorite Movie(we both loved the book, too)

So there you have it, if you were born today, these would be our current favorite things! This second month of waiting has been a good one. My attitude, only by the grace of God, has been less self-centered than previous weeks in regards to the long wait. I am sure next month I will be an "all up in knots" stressball again...but this month I was at peace with the wait. I am praying daily that I will rest in this period of waiting, to prepare my heart for what is to come. My all time favorite song is below. This song, to me, perfectly describes how much LOVE the Lord has for us, His children. His ways are perfect. I love the line in the song that says,"Why do I worry, Why do I freak out...God knows what I need." As a type A freak, I have this song on repeat often, as I strive to yield my wants and desires to Him.I also love the line that says, "Not a note is out of tune or out of place..." His will for us, is His, perfect will, not mine. If He says that we are to wait, we are to wait...nothing is out of place for what He has for us...

All that to say, we are waiting with GREAT EXPECTATION for you, little girl. We love you.

Hold me Closer, Tiny Dancer...

2011-08-09T17:36:00.003-05:00

Ryann starts ballet/tap in a month, She just HAD to try on all the gear...

Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner...

Summer Fun

2011-08-09T16:45:00.015-05:00

Happy Summer, Y'all!

Summer comes late to Seattle, but we are have been enjoying it so much...

1. Fourth of July
No Burn Ban in our Neighborhood:)

Happy 4th!

2.Family: Ryann and I had the privilege of spending 2 weeks in Texas. We had so much fun seeing both sides of our sweet and supportive family.

Love this picture of Ryann and her PaPa

Grandma Robison and her 6 Great-Grandkids, what a treasure she is.

Ryann had so much fun fishing with her Pappy and her Uncle Jason

Uncle Read and Anne brought Ryann a huge present, a gigantic whale, which Ryann promptly named Cecilia...A perfect name for a whale?

3. Friends: We had so much fun seeing our friends during our Texas trip.

Greta, Ryann, and Hattie-Sweet Girls!

All of my bestest friends from FBA/FBC-Such an incredible JOY for us all to be together with our offspring:)

We had so much fun seeing our good friends, The Woods!
Ryann and Barrett-Best Buddies

Sweet Caroline, Ryann and Barrett

One.

2011-08-01T16:12:00.007-05:00

*We have been officially on the waitlist for one month.It's weird to me to say we have been waiting one month, when in reality it has been so much longer than that. We have wanted to adopt for years, and have been in the process for almost a year. However, we have been on the official waitlist for one month as of today, August 1, so that is the marker I will count. When I was pregnant with Ryann, I wanted to write her a letter each month she was in utero, but never did. I want to write letters each month to our next daughter for however long we wait.
To Our Daughter,
This past month, we experienced the joy and excitement of being officially placed on a very long waitlist, for you.The reality of how long the list is and how long we will have to wait is daunting sometimes.We wish we could get on a plane right now to come, for you,but that is not part of God's plan. A plan that is far bigger and wider than mine. A plan that brought us to this place.A plan that will change our family for the better. A plan that has already changed me so much, and it has only be one month. A plan that has me seeing beyond myself. A plan I cannot wait to see play out. A plan I am so blessed and honored to be a part of. However long, this list is one that we will gladly wait on, for you. This month, we told all our family and friends that we were waiting with great expectation, for you. We are praying fervently, daily, for you. I have loved teaching Ryann about your birthplace this month; we put a map in her room with a heart on Ethiopia, she looks at it many times a day, asking, for you. I tell her the wait is long, which is hard to understand.Waiting for you, is teaching her patience, teaching me patience, teaching your dad patience... But she prays, I pray, your dad prays, for you. You, my dear, are in my heart always.We have so much love in our hearts, for you.
We love you.

Horn of Africa Famine

2011-07-29T14:26:00.005-05:00

This is bad. Really bad. My heart hurts for these people who are literally starving to death. This crisis has impacted more than 10 million people in this area of our World, specifically in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia (where a piece of our heart and family may, in fact, already live).Breaks my heart. It is the worst drought in 60 years. World Concern is currently working in Kenya and Somalia in active response to this famine.This situation is dire. Please consider taking action. $10 would give food and water to one child for a month. To donate in response to this famine you can go here or you can go to Mark's personal fundraising page. All donations go to the same place, World Concern.

Increasing our Flock

2011-07-05T16:31:00.006-05:00

We found out on Friday, July 1, 2011, that we were "waitlisted." We were filled with joy when we heard these words, and this is a list we will gladly wait on. After 7 years of praying,and 8 months of paperwork gathering, we are so happy to announce that we are adopting from Ethiopia. Last Friday, we found out that our dossier was complete and on it's way to Ethiopia. Let the waiting begin....
I have so very many words about this subject and look forward to writing more and more about our journey on this little blog....stay tuned. While I organize my thoughts, enjoy my new blog header, made with love for us by our super talented cousin, Jennifer Hanson

Summer Afternoon

2011-06-28T16:17:00.004-05:00

"Summer afternoon, Summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language" -Henry James

A Girl and her Fish

2011-06-08T16:47:00.006-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Ryann had a field trip. To a trout farm. When I read the flier, I thought, "Oh that's nice, she will have fun catching and releasing little fish." I was wrong. I didn't know that after she caught a fish, we would have to take said fish home. Ryann caught her fish through the eye. I was done right there. I was not prepared for the amount of blood, and being the great mom that I am, I ran this poor fish to the only dad that came on the trip. Poor guy. He unhooked the now blind fish with blood all over it and put it in Ryann's bucket. Poor fish, it was flopping around, dying a slow death. I begged Ryann's teacher to allow us to throw it back, but she said that was not part of the plan and had me take the fish to a man in a booth, who then proceeded to end the fish's suffering, and get it prepared for us to take home and cook for dinner. Gross. Meanwhile, Ryann is oblivious, telling all her classmates and their parents how adorable her fish is and how she is going to take it home for a pet. She used the word adorable (her current favorite adjective) about 15 times.

In the car, I explained to her that the adorable fish was no longer with us. Thinking that she would be really upset by this, I was shocked that she wanted Mark to cook him when he got home from work. When Mark got home, Ryann was right by him as he chopped off the fish's head and tail and she even helped him season and grill the fish. Mark and I wanted nothing to do with the actual eating of the fish. Ryann, on the other hand, ate every bite.

Ryann presenting her catch

Here is a video of Ryann helping Mark cook her "Adorable" Fish. Ryann's pappy (a skilled fisherman) should be so proud. Heather, you get a shout out as well...funny!

Proud of our Cubbie

2011-06-08T16:29:00.005-05:00

Ryann recently finished her first year of Cubbies with AWANA. She loved it, We loved it..such a great program for kids (and their parents) I loved learning these little verses just as much as she did. Here is our girl at the Awards ceremony with her cute friends from our small group...

Lately-Spring 2011

2011-05-19T16:25:00.014-05:00

1. Spring is upon us! We are drying out and hoping for sunnier skies (knock on wood) this summer. We enjoyed the annual tulip festival immensely as we stood in absolute wonder of God's creation.

2. FAMILY!-We were so blessed beyond words to have so many of our loved ones come see us this Spring.

My sweet sister in law, Conni, and 2 of my nephews, Blake and Will, came to see us in March. We had such a special time! Conni's love for this city has made me love it even more, so grateful for her sweet heart and perspective.

My parents and sister, Sara,came to Seattle to help us celebrate Ryann's 4th Birthday. Ryann requested that everyone dress up for her birthday dinner. Specifically, she wanted my parents to be Barbie and Ken, Mark to be a fireman, and me and Sara to be princesses. She also wanted my brother, Read (who couldn't come), to be an Aggie...which we have laughed so hard about because he is the most loyal Texas Tech Raider fan on this planet.Barbie and Ken?! No Problem...my mom brought costumes, complete with a wig for Ken, and long, luxurious hair extensions for work-out Barbie. #130,289 reason why I LOVE my parents. Sara was such a sweetheart to come as well, using her birthday money for the flight from Ohio. love her!

Mark's parents came to town Easter weekend and we had the best time showing them our new "world." We were blessed with beautiful weather and beautiful company. Come back soon, Lambs!We are so incredibly thankful for you!

We are so happy to have "met" via skype, our newest nephew, Jackson Burks Herrington, born last week. Cannot wait to meet in person, this beautiful, brand new creation. He is precious, and so are his parents.

3. Last week, Mark took Ryann on a daddy/daughter date to see the musical, Mary Poppins. So sweet. I went on daddy/daughter dates with my dad, and those are memories I will always treasure. So fun to have the tradition continue with my family. Mark and Ryann are two goofy peas in a pod...a daddy's girl, no doubt.

4. Ryann started swimming lessons last week. After I took this pic, I asked her why she put her arms up, she replied with exasperation, "Mom,that is what us swimmers do.." Michael Phelps, watch out.

5. #10,234 reason why I love Mark. Last Saturday, Ryann and I went to the store, and when we got back, Mark said he had a surprise for us...he had cleared out all our furniture and pitched our tent in the middle of the room. We loved camping indoors last weekend.

6. Just finished and cried my way through this book...a must-read, for sure.

Great Day for a Wedding....A Royal Wedding!

2011-04-29T17:23:00.003-05:00

Need a new Dose of Perspective

2011-04-28T16:44:00.005-05:00

I think about myself a lot. A whole lot.A whole whole lot. Mark working at a Humanitarian Organization is one of the best things that could have happened to me. Our dinner conversations now often center around what is going on in our world...poverty, seemingly hopeless situations, hopeful hearts. I have learned so much. My eyes have been opened...but, sadly, not completely.
We have been on an emotional journey for the past several months (7 to be exact). This journey will be most certainly blogged about, I just don't have the words...yet...Just know it has been filled with: Ups, Downs, Twists, Turns, a roller coaster. I have been feeling sorry for myself today. Perspective is clouded. It often is.
I was reading Lamentations 3:22-23 today:
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Thank you, Lord. Thank you for loving me, despite my selfish thoughts,selfish perspective, and my,"it's all about me and what I think is best for my family" attitude. My selfish attitude was slammed today as I watched this video about the work that World Concern is doing in Asia in order to prevent the horrors of Human Trafficking. I felt so ashamed about my pity party. We are so blessed. So Blessed. SO SO Blessed. Lord, please be with these precious children.

Mark and I are currently fundraising for World Concern's Free-Them 5K, a race that is raising funds for the prevention of human trafficking of innocent children around our world. If you would like to help, click on the link below.
Free Them 5K Fun Run/Walk May 7, 2011

Rejoice Greatly

2011-04-17T16:52:00.003-05:00

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey" Zechariah 9:9

Reminded today that Palm Sunday was a fufillment of one of the many prophecies surrounding our Messiah. Always amazed at Old Testament Prophecies coming true in the New Testament...

Ryann enjoyed waving her palm branch in the service today. Happy Easter Week!

Ryann's Debut

2011-04-15T16:10:00.007-05:00

This past week, Mark and I experienced a first as parents...a preschool spring musical. Ryann's preschool,Heritage Christian Academy, had their annual spring musical last Tuesday night. The theme was Easter, the t-shirts were bright, the kids sang loudly,enthusiastically,and endearingly off-key, choreography was attempted, parents shot tons of photos, and cookies and punch were served. All in all, a great evening.
A Star is Born. Ryann and one of her preschool friends. Man, I wish Ryann would show some personality;) Ryann's class is the far left of this video. Since we have a tall girl (genes not from me, clearly), she is on the second row, barely to be seen. You can sort of see her green and white bow bobbing up and down. The program had all sorts of Easter songs, but Ryann's all time fave is,"Lord I Lift Your Name on High" She sings this all the time, usually mixing up the words, but always done with gusto...would we expect any less? Here is a portion of Ryann's favorite song:

Since we couldn't see Ryann very well, we asked her to "re-enact" her favorite song in the parking lot...You can see what happens when you don't have your trusty preschool choir behind you

Four.

2011-04-11T16:03:00.009-05:00

Ryann,
I cannot believe you are now four years old. It was quite a big year for you. This past year, you lived in 3 different states, which ultimately resulted in a cross-country move to the rainy, yet beautiful city of Seattle. You took this move in stride and have taught me and your dad a thing or two about accepting change. You, in many ways, have been my teacher this past year and I love you all the more for it.

I love watching you enjoy real preschool for the first time. I love watching you love your teachers and soak in all they have to teach you. I love hearing you talk about all your friends at school, always talking about a different one each day. I love that at a young age, you are extremely inclusive, desiring to play with everyone, not just a few. I love that you love learning Bible verses. I love that at your first parent-teacher conference, the first phrase your teacher used to describe you was that you were always, "friendly and nice to all", a phrase that is far more important than knowing all your letters and numbers in my book.I love that your imagination is vast and creative. I love watching you play. I love playing princess with you. I love that your daddy is always your prince. I love watching you love on your daddy and vice versa, you two are so alike. I love that you are liberal with your "i love yous". I love that you don't see race. I love that that the words "Sri Lanka" and "Kenya" are in your vocabulary. I love that you describe your daddy's job as "helping people", simple and true. I love that your dad and I talk daily about how blessed we are to have you in our lives. I love that you are so extremely funny. I love that during this past year of ups and downs and twists and turns, you have remained constant, a sweet, enchanting constant, that I hold so dear.

I love that the Lord gave me you, and knew way before you were born what your personality would be like at four. I love that He knew that I needed your 4 year old self, more than you'll ever know. I love you, my precious 4 year old. Happy Birthday.

44 Cent Cure Overview

2011-03-29T13:47:00.000-05:00

Here is an Overview of World Concern's 44 cent Cure...check out previous post on the Kid's 44 Cent Cure Children's Project

What can YOU do with 44 Cents?!?

2011-03-26T16:41:00.007-05:00

44 Cents will CURE a child in a developing country. It will also teach a child to love God by serving people. My husband, Mark, is the Ministry Development Coordinator at World Concern and he, my awesome mom, and World Concern have recently developed a curriculum called, “Kids ‘ 44 Cent Cure Children’s Project.” The Kids’ 44 Cent Cure Children’s Project offers children the opportunity to help hundreds or thousands of children around the world by collecting coins. Approximately 40% of the world’s children are affected by intestinal parasites, usually caused by dirty water and poor sanitation. Parasites affect a child’s development and cause hunger, nausea and lack of energy. In about 60,000 severe cases each year, they kill. For a VBS outreach project, Bible clubs, Children’s departments, and Home school projects; the Kids’ 44 Cent Cure Children’s Project gives children an opportunity to make a significant impact through a hands-on experience while teaching them about other children around the world. The 44 Cent Cure Children’s Program includes: · Introductory Video · Age-appropriate lessons · Fun and easy crafts and activities · Spotlight individual children around the world · The opportunity for each group to cure hundreds or thousands of children! BTW, this Curriculum is FREE!!! If you are interested or you think your church might be interested in this curriculum or want more information, Go to: http://www.worldconcern.org/kids44centcure/ If you have any questions or want further information let me know. My email address is :erinmlamb@hotmail.com. Become a fan on facebook by clicking on the facebook badge on the blog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65GvJLwph54

Taste and See

2011-02-24T17:47:00.004-06:00

Every year, World Concern's country directors and other international employees spend two weeks of training at World Concern's home office in Seattle. We have had the utmost pleasure of hosting, Lenard Parejaz, Bolivian's country director during this time. It snowed yesterday and today in Seattle and some of the African team , like Hurun (who works in Sudan), had never seen snow before. I absolutely love the excitement and Joy captured in both of these pictures, taken by one of Mark's coworkers, Derek. It reminds me of Psalms 34:8 :Taste and see that the LORD is good; BLESSED is the man who takes refuge in him. Oh, that I might taste and see the Lord everyday in ALL things...big and small.

Oh Seattle, You so Crazy

2011-02-19T19:42:00.003-06:00

We spent our Saturday in the downtown area with our new friend, Lenard Pareja, who is visiting here from Bolivia. Mark and Lenard were taking pictures of the beautiful scenery, and I couldn't take my eyes off the people feeling the music. Seattle you are nuts, but we absolutely love you.

Our new friend, Lenard

2011-02-19T18:34:00.004-06:00

Our friend, Lenard Pareja is here visiting from Bolivia. He is the World Concern country director of Bolivia and is here in Seattle for the next two weeks for a conference. We have the privilege of him staying with us. What a kind, wise man. We are loving having him here with us.

Do yourself a favor...

2011-02-17T17:05:00.002-06:00

...and read the most recent post on this blog

Verses of the week 2/2/2011, 2/9/2011

2011-02-10T15:43:00.002-06:00

2010

2011-01-17T16:29:00.016-06:00

Our year in review:
January 12, 2010: Mark was already in Chicago. I sat alone in my house, riveted by the images on the television. Tears were streaming down my face as I watched the aftermath of the earthquake that shattered Haiti. I wanted to help so badly. My heart hurt. I wanted to help so badly...I just didn't know how or what... I had seen devastation before, but for some reason this was different for me....a spark was lit....I couldn't get Haiti out of my head and heart.

Feb-March: Enjoying life in Chicago. Great City. Great Food. We ate our way across this city during our short time there. We were there for Mark's Opportunity International internship from the end of Jan-May. It was so good for our family unit. We only had each other.This fact alone caused us to really get to know each other and lean on each other in ways we have never experienced, no distractions. Chicago will always hold a special place in my heart for that reason. We look back on our time there with such fondness.

April: Mark and I flew from Chicago to Seattle for a job interview with World Concern. I remember getting in the car after the interview and just staring at each other, not knowing what to say....the weight and excitement of seriously contemplating a cross country move was so overwhelming that all we could do was stare at each other....Now, they didn't formally offer him the job at this point but alluded to it basically being a done deal.....which had us all up in knots....we took a lot of time that day to pray and talk to family members....which, like the dork I am, took a picture of....because it felt so monumental at the time...Mark is talking to his family in the second picture.

May: Mark graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary. He did a 2 year degree in 1 year and a half and I was very much the proud wife. Mark's time at DTS was such a special time for us, he learned so much....I, subsequently learned so much proofreading all of his papers. It was during his time at DTS our"call" to do ministry was specified to issues of social justice, mainly community development. I was able to audit a class with Mark on Community Development, and man, were my eyes opened on what works, what doesn't...this class and the books we read really solidified in our hearts,after much prayer, that this is what the Lord is going to have us do...Some influential, view altering, life changing books read during this time were When Helping Hurts by Steven Corbett and Brian Fikkert and Walking with the Poor by Bryant Myers

June: We moved across the country. It was hard.July: We went back to one of our favorite spots on this Earth....the little community of Rio Hondo, Guatemala. I am so incredibly happy that we had the chance to go back this year, even after we had moved. The trip was especially special this year because Mark's dad joined us. It was also special because we got to see several of our friends make public displays of their faith by getting baptized in front of family and friends. I love this community so much and a piece of my heart gets left behind there with each trip..

August-September: We celebrated 7 years of Holy Matrimony. This has been the hardest and best year of our marriage thus far. God has made us so incredibly different, but with the same life desire.I love Mark so much more today than I did 7 years ago. I am so proud of him. I love his heart and am so thankful for his logical, eternal perspective when I get so overwhelmed by little things...that in reality, don't matter. During these months we also made a HUGE decision for our family, to pursue something we have dreamed and prayed about for years....details to come about this in the months to come October-November: We took the time to really explore our new city. Having family and friends in town during these months helped us find pride in our city as we searched out scenic spots to take our company. These months meant a lot to me personally as I began to love Seattle....yes, it doesn't have a chick fil a....but it is Beautiful. I really like the people too....everyone has this "come as you are, anything goes" mentality...that is hilarious, and endearing to me at the same time. I love the diversity....I love that you see a multitude of races everywhere you go. December: I loved making paper chains as a kid to rip off and count down the days that lead up to Christmas...I love the anticipation and the giddy excitement of Christmas. As I got older, the anticipation and excitement would dwindle with each passing year. This year it came back! We were so excited and filled with great anticipation for Christmas...because that meant we got to go "home" and celebrate with FAMILY....many of whom we had not seen for 6 whole months. Christmas was indeed special this year as Mark, Ryann, and I got to spend quality time with each member of our family. It was so nice to be around loved ones...it was special, indeed.

January 12, 2011: Mark was already on his way to Kenya. I sat alone in my house, tears streaming down my face, as I sat staring at my computer screen, my heart moved beyond words by the personal stories of hope relayed to World Concern staff that were there for the anniversary of the Haitian earthquake that rocked this little nation one year ago. So much to do...so much to do....but there is HOPE...beauty from ashes....

Little did I know January 12, 2010 that we would both be working at an organization that is so heavily involved with Haiti.....I get chills thinking about God's providence this year.. ..2010, what a hard year, what a needed year....we have come full circle....looking forward to 2011....Lord, please use me.

Blog Book

2011-01-15T16:51:00.003-06:00

Mark's Christmas gift to me this year was a Blog Book.I had seen these before, and I am so happy that he turned my blog into a hard copy that we can keep from years to come.It is vol. one of our family, the first three years of Ryann's life. I love it so much.

This should teach me a lesson...

2011-01-10T14:40:00.003-06:00

Not to leave my laundry on the floor!

Verse of the Week 1/5/2011

2011-01-06T09:04:00.002-06:00

First Video Post- Dancing Machine

2011-01-03T20:15:00.003-06:00

We got a Flip for Christmas....which means more videos to come!

The Jesse Tree

2010-12-29T18:31:00.010-06:00

Why it is called "The Jesse Tree"
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit, And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11:1-2

The Jesse Tree is my favorite thing we do as a family. Last Fall, my mom gave me this tree and all of the ornaments (most of them, she made) as a gift. Each ornament is wrapped and has a number on the front of the package. Each ornament corresponds with a daily devo tion we do as a family in order to prepare our hearts for Christmas. The ornaments take us on a journey through the Bible, highlighting key
figures, events, ultimately resulting in the grand finale, the Incarnation of Christ. We did this last year with Ryann as a two year old. She enjoyed it, and loved opening the ornament each night. This year, however, was incredible, as Mark and I watched her begin to understand the significance of each ornament. I know it will get better with each year. This is an incredible tool for families during the season of Advent. You can google "jesse tree" and lots of information (including daily devotions for children) comes up. The Jesse Tree devotions go from November 29-December 25.

The Jesse Tree Box, filled with daily presents for Ryann to open as we participate in Advent...leading up to the celebration of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mark and Ryann, ready to start the night's devotion

For example, Day 20 was the story of Daniel. We read Daniel 6 and then talked about how Daniel worshipped God even though it might cost him everything,even his own life. Ryann opend the package marked 20 and pulled out a lion ornament, representing Daniel's courage and loyalty to the one true God.

Ryann putting the Lion ornament (from the story of Daniel) on the Jesse Tree

Almost Complete Jesse Tree

Christmas was so Fun with Ryann this year....3 is really a great age.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-29T17:49:00.005-06:00

Thanksgiving was very special this year. My whole family flew in from Dallas and Dayton, Ohio to have Thanksgiving with us in Seattle. What a Blessing! We had such a great time showing them "our new world" here in the Northwest. Some highlights included: cooking Thanksgiving sides with my sister, Pike Place Market, seeing Tangled, visiting Santa at Pike Place Market, and the Seattle Half Marathon.

Some pictures of our Thanksgiving weekend:
We ate at The Pink Door, so far our favorite restaurant near the Market...so good!

Pictures of the family taken at the Olympic Sculpture Garden

The weekend ended with the Seattle Half-Marathon. Mark, Read, and myself ran it and had a great time. The scenery was much prettier than last year's White Rock, but I thought the Seattle Half was much harder....lots of hills!! My legs were sooo tired afterwards. Mark and Read were very patient with me and my slow pace.

Beyond the numbers..

2010-12-01T16:50:00.004-06:00

It is World AIDS day. If you get a chance, please read this blog post from World Concern. My world is so very small. Until recent years, I never thought about AIDS. Or if I did, it was fleeting, a twinge of sadness. I am learning more and more about it, and my heart hurts...So today, please be in prayer for those with AIDS/HIV or those orphaned by the disease. Beyond the numbers and stats, these are people...sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, loved...

Fall Happenings

2010-11-23T22:39:00.023-06:00

So Far, This Fall Season Included...
The Celebration of the Upcoming Arrival of a Precious Baby Boy...

Family Came to Town...

A Hard,Extremely Powerful Book was Finally Finished...

And Mark went to Sri Lanka for a few weeks...

More Details and Pics...
The Stars at Night are Big and Bright (clap clap clapclap).....I got to go back to Texas for a Glorious 36 hours a few weeks ago to celebrate the coming of my 4th nephew (not blood related, but practically). My Beautiful Best Friend, Heather flew me in for her baby shower...yes that's right, HER baby shower and flew ME in...that's the kind of gal she is...LOVE her dearly and so incredibly Blessed to have had the opportunity to Celebrate Her and Yet to be named...baby boy Fuentes. In that 36 hours 4 Sonic drinks (in *gasp...styrofoam cups)were consumed, On the Border was enjoyed, as well as the best meal known to man, Babe's Chicken House. After all these delicious meals,This Roly Poly Texan was satisfied....until Christmas.

FBA, All the Way!

Gifts!!

Beautiful Bellies of Baby BOYS

Beautiful sisters

The icing on the cake of this 36 hours was that I got to meet my nephew Will, beautiful son of Scot (Mark's Brother) and Conni Lamb...I loved getting to see him...

And My Inlaws, the lovely Lamb ladies

And my Best Friends

And my mommy

We were so blessed to have Sarah and John come visit us in October. A good time was had by all, and it was extra fun because they were here on Halloween and got to particpate in all the festivities. Come back soon, Herringtons....please.
Ryann wanted to be Minnie Mouse this year...

We are goofy, it's true.

Ryann loves her beautiful princess Aunt Sarah and Uncle John

we went trick or treating in dowtown Edmonds, good times.

We went up the Space Needle, Ryann was a fan.

We had one BEAUTIFUL day,love this one of them...

We browsed the Market

We ate lots of yummy seafood

Inspiring Faith: The Audrey Edition

2010-11-11T15:10:00.008-06:00

Below you will find a blog post written by one of my former students at Woodrow Wilson High School. Her name is Audrey Spurgin. She is awesome.I know the Lord is using her in mighty, mighty ways. She is with a team from Adventures in Missions that is living in India right now ministering to young women, many of whom, are coming out of or are in the midst of such dire circumstances, my brain cannot even fathom.Oh yeah, Audrey is 19 years old. Yep, 19. Inspiring Faith? YES, i believe so. This post touched me so much yesterday, I HAD to share it with you.

For You are My Beloved: originally posted on india.adventures.org by Audrey Spurgin on 11/6/2010

"I wish that I could explain in more than just words how beautiful she is.

I wish that I could scream to her just how much she is loved.

She is worthy, she is WORTH it.

That all her troubles, all of her hardships, all of the issues and problems that never seem to go away are only shaping her to who she is meant to be, and that her life has VALUE.I wish that I could tell her that even though her dad abandoned her, and her mom died, that she is worthy of a family, of a people, that love her.

I pray that she knows just how wide, how deep and how GOOD His love really is. That she can pray all she wants, everyday, in pure dedication, begging to the gods that it wasn't her mom's time to go, that if her mom is not here with her that her life is not worth living. But in the end, all the prayers, blessings, and yearning are nothing but pure air.I want her to know. I want her to know a love that is bigger and better than air, better than life, better than anything that can be described, understood, or even fathomed.

Her name is four beautiful letters. She has a HUGE personality! I mean this girl can put on a show. She is always the loudest, always ready to make a comment. She is outspoken, stubborn, joyful, relational, giving, loyal, a friend, and more than I could ask for. She and I are similar, very similar, (and no, this story won't end with me describing me).

But her story breaks my heart. She has captivated a piece of my heart. She intrigues me, because every time that we sent down to talk, she is intentional. She lets a little bit more of who she is, and part of her story into my life.

So day two of working with these girls, she taught me an Indian dance. This is not exactly a traditional dance, this is like a "I am a 19 year old girl in a Bollywood film" kind of dance. We were laughing and joking around and we were constantly laughing at each other. From this point on, we have been inseparable. This girl has a big attitude, but a lot of love to give. This is what makes her so special to me. She is a fighter, a girl with a dream, a vision. This girl has heart. There are few things that can stand in her way. She has her mind set. She, to me, just keeps going.

About 10 years ago her mom died. Her dad got re-married to another woman and left her alone. Her stepmom didn't want to take care of her, and since she was an only child, it was easier for her dad to just pick up and leave. Since this day, they have not seen each other, or even talked.

She was rejected. Left alone. So she moved in with her auntie and uncle. She has her own room. She is literally on her own. Cooks, cleans, works, everything she must do and provide for herself. She calls herself a burden.

She works at this place called the Soda Shop (which is well known in the area). Works twice a day, except Monday is her holiday. So as she begins to tell me all these things, it seems as though there is something more. Something that she is leaving out.

She walked into stitching class one day and something was off. Something wasn't right. I knew it from the moment that she walked in. Our normal greeting is me yelling her name and her running over to me with a huge smile on her face and she shakes my hand (I always go for the hug, but that never happens in India, so we are working on it). Then we sit next to each other in the circle and instantly start talking about anything of interest that day.

But this day was different. This day she was quiet. She walked in blank stare, sat down, and for a good 10 minutes she said nothing. Nothing. So I walked over to her and sat behind her. I began to ask her about her day and she ignored me. When I finally got a word out of her, she said, "I'm fine teacher, I don't want to talk." So I just sat there in confusion. I began to pray and just ask the Holy Spirit. I asked because I didn't know what else to do.

She began speaking really quickly in Hindi to the stitching teacher, and I kept going back and forth trying to pick up anything that I could in facial expressions to understand the conversation. All I got was that something was terribly wrong. The wind blew from outside and all the sudden the smell of kerosene took over.

That was it. Kerosene.

Kerosene is a big thing here when people try to commit suicide. Suicide, especially in girls here, is incredibly high. At least the attempt. Girls here are viewed as worthless, a burden. Nothing more than a money sucker to the family. Dowry, school, food, clothes, etc. Especially to the lower class.

So the teacher began to tell me what was wrong. I sat right next to her, holding her hand.

That morning she had covered herself in 7 liters of kerosene in attempt to burn herself. That morning her auntie and uncle were fighting more than normal. So she asked why it was so bad today, and they looked at her and said the reason that they were fighting, the reason that they even started fighting from the beginning was because of her. She had become a burden. They didn't ask for her. They just ended up with her, and now she is becoming a problem in their family. They just think it would be better if she wasn't here.

The teacher then explained that her neighbor has smelled the kerosene and ran in to see what was wrong. She found her standing in her room searching for a match. The neighbor took buckets of water and made her completely wash it off. She then just went on about her day.

So we pulled her aside, and began to just ask some more questions and just speak truth to her, allowing the Holy Spirit to connect us with her. She just looked right at me and said, "It would just be better if I wasn't here. I pray all the time to the gods, even your God, asking them why they took my mom away. I don't want to be here without her. It would be better if I wasn't here, because I want to be with her. They never answer. Everyday I go and ask the same questions, and they never answer. Nothing."

I began to ask her questions about her mommy, and what things she would do to remember her. She said that in her room she has a picture of her that is decorated and covered in flowers (which is a sign of blessing here) and she prays and talks to her everyday. She tells her things, but mostly asks why she left her alone.

So we prayed for her and talked some more just about life and how God knows what is best, even when we question Him all the time, above all His plan is perfect. We shared some stories about our own personal lives that just let her know that she was not intended to be alone in this, which is what is so beautiful about community!

I learn more and more about her everyday. The more that I learn, the more that we talk, the more that she trusts me. She asks for me when I am not there, I ask for her when she isn't there. She has become a best friend. She has become someone that I learn from, am challenged by, and that loves me well.

We have started this thing where in her journal that I teach her English in and she teaches me Hindi, we write encouraging notes back and forth for random surprises, and we always end with I love you.

It is a beautiful picture of how the Lord is chasing and seeking each of us. I wish that I could type about her for hours, and compare it to how the Lord is so perfect in each of our lives. How He is the one who allows moments like these of wanting and longing for people to just simply love. He has made her perfect. He has made her beautiful. And not only does He love her, but He loves her even when she can't love herself. I can't begin to know or understand it all. I can't begin to explain to her this world. I can't even explain to her how God works, because she has 330 million other gods that she could go to for answers.

But what I know is that she is His beloved. I know that even though she can't see Him as the one whom the love comes from, He uses each of us to share a love that is Him, that His love is an overflow in us. She may not know or understand, she may never really see a one true God. But because He is LOVE, she will experience a love like none other through His people; she will see a love that never fails. She is His favorite one. "

I alone will satisfy you.

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7

Nothing says, "I Love You " Like a Goat

2010-11-09T15:52:00.015-06:00

Mark and his friend, "Hoppy"

A Sri Lankan young woman Mark met last month posing with her goat that was given to her through World Concern's Global Gift Guide

Matthew 25:35-40 (New International Version)
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

About to do some Shameless Promotion of World Concern's Global Gift Guide.. I am indeed fully Shameless because this is fully Awesome. If you go to the website, worldconcern.org/ggg you will see a catalogue FULL of items in every price range that help others around our world in need. There are a plethora of items to choose from such as: goats, pigs, chicks, help for AIDS orphans, a fish pond,school uniforms, hearing aids, schooling needs, water wells, a solar cooker, medical care, a latrine, birthing training....and the list goes on and on and on....The possibiities on how you can help are endless..
So instead of giving your Aunt Nancy the same lotion for Christmas that you give her every year, why don't you give a goat to a Hatian, in Nancy's name.
This is also a great opportunity for a family, a group of friends, a home group/community group etc. to get together and give as a group to someone in need, that would be a great service project this Christmas season. If you have any questions or want more information, please let me know. Yes, this is truly the Christmas gift that keeps on giving, and that is something I LOVE talking about:)

Weekend with the Woods

2010-10-21T23:18:00.011-05:00

We Love you Angie, Matt, Barrett, and little Baby Wood coming in March!

Our dear friends, The Woods, came in for the weekend 2 weeks ago. They were our very first house guests and we LOVED having them here. I cannot tell you how much it meant to us to have people actually fly out to see us. We are so grateful for their friendship and so enjoyed showing them our new world.
Sadly, the weather did not cooperate and it rained or was gray almost the whole time, but at least it was an accurate portrayal of the weather here. When sunny and clear, Seattle really is one of the prettiest places I have ever seen. Sad they didn't get to witness that....oh well, that means that they have to come back:)We had a wonderful time, showing them Seattle, watching our kids play, watching our favorite show, and enjoying sweet friendship.

Upon their arrival, Ryann and I took them down to Pike's Place Market. I like to go there on Saturday because everyone and everything is just so crazy. This Saturday did not disappoint...there was a protest parade...good times

On Sunday, we went down to the Seattle Aquarium.We saw seals (my favorite PNW sight),Ryann got her face painted, and Barrett was in love with listening to whale sounds..A great time was had by all

After the aquarium, we went to the Olympic Sculpture Park to get some good pics of the city

Aww, Prince Barrett, such a good sport

Of course, the sun would come out right before they had to leave:( We made the most of it though, and went down to Edmonds beach, one of our favorite spots

Lately...

2010-10-02T22:28:00.018-05:00

Fall is here...which makes me happy. Fall is my favorite season. October is my favorite month. Bring on the chili, football games, pumpkin candles, Fall festivals, cute costumes, nutmeg and cinnamon...I am ready!
The beginning of Fall has been quite busy around here. Ryann started school, I started my part-time job, we are joining a church, Mark is working hard, we are preparing for some Fall visitors...so beyond excited about that last one!! Here are some pictures from events that have happened already this Fall season...

The "channeling a hippie and wearing a headband around your head instead of on top of your head trend" is alive and well here in Seattle. I actually wish I could pull this trend off without looking like I was trying too hard...but I haven't tried...yet. Ryann, on the other hand, prefers to wear her headbands this way.

The Hunger Challenge ended, and this picture is of what we had left at the end of the week...Yes, that's right, we had food left. An eye opening experience for sure...to read more of our thoughts on this and what it meant to us, click here

Football Season is upon us, Go Aggies!

I love the Texas State Fair. I am actually borderline obsessed with it and get so excited about going every year. I haven't missed a Texas State Fair in 30 years....until this one. (Cue the violin music)
However, I have an awesome husband, and he took us all to the Puyallup Fair about an hour south of where we live. It didn't disappoint. It was a great fair...we all thought so, and that is saying a lot...being that we are self-admitted fair snobs. I left my camera in the car by accident, but did snap this pic of Ryann with her face painted after we left. It is a pink, sparkly pony...and Ryann was so sad when bath time came that evening.

Stop the Press...We went out on a Date....Say What? Yes, it's true...and we even got a babysitter. We went out to celebrate our anniversary...this was the first night out just us since we have moved....and we had a wonderful time.
Being the classy couple we are, we opted for a more casual faire...and it was opening day of the Five Guys Burgers and Fries around the corner from our town house.I love the excitement of going places on opening day, love the enthusiasm of crazies, and even love the lines.This opening day didn't disappoint. People were sure excited about some burgers. The close proximity of this restaurant is very dangerous...best burgers ever!

After dinner, we went to the mall to get dessert:
Mark with his favorite, Mrs. Fields cookies

Me with my favorite...Red Mango frozen yogurt..mmmmmmm

Ryann and her fist non-family babysitter,the Fabulous Kaylee. When we got home, Ryann had sparkly, pink fingernails...a mark of a good evening!

Last weekend, we took a ferry over to Bainbridge Island to "run" a 5K that benefited an org. that deals with the prevention of human trafficking in the Seattle area. Great Cause, Great Weather, and we all felt Great...until the jogging stroller got a flat tire. Poor Mark had to carry Ryann on his back for most of the way..so our run quickly became a walk. Oh well. I love this island so much. The homes were so beautiful and the scenery was just breathtaking.

In love with Bainbridge Island!

We put back on the calories we burned at the 5K and then some...with this delicious fish and chips basket.We ate at a cute little cafe on the water after the race. There is no doubt that this part of the country knows their seafood...even if we prefer the fattening fried stuff...it sure is fresh.

Ryann started AWANA last week at the church we are joining (which btw, we LOVE, which is such an answer to prayer).She is a cute Cubbie and loved it. I think she mainly loved wearing her vest, which she called a "beautiful costume"...hmmm. Looking forward to learning Bible verses with her.

Here's to You, Seventh year of Holy Matrimony!

2010-09-20T16:29:00.005-05:00

Oh 7th year of marriage, you have brought the hammer...smashing all that was comfortable. I say this like it was a bad thing, I mean totally the contrary. This past year of our marriage has been hard, full of change, uprooting us from all that was familiar...BUT, I wouldn't change a thing! It was all needed and I am so incredibly blessed to have Mark by my side as my partner through it all.

Our 7th year of marriage can best be described as:
direction seeking, seminary finishing, internship accepting, GOD PROVIDING, Chicago moving, bitter cold weather experiencing, real pizza eating, Ferris Bueller re-enacting, snow playing, church fellowshipping, Midwest loving, Ryann potty training, direction seeking, job interviewing, hopes rising, hopes crashing, direction seeking, Seattle travelling, job interviewing, GOD PROVIDING, job accepting, World Concerning, house packing, stress rising, renter seeking, Mark graduating, GOD PROVIDING, renter finding, Seattle residence seeking, GOD PROVIDING, townhouse accepting, truck packing, friends goodbye-ing, erin crying, family goodbye-ing, erin really crying, cross-country travelling, sight seeing, Seattle landing, erin crying, GOD PROVIDING, Mark caring, job starting, job exciting, lonely feeling, erin crying,Guatemala travelling, part time job seeking, GOD PROVIDING, pre-school starting, teacher loving, Ryann smiling, new-church looking, Ryann loving, Faith growing, Mark travelling, lonely feeling,GOD PROVIDING, HUGE decision making, research seeking, process starting, HOPE exploding, hard reading, marriage growing, JESUS DEPENDING, Texas Missing, Chick fil A missing, Beautiful Nature Surrounding, Water Loving, Chai drinking, Sun appreciating, GOD PROVIDING, Jesus Comforting.

Without a doubt, God has indeed Provided for us this past year in ways we would have never expected...Looking forward with great expectation for Year 8.

September 20, 2003

Baby Mark and Baby Erin, circa 2001...probably at a Theta Date Party, not sure. We look so young!!!

Global Hunger Challenge

2010-09-17T19:15:00.007-05:00

Our groceries for the week....will they last us?! We shall see...stay tuned.

Mark and I started the Global Hunger Challenge today. This challege was issued by the organization,InterAction. World Concern is a member of InterAction. The reason why Mark and I and other World Concern staff are participating is pretty much summarized by this statement on the InterAction website:
"In an expression of solidarity with people throughout the world who struggle with food insecurity, participants representing 39 organizations will live on a food budget of $34.33* during the week of Sept 17-24. This amount— equivalent to the average weekly amount a local Haitian is able to spend on food—will require some sacrifice.
Our community comes together in this challenge to in a small way show our commitment to those whom we work to help every day."
full article seen here

Mark and I planned out our week long menu and shopped for all of our food on Wednesday. We were surprised about the amount of food we could get for this amount mainly because we have found Seattle grocery stores to be more expensive on the whole than Dallas. However, as I am writing this, I am hungry. really hungry. The can of tuna salad, half a banana, and five crackers I had for lunch left me wanting. However, hungry, I am left thankful. really thankful....which is the point. To see some more about our shopping trip, how we are "mixing it up" with other sources of food besides groceries, etc, click here

Inspiring Faith: The Christi and Bryan edition

2010-09-10T16:55:00.011-05:00

John 4:34-38
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

I have been so incredibly inspired by so many people lately. People that are intentionally and purposely acting out their Faith by doing what the world would call, "Hard" things. People I know really well to people I don't know at all have encouraged me to no end to be more Bold, to be more Active, to be MORE. I hope to blog more about these people and today I thought it was fitting to blog about one of the most inspiring people I have the privilege to know and know well...One of my dearest friends boarded a plane bound for Honduras this morning with her husband and daughter. Christi, Bryan, and Greta Wiehoff are traveling to Siguatepepque, Hondouras TODAY to be full-time CAM missionaries.They have huge hearts for evangelism and their vision includes the training of pastors and church leaders in Honduras. Ever since I met Christi (at the end of 6th grade--GO SAINTS!), I thought she was different..in a good way. She was so incredibly special and unique, what junior high girl had a heart for missions and other cultures?!?! She truly did. Even then, she was so "others" focused.Christi has a passion for people and an even greater passion for Christ and His kingdom. She has never met a stranger and has the gift of getting to truly know people.In addition to being friends throughout jr. high and high school,I had the privilege of living with her all 4 years of college.She is so very special to me. It is so neat to see how God orchestrates our lives in order to bring us spouses that share our visions. Christi and Bryan both have huge hearts for the advancement of the Gospel and I know The Lord is going to do mighty mighty things with these 3 Wiehoffs. Christi has wanted to be a missionary ever since I have known her, and today she is doing it. I cannot express how incredible this is...to see one of your best friends actually live out her life-long dream, what a gift. Christi and Bryan, thank you for inspiring me and all those around you. I cannot wait to see what the Lord is going to do with your Inspiring Faithfulness. Check them out here or click on The Wiehoffs on my link list

Christi and her beautiful daughter, Greta

Christi and Bryan and our friend Jake

My friend and more importantly, sister in Christ.

So in honor of Christi, I leave you with my favorite scene of one of her favorite movies, The Mission. If you have not seen this movie, you really should. It is one of the most powerful films I have ever seen. To set this clip up, this is Father Gabriel, trying to regain entry and minister to a tribe, who has recently killed his friend, a fellow missionary. Inspiring Faith? I think Yes!

Welcome to the world, William!

2010-09-09T20:54:00.008-05:00

Mark's brother Scot and his beautiful wife, Conni.

I became an aunt for the 4th time early Tuesday morning. William (Will) Leonard Lamb came into this world September 7. I absolutely hated missing this!Although we were not physically there, we were definitely there in spirit and I stalked facebook profiles all the next day to see all the pictures I could of this precious baby boy. He is so incredibly handsome.I love him so much and I absolutely cannot wait to hold him in December. Scot, Conni, Scot, Blake, and Angie, we could not be more happier for your family.Congratulations!

Thank God for Skype. Mark and I enjoyed officially "meeting" Will last night via Skype. It was so fun to see him and hear his cute little newborn noises. It was also fun to chat with his mom and dad too;) I love this picture, can you spot excited Aunt Sarah and Uncle John in the background?

Precious Will.

Proud Grandparents and their grandchildren...the only thing missing from this picture is Ryann Cate

I bought this adorable "alternative" onesie for Will yesterday at Baby Gap. LOVE it. Little boy clothes are so cute!!

First Day of Preschool

2010-09-02T13:52:00.003-05:00

Ryann started preschool today! She is going to Heritage Christian Academy Preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30-11:00am. Today was just orientation day, so parents went with their children. We both had a great time. Ryann's teacher, Mrs. Sargent, has been doing this a long time and she is Fantastic! At one point, all the kids were quiet, and Ryann blurted out, "Mrs. Sargent, you are my best friend, I love you so much!" Can you say, teacher's pet?!? All that to say, Ryann is excited about starting school!

Ryann and her teacher, Mrs. Sargent

Sweet Friends

2010-08-30T16:36:00.003-05:00

2 out of my 3 college roomates have visted us in Seattle in the last couple of weeks...such a Blessing. Erin and Nick Baird had a conference here a couple of weeks ago and we got to meet them during some of their free time for dinner. We had a such a great time with them!! Lesley had a trip planned here with one of her girlfriends and once she learned that we were moving here she extended her trip so we got to spend some sweet time with her all day yesterday. I loved college so much and these two were a HUGE part of my college experience...what fun we had...love them both so very much.

Lesley Roberts

Erin and Nick Baird

Employed.

2010-08-25T19:07:00.007-05:00

Starting the week of Labor Day, I will have a (very) part time job with World Concern. Some things needed to happen after our travels this Summer, and a part-time job was one of them. I didn't know even where to look being that this job needed to be mostly at home. The task of finding this sounded impossible...and then this job came up.My job will be a prayer caller. I will call donors and ask how World Concern can pray for them. How awesome is that?!? Awesome in the fact that World Concern actually prays specifically for their donors and Awesome that I get the honor of asking how they can pray.I am so humbled and Amazed how the Lord answers prayer,even in the little things...like finding 12 hours of work a week.

** this pic will definitely not be a fb profile pic;) not the best!

Enjoying the Sights of Seattle

2010-08-22T22:17:00.010-05:00

If you look closely under "King Salmon", you can see a fish mid-air

We had some touristy Seattle fun this weekend.We started our Saturday with a picnic by Pike's Place Market. We went to Beecher's Handmade Cheese, ordered delicious mac and cheese and ate it overlooking the water.

After our picnic, we went down into the market. Our favorite spots are the flower aisle and the fish throwers. Such a fun tourist spot that attracts all kinds. Speaking of all kinds, a guy walked by the other day with a mohawk about a foot and a half high...and Ryann exclaimed (a little too loudly), "Look, mommy, he looks like a dinosaur!!" (Yes, Ryann, he did)

We enjoyed our Sunday evening tradition of watching the cruise ships go through the sound on their way to Alaska. It was 61 degrees (sorry, Texas friends), but that did not stop Ryann from getting very wet. She loves playing in the water!

Just the Girls!

2010-08-15T18:25:00.010-05:00

Mark embraced his outdoorsy side and has been on a backpacking trip for the last 4 days with the men's ministry of the church we have been visiting. 4 days of absolutely NO communication!! He is on his way home now, and I can't wait to hear about it.

Although Mark was missed terribly, I got to hang out all weekend with this cutie! We had a lot of fun being "just the girls" ( a phrase Ryann used all weekend, so cute)

On Thursday, we met up with Liesel and Moses for some Sonic and playtime, good times were had by all...

Especially love this one of Moses, my kind of guy!

We enjoyed going to Marina Beach Park in Edmonds both Friday and Saturday

Ryann LOVES the Beach, especially collecting "beeeeeauuuutiful treasures"
(aka shells)

Getting ready for Project Runway, Season 47

World Concern-video from Chad

2010-08-13T16:38:00.002-05:00

What World Concern is currently doing in Chad. Love it.

Sweet Beats

2010-08-09T15:56:00.003-05:00

It's that time again....I can't believe I am doing this to myself again, but Mark, my brother Read,and I are running the Seattle Half-Marathon the Sunday after Thanksgiving.Training starts very very soon. Blog World, I need your help....What are your favorite running tunes?!??! Looking for some sweet beats to inspire my tired feet. I have exhausted all of my running playlists and need some more tunes...

Perks of the Pacific Northwest

2010-08-06T19:40:00.009-05:00

Moving across the country is hard. Leaving all family and friends is sad. Establishing an everyday "life" routine in a new place is uncomfortable and sometimes downright depressing. Going all day without having contact with anyone that knows you is lonely. BUT....Having an All-powerful, All-knowing, All-present Lord that knows how to specifically comfort all of these feelings is INCREDIBLE. I was having a down day the other day and remembered the song...Count your Blessings one by one...Count your Blessings see what God has done...which led me to write down all the Perks of our move...and there are many more than the 4 listed here. We are truly Blessed.

1.SERVING TOGETHER: In Dallas, Mark and I went in our separate directions as far as weekly ministry was concerned. I was involved at the pregnancy center and Mark was involved with outreach ministries at our church. While it was nice to each serve in ministries we were very passionate about, I often hoped we would someday serve together. Well, we now have our chance.Here are some pictures of us packing Healing kits for Haiti with World Concern...

2. NEW EXPERIENCES: I think Seattle is funky because it has so many activities that are totally regional.A couple of weekends ago, we went to Ballard Locks to watch the Salmon run...very cool.

3.LIESEL!: My dear friend, Liesel,her husband, Jeremy, and her sweet toddler, Moses, live in Vancouver, BC, which is not that far away. Last week, we met at a mid-point Sonic (which was exciting in itself because Seattle has no Sonic..nor Chick fil a for that matter...such a tragegdy)We have not lived this close since high school. What an incredible God-send Liesel is. It is so comforting to have a friend that really loves and knows you just about two hours away

4. The BEACH!: We live about 5 miles from the beach. Granted, it is probably too cold to swim, but we have enjoyed it just the same. So beautiful!

Guatemala 2010

2010-07-30T17:14:00.009-05:00

This is the letter Mark and I sent out to the supporters of our trip. It gives some details into our week with our Guatemalan friends..It truly was a wonderful week, it always is. We feel so blessed that we were able to go this year.

Mark and I would like to extend a big, “Gracias” to all of you for your prayers and financial support of our Guatemala trip. Every year, we are amazed and humbled by God’s provision for us to go on this trip. With us living in three states in the past six months, we were not sure we would be able to go on the trip. Thankfully to all of you, our trip was possible. We are so incredibly grateful to you. Thank You.
This year’s Guatemala trip was so very special. My father in law, Bill Lamb, came with us this year. When the trip was nearing its end, I asked him if he thought the trip was fun. He answered me by saying, “I wouldn’t call this fun per say, I think rewarding would be a better way to describe it.” Perfectly said.
This trip always reinforces in my mind, how many things I take for granted: from hot showers and comfortable pillows to a loving and supportive family and my relationship with Jesus Christ. In this community, it is counted a major cost to follow Christ. Many young people do not come to the Bible Studies out of fear of what their families and friends will say or do to them. The youth that come to OANSA have a Faith that is so incredibly inspiring. Their faith also left me quite humbled; I need more of that kind of “all-in” faith in my own life.
Powerful Displays of the Love and Grace of Christ this week:
• The first full day we were there, we had the privilege of witnessing several children/teens get baptized. These were all kids we have known and loved over the years. Through OANSA (Spanish version of the Bible Study program, AWANA), they have learned what it means to be a follower of Christ and wanted to show their Faith through baptism. With tears streaming down my face, I watched these kids “announce” to their community that they were not ashamed of the Gospel.

Kevin, age 15. Kevin’s family is opposed to his Faith in Christ.

• Our missionary contact in this community is Julio Garcia. It is truly amazing to see all that he does and the love that he has for this community. His idea of a thrice weekly food kitchen for the poorest of the poor has come into fruition and is now entering its second year of operation. Three times a week, children now know they are going to get fed nutritious foods. The best thing about Julio is that he always lets these kids and their families know that physical food is needed, but through Jesus Christ we can be eternally fed.

Sweet Children enjoying their lunch

• During the day camp activities, Mark and I worked with the teenagers. They have changed so very much over the years. If we had tried to have a devotion with them five years ago, it would have been such a chore just to get them all seated. Not only did they all sit down for the devotion, but they all listened with great interest to Julio as he shared with them about Christ. Their transformation has been so great over the past few years that it can only be attributed to Christ.

Jose. age 19, looking through a Bible

All in all, it was a fantastic trip. We truly feel blessed to have had the opportunity to worship alongside our brothers and sisters in Rio Hondo, Guatemala. We look different, have different occupations, have different dwellings, have different goals, have different lives; but for many of them, our foundation (the only thing that really matters) is the same: Christ and His gift of salvation. Thank you for your gift to us.
Much Love to All of you,
Mark and Erin Lamb

The Lambs with the Diaz family- They recently just lost their house and ALL of their possessions in the recent flood that affected many of the poorest of the poor who live in this region. When asked about the flood, Gabbi (age 22), responded, “We are grateful to God for our lives.”

Summertime!!

2010-07-25T16:01:00.009-05:00

I love Summer. Everything about it. Summer looks a little different up here. For example, the days are endless (it really doesn't get dark here until 10/10:30pm and the sun is out fully by 5:30/6 am--this has to be the weirdest thing we have had to get used to). The temperature also is quite different. The music minister this morning opened the service by exclaiming how hot it was. Mark and I just looked at each other. This is NOT hot, we know hot. Our car said it was 75 degrees. It truly is beautiful.Looking at mountains on our way to church this morning, I marveled at God's creation. I think I will like Seattle's version of Summer:) I know I love Texas Summer; Ryann and I got to enjoy some summertime fun with my family in Dallas as well as Junction. Here are some pics of our time there, with some May pictures as well.

Summertime fun with my family: Ryann enjoyed making crafts with Lulu, celebrating the 4th in Junction, and playing in the pool in Dallas.
Some pictures of our time in Texas

Some MAY 2010 flashbacks:
Mark graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary in May.

My brother in law, Jason, also graduated in May from Truett Seminary. Next stop for the Hentschels is Dayton, Ohio. They leave next week for University of Dayton, where Jason will be pursuing his PHD for the next 5 years.Congratulations, Jason!

At the end of May we celebrated Erin and Annie turning 30, such Fun

Cloudcroft Family Reunion

2010-07-22T17:07:00.008-05:00

Before I left for Guatemala, Ryann and I went with my parents and sister to a family reunion for my mom's side of the family in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. I love Cloudcroft so much, brings back so many good childhood memories:) We had a lot of fun with all of our cousins at the campground (our family didn't camp, but many of our relatvies did). Made me really really wish my grandmother didn't have Alzeimers and was able to be there to enjoy her siblings and their families, she would have had so much fun.
FUN Family Pics

S'MORES!

One of my favorite pictures: My great aunt (in upper 90s) and her great grand daughter, Elizabeth, making silly faces for the camera. So Cute.

Family Group Pic

What are y'all doing up there?

2010-07-21T16:44:00.004-05:00

We have been so very busy the last few weeks! Three weeks after we moved up here, Ryann and I went back to Dallas, then New Mexico, and then Mark joined me for our annual Guatemala trip (blogs about all of these trips will hopefully happen soon).My little family unit is back in Seattle now until *gulp* Christmas, which is actually a good thing for our acclimation (although, hard)One of the most often asked questions of me is," Now, why and what are y'all doing up there?" Well, the why, is easy...we feel like God put us here at this time in our lives. The What is being learned right now. Mark is working so very hard learning this new job at World Concern. So far, he has loved it, which is so great to have a husband that loves his job. I am so proud of him and his leadership of our family (although I don't say it near enough)What we both love is World Concern's Mission statement which is seen here:

Road Trip to Our Next Chapter

2010-06-19T22:03:00.015-05:00

"Go west young man"(back up: go west young man) "Go west young man, and let the evil go east"...How many of you remember this early 90s super-cheesy, contemporary Christian song? We definitely went about as far west as you can go 3 weeks ago. What a road trip. 4 days of non stop driving led to our new home and new ministry in the Seattle area. It was a long trip, but a beautiful one. How one could drive through Wyoming and Montana and doubt that there is a God is beyond me. I truly marveled at His creation for the duration of this trip. Absolutely Beautiful.
Beforehand, I was really nervous Ryann was going to look like this for most of the trip...
BUT, most of the time she looked like this. Ryann really was happy for most of the trip, Praise the Lord. I am so thankful to God for this gift, which it was truly a gift from God to have a happy toddler on a 4 day cross-country road trip.

we stayed in the teeny tiny town of Wakeeny, Kansas our first night on the road

The second day was a long one, almost 13 hours across Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming. We stayed the second night in Buffalo, Wyoming. Ryann enjoyed stretching her legs, as seen in these pictures...

The third day was long as well and had us covering Montana and some of Idaho.The third night we stayed in beautiful Coure D'Alene, Idaho. My parents love this place,and we definitely did too. Breathtakingly beautiful. We got up early the next morning and enjoyed a scenic hike and delicious lunch. With this place being only 5 hours away from Seattle, we will definitely be back for vacation in the future. After our hike and lunch, we finished our trek and arrived at our new home, a townhouse in Lynnwood, WA ( about 20 miles due north of downtown Seattle).

This is Mark's sister,Sarah Herrington. She sacrificed some of her vacation days to help us with the move. She helped us so very much with Ryann, with driving, and with providing fun conversation on those long 12 hour days. Sarah, we love you so much and are so appreciative of your selfless, huge, heart. Thank you so much for your company. You are a special one...

We are here?

2010-06-15T20:54:00.005-05:00

Said with a question mark, because it doesn't feel real yet. After a 4 day cross-country road trip, we are officially in the Seattle area. Stay tuned for pictures of our road trip...Meanwhile,

I need to be unpacking ALL of this....

BUT, we are too Busy making bubble wrap princess costumes....

Seattle, Here we Come!

2010-05-07T12:56:00.002-05:00

It's official....we will be residents of Seattle one month from today!! Mark accepted a job with the international development ministry, World Concern. It is a Christ-centered ministry dedicated to the poorest of the poor around the world...will write more about this later.
Please pray for us during this crazy, busy time of moving, and transitioning our lives!

Mark's 30th and Wrigley Field...a GREAT combination

2010-04-28T14:37:00.012-05:00

Mark turned 30 on April 27 and we celebrated him by going to a CUBS game. They didn't win, but we sure enjoyed ourselves. Mark, your girls love you very much. Thank you for always taking care of us...Happy Birthday!!

The celebration of Mark came early...Mark and Ryann and the "Guadalupe River" dessert that Ryann "made" (put the chocolate chips on top and she is taking ALL the credit) :)

Before the game, we went to this little Italian restaurant that was featured on Rachel Ray...so delicious...

YAY...we are the same age...love when this happens...too many old lady jokes go on in our house

Birthday Tiramisu...that Ryann and I really enjoyed while Mark was on the phone...he was not too happy with us...

GO CUBS!

This was Ryann's first professional sports outing...she loved it and cheered "Go Cubs!!" very loudly...

It was COLD...

Wrigley field definitely had a college football game feel to it...here is a band that played outside the entrance

The view..love how you can see the lake way in the distance

The view after the sun went down

Seattle

2010-04-28T14:24:00.005-05:00

Last weekend, Mark and I ventured up to Seattle for a job interview for Mark, and a mini-vacation for me (albeit 2 short days). We got in on a Thursday, had dinner on the water, where we ate the most delicious seafood we have ever had. Friday morning was Mark's interview...While he was interviewing, I drove around the area and saw a charming little coffee drive-thru hut (aggies, looked exactly like java jitters). Excited about going to a place like java jitters, I whipped my little rental car into the drive-thru to order my chai latte...what I didn't expect was the fact that the barista was in a string bikini...What the What?!?! nervous, I completely over-tipped. She was very nice,btw. To quote our favorite Cowboys from the Amazing Race Jet and Cord, "We are so not in the Bible Belt anymore..."
After the interview, we enjoyed downtown Seattle, Pikes Place Market, and a cozy little Italian restaurant. What a great time. What a beautiful city. What interesting and intriquing people. Will we be living there.....we shall see...

Here are some pictures of our short stay...Thanks Pappy and Lulu for watching Ryann!!

Lincoln Park Zoo

2010-04-19T13:54:00.009-05:00

We went to the Lincoln Park Zoo on Saturday and boy, was it fun...and FREE....(except for astronomical parking, but that is besides the point) This zoo is awesome. It was great weather and Ryann is at that magical age where she absolutely loves animals. We spent a little more than 4 hours roaming the zoo from end to end. We had a Blast and I am so glad we went. Our time in Chicago is coming to an end and I feel like we really have made the most of it. We really have loved our time here.It was so good for our little family. We feel so incredibly Blessed for this opportunity. What a Fantastic city! The only thing left on our list of things to do is a CUBS game..which we are going to on April 27 for Mark's 30 Birthday:)

Here are some pics of us enjoying our day at the zoo...

The meerkats...my favorite

Ryann, trying to wake up a sleeping aardvark

When Ryann was a baby, I never was told that Ryann looked like me. Everyone said she looked exactly like Mark.I agreed, she did. I still think she looks more like Mark. However, it is nice to now see more and more of me in her...like our hair color...my natural color (have not had my hair highlighted in about 2 years,trying to embrace the fact that I really am a brunette)Here we are, admiring a giraffe and an ostrich

Ryann and her love for fish

Sweet Smiles

2010-04-16T14:09:00.002-05:00

At the store yesterday, the check-out man asked Ryann how old she was. Ryann replied, "I am sixteen." WHAT?!? Where did she get that? I realized later, that we watched parts of Sleeping Beauty recently and Princess Aurora says she is 16. Her interchange with the kind man reminded me that time is passing WAY too quickly. Sometimes I would like it to stop and she can be my cuddly 3 YEAR OLD. Forever.

5 Things...

2010-04-13T14:43:00.013-05:00

5 THINGS I AM LOVING RIGHT NOW...

1. Ryann and her love for Taylor Swift: Yes, I realize Ryann is three, not 13, but she already has an affinity towards Taylor Swift. I, too, heart Taylor and went through a period where I listened to her cd on repeat for about a month. I had no idea what kind of affect that had on Ryann UNTIL...we were playing with playdough and Ryann holds up a piece of playdough to her ear and sings in toddler speak,"she's on the phone, it's a typical Tuesday night..."hahaha. Everytime we hear a Taylor Swift song on the radio, Ryann says (not prompted, I swear): "That's Taylor Swift, she's my girl."

Ryann in her TSwizzle shirt she got from her Aunt Sarah for her birthday.

2. The Duggar Family: say what you will...I know they are controversial...yada yada yada...I ABSOLUTELY love them. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. I love every single episode and think they are the nicest people on the planet...next to my sister. I talk to Mark ALL the time about them (which he loves (insert sarcasm)) and create scenarios in my head in which I could meet them. sad,I know. I am in awe of how they present themselves in the media and how they represent their unwavering Faith.

I love that Dolly is with the Duggars in this one...love both so much!!

3. Sunday School Toddler Crafts
A recent conversation with Ryann while looking at her craft (pictured below)
me: "Oh, Ryann, I love your craft...what did you learn about today?"
Ry: "Esau, Jacob, and Isaac"
me (bursting with pride over the fact that Ryann just named three characters from the OT): "Wow, are those three people Esau, Jacob, and Isaac?"
Ry: "No, they are you (pointing to the hairy one), me, and Prince Charming (mark)"
me (pride bubble busted)

me (esau), ryann (isaac), and dad (jacob)

4. TRADER JOE's: this grocery store is the bomb. OBSESSED. Delicious and affordable. Yum Yum, we love everything about it. Dallas NEEDS one STAT.

5. A date with Mark on April 23: We are going to be in Seattle by OURSELVES April 23 for a job interview and I am so giddy that we get to go on an actual date sans Ryann. A huge thank you goes out to my gracious parents for making the trip up here to watch Ryann while I accompany Mark to Seattle. Don't get me wrong,we absolutley love our daugther to pieces, but we have missed having the occassional meal by ourselves. I think I will actually wear a dress...watch out.

Tourist Fun

2010-04-08T10:15:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite pictures of Ryann to date. Totally captures her personality!

The last full day my family was here, we ventured into the city again. We enjoyed an Architecture Boat tour of Chicago that was fabulous. Chicago really is such a Beautiful city.

After the boat tour, we enjoyed lunch at the Navy Pier

Looking at the sites on the way back to the train

Birthday Girl (um, I mean princess)

2010-04-07T14:11:00.011-05:00

Ryann's Birthday is April 4, same day as Easter this year...which made the day super duper special. We love our little 3 year old so very much. She is such a creative little lady, who wants to be called a different princess name every day. One day she is Cinderella, the next Snow White, etc. True,this gets very very old...However, Mark is always "Prince Charming" and I am usually, "Your Highness" (which never gets old) We cherish our little princess so very much and are enjoying seeing her grow up before our eyes...way. too. fast. She has a tender heart and an amazing memory. She has committed several Scripture Verses to memory and I cannot wait for her to "get" what a lot of these verses mean. She is truly a gift.
Hard to believe that this teeny tiny baby...

...Is now this Little 3 year old GIRL

Here are some pictures from our fun-filled day:
I started a new tradition this year. I hid all of the wrapped presents,decorations/balloons from Ryann. After she was asleep on her birthday eve, I decorated our little one room kitchen/living space. Her face when she entered the room the next morning was so precious. She actually did a dramatic gasp and said, "For, me!?" So cute. Think I will do that every year now.

After a great Easter service,(side note: this small, sweet church we are visiting here really has the warmest people we have EVER encountered, has taught/convicted me a ton on how to treat visitors...will blog about this later)we boarded an East bound train to downtown.
Once we got there, we had her Birthday lunch at Giordano's Pizza
Ryann, trying really really hard to hold up 3 fingers

After our pizza lunch, we walked the long walk to the aquarium, taking in all the city sites along the way.BEAUTIFUL day.

The Shedd Aquarium was really unbelievable. It had beluga whales, sea lions, tons of sharks, penguins, etc. However, we had a hard time tearing Ryann away from this one:

Ryann loved her Birthday Easter cookies

A foreshadowing of Ryann as a thirteen year old

Ryann enjoyed opening all her gifts

Tired Princess Mommy

Finally,Princess Mark got to open his present from my parents

Thank you

2010-04-07T14:04:00.004-05:00

My family(minus Sara and Jason, who were missed terribly)came to see us this past weekend.It was the perfect weekend to come because it was Easter and Ryann's Birthday. We had such a great time and we are so thankful for them making the long trek up here. I needed the visit from loved ones, thanks so much for the fun time and for your loving encouragement.

Thank You, Tiko

Thank You, Lulu

Thank You, Pappy

Saturday in the Park

2010-03-28T14:04:00.003-05:00

These are pictures of Ryann playing at Grant Park. We are so incredibly thankful for our little girl. Her adaptability and acceptance of Change has blessed us beyond belief.God has given us such a special gift. Hard to believe she will be 3 years old one week from today!

Frontera

2010-03-28T13:56:00.005-05:00

This is Rick Bayless. We love him. We loved him on Bravo's Top Chef Masters and on his PBS show, Once upon a plate in Mexico (We do realize that we are nerds). When we found out we were coming to Chicago, one of my first thoughts was..."I get to eat at Rick Bayless' restaurant,Frontera!" ...which we did on Saturday, thanks to a gift card from the Drs. Fuentes:) Our meal was so very delicious.

The Lamb Family's Day Off

2010-03-28T13:36:00.008-05:00

Yesterday, we felt adventurous and took a train into downtown. We had such a great time and didn't get lost, which was a feat in itself. We enjoyed walking around Millenium Park, Grant Park, and eating at Frontera. We felt very urban...despite the big North Face backpack,stroller, camera around the neck, and map in hand.Chicago, we are beginning to love you.
Here are some pictures taken of the city.

These are the steps (we think) where the people danced while Ferris sang on the parade float....we think. Either way, it warranted a picture.

Oscars Party 2010

2010-03-12T14:55:00.019-06:00

Words are hard to describe my mother's Academy Awards Party. She really goes all out and it gets bigger and bigger every year. It really is one of our favorite nights of the year. It is HILARIOUS and SUCH FUN. The rule is...You have to dress as any movie character from 2009
Which results in the following:
Cast of THE SQUEAKUEL

Cast of THE BLIND SIDE

Max from Where the Wild Things Are, Princess Tiana from Princess and the Frog, and a castmember from Whip It

The party planner herself, AMELIA EARHART

Julie and Julia and Up in the Air

The Cast of The Tooth Fairy (an Oscar snub, for sure)

The Cast of WHIP IT, AVATAR, and AN EDUCATION

The Cast of THIS IS IT and INVICTUS

The Cast of JULIE and JULIA

The Cast of UP

The DECOR:

The MENU: With 10 pictures in the Best Picture Category, my mom had her work cut out for her..but her Martha Stewart self prevailed. She made a dish for every single Best Picture Nominee.
1. Blue Corn Chips/Guacamole with Tree of Life: Avatar
2. English Tea/Scones: An Education
3. Humvee Hummus Wraps: Hurt Locker
4. Potato Latkes: A Serious Man
5. Tuohy's Taco Bell Tacos:Blind Side
6. KFC Bucket of Chicken: Precious
7. Apple Strudel: Inglorious _____ can't bring myself to finish that title;)
8. Assorted Soft Drinks/Peanuts/Warm towels: Up in The Air
9. Balloon molded bowls of chocolate filled with berries, etc: UP
10. 9 layered salad with a side of prawns: District 9
Here are some pics of just some of the dishes:

Weekend in Big D

2010-03-12T14:32:00.007-06:00

This past weekend, we traveled down to Dallas for numerous reasons. 1. My Aunt Molly was in town 2. It was the Birthday of 2 of our favorite people 3. It was my mom's famous (or infamous) Oscar's Party,which definitely warrants it's own post...stay tuned. All in all it was a great weekend, except for me getting Awful Sickness 2010. We were loved on....which we needed.

Here are some highlights from our weekend...
Happy Birthday Papa and Aunt Sarah!

John got Sarah an awesome cake for her Birthday...

Ryann's weekend highlight definitely was receiving early birthday presents from Uncle John and Aunt Sarah and from Heather and Robert. As you can see, we are all about princesses and dress up these days

And finally,I got to meet one one of my best friend's baby..Beautiful Christi holding Beautiful Greta

We also loved seeing our friends, The Woods...why didn't I take a picture?!?

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2010-02-27T15:48:00.007-06:00

Today we embraced the cold weather and enjoyed Snow Tubing down a hill in the Blackwell Forest Preserve. Ryann absolutely had a BLAST and we definitely got tired of the words, "slide, again?" Mark and I had fun too...nice family outing.

We LOVE our Snow Bunny

Some Snow Tubing Action Shots

Ryann, bundled up in all her cold-weather gear...like the kid from A Christmas Story

Wheaton Weekend

2010-02-22T14:58:00.004-06:00

We are embarking on our second week in Chicagoland. This past weekend we walked around Wheaton and looked all around the college campus. Such a beautiful campus, full of such rich history. We embraced our inner nerd and looked all around the Wade Center, which houses one of C.S. Lewis' desks, one of Tolkien's desks, and the actual wardrobe that was the inspiration for the Narnia series. Very Cool. We were so excited to see it, since we absolutely love all things Narnia.

The Wardrobe

Tolkien Desk

Eating our way across Chicagoland

2010-02-21T16:59:00.008-06:00

Our waistlines are expanding.Too many fun foods to try and way too cold to run. Oh well, c'est la vie. Thanks to our friends, the Rioses, we were given an extensive list of restaurants in this area and beyond. Below are the Chicago "musts" that we have eaten.
The video is of The Depot Diner. Mark and I saw this episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives a long time ago, and when we got here, we knew we had to go to this diner. It didn't disappoint. We shared the Open-faced Pot roast sandwich for our meal and the homemade donut holes with mocha/chocolate dipping sauce for dessert. Really unbelievable. Both were some of the BEST things we both have ever eaten.The atmosphere was so urban and cool. We are definitely coming back.

This is a "Chicago" stuffed pizza. Delicious. This is from Giodornos.People are either Giodornos people or Gino's East people. The Lamb vote is 1 to 1. Mark votes Giodornos and Erin votes Gino's East. Ryann is just happy to be eating pizza.

This is the "Chicago" style hot dog from Portillos. If you know me, you know I absolutely love hot dogs and this one didn't disappoint. We wanted to be purists, so we got it the traditional way...but I don't know about tomatoes on a hot dog?

We made it

2010-02-14T15:38:00.010-06:00

Well, we made it! The Lamb family is complete and all residing in West Chicago, Il....for the next 3 months. Ryann and I joined Mark Thursday after escaping from the great snowstorm of Dallas. OH, how great it was to see Mark!! We had missed him so much. So far, so good. We spent the weekend getting my bearings and exploring the surrounding areas.This weekend, We ate deep dish pizza in Wheaton, went to the mall, went to a great, super friendly church (where the pastor is both a Texas A&M grad and DTS grad...whoop!!), played in the snow, enjoyed Valentines Day, and experienced what is feels like to be really cold. really really cold.

Ryann helped Daddy make pink pancakes this morning for Valentines Day. Thanks, Lulu for this mix.

Ryann and her Valentine, a stuffed green frog that she is currently obsessed with. We recently saw, Princess and the Frog, and Ryann loves to kiss this frog ALL the time.If Mark had his way, there will be no prince for her until she is 37.

Ryann doing her best "blue steel" in her new puffy coat that she picked out herself.

The first thing Ryann HAD to do right when we got to the house was play in the snow. So, she put on her very cool snowboarder pants and Dad and her got to work on a snowman.

Ryann took her first airplane ride Thursday, and she did it in style. Thanks to Mark's friend, Pilot Jack, Ryann and I got to ride in first class. This was especially nice since it was snowing cats and dogs in Dallas, which resulted in us sitting for three hours on the runway before take-off. Thank God for portable DVD players.

Ryann and Pilot Jack, who Ryann referred to as her "prince" for the duration of the flight. poor Jack

I'm Wishing...

2010-01-28T14:22:00.002-06:00

The other day, I heard Ryann singing in the bathroom. This is what I found. Ryann was imitating the scene from Snow White where she sings into the wishing well, except Ryann was singing into the toilet! She was singing "I'm wishing for the one I love" as loud as she could into the toilet. So funny...and gross (look at the second pic). Such a funny girl.

Northward Bound

2010-01-22T13:04:00.003-06:00

Our life has changed drastically within one week. Since Mark graduated in December, he has been looking for jobs non-stop. We feel drawn to aspects of Social Justice in the form of Relief/Development ministries as well as the area of Microfinance (which we both find fascinating). Basically we feel called to help the poor. A position with any of these ministries will most likely result in a move...domestically at first, and then maybe internationally. As many of you know and have experienced, the economy has made these non-profit/ministerial jobs very hard to come by. On December 30, Mark was offered an unpaid 4 1/2 month internship with Opportunity International, a microfinance org. based in Oak Brook, Il, near the Chicago area. We didn't really think about it seriously at first because it was: a. starting in 12 days b. in Chicago c. UNPAID. We also have a mortgage payment here so if we went, we would have to find unbelievably cheap housing. The odds of us going were slim to none....And then we prayed about it. Mark really felt like he was supposed to do this internship and if we found housing, we would do it. We didn't find housing. We were scheduled to go on a cruise the week before the internship was to start, so we went. When we got back, there was still no housing and the internship had started. We now thought we were supposed to stay here for the time being. So: a.I called Angie and told her I could keep watching her son Barrett b. I called our families and told them we were not going c. I called Nwest Womens Ministry and told them I was for sure staying, so I could still lead my Bible Study group. The very next day after all my phone calls, we got a call from a saint named Ginger, who was recommended by our dear friends Jeremy and Liesel, she found us a part of a house that was going to be furnished with the rent basically next to nothing (for Chicago-area standards). Timing is never our own. The internship had already started. Mark really still felt like he was still supposed to do this internship. He called Opp. Int. and they told him to come on...which he did 2 days later. We will join him soon. This definitely has been and continues to be a journey of faith.

Many people have asked me how I am doing with the speed of all this. Soley by God's grace, I am fine. We decided to do this the very day the news was breaking about the devastation of Haiti.Me not wanting to leave our family and friends was put into real hard-hitting perspective in light of the utter destruction of Haiti and it's people. I was at Kroger yesterday and saw the cover of Time or Newsweek (I forget) On the cover was a precious Haitian little boy standing admist the rubble, the unbelievably beautiful shot zeroed in on his innocent face and I am found constantly thinking about him and what his life looks like now. It is hard to leave my comfort zone of Dallas and all the people that are so precious to me. However,I am excited about Mark learning about Microfinance so that maybe one day we can go help impoverished people in countries like Haiti.

Thank You to all of you that have been praying for Mark to find a job. I humbly ask you to please continue to pray as we continue to search for jobs for when this internship ends. Will try to blog more faithfully about our adventure in Chi-town...and it's surrounding areas:)

New Camera

2010-01-17T20:56:00.003-06:00

I recently got a new camera for my birthday/Christmas. Hopefully now my pictures will be much clearer. Looking forward to learning how to use it...
Here are some recent pics...

Cruise

2010-01-16T18:19:00.003-06:00

We went on a cruise last week to celebrate being done with DTS (thank you so much Mark's parents). We had a blast, despite the bad weather (very cold and cloudy). The one sunny day was Cozymel and we went on an awesome speed boat/beach excursion. We needed this trip, especially now with all the changes going on in our lives! The past year and a half has been so busy, we needed time to be just us! Thank you, Castleberrys, for watching Ryann Cate.

The most Wonderful time of the year

2009-12-27T21:50:00.009-06:00

We have had a fun-filled Holiday Season. Here are some pics from December...

We celebrated Baby Girl Wiehoff with a shower this December. One of my closest friends and college roomate,Christi,is absolutely beautiful pregnant. So excited for the Wiehoffs, can't wait to love on that baby girl...The pics of Mark and I are just us being Christmasy in our red and green.

Christmas Morning with the Castleberrys

We loved having our Arizona Family in town for the holidays. Here are some pics from Christmas Eve with the Lamb side of our family

Mark's gracious grandmother treated all the family to the Ice Show at the Gaylord. The sight of Ryann in her puffy parka makes me smile

Cue the Hallelujah Chorus

2009-12-27T21:12:00.006-06:00

Mark is officially done with DTS!! The past year and a half has really been a whirlwind. Very hard, but very good. I am so incredibly proud of him and cannot wait to see where God takes us next. We are still waiting for that next step...
To celebrate Mark finishing school, his sweet sister Sarah and her husband John threw him a graduation party. It was such a nice time and we immensely enjoyed being surrounded by our family and close friends. Here are some pics from the par-tay...

The fabulous Herringtons who hosted this celebration for Mark

finished

2009-12-19T22:04:00.002-06:00

My brother Read and I ran the White Rock Half Marathon last weekend. I am not a "runner".I ran track in jr high and high school, but my races were always sprints, never longer than 200m. My brother and I decided to do this race this past summer. I was very nervous because I was so out of shape and running really is not fun to me. We started our training program in Sept and the program took us right up to race day. It worked....which really proves that if my out of shape self can do this, ANYONE can do this with training. My goal was just to finish the race and not walk, which I did. I didn't care about time at all, I was more concerned with our coordinating outfits looking good:)
All in all, this whole experience was fantastic. Don't get me wrong...the last 3 miles were hard, but beyonce, mj, the cast of glee, taylor swift, and hillsong were playing full-blast, which made them do-able. I loved doing this with Read. I think I am hooked. Pondering doing the Cow-town half in Feb.

2009-12-18T23:31:00.001-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

countdown

2009-12-09T19:51:00.002-06:00

15 days until Christmas
6 days until Mark is finished with DTS....YIPPEE
4 days until my first half marathon...YIKES

It has been awhile since my last post...pictures are coming. To the three of you that read this;)....If you think about it, please pray for us as we seek God's direction for our family. Mark is on the job hunt and it can definitely be full of stress at times. My husband is so incredibly grounded, which definitely balances out my type A stressball self. Mark is such a leader.Please pray that we are seeking God's heart and will instead of our own. Our greatest fear is disobedience so please pray that we will be willing and open to wherever and whatever God chooses for us to do. Thank you friends.

New Phase

2009-11-20T15:36:00.004-06:00

Ryann has entered her "grunge" phase.....every kid has to have one;)

Sooo Fancy

2009-11-15T17:12:00.004-06:00

Ryann was Fancy Nancy (the main character of her current favorite book) for Halloween this year. She had so much fun wearing her costume both to the Northwest Fall Fun Fest and trick or treating. Here are some pics of Fancy Nancy with Barrett the cowboy and Orion the firefighter.

More 30th Birthday Fun

2009-11-15T17:00:00.002-06:00

Thirty and Thriving

2009-11-15T16:51:00.003-06:00

Heather planned an AWESOME 30th Birthday Celebration for me.We had dinner at Chuys (my favorite), spent the night at The Magnolia Hotel, had brunch at La Duni, and finished the weekend getting manicures and pedicures. I feel so incredibly blessed to have such special,wonderful, caring friends. Thank you Heather, Erin, Annie, and Christi for taking a part in my Birthday celebration. 30 Is going to be a great year!!

Man, I Miss College

2009-10-27T08:44:00.004-05:00

Mark, Ryann, and I went down to College Station for the day last Saturday for a visit with our friend William and his family. We had such a great time catching up and eating lots. It was so much fun!

Erik and William. I haven't seen Erik since he was 12 or so. They are so big, makes me feel so old!!

Claire and William

Kim!!

Wedding Belle

2009-10-27T08:28:00.004-05:00

I went to Phoenix, Arizona a couple of weeks ago to attend the wedding of our cousin Jennifer. It was so much fun to travel with Mark's family. Mark stayed here to take care of Ryann, so I had a break:)Jennifer was a BEAUTIFUL bride and the outdoor setting for the wedding was breathtaking. It was truly such a God-honoring Celebration. Can't wait to see all the Robisons again over Christmas. Congratulations Jennifer and Devin!

Here are some picture highlights from the weekend

My New "Job"

2009-10-26T20:24:00.004-05:00

The word "job" is very loosely used here. This semester, God provided such an amazing opportunity for me to stay at home and obviously take care of Ryann, but with the addition of an adorable Barrett Wood two mornings a week. He really is the cutest little boy ever. We have so much fun playing outside, making crafts (which Ryann is currently obsessed with),reading books, and learning about "sharing" (Ryann doing the learning) I could not ask for anything better.

Adorable.

Ryann's Craft