Let's Start at the Very Beginning

 Well here's your prize! A posts filled with pictures of my beautiful boys!! Hudson James and Harper John the two most adorable boys in the world!!! Here are the pictures from the first month or so that they were in our house back in spring of '09. Newer pictures coming shortly! (And all these were from my super cheap point and shoot so they aren't that great quality.)

In the car on the way home. :)

                                                                 Hudson with his "crabby face".

Harper's 1st birthday... liking the cupcake. :)

Me with my favorite boys in the world!!!

Harper loves the computer and music already!

First time ice fishing... now they LOVE it!!

Guess What?!

What does this picture mean? 

I'll give you three guesses. Once you guess right, you get a "prize". :) 

I'm Back... sort of...

Technically I've been back for the last week since spending 3 weeks at 2 different camps. The first week was a teen serve week where I and 14 other teens went and got the campgrounds ready for camp by washing hundreds and hundreds of dishes and doing different projects. The second week I was counseling at the same camp for a cabin of 10 (yes, ten!) 10-11 year olds. (And I was the lead counselor... which wasn't exactly what I was expecting.) It was absolutely crazy and insane and challenging, but God did so much that week both in my cabin and the camp as a whole. Words can't describe that week and I've never had to rely so much on God's strength. By the end of the week I was so incredibly fried and devoid of everything I had mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.

 And that brings us to the 3rd week... which was spent at a different camp going as a camper for my own age group. My dad was speaking so I ended up going and it was really, really good. God really used it as a time to refresh my soul and clear my mind and it was exactly what I needed. The hardest part was having gone from spending every single day for 2 weeks with some really close friends to having absolutely zero contact with them.  But God used the time away from those friends to teach me dependence on Him.

 God used camp to bond me insanely tight to 2 of my friends and unite the 3 of us (James, Ashley, and me) into a dynamic team. We're looking forward to this year and seeing what God has in store.

 Also, blogging is not a top priority at all with me at this time. I have so many people that need my attention right now between my family, my friends, and "my girls" (aka, the jr. high girls in my life that I'm trying to invest into heavily at this point). Then add onto that my church and other things and my blog just sort of fades to not being that important. So it's not that I'm not going to blog anymore, it's just a warning that I wont likely be posting with any regularity... but I think that's been evident for awhile.


 God bless you all and have a fantastic summer!

Goodbye Tech World - Hello Camp!

 Hey everyone, just a quick goodbye and mention that I'll be at camp for the next 3 weeks! I'll be home on the weekends, but those are jam packed already so the chance of me blogging is quite low. I shall return in July though. See you when I get back!

3 Original Songs!

 Today I have 3 VERY exciting videos to show you.... 




This is a song that I wrote just this afternoon that I really like. I understand that it's shaky still (especially vocally) but I felt compelled to share it. It really just deals with what God has been laying on my heart lately (or at least part of what He's been saying to me). I've just felt so much being laid on my heart just in the last few days and it's been such an answer to prayer. So this is basically my reaction to that.
Lyrics are as follows:

I am in awe of your mercy

You have spoken grace over me

I am at a loss for words

You have given me more then I deserve

Perfect love casts all fear out

Perfect love sets captive free

Perfect love is the gift that You’ve given me

Speaking softly speaking plain

You sing heaven’s sweet refrain

Further up and further in

To Your very presence

Lovely lovely

Pour it all down at your feel

Holy Holy

You judge righteously

"Clay Man" is a song I co-wrote with my dear friend Channyn the same day we did our photo shoot. I am so happy with this song and love it to death! She did a great job with the lyrics and I was happy with how the melody/music turned out. I am finding that I absolutely LOVE to collaborate on songwriting. It gives some variation from what I would normally do.


Lyrics:
Breath into me the breath of life
Shape me to Your imagination
Wet down my clay and let the old me melt
Then pick up the pieces and let me try again with You

Oh I once was a hollow clay man
Living without a soul
But then You wet me down and reformed me by Your breath
Oh I once was a hollow clay man

One day I was roaming around the road
Aimlessly searching for something to take off my load
You pulled me over and shared with me a secret
You told me I was ill


Oh and I'm sure you are now quite sick of hearing me sing... but... just in case you can take one more song... 



"Over Now" is another one that I wrote a month or two ago that doesn't really take any explanation. Here are the lyrics: 

My white flag is raised

All my shots have been shot

I’ve even tried to run away

The battle’s been faught

The war has been won

Every once of me overrun

Nothing more left to do

Then lift my hands up and admit that it’s over

It’s over – it’s over now – yeaaaah

I give up – I confess

That I’ve lost this war that’s been raging

And all of my walls are knocked down and it’s over now

I knew I’d never win

That you remain undefeated

But I thought that I’d be different

Yet here I am crushed and broken

Why did I dare run away?

Defy the holy?

Cause I melt like putty in your hands

Those hands that made me 

SUMMER!!

 It's official.... it's SUMMER!!! Oh, I can't tell you how excited I am about the fact that it's FINALLY here! The only thing that keeps me sane during Minnesotan winters is the wondrous hope of summer. The hope that eventually the snow will melt, school shall end, camp shall come, and I get to witness Northern MN during the most beauteous time of the year!

See what I mean??! (Photo credit goes to my dad)

 So what are my summer plans? Well there are sure a lot of them so I'll go in chronological order.
 June - this next week is our orchestra day string camp. The next 2 weeks I'll be at Camp Sa-Kee-Sa both for their Teen Serve week and Jr. Counseling the second week. Then it's on to Deeper Life Bible Camp where my dad will be speaking and I'll be attending. (And add onto everything play practice...) 
 July - I have plans to do ministry with Youth For Christ during the first part of July, working under the girl's ministry director who is also part of our church plant. Also play practice, play practice, and play performance!  That'll basically be my July. (As well as my brothers getting adopted!) 
 August - Some rest, some working with YFC, church launch prep, having my girl cousins come and stay while the guys go camping, and Sam back off to school. 
Also, hopefully add a move somewhere in there.


 And then summer is over. :( I know it's going to fly by crazy fast, but I'll enjoy it while I can. I already am enjoying it! The wonderful weather, wonderful friends, and wonderful God is going to make this summer... well... wonderful!

Kicking off the summer with a Bible Study hangout involving Frisbees, s'mores, and chickens. I'm looking forward to spending much of my summer with these friends. :)

Even When...

 God calls me to be content ALWAYS. Not just most of the time, not just when I feel like it, not just when it's convenient. Always. 

 Even when... this horrible sign continues to sit in front of my house day after day, week after week, and now we're approaching month after month. 

Even when I'm "forever" away from these amazing people. 

 

Even when I don't get to do "Father Abraham" in front of 70 people.

 

Even when between everyone in my family, rarely a day goes by that we don't have to drive into Virginia for something (church stuff, play practice, Bible study and friend stuff and the list goes on).

Even when tomorrow looks uncertain and we don't know what the final outcome shall be of our adventure in church planting or who shall be a part of our adventure. 

Yet despite all that, God is still faithful. He's still sovereign. He's still weaving together our lives to make a beautiful master piece. He has a purpose for everything. He has a purpose for our house not selling. And it's not a cruel or heartless purpose, it's good. And what He tells us to do is be patient. Serve Him, love Him, do what He has called us to do, and He shall move in His perfect timing. 

So now, we wait and find our contentment, our joy and our peace in Him alone. For Jesus + anything = idolatry. Jesus alone is what we need for contentment.

"I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:11b-13

(But also, please pray that God would sell our house soon. We found a house that we feel would perfectly meet our needs both as a family and as a church plant but we need to figure out a few things. So keep us in your prayers!)

All About the Sibs - DeCecco, Camera, and Adoption Dates

 I've said this many a time before, but in case you didn't know, my older brother Sam is an amazing songwriter! Want to see how awesome he is after all my ranting and raving? Well now you can! Under his stage name DeCecco (said dee-cay-co) he has just released his first self produced album, "The Last of the 00s!". It's amazing what you can do with garage band and a creative mind. If you like anywhere from techno to folk, there will be something for you. Some of his stuff is more experimental, but it's all pretty good. As is the album cover. :D So go here and download it for FREE and be sure to give Sam your feedback and share this with your friends, enemies, family members, teachers, robots, and dogs. 

 On other news... my sister Corina has got a camera and I'm featuring her over at my photography blog so go over to LIV Photography and check out the first little bits of her work! 


 And last but certainly not least... we have our adoption court date!!!! I am SOOOOOOO excited that my two little brothers will be officially ours in late July! After that, expect to see lots of pictures of the adorableness of my little munchkins. :) 


 Also, we had our first Community Gathering this last Sunday and it went really well. Thank you for praying and please continue to do so, especially for our house to sell and for us to get moved over. Lately it's been daily and sometimes even more then once a day 20 mile trips which isn't too bad, but we are anxious to be living in the community and establishing ourselves there. 

LIV Photography and Convents

 First order of business: I have a photography blog!! :)

I'm super excited for the photography blog for many reasons, one of the main one is that I love sharing my work, but I don't always want to make an entire post that's about just the photos. This gives me a way to just post the pictures and not have to give too much explanation. As well as not let my entire personal blog consumed with posting pictures and a place to post my freelance work. So go over to LIV Photography, follow me, and enjoy!


~~~~~


 Second order of business is that I had tryouts for The Sound of Music last week for our community theater and... *builds up the suspense*... I'm a nun!!

 Yes... after a year of studying the Reformation for history, I've become a nun. As I reassured the pastor at I church I go to youth group at, I'll just be a protestant nun. :) At first I was a little dissapointed to get a nonspeaking role, but then I took a look at who else is going to be nuns and got super excited! I have a bunch of friends and people I know that are nuns and it'll be really fun. My mom also is a nun and she got one of the solos. It's our first play we've been in together since I was six so we're excited.


 Also, it's a small enough part that it wont totally consume my entire summer. I'm going to camp for a total of 3 weeks (Lord willing) and two of those weeks I'm coming into town for practices since it's nearby. But the best part of it will be of course our costumes!! Haha. :D


~~~~~~~~~~~~~


 Also, I just ask for your prayers for the church plant. We have a crazy week ahead with our first community gathering/preview service and SO much to do! We're excited to have Sam back for the summer though and able to help with leading worship. So please continue to pray for us!

Channyn Shoot

 I blogged a few weeks ago about God's faithfulness in providing me friends and today I want to introduce one of those friends to you all. My beautiful friend Channyn is one that I've made through the Bible study I've been involved in and she also goes to our sister E Free church. As I've got to know her over the last few months, I've definitely found a good friend in this zanny, short, artistic girl.

 What first made me go up and introduce myself to Channyn was her personal story. She has gone through different struggles through her life, but in the midst of it, it's so cool to see God's faithfulness to her through it all and how her past has made her stronger. She has such a heart for God and for people and it inspires me. Last summer she went to Germany for a class trip and saw a homeless woman there and since then she's felt a burden on her heart for the homeless of Germany. Her dream is to go and be homeless in Germany, ministering to the people by being God's love to them.

 So partly because of all this, I suggested we do a little photo shoot. Some of these may be used for her senior pictures next year, but the purpose was mostly artistic. I wanted to find someone I could use as a model for some concepts I had in mind and knowing Channyn's story, she worked perfectly. Also, it was interesting from a photographer's perspective working with someone who was so incredibly short! Channyn is 4'9" so it made it really interesting and truthfully really fun.

 So without further ado.... here are a few of the pictures!

We were so excited to find a "Channyn size" door in the downtown area!

Channyn just went and grabbed a dandelion to hold and it was absolutely perfect! She's definitely a natural.

See? Doesn't it just fit?

 We found this red shed and it just screamed country rustic, but it was in an alley in downtown. 

Now we get into our more artistic, deeper meaning ones. If you can't read the notecard it says, "I AM" and the rest of the pictures are the completion to that sentence. 

Forgiven

Redeemed

FREE!

Loved <3

So this isn't the usual spelling of the word "Hosanna" but I do believe it is a legit alternative spelling. But misspellings are just what happen when you put 2 poets that can't spell together!

I'm pretty sure we DID spell this one right. ;)

After the weight of those intense, serious pictures we just had to go and lighten the mood a bit. 

 

 And that wraps up the highlights of the shoot! Also, I just want to ask you all to pray for Channyn right now. She's dealing with some serious medical issues and the doctors are in the process about finding out what's wrong and how to treat it. We're all hoping it's nothing that the doctors can't fix easily, but please pray for healing for her!