Girls' lunch visit

We celebrated "tax day" by having lunch with Jill and baby Tirzah at Jill's office. Julia and Jill met in 1996, spent a good bit of time together (mostly in Dallas) in 1997-1999, saw each other once around 2001 and then not again till last fall when we met randomly while now living in the same town! It's been so much fun to renew our friendship and enjoy each other's little girls too.

Russell Moore on Transracial Adoption

When Your Parents Don’t Approve of Your Transracial Adoption

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Resurrection Sunday 2009

Christ is Risen!
"Death is swallowed up in victory!
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
(1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

After worship at Heritage Sunday morning, we took some pictures of the girls at home before Nathan brought Jennie Lue over for lunch. After eating and reading of Christ's resurrection, she and Abigail enjoyed an egg hunt together.

The Power of the Cross

We sang this Sunday and our hearts filled with gratitude to Jesus. His sacrifice and victory are incredible!

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought,
Ev'ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Saturday lunch at the park

The girls and I met the Mees at a local riverside park for a pizza lunch. Then they headed off for Living Gallery and Abigail got to play in the park with Uncle Caleb for awhile.

Goodbyes at Caleb's

Supper was at Caleb's (he's got more space than we do!) and Tom and Lydia stopped by there on their way home. We spent about an hour together and got a picture of Mom's three kids and our families (Thanks Dad Mee for thinking of that!) before saying goodbye to Tom and Lydia, Gabriel, Bella, and Lydee. Gonna miss them so much!

Then the rest of us ate supper, visited, played games and watched a nature channel (which made our sensitive big girl a big nervous - thus the fingers in her ears huddled under Daddy's arm).

Cousins and more!

Good Friday, Tom and Lydia and children came to town (and our house!) for lunch and to spend the afternoon. They'd recently accepted a new job for Tom - in California! - and this was our last visit before the move. It was sweet to have the little girls together again and Abigail had a great time with Gabriel who seems like such a big boy. Mid-afternoon Mom and Dad Mee and Nathan, Andrew and Karen arrived and Charlotte stopped by too. Afraid the little people captured nearly all the attention. =)
and Mom and Dad Mee and kids came to town!

Three grandmas and Granddaddy too!

April 6 was a special day indeed. Mom and Dad Garner and Grandmother Garner and Grandmother Lane were vacationing a couple of hours away (current weather conditions changed their plans/location) and came to visit us for the day! How often do two little girls have grandparents and two great grandmothers in their home spoiling them at once? Nathan took the day off and we all loved the time together. Near the top of the memories sits Granddaddy reading his version of "The Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane" to his "Kentucky granddaughter." The many edits included "tobacc-y seeds" in place of acorns -- to Abigail's (innocent) amusement. You never know what to expect from a preacher granddaddy! =)

Sunday afternoon with Jennie Lue

For the last nine (!?!) years, Nathan and I have spent Sunday afternoons with Jennie Lue. It started as a several college students visiting her in her home and as we graduated, got married, had children, and she aged (now 82), the lunches moved to our homes. Then the other couples moved away, so it's just Jennie Lue and the Garners now! Abigail makes two associations with Sundays - church and Jennie Lue. How we pray that our dear friend's heart will soon be enlightened by the grace of our Savior!
Jennie Lue loves our girls and Abigail loves her (Hannah will, I'm sure!). It's an interesting relationship because Jennie Lue is deaf, but that doesn't slow Abigail's chatter to her in the least. On this particular afternoon, Abigail was convinced that Jennie Lue would enjoy a rousing game of Hi Ho Cherry-O.

Random smiles

Abigail was exhausted when we got home from the zoo and I expected that she would fall asleep as soon as rest time started. However, an hour later, little feet pad into my room. . . It was impossible to be serious.

First sister picture with both girls grinning! So much fun. =)

Zoo trip

The last day of March, we met friends (who returned to this side of the earth for the birth of their second son!) at the zoo. This was Hannah's first trip, but she was entirely unimpressed and spent most of the time sleeping in the snuggli. =)Seeing the animals together was fun as well as catching up with Aaron and Marjeana and watching Anthony and Abigail renew their friendship (We parents were in the same childbirth class 3 1/2 years ago and the children were born three weeks apart and together in the church nurseries for awhile).

Two months old photo shoot

(Sorry this post wasn't "working" earlier. I tried to do a slideshow/movie of pictures via Picasa, but wasn't successful. Anybody have tips?)

We had fun outside - and Abigail was lots of help!

Hannah and the dolls

Remember this picture of Hannah and Abigail's dolls "Rosie" and "Stephanie"? The first one was taken when she was about a month old - and all three babies were about the same size!
One of them has grown and changed quite a bit in the last month! =)
And one of them loves her big sister already!

Eight weeks old

March 29, our baby reached the eight week milestone. . . =)

Sisters and cousins

Tuesday, March 24th, the girls and I drove to Tom and Lydia's for day's visit. Tom finished 20 years with the Army this month and just got a new job. . . in California! So, we're making the most of opportunities to get together in these last weeks. We took the four girls to a nearby park and enjoyed a picnic and fresh air and then came back to the apartment and played with whoever wasn't napping or eating. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a picture with three babies and a toddler all looking at the camera (when they're tired too!)? Sweet times with sisters and cousins!

Life at home

Just a few fun pictures from home that third week in March.

Visiting Daddy at the airport

The next day, we three girls packed up at headed over to "Daddy's airport" to visit him and his co-workers - who were eager to meet Hannah! They love Abigail too and have been very kind to all of us. Thanks you all!

Princess birthday party

Abigail's friend Suzannah invited her to help celebrate her fourth birthday. All the little girls were instructed to come as "princesses." We haven't done "the princess thing," so it was a new concept to Abigail. . . which she embraced immediately. The girls took turns holding Hannah and being little mommies (as well as princesses =). Hannah received a very warm welcome into this group of friends (the real mommies included), two of whom adopted their little ones! And Abigail had a blast. Happy birthday, Suzannah!

Amazing thoughts "Beneath the Cross of Jesus"

The last few times we've sung this newer hymn, my eyes and heart have been full. The second verse has become more signicant as we've sought to understand God's will in racial harmony and the whole is precious this weekend of remembering Christ's death (and resurrection!). Ponder. . .

Beneath the cross of Jesus
I find a place to stand,
And wonder at such mercy
That calls me as I am;
For hands that should discard me
Hold wounds which tell me, "Come."
Beneath the cross of Jesus
My unworthy soul is won.

Beneath the cross of Jesus
His family is my own—
Once strangers chasing selfish dreams,
Now one through grace alone.
How could I now dishonor
The ones that You have loved?
Beneath the cross of Jesus
See the children called by God.

Beneath the cross of Jesus—
The path before the crown—
We follow in His footsteps
Where promised hope is found.
How great the joy before us
To be His perfect bride;
Beneath the cross of Jesus
We will gladly live our lives.

Words and Music by Keith & Kristyn Getty
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Lydia, Bella and Lydee

After the shower, Lydia (who had driven here alone - Tom was working - with the girls to be present) and the twins spent the afternoon at our place. Caleb brought lunch and we three siblings had a fun visit together. And took lots of pictures of the little girls, of course. (Lydee slept longer and so we didn't have opportunity for as many pictures of her as of Bella this time.) Abigail was in her glory - with three babies to dote on!