Spring! Early march snapshots

Warm days are so exciting this year. We enjoyed a trip to the local zoo with several friends the beginning of the month and for days afterwards Abigail talked much about the noisy monkeys and the snakes. Abigail's friend Emmalein has a new baby sister and it's been fun to spend time together again (splashing at the sink with Emmalein or holding Celia). Picnicking is another joy of spring -- we ate lunch by the river with long-time friend Ree and her son Desmirion.

February highlights

We started on the month with a big day trip to Virginia for Julia's cousin Scott's wedding. It was great to see all the cousins, aunts and uncles on Dad's side. Abigail survived 12 hours in the car that day and enjoyed the festivities of her first wedding (infant cousin Amaya and the cake were her favorite parts - oh, and the guitar music). A couple of weeks later, friends visited from Virginia and Alabama. Abigail quickly fell in love with "Miss Emily" who stayed for three days. Then we enjoyed a brief visit with Amy, Anna, and Barbie. Nathan took a quick trip to San Antonio a couple of days later and got to do a bit of site-seeing in addition to attending a work-related class. Julia joined her Mom (a.k.a. GramMee) for a ladies' retreat at the Wilds Christian Camp at the end of the month and Abigail and Daddy spent their first daddy/daughter overnight (without Mommy). For weeks afterwards Abigail talked about riding in Daddy's truck (since she was in the "front" she thought she was driving) to attend a friend Sean's first birthday party.

For six dollars!

This morning I (Julia) took part in a local (Sav-Mor on Wade Hampton across from K-Mart) sidewalk sale for the first time. And I got a LOT (maybe $75-$100 retail) of food for six dollars. Here's how it works: Everyone arrives before 9:00 and grabs one (or two or three or ten) banana boxes, lines up around the rows of food in the parking lot, and waits for the person in charge to yell "Go!" Then everyone (200 plus?) rushes in and starts filling his or her box. Yep, sounds like a game you played at camp! The food available comes from several area grocery stores (including at least one whole food/organic/health chain) and is comprised of scratch, dent, and past expiration date items (mostly dry goods). I got whole grain cereals, crackers, and granola bars, salad dressing, mustard, salsa, tahini, Manwich, fruit snacks (a.k.a. potty treats), salad Crispins, and more! Yep, everything in the picture. For six dollars. All you can fit in a banana box with the top level. (For potential shoppers: The sales seem to come about once a month and are posted on the marquee out front the previous week.)

January's highlights

In January, 3/4 of the Swillum family (friends in California) visited and we helped celebrate Rose Marie's third birthday. She and Abigial are still best buddies (like their mommies and daddies), despite the long distance and time between visits. It was such fun to see all four little girls together (Abigail - 2, Rose Marie and Autumn Swillum - 3 and 1, and Emmalein Merkle - 18 months. Mom/Grandmama Garner also came for a special weekend visit (while Dad Garner was in Kenya for a two week missions trip!). And "it" snowed! We got several inches. . . Abigail was delighted to see snowflakes falling and was eager to go out to play the next morning, but got nervous after the first crunchy step. Her snowman received most of his admiration from the safety of the back window. Abigail began sleeping in a "big girl bed" (no more crib) in January. Aunt Lydia (Julia's sister) came for a day to make preparations for the TWINS she's expecting this summer. And the our friends the Merkles welcomed a second daughter - Celia. We closed out the month celebrating Nathan/Daddy's [true] 29th birthday.

Christmas 2007 - coming later, maybe =)

Just reserving a spot in the hopes that I'll catch up one of these days!

Garner Christmas letter 2007

Dear family and friends,

Greetings in the Name above all names—that of Jesus Christ, our Lord! Certainly we have reason for joy this Christmas; in the fullness of time God fulfilled His promise and sent the Savior. Can it be that God planned and brought about such a redemption of His sinful people—through sending His own Son to earth to fulfill all righteousness as a man, to suffer and die in the place of the guilty, and then to rise victorious over sin and death? Oh, the mercy of God who then credits the righteousness of Jesus to those sinners who hope in Him alone!

A few days ago, we celebrated Abigail’s second birthday. The whole experience delighted her: Uncle Cabet’s (Julia’s brother Caleb) visit, candles, frosting, ice cream, and then the surprise of presents! Abigail can jump (up off the ground now) and turn summersaults and is turning into a little chatterbox. For awhile her vocabulary seemed stuck at, “Dada,” “no,” “uh-oh,” and “ruff, ruff.” But just before 20 months she started repeating words and now she’s trying to communicate all the time. Abigail counts from 2-16 (skipping 8, 13, and 15 faithfully), knows everyone’s name, loves colors and animals and especially people! She’s Mommy’s helper and imitates lots; putting in contacts, cooking for Daddy, caring for and disciplining her babies, and taking them shopping in the stroller. She is learning of Jesus and can tell you that He came as a baby, but now He’s the King in Heaven. She knows that He loves her and that He says, “Children, obey parents in Lord—This right.” She knows that He can make things better that no one else can.

Nathan’s finished five years of full-time work at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and is as busy there as ever. His primary responsibility is managing the airport’s Geographic Information System. He also directs the charter handling service and occasionally fills in as an operations supervisor. He’s about a third of the way through his MBA program at BJU. We’re grateful for the opportunities and experiences God is providing through the airport.

Julia’s happy to be a full-time homemaker and mommy. Last winter/spring, Julia worked part-time from home making phone calls to a local company training new employees. However, mid-spring, we decided that babysitting is a better “job fit” for us (and provides great opportunities for Abigail to learn to interact rightly with other children).

We’re still thrilled to be part of the local body of Christ at Heritage Bible Church and love our class of seven and eight year olds. Our new Shepherding Group—made up of those who work with the children and youth—blesses us often.

We travelled a lot this year . . . to Georgia visiting Mom and Dad Garner and Nathan’s grandparents, to Tennessee to spend time with Mom and Dad Mee and family, and to Alabama to see the Talleys (Nathan’s sister Talitha, her husband Stephen and their four children—Abigail’s beloved cousins) who are now in a new home with their own land surrounding it. The first weekend in May, Julia and Abigail met Nathan in Orlando, FL after a conference and we took our first “family-of-three vacation” –two days at Sea World. We also travelled to Virginia several times for events including a 60th anniversary celebration for the Julia’s (Johnson) grandparents and a last visit with Mimi (Julia’s Grandmother Patteson) and later a memorial service for her. July 4th, we all flew to California and spent five days with our friends the Swillums. Mid-July, Julia’s sister Lydia (who, by the way, was married last spring to Tom Dever and is expecting twins next summer!) graduated from the Police Academy in Columbia. The following weekend we joined Mom and Dad Mee and clan in Charleston for a weekend at the beach and staying in KOA camping cabins.

The times in between and since have been full with work, school, Sunday school lessons, visits from friends and family and lots of babysitting (good thing Julia and Abigail love children and babies!). “Chris-is li-ights” are a delight to our little girl and her face lights up every time we turn the Christmas tree lights on. We pray that one day soon Jesus will bring a much greater joy and light to Abigail’s heart.

Our hearts are often weak and doubting and fearful as we face the questions and hurts of life on earth, but we rejoice to remember that God is mighty and that He will accomplish all His good will. We stand on the present and eternal hope of Christ Jesus’ perfect work in our stead and His loving orchestration of the details of our lives for the glory of the Father. May Jesus be your great hope and joy this Christmas! We love you.

Nathan, Julia, & Abigail Garner

Abigail's two years old! - December 10

Pictures are finally up - just two months after the fact. =) Julia's brother Caleb (Uncle Tabet to Abigail) joined us the evening of Abigail's birthday - which made it a party in Abigail's estimation. She was delighted by his company and the balloons and cupcakes and ice cream and candles and singing. Her three presents were overwhelming - we had to pull her away from the first to make her open the second (If only we'd known!). She loves her pots and pans, dollhouse, and play-doh barrel. The next morning five young friends (and mommies) came for a snowflake themed birthday party (ironic considering the mid-December 75 degree weather!). "Happy Dirthday, Abigail!" We love you and thank God for you!

November B - coming soon

Travels in November

The first days in November found us in Lynchburg, VA for Randy Beaty's funeral service. Randy was the 21-year-old second son of long-time friends who are missionaries in China and the testimony of Randy and of his family brought sweet praise to our God. We spent time with a number of friends while in the area.
Mid-way through the following week we left for Georgia and got to spend a few days with Mom and Dad Garner and to visit all of Nathan's grandparents - a real treat. Abigail loved all the spoiling from her grandparents and great-grandparents. =)
The slideshow includes a couple of pictures of Abigail with David - one of her best buddies whom we keep weekly.

Visit from Great-Grandparents

GramMee (Julia's mom) brought Abigail's Great-Granddad and Great-Grandma Johnson here for a visit October 18-21. We loved having them in our home it was great for Abigail to have time to get to know them better (than the "quick overnight for big event trips" previously).

Fun times in October

Abigail thinks it's perfectly delightful when Mommy babysits her friends! She's also becoming quite the helper in the kitchen--making "biscuits for Daddy" is her specialty. Jennie Lue's birthday (eighty something) was a highlight and for weeks afterwards, every cake or balloon prompted Abigail to say, "Happy dirthday, Jennie Lue!"

GSP Family Fun Day at Holden Park - 9/29/07