I know, you may be tired of me posting videos of Drew singing, but I am not! What can I say, he loves to sing, and I love the video camera.
You've heard him sing Amazing Grace, Happy Birthday, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, The Doxology, Go Cubs Go, Jingle Bells, and now, here is more fruit from our Family Bible Time...
I Love You Lord.
Rob
There is no way to exaggerate this. Becky made these cookies that are easily the best cookies I have ever had, homemade or store bought. Hands down, the best!
White Chocolate Craisin Oatmeal. Scrumptous!
So good, I took a picture!
Rob
Recently, we started having a daily family Bible Time after we are done eating breakfast, but still at the table. Now some of you may be impressed, and some of you may be like, "wow, what took you so long?!" Nonetheless, thanks to Shawn Bergen, a pastor at our church, for his example and influence to get us started.
So far, it has been both a joy and a train wreck. Drew loves it, but doesn't always stay focused. Tessa is pretty much clueless. We involve her, and certainly understand that the practice is just as formative for her as it is for Drew. Tonight, was especially hard. We have learned the lesson more than once, we have to keep Tessa tied down, oops, I mean strapped in to her high chair if there is any hope of her participating.
What do we do? 3 things...
1. We read the Bible. We are using a children's Bible that basically tells a story through a very short story and picture. After we read, we ask questions of each person to further explain what might be happening.
2. We pray. We go around first and ask what each person wants to thank Jesus for or ask Jesus for. Then we go around and everyone takes a turn to pray. This was a great idea we learned from someone else. We find that it helps them think about what they want to tell Jesus, instead of just singing their prayer song from rote memory.
3. We sing worship songs. We sing a song we don't know and a song we do know. The other night Drew wanted to sing, "The Wheels on the Bus." I was quick to point out that that song was not a worship Jesus song. He quickly responded..."yes it is Daddy, because Jesus made the buses!" We sang the song. A song that "we" didn't know was "the Doxology". Even though we sang it for a week, Drew wouldn't sing. Shy or something? Last night, I was trying to get Tessa to sing with me because Drew wouldn't, and all of a sudden he announced he knew it. He sure did, every word. Amazing how quickly he learns...
Here is a little fruit of our labor...
Rob
Becky and I enjoyed 2 days alone to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. Thanks Dave and Patti for the place! Our anniversary really doesn't happen until July 18, but with Becky's Mom here visiting and the baby coming at the end of July, now was our chance! Thanks Mom for doing a great job watching the kids so we could escape.
We had a great time. Mom and the kids joined us for our third day on the beach. Here are some pics...
Rob
Wow, I am really "intuit" now... the laboratory of learning is in full swing. Let's just hope that nothing in the lab blows up.
May 1, RMI began using QuickBooks. This is literally a dream come true. Hopefully not a nightmare! We converted from Quicken. The conversion went well, including all the classes and categories with all the historical financial data. I am encouraged about that.
I met with our external CPA today, and it went well. BUT, now the real work begins. I have a whole lot of learning and a ton of work to clean things up, reestablish our Chart of Accounts, redesign all of the financial systems and processes, connect our donor management software to QuickBooks, figure out reports, etc, etc etc...
AH!!!
One thing's for sure, I am learning a ton, and for that I am grateful.
Rob
Southern Delicacy? I don't think so. According to wikipedia, Boiled Peanuts are a southern thing. I had the "pleasure" of trying one, but it wasn't a pleasure or a delicacy at all. To be honest, I think they are nasty. Since moving to Florida, we have seen a person selling them on the side of the road many times. This past week, someone bought them to share. I tried one, and that was it...
Think of a dripping wet, very salty, mushy and soggy bean. Don't even try one. They are not worth it.
Rob
The whole family went to the ultrasound today. Baby is looking great. Already a whopping 3 lbs 4 oz and about 15" long. The Baby is measuring about 2 weeks ahead. I will try and scan the pics tomorrow.
Drew wanted a picture of the big boy in his belly.
Rob
I was up again this morning and got to watch another sunrise with Bible (and camera) in hand. God is so good and so revealed in His creation.
Rob
Today, Wednesday, I got up early and had a sweet time in the Word. Coffee in one hand, Bible in the other, while watching the sunrise over a foggy lake was breathtaking. Psalm 19 has always been my favorite passage to read when surrounded by God's creation. God is so good.
About 9 am, Becky called with horrible news. She fell hard, right on her pregnant belly. Apparently there was some melted ice on our tile floor that sent her down belly first. She was carrying Tessa at the time. She was obviously very upset, and I was much too far away (4.5 hours away in Gainesville). She went right to the hospital and got checked out. Praise the Lord, everything was ok. Some soreness, but baby is perfectly healthy. Thank you to many of you who prayed and called, but specifically to Tammy, Brandy, Debbie and Kelly for being with Becky and helping with the Kids when I couldn't.
Today was a $3000 day. Ouch! I guess when it rains, it pours.
Our health insurance deductible is $1500. So, the good news is we will have the baby for free, but that doesn't really help the bank account today!
The car repairs cost $535.
I had to call the A/C repairmen to come look at our home Air Conditioner. $1000 later, we are cool again. Freon and a new coil.
I had the opportunity to ride 4wheelers today. Here is a picture of the Moses clan. What fun!
Rob
As I posted on Tuesday morning, on Monday night we bought a car. I am having a hard time getting excited about a minivan, but we really are blessed.
We bought a used 2007 Honda Odyssey EX with 22,000 miles. Did we get a good deal? I would be naive to say that I know we did, but I felt like we pushed as hard as we could and got the price down as far as we could.
We test drove the car a week earlier, and walked out so we wouldn't be misled by our desires. When we went back to look again, and ultimately negotiate the purchase, Drew was so funny. He kept saying things like, "this car will look good in our driveway." "This is the car we should buy Daddy." Let's just say there is a good reason 3 year old's don't negotiate deals.
Rob
I got on the road heading to Gainesville with my rental car. I had to rent a car (Nissan Sentra) because my car was in the shop. Once I hit the highway, I realized I had no cruise control. Argh, I guess I was a little too cheap and a little too assuming. I got an intermediate car, but didn't think to check on the presence of cruise control. The next 4.5 hours was going to be long.
Why Gainesville? Yes, Gainesville is the home of the University of Florida (second largest university in America!), but I was going to meet up for a RMI summit of sorts to reconnect with RMI people and dream together about the future of RMI at our Board Chairman's Camp on a lake. I met up with RMI President Dan, RMI missionaries Billy and Debbie Moses and their children Savana and McKenna, RMI Board Chairman Billy Byrd and RMI Board Member Greg. We had a great time reconnecting, evaluation and dreaming together. Sweet fellowship.
Our chairman's father slow BBQ'd ribs and chicken for hours on this amazing grill. Oh my, it was awesome. If you are familiar with Sonny's BBQ, it is a distant second.
We swam in the lake (thank goodness we didn't see any of the local gator population).
We also sat around the camp fire telling stories at night. We were laughing hysterically almost the whole time.
Rob
Have you seen the show on Discovery called "Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe"? Pretty soon, they need to highlight parenting...
Last night, on the way home from a parenting conference at church, Tessa threw up a couple of times in the car. If you haven't done it, there is no way to describe the dry heaving experience of cleaning out a car seat, with all of its buckles and straps, of the caked on "stuff".
I love my little girl, but wow she can make a mess...
Rob
This week a manifesto of sorts will be released by a subset of the conservative evangelical community. Although I think I will be in agreement with its core, I can't really comment until I have read it.
Reform is needed... I am not saying we need to be apolitical, but I am saying I am so darned tired of the stereotypical ideology of the Religious Right. It is almost as if the platform of the Religious Right and Moral Majority has eclipsed the tenets of Evangelicalism. I am first a follower of Christ. I am evangelical in its fundamental sense. I care more about the my relationship with Jesus, His perfect Word, salvation through grace alone, His kingdom and soon return, sharing the love of Jesus with others, as well as loving the inclusive not exclusive body of Christ the Church, than I do about politics. Evangelicalism should not be a political word.
Don't get me wrong, I am personally against abortion, I am for marriage, I am for a reduction in government and taxes, I am against socialistic policies. But I am first a lover of Jesus and my neighbor. These loves influence, yet supercede my political viewpoint. There is no difference between my love for Howard Dean and my love for Billy Graham.
Here is a quote from the AP article, "Evangelicals say faith is now too political", written by Rachel Zoll and Eric Gorski
"Conservative Christian leaders who believe the word "evangelical" has lost its religious meaning plan to release a starkly self-critical document saying the movement has become too political and has diminished the Gospel through its approach to the culture wars."
See this ap article here. I look forward to reading the manifesto...
Rob
Just a few pics to show how fast Drew and Tessa are growing up and some that I hope bring a smile!
Drew rides "really fast" on his big boy bike.
Daddy and Tessa... I love the way Rob is looking at Tessa here. It makes me smile.
Drew got a kids shaving kit for his birthday. Daddy showed him how to use it, but I love the way Tessa is looking on! Plus, he looks so serious!
And one last one I hope puts a smile on your face!
~Becky
