Time is short....

Best friends, the Babies, Molly and Nora. Love their little friendship.

The coffee "bar" has been autumn-ized. Come, have coffee with me, ok?
 I'd love to have you.
seriously.

Ruby. Oh Ruby. it is a good thing you are cute...
I am not, by nature, a dog person. Animals aren't my thing. But I'm
committed to this dog. and she is SO cute. and I love watching her grow.
and someday, she will be trained...though I'm trusting God to help us in this
department because, being a non-animal person, it does not come
naturally to me...training animals, giving them "purpose" and "listening" to them.
What?
One thing is certain..this position she lays in? adorable. except when she has just urinated...then, not so adorable.
eww.

In this pic and the next...she was waiting on the stairs for Molly.
I love how she loves Molly. and Mel. and Me.
She is a funny girl.

She looks so grown up here. She is getting close to 4 months of age!

David and I were talking as we drove home from Drum lessons today...it's true what they say...

The days are long but they years are short. It's true. Will is approaching his 24th birthday..I mean...how did that happen? Ethan is 22.5 and Mel is 20. Levi will be 16 in a little over a month from now and Molly is 11 going on 26. 

When I was in the "thick of it" (parenting and the daily rigamarole of life with youngsters), it felt like it would never end.

But it does. It ends. I don't say all of this to make you feel guilty or to be a condescending oldie...I just wish someone had really sat down with me, invested in my life and said "Hey, do you realize just how blessed you really are??? Your husband busts his bum to work (which was a thorn we had to deal with) so you can be home with your little kids, you have the rights and freedom to home educate and invest into your kids' lives...and you have the ability to invest into the lives of the people around you"

did I? Probably not like I could have or should have....

there is beauty in parenting kids in their 20's and kids that still really need you every single day. It's a weird balancing act and a world I'm not used to. I'm grateful for the input that the older 3 give to me on Levi and Moo.

I want Levi and Molly to serve and follow Christ like Will, Ethan and Melanie are...That is amazing to me. I look around at folks and their kids are heading off to college (which is great! esp if the Lord has called you to this and I am, in NO way, saying that you can't or won't serve Christ if you are called to the college route), and they've been saving for this and planning...this used to make me feel like a real idiot...

but no more...if any of our kids came to us and had a real desire  or calling from the LORD to gain this kind of FORMAL education, then we'd support them as best as we could...so far, no one has done this (and we NEVER dog this!) ...the closest we've come is Melanie and her doula training (tonight, she is attending her second birth, needed to gain her doula certification. you GO, girl!!)....we will support our kids as MUCH as we can, financially, spiritually, mentally, whatever! 

All this to say...our oldest three are actively serving and pursuing a relationship and service to Jesus Christ. They each have their own walk and talk. I'm not impressed...I'm in awe. It has not been easy or without hardship or heartbreak in EACH of their lives...and watching them EACh pursue HIM is enough. Will has his music (man, can he write songs and deliver a song like NOBODY!) and his heart is on his sleeve, Joy faithfully loves and cares for her man and the people she calls friends, and she's a mean sound person, drummer and techie. Ethan has a heart to serve other young men in their pursuit of Christ and righteous living...He wants to encourage other guys to stay fixed on Jesus....he's one of my biggest encouragers.  Melanie ...ah Mel. I always say God sent her here to care for me...and she does. I am just amazed at her every single day (not to say we don't have our tiffs and disagreements....) she is maternal and driven, but most of all, she has a heart to encourage other young girls to SEEK Christ, stay true to HIM and she has the hurts and pain, as her brothers do, that have driven her back to the feet of Jesus. I honestly believe that pain is the tool used to drive us back to the VERY ONE that made us, loves us and sings over us. 

The greatest gift that I, as a mother, could get is to see my children walk in truth, to seek after Christ, and to forge ahead with Him as their Captain, serving Him in their unique ways.

I just shake my head. If you're never a Fortune 500 kinda guy, mover, shaker, up and coming kinda person by the world's standards...that is A-OK with David Young and I. Jesus takes care of ALL OF THAT.

I pray that the same will be true for Levi and Molly. I appreciate your prayers, friends, family. 

With Christ, all the rest just falls into place.  (go listen to Keith Green "He'll Take Care of the Rest)

I'm in AWE.       have I mentioned this?

Hope this finds you doing well tonight. I am so grateful for you, my blog friends. 

Praying tonight for some friends from our church group. M's mom, a Romanian lady, was hit by a car and died last night...Now M and her family (which includes 4 small children) are scrambling to get Visas, Passports and all that entails, so they can head overseas and attend to this heartbreaking event. I know the V Family covets your prayers and any help that you can give. 

So many earthly hurts...but Jesus is the Peace that passes all understanding.   The Hope. 

Hang on to the HOPE, my friends.

Shellee....loved hearing from you. Tory and I were worried that you and your family may have been affected by your wild storms in Japan. We love you...we always pray for you and so appreciate your prayer letters. Love you, friend!

My encouragement to you: Read 5 Psalms a day., even if you aren't a "Christian"...they are amazing chapters and chock full of God's goodness. You'll get hungry for more of His Word.