The Dubuque Steeles

Watch out for the crazy lady.

2012-02-10T21:34:00.000-06:00

It's like I've been pregnant for 15 months. If I don't get some news about this process moving along soon I think I may go crazy! Blaah! What the heck could be taking so long? Ok, enough ranting. I'm watching lots of episodes of really ridiculous TV shows on Netflix to keep my mind occupied. Anyone ever see Say Yes to The Dress? Yeah, me neither. Anyway, with Micah out of town on business in CHINA of all places, and me at home alone with three youngins, I am just ever so obsessed about when we will be notified of our travel dates.

Check out this awesome picture of Fuzhou

2012-02-10T19:43:00.000-06:00

This is a picture that I found of Fuzhou, Phoebe's birth city. I can't wait to see it for myself!

More glimpses of Phoebe

2012-02-04T18:44:00.001-06:00

I was surprised to get more pics and info on Phoebe this week! Isn't she adorable?! It has been neat to watch her grow and change through all of the pictures that we have received. There have been so many more updates during her process than during Levi's. I had emailed the agency to ask if she was indeed in foster care, because our last update indicated that she was even though we had not been told that. So we did get confirmation this week that she is in the care of an older couple who has raised a son, and now fosters children who are awaiting international adoption. Phoebe is the 6th child that they have fostered, and from what we understand she is the only child in the home. Her foster Mom stays home and her foster Dad works as a security guard. This is great news! I am so glad that she is getting one on one attention from a couple, who I pray is loving her up! Her foster Mom and Dad took all of these pictures for us and they were emailed to us. Such a treat.

We were told about a week ago that we probably travel on March 16th or April 6th. I am really really ready to go but I am reminding myself that the Lords timing is perfect. For me to get irritated about the timing is just me telling God that his timing is not good enough for me, that his plan is not good enough for me, and that I know better. Hmm. Ok. That puts things in perspective. I just have to remind myself that a hundred times a day.

Thank you all for your love, prayers, and words of encouragement!

Update on Phoebe!

2012-01-18T23:41:00.001-06:00

We got four new pics of little miss Phoebe yesterday! The information said that she is healthy and she has 4 teeth, she is crawling but likes to stand and hold on to things, and she weighs 17 pounds. We can't wait to meet our newest blessing and welcome her home! The kids are really looking forward to meeting her. Levi says almost daily "I can't wait until Phoebe can come home." How sweet is that? We are still hoping to travel in March but we are waiting on immigration approval. Every day I approach the mailbox with great expectation! :) I know that the Lords timing is perfect!

2011 Year In Pictures Video

2012-01-09T04:34:00.002-06:00

The 2011 Year in Pictures Video has been posted.

Download to your computer
Watch on YouTube

Family Christmas Pic 2011

2011-12-25T20:01:00.001-06:00

Dubuque Steele Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T19:38:00.003-06:00

A week of firsts

2011-12-21T21:01:00.001-06:00

Isaiah started school a little while after we moved to the new house. It was time. Time for him and time for me. I must say that the Lord provided a very smooth transition. His timing is always perfect. Isaiah has been delighted at his new adventure and the littler ones and I are enjoying each other at home (and preparing for the next little one!). The bus stops at the corner of our lot and there are 4 other kids at our bus stop. Lots of the kids in the neighborhood go to our church so he already had friends on the bus. There are so many kids in our new neighborhood that there are TWO elementary busses that cover it! I love that. And at our bus stop the Moms and Dads wait at the bus stop with the kids. We all wave and blow kisses as the bus pulls away. Ok, it's kinda nerdy, but I still really love it. I'm gonna be out there participating in the nerdiness until he asks me not to do it anymore. :)

Conversations with Levi

2011-11-19T21:15:00.000-06:00

Levi has become totally conversational in recent weeks. It is a pure delight to hear the things that he is thinking. To think that all of these things have been pent up inside for so long since being home and he has not been able to communicate them well. Here is a conversation that I just had with him while snuggling at bedtime:

Levi: You are my pumpkin. (That is one of the names that I have for the kids.)

Me: I love this boy

Levi: I love this girl (Giggles)

Levi: I can't wait for Phoebe to come home.

Me: Me neither.

Levi: She will cry?

Me: Yes she will probably cry.

Levi: I can't hear her crying.

Me: Well she is not here, she is in China.

Levi: Just like me!

Me: Yes just like you were.

Levi: Why?

Me: Because that is where you were born and Mommy and Daddy came to get you.

Levi: Why?

Me: Because we love you.

Levi: And then we go on airplane?

Me: Yes. Then we went on the airplane.

We have never had a conversation like this. The most surprising thing to me was that I don't ever remember talking about bringing him home on the airplane. Not with him I mean. He just remembers.

Another cute thing that he said from about a month ago went something like this:

We were at a local elementary school picking up a friend from school and we were standing beside the playground looking through a fence at the kids playing. There was a little boy who was Asian and as soon as I saw him I knew that Levi would make a comment. He gets excited when he sees other Asian kids, boys in particular. Right away he looked at me with huge eyes and a smile and while pointing at the boy he said "Hey! Like me!" I smiled at him. He looked at the boy who was quite a distance away and yelled "Hey like me!" while waving frantically. As if "Like Me" was the boy's name.

It is a pure joy to parent this kid. And despite all of our parenting failures and screw ups- of which there have been many- he seems to be adjusting well and as happy as he possibly could be. Praise Jesus, our Savior, for that. We are not perfect and never will be. But he is and always will be. Our hope is in Him.

New pics of our babe!

2011-11-18T07:04:00.001-06:00

We got these new pics of Phoebe a couple of weeks ago and I am ashamed to say that I have not taken the time to post them. We have been a bit on the busy side with moving and all. We moved to a different house and are just trying to get settled in and find things. Like our toilet brushes of which I own three and have not been able to locate. At least I know I owned three when we left Spires Dr. Maybe they fell off of someone's truck? Or one of my helpful friends took one home as payment for helping us move? Whatever. If you come for a visit don't judge me for my dirty toilets.

Oh. My. Goodness. (Insert scream!)

2011-10-07T06:37:00.003-05:00

I knew that the super duper nice lady from our agency was going to visit Pheobe this week but she said that she would be back on the 16th and that I should not expect to hear from her until then. BUT! This morning, when my alarm went off at 5:00, I glanced over to my phone and low and behold I see this super duper nice lady's name come up and I know that it was gonna be gooood! I exited the bed as if it was on FIRE when I saw the picture of our sweet baby. AAAAHHHHH!! Can you believe it?

Here is what the super duper wonderfully kind woman says about her:

She is a very sweet child – she has chubby cheeks and a chubby little belly. Her legs are thinner, but not skinny – also, not chunky. When I first saw her, I was very surprised to see her lip had been repaired! According to the orphanage staff, it was done about 2 weeks ago. Her palate has not been repaired.She has one little tiny tooth that has just popped thru on the bottom left/front. She weighs around 7 kilograms (15.4 lbs). I held her and played with her for about an hour – in that time I learned:- she has very good eye contact and loves when people talk to her- she enjoys being bounced- she has ticklish feet- she grabbed onto my finger many times and has a strong grip- she can bear weight on her legs, but needs practice doing this- she cannot sit unsupported but has good head control- she laughs when you fly her up in the air – but not too high, or too fast as that scares her – there is a thin line between funny and scared- she likes when you tickle her chin/neck- she loves peek-a-boo- once she gets to know you, I think she will love to spin… I tried to spin her (me standing, holding her, turning around in a circle) and she thought she liked it but was a bit unsure… I’m thinking she has never done that before.We took about 25 pictures. We also took pictures of her hands and feet – because I love baby hands and feet.

Happy dance...

The Lord is at work in our hearts over here. Praise His glorious name!

Praise God.

2011-10-03T22:49:00.000-05:00

We are so excited to announce that we are expecting a baby girl! We are thrilled that God has chosen us to be her parents and we are very much looking forward to bringing her home. Her birthday is February 24, 2011- which makes her 7 months old! Her name is Xie Rong Tang and she is currently in Fuzhou at the Fuzhou Child Welfare Center. As far as we know she has unrepaired cleft lip and palate and we are not sure if she will have any surgical procedures before she comes home. We hope to get more info on her in a couple of weeks. One of the staff from our agency is planning to visit her during a trip next week and promises to give her some snuggles and have some questions answered for us. We are also hoping for some more pictures of our sweetie. They tell us that travel time is 4-9 months from now. Ouch. If I call and whine to you about the horrible misery involved in waiting for your baby laying in a crib (or sitting in a weird home-made bamboo high chair) half way across the world please say the following things to me:

Our father in heaven already knows the day and time that she will come home.
His timing is perfect.
He loves her infinitely more than you do and more than you can imagine.
He knows exactly what she needs and he will provide those things for her, seein as how he loves her so much.

So, anyway, without further ado...here is our new beauty whom we have decided to name Phoebe.

Phoebe Glenn Rongtang Steele, we love you already and we can't wait to touch you!

Please join us in praying for our sweetie. Prayer requests are as follows:

That she feels loved and cared for and that her physical needs are being met daily.
That the Lord would be preparing her for a big transition to our home.
That we would be able to bring her home before her first birthday.

I think that's all for now, I'm sure Ill think of more. Thank you all for your love and support. It is such an encouragement to us when you celebrate with us!

A couple more pics and info...

Fuzhou, Fujian China

This is the CWI where she lives.

This is where our paperwork currently resides.

Hurry up Ya'll!

Happy Birthday Levi!

2011-09-29T09:50:00.000-05:00

We have a performer.

2011-09-11T15:15:00.000-05:00

Naomi is 5!

2011-09-09T23:46:00.003-05:00

Naomi turned 5 years old on August 19th so we had a girlie princess party complete with nail painting and hair fixing. It was a grand time. Her guest list included several little girls in addition to three of the sweet ladies who babysit for us. This girl is absolutely adorable. So girly and funny. It is so much fun to watch her grow up!

Southern Iowa Sister

2011-09-09T23:27:00.002-05:00

The kids and I went to visit the Hill Family in way way way southern Iowa. It took me four whole ~~days~~ hours to get there. It was totally worth it! I love my sweet Emily and her beautiful family.

We went on vacation...a long time ago

2011-09-09T23:18:00.001-05:00

We drove to North Carolina back in July for a vacation with my family. We went from the beach to the mountains and it was a wonderful trip. It is always delightful to spend time with my fam and share life with them. They are a rowdy bunch of folks, Ill say that. There was lots of laughter and goofing off and quality time just relaxing. I thank God for such a loving family! Here are some highlights in pictures.

Stuff and such

2011-07-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

Here are some pics indicating what we have been up to. This has been the most fun summer that I can remember. Just doing this blog post has caused me to have perm-a-grin. The kids are at such fun ages, they are trying and accomplishing new things all the time, and they are so interesting to talk to and hang out with. I was struck while looking back over these pictures at how much joy they give Micah and I and how incredibly blessed we feel to be their parents. Every victory for them is so much fun for us to watch and every skinned knee or big bump on the head is a privilege for us to care for. I know that if I, a sinful human, love my children this much that there is no way I can comprehend how much my heavenly father loves me. And that my friends, makes me well up with tears and takes my breath away.

So, with that, here is the summer so far. I know it may seem like the longest blog post ever and like I chose every picture that we have. However, we have a thousand and one pictures and it was very hard to choose.

The kids all took swim lessons this year along with Naomi's best pal Paisley. The beginning of June in Iowa is not exactly balmy, its not even warm actually. Most days were in the 60's and they left the pool with blue lips in sweatshirts. Isaiah and Naomi both are able to swim pretty well on their own and they are so happy about that. Levi just thinks its fun to sit on the bottom of the pool with his eyes open.

Naomi and Paisley attended a dance camp. Boy was this interesting. Um, I don't even know what to say. We aren't doing that again.

We have spent lots of time at the lake having camp fires with new friends, among other things. The kids ride bikes all day and play in the blow up pool and sprinkler. We have also purchased 160 sparklers, 800 water balloons, and lots of smores ingredients. Micah and Isaiah obtained a inner tube and floated down the river. I have been reading on the deck with a big glass of lemonade.

We finished up baseball and Isaiah loved it. I did too. It doesn't get any cuter than those little buns in those little baseball pants.

We have had multiple cookouts with our small group including this one for Independence Day. It was a hilarious event as Levi entertained us all by just being himself. If you hang around him for more than 5 minutes you will know what I mean. He is a very fast moving bundle of JOY. Isaiah lost a second tooth in his can of lemonade. There was lots of lightening bug catching and sparkler enjoyment. We watched the fireworks together to end the evening.

Grandma and Grandpa Steele have been making more frequent visits to Dubuque. It's been super fun.

Lots of bike riding has been going on.

We finally dug out the owners manual for our camera and we are attempting to learn how to use the thing. Here is quite possibly our favorite picture of the summer just because he is so darned cute and that personality is just unbelievable. I've caught myself thinking and saying out-loud lately that God must have known when he added Levi to our family that we would be reminded how to relax, have a lots of fun, and not take things so seriously.

Absolutely. Adorable.

Motherhood as a Mission Field

2011-06-28T13:21:00.001-05:00

Here is a great article from the blog at desiringgod.org. A great reminder to all you Jesus Lovin moms out there!

Motherhood as a Mission Field

There is a good old saying, perhaps only said by my Grandfather, that distance adds intrigue. It is certainly true — just think back to anything that has ever been distant from you that is now near. Your driver’s license. Marriage. Children. Things that used to seem so fascinating, but as they draw near become less mystical and more, well, real.

This same principle certainly applies to mission fields too. The closer you get to home, the less intriguing the work of sacrifice seems. As someone once said, “Everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help Mom with the dishes.” When you are a mother at home with your children, the church is not clamoring for monthly ministry updates. When you talk to other believers, there is not any kind of awe about what you are sacrificing for the gospel. People are not pressing you for needs you might have, how they can pray for you. It does not feel intriguing, or glamorous. Your work is normal, because it is as close to home as you can possibly be. You have actually gone so far as to become home.

Home: The Headwaters of Mission

If you are a Christian woman who loves the Lord, the gospel is important to you. It is easy to become discouraged, thinking that the work you are doing does not matter much. If you were really doing something for Christ you would be out there, somewhere else, doing it. Even if you have a great perspective on your role in the kingdom, it is easy to lose sight of it in the mismatched socks, in the morning sickness, in the dirty dishes. It is easy to confuse intrigue with value, and begin viewing yourself as the least valuable part of the Church.

There are a number of ways in which mothers need to study their own roles, and begin to see them, not as boring and inconsequential, but as home, the headwaters of missions.

At the very heart of the gospel is sacrifice, and there is perhaps no occupation in the world so intrinsically sacrificial as motherhood. Motherhood is a wonderful opportunity to live the gospel. Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Motherhood provides you with an opportunity to lay down the things that you cannot keep on behalf of the people that you cannot lose. They are eternal souls, they are your children, they are your mission field.

Faith Makes the Small Offering Great

If you are like me, then you may be thinking “What did I ever give up for them? A desk job? Time at the gym? Extra spending money? My twenty- year- old figure? Some sleep?” Doesn’t seem like much when you put it next to the work of some of the great missionaries, people who gave their lives for the gospel.

Think about the feeding of the five thousand when the disciples went out and rounded up the food that was available. It wasn’t much. Some loaves. Some fish. Think of some woman pulling her fish out and handing it to one of the disciples. That had to have felt like a small offering. But the important thing about those loaves and those fishes was not how big they were when they were given, it was about whose hands they were given into. In the hands of the Lord, that offering was sufficient. It was more than sufficient. There were leftovers. Given in faith, even a small offering becomes great.

Look at your children in faith, and see how many people will be ministered to by your ministering to them. How many people will your children know in their lives? How many grandchildren are represented in the faces around your table now?

Gain What You Cannot Lose in Them

So, if mothers are strategically situated to impact missions so greatly, why do we see so little coming from it? I think the answer to this is quite simple: sin. Discontent, pettiness, selfishness, resentment. Christians often feel like the right thing to do is to be ashamed about what we have. We hear that quote of Jim Elliot’s and think that we ought to sell our homes and move to some place where they need the gospel.

But I’d like to challenge you to look at it differently. Giving up what you cannot keep does not mean giving up your home, or your job so you can go serve somewhere else. It is giving up yourself. Lay yourself down. Sacrifice yourself here, now. Cheerfully wipe the nose for the fiftieth time today. Make dinner again for the people who don’t like the green beans. Laugh when your plans are thwarted by a vomiting child. Lay yourself down for the people here with you, the people who annoy you, the people who get in your way, the people who take up so much of your time that you can’t read anymore. Rejoice in them. Sacrifice for them. Gain that which you cannot lose in them.

It is easy to think you have a heart for orphans on the other side of the world, but if you spend your time at home resenting the imposition your children are on you, you do not. You cannot have a heart for the gospel and a fussiness about your life at the same time. You will never make any difference there if you cannot be at peace here. You cannot have a heart for missions, but not for the people around you. A true love of the gospel overflows and overpowers. It will be in everything you do, however drab, however simple, however repetitive.

God loves the little offerings. Given in faith, that plate of PB&J’s will feed thousands. Given in faith, those presents on Christmas morning will bring delight to more children than you can count. Offered with thankfulness, your work at home is only the beginning. Your laundry pile, selflessly tackled daily, will be used in the hands of God to clothe many. Do not think that your work does not matter. In God’s hands, it will be broken, and broken, and broken again, until all who have need of it have eaten and are satisfied. And even then, there will be leftovers.

Rachel Jankovic is a wife, homemaker, and mother. She is the author of "Loving the Little Years" and blogs at Femina. Her husband is Luke, and they have five children: Evangeline (5), Daphne (4), Chloe (2), Titus (2), and Blaire (5 months).

Speedy Grilled Pizza

2011-06-10T09:19:00.000-05:00

Here is the link to a fantastic recipe that we tried last weekend. We will use this one lots this summer! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. I used half whole wheat flour and next time I will try all whole wheat. We also added pepperoni to ours. It was delish! Other than that, we followed the recipe exactly.

Happy cooking!

Weekend in Dalton City

2011-06-08T20:23:00.004-05:00

Catching up

2011-05-10T19:51:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that I have not posted these...

The kids finished AWANA and got their awards for the year.

We got a free trampoline from the side of the road! ;)

Isaiah started playing Pee Wee baseball and his first game is tomorrow!

Naomi decided that she wanted to learn to ride a bike without training wheels! We were so happy for her.

Isaiah lost his first tooth!

Lots of milestones around here.

Interesting reminders of Easter

2011-05-10T19:17:00.000-05:00

We had several friends over for Easter dinner. When I looked back at the pictures that my little friend Lexi took with my camera I couldnt help but giggle. I love these folks. We had loads of fun.

Recent Events

2011-05-10T19:02:00.000-05:00

Here are some interesting tidbits from the Steele clan...

I found a recipe for no-fry donuts and so we tried them out. They were scrumptious. You can click here for the recipe. I substituted butter for the shortening.

Miss Suz moved in. Suz was Isaiah's violin teacher and is in town following finishing her teaching internship in Tennessee. She needed somewhere to live until she goes home to Pennsylvania to get married in July. It has been a blessing to have her around! That is not what she usually looks like. She actually might not like it that I posted that particular picture. Oh well. Its a fun one.

Levi LOOOOOOVES his daddy. Praise the Lord!

Seriously, if this dosen't make you laugh...

2011-04-27T18:16:00.001-05:00

High-resolution version:

http://micahsteele.net/Videos/MOV001_1_edit.mpg

Adoption: The Heart of the Gospel

2011-04-27T17:37:00.001-05:00

Here is a great sermon by John Piper called Adoption: The Heart of the Gospel. If you have time it is well worth the listen. Just click on the title.

I don't know where you are, but I know where you could be.

2011-04-23T23:59:00.001-05:00

2011-04-19T11:24:00.000-05:00

Hopefully our I800A will arrive soon to the USCIS office. It is the "application for determination of suitability to adopt from a convention country". Hopefully they will find us suitable! I was glad to get the paperwork completed and in the mail. Now I wonder how long it will take to hear from them?

Random

2011-04-14T11:58:00.000-05:00

Levi and Naomi decided to decorate themselves with hair accessories before bed one night. This is the only picture that I have taken with my camera in the last 6 weeks!

Levi's Forever Family Day

2011-03-08T21:47:00.000-06:00

One year ago today we met our little man for the first time. I was terribly nervous and he was terribly upset. Micah was just, well you know, cool. Needless to say it has been a crazy amazing painful glorious year for all of us and we are incredibly thankful that our Lord has grown us and blessed us with our son. I was going to give you all a play by play of the most horrible and wonderful things that have happened over the course of the year here but I figured I would loose some readers so Ill just post some pics. There area a couple of our first meeting and some of us tonight when we celebrated our son and brother.

The first picture we took of him.

First smile for us.

Finally, An Update!

2011-02-23T20:59:00.000-06:00

I really have missed blogging and am sorry that it has been so long! I have probably lost lots of faithful followers by now. :) Anyway, here is an attempt at updating you on the things that I consider to be the most important of the last several weeks.

Isaiah had a violin recital just before Christmas. Here he is with his beloved teacher "Miss. Suz". Suz is a dear friend! He did an awesome job and I will try and post the video later.

Here are the kiddos on Christmas morning. Levi had no idea why we had to get up so early and face the camera.

Levi had surgery to put tubes in his ears. Our doctors in Iowa City said that he was experiencing significant hearing loss and needed the surgery for his speech development. After the procedure he could clearly hear much more than before and kept saying "quiet!". He began speech therapy twice a week and is making great progress. He loves it.

They took him to the door of the hospital in the wagon after he was discharged. He thought is was pretty cool.

Micah had to make a trip to Asia for three weeks so the kids and I drove to North Carolina to visit with my family. It was wonderful to catch up with so many family members and friends and introduce some of them to Levi for the first time. We had a wonderful trip and we were so excited to be reunited with Dad at home when it was all over.

We have had a ton of snow and the kids have had a lot of fun outside.

We added a new family member, a guinea pig named Laura. She is loved by all and probably handled a little too much for her taste. She has added lots of excitement to our little home school.

I was asked to speak at a womens retreat weekend last week and it was a time that I am sure I will never forget. There is nothing quite as exciting as telling others about the transforming power that our Lord has had in your life while watching him work in the lives of others. I am truly blessed to be a part of the community of believers here in Dubuque.

Ok, well I think that is all for now! I will try and post the video of Isaiah's recital because it is so cute. Love to you all!!

2010 Year in Pictures

2010-12-31T23:59:00.014-06:00

God gets all the glory for what he has done with and through us in 2010.

Click on this link to view/download this year's video.
http://micahsteele.net/Videos/2010YIP_small.wmv

Early Riser

2010-12-17T17:34:00.000-06:00

This is my early riser. I am convinced that as soon as she as much as rolls over one time her feet hit the floor and she runs down the stairs. We snuggle and talk until the boys get up or we get hungry, whichever happens first. If we are snuggling and she hears the boys about to make their entrance into the kitchen she groans as if she is annoyed and makes sure that she firmly secures her place in my lap because she knows she is about to have to share. :) I love my morning girly time with her!

Debbie Friar, Please Come to The Jewelery Counter...

2010-12-17T17:27:00.001-06:00

Mom came for a visit. We were SO glad to have her spend time with us at home. We got a large snow so she got to enjoy that while she was here. We also decorated a gingerbread house and made cookies. Levi got so into the decorating that he decorated his toe! :)

We made a trip to Wal-Mart and mom took the kids on an all out tour of the toy section while I got groceries. I TOLD her to wait for me in the toy section but she was no where to be found so I had to have her paged- TWICE! Gotta love that woman! We laughed so hard. Love you Mom!

Announcements

2010-12-04T20:19:00.003-06:00

With reverent praise and submission, we announce once more that we are officially in the process of waiting for another Steele baby. We submitted another adoption application with Holt International adoption agency 1 week ago, so we are looking forward to welcoming a little girl. Naomi has already affectionately named her Rachel.

It's impossible that God won't bring glory to himself through our fourth child, just like he has with the first three. Praise Him.

Firsts

2010-12-03T18:10:00.001-06:00

Little pumpkin was super excited when big brother and sister rushed to get their snow gear on when the flurries began to stream down. He was certain that he wanted to go too! He giggled as I put his hands in mittens and held out the snow bibs for him to step into. His laugh was totally contagious! He was even more tickled by the boots and then he waddled all over the house. It was all fun and games until he actually went out to see the white stuff. He was scared! He wanted no part of that weirdness! All dressed up and no where to go...he watched happily from the glass door while eating his blueberries. Maybe we will try again tomorrow.

Oh how I love seeing all of these things that he has never seen through his eyes! Such joy, praise the Lord!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-12-01T09:36:00.000-06:00

I had to post these pics of Levi at his first Thanksgiving and seeing his first snow with Cousin Miriam. It was a most blessed time for all of us at the Steele household!

Blog Facelift

2010-11-22T22:00:00.001-06:00

So I'm trying to figure out this whole design your own custom blog thing. I am now realizing why people get paid lots of money to write code...It is hard and confusing! My children have not been fed or had baths in days due to this little project. Micah is hungry too. I think I'm almost done. Maybe just one more embellishment...

Favorite recent kid quote...

2010-11-21T22:42:00.000-06:00

While Micah and Isaiah were outside building a fire Micah asked Isaiah if he knew what to do if his clothes caught on fire. Isaiah looked at Micah with confidence and said "rock and roll".

They need a few more, don't ya think?

2010-11-18T07:47:00.000-06:00

Rick and Gwen and the St. Louis Steeles (Joel, Steph, Miriam, Cora, and Walker) came for a visit last weekend. We had a lot of fun together. It is great to see all of those cousins running around and hanging out. We LOVE it when our families come for a visit!! It makes us feel special. ;)

I needed this reminder...

2010-11-15T11:16:00.000-06:00

Ni Hao Ya'll!

2010-11-13T09:42:00.000-06:00

There is the cutest gal who has the cutest family that I want to be just like someday :). Check out the blog and you will immediately know why! Anyway, she is having a "30 Days of Giveaways" event to showcase some really cool stuff that mommy types make at home and sell. You should go there and check it out. If you follow the instructions to enter the giveaways then you might win something!

Levi

2010-11-10T12:58:00.000-06:00

In Levi news...he is doing quite well. He is a joyful child most of the time and loves to clown around, as I'm sure I have stated before. We have been traveling to Iowa City Children's Hospital for regular checkups on speech, hearing, and with the surgeon. Tests have concluded that he has hearing loss in both ears that will hopefully be corrected with tubes in January. Then little man will start speech therapy. He currently has tons of words and many phrases but they are a bit unclear and usually not understandable to anyone other than mom. :) He is a joy to parent...and kiss and snuggle!

John Deere Pavilion

2010-11-10T12:42:00.000-06:00

On the way home from the Quad Cities we stopped at the Pavilion to climb on the equipment. Here are the cuties enjoying their time ...

Zoo Field Trip

2010-11-10T12:20:00.000-06:00

(Click on image to enlarge)

The weather here has been wonderful so we took the school on the road and went to Niabi Zoo near the Quad Cities. It was a beautiful day! I think that a good time was had by all!

Isaiah's New Bow

2010-11-10T12:05:00.000-06:00

(Click image to enlarge)

Isaiah used his birthday money to buy his first compound bow. We weren't in the market for a bow but we went to Wal-Mart by the lake house and I lost Micah and Isaiah in the hunting department. :) He has enjoyed shooting it at the lake since we have more space there. At home the boys have set up a hay bale with a target. Isn't he adorable? Micah is thinking he may have to learn how to hunt because Isaiah really wants to kill something.

Happy Birthday Isaiah!

2010-11-10T11:36:00.000-06:00

(Click on picture to enlarge)

Isaiah turned 6 on October 27th! We can't believe our sweet Isaiah is already 6. He is such a joy and it is so much fun to watch God write Isaiah's story. He is so much like his father. He is sort of a perfectionist about some things and he is very smart. He loves to read and soaks up every bit of school. His current favorite things to do are ride his bike and shoot his bow. (More to come on this!) For his birthday we had a great party -Star Wars of course- where he invited his favorite babysitter- Nicole- and three other friends.
We love you buddy!

Sunday Snapshot

2010-10-24T15:55:00.001-05:00

Our littles.

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Saturday Morning TV

2010-10-23T08:22:00.001-05:00

Since we don't have cable the kids have learned how to get their TV fix by grabbing my laptop and heading to PBS kids. Nothing like a little Public Baby Sitter!

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A Saturday Project

2010-10-17T16:45:00.000-05:00

Isaiah saw this workbench in a catalog and expressed a desire to own it :). I said it was very expensive but that we could show it to Dad and see what he said. Micah took one look and declared that they could build it themselves. I have to admit, I was not sure what was going to come out of this Saturday building project but I went to run some errands and came back and low and behold they were done!

Toy store version:

Super smart husband's version:

Aren't they adorable?

Isaiah told several people at church that he is a new believer and that he got a new work bench! He was beaming. He has spent quite a bit of time today rearranging the pegs on the pegboard, sawing boards, and cleaning up the work surface. So cute!

Isaiahs Prayer

2010-10-17T16:28:00.000-05:00

Isaiah approached us last night and told us that he wanted to pray about putting his faith in Jesus. We quizzed him a little bit, and he also had some questions about it himself. But after that he said he really wanted to pray about it. So we both knelt by the bed and Isaiah sat atop it and said a big-boy prayer about his faith, saying that he wanted to follow the one true God.

After dinner, we celebrated the event with (what else) ice cream sandwiches. Then, Isaiah suggested we cap off the night with a dance party. We told him that we might as well do that, what with all the angels doing the same up in heaven ;)

Only God knows Isaiah's heart, so we don't know if he has or when he will truly cross from death to life. But praise God for pursuing us and calling him to Himself.

Here's some pics from the party. The kids chose their own attire...

Vacation for Mom!

2010-10-14T20:04:00.000-05:00

So Micah's mom and dad offered to keep the kids for the week and it has been wonderful! The kids have had fun and Mom (uh hum...me) has had a great week of refueling. I just wanted to spend the week with God soaking Him in and resting in Him. I was able to read a great book and meet with strong Christian women that I don't often sit and chat with and learn from. AND I was able to date my awesome husband! Did I mention how great it has been?

Some pics from the kids week...

Some pics from my week...

Just Stop and Think

2010-10-13T17:15:00.000-05:00

Watch this video...it's a good one. Just watch it...

Kisses for Daddy!

2010-10-03T16:09:00.001-05:00

I just caught these two being cute so I snapped this pic on my phone.

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It's Harvest Time

2010-09-29T07:18:00.000-05:00

We went down to the Steele's to help with a bit of harvest last weekend. Here are some of the pics of the boys. Levi had his first tractor ride and he thought it was pretty cool. I got quite a bit of joy out of seeing him riding with his dad as well! Isaiah helped pretty much all day on Friday and Saturday...ok, well he rode along and offered interesting commentary to Micah. Naomi participated for a little while but mostly stayed at the house and played "parents" with Miriam.

If That Isn't The Cutest Thing Ever!

2010-09-17T18:21:00.000-05:00

When I got home from New Beginnings yesterday this note was handed to me by precious Isaiah. Dad had helped him to write it and he was beaming when he delivered it to me. We are working on writing and ( as you can see) the difference between D and B. :) These are precious days. I would not want to be doing anything else in the whole world than parenting these children!

Poor Kid

2010-09-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

While Isaiah and I are doing school work Naomi makes Levi play baby. He likes her so much that he will do just about anything she says. This is what he looked like when he came up from the basement this morning.

Seeds Family Worship...Spread The Word!

2010-09-13T20:55:00.000-05:00

My kids are learning scripture like crazy. You guys have to check out www.seedsfamilyworship.net. If you have little ones or know little ones you need to get these CD's for them. I stood in my kitchen crying listening to my 4 year old singing her little heart out to words straight from the bible. They liked one song in particular and we looked up and read the scripture. It lead to some awesome discussion about faith. I could not find that song online but this is an example and it is one of Isaiah's favorites. Some friends came over today and he said "hey, guess what I learned today? Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young. But set an example for the believers". (1 Timothy 4:12)

We Love You John!

2010-09-13T20:44:00.000-05:00

My Step-dad, John, was baptized recently. We are so excited about his faith journey. This is the super cool video of that special day. We love you John!!

Baptisms 2010 from Harvest Bible Chapel Raleigh on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday Levi

2010-09-12T21:33:00.000-05:00

Levi's birthday celebration didn't come off without at least one snag. These are both the first and second take.

I Am...

2010-09-12T18:09:00.000-05:00

Cute...

silly...

and bigger...I am 3!

Happy Birthday Levi! We love you so much!

First Day of School!

2010-09-10T18:05:00.000-05:00

Isaiah started kindergarten this year and we have decided to teach him at home. Our first day was Tuesday. These are some pictures of us at the park after getting schoolwork done in the morning. Isaiah is such an easy student because he is so eager! That makes his teacher happy! Naomi and Levi are wonderful playmates which makes for a plenty of quiet time for Isaiah and I to work together. It should be an exciting year!

Steele/Hill Lake Weekend

2010-09-10T17:55:00.000-05:00

Our dear friends the Hills came and spent the weekend at the lake with us. We had a blast! We remarked that the first time we met about 8 years ago that we only had one child between the four of us. Now we have 7! What a blessing it was to enjoy each others company and reflect on all that the Lord has blessed us with in just 8 short years!

Isaiah's First Cardinals Game!

2010-08-21T08:33:00.000-05:00

Micah and Uncle Joel took Isaiah to his first Cardinals game last weekend. He had such a great time. Pujols got a home run in the first inning. There were fireworks and Fred Bird, hot dogs and pretzels, and singing in the seventh inning...all amazing to a 5 year old! The boys had a great time.

Happy Birthday Naomi!

2010-08-19T07:55:00.000-05:00

Daddy and Naomi at her birthday breakfast.

Naomi is turning 4 today and she is so excited! We can't believe that our baby girl is so bit already. Just this morning Micah told her the story of the morning that she was born and it seems like just yesterday in so many ways. Today, Naomi has such a rich personality full of sweetness and drama! She is such a joy to parent and we are so thankful that the Lord has blessed our lives with her! Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Lake Gaston Days 5 & 6

2010-08-05T20:23:00.001-05:00

Days 2 and 3 Lake Gaston

2010-08-02T23:43:00.001-05:00

Day 1 Lake Gaston

2010-07-31T20:25:00.000-05:00

Family Pics

2010-07-30T20:26:00.001-05:00

Last day on the beach . . .

More fun and games

2010-07-30T16:16:00.001-05:00

Fun and Games

2010-07-29T16:29:00.001-05:00

On To More Fun Things...Beach Pictures!

2010-07-29T07:31:00.000-05:00

In The News

2010-07-27T21:44:00.000-05:00

Well I am ~~pleased~~ sorry to announce that we closed on our new Lake Delhi home a week before the lake was gone. We spent one wonderful Sunday there and I didn't even get any pictures! If you aren't aware of the recent happenings there you can click here. We left home on Thursday evening for a two week trip to NC and have followed the news happening back home. Needless to say it has been quite a tough blow, however we are interested to see how God is going to be working in this new adventure that we have found ourselves a part of. There are some things that we know for sure:

John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it its written: "For your sake we will face death all day long; we are considered sheep to be slaughtered" No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future , nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Praise the Lord!!!

Our Blessings

2010-07-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

Levi Loves His Highchair

2010-07-15T09:30:00.001-05:00

So my computer is broke down... I have some great pictures to blog whe it is fixed but this will have to do for now.

levi loves to sit in his highchair. from day one he has loved it. he finds a fun toy and runs to the chair and motions to have me put him in there or brings the stool over to climb in by himself. maybe it's because he knows he won't have to fight Isaiah or Naomi for the fun toy if he is in his chair protecting it.
By the way...he is SOOO cute. I wish we could sit and cuddle all day. He is far too busy for that!

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More holiday weekend pics...

2010-07-11T19:18:00.000-05:00

Holiday Weekend Pics

2010-07-04T14:30:00.001-05:00

Home 3 Months!

2010-06-23T20:52:00.000-05:00

Levi and Mom in on March 7, 2010, the day we met.

Levi at home in Iowa!

I can't believe that we have been home for three months with Levi! Looking at those pictures from the trip is weird because it seems like he was a different child and that it was so long ago. It seems like he has been in our family forever! Levi is such a joy to have around. He is rarely in a bad mood and is usually dancing, running, jumping, climbing, giving kisses and just laughing at everything. Here are some fun facts about Levi:

He calls Isaiah "I-yay- yuh!".
He eats anything.
He loves baths.
He says "Look Mom!" (it doesn't sound like that but I know what he is saying. It is soo cute!)
He loves his red crocks and says "shoes" and wears them all of the time.
He is pretty much potty trained! Easy kid!
He aggravates Isaiah and Naomi and they give it right back.
He has grown accustomed to lawn mowers, well almost.
He is afraid of lawn mowers, the vacuum, dogs, cats, and horses. Oh, and the hair clippers.
He loves to give kisses...even to the cell phone sales man. Woops!
He hears "I love you" countless times a day and each time replies, "I wah wah" with a big grin.
He would love it if we let him take an hour to eat each meal. He is the slowest eater ever.
He tries to repeat every word that we say and do every action that we do.
He is always willing to duke it out with Naomi over a seat in Mom's lap. Naomi hates this.
He always has a small car, truck, or train in each hand. He carries them everywhere.
He has a lovie! "Doggie" or "Ya-ye" was given to him by a co-worker of Micah.
Doggie, Daddy, and Potty all sound the same when he says them. You have to be looking at him to tell the difference. If you get it wrong you might get a surprise!
He is a very happy kid who loves life.
I think he is comfortable and thriving with his new family.
His new family adores him.
He wants another sister...he said so. I heard him say it but Micah could't quite make it out. ;)

A few happenings...

2010-06-21T22:25:00.000-05:00

Micah turned 33 26. We had a party last week where Isaiah made hats for us all. I tried to get pictures but for some reason they did not turn out well. Anyway, Micah had fun and felt loved.

Brian and Erin Uglum along with the adorable Uglum children came for a visit and stayed the weekend. It was wonderful to have long time friends over!

Oh my goodness, who do those super adorable kids belong to?!?!

These are some pics from our morning at the Dubuque Arboretum.

My life has changed.

2010-06-15T12:47:00.000-05:00

My life has changed. I am sure you have noticed. It has been wonderful and glorious and challenging and ugly. You know, growth. For all of us. Growth is painful and SO worth it.

Before all of this change I clung to my quiet time with God every morning. 5:30 alarm. Up in a flash. Grabbed my coffee, my bible, sat on the couch on the far left corner situating myself so that I could see out the window a bit. Ahhh. Perfect. Soaking in the word and spending that quiet time in prayer before those little feet hit the ground running was amazing! I was so glad that I had made that decision every day to be alone with my father. I could NOT understand why more people could not do it. What is wrong with them?!

Then, change. Lots of it. And my mood is FUNKY. Oh and how hard I have tried to blame my funkiness on various issues. I am too busy. I am tired. My children don't behave. I wish I could have a few days away with my husband. Adoption is hard. The roof is leaking. I have cold sores for the fourth time in 4 months. The lake house may not pan out. Oh well, you get the picture. BUT I know the real reason. The thing at the root of it all.

The snooze button is hit for 45 minutes. I drag myself downstairs to the coffee pot just as I hear the little feet hit the ground and begin to run. Toward. Me. UGH! Then there are a million things that occur over the next 14 hours and none of them involve soaking in the word and quiet time in prayer. That little spot on the couch is collecting dust and so is my bible. I am frustrated and tired. I hear the Lord saying "you may be tired, Jamie, but I am not."

A friend called today. She is a spiritual mentor and her kids are all older and in school. She said that I need to have a different plan for how I go about getting that nourishment and quiet with my father. "Listen to sermons or scripture while you are doing dishes and laundry" she says. You have to get that time somehow and the way you get it may change. And in fact it must or else the thing or person that is keeping you from what you so desperately want will become a target of irritation. And that is so true. Lately, poor sweet Naomi wakes happily to find her grumpy mother trying desperately to grab the bible and steal 5 minutes of reading while shooing her away with annoyance.

So as I was thinking of these things and as the day has worn on I have had some quiet time in the midst of the commotion of preschoolers. On the way home from dropping Isaiah and a friend at tennis a song came on that brought me to tears. I was so thankful in that moment for Christian radio no matter how cheesy it can be at times. That was a moment for me to worship and sing the scripture that I so desire to ponder. I took hold of it with thanks. Then after lunch while rocking Levi I whispered in his ear "I love you" and he whispered the same back to me as he smiled big. I rubbed his back while we had a long conversation most of which I did not understand. He began to rub my back too and gave me kisses on the forehead. In that moment I realized God's presence and the gift that he was giving me of quiet time with Him and Levi. Priceless.

All I had to do was desire Him with all of my heart and cry out to Him and He was there to meet me. He met me right where I was.

So with that, here is a song that our worship team has been belting out at church. It's the one that spoke to me today. If you are a mom of preschoolers turn up your radio or grab your Ipod and get nourished while doing this amazing, beautiful, glorious work that the Lord has set before us.

What is going on?

2010-06-09T09:28:00.000-05:00

So I know I have not blogged in a while and there have been several complaints logged. I hear ya. I have been very busy ~~watching season 4 of Lost~~ dutifully serving my husband and parenting our children. So, I'm sure you can see why there has been no time to blog.

As for what we have done recently, well, there has been too much to recount but I will try and provide some pictures for your enjoyment.

We went to visit the Steele's and to hang out with the Joel Steele family and Hannah. All of the following are from that super fun long weekend...

Cora and Walker.

Miriam, Naomi , and Cora in matching dresses that Grandma made.

Sad attempt at a family picture.

Pretty decent attempt at a cute pic of the children.

Very cute cousins...

Isaiah, Naomi, Levi, Miriam, Walker, and Cora.

Well, that's all for now folks. Stay strong in the Lord. He is the only way.

He calls me "mom"!

2010-05-20T14:05:00.000-05:00

Levi finally started calling me "mom". Ok, well he also now calls all other women who come around "mom"
but at least he has made progress! :) He says "MOM!" a thousand times a day just to hear me say "what?". I am happy for him to call my name a trillion times a day if he wants.

Saturday Snapshots

2010-05-17T15:32:00.000-05:00

The Mission of Motherhood...

2010-05-09T18:40:00.001-05:00

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2010-05-07T10:39:00.000-05:00

Commit your marriage to Christ and He will take you on an amazing adventure full of love! We are praising the Lord for 10 years of Him pouring out his grace on our marriage. What an awesome journey it has been!

What have we been up to?

2010-05-06T09:20:00.000-05:00

We have been too busy having fun to post on the blog! Last week we made a trip to the Quad Cities with Micah who had a business trip. We were looking forward to hanging out at the pool (hence the trip to the Dollar Tree for pool supplies). Levi thought that getting ready for the pool was way more fun the the pool itself where he screamed like he was on fire!

Next it was off to the Family Museum and the John Deere Pavilion. We had to show Levi all of the cool things that are made at John Deere. We also had dinner with our friends the Schilbs and a visit with the Hernandez family. A haircut for Naomi, eating at Chick-Fil-A, and a "pizza party" in the hotel with dad rounded out the "becation".

On the way back from the Quad Cities we picked up Nana and Papa Barham and the airport. They came for a long weekend and we were able to show them the lake house, and do some serious garage sale shopping to outfit the house. We also visited the Farmers Market and the dog track since the weather was so nice. It was a fun time!

Isaiah and Naomi had their AWANA awards night and recieved their awards for saying all of their verses for the year! Naomi had a rough time so this is the best picture we could get.

Some pics from the lake house which is coming along fast. We can't wait to move in and invite you over! Yes, YOU! We are hoping that it will be a place for fun and relaxing times with our friends and family. (The whole thing is not ours, its a duplex.)

No No

2010-04-26T16:30:00.000-05:00

So what has Levi been learning besides how much we love him?

After watching that video one might think he experiences that scene often....YEP!

We could just kiss the skin off of those cheeks!

2010-04-25T12:05:00.000-05:00

Violin Recital

2010-04-23T13:19:00.000-05:00

Isaiah had his first violin recital last Sunday and he was absolutely adorable. He played his song well which he attributed to the fact that he was wearing his suit and tie. It was fun to see him so confident. When he got done he sat back down and winked at my mom! He is such a joy.

Most wanted toy of the year? The broom.

2010-04-23T13:03:00.000-05:00

I usually post smiles. Here is the other fun side of raising preschoolers.

Fun trip and a fat lip

2010-04-21T19:53:00.001-05:00

Today we made the drive to Iowa City to meet Emily (dear friend that I can tell any deep dark secret or stupid little thing and she will love me anyway and/or tell me that I am being stupid) and two of her girls, Julia and Noelle. That is the halfway point between our homes and so we decided to visit the Iowa Children's Museum and just goof off.

It was great to introduce Levi to Emily who has been and continues to be a huge support spiritually. We played hard and then ate Chick-Fil-A, Levi's first taste. He devoured every morsel of food that he did not spill on his shirt. Later, Naomi and Noelle collided and Naomi got the biggest fat lip I have ever witnessed. Poor thing. There was lots of blood. Anyway, after a trip to the Stuff store, we hit the gas station for the kids to pick out their very own drink and variety of M & M's. I felt like such a fun mom.

Every attempt to get the kids to sit still for a picture was in vain. Sorry. You could probably check out her blog here if you are interested cause she will probably have some pics knowing her.

I listened to a great sermon on long drive by John Piper about parenting. That, combined with some giggles with my friend and watching my kids have a blast added up to a day of renewal. Praise the Lord. He is always faithful.

Newsflash

2010-04-20T20:53:00.000-05:00

The Lord has revealed that I have been trying to control things that are out of my control. This has been a painful truth to uncover.

In other news...

The kiddos snuggled up for a few episodes of Superfriends after bath time tonight. Aren't they just too precious? It was fun to see these two being sweet toward each other this evening since they spend most of everyday battleing for the baby position in our family. At one point I caught Naomi kissing Levi on the cheek when she didn't know that I was looking. Hehe.

Micah is out of town for the week. We miss him. Isaiah devised a plan for him to begin working only on weekends so that he can be home on the weekdays. Sounds good. What do you think, Dad?

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

2010-04-19T20:03:00.000-05:00

Three kids in the tub.

And tons of giggles.

And cuteness.

And fun.

Did I mention cuteness?

Papa John and GG

2010-04-19T19:52:00.000-05:00

Papa John and GG made the trip from NC to visit our circus right here in Dubuque. I think my mom stated a million times "Jamie, I just think Levi is so precious!". They were so excited to meet their new grandson.

Sunday Cuteness

2010-04-11T17:05:00.000-05:00

I snapped these quick as we were running out the door to church because I thought that Naomi looked so cute in this outfit that she got from her friend Eva. Levi has learned what to do when he sees the camera camera so he ran over to join in with his sister. Is that cuteness or what?!

Adoption Video

2010-04-09T21:30:00.000-05:00

God has been so generous to bless us with another child. Praise His Name.

Click below to view/download the video.

http://micahsteele.net/Videos/AdoptionVideo.wmv

True Colors...

2010-04-09T19:43:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to give you a glimpse into the absolutely precious personality of our new wild boy.

2009 Year In Pictures

2010-04-07T20:09:00.001-05:00

'
'

Click below to view/download the 2009 Year In Pictures video.

http://micahsteele.net/Videos/2009YIP.wmv

New Videos

2010-04-07T07:57:00.000-05:00

Levi is good at giving kisses!

Isaiah declared on Sunday night (after hanging out with some older boys) that he was done with training wheels. He talked about it quite a bit and we found time last night to go to the church parking lot and do some practice. He took right off!

Another favorite thing for Isaiah now is playing baseball. Anytime it is nice out he is in the back yard practicing. Micah loves playing with him.

Easter Sunday!

2010-04-05T12:43:00.000-05:00

It was wonderful to relax and take time to consider what our savior has done for us. Our church has an alter call of sorts on Easter Sunday and it was wonderful to see all of those who chose to walk across the stage giving a public confession of faith. It is so interesting to consider that those who made that decision chose to give up their lives in order to gain the scandalous gift of our Lord. It is so exciting to think about what the cross means for me. Have you considered what it means to you? I urge you not to waste any time in doing that!

We just hung around the house after church and the kids colored eggs and then we hid some eggs for the kids to find. The hidden eggs contained M&M's. Levi ate all of his treasures but Isaiah and Naomi saved some of theirs for later. Levi decided to go on the prowl trying to steal some additional treasures...

Here are some pictures from the day:

Easter pic on the front steps of our house.

All of the little kids from our small group posing at church after the service. Aren't they just precious? They all love each other so much.

After the egg hunt in the back yard.