Big Brother Samuel

That's right, you read the title correctly! As they would say in the good old days, "I am with child!" Cody and I are excited for Samuel to have a little brother or sister. Samuel loves to help me do things around the house, so I think he will be a great big brother. Our baby is due around the 2nd week of March. I haven't been experiencing very much morning sickness so far, so that is a blessing. As long as I eat a little bit throughout the day, I seem to do great. Samuel is still an active little man and loves to play outside.

We are now living in Grandview, Mo right next to Kansas City. There is a trail that is really nice to take Samuel for a walk through. The trail has a lot of trees and open fields. It reminds me of my grandmas old farm. There is also a library within walking distance where I can get internet access to make this post. We were also offered a managing position recently. We are going to start managing the apartments where we live at the beginning of September. We are excited for what the Lord is going to do in the coming months.

just hangin out

Samuel climbed in the dryer!

We both changed our hair recently...Cody's is blue and I put a blonde streak in mine.

Chosen

"You're not allowed in our tree house,” shout those from within
Silly grins and devilish looks, the torrents of shame crash in

The door is slammed closed, and the seat is taken
You're not picked for the team, rejection is awakened

Too fat, too skinny, too short, too tall
Ugly puts another brick in the wall

Not enough talent, you're never going to make it
Throw the towel in, it's time you learn to fake it

“Misfit, Outcast, Weirdo,” whisper the posse of exclusions brigade
Noses held high, forearms folded, condemnations facade

Deception lowers its anchor when majority is more than one
Egos erupt, visions blow up, and consciences go numb

If you did a thousand things right, what was wrong would be seen
You're not a citizen of this world, Love is calling and has made you clean

There is a shout heard on high from heavens gates
With tears in His eyes your Savior is pleading, "You're not too late"

"Though ten thousand have pushed you away and failed you before
You're invited into My kingdom and I will share it with you forevermore"

"One million wrong turns is not one too many
I see you spotless, I forgot that you have made any"

"Through My eyes I've never seen you make a mistake
Love always catches you in tender arms of grace"

"The apple of My eye, the favorite in My sight
You have been chosen through adoption, a Kings son by right"

"Cherished above all creation, My obsession will never end
You are My treasure, the one I jealously defend"

"No one can snatch you away from My arms of love
I give you My peace and counsel, My Spirit from above"

"In faith turn your back on this world that has abused you
I am your Father in heaven and I am here to choose you"

Back in the 'Burg

This is the picture our friend entered in the photography contest for Testify magazine.

This is our new van the Lord provided for us. Can you guess what the side says??

We are back in Missouri! Cody, Samuel and I arrived about 2 weeks ago. We have enjoyed spending time with friends and family we haven't seen in about 6 months.

For those who don't know we gave our Ford escort away before we left Missouri in December. We believed the Lord would provide a vehicle for us when we needed one and He did! Before we parted from our friends that we had been traveling with the past 5 months they saidthe Lord wanted them to give us their van! The same day they told us this, they received a call from a friend who said they felt led to buy their family a car! How awesome is our God!

A few days ago while Cody was in prayer one morning in the van, he began to smell coffee in the Spirit. There was no coffee to be found. Soon after he was given a vision of the coffee shop down town. The Lord told us to go there, so we did. When we pulled into a parking space there was a woman knocking on the window of our van. Cody got out and found out that she had been sitting at the coffee shop reading her bible. She wanted to enter a magazine photography contest and felt like seeing our van was a sign that she should still enter it since that day was the deadline and she had no pictures yet. We hung out with her and her kids all day. She took us out to lunch, snapped photos, and we had the privilege of ministering to her. Talk about a divine appointment!!

Samuel is 18 months now!! I can't believe he's already 1 1/2! Cody recently taught him to say "ouch" when he gets a boo-boo. He will say it and lift up his pant legs to show the scrapes on his knees. If I say "moo" or "ruff ruff" he can imitate me. And if he's playing with a car he will go "vroom vroom." He can point to his nose if we ask him where his nose is. He's also really good at waving and will wave at people driving by when we go for a walk. If he wants to go outside he will bring me his shoes and sit on my lap, so we can put them on. He is also doing really well at following directions. I will ask him to give me something and he can do it. He also likes to help me load and unload the dishwasher and put clothes in the dryer. We went to a friends house last night for a bible study and our friend gave Samuel a bike that was too small for their son. Samuel loves riding his new bike and being outside.

Arizona Sun

Samuel loves anything with wheels...

The biggest tumble weed I've ever seen!! It was rolling down the middle of the road by the house!

This is the water park I take Samuel to. It's only about a mile away.

A little late in posting, but this video is from Samuel's 1st birthday party at my parents house in December. Check out those moves, he's got rhythm.

Arizona

We have been in Arizona for about a month now. We came to Chandler, AZ to bring some friends back here and are staying at Julian's brothers house. I always had a desire to see the place where my brother was born. (I love you, Tim!) One of the things we have done with the kids is go to the Phoenix Zoo. Samuel's favorite part was the area made especially for kids with things to climb on. Cody and I also went to the movies and saw The Cross. I think everyone should see this movie. It is a documentary about Arthur Blessitt. Arthur answered the Lords call on his life to walk around the world carrying a cross on his shoulder. He traveled to every country on every continent. He started in 1969 and walked through the last country this year. He shared the gospel along the way with the people he met. It was a really powerful movie and I just wanted to love people and tell them about Jesus after I saw it. Sharing the gospel with people has been a struggle for me in the past. Because I have been afraid that I wouldn't have the right words or that they would reject me. The truth is that God says if we open our mouth He will fill it. And if someone rejects me for telling them that Jesus loves them, they aren't really rejecting me, they are rejecting God. So, if it doesn't hurt to share the gospel with someone, why not do it? I don't know when Jesus is coming back, but I believe He is coming sooner than the majority of the Church believes. I want to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone that I meet because I don't know where their soul is headed. People get ready, Jesus is coming! The harvest is ripe and the workers are few. The Lord is good and I love getting to work with Him here on earth. I want to encourage you not to be afraid to share Jesus with someone. You may be the vessel the Lord uses to offer them eternal life.

Yesterday the Lord helped me talk to 4 people about Jesus and it was awesome! Afterwards I realized that it wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be in the first place. Two of the people spoke Spanish and no English so this was a bit of a challenge. Amongst all of the other broken up Spanish I told them, "Jesus Christo amor tu." I hope they understood what I was trying to tell them:) Meeting these two Spanish guys really gave me a renewed desire to learn Spanish again. Earlier that day I wished that I had a Spanish book and the Lord provided one for me later that day. I found one sitting in the middle of the road. Someone must have thrown it out their car window!

Samuel is 16 months old. He can shake his head "no" and he loves to jabber on the phone. He likes to follow the other kids around and be where the action is at. And at the same time, he isn't afraid to venture off by himself. He loves anything with wheels, skateboards, tricycles, skooters, stollers...if it has wheels he either wants to push it or ride it. He also likes to throw balls, run after them and has even caught a football. He has a total of 12 teeth and but doesn't like to sit still and eat for too long, cause he would rather be on his feet doing something :) He helped me put some silverware in the dishwasher yesterday. He also likes to play in water. Yesterday was the first time he would get in the swimming pool with mom and dad. He will let me walk in the pool while holding him in my arms. Unfortunately, he got his first bee stings yesterday at the pool. He reached out and pick up the bee, and got stung in his right pointer finger. His finger did swell up, but Daddy was able to get it out with tweezers and he was ready to go play again.

It has been 4 months since we left Missouri with a couple suitcases and Samuel's carseat. The Lord has been faithful to take care of us as we go on this journey with Him. We have never gone a day without food in our bellies, a roof over our heads and every other need met. God is awesome and greatly to be praised.

Below I have included a poem that Cody wrote a couple weeks ago.


Shifting shadows and abstract voices
Rule the insanity of deceits choices.
Pride parades itself in fiction, fantasy, and make belief;
The absence of love and the enemy of reality.
Truth is love and love is truth,
Constant, unshakable, the plumb line is truth.
Hope, peace, and grace are fragrances of love;
Pillars of the kingdom reigning above.
Love inhabits eternity;
Three in one harmonizing the holy symphony.
Burning passions and embedded impossibilities;
Love's highest calling was dying on a rugged tree.

Love was embodied in the helplessness of an infants cry;
The genesis of Love's mission to lay down and die.
There was no injustice He did not taste;
Compassion raged against the hatred of the human race.
Love lived to die that we might love;
Like a lamb to the slaughter He came from heaven above.
Like an unmovable stone, He tarried on sufferings road;
Bent on mercy He carried the fullness of sins load.
Love chose the cross to display His power;
Death, hell and the grave vanquished in the same hour.
Three days underground love buried the curse of mans sin;
Like a jealous warrior, Love was the victor and rose again.
Love's name is Jesus the Christ;
The beloved Son of God, who spilled His blood at ransoms price.
If you ever face the lie that you are not loved this day;
The proof is at the cross where Loves body did lay.

15 Months and Counting

Samuel is 15 months old today! Can you believe it. He is becoming more handsome everyday and looking more and more like his daddy! We are amazed at all the things he can do and look forward to watching him learn how to make more sounds. Samuel has moved on from "baby food" for the most part. He has 10 teeth fully in and two more working there way through. He can walk really fast and looks like he's almost running sometimes. He has a friend named Selah who had her 1st birthday yesterday. They are becoming best buds. They both like to listen to music and dance. They will go up to the stereo and turn it up really loud. Then they dance. Samuel's favorite move is to sway his head back and forth like a lion. One day Samuel even took her hand, dancing to the music he bounced up and down. They can be affectionate too. They sometimes give eachother hugs and Selah gave him a kiss on the cheek yesterday. We'll keep you updated on their relationship :)

Through prayer Cody and Julian felt led to apply at Google. They are applying through our friend Teresa's department. She overseas the department that is scanning a ton of books. Google wants to have books available online for the public. So that is what her department is doing. It seems like monotonous work, but they can listen to music on an ipod and there is no dress code! They have completed the online application and are going to do the online test next. We will keep you posted. In the past couple weeks I have started home schooling an 11 year old girl who is staying with us. It is a fun challenge to plan lessons and think of things that will be fun, but educational for her to do each day. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday we do Math, Spelling, Reading and Language Arts. On Tuesday and Thursday she joins with Liam (Rachelle's 7 yr old) for Science, History and Geography. Rachelle teaches Science, I do History and we teach Geography together. This week we have been learning about South America in Geography. I enjoy teaching and look forward to homeschooling Samuel.

First Day at the Beach

Vera, Moses and Samuel

Cody got back from his trip to Phoenix, AZ on Sunday, February 8th, early in the morning. I woke up to him standing over me. It was a wonderful surprise! The day before they got back Rachelle and I took the kids to the beach. We had a great time. Samuel loves to get in water and was not afraid to walk right in. He didn't even mind that it was a little cold. I was glad that I brought an extra set of clothes because he fell in and got soaked. I let him go around in his diaper for a while after he fell in. Then when he fell in the water again, I gave him some dry clothes. And as you might be wondering...yes, he did try to eat the sand :0)

February 13-16, we went to the World Christian Conference at the Alliance Redwoods. The conference was put on by the World Christian Fellowship (WCF). The WCF seeks to enable and mobilize Asian American Christians and those who closely identify with the Asian American world view to fulfill their calling. Our friend Albert was heading up the children's ministry and Cody and I volunteered to help. We had a great time hanging out and doing crafts and activities with the children while their parents went to the different sessions throughout the day. One of the speakers I got to hear was Michele Rickett. She is the Founder of Sisters of Service, an innovative ministry that informs, mobilizes, and equips advocates for global outreach to women and children in the least Christian regions. She has worked with women and children who have been victims to human trafficking and sex trade. My heart was moved as I listened to her share testimonies of women and children who are victims to this in other countries and even in the U.S.A. I want to look into this more and see how I can help these women and children who are coming out of such horrible situations.

Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose

The Adventure Begins....

Could this be Samuel in 2 years ??

Samuel with Christmas present from Great Grandma and Grandpa Black.

Enjoying his birthday cake at Great Grandma Morris' on Christmas Eve.

Samuel drinking from a straw celebrating his birthday at Grandma and Grandpa Bowler's.

We had a great time with Cody's family for Christmas and New Year's. It was nice to have an extended visit with them and they enjoyed getting to spend time with Samuel. He has changed a lot over the past month. Samuel not only likes to take his blocks out of the container, he also likes to put them back in! Samuel likes to pick up objects and bring them to me. He knows how to feed himself with a spoon also! He doesn't always get it in every time, but he is doing a great job learning. One of Samuel's new nick names is "The Climber" because that's his new favorite thing to do. If it's there, he'll try and climb it. Today he had fun climbing on the chairs and then onto the kitchen table!! So, do not leave him alone in a room! Once he gets onto the table he likes to pick up things and throw them off!

Before leaving to come to California to see Cody's family we felt we were going to be staying here longer than we had originally thought. Not knowing exactly how long we would be in California, we felt led to end our lease at our apartment. We also felt the Lord leading us to give away many of our things. We gave the majority of our furniture to a friend who is a manager of an apartment complex. They plan on opening apartments to the homeless and discipling them.

Samuel and I are staying with some friends in San Jose while Cody and Julian are traveling down southern California to Arizona right now. They are sharing the gospel along the way and seeing people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. In one testimony, they went to a skate park and were sharing the gospel with some teenagers. The majority of them were resistant to it, but one of them stuck around after the others left. He said that he felt like the reason they came all the way from Kansas City to California was to tell him about Jesus. He made a decision that day to live his life for the Lord!

Even though it is hard sometimes to be apart from Cody, I know the Lord has a purpose for it. With Cody being on this trip, the Lord has revealed to me how much I depend on Cody. I long to spend more time with the Lord and long to hear His voice. I am learning how to trust in the Lord in all things and He is teaching me how to hear His voice in greater ways. He has also been using this time to prune and refine my heart and reveal things that I didn't realize were in my heart.

I have found that as we have left our home and the majority of our belongings behind that I am left with Jesus. It's true that at the end of it all, all we have is Jesus. He is all we will have when we die and He is ultimately all that we can hold onto in this life. I desire to be filled with His love in such a way that when I meet other people, His love spills out of me and they are consumed by His love for them.

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." Matthew 19:21

Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?" So Jesus said to them, "...everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." Matthew 19:27, 29, and 30