Andrew's pictures

I took Andrew to get his pictures taken in his dedication outfit. We also got some diaper shots.
I thought they turned out cute!

Hippy Goes to School

Hippy Goes to School from Stephanie Whittington on Vimeo.

She is just a tad excited.

In honor of Valentine's Day...

We got out the Valentine books today, so I thought I'd give the old blog an updated look for the "holiday". For the record, I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day and we don't make a big deal of it, but Abby sure does like reading the books!

Out with the old, in with the new....

Our old, cherished recliner finally had to retire after years of comfortable sitting, rocking, and relaxing. For the last few years it had to endure a lot of standing, jumping, and plopping from Abby, and it was just time for it to give up. Never fear, though, because we got a new one to love....

Inauguration Thoughts

Tuesday was a big day. Although Obama was not my choice (neither was McCain, really), I still love the pomp and circumstance of Inauguration Day. I thought Michelle looked awesome in her yellow suit, and the Obama girls were so sweet in their outfits! I also thought George and Laura looked very happy, relaxed, and relieved to be going home to Texas. I hope that one day folks will remember what a strong leader he was during the aftermath of 9/11 instead of the mistakes at the end of his presidency. I wish them peace, health, and happiness as they continue their lives.

I was struck by how emotional folks were toward Obama. If it is because he is the first African-American president, that's great. If it is because he is promising hope and change, I'm not so sure that's a good thing. I think what people are seeking right now is something that a man cannot provide. It isn't fair to put him under those kind of expectations. True hope comes only from Jesus. Only He can really change hearts. And real freedom only comes in knowing and trusting the Almighty. I had my cd player on random in the van on Tuesday, and this came on (emphasis are mine):


Lord, the light of your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness, shining
Jesus, LIGHT OF THE WORLD, shine upon us
Set us FREE with the TRUTH you now bring us
Shine on me
Shine on me

Shine, Jesus, shine
FILL THIS LAND WITH THE FATHER'S GLORY
Blaze, spirit, blaze
Set our hearts on fire
Flow, river, flow
FLOOD THE NATIONS WITH GRACE AND MERCY
Send forth your word
Lord, and LET THERE BE LIGHT!

Andrew chasing a ball

Andrew chasing a ball from Stephanie Whittington on Vimeo.

Bible Lessons from Abby

On the way home from church yesterday, I asked Abby what she learned in Sunday School. She said, "Jesus got baptized by that man, the Baptist."

Later that afternoon, she was looking through my Bible. I asked her tell me about Moses, since that's what we've been talking about when we do our family Bible story. She said, "Moses was a baby floating down the river. A girl got him out and he was in a basket. She took him to the royal house. God kept him safe. Fifty years later, Jesus was born."

Well, at least she's getting SOME of it right.

Beach Weekend

Last weekend Rick and I dropped the kids off with their grandparents in Emporia and headed out to Virginia Beach for a weekend--our Christmas gift to each other. We had a great time, and particularly enjoyed how quiet it was. We could actually have a conversation with each other! We slept late, took naps, read (me), watched football (Rick), and enjoyed a lot of good food. We also had a 50-minute couples massage on Saturday, which was wonderful.

Hanging out on the boardwalk.
The weather was great for January!

Lots of people were out on the beach and boardwalk on Saturday.

Our hotel, the Hilton. It was nice, but I think next time we'll return to our old favorite, the Courtyard Marriott.
Us on the beach.

Until We Reach Home and The Road Home Book Reviews

I've fallen behind on reviewing books (does anyone even care what I'm reading?) but I do want to share a little about these two. Even though the titles are similar they are by different authors and the stories are different--but both do involve a journey!

Until We Reach Home, by Lynn Austin, is the story of 3 Swedish sisters who come to America in search of a better life. They are orphans and believe they are going to live with their aunt and uncle in Chicago. They travel by train, ferry, and ship to Ellis Island, where they are detained due to medical conditions. I had never really thought much about what the people went through once they reached America and Ellis Island, so this was educational for me. They are finally able to get to Chicago and learn that their aunt and uncle did not intend to take them in. They must find their own way and, in the process, meet some interesting folks who teach them much about America, life, and the Lord. Lynn Austin is one of my favorite authors and this does not disappoint!

The Road Home was written by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olson. Their earlier collaboration, Hadassah: One Night with the King, was our book club book for January and it was excellent. This is also somewhat of a Biblical story, but it is set in modern times and chronicles the relationship and journey of Naomi and Ruth. I found it very interesting to hear a contemporary version. I did like the book, but I thin I would have rather read about the "real" story and the "real" setting better.

Andrew's New Trick

Andrew's new trick from Stephanie Whittington on Vimeo.">

Andrew at 8 months

Here are some pics of Andrew so you can see what he's been up to (or should I say INto) now that he is 8 months old....

I found Abby's basket of toys!

I'd like to chew on this.

Pictures!

I think they keep the food in here.

What's this?

I'd like to play with this.

Sweet potatoes...yum.

Wonder why they put the chair there?


Andrew's standard posture. Ankles crossed, propped up by one hand.


The posture again, this time with a big smile!

Just a quick post

Rick and I had a wonderful time over the weekend at Virginia Beach. The kids enjoyed staying in Emporia with their grandparents. This morning we took Andrew to the eye doctor. Of course, his eye, which has looked terrible practically since birth, is magically clear on the day of the appointment. So they gave us some "just in case" drops and said wait it out. Hopefully the fact that it has been clear for a few days means it is healing on its own.

I will be posting more soon--pics of our trip and Andrew at 8 months old!

Who's in Charge?

Tonight we were doing Abby's Bible story and we were talking about Pharoah putting Joseph in charge of his palace. I asked Abby who is in charge of our house. Her answer--Andrew. Well, it sure seems like it sometimes!

Dawn's Light: Restoration Series by Terri Blackstock

I just finished Dawn's Light, the 4th and final book in the Restoration Series by Terri Blackstock. The first three are Last Light, Night Light, and True Light. This series was by far one of the most intriguing I've read. Here's the basic plot: An upper-middle class family, the Brannings, struggle to survive during the worst blackout in history and learn a lot about faith and love in the process. There are tons of twists and turns throughout each book. The blackout is global and nothing works--electricity, generators, cars, communication. It's every family for themselves and some resort to desperate measures to feed their family. Murders, accusations, fighting, and stealing are the norm. In the beginning most hoard all they have but they soon discover all must work together. Prior to the blackout, the Brannings considered themselves believers and attended church occasionally. Now they have to really rely on God to carry them through. It really makes you examine how much we rely on our technological advances and how little we would know about surviving without them. Mrs. Blackstock found herself wondering what God could do to really get our attention and make us bring our focus back to Him. After Hurricane Katrina she got this idea for a series. She is an excellent suspense writer and I highly recommend all her books, but these books in particular are must-reads!