We are so thankful for God's wonderful addition to our family.  Ella's adoption is now finalized, and we are filled with joy and thanksgiving to our God for sovereignly placing her with us.  Thank you, everyone for lovingly welcoming her and supporting our adoption.  As with pregnancy, the adoption process is the easy part - now we have to diligently teach, train, correct, and discipline her according to God's plan for His people.  Please continue to pray that Bob and I would humbly and faithfully raise her up (along with LD&N) in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

Here is a photo from our adoption hearing.  Special thanks to Sharon (and Caleb) who served us so graciously by being present and taking pictures for us.
 

N's word of the day:  "VAMPIRE"
Def:  the guy in baseball that says "YOU STRIKE OUT!"

Mysteries - Part VII

1. How come all my white crayons don't work?
2. (after spending time in the sun and thus joining the "dark side,") How do I come to the light side again? (a boy after my own heart!)
3. Why do they put a million foods in their mouth in Kobayashi?  Because they want to grow big  A LOT???
4. Where do earthquakes live?
5. Who's bigger: a dinosaur or an elephant or a monster?  ...member, the giant elephants in "Lord of the Rings?"
6. Sigh... I wanna go to heaven... when does God want us to come to heaven?  How come he's taking so long?  When I go to heaven, what do I do there?  ...where do I sleep?  After I go to heaven, can I come back home? (sorry Pastor Dan, he hasn't heard your "Heaven" series yet)
7. Who's winning?  John McCain or Barack Obama or John MacArthur?  (note: he named his 3 trains after these men) 
8. How come somtimes we live in Tustin and sometimes we live in United States?
9. Do birds fart?  How do they do it?  ... I never hear them.
10. How did the 7 skinny cows eat the 7 big fat cows?  I think they did a really big burp after.
11. Why does Andrew Zimmern eat weird animals?
12. At Audrey's baby's party, why did auntie Christine and Uncle Shane feed Emmit some water when we were all praying? ... I SAW THEM!!!
13. Why did the man's son in my bible eat the pig's food?
14. What do trees do all day?  They just stand there?
15. Does "oat" rhyme with "oatmeal?"  why not???
16. Why do dogs suck their food with their tongue?  Why don't they just use their front hands?
17. How come everybody loves ipod so much?
18. How come my nose makes so much boogies everyday?
19. How come some kids match all day (all the time) at church?
20. How come Curious George is made possible by Chuck E Cheese?

Random Conversations with N:

Mom:  Let's clean up... Who made this mess?
N:  GOD!    because you said... God made everything!

N:  What do horses eat?
Mom:  apples and hay...
N:  Hey!  what kind of food is HEY?

N:  What do rabbits eat?
Mom:  Carrots.
N:  Then, what do carrots eat?
Mom:  uh, stuff in the dirt and water...
N:  Then, I don't wanna be a carrot. 

N: (mealtime) Can I be done eating?
Mom:  After you eat 4 more big bites because you're 4 years old.
N:  mmm... (little chuckle) how many more bites does daddy have to eat? 

One of our FAVORITE rides at Disneyland has to be the Buzz Lightyear ride, and no trip to the happiest place is ever complete without at least one brush with Emperor Zurg.  Here are a few entries from our latest rendezvous with star command:

From the 4-year old bracket:  Nolan with 6,600 points (ignore the co-space ranger ajuma)


Representing the girls ...  Lindsey (were you  posing like that the whole time?)


First place goes to...  D-MAN, with 600,800 points!  (special thanks to Dr. Kostura and the new x-ray vision, solar-powered, hi-def glasses which have clearly elevated his play to a whole new level of galactic dominance)


...and NO, there were no stops during the entire ride.  HAHA.  Any takers???

Reflections from the 2008 Women's Retreat:

1. Because of the gospel, I am free.
2. If I embrace the truth about myself, that I fully deserve death and eternal separation from God, then I won’t have to spend time/energy trying to prove my “worthiness” to myself or anyone else.  My worth will no longer be an issue, therefore, I am free from this futile preoccupation with self.  Because Christ has loved me fervently and eternally, I don’t have to worry about whether anyone else loves me.  I am freed to love and serve, whether anyone appreciates me or not, because life is no longer about my personal “righteousness” (what I think of myself, whether I approve of myself, what anyone thinks of me…) but rather, about His righteousness imputed to me.  This is freedom.
3. The gospel of Christ is not something you check off at the point of justification, but the all-important over-arching truth over every aspect of my entire sanctification process as well.  All of life should be lived in light of the gospel.
4. God is not so concerned with what my children look like or with their educational, athletic, artistic, or musical abilities.  God is concerned with their hearts.
5. The primary goal of mothering is to teach my children to love God and love others.

Other Highlights:

1. Cha Cha / Hip-hop...  Totally fun, but I'm so glad God didn't call me to be a dancer.  Whew! God doesn't care if I'm a lousy dancer.  freedom!
   
2. Carpool fellowship with sisters - so sweet!!!  ssss...
   
3. Rooming with sisters - my first time ever with Cornerstone sisters!  fun...
   
4. Seeing my dear childhood friend / sister, Esther... what a joy to see her all grown up and serving/loving/enjoying her husband and children as a godly woman of the faith.
   
5. Lots of food and fellowship...  always a great combination!
   
6. Family Feud was so much fun!  CBC brothers are hilarious!!!  Has anyone gone to Costco on a first date lately?
   

Special thanks to the many special sisters for all their tireless service:  Melissa, Jane, Christine, Donna, Stephanie, Monica, Miriam, Jamie...  what awesome sisters we have!

Another special thanks to all the dads for their service this past weekend... esp. Bob - GREAT JOB!!!  I'm so encouraged, maybe we could make the retreat a little longer next year!

on to other stuff...
Nolan's soccer team:  the Green Lightning



Life's Mysteries - Part VI  (back by popular demand)

1.  when sharks sleep in the water, does the water move them to some other place?  like some other fish's house ... or a different ocean? Can they go to Disneyland sometimes?

 

2.  why do some boys like girls?

 

3.  why does the clock (hands) always move by itself every time I don't look at it?

 

4.  when can i be a no-sitting-in-the-cart boy?

 

5.  in the Nemo movie, how come all the fish with people eyes could talk?

 

6.  When I grow up, am I gonna be fat?

 

7.  how come the Lakers keep winning the Spurs and the Celtics keep winning the Lakers?

 

8.  are you a kid because you have a mom and a dad?

 

9.  Is my first name "No" and my middle names "Lin, Rah, and Burp?" (Nolan Robert)

 

10. Is my name a girl's name because "Lin" is a girl's name?  Can I change it to a boy's name... like "Bushed?"

 

11. (looking at himself in the mirror) How come I always look like this?

conversations:

mom:  wake up, Nolan! We're going to the soccer meeting.

nolan:  (rubbing his eyes and getting himself up) I wanna WIN!!!

 

after the first meeting (5 minute intro to team/league rules, etc.)

nolan:  Did we WIN?

 

after 3 weeks of soccer, and his best game ever (3 goals)

nolan:  (with a big grin on his face) I think i'm starting to like sports...

  

prayer:

God, please make me strong so I could kill the monsters that come to our house. amen.

As we heard during the sermon today and Pillars 2nd hour, fatherhood is perhaps one of the most (if not the most) daunting tasks given to a man by God.  So much of a young person's life is shaped by the influence of his/her dad.  I am so thankful for the role of the father, and the firm committment of the church in teaching and striving after these high biblical standards set for all fathers.  I am so thankful for B's leadership of our family as a father and how he encourages me in my own role as a mom as well. 

On this Father's Day, what do want to say to your dad?

L:  Thank you dad, for showing me the example of what a good Christian is.  Also, thank you for letting me eat stuff mom doesn't let me... like sweets.

D:  Thank you dad, for working hard everyday for our family.

N:  Thank you dad, for getting me a speed-racer toy, and for playing soccer with me.

E:  Thank you daddy, for bringing me home, and for the cheerios. (paraphrased)


   


Bad guys beware... this is how BIG and STRONG my dad is: