WILLOW IS 1

It's true, Willow is officially 1 today and we've had a sweet, slow, snuggly, pancakey morning.

Ahhh...

Mommy and Daddy's bed might be Willow's favorite place in this world so far. It makes her happy!

Anywhere snuggled in close is actually her favorite spot, which is convenient since that's my favorite too.

And 1 year goes really fast.

(1 week old)

There hasn't been one second of the last year with Willow that wasn't completely delicious and wonderful.

(Wait...wasn't this just yesterday?!)

And here we are a year later...still melting us...

(...with her messy hair and gooey hands.)

Willow, you make our hearts soar!

You're adorable and sweet, affectionate and fun.

You love people and people love you too. You always have a plan.

You've also recently discovered you love books as much as the rest of us!

You're soft and sensitive and we all agree we can easily sum you up in 1 word which describes you most perfectly:

Precious.

Happy Birthday to our precious angel baby. Willow, you are beyond adored!!

"Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you...
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams."

Isaiah 44:2-4

NOW FOR SOME PLANTS...

We're settling in slowly.

Adding touches of home every here and there.

(Thanks for such a heartfelt welcome mat, Shana!)

Now for some plants...

And she sleeps here...right next to the crib, especially close to my heart.

"If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet."

Proverbs 3:24

NOVA-ISH

Nova is the type of little girl who's always up to little-girl-type things.

She's dainty and playful with a precious tiny voice.

She has an imaginary donkey and a CD player by her bed where she sits and listens to (and dances to)
Sleep Sound in Jesus, Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes, Chinese Flute, Vivaldi...to name a few.

Oh, Nova, you're so Nova-ish...code word for adorable.

...and a sweet big sister too!

"Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy."

Psalm 33:3

FUN WITH FLOWERS

Found these on my phone.

The girls were having fun with flowers.

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever."

Isaiah 40:8

ISAIAH 40:11

COUNTRY ROADS...

...make fun bike rides.

"The meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy."

Psalm 65:13

TREE SWINGS!

"For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing,

and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

Isaiah 55:12

THE LOVELY OLIA...

...chasing butterflies...

...and loving her new garden!

"And God said, 'Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed,

each according to its kind, on the earth.' And it was so...And God saw that it was good."

Genesis 1:11-12

TREE PLANTING

Who knew the original painting, American Gothic, was actually a daughter/father depiction?

They had lots of fun tree planting.

"And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food."

Genesis 2:9

LOOKING FORWARD...LOOKING BACK

Gearing up for something major like open heart surgery, it is necessary to keep looking forward.

(Eyes on Him. Don't look down.)

But, it can also be helpful to take a look back and remember God's faithfulness.

Today, as I read back through Bea's first major open heart surgery, it's an encouragement to me that the same God that brought our little girl through, the same God that held our hands, the same God that never leaves and created ALL and knows the future goes before us. He loves us. He knows the plans He has for us and they are good...no matter what.

"The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24-26

Here's to looking forward and here's to looking back in commemoration of God's faithfulness again and again.

READ BEA'S SURGERY #2 JOURNAL HERE

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love

with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations."

Deuteronomy 7:9

UP FOR THE DAY

They're up for the day...an airplane flight away.

Our sweetie little Beck and his daddy are on their way to meet his surgeon and the team. It really is remarkable when we stop to consider the circumstances. This precious child, once alone in a Chinese hospital with a very serious and complicated congenital heart defect is no longer fatherless. He is no longer alone without hope. He is loved and he is on an airplane in his father's arms to go see the top specialist to repair his type of heart condition. Yes, he is in his Father's arms and God is faithful.

Beck, so full of joy and life and affection, our smiley, beloved son...We adore him!

He is cherished. He's a cuddly, precious part of our family. And, he has a lot in store.

(introducing Beck to his doctor online)

(He got a heart on his juice on the airplane!)

They'll be back in just the one day...this time around. This is all preliminary at this point, but the time is near and his heart has been prepared the best way we know how. We love Beck. Jesus loves him more. He is in good Hands. Here we goooo....

"To you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless.

O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart;

you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed."

Psalm 10:14,17-18

EVANGELIZING BECK

We're always evangelizing...preaching the gospel to our children. Every day is missions.

In spite of reality, it's not every day we're faced with an awareness of our life and death situation.

Sometimes reality stings.

"I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.
Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,
loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him,
for he is your life and length of days."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Beck will be having major open heart surgery very soon. The thought of it makes my heart buck in denial. It's been hard to look into his eyes, his sweet little happy-Beck eyes that shine and light up the whole world when he smiles. I can't gaze too long right now,
or I crumble. So instead, I gear up strong and focus on what matters most for him in this hour. Jesus.

We've been here before. I remember the feeling. Evangelizing Bea. We did. We do. We preach Jesus to all of our children daily. But this time in Beck's life is especially special. This is the real deal...when a person faces life or death and we know we don't have control of the outcome. But we know the One who does. This Jesus, the One who created our Beck and destined him for us long ago, long before we found him, the Jesus who never leaves or forsakes, He's been with His Beck all along and He'll be with him in surgery and after when tubes and pains and scary things cause our little one fright. Yes, Jesus will be with Beck and He is good.

"Be strong and courageous.

Do not fear...for it is the LORD your God who goes with you.

He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

So as we look forward to what's nearly ahead and try to not overthink it, evangelism is front and center.
Reading back over my words before Bea's open heart surgery, I see we were in the same place then,

"We are uncomfortably aware of how brief Bea's time on earth may be. We are equally aware of how brief
each of our lives on earth actually are in the scope of eternity and this fuels our ammunition for evangelism."

Indeed, hearts fueled and focused and primed for the future trust we must place in the hands of God,
we expectantly await the grace that we'll all know during the course of this season of surgery.
We press in more intently and hone in on the opportunities we have to share Jesus again.

Eyes on Him. Don't look down.

These words will be on high rotation in my mind to encourage my tender mother's heart.

Jesus, please help us use words from your Word to continually make your love real to Beck, to all of our children and to anyone else we have the blessed opportunity to share with! There is beautiful hope in you! Thank you for your saving truths that crush the enemy's schemes! Thank you for redeeming and restoring and helping and loving and molding us in your image as we turn our eyes and hearts to you in faith, like little children. Thank you for carrying us when we're frightened and for loving us even when we crumble. Please infuse Beck's little heart with the realness of who you are and teach us how to instruct him as we pour into our son and love on him in these next precious normal moments together and as we're evangelizing Beck.

"For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, 'Everyone who believes in [Jesus] will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
Romans 10:10-15,17