The Boland Buzz

My Daddy taught me well!

2010-05-31T07:11:00.000-07:00

This year Mike and I decided that we would plant a garden. It has been so fun to watch it grow. Those of you who don't know me well should know that I grew up on a farm in South Carolina. My dad was a tobacco farmer but since has sold his tobacco shares and now raises chickens for Perdue. "On the side" he also plants wheat, corn, and any fruit or vegetable that you could possibly imagine. They grow enough produce to feed all of Dillon County. What I have seen as we have started our own garden is how little respect I have given my dad. It takes a lot of work to plant, weed, water, not to mention harvest and freeze. We are having so much fun though. We walk outside daily to admire our new tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, cantaloupe and basil. It has been great to introduce Avery to farming on a very small scale. I can't wait for her to go home and see my dad's garden!

A few just for fun!

2010-05-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

And I just might cry...

2010-05-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

This week brings with it two milestones in the life of the Bolands. Our sweet baby girl is turning four on the 26th and our precious little boy turned 10 months on the 21st!!! I looked at their sweet faces this morning and desired to relish every moment. Mike and I were talking last night about the chaos in the world right now and it struck me how I continuously make urgent things that can wait. My kids and their beauty should be one of the urgents right now!

Avery you have grown so much over this past year. You have a passion for life and people that I envy. Your sweet little belly laugh can win the room. We have seen your heart begin to question the beauty and work of Christ. You are constantly asking us questions about what God is doing, where He is and what He has made. It is such a joy to be a part of the process. You love, love, love people. You wake up in the morning asking who we will see. You tenderly love your brother throughout the day with gentle kisses and sometimes not so gentle pats on the back : ) You are a great big sister. You are a delight!

Keller your tender demeanor wins our hearts. You are constantly on the move but never so far that you can't come back for a warm snuggle. You nuzzle your sweet little head into our chest and give what feels like a bear hug. Over the past month, you have taken off. You are crawling everywhere, cruising around furniture, waving bye-bye and clapping. We can't get enough of your beautiful smile. Your tender personality and desire to sit and snuggle is helping to change my hurried, worried personality. We are blessed to have you!

What an amazing journey these four years and ten months have been!

It's been a long time...

2010-04-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

Well it has been forever since I have written. It isn't because I don't want to; I sit down at least once a week and think about it but I just can't seem to get started. I think it is partly due to the season of life that we are in right now. Mike is in the midst of mid-terms at school and we are also in the middle of house hunting or roommate hunting. When we moved here almost a year ago our housing situation was a gift from God. We found a place on the last day we were in town looking and then God provided two roommates to live with us and help with the bills. Sadly enough we are losing a roommate and now need to either find another or find a new house that we can afford alone. It has honestly been a way for me to see how little I trust the Lord. I saw his goodness and provision a year ago and yet I fight daily to trust that He will provide again. My God is good and yet I doubt His goodness daily.

One place where I am sure of his goodness daily is in the eyes of my two beautiful children.

Avery turns 4 in May. Where has time gone. In the blink of an eye she has become a little girl. Just last night I was laying in bed with her while she said her prayers. With hands lifted high in the air she shouts out praises to Jesus so uninhibited, so trusting. She is the life of the Boland house. I can't even begin to share how passionate she is about life. She keeps us on our toes.

Keller will be 1 in July. He started crawling last week and pulling up. Today I went in to get him and he was standing up in his crib looking at me. He always has a grin on his face and his two sweet dimples will melt your heart. He is one chill little man : ) He brings a sense of calm and peace to our little world.

Well at least that was a start! Here a few pictures just to enjoy.

Consignment Sale!

2010-03-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that there is a great consignment sale coming up in Winter Garden. Visit www.botiqueforaweek.net for more information!

Pictures are worth a thousand words!

2010-01-13T17:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I am so behind on blogging that I think I will just include a bunch of pictures to catch you up.

One of our friends took some pictures for us. She did a great job and you can view them at her website.

http://kendrajonesmorris.zenfolio.com/boland

Leave it up to Ave and her amazing imagination to create her very on baby carrier ;) She also has an older brother that lives in China and when he comes to visit she cleans her room! Glorious.
My latest adventure! As Avery says, "Keller's booty diaper." I have decided to cloth diaper. So far I really like it and they work really well. Keller has had a hard time putting on weight the past few months so these at least make him look a little more bulky. Hopefully, he is on the up swing.
Avery sang a few songs in our Christmas service at church. She did a great job. It was so fun to see her singing her heart out. She is still singing Christmas songs.
My mom convinced Avery to leave a snack out for Santa. She chose her favorite foods. Cereal, chocolate and of course, skittles. She was terrified that Santa would come into her room that night so we went ahead and broke the news that Santa is just part of your imagination.
Avery with a few of her cousins.
Keller with Aunt May.
I can hardly believe that five and a half months have gone by so quickly. Keller is such a joy. He has the best personality. So cuddly and full of smiles and giggles. He started sitting up a few days ago. Where does time go? I also a have feeling this maybe one of the last of the toothless grins. He is showing all of the signs of teething.

Winter in Florida has been unusually cold so far. Today was one of the first days in almost two weeks we have been able to go outside. Still with our warm weather gear but it was great to get out. We are having a great time in Orlando. Mike is taking Hebrew right now and doing a great job. He has also had the opportunity to preach two times at City Church. The Lord is providing a lot of opportunities for growth.

Tis the Season

2009-12-01T18:05:00.001-08:00

I have been terrible about taking pictures this month but I wanted to share a few and give a brief update. This month has flown by. Keller and I flew to South Carolina the first weekend of the month to spend time with a few of my dear college friends. It was so much fun to catch up. My parents came in town for a quick visit and then it was off to Mike's parents for Thanksgiving. We drove eight hours to Athens, GA and Keller cried five of those eight. We have decided that he may be the happiest baby around, UNLESS he is riding in the car. It was great to be around family and watch Avery have so much fun with cousins.

Mike celebrated his 30th birthday over Thanksgiving. Notice there are so many candles he couldn't blow them all out at one time : ) I just like to tease him since he is older than I am! We also celebrated our sixth anniversary this month. I think that November is one of my favorite months of the year. It is a month when I get to rejoice over all that God has done in our lives and our marriage. It is amazing to look back over the past six years and see God's gracious hand.
Keller enjoyed his time with Daniel in South Carolina.My sweet little Kell Man. Mike says that we will celebrate his birthday and the day he started sucking his thumb. These past four months have flown by. He is reaching for his feet, rolling over, cooing, and giggling. Slow down little buddy, I am not ready for you to grow!
Can you tell that he loves his sister. Avery does such a great job with Keller. She kisses him a million times a day. I can't wait to see their relationship grow and develop.
Avery...Need I say more! She started taking Ballet lessons on Fridays. She looks so beautiful and so grown up in her ballet clothes. I couldn't resist putting in a picture of her at four months old.

Mike is out of town tonight at a staff retreat so I got to put Avery down to bed. Mike usually puts Avery down so it was a sweet time with her. She has growing pains in her legs at night so I was sitting there rubbing her legs and began to ponder how quickly she is growing up. She wanted to call her daddy, and as soon as she heard his voice tears formed in her eyes. I think it made me realize how I so often try to rush the bedtime routine, and move to the next thing on my agenda. I am missing out on something wonderful. Avery knows without a doubt that her daddy delights in her. She feels safe and comforted when he is around. She knows she is loved! That moment was a gentle reminder to me of how much we are loved by God and how safe we are in His arms and His care. He delights in us and would sit there for hours to comfort us. I am thankful that God has given me my children to slow me down and bring reminders of how much He loves and delights in His children!

October Ends...When will Fall begin : )

2009-11-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

Well, another week has passed in sunny Orlando and it is still in the 90's. I am not sure if we will ever wear another sweater. We are eagerly awaiting a few cooler days! This week has been a lot of fun. We have done lots of fun fall activities with our friends.

Halloween night we walked around our neighborhood with some friends. It was so much fun to see Avery running from house to house. We couldn't believe she wore the wig! Keller didn't last long in his Chicken costume. It is way to hot here for that.

Last week we had a few friends over, and I heard Avery being really loud in her room. I walked in to tell her to quiet down and realized she had drawn whiskers on her face and was roaring at her friends. This child never ceases to amaze me. She has an amazing imagination. Lately she has decided that she has twin siblings. She talks about them all of the time and keeps me posted occasionally on what they are doing. She informed me the day before Halloween that they were going to be a worm and worm dirt. Where does she get this stuff?
My dad has a great garden back in South Carolina. When he and my mom came to visit they brought us a bunch of pumpkins. Mike, Avery and myself sat down to carve Ariel one night. Mike got all into the carving and wouldn't let us have a turn. He did a great job though! It looks just like Ariel.

This was my fun creation. A pumpkin cookie cake.
The three amigos! These little boys are going to have a blast growing up together. They are going to have to stick together to survive their three year old siblings. It is fun to see how laid back and happy these three boys are. They take life in stride.
The whole gang!

Fall is in the air

2009-10-17T17:13:00.001-07:00

It actually feels like Fall today in Florida. It is hard to believe that it is the middle of October and today is the first day it has been under 90 degrees. Mike and I took Avery and Keller to the park this morning and there were people there wearing sweaters. We of course were in our short sleeves and flip-flops because our blood hasn't thickened in the Florida heat yet : ) I am sure that will come with time!

Things are still going well here in Orlando. Mike was on Fall break from school this week so it was a nice change of pace. He had a mid-term last week so he was busy studying. He is still really enjoying school and the things he is learning.

We found out this week that Keller has pretty bad allergies. He has been congested on and off since he was born, so the doctor determined that it was allergies. We are giving him probiotics and vitamin D every day. She also recommended that I cut back on dairy and Gluten. My mom has Celiac disease, and I have often said I would never make it if I were diagnosed. It has been one week and I still don't know how long I could make it. I sit here at night and wonder what you eat for a late night snack if cereal isn't an option. I still don't have a good answer. It is worth it though. Keller is doing much better and hasn't even needed the humidifier this week.

His gummy little grin will steal your heart. Now that we are figuring him out a little, we have decided he is the happiest baby ever. He keeps the best little grin on his face. He is so much fun.

Last Sunday my parents came down for Avery and Keller's baptism. It was such a sweet time for our family. Tears streamed down my face as our children were walked around the church. The congregation sang "Amazing Grace," and welcomed Avery and Keller into the covenant family. Mike and I felt like we were finally a part of a church family again. It has been such a blessing to be welcomed with open arms at City Church.

Already has his favorite team. Go Citadel Bulldogs!
Avery is still doing great with Keller. She really enjoys being a big sister. She still never ceases to amaze me. We have decided that she is going to be an artist when she grows up. She loves coloring and has gotten great at staying the lines. She also created a nice mural on her wall with stickers last week. I went in to check on her around 9:30 thinking she would be hard and fast asleep, and I catch her putting stickers all over the wall beside her bed. Let's hope she can put all of this creative energy into something productive.

Seven Weeks!

2009-09-12T18:21:00.001-07:00

This past few weeks has flown by. We are having so much fun with Keller. Since the last time I updated a lot has happened. Mike started classes one week after Keller was born. He loves his classes and is really enjoying what he is learning. He is sitting beside me studying right now. It has been crazy to see him as a student again. He was also asked to begin coaching all 12 city group leaders at our church. He initially started with six so his load has doubled. It has been encouraging to see how the Lord is stretching him. Mike is doing a great job balancing his many duties. I started teaching Childbirth classes again a few weeks ago, and have been finishing my final exam. It has been fun to share my birth experience with the three couples in my class. I also celebrated my 28th birthday and decided to train for a half-marathon.

Avery is continuing to enjoy her "little boo." That would be Keller : ) She loves him so much and cries when I have to put him down for a nap. It is so much fun to watch him smile when she talks to him. She is also still enjoying the pool. The week that Keller was born we had her in swimming lessons. Avery would tell the teacher everyday that she couldn't swim. For about two more weeks she continued to tell us that, and then one day she went for it. She has been swimming like a fish ever since. Mike takes her to the pool almost every afternoon. It amazes me how well she is doing.

Keller is doing great. We had a hard first few weeks but he is doing much better now. I spent the first two weeks trying to make him like Avery. I wasn't taking the time learn who he is and meeting his needs. We spent one week at home so that I could focus on him and try to learn his cues and his needs and he has been a different baby. He is finally sleeping pretty well at night and he is all smiles. He has started cooing at us, and Avery tells everyone he can talk now. He is so cuddly, and I am trying to make the most of this time.

There is so much I could say and I have so many thoughts and wonderful memories from the past few weeks, but I really don't know where to start. I have tried to include a lot of pictures instead. Sorry that the pictures are so out of order but my brain has been a little out of order these past few weeks : )

This is Avery at swim lessons. She really enjoyed it, even if she did try to convince the teacher she couldn't do it.
Our little Keller man. He is all smiles these days. He is almost 8 weeks old. It is so hard to believe!
My precious family. You can really tell in this picture how much Keller looks like Mike. Our friends here will be carrying Keller around and say they feel like they are holding Mike. Oh well, maybe our next one will look like me.
Avery has been so colorful lately. She is literally colorful in this picture because she put makeup all over her forehead. I think I better work on makeup application a little longer. She has been so much fun these past few weeks. She makes me laugh so hard. Last week she told Mike and I that when she stops wetting the bed she wants to get her nose pierced. I have got my hands full!!
This is Keller meeting his great-grandmother for the first time. My Mamaw is 86 this year and was delighted to meet Keller.
This is Keller at seven weeks. If you look really closely at the back of his head you can see that he has a huge cow lick. Avery calls it his "noHawk." You can't help but giggle when you see it.

One day while Keller was sleeping, Avery and I made playdough. She then wanted to turn it into a Dora cake and pretend it was her birthday.
This is Avery and her friend Joel. They have so much fun together. One day he was over playing and they were very quiet. I walked in and they were reading books to each other. It was really cute. I think she was educating him on all of the Disney Princesses.
Uncle Nate came to Orlando for a visit. He got to meet Keller for the first time before he headed to California.
Cinderella at her finest! She wanted to dress like Cinderella and then vacuum the floor. I promise I don't make her clean the house.

These next three pictures were taken when Keller was only one week old. Leslie Larche so generously came to our home and took family photos for us. We had such an amazing time smiling and laughing together.

Thanks for keeping up with us! We are blessed to be able to share this sweet time with others.

This Weeks Adventure!

2009-07-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

This week has been a whirlwind as we have started to adjust to life with two children. It is already so much fun and so many memories have already been made. It was very strange to come home with a few hour old baby. We had to check Keller's vitals every four hours and make sure that he was doing ok. It was also really good to be in our own home and let him begin to adjust to our house. The first day was a little interesting as he adjusted to life on the outside. He has done great though and is eating and sleeping well! At first the only place he would sleep was in our bed. He looked so tiny spread out in our queen bed all alone.

Avery, my mom and my aunt Jean all made Keller a birthday cake. Ok really I was the one that was craving a pound cake with white icing but we told Avery it was for Keller's birthday. This week I have managed to eat the entire cake! While we were making the cake Avery dropped the measuring cup into the mixer and cake batter went everywhere. It was priceless!

This is my dad holding Keller. It took him a while to decide he would hold him and wasn't going to break him but he did great. Keller's middle name is after my dad!
Mommy still has to do the chores. I needed to do the laundry and had Keller in my arms. Good thing newborns can sleep anywhere!
Avery has really enjoyed having a brother. It is such a neat experience to watch her fall in love with him. She wakes up in the morning and the first thing she asks is "where is my baby brother?" She wants him to go and do everything she does. She has been such a big help. She gets diapers (goes through the entire pack until she finds one with elmo) and helps change his clothes. A few days ago he even pooped on her legs : ) She screamed non stop for five minutes about how dirty her leg was even after we washed it. I thought she was done with him after that but she keeps coming back for more.

I am so excited about the two beautiful blessings that God has entrusted us with. Please pray that Mike and I would make the most of everyday that God gives us with our precious family.

Keller Joseph has arrived!

2009-07-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

Keller Joseph Boland was born on Tuesday morning at 8:45 am. God proved his faithfulness once again with the timing. Mike, Avery and I have been praying for a few weeks that Keller would come at a time that would allow my family to come and help for a few days before school starts back. The time was drawing near but God in his perfect timing had a great plan!

I woke up on Tuesday morning at 6:00 and was having contractions about 4 minutes apart. Knowing how fast Avery came I knew we better get in the car. A friend came to stay with Avery and we left for the birth center around 7:00. We had a thirty minute drive so we didn't get there until about 7:40. By 8:20 I needed to push and Keller was born about 25 minutes later. It was a great experience to be at the birth center where we felt very confident and cared for. Keller weighed 8 pounds and 4 ounces and was 21 inches long.

We left the birth center around 1pm and took Keller for his first doctors appointment. We got back home just in time to wake Avery from her nap and let her meet him. She was pretty quiet at first and just wanted me to hold her but it didn't take her long to warm up to her new brother. By last night she wanted him every where she was. He even had to go to the bathroom for bath time. It is fun to see how much she loves him and how proud she is to have a baby brother.

This necklace was given to me at a Mother's Blessing shower here in Orlando. Everyone that came brought a bead and told something they would be praying for our family. It was such a blessing to know how many people are praying for our us.

This is Michelle. The midwife that delivered Keller. She did a great job and was very loving and patient.
Mike and Keller minutes after he was born.
Everybody says he looks just like Mike!
He is such a blessing! We are so excited to be adding a little boy to our family! Thank you for your prayers for the delivery. Please continue to pray as we begin the journey of raising our little ones.

Beach Blast

2009-07-17T18:35:00.001-07:00

With only two weeks until baby Boland was due to arrive Mike and I decided to take Avery to New Smyrna beach for one last alone time with Mommy and Daddy. Since we have moved to Orlando we feel like we have been full speed ahead. It was such a blessing to slow down and really enjoy our family. Avery was elated to have all of our attention.

Things are still going really well here in Orlando and we are feeling more and more settled everyday. We have already made some great friends and feel very loved and accepted. Avery is adjusting pretty well also. This week has been a little harder as we talk more and more about the baby coming. She seems excited on one hand but a little unsure on the other. We are praying that God will help her transition go as smoothly as possible.

Mike is still really enjoying his job. He is also finishing up his assignments from his last class. He will start Greek I on August 3rd. I am doing well also. Trying to patiently wait on the baby's arrival. We were pretty convinced he would come last week because I am already four cm dilated but he is comfy. My iron has also been really low so I have been working on that this week and trusting that it will increase before the birth. We are so excited for the opportunity to have a little boy join our family.

Thank you for your prayers. We wouldn't be where we are without you!

Florida Fun

2009-06-23T17:48:00.000-07:00

We have now been in Florida almost two months and are beginning to feel like this is home. We have seen God provide in so many ways! Mike loves his job at City Church and the church family has really embraced us. They have showered us with hospitality and generosity and it has made our transition so much easier. Avery is starting to make new friends and is really beginning to enjoy where we are. Believe it or not even being nine months pregnant have enjoyed it here. It is very HOT but we are making the most of it!!! It was 88 degrees in our bedroom on Sunday. I told Mike that we need to advertise to be a sauna.

It seems like every day is a new adventure. We are learning as a family how to make the most of our time and our new schedule. Mike started his first seminary class yesterday. (Let's hope he makes is through Friday without me having the baby : ) He is sitting in the dinning room right now studying. It is going to take some getting use to for me to have him as a student. I just want him to sit and hang out : ) We are excited about where God has brought us and can't wait to see what is in store.

We have had lots of company the last few weeks. Several of our friends were in town this past weekend and we all got to spend time together. It was fun to reconnect and be refreshed. Avery had lots of fun playing with her old pals.
On Saturday we all went to Sea World together. It was such a joy to see Avery squeal with excitement over Shamu. She had a blast. I was hoping that standing in the 100 degree weather would spark labor but it didn't. I actually had an ultrasound on Friday and he is still pretty tiny. Right time Mike saw the picture he told me I don't stand a chance because he looks just like Mike. We are eagerly awaiting his arrival.
Mike and Avery at Elmo.
This is Avery with her friend Abigail at a park near our house. This is one thing I love about Florida. The parks are awesome!! We have found so many cool things to do around our house.

I just wanted to give a quick update and let you know that we are thankful for your prayers. We know that things wouldn't have worked out so well without the prayers of others around us. We have been studying Thessalonians as a Church and Mike and I have both seen and been convicted about how eagerly Paul prayed for other believers. We are very thankful for you all!

Florida Update

2009-05-27T17:27:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe but we have been in Florida now for three weeks. The Lord couldn't have blessed us with a more smooth transition. Mike, Avery and I loaded up our house on April 29th and started on our way. We made it to Florida on May 1st and were surrounded by tons of people from City Church that were ready and willing to help in any way possible. We felt welcomed and encouraged from the beginning.

We really love the location of our rental home. Mike is only a few miles from his office and Avery and I are only minutes from lots of new friends. We are still learning our way around the city but every day seems a little better. The first week we were here Avery and I drove around for three days looking for the bank. The funny part is I can look out of our Den window and see the Bank I just couldn't get there : )

Avery is really starting to adjust to the new house and to her new friends. She did tell us that she likes her old house better because she misses her friends next door. Mike and I feel similar in many ways. We are enjoying the new community and feel very blessed to be here in Florida but at the same time have a deep ache for the closeness of our friends and family back in NC and SC.

This was our last meal with our friends in Durham. It was such a bittersweet morning. I can honestly say that our years with these friends have taught me more about true community and friendships than I could ever imagine.

This is Avery's new room in Florida. She loves having a big bed. The first night after we got it she hopped in and said "this is awesome!" When I went in later to check on her she was spread eagle across the entire bed.

Avery on her third birthday! It is hard to believe that we have a three year old. It is such a blessing to have her to enjoy!

If you asked her what she wanted for her birthday she would say a Dora cake. She didn't want anything else : ) Her MaMa, DA, and May got her a very large Dora cake that we are still eating!

Avery got to celebrate her birthday several times. Our friends Wendy and Riley brought Avery a personal Dora cake and they didn't hesitate to dig in!

On Avery's birthday we had a few new friends over. We pretended it was everyone's birthday and all enjoyed cake with candles.

We are really excited about what God has in store for us here in Orlando. Mike is really enjoying his job at City Church. He will begin Greek I in August. We are also eagerly awaiting the arrival of our baby boy. ONLY seven weeks to go!

Thank you all for your prayers and support. We are thankful for your sacrifice so that we can be here learning more about church ministry. We look forward to staying connected and will continue to keep you updated as we make a new start in Orlando!

Season of Change

2009-04-02T14:24:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that it has been almost three months since I have made a post. So much has happened in our lives in the last three months. Most of you know that Mike and I started praying last summer for the Lord to clarify our next step. Our passion for the Church has been increasing greatly over the past few years and we feel that God has clearly begun to move us in that direction! In January, Mike and I went down to Orlando, FL to interview for a City Groups pastor job at a PCA Church in downtown Orlando. With no expectations and trusting that the Lord would lead, Mike was offered a part-time job at the church. That was the first confirmation along our journey to Orlando. There is a great seminary in Orlando, RTS, that Mike will also be attending. His goal is to get a Masters of Divinity and possibly a degree in counseling.

Our next step was to put our house on the market and trust that even with the economy the way it is that our house would sale. Only by God's grace only two weeks after being on the market it SOLD. With that said we are SOLD that God is leading us to Orlando. We are thankful for all of your prayers and ask that you would continue to pray for His leading as we make our final preparations.

I can't remember if I mentioned last time but we are also expecting baby number two in July. That is just one more interesting aspect of our move! We are super excited to be welcoming a baby boy to the Boland household. Avery is elated.

This is Avery on her pet Shampoo! This whale has been taking up a large section of our living room. He also has to sleep in the guest bed at night. Unfortunately, when we put our house on the market Shampoo had to move to the garage.

Avery with her good friend Madison dressed up like little Princesses. She told us a few weeks ago that she wants to be a princess when she grows up. I guess we are moving to the right city!

Our little Ham! She has been so much fun lately and she never ceases to amaze us with the things she says. She is beginning to understand that we are moving and has been a little emotional. We will really miss our friends here in North Carolina.

It is hard to believe that the transition is happening so quickly. We are thankful to have family and friends that are willing to pray with us and encourage us along the way. Looking forward to including you in the next few months!

Where do We Begin!

2009-01-08T16:07:00.000-08:00

I think it has taken me this long to write this blog entry because I honestly don't know where to start. We have been traveling a ton over the past two months and visited lots of friends and family. Right before Thanksgiving we got to visit Mike's brother Paul and his family in Maryland. We had a lot of fun but unfortunately we came back with the stomach flu. We recouped just in time to make it to my parents for yummy Thanksgiving lunch. Thanksgiving really is my favorite holiday. I feel like I actually get to rest and focus on the ways God has been moving in our family over the year. The places God has taken us and the friends we have made were probably the highlights of 2008. After Thanksgiving we returned to Durham for a few short weeks and then we headed back to my parents for a week before Christmas. We spent Christmas day with Mike's Family. It was a lot of fun to see Avery enjoy her cousins. These pictures below are in totally opposite order....My life these days : )

This is Avery with our good friends Wendy and Riley. After Christmas we took students from NC State, Duke and UNC to Atlanta for a four day Conference. Mike and I got to experience giving the dating seminar for the first time. We had so much fun preparing and planning. We got to rethink our experience and hopefully share some insights on things that worked well and things that didn't work so well.

These are two of Avery's cousins. What you can't see in this picture is that Avery is missing her pants (two of a kind). They had so much fun playing together.

This is a true portrait of our little girl. Anytime you even think about taking a picture these days she starts to frown and says no pictures. She is probably wishing she could ask "you got something to say to me!" She is such a mess. Mike and I are blown away daily at how much she has grown in the past few months. She is having full blown conversations with us.

Yes that is a deer! This was Mike's christmas present this year. The night before Christmas Eve Mike went out for his final hunt. He came back with his pride and joy : ) If you have seen him since then I am sure you have seen a picture. And yes, he loved it so much we have his head to show. If you have any decorating tips for a deer head please feel free to let me know. We decided he should mount a doe next and we can hang the matching pair over our bed.

This is a true portrait of excitement. Avery got a dollhouse for Christmas and she loved it. We had to leave it at Mama and Da's house after Christmas because we didn't have room and on the way to Atlanta she said, "did you bring my dollhouse?" I said no, but I brought some of the people and furniture. She looked and me and sighed with relief and said "oh Thank goodness!"

So who really watches Barney in our house? I can't tell if she is more excited about the video or if I am : )

Well this turned out more like a book than an entry but I really wanted to catch up a little. Please pray for our family this semester as we begin a huge transitional year! With much prayer and leading we are planning on moving to Orlando this summer so that Mike can begin seminary. We are trusting the Lord to give us wisdom on how this move should look. We can't wait to carry you along with us on the journey!

Party Time

2008-11-06T17:23:00.000-08:00

On Halloween night we had our first annual Brandermill Cul-de-sac party. We had a great time with our neighbors playing games and eating well!! It has been really fun to get to know these families over the past year.

Boy I love this little monkey!
Daddy had a crazy weekend even though you can't see the exhaustion in his face. They both look delighted to be together! Mike spend the entire day tiling the neighbors bathroom. He did a great job. The next day Campus Outreach sponsored the 1st annual Tangle in the Triangle. They had students from NC State, Duke and Chapel Hill playing in a flag football tournament. It was a huge success. A great way to build relationships and try to build interest in getting students to go to Atlanta for our Christmas Conference.
This is the grand finale of Halloween. Avery came in and sat on the steps and went through her bag of candy. She got to eat one thing that night and then chose one thing every day until it is gone. She is delighted and even though I thought we would never get her in her costume again she asked to wear it to bed. The next morning she even woke up and wanted to wear it to the Flag Football field.
The Fairy and the Incredible! What a match.

Such a cute crowd. Avery loves the Learys! She can't wait to get to there house in the mornings.
This is a 30th Birthday party for our friend Chris. We had such a good time decorating and celebrating.

Mike and I have enjoyed watching Avery grow up so much this week. Even today on the way home from the store she started sighing in the back seat. I just laughed out loud because I obviously had been sighing. She constantly makes me think about my reactions to her. Mike and I have both seen how we need to watch our words in front of her. Today I spilled yogurt on her shirt and said poopy Snot. She quickly replied with a repetitive poopy snot. Oh Well could be worse : )

Mike is working hard on campus. Things are going great at Duke and NC Sate. I am plugging away at becoming Bradley Certified. Hopefully by next week I can have all of my work in to the Academy. Please pray for energy for both of us. We have been dragging slightly with the chaos of life.

Oh By the way, I know just last week I put the picture of Avery in her crib. Well today we got some Halloween money in the mail from MaMa and I took Avery to pick out a new pillow for a Big Girl Bed. She picked it out and when we got back home she climbed in a big girl bed and took a great nap. She did fall out after about 45 minutes but I helped her back in and she slept another hour and a half. She went down great tonight also. Lets hope the novelty doesn't wear off anytime soon!

Fall Fun!

2008-10-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

Fall is my favorite time of year! It has been so beautiful around our home with the trees changing colors and the leaves covering the ground. Every time we get in the car I tell Avery how beautiful God has made His earth. It has gotten to the point where she just says "aren't the trees pretty." In so many ways fall is such a refreshing time of year. We are beginning to see the fruit of ministry at NC State and Duke, we are seeing Avery grow up before our very eyes, and we get to celebrate yet another year of growing in marriage.

This past week has been quite an adventure for me personally. Right after we had Avery I became very excited about the possibility of teaching other couples the natural childbirth method that Mike and I used. We had such a great experience and it allowed Mike and I to grow closer. This past weekend we finally put action to desire and I took a four day course in Atlanta. It was a lot of fun, but very exhausting. I haven't sat in one place for that long in a very LONG time. I also had a to study for a test. Please pray that now that I have taken the class I can finish up the additional requirements and begin teaching.

These pictures are a sneak peak at our little Halloween Fairy. I bought the costume a few weeks ago and Avery tells me everyday that she is not going to wear it. Needless to say, I kept the tags on just in case she meant what she said. Well, yesterday she looked at me and asked to put it on so with great joy I got her all dressed up and told her we had to take pictures. My fear is that these may be the only pictures that we get. We will have to see if she puts her Fairy costume back on Friday.

These pictures below are from our Fall Retreat in Myrtle Beach, SC. We had a great time and were so excited to see how God is moving at NC State, Duke and UNC. We had 64 students attend the retreat. Mike did a great job using Jacob's life to talk about how we tend to search for blessing in worldy gain and not in Christ as our Savior. I think it really hit home with the students as they live in a culture that tells them such the opposite.
This is Avery on the beach. We couldn't drive all the way to the beach and not touch the sand. However, this little girl is such a mess. She immediately started crying when sand got on her feet and wanted me to wipe them off. Who knew a two year old could care so much about being clean. This is her distressed look I guess. She is probably wondering why everyone else doesn't mind standing in the sand : )
Such good Buddies! We had such a blast with our friends at the retreat. I was so refueled getting to spend time with my friends Lia and Wendy. Our little girls also had a blast together. It was hard to get them apart at the end of the day.
This was a last resort activity. What you can't tell from this picture is that it was raining and less than 60 degrees outside. Abby and Avery don't seem to mind. I was in the hot tub also but with my head all the way in the water.

Mike has turned a new leaf and started doing P90X very faithfully. He even has a few followers as you can see. They look very intense, don't they?

So many activities must be followed by good rest. I know that it is time to move Avery from her crib but look how much she enjoys it. She uses her bumper as a body pillow. Maybe one day I will get her out of that thing!

Thanks for catching up on our lives. It seems like this time of year can be so busy but it is fun to sit quietly for a few moments and record where God has us in the Season and rejoice in all the He has done and continues to do in our family.

Fall is in the Air!

2008-10-12T12:49:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that we have been back from Thailand for two months. We are just now starting to feel like we are back in a routine. We spent the month of August traveling to see family and supporters and we spent September adjusting to our new campus. We are now doing ministry at Duke and NC State. We have really enjoyed the staff and students that we have gotten to spend more time with this semester. Mike has also had an opportunity to meet more Duke baseball students through Matt, the Duke student that went to the beach project this summer.

It has also been fun to see how much Avery has grown and changed since we have been back from Thailand. Her vocabulary has taken off and we can now have little conversations. I am doing a Wednesday Bible Study and she has also been doing much better in the nursery. She gets so excited to go be able to go and see her friends!

We are gearing up this week for our Fall Retreat. We are taking 50 NC State Students and 20 UNC Students to Myrtle Beach, SC. Please pray that these students will hear and receive the Gospel. Please also pray that God will give Mike wisdom as he prepares the talks for the weekend. He will be speaking three times to the students.

Avery has enjoyed being back to play with Jordan, Payton, Blake and Madison.

We look forward to sharing more after we get back from the retreat!

2008-07-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

This week has been a little different on campus. In Thailand there is something called "Freshy Games." All of the freshman are required to take part in the games. They play soccer, badminton, fut sol, cheering, and basketball. One of the students we have asked you to pray for, Kaen, played on his major's basketball team. They didn't have enough students to play so some of our guys were able to participate. It was a lot of fun and a huge momentum builder.

This weekend several of our students have gone on an evangelistic retreat. Many of the students we have spent time getting to know are going. They will be exposed to the Gospel and get to spend extended time building relationships with our students and the Thai Staff. Please pray that the weekend would go well and that the students would come to know and believe the Truth of the Gospel.

For our ministry training this week we continued our study of the The Kingdom. This week we focused on the places God calls us to live out the Kingdom such as the Church, Culture, and Work. We also spent extended time talking about the Sabbath and what that really means. One of the things that stuck with me the most this week was the fact that "External rest is impossible without inner rest from anxiety and strain. It takes a deep rest in Christ's finished work for your salvation to avoid over-work." I see that this is so true in my own life because if I am not resting in Christ then I have this over arching anxiety that leads me to find in work what I am lacking in Christ and this never satisfies.

In light of our Sabbath study most of our team went on a relaxing tour of a Dam about an hour from Khon Kaen. It was an awesome time of taking in God's creation and resting in fellowship.

We all road on the Sung Tow. We even wired Avery's carseat into the truck so that she could ride. It was quite a site and our Driver(Koon Loong) thought it was an awesome idea!

These are just a few of the awesome pictures that we took. It was great picture of God's great imagination and how creative He is. It was so beautiful!

We also ate while we were out on the Lake. As you can see Avery is entranced by her sticky rice. She has fallen in love with rice since we have been here. Every day she ask for rice, Soup and Beggies(Vegetables).

This is a typical meal in Thailand. Fish and Shrimp. They were both really great!

After lunch we went for a dip in the Lake. Avery had a blast swimming with Stacey on the tube. She wouldn't get in the water but hey there was seaweed every where!

What would lunch be without ice cream!

After lunch we took a trip to see one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand. It was huge. In the picture below I don't know if you can count but we had to walk up over 1,000 Steps to get to the statue. We weren't going to walk but Avery insisted. She made it about 10 steps and then up to Daddy's shoulders. We had our workout for the rest of the week. I am still sore : )
This is a picture of one of the statues in the temple. It is so sad to see people bowing down to an idol and have no knowledge of Christ.

This is Avery with her Thai Grammy! From day one Avery fell in love with this lady and the feeling is mutual. She works at our apartment complex and absolutely loves Avery. They talk to each other every breath but of course they can't understand a word the other one is saying. We have fallen in love with Grammy and will hate to leave her behind.

Thank you again for your prayers and support. Please continue to pray that we would finish strong on the campus. We only have three more school days because next Thursday and Friday are Holidays. Pray that we would make the most of our time and that we would leave Thailand transformed by the power of a mighty God.

Celebration TIme!!!

2008-07-07T23:46:00.000-07:00

Let me begin today by saying that Mike and I have decided that the saying "when it rains it pours" was created in Thailand. Really when it rains here you have no idea what the outcome will be. It rained a lot last week and as a result we haven't had internet in over a week and our water has cut off several times. It is no big deal to the Thai people. When we ask about the internet or the water they just reply with a simple, "Well it has been raining a lot!" Needless to say that is why our blog hasn't been updated in a while.

These past two weeks have been a lot of fun as we have continued to see God use the students to establish relationships with the Thai Students. We have also been able to serve the Campus Outreach Thailand team in exciting ways this week.

Every day after ministry training we head to The Complex for lunch. This is where most of the students eat lunch. We set up meetings with students or just meet new students. This serves as their cafeteria.

These are two students at KKU that we have been spending time with. Meow and Jade are sophomores on campus and have been doing stuff with the Thai staff since they were freshman. It has been neat to see our students build a friendship with these girls.

Even though we are in Thailand we couldn't go without a July 4th party. Well actually we celebrated on the 5th but it would have been the 4th in America : ) We got to go to the pool for the first time all summer and we had a cookout. It was a lot of fun to celebrate with the Thai staff.

As you can see on Avery's face, She had a BLAST!!

Another way that we were able to serve the Campus Outreach Thailand team was to help throw a birthday bash for two of the wives. We did everything from helping decorate, babysitting, teaching shag lesson, and serving at the party. It was so much fun to see the team get to dance and enjoy one another. They kept saying how they don't get to do things like that often. It was also neat to see the Thai's learning South Carolina's state dance.

These are all of the girls on our team. We took advantage of the wonderful Thai massages one afternoon last week! It was so refreshing and helped us renew for the rest of our time in Thailand.

This week we have been learning about The Kingdom and The church. Jeremiah 29:7 has made a huge impact on us this week. "But seek the welfare of the City where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." We are thankful that for this season God has placed us in Thailand to Pray and serve on its behalf. Please continue to labor alongside us for the people of Thailand! We are eagerly awaiting all that He has in store for Khon Kaen Univeristy!

Living and Learning

2008-06-25T23:27:00.000-07:00

Well, another week has flown by and once again God has been faithful to teach our team so much about the Truth of the Gospel. This week we were learning about being Children of a big God! It is so easy for me to forget that God has adopted us a sons and given us everything we need. So often I struggle in my own strength and don't rest in the power of a Mighty God. As we approach halfway this week, my prayer has been that we will not be filled with a ton of knowledge only to return without application.

This week has been one of the harder weeks for me personally. It has been SOO.. HOT and Avery has gotten a little restless in the room. It has been really good though to be stretched and taken out of my comforts.

Avery continues to be a lot of fun! She learned how to spell her name this week which blew Mike and I away. One day I was just sitting here writing and she spelled her name out for me. She never ceases to amaze us. She has also been really excited about makeup lately! We were in a meeting last week and looked over to see her playing in Stacy's makeup. We couldn't resist capturing the picture : ) Of course she thought it looked beautiful!

Mike and I had a chance to go out on a date this week. It was so much fun to get a little time away to talk and catch up with one another. We went downtown and ate a restaurant called Kiwi Cafe. It was really good and we got to eat French Fries. They were such a treat!

One of the most emotionally difficult parts of the week was going to an orphanage here in town. Mike and I went to the two year room and helped out there. There were over 30 two year olds in a tiny room where conditions were not very good. Most of the children latched on to the students and just wanted to be held. This little boy didn't want anyone to get too close to him. They were all so beautiful and it brought to mind a true picture of what it means to be chosen by God and adopted as Sons. The only chance many of these children have is to know that they can be sons of the living God.

Avery had a great time playing with the Children. This little girls name is Meko and she was so thrilled to have someone to play with and pay her some undivided attention.

All of the children that were really afraid were sent to a special room with a lady they call Mama. Only four of us were allowed in the room and they continued to cry until Mike pulled out the guitar and started to sing. All guards came down and they had a blast dancing and singing.

Please pray for these children that some how the will grow up with the knowledge of a God who loves them and holds them like a Father.

Campus has still been really good this week. Students are still enjoying Futsal with the guys and the girls are doing a book study on the "Reasons for God" by Tim Keller. It has been really exciting to build relationships with the Thai students.

The last thing we wanted to share is a video of Avery saying hello in Thai. We couldn't edit the video so it is a little long but she actually says hello in Thai three times.

Thanks for investing in our lives and taking the time to stay connected. We are very thankful for you all!

Making the Most!

2008-06-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

The weeks are passing so quickly and we are getting more settled into life in Thailand. We are truly having an awesome time. This week we have spent lots of time on campus and have gotten to explore the city a little more as well. We are all growing to love the food and Avery has gotten really good at saying hello in Thai. You have to fold your hands in front and then bow your head and she does it all! Futsal has continued to be a great way for the guys to meet people. One guy in particular, Kaen, has being spending a lot of time with our team. He is asking a ton of questions and even asked for a Bible tonight. Tonight Kaen was at the point of tears wanting to understand "the truth" about life. Please pray for Kaen and for the many other students that we are interacting with. The Lord is working in Thailand through your prayers!

Avery is still a highlight! Events where we get together and eat and hang out are working well for meeting girls.

This is our lovely car for the summer. It seats NINE people. Avery thinks you don't have to ride in a carseat anymore because no one here does.

We also have this Song Touw for the summer. The driver's name is Koon Loong (Uncle) and he doesn't speak a word of English. It is quite comical trying to tell him where we need to go.

This past weekend we went to a King Cobra snake farm in a little Thai village. It was crazy to see men, and small children head butting and kissing King Cobra's. Avery was actually brave enough to touch a Boa!

Boy's will do anything!

Avery is making some great friends in Thailand. One of the staff couples is very generous to allow us to go and play at their house weekly. It has been a lot of fun!

These are just a few glimpses of what life has been like in Thailand so far. God is really starting to break our hearts as we see the barriers to believing in Christ among the Thai people. Mike and I are seeing daily how blessed we are to live in a culture where Christianity is so accessible. We also are seeing daily how much we have been provided for! We miss you all and look forward to sharing more soon.

Ministry Begins!

2008-06-10T06:50:00.000-07:00

This week has been a lot of fun! We are beginning to meet a lot of students and do activities to be around them. We also made our first trip to the hospital. Don't be alarmed everyone goes to the hospital around here for everything. Avery and I both had Pink Eye and Mike has inflammation of the heel. We are all on antibiotics but feeling much better. Otherwise, our team is holding up pretty well and thankfully no one has gotten sick from the food.

We are learning a lot about the Kingdom of God and how that should influence our time here in Thailand. It has given us a daily perspective that the Gospel isn't just about us, but should really fuel us to share with others.

Karaoke is very popular in Thailand. We took a group of Thai students and had a blast.

Avery had a great time singing as well!

Everyone in Thailand has a motorbike. As you can see Avery really loves them.

Futsal has been the number one ministry event for the guys. They play every night and have 20 to 30 Thai guys join them. It is allowing them to build great relationships.

This is a girl named Ying. She and a group of other students invited us over to cook for us.

This was the feast that they cooked. It was really good, but quite an experience because we went to the market with them and saw the chicken and the fish live. At least we knew it was fresh!

Well that is just a quick update. I don't have long this morning but did want to thank everyone for your comments and your prayers. It means a lot to know that so many people are praying for us. We really appreciate you!

Just the Beginning!

2008-06-03T06:36:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that we left for Thailand a week ago. It has been a lot of fun to begin to learn about the culture and meet students. I think we are finally getting adjusted to the food and beginning to figure out what to order at the cafeteria. We spend most mornings at the church having training and then go to campus for lunch. After lunch we usually return to our apartment until early afternoon when we leave for some type of event with students.

Mike is doing great driving on the wrong side of the road on the wrong side of the car! It has been really funny though because Avery sits in the back and says Careful Daddy. She repeats it over and over again so she must know that it is very different.

Avery has been doing really well also. One of our biggest prayers coming over here was that she would feel safe around the people and be ok with them talking to her. She has done great! She waves to everyone she sees and has made quite a few new friends. Everyone is very taken by her because she has blonde hair and blue eyes. She has been a great conversation starter!

Avery at the Airport after 23 very long hours : )

This is our apartment complex.

Our tiny kitchen. There is one thing about it; I don't have to do much cooking!

A thai bath. They don't have bath tubs here so we are making the most out of our rubbermaid!

There is more to come soon! This was just a little taste. We haven't been doing great about taking pictures but I am on a mission now to begin to take some. Once again thank you all for praying. We are convinced of God's promise that "The Prayer of a Righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16 We have truly experienced the power of your prayers this week!

WE ARE HERE!!!

2008-06-01T00:16:00.000-07:00

Well we have finally arrived in Thailand and I wanted to give a quick update. I only have a few minutes so I am just going to write and not add any pictures. When I first signed in everything was in Thai so it was a guessing game on how to login.

The flight went really well and Mike and I are convinced it is because so many people were praying. Avery cried for the first three minutes of take off and then didn't cry again the rest of the flight. She slept a majority of our flight from Tokyo to Bangkok. We see how in so many ways the Lord was looking out for us from leaving for the airport early in Atlanta to the seats that we were given on the plane. The details couldn't have been orchestrated so well without the Lord.

We are living in a small apartment about 10 minutes from the church. They are a great set up. We don't have air conditioning in the sitting room so that is going to take some getting use to. It is extremely hot here!!!! Avery looks like she has just gotten out of the bath most of the time she is sweating so badly. We are doing some orientation stuff for the next few days. Trying to learn some of the language and going on a shopping trip this afternoon.

I can't wait to share more! This is going to be quite an adventure!

Celebration Time!!!

2008-05-26T13:38:00.001-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVERY!!!!

Today is Avery's second birthday so I wanted to add a few pictures of our weekend at Da and Mama's House. The first two days that we were in Lake View Avery was trying to recover from Croup. She has been a pretty sick little girl but she recovered well for her Birthday. We had a blast celebrating her two years with our family. Mike and I are blown away at how much joy she brings to our lives. We are very thankful that the Lord blessed us with such a precious gift!

This was Avery's gift from her Mama and Da. I am not sure who is enjoying it more : )

This is Avery with her Aunt "Santa" and Mamaw.

Avery with Uncle Rusty and Aunt Nancy.

Is anyone a Red Sox fan around here?

Avery loves to blow out the candles. We had to keep lighting them over and over.

She is also a huge fan of Cake and Ice Cream.

This was a party for the three girls second birthdays! (Avery, Lillian, and Katie)

I need to get a little closer mom!

Avery had a blast celebrating her birthday as you can see! This will probably be the last post that I make before we board the plane. We are looking forward to sharing our many adventures from the summer! Thanks for praying. Two days and counting!!!!

A Whirlwind of a Week!

2008-05-22T08:19:00.001-07:00

We officially leave for Thailand in SIX days! It is so hard for me to believe that this past week has flown by so quickly. Avery has been pretty sick so packing is coming along slowly, but we are getting really excited about the adventure. I wanted to take a few minutes and update everyone on a few memories from the past few weeks. We couldn't go without sharing about Potty Training. It has been challenging yet very exciting!

This Avery at her Potty Party! She got to have a cupcake and a balloon once she was doing well on the Potty. She was so excited.

We also got to spend time with some of our wonderful Friends. Avery had a blast playing with Riley, Josie and Abby. Mike and I also had a wonderful time getting to catch up and enjoying some down time!

The Girls and their dads!

These are just a few things that we have been doing in the last few weeks.

Getting Started

2008-05-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

Well this is my first attempt at starting our family blog. One of my dear friends convinced me that it is the best way for others to keep up with our lives. Mike, Avery and I will be leaving in two weeks and one day for a two month trip to Thailand. We have a grand adventure ahead of us so we wanted to be able to keep you all updated on life in Thailand. We will be taking a team of eight students to Khon Kaen to build relationships on the college campus in hopes that we will share Jesus with students in Thailand. We are very excited about studying how God is our King and has given us an amazing Kingdom. I can't wait to share more in the days to come.