An update!

I haven't done an update in quite awhile, so I thought I would go for it now!

Elias is closing in on 15 lbs, 27 inches, now. He had his first laugh on March 17th and is still giggling to this day. His hair is as fierce as ever, and growing in bleach blonde. His beautiful round eyes are still blue, and a very deep dark blue. I don't know anyone else who has eyes as beautiful, but of course I may be biased. He is blowing raspberries, grabbing his feet, jabbering his head off, and oh yea, complaining. I actually think it is pretty funny when he complains. His whole little face gets all frustrated and he lets out a sort of scream cry. Its one of those noises that make a mom go, 'O no Elias, that is not nice'.
He started rolling over just two weeks ago. His favorite is to try to roll while his mommy is trying to pin on his diaper, great timing kid ;) Only once has he rolled from his back to his stomach again, and only once has he rolled over twice, but he is getting it down. The one time that he rolled twice, he was completely naked, waiting for his momma to diaper and pajama him. It was quite funny, actually, because I turned around to grab a diaper and as soon as I did I heard the sound of plastic bag rustling, (and if you have ever noticed this about Elias, he hates the sound of a plastic bag rustling). Well of course I quickly turned around to see that a Mr. buck naked Elias had almost rolled himself completely under his crib and right into a plastic bag. I don't think he was intending on moving that quickly, because his eyes were as wide as they could be and his little arms and legs were straight out like as if he had been startled. So I laughed, rather loudly :) I think that he can really get going whenever he doesn't have a big ol bulky cloth diaper on.
He is a pleasant little person to be around, unless he is tired, hungry and not getting fed, or waking up from some of his naps. I love him so much it is ridiculous and Josh and I are beginning to see why it is so great to be parents :)

Josh is still at the church working as a pastoral intern and teaching Jr. High. He is praying about us starting up a small group, and also praying about leading the men's ministry at the church. He has such a firey passion to see the men in the church having a real and alive relationship with Jesus. He also has a hard time tolerating men being lazy and not the spiritual leaders God has called them to be.
He is growing in the LORD every day and I am so incredibly blessed to watch it happen.

As for me, I've begun a new commitment with God. The commitment consists of me making time for an hour long appointment with Him, and simply not breaking it for anything. The inspiration came when on Friday evening I heard Becky Tirabassi's testimony. She was saved out of an alcoholic life, where drugs and partying were also the usual, and was so on fire for Christ. She works with Youth for Christ, is married and has one son. The thing that got me, while listening to her story, was that after being a christian for a number of years she noticed a sourness in her heart. She said that she was bitter, overweight, and not the kind of christian that would make non-christians want what she had. At a conference for youth leaders the bombarding message was that the most important thing to youth ministry was that the leaders spent much time in prayer. Becky said she was thrown back, since she had always thought kids needed 'fun and excitement', and because her own life didn't consist of much prayer time with God. As a result of that conference she decided she was going to, for the rest of her life, spend an hour a day in prayer, and that was over 20 years ago.
On Friday night I too made that commitment. Becky challenged the many young people listening, (it was a previously recorded message from a time she was talking to a group of young un-married believers), to do the same saying that it wasn't about convenience, but about making a commitment and keeping your word. So with God's help, I am going to keep my commitment.
I'd challenge you all to do the same, as you can only reap un-countable blessings from doing so.

This morning I prayed and eventually found myself in John 15, where Jesus speaks about being the vine and we are the branches. "...apart from Me you can do nothing", vs. 5.
I can no absolutely nothing good with out Christ, including keeping my commitment.


So that is pretty much sums up the high lights of all that is happening lately. Josh are still learning how to be both a couple and parents. I am enjoying my renewed spirit in Christ. Josh is finding passion in teaching. And our happy little man is well, happy :D What more could a family ask for?