new things

Arwyn drink out of a "big girl cup", thanks to Kelli M; Sister and Brother share a passion for tupperware; again




 
 
 

 
 
 
 

my first Tattoo

 
 
 
 

A new stage

Well, Josiah is home from India. He is recovering from what we think is a parasite. And me and the kids are recovering from a nasty cold. When Arwyn saw him at the airport she ran up to him. He scooped her up and she smiled fondly and just touched his face like she was trying to memorize it. It was precious.

Since then we are back into the swing of things. We celebrated Josiah's 29th birthday yesterday (actual date was 26th). A tire blew out on the way home, on the yolo causeway of all places. But thank God we did not get in an accident. Not even later when a semi cut me off. I have never been so scared in the car before!

Today Josiah gets to address his over 300 hundred emails and who knows how many phone calls from being gone. He also gets to fix our tire, and search for a new cell phone, his got eaten by a Indian bus! So If you have tried to reach him via his 213.... number, be patient try him at work or at home.

I started writing this entry with Arwyn in mind but wanted to catch the other things up.

Arwyn, what can i say? You probably say, " she is an angel" or something of the like. She is a special girl thats for sure. God has given her a very compassionate spirit and she is very responsive to our correction. The other day i was hoping that the "terrific twos" stage was the one that hit when she was 18 mo. We had a couple of GREAT days where we enjoyed eachother alot. But lately i am beginning to reconsider. Maybe we are about to be unleashed apon. My biggest test yet in parenting might just be around the corner, peeking at me.

Arwyn has been saying, sometimes yelling "NO" at me/us when we ask her to do something, kicking her brother, blatlently doing the opposite of what we ask, etc. I'm not sure yet if its just the "i dont feel good" from this cold, coming out of her. Or maybe that Josiah was gone for so long and now she is expressing those emotions. Or maybe the age is coming out, with a vengeance i might add.

I find my anger coming out, when she is openly disrespectful and defiant, so I am feverishly thinking of ways to discipline other than spankings. If I spank in these angry moments, I know its wrong. Besides the fact that it doesnt do anything. I mean she cries, but it doesnt change her behavior. Wich is the whole point: to rid them of bad behavior and teach them right behavior. Today we have tried a variety of things, a time out in Malachi's crib, which she didnt like but the crib couldn't contain her. she simply crawled out. A "time out" in the corner, but she stayed in the corner fake crying, she seemed to fit in it like it was made for her. I have found an effective punishment for breaching "nap time", the binky and the blankie get taken away. But since she doesn't have them any other time I can't use this for other offenses. I have a feeling that as I/we tackle this new stage I will need more perserverence welling up inside me, an endless pit perhaps.

Malachi is MOBILE! and is he! He is into everything. I have just begun teaching boundaries with him, and he loves to smile oh so cutely and continue doing whatever i have asked him not to do. In these moments Arwyn wants to give the kind of correction she recieves, thats an interesting explanation to give to a 2 year old.

Two verse that encourage me during these times:

"For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child, in whom he delights" proverbs 3:12

"To discipline and reprimand a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplened child" - Proverbs 29 :15

arwyns adventure

i forgot this one...

 


how is this for dramatic?

one weeks glimpse of Josiah in India

Here are "snippets" from his emails about his trip:

Thursday July 12: Departure day
We will be in Mumbai, then Pune, Solapur, and Aurangabad

It is monsoon season right now so the weather will be interesting.
Sunday July 15
My group will be lead by two former Muslim leaders who have become followers of Jesus and by a young man who is focused on Muslim ministry. I really enjoyed some good talks with him today

We are a block from the ocean in our guest house. The waterfront is where everyone comes to walk in the morning and evening. It is fun walking along and seeing the amazing variety of people
Monday July 16
This morning we woke as usual to the comfort of our ice cold AC room. The first step out of the bedroom into the kitchen is a quick reality check as the humidity hits you. The mornings are
pleasant, doing our bible study on the balcony with hundreds of birds in the trees on our block, including many parrots.
Wednesday July 18
Josiah’s half of the team stayed in Mumbia:
The highlight has been our time with the believers here who come from Muslim backgrounds. There are three fellowships, or house churches that are connected to the Church here
in Mumbai. The leaders are all from highly educated orthodox Muslim backgrounds. These are people that led thousands of Muslims (in one case over 50,000). Now they are living in obedience to Jesus under strong opposition from their families and friends. Instead of leading thousands and enjoying material wealth, they lead 10 to 15 people each and live
very simply.

It was so humbling and precious to spend time with 14 of these brothers and sisters today, sharing our lives over hot chai tea. We had a beautiful time of prayer together, praying for each other and for our world. It was a scene that we will never forget!
Mark’s half went on to the city of Pune:
Those of us who traveled to Pune have visited several sites that are actively ministering to the needs of those affected by HIV/AIDS. Today we met with people involved in the commercial sex industry, including men who were made eunuchs by their families for religious reasons. Most of these served as temple prostitutes and now have been put out on the street to try to make a living on their own. Extreme darkness, but the incredible light of Jesus is shining His love on these precious people. There are some very committed believers among them who are ministering grace, mercy and love in amazing ways. Some of these eunuchs are finding freedom and acceptance in Christ for the very first time.

Friday July 20
We said goodbye to our friends in Pune and got an early morning start for the adventurous journey to Solapur. Though only a two-lane road, at times the intrepid drivers managed to fit 6 or 7 vehicles across, incuding the shoulders on both sides and the grassy fields that border the road! It looked like big city traffic transplanted in all its glory onto a little country road. Driving will seem so boring in California now.

Whats going on here?

Well, i'm sure you can tell what i have been up to since Josiah has been in INdia. Yup! Documenting my children's every move with the camera. NO, i did happen to catch these moments below, but we have been on the go BIG TIME! Josiah is so wonderful, he put togther a schedule for me to get breaks from the kids while he is away for two weeks. I got a break every day but 3 or 4! So between going to the gym and dropping the kids off at different friends houses, We have been all over. Yesterday we just laid low at home. That was nice!

Josiah gets home Friday, we meet him in the SF airport! Thursday is his birthday he will be 29. Arwyn missed him alot this time around. Usually when he is gone she notices, but she never says anything. But she has been talking about him alot! whenever she has a memory of him and her together, like making a neckalce that she was playing with yesterday, she starts talking about him and gets very sad. Its heartbreaking. She got to talk to him on the phone yesterday morning, she told him that she missed him and loved him. We are definately looking forward to his return!

all done for today

 
here she is "cheezing" again, i took this pic for uncle isaac cause he bought her that shirt from Paris, when he was there while she was being born 2 years ago.


 
 

these were such great closeups i had to post them



 



Here is the GREAT tooth shot that i was wanting, figures that as soon as i move my fingers away from his mouth to show them he flashes them on his own terms. That sums up his persoanlity.

teeth

 

here is a good shot of Chi crawling. He uses his right knee and left foot, it looks funny, he must make more progress that way?!?

 

absolutely loves brushing her teeth, she wears out her toothbrushes faster than I do.

 

since he has two teeth now he thinks he needs to brush his as well, hmmm...this looks like it would work!

Hair

We used Arwyns brand new brush after her bath tonight. Now i dont have to go looking for mine, only to find it in her room. Look how long her hair is getting! thats really why i took this picture. The second pic is a few moments later when the curls spring up her neck... such cute ringlets!

CHeese!

 


she is very into saying cheese and posing for you. Finally! it seems that " avoid the camera at all costs" stage was so long.

Weening

 

 

we have started weening him from nursing, this is him eatin his evening bottle. Do you ever look like this after you eat your dinner?

we would vote that he is much more dramatic than his sister

 
 

beautiful boy

 

he has the most beautifully intense eyes!


 

he finally got some teeth...they are very difficult to document....


 



isn't this face funny?

Madachi

 

did i spell his name wrong? no thats how Arwyn says it, she just figured out that when he gets a stern warnin about something i use his whole name, thats been quite frequently lately. So she says it now.

see what he is up to! standing and crawling and playing with balls.

Dale really went

 

 

 

 

the only one not pictured is dale but he did go... Him and Josiah finished our trip off with some white water on the river saturday afternoon.

 

the newest member to thier family... about two months old

 

and his counterpart, malachi is about 9 months old now

 

apparently my mouth wasn't big enough for a smore