What We've Been Up To...

Driving to NC

Meeting Dad, Mom, and Matt for help in the middle of the trip

Seeing baby Caleb for the first time

Outings with extended family

Meals with Abba and Nana

Uplifting conversations with Dustin and Mary

Jars of Clay with Amy

Writing and recording with Matt

Shopping with Chelsea and Mary

Rock Band with them both

Making friends with Toby

Getting out our energy! with Papa and Mimi

Visits with GG and Great-Grandfather

Lunch with Jeff and Cindy, Dinner with Matt and Stacie

Seeing Daddy for the first time in over a week

Another trip to Knoxville, then up to Lexington, then home to Louisville

Summer coming to a close

Beautiful weather

Walks at the park

Racing tricycles in the parking lot

Sitting on the kitchen floor, Elijah in my lap, Watching cookies rise in the oven

Andrew conquering obstacles, Becoming more of a "big boy"

Both boys pretending to be superheros

New bed for Elijah

Adoring glances from Micah

Ice cream sundays with extra cherries

Amid the chaos of life, the sweetest moments arise.

Hopefully you see why I haven't written in a while.

Exciting News

After months of waiting on the Lord to give Micah direction about this fall, we finally have it in the form of a Louisville Cardinal! Micah found out yesterday that he was accepted into Graduate Studies in the History Department at the University of Louisville. Of course the boys and I are so proud of him. He has worked so diligently, especially getting ready for the GRE. He and I plowed through nights of geometry and algebra problems to make sure his math score was sufficient. He plans to focus on American History.

Even though he will be attending U of L, I don't think that either one of us will be able to pull for them over our favorite teams, the Carolina Tarheels and Duke Blue Devils respectively! We all pray that God continues to lead and give us wisdom from this point on. He has only given us reason to believe that He is for us and that He can be trusted.

Ode to Lucky Charms

This blog is really going to seem bizarre to our faithful regular readers. If this is your first time visiting us at joyinourjourney, please go back to previous blogs for more substance:)

With the current demands on our weekly budget, I have been getting more and more creative in how to stretch groceries. Last week, the large boxes of Lucky Charms were on sale and I had a coupon. I couldn't pass up the opportunity for the savings, even though it meant days of early morning sugar rushes. They have whole grain in them too of course! Who are the ones in the house most pleased with my choice? Andrew and Elijah of course!!! They love cereal for breakfast and a cup full for snack. I have to admit, I really like them too. I am most sympathetic to Andrew who wants to eat all the marshmallows first. I taught him quickly that mommy's method involves eating all the cereal first and leaving the marshmallows last!!! Hopefully next weeks sale will involve vitamin/fiber-packed, cardboard-tasting flakes and twigs to get us back on track:(

"Two" Birthdays

This blog may seem a little self-serving, but for me, it is an exercise in thankfulness. There are people on this planet I know who see birthdays as depressing. I must admit that the frequency in which they seem to be happening in my life causes some reflection, but I guess compared to the alternative, to not be celebrating a birthday, would mean that I would no longer be here!

I woke up this morning first to the sound of Micah's alarm and then to he and Andrew bringing me breakfast in bed. Not too long thereafter, I heard the sweet voice of Mom on the phone, then was greeted by Elijah smiling and ready for morning hugs. The remainder of the day was filled with calls from precious friends and family and an intimate celebration with good food and cake. I even had the pleasure of playing Mom-the referee, expert diaper-changer, and snack provider-extraordinaire. Micah was especially conscious to my needs and offered many opportunities for me to relax and feel loved and appreciated. At least for this day, the grace in being given breath and life was in the front of my mind. We spent the end of the day at the park playing baseball. Andrew and Elijah both are hitting the ball with the bat well for their ages. The weather was lovely.

In contrast, I was thinking about the One who made birthdays in Acts 17:24-25:

"The God who made that world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind like and breath and everything. And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us, for 'In Him we live and move and have our being.'"

Just as God made nations to rise and fall, He has given me 29 years of blessings on this earth. And as God is not the created but the Creator, He sustains my life. God is not like "unknown gods" but is faithful and true to His word. I pray I can keep this perspective throughout the next year.

The next morning, we began by waking Elijah quietly singing "Happy Birthday to You!" We had his pictures made that morning as well followed by a trip to ToysRUs. He was a little overwhelmed at all the kid stuff. We had a peaceful rest of the day, with naps for everyone and more cake of course! It was amazing- from the minute Elijah turned two, he seemed more aware and able to communicate more effectively. He added 10-20 new words to his vocabulary and was ready for less of an afternoon nap. Thankfully, he is still just as cuddly and affectionate as ever. I am hoping he doesn't grow out of that soon at all.

Having two birthdays back to back was nice. It made the week fun for all of us!

Summer 2008

I decided I had quite a few Andrew and Elijah fan club-friendly pictures to add to the blog. They have been busy this summer!

This is Andrew and his good friend Faith. Faith likes to dress him up like "Prince Charming".Andrew is very social and loves his friends. I think loyalty is going to be one of his best qualities.

Andrew has been learning to swim. He is really doing well...

Elijah is even doing well but prefers playing around the pool. He jumps to Micah and me fearlessly; just kind of falling happily into the water. He doesn't jump in unless someone is there to catch him, unlike my sister Amy if I remember correctly!!!

Elijah has been doing the funniest thing. I have been encouraging him to use words (now that he knows a few) to tell me what he wants instead of screaming "No!" or, well, just screaming. Instead, he has started acting out things that happen. For instance, the other evening he fell face first in the grass. I didn't see it happen, but he ran to me with a face full of dirt crying. After I asked him what happened, he laid down face first on the floor in front of me to demonstrate. The other people around me thought he was just hilarious, so he kept acting it out for them. He is quite a character!

Here are my boys with friends at a birthday celebration.

Book Review

Tonight, I finished reading the book Escape by Carolyn Jessop. It was a book Micah thought I would enjoy reading. I don't know if enjoy is the word I would use to describe my experience trying to understand the world of FLDS (the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints). I am however glad to have gained some insight on their beliefs as well as those of similar groups. There are two things that were most impressed upon me after finishing the book.

First of all, if a person doesn't see and know the true word of God, there are many many ways to be deceived. I was astounded at the bizarre doctrine that was neither questioned in the least let alone denied by the women in the group; even when it meant severe physical and emotional abuse for themselves as well as their children. I see how each person, from the earliest age is indoctrinated to not question, but still this fact was shocking even on a every-human, general-revelation level. Man can say anything, but God's words do not change and are consistent and true. Just as Eve was deceived, these women are continually deceived, buying into lies and deception to please their husbands enough so they will be allowed into "heaven".

The second is that even though Carolyn, the writer of the book, successfully escapes her abusive, polygamist lifestyle, she finds herself "not shopping for a new god" in the end. It made me very sad; knowing her vision of God has been severely skewed and leads her to a works based salvation. I would love for her to see the God of the Bible who seeks after her and works salvation in and through the finished work of Jesus Christ. She claims to know freedom, but there is no other lasting freedom than this.

Anytime I am made aware of children being abused, it breaks my heart. It always brings me to my knees, praying for mercy for those who are so small, they cannot defend themselves. It is something I think we all have to push out of out minds to find some level of comfort in the world, but the suffering is real and it happens constantly. This book made me deal with this reality head on; ending up in the same posture as before.

In contrast, I am teaching at Lagrange Baptist Church's VBS next week. I studied Jeremiah 36 and was further encouraged to take seriously God's words. I have also been attending a book study at church using Nancy Leigh DeMoss' Lies Women Believe and the Truth the Set Them Free, additionally instructing me to know the word. I guess assuming this is important is a gigantic understatement!!!

No More Stitches!!!

Rainy, stormy day... on the balcony to get some "outside" time.

Andrew's Head Injury Update, etc.

Andrew has been healing well. He goes to the doc today to have his stitches removed! It is amazing how quickly our bodies repair themselves, with the help of skilled docs through God's gracious general revelation:) Here he is with stitches and hopefully I can post soon with a picture of him with out them!
I had to include a picture of Elijah with his new friend, monkey. While we were on vacation, Micah found this monkey the same size and texture as "bear" and thought Elijah needed it. In fact, he needed it so badly, he squealed his tires to make it into the shopping center before they closed. This is very untypical of my husband!!! Nevertheless, monkey is the newest addition to our family and seems to be just as important as bear at this point!


I also have been doing more painting. I thought I would share my latest piece. I did this one for my mother-in-law. It is relaxing and much like good therapy to carefully and sometimes haphazardly put paint on a blank canvas~

Andrew and the ER

We have had company this past week. Micah's brother Matt and his wife Stacie arrived Saturday and stayed with us while they attended the "New Attitude" conference in downtown Louisville.

As the Lord would have it, we would need a couple of extra hands this past Monday evening. I have heard the phrase "You are going to bust your head wide open!" many times growing up and have adopted it myself in warning the boys about rough play and running/jumping/climbing in the house. Monday evening around 6:45, Andrew proved this saying can actually transcend words and become reality. He was running and hit a wall corner in our apartment and busted his head open! Thankfully, after visiting two ERs, consulting with four docs, his head was stitched up around 12:45 a.m.. Andrew was so brave. I remember when he broke his arm being astounded at his ability to stay calm and follow directions despite his pain and uncertainty. Micah and I both as well as the doctors throughout each of these instances have given him clear expectations of what was going to happen. He listens and trusts. It is very convicting for the adults to see a child do this better than they do sometimes! Thank you for your prayers for Andrew. He goes to see a facial surgeon on Monday to see how he is healing.
In every trial, there is so much to be thankful for- The fact that God saw us through it, that it wasn't worse than it was, there were doctors and nurses who knew just what to do to fix it, that Micah and I could be there for Andrew (as we watched a child being brought in from an accident separated from his mother and very frightened), and that Matt and Stacie were her to help care for Elijah. Blessings abound.

Good, Gracious Gift of Vacation

There are few things in this world more beautiful than the way waves crash on the shore, especially when illumined by the glow of a full moon. There are moments when joy is multiplied ten thousand times and spills over into contagious laughter. There is a quiet that calms a weary soul and brings peace where there was turmoil. There are friendships that God gives that will encourage in just the right ways. There are days when God's extravagant gifts are so evident a person would have to intentionally try to ignore them for them not to overwhelm a soul. There were all these elements in our vacation. It was completely undeserved rest from the everyday and we are so thankful for our time away. Interestingly enough, we were glad to get home where luxury doesn't prevent our faith from being tested more frequently:) More specifically...

Andrew loved the water and the beach.

Elijah loved the beach... not the water so much.

We had the privilege of taking all the kids putt-putting; a favorite Abernethy pastime. Here they all are in the van entertaining themselves!!!

And here are the boys sinking holes-in-well, whatever it took. We didn't keep score this time:)

The boys got to touch an alligator. He was quite docile!

Our last night at the beach was spent catching ghost crabs. You should have seen Andrew go after them with his pail!

Everyone celebrating with lots of ice cream.

Beautiful Sandestin, Florida

We arrived in Florida yesterday after about 12 hours of traveling. We had safety all the way! Today, and spent our first day on the beach. This is Andrew's second time at a beach and Elijah's first. Every time I am near the ocean, or in this case, the gulf, I am always overwhelmed at the vast and beautiful coastline. This beach is especially mesmerizing with the water's blue/green color against the white sand. The boys love the beach. It took them a while to enjoy jumping waves in the ocean, but they are warming up to it with appropriate respect. Playing in the sand is what they like the most.

We have had a great time with our friends, the Meyers. Our children have all had such a good time, although Andrew wasn't sure at all at first about all the "girl toys" they brought to share in the condo! Thankfully, beach toys are generic~

Happy Days

We recently traveled to NC to visit with family and celebrate Micah's 30th (yes, I said 3-0!!!). The trip was quick, but enjoyable. It was especially nice to drive in view of the beauty of a NC spring. The flowers, grass, and trees show God's glory and creativity in creation in a way that always awakens my sleepy, winter soul. The time with family was sweet, though brief. I want to take this opportunity to say hi to Ben- Micah's cousin and avid reader of Joy in Our Journey. It always humbles me to know you read our blog!

May 6th was Micah's actual 30th birthday. I am so thankful to have had 15 birthdays with him. I used to think it was cliche' to say that time goes by quickly, but these days I am in complete agreement. Here is the picture the boys included in their birthday card to him. It was their attempt to read Grudem's Systematic Theology. I love the look on their faces!

"Active" is the theme of their lives right now. Andrew loves his friends and brother. Elijah likes to emulate his brother and seems to have very little fear of heights (yikes!). These are pics of them playing at their new favorite place in Louisville called "Incredible Dave's".

Here they are at Tom Sawyer Park, a place we frequent often.

We are leaving Sunday for a much needed vacation thanks to some dear friends who are lending us their condo for the week. I will make sure to include pics from sunny (we hope:)) Florida next time.

Grace and peace to you all!

The best rest...

When I first moved out of my parent's house and went away to college, I was so excited! Anyone who knew me at that time knew I was terribly independent and ready to be on my own. There was something I missed after I left home and I remember identifying it quickly. I had a wonderful home to live in during college, but there was something about sleep in the bed I grew up in that made my rest the sweetest I have ever known. Now I am aware that children grow up in homes where family life is extremely volatile to say the least, but by God's grace, I felt safe at home.

Since I have been married, responsibility has changed me tremendously. There is a great difference between being a kid reliant on parents and being the parent... making sure the doors are locked at night, there are functioning smoke and CO2 detectors in the rooms, etc. I watch the boys though, as they barrel carefree through a day. When they play, they play hard. When they rest, they rest so peacefully. "Home" itself for us has changed over and over, as my past posts have stated. The uncertainties of where home will be in the future bring curiosity and much prayerful consideration. Even when I visit my parents home now, it is not the home of my youth and even though they are welcoming, I am a guest.

I am fairly certain that Isaac Watts may have shared the same sentiment when he wrote the final lines of "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need". This is a song I sang with my high school choir and one that has stuck. I have sung it to Andrew and Elijah many times. Its words inspired by Psalm 23 have always been moving, but here recently the last stanza has encouraged me toward acceptance of a deeper truth. I may have eluded to this before, but I am finding more and more that the Lord wants me to long for my eternal home more than the temporary, unsatisfying rest this world brings. Having grown up in safety, this is something I am having to be taught. The other portions of the song are also beautiful, giving me hope until I am like a "child at home" in my Father's house. I pray it is encouraging to you as well.

My Shepherd will supply my need:

Jehovah is His Name;

In pastures fresh He makes me feed,

Beside the living stream.

He brings my wandering spirit back

When I forsake His ways,

And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,

In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death

Thy presence is my stay;

One word of Thy supporting breath

Drives all my fears away.

Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,

Doth still my table spread;

My cup with blessings overflows,

Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God

Attend me all my days;

O may Thy house be my abode,

And all my work be praise.

There would I find a settled rest,

While others go and come;

No more a stranger, nor a guest,

But like a child at home.