May 18, 2014

Little Lydia and Miss Joanna




I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.


Psalm 139:14








May 07, 2014

Flood and Fire

About three months after Joanna was born we were escaping a smoky building and watched our house burn. 

5 days after Lydia arrived we woke up to 6+ inches of water draining into our house. We ended up with 3 feet which destroyed most of our furniture and lots of other things. 






Wonderfully thankful all the babies were safe and we did not get hurt leaving the house. We had a nice walk through waist deep water and then a climb over a fence. 

Clean up/demo was intense for the remainder of the week. Seth is back to work this week and we're just waiting for the place to dry before we can do anything more. I guess we're are "homeless" for the second time in our married life. We have been taken in by family which is a blessing. Hoping this week will bring some news of some temporary shelter. 


Sample of the destruction the flood left behind.


Thanks for praying for us during this very stressful time.

Oh and a few more baby photos...which I finally got to work on today. 


Joanna is adjusting to being a big sister and Lydia is being an awesome sleeper. That makes mommy happy. :)




You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.   


(That's a comfort. It's just stuff.)



April 29, 2014

Happy Birthday

Lydia Jean Hollis
7 lb 15 oz
21 inches long
April 25, 2014





April 08, 2014

Down to the Wire

We're coming down to the wire. Only 3 1/2 weeks until baby Hollis #2 is due. 

As long as I keep up my water intake all is well. :) Looking forward to getting all the preparations finished. So much to do!

Joanna likes to hug and kiss the baby bump at various times. She "talks" about how the baby will drink milk but Joanna will eat pizza. :D I think she will be a great big sister. 

Here she is with the beautiful azalea bush out by our driveway. The rain has since pulled off a lot of flowers so we're glad we got this shot when we did. 

 

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

March 11, 2014

Sickies

So, I guess the new look for the blog passes readership approval? Didn't realize changing the format would bring back the comments option. GREAT! Think I'd like to tweak the header bar in the future.


We had two sickos in the house last night. Hubby was vomiting every hour and poor Joanna has not thrown up but has other symptoms. She looks on the mend though and the vomiting has halted.

Phew.

March 03, 2014

February 19, 2014

Home Again


We're back from our trip north. I don't really have much to say except it was a GREAT trip and totally orchestrated by God. Who would have known we would have been there just in time to see Papa, be there for his death/funeral and also get a few extra days to finish up the projects that were lingering after the very busy funeral week. (Extra days thanks to the weather!)  

   When planning this trip we had no idea.
God knows all thing! 



(These grow in the yard of the house we rent.)


“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law
36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

Matthew 10:34-35 NIV

February 11, 2014

It is Not Death to Die



We played this at Papa's memorial service.

February 05, 2014

Remembering Papa

It's hard to put into words what I want to say. I have a heart full of thankfulness. I'm thankful for my grandfather's life and example and thankful I could be near when he left this earth for his heavenly home Saturday morning, February 1st.  



I'm thankful for being able to share Joanna with him again. God worked our visit north right around this and I can be here to help my mom. 

There is a hole in all our hearts and we miss him. 



His obituary was published here.

   We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away 
    from the body and at home with the Lord.


    2 Corinthians 5:8 NIV





January 22, 2014

North Visit Part 4

Uncle time...



Uncle "Veevee" teaching the proper way to eat supper.

North Visit part 3

So I've had so many babysitters at hand it's much easier to start a task and finish. Also, having a sewing machine within arms reach has been very nice. :)

Thank you to the lady on this blog for the free instructions to make some cute shoes. I made a few flops before this pair...


So much fun! Joanna liked them, too. 

January 19, 2014

North Visit Part 2

SNOW! 


Joanna was delighted to see all the snow this morning when we woke up and promptly wanted to go "out." 

Eventually we did. 


The delight must have worn off because she looks so serious in this photo. :)

So much beauty in God's creation. 


January 18, 2014

Visiting the semi-frozen north Part 1

Enjoying our visit up north a whole lot....


We got here right in time for the January thaw. Practically all the snow that was here when we arrived melted but now it's snowing again! :) So pretty. 

I took photos of Joanna with the snow but only on the phone camera. Still need to move those photos over to the computer. 

Travel by air with a toddler was challenging but we made it in one piece. Though next time a do believe and a rolling carry-on and stroller will make my life 10 times easier. Thanks to the two nice guys who carried our (very heavy) carry-on two different times. That was so helpful.  


January 06, 2014

24 weeks

Wow. 24 weeks along. Already? Last time I knew to the minute (ok, not exactly) how far along I was. I keep having to refer to the marked calendar for this new blessing #2. Looking forward to our first midwife visit this afternoon and then heading north Wednesday for a visit to my parents for them to see Joanna. 


So excited about the new baby. Boy, girl? 
Who will he/she look like or take after? What natural skills will this child have? What will the child grow to be?
Even as I look forward, this child will most likely never meet my grandfather who is bedridden and dying. Our singing trips were a highlight and something for him to look forward to. With that gone I think he's lost the will to live.
~

Be Holy ] Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 
1 Peter 1:13 NIV