"Big" Hair Day

I've been avoiding it for a while now, but I finally gave in and took Josie to get her hair cut. I had waited for several reasons, but one of them was because I honestly didn't know how she'd handle it.

I pictured two scenarios: 1.) she sits perfectly still and behaves like an angel or 2.) has a melt down the instant we show her the chair. So, I talked to her about getting her hair cut for the last couple of weeks, prepping her as to what to expect.

I also have been trying to "fix" her hair better lately, so I actually talked her into letting me curl it with the curling iron yesterday. It was so cute.

Well, I think I created a monster. She is now absolutely obsessed with her hair as well as brushing others'. (She was brushing my hair this morning and told me she was going to brush it "long like Beth Moore's". I thought Beth would be so proud.)

Anyway, like I said, I've created a monster. Just watch this video.

What did I tell you? This was only a minute and a half of at least 30 minutes of the day.

We did end up going to get her hair cut today, and of course I took pictures and kept the traditional lock of baby hair.

Here she is before we got her hair cut (after I washed the hand soap out) and at the salon with our long-time friend and hair stylist, Stefanie.

As you can see, scenario #1 was the outcome! Praise the Lord!

I think my next conversation with Josie will be about the flaw of vanity.

September in Review...Where Did it Go?

These are a few pictures and videos from our fast and furious September...

Cutie in a box.

One Sunday afternoon we heard music outside. Could that be what we thought it was? Yes, it was! The ICE CREAM MAN! We grabbed some cash and ran outside. We were a little bummed when it wasn't the classic white ice cream truck we remembered as kids, but the ice cream man and his wife still brought the goodies! Josie really didn't understand until she saw the ice cream! She requested "pink" so she got the Pink Panther.

Caleb is really enjoying the real food these days--and so is our checking account. He loved the pot roast, potatoes, and carrots.

Every time Josie asks for a sandwich, she requests that it be cut in the shape of a "tross".

Chillin' with Dad.

This is one of my favorite songs from The Sound of Music. I think Caleb likes it too.

Thanks to Aunt Jenna for the baby bouncer! It provides lots of fun for all of us.

Too Funny Not to Post...

"Koinonia"

Church this morning was absolutely amazing. I really felt God's presence today and was able to experience worship through different ways. I would like to share with you what we experienced today, although it is rather long and difficult to describe in words. I hope you are encouraged as well.

As we began, we sang a great song--one of my favorites and one which you can listen to on our music player--"Marvelous Light" by Charlie Hall. It is a song about the true freedom we have been offered once we have a relationship with Christ. (I've actually been doing a Bible study on freedom in Jesus, so it was very fitting for my personal journey with Christ.) For those of you who are not familiar with the song, it is not what people would consider "traditional" church music. It is definitely more modern and reflective of a large portion of my generation's way of worshiping the God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

As we sang, I happened to notice two of my fellow worshippers. God used their own ways of worship to minister to my heart as I watched them for a few seconds. Both were gentlemen who are older than myself. One was probably about my parents' age and was a very influential person in our church as well as our community. I saw him singing with all of his heart, eyes closed, face toward the ceiling with a huge smile and his hands open ready to receive a fresh dose of the joy from the Holy Spirit. I thought of who he was, all that he has (in the world's eyes--which is A LOT!) and saw that all he wanted was Jesus.

The second man was on the other side of the worship center and much, much older. He had a head of all white hair and was slightly hunched over. Without sounding too condescending, he was a cute little old man! Anyway, I saw him doing his very best to read the words on the screen and sing a song that he probably wasn't that familiar with and might not have even particularly cared for (style wise, anyway). But he did not allow the unfamiliarity of the song deter his worship. He pressed through his own preferences and later was rewarded with a beautiful song of his generation "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus".

So, what did I learn from them? 1.) No matter who you are or what you have, nothing compares to knowing and experiencing the joy of the God of the universe! 2.) Worship is not about us and our preferences. It's about turning our hearts toward God and praising Him for who He is!

After we finished singing, the congregation read the Nicene Creed. (If you aren't sure what exactly that is, I'm not 100% either, but basically several years after Jesus went back to heaven, a group of His followers came up with a statement about who He was and how that impacts our lives.) Anyway, we alternated men reading some, then women reading some. It was so powerful! As the men read the words declaring Jesus' divinity and power you could almost feel their deep resonant voices vibrating the walls of the sanctuary. Then as we women read the words, it was like sweet music floating through the air. Finally, as everyone read the last part together I was moved to tears because of how the body of Christ in that building worshiped together. The power in the words and voices were simply indescribable.

Our pastor taught out of Acts 2:42-47. Many of you know those verses well, but for a review they are basically explaining how the Church began. He broke it down to explain that God had intended the Church to:


1.) Learn (using the Word AND the Spirit, you must have them both to keep the proper balance of personal spiritual growth)


2.) Love (we are Jesus' hands to give hurting people the love and affection they need; we are to provide tough love to one another sometimes b/c it is what is best)


3.) Fellowship (koinonia-"meaty" fellowship, not just getting together to share a green bean casserole. The kind of fellowship that we know one another deeply, encourage one another, correct one another, and experience great joy with one another; and a church can only have as much impact as their "koinonia" is genuine and authentic)


4.) Gather together (meet together in large gatherings and small gatherings--corporate worship and small groups-- to worship together, experience the joy of the Lord together)


5.) Openness to Where God leads us (if God wants to move us on to something new, we can't stay where we are and expect our spiritual lives to flourish)

Okay, so if you are still with me, you are awesome! Sorry, it was so long, but I just had to share how the Lord moved this morning! It was incredible. I pray you will be open to the Lord moving you as well.

Blessings,

Paige

Modern Dance by "C.J.C."

*****

"Simply Brilliant!" raves Modern Dance Magazine, "Five Stars! It will move your soul!"

I hope you will enjoy this stirring debut by an up and coming dance company named C.J.C. (a.k.a. Caleb A., Josie B. and Caleb B.). You can feel the emotion of the dancer as she moves to the beautiful piano music composed and preformed by Caleb A. With Caleb B. providing the accompaniment on the innovative and new instrument called the Bisquick Beater, anyone will be able to appreciate this new kind of choreography.

Ok, so maybe it wasn't that inspiring, but I hope you laughed. Here's another picture of them playing in Josie's kitchen. I was on my way to get my camera when I heard Josie ask Caleb A., "Do you want tea or water?" That's the same question I ask Wesley every night while I'm getting dinner on the table. Isn't it cute?!

Sneezing Panda

Josie and her two friends from next door, Mallory and Will, love watching a YouTube video of a sneezing panda bear. This particular evening they were watching it on Wesley's iPhone. This scene was repeated at least 8 times. (Sorry it was so dark.)

There is another video that Josie loves with a lemur whose eyes get bigger and bigger while they are synchronized with the THX sound you hear at the beginning of movies. It's pretty funny too.

That's What I Get for Leaving the Room!

On September 2nd I left the room for less than a minute and heard Josie hollering. When I came around the corner she happily yelled, "Mommy, Mommy, Caleb stood up by himself!" That same day he figured out how to go from laying down to sitting up. Yesterday the doctor laughed when I told him and he said to me, "Mom, your days of peace are limited. "

(Yes, I know he's wearing just a diaper. It's either that or wash 8 or 9 onesies everyday and pay a higher electricity bill. I pick the "ghetto baby" look. Isn't he cute!!!???)