The First Decade

Annabel turned 10 yesterday.  This is such a fun, yet challenging, age.  She's all silly one minute, and then wiser than her years the next. 

Instead of a party this year, Annabel opted to spend a special day in Bangor with her best friend.  We went Christmas shopping, ate lunch at Texas Roadhouse, watched a movie at the theater and ended the day with frozen yogurt.

We held a small family gathering with friends Troy & Melissa on Sunday.  Melissa shares Annabel's birthday, and we love including her in the fun.

Annabel has such a big heart.  We have heard that she has been a source of comfort to her classmates during our recent string of tragedies.  She is a good helper, is full of curiosity and has a tireless zest for life.  She loves to sing and spread joy to those around her.

Love you girlie girl!

Passing Time

To the kids, the wait for Christmas takes FOREVER.  Now that we are less than a week away, the days seem especially long.  But there have been some highlights.  Annabel sang a solo at the school Christmas concert...

and Thane shot a squirrel while hunting over the weekend.

Only 6 more sleeps!

Beauty for Ashes

 

It's been a rough fall in our little Downeast community.  The kids have stayed home from school 4 days since mid-September due to shooting and bomb threats directed at their school system (an additional threat was called in early enough to clear the school for classes).  A beloved teacher passed away in a terrible car accident Thanksgiving weekend, and a 10 year old classmate was recently killed in another tragic wreck. While the practical side of me reasons that we are incredibly blessed to live in a western country that has not become immune to daily tragedies such as these (think of children who are being raised in war ravaged regions), every maternal instinct in my body wants to hold life at bay and shelter Annabel & Thane from the harsh reality of our fallen world.  We've had lots of questions and discussions over the past few months.  I've tried to explain the difference between God ordaining vs. His allowing events to happen.  Quite frankly, if I'm honest, there is a part of me that doesn't understand either.  In these times, we cling to the promise that God is in control and He will make beauty out of ashes.  Such a simple, but powerful thing.