Welcome to the World.

This is my neice, Sloan Abbie Macfarlan. She came to hang with us in this world on Feb 8 at 8:02am, weighing 7 lbs 2oz. Her mom and dad are amazing, and I am quite in love. Seriously. Most newborns look like aliens. She looks perfect.

First day of life. Welcome little girl!
You KNOW who gave her that SICK awesome hat. :)

Biggest smile on a 1 wk old I've ever seen.

To watch your big brother fall in love all over again. It's amazing.

Oh. Just love her.

Who'd a Thunk It?

Seriously. Who would have? To the girl who said, "No marraige until 30." Swept off her feet at 22. To the girl who proclaimed, "No children for 5 more years!" Yup, you guessed it. Two pink lines. Pregnant.


A LITTLE surprised, but the first trimester is over, the surprise has worn off, and the TOTAL joy and excitement has replaced fear as we eagerly anticpate this change in our lives.

The husband: couldn't you guess? Couldn't be happier. I tell you ladies, even if the thought of you as a mamma frickin' terrifies you, do one thing and do it right- find and marry a man who makes you feel fearless to do anything. Even parent. Me as a mom? Scary. Parenting with a father like Ryan at my side? This is gonna work. :)


We found out December 11th. Won't ever forget. 7 days later, told the parents and promptly left for a snowboarding trip with 60 highschoolers. You better believe this momma ain't givin' up thrashing the nasty pow pow for a little 'going against dr.s' orders! So, don't call up Dr. Carter and tell him, but yes, I went snowboarding. Yes, I thrashed the nasty pow pow. Yes, baby is fine. :)



First sonogram. I call it the "Little Nixie Baby Blob." See labels to help decipher parts.

Anyone who tells me that looks like anything other than a blob is crazy. But it's my blob. And I love my blob. This was taken right at 4 wks. Here comes the second one.

This is at 9 weeks. Good strong heart beat, and just as cute as a little button. He/She has my nose.

Now, lastly, for you precious 'away' friends, don't you be expecting a week-by-week play by play photo op of Calpal's bare tummy being spread over this here blog. No sirrreee, not a part of my body I would like to draw attention to, pregnant or not. You'll just have to take my word for it. :)

Well, it's a great reason to get my booty in gear with this blog. There will be more updates, now that I have something delightful and interesting to update you on. :)

Love you all, covet your prayers, and am thankful for you.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." -Ephesians 3:20-21

No, Mr. President.

To My Family and Friends-



I've been following this issue for awhile now, and am urging the 6 of you who read this blog to take a stand with me against our President whom we have rejoiced over as he silently tries to sneak litigation past the public's eyes to try and reverse common-sense abortion regulations or support partial-birth abortions. In wake of the events that have happened in the past week - my prayer is that we by no means decide that violence is an answer to the problem. Fight with me - but fight the right way.

The Washington Post has written about the reinvigorated fight of "pro-lifers' in the court battles for abortion.

Watch the video done by John Piper below and visit http://www.aul.org/ to find out more about how to get involved in this fight for life.

This is Yo Life, You are Who you Wanna Be

HelloOoOo - The below picture is a snippet of how Ryan and I spent our Maundy Thursday. It's called the Progressive Riot. And it was progressive, and quite the riot. With laser-tag guns in hand, we trekked out and ventured into the city.

Go cart Time!

Oh yes, this is what we choose to do with our lives.  Those are the beautiful hands and faces of over 130 jr. high crazy kiddos.  But man, it's worth every bit of it. Don't worry though, in the heat of it all, only one minor black eye - caused by my husband, of course. :)

Just another night on the job, folks, just another night on the job.

Kisses!

No problem mon, new things, loving life!

So long it's been since I've really taken a moment to update this lovely vessel for communication. Assuming naively that anyone still wants to read my blog, I'm happy to acquiesce to an update.

Some updates.


I got my wisdom teeth out, which you may have read about in a previous entry. An update: my face is still numb, but getting better every day. The doctors just told me it would take time to heal. In the mean time, putting on lip liner is a fun time to make fun of callie.

So we took a little cruise. The greatest grandmother in the beautiful state of Florida took a chance on 18 vagabonds (sometimes called family) and we packed our bags, headed out of Ft. Lauderdale and took a cruise as a whole family. What a blessing, and what an indelible chance to be with one of the wisest and most regal women (and somehow simultaneously spunky) that I have come in contact with.







Then my friend Laura decided to up and get married in one of the coolest cities in the US. What a fun weekend that was! Pullin' Bessie away from Ruthie Bell for some girl time, and a sweet reunion with friends who rarely "branch out", but have somehow ended up on other sides of the country from each other.... :)





So, then we took a little trip to Jamaica. I surprised Ryan for his 30th birthday (in June, an early surprise), and dragged his little booty to Montego Bay, to the Grand Palladium Resort & Spa. Check out a few pictures below. Mac and Sophie, my brother and sis-in-law and Ryan's sister Mel and her husband were all in attendance. What a fun trip!! At one point I looked at Mac and said, "Brother, we are on a vacation with our spouses. How cool is that?" What a delightful life that has been given to me in a family that truly loves being around one another. My brother and his wife are truly the funniest people I have ever met.

You can see the rest of the pictures on facebook, but here are a few goodies (and some that didn't make it into the FB album): After that, this is me - signing off.

Confessions of a Shop-a-what?

My'>My review rating: 2 of 5 stars
I know this is a HUGE best seller, but I just was not a huge fan of the book. I'm not a compulsive shopper, I didn't know half the labels she mentioned, and she was basically ridiculous through 2/3 of the book. Then all of the sudden at the end, her whole life is changed around and after one confusing lunch and a lingering 'business' dinner, she gets to hop in the sack with the wealthy man and everything is perfect? PuHLeeZ. Maybe Manhattan will be better.


View all my book reviews '>here. Join the proverbial book club!

Me lately...

So this is stupid and embarrassing and “I wish I was more mature/trusting of God-ish.” But, I got my wisdom teeth out on Friday, and they bruised a nerve (apparently this does not often happen), and so my face has been numb now for about 5 days (weird). I am going crazy. And it’s funny, for the first time in a LONG time; I’ve really struggled with my attitude/being content in Christ and Him alone/working heartily as for the Lord.
I’ve just struggled with feeling that “general down” and “Blah” feeling that is kind of indescribable and not really attributed to anything specific. Maybe a little depressed.

Then I read the “Morning” section of Spurgeon’s “Morning and Evening.” And I know my ‘trials’ are small in comparison to so many of the things other people struggle with in life, but they are mine, and because of that, God knows them and cares about the number of tears I shed over them. I’m learning to trust that.

It completely encouraged and uplifted my heart this morning, so I wanted to pass it along (the emphasis at the end is mine). It might encourage you too. Love you guys so much, and I’m thankful for you in my life.

-Cal

“My grace is sufficient for thee.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

IF none of God’s saints were poor and tried, we should not know half so well the consolations of divine grace. When we find the wanderer who has not where to lay his head, who yet can say, “Still will I trust in the Lord;” when we see the pauper starving on bread and water, who still glories in Jesus; when we see the bereaved widow overwhelmed in affliction, and yet having faith in Christ, oh, what honor it reflects on the gospel! God’s grace is illustrated and magnified in the poverty and trials of believers. Saints bear up under every discouragement, believing that all things work together for their good, and that out of apparent evils a real blessing shall ultimately spring—that their God will either work a deliverance for them speedily, or most assuredly support them in the trouble, as long as He is pleased to keep them in it. This patience of the saints proves the power of divine grace. There is a lighthouse out at sea: it is a calm night—I cannot tell whether the edifice is firm; the tempest must rage about it, and then I shall know whether it will stand. So with the Spirit’s work: if it were not on many occasions surrounded with tempestuous waters, we should not know that it was true and strong; if the winds did not blow upon it, we should not know how firm and secure it was. The master-works of God are those men who stand in the midst of difficulties, stedfast, unmoveable,—

“Calm 'mid the bewildering cry,
Confident of victory.”

He who would glorify his God must set his account upon meeting with many trials. No man can be illustrious before the Lord unless his conflicts be many. If, then, yours be a much-tried path, rejoice in it, because you will the better show forth the all-sufficient grace of God. As for His failing you, never dream of it—hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now should be trusted to the end.