As always, this is just for fun. Jake and I will make the ultimate decision. :-) But, here is where our head is on names as of today...
Yet another baby name poll!
Feel free to vote - it's anonymous - and have a little fun!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Caden's First Day of Preschool
Brothers ready for the day!
Caden wasn't able to hold still once we were in the classroom! He was so excited and had a great first day!Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Got a moment?
Our pastor has been doing a short summer series called "Identity Theft" which he wrapped up today with the sermon "What is My Role?". If you have a little time (about 49 minutes) take a moment to listen to this (link below). It is such an awesome reminder of God's love for us as people and that He has such great intentions for our lives. A great sermon on honest to goodness truth and a great motivator for men and women alike.
AllAboutGrace.com:: What is My Role?
AllAboutGrace.com:: What is My Role?
Saturday, August 21, 2010
3rd Culture Kid
Recently, Jake was asked if I (Whitney) would consider myself to be a third culture kid. I had never heard the term before, but the more time I have had to ponder on it, the more I think the term is very fitting. In essence, what our friend was asking (in a kind way, don't worry) was if I would consider myself to be a bit of a misfit or without a culture. Having lived the first portion of my youth in America and then the latter portion - my high school years - in England, growing up in two different cultures, it is true, I don't really fit ideally into either one. (It also doesn't help matters much that I am essentially a Midwesterner raised by deep-south southerners who now lives in the wild west... but that is neither here nor there ;-).)
Upon moving to England in 1995 I went through the normal phase of culture shock that just about anybody goes through when fully transplanting themselves into a new culture. My family and I received a lot of good wisdom and advice at the start of the move. Everyone said that the culture shock would start to where-0ff after about 8 months. And, low and behold, it did. After surviving that initial phase I started to feel somewhat at home again as we settled into a new routine, community, and country. The things that "shocked" me at the beginning of our move - - foreign accents, the same language but different words, customs, people, currency, products in the grocery store -- all seemed to fade away and became normal.
Before I knew it four awesome years had passed in the blink of an eye and it was time to return to America. So, what is wrong with this picture? An American girl returning home shouldn't pose any problems. Right? Well, as the saying goes, you can't really ever go back home. Things won't be the same. Things weren't the same. And, well, neither was I. Believe it or not, moving back "home" presented culture shock all over again. Maybe not in the same way as the first time -- I still knew my way around an American grocery store, our old hometown, Old Navy, and a dollar bill -- but the road to misfit had already been solidly paved. I think college was definitely the place where I realized that, "Hmm, maybe I don't quite fit in around here the way I used to." Thankfully, I am fairly social so I never truly let that get me down. Not that the fact didn't slap me in the face now and then.
And, then -- well -- there is this other thing. A BIG thing, actually. I am a Christian. Not just the kind of Christian who believes in God and goes to church on Sundays, but the kind of Christian who believes that Jesus is who He said He was in the Bible. The kind who believes that Jesus, who was fully God, came to earth as a man because He loved and loves every single one of us no matter how great or not great we are. The kind who believes that if you don't take Jesus at His word and accept with your heart that He came to die and save all of us who He loves so much that, well, the hereafter is not going to be very pleasant...the greatest eternal tragedy.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16
Okay, Whitney, what is your point? My point is that this belief, too, makes me a part of another third culture. A culture where I consider Heaven to be my home, and one where living on earth is a very temporary (and often uncomfortable) residence indeed. Does this notion bother me? Not at all. Am I writing all of this because people should feel sorry for me? No way. I consider myself abundantly blessed despite not fully fitting in or any difficulties or struggles life has thrown my way. In fact, I wouldn't change a thing. The awkwardness - sometimes occasional, sometimes frequent - is a small price to pay.
I could go on and on, but instead I will just close with this (and try to stay off of my soapbox in the process): Get uncomfortable. Don't stay in one place. If you have the chance to move somewhere, MOVE. Home is not a specific town, city, state, country...or house. Home is actually where your heart is. And believe it or not, your heart is a lot more resilient than you think.
Upon moving to England in 1995 I went through the normal phase of culture shock that just about anybody goes through when fully transplanting themselves into a new culture. My family and I received a lot of good wisdom and advice at the start of the move. Everyone said that the culture shock would start to where-0ff after about 8 months. And, low and behold, it did. After surviving that initial phase I started to feel somewhat at home again as we settled into a new routine, community, and country. The things that "shocked" me at the beginning of our move - - foreign accents, the same language but different words, customs, people, currency, products in the grocery store -- all seemed to fade away and became normal.
Before I knew it four awesome years had passed in the blink of an eye and it was time to return to America. So, what is wrong with this picture? An American girl returning home shouldn't pose any problems. Right? Well, as the saying goes, you can't really ever go back home. Things won't be the same. Things weren't the same. And, well, neither was I. Believe it or not, moving back "home" presented culture shock all over again. Maybe not in the same way as the first time -- I still knew my way around an American grocery store, our old hometown, Old Navy, and a dollar bill -- but the road to misfit had already been solidly paved. I think college was definitely the place where I realized that, "Hmm, maybe I don't quite fit in around here the way I used to." Thankfully, I am fairly social so I never truly let that get me down. Not that the fact didn't slap me in the face now and then.
And, then -- well -- there is this other thing. A BIG thing, actually. I am a Christian. Not just the kind of Christian who believes in God and goes to church on Sundays, but the kind of Christian who believes that Jesus is who He said He was in the Bible. The kind who believes that Jesus, who was fully God, came to earth as a man because He loved and loves every single one of us no matter how great or not great we are. The kind who believes that if you don't take Jesus at His word and accept with your heart that He came to die and save all of us who He loves so much that, well, the hereafter is not going to be very pleasant...the greatest eternal tragedy.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16
Okay, Whitney, what is your point? My point is that this belief, too, makes me a part of another third culture. A culture where I consider Heaven to be my home, and one where living on earth is a very temporary (and often uncomfortable) residence indeed. Does this notion bother me? Not at all. Am I writing all of this because people should feel sorry for me? No way. I consider myself abundantly blessed despite not fully fitting in or any difficulties or struggles life has thrown my way. In fact, I wouldn't change a thing. The awkwardness - sometimes occasional, sometimes frequent - is a small price to pay.
I could go on and on, but instead I will just close with this (and try to stay off of my soapbox in the process): Get uncomfortable. Don't stay in one place. If you have the chance to move somewhere, MOVE. Home is not a specific town, city, state, country...or house. Home is actually where your heart is. And believe it or not, your heart is a lot more resilient than you think.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Happy Birthday to You, Daddy!
We had lots of fun celebrating Jake's 29th birthday as a family with brownie cake and ice cream this week. The boys were so excited about Daddy's big day that they hid before he got home so they could jump out and shout "SURPRISE!!!" when he walked in from work.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Reading with Caden
Our boys have always loved storytime. We read at random times throughout the day. We've never been a family that does a bedtime story every night, although often times we do read before bed. Other times we sing songs. Lately, however, Caden has taken to not only asking for books before bed every night, but pretty much any other time of day... all day long... 3 or 4 books at a time, and even more, if he can convince Mommy or Daddy to continue with the reading. Even more interesting is that he, all of a sudden, seems very eager to learn how to read himself. He is always asking what each individual word is so he can point to it and repeat it. If he sticks with it perhaps we will have another early reader on our hands, just like his brother.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Bryce's 2nd Birthday Party
We all had lots of fun celebrating Bryce's second birthday with tractors and trucks in Payson over the weekend. Grandpa even borrowed a tractor from a neighbor to give the kids tractor rides!!! Here are a few pics of the fun...
Tractor Rides
Dirt Cake - Yum!
Tractor Rides
Dirt Cake - Yum!
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