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| Chris got tired while Laura and I were shopping |
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| Chris, myself and Laura |
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| Laura making some dinner |
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| Chris, Laura and I worked on a few puzzles |
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| Laura and I love to bake! |
Friday, April 22, 2011
Laura's March Visit
So, I'm a little behind on sharing this since Laura's visit with us was over a month ago, but I thought better late than never... right?! We had a fun time hanging out with our Lulu for a week!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
March Baby Shower
In early March my sister-in-law Lynia and sister Laura hosted a baby shower for baby Stryder and myself! It was such a special evening celebrating with some of my closest friends! It felt so surreal that this shower was for ME and MY baby! I mean, this is something I've only ever dreamed about, literally. There were times during the week leading up to the shower when I would sit and just think back on the last few years and how God has brought us to where we are now, expecting our very own baby! I am overwhelmed at times at God's incredible blessing on me in creating this priceless miracle inside of me!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Maternity Photo Shoot
Here are a few of our favorite photos from our maternity photo shoot! We had a an unexpected dump of snow the night before the photo shoot, but it made for a fun and unique look that only God could have planned! Enjoy!!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The Last Few Days
Here is a little of what we've been up to the last few days!
Over the weekend Chris & I traveled to Keremeos, BC to visit Chris' Uncle, Aunt and cousins! We had a wonderful relaxing weekend just hanging out and talking!
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| Uncle Olaf taught Chris how to play marbles |
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| Chris, Amy, Dorothy, Denise, Uncle Olaf and Aunt Bonnie |
Here is a funny and random picture we took on our way home this weekend...
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| Only in Canada... 55 degrees out and this guy thinks wearing a tuque (aka: beanie/hat) means he can take his convertible out for a spin?! Is he for real?? |
Tonight Chris' parents treated us to The Keg Steakhouse for dinner! We had a fun time with them!! Thanks mom & dad!!
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| Alvin, Janice, Amy and Chris |
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wanderings In The Midst Of Fear
I find myself so fearful of life's valleys, desert places, darkness that feels it will last forever... Maybe that's partly because I've experienced these long dark hours, days, months, years, and fear what could be next? But isn't this exactly what God tells us to expect in 1 Peter 4:12... "do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." So why do I fear it if I know I should expect it?
I just completed a wonderful Beth Moore bible study on the book of Esther! An exercise we did one week profoundly stuck with me. We were given a sheet of paper titled "Face The Fear". It looked something like this:
If _________________________________ and then I'd get up because my God is faithful and He will take care of me.
The blank was filled in by each person's personal fear(s). We were given quite a bit of room to elaborate that fear(s), I just wanted to show a visual above:o) But it's the end that so profoundly hit me... "my God is faithful and He will take care of me"... period!
I began to reflect on my own personal valleys to see if this in fact was true in my own life, and guess what I found? It's true! My God is faithful and He has NEVER left me alone to wallow and find my own way through, even the darkest of times! He has indeed taken care of me, as He walks along side of me, carrying me at times when I couldn't stand on my own two feet, through the bleak darkness. Sure, there were many times when I didn't "feel" His nearness and wondered if He was even aware of my circumstances, but He doesn't call me to rely on my feelings, He calls me to put my TRUST in Him (Psalm 62:8 and Prov. 3:5-6).
I love my daily devotionals by Amy Carmichael! Here is what I read this morning:
Deut. 1:30 The Lord your God Who goeth before you, He shall fight for you.
Thank God for the battle verses in the Bible. We go into the unknown every day of our lives, and especially every Monday morning, for the week is sure to be a battle-field, outwardly and evidently, or inwardly in that unseen life of the spirit, which is often by far the sternest battle-field for souls. Either way, both ways, "The Lord your God Who goeth before you, He shall fight for you".
Then comes a word which I think will bring some of you (as it has me) a very tender comfort, for the Spirit of God goes on to speak of the wilderness and what happened there: "Thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son" ("as a nursling").
Has He not done so through all the wilderness days that we have ever known? Will He not do so through any dry places that may lie before us? Then is there anything, can there be anything, to fear? We are His soldiers, thank God for that; we are His nurslings, too. We are never too grown-up to be, as Brother Lawrence puts it, "extremely caressed by Him."
It was out of this devotional from Amy C. that spurred me into writing this blog entry. It is my hope and prayer that God would encourage you today (as I have been). You may be in the midst of a valley today, one that has lasted years upon years. Or you may be fearful of the next valley, the unknown that lies ahead (whatever it may be)... I pray that as you face your fears, as you live through today, that you would KNOW His presence with you, He has you in His arms, and that He is faithful and will take care of you! Take heart, you're not alone!!
I just completed a wonderful Beth Moore bible study on the book of Esther! An exercise we did one week profoundly stuck with me. We were given a sheet of paper titled "Face The Fear". It looked something like this:
If _________________________________ and then I'd get up because my God is faithful and He will take care of me.
The blank was filled in by each person's personal fear(s). We were given quite a bit of room to elaborate that fear(s), I just wanted to show a visual above:o) But it's the end that so profoundly hit me... "my God is faithful and He will take care of me"... period!
I began to reflect on my own personal valleys to see if this in fact was true in my own life, and guess what I found? It's true! My God is faithful and He has NEVER left me alone to wallow and find my own way through, even the darkest of times! He has indeed taken care of me, as He walks along side of me, carrying me at times when I couldn't stand on my own two feet, through the bleak darkness. Sure, there were many times when I didn't "feel" His nearness and wondered if He was even aware of my circumstances, but He doesn't call me to rely on my feelings, He calls me to put my TRUST in Him (Psalm 62:8 and Prov. 3:5-6).
I love my daily devotionals by Amy Carmichael! Here is what I read this morning:
Deut. 1:30 The Lord your God Who goeth before you, He shall fight for you.
Thank God for the battle verses in the Bible. We go into the unknown every day of our lives, and especially every Monday morning, for the week is sure to be a battle-field, outwardly and evidently, or inwardly in that unseen life of the spirit, which is often by far the sternest battle-field for souls. Either way, both ways, "The Lord your God Who goeth before you, He shall fight for you".
Then comes a word which I think will bring some of you (as it has me) a very tender comfort, for the Spirit of God goes on to speak of the wilderness and what happened there: "Thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son" ("as a nursling").
Has He not done so through all the wilderness days that we have ever known? Will He not do so through any dry places that may lie before us? Then is there anything, can there be anything, to fear? We are His soldiers, thank God for that; we are His nurslings, too. We are never too grown-up to be, as Brother Lawrence puts it, "extremely caressed by Him."
It was out of this devotional from Amy C. that spurred me into writing this blog entry. It is my hope and prayer that God would encourage you today (as I have been). You may be in the midst of a valley today, one that has lasted years upon years. Or you may be fearful of the next valley, the unknown that lies ahead (whatever it may be)... I pray that as you face your fears, as you live through today, that you would KNOW His presence with you, He has you in His arms, and that He is faithful and will take care of you! Take heart, you're not alone!!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The LONG Drive Home
As mom and dad drove me to the Austin airport yesterday afternoon I was talking with Chris on the cell and we decided he'd come to pick me up at the Sea/Tac airport instead of my original plan of taking the shuttle from Sea/Tac to Bellingham where Chris would pick me up. We were afraid I wouldn't be able to catch the 9pm shuttle from the airport since my flight was scheduled to land at 8:37pm, if I missed the 9pm shuttle the next one wasn't until 11pm. So we thought it best to not risk me getting stuck in the airport for a few hours and just have Chris come get me.
Chris arrived at the Seattle airport in his parents old mini van that they're loaning us since the 4Runner is totaled from a week or so ago when Chris hit some black ice. He is uninjured and okay, praise God!
Chris & I had no idea but a winter storm hit the Seattle/Bellingham/Abbotsford area last night. BIG note to self: check weather report when traveling:o) It was snowing in Seattle when my plane landed... Chris said it was clear in Abbotsford when he left and that the weather had gotten steadily worse as he drove into Seattle. The snow and visibility was so bad that we drove at about 20 to 40 mph the whole way to Bellingham. We arrived in B'ham at a little after midnight and found we had a flat tire. We pulled into a hotel that had a breeze way so Chris wouldn't have to change the tire in the snow. I waited in the lobby while Chris worked out in the cold for the next hour and a half. He finished putting the doughnut on at about 2am and we headed to Abbotsford. The worst part of the drive was this normally 35 min. stretch of mostly country roads, last night it took us an hour and a half. Chris could hardly see the road, he was using the telephone posts as a guide to where the middle of the road was. We finally crawled in bed at 4am this morning! Praise God for His faithfulness and protection!
We've both been joking this morning that a sane person would have checked into a hotel in Seattle, a crazy person would have checked into the hotel we changed the tire at in B'ham, but only two lunatics would keep driving through all that to get home! But in all seriousness, we praise God for watching over us and encourage y'all not to follow our example if you find yourself in a blizzard:o)
Chris arrived at the Seattle airport in his parents old mini van that they're loaning us since the 4Runner is totaled from a week or so ago when Chris hit some black ice. He is uninjured and okay, praise God!
Chris & I had no idea but a winter storm hit the Seattle/Bellingham/Abbotsford area last night. BIG note to self: check weather report when traveling:o) It was snowing in Seattle when my plane landed... Chris said it was clear in Abbotsford when he left and that the weather had gotten steadily worse as he drove into Seattle. The snow and visibility was so bad that we drove at about 20 to 40 mph the whole way to Bellingham. We arrived in B'ham at a little after midnight and found we had a flat tire. We pulled into a hotel that had a breeze way so Chris wouldn't have to change the tire in the snow. I waited in the lobby while Chris worked out in the cold for the next hour and a half. He finished putting the doughnut on at about 2am and we headed to Abbotsford. The worst part of the drive was this normally 35 min. stretch of mostly country roads, last night it took us an hour and a half. Chris could hardly see the road, he was using the telephone posts as a guide to where the middle of the road was. We finally crawled in bed at 4am this morning! Praise God for His faithfulness and protection!
We've both been joking this morning that a sane person would have checked into a hotel in Seattle, a crazy person would have checked into the hotel we changed the tire at in B'ham, but only two lunatics would keep driving through all that to get home! But in all seriousness, we praise God for watching over us and encourage y'all not to follow our example if you find yourself in a blizzard:o)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
It's a.....
We're excited to announce we're having a BOY!!!
Stryder Allen Taylor is due at the end of April!!!
Stryder Allen Taylor is due at the end of April!!!
Christmas with the Shepherd family New Years Day 2011
Christmas with the Taylor family on Christmas Day
Christmas Day 2010
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