A Day at the Aquarium

Ila and I had a nice afternoon at the Virginia Aquarium, formerly known as the Virginia Marine Science Museum, which is what I still call it... anyway, with Blair and Kate Fine! Sure, it may have been a premature effort to expose our babies to new and mind-enhancing environments, but us mommies sure did have a good time snapping pictures and watching sharks and sea turtles just inches from our faces. I was absolutely positive that the biggest scariest shark wanted to eat me. Meanwhile, Kate was more interested in sucking on her feet and Ila on her fingers, but we got some great pictures! Ila was actually interested in watching some fish swim by her here and there, but was way more interested in her fingers for sure. It was cute to see all the other mommies with their babies doing the same things... holding their babies up to look at the ginormous sea turtle right in front of them while they stare at the floor or try to devise a way to suck on their big toe. But hey, we mommies gotta get out of the house and flaunt our cool strollers at some point! Can you see Ila’s excitement in this picture?!

In Memory of Warren Stone

Our dearest friends Meade and Mary Elizabeth Stone recently lost one of their twin sons, Warren, after a whirlwind of testing, waiting, hoping, and despairing. It is times like this that many say “Where is God? How could He allow this to happen?” But what is apparent more than anything else right now IS His presence and unfathomable peace and grace He has bestowed upon Mary Elizabeth and Meade. Contrary to many “prosperity gospels” that are widely preached by pastors like Joel Osteen, the Bible does NOT say that we won’t suffer in this world, even if we are faithful to Him. Thank GOD He does not repay us according our faith and good works or we would all be utterly scorned! But instead, the Gospel of hope tells us that it is IN our weakness that He is glorified and most near to us. It’s in our brokenness and pain that we are most sure of His promises and truth, NOT in times of blessing and prosperity. As the hymn “Jesus I My Cross Have Taken” says, which was sung at Warren’s funeral:

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure!

Come, disaster, scorn, and pain!

In Thy service, pain is pleasure;

With Thy favor, loss is gain.

I have called Thee Abba, Father!

I have stayed my heart on Thee.

Storms may howl, and clouds may gather,

All must work for good to me.

Man may trouble and distress me,

'Twill but drive me to Thy breast;

Life with trials hard may press me,

Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.

Oh, 'tis not in grief to harm me

While Thy love is left to me;

Oh, 'twere not in joy to charm me

Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

So today as we mourn the death of this sweet innocent child, we can take rest and REJOICE in knowing that he is with his Maker and know that in the midst of the pain, God is nearer than ever. We are reminded that earth is not our true home and that we must gladly await when we too can meet our Maker.

We love you Warren, Meade, Mary Elizabeth, and John.

Dream Giggles

Tonight when I was feeding Ila, as she drifted off to sleep she started laughing in her sleep! It was the cutest thing ever. It started with a little “ha”.... then “ha ha ha ha.” It was one of those moments that I just wanted to bottle up and keep forever. I feel like the luckiest person in the world to get to be with our little Ila all the time.

BUP!

I know, I know, I need to start blogging more. I promise I will try . . .

So it’s a mystery why Ila constantly calls balls “gools” and cups “bups” no matter how many times I repeat the words for her, but that’s just what she calls them for now. Lately, she is obsessed with “bups.” It started when I gave her a plastic cup with some cheerios in it the other day - now every time I ask her if she would like a snack or if she wants to eat, she immediately starts yelling “BUP!! BUP!!!” and emphasizes the “P” dramatically. It’s pretty hilarious. She would eat all her meals out of a bup if I let her. Sydney eventually gets ahold of her bup and makes it look like the one above, but at least I recycle. “BUP!!”

Sorry Jason

So I would like to begin this post with an apology to my friend and Regent classmate of last year, Jason. It’s really the only way I CAN start this whole blogging thing off being that I joked him shamelessly for being a “blogger” for two semesters (knowing full well that many people blogged and that it was actually quite hip). Nevertheless, I frequently would ask him the question: “So... you gonna go home and BLOG about that?” or “So how long did you wait to get the perfect shot of that pickle jar knowing that you would post it on your blog?... Were you drooling over the thought of that perfect blogging opportunity?” . . . You get the idea.

So here I am. Hannah the hypocrite. Oh well, it was fun joking you while it lasted, Jason. I’m sorry about that. But I’m going to give this blogging thing a try. I’m a little hesitant, but think it might be fun. After all, I do spend all day with a little baby who is constantly changing and doing funny or amazing things, and I can probably come up with some good commentary for it. Let the BLOGGING begin!