Alexandria Claire

Our beautiful redheaded, blue eyed babe was born today.  Our third girl to firmly outnumber our boys.  Laid back and sweet, she has been a joyful addition to our family.  Our hearts are overwhelmed with love for her, and thank God for so sweetly putting this family of six together.

Top Secret!

Last week we found out some exciting news!  At 18 weeks, I went in for the sonogram of our sweet new baby on the way.  We asked the tech to put the gender pictures in a sealed envelope so we could find out together that night with Brian as a family.  

 The kids were so great during my midwives' appointment and the sonogram appointment, so we went out for lunch and had a sweet treat afterward.  So thankful for their patience and good behavior!

 Once we got home, we had several hours to wait for Brian.  So hard to do with such big news so close at hand!!  It was a good lesson in patience for everyone!

 There was so much anticipation as we waited...

 And waited some more!!

 Brian ended up working later than we had hoped, and after waiting an hour past bedtime, I ended up having to put the kids to bed.  We were expecting to have to wait another day until we could find out together when I got a text from Brian that he was on his way home.  I got the kids back up and we excitedly waited a few more minutes...

until we could find out together that we are having another...

GIRL!!!

We are so thankful the Lord has chosen to add another sweet little girl to our family!  We are thankful for her health and pray that she continues to grow and develop into a beautiful little girl.  We cannot wait to meet her and see what richness she adds to our lives.  Now we try our best to wait patiently until she arrives in June!!

A New Year

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Fitton Green, Corvallis, Oregon

As a new year unfolds, we are anxious at all that it holds for us.  Six months of residency and then we begin biding our time until we move our family to Soddo, Ethiopia.  We have been reflecting on all that God has done for us as one year slipped away and a new one has taken its place: the beautiful place we have been able to call home for the last four and a half years, the training Brian has received that is preparing him to serve at Soddo Christian Hospital, the friends we have been so blessed to have shared these last few years with, the growing of our family, the stretching of our faith that has brought us to a deeper level of trust in the One who has made all of these things possible.  We feel like we are on the downhill slope of this phase of life before we head to a year of level plain where the Lord has spoken rest and refreshment over us in preparation for Soddo.  

A lot will change for us in the next year or so.  A lot of that time is still uncertain.  We will be welcoming a new baby, moving from Oregon, Brian will be starting his first year as an attending, and we will be preparing to move to the other side of the world.  So many details are uncertain, but what we are sure of is the Lord has laid out a plan for us and we are ready and willing to follow.  His faithfulness on the journey is always the most beautiful sight.  We wait with anticipation for all that He has yet to show us.

Soddo, Ethiopia