Times They Are a-Changin'

Today, the boys and I are driving to Nashville for 10 days. The next two weekends are filled with activities involving people of my past. A dear friend from high school is getting married and it's my 10 year high school reunion. 

ACK!! 10 years ago, I was 18, had no eyebrows and apparently wore eyeliner.

I thought I was invincible. I was angry and confused. I lived in the moment and had very few plans for my future. I did not love the Lord and had animosity toward those who did. I couldn't wait to get out of Nashville. I was scared to do mature things like apologize or admit my faults. I was SO SO stubborn!!

When I reflect on the past 10 years of my life, I don't really think about my accomplishments, but more about how God has absolutely changed me. I certainly have not yet "arrived" and am still a work in progress, but I am different. 10 years ago, I would have said EF YOU! to the thought of attending any sort of reunion with people from my high school. I was the girl who skipped my senior prom to see Bob Dylan live instead (I still stand by that decision, by the way!).

Today, I am thrilled to be traveling back home. Thrilled to see old friends and catch up. Thrilled to be encouraged by other people's stories of change and transformation. To see my friends' babies and spouses and to be embraced by those who've known me since the days of no eyebrows.

I'm feeling sentimental (a rare thing for me, you know) so I'll be listening to lots of Counting Crows, old school Radiohead, Bjork and Bob Dylan while on my journey. And if the boys have anything to do with it, we'll have "Seven Nation Army" on repeat for at least an hour of our trip. Nashville, here we come!

Happy Easter and 8 months to Laz!

Had you walked up to me 8 years ago and told me I would one day be the mother of two boys and a wife to an aspiring missionary, I would have laughed. Actually, I probably would have said some sarcastic rude remark that would have made you feel uncomfortable and hurt your feelings in some way. I was not a nice person.

That is a HUGE testimony of God's goodness. He has been so incredibly good, not only to create me and give me life, but to pursue me, grab me out of darkness and give me life again! As if that wasn't enough, he gave me these two little lives to love and care for. Unbelievable.

Eight years ago, I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Seattle, going to morning and evening prayer, church service after church service annoyed by all the happy-go-lucky churchie Jesus freaks. I wasn't prepared for Easter Sunday and the powerful message I was about to receive. I had heard it all before, but this time, it was as if I had nowhere to hide. God had had enough of my shenanigans. It was time.

Fast forward eight years later. This week, I've been talking with my little boy about Jesus and what He did for us on that old rugged cross. We've gone to church for morning prayers throughout the week and celebrated Good Friday with a special service and a simple meal with our congregation. Today, we celebrated Christ rising from the dead and so giving us eternal life.

I now love Easter more than any other time of the year. I long for my boys to understand the importance of this time. I want them to soak it up and trust it's truth no matter what.

All I can do is pray. And boy do I ever.

(pictures taken on Palm Sunday at our annual church picnic)

7 Things about me

After almost 4 years of consistent blogging, I finally (ha!) received my first blog award from my dear friend Megan. Congratulations me!

Now I have to tell you 7 things about me that you may not already know. Being that I am an open book to anyone willing to listen, this was very difficult. I had to get help from my sister! Consider this my acceptance speech.

1. I am opening an Etsy shop called CITY THISTLE. It's awesome. Get excited. I was going to wait to announce this until I was all set up for my Grand Opening GIVEAWAY (stay tuned!), but I just couldn't keep it a secret any longer. This leads me to #2...

2. I am HORRIBLE at keeping secrets. When my older sister was pregnant and told me early on, I told two of my friends even though she asked me not to. I was too excited! Learn from her-do NOT trust me with secrets!

3. I am not sentimental in the least. Every once in a while, I hear a song that brings me back to a time long long ago, but it rarely brings up any actual feelings. I keep a little vintage suitcase packed with "memories" like lace from my wedding dress and postcards from my travels. I really wouldn't mind if it burned in a fire, though. I basically keep it for my kids.

4. I had dreadlocks in high school. It took me days to create them (I had stick straight hair!) and days to get them out. My dreadlocks didn't stay around very long (admin didn't like 'em) but they are what saved me from getting arrested once. That's a story to be told over drinks. Who's buying? ;)

5. In elementary school, I rode the bus for more than 2 hours a day. We were the first kids to be picked up and the last to be dropped off. Every kid in between lived in some valley, beyond a hill and then just a little bit further down the road. I think I spent my entire childhood on a school bus.

6. I just joined facebook and twitter for the first time. I've made it this far without them. Why give in now?? Well, basically I want to connect with people regarding my new etsy shop. AND, I like to look at pictures of my friends' babies!! So, BE MY FRIEND!

And for the grande finale:

7. When I was in the 6th grade, my sister Abby and I were in a country music video. Big Guitar by Black Hawk. En. Joy.

I will now take a moment to pass this award on to the following bloggers:

1. Gretchen @ Bug's Life

2. Brenna and/or David @ His/Hers (y'all can fight over who gets to do it)

3. My older sister @ the Sally Collage

Congratulations!

Thumb sucking boys

I forgot what a thumb sucking boy Eli used to be. He didn't suck his thumb at night and stopped sucking it altogether around 9 months.

I hope Lazzy keeps up his thumb sucking habit, because it's the reason he sleeps through the night!

Blast from the past-Lazarus

My friend Jen came over last night and brought with her a disc of Lazzy's newborn pictures. She did this photo shoot when Laz was barely a week old. Yeah, it's been a while, but Jen is very busy editing pictures for people who pay her :) I'm kind of mad at her because it was supposed to be just pictures of Laz, so I didn't shower or even get dressed that morning. I guess I should have known that Jen would get a few shots of me.

Try not to say "awe". I dare you.

I just love this series with Lazzy on his Susie Blanket.

5 years and counting

I met Dan when he was 19 and I had just turned 20. We started dating after knowing each other for 3 short months and got engaged 9 months later. We were just kids.

During that time, we took our first trip to Malawi.

After 9 months, we got married in Seattle and spent the next year and a half as HINKs (half income no kids-we were both in school).

Before our third year of marriage, we had moved to Malawi and got pregnant with our first child.

By the end of year four, we had moved to St. Louis and added another child to the family.

It's been a busy five years! Although it's been way harder than I imagined it would be, I am so thankful to be married to Dan. Sometimes five years feels like a life time but I know it's nothing compared to many other couples. I know we are just getting started, but 5 years is definitely something worth celebrating. Happy 5 years honey!

Good ole days

While at home last week, my family reminisced about the good ole days. I grew up about 30 minutes from all of my friends and with my dad as the traveling musician, play dates were rarely scheduled. We spent most of our days dressing up, creating and reenacting stories and even taping them with our giant video camera. I dug up some old photos documenting such occasions and thought I would share them.

My brother Joel and I were playing a game where he was a soldier (or maybe a cowboy? notice the helmet and the horse) and I was a lion, or some scary animal with a tail (notice the tie). I'm not sure what was on top of my head or why I put it there, but I was creative!

Sarah and I dressed up as silly ladies. I remember doing this a lot.

Every year, our dress up skills were put to the test on Halloween. One year, my brother and I were the parents from Coneheads. We looked pretty good, didn't we??

Sure, we rarely went to the zoo and I missed a few sleep overs, but I definitely had fun as a kid. I think having four other dramatic and imaginative siblings helped.

Happy Birthday to me!

I turn 27 today! I'm at my parents house and decided to dig up some old photos of myself, just for nostalgia's sake. Here are some of my portraits from the baby years all the way through high school. Just be careful, some of them are really bad!

Baby Beth!

2 yrs old

3 yrs old

4 years old

Kindergarten

1st grade

2nd grade

3rd grade

4th grade

5th grade

6th grade

7th grade

(worst school photo EVER!!! bad bangs and braces...wow!)

9th grade

10th grade

Senior Portrait

Wow-that was scary fun! Tonight, I get to have birthday dinner with my entire family! I love it when we are all together-crazy, but fun. Happy birthday me!