Challenge

The Lord has been giving me this verse everywhere I look: "love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength". I feel He is challenging me in a few things. (only a few because He knows my ability, not because He's running out of things to challenge me in:))
I feel God challenging me to love HIM more. I am being challenged to serve more, compare myself to others less, envy less, and trust more. It's a tall order but I also see how God is encouraging me and holding my hand each step of the way. I'm in the process of picking out a couple verses that I can (in the words of Gary Smalley) "chew" and digest so that they are in me and available when I need the reminder/encouragement. It's fun to see when your usual response is replaced with a new one. One by one, I want to replace my responses and reactions with Christ.

Spring fever

Emma got sick this week. We had to sleep in a chair to keep her propped up at night.

Mommy's lost a few nights sleep too.

But we still got to enjoy this incredible spring weather!

Church dress

Emma was very excited to go "buh bye ursh" (bye bye church) on Sunday. She danced all around and then played peekaboo. She has been so happy and lively since she got over her last cold. What fun:)

Two words together

Emma is putting more and more words together! Well, maybe just two words together but she's doing it on purpose and it helps me know what she wants and needs. Watching her learn is so fun!

Cabin fever

Jon plays volleyball on Thursday nights at the Y and this week Emma and I had cabin fever so we went to watch. I had a romantic idea of us going to the gym and Emma running and playing- chasing a ball and me taking pictures of Jon playing. We'd leave and get home in time for Emma's bath and I'd put an exhausted girl to bed who would sleep through the night. Here's reality...

Jon played volleyball and we watched. He served and bumped and Emma...

sat on the floor and played with keys from my purse and my camera case.

But we watched Jon some more and finally (about ten minutes before time to leave)...

Emma joined the fun by throwing and chasing a ball.

The low down

Here's the latest with us:

Jon got registered for the spring quarter of anatomy at NCSC. He said that he thinks it will help him in the internship starting this summer . He is currently getting over 100% in his current anatomy class! The spring quarter classes meet at the same times as his current classes. It has worked out well so we were glad he was able to get the same schedule. It means days where he doesn't see Emma much but she and I spend the time bonding.

Tax season is more than half over! In just over 5 weeks I'll be back to my regular off-season shorter hours. (the peasants rejoice)

Thanks goes out to the grandmas who are doing more for tax season too! They each watch Emma an extra day and Julie helps out too. Not to mention my mom cooks for me some too! I know... can you say "spoiled"? :)

Emma is great. She makes us laugh often and has learned to run "toddler style". You know, sort of the bouncy, hopping, running thing they do... very cute! She also is a HUGE fan of "Noodlebug". It's an educational DVD which we have to limit to watching once or twice a day. She's learning to sing (sort of) Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, EIEIO (Old MacDonald) and "Lou" which is Skip to my Lou. I had forgotten how many verses there are to that song... we sing them all!

Someone looked at the condo where we live the other day. (It is currently for sale by our landlord). We haven't heard anything- which I assume means they were just lookers, not buyers. We are just trusting God that He will keep us here as long as it's His plan and will provide the next place when it's time.