I'm feeling "posty" today

Maybe I'll get back into the whole blogging thing.

No excuses, I'm just not that into writing things about me lately. However, there are other things going on at 2806 McKinley Street that are worth mentioning.

For instance:

1. Malaki is becoming a wonderful musician - right now he is cruising the living room going from the guitar, to the djimbe, to the piano and he is playing them all the way they are supposed to be played... I'm telling you - he's a prodigy.
   
2. Barak Obama is now the president elect... and yet the sun continues to shine and God has given us grace to live another moment. He is still on the throne.
   
3. I'm feeling Phillips baby #2 move now. It is really exciting - soon I will actually look pregnant. I'm counting on the constant feasting of the next few months to help me get into those maternity clothes.
4. I have a new bible and it is really helping me learn from my readings. For that I am SO thankful!
5. Brian continues to be a good husband - He is understanding and patient with me. I'm glad to have another season with him.

See, I've got a lot to post about! If I think of anything else I will add it on. :)

Photo Tour - Two Months of Silence

Starting in July:

July 25 I believe, we left for India. Yep, the country.
We traveled with my parents, all four of my sisters and my two brothers. My Aunt and her family live in India - to work for Walmart.

We got to see a lot of cool things. I wish I had a picture of the Taj Mahal to post... but my camera battery pooped out on me just as we were getting in the gate.

It was so hot! Malaki was a trooper. (that's water on his head, not sweat)


We learned a lot from the trip. Maybe someday we'll get to go back and get our hands dirty.



Ok, on to August.
We visited STL with Brian's family. we had a great time!

This was outside of the science center. I'd never been before and it was fun.


In the meantime, Malaki is really growing up!
He's crawling (like crazy), cruising, saying a few words, and eating like a man.
I love him more everyday.

Oh yeah, Malaki is going to be a big brother!
Our due date is April 18th. I'm almost 11 weeks along now
This ultrasound picture is from this Monday.

A couple more things... I'm going back to school - online style.
Yes, I know it's a little crazy. I think I may actually be able to finish this time.
(no picture for that)



And, I've started an Etsy business to sell some of my photography. Hopefully... I haven't sold any yet - but I'm still optimistic about that.
If you're curious and you'd like to see more click here. With our family growing it seemed like something I could contribute with.

AND... we're praying about moving next summer - to Minneapolis. Brian is looking into Grad School at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Pray with us as we try to follow the Lord's lead.

Well, I think that's all for now.

Seasons

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;

Ecc. 3:1-2a

It has been a very eventful week. Just speaking about Malaki he has made huge strides in his development. I kind of wish he could spread these milestones out a little - It's overwhelming to see him grow up so fast! This week he has:

• Learned to get to a sitting position from laying down all by himself
• Learned to pull up to standing (the logical next step) laying - sitting - standing
  
• Learned to CRAWL! (Nothing is safe anymore) July 17, 2008
• Learned to cruise around his crib! July 20, 2008
  
• Got a tooth! July 21, 2008
• Crawled up a step! (about five inches high) Today- July 23, 2008.
  
  

This week has also brought up many memories of the past year and a half. A good friend of ours, Miss Donna, died last Thursday after being sick for quite a while. Miss Donna was a dear, spunky lady. She was ready to go home; so, when she did pass away I felt sadness for myself and her family... but I was glad in a way. I'm thankful that she is home. I'm thankful that she isn't sick anymore. I'm thankful to have known her.

Brian has also been outside quite a bit - building a fence and being manly. He's working by a tree that is special to us both - the tree is nice, but that isn't why it's special. We planted it last year on August 1st - the due date of the baby we lost.

We found out we were pregnant the week before Thanksgiving 2006. I was so excited as I watched that second pink line appear on the test. Brian was happy also when I woke him up with the news. (I think he was actually awake but he pretended to be asleep for effect.) We made plans to tell our families at the Christmas - it would be a great present! We shopped for a new car, even test drove a couple minivans.
Our first appointment was the week before Christmas, "I'm not picking up a heartbeat, hon. Come back in a couple of days and we'll do another ultrasound and some bloodwork."
I didn't understand why in the world this would happen to us. I beat myself up for drinking too much coffee before I knew I was pregnant, and for walking too fast on the treadmill at the Y, for being too excited, and for letting Brian down. I felt really lonely with in my grief. When we stood in front of our church family to break the news I was numb. I couldn't say a thing. Thankfully Brian was strong for me. He comforted me with this verse:

You are good and you do good; teach me your statutes.
Psalm 119:68

He is good, and He does good. Really, He does. I still think about that baby every day. I know eventually I will probably think less about it... For now I'm still wondering if the baby was a boy or a girl, fussy or happy, dark hair or light... I'm thankful for that small link to the baby I never held. I'm comforted in knowing that God does good for his people even when it feels bad.

Brian is home!

Finally, I'm not a single parent anymore. This past week was the first time Brian and I had been apart for more than 12 hours since we were married. It was grueling! To top off my lonliness, my sister recommended that I watch a movie in which the husband dies... I watched it after Brian had been gone several days and you can probably guess how that went...

(Thanks Klaire)

No more tears - he's home safely from Haiti. It was not really the trip we were expecting. We both thought Haiti needed us... it doesn't. Of course it needs prayers, and other kinds of support - just not frontier missionaries. It is better to find this out now and not after we moved there. Plus, it is great for the country that the churches are growing and sending their own missionaries. That is a better setup for them anyway. But for us, we are back to square one.
We have a lot to think about but right now I'm just happy my family is all together again.

Home again

Malaki and I are home again. Waiting for Brian.
We had a great time visiting my family;
Malaki finally got to meet Roxie Crelia - his Great-Great-Grandmother.
Of course, she loved him and he loved her (and her white hair!).
I should have gotten a picture earlier in the visit when he wasn't so tired... oh well!

1/3

The most important third of my family is in Haiti.

Brian called me last night and let me know that he, Matt, Travis and David have arrived safely in Haiti. They had a rough time with flights (missed, delayed... ect) but finally arrived late yesterday evening. The accomodations are not fancy, but they are safe. (Good news to all of us back here!) They were planning on visiting an orphanage today in the capital city.

Please remember the men if your prayers. This trip will be physically and emotionally taxing. Also, please remember the wives and our kids. It's hard to be without our husbands or dads.

New Addition to the Phillips Family!

Gotcha!!

Meet Birdie Lou Phillips, our newest family member.
I like her (and that's saying a lot for me to really like an animal). Right now she's staying in Kahoka with family, but she'll come home soon.

Papa's Day

Happy late Father's to my dad. (who probably will not read this)

I'm thankful to have been my father's daughter for 23 years.
He has been a good example to me of how a father should treat his children and his wife.
He's pretty handy with duct tape, and hammers.
He can fix a classic car while wearing a suit, and
he never was too busy to eat lunch with his teenage daughter when she came to town.
I still have never doubted that he loves me.

And


Happy Father's Day to Brian. (who probably will read this)
I'm thankful for the way you take care of Malaki.
I'm learning how to be a better mom by watching you be a dad.
Thank you for praying for Malaki faithfully.
I know you love him.
Someday he will be able to post his own thank you. For now, I'll have to do it.

So, to my two favorite Dads,
I (we) love you both!

New Pictures!!!

In his car seat


First swim with Dad

Helping me with the laundry

Looking cute - his fave

23 & 3

Happy 23 year + 3 day birthday to Brian!

I was just thinking about the summer that Brian and I were dating. He was in Hannibal and I was in Anderson with my family. We counted the hours, minutes, and seconds until we would see each other. I think he made the trip (which should be about 6 hours) in 4 hours and 15 minutes. (I sure am glad Malaki can't read yet.) Every night that summer he would call me. I would wait for 9 o'clock to roll around and I would fight everyone else off of the phone because I knew Brian would call. I didn't realize until a few days ago what being apart that summer taught me. I waited for the phone to ring, and I knew it would be Brian. He earned my trust by showing me that I could count on him. I am so thankful for that summer because I learned what I could expect from him; someone who was committed to me, and did what he said.

I'm especially thankful for you this year on your birthday plus three days.

Four Months

Tuesday will be Malaki's 4-month birthday. I can hardly believe he has been around that long. It was just about this time last year that we found out we were expecting. What a wonderful surprise.
This is just a short post to remind me to be thankful for blessed surprises!