A quick summary

My sweet husband.  The man of my life, my house, my family, etc...

Lydia has started to let me know when she is tired.  It begins with her quietly following me around the house.  I won't even know she is there until I step back and find a small little body lying on the tile floor.  This particular day Lydia laid on the floor by the washing machine, and then the floor in the kitchen, and then the floor by the ironing board, and then I found her in my bedroom lying here sound asleep.  She did not fuss once.  What a sweet little angel (well, some of the time :).  

Lydia is ready for the pool!  She is quite fearless in the water.  She pushes Micah and I away as we hold her in the water.  She wants to swim by herself, but she points to where she wants to go like superman and does not mover her arms or legs.  That won't get her very far.  I do like her enthusiasm and enjoyment of the water.  She also makes lots of friends.  The college students love her.  It is so funny to watch the students play peek-a-boo over and over and over.  Anything to make her smile.  Even the big tough ones that would not dare crack a smile at an adult.  :)

Well, I guess you could say our honeymoon period is coming to an end.  We have been here two months and we still don't have a car.  We have amazing friends that have toted us around and we live in a very convenient location, so we can walk to several essential shopping areas.  But it is getting taxing.  I just find myself tired a lot.  We cannot find Micah a beard trimmer.  As I write this I am realizing that we really don't have a lot to complain about.  I am trying to think of something, because I really want to complain.  Maybe we don't have it that bad after all.  

My mom is redoing some rooms in her house and is going over potential paint colors and ideas for decorating with me!!  I am so excited to still be able to play with ideas with my mom!  Even though we are so far away, it is a special need that I have to still do life with her.  She has really brightened my week!!!  The latest idea for a "kid" room was light blue wall with white pok-a-dots.  Micah was thinking the dots should be big, like a soccer ball size 3 or 4.  It will look so good with her white curtains and white trim.  Maybe only pok-a-dots on a couple of accent walls.  It's still a work in progress. :)

We are still working out what our mentorship looks like here.  We are learning so much in and informal kind of way.  Well, Micah has more meetings and formal times than I do.  And I am learning a lot through Micah after his times of being in meetings.  It is really encouraging to remember that the Lord is working in us and we need not fret.  We are growing in ways we cannot see or understand.  One thing that we can see is our marriage.  We are growing so much closer.  We are depending on each other and learning to trust in each other.  I am getting a deeper glimpse of the Lord's love for us as He uses our marriage as a picture of His love for His Church.  I am also learning about hurt and forgiveness.  Forgiveness is not cheap.  The forgiveness we have been shown by Christ was very costly!!  Why do I think that my forgiveness of others should be easy.  I am realizing that the harder it is the more real it is.  The easier it is it just feels cheap and sometimes manipulated.  If I really want to forgive as I have been forgiven, it will be painful and hard.  This is opening my mind and heart to LOVE.  Not love easily so I don't have to expose myself or get hurt.  But LOVE in a way that I put myself out there to be hurt.  To LOVE humbly.