Verses I Hold Onto

Update on Eli:
So our little munchkin remained in the church nursery last Sunday for a whole FIVE minutes by himself (wailing the entire time) before the nursery staff unanimously voted to bring him back to us. It should be noted that the newly implemented nursery rule is to keep a child for fifteen minutes before returning him/her to the parent. When they mentioned this at a meeting a few weeks ago, no joke, I turned to the nursery director and asked, "You promise?" Let's just say, I had a feeling. Leave it to Eli to impress everyone with his lungs & stamina. Tell me we don't have a winner on our hands. TELL ME. 

Photo taken by Jude:

Update on Jude:
Our missionary-in-the-making now knows three memory verses (Genesis 1:1, Matthew 16:24, and Proverbs 3:5) and has taught one of them to his L.A. grandma. I also came downstairs one day to find him and Eli sitting together with Jude making a cross with chopsticks and asking Eli, "Who died on the cwoss, Eli? Huh? Who died on the cwoss? JEEEEESUS." I don't know who was cuter-- brother Jude preaching the good news or adorable Eli being so attentive and confused. I realize Jude doesn't yet fully understand these things we teach him, but we continue to pray that one day he will.

"How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you."
Psalm 119:9, 11

Update on Baby #3:
I had my monthly doctor's appointment yesterday and, as with all my pregnancies, this is not one I can coast through. With Jude it was an enlarged kidney in utero. With Eli it was a torn placenta. And it turns out with this one, my Hemoglobinopathyexpialidocious (hemoglobin F) level is elevated and this baby may have a blood disorder. I kept asking the doctor to explain it to me in simple, understandable, Dr. Seuss-like terms, but apparently that is not possible. The most I got out of our discussion was that this disorder is lumped together with sickle cell disease. So now I am praying all the more for a healthy, healthy baby. Any prayers would be mucho appreciated!

"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;
the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven."
James 5:15