Home on the Owen range: September 2013

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

From life's first cry, to final breath....

He's here!!! My sister and brother-in-law's precious first born, Declan Howard Carrell, arrived on Monday, September 23rd at 11:15 am weighing 8 lbs 9 oz. He is a doll and looks just like his sweet mama. I can only attribute the timing of Declan's birth to the Lord's providence. Mitch and the girls and I traveled to Louisville early Sunday morning to be with some very dear family friends after the death of their husband/father. Rick Bordas was the kind of man who made you feel special by just being around him. He was hilarious and sweet and had the gift of sarcasm like no one else I've ever known. He will be sorely, sorely missed by so many, Mitch and I included. While we were in route to be present at Rick's visitation on Sunday, Derek (my bro-in-law) text me and said Ryan thought her water had broken and they were headed to the hospital to see what was going on. Well, the rest is history... she labored through the night and Declan came joyfully into the world on Monday morning. As I sat and held him during his first hour of life, I couldn't help but think of the lyrics to the song In Christ Alone -- from life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. I held Declan as he was taking his first breaths of life while Rick had finished the race well, taken his final breath and entered into paradise where there is no crying, no fear or pain and no suffering and God holds him now. All in that moment life came so full circle. I'm so thankful Jesus commands the destiny of us all... His word tells us so in Psalm 139:16 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. And for that I praise Him!

Yay!! yay!! yay!! Sissy you did it!!!!

Sweet sisters :)

Proud Daddy!!

Boo with his first grandson.

Aunt Rinnie holding Declan with baby Elsie in her tummy :)

Aunt Erin is SO in love!!!

Friday, September 13, 2013

Unchanging.

Y'all! Y'all, y'all, y'all, y'all, y'all...Y'ALL. Whoooowwweee! This summer has been nothing short of eventful for us here on the Owen range. Precious readers... thank you for sticking with me. You may have thought I was never coming back... But I am here and by the grace of God my girls are napping at the same time (gasp!) and so I had to jump on here.

If I'm shooting myself straight, I have to say that the past 9-10 weeks have thrown me for quite a loop. I actually just realized that yesterday. Ha!

Change. Don't underestimate it. It's one of life's necessities (apparently I received an extra helping or two). Listen, I had one of those moments the other day where it was like the windshield wipers came on in the middle of a thunderstorm I'd been driving in for the last 25 miles straight. It was one of those moments that it was like my thoughts became indescribably clear, but you're not really even sure if you could explain it to another human being (thank you Holy Spirit!). We were visiting a potential church two Sundays ago. Scarlett had decided she wanted to go to Sunday School (in comes rushing the mommy emotion of "ah! I don't know these people from Adam and I'm leaving my most precious possession with them"...breath, breath... she's the Lord's not yours Erin) Anyway, we slipped in the back with Ivy peacefully asleep after the service had already begun. The worship was fabulous. Not that it is really my place to critique the band or something, but you know what I mean. They took the words off the screens and started just playing songs that were from way back. Like way back in our high school days. I loved it. They were familiar enough to not need the lyrics displayed. And that's when it happened. We sang a song that, of course, I cannot even place right now (mommy brain!). But the point of the song was this... God never changes. He stays the same. He always has. He always will. This may even seem elementary, but at the time it resonated so deeply that it may as well have been one of the deepest theological points I had ever contemplated. Now, before I walked into that service I knew that God will never change. I can say that and not think twice about it. It was just so personal at that very moment. And furthermore it kind of put me in my place... when I let it sink in.... He is sovereign. Over all the earth He sits enthroned. He spoke and created all things. He is worthy. My point of sharing this "moment" that I had was simply this -- I was reminded that God's glory draws our lives to be lived more holy. All you mommies and non-mommies out there know that with change comes emotions and tempers and the lack of a feeling of security and so on and no schedule for little ones and so forth. So, using this "life change" (i.e. becoming a mommy of 2, moving across the country again after living in one spot less than a year, being away from my husband for an extended period of time) to create more holiness in my life seems like the only solution. Other than pleading true insanity (I am talking TRUE people). I will say that having the outlook of choosing to use what each day presents as an opportunity to present yourself more holy before God is so much better than parking yourself at the pool of pity.

So, without further ado nor any rhyme or reason here is a little photo "drop" from the past couple weeks...

Scarlett loved wearing this bride costume my mom made (which I wore when I was a little older than her!) while we were staying with my parents and walking around announcing "the bride is coming, the bride is coming!!"