Happy Birthday Madison Anne!

This morning was a somewhat typical Saturday morning. We slept in a little and Ron and I woke to Maddie singing! Ron brought her to bed with us for a few minutes and we wished her a Happy Birthday! She was ready to go though, so we headed downstairs where her brothers presented her with gifts of handmade cards and trinkets from their room! It does this Mommas heart good to see Siblings loving on each other!

Here Ronnie is reading her his card!

We thought we would let her open her present from us next, but Maddie is a little moody in the mornings, until she gets her breakfast. So we went ahead and ate first. After some yogurt and a banana she was much better!
In fact, she was very curious as to what was under that paper!

Surprise Maddie! It's your very own kitchen!

Thank you hugs for Daddy!

Maddie played all morning with her kitchen. She went back and forth between me (in the kitchen making frosting for her cake) to her own kitchen and mocking me! It was fun for both of us! She would dry her dishes as I dried mine! Fun Times!

We had planned to have a small party with Grandma and Pap and even Great-Grandparents, but had to cancel due to all the sickness in our home this past week.

Maddie was healthy though and excited to go with me, after her nap, to Owen's house! Owen is 3 and he and his family attend our Farmer church. He is a little cutie and he and Maddie have hit it off pretty well lately!

In fact his mom and I were talking today about pre-arranged marriages! I'm sure Maddie would go for that! :)

We came home and this big 2 year old got to spend even more time outside! I am so glad it was finally a nice day here for her to enjoy being outside. I think she is going to enjoy this summer!

For supper tonight we had pizza, Maddie's favorite!

Then after pizza, this was her reaction...

It was her "Elmo"! She had seen the cake earlier today, but not with the frosting on it! I had to finish it while she was napping, in order for it to be a surprise!

She loved it!

So, there you have it!

Our big girl is now officially 2 years old!

She's a big girl now!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MADISON ANNE!
WE LOVE YOU!

2 years in Review

Every year when I put in new pictures, I look back at the kids pictures. All the way back to 6 months! So here is Maddie in review! She is growing into quite the young lady. This is 6 mo, 9mo, 1 year and 2 years!

In case you were wondering, Grandma's, your pictures are coming!

A Day of Lasts

Today is the last day I will walk to my sleeping 1 year old, in her bed, and rub her back as she slowly wakes up. Today is the last day I will lift that sleepy 1 year old up and carry her, with her arms wrapped tightly around my neck, down the stairs. She will wake up tomorrow in much the same way, but she will no longer be my little one year old!

As I watch her this morning, I can't help but think back to her first days when I held her tightly and thought about how she would change our all boy family. Our little Maddie is growing and changing and changing our family dynamics every day! It's so fun and crazy and exciting and scary having a little girl. It's even scarier to think of her growing up.

I won't get to dress her, brush her teeth and comb her growing hair as a one year old. No, tomorrow will be a new phase in this little gals life. She probably won't know it tomorrow, but another year is behind us and she is growing so much!

So today, I'll hold onto every minute I can! I'll enjoy her little "say cheeseburger" voice from behind the camera.

And her "petty" smile, as she calls it!
Yes, it is a day of lasts, but tomorrow is a day of new beginnings!

Birthday Week

Maddie will be 2 on Saturday. It doesn't seem possible. Our little baby girl is growing so fast!

Yesterday she got a package in the mail from Aunt Barb (Ron's Aunt). She didn't really know what to do with it, but once I got the box opened for her, she grabbed this little Red Buckeye Bear! She loved it! Then when she realized it played music and talked, she loved it even more.

I tried to get her to sit by her other gifts for a picture, but as you can tell - there were tears!

Once she knew she could play the bear for the picture, she got happier!

I'm still not sure I'm cut out to be a momma to a little girl. It's somehow scarier than the boys, but going on 2 years down and a lot more training to go! With the Lord's help, I'll figure this out eventually!

Visiting Granny and Gramps

Last week we went to visit Granny and Gramps. It had been way to long since we had seen them. The kids always love playing at their grandparents. Granny even had leftover Birthday Ice Cream Cake - a fun treat!

Male bonding!
We're looking forward to seeing them again this weekend for Maddie's birthday!

Easter Celebration

Although I am a little late, I hope you all had a Wonderful Easter Celebration!

From our family to yours, Happy Easter!

We began our Easter with a Sunrise Service at Ney. I didn't get any pictures because I had a part in the service, so I didn't get any pictures. It was very well done. Our Lay Leader planned the service with a Garden theme and it was very well done!

Then it was on to breakfast. It was very yummy!

Then our regular worship service! Which my handsome hubby did a great job with!

Then on to Farmer. The kids actually sang at both services, but I only got a picture at Farmer. Ron was making fun of me for this because I leaned out of the pew to take it and it's a little crooked. Sorry!

After the service we headed to Marion, Indiana to see my parents for a late dinner! We had a good time with them, and of course I forgot again to take pictures, but it was fun!

Maddie was in a great mood on the way down, don't you just love her Easter dress with sunglasses?!

A fun Easter Celebration and a very LONG day!

Easter Songs

The boys have 2 songs (one for each church) that they are singing tomorrow with the other kids for Easter Service. Both are very cute and we have enjoyed practicing them, so I thought I would share them here.

The Son of God
(tune, "Do You Know the Muffing Man?")

Do you know the Son of God,
the Son of God,
the Son of God?
Do you know the Son of God,
who died and rose again?

Yes, I know the Son of God,
the Son of God,
the Son of God.
Yes, I know the Son of God,
who died and rose again.

Jesus is the Son of God,
the Son of God,
the Son of God.
Jesus is the Son of God,
who died and rose again.




The second song is sung to the tune of "Do Re Mi" from "Sound of Music"

Doncha know that Jesus died?
Raised again in 3 short days
Me, the one for whom he died
Far, my sins He took away.
So, I love Him evermore
Love, I've never known before.
T, the shape of Calvary.
Doncha know He died for me!


They are both so cute and catchy and the boys have loved them!

Tenebrae Service Meaning

The Tenebrae Service focuses on the events surrounding the last hours in the life of Christ. The service begins and ends in silence. You can go out in silence, with a fresh awareness of what life would be without the joyous Easter message-"HE IS RISEN!"

The Tenebrae service, "service of shadows," is one of the oldest in the history of the Church. The word tenebrae means "darkness." The large candle represents Christ, the light of the world. From this central light seven other candles, symbolizing the "Seven Words of the Cross," are lighted. At the end, the Christ candle will be removed and we will be in tenebrae (or darkness) as representative of that which fell over the earth when Christ hung on the cross. The lighted Christ candle will then be returned to symbolize our hope in the Easter resurrection.

Ryan Needs Prayer

Will you join again and pray with me? Ryan is still hospitalized (as expected) and it is hard. He is running a fever today and has a lot of side effects: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, mouth sore, fatigue. His counts are down to .2. Expected to go to 0 for a few days before beginning to climb again. He is struggling! All this is expected, but it is also hard to deal with. I told Holly that we would pray and I wanted to ask all who read this to join with us.

I know I have asked before, but will you also pray for Ron and Frances. They are struggling just knowing that their baby is going through all of this.

Additionally, Holly is there by Ryan side. Helping in every way she can and struggling too. She needs our prayers.

Thank you!

Variety Show at School

Last night was the Spring Variety Show at Fountain City Christian School. Ronnie and Nathaniel were both in 2 skits and their class sang a song. They did a great job. We had no idea there were such talented actors!

Below, Nathaniel is playing the part of Mordecai in the Bravest Beauty Queen. Ester is played by his friend Ella and also pictured is King Xerxes, Damian. Ronnie was also in this skit as a guard, but I didn't get a picture as he hauled Haman out!

The 1st and 2nd grades are combined at the school and here is there class. They sang, "Sing Unto the Lord a New Song" and did a great job.
The other skit was "Noah's Zoo Cruise". Here Ronnie was N0ah and Mrs. Noah is his friend, Allison. Nathaniel was also in this skit, but he was behind the scenes as, the voice of God!

These 2 make us so proud! They have grown so much in the last 2 years. The Christian school has been such a blessing!

It's funny, their 2 good buddies are also brothers. Here they pose with Drew and Devon. Devon is in Nathaniel's class, but he and Ronnie are best buds. Then Drew is Nathaniel's bud and he is in 4th! They are going to miss these guys next year!

Even Maddie got into it as she danced and did sign language with the Sr. High girls (she was on my lap, but she was really into it)!

It was a fun evening for everyone!

Visit to The Shoe

I mentioned in an earlier post that we went to Columbus on Sunday. The boys were so excited, they were actually on OSU Campus! It was funny to watch their excitement!

They said if the crouch down they could see the BLOCK O!

In the above picture - we had just pulled Maddie to the middle because she discovered that she could fit "inside". So that is what Nathaniel is doing, trying to fit "inside".

You would have thought the Buckeyes were playing, our boys were so excited. They were really pumped! Pretty much all we did was snap these pictures, but that was enough for them. Now they can say they've been to the Shoe! I have to admit, it was an impressive stadium, even from the outside!

Continued Prayers for Ryan

We went on Sunday to visit Ryan at the James Cancer Hospital in Columbus. We figured the kids wouldn't get to see him, but they were excited to go to OSU campus (more about that in next post), so they went too!

Holly came out to sit in the waiting area with the kids while Ron and I went to see Ryan. We had to be "suited up". Gown, gloves and mask with a visor. He was swabbed the day before he was admitted and the swab came back that he had a flu virus. So both for him and for other patients he is in an extra kind of situation. Every visitor has to be suited up. Holly is with him 24/7 and wears all of that during that time. He is also pretty much confined to his room. For the first couple of days (before the swab came back) he had been able to go to another room and ride an exercise bike, but not since they found out he has the virus.

He was very tired when we saw him. He had finished his last on Saturday. He hadn't been up much. Both because there is no where to go and nothing to do in his room. His nurses did give him the OK to come down the hall to see the kids. He had to be completely covered and his mask was extra tight around his nose and mouth. We hadn't prepared the boys completely (forgot the IV and stuff), so they were a little timid, but I think it was probably good for Ryan both to get up and to see them! Maddie wasn't sure at all - in fact she was scared, but she has since mentioned the duck mask!

Ryan received his stem cells back yesterday morning so now we wait for his body to fight. His counts will go to 0 before beginning to build back his immunity. The hope is that in 14 days he will be strong enough to be discharged and go home to finish his recovery. He will have to remain masked, away from crowds and pretty much just calm for 30 days after returning home.

Thank you for praying. I'll continue to keep you updated!

So Much Going On

I was recently told, "I keep checking the blog, but there is nothing going on in the Adkins home." Well that is far from the truth, there is so much going on there has been no time to write. I'll try to keep things updated better from now on.

Yesterday we resigned from our churches effective the end of June. It was an EXTREMELY hard thing to do. We love the people of Farmer and Ney and in so many ways have been accepted into this community. It will be extremely hard to say good bye and sadly yesterday was just the beginning.

On Friday evening we told our boys (and Maddie too) that we will be moving this summer. We told them how much they will love Kentucky and how exciting it will be, but there were still some tears. It will be hard, but our kids are young and we think they will do well with this move. It was probably harder on me to tell them than them to hear it. I've stopped counting the number of times we moved when I was young. It was hard, but it made me who I am today and so I know a little of what my boys were feeling and hopefully can help them process and adjust.

OK, now you're wondering, what is going on. Well, let me back up.

About a month and a half ago now, Ron was accepted into a Ph.D. program at the London School of Theology, Middlesex University for Historical Theology. LST is in partnership with Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. We prayed and prayed over this acceptance and had close friends praying too. Then a week and a half ago Ron was invited down to Wilmore to interview with the Francis Asubry Society. The mission of FAS is to promote Biblical Holiness through teaching, preaching, evangelizing discipleling and publishing. They exist to proclaim the message of holiness.

Ron was offered a position as a FAS Fellow, which means he would be a representative of FAS through Discipleship to PhD students at Asbury Seminary as well as have some teaching and preaching opportunities.

We believe that the Lord is leading us in this direction and although it is scary we are moving forward in obedient faith.

As a representative of FAS we will need to raise our own financial support. That is very scary for Ron and I. Fund raising is not something we necessarily feel gifted or comfortable with, but we know that God is not calling us to comfort, but to obedience. So we move forward!

We have already begun scheduling banquets, writing letters, looking for a home and much more. Now to begin packing :(

This is a new road for us a new journey and yet we believe that the Lord is leading. Although scary, there is comfort in the fact that we are not alone. We are moving forward in obedient faith and trusting the Lord to lead.

The Time Has Come

In just a few short minutes Ryan will be headed to the OSU Cancer Center for a 3 to 4 week stay. He will begin with chemo even this afternoon. Please pray for strength, pray for peace and pray for assurance that Jesus Christ is in Control!

This is Maddie with Uncle Ryan at Christmas time.

Only 1 Word

Ornery

Grandma and Grandpa Adkins

Grandma and Grandpa Adkins came for a visit for a few days! They haven't been able to come since last fall and we hadn't even been to there house since Thanksgiving, so it's been too long. They have been spending a lot of time helping Ryan and Holly out, but wanted to come before they go back to Circleville on Monday. They also wanted to see Maddie before her birthday (I can't believe she will be 2 in 20 days!!).

So you may or may not remember that Grandpa Adkins picks out dresses for his granddaughters for their birthdays. One cool thing about this is that Maddie's falls so that she can wear her new dress for Easter. Well this year it was 2 dresses that Grandpa picked out. They were both so cute! This is her opening one, but you'll have to wait until Easter to see the other one.

Then she also got a fun "princess" table and chairs. She loves them!

We had lots of fun with Grandma and Grandpa here. The boys got in multiple games of stratego!

Lots of snuggle time

Fun paper dolls with Grandma.

More snuggle time.

And just lots of fun! It was so nice to have them here, even if only for a couple of days!

Thanks for coming Grandma and Grandpa!

We love you!

Books, Books, Books

Sometimes we read alone, sometimes we read with someone,

sometimes we read and write summaries

But we all love to READ!

Ready to Go!

Sunday mornings are somewhat rushed at our house, but we had to stop and take time to snap this picture of Maddie. She was ready to walk out the door! I'm not really sure where she gets her sense of style, but she was stylin'

Our Friends, the Diersings

Today our friends, the Diersings, stopped by for a very quick visit! 6 weeks ago Caleb joined their family and we had not gotten to meet him yet. He is such a cutie and it was so fun to finally get to meet him!

Maddie decided (after some time) that Ms. Gloria was safe! Look how peaceful Caleb is! And how proud his momma and daddy are!

Maddie was saying "baby Caleb" and ready to meet him about the time they were getting ready to leave!

Maddie and Charissa.

Charissa is Nathaniel's age and has really shot up and gotten tall this past year. She's now a big sister and that means lots of new responsibilities. It appears as though she is doing a great job!

We enjoy spending time with the Diersing family and just wish we could see them more often!