Samuel’s tuck-in time usually involves a bedtime catechism of some sort. Below is a recent night featuring some Bible quizzing. I got emotional at the end of the clip because Isaiah 12:2b was the very first Bible verse I ever memorized (thanks to the VBS teachers at the Fairview Street Mennonite Church in Reading, PA a long time ago). I doubt, however, that I was this adorable in my recitation of it. Below are a few other recent snaps and vids. Enjoy!
And a couple shots of our sanctuary before an incredible day of celebrating the resurrection.
Image credit: freepik.com
In addition to which…
It was fun to watch the coverage of the eclipse and see even professional commentators get emotional at the spectacle (cf. Psalm 19:1). Andrew went to Ashtabula, OH (which was in the path of totality) to get better pictures. Sonya decided at the last minute to go with him, so I stayed home alone to celebrate with Oreos.
Just kidding. That’s a cool meme making its rounds on social media, but here’s an old song that comes to mind when it comes to all things eclipse.
There are so many reasons for joy in this neck of the woods right now. First, Andrew is thriving in his new role at Sight & Sound. He’s part of the lighting team for their newest production, Daniel, which premiered last week. From his description, theater lighting at that level is much more sophisticated than I had ever imagined, but he’s well suited and trained for it. (His undergrad studies were in film and media arts at Temple University.) Not many people get to say they work in professional music theater—let alone Christian musical theater. He says the show is not to be missed. I get to see it on April 11, which is his birthday.
Second, I got wonderful feedback on my latest dissertation chapter. I’m over the moon about it since this one had heavy doses of Sumerian and Akkadian in it, which I’m hardly an expert in but worked hard to get oriented to. It featured lots of Greek and Hebrew, too, along with a handful of other languages, but I was on edge about the Sumerian and Akkadian because the title of one of my readers is “Professor of Old Testament and Ancient Semitic Languages.” You can imagine the pressure a title like that conveys. It was, by far, the hardest chapter to write, so I really think I can pick up the pace now. Still, academic writing is awfully tedious, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m nerd enough to enjoy it.
Third, the boys continue to grow and delight everyone around them. How cool is it that we live just 10 minutes away from Samuel and Levi? We get to watch them almost every Wednesday and keep them overnight nearly every Friday, which is pizza night. Saturday mornings may involve some cartoons and pancakes. Oh, and the toy room. And yard time. Below are some pics and clips of these precious munchkins.
Fourth, the flower beds are starting to explode with signs of spring. My cherry tree is always stunning this time of year, and the daffs have really shot up, along with the hyacinths. I eagerly await the arrival of the tulips. Maybe they’ll get here by Easter, which just happens to be my birthday this year. But no one’s allowed to call attention to it. That day belongs to Christ alone.
Finally, below is an interesting tune by Coldplay, “Up with the Birds,” voted one of the top songs about springtime. I’m not sure I would have put it on the list, but a reviewer calls it “one of the most hopeful and optimistic things we’ve ever heard. The combination of cheerful lyrics and the enchanting string of instruments in the background has us feeling like we’re floating right into the warmer season.”
How ’bout we just stay in springtime?
Either way, enjoy!
Levi at 8 months.No more pictures, Mommy. I’ve got things to do.Brotherly love.Learning to take turns.Flowers for Mommy.
Micah gets a father-of-the-year award for this.
Double trouble at Home Depot.
Loving little Levi.No poker face on this dude.The view out my home office window.The flowering cherry is a gift I’ll always treasure.The daffs are here.And here.And here. (I need to re-set the decorative rocks.)The flower beds have come alive.The hyacinths await the arrival of the tulips.Home, sweet, home.
Swimming must be in the genes. Micah and Bethany took Samuel and Levi this past weekend to a hotel in Grantville, PA, one with an indoor swimming pool. They had a great time. Both boys enjoyed a couple days splashing around in the water and playing with their toys in the room, along with some cartoon watching. They also enjoyed a good “break-ey” Saturday morning featuring yummy pancakes and “milkies.” The joy on their faces almost makes up for our not getting to keep them overnight on Friday. Forecasts call for spring-like temperatures this week, so maybe we’ll get to take them to the park on Wednesday, provided it doesn’t rain. But, hey, since they like the water so much….
Below are more recent pics and clips of Samuel and Levi. They had a blast in the snowstorm last Saturday. Also included are some shots of the new Toy Room I made for them. Their great-grandmother’s bedroom has been repurposed in a way we think she would love. The long-term plan is to take out the inside wall of the addition and make the entire space a large primary bedroom suite, complete with a kitchenette, sizable bathroom, and massive walk-in closet. Emotionally speaking, we’re just not ready to do that yet. Besides, the boys will need a toy room for only so long, so now is the time to let them use it.
Samuel loves being outside in any kind of weather.Levi is not a big fan of the cold just yet.Do you want to build a snowman? Let’s go!Father and son working together.Samuel found a stick for one of the arms.Samuel gave up one of his cheese sticks for the nose.How does snow taste, anyway?
Brotherly love.
More brotherly love.The completed Toy Room.The fully stocked “toy castle.”Lots of options for a fun time.Toys for racing, riding, and jumping.
On the heels of the recent death in our family, I’m hopelessly behind in every area of life right now. What to do? Take a break and do something really fun—post pics and clips of my favorite munchkins. This entry is part 1, and I’ll try to get part 2 up shortly. These boys bring so much joy to my life. May God likewise grant them joy, health, and peace all the days of their lives.
The official Christmas 2023 Samuel picture.The official Christmas 2023 Levi picture.Christmas morning at our house.Samuel loves to play Hot Wheels.
Levi got a moving crab to help inspire him to crawl.
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas.Brothers in the Christmas spirit.Brothers couching at our house.Brothers couching at their house.We love Daddy!
We returned Sunday night from our trip to Hickory, North Carolina, where we conducted funeral services for my mother-in-law, Lorena Moore. It was good to re-connect with family, even on such a sad occasion. She is the second of 14 siblings to pass away, and most of her brothers and sisters came to bid her farewell. The outpouring of love and gratitude was both healing and refreshing. Here is a copy of the funeral bulletin:
Speaking of funerals, today is the tenth anniversary of the death of Dr. David A. Dorsey, my Old Testament professor who I adored. I may post later today the eulogy I gave at his funeral. I miss him a great deal, as do the rest of us on the seminary faculty. He had a high view of God, a high view of Scripture, and a high view of others, even while he himself was the humblest (and smartest) person I had ever met.
Christmas was a real joy, despite the death in our family. We kept our plans in place, and the immediate family gathered at our house for several days to celebrate. The kids, of course, were adorable. They were a bit overwhelmed at times by the sixteen people and two dogs who assembled under our roof. It’s a fairly large place, but when you have two 2-year-olds, one 1-year-old, and a 5-month-old in the midst of all that activity, you get a meltdown once in a while. That said, they were all fantastic and got along beautifully.
We were heavy on the gifts for our kids and their kids this year, but Sonya and I went light on each other. We decided that our newly renovated kitchen—which was completed two weeks ago—was sufficient. One of these days I may get motivated and post a few pictures of it. We’re thrilled with the results. Next up is converting the “Granny Flat” (as we called it) to a master bedroom. We’re not in a hurry, though. We need to grieve and discern what’s next in our lives before moving any walls or reconfiguring things. A few life changes are coming, and those changes could affect what we do with the space.
My sister-in-law got me the complete set of Harry Potter DVDs for Christmas, which totally took me by surprise. I had watched them online years ago just to see what all the fuss was about, but that was during a time when I was burning the candle at both ends, and I kept falling asleep. It will be good to fill in the gaps of what I missed the first time around. I remember them being quite charming and creative with wonderful cinematography and casting. The magical worlds of Narnia and Middle Earth always trip me into the boundless, and I suspect the same will happen with Hogwarts when I’m alert enough to follow the storyline.
There’s so much more to write, but I’ll leave it here for now.
Samuel turned two years old today. My heart is filled with joy at all the love and precious moments we’ve shared during these past 24 months. Words fail this writer in describing what this wonderful little boy means to me. If I were to try, I would just short out my keyboard anyway, so I’ll share below the post that Bethany put on Facebook today. We got to see Bubby this evening (after babysitting Levi all day while his parents took Samuel to Tiny Town in Lancaster), and the whole crew is gathering Saturday night for the big bash. We can hardly wait to show (and tell) him how special he is to all of us. Thank you, Lord, for entrusting this amazing little blessing to our family.
Bethany writes:
“How amazing it has been this year to watch Samuel grow and his personality shine. He truly has a kind heart. He’s sensitive, he’s silly. He’s very slow to warm up, but when he does, he’s just so much fun. He’s cautious. He’s caring. He absolutely adores being a big brother. He prefers for everyone to be together. He loves being outside, going on walks, swinging at the park, swimming, helping daddy in the yard. He would eat M&M ice cream and pizza all day every day if you’d let him. And baked beans. And French toast.
“He is so helpful and eager to do what is asked of him if he knows he’s helping like making breakfast, washing dishes, throwing things away. He has the most amazing memory—I mean, truly incredible. He talks and talks and talks, and I LOVE hearing what he has to say. He’s a little clumsy (but we are his parents, so it was bound to happen). He listens to music as much as humanly possible. He loves dancing, playing his guitar, piano, and drums. He loves water towers, silos, trucks, buses, ambulances, fire trucks, trains—he’s all boy.
“He has a few stuffed toys; he pretends to put them to sleep and then comes back to check on them. He is obsessed with Christmas. He honestly loves talking about the Bible, Jesus, and church to anyone who will listen. He makes us so proud, happy, tired, and thankful. I love who he is, and we love being his parents. Happy second birthday to our Samuel.”
Amen.
Micah and Bethany are doing such a great job as parents. Best of all, they’re seeking to teach him about (and live before him) the real Jesus as revealed in the God-breathed good book (2 Timothy 3:16)! There is no other Jesus worth showing him.
💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙
Edit
Right after posting these pictures, we ran through the praise and worship songs for this coming Lord’s Day morning, which is the First Sunday of Advent. The first song was Michael Card’s “Immanuel.” I didn’t make it past the first line, as verified by the four wet tissues now on the end table next to me. The song is heart-warming in its own right, but my latest blub-fest probably had to do with the little lullaby Sonya created and sings to Bubby while he’s falling asleep: “Samuel, Emmanuel.” Our lifelong prayer for him—that he would always know and treasure that God is with him.
The boys are coming over tonight. They’re crayons this year. Samuel is yellow, and Levi is green. (Micah is red, and Bethany is purple.) I can’t wait to sugar them up and send them home! 🙂
Samuel and Levi are coming to our house tonight so Bethany and Micah can have a date night. We’re so excited to have them. Samuel is staying overnight, but Levi will need to go home for his feedings throughout the evening. Someday Levi will be able to stay overnight, too, which is great because the Friday night pizza/sleepover is becoming a thing, and I love it! Pancakes follow on Saturday morning. 😊
Last night we had a spontaneous rendezvous at the Fairlane Avenue Park here in Myerstown, followed by take-out dinner from Tosco’s, our local Italian restaurant. (Wherever I’ve lived, the Lord has made sure there’s a high-quality Italian place right down the street!) The weather was perfect, and we had a delightful time. I even had a “mush moment” at one point, quietly thanking God that our beautiful munchkins live so close that we get to see them often.
Oh, and fall is in the air. What could be better?
Have a lovely weekend. Be blessed.
💙 💚💙 💚💙 💚💙 💚
Levi has a laser focus, and he’s starting to smile at us.
Such a happy boy.Samuel loves to pick the garden. Unfortunately, he doesn’t like to eat most of what he picks.
He knows what he’s picking, too. It’s o.k. that he stumbles at okra. No one needs to know what okra is.
Learning to spell one’s name can be hazardous.
When you love your baby brother, you just have to say so.
The song is dated, but the chorus is iconic and has been adapted by several sports teams. Skip the raunch in the later verses.
Samuel is only 19½ month old, but yesterday he joined his mama on the chorus of “Jesus Loves Me” at bedtime, and it took my breath away. His singing is beyond adorable, and my heart may have melted into a big fat puddle of Papa-love when I heard it. The video clip was shot after the lights went off, so there’s nothing to see. But there’s plenty to hear—pure praise “out of the mouth of babes.” Could there be any sweeter or more important message than:
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.
💙 🙌💙 🙌💙 🙌💙 🙌💙 🙌
Nothing to see but plenty to hear.Samuel picked up all his toys, so he was allowed to watch a little TV.Levi is laser focused on those who came to see him.
Last week I got a new red wagon for the boys that I can hook up to my lawn tractor. It’s our own little Knoebel’s ride—with no tickets necessary (though my next door neighbor offered me two bucks for a ride. Unfortunately, he couldn’t fit)!
Samuel likes the wagon, though he doesn’t really like the noise that comes from the tractor. We did several laps around the yard, and then I dropped him off at the garden, where he loves to help us pick the ripe stuff. As we love to say around here, “He’s the best Bubby ever.”
Levi is becoming more alert and used to our voices. It was fun to feed him for the first time last week and sing him to sleep. He is so precious, and Samuel is (mostly) gentle with him.
I just got back from church camp where I had the privilege of sharing five evening messages with a responsive and appreciative crowd. Their favorite, by far, was a sermon called “It Is Finished” from John 19:28-30, where Jesus says, “Tetelestai!” from the cross. It’s the gospel in a single word, and I got a bit exuberant preaching it!
While I was away, Samuel and Levi kept being cute, and I missed them greatly. I gathered up a few snaps and clips upon my return, and now I have some new ones to share. I may have shown a few of their previous pictures via PowerPoint during one of my sermons. 🙂 Do you remember that picture of Bubby washing the car? And the one where he’s holding a sponge, covered in suds? The camp folks are now smitten, too!
Here’s something I’ve been eager to say for the past nine months, and now I can say it: “When are the boys coming over?” Haha! Actually, Samuel was here yesterday (and it was SO good to see him). He’s coming tomorrow, too, so I’m super spoiled. I’m thinking it’s time to establish a Friday night pizza tradition at our house, with them staying overnight and having pancakes for breakfast on Saturday morning.
Enjoy a few glimpses of my cherubs. And a song that may send your spirit soaring.
💙 🩵 💚 💙 💚 🩵 💙 💚 🩵 💙 💚 🩵 💙 💚 🩵
Tetelestai
Bonus
I made a reference to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in one of my camp messages: “Barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly.”
Joy abounds as we get to spend more time with Levi. Micah revealed his first nickname: “Nugget.” So, now we have Bubby and Nuggy. 😊 Samuel is learning what it means to be a big brother, and his interactions with Levi have been charming. Mommy and daddy have been working hard to make Samuel feel special despite all the attention his baby brother needs right now. So, there are some snaps of him below, too. He’s in “Sudsy Bubby” mode. Enjoy!
Levi is home now, settling into family life. It’s been quite an emotional week watching it all unfold. Since I’m an adoptee with no connection to my biological family, Levi is just the fourth blood relative I’ve been able to meet (after Andrew, Bethany, and Samuel). So, Levi has my genes! According to his paternal grandpa, he also has my mouth. Speculation is growing already that he’s going to be a preacher. 😊
As is our custom, I read Psalm 139 over him when he got home. Cue the waterworks.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Before any of us had a place in this world, we had a place in God’s heart. And Levi now has a place in our hearts, too. He is precious and perfect, and all of us savoring this wonderful gift the Lord has entrusted to us.
I promised some pictures, so here goes:
Bethany was amazing throughout the whole process of labor and delivery.Welcome to the world, Levi. We have loved you for nine months already.Micah and Bethany are so thrilled with their new bundle of joy. They are wonderful parents.Yes, here is news worth broadcasting! Also, Levi is the first in our family to have a July birthday. 💙Sleep in heavenly peace, dear one. Your family back home is eager to meet you.The precious cargo is strapped in and ready to come home for the first time.Samuel loves being with his gaga and papa, but he really missed his mama and dada.Mama and dada really missed Samuel, too. ❤️
Samuel’s first look at his baby brother.Samuel seemed to sense that this was a special moment.Oh, the fun these two are going to have together. 🙂 We are smitten. And we’re grateful for a safe delivery and a healthy baby.We’re working hard to let Samuel know is is still important to us.If little boys grow up to become bigger boys, is the same true for buses?Being a big brother is hard work.
I was out of state last week teaching a doctoral residency (along with conducting another remote learning course, a prayer meeting, a variety of staff meetings, and even some dissertating). I couldn’t wait to get back and see our little Bubby. (Yes, and everyone else, too.) In fact, I got choked up on the flight home at the thought of reconnecting with this little munchkin and getting to make a “Samuel Sandwich” again.
What a joy to return to this adorable, pleasant, and wonderful little boy. His receptor language has always been good, and now he’s starting to talk up a storm. He said “Bible” the other day, which was another reason to get choked up. He was also the ring bearer at a wedding last week. He’s only 17 months old, but he made it down the aisle (with a little help)!
He’s the best Bubby ever, and every day I get a little more smitten. Below are some random snaps and video clips, in no particular order.
Enjoy!
💙🥰💙🥰💙🥰💙🥰💙🥰💙🥰💙🥰💙🥰💙🥰💙🥰
Happy about eating out.Exploring the great outdoors.Pondering the mysteries of the universe.Too cool for school.Time for a piano lesson.Working in our flower bed.Taking a happy break.Challenge accepted.Dressed for the wedding.
Out on the dance floor.
Down the slide with “Gaga.”
Sing us a song, you’re the piano man.
Out of gas, but resting up for tomorrow.
In addition to which…
Here are a few bonus pictures that didn’t upload the first time.
Trying to eat a grilled cheese sandwich in one bite.Lots of room to roam.The label on the swing gets it right.
