On May 17, 2007 this little bundle of joy joined our neighbors’ family. After a business trip and a busy holiday weekend, Matt & I were finally able to go visit the little fellow on his 11th day in the world. His parents are very proud of him and have wonderful pictures of the delivery process for easy blackmail in, oh, 18 years! His grandmother (Melissa’s mom) is staying with the family for an extra set of hands. His canine siblings Rocko and Precious aren’t quite adjusted to him yet, but are slowly realizing they are not top of the rung anymore… We look forward to having more pictures of this little guy posted soon enough.

More Pictures

For Memorial Day this year, Matt & I went boating on the Susquehanna River with his parents and his sister’s family. We launched from Harford County’s Broad Creek Landing and drove out into the main body of the Susquehanna River. For lunch we brought a propane grill and hamburgers/hot dogs leftover from Chris’ graduation party… but we forgot the matches! The guys tried to ignite the flame with sparks from the boat’s battery, but without luck. We were thankful that random boaters and swimmers encroached on our anchored boat and we got a light from a fellow boater. In exchange we gave them beers and a soda… they laughed at how expensive that light was for us, haha. After lunch we broke out the fishing rods and caught quite a few catfish and a few other native fish.

Enjoy the photos!

On May 5, 2007 my friend Emily married her boyfriend of three years, Eddie. They met through eharmony.com around the same time Matt and I met through match.com! Due to job situations, most of their relationship was long distance (2-4 hrs drive), but they made it work. It was a match made in Heaven; both Emily and Eddie are very grounded in their Christian beliefs and recognized that God prepared them both for each other. The wedding was held in Richmond, VA at St. Joseph’s Villa just south of Ashland. The reception followed only a few miles away at the Belmont Recreation Center. This album contains a few pictures from the wedding rehersal, Emily’s lingerie party, the girls getting ready, the wedding, and reception. I was blessed enough to read during the ceremony, the poem titled “A Perfect Love”.

A Perfect Love
Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone. To have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God to the Christian says, “No, not until you are satisfied and fulfilled and content with living, loved by Me alone and giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me, to have an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone.”

“I love you, My child, and until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with Me–exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or belongings.”

“I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to bring it to you. You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things. Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you. You must wait.”

“Don’t be anxious and don’t worry. Don’t look around at the things you think you want. Just keep looking off and away up to Me, or you’ll miss what I have to show you.”

“And then, when you’re ready, I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would ever dream. You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready, I am working this minute to have both of you ready at the same time, and until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I’ve prepared for you, you won’t be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me, and this is perfect love.”

“And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty and perfection and love that I offer you with Myself. Know that I love you. I am God Almighty, believe and be satisfied.”

Craig & Nicole closed on their new house April 23rd, in Chesterfield, VA. We were able to visit the house while we were in town for the Hankins-Cylc Wedding on May 6th. I helped Nicole tape up the mouldings in the dining room so painting will be easier for them. Nicole and I also started painting the kitchen some “tuscan beige” color. Matt helped Craig install a fan, and all three of us watched Craig install a light fixture in the upstairs blue bathroom. The theme for that room will be rubber ducks (blue for the water…). Kayla’s room is bright yellow and light brown and Craig will be painting flowers and other things on the wall. She has a magnetic chalkboard painted on the wall too! The magnetic paint apparently weighed about 20 lbs for a small can because of all the iron filings. The chalkboard paint is a different paint, but worked well over the magnetic paint. I can see lots of artwork transpiring there! It will have moulding around it soon.

In a bush against their screen porch, a robin made her nest and at least 3 babies were already hatched but completely helpless… We watched the mom bring her babies worms, and got some great picturesm, only with a long lens; she was very VERY upset we were on the porch at all, so we had to be careful not to disturb her!

My college friend Melissa just closed on her new house May 3rd in the Richmond area. She graduates from med school mid-May, and just got engaged in March! Major life changes all at once Her house is a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath house with a detached 2-car garage that was actually rennovated by some realtors after squirrels managed to damage the house! So basically everything’s new, including the spacious and beautiful kitchen. It’s in a really nice neighborhood with other colonial homes on wooded lots. After moving back home from VT and going to med school close to her parents’ house, Melissa is more than thrilled to move into her own place where she can spread out and put her personality into the place. Congratulations Melissa!!