still smitten

happy 5th anniversary, baby!

summertime, and the livin' is easy...

"i sure am glad they built these cupholders all around our house. now i never have to hold my cup again no matter where i'm playing in our yard. sweet!"

walking the only pet she'll ever own (if it's up to me - which it's not - but daddy's not pro-pet either!) :)

2 different shoes on the wrong feet and fingerprints all over her sunglasses

Cupcake Run

Whether you're a busy mother or the coach of an NBA basketball team in the middle of the eastern conference finals, you're NEVER too busy for for a cupcake run.



So this is Erica with Flip Saunders, head coach of the Detroit Pistons, at The Cupcake Station in Birmingham. I don't know if he called her to meet and discuss what defensive looks the Pistons are going to throw at Lebron in game 2 or how Chauncey is going to avoid the high trap in the backcourt. But I do know that cupcakes were had by all. And that is the important thing.

Happy Mother's Day

...and meeting a new one

Jared and Charisse have a new son!

Asher Hayes

born at 2:51 am

April 25, 2007

7 lb 8 oz

20 1/2 in

Awaiting Asher's arrival

(Charisse looked this great pretty much throughout the whole process! Is that a surprise though?)

What a cutie!

Jared changing Ash's diaper for the first time. (He's being coached by Grandma and Grandpa!)

Ash and Aunt Erica

seeing old friends...

We met up with some of Matt's friends from college during our weekend in Traverse City. We had a great time seeing them and hearing how God is using them in their ministries. It is a blessing to have friends who are persevering in their faith and glorifying God in their lives. Matt and I commented too that we really enjoyed seeing how God so perfectly fitted the guys with wives suitable for them. It was great to see you all!!

Stelly and Uncle Rob

The girls - Ainsley, Maggie, Stelly, and Madeline

Austin, Aaron, Ainsley, and Terri Lynn

Rob, Madeline, Trisha (and little Robbie in her tummy), and Maggie

The things they're still willing to do in public!! Some things never change!

Weekend in Traverse City

We are spending the weekend in Traverse City which is about 4 hours NW of where we live in Michigan. We came up to visit some friends of ours, Aaron and Terrilyn Bump, who work with Lake Ann Camp near Traverse City. Aaron is worship leader and official nature guide at the camp. (OK, I made that last part up). Our friends Trisha and Roberto Fipps are also going to meet us at the camp. But that part starts Sunday. We came up a little early for a little R and R. Nothing like live-blogging your own vacation-are we really that narcissistic? Of course you aren't that interested, but here are some pics of Stella anyway.

She was not exactly excited about the whole sand and bare feet thing. In fact, she started crying like a, well, baby. Once she got used to it, though, she started having a good time.


Nothing says fun at the beach like having your dad jump over you repeatedly. She actually really likes it, though. Now I'm out of breath-I could use a vacation.

It was hard to convince her to play in the sand, but once she tried it out, she like it. Then she liked it so much she decided to put a big glob in her mouth. I thought we were past that stage but the next five minutes spent trying to remove a handful of wet sand from her mouth convinced me otherwise.

Happy 50th, Mom!

Today my wonderful mom turns 50! I am so thankful for her and the many ways she has influenced my life. She raised me as a single mom, working hard to provide for us, overcoming numerous obstacles to get her college degree, and making countless sacrifices - I'm sure more than I even know. The best part has been seeing the way God has worked in her life over these past years since she has been a Christian. It has been a testimony to His sanctifying grace and power. I love you and am thankful that God gave me you to be my mom! Happy Birthday!

You've heard of the Blue Man Group...

but have you heard of the Blue Baby Group? Stelly is the first and only member at this point. If you know another baby who might qualify, please submit photos to:

whydidiletmy1yearoldusemarkers@yahoo.com

Won’t Be Needing These Anymore

My grandmother went home to be with the Lord last Thursday at 5 PM, just like Jesus has promised to everyone who believes in him. Erica, Stella, and I were able to see her in some of her last lucid moments. We were able to let her look at Stella a little while and let her touch Stella’s hand. We were able to tell her that we loved her and that we would wait with her until the end. And we did.

Let me tell you just a little bit about her. She was born in 1927 and contracted polio when she was very young. In fact, by the time she was 3 she would never walk again, and she has been in leg braces and walked with crutches ever since. She was married to my grandfather, Philip, for 56 years. They weren’t sure if she would ever have children, but she had 3, not to mention 4 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. She moved with my grandfather to Virginia soon after they were married as he had taken the pastorate of a small country church. My grandmother was not babied by her parents when they learned she had polio. Growing up she had to do her chores just like everyone else including scrubbing the floor on her hands--she would drag herself across the floor to get the job done. That kind of upbringing prepared her to do the things she needed to do as a wife and mother in somewhat difficult rural circumstances (running water wasn’t always a given in that area). She was able to scoot up and down the stairs to do the laundry, dragging a basket as she went, and she was never afraid to try anything like baseball (hitting only of course) and even sledding in the winter. My grandmother lived with cancer for many years, post-polio complications, and chronic pain due to a steel rod that had been placed in her back decades ago to keep her spine straight. Her last few months were spent at a Mennonite care facility in Pennsylvania. My grandmother wasn’t perfect and all I’ve said doesn’t mean there were no mistakes or less than desirable circumstances at the end of her life. But she was a remarkable and determined woman, and needless to say, she endured a lot more physical suffering and hardship in life than many of us have or will. And I can honestly say that she did it without complaining. That isn’t hyperbole-she just didn’t ever complain.

I’ve been reflecting a lot since we returned from Pennsylvania, and I was struck with this thought. As much as my grandmother suffered in life, and as glad as we are for her to be free of suffering forever, I don’t think that’s the chief thing on her mind right now. Yes, Christians have the hope of an eternity without pain, suffering, tears, inequity, disappointment, frustration, and all the other things that taint literally every second of the human existence. But I don’t think the first thing my grandmother did when she opened her eyes was look at her now-braceless and fully functioning legs in delight.

I think she opened her eyes and looked at Jesus and delighted in him. After all, isn’t he what heaven is really about? My pastor has said on several occasions that heaven is not primarily about the streets of gold and the pearly gates and the “Mansion Over the Hilltop” (that’s a rough paraphrase). In fact, if all those things were there, but God wasn’t, it wouldn’t be heaven. Heaven is about GOD! It’s about Jesus! It’s about truly unbroken fellowship for the first time in our existence with the one who created us. Heaven is heaven because of WHO not WHAT is there. It’s not an eternal Rodeo Drive that will fulfill our every want for all eternity. We can and should be happy about all that eternity offers, but I think our first joy will always be in the one who in mercy gave his life for us and who in mercy has given all kinds of blessings to those who have believed in him. Being with him is, indeed, the greatest reward one could ever hope for. And I couldn’t be happier for her.

Store Closing

"Asher's Candy Shoppe" has closed so our lives have returned to normal! Here are some pics from the past few weeks...

Mommy and Stelly at Jungle Java

This was typical of our morning at JJ - Stelly was in the way no matter what toy she was on! She would sit in the middle of the toy sucking her thumb which meant she was unintentionally blocking every other child who tried to use the toy.


The slide where she stayed perched for what seemed like several minutes just starring at everyone else.

Daddy made Stelly a playhouse out of the big box her chair was in that she got for Christmas.

The face she made when I asked her to "show me your teeth."

Who says Daddy isn't handy? He is good at more than Hebrew and Greek! :)
Notice the handle he crafted so she could open and close the door.

Stelly and Cate at the Valentine's party Cate hosted. Love those pigtails! Stelly is quite intense about "reading" the new book she found at Cate's.

Us at Andiamo's Riverfront for Valentine's Day

little helper

i'm working myself out of a job - she helps unload the dishwasher and now she's into vacuuming!

18 mos!

stelly turned 18 mos old this past sunday. she has had a nasty cold for over a week now (so what else is new for us MI moms???). today she looked and seemed to feel a little better when she got up from her nap. here are some bday pics of her and then one i took today of her coloring.