Updates on the domestic front

With six days in a row at home (between Aron & I), we decided this weekend was it. Weeks filled with Belle ripping her diaper off at every opportunity prompted us to start potty training a bit earlier than intended.

We are happy to report she is doing absolutely wonderful!!! She loves to go like a big girl on the potty .... yes, #1 and #2. She's even started going on the potty without us prompting her, which creates a problem if I'm not paying close attention. After sneaking off and doing her business, she then attempts to empty the potty, which as you can imagine, creates quite a mess.

Another proud parenting moment: our little sponge seems to be soaking up some good manners, which is oh so cute. Tonight Aron sneezed, and our not yet 2 year old sweetly sang, "Bless you, daddy, bless you, daddy." And while sitting on the potty, "Oops! Toot! Es-cuse me."

However, we have a ways to go in the sharing department. I was in the nursery this morning and observed my gentle Love yell, "NOOOO!" to any baby who came close to playing with her toy. Then a sweet little one year old bobbled up to me and placed her hand on my leg; Belle looked sternly at her & said, "No, no. This my mommy." Yeah...we're still working on the sharing.

Back to work on Monday. Still chipping away at the student loans. Tomorrow Aron & Belle are at home by themselves for the holiday so he's going to try to get his recording equipment to work on his work laptop. I sure hope so. I'm dying for him to start recording his acoustic folk stuff. And he's got 2 new worship songs that are really good. So we'll cross our fingers (and say a little prayer too!).

Peace, peace.

ejk

Ocho Psycho

Cincinnati Bengal's wide-receiver Chad Johnson (well, that used to be his name) has officially changed his last name to Ocho Cinco. His legal name is now Chad Javon Ocho Cinco. Read all about it right here. Johnson, excuse me, Ocho Cinco is a great entertainer and you know who Kirk Haven will be rooting for this season! Go Bengals!

Of all Ocho Cinco's attention grabbing stunts, I'd say this one takes the cake. It's reported that head coach Marvin Lewis, who dislikes Ocho Cinco's stunts, called him Ocho Psycho. That kind of has a ring to it.

APK

Stirred

God is good, that I can say with confidence at the end of the day.

I wish I could describe to you the day I had at work. I tried, but the post was so long, I deleted it. Let's just say a conversation with about 7 other nurses at the nurses' station while working involved statements like "F**k abortion, all I care about is gas prices. I don't care what happens to those dead babies - that's their own problem. We need someone who will fix America." The five others agreed. I stood very alone.

I didn't care I was alone, but my heart was broken. So I ran to the bathroom and cried and prayed. I really didn't have time to...I was swamped with meds to pass and doctors to talk to. But I didn't know what else to do.

It doesn't matter who is elected (the beginning of the discussion I overheard was celebrating Obama's speech on Thursday night)...you cannot legislate morality. This conversation was just an outward symptom of the depravity of the human condition. Our sin is a cancer eating away at our very nature until we look nothing like the creatures we were intended to be. Filled only with disease and pain and dysfunction, we reach a point where evil is called good and good evil. I asked this group point blank, "You care more about a tank of gas than a human life?"

"Yes," they answered. I was sick.

Now I sit and think about the day and even in my own heart how have I valued material things more than human lives, and I am convicted of my own selfishness...my own depravity. My own need for a Savior.

But I rejoice tonight, because God pursues.
God is challenging me to pray for an awakening for those who don't even know they're captive.
Join with me. Hold me accountable. Let us not be lulled to sleep by the pleasures so easily available in our wealth. Pray that God would awaken His church to the reality of the brokenness around us. And that out of compassion we would be stirred to pray, stirred to pursue, stirred to love.
ejk

Baldy

I'm a detail freak and I like clean lines, and 'ole Mr. Receding hairline doesn't look so clean. So I'm thinking about shaving my head completely bald. Any comments, concerns or suggestions?
APK

Lazy Days

I woke up this morning to an overcast day. It reminds me of a song I wrote called "Lazy Days":

Lazy days
Are best spent in silent ways
Between sleep and a waking haze
No feelings or thoughts escape
Just being for being's sake
On lazy days

On lazy days,
The light in the room looks strange
But afternoon's just feelin gray
As the earth sleeps a little late
And uses those clouds for drapes
On lazy days

Lazy days,
They love to stay
But we all must accept our fate
Accept the change
As seasons fade
Where leaves fell in summer's face
I'm amazed
As winter turns the rain to lace
And lays it each flake by flake
It falls with such a pleasent pace
That spring will just have to wait
On lazy days

It's a soothing acoustic folk song. Maybe I'll post a video of it in the next couple of days if I'm not feeling too lazy.
APK

KirkHaven on a Tuesday Night

It's a rare Tuesday night when Aron doesn't have a meeting, so when he does have the night off, we soak in the family time. Here's a taste...

We then went swimming...though we mostly stood outside the pool being that the water was 74 degrees.

A much needed evening together.

ejk

Family Time

Lakeside fun

Isabelle was torn...she wanted to play in the sand, but immediately wanted the "dirty" off of her skin! And she just loved the sand in her mouth! Grace AutumnThe boys played water footballAnd had relay races - After that they were pretty much exhausted.

Summer doesn't get any better than this in my mind.


My "super" nephews!

The boys rented a canoe, and we girls rented a paddleboat to end the day.


Poor Belle was miserable in her lifejacket.

But a sweet time, none the less.
We closed of the day with dinner & dessert at the KirkHaven. The boys watched Nacho Libre while we girls played & visited.

Tonight the kids are sleeping over. We had a pillow fight and played Charades and Sardines, and now at 2:00 am they're watching Bruce Almighty. A Big Weekend to celebrate Back to School on Monday for our Loves!

ejk

Rock Star

The Switchfoot Concert was by far the best of the 4 we saw...at least that was the consensus in our car. But a good time was had by all...We loved spending time with the Woollards, And fellow MCC'ers...like BeckyJo & Steve

Mike & Kelly Nuggent More Woollards: Eli, Brian, & Luke
Alyssa & Grace
Brolan & Amande ConckeySome wierd couple who wouldn't leave our blanket...I don't know
Another wierd couple...I kid. Craig's wife, Barby, is in Pennsylvania, so I told Brolan since he can sing as high as a girl, he'd half to pose as Craig's woman for the moment. He was strangely okay with that!
Amanda Schrieber & her sister

Yes, indeed, as good time was had by all.

Woollard House comes to Kirk Haven Day 2: We're off to the Beach! See ya later tonight with some picts!

All my love

ejk

Kirk Haven welcomes Woollard House

The Woollard House...literally

Aron's sister, Alyssa, her husband, Brian, and their three kids: Eli, Luke, & Grace, will be visiting in the MI this weekend!! We have soooo been looking foward to this! Today we're going to the Switchfoot/Third Day/Jars of Clay concert with a little Robert Randolph too! Pictures to follow!

ejk

You are looking at the Future Mr & Mrs Dave Mierau

and what a crazy beautiful thing this is.

Dave was Aron's Mentor for a semester in college our Sophomore year, and fierce competition in the game room. We played doubles ping-pong alot. "Frenchie" - affectionately named by his German ping pong partner, Bjorn - was a fun upperclassmen ministry major that graduated, and that was the last we heard of Dave...until........

My dear friend Kimmy brought him back into the picture.
Kimmy & I roomed across from each other Freshman year in Evans Hall 2East, baby! By Junior year we loved each other - as girls do - and we roomed together in a suite with Tory & Linds. Good times!

So these two friends of ours who never even talked in college...connected afterwards at a mutual friends' wedding. Imagine our shock when Kimmy told me she was dating Dave! But a wonderful surprise at that!

Congratulations, Kim & Dave. God's timing & plan is always perfect, and we are so pumped for you both. Happy Engagement. Can't wait till the wedding....and the many loads of laundry you'll "wash" in your happily ever after (if you don't get that...don't worry, only Kimmy is supposed to:)

ejk

Tent-a-palooza

Here's some pics from our tent service this past Sunday. It was a service based around communion, so we tried to do it the way the early church did it by sharing a meal together and then having communion at the end of the meal. Then we all took turns sharing stories about Jesus, remembering who he is and what he did while here on earth as recorded in the gospels. It was a very celebratory communion experience and one I shall not soon forget. Then we closed out the day with some beautiful thoughts from Andy and inspiring hymns (don't let the term fool you, we rocked out!!! A hymn is any type of musical lyric that expresses a thought or idea about God or to God. Surprised you didn't know that!). The icing on the unleavened bread (I hope that expression's not sacrilegious) was a man named Ryan deciding to follow Jesus and getting baptized! Booya.



APK

Remedy

Exhausted? Lonely? Broken? Struggling? Trapped? Desperate? Sick? Hopeless?

Go here. Click on "Remedy". Listen in stillness.

Be reminded, and be encouraged today, friends. Our cure has come.
ejk

A delimma of sorts

Okay, 2nd post in one day - but you all are our family, so thought I'd share.

As spoken of in earlier posts, Aron finally purchased some really nice recording equipment & software so he can begin to capture some of his 50+ songs. To get a small taste of his music - you can go here.

He has beautiful worship songs & feel good folk songs & more. But, now that we have the recording equipment, his laptop (which has been a bit of the lemon from the get go), won't run the software.

So, we're faced with the dilemma: Do we just wait, and do nothing for about 6-8 months until our student loan debt is gone & then purchase our ideal set-up: MacBook Pro. Or do we buy it now? Don't worry you Dave Ramsiens...we will pay cash for it either way.

We've been discussing it/praying over it for a few weeks, and we just don't know what is best. We've even been looking on Craigslist for a gently used one.

So say a prayer for us, if you think of it. Just for wisdom & discernment. We want to honor God with the resources he entrusts in our care. Thanks so much!
ejk
oh and ps...if you know someone with a used MacBook Pro they'd like to unload...send them our way. We'd gladly buy it from them.

You have it all figured out when its someone else's kid...at least I did!

Three years ago when KirkHaven was newly established, I knew exactly how I would parent my children. Had to laugh at myself yesterday, cause boy did I have a lot to learn! For example:

1. Never ever thought I'd allow my toddler daughter to "share" a diet coke with me. But hey, we're at a restaraunt, there is NO hiding that bubbly glass of goodness. And her crescendoing "NEESE (drink, please in belle lingo), COKE, NEEEESE, COOOOKE!" Draws attention quickly!

You can imagine the damage the caffeine does to a twenty pound body. Which leads me to #2.

2. Never thought I'd let my hyper daughter pick all the sugar-raisins out of our Raisin Bran cereal at 1:15 in the morning - straight from the box. Yeah-classy, I know! But by that time, I'm exhausted, she's still going strong, and its all my fault (Well, kinda. I ordered water...it was Aron's diet coke!!)

ejk

Kirk Haven's 3 year Anniversary

Three years ago today.
Take a moment and reminisce with us... The invitation

front (above) and back (below)
The RSVP postcard (both the invites & rsvp were our diy project with help from our friend Jeremiah & the IWU printshop!)"Kiss me full on the mouth! For your love is better than wine..." Song of Solomon 1:2
If you were there...do you remember the aviators? Aron, the pastor (Tom), all the groomsmen, and even our ring bearer nephews oh so cool placed aviator sunglasses on just after we were introduced as Husband and Wife.
The ride up Rankin Hill in the Tobacco Festival Wagons

This was our "Family Favorites" table. As part of our wedding gifts to all of our loved ones, we wanted to share a piece of our heritage. So we had Grandma Howard's peanut bars, Grandma Kirk's blackberry jam cake, Grandma Hyatt's rice crispy Treats, Uncle Dale's Chocolate Chip Cookies, and (this is terrible) but I can't remember what we had to represent my Grandma Gardner, but I know my Aunt Vonda baked something delicious to share with everyone in her name! Also, Aron's sister Alyssa made candles (see below) that we called "Wedding Home Brew" for all of our guests to take home.

So many of our friends and family helped out with an enormous barbecue of steak & chicken!

The LORD painted the sky with splendor that night. We had been praying that above all things:

"In celebrating the story of our love today, it is our highest prayer that each of you fully grasp the beauty of the larger story this marriage represents. As God has done throughout history, he took us - two broken, desperate, and hopeless souls - and restored us, through the sacrifice of His son, to the man and woman He created us to be. His pursuit of each of us, His passionate love for us, is indeed the greatest love story ever known to man."(from our program)

Aron, I could not have known the depth of my promise that day...nor could I have anticipated the depth of the bond that would follow. Before my very eyes you are daily transforming and growing into a man after the heart of God, and there is no greater gift you could give me. Your integrity inspires me, your passion ignites me (keep it clean, people), your compassion humbles me, your wisdom captivates me. You are indeed my man - strong and wise, yet tender and loving. You daily call me on an adventure as we journey this life. Today I honor you. Thank you for being the husband of my dreams.

I close by remembering our vows:

Aron: As head of our household, as a child of God, as your husband, I promise to place Christ at the center of my being, pursuing Him first in all I do - for only then can I offer you a love that is pure.
Erica: As your partner, as a child of God, and as your wife I promise to place Christ at the center of my being, pursuing Him first in all I do - for only then am I be truly complete. I entrust all that I am to you, offering you my every vulnerability and weakness.
Aron: And so I offer you my strength. As God is our fortress and hiding place, so I will be to you a safe haven.
Erica: As God so perfectly and gently cares for our every need, so I will nurture you in every aspect of life.
Aron: I promise to fight for you every day of my life; whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Continually in prayer, I will battle for you whatever the cost.
Erica: I promise to encourage and support you in the journey God has called you to endure. Continually in prayer, I will hold you up as I encourage to live out the passions God has placed in your heart.
Aron: I promise to live my life as a man of integrity. I will commit to purity of mind, heart, and intentions. I will call out the beauty of who you are in every dimension of life and forever help you see the loveliness I see in you.
Erica: I promise to live as a woman of character, one that you may rise and call blessed. I will respect you in my every thought, action, and word as I call out your strengths and help you in your weaknesses so you will see the man I know you were created to be. And when you fall short...

Aron: And when you stumble...

Together: I WILL OFFER YOU GRACE

Aron: Through the perfect love of Christ that creates beauty from brokenness.

Erica: And makes all things new.

Aron: With my every breath...

Erica: With every fiber of my being.

Together: THIS IS MY SACRED VOW!

ejk