Friday, December 30, 2011

Second Annual Goyukkah

It's back! This year we wanted to celebrate a night of Hanukkah again. We enjoy trying the different foods, and rejoice in the reminder that Jesus is the Light of the World. This year our good friends came over, and we had a delicious feast.

Highlights of this year:
Matzo Brittle- it's pretty much amazing.
Casey negotiated getting a spice that isn't sold anywhere in any grocery store by going to a Mediterranean restaurant, and asking the Palestinian proprietor for some of it. What was this spice? Za'atar. Little fact: it came straight from Jerusalem! We used it on chicken, and it was really good!
Homemade latkes and store-bought latkes are great- for different reasons, and our son believed the store-bought ones to be chicken nuggets, so he ate them. "More chicken!" he kept repeating.
Finally, watching the menorah candles burn and guessing which one would burn out the fastest was an intense activity.

All in all, it was a fun night, and as a bonus, I didn't burn myself!

Kids helping unwrap Kisses for the menorah candies that we made.


Matzo Brittle!!!!

Menorahs: Jumbo marshmallows, and kisses, dipped in chocolate, pierced with a pretzel stick.



We look so happy trying to make these pretzels. Little did we know that it was all for naught.


Pretzel, finished, but completely stuck to the wax paper! Fail!

Table decor complete with paper colored by Norah.

Homemade latkes. Good job, Devin!

Safety first!


Za'atar chicken- delish!








LOVE donut holes!


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Just One Christmas

So, here's Christmas...

Friday before Christmas we had all the Lutes together, and then I couldn't find the camera for Christmas Eve at Grandma Karen's or Christmas afternoon back at Grandma and Grandpa Lute's- plus, not having it for Christmas morning. Total memory-capturing fail. What added insult to injury was that the camera was at the bottom of my wonderful big purse. Thankyouverymuch.

Oh well.

Enjoy a few from the Lute one. Haddon really was there. He just doesn't show up in the pictures. Depending on my patience, I may or may not post the cute videos of him opening gifts. He's pretty great at receiving gifts.

Cousins!


LOVE this one of Norah and her Nanna. They have a really sweet bond.

Could Isla look up to her big cousin any more?!


The manliest of gifts: Beard trimmer.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Welcome to our family, Obadiah!


LOVE Haddon's reaction. He's gotta be one of the sweetest boys on the planet. Here are some other pictures from our first moment of our newest family member at home. We love Obie!







Oh Christmas Tree! and Deck the Halls!

The Lutes are ready for Christmas!












Saturday, December 10, 2011

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving this year was a fun time. There wasn't any tur-duc-hen, but it was still delightful. My mother and grandmother joined the Lute side, and it was just an all around nice day to be together.










Friday, November 4, 2011

Why We're Doing What We're Doing

Waiting is a theme in our lives, especially in the last three years. Among all the things that we have waited for, none has been more awaited than starting the adoption process. The waiting goes far beyond the last three years and back into the days of when Casey and I were dating. For me, it goes even further.

You see, one of the most important people in my life is a woman who I don't even know. I don't know her name. I don't know what she looks like. I don't know a single thing about her except that once upon a time, she carried me in her womb and loved me enough to let me go. That single act has shaped my life so profoundly that I'm not even sure I could completely describe it.

Certain things define who you are, and one of the things that defines me is my adoption. As I have grown up, my adoption has helped me understand the greater thing that defines me: my identity in Christ.

You see, when I was born, I needed a family. For whatever reason, the best thing for me was not staying with my birth mother. I needed help. I needed someone to take me in and call me their own and give me all the things that I couldn't get for myself or do for myself.

I needed to be adopted.

We all need to be adopted.

We are all born into what is not best for us. Sin is not the best for us, and even though it's not best, it's what we choose over and over again, even when we don't want to. We can't be good enough or do anything to solve the sin problem in our lives.

That's where the greatest grace comes in. Jesus died, taking our punishment for the sins we committed, and through faith in him, we're offered a new life, and adopted into God's family.

This is God's plan for his people. Throughout all of Scripture, every story, every book is pointing towards Christ. It is all a giant tapestry woven together for his glory and to restore what was broken by sin.

In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 1:5)

Casey and I have talked about this truth so many times. It is dear to our hearts. We have talked about all the things that make us excited about adopting a child into our family. We value the lesson it will teach our children, that families aren't held together by flesh and blood but by love. We want our family to experience God's provision in building our family. We want to be stretched in our faith and step out not knowing what trials or hardships or waiting may come from the adoption process.

Most of all. We want to live out the gospel in a way that so closely parallels what our Savior has done for us.

Please join us. Please walk with journey with us. Pray for us. Pray for our son or daughter who God is preparing for our family. Pray for our family that the Lord would prepare our hearts for the journey, especially our children.

We'll try to keep folks updated here, and of course we'll still share pictures of our adorable children and tell the stories of the funny things they do.

We just want people to know why we're doing what we're doing.