Daddy "Date Night" and 7 Months

Today, April 30th, marks 7 months from the day we delivered our sweet boy Chase! And what a Spirit filled 7 months it has been. It is only fitting, on this 7 month marker, that Chelsea is at a National Orphan Conference in Minnesota, where Steven Curtis Chapman led the praise and worship time, and I took Kendyll and Carlie tonight to see Selah in Concert on a Daddy Date night! Both SCC and Selah have ministered to us, through their music and testimony, in amazing ways that is really hard to describe. More on that later.

I have to confess, I have sat down intending to write out a blog entry a number of times over the past 6 months. And each time, I have struggled mightily to transfer what I am thinking into written words. For whatever reason, tonight I am not having any trouble writing, so I am just going to keep going until I get it all down. Chelsea, you truly amaze me with your writing on this blog, and I am so proud of you for sharing so intimately! You remain MY HERO and I am so proud to be your Husband and partner in our life adventure.

So, the home front while Mommy is at a conference, is just not the same. Here are a few highlights from the past few days, that might terrify Chelsea:

• Kendyll has made it school on time the past 2 days, but we were second to last for pickup at carpool today...technically not late....but I still got an earful from my 8 year old about being the last one picked up from her class!
• I was 25 minutes late picking up Kendyll today from her skating party...I am blaming this solely on a 3 year tantrum, as Abby Kate woke up from her nap, not in a good mood, and not wanting to get in the car to pick up Kendyll. (And I turned the wrong way on Audelia Rd). Thanks to the Heflin's for hanging with Kendyll a few extra minutes!
• Dinners the past 3 nights has consisted of: Genghis Grill, Benihana's, and Texas Land & Cattle. They have certainly got their protein, but the "eating out" budget is shot for the month of May already!
• They did get baths on Wednesday night at least.
• Kendyll was one "t" short of spelling "kitchen" right, and getting 100% on her spelling test...so close!! We practiced all her words on the way to school each morning, I promise!
• Abby Kate cracks all of us up, all the time! Here is a quote from AK, that her school teacher Miss Amy passed along to me on Thursday: AK talking to her buddy Ellie: "See Ellie, up there in the sky, my Mommy on the airplane up there with Chase. Hers gonna get two babies in her tummy and get them and bring them home. Two babies, a baby brother and baby sister. Is your baby with Chase, Ellie Bellie?.....Um Amy, Ellie Bellie, you need to get in your seat...Um Amy, my going to grandmas!" CLASSIC Abby Kate! Thanks to Miss Amy for all your help this week, transporting AK to school and back!
• And thanks to Grandma and Pops for watching the girls the past 3 days at different times!

OK, so back to Daddy Date Night for the Selah concert! Nights like this are why I LOVE being a Daddy so much! I was either carrying one of them or had one of them on my lap the entire night and got hours of sweet cuddle time with both of my big girls. Little did they both know, that I needed it, far more than they did! These sweet girls, both melted my heart, as they wiped their Daddy's tears from his eyes, as certain Selah songs were sung. And listening to Kendyll sing along, word for word, with Selah to the great hymn, "It is Well", was also priceless for me and all the people sitting in our section! Such an incredible night for me as a Dad! I was bursting with pride and tears of joy!

Selah's music has a permanent home in our families heart! The night of September 30th, 2009 will certainly be a day we never forget. After getting our heartbreaking news, Chelsea and I sat on our couch in stunned disbelief and must have said, "this isn't happening"...at least 1000 times that night! At some point, we got on the internet and began to read Angie Smith's blog - Bring the Rain....which documents, her and her husbands (lead singer of Selah) story of losing their 4th child, Audrey. We read their entire story from start to finish and have been ministered and encouraged, through their blog, ever since. Selah's music has been played in our house, car, and I-Pod's, on a daily basis. And one of my favorite traditions, with Kendyll, as I drive her to school in the morning, is to belt out our favorite Selah songs. So, tonight was really special for me to be able to take Kendyll and Carlie to see Selah in concert. It was a great night spent with my 2 older girls. And we were honored to meet Todd Smith at the end of the show and tell him about our Chase, and thank him personally, for sharing their story and ultimately ministering to us through Angie's blog and his music!

I could not have asked for a better day to celebrate Chase's 7 month birthday. We need our Mommy back desperately around here, but I am so grateful for the precious time I have had with my girls! Chelsea has been soaking up every ounce of the Summit VI Orphan Care Conference and I know she is excited to share with all of you as well, what she has learned.

To my boy Chase, thank you for drawing me closer to God and giving me a new lens to see the world with. I am so proud to be your Dad and am privileged to be able to share your story, for all of my days, to everyone I meet. Your sisters, Mom, and I miss you dearly and there is not a day that goes by that we do not talk about you and celebrate your life and the impact it is making for God's glory! I pray constantly now for God to "break my heart for what break His", as my favorite Selah song, "Hosannah", says. And even though, the past 7 months have had many moments of great sorrow, tears, and pain, we have felt God's guiding presence through it all and continue to trust in His will for our lives.

"Though the Lord gave you adversity for food

and suffering for drink,

He will still be with you to teach.

You will see your teacher with your own eyes.

Your own ears will hear Him.

Right behind you a voice will say,

"This is the way you should go,"

whether to the right or to the left.

Isaiah 30: 20-21