First of all, I'd like to say, I have the most amazing husband ever.

I mean, just look at him.  Isn't he handsome? ;)  A newborn baby is the best adornment for anyone, but especially fathers.

Today was one of our last Sundays at home here in Charlotte before heading to NTM missionary training in Missouri.  We will sorely miss our friends and brothers and sisters in Christ at Believers Bible Chapel!

Jean and his girlfriend Norah gave Eliana this beautiful dress.  (P.S. We love the range of nationalities and ethnicities represented in this local body of believers, as this picture shows with a Haitian in the foreground and Indians in the background.  We also have people from Dominican Republic, Peru, Argentina, China, and others who have lived in the Congo, Columbia, and more...it's late and I'm sure I'm leaving someone out)

This is how Jaren likes to sing when the song leader asks us to stand.

I'm going to miss friends like Julie.  We looked so lovely today in our purples, we had to get a picture!

Then, we went to the Reeses house to bring them lunch because they just had their third baby girl a week ago.

We kept our expectations low, but we hoped to get a decent family photo today for an updated prayer card.  Mark is an amateur wizard at photography, so he quickly set up his equipment in the yard.

Esther and Jaren look on. . .

And then get bored . . .

V e r y bored . . .

Meanwhile, I calm Eliana . . .

. . . we all get situated . . .

. . . and shooting begins.

A couple of my favorite outtakes:

We DID get one we think will work.  And we'll work on posting a finished product soon.  Until then....we'll keep you in suspense!

The two daddies do such a great job with their kids.  Bekah and I feel very blessed with the husbands God has given us and the fathers He's given to our children.  (Yes, the babies were both crying in this picture.  It takes a true man to hold a crying baby!)

After lunch and spending part of the afternoon with Mark and Bekah, we headed up the road to IKEA for a quick chance to spend a $25 coupon we got in the mail!  Jamin patiently endured the stares of shoppers in the parking lot as he tried to comfort a loud, hungry baby while I picked up our items inside.

Then he drove us to Michael's because I'd mentioned I would need to go there eventually for a few things.  This is a bold move for him: I can spend 45 minutes in a craft store, even if I've only come in for one thing.

Jaren was awake by the time we got there, so everybody came in with me (usually a safe way to get me to hurry up and just get what I came for).  Esther had to go potty.  Jamin thought Jaren was with me; I thought Jaren was with him.  Soon we hear: "Would the mother of Jaren please come to the registers."  Well, that'll get me to the registers fast!  He was fine and very calm.  Just asked a random lady in the Christmas ornament aisle if she knew where his Mommy and Daddy were.  We're glad to be able to learn the importance of tag teaming in such an unalarming fashion!

So, IKEA, Michael's, and then I mentioned there was a Krispy Kreme in the same parking lot.  One of those with the conveyor belts that you can watch the donuts being made.  Jamin said no at least 3 times, but still with a slight twinkle in his eye, so I knew I just had to keep working on him.  He definitely has a soft spot in his heart for donuts.  And I think he was just holding out to seem even more magnanimous. :)

And so, we had donuts for supper.

It's been such a fun, full day with adventures to remember.  There's so much housework and laundry and packing to be done for our trip and thankyous to write and babies to hold and fights to be broken up.  But I had to take the time to record a day like today, so we can remember it for years to come.