happy birthday!

A year ago today...Matt turned 27, Lily was thrilled, and for his gift Lily and I told him that Mommy was going to have a baby.

THIS baby.

Besides feeling a bit sick throughout the day, Matt had a great birthday...

 Great gifts from friends and family...

 ...a growin' little baby with a new bumbo chair and a new swing from the Renner's... (though we'd rather have the Renners!)

 ...and a growing girl who both enjoyed a new princess dress, and catching and playing with a baby lizard until he "took a nap" on the same day.

 Then Poppy and Lily had a blast carving a really cool pumpkin that Casey and Laura sent!

 Lily's first jack-o-lantern :)

 don't these pumpkins look real?  Such a cool gift idea for missionaries that always miss fall!

 Then Matt's annual pumpkin pie...and Lily insisted on wearing birthday hats :)

 ...and imagine that! Lily is wearing the SAME outfit she was wearing last year :)

It's hot.  We've got tarantulas in our toasters and we sure do miss fall, friends and family.  

But we have each other, which is a precious, happy gift,

good work that He continues to provide for in every way,

a family of foreigners who've poured themselves out for us

as we try to do the same for Him.  

Blessed.