Holiday Fun

We had a wonderful Holiday week with the Smith Family. Thanksgiving dinner at the Smiths house and another get together at Dave and Alice's new home on Sunday. Every detail was wonderful...the table settings, the food, the laughter, the fun...but the best part was being with family.

Here are a few pictures of our time together and some of Carson helping me rack the leaves the other day!!!

Helping Poppi move some wood

quote of the day

We were driving in the car today and passed by a pool. Carson yelled out, 'Look mama, a pool!.'

I said, 'You are right, a pool. It is so cold out, I can't imagine swimming right now.'

Carson said, 'I can'd swim now. I have my clodes on. I got my daket on...my cool man daket on (pointing to his jacket)'

I said, 'Your cool man jacket...what is that?'

He said, 'Dada called id my cool man daket!'


The things Carson learns from his dada!!!

(photo taken by Brittany Kaulfin)

Chase B-Day Celebration Continues

It has been precious to watch and listen to Carson these past few days as we have talked a lot about his little brother. I still am not sure of his comprehension of everything, but it has provided for many great opportunities to tell him about Heaven. Here are some cute moments:

We spent some time at Chase's grave site yesterday. We brought flowers, which we laid on the ground. Soon after we got there Carson began collecting rocks and bringing them (by the handful) to Chase's grave. When he ran out of room he said, 'no flowers mama, only rocks.' i laughed thinking that Carson was probably right. His little brother would probably prefer a handful of rocks to play with rather than a bouquet of flowers!!!

Carson was looking in the mirror today, holding his shirt up, rubbing his belly. He said, 'look mama, look. dis is my baby Chase.' i explained to him that Chase was in Heaven with Jesus and not in his belly. He seemed to understand but then turned around and said, 'oh yes, mama, yes. dis is my baby Nora (the Somervilles little girl).

We also celebrated by baking cupcakes together, singing happy birthday to Chase and eating them! I added a picture from last year when Carson and I did this together (it will be a yearly tradition). I love to see how he has grown (and love to dream of how Chase has too)!!!

Singing Happy Birthday to Chase




Carson enjoying a cupcake this year (2 1/2 years old)



Carson enjoying a cupcake last year (1 1/2 years old)

Glory Day

One year ago today our son Chase left us to find himself safe in the arms of our Heavenly Father. Today we are celebrating his life and the glory that he now knows. This past year has been marked by hardship, grieving the death of our son. Yet, we continue to experience the triumphant hope that only comes from the gospel and the reality of Heaven. How precious is the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ that has ransomed our dear son and carried him away to glory!



In thinking about today, we have sought to celebrate what Chase is enjoying. 1 Peter 1:13 says, ‘set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.’



This has been our aim today and we invite you to join us. Best selling author and pastor Randy Alcorn has been a significant means of grace to us this year. He has helped us to dream of heaven with theologically informed minds through his book Heaven. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to set their hope fully on our eternal home. Here is a small selection that has helped us to dream.

When I anticipate my first glimpse of Heaven, I remember the first time I went snorkeling. I saw countless fish of every shape, size and color. And just when I thought I’d seen the most beautiful fish, along came another even more striking. Etched in my memory is a certain sound- the sound of a gasp going through my rubber snorkel as my eyes were opened to that breathtaking underwater world.

I imagine our first glimpse of Heaven will cause us to simply gasp inn amazement and delight. That first gasp will likely be followed by many more as we continually encounter new sights in that endlessly wonderful place. And that will be just the beginning, because we will not see our real eternal home- the New Earth- until after the resurrection of the dead. And it will far better than anything we’ve seen.

So look out your window. Take a walk. Talk with your friend. Use your God-given skills to paint or draw or build a shed or write a book. But imagine it- all of it- in its original condition. The happy dog with the wagging tail, not the snarling beast, beaten and starved. The flowers unwilled, the grass undying, the blue sky without pollution. People smiling and joyful, not angry, depressed and empty. If you’re not in a particularly beautiful place, close your eyes and envision the most beautiful place you’ve ever been- complete with palm trees, raging rivers, jagged mountains, waterfalls, or snow drifts.

Think of friends or family members who loved Jesus and are with him now. Picture them with you, walking together in this place. All of you have powerful bodies, stronger than those of an Olympic decathlete. You are laughing, playing, talking and reminiscing. You reach u to a tree to pick an apple or an orange. You take a bite. It’s so sweet that it’s startling. You’ve never tasted anything so good. Now you see someone coming toward you. It’s Jesus, with a big smile on his face. You fall to your knees in worship. He pulls you up and embraces you.

At last, you’re with the person you were made for, in the place you were made to be. Everywhere you go there will be new people and places to enjoy, new things to discover. What’s that you smell? A feast. A party’s ahead. And you’re invited. There’s exploration and work to be done- and you can’t wait to get started.

Harvest Party

We attended the Harvest Party at our church last night. Carson was dressed up as Dash from the movie The Incredibles. Carson was not even aware of who Dash was until yesterday. We told him that he runs really, really fast. So the whole
night he ran around saying, 'I am Dash, fast, fast!' Although he has been sick lately he was a trooper.

Here are some pictures of Carson playing a few games with dada!




I am DASH!!



Time out for a Krispy Kreme Doughnut!



A family Shot



The highlight of the whole night for Carson was seeing his best friend KJ! They ran around non-stop tackling one another, only to get up and do it again!