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our 2012 Christmas Card!

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Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

You can get yours at Shutterfly.com. They are having a great sale, too!

A Little Shout Out

Just wanted to give a shout out to Tiffiney at Tiffiney Photography.  I have been following her work for years (literally, like since Briggs was a baby).  Her photography is some of the best I have ever seen.  I finally decided that we were not going to wait any longer to have her photograph our family, especially now that Corban is here.  She "captured" some great "moments" (words in quotes were her business name when I first found her online!) for us this week, and I can not wait to see all of the images.   Not only is she a wonderful photog, she also has a heart for missions and for other people, as evidenced by how she gives back to the community. She was so easy to work with, and I can't recommend her enough.  If you need a photographer, please give her a call.  You won't regret it!

Pray with us

It has been a little over a year since we moved back to SC from Louisville, KY.  Most of you know that after our move we started a non-profit missions organization to build homes and share the Gospel with the people of the dump in Guatemala City.  Our plan has been to live here (SC) for the next 5 or so years as we build relationships in Guatemala and raise support for our non-profit.  We have begun to feel that we cannot fully build relationships and do the work the Lord has called us to do while living in the US full time.  It is our desire (as well as what we believe to be God's desire) that we move sooner than later.  Please pray with us that God will open doors for us to move within the next year to 2 years. We are looking at different possibilities about how we will get to Guatemala full time in that short time frame.  We know that if God wills it, he will provide for us to go.

Remodeling

I have been waiting to post about our house remodel until we are completely finished ... and then I realized I might never post about it if I do that! :)

We moved in May and have been working ever since.  We've gotten a lot accomplished, but there's still much to be done.  3 trips to Guatemala and having a baby will put you a little behind schedule!

Here's a few before and after pics.  The before pics are blurry because I forgot to take them so I had to grab them from the realtor's webpage when the house was for sale. You can get the idea, though.

I guess the boys' room is complete, minus the bedroom door and curtains.  Curtains are not easy to find and are not cheap, either.  I've decided that I may end up purchasing fabric and making some myself.  When to find the time to do that is the question!  The bedroom door is down in the basement waiting to be hung, but I think I actually like the room without a door.  The door opens into the closet (I guess what I mean is that when the door is open the closet is right behind the door) so you have to close the door to open the closet doors.  Right now, it's just easier to not have the door.

The kitchen needs to be tiled and then it will be finished.  Aaron is hoping to work on it in the next few weeks once Briggs is finished with soccer practice (2 nights a week).

The living room is pretty much done, minus wall hangings.  We are getting family pics taken next week so hopefully by Christmas time our walls will no longer be bare.

Our bedroom hasn't been touched.  We decided to finish everything else before we even tackle that room.  The dining room has gotten a new chandelier, but that's all.  It has paneling, which I would just as soon paint, but Aaron hates it and is going to have it taken down and the walls sheet-rocked hopefully this spring.

We want to redo the flower beds outside, which will also be a spring project.

We did take out the carpet throughout the house and have the hardwoods refinished.  The kitchen had about three layers of linoleum that had been put down with tar .. yes, tar.  It was a doozy to get up.  We put down vinyl tile.

My thoughts on the whole thing: If we are not gonna be living here full time, then don't worry about all the renovations, but it is driving Aaron crazy!

Enough explaining, here's the pics:

Before:

After:

BeforeAfter

Before:

After:

There's not a before of boys' room, but here's the after:

Ignore all the boxes and junk everywhere ... I'm in the process of switching out summer/winter clothes!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

at least at Shutterfly!  Each year they come up with more and more awesome Christmas Cards to use at Christmastime!  You should check them out for yourselves.  I have been using Shutterfly for many years now and have never been disappointed in their service.  They have great quality products at great prices.  They typically have some sort of promotion going on where shipping is free on orders of $30 or more or photo books are half off.  You can check out other special offers by going to their site.  If you've gotten one of our Christmas cards in the past, then you've seen first hand how great their products are.  Below is a picture of one of my favorite ones for this year.  You may just be getting one in the mail soon!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Shutterfly is going to give me an awesome promo code for sharing this post.  Shutterfly produces quality products, and I highly recommend them!  I wouldn't buy their products if I didn't! 

Wishin' I was in Guatemala

Have you ever really wanted to go somewhere so badly it hurt?  That's me this week!  Aside from missing my wonderful husband, I have been longing to be in Guatemala.  I seriously tried to figure out a way to go, but being almost 36 weeks pregnant, I knew the doctors would tell me no.  My husband even said no!  I kept saying, "people have babies in Guatemala all the time," but I knew deep in my heart it really wasn't a good idea to go.  That doesn't make it any easier.  It's hard to not be able to see the people I have come to love.  I've been 3 times already, so I have formed relationships with several of the people there, and I really want to be able to see them again.  Aaron is planning to go back in October, but I'm not sure that I can make that trip, either, seeing as I will have a 2 month old.

I am praying that not being able to go will only make my love for the people of Guatemala and my desire to serve the Lord there stronger.  I have really struggled this week with wanting to be involved in ministering there and not being able to.  I know that the Lord has a plan for me in not being able to be there this week, and I pray that He will reveal to me what it is and use it to make me a better servant for Him.

Shutterfly

Summer is here and that means you’ll be taking more photos of your family soon.  Between beach trips and BBQs, photographs are a great way to capture these summer memories.  Shutterfly’s Long Live Summer Photo Contest on Facebook launched on Monday July 9^th and it runs for 5 weeks.  While I'm a little late posting about it on here, you've still got 2 weeks to participate and join in on the fun!

Here's the details:

Long Live Summer – Facebook Photo Contest details - 7/9 – 8/12 Multi-week summer themed photo sweepstakes with instant win prizes. http://bit.ly/sweepS

Win a trip for four to The Bahamas and a professional photo shoot so you’ll remember your vacation forever.  All you need to do is upload your favorite photo and caption based on the theme of the week.  Get a gift from Shutterfly just for entering! You can enter at any point during the 5-week sweepstakes period.

PHOTO THEMES

•       Week 1(7/9): Americana

•       Week 2 (7/16): Great Outdoors

•       Week 3 (7/23): Water Fun

•       Week 4 (7/30): Sports & Activities

•       Week 5 (8/6): Parties & Celebrations

PRIZES

•       Instant win prizes just for submitting a photo!

•       Weekly prizes (contestants can enter one time/week)

•       Weekly featured photos: up to 5 weekly entries will be selected from the gallery and featured on the Facebook fan page and awarded a $500 gift card on Shutterfly and a copy of the new Lonely Planet travel photography book.

•       Grand prize: trip for 4 to Bahamas, 4 nights, family photo shoot

•       Shutterfly Sweepstakes - Official Rules

Who doesn't like to get prizes or free stuff?  It's just another reason I LOVE Shutterfly!

FEAR

I've been thinking a lot about fear lately.  I have many fears.  I fear the unknown; I fear the known, sometimes.  I fear for my son; I fear for my husband.  These are just a few, and I know that they are ultimately unfounded.  Probably the thing I fear most is change!  I struggle with that one a lot!

One of the things that I used to fear that I feel God has given me the power to overcome is going on mission trips.  I'm not saying that I still don't experience some anxieties about going, but overall, I am confident when I go.

My point in this post is for those people who (and I'm not judging) allow fear to keep them from participating in a foreign (or sometimes local) mission trip.  I hear people say all the time, "I can't go on a foreign mission trip because..."

• "I'm afraid to fly." - Really?  SO AM I!  I absolutely despise airplanes and flying in them.  In fact, I have such a fear of flying that my heart begins to race and my palms get sweaty when I go to the airport to drop someone else off or pick them up.  It's crazy, I know, but for some reason, flying scares me to death.  But we can't let that stop us from doing what God has called us to do. And ultimately, He has called us to go. Matthew 28:19-20 says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."  God has commanded us to go.  I believe that means everyone!  I don't think this passage is speaking just to those "called" to missions, but to all believers.  What I'm saying is that God will give you the strength to overcome the fear of flying or the capacity to help you deal with it if you commit to go. (And while I don't believe that we should take drugs for everything, there are some great anxiety medications that can be prescribed by your doctor to help with the fear you may have of flying).
• "I don't have the money." - Again, really?  This is God we are talking about.  Doesn't scripture tell us He OWNS everything?  If we truly believe that, we have no reason to allow the fear of not having enough money stop us from going on a mission trip.  Again, I'm not judging.  I have been in your shoes!  I consider myself a tight-wad, and I don't like to spend money.  As a matter of fact, that's one of the things I worry about on a regular basis.  But through my experience, I have learned that God does and will provide.  I have been to Brazil and to Guatemala 3 times.  In each instance, God provided the funds needed for me to go.  I prayed, asked for donations from others, and trusted that God would give me what I needed to be able to go.  Each time He did!  Two of the times I went to Guatemala Aaron and Briggs were going as well.  Not only did I have to trust God to provide enough funds for me, I had to trust that He would provide for Aaron and Briggs as well.  Thanks to the generosity of His people we were able to raise what was needed.  
• "I don't like seeing people and how they look; it's too hard." - This one has always been a tough one for me.  Have you ever heard the word "germaphobe"?  I think I created it!  I can't stand for my hands or feet to be dirty.  I fear getting sick or touching people who have  scratches or scabs on them.  I constantly use germ gel (even here in the US).  It is very difficult to see how people in third world countries live and to process that.  Many questions come to mind, like "why did these people end up living here and I was born in the US with all its riches?"  It's hard to see babies trying to eat lunch with flies landing on their food and face.  It's not easy, but it's not supposed to be.  Again, God called us to care for the poor, the orphans, the widows.  We can see scriptures from the old and new testaments that point to us caring for the poor and needy, for those without hope.  We have to get out of our comfort zones and go to the hard places to carry the hope of the Gospel to these people.
• "What if something happens to me?" - Well, I struggle with that one, too.   But what I've come to realize is that "something" can happen to me as I type this post.  We are not promised tomorrow because we are not in charge of our lives.  God is in full control and has our paths planned according to His perfect will.  Whether we are in our homes in America or in the jungles of Africa, "something" COULD happen at any moment in time.  It's a scary thought, but we can't let that fear stop us from obeying God.
• "I can't leave my family." - One of the most difficult things I have ever done was board a plane to Brazil and leave my husband here.  I cried, and cried, and cried.  And when we missed our flight back to the US and had to stay in Brazil another day and night, I cried again.  But it gave me a greater appreciation and love for my husband.  When Aaron and I left for Guatemala in October 2010, I was distraught over leaving Briggs behind.  It overwhelmed me to think that I was so far away from him.  But he survived and so did we!  

I think I could continue to list reasons or fears that hold us back from doing what God has commanded us to do, but I won't.  The bottom line is that we must be obedient to do what He has told us to, fear or no fear.  We have to trust that He will comfort us, that He will provide for us, that He will take away the fears that we have - if we are obedient to Him!  

Wow!  It's been so long since I've blogged that they've changed the format.  Boy, do I feel lost!  I never imagined when I began this blog just before our move to Louisville, KY back in 2009 that I would let it slip by months on end without updating.  It seems that somehow life is too busy and neglecting this blog is the easiest thing to do.

I had thought that with this pregnancy I would blog so much about daily events and what I was feeling, etc., but even that didn't seem to take precedence either.  Oh well.  So here's to me trying to get it up and going again - in the event that there's even anyone left who reads it! :)

May was a pretty eventful month for us.  We took our first trip to Guatemala under our non-profit organization, Foundations of Hope.  It was such an awesome experience for us.  Maybe I will even use a separate post to tell about how God worked during that trip.

When we returned from Guatemala, we closed on a house we had been trying to buy before we left.  We got a two bedroom, 1 bath fixer-upper and got a really good deal on it.  The Lord blessed us with this house, and we are so grateful for it.  However, we didn't realize quite the work that we would be putting into it!  It seemed that even the simplest of projects turned into something much bigger.  Take the kitchen floor, for example.  It was covered in linoleum, which we wanted to tear up.  The problem? There was 2 layers of flooring and apparently in the "old days" linoleum was put down with roofing tar.  Uh, yeah - 4 people and about 12 hours later of scraping and cutting and pulling, we were finally able to see sub-flooring. It was sticky from the black tar.  That's just one example I can give.  It seems that everything has been that way.  But none-the-less, we are thankful for God's provision through it all - that He not only provides us with our needs, but sometimes gives us our wants too!

Once we have the house completely finished in every room (because it's still all a work in progress!), I will post before and after pictures.

It's a BOY!!

Yep, it's another boy for the Riddle household! We couldn't be happier. While we would have loved this baby no matter if it had been a girl, we REALLY wanted another boy. We are so thankful and blessed that God saw fit to grant us another child, and that He even gave us the desires of our hearts by allowing it to be another boy.

I went to the doctor on Friday for a regular visit. When the md asked if I was having an ultra sound that day, I told her no. I told her that I had even called over to make sure I wasn't going to have one because I wanted one. She asked if I was wanting to know the gender. I said yes. So she said let's go see if they are busy back ultrasound.... and they were not! I was a little hesitant because Aaron had not gone to the appointment with me. They were gracious enough to do the ultra sound and seal the gender in an envelope so that we could open it together as a family. Briggs was with me because he was out of school, and he begged all day to open it. We went to a friend's house later that evening and allowed him to open it in the midst of some of our closest friends. When he read, "it's a boy," he then said, "yes! now we can wrestle together!" I thought it was so sweet. Aaron and I breathed a sigh of relief because we weren't quite sure what we would do with a girl! We would love whatever gender baby we have, but we are certainly grateful for another little boy!

For Fun: Boy or Girl

I'm not a superstitious person or believe in "old wives tales," but I thought this would be fun to share!

Here are some old wives' tales that determine the sex of your baby:

1. Sleep Position
Pay attention to which way you lay down in bed tonight. If you prefer sleeping on your left side, you’ll have a boy. Right side? You're pregnant with a girl.

I prefer to sleep on my left side = boy.

2. Upset Stomach
Little girls aren’t always sweet. Extreme nausea means you are having a daughter.

Have not been extremely nauseous, although snot really gets to me = boy?

3. Soft or Dry Hands
If your hands are dry during pregnancy, you are having a boy; soft—expect a girl.

My hands are always dry = boy

4. Food Cravings
Your favorite pregnancy foods may tell you what sex the baby is. If you’re craving citrus while pregnant, you’re having a girl.

Have been craving lemonade a lot, but I think that's because of my co-worker, Maxine :) = girl

5. Adult Acne
If altering hormones makes your skin break out, expect a girl.

this is always a problem for me so it doesn't really count.

6. Sugar and Spice Food Cravings
Craving salt during pregnancy? Potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn means a boy is on the way. Need a little something sweet? Ice cream, chocolate, and candy means you’re having a girl.

love lots of salty things during the day, but have to have something sweet every night = boy & girl (OH NO!!!)

7. High or Low Pregnant Belly

If you’re carrying the baby low on your stomach, expect a boy. If it’s high, you’re having a girl.

not showing yet

8. Pendulum Test

Dangle a chain with a charm over your palm. It swings back and forth: boy. In a circle: girl.

held over right hand went back & forth = boy

held over left hand went in a circle = girl

9. Model Your Hands
“Show me your hands.” If you would hold your hands palms up, it’s a girl. Down? You’re having a boy.

I would show my hands palm down = boy

10. Even and Odd Numbers

If your age and year of conception are both even or odd, it’s girl. One even and one odd means a boy.

year of conception was 2011, age was 32 = boy

11. Baby’s Heartbeat
If the baby’s heart beats more than 150 times per minute, you’re pregnant with a girl. Less than 150, it’s a boy.

first heartbeat we heard was 164 (have only heard it once since and I can't remember what it was) = girl

12. Stress Test
A child tends to be of the same sex as the parent who is less stressed at the time of conception.

Aaron is always less stressed than me = boy

13. Dream Meanings
If you dream about having a girl while pregnant, you will wind up having a boy and vice versa.

have had crazy dreams, but none about the sex of the baby

BOY = 6

GIRL = 2

INDIFFERENT = 5

Looks like there's a 50/50 chance!! HA HA!!

It's a ....

BABY!!! Yep, you read that right. Baby Riddle is due to arrive sometime on or around August 25, 2012. It's kind of crazy to think about! I am not really sure about the timing, but one thing I've learned over the past couple of years is that MY timing and GOD'S timing are two different things, and that GOD'S timing is ALWAYS much better than mine. We decided about 2 years ago now that if we were going to move to another country to share the Gospel of Christ, it might be good for Briggs to have a sibling. We just thought it would make the transition easier and give him someone to play with. We sought to make it happen quickly, because after all, once Aaron graduated from seminary, we planned to be headed somewhere overseas with the IMB. Notice a lot of "we's" in there? Well, we doesn't equal God! Anyway, after nearly a year and a half of hoping, praying, pleading, and trying to get pregnant, we decided that it must not be in God's will for us.... so we quit trying. I literally prayed, "not my will be done, but yours Lord." I was content with not having another child. It's hard to say that, but I had gotten to the point where I knew in my heart my family as I knew it was complete. Imagine my surprise when the pregnancy test came back positive. I thought it was a fluke. When a second test came back positive, I began to wonder if it really was correct. Then a third test was positive, I knew there really was no denying it. I still had a little doubt tucked away in the back of my mind though. I finally made it to the doctor this week, and after receiving a sweet little picture of this baby, I finally, completely opened myself up to believe that it is really happening.

So back to the timing. Well, right now we are not even living in our own place. Our boxes of stuff are still packed and our furniture is still in storage. We both work jobs, but still could use a little more income, especially in light of the fact that we have started a non-profit organization and are raising money for it. Planning trips to Guatemala.... I could continue to list reasons why I think the timing is all wrong, but I won't. I won't because it doesn't matter what I think about the timing. What matters is that God's timing is best, and that for whatever His reason, He has chosen to bless us now with another miracle of life. God uses this life I live to speak to me daily, to draw me closer to Him. I am thankful for His grace, His timing, His life, and that He chooses to use those things in my life daily.

Thank You, Creator Lord, for this precious life. Thank You, Awesome God, for Your PERFECT timing. Thank You, Almighty, for knowing what I need better than I do.

As the words from one of my favorite songs say:

"Glory to God, Glory to God, Glory to God, Forever. Take my life and let it be all for You and for Your glory. Take my life and let it be Yours."

Neglected

Yep, this blog has become rather neglected lately. I just can't seem to get my thoughts out on paper - so to speak - or screen, I guess I should say. I always tell myself, oh, yeah, I need to blog about that, and then somehow a day passes, then two, then before I know it, a month, two, three. I've got to get better about blogging, not so much for the few who read, but mostly for me, as the blog as been a great way for me to share things and be able to look back at how God has worked in my life or remember specific seasons of life we are in. I suppose it's a journal for me, only it's online and public. My goal is to blog at least once a month, preferably more. We'll see how that goes!