3 Strands

Whoooaaa, We're Half-way There!

2012-01-31T18:29:00.000-05:00

I hope that you have all had a chance to enjoy some of the crazy beautiful weather we are experiencing across the Midwest lately! Today we topped off at 57 degrees and totally took advantage of it. Fisher and I cruised all over town with the windows down while we ran lots of errands. One of which was a grocery trip where a sweet little lady asked if Fisher was getting a brother or sister. She surprised me and I had to think a second before responding. She seriously made my day! If you really want to make a pregnant woman smile, ask her about that cute baby bump! As long as it's obviously a baby bump, of course. ;)

Munchkin and Momma at 20 weeks!

Halfway to meeting the munchkin!

Grace & Peace,

Family Expansion

2012-01-22T22:36:00.000-05:00

I realize that I have not officially shared our not-so-recent-anymore news here. So in case you haven't heard, or noticed our new count down ticker at the bottom of this page (scroll down and look, then come back and read), we are expecting McIlvain baby #2 to arrive in June!

We are nearly half way through this pregnancy already and my mind is completely blown by how fast it has gone! I guess having a toddler tends to be a distraction. Although, my baby bump seems to have grown larger and sooner this time, and this little Munchkin started kicking up a storm (not just fluttering) a full 5 weeks earlier than Fisher did. We are having so much fun watching the baby wriggle and roll!

We have been taking pictures each week of the progression of baby's growth. I'll try to share them with you every so often. Our anatomy scan (ultrasound) is scheduled in a few weeks and we plan to learn pink or blue, so we'll be sure to keep you updated!

Munchkin and Momma, 18 weeks and 5 days!

Grace and Peace,

How We Save Introduction

2012-01-21T14:18:00.000-05:00

The How We Save blog series introduction:

Something that is often on my mind and in our conversations is ways in which we can save money and plan for the future. As relatively new college graduates, not-quite-newly weds, new parents, and an one income family, this subject is important to us. Few of these ideas have been mine, so I'll be sure to give you lots of links to follow so that you can learn more. I also plan to try to calculate exactly how much we save doing each of these things.

A quick preview...

The BIGGEST things for us:

1. Cloth diapers. Do your research! These are not your grand-momma's dunk, swish, soak, bleach, pin, rubber-pant-covered, leak a lot diapers anymore! I've written about our love for fluff before, here. From birth to potty training we will be saving thousands of dollars on diapering. Especially when you take into account that the diapers we already own will be used on more than one child.

2. Set a monthly budget. At the end of every month Josh and I sit down after Fisher is in bed. We reevaluate how that month's budget went and make out our budget for the next month, keeping in mind areas where we over budgeted or went over what was budgeted. The biggest area this helps us with is eating out. During our college years we formed horrible habits of eating out with friends and wasting lots of money. I'll tell you more about the plan we have installed in order to break this habit.

Other little things that add up big time:

Breastfeeding
Homemade baby foods
Meal planning & grocery list
Cooking real food in general
Homemade cleaning products
Homemade toiletries
At home haircuts
Cold water laundry
Line drying laundry
Bulk cooking & shopping sales
Freezing and canning food
Buying used - thrift stores & garage/yard sales
Bi-Annual children's consignment events - buying and selling
Library - books, movies, music
Coupons
DIYs - make it yourself
Make do and mend - sewing & patching
Make do without - cable & creative entertainment
Borrowing & loaning items
Accepting heirloom, used, hand-me-down items
Recycling & Reusing
Gardening - and composting
Collecting rain water

July 2011-Fisher needed a snack in the middle of our family photo session. Love it!

Grace & Peace,

Fabulous Firsts

2011-12-05T16:28:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to get this post done for SO long! The last few months have been a whirlwind for us. Despite all the chaos we've hit a couple of exciting milestones that I'd love to share with you!

On the 14th of November Fisher turned 1 year old. Can you believe it??? We celebrated on his actual birth day with a balloon, a gift, and a spaghetti dinner. He loves his spaghetti! I think it makes him feel like a big boy because Mommy and Daddy are eating it too. With his allergies, it is one of the few meals we can all eat.

Mmm mmm good!

It's my birthday, I do what I want.

At some point I want to share the beautiful story of how our little prince came into this world. However, I am a little more busy these days, so I don't want to get your hopes up.

Because....9 days after his birthday Fisher started crawling! It is just like him to do things in his own timing (and in His timing). He loves to keep his momma in suspense for as long as possible.

Entertaining himself on the way to Thanksgiving in Ohio. It was a sea of pink tissues in the back seat.

We will be back in Kansas this month to celebrate Christmas with our family. We hope to see as many of you as possible on our visit. We have been so very very blessed by your prayers, support, and encouragement over this past year, thank you!

Grace & Peace,

Psalm of Praise

2011-09-28T15:14:00.000-04:00

Shout with joy to God, all the earth!

Sing the glory of his name;

make his praise glorious!

Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!

So great is your power

That your enemies cringe before you.

All the earth bows down to you;

they sing praise to you,

they sing praise to your name."

Come and see what God has done,

how awesome his works in man's behalf!

He turned the sea into dry land,

they passed through the waters on foot --

come, let us rejoice in him.

He rules forever by his power,

his eyes watch the nations --

let not the rebellious rise up against him.

Praise our God, O peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard;

he has preserved our lives

and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, O God, tested us;

you refined us like silver.

You brought us into prison

and laid burdens on our backs.

You let men ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us to a place of abundance.

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings

and fulfill my vows to you --

vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke

when I was in trouble.

I will sacrifice fat animals to you

and an offering of rams;

I will offer bulls and goats.

Come and listen, all you who fear God;

let me tell you what he has done for me.

I cried out to him with my mouth;

his praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened;

but God has surely listened

and heard my voice in prayer.

Praise be to God,

who has not rejected my prayer

or withheld his love from me!

-Psalm 66

1. Giggles and chuckles.

2. Like-mindedness.

3. YouTube.

4. Yahweh's gentle, loving providence.

5. Joy in the Morning.

6. Rain when so much of the land is in drought.

7. My Momma's new skill of texting.

8. Skype.

9. David Nevue's sweet talent.

10.

Grace & Peace,

Gratitude

2011-09-14T12:30:00.001-04:00

1. 10 months of Mommyhood.
2. Hidden 'I love you' sticky notes.
3. Cheerio breath.
4. Grace and peace and joy.
4. A preview of Autumn temperatures.
5. John
6. A fluffy tush paired with soft Leg Huggers.
7. God's good, pleasing, and perfect will.
8. Craisins cranberries.
9. Nap time.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

What are you grateful for today?

Grace & peace,
T

(Almost) 10 months!

2011-09-13T21:34:00.003-04:00

Okay, so tomorrow my little Muffin with be 10 months old! How did this happen so quickly? He has almost a whole year of life under his belt...err, diaper. Where does that expression come from anyway? I cannot believe he will be considered a toddler in two short months!

So here's the scoop on our little man.

- At his 9 month check up he weighed 18lbs. 6oz. and measured 29 inches long. So he's probably slightly more hefty now.
- Fisher says "Mama" to me, and whenever he is upset or just plain dissatisfied with life. He says "Dada" to Josh, and whenever he is happy and playing. He has also started to say "blah blah blah blah", we don't really understand that one yet. It is a tie between, "bye-bye" and "banana". I also think he told me "hi" today, but probably not. :)
- He LOVES to clap his hands when we say "Yaaaay, Fisher!" He also claps at the right times when I sing "When you're happy and you know it" to him.
- He loves music. So much so that we don't take him to the nursery in church until the worship set is over. He's my little rockstar. :)
- He is a champion sitter....and that's it. He loves to sit and play for hours.
- His personality is so chill and content and he is happiest when there are a lot of people around.
- His favorite thing to do right now is to throw all of his Weebles, Little People, and balls out of reach and then do one of two things. He will either wave his arms around yelling "ma ma" at them (aka- "Mom, seriously, do you not see that I need a little help over here?"), or he will purposely fall over and then roll around in his mess of toys.
- He does not like pureed food very much anymore. He wants the "real food". He will eat a whole banana in one sitting if we let him. Other finger foods that he loves are mangoes, peaches, carrots, watermelon, Cheerios, beans, and pasta.
- His hair is coming in strawberry-blonde like Daddy's and his eye color is settling on Mommy's blue.

Aaand I think that's all the updates for now. Of course I could go on and on about my little Muffin, but I'll just stop and let you admire this picture instead. :)

Another of Fisher's favorite activities is throwing around Mommy's freshly folded and stuffed diapers.

Grace & Peace,

Hair Training Day 1

2011-09-13T00:03:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer; This post and those in this series are likely to bore you. For that reason, I am intentionally keeping them short and to the point. Feel free to stop reading now, particularly if you are of the male gender. ;)

...Because I have nothing better to blog about lately and I'm all about trying new things, especially when it means beating the "system" and going natural.

So I read this blog the other day about Un-Pooing your hair. Aka-Not using shampoo to clean your hair. See here at Reformation Acres.

Also the other day, I was looking at old pictures and realized how stinkin' awesome my hair was pre-pregnancy! Long, curly, voluminous, and most of all easy to maintain! So I am on a mission to reclaim my locks to their full potential.

Step 1: Wash less, a lot less (yes, with shampoo because I'm not about to waste what I paid good money for). My goal is to be able to wash my hair once a week and not have it turn into a hot mess of greasiness. I've gotten close to this before, it is a long process but SO possible!

Day 1: Freshly washed, defused, and scrunched (all upside-down). Take note of the dryness, the uneven wave-curl-straight disbursement, and the lack of root volume. Bleh!

Grace and peace,
T

Rejoice is the Word

2011-08-23T11:29:00.002-04:00

I shared with you awhile ago that I am trying to learn to live each day in the Spirit of gratitude. Hence my 1,000 Gifts post. Today I am adding a twist to my list. Quite honestly I have not been writing on paper my gifts. I need accountability! What better place to find that than the Word? Remembering that...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5

Today I am starting a series of word studies. Everyday I will be reading and praying through a different passage in the Bible that speaks of rejoicing. Today's passage is in Deuteronomy.

There, in the presence of of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 12:7

1. Cicadas buzzing in the Walnut trees.

2. A peacefully napping little man.

3. Pandora's Veggietales and Brooke Fraser stations.

4. Easier breathing, Mucinex, & Benedryl.

5. Pinterest.com
6. wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com

7. Muffin's crinkle-nose-one-tooth smile.

Grace & Peace,

Pick-a-lickles

2011-08-10T12:36:00.000-04:00

Here are the pickling cucumbers we purchased at our Farmer's Market this weekend.

(Mixed with grape tomatoes which I don't think were home grown. Lame.)

Here is the finished product. Well, almost finished; they need to sit and ferment for a couple weeks before they are really yummy.

This was so fast and easy. I'm excited to start canning more than just pickles some day.

Here is the recipe(ish) that I followed. I had a little over one pound of cucumbers and fit all but one little guy into this quart Mason jar. I used my own spices (lots of minced garlic & dill fronds) and cut back the sugar a tid bit. Also, I used the boil method of sanitizing and sealing the jar. I'll let you know how they taste once they are ready. :)

Grace & Peace,

Mc'ventures

2011-08-06T22:31:00.000-04:00

Hello again! You've probably noticed that we haven't been keeping this blog updated lately; I promise we've had good reason...

...and here it is:

During the past 4+ weeks we have been traveling practically cross-country to see most of you. We set out for our home sweet homeland on July 1st, drove 12 hours straight, rested for a few days, and then the craziness began. Josh spent the last four Sundays preaching the Gospel and speaking about the ministry we do with Navs at BSU at various churches in Kansas. During the weekdays in between we lived out of our car, out of our suitcases, and shared other peoples' houses. We got to meet with many of our wonderful supporters face to face and hear about their lives (thank you all for being so encouraging to us!). We got to catch up with lots of friends and family whom we have not seen in far too long. We had a blast getting our first family pictures taken (check out J.Bloss Photography if you live near Wellsville).Fisher grew his first tooth and added "Da-da" to his vocabulary (he's been saying "Ma-ma" for a couple of months now). ;) We got to celebrate my JoMomma's birthday with her, and we got to have our first baby-free date as we celebrated our 2nd anniversary. Woohoo, look at us go! After a looong and tiresome drive (that's supposed to be funny because we did pop a tire on the interstate...ugh, Missouri roads) we got home safe and sound Wednesday night.

Our time in Kansas was abundant with blessings and encouragement, but we are very very much happy to be home and in our own space again. Thank you to all of you who we got to spend time with, we love you all!

Grace & Peace,
T

Upcoming posts:
~Today's Farmer's Market haul
~My Pickle Making Adventure
~More of my 1,000 Gifts list

1000 Gifts

2011-06-13T11:31:00.007-04:00

Read this aloud:

"I was created to give praise to the Father."

How simple that is, and so refreshing.

You'll notice something new at the bottom of this blog today. I've been drinking from a new spring of wisdom and grace lately. I came upon A Holy Experience a few weeks ago when a friend shared a link about homeschooling in our MOPS group. Just last night I realized that the author of the blog has recently written a book, One Thousand Gifts. I have not read it yet, but I so look forward to cracking open a fresh copy and allowing her words to encourage me toward living fully in Christ, living in grace, and choosing to let the power of gratefulness transform my days.

This is a new beginning in my life. I invite you to start here with me by taking time to list one thousand gifts God has given you. Take as long as you like, do it however you want. Look into this book, and dip into the Word daily.

My list starts here with just what's on my mind. In no particular order of importance:

Gift #1-Open windows in the middle of an Indiana June--curtains blowing--bird songs drifting in.

Gift #2-One peacefully napping bouncy baby boy.

Gift #3-Music strung with transparency, Spirit, Scripture, and grace (Brooke Fraser Pandora Station).

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness;

I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High. (Psalm 7:17)

Grace & Peace,

A long time ago...

2011-06-08T21:28:00.000-04:00

Here's what I've been up to.

Sith, watch out. Here I come.

Grace and peace,

Unexpected. Unforgettable.

2011-06-05T21:49:00.007-04:00

Last week we explored the great unknown that is otherwise known as Southern Indiana. We stumbled upon a town called Columbus and though it was Sunday, and most of the shops were closed, the downtown area was very pleasant to walk around. We look forward to more family adventures to Columbus some day. Especially now that we know about this gem of a place!

Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor

As I mentioned, we were taking a nice stroll downtown and of course spying into windows of closed bakeries, boutiques, and businesses. Then all of a sudden we spot this beautiful door and notice the "open" sign. It was about dinner time, so of course we had to go in. Just look at this beautiful place!!!
I do not remember ever feeling so much like a child in awe as I did when we walked in that door! My eyes lit up, my smile stretch bigger than it has been in a long time and stuck that way, and of course I was super giddy. Josh can testify. ;)

Fisher, enjoying his first Vanilla Phosphate (not really though).

Please notice that adorable paper straw!

My little hometown had an old-fashioned soda fountain in the drug store when I was a kiddo. I spent nearly every day of my childhood summers there, sipping on vanilla phosphates, and slurping down lime freezes. I recently learned that the fountain was removed and I think a little piece of my love for Wellsville died, I literally pooched my lip and stomped my foot when I heard the news.

After we ordered our food and I exclaimed for the gazillionth time, "I LOVE THIS PLACE," I had another childhood flashback. For awhile it was a family tradition around Christmas time to go to the Martin City Melodrama, where not only were the shows hilarious and they had saw dust on the floors, but they served Green Rivers! Oh dear, how I love them!

The Artisan Grilled Cheese with Avocado

This was hands down the best sandwich I have ever sunk my teeth into! Provolone cheese, fresh tomato slices, and tons of avocado fused together between two pieces of Parmesan crusted bread. You know that crunchy goodness that happens when you bake nachos and some of the cheese falls onto the pan? Yes, that is what the outside of this sandwich tasted like. Aaaamazing!

Josh's burger & fries.

Upon being interviewed, Josh said, "I've only ever had a burger with better quality meat at one other place, The Paddock, in Eureka." So there you have it, if you are familiar with The Paddock, then hopefully you know what he's talking about. :)

Apple Crumb Pie a la mode

Typically when we finish a meal out, I'm not up for dessert. However, Josh usually is (he has enough sweet tooth for the both of us). This day was no different. He ordered this delish concoction and as usual, I ended up "tasting" it. Aka-I ate half of it because it was SO good! Imagine the gooey-est apple crisp + a flaky pie crust + a huge scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream on top. Yumtastic!

My boys. :) Fisher loved all the lights, music, and people. But especially his daddy-time. :)

Conclusion: If you ever find yourself wandering around Southern Indiana on a Sunday afternoon, drop into Zaharakos and enjoy!

Grace and Peace,

Hi-Ho, the Derry-O!

2011-06-04T10:25:00.008-04:00

This morning has been wonderful and marks the beginning of my favorite summer Saturday yet!

Fisher and I got going early (for us 8a.m. is super early) and headed for the Muncie Farmer's Market. Which has had me humming "The Farmer in the Dell" all morning. My goals were to beat the heat and find some fresh berries. I managed the first and was surprised to find not a single berry vendor. I was thinking it is berry season, maybe only for grocery store produce Anyway, we did make some other purchases that I am mildly proud of.

One heirloom yellow pear tomato plant: $1. I plan to plant him in the back yard tomorrow and rig up one beastly tomato cage/contraption to deter rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, and opossums. I am open to suggestions!!!!

6 lbs. fresh ground round: $22. This is the second time we have purchased meat from these folks out of Middletown. Last time I was amazed at how much better it looks, smells while cooking, and tastes compared to store-bought meat. Plus, it is hormone and filler free, which makes this momma very happy.

1 large bag of fresh cut mystery greens: $2. The cheery lady (who very much resembled a 25 yr. old version of my aunt Kem) told me what all is in there, but all I remember is "something, red something, & something Arugula." Whatever it is, it tasted great on the turkey wrap I fixed for brunch. I also love that her daughter helped her pick, wash, and bag it this morning. So cute! They were a delight to talk to.

I hope to make a trip to the market once a week and plan to keep you updated on the goods we come across. If you have a farmer's market in your area, PLEASE take advantage of it! The people are great, the food is fresh and healthy, and buying local in general is just SO much better all around!

Grace & Peace,

Ins & Outs

2011-05-27T11:45:00.007-04:00

This morning I was lounging on my big cushy couch in a peacefully quiet house, next to a dear friend, and listening to the birds chirp outside. Then I just realized that I have not updated the blog in a loooong time.

So here are the ins and outs of what has been going on with the McIlvain's this summer:

-Two weeks ago Josh spent a week at Glen Eyrie for EDGE Summit. He very much enjoyed the fellowship of our EDGE classmates and the encouraging messages and ministry training he received. Meanwhile, Fisher and I spent some time in Kansas visiting with some of my dearest friends in Manhattan and KC. On his 6 month birthday, Fisher finally got to meet his Great-Grandma and cousins down in Camdenton for the first time. It was so refreshing to see them and to catch up, but it was also one very busy week for this momma. Needless to say, we enjoyed our mini family reunion at the airport sooo much!

Fisher and Great Grandma Reed

-The next day we tested the limits of Boaz's trunk and backseat space with three adults, a baby, and all our stuff, and made the 12 hour trek back to Muncie. You can imagine how fussy we all were, it wasn't just Fisher. :)

-After one day's rest we hit the road again (this time in 2 cars) for destination SpringHill 2011! Woo! Our region spends 3 weeks at a camp outside of Seymour, Indiana for their Summer Training Program. The students spend their time studying the Bible, connecting in constant fellowship, working for the camp, receiving evangelism training, and evangelizing at IU.

-Now 1.5 weeks after arriving at SpringHill, Fisher and I are taking a few days at home for some much needed r&r, and enjoying a visit from his Auntie Lys.

What's to come:

-There is one more week of the STP left. After that we will be home as a family for the rest of June. I anticipate this to be a sweet time of finally just us for the first time in a month.

- When July rolls around we will journey back to Kansas and float around the state for a few weeks visiting friends and family, but mostly raising support, speaking at churches, and catching up with current supporters.

We hope to see many of you in a few weeks!

Fisher is excited to see you too! :)

Grace and Peace,

Laundry Detergent Adventure!

2011-04-18T19:42:00.007-04:00

As promised, here is the account of my experience with making laundry detergent. Since my hubs just wrote such a lengthy and detailed post, I figured I would keep this one simple. :)

Step 1:

Grate 1 bar of Fels-Naptha.

Step 2:

Combine with 4C hot water and heat on medium until fully melted.

Step 3:

Fill a 5gal bucket half way with hot water. (Not really picture worthy).

Step 4:

Add 1C Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, 1/2C Borax, and the melted soap to the bucket. Stir well.

Step 5:

Fill the bucket the rest of the way with hot water. Stir. Cover overnight.

Step 6:

Fill detergent container half way with the detergent and half way with water. We are re-using milk cartons. Shake before each use as it will separate.

This makes 10 gallons of detergent, smells great, and works well too!

Grace & Peace,

Oxidation Removal

2011-04-15T18:20:00.002-04:00

A few weekends ago, Andrew Zimmer and Casey Arbuckle came to visit Tiffany and I, and brought their bikes. Andrew and I set about cleaning the bikes, while Casey and Tiffany did whatever girls do during such times. I shall now recount what Andrew and I have learned about cleaning rust off a bike.

First, it's best to avoid rust in the first place. Don't ride your bike on the roads when road salt has been recently put down. Whenever you get your bike dirty, rinse it and let it dry. Keep it well oiled (we'll cover that a little further down). But eventually, your bike will begin to rust anyway. Here's how to clean some of the major areas.

Assemble your necessary tools. I use CLR for the tough rust, PC2000 for a "penetrating lubricant" (your local bike shop should have something similar that dissolves surface rust and lubricates), and Tri-Flo for a light oil. I also used a bucket, a scrub pad, and a wire brush. (I also used a bike multi-tool, but forgot to put it in the picture).

To begin working on the bike, I don't have a bike stand, so I just turn my bike upside down, resting on the seat and the handle bars, so that the wheels can spin freely. Here is a picture of the drive train while the bike is upside down.

There were several parts o f my bike that got rusty and needed cleaned, but the chain was what I was most concerned about, and I wanted to soak it in CLR, so I took it off first. Having the chain off also makes it easier to clean most of the other parts I needed to clean.

There are two types of bike chains. Normal chains have links that are all exactly alike, and require a chain tool to remove. Fancy chains have a special link that is easy to remove with a pair of pliers. I have a normal chain, so I'll show you how to use a chain tool. You can get a good bike multi-tool for about $15, and if you do, make sure that it includes a chain tool.

To use the chain tool to remove a chain, first unscrew the point of the tool until there is room for a link to fit between the point and the end of the tool, and place the link in the gap as shown below. The point should line up with the pin that holds two of the links together. Slowly tighten the point so that it pushes the pin most of the way out of the links. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you don't let the pin go all the way out of the links, because it is very hard to get it back in. You want to push it far enough so that it is only in the far side of the outside link. When you get close, you should feel the pressure it takes to push the pin increase slightly, because the pins are made slightly larger on the ends (this is to make it less likely for the pin to come all the way out, but it is also what makes it hard to get them back in). A good technique is to push the pin out unti it is almost all the way out (you can tell when it the amount showing is almost as much as the width of the chain), and as you approach, periodically remove the chain from the tool, and see if the links will come apart yet. You can wiggle the links side to side a little, but don't do it much because you don't want to bend your links.

Once the links are separated, pull the chain through the gears and remove it from the bike. Then, put it in the bottom of a bucket. Pour enough CLR into the bucket to cover the chain, and let it soak. I also like to shake it around vigorously to help shake the rust off. I've been told that an empty 2-liter pop bottle also works well, because you can put the cap on and give it a good shake. A drawback would be that it would take more CLR to cover the chain while it soaks.

After the chain has soaked for a while, take it out and use the scrub pad to scrub at any lingering rust spots on the chain. Then, if you like, you can soak the chain in CLR for a second time to get it really clean. When you're done, rinse the chain off under a hose, and make sure to get all the CLR off. Then dry the chain.

This method should easily remove surface rust from your chain. Andrew's chain had some pretty deep rust, and still had some links that wouldn't move well even after a few soaking sessions. He worked on these with the pliers, and even tried putting some pins in and out using the chain tool, was able to get the chain into a working condition. If your chain is really bad, remember that chains are not meant to last the entire lifetime of your bike, they are replaceable and not too expensive.

While your chain is soaking, look for other rusty spots on your bike. Pay special attention to areas that get wet or are near your chain, and areas that need to move. I found that all my gears needed some work. I've got pictures of my rear derailler and my disc brake system, which I found needed some cleaning. To clean the rust off these, I put a little CLR on a scrub pad and scrubbed the area, then rinsed off the CLR. For areas with only light rust, I used the penetrating lubricant, and that seemed to do the job well.

To clean my disc brake pads, I took my rear wheel off, then removed the pads from their housing. This picture is the housing with out the pads.

Here is one of my brake pads. I scrubbed it with CLR on a scrub pad, and got it shiny like new. Again, make sure to rinse it off well. If you remove your brake pads, make sure to put them back in before riding your bike.

The actual discs of my disc brakes also had some rust spots, and these took some intense scrubbing with the scrub pad to get clean.

Both my front and rear gears had heavy rust, and this is where the wire brush came in. I dipped the brush in CLR, then scrubbed hard with the wire brush. The bristles were good to get down in the grooves of the gears, especially on the rear ones. I followed this with the scrub pad, and a good rinsing. (In this picture, the chain is on because I forgot to take a picture of the gears while the chain is off. You really want to clean the gears with the chain off.)

Once you're satisfied with how clean everything is, it's time to put the chain back on. Make sure that all the CLR is rinsed off of all your bike parts, and they've had a chance to dry out. Then, get out your chain tool.

Thread the chain back through your drive train. If you don't remember exactly how your chain goes, you can refer to the second picture I showed you. Bring the two ends of the chain together, and put the links together. Place the chain back in your chain tool, with the pin pointing towards the point of your tool. It may take a little adjusting to get the pin to line up correctly, so if you have a friend, now is the time to ask them for a hand, and have them hold the chain together while you line things up. Then, tighten the chain tool so that the point pushes the pin back into the links.

With your chain back on, check to make sure it passes through everything correctly, turning the pedals a few times to make sure everything is working properly.

Now it's time to lube up. Everything you cleaned is now free of rust, but it's also free of lubrication, which your bike needs in order to run well. I used the PC2000 penetrating lubricant to lubricate most areas, because it is in a spray can and has an applicator tube, making it easy to apply.

From what I understand, the penetrating lubricant is good for getting rid of rust, but it doesn't last as long as a light oil like Tri-Flo. (I'm told the PC2000 would last 4-5 days of riding, and the Tri-Flow about a month of riding.) So, for the areas I could reach with the Tri-Flo bottle, especially the chain, I used the Tri-Flo. I tried to put a little dot on each link. It's important to do this when everything's as dry as you can get it, so that the oil goes deep. Once you've got the chain lubed up, turn the pedals several times to let the chain work oil into the gears as well.

After you've lubricated you bike, it's important to wipe each area to remove any extra oil or grease. Your bike needs the lubrication to function smoothly, but too much will actually make your bike collect dirt and grit faster, clogging up the works.

Once your bike is clean, flip it over and ride! Taking the time to keep your bike in good shape will be a great benefit in the long run.

grace and peace,
J

5 Months!

2011-04-14T22:46:00.000-04:00

Today is my little Muffin's 5 month birthday! To celebrate, he had his first taste of something other than Mommy's milk, homemade rice cereal.

Just so you know, he gets that "yuck" face from Daddy. ;)

Grace & Peace,

Hoosier Spring

2011-04-13T12:33:00.006-04:00

It is official, Spring is here! Yes, I am aware that it has officially been Spring for a little while now, but it didn't hit Indiana until last week. What makes it Spring in my book? So glad you asked!

1) We hit 80° on Sunday and took a nice long river walk.

2) My Daffodils have bloomed and are now giving the dining room some cheery color.

3) My Tulips told me "Good Morning!" this morning.

4) I have an unusual burst of desire to clean EVERYTHING. Partial motivation comes from all the sneezing we've been doing lately.

Aaand, well, that's all I can really come up with right now.

On the topic of cleaning, keep your eye out for a post about my experience with making our own laundry detergent. I started this morning!

Also coming soon is the start of Fisher's adventure with complementary foods on his 5 month birthday tomorrow!

Grace & Peace,

Music Critique: Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G Minor

2011-03-22T22:28:00.000-04:00

Hi, I'm Fisher, and this is my first blog post! My dad was playing music for me today, and I had some thoughts about it that I wanted to share with all of you. Let me know if you agree or disagree -- my comments on the piece are open for discussion.

grace and peace,

F

Restaurant Review: Sitara

2011-03-07T17:22:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday night Tiffany and I visited Sitara, a new Indian restaurant here in Muncie. Tiffany met the wife of the owner at MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers), and we decided to go check it out.

The atmosphere was fun, they played light Indian music and had simple decor and a few pictures. The service was ok, the guy who was supposed to be our waiter never actually took our order or refilled our drinks. After sitting there for a while, the girl working the register noticed we hadn't been served, so she came and took our order. To be fair, I think the waiter was distracted by a large group that came in just after us. The prices were fair, no more than you'd expect to pay at an average sit-down restaurant, with most entrees in the $10-$15 range. The staff seemed very nice, one came and talked with Tiffany for a while about Fisher.

When you order your entree, they ask if you'd like it mild, medium, or spicy. In general, I'm not a big fan of spicy food, but apparently Indian spicy isn't a hot spicy but more of a sweet spicy, so under a little coercion from my wife, I went with medium, and I'm glad I did.

Tiffany got a mango lassi, sort of like a mango smoothie but thinner and milkier.

We shared a garlic naan, a sort of Indian bread cooked in a tandoor oven. It reminded me of pizza, with no sauce or cheese or toppings. They had other naans available, including plain or butter flavored, but I think that without the garlic it would have been pretty bland.

I got the amchuri murgh (top). It's chicken cooked in a a creamy mango and curry sauce, with some onions and peppers thrown in, served with rice. I thought it was great! The sauce was awesome, and we also used it to dip the naan in, which made a good combo. Tiffany got the chicken biryani (bottom). It's curried chicken mixed with rice and nuts. Both of us, at one point in our entree, found a single crunchy something with overwhelmingly strong flavor. We suspect that these were curry leaves, because the taste seemed to be an intense version of the taste in the rest of the dish.

Overall, I give the place a thumbs up! Great food, with a little growing to do on the service (which I'm sure will happen as the staff gets more experience). If you live in Muncie, check it out some time! It's in the same parking lot as the Marsh at the corner of Wheeling and McGalliard.

grace and peace,

Book Worms

2011-03-05T20:48:00.005-05:00

If you know me very well, you know that I really do not like to read. I loved to as a kiddo, but quickly found that there were more exciting ways to pass the time once I got to high school.

Then of course there was college; the phase of my life when I was forced to read practically non-stop. It is a fact that even your favorite foods are impossible to enjoy when they are shoved down your throat. Aaaaand that's how I feel about that. Moving on....

Since marrying Josh, who happens to be a bookaholic, I have starting to enjoy an occasional book here and there. We are blessed to have an amazing public library system where we live now, and I am blessed to have an abundance of time for reading (can I get an "amen" from the nursing mommas?). I am becoming quite a little book worm!

So anyways here are the books we are currently reading:

"Spiritual Midwifery" by Ina May Gaskin, "A Midwife's Story" by Penny Armstrong & Sheryl Feldman, and "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth" by Ina May Gaskin

Hopefully it is obvious that the above is MY current reading list. Haha! If you look up anything about Ina May, yes, she is a hippie to the max! One must know how to "take the corn and leave the cob alone" when reading her material. However, she is a great pioneer in the way of bringing midwifery back to America. Midwifery and everything childbirth related has recently become a strong passion of mine.

"Epiphany of the Long Sun" (second in "The Book of the Long Sun") by Gene Wolfe and "Generous Justice" by Timothy Keller

I asked and Josh has nothing to say about his current book list, but I'm sure that does not speak to the quality of the books. I do know that these are two of his favorite authors though. Gene Wolfe writes Sci-Fi and Tim Keller pens theological material.

Grace & Peace,

Unwrapped

2011-03-04T10:45:00.002-05:00

This is how I found my little muffin this morning.
He was so proud of himself.

It may be time to try sleeping like a big boy...unwrapped.

DIY: Poo-B-Gone

2011-03-01T16:42:00.002-05:00

Baby Rule #1 - What goes in, must come out.

And when it comes out, it ends up in our cloth diapers. Because we wash our diapers, and don't want to overload our washer with poop, it has become necessary on occasion to rinse the "output" into the toilet. Enter, diaper sprayer.

A diaper sprayer is just a sink sprayer attached to the incoming water line of your toilet. I did some research on the internet and found that to buy a pre-made diaper sprayer from a company would cost $40+. Being on a budget, and having the desire to learn more handyman type work, I decided to make one myself. All the parts I used together cost a little under $30.

I went to Lowe's, and wandered around until I found the plumbing section. After a few minutes of staring blankly at all the parts and pieces, I was asked by a friendly and helpful Lowe's associate, "Can I help you?" Not wanting to get into a discussion about spraying poop, I just informed him that I wanted to install a sink sprayer onto a water line that did not already have one. He took me to the sink sprayers, and showed me the options. I said again that I wanted to install one on a water line that did not already have a sprayer (the sprayers in those packs are just to replace sprayers that are broken). After a few minutes of useless conversation, I thanked him for his time and walked around the isle to get him off my tail. Deciding to figure it out for myself. An hour or so later, I left Lowe's empty handed, having found that they did not have the parts I needed.

Here's the situation. The standard water input line to a toilet (or a sink for that matter) has a 3/8" shutoff valve, then a 3/8" tube or pipe that runs to the toilet. However, there is not just one sort of measurement for pipe threads. The standard shutoff valve for the toilet is 3/8" compression thread, marked on adapters and such as "OD" for "outer diameter." Sink sprayers use a 1/4" iron pipe thread, specifically they end in a female iron pipe thread, or "FIP." So, the difficulty is finding the right pieces to connect a 3/8" OD to a 1/4" FIP. Lowe's (at least the one in Muncie) doesn't have these pieces, but Home Depot did, and these are the pieces I used. (Click any image to see an enlarged version)

Top: This piece is 1/4" MIP (male iron pipe) on one end, to connect to the sprayer, and 1/4" OD on the other end, to connect to the hose I'll use.

Middle: This piece is a shutoff valve, 1/4" OD on both ends. It is important to include a shutoff valve in your line, because a sink sprayer is not designed to handle constant pressure. Make sure to shut off the water supply to your diaper sprayer when you're not using it.

Bottom: T-splice. This piece goes in between the 3/8" OD shutoff valve and the water line to your toilet, adding a 1/4" OD output that you connect the new hose to.

Left: Two icemaker supply line cables, 1/4" ID (female compression threads). I guess they don't make adapters with female compression thread on both ends, which is what I need to connect the T-splice to the shutoff valve I'm adding, and the shutoff valve to the adapter which connects to the sprayer. So, I used two icemaker supply cables.

Right: Sink sprayer. I opted to get a pretty good one, you could save a few bucks by using a slightly lower quality one and still get good use out of it.

A wrench. You need to make sure all your connections are tight, but do not over tighten. Tightening them past the point where the threads stop can ruin your threads.

Once you have all the pieces you need, turn off the shutoff valve from the toilet's water supply line, and disconnect the tube to the toilet (have a bowl ready, the water in the line might run out when you disconnect it). EDIT: My wife reminded me that some people suggest flushing the toilet after turning off the water supply to get the water out of the top of the toilet. I haven't found this to be necessary, but it won't hurt.

Connect all the pieces together as shown. The sprayer connects to the larger end of the A-23 adapter, the smaller end of the adapter connects into one of the icemaker hoses. The shutoff valve connects the two icemaker hoses, and the last hose hooks onto the smaller end of the T-splice.

After you've got the pieces hooked up together, you can attach the T-splice to the shutoff valve you opened up, and put the supply to the toilet back on the top of the splice. Make sure these connections are tight.

After connecting everything, turn the main water supply back on, and let the toilet fill up before you try to use it again. Turn off the shutoff valve you added to the line whenever you're not using the sprayer, remember it's not made to handle that pressure, but you can keep the main shutoff valve open all the time just like normal. Here's what it looks like in action:

Part of being a man is being able to make a good diaper sprayer.

grace and peace,

J

Snow and Biscuits

2011-02-06T17:55:00.000-05:00

Snow

We took a family walk in the snow yesterday, and got to go sledding with some friends from Navs. Fisher seemed to enjoy his walk in the snow.

Biscuits.

I tried my hand at making unleavened bread from scratch, and they turned out well! A little limpy though, I need to work on the shaping part.

Grace and Peace,

Highlights

2011-02-02T12:28:00.007-05:00

I've been lacking in ideas of things to share with you. We're pretty dull around here sometimes. ;) So here are some of my favorite pictures from the last few days. I figure everyone loves pictures, especially those of babies. :)

Sunday afternoon nap with Daddy, my very favorite place to nap.

My first official "tummy time"...

Mommy was showing me how it's done.

Just thought this was pretty. Veggies for Chicken Cacciatore.

Yummy trail mix, my attempt to provide healthy snacks for us in this hibernation season.

Grace & Peace,

Thup! Thup! Thup!

2011-01-27T21:52:00.002-05:00

(Click for larger view)

O, Happy Day

2011-01-26T13:38:00.007-05:00

My Momma's Pre-K class!

Well today has been a nice and simple day for celebrating my birthday. My first present? Fisher slept 9 hours straight last night! He sure knows how to make his momma happy! Otherwise, I received many beautiful cards, one very sweet letter from a dear friend, and a small package from my Gramma containing some homemade cloth baby & mommy essentials.

I was especially un-excited about today, being so far from our friends and family. But today has turned out to be a day that has me thanking God for creating me and blessing me so abundantly.

I've been reflecting on this A LOT:

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from you presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:1-14)

My identity as a wife to a missionary and mother to a newborn is so confusing and overwhelming most days, but I'm learning to rest in the truth that God sees me differently than I see myself. He sees me perfectly. I must trust Him!

Grace and Peace,

We love fluff!

2011-01-25T09:28:00.011-05:00

I thought today I would share one of my obsessions with you. Actually everything baby is an obsession of mine, but lately cloth diapers have been at the top of my list.

DISCLAIMER: The following material is rated NM (nerdy mommy) and may appeal only to a very narrow audience. No offense is meant, nor judgement cast to you mommies who choose the "other route." Lol!

Our fluff stash: 24 BumGenius 3.0 OS (one size means adjustable rise), 2 Fuzzibuns, 2 Eco Bums, 2 Thirsties Duo Diapers OS, & 2 Happy Heiny OS.

A cloth diaper of the style we prefer (OS pockets) can range in price anywhere from $15-$25, and can always be found on sale. We've never paid full price for a dipe!

I let my inner nerd shine a little and did some math this morning to figure what we would be paying for disposables from birth to potty-using. To make this as realistic as possible I started with the brand and size we would be using now. Also, our pediatrician told us the average age of a fully potty-using boy is 3.5 years.

Here goes it:

A bulk pack of 228 diapers = $38.99 (size 2 Luvs @ Target)

At 12 diaper changes a day that lasts 19 days = 1.5 packs a month

That's $77.98 a month = $935.76 a year

Grand total by potty-using age = $3,275.16

Yikes! That doesn't include the fact that bigger sizes = a bigger price tag. Sure, we may purchase a few more dipes down the line, but it's highly unlikely that we will spend even $1,000 to diaper Fisher.

Another bonus is that they are so stinkin' cute! No pun intended. ;)

I've shared this on Facebook before, but I just get such a kick out of it, I couldn't resist sharing it with you lovely blog followers. :)

Grace and Peace,

Here Lately

2011-01-24T15:32:00.004-05:00

Greetings from the newly extended McIlvain family! I hope you'll forgive me for not keeping up with the blog these last few months. I'm sure you probably know, I'm a new mommy, and with that title brings lots of sleep deprivation, a messy home, and few-and-far-between free moments for writing. :) Our transition from newly-weds to "and baby makes 3" has had it's ups and downs, but far faaaaaar more ups!

Our son, Fisher Jeremiah, is now 10 weeks old! It brings me great joy to share this picture with you from his 2 month birthday. He LOVES his sock monkey from his Pop-pop.

Fisher is growing fast! He moved into his own bedroom just last night and slept like a little rockstar! At his 2 month check up we learned that he is 11lbs. 12oz., 23 1/4 in. long, and swiftly moving into the above average percentiles on all accounts. The Dr. was curious whether we're feeding him lead balls and Miracle Grow. Haha!

In other news, we officially have enough funds built up in our ministry account for Josh to start full-time with Navs! This is his last week working his part-time job and we are sooo excited! We are still pretty far from being 100% funded, but we are stable enough that Josh can be on campus through September 2011 before our account runs dry. Which leaves us with the summer break to do more fundraising and church-speaking.

We pray you and yours are staying safe and warm in this winter-wonderland-weather! That includes a cheerful attitude about the white build-up on the roads as well. ;)

Grace and peace,

Josh's Creepy Creation

2010-11-01T19:35:00.003-04:00

...because he wants to show off his sweet carving skills too. :)

Our Son (Updated)

2010-10-31T13:15:00.002-04:00

Baby Mac - 36.4 weeks

Tiny booties.

RAAAWR! We're getting him starting early on dinosaurs.

This is the first baby item we bought after we got married.

We had no plans for needing it so soon! God is good!

My old crib and the paper mobile I made for him.

Batty for Pumpkin Carving

2010-10-15T23:38:00.007-04:00

Last weekend we went to the pumpkin patch with some students. Josh enjoyed a corn maze, we let the wind blow through our hair on a hay ride, and left with this season's perfect McIlvain pumpkin. For part of our date night tonight, we let our creative juices flow freely.

Baby Mac wanted to get in on the action too...

A little of this & a little of that...

2010-10-14T16:05:00.004-04:00

Family and friends, near and far, you are warmly welcomed to our home!

A few quick updates and prayer requests:

~ Josh found a flexible part-time job at the FOP Call Center and has been working there for a few weeks now. It is perfect for supplementing our ministry funds and still allowing the ministry to be top priority.

~ A couple weeks ago I started meeting with two students to read the Bible. My prayer for them is that their eyes and hearts would be open to God's love. Also that I would be able to continually find my confidence in God's presence, and not worry about my inadequacies. I am very excited to start spending more time with these young women and to get to know them more!

Short 'n' Sweet

2010-10-05T18:40:00.003-04:00

Here we are with the McCombs: Chris, Dana, and Thatcher.

Baby Mac is about 31 weeks here. :)

Moolah. Bucks. Dough. Greenbacks.

2010-09-16T18:13:00.005-04:00

Support-Raising Update

Hello all! Obviously I'm not doing so well with posting consistently. For that, I apologize. :)

Well, we figure it would be a good thing to give a little update on how our support-raising adventure has been turning out.

FYI: The Navigators is a Christian missionary organization. As Nav Staff we are responsible to raise our own funds through building relationships with people who desire to partner with us by offering us their prayers and financial support.

First of all, God has been ever-faithful in His promise to never leave us nor forsake us! We were able to move to Muncie just two weeks ago in order to start sharing Christ with the students at Ball State. What a huge blessing this has been! It seems like everywhere I look I see God re-assuring us that we are walking in obedience to His plans.

We started raising support in order to come here about 4 months ago. The beginning steps were scary to say the least, but we were continually encouraged by brothers and sisters in Christ, and through God's Word. We set for ourselves a goal to raise 75% of our budget by August 1st. We prayed and labored throughout the summer and though we were blessed abundantly by hundreds of people, we had only raised 22%; not enough for us to be able to move and serve full-time on campus. God gave us a swift reminder that He is in control and that His way for us had already been prepared.

So, how did we get where we are today?

In the last month we have made some adjustments which decreased our overall budget. Our new goal (inspired by the Big Guy this time) was to reach 50% by September 1st so that we could start serving part-time on campus. We also decided to take a leap of faith and set our moving date for September 5th, whether we were at 50% yet or not. A seemingly less polished plan, but much closer to perfect than before.

Today we are sitting with 47% of our needed budget raised. We are mostly settled in to our Muncie home, Josh is searching for a part-time job in order to supplement our income from The Navigators, and we have started getting to know some students.

Let's just say that life in the McIlvain home, though not easy, is overflowing with joy.

Grace and peace,

The Long Awaited...

2010-08-30T10:02:00.008-04:00

Whew! We have a TON of exciting things to share with you! I'll save your eyes though and break them up over the next few days.

First Update: BSU & Muncie, Indiana

A couple of weeks ago we had the wonderful opportunity to make a trek out to Indiana! Our prayer was that this time of visiting Muncie, getting to know Chris and Dana (our supervisors), and spending time with students at BSU would be used by God to give us clarity and renewed peace.

I am proud that I can boast in such a faithful Father!

Our time in Muncie and at Ball State was truly a blessing as God used it to produce much joy and excitement in both of us. We were able to settle our official moving day for September 5th, less than a week away! As a bonus we got to see our house in person for the first time as well!

At the beginning of the week I felt like I was dreaming. These places that we had spent so long praying about, talking about, and working toward were all of a sudden tangible. By the end of the week we actually felt a little strange to be leaving Muncie knowing we would be back so soon.

Though this week is going to be bittersweet and difficult to say the least, we are truly bursting with joy that we have the opportunity to honor God with our new life in Muncie, Indiana and at Ball State University.

Grace & Peace,

Vacation

2010-07-25T19:36:00.003-04:00

Last week, Tiffany and I hopped on a plane and headed to Steilacoom, Washington with my mom, dad, and brother to visit my aunt and uncle. The pacific northwest is a beautiful area, and we had a great time enjoying it. We took a boat tour of Seattle, kayaked around Anderson Island, hiked on Mount Rainier (a dormant volcano), walked along the beach of the Pacific Ocean and saw some sweet wildlife, visited Cape Flattery (the north-westernmost point of the continental U.S.), and sampled a chicken hombow at Seattle's Pike Street Market. Below are some pictures of our adventures.

Mt. Rainier peaks out from behind the clouds...

This is Lake Crescent, the bluest lake I've ever seen.

This is the shore of the Pacific Ocean.

This is a sea anemone.

Starfish.

Cape Flattery, the north-westernmost point in the continental U.S.

grace and peace,

Our Son

2010-07-08T22:51:00.001-04:00

Tiffany and I are excited to announce that our sweet little Baby Mac is a boy!

This summer, we are working on raising support for the ministry we'll be doing with the Navigators for the next year or two, so right now we are in Wellsville with her parents and talking with people in the Wellsville area. Yesterday, we made the two-hour trip back to Manhattan for Tiffany's obstetrician appointment and the ultrasound! It was amazing to see for the first time the little child that has been growing inside my wife for the past months. Tiffany gave me the honor of making the first guess at the gender (her and the nurse knew without saying, but they wanted to see if I could get it right ;) ), and it was very obviously a little boy! We probably spent about 20 minutes looking at Baby Mac, I felt like I chould have spent the rest of the day just watching him roll around in there (he was a very wiggly little guy).

Currently, Baby Mac is about 15 cm long, weighing in at a respectable 11 ounces.

To celebrate, Tiffany and I bought him his first baby boy outfit (blue with frogs) and a baby boy piggy bank.

Two big things that God has been teaching me about having a child:

1. Proverbs 14:26 - "In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge." My ability to be a good father, one who my son will be able to take refuge in, is completely dependent on my strong confidence that comes from the fear of the Lord.

2. There is a reason it take nine months to make a baby - it takes at least that long to prepare yourself.

Grace and Peace,
J

Drum roll please...

2010-04-09T15:41:00.006-04:00

Alright folks, we have good new news and great new news for you!

First, the good new news is that we received the email last week informing us that we will officially be serving with Navs on the Ball State University campus in Muncie, IN next year. Moving plans are underway, which is a big prayer request as we are trying to find a home online and out of state. Yikes! Our ministry training, called Summit, will be at the Glen Erie Castle in Colorado May 17th-27th.

Second, the GREAT new news...(this is where you should start your drum roll)...we're expecting a sweet little addition in November! Surprise!!! On May 11th we will get to see and hear our little one's heartbeat for the first time. We are praying that all is well and baby Mac is strong and healthy. Be sure to check out our cute little count down to baby Mac's arrival at the bottom of this page!!!

We are so amazed by God's plans for us in this new season of life. We are in for one wild and crazy adventure, but totally trusting the Lord with all the details. He has been so good and faithful to provide for and protect us thus far!

We'll keep you updated as God reveals more exciting details to us!

Grace and Peace,

2010-03-16T23:31:00.002-04:00

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

The title of our blog is inspired by this passage in the Bible, as has our life together since day one. In Josh and mine's relationship we strive to keep God entwined with us, He is our strongest strand. God has richly blessed us in this endevour and has now called us to teach others how to allow Him to infiltrate their own lives. As of now we know we will be joining the Navigators collegiate ministry in the EDGE Corps program for the next year or two. We are still prayerfully waiting for God to reveal which campus we will soon call home. The next couple of months hold much excitement for us. I will FINALLY be graduating college, we will begin building our contact base and fundraising for next year, and we have the opportunity to witness and celebrate the kick off of at least 6 upcoming Christ-centered marriages!!!

We hope 3 Strands is a place where you can all feel more connected and up-to-date with our busy and ever-changing lives. We will be adding updates often!

Grace and peace,