The Main Thing to Rejoice About in Ministry

I (Melissa) just read this post from the Desiring God blog & thought it was great. If I post it here, I'll have it to refer back to. Enjoy.

Our big boy is two!

Yes, this is my first blog post & I have no idea what I am doing! But I had to get in on the fun & what better day than Joel's second birthday?

Dustin had important meetings & youth group tonight & Joel & I had our morning community group this morning, so we did a birthday breakfast at McDonald's. Dustin & I enjoyed egg McMuffins & espresso while Joel enjoyed an orange juice & a bite of hash brown. We were basically the only people there & had had a lot of fun. We tried to get a photo of the three of us, but gave up after 3 bad attempts.

This was one of the attempts & proves that Dustin was there.

It seems we get the best photos of Joel while he is drinking something.

I love Joel's face in this one.

It has been a wonderful two years. Joel, you were born with a ton of neck control; I'm convinced it was mainly because you spent the last month or so inside of me trying to back arch your way out. You have always been so curious & once you could move you would immediatly go to whatever was out of place in our living room each morning. You were a chunky boy from birth & we literally sat on our couch for the first month of your life as I recovered from having you.

Now you love "guitars," "drums," & "drum steaks," & constantly want to play. Your air guitar & air drums are hillarious & you take them very seriously. You also like to go "outside" & play "golf," which you aren't very good at, but still enjoy.

Now when you wake up & I come to get you you say, "Dad? Church." wether or not Dad is home. You kind of understand that you have a sibling on the way & like to say "momma baby" & "baby momma" which is especially funny.

Your name means "The Lord is God" & we dedicated you with Habakkuk 3:17-19.

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places."

We can't imagine life without you Joel & are so thankful for this time with you. Happy 2nd birthday!