christy nockels and other thoughts

two words: christy nockels. i seriously can't get enough of her. first of all, her voice is so BEAUTIFUL. second of all, it's interesting--unique. thirdly--and this is the part that most refreshes my soul--she focuses on Jesus--simply and wholly. i love this. she takes me back to the simplicity of who God is: holy and yet MINE. oh, how i'm thankful for artists like this. anyway, check her out if you're so inclined. in other news, i'm REALLY sorry it's been sooo long since my last post. truly, even in to the 2nd trimester of this pregnancy, things were difficult. when nausea persists, day after day, i start to get down and lose sight of the temporal nature of it all. needless to say, i'm soooo thankful to be done w/ that part of the baby's development. now we're on to some crazy fatigue, but i'll take that ANY DAY over the former. i'm grateful, too, for the one looong nap that elliot takes every day, and nothing--"neither rain nor hail nor sleet nor snow nor heat of day nor dark of night shall keep this [woman]" from her nap--not unlike the postal service's commitment to the mail. as for elliot, brent and i just can't get enough of him. he's hilarious. seriously--and he hasn't even really started talking yet....but maybe that's part of what's so funny....his grunts and "alternative language" skills are so much fun. i will say that he IS at least TRYING to talk more--and by that i've noticed that he's getting away more from his baby sign language and more into different....shall we call them....enunciations....=) he's turning into quite the cuddler to brent's and my joy, and he LOVES food almost as much as he loves daddy. seriously, cookies cure everything. as for brent, he'll finish up his MA in biblical leadership from phoenix, seminary in december and elliot and i can't WAIT. we miss him!! he's doing such a beautiful job though; he continues to earn such high grades while he's the best youth pastor i know. he's also spending any extra time he has helping his dad build an addition to our home. whew! all of this before baby boy #2 arrives in january. what a trooper that man of mine is. i just love him so much, and i'm infinitely grateful for him. anyway, speaking of my man, he has a cold and so he hit the hay early tonight. please pray he's better soon; w/ so much on his plate, even a cold can feel frustrating. i better join his sleeping self now and cuddle up to him--unbeknownst to him, of course. =) thank you to those of you who think of us and love us and pray for us. you're dear to us!! sending love to each of you.