The Harts Journey

Nobody Knows The Hour or The Day

2011-05-20T23:13:00.000-07:00

Anyone sitting on your roof, waiting for the sky to part? I am not trying to be cynical, but it seems like every so often someone comes along who claims to know when the end of the world is going to happen. It makes the headlines. Some people plan rapture parties, while others sit and scoff at the believers. Some sell all their possessions to get the word out, while others cash in on their hopes and fears. It is a scenario that has repeated itself many times over in the past few millennium.

   The latest comes from a guy named, Harold Camping, who claims that judgment day is tomorrow, May 21, 2011. Using numerology in the Bible he arrived at this date, only after coming up with the wrong date the last time. I guess his previous prediction of September, 1994 must have just been a miscalculation. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that Jesus is not coming back. He is! I am not even saying that I know he isn't coming back tomorrow. He could! What I am saying though, is that Mr. Camping should have camped out a little longer in Matthew 24. He seems to have missed a key part of the message Jesus was sharing with his disciples.
   After the disciples asked Jesus what the sign of his coming would be and when it would happen, Jesus launched into a long discourse about all the things that would take place beforehand; wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, and the like. He encouraged them to pay attention to the signs. Then, he says something absolutely astounding. He says, "But, about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." He then exhorts them to "keep watch", for they do not know when their Lord will come.
   Do you want to know why I am not sitting on my roof waiting, or hanging with my friends at a rapture party? Because I believe the words of Jesus and because I take them seriously. Because nobody knows the hour or the day. Because he will come like a thief in the night. Because he will come at an hour when I do not expect him. But, though I am not on the roof, I am watching. I am waiting. I am living like a servant who is in charge of his masters household, awaiting his return, wanting to be found ready for his arrival.

Kids! How can anyone not love them?

2011-05-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

I got all ready to leave the house for work this morning, said goodbye to Jewelly, and gave Kaiden a kiss on the forehead while he slept soundly on our bed. Then I went out to the car to bring in a few things left from the night before. As I was about to head back out for real, I whispered "I love you" to my wife. It was a faint whisper, but loud enough for Kaiden to hear. He proceeded to cry, crawl out of bed and try to follow me out of the house. On days like this it is hard to leave. I just want to pretend it is "take your son to work day". Maybe I can petition to make that a weekly Holiday :)

Another case of the overreaching government

2011-05-13T15:33:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else a little repulsed by the idea of a local government creating a law stating that schools cannot punish students by keeping them out of student activities. I read a recent news article regarding the high school senior who posted a sign on the front of the school. The sign, made of large cardboard letters, seemed to be a harmless invitation to prom, addressed to a girl at the school. The student and two friends who helped put up the letters were suspended and consequently told that they could not attend the senior prom. This created a surge of responses from people who believe "the punishment does not fit the crime." Everyone from an NFL quarterback to the mayor and even the Governor of Connecticut have weighed in on the issue.

Now, state representatives are hoping to amend a bill that would force schools to offer an alternate punishment rather than banning them from events. Talk about a case of overreaching government. Since when is prom a birthright? Don't get me wrong. I do not think what this student did was some heinous crime. I teach at a school that allows students to ask each other to events in very unique ways. Some students send notes, gifts, or balloons to others during class. Some students decorate cars, they announce their invitation over the PA, they make videos, they organize flash mobs and they even ask from the middle of the gym in between volleyball games. Every year I look forward to seeing the creativity of our students. What this one student did at Shelton High School was certainly creative. It was cute, and many would even say it was Romantic. So what is the problem? The problem is that policies at Shelton High School were broken. Whether the policies have to do with the actual hanging of the letters, the use of a ladder, being on school premises after dark, or all of the above, the fact remains that the school has certain policies that the students are well aware of and expected to abide by. If the school policies were broken in this situation, it seems to me that the school is justified in following through on the discipline.

You may not like it. You may think it is harsh. You may even think that the punishment does not fit the crime. But a policy was broken and a long established discipline procedure was put into effect. If an exception is made for this student just because what he did was cute, then an exception should be made for everyone. Then, we may as well tell the students that they can do whatever they want because there really aren't any consequences. I can only imagine how productive schools will be then.

For the government to step in and cuts the legs out from under the leadership of the school is utterly absurd.

Sincerely,
A concerned citizen

Two Points For Kaiden!

2011-05-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

We finally loaded a number of videos that we have taken over the past year and decided to test one out on the blog. The following is from Christmas 2010. Kaiden is going to show us how to make a basket on his new hoop. He is a little hesitant to relinquish the ball, but ultimately he is successful and scores two points for the team.

Something!

2011-05-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

I just felt like writing a little something, since it has been quite some time. Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful moms and moms to be.

Precious Moments

2010-01-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

So, it's been a while since I've written anything on this blog, but I've been thinking about writing on it for a while...here goes.

These days, these hours, these moments are so very precious! Kaiden is almost six months old. Time is flying! Every day I fall a little more in love with my sweet boy. He is growing, and learning, and advancing in so many little and big ways day after day. This week he popped two teeth. TEETH!!! This means soon he'll be munching away on food, REAL food. I'm a little sad to see our days of simple breastfeeding change to morsel cluttered chair trays and food covered floors. But, at the same time, I'm excited for Kaiden to experience new flavors and textures as he learns a little more about this big ol' world. God has been so good to us. We are blessed beyond words to have such a wonderful little boy. What joy it is to embrace life with this little one and see things through his eyes.

Lord, thank you! Thank you for Kaiden. Thank you for his sweet face. Thank you for 10 fingers and 10 toes. Thank you for happy screams and "Feed me please!" whimpers. Help us to raise him in a way that casts all the glory back to you. Show us how to bring him up in a balanced, healthy way, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Teach us to rely on the Spirit - cultivate in us the fruits of the Spirit...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Bind the enemy in all things concerning Kaiden and our family. We love you and trust you. Be glorified in and through us each and every day, hour, minute.

Our Part

2009-10-08T22:48:00.001-07:00

I heard a crazy statistic the other day that really bothered me. It went a little something like this: There are approximately 140 million orphans in the world. If you stood them shoulder to shoulder on the equator, they would wrap around the earth 3 times. If you drove your car at 60 mi/hr it would take you a month to drive past all of the orphans. Then the speaker asked a really good question, "Will you stop the car to help one orphan?" This challenge comes shortly after hearing another statistic that went something like this: If just 3 families from every church in California would adopt a foster child, every child in California would have a family. There would be no more need for the foster care system. What amazed me about that was how easy it seemed to me. Just 3 families!!! What if Churches in every state got on board. We could effectively wipe out the need for foster care and orphanages in the United States. Then it dawned on me that there are somewhere in the ballpark of 2 billion people in the world who "claim" to be Christian. Then I asked myself the question, "Why are there still orphans in the world."
My friend, I would like to encourage you to think about what part you can play in changing the life of an orphan. If you have never considered adoption, would you think about it? If adoption is not an option, would you at least consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International or World Vision. Together we can make a difference, one child at a time.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. --James 1:27

First Bath Mishap

2009-08-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

Kaiden received his first bath yesterday. He did really well with it. He sat there quietly while we got him all cleaned up. When he was finished, we wrapped him in his hooded towel to dry him off and warm him up. Being new parents and all, we were enjoying the moments, taking it all in. We were so enamored by his cuteness that we lingered in getting him to where he needed to be...in his diaper. As soon as he was dry and laying quietly in Jewelly's arms, we heard a noise that caused the proverbial "uh-oh!" Sure enough...big yellow stain on the white towel. Being the smart parents we are, we rushed him over to the diaper caddy to get him set up. The towel was removed, legs were lifted, diaper put under him and...you guessed it. He peed all over himself. Kaiden did not seem to enjoy round two in the bath so much. But, Jewelly and I got some valuable training and learned the art of quick change.

Kaiden Thomas Hart

2009-08-02T20:46:00.000-07:00

Our little guy has arrived!
7.30.09 - 7:17 p.m.
8 lbs 12 oz - 21 in

Happy Monday!

2009-07-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

My last week of work has finally come! It's hard to believe that starting next week I won't sit at my desk Monday mornings wishing for just one more day of weekend. I'm trying to picture what it will be like to trade scheduling and meetings for housework and playdates. Not too hard to imagine...I've longed for this for years! I can't wait to have time to make breakfast for Brian and pack him a lunch - what a reverse, he's usually the one doing this for me now! I'm overjoyed with the anticipation of sitting on the couch nursing Kaiden, taking him and Macchiatio for walks around the neighborhood, meeting up with Chelle for mommy time, or showing up at Brian's school just to have a surprise lunch. Just one more week of corporate life, then bliss!

Class of Three

2009-06-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

I am sitting at the computer while my students are working on homework. A third of my class is missing today. Lest you think that is a lot, it is only one student. I have been blessed with only three students to work with for three weeks of summer school. I must say it is the quietest, hardest working class I have ever had. What a blessing. I will be back to a normal summer school class with about seventeen students for the second semester, but for now, I am enjoying the laid back atmosphere in my class of three :)

Michigan 2009

2009-06-10T00:10:00.000-07:00

These are for you Mom. It has been way too long, but I finally got some pictures together from the trip to Michigan. We had a great time hanging out, laughing, taking a walk, and opening shower gifts. Jewelly and I want to give a huge thanks to you and to Ann for putting the shower together for us. Also a big thanks to Tara for making the cake and thanks to everyone else who came to spend the day with us and to shower us with baby gifts. We look forward to Kaiden's arrival. He should be here in a little under 8 weeks. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

2009-06-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

The craziness of life has slowed up for about a week so I had a little time to finally update the blog. Over Memorial weekend the family went up the the mountains for a great time of camping. It was beautiful. We sang around the campfire, cooked smores, relaxed, hiked around Lake Gregory, and just had a great time. The following are a few pics. Enjoy!

Living Life

2009-04-23T12:45:00.000-07:00

That's what we've been doing...just living life. Last week we had the blessing of visiting with Brian's family in Michigan. It was great to be able to see everyone! Even his sister Kristy and her husband Greg came from South Carolina!

Mixed in with the visiting was a trip to our house out there...yeah, let's just say that was not so fun...We really need wisdom to know what to do with that place. To rent it we would have to put a bit of money into it and selling it in the market back there is not a possibility at the rate we would need to. That said, we're looking at our options, praying for wisdom, and seeking godly counsel. It is in the Lord's hands and He knows what is best for us.

On a lighter note, our precious little boy continues to grow and develop day by day. I can feel him moving off and on throughout the day and as a result can not help but smile! Just 100 more days (or so) until we meet him! What a blessing and a joy this pregnancy has been so far! :-)

Life is busy, but sweet. Brian is in the home stretch of the school year, both in teaching at WCHS and in his classes at Biola. He has a weekend class starting tonight and going through Saturday and then just a few more meetings of his semester long class. He is completely swamped with reading and paper writing! While he is focused on all of this work, I am trying to keep myself busy preparing for the baby and my friend Kim's wedding.

We have a ton of pictures to share, just need to take the time to put them on the computer...I'll try to post something this weekend.

It's a....

2009-03-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

Our little adventurer continues to grow big and strong. We found out little guy's gender on March 17th - so glad our little leprechaun didn't avoid the ultrasound tech's skilled hand. Growing up with three brothers, I always said I was going to have all boys! Brian and I are thrilled to be venturing into the world of toy trucks, Lego sets, dinosaurs, and every kind of ball (or puck) you can think of!

The Pregnant Girl's Dilema

2009-03-03T17:42:00.000-08:00

I think I saw this comic on a friend's blog when she was pregnant and today I got it in one of the pregnancy emails that come each week. So true!!!

Hello, Hello

2009-02-28T15:54:00.000-08:00

Well hello there friend! It's been some time since the last update, so I thought I would stop in to say "Hi". I am 18 weeks pregnant today. Can you believe it!?!? Time moves right on by. In some ways everything is going so quickly, but in others we can't get to August fast enough. I continue to have a delightfully easy pregnancy - thank you Lord! It is evident our little one is growing as my belly continues to do so as well. I'm starting to out grow work clothes, so it's time to go shopping. Bummer is I can't seem to find good in between pants. They're either to casual with draw-strings or made for a much bigger belly. Any suggestions of good affordable places to shop for cute transitional work clothes would be much appreciated! :-)

At our last appointment we got to hear the baby's heart beat for the second time. The first time our little one was a little shy, but not so much this time. Along with the heart beat we got to hear the baby kick the doppler scope and move around a bit. What a wonderful, amazing, beautiful thing to hear life inside myself! Today I am almost positive I'm feeling little flutters and kicks. Someone is going to be very active from the get go. Go figure, it's my baby! ;-P The baby's heart rate was 165 at the first appointment and 150 at this appointment - both quite fast. Brian said he can already sense the baby taking after me. Go, go, go!

One thing I would like to see moving along is our plan for the future, but that doesn't seem to be God's plan. We know what we want for our family and we're looking for ways to make it happen. Being a planner by nature I would like to know NOW of course - but being a follower of the Lord requires that I wait patiently on Him and His time. Just as I have at other points in life I cling to Jeremiah 29:11 - "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" As I think about it, this verse reminds me of the many times in the nation of Israel's history that the Lord said, "Wait. I have a plan, but you have to wait. I know what's best for you and I will bring it about at the proper time." It's comforting to know what a great God I serve, who is always working on my heart, bringing about what He knows is best for me. And so, I will wait, and trust, and prepare for this little one as best I can where He has me now - knowing that wherever He has us in the future it will be just right!

15 Weeks!!!

2009-02-08T22:47:00.000-08:00

We've been meaning to put pregnancy pics up for a few weeks now, but just haven't gotten around to it (and there hasn't been much that's exciting to see). :-) I'm starting to get a little belly, but it mostly shows up in the evening. Our little one is growing, growing, growing, as is our excitement.

A Good Recovery

2009-01-19T07:52:00.000-08:00

Today is day five of recovery from hernia surgery. I (Brian) am doing well. I experienced some pain on the first three days and then just some discomfort after that. I was feeling well enough yesterday to walk into Brea for dinner. Now that I am feeling a little better, the most difficult thing for me is to remember that I am not supposed to lift anything over fifteen pounds for the next six weeks. It is not easy! Yesterday I almost picked Kaylee up. When she lifts her arms up and says "up-ee," it is so hard to resist. Later in the day I did pick up Macchiato for a second, after he ran across the street after a cat. Oops! It only took me a second or two to realize that was a bad idea. The plan is to be good about these things for the next five weeks so I can be back to full strength during the second half of Jewelly's pregnancy and when she gives birth to our first child. How great it will be to hold him or her.

Jewelly is doing wonderfully well. I praise God for his kindness to her during her first pregnancy. She has faced only a little nausea so far and is just about out of the first trimester. What a blessing she has been to me over the past four days. She has taken great care of me. Thanks Honey! SHMILY!

A Weekend in San Diego

2009-01-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 3rd, Jewelly and I headed to San Diego for the weekend. We spent the day at the San Diego Zoo. Talk about the amazing handi-work of God! The zoo is well know for its size and the diversity of animals they have from all over the world. We loved seeing all the animals. Besides the familiar favorites, there were a few that were unique to us. We really enjoyed the wombat and the snake neck turtle. You can see them in the pictures below.
After the zoo we headed to the Westin Hotel where we ordered room service and enjoyed a quiet evening. We were up on the 21st floor and had quite a view of the city. I suggest staying at the Westin if only for the purpose of ordering their Chocolate Bombay. It was delicious!
Sunday morning we went to Skyline Church in La Mesa. Jim Garlow is the senior pastor there. I had taken a class taught by him at Indiana Wesleyan University years back. He also spoke at a leadership conference at my old church. It was good to see him again. (Matt, remember when we picked him up from Detroit Metro Airport in the dead of winter in your car with no heat??? Good times :)

Prayer for Brian's Family

2009-01-02T15:31:00.000-08:00

Brian just got word that his Aunt Diana (Dee) passed away today. She has been ill for some time, but generally her illness did not seem to be life threatening. Please pray specifically for Brian's mom, Judy, as she deals with the loss of her sister and also for the extended family. Aunt Dee loved the Lord and we rejoice that she is no longer in pain as she dances with the angels.

Snow, Snow, Snow!

2008-12-31T20:57:00.000-08:00

The family loaded up the cars and headed toward the mountains on Saturday. Unfortunately so did half of California. They closed the road and didn't allow anyone else up the mountain because there were just way too many people. It was a bummer to say the least. But, we loaded up the cars again on Tuesday and headed back up the mountain, hoping there would be less traffic. There were still a good number of people, but not enough to stop us from getting to the snow. We enjoyed a few hours of playing in the snow, throwing snowballs, and even sledding. It was a beautiful day and the scenery was spectacular.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-29T15:56:00.000-08:00

Jewelly and I had a wonderful Christmas here is So Cal. We woke up early and gathered in the living room. Morgan led the family in a time of Worship and Jewelly read about the birth of Christ in the book of Luke. That was a good way to start the day. Then we opened up some Christmas gifts. After getting cleaned up we headed out for breakfast at the home of Jewelly's Grandfather and Grandmother. A few hours later we headed to the house of her grandparents on her mother's side for dinner. The food was terrific all day. We had a wonderful day! We did miss my family in Michigan though. We love you guys and can't wait to see you again!

For Christmas I bought Jewelly a really nice camera. She was excited to get it. I was very excited about playing with it also. We have had a lot of fun getting acquainted with it these past few days. The pictures below are some of the first shots taken with it.

A New Hart

2008-12-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

Jewelly and I had our first visit to the Doctor's office yesterday. We already new it, but it was confirmed that we should have a new Hart entering the world some time in the first week of August 2009. They did the first Ultrasound and determined that Jewelly is at seven weeks. Although the ultrasound only shows what looks like a little peanut at this point, I almost cried when I saw the heart beating strong. God is so good. His ways are amazing. "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." Psalm 139:13-14a.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T18:46:00.000-08:00

Wow! Can it really be Thanksgiving tomorrow!?! Is Christmas really less than a month away!?! Up until this week it has felt like summer in Southern California, but this week the weather has turned and we have had some nice cool whether...even some rain!!!

We have much to be thankful for this year. We are thankful for a house filled with love and laughter. A nation where we can worship the Lord freely (for now). Jobs that allow us to pay our bills and save for the future. Family and friends to love and build memories with. Our sweet little dog Macchiato. Our marriage, which gives us the opportunity to serve someone other than ourselves. Hopes and dreams for the future. The gift of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. The list could go on and on...

As I write this Brian is out running errands for me as I rest on the couch battling a head cold. I never get sick, but for some reason this cold has really gotten a hold on me. I'm so thankful to have a wonderful husband who willingly runs to the store to get me Johnson & Johnson Vapor Bath, Vick's Vapor Rub, and a Cold Buster smoothie from Jamba Juice. Thank you honey! You take such great care of me!

While you celebrate the holiday, Thanksgiving, tomorrow be sure to take time to truly give thanks. It is so easy to let days like Thanksgiving pass us by without thinking about the purpose of the day. While you enjoy the delicious food and company you are surrounded with tomorrow remember to go before the Lord with a thankful heart.

We are thankful for each of you dear friends! Grace and peace to you!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. - I Chronicles 16:34

Adoption

2008-11-17T21:25:00.000-08:00

Would you let me share my heart with you just for a minute?

Over the past few years the Lord has worked in my heart to build a passion for adoption. I'm not sure when it started, maybe when my family began the journey of adopting Natasha, my sister from Belarus, or perhaps it was before that. For quite some time now I have known that some day I desire to be the mommy of adopted children. I want biological children too, definitely, but I love the extra blessing of giving your heart to children who might not otherwise have a chance. I recently heard someone say, with a biological child you get to have a child, with an adopted child you get to help a child. In both cases children are a gift from the Lord entrusted to us for a time of shaping and molding and raising to the glory of God.

I distinctly remember a conversation Brian and I had before we were married where we were discussing our hopes and dreams for our family. Through that conversation I learned that Brian shares my desire to build a family through adoption. He shared his experience with a small Jamaican girl on a missions trip that stoked the fire in him to adopt someday.

In our conversations over the past couple years our thought has always been to have children biologically first, then adopt down the road. This may be the path we take, but in recent weeks and months I have become more and more aware of the pressing need and wonder if perhaps our adoption dreams might be fulfilled sooner rather than later. There are millions of children in need of forever families. The percentages of those who consider adoption versus those who actually adopt are heartbreaking.

One of the biggest hurdles for many is the cost of adoption. Though this is steep and will certainly be a challenge for Brian and me, I know the Lord is faithful and He will provide. Would you join us in praying for the children in need of forever families? Would you ask the Lord to raise up the church to take a stand for these precious ones? Would you pray for me and Brian that we would follow the Lord's leading to adopt in His perfect timing?

There are many resources for those of you who would like to find out more about these staggering needs and how you can get involved. Here are a few resources to check out:

cryoftheorphan.org

redletterscampaign.com

facesoftheforgotten.org

nightlight.org

Happy Birthday Brian!

2008-11-10T12:26:00.000-08:00

Today is Brian's 33rd birthday! He shared with me the other day that he will be a third of a century old sometime early next year (I can't remember the exact date, but he knew it!). Wow! I am blessed to be married to a man who has learned much in the time the Lord has allowed him to be a blessing here on earth.

To Tom and Judy - Judy, thank you for allowing the Lord to use you to carry Brian and give him life. Thank you for nurturing him and loving him through his childhood and teen years. Thank you for not shaking him to death even when you wanted to (and thank you Tom for intervening!...Brian told me a story about this once :-) Thank you both for teaching Brian about the Lord from a young age. Thank you for giving him the example of parents who love and are committed to one another for life. Thank you for allowing him to pursue the Lord's calling on his life even when it meant moving across the country. And thank you for giving him to me as my husband. You have blessed me more than I can express.

Brian - Baby I love you! I thank the Lord daily for giving you to me! All the years I prayed for you, not yet knowing who you were, I could not have imagined a more perfect partner and friend. Your heart for the Lord and knowledge of His Word greatly inspires me. Your dedication to ministry is amazing. I love hearing stories of how the Lord has worked in your life and how He uses you to touch the lives of the students you minister to. I am in awe of your tenderness when I watch you with Kaylee...you are going to be an amazing daddy when the day comes! And your love for me is more precious than I could ever deserve. Thank you for making me your wife and for treasuring me just as Christ treasures His bride.

May the Lord richly bless you today and in the days, and weeks, and years to come. Happy Birthday!

Catching Up...

2008-11-02T16:56:00.000-08:00

Wow! It's been quite a while since we posted last. Time is flying by! We're enjoying the seasons--both of life and actual seasons. It has been a hot fall, but today is cool; perhaps the weather will actually change now.

Last time we posted we asked for prayer for our friends the Clarks, whose daughter was born quite early. They are all doing very well. Kate has been home for almost two weeks now and is doing beautifully.

We'll be posting some fall pictures soon so check back!

Rejoicing and Praying

2008-10-04T20:11:00.001-07:00

We just found out that our dear friends, Michael and Abby Clark, welcomed their little baby girl Kate Elise into the world this past Thursday evening, 7.5 weeks early! Both Abby and Kate are doing well, but they have quite the journey ahead of them. Kate came into the world 3 lbs 11 oz and 17 inches - a beautiful, tiny girl!

Would you please join us as we rejoice in the Lord's goodness in providing Kate's safe passage into the world. Also, pray with us that He would continue to work in this situation to His glory as Kate grows and thrives in the coming weeks, as Abby heals from the emergency C-section, and as Michael, Abby and Kate adjust to life together.

Disneyland 2008

2008-10-02T23:05:00.000-07:00

On September 20th we had the privilige of hanging out at Disneyland for the day thanks to Jewelly's work. Capital Group gave all their employees and family members tickets, free hats, and Disney Dollars for food. The tickets were park hoppers so we enjoyed the rides at Disneyland and California Adventure. I think our favorites were the Tower of Terror and Space Mountain.

Wonderful Weekend

2008-09-07T19:33:00.001-07:00

This weekend was everything a weekend should be. Time together, time with family, time with friends; resting, working, accomplishing, playing. It's times like these I remember how completely blessed I am to live the life I do.

Saturday evening we had a wonderful dinner and game night with our good friends April and David and Kim and Brandon. Thanks for an awesome evening guys! We had a great time!

This afternoon we took a picnic to the park and enjoyed fellowship in the beauty of God's creation. As we were talking Brian brought up an interesting thought. In our society we have built up so much land, destroying the natural beauty of the earth; yet everywhere you go people have intentionally maintained plots of land, parks, where we can go to relax and soak up the beauty that once was. He mused that perhaps our need for parks is related to our desire for what was lost in Eden, an attempt to attain what once was, but is now lost. We were created to live in the center of God's glorious creation--to tend it and enjoy it. So next time you see a park, think about the garden of Eden and look forward to heaven when we will be again in the center of God's creation as He intended it to be.

One Year Together

2008-08-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

Jewelly and I celebrated one year together on August 3rd. What a great year it has been. The Lord has blessed us tremendously. We celebrated our anniversary with a trip up the Pacific Coast Highway to San Luis Obispo. We stayed in a cute place called the Apple Farm Inn. I highly recommend it. They have a cider mill on sight and they would bring out cider and fresh baked cookies each night at 7:00pm. We sipped hot cider and played a game of checkers in the lobby. We also drove up to San Simeon and took a tour of Hearst Castle. We were amazed at the beauty and the magnitude of the castle as a whole, but more so than that, we were in awe of each individual pillar, statue, piece of furniture, carved ceiling, painting, and tapestry that he had brought in from all over the world. There is more history and culture represented there than in any museum I have ever been in. After leaving Hearst Castle we drove a few miles further to visit the Elephant Seals hanging out on the beach. Another reminder of God's great handiwork.

Crash Test Dummies

2008-07-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

Jewelly and I are starting to feel a bit like crash test dummies. Sunday evening, while at the Costco gas station, my car got hit again. A big truck tried pulling past me as I was starting to put my credit card in the machine. He turned a little early and clipped my front left bumper. I didn't even notice that it happened until Jewelly jumped out of the car. That is the second time my car has been hit this year. Jewelly's car has been hit 3 times. Between the two of us that makes 5 accidents in one year. Two of them were hit and runs (while the cars were parked in parking lots. Two were due to other people running into us while we were present. One was kind-a-sorta our fault, but both cars were backing up at the same time out of parking spaces, so it doesn't really count, right!!! Thank you Lord, for teaching us humility and for helping us not put too much value on our cars. Help us use our cars as tools to build your Kingdom. Amen!

Macchiato the Gopher Hunter!

2008-07-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

Macchiato decided to become a gopher hunter for the day. He was unsuccessful at catching the gopher, but he sure had fun trying.

The 4th of July!!!

2008-07-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

We hope you had a happy and safe 4th of July!

Our day was pretty low key and uneventful. We spent the day hanging out with the fam. In the late morning we went down to the Brea country fair with Grandma and Grandpa; it was super hot, so that didn't last too long. Macchiato went to the fair with us and ran from patch of shade to patch of shade. We headed home pretty quickly since he looked like he was about to collapse! We're thinking he regretted begging to come in the end. :-)

After we got home we took a much needed afternoon nap to recover from the heat.

Dinner was a family bar-b-que at Grandfather and Grandmother's. Uncle Mark put together a feast, as always, and we finished it off with a delicious and festive cake that Shannon made.

In the evening we headed over to the Fullerton Courthouse to watch some fireworks. We had fun with the camera while hanging out waiting for the show to start. Enjoy!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Updates

2008-07-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

Wow! We have really fallen behind on our blog. It is amazing how quickly time flies by and the way in which day to day activities squeeze every last minute out of each day. June was a fun, yet busy month that somehow slipped quickly by. Here are a few things that took place this past month:

- Brian wrapped up his second year teaching at Whittier Christian High School
- Kaylee turned one!
- Jewelly got a new hairstyle!
- We enjoyed more time getting to know friends from Bound By Grace (BBG - Our Fellowship Group at church)
- We moved in with my parents to save money for a house

We plan on adding posts related to several of these topics in the next few days...so check back soon!

Roughing It!

2008-05-27T20:18:00.001-07:00

Roughing It! That is what we were supposed to be doing this Memorial Weekend. The annual camping trip was on the calendar. The reservations were made. Jewelly and I even purchased an air mattress and new sleeping bags. The fun was about to begin...until we found out it was snowing on our campsite! Although our sleeping bags are rated for 30 degree weather, we opted not to test them out. The camping trip was cancelled. All hope was not lost though. A friend of the family called with the news that he was able to get us a condo in Big Bear. Saturday morning we headed up the mountain. When we arrived, we were blown away by the place. It was beautiful!!! The place was huge. It had four bedrooms. Each bedroom had its own bathroom, all of which contained large jaccuzi tubs and jaccuzi showers. The living room, kitchen and dining area were also quite nice. Hopefully some of it can be seen in the pictures. We were truly blessed.

Jewelly's Birthday!

2008-05-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

Yaaah!!! Jewelly's Birthday is this week, Thursday, May 15th. I am so grateful that God gave her life and then gave her to me. I'm a blessed man.

Update

2008-05-09T20:58:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for keeping Tom and our family in your prayers these past few days. The surgery went well. It ended up being more extensive than the doctor had hoped...they had to make a third incision in his back along with the two on his chest and neck. The surgery was originally supposed to be 5 hours, but it ended up being close to 8. Needless to say Tuesday was a very long day for the entire family. We were all at the hospital more than 14 hours!

These past few days have been very important as the medical team has been working on regulating Tom's pain and ensuring that his oxygen and blood levels return to healthy ranges. The doctor placed him in ICU Tuesday for observation and as far as we know he is still there. This is not indicative that he is in critical condition, the doctor just wants to be extra cautious given the state of Tom's lungs (from emphysema) and risk of pneumonia if his breathing is not as it should be.

Brian and I are back in California now. We are checking in with his mom, Judy, daily and will try to keep the blog updated. We really do appreciate your prayers as we continue to trust and seek the Lord through this.

Prayer Request

2008-05-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not know, Brian and I are in Michigan right now to spend some time with his family as his dad, Tom, has surgery. Tom is working through esophageal cancer and they have decided to do surgery to remove the tumor that is in his esophagus. The surgery is scheduled to take place tomorrow, Tuesday, May 6 at 11:30AM (EST). We would all really appreciate it if you would keep Tom and the family in your prayers as this takes place. We will be flying home Wednesday evening and will be sure to update you all when we have a chance.

Reminiscing about our Engagement

2008-04-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

So far it has been an amazing nine months. As our one year anniversary approaches we have been reminiscing about our engagement and how much fun we had. I sent Jewelly on a scavenger hunt to a few locations that had special meaning to us. I gave her clues that were put inside little smiley face eggs. The first clue took her to a terrace on a hill where we had thought about having a wedding reception. Her dad and one of her brothers were waiting for her with the next clue. That clue took her to Yogurtland, the place where it all started for us. Two of her other siblings were waiting for her there. The next clue took her to a park on a hill where a few months earlier she had given me her first kiss. It was there that she caught up with me for the last clue. You have to watch the slideshow to see what happened next.

The Fam

2008-04-20T22:48:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest Nelson and Hart family pic taken while we explored the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach!

From left to right: Braden, Mike (Dad), Stephanie (Mom), Morgan, Emily, Jewelly, Brian, Natasha, Anne (holding Kaylee), and Owen.

Are you done yet???

2008-04-20T21:59:00.000-07:00

As you may know Brian is currently working on his Masters in Apologetics. Going into this weekend he had to finish reading his fourth book of the semester, write a book report, and complete a question set consisting of eight questions, each three to four paragraphs in lenght. By the grace of God he finished all of it and we still got to spend some time together.

One of the highlights of our weekend was going to pick up our wedding album today. Yes, you read that correctly, we have been married for almost nine months and we just got our wedding album...better late than never, right? It turned out beautiful and make me excited to print more pictures from our wedding and hang them in our house! The other fun thing we did today while out in Glendora picking up our album was visit some model homes. Though they are way out of our range, which at the moment is the apartment we are in, we had fun dreaming!

Here are some pics of Brian working on his school stuff. I got a little bored this evening! =)

Beach Day

2008-04-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

Jewelly and I headed down to Huntington Beach today to spend some time with a few friends. We recently met up with another couple who go to our church. They also play beach volleyball. I was able to play a few games. Wow! Talk about being out of shape. I got winded just warming up. Jewelly was watching, while hanging out with a few of the lady friends. After playing two games and getting sweaty, a few of us took a stroll down to the ocean and jumped in. It was quite frigid, but oh so refreshing!!!

Living and Loving

2008-04-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

As of today Brian and I have been married 8 months and two days. What an incredible time this has been! Over and over we have stopped to marvel at the precious gift we have been given in one another. This is a beautiful season of two lives becoming one in the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our blogging we hope to share all that the Lord is doing in and through us as we journey together with Him.