Ash making Zoee laugh

sorry for the "screamo" music at the very beginning!! Sonny was researching music for camp and was showing me this screamo Christian band... I'm definitely not a screamo fan!!

Here are our little ones doing what they love to do- laugh!! We love this stage of their little lives!! Hope this video brings a smile to your face =)

Dear Asher...

Dear Asher,

As I am writing this post you are playing contently with your cars- one of your favorite things to do. You will just sit quietly for almost a half and hour sometimes and play with your cars- it is precious! Here are some things going on with you at 2 years old...

1. You love to "get our nose"- you will randomly come up to Daddy and me, or anyone else for that matter, and "get their nose" and run away- we LOVE seeing your playful personality developing.

2. You love anything that is motorized. You got a green motorcycle from The Bellers on your birthday and you love to play with that "mo-co-co."

3. Your favorite book right now is either the Big Truck Book or the Cars book.

4. You have a great memory and slight OCD like me. You like to have everything in its rightful place or you will get upset. For example, you left a small green van at church yesterday and you have been reminding me throughout the day that your green van is at church. I love seeing my funny habits show up in you.

5. You are like Daddy and it takes you a little while to really "wake-up" once you get up in the morning or after a nap. I love seeing Daddy in you! You are his little man and you are even braver when he is with you!

You are just precious. Right now you are wanting some food so I will have to cut this post short. We love playing with you at the pool this summer. Daddy even said yesterday that this has been his favorite summer as a Daddy. You are so full of adventure and joy and you really are an obedient toddler. We love reading the bible with you at nights and hearing you pray. We love you Asher!! You melt our hearts so often. When you get into trouble (which is not very often at all) your little face just gets so sad and it breaks my heart. You have such a desire to please us- you are a blessing and a treasure, son. We pray that you will continue to grow in obedience and love and we hope that you will one day come to love the Lord with all of your heart.

Love,

Mommy

Dear Zoee...

Little miss adventure!!

our family at the pool- probably our favorite summer hangout!!

Dear Zoee,

Your personality is coming to life more and more every day! We love you so much and are so blessed to have such a joyful little baby! Yes, you still spit up all the time and it is getting more difficult to keep our house clean with you crawling AND spitting up- but we love you anyway =). Here are a few things going on in your almost 8 month old life...

1. You are quite a talker. Asher was not near as "babbly" as you are. It seems like you are always telling someone the dramatic events that are going on in your life! I love just sitting and watching you tell your stories- you are very theatrical!

2. Your favorite book right now is "Not My Bunny" which is mainly just a small book with lots of different textures for you to feel. You do not really sit long enough to read more than one book right now.

3. You are SO SO brave! The other day I caught you trying to climb into your swing! And you are only 8 months old!! We are going to really have to watch out for you!

4. You love to be standing up. I am not sure if its because you see Ash doing it or not but you are always pulling up on anything you can reach =) I have a feeling you are going to be getting some "owies" pretty soon with all this bravery of yours!

5. You are like Mommy when you get up. You wake up from naps and in the morning with a "let's get this day goin'" attitude. You are all smiles when I go in to get you up. I just love it!!

Zoee, we love you so much! You are a blessing and a joy! (You just woke up from your nap so I have to cut this post short!)

Love,

Mommy

Father's Day 2011

Sonny and I are not very big on saying "thanks" or "i love you" just when the American culture says we should... thus we do not really go "all out" on holidays like Father's Day or Mother's Day or Valentine's Day. This is not to say that anyone is wrong for lavishing loved ones on those days- it's just not our thing. For Sonny, he said he just wanted rest on Father's Day (which was exactly what I wanted on Mother's Day =) ) and so that's what we had planned- to come home from church and just rest for the whole day. Well, it did not happen that way but the alternative was just as nice. About 15 minutes before we were going to go to church, Sonny said, "what do you think about going to Wharton after church to visit my family?" Before I met Sonny, I always had to have my weeks planned out way in advance but after almost 8 years of marriage- I have learned that a little unplanned adventure can keep life fun... thus I threw together everything we would need for 2 babies (which is actually A LOT of stuff) and Sonny and me and we headed to Wharton after church. It was lots of fun! We got to hang with Grandma Howard and Sonny's aunt, uncle, cousins then headed to my parents to spend the night there since it was Father's Day and it's in the middle of our house and Wharton and it breaks up the drive a little. I think it was exactly what we needed- the kids were great and we got to love on the family =).

Trusting them to Him

I have often shared with my small group girls my struggles with fear. I battle with fear on a pretty regular basis and I am constantly trying to let the Word of God fight this fear through the power of Christ that is in me. It is still a huge battle though. When Sonny has to be out late, I will fear that he is going to die in a car accident. When the kids sleep too long I will sometimes fear that they are hurt or have died in their sleep. I know it might sound crazy- but it is a real struggle that I battle and am learning to overcome.

Anyways, in a few weeks we will be taking our students to a camp in Arkansas and our little ones will not be coming. We prayed about it a lot and it just seemed like Wisdom was telling us that it is best for them to stay here with their grandparents. This was such a hard decision for us. We hate that we have to be away from them for so many days. Its not like we are never away from them- almost once a month the kids will spend the night with one set of grandparents so that we can get some rest and Mommy/Daddy time but this trip to Arkansas is 6 days! I guess my biggest fear is that the kids will think that we have abandoned them and that we do not love them. And with that fear comes the fear that we would somehow die on our trip and the kids would never see us again. Again- I know this might sound crazy and very "Debbie Downer-ish" but it's a real struggle. I have been praying continually that the Lord will help me through this battle and that I would have peace about leaving the kids here while we go minister to our students at camp.

This week a few things have really spoken to me regarding the issue. This one passage from the book the Pursuit of God by AW Tozer has been impressed on my heart so much lately..

We are often hindered from giving up our treasures to the Lord out of fear for their safety; this is especially true when those treasures are loved relatives and friends. But we need have no such fears. Our Lord came not to destroy but to save. Everything is safe which we commit to Him, and nothing is really safe which is not so committed.
(chapter 2)

I am so thankful for Tozer and his bold writings that encourage us to trust Jesus with everything!

This morning I was reading in Joshua and these verses also spoke to me...

43 Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. 44 And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:43-45)

God's Word is true... it can be trusted... He is faithful and always has our good and His glory in mind when doing ANYTHING. What He does for our good and His glory may not make sense to us but we have to trust Him (Romans 8:28). I have to trust Him. This has been so encouraging to me. I pray the Lord will continue to help me trust in Him and hold fast to His Word. This is my security and my hope. My family is only really safe when I trust them to the Lord =).

Imitate their faith...

Hebrews 13:7
"Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith."


The Lord has been so incredibly gracious to Sonny and me. For a long time we have wanted to thank our dear mentors in the faith for all that they have done for us and we finally had the chance the other day...

When I think back on our teenage years I am just so overwhelmed by God's sweet mercy. There are so many instances to thank Him for but I will just mention a few. Sonny and I were just your average high school students. Both of us were interested in sports and we both did well in school and in the friend scene. When we were both sophomores we started to regularly attend a youth service called Truth at Grace Community Bible Church in Richmond, Texas (I had been going off and on since I was in 8th grade). Paul was our youth pastor and he was unlike any youth pastor we had seen. He was not there to play games with us or entertain us- he wanted us to know the Lord through being taught the Word of God. We are so incredibly thankful for him and his wife, Krystal. Not only did Paul teach us boldly the Word but He lived a life of passionate devotion to Jesus and he demonstrated for us students what a selfless and joyful marriage looks like. He would often talk about Krystal when speaking with us and it was so encouraging to see a couple that enjoyed each other so much after so many years of marriage. We were under Paul's teaching for the next 2 1/2 years (almost the rest of highschool) and we also began to babysit his children (they now have 6 wonderful kids). They opened their home to us and showed us what it means to live genuine lives that are focused on the Kingdom of the Lord. They have been our dear friends for almost 12 years and taught us so much about living life for the glory of Jesus. I have learned so much from Krystal about being a humble woman of God and Sonny has learned so much from Paul about being a godly leader for his family. We are eternally grateful for this family and love them so much.

One thing that we know for sure about Paul and Krystal is that they love great Italian food. So, a few weeks ago we took them to our favorite Italian place in Houston, Aurturo's, in Uptown Park. We had such a great time with them- just catching up on what the Lord has been doing in all of our lives. Even though we do not get to have regular community with them, the Helbigs are and always will be family to us. =)

Zoee Laughing

Asher's 2 B-day Part 6

So much fun!!

Asher's 2 B-day Part 5

Ash and Papa...


Zoee and Uncle Sean (my brother)...



My parents... Mimi and Papa =)


Sonny's parents... Grandad and Grandma =)


Grandma and Zoee =)


Asher and Zoee are so blessed to have such wonderful people that love them so much. It's wonderful to have our families and friends here to help us love and raise these precious kids!

Asher's 2 B-day Part 4

Ash and Daddy...



Ash and Mommy...



Ash and "Ya-ya"...


Asher's best friend, Aeva =)


Here are some more pics from Ash's birthday... more pics to come as soon as I can edit them =)

Asher's 2 B-day Part 3

Me, Sonny and Ash blowing out candles...



Ash, Brooks, and Ian eating cupcakes...



Asher's cupcakes- "Cars" theme... I was very happy with how they turned out =)



Aeva, Asher, Brooks and Ian enjoying cupcakes!!


Asher's "birthday" lasted almost a whole week! It has been so much fun celebrating with our little man. We had some of his friends come out to celebrate with him and swim. It was so much fun watching them dig into the cupcakes! This age really is such a blast!

Zoee and Asher

This season is filled with such adventures and fun! Ash is one non-stop adventure and Zoee is our new crawler who is one bundle of joy. Ash loved to wear our shoes around the house. Its so funny to already see him pretending to be Mommy and Daddy! Zoee is sitting up and even starting to pull up on things. She is quick, too, so that means I have to be even quicker to catch her before she gets into things she shouldn't!! They really are a blast and it cracks me up when they make each other laugh. Parenting is super tough and exhausting but it really is such a joyful blessing!

Asher's 2 B-day Part 2

Ash and Aeva... best buddies!! We love them so much!!


Asher's birthday fell on a Tuesday this year which is the night that we have small groups at our house and his best friend, Aeva gets to come over. I don't think he would have had it any other way than to see his sweet friend on his birthday. For the most part, Ash and Aeva play very well together and when they are not together they talk about each other almost every day. I love that they are such great friends! Aeva and her family got Ash a truck and cookies! Taking pics of them is difficult because they never sit still, so these are the best I got!

Asher's 2 B-day Part 1

Us getting the playroom ready the night before Ash's birthday....



So many balloons!!


Here is Ash just coming out of his room...


He loved it!!


Here is Ash getting a running start to run through the balloons!


For Asher's birthday, we decided to blow up over 100 balloons and put them in the playroom to surprise Asher when he got up. We knew he would enjoy a sea of balloons! It was so fun. When he came out, he was a little groggy as usual but eventually he would get a running start and race through the balloons! It was so fun! He got a new truck, some books, a doughnut date with Daddy and a whole day filled with things that he enjoys. We are loving this age. I wish we could just freeze this season for a little while because it really is a blast having such a fun, joyful and for the most part, obedient toddler. Happy 2nd Birthday Ash! Mommy and Daddy love you!

Dear Asher...

Dear Asher,
I LOVE this stage of your life. I have said this so many times but you make Daddy and I smile every single day. We love being your parents and love watching the little man that you are growing into. Here are some funny/cute/just-plain-Asher things that are part of your life at 1 year 11 months...

1. You hate getting your haircut! We took you to our hairstylist, Klaris, to get your hair trimmed about a month ago and did not notice that you borrowed your sisters lungs to use as you let the whole Willowbrook Mall know that you HATE getting a haircut. Even thinking back on this event makes me feel sorry for Klaris and Daddy. They literally did everything they could to try to calm you down (I was holding Zoee as she was spitting up on everything so I was honestly not much help with you). Even the lollypop could not stop you from crying! I guess you will have to be our little hippie until you can tolerate a haircut!! =) (that's okay though, we LOVE your hair slightly long and curly!)

2. You really like shoes!! I was having a rough day the other day and when Daddy was consoling me, you walked into the kitchen wearing Daddy's tennis shoes and blurted out, "WOW!! BIG SHOES!!" It was so precious that I had to laugh and thank Jesus for such an awesome son!

3. You love your best friend Aeva. You call her "Eba" and I seriously cannot think of a day when you do not talk about her or ask if we can see her. Its so sweet. You two play so well together and it just makes me so happy that you have such a great friend.

4. You are a Daddy's boy. When you are with Daddy, you become almost fearless. From riding horses to jumping off large rocks into a pool, you and Daddy are inseparable. I love the relationship you have with him. Almost every morning your first words when you get up will either be "see Daddy??" or "hot chocolate??"- I love it!!

Ash, you are such a precious son to us. You are a joy and a blessing and we look forward to many more laughs as your parents. We pray often that you will grow to be a many who loves and adores Jesus.

Love,
Mommy

Dear Zoee...

Dear Zoee,
I cannot believe that you are already 7 months old! Time has gone by fast. Just thinking about the day when we brought you home from the hospital and all the ups and downs we have had since then, it just amazes me how fast time flies! You officially started crawling yesterday at 7 months 1 day old. I am excited about you crawling because for Asher, crawling meant less spit up =). I sure pray that you follow in his steps with that. You continue to be a joy to everyone. Your smile is so precious and lights up a room. You do have a temper though and you could use more patience when it comes to food. When you get upset, your Martina McBride skills kick in and I swear that people miles away can hear you working out your lungs!! Overall, you are a joyful baby- just as I prayed so often that you would be. You love being around people and you never sit still. I think you are a going to be a "social butterfly" just like your Daddy because you talk and smile alot when there are lots of people around. Zoee- it is a joy to snuggle with you and let you play with my necklace (which you are fascinated by). I pray that you will continue to enjoy life as you do now.

Love,
Mommy

Zoee and Asher

Dear Asher and Zoee,
I have had these pics for over a month now and am just finding the time to post them. I am often amazed and blessed by how much you two already love one another. Zoee- you just LOVE when Asher talks with you. You smile so big when he is around. Asher, you love helping me take care of Zoee. Since the day she came home from the hospital you have been my helper with her. You love giving her toys and I often here you say the phrase... "here you doe Yoee" (here you go Zoee) when you are sharing with her. You also love to mimic Zoee trying to crawl. I will often find you on the floor next to her "crawling" like her. It always makes me smile! You both are such a blessing to Daddy and me. I pray that you will continue to love each other as you grow older. I love you!

Love,
Mommy