Happy Birthday Katie!!/Happy Father's Day Dads!

Life for us has been extremely difficult lately. The stomach flu took its toll earlier in the week in addition to circumstances that were "seemingly" out of control. While I cannot elaborate, I can say these next words have upheld me this week. They are from a wise woman named Elisabeth Elliot whom I go to frequently in my quiet time.
"Teach me to treat all that comes to me with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by you.....We cannot make ourselves holy. But when we surrender ourselves to the Lord, learning day by day to treat all that comes to us with peace of soul and firm conviction that His will governs all, He will see to our growth in grace. He will so govern the events in our lives, down to the smallest detail, as to provide for us the conditions which may make us fruitful. It is not for our sake, but for the sake of others. The beauty of the flower is not for itself. It offers itself to God's sunshine and rain, gives its fragrance to any who pass by, but it must wither and die before the fruit can be produced.
Faith need never ask, "but what good did this do me? Faith already knows that everything that happens fits into a patterns for good to those who love God. An inconvenience is always whether we see it or not, a blessed inconvenience. We may rest in the promise that God is fitting together a good many more things than are any of our business. We need never see 'what good it did,' or how a given trouble accomplishes anything. It is peace to leave it all with Him, asking only that He do with me anything He wants, anywhere, anytime, that God may be glorified." (A Path thru Suffering-E. Elliot)

Resting in this....we were able to have a wonderful combined celebration of Fathers Day for the Dad's in our family, and our completely wonderful most-recent-addition's birthday....Katie Mei! She's 2!! She's talking up a storm, loves make-up and shoes, begs for ice cream and popcicles, and will sit and read forever! She's also been known for a few temper tantrums lately :) Please enjoy the pictures of our party today. We had both sets of grandparents in addition to our cousin Kevin from Virginia (here on a missions trip) and Mel/Jason. We're very grateful for our family!