Santa's Helper

We busted baby Jonas trying to get into his gifts before the big day.

Georgia

We just got back from a trip to Georgia a few weeks ago. These pictures are just a few of the many I will be posting soon. Jonas is wearing his Santa suit with his Aunt Casie and Uncle Tim in the picture below.

This is my dear friend Wendi and her new baby girl, Emmie.

Our Little Pumkin

Jonas only had his Halloween costume on for a few minutes. He is not used to be being in a bag and the weather was really warm, so we made the photo shoot really quick. His legs were also a little bit to long for the outfit and this made things difficult for Jonas while sitting up. Cousin Eden was dressed as Cinderella and looked so pretty! I'm sure they will be great friends as soon as Jonas can run around with her.

5 Days To Election Day

As usual we voted together as a family. Jason and I normally vote early in the morning the day of the election and then go get a chicken biscuit. This election we decided it would be easier to vote early. We were in and out in less than ten minutes because no one really votes in El Paso. Jonas has now been to the polls twice in his 8 1/2 months of life. He was only a few weeks old when the primaries took place and our nominee didn't win then and we don't think our candidate will be elected this time around either.

I just took this picture a few days ago. Jason and I can't believe how big Jonas is getting. It is crazy to think that in two weeks our little guy will be 9 months old. He has only been crawling for a few weeks now, but he has learned quickly to to get around really fast. The days are long gone when I could put Jonas on the floor and he would stay in one place.

Aunt Allison visited us (well, really Jonas) the weekend before last. She was only here two nights, but she was able to spend a lot of time with Jonas.

A Little Update

I think this is the first time Jonas had sweet potatoes. He didn't like them at first, but now he eats them up.

We brought Jason lunch to his office a while back. Jonas had a good time playing with all the junk on his dad's desk. This picture is of Jason and me at Casas por Cristo's annual fundraising Gala. I thought my husband looked quite handsome in his tux. I haven't seen him that dressed up since our wedding almost seven years ago.

Uncle Greg came to visit and fed Jonas his first taste of eggplant and Jonas loved it.

Another first at Krispy Kreme with Aunt Cassie and Uncle Greg. They visited a few weekends ago and we had a great time.

A Visit From The Grandparents

We have had my parents visit and then Jason's parents visit us in the past month. Jonas entertained them and he also loved the attention. Our parents enjoyed the visit as well and we were able to show them our new home, which we have been living in over a month. Jason and I are glad our parents visited because Jonas is growing up so fast and we want him to know he has grandparents that love him. It is sad at times because we live so far away from family, but we know God has placed our family here to serve Him and we hope to teach Jonas this as he gets older.

First Solids

Jonas really did not know what to think about his first rice cereal last Thursday. We are still working on him actually eating what is put in his mouth. Soon enough he will catch on and become a pro so we can move on to veggies.

6 Months Old

As of August 12th Jonas is 6 months old. Jason and I can't believe how big he is getting. Jonas has been talking more than ever lately and he loves to roll around. At his 6 month check up the doctor said he is doing great and is still tall and skinny.

I'm Taking Over!

I (Amy) am taking over our family blog. Jason is busy most of the time so he has handed the blog over to me. Jonas is doing great. He is really started to get his own personality. Lately, Jonas likes to stand up and read books.

Jonas and Bailey

We had to make Bailey pose for this picture. She thought she was getting in trouble since I don't let her touch him. However, Jonas has really been noticing her lately and on Saturday for the first time he decided to pet her on the head several times.

A Season Like No Other

It is summer time on the mission field and people are going all over the world to serve. The ministry that I work for, Casas Por Cristo, is right at the beginning of the most impactful season of every year. Needless to say that once our ministry set the course to be debt free, expand to other border towns, and basically to set a new path like no other Murphy (Murphy's law) has shown up and is trying to move in the spare bedroom. As every media outlet has reported the Drug Cartels are in the middle of a territory war that is bringing more fear than at any time in our ministries history.

The last month has been stressful for our leadership since we have had 10% (20 homes) of our homes scheduled to be built this summer end up being canceled because of teams fearing for their safety. Unfortunately, a thirty second news clip can slant the real story and cause fear to set in to other. When if the real story was reported it would be another story. For example, almost all violence has happened in the night and we are not out at night, almost all violence has happened in the wealthy area and downtown and we do not build or drive through those areas, all violence has been targeted between rival cartels and corrupt police and of course Christians are hopefully not one of those two, all violence has been happening on the weekend and we are only building during the week.

The definite call is to pray for our city and pray for our ministry. Fear is the tactic that has been an arrow in the quiver of evil for thousands of years. But we are not called to have a spirit of fear and I hope that in the face of adversity believers will stand up and want to serve a God who is still trying to connect with those who do not know him!

First Trip to Mamma Grand and Grand D's House

Jonas with Momma Grand and Grand D at his first baseball game. Braves verse Padres and be Braves won 5-4.
Just to show that we were all here at Turner Field.
This is the mark of the first trip to the Laffan Grandparents house in College Park.

Aunt Allison with her first Nephew.

Our New Home

This is a picture of the color stucco, roof and stone that we choose. Of course it is not our floor plan but we really liked the way this one looked when it was finished.
This is what you see when you walk in the front door. To the left is the sitting room and dining room and to the right is the den.

Front side of the house. The big trailer is loaded up with our material because it will get stolen if it is not locked down.
Garage and the two bedrooms over the garage.
This is the view from te back wall.
Check out that big back yard! No seriously that is a big back yard for El Paso.

Here are some shots of our new home and it is going up quick. We left two weeks ago and there was no slab and we came back to the framing almost completly finished! There are pictures from every angle. I know for the non construction folks it might be a little hard to understand but it does make perfect sense to me.

First Trip to Grandma & Grandpa's House

It was an exciting weekend as we started on our first plane ride togther as a family. Then our first trip to Georgia as a family, with many more to follow I am sure. Then first trip to the Harbin Grandparents house, with many more to follow as well. Oh yea and I think we left his schedule in Texas because with all the running around nothing seems to work like it is supposed. But one good thing is that the last 3 nights have been at least 6.5 hours of solid sleep. Amy is loving every minute of it to.

I think he is smiling because of Grandpa's shirt (Casas Por Cristo t-shirt)!
There he is laying on his dad's big belly his first plane ride.
Grandmomma is showing him all the green trees that he has never seen before.

This is his first time with his Great Grandmother.

Two Months Old

Here are the latest shots of Jonas and Amy and then Jonas sitting up with a little help from his boppie and a little help from his Dad.