It's August!

Personally, I can't believe how fast this year has gone by! I remember this time last year, I was very pregnant with Nathaniel, and my mom and I were trying to figure out when the best time to do a baby shower for me. We had my baby shower the weekend before I went into labor with our Nathaniel! It's August again and Nathaniel will be 1 years old next Saturday, and in September our Niko will be 3 years old!! It has been an amazing, trying, challenging, but especially joyful year! Mikey and I are so very blessed to have each other and continue to grow closer in our marriage as husband and wife with Christ in the center; and not to mention being able to raise these two boys that The Lord has given us. We have so much more to learn and so much more growing to do as a couple and as a family, we are just so blessed that we can fully rely on Christ for our all! Our hope everyday is in Christ, and I am thankful that the Lord continues to grow us and stretch us! It truly shows how much HE loves us! Here are some scattered updates on things going on with us!

Niko and Nathaniel's Great Grandpa Jerry "PAPA"
Last night we found out that Grandpa Jerry got very sick and had to be transferred over to the ER again. His fight against cancer has been long and hard. We found out he has kidney and liver failure and complication after complication. As we pray for Grandpa Jerry, (a man who has given his full heart and life to Christ) we know that his last days here on earth are just the beginning of his first days living eternally with Christ! We told Niko last night that his Papa was very sick and we need to pray that Jesus will help him feel better. Niko understands that his Great Grandpa is sick but he has no clue to what extent his illness is. It's hard enough to comprehend illness and or death for ourselves let alone having to explain it to our children. I read something the other day that stated, "Life is not the opposite of Death, but the opposite of Death is Birth. Life is eternal and has no opposite." As believers in Christ, we have a hope and a promise that we will live forever with Christ. As believers in Christ, we believe the Bible is not only truth, but the WHOLE TRUTH. It says in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten Son, that whoever believes in HIM should not perish but have everlasting life." Our last breath here on earth is our first breath in heaven with our Father who loves us like no one can or ever has! How beautiful! We love you Grandpa Jerry and our praying lots for you!!

The Boys

I couldn't figure out a better paragraph title for this section, so i'll just name it "THE BOYS". :) Niko is almost 3 years old like I stated above and is becoming more adventurous. He does somersaults perfectly! I have no idea who taught him that, but it's so awesome to see him! He also is becoming more daring! He loves loves loves the water! But absolutely hates flies touching him. He is a sponge when it comes to learning. He will sit down and recite a story that has been read many times to him. He listens very carefully to the words we choose to use, and repeats them often! His language and vocabulary has grown and his sentences are.... well they are practically sentences :) He has an excellent sense of direction and is so very observant of his surroundings. He loves company, making new friends, and getting all the attention! He is a very strong willed boy! Mikey and I's prayers for Niko revolve around learning how to best love him and direct him. We desire our little guy to be a man after God's own heart! We are so blessed with our Niko!

Nathaniel is our little active guy! He started walking at 11 months, and everyday he just gets better and better at it! He also is learning how to toss, bounce and catch the ball as he walks! He is such a little athlete already! Nathaniel loves to eat everything and anything! He is feeding himself, but still nurses. I am working on weaning him off slowly. He is drinking cows milk now so it is becoming easier on me to wean him. He loves being barefoot and crawling on dirt and rocks. Just today I put little shoes on him, because his feet were all scratched from all his outdoor walking. He loves Niko and tries to be just like him. He loves his Daddy and says, "da da da da" when he sees Mikey. He calls me, "ma ma ma ma". He also talks alot! He has his own Nathaniel language but it almost sounds like English! He has long blonde hair, that we will have to cut soon. It has gotten too long and food, and stuff get tangled in it. Our prayers for Nathaniel are very similar to those we pray for Niko. We desire that our little man Nathan will learn of God's love for him, and we pray that we as parents can be a true reflection of God's love to him and Niko. We are so blessed with you Nathaniel!

How did I get so blessed to be the Wife of Michael Morse and the Mommy of Niko and Nathaniel?

Father God, thank you for blessing me with this beautiful family. You are showing me how to be the wife and mommy You have always desired for me. Lord, I desire to follow you every step. Though I make tons of mistakes, help me fully understand Your grace for me. Help me fully understand how YOU see me. Help me rely fully on YOU daily. That I may not waste YOUR offer of power and peace in my life. I love you and give myself to YOU. Jesus, Here I am, use me, that YOU and YOU alone will be glorified through my life and through my family. And it's always in Jesus Name that I pray. AMEN.