Pa came to meet Karis!

This is Pa...my dad. The kids LOVE pa and always ask when he will be coming next. We call Pa "santa claus" except he comes baring gifts all year long! He and Sandy made sally's birthday so fun with all the princess things they got her at the disney store!! We love you Pa and Sandy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SALLY!!!!

We celebrated sally's birthday a few days early with family and friends in this weekend! sally will be 2 yrs old on July 2nd. Happy Birthday sweet girl!!

SURPRISE!!!!

Aunt Rachie came down to surprise me this weekend and brought Aunt Wendi!! to give the greatest surprise ever!!! They helped me bake a birthday cake for sally and we enjoyed catching up on life! I loved seeing you girls! It meant so much to me!! Love you rachie and weeza!!!

Let the Nations Rejoice!!

We wanted to share something really special that touched us when Karis was born. We have been praying that Karis' life would be in many ways a "revelation of grace" to the nations. The meaning of her name has been such a powerful reason why we have called her that and the day she was born already gave us hope for such.

Our friend Hilary teaches many international students from all over the world. And she was waiting for our phone call on the day Karis was born and told her students of such. When she got the phone call, they all rejoiced! They even started discussing in the class about the meaning of her name. Hilary spent the next day in class talking about grace to them for over an hour! It has been so exciting to us to hear such news! And the night she was born her nurse was from India and helped me in so many ways...she loved karis and continued to talk about her and treat her as if it were her own child. I will never forget the day she was born and when the nations already began rejoicing. Hilary got a video of her class...i will post it when i receive it.

until then, here is a cute video of wesleygrant the day we brought karis home....

A Knight and A Servant

Stew and I have been anticipating the moment when Wesley Grant and Sally met their sister, Karis. I have been praying over their roles with one another and how they will be together...both now as children and in the future as they grow. So we wanted to be intentional about that first meeting. We got each child a gift to symbolize their role with their sister. For wesley grant we got him some knights, symbolizing that he is Karis' protector....and sally got a tea set symbolizing that she is to love and serve Karis.

We chose these roles, based on what we have already seen in our children. In one sense, we were just calling out what our children already are. Wesleygrant is indeed our strong child that protects and speaks out his will. Sally loves to pray and help me around the house. Granted, these skills in time will grow in the "right" way as they are reigned under Jesus and not their own will. But again, we are just hoping to put small encouragements and gently directing our children towards what they were made to do- Glorify God. We pray that both wesleygrant and sally will use their gifts to point Karis to Jesus and in time that Karis will be gracious and help point her older siblings to the very grace of God.

We wrote welseygrant and sally letters with verses exhorting them in the roles we called them to when we presented them with gifts....one day I pray that when they read those letters, they will find themselves only encouraged in what they are already doing.

She's here!

Karis Elizabeth Stewart was born on Monday, June 23 at 1:50pm. Here are a few pictures to celebrate her arrival:



Wesley Grant, Sally and Karis:


Typical family picture where all the kids are perfectly poised and still:


Wesley Grant, Sally and Karis... again:


Sally and Karis:

Karis will be here soon....

I am still "with child"...even at 4 cm...But I have a scheduled induction tomorrow for 8am. We will meet Karis tomorrow for sure! We will keep you posted!! Please be praying for us!

Unleavened....Holy

So my heart has been lifted by much these last few weeks...but another moment came from the message that was given from 1 Corinthians last night at church. "...just as you are in fact unleavened...." Unleavened-Holy which means "set apart FOR A PURPOSE".

At my salvation I was made made holy. Holiness isn't something I am attaining to, but rather what my identity is found in. I once was unholy, but b/c of Christ I was washed, sanctified and justified before the Lord.
We do not get that these days. If I lived out that everyday, i believe my days would look so different. If I would seek to put off sin to the degree that Christ washed me from sin, then my actions in every small detail would look so different. My heart is seeking this....seeking to teach my children this....pursue putting off sin and on Christ...b/c I am indeed set apart for a purpose.

1 Peter 1:13-16 says,
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesue Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "You shall be Holy, for I am Holy."

My holiness has been given in Christ...now b/c of the holiness shall I resolve greatly to put off sin in all my behavior...i am no longer purposed for that.

Karis' Shower

And this was the coolest party favor's ever!! 3 Musketeers (my 3 children) wrapped with a verse that we have claimed over Karis's life! so cool!! Rachel Keith- Another creative idea for you! Jackie, this was so great!!

There are lots of babies coming soon around Austin...this is Adrianne and Amber and I. Adrianne is due soon after Amber and I!

Sally with Micah's mommy....her future mother-in-law! I'll have to save this for the wedding for sure!!

So this is Sally with Micah Engstrom....Her future husband....

My friend, Amber, and I are due the same day! She is having a boy and I a girl...so we just think they are destined to be married! =) Sally and Elijah are around the same age as well!

Each woman made a bib for Karis...some where quite hilarious and others we hope quite prophetic!

So continuing...last Thursday evening, some ladies put a shower together for Karis and I. It couldn't have been sweeter. Fabs and Jackie, organized the whole thing and spoke in everything they did- love for me and Karis. I was given a journal with notes from so many women, even friends from college in regards to "grace" which Karis' name means. It will be something I treasure forever. We had so much fun and yet all left sensing our Lord. Thank you ladies! Words cannot express how I feel!

Karis' shower - part one

So tonight was a shower for Karis and it was an amazing blessing!! More pics and stories to come soon! But had to post sally.....she was the entertainment....it was like she knew there were lots of girls and fun going on! It was so fun to have her there! Notice the progression of her outfit....hilarious! By the end she was dancing in red high hills in her diaper! love that girl! Karis, you just wait! you will have so much fun with your sister sally!

Karis Elizabeth Stewart

So, the countdown is here...we are waiting and preparing for sweet Karis to arrive! Some sweet ladies are putting together a small celebration shower for her tomorrow night. The invitation touched my heart so much, as i read the meaning of Karis' name:

Kha-res : Greek- "Grace; of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, afferction, and kindles them to exercise of the Christian virtues"

We are so overwhelmed as we think of our children and the gift they have been so far...WesleyGrant is our little leader....Sally our prayer warrior and servant....and by God's grace...Karis will be our little evangelist.

Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement as we wait for her arrival...we will let you know when she arrives!