Top Baby Names of 2007

Found this on MSN:

The Top Baby Names of 2007
What happened in baby names in 2007? The results are in: Emma has finally been knocked off its number one perch for the first time since it landed there in 2004! Sophia has been making steady progress since 2002, cracked the top 10 in 2005, and jumped six slots to be the new number one baby name for 2007.
Addison jumped a whopping 20 spots this year to land in the top 10 — no doubt thanks to flame-haired actress Kate Walsh's portrayal of Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd on the hot TV series "Grey's Anatomy" and its spin-off, "Private Practice."
In boys' baby names, Aiden still rules, as it has since 2005. But Jayden, Caden, and Jackson have jumped quickly into the top 10 this year and are the new rising stars.

And here they are, in order: The BabyCenter® Top Baby Names of 2007

Top 10 Girl Names
1. Sophia
2. Isabella
3. Emma
4. Madison
5. Ava
6. Addison
7. Hailey
8. Emily
9. Kaitlyn
10. Olivia

Top 10 Boy Names
1. Aiden
2. Ethan
3. Jacob
4. Jayden
5. Caleb
6. Noah
7. Jackson
8. Jack
9. Logan
10. Matthew

How Many Kings?

How Many Kings by Downhere


Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mothers shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?

Cause how many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn savior
All that we have whether costly or meek
Because we believe Gold for his honor and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he’ll suffer
Do you believe, is this who we’ve waited for?
(It’s who we’ve waited for)

How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me
All for me All for you
All for me All for you

tired of tired

I have to admit, I am so tired of being tired. I feel like when I am at home, all I do is sleep, and when I am not asleep, all I want to do is sleep.
URGH!
I have so much that should get done, that needs to get done.
I know I'm pregnant, and I've been sick (from the pregnancy and from having a cold that won't go away!) but yikes...I'm so ready to feel better and have a little bit more energy than I currently have.
Second trimester, come and relieve me, please!

Pregnancy Must Be Contagious! LOL!

Well, I have joined the many ladies I know as one who is pregnant.
It still feels so surreal, and if I didn't have an ultrasound and plently of morning (all day) sickness to prove it, I might be tempted to not believe it.
But, I am pregnant, and excited for another child. Excited, nervous... so many feelings at once.
And I have a cold, so between coughing and morning sickness, I am feeling pretty rough right now. But hopefully it will all pass soon and I can just enjoy being pregnant again.
I'm due at the end of next June, so please keep me, baby, Liam and Jon all in your prayers as you think of us.

Sad...

So, I had to borrow a computer from my inlaws just to access the internet and such because my computer gave up the ghost. Something about the motherboard blowing up video cards or some such annoyance.
So, Currently, I have no ability to put on new pictures, urgh.
BUT, I will find a way to put up some new pictures soon, as I have a few really fun ones.
Until then, ta-ta.

My Parents Have A Kitten!

New Glasses!

Me and Liam

A quote from an incredible story that I was fortunate enough to stumble across:

"I do not know why God has us ask when He knows what lies ahead. But this I know, I will ever more boldly ask the impossible of my Father. And, thereafter, surrender to His control of all things."

-Matt Mooney, May 16th 2007
http://mattandginny.blogspot.com/


The blog tells the story of their son, Eliot, and the year that spanned both his birth and death (he had Trisomy 18 and only lived 99 days). It was incredibly heart wrenching, but beautiful too.
Kaiden was not far from my mind or heart as I read the blog Matt Mooney wrote about his own experience with the agony of losing a child.
I can not begin to understand what it must be like to go through such a thing, but these encounters with friends and strangers alike who have gone through it has opened my eyes a little bit, and my heart hurts for them. I know that God is big, but I wish that there was just a little bit less suffering here than there is....
Parents should never have to bury their children. Ever.

No More Crib

My little boy has made the transition from crib to toddler bed!
We are all liking this change quite a bit, especially mommy, as she no longer has to lift Liam into and out of the crib! So much nicer on her back!

Circus Fun

Funnies

Can Liam fit in the back window of the car? YES! (Riding on the ferry)

How crazy can we get Liam's hair? Pretty crazy! (More riding on the ferry!)

Brian and Alyssa's Wedding

Liam was trying to hide from the camera, but I was too smart for him!
Joe is always such a silly person
Liam talking to his "NinNin"
Liam and Mommy
The three of us...

So, we went to Brian and Alyssa's wedding yesterday. Or, at least, we tried to. When we got to the ferry, there was a 2 1/2 hour wait, so we tried driving around, which didn't get us there any faster. Ended up missing the ceremony...arriving 10 minutes after the reception had started. We were all pretty upset as we had been looking forward to the wedding for weeks. But at least we got to be there for a little bit and not fully miss the whole thing.

Jennifer in Simpson Land!

A Quote From A Friend

I was reading a web page of a dear friend, Gemma, when I came across this line she wrote (quoted verbatum):

Praise God for the times he brakes us down so he can build us up again the way he wants us to be without all the crap!

Very true!

King or Cripple

I just heard this song on the speakers behind me and it just blew me away with how much it is saying to me right now. The line "All that you give can sometimes rob my innocence" is what really blew me away. In the face of some stuff going on in life right now, it's really hitting home. God's blessings can be used in wrong ways, and our innocence can be lost. It's not the Gifter's fault, or the gift itself, but what is done with it. Hmmmm. Like free will? Definitely.

King or cripple,
What have I become?
Beneath these kingly robes,
There lies a fragile man
What made me a king can sometimes cripple
All that you give can sometimes rob my innocence

Why do you let us walk upon a cliff so steep,
When deep below the sea there lies a bed of gold?
And if this should be our battle place,
Don't let me fall
Don't let us fall

Keep me
Won't you keep me?
Keep me
Won't you keep me?

I'd love to hold the hand of one who healed the blind
And saw the leper run into the arms of love
And king or cripple, they were the same to you
You took a broken man and you treat him like a king

Keep me
Won't you keep me?
Keep me
Won't you keep me?

King or,
King or,
King or cripple?
You took a broken man and you treat him like a king

(delirious)

alot of "dis-"

I feel kind of disconnected....like my brain's in one place and my body in another.

I feel distracted...like I am chasing a thought but can't quite catch it.

I feel disoriented...like I'm not sure what's happening...

I feel disorganized...like there's so much to do and so little time.

I feel discontented...like I should be doing something specific but am not.

I feel disturbed...like I'm in the wrong place and time.

I think it all boils down to the fact that I am tired and really should be in bed. LOL.

Good night all.

Newest Pictures of Liam and I

Summer = Grillin'

my parents sometimes stop at Trader Joes on their way to visit us, and when they do, we are always blessed with treats.
Last week, I pulled out the marinated chicken that they had brought us from TJ's and grilled it up on the porch, making delicious fajitas. They were good. And it was fun to grill, even if it's kind of a cheating way to do it (and come to find out, we're apparently not allowed to use charcole OR propane grills here at this apartment complex anyway...)
So, yeah. I had fun grilling and it was great food. Thanks mom and dad!

Incredibly insightful quote, attributed to Jay Leno (I got it in an email):


With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?

Hedgehog...

"Betsy"



So, about a week ago now, Jessie came home with a hedgehog. We've been slowly getting to know little Betsy, as she is nocturnal and we are not, LOL. But she's a lot of fun, once a person has gotten past the fear of her spines (Yes, they DO hurt! But only when she's scared/angry).

A Fun Evening

We had a "fun night" at church last night, complete with huge bouncey houses, a slide, burgers and hotdogs (think Costco's polish dogs), face painting and more.
It was great fun, ended with "Predators of the Heart", a show done by a guy who has a bunch of predatory animals: wolves, cougars, snakes, birds of prey, and more. It was amazing, and he ties a christian message into it which makes it even cooler.
Liam had a blast and it was definitely fun for me too!

Starbucks Girl Picture

Starbucks Girl

So, I had my first day of actual training at Starbucks today. It was great fun mixed with alot of boring reading. I now know how to make just about any Frappiccino you could ask for, as well as brew the coffee/tea, and make iced cofee/tea!!! I can pretty much run a register too, although there are a few things that are still tricky for me, like ringing up a triple tall, non-fat, raspberry decaf espresso no whip or the like, LOL. But, I think I am doing pretty good for my first day. Props to my training girl, Vanessa, who was AWESOME! I also got to finally meet my manager, which was cool. She seems nice (time will tell). So, yeah. I forgot to get a picture of me in uniform before I took it all off, but I will try to get one soon!

Shuckin' Corn

I've always really liked shucking corn. It was one of those childhood activities that have really stuck with me.

So, when we were visiting my parents awhile back, and mom asked me to shuck the corn, I immediately grabbed a chair and called Liam over.

He loved it. There were only 3 ears, and I let him shuck them all. He wanted to shuck more and was very disappointed that there were none left!

The legacy has been passed down! Sweet!

best friends

I've known her since I was 8 or 9. That's 16 years! We've been through ALOT together and I love her very much!

thoughts....

Writing on the last page of a journal I've been keeping since November has really made me introspective this afternoon. Alot has happened in life over the last 8 or 9 months. There was been joy and sorrow, pain and peace, laughter and tears.
Alot of the things that happened, I would never have wished for before hand, but I know that they stand to teach me important lessons and draw me closer to the Lord....and I know that it all HAS drawn me closer.
I do not yet know how to choose contentment in all circumstances, but even in the midst of darkness, disappointments, frustrations and trials, I have learned to trust that God has a plan and it is perfect (although I will probably have to go on learning, as it is a lifetime lesson, not a quick one). He loves me, and those around me, and the pain we feel brings Him pain, even when He can see the outcome of it all.
I think one of the most profound things I've written in the last months, one of the things that has helped me gain peace about, if not fully accept or even understand, the yucky stuff, was this:
"At this point, all I can do is look to my Savior and sob, "why?"And, in the midst of the ever increasing darkness and in the midst of my heart breaking ever more, I feel His love surround me and comfort me and I know His heart is breaking too. Because, this isn't what He wanted to have happen either."
He did not create us for pain and sorrow. He created us for love, for life, and for Himself. And through the work of Jesus on the cross, we can regain a piece of the life He made for us before sin entered the world, and the hope of eternity with Him in glory!

More National Forrest Park Pictures....

Beauty in the eye of the beholder....

We went to the national forrest a few weeks back (for some reason I wasn't able to load pictures on here until now). It was a beautiful afternoon and I got so many beautiful pictures.

I GOT A JOB!

YEAH! I finally have a job!
After looking for over a month, I finally have a job! I am going to be working for Starbucks! How cool is that?!?
Lots of free coffee coming my way, oh yeah baby! LOL

So, it's totally a cool answer to prayer, check this out:
For the last three weeks, I've been praying that I got a job by June 1st. I've put in applications all over, but I was really wanting to work for Starbucks.
There was one manager in particular that I felt really comfortable with, and he's going to be the manager at the new store. So, I was trying to stay in contact with him, and he was the one I kept calling.
So, when I called yesterday he wasn't in, and I left a message asking him to call me back, not expecting to hear anything until Friday.
Well, Jessie, Liam and I were getting ready to go swimming when the phone rang and it was the manager guy---Tim, and he said that they were having a job fair up North and if I was able to get there, he would love to interview me, since he wasn't able to at the last job fair I went to.
So, Jessie watched Liam and I borrowed her car and went up there.
On the way I was praying and giving the interview and my desire for the job to the Lord again and asking that He give me favor with Tim and that I would know when I walked out of the Starbucks up there whether or not I had a job. So, I met with Tim and had the interview and after that he asked if I had any questions. I asked a few because I read somewhere that questions are good and then after that he said, "Well, I really want to hire you. You had good answers to my questions and seem very honest, and you've shown great dedication in coming to two job fairs to try and get a job with us." And then proceeded to tell me to call him on Monday if he didn't call me to set up a training schedule!

YEE HAW!!!
I was so happy when I left that I was going back and forth between wanting to scream and wanting to cry. I called Jonny first thing and told him. SO, yeah, totally an answer to prayer. Thanks to any of you who prayed for me in this area!

Goodbye, Dear Kaiden

Kaiden went to be with Jesus today. I am heartbroken, and have not had words to relay my sadness until tonight. This doesn't even begin to do Kaiden, or his loss justice, but it's all I have right now:

What Do You Say
By: Jennifer Butcher
May 29th 2007

What do you say
To someone who has lost
A child, part of themselves
And what can you do
To ease the pain just a little?

All the words in the world
Can’t bring them back
And that’s the only thing
That would take away the sorrow

You know they are in heaven
Where there’s no pain, no tears
And you know that they are with Jesus
But it’s so hard to be right here
Without them.

So, what do you say
To someone who lost
A child, a part of themselves?
And what can you do
To help ease the pain

Just cry with them,
Grieve with them
Help carry the burden of pain
Talk with them, remember with them
Help carry the pain.


I have to admit, I have way more peace about Kaiden's death then I did with Kurt. I don't know why, maybe I'm more numb than at peace, or maybe God has blessed me with peace, or maybe I just am way more able to accept that God's answer wasn't what I wanted it to be, but that's okay.
I don't know, but for now, I am grateful for the peace.

Lord, please be with Stephanie and Omar as they walk down this road of sorrow and loss. Uphold them, draw them nearer to You and grant their hearts rest and peace. Make Kaiden a joyful memory to them and continue to unfurl the ways You have used Kaiden's short life for Your ministry and glory.
And, Lord, remind them that You see and understand their tears and You are mourning with them, even though You have Kaiden there with You. Amen.

A song to go with the Pain

Pain and Prayers
By Jennifer Butcher
May 28 2007



There’s a baby on life support
My friends are hurting
We all just want him well
We cry and we pray and
Hope for a miracle
God, why can’t it just come?

There’s a sister who’s sick
The family is hurting
We just want her well.
We wish and we pray and
Hope for a miracle
God, let it come today

There’s a girl in tears
And she’s really hurting
She just wants them well
She cries and she prays and
Hopes for some miracles
God, Bring them,
Bring us miracles today

God, please
Bring us miracles today

Pain

I'm sitting here in a puddle of tears as I pray for my friends' baby boy Kaiden. He's in the hospital again, but this time on life support. If it's breaking my heart this bad...I can't even begin to image what Stephanie and Omar are feeling right now.

How do you balance believing that God is going to heal someone and having peace if He decides to take them home instead?

I am still dealing with the pain and devastation of losing Kurt, after believing with all that was in me that God was going to heal him.

It's all I can do to pray "Thy Will Be Done" and trust that God knows best. I want Kaiden healed for Gods Glory and for Steph and Omar, and all the other people in the world he had the potential to touch in his life. I also want him healed for me. So that I won't be tempted to give up hoping that God can and will heal those I pray for.

Jesus, please heal Kaiden and please bring peace to Stephanie and Omar. Hold them through all of this. Be their comfort and shield. For Your glory. Amen.

Never Looked At Me

Never Looked At Me….
Jennifer Butcher May 17th 2007

You wonder why you’re all alone
You curse the air and scream out loud
You think you’d give up anything to have a friend
You always wish someone would see
And come and be just what you need
You wonder why you’re always so alone…

And I, I never left your side
I’ve always been right here
Close enough to touch, to feel
And I, I’ve always been your friend
Listened to the words that never end
Been everything you need,
But you’ve never looked at me

You pray and ask and beg for more
Just another soul to come and fill
The emptiness you feel inside yourself
And then you scream and cry and wonder why
No one’s ever stopped, just passed you by
You wonder why you’ve always been alone

And I, I never left your side
I’ve always been right here
Close enough to touch, to feel
And I, I’ve always been your friend
Wiped the tears that never seem to end
Been everything you need
But you’ve never looked at me

Maybe someday you’ll finally see
What you’ve always had
And maybe then you’ll look at me
And together we will be free…
But for now,

I, I will never leave your side
I’ll always be right here
Close enough to touch, to feel
And I, I will always be your friend
From now until the very end
I’ll be everything you need
Even if you never look at me

I’ll be everything you need
Even if you never look at me

Crazy Liam Outfits...

It is so fun having a toddler. They do some crazy things, like wearing underwear for hats, or trying to use pants as a shirt. I get some good laughs from what my son comes into the room wearing, or what I discover him getting into. Here's a couple examples from recent past:
My coat, my flip-flops.
All I can say is: He has on a bathmit for a sock!

Childhood Memories Re-visited!

Liam looking into the "Hollow Log"
Mommy and Liam in front of the "Hollow Log"
In "Cedar Mansion" (aka "Cedar Park")
Walking the path
In the wood shed