Karis is almost 1 year old (May 4th)! It has caught me by surprise…but what a special year it has been with this little bundle of joy and “grace” as her name means. God’s grace has been sufficient! Karis is doing her army crawl. After seeing her cousin crawl this past week at the beach has really inspired her. She will now occasionally get up on her knees and crawl. Karis is a social butterfly and loves waving at everybody!
She is pulling herself up in bed, on tables, and everywhere else she can. She learned sign language for the words “more” and “thank you”, and we are still working on “please” and “down”, but I have been amazed at how quickly she can learn and understand.
Aren’t these hands so precious? She is going to be quite the musician!
In addition, she is eating up a storm! I can’t slow her down! She eats three good meals a day in addition to nursing five times and still she manages to stay pretty petite! More teeth are arriving and she is cruising around in her walker (a wonderful toy passed down in the family). She is keeping mommy busy. 
But it is such a joy!
As for Aaron & I, we are enjoying married life! We are coming up on our 2nd anniversary on the 21st of May. I still love him more than ever! God has been providing for us in beautiful ways. One example comes to mind. Aaron really desired to attend a technology in missions conference in June in Indiana. We prayed about it and looked into getting some air mileage from family, but nothing was available. We decided to just leave it in the Lord’s hands. The Lord provided an amazing airfare price of only $200 and with the cost of food and registration, the total came to around $450. The elders of our church have graciously chosen to cover the entire expense for us. Praise the Lord! Aaron is simply thrilled and ecstatic.
We are so excited to continue to serve the Lord in mobilizing and increasing awareness in our church for missions and extending Christ’s name to the nations.
Karis at one of her favorite pastimes – the lid drawer!
I have almost finished the school year out with my piano students, and am prayerfully evaluating what God would have me to do this next year. I am considering consolidating my teaching down to one day, and cut back on students. We’ll see what the Lord has.
Mommy & Karis being silly in front of the mirror!
The Lord has really been challenging me in the area of compassion and putting on love at all times (Col. 3:12-14). I have been so stirred to be a cultivator of love and compassion to those around me, and I am prayerfully seeking his direction how I can seek to mobilize other women in how to effectively minister to the needs of others from the home, and making this the center place for ministry. I asked the Lord just this past week if there was someone I could minister to by inviting over for tea and fellowship. The Lord put a woman in the church into my heart, I invited her over, and we had such a lovely time! The Lord really blessed our fellowship, and I believe it was very fruitful on both sides. There are so many little opportunities to bless and serve others from our homes! Oh to make my home a haven of ministry unto others! That is my vision and passion. Tomorrow we will be having a bunch of young adults over in the church, and I pray that once again we may bless and encourage them in the Lord. With God all things are possible!
Another one of Karis’ silly expressions!
God is so good as another month passes by…
Many blessings upon you all!
What a beautiful little girl you have there! This was a very timely post for me to read, as I need to be reminded every now and then of how much we can do from the home!
Hi, I just found your blog. Its really interesting. I am also a piano teacher. I teach around 30 students a week and its really a lot of work. I was wondering how you manage to balance everything. It’s a lot to handle getting dinner for my husband and all the general home things and go to work every afternoon! How many students do you have? Do you teach privately or with a school? Your blog is filled with great information!
Mary
Mary,
I definitely understand how tiring teaching can be, as I had to scale back significantly after having Karis. Prior to her arrival, I was teaching 21 students and I felt that was a lot. I came to the realization that my primary responsibility was to my husband and baby, and I personally couldn’t juggle it all successfully (without being totally exhausted and not being able to serve my husband effectively); therefore, I have only had 7 students this year. I do teach from my home, which makes it easier.
Thanks for stopping by!
Lindsay
Lindsay THANKYOU ,THANK YOU!!!!RENA
Lindsay, hi my name is RENA i live in the Portland-Oregon City area ,I am looking for A&H washing soda .do you or any readers know where i can find it ?I have tried the major stores in my area but have had no such luck.Can you or any one help me PLEASE!!!!Thank-you RENA
Rena, I found it at Fred Meyer’s, as you are in the same area, you should be able to find it there. It is in the laundry section, top shelf next to the borax. Hope you find it successfully!
And you can find it online too.
I love your blog. You are very blessed with a beautiful family. It is a tremendous testimony to how you are allowing God to work your life and God is definitely blessing and leading you!
Hi,
It was so nice to read about Karis’s birthday. And she’s so photogenic. I hope you have a wonderful wedding anniversary. U know what I have a feeling I’m addicted to ur blog and Mrs June Fuentes’s.
I have included ur family also in our weekly prayers (though my grandma finds its a bit baffling).
Since ur so passionate at homemaking, are u going to be homeschooling Karis?
Thanks Rachel for your sweet comments and prayers! I so greatly appreciate it. Yes, Lord willing, we plan to home school Karis. I love teaching, and worked with my siblings lot growing up, so it has been my heart’s desire to home school my children as well. Thanks again!
I enjoy reading your family updates! I especially like your pictures – you guys all look so happy – like you’re filled to the brim with joy. It’s so refreshing.
I have a question for you, but first let me explain. I am really trying to learn balance in my life and what my role is. There are many principles that the Bible lays forth but it is also vague in many places because I know He calls different people to varying ministries. I am just having a hard time knowing how to balance everything and how it’s all supposed to look in more of a practical than a theoretical way.
So here are some of the practical questions I have:
How do you balance your life between piano lessons, outreach, being a mom, keeping the home and being a wife? How much time do you spend with your husband and how do you work together as a team? What does a typical week look like for you?
Anything else you would like to add would be great too. I know that Jesus is our ultimate example and we are to look to Him first, but I know that He also gave us people for counsel.
Thanks!
Very good questions Laura. I will have to pray about those and get back with you.
Blessings,
Lindsay
Happy Birthday, Karis!
I just took a class of hers in Beaverton this past week, and it was very inspiring.
Wow- our daughters are very close in age. My daughter, Genevieve, will be 17 months in May.
Lindsay, I just realized that you are part of Monique’s Sustainable Living google group- so am I!
Happy Anniversary to you & Aaron. It sounds like God is really blessing you!
Blessings,
Michele
http://www.frugalgranola.blogspot.com
I thought I was noticing that you might live in my area. How fun! Yes, I am indeed a part of the Sustainable Living group, as I have taken two of her classes. Very inspiring for sure. I greatly enjoyed visiting your blog as well!
Take care,
Lindsay