We currently have a hatchback Nissan Pulsar, which has served us well for many years (even before I came on the scene!). We have loved her… but she is now quite literally bursting at the seams.

A little while before Judah was born we went camping with the DTS for two weeks of lectures. This is what the Pulsar looked like on that trip:

Ha ha! There is the proof that we are outgrowing our car – pretty sure we couldn’t have fit another sheet of paper in there!!! (And that was with only three of us!)

We’re so grateful for those that have already made donations and helped us toward achieving our goal. We have also learned a lot about saving as we’ve been working hard to be deliberate in setting aside as much as we can from our regular income each month. Combining those we’ve been able to make some significant progress and we’re just thrilled!

We still need to raise another $11,000 (assuming that those who have pledged will be able to fulfill their pledges soon and that we’ll be able to sell the Pulsar for a decent return), so there’s still opportunity for you to partner with us in this project!

Our goal is to get a near-new mid-size 7-seater SUV. These are normal 5-seaters with a big boot (trunk space) for normal running around town as well as trips and outreaches… and they also have a third row of two extra seats that can come up for carpooling, driving YWAM staff and students around, having five children (haha – probably not… but you never know, right?!), doing airport pickups, etc. We hope to get something reliable and versatile that will last us for the next 10-15 years.

Please see our “Give” page for ways to contribute a tax-deductable gift toward this project.

downtown cairo, egypt

Two-thousand-six was one of the best years of my life. I had moved from YWAM Brisbane to YWAM Perth the year before to work with an urban ministry called Megacities. I spent most of 2006 in that year’s Megacity: Cairo, Egypt. It was an exciting, challenging, adventurous, educational, heart-breaking, stretching, and thrilling year. I loved living in the Middle East and I loved working with Megacities!

While there I had the huge privilege of leading the Global Youth Outreach (GYO), which drew about 800 youth from all over the city. (Imagine 800 Egyptian, Sudanese, and international teenagers and young adults all in one place to seek Jesus and grow in their faith!) We gathered together to see them inspired and empowered to take up leadership in their own city by reaching out and serving those around them.

gyo photo by wally nell

On the last day of GYO we split into 50 different teams for the “Day of Compassion”. The youth spilled out into every corner of the city showing the love of God in practical, tangible ways to thousands of Egyptians.

gyo photo by wally nell

Since I was in charge of organizing this event, I was able to invite over a worship band from my home church to help lead worship along with our YWAMers.

[gyo photo by wally nell

The I Heart Campaign has rallied over 5000 volunteers to date, reaching over 15,000 people at community events in Central Oregon alone. They now organize I Heart events in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California.

Isn’t it incredible to see some of the ripple effect of how God is using global service to inspire local service, and local service to inspire global service? A great example of a mission organization and local churches working in unity for multiplication of the gospel.

And this is only the beginning…

But for my family this Thanksgiving is all about our little Judah.

Our Judah that the doctors said phrases like “chromosomal anomaly” and “down syndrome”… and then “dilated kidneys” and “potential bladder problems”… and even others more recently that I don’t even want to give “print” space to.

Each of those phrases caused concern and question and plenty of tears. But they also forced us to have faith and compelled us to be in hope.

And each of those phrases have fizzled in time as our son was born perfectly healthy.

We will never know whether some of those things actually existed while he was in the womb, or if they didn’t. We will never know if he was healed before birth or “healed” all along.

And that’s ok – we’ve made peace with not knowing.

For all of the “problems” and “abnormalities” and “threats” that turned out to be nothing, we are thankful. We’re thankful for the all the “nothings” but we’re also thankful for the so many “somethings” that have come out of the short few months during my pregnancy and now eight weeks in our arms:

Thankful for the opportunity to see the preciousness of life with more clarity.

Thankful for the peace that comes when God whispers in the storm.

Thankful for those that rally and pray and encourage and write and… bring zucchini bread.

Thankful to see that we are loved perhaps more than we realized.

Thankful to connect with people we never would have otherwise.

And thankful now for each little milestone that Judah makes – one more confirmation that he is in fact healthy and developing just as he should.

And there are other things he’s taught me to be thankful for too:

Thankful that I now see children with special needs with a deeper longing for them to experience love and acceptance and support in chasing their own dreams… because I’ve imagined my son in their shoes.

Thankful that I now see parents of children with special needs with more compassion and understanding and admiration… because I’ve imagined myself in their shoes.

Thankful that I now have a greater understanding of my own influence and role in championing and advocating their cause as I’m able.

There are a thousand things for me to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, but most of all I’m thankful for this year’s most special of gifts: the gift of our son Judah Matthew** and all that his life has meant to us so far.

Without words or actions or intention on his part he’s already taught us so much.

Thank you son. Thank you God.

We are beyond grateful.

*Our son is now of course born, but the lessons from this season began long before his birthday. **Judah means “to call on the name of the Lord and to praise, confess, or give thanks”. Matthew means “gift of God”.

Dear friends, what has been your greatest gift to offer thanks for this year? May you fully enter in to Thanksgiving this year – and offer thanks with a whole heart to the One who deserves it most.

Love, Adriel for the family

This year, six women – who all happen to be my friends and coworkers in YWAM Townsville – have given birth… to these angels:

There are now six more (super-cute) reasons that the world is a better place:

And sixty more little toesies that are begging for kisses.

As much as moms need to lean on one other in order to flourish… so do our littles.

So glad we all have each other.

And so glad I have this one to call my own:

I am so grateful for these YWAM moms (and the others not pictured that don’t have a 2011 baby). They are a huge source of joy and wisdom and encouragement for me. And… I just love their precious babies too. The more, the better.

(back of announcement)

He was born on Friday, September 30th at 10:15pm (eight days before his due date) after 20.5 hours of labor. Judah weighed 7.5 lbs and measured 19.5 inches. (That’s exactly a pound lighter and inch shorter than Levi was!)

I did great if I do say so myself.  After seven days of on again/off again prodromal labor, I was exhausted already going into the big day… but was just so glad to finally make it into established labor. Bubs had turned posterior so I had some pretty intense back labor (which also might explain the week of on/off labor) but got through it by the grace of God and some incredible cheerleaders! Ryan was amazing helping me through the labor and delivery, as were my friends Katie and JP who supported us. I seriously had the best birth team ever and am so grateful!

I’m well now, just a little tired and sore like every other mom who’s recently given birth. I had some tearing and grazing and stitches in a couple of places, but that seemed minor in the grand scheme of things. The whole experience was excruciating, powerful, and so beautiful. And… I now officially feel like a superhero.

<
div>Pediatric doctors examined him after birth and again today before we were released from the hospital. As far as we can tell there are no indications of Down Syndrome. We are relieved and grateful! There is still a small question mark around the issue of his kidneys so he will have an ultrasound in a couple of weeks to check it out further and just confirm everything is ok. We’ll also take him back to the hospital in two months to see a specialist for one more evaluation and to make sure he’s progressing normally from a developmental standpoint. We expect nothing out of the ordinary and left with very positive feedback from the doctors. What an awesome answer to prayer!

P.S. Yes, of course we’re taking a thousand photos… to be plastered all over facebook soon.

A car seat adapter. This is an adapter that fits onto our stroller (Baby Jogger City Select) so that we can connect our baby capsule (infant car seat) to it and stroll both kids around at once. ($60 in USA or $89 here)

*Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads (2 pack). These are for breastfeeding mothers. Available in America, in stores like Target. ($10)

*Cloth diapers. Since we use cloth diapers and will have two in dipes at once, we need to increase our supply by about 15 diapers. We use BumGenius One Size and would like to stick to that brand so that we can intermix all of our old inserts and covers with the new ones. ($10-17 per diaper)

*California Baby Diaper Rash Cream. This is cloth-diaper safe cream that we can use without ruining our diapers. Available in America only, in stores like Target ($13)

Car seat protector. This is a rubber mat that gets laid behind and under the carseat in order to protect the car’s upholstery. ($25) 

A second cot/crib mattress. We were given a free crib that Ryan is fixing up but it needs a new mattress as the old one is… yuck. ($100-$130)

A cot/crib mattress protector. ($30)

A cot/crib blanket. ($30)

*Child Tray for Baby Jogger City Select stroller. This is an attachment for our stroller that allows a place for a snack and sippy cup. This one isn’t a “neccessity” but is something useful that we’d like to have. ($20 in USA or $45 here)

*Bugaboo Transport Bag (Universal). This is a padded, wheeled bag to pack your stroller into when you travel. Since we’ve just upgraded to a nice new (expensive) stroller that can accommodate two kids at once, we really want to take good care of it. It enables us to check in our stroller when we fly without it getting beat up, scratched, or torn. This one is also not a “neccessity” but is something we think would be a good investment and good stewardship for our nice stroller. ($160 in USA or $250 here)

Note: We have a couple of months before we will need the cot/crib mattress, mattress protector, and blanket since we’ll have baby in our room in a bassinet for the newborn stage.

Please let us know if you’re able to help with purchasing any of these items, or contributing finances to put toward them. Starred items (*) are things that we would buy from America in order to save money, as long as we’re able to do so in the next couple of weeks (in time for Adriel’s parents to bring them over).

Prayer Request: At the moment baby is in breech position. Please pray that he turns very soon… and remains head down! Adriel would really like to have a normal birth, not a repeat cesarean if at all possible!!!

[Photos of Adriel at 35 weeks pregnant.}

I sometimes wonder how I ended up married to such a man as Ryan: tall, strong, capable, wise, kind, humble, compassionate, generous, loyal, steadfast, persevering, reliable, funny, faithful, trustworthy, resourceful, athletic, creative, intelligent, opinionated in all the things that matter, and incredibly handsome.

And then I look at my kids – Levi and my ever-growing bump – and I realize that part of the reason that I “deserve” such a man is because of these little treasures I call my children. Even if I didn’t “deserve” him… they do.

What an incredible father he is to them. I simply couldn’t ask for better: one who changes diapers, builds sandpits, brushes tiny teeth, kisses owies tenderly, prays earnestly, cooks chicken nuggets with joy, dances unreservedly, rocks and hushes in the night, disciplines with wisdom, teaches with patience, wipes grubby faces and fingers with care, chases and tickles and wrestles, cuddles with sweetness and affection, and sings lullabies gently and wholeheartedly.

He’s the kind of dad every kid deserves.

He’s the kind of dad that the world needs to hold our children when they’re in pain, cheer for them when they’re behind, say “well done” when they’ve tried their best, and proclaim “I love you” to them often and for no reason other than the fact that they are precious and valuable.

Happy Fathers Day to the best of the best:

I love you with all my heart Ryan, and it’s so clear that your kids do too.

Dear friends, it’s Australian Fathers Day today and I couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate the incredible dad that Ryan is.

{two of levi's current favorites - music (as always) and his new bike! thanks to freecycle for the cute trike, and thanks to ryan for transforming it into levi's new "captain america" tricycle masterpiece!}

• Ryan is leading the Youth Street DTS with a fabulous co-leader and two other solid young leaders. They are a really grounded school and very wholehearted about pursuing God and serving youth. It’s a joy to watch them grow, and many of them would like to continue in youth ministry beyond the school in some capacity, which is a huge encouragement to us.

• Adriel and Levi’s teaching trip to New Zealand was fantastic and refreshing. Although keeping an 18-month-old entertained through eight hours of travel and transit was no easy task, the week was totally worth it. Teaching went well (the subject was “Identity in Christ”), God was obviously on the move as we explored God’s original design for us and dealt with hindrances to walking in fulness of life with Him. We also enjoyed some special mommy and son time alone before baby brother comes bounding on the scene.

• We are a third of the way to our fundraising goal of being able to purchase a new family-sized vehicle! We’re thrilled with the progress and with people believing in us enough to help make it happen. (Would you like to help? We’re still looking for $1000 contributors, or those willing to donate any amount!)

• Within a matter of weeks we were given a brand-new iPad and laptop computer. The iPad has been an awesome tool for work, especially going in and out of meetings and the classroom (as well as a great way to help keep Levi quiet during prayer meetings – heh heh), and the computer was funded by a supporter only 24 hours after Ryan’s old one bit the dust. We’re so grateful to these two generous supporters for helping to keep us up and running and connected.

• Adriel has just over six weeks to go until baby brother’s due date and things are progressing well. We’re all so excited to meet our little man and begin to see what his place in the world will look like. We have two top contenders for his name, but haven’t made our final decision yet. Still more prayer needed in that regard, but we’re confident that God will help us name him aptly and give him the best start in life possible. We love our little one so much. (Please pray for a smooth labor and birth for Adriel and bubs!)

• Recently we’ve both been able to teach on “Relationships” on two different DTSs – Ryan on the Pacific DTS and Adriel on the Youth Street DTS. We unpack what it means to be in good relationship with God, parents, others, and romantic relationships. Teaching is an aspect of ministry that we both enjoy very much and it is a blessing and privilege to be able to help disciple young people in this incredibly important subject that spills over into all aspects of life.

• Levi (18 months old) is hilarious and so dang smart! He has around 30-40 words now and we’re pretty sure he understands every single thing we say. He is exerting his independence and will on just about everything, and though it can be a parenting challenge at times, we are so, so grateful that he is growing into a boy who will have a firm resolve and won’t be easily swayed. Our job is to help hone that into a quality that will help him stand firm for all that is righteous and pure and loving and kind. We’re so proud of him and so in love with him.

• We’re preparing to host all sorts of family and friends over the next couple of months and we couldn’t be more excited about it. Here’s who’s coming: Our pastor from Engadine (Sydney), Ryan’s parents, Adriel’s parents, Ryan’s sister and family, a friend from America, a good friend/supporter from Sydney, and another couple of friends from our church in Engadine. It will be a joy to have these loved ones with us as we morph into a family of four.

Thanks for your prayers as we are in up to our ears in life and ministry and transition and change! We’re very much in need of Grace and so aware that it’s impossible to thrive in this season without our Sustainer and Rock… or without our loving friends and family cheering us on. We love you and we appreciate you!

There. I said it.

Sounds so pathetic doesn’t it? I can almost hear the whine wafting off the page…

I wish I could say that I always have perspective, that I am always oozing with gratefulness, and that I always see the glass half-full.

The truth is, I often do have perspective, I often am incredibly grateful, and I often easily see the glass-full.

And yet lately it’s been a struggle.

{don't worry, levi doesn't always look this miserable. he was sick... and dad dressed him that day.}

Pregnancy with a very-young toddler has been kicking me in the backside. Working in ministry has been stressful as we are pulled in a thousand directions – Ryan especially is always solving someone else’s problems it seems. Being fulltime “volunteers” has a set of financial and faith-related pressures that are difficult to even describe. Ryan’s been immobilized with back problems. Levi’s been sick and up at night for three solid weeks. I’ve had pain and illness of one sort or the other for almost four months now – and just when one issue resolves another creeps in. And there is still a big unknown about the health of our precious little boy who is due in six weeks time… even though we know we will be okay with whatever the outcome.

I’m gonna go ahead and stop there lest the whine turn into a full-fledged emotional word vomit that I will later regret.

In all of these difficulties – some large, some small – I’m beginning to realize that “crazy” is our family’s normal. I feel like these days I’m always answering the question “how are things going?” with the response, “Um… fairly well… but things are definitely a bit crazy!”

Maybe it won’t always be, but for now normal is crazy (or crazy is normal?!) and I’m trying really hard to learn to embrace that.

I often think to myself… if only things would slow down a bit, if only responsibilities would ease a little, if only people would be a bit kinder and more generous, if only we made more money, if only I could get more sleep, if only ‘they’ would understand, if only I could get a little help keeping my head above water, if only I had more time to myself and more time with my husband, if only our families lived closer… if only, if only, if only!

Even typing it all out sounds ugly. Blech!

But then all of the ‘if onlys’ get harshly snapped back into perspective when I think of the battles my friends are facing: Friends who are physically and emotionally depleted by the heartbreak of infertility. Or the other who was admitted to hospital on bed rest at 20-something weeks pregnant in a city two-and-a-half hours from her home and husband and two-year-old. Or still the other that has been in and out of hospitals and operating theaters more times than she can count with their little boy who is not even a year old yet. Or the other who is facing a deadly disease that’s invaded her family and turned their world upside down.

It’s scenarios like these that help me to remember that my glass really is half-full and that my life really is much “easier” than I acknowledge a lot of the time.

I instantly recognize that the real battlefield is in my own mind – that constant tug-of-war to remember that life is bigger than what I can see, larger than my immediate circumstances, and no doubt much more wonderful than I give God credit for most of the time.

Ryan and I have been talking about Grace lately. We know it’s there. We know it’s available. We know it has our name on it. So why is it sometimes so hard to access it? Why do we stumble in the darkness looking for it? Why isn’t walking in it a little bit easier?

I imagine the answer is a simple one… perhaps it’s not easy, but simple nonetheless. I imagine it has something to do with activating our faith just that tiny bit more. Or maybe it’s seeking out that quiet place with more intention to let the mind ease and the soul fill. Possibly it’s letting go of the need for order and well-laid-out plans. Or it could simply be a matter of lifting our gaze to heaven with more humility and desperation and regularity.

I’m not sure exactly, but I do know this: Despite all the crazy and the life-going-a-thousand-miles-an-hour-and-feeling-completely-out-of-our-control stuff… I really do know that life is good. I know that I am blessed beyond belief. I know that if given a magic wand there actually is not much that I’d alter when I take into account the big picture.

Because in the mix of life-as-we-know-it, there is a peace which has settled that doesn’t match up to the chaos of my brain or the challenges of our circumstances. It’s a peace that can only be explained by the presence of a God who cares and loves and provides and protects… a God who is most definitely more than enough.

That is the reason behind the statement “life is good”… and that’s reason enough for me.

In saying that, I will shamelessly ask for your prayer in my very next breath. We need love and support and encouragement in all forms at the moment. And I can promise you this – we will receive your love notes and pats on the back and prayers of faith just as we would receive treasures from heaven. Because that, my friends, is what they are – treasures.

If only… if only I would learn to appropriate Grace just that little. bit. more.

Help me God!

{and this is what well and happy looks like. ahh.... grace. how sweet it is.}

Filed under: By Adriel, Family Life Updates, Prayer Needs ]]> http://ryanandadriel.com/2011/08/25/if-only/feed/ 3 ryanandadriel P1070066 P1060909 http://ryanandadriel.com/2011/07/10/a-growing-family-needs-a-growing-car/ http://ryanandadriel.com/2011/07/10/a-growing-family-needs-a-growing-car/#comments Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:12:24 +0000 Adriel Booker http://ryanandadriel.com/?p=1095 Continue reading →]]> Update (Sept 6): We are 1/3 of the way there to meeting our fundraising goal. Thank you to those who have contributed!! We still have another 2/3s to go so it’s not too late to get in on this faith project…

We’ve officially begun saving and fundraising for a larger family vehicle. Our hatchback Nissan Pulsar is already bursting at the seams as we grow! After considering it for over a year, we feel the time is right to begin making this need known and asking for your help in making this goal become a reality.

We’re looking at a 7-seater mid-size SUV/crossover such as a Holden Captiva, Ford Territory, or similar. (Right now we’re thinking the Holden would be the best value for the asking price). This will enable us the flexibility of using it as a 5-seater family car for running around town, or to pop up the third row of seats and use it as a people-mover since we often have “extras” with us (staff and students) for events, outreaches, etc. We’d like a new or like-new vehicle that we can depend on for the next 10-15 years as our family expands (we’ll most likely have 3+ kids) and our ministry continues here in Australia. (Oh, and of course I want to be able to be a good “soccer mom” and be able to shuffle around the boys and their friends too.)

Since we live within walking distance to the base we plan to sell or trade in our old car (a 2001 Nissan Pulsar hatchback) while it is still in reasonably good condition so that we can actually get some decent value for it and put that toward the new vehicle as well.

It’s our belief that we are to trust God to help us raise the money to purchase a new vehicle in cash – not to go into debt. Although it seems far-fetched, we believe with your help it’s possible!

Here’s the opportunity:
We’re looking for $1000 supporters to contribute toward a new vehicle. Would you be willing to consider how you can make a donation toward this goal? (It doesn’t have to be the $1000 – it can be more or less – but we wanted to give you something concrete to consider.) Please let us know if you can help. We’d be so grateful!!

As I push myself back into the red leather of my airplane seat I stretch out my legs into the back of the seat in front of me trying to getting comfortable and I start to reflect on what I am about to embark on with my wife and son still at home. I put in my earphones, find some music, and start to wade through all the thoughts I have about my trip to Papua New Guinea.

What an amazing privilege to go to Papua New Guinea (PNG). PNG is found above the east coast of Australia. The reason I went up there is that YWAM Australia has a medical ship and Townsville (the base Adriel and I serve at) is the base that operates it. I headed up there to be a part of the ministry that we are involved in but also to see for my own eyes what the Lord wants to do in this beautiful nation and people through the ministry of Ywam Medical Ships that is in so much need of the outwards working of God’s tangible love.

{one of the villages we served}

I have heard much about the needs of this nation, and as I land in Port Moresby (the capital) I quickly start to realize that we are not in Australia any more.  I get in the van that will take me to the ship and as I look around I see a beautiful landscape that is covered with streets lined with rubbish and buildings that haven’t been maintained since Australia handed back the running of the nation in the 70’s. We head down the side of a hill and as I look out the window across water I can see the ship sitting there waiting for me and the volunteers arrival.

{we use the zodiac to move volunteers and patients to and from shore to the ship for on-board clinics}

There is an excitement on the ship with people from all over the world, different ages and skill ranging from doctors, dentists, nurses, deck hands, mechanics, sign writers etc. ready for a 24 hour sail to the Gulf District that will be full with a beautiful sunset, a blanket of bluely green seas, and the sounds of people throwing up and walking around with a different shade of skin colour than what they arrived on the ship with.

As we pull in to the river system that we will be spending the next two week in I start to see little villages along the waters edge. Kids are running to wave at us and adults are getting in canoes to come see us as they know that this is the ship that will help their sick people with infected teeth or give glasses to those that can’t see well enough to work to support their families.

{a typical clinic day in the villages}

We drop anchor and two others and I go a shore to see the village elders and organize medical clinics for the next few days. It doesn’t take long to see why they say this is the poorest region in PNG and why God has called the YWAM Medical Ship to these people. You listen to their stories and you begin to understand why they feel like they are forgotten by their own nation.

{spending some free time with local boys}

As I spend the next two weeks travelling around the water systems of the district visiting many villages, meeting many people, and listening to their challenges I can feel God’s heart say to them: You may feel forgotten by the world but I haven’t forgotten you and that’s why I sent you this ship to tell you I love you and I care about your well being. And each day I gain a greater understanding of why we must persevere through the challenges to see this ministry succeed. There are now real people and stories in my heart that need to not only know the love of God but also experience the practical outward working of it.

{assisting our head nurse, hannah, during one of the clinics}

Over the two weeks I was there we:

• Visited 6 villages and served people from 16 different villages
• Treated 669 people with primary health care
• Gave 256 immunizations
• Treated 167 dentistry patients with 364 procedures and 304 extractions
• Saw 241 people come through our optometry clinic
• Gave out 77 pairs of glasses and 23 sunglasses
• Gave out 109 eye referrals for cataract surgery that the ship will do in August when we have an ophthalmologist on board
• Educated 620 people in basic health care skills
• Distributed 1421 health resources in total (toothbrushes, toothpaste, mosquito nets, eyeglasses, birth kits, etc.)

{with thanks from the people of png and from us}

Thank you so much for praying for me (and Adriel and Levi at home) and for being a part of this important ministry. If you would like to know more about the YWAM Medical Ship ministry please go to our NEW website: www.ywamships.org

At this time we’ve had a few follow-up appointments, one of which was with a maternal and fetal specialist. (Thankfully the only one within a 17-hour drive of us is located at our home hospital here in Townsville!) He re-did the scans and was pleased to find that the markers on the kidneys and brain had absolved, so that was a very welcome development! He told us that those two markers disappearing doesn’t actually indicate a decreased risk of the baby having DS, explaining that these types of markers almost always dissolve before birth whether baby has DS or not. But even still, we took their disappearance as a good sign since it was very much an answer to prayer.

Although were given the option to have further testing (amniocentesis) to confirm or deny the presence of an anomaly, we turned it down due to the risk of miscarriage involved in such invasive testing at this stage in the pregnancy. Something that you may not know is that roughly 9 out of 10 women who find out they are carrying a baby with DS terminate the pregnancy. This number is staggering to us and we have never once questioned if this baby’s life would be any less precious due to an abnormality. We feel absolutely certain that he is a priceless and irreplaceable gift from God, no matter his number of chromosomes.

We now feel a quiet calm and an absolute peace about the health of our baby. If he is born without DS we will rejoice! If he is born with DS we will still rejoice that God has given us a precious son to love and care for…. and we will learn and adapt as needed.

Thank you so much for your prayers, your emails, and your little notes of encouragement during this time. We’ve felt very loved by family and friends around the world!!

Baby Boy is due on October 8^th (I am 27 weeks along now) and we are narrowing down the list of names, although we’re still undecided. Levi hasn’t a clue what’s going on, but he has started to notice that my belly sticks out a little more than it used to and he now says “baby” and gets excited about babies in photos and books. As hard as it is to imagine our little Levi being the “big one”, we know he’ll make a fantastic big brother.

Please note: I’ve gone into depth on my motherhood blog (The Mommyhood Memos) about the emotional journey of discovering all of this. If you’re interested in reading more of the story you can read it in these posts:

• Half-full and hopeful: How a doctors news about our baby is changing my life for the better
• Life at full throttle: How hardship and blessing are often intermixed… and the fact that I’m okay with that
• Strong and fragile, we will be okay: Why we chose to tell the world about our baby’s health while it was still yet to be know if he has Down Syndrome or not (This is the follow-up post after our visit with the specialist.)

On a practical note: How to help with the baby’s arrival

Since we already have most of the baby items we need (including a wardrobe full of cute baby boy clothes) there are only a few things we need to gather this time around. If you‘d like to help us prepare, here are some of the specifics we’re looking for:

• A fabulous double stroller that we can use with Levi and the new baby (they’ll be less than 20 months apart!), as well as for the new baby and perhaps another baby (or two?) down the track. The one we’d like is the Baby Jogger City Select as it can be used with a newborn and a toddler (or two newborns/two toddlers) or used as just a single stroller. It’s so versatile and so perfect for our needs that we’re calling this one the “Dream Stroller”.  It’s a pricey stroller, but we think with be worth it in the long run! Please let us know if you’d like to contribute toward this project.

• More cloth diapers. We use BumGenius cloth diapers with Levi and I’d like to add another 15 to our stash in order to be able to diaper two kids at once (and intermix the liners and inserts). These aren’t cheap either, but again we think they are worth it since they do save us big dollars in the long run.

• A new crib/cot mattress. I scored a second freebie crib/cot from our local Freecycle listings but it needs a new mattress. (Ryan will be repurposing it into a toddler bed for Levi.)

• A second camera for our baby monitor. (We have the Summer Infantino video monitor.)

Our visit to Sydney.

Birth Kits helping women in need.

Adriel’s recent initiative, Bloggers for Birth Kits, has taken on a life of its own. In just weeks we went from having no more birth kits to distribute via the Medical Ship to having over 1200 kits donated!!

This issue has obviously struck a cord with women from all over the globe as they have gotten behind this cause (most of which Adriel has never even met). The response has been absolutely overwhelming and we know it will make an incredible impact on the precious women of rural PNG who currently live with a 1 in 7 chance of dying in childbirth.

Want to know more or find out how to get involved? Check out: www.bloggersforbirthkits.com

Since we already have most of the baby items we need (including a wardrobe full of cute baby boy clothes) there are only a few things we need to gather this time around. If you‘d like to help us prepare, here are some of the specifics we’re looking for:

• A fabulous double stroller that we can use with Levi and the new baby (they’ll be less than 20 months apart!), as well as for the new baby and perhaps another baby (or two?) down the track. The one we’d like is the Baby Jogger City Select as it can be used with a newborn and a toddler (or two newborns/two toddlers) or used as just a single stroller. It’s so versatile and so perfect for our needs that we’re calling this one the “Dream Stroller”.  It’s a pricey stroller, but we think with be worth it in the long run! Please let us know if you’d like to contribute toward this project.

• More cloth diapers. We use BumGenius cloth diapers with Levi and I’d like to add another 15 to our stash in order to be able to diaper two kids at once (and intermix the liners and inserts with the ones we already have). These aren’t cheap either, but again we think they are worth it since they do save us big dollars in the long run.

• A new crib/cot mattress. I scored a second freebie crib/cot from our local Freecycle listings but it needs a new mattress. (Ryan will be repurposing it into a toddler bed for Levi.)

• A second camera for our baby monitor. (We have the Summer Infantino video monitor.)

We’re excited to let you know that we’re taking the whole family to Sydney* from June 11-25. We are really looking forward to having two weeks to hang out with the Bookers, the Taylors and other family, catch up with friends, connect at church, visit home groups, take care of some business, and (hopefully) take Levi to the zoo! Please let us know if you’d like to see us for a meal or a cuppa while we’re there.

Some have asked if we’ll be making it to America this year and the sad answer is ‘no’. It’s just too far, too expensive, and too much time away from the ministry to make it realistic for us to go on a yearly basis. At the moment we’re tentatively planning our next trip for sometime during the summer of 2012 (USA summer, that is!). Baby Boy will then be about the same age as Levi was during our Christmas 2010 visit, so that will be a blast.

Some upcoming dates of note:

Visit to Sydney:
June 11-25

Teaching on the Ship DTS in Townsville:
Ryan – week of May 16
Adriel – week of May 23

Leading the Youth Street DTS in Townsville:
Ryan – starting in July

Teaching on the Snowboarders DTS in Oxford, New Zealand:
Adriel (& Levi) – week of July 25

*Please let us know if you can help with the expenses of our trip to Sydney. We need to raise several hundred dollars for travel expenses.

P.S. You can see a copy of our latest newsletter here.

What an awesome privilege to raise boys in a world that needs a few more good men! And… I’ll still be able to sign our blog posts “love Adriel & the boys” which I’ve grown quite fond of. Bonus.

We’re so excited to think about the bond of brothers and how much fun they will have! No doubt they will keep me busy (and in the kitchen), but I’m genuinely excited about having another adorable boy invade my heart. Levi has made me fall in love with little boys like I never thought possible. And of course Ryan’s glad about his growing soccer team. Or football team. Or basketball team. Whatever.

Now onto the challenge of thinking of boy names. (Which we find much harder than girl names!)

Baby is 19 weeks along and we look forward to my doctors appointment next week to hear all of the results of the scan. Can’t believe this pregnancy is nearly half finished already! Yikes.

We love our baby boy Booker, and we thank God for him!

love, adriel & the boys xx

This Mothers Day, why don’t you consider giving the gift of life for moms who need our help on behalf of your own mom? Here’s how: