Dempsen Doings - February 2011
Posted by Sarah , Friday, March 4, 2011 3:05 PM
Tomorrow I will hit 31 weeks of our second pregnancy, and I feel like I've been holding my breath for the last few months, watching events occur and swirl away like the foamy bubbles on a quick-moving stream. I think pictures give a glimpse into what's happening with our family.
(my little ham dancing in the jellyfish "spotlight")
As you can imagine, my life consists mostly of giggling at Adelaide's current antics, which change on a minute-by-minute basis. She is busy and keeps me busy every waking hour!
On a serious note, the last few weeks have seen significant answered prayers for Jesse and I, including some new movement in our support raising, which is our foremost goal.
1. We have enjoyed sharing at church services and fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in the faith. While support-raising is challenging and stretching, often painfully so, the joy of growth and visiting with other churches is my favorite part of this stage of our life. I am so often encouraged and overjoyed at the Lord's faithfulness to His people, and the variety in His beautiful body.
2. Jesse and I have also begun in the last few months to be more diligent in praying and having devotions together as a couple in the evenings after Lyddie's bedtime, and I can't believe the blessings God has wrought in our relationship from just setting aside a half hour to pray together every single day. We have always intended to be faithful to this but the Spirit really convicted and challenged us both to make this commitment to one another this year. I am even ashamed now as I think back through the years that we should have been doing this regularly, but the shame is removed as I think about the wonderful fruit that even this small action has had in our lives, relationship, focus, and joy since the beginning of January. We will never go back, and I now encourage every couple I know to set aside this kind of time for each other and the Lord.
3. I have been praying since last fall for the Spirit's clear guidance in pursuing a new vehicle for our family, since having two kids and a double stroller in my little Dodge Neon seemed like a tight fit - doable but tight. I was also concerned about the traveling we do over the mountain passes for support meetings, family visits, and trips to and from White Swan, knowing that with two carseats on the bench seat of Jesse's truck it would be next to impossible to fit all our gear and stuff in for trips when we needed to take his 4x4 truck.
The other night, I think an angel of the Lord might literally have thown a concrete slab in our path as we drove home, and we dragged this piece of concrete a little ways before being able to pull off to the side of the road. It's never a hopeful sign for your car when a piece of metal is dangling underneath and coolant is puddling within seconds. So much damage was done by this concrete slab (we think it was a segment of median that might have gotten clipped by oncoming traffic, although I still can't even really picture how that happened) that the car is totaled, and praise the Lord, the insurance company is giving us double what I dared to hope for it at this point, meaning we will be able to buy a bigger vehicle for our family.
Right now we are hunting for the right option and confident that He will help us find the exact vehicle we need for the time being.
I love this picture, even though Lyddie's not smiling We got snow here at the very end of February... and we are still waiting for spring weather to arrive! 
Grammie Becky (Jesse's mom) came to visit and we got to take Lyddie to the Seattle Aquarium on Saturday. She loved the fish and was completely intrigued by them (and all the other kids running around)! As you can see, baby girl #2 is growing larger by the day, and looking at this picture from a few weeks ago shows me that I'm growing bigger right along with her by the minute! We are eager for her arrival around the beginning of May.
(my little ham dancing in the jellyfish "spotlight")
As you can imagine, my life consists mostly of giggling at Adelaide's current antics, which change on a minute-by-minute basis. She is busy and keeps me busy every waking hour!
On a serious note, the last few weeks have seen significant answered prayers for Jesse and I, including some new movement in our support raising, which is our foremost goal. 1. We have enjoyed sharing at church services and fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in the faith. While support-raising is challenging and stretching, often painfully so, the joy of growth and visiting with other churches is my favorite part of this stage of our life. I am so often encouraged and overjoyed at the Lord's faithfulness to His people, and the variety in His beautiful body.
2. Jesse and I have also begun in the last few months to be more diligent in praying and having devotions together as a couple in the evenings after Lyddie's bedtime, and I can't believe the blessings God has wrought in our relationship from just setting aside a half hour to pray together every single day. We have always intended to be faithful to this but the Spirit really convicted and challenged us both to make this commitment to one another this year. I am even ashamed now as I think back through the years that we should have been doing this regularly, but the shame is removed as I think about the wonderful fruit that even this small action has had in our lives, relationship, focus, and joy since the beginning of January. We will never go back, and I now encourage every couple I know to set aside this kind of time for each other and the Lord.
3. I have been praying since last fall for the Spirit's clear guidance in pursuing a new vehicle for our family, since having two kids and a double stroller in my little Dodge Neon seemed like a tight fit - doable but tight. I was also concerned about the traveling we do over the mountain passes for support meetings, family visits, and trips to and from White Swan, knowing that with two carseats on the bench seat of Jesse's truck it would be next to impossible to fit all our gear and stuff in for trips when we needed to take his 4x4 truck.
The other night, I think an angel of the Lord might literally have thown a concrete slab in our path as we drove home, and we dragged this piece of concrete a little ways before being able to pull off to the side of the road. It's never a hopeful sign for your car when a piece of metal is dangling underneath and coolant is puddling within seconds. So much damage was done by this concrete slab (we think it was a segment of median that might have gotten clipped by oncoming traffic, although I still can't even really picture how that happened) that the car is totaled, and praise the Lord, the insurance company is giving us double what I dared to hope for it at this point, meaning we will be able to buy a bigger vehicle for our family.
Right now we are hunting for the right option and confident that He will help us find the exact vehicle we need for the time being.
To all who read this and are praying for us, I sincerely thank you and our God for your prayers. We are blessed beyond imagining by you and by our Lord Jesus, who has given us life and steadfast love, even when our hope and trust in Him wavers, even when it feels like His promises might never be fulfilled. He is always faithful, and His steadfast love never ceases. Please praise Him with us!
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