The Brown Blog

My Little Brownies

2011-12-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

Caleb and Samaria are so much fun! We have a blast together!

Jeff takes the kids out every other week for "Daddy Dates." Sometimes its the park to play or the Carousel, and most often ends w/ a trip to Jamba Juice. Caleb is addicted to wrestling right now, so all he wants to do w/ Daddy is wrestle!

Samaria adores her Daddy and her time w/ him is full of laughter, hugs and kisses.

This is how we say goodbye to Daddy in the mornings, the kids love waving and saying "Drive Fast" as he leaves for work.

One of my favorite things about Caleb and Samaria is that they LOVE and ADORE each other! Don't get me wrong, they are siblings and w/ that comes conflict. But, for the most part, they have a blast together, playing Cars, house, reading, chasing, and they even cuddle when they watch movies together. Caleb's job is to protect his sisi, and Sam's job is to love buddy. They both take those roles to heart.

Caleb is constantly on the move, he lives every moment to the fullest. He takes his time in getting to know people and observe situations before he jumps into things. (like his Daddy) But, once he feels safe and loved he jumps in full force! He loves to pray and I believe is gifted and called to a life as a prayer warrior!

This pic was taken in our old house, the kids called for me and were hiding in this cupboard, when I opened the door they both screamed and laughed...they love to "hide and seek."

Sam loves clothes, but ONLY if they are not too tight! She loves big, hurts big and thrives being around people. (like her Mommy) Sam is thoughtful and kind, thinking of others is natural for her. She has a servants hearts and sees things that most 2 1/2 year olds don't see; relationally and spiritually!

May 2011

2011-11-27T07:07:00.001-08:00

May was a really busy month. There was so much going on: us and my mom and Rali moving/unpacking, family and friends visiting, ministry stuff, a trip to Redding and making our new house a home!

Here are a few highlights...

After all the craziness of Easter and moving we needed a "Brown Fun Family" day. We let the kids pick what they wanted to do, the Carousel and the River (so they could throw rocks in) were their top picks. Followed w/ lunch at Red Robin...where else would they want to eat?

Double Date Night w/ the Glazes! Red Robin for dinner and bowling, I am pretty sure the ladies dominated!

Chesnie turned 5 this month down in Redding and we didn't want to miss another b-day! I had the honor of being there w/ Corrie when she had Ches and I can't believe that was 5 years ago!

All the tutu girls jumping on the bed! The Miller house is one of my kids favorite places to be!

For Mothers Day Corrie and I did a progressive lunch...w/ no kids...just us! It was one of my fav dates w/ Corrie ever. She is my "BCHF" (best curly haired friend) and living far from her is not my favorite, but with times like this it gets us from one visit to the next.

Since Jeff was working Mothers Day weekend and we were in Redding, the kids and I got to spend some of Mothers Day w/ the Browns.

Auntie Juli spotting Sam as she climbs up a rock wall w/ her boots on...Juli is prego w/ Carter in this pic (we didn't know it was Carter then, I totally thought it was a girl!)

Mama Brown enjoyed having some of her kids and grandkids around w/ a low key take out dinner, where everyone got to pick out what they wanted...easy and super fun! Mama B, the kids and I did Thai...yummy!

Nathan and Rachel Greenfield were here in Salem for a few days, sadly w/o their kids Noah and Mercy. The Greenfields live in the Middle East and we have become good friends w/ them through our partnership w/ their work there. They had a chance to share w/ us that they were in the process of expanding their family by adopting a little girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Jeff's Bestie from college, Aaron Singer wanted to visit Jeff for his bday. So the lovely Mrs. Lisa Singer arranged for the two of them to come up for a visit. Jeff's friend tank was filled up as we celebrated Aaron; the boys played guitar, stayed up all night playing video games, and took long walks on the beach w/ candle lit dinners...

Jojo and Krista did story time w/ the kiddos while they were here. Joey and Krista are going to be amazing parents! I love watching them w/ my kids!

Pedi's w/ Auntie Krista...and watching The Little Mermaid...livin' the good life!

The "Big Yellow House"

2011-11-26T14:58:00.000-08:00

A few years back when we first moved to West Salem, my friend Trina and I were driving to the YMCA early one morning to workout. As we passed this awesome yellow Victorian looking house w/ white trim, a big huge yard, an awesome porch w/ a swing and a basketball hoop outside...I say to her, "I am going to have that house someday, I LOVE it!"
She turns to me w/ a smile and says, "do you know whose house that is?"
"No idea," I reply
"That is the Stumbo's house" (John and Joanna were our Lead Pastors at the time, check out his blog if you don't know their story)

Fast forward to April/May 2011. Jeff is working w/ John on his book cover and toward the end of one of their conversations John asks Jeff about our living situation. Long story short, he and Joanna want to rent their home to us?!? What? Yes, that is right ladies and gentlemen, the "Big Yellow House" as my kids call it!

Meanwhile, my mom and her husband have been living in Nevada for the last 5 years and if you know me and my mom we don't really do long distance well! Her and Rali were looking at moving here to Salem, but needed work and a place to live. With the "BYH" in the pic, Mom and Rali could live w/ us. (More than enough room for all of us!) Now all my mom needs is a job, but wait, Salem Alliance is hiring a receptionist...mom applies, we wait, and Praise the Lord...she gets the job! Now they have a place to live and a job!

What an emotional roller coaster and whirlwind! We had 13 people show up to help us move on a Sunday after Jeff lead worship all weekend. (keep in mind, this is the weekend after Holy Week and Easter, Jeff's "peak season") We loaded, moved and unloaded in less than 4 hours! CRAZY! Annie Dudley made dinner for everyone at the "BYH" we ate and had people home for an early bedtime! So BLESSED BY FRIENDS who LOVE us! Thank you all who helped!!!

I had been praying for 5 years that I would get to live in the same city as my mom again...
I had flippantly said to a friend, "I am going to have that house someday"...
I had prayed for my mom to get a job where she was loved, valued, and enjoyed her work...
God heard me...
He is My Father who loves me...
He desires to give me good gifts...

April 2011

2011-11-25T06:52:00.000-08:00

April 1st, 2011 will be a special day that the Browns will always remember! (not b/c we love practical jokes, all though we do) It was the day the Josh and Bex came home w/ their newest family member, Miss Mercy Mann! We were honored to share in that moment when family and friends met Mercy for the first time at the airport. Samaria has been in love with and praying for Mercy since the day the Manns shared their referral pic w/ Sam on Josh's phone. They gave Sam a pic of Mercy and she would eat meals w/ the pic and hold it close to her "rubbing" Mercy's back. What a blessing it has been to watch them go through this adoption process and see how it has affected Caleb and Samaria, having an interest and awareness of what it means to adopt and be adopted!

Jeff and I got to celebrate w/ our friend Shannon for her b-day along w/ some other couples at Pok Pok up in Portland, one of our fav restaurants and the BEST WINGS EVER!!!

Our dear friends Luke and Joc came home from the Middle East for a visit w/ their new little guy River! We had a blast w/ them while they were here, we never have enough time w/ them! Sam had her hands on River every chance she got and the only part that made their departure to return bearable, was that we were headed there in August!

Seriously LOVE her!!!

Caleb and Sam had a blast opening their Easter packages from Grandpa and Grandma Santos

We did our Easter Egg hunt a couple days early, as Daddy had to work Easter week and weekend. Ally helped the kids find their eggs...such a great doggy.

The Girls

Mom and Rali w/ Caleb and Sam for Easter Sunday. The dress Sam is wearing my mom made for me for Easter, so neat to see my little girl in it!

March 2011

2011-11-20T20:21:00.001-08:00

My little sister, Jean Louise is living out at 5 Rock Ranch and she is loving it! I can't believe how much she has grown and matured in her time out there. She is responsible for a number of things from cleaning bunk houses, cooking, part of the team pulling pull off events, in a Bible study w/ other young women her age and living in community w/ other people that are pursuing God. We went to visit her in March and had a great time! The kids love seeing Tia at 5 Rock!

Meeting the Boys

2011-11-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you have friends that become family b/c you have shared so much together. Mel and Justin are some of those friends. Mel and I have been friends since our first year of college, we played basketball at Simpson, were roomies for a few years and did ministry together. Justin came on staff at Redding Christian Fellowship as the Jr. High Pastor and shared an office w/ Jeff and playing ping pong during their lunch break was just the beginning. Justin and Melissa said they were "just friends" for awhile, then realized they were best of friends and didn't want to walk this journey of life without each other! Jeff and I stood up w/ them in their wedding and it was one of the most beautiful weddings I have been apart of.

We did life together, ministry together, bought houses together, tried to get pregnant together...well, not together, at the same time...you know what I mean! After a year, Jeff and I got pregnant w/ Caleb. They rejoiced w/ us. Then 7 months after Caleb was born, we got pregnant again w/ Samaria. They rejoiced w/ us, despite the reminder our 2nd pregnancy was that they still did not have a child of their own.

Countless nights Jeff and I pleaded w/ God on their behalf, knowing they would be AMAZING parents and they would love and provide only the most and best they possibly could for their children.

God answered their prayers, our prayers, and countless others prayers!!! Hank and Jack were placed in their home this Feb! You can read their account of the journey to expand their family. Its an amazing one that only God could have called them to, giving them exactly what they needed when they needed it.

All this to say, we got to meet the boys!!! We made a trip up shortly after Hank was placed in their home just me and the kids. Then later in early March Jeff was able to come so we could all meet Jack! I can't tell you the tears of joy cried when seeing Mel and Justin love these boys for the first time. Gods faithfulnees lived out in these two little boys...boys that have been prayed for and desired for years, longed for, before they were even born.

Febuary 2011

2011-11-20T07:33:00.000-08:00

This month started out w/ a visit from some of my favorite girls in all the land. The Miller girls came up to visit us from Redding, CA. Caleb and Samaria love them dearly (they believe Mattie and Ches are their cousins) but then it gets awkward when Caleb talks about not knowing which one of the girls to marry. Everything from pillow fights to the Gilbert House...we had a blast!

Samaria is beyond her years, vocabulary and relationally. Most of her little friends were 3,4 and 5 when she was 2 1/2 and she fit right in! She attended her first bday tea party for her little friend Emily/Roo. Sam had a great time and she even stuck her pinkie out when she drank her tea!

We had little snow and made the most of it, since it doesn't happen often here!

January 2011 .

2011-11-15T08:11:00.000-08:00

So, its been awhile since I last did a blog post. I have decided to look back at this year and bring you all up to speed on the happenings in the Brown journey month by month w/ a few pics and some highlights.

January: The Merediths were here and we LOVE them, what a great way to ring in the New Year, w/ some of our fav family members!!!

Lots of B-days this month (including my hunk of burnin' love who just wanted a family dinner at Red Robin...imagine that!) a celebration of Mike Gowers life at Simpson University where we got to see lots of old friends, and I started working at the YMCA teaching a weight lifting class (body flex) class Mon, Wed, Fri, mornings.

My favorite part of the month was 3 days and 2 nights away w Jeff at the Oregon Coast. (Courtsey of Ryan and Mandee Wilmot) We had the honor of doing their premarital counseling, Jeff married them, dj'd their wedding and I coordinated, in return they stayed w/ our kids and provided a place for us to get away at Neskowin in this adorable apartment w/ a Murphy bed! (the cool kind that folds out of the wall!) I LOVE BARTERING!!! The kids had a blast, we did too, and I think it will be awhile before Ryan and Mandee have kids!

Christmas 2010...finally!

2011-01-29T12:49:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was amazing...Advent Prayer Path, parties w/ family and friends, worshipful experiences at church, moments w/ my children and husband that I will never forget, loved my sister living w/ us for a month, a long yet fulfilling day of Jeff leading 4 Christmas Eve services, a quiet family Christmas morning at home, celebration of our Savior entering the world, and a quick little trip to the ER Christmas night for me (Kara) to be diagnosed w/ Vertigo!

My Dad and his wife, Karen came up for Christmas Eve service. The kids were excited for time w/ Grandpa & Grandma Santos.

Caleb and Samaria made graham cracker houses...they had a BLAST!

Caleb was thrilled to show Hudson Hornet and McQueen to Santa, he didn't even ask for presents, he just told Santa about his Cars...lol

Samaria was freaked out by Santa, so I went w/ her...she still kept her distance!

Buddy trying to give sisi kisses...she was not very receptive :)

Santa Claus brought our entire family tie dye undies...or maybe Aelix (girl in my discipleship group) helped me tie dye undies and socks too!

Buddy trying to trace his body on the easel w/ chalk...
like we do outside on the concrete...so funny to watch.

Samaria baking cookies in her new kitchen from Santa...ok, maybe Daddy made it for her and Santa took the credit. Great job husband!!!

An Extroverts DREAM 31st Bday

2010-12-25T15:06:00.000-08:00

Wake up to a house full of streamers and balloons, leave for my workout, have a blast at boot camp, return home to Jeff, Caleb, and Samaria overjoyed to see me and wish me a happy bday. Jeff tells me you have 40 min to be showered, dressed and ready...ready for what? I don't know...

I am told my first set of instructions will come once I am in the car and driving...at this point I am driving in circles in our cul-de-sac waiting for a text message w/ what I am supposed to do next.

Rise and shine, it's birthday time

Order bacon and eggs, instead of wine.

Meet your buddy at Busick's Court

It's a day of celebration - what great sport!

Laura is one of my first Salem friends, not only b/c she is my husbands boss, (we met back when Jeff, Caleb and I were visiting up here in Salem for Jeff to canidate) not just a running buddy, but truly a kindred spirit who deeply invests in me and my family!

Go have a java
with a pregnant mama

Her love will fill you up
at the Governor's Cup.

Erica is another first Salem friend, our husbands worked together, she helped us unpack our u-haul into a place I had never seen before, saw me at my worst and still wanted to be my friend, we have walked through a lot together in my almost 3 years here...I love her.

It's time for a visit
to this wise mom of five

Her warm home awaits you,
in her company you will thrive.

Jamie is a wealth of wisdom...we met back when Jeff was an intern at SAC, and over the last year have gotten to know each other on a much deeper level. She is a woman I truly admire and respect!

Here's to a lunch date,
with your old housemate.

Wild Pear for two,
her wisdom to take.

Jen Roth...where to begin...she not only provided a home for my family to live for the first 7 months we lived here in Salem, but she encouraged me through one of the toughest seasons of my life, rocked my son to sleep, helped me do laundry, and fed my soul.

It's time to use your "phone a friend,"

Tutu is waiting on the other end.

Call her from the coffeehouse,

built by the church that employs your spouse.

My mom...see recent post...pretty much sums her up!

Some R&R for those boot camp feet,

Your fellow soldier joins you for this treat.

Go to Great Harvest and there you will meet.

Shannon is a fellow boot camp buddy...and b/c of our early morning times of doing cruel and unusual things to our bodies...on purpose...we have grown in our friendship...she is an amazing woman w/ a heart for worship and her family!

A date with "NeeNee," but no racing this time

please forgive this lack of rhyme.

Go to where Boone keeps his money

Your friend will fill your heart and your tummy.

Annie...oh Annie...she is on staff at SAC w/ Jeff, known as NeeNee to my kids, they LOVE her, and she adores them, Annie's daughter "Nutmeg" is an adopted big sister to Caleb and Sam, Annie is my "mentor" and b/c of her...I have found a love for running...even in the rain!

It's time for a play date, but leave the kiddos behind

good coffee and company, adults only this time.

Return to that place where you phoned your friend

Enjoy this date, we're nearing the end.

Jen Henderson...one of the first people to reach out to me at Hearts at Home...she called me by name (without a nametag) she had me at, "hello Kara Brown!" We chatted on facebook one night, and the rest is history...our kids love each other, our hubbys are both Jeff's, and she makes me laugh!

Now that your full of love and food

let's get some endorphins to keep the mood.

Next you head to Gallagher's Fitness

The meet one whose encouragement is a witness.

Reebs...an amazing woman of God, who has found a brotherhood with Jeff, a sisterhood with me, and I am loving getting to know her, learn from her, and be blessed by her!

The end is coming near, but no need to shed a tear.

Time to make one more stop, where the pizza's good and hot.

Those crazy newlyweds and your amazing hubby too

They are dying to sing a final Happy Birthday to you!

Mandee Spotts...Wilmot now, she grew up and got married to an awesome guy named Ryan. Jeff and I did their pre-marital couseling, I coordinated their wedding, Jeff married them and DJ'd...all this started 10 years ago when a 7th grade girl went to a basketball camp where I was coaching...our lives were forever intertwined! Mandee is basically me...just taller and better at basketball...and Ryan is basically Jeff...so we all understand each other REALLY WELL!!!

Steve and Sandie Spotts drove 45 min down here to Salem to watch Caleb and Sam while we double dated w/ Mandee and Ryan. The kids had a great time...and we all had cake and ice cream to celebrate my 31 years!

Husband...thank you! You gave the best gift possible to an extrovert...time w/ people I love and who love me! This b-day is one I will NEVER forget! The time, effort, and love you put into this mean the world to me! I LOVE YOU!!!

Mandee and Ryan...thanks for helping Jeff, driving down here, dinner, dessert and sharing life w/ us!!!

Steve and Sandie...thanks for driving down here to love on my kids...and me!

All my friends that shared this day w/ me (and to Trina and Kathy for being willing to join, just not enough hours in the day!) THANK YOU for the gift of your friendship!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

O Christmas Tree

2010-12-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of year again...I can't believe Christmas is just around the corner. I am LOVING seeing this season through the eyes of my children, it takes me back to the magic, wonder and anticipation I experienced as a child.

Growing up in a home FULL of traditions...I would have to say decorating the tree is at the top of my list. I have a Dec birthday, so does my mom (hers is actually Christmas day!) and due to the fact that her day got overlooked often b/c of Christmas craziness, she and my Dad made a huge effort to segregate the two for me. So we NEVER decorated our tree until after the 10th of Dec. When I got old enough to vote it was quickly switched to the day after Thanksgiving...who wants to wait til the 11th of Dec to decorate a tree...not me!

We lived up in central Washington and would often go and cut down our tree. I loved hiking up into the snow, playing, searching for "the one," finding it and then dragging it back to our monster of a van! Only to fall asleep on the way home, wake up and bust out the lights and ornaments! We would listen to Christmas music and eat Chinese Food...can't remember exactly when or why...but Chinese food became a must for decorating!

Every year we get a new ornament to put on the tree. So when I had my first "grown up" tree w/ Jeff I had an entire box of special ornaments that evoked precious memories of that particular year. Most of them are basketball ornaments and others significant and special based on events or locations. Now Jeff and I have ornaments together...you know...the cute love bird kind, once in awhile a Miami Hurricane football player or "U" helmet make their way too.

This year, we got to be in Redding for the weekend following Thanksgiving. We took advantage of the 10 bucks for a tree permit and Papa and Ga staying w/ the kids while they napped, we traveled up to the mountains w/ Jeff's brother Joey and sister-in-law Krista to get our trees.

Our tree from 2007, the last time we were able to cut our own. I sure do miss those tall ceilings we had in our Redding house!

Snow Angels anyone?

Brownsound's "the one" for Christmas 2010

We found ours early into the search, and may have had to pee while we were there, so we may have "marked" our spot. We also made snow angels, threw some snowballs, and got pulled over by the Sheriff to receive a $420.oo ticket for being one permit short, (it was at Juli's house down the Mountain) only to have it voided, after Officer Troy found out Joey was a teacher...WHAT? Yeah...that really happened!

Joey and Krista w/ their tree (notice the bright yellow tree permit?)

We put up our tree on the 1st this month...Jeff does the trimming and lights and all of us decorate. We did Thai food this year, (Sam kept eating the spicy yellow curry even though her eyes watered like crazy!) Caleb requested the "Chick-munk" (Christmas Don't be late) song...over and over...and over again...they were ecstatic to hang ornaments, especially their Tinkerbell and McQueen from last year! Only one of my ornaments got broken, I didn't even cry, Jeff glued it back together and all was well!

Caleb w "coach" his nickname for Jeff's "U" player

Samaria and her "Tinkobwell"

I have always admired the "pretty trees"...you know the ones that have a color scheme and matchy ornaments; looking like they were decorated by Martha Stewart herself. I will have one of those in a front room or something....I would love to have several trees in a big house someday! They are so fun and festive...for this season, in this house, we have one mismatchy ornament tree that tells a story w/ each ornament hung.

The Brownies saying "O Christmas Tree"

Priceless gift from Tutu

2010-12-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

A while back my husband did a post about his parents (whom I love and am so grateful for); so today I am going to do a post about my mom.

She is an amazing woman, (was) a single mom,(married to a great guy who adores her) full time working, always giving, never asking, truly selfless, hospitable beyond words, a family for those w/o, always including, cooking and loving people w/ food, her door is never closed, her table is always open, her heart constantly bursting w/ love and joy, and she reflects Jesus in all she says and does! She is my best friend! There are not words to express my admiration for the woman that she is and constantly becoming as she looks to Jesus to guide and direct her.

A couple of weeks ago she and her husband Rali offered to take Caleb and Samaria for a week...just because she wanted time w/ them, and she knew it would bless Jeff and I to have a "stay-cation". WOW...we were blessed! I kept sending her text messages thanking her...all the while she was sending me thank you messages for the chance to love on them and spend all the time she could w/ them. They played, cooked, watched movies, went for walks, went to the park, she even took both of them shopping w/ her for the day...crazy...I know...

While at home I was struggling w/ the fact that I had no kids for the week (not like I was lacking things to do, or enjoying that my hubby and I could do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted ;) my questions were more like: Was I a bad mom for enjoying it? Was I a bad mom for even allowing it? Was I neglecting my kids...all lies from the devil, but still very real... until my friend Jennie Pino stopped me by Jeff's office one day and said, "thanks for giving us permission to do something like that...what an example you guys are." I thought...God you really know what I need to hear when I need to hear it!

Let's be clear...Jeff and I are not perfect parents, we are on this journey of balancing our relationship as husband and wife w/ being parents and it is a constant tug-of-war! For this week that Tutu (Hawaiian for grandma) took the kiddos, I was blessed by giving Jeff my BEST every single day! I was not tired and worn out, I was not vying for his attention at the end of the day when he gets swarmed at the door by all three of us needing his attention and affection, I was lavishing him w/ love, kindness, touch, uninterrupted conversation, the energy to serve him, a clear and sound mind, completed thoughts and sentences, meals on the table when he walked in the door, date nights w/ just us and no time restrictions due to childcare, and we got to share in quiet times together in the Upper Room. Our cups...overflowing...

Thanks Mom! Thanks for living in front of me how to be a selfless mom, I am the mom that I am b/c of you! Thanks for sharing in the joys and hardships of parenting Caleb and Samaria for a week...thanks for loving and grand-parenting them w/ the same passion that you do w/ me and Jean! Thanks for putting my kids at the top of your love list...b/c that is the best way you can love me! Thanks for the gift of freeing me up to love my husband the way I was born to! Your gift of a kid free week...priceless!

Caleb and Samaria, when you are older and read this please know...I love you w/ my whole heart and soul, each of you brings something so crucial and meaningful to this family, without which we would not be complete! Remember, before you were here in our lives, and long after you move out and start your own families, your Daddy has and always will be the love of my life! I pray that each one of you finds a spouse that challenges you and points you to Jesus the way your Dad does for me!

I've heard an Angel...

2010-10-31T22:07:00.000-07:00

Back in my college days...

I lean over to my friend at chapel and ask, "who is that guy leading worship?" She replies, "oh that's Brownie." "Is that his real name?" I ask in total disbelief... She says, "no, his name is Jeff Brown but everybody calls him Brownie." Whew...his parents don't hate him after all. :)

I asked Angela about him b/c he was my favorite worship leader, but I didn't know who he was. I loved the way that he lead worship by worshiping God. It's almost like he wasn't even there, he ushered us into the throne room and then left us there to be with our Maker. Not to mention he had a great voice...now let's keep in mind I only had 1/2 my hearing at this time, but I was pretty much amazed by his pipes...I knew I wanted to keep my eye on him!

Now let's fast forward to the part where I have FINALLY won him over and we have been dating all of 3 weeks. He is heading up to Salem, OR for a year long internship and writes me a song before he goes...titled I've Seen An Angel, (side note, my favorite line from this song - "this must have been what Adam felt the first time he saw Eve." yeah, he is that good) He sings it to me out on a porch under the stars...but that means it is dark, so I can't read his lips. Once he realizes I am missing 1/2 the words he turns on the porch light and plays it again for me so that I can hear ALL the words. Thanks Brownie, but my inability to hear the first time took away from the moment and the mood...mid song w/ blazing porch lights on...ugh!

Fast forward to our wedding day! He writes me another song...knowing that b/c I can't hear lyrics he has to record the song ahead of time and lip sync the words to me. Otherwise, I would miss the words in which he writes about, "flowers fading and the dress being put away, but the Maker of you, the Maker of me, will always stay"...yup...that good again! (The man does not disappoint ladies and gentlemen!) I was so grateful for how intentional and well thought out he was. In all honesty, I wanted to just look at him and hear it all w/o him having to lip the words to me.

And now...I have these AMAZING hearing aides...I get them on a Friday night, and by the grace of God Jeff "happens" to be leading worship that weekend. I go to church Saturday night, the band starts to play...I hear all these wonderful sounds I've never heard before...and then Jeff steps up to the mic and starts to sing...
I am speechless...
tears stream incessantly down my face during the entire set...
Jeff gets done, comes to sit down beside me and takes my hand in his...
I lean over and say to him, "I knew you were good, I just never knew you were THIS good."
Let's just say that I went to 4 out of 5 services that weekend b/c no longer does my hearing disability keep me from sharing in one of my husbands greatest passions!!!

I've HEARD an angel...

I will carry you...

2010-09-27T23:52:00.000-07:00

Today I got my first tattoo.

Rewind to college. I wanted a tattoo, one that meant something. I didn't want one just for the sake of having one. I wanted a reminder of something God taught me or something God did in my life.

Fast forward to our first year in Salem. The hardest year of my life! The short version...moving to Salem meant...I lost family, friends, support system, identity, history, and...it felt like I would never be me again.

One night (during the "crazy" Kara phase) Jeff and I were laying in bed...I was doing the ugly cry...I felt like I couldn't be 7 months prego, with a 1 year old, hardly any friends, no family around, living in a tiny apartment with my belongings in 3 different locations, no social life, and no ministry connections anymore. I was exhausted and didn't have anything left.

I remember looking at Jeff through my water filled eyes saying, "If this is God's best for me...I don't want it! I can't do this anymore!" Jeff responds, (with more passion than I knew was in him) "I didn't move our family up here for you to give up...I will carry you!" Not much was said after that, he just held me while I cried.

Fast Forward 1 year later. I was recounting to a friend all that God taught me during our first year here in Salem. I shared w/ her the story of Jeff and I on ugly cry night. Rejoicing in Jeff's response being a reminder of how the Lord felt about me...He would carry me...and HE did!

She blurts out, "ahava!" I had no idea what she was saying or what that word meant. She explains it is a Hebrew word for love. There are several different kinds of love in the Hebrew language...this particular word can be the carrying type of love...example; no matter how heavy or hard it gets I love you so much that I will carry you!

Jeff did the design for my tattoo...making the "h" resemble a shoulder...a reminder of how the shepherd puts his sheep on his shoulders, to carry them after they have strayed away, to be close the them, because HE loves them!

Today...I celebrate and remember God's love for me...the "I will carry you no matter what" kind...

Oh the Wonderful Sounds Mrs. Brown Can Hear...

2010-09-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

I have had my new ears for one week! WOW!!! I can't even remember what it was like without them...well, to be honest, I can. Because I have to take them out every couple of hours to give myself a break. It is really overwhelming and I have had a constant headache for a week.

I have been avoiding this entry because I have put a lot of pressure on myself to communicate what it was like to go from hearing the world with half of my hearing to ALL of my hearing...and then some!

So I made a list of things as the days unfolded...some big...some not so big...here goes...

seatbelt makes a click sound
raindrops on the windshield
melody/harmony...never heard it, BEAUTIFUL!
water splashing on the sink
ice machine...crushed...yummy
my kids in the back seat, talking, singing, arguing, all of it!
my oven timer, even from another ROOM!
the prelude to the Chuck series has a bunch of background sounds that I never knew were there
birds chirping
the sound of the steamer when my dirty chai is being made
the sound of paper ripping and scrunching
had to turn down the ringer on my cell phone
at the park w/ the kids and heard all these adorable little voices w/ wind and falling leaves
the carousel was annoying loud :)
music played from the ipod or in the car does not have to be full blast
people whispering...both ears and from all kinds of distances
my friends and families voices as they really are...tears...lots of tears...
the sound of Ally's id tag clinking against her collar (Ally is our chocolate lab...first born)
annoying talking/noise toys that our family buys for our children! thx grandparents!
the sound of someone eating a banana...loudly
my feet hitting the ground as I run...and all the feet around me too, so I don't do that anymore!
knuckles cracking
cymbals...you know...like w/ the drums...never heard those before
zits popping...love that sound :)
discovered "background" music levels
cereal hitting the bowl
hearing people WITHOUT reading their lips and seeing their faces
egg shaker - thought those were for the people who could not sing but wanted to be on stage ;)
tv shows w/o captions...and I can hear everything!
egg shells cracking
finger nails being clipped...cool sound that goes w/ that gross job
i never understood why there was keyboard AND piano at the same time, turns out, they are different, layering i think is the fancy/music word
church/worship/teaching was AMAZING!!!
hearing my hubby sing, fully and completely, I was a mess, it was/is beautiful! more to come on hearing my man talk and sing...its gonna be a tear jerker...stay tuned!

oh the wonderful sounds...

PS...I have also realized that I AM REALLY LOUD...so I would like to publicly apologize to all of you for my loudness! I AM SO SORRY! WOW...I had no idea! Bad news is...I passed it onto my kids...ugh!!!

I Can Hear Them Breathe...

2010-09-20T00:08:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read the previous post, you might want to do that first before you read on...

Friday...Friday the 17th of September, 2010...a day I will NEVER forget!!! Jeff and I finished up a double date with Steve and Trina Fowler and headed over to the Oregon School for the Deaf. We get there and Scott (test/ear mold guy) gives us hugs and a huge welcome. Apparently he had been waiting for us all afternoon! I guess he was excited to see the follow up from my ugly cry when I realized I was getting 2 new hearing aids...for FREE!

Jeff and I w/ Scott

All of a sudden a woman hands me a little plastic bag w/ 2 new hearing aids, "Kara Brown, right?" She tells me to wait to put them in, so that Dr. Bill Austin can do it. There they are...in my hand. I just sit and look at them, I don't know what will happen when he puts them in...I mean, I know I will hear better, but it couldn't really change my life...could it? could they? 2 little hearing aids?

They even matched the outside to my hair color!

While we are waiting for my turn, our friend from church, Robyn Brown came up. She was so excited for me and asked if she could stay and watch Dr. B put them in. (Robyn had been with the deaf students in Minnesota all week, and had been signing/interpreting and helping with all aspects of the Extreme Home Makeover stuff, she is also the pastor for the deaf at our church - awesome lady!) We were blessed to share this experience with her!

Then it's my turn...he comes over and puts them in my ears...a guy from Starkey has the camera and lights rolling...I feel very much watched and the center of attention, which normally I don't mind, but today I felt really uneasy about it...b/c I didn't know what my response was going to be. I was actually in disbelief at first...I just kind of sat there with tears streaming down my face while he talked to me. I could hear him loud and clear. I could hear and UNDERSTAND him w/o looking at his face! Jeff is just standing there watching w/ tears in his eyes as I am hearing the world for the first time the way he hears it. Then my hubby stands behind me on my right side and says softly, "raise your right hand." So I did, and he claps his hands and says..."That is amazing!"

Jeff, Dr. B, and I...I know, great self portrait...I am short...ok?!?

Dr. B is still talking to me, explaining all the neat stuff about the hearing aids, making sure they fit, and then...Jeff comes up behind me, on my right side, and whispers into my ear. I immediately go into the ugly cry. Dr. B says to the camera guy, "You missed it, he just kissed her on the cheek. Get back over here." I respond to Dr. B and say, "No, he didn't kiss me, he whispered that he loved me...and I HEARD it!" He says, "Wow, I didn't even hear it." To which I responded, "I know a great guy who can hook you up with some amazing hearing aids."

This is right after Jeff whispered I love you...

Then...in a matter of minutes all the sounds I have been missing out on for 30 years come crashing into my world...its amazing and overwhelming all at the same time. Little things like when we got into the car I went to buckle up...and I heard the click it makes, so I did it again, and again, and again...Jeff is just laughing at me...I heard the raindrops falling onto the windshield while we drove to pick up our kids.

We get to Logan and Erica Martins house, who have been watching the kids for us, I rush in the door and up the stairs...Caleb says, "Mommy" and I drop down to my knees and cry while I hug him. Hearing his little voice in all it's fullness for the first time...such a flood of emotions. Then I hear Samaria, "are you ok, Mommy?" I sweep her up and cry even harder as I say, "Yes, Mommy has never been better." My children have the most amazing little voices and hearing them completely was one of the most precious moments in my life!

Then after we watched an episode of Chuck on Jeff's laptop...WITHOUT captions...and I heard it all! I went in to brush my teeth and wash my face...I heard the water hit the sink and splash, I heard the toothbrush against my teeth, this was so much fun, I wanted to hear more things. So I went into the kitchen and started opening and closing things, jingled the keys, clinked silverware together, and then I got an idea...I wanted to hear my kids breathe...so I crept into their rooms...and listened...it was perfect!

Hearing...

2010-09-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

So...if you have read our blog before...you know that I don't! Jeff does it...he is the blogger in our family. He is funny, he is great with words, he can make you cry, he can cheer you up, challenge you, and gosh darn it...people like him! Now that we have established that this is a RARE occasion for me, Kara Lee Santos Brown to be blogging...here goes...my first time...
I was born w/ a hearing disability...it was not discovered until I was 4 years old. High Frequency loss amounting to 90 % in my right ear and 10% in my left ear. I was given a hearing aid...undercover word for, make fun of me! I was taken out of class once a week for speech therapy and the best part was they taught me how to read lips. (let me tell you...that has come in handy on numerous occasions!)

The bottom line was that I HATED having a hearing aid, I hated being different, and I hated being told I HAD to do/or wear something. I fought, and I mean fought HARD to get rid of that thing! To the point where I would walk out of the house wearing it to appease my parents and then as SOON as I got to the bus stop I would take it out and put it in my backpack. The bad news - the kids in my class and my teachers did not have a hearing disability and could hear it beeping b/c I would often forget to turn it off in a rush to get it out of my ear and in the backpack as soon as possible. So then I would get busted at home AND at school.

Didn't matter...still fought the hearing aid battle...determination is one of my most endearing qualities. :) just ask my parents! So needless to say I eventually wore them down...6th grade, Jr. High, the mother of all transitions up to that point in my life...they said if my grades did not suffer I did not have to wear my hearing aid to school! Praise the Lord! He does hear and answer prayers! No more speech therapy, no more hearing aid, no more being made fun of, no more being different!

It never affected my grades! It affected other things in my life though...music is hard for me to follow b/c I can't make out the lyrics. That is one of the reasons I love worship music so much, I know the words b/c they are on a screen every week at church. Movies in the theater...fun for most, for me very frustrating b/c if the screen is not showing the person who is talking I can't read their lips and I miss what they are saying. Whisper to me...hahaha Not a chance I can hear that. Missing out on things said...my friends always having to repeat themselves. Never being able to put the phone on my right ear. And the list goes on...

Now lets fast forward, graduated from college, got married to the man of my dreams, we got pregnant with our first baby...I didn't want to miss my little one cry, coo, or say uv u (love you) for the first time! So with some money saved up and a loan from Jeff's parents (Thanks Mom and Dad Brown) we went and purchased a hearing aid for Mama Kara. It was sufficient, enough to help, but nothing to write home about...we had a budget to stick with and a baby on the way, not to mention insurance does not cover them!

And then we had our little bundle of joy, Caleb...and that same bundle of joy (a year and a half later) stepped on my purse, which happened to have the hearing aid in it...yup...he smashed it to smithereens! My bad for taking it out and putting it in my purse...but those things itch after they are in your ear all day long! Needless to say, insurance still doesn't cover them, we have 2 babies and bills to pay...Mama Kara is back to reading lips and "what did you say again?"

In the meantime being blessed w/ friends and family who repeat themselves a million times, watch tv shows and movies w/ captions on, running buddies who always run on my left side so when they are talking and breathing hard I can hear them, tilting the rear view mirror down when I am in the backseat so I can read their lips and not be left out, and so much more!!!

Fast Forward to September 13, 2010...I get a text from my running buddy Erik, and I quote, "what is ur deafness called?" I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face. Turns out he is talking to Dr. Bill Austin, who is at the Extreme Home Makeover site, which happens to be the Oregon School for the Deaf - here in Salem! Erik says, "get over here, they will give you a hearing test"...in my mind I am thinking...Erik, I already know I am deaf! And Jeff and I are supposed to have a date night, and I don't want to go get tested again, we don't have money for another one, blah, blah, blah. Jeff says, lets just go...so we do...pack up the kids and head out. They give me a test...yup...still deaf!

Scott (test/ear mold guy) starts asking me questions about my hearing loss...what is hard? What do you wish you could hear? What is the hardest thing for you about your hearing loss? This is when tears start...I realize how much I truly miss out on...I have just always adapted...but in truth...I miss a lot of what my kids say. I miss out on one of my husbands gifts and passions in music. I miss out on getting sweet little whispers in my ears from my kiddos...b/c I can't hear them...so they don't do it! I miss the cute things they say and sing in the back of the car b/c I can't always tilt the rear view mirror to see their lips.

What I don't realize...until they are making molds for BOTH of my ears (I have only had 1 in my right ear before) is that...they are making molds for in ear hearing aids...this means they think I am getting TWO hearing aids!?! I stopped Scott and let him know, we don't have the money for this, and I have never had 2 before, only 1...he looks at me confused and says, "how did you hear about this?" I fill him in on Erik and the free test. Scott looks at me w/ tears in his eyes and says, "this is a $3,000.00 hearing test Kara. You are getting not 1 but 2 FREE hearing aids today." This is when the ugly cry starts...I can't believe it...and these are not just hearing aids...these are the Best of the Best! (I know...I sound like an old lady...off to a nursing home!) Jeff comes over, I explain, we both burst into tears...Scott is tearing up w/ us...and says to Jeff, "date night will never be the same, you can go to the movies now!"

Wow...I am in awe of how God chose to heal me! I have been praying for my ears to be made new for as long as I can remember! I want to hear what my husband plays...completely! I want to hear my kids...even when I am not looking at their faces! I am sure all my family and friends want me to stop asking, "what did you say again?" Thank you for always repeating yourselves! Thank you Erik for being that friend...like the friends in Mark 2:4! Thank you Dr. Bill Austin for your generosity! Thank you Jeff for pushing me to go for the "free hearing test" when I just wanted a date night w/ you...life will never be the same husband! Thank you Extreme Home Makeover for coming to Salem! Thank You God...for hearing me...healing me...loving me...and saving me!!!

Egypt Update 02

2010-08-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

Today is our last full day in Taba.
Tomorrow, we pack up and head back to Aqaba, Jordan.

Kara and I have both tried to think of a word that could communicate to you what we've seen, heard, and experienced here. But none of them really do justice to it.

So allow me to blabber blog.

On Thursday morning, we started our first corporate worship time together. I was so nervous. Not because I thought I might play the wrong chord, but because I didn't know if I'd be able to handle the outpouring of voices crying out to God in a way that they haven't done in 365 days.

I was right. I couldn't handle it.

The sound of worshippers was such that I've never heard passion like that before. I've heard voices, yes. But the pure desire and affection for God that filled that room will never leave my memory. Tears. Broken voices. Arms outstretched not only to reach for Almighty God, but also to welcome the worship time like a prodigal son returning home.

One of the things Kara and I have debriefed about is that we will never sing some of these songs the same way again. We have forever been ruined.

Ruined by the bridge of "Mighty to Save":
Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen King Jesus

...and the verse
Everyone needs forgiveness
the kindness of a Savior
THE HOPE OF NATIONS

Ruined by the verse of "Hosanna":
Hear the sound of hearts returning to you
We turn to You

Ruined by "Jesus Messiah". The Israel Lands workers especially contributed to the new meaning of this song for me. These people are spreading the news of the Messiah to people who are still waiting for him to come.

We have not just been impacted by our times of worship together. Conversations around the table reveal people who have taken their commitment to Matthew 28:19-20 seriously. These people are amazing. They have chosen to follow God's leading into places where (as one couple told us) they've been told that they will be killed if they step foot again into a certain village. Can you imagine?

We've met workers that have come from their home in Holland to tell the Middle East about Christ. They speak Dutch, have added English, and are tackling the most difficult language to learn - Arabic. Another couple is from China. Another from Chile. It's not just Americans.

That blew my mind! God is at work everywhere...he's sending out missionaries...from everywhere. We realized that our vision and perspective of God's work around the world was EXTREMELY small.

We came to serve.
But we have been served.

We came to be a part of changing lives.
Our lives are the ones changed.

Highlights
1. On the first day during a prayer meeting, security came and asked us to leave the room we were in so they could check for bombs. I was told it was "standard procedure". I'm gonna disagree with that.
2. We took communion together today and had a healing prayer time.
3. Kara found great joy in training for the Hood to Coast relay by running along the shore of the Red Sea (yeah, the same one that was parted down the middle for the Israelites...oh yeah baby).
4. Snorkeling near the corral reef on the Egyptian side of the Red Sea.
5. The speaker, Sunder Krishnan, has been speaking on spiritual formation all week and he...is...good. Look up his sermons.

We'll talk to ya soon.

Egypt Update 01

2010-08-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

Kara looked at me yesterday and said “I can’t believe we’re in Egypt!”

All those stories and flannel graphs in Sunday School that told us about the Israelites

being freed from slavery and crossing the Red Sea on dry ground…

those “stories” have become quite real to us.

We took a boat across that same sea.

We’ve touched the sand where a million people

walked out of bondage and into freedom.

We stood on top of Mt. Nebo where Moses was shown the Promised Land.

We looked from the plains of Moab and saw what the spies saw

as they were sent to scout out the land God was giving them.

We bent down and scooped up water from the Jordan River…

at the alleged site where Jesus was baptized.

We put our hands in the Dead Sea.

Imagine reading Deuteronomy 34 out loud and as you read the names of places,

you look up and actually see these places in front of you.

The Bible has come to life.

We made it to Amman safely.

Almost didn’t find one of our suitcases until I saw it in a pile of luggage

that was being carted off by someone else.

Immediately we realized that we weren’t in Kansas anymore.

You immediately sense a change of pace in this culture.

Cars don’t stop for pedestrians.

There are no lines on the road. It’s eat or be eaten…

and once you’ve eaten the other driver – don’t make eye contact with them.

“Sounds like driving in New York City.”

I’ve driven in New York City and this makes NY look like the Disneyland car track.

I could go on and on about Jordanian culture.

And that was just about the driving conditions.

I am so proud of our overseas workers in the CMA.

Especially the ones who work in places like Jordan where the spiritual darkness

and oppression is IN YOUR FACE every day.

Would you stop right now, before you continue reading, and offer up a prayer for them?

Thanks.

We don’t have free internet connection here

so there won’t be updates as frequent as we would like…

but we will tell you that we are so excited to worship with these people.

They are hungry. They are thirsty.

“Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened…and I will give you rest”.

God is going to meet these people in a very special way.

And we get to see it up close and personal.

The sessions start tomorrow.

Pray for REST for our workers.

Pray for OPEN EARS as we worship.

Pray for an OUTPOURING of the SPIRIT as we seek Him.

Talk to you in a couple days.

7 years ago...

2010-05-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

I, Jeff, took you, Kara
to be my lawfully wedded wife;
to have and to hold;
to have beautiful children with;
to go through a home foreclosure with;
to move away from both our families with;
to celebrate in my office when God opened the door to move to Salem;
to hold our breath in the E.R. when the nurse took forever to find Sam's heartbeat;
to drag you away from your love of youth ministry to an unknown role as worship leader's wife;
to carry you when you felt like giving up;
to be carried by you when I felt the same.

Yep I did.
And I still do.

I wrote a song for you on our wedding day.
Remember it?
If not...

Wedding rings and lighted candles
Spoken vows and good intentions
never seemed so beautiful to me
Faith hope and love overflow
Throwing away the status quo
to forever enjoy your company

Memories and recollections
Some made and some not yet begun
fill the room
The beauty of this day abounds
My feet have yet to touch the ground
There's something deeper to this hour

And this flower will fade
this flower will fade away
But the Maker of you
the Maker of me will always stay

Faith will keep us on our toes
Hope will push us down the road
And love keeps us strong
Every step we take from here
Will not surprise the God who's near
We're notes in his beautiful song

And this flower will fade
this flower will fade away
But the Maker of you
the Maker of me will always stay

When tomorrow morning comes
and the day is just another one
When the dress is put away
and the colors start to fade
I've got you, you've got me
We've got the One who never leaves.

And this flower will fade
this flower will fade away
But the Maker of you
the Maker of me will always stay

why i love coming home after work.

2010-05-17T13:04:00.000-07:00

to blog or not?

2010-05-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

So as you can see it's been a while since I've visited my own blog.
Not really sure why.
Just kinda happened that way.

Kinda like when you realize you haven't talked to a good friend and it's 3 months down the road and you have no idea how time went by so fast, but you feel really bad and you'd rather avoid the situation than call.

Yeah, it's like that.
So...
How ya been?
We've been good.

Here's the reader's digest version of the past month or two.
Spent my mom's birthday in Redding with the Brown fam.
Had a pillow fight with Caleb and sent him face first into the shoe rack.
I won.
Ok, the shoe rack won.
Paid off our kids medical bills with our tax refund.
THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, we are free at last.
Bought bikes for Kara, Caleb, & I with some of the tax refund.
Caleb calls it his "big boy bike". I call mine the same.
Sam doesn't say "thank you".
She sings it.
We began planting our garden.
Or as the kids call it, "the sandbox".
Kara's mom and sister came up for Mother's Day and gave Kara and I a night away at the Edgefield Hotel.
We celebrated Mother's Day and our 7 year anniversary (May 24).
My oldest sister gave birth to her fourth child...her FIRST GIRL!

You all caught up?
Good.

what did you do this weekend?

2010-03-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

As for me...

always wanted to see the pyramids PART TWO

2010-03-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

So I neglected to mention the dates of our trip to Egypt.

My wife always says that I have a hard time multitasking...but I don't know if that applies with this.

These dates are not exact, but they are close.

August 8-18.

kids in motion

2010-03-26T07:55:00.001-07:00

you know your kid is a P.K. when (episode #1)

2010-03-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

I'm a pastor.
I have kids.
They are pastor's kids (P.K.).

Here's proof.

Kara was driving to the church to drop off my laptop that I had forgotten. As she drove up to the entrance to wait for me, Caleb looks out the van window and says,

"We're home! We're home!"

always wanted to see the pyramids

2010-03-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

When Kara and I packed up and moved our family to Oregon 2 years ago we had no clue about the journey that God had in store for us.

I guess that’s why they call it a journey.

The most recent step in our life is one that will take us far, far away…7, 124 miles to be exact. We’re going to Taba, Egypt.

We have been asked to lead worship for the field forum in August for our denomination. All workers from the Arab lands and Israel will gather together in Taba for encouragement, rest and enrichment before they head back out into the field. For many of these people, this is the only break they will have all year so we feel very privileged to serve them in this way.

Needless to say, a trip like this is expensive. So we are asking you to pray and see if God is calling you to partner with us. We need to raise around $6,000…which sounds like a lot. Actually, it is a lot. But we serve a God who does the impossible.

If you are not able to partner financially with us, we would love for you to keep us in your prayers.
Pray for safety as we travel.
Pray that we will be people of encouragement for the workers.
Pray that the workers will be refreshed during their time in Taba.
Pray that God would provide the finances we need.
Pray for our kids as they will be watched by grandparents while Mom and Dad are away.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION
make checks payable to SALEM ALLIANCE CHURCH
and write “Jeff & Kara Field Forum” in the memo line.

SEND ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO
Jeff Brown c/o Salem Alliance Church
555 Gaines St NE
Salem, OR 97301

me in a small box on your screen

2010-03-06T20:33:00.000-08:00

Catching Up...

2010-03-02T18:40:00.000-08:00

I realized at the beginning of February that keeping a blog up-to-date is difficult.

Especially when life throws you curve balls. Especially when you are personally going through times of self-examination. Especially when you realize that you are still, after all these years, wrestling with deep-seeded issues and false ideas about who you are and who God is (which are closely related, by the way).

Someday, when you are older, I will tell you what I've personally gone through in the past 2 months.

Today, here's what's new in the Brown clan.

Caleb and Sam eat! A lot! They eat more than our youth group ever did on pizza night. I think Caleb's record of 5 bowls of cereal was crushed by his younger sister when she downed 6. I'm not kidding. Our food budget has had to expand because of these 2.

Kara is heavily involved in the high school at Salem Alliance Church. In February, she offered for her and I to speak three weeks in a row on the subject of relationships and love. We had a blast! Last week, she was asked to speak at the Hearts at Home group that meets on Thursday mornings. Having received a degree in ministry and serving in full-time ministry for many years, she has been aching to get back into her "sweet spot". After she spoke, ladies were ranting about how they were challenged and I got to be the proud husband.

I'm starting my ordination process this week. Ordination = Three years, three mentors, 16 books, 5 papers, and an intense interview process. Here I go!

Thanks for caring about the Brown family.

We're serious about having fun.

from the mouths of babes

2010-02-05T12:30:00.000-08:00

I was told a funny story that happened on a weekend I was leading worship at our church.

When the worship band took the stage and began playing our first song, a young boy energetically pulled on his mom's sleeve.
"What?"
The little boy points at me.
"I know that guy."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, I saw him in the bathroom."
This is where I wish the story ended. But they never do.

The Mom smiles and continues to sing along.
Another tug on the sleeve.
"Mom, guess what?"
"What?"
"He didn't wash his hands!"

thoughts from mr. mom

2010-01-24T10:03:00.001-08:00

Kara had the opportunity to spend the weekend with Estrogen (women's retreat).

So I took the role of Michael Keaton and braved life without the one who knows what they are doing.

Don't worry. The kids are alive. They're fed. Diapers are clean...enough.

But I thought I'd process a bit and give you some of my thoughts post OPERATION DON'T LOSE THE KIDS.

1. My wife is a rock star. She does this 7 days a week. Sometimes with no break. And I rarely hear her complain about it. She just does it. Not only that, but she maintains her hotness along the way.

2. Props to all you single parents out there. I will never be so bold as to say "I understand how you feel now". But I've taste-tested your lives for 2 1/2 days. And you are heroes.

3. Don't buy your kids toys, buy them tupperware. Sam has toys. She really does. But even as I type, she is in the kitchen swimming through our tupperware collection like Scrooge McDuck in his vault of money. Meanwhile I'm updating our blog as I sip imaginary tea from her pink tea set. I hate tea.

4. Please read thought #1 again.

5. They should include dad training in Le Mas classes. Just a thought. Let's prepare Dads a bit more for weekends without mom. Viva la revolucion!

6. I'm going to design a binkie with gps tracking. I had 4 when we started this party. Now, we're down to one. Good thing Mom's coming home today.

7. I love my kids. They are becoming persons more and more every day. The way Sam cuddles just to cuddle. The way Caleb laughs at the funny parts of Charlotte's Web. They're growing up. Though sometimes that is a negative in the eyes of parents, today I cheer "grow on little ones!".

images of christmas

2010-01-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

busted...again.

2009-12-31T13:19:00.000-08:00

I realize that being busted by mom and dad is an ongoing thing with children.
But I thought this one needed to be shared.

A couple weeks ago, we were skyping with my parents to give the kids some "papa and gama" time. After talking for a while, we realized that our two kids had not only been out of our field of vision...but were not making any noise.

Yes. We panicked.

Fortunately they were only in the kitchen.

Unfortunately...they'd found the brown sugar.

winner of best decorated house for christmas

2009-12-26T22:13:00.000-08:00

"Do you want to put up lights on the house this year?"
"No."
"Well, we should put something up."
"Ok..."

i don't want to hear that at christmas!

2009-12-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

As part of my job at Salem Alliance Church, I design graphics and publications for various ministries and for Sunday morning services.

Recently my lead pastor passed along a sermon title that he needed a title slide for. The name of the sermon..."A War in a Manger". His text was Revelation 12 where John writes down a vision of what's happening in heaven surrounding the birth of Jesus. Fascinating stuff.

Here's a snippet...

"A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days...

Pretty cool stuff!

So I worked on a title slide and submitted it to my online Flickr group where I get immediate feedback on graphic projects. Here's my slide...

And here's the first person's feedback..

"my biggest problem is the title. "war in a manger" freaks me out, and it's not what i want to hear at Christmas (and i'm not even a fan of Christmas)... ...yeah, you may need to hit the drawing board for a new concept. see if you can get a new title from leadership as well. i promise, this one won't go over at all. "

REALLY? SERIOUSLY?

You don't want to hear that Jesus fought for you? You don't want to hear that there was an all-out war on your behalf? You'd rather stay in Hallmark card land where everything smells of french vanilla and overcompensation?

If we're picking sides, I'm on the team that NEEDS to hear this message. I need my idea of the Christmas story stretched from time to time. I need the comfortable plastic manger scene to be replaced by a scene that more closely resembles "Star Wars". I need that.

Don't you?

P.S. If you want to hear the sermon, click this link to download it
http://www.mediafire.com/?miztiwnzwjk

friends and big towers

2009-12-19T11:42:00.000-08:00

I found myself with a weekend off from leading worship. So we decided to take a trip up to Tacoma, WA to spend some time with dear friends of ours. Justin and Melissa Morris have been friends of ours for a LONG time.

Kara and Melissa were roommates in college and teammates on the basketball team. Melissa said she actually met me before she met Kara, but I was a "snob" then. Let's be honest Mel, I was a big deal. A BIG deal.

When Justin later moved out from Nebraska to take the Junior High Pastor job at RCF, Kara and I both had an underlying motive to hook Melissa and Justin up. Apparently, so did God. Cuz' they hooked up.

Now we all live in the Pacific Northwest (aka, Promised Land). And our times together are special and too short.

Enjoy the pics.

brown update

2009-12-18T21:36:00.000-08:00

Kara turned 30!
Yep, we're the same age for the next couple weeks. And you'd be proud to know that Kara took turning 3o in total stride. Plus she's hot.

She woke up to balloons, streamers and a birthday breakfast with a "3" and "0" candle sticking out of the linguica sausage. The van was decorated with non-distracting white window paint. The kids and I gave her a one-hour body massage, which was fine until after the massage when she had to come home and I had to go to work...and it was as if the massage never happened. Such is the life of a stay-at-home mom.

Sam is walking!
And our lives of watching both kids in the same room is over...

She still continues to balance herself with her arms which resembles very closely the chicken dance. Gone are the days of slow transportation down the hallway. Onward to quick exits and fast getaways.

She's also catching on the fact that she can run away from mom and dad if they catch her holding something she's not supposed to. Yep...gone are the days...

Caleb talks while he dances!
His sentence structure is incredible. I'm no longer searching for one recognizable word in his sentences to understand him. He's actually communicating. Some of our favorites..."Dadda gonna go pee pee", "Sissy (Sam) goin night night", "daddy gonna drive car" and "Al down!"

The last one is a command to our dog Ally, who the kids have lazily renamed "Al". THE DOG IS A GIRL!!

He's at such a fun stage of learning ABC's and 123's (Jackson 5). I'm so impressed with Kara as a teacher. Every day I come home to something new that Caleb has learned. And Kara's comprehension of numbers, letters, and colors has soared above all expectations.

Hee hee.

"Dadda gonna be in trouble".

hot off the press

2009-12-07T21:39:00.000-08:00

I've just recently begun doing freelance graphic design. It has become a side passion of mine.

I was approached by a pastor at my church who was finishing up a 2 1/2 year book writing journey, and wanted me to design her cover for her.

And here it is.

Email me if you have any graphic design needs.
graphicd_jrb@yahoo.com

forgot this one

2009-11-23T09:16:00.000-08:00

I forgot to post these pics of the kids hanging out with Grandpa and Grandma Santos back in October (sorry Dad and Karen). Kara and the kids took a trip up I-5 to see them in Washington, and their first stop was a real live steam locomotive that was being rebuilt.

Kara thought Caleb's head was going to explode with "choo-choo" excitement.

that's my boy

2009-11-23T08:15:00.001-08:00

Yeah, he knows he peed his pants.

So do you.

But who's gonna be the first to laugh? Huh?

Not me...

ny trip - day three and beyond

2009-11-16T11:53:00.000-08:00

Sorry to leave all you people hanging like the Star Wars Trilogy.

Ready for the Readers Digest version?

DAY 3
Beginning of the Rekindle the Flame conference. The first two sessions left a lot to be desired. I began to wonder why God brought us here. What I thought would be a conference that filled me up started off like a masters degree course that was emptying me of all hope.

Then the night session started...

We learned about "listening prayer", asking the Holy Spirit for direction in praying for people, and following his whispers. Totally new mindset for me. Then we got to practice it. Imagine that...putting movement to scripture.

Maybe this conference won't be a forgotten memory.

DAY 4
Started with hot Starbucks. This day had to be good.

We joined Nyack College for their morning chapel service. Totally brought back memories of leading worship at Simpson College for our chapels. Except...and don't take this the wrong way...but we had no culture back at Simpson. For that matter, we had no culture in all of Redding. There were 5 African Americans in my entire high school.

Sitting in the chapel service, I looked around at the melting pot. And I smiled as I heard voices other than the sound of Caucasian conversations. I miss that. I miss the energy and passion that African American people bring to a worship service. And their voices together in that jam-packed gymnasium filled me up.

Then the speaker got up and spoke on prejudices. Ha! Love it. Once again, we put feet to our faith and were asked to pray with someone of a different culture than us. I found a guy named Hakeem and we prayed together for unity, asked forgiveness for pre-judging, and declared God's heart for each other.

A couple of us took a trip to Hobokan, NJ to seek out a bakery that is featured on the TLC show "Cake Boss". After the GPS took us to the wrong place (operator error), we finally found the promised land. While we were there, we saw the guy who plays Cipher in the Matrix movies.

Day 4 was good.

DAY 5
Last day of the conference. Started off with a bang.

We heard from a professor at the seminary on prayer and spiritual warfare. The most eye-opening thing was that we have been given the authority to push back the darkness in our world. Jesus has the power...and we the authority. That better change the way I pray or nothing will.

DAY 6
Half of the team went home today. I would have been happy to go home with 'em. But I had chosen to go home on Saturday. So I was "stuck" in NY City, checking out Central Park, getting dizzy looking up at the Empire State Building, and eating at Thunder Jackson's Urban Roadhouse for the second time this week.

What? They've got the Dirty Burger. Don't judge me.

Heard from my wife that Sam was throwing up...for the fourth time...and I wanted to be home.

DAY 7
After we checked out the Staten Island Ferry and the huge bronze "Charging Bull" on Wall St., we headed off for the airport. I was pretty homesick at this point.

Got home at 10:00 that night and rejoined life with my wife and kids.

I want them to go with me next time.

ny trip - day two

2009-11-09T20:37:00.000-08:00

Our first full day in the city that never sleeps. Greg and I got up at the butt crack of dawn (officially 5am) and drove to pickup our coworker Becky from the Newark airport. Keep in mind we went to bed at 2am. For you math majors = 3 hours of completely useless non-REM sleep.

Thanks be to my Lord and Savior for the creation of caffeine.

We drove into Manhattan and visited the original church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination. I grew up in the CMA. My dad was a CMA pastor. I went to a CMA college. I now work at a CMA church. It was pretty sweet to see our roots and to see how a small passion in the heart of a brash and bold preacher grew to literally change our world. The church is now a pizzeria.

So instead of a sermon, we received the ministry of pizza.

We split up into 2 groups after that and one went to the Ground Zero Museum. A-maz-ing. Pictures and artifacts from the rescue and recovery operation after the towers fell. CHILLS ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK ALERT: There was a clock that was located underneath the towers that stopped when tower one fell and it still reads the exact time (right down to the seconds).

Then we visited Ground Zero where they are finally starting to build the memorial building. We visited St. Paul's Chapel which was directly next to the towers and served as a safe place/cafeteria/sleeping quarters/counseling room for the rescue workers. To see how people came together after 9-11, how they loved on each other, how this church served as heaven's outpost...makes me proud.

The rest of the night was spent eating dinner, walking to Rockefeller Center (we didn't see anybody famous), walking to Grand Central Station, and back to Time Square.

Thoughts.

1. Don't eat at HB Burgers if you go to New York. I don't usually call for an all out boycott of businesses, but not only did our server walk by our empty drinks all night, but he FORGOT MY STINKING RANCH!

2. I got a whole new respect for the pandemonium that must have ensued after the plains hit the towers. People were everywhere. And you add a terrorist attack to the mix...

3. I love driving in New York City. I honked twice tonight, almost hit 4 pedestrians, tailgated a taxi cab, cut in front of 4 cars to change lanes (without using my blinker), got back to our hotel without the use of a GPS system, and did it all while humming "Bohemian Rhapsody" to myself.

ny trip - day one

2009-11-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

I'm writing from my hotel room in the beautiful state of New York. A couple families in our church blessed the entire church staff by sending us all to the "Rekindle the Flame" conference at Nyack College in Nyack, NY.

But the conference isn't until Tuesday. So until then, we be tourists.

Here are my thoughts from our first day in New York.

1. Spend the money and rent the GPS. I'm pretty darn good with directions but this place is nuts. There is no North, south, east or west here. It's a black hole for instinct and "This looks familiar".

2. You could eat all night in New York City. We walked around looking for a place to sit down and eat dinner. We passed bar after cafe after grill after diner...and our problem was not that there was a shortage of places, but the exact opposite. Don't worry about dinner. The restaurant will find you.

3. Don't stare at Times Square too long. The gi-normous tv screens that stretch from concrete to sky light up the streets like it's day time. I found myself overstimulated and wanting to find a dark corner to suck my thumb. My eyes hurt like they do when you watch too much TV and you can't blink. That kinda hurt.

4. Bring the ones you love with you to New York. My wife and kids couldn't be with me on this trip since it's staff only. And I miss them. Like a fat kid misses cake.

Day 2 is tomorrow.

Bring it on.

busted

2009-10-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Kara went to pick Sam up from the church nursery.

Her eyes were red from crying.

"Why?", you ask.

Cuz she's a Binkie-Stealer! That's why. She steals other baby's binkies (a.k.a. "pacifiers").

Nobody likes it when their binkie gets rudely pulled from their mouths. So the victim in this case thought a fair retaliation was to BITE Sam's hand.

I feel no pity for my daughter. The punishment fit the crime. I would have bitten her hand too.

Call me cold. Call me shallow. But do NOT call me a "Binkie-Stealer".

Don't forget this...

2009-10-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

My wife picked up our daughter.

"I wanna keep this moment forever."

As you wish...

ever wonder what kind of parents you're kids are gonna be?

2009-10-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

Yeah. I do.

This gives me some hope.

Samaria's Day

2009-10-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's official. We no longer have babies in the house.

Sam turned one.

Even though I personally think they should count the time in the womb when considering birthdays, which means that she would have turned one last December sometime. Makes sense in my head.

But in your country, she turned one.

Let the onslaught of photos begin.

Tutu making some frosting...

...and sharing it with the birthday girl.

Have you seen the tv show "Ace of Cakes"?
This is nothing like that.

"I want to help, too. As long as I get to lick the spatula."

Proud Mama.

We had the party at the Riverfront Carousel (a fully-operational indoor carousel). The costumes ranged from a giraffe to Yemen garb (right).

Aunt Mel holding on tight.

Uncle Justin and Caleb.

Corrie and the girls came up for the party.

Our friend Erica Martin came with her son, Eli (the giraffey-looking little cutie).

Looking at them this close, they don't actually look appetizing. They look alive.

Parties wipe him out...

...and the birthday girl had a good time too.

Thank you to all the family and friends that made Sam's first birthday special.

And to all the ladybugs that sacrificed their lives for our cupcakes.

Happy Birthday Sam-a-bama. Mama and Dada love you.

the herreras come to visit

2009-10-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

father of the year

2009-10-15T11:47:00.001-07:00

It was my turn to watch the kids. I could stop the blog there.

But I won't.

Kara was gone volunteering at the high school youth group. It was nearing bath time. I always look forward to bath time. Why? Because after bath time, is story time. Then comes bed time. The perfect ending to a long day of parenting. More for my wife than me. But it's still a special time of day.

My son looks at me and says, "Dada. Pee-pee". Code for "Dad, I have to go pee". Not very code-like, but it works. I say, "Alright, let's go pee-pee" in my parent cheerleader voice. He takes his position in front of the miniature toilet and I quickly drop his pants to his knees.

This is the moment when life goes slow-motion...as I realize that he also should have told me "Dada, Poo-poo" or code for "Dad, I filled my shorts".

Poop flies out at me. Not a small amount. Not a large amount. But just right.

Caleb stumbles backward and plants his foot right in the center of the poopsicle.

I react like any good parent would. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

His look told me he doesn't speak English yet. I lifted him into the tub where I attempted to cleanse him of the mess.

Little did I know that Sam was tip-toeing behind me to check out the poop that was still on the floor. I turned just as she was dipping her animal cracker in it like a Red Robin french fry in ranch dressing.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

No response. At least not what I had hoped the response would be. I had hoped there would be an explanation of why she thought that eating her brother's caca was a good idea. Again, a look that told me my efforts to reason went unnoticed and ignored.

Bathtime came and went. Storytime was skipped. Bedtime was satisfying.

I have since repented and returned my award plaque for "father of the year".

Jeff, update your blog!

2009-09-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

This is US in a nutshell.

I (Jeff) started the Salem Alliance Choir back up. Our new season began with a bbq/rehearsal where I shared my vision for the new choir season. God is calling our choir to be more intentional worship leaders, not only with their lives, not only with their voices, but also with their faces. It's a stretch for me to lead the choir, but I so enjoy pastoring a group of people again. And they show me tons of grace. Our first weekend leading worship is October 3/4. If you're in the area, you should stop by for a service...or two. The other exciting thing in my life is that I've lost 33 lbs & 11 inches in the past 6 weeks on Take Shape For Life. I've NEVER been this thin in my life...and it feels great. I've got 50 more to go, so I can't get too cocky. But...I am bringing sexy back.

Kara is kicking butt and taking names as a Mom. Caleb is almost fully potty-trained...just a couple of messes here and there. The home continues to be a safe & warm place to come home to...and she is the one responsible for that. One of the holes left by leaving Redding (other than friends and family) was the hole of youth ministry. Kara was born to love and lead youth. Because of two small children (who will rename nameless), she has not had the time or energy to get involved. But recently the high school group at SAC began a Tuesday night gathering which means that I can be home to watch the kids while she gets an opportunity to not only get a break from being a Mom, but also gets to finally do what her heart longs to do. I'm so excited for her...and she is too.

Caleb is becoming a small boy. It frightens us how quickly they are changing. And just when you get used to a stage in life, they change on you. He loves to read. He loves to swing. He loves to EAT. 5 bowls of cereal yesterday. He's also growing as a prayer warrior. He says prayers at night with us, and we sense a deep sensitivity in his little spirit for prayer. Kinda cool.

Sam is actually shrinking (No, but wouldn't it be funny if she were). Her curly red hair has not gone away...and we love it. She waves at people now and blows kisses. And she will mimick whatever her big brother does, which is not always a good thing.

Picture People was having a "Cute Baby" competition. So we did. Enjoy.

Oh.

And Ally (our dog) is fine. In case you were wondering or if P.E.T.A. was monitoring my blog.

trip to foster lake

2009-09-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

Does that look like a mother of 2 small children to you?

Yeah. I tried wakeboarding.

Can't you see me? It's my submarine imitation.

Kara had never been kneeboarding. Apparently it was fun.

I tried kneeboarding and found flying to be much more enjoyable.

I'm pointing out the fact that my shorts were at my ankles.

Our good friend Becky.

running hood to coast. check.

2009-09-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

Kara came. She saw. She ran 197 miles.

Well, not exactly.

She was part of a team from church that ran in the largest team relay in the world, "Hood to Coast". They ran from Mt. Hood in northern Oregon all the way to Seaside. This is not for the weak. She trained HARD for this.

And she finished with an average of 8 minutes/30 seconds per mile. That's pretty fast. Especially for a basketball player who is used to bouncing something in her hands or shooting for a net. She was awesome.

Her first leg was about 4 miles...downhill. Sounds easy right? It's more torture on the knees than you may think.

Her second leg. 7.5 miles. At night. With only a headlamp to light her way. She started running at 1:45am. I was happily sleeping at the time.

Her last leg. 7 miles. She said this was her favorite. Because it was beautiful scenery and it rained. Once she was soaked, it wasn't that bad after that. Actually, she said, it was kinda nice.

2 vans. 11 teammates. 30 hours. And one tired basketball player-turned-runner.

The cool part - their name was the "Stumbo's Prayer Warriors". Named for our last senior pastor, John Stumbo, who's body has been ravaged by sickness and wasn't able to join the team. Their purpose was to spread the word about John, as well as commit to pray for John throughout their individual runs. They wore team tshirts that made people ask questions, and they were able to share the story with many people along the way.

John was able to make it to the team send-off prayer time. And when the team crossed the finish line, John was on the phone with them. You can follow John's personal story on the blog listed to the right.

Cool story here. This is Steve Unwin. He's running the leg that John Stumbo was supposed to run. The team met him at the finish of his leg with a finish tape made of toilet paper and cheered him through. He's holding up the bracelet that the team wore. It reads "Stumbo Prayer Warriors - Hebrews 12:1". HEBREWS 12:1 SAYS Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Kara met all shapes and sizes during the race.
These guys wore kilts throughout the whole race.

This was the view of Seaside as they crossed the finish line.

Tutu came and spent the entire weekend with us.
She was an enormous blessing as Jeff was leading worship the whole weekend and Kara was running Hood to Coast. Thanks Tutu!

blockbuster saved my dog's life

2009-08-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

I didn't see it at first. I think Kara saw it and then pointed it out to me somewhat reluctantly.

The fence. More specifically, the HOLE in the fence.

Want some more context? This is the 4TH HOLE in said fence. A hole with bite marks that match our 5 year old chocolate lab Ally's teeth.

She has separation anxiety. After you laugh, I'll tell you that I'm not kidding. She can't handle being alone. When she was a puppy, we would leave her in the kennel for a 20 minute ride to the grocery store and back. We'd find her soaked in her kennel, not from pee, but from salivating over the stress of being alone.

Back to the story.

Upon seeing the 4th ruined fence, and the 4th fence repair project, I threw my hands in the air and said, "I'm done with that dog!" Notice the exclamation point ending that last sentence. That means that I said it with emotion, with heart. I meant it. Ally was done.

I proceeded to march to the backyard, pick up my dog by the collar (she's 60 lbs. - don't worry, I work out) and drag her to the hole in the fence as if she'd remember her dirty deed. Through gritted teeth, I yelled "NO!". Another exclamation point. More emotion.

My wife separated us and we went to our corners.

After I cooled down a bit, Kara and I had a conversation about whether or not we were going to keep Ally. She'd been our family dog before Caleb was born. I assisted her giving birth twice. How could we ever think about giving her away?

Actually it was quite easy for me.

We decided to sleep on the decision, and discuss it again in the morning. To distract ourselves, we decided to rent a movie. Kara picked it out. It's one that she's wanted to see since Mother's Day.

The movie..."Marley and Me".

Not knowing what the movie was about, I fully immersed myself into it.

If you've never seen the movie, it's about a husband and wife who buy a dog that is a terror. It tears up everything in their house, barks at thunderstorms, and by the looks of it's feces he eats too many mangoes. At one point, the husband and wife have a discussion about whether or not to get rid of the dog (they have 3 kids under the age of 5) and they decide not to. Fast forward to the end of the movie.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Before the dog dies of old age, the daughter pulls out her stuffed animal and says "You can have Lamby, but don't chew up the other ear". The stuffed animal ends up being put between the dog's front paws as the vet puts it to sleep.

Our daughter Sam has a favorite stuffed animal. It's name: Lamby. Eerie isn't it. You should have chicken skin by now.

The movie ends. And Kara and I are both wiping tears from our eyes. I say "Great choice", and walk around the bed to where Ally sleeps. I get down on my knees and hug my dog (who just chewed through my cedar fence, remember). I'm sure Ally was totally confused as to why her master, who only hours ago was ready to bury her alive, is now a blubbering fool clinging to her brown body.

My wife asks me later if I cried during the movie.

My reply. "Yeah. I do have a heart, you know".

caleb is 2

2009-08-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

Can't believe 2 years has gone by already since we came from Red Bluff hospital with a sleepy boy. Seems just like yesterday that we were learning how to be Caleb's mom and dad. How to change diapers quickly before he decides to drench the wall. How to live on 4 hours of sleep or less. How to adjust your life schedule to someone who hasn't been on this planet for more than a day. How to love a human being more than you could ever love something.

What's he up to now that he's 2?

His vocabulary grows daily. Kara continually works with him on his ABC's and 123's and gets better every time he rehearses for me.

He has graduated from a crib to a toddler bed, and has yet to test mom and dad's patience now that there are no longer bars restricting him from roaming the room at bedtime.

He believes that he owns our church. Just like a typical PK (pastor's kid), before and after service he loves to run around the stage touching every instrument. So fun to watch and protect the expensive equipment at the same time.

He's getting better and better as a big brother to Samaria. He'll hug her hourly, though to the untrained eye it may look like a martial arts hold.

Here are some pictures from his 2nd birthday party.

unbelievable

2009-07-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

july youtube

2009-07-27T00:11:00.000-07:00

photos by justine wildauer

2009-07-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Our good friends the Wildauers blessed us with amazing pictures of the kids and of the family.

Well, it was actually Justine who blessed us. No, scratch that.

Ryan (her husband) blessed us too cuz he was behind Justine making faces so the kids would smile. And he made spaghetti that night too.

So I stand by my first statement.

Check out her website. Book her. She's great.
www.wildauerphotography.com

Here are some pics to wet your appetite.

chuckling parents (episode 1)

2009-07-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted a way to document all the funny things that our kids do from day to day. I'm usually good about recalling the major things, but I'm learning that sometimes the most hilarious things can occur right underneath your radar. So I've started a "chuckling parents" string of posts that you can enjoy.

EPISODE ONE:
I came home early today because I have a "work night" at the church tonight that I have to return for. Caleb is always excited when Daddy comes home early. I swear one of these days his head will explode from over-excitement. As Kara and I were sitting in our bedroom chatting, Caleb yelled out a phrase of completely incomprehensible gibberish. But he said it in a tone of voice that communicated that he knew what he was saying. Kara and I exchanged a confused look, and then ask him to repeat himself. He proceeded to say the exact same gibberish as before, but this time slower and more pronounced, as if that might help our comprehension.

It didn't.

death needs to die...

2009-07-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

Having been a licensed minister now for over 8 years, I have had the "privilege" of conducting a number of funerals over the years. Most of them up to now have been for people over the age of 70. They lived long lives. They had kids and grandkids. They spent their hard-earned retirement. They lived a long life and passed on.

Then you realize that death shows no favorites.

We received a call last Thursday that our godson Rayce had passed away. He was not over 70. He hadn't even signed up for a checking account, much less spent his retirement. He was 4 years old.

Rayce had numerous medical issues from the time he was born. His parents, Billy & Dara, had been completely selfless in taking care of him. No matter how many tests or procedures, his body seemed to be always ahead of the doctors in adding to his long list of conditions. At the end of his life, it was his heart that cut his life extremely short.

I was asked by his parents to conduct Rayce's funeral service. "Of course", I said while thinking How in the heck do I do this? How do I put my own feelings about Rayce's passing aside and give him the honor he's due?

Fast forward to after the funeral.

It went well. It was all Billy and Dara wanted for their precious child. And I found that after I had stuffed my emotions for so long in order to be strong for everyone around me that I loved, that the feelings welled up inside me so strong that I couldn't help but cry. As Kara and I said goodbye to the silver urn with Rayce's name engraved on it, I finally wept.

"I had dreams of doing things with my son. And I'm still gonna do them. And I'm gonna think of Rayce when I do them"
Billy Cannon, Rayce's dad

june youtube

2009-06-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

oh the fun we've had

2009-06-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics to catch you up on what's been happening in the Brown family.

Kara and I were invited to go on a wine tasting trip
to 2 wineries west of Salem.
Very informative. Very filling.

Kara is posing with Christie and Molly
in the wine tasting room at Chateau Blanc.
We're still not sure if anybody actually buys these hats,
but they make great photo opportunities.

Some friends/co-workers at Salem Alliance Church
wanted to get rid of this play structure
and we decided that our home was perfect for it.

As soon as Caleb saw it, he giggled
and ran to it shouting "Whee!".
Translation: Push me on the Swing Now.

Tutu & Papi came for a visit
and we celebrate an early 2nd birthday for Caleb.

Among the presents from Tutu & Papi
were charms for Caleb's Crocs.

Before we headed down to Redding,
we stopped by Logan & Erica Martin's house
to check out our their newest addition - Elias Reid Martin.

Photo time with Papa & Gama.

Cousin time.

Sam got her first taste of solid baby food.
She soon became more preoccupied with the orange spoon.

Sam & Tate.

We got to hang out with family - and catch a flick.
"Up" in 3D. Check out our sweet shades.

No trip to Redding is complete unless we stop by the Millers.

Even Caleb got in on some pool time.

Our good friends, the Wildauers, had us over for dinner
on our last night in Redding.
Any guesses what we had for dinner?

a busy weekend

2009-06-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

It was busy. But it was fun.

Kara's mom and sister (Lani & Jean) came up for the weekend. While we usually try to take it easy when company comes to visit us, we found ourselves going and going and going.

"I love to swiiiiiing"

"Tutu" and me.

Caleb helped Daddy build planter boxes for Mommy.
Hence the dirt...the strawberry juice on his face was an added treat.

Yep, he helped alright.

Working in the backyard = photo shoot for Samaria.

Tutu took the whole family to the Oregon Zoo. Caleb was in heaven.
So was the bird that is eating out of his juice cup.

I like to call this one "Free Willy".

some thoughts from six years of marriage

2009-05-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

On May 24th, our relationship took a new turn. Five years have turned into six. We're on the downward slope to ten years (that came out wrong...by downward I mean we're over the other side of the hill, not downward like it's going to suck from here on out). So I thought that in my infinitely dwindling wisdom, I would ramble on about a couple of points of advice. And if any of you want to have as successful a marriage, as I've had, you will read this with while watching the NBA playoffs.

NUMBER ONE:
Never stop dating your wife. Of course you leave that stage behind and say "I do" to a whole new level of relationship, but mark my words. You will have a "come to Jesus" meeting called by your wife if you never buy her flowers or write songs or stroke her hair...all the things that you used to do. Keep doing them.

NUMBER TWO:
Stay close to family when you have kids. Never, ever, ever leave them. I don't care if your hometown has been moved to #1 on the terrorist hit list, you stay in the same town as your parents. Five WORDS..."free babysitting".

NUMBER THREE:
Never leave in the morning for work before the MRS. gets a good look at your outfit. You may think you are the hottest thing in the office, but it's her opinion that counts. You are a reflection of her, and apparently wearing plaids w/ stripes doesn't paint your wife in a good light.

NUMBER FOUR:
Fight Naked. No commentary needed. If you start a fight, just start undressing too. Soon the fight becomes secondary.

NUMBER FIVE:
Pray at night together. I don't care if you're fighting, PRAY together. Kara and I started this early on, and it has revolutionized our relationship. Don't get me wrong, there have been nights where we were so tired that we didn't get past "Lord, thank you for to-". But we have benefited so much from this time together at night. Even better after you've experienced NUMBER FOUR (see above).

NUMBER SIX:
Don't ever start a game of Monopoly. This is probably good advice for any relationship. It never ends well.

NUMBER SEVEN:
Show your kids you love each other. Let them see you kiss or hug or snuggle. It'll make 'em giggle at first, but they'll eventually understand.

NUMBER EIGHT:
Laugh a lot. Laugh at life. Laugh at each other. Laugh at yourself. Laugh at the little things.

NUMBER NINE:
Don't say you're in the checkout line at Target and are almost home when you've actually just parked the car. For some reason, this has come back to bite me. So word to the wise.

NUMBER TEN:
Get rid of the TV. We've done this twice since we've been married, and it's awesome (except for sports and HGTV). Maybe you do it for a couple months. See what happens. I dare you to try it. Double dog dare. Triple dog dare. You know what that means? You have to do it now. Let me know how it turns out.

too funny

2009-05-12T16:35:00.001-07:00

I wish I was joking about this.
It's called a "goateesaver".
Perfect for my youth pastor friends - and Matt Miller.

trip to silver creek falls

2009-05-10T20:51:00.001-07:00

Now that we have been here in Salem for over a year, we figured it was time to start spreading our wings and discovering the great outdoors. We've been told to go check out Silver Creek Falls, which is actually a gorgeous spot east of Salem where out of the overgrowth flows numerous gorgeous waterfalls. There's a trail that you can take which will let you see all of the waterfalls in one 5 mile loop. But dogs aren't allowed on the trail. And we brought Ally (our lab). So like good Christians, we obeyed the law. But like bad Christians, we had negative attitudes directed at the law.

Caleb would have thrown every rock into the river if we had the time.
This was his reaction after the rock splashed EVERY time.

kara and kids go to redding

2009-05-10T20:36:00.001-07:00

As with all of her trips, they brought back some great pics to share.

PILE ON!!! Mattie and Chesnie Miller pose with Caleb
while Sam hangs on for dear life.

Sam and Tate (our nephew).

Don't know if any of you heard, but Sam fell of the changing table
last Monday morning. After she wouldn't stop crying,
we rushed to the E.R. where the Xrays came back normal,
but we were told to watch her closely.
So...one of the main reasons for the trip was so that Kara could take Sam to see
our favorite chiropractor Lydia. Sam loves this part of the treatment.

Sam's doing much better, by the way.

Even Tutu (Kara's mom) got in on the action.
She came up from Nevada and joined Kara and the kids
for some quality time.

cue Michael W. Smith track
"and friends are friends forever..."

a video is worth a thousand words...

2009-04-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

We were about to start worship rehearsal when...

don't read this and drink milk at the same time

2009-04-06T19:49:00.000-07:00

So I have to share two pictures with you that are proof that Caleb's personality is popping out to say hello every now and again.

NUMBER ONE:
Kara and I check on the kids while they're sleeping every night before we turn in ourselves. The other night, we observed our kid in the following position (and we almost woke him up with our laughter, and the flash from the camera).

NUMBER TWO:
For those of you familiar with the Pacific Northwest, it is rare to see the sun during the winter months and sometimes even as late as April. We were blessed with a gorgeous day today. 77 degrees. Sunny. Not a cloud in the sky.

So we decided to go outside and play after Caleb's nap. We told him to go get his shoes (which he loves to do, cuz he's a big boy), and he did. He also brought with him his rain coat. At first I was confused, but then realized the pure genius oozing from his ears. It made total sense to grab his rain coat in order to go outside, cuz for the past few months it had rained, and he got in the routine of putting on his rain gear before going outside.

So this is pic #2. Personality, folks...personality.

another great idea

2009-03-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

So we're going back to cloth diapers again.

I think I found a better idea.

a lot can happen in a year

2009-03-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Today marked one year since we loaded up our Budget Truck and drove 6 hours north to what awaited us at our new home in Salem, OR...kinda weird. There were times after we moved, where I looked at my wife who was mourning our move and told her, "Babe, give it a year and it'll be better." Well, we made it. And it is better.

You know those times in life when it sucks, and somebody tries to encourage you by quoting a scripture or saying they'll pray for you, and it goes out the other end of your ear hole faster than a parent-ignoring teenager. Yeah, we had those moments...sometimes still do. It wasn't that we didn't appreciate people's motives in trying to help us see things a bit differently. But you can't see life differently until you're in a different spot - no matter what Hallmark cards say.

I don't want to sound like a whiner. This past year had some great moments too. Our family welcomed in it's newest member Samaria. God provided a place to rent and a car. I love my job and the people I work with. Kara has gotten involved with Hearts at Home (mom's bible study), and has turned our house into a warm, comfy home. Both Caleb and Sam are the best kids ever (don't take my word for it, Google it). And we have started this adventure just like any adventure...with transition. 365 days of transition.

Thanks to all of you who prayed for us during this last year. We seriously could not have made it without your support.

Gosh, I sound like I'm accepting an award for something. I'm done.

highlights of March

2009-03-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

Caleb got to dress up at the Gilbert House in Salem.
His facial expression reminds of the little brother in "The Christmas Story"
when his mom dressed him in his winter clothes.

"'Cheese"

We made a trip down to Redding and got to hang with some good friends.
Caleb LOVES Mattie and Chesnie...who will he marry???

I don't know if Kara or Corrie appreciate this picture being on the internet,
but I know the internet does.

While in Redding, we took our Salem friends to see the "famous" Sundial Bridge.
Erica and baby Martin, Kara and Beth Fowler

Logan and I showing our best sides

Samaria and her cousin Tate had some quality time together.

The main reason for coming to Redding was to lead worship
with Logan and the band at Genesis.

Hang out time with my bro.

Breakfast with the Gowers and Quillens.

Mom & Dad Brown with their hands full.

"I know how you feel, Ally"

Kara took a trip up to Washington to hang with good friends
Dara & Billy, and their son Rayce.

While they were there, Kara took Caleb for his first Big Boy haircut.

Kara and her Big Boy.

Dara showing Sam how to do the balance beam.

I think Caleb had fun.

That's my boy!

Another reason for going to WA...Lounging with Grandpa Santos time.
Gotta love cartoons!

she said it...

2009-03-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

"Whooh...now I need chocolate."
she said after returning from a cross-town trip to Sonic for her cherry limeade and after grabbing her glass of red wine sangria.

at least i'm not this bad

2009-02-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have seen the videos I took of Caleb falling asleep at lunchtime and have thought to yourself "How can a father do that to his wonderful son?"...I give you -

sam is such a dedicated little girl

2009-02-22T19:41:00.000-08:00

Catholics christen, Lutherans & Presby's sprinkle, lion cubs get held up by for all to see at Pride Rock, and we weird Christians "dedicate".

I would love to see Rafiki hold up my child for all animal land to bow down to.

For those of you who follow this blog and don't regularly attend a church, let me translate. When parents want to publicly commit to raising their child(ren) in the fear of the Lord, they "dedicate" their kids in front of their church. I've also seen it done in a backyard with friends and family - so it doesn't really matter where it's done as long as it's in front of people you love and have community with. Regardless, that's what we did with our 4 month old Samaria Rae.

Grandparents galore. Free babysitting abounded. And when all was said and done, we had a great weekend with our immediate and church family. Here are some pics of the extravaganza (I've always wanted to use that word in my blog - yeah for me).

Hanging with Aunt Jean ("Tia").

Sam & Tutu.

Caleb loves riding the "choo-choo" at the Salem Library.

Reading with Gama.

"I love Papi Kirschman".

At the dedication, Caleb decided he would steal the show and wander all over the stage. He went over to Laura (worship leader) and sat on her lap, walked up and down the front stairs, and just acted like a Pastor's kid.

My dad was able to end the dedication with prayer for us and Sam.
A very special moment.

This picture was taken with Steve and Trina Fowler. They have become very special people to us and Steve is the pastor of Salem Alliance Church.

Sam just finished debriefing the weekend with Papa.

cookies and love

2009-02-13T18:37:00.000-08:00

To celebrate Valentines Day this year, Kara taught Caleb how to make and decorate cookies that they brought to some of the church staff at lunch time.

After Kara showed Caleb the first cookie cut-out, she said, "Ta-Daa". So...after every successive cookie that was cut out, Caleb finished it with his own "Ta-Duh".

Also, our little girl Samaria is rolling from her tummy to her back. These milestones are so fun to watch...it's like watching a flower open...

...and then roll onto it's back.

my little clone

2009-02-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

So I finally got my new glasses. I'd been wanting a new pair for awhile.

I'd only been wearing these for about 7 hours when...

what a weekend

2009-02-09T15:38:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, our church turned a corner in it's 90 year history. We held our groundbreaking ceremony to start construction on our new building, which has been called "broadway project" for the past few years and will eventually hold a new name. I like the name "What Would Jesus Build".

It was a long weekend. Good thing God gave me a flexible wife who values church ministry, cuz I was AWOL from Wednesday to Sunday afternoon. Rehearsing for three different worship sets made for a confusing, yet challenging experience.

On Saturday morning, we celebrated our past, present, and future. Don Bubna (pastor from 1964-1987), Morris Dirks (1988-2000), Matt Boda (interim 2000-2002), Gary Benedict (president of the C&MA), and Janet Taylor (Mayor of Salem) spoke on chapters of SAC's history and looked ahead to the near future. Kara and I soon realized that we were in the middle of something great...something big...something supernatural. Humbled by God's goodness at bringing us here for this time and season, we looked at each other with a look that said "i can't believe we get to be a part of this."

Some other highlights of the weekend:

The appearance of John Stumbo. Our lead pastor has been sick for a LONG time, and has come back from the brink of death. There were rumors going around that he might show for the groundbreaking ceremony...and he did. He hobbled up to the podium with the help of his wife and his trusty walker. It was the longest standing ovation I've ever heard, and there was not a dry eye in the place.

It was humbling to pray in the "green room" with all of these giants of faith. It was kind of like praying with Moses, Elijah, & Abraham.

Here are some pics of the weekend.

you interrupted my worship song!

2009-02-02T21:15:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday morning, my wife and I were lying in our bed, snuggled up under the warm covers, looking forward to a lazy Sunday morning. It was my weekend off from leading worship at church and we had gone to the Saturday night service the previous night. So when the phone rang on my nightstand at 7am, and I saw that it was Greg the Tech Director for the weekend. My first reaction was to hit "ignore" and go back to my warm wonderbedland. But I realized that I probably should answer it. So I did.

"Hi Greg"

"Jeff. I hate to tell you this, but Logan (the worship leader for the weekend) was up all night puking and is here rehearsing with the band right now. He's not quite sure he'll be able to do it this morning. You are plan B".

"...uh...ok..."

"I'll call you if we need you for sure"

"...alright..."

Click.

The dreams of lounging around in my jammies all morning began to disintegrate. Hear me right, I was totally ok with filling in for Logan. But I had to do a quick attitude and expectation adjustment. Not 2 minutes went by...

"Hey Greg"

"Yeah, he's in the bathroom puking. Can you come in?"

"You bet. See you soon."

30 minutes later I was walking into the church. Logan led the first set at the 8am service and then passed the baton to me for the rest of the 2.5 services. While the preacher was teaching the first service, I was in the green room getting briefed on the order of songs, switched out a song, added a new one, explained how we were going to do it, and took a deep breath.

After the sermon was over, the worship band and I took our places on stage and began the song "Mighty to Save". Now, you must know that the people who come to the 8:00 service are not there with the intention to get riled up. They love to worship, but not physically. Not with their bodies. Mostly with their buns seated in the pew.

As we began the first song, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that three ladies in their 30's were walking up to the front of the sanctuary. I assumed they were just going to pray. But as we hit the chorus "Savior...He can move the mountains...My God is mighty to save...He is mighty to save..." we all heard the sound of a hammer pounding a nail into our cross on stage. This cross is there on stage all year long, and the ribbons that are held by nails bear witness to each individual life that has chosen to surrender their lives to King Jesus.

Here we were in the middle of singing a song about the saving power of Jesus, and two ribbons were pounded into the cross. What happened next made my knees weak with worship. The congregation of 700 people erupted with applause and rose to their feet. The voices got louder. The words "...Forever...Author of salvation...He rose and conquered the grave..." took on a whole new meaning.

You don't forget stuff like this. You can't script stuff like this.

Two lives changed by the power of Christ. 700 lives and one worship leader changed by the power of lives changed by Christ.

They're doing it...

2009-01-28T08:58:00.000-08:00

They said this would happen. And each time they did, I screamed inside, "Shut Up, it's not going to be that way with my kids. Not my kids!"

But it did.

They both are...

...growing up.

Have a look for yourself.

As a man I'm not the proudest I've ever been to tell you this: my wife was given "Mamma Mia" the movie...and the other night we sat down to watch it. Do you still like me?

As the songs of ABBA marched one by one across my TV screen, I tuned most of them out. Except for when Pierce Brosnan (the last James Bond) began to sing and I immediately looked for something sharp to stab my ear drum with. Grotesque, I know. But extreme situation call for ear drum poking.

Then one song caught my ear. It's the one where Meryl Streep is getting her "daughter" ready for her wedding day and is reminiscing of the days gone by. She says one line that sums up my feelings. "Slipping through my fingers all the time".

Slipping through my fingers. My kids, their young years, their priceless smiles, their false attempts at saying "Dadda", their 5 lb diaper changes, their times of laughing when I tickle their side with my beard. It's all slipping through my fingers.

I don't want to sound sappy. So I won't.

But I apologize to everyone who told me that this would happen. I apologize for yelling at you in my mind. Sorry.

First pictures of the New Year

2009-01-21T21:11:00.000-08:00

Grandma Tutu came to Salem for a week with the grandkids...and us.
We were so blessed by her. She gave us numerous date nights
away from the kids. The bonnet Sam is wearing has been worn
by five generations before her...and the gown
is the same that Kara wore at her christening.

Bathtime together!

My brother Joey, and my cousin Cristi made a roadtrip to Salem.
We had a blast together all weekend and had to make a trip
to the Cheesecake Factory.

No comment!

Brother & Sister being cute as always.

Caleb hanging out with his friend Jeffrey Matkovich
on the new table and chairs that he got from Grandpa & Grandma Brown.
No, Jeffrey is not stoned!

Look at our big girl prop her head up.

I swear this shot was not set up.
Kara looked over and he was reading a book.
A future circus performer? Hmm...maybe.

I was in the bedroom and heard a muffled
little voice from under the bed.
Apparently his ball had rolled under there.

Savior on Capitol Hill

2009-01-21T15:30:00.000-08:00

I've always loved this song, but it's especially on my mind in light of yesterday's inauguration of the 44th "savior".

I’m so tired of these mortal men
with their hands on their wallets and their hearts full of sin
scared of their enemies, scared of their friends
and always running for re-election
so come to DC if it be thy will
because we’ve never had a savior on Capitol Hill

you can always trust the devil or a politician
to be the devil or a politician
but beyond that friends you’d best beware
’cause at the Pentagon bar they’re an inseparable pair
and as long as the lobbyists are paying their bills
we’ll never have a savior on Capitol Hill

[Bridge]
all of our problems gonna disappear
when we can whisper right in that President’s ear
he could walk right across the reflection pool
in his combat boots and ten thousand dollar suit

you can render unto Caesar everything that’s his
you can trust in his power to come to your defense
it’s the way of the world, the way of the gun
it’s the trading of an evil for a lesser one
so don’t hold your breath or your vote until
you think you’ve finally found a savior up on Capitol Hill

The worst gift you ever received...

2009-01-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

Click here to see my vote.

Funniest thing said on my birthday...

2009-01-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

There were a lot of entries for this award.

But only one stood out.

The winner is...

"I have clothes that are older than you."
said by Ed (co-worker at church), who probably wasn't kidding.

30 is the new 20

2009-01-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

My birthday was January 2nd. My father always told me that I was not born on the 1st because I waited for him to watch the bowl games (which used to be on New Years Day) and then chose to come out. Your welcome, Pops.

This was a special one. It was my 30th. And my wife decided to sneak into my office before I showed up to decorate a little. I'll let the pictures say it all.

I love my wife.

She makes me smile.

The Brown Reunion...

2008-12-27T21:32:00.000-08:00

The extended Brown family have not had a reunion in about 10 years. A lot happens in 10 years. All that time has passed and finally someone got the bright idea to assemble the Brown council during the Christmas season this year. Now this is not your regular family get together. We're talking 40 people from as far east as North Carolina and as far north as Calgary. Sound the horn.

We've been having a great time today reminiscing and catching everybody up on the last 10 years. Showing off kids. Introducing spouses. Recalling funny moments from 10 years ago.

But the highlight of the whole experience was on Saturday morning when all 40 of us gathered in the dorm hall at Simpson University (because the Civic Center was booked), and we began to update and share with each other what God had done this past year. What followed was an honest, transparent, raw time of bearing our souls and struggles with each other. One by one, I listened as my aunts, uncles, cousins, & spouses tried to put their journey into a nutshell.

One shared of their serious "desert" experience with God this past year and how they had serious doubts about His goodness. The next shared of the struggle to keep a job, but told us they are optimistic about the future. Story after story. Choked up voice after choked up voice.

It was one of the few times in my life where I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the presence of God was in that room. And you know what started it...humility. Broken people being honest about being broken. There was no pointing fingers or gasps. There were no awkward pauses as people tried to explain it away with cliche Bible verses. Authenticity was in the air, and we drank it in. And as we overloaded on honesty, God's name was glorified. It was worship...in a Simpson dormitory...followed by a game of Catch Phrase.

Brown family, you rock!

Now for the pics.

My parents were in grandparent heaven with six little ones to entertain.

I hadn't seen my relatives from Green Bay for almost 10 years -

it was so good to hang with them.

All six Brown siblings.
From left to right, Gordon - Susan - Rich - Barbara - Maryanne - Janis.

Them are crab legs. A crab truck overturned on Interstate 5 and we were blessed to get a cooler filled with luscious fresh frozen crab. It was a first-time experience for many family members.

Christmas can go on...

2008-12-24T15:39:00.000-08:00

The Northwest got it's 3rd worst winter storm ever this past week. Salem, Oregon got about 7-8 inches of snow. If you're from Michigan or Buffalo, New York you can dispense with the "poor you" comments. With that much snow and freezing rain, the roads became treacherous. The trees began to fall under the weight of the iced branches.

Salem became a not-so-fun place to be...especially without my family who were in Redding, CA waiting for me to arrive.

Along with the dangerous roads, the winter storm brought cancellations and shutdowns at Portland International Airport. And guess where my flight to Redding was flying out of?

An amazing friend and his wife drove me up frozen Interstate 5 on Tuesday morning, in hopes that we'd survive the trip and that we'd arrive at the airport in time to make my flight...and hoping that my flight was still going out.

The 1 hour drive to the airport took us 2.5. One hour before my flight was scheduled to depart. My heart is racing at this point because as I walk in the terminal I see a line that stretched longer than the line for Space Mountain at Disney World. How would I ever make it in time?

At 1:35, the nice lady in the reindeer hat summoned me forward to check in my baggage and impart unto me my flimsy boarding pass. I bolted from there to security. The nice lady with the jingle bell wristband made music as she checked my ID and waved me on through with a sarcastic "Happy Holidays". After the FSA confiscated my brand new Gilette shaving cream bottle, I put the pedal to the metal and made it to my gate just in time to hear them announce over the loudspeaker that is was delayed for an hour and a half.

As my blood began to boil, I glanced around the terminal to see that Portland Airport had turned into a Christmas Refugee Camp. Tons of people who had been sleeping on the not-so-comfortable seats were staring at me, willing me to bequeath my seat to them. As if they would sell their very soul for a seat on a plane that would take them anywhere but where they'd slept for the past two nights. Perspective slapped me across the face, and I was thankful.

Thankful that my flight was still scheduled to depart. Thankful that my whole family in Redding was devising a plan to make sure I made it home for Christmas. Thankful that my friends in Salem were dedicated to drive me to the airport, not knowing that they would be in standstill traffic for 8 hours after they dropped me off. Thankful for the invention of the airplane. Thankful for the feeling of being around family at Christmas time.

I sure hope that guy that I talked to at the airport makes it home to Kansas in time for his Christmas. Here's to your trip home, Greg.

Merry Christmas from the Brown Family!

2008-12-21T21:04:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Isn't she cute....

2008-12-21T07:41:00.000-08:00

We were blessed by a friend of ours who is trying to improve her photography skills. She does amazing stuff & we were so impressed by these pics. Enjoy.

"Bring back my Bonnie to me"

2008-12-09T23:14:00.000-08:00

There are times in my married life when I long for a taste of bachelorhood again.

Very few times.

Just to know that it doesn't matter if I leave the seat up on the toilet. To drop my towel on the floor after I shower, and know that I'm going to use the same damp towel for my shower tomorrow. To be able to sleep in.

Bachelorhood had it's perks.

But there's a reason I got married. To have a lifelong friend that I knew was going to be there for me and with me. To be with someone that makes me a better person (someone who hangs the towel up, and even washes it after 3 uses) and to have someone know me better than anyone else in the world.

My wife and kids have been down in Redding for almost 7 days. And this bachelor wants his family back. Seriously. No joking around. They come home tomorrow and I've just finished deep cleaning the house (or at least what I call "deep cleaning"). I probably won't be able to sleep tonight. This house and this man are longing for the family to return.

Screw bachelorhood.

She said it...

2008-12-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

"I thought it was cardboard!"

- said by Kara after she realized that Caleb was playing with his own poop in the bathtub.

"Before the Throne of God Above"

2008-11-16T10:16:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have songs that come into your eardrum and they won't go away. No matter how much you try, they hang around. Usually that drives me crazy. But this is a song that has been in my head and I don't know if I want it gone yet. Take a listen...

Here are the words...

Before the throne of God above.
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest who's name is Love.
Who ever lives and pleads for me:
My name is graven on His hand.
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven he stands;
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within
upward I look and see Him there.
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because a sinless Savior died
my sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
to look on Him and pardon me.

Hallelujah
Praise the One Risen Son of God.

Behold Him the risen Lamb.
My perfect spotless righteousness.
The great unchangable I am.
The King of Glory and of grace.
One in Himself, I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood.
My life is hid with Christ on high.
With Christ my savior and my God.

Beware: Cute Kid Pics

2008-11-08T15:48:00.000-08:00

These are some pics of our time at the Pumpkin Festival at the Gilbert House in Salem. Tutu bought a NEMO costume last year for Caleb to wear this year, and he was the talk of the party. Except one lady who said "Oh look, he's a pumpkin!". First off lady, No! Secondly, have you ever seen pumpkin grow a dorsal fin. Huh? Lady?

We took Caleb to a pumpkin patch here in town.

Grandpa and Grandma Brown came to town for a couple days and we took Caleb and Samaria to the family fun night at our church. The first picture is taken with the Roth kids (we lived above the Roths for the first six months we lived here).

The tail fin came in handy.

Caleb loved Grandma Brown's earrings.

Our baby girl.

I didn't know it was possible...

2008-11-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

...but my wife has actually gotten more attractive over the last five years of our marriage. Now I know I'm biased (a bit), but my expectations of how my wife's appearance would change over the years has been totally blown out of the water.

Don't get me wrong. It isn't like I expected her to get ugly and grow prickly hair under her nose that would force to kiss only her bottom lip. But knowing the reality of aging, gravity, and childbearing, I didn't expect her to get more...how shall we say...HOT!

My wife is hot.

I almost want to have sixteen more kids and see what happens!

Anyone else feel the same about their special lady?

She said it.

2008-11-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

"I found her umbilical cord!"
- said by Kara after finding Sam's umbilical NUB that had fallen off and gone AWOL for a day.

Friends say "welcome" to Sam

2008-10-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked around you and woken up to the fact that you are blessed with friends. God gave us amazing friends in Redding and has provided quality people to love here in Salem. Here are some pictures of our friends from all over who have come to welcome little Samaria to our family.

Sleep-Deprived Ramblings

2008-10-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

Ok. I love sleep. No. I adore sleep. If sleep were a girl I was dating, I would show up 30 minutes early to our date. And I would bring her father a bouquet of flowers. That's how much I love sleep.

Last night, our little Samaria decided it was time to be awake from 11pm to 5am. So when most of you were dancing to the rhythm of the REM sleep band, my wife and I were trading off shifts with our newborn. Did I mention that I love sleep?

I don't condone shaking babies. In fact, I just want to go on record as saying that anyone who shakes or violently handles an infant should be slapped. But last night on my 1:30-3:30 shift, I found myself understanding why someone would resort to violence. You want to do anything to make your baby go to sleep or stop squirming or just lie there still and quiet for 5-6 hours. Sleep, little one.

Needless to say, we made it through the night withOUT (sorry for those who read this yesterday and thought I should be locked up) a shaken baby, and we now have two very tired parents who still need to tend to their 15 month old boy. We'll make it.

"Dear God, make me a bird, so I can fly far far away"

Surprise! MORE PICTURES

2008-10-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

Our good friend, Dara (high school friend of Kara's) took some pictures of Sam & Caleb. We would like to show them off now.

Let the showing off begin.