Family Shower :)

Last weekend Asa and I traveled to Anderson, Indiana together for a Nelson family baby shower... Asa was born April 18, Dominic was born May 17, and less than one-year-old Tobin (sorry I don't know Tobin's birthday!) was adopted from China in May. It was so much fun to see all the babies and the family! Here are some highlight pictures from the weekend:

Asa loved snuggling with his Great Grandma Nelson. :) I think she liked him too!

Here's one of Asa with his cousin Eli. (And I say cousin, but I guess they'd be 3rd cousins? Eli is my cousin's son - so he's my 2nd cousin, I think? Whatever... they're just cousins.) :)

Meet Tobin! :) He's soo cute and sweet!

Tobin loved checking out Asa... he showed Asa his toys, and at one point drove his truck on Asa! Hehe! Asa just stared at Tobin. Oh, and at another point Asa started to cry and Tobin put his finger to his lips and said "Sh! Sh!" So cute!

Awe! Asa got Tobin kisses!! Mommy didn't even get Tobin kisses!! :)

And here's Asa and Dominic... Jeff and I weren't sure what they thought of each other... but they sure were funny to watch!! At one point they both smacked each other in the face with their flailing hands and started screaming! :) Someday I'm sure they'll be bestest buddies!

Since we have gotten home, Asa has had a lot of fun with his new toys from the shower... the following are a couple pictures of him playing with his new toys!

Asa got a frog towell set from cousin Kendra... it's still a bit big on him...

But it fits his crazy Mommy!

Thank you, family for all the gifts! It was so much fun to be with all of you and we can't WAIT until the next time we will be together... hopefully sooner than later!

Love you all!

-Kara Joy (and Asa!)

He Did It!!!

Asa rolled over!!! Today he rolled over 3 times with Mommy and a few more times when Daddy got home for lunch. He is sooo sweet! This picture is from a few days ago... he loves playing with his frog and that lamb is a rattle. He's quite the mover. He rolled onto his belly today and then turned in a complete circle. He gets up on his knees like he wants to crawl, but he doesn't go anywhere... and he grunts and moans as if it takes so much effort to roll or move or anything! He's so funny. And he's a droll machine! I wonder if he's working on cutting a tooth... it is disgusting! He chews on everything... including choking himself on his entire fist shoved in his mouth! Silly boy. He's getting sooo big!! More pictures soon! But, Vacation Bible School is around the corner so you'll have to forgive me... I am SUPER busy these days! Awesome news though! I launched a new family style ministry for our kids and families at church on Wednesday nights this summer... and last night a 13 year old girl gave her heart to Jesus!! :) How cool is that!?! I'm really excited about this growing Family Ministry and super stoked about our week of VBS August 1-7!

-Kara

Asa Goes Swimming!

Our internet has been down again... so sorry for no pictures lately! I just got it to work and thought I'd post these from last week. Asa & I went swimming while Ryan was in Louisville, Kentucky at NYC. I wanted to take more... but didn't realize how difficult it would be to hold a slippery baby, keep the camera dry, and take a picture of Asa all at the same time. My friend Stacey took a few and then the camera went back in the diaper bag! Next time we swim we will take more!

Asa's First Hammock Ride

Bathtimes with Asa Michael :)

Bathtimes were one of our most difficult times when we first had Asa... but now that he is growing and we are giving him more and more baths... we are becoming pros and he is enjoying splashing around in the tub! Asa gets a regular bath every Wednesday night and Saturday night... and then baths in between after explosive diapers or being held by someone with super strong perfume... you know... times when he just needs to smell like a baby again! Enjoy his bathtime pictures below!! :)

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July from Asa!!
Click here to see him wishing you a Happy 4th of July!

Asa's my child - and I'm God's :)

I'm sitting on the couch in the living room and my heart is overflowing with joy as I watch Asa play on the floor. I love watching him, listening to him, and he makes me laugh and smile so easily. It's crazy how much love I have for this little man... and it fills me with wonder when I think that God made him so intricately and delicately and then entrusted him to me. Wow.

On Sunday nights we have a Bible Study group that meets at our house, and we've been going through the book of 1st John. We've talked several times about the following verse:

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! -1 John 3:1

This morning I was reading in Hebrews because we've talked a lot about Hebrews the past month in Family Experience and I realized that it has been a looong time since I just sat down and read the book of Hebrews. As I'm reading and watching Asa play, I came to these verses:

[Jesus] says, "Here am I, and the children God has given me." Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death... because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. -Hebrews 2:13b, 14, 15 & 18

As I sit here overwhelmed with joy and smiles at my little boy, I wonder if that is how God feels about me and my friends. I'm fascinated by the thought that God would call us his "children". And in this verse this morning... that Jesus too calls us his "children"... and that he helps us as I would help my child. I think about our Sunday night group... last night was long and a little rough, maybe rough is not the right word - maybe challenging would be better - but I wonder if the small group of us sitting around talking about how we can better be like Jesus and how we can love deeper and avoid pushing others away from Jesus - I wonder if by our doing that we are making God's heart smile? I wonder if he's like me... sitting on the couch, beaming at my son, watching his every move, and smiling with joy and love at the wonder of him as he grows and learns to do more. I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure that's how God feels about us. And that makes my heart overflow with joy!

Click on the link below and check out this video of Asa playing this morning... sorry it's sideways... this is my first video upload. I will get better at it I promise!! :)

Asa Playing

Love you!
-Kara Joy :)

Asa & His Mommy