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May I present my favorite computer game to play (at the moment). Try it out... enjoy!

C&C

Here's a shot of Canaan and I, a little more current of him, since he changes every week right now! He seems huge to us, but he's still pretty small - a little over 10 pounds at the pediatrician's office yesterday. 

Happy Birthday, boys!

Both of the boys here celebrated birthdays recently. Sam turned 24 a week ago today (Thursday) and Canaan turned 1 month on the 6th. Yay!! 

For Sam's birthday, he got some of his favorite coffee in the morning and we went out to eat that night to his favorite restaurant - Five Star Day Cafe, where he got his classic meatloaf and mashed potatoes, which I have to say, is really good. Then we went to a bar with some friends - actually, it's called something different but we can never remember, a tavern or something? - called Trappeze in downtown Athens. Some elders from one of the big churches downtown started it and it has like, 1000 beers on tap or something. Not really, but it has a ton of them. It was really good - I actually found a beer that tasted good for once and Sam had a great time, aside from the fruit fly that decided to take a dip in his drink. Sam's parents were in for the weekend for his bday and to hang out with Canaan, so they watched him for us... it was really sweet and our first date without the little guy! The next night they took us to Outback for Sam's birthday so he could get a big juicy steak. Yum. 

For Canaan's one month birthday... I think we said, "Hey! It's Canaan's one month birthday!" For him, a celebration is when he gets to eat, which is almost all the time, so I think he was happy on his one month birthday! For Sam and I, it's been such a great month, and a total whirlwind. For Canaan, I imagine it's been a good month - what can you say about someone's first month on earth? It must be crazy in a lot of ways! 

Here's a shot of the birthday boys - this is how Canaan is right after he has one of his celebrations:

An addition

This picture was just sent in courtesy of Canaan's Uncle Ben and Aunt Jenny - thought it was a good one to see what his face really looks like, although I do think he's gotten a little more round even since then, which was a week and a half ago. 

A couple more

A couple more shots I found...

Some pics

Here are some of our favorite pictures of Canaan from the hospital and since then. Compare this first picture with the one right above in the next post - he's putting on some chub!

The Promised Land

Speaking of sojourning, this hymn is what we sing to Canaan when he's wide awake at 2 am and we really want him to fall asleep! Since I'm on the "Canaan theme" I thought I'd include his "theme" hymn, and then I'll be done with all the themes, I promise! My favorite version of it is by Jars of Clay, which you can hear at least a little bit of here. I love the words and they always encourage me when I sing them... they are most definitely the cry of our hearts and why we named our son Canaan:

On Jordan's stormy banks I stand

And cast a wishful eye

To Canaan's fair and happy land

Where my possessions lie.

All o'er those wide extended plains

Shines one eternal day

There God the Son forever reigns

And scatters night away.

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the promised land.

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the promised land.

No chilling wind nor poisonous breath

Can reach that healthful shore

Where sickness, sorrow, pain and death

Are felt and feared no more.

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the promised land.

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the promised land.

When shall I see that happy place

And be forever blessed

When shall I see my Father's face

And in his bosom rest.

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the promised land.

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the promised land.

Why do this blog?

After multiple requests, we decided to make a blog to just help keep up with people, especially now that Canaan's here... he's the one everyone's really interested in! I (Christen) will probably keep it up mostly and so I can't promise any consistency or regularity but I'll do what I can! We'll post pictures and maybe even videos if I figure that out, and just keep up with what we're up to in general. 

I chose the name of this blog based on Genesis 17:8. This is the verse that I think of with Canaan - kind of a "theme" verse for his name - God's promise to Abraham about the land of Canaan and even more so, his promise to us in Christ. It's such an exciting promise - the hope of heaven, of the glory of God and getting to enjoy him and his glory forever!

I looked up what "sojourning" means and found this: "To sojourn signified to be instructed; and therefore a sojourner signified those who suffered themselves to be instructed in the statutes and doctrinal things." I suppose this fits with the spiritual promise to us in Christ more so than with the literal promise for Abraham to receive a literal piece of land. This Christian life is more and yet no more than being "instructed in the statutes and doctrinal things"... for what you believe about God (statutes and doctrinal things) defines your whole life and all that you think, say and do. The more I learn about life (which is not much), the more I know and see that to be so true! So for God to give us the land of our sojournings (knowledge of him, who he is, what he's like, what he's done) is to give us himself, which is what the rest of that verse says. Pretty cool. 

So I named the blog "The Land of Our Sojournings" based on that verse and just simply because this blog will be a keeping up of our walk through this life together, in the simple things that are impacted and led by our "sojournings" on our way to the promised land.