Friday, May 30, 2014

Asher turns 5!

I'm in such a weird stage of life right now with a new born again. It is great to have that amazing Bella, with her beautiful eyes and adorable gurgling noises, but it is also exhausting. I feel like my 'z' is getting popped every morning, and for those of you who have read the Garfield comics you know exactly what I mean. Coffee, I'm thankful for you this morning. My wife Diane! How does she do it? She was up early like the Proverbs 31 wife, taking care of the kids, watering the plants, and just being awesome in every way! I crawled out of bed, slapped together some coffee, (she had already heated up the water for me) and grumpily got the kids and Mark in the car, and headed off to drop them at school. Blessings flow, I just wish I had arms big enough to hold them all :).

Monday we had a staff meeting which was a wonderful time together. I'm so blessed to have the staff around me that I do! Monday my daughter also turned one week old, wow! Time is flying! The timing of the birth was ideal for my schedule right now (thank you God). We have a couple of slow weeks before we kick off the summer on June 9th.

I love Spring, and all the rain we have been getting this week is wonderful, however it was very sad to see that a baby Blue Jay had been knocked out of its nest and onto my driveway. It was dark and I went over to pick up whatever it was and gave myself some amazing goosebumps when what I thought was a leaf turned out to be a baby bird. Well, I thought that it was dead and it was late and so I went to bed. When I got back from work the next day I had to take care of this poor creature that was not dead, unfortunately. When I came back from doing that, I noticed that my cat had found a snake.






I feel like my house has turned into wild kingdom, the mighty jaguar goes head to head against the jungle python. Well maybe not :). 

Asher turned 5 this week! His birthday was Thursday May 29. I'll never forget weighing him after he was born and being so proud of my amazingly large child! Asher would love it if we lived in the wild because he is so curious about this amazing world God has created for us to enjoy, and he reminds me of that all the time just by being him! He loves to join me and Diane whenever we are building something or working on something. He loves to collect sticks and rocks and seeds and everything from the outdoors. He has been using old cardboard boxes/toilet paper rolls to make little guys named 'Dave' with stick arms. He is a joy to watch grow!  

I've been reading a lot more these days at work! I'm enjoying a book that is about being a better teacher. It talks about how the best teachers are those that are always learning, and it has given me a great desire to go back to school and get some more education under my belt. I'm excited about seeing what the Lord has for me in this area come fall. Please be praying with me about this. 

Pray! 

For Diane, that she heals completely from the birth and is able to get the rest she needs! 
For Bella, she has a cold :(
For Mark who is working at Panera and finishing up a heavy load of school! 

Praise! 

God for his blessings! A wonderful new daughter! 
For you who are faithfully supporting me and allowing me to be here! Thank you!!! 
For the rain! 

I just finished re-watching "The Fellowship of the Ring" and I'm struck by how well done it is and how well it stands up all these years later. The script is so powerful! Gandalf talking to Frodo giving such good advice is inspiring. 

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

J.R.R. Tolkien

I know that some of you are facing some incredible trials! My prayers are with you, and I'm proud of your courage to face the times ahead, and to persevere through hardship. I think of my parents and the tragedy that is going on in the country where they used to work. I'm thankful for the example they are to me and my children. May we all persevere bravely through the hard times, and may we all find that we too have surrounded ourselves with a great fellowship to help us along the way. I'm so thankful for the fellowship that you provide! I couldn't walk this road alone, I wouldn't get very far without 'Sam', none of us would, or could. Thanks for walking with me, and letting me walk with you! 

Psalm 23: 1-4

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
 he refreshes my soul. 

He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Blessings, 

Caleb

If you want to support what I do a little or a lot, on a one time basis (for a mission trip) or on a recurring basis, click on the tab "Supporting the Work" at the top of the page and search for Caleb and Diane Robbins. Diane is my beautiful wife and the mother of my precious children Creed 7, Asher 5, Liam 2, Echo already in heaven and Bella, fresh from the oven :) only 1 week old.