These past weeks have flown by, and now we’re almost to mid-February! The last Random Life closed out the old year, so I’ll catch you up on the events so far.
Lots of colds and flu. Yep. All the Maxwell families had some kind of bug during the month of January, but it just makes one all the more grateful for good health! It was a happy reunion yesterday when everyone gathered back together for Sunday lunch and fellowship!
I began brainstorming Finding Change’s sequel. I’m thrilled with the ideas that are forming!
We celebrated 2500 blog posts! We loved your enthusiasm and support!
Axton John Maxwell made his appearance, and everyone is so happy to have another little one around. He’s in high demand!
Samaritan Ministries highlighted Titus2 and our family in their January newsletter. We love their ministry. In fact, John just shared when he called to tell them about the additional expense of Axton’s hospital birth (they had planned on the homebirth), the first question the Samaritan Ministries’ guy asked was if Chelsy and Axton were okay. Again, it shows the heart of that ministry!
We’re grateful for the Lord’s provision through work. Yes, it provides busy and sometimes crazy days!
Enjoy a peek into our lives.
Love, Sarah
Nathan and Bethany
A sweet perk of working at home allows one to grab some fresh air when needed. This sunset Ellie and I enjoyed was stunning!
Friends from church — we had a great time with them on New Year’s
Most of us attended a mutual friend’s wedding. Here’s a photo from the reception.
Benji is my little buddy
Dad taking advantage of a warmer day with a fix-it project.
We’ve had quite the weather swings. From 60 to -5. All in January.
These three (isn’t Benjamin growing up so much?)
A quick errand with nieces
Anna at Bible club–one of the moms braided an extension into Anna’s hair. Really sweet!
Mary teaching Bethany some things about painting.
“Was this your chair?!”
Anna Marie and kiddos surprised Christopher with these snow people.
Christopher and his kids with some cousins.
Celebrating John’s birthday
John and Chelsy invited us over for more birthday celebrating that evening.
These two
Lunch with a friend
Spending sweet time with my sisters on my birthday!
My birthday dinner.
I received some really thoughtful gifts!
Meeting Baby Axton
Axton’s baby sign
Babysitting times have kicked up again.
Mary is a pro at homemade pizza.
Axton made his first appearance at a family event at just 8 days old.
Daddy kiddo time.
How cute is the hands-in-pockets-suspender-thing?
More babysitting
This melts me. One afternoon, at the girls’ Bible club, this little fellow was teaching the little girl to ride a bike. He’d had experience teaching his sister.
Ice sledding on Grandpa’s driveway.
Anna organizing–but Ellie wasn’t so sure when it came to her things.
The other night, GiGi, Jesse, Anna, Mary, and I went out for dinner. The first time for this particular group. We had a great time!
So much happy noise and chatter yesterday when everyone was over!
“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
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16 thoughts on “Random Life from New Beginnings to God’s Mercies”
I love that last picture! Such a big, happy, blessed family!!
What a blessing to have all the illness out of the way so that everyone could enjoy meeting baby Axton. Thanks for sharing the sweet moments of your every day lives.
You are right. We wouldn’t want to share those illnesses with a newborn. Sarah is so good at taking photos of what’s happening here and then compiling them into the random life posts. We are grateful for her huge investment in the blog!
Love and enjoyed all the pictures, I noticed you guys are needing an extra table for all the family! That is so wonderful!!! I did wonder what Ellie was looking at above the washer and dryer! ?
Yes, we outgrew our big table even with four in highchairs at each end. The little table is a coveted privilege to get to sit at. Ellie was looking for her milk bone treat. Steve plays a game with her each day. She stays upstairs in his office while he goes into the house or even basement and hides a milk bone for her. Then he calls her to come find it. It is a stimulating and challenging game for her, although is amazingly good at finding her treat.
I see the bone now. That is so funny, we have the same type of game with our golden only we stick with hiding it in the kitchen. She finds it too easily there, I think I’ll try Mr Maxwell’s idea and go beyond the kitchen! You’re family always has great ideas!! ?
Oh yes, I think your golden would like the added challenge of searching other places. It is quite amazing to me how much Ellie enjoys the game and how well she does at finding the milk bone. Occasionally she won’t find it, and then Steve can help her with his tone of voice as she searches and gets closer.
Miss Maxwell,
How do you decide if a book will have a sequel or not? Do you begin with that in mind? Is it always your intention to write series books or do certain stories just organically lend themselves one way or the other? I enjoy when you blog about your process. You are a talented photographer, too. Amy
Amy,
That’s a great question! With my first Moody book, I didn’t set out to write a series. But after finishing Book #1, reader feedback and ideas led to another and another. With my current book, Finding Change, I’m not sure at what point I decided I’d do a sequel. But I knew for sure by publishing I would do a second book. It’s possible I’ll do three books in that series. We’ll see! Once you go through the work of creating characters and a setting, it makes sense to do more than one. 🙂
I love that last picture! Such a big, happy, blessed family!!
We were delighted to be all together again for a Sunday lunch after several rounds of illness moving through the families that kept one or more home.
What a blessing to have all the illness out of the way so that everyone could enjoy meeting baby Axton. Thanks for sharing the sweet moments of your every day lives.
You are right. We wouldn’t want to share those illnesses with a newborn. Sarah is so good at taking photos of what’s happening here and then compiling them into the random life posts. We are grateful for her huge investment in the blog!
What blessing love all pictures
Thank you. I lived most of those things, and I am blessed to see the photos, too, and to thank the Lord for His bountiful blessings.
Love and enjoyed all the pictures, I noticed you guys are needing an extra table for all the family! That is so wonderful!!! I did wonder what Ellie was looking at above the washer and dryer! ?
Yes, we outgrew our big table even with four in highchairs at each end. The little table is a coveted privilege to get to sit at. Ellie was looking for her milk bone treat. Steve plays a game with her each day. She stays upstairs in his office while he goes into the house or even basement and hides a milk bone for her. Then he calls her to come find it. It is a stimulating and challenging game for her, although is amazingly good at finding her treat.
I see the bone now. That is so funny, we have the same type of game with our golden only we stick with hiding it in the kitchen. She finds it too easily there, I think I’ll try Mr Maxwell’s idea and go beyond the kitchen! You’re family always has great ideas!! ?
Oh yes, I think your golden would like the added challenge of searching other places. It is quite amazing to me how much Ellie enjoys the game and how well she does at finding the milk bone. Occasionally she won’t find it, and then Steve can help her with his tone of voice as she searches and gets closer.
Miss Maxwell,
How do you decide if a book will have a sequel or not? Do you begin with that in mind? Is it always your intention to write series books or do certain stories just organically lend themselves one way or the other? I enjoy when you blog about your process. You are a talented photographer, too. Amy
Amy,
That’s a great question! With my first Moody book, I didn’t set out to write a series. But after finishing Book #1, reader feedback and ideas led to another and another. With my current book, Finding Change, I’m not sure at what point I decided I’d do a sequel. But I knew for sure by publishing I would do a second book. It’s possible I’ll do three books in that series. We’ll see! Once you go through the work of creating characters and a setting, it makes sense to do more than one. 🙂
Sarah
i was sick for 6 weeks starting from dec 28. thanks for the random pics…always enjoying reading your part of the world.
Sounds like you are finally feeling better. So glad. Illnesses that hang on are not nice.
It is always such a joy to see the happenings at the Maxwell house! Each photo is so much fun!!
Maybe you have an added enjoyment because you know about most of them as they happen and then you get to “see” them!