9 months and on the go

Just wanted to post a few pictures and videos of our growing boy! Miles is a few weeks into being 9 months old and is officially a walking boy! Apparently he is also able to climb the stairs which we realized the other day.....thank goodness we were right there. He just sees something he wants and puts his mind to getting it! He is at such a fun age...laughing (even fake laughing when the adults are laughing at something) singing...waving hi and bye....he just makes us smile all day with his sweet face! He has really enjoyed his new found independence in walking and seems to be a happier little guy. He just had tubes for his ears placed on monday, it went really well and was super fast. He was only away from my arms for 10 minutes! I am noticing a difference in his sleep patterns already and just an over all happier boy!

Adam wanted me to make sure and tell you all, that if you right click on these videos and choose "watch on YouTube" you can view them full screen, but feel free to watch them here, they'll just be small. This is a short video of Miles at 8 1/2 months old learning to walk:

Excuse my intense mom face in this one...I'm going to have to work on that:)

We have a family tradition of going down town Fort Wayne and eating at Coney Island and seeing the big lit up Santa and his reindeer (which is apparently EVERYONE in Ft. Wayne's family tradition, around Christmas Coney Island is hopping with Christmas cheer) We had a great time this year with our bottled Cokes and chili dogs and Miles loved the big Santa!

Miles first time discovering he can get into kitchen cabinets and drawers

And I will leave you with this little face- he stands at the door and looks out all the time....just wishing he could get outside!!

Hats off to Sara Groves

I just love getting a new album and taking it in...locking myself in my room, taking a long drive, listening to the lyrics, reading the words. I'm such a lyric person...most of my friends know this because when they get in the car with me I see this as my chance to share a new favorite song, I turn it on and tell them to listen, and I want everyone to be quiet so that they can experience it like me...and then I want to talk about it, what do you think it means, I ask....and I get weird looks like "seriously cant we just talk normal".....

So when I received a Christmas gift from my sister Jess (a fellow lyric lover, actually probably the one who taught me to be a lyric lover) this past weekend you can imagine my excitement to have the new Sara Groves album in my hands!

Sara Groves has such a way with her words that seem to speak exactly what I need to hear or wish I could say. She really inspires me to see beyond the common, she reminds me how grateful I am to live in community, how God made me to feel and love deeply, and how much I want to live out the Kingdom of God.

Okay so I'm not trying to sound too obsessed with Sara...but I wanted to share the lyrics of a few of her new songs that have really meant a lot to me the last few days. I highly recommend the cd.....

This song reminds me of being down town under the dim lights at Henry's, sipping a margarita on the rocks, staring at Adam across the table, feeling like we can talk about anything on our hearts, no conversation is untouchable, no important thing left unsaid....being completely know and loved.

These songs expressed how wonderful it is to do life with the women in my life. I had a moment over lunch with a handful of girls in my bible study...I was wide open for them to see my worst parts and they were like an army of women coming around me to fight the good fight with me, loving me gently all the way. There have been multiple phone calls, moments of conversation over coffee with sisters or new friends, or over diet coke and puerta queso dip with old friends that I would swear were holy and sacred moments, where friends or family have loved me well and made life "half as hard and twice as good" ....these songs are for them (ha like they are mine to dedicate)


Different Kinds of Happy
Sara Groves

go on and ask me anything
what do you need to know
im not holding on to anything im not willing to let go of
to be free , to be free
ive got to ask you something
but please dont be afraid
there's a promise here thats heavier than your answer might weigh
baby it's me, it's me

it's a sweet, sweet thing
standing here with you and nothing to hide
light shining down to our very insides
sharing our secrets, bearing our souls
helping each other come clean

secrets and cyphers
there's no good way to hide
there's redemption in confession and freedom in the light
I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid

its a sweet, sweet thing
standing here with you and nothing to hide
light shining down to our very insides
sharing our secrets, bearing our souls
helping each other come clean

better than our promises
is the day we got to keep them
I wish those two could see us now
they never would believe how
there are different kinds of happy
different kinds of happy
there are different kinds of happy
different kinds of happy


Twice As Good
Sara Groves

when I am down and need to cry till morning
I know just where I am going
when I'm in need of sweet commiseration
to speak out loud

raise a glass to friendship and to knowing
you don't have to go alone
we'll raise our hearts to share each others burdens
on this road

with every burden I have carried
with every joy its understood
life with you is half as hard
and twice as good

with my good news your dancing on the table
babies born to celebration
the joy of life oh what a sweet communion
shared with you

with every burden I have carried
with every joy it's understood
life with you is half as hard
and twice as good

I know we're growing older
can you imagine what that will bring
it's all a mystery to me now
but this one thing
it will be half as hard, and twice as good



I cant promise this is my last Sara Groves lyrical post:) I don't write well nor do I enjoy it as much as others so I will continue to let others words inspire and teach me to see beyond the common.

So thank you Sara for using your gifts, for diggin in and taking the time to write what God is teaching you, and I "raise a glass" with you "to friendship and to knowing you don't have to go alone."

Beautiful Bride

My little sister got married this summer and was a beautifully stunning bride! Melissa Marie you have been there, been my companion, my friend and sis since as long as I can remember. I love the man you have chosen to walk through life with! I love these pictures and will always treasure them... they mark the last of the VonGunten "girls" weddings!

Playing in the leaves

Around here fall is a family favorite....even the babe is getting into it! We just love how colorful the leaves are...how wonderful it is to witness a cycle of new life in the trees. It has been a reminder to us this fall of how God displays His power over death, how the leaves change and die and come back to life in the spring. We are reminded of the power Christ had over death and has brought us the opportunity for new life!


Okay so this little guy isn't quite thinking so deeply about it....but he still enjoys a good leaf pile...

Pumpkin meet Pumpkin

pumpkin carving with no pants on apparently:)




I just blogged like 5 posts at once...so check out whats below

Fall Fashions

So this is me trying to get Miles to look at the camera in his cute fall outfit.....He wanted to look everywhere but at me!





This I just had to add.....

Go Colts!

So we have always enjoyed a Colts came here and there but since leaving in Indy we have full fledged become jersey wearing fans....yeah we are those people....