should post more

hello. anybody still out there? if you are, i am impressed because by now i would have given up on this blog. it can tend to be boring. if i was artsy it think it would have more flair, and draw many. but alas it is not that. so, if you read this you must just like the person...not the blog. and for that i am thankful.

current happenings:

• i am reading two books at the moment... the 3rd book in the Anne of Green Gables series, i think it is called Anne of the Island. someone who shall remain nameless (the only other person i live with) spilled water on it today. don't tell the library, i feel as if that is something they would frown upon. since i am reading about my girl Anne i like to now say that i am in the depths of despair, which i am not, it is just one of those really fun things to say. and i am also reading Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung. now the funny thing about that is that it took me so long to finally just do something about buying it from the book store. now that it is my hands i can't seem to put it down. such good blunt truth. i wish that i had it in high school. if you don't have it yet, get on that.
• someone turned the same age as me this week and that makes my heart happy. with are both even numbers now which is lovely. so we went to dc for the day to the natural history museum and the american history museum. you don't have to pay to get in, which is foreign to a philly girl. they were big fun. it was free to walk through the butterfly thing the particular day we were there, but we did not go through it cause it was not the boy's "thing" and i didn't want to walk through it alone. raise your hand if you would have gone through with me?! we ended our adventure with lunch at an irish pub called the Dubliner, because my husband is a big big big fan of all things irish.
• we had a bonfire with our cg and at water ice and cake in honor of said husband. we have an up and coming cg camping trip on the calendar and it will be an adventure.
• grandma g had a birthday this week as well. so the other night husband and i made dinner and took it to her place. we played some sequences and then she taught us a card game called manipulation. it was a winner. then ween's had everyone over for cake thurs night, hopefully grandma g doesn't read this, but my favorite part of the night was when weens puts a 5 and 0 candle on the cake and then she adds a pack of 24 regular candles. well that equals 74....grandma g turned 77. well the thought was that she wouldn't even count them anyway. so as is any gallagher event the torch comes out to light the cake i'm yelling for all the little boys to come up. they stampede up the stairs. uncle brian is on the phone trying to talk to grandma g. while we are all trying to sing and in the midst of it all we realize grandma g is counting the candles!!! unbelievable. but thankful weens swept in knocked her hand away and reassured her that there were indeed 77 candles... shhhh keep that one a secret.
• oh i almost forgot i went to my first orioles game. uncle sean couldn't use these amazing tickets. so, jesse, colle en(their cousin) and her neighbor went. we were the 3rd row behind the redsocks dug out. i personally had never sat that close before. it was pretty sweet.
• the nice thing about jer's schedule is we can do things randomly during the day. and a week or two ago we watched three of the brewer kids and they are always so much fun. but the reason i'm mentioning them is because i'm pretty sure sarah brewer is trying to steal my man! she has him wrapped around her little pinky.
• lastly, we are coming up to philly the first two weekends in october. which we are very excited about. because we heart everyone there.

8 Truths

Jeremy and I love to go to the nearby Barnes & Nobles often on his days off. Recently I grabbed J.I. Packer's book Praying off the shelf. This is an area I want to grow in. Not to have big impressive prayers, but to have a heart throughout the day of dependence upon the Lord, specifically displayed through prayer. I skimmed through the book, getting the main idea, that "true praying is an activity built on theology". My prayers, though they are only between me and God, speak loudly of what I believe about who God is.

This is Your God: 8 Truths
1. God is personal
2. God is plural (trinity)
3. God is perfect
4. God is powerful
5. God is purposeful
6. God is a promise-keeper
7. God is paternal
8. God is praiseworthy

summer = busy + relaxing

On the 4th of July Jer had to work. But Moe, Duke and I head to Columbia for the fireworks and actually had a chance to see Jer.

Part of my role as Josie's big sister she never had, is to make her do things that make her blush. So, on Cow Appreciation Day (yes it does exist) we printed out Chic-fil-a's stuff put it on a white t-shirt and as a result scored some free food.

Katya and her friends Michelle & Abby. Katya turned 14 and we had a pool party, of course!

Josie & Joanna. BFFs. If you saw the play Pilgrim, Joanna was that girl sitting behind the piano. Amazing.

This is Lucy. She is cool, if you haven't met her yet you should schedule a date. Lucy-lunch. Tuesday. be there.

Columbia shows movies on the lawn Monday nights and Friday nights. I would have taken a better picture but Jer was very embarrassed that my flash went off. The best part was getting Cheesecake Factory to go and eating it while watching the movie.

While Jesse was here last week we went to RiRa's an Irish pub. Three words:fish and chips. yum.

Shout out to David Sacks. We saw his picture on the cover of a book in Barnes and Noble. Pretty boss if you ask me.

Leo was down for Worship God and we snagged him for a few minutes to hang out like old times.

Jer has been going to Duke's team's soccer practices.

Feeding the fishies.

Uncle Tom's custom made corn hole. His is Redskins colors. Kevin's is VMI.

Weedon's sign. Kevin and Annie had 150 people over to thank them for their prayers for and care of Kevin, Anne and the boys while he was in Afghanistan.

The kids and their spouses.

Grandma G with her kids: Jerry, Sean, Kevin, Kirby, Brian, Kathleen, Brigid and Maureen.

Grandma G and some of her grandkids- Jerry Jr., Theresa, Court, Kit, Sean, Connor, Grace, Emma, Aidan, Brendan, Brett, Tommy, Colleen, Caroline, Jeremy, Kirby, Katya, Joey, Charlie and Tynan. (missing: Josie, Jesse, Cathy, Christine, Daryl and Riley)

Next up: YC'09

the cup

In my devotions I have slowly been reading through A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent. A must read if you haven't yet. It is a great tool for preaching the gospel to yourself daily.

Today's read really hit home to my selfish heart.

Thankfulness Enriched by Relief

The more absorbed I am in the gospel, the more grateful I become in the midst of my circumstances, whatever they may be.
Viewing life's blessings as water in a drinking cup, I know that I could discontentedly focus on the half of the cup that seems empty, or I could gratefully focus on the half that is full. Certainly, the latter approach is the better of the two, yet the gospel cultivates within me a richer gratitude than this.
The gospel reminds me first that what I actually deserve from God is a full cup churning with the torments of His wrath. This is the cup that wold be mine to drink if I were given what I deserve each day. With this understanding in mind, I see that to be handed a completely empty cup from God would be cause enough for infinite gratitude. If there were merely the tiniest drop of blessing contained in that otherwise empty cup, I should be blown away by the unbelievable kindness of God toward me. That God in fact, has given me a cup that is full of "every spiritual blessings in Christ," and this without the slightest admixture of wrath, leaves me truly dumbfounded with inexpressible joy. As for my specific earthly circumstances of plenty or want, I can see them always as infinite improvements on the hell I deserve.
When I look at any circumstance that God apportions me, I am first grateful for the wrath I am not receiving in that moment (The empty part of the cup never looked so good!). Secondly, I am grateful for the blessings that are given to me instead of His wrath. (Life's blessings, however small, always appear exceedingly precious when viewed against the backdrop of the wrath I deserve.) This two-layered gratitude disposes my heart to give thanks in all things and it also lends a certain intensity to my giving of thanks. Such a gospel-generated gratitude glorifies God , contributes to peace of mind, and keeps my foot from the path of foolishness and ruin.

summer update

For our first anniversary we did a 3 or 4 day beach trip back in May and then in June we went to Annapolis for the day. We toured the campus and had a great meal at this little Irish pub.

On our anniversary Jer had to work. So, Josie and I road tripped up to West Chester for Traci's shower. This is Lucy's birthday month and us Bowers are anxiously awaiting her arrival. T you will be an amazing mom, so excited for what the Lord has for you in this next season.
Duke has a new puppy- Moses. :)

One of the biggest highlights of the summer so far was welcoming home Uncle Kevin/Weedon. It was a big cry-fest. We are thankful that Uncle Kevin is so willing to serve our country and fight for freedom. But even more thankful that the Lord brought him home safely and with lots of good stories. :)

I wanna walk like you, talk like you...

A happy reunion.

The last two weeks were spent in Bethany Beach, DE with the Gallaghers. (more pictures on facebook). Some highlights: stealing the Mack's alcohol while they were putt-putting. charlie walking into the sliding glass door. seeing jesse. being away with jer for 9 days, his longest break since our wedding. late night games with the "grown ups". ribs night and crab night. can't wait for next year.

i heart the drummer

Photo Credit: Annie, Selby's manager
Check out my brother in-law's band, Selby!!! If I was cool, I would have made the word Selby my link, but that is one thing I have yet to figure out in this blog world. Jesse is the drummer, and we love him. The more people that just go to their page, the better it is, I'm not really sure what happens, but that's what my husband told me.
Check them out at www.myspace.com/selbytheband

G & E

May 31st was the wedding of one amazing couple! If you know them, your life has been blessed in some way or another. They have such a love for the local church and God's people. Jer and I cannot wait to see how God uses them in this next season of life. G & E you are a gift to the church, but specifically a blessing in our lives. Love you both.

Sarah loving on the bride.

Garrett snuggling with his almost-wife...and Jeremy. :)
Rehearsal. Uncle Kenneth running the show.

Such a Garrett face.

The real deal. Check out that bridesmaid, shout out to Case, official dress fluffer.

The fastest message...ever.

Three amigos...or stooges.

us.

Pretty sure she was the littlest bride I have ever seen.

Ha, the horse that tried to eat Jer.

Happily ever after does exist.

the sibs.

Tuffer and Josie

Pinkies up.

Elise, Double date when you get home?!!?