First Day(s) of School

This year we not only sent Emma back to school, but Ethan as well!  Believe it our not, our little man started Preschool.  I wasn't sure if he was going to enjoy it as much as Emma did when she started (on her first day she asked when I was going to leave), but he loved it just as much.  He cried - not because he was nervous, but because he didn't want to take the classic "first day of school" pictures.  He just wanted to get to school!  He also has the same preschool teachers that Emma had which has been so neat because they really are wonderful. 

Emma started second grade this year and is doing great.  Admittedly, she doesn't like it as much as last year because second grade is "way harder than first", but she still loves learning and has a great teacher!  She even read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for her reading homework (she has to read for 15 minutes every night) - truly her mother's daughter!  We started buying her books to read for her homework, but quickly realized that was going to get really expensive, really fast, so her Papa has taken her to our local library and kept her well-stocked.  Papa (my Dad), a former elementary school teacher, has also begun to volunteer in her classroom once a week to help the kids with their reading, which she absolutely loves.

Finally, Chris started his final year of Seminary.  It is almost too unbelievable to type!  It is going to be a tough last two semesters as far as classes go, but he is working hard as always, and we are so excited! 

Despite Ethan's best efforts to make it to school without them, we still managed to get a few back to school pictures before he completely melted down.

 I can't believe how big they're getting!

Love the little lockers and so does Ethan.  We're constantly reminding him not to climb in them.

Already hard at work

 

Just get me to school already Mom and Dad!

 

Visiting Louisville!

April was a fun month for the Dilleys!  We had the opportunity to travel back to Louisville for the first time since we moved away three years ago.  Chris attended the Together for the Gospel Conference and the kids and I were able to visit old friends and the city we called home for nearly ten years.  It was so much fun!  Nearly everywhere we went, we ran into old friends, neighbors, co-workers, schoolmates, or church members and we it was a blessing to see how the Lord has been working in their lives.  There were too many highlights of the trip to write about, so I'll give you some snapshots of our favorite memories:

 We stayed at the Galt House downtown and the kids met a bellhop, Sean, who gave them some awesome rides on the luggage cart all week long.

The Louisville Zoo holds a lot of special memories for us, so it was really fun to be able to go back!  I put in some pictures of past years below so you can see how much the kids (especially Emma) have grown.

Emma 2010 (I am pregnant with Ethan)

Emma 2011

Emma 2014

This is one of our closest college friends, Lindsey!  She and I made many (mainly mischevious) memories together.

 This is another one of our closest college friends and Chris' roommate, Tim.  Pray for him as he is seeking to serve the Lord over in New Zealand!

 Thanks to the planning of our former Class Leader Trent Hunter, we had a class reunion for all those who were a part of Dr. Wellum's Adult Bible Fellowship Class!  Here are the wives who were able to come (the men are on the other side of the table).

For the first time, we were able to visit my college roommate and best friend Wendy at her home in Indiana!

The gang was together again and they are getting so big.  From left to right: Silas, Ethan, Eli, Emma, and Titus. 

This is the only part of Louisville that Emma remembers - the long stairs at our old apartment!

These were our old apartment that we brought our babies home to!  The one on the left was our apartment when Emma was born and the one on the right was our apartment when Ethan was born.

While it was fun to go back and visit the city we called home for so long, it was a blessing to be able to come back to our new home in Michigan.  It is a reminder that the Lord really does direct our paths and no matter where he leads us, he has provided for us every step of the way and will continue to.    

Saying Goodbye

As many of you already know, my Grandpa Alvaro recently passed away.  He had been in failing health for a few years (he was 89 years old), but after the doctors informed us that his medicine was no longer working and the decision was made to bring him home, he passed away within three days.  This was faster than we originally anticipated, but we were blessed to be able to spend those three days with him and caring for him.  I miss my Grandpa very much still every day, but I am thankful for the 29 years that the Lord allowed me to have with him and that my children were even able to know their great-grandfather.

My grandmother graciously asked if Chris would speak at his funeral.  It was truly an honor to hear him speak of my Grandpa and the Gospel and I thought I would share a portion of his sermon:

"I knew Anthony Paul Alvaro for the better part of the last ten years. I met him because I was dating, and eventually married his granddaughter Stephanie. Tony was always very welcoming of me into the Alvaro family, and even more so after we started bringing over beautiful great - grandchildren for him to love on! While not my biological grandfather, I have, since I’ve known him, considered Tony to be a grandfather figure to me, as well as Irene a grandmother. When I remember Tony, I think of four primary aspects of his life and personality that help define who he was as a person. The first thing you realized about Tony is that he was often very straightforward and blunt (This couldn’t have anything to do with being Italian could it?) Tony was not one to mince words - he told you exactly what was on his mind, exactly when it was on his mind (oftentimes with little regard for a filter!). Nevertheless, I always appreciated this from Tony because it’s easy to respect someone who is serious about their word. Second, Tony was known as a very hard worker and provider for his wife and two sons. Genesis 2:15 tells us that after God made man in His image, he placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. God made man to work and provide for those entrusted into his care by God, and Tony did this primarily through his successful tiling business over the years. This point shouldn’t be missed by us who live in a culture that increasingly promotes laziness and lack of discipline – Tony was a disciplined, hardworking man. The third characteristic I think of is Tony’s generous spirit. My own family has benefited from his generosity, as have so many others. In fact, since his passing, numerous people have mentioned how vividly they remember and appreciate this aspect of Tony’s personality. The fourth area I think about when remembering Tony is the way in which he loved his family. Tony was married to his wife Irene for 64 years and was a father to Jim and Tom. He loved and cared for his daughter’s in-law Jan and Carolyn very much. And he fervently loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In fact, it was always a blessing to see Tony’s countenance rise whenever all of his great-grandchildren came over to visit. He was a man who treasured and loved his family very much. There are no doubt many other great and loving aspects of Tony’s character that I haven’t mentioned here that all of you have experienced and are cherishing even this day.

I had many conversations with Tony over the years, but by far the most important conversation the two of us had occurred about two weeks ago at Tony’s hospital bedside. I had written a letter to Tony detailing all the things I just told you about his life and character. I told Tony that we all loved him very much, and that he didn’t have to worry one bit – we would take great care of grandma. However, my recounting of Tony’s straightforward honest character, his great work ethic, his generous spirit and incredible love for his family wasn’t the primary reason I visited that day. Tony and all of us knew that his days on this earth were coming to an end rather quickly, and I was there to speak to Tony about the reality of what happens next, about eternity. Because I love Tony, I wanted to share with him the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the only true hope there is. God’s Word tells us in Hebrews 9:27 that it is appointed for every man to die once, and after that comes judgment. Furthermore, Romans 3:23 says that all men have sinned and therefore fall short of God’s glory and pardon. Paul goes on to say in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is the message I wanted Tony to know. The message of the gospel. The Bible is very clear that there is no other name under Heaven by which man can be saved -  except by the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12) Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and no one can come into a relationship with Father God except through His Son Jesus (John 14:6). The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9 that we are saved by God’s grace alone, through the gift of faith alone, not by human works so that no man can boast. Finally, Paul says in 1 Tim. 2:5 that there is one mediator between God and every man, the man Christ Jesus. Jesus is the only man who can plead our case before the Father, based on his sinless righteousness alone.

This is the message I shared with Tony. Tony very much appreciated my sharing this message with him, even to the extent of wanting the letter I wrote to be read to him again. I don’t say this in order to point to myself, but only to point to the fact that I believe this message caused Tony to set his gaze toward considering eternity. From time to time, life presents all of us with scenarios that remind us of our own mortality. We know that life is precious, but we also know that the moment we are born is the same moment in which we begin the journey towards death. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one like we are observing here today, or perhaps a sickness or trial in our own life – we are often reminded of the reality of death. The question in those moments is this: what is your hope? Ephesians. 2:12 is very clear: those who are apart from Christ are without God, and without hope. The difference today between us and Tony is this: Tony knew that the time of his departure was coming soon. However, we are unsure of this fact. We do not even know what today holds, and this fact makes even more pressing the matter of our response to the good news of Jesus Christ.

Today is a day of many and varied emotions. A day of joy and appreciation as we remember the man Tony was, and the blessings God entrusted to him during his life. But also a day of great sorrow and great grief, and that’s okay. We are supposed to grieve at the loss of those we love. We all need comfort and time for healing. However, in the midst of your grief, in the midst of your healing, you must remember that we all will face death on a day that God has appointed. The question we must all ask ourselves before that day is this: What is my hope in? The Bible is clear that there is a sure and everlasting hope that can be yours, but the Bible is also clear that this is our only hope. I would like to end my time today by reading arguably the most famous verse in the whole Bible. You no doubt know this verse well, and I would argue that the reason we are so familiar with this verse is because it tells us, very succinctly, where our only hope can be found: Jn. 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

When Staying Home From Church Honors God

A few Sunday mornings ago, I woke up excited to get ready and go to church.  As I stepped out of the shower and got dressed, my husband handed me the baby, green snot flowing from his nose.  My heart sunk because, not only was my baby sick, but I was staying home from church.  

Honestly, I really don't like missing church.  Not because I want my name checked off on our class roster, but because I really look forward to singing, learning, and fellowshipping with God's people.  It is the most edifying day of the week for me, and to miss it can be incredibly discouraging.  I know there are others of you that can relate.  Certainly, if you are a parent, you know from experience where I am coming from.  Just when one child gets sick, another picks up the torch and, before you know it, you have missed three weeks in a row.  

And while children usually recover from their illnesses in a relatively short period of time, there are others of you that are caring for a consistently or terminally sick spouse, parent, or family member and have missed many Sundays, with no real end in sight.  For you, staying home from church is a given.

It can be tempting to be discouraged to the point where you wallow in self-pity, but let me encourage you with some things that the Lord has been teaching me through this season of motherhood and life that I hope will encourage you as well:

STAYING HOME FROM CHURCH TO SERVE ANOTHER HONORS GOD
As important as it is to be committed to going to church, it honors the Lord when you stay home to care for another person.  If I neglect my sick children because of my desire to go to church, that is wrong.  Jesus preached about the very problem in regards to the Pharisees.  They loved keeping lists and commandments and going to the Temple, but they had absolutely no desire to serve others.  In Matthew 23, Jesus says,"

"The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so practice and observe what they tell you - but not what they do.  For they preach, but do not practice."

Ouch!  Jesus sure gets to the point, doesn't he?  Later, Christ says tells the Pharisees that they, "outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness" (v28).  It can be easy to say to yourself, "Whoa, slow down!  I'm not as bad as the Pharisees", but we can fall into the same trap when we neglect serving our child or family member in the name of church.  Church is a wonderful gift from the Lord and He expects us to be committed and serving on a regular basis, but not at the expense of those who are in need.  When our children or loved ones are sick, it is an opportunity for us to honor God in our service to another and to show the love of Christ in practice.  It may not seem like it in the moment, but every diaper changed, vomit mopped up, temperature taken, or snotty nose wiped reflects the Gospel, in that you are sacrificing your needs for another person's.    

"And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40

STAYING HOME FROM CHURCH TO SERVE ANOTHER HONORS THAT PERSON
The New Testament speaks to this idea a lot!  Whether it  coming from Matthew, John, Paul, or Jesus, it is clear that being a follower of Christ means putting the needs of others in front of our own.  Let's face it, that is not easy to do, even on a regular basis.  As a Mom, I am constantly putting my children's needs ahead of my own during the week (as I should).  It can be tempting for me to think, "Yes, it is Sunday!  I finally have three hours of unencumbered time to really worship (unless I get paged)".  So, when one of my kids wakes up at 3:00 am vomiting, my selfish heart can sometimes be more concerned with what I think I am missing out on than seeing my child's sickness as an opportunity to honor her by serving her.  

Plus, what a chance to share the Gospel with our children and loved ones when we serve them!  My children are not saved.  Some of you care for spouses or family members who are not saved.  When they see us putting feet to our faith and serving them with a joyful heart, that can speak volumes!  It may be humbling to do, but missing church to care for another will honor that person and point them to Christ.

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."  Philippians 2:1-5

STAYING HOME FROM CHURCH TO SERVE ANOTHER ALLOWS OTHERS TO SERVE
As much as I dislike the rule that bars my baby from the nursery the moment they see green snot, I understand why it is so important.  It is very common for us to want to go to church, no matter what the cost.  This means that, even though we know one or more of our kids really should be staying home, we bring them anyway because we don't want to miss church.  We say things like, "Oh, he's really not that bad" or "She's almost over it, so it should be fine".  Not only is this attitude unloving toward our children, but it is unloving towards other members of the church. 

It is not a profound concept - when we bring our sick children to church, odds are other children will get sick.  Workers will get sick.  Anyone who hugs your child in love will probably get sick.  Now, you have just created a chain reaction of sickness because you selfishly chose to go to church when you should be at home with your child.  The result is that others will then have to stay home from church and will not be able to serve.  I am by no means a hyper-health nut who thinks every time a child sneezes they should be quarantined for a month, but I do think we need to be more considerate of others in the church.  I am also not suggesting that we can stop the spread of colds and flues completely, but what I am suggesting is more common sense when it comes to bringing children we know to be contagious to church because we don't want to miss a Sunday.

This is part of the sacrificial love of Christ.  Laying down our needs for the needs of others.  Trust me, I understand the frustration of missing church several weeks in a row and thinking that you will never get back into church, but don't purposely put others at risk for illness because of your desires (as good as they may be).

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.  But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:16-18

Finally, remember that just because you are not worshiping in church, does not mean you cannot worship at home.  Serving your sick child or loved one is an act of worship to the Lord in and of itself, but, if you are able, there are other ways to worship at home.  Many churches post weekly sermons online.  You can listen to worship music.  You can pray for your loved one's healing and God's grace.  For you Moms, remember, this is just for a season.  You will eventually be able to go back to church (I promise).  For those of you who care for a sick loved-one long term, be encouraged to know that the Lord will bless your service and take advantage of the many resources the church today has.  And while no amount of online sermons will replace true Christian fellowship, it is my hope that the Lord would give you opportunities to enjoy fellowship in another way.  

Be encouraged to know that when you stay home from church to sacrificially care for another, you are fulfilling the greatest commandment of them all, and you can be sure that the Lord is pleased.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 25:36 - 40

________________________________________________________________

*NOTE:  As a believer, going to church is essential!  I am in no way suggesting that church is an optional choice for believers.  The church is the bride of Christ - he loves her and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).  When able, we should be in church.  This post merely speaks to the times when we are unable to due to a sick child or loved one.  Also, I address Moms, simply because I can empathize as a Mom, but I realize there are a lot of awesome Dads out there that sacrifice and stay home with their sick children so their wives have a chance to be in church.  So, though I use the term "Mom" in this post, you can easily substitute the word "Dad"!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!  It has been nearly three months since my last blog post, but I promise, with good reason.  These last three months have been full of lots of wonderful changes in our family!  In October, Chris was officially voted in as Cornerstone Baptist Church's first Pastoral Intern.  It is a full-time, two-year staff position that started January 1st.  The position includes a house, so we spent November and December packing up and were able to move into our new home mid-December in true Michigan style - right in the middle of a snow storm!  We are so excited to be able to serve our home church in this new capacity and are praying that these next two years will be a blessing to our church family.

In November, Emma turned 6!  She continues to get smarter and more beautiful every day and we cannot believe that she is 6 already.  Another huge milestone for Emma - she lost her first tooth!  She had been waiting and waiting to lose a tooth and finally, on the way home from dinner at Cracker Barrel, that bottom tooth fell out.  She was so excited!  Ethan, on the other hand, was terrified with the whole situation and spent the next hour crying because he doesn't want to lose any of his teeth (we told him he still had a while until his came out).

Ethan and Eli are also growing like weeds.  Ethan's vocabulary continues to expand every day and we love hearing what words he can come up with next.  The other day he told me that the Christmas Poinsettias were "just lovely."  Eli began crawling at the beginning of December and immediately decided he wanted to touch our Christmas tree every chance he got (it took Emma and Ethan longer to realize they could get to it).  Unfortunately, these last months have also seen 3 double ear infections for Eli.  He's not quite a candidate for tubes yet, and we are hoping that it stays that way.

There is so much more that has gone on, but I won't bore you with the details.  Suffice it to say, the Lord has continued to be gracious to our family and we are so grateful.  Now that we are settled and have internet access, we'll update you more often.  Here are some photos from the last few months to catch you up:

 Emma, Eli, and Ethan a.k.a. Glinda, The Cowboy, and Batman!

Emma lost her first tooth!  I still think she looks beautiful.

 Emma's 6th Birthday!  Her brother sure loves her.

We had a great time celebrating Thanksgiving at Nani and Papa's!

 Having Christmas brunch at Daddy's old job.

My Dad and I went on our annual date to Greenfield Village's Holiday Nights and enjoyed our traditional Roast Beef Breadbowl!

  Moving day!  Despite all the snow, we were able to move in about 4 hours.  Thank you to all who prayed for us and helped us move!

 Saying hello to Santa at Home Depot.  Ethan is our only child who isn't terrified of Santa!