the.turley.family

I haven't written in 3 years. Three. That could be a testament to how our lives have changed and been incredibly busy raising three very young children, it could show my lack of discipline, or any number of things about me and my life, but either way I'm glad to be sitting back down and using this as a sort of journal to document what is going on in the life of our family for the last three years and now. It feels good to have been reminded of this outlet. Matt started a new job this week at Logan Aluminum. We are excited about the new opportunity for him and hopeful that this is the job change that will allow us to bring me home with our kids, which is something we've both wanted for quite some time. Logan has a great reputation, great benefits, and should support our family well. The one hiccup, at least in my mind, is the schedule. It is laid out for us from now until March 2018, which is a great thing for the planner in me, but I have to admit I was overwhelmed lookin...

As I was reading in Matthew last night I noticed something. I've read this portion of Scripture many times, but this is the first time I remember really noticing this. I love that about God's Word. That it is alive and active and that I get something new out of it each time I read.  So, in Matthew 5 Jesus is teaching and the thing I noticed is that six  times in the chapter the phrase "You have heard that it was said..." is used followed by whatever it is the world says about the particular topic Christ is talking about. Whether it be anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, or love for your enemies Jesus reminds us that we have heard what the world says about these things. Then, the phrase "But I say to you..." flips things on their head and speaks truth.  This was a great reminder for me. My flesh is so quick to buy in to what the world says, what culture says, what science says, what an authority figure says about what I should do, think, and be as a you...

Tomorrow is Christmas and for several days now I have been thinking about this Christmas season and what it's like with a new baby boy in our lives. My mind has come back to Mary over and over again over the last several weeks. I look at my son and in some ways I feel like I know what she was thinking as she stared at her brand new baby boy, but then obviously there are so many things about her thoughts and experiences that I will never fully understand and cannot fathom experiencing myself. The joy that it brings me to look at my son is incredible. When I hold him and he stares up at me with his beautiful blue eyes and flashes me a little grin because he's really starting to know  me it is a feeling I could have never expected. I imagine Mary felt much the same way as she held her little boy and watched his face light up as he smiled up at her. I can not imagine, however, how it felt knowing that the purpose of his coming was eventually to die to save the world. To know her ...

What a whirlwind week. Oliver arrived 10 days early and the last 4 days have been the beginning of a lifelong journey that Matt and I have been looking forward to for the last 9 months. Parenting our sweet boy. It has been incredible. I just nursed him and he is sleeping soundly and as I watch him I am in awe. In awe that God formed him, knows him, is pursuing him even now, and finally entrusted him to us. Just...wow.  [pause. the sweet one I was just talking about has just filled his diaper and this mama has a job to do...5 minutes and one dirty diaper later, we're back.] Let the sap continue...... He's perfect! Trust me, I know he's not really  perfect, but I understand that love a parent has for a child now and for just a little while I want to revel in the illusion that he's perfect. I think that's all I'll write for now. I do have pictures to share from our first few days. Oliver Graeme Turley 9/22/13 at 12:57 am first family photo ...

We so enjoyed having the same photographer from our wedding take pictures of Matt and I and my not-so-little belly. It was a beautiful Saturday morning with my favorite person, Matt, and a wonderfully talented photographer, Dallas . Here are the results of the day...