Beginning 2017 Adventures

Ah, breathe.  This is usually what goes through my mind late on Thursdays nights. Wade is off teaching his Bible class. Dinner has been served, cleaned up (or at least the dishes are in the sink), the kids have been bathed, and have all fallen asleep. Yes, all asleep. So I usually just sit in the quiet for a little while.  I could read, call someone, or get online. (I do that a lot of weeks.) But I always have some time where there is just silence. Its amazing how much my mind (and heart) need it these days. The noise and conversation are never ending. All of the talking, crying, squeals of laughter, playing, and the millionth time someone says “mommy” are finished for a few hours.  Ah. Just breathing.  I know just about every other mom reading this can relate.

But isn’t that just the beautiful thing about it? All of those things point to life. Our home is alive and growing.  It is as crazy and hectic as it is its wonderful. We are just loving our little Cian and the joy he brings to not just us but to the kids. He is still the highlight of their day most of the time. He is growing healthy and enjoying being awake more each day.

One blessing from the last two months is that not only have we been blessed by a new life but our church has grown by three new baby boys. And all within a few weeks of each other.  Aislinn keeps telling me that “all these boys are going to be wild together mom”. She might be right. But for now we just trade off holding and snuggling them. Although I’m sure that Cian will be the bald one of the group for well…probably his whole life.  (Wade rejects this assertion.)

Also on the church front we are now full swing into our new kids program. We started this at the beginning of this year since we needed more space for our kids.  So kids church meets an hour before our regular service. What a great “problem” to have right? You have so many kids you have to start a new service. Only God could do this. Seriously. These kids come every week of their own accord. No one sends them off. No one is pushing them to wake up and get ready.  How many of our kids do that? Pretty astounding. We usually have between 30-50 kids and I am confident that God will use this time to plant seeds of the Gospel in their lives. Each week I look out and think how cool it would be for God to save these kids and then one day they would go out and plant a new church.

Mountain View Hermanus is growing and has a really solid church planting team or core group. We would love to see more people coming and to be honest its hard to not let our emotions and attitude be determined by numbers. One week lots of people come and you feel like things are going so well. You see people growing and serving.  Then one week its a small group, and people are busy.  We wonder what’s going on. Did we do something wrong? We aren’t doing enough. But we are learning to trust God’s leading in this work. And trying to not let our feelings pull us away from being dependent on God.

One big change on the horizon for our family and church is that my parents, Tom and Nancy Wolf, will be joining us here in Hermanus. Later this year Mountain View Somerset West will be officially handed over to our teammate Mark Osborne. When that happens my parents will move into Hermanus to help us. We are excited about this transition for many reasons.  One is that MV Somerset West will be in excellent hands in the leadership of Mark. Second, we are looking forward to having the experience and help of my parents. And of course we are excited to have Papaw and Nana close by. The kids can’t wait!  And maybe, just maybe we can teach the old dogs new tricks.  (Just kidding, just checking to make sure you are reading this).

The kids are doing great. Finnegan is just LOVING school. I am amazed when I help him with his homework how quickly he is learning to read and write. Aislinn has been doing school at home this term and loves doing her “homework” with Finnegan. That girl has the largest vocabulary of any 3 year old I am sure. And has more words to use in day than most people do in a week. Maeve has already entered into “the two’s”. You guys know what I’m talking about. Lots of attitude and spunk. But always followed by lots of smiles and desire to be chased and play. Cian, well he is a champ at eating, pooping, burping, spitting up, sleeping, and all around getting (wo)manhandled by his older sisters.

Life has been busy and full lately. Wade is preaching a new series for the next 9 weeks and busy teaching. Lots of great ministry life happening.  We are thankful for this season but we know once that is finished we will need to pull back and take a few days away for some family time.

As always this is a little peek into our lives.  But please send us a update about your family. We love hearing whats happening from you and how we can partner, pray, grieve, celebrate, and laugh together as co-laborers and family in Christ.

Love,

Tara