Robert

Since I took a bit of a blog hiatus there, I'm thinking maybe I should get everything back up to speed one family member at a time.

We'll start with our ever loved patriarch, Robert Jones.

Well, he started back to class the last week of September, and he has been pretty much in the library since then. The man studies all the time. He's down there now as I type. He comes up for dinner, helps me get the girls in bed, and then usually goes back down for more study. I'm usually the Jezebel that says, "Well, hurry UP so you can come watch Downton Abbey with ME in an hour!!"

Yes, her legs look crooked because it's on completely backward... BUT she was happy!

I just couldn't be more proud of him. He's overwhelmed but learning lots. He frequently makes comments like "I'm just beginning to understand these things... Seminary hasn't given me all the answers, but given me lots of tools to study the never-ending depths of God's word..." It's like he's only peeked behind a little door leading to the Himalayans.

If there's one perk of being a pastor's wife, and there are many contrary to what my 20-year-old-self thought, it's that I get to watch this unfold. I get to be the one he comes home to and rehashes all the fascinating things he's been discussing. It's a privilege.

Putting up the Christmas tree with the big girls

He's also had preached several times, which has added to his academic burden, but has been encouraging to both the hearers and Robert. His sermon prep has been even more rigorous since starting seminary - maybe knowing more makes you more afraid of saying something heretical :)

Enjoying a muddy game of football with the LTS guys

And did I mention that in his spare time this man PASSED the UK driving test?! And ya'll, this thing is intense - there's a written examination and then a driving practical. We celebrated his passing with a trip to our favorite burger place. It's gooooood.

"D" for Driver!

The cruel irony is that we were car-less a week later when our car utterly failed the road worthy test. But, as I mentioned in our Thanksgiving post, God has been so gracious in providing the needed repairs and we are back up and running!

We've also been praying hard about the next step for our family, and we'd love for you to pray with us in this regard. We're praying for God to clearly guide us to the right position in the right place for next summer, and that we would wait well for God's direction with peace and thanksgiving.

He still has time for kisses

PS - He also turned 33. What a hunk. He really does get better looking with age (and I don't mean because I love him/know him more, I mean this in a totally surface way). I just don't think he's reached his peak yet!

Opening 8,000,000 birthday letters from his girls (they just have lots to say!)

We're so thankful for this man. What would we do without him??