K.A.G.E = Kris, Arch, Gabe & Erick
This is a picture of God's faithfulness!

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen!"
Jude 1:24-25

BEFORE (between 1994-1996)


AFTER (before Kris leaves to Iraq)


AFTER (at Erick's wedding)

Here is one of our first Christmas pictures with CJ!
OG is 4. JJ is 2. CJ is 10 mths.
And God has been infinitely faithful!

God has given us another boy to add to the family. His name is Cruz Justus (C.J.).
It's amazing how God answered all our prayers from the days he was in the womb till his birth. It has been 9 months coming and it's just a joy to see how faithful God has been by giving us another gift of life. To think we have been entrusted with this child is still a marvel to me.

About his name: Cruz means "cross" and Justus was the name of a "fellow worker of the gospel" (in the book of Colossians) and also a contemporary who was noted as an encourager to the apostle Paul. The initials of his name also fit the initials of one of my heroes of the faith: C.J. Mahaney; who has authored some of the most (small) encouraging books on Christain living(Sex, Romance and the glory of God & Humility - True Greatness).

Here's his specs:
Weight: 7lbs 11oz
Height: 20.5 inches
Misc: Sideburns, nice ears, and definitely a boy!

Anyways here are some pictures to enjoy:

Here's one of our family pictures that came out better than years past(where everyone, including our kids are looking and smiling). I guess each year it gets better!

COV/CORE: Christmas Party ~ 2008



COV/CORE: Staff Christmas Dinner ~ 2008

That's Aileen and I in one of our first Great Adventure (now called GA) roles together. I was Archie the cartoon character and Aileen was Veronica. This was a supehero themed Summer Camp - so Abner and JP tried to add my namesake's character to this role playing game. Anyways, today is Aileen's birthday. And I just wanted to note what a wonderful woman and wife she is to me. Proverbs 18:22 says: He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. Finding her was definitely all the Lord - it was really as if God brought her to me (like Adam I was totally sleeping and clueless of my need of her). And "a good thing" rightly describes her (not so much she is a thing)- that she is good: she's a perfect helper for my imperfections, a faithful friend who knows me insides out and she is that comforting companion who knows what I need to hear when I need it, and she is that sweet smile in the morning that I need when the sun don't shine and she is that salt on the counter (yes we watched Fireproof!). I truly do not deserve her. And that again is God's grace! When I think about the last part of that verse "obtaining favor from the Lord" - I think about ice cream next to the cake at a birthday party. Cake is already good. But ice cream is just unbelievably an added blessing. So not only is she a wonderfully good wife - on top of that this verse says God looks down to me and has favor on me. That is double blessing! God gives me a good wife and He says because what I gave you is good - I favor you.
Now that does not make sense to my small mind at all. But I tell you, that simply is grace!