An Excerpt from Ben's MDO Handbook

"There are a few things we feel strongly must remain at home: balloons, gum, carbonated beverages, money, and toys (particularly guns or toys that promote aggressive behavior). In addition, capes that tie around the neck are not permitted."

Seriously, who sends their kid to school in a cape?

Walkin' with Poppa

There Will Be a Day

As I turned back on to University Avenue and headed north towards my house - an hour past the time at which I had planned on already being out of town - I started to ask my friend Josh if he just wanted to stay in town.

Today was Reese Catherine's funeral in Fayetteville. Jenny had been there all weekend, and I wanted to be there to support her, as well as to support Katie and Jason at this incredibly difficult time.

It was a chain of events that made me consider staying in Central Arkansas for the day...discovering on the opposite side of town that my wallet was still at home, as I sat at the gas pump on complete fumes; being stopped for speeding, driving without a license, and driving without a seatbelt on, just moments after I had discovered both the absence of my wallet and the absence of fuel in the vehicle.

Add to that the fact that it was exactly an hour after we planned on leaving and I was still blocks away from my house and had yet to fill the tank, and I was completely sure God was telling me to stay in Little Rock.

It wasn't God telling me that.

You see, as I sat somewhere I never thought I would sit, and listened words spoken by a dear friend that I never thought would have to be said, I experienced one of the deepest hours of worship of my life.

Hearing a young mother retell her fight with God over the last week - and listening as she coupled every "why God?" with his perfect answer spoken back to her from His word - was quite possibly the most pure, gut-wrenching, face-to-the-floor moments of Raw Christianity I have ever encountered.

One of the most impossible things to convey to someone during a time of extreme loss is God's presence in the midst of suffering. Not only was this young mother able to utter her

"Whys?", she listened so as to hear, quite perfectly, every "Because."

"There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears.

There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face.

But until that day, we'll hold onto you always."

- Jeremy Camp

No Words

For updates on Reese, the newborn daughter of our dear friends Katie and Jason, please visit

The Rowe Fam

Florida '09

Well, it's hard to post about this in light of what is going on with our friends in NW Arkansas, but if I don't get these pics posted now, I probably never will.

We had a terrific time. This was our first stay at this particular resort, Long Beach, but I think we've picked a winner. Our condo was 3BR/3BA, and 1800 square feet (more than our little cottage we call home)! We were able to see the potential for larger family gatherings as our family continues to grow...not that we're expecting, but some day.

Our meals were terrific, if not redundant! We arrived at dinner and didn't want to go far, and Luckily Pompano's was just across the street. So our Saturday meal was there. Sunday was Jenny's Mom and Dad's anniversary, so they went here while we went back here.

Monday night was Captain Anderson's, a family favorite of ours for over 30 years. Tuesday we sank our teeth into some grade A beef here, while Wednesday we dined gulf-side here. After Wednesday, we decided you just can't mess with the best. So we dined again Thursday and Friday nights here.

Tuesday, Jenny and I loaded up on great buys from Polo, Gap, Osh Kosh, and Carter's at Silver Sands in Destin. Aside from a few other items and some shoes, Ben is pretty well set for fall.

Jenny has learned to sew this summer. Her mom smocks, so she makes the panels and Jenny does the rest of it. They're just bunched up in this picture...she didn't mess up, I promise.

I would put this one on my desk at work, but in real life you notice the alarming amount of gray hair at my temples.

You just don't get a more angelic pair of faces.

He loved to just lay down on the slope between the sand and the surf.

We had a giant Razorback awning we pitched to keep the sun off.

Ben entertained himself with sand toys and trucks.

He LOVED the sand. Never stressed him out for a minute.

He looks as if he's rounding up his buddies to head out to sea...

Jenny did ALL of this one...sewed the outfit and appliqued the sailboat.

It's my favorite of the two she has made so far.

Happy, happy boy.

We're very into moving things from one place to another.

The sand worked well in that capacity.

It was amazing to see the difference in a trip with a five month-old and a seventeen month-old. We had a terrific time, and can't wait until next summer.

Back...In More Ways than One

Well, after a several weeks-long on-again off-again relationship, my faithful MacBook seems to be sticking with me. I've figured out that if I keep the dang thing plugged in and don't let the battery go out, it stays on (It survived the journey to Florida, where I immediately plugged it in, and back home again).

With that said, maybe our blogging will once again resume.

We just arrived home from vacation. Too much to tell, too many pictures to share, and tomorrow is Sunday, so it will just have to wait. But, for those of you who have been dying to catch a glimpse of little man at the beach this year, enjoy!