Tolle, Lege!

“So was I speaking and weeping in the most bitter contrition of my heart, when, lo! I heard from a neighbouring house a voice, as of boy or girl, I know not, chanting, and oft repeating. ‘Take up and read; Take up and read.’ [‘Tolle, lege! Tolle, lege!’] Instantly, my countenance altered, I began to think most intently whether children were wont in any kind of play to sing such words: nor could I remember ever to have heard the like. So checking the torrent of my tears, I arose; interpreting it to be no other than a command from God to open the book, and read the first chapter I should find…”

Gotta love Augustine.

Gotta also love Drumsticks ice-cream cones, which I consume with Sebby while daddy’s in NY for work and we make dirt cake, play pool, sip Capri Sun, and discuss why Mommy is rooting for anyone but the Patriots Sunday evening.

It’s been a full day. Somehow MJ is now bounding up the stairs, giggling from daddy’s tickle bugs, and insisting I read “Good Night New York City” for the fiftieth time in a 24 hour period (and I am not exaggerating). She has inherited her parents relentlessness.

Some news here…Phoebe slayed her first English paper this semester on what it means to be an American (a view shaped by travels to India and Madagascar), Chloe discovered that her Teen Missions training came in handy during our move – she may be small yet she be swift with a box cutter, and all the kids hiked Camelback mountain when we were in Phoenix – #Warriors

More news: we moved into our new home this past week. Our new address is 7460 Faraway Trail Chagrin Falls, OH 44023 in Canyon Lakes – a wee bit closer to Aunt Leslie.

Even more news: we celebrate our 3rd year anniversary as a family February 7th. Here’s my ode to my babe / “Boaz”:

Lastly, and sorry for burying the lede….we are expecting a little blessing July 3^rd. So….if you noticed my belly expanding, I’m not “with Drumstick” but with “baby boy”.

I’ll soon be a mother of 5. At M Italian we’ll soon be Peiffer Party of 7. It’s just hard to believe. God is so gracious to have delivered me from my Bridget Jones-like existence to grant me 5 children in 3 years.

I remember struggling to trust Him, especially on my birthdays thinking – “God, did you lose the Marcia Larson file somehow with all you’re handling? Are you still there?”

He was. He is. He always shall be.

Tim Keller’s sermon on Hannah many years ago helped me understand how to pray my tears and to know that someday, as we sang during family devos Sunday night, we shall “Fly Away” and understand what He was up to all along in the suffering, the struggle, and the waiting.

May He sustain you in yours. Just hold onto this: He does not give us answers, He gives us Himself.