Avery Grace

It's official.  Zach and I have decided to name our baby girl Avery Grace.  Zach initially proposed the name Avery.  We eventually started calling her that just between us, and then when we tried out different names, they just didn't seem right.  So Avery it is.  And Grace- it's hard to think of a name more suited for her because she is such a picture of God's grace, his unmerited favor, to us.  We love being able to calling her by name.
We had a nice Easter weekend.  On Easter Sunday, our pastor gave a sermon on Mark 16, a chapter covering the Resurrection of Christ.  One thing that really made an impression on Zach and I is what the angel said to Mary Magdalene and Mary when they arrived at the tomb early in the morning and found that Christ was not there.  The angel told them (paraphrased) Christ had risen from the dead and to go tell his disciples and Peter that Christ was going before them to Galilee and they would see him there.  Peter was one of the disciples, so why did Christ mention him separately?  Our pastor shared that this specific mention was to reveal Christ's unmeasurable grace and love for Peter- the one who had denied Christ three times right before Christ was crucified.  How amazing is that kind of love, is this God, who despite our failures, our guilt, our fluctuating faith and lack of courage, calls us out by name, just like Peter, to offer us true life in Christ- where mercy, grace, and love abound.  That is something to celebrate.  Happy Easter!

Easter lunch with friends

Avery at 30 weeks!...with her Easter basket from her great Aunt Sally