Sing Sweet Nightingale

I don't have a musical bone in my body, thankfully Lily Kate inherited her father's musical gene.  She always has a song on her heart (sometimes an original composition).  Here she is singing two songs her daddy taught her:

Noah's Art

Lily Kate had her first drop-off art class today at Noah's Art.  She did so great!  She's in the Storytime class.  So each week they read a story and then do projects that go along with it.  This week they read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  

Making a pipe cleaner beaded bracelet

Her masterpieces

We are both looking forward to next week!

Too Cute for Words

Shopaholic

She's a natural

Easter is a Happy Time!

Stephen's cousin, Allie, was able to join us for Easter lunch!

LK got a butterfly headband in her Easter basket

Pretty Pretty Princess

Aubrey's first time playing dress-up

Audrey wanted in on the action too (& Shelly)

LK in a poodle skirt, Elena in a wedding dress

The B-I-B-L-E! Yes that's the Book for Me

I've had the privilege of participating in Community Bible Study this year.  We just finished studying Luke- it was so amazing to learn in detail about the life, death and resurrection of my Savior.  The timing was amazing because our lesson this week was on the Resurrection of Christ- and it's EASTER!  Praise the Lord that the tomb was empty- HE IS ALIVE!

The children's program is amazing and today the kids sang for the whole group.  Lily Kate did better this year, but let's just say that the audience knew she was wearing princess panties- we need to talk about sitting like a lady :)  Here are the only blog appropriate photos:

 Aubrey's class is too little to participate in music time.  Today was one of the first times she has fallen asleep.  She usually fights her morning nap at CBS/church nursery.

Mrs. Marie & Aubrey

Wordless Wednesday

Cinderella, do the mopping!

I just can't help dressing them alike!

Our neighbor girls came over to play this afternoon, and I put them to work.  The playhouse was swept, wiped down, all the cobwebs knocked down.  They were great little Cinderellas!

Lily Kate, Isabel, & Elliot

Father & Daughter Dinner- well LK takes forever to eat, the rest of us had already finished dinner.

Uh Oh Spaghetti-O!

It once was a blind, but now she can see.

Opportunity to Serve

Many of you know that Stephen was able to spend the month of March in Cameroon West Africa serving with World Medical Mission.  If you didn't know it's because I've read too many stories and didn't post the information on Facebook or here for fear that a criminal might find out we were home alone and try to mess with us (I know I have a very active imagination).  My reason for posting his updates on the blog is two-fold: 1. I want you all to see our heart for missions 2. I wanted to keep track of them.  Here are the posts:

Cameroon Update #1

Cameroon Update #2

Cameroon Update #3

Cameroon Final Update

Bearded Dragon

When the wife is away the husband will play :)  I babysat the other night and left Stephen home with the girls.  He decided to shave his beard in stages-some are quite interesting...some just frightening!

I love the finished product!!!!

Aubrey was so sweet- the next morning, she reached out and touched his face.  It was almost like she recognized Stephen for the first time since he got back from Cameroon!

Fashionista

Lily Kate told me she was wearing her Capri Suns :)

Lily Kate dressed herself- Jessie shirt and blue bloomers

Life on the Move

I was asked to share my testimony this week.  Here it is:

I grew up as an Air Force Brat. Since we moved around a lot, my family sought out the community and fellowship that came wiht being part of a local church.  It seemed like we were at church every time the doors were open.  I realized at an early age that I had made mistakes; I fought with my brother, told lies and put myself before others.  I asked for God’s forgiveness and asked Him to be Lord of my life. Romans 10:9 says “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved.”  Because of this decision I will now spend eternity in Heaven.

Being the new girl wasn’t always easy.  We had lived in Nebraska almost 4 years and I remember the night my dad told us we were moving to Virginia.  It felt like a whold world away and I didn’t want to leave my friends or all the things I was familiar with.  I cried and cried but God gave me this verse of encouragement : Deuteronomy 31:8 “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you.  He will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid do not be discouraged.” That move ended up being one of the defining moments in my walk with God. I had to rely fully on Him and He drew me so much closer to Him as I walked through this valley.

One of my most vivid memories as a young Christian is feeling the total encompassing love of God- like bright blinding sunlight pouring through the window; I felt God’s love pouring over me.  All my life I wanted to feel that love.  So many times I try to fill it on my own.  I could never find the perfect friendship of the ideal boyfriend to make me feel total and complete love.  I knew my parents and family loved me, yet I still sought to fill the void that only God could fill.  Once I learned to surrender that desire to Him, He not only filled the void, He poured His love out on me and filled my cup full to overflowing.  After finding true contentment in God it was then and only then that He gave me and earthly firend to help point me to Him.  God allowed that friendship to grow and in May of 2003 I married my best friend and helpmate Stephen Renfrow.

After Stephen completed medical school, we moved to Charlotte for his pediatric residency.  God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters and I strive every day to live a Godly example for them.  It isn’t easy - as most days I feel like a complete and total failure, the good news is- God’s mercies are new every morning and He knows the trials I am going through and He gives me the strength and patience to endure.

I still struggle with filling my life with idols- fitting in, selfishness, having the right clothes or hairdo, self image.  I’m far from perfect, but thankfully I serve a perfect God who sent His son to die for all of my sin.  Only God can give true contentment and ony He loves me amidst all my flaws.  Only God can make me feel total and complete love.  “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4.

- Tracie

Bunny Hop

The play group that I am part of hosted their Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Tuesday.  The girls and I went and it turned out to be a beautiful day.  I really enjoyed seeing some of our friends whom we hadn't seen in forever!

Aubrey wasn't so sure about hunting for eggs. (well that or
she is embarrassed that I have her in socks that don't match!)

She came around- loved shaking the eggs!

Ready to find some eggs!

Lily Kate only went for the purple eggs :)

Cameroon Update #4

Folks,

I hope this email finds you well.  I have been back in the States for a couple of weeks now, and I am just now getting the chance to send out another update.  I came back to a beautiful wife, two excited little girls, and a busy hospital call schedule.  I was really happy to see three of the four above.

Although I was taking care of pediatric patients in a busy hospital in Cameroon too, returning to Carolinas Medical Center felt distinctly different.  The pace of life here is different.  Not bad...just different.  I appreciate having many of the resources here that I didn’t have in Cameroon.  I appreciate having the ability to order the lab tests I need to make definitive diagnoses.  I appreciate the luxury of being able to obtain a CT scan of a patient’s head.  Heck, I appreciate the luxury of being able to obtain a CT scan of anything.

There are also quite a few things I miss about practicing medicine in Cameroon.  I miss being humbled by the generosity of my patients who were often too poor to afford a shirt without holes but still gave freely to make me feel appreciated and welcome.  I miss snotty-nosed Cameroonian children grinning from ear to ear (while wearing said holey shirts) running up and touching the “white man” doctor on a dare from a friend.  I miss the simplicity of not having a lot of lab tests and CT scans to cloud my medical decision-making.

Apart from the amazing memories, stories, and photos, my trip to Cameroon cemented a few things in my life.  First, God reaffirmed my decision to commit my life to serving Him through providing healthcare to children.  I love kids.  All colors, shapes, sizes, and ages.  Kids are fun.  They like to have fun.  They don’t care who is watching.  They just want to smile and laugh (and make fun of the crazy white doctor).  If you want to see something in its purest form, watch a child experience it.  Being a pediatrician can be tiring, frustrating, and even just sad sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

My desire to continue to serve God on the international mission field was strengthened.  I’m not exactly sure what that looks like for me and my family, but I trust God has a plan.  God can absolutely use you where you are.  There are absolutely people right here in the U.S. who need help and who need to hear that God loves them.  I will never dispute that, but there is also an undeniable way in which God uses a change in scenery/country code to teach you new things about himself.  God is at work EVERYWHERE.  So many times we like to think that we are at the center of any and all importance.  It is incredibly refreshing to get a new perspective when God flips your world on end and puts you flat on your face.  There is so much need for help, medical treatment, and ultimately God’s love that you just cannot begin to grasp it until you see it first hand.  I know not everyone is in a position where they can just pickup and go overseas for a few weeks.  It will always be easier said than done.  With that being said, I encourage each of you to  consider taking a trip of some kind where you can serve.  I have found that this process generally tends to work better (understatement) if you pray and ask God where you can join Him at work.  You won’t be the same.

Next, God taught me what an amazing body of believers, friends, and family I have who love me and support me.  I am not sucking up here.....I already have your money. ;)  God encouraged me greatly and also humbled me with the generous way in which you all freely offered your prayers and money to make my trip possibly.  There was an undeniable sense throughout my entire month that everything I was doing was covered in fervent prayer.  The finances of my travel were a big concern to me prior to leaving.  Simply put, we could not by ourselves afford for me to go.  It is difficult to ask for money from other people.  I mean.....pediatric residents are paid really well, right?  (Survey says??....  XXX  Ohhhhhhhh, I’m sorry!  We have some lovely parting gifts for you.)  If you want God to humble you and teach you about his provision, make a commitment to something he has called you to do and watch how He provides.  It will blow your mind.  You guys were incredibly generous and helped us maybe more than you will ever know.  We aren’t talking about pretend Monopoly money here.  You gave from your hard-earned paychecks in a tough economy when I know you have a lot of other expenses.  I greatly appreciate it, and I know God will bless your obedience.  Thank you.

Lastly and maybe most importantly, God taught me about His love and sovereignty.  It was not easy for me to leave my wife and children for a month.  I want to protect and care for them, so naturally there were times when I worried about how they would fare without me around to help.  I returned from my trip with the overwhelming realization that God is much more capable of loving and protecting my family than I am.  That takes a lot of pressure off of me but also speaks to the depth and breadth of Christ’s love.  As much as I might try to love my wife and girls, ultimately my love does not have even a fraction of the capacity of God’s love for them.  I’ve heard it said that the center of God’s will is the safest place to be.  I used to think that was just a cliche.  Wrong.  That is Biblical truth, and I have learned to rest in that truth.

In conclusion, our God is so much more amazing than I can even begin to grasp.  Thank you for helping me to be able to serve him in Cameroon.  Thank you for praying for me and my family, and please continue to pray that we would seek God with our lives.  I would love to talk more about my trip with anyone who is interested.  Please let us know how we can support and pray for you in any way.

I am going to go to bed now.  I am on-call again tomorrow.  Sounds fun, right?

In Him,

Stephen

Upside down and Inside out

Aubrey has chosen a less conventional way of getting around.  Crawling is overrated!

Cheese!

Stephen is on call this Saturday so tonight was his weekend.  I told the girls we were going to have a fun family night.  Lily Kate was looking forward to it all day long.  When Stephen got home he discussed the options with her.  We could:

1. Go to a Park

2. Play Putt Putt

3. Go to Chuck E. Cheese

4. (added by her) swing in the backyard.

She chose #4!

After twenty minutes swinging in the backyard, we loaded up and went to Chuck E. Cheese.  The last time we went was almost 2 years ago.  Life has changed just a bit since then :)  Lily Kate definitely understood then concept of tokens this time :)

Lily Kate 2011

Lily Kate - July 2009