5 days old!

Here are the latest pics of Jackson. Becky and I are falling more and more in love with him everyday!

REQUEST FOR MAS FOTOS PORFA

Ok, so like we want more. Jake, due to the fact that lil Jacksonian has his mami and papi pretty occupied right now, you are the man we're looking to. And since he's the new dude in the fam...ok....so like my wife checks hourly for more shots of the "Miracle of Murrietta"......can we get a few more of the man? Sorry for being annoying about it, but we're pretty excited for the new frijol. LOT OF AMOR

Jefe xo

Home Sweet Home

Jackson Benjamin Gaines made the 40 minute trip from Kaiser Hospital in Riverside to his new home in Murrieta. He is doing absolutely amazing (cross your fingers for tonight) and is happy with his new home. Here are a couple of the earliest pics of him. There will be more to come soon! Way to go Becky!

Jackson Benjamin Gaines

Abigail, Grace and I just returned from Riverside where we welcomed the newest member to the Gaines-Lampi clan (#21 to be exact). Weighing in at 8 lbs, 2 oz and 19 1/2 inches long, Jackson is adorable and slept the entire time we visited with the new parents. Becky was thankful to have a quick labor, and Ben was a great coach along the way. Here's a couple of pics of the precious little guy...I'm sure more to come in the next few days!

OH MY GOSH!

alright, so like my lil 3 1/2 yr old today had Preschool and was the "razzle dazzle" (aka Show and Tell dude/dame) and he was supposed to bring in something from home and share about it etc etc as the other ninos sit in "circle time" + snack to share with the rest of the class. So like all week Caleb is like saying he wants to bring in his dance music, spec. the rap "Itsy Bitsy Spider." Steph asks his teacher, our friend Jodi or "Mrs. Flynn" and she says that it would be great. None of us expected him to break out the Napoleon in front of his home boys and fly girls,........and as they fired up the song, he just stood there with the razzle dazzle a hat and sash and Steph got a bit nervous......BUT.....when the song started to play......well, just watch the video OH MY GOSH! Steph called me from school right after and I was stunned! LOL!!! (steph made some cool rice crispy spiders too that I can't seem to post for some reason)

Look for Josiah and Braydon to the left, just watching, then coming in at the end. HILARIOUS! DUDE, i LOVE IT!


ON a MORE PARAMOUNT AND PRECIOUS NOTE!!!! I'll be FIRST TO GIVE A CYBER CONGRATS to BEN AND BECKY and WELCOME LIL JACKSON to the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU 2...that is BECKY and JACKSON....ok and BEN too!!!!!

Jacob, Abs, Benny, someone BLOG PICS NOW! WAY TO GO MOMMY AND DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BIENVENIDO JACKSON GAINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pull out your webcams!

Now that most of us have kids (and they're all growing up so fast), we would love to chat with those of you online who have webcams so that our kids can interact with their nana's & papa's, auntie's & uncle's (that includes you too, Lampi's!), and cousins. I know Grace would LOVE to see you all and to show off her little pig tails! Let us know!

AFC/NFC CHAMPIONSHIP PICS

yo yo yo....for who it pertains to,

I emailed you all the breakdown for this weekends' games and how the money could flow. Let me KNOW if you can't open the file. Check you gmail/hotmail etc. emails.

Jeff

A special moment with Caleb

Hey guys,

Wanted to share this beautiful moment we had over break visiting the cemetery to spend some time with Papou. We don't know what to do, laugh at how cute or cry at what Caleb says to his Papou. And for those who know Dr. Georgiou or maybe have eaten with him, you know he would get a kick out of what he's doing (GReek Seasoning). We miss him beyond words but have so many wonderful memories. Just today Eden saw Steph pull out a pic out of her Dad and he noticed, ran over and said "Pa Pooo".....so cute.



Love, Jeff

caleb's got the moves

GAINES-LAMPI 2ND ANNUAL REUNION 08!!!???

Happy New Year my beloved family,

well, I'll make the intro short and let you do the deciding. I have been summoned by some of my kith to propose AN OPTION for our annual summer fling, which let's just be honest....JAKE AND AB set the BAR WAY TOO HIGH! So like, if we decide to make it a West Coast - Midwest every other year deal, then MI has NO chance competing with Tahoe's vistas and surprises (I still can't get over the salmon in that crystal clear river near the ice cream shop just around the bend of HEAVEN..emerald bay).

But since time's a ticking, my most excellent wife and bodacious mother have come up with a possibility and I am here to propose it:

Steph's family has 2 lodges, mobile homes, cottages whatever you call em right on Lake Huron a 1 hr 1/2 from EL 2 hours from Brighton. They are smack dab on the beach. And there is a possibility to borrow/rent the mobile home next to our 2

The amenities in EACH home:
cable televison in (TIGERS GAMES???????)
Fully loaded Kitchens
Living room
2 Bedrooms
1 bathroom w/shower and bath (tub in at least 1) in each trailer
Shed with water toys
HuGE deck for playing, sunbathing and conversating etc
Grill

BEACH + BEAUTIFUL H20 + Firepits and a Pier
Basketball court on beach
Golf Cart for transportation
Nice park and baseball field
Tennis Courts


Across the street is a Mini-Golf Driving Range with awesome ICE CREAM (stroths)

The town is called Lexington: Quaint town with cool stores (that's where Steph's mom got Eden that organic outfit Sarah....store's called "Weekends")
Town has a general store, market like Sefa's and then some ecclectic treasures you'd see in Royal Oak or Rochester. A theatre for plays, an outdoor concert pavilion, a harbor, and some cute antique stores (that sounds like my mom)

Alright, so like.......there's a 36 HOLE GOLF COURSE 3 miles from where you rest your heads at night...and it's beautiful..and reasonable. It's where I got a par..... after 6 cold ones....just a joke...."watch it, jefe" - Wes

You are 20 minutes from Port Huron and the Bridge to Canada = Casino.
Port Huron has the big mall, etc.,, blah blah blah. But there are movie theatres, hospitals, etc etc. h yeah, I found this new bakery/art gallery that is ALL ORGANIC about 3 miles from our place that serves awesome healthy food and really funky art. Dreadlocks encouraged.

Bottomline: It's pretty much free and there are places to get away if you get sick of someone....jk...much love....it is relaxing. My kids ALWAYS ask to go to "Wiggle Bay." You wake up staring out at the sun coming up over the Lake horizon. Most importantly it's AN OPTION.
Like I said, we will have 3 mobile homes that can house 6 people pretty comfortably.


WE CAN STILL LOOK TO THE UPPER P AND OTHER PLACES TOO. Just thought I would put it out there.

Here are some pics. The 1st too I didn't take but like that is lake huron at night and during the day. Oh yeah. Can I say SHOTGUN THOSE CHAIRS FOR A LIL reminiscin whatver=happened-to-thelive-on-the-beach-togther-swim-with-=doplhins-idea Wes and Jeff bonding time..... Caleb playing bball at the lake, the two boys and their friend Ella (daughter to Macomb County Prosecutor----watch it Caleb!), Eden having a treat on the deck, Caleb and his Papou...where else! the kitchen!... and my DAD at Uncle Bob's tying one on JK! Living it up OC style..had to post it! Wouldn't youa'll love to see ole Normy kickin' it like this at the lake this summer. That's worth a Spirit Air ticket just that alone. I have better pics, but not on my laptop....post em later.

feel free to comment and ask questions.....We have some time to decide...but not too long. Chime in so I can hear your thoughts. Google it. Lexington MI, Port Huron MI...etc

Missional Church

Many of you know Sarah and I have been part of a group that has been "rethinking" the way we do church. Our goal is to be a small community of believers that become the gospel or good news in Fort Wayne. On Saturday myself and two others from our group spent the day in Chicago and got to meet and hang out with around 15 other "missional church planters" from throughout the Midwest. The meeting was initiated by David Fitch (read his blog) who pastors a missional church in Chicago. David wrote a book that is kind of a primer for this way of thinking or church planting, its excellent I recommend it to you all (The Great Giveaway). Anyways, the day was spent discussing different aspects of church life and I thought I'd share some of my notes:

Leadership: We discussed a leadership model that focuses on a team of leaders rather than "one guy" aka senior pastor through whom everything happening in the church must go. The idea is that tension within leadership can actually be beneficial when leaders learn to mutually submit to one another and where humility and honesty are practiced. Each leader or member of the church for that matter operates in their gifting for the building up of the church and to prepare us for works of service (Eph 4). This model lightens the load so that everything doesn't hang on one person whereby this person always ends up burning out.

Liturgy: We talked about how our services should be structured around liturgical forms. Liturgy means the "work of the people" where we come as one body participating together in confession of sin, adoration, prayer, proclamation of the gospel (preaching), reading Scripture, and sharing the Eucharist (communion). The goal of the worship service is to form and shape us into the body of Christ rather than to "get something". Liturgy keeps us from the temptation to be anonymous in church or treat worship services as personal experiences that can be kept to ourselves apart from the rest of the body. We all come participating together.

Preaching: Preaching and teaching are not the same thing. Most sermons in church can be categorized in one of two ways: expository (think of a lecture) someone dissecting the text giving you the historical critical background to the text, parsing the Greek and Hebrew and coming to the "real meaning of the text". The second category would be "self-help" which could only be distinguished from an episode of Oprah or Dr. Phil by the few mentions of God. This way of preaching seeks to empower people to become a "better you" using principles from the Bible. Both of these categories focus on giving the congregation something they can take home and own, however they fail to accomplish the goal of preaching, which is a proclamation of the gospel (Lk 4: 20-21). Preaching should instead proclaim the reality as it is in Christ and invite people into it. It should fund our imaginations. It should treat the scriptures as a drama and not as a textbook, as a reality to be lived and not a commodity to be consumed.

House Fellowships: In an increasingly post-christian society it is no longer adequate to evangelize with tactics and programs which seek to bombard non-christians and force a decision in a matter of minutes. These tactics presuppose so many things that can longer be counted on such as: the Bible is true, the Bible is God's word, God is real, God is good etc... Evangelism in a post-christian society will take time and require relationships. One way of accomplishing this is to rediscover the art of hospitality. This can be practiced by meeting together in homes as a community. A house fellowship would be a small group of people meeting together to practice the kingdom and represent the gospel. Groups would eat together, share with one another, pray for each other, practice hospitality and justice, and be transformed together for the sake of the gospel.

Exciting times for the church!!

Kansas Wins!

I want to make sure you all know I will spend the gift card and starbucks card well, possibly buy a book and a coffee and read. Midtown represent'in! Peace, I'm out. Love ya'll.

It's on now!!!!

For those of you that have been out of the loop. It is on! I challenged wes to raise the stakes and he got cocky on me. For those that don't know, Wes gets his strings for "free" (contract with Martin). Oh Wesley, why have you sold yourself to the industry. I can see it now, as I take my youth group to a Toby Mac concert Wes opens alongside of Jaci Valasquez and sings a duet with Britt Nicole while strumming his shiny, free, new Martin strings. O what a scene, it's decision time for the students. Doug Fields has delivered a heart tugging message on purity and Wes takes the stage to play "Give us clean hands" and when the chorus builds guess who steps in to harmonize with him. You guessed it Steven Curtis Chapman with his free martin guitar strings too. Oh the scene is intense with tears as Wes and Steven's eyes connect knowing very well what is about to happen will be a life changing track on the WOW 2008 new release. An anthem breaks lose and from Give us clean hands, an acapella (no free strings needed) come out with the chorus of "You never let go". yes, everything is perfect as they start playing again. Uh Oh, wes's string breaks and the only strings he has are the one's he won from Steve. they are elixirs, no! Does wes keep playing and worshipping or would this worship be illegal becasue he broke contract with Martin. His WOW 2008 recording is in jeopardy. Wes chooses right and changes strings quickly as Steven plays softly. Two pros at work. Amazing.

Any way, this will never happen because tonight Va. Tech gets it's KansASS wooped up and down the field. Sorry about the spelling pun, did it for shock factor. wesley when Kansas wins, send me some D'addarios. They are the cheap brand, b/c that's what us non-contracted musicians can afford. Tell Out of Eden, Avalon, Toby, Michael Tait, Phil Joel, and the rest of the Christian Pop industry I said hi. Jeff, maybe with the money wes saves on my strings he can send you a set too.

p.s.

Love you wes, you really are the most talented musician I know.

THE MATCH-UP of the the CENTURY!

AND IT ALL COMES DOWN TO TONIGHT...

With both of these GLADIATORS, Wes and Steve, sitting strong with a stellar record of 18-10, we look ahead to tonight's Va Tech vs. Kansas matchup. If the Jayhawks spoil the Hoakies then Steve can look forward to a Barnes and Noble shopping spree and Starbucks bonus, but if the the Hoakies do what the nation thinks they'll do (trust me, that doesn't always come to fruition) then my boy, Johnny Appleseed Fort Wizzayne Kanye Wes will take home to prize and pride of 2007 College Bowl Game Gl posse Champion.

BUT, still my girl Sarah, Big Papa Bill and yes the SOCAL Sniper could end up winning as well...and are sitting on a solid 17-11.

Props to Steve going from last to first, Wes staying back and in the middle but down the last stretch showing his muscles and making the move, and to me for picking State, Hawaii and Wisconsin. I figured it out, if i would have done what my Dad did and not pick any Big Ten, the B and Noble card would be staying in EL. You live and learn. I can' win or finish Top 2 or 3 every time. .............ha!

So it's like Carmen vs. John Schlitt, Rob Harris vs. JohnG Elliot, Louie Webber vs. Chuck Booher, Barak Obama vs. Mitt Romney, Darin Kelbert vs. Micah Richardson, David Crowder vs. Chris Tomlin (watch it Wes you hater)....

STEVEN ADAM LAMPI vs. WILLIAM WESLEY GAINES

IT's ON TONIGHT!

The Bookie WILL be back,

Jefe xo

INTEGRITY

That was one of the most satisfying U of M wins I've watched. Props to Steve for being the only one with the guts to pick the maize and blue. Perfect ending to the Lloyd era, I've always liked him and fought tears when they carried him off the field.