laus deo

I have been waiting (not so patiently) to post about Lila's first photo shoot! Rebekah Tozer is an amazing photographer who goes to our church. She does a lot of newborn baby sessions and has taken some fabulous photos of our friends' children over the years. Rebekah did an AMAZING job on Lila's photos. Check out the best ones from the session on Rebekah's blog: http://www.rebekahtozer.com/journal/2010/4/6/meet-lila-addison.html. She was so patient and let Lila sleep and eat and cry as she needed in between photos. One of our favorite from the session is this one of Lila in a onsie reading Laus Deo.

Laus Deo is a latin phrase that means "Praise be to God." My dad, who is a pastor, taught a message on November 22 last year about the phrase Laus Deo (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/we-say-thanks-by-giving-week-3/id161920633?i=64002343). The whole premise is that we need to praise God regardless of what is taking place in our life, regardless of how we feel about our circumstances. "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." ~Job 1:21. Throughout this pregnancy we have needed to say Laus Deo many many times. Lila truly is a miracle baby and we are so glad to be celebrating her life!

Every blessing you pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
~"Blessed Be Your Name" by Matt Redman