when the time came ... so did a baby girl :)

Introducing our baby girl ... Eunice Michelle

Tuesday the 9th of September 2014 

.. our precious little Eunice Michelle 

joined the Alcalá Smith family ...

Here are a few photos of that joyful day 

                                                                                  and those following 

 Two little feet ... 

First cuddles ... I can still feel that closeness like it was today!

Daddy dressing his precious little bundle :)

It is hard work ... being born!!

Feeling safe in Daddy's arms

Excitement in the camp ... proud brothers and loving cousins crowding around!!

My big boy ... (bi pela ;)

yet another proud brother! (skinny pikini ;)

AND ... NO one is taking her off me!!! (little pela ;)

One very special lady ... "Aunty" Elwyn ... 

who the Lord has used to bless us many times, not only, 

but also when we have been to hospital for both Timothy and Michelle's births. 

Aunty Elwyn has willingly been "on call" many a day and night! 

God bless you, my dear "second mum" <3 font="">

First family photo

Just a miracle!!

Newborn sweetness <3 font="">

Michelle 9/9/14

Submitting to God’s Purpose

I stumbled across this web site tonight ...

My Utmost for His Highest

and most specifically this post.

Submitting to God's Purpose

I found it very encouraging ... and believe I'll need to read it again one day soon ... so, here it is

25 October 2014

I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some —
1 Corinthians 9:22

A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things. Never protest by saying, “If only I were somewhere else!” All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them. Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts, we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God. We are not workers for God by choice. Many people deliberately choose to be workers, but they have no purpose of God’s almighty grace or His mighty Word in them. Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do, and he never lost sight of that one thing. We must continually confront ourselves with one central fact— “. . . Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

“I chose you . . .” (John 15:16). Keep these words as a wonderful reminder in your theology. It is not that you have gotten God, but that He has gotten you. God is at work bending, breaking, molding, and doing exactly as He chooses. And why is He doing it? He is doing it for only one purpose— that He may be able to say, “This is My man, and this is My woman.” We have to be in God’s hand so that He can place others on the Rock, Jesus Christ, just as He has placed us.

Never choose to be a worker, but once God has placed His call upon you, woe be to you if you “turn aside . . . to the right or the left . . .” (Deuteronomy 28:14). He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.

God's plans are perfect!!!

On the 14th of April 2014, we all marched up to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital for our 20 week pregnancy scan.

I had said all along that our baby was a boy! There was nothing wrong with boys! We love our boys! ... but then again, I would say to the boys, "the Lord will give us just what is perfect for our family!" "A baby girl would be nice, but if the Lord would like to entrust a baby boy to our care, that will be nice too!!"

What a joyful moment ... yet of great surprise when the lady informed us all that our baby was a girl!!! :)

Willians asked if we could say for sure and tell everyone that it WAS a girl ... to which she searched again and told us, " all the girl parts are here ".

It took us a very long time to say "she" instead of "he" ... so much that after 10 years of being blessed with boys ... and after Michelle was born, I was still saying "he" for many days!!! (I'm sure it must have worried some of the nurses in the hospital!!!).

Meet our baby girl :) 

a cute picture :)

two little feet :)

God is good ... all the time :)

Blessed beyond a Doubt

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. Isaiah 55:8


"God is in the business of changing our plans to His plan, resulting in something much better than I could hope for..."

"To say the least, I don’t deal with a “change in plans” well, Changes for me equal stress, hassles, and more work."

(http://thegoodbookblog.com/2013/dec/02/when-god-changes-our-plans/ )

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4.

Looking back at what seems such a long time ago, ... yet just the beginning of 2014 ...  the day before we were to fly to Melbourne for a week of meetings at South Oakley, I visited the dr with some queries ... she sent me for a blood test, which I had done straight away. I was told the results would be back in a couple of days, yet ... it was very surprising to hear the same lady dr on the phone later on that afternoon, saying: "congratulations, the test results have come back positive. You are expecting a baby!!!" 

At that moment, Willians was playing a board game with the boys on the verandah ... so I had to keep the exciting news to myself :(  ... talk about a hard chore!! ... until after dinner and when the boys were in bed!!!

Certainly this precious bub was in God's plans and we welcomed the thought with excitement that was so hard to keep hidden both from boys, as well as from Mum, Dad and Fernelis who were home on furlough and in their little apartment downstairs!!

I think the Lord allowed us to find out just as we were leaving for Melbourne :) ... ...

We came home from Melbourne on the 16th of January and had an appointment for our first "early" scan on the 21st of January. It was the day after Willians Edward's 10th birthday ... Mum and Dad were heading up to Toowoomba for the night and Willians Edward was going with them. We needed to go to the bank which thankfully was right beside the scan place. We managed to rush the boys into the car (saying we were running down to the bank) and get out without Mum and Dad insisting on them looking after the boys for us. Thankfully they had visitors. We told them to pass by the bank if they were ready before we came home!

We got to the scan place (!! have forgotten the name!) just in time to tell the boys we needed to go in here quickly before going to the bank. We went in, Willians sat down with the boys, while I went to the counter, and then nearly straight away we were called in. A.N.D. we quickly ushered the boys into the room and I promptly got on the couch/bed. At that point, Willians E says he suspected something. I whispered to the lady that the boys didn't know ... and she quickly showed us what we were longing to see!!! a teeny weeny baby with a strong heartbeat!!!!

The boys were speechless yet so excited!!! It was even more exciting when we were given a couple of sheets of photos to take home. As we left there, Mum and Dad called saying they would pick Willians Edward up outside the bank.... you can imagine the excitement as they pull the car over and the boys all at once need to tell grandma and grandpa and Aunt Nelly ... that ... "mummy's going to have a baby"!!! You can imagine their shock as we had seen them just 15 mins or so before (as well as all that morning and every other morning!) and nothing had been said!!! 

It was a very excited young boy  who went in that car a broke the news to his uncle and aunty and cousins in Toowoomba!!! 

Certainly, our plans are not the Lord's plans ... yet ... what a joy ... His plans are perfect!