Exceeding Abundance

A Time to Remember and Be Thankful

2011-09-13T10:31:00.002-04:00

Each September, the weather remains generally hot, yet there are a few days and several mornings where the scent of Fall is apparent. It's a glimmer of hope that relief from the Georgia heat is in the mail, and eventually we will be able to go outside and not be in danger of dehydration. Furthermore, though, September also is an ebenezer - a marked place/time of remembrance - for our family since on September 16th, 2004, Pam Hydrick, Deborah's mother, died of breast cancer in her home.

Most certainly, we still desperately miss Pam. If you have never lost anyone close to you, then it might be tempting to believe that after seven years, one should be 'over' the loss. Unfortunately, that is an unfortunate assumption, for I do not believe that anyone 'gets over' losing their parent/loved one. Does it get easier? Yes, in the sense that life must go on and things change. Does it still hurt? Yes, because we loved her and she loved us.

I will always remember how she immediately made me feel welcomed into their family, and that comfort and peace that she provided for me never ceased from her. As parents, we long for her to be around to teach us what she knew, to help us when we are in trouble, and to know and bless our children. We are left with our memories of her, and it is a true blessing from God that we have so many good memories about Pam. His goodness is still evident in the midst of a terrible and tragic loss in our lives. He is good because Pam is living now without pain or sickness in her body. He is good because He has blessed Deborah with the gift of motherhood. He is good because He did and still grieves with us and sends His Comfort to us whenever we need Him. He is good because He can't be anything else. We are thankful to God for Pam.

We are also thankful for God in the ways He has protected us in the past few weeks. Three weeks ago I started having abdominal pain. Five days later, I was in the ER and found out that I had some rare torsion of an appendage on my intestines. Gratefully, it did not require surgery and it was something that had to work itself out. Two weeks later, I was as good as new!

On Saturday, Deborah was giving a shower at the clubhouse of our neighborhood and I was home with the kids. While in the playroom, Cannon tried to climb up a wooden play kitchen and fell backwards. Unfortunately, so did the piece of furniture, and it landed on top of him. When I removed the furniture off of his body, his entire face was covered in blood and blood was actually coming out of his forehead like a fountain! I ran him downstairs, wrapped him in a towel, and called Deborah. Within fifteen minutes we were in the ER (again) and Cannon was getting cared for. Praise the Lord, he had no head trauma or concussion. He did, though, require three layers of stitches since the gash went all the way to his skull! He is doing well now and will get his outer layer of stitches out at the end of the week.

So, it has been a little wild around here lately, but as mentioned earlier, God has been good.

Clay for the Kirklands

yes, we are alive!

2011-06-25T15:43:00.003-04:00

So, I have a confession to make: I have not been a good blogger boy. I am ok with that, but I do promise to try to be better. Thus, this is an attempt to catch up on the past seven months in as few words as possible.

Our winter was spent waiting for Gracey to come, and while we waited, Cannon decided to start walking. Everyone was thrilled with his development, especially Fields, because Cannon's new skill meant that playtime would become a lot more fun. Well, at the end of March (the 29th to be exact), Pamela Grace Kirkland arrived! The boys were instantly mesmerized by the new baby, and both Deborah and I fell in love with our little girl at first sight. Since then, she has continued to be a stunning baby: she is sleeping through the night, eating quickly and thoroughly, and she calm temperament has made the transition from two to three kids very smooth for everyone.

The school year ended very well for all things Wesley. Our sign ups for student leadership were at an all time high, and our upcoming intern class is the second largest that we have ever had. The Lord is continuing to build us, and we are continuing to learn how to adjust to each year. Working in a campus ministry where your staff changes by 50-70 percent each and every year demands a fair bit of flexibility! Despite the challenge of change, it is a tremendous place to work and watch God transform young men and women. The directors return on July 18th, and the interns arrive on August 1 for intern training. Our 'summer' is quickly coming to an end, but good things always come in August!

We spent a week with my brother and his family as well as my parents on Amelia Island the first week of June. My parents are always gracious hosts to the madness that six kids six and under bring to a beach week! The boys enjoyed the pool more than the ocean, but in reality, they enjoyed the junk food, extended bed times, and the cousins the most. Gracey had a baby tent that was her favorite spot all week outside, and Deborah was able to soak up some rays and listen to ocean. The highlight of the trip for me was playing golf with my dad at TPC sawgrass!

So, that is our summer in a nutshell. Hope you enjoy!

clay for the kirklands

Colorado, Conference, Christmas

2010-12-11T16:15:00.002-05:00

The Christmas break for us has 'officially' begun - kinda. Even though the interns and students are gone, my work still continues for a bit longer. I will be with Bob at a college ministry conference all next week in Kansas City. He and I will be teaching on Tuesday at the 'boot camp' of the conference. It is an event that I have attended several times with Bob, so we always look forward to it.

Tonight, though, the travel begins. The whole fam is heading out to Colorado to spend a week with Deborah's aunt, uncle, and cousin. Deborah has wanted to visit them for such a long time, and things worked out to where it was a possibility. So, we all fly out tonight, and I will hop over to KC on Monday morning and return to Denver on Friday night. We all will return to Athens on Sunday night. It should be quite an adventure!

Once we return, we will take a few days to regain our composure and then it is off to Marietta for a bit and then to Cumming for another bit. Our kids will be road and air warriors by the time Christmas is over!

We are attempting to finish and mail our Christmas season newsletter in the midst of all of this, so hopefully you will get that sooner than later. We would appreciate your prayers as we travel all over the country! Thanks!

clay for the kirklands

LINK

2010-11-10T05:57:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone - I know, I know....it's been nearly three months since I posted. SORRY! And, to top it off, this post will be really short! Sorry again!

Anyway, if you have not already, please go to my facebook page and watch the WESLEY fundraising dinner video...it is awesome!

On a personal note, we failed on our first attempt to 'see' the gender of our baby three weeks ago! But, this coming Tuesday, we get another shot!

Clay

Are you serious.....Yes I am!

2010-08-22T14:50:00.002-04:00

Why the title....because it is the question you will ask me, plus the response I will give you, when you read this next line:

DEBORAH IS NINE WEEKS PREGNANT!!!

We could not be more thrilled and excited about this third 'blessing' from the Lord! We told our parents a week ago, and now we are releasing it to the public, so pass on the good news!

Deborah has started to feel a bit queasy, which happened to her with both Fields and Cannon in the past. It is also a primary prayer focus of ours since she has two to take care of and also has two jobs! Please, please, please join with us in asking God for MERCY in regards to Deborah and her health.

As far as baby Kirkland goes, he/she is healthy, has a very good heart rate, and is right on schedule with his/her physical development. We are actually able to see the little arms/legs budding out on the ultrasound this week!

Many have asked/assumed about our desire for a girl this time; however, we really do not have a preference. Either way we consider ourselves blessed. It really is overwhelming to remember God's faithfulness to us throughout our journey into and out of infertility. He has been, is still, and always will be GOOD!

clay for the kirklands

Another Summer Update

2010-07-30T07:55:00.002-04:00

Here is another installment from the life of the Kirklands. The 'bullet point' format seemed to work out last time, so I am going to do it again.

- CHILDREN - the kids are doing so well. Fields turns two on Monday! He has become focused on a few important things: plastic golf clubs (thank you, God), Barney, trains, and books. Each time he goes to bed, he has to have several/all of these items in his crib with him! Some of his highlights have been sleeping with a full sized guitar in his crib, a plastic tricycle, and two full sized beach balls....funny stuff. Cannon is now 8 months old his specialties include crawling and cutting teeth. This week we have found him sitting up in his bed just babbling about life or playing with this crib toy. He also has a passion for increasing the size of his upper thigh!

- NEW HOME - We moved! It literally was a whirlwind of a move, but somehow (God) it happened. On July 6th we received an offer for our house - it had been on the market for ten weeks - and on July 23rd we closed! So many of our friends and interns from Wesley helped us pack up and get out so quickly. Instead of buying a home so quickly, we were pointed towards a great opportunity to rent a home in a wonderful neighborhood in Athens. It is quite larger and nicer than we are used to, but the Lord directed our steps to this place. We signed a year's lease and will reconsider our options for buying something next summer.

- WORK - The interns of the 2010-2011 school year arrive on Monday! We have nearly 75 interns serving with us this year! Intern Training is one of my favorite times of the year - I often can barely sleep because of the anticipation and excitement of each day. It is a great and crazy mixture of fun, worship, wildness, good teaching, and wonderful community. UGA students begin on Monday, the 16th, and our first big service of the year will be on the 18th.

- OTHER STUFF - Deborah and I celebrated 9 years of marriage on the 28th of July! Our anniversary dinner was a culinary journey at the Woodfire Grill in Atlanta. Kevin Gillespie, a Top Chef finalist, is co-owner and head chef there. We did the five course tasting menu, and it was out of this world. Below is a description of each course:

Five Course tasting menu:

- Chef’s treat #1 – amuse-bouche – local carrot, pickled beets, Moroccan spiced aioli

1. 1. Local glazed carrot, applesauce smear, German style red cabbage

2. 2. Olive oil poached shrimp, golden raisin tapenade, crispy fried eggplant donut

- Chef’s treat#2 – amuse-bouche – heirloom tomato with pickled cucumber relish

3. 3. Berkshire pork belly, fire roasted okra, sweet corn puree, local fire roasted glazed quail, roasted tomato vinaigrette

4. 4. Sous-vide and smoked lamb loin with Yukon gold sauce, braised pistachios in beef broth, pickled mustard seeds

5. 5. Blueberry and cornmeal cake with blueberry ice cream, white chocolate ganache, and sweet corn sauce, blueberry syrup, with crumbled cookies on the side

- Chef’s treat #3 – 2 chocolate truffles

It was fabulous - I mean, FABULOUS!!!!!

clay for the kirklands

SUMMER UPDATE

2010-06-09T11:18:00.003-04:00

Life has been really busy around the Kirkland home these days. Here is the readers digest version of the our summer activities:

- Beach

We went to the beach with my parents and my brother and his family at the end of May. Spending a week in a Amelia Island with five kids ages five and under is both fun and challenging! This trip has become an annual event, and each year more and more children are added to the mix. The great news is that our kids loved the water, both pool and ocean, and they would wear themselves out and sleep well at night. Pictures will tell the story better so look for them at the end of this post!

- Bees

Here is something that you might not have known about me: I have had beekeeping on my bucket list since I was a young boy. Three weeks ago, I was able to erase that entry on that list! In the back right corner of the lot, I have two bee hives! It has been a lot of fun, even though my neighbors probably think that I have come back from NASA space camp when I walk around the yard with my outfit on! The bees are in the process of developing their 'home base,' and once they do, I will be able to add more boxes on top for honey production.

- House

We have put our house on the market. Before you send me emails about how bad the market is/are you moving away and where are you going, please keep reading on! We are NOT moving away from Athens, and we realize it is not the ideal time to sell a house. But, we are attempting to be obedient to what we believe the Lord is leading us to do. If it sells, that would be wonderful and we could look for a house with a bit more space and in a better school district. If it does not sell, then we took a shot at obedience and we hit the drawing board again!

- Wesley

The summer is actually one of my more busy times throughout the year since it is the time that I have to regroup and forward think about the upcoming fall. With the number of interns that we have coming in this year (over 75 + the 14 directors), I have a LOT to do! Intern Training begins on August 2nd, which is a two week period where the staff comes together and prepares for the year. I, along with Daniel Simmons (my partner in all of this), plan, create, and administer those two weeks. It is a labor of love, and each year it sets the tone for the staff.

- Kids

Cannon just turned six months, and Fields is two months away from being two! Cannon is now sitting up, eating baby cereal and bananas, and teething like a madman! He is a very happy baby and is often content to just sit and be. Fields, on the other hand, has had the energy levels cranked up lately! He is talking all the time - sometimes in English, others times in an Asian/African dialect. Fields is now in a booster sit at the 'grown up' table and is in the beginning stages of potty training.

ENJOY THE PICTURES!

End of the Year Wrap Up

2010-05-07T13:08:00.002-04:00

We have 'officially' brought our school year to an end at Wesley, although our work for this fall has already begun. Last Thursday, we had Intern Appreciation out at Deborah's uncles house in Gainesville. Traditionally, we always have it at Wesley, so we led our interns this year to believe that we were going to be at Wesley this year as well. However, once they all congregated at Wesley, a charter bus came and picked them up! They were extremely surprised and excited about the off campus evening we planned for them. After some really good food (yes, I cooked it all) and some very encouraging words shared to the interns, we concluded the night with a fireworks extravaganza! It was so wonderful, and I truly believe that every intern was blessed by it.

As I mentioned, next year's planning is in full swing. We spend three days earlier this week at our director's retreat, and I (clay) will spend two days away with Daniel Simmons (my partner in crime with the internship program) planning for next year. Why all this work so soon? Oh, it is because we have SEVENTY SEVEN interns coming in on August 2nd!!!!!!! A year ago at this point, we had just finished intern appreciation for our 38 interns, and we were wondering what we were going to do with 51 incoming interns! Now, 51 seems small compared to 77! With 14 directors, we will have over 90 people on staff at Wesley for 2010-2011. It will be crazy but fun for everyone to see what God is up to with this type of staff.

Our family will be joining up with my brothers family and my parents to participate in the annual Kirkland Beach Trip in Amelia Island during the last week in May. Since last year, by brother and I both have added a child, so we now are having to rent two condos to fit everyone. This will be the first time that I have ever attended this blessed event and not have to either leave early or study at night because of seminary. So, this will be a new experience for me! When we get back, I will post some new pictures of the kids. They are both growing like weeds!

clay for the kirklands

Jamaican Times

2010-03-19T13:03:00.004-04:00

Hey Everyone - Well, the Jamaica trip was absolutely terrific! The Lord was so kind to us, and we could really feel His tangible favor upon us. The travel, the airports, the weather, the team, etc - everything was blessed by Jesus!

Our kids are normally very well behaved and live life really peacefully. In Jamaica, they were even better! Fields had a blast with the team, and he became quite the socialite during the evenings with the Freshmen. His crowning moment was getting in the middle of the group and dancing to the tunes of a Jamaican reggae band! Cannon was offically labeled a 'beach bum' all week. His activities included sleeping, eating, laughing, and sleeping some more! I dont think that either of them wanted to leave; they have actually seemed a little bored this week without their fifty three new friends around all the time!

We would not have had the trip we had without Deborah's sister, Cat, being there. She was terrific all week, helping with the kids and bonding with the team. She took a whole week of work off in order to make this trip happen for us (it was a requirement for me to have someone stay with Deborah during the times we were out on the work sites).

Deborah and I had a blast spending time with the students on the trip. With our positions at Wesley, we do not get as much interaction with the students as we would like, so this trip was a special blessing. We were amazed at how passionately in love with Jesus they were and how they really came together as team. They are a very impressive group of young men and women!

Enjoy the pictures...

clay for the kirklands

BLOWN OUT of the 'Blog Fog'

2010-02-07T14:01:00.004-05:00

So, life with two kids has been both WONDERFUL and BLURRY! We certainly have seen a lot of our free time disappear, but it has been worth it. Our blog has most definitely suffered from this time warp - something that I have called the 'blog fog.' How do you come up with something clever to say when you cannot even think straight? I cannot remember half of what I used to know, thus the blog has been empty for a long time.

Fields to the rescue, though! Here is the background:

Things had been going really well for us with two kids during January. We settled into a great routine and both the boys were thriving together. During the past two weeks, however, Deborah and Fields have been hit hard with bronchitis. Both of them have been through a round of antibiotics, and just now they are showing signs of improvement. Cannon, poor little guy, tested positive for RSV, thus he has been on steroids and breathing treatments for a week. By the grace of God, I have managed to stay relatively well during this war zone.

Fields, at 18 months and 5 days , has had a streak going on that I have been personally proud of. He went the first 18 months and 4 days without ever having diarrhea!!!!!! Sounds strange, but he has been 'solid' for his entire life, which I contribute to his insanely healthy diet (mush rules). Well, after a week of antibiotics and snot being ingested, he finally caved. I was asleep this morning because I was on Cannon patrol last night (feeding and breathing treatments every 4 hours). Deborah got Fields around 7:30 am, and she was welcomed by a natural disaster....

PROCEED TO LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING PICTURES AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!!!!

Cannon was, needless to say, undisturbed by the whole thing!

Clay for the Kirklands!!!

Two Week Review

2009-12-15T18:48:00.002-05:00

We have entered into our third week of parenting two, and thus I figured a review would be in order. The great news is that we have had a lot of help so far. My mother was here the first week with us as we transitioned from the hospital to the house. She was a major asset to us! She cooked, she cleaned, she washed, she changed diapers, she held the babies, etc. We then had three days between helpers before Deborahs aunt Pat and cousin Allison came into town from Colorado. Allison was here for four days, and Aunt pat is staying here till this Saturday. They, too, have been so helpful to us. Allison is a pediatric nurse and Pat is a retired physical therapist, so Allie was our doctor on demand and Pat has massaged out all of our stress!

The boys have been wonderful. Fields had his first fever of his life last week, and the jury is still out as to whether it was more traumatic for him or for us! It turned out to be a case of Rosiola. The great news about Fields is this: He adores Cannon! There is not a waking hour that goes by where Fields is not kissing, hugging, patting, or rubbing on Cannon (especially his ear). Cannon has hung in there with all of the 'affection' from his big brother. He is sleeping very well for a two week old, and he eats a lot as well. He really has been as 'easy' baby, especially since he never cries! Of course, he can let it out when we change him and our hands are cold, but in all honesty, he is pretty chilled out for a newborn.

Deborah is, as always, handling things beautifully. With the help that we have had, she has taken the chance to rest at times during the day, and most nights, Cannon does not keep us up much at all. Wesley is on Christmas break, which gives me the opportunity to be at home right now with everyone. We are looking forward to our first Christmas as a family of four!

Enjoy a few new pictures!

clay for the kirklands

Introducing Mr. cannon asher kirkland

2009-11-29T20:59:00.002-05:00

Today, cannon asher kirkland was born at 2:10 pm! He weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces, was 20 1/2 inches long, with dark hair, great skin tone, and brownish eyes. Deborah did INCREDIBLY well - the whole process from water breaking to cannon was forty minutes and four big pushes! Fields adores him already. Much, much more will come in the near future, but I am too freakin tired to do any more!

clay for the kirklands

Graduation Celebration

2009-09-04T09:45:00.002-04:00

Well, you should all know by now that Deborah is incredible! Here is another example of her awesomeness: Last Friday, I finished my last seminary class! After 5 busy years, Deborah wanted to do something special for me as a celebration. She went straight to the sweetspot of my heart: FOOD!

I am a real food snob - if it bothers you, blame my parents because they raised me to be that way. I grew up eating at some of the best restaurants in the southeast. So, now, my passion for good food and the culinary arts are still as strong as ever. Here in Athens, we have some really wonderful restaurants, with 5 and 10 being the premier restaurant in this city. Hugh Acheson is the head chef there, and he is AMAZING. He won best new chef from Food and Wine among other things.

We have eaten at 5 and 10 a few times to celebrate our anniversary, and each time it gets better. I was able to meet Hugh at Deborah's cousins wedding two summers ago when he catered the reception - it was a great experience.

So, Deborah pulled off a big surprise and had Hugh Acheson come to our house last night and cook for us!!!!!!!!! When he came to the door, I was so confused to see Hugh with a bunch on cooking supplies! He spent 2 hours in my kitchen, using my cookware, cleaning all of the dishes he used, serving us at the table, and talking our heads off about the restaurant business, cooking secrets, and funny stories about our kids.

It was probably the coolest thing that anyone has ever done for me! I was so incredibly blessed, and I believe that I had a perma-smile on my face the whole night. I woke up this morning still thinking about the experience. Below is what was on the menu:

- Spinach salad with grilled pear, maytag blue cheese, walnuts, and shallot-thyme vinaigrette

- Tomato and bread soup with homemade pimento cheese grilled cheese sandwich

- Poached beef eye of ribeye with shitake mushroom duxelle, broccoli gratin, and simple jus

- Peach cobbler with homemade peach ice cream

Wesley is BACK!!!!!

2009-08-23T20:42:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone - Let me first answer a question from the fan mail: "Clay, your blog is so totally boss. Can you please let me know why you have not been writing during the past month? I heard that you fast a lot - are you fasting blogging?"

No, I have not been on a blog 'fast.'

OK, so now that the fans are satisfied, let me give you an update on our ministry. We had our first wesley of the school year this past Wednesday. We are meeting this year in a large room in the new student center that is called, Tate 2 (since the original student center is called the 'Tate Center'). Tate 2 is located right in the middle of campus beside the stadium, and it is a perfect location for students who live both on and off campus to congregate.

We had been spending the majority of our time the past few weeks getting ready to load in our sound and lights, but two days before our service, we found out that we were going to be able to use the stage, lights, and sound that had been set up for the Kellie Pickler concert!!! As you look at the pics below, you will notice how 'professional' it appears. We certainly were blessed by it all, but this week we will be back to normal - Wesley level sound and lights, which is on a campus ministry budget level!

The night of the service, students started pouring in from everywhere once we opened the doors. Having been here for quite some time, both Deborah and I know that the first night is always the biggest. But, despite our prior experiences, it never gets old to see students hungry to meet with the Lord after being away from Wesley all summer. The crowds kept growing and growing till we were bulging out of every side of our new room! The front 'mosh pit' and all of the open areas in the back were jammed tightly. We are not sure of the exact number, but we do know that there were well over one thousand students there since we nearly had one thousand seats placed in the room.

We are geared up for an incredible year. Our staff is the largest we have ever had at Wesley, and thus far they have been amazingly willing to serve others and pursue the Lord eagerly. The student leadership team this year had an incredible retreat just before the school year began, and all of us could tell that as a corporate body, our leaders are going to go for it all this year. Words cannot express the gratitude we feel and have toward the Lord for all that He has already done and is doing at Wesley this year. We will be sure to keep you posted.

clay for the kirklands

Season of BUSY

2009-07-26T15:43:00.003-04:00

Hey Everyone - we have reached that time of year again where everything in our lives moves into hyper-speed for a while. In the next month, we have our 8th anniversary, Fields' first birthday, Intern Training for 53 young men and women who will comprise our intern staff this year, The first Wesley service of the new school year, my last final ever for seminary, the results of Deborah's licensure process, and much, much, more!

As you can see from the pictures down below, this season is making us T-I-R-E-D!! We would LOVE your prayers for grace and strength!

Thanks,

Clay for the Kirklands

this is the process of Fields waking up from a late morning nap!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drum roll please...

2009-07-09T13:18:00.002-04:00

And the verdict is:

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!

Due date is 12.5.09 and everything looked perfectly perfect on the ultrasound today!

clay for the growing kirkland family

BIG week for us...

2009-07-06T15:29:00.003-04:00

This Thursday, we will hopefully be able to tell whether we are having a boy or a girl this winter! We actually were planning to find out a few weeks ago, but our doctor had two women go into labor while we were waiting for him to see us! So, we rescheduled for this Thursday - we will certainly post the results when we have them...

In other news, we attended the Madison Sunflower Festival this weekend, and it was the first mini-horse ride for Fields! He is really, really close to walking - he can stand alone but gets pretty shaky when he tries to move forward. Usually, he just plops down without trying!

Below are some pics from the festival....Enjoy!

clay for the Kirklands

Summer Update

2009-06-10T23:01:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone - we are smack dab in the middle of summer in Athens, and it is H-O-T! I wanted to give a quick update on things going on in the crazy lives of the Kirklands:

Fields - He is cruising around all of our furniture and putting everything possible in his mouth. His new trick to to show everyone how 'big' he is by raising his hands to the sky! We have been trying to teach him how to wave bye-bye and recognize us with the words he says constantly, 'momma' and 'dadda.'

Deborah - She is at the very end of her first trimester, and while the morning sickness (which actually lasts all the waking day) has subsided slightly, it still can rear its nasty little head at any moment. This go around has been MUCH more difficult than the first with sickness and fatigue. We are all hoping that this will go away, though, like it did around this time of the last pregnancy. Despite all of this, Deborah is still a glowing mother-to-be!

Clay - I am in the process of finishing the work for the class that I attended two weeks ago in Orlando, beginning the work for the online class that started this week (and will run through August), planning for intern training and the upcoming school year, and taking care of my sick wife and crazy (in a good way) son! My last final of my 5 year seminary career is AUGUST 28th! Hallelujah, the end is near!

So, that is us in three paragraphs...

till next blog,

clay for the kirklands

Suffering in Orlando

2009-05-27T10:54:00.002-04:00

By my title, some might think that it is nearly impossible to suffer in 'sunny Orlando.' Believe me, things are so bad here - my class is not terribly boring, I finish this one and then its down to the one online class this summer before I graduate, etc. However, this class, which I needed for graduation, happened to fall on the same week that we do the Kirkland Family vacation in Amelia Island!!!!! So, while I am sitting in a classroom for 8 hours a day, my family is sitting at the pool/beach for 8 hours a day.

The fortunate part is that I was able to be there for a few days with them. My class didnt start till Tuesday, and everyone gathered in Amelia on Saturday. Deborah, Fields, and I also had the chance to go to St. Simons for two days with some good friends last week. Thus, I had a bit of a vacation, but it still is tough knowing what I am missing!

Below are some pictures of the family beach trip. Fields, just so you know, LOVES THE WATER! Pool and ocean are welcoming to our little man. Also, Deborah texted me today and told me that she felt the baby kick this morning!!!!

clay for the kirklands

Update

2009-05-13T11:00:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone - We have wrapped up the school year now at Wesley, even though the summer is one of the busiest times as we attempt to get ready for the upcoming school year! The summer break works out well for us so that we can have the opportunity to get regrouped and planned up for August.

This next year should be VERY interesting! For the past three years, we have had 38 interns - which is a lot. For the 2009-2010 school year, we currently have 52, thats right, FIFTY TWO, interns for next year!!!! Therefore, I am the process of figuring out what to do with so many people! The good news is that Daniel Simmons has come on as a director who will assist me with staff development. This is a major answer to prayer for me, as all of what we try to accomplish and provide for our interns is too much for one person to pull off! So, Daniel could not have come at a better time - God has great timing!!!!

We ended the year with incredible blessings and favor from the Lord. Our students really stepped up and went after God in some amazing ways, so much so that it is difficult to remember a more fruitful semester. We saw students lives literally change in the course of a service or outreach, and we are still hearing reports of what the Lord did through other students and Wesley events. He is worthy of much praise and thanks....

On the family front, Deborah is desperately hoping that the first trimester will come and go quickly! With Fields, her sickness stopped as the second trimester began, so we are praying that the same will be true with this pregnancy. I have one more week of school for this semester, and then the FINAL SUMMER SEMESTER BEGINS!!!!!! I take an intensive class during the last week of May and a thru session online class that ends in August. At that point, I will be finished! AMEN!

Fields has four teeth now, and he is 'cruising' around the couch and coffee table! His new tricks include making funny noises with his hand in his mouth, holding his hands out like he does not know what is going on when we ask him a question, and showing us how big he is by raising his hands up in the air. His hair has begun to lay down a bit more these days, which is sad for us but good news for some other family members who were not fans of the spiked look. He is simply amazing, and he constantly reminds us of the goodness of God.

We hope and pray all is well with each of you....

clay for the Kirklands

SUPER GREAT NEWS

2009-04-22T17:21:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone - DEBORAH IS PREGNANT AGAIN!!!! We are completely thrilled by the news we got a few weeks ago! In December of 2008, Deborah had an apple-sized cyst removed from her right ovary. We consulted with the obgyn, and he encouraged us to pursue pregnancy again after she recovered from the surgery if we were comfortable with that. He is an amazing Christian man, and we really trust his counsel.
Neither Deborah nor I had a real grid as to how long it would take for us to get pregnant. In fact, it was not promised to us that it would happen again. The first time we tried, it took three years, so we were PLEASANTLY surprised when after three months Deborah had a positive result of a pregnancy test at the beginning of this month!
The due date for 'baby kirkland' is December 5th, 2009. Deborah, Fields, and I could not be more grateful to Jesus for this new gift in our lives....He is good.

clay for the kirklands

Ticket Time!

2009-04-06T19:58:00.002-04:00

Today I purchased tickets to see U2 perform in atlanta later this year! If you did not know, I am a massive fan of u2. This is will be the fourth time that I will have attended their concert, and it will be Deborah's second time.

Just wanted everyone to know that despite the fact that my allergies are making my body miserable, my heart is happy thinking about u2 in october!

clay

Ministry Update

2009-03-29T22:34:00.002-04:00

The month of April is one of the most important for us here at the UGA Wesley Foundation. For it is during this month that we have next year's Intern and Leadership sign-ups. If you do not know, our leaders are the students who participate in and lead so much of the ministry that takes place at Wesley. Our interns give leadership and oversight to all of our ministry areas. We would not have the ministry that we have today if not for the dozens of interns and hundreds of leaders.

So, I would love for you to put us on our prayer list this month. Please ask the Lord to build our ministry according to HIS goodwill and pleasure. Since I am the director over the Internship, I could use your prayers as well as I meet with potential interns and seek to discern what is best for us next year.

Thank you in advance for your prayers!

clay for the Kirklands

SPRING BREAK 09

2009-03-17T18:12:00.002-04:00

One of the benefits of working at a campus ministry (and there are many) is the holiday schedule. So, last week was spring break for the students - that means, it was also spring break for us! Deborah, Fields, and I had a brilliant week! We went to a lake house for a few days to relax, took a two days trips (Greenville, SC and Chimney Rock, NC), and did some major cleaning/rearranging at our house. It was a blast, and we were very thankful for the time to get some things accomplished!

On a personal note, I registered for what should be my LAST TWO CLASSES OF SEMINARY!!!!! Praise Jesus!! Do not get me wrong, I have appreciated all that I have learned and gained through Asbury, but on the other side of things - well, it has been 5 full years already! If everything is set and goes through as planned, I should graduate in August!

Life is good for the Kirklands - Fields is working his way through teething pretty well, Deborah and I are doing well, and the weather in Athens is finally making a turn for the better. Spring time here is quite delightful!

Here are some pics to give you a visual for a spring break...

clay for the Kirklands

CAR update

2009-03-04T11:59:00.002-05:00

So, we first of all appreciate your prayers and advice during our car fiasco. The Lord was gracious, and our 4-runner was fixed for us by Deborahs dad! We will still be in the market for a newer car soon, but it is nice not having to use someone else's car!

CARS

2009-02-22T20:11:00.003-05:00

We are now in the market for another car. The 4-runner needs a new head gasket, and we dont think that its worth the money or trouble to keep fixing it. So, some friends of ours have generously allowed us to borrow one of their cars while we try to find a replacement. We would love your prayers and insider tips during this process!

clay for the kirklands

MUSH!!!

2009-02-14T16:16:00.003-05:00

Today, Deborah and I made Fields' baby food, which can only be described as, 'mush.' The recipe? Ah, yes, of course you want to know. It's simple, really - English peas, black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes, bananas, prunes, apple sauce, oat cereal, and a heavy duty food processor! It's organic (yes, we have drunk the kool-aid), and it is very cost efficient. In one hour, we had two weeks of the mush and saved many dollar bills. Best of all...HE LOVES IT!!!!!! He can't get enough, and his body illustrates his passion for it with many, many rolls of skin!

Below are a few pics for your viewing pleasure.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY,

clay for the kirklands

A Special Day

2009-02-02T09:08:00.002-05:00

So, here is some random info for everyone about our lives right now:

- I failed on my first blogger new years resolution, but at least I have 11 more months to do better.

- Today marks Fields' 6 month birthday! We are shocked at how fast the time has gone...amazing. He is growing up - weighs in at almost 18 pounds and has a lot of hair that sticks up everywhere!

- All three of us have been battling a nasty cold. It started with Fields, then Deborah, and now I am bringing up the rear. I am at home right now instead of work because of it.

- This month at Wesley is called FUNBRUARY or FUN FEBRUARY. We had noticed in the past that February was always a difficult month for a lot of our interns and students - no real holidays, cold, dreary, lots of sickness, etc. So, last year we declared that February was going to be FUN! We had such a great response from it, that it has become a permanent feature to our intern year. Today, the whole staff went to see the groundhog wake up at the Athens Zoo! Throughout the month, we will have raffles, contests, random games and prizes, and themes for our interns to enjoy. I will send some pictures later in the month of some of the things that we have come up with!

- Deborah continues to be the incredible wife, mother, counselor, Wesley Director, friend, and powerhouse that she has always been! Juggling Fields and me is tough enough, but when you add in two part time jobs as well, it is crazy for her! She counsels on Mondays and Wednesdays, Disciples Wesley girls on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we usually meet for some pre-marital sessions with Wesley folks on Fridays. Busy, Busy, Busy...

- I am counting down till August - four more classes, and then I am a graduate of Asbury!

Clay for the Kirklands

Dang!

2009-01-30T09:33:00.002-05:00

Well, so far I have not done too well on my new year's resolutions. My activator (strengthsfinder reference) gave me all kind of ideas, but so far I have not followed through! I still have two days in January, so I have the opportunity to make three total posts during this month!

I just spent a week in Orlando at an intensive seminary class, and I have a small break between the J-term and my spring classes. ONLY FOUR MORE AND I WILL BE A SEMINARY GRADUATE!!!!!! I can taste that sweetness of not having books, papers, and deadlines looming over me - five years is a long time to wear that yoke!

Wesley has started back and we have returned to having our services in our building. Last semester was great at the Classic Center, but we are back home and loving it. We turn the prayer chapel into an overflow room where we have live worship and a piped in video feed of Bob preaching. It has gone really well the past three weeks. Our hope is to rent a room in the New student center that will be more convenient to our students and less of a financial burden on our ministry.

OK...Fields is crying....

Till tomorrow,

Clay for the Kirklands

New Year Brings New Things

2009-01-01T13:23:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year! Tis the season for resolutions, and since I am an activator (strengthsfinder refererence), below you will find a few of my 'blog' resolutions....

- I am going to blog more than once a month

- I will respond to other people's blogs (do unto others...)

- Our blog will be more diverse. We are moving toward a more electronic update style of communication with our supporters, so I plan to add much more content about Wesley and our ministry.

- More pictures of Fields (he is changing so fast!)

- I will learn how to 'spruce' up the layout of our page

More than likely, I will need some accountability in order to achieve these lofty goals!

clay for the kirklands

Good News, Good News, Good News

2008-12-08T14:21:00.002-05:00

Deborah's surgery went very well, and the doctor was able to peel away and remove the cyst without having to take out the ovary or her tubes! He was encouraged by the way her ovaries looked, and he could not see any other major issues. Our doctor is awesome and is a major blessing - He came into the prep room where Deborah, her dad, and myself were on Friday morning, explained the surgery, and then prayed over Deborah and himself before he took her away!

The recovery part will be slow and somewhat painful because she had about a four inch incision. We have some folks helping us with fields, food, and such for a bit while we get our feet back underneath us.

On a completely different note, while we were in the hospital this weekend, Fields rolled over from his back to his belly three times for Honey (my mom) and Papa John (Deborah's dad)! They said he was shocked by it. Hopefully, we will get to see his new trick soon...

Thanks to everyone who prayed - we really appreciate it!

clay for the kirklands

PS - my title is a complete ripoff of Charles Sineath's set up line for the main thing of his sermon. I guess I did pay attention at some point in church while I was young!

Under the Knife

2008-12-04T20:43:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone - We would love your prayers this weekend as Deborah has surgery tomorrow morning to remove a cyst near her ovary. She will have to be at the hospital for a few days, and due to a community acquired staff infection going around there, Fields will not be coming to see his mom.

Deborah is more worried about not being able to see Fields than having surgery - but you can pray for both! Thanks everybody!

clay for the kirklands

Last Month Recap

2008-11-24T11:42:00.006-05:00

To those of you frustrated by the lack of posts (Shireen - thanks for keeping me accountable), forgive me! I can give you several reasons why I have not updated the blog, but no one really wants to hear that...

Anyway, things have been going so well with Fields. He is nearly 4 months old, and from what we can tell, he is loving life! Grabbing things and placing them in his mouth, drooling excessively, making noises, smiling from ear to ear, and sleeping through the night would be his 'interests' on his facebook page (if he had one of course). He has become quite a traveler as well - He has been to Cumming and Marietta twice, Fall Retreat at FFA-FHA camp, Highlands, NC, Dahlonega, and Hartwell in the past two months!

Gaining weight has become somewhat of an area of expertise for the little guy. Two weeks ago, he weighed over 14 pounds, and the nurse told us the average weight at that time was 12 lbs! Also, he has survived his first cold, and he managed to pass it on to his daddy.

Deborah and I are enjoying all of the new things that Fields is doing - it is hard to believe how fast he is growing up and changing. We are looking forward to the holiday breaks so we can have a little bit of down time for ourselves with Fields. The weeks are so incredibly busy for both of us with work and school, and the past few weekends have been taken up by weddings and retreats.

Here are some new pictures...

clay for the kirklands

NEW PICS

2008-10-20T18:24:00.004-04:00

Cat, my sister in law, Deborah, and Fields spent the afternoon together on Saturday. The results are seen above!

Shots and Stats

2008-10-09T18:09:00.006-04:00

So, Fields went in today for his doctor's appointment. He is wearing two bright blue band-aids on his thighs from all the shots he received. The good news is that he measured 24 inches and weighed 12.1 pounds. According to the doctor, he is 'very advanced' in his strength and skills, apparently he is functioning like a four month old instead of a 10 week old. I am not really sure how they measure that kind of stuff, but that is the news we got!

He continues to be an incredible blessing, and we have not lost the initial intensity of our fascination with every part and aspect of him.

Enjoy the updated pics!

clay for the kirklands

...and we are on the air!

2008-09-24T17:43:00.002-04:00

First, let me say that I am sorry that it took so long for this to happen. We received emails, facebook 'walls,' and phone calls all wanting to know when our testimony would be available. Good news - now it is!

For those who did not know, Deborah and I were given the opportunity to speak at Wesley last week about what God did in our lives through Fields. If you want to check it out, then go to Itunes, select podcasts, search for the UGA Wesley foundation, and then subscribe - you should see our talk labeled, 'Clay and Deborah's testimony.'

If you have any problems, let me know - hope you enjoy, and hope you are encouraged! God is good...all the time!

Picture Page

2008-09-13T11:05:00.007-04:00

Enjoy...

fields - 6 weeks

2008-09-13T09:15:00.002-04:00

Today we hit the 6-week mark in the life of fields. It is difficult to describe all of the ways that he has grown and changed since coming into this world last month. Despite the sleeplessness, inability to accomplish all that we used to, irratibility, etc., he continues to be the apple of our eyes. Even last night, we tried to comprehend the reality that he is actually here, but to no avail. We are still in awe of Jesus' goodness.

So, at this point in his life, fields...

- is starting to smile at us when we smile at him (especially in the morning)

- loves his swing

- enjoys his morning walk with Deborah, Rachel, and Meg (Rachel and Meg are friends/neighbors)

- allows his dad to fold him over for some 'gas relief' - video evidence to follow soon!

- can pick up his head and turn it from side to side while lying on his stomach

- has begun allowing mom to have a break by taking a bottle of breastmilk occasionally

- is simply incredible!

Kirkland Blog: Under Construction

2008-07-20T09:50:00.000-04:00

Notice to interested friends and family: Our blog is currently being built. Permits still need to be signed, fixtures are not set, and the paint colors have not been chosen. However, we expect the completion of the blog to come very soon!