Christmas with Leah

so, Christmas tends to be one of my more relaxing holidays...but I think that has changed now that I have a child!  Count 'em: SIX...that's six parties/family gatherings!  Good thing Leah and her parents are pretty laid back people....however, it does feel good to be home today....finally able to relax.  Leah is already working on her second nap of the day! :)

I've mentioned before how important family and friends are to me; to now share that love with my daughter was probably one of the best presents I was able to receive this year.  So, our Christmas in pictures:

Leah falls asleep in grandpa's arms before she even gets to open her presents! :)

sleeps through the new book from grandma...

sleeps through her first baby doll...

photo op with cousin Greyson...he was very excited!

this is a classic photo of the children of my friends since high school--it was one of our most fun reunion moments ever! :)

family Christmas photo...not one of Leah's better smiles... ha ha :)

it's the most wonderful time of the year

December is one of my most favorite months of the year, and this year has proven to be no exception!  We've been busy...visiting Santa, decorating a Christmas tree, finishing two graduate classes, baking lots of goodies, shoveling out from a Michigan snowstorm, two month old doctor visit, and church Christmas program...these are start the start of our month!

Highlights:
--visiting Santa was obviously not so much a highlight for Leah as she won't even remember it, but it sure was fun for mom & dad! (ha, ha)

--finishing two graduate classes freed up a lot of my time and made decorating and preparing for Christmas a lot more fun.  A huge load off me, especially with Jason being put on second shift right now...

--two month old Leah visited her doctor to learn that she is up to 10 pounds, 15 ounces in weight and 22 1/2 inches long...both right in the 50th percentile!  The doctor commented at what a beautiful baby she is--and of course, we couldn't disagree. :)  She did also get three little shots to which she screamed about and I will admit I got a little teary eyed, but after a few sucks on the pacifier, she was okay and smiling at me again.  What a little trooper!

--Leah also had the opportunity to play her first role in her church's Christmas program.  Since she is still working on her singing voice, she was given the role of baby Jesus in which her direction was to lay sweetly in the arms of Mary and not cry! :)  She did brilliantly.

With many more activities to enjoy this season, we look forward to the celebration of Christ's birth!

thankful

One thing I enjoy about blogging is that it documents significant events in my life. I now have a place to go back and remember what I was doing one year/two years ago. For instance, two years ago, I was thankful for the fact that we had just sold Jason's house in Holland. Last year, well, I don't know, I didn't document the month of November very well... :) But, I do know I tend to have pretty busy fall seasons as I have taken graduate classes for a few years now and that always leads to a busy fall and then leads up to the busy holiday season.

No surprise, but this year was a bit different. I continue with my graduate classes, but not while working my typical job. This year it has been while learning to be a mother! I cannot describe how this bundle of joy has changed my life...physically, mentally, emotionally...it is phenomenal! Thanksgiving was just another day in my life this fall as I have found that every day is my thanksgiving now. Of course for Leah, but also for all the things that she has brought into focus in my life and relationships every single day. Things are more meaningful and precious as I start to observe and reflect on how they impact my daughter. Being thankful just seems to be the tip of the iceberg!

But, enough of the ramblings...I want to document this fall too: for the first time in several years, I did not go hunting. I kind of missed it, but was thrilled that my husband did go hunting for the first time in several years! He didn't get anything, but had a lot of fun hanging out with his uncles & cousins. Also, I continue with my two graduate classes which will be wrapping up in the next week. My final degree is coming more & more in sight as I really only have about two classes left and then my final scholarly project...I still hope to be done at the age of 33. :) We also look forward to the Christmas season this year and celebrating with our family and church family. We love them all so much and can honestly say that they are who are most thankful for this year!

Leah is thankful for her hands...she has "discovered" them most recently... :)

a day in the life of Leah

Leah & her parents continue to mesh their lives together as a family...it really is indescribable to explain the thoughts and emotions that becoming a parent entails...but know that it is all good and we are all having fun!

Leah continues to amaze us with her accomplishments...most of which are the smiles that are beginning to come much more frequently. We work hard to do what we can to get them out of her!
Tummy time (or neck crunches as dad calls them) is tough work, but she does it willingly!
Then there is bath time. This is most fun because mommy sings these silly songs to try and get her to smile!

Then there is nap time. She is such a good little girl who takes after her parents and loves her sleep time. Even after laying her down awake, she'll doze off fairly quickly.

And, she continues to follow her pattern of looking just like her dad...love it!

life with Leah

so, we're about three weeks into this journey of parenthood...and so far, so good! It is without a doubt an adjustment--for all us!--but I think we're all working together to make sure the adjustment is a pretty smooth one. :)

Breastfeeding is going well, Jason is back to work, and my grad classes continue. Leah works on growing as quickly as she can and learning new ways to tell her parents what she wants and how she wants it...

We already journeyed into the great outdoors--introducing Leah to the beauty of fall in Michigan. We've had very few sunny, warm days this fall, so taking advantage of the few that come our way has been vital!

I was also able to purchase a new camera in order to capture every single moment of my daughter's life... I'm certain she'll appreciate it someday! ;)

enjoy!

motherhood

so, I've entered a new journey in my life called motherhood. At this time, I can truly say the journey is AMAZING. A new little life that God has given me (us!) the privilege to nuture, raise, and teach that God has created her to be the lovely and beautiful girl that she is!

October 9, 2009 at 12:07pm this beautiful little girl was introduced to her father & I. My first comment in seeing her was to Jason: "she has your ears!" Yet, as I watched her through tears of joy, I couldn't believe what a beautiful combination of her dad & I she really was and is. Most days I can't help but just stare at her beauty! We named her Leah Ann with her first name just being a beautiful Bible name and her middle name after her great-grandmother.

Those are some of my thoughts & emotions...some of the logistics: I am breastfeeding, I am continuing my grad classes through this semester, I am on maternity leave until after Christmas break. All of these combined have made for some interesting life changes--all to be expected, of course! Jason has taken a couple weeks off of work and that has been extremely nice in this past week (and continuing weeks!) of adjusting.

I look forward to this continued journey with all the happiness, love, tears, and joy that it has and will hold. I cannot wait to share it with you all!

final pregnancy post...

so, big changes on the arrival of our little one...at my appointment last week, the doctor let out a big sigh after she did her routine check. I said, "that didn't sound like a positive sign!" She informed me that even though I have dialated, the baby has not dropped whatsoever, and in her experience, if the baby has not dropped by now, she probably cannot due to the size of my pelvic structure. She recommended a c-section.

First off, I would trust my doctor with my life (and the life of my little girl!). If she felt this is necessary, then I will not argue. However, it surprised me how disappointed I was to have the idea of giving birth to my girl taken from me! I give credit to my doctor though...she did offer to let me go naturally and see what happens. So, I spent a long weekend praying, thinking, chatting with girlfriends who have had c-sections and decided to go ahead with a scheduled birth.

My babe will arrive this Friday, October 9!! Lord willing, of course, as His plan is the ultimate one. :)

I'm excited, nervous, anxious, happy, stressed, thrilled, tired...just as every pregnant woman in my state of 40 weeks pregnant should be!!

Oh, also this weekend, we asked my uncle to "experiment" with us and do a maternity photo shoot...we were thrilled with the results!

still pregnant...

"you're still pregnant?" that's the question I got from a student yesterday. I really did have to laugh out loud. It really mirrored my thoughts of the past few days. I've made it to the 37 week mark where my babe is now considered full term and could come anytime now. But at the doctor appointments of the past couple of weeks, there doesn't seem to be any progress in that direction. I stay positive though because my blood pressure is good, I have minimal swelling, and her heartrate is perfect. I've also noticed her somersaults have stopped and now have become pushes and jabs into my right side...a very cozy home for her right now, I'm sure!

As to other things going on at our home on Prospect...not too much. Work and grad school have begun for me in full swing which makes for some long, full days. Needless to say, other than the frequent potty trips at night, I'm sleeping pretty well!

We just continue to count down the days... :)

35 weeks

I can't believe I'm already this far! Of course, I didn't even realize I was pregnant until just less than 6 months ago. ;) The doctor's appointment today shows that I continue to be right on track: 11 pound weight gain, my blood pressure nice and low, belly measuring right on, baby heart rate 146. And, at this moment, my little girl is living with her head down; but, of course, that can always change yet as somersaults seem to be her favorite thing to do.

Work has also begun. I'm surprising several staff in the school building who didn't know I was pregnant and now arrive back to school with a larger than average belly... :) It is good to be back in a routine even though "routine" is a loosely used phrase when it comes to this public school system as every year entails a lot of shuffling around and change. But, I'm thinking it will make these last five weeks move a little faster as I get very excited to meet my girl.

We also have finished up our birthing classes. Fascinating stuff too! I thought that since I'm a nurse, I probably know more than the average pregnant mom, however, I think there were parts about it that were beneficial to both Jason & I. We both have decided that the grossest part is the delivery of the placenta, but we also decided that the best part will be meeting and holding her--which, will keep us distracted from the gross part. ha! :)

Other than that, things continue along! My two graduate classes start this week and we're looking forward to celebrating our two year wedding anniversary with a little trip up north this weekend.

pregnancy reflections

So, this is what happens at 12:15am when one is 34 weeks pregnant: no sleep. :)

However, pregnancy is an amazing feat to me. The creation of a complete an entire separate human being who will resemble her father and me in a beautiful and unique way; both physically and mentally in all our good ways and bad ways. God already knows who she will become, what amazing feats she will accomplish, and all the other little details of living a life that is glorifying and pleasing to Him.

Wow!

This midnight reflection puts it all into perspective for me. :) The achy back, the sore hips, the swollen hands and feet, the carpal tunnel (yes, that is what I have now), the insomnia, the heartburn, the frequent bathroom trips...they all pale in comparison to the life somersaulting and moving within me. I love you little one, but believe it or not, God loves you even more!

My little one's lullaby:

All through the day
all through the night
dwell in His promises
walk in His light.
Darkness shall flee
at His command;
All through the day and night,
we're in His hand.

time flies when you're having fun...

...at least that's what I'm telling myself as to why I've not kept up with my blog! ;) Seriously though, life is good on Prospect. Keeping busy means keeping out of trouble and the end of July and the beginning of August now have been pretty trouble free!

An account of the past weeks is below in pictures...

Our baby girl's bedroom is coming together with new trim paint, new carpet, a crib, and a changing table. I think she's got all she needs to arrive home! A few more finishing touches will be completed in the next few weeks...

Jason sorts through a storage unit that held pretty much all of his father's earthly belongings. It has been an interesting (and rather fun!) trip down memory lane for him. Of course now we're a little stuck trying to figure out where to put all these things...

Jason's mom got remarried. It was so sweet to see her and her new husband so in love! (just to clarify, Jason's mom and dad had been divorced for many years...)


And, our biggest project this summer has been an extreme makeover for the backyard. It began way back in May and has progressed slowly throughout the summer. Tearing down the old shed, building a retaining wall, and now building a new shed...we give many thanks to dad and Uncle Doug for their many hours of help and labor as this project has slowly unfolded. The end result will be great!

summer dayz

So, I should be doing some pharmacology homework (yes, I'm still taking a graduate class!), but instead I thought it would be good to update on our summer. I know someday I will get my PhD in procrastination... :)

We took our U.P. camping trip and had a fabulous time! The weather was a little unsettled the day we arrived, but the other days it warmed up fairly nicely and we all came back with some sun/color on our faces. We took a day to visit the Taquamenon Falls, a day to visit Mackinac Island, but also a day to just hang around the campground and visit the beach. It was so fun to hang with good friends, play with the boys, and also have my parents camp with us--in which we discovered that Pat makes an excellent babysitter! Not to be misunderstood though as Pat probably had just as much fun playing (if not more so) with the boys. :) Lots of great pictures of our adventures are found on my facebook account if you're interested in taking a peek.


We came home to a phone message that my routine pregnancy glucose test had been high and would require a follow up 3 hour glucose test to determine whether I have gestational diabetes. (eek!) That news made me rather grumpy for the rest of the week...to add to it, I had my pharm class and also an on-line test and other work to complete before I left for our church group's trip to work at a camp in northern Michigan. Needless to say, I still haven't felt the relaxation of summer dayz yet!

Now, jump ahead to today. My test is completed, I got to spend two days at camp with my church family, including some much needed rest time on my most favorite beach in Michigan. And, I received a phone call yesterday from the doctor's office to let me know I had passed my follow up glucose test, so no gestational diabetes!

yeah!

Now my summer feels like it is beginning. Tomorrow & Friday I spend some time at the MASN board summer retreat, but from there my calender opens up and relaxation begins!! Well, at least til the next project on the list: preparing baby's bedroom...look for pictures to come!

fresh air

I didn't want to leave the blog on a down note in the coming week...we've had some fun experiences too! :) Today was a regular pregnancy check-up appointment with my doctor where she confirmed that everything is looking beautiful! My weight gain is on track (yeah!), my belly is measuring where it should be, and our baby girl's heartrate was 156--perfect. I feel her movements frequently throughout the day--of course, she likes to be most active after supper and going to bed for the night. And, I do swear that last week one morning, I woke up to find that my belly had gotten about 2 inches bigger! I find that when my mood is on an upswing, I enjoy being pregnant. But, speaking of moods, I have found that the toughest moments of pregnancy involve the down-swings...the tears & crankiness are not so fun... :P

But, that aside, we are looking forward to a camping trip in the UP of Michigan with friends. We leave this coming Thursday and will spend five nights enjoying the activities and adventures of northern Michigan. This truly will be a breath of fresh air in the craziness of our lives in the past few weeks!

journey of life

I did not mean to be away this long from my blog...it was my goal this summer to keep everyone updated on our lives, the pregnancy, and other projects this summer.

But, as always, God had different plans for our lives.

About three weeks ago we received a midnight phone call that Jason's dad had been brought to the emergency room with difficulty breathing and had been intubated right then and there. A ventilator was keeping him alive and breathing. A week passed and no improvements; the ventilator was still at 100% oxygen and breathing for him and he had little to no communication with those who worked or visited with him. The doctors called a family meeting and shared that they really did not see him improving and felt the family should make a decision as to whether to keep him on life support or not.

Jason is an only child and in recent years has not been that close with his father. But that was only recently; Jason's childhood memories of adventures with his mountain-man, motorcycle-loving, free-spirited father are precious. They spent days and weeks together camping, hunting, and fishing, all the while teaching Jason to value and love God's creation. Knowing this about his father, Jason had to make the ultimate decision to take his father off life support and allow him to join his Heavenly Father in a place where there is no pain.

We have struggled...first of all with the fact that no 30-year-olds should have to decide something like this for anyone--much less their parent. Also, to learn how to plan a memorial, or to learn what to do with a will and an estate. It really has been a very surreal time in our lives. We have been very fortunate to have the full support of Jason's uncles and aunt in all of this and in some retrospect it probably has brought all of us closer together.

With the memorial service now behind us, we move on to the estate. Another learning process for us (God seems to have given a lot of those to us this year so far!) we actually look forward to it with some anticipation as Jason is given the opportunity to go through his father's things and do a lot of positive reminiscing. :)

God is amazing to us. Through hardship, heartache and many tears, He still provides His loving arms to carry us through. 2009 is and will continue to be a journey of learning new ways that He always provides!

busy, busy!

delayed posting: Memorial Day weekend... :)

We had a great time this year up at North Higgins Lake State Park. Our new tent performed very well and even kept us dry during the few light rain showers we experienced on Saturday of that weekend. The rest of the time was gorgeous, sunny, and 70 degree temps. Even Harley enjoyed splashing around in the water for a bit!

We spent some of our weekend in reflection as to how next year's camping trip will involve a 7-month-old baby. Good age, we believe, for a first camping experience...with the hope and prayer that we have a good sleeper by then!!

We left for home early on that Monday as both of us had plenty of homework to accomplish. I dove into the end-of-the-school-year rush and am just now able to sit and relax...somewhat... ;)

baby GIRL!

so fun! Yesterday we got to "meet" our little girl. For almost an hour we were able to watch her move, wiggle, and turn. The ultrasound tech watched her for awhile hoping to get a good picture of her heart as she stubbornly refused to be in the best position for it, but we were completely content with the wait as it was so wonderful to be able to take a little peek into our daughter's current life. :)

rest for the weary...

The big conference was last week…this is the annual Michigan Association of School Nurses conference that I plan/organize/run every year. Of course, I would not be able to do it without my trusty helpers—but this year seemed particularly exhausting. The whole weekend felt like one big hangover…and I’m sure being 18 weeks pregnant had nothing to do with it! ;) The conference was wonderful though and now I can count down the days til the end of the school year (17 and counting!)

I was also welcomed back home to the beginning of my next grad class: pharmacology. Just the word sounds horribly intimidating and therefore I can say I’m not really looking that forward to it. I just pray that it can be as applicable to my daily work as my other classes have been to make it more tolerable!

No other major news to report…although we definitely are welcoming spring. We’ve even talked my currently layed-off father and uncle into completing an extreme-makeover on our backyard! Perfect timing too, as today marks 8 years I've lived on Prospect. Hopefully some pictures on that project to come!

pregnancy cravings

So, can pregnancy cause cravings of the sort where you crave to be somewhere else? I’ve been debating that today…as the weather has turned to a balmy 80 degree temperature for a brief time here in Michigan. The taste of summer is too great to deny and being at work makes it much too difficult to truly enjoy the gift God has bestowed upon us Michiganders for this weekend. :)

Summer is fast approaching and I’m looking forward to a great many things. Camp nursing, garage saleing, camping in Northern Michigan, a wedding, fun with friends, cleaning house, and most likely a lot of nesting! I feel as though my home will have an extreme makeover this summer and I’m looking forward to every second of it!

In the meantime, I need to stay focused as the school nurse conference I organize is fast approaching, large reports for work need to be accomplished, and my next graduate class will be starting soon. Never a dull day on Prospect!

so it goes...

So many people have asked: "how are you feeling?" Unfortunately it's been a bad week to ask as I've been battling a cold for over a week now. On Monday I called my doctor and asked (begged, pleaded) if there was anything besides Sudafed that I could take. The nurse called back an hour later with a prescription for an antibiotic! Great--that works too! Of course our bathroom counter now looks like a small pharmacy, but it's all for the greater good right now. :)

So, exhaustion, nausea, and congestion seem to be my constant companions this week; so much so, in fact, that congestion moved over to Jason as well. Who says men can't experience pregnancy sympathy pain? ;)

So, we're looking forward to the weekend. The weather is sunny and near 70 degrees and my last grad class for the semester meets tomorrow. Yard work that was begun last week will hopefully wrap up tomorrow as well. Life is good on Prospect as we take it one day at a time on this new journey!

PREGNANT!

Easter Sunday 2009: the day Jason & I announce that we're going to be parents! What an amazing day. :)

Here is the story of our lives the past few weeks:

I had been feeling fairly run down and tired for probably a good month. Running home to see how quickly I could get to the couch to lay down had become a daily event! But at no time did I determine that any of this (or various other symptoms) were related in anyway other than maybe some seasonal depression or even hypothyroidism.

March 17, 2009, in the morning I had gotten ready for work and was in the car ready to pull out of the driveway. Suddenly I felt as though I was going to vomit. I quickly hopped out of the car, paused to puke in the front bush, and then made it into the house to finish in the toilet. I felt better after that, and even went to work. I kept thinking: how odd…but in the back of my mind, something was nagging. That afternoon I took a pregnancy test: it was POSITIVE! I had to hang out to the sink as the blood whooshed in my ears!

That afternoon when Jason came home, I said, “hon, I have something to tell you.” He said (jokingly) “Oh, are you pregnant?” and I said, “Yup!” He couldn’t believe it! We hung on to each other as the news sunk in…

March 25—nurse appt. Not impressed with the “bedside manner” of the nurse. She kind of prattled on with her script and wasn’t too convincing about anything. I look very much forward to seeing the doctor next week.

March 26—Dr. phone call. My doctor (Anita) calls makes a personal phone call to share that she really wants to know exactly how far along I am in order to get me on appropriate dosage of blood thinner. Will order a HCG blood test and then maybe ultrasound.

March 27—HCG blood test

March 30—HCG blood test results: 111,226. This shows I really am pregnant and not just dreaming it all up!! Dr. now wants to have an ultrasound.

April 1—ultrasound: A-MAZ-ING!!! We discover that we are 13 weeks along and the little one is moving and shakin’ things up in-utero. Everything looks great right now, we even got to hear the little heartbeat. You literally cannot wipe the smile off my face today! This is definitely no April Fools joke.

April 2—Dr appt: Anita is so great! Pretty basic appointment as she listed off what I can and can not eat, encouraged me to exercise, drink my water, and that I will be on blood thinner (shots!) for the duration of my pregnancy. (this is due to the fact I had a blood clot in my leg a few years ago) Jason came and I was glad he got to meet her. The big due date is official now: October 7.

This whole pregnancy thing is amazing to me…here I was going along thinking that I may be sick, depressed, maybe an ulcer or something like hypothyroidism. And, all along, God has been chuckling as He has been knitting together this beautiful new life inside me. Emotions have been hard to pinpoint: shock, unbelief, excitement, shock, terror, unpreparedness, shock, happy, unbelief. Most of the emotions, as I name them, seem to be centered around the surreal-ness that these past few week have taken on. I think most of that stems from the fact that I really never thought my body would be able to do this. Unreal!

I guess I’ll be most grateful that God allows several months for this journey—because He knows I need it! I look back on my blog entry on January 1, 2009 and how I anticipated everything God had in store for this coming year. Lesson learned that you should be careful what you wish for as He most certainly has started it out with a bang!

spring!

spring has arrived in Michigan!! I've been celebrating its arrival (during my spring break this week) spring cleaning my house. This is includes literally washing walls--which definitely needs to be done when you have a big, slobbery puppy living in your home. :)

He, too, took time to sun himself in the warm sunshine on the back deck...

all the time...

God is good all the time and all the time, God is good!

This phrase keeps going through my head the past couple of days as storms of life seem to be blowing around many friends and loved ones. Yet, in the midst of all this, Jason and I have reason to celebrate. I won’t go into great detail because mostly it’s a lot of detail… ;) but, we’ve been dealing with some financial stuff lately without any kind of roadmap to guide us. It’s been a lot of praying and leaps of faith, all the while hanging on to each other and our Heavenly Father, knowing that it would work out in the end.

Well, yesterday we were given a gift; a blessing, really. God literally allowed us to experience his amazing presence as a result of what we thought was a pretty tenuous faith! What amazes me most is how often in my life I forget the miracles that God bestows on us, most often in the times that we are least expecting them! He knows all, sees all, and continues to provide us with peace in the midst of any storm in our lives no matter how shaky our faith may become.

So, I’ll say it again: God is good all the time and all the time, GOD IS GOOD!!

March!

okay, so we made it to March...yipee! The weather has shown some warming improvements. Snow is gone, birds are singing, the air has a fresher smell to it. It's great!

Not to mention, my birthday is in March. :) Not bad to celebrate 32 years of life on earth. And celebrations as you get older I have found tend to be much more low-key. Dinner out with friends, a pedicure with girlfriends, and the setting up of my present. Yup--some assembly required...but the results are exciting!


Jason & I are excited to try out our new "home." Yes, it is huge looking, but it will definitely give our camping experiences a little added comfort. Now I am much more looking forward to the warming weather!!

February days

So, I haven't updated in awhile...life has just been moving along at a normal pace. Work, church, grad school...all the same ol' same ol'. :) Which actually has been just fine by me. No news is good news, right?

One positive thing to note: currently it's sunny and 50 degrees!! whoo hoo! I knew there was a reason I lived in Michigan... ;)

funny story

this was sent to me by a friend--it made me laugh out loud! hope it brings a smile to your face as well! --rjv

The following was found posted very low on a refrigerator door.

Dear Dogs:
The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however. Dogs can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, bark, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -canine attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog's butt. I cannot stress this enough.


Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:

(1) They live here. You don't.
(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.
(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.

Remember, dogs are better than kids because they:
(1) eat less,
(2) don't ask for money all the time,
(3) are easier to train,
(4) normally come when called,
(5) never ask to drive the car,
(6) don't smoke or drink,
(7) don't want to wear your clothes,
(8) don't have to buy the latest fashions,
(9) don't need a gazillion dollars for college and
(10) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children ...

home sweet home

Today is the first day I'm finally feeling like I've settled back into home. I arrived home last Saturday night--without my luggage--but glad to be back with Jason and in my own bed. :) Then, after one day's rest, I jumped back into work, grad school, and church with both feet. My past experience with jet lag upon returning home after a 11 hour time difference was not bad, so I was expecting this time to be the same. Boy, was I wrong! Each day has felt rather like being in a fog like state--as though I should be functioning normally, but not with quite all my bodily functions in tact yet...

Needless to say, it's been a bumpy adjustment back. Thank God for a fully supportive husband! :) So, today I'm "home." I put Christmas decor away, doing laundry, got groceries--all things that feel normal...yet, somehow a piece of my heart is still in Bangladesh. One word description of my experience is AMAZING. One sentence description of what lesson most touched my heart: how ministry is about truly just being Christ to someone and how God can speak through people just by showing love.

Below are a few pictures from my trip...I dare say that I hope these will not be the last I can take home from this amazing land...

the new year

So, I'm sitting in the guest house in Dhaka, Bangladesh. One of the most populated, expensive cities in the world. It was here that I was able to welcome in 2009. what an experience...almost more than words can really describe! The honking horns, the rickshaws, the smells, the colors, the language, the Muslim call to prayer heard over a loudspeaker five times a day--just in case you were starting to forget where you were...

In the midst of this, I'm taking a moment on New Year's day to sip a diet Coke--Bangla style. Otherwise known as Coca-Cola light. Another stark reminder of my being very far from home...yet, somehow a little comforting...

2008 was a great year...a full year of being married, being a graduate student, and really not much more time for anything other than that! I don't recall making any resolutions or goals, but I really do feel I accomplished a lot. Lately, I've really been having a feeling of peace with the timeline of my life. God has been so good to me, allowing me to experience so many different things: nursing profession, education opportunities, best friends, home ownership, singleness, traveling the country and the world, pets, marriage...ah, my heart aches with so much gratitude for all the pieces and parts of my life that have shaped and molded me to be who I am and who I will continue to be.

I look forward to the experiences God has in store for me for 2009. Happy, sad, fearful, thrilling...whatever they may be they will continue to mold me and I look forward to every opportunity!