Tough Questions

I'm driving down the road the other day with my two boys in the back seat. We see some Christmas lights and Dylan gets excited. So, me, I started to tell him what Christmas is really about. I explained that it isn't about getting presents or lights or trees. It's really about how God sent his only son Jesus to the earth to be born as a baby just like Dylan. I tell him Christmas is really a big birthday celebration for Jesus. Dylan says to me, "Where's Jesus, Mommy?" I tell him Jesus is in heaven. He then asks, "Where's heaven?" I told him it is above everything we can see in the sky. It's far far away above the clouds and the sky and the moon and stars. Dylan says, "I can't see it". I re-explained that it was beyond what we could see but we just had to believe it was there because God tells us it is in the Bible and the Bible is true. He asks, "Do you want to go there some time?" I say, "Yes, I do". Dylan says, "Do you want to go there with me some time?" I said, "That'd be fantastic, that would be great, that's exactly what Mommy wants!" He says, "So, how do we get to heaven?" I said, "uh, uh, uh, well, you see you have to believe that Jesus was born and that he lived on this earth just like we do, and that he died on the cross to save us from the bad things we do, and then you have to believe he came back to life and went to heaven." So, that totally seems like a bad explanation but how do you tell a 2 year old what salvation is all about. I know this is just the beginning of the hard questions and they only get harder. I guess now I know why church is so important, even at this young age.

Blog Thinking!

Lately, I'm right in the middle of something with Eli or Dylan and I think, "Oh, I've got to Blog about this or that". I wish so much I could look back over the stuff I wrote when Dylan was this age because there really is so much you forget. I try to remember if Dylan was doing certain things at the age Eli is now. I can't. Because of so many website changes, I don't have much in writing. So, I guess this time I should be keeping all these Blogs on my own computer. That would be smart, wouldn't it?

Eli is smiling tons but he's a little low on the giggles. He really has to be in the right mood at the right time for giggles. He doesn't hand them out near as freely as Dylan did. He's pooching out quite well. I would guess he weighs in the vicinity of 15 or 16 pounds. I'll have an exact in a couple weeks when we go for our 4-month checkup.

We're pretty much on a schedule. He wakes between 7 and 7:15 in the morning for his first bottle. About halfway through his first bottle he does his duty and then comes back to finish the bottle. At least, most of the time he comes back to finish it. Sometimes he doesn't want any more to eat. He's awake until 9 or 9:15 and then takes his first nap until 11:00. He eats another bottle and is awake until 1 or 1:15 in the afternoon. He naps until 3:00 and eats another bottle. He's awake until about 5 and then naps until 6:30 or 6:45 where he gets a 4 oz. bottle and then is awake until about 8:45. He naps for about 30 minutes and then we wake him for his last bottle of the evening which is typically a 7 oz. formula/cereal bottle and then he's back to sleep until morning. It's a pretty good schedule. The only part I don't really care for is the part where he and Dylan are only asleep at the same time for about an hour. We'll work through that and as Eli gets older we will adjust that.

I'd love to post some new pictures for you, but I can't seem to get the Gallery to work. I'm going to look into some other options and I'll get back with you.

Whew!

Corners we have turned...yes, yes, yes! Eli has slept through the night for a full week now. That means, Mommy and Daddy knows he can do it so there's no turning back. Although, I do know there are the occasional sick times and growth spurts. He's been a fairly happy baby. Today, he is running a bit of a fever. It's what I call low grade. It hasn't reached 100, yet. I don't know what's going on. He's been a little difficult to feed all day, but we'll see how tomorrow goes.

You would think that since Eli's sleeping through the night I'd be rested. I'm not! I think it will take months to feel normal again. I get so tired while I'm feeding him his bottle sometimes I doze off and Dylan will tap my foot and say, "Wake up, Mom". It's funny but at the same time, scary. Time will fix that problem, though.

For the last 6 weeks or so I have feared somethine I could not change. I had finally come to terms with it and then...it was not so. What am I talking about? Well, I seriously thought I was already pregnant again. Yes, I know what causes that. I had been praying about it and told God to give me peace. He did and then I found out I wasn't. Whew! Even though I had peace I wasn't ready.

Dylan woke up in a wonderful mood this morning. He hears me thank God for the beautiful day all the time when we pray together. So this morning when he got up he said, "It's a beautiful day". I'm glad he feels that way. We got plenty of outdoor play today and I even got a good jog in chasing a ball half way down the street. Dylan loves to play sports. His favorite right now is baseball. He likes to bat and he'll even pitch occasionally. He doesn't care to hit the ball off a T. He wants you to pitch. If you pitch it close to the bat and he barely swings, most of the time he can actually hit the ball. It's been fun watching him progress in this sport. He became a baseball fan after going to several Springfield Cardinals games this year. He's also been watching an occasional football game on TV with his Daddy so we'll see if that has any effect on him.

I'm working on my Sunday School lesson for next week. We've been studying Noah the last 4 weeks. This is the 5th and final week and we are talking about God's promise and the Rainbow. The rainbow is such a beautiful part of God's wonders. Isn't God awesome and all his creation. If you really stop and look at some of the things he's created for us to enjoy, it's amazing. Teaching 2 year olds will help you appreciate it all that much more.

Dylan is in the bathtub making coffee right now. At least, that's what he says. He was given some money this summer and allowed to purchase things at garage sales. We went to a few around Willard together. He found a toy coffee pot. If you put a new battery in it, you pour water in the top and put the pitcher underneath, the water drips into the pitcher. He loves it but makes such a mess. My solution...put it in the bathtub and he can make all the mess he wants. The first time I actually replaced the battery was last week. I didn't think about what a huge mess he could make. Well, I did think it through partially. I sat it on the sink in the bathroom and told him he could play with it in there. I was thinking a little spill on the floor would be easy to wipe up with a towel. I was on the phone later and he came out. He said he had made a mess. I told him I would be off the phone shortly and would come clean it up, not to worry about it. He said he would clean it up all by himself. You know the independence is really coming out at this stage. I thought, what could it hurt. So, I left him alone for a few minutes. When I went to check on him, he had gotten out every single bath towel, hand towel, and wash cloth in the cabinet and put it on the floor in one area in a huge pile. He said, very proudly, "Look Mommy, I cleaned it up all by myself". I just smiled politely and said, "And what a great job you did". I asked if he really needed all of the towels. When I started to move some of the towels I realized it wasn't such a small mess. There was a very large puddle of water on the floor. So, I got to do 2 extra loads of laundry, oh well! It was a learning experience for both of us.

Another Corner?

I don't know if we're turning a corner. I almost feel like if I say it, I might jinx it so to speak. I don't really believe in jinxes but you know what I mean. The first corner is...Eli is turning out to be mostly a happy baby. Feed him, change his diaper and talk to him and he smiles and coos for you. It's great! He even might let out a tiny giggle. We're working on full blown giggles. I'll let you know how that goes. The other corner? Well, the last two nights Eli has had a bottle with a touch of cereal in it. I know I shouldn't put cereal in the bottle, but I have my reasons. Eli was waking up one time a night for like 2 ounces of formula and then back to sleep for 3 hours. My philosophy was add a little cereal and maybe he'll sleep all the way through. It worked Monday and Tuesday night. I don't know if it will continue. We gave him his last bottle of the evening around 9:15 and then put him to bed around 10:00. He slept until 7:00 Tuesday morning and this morning he got up at 6:30. I'll take either one. Of course, since I've been getting up in the middle of the night for the last 10 weeks with Eli and probably the last 6 or 7 months for the bathroom, I'm still not sleeping all the way through the night. However, if this continues for very long...I might just become normal again. I just hope we can keep Eli on this routine for a while and smooth out all the kinks.

Yesterday, I was on my way from the hospital to Chris's office. I was sitting at a stoplight imagining what a nap would feel like when a car behind me honked and I realized I had actually dozed off. The car in front of me was already through the intersection. Now, that's sad! I've got to get some sleep. When I'm tired, it seems like I don't have time to take a nap and then when I can actually go to bed early I feel like there's something else more important to do or all of the sudden, I'm not as tired as I thought. Crazy?! Yes, I am.

Ok, so I've got laundry to do before Eli wakes for his next bottle. Come back soon!

Life, In General!

Two months gone with two boys. You can't imagine how fast time flies until you have your own children. I can't believe how much they've grown in the last two months. Eli is now 12 lbs. 4 oz. and growing like a weed. When I start to look at all his wrinkles I see how much he's chubbied up on me. I guess that means he is a healthy eater. Although, I have to say his attitude doesn't necessarily reflect a happy, healthy eater. We have two or three feedings a day where he's happy afterward and smiling and the other ones, he never seems to get happy until he goes to sleep. And then, I'm not real sure he's happy. He's just asleep so he's not fussing and that makes me happy. I know in time we'll get a routine worked out that works for both of us and maybe we'll figure out what makes him so uncomfortable. I don't know if it's belly problems, gassy problems, or just his nature.

Dylan is starting to get into the age of testing. He wants to re-test his boundaries. Since he's decided to re-test his boundaries we've decided to tighten the reigns (so to speak) a little. It's causing him to be more jealous when Eli is around. I think he thinks that's part of his problem. Today, he was moping around, while I was playing with him, and I asked him what was wrong. He said he was sad. When I asked why, he said "Because I'm sad". I don't think he understands the word "why" just yet and maybe that's a good thing. He needs extra special attention right now. I sometimes wonder if it's because he had 2 1/2 years of Mommy's attention before Eli came along and he had to share. Then again, that happens with lots of kids. I'm sure we'll get past it. For me, though, it's trying. I want to make both of my children happy, yet well behaved at the same time. So, we learn together and maybe some day I can make both of them happy, me happy, husband happy, and most importantly...God happy!

Add to that, our lives have actually slowed a little. Chris hasn't been working so many nights so we've all been home or out together more often. Our friends and family continue to be busy so we've gotten to know each other a lot better over the last two months. It is fun to be together but sometimes lonely because you don't get to share what's going on with them (friends and family).

When I had Dylan there was not too many things in my body or mind that wanted another child and he was a very happy baby. You'd feed him his bottle, he'd spit up, he'd smile, talk, coo, and then go to sleep. I'm sure he had his moments but overall I remember him as a happy baby. Now, we also have Eli. He is not a real happy baby. He has his moments. He doesn't spit up, he rarely smiles, and sleep is not his favorite thing (although, he sleeps better at night than Dylan did at this age). His naps are more like cat naps with lots of whining in the middle. And, yet, here I find myself thinking of another child being a possibility. Am I crazy?! Do I really want to complicate things more with another baby? I don't know. Only God does and I'm sure in time he will reveal his plan. Scared? Oh, yes...definitely. I never planned on having 3. Two was the perfect number, except it was supposed to be one boy and one girl. I guess that's why God is in control and not us.

I look at my life and sometimes complain about this or that and then missionaries come in and remind us of life in another country. There country and what they tell us seems like a whole other world. My problems, my complaints, my worries are so petty in comparison.

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

What's New!

Now 6 weeks old, Eli is still getting up at least once a night and most of the time, twice. That's ok! He eats, burps, and goes right back to bed. Although, there is the occasional spit up where more than just him has to change clothes. I have had nights where I have had 3 different sets of pajamas on and so has he. He's staying awake for longer periods. Right now that means 2 or 3 hours once or twice a day. The rest of the time he is only awake about an hour and a half. Usually our day consists of waking around 6 or 6:30 to eat. Stay awake until about 9 and eat again and then sleep until about 11:30. Eat again, awake until 1:30ish and then sleep until about 2:45 or 3:00. Eat, awake until 4:00 and then back to sleep until about 5:30 and then awake until about 8:30. Take a short nap and then eat around 9:30. Right back to sleep and then awake around 1:30 for food, back to sleep, and then awake at 4:30, back to sleep and then up around 6:30 for the day. His fussy time is usually around 8:00 to 9:00 in the morning or around 10:00 to 11:00 in the morning. He's a pretty happy baby in the evening unless, of course, he needs to burp or has the dreadful hiccups. His hiccups seem to make him quite mad and that doesn't help him get rid of them. Tonight, for the first time, I resorted to sugar water to help. After an hour of my ear drums hurting and my legs hurting from pacing the floor, I caved. One ounce later, he was happy and lying on the floor. Why didn't I think of that sooner?

Dylan is coping well with being the big brother. We do hear "I love you, Mommy" or "I love you, Daddy" a lot more than we used to. That's not a bad thing, but sometimes you know he's saying it because he's feeling insecure. Chris was gone two weeks ago for the whole week and by Wednesday you could tell it was affecting Dylan. He wanted me to lay with him for naps and before bed time. He would say, "Do _____ like Daddy does". I'm glad he missed him. I want him to know how important his Daddy is to making this family run smoothly. It was a good experience for us all even though I don't want it to happen very often, if ever again. Dylan likes to hold Eli. It usually doesn't last very long but it's great that he tries. He will go check on Eli when he's crying and he's glad to go get things out of Eli's room for you, like a burp rag to help clean up a huge spit up mess. He says Eli is his buddy. I hope that remains true as they get older. I want them to have a bond beyond being "brothers".

For those of you who know me, this is going to come as a surprise. I haven't made or drank sweet tea in almost 3 weeks now. Other than the juice in my smoothies, I haven't had any of it. I have only had, and this is the big shocker...only one glass of chocolate milk in the last 8 days. I have been drinking water and I finally switched to Ozarka water. I've been trying to eat more vegetables and fruit. It's hard for me to just sit down and eat fruit so Chris and I decided to make smoothies a part of our diet. We buy frozen fruit and stick it in a blender with a little bit of orange or apple juice and some ice. Voila! I'm still struggling with finding time to do a daily exercise. I'll get there, though! I'm determined to get back to pre-pregnancy weight within 6 months. It took almost a year and a half with Dylan. I didn't care for being like that. With the fall coming and cooler weather I hope to be able to get outside more before winter keeps us indoor too much. We're working on eating more whole grains. I think the hardest part for me is cutting out sweets. I'm addicted!

1 Month Almost Gone

All kinds of things have happened in the last 3 1/2 weeks and I don't know where to begin so I'll just ramble for a while and hopefully, you'll pick up on the majority of it.

How can you forget so much in such a short period of time? What am I talking about? Well, I can't remember Dylan's fussy time of the day or even how fussy he was. I can't remember how much he was eating at what age. I can't remember how many times I had to get up with him each night. Those are all the bad things you say. Yes, and that's why people are able to have more than one child. If God allowed you to remember all those long miserable nights where you were up and down 3 times for an hour at a time, you got peed or pooped on in the middle of the night, or even better spit up on twice, you had to change their clothes more than once and yours also or how much they cried all day and you couldn't figure out what was wrong...well, that's why God doesn't leave that fresh in your mind.

How can two children be so much alike, from the same parents, and yet so different? Dylan was sooooo easy to put on a schedule. Out he popped and in the hospital we established a 2 1/2 to 3 hour feeding schedule and when we got home it just continued. At least, I think so. See that's the problem. I can't remember. So, then we have Eli. There's no scheduling in the hospital now. They'll bring them to you every hour if they think he's hungry and then they'll wait up to 6 hours if they don't. How crazy is that? Then, you come home and he wants to eat now and maybe again in an hour. They say most babies are fussy in the evening. Not Eli. His fussy time is between 8 and 10 in the morning. Eli is so much stronger than Dylan was at this age...at least, I think so. Again, that's the problem. I can't remember. I think I'm going crazy.

They say you should have a first smile some time nearing the end of the first month. No, gas bubbles that produce smiles don't count. I've seen him smile but I'm talking about a responsive smile. That means you do something or say something and then he makes eye contact and smiles. I haven't got one of those, yet and we only have 5 days left before month one is over. That's ok, though. We'll get it!

They say babies can only see 8 to 15 inches away and then nearing the end of the first month they can start to concentrate on objects up to 3 feet away. To be honest with you, up until about 3 days ago...I wasn't sure he could even see me when I was 6 inches in front of his face. He wouldn't make eye contact at all. Now, he'll actually follow my face if I move it around right in front of him. That's cool!

They say babies should be eating 6-8 times per day on average 3-4 ounces per feeding. Well, there are days we eat 3 ounces a feeding and then there are days, like today, where he eats 2 ounces one feeding and then the next he gobbles down 6 ounces and is still gnawing on his fist wanting more. That's crazy!

They say breast fed babies are given a natural laxative in the breast milk and formula fed babies are more constipated. Well, I can assure you that is true with both of my children. Dylan had diaper rash only once or twice in his diapering days. Well, those are completely over...but you know what I mean. Eli had diaper rash a time or two in the hospital but once we got home and got our Super Duper Diaper Doo, he hasn't had it again. We put a little on after every diaper change. And, yes, he has problems with his bowel movements. You definitely know when he's doing his duty and it's not always daily. So why didn't I breast feed? It didn't work out. I was going to pump 4 times a day and I did that very consistently until he was 3 weeks old and then I just felt like I wasn't really getting a whole lot pumping. I was still having to supplement a lot. I was spending that much time not sleeping or spending time with "my boys". So, I backed it down to 3 times a day and then 2 and then 1 and then none. I'm done! I did it that way so I wouldn't get engorged. It worked ok. Eli being a formula baby was not my plan. I really wanted breast feeding to work out, but when it didn't I knew in the back of my mind that pumping and bottle feeding wasn't going to be permanent. Then, I just decided to not worry what everyone else thought and formula feed. Dylan turned out fine and many other babies have, also. He may be sick more often and he may not have regular bowel movements, but we'll work out all of those jitters and he'll still have a great life because he will be, most importantly, LOVED by his father and mother.

Potty Train Who?

Ok, so I've never potty trained before. I've been potty trained obviously, but never tried it on a child. Everyone keeps telling me Dylan is ready to potty train. As far as I can tell, he's the right age, he's smart enough...but really who is being potty trained? I'm the one who gets him up in the morning and takes off his shorts and pulls down his diaper and sets him on the toilet and tells him to go pee pee. I'm the one who, every hour, tells him to go pee pee on the potty. Since the pull-ups are so hard to get up and down I have to go with him. I have to help him pull them down and them back up when he's done. Then, I have to say "What do you do when your finished going potty?" And he says, "Cwose da wid and flush da toilet". Then, I have to get the soap for him and turn on the water because he can't reach any of it. And, yeah, if he goes #2 on the potty...who has to clean him up? He doesn't do it. Periodically, you have to ask him if he still has his carrots and then he gets a prize for keeping his carrots all day. His diaper is the kind that has a picture of carrots on the outside and when you pee in the diaper, the carrots smeer and fade. So, his goal is to keep his carrots but he laughs and is proud when his carrots are gone. Although, he's also proud when he keeps his carrots. Does he truly understand? I don't have a clue!

I know I sound a little negative. I guess I just don't know what I'm doing. I'll keep doing it because hopefully some day he'll come to me and tell me he has to go potty. For now, I'll just keep asking him if he still has his carrots.

Eli's First Week Home

So, you think when you come home with a baby that first week is going to be spent at home getting to know each other and developing a routine. Nope! Monday we got home and spent the day organizing the house and getting things put away from our weekend away from home. Tuesday, Chris and Dylan went to the lake and had a blast. Tuesday night was the first of our birthday parties for the week. Samantha Rae turned 2 and we had a great time fellowshipping with family and friends. Wednesday we had Eli's first doctor's visit and several errands to run in town. We got home about an hour before Dylan's nap. As soon as he got up from his nap we headed to Great Grandma's house for our Wednesday night dinner. She has cooked dinner for Chris and I every Wednesday night before church since Chris and I first married. It's been a tradition and I wouldn't miss it for anything. Then, of course, we went to church. I actually think I was home all day Thursday and Friday but I couldn't tell you what I did. It's all a blur! Saturday, we had a birthday party from noon to two at the Battlefield Park. Dylan had a blast. We took a nap at Great Grandma's house and headed to our 3rd birthday party of the week at 5:00. Our little "Hope" turned 1. We celebrated in traditional Korean / American style. You'd have to be there to know what that is. We had a great time and ate lots of yummy food. Sunday was church, nap, church, and that brings us to today.

Last week Chris was here every day for the majority of the day. He had to go in a couple times to teach a class at the Mission Office and then on Friday he had a side job to do so he was gone for the afternoon. Other than those few times he was at my beckon call. He was super helpful! He got up with Dylan in the mornings and got his chocolate milk, he fixed breakfast a couple times, he helped with baths for both boys, changed diapers (not Eli's, yet), escorted me all over town, listened to me cry, listened to me talk, listened to me when I couldn't say anything at all. I can't imagine not having him hear last week. He made life so easy. Not only that, I enjoyed his company and seeing his smiling face when I got up from a nap in the middle of the afternoon only to hear him say "Are you sure you got enough sleep? Is there anything I can do for you?" Too great, that's what he is. I'm going to miss him terribly this first week home alone.

Today, was my first day home alone with "the boys". It's weird to say "the boys" but that's what we have. We have two beautiful boys who I can't wait to see grow up. I'm trying to enjoy every moment. I will have to say other than at 2:00 in the morning Eli's crying doesn't bother me as much as Dylan's did. I guess I just know he's going to cry sometimes and sometimes he's going to do it for no reason at all. I also know that I can't be at his beckon call because Dylan needs me too. So, it's an adjustment from the first baby but so far so great! We're working toward a schedule Mommy and Eli can both be happy about and something that will work for the whole family. However, I don't think there is a schedule out there that would work for Sundays so we're just going to have to figure it out. Eli is already eating 3.5 oz. per feeding about 8 times per day. Just in case you are wondering, that's a lot. I haven't had a chance to get Dylan's schedule out but I did early on keep track of how much he was eating and I'm quite sure Dylan was a couple months old before he started eating that much each feeding. I could be wrong! We'll see.

I have now spent part of my nap time messing around on the computer so I better go catch the few z's I can before the youngest hungry mouth awakes! Have a great week!

Eli Hunter

Eli Hunter was born 7/7/07 in Delivery Room 7 at St. John’s Hospital at 10:31 a.m. He weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz. He’s doing great! We’re working through some breastfeeding issues but it is going much better than with Dylan. I just don’t have my milk, yet so we are having to supplement a little and it’s hard for him to switch back and forth b/c the supplement comes so much easier and he doesn’t have to really work for it. You know what I mean?!

My doctor asked me if I wanted to induce two or three weeks ago and I was convinced Eli would come early so I did not consent right away. On July 3rd at my doctor’s appointment I was dilated to a 4 and had been dilated for the last 4 weeks. I was 70-80% effaced and just down-right uncomfortable. He asked again and suggested July 4th. It really didn’t work well with Chris’s schedule and so we discussed it and later decided to induce on Saturday. My doctor’s family was out of town and he had 2 others scheduled for that day.

We woke up Saturday morning at 4:45 a.m. and headed to the hospital shortly thereafter. I got paperwork started and IV hooked up and all that good stuff. At 7:15 they came to put in the Pitossin. I don’t remember the exact sequence of events but I know I started having contractions within about 45 minutes and they started getting stronger. Some time shortly after that the doctor came in and broke my water and then the contractions got even stronger and much closer together. I had asked to be hooked up for an epidural first thing that morning but I guess they were running a skeleton crew since it was Saturday and there wasn’t anyone available. I think they got to our area around 9:30 but then the doctor told them the lady next door was much more uncomfortable and was going to go quickly so they gave her the epidural first. They got in my room around 9:45 and I was already fully dilated to a 9 and going into hard labor. I was in the middle of a contraction as he stuck me with the first needle but didn’t much care b/c I was looking for some relief. He said it would take about 10 minutes for the first dose to kick in. It took at least that long. By 10:00 they were telling each other to get ready he was coming. Just a little pushing and a whole lot of pain we got Eli out at 10:31a.m. I was much more aware this delivery because I did not have any Statol. I had that with Dylan and it made me loopy and I honestly don’t remember much of what went on and it didn’t help the pain much at all. That’s pretty much the jist of the delivery.

We spent Saturday and Sunday all day in the hospital. No weird things happened. I recovered and felt a lot better much faster than after Dylan’s delivery. I think I was in better shape because I had been keeping up with Dylan rather than doing a desk job the previous 9 months. I know the next year is going to be difficult but it gets rewarding every stage we go through.

We came home yesterday at about 11:00 a.m. Chris is off work all week so he can help out and he has done an awesome job of being supportive and allowing my emotions to, well, just be emotional. That goes with having a baby, I guess. Chris was always so wonderful and helpful with Dylan at this age and he's twice that this round helping with both.

I love you, Chris!

Waiting, but maybe not patiently!

Monday night we got together for Father’s Day. We had burgers and dogs, the usual grill-out stuff. I think if you could fix my Dad a good juicy burger and maybe a hot link every day of the week, he’d probably be happy.

Tuesday night was supposed to be our “free” night…the only night we didn’t have something going on. Instead, I made some phone calls during the day procuring a full-size mattress set for Dylan. Chris went and picked it up after work and we spent the next 2 hours putting new bed rails on his bed and getting everything put together. I had to wash sheets and everything to get it ready. It went well, though. Dylan is so small in it right now. The next morning I went to get him out of bed and it actually took me a second to find him. He had his head on the comforter and was using his pillows as his blanket. It was too cute!

I've been dilated to a 2 the last two doctor visits and I go back tomorrow. I'm sure it will be the same report. I think I'm ready sometimes and then I start thinking about how much life is going to change for everyone in the family and then I get kind of scared. I know it will be ok, but that doesn't change the anxiety I will have until Eli is born.

Last Thursday night we had a bbq picnic with all the people from Chris’s work. It turned out a lot better than anyone expected. Several of the people who generally sit back and watch actually got up and involved in some of the games. That was cool to see. They didn’t have any organized games because they didn’t want people to feel pressured into it, but they had something called ladder golf and another game called washers. It was a good time. They had it at Chesterfield Park which is very clean and has a nice big playground. Dylan got plenty of play time and we took his t-ball set and some footballs, also. Chris had to be there early to set up and do the cooking so Dylan and I came alone but by the time we got there, Chris was pretty much finished grilling so we all got to hang out.

Friday night we had Callie’s 1st birthday party. Callie is the youngest of Aaron’s 4 kids. Callie has been standing by herself for a week or two but isn’t walking just yet. It’s kind of crazy but out of the 7 grandkids we’ll have in our family, 4 of them will be born within a month. Like birthdays is what I mean. Callie’s birthday is June 23rd and then Eli will be in the next week or so and then Samantha is July 9th and Hope is July 19th. Callie and Hope turn 1 this year, Samantha turns 2, and Eli will just be born. It’s kind of cool but probably a little hard on the checkbook if you know what I mean.

After Callie's birthday party Chris and I attended the first of two events for his 10-yr class reunion. We went to a place called Fox and the Hound. It's kind of like a pub. Everyone just hung out in one little area and talked. They had a few pool tables but not many people played pool. I think it went well because several people they couldn't originally get a hold of still got the message and showed up. Some people who weren't really part of the class back in high school attended, as well. We stayed for almost 2 hours but my body needed to go home and rest. We heard many people stayed until midnight. I guess that's a good sign.

Saturday morning we went and picked up Dylan from Papa and Nana's house. He went home with them after the birthday party. I think they stayed at the birthday party until about 9:00. He got to enjoy a few hours in the morning with Papa and Nana before we came to ruin the fun. When we got home we played in his swimming pool and played outside giving him lots of attention. Saturday evening after his nap we went to the 2nd event of Chris's 10-yr class reunion. We rented a small tent area at the Springfield Cardinals game. We had burgers, dogs, baked beans, chips, cookies, and brownies. We all sat together and talked for a while and then had reserved seats for during the game. Lots of people attended and I think everyone had a great time. We didn't actually sit down in a seat during the game. Chris and I took Dylan over to the grass area and let him run around and play. It was a good game although we left in the 6th or 7th inning. It was time to get home and take a bath for church on Sunday.

When we pulled out of the parking garage Saturday night after the game, Chris said his ear was hurting really bad. He had a sinus infection a couple weeks ago and it never has completely gone away. We think maybe it was some of the drainage from that. Anyway, when we got home he was miserable. He was up and down out of bed for the next 4 hours or more. Around 2 a.m. he went and got some ear drops at Wal-mart. The pain was actually making him sick to his stomach. I knew he was in and out of bed and he told me when he was going to Wal-mart but I guess I didn't realize how bad it was. Anyway, when he got home I help him put ear drops in a couple different times throughout the night and he might have finally fallen asleep around 4 or 5 a.m. It was a miserable night for him. He stayed home from church Sunday morning because it was still bothering him but by the time Dylan and I got home from morning services he was feeling better. I don't think I've ever had an earache like that so I don't know what he was going through but I know any kind of pain in the head area that makes you sick to your stomach has got to be bad.

We actually don’t have a whole lot scheduled this week. I have a doctor’s appointment on Tuesday, as usual. Dylan and I have storytime on Wednesday and Rec Center Farmyard Puppets on Thursday. Dylan enjoys storytime. She reads a couple books, sings a song or two and usually has a craft or other activity. There are never many kids there which makes it a little more enjoyable. The Rec Center is just behind our house and during the summer they have a different group come in each Thursday for about an hour. The first week a lady from the zoo came in with some unique animals: a bearded dragon lizard, a hedgehog, and a screech owl. She talked about each animal and their differences, what they like to eat, where they live and all that good stuff. Last week we had Bongo Barry who played the drums and a guitar. He had instruments for every kid in the audience to play and he talked about rhythm and tried to teach the kids a little about beat. It was neat! This week they have Farmyard Puppets. I think it has to do with teaching all about the different animals you might find on a farm. They have 6 or 8 weeks of these planned through the summer months. We’ll see how many we get to go to.

It sure is summer out there. Dylan just gets soaked when he played outside the last few days. I don’t mean from water either. His whole head sweats. His hair is soaked like somebody dumped a bucket of water on his head but they didn’t. I filled up his little kiddy pool last week and let him play in it a while. He liked it but I think he had more fun standing outside of it dipping a bowl in it, getting it full of water, and then dumping it on his shorts and feet. He laughed and laughed and did it over and over for like 20 minutes. Crazy kid!

Well, I've got dinner to make for tonight and then I'm going to try to make a few things I can freeze for the few weeks after Eli is born. I know it's going to be an adjustment and if I can have a few dinners already made to just pop in the oven, I think it will work out well.

Tripod to You, Microphone to Dylan!

Lonely!

This has been an interesting last 6 weeks or more. Chris has had a car for quite some time now that has been having mechanical problems. It was a big problem and not worth the money to fix. The best situation was just to wait until the motor froze or blew up or the timing belt snapped. We've been researching vehicles and looking for a great deal for several weeks now. We just started about 2 weeks ago actually going to dealerships and diving into our search more in depth. Chris called me on his way home Monday night. I had a roast in the oven, rolls out rising, and was ready to put on some mashed potatoes and corn to cook. He says, "Well, it finally happened". I'm like what? He says, "I'm sitting on the side of the road...my motor finally blew". He's actually almost laughing about it. We both expected it so it wasn't a big deal. I told him to give me 5 minutes to figure out what to do with the roast and get Dylan up from his nap. I made my way down there and when I get there he says he wants to go into town car shopping. Well, I have a roast on so we have to go home and turn the oven off, cover the roast so it doesn't dry out, put the rolls in the fridge and set the other things aside. We go into town and visit a couple dealerships before he quickly decides he's hungry and we head back home.

Tuesday, Dylan and I were scheduled to meet Aaron and his family in town at Sam's Club and then go to lunch together. We took Chris to work first thing in the morning. We went to a nearby park, played T-ball, watched the turtles and ducks in the pond, did a little swinging, pushed his Tonka dump truck down the slide repeatedly, and had tons of fun. We left there to meet Aaron's family. Since it was Chris and my 8th anniversary Aaron and Julia offered to take Dylan home with them and we could come by and pick him up after getting a little alone time that evening. It was a great offer so Dylan went to his Aunt and Uncle's house. Julia then offered to just keep him overnight and we'd get him at church on Wednesday. That sounded like a good deal because then we could car shop as late as we needed and eat dinner out and have an evening all to ourselves.

I guess I hadn't considered how lonely I would be today. The house is so quiet. I have gotten a lot done. I got a load of laundry done, the dishes, ordered some stuff for Eli's room, got Eli's car seat cleaned up and put back together (that took a while), did some NTCP work, printed and mailed out some info for Chris's 10-yr class reunion, and did a little cleaning. I know I couldn't have done all that with Dylan here and it wouldn't have been as productive a day but I'm still thinking that having him here is more fun than getting lots of work done. He does cry occasionally and want my attention constantly and makes messes, but if you're a mom you know that just comes with the job. I have never had a day to myself with no Chris and no Dylan. Usually, if Dylan spends the night somewhere or is gone during the day...it's because Chris and I have plans. I miss my little guy. I guess the saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" stands true for more than just love life relationships. Dylan lights up my day and I can't wait to have another little boy that we can enjoy just as much. I'll bet he's having tons of fun with his 4 cousins and Aunt Julia, but what I'm really hoping is that when Chris and I get to church tonight and he sees us that he comes running over to give us both big hugs. That would make my day and I guess make it worth it all!

Mini Vacation and Some!

Thursday afternoon, Chris and I decided we needed to take a mini vacation before Eli gets here. We had originally planned on camping Friday night and with temperatures dipping down into the 40s overnight we changed plans. I called around and made some reservations for Branson for the weekend. It was kind of hard. Most places were booked up because of a bike rally that was in town.

We went to Celebration City Friday night. It was perfect for Dylan. There were several rides he could do by himself and some with Chris. Of course, I got to sit on the sidelines and take pictures because pregnant women aren't really suggested to get on these kinds of things. The extent of my fun was the carousel and ferris wheel. I loved watching the boys smile and laugh on all their rides and took advantage of the picture taking opportunities.

We spent the night at Ramada and then shopped a little Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon we headed to our next hotel, the Grand Country Inn. They have an indoor water park. Dylan loved playing in the water. We spent a couple hours there in the early afternoon and went back for a couple more after dinner. Chris even took us to eat ice cream late Saturday evening. We sat in the back of the Highlander watching all the cars and motorcycles go by while spooning our very delicious oreo overload ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery. Yum, yum!

Sunday we went to church at Talking Rocks Road Baptist Church and then headed home for the afternoon. Our church was not having evening services to do some special events and so we enjoyed an evening at home of mowing the lawn and relaxing on the front porch. It was a great weekend.

Yesterday, we went to the doctor. I wasn't going to have to go back for 3 weeks until Dr. Ting came in. He said my belly isn't growing enough although my weight gain looks ok. So, next week I get to go back for another ultrasound to make sure the baby is growing and healthy. If he hadn't done the exact same thing with Dylan's pregnancy I would be worried. But, we've been there, done that and Dylan came out fine. So, we'll go and have an ultrasound done which is great anyway because we'll get to see Eli. Everything will be fine and then I'll have to go again in two weeks and then I'll be down to weekly visits. I can't believe it is so close. It seems like there is so much to do, but I guess there really isn't. We just have a few things left to purchase and we'll be good to go.

Not much going on this weekend. If it doesn't rain we're going to take Dylan fishing or hiking. He loves both! Monday we're going to grill out at our house with some family and friends. Hope you have a fun and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

Stretching!

We officially have less than two months left and if my due date is more correct than the doctor's due date then we only have about 6 weeks before Eli gets here. Our lives, once again, changed forever. My belly is stretching every day and he seems much stronger than Dylan at this point in my pregnancy. I don't know if it is because I don't remember this part, or if he really is much stronger and more active. Eli moves constantly and sometimes I actually think I can feel a foot or a hand or an elbow go across my stomach. Sometimes I feel like he's a mouse on a wheel just running in circles across my belly. The second I am still he starts to move. I hope he doesn't expect to be held all the time. I don't think Dylan will do that very well.

Happy Mother's Day to all. I am looking forward to participating in serving my Mother tomorrow a delicious dinner of steak, chicken, grilled veggie assortments, pasta and leafy salad, with rolls and a huge glass of iced tea. Of course, if you know my Mother, you know she won't be drinking the iced tea. She's more of a water kind of a person. And for dessert, we are having a new recipe from our Schwan's catalog that is kind of like a cheesecake with fruit filled jello on top. That's the best way I can explain it. I've never had it before and I've never made it before. I made it with a graham cracker crust. The filling is fat free regular cream cheese, fat free strawberry cream cheese, and fat free whipped topping with a little touch of sugar. The top is jello that has cherries and blueberries in it. We'll see how it tastes tomorrow afternoon. I hope...good!

Chris and I went garage selling today. We woke up at 6:30 and hit the streets less than 30 minutes later on a hunt for lots of bargains. We found a few and our best friends found many. When we both finished, Dylan got 5 or 6 outdoor tractors, trucks, and bulldozers. He got a Little Tykes basketball goal that is adjustable so it will grow with him for a few years, a catcher's helmet, a batter's helmet, 2 baseball gloves, a t-ball pole, bat, and nerf baseballs. He got a couple nerf footballs, a rubber basketball for his goal, a rubbermaid container half full of plastic dinosaurs, horses, and other animals, a plastic desk and one of my favorites...a real 4-piece First Act drum set. It's in excellent condition as were most things we purchased today. He loves it and wanted to show it to me right away. Our friends purchased it and I think they got a good deal. We enjoyed the time walking, talking, and bargaining. I recommend garage sales especially for outdoor toys. They are going to get beat up, banged up, roughed up, and there's no reason to spend a bunch of money on something that you can find in great shape at a much better price.

Since we got up so early, I took a nap when we got home. I was hoping Dylan would do the same but he fell asleep on the way home. When we did get here, he was so excited about all the stuff in the trunk he just laid in bed, talked, and squirmed. He spent the night with Papa and Nana last night. I think it's just as much a treat for them as it is him. He loved it. He got to spend lots of time outdoors which is favorite place to be. He even got Papa to change his diaper more than once. I was a little concerned I might have trouble convincing him to get in the truck with Papa by himself, but he got in and waved "Bye" to me just like a big boy. We could tell when we picked him up he missed us but you could also tell he had a great time. He just wanted to talk non-stop. Chris is passed out in bed already and Dylan is, too. I'm waiting on one last thing to cook so I can finish up and go to bed myself. I'm going to get back to it.

Enjoy your weekend and come back soon! I hope to have a video posted and some pictures by next week.

Coming Fast!

What have I been doing today? The morning started out with fixing breakfast for us all, fixing lunch for Chris, doing a few dishes, making beds, you know...the usual. By 9:30 we found ourselves outdoors and Dylan was already in shorts and a t-shirt. In the past, we've started out in blue jeans and migrated up to shorts by the end of the day. It was too beautiful for that today. The sun has been shining and there has been a light breeze occasionally. We played in the sandbox. We kicked a ball around, we drove his car down the driveway and back and he rode his tricycle. I vacuumed the car and washed it. I swept off the front porch and the area around the garage door entry to the house. We ate a popsicle at 10:30 for our snack instead of something healthy. That was fun!

But, this afternoon, after Dylan went down for his nap, that's what I'm talking about. I have been pulling out all of Dylan's 0-3 month clothes and clothes loaned to me that are 0-3 month. I have been sorting them into piles or spring clothes and winter clothes. Winter clothes are going back in the box. Spring / summer clothes, I am washing, drying, folding, and YES putting them away. "Where", you say? That's the good news. We picked up Eli's furniture on Saturday. Chris's Mom and Grandma came over yesterday and put up the wallpaper border for us. Then, we moved in the furniture and Chris already put the crib together. It's so exciting! It's all coming together. Two weeks ago we got in the crib bedding, valance, diaper stacker, clothes hamper, some wall decor, and a rug all in the Moo Moo Baby Theme. It's cute and Dylan loves it. It has a tractor, barn, cows, sheep, and chickens on it. Dylan likes to count the sheep and point to every tractor. I'm glad he's excited about it. We're just praying he'll be that excited when Eli comes home with us.

You think it's too early to be doing all this. Well, don't tell me that. I'm way too excited and for me getting everything together and in order this much in advance in great. The thing we don't have right now is Dylan's bed rails to convert his bed. Once we get that we can get Dylan a new mattress and "Yes", Eli is going to get his first Dylan hand-me down. He's going to get Dylan's crib mattress. In the long run it will save us about $130. Although, up front we have to spend about $350 to get a new mattress. You know, the second child is a little cheaper because you have some of the stuff, but you still have to buy some furniture for one of the two kids, and some clothes because they are inevitably different sexes or born at different times of the year, and then there's the usual expense of diapers, diaper cream, formula or breast-milk storage bags. The list goes on! And, I don't think life is going to get any easier. I think life is going to continue to get more difficult and much more busy.

It sounds like my first load of laundry is finished in the dryer. I better get to it. Thanks for stopping by! Leave me a message. I love to chat!

First Missionary!

So, last night we started our Annual Missions Conference. I've been in church all my life and never have I heard Mark 5:1-20 preached the same way before. He talked about the man who was possessed with demons and how Jesus cast the demons out of him and into 2,000 pigs. The pigs ran down the hill into a sea of water and drowned themselves. But that wasn't the point of the message. When the people of the town found out what happened to their pigs they asked Jesus to leave. The man who was possessed was now in his right mind and clothed where as before no man had been able to tame him or keep him locked in chains. And he asks Jesus to stay there with him. but Jesus sent him away, saying, (Luke 8:39) "Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him. (Luke 8:40) And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him. So, basically, Jesus told him to spread the good news and tell everyone how great God is and the man did it. When Jesus returned, the people were ready for Jesus and excited to see him because now they knew the change he had made in someone else's life. The point of the message..."If God can use a maniac, crazy man, then God can use me".

What does that say about my life? I don't work outside of my home. My husband works with all Christians for his full-time and part-time job. We don't really have many friends that don't go to church and claim to be Christians. What can I do? Well, I can hand out tracts when I'm out shopping. I am shy and not big on confronting people so maybe I can just leave them around in the store like my Dad taught us to do when we were little. Or, I can go out on visitation on Thursday night and go door-to-door with a flier to invite people to church. I can write about God and Jesus and church on my Blog and hope someone reads it and it makes a difference in their life.

I was born into a Christian family. My Dad was saved 4 years before I was born. He wasn't just one of those people that just got saved either. He was completely changed. I didn't know him before nor do I want to. He's a great man, an awesome example, and the reason I am where I am in my life today. Although, I don't want him to take credit for the bad. I guess I should say, The good part of my life, the Christian I have become and want to become is because of him. From there, I have to go back and thank my Aunt and Uncle. They are the ones who prayed for him to get saved or for God to lead them to their church so they could be assured he got saved. God answered their prayers. I know the list goes back further, but that is where it stops for me. My Uncle and Aunt, my Pastor and Pastor's wife now, are the reason my parents are saved and in church and the reason I had the opportunity to be where I am today and the opportunity to meet my husband in church. My husband leads our home every day and tries to give us Godly direction and is an encouragement to me on a regular basis. That's my missionary story! What is yours? Do you have one? I want to continue to grow. So, if you're out there and you are missing something in your life. If your life isn't complete, it's because you don't have God in your life. He completes me!

Dragging Along!

Bubbles!

Spring time? Not yet!

I know it's been a while since I wrote. Been busy. Seems like for me it's feast or famine with activities. I go some weeks with almost nothing to do and then others where I have something scheduled every day. For me, sitting at home every day of the week isn't as much fun anymore. I enjoy getting out, going to stores, shopping, going to the library, whatever. Five days a week with these 4 walls can drive a woman crazy. Just kidding! Dylan likes getting out as much as I do. He calls it, "Goin' to town?!" We meet his Daddy at least one day a week for lunch if our schedule allows. We try to go to the library at least 2 or 3 times a month for storytime and to check out books. We go grocery shopping every week and when there's nothing else to do, we find something. With the beautiful March weather we went to the park a couple times. Now, we're back to gloomy cold days. We'll get there and there will be plenty of sunshiney days to enjoy outside.

Chris made Dylan a sandbox on Saturday. He finished about 8:15 that night. A little too late for much play but Dylan has been in it every day this week except today. It's like 40 degrees outside and extremely windy. That's not really the excuse, though. We "went to town" today. I got him another shirt for Easter Sunday. I originally bought a short-sleeve, collared, sweater at Children's Place back in March when the weather was beautiful. Now, the prediction for Sunday is VERY COLD. So, I went back to buy a long sleeve shirt to wear underneath and then I saw matching socks. How cute is that? I bought them. Then, I get up to the counter and the shirt was like 40% off and the socks were discounted, also. I love that store. I go there for all his clothes I want to buy unless I want used. If you haven't checked out their selection of kids' clothes, you are missing out. They seem to have sales constantly and if you shop there often enough you will always find something on sale that you can use. It's dangerous for me to go in there with no money, though. I always see something just soooooo cute and I just have to have it. You know what I mean. So, looking at Dylan's professional pictures since he was born...I think every outfit so far has been a Children's Place outfit from head to toe. I'm a huge fan of their socks! They are long enough they didn't come off when he was still crawling and now that he's, well walking and running, they have the grippers on the bottom...perfect! And I bought him tennis shoes last summer. They were a little big on him when I first bought them but they are still in great shape and he'll be able to wear them through most of this summer. I bought them for $12. How cool is that?! Ok, so enough about that.

We've got a busy month ahead with Easter, doctor's appointments, church activities, Mission Conference, birthdays, and so much more. I used to laugh at people who would say, "I'll have to check my calendar". I thought, could anyone really be that busy. Oh my! You can. When people give me a date now. I have to say, "I'll check my calendar". And I never thought I'd tell someone, well that's my only free weekend for the next two months...or, "Yes, I know it's only March, but we already have that week taken in August and, oh yes, that week in October, also". It's crazy! I enjoy having a busy schedule but sometimes it's just too much. Chris and I laugh about it now. When we were dating we would always say, well things will slow down once we get married because we'll be together all the time. And, then the excuse was...well things will slow down when you graduate school, or when we have kids. Yeah, we don't say that anymore. Things are never going to slow down. I look at my parents. You'd think once your kids are out of the house, that's when things would slow down...NOT! I think my parents are more busy now than they ever were. Dad has prison meetings 2 or 3 times a month, visitation on Thursday night and Saturday, work stuff, church activities, personal stuff, family stuff, and it's never ending. Now try taking that and correlating a family vacation for 4 different families to get together. We've done it every year, but I think this might be the Challenge Year. AJ starts kindergarten and Chris has the Missionary Retreat the first week of August. Adding kids makes things more difficult and our family just keeps adding them. Our vacation just might not happen. We'll see!

So, I better go fix dinner for my husband. He should be home before long and then we've got visition tonight. I always said I couldn't go knocking on doors just to say hello but I could hand out a flier on an upcoming event. Well, Pastor had fliers made up about Easter Sunday. I have no more excuses. Off we go!

Sword Fight

Aunt Mel's Place

Yesterday, we went to Aunt Mel's for lunch. Dylan always yells really loud when he first sees Hope, "HI HOPE!" It's so cute! We ate mac n cheese, salad, and chicken sandwiches. Dylan had a runny nose that needed to be wiped about every 10 seconds yesterday but it seems to be just a little stuffy today. After lunch we went to the park and played. Well, technically Dylan just played in a big pit with dirt and rocks, but the other kids played on the playground equipment. He told me stories about a certain little boy throwing dirt and it hit him in the face. It's cute hearing him tell stories because you kind of have to already know what he's talking about to figure out what he's trying to say. It was a little cooler and even cooler today, but it's spring time. That's the expected weather. Although, I'm ready for late spring when it's like 70s during the day every day. We don't expect to see that kind of weather in the next 10 days, though.

I got to see Hope swing at the park. I dont' know if it was her first time, but she sure was cute. I'm going to upload a video of her swinging and some pictures on our Family Photo Album. You'll have to check her out.

When we got back from the park, Hope had fallen asleep in her stroller. Mel carried her straight to bed hoping she would take a long afternoon nap. 45 minutes later, Hope decided she was ready to get up. When I got her up Dylan was playing with Lily the Leap Frog and she was singing a number song. Dylan gave Lily to Hope and said, "Here, let me push button...sing song!" Then, he was dancing and trying to sing with the song and Hope was giggling at him. It was a definite camcorder moment and there wasn't one within reach so it'll just have to be for my memory.

Today, we went to eat lunch with Daddy and his friends at CiCi's Pizza. Pizza is ok there but the service was above average and everything was extremely clean. Clean is always something I like to see in a restaurant. It makes me feel better. Then, we ran some errands and ended up at the library. We got books on tractors, monster trucks, and motorcycles this time and we rented a "Bob the Builder" movie. It was Dylan's first and he really liked it.

He's down for a nap now and I'm off to do the usual laundry and dishes. We'll talk soon, or I will and you'll read / listen.

Callie and Dylan 4-Wheeling!

Zoo Day

Today was supposed to be a beautiful day and I guess the weather is nice but it's clouded over and the wind is blowing so it isn't as nice as yesterday. Although, I'm not at all complaining. Any day we can go outside and enjoy fresh air is a great day.

We met Uncle Aaron and family at the zoo today. Every time Dylan goes he gets just a little more excited about the animals he sees. This time, the fun was in feeding the animals. We stopped along the way to play at the park on the inside. God's creations are wonderful. Julia and I were commenting how in the wild it is often the male species that is more beautiful than the female. I'm glad it's not that way in the human world. After some time at the zoo we went out to eat at a picnic table and then played at the park, again. The kids had a great time and I think we all enjoyed our time outside. We look forward to more days at the zoo this spring and summer.

What a beautiful day!

The weather is just gorgeous outside and if you haven't gone out to enjoy it for even just a minute, you are missing out. We wrote with chalk on the driveway, cleaned out part of the garage, and went on a lawn mower ride. Lawn mower rides have become one of Dylan's favorites. We went to the nearby pond and played on the bridges. It was a great time. Get out there and enjoy the sunshine. It's a beautiful day!

Wildlife

Today, I took my oldest nephew and niece to Wonders of Wildlife. We had a great time. There were all sorts of fish to see, otters, birds of every kind, snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, and so much more. It's great to see children react to God's creation. You should take yours some time and go intending to see their reaction rather than the animals. Their reaction is much more worth it.

Reading?!

Me, reading, I know...it's a miracle. I am not a reader, but I've been reading for the last few days. I've been trying not to take naps and that is very difficult when the house is quiet and my body really wants to sleep. I feel like I sleep better at night if I don't take a nap, but I don't know if that's necessarily true. Eli keeps me awake the first hour after I lay down, so I guess if I only got an hour earlier in the day it would balance out. But that's not why I'm writing.

After about the 5th person I know talked about this book, I decided I might just have to give it a try. I'm reading "Created to be His Help Meet". I think the title is generally summed in saying How to be a Better Wife. There are a lot of ideas in there that are really good. There is a lot of insight into how men are and how to work with the way they think. Of course, you have to know your man a little to pick out the characteristics but after about 10 chapters, I've actually decided to finish this book. The average person only reads one book a year. I used to think that was crazy when I was younger. I read all the time. I had a mystery series that interested me at the time. Now, it seems if the first chapter doesn't capture me totally, I'm never going to pick up the book again. Well, I'll let you know how the rest of the book turns out. But, based on what I've read so far...every woman who is married ought to read this book. There's something in there for EVERYONE!

Whew!

So, I finally after almost a week of research and do-overs...figured it out. I have been trying to post Dylan's birthday video for quite some time but never wanted to ask for help. This one, I was going to figure out on my own. I think I did it. If you have problems, hopefully it's your computer and not what I did.

About 1 1/2 weeks ago, Dylan was sick. He had a little runny nose, a cough, and a temperature. This went on from Friday before his birthday party until the Tuesday after. Then, we had 4 days of clean health. We took him to church on Sunday morning and when we picked him up the teacher said he hadn't been acting like himself. He felt a little warm so when we got him home we took his temperature. 100.2 isn't bad. We just continued as if the day was a normal one. Then, he woke up from his nap early and his temperature was 102.0. Ok, so maybe a little something to worry about. We kept him home that night from church. His Daddy watched him and they had a great time reading books and Daddy got to cater to his little buddy. He didn't want to sleep that night because he was feeling bad so after the 3rd time of waking up in just a few short hours we all got to sleep or "not sleep" miserably in one bed. Yesterday, his temp topped out at 103.6. I called the doctor thinking they might actually want to see him this time. No! They don't. So, we're going through Day #3 of a temperature, runny nose, and very clingy little boy. Mom doesn't mind too much, though. She gets a little extra attention but does worry because food is most certainly the last thing on his mind. We don't know what it is or where he got it. The doctor doesn't know and doesn't pretend to want to know. If they saw every kid with a temperature they would work 24/7. I don't blame them. So, for at least another day we'll be helping keep Motrin and Tylenol in business...doing our part.

My stomach is growling and he is still asleep. Been asleep since 9:30 this morning...almost 3 hours now. I will go and grab a bite while he finishes his nap because when he wakes, eating will be that much more difficult.

Dylan's 2nd Birthday Video!

It's A Boy!

Yesterday was our official doctor's appointment with ultrasound. We're having another boy. How exciting is that? Daddy will have two boys to do all the manly things with like hunting, playing sports, wrestling, and so much more. I know deep down in side many wanted this baby to be a girl but God knows what is best and maybe if a girl is meant to be some day in the future God will change my mind about only having two children.

His name will be Eli ____. We have several middle name ideas but nothing nailed down, yet. He moves constantly to let me know he's there. We have a few months to prepare before he gets here. I know the first few months of him being here will be hard but I'm looking forward to watching him grow.

Annual Update 2006

It seems like I haven’t had many free moments since Thanksgiving. When I thought I was going to have time we had an ice storm in Missouri and were without power nearly 5 days. We had company 3 of those days who were also without electricity. We slept in the living room and dining room with a gas fireplace going and occasionally brought in a kerosene heater for extra warmth. We got power back and others had not so we had more company for a couple days after that. It’s always nice to have visitors and it’s nice to be able to help, but you are also glad when they go and you can get some privacy and most importantly, some cleaning done. I spent the next several days folding blankets, sleeping bags, sweeping, mopping, rewashing dishes, and so much more.

Another one of the things that has kept me busy the last month is end-of-the-month and end-of-the-year reporting for New Testament Church Planting. Our church, Wilson Creek Baptist, became the sending church for this organization and we got volunteered to be the treasurer (Chris) and bookkeeper. That’s me, the bookkeeper. The treasurer has a title but his only official job is to sign checks. I do the rest. So, that has left me to do 1099’s for all of our missionary workers. It’s my first time so I had the opportunity to do them twice since I didn’t do them correctly the first time. Fun stuff, I tell ya!

Well, I didn’t write last year so I’ll try to update you on what’s been going on with us for the last year and half or so.

In October 2005 we put our first house on the market. We had found a lot nearby that we liked and thought maybe we’d like to build another house. Within 3 weeks we had accepted an offer on our house and 3 weeks after that we closed. We hadn’t even bought the lot, yet so we moved in to a basement apartment owned by a lady Chris worked with at the Mission Office. She so graciously provided us a fully furnished 2-bedroom apartment that was in the basement of her home for $200/month. That included all of our utilities and babysitting as much as we needed. The only downfall was it was a 35 minute drive from the lot we purchased. It all worked out well. In April of 2006 we moved into our new home. Chris and his Dad did a lot of work on it which saved us some money. Several of our friends pitched in for painting and it all came together. We actually picked out our own floor plan this time and did some of our own design work. We loved our first home, but it’s nice when you get to pick everything out.

I guess I’m backtracking a little. In February 2006, Dylan turned 1 and he hasn’t stopped growing since! He has become a delight to everyone he meets. He just recently started playing shy but he’s a funny shy. Normally he is a very outgoing child who talks with everyone he meets. He has a smile on his face 95% of the time. He’s mommy’s little helper and daddy’s best bud. He gets to go to town with Daddy on Saturday mornings and that is the highlight of his week. It’s something he looks forward to every week. He brags about it during breakfast to me several times. It’s great they have such a good relationship. He loves tractors and trains and watching “Dora the Explorer” and “Go, Diego, Go”. We’re getting ready to celebrate his 2nd birthday and it’s amazing to see how much he has grown in the last year and notice all the things that have changed. We don’t want him to stay small forever but it just seems like the time is going by so fast.

In June, my brother Aaron and his wife Julia, had their 4th child…Callie McKenna. In July, my brother Christopher and his wife Melanie (some of you know her as Yong Mi), had their first daughter, Hope HaeMi. Callie looks like the rest of the clan. You would never mistake who her father is or who her
siblings are. Hope is a beautiful girl with light blonde hair, an Asian complexion, and almost gray colored eyes. They are both growing and learning new things every time we see them.

During the first of August, Chris and I had the privilege of going to our second Missionary Retreat. We go to Arkansas for a week and are ministered to by 100 or more missionaries from around the world. They give their testimonies and allow us to serve them food, drinks, and glean from their wisdom. It’s a wonderful time. Dylan and I may not get to enjoy it this year for reasons I will later explain.

At the end of August, the Jaquess family spends a weekend at Table Rock Lake. This year, God allowed it to rain 85% of the time we were there. We got to play board games and just visit. Even though we were stuck indoors we had a great time.

The first week of November, Chris had a Mission Office sponsored Youth Rally just north of Orlando, FL. Dylan and I tagged along. The Youth Rally went well. There were about 300-350 high schoolers from around the state of Florida. We saw 4 saved and many surrender to the mission field. It was great to see! On Saturday we left the church and headed for the coastline. We boarded a Disney cruise on Sunday and spent the next 4 days on the ocean. Dylan had a wonderful time. He got to experience so many firsts. His favorite character is Minnie. I don’t know why he chose a girl, but that’s what he liked. We ate delicious meals 3 times a day and had plenty of snacks. Dylan got to see and play in the ocean for the first time. He had his first plane ride which he did wonderfully on. The only problem we had was he was so busy making friends with everyone that he didn’t want to take a nap. He didn’t nap real well on the cruise line either but I think that was by my standards. He never got grumpy or tired acting. It was a great vacation. We visited Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas. For anyone to see the underwater beauty God has prepared for us, it’s amazing. For a child, it’s extra special. We also spent a day at Disney’s own island Castaway Cay. It rained a small portion of the day we were there but didn’t ruin any of our fun.

During our vacation some issues popped up with me having a lot of nausea. At the time we blamed it on motion sickness but had other thoughts. Chris and I had only been trying two months but were hoping a new Beeson would be coming soon. On November 14th, my birthday, we got a call from the doctor. The results were in and we were having another baby. Baby Beeson #2 is due July 10th by the doctor’s calculations. By mine, we may see him or her at the end of June. Dylan is going to be a big brother. We’ll find out next month whether we’re having a boy or girl. Chris would love to finally have his baby girl. I’ll take either, but am afraid of fixing hair and playing with dolls for a girl. I never did that as a child and can’t imagine being good at it. However, if God gives us a girl I will be thrilled and learn how to do those things in time or maybe she’ll be like me and it won’t matter. We’ll see!

The Jaquess family has the tradition of spending the night together on a Friday night to celebrate Christmas. We open presents on Friday night and then get up and fix a huge breakfast on Saturday. We lay around playing with our new gifts and reminiscing. It’s a good time! Chris and I had the honor of hosting that tradition at our house. It’s getting a little more full every year and this year, 2007, is going to be no exception. We had 14 this year. Next year we’ll have 15 and who knows, maybe more.

Chris and I will both be celebrating our 10 year reunions from high school this summer. It’s crazy to think we graduated so long ago. I used to fear getting older, but each year just gets better and better.

Well, that pretty much sums up the year for us. There’s so much more but I’d never get it all in writing and if I did, I wouldn’t want to pay the postage. We pray that all is well with each of you. Have a great year in 2007!

Happy New Year!

It's 2007! Can you believe it? Our son will be two years old in just 6 weeks. That is hard to fathom and we will have kid"s" in less than 7 months. Ten years ago when I graduated from high school I could have never imagined how life would be at this time. I'm not sure if I even thought about it enough.

2006 was a great year. It seems like they keep getting better. Dylan turned 1, and he does all the fun things kids do in there second year of life. He's learning to put multiple words together. He mimics us more and more each day. We built and moved into a new home. We celebrated 7 years of marriage. Marriage has been a little more difficult since children became part of the picture but we continue to work at it and learn to love each other more every day. We saw 2 more nieces born healthy and happy. We went on vacation and Dylan had many firsts. Chris's brother returned home safe from a second tour in Iraq. We found out we were expecting our second child. We added a sunroom onto our new home. We hosted the Jaquess family Christmas in our home. Mom finally got to relax and just enjoy Christmas instead of worrying after getting home from work about cleaning house and cooking for so many. Everything was already done for her. And, best of all, we got to spend lots of time with friends and family.

Sit down and count your blessings for the last year. I bet they outweigh the bad. Start making goals for the new year. You can't accomplish anything unless you set out to do so. Most importantly, make God the focus in your home. We are excited about what 2007 will bring for our family. Happy New Year!