in Texas limbo

time for a new blog title

2012-01-20T11:57:00.000-08:00

When we first moved to Texas, our blog was simply titled "Rodney and Katie," mostly because I created the blog when I was very pregnant. The creative juices were definitely not flowing. And then I decided, once we had determined we were going to be in Texas longer than initially planned, that we needed an appropriate blog title. At the time, I felt very much "in limbo". We'd been through two difficult church situations, my husband's job was all consuming requiring him to be gone much of the time, and all of my apartment friends had moved on. Even though our life in Texas would be temporary, I wanted to make the most of it. I wanted to "bloom where I was planted," which really means:

Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day

and night.

He is like a tree

planted by streams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its leaf does not whither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

Psalm 1: 1-3

I have sunk my roots deep into God's Word during the last 4.5 years. I've studied the Pentateuch, John, Acts, Isaiah, Hebrews, Proverbs and read through most of the Bible. The Lord has blessed me with wise counselors as friends. I have a girlfriend here who is a friend who sticks closer than a sister. We have certainly wept and laughed together through our many trials and joys these last several years. I am not looking forward to this earthly goodbye.

Yes, I'm sure you have guessed it by now. We are moving back to Illinois in March. I am mostly excited. We will be closer to our family and have many friendship seeds that have have sat dormant and are waiting for water and sun.

But change is change. It is exhilarating. It is hard. But most of all, I am thankful that this earth is not my eternal home. One day the Lord WILL return. The dead will rise first, and those who are alive will be caught up to meet Him in the air. "And so we will always be with the Lord." (can you tell I have I Thessalonians on the brain -- we studied it this week in BSF!).

My parting thought is also from I Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Christmas Part Five - Whew!!!

2012-01-17T16:02:00.001-08:00

We made one more trip up to Milwaukee to spend more time with my family and meet my brother Daniel's girlfriend, Helen, who had flown over to the United States from Africa. She has grown up all over the world and has duel French/British citizenship. She got a large dose of American culture and cuisine, and I enjoyed listening and learning about some of her formative life events:)

Even though we only spent a short 2.5 days together, it was a delight to see that my brother is himself with Helen. They seem to bring out the best in eachother. Each year, Daniel has grown more comfortable with who God has designed him to be. He has matured (is maturing) into a compassionate, thoughtful and responsible man. I am a proud big sister! I sure do love you little brother!

It was also good to spend the extra couple of days with Dave, who also will be moving onto different and better life opportunities here in the next couple of months. It might have been one of the last times to see both of my brothers for a very long while.

In typical fashion, we enjoyed games, games and more games! But I think one of my highlights of our time in Milwaukee was getting to look at pictures of my brother's time spent in England and the many African countries he has been able to visit with Helen.

the boys sporting some new apparel :)

Christmas Part Four - Grandma Angie

2012-01-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

Grandma Angie takes such good care of her grandbabies (and me too!). I am so blessed to have such a thoughtful, loving, and gracious mother in-law. Grandpa Morry is fabulous too! But I realized that I didn't have as many pictures of Angie when her whole family descended upon her home. Why you may ask? Because she works so hard to take care of us.

So here are a few pictures of her sitting and enjoying two of her grandkids. Hannah and Abigail, you are well-loved little ladies.

the joy of having a cousin

2012-01-13T14:12:00.001-08:00

So, are you tired of pictures yet? Probably.

The grandparents and greatgrands are not, so here goes Christmas Part 3b and counting :)

Christmas Part Three

2012-01-13T13:07:00.001-08:00

We drove back to Rockford to catch my niece, nephew and their parents too :) The girls got to spend two non-stop days together. I've said it before. And I'll go ahead and write it again: "I am so thankful the cousins are the same age." I hope they have years of fun ahead of them.

We were even able to enjoy a night of fondue toddler free, so it made for an enjoyable family tradition. We were blessed to be together for TWO holidays this year, which takes work and effort since we live all over the country. I am praising God for the blessing of family.

Grandpa and B
love his long lashes...

a Christmas frenzy with 4 kids under the age of 3!!!

taking a quiet breather after lots of running and hard playing...

"Look at my big tower, daddy!!!"

My handsome hubby and sweet baby girl.

Abigail enjoying playing some "Memory" with Grandpa...

Grandpa was kind to let the girls help him make breakfast.

taking turns requires lots of supervision :)

Now if only I had taken a picture of their artwork. E draws big sweeping strokes and uses the whole paper. Abigail is meticulous and detailed, using lots of colors and a small amount of paper.

Christmas Part Two

2012-01-10T14:41:00.001-08:00

My Grandma Barbara and Grandpa Dean joined us for a day in Milwaukee. We enjoyed a quiet day after Christmas. The boys watched a soccer match. The ladies chatted. I was tired after the previous day's festivities (and night up a bunch with Hannah), so I desperately needed a day to sip tea and chat.

Abigail of course enjoyed getting to see even more people and open more presents. Our girl is a well-loved little lady (spoiled too!).

I didn't take as many pictures because I did lots of chatting and sipping tea. My soul needs and craves quality, quiet time. It was a good day.

Christmas Part One

2012-01-10T12:50:00.000-08:00

We had quite the Christmas extravaganza this year on our travels North. We spent a night in Dallas with friends, 2 nights in Rockford, 3 nights in Milwaukee, back to Rockford for 3 nights, on to Milwaukee for 3 more nights, back to Rockford for another night, and on to Peoria for one last evening spent with friends before the long drive back to Texas. Our extravaganza allowed us to see Evalina, Charlie and the kiddos as well as meet my brother's girlfriend, Helen, who flew in from Africa after Christmas. I did say to Rodney on one leg of our drive up from Dallas to Rockford, "Let's just return all of the gifts and wrap ourselves up for Christmas." Needless to say, we did not return the gifts. And we have no holiday regrets.

I took a TON of pictures; regrettably, very few were family shots. I blame Hannah and mommy brain. Maybe next year I will be less scatterbrained :)

Below are pictures spent with my family.

Grandma supervising the big helper puting together a large recipe of Chex Mix!

We all loved having Uncle Dan home from his adventures overseas. Having him home was truly a gift.

My in-laws joined us to celebrate Christmas and enjoy our evening meal. I am SO blessed to have two wonderful moms.

Uncle Dave "hiding"...but all in all he was a good sport...so good to be with both my brothers...

Camus and his little friend :)

simple joys...who needs presents anyways???

Abigail "helping" wrap presents

Camus - eyeing Hannah's lovey

Uncle Dave Cooperates...Abigail does not...Such is Life :)
Love you, Dad! Your Granddaughter loves her Papa!

some of my favorites

2012-01-09T18:19:00.000-08:00

My sweet husband bought me a camera for Christmas, and I have over 400 pictures to sort through to catch up on my blogging!

Here are some of my favorites.

first solids

2012-01-09T18:07:00.001-08:00

... and she's still not a fan. I guess my daughter is stubborn in almost all areas of life :)

She is still sleeping like a newborn (up every 2-3 hrs at night), but at least now I don't have to nurse/rock her to sleep every night. Thank you sleep training!

cousins

2011-12-04T16:53:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving

2011-12-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

After Rodney returned from China, we made a last minute decision to spend Thanksgiving in Nashville with the Harms and Day families. The 13 hour drive, only took us 14 hours, which is saying a lot since Hannah and Abigail both required several stops in the middle of the night. The time spent with family was well worth the loss of sleep! And I only said, "I don't want to drive North for Christmas!" a handful of times. :)

The girls really enjoyed playing with eachother, and Abigail is still asking to go see her cousin. I particularly enjoyed watching the girls play in the sandbox. Ellie was covered in sand, while Abigail was outside of the sandbox carefully using a spoon to dump sand into a container. But they were happy just to be with eachother. I pray that the girls will become better friends with each year.

Evalina and Charlie took Rodney and I out for an early Christmas present/date. My in-laws graciously watched the girls while we enjoyed a delicious meal. It was lovely to enjoy good food and conversation while not having to keep one or both of my two girls quiet and happy!

I am now even more thankful for such a wonderful family.

Hannah is 5 months!

2011-12-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

and is...

enjoying playing with toys

taking better naps in the afternoon

still enjoying the sling and the Ergo

following her sister around with her eyes. It's only a matter of time before she's truly following her sister. Abigail has a gift for keeping her sister happy!

not close to sleeping through the night :(

likes playing in the Jumperoo

and is still very vocal :)

Superbaby!

2011-12-01T15:48:00.001-08:00

cooler weather - finally!

2011-11-02T14:42:00.000-07:00

We've finally dropped from the 90s and upper 80s into the 70s! Praise the Lord! I can already tell that my blood has thinned, and I am going to freeze up north this winter! I already sleep in more clothing than I did up north (year round) and often need an extra blanket. Since the girls have been wearing summer clothes for months and months, I'm ready to dig into their Fall/winter wardrobes. So they humor me, and let me dress them up to as I prepare for the winter.

a Halloween of firsts

2011-11-02T14:24:00.001-07:00

Some first for Abigail:

...her first carved pumpkin

...first taste of cotton candy and popcorn. She preferred popcorn.

...first time to play games at Trunk or Treat!

...not the first time to get dressed up! But she enjoyed it so much more this year!

Illinois fan in the making...

2011-10-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

The funniest part about teaching Abigail to cheer for the Illini is that she yells touchdown (with lots of excitement and flair) even when the other team scores.....

Love the mohawk...and the smiles too of course!

This video is for you, mom!

still my baby

2011-10-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

ILL - INI !!!

2011-10-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

The fighting Illini were undefeated when I took these pictures. Unfortunately, they are now 6-2. But even two consectutive, pathetic losses cannot dampen Rodney's spirits on the weekends. After all, he gets to spend them with his girls!

I love all of these pictures because you cannot miss all of the girls' personality!

She is growing up so fast! Most moms say, "I wish I could just freeze time," but I say, "Bring on the happy baby!" And yes, Hannah is a much happier little lady.

I actually took her in for her 4 month today and she's hanging with her growth curve - meaning she's still in the middle of the bell curve :) She actually enjoys being on her tummy and is quite an active little girl. I'm predicting an early crawler, as she often rotates 90 degrees or scoots forward on her play mate. Only time will tell!

my silly one...

2011-10-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

My silly one is growing up so fast. She loves to dance and talk...talk...talk. She is constantly asking me questions and still has a flair for the dramatic. She has a lot of little girlfriends in her class at church, who she gets to see twice a week.As of late, I'm also beginning to think she'll take up cross country running like her daddy. When we walk, we often let her get out of her stroller in a large courtyard. She runs laps upon laps until she is out of breath and likes to race her daddy, who doesn't always let her win:)

my complicated and beautiful baby

2011-10-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

Isn't she beautiful? She's super talkative, loves to smile and recently started laughing. But she's complicated. She doesn't like to fall asleep on her own and is nothing like her big sister, as far as I can tell right now. She still cries A LOT. Abigail still occasionally covers her ears, which is kinda cute.

The big thing that she's teaching me is to be flexible and more laid back. I threw "Babywise" out the window a long time ago, so I carry her around a ton, rock her to sleep and occasionally let her cry for short times when I'm about to pull my hair out. Her favorite way to fall asleep - nestled up close to me or in the car. When she's having a really bad "moment" or "day", we go run errands in the car or go for a walk. My conclusion (at this point at least) - some babies do better on my routine and others do better on their own :)

Frailty thy name is...

2011-10-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

My two year old honey got between 8-10 ant bites on her foot while we were at the park. The crazy thing is that she acted like it was no big deal, which only shows how much she loves being at the park. The next day they called me to pick her up early from Bible Study because she couldn't walk on her foot and it was hot and swollen; off to the pediatrician we go! With antibiotics, benadryl and several Popsicles, she is now on the mend.

...and yes, "Frailty, thy name is Katie." Tuesday night, in an exhausted stupor, I gave my daughter an overdose of her antibiotic, as if I didn't need any more drama in my life. I now know Poison Control's number by heart. Thankfully, Abigail didn't have any side effects, my guilty crying was short-lived, and my pediatrician nurse (her name is Dori -- we talk quite often) assured me that she even overdosed her 18 month old years and years ago. So there you have it, as if you didn't know I was a less than perfect mommy anyways. Sigh. Busy week.

the Spirit...

2011-10-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

This year in BSF we're studying ACTS (of the Holy Spirit), and I am being challenged to truly rely upon the Spirit's work in my life. I am a "do it in my own strength" kind of lady until I'm exhausted and flat on my face in desperate need of the Lord. This last week, our teaching leader painted a picture of how God worked miracles through the apostles and they were met with opposition which led to greater opportunity to spread the Gospel for God's glory. The Spirit gave them the peace and power to persevere with much joy.

Okay, so I'm not being flogged for my faith, nor are my eyes WIDE open to the Spirit's work around me day by day (that is an area for much needed improvement). But I am exhausted and beat down by my circumstances. I am so thankful that the Spirit offers peace and power to persevere with much joy! I am more challenged to push the Gospel plough here in my home - planting Gospel seeds in my daughter's heart.

Speaking of my two year old. She has recently amazed me with her quick mind and ability to memorize scripture. We have this great devotional book that has a verse and devotion for each letter of the alphabet. Abigail has memorized 4 verses just this week - "A soft answer turns away wrath," "Blessed are the peacemakers," "I am the way, the truth and the life," and "Keep your tongue from evil." She loves to sing, another great way to plant truth in her heart. This leaves me trusting that seeds of God's truth will transform my daughter into a little girl after His heart.

So thank you for your prayers. I am a pretty deformed lump of clay most days but I am thankful that God has promised that he'll keep his hand on me until the Day of Christ Jesus, for "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the Day of Christ Jesus."

3 months

2011-10-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

"Hi, my name is Hannah, and I am growing up way too fast for my mom. I like to smile and coo, and recently discovered that I like to chew on my hands. My goal - to stick my whole hand in my mouth! When my mom holds me, I even like to stand and bounce around. My mom tells me I'm a drama queen like my big sister because I'm either happy or sad. I'm sad, usually because I'm tired. Sleeping during the day is WAY overrated, so I catch cat naps here and there and like to be held or carried around in one of my mom's many baby slings or carriers. My big sister likes to hold me too. I like to be held until all of her hair gets in my face. She has so much hair! All in all, life is good. I have a great family that loves me, and I love them too."

rainy day self portraits...

2011-09-17T17:25:00.001-07:00

Rainy Day... Rodney Gone... Three Colds... 5 minutes of toddler entertainment...

tiny toes...

happy baby...I can't believe she's 12 weeks old...

As I'm sure you can tell from the photos, we're doing much better! Cutting out dairy has done wonders for Hannah's mood. She still has a hard time sleeping. This little goober wouldn't even fall asleep nursing or in the rocking chair. But with a little bit of sleep training this week, she's actually getting some of the rest she had been missing. She even fell asleep once today without any tears. She still wakes up once at night and once in the early morning (between 4am and 6am). This leaves me sleepy, but I know she's healthy and growing. She'll sleep through the night someday, right?

hannah - two months (a month late...)

2011-09-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hannah was 11lb6oz and 23 inches long at her 2 month check-up. She's starting to smile and coo, which is a welcome addition to my fussy baby's repertoire!

...and her Hannah trademark...the whale of a birthmark...

I really do think it looks like a whale. The pediatrician isn't super worried about it. Birth marks run in the family. But I do need to make an appointment with a pediatric dermatologist sometime in the next month.

two and a half going on...

2011-09-17T12:33:00.001-07:00

Lately, my toddler has been very much two going on thirteen. Two because she talks absolutely non-stop and asks questions over and over and over again. She has such joy for life, and she makes me laugh, a huge blessing these past several months. Thirteen because she talks very matter of factly about life and likes to be the boss. "Being the boss" gets her into trouble, often leaving me trying to either stifle a laugh or keep my frustration in check.

Being a big sister has been/is an adjustment for Miss Abigail. Now that Hannah is settling down some, I can take a deep breath and remember to nurture my oldest little girl. She is such a beautiful little girl, and my desire is that I nurture the character qualities that will make her even more beautiful and truly a little lady that loves the Lord.

beach vacation with Grandma and Grandpa

2011-09-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

It was so wonderful to have Morry and Angie here for a week. Rodney had a great excuse to take time off of work, and the girls had lots of extra love lavished upon them. We had perfect, cooler weather at the beach - blue skies, cooler nights, and a breeze to keep us comfortable during the heat of the day. Our beach house was close enough to the beach so we could walk back and forth for lunch and rest, which proved very helpful with a fussy baby. Abigail loved sleeping in a big girl twin bed and called the place her "new home".

Hannah had a bit of a rough week. It's official - dairy does not sit well with my little girl. All four of us adults had many an opportunity to comfort the littlest one. It got bad enough that she quit eating Wednesday afternoon because she was so uncomfortable. Thankfully, I was able to pump milk that she would take from the bottle. Rodney proved rather determined to get her to eat, praise God!

That aside, we all enjoyed the warm ocean water (except for maybe Abigail who has decided she does not like swimming in the ocean). Rodney, Morry and Abigail played at flying a kite. Abigail was thrilled to get to go with Grandma to a candy store. And all of us enjoyed ice cream;well, I enjoyed Blue Bell Fruit Bars :)

Abigail warmed up to playing in the sand. She was quite content to sit on the blanket, digging and dumping to her heart's content.

One of my favorite pictures of the many I took...so much love in this picture...

my present reality

2011-08-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

I am usually a realist - not an optimist or a pessimist. Lately, though, I've been veering away from the middle and either dwelling in the land of pessimism or optimism. You, my blog readers, usually get to see Mrs. Optimist. I tend to blog on "good days" - days when my daughters take naps, when the crying is minimal, and my husband is home. I hardly ever blog on "bad days" - days when my husband is gone, my daughters skip their naps, and one spends a large part of her time in time-out. These "bad days" are often filled with tears, frantic calls to my husband or mom, and the simple prayers of life "please sleep," "please stop crying," and "please obey."

I'll be honest. The reality is:

Abigail is not a compliant child by nature. She willfully disobeys, especially when Hannah has a bad day and she's attention deprived. It is very difficult to discipline when Hannah is fussy all day long. I'm pretty sure I fail as a parent almost every hour.

Abigail is still having naptime accidents - everyday and sometimes on purpose. The whole potty process is still a struggle. She doesn't like to wipe and put her clothes back on afterwards. Usually, she either ends up crying, in time out, or both. Sigh.

Hannah has been VERY gassy and irritable. She wakes several times a night and has only gone 5+ hours between feedings a couple of times.

She does not sleep well during the day. I try the swing, sling, arms, rocking chair, pack n play, swaddle, no swaddle, pacifier...you name it.

The no dairy/coffee/caffeine isn't really working as well as I'd like. I really have no idea what's up. The nurse doesn't seem to think it's my milk, but it's got to be something, right?

So I'm left feeling like I should just stop eating all together and cut out corn, beans, broccoli, soy, dairy, sugar, spice,...the list goes on and on...

...And...it's still a billion degrees down here in Texas. We're about to hit a summer record for most days over 100 degrees. I am anxiously awaiting cooler weather, so I can take my girls outside.

not to mention...

My husband travels close to 50% of the time - sometimes more and rarely less.

When he is home, he is stressed and consumed by work. He often has long evenings or dinner meetings when he's "home"

That's my reality. How do I respond to my reality? Good question. Sometimes I'm bitter and frustrated. Other times I am depressed and discouraged. I really do work hard to be thankful - thankful for a husband who loves me, two precious and beautiful girls, not to mention the God who rescued me from the grave and extends grace to me every day in spite of myself.

Someday I'll come out of this fog, and I pray I'm more like the Lord when that happens. Until then, I'm deep in the "mommy trenches of life".

a new photo challenge :)

2011-08-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

Whew! It sure is hard to get a good picture of both of the girls.

So which one is your favorite?

"Mom, I think you've taken enough pictures!!"

happier girls

2011-08-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

Rodney and I survived our 5 year wedding anniversary earlier this month. I say "survived" because our girls made our day a very memorable one. Rodney had been in Pennsylvania the three days leading up to our anniversary; they were some of my most challenging parenting days to date. Hannah was fussy, gassy, not sleeping well. And when the littlest one consumes more than 50% of my energy, the older one pushes the limits and skips her naps. Sigh. After many hours of crying, Hannah finally fell asleep around 4pm. We ordered take out Chinese and snuggled on the couch, enjoying a movie.

In many ways, it was a fitting 5 year anniversary celebration. At the end of a very LONG day, we laughed about our wedding, remembering how young and naive we were. Looking back we remembered how much we loved each other then and thanked God that we are are so blessed to love eachother even more now! I am so thankful that the Lord brought Rodney into my life. He is my best friend.

After several challenging days with a gassy, fussy baby, I decided to cut out dairy, chocolate and caffeine. Yes, this has been very difficult for me. I LOVE cheese, cappuccinos, milk, and Blue Bell ice cream. The two great benefits of cutting these foods out - a happy baby (the best benefit hands down) and post-partum weight loss (trying to look for the good in the situation). Hannah does seem less gassy and more content. So for the time being, I'm going to stick to a no dairy, chocolate, caffeine diet.

And since Hannah is happy and more content. so is Abigail:) Granted we still have our challenging days, and I most certainly have moments every day where I have to stop, breathe and send up a quick prayer to the Lord.

Here are some "happier" pictures of the girls.

By the way, I cut the butter and milk out of my cornbread recipe (subsituting canola oil and almond milk). The dairy-free cornbread made a nice addition to my chicken chili. I'm learning with some extra effort, dairy free is really quite manageable!

lots of snuggle time

2011-08-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

The past week flew by, and life with two girls grows easier by the day. I am thankful my husband is home from China, but his travel schedule I fear is back to what it was pre-Hannah. Abigail is becoming quite the grown up little helper, and I am thankful for her patience and comic relief, especially when Hannah is fussy (a given in the evenings). We spent a lot of time reading books and snuggling in bed while Rodney was away:)

In all honesty, it's easy to become frustrated and discouraged by Rodney's travel schedule. But I'm thankful when he is home and look for God's grace and blessings when he is away. Because when I look, I see that my days are full of his mercies, which are truly new every morning.

Hannah, will you have a flare for drama like your big sister?

Hannah is filling out and is starting to become quite a little chunk!

My girlfriend Sarah sent a couple of matching outfits for the girls. Silly me, I hadn't even begun to imagine how much fun it was going to be to dress not one but TWO little girls (who are quite adorable in my very biased opinion!).

the singer

2011-08-02T08:30:00.001-07:00

I am thankful Abigail is such a mommy's girl; she sticks close by while I'm nursing Hannah. We keep busy and out of trouble by doing puzzles (like the cool giraffe puzzle daddy bought in China), singing songs and reading books!

a water bug

2011-08-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

Abigail loves the water!

Quick translation: Abigail said, "I'm big sister!" And then she jumped into the pool:)

guest photographer :)

2011-07-28T09:28:00.001-07:00

My mom loves taking pictures as much as I do, though she has a love/hate relationship with cameras. I have this funny memory of mom dropping the camera in Seoul, Korea as we ran across a busy road. Oops! So thanks, Dad, for letting mom keep the camera after you headed back home!

I love being a mommy!

She's been a very smiley little lady:) But they are hard to catch on camera. Good job, Mom!

I think Abigail looks more grown up every day. She has been VERY helpful, especially with Rodney gone. I am so thankful for both of my girls.

Rodney bought himself a new espresso machine and treated all of us to lattes every day he was home (and sometimes in the morning before he headed off to work)...

I love snuggle time with my wee one.

Abigail and I can both squeeze into my rocking chair, which works out well for story time. And isn't Hannah's little cloth diaper bottom adorable! We started cloth diapering when she was a little less than a week old. We're becoming bigger and bigger fans of cotton prefold diapers! I especially love not having to deal with explosive diapers; cloth contains everything. And boy can this girl blow out a diaper!!! She soaked me my first day back at church (all down my dress). From that point onward, it's cloth diapers for church:)

4 weeks

2011-07-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

double teamed

2011-07-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

Life with two little girls --

I tried to capture the adorable daddy and daughters moment.

Abigail gave me her best smile and then was on the move.

He is most definitely outnumbered.

He's a great daddy.

Two and Three Weeks

2011-07-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

two weeks

early morning snuggle time with Mimi and the girls. I ended up falling asleep in the guest bed while everyone enjoyed breakfast:) It's GREAT having my parents here to help!

three weeks old

We've enjoyed playing gamse in the evening (surprise...surprise...).

beautiful Mimi and baby Hannah!

Abigail is all smiles and slowly adjusting to having a baby sister.

Papa (my two year old's buddy)

2011-07-17T18:31:00.001-07:00

Papa was Abigail's buddy - a huge blessing to me (and Abigail). He took her on walks, to the park, and to the pool. He read to her and was her personal potty cheer leader. We would often hear, "Papa, I go pee pee! Yaaay!" Abigail was so sad the day Papa went home to Illinois and set him a place at the table. We're all looking forward to the next time we get to spend time with Papa.

I am blessed to have a great Dad, and he is now a great "Papa". We love and miss you, Papa!

the Mount Everest of Grilling

2011-07-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

Miss Hannah Kate woke Rodney early on the 4th of July so that he could start our 4th of July dinner. 12.5 hours later - after much smoking, tending, and grilling TLC - we enjoyed our first grilled brisket. Someday, we'll bring our new found southern traditions up north to share with our Midwestern family and friends. They are delicious!

a letter for my Hannah - your birth story

2011-07-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Dearest Hannah,

We are so excited that you are finally here! Your daddy and I had been praying for your safe and fast arrival long before your conception and throughout the time you spent growing in my tummy. I asked the Lord that you would be healthy and arrive quickly in all of God's perfect timing and ways. I prayed for you every day, and was reminded several times to trust God's perfect sovereign will.

Hannah, I have this sin problem - worry. It's a terrible thing, and it creeps up so quickly and robs me of joy and peaceful trust. But the good news is that the Lord is a gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. When I'm worried (and I often was while I was pregnant with you), I open up the Bible and am reminded how God has a perfect plan all of the time. So when the doctor told me at 16 weeks that you had a spot on your heart, God helped remind me that He was the one knitting you together inside of my womb. Even though I did pray that you would be healthy, I also prayed that the Lord would use you to bring him great glory, no matter what might come your way. I am still praying that for you, though I am delighted and blessed that you are a healthy little girl.

Weeks before your arrival, your daddy traveled all over the world (and Texas). He spent time in England, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Dubai. Then he had several trips in Texas. All the while, my body was getting ready for your birth. The Lord graciously prepared my body for your delivery without an early delivery! I was between 3 and 4cm dilated weeks before you were born, so I took my doctor's bedrest orders very seriously:)

Finally, on a Wednesday, I went in to have my membranes stripped, in hopes that it would jumpstart a safe, vaginal delivery. Again, I had been praying that God would help me to have a VBAC. I had no idea how quickly he would answer my prayers!

5:00pm -- Membranes Stripped

5:00 - 9:30 -- My contractions began almost immediately following my visit to the doctor. I stopped at the grocery store on the way home, made dinner, folded and did some last minute laundry, picked up the house, and even blogged! Around 8:30pm, I started timing the contractions and discovered they were about 6 minutes apart. That's when we called our friend who was coming to watch your sister, and I jumped in the bath/shower to help deal with the stronger contractions. By the time I got out of the shower, I was very ready to go to the hospital!

10:25pm -- John arrives to watch Abigail

10:30pm -- Daddy and I leave for the hospital. Active labor + car ride = unpleasant. But we didn't have to sit in traffic or wait very long to get checked into the hospital.

10:50pm -- in triage, I am already 6 cm dilated

Sometime between 11:00 and 11:45 -- I was 8 cm dilated when I arrived in labor and delivery

12:10am- epidural. I was torn about having an epidural. But my main goal for your labor and delivery was to stay on my feet and let you drop into a good delivery position for as long as possible. The anesthesiologist assured me that if things went south, since I had a previous c-section, it was a wise idea. In some ways, having the epidural helped me relax emotionally, even though it did very little to help with the pain!

12:48am -- I had a hard time pushing you out, though daddy assures me that it really didn't take that long. During contractions, I was quite the drama queen. I yelled things like, "For the love of God!!!!" and " I can't do this!!!" The nurse and your daddy assured me that I could and told me to reach down and feel your head. I was so close. Dad counted while I pushed and soon you were born! Whew! My arms and back hurt for days after your delivery because I was so active and loud during labor.

Hannah, you were alert and ready to eat when you arrived! And after you were warm and full, you drifted off to sleep, as did daddy. I, on the other hand, had a near fainting spell, and my nurse had to call in a team of people to help get me off of the floor. My blood pressure,which had been high before your delivery, was now too low. Drama! Thankfully, they pumped me full of fluids, and I was soon on my feet, ready to love and care for you.

We love you so much Hannah, and we pray pray that you will love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength. You are a blessing and a gift from God. We are so excited to have another little lady in our home.

Love,

Mommy

sister snuggle time

2011-06-29T10:39:00.001-07:00

My Grandparents sent a balloon with flowers and a certain two year old was entertained for hours. Thank you! Thank you! We're all glad reinforcements (aka - Abigail entertainment) will be here soon. Hannah Kate has been a sweet, chill baby. Abigail, on the other hand, is adjusting. But she does love her little sister :)

Hannah Kate (up close)

2011-06-26T16:47:00.001-07:00

sisters

2011-06-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

2011-06-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome Hannah Katherine Harms!!! Born at 12:48 AM (6/23). 8 lbs and 20 inches long. The labor and delivery was very quick and went smoothly. We arrived at the hospital at 10:45 PM and two hours later had our baby. Mommy and baby are doing well. We will be at the hospital until Saturday.

And of course a couple pictures...

a new chapter

2011-06-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

Abigail, you have been the star of my blog for the last two and a half years. Your grandparents and friends have enjoyed watching you grow from an itty bitty baby into a beautiful little girl. We've let them in on your victories and they have faithfully prayed you through your colds and ouchies.

Soon, you'll get to share the spotlight with a little brother or sister, and I can't wait to see how God is going to use your little sibling to help sanctify you - teaching you about grace, patience, sharing and ultimately about the Lord. I pray that your sibling will love the Bible and people as much as you do! You have so much love to share, and I am delighted that God has blessed us with another person to help us learn about love, life and Him!

We'll all have a lot to learn in the next couple of months (years!), but I pray that the Lord will ultimately help your mommy and daddy become more like Christ. And one day, we pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior too.

*** 38 week update

*still 4cm dilated, feeling more contractions...

*I had my membranes stripped today (not very pleasant) and am currently enjoying the use of my exercise ball to help with the cramping and contractions.

*Hopefully, we'll be able to introduce you to Baby Harms in the next 24-48 hours :)

37 week update

2011-06-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

I received good news today at my doctor appointment.

My lab results came back negative for preeclampsia, so I just have gestational hypertension. The doctor says I still need to take it easy and keep to the modified bed-rest plan.

I am 4 cm dilated, 70% effaced and the baby has dropped some.

My awesome girlfriend, Jaclyn, watched Abigail this morning and stuck around for take-out Chinese food and catching up after her trip to Greece with her hubby. I'm so glad you're home!

Even better news: Rodney is home from his work travels:) So I won't have to have this baby by myself!

36 weeks

2011-06-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

At my doctor appointment yesterday, I was surprised to hear that I am 3.5cm dilated. I am thrilled, but the huge part of me that likes to plan my life is a little overwhelmed. I have to admit, I was hoping to have at least two or three weeks more to prepare for our little one. Rodney has one more short trip next week. Our good friends who are planning to help us with Abigail are in Greece. And yesterday, I came down with Abigail's cold - sneezing, runny nose, congestion, cough...fun times:)

And on another note, my blood pressure was high the second week in a row. My second BP readings have always been normal, but as a consequence, I'm also now on modified bed rest. This proves to be challenging with an almost 2.5 year old. My instructions are to lie down for 20 minutes every two hours. I at first thought this would be "no big deal", but yesterday I realized just how much I am on my feet. Whew! And I also get to do a 24 hour urine collection to rule out preeclampsia.

So that's that. A VBAC is looking very promising, especially since I've been relatively comfortable. But I am praying that the Lord will help Abigail and I fight these colds and that the baby will hang on a little while longer:) Thanks for praying. It's comforting to know that the Lord is good ALL the time and the one who is REALLY in control.

2 cm

2011-06-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am 35 weeks and 2 cm dilated. My pregnancy has been easy up until Sunday evening, so the little person is getting ready to enter a much larger world! Thankfully, we made it through Rodney's two weeks of world travels without any exciting trips to the doctor. We have two more nights to stay out of labor and delivery this week (since he is gone again) and a night in a couple weeks. But all in all, we're ready to meet you, little baby!

Will you pray that our little one will come with little fanfare? My doctor is in agreement that a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) is possible, but he won't let me go after my due date. He even mentioned today that if at 39 weeks, nothing has changed, he may even give me a small dose of pitocin to see if it jump starts a natural labor. This is a departure from his medical practice's position on no induced VBACs. All that said: the doctor needs wisdom and I need patience on the Lord's perfect timing and will, even if that means another c-section.

And would you also pray that I have energy and strength. I have been exhausted and chasing my independent two year old is rather wearisome, especially since she has been fighting naptime and bedtime. (Big Sigh...). Any advice? I do enjoy taking her to the pool. The cool water helps me forget my swelling feet, wakes me up, and makes me feel rather weightless, which is GREAT at this stage in my pregnancy:)

I have been challenged of late by a book I finished last week One Thousand Gifts. I am often weary of the mundane, and ingratitude swiftly creeps in to steal my joy. It's been a huge challenge to look for beauty and gifts in the everyday mundane. I am currently fighting for joy! One huge gift right now - my "read through the Bible in a year" has landed me in the middle of Psalms, a place where I have and will find great encouragement in the final weeks before our baby arrives. Thank you, Lord, for your daily strength and encouragent. Your mercies are truly new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.

just for you, babe...

2011-05-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

Rodney has been on a two week tour, so it's no surprise that Abigail declared this morning: "I go to Italy...I go to Istanbul...I go to Dubai." "I see Daddy," she then adds matter of factly. If only it were that easy, just to pop over and see you today. Yes, Rodney, your girls miss you immensely. About every hour during the day, Abigail tells me, "Daddy come home later." That's because I've been telling her that you'll be home soon - later this week. And I'm so glad that later this week is only a couple of days away!

So here are a couple more pictures of our recent happenings. We love and miss you!

self portrait skills :) Our daughter has beautiful blue eyes. And this was her first successful time to use a public restroom!

I asked her to point to "Abigail's Letter".

her first pedicure...

pink toes :)

potty update #2

2011-05-21T14:33:00.001-07:00

We're still having daily accidents (some that make me want to not be eco friendly and use disposable pull ups). My 34 week pregnant body is not fond of cleaning up accidents on the way to the potty. Sigh. So even though we've made leaps and bounds progress, we're nowhere completely accident free!

guest photographer :)

2011-05-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

I am continually amazed at how God perfectly provides for me. Rodney has had a brutal work and travel schedule, and the Lord knew when I would need some encouragement. My friend Julianne came for a short visit at the end of the week, and we enjoyed my "typical mode of operation" - long walks, lots of hot tea, coloring with chalk, swimming, late night talks, blowing bubbles.

Thank you, Lord, for your perfect provision of friendship and encouragement. Thank you, Julianne, for your joy and hugs!

potty training update!

2011-05-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

Weeks before Abigail turned 2, I spent two horrific days trying to potty train. Several people told me that potty training was simple, and I was left wondering why I hadn't packed away her cloth diapers at 18 months. Even random strangers at Target assured me that if Abigail was left without a diaper, within a day (maybe two at the most) she would easily transition to the big girl potty. I read very little on the matter and was convinced it would be an easy transition. I was so very wrong! I crashed and burned and quit on day two, in tears.

But I wanted to give it another go, in hopes that we would only have one in diapers this summer. This time, I picked up two books and read through a PDF book sent by a friend. I developed a strategy and planned to be home without any distractions for 3-4 days. I also planned to have Rodney home in the evenings, for at least the first two days. On my previous attempt, I was home by myself while my hubby was in China. That didn't work out so well. I needed the hugs and encouragement.

On the morning of our first potty training day, I let Abigail open a wrapped present - a potty training doll (which she loved). We taught Baby Annie to use the potty and rewarded Baby Annie for staying dry and using the potty. Abigail enjoyed eating Baby Annie's M&Ms:) We then put Abigail's cloth diapers into a storage bin and we put on her new underwear (that we picked out together earlier in the week).

I periodically asked Abigail is she was dry. When we checked (and I often knew she was dry), I would let her pick out a sticker. In all honesty, Abigail's only successes on the potty on day one were when I sat and read to her. They were accidental successes that were heavily rewarded with M&Ms. For the most part, she had accidents and I would rush her to potty, have her pull down her wet underwear and go through the potty process. I cleaned up LOTS of accidents on day one and two.

On day two we had one huge success in the morning. Abigail ran to the potty by herself and went potty. But the rest of the day was miserable. Lots of accidents, and I was in tears by the end of the day. It didn't help that my hubby had a huge trip the next day. I wanted to quit but was reminded of a friend's advice. She said it took her daughter 4 days to really "get it". So I persevered.

And the perseverance paid off! Day three, we only had three accidents and day 4 we only had one accident! I still put her in cloth diapers at night and waterproof training pants at naptime, mainly because I'm a tired pregnant mommy who doesn't want to have to change wet sheets in the middle of the night and have a hard time rolling out of bed before Abigail wakes in the morning. One step at a time.

So if you are potty training or planning to soon, be encouraged! It is NOT EASY. Tears are normal (for mommy and little one), and don't feel like there's something wrong if you have to stop and wait a couple months before you try again. Every kiddo is different, and I can only imagine the challenge of having two kiddos under wing:)

Happy potty training!

a Mother's Day weekend

2011-05-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our Mother's Day weekend. It was filled with long walks, swimming, Saturday night date night, games with friends and some solo mommy time shopping and at the hair salon:) "buggy daddy!" Abigail does not like bugs - anything that crawls, creeps or flies. I think she gets it from me!

quick catch up

2011-05-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've blogged or posted any pictures, mostly because our routines have helped keep us moving to the summer and the birth of Baby Harms. I am now 31.5 weeks (and counting!). I'm still feeling great, though not sleeping as well as I would hope. Rodney got home last night from his annual oil convention around midnight, didn't come to bed until 1am, and then had to deal with his wife tossing and turning until 2am. Poor guy! Poor me too (but I try not to feel too sorry for myself). The day will soon be here when I'll be thankful for six consecutive hours of sleep!

Our weekly activities have all ended for the year, so next week is potty training go time! I have a couple new tricks and rewards up my sleeve. So please be praying that Abigail will have some potty success next week:)

And meanwhile, I'm nesting, which is probably not a surprise to any of my readers who have kiddos. The most wonderful thing about having green, yellow and neutral baby gear is minimal prep for #2! For the most part, I am a frugal minimalist, so I don't really have a ton to do or buy. But I have made my life easier and added a couple additional items to my baby gear. I just made one of my final pre-baby #2 purchases (newborn cloth diapers) :) I think I'm now an official cloth diapering addict; it's quite amusing how much research and joy I have planning to cloth diaper another little one:)

With all that said, I'm thrilled that next week, my hubby will have a less busy schedule (calm before the storm). And the weekend and relaxation is right around the corner.

And as a sidenote:My husband did NOT get into the water. I guess he wanted me to get as much use out of my maternity swimsuit as possible:)

a great weekend!

2011-04-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

Rodney was gone most of the week but home for Good Friday. Our friends, Patrick and Rachel, also joined us for the first half of the weekend, and we enjoyed church, long walks, good food, the pool and late night talks. It had been a long time since we had "caught up". Abigail kept saying, "PatrickRachel (one word) coming soon!" And then after they got here it was, "PatrickRachel," "PatrickRachel," over and over and over again.

Here is a good belly picture of me at 30 weeks. I am praying that the baby will be here sometime in the next eight or nine weeks (so that I can have a no complications VBAC). I'm still feeling great!

Here is a picture of all of us at the park. Rodney set the camera up on the jungle bars with the timer:)

Sunday we enjoyed celebrating Easter with more of our Texas friends over brunch after the first service at church and an early dinner at our home later in the day. I made a feast of roasted pork loin, sweet au gratin potatoes, homemade rosemary bread, and steamed fresh green beans. Yum! We finished it off with a dessert buffet. We had 3/4 of a key lime pie left from Saturday and two friends brought Vegan Coconut Cookies and angel food cake with fresh strawberries.

catching up with friends

2011-04-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

Some of our Peoria/Dallas friends popped by for Saturday afternoon, dinner and evening games and dessert. It was so good to catch up and hear about their fast approaching plans to leave for the mission field. We met Lori and John before they were married, and it's so encouraging to see how God has faithfully carried them to this point as they look to serve him not just here in the USA but overseas as well. soli deo gloria!!!

"Since you're not walking yet, I'll come down to your level!"

our favorite walk and other happenings...

2011-04-14T14:21:00.001-07:00

Abigail has currently been boycotting her afternoon nap, and I have been more and more tired with each passing day. Unfortunately, these two make a rather frustrating combination. I do try to make the most of my tired afternoons. and yesterday, I took Abigail to the pool for the first time. It will not be the last. Thankfully, I LOVE my new maternity swimming suit, and I'll be beautifully sun kissed when the baby arrives this summer.

Now that our daylight hours have increased, we've been taking advantage of walks after dinner (which makes for a very tired but happy little girl). We walk along the bayou of our apartment, often stop at a small park, and let Abigail run/walk/meander home on the last leg of her pre bathtime journey.

Here is a blurry picture of our sleepy girl after her meandering became too slow even for her pregnant mommy.

And if you have any advice on getting a toddler to take a nap, I'm desperate...

some saturday photos

2011-04-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

routines

2011-04-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

We've had several weeks of routine - Monday errands, Tuesday church study, BSF Wednesdays, and the rest of the week to fill with trips to the library and park, lunch dates, long walks, cooking and more errands (oh and the almost daily laundry and house upkeep!). Routine keeps me sane, especially when my husband has long days at the office or on the road. He was actually in Calgary this week for work, and I'm starting to miss him even more during bathtime. My 26 week old belly is starting to make simple tasks more challenging:)

Abigail thrives on routine as much as I do. She asks everyday to go to BSF "BFee", "see pool", "go slide", "grocery shopping", and "go outside". Our summer schedule will be here in about 5 weeks, which is hard to believe, which means I need to find a maternity swimming suit! We went on a walk and visited the pool yesterday, where we blew bubbles and thought about jumping in. The water gets warmer by the day, and it won't be long until we'll blow bubbles and swim in the pool.

a big girl

2011-03-19T15:13:00.001-07:00

Last night we put the toddler railing on Abigail's crib, hoping to soon transition her to a real bed. As always, the transition was harder for me than it was for Abigail. She did great her first night and even slept late the next morning. She did fall asleep this afternoon (though she read several books and had to have some help from daddy; I was at a baby shower).

This morning, she dragged some of her favorite toys to play with in her big girl bed!

my parents...my friends...

2011-03-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

I am so incredibly blessed to have wonderful parents. They have become some of my best friends. Rarely does a day go by that I don't talk to at least one of my parents, if not both. We stayed up entirely too late every night that they were here, and it was hard to say goodnight and then goodbye the next day. I have so much respect for both of them and value their wisdom and insight. I'm already looking forward to their next visit this summer, to celebrate the arrival of another grandbaby.

the best of both worlds

2011-03-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

The question: "Where do you come from?" has always been a difficult one to answer. Having lived all over the United States and the world, different people and places have helped make me who I am. Knowing that I'm an ambassador for the Lord, gives me great peace and security.

I have grown to love Texas - the independent spirit, more reasonable politics, southern food and most of its people. And yet I still have a large part of me up north. So it was GREAT to have my parents here over my mom's spring break. This week we truly got to experience the best of both worlds - sunshine, food, laughter and family.

We walked every day and enjoyed a beautiful Texas spring.

Rodney even took Monday, Tuesday and most of Wednesday off!

We headed to Houston's Zoo on Tuesday.

Even though we had the stroller with us, she walked most of the day with Rodney. She only rode in the stroller while she had a short snack...

We needed the picnic bench break more than she did!

But the long days took their toll. She only sucks her thumb when she's utterly exhausted. Grandpa enjoyed reading to her everyday. Every morning, she would wake Grandpa up and ask him to read her a "devo book"! Fortunately for all of us, the wake up call didn't come until around 8:00am:)

I made my parents key lime pie before they arrived. We enjoyed the pie so much that I used the rest of the key limes to make a second pie! Yum!

February into March

2011-03-11T16:09:00.000-08:00

Highlights --

We've all been exercising. Rodney runs with Abigail (in the BOB) while I walk. Then while Rodney cools down, Abigail gets out of the stroller and runs home! We love having the bayou right behind our apartment!

Weeks ago, Rodney landed himself in the ER with chest pain. Weeks later, the pain persists. Good news: Rodney's stress test came back negative. The doctor even said he could tell he was a runner. We've been working hard to make sleep and stress management higher priorities:)

Rodney and I went on a double date Tuesday night to the Houston Livestock and Rodeo show. We got to see Keith Urban perform after the rodeo! And we left our bugaboo little girl with a babysitter (good thing too - we didn't get home until 11:30pm).

My parents arrive tomorrow! They're in for a treat because it's been beautiful here in Texas - 70s and sunny!

now and then - 23 weeks

2011-03-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

now... and then...23 weeks...

perfect park weather

2011-02-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

We have had perfect park weather this week and have already been 3 times! I've been trying to be intentional about spending time outside because come June and July, I have a hard time being cheerful as we sweat it out at the park. I'd much rather be in the swimming pool:) Everyday Abigail asks to go "slide?" and "see pool?" Being that the pool water is still far too cold, we usually end up at the park:)

in Austin with Mimi and Papa

2011-02-16T13:25:00.000-08:00

We spent the weekend in Austin with "Mimi" and "Papa" (my parents) and had a delightful time relaxing. Well, my mom didn't spend much time relaxing; she was attending a nursing conference. But the rest of us enjoyed a leisurely visit to see the capitol, long talks over coffee, walks in the park and good food. Mimi joined us for most of our meals, and now I truly understand why Austin is known for its food! We had a sampling of traditional BBQ (Stubb's), Japanese, Tex-Mex, and the Sheraton breakfast buffet (a pregnant woman's dream come true!).

I am now 20 weeks pregnant. Can you tell? Just kidding. It's pretty obvious these days, though my large maternity shirts and pants, that are way too big for me, don't do me any favors:)

...Abigail was more than happy to get out of her stroller!

...and even more thrilled to try her hand at rock climbing! She surprised all of us at her skills and only needed spotting. We made one trip to the ER on Friday night (more to come on that later) and decided we didn't need to an additional visit to Austin's ER. You can't tell in this picture, but some areas of the wall were quite steep. It truly was a feat for our sometimes uncoordinated little girl.

Abigail was far more intersted in the leaves and sticks at her feet, so we had a hard time getting her to look at Papa, who was taking the picture!

Even though you can't see Mimi's face, Abigail's expression of joy is enough. She loves her "Mimi" and "Papa".

Posing for the camera:)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T18:33:00.000-08:00

Abigail was delighted to open her Valentine's Day card and box! She was content to feed her babies the candy. Somehow she knew it was good to eat, though she wasn't the least bit in trying the candy herself:) And she sang herself, "Happy birthday!" seeming to think all special days are about her.

cold weather ponderings

2011-02-09T14:55:00.000-08:00

I've had a relatively slow week. The truth is - I've been exhausted. Most days, it's all I can do to roll out of bed to start the day. Today I didn't roll out of bed until 8:30am, leaving me a little over a half hour to get us ready for BSF. Whew! We certainly didn't have a calm start to the morning. And this afternoon we went for a drive because they were doing fire alarms; the fire alarms woke my daughter from her nap leaving her hysterical. Sigh - so much for a much needed afternoon nap.

But I'm thankful for a slow week. With Rodney home (and lots of leftovers in the refrigerator) our evenings are relaxing and sweet. I recently bought Abigail her first children's Bible - The Jesus Storybook Bible. A chapter every night before Abigail's bedtime has been refreshing for all three of us. Every story (Old Testament included) points back to God's redemption plan for history - His only Son. I highly recommend the book!

Among other news - I've been dabbling in potty training. Three weeks ago while Rodney was in China, I thought I'd surprise him by potty training Abigail. Unfortunately, Abigail had other plans, and I had a very long two days. After some tears and cleaning up more messes than I'd like to admit, I realized I needed some help. So I've been reading up on the subject and asking around for advice. So maybe in the next month or so, I'll be done doing cloth diaper laundry (at least for a couple of months!).

And I just finished Joni Eareckson Tada's memoir "The God I Love". Her trust in the Lord left me weeping and convicted of my own sin. I love my comfortable life. In many ways, I idolize a comfortable, easy life - one with very few inconveniences. And yet, Joni's paralysis and pain have given her countless opportunities to serve the Lord and bring Him great glory! Oh that I would have courage to pray that God would truly use me in any way to bring him the most glory.

Abigail wanted to wear my hat last night, making for a good photo opportunity. My caption for her below: My God is so big, so strong and so mighty. There's nothing my God cannot do!

He's big enough to change my stubborn heart and give me strength in the midst of my physical exhaustion. His love is deep. His love is strong.

Birthday Celebrations

2011-02-07T17:10:00.001-08:00

We celebrated the January birthdays again last Saturday. We had some of our close friends over for brunch and cupcakes midday on Saturday. I decided on brunch for several reasons. One - Abigail loves breakfast food and would be content eating eggs, cinnamon rolls, and fruit 3 meals a day! Two - I was able to prepare all of the food on Friday, which made for a more relaxing Saturday morning:)

Creativity has never been one of my fortes. but I did try my hand at cupcake decorating this year and thoroughly enjoyed myself. My Elmo loving little girl was thrilled with the final product. She got to eat a couple plain mini cupcakes while I decorated, which also made her a very happy little girl.

The picture below was actually taken the Friday after Abigail's birthday, when we had a joint birthday celebration for my two favorite people! Here they are enjoying a new present - a tea set from her mommy. Tea parties are now a regular part of daily play time!

Rodney and I got to celebrate his birthday by going out on a date! We went to Flemings, a steak bistro and wine bar. It was so much fun to get dressed up and enjoy a low lit, quiet meal on beautiful white linens. I am so thankful to be more in love with my dear husband than the day I married him. It was a special night for both of us.

TWO (almost)

2011-01-24T11:51:00.001-08:00

My baby turns two on Thursday! Rodney will be out of town for work, so we'll officially celebrate with cake and presents on Friday. But we'll celebrate with some of her favorites on Thursday. Lucky for mommy, Abigail's favorites are also some of my favorites -- homemade mac n' cheese, Chick fil A, and strawberry milk shakes:)

Miss Abigail is becoming quite the little lady.

She is a pro at unprompted "thank yous"
Believes that cleanliness is a true virtue ( hands, face, baby doll, high chair...)
and is always ready for hugs and snuggling

Some of Abigail's recent milestones:

She can count from 1 to 10, and loves counting by twos.
Is beginning to recognize more letters of the alphabet. Whenever she sees letters or a word (BMW for instance), she says "EFG" instead of "ABC". I guess it's easier for her to say.
Is following more complex directions...
Loves to jump and is adding hand motion/movement and spins to her bouncing dance moves.
And can put her shoes back on after she takes them off. (socks and other clothing items are another issue altogether).

Last night she chose her devotion book for bedtime reading. Character development is a big part of my prayer life this year for Abigail.

Right now we're focusing on "patience" and "gentleness"...two character qualities that will help when her little brother or sister arrives this summer.

And I'm working on consistency. I have to admit, especially during the long weeks when Rodney is gone, I am not very consistent. I cave to whining and bad behavior goes unaddressed. But all in all, being a mom is such a blessing! The last two years have flown by! As we wait for Baby Harms #2 to arrive this summer, I am trying to intentionally enjoy my one on one time with my sweet little girl.

I'm going to be a...

2011-01-05T10:28:00.001-08:00

Baby Harms #2 is due to arrive on July 4, 2011!

Christmas Part Two

2011-01-05T08:38:00.000-08:00

This was my rocking horse when I was close to Abigail's age!

Our time with my family was incredibly relaxing. My highlights of the time - walking the dogs with my parents, lunch at Sushigawa, watching Bride and Prejudice, and playing lots of games. All 4 members of the Hekel family were sick with colds but all were in good spirits and eager to spend time with us. It was especially wonderful to see my brother, Daniel, home for a brief visit from his overseas adventures. Abigail loved her Uncles and would call them both, "Uncky Dave," as "Uncky Dan" seemed more difficult to say! And of course she loved playing with Camus "Mus" and "Cobi", who were great sports and quite willing to share their love and toys with Abigail.

Again, the trip ended all too soon. I am looking forward to living closer to home.

I love my brothers!

she gave Camus and Cobi lots of hugs...

out for an evening stroll...

Abigail wasn't quite sure what to think about Daniel's facial hair.

celebrating an Illinois double victory!

enjoying unwrapping one of her many gifts...

Christmas Part One

2011-01-05T08:28:00.001-08:00

Whew! The last two weeks went by so incredibly fast. We began our tour of the Midwest in Iowa, where we saw my grandparents and mom's side of the family. Before we even recovered from the drive north, we were on our way to Rockford to spend Christmas with the Harms side of the family. Thankfully, the snow flurries began the evening after we arrived in Rockford and continued well into Christmas Eve. They made for a beautiful white Christmas (a big change from sunny, hot Houston -- it was in the 80s the day we began our travel up North!).

The girls really enjoyed each other's company, and we were all pleased that they seemed content to entertain each other! If one of the girls started playing the piano, another was quick to follow suit. If anything, more than ever before, I found myself wishing we all lived closer together. I continue to pray that the girls will be good friends as they become young ladies.

Abigail and Ellie enjoyed unwrapping their Christmas presents, and in typical fashion, Abigail was more taken with the crinkly paper than her actual presents! Here she is lying down on her favorite shiny paper:)

Rodney and I are so thankful for our loving family. I gladly admit that I was sad to leave my in-laws; I felt as though the time flew too quickly. So I count myself a blessed woman!

confirmation

2011-01-04T13:35:00.001-08:00

Late in 2010, I decided on several New Year's Resolutions. Well, this afternoon, I opened up Bethany's monthly newsletter The Broadcaster and was met with a sense of confirmation - to read through the Bible cover to cover in 2011. I did this several years in a row (pre-Abigail) and made excuses after she was born to just read through the NT or stick to the books I was studying with various Bible Studies. No more excuses! I am looking forward to opening God's living and active Word, starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your quiet confirmation.

Christmas Card Preview

2010-11-30T19:09:00.000-08:00

I am proud to announce that I have already ordered and picked up our Christmas pictures/cards for the year. Now I just need to type up the letter, purchase some stationary and stamps and send them on their merry way.

I love sending and receiving Christmas cards!

thankful for a great Thanksgiving

2010-11-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

We spent 12 days up in Morton for Thanksgiving, and I wasn't ready for vacation to end - proof of a good time with family. Our first week was filled with trips to the doctor with my dad (he's still battling his kidney stones....), football, and low-key evenings at home. Abigail and I both had a bad case of the sniffles, while Rodney had a nasty stomach bug that he thankfully didn't share with his girls or anyone else. But I couldn't have been happier anywhere else, sniffles and all.

On Sunday we got to go to Bethany Community in the morning and celebrated the Feast of Thanks at Bethany Baptist in the evening. It was great to see friends and spend some time letting them get to know Abigail. She fit in great with all of the other kiddos running around the gym after dinner, worship and prayer.

On Monday, my mom watched Abigail in the evening while I went to BSF. It was such a blessing to be a part of that group of ladies again. It is such a blessing to study the same Word and be able to pick up wherever I happen to be.

Tuesday evening we enjoyed food with some of our favorite people in Peoria - the Deutsch family! Abigail loved having so many big girls and boys (and young ladies and a gentleman - they're all growing up so fast!) to follow around. They helped her eat her dinner and kept a close eye on her. Big families are so much fun:)

And Wednesday through Saturday, my in-laws, three of my grandparents and an uncle joined us for Thanksgiving festivities. So between family and my parents' two big dogs, Abigail was a very well loved little girl!

Whew! Busy two weeks! Thankfully, Abigail traveled marvelously and even got to sit in her own seat on both flights. Free checked bags and flexible loading made me a fan of Southwest Airlines.

With all that said, I did not take many pictures. I was not in a picture taking mood (very off for me). But here are some of the few pictures I did take.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Abigail brought books to all willing parties. My brother Dave read to her. All the grandparents read to her. Uncle Scott read to her. And her grandparents read to her (of course). I believe Camus and Cobi were the only ones who did not, but if they could, I'm sure they would have been delighted to oblige Miss Abigail Sue.

"Hi, Doggy!" In the mornings, she first asked for Mimi and Papa. Then she would say, "Doggy?"
hugs for Cobi...Camus didn't stand still long enough for Abigail hugs...

She enjoyed several rides in my old wagon...on the warmer days...

Abigail called this doggy "Amus" instead of "Camus"...Camus was quite spoiled with all of the extra attention while we were home...

Abigail and Papa (who was not feeling the best but still a good sport about reading to Miss Abigail)

a great week

2010-11-13T07:40:00.000-08:00

A great week = my hubby being home

A great week = having a girlfriend over to spend the night

A great week = having a healthy household

A great week = being able to go to Bible Study (church and BSF!)

A great week = having Friday night date night with my hubby :)

It sure is amazing how a low week can sure make me thankful for the simple blessings the Lord gives me every week!

what a week

2010-11-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

Monday - an off day, teething toddler...

Tuesday - my little girl has the stomach flu, a first for both of us. My poor baby would say, "all done...all done...," and cry every time she got sick. It wasn't fun for either of us.

Wednesday - Mommy has the stomach flu all night, sleeps very little, and prays as she watches the hours drift to morning that she would have the strength for day.

Thursday - a very hard day, nauseous, exhausted

Friday - hubby arrives home from Canada around 12:30am...so far, it's the best day of the week...

And I'm thanful for -

My girlfriend Jaclyn. She came over Monday night to keep me company and watch our traditional "Alias" episode, and though I didn't see her on Thursday, she dropped off Sprite and crackers on her way to work.

The Lord's perfect timing. It was much better to be sick all night than to be sick all day. Having the stomach flu with my hubby gone couldn't have worked more perfectly. As much as I would rather not have the stomach flu, some things just can't be avoided. And if anything, it is always good for my sanctification. It helps me find my way to my knees.

My daughter's nap schedule and flexible schedule altogether. I'm so thankful for naps.

And finally, it is good to have my husband home. I am so blessed to have an extra pair of helping hands in this walk of life and parenting.

so pretty

2010-11-01T08:06:00.000-07:00

We had a quiet weekend. We opted to stay home and enjoy a long walk along the bayou and family time instead of joining in busy Fall festivities at church. And with church and Awana on Sundays, we decided to enjoy a quiet afternoon and evening as Rodney has another long week of work ahead of him. So since I knew the grandparents would be missing loads of costume pictures, we grabbed a couple quick before church pictures instead:) Abigail is quickly becoming a little lady...

stubborn

2010-10-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, my sweet girl is a little bit stubborn. No. Correction. She is very stubborn (even though she is sweet, huggable, and oh so cute).

Here she is below in the car, sucking on her thumb because she is tired. Maybe she knew mommy would take her to the park later in the afternoon, since she resolved to skip her afternoon nap.

"Peekaboo, Mommy."
If you look closely, you may even be able to see her hair sticking to her forehead. It was in the 90s yesterday. Taking Abigail to the park when it is that hot is purely selfless and shortlived:)

Parenting certainly keeps me on my knees. It most reminds of my own stubborn heart and my desperate need of grace. In my study of Isaiah right now, I have been struck by the self-reliance of Israel and Judah - their pride and arrogance strikes close to home - which is quite alarming. I daily drift towards pride and self-reliance - the do it on my own mentality. I confess that I rarely turn to the Lord first when I encounter struggles and strife. It usually takes falling on my face to get me on my knees.

So I was very much encouraged this week by chapter 9 this week.

"But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulon and Napthtali, but in the latter time has has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light

those who dwelt in a land of deep

darkness,

on them has light shined.

You have multiplied the nation;

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with joy at the harvest,

as they are glad when they divide the spoil....

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his

shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his

kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do

this." -- Isaiah 9:1-3,6-7

What a picture of grace! Zebulun and Naphtali were a part of the self-reliant tribe of Israel who had "pride and arrogance of heart" (Is 9:9). God judged their arrogance, pride and self-reliance (Isaiah 9 -10:4), but he didn't leave them forever. He leaves them with hope - a light that pierces the darkness - Jesus of Nazareth. So my prayer this week is that I would spend time on my knees, asking for God's daily grace in my life. I need this light that pierces the darkness. I desire to depend on the Lord and allow His peace to guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. May I truly know and fellowship with the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And I pray the same for you too.

finally!!!

2010-10-19T17:32:00.001-07:00

Another tooth has arrived! And I can see three more about to pop through, which explains the missed nap today...

So we went out shopping and then spent an hour at the park. Swinging lasted about two minutes and the bouncy animals about one minute. We literally spent most of the hour going down the slides. She would say, "More slide!" and happily trot off to the steps to go down the big slide again.

So, I think before long, we'll be at the end of her toothy grins, at least for a couple of more years.

I love this sweet face!

and I love her "cheesy" smile too:)

Meanwhile, my hubby is working in West Texas at an oil show this week, so us girls are living it up here in Houston. Today we had my "Transforming Women" Bible study at church - so encouraging and awesome. Tomorrow we have BSF, lunch with a friend, and an "Alias" date with another friend in the evening (well at least I do -- the littlest lady will be in bed, I hope). So we're keeping pretty busy, as usual. And when we have times of quiet and girl time, we've been filling our home with the melodies of Keith and Kristyn Getty, who we got to see in concert on Sunday night. The kids album in in the CD player in the house, and their new CD, "Awaken the Dawn," is in the car. Soul satisfying and delightful.

a step...

2010-10-19T17:30:00.000-07:00

...in the right direction...

i hope.

personality

2010-10-14T21:53:00.001-07:00

Fall routines...

2010-10-12T12:29:00.001-07:00

We've fallen into a good Fall routine here in Houston. It's beautiful outside - cool enough again to actually enjoy being outdoors. Last week, we walked down by the bayou every evening. And Abigail and I made our first trip to the park in a great while, celebrating the fact that I can actually stand outside comfortably! She loves the slides and swings and is brave enough to go down the big slides all by herself.

On Friday we went to our local Greek Festival with our friends, John and Jaclyn. I don't think I could ever turn down Greek food. Yum! And Abigail would have eaten all of my baklava if I had let her:)

Jaclyn "Jacky" and John are such a blessing in my life. I daily thank the Lord for Jaclyn, someone who I can laugh, cry and be a goof with.

my handsome hubby and beautiful little girl...

"Daddy, you have big shoes to fill!"
I am in a bit of a daze today because I'm fighting off a cold. I figured I would blog while Abigail fell asleep. And now I'm off to make some homemade bread and take a nap myself.

20 months

2010-10-04T12:16:00.000-07:00

Thank you Lord...

2010-10-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

for the headache.

Yes. Last night I had a terrible headache. I ended up turning off the movie I was watching and crawling into bed at 8:30. Four hours later I awoke to the ringing of my phone; Rodney was calling letting me know he'd touched down in Houston.

God knew I was going to need that recharge of sleep because Abigail is sick and had a rough night and Rodney was coming home off of a four hour night of sleep the day before and a 19 hourish day. So when I was up every hour or so listening to Abigail coughing and up at 4am taking care of a miserable little girl, I could rejoice and thank God for my rest and presence of mind!

Thank God for headaches! And I'm going to keep praying that my little girl feels better soon.

my girl...

2010-09-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

makes me smile and laugh. she is laid back. she loves making new friends.

she brings me so much joy.

thank you God for my precious girl!

a birthday week

2010-09-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, I turned 28 last Monday and though the day didn't go entirely as planned and was in some ways in accord with my past five birthdays -uneventful, lonely, husband gone, to Hurricane Ike - it ended with my husband home, Starbucks and the beginnings of a marvelous week. My in-laws treated me to beautiful flowers, cake, a fireworks display cake topper (in good Harms tradition) and a date-night with my hubby later in the week.

It was so good to have Morrie and Angie here for the week. We actually spent most of the week up in Lake Conroe. It was good to get away from the apartment to swim, shop and play games. I won't mention who won and lost most of the games...

On Friday we headed to Brenham to visit the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory. My in-laws are converts to all things Blue Bell. Abigail even got to eat her own little scoop of vanilla, much to her great pleasure.

I am already counting down to the holidays. Having family here makes me homesick. Abigail says "Grandma" and "Grandpa", and I am looking forward to all grandparents being within a couple of short hours. We love and miss you!!! So when it gets cold up north, please come visit us down south. I assure you. It will still be warm.

a new month

2010-09-07T18:53:00.000-07:00

September is a new month. It is a fresh start. Praise God!

August was one of the most challenging months in my recent married memory. Anxiety and loneliness were enemies that I had to fight daily with truth. They would wake me in the middle of the night and keep me up. But the Lord is good. His words comfort. They draw me back to where I need to be - at the foot of the cross.

I am amazed at how I love my husband more and more each day. He is such a blessing in my life. He prays for me, leads me to the Lord, and encourages me like no other. He is a great dad. He is an excellent leader. He is my best friend.

My in-laws are coming for a long visit on Friday, and I'm thrilled mostly because we'll get to have lots of family time next week:) Some of Abigail's most recent new words are grandma and grandpa (just in time for their visit!).

isn't she beautiful :)

she loves to climb into the chair all by herself...

BOB instep stroller - my most recent purchase. i decided after a month of poor sleep, i needed to add exercise back into my life. i picked it up on friday, and i've already walked/jogged 8 miles! if the rain holds out this week, i'll try and take it out tomorrow.

19 months

2010-08-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

We are beginning to see glimpses of our daughter's heart. She is a tender and sweet girl. She cries when others cry and laughs when they laugh. She is quick to share her toys with other kids, and runs to give hugs to our friends when they come to visit. She doesn't like missing out on family prayer time and hugs. She reaches up to take our hands in hers saying, "Amen. Amen. Amen." Last night she was sitting on Rodney's lap saying, "Please Daddy." And when asked, "Do you love daddy?" She replied, "I do."

But it's not all hugs and smiles here in our home. We started doing "time outs" this last week, and she walks to her time-out wall, though we have a lot of work to do in this area. I did, however, hear something that sounded like "sorry" today. This realm of parenting certainly keeps me on my knees.

I am thankful everyday for this precious, sweet girl that the Lord has entrusted to us.

in Texas limbo

2010-08-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

I have had a couple of challenging weeks. No, I've had a challenging six months that has only shown itself in the last two weeks.

About a month ago, we learned that our time in Texas would extend for another year. Rodney's new management came down for a visit and discovered that Rodney has a pivotol role still to play for the business. Rodney and I both believe that this is truly the best decision for CAT and a good decision for our family. But that doesn't mean the news hasn't at times been hard to swallow.

I am used to transience. I lived in six states before I turned 7 and then moved overseas at the end of elementary school for a five year chunk of my life. As a result, I start to get a cabin fever of sorts after a couple of years; I become ready for new adventure. So you would think that life in a new place should come easily. It normally does.

I think the last two years have been hard because we still haven't found a church home. We loved our first church but sin destroyed the church, prompting the move to the second church. After countless attempts to find community and serve the Body, Rodney and I still feel as though we were strangers in a community where we've been involved for a year and a half.

The Lord has blessed us with a couple that have become very close and dear friends. We actually met them when they were visiting the church over a year ago and invited them over to our home. John is a worship leader and has been filling in at another church, where they now feel led to attend. We just visited two Sundays ago and felt "the fit" immediately. The preaching was excellent and Word centered, the music God honoring and glorifying, and the people are kind and tenderhearted, easy to talk to. And they have Sunday school, which we have been missing.

So that's the present news - here for another year and at a new church. I have many more thoughts, particularly about how the last two weeks have been challenging, but that will wait until another day.

Meanwhile, my sweet daughter is still awake in her crib (even though I put her down about 25 minutes ago). Below is a recent pic of her new to us table that I recently found on craigslist. She loves to sit with her books and babies!

the pony tail and some cheese

2010-08-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week:

Abigail is finally getting over her cold from last week...
Abigail's 18month check-up -- 26 pounds! and tall! This is why when after people ask how old she is they say, "She's a big girl!"
Rodney and I had a quiet but sweet 4 year anniversary.
and Rodney is traveling again this week, which makes the week feel like a bit of a blur.

I have been meaning to sit down and really "blog" ... it will come...

"cheese!"

fun in the windy city (in pictures)

2010-08-03T12:07:00.001-07:00

My hubby had a business conference in Chicago last week, so we tagged along. We got to see friends, family and spend lots of time together. So here is our week in pictures and captions!

Our sweet girl enjoyed sitting up in the window of our hotel room 20 floors up. She brought her baby along for the view. We could see Navy Pier from our room and were right on Michigan Ave...

we ventured into the city while daddy had morning and lunch meetings...

but Rodney was able to meet up with us sometimes in the afternoon!

We had daddy all to ourselves Thursday afternoon, and we walked to Navy Pier.

and went to the Sears tower (now called Willis Tower I think)...she was not afraid of heights!

Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Dave joined us on Friday afternoon, and we went to the Lincoln Park Zoo. It was a beautiful day, and we enjoyed the surrounding parks and good food.

we got to see more Grandparents on Saturday:)

She is a well loved little girl...

Buckingham fountain

Grandma and Grandpa

Abigail's first White Sox game!

we walked all over Chicago and enjoyed the cool breeze and shade on Lake Michigan...

and here is her 18 month picture. I can't believe that my baby is one and a half!

Our flight was very delayed coming home on Sunday, but Abigail slept in my arms all three hours of the flight, making the 3am home arrival more bearable. This was truly miraculous, as I can count on one hand the times she's fallen asleep in my arms! We had a great week seeing family and friends and are already looking forward to our next visit home.

repertoire

2010-07-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

staying cool

2010-07-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

For the first time last week, I began to feel the true heat of summer set in, so we didn't go to our neighborhood park this week. Instead, we frequented our apartment pool and enjoyed the comforts of air conditioning. My sweet daughter had a bit of an off week, and now she has two more molars. As a result, our current challenges have been even more challenging...

Our current challenges are first time obedience and a cheerful, sweet attitude (aka -- not whining). We have lots of room for growth in these areas:) And I do mean "we". I often respond much too slow to the Lord's daily promptings in my life, not to mention the complaining spirit that can creep in so quickly when I'm tired, not feeling well or just plain hot.

I am so thankful that I can bring my daughter before the Lord throughout the day and rely on Him for the strength I need to love my daughter and remain consistent and patient. Praise the Lord that His mercies are new every morning! Great is His faithfulness!

serious Abigail...

just for fun...

2010-07-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

My husband is home! The weekend was full of resting and very little planned activity. It was marvelous:)

17 months

2010-06-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

What's new with Abigail?

Abigail added two new words to her repertoire this week: "no" and "go". We're working on saying "yes", though the "sss" sounds are more difficult. It usually sounds more like "yehhh".
She enjoys using a fork (with help) and eats almost anything I spear for her. So if she's become tired of broccoli, I spear the rest before bringing her the other courses:)
Her baby dolls are by far her favorite toys. She can often be seen trying to clip them into her stroller or put them to sleep.
She is social and says hi to most people we run into when we're out and about.
She loves doggies, especially the sign for doggies (tongue hanging out making panting noise)...very cute...

She's my little miss sunshine:)

we miss daddy but have been making the most of girl time:)

she split her lip in a weird fall several days ago...

on Saturday we went to a friend's 2 year old birthday party...Abigail got to take a swing at the pinata!

Happy Birthday, Alexia! I am so thankful for good friends...

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day, Rodney! The last 17 months have been full of so much love and laughter. You are a GREAT dad and a sweet, precious, and adored husband. Your girls miss you and are storing up hugs and kisses for your return.

Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks - in the pool, around the house and smiles all around. Last week was VBS and Abigail did great (even without her afternoon nap). She was named "the sweetheart of the nursery" as she loved on everybody - babies, volunteer workers, other toddlers and her baby dolls. And yes, Rodney is off again on his work travels, but he'll be home for the 4th of July. We're already counting down the days.

And happy father's day to my other two dads! We love you very much and continually praise God for your example as loving parents who love the Lord. We are so thankful for you:)

a new favorite game - Hugs for Daddy!

vacation!

2010-06-07T12:52:00.000-07:00

We left for Destin Monday mornng and after four games of Travel Settlers, we arrived in short order! Abigail did great in the car and remained happy and entertained for the 10 hour car ride (a huge answer to prayer!).

We spent the days at the beach, the nights playing games, and we slept late every day. Jaclyn and John made the perfect traveling companions, helping keep Abigail entertained and staying flexible as can be. It helps that they love Starbucks, eating in and playing board games:) Rodney and John were buds all week - keeping busy by tossing the football and frisbee, golfing, and boogie board/wave surfing. The ladies enjoyed being beach and porch bums:) Abigail treated the sand like hot lava (even though it was actually not that hot) and was content to sit on the towel to play with her toys and eat her snacks. It made for a very relaxing vacation.

None of us were ready to come home, especially knowing that Rodney had to leave for Canada early Monday morning.

I'm so glad our friends suggested we plan our vacation in early June because on our way out of town we could see the tar beginning to wash up on Florida's beaches. It may be years before the the Gulf recovers...