I was thinking...

I'm interested in some kind of doctrinal statement I can use to go through so that I can share my faith more effectively and just for my own personal growth. The two I thought of first are the Biola doctrinal statement and the catechism I did as a junior high kid. I would welcome stories or thoughts from others about how you share your faith and how you ground it.

I'm also thinking about Kees (sounds like case) and Fatima who just lost their premature baby. It wrenches my heart, and I hardly know how to pray. It reminds me to thank God hourly for my Lucy, for one thing... but so many more inexpressable emotions.

I'm also thinking how content I am right now, even though not everything is perfect. I may want more money or things... I miss dumb stuff like recreational shopping and expensive shampoo, but I am so aware of God's overly abundant blessings in so many arenas

Pink, Pink, Pink

You know your husband has really become a father when you hear him say, "That hat is the wrong color pink for her outfit."This is particularly funny when your husband is color deficient (not color BLIND, color DEFICIENT).

Happy Anniversary, Beloved

5 years ago today! So hard to believe. What a wonderful day it was.

We intended to have dinner out tonight, but Lucy had other ideas. She was the fussiest she's been since the night at the hospital, and wanted to eat almost every hour. She cried hard and loud, not like her normal, consolable cries. I was so frazzled that I couldn't think of getting myself together to go out. She continued to scream and eat all night while we ate in shifts... Italian take-out. We did get a few moments, and she is now sleeping. I am winding down and will go to bed soon. Ah, new parenthood. People say, "Nothing can prepare you for it." Well duh! But I knew there would be days like this. It's hard, but I know they won't all be like this. And poor baby, I hope she isn't too traumatized! =)

Favorite wedding memories later. =) Some photos for now...

We wish Greg and Kristen and Mandi and Eric could have been in this picture... they were all there except for Greg!





I loved this picture...



We always have fun together!

My home

When Steve and I were engaged, it came up that both of us had the same dreams for our home. We wanted it to be open to people for us to love them and minister to them, and yet safe and private. Just today alone that dream came true once again. My brother is living with us. He is a person who loves and needs solitude, but also has needed family for that very reason. A friend of his who is in school is often in our home between classes. He was over today to relax a bit, and recently was able to find some comfort from us about being burned out. My former student worker, who I mentor, came by to catch up briefly. Steve's sister moved to L.A. recently and is so busy with her new job that we're really the only people she knows is us. She shared a meal with us tonight. And as I type, Steve and I are sharing a quiet moment with our (almost) sleeping daughter. My dream come true in one day. And in return, all those people minister to us, too.

Bible Study

I just have to say a quick word about how grateful I am for the group of men and women that Steve and I have had fellowship with for the last 7 years. We are all so different, and yet we still manage to learn to live out loving each other.

I was so appreciative tonight of the out loud reading of big chunks of scripture. We are going through Ezekiel, which probably sends chills up most peoples' spines, but we are having some incredible discussion, and the out-loud reading for 30-45 minutes is so valuable.

So Kudos to my family away from family!

In the mail!!

Happy day! My taxes are filled out and in the mail on the way to the tax guy! We really ought to do turbo tax, but I had a couple of questions that I'd rather have a human look at. Ahhhh, I feel better. I had wanted to get them done before Lucy came, but alas, 2 weeks early.

Bad days, good days

Yesterday I didn't get much done at all, got very little sleep, Lucy was fussy most of the day, and when Steve came home, I was in tears. Even in the midst of that I knew it was just a bad day, and not a bad life. Today was as good a day as yesterday was difficult. Lucy slept a lot, had some good awake time (like not screaming while awake) I got more sleep, and was energized by all the things I got done. Lucy was good enough to hang out in the sling much of the time, which helped a lot. To satisfy my check-list needs, I feel compelled to list out much of what I did today. You don't have to read this... It's more for my own sense of satisfaction.

Showered
Dried hair (these are 2 separate tasks)
flipped mattress (w/ help of Eric) and changed sheets
Picked up bedroom
Picked up kitchen
Made dinner (in the morning)
Walked to Biola for lunch with Steve
Fixed Biola ID card access
Did 2 loads of laundry and put it away
suckered orange tree
moved dead blood orange pot
shredded old paperwork from file cabinet
wrote thank you note
wrote note to Aunt Hazel in England
made cards with Lucy's picture on it for Aunt Hazel
took a nap (sort of... never quite got to sleep)
Played with Lucy
Changed Lucy
Fed Lucy
Posted on blog
There's more little things... but that is quite enough to trigger the satisfied sigh of completion.

One month down, about 800 to go

Happy Birthday, Lucy-girl! Or as Emma has tried to spell it, Loce... sounds like the way Ricky Ricardo says it. The pink outfit is the day we brought her home (Eric says when we say that it sounds like we brought home a pet), and the white is today. The collar on her outfit turns up all the time, making it look like a big collar on the back of a wicked queen from a fairy tale. But of course, that belies her very sweet nature... most of the time. She is *almost* starting to smile, and yesterday she really did say 'Ah-goo!" Eric told her that it was a little cliché, but cute nonetheless.

New Parent Blunder

Yesterday I had my check-up with the gynecologist, so just in case, I brought Steve so he could keep an eye on Lucy. Why it didn't dawn on us until later that he could have stayed at home with her while I went is beyond me. Could have something to do with the nearly sleepless night the night before. The real ideocy came when I FORGOT THE DIAPER BAG! I had it next to the car seat, so I wouldn't forget it, and then I up and left without it. And wouldn't you know it, she chose this time for a monster poop. Soaking through the outfit and all. So no extra outfit, no diaper, no wipes. Luckily Pediactrics gave us a diaper and we had wet paper towels and a blanket. But what a dumb new parent mistake!

On my own

So tomorrow is kind of the beginning of my "real world." My in-laws leave tomorrow, so I am at the beginning of being on my own taking care of my family. I think I'm up for it, though I will miss having someone else hold my kid while I nap. I have to say, I really love being at home, sleep deprivation excepted. I love taking care of my home, I love not really knowing what time it is during the day. I feel like there is more light in my day, since I'm spending so much time in a room with lots of windows. I like that I can go at my own pace, too, and I don't feel like I have to produce all day. Spending time with my daughter is time well spent.

Spring

Wish there were a "before" picture. I was too pregnant to get out in the yard, and it was overgrown with weeds. My vincas were dead and gone, as were my salvias. My folks came to the rescue. We took out my grasses (which bite!) and put these in.

If...

My brother is teaching a high school Geometry class to homeschool kids twice a week. At the beginning of every class, he asks them a question to get to know them. For example, favorite car, favorite vacation destination, favorite candy bar. To help him out I fished out a book I got years ago called "If." It asks questions like, "If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be?" We had some fun batting around the answers. My husband can never seem to answer them in the real world... he always chooses something fantastic. "If you could spend an unlimited amount of money in any store for one hour, what store would it be." Like a chump, I say something like Pottery Barn. Steve says, "Well, what has the most resale value? How about the BMW store?" =)

The one I'm thinking of currently is, if you could choose any music and musicians to play at your funeral, what would you play and who would play it? I think I'd have to have a choir, preferrably a professional but Christian choir, led by Loren Wiebe, singing one of the Rachmaninov Vespers and a Lauridsen piece. But I would want some happy music, too, and not just reflective music. I haven't figured it out yet. I'd want Kari Ellis to sing, as she has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard, maybe joined by Katie Van Kooten. I'd have them sing an Ed Childs arrangement of a hymn. I'd have to commission him to write one of my favorite hymns, though I dont' know which one yet. Here's to dreaming!

Worshipping the baby

I read a quote somewhere that described the adults as "worshipping the baby, just as the holy baby was worshipped centuries ago."

Shameless

I'm super excited... my kid is starting to look at things. I know it sounds like not a big deal, but we just discovered that she's able to start tracking, so we put some little toys in front of her, and she's totally mezmerized. My poor audience... you guys are going to get sick of finding out every new little detail about this kid, but I had no idea that it would be so cool to watch.

A Happy V-Day

We never do a big hoop-la for Valentine's Day, but we do have a few traditions. I always like to bring out my china for dinner, and Steve picks up take-out. This year we opted for Macaroni Grill, and my FAVORITE lobster ravioli. It is one of the perfect foods.


Steve also picked up the traditional Mrs. Fields gigantic cookie. Super yum!




And since our microwave went out last week (bad timing!) Steve ordered a new one that arrived today. Thank goodness! New baby + no microwave = not so happy Mama. He decided to mount it over the space where our dishwasher goes until we eventually re-do the kitchen. I'm super excited to gain the space and have a sweet new microwave! I'll try it out at lunch.


And of course the best Valentine of all... my little sweetheart.

Timeless Competition

I love the Olympics, and I'm LOVING Tivo right now. It's nice to watch during the 3 a.m. feeding. I have always loved the amazing athletecism and power of these modern demi-gods. It is hard to think of the micro elements that separate out the champions. The technology, the shrug of a shoulder, the uniform material... I love the John Williams theme, the fireworks at the ceremonies, the crazy national outfits. LOVED the Ferrari.

Super Duper Pooper

Yesterday I was holding Lucy, who was dozing on my chest. Steve had a tickle in his throat, and started coughing. He gave a particularly loud cough, which startled Lucy. She gave a big jerk, and simultaneously let out a nice loud toooooot. This was not just an ordinary toot, it was, well, loaded. So the point of this story is that I have now literally seen someone get the crap scared out of them!

Sad day

Well, We are all in mourning here over yesterday's game. Bummer. Seems to me it was one of those games won by the officials. I don't know why, but it seems like my teams never win. I even succombed to rooting for USC this year, and they didn't win either.





I have a feeling my other "team" will not win this week either. Ah, such is life.

My new world

Here are some shots of my new world. We are settling in pretty well, thanks in much part to my dear mother cominig to help with dinner, cleaning the house and holding my sweetpea. My mom and Steve have taken turns taking Lucy out of my arms after I feed her so that I can nap. My mom goes to bed at 8 or 9, and gets up at 1:30-ish to be with me at night, then goes back to bed for several more hours. At first it was a life saver because I couldn't sleep. Each little noise she made woke me up and freaked me out. But now she gets up and holds Lucy because she's a grandmother and is just sucking up all the time with her that she can. She goes home tomorrow, and while I know we'll be fine without her, this has been one of the most special times I've ever had with my mother. She is one of my dearest friends, and I will miss her just as much when she leaves as I did the day I left for college. So hats off to Mom!