Summer Rain

While Noah was napping today I noticed that it had started to rain outside. At first I paid it no attention besides thinking about how the weather they had forecast on Sunday for the week sure differed from what was going on outside at the moment. In the kitchen I cut myself a brownie and grabbed a fork from the silverware drawer.
As I started to walk from the kitchen to the couch to relax with my brownie and a book, I felt the pull of the weather leading me to the doors out to the balcony (we are in a second floor apartment.) I couldn't stop myself as I took my brownie out onto the balcony and sat on a chair just out of the rain under the protection of the awning.
I felt the slight chill in the air and drank in the crisp scent that rain brings with it. I marveled at the way the rain collected in puddles at certain points in the pavement in the parking lot. I found the chorus of the song "Grace Like Rain", by Todd Agnew, drifting into my head: "Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me. Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away."
Grace is a funny word to me. I have to admit that the first thing I think of when I hear the word "grace" is my niece. Her middle name is Grace. Then I think of our friends' daughter and her middle name is Grace as well. In fact, I know many little girls carrying the first or middle name of Grace. I think of the word "grace" in terms of ballerinas as well, or someone being graceful, moving with fluid-like motions.
Rarely do I think of God's grace when I hear the word. Today I actually thought about it, though. As I watched the rain fall, I thought of the definition of grace and realized I didn't really know what it meant. I turned to good old Webster, which says grace is "unmerited help given to people by God (as in overcoming temptation); freedom from sin through divine grace." I also looked in our "Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms" (I guess we did keep some books from college.) Their definition states that "Grace is the generous overflow of the love of God the Father toward the Son, Jesus Christ. This love is most clearly demonstrated to humans through God's selfless giving of Jesus to enable people to enter into a loving relationship with God as the Holy Spirit enables them."
Awesome. Grace is beautiful. Whether it is in the form of a young 3 year old child, ballet movements, or God's love overflowing like rain onto us. As I watched the rain fall, I longed to run down into it. I had an overcoming desire to stand in the rain, arms outstretched, face turned upwards, embracing my God's overflowing love for me. His grace. He sends rain to nourish, to wash away dirt, to grow. He sends his grace to nourish, to wash away stains, to grow us.
"Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me.
Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away."

For some reason...

I saw this as a link from a friend's blog and it just made me laugh. Hope it adds a smile or some silliness to your day!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6739710473912337648

After a long wait....

The final Harry Potter book comes out at midnight tonight. We will be standing in line at Meijer where they are selling it for only $12.99. You just can't beat $12.99 for a brand new, long awaited hardcover book.

Speaking of books, I have been reading like crazy lately. I have three different books going on right now: "The Circle of Quilters" by Jennifer Chiaverini (it is part of a series called "Elm Creek Quilts" that is very entertaining), "1, 2, 3 Magic" by Dr. Thomas Phalin (our pediatrician recommended it when I asked him about discipline strategies for temper tantrums; it is designed specifically for 2-12 year olds), and a marriage book (because I like to read marriage books, not because our marriage is in trouble.)

Since the start of the summer I have read about 3-4 books a week. I love to read. Even Tim has finished a book this summer (he will admit that it is a big accomplishment for him since he is a slow reader.) I think because we got rid of our TV, we have spent more time reading or catching up on movies. At first it was difficult because we would start to open the entertainment center and then remember there was no television set in there. Now, I don't even give it a second thought. It has been refreshing.

We start our move to Grand Haven in a couple weeks. We take possession on the 1st and I would like to be completely moved in and unpacked by the 10th. It shouldn't be too difficult. We've moved so many times I feel like a somewhat expert.

Big things are happening with Tim's work. They are having a meeting today and we will know some more information after that. Say a prayer for God's guidance for us!

Feeling sentimental...

L is for the way you look at me
O is for the only one I see

V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore can
Love is all that I can give to you
Love is more than just a game for two
Two in love can make it
Take my heart and please don't break it
Love was made for me and you.
~Nat King Cole

The Fourth and Fireworks

Yesterday was July 4th, Independence Day. My sister called this morning and we were talking about how different some holidays feel now that we are grown up, the Fourth being one of them. When we were young, our family always went over to the Westerby's house for a big Barbecue party on the 4th of July. After the parade downtown, of course.

Now that we are older and have families of our own (and I don't live around there anymore) we all celebrate it in our own ways. Tim, Noah, and I went to the parade in Fruitport, as well as a community breakfast there, and grilled out later that afternoon with friends. We ended the night by going to Grand Haven for fireworks. My parents went out to breakfast with my sister and her family and then they went to a movie while my sister, brother-in-law, and niece spent the day at home relaxing.
Where have the big parties gone?
Or maybe it's just the realization that we're not having the big party together as a family. Tim and I have been blessed to spend the holiday with different friends each year, but have been able to celebrate with people all the same. This is just fine with me. My sister is resistant to change. The first year I went to college, she wouldn't even let my parents go get a Christmas tree until I could join them, so we could keep up the family traditions. Once I suggested Christmas at mine and Tim's house and got my head bit off. I think now that she is a parent she is loosening up a bit because she understands more of wanting to start your own family traditions. However, she was saying this morning that she wants to reinstate the big 4th of July cook-outs, so maybe some things come slowly.
I would be lying to say that yesterday I didn't miss my childhood a bit. It was good to go to a smalltown parade, short as it was. It was fun to attend a free community breakfast in an elementary school. Even though we knew no one there, I felt like it was a normal thing for us to do.
We celebrate our independence on the 4th of July. We shoot off fireworks and remember those who have served and are serving to protect our freedoms. As crazy as I think our society is at times, I am thankful to live in America. While celebrating independence from other countries, I was also thankful that we can depend on family and friends around us to walk beside us, pray with us, encourage us, hurt with us, and praise openly our Lord with us.


Tim and Noah await the start of the parade in Fruitport.

Hugs for Noah and Emma.

Stephani and Me

Emma wasn't so crazy about the fireworks, although afterwards she told us she loved them.

Let's Talk About Sex

Interesting, eh? You might wonder what you're about to read. Well, I will put your mind at ease right now by telling you it is nothing concerning details about sex, how it works, etc. It more concerns a chapter in a book I'm reading.
Our friend, Matt, let Tim borrow a book he just finished called "Confessions of a Pastor" by Craig Groeschel. Out of curiousity I picked it up the other night and am now having a hard time putting it down. I would highly recommend it. Groeschel is very funny as he writes so it keeps you interested and feels like you're having a conversation with him.
I read Chapter 2 yesterday, "I Have to Work Hard to Stay Sexually Pure." I was interested in seeing what he had to write because you don't often hear a pastor confessing something like that, yet you know they are human and tempted like the rest of us. I loved the chapter. I love what he wrote, how he wrote it, and how it spoke to and challenged me.
You see, I was not a virgin when I met Tim. Sorry if this embarasses or lets any of you down...but I feel the need to be honest. I had a 3 year long, very serious and very physical relationship in high school. We never actually had intercouse yet "did everything but" which I see now is what you tell yourself to feel less guilty. After breaking up with him, I had a quick physical rebound fling with a co-worker. "Makeout buddies" you could say. Then I settled into a one-month long disaster of a relationship, again physical. For some reason after we broke up, we still continued to see each other and that ended up leading to sex. I was fresh graduated from high school and he was still in it. Away I went to a Christian college and yet on weekends I came home, still found myself sleeping with him (why do they call it "sleeping together" anyways? Not much sleeping is done...) I think I kept continuing on in this self-destructive pattern because I actually hated sex and thought maybe it would get better. It didn't. I would just go back to Grand Rapids at the end of the weekend feeling trashy. Finally we called it off (actually we had a big fight and never spoke again.) I told myself I was not going to date anyone until I got myself together and started working on my relationship with the Lord.
That is when Tim came into my life. It was February of 2000 and we had two classes together and in our Speech class were put in a group project together. That is when we became friends. I felt a strong attraction to him over time, but still wasn't sure if I wanted to get into another relationship. It wasn't until the end of September that we finally had our "Define the Relationship" talk. I told him within a couple weeks that I was not a virgin and so if he was looking for a pure angel, he was going to have to look somewhere else. We had already talked about our desire that each of us had individually to try to abstain even from kissing until engagement (that lasted a whole 3 weeks.)
Tim and I worked very hard for almost 3 years to not let things ever get beyond kissing. We set many boundaries like: no kissing while laying down, no taking naps laying next to each other, no putting ourselves in situations where things could get out of hand, etc. Somehow, they worked. It was tough, but we did actually wait until our wedding night and I entered into marriage having the utmost respect for him because he respected me and I knew that he truly cared for me and not what he could get from me.
Now that you know my history (which was long, I do apologize) let me explain why the book touched me so. I have single friends who struggle physically in relationships. Oftentimes I do not know what to tell them. I don't agree with them when they tell me about the things they are doing in their relationships, yet I don't know how to express it in a way that doesn't sound like "I'm holier than thou because I waited with Tim." They can always shoot my past back in my face as well because most of them know about it. So instead I either laugh with them, or say nothing.
This is what Craig Groeschel has to say:
"For me, sexual purity has become a profoundly big deal. It should be for you, too. Why am I so serious about purity? Because God's serious about it. Ephesians 5:3 says, 'But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.'
Not even a hint.
What is a hint of sexual impurity? Certainly looking lustfully at someone in a magazine, on television, or in person would fall somewhere north of the "hint" mark, wouldn't it? Jesus said that just to look lustfully at someone is the same as committing adultery. Yet I know many people who say, 'I'm just window shopping, not buying.'
How's your thought life? Do you catch your mind wandering to sexually explicit thoughts about someone besides your spouse? Impurity. Laughing at that sexual joke in the break room at work? Impurity. Are you honoring God by reading women's magazines with articles like, "73 Sinful Ways to Drive your Man Crazy in Bed?" Or by droppingsexual innuendos? Or masturbating? The list could go on and on.
You have to quit playing your little rationalization games. You know you're justifying sin. It's wrong. Worse, it's dangerous.
What if you're a single person? What should your standard of purity be? Just fooling around? You know, "doing everything but"? A quick game of naked Twister? How about a sleepover? We won't mess around. We'll just cuddle in bed.
WARNING! BOUNDARY VIOLATION!
Why are those things wrong? Because they're intimate acts reserved for marriage. Sex. Undoing bras or zippers. Messin' around. All these are appropriate for marriage...but none are appropriate outside of marriage.
Not even a hint."

I know this was long, but I just wanted to share. I felt convicted. I feel challenged. I tend to be more of a bold person when it comes to speaking my mind (if you know me well, you probably just let out a laugh and "yeah, you sure are. Too much sometimes.") I haven't been as much so on this when it comes to those close to me. I feel like I have let God down by not saying something, especially when it concerns a Christian brother or sister who knows what they are doing is wrong but has convinced themself otherwise, or rationalized it in some way.
I think I know now why I used to hate sex: it was not in the context of marriage. It was not mine to enjoy. Yet as soon as Tim placed the wedding ring on my finger and we said our vows, we became one. God has blessed us. I see now that sex is great...within marriage. I also see that sex is more than just intercourse, it's so much more. It involves your eyes, lips, ears and mind. It involves your hands. It is what you see and say and hear and do that puts yourself, your spouse (either present or future), and others at risk of intentional sin.
Not even a hint.

Summertime Fun

We just returned from vacation this evening. Our friends, the Lewises, accompanied us to Ohio for a long weekend. We had some great weather, conversations, and moments. Here are some pictures from our trip:

Noah is "helping" his dad drive the pontoon boat. He looks like he belongs there.

A trip to the Cleveland Zoo brought elephants...

Giant tortoises...

And...Dinosaurs??...
He has not fallen asleep in a stroller since he was an infant. But after 5 fun-and-animal-filled hours, I guess it's not a surprise.
What other way to end the weekend but with an adventure filled canoe ride? I think the guys re-thought their decision about 10 minutes into it. I'm glad we didn't know about it until we saw them paddling away.

Answered Prayers

God has just been amazing Tim and me with answering prayers, opening and closing doors, showing us how BIG He is and that He can do what He says He can do. Our biggest answered prayer right now is that when our lease is up in August, we have somewhere new to live. It is a small duplex in Grand Haven that has been completely updated and remodeled. It is on a quiet road on the outskirts of town and has a yard with trees and lots of shade (yippee!) The landlord seems close to our age and is a really nice guy. He travels more often than he is home so he said it will feel as if we have the place to ourselves most of the time. One of the best parts is that it is $200 cheaper than what we pay at our apartment AND we won't have to pay water and sewer like we do now. Most people at this point ask, "How can it be so much cheaper if you are going to be in a nice area, in a remodeled duplex and it has a washer and dryer?" To which we can only respond, "God did it. We were praying a God-size prayer for cheaper housing, yet hopefully not in an apartment complex because it would be nice for Noah to have a yard to play in. God is the only One who could have worked this out."
He also has been opening doors for Tim to expand on his business. It has been his dream to someday operate his own home restoration business. As of now, he works with 4 other guys. One of them is leaving for college in the fall, one is moving more full-time into the position of youth pastor at his church, one is basically gone already doing a Pepperidge Farm truck route (or something along those lines) and one (Tim's brother) was offered his own dream job in Ohio (which means we are experiencing happiness and some sadness) as a youth pastor. This leaves just Tim, who is at this point the only one whose passion is the home restoration. At the moment, the dream is for him and our other friend, Tim, to partner up and run the business. At this point, it's all a matter of timing...but God keeps opening doors.
It is funny to see how God's plans are so much different from our own. Just back in April, we were so excited about the prospect of moving to Ann Arbor but then felt uneasy about it. Since making the decision to stay in West Michigan, God has been providing Tim with so much work that he has actually had to turn down jobs because he can't fit them into the schedule by the time they want the work done!
Then we were so sure of wanting to move back to Grand Rapids when our lease was up. Slowly, as the time has drawn nearer, the uneasy feeling started creeping back in again. God led us to a home that is just what we were looking for and now we have nothing but peace about it.
We also read a book last week (well, I read it and then briefed Tim on what it said) called "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn. It has changed our views on giving and how much importance we place on material possessions. I think it was the perfect time to read the book because, as we prepare to move into a smaller space and have a garage sale with some friends, it is easier to go through and pick what items we need to sell. Don't get me wrong, there are some things that you would have to pry out of my cold dead hands before I would get rid of them, but then there are other things that we realize are just taking up space in our home. We have realized the importance of eternal rewards in relation to the temporary earthly things. I looked through the Pottery Barn catalog over the weekend when it came in the mail. It might be the first time I have ever looked at it and not felt a want for anything in there. It all seemed overpriced to me.
So God has been working in the lives of Tim and me. We are so thankful for all He has shown us, for the awesome friends and family He has blessed us with, and for the adventure that He has in store for us.

Emotionally Spent

I'm spent. Not just physically, thanks to my latest exercise attempt, but emotionally.
Tim and I spent the weekend debating where to live, which ended in a breakdown of tears for me. It is hard when he works in 2 different cities, so it really doesn't matter where we choose because either way he will be driving farther part of the time. So then it comes down to who do we want to live by or where do we want to raise Noah or what city offers more for the development of our family?
Have you ever been in a position where you have had to answer these questions? It is not easy. At all. I know that if we say we're going to stay in Muskegon, then we let down people in Grand Rapids who are looking forward to the possiblity of us moving back. However, we have become closer to people in Muskegon in the past few months, our church is here and we LOVE it, and our friends Matt & Jeana are moving here from California at the end of the month. We have friends in both places. In relation to schools, we don't want Noah in Grand Rapids public or Muskegon public. We would probably try to send Noah to a slightly smaller school district that is still good. Grand Rapids has Meijer Gardens and the Children's Museum, as well as a host of other fun places. Muskegon has Lake Michigan and we are a family who would live in the water if possible. Muskegon also has family, for as long as they decide to live here.
So what do you do? This is what caused my breakdown. The hard part is that I started feeling the wear and tear of upkeeping relationships. I feel like we are going to let people down no matter where we choose.
Maybe we'll just live where we can find the cheapest rent.
Now I am emotionally spent.
Hey, that rhymes.
On top of that, I got an email out of the blue from someone yesterday accusing me of things I never said or did months ago! He said I did not attend the events surrounding his marriage because of my disapproval of him (I have known his wife since college) and that I hurt his wife. I felt like I was in high school again. When I sent a reply email explaining the reasons behind why I could not attend their wedding (which was in Florida) or reception (which was also out of town on a night we were not able to find a babysitter), I also told him that if he wanted to continue the discussion, he would have to call or do it to my face because I wasn't going to email back and forth about it. He sent me a nastier email, followed a couple hours later by a disturbingly sweet email. I have had suspicions he is emotionally abusive, and I'm seeing them confirmed through what he has written. What is sad is that his poor wife emailed to apologize because she couldn't believe he wrote what he did. I feel that he has driven a wedge between his wife and me and I just don't have the energy to deal with it. I did email him back after the sweet email and gave him my phone number and told him to call if he felt the need. For crying out loud, I'm 26 and a wife and mother, not some 16 year old high schooler that fights over email!
On a positive note, there is just over a week until we get to go on our mini-vacation with Matt, Stephani, and Emma. I am looking forward to getting away, jetskiing, pontoon boating, sitting and staring at the lake, etc. Bring it on!

A Day in the Life

Many times when I talk to people and they find out I am a stay-at-home mom, they pause, look at me, and then ask, "What do you DO all day at home?" I wonder if they think that Noah is this electronic monitoring ankle bracelet (much like what Paris Hilton is sporting now) that doesn't let me leave the house. Or maybe they picture me sitting on the couch in my pajamas, eating a bag of chips and watching morning talk shows and afternoon soap operas while my son runs around the house destroying things. I decided to blog a typical day for me, and chose yesterday as my sample.
6:38 - Raise head and open one eye to look at clock, nudge Tim out of bed, go back to sleep
7:02 - Wake up and have my quiet/prayer time
7:25 - Eat a bowl of cereal while watching the local morning news blip during Good Morning America, kiss Tim good-bye, check email
7:38 - Noah wakes up and has breakfast
8:10 - Clean up kitchen from breakfast
8:20 - Do toning exercises while Noah finishes "Little Einsteins" and starts "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" and runs around the room dancing and singing along
8:40 - Put on sweats and t-shirt, dress Noah, brush teeth, put shoes on, get stroller
9:05 - Start walk/jog intervals
9:55 - Arrive back at apartment, put away stroller, drain a very large, very cold glass of water while Noah has a snack
10:05 - Shower, dress, debate wearing make-up and decide to pass (except for mascara), debate actually doing something with my hair or throwing it in pigtails and decide on actually doing it
10:47 - Look in the mirror and think, "What is this? I actually like the way I look today. That doesn't usually happen." Decide that it must be a good day.
10:48 - Chase Noah down to put his shoes on, grab purse and head out to run errands (Meijer, bank, etc.)
12:09 - Arrive home, make lunch, eat lunch while listening to "Family Life" on WCSG
12:35 - Decide to clean apartment. Noah "helps" where possible
1:30 - Noah goes down for nap
1:33 - Respond to emails, read some blogs, research prices of Quickbooks, web domains, and the cost of getting a builders license for Tim
2:30 - Sit down to read, start a Jane Austen biography but realize I should finish the book I have already started so I pick up "Making children mind without losing yours."
3:38 - Noah wakes up, spend the next hour and a half playing, singing, eating a snack
4:59 - Tim calls to say he will be home in about 15 minutes
5:00 - Re-heat leftover chicken and broccoli casserole for Noah and I for dinner
5:20 - Tim gets home, changes clothes and we run out to look at an apartment complex in Spring Lake
6:00 - Return home, have heated discussion, Tim reheats leftovers for himself, Noah plays on his slide (it's small and plastic so we have it in the living room), I look for more ideas where to live
6:30ish- Noah and I play on the Noggin channel website and sing, Tim looks over his disability insurance packet that came in the mail
7:00 - Tim begins the bedtime ritual that he has with Noah, I sit down and for the first time in months watch "Inside Edition"
7:30 - Tim joins me after having put Noah to bed and then showered and we watch a show about Hawaii on the Travel Channel, drool over the fresh fruits they talk about
8:00 - Watch the funniest episode I have ever seen of "Everybody Loves Raymond", it is about sexual "power" in the bedroom. Tim and I are laughing to the point of tears and poking each other in the sides occasionally.
8:30 - Flip between "Raymond" and "Samantha Brown's Passport to Latin America", by this point I am talking to Tim again
9:00 - I watch the first few minutes of "So You think You can Dance" while Tim falls asleep
9:15 - Decide to go to bed early, brush teeth, go through bedtime routine
9:30 - Tim and I discuss the day's events, why I feel frustrated, etc.
10:00 - Sleep calls

So you can see that although I am not a very exciting person while at home with my son, while he is awake I do not really watch TV (unless it is a children's show.) We do usually eat dinner all together and then play afterwards, but yesterday was kind of off with going to look at the apartment complex. So what do I DO all day? You can see for yourself.

I love life

True, life can be a bit overwhelming at times. However, I genuinely love my life. I'm not rich, I rent an aparment, I could stand to lose 10-15 pounds, and I have a 21 month old who has decided to hit the "terrible twos" a bit early. On the other hand, I am alive, I have wonderful family and friends, I have dreams and goals that the Lord has placed in my heart, I am healthy (as far as I know), I have a phenomenal husband and a very loving son. We had a really fun weekend and it just reminds me how much joy surrounds me.


This is from a Murdery Mystery Dinner party we went to Friday night. From left to right are: Lindsey (8 1/2 months pregnant!), Weston, Tony, Britton, Joe, Melissa, Noah (snuck into the picture), Tim and me. Lindsey turned out to be the "murderer." She was a jilted lover.


This handsome guy is Nehemiah. We went to church in GR with his parents and this is the first time we've seen him since he was born. His hair is incredibly soft.


Saturday night we were invited over to Matt & Stephani's so Noah and Emma could play in the pool together. Afterward, we went to K2, the top of the Kirby House, and had some yummy pizza.
Sunday night we celebrated Deidra's birthday at her parents' house. After dinner, Noah and Wyndham danced to "The Body Song" (Head, shoulders, knees and toes.)


And this is one of Wyndham's funny faces. Look at those curls!!


Life is good. God is great.

You, Me & Capri

Tim & I went to Chicago for a night to celebrate our 4th anniversary. We toured Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House and his home and studio. This is me at the Robie House.

This is in front of Austin Park, where I looked around at their "Art in the Park" in Oak Park. I am giving a "kiss" to Frank Lloyd Wright. I know, I know, he has creepy hollow eyes.
I am sewing a pair of capris right now. This is my first really big project and only my third sewing project, so I was slightly nervous...but it's going better than I imagined it would. It is on hold for the moment because I forgot to buy interfacing when I was buying the other fabric. I will post pictures when I finish them.

We had a really fun Memorial Day weekend. Our friend, Kerin, from Ohio (although she is attending grad school in Indiana at the moment) came up for the weekend to visit. She stayed with Tim and Christina. Tim, Noah, and I stayed Sunday through Monday at Tim & Christina's as well. It was so great to spend that time together. You realize in college, and afterwards, how much your friends become your family away from family because they are closer geographically, making them more accesible. Anyways, we spent some time watching the sunset, making meals together, playing games, watching "The Holiday" and a few episodes of "The Office", and the best part: watching Kerin and our friend, Unty, start a new relationship with each other. I think the matchmaking is going to work this time around. Our friends are also so helpful with Noah. It was so normal to see Tim A. playing/wrestling/tickling him as we cleaned up from dinner, or to look out the kitchen window and see Kerin exploring with him outdoors. Monday morning Christina told Tim and I to go take a walk and she would watch Noah for us. This allowed us the opportunity to go walk around our old neighborhood (Tim & Christina are around the corner and down the street from it.) We stopped and visited with our old neighbors and even walked down to visit the family that we gave our old dog, Pippin, too. He is a fattie now! He was on steroids for his allergies and then they found out he has a thyroid problem. He is probably twice as big as the last time we saw him. He is being so loved, though. The couple's daughter and her family just moved back from The Netherlands and it sounds as if they are actually going to be taking Pippin with them when they move to Buffalo, New York. They have 2 young girls and a son and the kids are in love with Pippin. Although it was kind of sad to see him again, especially since he still remembered us, it warms my heart to know he is being so well cared for and spoiled!

We spent Monday evening barbecuing with our small group from church. That was also quite fun. Matt & Stephani's daughter, Emma, was at her grandparents' for the night and Noah went to sleep soon after we arrived over there, so it was a quiet evening. We actually had conversations that were uninterrupted!

Matt, Stephani & Emma are actually going to be vacationing with us at Tim's parents' house in Ohio next month. My in-laws will be in California and invited us to come down and use the house and bring friends if we wanted to. So we'll all pile into our new mini-van and head down to Lake Mohawk. We're all excited for it and I think we're going to try to visit the Cleveland Zoo at some point.

There are days like today where I miss our house, or living in a house. It was a warm and partly sunny day and I would have done just about anything to have a backyard that I could take Noah out to play in. I wish I was able to set up a little kiddie pool for him so he could play in that. However, I don't regret selling the house or moving out to Muskegon (even if it has come with some challenging times.) I am so thankful that we could take the profit and pay off the student loans and be DEBT FREE! That is better to me than a house. We are no longer slaves to the lender. Tim and I realized that we have Quicken on our computer (we're quick, I know) and so we sat down tonight and put all our budget into it. We financially started getting some things squared away and feel good and peaceful about where we are at. I think there are going to be some exciting things in our future.

My dream job was posted last week. It was for the director of Alpha Women's Center. I have wanted this job since my friend, Kelly, had it after we graduated. I talked on the phone with her about it, seeked counsel from a couple other friends and my husband, and did LOTS of praying about it. After all this I realized that, when it comes down to it, I still don't want to work until Noah is in school. I really can't stand the thought of someone else raising him if it doesn't have to be that way. It was also reassuring to hear Kelly say that there happens to be high turnover for that position and it should be up again by the time Noah enters school. It is weird to see how kids can change you. I would have done anything to have my dream job 2 years ago. Now I realize that my family is my dream for the moment, especially as Noah is entering the outskirts of the "terrible twos" and has started whining and throwing temper tantrums. I want to be the one to discipline and teach him throughout the day and to have consistency in his life. I probably sound old fashioned, but I don't care. I don't want his first memories to be of someone else spending his days with him. I am glad I saw the posting, though, because for so long now I have been asking God what I should do career-wise in my life someday and the intensity and fire I felt when I saw the posting alerted me that this is it. I want to be the director of a pregnancy center. For now, I can work on my hobbies: sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc. while having the joys of being home with Noah!

Rachel and John came out to visit me and Noah last week. We took the boys to the Lake for a picnic. We had a hard time keeping them our of the water. After bringing them back up to the blanket, we turned around to find them escaping again!Tim and I took Noah out to the lake one night last week. Noah seriously LOVES water. We have to hold him back because he pretty much wants to throw himself into it. He belly laughs harder than I have ever heard when he is in the lake.

I babysat Emma for a couple hours one morning last week. There is a sandbox and a little play area at our apartment complex, so we played with sand for a little bit.

This is our sunset picture: Tim, Christina, Unty, Kerin, Me, Noah and TimMe, Kerin & Christina in our portrayal of Charlie's Angels. I didn't realize we were supposed to do serious faces.

And the boys being....well, boys.

Catch Up

We have had a crazy May right from the beginning. On Tuesday, May 1st, Noah and I went to Grand Rapids. We were taking a trip to the wonderful Target Greatland and had the opportunity to visit Jen and her kids, Maddie and Leighton. There are days where the best times to spend with friends is just walking around Target while visiting with each other and sharing child-rearing tips and stories.

After leaving Target, Noah and I made a stop at a library in GR to get a book that isn't available at any of our Muskegon area libraries. After getting the book, we were traveling west on Leonard street to get to 131North to go home. While going through a green light at an intersection, a driver coming from the opposite direction decided to turn left and slammed into the front of our car. Thank you, Rachel and John, for coming to pick up me and Noah and for your calming presence!The picture doesn't seem to brutal, but we found out the next day that it was enough to total the car. Yippee. We were provided with a rental car at a crazy cheap price. That was Wednesday.

Thursday afternoon we took our cute rental car and headed to Ohio. After staying the night at Tim's parents, we left early Friday morning and headed down to Purcelville, Virginia. BEAUTIFUL! What gorgeous country lies in the south! Tim's Uncle Warren and Aunt Ellie were kind enough to host us for a few days as we visited family.

This is Brayden, son of Tim's cousin, Jeremy and his wife, Carrie. He is only a couple weeks old in this picture.

This is Brooklyn, daughter of Tim's cousin, Jonathan, and his wife, Shelley. All these adorable babies everywhere!
This is Brayden's older brother, Luke. We had the opportunity to go watch Holland and Carter "play" soccer while we were visiting. This was at the field.
This is Carter, who is "attacking" aliens with a soccer ball. I can't wait until Noah learns all this.

Holland is in the pink sweatshirt and her younger brother, Austin, is in the yellow. They are Brooklyn's older siblings. The oldest, Anna, I don't have any pictures of because she wasn't feeling well.

Grandma Sommerfeld and Noah color while waiting for lunch.

Family pictures.

It was so special for us to get to spend this time with Grandma. We had not seen her since our wedding, which was 4 years ago this month.

We were able to see Tim's Grandma Sommerfeld, his cousins and their families, and even took a day to go into Washington DC. I have to admit, my favorite moments were actually in the evening after Noah went to bed. Tim and I and Warren and Ellie would sit on their front porch and talk until the sun was set and we couldn't see each other. Tim and I found out so much family history. Tim also had a great time being able to hear stories about his Uncle Warren's work, and get some advice and ideas on what he can do in his own business to improve it.

This is our the only picture from our day in DC with all 3 of us. It's at the FDR memorial.

Watch out for sea turtles! We quickley went into the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.

Noah and me at the Lincoln Monument. You can see that famous reflection pond and the Washington Monument in the back.

Did I mention we got a flat tire on the rental car while driving by the White House? We did. Tim hit a curb while turning a corner and it hit in just the right place to put a hole in the tire. He had to pull over and change it on Constitution Avenue. Ah, this is what memories are made of...

We left on Monday after lunch and stayed the night in Ohio again. Tim dropped Noah and me off at my parents' on Tuesday. Our original plan was that he would go back and work long days to catch up on some projects and then come back Saturday morning to pick us up. I called him Wednesday night and said we were going to have to come home sooner because Noah was having the worst day of his little life. My mom and I think he was breaking down from being gone from home for so long. He started throwing horrible temper tantrums and every noise set him off: the oven timer, airplanes overhead, the phone ringing. He spent 80% of the day crying. I held out until he went to bed and then I broke down. So on Thursday afternoon my dad drove us to Portland, where Tim picked us up.

We went straight to a small used mini-van dealership in North Muskegon. After test driving a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan we bought it. It has high mileage, but it runs, is in good shape, and is larger than our Honda Odyssey, which we call our "mini" minivan, or our glorified station wagon.

Friday was a catch up on laundry and cleaning day.

Saturday morning Noah and I went to the Farmers Market. I just love Farmers Markets. Yea for summer and the arrival of them. Our friend, Lindsay, stopped by and had lunch with us. That evening, Jen, Scott, Maddie & Leighton came over for dinner. It was their first time seeing the apartment. Afterwards, we all traveled to Holland to celebrate the first birthday of Owen Baker. It was so good to see Jack and Kelly. They told us they just bought their first house, which excites me, but makes me kind of sad because it means they're putting roots down in Indiana and we want so badly for them to end up back here. I guess it could still happen when Jack is done with Purdue. We'll see.

Kari draws with Maddie and Noah at Owen's birthday party.

Owen was pretty excited about his Curious George theme party. Yum, cake!

Leighton is growing so fast! At first glance I think he looks like Scott, but I definitely see Jen's features in him as well.

Owen (we're so glad he still has his red hair!), Kelly, Noah, and me saying good-bye. We're supposed to see them again at the end of June, so it's something to look forward to!

It was a lazy Mothers' Day, which I think I've earned. I'm so thankful for my mother, my mother-in-law, and the son who has made me into a mother.

The Need to Create

I felt a crafty mode coming on last night. It was started as I took my trusty knitting book, Stitch and Bitch off the shelf to look for a pattern (great book. If you are a knitter, it's a must have.) We are going to visit some of Tim's relatives this weekend. Two of his cousins just had babies within the past few weeks and I wanted to make them the Umbillical Cord hat. As I lazily looked through the patterns I came across some other things I wanted to create. This then led to me taking all my knitting books off the shelf to mark pages of patterns I want to try. Two of the items at the end of Stitch and Bitch are actually sewing projects. I realized that, alhtough I did not have enough scrap fabric laying around for the needle case, I DID have enough for the knitter's bag. Woo-hoo! I cut fabric last night, Tim created a design for me to sew on the outside, and I went to bed dreaming of needles, thread, yard, and the hum of a sewing maching.

This morning I got to work as soon as Noah was settled in his high chair with breakfast. I made the bag and am SO pleased with it. It was super easy, which is necessary for me since I just touched a sewing machine for the first time when I got it for my birthday in December. I realized, though, that it does not have a zipper, and when I went to transfer the items in my current purse over, they would be strewn about the bottom of the purse. This led me to pull out Stitch and Bitch Nation (the wonderful sequel) and find a pattern to fix my problem. As soon as Noah went down for his nap, I went to work on knitting what is supposed to be a little evening purse, but I tweaked some things and made it into a cute little catch-all accesories bag. It's the perfect size! It fits my inhalor, lipgloss, Tide To-Go pen, and the ever potent Listerine

strips that make you gasp for air as if you were dying, but leave you with that fun mouth tingle afterwards.

I have more projects to be worked on throughout the week and have already asked my knitting soulmate, Rachel, to borrow The Happy Hooker (don't worry, it's about crochet) to get some ideas from there as well.

On a side note, it was beautiful weather here in West Michigan this weekend. Yesterday we took

Noah out to the Rose's house (a family from church.) They live about 2 minutes away from us and have horses and 2 week old kittens that they said we could bring Noah out to see. He LOVED it, especially the kittens. He's a cat guy so far, which isn't great because we'll never be able to have indoor cats. Maybe when we have a house again someday he can have an outside cat.