silly Mama!

nathan and i went to the grocery store. i made sure to eat and drink plenty of water before we went - otherwise i would buy too much food and drink stuff that we didn't need. what i didn't do was give myself a time limit. i didn't have anywhere to be after the store - so i just walked and looked at all the kid stuff. this is what happened next:
nathan got a new hat and sundglasses!! (they were on SALE!)

it will still fit him next summer!

catching up

a few weeks ago we took nathan to a place we like to call, "the bouncy bounce." it is an entire place full of those inflatable "bouncy bounces" that we used to call 'moonwalks' when i was growing up. i don't know if that is a regional thing or a time thing - but when i say moonwalk no one seems to have any idea what i am talking about. the ones they have now are WAY more cool then the ones we had (which were very cool in their own right - i loved those things!). now it is way more than the inflatable floor with pillars in the corners and netting so you didn't fall out - now there are ball pits, and obstacle courses and slides and . . . i'll let the pictures explain the rest.

nathan just started doing this the other day. i don't know why. he really seems to like it though. can you do this??? (note: his legs are straight and his head is nearly between his feet!) i really don't know which is more impressive, the flexibility or the balance!

nathan had his first sleep over on the 16th of this month. he spent the night with aunt carol. (who wasn't ready to be done playing by the time it was his bedtime). richard and i had a sunday school social - dinner - and then made a date of the evening after that. at first mention of a sleepover - i got a little teary- but later agreeed that it was good 'practice' for when he would have to sleep over somewhere when we go to have the new baby. here he is getting ready to go - he obviously was way more ready for this than his Mama was!

nathan is a VERY good helper! here he is carrying a box for Mama so we could mail a get well helium balloon to Grandpa. that is what i said - mailed a helium balloon. :)

here are some pictures from Thanksgiving. we spent it in ruidoso, new mexico at richard's parent's cabin. it is in the mountains and was VERY cold! we packed warm, because i figured it would be colder than we were used to - but it really was MUCH colder than we were used to. then, the night before we left it started snowing! snow - i thought that was why we moved to texas! (well, just part of the reason - but still!) the family picture includes us, richard's parents, oma (richard's grandma), and his aunt and her family.

baby's first pictures

last week thursday, we had our first ultrasound done. the doctor said that the baby looked great.

picture 1: baby's head right in the middle and the body goes to the right, you can see one arm above and one below the baby's body
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picture 2: baby's head at the left of the picture. this is a back view with the baby's butt at the right of the screen. you can see one little elbow at the top
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picture 3: this is a front view. head at the left, body to the right, and arms and legs kicking
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both richard and i were really amazed at how big the baby looks already! the baby was moving all over, arms and legs just all over the place. the doctor was even able to see the little arm and thigh bones and get measurements. i did get sick about a month ago with a virus that inhibits the mom's and possibly baby's ability to make red blood cells. this could lead to problems for the baby because it was during the first trimester. the doctor said that everything looked just perfect right now. we are going to watch things very closely and do another ultrsound in a month to make sure things are going well.

we are all so excited about this new wonderful blessing. please join us in praying for a healthy and strong baby.

just in case you were wondering about the gender. . . we are going to be surprised again!! (and no, you can't see anything in these pictures - no need to strain your eyes!)

blindsided by life

Today I heard some news that struck me like a semi truck in the blind spot. I was just ‘cruisin’ along on the internet, checking out all my favorite blogs to keep up with friends that distance has separated me from. When there on one, I read a song – it was a song written for the Skoglund family. (a dear family at the church we belonged to in Racine Wsconsin). “Why did Amy write a song for them?” I wondered. As I read the lyrics, it became very clear. Their son, an army pilot, died in a helicopter crash on a training mission in Italy. He was 31 years old. I prayed for them, and I grieved with them.

I read this right before I went to a Bible study. I asked everyone there to pray for that dear family.

Then I went to pick up Nathan from the nursery. He was so sweet. He squealed a little when he saw me. Then he put away the toys he was playing with and came over with his arms lifted high. When I picked him up – he gave me kisses.

As we walked down the hall, with him reaching his little arm up and holding onto my one finger, I thought to myself. I though, “oh Nathan, I want so badly to protect you from ever knowing the hurt of losing someone you love”. “Such a sweet boy should never know hurt like that,” I reasoned. I realized in a moment’s time – that I cannot ever protect him from that. But I DID realize what I can do. I can train him up to know and love the Lord. I can show him, that in God, he can have confidence that all things will work out for good. And that if he knows Jesus as his savior, he won’t even have to fear death. I can teach him about hope – real hope and real joy. Not the kind that waxes and wanes and fades when situations get bad. Only the hope and joy that come with knowing God and trusting in Him.

On the way home I heard a song on the radio, that said what I was trying to say. Here is the chorus:

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

(Cry out to Jesus, by Third Day)


Tonight I do cry out to Jesus. I cry out for comfort for the Skoglund family, for peace in my own heart, and for all those who do not know the hope that is found in Him.