Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Planes Fly Home

Lucas has been so enthralled with planes since riding on them to Arkansas and home from Texas.
In fact, his first two word sentence was "Hane fly!" (plane fly) He even says "Hane fly home". He has started a few two word sentences. This morning he was talking about "Daddy's shoe". He does a lot of jabbering with several recognizable words. I wish I new what he was saying. He gets excited about "foo" ( food). He says so many things. We are working on weaning. So we cuddle at night. He can say his version of "Cuddle" too. He's changing daily.
Rick took down an old airplane for Lucas to play with. He loves it. Also he loves his "choo choo" (train).

Fashion Statement

Dear Jesus, Thank you for the "foo" ( food)

Sunday, December 2, 2007

All Tuckered Out

All Tuckered Out!



I like to wear hats. I'm wearing my Aunt Cheryl's hat in the top pictures.
The other hat is Uncle Reggie's.
Aren't I adorable???

Saturday, December 1, 2007

19 1/2 weeks

Here's the baby's "outside" size at 19 1/2 weeks. Half way there!

Friday, November 30, 2007

The New Baby will be....


The new baby will be... A Surprise! The tech. said that it was a girl or a boy depending on the angle she looked. So... Come the end of April we will know. This baby is healthy/"normal" !
The first picture is a profile with the baby's head on the left side. Notice his/her mouth is slightly open. Baby's arm is by its side.









In this picture baby is resting his/her arm across his/her body. Its right leg is pulled so the knee is visible.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Baby's on the way


I do not have a face to see, or put inside a frame.


I do not have soft cheeks to kiss, I don't yet have a name.


You can't hold my tiny hands, nor whisper in my ears. Its still too soon to sing a song or cuddle me so near.


But all will change come April 22 when they say I'm due. I am your new son or daughter I can not wait to meet you!


All I ask between now and then, is your patience while I grow. I promise I'll be worth the wait, because of the love we'll know.


So as you are waiting patiently, please pray a lot of prayers for me. I can not wait to be a part of this wonderful family!

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Mother

We mothers can be illogical at times. This was a priceless forward from my Aunt. I hope I can raise my children with out quite so much of this logic.
MY MOTHER

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, ! that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13.. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY .
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.

"When that
lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Family is the Most Important Asset


There is so much hate, dysfunction, and evilness in this world. It would seem to me that the only security we have is in each other; however, too often the people we love the most, we also hurt the most due to our own imbalanced dysfunction. Why do we do this? We need eachother--we need family, we need best friends, we need vulnerability, we need emotions, we need spiritual guides, beacons, to direct our feet onto the healthiest path in the midst of chaos.

That is why I have decided I like children--or rather, Lucas. His utter simplistic nature, the beauty in his smile toward perfect strangers, his free-loving and free-giving spirit. You can swoop up little Lucas and his smile can shatter any shred of coldness within my heart, and bring out the rainbow of emotions in my soul. It is a beautiful thing to see his still-unsure legs toddle him around, his wee finger point at something, and his baby voice try to tell you something. He reminds me of a little Homer Simpson when he says, "D'oh!" repeatedly.

How did we ("we" as in the sense of the whole of humanity, and yes, sometimes myself) become the people we are? Bitter and jaded at times, stressed out, unhealthy, lonely, guarded with walls fifty feet thick around our hearts, and yes, self-destructive on too many occasions, blowing up safeguards meant to help, not to harm.

Fortunately, our family and extended family is amazing, considering all the bad things around us. Being here on a hippy island with crazy people has made me see the beauty in family, and the need for family. I could use an unconditional hug right now, an affirming pat on the head, a stroke on the back, and someone saying how much they love me. I know my family does love me, but the closest ones are oh, 7.5 hours away, IF the ferry isn't late and IF the ferry doesn't stop at two islands. Then it would be over 8 hours.

We have had such good times together. I recently found this picture of Rachel and I from back in the year 2000. My, how life has deviated from our original idyllic plans! I have decided not to regret my past, but to embrace it and consciously let it change me into a better person. But this picture, this picture makes me smile. Pre-marriage, pre-children, pre-life's garbage for me.

Now I sit in my living room, a storm raging outside, the rain pouring, the wind smashing, and the fish in the tank are staring at me begging for food. It is lonely here, but it is also good to explore myself and figure somethings out on my own.

But family is the most important asset I will ever have in my life, and today this thought is like a warm flame keeping my heart from joining the storm outside.

I love all of you so terribly much, and I cannot wait for Thanksgiving to roll around so I can be wrapped up in our family warmth of goodness towards one another.

L'Chaim! To Life!
Jen

Friday, October 12, 2007

Safety Conscious




Lucas

Trying


On

Daddy's Helmet.
































He also put on a "helmet" while riding his four-wheeler.
He's 17 months old today!

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Tabernacles

Here I am with Daddy. On the first day or Tabernacles we made a trek to the mountains to choose and cut a Tabernacles tree.
You can see that Daddy doesn't believe in an old fashioned ax or saw. We got to use the chainsaw!





















Here I am with Mommy on the second holiday of Tabernacles. I'm opening some puzzles that are meant for little people like me!



























I have a vocabulary of at least 20 different words now. Average for 18 months is 8-10 words. I'll be 17 months this week. I have 11 teeth now. I'm working on my last 1 year old molar. Its almost there. I've learned the word NO recently. At least it wasn't my first word!
Mom is really working on manners with me. I don't throw my food on the floor anymore. I also say please ( peas) and thank you (ank oo). I don't think any of my friends use those words.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Reading

Lucas has some Bible story books. I choose to read these to him instead of the "Little Friends" for his lesson. This months lesson is about baby Moses. I was reading the page about baby Moses being hidden all day. The picture is of Miriam putting her finger over her mouth and shhhing baby Moses. Once Lucas saw the picture he shushed baby Moses too. He was doing it before I read that Miriam was saying "shhhh".
Yesterday I was singing "Only a boy named David" and "I'm in the Lord's army". Lucas was doing his best to sing and do the actions. Its so cute!!

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Playing the Didgeridoo




Lucas loves rhythm just like Rick. He pounds on his drum. He tries to "play" his Daddy's Didgeridoo. He fascinated by it. Here are the pictures to show it!

Saturday, August 25, 2007

OdE tO a SiStEr

So it has been awhile since I have posted. This might be due to one important fact: I am a very long way away from my wee baby nephew (what is the PC for this? Toddler? He's still a BABY in my eyes!!! And always will be one until he can formulate enough words to tell me off that he is NOT a baby anymore!).

I've been quite busy and wrapped up in my own world and my own mind so I haven't kept track of the wee one as I would like to have been, but that never lessens my love and devotion to my brother's and favorite sister-in-law's son. Baby Lucas.

I think I should ask Rachel before posting these, but as a moderator herself she can delete or edit at her will, so I'll surprise her by posting this email she sent me more than a week ago, updating me on life in her neck o' the woods (btw, this email is already edited by me, so portions are missing :D):

Hi Jenilyn,

I think I have a few minutes to write this morning. Lucas and I are staying home because Lucas had a bad tummy ache off and on during the night. Right now, he's in crisis. Dad went to church without us! He is standing at the door in tears. He loves going to Cradle Roll. I didn't think it wise to take him- in case this is a bug. We're going to walk to the other side of the golf course and back. Then maybe we'll go in the backyard so he can play.

By the way... We're 2/3 of the way done with fencing our yard. We have to finish that this week. Next weekend we are going on a camping trip with our "young" adult group. I guess more accurately in should be called the "young" families group. I think everybody going has at least one child.

Yesterday was a company picnic for Rick. There are 18 employees at Cascade. They all brought there families. We had 42 kids! We're supposed to go out to the presidents house today for a barbecue and activities. I think that we'll go after Lucas' nap.

Well, Love You and Miss You.

Love,


Rachel
*********************

I think the true honest-to-goodness sign of family is the ability to see the bad sides yet still love one another unconditionally. Rachel fits the bill on that one. She knows our family quite well by now (HA!) and yet still loves us in spite of it all. And in return, all of us adore her back (Reggie included! And I'm not making that one up either).

She also included a rocking awesome picture of her in her wedding dress, which I must post for all her glory to shine because SHE STILL FREAKING FITS IN IT in spite of having a baby. I remember that dress. I remember it being so tight around her torso because she has such a very tiny torso.
Anyway, Rachel, THANK YOU for being amazing. Love, Jen.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

By Auntie Jenilyn's Request....

Words, words, and more words! Lucas is saying so many new things. He wanted to me to take his sippy cup lid out of his drum. I said say "please mama" so he said, "peas" and then I said mama. He said "mommy".
When its time to go to bed. He'll sing song, "nigh nigh!"
He says please when he wants something. He knows that its a "magic" word.
He says, "daddy daddy" whenever he sees motorcycles or bicycles. He associates both with Rick.
Last night he was saying baby.
He will sign, nurse, more, and all done.
When he sees his friend Jaden. He gets very excited and hurries towards him calling his name.
He will bark for the dog and meow for the cat.
He jabbers a lot. Then he pauses for me or his daddy to answer. Then he jabbers more.
( There you go Jenilyn. This is what is new now)

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Knoshing on Dirt


I'm supposed to stay out of mom's planters. When she wasn't paying close enough attention... I climbed on top of her freshly watered basil and set to filling my self with the gloppy dirt. Notice, I'm still atop the planter in the first picture.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Shadows

Lucas has noticed his shadow. While outside today on the cement slab with sun splashing through the trees, Lucas saw that something was just in front of him- slightly under his feet. When he walked forward it moved away. When he stopped, it stopped. When he walked backward, the "thing" followed. He never did manage to "pin it down." Finally giving up, he walked away watching his shadow follow over his shoulder.

Can't get enough of this potato

Mom gave me half of a potato. I tried to eat the whole thing at once. I didn't spit it out. Just chewed with it protruding out of my mouth until it was all gone!

Don't I look funny?


I wanted to play with Aunt Eileen's Glasses. So She put them on me. Don't I look funny/cute?

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Apricots... YUMMY































I was getting into the dog food last night. I thought is was really good. Mommy thought is was really yucky. I would stuff it into my mouth and swallow it before Mommy or Daddy could get there and dig it out. So, Mommy figured out that I was probably hungry. Taking me inside she offered me an apricot. Boy, was that good. Every time she offered me one, I'd fill my face and want more. She stopped after I'd eaten 5 of them. Daddy thought I looked pretty funny with apricots hanging out of my mouth. So he hurried into the house to immortalize that moment. Hope you enjoy my cute pictures:-)

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

My extended family

Here is my new haircut! Handsome, huh?
Grandma Christine, Uncle Mitch, and Aunt Alyssa came to visit me in July. This was taken the day they left. Grandpa Jeff and Uncle Kyle didn't come because they were doing a Maranatha Project in Norway. They are supposed to be home tomorrow. ( Is this any better Jenilyn and Melody?)

First Haircut

The Time had come. I looked like the back of my head stuck out unusually far. That's because I was born with hair just on the back of my head. It never fell out. So it was about 3 inches long. My mommy wanted my Grandma Christine to give me my first haircut. She did that shortly before she left- while I was taking a bath. Mom and Dad say that I look very handsome with my newly trimmed locks. I am 14 months now.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Babies, Babies, Babies

One young lady came in to our store the other day holding her very new newborn in her arms, with a blank stare in her face and ordered a sandwich. When she left, my boss told me she had come in not long ago mumbling, "I am a bad, bad, bad, mother. I am a bad, bad, bad person." She stumbled around, was crying, ordered a sandwich, and walked out. We then proceeded to talk about pregnancies, young women, and how sad it is that too many young girls get pregnant when they are not ready for it. My heart always hurts when I hear and see these things (for very personal reasons) and I can always feel the tears welling up in my eyes which I must fight away, because the depth of the sadness hits me hard. A young child gets pregnant, and her whole life is altered. When she is not ready, she gives up so much, and not only gives it up, but loses it as well.

That compounds the pride I feel in my sister-in-law and nephew. I told my boss that I bet Rachel was prepared for motherhood by age 16, and would have done a fine job of it too. I wonder if motherhood is just built into some and lacks in others? And then I wonder if it lacks within me? If it does, I'm not crying over spilled milk. I can't help it. Maybe when I'm 35 the baby euphoria will hit, but in the meantime, a nephew does more than suffice.

I felt so happy when I checked my email inbox not long ago and saw a lengthy happy email from Rachel. Usually she isn't so chatty in emails like she is in person, so I thought (and hope she doesn't mind) I would post it here so more than one can enjoy it--what better way to see Lucas than from her perspective. Her email is posted below, the email of the best new mother I know of:

My life has been really busy. I'll have done 12 massages this week. Originally I was scheduled to do 10 but life has a way of changing.

Delacey is babysitting for me. She had Lucas for 3 hours last night while Rick and I went on a "hot date". We watched Shrek III, ate dinner, and then went to Baskin Robbins afterwards. I felt like a giddy teenager dating my husband. I thought we were going to be the only ones in the theater. At the last minute 6 other people came in- still very few.

Lucas did just fine. I have a harder time leaving him than he has being left!

I had Delacey come with me to physical therapy today also. Its was very nice to not have to be concerned about where he was while I was being treated. Kim gave me some exercises to strengthen this stupidly weak, painful shoulder. Hopefully, that combined with seeing Kim more frequently will help me recover.

Lucas is continuing to grow and change - of course. I've been watching "The Beverley Hillbillies". He gets so excited when the music comes on at the beginning. He dances around clapping his hands. When the music comes back on at the end he hurries over in front of the screen to wave goodbye to the Clampets with both hands.

He folds his hands when we talk to Jesus at meals and will blow on his food - whether its hot or not. He's been living on baked potatoes with either flax or olive oil and garlic salt. That is something he will eat. He's been kinda picky of late about his foods.

Tiffany and I are in the process of changing the Cradle Roll program. We re-did the room. But, I don't have the music for all of the songs. The songbook was SUPPOSED to be in. I called today and it isn't. They're closed tomorrow. I don't know what I'll do about Cradle Roll.

Got to run! Sorry so short.

Love,
Rachel

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Helping Garden

Here I am "helping" mommy garden. I figure out why she gets upset when I throw dirt in the air that lands in her hair or when I dig in her planted pots. She did let me get muddy and play with her watering can.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Sparkle the Clown

" Me with Sparkle the Clown "
Mom took me to the "Relay for Life" walk
to see her friend Sparkle. I've seen "Sparkle"
before without makeup. I wasn't scared of her.
Mom wasn't sure how I'd react.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Groovin' to the music

This picture totally captures my pure joy and ecstasy of moving to the music. I love clapping my hands, beating on my drum and dancing around. Isn't God grand to give us something so soul stirring to enjoy!

Learning is painful

Learning can be very painful! Mommy loves to show my booboos. I think that having a combination of tile floors and cement outside I doomed to having many more bloody mouthes and fat lips!

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Bucket Head



I like to put on hats - or at least try too. Mom has been trying to get a picture of me with this bucket on my head for awhile. But, every time she grabs the camera, I turn into a ham and pose without my "hat"
I said my first sentence on Monday, June, 11th. I said, " Hi Dad!" Mom thinks that I'm on the early side to be making two word sentences. I don't know if I am or not.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Daddy Graduated Today

I was loving Daddy here. I don't usually kiss anybody but I did today! Isn't daddy handsome?