Henrik (Henry) Joseph
Born 1:58, Monday, September 22
7 lbs. 5 oz., 21 inches
Dusting of dark brown hair
Dark blue/gray eyes like daddy.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Wanting to Wait Well
Well, we are definitely ready for the baby to arrive. Ben asks him to come at least a few times a day. And he asks me to go into labor. So far neither the baby nor the mama are very obedient. Through the day my own desires and patience fluctuate and change. I feel peaceful and patient in prayer for peace and patience. Then I feel a little nudge inside and hope for my water to break. Hmm. Our impatience must be obvious, as people often say things like, "Well, its better for him to have a few more days inside." Probably true. This morning Ben and I prayed for joy in this time of anticipation (a precious life stage that we will only experience this one time!), and rest in the assurance that God's plan for this baby's life (even the day of his arrival) is truly best.
Hmm. This Saturday I cleaned the house for 12 hours, washing curtains, rugs, vacuuming window screens and the dryer exhaust, etc. It didn't feel like nesting (in that it didn't feel special or unusual), and Ben and I reasoned that we can't really take much from that, since that is sort of how cleaning happens for me. Things get bad, then I clean everything all at once as though it is a battle for life itself. I also wonder if my emotional desire to have the baby soon didn't spur me on to the cleaning. Along the reasoning of if everything is ready around us, maybe my body will get ready, too? I'm pretty sure that isn't true nesting.
We've had a hard time narrowing down name choices, but I think we have a few good ones, now. That feels nice. We'll have to see which combo seems best when the baby arrives. Until then, all is secret.
These days I mostly think (talk and blog) about the baby. As far as the rest of life, all is well with us.
Ben has been finishing up a "shop" that provides us with wonderful work and storage space for things like paint, tools, etc. We are thinking of painting our house yellow. We have to paint the shop, so we might as well paint the house at the same time?? Right now it is a pretty depressing brown. I like the idea of a yellow house with white trim and lots of red geraniums all around. Happy and European cottage-y.
Yesterday I went 3-store grocery shopping. We hadn't restocked from our summer away, and had been in great need. It feels good to have that done, too.
We are having some good times with friends, enjoying dinner together, etc.
Really, though, the big news is that the baby is coming SOON! A few weeks at the most!
Hoping to post about his arrival next time. Or at least the time after the next...
Hmm. This Saturday I cleaned the house for 12 hours, washing curtains, rugs, vacuuming window screens and the dryer exhaust, etc. It didn't feel like nesting (in that it didn't feel special or unusual), and Ben and I reasoned that we can't really take much from that, since that is sort of how cleaning happens for me. Things get bad, then I clean everything all at once as though it is a battle for life itself. I also wonder if my emotional desire to have the baby soon didn't spur me on to the cleaning. Along the reasoning of if everything is ready around us, maybe my body will get ready, too? I'm pretty sure that isn't true nesting.
We've had a hard time narrowing down name choices, but I think we have a few good ones, now. That feels nice. We'll have to see which combo seems best when the baby arrives. Until then, all is secret.
These days I mostly think (talk and blog) about the baby. As far as the rest of life, all is well with us.
Ben has been finishing up a "shop" that provides us with wonderful work and storage space for things like paint, tools, etc. We are thinking of painting our house yellow. We have to paint the shop, so we might as well paint the house at the same time?? Right now it is a pretty depressing brown. I like the idea of a yellow house with white trim and lots of red geraniums all around. Happy and European cottage-y.
Yesterday I went 3-store grocery shopping. We hadn't restocked from our summer away, and had been in great need. It feels good to have that done, too.
We are having some good times with friends, enjoying dinner together, etc.
Really, though, the big news is that the baby is coming SOON! A few weeks at the most!
Hoping to post about his arrival next time. Or at least the time after the next...
Thursday, September 4, 2008
September? Already?
This is indeed the busiest part of the year for us-- both schools back in session.
I returned to work in early August (the day after we returned from Slovakia, actually!). This year I am working at the elementary school less than a mile from our house. It has been absolutely wonderful! I work closely with 4 great ladies (this is the first time I've felt like I had co-workers in teaching... teachers tend to work pretty independently most of the day...), do a lot of paperwork, test students' English proficiency levels, and tutor a newcomer for a few hours each day. I am really enjoying it, and am a bit disappointed to be leaving soon!
Ben is back at Bryan, teaching 5 credits this semester. His two biggest undertakings are a Christian Life Formation Course called "Wilderness Disciplines" and a freshman Worldview section. He has spent a lot of time pulling together materials for these classes, doing a lot of reading, etc. I met a few of his students at the park the other day-- their main feedback was that his laugh is contagious. I guess that tells you he is enjoying himself! Also, this is his first semester taking on the responsibility of facilitating the student-led ministries in "PCI" (Practical Christian Involvement). We had those ministry leaders over for dessert and conversation with a chapel speaker the other night, and helped flip pancakes at an informational breakfast meant to recruit more participants into the ministries on Saturday morning. Probably 150 students showed up-- a great success. Tomorrow's chapel is aimed at calling the student body to begin (or maintain) a lifestyle of Christian service and ministry. Pretty exciting things happening at Bryan!
On the baby front, we had another appointment yesterday, complete with a quick ultrasound meant to size him. Baby Boy is very healthy. We saw him yawn, suck, and exercise his little lungs! His heartbeat is very normal at 146bpm. The ultrasound put his weight at 5 lbs. 11 oz., but that can be somewhat inaccurate, I understand. I am so excited for him to come-- to see him, hold him, name him, but also a little sad to lose the joy of the anticipation itself!
In the baby-prep arena, our busy schedule means that the to-do list only grows, with lots of hard work on lots of things every day, but little progress on the little tasks that I'd love to finish before the baby arrives. Things like organizing the fridge and freezer, dusting cupboard shelves and moving furniture to vacuum, etc. I told the doctor that I need at least two more weeks to get ready, and he tapped me on the forehead and told me to get ready now. Car seat in, bag ready. I REALLY DON'T think I'll be in labor tomorrow or anything (I repeat-- the baby isn't coming quite yet), but I guess I should start altering my mindset from thinking the baby is coming sometime in the far future to sometime in the near future. To that end, I am hoping to sort through my mess of papers at work this afternoon, with resolve to keep organized from here on out, for my coworkers' sake.
I returned to work in early August (the day after we returned from Slovakia, actually!). This year I am working at the elementary school less than a mile from our house. It has been absolutely wonderful! I work closely with 4 great ladies (this is the first time I've felt like I had co-workers in teaching... teachers tend to work pretty independently most of the day...), do a lot of paperwork, test students' English proficiency levels, and tutor a newcomer for a few hours each day. I am really enjoying it, and am a bit disappointed to be leaving soon!
Ben is back at Bryan, teaching 5 credits this semester. His two biggest undertakings are a Christian Life Formation Course called "Wilderness Disciplines" and a freshman Worldview section. He has spent a lot of time pulling together materials for these classes, doing a lot of reading, etc. I met a few of his students at the park the other day-- their main feedback was that his laugh is contagious. I guess that tells you he is enjoying himself! Also, this is his first semester taking on the responsibility of facilitating the student-led ministries in "PCI" (Practical Christian Involvement). We had those ministry leaders over for dessert and conversation with a chapel speaker the other night, and helped flip pancakes at an informational breakfast meant to recruit more participants into the ministries on Saturday morning. Probably 150 students showed up-- a great success. Tomorrow's chapel is aimed at calling the student body to begin (or maintain) a lifestyle of Christian service and ministry. Pretty exciting things happening at Bryan!
On the baby front, we had another appointment yesterday, complete with a quick ultrasound meant to size him. Baby Boy is very healthy. We saw him yawn, suck, and exercise his little lungs! His heartbeat is very normal at 146bpm. The ultrasound put his weight at 5 lbs. 11 oz., but that can be somewhat inaccurate, I understand. I am so excited for him to come-- to see him, hold him, name him, but also a little sad to lose the joy of the anticipation itself!
In the baby-prep arena, our busy schedule means that the to-do list only grows, with lots of hard work on lots of things every day, but little progress on the little tasks that I'd love to finish before the baby arrives. Things like organizing the fridge and freezer, dusting cupboard shelves and moving furniture to vacuum, etc. I told the doctor that I need at least two more weeks to get ready, and he tapped me on the forehead and told me to get ready now. Car seat in, bag ready. I REALLY DON'T think I'll be in labor tomorrow or anything (I repeat-- the baby isn't coming quite yet), but I guess I should start altering my mindset from thinking the baby is coming sometime in the far future to sometime in the near future. To that end, I am hoping to sort through my mess of papers at work this afternoon, with resolve to keep organized from here on out, for my coworkers' sake.
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