Fearsome Threesome

This will most likely be our last post as a family of three.  October flew by as we prepared for baby number two's arrival.  For the last 6 months, Chris has been attending weekend classes and studying hard for his General Contractor's license.  We are so proud (and relieved) that he passed both tests on the first attempt and before the sleepless nights with a newborn are here.  It is quite an accomplishment and will open the door to new business opportunities at work.  Handsome and smart, look out! 

While in Tallahassee taking his 10 hr test, he swung by the Bass Pro Shop and couldn't resist buying some camo overalls for Nora.  She wore them out to the farm with her matching hat that he couldn't resist on a previous trip to Orlando.  (He also bought the baby some John Deere camo socks that I am supposed to put on her at some point.)

I give him a hard time sometimes, but I have to admit she looks pretty darn cute.  

Her favorite color is brown, so she was thrilled. 

We hit up the pumpkin patch where Nora picked out the wartiest pumpkin she could find.  We carved it up a couple days later.  It is too hideous to share. 

The girl loves horses.  She just needs a flaming spear and she'd be perfect.

We took quite a long drive out to Conner's A-MAZE-ING Acres so we could enjoy a sweltering hayride and so that I could waddle through a corn maze in the blazing sun.  

The maze made the top of the list of "Places I Would Not Want My Water to Break" 

...followed by the Thrift Store as a close second.

Halloween marks possibly one of the last family of three photos. The Cat in the Hat had a blast and I'm so glad baby number 2 stayed inside, not only long enough for us to enjoy one of our favorite holidays together, but also long enough for me to wash the paint off.  I did not want to go to Labor and Delivery like this.

I was happy I felt so good and was able to hang for so long.  Nora's highlight of the evening was receiving a bag of BBQ chips.  Who knew that would be the most prized treat of the night?!

The Mule that our neighbors let us ride around in definitely contributed to my longevity.  

I think October might have done me in though. I'm wiped out today.  

As the 1st day of November draws to an end, I can easily say that I am ready for this to be a family of 4... like NOW!

Canada Revisited

I've been meaning to do a blog about our recent trip to Canada. Some people think we are a little "Canada Crazy" since this is our 2nd trip there in a year, but it has blown our minds both times.  They have so many incredible places just calling us up there.  We were about to book our tickets for a 3 day getaway to Chicago when we realized that the tickets were only $100 more to Calgary.  It was as simple of a decision as that.  Well, actually first we had to persuade my mom to watch Nora for 5 days instead of 3.  Nonna came through (Thanks MOM!!!) and Babymoon #2 was booked.  

We stayed our first and last nights in Calgary and the days and nights in between in the Banff National Park at the Chateau Lake Louise. The hotel was out of this world, nestled between two mountains and right on Lake Louise.  Our trip was the last weekend of May and we experienced the beginnings of what the locals called the "June Monsoon."  (Probably why the tickets were so affordable.) We didn't care, we got to see snow and relax together, alone. We have found it invaluable to escape from reality together and just be. 

So here is one story about our trip.  Chris had big plans for us on this trip.  Fly fishing, snow mobiling, and lots of hikes. Well, either the weather or my doctor ruled out the first two plans entirely and, at 16 weeks pregnant, I wasn't sure how much hiking I could or should be doing at that altitude...in the snow. Chris said he wanted to take a short 1.5 km hike up to a place call the Tea Room.  The lady at the excursion desk in the hotel advised against it because: 

1) The Tea Room was closed until late June

 2.) The trail would be covered in snow  

3.) Did she need to give a 3rd reason?

This is the view of the lake after the first 30 minutes of that hike she had advised against. I know Canadians use km as their default measurement for distance, but they MUST have measured as the crow flies because this turned out to be a 4 hour hike, to a place that was closed.  (They use donkeys to get supplies up to it. That's how remote it is.) Upon taking this picture we had only seen one other hiker on the trail.  If we were to keep going, I would need to scale a rock wall covered in snow. I assessed the danger and asked Chris if he really wanted to risk our baby's life.  He wasn't concerned at all.  "I'm sure it's just right around the corner up there.  I'll help you up."  Another couple in their 40's came walking up as were discussing it.  They didn't seem to think it was a very good idea either, but somehow my husband talked everyone into it.

About 45 minutes later and roughly 5 or 6 more "I'm sure it's just around the corner."s we ended up at Mirror Lake.  This is where the hike really started to get tough.  The path was incredibly narrow.  You could only walk one foot in front of the other or you would be to your thigh in snow.  The 40 somethings had blown past us long ago and still hadn't come back down.  Single file, hand in hand, slipping every few yards, we continued up, to this place that was closed. "You are doing so great, Meg", he would encourage me.

Well you better believe we made it.  The other couple was still at the top and took our picture to document the accomplishment.  If you think going up was tough, the trek back down was even harder.  More snow, more slipping, but no real busts.  The baby and I made it down and Chris was "so proud of me".  I was happy we weren't mauled by a bear and that my toes regained their feeling later that day. Did I mention I was just wearing tennis shoes?  We did, however, pass a Japanese couple on the way down wearing Keds and each carrying an umbrella.  I actually don't know even know if they were real or just a hallucination.   

I am thankful for my adventurous husband who challenges me to do and experience things I might otherwise not.  I am also thankful that I have come out of each adventure unscathed, otherwise I might be a little less thankful and a little more ticked.

The next day my legs were shot.  Thankfully, we had a long drive out to the ice fields to go out on a glacier.  The drive was breathtaking. 

And... of course we stopped for another hike, but this one was much shorter and such a must see.  

The water carved out a crooked path in the mountain and continues to wind through the layers of rock.

Pretty cool. (Here's me wearing my back-up tennis shoes.)

We rode this bus literally out onto the glacier.  

It was blindingly bright and visibility was low but Chris still managed to see well enough to make a snowman.

I took off my back-up tennis shoes on the bus because they were soaked through with glacier water. 

Next time I will be more prepared for the June Monsoon.

Messy Business

Here's a question for you: Would you rather experience giving birth OR potty training a child?  

As for me, the jury is still out but I am leaning more towards childbirth.   Both are exhausting, unpredictable, and messy.  Potty training usually lasts much longer than a few days and you never really know if you should just give up.  At least with childbirth, you know that one way or another that baby is coming out and then it's over.  Let me tell you something else. Potty training is the messiest business out there. I felt way sexier after giving birth than after a single day of cleaning up "accidents" all over the house.  

Having said that, I can say that I have officially survived both and the feeling of accomplishment is just as great.  Nora is 99% potty trained and it is awesome.  We spent 5 days at home to get it done and then I rewarded her with a big surprise, going to the movie theater. 

We pulled up and I told her where we were and her only response was, "Are there undies inside?"  She thought we were going to buy some new underwear.  Trying to let her down gently, I told we would go to the undies store after the movie. 

We met Aunt Court and my Goddaughter there so the girls could experience their first movie going experience together.  We saw Rio and the girls each had a snack tray, which they carefully balanced in their laps. We moms had to hold their seat cushions down because the kids weren't heavy enough and the seats kept flapping back on them.

Langston gave up on having her own chair and shared one with Court for the movie.  Nora was happy in her own chair for most of the time which meant I held the chair down for the better part of the movie, until she decided she wanted to take her shoes off and stand a while.  She used the public restroom, for the first time ever, during the movie. I was overjoyed.  Then it was off to Target, aka the undies store, for a sweet set of My Little Pony underpants. 

It should be noted that in our family, my undergarments are to be referred to as panties, and Nora's as undies... a rule set by the man of the house.  Other rules include, Chris can see Nora on the toilet, but not his wife.  That one was set by me, about a decade ago. Gotta keep the spark alive people. 

Now that I have potty trained a strong willed child, I can "look forward" to giving birth again.  I'm halfway there.  Here's me at 20 wks, a few days before getting confirmation that we have another little girl on the way.  Frost is going to have to retire.  He performed the ring test for a 2nd and 3rd time, both tests indicating  boy.  Boy, was he wrong.  We are so happy.  We're gonna being a house full of undies!

Dad's Do It Different

Tonight after dinner I was doing some laundry in our garage/laundry room while Chris and Nora were playing with two worms that were in the driveway.  It had just poured and they were escaping the flooded street. "That's the biggest one I've EVER seen!" said Nora.  Her father's response: "Why don't you eat it?"  Saying this to a child who puts absolutely everything in her mouth was really not a dare, but more of a suggestion.  Luckily the kid showed a glimmer of reason and declined.  So Chris threw a worm at me and then put one in Nora's hair.  We all took turns holding them and making them jump and then I distributed the hand sanitizer and headed inside to lay down.  That's how I left them.  A few minutes later, Chris calls into the house for me to come outside because Nora has something she wants to show me.  What I found was further evidence that dad's just do things differently.

Now I like to think I'm a pretty fun, hands-on mom, but running around and dunking my head in the overflowing storm water is not something I have considered doing recently.

Letting my daughter run around in her soaking wet PJ shirt and diaper in the middle of the street isn't at the top of my list either.  This was one of those many times that I was especially thankful that Nora has a parent like him to balance out a parent like me.  Forget how gross it seems, she was having a blast.

Nora gets her arts and crafts, dance party, pretend fun with me and then she has her dad to fill in the blanks with an abundance of outdoorsy activities that every little toddler girl needs in her life.  

When he isn't taking her to Home Depot's kids craft day, you can find them skinny dipping in the pool, emptying out the tool bucket and tuning up her tricycle, or possibly mowing the lawn.  

Chris has always wanted a daughter and he enriches her life in ways that I can't.

She can pull a tape like the best of them.  

She can spot poo like nobody's business.

And she's mastering the art of pool surfing.

He even taught Nora how to feed fresh saliva to the koi at the Japanese steak house. 

She became so good at it, she taught her Papa.

Happy Father's Day to the Yin to my Yang.  

A big "Thank You" to the guy who does all the things with our daughter that I just don't feel like doing.

PERSPECTIVE

   Last fall (sorry I am slacker on the blog posts) I was given the opportunity to go to Haiti where I worked alongside two other guys to build a home for a Haitian pastor who lost his in the 2010 earthquake. I had asked the Lord to provide an opportunity to serve an unmet need as I felt him calling me to get more involved. I have had  the opportunity to travel to several countries, but Haiti is the poorest I have ever visited. We worked and stayed near Port-Au-Prince where the roads are in poor condition, you don't walk anywhere after dark, trash is literally everywhere, there is little clean water, and overall terrible living conditions. Many Haitians get by on one meal a day, they have very little skills and education....and it has been this way for a long time. There is also a very strong presence of Voodoo in Haiti. Please be praying for this nation as there are so many needs! Despite the dire circumstances Haitians face, the Lord is indeed working in Haiti and I am blessed to have been a small part of His big plan. After completing the home we were able to dedicate it to Pastor Oerick and his wife. We prayed with them and presented them with two framed bible verses to hang in their new home. Their emotions ran high and they were overwhelmed by this gift. Pastor Oerick prayed in Creole and although I could not understand the words he spoke, they gave off a powerful presence.... and as we stood there together, it was evident the Lord was with us. 

The house was designed and built to withstand both hurricanes and earthquakes. 

(Mrs. Oerick picked out the color...bright colors are very popular in Haiti.)

The organization I joined for this trip was the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism...or ABWE. The goal of this group it to provide housing and/or a church for local pastors with needs. By providing them a home they are better equipped to run their ministry and reach out to their local community with the Love of Christ.

A typical sight in Haiti....a home built by unskilled labor with no engineering. Haitians believe by pouring solid concrete roofs over concrete block the home is structurally strong to resist natural disasters. The problem is there is no foundation and the structures collapse like a pancake. This is why so many die during earthquakes.

Left to right

Glen from Ohio...a home builder, baker, and big time snorer. Dave from Michigan....our team leader, a life long missionary, and a master negotiator for Haitian goods. Chris....the youngest by twenty five years, the cook, and the dishwasher.

 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  Acts 20:35

During our time in Haiti we were given several opportunities to share Christ's love with others and through the use of creole tracts share the story of salvation as well. There is much work to be done in this country, but God is certainly alive and has positioned workers to join the harvest.

Please keep Haiti in your prayers and if you are ever open to serving joining an ABWE team is a great way to start.

 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”  Psalm 127:1

 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.”  1 Timothy 15:1

So...I've gained a few pounds

It's been a while... We've been busy with weddings, birthdays, camping, and a trip to Canada.  People keep asking when I am going to make an announcement.  I suppose things aren't official until you have put it on the internet...soooo. We love this little girl so much, we wanted another.  God has answered our prayer and in His perfect timing.

I am 16 weeks, due Nov 10, 2013.  They will be just shy of 3 years apart. Unlike last time, we ARE finding out the sex.  LIKE last time, we won't be sharing any names.  We are beyond thrilled!  Nora is insistent on only having a brother.  She cannot be swayed.

This is the note we were sent home with from the Ultasound Tech at 13 weeks. It was in a sealed envelope which we opened after the Ring Test was performed by Chris' dad.  He's never been wrong, at least with any of the other 8 grand kids.

Looks like Nora might get an early start on learning some of life's disappointments.  Not that we don't disappoint her on a regular basis.  It's good for her, builds character.  She did tell us the other day that she wants to go live with Jake, the foster dog we had for 5 days...5 months ago. Once again, sorry to disappoint you, Nora.  In this case, the disappointment might not last long.  Sisters are the best.  I should know.  I don't know what I'd do without mine.

On the other hand, brothers are pretty cool too.  It's a win win.

And if the Ring Test was right, a brother it will be!  Only time will tell.  We won't see a picture of the baby again until July.

Take a look. What do you think?  Is that a leg or a third leg?

Either way, I'm looking forward to loving possibly another one of my favorite person's little clones.