Updates ala Photos

Abi and I went back to MN this month for a short visit while Steven worked all but 24 hours of a 6 day stretch. We enjoyed our time immensely as you can see with the photos of Abi and her cousins Michaela & Danielle and me and my cousins Nick and Chan. Abi is now 5 months old and LOVING her rice cereal and the sweet potatoes tonight. We are excited for a visit from Grandpa Gold starting tomorrow and a little time off together to enjoy fishing.

Healthy

Quick updates on our household:
- Aubrey is trying to get the Return to Work program at SDAO running and successful. Patience is a virtue so I'm praying for more of them. :) It's going very well, but it's tough not to put in more hours. Nonetheless, I'd much rather spend my evenings enjoying my family.
- Steven is working lots. He's got the next group of Explorers through the entrance process now. He was asked to work on the District's accreditation team as well so will likely be traveling to Orlando in March for conference. He's also gotten the sump pump on the Dink+1 (our fishing boat) fixed and ready for 3-4 straight days of fishing later this month.
- Ms. Abi is healthy. We were in the ER last Monday evening due to sudden onset of wheezing to her existing cough/congestion. After x-rays and a nebulizer treatment (which she and her lungs responded very well to), we went home with an inhaler and amoxicillin for ear infection and bronchitis. We are grateful for Dr. G who diagnosed her the next day (4 month well baby check up) with RSV. That wasn't a surprise as another baby at daycare had been admitted in the hospital that week for RSV. Abi spent a week home w/Daddy & Mommy as well as a visit from Grannie and Auntie Stephie. She bounced back VERY well as you can see in the picture. She weighed in at 15 lb. 11 oz. for her 4 month visit so is on the upper end of growth for her age. She seemed to immensely enjoy her first taste of rice cereal tonight and somehow managed to eat (or at least let run down her face) most of what we mixed for her. Daddy gave feeding her a shot for awhile.. it was dully noted that everything within reach is fair game for Abi now too.

Blessed

After another busy day, the evening brings some time to play with Abi, vacuum, organize, put tax documents in one pile (ha ha), throw a batch of laundry in the washer, etc. etc. And thus will proceed next week and the following week, etc etc. I took a couple minutes to read Malcolm & Christine's blog and I was reminded how much I miss family and friends in the midwest. But it also reminded me how grateful I am for them despite the distance. Then I started thinking of all the blessings... we had a wonderful visit in Nov w/family & friends in MN, my friend Jill got a new job in Wisconsin, Dick's treatment is going well, Leroy's "Earl" may not be there, I know without a doubt my new job is where God has placed me for His glory, Steven is excelling at his promotion and has had the privilege of ministering through it, we had a great visit when Steve & Annie received their Businesspeople of the Year Award, spent time with their wonderful friends (love the Kaps and Settlemeyers!) and more visits are on the horizon with Mom and Dad (can it be tomorrow yet?!). The Twins' and families are coming for a visit tomorrow for their 30th birthdays which means more time with people who bless our lives. I was reading John 6:35 and Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. Those who come to me will never be hungry..." He wasn't referring to actual food... but rather the amazing sustenance that He so graciously filled my heart with this evening. To those in our lives who "feed" us: thank you for being God's blessings. You are much loved!

4 Months Old: Giggles, Rolling Over and Lots of Yelling (both happy and mad)

Her father's daughter

Abi is her father's daughter... proof if you need it.

Beach Time!

Abi is nearly 4 months old; she was definitely due for her first trip to the Oregon coast! We enjoyed a weekend in Lincoln City with our friends Nichole & Jeromy as well as their two kids. Obviously it had been awhile since we'd been to the coast (our anniversary actually) because we were pleasantly reminded it only takes 2 hours to get there from our house. Abi is a great car passenger since she sleeps 85% of any ride. Saturday dawned with a slight drizzle but we enjoyed a beach walk, lunch at Dory's Cove and then the girls hit Tanger Outlets and the boys later enjoyed The Mist (a true local lounge). Sunday was the perfect Oregon beach day; slightly breezy, slight overcast and just a slight chill in the air. Abi took in all the sounds of the beach while occassionally looking back or over her shoulder to make eye contact with Mommy and Daddy but the stroll was too much... she dozed the last 45 minutes of our walk.

Happy 2010!

We had a wonderful New Years Eve... at home. :) Between colds (both the girls in the house) and Steven working New Years Day, we decided we were more than content to stay home. This included a bath for Abi. As you can see from the video, she LOVES her tub time! The clip was taken after she'd already been in there splashing for 10 minutes already. After an easy 7:45pm bedtime, the grown ups in the house enjoyed a quiet beer and cheese tasting together and Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp. We did actually get adventurous too: a beer from England, Maine and Germany. We tried 6 different cheeses including Champigneon Cabmbozola (German), cranberry LaRoule (French), Taleggio (smells like stinky baby belly button!), cranberry chipotle cheddar, Rembrandt (licorice finish noted by Steven) and Marco Pole.

As another calendar year begins, I can't help but marvel at all that has come about in our lives in 2009. God is truly gracious and ever loving that He has showered our lives with such love and blessings. May you find His peace and joy this year and may His path guide you!