The Stegers

Sick Kid

2011-01-24T10:49:00.005-06:00

**Sorry for the long blog post! I just wanted to document our week, for our sake but also for anyone who happens to be googling intussusception, intussusceptum, etc.

We spent the majority of last week in the hospital with Liam. He had a very painful intestinal problem called "intussusception." Basically, part of his intestines "telescoped" over another part. Here's the story of how we ended up in the hospital:

Sunday night, we were finishing up our trip to Orlando. We were in the hotel, putting the babies to bed and heading that way ourselves, when Liam started complaining of pain. Since he is not really talking yet, he couldn't tell us what was going on. He was grabbing his tummy/lower abdomen, wincing in pain, but then he would be fine and playing again. We just thought he was cranky or tired, maybe having constipation issues or something like that. We gave him a little juice and put him in bed. He woke up every few hours, pretty fussy. Not normal for him, but then again, we were in a hotel room, out of his normal surroundings, tired from being gone all week, etc. We weren't too concerned at that point.

Monday morning came around and we rushed to get to the airport. He was still in pain, and one of our next thoughts was that it might be a urinary tract infection. I told Andrew that if it wasn't better by the time we got to Fort Collins, then I'd call the pediatrician. The four hour flight was challenging, to say the least, and he was still pretty miserable when we got back to town, so I made the call and we went in. The pediatrician saw us by 4:30 that afternoon, and ruled out all the normal things that might be wrong: ear infection, UTI (from other symptoms, not a urine test), constipation, diarrea, strep, etc. He looked very healthy, and didn't have a "pain episode" while we were in her office. She said if his pain didn't go away tomorrow, then call back.

Tuesday was our first day back to normal routine, and Liam's pain episodes were getting worse. Every hour or less, he was doubled over on the floor, saying "ow," strained look on his face. This lasted less than a minute at a time, and once it was over, he was running around and playing like normal. I put a call into the pediatrician's office, and once we were able to talk to the doctor, he recommended that we head to the ER.

Arrived at the ER at 9:30pm. Liam had another 3 or 4 pain episodes while we were there. They did xrays, ultrasound, bloodwork, urine culture, and put in an IV line. The ultrasound, along with the xray, confirmed the diagnosis of Intussusception. The first treatment was a barium enema. Since he had an IV already, the were going to try to sedate him for the procedure, but the IV didn't work, so he did the whole thing un-sedated. I wish they had sedated me! They did the enema three times, and finally the third one worked to fix the intussusception. We stayed another two hours at the ER so they could make sure he was ok, then they sent us home at 3:45am.

Wednesday, we just spent the day recovering from our ER visit. I took Liam back to the doctor for a quick follow-up around 3:00pm, and she and I both agreed that he looked great and seemed back to his normal self. He was playful, in good spirits, and running around the doctors office. After the appointment, we went to a friend's house, where he continued to act like his normal self, playing, laughing, etc. Then, Wednesday night he complained of pain again. He had a little diaper rash, so I gave him a bath. He would say "ow" and complain again, but then he would have a big diaper, so mostly I just thought it was gas from the enema.

Thursday, same as Wednesday night. More crankiness, pain, and lots of diapers. It was so tough to tell what was going on because he couldn't just say, "Mom, this pain is exactly like Tuesday!" There were enough other things going on Thursday, that it was difficult to tell. I decided to call the pediatrician again, mostly because I just wasn't sure, and I was feeling paranoid about every little fuss he was making. The pediatrician said we needed to have him checked out just to rule out another intussusception, so I dropped Corinne off with our dear friends, and Liam and I went back to the hospital. They admitted us before any tests were run. By 4:30pm, he had another ultrasound, 5:00pm confirmed that he indeed had another intussusception, and by 6:00pm headed for another barium enema. This time, though, the enema didn't work to open things back up, so by 8:15pm he was in pre-op for surgery and we were being prepped for what the operation would be like. His nurses throughout the whole surgery process were seriously wonderful. Before surgery, they were playing with him and keeping him genuinely entertained. One was a former NICU nurse, and the other had been through the same thing with her kid, so they were just so comforting to us. Around 10pm, he was out of surgery and beginning to wake up. We were with him when he woke up from surgery, I was holding him in a rocking chair as the drugs started to wear off. He was a little cranky, but all-in-all he was doing pretty well.

Friday was a day of pain medication and making sure clear fluids stayed down. He didn't eat anything solid on Friday. All the doctors that checked on him (surgeon and pediatrician) agreed that he looked great and was clearly feeling better from the intussusception. Saturday morning he ate a little breakfast, then lunch, took a good afternoon nap, then we headed home after his nap on Saturday.

Intussusception can happen at any time, and there is no real known cause for it. He will eventually outgrow his risk of having one again, but he could very easily get the same thing again any time, the surgery didn't permanently take away his risk. If he does get it again, they will first treat it with another barium enema before resorting to another operation. The pediatrician said, though, that he has only seen about four or five intussusception cases in his 20 year career (as opposed to four or five appendicitis cases a year). He said they sometimes seem to come in waves like what we experienced, but then never happen again. We're praying that is what happens in Liam's case! He is 22 months old, and most intussusception cases happen between 6 months and 3 years.

Here are some of my observations this week:

Having a sick kid is miserable. All in all, I felt like Liam's illness was pretty minor compared to what a lot of sick kids go through. I felt like we had a lot to be thankful for, but still, it is really miserable, no matter how sick your kids are.
I HATED seeing my baby in pain. Especially knowing that the pain had to get worse before it got better, and there wasn't anything I could do to take that away. Such a helpless, awful feeling.
We had a lot of firsts this week. Liam's first hospital visit and first surgery (and hopefully LAST!), Corinne's first night away from Mommy (she's three months old. Liam's first night away from me was when he was seven months old).
There are some things I know about now, that I would have been ok with not ever knowing. Such as how the hospital has all kinds of tiny things geared for kids (small blood pressure cuff, etc), how to operate a hospital bed, what an intussusception is, what its like for parents in the hospital, what its like for kids in the hospital, etc. Ignorance is bliss!
Now that I know some of these things, I pray that I never forget! Every little comment and call and hug meant SO much during this week. Praying I become more in-tune to the needs of the people around me.
I keep saying, "I can't believe my baby just had surgery this week."
Its hard to not want to ask "why". Why is my baby so sick? Why is it happening AGAIN? Why can't we get a permanent fix to this? Every time I was tempted to ask "why," I really felt God's Spirit comforting my heart. I felt Him reassuring me that He still loves Liam so much. I felt HIS heart for me as I held Liam and did everything I could to comfort him. I read things like Psalm 139, and those passages felt like personal letters as HE reminded me that Liam is fearfully and wonderfully made. I felt carried by the prayers of our friends and family, peace knowing that even if this does happen again (or something even worse), we are not alone, not forgotten, and in good hands.
I have a lot of appreciation for families that do this for an extended time. I can understand how something like this would take a toll on a family, marriage, etc. Switching back and forth between who spends the night, worrying about the care of your other kids and feeling guilty for neglecting one to take care of another. I am so thankful for Andrew and the ways he pursued me even though I was a crabby, high-strung, worried Mommy.

We are home now, and Liam is doing really well considering all he has been through this week. He is still a little emotionally fragile (as am I!), but is in good spirits and doesn't seem to be in much pain. I have had friends say that their first memory was a hospital situation before they were two, so I know that this could definitely be one of Liam's first memories. I know all of the sweet comments from friends, and some fun pictures will add to him having positive memories of this whole experience. He is such a brave, strong boy! Now, he has a little scar to prove how tough he really is. I'm so proud of him, and so thankful God put him in my life.

A week in the life

2011-01-07T12:52:00.003-06:00

Whoa this blog is neglected. Is anyone still out there? You know, I don't feel too bad about it because, lets face it, life is BUSY right now! I'm a Stay-at-home-with-a-toddler-and-a-newborn-working-full-time-mom! Yeah. Life is busy, but its pretty good when I take a minute to just look around and soak it all in.

Mondays feel like Fridays. I start my week all chipper and refreshed (well, as refreshed as you can be with a newborn sleep schedule), high hopes for productivity. Mondays go great and I feel like Super Mom. But...as the week rolls on, I get more and more worn out. Yesterday, I must have looked like a sight when Andrew walked in the door and both kids were having major meltdowns at that exact moment. Talk about deer in headlights! I SO wanted to have dinner ready for him when he got home, but yeah...that didn't happen. Instead, my wonderful hubby took over and sent me out the door for some me time. Isn't he great? I came home feeling like I could breathe again and survive Friday.

So, here I am today. Toys all over the living room. Still in my pajamas. Kitchen a wreck. Laundry calling my name...and I'm taking a quick break to write a blog before I wrap up my work week at my work-at-home, paying job. All in all, I feel like it was a successful, productive week on all counts, but I will never feel like I'm functioning at 100% at any of my "jobs" right now, and I just have to be okay with that. Not easy for this "ducks in a row"person!

Other things on my mind today:

Corinne is 11 Weeks Old today! Our little teeny had her 2 month doc appointment on Monday (two weeks late...eek), and she is still so little! 9lbs 1oz and 22in...that puts her in the 7th percentile for weight and 50th for height. She gives the sweetest smiles and is starting to coo and talk to us more. I love hearing her little noises, especially when she's not screaming at me.
Liam is 22 Months today! This week we have been in serious recovery mode from having all our family in town for 3ish weeks. TV detox, obeying the "first time," with a good attitude, and working on our manners (and saying the words...so far not going great). Though this is a challenging stage, it is also so fun as I watch him grow from a baby to a boy. I'm understanding more about what it means to "pray without ceasing," because I sure do need HIS strength in my life right now.
Tonight is date night! We're going for sushi...and we're leaving both babies with a sitter. Big time!
We are really enjoying Fort Collins. There is still snow on the ground from the snow on New Years Eve, and more in the forcast for the weekend. It is COLD, but really not that bad...and that's saying a lot since last year we wore coats with all the other Floridians at 65F, Ha! Now, when the outside temp says 22F we think that's not too bad. What a difference!
I've probably taken more pictures of Corinne than I did of Liam..at least AS many...but they're all on my cell phone and not of quality to put in a baby book. Fail. Need to start taking better quality pics so I can get started on her book! Also need to finish his. When to find the time?????

We're heading to Orlando for a work conference for me next week. I am really looking forward to seeing all of our Orlando friends and being in the office for a week. That's about it for now. See ya again in a few months? Ha! Hopefully sooner.

What we've been up to

2010-11-11T22:44:00.005-06:00

Things have been a little busy the past few weeks. The blog has suffered, so sorry! There are many more pics on facebook of our new little addition, but I thought I'd officially update the blog with our fun news. Corinne Ashley Steger has made her big debut! She was born on October 22, 2010 at 8:20am, weighing 6lbs 13 oz. She is so fun! There have been lots of memorable moments the past few weeks, but the best with her has probably been when Liam met her in the hospital. He was just so sweet with her, and really seems to be fine with the fact that she's sticking around for a while.

This was us bringing Corinne home from the hospital. Liam SOAKED his tshirt with his water bottle. Keep in mind it was pretty chilly outside...low 50s probably...poor thing. We were chaos trying to get the kids and the stuff inside, and take a picture of the whole memory. Fun!

Liam is at a really fun stage right now. He's constantly doing sweet things like giving Corinne kisses and hugs and having little "conversations" with us. Discipline-wise, things have been a little challenging as he enters toddlerhood. These first few weeks with Corrine have stretched me because I want to do it all...but just can't. I'm learning (slowly) to give myself a little grace and make time for both Liam and Corinne during the day. They nap around the same time in the afternoon, so I am able to get a few things done for me (shower, nap?, clean a little, etc). The real challenge will be in a few weeks when I add my job back into the mix. Every day, our schedule is solidifying a little bit more. I feel pretty good about adding work hours...I just know that the housework will be the first thing to go...so I need to be ok with that.

This little girl is such a fun addition to our family! Her name came out of an interview that Andrew had in Atlanta. He liked that it was not incredibly popular, but it was also a name that people would recognize. It is significant to both of us because that interview in Atlanta was really a breakthrough in such a tough year for us with Andrew's job. Even though he didn't get that job, we really saw God's hand through the whole process. Corinne's name will always remind us of this past year and how God carried us through! Her middle name, Ashley, is Elizabeth (Andrew's sister's) middle name and we really love the way it fits with Corinne.

We're settling in as a family of four. Looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with the Harkey family, then excited to host our families here throughout December for Christmastime.

One more thing, WE HAD A WINNER FOR OUR NAME GUESSING CONTEST! Kathy Jackson guessed Corinne! Kath, your gift card is in the mail, I promise!

My man.

2010-11-01T14:44:00.005-05:00

I love that November in our home starts with Andrew's birthday. Its a great way for us to begin our month of really focusing on what we are thankful for...and one thing I'm most thankful for in my life is him. God knew exactly what I needed when He put Andrew in my life.

Our life is far from perfect, but I'm so thankful that I'm walking this road with my best friend. We've been through so much since we met 12 years ago, but our story will always be a picture to me of God's grace and provision in my life.

He is the best husband to me and the best Daddy to our two little ones (we have two kids?!?!). He is one of the hardest workers I know. He loves me and loves our families and friends so much. He is passionate, creative, determined.

He makes Liam giggle like no one else can! Liam lights up when Daddy comes home and vice versa. They are two peas in a pod and I love it! He is such a wonderful Dad to our babies.

Happy Birthday Andrew! I love you and I'm so thankful for you!

UPDATE: Baby Girl

2010-10-04T15:55:00.004-05:00

**I went in this morning for my appointment at the hospital for the "external cephalic version" procedure...to see if the doctor could turn her around to head-down. When I arrived, the nurse did an ultrasound before hooking me up to the IV meds. Ultrasound showed that the baby had moved HEAD DOWN ON HER OWN! I think she might have turned around last night, but I can't be certain...we definitely went to the hospital prepared for going through with the procedure. Maybe a little thing, but something God definitely used to show me He is more than capable...He is in control...and He knows what He's doing. I say that full well knowing that still anything can happen and we aren't guaranteed a nice, easy, pain-free life with no interruptions or disappointments. He's still in control, though, and its a good thing.

We found out on Friday that baby girl is breech. A little kink in the plans! God never ceases to amaze and teach me so much through being pregnant. Faith, control issues, expectations, communication, fears... its really an amazing process. Just when you think you have a little bit of control...He shows us that really its all about Him anyway. So here I am... waiting and seeing what He is going to do and how He is going to bring this little girl into the world.

As parents, do we ever stop worrying about our kids? It starts as soon as that pregnancy test reads "+"... the temptation to worry over every little thing and try to control every little thing we can. Here's one of my obsessive, controlling thoughts about this breech situation..."would she still be breech if I had taken my prenatal vitamin every day?" Ha! Seriously, Virginia, chill out. Every day is an opportunity to give them back to the ONE who made them. Really such a learning process for us as moms and dads (I know my own Mom and Dad are smiling and nodding...).

As I write this, we are attempting a nap for Liam. He was sleepy this morning, so I gave him a morning nap (9:30 - 11:30). Well, so now he's in bed for nap attempt #2...and he's doing the screaming thing. Not crying...just exercising his vocal cords. Will he sleep? We shall see. This entry into toddlerhood has been very interesting to say the least. I love him so much...his kisses, hugs, smiles, reaches, laughs, cuddles, attempts at communication, facial expressions...all melt my heart every day! Makes the challenging times worth it for sure.

I go in to the hospital tomorrow for the doctor to attempt to turn Baby Girl around to head-down. I feel ok about it all and want the best chance to avoid a c-section as possible. I know if that's what happens, then that's what happens...most important thing is for her health and safety. One day at a time.

BTW, you still have time to guess her name!!! Comment on THIS post.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

2010-09-27T15:00:00.002-05:00

I miss my Grandfather. Its weird thinking about that in light of the fact that I really miss my whole family. Sometimes this longing feels the same…but of course its different because he's really gone. I always miss my family and miss being a part of their everyday lives, but I know that they are doing their thing in Little Rock or New Orleans and I can picture them living normal life. I look forward to seeing them in a few weeks when Baby arrives or at the holidays. I can pick up the phone and call them, or we can video chat (so thankful for the technology to do that!). With Pop…sometimes it just hits me that he’s really gone, and it makes me sad and I grieve him all over again every time, especially recently. Like, Saturday, Mom and I were talking about baking over the holidays, and it just struck me again how different Christmas is going to be this year without him. I’ve had “different” Christmases…I’m not always in Little Rock for the holiday season…but this year will just be so so different because his fingerprint won’t be on it this year, at least not in the same way.

I feel selfish because I know most of my family lives with the reality of his death everyday…the normal parts of life that he was involved in for them are different than it was for me. I haven’t lived in Little Rock for over 10 years, I haven’t been a part of their everyday life since I was in High School. Does that make it easier for them to mourn his death, or easier for me because I’m not hit in the face with his loss every day like they are? I don’t think its easier for any of us. I know they still grieve him just like I do. I asked Mom and Dad the other day while we were video chatting, “So, do y’all miss Pop as much as I do.” Of course, the answer is yes.

I miss my family, but I also know that this is where we’re supposed to be. We’re a long distance family, as SO many families are these days. I’ve learned to live with their absence, and am learning how to do my part to keep our relationships strong and make them a part of our everyday life even though we’re 1000 miles apart. I want Liam to know all of his grandparents...just like I know mine. Its going to take more effort, but I know it is so worth it.

Estes Park

2010-09-21T13:46:00.007-05:00

I said I was going to be better at blogging, didn't I? I like blogging...and there are definitely enough things to write about. So, here you go, a new update on life in Colorado with the Stegers, complete a few pictures. Pics are in random order, sorry.

The weather is starting to cool off here, which is really nice. We decided to take a break from looking for a new church, and drove to Estes Park on Sunday morning. What a beautiful drive! It was basically our first time to get out and do some exploring. I don't really count our drive up to Horsetooth Reservoir since its only about 10 minutes from our house, although that's a pretty place to visit too with tons of hiking/biking opportunities. Anyway, back to Estes, I had never been there before. On our way there, we saw some mountain goats along the Big Thompson Canyon. Once we got to town, we drove around a little, walked around in the visitor's center, and ate lunch at this delicious deli called DeLeo's (featured on Food Network "The Best Of"...and did not disappoint). Then we went driving some more and bought our annual "America The Beautiful - National Parks Pass," venturing in to the Rocky Mountain National Park. I've got a feeling we'll be getting some good use out of that annual pass this year. We didn't see any elk this time around, but we'll be going back so hopefully we'll get to see them next time.

Last Friday, Liam and I went to The Farm at Lee Martinez Park here in Fort Collins. Liam LOVED running around and looking at all of the animals. Fort Collins has so many fun things to do, and so many things that are geared (or at least appropriate) for his age. With me working full time from home, we just don't have the flexibility to do something like this everyday (plus that just seems like a lot to me), but my goal is to get him out at least a couple times a week to do something fun...story time at the library, play time at one of the local gyms, morning at the park, etc.

Here's a pic (sorry for the blurriness) of Liam in his new little chair from Pottery Barn Kids. We've been saving his birthday money for this gift and were waiting until we were somewhere a little more settled before getting it. It came in last week and he loves it! He's watching Toy Story in the pic above, definitely a favorite movie.

And here's our little cutie pie on really the first cool evening we've had. The high temps have been in the low 90s, but they seem to only stay there for about an hour or so before dropping back down to the 60s. Doesn't he look cute in his hoodie? The dirt in the pic is a whole other story. Our "yard" has been completely ripped up...sod, landscaping and everything. We're renting a townhouse, its an end-unit and has a nice little section of grass in front and back (which thankfully we don't have to do any maintenance on since we're renting). Now everything is gone, and we're hoping that most of the work is done in the next few weeks.

THANKS for all the fun votes on the post below! You still have time to get a vote in (either on the post below or through Facebook)...though I can tell that she'll be here soon. Can't wait!

Contest!

2010-09-16T12:08:00.002-05:00

Ok it’s on! We’re having a little contest for guessing the name of our baby girl! As many of you know, we like to keep the name between us until the baby is here…but we HAVE decided her name and we thought it would be fun to have an official contest with baby #2. Here are some of our criteria for picking a name:

1. No names ending in “er”
2. No names ending in hard consonants like “t” or “k” sounds
3. Although we love a lot of popular names right now, this name we’ve picked for baby girl makes the cut on the top 1000 names, but not top 500 names over the past 10 years.

We have about 5 weeks left until my due date (October 22), and you have until her birthday to put in your guess (Liam was born a week early, just saying!). You’re welcome to guess a first and middle name if you want, but this contest is specifically for guessing her first name. You can enter on the blog or the Facebook Note post, but only one entry per person. We have two options for prizes: 1) a $25 giftcard to Starbucks or 2) a $25 giftcard to use on the New Belgium Brewery online store. You get to pick your prize, but there’s only one winner! We’ll announce her name on her birthday, and announce the winner then too! Happy guessing!

Starting to settle

2010-08-12T20:53:00.006-05:00

Yes this is literally our view from our bedroom window. We live here? The mountain is Long's Peak, one of the 14k peaks in Colorado. Our friend Jacob hiked it with his brother Mark on Tuesday and I was sad that we left before getting to hear about their trip. It will be fun (and quite a goal!) to hike this someday.

We (and when I say "we," I mean Andrew and a couple of his wonderful coworkers...definitely not "me") finished unloading the PODS about 2 hours ago. Liam is in bed (thanks to Andrew putting the crib together-he's amazing), and I'm trying to catch up on some of the work I missed today since I was not around a wifi network that worked most of the day. I felt so disconnected! No internet, and no phone (that's another story). It was a good day, though. I did some cleaning at the new place and played with Liam, and did some project work for my job (Wycliffe is awesome, btw).

We've found an amazing cupcake place here in Fort Collins. We're going to have to ration ourselves! They're so darn good! Butter Cream Cupcakery. Yesterday their "surprise flavor" was Fresh Peach Crisp. Yummmmm. Come visit us? ;)

My plans for the next few days are 1.) rest, 2.) work, 3.) try to get a good chunk of unpacking done, and 4.) rest. I'm feeling the third-trimester strong the past few days. Don't think I'm over-doing it...just can tell that the end is near. I have a doc appointment on Monday, so that will be good. Trying to drink lots of water. Braxton Hicks have been pretty strong, not painful, just strong. Energy level = very low. Baby kicking lots! Can't wait to meet her!

Trying to keep you updated a little more, can you tell? Not sure why comments aren't working. You can comment on the facebook post but not here on blogger. Weird.

See ya later.
-Virginia

In CO

2010-08-06T12:50:00.002-05:00

No pics today, but just thought I'd write a little list:

- One major highlight of my week was meeting Piper and Lily Mutz...they are so precious and their Mom and Dad are pretty awesome too. We are so incredibly thankful for their hospitality this week. Looking forward to spending lots of time with the Mutz fam here in Colorado.

- We picked up our Corolla today, which was shipped from Florida to Colorado using D.A.S. I highly recommend their services if you need to have a car shipped! They were great to work with.

- Colorado is beautiful.

- I'm missing my family and definitely still actively grieving the loss my grandfather a few weeks ago.

- Andrew found a very yummy cupcake place in Fort Collins. Butter Cream Cupcakery. We'll take you there when you come visit. :)

- I still haven't been to the city we're moving to, and haven't seen the condo that we're renting. I am so so thankful that Andrew just took care of all of that. I've seen pics and I know its going to be a cute place to bring our baby girl home to. Hopefully we'll be able to move in middle-of-next-week...by the weekend. And we'll probably drive up to Fort Collins today after Liam's nap.

- I am really enjoying working remotely. All the perks of still being connected and involved in a job that I love with people that I love, from the comfort of my living room. Well... not my living room yet, but I'll have one soon.

- We have some amazing friends in Orlando that I miss so much.

- I'm drinking a lot of water.

I think that's about it for now. Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures soon. I haven't been taking many, but I'll change that once I find the camera.

Bye for now,
-Virginia

One nap down...

2010-07-31T19:48:00.002-05:00

We're in the process of dropping Liam's morning nap. He's at the point where if he takes a morning nap he usually won't take an afternoon nap, and that makes for a loooooong day. So this week, amid all the craziness of our lives, I accepted the challenge to push his "morning nap" to an early-afternoon nap. So far, so good, except that today was definitely a challenge. Most of the other days this week, he has taken a good 3-3 1/2 hour nap from noon to 3ish, but today he only slept 2 hours. He was definitely cranky during the time he would have normally taken a morning nap (9:30am - 10ish), and then again later this afternoon. We'll see how he does tomorrow.

This is my sweet little guy playing in the dirt the other day. He is such a joy to me! Usually so happy and easy-going. I love watching him grow and learn new things. He's pointing to his nose and ear, saying all kinds of new words and animal sounds, and giving hugs and kisses.

I'm processing a big change coming to life in the next few weeks. Andrew has really taken the bulk of the responsibility with Liam since I've been working full time this past year. Though I know he will always play a strong and invaluable role in our children's lives, my mindset is adjusting to being home full time, working full time, and taking care of Liam full time (plus baby girl in a few months). I'm excited about having more time with Liam, and thrilled that I get to be home with him! It really is such a gift. I am definitely realizing, though, how important my time management is going to be. I'm just not one of those people that can go and go and go with no rest, especially at this stage in my pregnancy with #2. I'm going to really have to prioritize it all and get a pretty strict schedule. This transition will be part of the topic for my new committment to blogging. With all of the changes going on in life right now, I definitely need a place to process and record what works and what doesn't.

How on earth do single parents do it? I'll never know...all I know is that I could have never ever made it through this year without Andrew. He is the best husband and father, and I know he is going to thrive in his new job! We are so blessed.

Hello 3rd Trimester

2010-07-27T17:12:00.002-05:00

In the middle of all the other craziness in my life, I've also hit another milestone. That's right, third trimester with baby #2. I'm currently 27 weeks pregnant, and can't believe we'll be meeting this sweet little girl in less than three months!

Before I left town last week, all of the pregnant women at Wycliffe decided get together and officially document the baby boom! One wonderful thing about mine and Andrew's move to Colorado is that I get to keep my job...I'm so beyond thankful to stay connected to so many amazing people and to be able to continue to serve such a great organization. So here we all are, minus about 4 or 5 others, in the various stages of our pregnancies, all of us having been pregnant within the past 18 months. I feel like I'm making a kind of weird, teethy face in this pic, but its still cute nonetheless (not of me, but of everyone else!). I'll try to post an actual "belly pic" of me and baby girl soon.

Likes and dislikes of the 3rd trimester so far:

LIKE - Being pregnant! I really enjoy being pregnant for the most part.
LIKE - Not being sick anymore!
LIKE - Feeling baby move more. Although I know she's very active, I do not feel her move around as much as I did Liam because of the position of the placenta between me and her. But, now that she's bigger, I can feel more movement and I love it!
DISLIKE - My stomach is squished, so even though I'm still hungry all the time, I can definitely tell that it takes a lot less food to fill me up. Bummer though, because I love to eat! I just feel stuffed full all the time...not a fun feeling.
LIKE - For the most part I'm in a good mood, although I've been a little cranky today (just ask Andrew :))
DISLIKE - I can definitely tell a huge difference in my energy levels...I'm so tired all the time and I know its only going to get worse as October gets closer.
DISLIKE - With less room in my stomach also comes less room in my bladder! I'm peeing all the time!

We are in the process of moving, which coincided with wks 26-28...right when I'm supposed to take my glucose screening test. So far I haven't had it done...it may have to be a little late. I think I have some idea of what doc to visit when I get into town in Colorado, so hopefully that will go smoothly. We're just so excited to meet this little girl!

This week

2010-07-24T13:21:00.005-05:00

This has been a big week! Everything started last Saturday when our dear friends, Nick and Rachel, came over for the day to help us pack for our move to Fort Collins. We would have never been able to do it all with out their help and the help of many others (more about that in a minute). We finished Saturday with most of the big things packed and ready to go. Our plan was to head out from Orlando tomorrow (7/25)...but our plans were moved up a few days and we are so grateful that we had a head start on the packing (and some amazing friends to help us finish things up).

Sunday we got a call from my mom saying that Papaw went Home that afternoon. Thank you to those of you who have read the post below and have prayed for us over the past few months of my Grandfather's failing health. We were so glad that we got a chance to spend some time in Little Rock a few weeks ago. Andrew, Liam, and I were able to talk with him and say goodbye. I'm so thankful for that time! A precious memory of his last days.

On Sunday, after checking with family, flights, friends, work, etc, we decided to head to Little Rock on Wednesday... a few days earlier than we had originally planned. Our friends volunteered to help us out with loading our PODS, what would we EVER have done without them?

It was a hard week, hearing of my Papaw, finishing our packing, saying bye to friends on Monday and Tuesday, flying to LR with Liam on Wednesday, walking in to my Grandparent's house on Wednesday evening, then funeral services Wednesday night through yesterday afternoon.

Now it is "next Saturday"... and I am wiped. Physically and emotionally. I could barely drag myself out of bed this morning to get Liam up (who happened to wake up early today!). Right now, life looks a lot different than it did a week ago. We're living in Little Rock temporarily until we officially move in a week or so (no official date since we have no official home yet!) and we have moved out of Orlando. We are also just beginning the process of figuring out how to live without my Papaw, even though we KNOW he is with Jesus and we'll see him again.

Ok a quick note about the funeral this week. Death and loss are so difficult. Many of us have experienced incredible loss, and it is always painful. But God reminded me this week as we buried my Papaw, that the ceremony of funeral, specifically of a person who has loved Jesus, is a very foundational thing for our faith. As we go along in life, it is good to remember what the whole point is... it isn't money or fame or possessions, or happiness or family or stability. The whole point is Christ and living for Him. And...this faith that I cling to isnt just for some shallow comfort during painful times. It is real. Faith in Jesus Christ is real. My Grandfather's funeral this weekend was a solid, comforting, true reminder that there is hope in Jesus and He is faithful. I miss my Pop terribly, I will always miss him until I see him again. I loved our conversations. I loved how real he was. I loved how firm he was, yet how compassionate he was too. I miss him and I love him. And, I am comforted knowing that he is with Jesus.

So, this is a long blog post...my attempt at summing up part of our week this week. Did anyone hang in there for the whole thing? :) We're excited about our next adventure in Colorado...we'll be there so soon.

Bill Cato - WWII Hero

2010-05-31T07:47:00.003-05:00

My Grandfather is a World War II Veteran. When I was a kid, he never really talked about war stories all that much. It wasn’t until the past 10 years or so that he began to share about that time in his life. Especially the past few years, he has told stories that seemed like they happened yesterday, his memory is so vivid…his plane being gunned down, the ride to the POW camp, his time at the camp, etc, etc. My favorite part of the story is the end…the camp was liberated, they raided the office, then they all made the long trek back to the US. Once back on US soil, he didn’t have a way to reach his family, so really he just showed up on the front porch one day. They all thought he had died, and there he was! I wish I could have seen the look on my grandmother’s face.

He’s a hero to me for so many reasons. Too many reasons to count. The war stories are amazing, but the life he led after the war is what I’m most thankful for. He is a faithful man, leader of our family, grill master and ice-cream maker, fun-loving yet serious grandfather, sweet, creative, hard-working, genuine, loving, honest, opinionated, prayerful, funny, traditional, loveable… I love him more than words could ever say, and I celebrate him and his life today on Memorial Day.

Pop has been in the hospital for about a month. The diagnosis is still uncertain…cancer…liver/pancreas/gallbladder. They have more biopsies to do, more tests to run, but ultimately our family is coming to grips with the fact that he is going Home soon. Our family appreciates your prayers, of course for his healing, but even more for comfort, and for God to get the glory, and for these days to be sweet and filled with love and laughter, no matter how many days are left. I’m still in Orlando while my family is in Little Rock. Hopefully I’ll be able to be there soon to spend time with Pop.

I love this picture of Liam and Pop. This was last summer when we were in town visiting for a friend’s wedding. I love how we just showed up, and Pop already had the ice cream freezer ready to go. We gathered the supplies and headed out to the garage. Liam watched as Pop sat on his paint can and turned the crank. A few minutes later we were all enjoying the world’s best strawberry ice cream, Liam’s first taste of sugar. I decided to relax a little on my “no-sugar-til-one-year” rule, it was definitely worth it.

Happy Easter

2010-04-05T08:07:00.004-05:00

Wow its been a long time since I've blogged. Blogging just hasn't been the priority lately, know what I mean? With my 5K and Liam's birthday in early March, to busyness at work and trying to keep the morning (all-day) sickness at bay (YES!), I really haven't thought about the blog that much.

But! We have some cute pics I wanted to share of our little sweetie pie at Easter. We had a great day yesterday at church and with our friends the Jacksons and the Bilbros last night. We're so thankful for the ways we've been blessed with good friends especially since we're far from family.

And yes, baby #2 is on the way! I'm a little over 11 weeks along, and due October 22. We're so excited about this new addition. We had a great doctors appointment on Friday and got to say hi to our little one on ultrasound. Someone asked me if it was as exciting this time around as it was with Liam. It definitely is! Every child is a blessing. Every pregnancy a chance to trust the Author of Life with something so out of our hands. We're excited about this journey.

Tokyo Tie Bag

2010-01-22T10:22:00.001-06:00

Tokyo Tie Bag
Originally uploaded by vsteger

So this isn't the greatest picture in the world, but I wanted to show off my latest project! This bag is called "Tokyo Tie Bag" from Sew Everything Workshop that I posted about earlier this month. Such a fun beginner project, especially since I am wanting to make bags. I did this first bag per the pattern, but I will tweak the pattern for the next one I make. I'll make it a little bigger next time, make the lining a little heavier (I used a bottom-weight cotton canvas), and I'll possibly square off the bottom so that it sits flat. The pattern calls for a snap to close the bag. I didn't add a snap...but I may add some kind of closure for the next one I do. Maybe a magnetic snap or a loop/button closure.

If you do a Flick search for Tokyo Tie Bag you'll see some other great examples of this bag. I'm loving sewing more!

Andrew's new site

2010-01-15T21:02:00.002-06:00

Andrew has put up his new design site. Check it out to see some of the things he's been up to.

http://andrewsteger.com

Goal for 2010: Reading

2009-12-31T15:03:00.002-06:00

I am ashamed to admit that I've really never been much of a reader. I like to read, just have never had this big long list of books that I want to read. Until 2009. Usually I can count the books I've read on one hand. This year, I read 13 books! I feel like I might be jinxing myself just a little by setting a goal (since I read 13 with no actual goal)...but I would really like to continue the good trend I'm on of reading. Now, 4 of the books I read last year were Twilight...and 5 were Harry Potter, but they count!

Here are the books I read in 2009:

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Stepping Up: A Journey Through The Psalms of Ascent by Beth Moore
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

I'd like to read at least that many books this coming year. Finish HP series, finish Malcolm Gladwell's books (already started Outliers). I also have several others already on my list. Do you have any suggestions?

2009 was a big year. I'm hopeful about this coming year, knowing really anything can happen. God was so good to us, even in the tough times (that in many ways we're still in...). He is faithful.

I'm leaving you with a picture of Liam on Christmas morning. He is one loved little boy! Happy 2010!

Goal for 2010: Sewing

2009-12-29T11:06:00.008-06:00

This was at the top of my wish list for Christmas, and I'm really looking forward to getting started on some projects I've been wanting to tackle. I love my sewing machine. I made curtains for Liam's room before he was born, and I've been wanting to really improve on my skill and make sewing a more go-to hobby of mine. My mom taught me to sew as a child (I made about 100 pillows!), but I'd still consider myself a beginner since I've never really tackled a significant project. This is a great, easy to read/follow resource with simple patterns and fun, simple instructions. I love that it includes all the great "beginner" tips I need to make some really great projects.

Are there any other aspiring seamstresses out there? What are you working on? What's your favorite resource for new fabrics? What's your favorite material to work with? I'd love to hear!

I'll be blogging some of my progress, so stay tuned!

Goal Planning

2009-12-28T10:03:00.003-06:00

Here I am again, thinking about goals for the coming year. I've decided to start pretty broad this year, with goals focusing on these things: reading more, running, sewing, and saving $$.

I'll save the details for another post (or an in-person conversation if you are interested).

Other news: We're still in Arkansas for our extended Christmas trip. Our time here has been great. We're doing a lot of thinking and praying about the next right step for us. We're also doing a lot of trusting that HE is in control (easier said than done!). We've spent time in Fayetteville, both families houses in Little Rock, both families churches in Little Rock, spent a day in El Dorado visiting extended family, worked some, played lots, bundled up in our warm clothes, saw snow and lots of rain, went to the movies, laughed, played, kissed the baby, shopped, and ate LOTS of food. And we're not done yet! This week will be full of visiting friends, work (for me), and we might even get another ChickFilA visit in. :)

Happy last-week-of-2009. Make it memorable.

-Virginia

9 Months

2009-12-08T11:33:00.004-06:00

No picture today, but I let 8 months go by without an official update, so I couldn't let 9 months go by. Here's what our little man is up to at 9 months!

Starting to sleep 11-12 hours at night! Taking two good naps a day.
Drinking out of a straw. This was a fun accomplishment over Thanksgiving!
Standing and starting to take little steps if we're holding his hands. Not quite "cruising" along the furniture yet. I'm in NO hurry for him to start walking!
Saying "Mama," aka melting my heart.
Waving. This is the cutest thing.
Working on more teeth... one more on the bottom (he has two already), and possibly one on the top as well.
Weighing 18ish lbs.
Nursing 4-5 times a day (when I'm at home) and taking a bottle when I'm working.
Eating full solids.
Loves reading and singing.

I take no credit for the fact that Liam is such a sweet, happy baby. God has blessed us with him during a time of life that is increasingly stressful and hectic. I'm not gonna lie, 2009 has been a tough year! However, I'm thankful that we'll get to look back on this year and remember how good God was to us. His mercies are new every morning. We will keep pressing on.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T09:36:00.004-06:00

This was Liam at 7.5 months, drool and all. He's now 8.5 months, and we'll be celebrating his first Thanksgiving with Andrew's family. Definitely looking forward to seeing everyone! Though, we'll see about the 10 hour car ride. Pray for us!

This year, a few things I'm thankful for...

5.5 years of marriage to my sweetheart. As the days pass by with life's stresses and the world's pressures, I'm so thankful to be on this journey with my best friend.
A healthy, happy baby. I know I'll blink and he'll be in college, so I'm just soaking up every possible second that I get to kiss that sweet face. I don't want to wish away any of these crazy baby days. I love reading stories, splashing at bathtime, tickling and giggling with him, slobbery kisses, head on my shoulder, his excitement when I get home from work, playing peek-a-boo, etc, etc, etc.
A great job doing what I truly enjoy.
Mercies that are new every morning. He gives us grace for today, and for that I'm so thankful. Sometimes I feel like its minute by minute, but His saving grace is working today, not just as "life insurance."
Family... I'm so thankful for my family and hate being so far away from them. I know the miles make me even more grateful for them. I love talking to my mom on the phone and catching up with her.
Friends past and present. We have some truly wonderful friends. I'm so thankful for you.
Coffee, Coca Cola, and dark chocolate.
Laughter.

What are you thankful for today?

Friday

2009-11-13T09:55:00.003-06:00

Hello Blog. Yes, I know you're still here, and nagging at me to keep updating with pics and stories of my precious little boy. We have some cute ones, you know...of Liam at the Pumpkin Patch, Disney world for Andrew's birthday, etc, etc. Its just that, well, every time I think to blog about those things, all the pics are on the other computer. So, you'll just have to wait. I'm really sorry about that.

As for a quick rundown of what's happening with us? Here's a list:

Liam is now 8 months old! Two teeth, pulling up on everything, first runny nose (though might just be changing of seasons - see next point), and just as sweet and cute as ever. I know, I'm biased. I also just have to say that I really love being a Mom.
The weather has FINALLY turned cooler! Yes, Its November 13th, and all [4?] of our readers have been experiencing actual Fall weather and wishing for Florida sunshine and warmth...but as nice as the warm weather is, we're REALLY happy about a change of pace. Time to get out the fuzzy slippers, hot cocoa, and think about Christmas decorations!
Though situations in life are frustrating and stressful, we're constantly reminded of how GOOD God is to us. His mercies really are new every morning, Great is His faithfulness. A friend reminded me of the Caedmon's Call song that says that "the valleys fill first"...Lord, that's reason enough for me to be content with where you have me. I want to experience YOU!

Have a great day!

-Virginia

7 months

2009-10-14T13:06:00.007-05:00

Liam was 7 months last Wednesday (10/07/09).

Here are some things he's up to now that he's 7 months old:

Measured/weighed at his 6 month appt (really it was closer to 7 months) - 16 lbs, 26 inches (50% height and weight). Perfect!
So mobile! Army-crawls anywhere and everywhere. He has started to venture out of our little "square" in the living room, and around the furniture. He loves crawling under things like the swing and the dining table.
He's a great eater and hasn't really rejected anything we've given him. He wasn't a huge fan of puffs, but I think it has more to do with the fact that he doesn't have teeth yet, and he's not quite sure about the texture yet.
Takes two naps a day, and sleeps well at night. Sometimes he has a tough time getting to sleep at night (fusses for 30 minutes or so), but once he falls asleep the rest of the night usually goes great. Last night he slept 9.5 hrs in a row!
Such a happy, sweet temperment. Always big, bright smiles when we go get him out of his bed in the mornings. His little laugh is awesome. I know its not a song about a baby, but I've had Tim McGraw's song "Just To See You Smile" in my head. Yeah, I'd pretty much do anything to see that precious smile and hear his laugh.
We've had LOTS of drool since around 3 mos, bad diaper rash around 6 months, and some cranky-ness we thought was teething, but still no teeth. They'll break through soon I bet!
Close to sitting on his own, but really more interested in exploring than sitting still.
First overnighter last Friday night! He stayed with our good friend Dustin while Andrew and I went to Tampa to see U2. Liam (and Mommy) did great!
Loves the Elmo's Song youtube video. LOVES it.

Little Pumpkin, you are such a blessing to us right now. We are enjoying every stage, every day.

God is so good.
God is so good.
God is so good, He's so good to me.

Any suggestions or favorite things to occupy your 7 - 9 month old? :)

Our favorite baby items

2009-10-02T11:58:00.000-05:00

Kelly over at kellyskorner is hosting "Show us your life: Baby Gear" serises. I've been working on this post since Liam was 4 months old, so this is a great opportunity to share! Now, I know all the options out there can be so overwhelming. This is just a list of the things that we really enjoyed and got a lot of use out of. Some items are hits with some moms, and some are total misses, but I thought I'd list some of our favorites:

Moby Wrap - I have really loved this carrier, even in the summer here in Florida. I wear him when we do things like go to a movie or go to the grocery store when I don't want to lug the car seat around. Especially when we're going to be at this place for a while, or during one of his nap times. He falls asleep well, it gives great ergonomic support for both me and Baby, and he gets to be snuggled up close to mommy (which he loves).
Infantino Little Lions activity gym (at Target.com here) - There are so many play mats/gyms out there, but I really liked this one for the price (cheaper at Target) and the bright colors.

Fisher Price Rainforest Deluxe Auto Mirror (at Target.com here) - Features remote control music and lights, bright pattern. Definitely entertains and distracts the little man if he gets fussy in the car. Plus, I can see him in my rear-view mirror.

Bum Genius 3.0 cloth diapers - I'm a fan. I don't "love" diapering, but you gotta diaper your kid, and cloth diapers are no more of a fuss than disposables. I like that we're spending less money, contributing less waste to the landfills, less chemicals on baby's hiney (though bum genius 3.0s are synthetic material and not all natural), and they're just so darn cute. I'd need another dozen or so to cloth diaper full time, currently we are part-time cloth-diaperers. I may experiment with another brand of cloth just to see if I really like these the best, but so far so good. All of the online cloth diaper sites sell them for the same price, but sometimes you can find a sale.

Aden & Anais swaddlers - My sister Whitney bought these for us, and they are the BEST swaddlers/blankets in the summer heat. Now that Liam is out of the swaddling phase, I still always have one of these blankets with me. Nursing cover, burp cloth, light blanket for warmth, etc. They're actually selling them at Target right now (in some stores, and online here).
Some other Baby Gear that we love include the Snap n Go stroller for the infant carrier car seat, vibrating teether, BornFree bottles, Soothie pacifiers, and Fisher Price Little Lamb Swing, Lots of Links (these are GREAT), Chicco Lullaby LX Playard (we used this as a bassinet when Liam was in our room).

6 months

2009-09-08T19:00:00.007-05:00

**Not sure where the pictures went. :(

Who could resist this sweet face? He's so much fun!

Our little precious is 6 months old. He is just soaking everything up right now (and it all seems to come back out as massive amounts of drool, but that's 'cause he's teething...). Wednesday he was perfectly content rolling around for the things he wanted to get to. By Thursday, he's now pushing up and working on crawling. He'll be there before we even know it!

He's modeling a hat that my Aunt made for him. Isn't it so cute on him? We're pretending that its cold enough for it, because its definitely not. We're also celebrating the start of football season (GO HOGS!), but it also doesn't feel quite like fall.

In the middle of life's stresses, this kid is our pride and joy.

Infant Dedication

2009-08-25T08:18:00.007-05:00

Sunday was Liam's Infant Dedication at Summit Church in Orlando. We've attended Summit for a few months now, and are really excited about what's going on there. I feel like we're being challenged more during this phase in our lives, in many good ways, and we're thankful Summit is a part of that.

I know Liam won't technically remember his infant dedication, or his time in the church nursery at this early age. I know, however, how impactful this time is because of the role being involved at an early age had in my own journey. We are thankful for Summit's mission to even the youngest in their church: to teach them that God made them, God loves them, and that Jesus wants to be their friend forever. We are so thankful for the people that are pouring into Liam's life even at this point in his life.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

"...so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" Matthew 19:14

As a parent, I am constantly giving Liam back to the Lord. I know He loves my little one more than I ever could, and He is protecting him and growing him the best possible way. I'm thankful that we get to be active participants in this! We get to see how much our Father loves us because of the way we love him. Oh how HE loves us! How He loves us so!

Sweet grin! This is such a fun age!

End and Beginning

2009-08-24T12:29:00.003-05:00

"Christ is both Alpha and Omega. When our lives are immersed in Him, every ending, everything we believe to be the death of us is instead a hand-engraved invitation to a new beginning."

-Beth Moore, "Stepping Up"

Andrew is still on the job hunt. I just want to say how proud I am of him through this really difficult time in our lives. He is doing everything he can to pursue leads and keep his heart open to creative possibilites in the next phase of our lives. He's trusting the Lord and walking into uncharted territory.

Precious Baby Reese

2009-08-17T10:31:00.004-05:00

Its hard to imagine looking at my rss reader from my friend Katie's perspective, seeing all the posts of friends praying. Katie, we are definitely praying for you, Jason, and your families today especially, as you honor the Lord and Reese's precious little life.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.

(from the hymn, "O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go")

On journey.

2009-08-14T15:20:00.003-05:00

Finally Friday. What a week it has been. My mind and heart are just spilling over, in both good and difficult ways. Realities of living on this broken planet have been hitting hard this week. I'm going through Beth Moore's "Stepping Up: a journey through the Psalms of Ascent" with some of my co-workers. This study could not be more timely in my life right now. I'm being challenged to find the line between trusting God and trusting what God has done - His Person instead of His favor. Beth says, "God is with us and for us even when His face and His favor seem hidden. Mountain-like security only comes from trusting God, not what He's done for us or given us."

This message is not only being emphasized in this study. I'm being reminded constantly to take a look at where my faith is...especially when things don't look exactly as I wish them to, or pray for them to, or want them to look. What happens to my faith when God "disappoints" me?

Things are not going to magically slow down or stop being "life" so I can see my Father's face more clearly. I'm always going to be straining to see Him, especially if I let life's circumstances continue to grasp at me. The more I'm in habit of looking to Jesus, the more my attitude about the circumstances will come into alignment with His plan. Look to Jesus. "I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from..." Look to Jesus. Look to Jesus.

And so, this week happened. Disappointment happened. LIFE happened. There was joy, but there were also many tears, for personal weariness, for loss and pain, for things I don't understand. This broken world. It hurts.

Look to Jesus.
Look to Jesus.
Look to Jesus.

Liam is five months!

2009-08-07T16:10:00.004-05:00

Liam is Five months old today and we just wanted to share a five month pic. He's continues to be so much fun. Things he's doing at five months: He's recently discovered his feet and apparently they taste delicious because they're in his mouth a lot. As you can see in the previous post he's becoming much more mobile, by any means necessary-rolling over, scooting, shimmying, but not quite yet crawling or sitting (but close to sitting). He's eating solid foods now, so far just rice cereal, but we're adding avocados and bananas soon. He's "talking" more and more, blathering, and growling, and like most boys will be very good at sound effects. We can't believe how much we love him and how much fun we're having being a family. We feel truly blessed to have this gift and are reminded that God's love and affection for us is even greater than our love for our sweet Liam.

Liam Rolls Over

2009-08-04T18:44:00.004-05:00

He has been rolling over from tummy to back for a while, and is now finally rolling the other way. He'll be sitting, crawling, walking, and running before we even know it. We thought you'd enjoy seeing this little video of our sweetie.

Vacation

2009-07-21T13:53:00.003-05:00

We spend last week on vacation with the Stegers in Litchfield Beach, SC. This little beach/golf town is about 20 minutes south of Myrtle Beach, and we had a great time relaxing and hanging out with family. Liam was definitely the star of the show, but Andrew's cooking and Scott's crabbing/fishing were up at the top of the list of my favorite things.

4 Months

2009-07-07T13:31:00.003-05:00

Our little pumpkin is 4 months old today! I find him rolled-over in his crib a lot. He lays in bed after he wakes up and just talks to himself, in the morning and after naps. We're still not quite sleeping through the night, but he's now eating every 3-4 hrs instead of every 2, and he's napping well. He lights up around people, and always gives his Mommy & Daddy the biggest smiles. He loves bathtime, swimming, playing in his bumbo, watching Daddy cook, grabbing at anything and everything, and playing with the red ball in the pic below.

At his last Doctors appointment he weighed 15 lbs and was 24 1/2 inches long, so he's doubled his birth weight and is right on track. Aunt Julia came to visit us over the weekend and we had so much fun with her! He loved spending time with her and drooling on her shoulder and pulling her hair. :) We're looking forward to more family time next week with the Stegers in South Carolina.

Liam, we love you more than we even thought possible! You bring such joy into our lives. I love those cute little toes.

Love,

Mommy

Pray for Kate

2009-07-06T12:12:00.006-05:00

This sweet little girl needs our prayers. I saw that Kelly at kellyskorner.com posted about her last week, then while Julia was in town I found out that she is the neice of Julia's Thailand roommate, Stephanie Bouck. Follow her story and learn more about her condition here.

I have moments throughout the day when I am reminded to pray for Kate and her family. There have been several other families around me lately that are dealing with tough illnesses or loss. Every time I hear about one of these situations, I am stunned. There is so much pain in this temporary home we call earth, it makes me long for heaven. I just scoop Liam up and kiss him, so thankful for each day with my family. Above all, these situations tell me to hope in the One who is our Life-giver, the One who loves us so very much, and the One who will ultimately dry all of our tears. I'm praying today that He holds Kate close to His heart today and whispers to her how much He loves her.

Liam's life these days

2009-06-10T19:23:00.005-05:00

Sweet face. This little guy is the love of our lives right now. It was so fun to take him to Arkansas and show him off to our family and so many dear friends. Even with our hectic schedule, he handled everything really well. Here he is, very sleepy, but content. Motherhood has stretched my emotional capacity on both ends. I find myself feeling some pretty strong emotions, times of stress, fatigue, loneliness...but also more joy, love, and hope. Its an enigma, definitely. Especially for me, who's not always in tune to what I'm feeling at the moment. Today I've been a little overwhelmed (for lots of reasons), but then I look at this sweet picture, or see him sleeping soundly in his bed, and all is right with the world.

Here are some more recent pictures as promised:

A great smile! We're o-so-close to getting a giggle out of him. I can't wait!

This was taken on our anniversary weekend (5 years!). We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios, and it happened to be Star Wars Weekend (and a VERY rainy day).

This was also taken at Disney...our little Beach Bum! We didn't get him in the water, but couldn't resist putting his suit on for a photo op.

And Sunday the 7th meant that Liam is now 3 months old! He loves to stand on our laps, he is grasping for things, rolling over from tummy to back, attached to the paci, cooing and "talking" to us, full of smiles, and a generally happy baby. We are so blessed!

Soon...

2009-06-10T12:11:00.001-05:00

Camera cord is in the mail...new posts coming soon! In the meantime, check out Andrew's new blog to see some of what he's been up to.

Liam's World Tour

2009-05-17T18:53:00.009-05:00

We got back to Orlando last night from a great, long trip to Arkansas. I can't believe its over already! We had such a great time introducing Liam to some of our favorite people and places. We are so blessed.

Right now, I can't find the camera cord, so this is just the first part of our trip (as in...the first few days of our 8 day vacation!)

I carried Liam through the airport in the Moby Wrap...can't say enough about this great thing! Liam did great through the flights, and he pretty much slept the whole time in the Moby. I even nursed him in it without feeling awkward or exposed. It was great.

When we got to Little Rock, our sweet families met us at the airport...with a fun surprise! Uncle Scott! Liam and Uncle Scott became best buds over the weekend. It was so fun to see him. Christina, we missed you so much. I hope we get to come see you soon.

One of the first things we did on Friday morning was head downtown for breakfast and the Kris Allen "Welcome Home" concert. We are definitely fans of Kris, and so proud of how great he's done on American Idol. Go Kris! Again...the Moby...and a sleeping baby. Liam did great at his first concert!

No pictures of this, but also on Friday, Liam got to go to his first movie. This was special because Andrew talks about how he became a Star Wars fan because he saw Empire Strikes Back as a two-month-old baby. So, you guessed it, we took our little two-month-old to see Star Trek with the Steger fam. We have a little Trekkie in the making.

Our Friday afternoon wrapped up with a trip to see Liam's great-grandparents. Here he is seeing his Mamaw Cato, my grandmother.

And this is a picture of the three Williams. Papaw and Liam got along great. It was so special to us for my grandparents to meet our little man!

This is the sweetest face I've ever seen. Ok, maybe I'm a little biased, but seriously...he's a sweet baby. He did so great with our crazy schedule and so many people wanting to see him and kiss his sweet face.

There are many more pictures, but I wanted to get these up to satisfy all the blog lurkers I learned about this week. You know who you are! :) Hopefully we'll find the camera cord so we can post about the week Part 2: LR Sip 'n See, Mother's Day, time with the Harkeys, more great-grandparent pics.

Some Video for Kicks and Giggles

2009-05-01T10:15:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to post a video of Liam and his Mickey.

First Smiles

2009-04-20T12:11:00.004-05:00

The pictures are blurry, but still cute! Our little six-week-old is smiling! We count last Saturday, April 11, as his "first smile," at five weeks. He was full of grins when we had this photo shoot last week. I know I will forever be saying this, but my goodness time is flying by so fast.

Easter

2009-04-16T08:58:00.004-05:00

Liam is growing and changing so much. He's almost 6 weeks old. Some fun things are that he has more awake times where he's alert and smiling. Mostly in the mornings around 7:30 or 8ish. He's smiling a lot more. We've gone to church a few times, and he usually does well. Of course, it was Easter where he screamed during the service and Andrew ended up sitting with him in the lobby during the sermon.

He loves when people talk to him, he loves looking at lights and the Brooklyn Bridge picture over our couch. He calms down when I sing to him or read to him. I've been amused at the songs that have popped in my head. Mostly songs that I learned a long time ago...hymns, old choruses, songs we sang in youth choir, etc. Makes me realize how much those songs were embedded in my brain at a young age. Probably a lot like scripture memory too. Its encouraging me to begin now teaching him those important things!

Here are some pics we took on Easter:

Our little wide-eyed boy!

He's making a funny face, but alas, it will live on forever. He was screaming in all of the other ones! He (we) got lots of chocolate for Easter!

And here's our little family at Baldwin Park. We are so blessed!

Mac Baby

2009-04-06T11:33:00.004-05:00

Liam is definitely a 21st century child, and is developing his Daddy's love for the Mac. This is a picture of him video chatting with my parents last week. We love video chatting with our families! It definitely helps us feel more connected to our families since we're long-distance now (though hopefully not forever!).

We need to do a little photo shoot of him soon. He's definitely getting bigger, I think he's already out-grown a few outfits. He's still a little guy, but maybe he'll be in 0-3 month clothes soon. He needs to stay in newborns for at least one more week so he fits in his cute Easter outfit. Don't worry, you'll get pics, I promise!

So far, this Monday is going well. As far as my "goals" from last week, here are my thoughts. It was good for me to jot some things down because it gave me something to work towards and I can definitely see some improvement over where we were last week. I need to lighten up on myself a lot, he's still a newborn needing lots of love and attention (which I LOVE giving). He'll get on a good routine soon, we just need to be consistent.

Though there are definitely rough days, he is starting to nap a little more consistently, and in his own bed. I'm getting a little more sleep, or maybe just learning to function on a little less sleep. :) Most importantly, I just need to be more flexible and learn to lower the expectations of myself. Its a lifelong lesson!

One more thing, looks like we get to come to Arkansas in early May! Although the trip will be incredibly busy, we're so excited to bring Liam to meet friends and family.

Ok, gotta go get a shower while he is sleeping.

Goals for this sleepy mom

2009-03-30T11:37:00.003-05:00

We're starting week four, and here are a few things I've learned about myself. I'm not a morning person, and I'm definitely not a morning person when I haven't slept well at night. I (like my newborn will eventually) like routine and schedule. Me getting sleep, even if its just a little nap during the day, helps me increase my margin of patience with Liam and with Andrew. Also, I need adult conversation and personal time to pray and read. I need to make these times a priority for myeslf, or else I'm cranky and lonely.

I also am learning a lot about mommy-hood... I love my baby boy! He is really a joy, even though we don't quite have each other figured out yet. I have a few goals for me and Liam this week, nothing big and overwhelming, just things I think will help us stay on a good track. Here are a few:

-Spending more time learning more about him. This includes mostly his sleepy times and beginning setting up a nighttime and naptime routine.
-Consistently establishing a schedule of him napping in his own bed.
-Me getting more sleep during the day (gotta "sleep when he sleeps").
-Going for walks outside more.

And a few things on my GTD list:
-Sleep. :)
-Make cloth diaper purchase (I'll publish what I end up going with when I make the order).
-"Maintenance" house cleaning...ongoing laundry, clean bathrooms, etc.
-Call about ordering a new rocking chair...we really need a rocking chair.
-Go to the bank, work on the budget.

3 Weeks

2009-03-28T12:38:00.004-05:00

Liam is three weeks old today, and he's growing and changing so much. His little cheeks are getting fuller, he has more awake times where he is so alert, he's sleeping well at night, and eating like a champ.This was our first week just the three of us, and Andrew was back at work (even though its still part-time), so for three days this week it was just me and Liam. We're doing pretty good, even though I'm definitely feeling very overwhelmed a lot about the big job ahead of me...being a good wife and mom.

He's a pretty sweet little guy! I'm excited to see his personality come out more and more. Here we are snapping random pics. We don't have many of all three of us.

And last night we gave him a "real" bath instead of just a sponge bath. He did so great! He really hasn't screamed through any bath except the first one. I know bath time will be lots of fun when he's able to splash and play.

What a joy he is to us, definitely the highlight of life right now. Thank you Jesus for such a sweet gift.

Finding the local in Orlando

2009-03-27T11:44:00.002-05:00

Coming this June, VA and I have lived in Orlando for 3 years (which just blows my mind). There are a lot of great things about living in Orlando: Disney and other theme parks, being close to the beach, all the free movie screenings, The Jacksons, WF peeps, Michael and Danielle and other friends, etc. But one of the things we've struggle with is finding those cool local places that give a city its personality. Orlando is very much homogenized, It didn't really start growing till Disney arrived in the seventies and is a breeding ground for chain restaurants and fast food establishments. It still feels like it's trying to find it's identity in the midst of paradoxically trying to get away from/embrace it's tourism heritage. After almost 3 years of living here we've got some local faves which I will now list for you.

Favorite Local Coffee shop: Drunken Monkey

Drunken Monkey is wonderful. Their coffee is delicious. Cool atmosphere. Free WiFi. Great Food (they have the best soup. seriously. I don't even like soup). tons of board games. Lost watching parties. etc. etc.

Favorite traditional Breakfast: Linda's Winter Park Diner

My dad discovered this place when he was visiting us a few years back. Great omelets, BACON, hot cakes, etc. at great prices . Always passes the parking lot test. The servers are great. Why would you ever go to Denny's, IHOP, etc. when you can eat here, and for cheaper. Just remember one thing, they take cash only.

Favorite Lunch/Deli: 903 Mills Market

I've been wanting to eat at this place for a while and we finally did yesterday. So Freakin Good. I had their signature sandwich The Grateful Bread: which is basically a thanksgiving dinner sandwich. turkey. cranberry mayo, blue cheese stuffing. mmmm....
VA had the California club which was delicious. It's going to be a new regular for us for sure. Great beer selection as well and a good place to sit outside and enjoy a gorgeous day.

Favorite Cuban: black bean deli

I'm sad it took so long to find this place. Seriously great cuban sandwiches. cuban pastries. cuban colas (Havana cola rocks! key lime/sugar cane cola), black beans w/white rice. it's a hole in the wall place with maybe four seats. so sit in your car in eat it or take it on a picnic.

Favorite Thai tie: Royal Thai and Thai House

We've been going to Royal Thai for a few years now. Great Service and Authentic Thai. Their Tom Kha Gai soup is excellent and I love their Param and Cashew Chicken. Mango and Sticky Rice for dessert (seasonal and so good).

Recently visited Thai House for the first time and was very impressed. Also have great Tom Kha Gai. dumplings (potstickers). I love their Param too. Their Green Curry is delicious too. Had fried bananas and coconut ice cream for dessert. will definitely be going back there when they come back from holiday. (closed till april 21)

Favorite Date Dessert Place: The Dessert Lady

um, i don't think there are adjectives to describe how good this is. All they serve is dessert (and coffee of course) Check out the website. My faves: Key Lime Cake. Zuccotto, Cannoli Cake.

Favorite ice cream/frozen treat: Jeremiah's Italian Ice

The first place we were told we have to go to when we moved here and the place we take friends and family when they come to town. We were sad to leave Shake's when we moved to Orlando but this place has happily filled that void. A Key West Gelati on a humid summer night is about as perfect as it gets.

Favorite BBQ: Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ and Porkie's BBQ (apopka and daytona)

It's taken us a while to find BBQ we really like in Orlando. These 2 places are definitely growing us. Be sure to try Porkie's home made 'Nanner Puddin too.

Favorite Date Night Dinner: Seasons 52
Okay this one is kind of cheating. Seasons 52 is a chain owned by Darden Restaurants (owns Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse.) but they're based out of Orlando so it technically is local and they're just too good not to put on this list. The best tasting, normal portioned, gourmet food ever. Each entree on the menu is under 475 calories and utilizes seasonally available veggies. nothing is fried. I had the oak roasted pork tenderloin with goat cheese polenta cakes and spinach and mushrooms. OMG. They are also the originator of the the mini indulgence desserts. Perfectly portioned desserts served in Shot Glasses. A must if you live in Orlando (or atlanta too).

So there's a good start to the list. What are your local favorites in Orlando?

The new normal

2009-03-24T21:37:00.005-05:00

Just finished feeding Liam. We're all getting a little rest. I couldn't resist posting this sweet picture of him. Hope you're all having a good night. See ya tomorrow.

Dear Stegers

2009-03-22T12:34:00.004-05:00

Hi Papa, Gigi, and Aunt Lizzy,

Thanks for coming to see me last week! Mom and Dad really had fun hanging out, going to dinner, eating pot roast (they said it was yummy!), and LOVED getting to see you guys love on me. I have the best family in the world!

I loved cuddling with Aunt Lizzy. I hope we get to hang out a lot more soon. Thanks for the teddy!

Papa was so sweet to me too, he talked to me a lot and helped me make lots of brain wrinkles.

And Gigi, I loved taking naps in your arms! And I love the sweet blankie you gave me.

I'm one blessed baby to have such great family, the Stegers and the Catos. I know I'm going to grow up being loved and cared for. Mommy and Daddy are so thankful for you.

Love,
Liam

Cuteness

2009-03-19T13:10:00.005-05:00

This is one of my favorite pics from the hospital. It was taken about an hour before we left to go home. Man we were just so ready to go home! I think this picture captures him really well. He's such a sweet little baby.

And here are my two men, during Liam's first bath last week. Liam screamed while my mom, dad, and sister took about 100 pictures, and a video. Andrew is such a great Dad.

I'm weary emotionally today. Worn down a little by the schedule we're on, feeding every few hours, lack of sleep, physically feeling puny. We're almost through the first two weeks, I hear breastfeeding gets easier. I am really enjoying Liam being so little. The newborn stage is difficult, but I love this little guy more than life itself. I don't want to wish away these early days...even though they're not the easiest.

We've had so many friends have new babies the past month or so, with more to come soon. I definitely feel like I'm in good company. I have so much to be thankful for.

Liam's Birthday

2009-03-17T15:02:00.005-05:00

My sister-in-law's friend went sky-diving yesterday. I don't think you could pay me enough to do that! I was talking to Elizabeth and Jeannie (my mother in law) today, saying that childbirth was kind of like my sky-diving experience. Some people conquer their fears by sky-diving. As much as I've always wanted children, I have always known that I've had a lot of fear around birth...so many unknowns and so many things that could go wrong.

So, with that said, here is how our sweet baby boy came into the world.

Monday, March 3rd was my 39 week doctors appointment. I was 2 cm, and 50% effaced. Wednesday night I started having a lot of contractions. Not necessarily painful, just very, very regular. Starting 4:30-5ish pm, contractions were strong and less than 5 minutes apart. I really wasn't too worried, but by 11:30pm, I was just starting to wonder what was up. We decided to head to the hospital just to check it out. The nurse confirmed that I was now at 3 cm and 60% effaced, but not technically in labor. It was nice to be reassured that things were moving along, but I was also very relieved that they sent us home so I could sleep in my own bed. As she discharged me, she said, "I bet we see you back here in a few days."

All day Thursday, I slept. Contractions continued but didn't get much more painful. Friday, Marhc 7th, we decided to get out a little and do some walking, hoping that it would maybe move things along. We went for lunch at Downtown Disney, then walked a few times around the lake in Celebration. It was such a beautiful day! We came home and settled in for the evening. Andrew worked on his portfolio and I went to bed around 9:30....but could not get comfortable and could not fall asleep. Then, right around 11:00, I got the first real contraction. Then about two minutes later another one. Andrew came in the bedroom right when the third one started and I told him that I was pretty sure those were the real deal! He quickly started gathering the remaining things for the hospital and I got ready to go. In the 20 minute drive to the hospital I probably had another 11 or 12 contractions. They were so strong and right on top of each other.

We got to the hospital, and the quiet scene from Wednesday was replaced with pure chaos of so many families in the waiting room. Thankfully, the triage nurse who cared for me on Wednesday night was also there Friday night. She took one look at me and knew that I was in labor. I tried so hard to focus and "get on top of the pain" but just could not focus. I was in triage (where they assess the labor progress) for about an hour (5 cm 100% effaced), then was moved to labor and delivery. It took another hour and a half to get the epidural, and it kicked in about 3am. The doctor came in and prepped us for what he thought the next few hours would look like...1 cm per hour, probably pushing for an hour or so...expecting the baby to come around noon on Saturday. The nurse finished hooking me up to all the monitors, then left Andrew and I to get rest.

We rested from 3am until around 5:45, listening to Liam's heartbeat on the monitor. About 5:30am, I heard his heartrate get a lot louder and speed up. The nurse came in around 5:45 to check me, she said, "Andrew, you better wake up! She's past 10 cm, the baby is right here!" We couldn't believe it! She also said that they worry when babies heartrates slow down right before they're born, but Liam's sped up indicating that he was doing really well. He was ready to be born! I pushed through 2 contractions, then we waited a little bit for the doctor to arrive. He almost missed it! As we waited, the atmosphere was so joyful and relaxed, we were just so excited to meet our little guy! We talked and laughed, and the nurse said, "You better stop laughing or you'll laugh this baby right out!" It was such a fun time.

I pushed another 5 minutes or so and he was born. It was the most amazing moment to see our baby for the first time! He was bright pink and so alert. I just could not believe how precious he was. Immediately, the doctor said he looked just like Andrew. He layed Liam on my tummy, and Andrew cut the cord.

I could have read more to prepare for this day, I could have done so much more to have a "natural" birth experience. But this is just so how God wanted Liam to enter the world. I never imagined that it would be so much fun to have a baby. I know its not the same for everyone, and that's one of the amazing things about childbirth. It is different for everyone. Such a personal time, that God uses to speak right to where you are. Be fruitful and multiply. It is His joy, He tells us to be fruitful as if it really has much to do with us at all. He allows us to be a part of creation, bringing life into the world. Even through loss and struggle and disappointment and fear and unknowns, HE is really the one that does it. It really was the most amazing experience.

Recovery has had its ups and downs, but I'm embracing each step and moving through it. Breastfeeding has been more difficult than I expected, but thankfully Liam is eating well and gaining weight. I'm just so thankful God gave us this little life, in spite of myself, Liam is healthy and we are so proud of our son.

Bye bye Catos!

2009-03-14T12:24:00.005-05:00

Dear Pop and Mama Cato, and Aunt Julia,

I had so much fun with you this week! Thank you for coming to take care of me and my mommy and daddy. You made some yummy food and helped us out so much, and I just had so much fun bonding with you and getting lots and lots of kisses. I hope you got enough pictures. Mommy and Daddy are still taking lots and I know they will send you some more.

Here is one of all of us together:
And, I wanted one with just you three too. Man, I'm sad Aunt Whitney couldn't be here at the same time, but I know I'll have fun with her when she gets here next week.

I'm having a good day today, resting while Mommy and Daddy get ready for Papa Steger, Gigi, and Aunt Lizzy to get here. I'm so excited all my family is coming to visit!

I'm sad you had to go back to Arkansas today! I love you. See you soon (on video chat? That would be cool!).

Love,
Liam

5 Days

2009-03-12T21:23:00.006-05:00

Today was Liam's due date, and he's been here for 5 days already. I've been just thinking about all of the things I want to write about. This could be a really long post, but I just don't think I have the energy to unload everything in words right now. My heart is so full, this has been the most incredible week of my life. God is so good. Being a parent is so fun. Recovering from giving birth is not as hard for me as I was expecting it to be, in some respects, but much more difficult in others. I love this little boy and my husband more than I ever, ever thought I would. And, I'm so unbelievably humbled by who God is and how amazingly He has blessed us with this little life. In spite of myself, He gave us the most precious gift. I love being a Mom, I just can't stop kissing his little face.

Here is my heart in a little person:

I have so many thoughts (and overwhelming emotions because of hormones!) about labor and delivery, his name, our first few days in the hospital, breast feeding, being a mom, watching Andrew be a Daddy, turning our parents into Grandparents, and our sisters into Aunts (Scott is already an Uncle, but is nonetheless important!), and about 100 other things.

But, I have to go provide nourishment for my son. I promise I'll be back soon.

Thanks for caring for us!
Love,
-Virginia

Liam is here!!

2009-03-07T09:41:00.003-06:00

We are excited to announce to the world that William Cato Steger was born this morning at 6:15 am. We are calling him Liam. He weighs 7 pounds 4 ounces. He and mommy are doing fantastic. Virginia was amazing. She wants to write out the story later. so my job right now is pic poster. I think he's the most perfect little baby boy ever. but i am a little partial. :-)
We chose the name because Virginia's dad, grandpa, and great grandpa are all named William. William means Resolute Protector, and Liam is Hebrew for "I have a people" Here he is:

at the hospital

2009-03-07T02:46:00.002-06:00

It's 3:47 am and I'm listening to my son's heartbeat on the monitor right now at the hospital. Virginia is resting right now and doing great. I'm just overwhelmed and amazed by this whole process. I can't believe he'll be here like later today!! I'm so proud of my wife and so humbled by His provision during this time. Thanks for your prayers and we'll keep you updated.

Ashes

2009-02-25T10:35:00.003-06:00

We sang this song this morning at the weekly chapel at Wycliffe. Today is Ash Wednesday, and although I've never really officially observed the Lenten season, I've been thinking about a lot of things related to Easter and its significance in my life lately. I've been thinking about the purpose of pain, the purpose of difficult seasons in life. Our culture does everything it can to medicate and "cure," fix, and mask periods of pain and hurt in our lives. But sometimes it seems like there's a bigger picture going on. I don't like hurting, I don't like pain, but I understand that sometimes it really is okay to feel and experience pain in our lives.

I'm thinking of all of this in light of the event that's fast approaching...bringing our baby boy into the world. There are so many thoughts I have about this, but this song touched my heart today and I wanted to share it with you. Especially the last verse...

"...from life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny..."

In Christ Alone
by Stewart Townsend and Keith Getty

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

*Disclaimer...Newsboys sings this song on their album "Adoration"...there are many other videos on Youtube that play their version, which is really good too. This video features one of the co-writers of the song on the piano.

A few weeks ago, a few weeks to go.

2009-02-22T13:12:00.006-06:00

A few weeks ago Virginia and I had the opportunity to stay at Disney's Yacht Club for the weekend, a last little trip before the baby comes. It was so much fun just to get away and relax. We were able to swim, watch Disney cartoons, read, sleep, eat at fun places, etc.

I've so loved being married to VA these past almost 5 years. We've made some amazing memories just the two of us. She is my sweetie and my best friend and I often get overwhelmed by how blessed I am to be the guy that ended up with her. I'm really looking forward to the expansion of our family from 2 to 3. I look forward to family vacations, and camping trips, cooking as a fam, and reading together. I know we'll be good as 3 because we are good as 2 (because of Him). I'm excited about our marriage setting an example for our son (and future kids). It's crazy how fast these 9 months have gone by (and I hear the next 18+ years go by even faster).

So here's to the the next few weeks to just the 2 of us and to whatever life brings after that.

V Day

2009-02-16T09:14:00.004-06:00

Andrew surprised me Saturday morning and took me to Winter Park for the Scenic Boat Tour. Its something we've wanted to do for a long time, since we moved, and it was a perfect day to go.

This pic was taken from my new phone, its a little blurry, but it shows the driver and the canal leading the Lake Virginia. The tour goes through 3 of Winter Park's chain of lakes: Lake Virginia, Lake Osceola, and Lake Maitland...all connected by canals. I enjoyed listening to the history of Winter Park, even though it was a little weird being in the "back yard" of really really rich people's houses. I just loved being out on the lake, its one of my favorite things in the world. Thanks Babe! I love you!

Yesterday, Andrew went with some friends to the Daytona 500, and I worked on baby room stuff. I'll post a pic of the curtains I made...once I'm satisfied with them. I need to re-do the rod pocket on the top, and I'm considering the hem, but other than that, I'm happy with them. I'm definitely proud of myself to tackling this project! It's been about 15 years or so since I've touched a sewing machine. I'm inspired to maybe take on some other new projects (once we see how new baby adjustment goes!). As my mom said, somehow lots of new mothers find time to knit and work on projects. We'll see!

MealBaby

2009-02-11T15:25:00.002-06:00

A sweet friend of mine is organizing meals for us once the baby arrives. I know there's lots of babies on the way out there, and friends helping organize different things, so I wanted to point you to MealBaby. If you know of someone having a baby soon, or you know you're organizing meals for a friend, this site is awesome! It was designed by a friend-of-a-friend, here in Orlando.

Oh Oncoming Joy!

2009-01-30T14:49:00.004-06:00

Okay it's been about a month since we last posted on our blog, and that's been partially because I've wanted to update the layout as well since we hope to be having a few more visitors in the coming month or so. Hope you like the new look.

So what's been going on;
• Virginia is 34 weeks pregnant and more beautiful than ever. I can't believe how fast these 9 months have gone by. V has been amazing. I'm so proud of her and grateful for her. 6 more weeks left!
• Been getting ready for baby. Making/putting up curtains in our room and baby room is the main project for the week, as well as cleaning, shopping for baby stuff, reading, and a whole bunch of other things.
• Had childbirth class last saturday. Of the 20 couples in the class about 15 were having boys. Last night was an anesthesia information class that was very educational.
• Nothing new on my job situation. Still working 25 hours a week. Waiting to hear on about four jobs we have proposals out on.
• Going on a local vacation next weekend. We were hoping to get away sometime before baby came but it just didn't happen with job stuff, the holidays, and general life busyness. Thanks to LastMinuteTravels.com's promotion I was able to get us 2 nights at Disney's Yacht club resort for $2 which is a huge blessing.

Other than that things are pretty normal, or as normal as they can be in preparing for a new baby. Virginia and I are really grateful for your encouragement and friendship during this phase of our life. We are praying for a healthy baby and a healthy mommy. We are excited about sharing him with our family and friends. We are praying that our son grows up to love the Lord and be a witness for His Glory.

Yeah, we're pretty freaking excited! :-)

New Rocker

2009-01-02T12:10:00.004-06:00

My 30 week doc appointment was today and all is well. We start going every two weeks from here on out, hard to believe this little guy will be here in less than 3 months. Our lives have existed in 3 month intervals for the past few years with Andrew in school, it puts into perspective how little time we have until our new addition!

We have lots of work to do in the baby room since right now it just stores all of our miscellaneous moving stuff. I worked on getting things re-packed yesterday, and I have a feeling its going to get worse before it gets better. O-well...I know it will come together soon enough, and he won't really notice anyway.

For Christmas this year, my parents bought our rocking chair, so we've been looking around for the perfect one. We found one today! Here's a pic of what it looks like:

We ordered it in the same pattern fabric only pear green. Its the same brand of gliders that they have at Pickles in Ice Cream in Little Rock, which we were so excited to find here in Orlando. You can see the website on the picture above... www.bestchairs.com. We're decorating the baby room in brown and green, so this will be perfect. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Wednesday night randomness

2008-12-17T19:32:00.003-06:00

I had my glucose blood test today. The lab tech gave me the orange stuff, and I downed it as fast as I could...it tasted like very very very sweet syrupy orange soda. :) I feel fine, and yawned for most of the hour that I had to wait between drinking the stuff and getting my blood drawn. I've been worried about this test because I've noticed that sugar has done weird things to me lately, but I just guess all of that is normal.

I meet with a group of people in my office on a weekly basis...we all do similar jobs, and work in the database, and work together to establish consistent business practices. They surprised me yesterday with a baby shower. I was completely shocked! And, still pretty much speechless that they would do that for me! My friend Christine took some pictures, so maybe I can put some on here eventually. I am so blessed, and this little one is so blessed.

We're almost done with our Christmas shopping. I only have 3 more gifts (I think) left to buy...and I'm really not sure what those gifts will end up being. I need some inspiration! Can't say who they're for (on here), because I think most of my fam reads this blog.

I'm really really looking forward to being home for Christmas this year, here's a list of things I'm excited about (there are more, I'm sure...and these are in no particular order):

bundling up (and actually having a reason to)
Sausage wheels
apple cider
warming up by the fireplace
driving around the neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights
seeing family and friends
talking with my sisters
playing games (catan? hand and foot?)

What are you most excited about for Christmas?

I thought I'd leave you tonight with this video on youtube...a variant on the 12 Days of Christmas, enjoy!

Bebe Stuff

2008-12-07T18:46:00.005-06:00

I finally got around to posting our Thanksgiving pics on Facebook, but there are a few I wanted to put on the blog. We had such a great time visiting Whitney with my mom and dad and Julia. We went to see Whit dance in the New Orleans Ballet production of The Nutcracker. She was incredible, the star of the show. The Nutcracker is always a great experience for our fam since Whitney has been dancing in it since she was 3 or so. We had a wonderful weekend with them.

I had to post these pics, is this the cutest thing or what? Baby Steger is going to be a cute little Razorback in this outfit, I can't wait to put him in it. His Aunt Julia brought it for us... Thanks Aunt Julia!

Mom knitted these precious booties. She made them with yarn she bought about 10 years ago. She's been waiting for the perfect project for the yarn, and started making them as soon as we told her "its a boy!" I can't wait to bring him home from the hospital in these precious things!

And...here's me being a good girl and drinking my water. This is 26 weeks, time is flying by and we have SO much to do. The next major "to do" will be me organizing all of the hodge podge of boxes that are in the baby room now.

Love,

OCC

2008-11-25T09:15:00.004-06:00

Part of our Lifegroup after we wrapped and filled boxes for Operation Christmas Child on Friday night. We love our friends!

I'm really looking forward to this little break, spending time with my friend Rachel and her family on Thursday, then seeing my family on Friday and Saturday in New Orleans. This weekend is coming at a perfect time. Its been a crazy past few weeks with Andrew's job and my work trip, among other things. We are seeing God do great things around us. He's also definitely giving us opportunities to trust Him...and even more reasons to be thankful for who He is and for what He's done. Many of our friends and family have experienced loss this past year. I've been thinking about this holiday season in a different light because of that, and I'm reminded that even in so much pain, there is Hope, and He is faithful. I pray you have a Happy Thanksgiving.

a shadowbox winter

2008-11-23T17:42:00.003-06:00

I've said this a few times a few times to a few people this week, but I'll say it again: It's been a really hard week. My company laid off several employees on tuesday thru thursday and dropped the majority of the remaining to part time. It was so hard saying goodbye to the friends that I've made and have enjoyed working with on a daily basis. I've felt sadness this week like I haven't experienced in a long time and it's not all work related. I've felt restless the past few weeks and feel like the firm hand of God is moving in my life in a way I haven't experienced in a long time. It's been hard but very good.

I've heard friends talk about how unstable they feel right now with fear in their voices and hands clasping tightly in hopes that they can keep their world from changing. But if there's one thing I've learned from this past year of financial worries, and housing issues, and the economy, and job uncertainty is that I as much as I want to act like I know what's going to happen, I have no clue -much less any control. I'm just amazed and discouraged sometimes by the ways we as Christians, myself included, can avoid dealing with the real issues and try and make things feel better than they are by repackaging the truth in a watered down form that's easier to swallow. especially when God has so much more Joy for us than we could ever imagine if we just let go.

I'm so grateful for Mitch and Kathy Jackson. I feel like we have experienced true community with them in new ways that directly stem from their willingness to be open to what change God may have for their life. Their friendship is more precious than gold to us and I don't think we'll ever be able to repay them for the multitude of ways God has blessed us with their servant hearts.

VA and I have been processing a lot lately in our preparations for this little one who we're so excited to welcome into our world. I pray for him daily that he will be healthy and grow strong and most importantly develop a relationship with the God of the Universe who is forming him in Virginia's womb as we speak. My son, I look forward to showing you His beauty in the Ozark mountains, His expanse in the Atlantic Ocean, His imagination in the ever changing sky, and His great Love which is found in the Word, and in the value of friendship, and in the commitment of his parents, and in the cold winter nights when Orion is pointing you home.

Life, Last Languages, Wycliffe

2008-11-21T07:35:00.004-06:00

Haven't been taking many pics lately, which usually means there's no blog post. But...its almost been a month since I've posted anything! So, hello all blog friends. Sorry I've been absent. :)

Here's what's going on in our world lately:

I just got back from a conference for work. It was in Charleston, and I had a great time! Missed my hubby of course, and was very happy to come home, but it was a good conference and I learned a lot.
We're having an Operation Christmas Child party with our Lifegroup tonight. I love doing this every Christmas, and I look forward to teaching our son about loving God by serving others, especially at Christmas when our culture is so commercially-driven.
I'm officially 6 months pregnant! Time is really flying by so quickly. One thing I love: feeling baby move is so amazing. One thing I'm not loving so much: not being able to fit into any of my clothes! Its so hard to justify spending money on clothes I'll only wear a few more months.
We're excited about spending Thanksgiving with our friend Rachel, then traveling to New Orleans on Friday to watch Whitney in the Nutcracker. I'm really looking forward to seeing my family!

This weekend, Wycliffe is launching a billion dollar campaign to raise people, prayer, and money for the final remaining languages to be translated. This campaign, the Last Languages Campaign, focuses on the fact that there are more than 200 million people in the world, over 2200 language communities, that have no access to the Bible in a language that speaks to their heart. Its not written, its not translated in oral form, it is not available to them. Click the link above if you want to know more, especially about the details of the campaign, timeframes, and how you can get involved.

20 Weeks

2008-10-26T10:28:00.003-05:00

Here's another picture for our avid readers (all 5 of you!). I've hit the halfway mark, and I'm getting so excited to see this little guy. I'm trying not to wish the days away because I know there is so much to do and I really want to enjoy this phase. Thanks for all the support and prayers for us as we get ready to become parents! This is such a fun time, full of unknowns and anticipation.

Then, I took these Little Rock sunset pictures when I was home a few weeks ago for my high school reunion. I ended up not taking any pictures at the actual reunion, but I did really like these of Downtown from the river. I had a great time that weekend, even though it was quick. It was wonderful to see family, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to go to the reunion and see some long-time friends.

Hope you're enjoying your Sunday.

the original cast for high school musical 3

2008-10-25T16:06:00.001-05:00

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Our Boy!!

2008-10-18T08:54:00.004-05:00

We had our big ultrasound yesterday. I really didn't know what to expect, but I was so excited to see our baby! We found out quickly that HE is a BOY!!!, then watched for the next hour and half as the tech measured organs and checked to see how everything is going.

I've seen friends ultrasound pics before, but seriously, I was in awe of that little baby on the screen. He's only about 6 inches long, and weighs 9 ounces, and I barely look pregnant...but there he was...looking like a perfect baby. I'm so excited to be able to say "he" instead of "it"!

So here's a picture of our son. Andrew posted more on facebook if you want to see. In this one, you can see the top of his head on the right side, with the dark spots being his eyes. The line on the top right is his arm up next to his face. The whole time we watched him, all I could say was, "Wow. This is so amazing. What a miracle."

So, he's right on track, everything is growing and blood is pumping. Like I said, I'm in awe. I'm a proud soon-to-be mommy.

7 Randoms

2008-10-16T14:46:00.001-05:00

I have been tagged, so here goes!

1) Fall is my favorite season. I always thought Summer was my favorite season since that’s when my birthday is. Then I moved to the land of perpetual Summer and realized that (although I love warm weather) I L-O-V-E Fall leaves, pumpkin bread, and that smell…its just the smell of Fall.

2) My favorite dessert is homemade vanilla ice cream and warm hole-in-the-middle (chocolate) cake. Both family recipes. Mmm.

3) I love HSM, and have already bought tickets for HSM3. “Gotta getcha, getcha head in the game!”

4) I’ve never really liked peanut butter. I’ve actually just started eating it recently, and have probably eaten more peanut butter in the past 4 months than I did my whole childhood.

5) My grandpa made me a pair of stilts when I was elementary-school-age, and I walked all around my “block” in them all the time. I loved being tall.

6) In junior high, I was sent to detention hall for chewing gum in class. I was such a rebel!

7) I know lots of people like their “usual” at Starbucks, but I just feel stuck in a rut if I always order the same thing. I like to keep ‘em guessing. Except for lately, its been tall half caf whole milk pumpkin spice latte, no whip.

What about you? Do you have anything random to share today? :)

Thursday!

2008-10-09T07:15:00.003-05:00

Last night we finally moved into our new apartment, after being in a temporary housing situation for over a month! We're so thankful to all our amazing friends that took care of us while we moved, finished school, started a new job (Andrew), etc, etc. This was our 4th move in 2 years!!!! Crazy! We're hoping this one sticks for a little while at least! So, here's a pic of our cute new place. We're excited about bringing Baby home to their first home here. Its is an apartment, but as you can see, we're on the first floor with no one above us. You'll have to come by so I can give you the tour!

3rd Home in FL - 3rd time's a charm?

My sweet co-worker, Jeanette, brought me this precious baby gift on Tuesday! Its a frame for the ultrasound picture, which we have scheduled for next week. Hard to believe I'm almost halfway to the finish line (well, starting line....!).

Then, last weekend, Andrew took me to this great little French pastry shop in downtown Winter Park. I got an almond crossant, and let me tell you...it was amazing! Look at this thing!.

Seriously, divine.

Here's the shop, go there. So yummy.

So, that's been my week. I hope you're all doing well! Have a great weekend!

You move me.

2008-09-30T13:02:00.003-05:00

Acts 17: 28 "For in Him we live and move and have our being."

Psalm 36:9 "For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light."

I'm feeling Baby move more and more, and these are the verses that have popped into my head as I think about the miracle of life. I wonder what's going on in there, how is Baby's heart forming? Eyes? Blood vessels? Am I doing all I can do to keep Baby healthy? Oh yeah, HE is the Author of Life. He is creating this person, exactly how He wants. That's a comforting thought. Its a good lesson to learn now: even though I'll always have something I could worry about, He is in control and He is faithful.

15 Weeks

2008-09-21T16:20:00.002-05:00

I have to laugh when I look at this pic, because I definitely feel like I'm showing, but I'm sure no one else can tell! So, maybe we can all view this picture as a benchmark for comparison. :) I have another appointment in a few weeks, then mid-late October we'll have the "20 Week Ultrasound" to make sure things are going well and to see if we're having a boy or girl. Many of you have asked how the nausea is going...thank you so much! I'm feeling much better, but just have to stay on top of the constant hunger! If I can snack throughout the day, I usually feel a ton better.

I'm pretty sure I felt a kick the other night. It was definitely not gas, but hasn't happened again. I'm sure those feelings will happen more and more often soon (prob both the gas and the baby kicks!). Now, I just lay in bed at night waiting to feel another one. This whole process is so amazing! A little freaky...but definitely amazing. :)

We spent the weekend with the other amazing leaders of our lifegroup at church. Much was discussed, and by the end of the weekend we felt both emotionally drained and refreshed at the same time. How is that possible? Today has been spent working on laundry, napping, and relaxing.

Oh, and thanks too for all the great emails and comments about the "must haves"...I appreciate it!

Life right now.

2008-09-10T13:35:00.003-05:00

I've been wanting to write more about pregnancy/baby stuff and everything else going on in our lives right now, but didn't think being sick and throwing up are much fun to talk about. I'm 14 weeks tomorrow! I feel like I've been able to enjoy the first phase of pregnancy, even with its woes, but I have to say I'm looking forward to not being sick anymore. Hopefully?!?! I know some women are sick their whole pregnancy...I'm just being optimistic that this phase will pass soon.

I was thinking I was starting to feel better, over the weekend I was feeling pretty well. Then...it all went downhill! Agh! The thing is, I just can't get a handle for what triggers it! There are no patterns so far. Well, I know a few things that trigger it...but I won't bore you with details (unless you're just dying to know!).

Here's some of what's on the plate for us the next week or so:
-Andrew finishing major portfolio project, final papers, then FINISHING SCHOOL!
-Moving...probably still a temporary move, but at least we can get out of our current place.
-Dr appointment tomorrow - Yay!
-Going through FPU again, this time with more friends from church. We're excited about revisiting some things we didn't get a chance to put into place last time around.
-Andrew will be working more with ADE.

I've started researching some baby gear. We're going to have a baby in our lives in six months...that is so soon! Any "must haves" out there?

And BABY makes three...

2008-08-24T14:34:00.007-05:00

We are so excited to announce that we're having a baby! I'm 11 weeks (due March 12, 2009), and am still in shock when I see the picture above. We are so thrilled and amazed at how the Author of Life works in our lives. He is so good and so faithful.

Psalm 139:13-17 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, you eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!"

2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

We feel so blessed and are excited, scared, overwhelmed, joyful, and hopeful about this new little life. We are excited to share this announcement with you!

Reading updates

2008-08-07T14:51:00.003-05:00

I love reading everyone else's new blog posts! But...I'm terrible at keeping ours updated. I've been watching my RSS reader for new posts like they're personal emails or something! So, I thought I'd write a quick little post today for those of you who like to read updates as much as I do.

My normal routine has become a little blah lately, so I think I may change it up a little tonight. Maybe go walk around at Barnes and Noble tonight, or read on the patio, or even (gasp!) go work out a little while.

I've been looking for good menu ideas, and really starting to get more inspired about cooking. I love to cook, but have been in a rut...really since moving to FL. I've been reading some inspiring dishes, and am getting close to giving them a try. Honestly, I do love cooking...its just the cleaning part that I despise...so, I have to find ways to get less dishes dirty while I cook so I have less to clean up.

I've also been thinking about getting a new blender so I can make smoothies more often. Our blender doesn't cut it with frozen stuff. So, I found this site with 10 ideas for smoothies. I know this doesn't really help my cleaning issue, but I know I can't completely avoid it. Anyone know of a good blender that's easy to clean?

Well, that about sums up what's on my mind today! Food! Now, what's for dinner?

Chicago

2008-07-31T18:11:00.002-05:00

A few pics from Chicago:

View of Chicago from the Hancock Tower (Sears Tower on the right). This pic was taken from the girls bathroom (best view!!-is that TMI?) at the Signature Lounge.

Mariah, Rachel, and I at The Bean. This was right before we saw Samantha Brown.

Skyline from Lake Michigan while we were on the Architecture Boat Tour.

This was the view from our hotel room, 18th floor of the Sofitel Water Tower. That's the Hancock Tower. We were two blocks from the Magnificent Mile, Michigan Avenue.

We'll be putting more pics up on Facebook if you're interested. Chicago was so fun!

Back...again

2008-07-30T08:38:00.005-05:00

We just returned to Orlando after being in Chicago for the past 4 1/2 days. We had such a great time, pictures are coming soon (I promise this time!).

Highlights included:
- Seeing our friend Jonathan on Friday night, and going to the Art Institute
- Architecture Boat Tour
- Shopping on the Mag Mile
- Our hotel - the Sofitel Water Tower....amazing
- Gino's East pizza
- Willow Creek Community Church on Sunday morning, Steve Wu spoke
- Ravinia Festival
- Heaven on Seven - awesome Cajun food
- Signature Lounge at the top of the Hancock Tower
- Laughing with Andrew and friends

So, yeah, it was a very, very full weekend, including a work conference Monday and Tuesday. We're exhausted, but we had a blast. Pictures to come very soon.

Back

2008-07-01T14:42:00.002-05:00

We're back in Orlando, back to "normal" life. Going through the email inbox at work, getting all the things off the "to do" list. Elizabeth came back with us, so we're really enjoying spending time with her. I have a few more vacation pictures to upload, but don't have the camera with me right now, so that will have to wait until later. I didn't really get the chance to work on my Photoshop skills while we were gone. I'm just going to have to make time to work on it. Its been a goal of mine for a while. Actually, The Pioneer Woman has inspired me to actually learn more about Photoshop. I'm hoping to take some of the advice on her site.

Andrew had a second interview for his internship/job. It will be a few more days (probably) until we find out anything. I know things will work out. God is taking care of us.

Okay, gotta get back to "the list." Hope you're having a good day.

Vacation-Part 3

2008-06-27T08:00:00.010-05:00

It's Friday and the last full day at the Lake House. It's been an amazingly fun week. Tuesday and Wednesday we spent a good bit of time on the lake. My family has never been much of a lake family, we've always been more beach people, but I think we're being converted. We've been cruising around the lake, swimming, and tubing.

On Tuesday Elizabeth, VA, and I were tubing and got thrown off. I got a knee or elbow in the face and received a nice little gash just above my eyebrow.

We've been having issues with the two waverunners all week. Yesterday we finally were able to get one of them started which was a blast. I got to take everyone out for a little bit.

Yesterday was also Virginia's birthday which was a lot of fun. My mom made french toast for breakfast. Virginia and I went to this really cool local bakery cafe for lunch then walked around the Ritz-Carlton which is just down the road from our lake house.

All of the girls got pedicures yesterday then we went to dinner at the Mellow Mushroom, which is always delicious. I got V an ipod touch for her birthday which she hasn't put down yet.

Afterwards the whole family walked around the Ritz again and then came back for cake (huge!) and ice cream.

Virginia said it was a great birthday and we had a blast. Now out to do some more waverunning!

Vacation-Part 2

2008-06-24T09:47:00.003-05:00

We're having a great time. Yesterday was long - we just went non-stop all day - but it was fun! Coke Museum, Georgia Aquarium, movie (Get Smart), Atlantic Station, and Braves baseball game. Whew! Our lake house is an hour and a half away from "town" (Atlanta), so we really needed to get all of that in one day. We'll spend the rest of the week on the lake, fishing, tubing, jet-skiing. And, for Andrew, Guitar Hero-ing (that's what he's doing right now).

I'm also working on a few of the things I wanted to do while on vacation: read The Shack, and learn how to make our pictures prettier with Photoshop. So far, I'm halfway through The Shack, and I'll be working on Photoshop later today. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll have some edited pics to show you.

For now, here are some unedited ones:

Andrew and I enjoying our Coca-Cola in the "Taste It" room - the new Coke museum doesn't have the fountain that the old one had. But, Beverly is still as gross.

Me with my new penguin friend. :)

One of the large tanks...this one had the whale sharks in it. They were huge!

Headed in to the Braves game - me, Lizzy, Andrew, Christina, Scott

View from our seats, we had a great view of the game!

Take care!
-V.

Vacation-Part 1

2008-06-21T19:24:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting on the deck of the lake house, overlooking Lake Oconee at sunset. Tall trees, 85 degrees, watching my brother-in-law fish off of the dock. This is bliss. We drove from Atlanta today, stopping for bbq for lunch, and Frozen Orange (FO) at The Varsity. My father-in-law loves Atlanta, and loves The Varsity. Even though I've been there several times, I think this is the first time I've been there with him. We're all having a great time, looking forward to a nice week, enjoying the great outdoors (minus anything that remotely looks like "roughing it"), and spending time with family. Oh yeah, and Andrew is playing Guitar Hero on Scott's Wii. Ahh, vacation.

Here are a few pics so far:

Lunch at JR's Loghouse bbq in Alpharetta, GA

My Sweetie and I...enjoying our Frozen Oranges (tastes like an orange Push-up)

The Steger Men

Ok...Andrew's done with his game. We're headed down to the lake to see what Scott's up to. Have a great evening!

Prayers

2008-06-20T09:23:00.004-05:00

Molly Ann Mutz is with Jesus. Please keep praying for this precious family. Here's the latest update from Jen's blog (Full of Boys): Flying to Jesus.

Jen, thanks for blogging about this. I have not had enough words to express my sadness for Jake and Becca. I've been thinking a lot about the capacity our hearts have for emotion. Sometimes we think it can't hold any more "feelings"...and then we're stretched even further. Molly has been a blessing, she is a blessing. A friend of mine once said that when a loved one passes away, it makes heaven that much closer to us. We were all drawn a little closer to heaven this week.

Its been an emotional week around our morning devotional at work. So many things going on, and my wonderful coworkers are an encouragement to me as we pray for our friends. With all the hectic-ness of the daily grind, I can't believe I get to work in an office full of people that love the Lord and support each other this way. Its a true gift.

Vacation, Blogging, and Update

2008-06-18T11:52:00.004-05:00

We're getting ready to go on vacation, starting Friday. I'm looking forward to spending time with the Stegers and getting away for a week. It will be nice! I've been trying to get all the ducks in a row at work, so of course the week before vacation is hectic, working on wrapping up loose ends and finish projects.

I'm not a real fan of blogging about blogging, but I've noticed sentiments in the blogosphere of not having time or not wanting to blog. I've felt this way for a while, and have surrendered to the fact that my blog is not always on the "to do" list. It gets updated every now and then, and I am not going to feel guilty when I don't have the most recent thing up! That has been such a freeing thing, to not be a slave to the blog.

However, I do love reading other people's blogs (is that a double standard?). I love having new updates go into an RSS reader so I don't have to spend my day clicking around to see who's posted. It saves so much time. Still using bloglines because it allows me to publish a blogroll on the sidebar (that list over there is generated from bloglines-->). I know Google reader is a good rss feed, but I'm so stuck in my ways on this one. Maybe someday I'll switch over.

On a serious note, I want to say thank you for praying for the Mutz/Rainey family. They are making some tough decisions right now, and walking a very difficult road. There is another update here. My heart is broken for them, I can't even imagine living without the hope we have in Christ. Please keep praying for them as they trust the Father's plan for their baby girl.

Please pray...

2008-06-16T12:18:00.005-05:00

for my friend Rebecca and her family. Here is the latest:

"...Rebecca and Jacob welcomed Molly Ann Mutz Friday morning at 5:27am. Molly didn’t breathe for 4 minutes and her oxygen levels were all wrong when she was born. They immediately took her to NICU. They said she had a significant heart murmur and ran various tests, etc.

Since then Molly has been transferred to a Children’s Hospital. Molly has Pulmonary Hypertension which is making her little body “extra sensitive.” So even a bath (or a wipe down) discomforts her. However the PH should go away eventually.

The main problem that Molly has is AVM (Arteriovenous Malformations). AVM’s are masses of abnormal blood vessels which grow in the brain. They consist of a blood vessel “nidus” (nest) through which arteries connect directly to veins, instead of through the normal elaborate collection of very small vessels called capillaries. As a result, blood that is pumping in Mollyʼs body cannot keep its oxygen level high enough as a significant portion of that blood does not re-circulate back through the heart and lungs in time to get fully re-oxygenated. She is on a breathing tube to help regulate her heart and to keep the oxygen levels where they need to be. She has a 2nd tube in her mouth that goes to her tummy to help keep air out of her little tummy..."
Keep reading...

Becca is a dear friend of mine, and my heart aches for her and Jacob right now as they walk this road. Please keep this dear family in your prayers.

the felt board

2008-06-12T10:53:00.005-05:00

I've been feeling restless lately. Being at the end of school is a great feeling and I'm excited about the future but everything has been a little daunting lately. I'm ready for family vacation next week, but this morning my car wouldn't start and my breaks recently started squeaking and we're supposed to be taking that car to Georgia next week because it get the better gas mileage. It just feels like one more thing on the list. God has definitely provided for us the past two years and He's shown us over and over again this is where we're supposed to be right now, but I think it's been harder lately because the end is in sight. I don't know the type of job I'll get or where it will be. I know I'm not guaranteed financial security or a car that works, but I have been blessed with an amazing wife, and a great family and in-laws, and more friends than i can count. I'm just wrestling with it/Him today.

Orchid Lady

2008-05-31T13:16:00.004-05:00

I love walking by her booth when we go to the Winter Park Farmer's Market. These were taken last weekend when we were there with friends.

Hope you're having a nice Saturday and staying cool!

Money

2008-05-21T11:49:00.004-05:00

We're still here. :) Just hasn't been much going on lately, well, at least not much that's blogworthy.

I saw this article today on Yahoo! Finance: Ways to Make Saving a Habit.

I think the article has some good, practical advice for ways to save more, spend less, and stop being so hard on myself about it. It talks more about the mental part of financial peace...changing attitudes, making decisions, etc; less about which category of the budget should get that extra ten dollars (or more likely, which part of the budget can get cut this month...).

I also read today (here) that Americans are driving less to deal with high gas prices, but not eating less to cut high food/grocery prices. Thought that was interesting, although a strange comparison since food is a basic necessity and gasoline isn't really (you know: food, clothing, shelter).

Andrew and I are Dave Ramsey fans, and on our way to Financial Peace (eventually!). This article inspired me a little today.

Tonight I am...

2008-05-08T20:38:00.003-05:00

-Setting up my "space" on Andrew's Powerbook

-Working on laundry

-Facebook stalking

-About to go read

My brain feels like mush lately. There's a lot going on, but I'm not sure that much of it is blog-worthy. The biggest recent news is that we don't have to move in two weeks. I'm so thankful, and its a huge stress relief. I've been really busy at work, most of it feels like I'm putting out fires, but there's a lot of projects I'm working on too. I've been reminding myself of the greater purpose for my job lately. Ultimately, so that the nations will know that our Father speaks their heart language. Its a worthy purpose, and it motivates me to do my best work.

Been thinking a lot about our friends in Lebanon, the Sniders. Praying that He will be near.

Funny dream

2008-04-25T10:50:00.002-05:00

I had a dream last night that the letters on my keyboard were all of the sudden in a different order. It totally messed me up! I was frustrated thinking about how long it was going to take me to get back up to speed.

So, what does this say about me?

Lately

2008-04-22T20:26:00.003-05:00

I've started twittering.
I subscribed to Lifehacker on my Bloglines.
I've been going through stuff in our apartment to get ready for a garage sale this weekend (yeah for getting rid of stuff!).
I've been missing Fayetteville in the Spring. Red Bud trees, forsythia, tulips...
I've been reading Getting Things Done by David Allen (you know how I love lists!).

What have you been doing?

Why Bible Translation?

2008-04-17T10:15:00.002-05:00

Here's a great little video about the Creole translation. Thanks Dustin for pointing it out on your blog.

-V.

"...new every morning..."

2008-04-10T21:15:00.005-05:00

Lamentations 3:21-24

Yet this I call to mind

and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;

therefore I will wait for him."

The Great Distraction

2008-04-07T19:17:00.002-05:00

I just turned the TV off.
thought i should let you know.
I wish i did more often.
music is better resting.

Weekend

2008-04-06T19:13:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was rainy and windy, but we had a nice afternoon at Cocoa beach with our Lifegroup. We're so blessed by these friends! We went out there for Danny's baptism, and had a great time celebrating what God has done in Danny's life.

Today was rainy again, so after church, Andrew and I just came home and had a nice relaxing day. We've been enjoying the Mac. Of all the high-tech things this computer can do, we get lots of amusement from Photo Booth!

Hope you all have a great week!

Memorizing

2008-03-27T12:36:00.002-05:00

I'm working on these:

Psalm 62:5-8
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God. He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.

Philippians 4:4-8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

My heart has been unsettled and definitely not at rest lately. Our lifegroup has challenged us to work on memorizing more, and so these are the verses I have been focusing on this week. So far, I can tell that this spiritual discipline is helping me focus on the Truth, and not on my doubt or pain. He's working on my heart with these, its a good thing. I'm finding rest.

sweet complete

2008-03-21T11:55:00.004-05:00

Hey Guys,
well i just finished another quarter of finals! two more quarters to go. I thought I'd post my final project in my special effects class. check it out.

Africa Blog

2008-03-17T13:34:00.002-05:00

Some friends of mine are in Africa for a few weeks. They're blogging about their trip, and they're doing an excellent job of documenting what they've seen. They are a group from our Integrated Marketing Communications center here at Wycliffe, and the purpose of their trip is to gather stories of what's going on in Africa with Bible translation.

Here at Wycliffe, we're about to launch a new center that will enable us to get live updates from the field via satellite video phone conferencing (CNN-style). Its been a major issue within Wycliffe...stories from the field get lost because there hasn't been good ways of getting it to the masses. We're all excited about the new possibilites of learning about the people that are on the front-lines of Bible translation, and about the new opportunities to support them in their work.

Check out the link above or go to: http://imcincongo.blogspot.com/.

Pancakes

2008-03-16T23:03:00.005-05:00

Old Spanish Sugar Mill, DeLeon Springs, FL

Making pancakes at the Sugar Mill

Me and the Stegers

I'm up past my bedtime as I wait for our laundry to finish drying. I thought I'd take the chance to update the blog. Here are a few pics of our weekend with Barry and Jeannie. We had a great time with them in town! We went to one of our favorite places, the Old Spanish Sugar Mill in DeLeon Springs. Its one of those fun, truly Floridian places. There are a few other things on our list of things we want to do while we live in Florida:

-Visit the Everglades

-Go to St. Augustine

-See the manatees (aka "sea cows"...not to be confused with the "land manatees") at Blue Spring

-Drive down to the Keys

The weather was 90 degrees today...and its not even technically Spring yet. We went to the Winter Park Arts Festival this afternoon. It was hot outside, but nice to walk around looking at all the displays.

Andrew You're Busy

2008-03-12T21:48:00.005-05:00

It feels later than it is, but it's been a long day. Wednesdays drain me, especially today. Had to work till 2. Had a final project due at 6. I finished it at 5:59. I've got one more week of finals then a break from school. Hard to believe I only have 2 more quarters left. 2 years ago last month we were here in Orlando trying to decide whether or not this was the next step, and here we are with me almost done with school. And what next? I'm not sure yet. I get that question a lot. It doesn't bother me as much now as it did with my English degree. I've really been enjoying what I'm doing, and I feel like I have what it takes (at least most of the time) to make a living doing this.

But it all seems to swirl around me. I feel winded. I feel whirlwinded. My life is one of perpetual busyness, peppered by small and rarely quenching doses of rest. I've never been good at rest, and there's always something: Work Monday, Parking Monday, Class Tuesday, Homework Tuesday, Work Wednesday, Homework Wednesday, Class Thursday, Guys Night Thursday, Lost Thursday, Class Friday, Lifegroup Friday, Rest sometimes Saturday, LGLC Saturday, Church Sunday, Splash Sunday, LGLC Sunday, and again, and again. And with all the talking and fellowship I still feel like few here know me or my marriage. I feel disengaged from the Christian subculture that surrounds me and very much connected to my desire for authenticity and the opportunity for us to be around others in the same stage of life as we. My time with Virginia over the past few weeks has been so sweet with peace, and laughter, and surprisingly enough, rest. It's been 3 months and I still find myself cherishing the night at the Harkeys or Epcot with the Foltz's. The joy of finding a kindred spirit. Why is it so difficult to find? I'm still thinking about the email Jason sent me and the continuing procrastination of my response. I just needed to write it down for once in a long time.

what orlando soul? or Prime Meridian

It's not a humid night
for once in a long time
and I turn it over
"like a penny on my tongue"

there's a kite in my car
with a tail of bitterness
that grows longer with each
trafficked day

the ocean she is near
and breathes
dear salted kisses on
my broken spine

there's a folded map
in the glove compartment
with sharper creases
and no relief.

What I'm listening to: Death Cab for Cutie-Transalanticism

Please wait...

2008-03-10T12:45:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting at work today, working on queries and reports, and while I wait for this little report to run, I thought I'd take a minute to write.

I’ve been reading a book called “The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to Break the Rules.” The author, Carolyn Custis James spoke during lunch a few weeks ago, about what the book of Ruth teaches us about God’s purpose for women.

Carolyn has challenged the view that the book of Ruth is just a love story between Ruth and Boaz, and talked about the deeper themes of Naomi’s bitterness, Ruth’s barrenness, their widowhood, their risks for God, and God’s faithfuless. It is a very good book.

Andrew and I have been going non-stop! I’m hoping to get some things done at home this week, and to try to get back to things being a little simpler. We went to Ikea on Saturday and I’m already using my new storage boxes (thanks Stegers!) to organize some of the clutter. I have high hopes of having our home organized and labeled and clean. Ah…someday!

Report finished running, gotta get back to work. I hope you are all doing well!

Blog Updated

2008-03-09T20:05:00.002-05:00

Hey Everybody!
Well we thought it was time to update the ole blog a little, so here's the new design. We finally purchased a new computer after 3 years of needing a new one. So this update is coming from our new Macbook Pro which I'm so excited about. I'm hoping to keep you guys more updated on my design work as well as get my portfolio site up and running as well as more frequent posts and pictures. So here's to the new.