Celebrating Christmas

As we progressed through the weeks of Advent, I plodded slowly through my Book Club's December offering: The Christ of Christmas, by James Montgomery Boice. Though the book proved more dry and theological than we had anticipated, I thoroughly enjoyed those moments of dwelling on the Christmas story from every Biblical angle. After chapters of dealing with topics of geneology, the virgin birth, the minor characters: those who missed Christmas and those who had awaited its coming, and historical accuracy, Boice concluded with a chapter on "How to Celebrate Christmas."

As my own little ones grow, this is a question often on my heart and mind. How are we called to celebrate the birth of Christ as believers? Having asked the question, the author interjected with a clear, important point. The best way to celebrate Christmas is to become a Christian! It is by becoming a follower of the Savior whose birth we celebrate. It is an amazing thing to watch the world celebrate Christmas without a knowledge or love for Jesus Christ. In Jesus' day, thousands of diligently waiting Jews missed the signs, missed the wonder, missed the miracle. So it is today in our American culture that substitutes Santa and reindeer for the manger scene. "The Bible tells us that the birth of Jesus was unlike all other births in that Jesus existed before birth as the second person of the Godhead and that He became man, not to provide us a sentimental story or as a theme for musical compositions, but in order to grow in maturity and then to die for our sin as the means of our salvation." Does that not take your breath away? Christ was born to save!

Boice stated (from the text of Luke 2:17-20) that we ought to celebrate Christmas in four ways: 1) telling others about it 2) to wonder at the event itself 3)to ponder its meaning and 4)to glorify and praise God for what was done there.

It is easy for me to get caught up in the tasks of Christmastime -- joyous tasks, but still a busyness that leaves little room for quiet expectations or wide-eyed wonderment. Our desire for our children to understand the truth of Christmas and the Gospel is my tether... and I have loved finding simple ways to keep our hearts quiet and focused on Jesus. And I find that as I share the wonder and the miracle and the humble majesty -- my own heart is filled and I do, with teary eyes and shaky voice, glorify the Lord.

Elisa is getting it. Not rote answers meant to pacify Mom, but real, thought-out responses that show she is beginning to understand. "God put the star over the stable so the wise men and the shepherds could find Jesus and worship Him." "We give presents to celebrate the best gift of all, which was Jesus, born to save us." "The angels sang to the tell the shepherds God had come to earth as a baby." Even Sadie, as we were leaving church on Monday night, said, "Jesus born, die on cross. I am safe." I know they don't understand all the depth of it, but I love hearing those truths become a part of who they are.

A few of our traditions include: an Advent tree. Each day, the girls and I have a devotional time and create a simple ornament to paste on the tree. We also have a countdown chain made of construction paper, and the girls take turns with each very important daily job - gluing the ornament on, or cutting the chain.

We have an Advent wreath, as well, and light the candles to remember that we are symbolically waiting for the birth of Christ. We no longer await His coming, but we remember the long years that the Jews prayed for the Messiah to come. And He came as a baby - the light of the world, sent to drive away darkness and free the people from the bondage of their sin.

We pray for all of you, as well, that Christ would light your lives in a wondrous way as we come to the celebration of this much anticipated day!


Our stack of Christmas stories for many hours of reading and snuggling

Advent candles

Our paper tree - this is definitely an every-year activity now. We love it!

Our gingerbread house -- not especially spiritual, but definitely a fun and memorable tradition.


Winter Fun on the ice! Sadie out for a spin with Mommy

Elisa's first attempts. Now she doesn't need a chair.

Erik - menacing, huh?

Our "real" tree

Egg Nog!

Yesterday I visited the doctor to check on this 28 1/2 week-old bump in my belly! We continue to rejoice that this baby is healthy and growing... I didn't take a picture, but I do think I am quite obviously pregnant now. I just carry differently than most pregnant mommies... long and high through my torso instead of in a compact bump that "pops" out earlier during the pregnancy.

I didn't catch the baby's heart rate. The girls were with me, and I was busy explaining to them the miracle of hearing the baby's heart beat inside me. They were duly impressed, but I didn't catch the numbers. :) I measure 26 centimeters... which is fine. I have always measured a few centimeters shy of normal, and my doctor won't be concerned unless I fall to 3 or 4 centimeters smaller than I should be. With Sadie, they did do a few extra ultrasounds near the end because I was measuring too far behind schedule, so he warned me that might the case this time, too. I think it's just the way I carry, because both girls were over 7 pounds.

I have been feeling well and enjoying getting out for some cold weather jogs -- something that never really felt good with the girls, and now does. Erik told me that with the extra exercise, I need to be making sure I cover the calories, so he "prescribed" a glass of egg nog a day. When I told my doctor that, he said, "You should probably have two."

Okay. I love egg nog. However, I don't care to feed my sweet baby any of the high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, or long list of additives and preservatives in the commercial kind, so I make my own. It is delicious! The girls call it a "milkshake" and the three of us sit down for a healthy, protein packed snack after our jog.

Here is the recipe: (this is exactly enough for the three of us to share)

2 cups of whole milk
3 egg yolks
splash of vanilla or rum extract
1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
teaspoon or so of cinnamon and nutmeg (I don't measure those)

Blend in blender on high for about 5 seconds.

I am not concerned about raw eggs, and I love sharing this with the girls as it provides them calcium, protein, and a "treat" (without any refined sugar!).

We have also been enjoying evenings on our frozen pond. We purchased some inexpensive skates for Erik and Elisa, and Erik fashioned a homemade Zamboni out of the riding lawn mower. Elisa is getting competent on her two-blade skates, and Sadie like to either putter in her boots or sit in a chair while one of us spins her. My old competition skates are a bit small, but I can still squeeze in to glide around the ice. I did one very cautious waltz jump the other night. :) I usually swap for boots halfway through and play goalie while Erik hurls pucks at me. I can usually only block about 1 of every 5 shots. I am pretty slow and careful.

We are having lots of fun making homemade ornaments for our little Advent tree each day, and continuing to bake Christmas goodies to share. This special season is definitely going quickly, but we are looking forward to heading to Oregon next Wednesday night.

Four Pounds of Butter Later...

If you have spent time in our home in the last few years, you know that Erik and I have become increasingly committed to preparing and eating "real" food - whole, nutritious, simple food. I should say the commitment is actually mine, not his, but Erik supports and encourages the small and gradual changes our household has made, and enjoys the fruits of my efforts in the kitchen. :) Our cupboards contain no boxed cereals, no packaged meals, no store-bought dressings or marinades, no chips, no industrially prepared baked goods, and (in the last month) no boxed macaroni and cheese... Instead, I shop the perimeter of the grocery store for basic ingredients, and enjoy involving the munchkins in the process of preparing healthy meals for our family and any one else we can get to share our table. :) They especially love baking.

Well, this week they have had lots of opportunities to help Mommy in the kitchen with baking. (And Mommy spent plenty of time there while they sleeping!) Since December 1, we have created:
-large batch of granola
-batch of Russian tea cake cookies
-four loaves soaked whole wheat bread
-four miniature gingerbread houses (for friends to decorate at a playdate on Friday morning)
-two dozen whole wheat "Scottish Baps" - prepared for Bible Study group to eat with BBQ sandwiches
-Snickerdoodles (also for Bible Study)
-cheese-garlic biscuits (delivered with elk stew to two weary new mamas)
-crescent rolls (for dinner with Erik's office-mate)
-apple-cranberry pie (also for company dinner)
-buttermilk pancakes made with whole wheat

and.... all the normal meals we prepare each week. :)

In the process of all this baking, we consumed in our kitchen:

-4 lbs of butter (I thought that would last all month!)
-1 1/2 gallons whole milk
-quart of cultured buttermilk
-5 lbs white flour
-7 lbs whole wheat flour
-2 canisters of oats
-quart of honey
-about a quart of olive oil
-jar of molasses
-3 lbs powdered sugar (frosting for gingerbread houses)
-approx. 2 lb granulated sugar
-2 1/2 dozen eggs
-bag of pecans
-about 1/2 cup of yeast

I guess it's back to the grocery store to restock for another week of loving Christmas baking and hospitality! :) Truly, we do love it. Anyone want to come over?

Ellie Skiing and "What I Want to Be When I Grow Up"

I managed to get this video uploaded, and wanted to add it to the pictures from yesterday. I'm sorry it's the wrong way... just tilt your head sideways! :)

Last night, I was relating a funny story of the day to my hubby, and amid his laughter, he said, "You have to put that on your blog tomorrow. It's a requirement." So - here you go.

I was out for a jog with the munchkins bundled in the Chariot, and Elisa noticed an airplane flying overhead. Here is the conversation that followed.

Elisa: "Mom, when do we get to go on an airplane?"

Me: "Not for a long time, punkin, but Daddy is going on airplane when he goes to Kenya in February."

E: "I want to go with him."

Me: 'That would be fun, honey. I wish I could go, too, but we can't go. His trip is only for engineers."

E: "Can only boys be engineers, Mom?"

Me: "No, sometimes girls are engineers. But Mommy didn't choose to be an engineer; I chose to be a nurse and a mommy."

E: "Do I get to be a nurse or an engineer?"

Me: "You can be anything you want, Ellie. You can be a nurse, or an engineer, or a teacher, or a missionary...or anything else you want to be."

E: "Then I think I'd like to be an ambulance driver."

Me: "That's a great idea! It's an important job to drive an ambulance. You would have to get some training to help sick or hurt people, and then you would take them to the hospital."

E: "I think I wouldn't help them in the ambulance, I would just drive them fast to the doctor, and the doctor would help them. Then I would hurry and go pick up more sick people."

Me: 'That's true, but they might need some help before you can get them to the hospital."

E: "But, Mom, if I was up front driving, I couldn't help them in the back."

Me: "You would have helpers in the back."

E: "Sadie, do you want to be my helper? You can give the sick people medicine and help them breathe while I drive. You can put on the band-aids, too."

Sadie: "Umm.... yeah. I help."

Me: "That means Sadie would be the paramedic."

E: "Okay, Sadie is the paramedic. And Mommy, then I would call you on your phone, and tell you to meet us at the hospital and you would be the nurse to take care of the sick people. And we would all work together, helping."

M: "That sounds great, honey."

For the next two hours, my wise three-year-old proceeded to fully develop this plan for her adulthood. Even as we drove to church for Awana, she was still saying, "Mom, are you so glad you can be my nurse helper when I drive the ambulance?"

Erik thought this story was hilarious, and "awesome." Hopefully, you enjoyed it, too!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Erik and I were able to host a group of friends (21 - counting children!) at our home on Thanksgiving Day. We were up early for a breakfast of whole grain gingerbread pancakes (delicious) and began preparations. The 20-lb turkey was in the oven by 9:00, and an array of other food had been prepared the day before. We arranged our dining table and a borrowed folding table side by side and carefully arranged place settings, including some little place-cards the girls and I had made earlier in the week. My mom had sent a beautiful centerpiece, and I loved the way the dining room looked before 11 little girls descended on it. :)

When the morning's work was done, Erik and I bundled the girls up for a run. They snuggled in for early and short naps, and then our friends arrived at about 1:30. We had a wonderful time of eating, sharing thanks, having a brief time of worship and hymns, and the boys even played football outside while the mommies cleaned up the kitchen. We felt blessed to have so many friends to share the holiday with!



The rest of our weekend included shoveling the pond to play hockey (Elisa is a pretty good puck-handler),



and taking a spur of the moment day trip to West Yellowstone to cross country ski. We left at 6:00 AM, arrived at 9:00, and skied from 10:00 until 5:00 - with an hour break for a picnic lunch at the car. Elisa tried her new (used) skis out for the first time. The expression of mixed determination and exhilaration on her face was priceless. She loved it, and wants to ski every day once "God gives us more snow in the yard." It was hard to get her back in the Chariot to let Erik and I ski for a few hours! She skied three times, each for about half an hour. I think Sadie will be ready to join her next year. It's amazing how easily little ones pick up new things. They don't worry about looking awkward or falling - they just do it!





On Sunday, we loaded the kids up again and headed out to the woods to chop down our Christmas tree. We found a tree quickly and tried to interest kiddos in sledding. They both took one run with Daddy, but the snow is not deep enough for a soft ride, so no one wanted a second turn. We returned home and shared some turkey barley soup with friends. We had a fabulous weekend as a family -- but this little baby and I are tired! :)

With Child

I know my sisters and mom would like to see my growing tummy, so I am going to post a picture, in spite of my hesitations about doing so. I've never actually taken a "belly shot" in my previous pregnancies, so this is a new and somewhat vulnerable experience! :) I had Elisa take the picture this morning after my doctor's appointment. I thought she did pretty well at actually snapping the photo while Mommy was centered in the viewfinder. It is a little blurry,but my tummy actually made it into the shot! Maybe we have a future photographer?
So -- here it is.
Gestational Age: 25 weeks, 4 days


Other Pregnancy Stats from this morning: (I am following in the footsteps of my big sister and friend Hannah by giving you all the nitty gritty details)
Fetal Heart Rate: 158
Blood Pressure: 124/76
Fundal Height: 24
Weight Gain: Hmm... maybe I'm not quite that brave! :)


I love being pregnant. I don't love heartburn, or the constant cramping in my ever practicing uterus, or the backaches. But I love carrying life inside my belly. This morning I waited at the doctor's for about an hour, perusing all the pregnancy magazines on the waiting room tables and wishing I had not left my book in the car, but not quite willing to venture into the cold to retrieve it. I was amused and a little offended by the trendy use of the slang terms "prego" and "preggers" in those hip magazines. To me, being able to nurture a life is so much more precious and frail than those slang words make it seem -- a gift not to be taken lightly or belittled. I prefer the old-fashioned terminology: being "with child," or "expecting." I am grateful to have a tiny child with me every moment of the day, and I am eagerly expecting God to fulfill His miracle of life by allowing this child to be born healthy and whole on the day of His choosing.

Praising Him for growing life!

A Birthday Party

Yesterday, Sadie turned two. She woke up in the wee hours of the morning in order to go potty, and never quite settled back to sleep, so she spent the day a little bit sleepy and snuggly. I had made whole wheat cinnamon rolls the night before (our family birthday morning tradition) and those baked while the girls and I sipped our morning decaf tea and let Erik sleep in. :) We had decorated her chair with pink ribbon and placed a construction paper crown and her present at her place. When Erik came downstairs, we shared breakfast with "Princess Sadie," and let her open the gift -- a collection of Paddington Bear stories.

After early naps and a family run in the afternoon, Sadie's friends came to celebrate with us. Three other families brought the child count to nine -- not including three-week old Megan, who slept soundly in her carseat throughout the whole party. The kids made teddy bear puppets, ate homemade pizza, ran around wildly through the house (our house is great for running in circles), and then sang "Happy Birthday" while Sadie got a little help from Mommy to blow out the candles on her teddy bear cake. She was pretty mellow... preferring to cuddle Mom or Dad rather than chase her friends. But she did like her cake - pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. Yum!

She loved the refurbished antique doll bed from Nana. It's adorable, and was the perfect present. Twice today, she has tucked baby Faith in bed and sang, "Jesus Loves Me" to her sleepy doll. Now, we have four "daughters" to tuck in their cozy beds at each nap or bedtime, since Elisa's doll Abby sleeps in the old American Girl doll bed I saved up for as a girl living in this same house! She also made a grand production of tucking Grandma and Grandpa's stiff and shiny $2 bill in her piggy bank, and wearing the new fuzzy clothes from Uncle Adam and Aunt Kristen.


Blowing out the candles!

"See cake again, Mama. See cake," was the afternoon refrain.

Plates of pizza and lots of little girls. Believe it or not, nine girls and one lone and brave little man.

This is actually from today, but I am not good at rearranging the pictures I upload. Erik went for a long run in the snow this afternoon, and came back with a frozen beard, and in Sadie's words, "Covered snow, Dad. All-covered snow."

Happy Birthday!

Things we love about our Sadie --

~She is silly.
~She is sweet.
~She is a snuggly girl.
~She can say her ABCs (most of the way through; she tends to skip HIJK and go straight to LMNOP)
~She can sing entire songs unprompted, and dances with actual rhythm.
~She is timid about new experiences, but usually loves them. For instance, walking in the snow!
~When you give her correction, she cocks her head and says, "Oh," or "Sorry," and then (usually) changes her behavior.
~She is sensitive and receptive to instruction. She definitely has a hint of Wachob stubbornness, but the times of outright rebellion to our direction are few.
~She adores her big sister. If Elisa is still napping when she wakes up, she asks repeatedly to go "wake up sissy, please." However, she has also been known to pinch her big sister when big sister is not responding as she would like. We're working on that one.
~She loves "God-books," and will actually leaf through my devotionals and Bible for quite some time with interest.
~She is excited to be a big sister. When I weaned her a few months ago, I told her she had to stop nursing because the baby in my tummy needed the milk. She instantly stopped, and will often reach down my shirt and remind herself, "Mommy's milk, for baby." That might be more info than you wanted, but I think it's darling.
~She is becoming a more adventurous eater. In fact, tonight, she ate a tiny piece of banana pepper off Daddy's salad. Even I won't eat that! Her favorite foods are still waffles, oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, pizza, and peanut butter - on anything.
~She loves her big girl bed, and has made that transition seamlessly.

We celebrate you, little two-year-old!

Random Fall Photos

I promised Emily and Michelle a blog post - these photos are a little old, but hopefully you can appreciate the girls in all their sweet excitement, and also the way fall vacillates so often between snow and sunshine here in the mountains. :)

It has been a busy fall -- Erik has enjoyed many weekends of hunting with his friends, and we were blessed to have another elk to butcher and freeze. I love feeding my family organic, grass-fed, free-range elk! :) I don't necessarily love grinding and chopping the raw meat, but I am so thankful for God's provision of a full freezer.

Elisa and I are loving morning preschool. I think the program is great - it emphasizes learning readiness and education through story, rather than drilling my three-year-old on letters and numbers, which is definitely my preference. She loves listening to chapter books, and making crafts, and doing daily devotions. And Sadie enjoys hopping up to the table and engaging in learning with us. :)

Elisa is also doing Awana. Sadie cannot wait to be a Cubbie. She memorizes all the verses with Ellie, and she can sing, "We are Awana Cubbies, We're happy all day long. We know that Jesus loves us, that's why we sing this song!" She just doesn't have the official blue vest.

I am growing and so is the baby within me. I can't quite wear my maternity clothes yet, which is too bad for my sweet hubby, who has to see me in his comfy sweats most of the time. I think I am finally showing enough for a stranger to notice, but I'm not sure. I'll post a picture soon and you can tell me. :)


Elisa playing in our first snow. We don't have any on the ground right now. She is my little mama, clutching her Abby doll constantly and meeting all her needs for food, comfort and sleep like a veteran mother.

Sadie wouldn't sit in the snow! We'll have to get over that.

Erik on his first hunt of the season. It took about six more weekends before a small bull finally crossed his path.

Playing in the creek in mid-September.

Getting dirty! We are definitely raising outdoor children. :)

A Big Girl

Sadie Pearl - our almost two-year-old - has had a very exciting week! Early last week, we began the adventure of potty-training. I pulled out a package of pretty panties and said, "Sadie wears undies now! Sadie is a big girl. She goes potty in the potty!" We put away the diapers and made a fast transition. The first day was rough, as it seemed she couldn't quite relax on the potty chair, but by Tuesday evening, she was getting the hang of it. She has not had an accident since Friday, and has been going independently for the last two days, meaning she tells Mommy when it is time, rather than Mommy issuing reminders to stay dry every few minutes. I am so proud of her! We still are using our Bum Genius diapers at naps and bedtime, but she is very pleased with her panties, and Mommy is pleased too. So is big sister Elisa, who loved sharing in the prize M and Ms Sadie was earning during the process.

As part of being a big girl, Sadie decided she wanted to sleep in a big girl bed. I wasn't quite ready to make that transition, as Sadie is the easiest child to put down for bed. Literally, she falls asleep within 2 or 3 minutes every time. I wasn't sure how moving to a big girl bed would affect that. But - we decided to grant her wish, and on Sunday, our neighbors gave us a twin bed they had in storage. So we now have a potty-trained princess who no longer sleeps in a crib. Yeah, Sadie!





I love the girls' room. It is an absolute hodge-podge of hand-me-down furniture, and I think it's adorable. And I love the fact that the girls use the comforters Michelle and I had growing up, and that the only item we've purchased for their room is the bookshelf - which I bought for 20$ in college and painted last week with leftover paint from covering my kitchen chairs this summer. Oh, and the toddler rail on Sadie's bed. They love their room, too.




Sadie pulls up her pants by herself after going potty. She can't quite get the pants over her cute little bottom, though. :)

Catching Up

My friend Monica sent me a message the other day, reminding me I had not updated our family blog for over a month. It has been a full month! The girls and I were blessed to visit Washington for five days and spend time with my sister, my mama, little Ephraim, and my dear friend Ashley -- all on our way to spend a week in Alaska with Erik's parents. Erik joined us in Anchorage, and we had a wonderful, sunny week with Grandma and Grandpa Wachob. We camped for two nights on the bay in Seward. Erik and I saw porpoises from our sea kayak. So beautiful! The girls loved being with their grandparents, and adapted amazingly well to time and schedule changes.

We arrived at our house only minutes before our friends Erin and Karl pulled in from Colorado. They spent three nights with us before driving to Oregon and Washington for their own fall vacation. We were so thankful they included a stop at our house on their road trip itinerary. :)

Then, last weekend, Erik's brother and sister-in-law flew in from North Carolina. Kristen had planned a surprise trip to reunite the brothers. Due to a missed flight, they ended up hitchhiking from the airport, then stealing my hubby's car from the parking lot of the hospital and surprising him by pulling up in front of our OB/GYN office in his hijacked Land Cruiser. I had an ultrasound scheduled that morning, and they were about 14 hours later than planned. The surprise went off with different timing than Kristen and I had planned, but it was awesome! The boys hunted elk in 12-degree weather, and all of us enjoyed the adventure of wood-cutting and hot springs soaking with friends.


Okay, so we have a very basic scanner, and I realize these photos are terrible. But, meet our baby! We had not gone to the doctor yet, so this visit at 19 weeks was the first time we had heard the baby's heartbeat or seen him/her. Erik and I have been holding this precious life so lightly in our hearts as we realize it is a gift regardless of whether he or she is ours to keep. With my heart in that mode of both tender thankfulness and also recognition of life's fragility -- I was almost shocked to discover that our baby is beautiful and healthy and well. Praise God!

As we are parents of two girls, you can imagine the response of those whom we share our happy news with. "I bet you are hoping for a boy this time!" A friend in our Bible Study even went so far as to pray out loud that God would give us a boy. As I have taken in those (well-meant) comments, I have worried that Erik would feel similarly - that he would also have the mindset that our family "needs" a boy. But, as we have talked and shared our hearts, I have discovered that my amazing husband does not feel that way at all! Both of us will be thrilled regardless of who this child is. We are overwhelming thankful that the baby is growing well and seems healthy. Whay a joy! God is good. So, we decided together to let God keep His secrets and wait until the birth to find out the gender of our little bundle. And for those of you beloved friends and family who have been praying for a boy - you can stop! God's already made that decision, and we are thankful that He is the one who gets to! :)

I thought about posting a belly picture, but I don't show very much yet to the naked eye. Or perhaps, I show to the naked eye, but not the fully clothed one. :)

We are loving fall and the crisp air -- the way it can be frosty and frigid at dawn and then warm up to the 50s. Our favorite time of year!

Butterflies

Elisa and Sadie love butterflies. In fact, they think butterflies are absolutely exquisite. They love wearing the butterfly wings they got at a friend's recent birthday gathering. They love watching butterflies in the garden. They love reading stories about butterflies. And they love, love, love clothes bedecked in butterflies.

Yesterday, I found a box from Nana in the mail. Inside was an outfit for each girl. Elisa's pink shirt was smocked with, you guessed it, tiny butterflies! Sadie's, however, was striped, with an embroidered apple on the pocket. Elisa looked at the bounty and frowned. "Mommy, Sadie will be so, so sad, because mine has a butterfly and hers doesn't. Sadie, are you sad? It's okay. Even if it doesn't have a butterfly, you still just smile and say, "Thanks for the shirt, Nana.""

I love hearing the little lessons we teach Elisa come out when she is "mothering" her little sister. "Sadie," she said the other day, "When Mommy tells you to do something, you just say, 'Okay.' You don't argue." Or, "Sadie, you don't get to have dessert unless you eat all your dinner. You should eat your dinner, like me."

My little caterpillar is morphing into a very grown up, and exquisite, butterfly. :)

Ten Sisterchicks in San Antonio

On Thursday morning, my alarm went off at 5:00 AM. I showered, gathered my suitcase and purse, and kissed my sleeping daughters and drowsy husband good-bye as my friend Jenn's van pulled into our driveway. We boarded a plane to Dallas with seven other girls. One girl had taken an earlier flight; another would leave later that night. Jenn's 10-week-old daughter Zoe slept through my most of the flight, and we were able to chat over airplane cups of orange juice. Four days of girlish pampering and fellowship awaited us in San Antonio!

When the plane landed in Dallas, we discovered our connecting flight had been canceled. They had dispersed our group over three later flights, but with a bit of finagling and a lot of God's gracious intervention, we all landed in San Antonio - only three hours late. My friend Dancy's parents picked us up at the airport and drove us forty-five minutes to the riverfront resort they run as a business. We stowed our bags and explored the beautiful grounds. Chef Neals brought out plates of wontons and Dancy's mom poured chilled white wine for the non-pregnant ladies. Dinner was served - chef salads, cold blueberry soup, croissants, and decadent chocolate mousse. When we finished our opulent meal, we loaded back into the cars and headed out for evening pedicures. Ooh La La! Back at the house, we grabbed our unfinished desserts and headed down to the dock to enjoy the cool night.

In the morning, I awoke early (along with Dancy and Becca). Devotions outside in the early morning breeze, listening to the chatter of birds, a swim in the pool, and then breakfast poolside, still in our swimsuits. After eating our fill of eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, fried potatoes and Mexican pastires, we all headed to a nearby outlet mall. Some of the girls were on a shopping mission, while a few of us (the ones who get overwhelmed by places like Walmart, Target and malls) wandered slowly and made only a few purchases. We met for lunch and then dispersed again. When we arrived home, we swam for an hour, showered, and then dressed "up" for a night on the San Antonio riverwalk. A babysitter arrived for Blythe's six-month-old son Cade, and baby Zoe was again tucked in her carseat for a catnap. We parked downtown, walked to the famed Alamo, then took a street trolley to the Mexican market for dinner. All ten of us ordered the same green chile enchiladas, much to the amusement of our waiter. A mariachhi band serendaded us and we tried our best to sing along. With full tummies, we wandered back to the riverwalk and explored the touristy area of San Antonio. When the heat and crowds grew too much, we entered an air-conditioned restaurant for sopapillas and ice water.

The next morning, I again rose early and found a bench swing to sit and read my Bible while the day awakened. It was so warm and peaceful and still.... Breakfast was served poolside again - made-to-order omelets, cinnamon rolls, and fruit. We spent the morning lounging on the dock and swimming in the bathwater warm Guadelupe River. The ski boat wasn't working, so we just swam and floated and basked in the heat until Neals summoned us for lunch back up at the house. As I ate cold Thai noodles and chicken salad, followed by puff-pastries filled with strawberries and custard, I noticed a bouquet of roses on the table with my name on them! Erik had sent me flowers! I was feeling ridiculously pampered and spoiled, and a little bit guilty for this lavishness.... and then I remembered that "every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of heavenly lights." We bless our Father most when we simply recieve his precious gifts with grateful hearts. So I opened my heart, breathed deeply, and received His gifts.

By early evening, the boat was working, and we took turns water-skiing and wake-boarding on the smooth river. It was so fun! I had not skiied for three years, but I amazingly remembered how! :) It was awesome to see the two girls who had not skiied before get up on two skis.

Dinner was brought to us on the dock - an amazing Texas feast. Salad, coleslaw, texas toast, corn casserole, baked potatoes, green beans, ribs, and pecan pie -- all of this after appetizers of shrimp and chips with homemade guacamole, wine, cocktails and soda. We took one last putter downriver in the dark, and returned to the house for showers and bed.

Sunday morning, after quiet time by the pool, we were served another decadent meal of creme brulee french toast, eggs benedict, and fruit salad. We skiied until about 11:00, then returned to pack and head to the airport.

Our trip home was unenventful. We were all eager to see our little ones and husbands. What a delightful, blessed trip with some awesome and godly ladies. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong! Let's make it an annual excursion. :)



Our dinner buffet on the dock

The house and grounds

Jenn Green skiing with Dancy at the helm

Jessie doing yoga

Becca, Dancy and Jessie

At the Alamo -- me, Jessie, Janie, Jennifer, Blythe, Jen B, Dancy, Becca, Jenn G.(and baby Zoe), and Heidi

Brave Little Ethan

I know that many of you already check the Perciantes' blog and pray often for their valiant son Ethan. Please pray for him tomorrow! You can read Valerie's words on their blog, but precious Ethan is undergoing open heart surgery tomorrow that is likely to last 10-12 hours. Our Heavenly Father has taken such perfect care of this miracle baby... please pray for the surgeons to have wisdom and stamina and skill... and for Valerie and Craig's hearts as they wait and pray tomorrow and in the days to come. Thanks!

Another Blessing

We are so excited to share with you that we are anticipating the joy of another baby! Wachob blessing #3 is due to arrive in early March, and Erik and I (and the girls) are thrilled. Even as we hold lightly to this precious gift, we are thankful to the Lord that He has again allowed us to partner with Him in the creation of a life, a soul, a voice to praise His name. Elisa and Sadie both love to hug and kiss my yet un-rounded belly and talk to the baby. They think it will be a third girl, and so does Erik. I think it will be a boy. However, that information will remain blissfully in God's keeping until our son or daughter makes his or her appearance sometime around the fourth of March. :)

A Month Later

My sister sent me a capitalized email a few days ago - demanding a blog update. I felt a little sheepish as I realized how long it had been. I know some of you check often! (Emily, Amy, Melissa... sorry, guys!) For some reason, I have had had a hard time keeping up with chores and daily tasks lately, much less the weeding and reading and letter-writing, and, yes, blogging. Elisa's naps have been fewer lately, and it is hard to keep her "down" during prescribed rest times. Sometimes it takes two hours to get her to sleep, and then the day is gone! :) Any other mommys of almost-four-year-olds out there who can identify with this glitch in their daily quiet time? :)

We have been so blessed to have Michelle return for a month... working at my dad's orthopedic office here in town. It is fun to have my sweet sister occupying our guest room. The girls adore her, and I think that most of the time she adores them, too. :) We will miss her when she leaves in a week and a half.

I have been working a few weekend shifts a month on the OB unit at the local hospital... to maintain nursing skills and keep my license current. It has been fun and challenging... Erik has had some fun Saturdays with the girls!

Working a bit has also somewhat cramped our summer style, so that there has been less hiking, camping, canoeing and adventuring this year. We have squeezed in a few wonderful, warm days together. In mid-July, we camped by the Gros Ventre River with friends from church. John and Erik decided a four-wheeling exploration was in order, so we piled into our big-wheeled man-cars and took to some barely navigatable dirt trails. We forded rivers, crossed a rickety wooden bridge, and scaled steep, narrow, moutain paths. I think that if either of the couples had been alone, the adventure would not have happened, but there was an element of, "If Heather will let John do this, then I can let Erik...." :) Heather and John have four children. Their youngest is about six months older than Elisa. They are a fun, godly couple, and it was fun to share a campfire with them. We took Erik's two-man tent instead of our big family one, and it worked so much better. The girls were warm, squished and unable to move. They slept like two little rocks. I even slept better than usual because the sleeping pads were crammed so close together that no pebbles or hard earth poked my hips during the night. We are looking forward to another camping trip at the end of August -- this time in Steamboat Springs, CO while we attend a friend's wedding.



Around the campfire

Sharing cocoa

Crossing the river (John and Heather's Suburban)


Colder weather and a falling snowline seem to be heralding the end of summer. Erik and I both love fall above any other season, so we are excited for cool air, changing leaves, simmering soup, sweaters and school books. However, we would love a few more warm summer days, too.

God Loves A Cheerful Giver

Tonight we served dinner at the local mission with our small group. As I was packing trays of enchiladas into coolers to take with us, Elisa asked why I had made so much food. I explained that God had blessed us with an abundance, and that tonight, we were going to share with others who don't have enough food to eat. She thought for a moment, and then said, "Mommy, I would like to share, too." So she grabbed another cooler, and wandered around the kitchen filling it with her favorite foods: a package of mac and cheese, a handful of fruit leathers, Ziploc bags stuffed with crackers. Then she said, "We should share a soda. Grown-ups like soda." So in went one of Uncle Forrest's Mountain Dews. "Do you think that's enough, Mom?" She surveyed the bounty and added, "I'm learning to think of other people, Mommy. That makes God happy."

Yes, sweetheart, it does. I love seeing the tender side of my little fiery girl. She makes Jesus grin, don't you think?

Pictures of July

We have been blessed to host most of our extended Norris family here over the last few weeks... a wedding celebration for Bailey and Alfred, and lots of summer fun as we explored Jackson with family. Here are a few snapshots. I will update more later!

Book Reviews!

During the past month, I have been blessed beyond measure by studying the book of Ruth through a Precepts Bible Study. I have learned so much about the Word of God and how beautifully individual books are woven together in perfect, God-inspired unity. The Bible is an amazing book, and my excitement to study it has grown exponentially in recent weeks.

I have also been thankful to read some rich Christian books and wanted to share my "book reviews" with you. I am learning to seek truth from the true source first, but I am grateful for the insights of Bible-focused Christ-followers who are wiser than I, and much further along in their journeys of faith! I have found myself veering somewhat off of my initial book list as I have grown excited about particular topics.

Because He Loves Me, by Elyse Fitzgerald. This is a wonderful book about how the truth of the Gospel should transform our daily lives. I have been reading and discussing it with my neighbor, Sera, and while we are not quite finished, I have been deeply impacted by her insights on how the Gospel is central to each moment of our lives, and how the way we think about our position as saints can transform our motives, our heart and the practicalities of our day-to-day existence. Christ wants to transform us; His sacrifice is meant not only to save us from eternal death, it is meant to give us new spiritual life!

Practicing Hospitality, by Lisa Tatlock and Pat Ennis. A very practical read about incorporating Biblical hospitality into our lives. This was a challenging and inspiring book for me. We are so blessed to live in a large and welcoming home -- I want us to glorify God in how we use it. Want to come over for dinner? :)

Heaven in the Home, by Ginger Plowman. This was a reread, and it is also wonderful! A balanced book about how to create a Christ-honoring home-life - a haven for our families with the outward focus of serving and ministering to others. She has sections on conflict managment, discipline, creating a daily schedule, keeping your home organized - you name it!

The Love Dare. I finally finished this one! It took me a while to wade through the forty days. I enjoyed reading it, and thought it was a very Christ-honoring book on loving your spouse unconditionally. It made me appreciate the beautiful romance I share with my husband. We have such a blessed marriage, and I love him more each day. I want to love him better, serve him more selflessly, and enjoy him more completely. I don't think Erik reads my blog, but honey, if you read this one, you are my Mr. Marvelous and I am grateful to pour my love into your life. :)

Set-Apart Femininity, by Leslie Ludy. This book was my favorite read in recent years. Leslie portrays a beautiful picture of Godly womanhood -- not an inward-beauty brought about by allowing "self to flash off frame and face," but a Godly beauty brought about by laying down self and allowing Christ to live through you. It is Christ that makes a woman radiant. Leslie's book challenged me and gave me a clear picture of valiant femininity. I long for God to transform my heart and love the lost through me.

The Bravehearted Gospel, by Eric Ludy. I was so inspired by Leslie's book that I decided to read her husband's recent book, as well. This is a book about the "manly stuff" of the Gospel, although he is clear that the truths presented are for men and women alike. It is the "grit" of Godliness - a return to truth and brave-hearted loyalty to Christ. We live in a society and even a church culture that is "emerging" and becoming tolerant to the point of becoming mushy - where truth is personal and "springy," where holiness is a bad word, and where the feminine aspects of allure and tenderness are more valued than the sword of truth that battles for the Kingdom of God. Eric calls for a return to bravehearted Gospel that fights for truth and sets the captives free. Amen!

Holiness, the Heart God Purifies, by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. A challenging book about turning from sin and honoring God in every area of our lives. I enjoyed it so much that I invited a group of women from our church to do a book-club meeting studying it at the end of July. Anyone interested?

Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes, by Robin Jones Gunn. I confess. My frivolous read in the last few months, my favorite fiction author. And I loved it.

Ask me if you want to borrow any of these great books!

After the Storm

This afternoon, Erik and the girls hunkered beneath the eaves of our house and watched a spring storm douse the yard. Then, they went out to play in the aftermath. Here are some photos of the fun.

From Yellowstone to West Virginia

The last two weeks have been filled with coast-to-coast adventures. On the the 16th, Erik and I loaded two sleepy girls into the car at 4 a.m., and drove north to Yellowstone. We greeted the slow-rising day by stopping at Artist's Point to view the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with all its morning glorious yellows and pinks. We stopped often to view wildlife as we trekked to the Lamar Valley. We saw two wolves lying in wait for a female elk; they had forced her out to a shallow patch in the lake, and she stood still there for hours, knowing they had her cornered. We saw black and grizzly bears, big horn sheep, bison, sand-hill cranes, swans, great blue herons... We stopped to tour geyser basins and hot springs, and picnicked while viewing a grizzly on the hill. We spent the night in the historic Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, and the girls and I spent a quiet morning while Erik drove away in the dark in search of more wildlife. When he returned, we headed towards Old Faithful, stopping to fry pancakes and bacon at a lookout along the way. Elisa slept through the eruption of Old Faithful, but she loved the shimmering golds and blues of the many other geysers and bubbling springs. And she LOVED waking up to a happy cup of pink sherbet. :) It was fun to see familiar sights with the girls and to try to explain some of God's miracles in kid-friendly terms. And I was thrilled to see grizzlies and wolves - that was a first for me.

Bison crossing the road behind us

Elisa, leaning over the boiling, sparkling colors

My three favorite people in the world

We spent two nights at home, then the girls and I left on Tuesday afternoon to drive to Salt Lake and board a midnight plane to Ohio. We traveled blearily through the night, and arrived Wednesday morning. Amy, Nana and baby "Buddy" (as Sadie now calls him) were there to pick us up. Ryan's track meet began on Thursday. I am so proud of that crazy tough kid! He has class, determination, and talent and I think he's pretty great (I am not biased). He gritted out an 11th place finish in the decathlon, battling nagging injuries, a whopper of a cold, and sunstroke! He had to have an IV put in on Friday afternoon between events. The girls and Ephraim loved cheering and clapping for Uncle Ryan. He had season's best performances in the 100, the long jump, and the 400(I think), and personal bests (ever) in the pole vault and shot put. I was so proud of him running the 1500 at the end... you could tell he was so tired, but on the last lap he went deep and pushed hard. We are so thankful we had the opportunity to be there to cheer for Ryan and his awesome teammates.

We were able to stay in a beautiful brick hotel across the river in West Virginia. The 500 square foot room offered plenty of space for three babies to toddle, and all three slept well. We felt pampered by the services they offered, and were sad to leave! Seriously, I don't think any of us realized the history and beauty this corner of the country offered. We were in Amish country, and it was green and beautiful and full of age-old stories. We wished we had arranged to stay another day or two.

On Monday, Ryan's sweet girlfriend and a handful of other teammates passed through Jackson. (They had driven to Ohio (over 35 hours) to cheer for their friends.) We were able to serve them a simple meal, offer them beds, floor space, and showers, and send them back on their way. We wished they could have stayed to see some of Jackson's beauty, but they had to hurry home. We felt honored Emily, Casey, Garrett, Adam, and Cindy stopped to see us. Thanks, guys!

At home, our lettuce is ready to harvest, and the cucumbers finally sprouted. Yeah! My tomato plants are in the ground and the sun is shining! Hurray!


Sadie playing at the pole vault.

Elisa climbing the stadium ramps

Ephraim - toppling over the netting

Up and over! He cleared 14' 7 ".

Welcome to West Virginia!