The big "4"!

I can't help but smile.  Everytime I think about Avery. 

Everytime I look at a picture of her.  Everytime I begin a story about Aves,

I just can't help but smile.

I guess there really isn't anything else I need to say but that.

My baby, the one who always makes me smile, is 4.

Birthday chocolate chip muffins, with a little bed-head of course!

Family celebration for the "baby"!

Aves is so lucky to have 2 great sisters.

I'm so lucky to have 2 great helpers!

Scooby Doo Haunted Mansion ~ what else do you get a wild child!

Sisterly fun ~

Fred saving Thelma from the haunted mansion.

Where did Avery learn that?  Should have been Thelma saving him!

What a beautiful girl!

Birthday party at Jacob's Gymnastics!

Couple of sisters 'monkeying' around!

Aves with the best daddy in the world!

Avery's favorite part ~ the trampoline!

Party time!

Cutie pie!

Fun at present time! Puppies! They weren't 'real' but they'll do!

Happy Birthday to my dear baby Avery!

I love you more than words could ever express and I thank

God everyday for giving you to me! 



9/11 - We remember

I pray for all those who lost their life 10 years ago today.

I pray for all those who sacrificed their life 10 years ago today,

and continue to do so still.

I pray for our country that 10 years ago today came together

in unity.  We were the UNITED States more than

ever before or ever since.

I praise God that he was with us then, and is with us

today, and will be with us tomorrow.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. 

But take heart, because I have overcome the world"

John 16:33

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths;

bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.

you honor me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23

10 years ago today, I was 31 weeks pregnant with Claire and

had just spent the night in the hospital.  We were sent home

very early that morning, and I was put on bed rest.

As I laid in bed, unable to get up or get away, I watched

the plane hit the second tower, live on TV.

I remember the next few days as a blur of crying, fear,

disbelief, shock.

Mostly, I remember praying and asking God how I could

bring a baby into this world.  What would happen to her?

What kind of world would she grow up in?

I was so scared of what her future might hold.

As the days turned to weeks, and months and years,

I still go back to those same questions:

How can I bring a baby up in this world?

What kind of world will she grow up in?

Except today I have a different answer.

Today I know that she is here to make a difference in this world.

This side of heaven is not always easy.  It is not fair.  It is not just.

But it is so full of possibility.  Full of opportunity.

I believe that we have a chance today to make a difference.

We make a difference in the lives of our children.

We raise them showered in the Grace of our loving God.

We teach them to practice peace and kindness. 

We keep them by our side, as we serve those in need.

We make sure they are rooted in faith and truth,

and then we let them go.

I believe today that my baby, the baby I was so scared to 

bring into this world, is going to do amazing things.

I don't know exactly how God will use her, but I have faith that

it will be in beautiful and wonderful ways.

 Lord, I pray for peace.  I pray for your protection

from evil.  I pray that you guide our hearts and our

actions as we go out today and everyday to

proclaim your love and serve in your name.

Amen

It's official: We have 3 kids in school!

You can buy the pencils and crayons.

You can get their haircut.

You can buy the "first day of school" outfit.

You can snap the "first day" picture.

You can attend curriculum night.

You can sign the homework sheets.

You can do all of those things, but you really know they're in

school when you have to devote an entire wall to organize it!

Here is our "calendar wall" complete with

the 3 new backpack hooks!

They keep us busy!

3 girls, hauling purple, loving their schools, their teachers, their friends!

What a blessing ~

As you know, Aves often sleeps with us.  So, this morning

she and I had slept in.  I was awake and just watching her sleep.

As she woke up, she slowly opened her eyes, and reached

out to hold my hand, as she often does throughout the night.

As she smiled up at me she said, "do you have to go to work today?"

"No, I get to stay with you all day", I said.

She gave me a huge smile and said, "good."

In another time, that little exchange may have made me sad.

It may have made me regret going to work.  It may have made

me think that I should pull her out of school and stay home

with her all day.  But, today, I did not feel that.

I felt incredibly grateful.

Grateful that she was so happy to be with me.

Even more grateful that I was so happy to be with her!

Grateful that she goes to such a great school, that she loves so much.

Grateful that the first thing she did when she got up was go grab

a book (Polar bear, Polar bear) to 'read' to me because she

learned to read it at school and couldn't wait to show me.

Grateful that I know what I have today and how precious

that is.

Nothing is perfect.  No situation is always right or always wrong.

I am grateful for exactly where we are today.

I praise God for the life I have and the gift of

being present in the moment to enjoy it!

ISU takes home the CyHawk trophy!!

I may work at Simpson College, but I spent many

great years at ISU!!

Go Cyclones!!

Avery: the only Cyclone fan in my family.

Her sisters are Hawkeye traitors! :)

 I think this is the smile that won the game!

Future ISU cheerleader??



Avery: the school girl!

If there is one certainty in this world, it is this:

Avery will never be left behind!

Our baby Avery is a big girl!

And, she has a big girl backpack to prove it!

Avery is off to Sayre Montessori as well.

She is in their Pre K-Kindergarten classroom.

This is such a perfect fit for her!  She gets to

hangout with kids all day, playing and learning!

When "the little kids are sleeping", Avery

gets to continue to learn with the Kindergartners

in her class.  So cool!

Aves first day of school!  How is it possible that

I have 3 kids in school!?!?

Don't let her fool you, she is NOT shy!

Aww, my big girl!

Now, there's the Aves I know and love!

Mr. Jansen, one of her 2 teachers, walking her in ~

Her own hook and cubby ~

I am so grateful for Avery.  She is such an amazing kid!

And, I'm so grateful for the brave teachers at Sayre

that are going to take what makes Avery so special

and teach her to use if for good! : )

Ella's first day of 2nd grade!

This is an incredibly, super-duper, extra special

first day of school!

Ella started her first day of 2nd grade at a new school!

She will be attending Sayre Montessori School

this year!  It is a wonderful, private school that focuses

on a more individual, student driven learning approach.

Instead of tests, worksheets and lectures, you'll find Ella

and her 6 classmates working with manipulatives,

gardening, and exploring at their own pace and interest level.

Sounds amazing, doesn't it!

We did not arrive at our decision to have Ella try a new school lightly!

We have spent the last 2 years persuading and encouraging

Ella to go to school, like school, stay in school.

Waukee schools are excellent!  They are top-quality, wonderful

schools. Especially Shuler, where Claire goes to school.

Kids learn differently.  Bottom line.

Our job as parents is to help our child discover what kind

of learner she is and then find a place that can

help her be as successful as possible, while also enjoying

these early years!

Well, we have our first week under our belt and...

I think we found the perfect place for Ella!

There is no greater moment for a parent than to hear

your daughter say, "We have school tomorrow? Yea!

I love school!"

The 'classic' first day of school pose ~

My amazing, beautiful girl~

Proud daddy ~

Parenting is hard.  Sometimes I want to just find the

perfect "fit, solution, activity, philosophy"

that will make my children grow up happy and perfect.

Unfortunately, that is not going to happen.

Instead, I have to pray for strength and guidance,

stay close and communicate with my husband,

share with the parents who have come before me

and walk beside me, and then do what feels like

the next right thing to do. 

I have faith that God has given me these girls

to love and care for now, and that

their future is in his loving hands.

Play that funky music....

Here is another great video from Rock the Roof.

It's a little longer, but well worth it.

At the beginning, you find Avery after just climbing up

on the side of the stage.  She is shy and not sure if

she wants to join in.  So fun to watch her

ease her way over.

Also, toward the end, you'll see Claire and Ella

singing, "play that funky music white boy".

Awesome!