Schuconnected

It's a......

2012-01-09T15:54:00.002-05:00

Hi again!

Here are the top 5 reasons I am excited to have another little GIRL!!!

1. (Is it bad that this is the first thing that comes to mind?) I get to dress two little girls each day! It's like playing dolls, but for grown ups. I know it will only last a little while before they have opinions, but it's still so fun!

2. I don't have to re-paint the nursery. There are big beautiful flowers on the wall. It would've been sad to paint over them.

3. In my experience so far, girls sleep through the night months earlier than boys. I know it's just my experience, but I can be hopeful right?

4. We don't have to try and name a boy (a difficult feat for us). At least for now.

5. Greta and baby #3 will be very close in age, and hopefully have tons of fun together.

Well, we're definitely excited for lots of reasons. The best news is that our baby is healthy and so beautiful. I am in love already! God is so good. We're very thankful, and we're trusting God to help Jude be thankful for another sister soon!

News...

2011-12-12T22:55:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone!

Well, we haven't posted in quite a while, but here's our most current news: Baby Schu #3 is due June 1st! We're excited. With all the being tired and sick first-trimester stuff, I haven't got around to posting. Also, our camera needs a little TLC, so there aren't many new pics to show.

Other tidbits:

Jude ran his first Turkey Trot. He ran the whole kilometer. Afterward, I asked him if he had fun. He said, "No." I guess it was hard, but I was proud that he didn't give up!

I (Stevi) get to getaway this weekend to be in a dear friend's wedding in Indiana. I am passing through Kentucky, which will be a very special Christmas blessing. I am looking forward to spending time with some of my best friends.

Gladys, one of our Boston Terriers, passed away on Sept. 30th. In the end, we're glad...she was sick and tormented for a long time. And things are much easier around here with only one SANE dog. We loved her, but we are also grateful that she's at rest. Though, we miss the old days when she was just a fun little energy bundle.

Hopefully we'll be back with pictures soon! For now, we'd love your prayers for baby #3, and we wish everyone a Merry Christmas, filled with joy in our Savior's coming!

Happy 1st Birthday Greta

2011-09-10T23:09:00.000-04:00

Today was Greta's first birthday. Hard to believe. We had a small (family only) birthday party with a balloon theme.

Here are a couple of pics of her birthday outfit. Stevi was pretty pumped about this one.

Oma made Greta some cake balls that looked like balloons. They were yummy.

Greta and Jude love balloons, but they do not like popping balloons, so they didn't enjoy the trampoline that we filled with balloons as much as the rest of the cousins. Here is a video of the trampoline.

August and other stuff

2011-08-26T13:03:00.005-04:00

Well, August is almost gone. We've been very busy getting ready for Troy's fourth year at Veritas to start, and enjoying time with friends and family. We spent a long weekend in San Antonio. The day after we got back, some family from Spokane came to visit (my mom's brother and family). We packed as much fun as possible into four days! Other than our dog trying to eat theirs, and the 107 degree weather, it was just about perfect!

Here are some pics:

Greta climbed in our suitcase in San Antonio...sadly, this is the only pic. I took the whole time.

Back in Austin...

Everyone enjoying one of our favorite Burger joints: PTerry's

The bats flying out from under the congress street bridge. Austin has the largest urban bat colony in the world...over 1 million bats live under this bridge!

My cousins, Seth and Hannah, on the Congress St. Bridge

Their dog, Lucy.

Troy, Jude, Seth, and my Uncle Paul

Did I mention it's 107 degrees?

This is an older pic of Greta and me. I think maybe mid-July...

This is another older one...Greta now takes a few steps, but this was what she did for a LONG time.

Other news...(don't get too excited). We just started school, well technically, Troy is the only one who started school...but we all feel very invested. The start of the year is always crazy. Like I said, Greta has started taking a few steps. She doesn't really fall into the "walker" category yet, but she'll take about 10 steps between two people. Her first birthday is coming up on Sept. 10th. I can't believe she's already almost 1. Jude is 3 1/2, and currently most passionate about Monster Trucks.

We got a bout 2 minutes of rain yesterday...it felt like heaven. Then it stopped. Bummer. The drought is pretty bad here. I am so thankful we have food sources, etc. that don't depend on this immediate area. I often think about the pain of those who really suffer from drought, where they actually pray for rain just to keep them alive. I don't fully understand, but even here, people are starting to be a little fearful. It makes me pray often for rain, and for others who need it.

I guess the other thing in our life this summer is that we've been really praying for a few particular people and families of those who have been impacted by cancer. One family member, one old friend (who actually just passed away, so we're praying for his family...we're so thankful he's in heaven with the Savior who he dearly loved), and others we know more distantly. But it seems to be a theme, that God is reminding us that this life is unpredictable, and even sometimes cut short. We trust in His goodness and His timing. We are sobered by the heaviness we feel for those who are suffering, and praying above all that God would show his love and grace to them in very tangible ways...and that they would know His love more deeply. Though His plans aren't always easy, we know He loves, comforts, and walks through darkness with the needy. He can give peace that surpasses comprehension, even in the lowest valleys. I encourage you to pray for those you love who need His comfort most right now.

We love you all!

The Schuknechts

New Pictures

2011-07-27T10:52:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone! Here are some recent pics...more to come!

Greta chewing on a foam dart...

Jude wearing Uncle Peter's hat.

We have this game called "Elephun" where you catch butterflies out of an elephant's trunk in these nets. They also make great hats.

We found Jude reading in our room...on our bed pillows...and no, he's not wearing anything under that book!

Jude and I made turtle bread, and Troy cooked it on his new Big Green Egg (birthday present).

Romans 7

2011-05-06T23:12:00.003-04:00

In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul writes, "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate." and later, "For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.."
He's referring to the war of the two natures within us -the Law of God (or Spirit), and the flesh. I feel this battle every day, as I know who I desire to be in Christ, and yet it's so HARD to actually exercise self-discipline and DO (or not do) certain things.

But Jude is feeling the battle, this week...and it's making all the more poignant for me. He said a couple days ago, "Mommy, I know it's bad to do naughty things...and I don't know why I do naughty things!" and he also said on Wednesday, "I just don't know why I disobeyed Opa! I don't want to disobey."

Wow! I am glad he's listening to his conscience, and that he's seeing his inability to be righteous on his own. Maybe his heart will soon see his need for a Savior who loves him, forgives him, and gives him strength to do the good he wants to do.

Isn't it amazing that the truth of the Bible practically flows out of his three-year-old heart? He knows the truth about his nature. It reminds me of the truth about mine. Oh, how we need His grace....I am so thankful He loves us, and offers His forgiveness when we fail.

Do I have to admit it?

2011-04-28T15:25:00.004-04:00

There's a cardboard spaceship in my living room,
A stool in each bathroom, and locks on my cupboards.
In the ceiling fan dwells a tangled grocery store balloon.
Next to our couch: baseball bats and swords...

There are blue Crocks in the dishwasher,
There's a rainbow of chalk on the front walk,
My makeup is war paint, dishtowels: burp rags
The window: a yogurt finger-painting masterpiece.

In my stereo: Veggie Tales. On my Netflix: Thomas.
I am seriously considering a swimsuit with a skirt.
I am an expert on the playgrounds in my town.
I know how different brands of diapers"fit."

My room, once a romantic retreat, is headquarters of
a massive laundry processing enterprise.
I have Costco-sized goldfish and fruit leather boxes in the pantry.
I think I am officially....a mom?

(Of course I love every minute of it...I just had a moment of realization.)

Cute

2011-04-12T23:50:00.003-04:00

Owies...

2011-03-26T15:53:00.001-04:00

Today Jude started crying when he bit his tongue while playing. I ran over to see if he was ok.

He stuck his tongue out and said, "Kith it, Mamma, it hurths."

Hmm.....

Spring Break!

2011-03-22T15:43:00.005-04:00

Wow, as I was getting ready to post this, I saw our blog has one whole follower. I'm not sure whether I should be depressed, or thankful to that one person for bothering to follow my infrequent, lackluster blog....

Anyway, here are some pictures from the last month. A month ago yesterday, Greta started solid food:

She is now liking to eat, although she still has no teeth to help her out.

Though she's been crawling backward, she figured out how to move forward on Saturday. It's been fun, but I forgot how much trouble babies can get into when they crawl. The worst part is, Jude is another variable I hadn't thought about. Today he let the dogs tear up a toilet paper roll (a favorite spectator sport of his) and Greta ate some before I got it all cleaned up. Guess you don't need teeth for cardboard!

We had spring break last week. We went camping (pics below), and had a fun adventure. A.J. (Stevi's brother) and Alisa (Troy's sister) and Haddie (our neice) came along. I forgot Jude's entire suitcase because in his effort to help, he wheeled it away from the top of the stairs where it was waiting to be loaded in the car, and leaned it against the wall in his room. So tidy....Luckily there was a Walmart nearby where we camped.

Tent camping with a baby isn't easy, but we had fun. At least we had some quality snuggle time in my sleeping bag for two long nights....you don't really sleep anyway while camping, right?

Troy was sick the whole break, in fact he had a fever for about four days, and part of our camping trip. His birthday (St. Patty's day) was sad too...he didn't even eat his special birthday breakfast.

He's doing better now, just in time to go back to work =) Poor guy.

And to top it all off, Gonzaga lost to BYU. Hopefully summer break will be better for him...

A.J. and me at the top of our hike...

The camping gang in a hollow tree.

Best picture of 2011 so far....Haddie found a pair of Jude's new wal-mart underpants in the tent...they paired perfectly with her blue leggings for a fresh new spring (Wonder Woman) look.

Jude and Haddie sharing the one kids' chair.

Jude loved the blow-up kayak we borrowed from Opa. This was one of Troy's good moments...

Troy, Greta, Haddie and Alisa at the top of our hike. It was a major hike for the kids. You can tell...

Christian Mama's Guide

2011-03-11T19:34:00.003-05:00

So my sister wrote a book about pregnancy that released last week. From what I understand, it's pretty legit. If you know someone who is pregnant, or just likes to read about being pregnant, pick up a copy!

Greta is on the move...sort of

2011-02-19T11:27:00.002-05:00

Greta can now (slowly) skooch herself about. She didn't move much in this video, but it will give you a general idea of her progress.

Parenting Backfire....

2011-02-12T16:40:00.002-05:00

The other day, Jude was standing in the kitchen while I was cooking dinner.

"Mommy," he said, " You're a bad guy. I'm a bad guy. Greta's a bad guy. Gladys (dog) is a bad guy. Ginger is a bad guy. WE'RE ALL BAD GUYS!!!"

"I don't want to be a bad guy."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do!"

"No, I don't. You can't tell me what I want to do," I said.

"Mommy, you get what you get, and you don't throw a fit!"

BACKFIRE! I guess I can blame myself for him learning that one. I was laughing so hard I just said, ok...I'll be a bad guy.

Christmas and stuff...

2011-01-28T12:29:00.005-05:00

Jude eating his all-orange breakfast at Grammy's in Spokane one morning...

Today, Jude said, "Do airplanes pick their noses? "

"No, Silly!" I said.

"But I sometimes pick my nose." replied Jude.

"Well, we're working on helping you stop that, aren't we. It's yucky."

"But, I like boogies," he confessed (because of course he eats them after he picks them).

"Well....at least you're honest, Honey."

Since our last post,we celebrated Christmas in Spokane, New Year's Day on an airplane, and Jude's 3rd birthday. He went to the monster truck rally with his uncles, cousin, Opa and Troy. Troy's school also threw a welcome party (post-baby shower) for Greta. Wow...lots of fun.

Here are some pics from Christmas break.

Greta wearing an old outfit of mine...looking elf-ish.

Greta in her Christmas dress.

Jude with his snowman.

The view from the Hanenburg house in Spokane.

Troy and Jude going sledding.

Greta...

Greta Laughed Today!

2010-12-11T23:01:00.003-05:00

As we enjoyed Greta laughing and having just a silly time, it occurred to us that we have a camera and could share that enjoyment with everyone. Not much cuter than a 3-month old laughing. By the time the camera was out, she was pretty much done giggling, but we caught one little chuckle that we'd like to share with y'all.

Jude and Marriage....

2010-11-15T17:52:00.002-05:00

Well, last night we were walking around Costco (as all responsible Americans do on Sunday evening), and I was checking out the jewelry case with Jude. I thought it was a good time to explain to him that the sapphire ring on my right hand is his. I told him that his daddy gave it to me on the night he came out of my tummy, and since it's a girl's ring, he doesn't need to wear it. I told him I will wear it for him until one day when he picks a wife, then he can give it to her.

He thought for a minute and said, "But I want you to be the wife, though."

Ahhh..there are almost no better words that could come from a 2 1/2 year old boy! I told him I will gladly be his wife someday (I'm trusting he'll change his mind at some point).

Halloween...

2010-11-11T19:30:00.003-05:00

Well, here are some pictures of Halloween, better late than never. And, in other news, Greta was two months old yesterday! She weighs 11 lbs 9 oz, and is 22 1/4 inches. She is healthy and we're so thankful for her. She's still recovering from her vaccines...wow...what a fit! She screamed for about 15 minutes afterward and only calmed down once we were out of the doctor's office and in the car. I guess she has a few opinions!

Jude's first jack-o-lantern.

Jude and Greta in costume.

Jude's friend Olivia, whom we call Olive, was an olive! They went trick-or-treating together.

You know your son's a Texan...

2010-10-29T09:43:00.002-04:00

~When he is really cold in the middle of the night and you have to explain to him what the down comforter crumpled at the foot of the bed is for...

~When he keeps telling you, "I don't like the long shorts Mommy!" (in reference to pants, which is a word he doesn't know).

~When you go to the Northwest and he says, "Look at all those Christmas trees!" (meaning pine trees...)

~When you read the book about seasons, and you get to the winter page...he looks at you like you're crazy.

~When it's 50 degrees but he tries to take his sweatshirt off and you have to explain, "It's like a blanket for your body..." because he doesn't know why on earth a person would wear one!

Greta's 1 Month B-day

2010-10-11T12:05:00.003-04:00

Here are some pics of Greta, who is now 1 month old.
First Bath. She liked it.

We met up with Mike, Ember, and Emory (Stevi's cousins) in Waco.

Jude, Grammy, and Troy got to ride on Thomas the Tank Engine when he came to town.

Greta's first week...

2010-09-19T19:54:00.003-04:00

She's nine days old today! We are so thankful for her. God has truly blessed us with a beautiful, healthy, sleepy baby. Jude seems to think she's acceptable so far, and he's been enjoying her. He's particularly interested in her umbilical cord and when it will fall off....

Here are some more pictures from the past week...

More Pics of Greta

2010-09-13T18:08:00.002-04:00

We are home now and it is nice. Greta is just sleeping a lot, but she has been a very easy baby so far! We are actually decently well rested. The first picture below is the outfit she wore when we left the hospital. The booties and hat were knitted by a student at Veritas named Caroline.

Meet Greta Mae

2010-09-10T12:35:00.002-04:00

After a night with no sleep, Greta was born at 6:28 this morning. She weighed exactly 8lbs, and stretched out 20 inches. Stevi and Greta are both healthy and we are so grateful to God for His kindness to us! Here are a few of the first shots we've taken of our beautiful little girl.

Greta's Empty Room

2010-09-05T22:35:00.004-04:00

Well, still no Greta Mae. But at least we have her room finished. If you want to take a look, we've given you two options. You can just look at this picture...or watch the 2.5 minute video tour of her room.

One month....

2010-08-18T17:17:00.002-04:00

Well, today I am officially one month away from my due date. I have been acting like I only have a couple of weeks left, since Jude was a bit early, but the possibility is real that I may have to wait a month or longer. I hope you come soon, little girl. Your knees are pokey, and you are squishing me.

Also, today is the first day of school at Troy's school. The summer has flown by, and today marks the first day of his third year at Veritas Academy!

Saturday is our family co-op. This is code for "work day." We trade once a quarter or so and all spend a day working at someone's house in our family. A couple of folks are devoted to watching kids, but the rest of us work on projects like painting, yard work, window washing, etc. This week, everyone is coming to our house to help with some projects in our pitiful backyard, and help finish getting the baby's room ready. The project I'm most excited about: Troy's sister, who is a wonderful artist, is going to paint some daisies on the nursery walls. Hopefully, we'll have pictures soon!

Potty Training....

2010-07-22T13:52:00.003-04:00

Well, Jude has been doing really well with potty training until today. Of course we were visiting with friends and he did #2 in his pants. GROSS. And, I accidentally flushed his underwear down the hotel toilet while I was trying to clean them. Good riddance, I say. Will that mess up their plumbing?

June and July....

2010-07-21T12:52:00.006-04:00

Well, I can't say my excuse for the last lapse is very good..I've had some free time this summer. I've been hanging out with Jude while Troy has been at conferences, retreats, and at work. It's a little lonely at times, but I caught up on our photo albums, I've been learning how to can things, and trying to keep walking in the mornings. The walking can be a little tough if I don't go early enough, since it's Texas and it's summer and I'm pregnant...very pregnant.

But, I'd say my excuse is just that I've been lazy about blogging. Today however, I am in a hotel room (we came along on this trip with Troy...we're in Dallas), while Jude and his friend Olivia (daughter of a close friend and co-worker, Allison) are sleeping. So, here it goes:

Baby news: I am 31 and 1/2 weeks pregnant. I really hope this baby comes a little early like Jude, but even still, I have some time left. This pregnancy has been fairly easy, but I am not a person who loves being pregnant...so I am trying to be patient. Every little bit of it will be worth it in the end...

Exciting development: Jude is potty trained. He still has a rare accident, but he's doing really well. Here's my tip: Leave on an 8-day trip to Colorado with 15 ninth graders, leave your toddler with your mother- and sister-in-law, and come home to a potty trained kid! For some reason, they thought to buy him a froggy potty, which was all it took. That idea never occurred to me. Eight days away from him was really hard, but in hind-sight it was totally worth it! YEAH! So, at least for the moment, we'll be only having one kid in diapers (once the baby is born, of course).

Church/adoption: We're enjoying our church very much. We have recently started working with the crawlers in the nursery. It's amazing how quickly I've forgotten what little ones are like. It's making me excited for my own little baby, though. We're planning to attend Together for Adoption in October (a national adoption conference that our church is co-hosting this year). Adoption is something we've been thinking and praying about for a while. We'll see how God directs our family in the future.

School: Troy's school is doing really well..especially considering that many private schools are struggling because of the economy. They will grow in enrollment again this year, and have been able to hire some amazing new staff. Troy is now officially "Head of Upper School," which means he runs the upper campus (grades 5-11 this coming year, adding 12th in fall 2011). He still loves his job, though it can be very consuming. We're thankful that he is confident it's where God wants him, and that he loves the staff and students there. It makes the long hours clearly worth it. He plans to stay...well....forever.

I will only be teaching one hour per week next fall, since I'll have a new baby. I dropped a couple of my classes this year. I am glad to not have the restrictions on my schedule, though I will miss teaching dance and girls' fitness. I suppose I'll have to work out on my own!

Pics:

Here are a couple of pictures....

Jude and Kate (cousin) playing in our yard...

Jude's big boy room. This is mostly for my Auntie Kris, who just sent him a pillowcase that matched his room exactly with out ever seeing pictures. She just pegged him for a construction truck kid, I guess...pretty good.

Jude Singing and Playing the drums

2010-06-05T23:44:00.002-04:00

IT'S A......

2010-05-09T17:20:00.003-04:00

Hey Everyone! If you haven't already heard on Facebook, or through an email, we wanted to share our exciting news that it's a GIRL! Our little one looks healthy and wonderful. We are very thankful, and Jude is excited to have a little sister. So far, I am enjoying pregnancy with a girl...she's much gentler inside than Jude was! We are so thankful for God's kindness in making her. Getting to see her on the ultrasound was a great reminder that God has done the work of knitting her together, and it's really a miracle. All four chambers of her heart, every little rib and even her little nose (which is a lot like Stevi's and doesn't turn up like the noses in the Schuknecht family....as far as we can tell), are all His beautiful creativity. It's nothing I've done, and certainly a display of His amazing grace. We are excited and hope you'll pray for us. We have no idea what to do with a girl, and she's coming in September whether we're ready or not!

Stevi

Jude's new toy...

2010-04-19T21:00:00.001-04:00

Spring Break and Easter....

2010-04-16T21:57:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! Here are some recent pictures. We went to Houston with some friends over spring break (in March)....

Jude and his (best) friend Olivia at the Children's Museum.

This is a t-rex behind us at the Museum of Natural Sciences...

At the Houston Zoo...

Jude and Olivia at the zoo...

This was at the Space Center....there were some Star Wars characters. Jude still talks about how we went in a rocket. This is Jude, me, Olivia and my friend Allison.

Jude at the Aquarium (I know...they had a tiger, weird). But, it was his favorite thing!

Olivia and Jude near the tiger exhibit.

Houston....

Dyeing Easter eggs with Josiah and Kate (Jude's cousins).

Jude and Josiah on Easter with Jude's new swords!

In other news, we just got a flip video camera...so hopefully we'll be adding videos to our blog soon!

Bedtime Prayer

2010-03-25T22:09:00.002-04:00

Tonight I was praying with Jude before bed, and he was telling me the things he was thankful for. He insists on praying for himself these days, which can be quite humorous, but also sweet. Tonight it went like this:

Jude: Dear God and Dear Jude, (we aren't sure why he starts it that way...) Thank you for toys....Mommy, God don't say "You're Welcome."

Me: Oh Honey, God does say it, but we can't hear Him because He lives in heaven, but He can hear us and see us.

Jude: Oh. Heaven in the sky.

Me: Yes, Heaven's way up in the sky. (I know it's not really accurate, but he's two...how else do you explain it?) God and Jesus live there, but they can see us and hear us.

Jude: And the birdies up in heaven too...

Me: Well, the birdies live in the sky, but heaven is far far away where we can't see.

Jude: I wanna go to heaven too.

Me: (Seriously, how do I begin to explain this???) You can go to heaven when you die, but right now God put you here to live with mommy and daddy.

Jude: I wanna go to heaven with God and Jesus and Daddy and Mommy.....there's a fan up there (referring to his ceiling fan, purely a mid-conversation observation).

Me: Someday we'll all go to heaven together, but right now we live here on earth (as if any of this makes sense to him....)

Jude: Where Daddy? Daddy in heaven right now?

Me: No, Daddy's in his car on the way home from Veritas.

Jude: Oh.

Well....I did my best to explain it. But, it's a tough concept.

Baby time!

2010-03-05T22:18:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! We are thrilled to announce that we're expecting our second baby in September! I'm 12 weeks along tomorrow, and we completely thankful for this baby. We've been waiting for him/her for a while now! Jude is very excited to be a big brother, and today he asked me if he could "hold the baby now?" It's so hard to explain to a 2-year-old why the baby can't come out! My official due date is Sept 18th, so it's gonna be a warm Texas summer for me =).

Praise the Lord!

Iron Chef, water, and other exciting events...

2010-02-07T16:54:00.004-05:00

Well, yes, we're still around. We took a big break from blogging, again. Sorry.

Anyway, here's a quick update (if anyone even still reads this blog) of what we've been up to in the past month or so...

My sister came and stayed with us for most of January. It felt right to have all three of us in Austin! A.J. is loving his job, and doing well at it...and looking quite happy as you can see. We had a great time with Leah. She learned how to speak "Jude" and was awesome to have around.

Jude turned 2!!! His birthday was January 21st, but his party was the 24th. Here they are eating pizza (at Jude's request)... His cousins and his two best friends in Austin were at the party!

This is a picture of him getting ready for bed on his actual birthday.

Troy grew, and shaved some facial hair. He shaved the beard before the...ick...mustache. Can you say creepy? I think I only let him keep it for two days or so....

Last weekend we had an iron chef party with our best Austin friends, the Franklins. This was the winning dish...made by three teenage boys. Chicken and chorizo paella. WOW! It was awesome. I recommend playing iron chef with your friends anytime you want to have a good dinner!

Friday night, Troy went to a ping pong club (don't ask) in Austin, so Jude and I had a picnic and watched part of Cars. We had a good time. Later, Jude mentioned that our friend's motorcycle (parked at our house) wasn't talking....maybe too much Cars?

Last night, we went hiking in the greenbelt (every certain percentage of land in Austin must remain undeveloped..this one happens to have Barton Creek running through it). We had a great time, and were amazed at the amount of water there. Last summer, there was absolutely NO water in the same spot! Can you believe it? It seems that our drought is over. Praise God.

Also in the Greenbelt.

Oh yeah! And for all you pinnochle players out there...here's the highlight of my (Stevi's) Christmas break (aside from celebrating our Savior coming to the world):
Yes...it's true 1000 ACES!!!! I don't think it gets better than that. I've never seen or heard of it done. I've had 1500 pinnochle twice, but I never thought this would ever happen...ever.

October and November

2009-11-28T22:58:00.005-05:00

We're back in the world of blogging, so here are a few pictures from the past couple of months. We've been busy this fall, although it's no excuse for not updating our blog. I'll go ahead and blame it on Troy...he doesn't like to upload pictures. Of course I could go ahead and do it, but then what would my excuse be?

One notable thing I should mention: Just after our last post about Ginger (our dog who escapes), Gladys (our uptight, tormented, stress-ball of a dog) started seeing an imaginary object. She barks at it, bites at it, and chases it until the point of exhaustion. We don't see it, and neither does her veterinarian, who has seen her in action. So we let her do it. We've named her friend "Sparkles," which we decided sounds nicer than "Demon" or "Hallucination" or something. We could have diagnostic testing done, or go to a doggy specialist (our vet told us she was a candidate for that!), but we've decided to let Sparkles occupy Gladys as long as the vet thinks she's otherwise well. As far as he could tell, it's not a tumor or cataracts or anything obvious. So, she's till spending several hours a day snapping and spinning circles in the yard, barking continually, and running a brown spot in our grass. I suppose the up side is that we don't have to play fetch with her!

Here are some pictures from the past couple of months:Hay ride at a nearby pumpkin patch.

Jude was a mechanic for Halloween. This is actually A.J.'s old costume from the 80's!

In mid-November, Troy attended a conference in Dallas, and we stayed with my cousin and his wife. We love living near enough to them that we can keep in touch!

These are some leaves Jude found on their street.

The three of us..also on their street. We accidentally positioned ourselves in front of someone's truck. At least it's a Chevy.

Jude rolling his new suitcase. He rolled it through all the airports on the way to Spokane for Thanksgiving.
My cousin Beth and her son, Noah. We don't get to see them very often, so it was fun to spend a day with them.
Beth's son Zack, and Jude playing on the dog beds. Why did we ever buy a crib?

Josiah and Jude playing in our toy boxes. I'm not sure who thought of it first.

The following are pictures from Thanksgiving week. We had 32 family members in Spokane on my mom's side, so not everyone is pictured, but here are a few of the fun ones!

Leah, A.J. and me..this is our best attempt at looking "pouty." I think A.J. wins.

Leah and Jude.
My mom and her two sisters! They are RARELY in the same room! (Not because they don't like each other, just because they live on opposite sides of the country!)

Leah and me..right before the Lion King!!! It was amazing!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Ginger..aka "Houdini"

2009-09-20T21:28:00.003-04:00

Well, we have two dogs, but Ginger (left) is the one who gives us the most trouble. She's almost always sweet and cuddly, but she has an adventurous streak in her, and doesn't like to stay in the yard. No...she doesn't dig out. She's much more creative than that. When we lived in Kentucky, she used to just plain JUMP our four-foot fence. We were often surprised to find her on the front porch, on the neighbor's front porch, under the carport as we pulled up, or in the neighbor's yard.

Naturally we were excited to move into a place with an eight-foot fence, thinking we might not be worried about her all the time. But, soon after we moved in, we began having neighbors knock on our door, with Ginger happily wiggling under their arm or at their feet, who would inform us that she had been locked in their garage, or had been "roaming" the street in front of our house. We were bewildered, and usually would find some small hole between the gate and the fence, but sometimes, there would be no explanation at all.

The good thing about Ginger is that she always goes straight to people. She's been to garage sales, on walks, to cook-outs, etc. She never just takes off down the highway. We've always had reasonable confidence that sooner or later she'd be returned by that new, exciting person she'd been dying to meet.

So once again this week, she disappeared. It was her most impressive feat yet. But, you think, how could it be more impressive than jumping a four-foot fence? Well....one evening this week, we noticed that her face was roughed up in a few places. She was missing some fur, and had some red spots around her snout. We thought maybe she'd been attempting an escape, but we were happy to see she'd failed, since she was still in the yard. The next day, Troy was mowing the lawn and found that there was a broken slat in our gate...not the bottom, or the top, just a hole right out of the middle. We're pretty sure the face injury had come from trying to jump through this hole, about two feet off the ground (and only about 4 inches wide). So, Troy nailed a board onto the back of the gate to keep her in for the time being. But, the next day when he called them inside at 11:30 for the night, she was nowhere to be found. He went out and saw that the HALF of the new board was missing. I don't know what she did, since the hole was two feet off the ground and she's only about 8 inches tall. But, she did away with half of the board, and managed to wedge her round little self through the slit that was, in the end, only about three inches wide...I would've loved to see that process.

So she was gone, and we went to bed after driving once around the neighborhood. The next day, in usual form, she was returned by our neighbor who said he had found her in his garage as he was leaving for work (I don't know why she insists on getting out just to spend the night in someone's garage). So she's back, but we assume, not for long!

First Haircut

2009-08-24T23:13:00.006-04:00

Hi everyone. I know it's been a while. This past month has been great fun, and busy as always. A.J. moved to Austin (as I mentioned before) and he now resides in a duplex with one of his new co-workers. I think the guitar incident may have had something to do with the fact he didn't want to stay with us long... We're happy to have him here. He's getting to know his new students and enjoying it, though becoming a teacher has him VERY busy, and he's a bit overwhelmed at times (any teachers out there want to holla back?).

This month has been eventful. Jude and I took a trip to Spokane to visit family and go to my ten-year reunion...yes it's true. The reunion was more fun than I expected, and seeing old friends proved to be a generally good experience. Jude and I had lots of fun with my family, though Jude was fed entirely too many m&ms and cheetos (thank you Grandpa). We enjoyed nice weather, and saw some dear friends. The airplane rides were less than wonderful, but we survived. Troy has been working like a crazy person to get the school-year started. We're officially off and running, and things have been good. I am back to teaching dance this year, teaching a Bible class to 8th grade girls, and also getting to have a Bible study in our home with some of the 9th grade girls who were in my Bible class last year. I am glad because I think I would miss them too much if I didn't get to see them.

Veritas, our school, has an official 6-man football team, and has already launched the season with a scrimmage. In true Texas style, the scrimmage was attended by most everyone in the Veritas community, complete with a burger cook-out, t-shirt sales, and 107 degree weather. It was a sweaty-good time.

Last weekend we helped Troy's older sister and her family move out of their house, which is now sold, and we are gearing up for a major garage sale this weekend. Time to clean out the attic...which, by-the-way, isn't as fun as it sounds because it feels like appoximatley 120 degrees in our attic all the time in the summer. So much for energy efficiency.

And, probably most importantly, Jude got his first haircut. By me. While he ate his breakfast. It used to look like this:
well, after Troy styled it. But as you can see, he had a bit of a rat-tail thing going. I don't know why it grew that way, but it did. So I pretty much chopped that off, but I don't have an after picture yet. For now, here are a few other pictures I do have:
Jude playing in the mud a the lake...which is mostly mud due to our current drought.

Jude, Joey and Kate in the hammock in our yard.
A.J. mid-haircut. It was a sad, strange day.

A.J. post-haircut. Mixed feelings to say the least.

The only "funny" face Jude knows how to make.

Jude and Guitars

2009-07-24T09:55:00.002-04:00

Well, A.J. (Stevi's brother) has officially moved to Austin, and is currently staying with us. He arrived on Wednesday after three days of driving, and "locking his keys in his car" (translated: putting them in his back pocket until he found them an hour and a half later) only once. He's happy to be here and we're happy to have him. Last night he was playing some nice calm guitar melodies for Jude and me as we were getting Jude ready for bed. Jude ran out to see him, diaperless. I think the music must've been overly relaxing, because Jude stood there and looked at A.J. sitting on the floor, and just let it flow. He peed all over A.J.'s guitar. Sadly, A.J. was starled, shouted "Whoa!", which in turn startled Jude and he started crying. It was pretty traumatic for everyone. I mean, A.J. had never had his guitar peed on before, and Jude was afraid to go near the guitar for a while after that. I think he'll come around though. Thanks for the serenade, A.J.!

Jude loves fireworks

2009-07-05T08:49:00.001-04:00

Kentucky....

2009-06-24T09:17:00.004-04:00

Hey! We are back in smoldering-hot Austin as of Monday, June 15th. Our time in Kentucky was absolutely precious. Troy took a class on cults and new religious movements. He found it extremely interesting, but thankfully nothing sounded good enough to draw him away from his faith in Christ =). Jude and I spent the week with my friends Susanna, Josie and their two little boys, Wheeler and Jack, respectively. (Jack is 2 mo. younger than Jude.) We got to see many other old friends and were thrilled to attend our old Bible study and our old church. Jude LOVED the Louisville Zoo, we picked Strawberries with our friends, ate lots of good food, and enjoyed reasonable daytime temperatures! Here are some highlights:

Troy, David, Jude and Wheeler before the Bats game.

Jude "helping" Wheeler play.

Getting ready to pick strawberries at Huber's Farm, with some of the coolest people in the whole world!

Jude getting to sit on an old tractor (his true passion in life is tractors)!

Jack and Jude at the strawberry patch...Jude is drinking Jack's water.

picking berries....

Jude got re-acquainted with his old friend, Annabelle. Annabelle is the daughter of some old friends who now live in Kentucky. They liked each other lots!

This is Annabelle's new baby brother, Elijah. He is seven days old in this picture.

Some catching up...

2009-06-02T10:06:00.006-04:00

Hey everyone! We have been so busy the past six weeks. Sorry for the lapse in posting! A.J. was here until May 2nd, then Stevi's parents visited for 10 days and just left last week. It's been lots of fun spending time with family. Jude enjoyed getting re-acquainted with his Washington grandparents, and he learned very quickly that Grandpa would give him "emelemels" (M&Ms) WAY to often!

Troy just finished up his school year, so we have three weeks off together before he leaves for a classical learning conference in late June. This weekend we will fly to Kentucky for Troy to take a class, and to see all our dear friends in Louisville!

Here are some pictures from the end of April:
Cuteness.

This is most likely water out of the dog dish...

Hamilton Pool

Hamilton Pool

Hamilton Pool

Eating dirt

A.J.'s getting ready for his first day working at Veritas.

Stevi attempting to climb.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T21:40:00.004-04:00

We visited the Wildflower Center on Good Friday....

Here are some pics of our Easter celebration! A.J. is currently here in Austin, so we've had a very special weekend....

Jude spots his Easter basket!

Jude's first time in a 3-piece suit!

All the cousins with their new sunglasses! This shot was a challenge.

Troy's Grandma (Mummu) who lives in Oregon was here this weekend. We enjoyed getting to see her. She taught all the girls how to make traditional Finnish Cardamom bread!

Lindsay comes to Austin!!!

2009-04-05T14:53:00.002-04:00

Once in a while, worlds collide and God kindly reunites you with an old friend....this was one of those weekends! Lindsay was in Texas for work and came to Austin for a quick visit. Though it was short, we tried to show her as much Texas fun (and sunshine) as we could in less than two days! These photos are yesterday at the beautiful gardens downtown which are now in full bloom. Last night, we had coffee on the dock at my favorite Austin coffee shop, Mozarts, while listening to live music--of course.

Afterward, we were caught in traffic downtown near the infamous 6th street for much longer than I think either one of us would have wanted...though we certainly saw some interesting sights. After being thrilled by cars with hydraulics, motorcycle gangs and some....amazing...outfits, we decided we preferred eating gummy bears at home to the Austin night life!

It's such a blessing to get to spend time with a true friend who loves Jesus with all her heart. It was truly a gift to have some fellowship with my sister in Christ. Thanks for coming, Lindsay!

Spring Break, March Madness, and Troy's Birthday

2009-03-22T14:51:00.003-04:00

Last night, we celebrated Troy's birthday, which was Tuesday. We had a family "Iron Chef" competition, which always results in an amazing meal. Troy got to choose the secret ingredients this time, and each team bought 3-5 ingredients for another team. Wow! Let's just say we have some amazing chefs around here!

This picture is Jude and Josiah playing with Troy's new bingo game.
This is Troy toasting coconut to take to Erin and Cameron (we bought their secret ingredients). He wanted to make sure it didn't burn. They also received peppermint extract, chocolate chips, and coconut milk. The dessert and drinks that resulted were quite amazing.
This is Troy and his dad yesterday...both in the GU spirit! March Madness has definitely interrupted our routine, but it's a welcome interruption, especially since Gonzaga ROCKS!
This is Jude last week, happily using his new kitchen stool. He's sporting hives....we found out last week that he's allergic to penicilin.
This is Troy and Jude on Thursday, during the first GU game! Aren't they full of Bulldog spirit?
Back to work tomorrow!

Valentine's Day and Visit from Mom

2009-03-16T11:46:00.002-04:00

Well, here are some more pictures....Troy and I went to a State Park near our house and went hiking baby-free on Valentine's. Also, my mom was here during February and we went to the Botanical Gardens. Jude loved the stream!

Jude's Birthday Party (1/21)

2009-03-07T11:52:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures of Jude's birthday party....a little old, but I thought they were fun. His favorite gift was his REAL remote control. You can also see his first attempt at coloring. So far, he's more interested in chewing on the crayons, but hopefully he'll get it soon!

No Video..

2009-02-12T21:40:00.002-05:00

Hi. Let me explain why our son has now been walking for about two weeks, and we have no video posted. Well, we have a video camera. It's nice, it was a very generous gift from Troy's parents a couple of years ago. Before we had any kids, we used a bunch of tape to film our dogs, ping-pong tournaments and other such nonsense. Then, we had Jude, and there was some tape left, which we used to film him rolling over, sitting up, and laughing (which are all valid moments to put on video). But, there they stay--on the little bitty tape inside our camera. The little bitty tape is now full.

So, you say, why don't you just upload the video and move on? We don't really have an answer to that question except that we can't figure out how. Here are some options of why it's not happening:

a. We lost the special cord to upload the video and haven't bought a new one. After all, we've moved three times since we got the camera in 2006.

b. We have no video software on our computer, and we don't know why...something out both our laptops being wiped clean and neither one ever having the video software re-installed. (Does that even make sense? I am not techy, I just know that we can't upload video.)

c. We haven't taken our little tape over to Troy's parent's, sister's or other sister's computer to clean it off and put the current footage on DVD. The only reason for this is because we're absent-minded.

d. We haven't driven 3 minutes to our choice of Target, Walmart, or the going-out-of-business Circuit City store to buy another little tape we can fill up!

The answer is....All of the Above. Dumb! Anyway, imagine a little bald roundish child walking around like he's holding an air guitar all the time. It's pretty cool.

What?!!! Our son is one?

2009-01-21T23:05:00.004-05:00

Happy 1st Birthday Jude!!!

A few months ago, we planned ahead for this momentous occasion and hid a few of his favorite things to give him as gifts for this birthday. He's stoked about his "new" toys and books and we are stoked about saving some dough!

Jude's favorite gift is that he now gets to turn his car seat around. He's lovin' being part of the family during car rides!

Jude is also very exited about having enough hair to get a cowlick. This picture was taken this evening, on his birthday. Two hours after he had fallen asleep for the night, we realized we had not taken a birthday photo, so we did what we felt was necessary...Sorry buddy.

The final exiting news of the day is that Jude finally worked up enough confidence to take a few steps on his own today. He has been steady enough for a while now, but he's a very calculating and careful fellow (Troy thinks he's a chicken-baby) and has refused until today to take even a step without someone holding him. He will now take up to 4 steps toward a couch without anybody touching him! This is a huge improvement from the 0 steps he would take yesterday!

We thought you would also enjoy a picture of Cameron the super-uncle with Jude and his 3 cousins! Our family seems to grow daily and we will soon be unable to gather together under one roof.

We're back!

2009-01-10T11:06:00.004-05:00

I know many of you may be wondering if we got buried in a snow bank in Spokane, or if we are still stuck in some remote airport trying to return from our Christmas vacation...but the truth is, we're home and we're just now uploading our 400 Christmas pictures!

While we were in Spokane (Dec 19-Jan 4), about 70 inches of snow fell. While all the shoveling and snow removal was exhausting (mostly for Troy and my dad), it was absolutely beautiful. It's astonishing how God can change how everything looks with snow...so clean and quiet. Here are a few photos:

Thanksgiving and Christmas set up

2008-12-16T23:35:00.003-05:00

We've been blog slackers lately. We've had a busy few weeks, and it's been a hectic end to the semester at school . This coming Thursday is our Christmas Assembly at school and my dance class is performing...I am totally nervous! I will hopefully post pictures soon. Troy has been busy organizing finals and attending meetings. Another fabulous side-effect of being in the field of education during winter is the array of sicknesses that we contract! We've all been nearly on our death beds this past week!

To make it worse, our new niece, Hadassah Rose was born on December 6th to Peter and Alisa (Troy's little sis), and we have barely been able to see her since we've been sick all week! Luckily we saw her tonight and she didn't seem offended! (We'll post a picture of her later)

Here are some recent photos:
Jude and cousin Josiah at Thanksgiving! Josiah is such a good cousin. He loves to teach and "babysit" Jude!
One chilly (maybe 65 degrees) morning before our jog...Jude gets to stroll along with us.

Jude and Troy having A BLAST! I can't remember why.

Cuteness...

Our tradition: Every year when we first set up Christmas decorations, we sleep under the tree. Jude wasn't quite old enough to join us this year, but in the future it will always be a family affair!

Botanical Gardens With Grandpa H.

2008-12-06T15:10:00.002-05:00

Not sure....

2008-11-09T00:12:00.003-05:00

He gets the "roll the ball" game now, but he gets so excited I think he might explode, or maybe he thinks the ball might explode....hmm....
I'm not sure, but I think in this one he's trying to escape the house and his shirt at the same time...

I think he might have thought this was edible, but he was disappointed to find that a lens cap is not very tasty!

I'm pretty sure he's practicing his cowboy moves here, Troy denies it.

I'm not sure how to convince a 9-month-old that hot costumes with big uncomfortable hats in which crawling is virtually impossible are TOTALLY worth it for the cute photos.

Happy boy...

2008-11-09T00:02:00.003-05:00

Climbing Mama....his favorite pastime...

Teaching him young.....

2008-11-08T23:42:00.006-05:00

For his future wife, I'm teaching Jude how to take out the trash..

Actually, this is what Jude's been doing this week. He's been unloading dirty dishes from the dishwasher, unloading clean dishes from the cupboards, and unfortunately, discovering the trash can.

Why is everyone looking at me?

2008-11-02T23:13:00.001-05:00

Houseguests...

2008-10-19T10:31:00.006-04:00

This past week, we were thrilled to host friends from Minneapolis, and throw a baby shower for Troy's sister. It was busy, but fun!

Four friends (one new, three old) who work for Desiring God were in Austin for a conference and needed a place to stay. It was great to catch up with Lukas, Andrew and Edd, and make a new friend, Marty...who became Troy's new ping pong arch rival. Troy and the men in our extended family also attended the conference and enjoyed learning, and are still thinking about the book of Job. It's always a joy to reunite with friends who continue to follow the Lord and are serving Him with their lives. However, we were too distracted by Lukas's Mohawk to take any pictures while we were together. SAD!

On Saturday, Troy's mom, sister and Stevi threw a baby shower for Troy's little sis (Alisa). We had a fabulous time. The best part was making onesies for the little one with iron-on transfers of Peter and Alisa's favorite things (see photo). What a stylin' baby she'll be! If you can't see them, here's the top three clothing items made: #3 The onesie with "Delicious Corndogs" and a picture on the rear end, #2 The shirt with a picture of Ronald Reagan, and #1 The Dunder Miflin Paper Company shirt.
Of course the food was delicious and (thanks to Erin) laid out quite beautifully.

Finally, we know the real reason you visit this blog. It isn't to hear about us, but to see pictures of our food loving linebacker. Here's a few...

Stevi's Mom Visits TEXAS!

2008-09-29T20:24:00.005-04:00

Mom and Troy in matching work shirts (i.e. old teacher's association shirts...). While she was here, we had lots of fun, but we (she) made new drapes for our living room! In this pic, we were getting ready to stain rods.

The finished drapes! They're beautiful!

Jude pulls himself up...he's been doing it almost a month now. Wow, so many opportunities for bonking the head!

Trying on a new hat that Grammy brought!

So close, and yet so far away!

The door stop: the single most exciting thing in the house!

"What's in Uncle Peter's nose?"

Jude likes it when I push the blocks across the table with my nose!
Our good friends from seminary, Kevin and Becky, came and hung out with us two weeks ago. They came through Austin to say good-bye to Becky's family...they're headed for the mission field soon!

We went to Sea World last Sunday. Jude LOVED the dolphins.

The Steel Eel. Yes, I'm on there somewhere. Troy said it wasn't that scary....he lied!

Hurricane Weekend

2008-09-13T09:52:00.004-04:00

(I got inspired while I was working one morning, why not put Post-Its on your baby, right?)

Literally, it's hurricane weekend here. Though we're only experiencing the edge of the storm, our street is filled with extra cars because many of our neighbors are hosting their families and friends from southeast Texas. We've been watching the news, and Ike is moving north through Texas. It's windy and dark outside, but we won't have winds that cause much damage. Our schools and public buildings are being used for evacuees and Red Cross efforts.

We're thankful that we're not in danger, but we're praying for those who are here and it definitely seems real to us. When we were in the grocery store last night, we heard evacuees talking about how long they thought they'd have to be here. The impact of the storm is amazing. They said our hotels are full, and the population of Austin is close to double it's normal numbers because of those who've fled here from the storm. Please join with us in praying for those affected by they storm.

On a happier note, here are some new pictures:

Jude with Uncle Peter

Jude learning to play ball...he doesn't quite get it yet.

He still loves bathtime:

He also still eats paper....

Here's Jude playing with his cousin Kate,

Family dinner at Oma and Opa's

with Troy,

First day of school!

2008-08-21T09:29:00.002-04:00

Today is the first day of school at Veritas! Troy and I are both teaching (a little), and looking forward to the day. My dance class starts today! YIKES! I haven't actually danced consistently since 2001! Yeah, I have a lot of work to do to get back into shape!

We are looking forward to a very different school year. Teaching in a classical Christian school is going to be VERY different than the...ahem...challenging...schools we're used to. It's strange to imagine no fights, no getting sworn at, no security guards, no bathroom duty (to make sure no mischief takes place in the bathrooms), no locker searches....wow! What will we do for entertainment at night with no stories to tell?

Troy is also doing the Vice Principal thing, and very well, I might add. He loves it, and has been working really hard to prepare for this school year. He and I get to teach a Bible course together to 8th graders. I teach girls, he teaches boys. We're looking forward to planning lessons together and seeing what God will do!

Well, Jude is crawling. Troy disagrees, since it's slow and still painful to watch...but I think it should definitely be classified as crawling. He actually moves his hands now, which was the problem all along, and can get across the room--even if it takes 15 minutes.

And, after much angst, Jude has once again decided that solid food is ok. We had a couple of weeks in there where he was on strike, but now he's decided it's great fun to eat. He particularly wants what's on our plates. Usually we don't give in, but yesterday I was out to lunch with my sister-in-law, and he was driving me nuts because he was bored in the high chair. (I still forget food for him often.) So, I decided to give him a taste of my hummus, which turned into crazy-hummus-loving-baby fussing constantly through lunch for more. By the end of the meal, he had eaten almost all my hummus. I decided I will make him some "baby" hummus at home..less salt, a bit runny, etc. But really, who else's baby hates bananas and peaches, but wants Roasted Red Pepper Hummus all day long?

Weird kid!

An update

2008-08-03T11:04:00.003-04:00

Jude is not only standing now, but doing stretches and calisthenics. Okay...just kidding, he's leaning on the couch.
He's super smiley these days
We love to go to the pool.
This is his latest skill. He gets up on all four limbs and rocks back and forth really fast.
We went to Dallas last week for the NAUMS (National Association of University Model Schools) conference. While there we got to catch up with some of our friends and family who live in Dallas. The picture above is Corrie Marstaller. We got to see Matt, Lindsay and Corrie in Dallas, then Lindsay and Corrie stopped at our house a couple of days ago.

We also got to see Stevi's cousin Mike and his wife Ember.

Jude's 1/2 birthday

2008-07-22T10:46:00.003-04:00

Jude is now 6 months old! Yay! He's also ready for football season.
It's fun to be back in Austin by our family! Jude gets to see many of his aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents often. We just need to get the rest of the family to come down and visit!
It's so fun to read to Jude now because he's very interested in the books. Sometimes he prefers to chew on the books, I guess that's just his learning style.
Nothing gets him more excited than bath time! Nothing!
Notice the drool...well, we have some exciting news. Jude has his first tooth! All that drooling is paying off!!!

Some pictures

2008-07-06T08:48:00.008-04:00

The last time we uploaded pictures to our computer was when Jude was 3.5 months. He's now 5.5 months. I guess we have been busy...Here are a few highlights from the last 2 months.

This is at home in Kentucky before we moved...approximately 3 1/2 months old. Yes, teething has been going on for a while now....

This is Jude watching me make chocolate mousse...you'd think he knows what it tastes like, he's so excited! And don't worry, I don't ever leave him unsupervised on the counter like that!

Troy received a science teaching award at a fancy ceremony and dinner on May 8th. This is just before we left. Bath time...Jude's favorite. These were all still in Kentucky. After we moved out, we don't have any pictures of May 20th until June 7th or so, since we were traveling and our camera was busy in the move...the following are in our new house and all in about the last month....
Hanging out on the blanket.
Jude started to sit up alone really well in mid-June. This is a practice-session, note the boxes and the concerned dog. I think our dogs are just starting to realize Jude is human.

This is Troy installing a ceiling fan in our new family room....when you buy a forclosure, some things are missing :)

Jude's new bathtub in his own bathroom (until we have more kids!)....he thinks it's awesome!

Hanging out with Mama,

And Daddy! Getting ready for his bath! Getting used to Texas involves many things...the crazy sun gear (hats, glasses, swim shirts, etc) are part of the deal. These happen to be Uncle Peter's sunglasses...and they look great!

Jude started solid food last Sunday. Of course, as expected, he loved it! Jude has always been an agreeable eater!Though, he is a messy eater. We've now resorted to taking off all his clothes before he eats.

And, between teething and starting food, I think he puts just about anything in his mouth that he can grab...but paper of any type seems to be a favorite this week. This were the weekly ads last Wednesday, but I've caught him with a grocery list, receipts, and yes, even dirty tissues!

This was a more appropriate option.

And this was Saturday (two days ago). Jude is wearing an outfit that was Troy's as a baby. Yes, this is vintage 1980 gear. I think it's appropriate for 4th of July weekend and will also come in handy for the summer olympics. Troy is trying to get Jude inspired about track and feild, but we're planning to start with crawling sometime soon. Of course, Troy would be very proud to have a little swimmer too...as you can guess, we've been a bit obsessed with the olympic trials lately.

Having fun with his tractor.

Being cute....

Well, that's it for now. We hope everyone feels a little more up-to-date. We're back in the blogging world and looking forward to keeping up with all of you! We miss you!

Still no pictures!

2008-07-02T21:43:00.002-04:00

Sorry everybody...the Internet man is coming on Saturday! We will then delight you with many pictures and blogs all the time!

But, we just wanted to say we are still alive, though it's still REALLY HOT here! Troy started his new job and loves it! He just got back from a conference in Charleston, South Carolina...(ok, I'm jealous), and he's been getting used to all the new people and procedures of a new job. He's lamenting having to wear button-down shirts EVERY DAY! But, alas...it's a small price to pay for a job you love, I suppose.

We've reunited with some of our old friends here, and it's been great. I've been able to spend lots of time with Troy's sister and her two kids, but since it's so hot we've been going swimming for most of our outings together.

We're still slowly getting settled into our new house, and everything is going along quite smoothly.

Jude has a cold...part of baby-dom I guess. But, it means that Mama doesn't sleep because baby doesn't sleep, so we've been trying to survive until he feels better. He started solid food (with which I've been very sporadic), and he loved it! I guess we should've guessed he would like it. He never has really had an issue with eating!

We PROMISE to post pictures soon...maybe I'm just projecting on everyone my excitement to see them since we haven't uploaded them from our camera in weeks, but please pretend to be excited!

At Home In Austin....

2008-06-17T12:00:00.003-04:00

Hey everybody! We are aware that our blogging has been less than consistent lately....but here's a brief update.

We are now both in Austin after two weeks of being apart during the moving process. We're happy to be together, and it seems that Jude actually remembered Troy. Our house is still a wreck, but we're enjoying getting started on it. We've had lots of fun with old friends and Troy's family in the past couple of weeks. Yesterday we went to Sea World with Peter and Alisa...it was great. Shamu was delightful, and we especially liked the water park since it was about 100 degrees. Jude likes swimming and looked wonderful in his new swim gear!

Moving has proven to be a bit more expensive than expected (isn't it always?). Since we bought the house, the the AC broke, the stove broke, and we had to buy a new washer/dryer because we have gas hook-ups, not electric, which is what our old ones used. BUT, so far the dishwasher works! YAY!

We are missing our friends in Louisville desperately. It doesn't quite feel permanent yet. The church we've been checking out is great, but of course we don't really know anyone yet. We're excited to make new friends there, but I don't think our seminary friends can be replaced. We'll just have to visit there soon!

Saturday we celebrated our 5-year anniversary! I can't believe it! Time certainly flies, but I guess we've done a lot in five years!

Anyway, we'll post new pics soon. We haven't uploaded anything in a while.

We're on our way

2008-05-19T20:33:00.003-04:00

We are sort of on our way to Texas. Here's a brief outline of our moving plans...we like to make sure it's as complicated as possible.

We pack up our moving van tomorrow (Tuesday May 20th), then stay with friends for the rest of the week. Troy drives the moving van to Texas on Saturday and Stevi flies to Spokane with Jude. Troy flies back to Louisville on June 1st to take a class, meanwhile, Stevi and Jude fly to Texas. Troy drives our car to Texas after his class. In the end, a simple move to Texas is going to take 17 days, 2 driving trips, and 3 plane tickets! Fun!

So, you can be praying for us over the next 17 days (and after that as well, of course). Stevi and I have never spent this long apart (2 whole weeks!!! ahhhhh!) and Stevi is going to be a single mom for 2 weeks as well. We're struggling to enjoy each day as it comes as we really want these 17 days to be over, but God is gracious and we are joyful and delighted by His provision so far in this whole process.

We've hesitated to include a picture of our new home because we feel embarrassed by its size. Seriously though, this home should be way out of our price range, but as a foreclosure we were able to purchase it. It looks immaculate from a distance, but we are going to need to put some work into it as the previous owners didn't treat it very nicely. All in all, we are super excited about the house!

Packing Up

2008-05-07T20:39:00.003-04:00

We bought a home in Austin! It's a foreclosure that needs some work, but we are excited about the opportunity to build some equity and live in Austin. We had thought we would need to move South of the city limits to be able to afford housing, but God opened this door. We are now packing because we will be moving out of our home on May 20th!

Here's a few recent photos of Jude...
Jude loves his Jumparoo. This has actually allowed us to get some packing done because he's entertained for hours!
He rolled over this week while using his tummy mat that the Purvis' gave us!
Jude loves bath time. He kicks and splashes and giggles and never wants to get out...it's fun!
He also loves going for walks. Even when it's cold and windy, he wants to go.

Stevi's Top Five:

2008-04-30T15:27:00.003-04:00

1. 5 Things I Couldn't Live Without for Under $5
-hand sanitizer
-C.O. Bigelow Metha Lip Gloss ($5.00 on sale)
-Tofutti Cream Cheese (a guilty pleasure of a dairy-allergic girl!)
-Soy Latte
-mascara

2. 5 Favorite Movies
-Sleeping Beauty (the animated one)
-BBC's Pride and Prejudice
-A Knight's Tale
-Amistad
-Ratatouille

3. 5 Baby Names I Love But Won't Use
-Emma
-Clay
-Cole
-Amandine (too long for Schuknecht)
-Alexander

4. 5 Songs I Could Listen To Over and Over Again
-Come Thou Fount
-Fairest Lord Jesus
-Right Here Waiting, Richard Marx
-Fishin' in the Dark, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
-500 Miles Song, Proclaimers

5. 5 People Who Have Influenced My Life In A Positive Way
-My Husband
-My Son
-My Parents
-Jeannie D.
-Anne Franklin

6. 5 Things That Stay In My Purse (diaper bag) At All Times
-wallet
-diapers
-pacifier
-cell phone
-hand sanitizer

7. 5 Moments That Have Changed My Life Forever
-Becoming a Christian
-Troy...enough said.
-Moving to Texas
-Moving to Louisville
-Having Jude

8. 5 Obessions I Have Right Now
-The Jumparoo (it makes my life so much easier!)
-Chocolate
-Rockabye Baby, Lullaby Renditions of Coldplay (an awesome CD at www.babyrockrecords.com, THANKS ERIN!)
-Getting rid of things (comes with moving).
-Moving

9. 5 Places I Would Like To Go
-Cairo, Egypt
-France, of course....
-London with Troy..he's never been.
-New York City
-Nantucket

10. 5 People I Would Like To See Their Top Five
-Beth Spencer
-Erin MacPherson
-Cynthia Coppinger
-Kate Parker
-Keith Grant (except the purse part...maybe you could do "car")

Jude is 3 Months Old!

2008-04-21T10:43:00.005-04:00

Wow! Time flies. Here are some new photos of our big(fat)boy. We can't believe it's already been three months!

Going on a walk...

Jude's best friend....

happy boy...

Really happy boy!

Ginger likes Jude....Jude doesn't always feel the same....

Practicing standing....

My morning so far...

2008-04-17T22:17:00.002-04:00

Step 1: wake up way later than I wanted...I guess I might need to start setting that alarm clock again.

Step 2: rush to shower while the baby is still sleeping. With this I had success.

Step 3: Put pajamas back on (they haven't been spit-up or pooped on yet, so I can't be frivilously changing clothes. I already have way too much laundry as it is).

Step 4: Hurry to make coffee. This is a long process lately since the house is on the market. We have our coffee maker put away, so I actually have to boil water and pour it through the little plastic coffee filter. I forgot what it's like to live without the automatic coffee maker. I don't like it.

Step 5: Retrieve baby. He woke up!

Step 6: Get baby ready for day...this involves details that I'm sure you'd rather not read....

Step 7: Get newspaper off porch, realize that there are two days worth of newspaper still on the coffee table. Venture outside with baby to put them in the recycle bin

Step 8: Get socks wet outside

Step 9: Realize the door is locked! STUPID HABIT!

Step 10: Realize all doors to house are locked.

Step 11: Begin to panic! I have no key to get in, and most importantly NO DIAPERS! No matter what I figure out to do, the baby cannot make it through a whole day without a fresh diaper. Even if I could get to the store, I can't go in wearing wet socks. Plus I have no phone. I could go to my neighbor's house, but even if I had a phone I couldn't call Troy to come since he's administering standardized tests at school. The baby is starting to get cold.

Step 12: Start checking windows in vain. I am a compulsive window locker. WAIT! Troy isn't a window locker. The two bathroom windows are unlocked!

Step 13: Try to figure out how to climb up on the stool outside and through one of two tiny windows with a baby, lower myself down onto the toilet (yes, it's under the window in both cases, and yes the lids are up on both), and not hurt/drop the baby. Meanwhile, the dogs escape out of the backyard and start to pee in the neighbor's yard.

Step 14: Put dogs back in yard, decide the window-with-baby maneuver is too risky.

Step 15: Look around to find somewhere to put the baby while I climb through the window. The car is out of the question...you guessed it: LOCKED! The grass won't work, it's cold and wet, the patio furniture is hard and the baby could roll off....but, Ah-HAH! The recycle bin (why this whole mess started) might be just the ticket!

Step 16: Re-arrange the newspapers in the bin, covering plastic juice bottles, glass root-beer bottles and milk cartons the best I can.
Try to line the side of the sticky recycle bin so the baby won't get any gunk on his face in the event that he tips.

Step 17: Prop baby up on garbage inside the recycle bin which I have lovingly placed on the porch so I can get him out as soon as possible.

Step 18: Run and wiggle myself up and over the window in a limbo-type move that I thought I couldn't perform anymore. Barely avoid sticking my muddy socks in the toilet bowl. Forget to shut window (which I discovered later).

Step 19: Retrieve baby, feeling like a terrible mother, from the recycle bin. He's a little cold, but otherwise seems happy.

Step 20: JOY OF JOYS! My coffee is still warm, so my water-boiling has not been in vain!

Step1: Sell House...done.

2008-04-13T13:23:00.002-04:00

We put our house on the market on Friday. We received two full price offers on Saturday! Then, one of the offers increased to $2500 more than our asking price.

This makes two homes now that we have sold in less than two days at or above our asking price! If you'd like to know our real estate secret, it's easy...pray...a lot! God is good!

Moving to Austin

2008-04-10T21:48:00.003-04:00

Well, we are moving to Austin this summer. Troy will be working at a classical Christian School in Austin called Veritas Academy. This first year his official job is as a part-time teacher and a part-time vice principal. The school has communicated that the long term goal is that he would grow into a leadership position in the high school, but that is a few years away.

In the mean time, we need to sell our home, pack our stuff, find a new home in Austin, and move. Looks to be a busy couple of months in the Schuknecht household!

We are incredibly sad to be leaving our friends, our church, and the seminary. We love it here in Louisville. That said, Troy will be able to continue his seminary coursework long distance and this job is something he would really like to do long term. Also, it helps that Troy's entire family lives in Austin. In any case, there are definitely mixed emotions about the move.

Hey Jude

2008-04-05T08:44:00.001-04:00

Meeting Grandpa and Aunt Leah

2008-04-04T10:54:00.002-04:00

Grandpa Hanenburg (my dad) and Leah left on Monday morning. We had a great visit, and enjoyed lots of rainy days together.

Here, Jude is playing in his gym. You can see he's very serious about it....

Meeting Grandpa the night they arrived....

Yes, this is at the zoo, and yes, it's the less-lovely end of a gorilla...

Jude thought Leah was almost as good as me...I guess she looks close enough!

Taking a nap with Grandpa...
It was great to enjoy some basketball games together as well, although unfortunately I'm still dead last in the family bracket! Come on Kansas!

Thanks for praying..

2008-04-04T10:52:00.002-04:00

It seems that God is already answering. Her heart is softer than before. She even came for dinner yesterday. Just keep praying. It still seems that she needs the gospel and doesn't quite believe that God is bigger than her problems.

Thank you friends! Your prayers accomplish much!

Please Pray Again!

2008-04-03T10:33:00.003-04:00

Hey Everyone,

Troy's student who is pregnant with twins called last night. After a week of despairing, and struggling through some treatment (she found out not long ago that she has sickle cell), she said that she's decided to get an abortion and she's not changing her mind.

Please pray that God would soften her heart and change her mind. Please pray that we would know how to move forward and witness to her if she does it. It's hard for me not to hate her right now, but I know Jesus died for this too.

Today and tomorrow are critical. I am not sure which day she's planning to have the abortion, but I think it will probably be Saturday. Her other appointments to do it (both of which she's skipped), have both been on Saturdays.

Thank you!

Easter

2008-03-31T10:04:00.003-04:00

I know it was a week ago, but I thought I'd share some pics of our Easter celebration...This is Jude before we left for church....

This is Jude upon returning home...yes, he peed through both his shirts...luckily I saved the pants. Silly me...no change of clothes.

Below is our Easter lunch with our dear friends, David and Susanna Brown. MMMMM.....
And yes, it snowed on Easter. Big Fat Snow. It looked like Manna! But it didn't stick, so we can't be sure...

Catching up....

2008-03-24T09:09:00.006-04:00

Well, it's been a while. There have been many happenings in the lives of the Schuknechts....where to begin? March 14-17 we all went to Austin to visit...it was fantastic. It's looking very likely that we will be returning to Austin this summer permanently. Troy interviewed for a wonderful job down there, and we are excited about the way God is leading. We'll be more specific once things are official.

We had a great time in the beautiful weather. Jude enjoyed meeting his Auntie Alisa, Uncle Peter, Uncle Cameron and cousin Josiah. But alas, we didn't take our camera. Sorry!
While there, Troy celebrated his 28th birthday! Wow! Thirty is just around the corner!

The day after we got home, Troy had mid-terms for seminary. It was a bit of a crunch for him, but I'm sure he did well...

Then Troy and I took an evening to celebrate his birthday (with Jude, of course). He picked where he wanted to go to dinner...you probably DIDN'T guess it: GOLDEN CORRAL! Of all the restaurants! That's Troy. But he was thrilled with his dinner and definitely took advantage of the dessert bar!Troy got a new camera flash for his birthday...so he was testing it on everybody. This is Ginger. She's pretty patient when it comes to posing for pictures.

And of course, March Madness is consuming our lives most of the time. I am proud to say I'm dead last in our family bracket. But, my final four are all still in it, so I could come back!

Troy and Jude before the Gonzaga game....

Troy and Jude after the Gonzaga game....

Jude is becoming a very happy little guy. We love seeing him smile.

Snow storm and hanging out....

2008-03-09T17:09:00.006-04:00

Well, on Saturday it snowed about 14 inches here...that's NUTS! It's March in Kentucky, so of course everybody was a bit excited since we broke some weather records. It was enough that the city snow crews really couldn't handle it, so we stayed indoors most of the weekend. It's already mostly melted, though, and it's Sunday night.

Other than lots of playing Boggle and watching Seinfeld on DVD, we pretty much did nothing. It was nice!

Last weekend (3/1), my friends Susanna, Laura and I threw a shower for our friend Josie who's having a baby. It was a tea-party shower...very fun!

Jude is smiling now...for the past two weeks or so....it's so rewarding to get that grin!

He actually likes to be changed!

Watching the snow out the window....ok, I know he can't see very far, but we like to think he enjoyed the snowstorm!

Prayer Update

2008-03-05T08:35:00.003-05:00

Ok...quick update on the prayer request I published last week.....Troy's student is doing as well as can be expected. She's been reading through the Psalms (I think she's read all of them by now!) when she's feeling discouraged. I'm very thankful that she's turning to God's word. It may be the first time she's really sought Him out in this way.

Many of you have been asking about whether she will give the babies up for adoption. Right now, she wants to keep them. Please keep praying with us that God will care for the babies and for her in the way that most glorifies Him. He may change her mind on what to do with the babies, but for now we're praying that God will provide a place for her to go when they're born ( she's being told that she will have to leave her house).

Praise God again that the babies are alive and that God is protecting them even now.....

Thanks everyone!

Please pray...

2008-02-26T11:52:00.002-05:00

Hey everybody, I just wanted to ask you to say a quick prayer for one of Troy's students. She came to Troy about 2 weeks ago and told him she's pregnant and hadn't told anybody yet. Her boyfriend has since tried to convince her to have an abortion. She agreed last week to go to a crisis pregnancy clinic. Troy took her to the appointment, last Wednesday (2/20) and she thankfully skipped her appointment for her abortion on Saturday. She came to church with us on Sunday. Her heart is soft toward the Lord, but she's having a hard time. Her family has not been supportive and her boyfriend is angry that she didn't have the abortion. (I am leaving out some details, but that's the situation.) Anyway, she called last night. She went to the doctor yesterday and found out she's having twins! She's very excited (praise the Lord)...but she needs lots of help and support and most of all she needs her heavenly Father. She's only a junior in high school. Thanks for praying!

Fat Boy!

2008-02-25T19:13:00.005-05:00

Well, Jude had his one month appointment last week on Thursday. According to his usual habit, he peed on the floor of the pediatrician's office while his diaper was off to weigh him. He is now (at least on Thursday) 10 lbs 2 oz...almost 3 pounds bigger than he was a month ago! It's just proof that he enjoys his food. He is still only in the 50th percentile for weight, though, so I guess he's not really fat....just chubbier than before!This is Jude looking satisfied after a meal!

We're on our own now, since all the family is gone. It's a little nuts, but it's fun to finally see what my life will be like as a mom. I love it! God has been so gracious to give us a healthy boy, and He's been very faithful to provide for us so that I can care for him. I feel inadequate already, and it's not like he's asking any deep questions yet! Wow, I am realizing how much I need strength and wisdom from the Lord just to make it through the days. God is reminding me often that this baby is first HIS. It's a precious privilege, but also an overwhelming responsibility to be given the task of raising him.

Valentine's day sure was different this year...partly because we have a baby, but also because my mom was in town, so we made dinner together for Troy and had a family celebration. Everybody had a great time...here are some pictures of Valentine's and the last week or so....

What did you do for Valentine's day?

Jude has Troy's large nostrils...

First Bath

2008-02-16T17:58:00.004-05:00

Finally! Our little guy's cord finally came off, so he had his first bath on Tuesday night (2/12). He desperately needed one! Somehow, no matter how many times you wipe a baby down with a sponge, it can't completely eradicate the smell of spit up that lingers in those cute little folds in his neck!And, the folds in his neck seem to be multiplying lately. He is getting fatter every day, and now some of his pants are too tight to leave them buttoned! I can't believe how much he eats. It's amazing to see clothes that fit one week ago look like they might rip when I try to put them on him! He has at least three extra chins, and he seems to be very proud of them. He seems to eat more time than not...I hope his binge-eating habits aren't permanent! I don't know if I can keep up with him!

My mom has been here since the 5th...thank goodness! It's been wonderful to have someone here with me during the day. We are sad that she is leaving on Tuesday. It's been fun to have help when we go places, and really nice to have someone to talk with during the LONG hours that Jude is eating! We will miss her!

Meeting the Family....

2008-02-07T11:43:00.000-05:00

The last week has been eventful! Jude made a good impression on Troy's parents, sister, and our neice. He didn't cry, even when he had to share his toys with his cousin! We enjoyed a weekend full of eating, talking, and watching football...but most of all, watching the babies do really exciting things like drool, sleep, and stare at bright lights!

Here are some pictures of the fun!

Troy and I are very thankful for families that love the Lord and will help us raise Jude in the knowledge of Him.

We all got a little excited this week about the Jesus Storybook Bible (new from Zondervan) that was given to us by our friends, Luke and Josie Stamps. In fact, both Lifeway bookstores are now cleaned out of them since the Schuknechts were in town. But, really, it's a wonderful children's Bible that actually helps kids get the BIG picture of Scripture, while learning all the Bible stories. I encourage everyone to check it out for your own kids or kids you know! I have learned from it as well...There's some really good theology in it, and it has challenged me to think about the stories in the Bible in a new way. It especially shows how all of the Bible relates to, or points toward the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. If you have other favorite books for kids, please share!

If you are one who likes to see our favorite new photos of Jude, here are a few from last week.

New Pictures!

2008-02-01T19:05:00.000-05:00

Here are some new pics, as promised!

This week has been exhausting, but wonderful. Troy is still off work until Tuesday, so he's been doing lots of normal house stuff while I feed Jude. It feels like that's all I do...but I don't mind! We thought we'd share some new pictures with you! Jude is now 12 days old, and today he gets to meet his Oma and Opa (Troy's parents), Aunt Erin (Troy's sister) and cousin Kate (Erin and Cameron's 4-month-old daughter).

By the way, below is how Jude sleeps most of the time...he's not a fan of having his arms swaddled AT ALL. We call this "The touch-down." Troy's pretty sure his calling in life is to be a referee.

Jude's first week...

2008-01-28T14:46:00.000-05:00

Well, tonight around midnight, Jude will be one week old! He's still about as small as he was when he was born, but he's developled many new skills over the past week. They include: sucking, squeaking, pooping (A LOT!), peeing through a couple outfits per day, and this morning he managed to pee through a diaper, an outfit, and his blanket onto his parent's bed, through the sheet and into the mattress! It's quite amazing.

Oh yeah, he likes to show off his skills too, because he peed all over his daddy at his first doctor's appointment. We learned very quickly that a change of clothes for him isn't sufficient. We need them for the whole family! Somehow, though, when it's your own baby, even his pee isn't so bad!

Troy and I are thrilled to be parents. Though we're exhausted, Jude is delightful. I feel as though I am just now beginning to understand God's love for me. I can't describe the way I love this little boy, and to think that God loves him (and me) infinitely more is unimaginable. I am overwhelmed with thankfulness every day. God has answered countless prayers. We are struck by how fearfully and wonerfully He has made our little boy!

Jude Glen has arrived!!!

2008-01-22T10:22:00.001-05:00

Eight months ago, when we told Stevi's parents that she was pregnant, Doug immediately requested that he be born on January 22nd (his father's birthday). When Stevi's water broke yesterday afternoon, it looked as if Doug may get his wish. But Jude was born 7 minutes before midnight on January 21st.

Both Stevi and Jude are doing great! He was 7 lbs. 11 oz. and 19.5 inches long, including a 5 inch long cone-head :)

For those of you wanting to see his new digs...here's some photos of his room. Yeah, those are custom drapes and custom bedding! For those of you who don't know, Stevi's mom made all of those! Don't they look sweet?!! Thanks Colleen!!!

Christmas in Kentucky

2008-01-07T16:39:00.000-05:00

Well, it's back to work today....but it was a great vacation! Ahhh....being teachers has definite benefits. We were off work from Decemeber 21st until January 7th. We spent our break loafing around our house, getting things ready for the baby, watching the 3rd season of Lost, and eating lots of fudge!

Christmas was certainly different without family, but it was special in lots of ways. After being forbidden by the doctor to climb in our car and drive to Texas while I was 36 weeks pregnant, we settled into the idea of having a Troy & Stevi Christmas. We ate traditional Christmas meals from both sides of our family, read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and watched Elf. Best of all, we had time to reflect, pray, and enjoy reading about the birth of our Savior. Enjoying many quiet moments allowed us to feel as though the meaning and purpose of Christmas didn't escape us this year. It was a blessed time.

We were not entirely alone...a precious elder in our church and his wife, Dr. and Mrs. Ware invited us for Christmas dinner. They hail from Spokane, originally, and Dr. Ware did his undergraduate studies at Whitworth. In a place like Kentucky, it's especially fun to be around fellow Northwesterners who understand why we are shocked that the no-smoking ban is still being implemented in HOSPITALS this year (!), why we don't think race horses need public televised funerals, and who have heard of things like huckleberries and recycling!

Another evening, we played cards with our neighbors and their family. We were the only ones present who were under 75, and we learned lots about everything from cards to politics. It was a fabulous time. I know our baby will have lots of Kentucky grandparents!

Now....we are just playing the waiting game until our baby is born.....and we promise to blog more often, especially once we have his cute little face to post (at least we're hoping he's cute....)! Three more weeks....hopefully less!

Our First Post

2007-12-15T19:00:00.000-05:00

Well, we are finally inspired. We just saw a few of our friends' blogs and decided we ought to give it a shot.

We now live in Louisville, KY. Troy attends The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and teaches high school science. Stevi teaches high school special ed for 24 more days (if she goes full term and is able to stand for the duration of her pregnancy) then she is finished. Needless to say, she's stoked out of her mind!

Our baby boy is due at the end of January. 6 1/2 weeks left! We already have the baby room set up and have begun reading to him...yeah, we're a little excited!

We went to Spokane for Thanksgiving! It was great to see family and friends! The first picture is Stevi with her mom (Coleen), aunt Dawn, and our cousin Hannah.

We had a little too much fun with the big red ball.

The next picture is our friends Nick and Julie May.

We were also able to spend some time with our good friend Rachel.

Ben and Karie Armstrong just had a baby boy named Issac...way mass cute.

We traveled the weekend after Thanksgiving to visit Troy's family and our friends in Austin. We didn't have our camara out much and missed opportunities for pictures with our friends, but here is a picture of Troy's family (minus Peter). From the left it's our niece Kate, Cameron, Erin, Troy, our nephew Josiah, Jude (in Stevi's tummy), Stevi, Alisa, Glen, and Ellen.

Once we got home from all that traveling, we set up Christmas and slept under the Christmas tree like we do every year.

We also had some friends over for a little Cookie exchange. Other than us in the picture are Becky Peek (her husband had just left and missed the picture), Josie and Luke Stamps, and David and Susanna Brown.