Kelly and Alex

Alex will be 2 weeks old this Thursday! I love this picture. Matt just showed me how to 'borrow' pix from Corey's website--otherwise, we would have posted pix of Alex ages ago! I shouldn't say Matt 'showed' me, because actually I left the computer while he did the borrowing so I could pour myself another bowl of LIfe cereal and 2% milk. Ah, what a combination. Normally, we drink skim milk, but since switching Simon to 2% milk (an hour ago), I treated myself to the 2%. I think Life and Quaker Oat Squares are the only two cereals that require a higher grade than skim.

Back to Alex...I know we were all SO surprised to see that he has red hair! Look, he has rosy cheeks in this picture.

AGHH! Pray for me that I don't become crazy packing Amy this week. We are packing for a long road trip and those who know me well know that my crazy psycho self usually takes over right before a trip. Seriously, it is the #1 most stressful thing to me. Honestly, I have dreams/nightmares about packing. This scenario varies, but usually I just realize we're about to leave and I have only 30 minutes to pack or a similar scenario. It's never about me getting to a destination and realizing I forgot something--just about packing. I am trying to be more laidback this time around. So far, so good. I'll give you an update later if it's favorable to me. If not, you'll just have to ask Matt...

Packing memories:
Dana packing for my trip (senior year) to Galveston because I was lying on the bathroom floor (sick.) Sick from a virus, not from packing...I'm not that crazy.
Kellie Hill packing for me twice. Once for Christmas and once for Canada. I wasn't sick those times--just a typical case of packing paralysis.
I don't know who packed for our honeymoon. I think it was Kelly, Kellie, and Mom...? If no one confesses, then it is the first miraculous intervention for packing of which I've ever heard.

Did I really grow up?

Caption: Simon eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Notice he is making the sign for "please." Also, you can note Toddlerwise on the dining table. Just a glimpse into our daily life.

So, did I really grow up?

I ask this question because I called my dad tonight to check on our van. We left it at his house yesterday and he took it for us today to the mechanic. (Sidenote: Praise the Lord for His protection as one of the front tires was in really POOR condition.) So, dad is also taking care of getting tires for us, too.

I asked if I could talk to mom, but she was at a school supply store, doing some errands for Scott--making some copies and getting some lamination done for him. So, although my parents should have the empty nest syndrome, here they are busy helping us!

We've been having lots of fun here--enjoying the warm weather! I can't believe it's supposed to be 87 degrees on Wednesday! The last two afternoons, we've gone outside with Simon and kicked a soccer ball around. It's like the warm weather brought with it so much energy. This evening we have played soccer, danced around the living room, and at one point, Matt was literally doing cartwheels...

My Little Valentine

This little sweetheart stole my heart a LONG time ago.

Yum, speaking of hearts, I have developed a taste for the Necco Conversation Hearts. (Thanks, Sara, for the personal recommendation!) Except the yellow ones. Though I like disliking them.

Simon is feeling poorly and might be contagious. Running a fever anywhere from 100.7 to 101.7. I think he's contagious cause I'm feeling sick, too, and Matt is likewise. Though I can't really 'afford' the time to feel sick with an under the weather husband and an 18 month old who needs to be held from 3-4:50 a.m. YEP. But once I took his temp. last night and saw that it was fairly high, it was easier to just hold him. If he hadn't had a temp, I'll admit, the little pumpkin would have found his way back to his little pumpkin patch crib. Matt might have a fever, too, but the only thermometer I've found is Simon's rectal thermometer, so you can see why I have no official temp. readings for Matt!

Funny story: Monday morning I realized why Simon had been so upset the night before at 3:00 a.m. (Yes this is 2 consecutive sleep-deprived nights. Did you know that they replay the Olympics in the middle of the night???)

So, I realized the cause of that Sunday night escapade. As I changed his clothes in the morning light Monday, I noticed a horrible cut on the bottom of his foot. Wound is a better description. I'm a wimp, but I did brace myself enough to dab it with some hydrogen peroxide. I asked Matt to come home at lunch, and he was kind enough to take initiative to dress Simon's wound better. The words laborous, precision, and tenderness come to mind. Really, Matt loves Simon so much. He made a remark to me the other night that Simon is the only one he 'worries' about--(Is he warm enough, does he need socks, etc.)

I know I said it was funny. Hang in there...it's coming.

Matt is dressing the wound and tells me I need to go out that afternoon and buy gauze. The injury is on the bottom of his foot on such a place where a band-aid won't stay. Of course, I'm not looking forward to taking sickly Simon to a store, but I know it is inevitable. Temporarily, we use a clean paper towel to dress the wound. Matt heads back to work after eating a thrown-together taco salad. I check the mail. HERE'S THE FUNNY PART. Guess what we received in the mail that day: GAUZE. I am so not kidding. How awesome is that??????? PTL!

Music Men

We have been praying for a piano, and we were blessed with one by a GFA family! It's by far the biggest 'pass it on' that we have received. I think.

Matt's the musical one in our family; I hope Simon gets the musical genes, too. Actually, I think Simon already has a natural inclination to music and rhythm. There's a certain track on a cd of his that we all 'lip sync' together for. The song is the very hip, modern song, "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed." Well, regardless of how high the cd volume is, or how engaged we are in another activity, Simon ALWAYS notices when the song comes on. He gets these HUGE eyes and starts smacking his lips together (his version of lip syncing.)

Well, their smiles make me smile and then we smile and life is GOOD.

Resolution Gone Bad

Caption: Simon's new haircut: short on top!

Well, Simon's haircut was a surprise to me, too. I was definitely coerced into it by the nice, pro-haircut lady that cut my hair last week. Sweet Simon was sitting in his stroller, and she couldn't wait to get her scissors out for him, too!

About the pix: These are our new bookshelves. It's so nice to have all of our books in one place and slightly organized by topic. The bummer is that we'll have to relocate our lockers which have been a great source of organization and quite the conversation piece. Note: we are not getting rid of them, just putting them somewhere else.

I realize that my public resolution of blogging per week is going bad, as several of my informal, unpublished resolutions. For example, the resolve to get up earlier. Last week I finally restarted that habit, but today, I opted for staying in bed. My goal is to get up at 5:00. I used to be a morning person!!! What happened??????? I really like the extra morning time to sip my tea and read and write and pray before the rest of the house gets up. I think one reason I'm having a difficult time being consistent getting up early in the morning is because I know that I'll have a couple of hours to myself during the afternoon (Simon's Nap) to read and write and pray. If the morning was my only option, I'd be much more inclined to rise.

Or, I can take Doctor Marvin's advice for Bob and just 'take baby steps.' Maybe getting up 5 minutes earlier everyday, working back from 6ish to 5.

Side bar: We are selling things we don't need on EBAY. It's really kind of fun. Getting rid of some excess. Unpacking the last of our boxes sent us over the Ebay edge. Matt was taking digital pix of all kinds of junk. Lord of the Rings collectibles from New Line Cinema (Matt used to have a students whose Mom worked for New Line and sent a bunch of cool stuff our way.) I was convinced we could sell this Elvis jigsaw poster (unopened) that was a 'limited edition' for at least a few dollars, but it looks like its only selling for 1.99 on Ebay. Not really worth our time. Next time I see Tamitha, I'll give it to her. She is a true Elvis fan.

Simon's 18 month well baby doctor's appointment is today.

This Wednesday, Feb. 8th, is mine and Matt's unofficial dating anniversary (1998)

Kelly went to the doctor last Wed. and baby Alex is still breached; so, at her appointment this Wed., they are going to decide on a specific day for a c-section. Kelly is wanting Thur. Feb. 16th to be the day. It's getting close! Mom flew down to Corpus Christi this weekend to see Kelly and take her shopping for hospital necessities and new baby necessities. I really wanted to give Kelly a baby shower before Alex was born, but her doctor wasn't let her travel. I'll work with Kelly to set a date for a Dallas baby shower maybe sometime in April??? The fun thing about post-baby baby showers is that we can see the baby!

Church update: In the weeks that we don't drive to WBC on Sundays (we still consider WBC our home church,) we are using the opportunty to plan to go to church with local supporters who don't go to WBC or to worship locally in Carrollton. Yesterday we worshipped at a Korean church in Carrollton. A family on staff at GFA in the Korean office goes to church there, and Matt asked if we could visit. The church has a strong evangelism, discipleship, and missionary focus (Win, Build, Send). We went to the 12:00 service that is in English.

The pastor for that service (mostly highschool youth/young adult Koreans) shared very passionately about Phil. 2: 5-11. His earnestness for the people was touching and his sincerity in his affection for Christ was almost palpable. He was a young guy, maybe in his 30s.

After the service, some members encouraged us to stay for the Korean meal that they all share together afterwards. Then they have bible study in small groups. It was our first time to eat Korean food (truly authentic) and it was refreshing to share in a different culture. We went by to pick up Simon in the nursery before eating. When we got to the nursery (of course Simon was the only redhead,) Simon was in no hurry to leave! Everyone was so surprised that he did so well and didn't cry. I, actually, would be floored if Simon were to cry in a nursery setting. He loves it! Plus, they fed him! When we walked in, Simon was smiling and holding a donut hole. Thankfully, that was his dessert and they had fed him rice and mixed vegetables already!

So, we went through the line and headed back to a small room to eat with our small group. The pastor was in there and we were able to meet his wife and learned that they had a four year old boy. He shared some about his time in Russia as a missionary (he has only been back for 3 months) and he shared about how much he believes in the ministry of Gospel for Asia (training nationals to evangelize, disciple, and plant churches.)

What he didn't share, but we learned in a conversation later with another member of the church, is that right before Pastor Won came back to the states, he was beaten and lynched by a Russian mob. Left for dead, it's only by God's grace that he is here today. Now I understand why his earnestness and sincerity were so touching and why his authenticity seemed palpable.