The Andersons

Avery at 6 weeks

2010-02-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

I measured her today...
24" and 13lbs. At 2 months Zach was 24" and 17.5 lbs. Wonder how it will measure out.

Avery at 2 weeks

2010-01-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

Took Avery in for her 2 week checkup today.

she was 10lb 12 oz and 23" long. She and Zach are virtually right on par with one another at this stage. i'll post some pics of her soon.

Things I don't want to forget

2009-08-26T00:03:00.001-07:00

I know that Zach is happy when he starts singing "Highway", which, when he first started doing it, sounded like "aahhbay". It is from "Life is a Highway", the Rascal Flatts version. It is kinda weird because it is kind of like his happy sound is "Life".

Katy brought a suprise for me yesterday. I didn't know anything about it. She brought me luch from Costco, and the minute I opened the door to the car, Brayden said, "Don't peek Daddy." I asked him what I wasn't supposed to be peeking at, and he sheepishly said, "Nothing."

Aspermont and Washington Trip

2009-05-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

Katy had a conference for Sisters in Service, so the boys and I took the opportunity to go to Aspermont to visit my folks, and then we spent a weekend in Washington DC, stayed one night with K's aunt and uncle, toured the Whitehouse and Capitol, met up with an old friend of mine from the 6th grade, and walked arround the monuments in the rain. Here are some picts in no particular order - you can match the title to the image for fun:

Everyone except for Dad in front of the Whitehouse

Gapcka and Zach at the Place

Zach eating (didn't have to look very far to find a picture of him eating)

Katy and Zach in the rain in front of the Jefferson Memorial

Brayden at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

Brayden at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

The FDR memorial (picture is of an old couple during the Great Depression)

Zach is Crawling!

2009-02-05T21:05:00.000-08:00

He started crawling on the day I returned from India (1/27/09)! I was so glad to see the first day of crawling!!

For his 9 month checkup he was 25lbs 4oz and 29.5 inches (though I have measured him at 30, so I am confident they are off again).

Stuff Brayden Said

2009-01-21T07:31:00.000-08:00

Sometimes parents just need space, and with two small chidren, it becomes harder and harder to come by, so we take every opportunity, even the small ones. Ones like going to the bathroom. So when I locked the bathroom door, I expected to not be distrubed. Then I hear the doorknob rattle.

"Daddy?"

"What Brayden?"

Daddyyyyy!?

Now more door knob rattling, then to my amazement a door knob turning and opening, and I find myself staring eye level at Brayden.

"Your not supposed to do that!" (By this he means lock the door) "Why did you do that Daddy?"

"Because I wanted some privacy!"

Brayden shrugs and says "Oh, all you had to do is ask." turns arround and shuts the door behind him.

I'm left wondering several things.

1. How did he know how to open the locked door? (This is usually accomplished with a coin or in some cases a thumbnail and some grim determination, and something that we never taught Brayden, for obvious reasons) This is disturbing for several reasons and means I may need to install new and higher locks on some doors.

2. What does it mean that he is sophisticated enough to understand the need for privacy and to be OK with Daddy needing privacy, but not sophisticated enough to understand that a locked door indicates that the person behind it is seeking privacy in the first place? Along those same lines it was like he was granting me privacy and knew it. It was like he knew he had the power, and was granting one of his servants a request for time off. This is not a good sign of things to come.

I think my three year old may be outsmarting me. It is going to be an interesting 15 years.

Christmas Tree 08

2008-12-07T14:16:00.001-08:00

We went and cut down our Christmas tree yesterday. Quoting Brayden, "We got the biggest tree ever". We've got it up and decorated, and had a great time doing it.

Zach Cut Teeth

2008-11-19T16:09:00.001-08:00

First tooth cut t hrough on Mon. Nov 17, second tooth today (Nov 19)...looks like the top teeth are going to be surfacing soon too. Poor boy! I'll post some pics of my friend's recent trip here, and the rocket ship we bought Brayden.

Katy's Birthday

2008-11-08T21:37:00.001-08:00

October 31st, in addition to being Halloween, also happens to be Katy's birthday. She said that no one had ever successfully surprised her. It is very difficult to surprise her because she notices everything. I had to have two surprises going at once to get one past her.

The surprise present didn't work, but the surprise party was successful... here are some shots from the surprise that worked. The shot of Katy and Brayden blowing out candles was from when she thought that she wasn't going to get a birthday cake from me and got herself some cupcakes from Safeway.

Halloween

2008-11-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

Here are some shots from this Halloween

Recent Pictures

2008-10-25T08:23:00.001-07:00

The one that has Zachary with his hands held open was taken by Brayden.

More things Brayden said

2008-09-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

Setting: trying to get Brayden to go to sleep - I go in and lay down with him.

Me: You know I love you bud.
Brayden: And Mommy loves me and Baby Zachary loves me.....(now he turns from facing me and just looks up at the ceiling) .....Everybody loves me.

Things Brayden Says

2008-09-26T00:43:00.000-07:00

I was having breakfast with Brayden and he looks at me and says "NO!" about something - I forget what. We have been trying to break him of this habit, so I take him to "time-out". Well, he cries and bangs on the door, and finally gets over his fit. I go in and talk to him. Here is the conversation:

Dad: "Why were you in time-out?"
Brayden: "Because you put me there."
Dad: "Daddy put you there because you disobeyed. You have to obey Daddy."
Brayden: "You're not God."
Dad: "No, but God says 'Honor your Father and your Mother'"
Brayden: "You're not my Father"
Dad: "O.K. your Daddy and your Mommy."

He knows he has lost the fight and puts his head down and into my side.

What will the boy say when he actually learns to read?

Zachary's First Food, 4 Mo Checkup, and Other Things...

2008-08-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

Some of our friends affectionately call Zach "Tank". He weighed in at his 4 month checkup just over 20lbs and approx 27 in. He's a big boy! He's almost sitting now, and he loves to stand. He can hold most of his weight on his legs, but still needs quite a bit of balance help. He loves to smile and giggle and really enjoys watching Brayden goof around.

First food:

Cute Comments:

Brayden sat Greg down the other day. B put his hand on his chin in a pensive manner, saying, "Dad, I need to talk to you." Greg encouraged him to continue. "Sometimes monsters come and try to eat my toes." How do you respond to that? :)

So here are a few pics from the last month. I can't claim to be the photographer on more than one or two...props to mom and T for taking the great shots! Make sure to check out the video of B falling asleep eating!

unmistakebly perfect timing...this wasn't here when T started to take the shot

they didn't quite fit! :)
He'll chew on anything

punishment? T saw this on her walk around the lake...not from our camp!

Beautiful view!

Pictures from Florida and Texas

2008-07-16T21:16:00.001-07:00

What Brayden Said

2008-07-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Setup: We are trying to get Brayden to eat at meals instead of eating a lot of snacks. He is a pretty finicky eater. I was explaining the reasoning to him.

Conversation

Daddy: "There is no short order cook in this house."

Brayden: "There is no money in this house."

Both of these are true.

I love you .... better

2008-07-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

I always thought that it was very important that Brayden knew that I loved him, so I told him so - often. I never, however, tried to coerce those words from him. Imagine my delight whenever one night I heard him say "I love you" as I was leaving his room after reading him a bedtime story. I told Katy about it. Katy asked Brayden what he told Daddy, and Brayden looked at her and said "I love you better".

This kid knows where his bread is buttered.

2 Month Checkup

2008-06-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

So, Zachary was 17lb 5.8oz, 24" at today's checkup. That is 100% for weight and 82% for height. I measured Zach and I think they didn't get his full height (I got an additional 1/2 inch), but regardless, he's a big boy!

We went to the pirate festival on Father's day...here are our two boys.

Also, I finally caught a few smiles. Yeah!

Updates

2008-06-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a while. Zachary is doing better. He still has a lot of gas, but it seems to not be as painful. He has started smiling, which is adorable! When I try to take pictures of the smile he moves on before I can capture it. Hopefully soon!

Here's a few pics of our whale watching expedition...look at poor Zach in the life vest. Yikes! We had a great time though. We saw a lot of whales, birds, killer whales, and dolphins. My favorite part was the dolphins riding along with the boat. Unfortunately pictures don't capture the moments we experienced!

Anderson Visit & Brothers

2008-05-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

We had a nice visit with the Anderson family last week, and now have my dear friend Christian in town. Our house is busy! But, the help and company have been very much appreciated.

Zachary is still having problems on and off. He has so much pressure in his tummy for up to 3 hours after a feed...lots of burps, gas, etc, but he's gaining weight well. Other than that he is a happy and carefree baby. Hopefully he'll outgrow this stage soon. B loves is little brother and asks many times throughout each day to hold, hug, or kiss Z. Here are a few shots of them together.

Also, we included B & G'pa A riding bikes together. G'pa A riding a bike was quite a sight. Greg doesn't think he'd ever seen his dad ride a bike, so it was a rare treat.

A self shot picture...
I just thought these two were cute...look how stiff he looks!

Mother's Day

2008-05-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

We are adjusting to our family of four pretty well. We've had several very difficult nights, and are beginning to wonder if Zachary has colic. We're glad this stage is temporary!!

Greg's folks flew in for the week, so the boys spent mother's day with me, Greg, and both sets of Grandparents. We went to SF, and spent the afternoon at Dolores Park, Tartine Bakery, and Mission Dolores. It was a good time. Here are a few pics.

Three generations of second sons with "gus" as a middle name...
a loving big brother...

2 Week Checkup

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

Zach was 10lb 13oz. :) He's a big boy!

Everyone asks who Zach looks like...

2008-05-03T21:52:00.000-07:00

...how about Brayden?

1st Bath and Rolling Over

2008-05-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

This is Zach rolling over at 2 weeks old...he has done it several times well between his day 4 rolling and the few this evening. We just recorded the last one, which was the weakest we've seen...It is kind of a 3/4 rollover and then a 1/4 rollover. Alas. But we are still proud parents!

We also gave Zach his first bath in his infant bathtub this evening. He didn't like it very well. I recall B liking his more.

First Two Weeks

2008-04-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

Hey all! WE MADE IT through the first week and a half! We appreciate all of your prayers, emails, meals, comments, and calls. We feel so loved! Zachary is beginning to adjust to a schedule (though he prefers to sleep in the days still instead of the nights), and life is getting a little easier for me. I've been up and down over the last week and a half. I've had a cold day and a flu-like day, not to mention the hormone stuff, and I'm sleeping at wacky times while my body is recovering. Brayden and Greg are both troopers, really sacrificing a lot for me and Zachary.

Zachary rolled over from his belly to his back 4 times on day 4 (one time one way and three times the other), but hasn't done it since. Four of us saw it, and we attempted to take a video to prove it...unfortunately we have the first part on video, a snapshot during, and video after he finished rolling over. Alas! At least there were four of us that saw it so you know I wasn't just having a loopy moment. :)

Here are a few pics of Zach with his eyes open (and with his dark hair which you can hardly see) and a shot of Brayden and Grandpa D at the marina on a bike ride/jog. Brayden got his new bike going quite fast on the flat marina surface!! (The second time was a bit slower because he decided to stop and chase birds, get newspapers, etc).

We are Home and More Picts

2008-04-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

Katy and Zach came through like champs, and we are all back home and doing fine now. I'm going to fill the rest of this with picts, which is I'm sure is what everyone wants to see - and let me tell you, there are plenty of them to choose from.

We got Brayden a gift commemorating the big day - a big brother bike.

Brayden likes his new little brother, as you can see from how he holds him in the above picts, and the neat sign that he put together with Grandma and Grandpa.

Introducing...

2008-04-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Zachary Gus Anderson!

He was born on Saturday at Kaiser Vallejo on April 19, 2008 at 8:33 PM. He weighed 9lbs, 9 oz and was 22 1/2 inches long. The delivery went smoothly and Katy and Zach are both fine. We are all back home and adjusting to life as a new family.

Thanks for all of your prayers,
Greg, Katy, Brayden and Zachary

38.5 Weeks

2008-04-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

Had my 38 week checkup today. The boy is measuring in at 9lbs 6oz (+/- a pound and a half), so I have a scheduled induction Saturday if I have not gone into labor ahead of then.

Here's a picture of him from today.

37 Week Checkup

2008-04-08T17:34:00.001-07:00

No big change this week. This wasn't a huge shock for me because of my lack of change over a month with Brayden. She didn't measure the baby because I was in a different room and the machines read everything differently. She did "stir up some trouble" as she put it, and if my body is ready I should go in to labor. We'll see if it works...but I'm not yet convinced.

I do have an end period, however. They will induce at 39 weeks if I have not gone into labor. I don't know if they'll do it on that day or just in that week, but it looks like I should have the baby within 10 or 11 days. Only God knows the exact timing!

Our Short Visit with Chris

2008-04-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

My brother Chris had a conference in SJ on Friday, so G, B, and I drove down to Sunnyvale to have dinner with him and my parents. It was a nice time. We all laughed a lot, and Brayden really enjoyed having his uncle around to play trains outside and to boss around as much as Chris would let him.

Here are a few pictures. It was hard to get one that looked decent of all of us, but a few shots came out cute.

Katy Pregger Pics-35 weeks

2008-04-05T08:20:00.001-07:00

I'm now full term! I was having some significant contractions yesterday while I was in for monitoring, so they kept me on the monitor for an hour. I think they're all convinced Baby A will make an appearance soon. I'll believe it when I see it because I was 2cm/50% with brayden for a month and was late. Obviously, we'll keep you updated!

Ashley keeps asking for preggers pics, so here are a few from Easter. I was 35 weeks pregnant. I've now got two more weeks of growth, but thankfully no real swelling anywhere. This baby is mostly baby!

36 Weeks...and counting

2008-04-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

Had another doctor appointment today. Looks like the baby had another growth spurt. He's measuring in around 8lb 1oz (give or take a pound). His femur is long too, so it looks like he's tall. I don't have the exact measurement, but it was above 7cm and in the 90something percentile. We'll see how tall he is when we meet him!

The doc saw on my NST sheet (the monitoring I do at the hospital 2x/wk) that I was having relatively frequent contractions, and then checked to see if they were doing anything yet. I'm 3cm dilated. Next week, she'll try some methods to try to bring the onset of labor without inducing me. If my body is ready to go into labor, I should have the baby by the end of next week. If not, she'll try again the following week.

Here is today's pic of the baby. Looks pretty similar to the last one...she commented on the chubby cheeks. At least this one may favor me a bit with the Derr cheeks...Brayden has always looked just like Greg. :)

commenting

2008-03-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

we've been having some problems with spam comments, so I've upped the security a bit. You now have to enter your email address when you want to comment. If we continue to have problems, I'll up it even more but I hope to keep it at this level as long as possible.

Birthday Party

2008-03-30T17:48:00.000-07:00

We went to Children's Wonderland in Vallejo for the 1st birthday party of Greg's coworker's daughter. Though a few of the activities were a little older than Brayden, he had a great time and was captivated by Tinkerbell! His favorite activity was catching the bubbles that wouldn't break when they landed on his hands. He was proud of his bubbles. You can see one in the bottom picture if you look hard enough.

Easter

2008-03-23T07:33:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Easter with the Derr family a day early so we could both be at our home churches on Easter Sunday. Brayden had a GREAT time dying eggs and then hunting for the candy and hardboiled eggs. He started by shaking each egg. The candy eggs were immediately opened and the candy shoved in the face. We finally got him to realize that the candy would still be there later, so he'd hold off. Then, he found the binoculars, which became the highlight of the hunt. He originally put them up backwards to his eyes. Greg tried to get him to turn them around, saying "look the other way". Instead Brayden kept them backwards and turned himself around. It was quite hilarious! Our literal boy! So we stopped trying. He'd hold them up backward to his eyes, put them down, spot an egg, run to it, and then put them back up to his eyes while yelling "there it is!". It was a great day!

34 Week Checkup

2008-03-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

Just had my check-up yesterday. Thankfully, Baby Gus didn't grow as much as he had previously, so he's around 6lb9oz now...in the 92-95% for everything. This means I probably won't induce before 38 weeks, and maybe not at all. Who knows if he'll have a growth spurt between my appointments and everything will change again next time. I guess at this point it is all touch and go!

I started my Non-Stress Test monitoring of the baby too...I pretty much lay there with a belt on measuring the baby's heart beat for about 20 minutes. I have to wake him up and get him to be active so they can see that he's thriving in there, and as of yesterday, all looked good.

glucose test

2008-03-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

got the results back, and my score was down 40 points (a good thing). I'm now in the totally safe zone.

Baby Anderson! Update

2008-03-05T13:17:00.000-08:00

Went in for my checkup today and my doctor had just gotten the 3/4d imaging machine, so I got some great new pictues of "gus" (see below). The obstruction in front of his face is my uterus, but overall it is pretty clear and pretty cool!

Baby "Gus" is measuring 3 weeks ahead, and is currently 5lb 12oz according to the ultrasound. The doctor and I talked about possible early induction at 38 weeks, because I still have 7.5 weeks before delivery. Depending on the outcome of my next appointment, we will consider amniocentesis to test the lung function and possibly an induction prior to 38 weeks.

Also, I had my second gestational diabetes screen today, and the hope is that I am still negative. I came in low on my last test, but high enough she wanted to retest. I should find out today or tomorrow how that went. And, I start my non-stress monitoring twice a week the week after next. Lots of doctors appointments!

Update

2008-02-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago, Greg & Brayden flew out to Aspermont to surprise Greg's mom for her birthday (two weeks early). The rest of the family was in on it, and they all succeeded in giving her a wonderful surprise. Everyone had a great time! Brayden came back talking about cows, tractors, airplanes, and trains.

I stayed home because I've been grounded for my third trimester. I really enjoyed my time at home alone. I celebrated a friend's birthday, and got a ton of work done. I forgot what it was like to exercise, sleep, and eat when I want as opposed to when works for Brayden.

I've got 9 weeks until my due date, and I'm feeling okay. I don't have any issues besides the pain I've had throughout the pregnancy. Because I've remained symptom free with my thyroid, my extra monitoring was delayed by two weeks, so I don't start going into the doctor 2x/wk + my appointments until 34 weeks. That is at least 4 less appointments! Baby "Gus" measured in at 4lbs 1oz at my appointment about 2 weeks ago, so he's a big one! The doctor said he's prolly on par to be 8.5lbs (Brayden's size), and prolly decently tall with a big head (thanks, Anderson genes!). We look forward to meeting him, but we're really enjoying the time with Brayden too.

Here's a few pics from the recent trip...B loved chasing the baby calf, and he was afraid of Aint Pappy's dog, he kept pulling his feel up on papa. Ricky exploited the situation for some fun!

Christmas (and other recent) Pics

2008-02-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

Now that my parents are back home, I've got some pictures from them and can show you some of what we've been up to...

We went to the 49ers vs. Bengals game (my dad watched the game 26 years ago on the day my sister was born and both teams were good)...though we weren't quite as into the game as he was back then, we had a good time. Brayden was a kick to watch with all of the pregame festivities.

Went to the zoo on Christmas eve (the day before the tiger attacks)...Brayden really liked the penguins, train, and tractors...

Stayed with G'pa and G'ma Derr for Christmas

Spent a week in January with my Grandma Thomas (and family) while she was very sick (she's not in the pics)...

Brayden and Grandma built a "tunnel" for the train to go through

Baby Names Bubbling Under

2008-02-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

Here are some suggested names that have been submitted and rejected as a first name to be followed by the Second name "Gus":

"Bo"
"Anala"
"Gus"
"Get off the Bus"
"Cuss"

We welcome comment on names that you propose for this list as well.

Names For Baby "Gus"

2008-01-28T09:11:00.000-08:00

Here are our top choices for names. We appreciate the input we've gotten from y'all. We originally thought we'd go unique, but we thought we'd done that with B, and then we found out Brayden was in the top 70 names according to the SSA in 2006 (He was 2005, so maybe we started the trend!). Bummer. Please vote for your favorite, or add a new name (it has to go with Gus as a middle name) if you haven't already mentioned it to us.

Nathaniel
Gabriel
Christopher
Oliver
Kendall
Emerson
Zachary

Here are a profile and a face shot from last week's appt if they provide any inspiration. The benefit of being a high risk pregnancy is the new pics from every time I see the doctor!

Train Museum with the Nasons

2008-01-28T09:04:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pics from the train museum. I'll add more (including Christmas) when I get them from my parents...they've been in Ohio for most of the last month caring for my grandma (who seems to be stable now).

BTW...Some blocks took a bite out of B's mouth, so yes it is swollen with a scab right on the lip.

Random one on our anniversary...

2008-01-03T22:22:00.000-08:00

Katy and I have been officially hiched for four years now. Wow. We had lunch today and talked about our wedding day, seeing all our family and friends, starting our life together. Now we have a 2 1/2 year old and another one on the way. I'm looking forward to the next one when we have another reason to celebrate and be exhausted at the same time.

Here are some random picts from Brayden's new room:

Before (after he had spent two hours NOT taking a nap -

New Room Picts:
The "Wallies" are stickers that can be removed and placed again. Brayden replaced every one that Katy and I had placed and put them back on himself in almost the same position. "Brayden do it" is becomming more and more common in our home.

Brayden Sings

2007-12-20T00:30:00.000-08:00

Here is one of Brayden's favorite songs - as he likes to sing it:

Tinkle Tinkle widle sar
ow I wuner wachu ar
usp abuda worsohi
wike a diamond ina si

Tikle Tinkle widle sar
ow I wunder wachu ar

Kinna makes you want to cry, doesn't it?

Brayden's Skills

2007-12-05T00:36:00.000-08:00

Katy worked with Brayden today and now he can use the mouse pretty well. He plays a game on pbskids.org: http://pbskids.org/caillou/immersivegames/ where he has to click on and drag parts of train tracks into their correct location. Once K was able to teach him how to left click instead of right click (no mac comments please), he was pretty much set. So now every so often I hear "bye-bye Caillou train" coming from the office, meaning that he just completed a game. It is pretty cool to see him learning.

Christmas Tree & Texas

2007-12-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

We just got back from a great trip to Aspermont over Thanksgiving. Because we'll be staying local for Christmas, we celebrated Christmas early. You'll see some cute pics of Brayden enjoying himself. B in the yellow shirt is a shirt Theresa (G's mom) made when her oldest was little...notice the collar (she forgot to downsize it).

When we got home we cut down a tree and put up our decorations. Brayden really enjoys the tree...he turns on the lights of the tree and "put up" ornamants each time he walks into the room. You'll see him trying to put his train on the tree...

House before and after renovation

2007-11-13T21:14:00.000-08:00

After a year, and a lot of sweat equity by Katy, Brayden and I, we finally have finished off the kitchen renovation. Here are the before and after shots:

Halloween

2007-11-06T13:26:00.000-08:00

So, it was an interesting evening...because it was my birthday, I didn't want to cook. We had pizzas delivered, but unfortunately we had lots of problems and they showed up 3.5 hours late (at 9:30). They ended up being free, so that helped, but definitely changed the flavor of the evening and kept us from putting B down at a reasonable hour.

The first trick-or-treaters came to the door about 5:30. Brayden ran away screaming and crying. He was scared, and he didn't understand why I was giving away all the candy. The rest of the evening followed suit. Anyone in a scary costume or with a scary house freaked Brayden out. As we walked up to each door, he said "hurt" (meaning "scared"). He wanted the candy, just not the frights.

It was really hard to ration the candy as well, G and I had to distract Brayden so we could remove candy because he wanted to eat it all! I guess he'll be more into it next year!

Brayden did love his costume (which he picked out when we were at Target), so he ran around in it all evening. I think that was the highlight of the night!

Pumpkin Carving and Glasses

2007-10-31T10:30:00.000-07:00

We finally carved our pumpkins last night. Brayden REALLY enjoyed helping...He loved taking the seeds out of the pumpkins so we can cook them. Trying to cut the pumpkins was a little more challenging with his help, so we had to side track him while we quickly carved.

Also, B found G's old glasses and tried them on today...I saw some Anderson resemblance, so I thought I'd take a pic.

Baby Powder

2007-10-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

So, Saturday we put Brayden down for his nap. His room was clean, books and toys put away, and he seemed like he'd settle down quickly. Brayden made some noise off an on for about an hour (which usually means all the toys and books come off the shelves as he plays by himself until he falls asleep). Just as I was starting my exercise video, Brayden came to the door (which he never does), so I decided to check on him. Here is what I was greeted with:

Loma Vista Harvest Festival

2007-10-20T14:42:00.001-07:00

We went to a Loma Vista farm in Vallejo this morning to pet some animals, take a train ride, and pick out a pumpkin. Brayden had a great time. He loved the sound of the train more than being on the train, which suprised us a bit, but it is definitely a cheaper enjoyment! B talked about "papa's tractor" when he saw this John Deere. He also really enjoyed petting the bunnies and decorating his pumpkin.

Walk to the Water

2007-10-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

I've started volunteering with an organization called Sisters in Service (http://www.sistersinservice.org). We work alongside locals in many countries where women and girls don't receive the basic human rights. Our goal is to meet the physical and spiritual needs of our sisters, often teaching them skills that will help them make a living.

A few weeks ago, a local chapter hosted a Walk to the Water, a fundraiser for a project they've adopted in India. We got to walk a few miles with water buckets to go draw water, like our sisters in many places throughout Africa and Asia who walk 5 miles to get water. (We didn't actually walk that distance with a big water bucket because we got to carry a 2 year old)...This is Brayden trying to carry water with Greg.

Train Town

2007-10-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

Brayden is OBSESSED with trains. We took Brayden to Train Town a few weeks ago to ride a steam train. While we were there, Brayden rode on all the carnival rides...he LOVED them. While other kids his age freaked out, Brayden smiled and had a wonderful time. We have a child with no fear.

Here are some pics of our expedition.

1 Year

2007-10-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Greg started his new job in California a year ago(the 16th really, but on the Monday). On his first day of work his new boss also started, the guy who hired him put in his two week notice, and Greg's car wouldn't start when he left the office. What a memorable first day!

It is hard to believe it has been a year since we trekked across the country.

Great News!

2007-09-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

We're pregnant! I'm 9 weeks along, and we've now been to the doctor to hear the heartbeat and know that it is a viable pregnancy. The baby is due on April 27.

So, Brayden wore this t-shirt to tell our parents while we were on a trip to see Greg's family in Texas and celebrate my grandpa's 84th in Florida. We decided to not say anything and just see how long they'd take to notice. We thought the blatant long sleeves in Texas and Florida heat, along with the abnoxiously large embroidered print would make it practically impossible to miss. I'm proud to say that G's family noticed within about 4 minutes. My folks, on the other hand, didn't notice after two hours, so I finally had to mention that they never read Brayden's shirt. Guess I won't be trying that approach again in the future.

Here's some recent pics...

Getting on the Boat at Lake Sequoia with Papa Derr

Feeding the Ducks and Having a Blast

On the Trains in St. Augustine
More on the Train
Greg Returning to His Cowboy Roots
Good Shot!!
Brayden on the Anderson Boys' John Deere Tractor, with the Real Thing in the Background
Progressing Slowly on the Kitchen. We'll post some finished pics soon.
Greg's Tomatoes
Brayden Helping Dad Grout the New Tile Floor

Brayden's IQ

2007-07-27T00:07:00.000-07:00

I think part of being a parent is realizing that a childs IQ is not stable - it varries with their level of interest in the subject. For instance, I can tell Brayden to go to bed, and it seems like he can't find it at all. However, if I say he has to put his shoes on before he goes outside, they magically appear on his feet in a very short amount of time. So. I ask you, is it harder to find a six foot long four foot wide piece of furniture, or to find two four inch long, two inch wide articles of clothing and put them on?

A line from "Everybody Loves Raymond" comes to mind - "I just act stupid so your mom won't make me do stuff."

Brayden Turns Two

2007-07-12T13:06:00.001-07:00

Brayden celebrated his 2nd birthday on the 8th. Can't believe it has already been two years! We went to Round Table Pizza with some friends and then came back here to open gifts and play. Greg and I gave Brayden a sandbox (which Greg and his dad built), so the gifts followed in the same vein. We got to celebrate with both sets of grandparents. We're so glad the Andersons came to visit from Aspermont!

Here are some pics from throughout the two years. My how he's changed!

Falling asleep eating at camp (2006)
Family Camp 2006
Just Moved! Oct 2006

Snow While Visiting Grandma (May 2007)
Swimming at Fairbrae with Katy and G'ma Derr (May 07)
At the Park (June 2007)

Anderson Visit

2007-07-12T12:59:00.001-07:00

Tahoe

2007-07-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

We had an unexpected trip to Tahoe the first weekend of July...my parents had some car problems that gave us some time up in the mountains. We went to Donner Lake to camp, but decided to trek the additional miles to let Greg and Brayden see Tahoe. It was worth the trip! Grandpa D found a crawfish (sp?), and that is what he's showing B in the picture. My parents made it back home with less car damage than they expected, and a relaxing time in one of our favorite places.

Random Pics

2007-07-03T11:25:00.001-07:00

At first glance this looks random, but notice that he only marked in the boxes or in the lines where Greg filled out or should have filled out...smart kid!
Brayden's Random "Vogue"ing
"Vogue"ing
Hanging out sketching
Brayden taking a pic of himself

Kitchen Remodel

2007-07-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

We are in the throws of our kitchen remodel right now...I thought I'd throw up some pics of the progress. We moved our furnace up to the attic and took down the closet where it was (right between dining area and kitchen). I'll put up more as we progress...looking forward to the finished product already!!
Before Pics
Before. The closet on the left side is what we took out
The living/dining area...the walls on the right are what we took out

End of Day 1
End of Day 2

Potty Training

2007-07-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, we decided to do a potty party to introduce Brayden to potty training. He did very well and was really excited about getting to potty in the potty. Now he averages about 1 or 2 accidents a day, and he's in big boy underwear most of the time. He loves his independence!

A few highlights from the day:
*Brayden dancing with his bear he named "Eyes"
*Brayden running back and forth to the potty and laughing his head off
*Brayden cleaning up a hose "accident" outside by running inside to get a towel and then wiping it off.
*Brayden running inside for a minute while both Greg and I pondered his actions. He was going to get his comforter from his bed to cover "Eyes" while he rode on his tricycle. We helped Brayden get a little blanket instead of the big old comforter.

The Look

2007-06-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Every morning Brayden calls from his bedroom - generally for Baba (Katy) or Gauck (Milk), or that he has pooped. Katy or I will call(it could be construed as more like a shout) for him to come on in. We hear Brayden's feet hit the floor and come running into our room. He then will go over to K's side of the bed and be hauled up onto the bed. At this time we are always kind of hoping for him to go back down for 20 or 30 minutes. Most times, though, he is up.

That means we are too. He will start climbing around and usually end up crawling off the bed, requesting Gauck. Then he will come over to my side of the bed. I see a pair of small hands slap and grab onto the sheet - inches from my face, followed quickly by Brayden's face as he pushes his nose up to almost touch mine. He has a furrowed brow - and an indescribable look that is concerned, hopeful, expectant, and communicates everything. Then he will utter "Gauck" repeatedly, until he gets milk. It's not as if he has ever failed to receive milk - every morning of his life. It is hard to imagine something more consistent.

I've thought about getting a little mini refrigerator and sticking it in his room, so maybe we could get a couple of extra minutes of sleep. But then again, I wouldn't get to see "the look" every morning of the world - and to tell the truth, I think I would miss it.

Brayden and the Car (with Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes)

2007-05-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

We'll put a few pics up this weekend...keep checking!

New Picts of Easter in Texas

2007-04-19T23:58:00.000-07:00

Brayden really enjoys playing with Uncle Pat's dog Sophie.

He also likes taking Uncle Ricky's hat off.

Brayden's got some big boots to fill, and a lot of butter to churn.

Cousin Willie never could turn down a game of 42.

Video & Pics

2007-03-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

Brayden and the Box

Brayden Chillin' on the Couch

B & G Building a Fort

Enjoying my "Mama's" Wig

Gualala

Gualala

2007-03-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Greg and I got away to Gualala, CA (sounds like wah-la-la) to celebrate our January anniversary. 3 years already!

We drove about 3 hours up the coast. It was a beautiful drive, but my stomach didn't fare to well around the windy curves! Our hotel had semi-private balconies looking out over a river meeting the ocean and we could walk down to and along the beach. The view was great! It was also fun to walk around the small town and venture through some of the shops. Most of the food was without taste, but with a little salt and/or seasonings would have been excellent. I think the highlight of the weekend, however, was in our ability to play games and read without interruption. We played mastermind for several hours! Next time, I think we'll skip the fancy hotel and go for a camping trip or have my folks pick up B-boy and take him to their house while we stay here.

We missed Brayden, but he was great for my parents, and he got to spend a lot more time outside than he does with me. I think he was in heaven! His look when we got home was priceless. He was angry and happy all at the same time. Very cross with tears but not ready to leave us either. Fun!

It has been a while...

2007-02-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd write because it has been a while.

Not much has changed for us over the last month or so...Brayden is picking up a bunch of new words and getting into more and more each day (he started getting up on to drawers to reach high shelves, etc), but Greg and I are in similar places. We bought Greg a bike so he could start riding to work once it stays light a little longer...and Brayden a little ride-a-long trailer to pull behind my bike. We hope to go for some expeditions soon, but it seems that fixing our house takes precedence over all else! We are making strides forward in this venue, and are about to start the kitchen remodel (then comes the bath, laundry area, rooms, and the list goes on and on...). We took out a lime tree, rose bushes, and some daisies last weekend, and by the time Greg dumped the yard waste I think all the limes were gone. Everyone wanted them including the post man, a neighbor, moving guys, and the folks at the yard waste facility. We feel popular! :)

We just got a new camera (arriving today), so soon we'll be able to post some new pics and videos. Our camera broke in late December, so we've missed many moments we hoped to capture but couldn't. Hopefully Brayden still will do a few of the things for the camera, like his tickle monster and dancing. They are hilarious.

We're headed to TX for a visit around Easter, and look forward to seeing our friends and family. We miss being around people that we know and love!

More specific requests for the Ochoa Family

2007-01-22T11:03:00.000-08:00

These are prayer requests posted by the Executive Pastor for this week...thanks in advance for your prayers.
As we prepare for the Ochoa’s to arrive tomorrow afternoon, throughout this week, pls bathe in prayer the following:

-Travel mercies for family and Talitha’s body.
-Family harmony and unity on both Rhonda and David’s sides of family.
-Planning/logistics still being done for services on Thursday.
-Healthy grieving process and support system for Ochoa’s.
-Outreach team as they lead us now and going forward.
-Services on Thursday will honor our Lord and bring comfort to family/friends as we remember and celebrate Talitha’s life.

The Ochoa Family

2007-01-18T16:44:00.000-08:00

I realize it has been a while since we posted. Sorry. The reason for this post is to request prayer for a missionary family from Bent Tree. Talitha Ochoa passed away last night in Africa, a few days after contracting cerebral malaria. She was 16. Her family will be flying back to Dallas for the funeral. Please pray for them as they grieve the death of Talitha. She loved her work in Africa, and lived to the fullest, but some of their extended family was unsupportive of the move to Africa because they didn't want the family to raise their children there. Please pray for the family and people of BTBF as they grieve and communicate with one another.

Here is a quick update on us.
We are doing well and settling in to our new home. We had a great trip to Texas for Christmas and New Years, getting to spend some quality time with family and friends.

Brayden got a new tricycle from the Andersons, and though he was a little small, loved to tiptoe around while seated on it. He'd carry several phones and his sippy cup and inevitabely drop everything and fall over. They constructed a basket for Brayden to carry everything he needs! We'll bring it back to Cali on our next trip out.

While we were in Aspermont, Greg and his bro's worked on redoing a bathroom, and hopefully when we go back we'll be able to post some pics of the new bathroom. I think it will look great. Unfortunately we weren't able to finish the project...and while we were there I backed into a butane tank in my rental car...at least it was empty and the damage was very minimal! Greg intends to head out soon for a weekend of work. I probably won't join him until a trip later this spring/early summer as I'm headed to Ohio with my mom and Brayden to visit Great Grandma Thomas.

After leaving Aspermont, we headed to Dallas and had a great opportunity to catch up with friends. We miss our "family" in Dallas and truly appreciate each of our friends. The guys had a kill fest (X-Box) and I got some quality catch up time with most of my gal pals. I missed a few and hope to catch up with them on the next trip!

We spent New Years on Winter Park playing a game equivalent to Nerts (I rocked because it was a speed game! You're going down Kari!). I love speed games. Then we had a fabulous dinner at the Barking Dog Cantina (Page & Sheila's), enjoying great laughs with our neighbors. We even stayed at our old place...it was a little surreal to be in our old home as guests! Great deal about selling to friends though!

I'm still working for Bent Tree until they make a hire and/or we settle on a job for me here. Valley is still an option but we aren't certain yet if it will pan out. They have my resume and are trying to create a "box" for me to work in based on their needs and my skills.

The Big 30 (And I've got an awesome wife)

2006-12-17T22:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my beautiful wife and some old friends I had a great 30th B-day. Katy had been cooking up something since Thanksgiving in preperation for my birthday.

K kept on asking what I would like for my birthday, and I said that I would just like to spend it with friends, and I haven't really had time to make any here. Little did I know she had already booked a flight for JR (the best man at my wedding) and I didn't know about it until I announced our departure and she confessed that JR was at the airport.

JR's flight was delayed and so the elaborate scheme worked out with another old friend, Kristen, fell through, but it was a great surprise (more like shock) anyway. K and I had been trying to get together with Kristen and her husband Joshua for a while- little did I know that they were cooking up this scheme to have JR just walk into a restuarant where we were eating. Well, JR's flight got delayed, so (despite the best efforts of Katy, Kristen, and Joshua) we just went and picked JR up from the airport.

We played a little Halo the next day, then got some clam chowder while K picked up Brayden, then we all went out to Napa Valley and had a great time. We went to three vineyards while we were there. One that K and I like in particular is Van der Hayden. If you ever get a chance go there - it lacks some of the polish of the bigger vineyards, but it has great wine. JR (who knows a lot more about wine than K or I) liked the wine there as well, so we feel somewhat justified in our taste. Brayden flirted shamelessly with some college age young ladies who were there, and chased a "doggie" relentlessly.

Then next day we went back down into the city to see Kristen and Joshua and their two kids. Kristen had known JR from college, so we thought it would be nice to get everyone together. We ate lunch at a great mexican food place, then went to a great park (Delores Park) that overlooks downtown San Francisco. From the park we went to the Mission and took a self guided tour. I hope that Kristen will post some of the pictures she took. On our way back to Kristen and Joshua's place we stopped by and picked up some dessert from a great bakery close to their casa. Finally, we ate some pizza from another local resturant. Many thanks to Kristen and Joshua for their hospitality. I had a great time, I hope everyone else did.

We are looking forward to going to Aspermont this upcoming weekend, so I'm sure we'll be posting some picts from that adventure.

The one about Christmas

2006-12-11T23:55:00.000-08:00

Check this story out - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16150563/ . I couldn't believe it. No, wait a minute, I guess I could.

Why has Christmas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas) become so divisive? Last year it was the decision to omit "Merry Christmas" from stores in favor, exclusively, of the more inclusive "Happy Holidays". This trend, however, does not seem to hedge on Christmas, it is everyone being so concerned about being politically correct - about everything.

I will always say Merry Christmas. The reason I celebrate Christmas is because it is a time that has been traditionally set aside to recognize the Birth of Christ - but I also celebrate time together with family and friends, the sharing of gifts, and generally a couple of days off of work. I will also say that I am not the least bit offended when people say "Happy Holidays" to me, just as I would not expect to get a sour face from someone to whom I say "Merry Christmas". As for the Christmas tree article - there is not one religious aspect to a Christmas tree. You can make things up (and many have) but, other than the name, the Christmas tree has no Christian "roots". People are not bothered at all by Santa Clause (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas), but he has more Christian background than a Christmas Tree - Saint Nicholas was a real person - and devoted his life to Christianity and doing good works and giving gifts, and this is the character that gets the most attacked by Christians! All the stories about him may not be true (especially about elves and the North Pole -which they say is going to melt away by 2034), but I have no doubt that the person that inspired all these legends of generosity must have been very kind hearted and generous.

In the days after the Revolutionary War, Christmas was not celebrated in many homes in the United States because it was "too English". That sounds almost like what we have come to today.

So to the rabid (what is a politically correct term for someone who is over politically correct?) I say, please just let it go. Celebrate the holiday you want to celebrate - I won't stop you and I won't support anyone who does. To the easily offended Christians, if a store wants to call it "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Hanukkah" instead of "Merry Christmas", then, if you feel led, don't shop there, but don't call a boycott or threaten a lawsuit. The best way for you to ensure that the tradition you hold to is continued, is to let those that are close to you (your friends and family) know why you celebrate it as you are showing them the warmth and love that Christmas, at its best, is supposed to communicate.

The Zoo

2006-11-29T01:56:00.000-08:00

It used to be a tradtion for Katy's family to go to the Zoo on Thanksgiving. They decided to revive it this year. Here are some picts. This first one is just a cute picture of Brayden. We'll put some up later of the more exotic animals, but Brayden seemed more interested in the animals that would eat out of his hand.

10 Year Reunion

2006-11-26T16:25:00.000-08:00

Last night was my 10 year high school reunion. The whole event was great but a little surreal--many of these people were my closest friends at one time but I've not kept up with them at all. It was great to see them again!

I worked the registration table which meant I saw everyone that walked in the door (great!) but also had to remember people's names (hard!) --some people look just the same and others seem familiar but no memories come to mind.

Ah, wonderful reminiscing....

What are some of your favorite memories from high school?

Emmit Smith wins Dancing with the Stars

2006-11-15T23:30:00.000-08:00

I saw on msnbc.com that Emmit won dancing whith the stars. I wonder how many calls were made from cell phones in sports bars, or how many husbands were saying, "dang it ma, you can't vote for the kid just cause he has dimples! Emmit Smith was playing the New York Giants with a separated shoulder when that little punk was chasing teenyboppers and trying his hardest join a boy band!".

On a completly different and random note, here are some words Brayden knows:
ball,
yes,
no,
Thank you,
Baba (mama)
Dada
oh-oh
Doggie
Duck
Paw Paw (he may be a little rusty here)
Socks
Shoes,

Pockets

2006-11-13T00:09:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I took K out for her birthday. Wilna (her mom) came by to give K some training and to look after Brayden while we went out to eat. I got Brayden duty. I took Brayden outside (one of his favorite places) and just put my hands in my pockets, leaned against my Ford Ranger, and wached Brayden as he explored. Then I noticed him standing on the sidewalk and fumbling for his pockets, and trying to lean against the pickup. He finally got both hands in his pockets, looked up at me, and started backing up to the Ranger like he was going to lean up against it - a perfect imitation of my pose. That made my day - that and taking K out to a really great Italian place in Napa.

Anyway here are some new photos:

Right: Us at our new place (notice the hands in the pockets!)

Below: Just before we left our old place in LV, Trick or Treating, and Brayden and Ricky playing baseball in Chris and Wilna's back yard.

Pictures finally

2006-11-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

It's been a while since we've been able to post pictures. Here are some of our new home:

I love messing with Brayden's mind

2006-10-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

My new coworkers loved my latest project with Brayden. It is a joint project between myself and Grandpa Derr. We have Brayden believing that he is a human remote controll. It started the other night while Chris (Grandpa Derr) was trying to keep Brayden from seeing the remote as he changed channels. I started getting Brayden to raise his arms and Chris started turning the TV on and off in response. Finally he started getting the correlation. Then we stopped doing it. He was so upset when we stopped doing it, but we obviously couldn't keep it up. It was almost like when Moses had to keep his arms up in order to win the battle in the Old Testament.

I love kids. It reminds of the old Jack Handy quote - "I can imagine a world that is sweet and pure and innocent. Then I can imagine us going in and taking over that world because, hey, they would never suspect it."

Anderson Farewell Slideshow

2006-10-19T09:24:00.000-07:00


Farewell Andersons--a slideshow put together by our friends at BTBF...thanks guys!

In Cali

2006-10-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

Well, we crossed over into California last Thursday. We made it here in two days thanks in large part to a lot of help from our community. Here is how a lot of people helped us:

Loading the truck - Folks from our Life Group (plus several former members) came out and helped us load the truck. While we were unloading it into public storage my brother Ricky continually asked me how many people we had helping us load - I said ten or twelve people throughout the day. Needless to say it took us a lot longer here. Our neighbors took us out to eat one last time, and Page helped with technical advise and safety wire. Always a good combination.

TCB (Taking Care of Brayden) - My whole family (especially Mom and Dad) helped out a lot here by taking Brayden off our hands so we could pack. And then they saved us a bunch of time by Patrick and my Aunt (or as we say it "Aint" ) Pappy taking Brayden to California as a lap baby via American Airlines - huge help. Patrick thought of it, and we are very thankful. Katy's Mom and Dad (Chris and Wilna Derr) took care of Brayden on Thursday as we made our way to Sunnyvale. That enabled us to get to California in two days instead of four - which is what we thought it would take with Brayden in the convoy.

Truck Drivin Man - Ricky (my older brother) not only drove our Penskie truck halfway across the country, but was a huge help unloading it when we got here. Chris and Wilna helped us with the heaviest items, but had a meeting and had to head out at noon. Ricky helped us unload until about 8:00 that night, a day after two straight days of driving us across the country - all the while saying all he need was "MORE HIGH-WAY". (I might add here that we recieved enough from the money tree at our going away party that all the diesel was pretty much paid for - thanks guys!)

I don't think I've ever been as dependent on others. It was really humbling to know how interdependent we are. It was a great example of community. We are thankful and blessed by the community and family that God has provided us with. We pray that God will see fit to expand that community here in California.

To anyone else we missed...thank you! This move has been possible through your prayers and help!

We'll be homeless for the next few weeks. We should close on our Texas home this coming week and our new home the next week...in the mean time, we thank everyone putting us up!

Leaving

2006-10-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the day. The truck will pull out sometime around noon. We are in escrow on our house and a home in California. I can't believe the time has come.

We leave with mixed emotion. On the one hand, we are so excited because we are confident that God is calling us on this journey. He has orchestrated so many details in ways we would not have expected. I am returning "home" to my sending church, dear friends, and family. On the other hand, we are so sad to leave. We are both leaving amazing friendships, jobs and bosses that we love, family, and the most amazing neighborhood. The move still feels so surreal. As I sit on the floor typing this, I feel like I'm headed out on a vacation...when some friends return from their honeymoon, I'll be there, I'll walk outside and my neighbors will be out with their dogs, on Tuesday I'll go back to work. I guess it will all hit when I'm on the road.

We've been saying goodbyes for the last few weeks. Our friends from church threw us a huge BTBF going away party...it was a blast. Our neighbors (the old bad backs) celebrated us by putting together a delicious meal and a great time of hanging out. We've had many meals with friends and family. A bunch of friends helped load up the truck. We have a TON of stuff!!

We feel so loved! We will miss each of you...our house is always open! REALLY!

We'll be in touch when we get to California. We'll upload some pics from the fun times we've had and our new house.

Please pray for our safe travel (Greg, Katy, and Ricky by car, Brayden/Patrick&crew by air) and for our homes to close quickly!

Family Camp Pictures

2006-09-14T22:38:00.000-07:00

This past July Katy, B-boy and I went to family camp in California. It is located in the mountains around Fresno. There is a great camp and Katy's folks go nearly every year. Here are some picts:

Heading West

2006-09-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

Wow. It has been a long time since we posted. I think this is partially because our hearts and minds have been preoccupied with a decision that has been one of the most difficult of our married lives. I suppose I should start at the beginning.

Last year, at a training, the person sitting in front of me turned around and handed me his business card. It had a salary on the back. He said that he was very interested in me for a position that they had planned for their city. He was from the City of Vallejo, California. That was the first time anything like that had ever happened to me in my life. Here is the kicker. It is 15 minutes from the church that Katy and I were married in, the church that Katy had planned to go back to after graduaduation from DTS, before yours truly asked her to marry me.

Through a long process of prayer, weighing options, asking questions, learning about California State Income taxes, living expenses, housing costs, and creating an excell spreadsheet budget that we may have some hope of sticking to, we have made the decision to head west. After receiving a written offer (contingent upon me passing a physical) from the City of Vallejo, I tendered my resignation today.

I cannot begin to explain how hard that was. We have so many good friends and family here. Katy and I both have great jobs, with bosses that believe in us. We are walking into the unknown and having to have faith that God will provide. I'm sure that Katy will be posting soon, and probably have much more to tell. Please be in prayer for us as we attempt to sell a home, find housing in California, and say goodby to our friends and family here in Texas.

Thanks in advance.

Brayden Turns One!

2006-07-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast a year has gone! Brayden celebrated number 1 yesterday and loved every minute of it! We had a party with our LifeGroup and a special brunch with our neighbors...here are some pics and videos.

Taking after Uncle Chris...the moment the ice cream maker left the cupboard, Brayden decided to fill the space

Brayden Eats Cake!

Brayden's White Man Dance
Turn on some music with this one...it doesn't come up on the video. We were listening to Upside Down by Jack Johnson

Eternity

2006-06-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago an acquaintance of mine died. She was probably in her early 40's. She had an aneurysm and went brain dead. No warning. She leaves behind a family.

Just the week before the husband of a friend died of a brain tumor. He was in his 30's with a 3 y/o and an 11 month old. The last year+ Erik had been battling the tumor and was given a 5% chance of living a year. He made it a year and a half. Believers from around the world gathered in prayer to ask God to heal him and journeyed with their family as the Lord called him home. Erik's goal this past year was to love God more and to love people more. I think that goal was accomplished. The Lord called him home.

Two deaths within a few weeks of each other. In our 20's we don't often think about death. We think we are going to be around for the long run. But in two weeks of each other, two deaths of young individuals. One sudden, one a long process.

I realized, especially from Sheri's sudden death, that I am not living each day with an eternal perspective. There are things left unsaid. I believe in heaven but I don't live like I believe. I'm caught up in enjoying Greg, my life, my job and my son. I don't want Brayden to grow up without a mother. That scares me.

If I lived like I believed in heaven things would look different. I would not pursue useless and vain things that will not enter eternity with me. I would not be so frustrated with petty disagreements. I would live with an active hope and desire for things to come. I would be more proactive about telling the people about Jesus...because if I lived like I believed in heaven I also would live like I believed in hell. Hell is a scary place. I don't want anyone to go there. The last few years I've gotten caught up in mediocrity, living fairly apathetically knowing people were dying daily but not really caring.

I used to live with an eternal perspective. I wonder where it got lost and I began to become apathetic.

Brayden as a Better Walker

2006-06-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

More Noises

2006-06-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

Brayden's Noises

2006-06-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

Brayden Beginning to Walk

2006-06-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

Christian Book Break

2006-05-31T09:15:00.000-07:00

I've decided to take a break from Christian books, save a few, for a year to catch up on reading the classics and current best sellers. I've finished Chronicles of Narnia, Enders Game, Kite Runner, and I'm working on the complete works of Jane Austen.

What are the top books you recommend I read?

Also, I'll have a video up soon of Brayden walking!

K

Katy's Update

2006-05-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd ship an update because I've had a few questions about my job. After about 8-10 weeks of intense challenges, my job tension eased. Women began to catch the vision of shift in philosophy. There are still many issues to be dealt with for folks to feel resolved, but there is definitely forward progress.

A few weeks ago, I found out my job will be changing. I knew my current position was going away, but I could not have anticipated the great changes ahead. My boss, Michelle, asked me to consider overseeing curriculum development for the adult spritual growth ministry. Talk about an awesome fit!! Now I am off the hot seat of women's and in an area that has yet to be developed. I'll be writing some and editing the articles/curriculum/devotionals that a team that has yet to be developed will produce. Just the kick start I need to pursue writing! I'm so excited to rub shoulders with people passionate and gifted in communicating through the written word. I feel less than adequate, but I am passionate about shaping up my skills and using my education more fully. How awesome to be paid to research and write about what I learn!!

Brayden is "walking". He can take up to six steps together not holding on to anything, but more often it is 1-3 steps...some controlled, others on his way down, but the most effective is when he is mad!

I'm off to Ohio to visit my grandma and friends from school...oh, my parents and aunt will be in town too! Greg's off to build a dock on the tank (lake/pond [does it have a windswept beach? (def of a lake--and big debate for me and Greg)] for those of you who don't understand texan)

Then I come back and get to stand up with a dear friend in her wedding! Yeah Sunny and Jon! So the next few weeks will be a whirlwind and you won't hear much from me. I do have some videos that I will try to post to the blog, though I doubt they'll be completed before I go.

Busy Weekends

2006-05-04T22:25:00.000-07:00

Katy and I had quite a weekend. I finally finished putting together the second of Katy's bookshelves, and we have the garage back now. Before we put the bookshelves in, we painted the office, so one thing just kind of led to the other. For Easter we went to Aspermont. Brayden had a really good time playing with Uncle Pat's dog, and Daddy and Grandpa showed him a horse. Below are some pictures from the visit.

Pictures

2006-04-11T14:21:00.000-07:00

Here they are!!

The bookshelf that Greg made me before we stained it.

Brayden sipping water at the Arboretum

Dad and B at the Arboretum

The fam before the haircut...

I took the plunge and chopped off over 10 inches of my hair--I'll be donating my hair to locks of love, a cool organization that makes wigs for kids with cancer.

Brayden enjoying the dirt outside! Sorry no teeth pics yet, Brayden won't let me stick the camera in his mouth and doesn't like me to inspect!

Brayden's Teething!

2006-04-03T12:57:00.000-07:00

I looked today and Brayden is cutting a tooth (bottom right middle)...explains his crankiness!

Look for pics to follow!

K

Katy's Update

2006-03-20T13:39:00.000-08:00

It's been a while. Life has been a challenge these last few weeks.

My job at the church is hard. I am the communicator of shifts in focus that impact ministries people love. I think the move is right, but we could have done better all along the way to include more people in the process. Change is hard for all involved and engaging in the dialogue about the changes is great, especially when one doesn't agree...I want women to do that, but this response is astonishing! I have had more nasty emails than ever in my life--I'd say one every 2-3 days. An emotional response turns into hateful words or glares. I taught a large group Bible Study two days after communicating this message and was able to feel piercing daggers from several of the women's eyes. All this from a body that is to be a witness because of her love for those within it. A few weeks ago our pastor did a sermon on unique calling and I was reminded that I am uniquely called to my position in this church for a time. While I am there, I need to be fully invested, remember that my encouragement comes from the Lord, and keep going. That helped!

We went to Pine Cove last weekend while my parents watched Brayden. It was such a relaxing and refreshing time--walking through the woods and staying by a lake is just about as good as it gets. I was able to put work aside and enjoy my friends as we served meals to a group attending a women's retreat. Though we worked harder than we expected, it really was a blast! It was a great time of connection with some of the folks from our small group.

Throughout everything else, I found out a few weeks ago that I have hyperthyroidism. Surprised me! I thought people with hyperthyroidism were super skinny. Then again, I did lose all 60+ pounds I gained in pregnancy in 6.5 months without doing anything. If only the marriage weight could come of too! :) Of all the things that could go wrong with my body, this is great! They'll kill my thyroid after I have weaned Brayden and then I'll take a pill to regulate my thyroid for the rest of my life. It really isn't a big deal, but as I am training for a 1/2 marathon I'm having issues with a high heart rate. My slow pace is still keeping me at a HR of 185+...and it is almost so slow that it hurts my body to run that way! I guess I'll have to talk with the doctor on that one!

On totally different notes...
Brayden is SO cute! He is a blast to hang out with! He can stand up on his own now and pushed a chair across the room walking this morning, but I'm not sure he knows his own capacity yet. Once he finds out, he'll be a terror! 8.5 months and walking! Yikes! He is going through a serious attachment to me, which I wish I could ease a little because I can get NOTHING done while he is awake. He just wants to be in my arms. But, I am getting my fair share of judge shows and cheesy reruns that are on at 1 in the afternoon.

And Greg built me a bookshelf this weekend. He did a great job. He's still building another one and then a corner shelf, but this will replace the broken one that really looks quite sad! Pics to follow soon!

Brayden dedication and must see pictures

2006-03-08T21:06:00.000-08:00

Brayden got dedicated this past weekend at our Church. We go to the later service that does not have as many people, but we were the only child dedication - generally there are 3-7 children being dedicated. It was a cool feeling to know that the entire gathering was praying for Brayden. Then we went back and some of our friends went back to join us and pray with us - mainly B-boy's grandparents and some folks from our Lifegroup.

Everyone was praying and Brayden was cooing and doing this little gurgle thing that he does. One of the pastors from our church was there as well, and his kid said that the gurgling sounded like a Wookie. What is funny is that I always say the same thing.

Anyway, the grandparents were in most of the weekend. The pictures below were taken while Dad and I scrubbed down my fence so that we could restain and protect it. Brayden wanted to get in on the action, but was held back by a screen door and, fortunately for us, a glass door. Here you go:

Awsome Cartoon

2006-02-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

Check out this website:

http://www.donaldmillerwords.com/images/DonRabbit.pdf

VIDEO TIME!

2006-01-30T19:31:00.000-08:00

Check out the videos of Brayden crawling and standing up! They're on the left hand side of the screen in the video section.

DTS

2006-01-26T11:21:00.000-08:00

"Tell Katy i am interested.....I have heard that you can not attend DTS unless you tell them if you are mid-Trib, post-tribe, etc.... I was wondering what she put and why? "

No such thing...at DTS, you have to sign a statement that holds to 7 core essentials of the Christian faith (Bible is inspired word, etc). A student can hold any view on a lot of various areas including these, the HS, spiritual gifts, etc. The faculty, on the other hand, must sign off on the entire doctrinal statement yearly. At graduation, the 7 essentials are reassessed.

DTS gets a lot of flack for being dispensational--and I know many reformed folks that want to have no part with it. What I found at DTS was a variety of viewpoints backed up by scripture. I loved that I knew the position DTS taught and could make my assessments based on that knowledge. In addition, we read a lot of works by scholars that hold to other views. My education was enriched by all of the books and discussions from the various view points.

:)