The Last Several Months

Ian visits the hospital

to see baby Emmaline Rose- Born 11-14-11 @ 11:20am 7lbs 7oz 

21 inches long

Mom came to help with the transition and had her grandma "love" meter filled

bringing "Em"home

Ian finally wanting to touch his little sister

Grandma and Grandpa out keeping the kiddos occupied while Thanksgiving dinner was being prepared

Little Emma asleep and Aunt Beth with a camera :) -Love that!!!

Bye to mom and dad and to November and Hello to the Tree Farm and December

Wow, a house with 13 people means lots of presents.

So thankful to the Lord for Family and for their love!!

Something is WRONG!!!!! No snow in Minneapolis in December??????

Our Christmas puzzle

Ian helping Dad with this new Christmas tools from Aunt Beth and Uncle Jason.

Mark has done an amazing job this year fixing so many things in our house. He is such wonderful man and help around the house. He is shaping up to be an excellent Handy Man. Thanks Mark!

33 weeks along, a birthday, and a very busy husband

   Can't believe how quickly time has flown by with this second pregnancy. I've had my attention on little Ian this go around. The laughs, hugs, smiles, snacks, naps, quick trips to the store, long moments trying to think through schedules, and prayers before bed have all added up to a very different 7 1/2 months. (Much different than I had leading up to Ian's birth.)

     Motherhood truly is a joy. With Ian at 17 months I pray that I'll be as consistent as can be with rearing him in 'the way he ought to go' during the next (very) busy months. We are eagerly awaiting little Emmaline's arrival. Mark had worked so hard the last several weeks after work and crammed lots in each weekend to prepare for this winter. We've had a list of projects: fence in the back yard, replace furnace, dresser for Emmaline, reorganize pantry, prepare kitchen area for our downstairs, go through bins and change out Ian's clothes. Mark has mostly finished the fence (pictures to follow). He has worked out all the details for our soon to be replaced furnace. Also, he made my birthday very special by completing the last to items on my list before Emmaline's birth.
    Friday night mark and I went on a fun lengthy date to IKEA for my birthday. We ate there and walked around for hours. It was so great to spend that time with him. We came back home with a dresser for our little girl and a shelf unit for the pantry/ kitchen area to fix our "problem spots". Mark really has done the work of several men with all these projects. I'm so thankful for his love and service to me and our family. I've been given quite a man. I praise the Lord for him.

- Posted by Amy

Life as we know it with little Ian

- Posted by Amy

Laundry Time

What we brought home from the Ultrasound...

I am 20 weeks along with our second pregnancy, and feeling wonderful. I thank the Lord for the strength and the energy He has given over the last 4 months. I was for certain that we probably would have another boy, but thought it would be fun not to find out this pregnancy what the gender of the baby would be.  I really wanted a boy first and I got one and have been enjoying every minute with little Ian. 

but... 

I guess the anticipation was getting the better of me.

 Mark and I 

really have trouble picking out names...

 and

WELL...

  I'm glad we found out because we are really bad especially with girl names. Mark never likes what I pick for girls. So now we have a few months to get one nailed down.

I was so excited and giddy when I found out that it was going to be

a Girl!

"Mr. Mark" is at it again

  

Just helping out at Fourth in one of the children's groups.

Best of Friends. Worst of Enemies.

Isaac comes down to visit Ian often in the basement. They both enjoy swinging in the swing. On this particular evening, both very tired, they cuddled up together and almost fell asleep. It's not always as peaceful as this picture portrays.

attacking or hiding

A Few Memories Posted by Dad

Climbing around at the Mall

First Time with Crayons

My Valentine's present from My Honey!

A pot of bulbs

Beautiful Jade Plant

plants in my living room

The next plants aren't from Valentine's Day, but I wanted to take pictures of them. I'm just so thankful that they are still alive when there is three feet of snow on the ground outside and they are in a basement with minimal light. My goal: how not to kill house plants.

This is a orchid that I'm trying to save. I've never tried to do anything tropical  before and I'm not sure if I'm keeping it in all the right conditions for blossoming again. (I hope, the blossom was beautiful.)

i think it is some kind of a Palm. (transported from Bend, OR)

Mark's Bamboo (also transported from Bend, OR)  

 We'll see it they survive... 

I read the other day about someone attempting a small garden in a rubbermaid in doors. That might be my next goal. :)

Another Step Toward the Mission Field

    Mark began courses toward a Master of Education on January 3rd at Regent University in Virginia.  He is excited to learn all he can in preparation for a Bible Institute on the mission field. So during the day he works as a Human Resource Specialist at a neighboring public school district, and by night as a student. :) We are so thankful for the job that God has given. Mark  feels he is learning so much from the meetings at work and is able to apply many of the technical stuff from school at his work and vice versa. 

    Though He has been in school the majority of his life, as he worked on his first paper he realized it would take a while to get back to writing "good" papers. Hopefully, that will come back easily for him. Currently, A Master of Ed. is our primary focus in our preparation for the mission field. We are still praying for direction as to where God might lead us to serve.  We would appreciate your prayers for Mark as he commences his degree.