Ahhh, the smell of spring is here. Ahhh, new sleep number bed. Ahhh, full nights sleep. Ahhh.
Spring has begun here in St. Louis, which has made all of us very happy. Last night was the first night we slept with our windows open in a very long time! We have been able to play outside, take walks, go to the zoo, and even start the softball season once again!
Steve has begun his last quarter of classes. We have about 47 days until we find out our next location. Two months until we are done, 4 1/2 months until we move. YIPPEEE! This quarter Steve only has classes two days a week, so he gets to hang out with Isaiah for two days, and study one whole day. What a schedule!
I am getting busier with work. Still working on Isaiah's scrapbook, and trying to finish Steve's graduation present.
Isaiah has fully recovered from the flu and ear infection. He has been sleeping better, thank goodness. He is getting more and more brave with his walking. He has really good fine motor skills, and uses a fork better than I have seen some adults. He talks more and more each day, even though we can't understand him.
I have posted some pictures for you all. Some are old, some are new, but please enjoy them all!
Well, this past week in the Vera household has been nothing but adventurous. It started out pretty normal. On Saturday, we spent the day at the mall. We purchased a number of new things for Isaiah at the Carter store. He outgrows his clothes way too fast. And then got something for us too: a new Sleep Number bed, which was much needed (no more neck and back pains when we wake up). We can't really afford it right now at all, but thank goodness for credit cards! On Sunday, we went to church and brunch with friends. Sunday evening just as we crawled into bed we heard Isaiah gag and then erupt in a crying fit. What we discovered behind the door was something that we were not ready for...our first flu bug as parents. Steve took care of Isaiah while I cleaned and febreezed the room. Steve gave Isaiah a bath (the first of many times that night), since his hair was...let's just say not clean. As Isaiah was getting dressed, he had another "spell". I'll spare you all the gross, chunky detials. We only got about 4 hours of sleep that night, and we cleaned up a lot!
Monday he seemed fine, but really tired. Thank goodness Steve is on break for two weeks. Tuesday night Isaiah started crying again in the middle of the night. He had thrown up again, and this time I had it too. I went back to work on Thursday, but I am home again today (Friday) because Isaiah is sick as well as Steve. The stomach flu has indeed done a number on our household this week.
I just got home from taking Isaiah to the doctor to find out that, not only is this intermittent flu common for young children, he also has an ear infection. Way to kick us while we're down! So with all of this sickness our house needs to be washed, disinfected, and full of sleep! Sounds like an exciting weekend ahead! Isaiah hasn't had a full night of sleep in about 5 days, which means neither have we.
This is the day I have been waiting for...no, not Call Day. (I've been waiting for that too though.) Friday. The mere sound of the word makes me smile. I live for Fridays. It means sleeping in, (if you count sleeping an extra hour sleeping in), lounging around, accomplishing tasks around the house, and spending much needed time with my boys. But this Friday is different. It is the end of the winter quarter! We only have one more quarter of school to endure before we are turned loose in the world to start "real life". Hooray! I am excited, and a little jealous, that Steve gets to spend the next two weeks with Isaiah. You see when Steve is not in school, he has nothing to do. This means that he has plenty of time for laundry, cleaning, and cooking. Don't get me wrong, he does his fair share of these tasks while he is in school, but now it frees up our evenings to just "be". Be together, be quiet, be a family. I am grateful for these two weeks.
Isaiah has been attempting to walk more and more. He would still rather crawl though. The thing is that he can walk, he just chooses not to. Somewhat frustrating in my opinion. Last night was the first time he has shown signs that he wanted to stand up with out using an object to pull himself up. I think that if he gets the hang of that, he will really take off walking.
Isaiah got the first of his molar teeth last week as well. More must be coming. He has never gotten just one tooth at a time, it's been 2 or 4. I say bring em on.
Isaiah has also discovered his love for basketball. Last week I took him to Steve's last IM game, and he sat still for 20 min and just watched. Then someone gave him a kid size basketball. He chased that ball all over the place, and cried when we had to put it away to go and eat. We even went to the Concordia Preachers, the seminary's basketball team, last game, which started right around bedtime. Even though he was exhausted, he didn't want to stop watching the game. At home he carries around his palm sized basketballs and will even crawl with them in his hands. Future NBA star??? I'm OK with that!!!
Earlier this week, Isaiah was being a complete cheese ball, so I snapped a few pictures. There would probably be more, but my memory card is full. We'll have to empty it so we can snap some pictures of his super long hair before his 4th haircut tonight. Enjoy the slide show of his cheesy faces.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Bring on the St. Louis summer! Well, perhaps we won't go that far but it would be nice to have some St. Louis spring weather. These last few months in St. Louis have been cold, gray, and wet. We don't necessarily have too much snow, though we do have an inch or two blanketing the ground right now, but we have had plenty of moisture. The ground has been wet and muddy for far too long now! At this rate, I won’t be playing any softball or baseball until mid-July!
Not only will the spring months bring good weather (hopefully), but it will also bring my final quarter of classes at seminary and the much-awaited, highly-anticipated CALL DAY on April 27th. It doesn't seem all that long ago that the countdown stood somewhere in the 3-digits. Now we are down to 76. 76 days until we find out where we will be moving next. 76 days until we find out the congregation & community God desires for us to serve. 76 days until we are (hopefully) able to move into a house with the intention of staying for a long time. It is very, very exciting. And at this point, we just want to get the heck out of here! Out of the classes and the world of academia and into the ministry of Christ to the real world. Sure we will miss friends we’ve met along the way, but we are just beyond ready to turn the page on this chapter of our lives. The winter quarter will finally come to an end on February 19th and after a two-week break I will start the last three classes of my seminary career.
Life sure does motor along. I am busy with classes and basketball/volleyball intramurals. I was able to preach several times the past two months so that was really nice. We’ve been blessed with a great, supportive field congregation out here to attend and serve. I have also been able to do some work catering on campus but since I sold my car last month it has meant I'm more confined to campus. Calie (who is awesome and beautiful) continues working with the National Youth Gathering registration. She is a trooper, but trust me, there is no one more excited to leave St. Louis. She can't wait to be done working and back to staying at home with Isaiah. She has been busy also trying to scrapbook the plethora of pictures she took of Isaiah during his first year of life.
Our little guy is doing great. He has started taking several steps but often decides crawling is just much easier and faster. But it is fun watching him become a bit more confident and comfortable walking as each day passes. He has even started eating on his own with a fork and spoon and is completely done with bottles. It is amazing how fast they grow! He is getting more of a personality each day but has thankfully not outgrown his love for cuddling and sitting on Mom or Dad's lap. And he’s certainly becoming more of a “boy” each day—playing with trucks, throwing balls, knocking down towers of blocks we build, and banging on everything and anything with his drumsticks! In addition to talking on the cell phone, we have learned that Isaiah loves basketball (Makes me so proud)! He loves watching IM games and loves to cheer and try and crawl onto the court after the basketball. There are a few pictures below. Hope you all have a Happy Valentine’s Day and may God prepare your hearts as we enter the Lenten season in preparation for our risen King!
Well, I can honestly say that it has been too long since my last post! It seems like our days are full, but nothing really happens. Life has been pretty routine, except last week when we had some special visitors. Steve's Mom, Debbie, was coming for a visit. When Steve got to the airport to pick her up, his Dad walked out too! What a surprise! It was a last minute decision, but a good one! Isaiah had quite a week of being spoiled.
We really didn't do much during their visit, since we realize that they were not here to see St. Louis, or us. I think that they had a blast playing, loving, and cuddling Isaiah. There are some pictures below.
Steve and I had an interview with a congregation two weeks ago, which went well. Steve has another tonight via Skype. It's a crazy, scary, exciting process to go through. I am just excited that as of today, there are only 97 days until we find out where our next adventure will be.
Well, I'm only a week late posting the pictures from Isaiah's 1st birthday. It was a great day! Thanks to all who sent gifts, cards, and/or attended the party! What a special day! I think that Steve covered most of the events in the last post, plus the videos, but here are the pictures:
As for the rest of life, Isaiah has kept us awake for two nights now, right in the middle of the night. We are not sure why, but I am tired of it already! He has also thrown his first minor temper tantrum, gotten 5 shots in his little legs, a finger prick, and taken 6 steps. YUP, all in one week! Isaiah took about 6 steps last night, but we couldn't get him to do it again if our lives depended on it! He will only take steps alone if you make him, and even then he sits down as soon as you let go. What a stinker! It's really OK with me though. It's going to be a whole new ball game when he walks, and I am comfortable with this stage right now!
Steve is back at class, I am back at work. Seems like the holidays went too fast again this year. We had company to celebrate the new year which was fantastic! Isaiah's Godparents, our friends Luke and Megan, came for a visit. It was nice to see them and even get away for some adult fun!
Later today we have our first interview for the placement process. How fun, exciting, and scary it is to know that we will be placed somewhere in the United States in a few months! Actually Steve just got the forms for Graduation as well. We have waited a long 4 years for this, but it seems to be going very quickly now. Mixed emotions are probably the best way to describe it!
