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4.18.2010
4.13.2010
What happened to Ayse?
Warning: This is a pet post. If you don't like posts about pets, I suggest you move on.
A few of you have been asking what happened to our cat Ayse.
We have always longed to return overseas one day, and though we don't have any clue if that is sooner or later for us, my parents have always held their door open to taking Ayse when that time would come. Well, when Nathanael came on the scene, we decided it was time for a change. Our current apartment is teeny tiny, and it was hard for us to imagine four beings surviving here with civility. So at Thanksgiving, Greg and I gave Ayse to my parents. It was a bitter sweet parting for us, but we knew she'd eventually love Kansas and the space and freedom there and even the other pets. And ultimately we were doing it for the good of our family. Our snotty little cat ended up taking quite a long time to adjust, but she is finally doing well and has become part of the family at my parents' home (which includes another indoor cat and dog). I think I intended to blog about this back in December.
So to say a blogger's farewell to Ayse, here are some pictures...
Helping Greg study as a kitten
Final hugs
A few of you have been asking what happened to our cat Ayse.
We have always longed to return overseas one day, and though we don't have any clue if that is sooner or later for us, my parents have always held their door open to taking Ayse when that time would come. Well, when Nathanael came on the scene, we decided it was time for a change. Our current apartment is teeny tiny, and it was hard for us to imagine four beings surviving here with civility. So at Thanksgiving, Greg and I gave Ayse to my parents. It was a bitter sweet parting for us, but we knew she'd eventually love Kansas and the space and freedom there and even the other pets. And ultimately we were doing it for the good of our family. Our snotty little cat ended up taking quite a long time to adjust, but she is finally doing well and has become part of the family at my parents' home (which includes another indoor cat and dog). I think I intended to blog about this back in December.
So to say a blogger's farewell to Ayse, here are some pictures...
One of the first days we had her back in January 2007
Helping Greg study as a kitten
Saying goodbye in November (she wanted to leave her cat hair on Greg's sweater)
Final hugs
Final "family" picture
My mom has posted some pictures of Ayse on her blog recently, specifically of her adjustment and how she still remains the same cat. These make us smile...
4.09.2010
Days with Greg
Since my maternity leave began this Monday, I have been privileged to spend an entire week at home with Greg. It definitely has not been a "normal" week for either of us, though I'm not sure if one of those will exist for a while. But it has been especially fun for me to be at home when Greg's studying because he shares his excitement with me over various Biblical discoveries - some obscure linguistic significance or a profound theological truth or just an observation that leaves him wondering about something. I love hearing theses fresh musings from his mind and heart! And I also love being home when he's making the "set list" for Sunday, praying and playing through different portions of music to find the right combination of lyrical congruence, complementary keys, and stylistic variations. I love watching and listening to him work. I'm not so sure he loves having me home while he works though; I think I tend to be more of a distraction than a helper, especially since I'm a little (or shall we say, big) ticking time bomb to him. We've had many friends tell us to treasure these last few days together as just the two of us, and Greg and I truly have been able to do that. We are thankful for the sweet closeness God has given us in the last trimester.
(an old picture from November when we still had Ayse)
(on his 29th bday in January)4.05.2010
No news yet
Every day Greg and I wonder, "Is this the day we get to meet our son?" But not yet. We continue to wait, sometimes patiently, other times not so patiently. We thought it would be extremely special for him to be born April 3rd and share a birthday with his great uncle Bob who died in an accident this past year... Easter would have been special, celebrating Nathanael's birth on a day that is all about celebrating life (and our last miscarriage was last Easter Sunday)... My grandma's birthday is April 7th; that would be a fun date to hit, though we're completely fine with the 5th or 6th as well. :)
Greg and I are both finally at the place where we feel as ready as we can be, anxious to hold this little guy and get to know him and help him adjust to this new world (and us to our new lives with him)! Our bags are packed, his clothes are washed and put away, his bassinet is ready, the diapers are sitting out, the carseat is installed... (I have yet to write your thank you notes, friends!) My maternity leave begins tomorrow, so I finished work last week. We're walking A LOT, hoping that might help move things along a tad. Both of our last weekly appointments showed great progress in terms of my body being ready to give birth. In fact, due to my progress, our doctor has told us to come in as soon as labor begins now; no need to wait around at home for hours! That was definitely exciting news to get, but we know it really might not mean anything as well. Nathanael could still stay "in the oven" for a couple more weeks!
But I will still make my plea: Come out, son! Everyone wants to meet you!
Greg and I are both finally at the place where we feel as ready as we can be, anxious to hold this little guy and get to know him and help him adjust to this new world (and us to our new lives with him)! Our bags are packed, his clothes are washed and put away, his bassinet is ready, the diapers are sitting out, the carseat is installed... (I have yet to write your thank you notes, friends!) My maternity leave begins tomorrow, so I finished work last week. We're walking A LOT, hoping that might help move things along a tad. Both of our last weekly appointments showed great progress in terms of my body being ready to give birth. In fact, due to my progress, our doctor has told us to come in as soon as labor begins now; no need to wait around at home for hours! That was definitely exciting news to get, but we know it really might not mean anything as well. Nathanael could still stay "in the oven" for a couple more weeks!
But I will still make my plea: Come out, son! Everyone wants to meet you!
3.18.2010
36 Weeks
Here's your monthly update. Nathanael's grown a lot in the past four weeks!
I'm hoping the next one will include actual pictures of little Nathanael!3.16.2010
Rain, rain, and more rain.
I usually find myself enjoying the rain. But this never-ending wind and rain storm has gone over my limit, way over my limit.
And then tonight, we discovered the catastrophe in the basement. We fist noticed that we were out of hot water this evening; that was strange. I made a comment to Greg, something like, "Oh, maybe you should check on the hot water heater in the basement, just in case it's flooding down there or something." I was picturing 1-2 inches of water. A little while later, Greg checked. It's well over 6 inches. We can't really tell, but it's at least up to the bottom of our grill's bowl, however high that is. My first reaction was to feel sorry for our landlord. This old house has been a money pit for him since he bought it less than a year and a half ago.
But then I started to think about everything we have down there that is likely lost due to water damage.
I first thought about how just this weekend Greg and I brought up Nathanael's carseat - so thankful! Then I remembered that I also brought up one of Greg's baby blankets this weekend when I realized we would have room for it among Nathanael's things. (I originally had stored some baby things for when we move to a place with a room for Nathanael.) One thing expensive, one thing sentimental. What a relief to not have lost those!
Then I began to recall what is likely lost (that I really care about) -- Greg's diploma, my TESL/TEFL certificate and books and notes, most of our papers and notebooks and books regarding Turkey and Turkish, some of Nathanael's gifts that he wouldn't have been able to use for a few months, the huge box of diapers we bought a couple months ago, our summer clothes... I guess we won't really know until the water goes down and everything dries. I'll keep adding to the list mentally though, to try and prepare for what we'll discover.
I know so many people have lost a lot in this rain and the resulting flooding. I am thankful for all that we still have, specifically our health and shelter and heat and everything currently in our apartment. It's only by the grace of God that we have all that.
Thanks for letting me use this blog to process. I am sure looking forward to some sunshine...
And then tonight, we discovered the catastrophe in the basement. We fist noticed that we were out of hot water this evening; that was strange. I made a comment to Greg, something like, "Oh, maybe you should check on the hot water heater in the basement, just in case it's flooding down there or something." I was picturing 1-2 inches of water. A little while later, Greg checked. It's well over 6 inches. We can't really tell, but it's at least up to the bottom of our grill's bowl, however high that is. My first reaction was to feel sorry for our landlord. This old house has been a money pit for him since he bought it less than a year and a half ago.
But then I started to think about everything we have down there that is likely lost due to water damage.
I first thought about how just this weekend Greg and I brought up Nathanael's carseat - so thankful! Then I remembered that I also brought up one of Greg's baby blankets this weekend when I realized we would have room for it among Nathanael's things. (I originally had stored some baby things for when we move to a place with a room for Nathanael.) One thing expensive, one thing sentimental. What a relief to not have lost those!
Then I began to recall what is likely lost (that I really care about) -- Greg's diploma, my TESL/TEFL certificate and books and notes, most of our papers and notebooks and books regarding Turkey and Turkish, some of Nathanael's gifts that he wouldn't have been able to use for a few months, the huge box of diapers we bought a couple months ago, our summer clothes... I guess we won't really know until the water goes down and everything dries. I'll keep adding to the list mentally though, to try and prepare for what we'll discover.
I know so many people have lost a lot in this rain and the resulting flooding. I am thankful for all that we still have, specifically our health and shelter and heat and everything currently in our apartment. It's only by the grace of God that we have all that.
Thanks for letting me use this blog to process. I am sure looking forward to some sunshine...
3.14.2010
Baby Shower pictures!
My mom just posted pictures from our baby shower last weekend. Check them out here.
I'll have to write more about it another time. For now, I'm off to bed.
I'll have to write more about it another time. For now, I'm off to bed.
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