Friendly Faces Welcome

Dress Rehearsal--in a manner of speaking. I'm previewing some new material for an upcoming conference and would love to have a friendly audience. Please feel free to bring friends--and don't worry all feed back will be anonymous!

6:30 Wednesday, November 1st, 2006
Cedar Rapids Library Room A.
Immediately off to the left as you walk into the library
(across from the info desk -were the old audio files were)
Hope to see you there!

The Lies We Believe: Profiles of Real Women and Their Struggles
Will a man ever find me attractive, given my story? How do I find a future when I’m living in a broken present? When I’m perfect then you’ll love me, right? By examining the stories of several modern women who weren’t content pretending anymore, we’ll witness the power redemption has to transform something broken into something beautiful and of great value in God’s hands. Renewed intimacy with God, deepened love, laughter with others, and a richer contentment with ourselves are trademarks of these courageous women and the practical reality of God’s passion and truth lived out through us


Please drop me a note if you can make it so I have a seat for you
http://www.aftereve.org/ for more info on the conference

All Smiles!

It seems like I'm constantly putting away clothes Sophia has outgrown. This fall outfit was thanks to Sophia's great-grandparents and its sweet to see how much fun she has in it.

Nothing is really learned until its been in the mouth!


Oh and don't worry that outlet was covered up right after I took this picture--thankfully I don't think she noticed it yet but her world is getting bigger and bigger! And so is she! 

Little Lady

She's growing up so fast! 

Grins & Giggles

Now I know why parents dress up their kids is silly costumes.
Because we can and there are somedays when you really need a laugh.
Sophia was nice enough to oblige and a good time was had by all!

She's off the growth charts! 

Happy Birthday Darling!

Nate--I look forward to a lifetime of adventures with you where ever the Lord takes us. You're an incredible friend to many people, a devoted father, and you deserve the world! Or at least a chance to see it from a different perspective.

And no I didn't buy Nate a plane for his birthday--but a flight in a Cessna 151 with an instructor-hopefully the next best thing. Something to look forward to baby!


Thank you for sharing your life with me Nate, I am proud to be your wife, everyday with you is a gift and I'm thankful to be married to a man I respect so much and gives me such joy. 

Pumpkins-Popcorn-and Pajamas-Oh My!

Thanks to Sophia's great aunt Elaine--we were going through the closet looking for PJ's that fit--my little girl has the LONGEST legs--just like her daddy. She can actually still wear any little 3 month old onesies since they only cover the body--but even 6-9month clothes w/ attached pants are looking like capri pants. Defiantly not good for October! But this little Tiger suit sure is purrrrfect! I'm sorry I couldn't help myself

The female tiger stalks her unsuspecting prey . . .

Mmmm popcorn! Sophia's Nana introduced her to popcorn and she can't get enough!
My mother made a very good point that home made kettle popped popcorn (the only kind we eat) is far more organic than those Babies First Finger Food Fruit Puffs (say that 3 times fast) we've been giving her--and without all the sugar! (Oh and don't worry we only give her the little puff balls at the end of the kernel--nothing crunchy--a trick of my grandmother's I think--what did you give baby's before Gerber anyway?)

Two front teeth & P-mama-jama's (as Nate lovingly calls them)

Coffee Talk!

Did you know that Mild coffee has MORE caffeine than Robust or Rich blends? Nate and I certainly didn't, we typically drink the the exotic Kenyan or Ethiopian coffee's, French roast to make it potent. Don't forget your Free Trade coffee, I love it when my vices make me feel globally responsible! Of course, I believe Nate drinks strong coffee for the taste, I falsely believed it packed more of a wallop. Believe me, I can do just about anything after a good cup of strong coffee (or two.) Most of my favorite work has been done in coffee shops and for the first time a friend of mine behind the counter of one of my favorite haunts asked me "well that depends on how much caffeine you want?" Who knew? Thank heavens for friends who care!
This week Nate and I got a babysitter and spent our lovely date night in another coffee shop shoulder to shoulder writing upcoming speeches. I know it sounds ridiculously mundane, most women give their left arm for a date with plenty of conversation and eye contact, but I loved every minute of it. I got to stretch my brain and it's been delightful to have a medium we can share. Nate is an incredible partner in every sense of the word. What can I say, I like my men like I like my coffee, dark, strong and rich! Well two out of three ain't bad right!

Look for his work at http://www.watershedmovement.com/pages/listen.html and I will be at Bethel College in Minneapolis on Monday http://jenellparis.blogspot.com/2006/06/like-oh-my-gosh-i-cant-believe-im.html

Who can keep up?

Not Ready for this! Saturday Sophia perfected her coordination from scooting to all out crawling which has been a delightful development that has scent her parents scrambling to child proof all remaining dangers near the floor. Who knew there were so many household details to terrorize a child (and parent) with.
But this morning she perfected pulling herself up to standing, taking a couple of wobbly steps and then tumbling. I know I have nothing to compare it with but it just seems WAY to fast. I don't have any pictures of this elusive action yet, but I've seen it three times with my own eyes and immediately called Nate in astonishment.
Sophia just turned seven months last week! Now suddenly I have to child proof everything up off the floor as well--I know everyone says they grow up fast but this is ridiculous.















I didn't do it. Nobody saw me! You can't prove anything!

















Sophia and her cousin Lucas with Kaga (Grandma Ndjerareou) over Labor day.

First Kiss of Snow?!?

Sick and wrong! That's all I can say about this mornings snow fall--not only am I adjusting to a crawling baby with teeth but I'm not ready for SNOW! One change at a time please--I'm going to have to find a halloween costume that can fit over a snow suit!

Oh well Sophia has recently developed a little separation anxiety when she can't see me. So whenever she gets nervous while I'm in the kitchen I sing to her--at least now I can add Christmas carrols to my repetoire--seriously?

A trace of snow greeted area early risers this morning as evidenced by this leaf photographed in NE Cedar Rapids. Today's forecast calls for blustery winds and possibly more light snow with a high near 40. Brrrrrrrrr.

She's got her daddies. . .hands

London - The length of a girl’s ring finger could be an indicator of her future sporting potential, researchers at King’s College London said on Thursday.
In the largest study of its kind, hand measurements of 607 female twins aged 25-79 from the UK were compared with the women’s lifetime sporting achievements.
The findings, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that women with ring fingers longer than their index fingers had performed better at running and associated running sports such as soccer and tennis.

In women the ring finger is commonly shorter or the same length as the index finger, while in men the ring finger is generally longer.
The report said detection of sporting potential by examining the ratio between the index and ring fingers “could help identify talented individuals at a pre-competitive stage.”
Not sure whyThe reasons for the findings were unclear, said one of the report’s authors, Professor Tim Spector from the Twins Research Unit at King’s College, who said he was originally skeptical about the link to sporting ability.
“Previous studies have suggested the change in finger length was due to changes in testosterone levels in the womb”, he said.
But he said the unit had found in a separate study of twins that finger length was largely inherited, possibly explaining why sporting parents often have sporting children.
“We found that finger length was 70 percent heritable with little influence of the womb environment,” he said.
“This suggests that genes are the main factor and that finger length is a marker of your genes.”

Homecoming

This weekend we took Sophia for her first Wheaton Homecoming! Although, we were invited for book signing on campus, it was really my chance to begin brainwashing Sophia. (You want to go to Wheaton, You have to go to Wheaton, You will get a full scholarship to Wheaton!) It was also a great chance to see great friends and their growing families. I read a stat recently that most American's now believe that 26 is the new age of actual adulthood. After seeing many of my classmates with their new babies slung across their chest--I guess its true.

G-G Time (Great Grandma)

Ohkay I'll admit it--I fell in love with this little hat at a second hand store and bought the outfit just for the hat. In my defense Sophia doesn't have much hair and its getting cold! Oh yeah I can justify with the best of them!

Clowning Around

Sophia's big day

Sophia was dedicated Sunday Oct 2nd at Conerstone Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Sophia's Great Grandparents Harlen & Ethel Helgeson were on hand from Rugby North Dakota. As well as Uncle Dana from Wheaton IL, great-aunt and uncle Elaine & O.J. Frago, of Creston, IA. We were also thrilled to have Sophia's Grandmother Priscile Ndjerareou, aunt Deborah and uncle Joseph all presently from Ames, join us in the celebration.

Sophia was absolutely charming even after loosing a shoe in the middle of the ceremony. Our little Cinderella fell fast asleep as soon as her moment was over. (She sure made her parents look good!)

Mmm Mmm Good!

How did you get there?

That's right we're crawling! At first it was only a slither
but now it has evolved to full on cordination of crawling.
Suddenly we've entered a whole new phase