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 

What a Night. . .

Thank you to everyone who joined us this weekend at Brewed Awakening's and Lemstone Christian Store in Cedar Rapids. http://www.brewedawakeningscr.com/index.html
Thank you Heather and the Marsceau family who lent us their atmosphere and great taste.

A special thanks to my incredible mother who always makes me look good! Mmmm Chocolate
A special thanks to Jennifer Ruish
author of Faith and the City for making Saturday delightfully memorable. Nate and I were both thrilled to see old friends and make such a charming new one in Jennifer.

You're Invited. . .All Welcome

Friends & Family Book Signing

Friday 7-9pm
September 22, 2006
Brewed Awakenings
1271 1st Ave Se



Book Signing w/ Jennifer Ruisch
Saturday 10am-2pm
September 23, 2006
Lemstone Christian Store
1426 Twixt Town Rd,
Marion, IA 52302
319-393-6573







Jennifer Ruisch is a freelance writer in Des Moines, Iowa. Before working as a writer, she worked as a crisis counselor for at-risk youth in Chicago. She married her childhood sweetheart in May 2005.

Faith and the City is a personal narrative of being a directionless college grad trying to make it in the big city. The story itself chronicles the author’s struggle to reenter the land of the living and figure out how she fit into the picture with people from every religion and background imaginable. A question that keeps popping up is, “Are all the small interactions and events in our lives arbitrary, or is it actually all a part of a divine plan?”

Sunshine Days

 

Quiet Moments

 

 

Giggles in the Park

 

 

In our own special way. . .

I have an understanding with Sept. 11th. Every year I turn off the TV, radio, any type of media and I remember the day, and all those whose lives were altered, in my own private way. Today is always a difficult personal anniversary for me, and so I was especially moved when I received a note from my publisher that they had chosen something from my little bit of literature for their daily inspirational e-mail that goes out to 6,800 voluntary subscribers. That's what it's all about right-simply sharing our pain for other's encouragement and God's glory. Suddenly today doesn't seem so lonely.

promises. everyday. Zondervan® Daily Inspiration

"God never claimed that his children would not face evil or death. In fact, this chapter [Psalm 23] almost verifies their inevitability. But death is tucked between two great promises. The Psalm begins with God's gentleness to nurture and discipline, promised in the first few verses. That's followed by testament to his unwavering presence and guiding strength in times of great pain. But the final words remind us that in the end, our cup will again overflow with goodness. "Post a Comment...
From Pieces of Glass: A Moment of Tragedy, a Lifetime of Faith
by Sarah Kay

from zondervan. everyday.

The Price of Life?

After living through multiple coup attempts my husband Nate is too accustomed to hearing bad news from home. But with a father and a brother still on the ground in the capital we’re especially uneasy when Chad, his country of origin, makes national news here in the states.
Personally though, I was stunned to hear the following piece on Monday's NPR program:

Day to Day, September 4, 2006 · Explorer Mike Fay reports a staggering loss: During a survey of Chad while on assignment for the National Geographic Society, he stumbled on at least 100 dead elephants near an elephant preserve, killed for their ivory tusks. Their huge, bloated bodies were left behind for predators and vultures.
"You can see very clearly the trunks are sliced off the heads and the tusks are chopped out, [and] big pools of blood," Fay says. "There is no doubt about it, these boys are being poached."
The areas where elephants can be protected are getting smaller, he says. "Thirty years ago, there was a Texas-sized area that had about 300,000 elephants -- but over the past three decades, poachers have killed almost all the elephants."
Fay believes part of the problem is the unrest in neighboring Sudan. Roving bands of horsemen cross the border from the troubled Darfur region to poach elephants.
"The only way to keep this park protected is to up the guard force and get organized outside the national park, where the elephants go in the wet season," Fay says.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5760602

Now don’t get me wrong, I think Ivory poaching is detestable and I’m always concerned about preserving the earth’s resources, but this article seemed like some sick joke. For any of you who do follow the news you may be aware of the ongoing human rights crisis going on in the Darfur region of Sudan. You may also be aware that Darfur and Chad share a border and many of the same regional problems due to pandemic violence. But in the interest of objectivity here is what World Vision has to say about this part of the globe.

“As many as 10,000 people have died monthly since the conflict began in Darfur, Sudan, mainly due to pervasive – and preventable – disease and hunger. Brutal ethnic conflict has driven over 2 million people into homelessness, their huts and villages pillaged, burned, and destroyed.Victims end up living in ramshackle huts in numerous camps along the edge of the Sahara. Displaced families have meager access to food, water, clothing, and shelter.Health care is also extremely limited. And killings and sexual assaults are rampant.Families barely survive, living in conditions that World Vision has rarely seen in its many years of serving the needy. The lives of thousands of children are threatened, their fathers, homes, and communities lost. They face a bleak future.”

Although its obvious that life is worth precious little in these parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, it saddens me that the slaughter of a hundred elephants was deemed more unfortunate and news-worthy than the lives of hundreds of thousands of Southern Sudanese and Chadians. Ivory more precious than life? I thought that was a part of our history, especially from such an “enlightened” source.