Happy Birthday to Caleb & Lillian!!!

Caleb turned four and Lillian turned one at the end of March!!  (Their birthdays are one day apart.)  We had a blast celebrating with our (large) extended family.

Updates on the Little Ones

Lillian is now five weeks old!  I can’t believe how time flies…yet it seems as though she has been with us forever.  A few days ago she gave us her first “real” smile!  I saw her eyes move down to look at my smiling mouth and she smiled right back.  My heart melted!  I know there is a personality inside and I just can’t wait to see it emerge.  She is pretty cuddly right now and loves to snuggle up on my (and Shawn’s) chest to sleep.  She loves being walked around as opposed to rocked.  She hardly ever cries when I change her diaper.  She hates her bath!  And Caleb hates her bath because he hates to hear her cry that much.  She is a pretty good sleeper at night, not waking up much except to eat.  The past few nights she slept for five hours in a row!

Lillian - 4 1/2 weeks old

Yesterday I taught Caleb how to use the computer.  I tried about four months ago and he kept trying to point the mouse at the computer like a remote.  Yesterday he learned in about two seconds.  He loves www.starfall.com.  It is just right as far as not being to difficult.  He especially likes the Gingerbread game because we have read that book a lot.  The alphabet games are also fun for him and I like them because they are educational.  Our camera batteries are dead, so I wasn’t able to take a picture, but here is one of him (& daddy) at a family wedding over the weekend.

Shawn & Caleb

Lillian Grace is here!

Wednesday, March 25th

5:54 a.m.

7 lbs 10 oz

20 inches

Lillian Grace (hospital photo)

Delivered by the wonderful (Aunt) Lynda Varner:

Daddy & Lillian:

Here is a recent photo:

2 1/2 weeks old

Isn’t she just about the cutest thing you’ve ever seen? 

Caleb loves his baby sister and, overall, has adjusted pretty well.

Here he is trying to share some toys with her…his horse and truck.

So far, being a mom to two is hard work!…but definately worth every sacrifice.

Winter Fun

Shawn, Caleb, & I went up north for the weekend to spend some time with my family.  My grandparents have a cabin up at Houghton Lake.  This weekend Houghton Lake held their annual Tip Up Town festivities.  Tip up Town is an ice fishing festival…doesn’t that sound thrilling!!  We actually go up for this every year but I haven’t been out ice fishing in maybe 8 years or more.  We prefer to hibernate inside the cabin and spend time eating, playing games, watching movies, and did I mention eating?

It was COLD this weekend, but we did brave the weather and head out to the official outdoor festival site.  It was about 14 degrees out…probably around 4 degrees or less if you factor in the wind chill.  After maybe 1/2 hour, we were all freezing cold except for Caleb.  He was having way too much fun.  It’s not every day that he gets to ride a pony, pet a reindeer, or slide down a giant hill of snow.

I think I look enormous in this picture, but hey, I am 7 months pregnant.

Caleb & daddy with the ponies.

Caleb & I are watching the reindeer.

Remembering Aaron

On October 27, 2006, my cousin Aaron Varner passed away after battling a 2 1/2 year battle with cancer.  He was 19 years old.

You can read about his journey at www.aaronsadventure.com.

Aaron was a believer, along with the rest of his family.  God used this family as a tremendous witness of the Lord’s grace and faithfulness in a time of great hardship.

We miss you Aaron…but right now you are hanging out with Jesus!  And we continue to keep Lynda, Dennis, Katie, and Derek in our prayers and thoughts.

And Varners, if you read this, it would take me a long time to tell about everything I learned from you guys.  Someday I will share.  THANK YOU.  God used you to change my perspective of God (in a good way!) forever.  I am just one of many people that were touched by Aaron and all of you.

Aaron, Caleb, & Aunt Lynda (Aaron loved babies!)