Travis and Ethan ready for a ride in the bike trailer. I love this picture!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Happy birthday, Jayna!
Yesterday our baby turned 1! As I was putting her to bed last night I thought back to the night she was born and what it felt like to hold her in my arms for the first time. I remember her birth so vividly, and in some ways wish I could go back and experience it again. Though I will certainly admit that it is so fun to watch her grow into her own little person!
Festivities for Jayna's birthday included a party on Saturday and a mini-party on her actual birthday. On Saturday we had some family in town (including my sisters who ran the Sound to Narrows run with me), so we decided to make a party out of it. After the run, we all went to the zoo, and then came home for a BBQ/birthday party. Thank you to Aunt Cheryl, Aunt Melanie, Uncle Eric, Ethan, Aunt Bonnie, Great-G & G Schwartz, and G & G Butts for helping us celebrate our little girl!
I'll post more 1-year pictures later, but these will do for now.
Jayna at the beginning and then end of our trip to the zoo.
Festivities for Jayna's birthday included a party on Saturday and a mini-party on her actual birthday. On Saturday we had some family in town (including my sisters who ran the Sound to Narrows run with me), so we decided to make a party out of it. After the run, we all went to the zoo, and then came home for a BBQ/birthday party. Thank you to Aunt Cheryl, Aunt Melanie, Uncle Eric, Ethan, Aunt Bonnie, Great-G & G Schwartz, and G & G Butts for helping us celebrate our little girl!
I'll post more 1-year pictures later, but these will do for now.
Jayna at the beginning and then end of our trip to the zoo.
At one year old, Jayna is 23 lbs. 11oz., and 29 1/4 inches. She's finally down to "average" size...70th percentile in height and weight. She most definitely has blue eyes, and as you can see, enough hair that I could braid it if I wanted. She sleeps 11-12 hours at night and takes 2 naps a day...I've lucked out so far with great sleepers! We have a "nigh-night" song we sing to the kids at bedtime, and she'll actually start singing it herself, which is often an indicator that she's ready for bed. She is an avid explorer, very cuddly, and has a very sweet demeanor, though I am starting to see that she can be a fighter when she wants to be (like when Travis won't leave her alone!). She is quite the talker...her current repertoire of words include: mama, dada, hi, kitty (ditty), night (niiii), and Jayna (nanna), and she has babbling down to an art. She doesn't mind being held by most people, but she definitely prefers Steve or me. And she thinks Ziggy, our cat, is the funniest creature ever, even when all Ziggy does is walk past her. Favorite foods include string cheese, pb sandwiches, bananas, graham crackers, ravioli, yogurt, and almost any fruit.
Happy birthday, sweet girl! You are beautiful in every way, you bring so much joy to our lives, and we thank God for you daily!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
To the dads in our lives
Happy Father's Day!!
Grandpa Schwartz (or Great-grandpa):
My childhood memories of my time spent with you are some of my absolute fondest. And to this day, I look forward to every minute that we get to spend with you and Grandma. I love you both so much and can't imagine my world without you.
Gary (Grandpa Butts):
Thank you for always being supportive of Steve in all that he pursues...I know that means so much to him. Thank you, too, for being such a fun grandpa to the kids. I love to see Travis light up when he plays with you, and I know it will be the same with Jayna as she gets older. And thank you for always treating me as one of your own!
Dad (Grandpa Schwartz):
Even though I am a "grown woman", I still quite often find myself just wanting a hug from my dad. Somehow, there is nothing like it. I miss you, and I pray that life will soon allow us to be together more often (read: move back up to Western WA, pretty please?!). You really ARE a great dad...you make me laugh ridiculously easily, you inspire, and you love me deeply, I know. I love you so much.
Steve (Daddy):
I could not ask for a better dad for our kids. You change the poopy diapers, you play with the kids for hours at a time, you take great joy in them, you know their needs, tendencies, and favorites (many dads do not), you provide for them....I could go on and on. You really are amazing. As difficult as parenting can sometimes be, I am SO blessed and thankful to be a parent alongside you. I love you!
Grandpa Schwartz (or Great-grandpa):
My childhood memories of my time spent with you are some of my absolute fondest. And to this day, I look forward to every minute that we get to spend with you and Grandma. I love you both so much and can't imagine my world without you.
Gary (Grandpa Butts):
Thank you for always being supportive of Steve in all that he pursues...I know that means so much to him. Thank you, too, for being such a fun grandpa to the kids. I love to see Travis light up when he plays with you, and I know it will be the same with Jayna as she gets older. And thank you for always treating me as one of your own!
Dad (Grandpa Schwartz):
Even though I am a "grown woman", I still quite often find myself just wanting a hug from my dad. Somehow, there is nothing like it. I miss you, and I pray that life will soon allow us to be together more often (read: move back up to Western WA, pretty please?!). You really ARE a great dad...you make me laugh ridiculously easily, you inspire, and you love me deeply, I know. I love you so much.
Steve (Daddy):
I could not ask for a better dad for our kids. You change the poopy diapers, you play with the kids for hours at a time, you take great joy in them, you know their needs, tendencies, and favorites (many dads do not), you provide for them....I could go on and on. You really are amazing. As difficult as parenting can sometimes be, I am SO blessed and thankful to be a parent alongside you. I love you!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
A Thousand Splendid Suns
My dear friend Kara recommended this book on her blog awhile back, and I just finished it at 2:00am Sunday morning. It is a book that every one of you should read, and easily one of the top 3 books I have ever read. Here's the synopsis from Hosseini's website:"A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them. Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment."
Not only did I learn so much about all that has happened and is happening in Afghanistan over the last 30 years, but this book put all of that into human terms and gave powerful insight into what it means to live in Afghanistan, and even more so, what it means to be a woman in this country. I don't think that I can really give it justice with my words, so I'll just tell you to read it. And prepare to cry. I was literally sobbing through the last few chapters. And I'm still processing it all.
His first book, The Kite Runner, is next on my list!
Friday, June 6, 2008
So that you don't stop checking our blog...
Our poor blog...I've been neglecting it. I guess I just haven't been in much of a blogging mood lately...that, and it has kind of been "life as usual" around here. Anyway, for those of you who check our blog simply for your Travis and Jayna fix, here are a couple of videos you might enjoy. I'm not sure what this indicates, but both kids love the camera. Okay, especially Travis. As I watched the video of him, I noticed that one might think that we staged it, but we really didn't, he just gets all mesmerized and obedient at the prospect of being on camera. His video reflects his newest obsession with Toy Story ("to infinity and beyond!"...in a really weird voice that he only uses when he says this phrase) and his latest discovery on what happens when you drink a lot of water (if you listen closely you can hear it). Jayna is on the verge of walking, and every time we let her walk with the push-toy she giggles like she's so proud of herself. She loves to wave, but when she does it looks like she's waving at herself. And she loves to imitate noises and faces, which you'll see. Our sweet kids sure know how to make us smile!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Long Beach
With Steve's upcoming job change (see next post) and the lack of vacation time that he will have while at the academy, we decided that we had better get away while we had the chance. So, over Mother's Day weekend, we decided to go to Long Beach, Washington for a little family vacation. (My vote was for Disneyland, but that is not exactly a "little" vacation. Someday...).
With the exception of a couple of Travis meltdowns, we had a blast! Steve took that Friday off, so we were able to arrive early enough that it felt like a full 3 days of vacation. The weather was beautiful on Friday, so that's when we played and walked on the beach and on the boardwalk. On Saturday we did some driving sight-seeing, visited a lighthouse and some cute shops, and swam in the swimming pool. And the highlight of Sunday was definitely the feeding of the seagulls! Oh, and the place we stayed at was great...it was townhouse-style, so we had basically a 1 bedroom apartment, so we could put the kids down at 8:00 and not have to go to bed with them, and we ate several meals there. Surprisingly cheap, too.
Some notes about the pictures...Travis was actually not too thrilled with the ocean. I should have known, considering that 1)He doesn't like to get dirty, and sand makes you dirty, and 2)he doesn't like loud noises. And the ocean is loud. So for now, Travis does not share our love for the ocean, but maybe one day he'll come around. Anyway, when we first walked him somewhat close to the water, his reaction was to run away from it and hide behind our van. Then we finally convinced him that all he needed to do was plug his ears, which he did, but still was not willing to get too close to the water. We were not exactly sympathetic, but laughed at him. Jayna, on the other hand, was as curious as ever and seemed to enjoy herself. She loves to touch everything she sees. If I wasn't worried about sand in the eyes, I would have let her crawl around in it more.
Plugging the ears....
And hiding behind the car
Standing by the skeleton of a grey whale.
Dirt on the face, and he's still alive!
Feeding the seagulls from the back of the van. Aren't they cute, just waiting patiently?
With the exception of a couple of Travis meltdowns, we had a blast! Steve took that Friday off, so we were able to arrive early enough that it felt like a full 3 days of vacation. The weather was beautiful on Friday, so that's when we played and walked on the beach and on the boardwalk. On Saturday we did some driving sight-seeing, visited a lighthouse and some cute shops, and swam in the swimming pool. And the highlight of Sunday was definitely the feeding of the seagulls! Oh, and the place we stayed at was great...it was townhouse-style, so we had basically a 1 bedroom apartment, so we could put the kids down at 8:00 and not have to go to bed with them, and we ate several meals there. Surprisingly cheap, too.
Some notes about the pictures...Travis was actually not too thrilled with the ocean. I should have known, considering that 1)He doesn't like to get dirty, and sand makes you dirty, and 2)he doesn't like loud noises. And the ocean is loud. So for now, Travis does not share our love for the ocean, but maybe one day he'll come around. Anyway, when we first walked him somewhat close to the water, his reaction was to run away from it and hide behind our van. Then we finally convinced him that all he needed to do was plug his ears, which he did, but still was not willing to get too close to the water. We were not exactly sympathetic, but laughed at him. Jayna, on the other hand, was as curious as ever and seemed to enjoy herself. She loves to touch everything she sees. If I wasn't worried about sand in the eyes, I would have let her crawl around in it more.
Plugging the ears.... And hiding behind the car Standing by the skeleton of a grey whale. Dirt on the face, and he's still alive! Feeding the seagulls from the back of the van. Aren't they cute, just waiting patiently?Moving on
Well, it's official! Steve has been hired to be a police officer with a local police department. Crazy, I know. For those of you unfamiliar with the process, it takes jumping over a number of hurdles to become a police officer (as it should)...a physical ability test, an oral board, a VERY thorough background investigation, a psychological evaluation and polygraph test, a physical, and then another physical ability test (which he completed and passed last Friday). And that's just to get hired...now he has 19 weeks (I think) of the academy where he will be trained. His last day at Quadrant is this Friday, and he'll start with the new job next Tuesday, where he'll have a few weeks of orientation/training, and then he'll start the academy mid-June.
Many have asked how I feel about all of this...hmm, good question. There has certainly been a lot for us to think about and consider. Well, most of all, I'm excited. I'm especially excited for the fact that we'll see more of him (yes, it is true). I truly believe that Steve will make a great police officer, and I'm excited that he's excited! (How many times can I use the word "excited"?) I'm also proud of him for making it through the whole process, and with flying colors, really. If God speaks through the opening and closing of doors, then the ease with which he made it through the hiring process really gave us extra confirmation that God is with us in this enormous change. Yes, I will admit that there is a part of me that is anxious. There is obviously some physical danger involved in being a police officer, but of equal concern to me is the emotional stress that he will face. I also love that Steve is a compassionate and caring person, and though I know he will, out of necessity, "harden" himself a bit, I do pray that the softer side of him will remain, and even make him a better officer. Anyway...like I said, I'm really happy for Steve, and looking forward to the start of a new career that I hope he loves. As for the physical danger, I honestly feel very at peace knowing that our lives are in God's hands. I can't let myself dwell on the "what if's". As for the other possible emotional/relational pitfalls of being a police officer, it is good to be aware of them, which I believe we are (as much as we can be at this point, anyway). And we'll need to continue to be aware of them as time goes on.
My personal prayer right now is that Steve receives excellent training at the academy that will prepare him as much as is possible for "the streets". And also that I can know how to be most supportive to him during this time. So if you're looking for something to pray for, we would appreciate you thinking of us!
In the meantime...congratulations, my man!! I really am so proud of you! Off we go on a new adventure...
Many have asked how I feel about all of this...hmm, good question. There has certainly been a lot for us to think about and consider. Well, most of all, I'm excited. I'm especially excited for the fact that we'll see more of him (yes, it is true). I truly believe that Steve will make a great police officer, and I'm excited that he's excited! (How many times can I use the word "excited"?) I'm also proud of him for making it through the whole process, and with flying colors, really. If God speaks through the opening and closing of doors, then the ease with which he made it through the hiring process really gave us extra confirmation that God is with us in this enormous change. Yes, I will admit that there is a part of me that is anxious. There is obviously some physical danger involved in being a police officer, but of equal concern to me is the emotional stress that he will face. I also love that Steve is a compassionate and caring person, and though I know he will, out of necessity, "harden" himself a bit, I do pray that the softer side of him will remain, and even make him a better officer. Anyway...like I said, I'm really happy for Steve, and looking forward to the start of a new career that I hope he loves. As for the physical danger, I honestly feel very at peace knowing that our lives are in God's hands. I can't let myself dwell on the "what if's". As for the other possible emotional/relational pitfalls of being a police officer, it is good to be aware of them, which I believe we are (as much as we can be at this point, anyway). And we'll need to continue to be aware of them as time goes on.
My personal prayer right now is that Steve receives excellent training at the academy that will prepare him as much as is possible for "the streets". And also that I can know how to be most supportive to him during this time. So if you're looking for something to pray for, we would appreciate you thinking of us!
In the meantime...congratulations, my man!! I really am so proud of you! Off we go on a new adventure...
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