She Made the Web

As many of you know, you're hardly in your right mind in the days following the birth of your child.  Which is probably why I vaguely remember this reporter's article - or the story he recorded - about Annelise's birth.  I realized today (yes, 3 months after that wonderful, but traumatizing experience we call "labor") that Annelise made the web!

Check it out!

Rolling Over

Talking

A PLEA FOR HELP...LEE NORDINE

Lee - I recently saw a picture of you with a Mac at your house.  So, I assume you can help?

I have a problem.  I have a Samsung video recorder that records on SD memory cards and mini DVR's.  I also have a MacBook Pro.  I video taped Annelise rolling over this morning, with hopes of uploading the video to my blog.  I recorded it on the DVR.  I can't get my Mac to recognize the video recorder when I plug it into the USB drive.  There is no disk (I knew that would be the next question).  My Mac won't take mini DVR's.  Can you help?

And if you're not Lee Nordine....I still welcome the help.

Lots New

Its been a while since I posted something.  Matt's been home almost a week now.  It's so nice to have my best friend back!  Trips like this are always good for our marriage.  They make us appreciate one another more.  The weather here is beautiful!  We hit 70 degrees yesterday - and both Annelise and I enjoyed a walk today.  Our tulips are coming up in the front yard, which always excited me for Tulip Time.  If you've never experienced this annual festival in Holland, you MUST come stay with us and check it out.  We live in the heart of Holland, which means we have access to all the festivities.  During the two weeks that the festival is taking place, we'll get out the stroller and walk to watch Dutch dancers (nearly 600 downtown), eat Elephant ears, watch parades and more!  So, anybody in the mood for a May road trip?  Come see us!

Oh, I should mention that we have one guest room.  So, this limited time offer is limited to ONE couple.  Unless you want to get cozy.

Daddy is home...

...safe and sound.  More on his trip soon!

Zambia Update

Matt's trip to Zambia is quickly coming to a close.  They are six hours ahead of us - and enjoying their last day of ministry as a team.  Tomorrow, they head to Victoria Falls to spend the day site seeing and curio shopping.  Then, they are flying home!  Here is an update on their trip.  Thanks for praying!

Greetings from Choma, Zambia. Or should I say - Mwalibihabuti. 
 
It's Wednesday afternoon and I'm sitting in the World Hope office writing this email while the students are outside playing "futbol" with the neighborhood kids- and thoroughly enjoying it. That would be, I think, the theme of a lot of this trip so far - we're enjoying it thoroughly. It's been wonderful to watch each student "soak in" the new culture, new sights, new people, new language all around them. We've packed each day full - we've worked on rebuilding homes, put on a youth rally, visited people in their homes, prayed for them, played with kids, and just generally seen God and His people and their struggles on another side of the world.
 
We praise God for a healthy team - that's been great. And we've had safe travels in all of our bumping along dusty roads into villages, etc. We also praise God for effective ministry too. For Monday and Tuesday we worked closely with students in the village of Siachetema. The students were able to build strong, authentic relationships and love on the many children the follow us wherever we go. The students put on a youth rally for the Siachetema students - complete with a wonderful skit, testimonies, and even "preaching" by our senior guys! It's been wonderful to watch each student step up to whatever task placed in front of them - no matter how uncomfortable - and do it well. They've definitely not been able to stay in their comfort zones.
 
Today is officially our last day in Choma - where we have been centered. Tomorrow we will travel 1 1/2 hours to Zimba where we will tour a mission hospital. We'll then help them with work projects, and spend the night at a nearby guest house. Then on Friday we'll get up early, visit Victoria Falls, and fly out. Many of the students, when they realized that today was our last day in Choma, expressed how fast this time has gone. And, truly, I believe they are leaving a bit of their hearts in this beautiful place. 
 
Thank you so much for your prayers during this time. We have faced great things and also tough things and we have seen God work. Please keep praying as we continue with this trip. Pray for safe travels, pray for discernment and compassionate hearts for all of us, and pray that God will be glorified in everything we do. 

Mouse Away - Cats Play

I can't resist myself.  Every time Matt goes away for an extended period of time, I have this urge to get my hair done.  Weird?  It's like I realize how awful my do is when he's gone.  So, I spent a few hours at the salon the other night and now feel like a new woman.  (At least until the next time he goes away and I realize how awful I look.  And so the cycle goes.)

The NEW Leah

So, my sister Leah has been staying with me for a week and tonight she decided to cut her hair off!  Here's the before and after pictures.  She hasn't had her hair cut since 7th grade!  Doesn't she look hot?

Bling Baby & Rock Star

"Grandma Sue" bought these shirts for Wyatt and Annelise.  Thanks!

Update from Zambia

Here is an update I received from Matt and his team.  Thanks for praying!

Things are going great over here. We've had a full weekend. On Saturday we worked on several houses. We demolished a house that was half down, moved brick and poured a cement floor. Needless to say,  we were pretty tired that night. The team is healthy and enjoying the people here and playing with kids as well as  experiencing a  unique worship-style at church. I had the opportunity to preach in church yesterday. 

All the students are soaking in the culture and enjoying one another. Continue to pray for strength and endurance as we go to a remote village and hold a youth rally. Painting and futbol are on the agenda as well. Give all the parents our greetings and love.

~ Matt, for the team

Day Four

Since Daddy's been gone, Annelise has progressed by leaps and bounds!  Here's a few new things she's doing lately...

• She found her fist and now loves to "eat" it constantly!
• She is a TV junkie.  Someone please help me.  The child loves the boob tube.
• She can play with toys!!!  We bought a new swing and a carseat toy - both of which she can reach out and touch the toys.  We sometimes here a giggle from the back seat.
• She sleeps through the night.  I had to blog about this one, because Matt will never believe it.  She slept 10 hours the night he left and another 10 the next night.  Since, she's been sleeping at least 7 hours at a time.  Mommy loves it!

We also went to visit my Aunt Sue and cousin Angie this weekend.  It was a lot of fun seeing cousins Ty and Wyatt.  We'll hopefully post pictures soon (when Ang emails them to me *hint hint*).

Day One

Daddy's gone and Anne slept through the night last night!  Let's pray she keeps this up.  Mommy might experience the best nights of sleep in nearly 3 months - all while daddy is half way around the world!

Keep praying for Matt and his team.  United Airlines cancelled 52 flights out of Chicago last night - one of which was supposed to take our Zambia team to London!  Fortunately, they got all 8 travelers on another airline.  I won't hear until later this weekend whether or not they made it. But, as always, no news is good news.

We'll keep you posted!

A Few Days

Matt leaves for Zambia this Wednesday.  For those of you that read this blog, we would appreciate your prayers for:

• Safe travel - they are taking 5 students with 4 adults.  Its a good ratio, but there is always risk of someone getting lost when traveling that long.
• Safety in country - they will be doing manual labor after Katrina-like disasters have struck Zambia.  Dehydration, illness and fatigue will all be factors during this trip.
• Spiritual renewal - for both the team and the people they minister to.  Many of the villagers they will visit are stricken with HIV/AIDS and haven't had visitors in months. Our team will be a fresh breath to them during their struggle.  Pray also that the students will be encouraged spiritually - and challenged to grow in their faith and relationship with Christ.
• Pray for Annelise and I.  We will be home for 10 days without Matt.  My sister Leah will be staying with us to help out.  Pray that God would keep us safe and that the baby would do well for me.  

Thanks in advance for your faithful prayer support!  We'll keep you posted as we hear from the Zambia team in the coming days.

Blondie?

No, I'm not talking about the dessert (for those of you wired like me)!

Do you think my kid is going to be blond?  I was looking at the comparison of these two pictures and it seems like her hair is getting lighter.  Who would have thought that I would have a blond haired, blue-eyed girl!

My Ornery Little Girl

Annelise hasn't been feeling like herself lately.  She is very congested, which has turned my once happy baby into a rather ornery one.  One minute she's laughing - and two seconds later she bursts into tears.  Being the kind mommy that I am, I took some pictures of her in action.

HAPPY...

NOT SO HAPPY...

REALLY NOT HAPPY.

Shots

Yesterday was a sad day for us.  Annelise went for her 2-month doctor's visit and had to get 5 shots!  I knew it was going to be sad, but I didn't realize how hard it would be for me.  Two nurses held her down to give her the shots simultaneously and Matt stood by her head, calming her.  Mommy hovered in the corner, fighting tears and praying her "silent screaming" would stop and she would begin breathing again.  As soon as they were done, they said "Ok, someone hold her."  That's all I needed to hear.  I scooped her up and cuddled her for most of the night.  One good outcome was that she slept 10 hours last night!  So, we all got some rest after the big ordeal.

By the way...she's now 10 pounds exactly and 23 inches long.  Tall and skinny like her aunts!

My Coworker

A New Cousin

Congrats to James & Pam Wickman (my cousin) on the birth of their first child.

Evan Philip Wickman was born this morning weighing 8 pounds 1 ounce and was 20 1/2 inches long.  Welcome to this wonderful world!

9 pm - 6 am

Annelise slept through the night!  I think that's all I need to say...