Hannah Says...

Getting Spiritual

I'm feeling like the queen of Bible studies lately.  Not that I'm actually a queen during the Bible study, but that I have 3 that I am a part of.  Yes, three, and they are all very different from each other. 

One I have been in for almost two years.  It's at my old church.  The leader is a former missionary, so her perspective on spiritual things is really interesting.  And different.  Not weird different, but just different from anything I have ever been taught.  Our main focus is living as the new creation that we become once we accept Christ.  Choosing to live that life everyday.  Choosing everyday to live that life.  2 Corinthians 5:14b "Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life"; 17"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life has gone; a new life has begun!"  I love this Bible study because I have learned a ton about who God is and what He has done for us.  Plus it's a great format, lots of discussion and real life application.  Not the "church" answers that we can all come up with if we need to, but lot of "this is what that looks like."

The second one I am in is Bible Study Fellowship.  I have wanted to do this for a while, but I had to wait until Emmett was 2.  (They now have a baby class for those of you that didn't know.)  Anyhow, this is much more traditional as far as format goes.  I had to get over some of the "rules" and I don't always love going, but I really like doing my lessons.  And I l.o.v.e. that Emmett gets to be a part of it too.  We are studying the book of John.  Basically the book has been divided into 32 lessons to last the whole year.  Each week we read a section and answer questions related to what we read.  Then we meet to discuss the questions and then listen to a lecture about the week as a whole.  I love getting that deep into one book.  I have learned a lot about who Jesus is and what His purpose was here on earth.  I have gone back and forth about doing it again next year, but I have a feeling I will!

The third one we just started on Sunday.  The church that Brent's mom and stepdad go to (Terrace Heights Presbyterian) invited us to be a part of the Love Dare.  (I'm retty sure you all know what it is, so I won't go on to describe it.)  I was a little hesitant to do this one for a variety of reasons.  Partly because Brent won't be able to attend the actual meetings very often because of work, and partly for other personal reasons.  But we've been struggling lately, so I thought maybe it would be a good opportunity.  And maybe we'll make a few new friends too!

I am really enjoying being a part of three different Bible studies.  I learn something different at each one, yet it seems like during a week or two week period, I can also tie them together somehow.

On the Mend

The past week and a half have not been fun around here.  Emmett had (and survived) his first ever ear infection.  It started as an upper respiratory viral infection that progressed into his ears.  Fun.  And it lasted over a week!  He has never been this sick for this long.  I took him to the Dr. last Monday for his first ever non-well-child check.  Seriously.  (Maybe this wasn't his first ear infection.  Perhaps I missed some earlier on.  But I don't really think so.)  So he also had his first prescription.  Which he liked and said it tasted like chocolate.  Or chocolate milk.  (Not sure what that says about the chocolate milk I let him have!)  The syringe that the pharmacy was too big to fit in the bottle of medicine, so I started by using the one that comes with the infant ibuprofen and giving him 4 doses (7.ml).  Until my dad told me that a tsp is ml, so I could give him 1 1/2 tsp instead.  Which was so easier because I had a little medicine cup with tsp markings on it.  Did you know that a  tsp is ml?  There's your science lesson for the day.  You want to know the upside to this whole situation?  He gave up the bink!  I didn't think this day would ever come and it if did it would be apocalyptic.  The first night he was sick, he couldn't breathe through his nose, so he couldn't suck on the bink.  Plus he had chewed holes in all of them and didn't like the ones with holes.  So, no more bink and it was totally painless on all of our parts!  He has improved vastly over the past day or two, so we are much happier around here.  And the sun is shining.

Feeding the Ducks

Tuesday afternoon Brent's mom called, wanting to take Emmett to feed the ducks.  Since Brent and I had errands to run, we thought it would be a perfect activity for him.  When we were done with our errands, we decided to meet up with them at the Terrace Heights cemetery.  It was a beautiful afternoon and Emmett had so much fun!

 
This is the one swan that live in the pond.  Emmett kept calling him "the big eagle".  I have no idea where he got that!

 
He would call to the big eagle and tell him where his piece of bread was floating.  "Do you see your bread big eagle?  It's right there behind you!"

 
And of course he ran around in circles in the yard.

I love taking advantage of the warm (or maybe not-so-freezing) weather to have a little fun!
 
 
 
 

My Surprise

This weekend I got to celebrate my birthday.  Saturday afternoon Brent and I went and saw "When In Rome" and had planned on going out for dinner with his parents afterwards.  At least, that's what I thought the plan was.  So, we headed out to his mom's house to pick them up.  When we walked in the door, we were greeted by a cute little baby in a car seat, with two bottles of red wine and a container of Tillamook Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream.

 

At first glance, I had no idea who she was.  So I said "Um, this is not what I ordered".  (I thought she might be part of some no-so-funny joke.)  The more I looked at her, the more I thought she looked like my friend Hannah's baby Claire, who I hadn't met yet.  After Brent's mom confirming that it was indeed Claire, something clicked in my mind and I screamed "Where are they?!"  I raced to the back bedroom, where I figured Hannah and Shannon were hiding.  But to my excitement, there were three more awesome friends with them - Mandy, Marisa and Tori!  I think I screamed as I realized who each one was.  After my heart stopped racing and my mind stopped spinning, we all hugged and began our fun night.

After dinner and presents, we headed out on the town.  Well, more like to Second Street for drinks. 

(Shannon, Marisa, Me) 

(Hannah, Tori, Mandy)

Then we headed back to my house for ice cream, a LOT of talking and laughing (no topic was off-limits), and some much needed girl time.

 
  
Emmett and Brent were pretty smitten with Tiny Claire.  (That's Brent giving her the stink-eye.  I think it made her laugh.)

 

(I had so much fun meeting Tiny Claire.  She is such a sweet baby and had perfect behavior.  I never even heard her cry.)

So, while I generally hate being surprised, and specifically told Brent not to plan a "surprise party", I couldn't have asked for a better evening.  I am so thankful for such a wonderful husband, my sweet friends, and of course an awesome mother-in-law who helped put this all together.

 

My Birthday

Today is my 30th birthday.  I was thinking it might be fun to list a few fun facts about my birthday, and some things that I really remember about great birthdays that I have had. 

• I was born on a Monday, late in the evening. 
• I was due on Valentine's Day, which means I came 10 days early.
• My mom didn't go to the hospital until she absolutely had to, at which point, I was "crowning".  She refused to push until she was given an epidural.  Which she was.  I'm pretty sure they don't do that anymore!
• I weighed 10# 14oz.  Seriously.  10 days early.
• I am the 4th of seven kids, 3rd girl.
• I believe Dr. Markee delivered me.
• My parents have a picture of me on my 1st birthday screaming at my 1 candle.  The kind of scream that my face was beet red.  (I still don't really like being the center of attention, but at least I've stopped crying about it.)
• My favorite birthday cake when I was little was Strawberry Shortcake.  I think I was 4.
• I also think that was the year I got my first Cabbage Patch Kid.  A little boy in yellow overalls that had a little grey elephant on the front.  And I think he had white shoes.
• On my 13th birthday our babysitter took me out for dinner.  Then we walked around the mall and decided to get my ears pierced.  (She called my parents to make sure it was ok.)
• On my 17th birthday my friend had a surprise party for me at Abby's apartment.  There were even boys there!
• My 20th birthday was my first birthday away from home.  (It was my first year at Fox.)  My roommates waited until I went to bed the night before and decorated my corner of the room with balloons and crepe paper.  They also made me on of those poems that have candy bars in it as some of the words.
• On my 25th birthday Brent got me my 2nd piece of "real" jewelry (from him).  (The first being my engagement ring.)  It was a necklace from Tiffany & Co.  I had told him that at some point in my lifetime I wanted something from T&Co, but I figured it would be way into the future.  The night before my birthday he gave it to me.  I was super surprised.
• And now here I am on my 30th.  Kind of sad to leave my 20's behind, but also excited to start a new decade.  I started my 20's as a kid(ish) and became a grown-up.  Now I get to be a grown-up the whole time.  My friend told me today that the 30's are the best.  Let's hope she's right.