This Little Piggy

Fridge Filing

2009-01-21T15:45:00.002-05:00

This is my first post of an organizing tip. I recently read this in a magazine and started putting it into practice, and so far it has proven quite helpful.

Instead of just throwing leftovers into a plastic container and forgetting about it until a few weeks later when you finally throw out that gross moldy thing from who-knows-when. Or instead of spending ten minutes looking in every Tupperware trying to find that certain leftover you want. Why not label them? Duh, Dena, you say. But here's the brilliant part: Use a dry erase marker to write the contents and date on the top of the storage container. It will stay put in the fridge, but wipes off quite easily in the sink. Simple, easy, and it works.

North American Mom

2009-01-20T08:12:00.003-05:00

Well, I'm a real North American mom now. I drive a mini van with two car seats. I just started going to play group with the kids. We'd never been before - the kids loved it and so do I! I joined the local gym that I hit most mornings around 6:30. I've started getting to know some people from the community, too (other than church people) from the gym, the play group, and a midwives network I started attending meetings for. It's a new experience for me, and I am enjoying it.

I'm really happy about meeting non-church people. Don't get me wrong - I love our new church family. But I also think it's so important for Christians to be in the community and know people and form real relationships with them. I never really knew many non-church people in Peru, and didn't have the chance to get involved in anything outside the church. So this makes me happy.

And, on another note...we recently learned we'll be adding another little one to our family this fall! We were pretty shocked when we found out, but are really excited! I am on the waiting list for a doctor, so I don't have any real details to share, but by my calculations I'm due early September. I'll keep you posted as we learn more about baby #3.

Organizing

2009-01-15T16:18:00.003-05:00

We have settled in on PEI and things are going well. We have made great friends with a couple about our age, and everyone has been so warm and welcoming to us. Yes, the winter is very cold and windy, but it will pass. And then we will be able to enjoy living on the coast. (Our house is two blocks from the water. From our driveway we can see the harbour, though it is snow filled and icy right now.)

Until then, my goal is to get organized. In every aspect of my life. I recently started going back to the gym. I need to take control of my body again. I also am trying to get more organized in the kitchen: I am working even harder at cooking even healthier meals (most of which are now vegetarian). I am trying to organize all the areas of the house, including closets, pantries, toy bins, kitchen cabinets, etc. And my time is in desperate need of some organization. My devos seem to be way too few and far between, and my time always seems torn in so many directions.

So, that is the new leaf I hope to turn this year. I am not really one for New Year's Resolutions, but this year we live in a new country, Ell has a new job, we are in a new (to us, of course) house, so this is really a perfect time to get all areas of life under control. As a result, I am sure my blog will reflect this change as I learn things about health, find new recipes, learn organization or time management tips, etc. So, perhaps you will journey with me. I guess we could all use a little more order in our lives anyway.

Happy Birthday To You!

2008-12-01T11:52:00.002-05:00

Today Elliott turns another year older. He is my best friend, my partner in everything, the greatest daddy ever, and I don't know what I would do without him. Happy Birthday, Husband! I love you!

In other news, we are back in Ontario. We spend today and tomorrow packing the truck, then Wednesday morning we head out. Shaylee will stay here with Grammy and they will fly out to join us on Saturday. It will be so much easier for her to not have to spend 2-3 days in the van cooped up with Micaiah and I. So Ell with drive the U-Haul, and Cai and I will party in the van.

Everyone is doing well: no colds, no teething. All seems good for the move. I can't believe how much stuff we have aquired! We returned to N. America with about 10 suitcases, and suddenly we have a U-Haul full of stuff. Luckily, we've been able to pick up a living room set, dining room table and chairs, tv stand and matching coffee table, toddler bed, and a few other furniture items from family and at auctions. We still need a crib for Shaylee and a bed for us. And the "filler" items like side tables, night stands, and art. But, no worries, we're not in a hurry. All that stuff has a way for coming around.

Untill then, see you in PEI!

Have You Written Me Off?

2008-11-24T09:38:00.002-05:00

Well, if you have, it's my fault. Things have been so crazy, and I haven't known what to make of it all, that I stopped being interested in blogging about it. Here's the quick update summary:

-We came back to N. Amer. the end of Sept and stayed with my family in Illinois for two weeks. Ell had an interview with a church in Wisconsin. It was a cool church!
-Then traveled to Ontario to stay with Ell's fam for a month. During this time Ell had an interveiw for a youth pastor position on PEI. Ell was offered the job, and after prayer and consideration, we accepted.
-Nov 17th traveled back to Illinois to celebrate my birthday and Thanksgiving with the fam one last time before the move.
-Nov 30th will return to Ontario to pack the last of our things before moving to PEI on the 3rd. It will take 2-3 days driving to get there (should only be two, but with the kids it may take longer).

I decided to makeover my blog to go with this new season of life. I will work on it in the next few days. Not sure what I'll do, so if you have any ideas or tips I'd love 'em. I do hope to update again before the move, but at the very least I will post when we get there.

Homecoming

2008-10-01T20:00:00.003-05:00

Well, by now most of you know that we have returned to North America. At this point I am in Illinois with the kids, staying at my mom's (we arrived last Thurs). Ell is at his parents' in Ontario and will be joining us this weekend (he arrived on Tues). It has all been such a whirlwind that I haven't had much time to update, and when I have had time there is just so much to tell that I can't seem to figure out where to begin.

Our funds began to dip low around Feb., but did not become a real problem until about June. We tried what we could and spent a lot of time in prayer, and in the end it seemed like God would have us back in N. Amer. for a season. So Ell has been applying at churches for a youth pastor job. This Sunday he has an interview at a church in Wisconsin, and the following week he has one in Atlantic Canada. We are praying that God would prepare just the right church for us. One where we will fit well and be able to serve in just the capacity needed there. So far both churches look exciting, although my mom is rooting for Wisc. since we would be just over an hour away. Things are a little weird adjusting to life back here. It may sound like three years is not that long, but you really do forget little things about life here that now make me stick out a little.

There are many things that I will miss/already miss about Peru. I definitely miss our friends, and the ministry there. I miss the glorious food! and the warmth of the culture. It feels strange to go everywhere and only speak English. Today I was at the doc's office and was surrounded by Latin families. Oh, how I wished to join in their conversations, but I would have felt out of place. Everything on the radio is new to me, I couldn't believe just how bad the economy really was until I got here, and I think I have already gained weight on the food. But I am excited for things I have missed: I haven't really driven in three years, and the freedom is exhilerating! When I walk in Wal-Mart I feel like a kid in a candy shop. And, of course, seeing friends and family is the best part.

I think I will wrap it up here. Please feel free to ask me questions; I know I have left out a lot of details, but I'm tired. I will add more later, I'm sure.

Twinkle Toes

2008-07-06T07:45:00.003-05:00

Yesterday Shaylee took her first steps! Once again I was not in the room when it happened! With Micaiah, I was upstairs doing laundry when Elliott yelled for me to come quick. This time I was downstairs fixing lunch when Elliott called for me. We got her to take one more step for me, but I think she was tired by the time I got there. Well, maybe today I can coax her to perform. My baby's growing up!

Happenings

2008-07-04T15:38:00.002-05:00

I'm sorry this blog has turned into a random update channel. I hope to change that and make it more interesting again. But for today I will update you with the latest happenings here in the Innes house.

-Andrea, a student from Houghton College, arrived at our house today and will stay with us all weekend. She will be here in Lima for the next six weeks doing her college internship.

-Shaylee has another tooth breaking through as I type. This is a never-ending process for her, and this time her nose is so runny she can hardly breathe, poor thing.

-Micaiah has adjusted just fine to being in a big boy bed and now falls asleep like the pro he always has been.

-I have been taking the kids out for a walk most days right before supper. The other day we walked for an hour and a half, and Micaiah did the whole thing on foot, including a climb up a steep hill about six stories high! He was pretty tired.

-I have been getting better about being more organized and planning ahead. Often I prepare all or most of lunch (the big meal of the day) the night before, so I can spend the morning with the kids and not thinking about what we will eat. This has been quite refreshing for me.

-Elliott has started leading the Tuesday night prayer meeting at church and is doing a great job of bringing it into the 21st century.

Perhaps that's it for now. I will think of something more fun for my next post, and won't wait weeks to post it this time.

Are You What You Eat?

2008-06-30T16:18:00.004-05:00

How do you eat?

Are you a vegetarian? A vegan? Do you eat all organic? Or only locally grown? Do you eat high protein or low carb? Are you lactose free? Gluten free? Pork free? Do you have an insane love for junk food? Are you a choco-holic? Crave pizza or soda? Or do you simply eat what your mom/spouse/the guy at McDonald's serves you?

Why do you eat the way you do? Do you have personal health issues or allergies? Do you believe it's healthiest for your body? Best for the environment? Are you taking a stance against animal cruelty? Or satisfying your body's loyalty to Papa John's? Had you never thought about it before? Do your eating habits reflect an overall lifestyle or not? Should they? Or are they different things all together? Tell me your position. I'm curious. And perhaps you might even inspire a change.

I Need This

2008-06-27T17:49:00.003-05:00

Via a friend's blog, I stumbled upon a contest for a free cloth diapering kit. I use disposable ones now, mainly because that seemed normal to me, but that is also really my only choice here. I am thinking I'd like to use cloth diapers for future children, though Elliott is not so convinced. Anyway, if I post the link to the contest here I get an extra entry. So here it is: http://blog.thenatureschild.com/

I will be posting a real entry hopefully tonight, or in the next couple of days. Stay tuned.

Lately...

2008-06-01T07:54:00.000-05:00

*Shaylee has been developing a more distinct personality (not generally a bad thing, though)

*My sense of smell has been ultra-sensitive, which is part of the migraines.

*Shaylee's favorite toy has been the electrical outlets.

*Micaiah has been speaking more frequently in Spanish. Current fave phrases (translated): "Hello beautiful"; "I'm crazy"; "I'm gorgeous"; "Alright, thank you"; and he loves to give the taxi drivers directions.

*I have been spending a lot of time in bed. And I'm getting tired of all this resting!

*Micaiah loves giving kisses-to people, toys, the tv, etc. He loves to play this game where you ask him to kiss various body parts, and it always ends with him spending about 10 mins trying desperately to kiss his own elbow. It's hilarious to watch!

*Shaylee has been standing alone for a few seconds at a time.

*Elliott has been the most incredibly attentive, serving, loving husband while I have been sick.

*Shaylee has been putting the telephone or other objects to her ear playing pretend.

*I have been craving chocolate cake every day.

My Morning in Venice

2008-05-27T15:40:00.000-05:00

So this morning I arrived at the hospital for my MRI (after babysitter arrived 37 mins late, with no excuse!). I change into the robe and get briefed on the whole procedure. They lay me down on the table, assure me it won't hurt, cover me with a warm blanket, and screw this cage over my face. The cage is actually quite nice as it has strategically positioned mirrors so I can see out the tube and into the window where the docs are looking at all their computers (I'm totally thinking about Meredith and McDreamy sitting there making plans for a weekend in Sonoma Valley or something). They give me headphones (playing the Three Tenors greatest hits!!!) to drown out the whirring of the machine and we get started. I must admit, with two active little ones at home this was shaping up to be the most relaxing half hour of my month. To make sure I didn't get nervous or antsy, I imagine myself floating down the river streets in Venice, Italy while Lucciano and the boys serenade me. I was definitely thinking I would recommend this to all stressed moms, as it's much easier to get insurance to cover this than time at the spa.

After about a half hour they pulled me out and told me something I couldn't hear over the boys' gorgeous bellowing, so I nodded and asked if we were done. The nurse said yes, but then began sticking a very large needle into me explaining that they needed to visualize something (slight language barrier). That was fine, because we were done and I did great. Then she capped off my vein with a long tube and pushed me back in the machine. "Wait! I thought we were done!?" "Oh yes," she tells me, "but we need to visualize your body." Whatever that means. I ask how long it takes, and she tells me 15 minutes! Starting to get uncomfortable, and blind-sided by the extra time, I let loose one little tear. I returned to Italy and this time had to focus on the music to stay calm and started counted songs until it seemed like 15 minutes should be over. It was. They came back, retrieved me, let me change, removed the tube, and ushered me to the waiting room in expectation of the doctor.

A minute later he came out and told me the tests were all clear. I'm normal! No stroke, tumor, no brain swelling, nothing! So the doctor settled on "complicated migraines" as my chosen diagnosis. He gave me an over-the-counter-ish medication to take in the event of another attack, and we were off. We need to return tomorrow for the results of my last blood work, but we anticipate everything should be fine. We have a few questions for him, and hopefully that will be it. Thanks again to everyone for all your prayers. We really appreciate it! Elliott was so scared, and took great comfort in knowing there were thousands of people praying for us.

Another Update

2008-05-26T17:26:00.002-05:00

Sorry the previous was so long, this should be much shorter.

This morning I spent another few hours in the hospital, a different one this time for another view point. I talked at length with a neurologist and had another five vials of blood taken. I guess last time I had a CT scan, so tomorrow they are doing an MRI because they are more detailed. Currently this doc thinks they are "complicated migraines". Apparently these are pretty serious, cause all the symptoms I had, and can even cause strokes! After the tests tomorrow and more time with the neuro we should have a better idea. If after that, I still have issues and can't get this under control we will proceed with a spinal tap and possibly more tests.

Thanks for all your continued prayers, and I will update again soon.

Health Update

2008-05-24T22:06:00.002-05:00

I know many of you have heard bits and pieces over the last few days, but I thought I'd give you the full-ish story so you can be filled in.

Wednesday morn Ell was out doing missions stuff and I was home with the kids. About 10:45 I started feeling really strange and called Elliott to ask him to come home. I was having a great deal of trouble speaking and all I could say was, "home...now...something...wrong...now." Ell called our friends Sue and Jarvis to rush over to our house immediately, as they were closer to home than he was. When they arrived in a few minutes and Sue took me to her car to get to the hospital just as Ell arrived home in the cab.

By the time we got to the nearest clinic all I could say was, "no" and "now". When asked questions I always came up blank - my birthday, the month, where I lived - all met with blank stares. I was able to understand a lot of what was going on, but only in English. I couldn't read or write either, in any language. I was trying to communicate through a few signs, but I was so confused even that was hard to understand. I could remember my name, but not Elliott's, the kids', or anything else. I would often know roughly what I wanted to say, but could not get any words to come out. Sue told me her name several times, but each time I forgot. Soon the clinic suggested I'd had a stroke or a brain tumor (luckily I was unaware of this). Elliott made the decision to transfer me to a more upscale hospital since we were apparently talking about something pretty serious.

By the time we made it over 30 min away to the other clinic I was screaming in pain for the exploding headache (way worse than childbirth). I was also very weak and could hardly walk by myself. After a few hours in the ER, MRIs, multiple blood tests, and a lot of pain meds they said the tests were clear, meaning no tumor/stroke. Their next guess was viral encephalitis, a virus that causes swelling on the brain, which leads to all my symptoms. By this time, about 5 hours later, I was given a room to be comfortable while we did some more tests. This included three more blood tests, three urine tests, and a chest x-ray, all of which were clear (and a not-so-happy nurse trying to bathe me). The current theory was still encephalitis, since the virus travels throughout the body and may not always show up even though it's present.

But by the next morning I was doing great. Still very weak, I could talk and read a little bit, and write, even though my hand was quite shaky. I was getting so much better so quickly that the dr.s said it couldn't be encephalitis, because that lasts up to a week or two. I had recently started taking some dr. prescribed herbs to clear up some eczema, and the docs thought that could be a possible culprit. Then finally a neurologist decided I had a bladder infection and discharged me. (yes, I know!) Baffled, we headed home hoping it would never happen again. By now it was about 4 pm on Thursday.

Friday I start the day out resting, but at about 10:30 am I had another "attack", just like the first, only not as severe. This time I had only a partial loss of language, and slightly less confusion, but the headache was still the same as was the debilitating weakness, and did I mention personality change? Yea, after a few minutes of pain I turned into this Cruella DeVille type woman. So this hospital trip began with waiting about 45 minutes for the original neurologist to return to her office to help me. This time she gave a diagnosis of migraines, had a few words with Elliott who then requested we transfer back to ER to get someone else's help.

After eight full hours in ER with more blood tests, a visit from another neurologist, internal medicine dr. and a physch evaluation, roads seemed to point to the herbs causing some sort of reaction, but still not sure. Since the herbs are from China they are not testable to see exactly what compounds are in them and if they could be causing these problems. So this time I was sent home with some fast-acting pills to take in case this should happen again. And mainly to wait. To wait and make sure w don't have a repeat. The doc thinks the herbs should all be out of my system by Sunday night, so if it occurs after that we will know to return to the hospital to look for another answer.

Blessedly, we have had several church people rushing over to take care of the kids and bring us meals. Not sure what the kids were fed (probably way too much sugar), but they are fine and had a great time playing. Although Micaiah is noticeably a little nervous and does not want me out of his sight. Shaylee gave me the biggest smile when I got home and nursed her after my three day sequestering. I think Ell is the worst off. He has held up so well, but he is exhausted. He really thought we'd be on our way back to the States by now seeking specialized help. He has had a very emotional week and can't seem to catch up on enough sleep. All week we will have people here helping everyday, since it looks like this recovery is going to be a while.

Thanks for all your prayers and concerns, and I hope I never report something like this again!

WOW

2008-04-23T17:36:00.004-05:00

I just started reading the book "The Year of Living Biblically" by AJ Jacobs, and WOW am I hooked! The premise is that the author, technically Jewish but self-proclaimed agnostic, takes a full year and attempts to follow all Biblical laws, suggestions, and guidelines literally. Everything including "love your neighbor", "be fruitful and multiply", disciplining with the "rod", and not wearing clothes of mixed fibers. The book is light-hearted yet reflective, hilarious, and completely true (although since it is narrative, is the closest thing to fiction I've read in about five years, save children's stories) and his journey is fascinating. Above all, he is an absolutely fabulous writer! He's not a lofty Shakespear-type, but has this way of drawing you in and holding you captive until every last word has been ingested. The pervious book he wrote was about reading the Encyclopedia Britannica, all of it, from A-Z. Who can sell a book about that? Apparently he's that captivating!

I am only one month into his journey, and so far he has not made any great spiritual leaps. He is still trying to follow all the rules (he counted well over 700). He has grown in a few areas such as coveting far less and being slower to anger. Already I am inspired. In preparation for his journey he spent four weeks reading the Bible, five hours a day. And I have trouble with my daily devos! Every day his head is filled with thoughts of what the Bible requires and if his words and actions are keeping in line with Biblical principles. Obviously, without Christ (so far) he is missing the point of it all. But man, I'm only on page 45 and already I'm put to shame.

¡Ole!

2008-04-14T17:23:00.004-05:00

Saturday night as I was just about to go to bed (way too late at 11:45) I heard music start to play outside. This is quite common, as many people here have parties way into the wee hours of the morning, and there is nothing you can do about it. But this time I was not hearing the latest reggeton from someone's ginormous sound system, but a live Mariachi band. Mariachis are originally from Mexico, but are also found here for birthdays or special occasions. I thought I would head to bed anyway and enjoy the music as I drifted off to sleep, but it sounded like the Mariachis were practically at my front door, so I unlocked the doors and ventured out for a little look. Sure enough, they were standing *at* my door, serenading the lady in the second floor apartment across the street (complete with trumpets, guitars and all! At midnight!). There were about 15-20 people gathered behind the band, adding to the celebration. I just lingered in my doorway enjoying the music and the flattered look on the lady's face, relishing in the fact that I live in a place where Mariachis can serenade (as they have done for centuries) at midnight, and the whole neigbourhood rejoices.

This Week in Review

2008-04-12T21:33:00.003-05:00

- We had three parties at our house in one week. Two were "grill outs" for the two youth groups. The other was a surprise b-day party for one of our young adults.

- Shaylee started crawling at 9 months. But she has been pulling up to a stand and cruising (little bit) for a few weeks now. She crawls using her hands and feet instead of her knees. She would really just rather walk. I thought she just might skip crawling altogether, but she decided it was worth the stop over.

- I finally bought new clothes (well, new to me). Last Monday as I was walking home my pants fell down around my thighs, right in front to two passers-by. So I decided it was time for properly fitting clothes. See I've lost 25 pounds in the last two months, and had not yet begun to replace my wardrobe. But I visited the second hand clothing market and began stocking the closet.

- I think perhaps gluten was not the root of my eczema, so as of last Wednesday I am dairy free now. Here's hoping something works!

- Shaylee and I have both had little colds today and yesterday, at least I think. She also recently got her top two teeth, which could be behind her runny nose. And I think I mine could be seasonal allergies to something here. Time will tell.

- I have really enjoyed reading Kelly Thomas' blog, even the older posts I had not previously read. She and I have almost identical boy stories. Sometimes you make my sides hurt, Kelly.

- Last night I gave the talk at young adult youth group. I was slotted to talk about budgeting, what the Bible says about it, and take them through step-by-step to developing a personal one. It went really well.

- In anticipation for the next year, I have been wading through homeschool curriculum. I am slowly narrowing the prospects so when we are in the States next year I will know which ones I want to look at in person and which don't interest me.

- This week I have been reading "The Strong-Willed Child" by Dobson. I swear some of the stories are about Micaiah. He is a wonderfully sweet child, but is he ever strong willed! This book is giving me insight to understanding his behavior, and ideas on how to handle it.

- I tired to Bree Van de Camp it this week by taking up gardening. Last week we sodded the front yard, so I bought a gardenia bush, hydrangeas, azaleas, impatients, zinnias, some other flowers and pretty little plants and spent the afternoon playing in the dirt. I'll post pics soon.

Dinner tonight: rice, black beans, Coca-Cola chicken

On the tube: American Idol (very different schedule for us)

Listening to: Ingrid Michaelson (current fave: Fisherman's Wife)

Evening project: cleaning the kitchen

On Shaky Ground

2008-03-29T08:30:00.003-05:00

Where I am from, the climate changes produce thunder storms and a tornado or two. But here in Peru they produce earthquakes. Last night around 1:30 am we had one about 4.5 or so. It was about 40 miles north of us, and I didn't even wake up to notice it. Ell is at church at a weekend board retreat, and called this morning to make sure I was okay. Since I had no idea, I was or course fine.

Then at about 7:45 this morning we had another quake. This time it was about 5.5 and 15 miles south of us. The house shook pretty good, but it didn't last long. The only reason I was nervous, which I usually am not, was because I was downstairs in the kitchen making breakfast and the kids were in the family room upstairs when it happened. I ran up the rumbling stairs and hopped over the baby gate, hoping nothing had fallen on my babies. They were fine, and Shaylee seemed totally unaware. Micaiah looked at me like, "what?".

We have had no aftershocks from this one, although Ell said we had them all through the night. I am grateful to the Lord for always protecting us. Most Peruvians are used to this, and although they take precautions, don't seem to mind. It takes a little getting used to for us. But I know that any Peruvian would be scared silly to spend March or April in the midwest and see lightening and downpours.

My Son's a Genius

2008-03-27T18:30:00.002-05:00

I know, it's a disease that affects us all shortly after becoming parents. We are positive our child is smarter, cuter, stronger, taller, or some other "-er" than every other child. I suppose I was hit with this bug quite a while ago, but I never really told anyone of my condition. Well, tonight I am letting you all know - my son is a genius. I will spare you all the subjective parental bragging, and just cut to the facts.

He has been working on counting for a couple weeks now. Until just a couple days ago he really only counted to two. But yesterday he made it to six and tonight he went all the way to eight (in English). Yesterday he also counted to five in Spanish. He can identify the colors black, red, yellow, green, and blue. And knows all his body parts including random ones like elbow and forehead. He can follow commands like "bring me a toy for sister" or "get me a diaper for Micaiah" (and he can distinguish between the two). And to top all this, he is not only learning several new words in English everyday, but in Spanish as well. His favorite thing to say in Spanish right now is "soy lindo", which means "I'm gorgeous". I know there may be those of you out there thinking your child is just as smart, if not smarter. And to you I say, "great, let's form a club!"

Anyone care to brag about their child's latest accomplishments?

Oh, How I've Missed Crumbs!

2008-03-23T21:25:00.003-05:00

Since the age of two or three I have had excema. Or so we have always thought it to be such. I used to have it on my elbows and backs of knees. When I was pregnant with Micaiah I got it on my feet. After Micaiah it greatly diminished, but came back with avengence during my pregnancy with Shaylee, this time on my hands. It has not gotten better since then, and might even be worse. It has gotten so bad that people have occasionally asked me if I burned the backs of my hands. It's kind of embarassing.

Over Christmas a good friend told me of a co-worker with a rash on his hands. He discovered it was a gluten allergy or intolerance, and was able to completely get rid of it. So for a little over a month now, I have not eaten any gluten (the protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats). This means no bread products of any sort. Now, you can buy gluten-free(GF) products in N. America, especially at the ever-popular health food stores. But most of those products are hard to find here. But a few weeks ago I discovered a park that has an organic market on Saturday mornings. There I can not only find organic produce, coffee, milk, cheese, and clothes, but also alternative flours! Amaranth and quinoa flours are originally from Peru and still used readily in the mountains, but here in the city we are "too advanced" for them. Until now! I tried several recipes for pancakes, breads, and rolls, but was still lacking a binding ingredient not available in Peru. But tonight I found a recipe online that looked promising, since it did not call for that ever-illusive binder. I made the batch, and behold! I ate pancakes! Elliott even tried them and said they were good and he would eat them frequently! As I resisted the urge to totally gorge myself on pancakes but settled for licking the plate clean, I contemplated how I was not afraid of the crumbs. That may sound odd, but for over a month now I have been avoiding the wheat crumbs left in my butter dish by my toast-loving husband. But tonight I made a food with crumbs, and I could eat it! It has truly been an exciting day for me!

The Temple

2008-03-13T08:11:00.002-05:00

What does it mean to you that "your body is a temple" (1 Cor 6:19-20)? How are we to "honour God with [our] body"? Does that mean no sex out of marriage? Don't be drunk? Don't drink? Don't smoke? Don't be a glutton? Does it mean we should never eat anything unhealthy? Or always eat organic? Exercise three times a week? What does it mean, and how are you living up to your own definition?

New Blog

2008-02-26T19:50:00.002-05:00

I added another blog that will strictly be pictures of the family (mostly the kids). I know most people don't care to see nearly as many pictures as our family does, so I put them separate from this blog. If you're interested, check it out.

More Undignified Than This?

2008-02-13T08:41:00.000-05:00

Y'all know I love being a mommy. Most days I still can't believe I'm that "grown up". The smiles, the hugs, watching them grow and learn - it's all so wonderful.

But today I am talking about the other side of mommy-hood. I'm talking about the aspect called 'loss of dignity'. It is rare I make it through the day without being covered in pee, poop, spit-up, drool, food, or a combination. Forget perfume, it just doesn't cover up my "natural odor". I almost never got a hot meal. By the time I change the diaper that coveintly exploded during lunch, the underwear that got soaked while someone was too busy to remember the potty, heat up, cool down or other wise alter someone else's food, pick up the toy, spank the bum, or refill the sippy cup, my food is room temperature. I am constantly being tugged at, pulled, pushed, or manipulated in some other direction. And let's not even mention how nursing boosts your personal dignity. (Although at least in Lat. Amer. I don't have to hide under a blanket.) I almost always need a costume change or two during the day, and never bother dressing for church or any other outing until I am half way out the door. I usually get a shower, but don't often get to dry or fix my hair, so it remains in a perpetual state of "half-doneness".

But at the end of the day, all the cuddles and kisses make it all worth it. When Micaiah says "I love-a mama" or Shaylee lights up and claps just because I entered the room, I forget all about my frizzy hair, scrubby clothes, and that I smell like sun-dried spit-up.

Clueless

2008-01-18T23:36:00.000-05:00

My mom and I got "Little Miss Sunshine" from the library a few nights ago. I was really excited to see it because of all last year's Oscar buzz, and several friends who raved about it. But I must say, I don't get it. Yes, I laughed hard at the "dance" routine at the end. But other than that, I really didn't enjoy it that much. The grandfather's perverseness grated on my nerves...untill he died. I was glad the family learned to put their pettiness aside and bond together, but....Oscar-worthy? It certainly was not the worst movie I've seen, but I was all excited and filled with anticipation, then sorely let down. Am I really missing something? Can someone fill me in?

Still Here

2008-01-17T08:58:00.000-05:00

Aftrer having a great three weeks in the States, we were all suppossed to head back to Peru on the 29th of Dec. But....the kids and I are still here in Illinois! Elliott has been spending the month of Jan traveling (currently he is in Colombia), and I just couldn't stay home by myself all month with the kids, no help and no car. So, Ell returned as scheduled, and here we stay with my mom untill the 22nd, which is Tues. Then my cousin will come back with us to visit for a week. It's sad to be over three weeks without my husband, but nice to not be all alone. I have been able to spend more time with friends, and spend a little more time picking up a few things I need.

The kids have been growing in leaps and bounds. Micaiah has started saying sentences, and can climb just about anything now, including over the back of the couch. We did have a small set back with potty usage, but now he is doing great and has even woken up dry from a few naps! Shaylee got her first tooth on the 21th and her second on Christmas night. They both had their first colds (Micaiah had never had one before), which was sad for me. Shaylee has begun sitting up, and scoots around a little, too. Things are busily, crazily fun!

Winter Wonders

2007-12-22T19:31:00.000-05:00

We are having a great time in the States for Christmas. It is stressful traveling with two little ones. Shaylee's having a hard time sleeping and they are both a little overwhelmed with stimulation, which adds a little crankiness. But even with that we are enjoying seeing our family. We arrived in Illinois on the 8th. The next day we cut down our tree and Micaiah had his first experience with snow. He LOVES it! On the 14th we went to Texas for a few days to see my dad and sisters. Now we are back in Illinois, and Ell's fam (parents, bro and his girlfriend) is here through Sunday for a quick visit. Everyone is excited to see the babies. All the extra stress aside, it's so nice to see the fam for Christmas. It's also nice to do a few other Stateside things like go to Wal-Mart, Panera, Kohl's, eat Chicago pizza, and DRIVE (it's been two years for me).

Exploring Grandma's house in his favorite outfit

Taking the tractor ride out to cut the Christmas tree

Micaiah's first experience in snow

Playing in the leaves with Gramps (Dena's dad)

Flirting with Grandpa Mark (Dena's stepdad)

Fun in Grandma's hot tub

Rock The Vote

2007-11-26T19:56:00.000-05:00

A while ago I began the investigation into 2008 presidential candidates. It's so hard to figure out everyone's voting record, who's a flip-flopper, who's telling the truth, and so on. So let me ask you...how are you deciding who to vote for? Are you sticking with your party? The party your parents vote for? Where are you getting info on the candidates? Fox News? CNN? Family? Friends? Know a great website? Now, I'm not asking you to share your pick, but by all means feel free to if you want.

My Life Lately

2007-11-16T15:33:00.000-05:00

So it's been two months since my last post, shamefully. I've spent the last several weeks feeling guilty for forsaking the blogging community and thinking that soon probably no one will ever check my blog again because they will automatically assume I have not updated. Then yesterday I realized that I need to stop feeling guilty for being so involved with my family that I did not have time or energy for my computer. So, tothat end, I will give you general highlights of the last couple months. I hope they were worthwaiting for.
My amazing husband was ordained on Oct 14 by Dr. Jerry Pence and Rick West (L. Amer. Area Director). The service took place on Sunday morning at church. Dr. Pence gave the sermon and then proceeded with the ordination. I surprised myself by crying. At the same service, our pastor installed him as the youth pastor at church (timing purely coincidental).
The following week was the biannual conference of JIBACAM, the Latin American mission board (like Global Partners, only for L. Amer). The conference is in a different place every time. Two years ago it was in Mexico, this time here in Lima, and next time in Panama. It was a good time of teaching, planning, and connecting with other missionaries and mission-minded church leaders.
During this time Elliott's parents visited. The three of them went to the jungle for 5 days to explore, fish, etc, while I stayed home with the kids. They had fun eating, playing with the grandkids, and exploring the city. It was definitely sad to see them go.
We tried to start potty training shortly before the grandparents got here. We had two great days, then he wouldn't do it while they were here. No big deal, we started again three days after they left. By the end of the second day Micaiah was asking on his own to use the potty. When it's time to go we throw our hands up in the air, yell "potty time!" get all excited and run to the bathroom. So when he needs to go he throws his hands up and says "time!". I bought him underwear with cars on it, from the movie Cars, which is all he cares about watching. He likes his underwear, but his belly is so big he really can't see the picture on the front of it until he takes them off. He is doing very well, and we even have accident-free days. Although, he has peed on the couch a few times...I think we will have it cleaned after Christmas-it stinks!As for Christmas...we are going to the States!!! We leave on Dec 7 (arriving in Ill Dec 8) and return home on Dec 30th. I am so excited to see family, friends, and Wal-Mart! I need to do some serious shopping for things we can't get here, namely clothes tall enough for me. I can't wait to show snow to Micaiah. I LOVE to play in the snow like a little kid and I hope my son will, too.
In prep for our trip we have been running around trying to get paperwork for Shaylee. First we had to get her government-issued birth certificate. Then I took her to get her Peruvian passport. Has been working all week on her Canadian citizenship and passport. When we travel for Christmas she will have to exit Peru as a Peruvian (by law the first time she leaves the country she must do it as a Peruvian regardless of other nationalities), but will enter the U.S. as a Canadian (if she enters as a Peruvian, we would need to apply for a visa for the U.S. which she could be denied). It's confusing, but at least we are getting it all worked out.

Well, that's my update. I will give more about the kids before Christmas, I promise.

Proud moments at Elliott's ordination.

Getting so big!

My view for much of the day.

Ummm...?

2007-09-14T18:30:00.000-05:00

Today I called the national registry to register Shaylee's birth with the government. The call went like this:

Me: Hi, I need to register a birth.
Woman on other end: Of a child?
Me: (pondering what other types of births I could possibly be registering. Someone born elderly? My goat, perhaps? The birth of a new African nation? Yet I simply replied...) Yes.
Woman: One moment please.

I'm not sure that lady was really with it today.

Good Morning Starshine

2007-09-13T12:24:00.000-05:00

Shaylee started smiling about a month ago, just after her one month 'birthday'. At first she only smiled at me, but after a little while she began including Elliott in the fun. And now she has a few select toys that also share the pleasure of receiving her toothless grin. A couple of weeks ago she started laughing, and it is the cutest thing! Occasionally she can spend about 20 minutes just laughing at me. It always brightens my day. Even on the stressful days, I love being a mommy!

Bilingual Baby

2007-09-05T15:25:00.000-05:00

Micaiah talks incessantly all day long. Most of it is nonsense gibberish, but he is starting to build quite a vocabulary. He says several food words like bread, cheese, juice, etc. He can point to and name several body parts (his favorite is to poke his sister in the eye and say "eyes"). He can name several animals like dog, cat, horsie, bird, etc. He also asks for several things. He'll bring his shoes to me and say "shoes" then run to the door and say "outside". He has learned a few new cute things, like he says "oh man" and recently learned "c'mon" which he says with such inflection it's hilarious!

He speaks English mostly, but says a few things in Spanish. Since he was about 10 months he will play answer the phone by saying "¿aló?" He has a bath book with pond animals that has taught him "cisne" or swan, in Spanish. Since he loves bread he has also learned to ask for that in Spanish (pan). But on Friday we were at home eating lunch with a Peruvian lady, so we were all speaking Spanish. I was also talking to Micaiah in Spanish. He had eaten well, then decided he'd had enough, so he very sternly told me "no más!" (no more). I was amazed! He was in no way prompted, and I've never heard him say this before. One (of the many) thing I like about living overseas is the opportunity my kids have to grow up bilingual. And it's really fun to watch it happen.

Potty Training Here We Come

2007-08-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

That's right, I think Micaiah may be ready to use a potty. He's been showing several of the classic signs of readiness (although Elliott is having a hard time-doesn't want his little guy to grow up). We have checked out a few little potties, and I think we settled on one (they are so expensive here!) We are planing to get the potty this week and give him a little while to get used to it before we actually start the training. I am reading about just how to start the whole process and have talked with a good friend about what worked and didn't work for her little girl.

So, here's my question: pull-ups or straight to training underwear? Which did you use for your little ones? Did it work well, or would you do it differently if you could do it over? I've heard some moms say that pull-ups just confused their child and normal underwear worked better. Anyone else have this experience? Or the opposite? Any other advice or "wish I would have known that before" information is most welcome.

Six Weeks of Sweetness

2007-08-24T11:26:00.000-05:00

This was originally supposed to be a one month update, but it's so hard to make it to the computer these days. Anyway, Shaylee is doing great! She is such a blessing. She is growing like a weed! At her one month check-up she had put on three pounds since the birth, topping her off at an even 11. She grew from 20.5 inches to 22. I constantly look at her and think, "I'm sure glad that head was smaller when it came out of me". She sleeps pretty well - she only gets up once in the night to eat, usually. She is becoming more alert everyday and starting to show preferences for certain things. She turns her head to follow a voice, and if she is fussy she immediately calms down when her mama comes near. We've even gotten a few smiles out of her! Her big brother is doing well with her, and only occasionally tries to hit her. He does steal her pacifier, though it's been over a year since he used one. He recognizes which things are hers, and will bring me a burp cloth or blanket and say , "sis". When she cries he gives her a kiss on the head and also sometimes gives her high five and "props". They'll have so much fun together in a few months.

Here are a few pictures showing the six weeks of our little sweetie's life.

She's finally here!

Only two days old

She may be asleep, but that smile still melts my heart.

Her baby dedication

Catching some sun after church (after over a week of overcast)

Shaylee's first time at the ocean

Catching some 'shut eye' - ha ha

Future rookie card pose!

All dressed up and ready for church

Posing for a family portrait

Cuddle time with Grandma

Playing with big brother

A Cubs fan from birth

Earthquake Update

2007-08-15T19:56:00.000-05:00

As you may have seen on the news, Peru has been hit by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake. We are all fine, if not slightly shaken (pardon the ill timed pun). There appears to be no damage to our house or neighboring buildings and we have received word that our mentors, Jarvis and Sue are safe and sound.

Please keep Peru in prayer as the nation recovers.

Sincerely,
Elliott, Dena, Micaiah and Shaylee Innes

A Shaylee Story

2007-07-17T19:52:00.000-05:00

Well, as most of you know from Elliott's blog, Shaylee Ann Innes was born Tuesday July 10th at 6:53pm. She weighed 8 lbs 0.5 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long, and she is beautiful! Thanks to all of you who were praying with us for a safe delivery. (Disclaimer-may contain material considered sensitive by some.) So without further ado, here is the story of Shaylee...

We were staying at a friend's house in twin beds in their guest room, since the floors in our house were just being finished. I woke up at 12:30 very early Tuesday morning feeling very wet. I wasn't sure if my water broke or what, but I turned on the light and asked Elliott to go get a towel. Sure enough, my water had broken. We decided we would just go back to sleep and wait for contractions to start, but since sharing the only dry twin bed was very hard (especially with my big belly) we decided to go home. We arrived home to beautiful new floors and very little odor. We managed to get a few hours sleep, and still woke up to no contractions. Elliott called the doctor and she said for me to walk, walk, walk to get labor going. So I went outside and did a few laps in the back yard, got bored, so I swept the driveway. Still waiting for contractions, I swept the kitchen, did some dishes, vacuumed the hallway, the stairs, then finally took a shower and got ready for the day. We had no groceries, so Ell suggested we go shopping. Well, walking all over the grocery store did it. As we were paying at the cash register I had my first contraction. It was almost 1pm - a little over 12 hours after my water broke.

The contractions weren't very strong yet, so we sat down to eat some lunch with our friends and spend a little time with Micaiah before the real work got started. Then I cuddled on the couch with my little guy until I needed to go to bed to concentrate on the labor.

The contractions were hard to get an average on. I would wait 8 minutes, have an intense one, wait about a minute and a half, have a weaker one, then repeat the cycle. The doctor came around 3:00pm to check me, and said I was only at about 2-3 cm, and the baby was still at station -3. We figured it would be a long labor, so I settled into bed and anticipated a birth sometime after midnight. After a few hours I got in the birthing pool we had set up in our bedroom. I was having another contraction as I entered, but the second the water hit my belly the discomfort greatly decreased. I spent a little over an hour in the water just relaxing through the contractions. Elliott was great to coach me when I needed it and stay silent when I needed that.

We called the doctor about 5:30 to give her an update. She asked if I wanted her to come then, but I figured we had several hours ahead of us so I told her she was fine to wait. About ten minutes later I realized everything was getting more intense and I was starting to feel the "self doubt" that lets you know you are getting close. So we called her back and told her she better head over. Then it seemed that maybe the water was not helping as much as before, so I got out of the pool to see if laying down on the bed would help.

As soon as I laid down I had one pretty intense contraction. The next one came a few minutes later and I could feel I needed to push. The doctor was not at the house yet, so I asked Ell to call to see where she was. Just then the door bell rang. All I wanted was for the doctor to confirm I was at 9 or 10 centimeters so I could push. She took a while getting to our room and I was wondering if this baby was going to beat the doctor. She checked me quickly and then started talking to Elliott. All I wanted was to hear a number. I told her a couple times that I wanted to get back in the pool, but no one could hear me. So I finally yelled, "water, now!" The doctor jumped out of the way as Elliott helped me stand up and walk two steps to the pool. As I was doing this the baby's head came halfway out. I was scared I was going to tear like crazy since she seemed to be coming so fast. I got in the pool and waited, for what seemed like an eternity, for the next contraction to come. Elliott got in the pool with me and waited. The next contraction came, I pushed twice, and out she came -- right into Elliott's hands! The umbilical cord was loosely around her neck, so the doctor helped turn her around to free the cord.

Elliott handed our daughter to me, and we sat there in the tub in awe of what had just happened. I was a little shocked at how quickly our "long" labor had progressed - about 6 hours from the first contraction. And I didn't tear at all! I held her in my arms and she immediately began rooting. So at three minutes old she nursed for the first time, right there in the tub. After delivering the placenta and cutting the cord we all got out. I laid on our bed and cuddled with her under blankets to keep us both warm. After about a half an hour Micaiah came in and we had one of the most precious moments of my life as our new family spent time getting to know each other. Micaiah immediately wanted to give her kisses, and seemed very happy to see his mommy after several hours apart.

The whole birth was a wonderful experience. It was such a blessing to give birth to her at home. Elliott was amazing -- timing contractions, coaching me through labor and even catching Shaylee as she came out. Everything was perfect. Thank you, Lord for a safe and healthy birth, for an amazing husband, and these two little miracles.

*Check Elliott's blog for many pictures*
www.globalinnes.blogspot.com

Baby's Coming!

2007-07-10T09:28:00.000-05:00

Just to let you all know -- my water broke today (tues) at 12:30am. Nine hours later I still have no contractions, but everything seems fine and we are just waiting. Elliott will be providing more frequent updates on his blog, www.globalinnes.blogspot.com. The next post from me will probably contain new baby pictures!

We would appreciate your prayers that everything goes well and we are both safe and healthy. Thanks!

Yummm

2007-07-09T11:34:00.000-05:00

Last night for dessert I had apple praline ravioli with saffron ice cream. A definate first for me, and oh so good!

M-M-M-My Micaiah

2007-07-06T12:40:00.000-05:00

Micaiah and I are hiding out at our friend's house while the men lay the wood floor at our's. Here is Peru they put wood down by heating tar and using that to affixthe wood to the concrete beneath. So our house stinks and it's a little toxic to the pregnancy, so we left. Hopefully the fumes will clear out enough for us to sleep there tonight.

I just wanted to take a few minutes to let my little boy shine. In a few days he will have to share the spotlight with a little bro/sis, so I thought I'd give him his moment in the sun. He's so precious and does so many new things everyday.

He mimics everything we say. He may not always get all the letters in there, but it's clear he's repeating the words he hears. He learned to walk backwards a couple weeks ago and he loves to show off his new skill. When it's bath time he says "bath" and runs to the tub and looks in all excited. He follows a few directions like bringing us the object we ask for, and will tell us when an object is "no no". He loves to dance to music and does the motions to Itsy Bitsy Sppider. He loves to give kisses, and will pucker up and lean forward for them. When we say the baby's name he lifts up my shirt and kisses the belly. I know I'm biased, but I just think he's the most precious thing ever. And in a few days or weeks I will think the same about another little bundle.

Update

2007-07-02T22:25:00.001-05:00

Wow, sorry it has been so long! So much has been happening, I will just give you all a point list so I don't lose you in all the details.

- Elliott went to the Amazon on a missions trip. All went well, but he came home with dengue fever. He spent over a week in bed, but is just fine now.
- During that time Micaiah got two molars at the same time and screamed for two days straight. I almost lost my mind!
- Micaiah had his first illness the last two days Ell was gone and we ended up at the clinic because he kept throwing up. He was fine, but a couple days later I got the same bug and spent a couple nights in a row hovering over the toilet.
- We are all now well in spite of Micaiah getting a third molar. This one came in with much less pain than the first two.
- On the first floor of our house, the wood flooring was raising up. Long story short: the entire first floor wood was removed. The problem was discovered to be the concrete underneath. Five centimeters of that was removed and new concrete was poured. (Our whole house is now covered in dust and all the furniture is squished into the office.) That is now dry and they should begin the process of laying the new wood today. This will take about a week by the time they finish laying the varnish. (This is really pushing close to the due date, yikes!)
- I am now 39 weeks! Baby is so low it's crazy. I feel great, and all is still going well. I am enjoying the last few days I have to give my full attention to Micaiah. We are all ready for the birth and hoping for a pleasent one like we had with Micaiah.

I'm sorry so many of you were wondering if I'd had the baby. We will post as soon as anything happens.

Pregnancy and Ecuador Pics

2007-05-22T10:34:00.000-05:00

We spent last Tuesday thru Friday night in Ecuador getting our residency. Tuesday we mainly traveled and got settled into the hotel. Wednesday morning we rode thru the countryside to the town where the consulate was located, we spent the afternoon in the consulate. (Very easy to get residency in Peru!) Thursday we drove back to the city and played a little in the park in the afternoon. Friday we hung out and then boarded our plane. Because of delay after delay, we did not return home until 4am Saturday. But Micaiah did beautifully with all his missed naps and different foods to eat.

On the pregnancy front, I am 33 weeks now. I think I am about as big now as I was when I was due with Micaiah. A couple people have told me I've dropped, but I don't know. It's still awfully early, but possible. Things are still going well, although I can tell I am getting closer. I am waddling more and walking slower. Sometimes I think of Angela's post a couple days before her baby was born when she got lapped by the old folks on the track. I'm starting to feel that way!

Calling All Bloggers

2007-05-10T14:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, we need help! We have had a girl's name picked out since before we were even married. We have always refered to our first daughter by this name. Now we are not so sure if we want to sick with it. We are covered in the boy's name department, but we need your help with a girl's name. We like uncommon, but not weird names, something with great meaning. Something a little trendy would be okay, but not commonly trendy like Madison. Something old-fashioned would be fine, but not something 80's like Brandy or Tiffany. Something Biblical would be nice, but not something too plain like Rebecca or Elizabeth, and not something awful like Dorcus or Jezebel.

Any and all suggestions are welcome as long as they are sincere.
Thanks for your help.

Pet Peeves

2007-04-24T20:16:00.000-05:00

I'm curious and I'd like to hear your thoughts. This may require a little self-reflection and honesty. What are your pet peeves? What are those things that drive you crazy that other people do? I was just thinking about it today, and it made me wonder what bothers other people.

I'll start. I can't handle when people stand in doorways. The whole point of a doorway is to provide an entrance or exit to somewhere else. It is only something to pass through for a brief moment, not somewhere to congregate. Yet, many do not understand this concept and continue to have long discussions in doorways. So there. That's one of my pet peeves. Not sure if I'd say it's my biggest, but one that makes the list. So, now it's your turn.

(Side note: Ell and Micaiah are back safe and sound after having an incredible time. I'm so glad to have my family again!)

Empty Nest

2007-04-13T15:55:00.000-05:00

Elliott and Micaiah went to Ontario for 10 days. They left at almost midnight on Wed. It's sad and lonely here. It is nice to be able to eat a meal all by myself instead of feeding Micaiah simultaneously. And it's nice not to have to clean up the messes and pick up toys. But I miss my family. I'm a mom...what do I do without a child to care for? The little one in me is quite busy kicking away every chance he/she gets. But even still, this baby does not require attention like an out-of-the-womb one does.

I am sill working on missions stuff while they are gone. And I have been catching up on Grey's Anatomy and Heroes (we have the dvd's). But it's not the same without my little family. We have done video phone calls over the web so I get to see my little guy. But he looks so cute I just want to cuddle him.

Well, enough sap for now. I have youth group to prepare for.

Self-Discipline

2007-04-05T21:02:00.000-05:00

How do you teach yourself to be self disciplined? I have never really possesed this skill, but I want to. I've never been able to keep a diary, can't remember to take a vitamin daily, and am easily disracted when working alone. So how do I correct this? Is it futile to think if I have no self-discipline that I can teach myself to have it? What do you think? Can you help me?

Recent Happenings

2007-03-30T14:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to Immigration to finish the process Elliott started the day before of extending our time here. We entered on our passports and were told they were good for 90 days. We are in the process of getting residency, but are waiting for the paperwork to return, which should only be another 2-3 weeks. So after two trips to the office (because it closed while we were there, but before we could finish) and time spent standing in line, I was told we were not elligible for renewal because we are already over our time, and therefore illegal. Our time on a passport is only 60 days, not 90. Great! Not a big deal, we will each have to pay a fine of one dollar per day we were over time. Ell and Micaiah are going to N. America in about 10 days, so they will each pay about 45 dollars. I'm not sure when I am leaving, but it'll have to be soon.

Micaiah has been walking for about two weeks now. He got up, took his first steps, and never stopped. He didn't just take a few steps the first day, he just started walking! It was pretty cool. And now that's all he wants to do. I am hoping that when he and Ell get to Canada he will just walk right to his grandma. That'll make her cry, and we all know that's the point. He also started saying real words recently. He's been calling the dog "ga ga" (I think it meant "good girl") for a couple months, but now he says "dog", and possibly "no" and "book". He's been saying "lie" and pointing at lights for about 3 months, but we're stilling waiting for those ending consonants. But all day he babbles in his own language, and I just love it!

We were supposed to be in Argentina right now, but since our residency visas are not in yet, we could not go. Very sad. We were supposed to go down to the very southern tip and would have gotten to see penguins and possibly whales! Not quite what you think of in S. America, is it?

Well, that's all for now.

25 Weeks and Counting

2007-03-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have asked, and any others who care to see, here's the growing baby. We turned 25 weeks yesterday. It continues to be a very easy pregnancy, like the previous one. I am starting to feel those abdominal muscles stretching out, but that is normal. All is well, and we pray it keeps going that way.

Happy Birthday!

2007-03-06T08:03:00.000-05:00

My little guy is one year old today! Happy Birthday to him! We will have a party on Saturday and I'll share pics. Today we are spending a nice morning at the park just the three of us. Happy Special Day, little one!

Special Day

2007-03-05T12:41:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, a week ago, Micaiah was dedicated in church. It was not as big a deal as we normally make it in N. America, but it was special, nonetheless. It was just two minutes at the service. Micaiah was precious -- pulling the pen out from the Pastor's pocket, and smiling for the camera. He's our little cutie.

Finally!

2007-02-09T16:25:00.001-05:00

I promise I did not fall off the face of the earth. Well, maybe I did, we moved to Peru. We are here now, and I am finally blogging again.

We had a great family vacation at the beach in Costa Rica that included eleven of us and Micaiah. We wake boarded, ate too much and most of us got a little tan. Micaiah loved the water and even learned to "swim". We had to support his body of course, but he would kick his little legs and put his arms out in front of him, and even stuck his face in the water many times! He's a total water baby!

Now we are in Peru. The Lord has truly blessed us with a house that was exactly what we wanted but never thought we'd get. it has plenty of room to grow and host guests, and we even have a little back yard with flowers and a grill. We are a block and a half from a park that Micaiah and I frequent. I have officially started my Bethany internship now, which will be good to get it done finally. We are working with two youth groups at our church and are starting to get to know people well. We finally have all our furniture, which makes it a lot easier to have people over. Life is quite busy, but great. We also have a new puppy, Rambita (like Rambo, but for a girl), which is like having two babies. I am constantly telling one of them not to bite. But it keeps life interesting.

Don't want to make it too long or I know no one will read it. So I will blog more soon...PROMISE.

Be sure to scroll down for pics!

Swimming and Exploring God's Creatures at the Coast

2007-02-09T16:21:00.000-05:00

A BIg Move

2007-02-09T16:15:00.000-05:00

At home in Peru

2007-02-09T16:12:00.000-05:00

Moving

2006-12-12T13:31:00.000-05:00

As we begin our last week of school, and the suitcases are piling up in the living room, I get more excited about Peru. (We head out on Dec 30.) At the same time I am not wanting to leave Costa Rica. I knew I liked it, since I was here years ago, but now it has become our home. We have already lived here longer than any other place since we have been married. This is where our son was born, and where we've learned to be a family. But Peru is where my heart lives. Since the first time I was there I knew I had to return.
Lima is in the desert, and it rains here in CR about 50% of the time. So I will miss the rain. I will miss the friends we have made here, our neighbours, and Micaiah's playmate upstairs. I will miss the food: the rice and black beans, arroz con pollo, and abundant pineapple. But we are excited about having a house, more space, and the opportunity to pick out home furnishings and actually settle down.
So we are excited about wrapping up our studies, settling in to our new (and hopefully final) home, and getting nestled into our minisry. But we are sad to leave, not knowing when we will return. But at least we get to spend a week at the coast first, but more about that in my next post.

Let it Snow

2006-12-06T11:14:00.000-05:00

I miss snow. I love snow! The first day of snow is like a holiday to me. I turn into an eight year old in snow. I love to make snow men and angels, have snow ball fights, build forts, and just jump around and get wet in the snow. I love the way an untrampled field of snow glistens like a million tiny diamonds. But, sadly, it will be a long time until I see snow again. I know, none of you have any sympathy for me, living here in the land of perenial sun. But seasons really are a blessed thing. Believe it or not, sun does get boring after 365 days. Anyway, as all of you trudge around in the cold and snow, just remember I wish I could trudge around for you. Enjoy your tiny crystals of fun for me!

Baby On Board

2006-12-02T07:31:00.000-05:00

Surprise! We are expecting Baby #2 on July 9th, 2007. We just had our first doc appointment last night, and all is well. Since we are moving to Peru at the end of the month, this baby will be born there. Then our family will consist of a Canadian, an American, a Costa Rican, and a Peruvian (alhtough the kids get tri-citizenship). I thought I was maybe having twins because I've had considerably more sickness with this one than with Micaiah, (although still not much compared to many women) but the doc confirmed only one baby (yeah!). I might have one more appointment with the doc before we move, but then it's off to find one in Peru. That's it, that's all we know for now. We'll keep ya'll updated of course. (By the way, the baby is that frog looking thing at the top of the black jelly bean shaped hole.)

Miles Disculpas (a thousand apologies)

2006-11-25T13:43:00.001-05:00

I know, I know. It's been way too long since I did my last post. I think perhaps not much interesting has happened. We are still plugging away at school; less than three weeks left. Then we head to the coast for a week with my family to enjoy Christmas. We had a good Thanksgiving. There were about 20 people, gringo-tico mix, and it was enjoyable chaos. We started quite late, it was quite noisy, but the food was good. We had most of the N. Amer. favorites: turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberries, veggies, but no dressing (stuffing). That's alright with me, though, since I'm not a fan anyway. Ell and I had a date last night - much needed and fun. We found this great Cuban restaurant. And that's about it. I'll update again soon. Hopefully the next one will have more interesting info.

Portrait of a Cutie

2006-11-05T11:39:00.000-05:00

Mama's little helper!

Sleep Dilemma

2006-10-28T20:09:00.000-05:00

Hey Moms, I need your help.
Micaiah is 7 1/2 months old now. He has been sleeping 12 hours straight through the night for several months. He normally goes to bed around 6:30 and gets up at 6:30am so I can nurse him before I go to school. He takes two 1 1/2 hour naps in the day, for a total of about 15 hours sleep. Lateley he has been waking up about 5 or 5:30am. He is very sensitive to sound, so we took steps to make his room more quiet, but it didn't really help. I tried putting him to bed a little later, but that didn't help. I tried putting him to bed a little earlier, but that didn't help. I know when he wakes up that early he's not well rested, because he wakes up crying, whereas normally he wakes up very happy and cooing. Have any of you had this problem? What worked for you? Any suggestions?

Our Not-Growing Family

2006-10-24T12:03:00.000-05:00

Well, we almost added another member to our family last night. We have been waiting to get to Peru to get a dog, but yesterday Elliott got tired of waiting. He went to a few places, looked at some puppies and fell in love with a female boxer. He even picked out a name for her. He came home and brought me to the store hoping I would fall in love with her, too. I did (she licked my face and nibbled my ear-how could I resist?), but after careful thought we realized we really should wait until Peru. Micaiah even liked her. He squealed and slapped her paws (we'll have to work on that) and laughed. But in the end, we came home with no new family members. But hopefully in about three months you all can read about the new puppy we will have in Peru.

The New Me

2006-10-18T20:17:00.000-05:00

Finally cut my hair on Monday. I've been contemplating it for a while. I was tired of spending time every morning making my long hair look pretty. Besides, I almost always end up pulling it back in a pony tail to do something with Micaiah, work on homework, or do housework. So what's the point? Anyway, I thought I'd let you all see the new (quicker-to-get-ready-in-the-morning) me. I'm not sure how good the pics are, but at least you get the idea.

What Rapture

2006-10-13T13:40:00.000-05:00

I must say there is no feeling like the sheer joy my little boy brings to me. Don't get me wrong, there are trying days, but nothing compares to the utter rapture of when he cuddles into me upon waking from a nap, or when Mommy's hug can make a boo boo all better. The smell of his head right after a bath is like a little whiff of heaven. There is absolutely no comparision to his cute smile and his addictive laugh. Now that I am a Mommy, I am perpetually exhausted, various parts of my body ache from carrying around a little bundle all day, and I'm constantly wiping spit-up, but it is all worth it!

Techno-frustrated

2006-09-24T19:11:00.000-05:00

After a grueling battle that has frustrated several years of my life, I have come to the conclusion that technology really does hate me. I have said it for a long time, but now I know it's really true. I took a computer class in high school, then again in college; I was a computer lab monitor for two and a half years at Bethany; I have a computer genius for a husband; but all this has left me no more techno savy than when I first learned to type on the almighty Apple IIe. I can push the same button, open the same file, click the same link as everyone else, but computers refuse to cooperate with me. I am positive now that I am like Midus with his golden touch, except that mine sours all things technological.

Daddy Props

2006-09-18T21:24:00.000-05:00

I just have to give props to my husband. He is the world's most amazing Daddy. Micaiah has been having a hard time tonight and Ell is so incredible with him. He has been trying so hard to play with him, cuddle him, sing to him, read books to him, and whatever will make Micaiah happy. I fall more in love with my husband every time I see him lavish love on our son. Thank you Lord for the blessing that is my family.

Net Church and Bath Tubs

2006-09-18T10:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Ell and I went to church in Tulsa, OK. That's right. Actually we attended a live internet church. It was very cool. The worship band was amazing, and the sermon was excellent. It was part of a series on the characteristics of a disciple. The church is www.Lifechurch.tv. They are bassed out of Tulsa, and have sattelite campuses all over, including the internet campus. The service was broadcast from the main Tulsa church, but at the begining and end of the service, the internet pastor came on an spoke specifially that audience. You could even participate in responsive readings by clicking on the appropriate phrase, and at the end, you could raise your hand in response to the "altar call" by clicking "raise your hand". A little corny, but 13 people responded that way! Praise the Lord! Afterward you could chat with the in the church "lobby" and even fill out a communication card. You can even belong to an online cell group. I can't wait for next week's sermon. (Disclaimer: I do not believe that online church should be a replacement for physically getting together to worship with the Body of Christ.)

Last night was exciting as Micaiah decided he wanted to stand. He was happily playing in the bath tub, one of his favorite places, when he grabbed a hold of the sides of the tub and started to pull up to a stand. But since the sides of the tub are a little low, he needed to use an arm or something higher to get enough leverage. Now he loves to practice pulling up, and gets all smiley and proud of himself when he does. It's so cute, he looks around for recognition. He has loved to stand for months now, but could not pull up by himself. But now he can. That put together with crawling mean that baby proofing days are near!

International House of Pancakes

2006-09-13T12:16:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love pancakes! I can eat them for any meal of the day, or at any time for that matter. I don't like to just eat plain, white flour pancakes. I usually use whole wheat flour, but I like to mix it up. These are some of my favorite pancakes:

* Cinnamon Spice: cinnamon and nutmeg, and sometimes vanilla and cloves, too
* Almond Spice: almond and vanilla extracts with a touch of nutmeg
* Apple: plain pancakes topped with baked cinnamon apples
* Oat flour: a mix of oat and other flours, not as heavy as you would think, and so healthy
* Blueberry topped: self explanitory
* Butter Pecan: a southern delight
* Mora: mulberry (mora in spanish) infused batter makes this tan sabroso and provides a serving of fruit
* And sometimes you just gotta have normal, maple syrup topped pancakes

I am always looking for a healthy, yet tasty topping alternative to maple syrup. Got any ideas?
What are your favorite pancakes?

School Daze and Baby Craze

2006-09-05T20:32:00.000-05:00

Today was our first day back in classes after a two week break. Elliott has a full schedule, while I am only taking one class: translation. Our teacher seems to be the right blend of serious and funny. She did say she is very punctual, which will present a slight struggle for me. My previous teachers have not been, so I could count on a 5-10 min grace period after the "official" start time. I guess I'll have to learn to be a little more gringa this trimester.
On the homefront, Micaiah daily amazes me. He is becoming more proficient at stringing syllables together, so he spends the better part of the day babbling. Sometimes he yells and sometimes he whispers, but he pretty much always "talks". He crawled about an inch today. Generally he combines scooting, rolling, pivoting, and flipping to move around, but today he almost crawled. He can sit up for short bursts of time, and can stand the same amount of time while holding on to the couch. He is so active! Once he can really crawl and walk, we will be in for one crazy ride!

Hello New World

2006-09-02T10:08:00.000-05:00

This is my foray into the new world of blogging: a mystical land that awaits my discovery. I must admit I am not very good at keeping up-to-date with technology, or at anything that requires a daily committment (diaries, vitamins, etc.), but we will see how this goes. Like many others, I started this blog so I could comment on others, and I decided I should give it a try. I love reading other people's blogs, so hopefully mine can live up to the standard.
Happy Reading!