Life and Death (part 1)

Daisy turned one year old on Feb. 28. She is such a blessing to me. Thank you God for this little life you entrusted to my womb and also my arms.







by the way, this is Elinor helping me stir the frosting...she liked that part :)

Cabin Fever

Enough already! I've officially had it with winter! We've been getting pretty antsy and cranky all stuffed up in this house for weeks. Elinor has been playing in the sink (just one of the creative things she's found to do in the house). I better go get the mop :)

3 Years Old

A Bunch of Thoughts and Stuff (because i just had some coffee)

First of all, sometimes i feel really isolated here. like we live on some sort of island and it's a big effort to get to the main land. it sure was nice to be in illinois (and Texas too, because i haven't seen some of my lifeway friends since we left chicago). so nice to be with people that know me and that i know...where i can just be "me". it was so nice having the buddy times at the stones (although somehow it's never enough time and i always leave thinking "but wait, i want to talk to val more"). and it was great having coffee with carrie (i miss that so much), and all the reinders family time was really nice. speaking of reinders...here are a couple of photos of them from their photo shoot in november :)


oh, and here is a family picture from Christmas

On the way back to PA we stopped at my grandparents house in Indiana. it was kind of sad. my grandma hasn't been doing that well. it seems to me she's starting to give up. she stopped getting her hair done and wearing her teeth. so it was a little shocking to see her at first. i wasn't used to my grandma being that grandma.


"Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God." Lev. 19:32

There and back again, and there and back again

I've been to Illinois twice and Texas once in the last month. woof. I've cried a lot of tears, most of sadness, but also some of joy. On Dec. 21 my friend jae got married. It was so good to see her again (she's been in Honduras) and I was honored to be a part of her wedding.

I love this photo. I know that some of you have seen it on facebook...but i like it a lot and want to show it off :) (p.s. props to chris padgett--he took it)

Kaiden

We lost our nephew last week. Kaiden was 7 months old in the womb. Kaiden, I can't wait to meet you in heaven. the following was his obituary:



Kaiden Aaron Reinders

December 12, 2008 - December 12, 2008

Loves Park – Kaiden Aaron Reinders, infant, was born into Heaven Friday, December 12, 2008, at Rockford Memorial Hospital. He was an angel baby and is loved very much and will be greatly missed.

Kaiden is lovingly survived by his parents, Aaron and Tiffany (Dowrick) Reinders of Loves Park; grandparents, Michael and Debora Reinders and Thomas and Mary Dowrick, both of Rockford; great-grandparents, Kenneth and Eleanor Reinders, Joann Stemm, Robert and Earlene Dowrick and Philip and Joann Brooks; uncle, Josh (Rachel) Reinders; aunt, Brittany Dowrick; and cousins, Elinor and Daisy Reinders.

Kaiden was predeceased by his great-grandfather, Duane Stemm.

Funeral Information

Service is at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 17, 2008, in Genandt Funeral Home, 602 N. Elida St., Winnebago, with the Rev. Ken Schmoyer, pastor of Winnebago Evangelical Fellowship, officiating. Private burial in Middle Creek Cemetery, in Winnebago.

So it's been over a month now

I thought i better post some photos of our vacation before they became obsolete. These were taken from the balcony of our little condo. It overlooked the canal in Lewes, Delaware. We came back one evening to shouts and loud music, looked out the window and saw a parade of boats all lit up for the annual "Coast Days Festival."






hope you're prepared to see lots more boring vacation pics...i took a lot :)