Weekend

We just spent the weekend with my brother and parents. It was great to have them here on such a beautiful weekend. We enjoyed being outside and of course they loved playing with Halle. They loved seeing her eat her rice cereal- or wear it! She makes a yucky face when she eats it, but she's getting the hang of it. She also showed them how she rolls over and lays on her tummy more, and of course how she puts everything in her mouth. She reaches for everything in her way to try and put it in her mouth- even your face!! She loves her exersaucer and spends most of her days bouncing around in that. She even went shopping with us and on an excursion with Nana while mom and dad got to do some shopping alone. We tried to get some good outside pictures, but Halle wansn't cooperating too well! Come again soon, Gervels!

Halle's sad face in the leaves


A cute family pic


Halle trying to eat her cereal



Halle with her grandpa


Playtime


Halle got lots of lovin!


Best Uncle Ever!!!


Nana Time

My random thoughts

No pictures for now, just thoughts- some very much not pertaining to others...

1. On Sunday as our church put closure to our church building and looks ahead to our new building that we're moving into, I started to think about our legacy. It was a great service which gave tribute to the generations that have built our church and have laid it's foundation. I started to think about how the lives before us have affected our lives, and how our lives will affect those that come after us. I'm so blessed that my parents started the legacy of living for Christ and how they've passed it down to me. There were no other Christians in our family, and I'm just so grateful to them, that it started with them.

2. Josh Buck spoke on Sunday night about pain and suffering. He has been through more than many of us and we can't possibly imagine what thoughts have gone through the heads of him and Shelly these past few years. He made the point that God is more concerned with shaping us to be more like him, than with our pain. So the pain and suffering we feel, does not go un-noticed, and it doesn't make God happy- but because he loves us, he's concerned with how we're being shaped through it all.

3. I kind of panicked this week as I began feeding Halle rice cereal and I realized- I have no clue what I'm doing!! How much do I give her? How often? When do I give her food? Do I keep feeding her the same amount of formula? On and on- there's no manual that tells you perfectly how things should be done and when. Everyone's experiences are so different. But I got some wise counsel- so I'm ok now!! :)

I think that's about it for now!

IWU Homecoming

This past weekend was the Homecoming extravaganza where many of Brian's friends came to visit with their kids. We had a lot of fun having friends here and seeing their families. We were able to capture a few moments with the kids...





And the adults...



Our little girl is getting so big!





Halle's first time wearing shoes...

Hope again!

Halle and I traveled up to Michigan this past weekend to visit Hope College and my best friends. It could not have been a more perfect weekend. Halle did great and everyone loved seeing her! She was such a good girl! It was so great to be back with the best of friends in the place that we love so much. I was able to attend chapel on Friday and walk through campus, and it brought back the best memories. I'm so thankful we were able to go. For the first time, I felt old! It's strange going back to all that's familiar but see different faces there. All in all it was a great time, and it was fun to come back to Brian who missed his girls very much!
In the prettiest chapel ever!

Outside of our sorority house- the blue house on campus

Girls night out plus Stever- our photographer

Pre-pull demonstration- a huge tug of war at our school

Kris, Em, and me!

This is Halle's sad face- I know, too cute, right?!!!

New Things

Halle is loving her new exersaucer! She is obsessed with this barrel of monkeys that she can spin.





And everything has been going in the mouth!



Even the thumb!





I just think she looks like such a big girl in this pic!

3 1/2 Months

Halle finally got her 3 month pictures taken, although she's 3 1/2 months. One of our college students took them outside and I think she did a great job! I will be getting wallets soon for those of you family members! Here are some fun shots that we're not using, but look great! I can't figure out how to rotate them, so you'll have to look sideways! :)

Tonight is our first college service and we are so excited! We took our college leadership team- all students- on a retreat this weekend. It was a ton of fun and we were all pumped for this year of ministry!

Thoughts

I was looking back over previous blogs and realized that I used to do a lot more writing, so I thought I'd jot down some thoughts as of lately, and of course a Halle picture!

1. I feel a huge sense of freedom!! In a way that sounds weird because most days, I am tied down to Halle's schedule and things revolving around her. But, I think I feel a huge burden lifted off my shoulders now that I'm at home. It's interesting because I don't know if I feel that way because teaching isn't for me, or if it's that I'm just really doing what I truly want to do, and that's being with Halle. But it seems like most of my time is taken up, but I really feel like I'm able to pour more into the students here, and that makes me feel great that I'm involved more with Brian's ministry and even great for myself.

2. I've been reflecting lately on how much has happened in this past year, and I just feel like I'm in a totally different place. I think it's taken a full year to really adjust to being here. And I can truly say that I'm so happy to be here with where we are in life right now. I see a lot of God's purpose for us and find a ton of joy ministering to the college students here. Plus I've connected with a lot more people, so it feels like I'm finally getting friends!! So thanks to you who have helped make it feel like home here!

3. Realizations- I feel like I've come across quite a few of those lately, which are important to have those moments. Here are a few...
- I need to do the things that fill me up
- There are never enough hours in a day to get everything done
- You can't change people, they have to change themselves
- God's will is not black and white

These totally have nothing to do with each other, but just some thoughts

4. Motherhood- I absolutely love my little girl!! She brings so much joy to our lives. I never get tired of making her smile. She loves it when I sing to her, and she tries to sing along. She's starting to hold things now, and having more control of her hands. Things are moving so fast- so I feel blessed to be able to watch all of her first steps in life!

Uncle Quinn

This weekend was Halle's fist meeting with my brother, Quinn. He was doing some course work for his master's degree all summer up in the UP and was unable to make it down to see Halle. He has seen plenty of pictures, but nothing like the real thing. He was mesmerized by her beauty and spent so much time with her. It was so fun to see him feeding her and holding her. She loved him! My parents were also here with us and they loved every minute. She's getting cuter by the day and loves smiling lots!


Smiling at Uncle Quinn


Posing like Halle


Brother and sister


Smiling at Nana


Even Aunt Kelsey came


They didn't want to leave!

We love you Gervel's!

Antoher week!

Halle rolled over! Yay! I put her in her crib on her back and when I went in there a few minutes later she was on her tummy! Fussing of course, because she doesn't like it. The next day, Brian and I actually witnessed it as she was playing. It was a great moment.



One minute we were reading...




The next, they were sleeping!



Halle can wear a bow!




Trying to enjoy some tummy time!

Halle's getting so big- I think she's chunking up!

Changes

Lately, I think Halle's look is changing. I know it will a ton throughout her lifetime, but I'm excited because I actually think she's looking more like me. In her pictures her hair looks reddish, which in person, I don't think it does, but we'll see! Here is Halle in her Bumbo chair that she can fit into now and her bathing suit from Great Aunt Patsy! It is really for next summer, but I couldn't resist having her try it on! She is sleeping better at night and if she doesn't I'm going to try and cramp down and let her cry. :( I hope she just naturally falls into it! I don't like hearing her cry! She is such a joy!

Home again, home again...

Back again from visiting the grandparents! They can't get enough of Halle. I was able to get with my 2 cousins and their babies. All born within 2 months of each other. They are all adorable and did not get as much a kick out of our photo shoot as we did. Halle's update- she's doing great on formula and pooping!!!

A sad day...

So today was Halle's last day of breast milk- first day of formula. I have been pumping and bottle feeding Halle for about 4 weeks since she refuses to breastfeed after we had to bottle feed her for a few days because of thrush. After about 4 weeks, it really started to wear on me and I started to think about formula. Now, I know nothing is wrong with it, but I have been really disappointed since breastfeeding was my first choice. It's been really encouraging talking to people who have been in the same situation as me and made the same choice, but I can't help but feeling guilty. I felt like her last bottle of breastmilk was like a funeral and all day I dreaded the formula. Not to mention worrying about it she'd take it or throw it up. I didn't want to have to go through changing formula 10 times to find one that works-plus the cost.
Well 2 bottles later, she's eating like a champ! So there's no turning back now. I appreciate everyone who says good job for sticking it out, and not to worry about the decision we made. She'll never know how much I worried over what she ate!! So I guess I can be at ease!! Plus I am excited to have my body back to normal- well it's still taking awhile, but we'll get there- man it just takes forever!! But it was worth is while it lasted. Goodbye to breatmilk!