It’s been almost 2 weeks since Tim and I made the decision that he can’t pass up this opportunity that God has ordained for him to go to Haiti. All the details are public now as to who all is on the team going with him. Luckily one of Tim’s jobs while there is to communicate by blogging, tweeting and youtube. So every day I should be able to know what he is up to by following him and the other people on his team.

When thinking about how God has lined everything up there is no mistake that God had everything planned way far in advance. Tim and I bought tickets back in October for us and Hannah to go to Texas February 9-17th. And the dates for Tim going to Haiti are February 11-17th. If I didn’t have my ticket for Texas ahead of time, then Hannah and I would stay in Minnesota by ourselves while Tim goes to Haiti. I think by the time Tim would get home after us spending a week alone I would be a total wreck glued to the computer constantly worrying about what is going on. But with the opportunity of spending the week with my parents and siblings to help out with Hannah, and me keeping busy so I don’t constantly worry about Tim, I will be much better off. Now I’m just a little nervous about what it’ll be like traveling with Hannah alone, but I know it wont be bad.

Tim has been blogging about Haiti for a little bit. His newest post was today. Go check it out.

On the way to work I forgot a book I needed to make copies of, so I turned around to get it. On the way back to the house I took the turn into our neighborhood a little too fast and mad a 180 on our icy street. I was glad I did that instead of getting stuck in the snow bank on the side of the road. As I was turning around to once again face the direction I wanted, I saw the neighbor’s dog run out super excited. The dog followed me all the way back to our front step as I got my book from Tim. Luckily the dog is friendly ’cause it’s huge, and I am not fond of big dogs.

I was so super stressed because of this dog. To start off, when I got headed in the right direction again towards our house this dog ran in to the side of the car. And I couldn’t go fast enough on our road to stay infront of him because it was pretty much like driving on an ice skating rink, it’s so slick. If I got any speed I knew I’d be sliding around like crazy if I had to put on the breaks. I would slow down to let the dog hopefully stop trying to run infront of the car, but as soon as I stopped the dog stopped running and waited to see where I’d go next.

If trying to get back home didn’t stress me out enough, it took at least 5 minutes to drive like a quarter mile to the end of our street on to the main road. As soon as I started moving this dog would run up ahead and infront of the car. So I’d try to slowly put on the breaks to avoid sliding. Some how I avoided hitting the dog again, or he hitting me, whatever happened. This happened about 10 times all the way down the road. As soon as I’d get traction he was back infront of the car, and then I’d have to stop, hope the dog would move out of the way and then try to get traction again to move a couple more feet before the dog was back in front. I really want to know what the person was thinking who was driving behind me trying to get out of our neighborhood too. Oh, and honking at him did nothing but make him sit there looking around wondering where the noise was coming from.

And this would explain why I never want a dog of my own. (Sorry Mom and Dad for ever asking for one when I was younger!) By the time I was near the end of the road I started thinking, “Maybe it would be better if I just hit the dog and he couldn’t run infront of the car any more and I could be on my way to work.” But slowly I inched my way and made it on to the main road (which the dog followed). When he moved to the side of the road I gunned it in first and drove away before he could follow any further. So it took me 5 minutes to drive down our street, and another 5 to go 3.5 miles to the church. That’s ridiculous!

Ever since we found out we were pregnant with Hannah I started doing some research about cloth diapers. The biggest piece of advice I took was to wait until Hannah got older and I wasn’t changing her diaper as often, because with cloth you have to change more often than disposables. (Thank you Ashley!) When Hannah got over 15lbs I looked back in to cloth diapers because then I wouldn’t have to buy a smaller size and switch to a bigger size soon after.

Luckily Tim’s sister-in-law started trying cloth diapers  a couple months ago ’cause I then could look at a cloth diapering system in person instead of everything I’ve read online. I was wanting to go a cheap and easy route, and I think I’ve got it! I mimicked Adrienne’s system ’cause it was the happy median of the two different Bummis diapers I was looking at. One of the Bummis was all cloth which meant you had to change out the cover almost as much as the prefold inside. The other Bummis option was all plastic and I didn’t want that all over Hannah’s skin. So what I have is the gdiaper, which is kinda the new fad in diapers. I like it though because it’s a cotton cover and then has a plastic liner that the prefold goes in to, so you don’t have to change the cover very often. They’re mainly advertised as the hybrid disposable because you can buy flushable disposable inserts, which you have to rip apart and stuff down the toilet with the swish stick they give you. I’m not sure if you go that route that you’re saving money, but it is to help save our earth. But honestly, I’m only in this to save money, and helping the earth is just a plus to it. Gdiapers can be kind of pricy, but I found a great deal on the ones I have!

diaperswappers.com is a great website if you’re looking for discounted new or used cloth diapers. I went with the used route since I hadn’t even tried cloth diapers yet and wasn’t sure if I’d stick with it. Now that I’m in the 2nd week of cloth diapering I am pretty sure I’ll stick with it, but I think I’m still kind of in the “honeymoon” stage. I don’t mind the extra work and cleaning of the diapers, I just have to get in the mindset that every time I have to change Hannah it is going to take a little more time than before.

If you’re thinking about cloth diapering, here is what I recommend with it working for Adrienne, me and someone else I was reading about on diaperswappers.com…

Use gdiapers and then buy the prefolds from greenmountaindiapers.com. The small yellow edged prefolds fit inside the medium and large gpants. For the small gdiapers buy the infant orange prefolds. From all the research I’ve done and talking to people about cloth diapering Green Mountain has the best prefolds out there. They are super absorbant, and that’s what you want! I found both my gdiapers and prefolds at diaperswappers used and in great condition!

I think I have the absolute best set up/lay out of our house to use cloth diapers. Hannah’s changing table is in her bedroom and the bathroom is connected to her room with the laundry room across the hall. Everything is very close and accessible. To save even more money…at least trying, they say to do a pre-rinse before washing, and then run it through another rinse to get all the soap out. I do the rinsing by hand in our utility sink. It doesn’t take much time.

Hannah was cracking up at Tim tonight. This lasted for a really long time before and after this video. He wasn’t doing anything except what you hear. Too funny. I hope you enjoy!

The next few months are packed full of stuff including events with church, going on vacation, family coming to MN to Tim’s brother’s and us trying to make it down to see them. Looking at the calendar is very exciting and a little overwhelming. It should be fun though! Here’s a little insight to what’s coming up…

January 23

2009 Baby dinner at our associate pastor’s house. There were lots of babies in our church born in 2009!

January 26-February 6

10 days from now Tim’s Dad and Grace come to MN to see our newest nephew Eli and help out.

January 30

Real World Parents seminar, which probably would’ve been the best day to go see Tim’s Dad and Grace, so we’ll have to figure something else out.

February 9-17

3 Days after Tim’s Dad and Grace leave MN, we are going to TX for Hannah’s first time and let my parents show her off at church while seeing lots of family and friends.

February 25-March 1

A week after we come home from TX we’re heading to Chicago for the Simply Youth Ministry Conference with a few of our youth leaders.

March 4-8

3 days later, Tim’s sister Glory & husband Michael will be in MN at Tim’s brother’s house, so we’ll need to make a trip down to see them.

And then things start to lighten up. It’ll be an exciting time, and we already found out over Christmas that Hannah has no problem traveling, so hopefully that stays the same!

I am so excited about the girl’s Bible study that starts tomorrow. I have an amazing lady helping me, and we’re meeting at our home for the next 11 weeks (except for when I’ll be out of town, then it’ll be at Jan’s, only 2 doors down.) We are using “Lady in Waiting” by Jackie Kendall. I love that book and am excited to give our senior high girls a girls only time to dig in deep to the word of God and make practical applications in our lives. Please pray for Jan and I as we lead the girls who show up. And pray for the girls who come, that they may come with open hearts to learn what God has for them. I have been longing to teach a group of girls after taking months off from helping with Hannah here. Now to go make sure I have everything ready!

Last night I had the opportunity to fill in at our Jr. High small groups. I decided not to start over with a new group this year, first off all because of having Hannah, and second of all, I just couldn’t commit to a new group of girls after connecting so closely with my first small group of girls here in Minnesota. The past 2 years I loved being a Journey leader co-teaching with an amazing lady and having the best girls ever in my group. We had a great 2 years together, and this year I started helping out on Sunday nights so I could see them throughout the year and get to know the other youth group kids. I have gotten to know a few other girls in our youth group over the last year and they are so sweet. A handful of them came out for our Women’s ministry ornament exchange party too, which was a blast!

So…yesterday Tim called me from the church asking if I’d be willing to fill in for a Journey group and help teach one of the 8th grade girl’s groups. At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it because I didn’t even know who all was in the group, and I hadn’t had the chance to get to know them over the years. But once I got my old Journey journal out and read through the lesson and over my answers I filled in a couple years ago I really started getting excited. Tim brought home the teacher’s manual for the lesson, and I gathered my supplies for the night.

I knew 2 of the girls in the small group pretty good, and 2 others I had seen around the church, and 1 I met for the first time. They were all such sweet girls and I had so much fun being with them for the night. I really miss getting to teach and learn along side a group of girls. I really need to get on the ball and set up the weekly girls only study that some of the girls have asked me to do. It’ll be on Thursday nights at my house, but I need a co-teacher and I need to go through the book and see how many weeks the study will be. Now I have a lot of motivation to do this! If you’re interested in helping lead a girl’s study with me let me know! We’ll be using “Lady in Waiting” by Jackie Kendall, a study on the book of Ruth.

Wow, I didn’t realize it’s almost been a month since I last blogged. I’m timid to blog now because all I really have going on in my life now is Hannah…at least that’s what it feels like. And I don’t want to just blog about Hannah. But I have stepped back in helping with the youth except for Sunday nights, which I love. And I pretty much just stay inside the house now that it is way to cold outside to want to do anything.

We had a wonderful in PA for Christmas. We went back to the house that Tim grew up in. It had been over 4 years since he had last been there. We weren’t even dating at that time. Hannah absolutely loved meeting everyone and getting tons and tons of attention. Coming back home she has seemed kind of people deprived. But being sick the last couple days has made her appreciate a quiet home again.

We got to see Tim’s parents and 3 of his siblings, all of his grandparents, cousins and aunt and uncle. We also got to meet up and eat with some good friends, and then my family drove up from Texas! I asked my parents for a 5 generation picture for Christmas, and although it was a lot of work and money to pull off, I got my Christmas gift and am very grateful for it! I was praying for a baby girl while pregnant. And not finding out what we were having was a test of faith with that. I wanted to have a baby girl to be able to introduce to my Great G’ma Z. At our wedding I got a 4 generation picture of me, my mom, grandma and great grandma. So in order to keep the generation of girls going, I really wanted Hannah! It was so nice to see my great grandma, and visit all our relatives on my mom’s side in Maryland. We figured out that the last time we saw them I was 12, and this time I was married and had a baby! Quite a change, and a wonderful visit. I posted some pictures of FB, and Tim put the rest of them on our online photo album. I just updated my photo link. So at the top of the blog click on Photo and then click on our picasa link to see all the pictures from vacation plus lots more of Hannah that we haven’t updated until this past week.

Hannah had her 4 month check-up today! She is 25 inches tall now and weighs 14 pounds and 9 ounces. Hannah is in the 75-85 percentile for her height, weight and head circumference, which was 16 and 3/4. She checked out great and did much better with her shots than last time. Hannah didn’t even notice that she got the first one, and then cried for the 2nd, but it wasn’t a screaming fit like she had for her 2 month appointment.

While we were waiting to go in for Hannah’s check-up the tv playing in the waiting room had some trashy news show that updates people on all the Hollywood gossip. Today they were talking about Tiger Woods and whatever is going on in his life. I first heard that something is going on with him from someone in our church last week, and it annoyed me that someone was talking to me about it, because it is not my business, nor theirs. And so today when this show came on and was talking about all the drama I really felt like I needed to change it, but there were 2 men sitting there looking at the screen off and on, so I wasn’t sure if they were interested in the show or not. After sitting there for a couple more minutes fighting with the thought that I really shouldn’t be listening to the garbage, and really neither should anyone else because it’s just gossip. It wasn’t uplifting in any way. I asked the men around me if they were watching and if they minded if I changed the channel. Luckily they weren’t interested in it, and it sparked a quick conversation about unnecessary gossip, which all gossip is unnecessary. It caught a few people’s eyes that I got up and changed the channel vocalizing why I didn’t want to watch it. It’s been a while since I have boldly stood up about my morals, and I was hesitant to do so, but am glad I did.

Two Sundays ago Pastor Rol did a sermon called, “Welcome to the Wedding.” And just yesterday we finished up using Perry Noble’s series “Don’t get Married Until…” with our youth. These past few weeks I have really been thinking about the imagery God uses to teach us about our relationship with him. And now that we have Hannah I am seeing more and more that the life experiences God has set up are a way for us to understand him better.

For Pastor Rol’s sermon he asked a friend of mine to wear her wedding dress at the end of the service and we all stood for her entrance into the sanctuary. I was first of all super excited to get to see her in her gown because on her wedding day Tim and I were in the hospital meeting Hannah for the first time. And then as she stood up front and the words of the sermon started to stick I couldn’t hold back my tears as we worshiped God.

I could never truly grasp the concept that the church is the bride of Christ, until getting married. Being married has opened my eyes to so many aspects of God that I haven’t been able to comprehend before. God has used and is using Tim in many ways to teach me and draw me closer. And now that we have Hannah, the fact that Christ died on the cross for our sins has become even more personal. I look at my little baby and just think about Mary taking care of baby Jesus. I can’t even begin to understand the feelings Mary had, watching her son die for our sins. This Christmas has so much more meaning to me than any before because God has blessed us with Hannah.