What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. ~ Martin Luther

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Wence comes the Dawn...

One cannot fathom the great comfort of resting weary bones unless they have first endured a day like today. Actually, a week like this week.

Our original plans to pack and move on Monday were pushed forward to Saturday so that Matt would have more strong arms helping.

Two days less + Short notice = a Frazzled Mama

SOMEHOW (still not sure how) I managed to pack up all our things despite my time constraints and was able to stay relatively organized in the process. I was even able to wash and line dry all my lace, linens, and draperies so that they will be ready to be put up as soon we unpack the boxes.

But then, GASP! We had no strong able bodied people to help Matt UNLOAD the truck on Monday, so this morning as yet another last minute decision, he decided to kidnap his father, John, and Holly to travel to Spruce Creek with him to help him unload. Today. Another thing yet unfathomable, is the kindness that people are willing to shower upon you in your time of need. We certainly couldn’t have done what we did without their help-and it was MORE than gracious-considering the time and work they had to put into it. They plan to return home tonight around midnight.

Speaking of kindnesses- yesterday was a day that will not be soon forgotten. Many people took time out of their schedules to bid us farewell with waves, hugs, well-wishes and...presents! QMPS gave us a pizza party farewell at lunchtime during which time they presented Corynn with her much coveted bicycle. (I made the mistake of telling her she would get one when we moved, in order to get her excited for all the coming changes. I didn’t think she would REMEMBER! But the minute I told her, no one was excluded from the sheer joy of her getting a bicycle. Not the grocery store clerk. Not the people from church. No, not even the random passerby within earshot.) Instead of a yard sale find, she got the grandest, most snazzy bike ever-complete with handlebar fringe, a basket, a helmet, and a bell!

Then, in the evening, a ‘game night’ and Pasta bar put on by Bob and Libby not only filled our bellies with scrumptious eats but our heads with great promises of dreams come true. You see...our new house has a concrete slab in front that is PRIME location for a picnic area. The minute I saw it, I envisioned a table and chairs. Of course, the vision in my head was tastefully put together by yard sale finds. Never in a million years would I have thought I would be the proud owner of an outdoor furniture set from a STORE. In fact, I distinctly remember glancing at them in stores and thinking-I will NEVER own a brand new set like this because they are only for rich people. Well-we are not rich in money but we are certainly rich in love. Our church all pitched in money to send us off with our very own, store-bought set of lawn furniture. As if that were not enough, they were kind enough to give it to us in GIFT CARD form, so we can get it when we are down there instead of trying to HAUL it. Sweet relief!

I am now at G&L’s anxiously awaiting the return of my love and the giving souls who kept him company from dawn to (nearly) dawn. We filled up a truck, and have still more. Not much but more than a car-full; basically, enough to inconvenience us with a second trip. That second trip will probably come on Monday-but given Matt’s flippant decision-making as of late, one can never tell.

And now that I have given a little update on the who-ze, what-ze whereabouts of us Newmans in blogdom, I will devote the rest of my evening to sitting on the couch staring at a tube to pass the time until Matt comes. While TV watching isn’t my favorite sport of all, it seems enticing to me tonight.

With the dawn comes my love from afar. When he is safely home, ours eyes and minds will succumb to sweet slumber and then the Sabbath will be upon us, and with it the covenantal basptism of our sweet little boy. A special day indeed.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Within four walls

Despite the incriminating photo, Matt has been a super duper help in this whole moving process. Boxes are brimming in each room of the house and our fingers are black with newsprint handling but our spirits are high and progress is being made. Soon and very soon our lives will be changing forever.

Our house has certainly lost it's homey-ness and it is a sad thing too-because this apartment has always felt very homey and comfortable. It was a good house and I will remember it fondly forevermore. These four walls have contained more than just furniture and such things will be the things I love about it most. Our 'Boo' baby, knee-high, with her first wobbly steps has turned into a running, summer-saulting bean of a girl. Our little Peanut, though still a Peanut, has begun his life inside and outside, in the heart of this home.

It has been home to lions, hippies, and peacocks; scrapbookers, not to mention a ridiculous amount of empty bottles of beer on the wall. Many a laugh has leapt joyfully from parted lips. Not as many, but equally important, are the tears that bond one another together. Family and friends-both new and old-have shared in our lives under this roof.

It is sad to leave it, knowing all that these walls contain. And even more sad, is the physical closeness of so many loved ones that we will be leaving behind. Is it possible to pack up our loved ones, like our cherished wedding presents, to beautify our home and lives in Spruce Creek? I am sure Matt would make a LOVELY shelf to display you all on!

I am so grateful though, that the age in which we live, allows for instant access to those we need most by means of internet or (as a last resort, lol) telephone. I am so thankful so many of my friends have blogs. To think, I was once against the whole BLOG thing. Now, more than ever, do I appreciate the many opportunities for sneaking glimpes into everyone's lives.

Monday and Tuesday, our life's possessions are going to be taken to our new home and on Wednesday, Matt will be picking up his truest treasure and our family will fill the car to follow suite. The great beyond. A world yet undiscovered, at least to us.

You can see how much help Matt has been...  Posted by Picasa

Like father like son.... Posted by Picasa

Monday, April 17, 2006

Pathetically, these are the only "Easter" pictures I have. I was so busy on Easter DAY that I wasn't able to get any FAMILY pictures or any best-duds kiddo pics either. :-(


Sitting ducks Posted by Picasa

Juggler asleep Posted by Picasa

Dudley-Pug Posted by Picasa

Bird-brain food Posted by Picasa

I spy...an egg! Posted by Picasa

and more eggs! Posted by Picasa

As if discovering the eggs weren't treasure enough-discovering TREATS within were just over the top! Posted by Picasa

A full mouth doesn't stop her from getting MORE jellybeans Posted by Picasa

Dying eggs-and counters Posted by Picasa
We spent Easter and Jonathan and Jessamyn's house (my bro and sister-in-law). It was the unveiling of their new house and a wonderful time of visiting and catching up, with an egg hunt to boot! And delicious food. I was having such a good time, I really didn't bring out my camera much at all. Here are the few photos I snapped during our visit.


A cake 'too pretty' to eat. No-no one even cut into it! Their loss...it had a layer of homemade strawberry jam sandwiched in there! Posted by Picasa

Andrew knows his Nanny already Posted by Picasa

Jessamyn and Andrew in front of her wall of windows Posted by Picasa

Aunt Bridget-over here!!!! Posted by Picasa

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Procrastinating...somebody STOP me!

An indecisive day-what is more peculiar? One minute it is sunny and blue and the next it is a dark gray. Unfortunately, I spent the bright cheery part of the day cooped inside finishing up the announcements to get them in the mail this afternoon!

Matt is at his parents' house now and I feel like I see him less now that he is NOT working than when he WAS working. Won't it be nice when we move down to PA and he has no place to run away to?!? :-)

I am eating my words about Andrew. I must have bragged too much and he thought me proud because he is surely putting me in my place now. He will scream-and scream-and scream at night now-unless he is at my side. Not because he is hungry-because I have tried that. For no other reason than because he wants to FEEL me (no, sleeping next to the bed in his basket is not an option in his opinion either.) I have even tried a warmed cornbag to simulate my body heat. He's not to be fooled. Matt and I both have always been adamently opposed to having our children consistently sleep in bed with us, so this is posing a real problem. Man-is he STUBBORN! Better to break him of it now when he is 11 days old than when he is 1 1/2 years old. Now-if I could just figure out how. Despite his stubborn temper-he is a pretty special little dude. He must be-today he received a card from Mr. Pataki himself. Surely such on honor only goes to a select few. They just forgot to mention his name. And the computer ink was still wet...but that was just because a real pen was not handy...

Well, as you can tell from my last post-I am procrastinating and wasting precious time here on my blog. But oh what relief it is! I feel like eating pizza. And ice cream sandwiches. And strawberry daquiri's. Yes. DDEFINATELY strawberry daquiri's. With extra whipped cream.
These aren't the photo's I was telling you about. Matt hasn't been home to show me how to get those. These are just random shots of the day.


Oh I love a rainy night, it's such a beautiful sight... Posted by Picasa

Corynn riding in her boxcar...at least someone finds delight in the many boxes strewn throughout the house! Posted by Picasa

This is for Jonathan and Jessamyn, supreme gift givers. Andrew LOVES his seat! Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

13 more days until the Big Haul

Stress. I just finished a baby countdown and now I have started a moving countdown.
Time is slipping away and I am having a HARD time keeping up!

Thirteen more days? Is it possible? Is there enough time to get all that needs to be done finished up? How will I do it all? Not only is it 13 more days (which is NOTHING) but within those 13 days there is a WHOLE lot going on!

*Andrew's Baptism
*Going Away Game Night and Pasta Bar at church
*Going Away party at Matt's work
*Easter!!!
*Mom's Birthday
*Bob's Birthday
*Samuel's Birthday PARTY
*Out of town relatives come to visit (whom I have not seen for YEARS and who Matt has never met in person.)
*2 week Doctor's apt. for Andrew
(and hopefully-one last checkup for Corynn at some point also)
*Prospective renters visiting us and checking out our apartment at random intervals

Can THIRTEEN days contain ALL those things-plus packing tight this apartment PLUS making the most of visiting our friends and family before we move? Not quite sure. Matt assures me that is CAN and WILL-but he is most definately showing signs of stress also.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This morning I worked on packing up Corynn's room some more (my sister came over yesterday to help me with that also). I wanted to organize the toy situation. Blast those people who help to furnish the world's clutter supply with toys that have a bazillion pieces! I spent the morning sorting through farm animals, wild animals, mini dolls and blocks then returning them to their rightful homes before hiding them within a taped cardboard tomb. Oh-but that was AFTER I had them all sorted and was on the way down the stairs when my very full arms decided they were overloaded-with Noah tottering dangerously from heights only to go crashing down the stairs. In my haste to catch the sinking ship, I then hurled Mr. Potato head and his appendages along with the homestead of Old MacDonald. Yes. That was fun! Now that all are SAFELY packed away (with the exception of Noah's grandeur boat which was irrepairably damaged by the great fall-Get it, fall instead of flood!?!?! I crack myself up...), I am on to much more fun things...

Finishing up Andrew's Birth announcements. He is a week old and I still haven't gotten them mailed! Shame on me! It won't be difficult though, since I had all the envelopes stamped and addressed and everything made that COULD be made before he was born. I am off this afternoon to pick up the photo reprints for them and then it is on to putting it all together and stuffing envelopes. I also need to make change of address cards to include in the announcements. I got four rolls of film developedd yesterday (YOWZAS!) and there are a few shots I would like to share here. Since we no longer have a scanner, I purchased a 'cd' along with the film. Unfortunately, as computer illiterate as I am, I can't figure out how to save them to the hard drive. Which means, of course, delay. If Matt helps me I will try and post some tomorrow. After that, I can not guarantee when I will next post. Check back in the beginning of May, for sure. Until then, Happy Easter to all and to all a good night!

Sunday, April 09, 2006

Bittersweet and Just Plain Sweet

Friday was Matt's last day of working for Cornell. I went to pick him up from work since his company truck couldn't be used. The reality has set in and while I am grateful for the time he will be here to help with the packing and everything, it was still a bit scary to know he was 'done'. At least it was scary for me. The turning of a new page. The start of a new life. READY OR NOT!

This past week I have taken a bit of a reprieve from packing. It was hard enough to getthe children clothed and fed and the laundry done! The first day home, I was showered and dressed but Matt and the children all still had pj's on at 10:30. I said to Matt, "Well. We will be golden as long as we don't have to be out the door until about noonish!" Each day though, has started with ever more ease and I have become increasingly more adept at preparing our family for the day at a reasonable time. We even made it to church at our usual 15 minutes early-no complications.

Andrew is a week old today and this past week has been nothing but joys in getting to know him. I can't seem to look away and it can be even harder to set him down. I love the softness of his head in the crook of my neck and the little sounds he makes, the way his body just goes limp when pressed to mine and his complete trust and dependence on us. He is an exceptionally easy baby. At a week old, he has been waking up only once or twice in the night each night. That is a miraculous thing for a child just days old. He is not colicky or cranky, does not spit up, and doesn't insist upon anything. Of course, all of these things could change tomorrow-but having these wonderful attributes going for us has made adjusting to normalcy that much easier for me and our whole family, really.

He has already teased me with a dreamy smile. Twice, actually. I do not discount it because it was not 'social' but rather eagerly seek out the next one, knowing that I am catching a glimpse of his future face. He is keeping his eyes open more frequently and for longer stretches, which just delights me to the fullest. As sweet his face is when sleeping, it just melts my heart to see his little eyes peering out. Even though the thought of a boy conjuered up some trepidation, looking at him I see just how perfect God's plan was for us. He is everything that I dreamed he would be and more and I just couldn't imagine it any other way.

Corynn is adjusting to our new life well. She is sweet and gentle to the baby and it is obvious to all that she adores him. She is so infatuated with him,in fact, that I am afraid she has forgotten how to play. Whenever he is around she drops all that she is doing to be at his side. I am hoping that her infatuation will ease enough for her to occupy herself at some point. While the baby isn't a direct issue, we are struggling with things that may be 'baby' related. She was doing grand with the whole potty thing. She was trained and was wearing cloth panties all the time. Now she is having 'accidents' right and left. It started as soon as Andrew was born and frustrates me to no end. She has also started having some behavior issues. I am not sure if it is because of Andrew or because she spent several days at Grandma and Grandpa's. Perhaps both-but trying to get a handle on it has been a source of great frustration and heartache for me, in particular. It is so hard to have to take steps backwards and to re-train her in things she had already mastered.

Personally, I am feeling great and have 'recovered' very quickly. Every now and again I get emotionally drained with the HUGE to-do and our time here so quickly slipping away. Even getting dressed in the morning is a challenge! I have only a VERY small selection of clothes to choose from. Basically, one church outfit, a pair of pants, and two or three shirts. Talk about frustrating. While my belly has shrunk with the absence of a squirming fish-problem areas have shifted upwards! I have watermelons to contend with instead of pineapples. I don't even fit into the shirts I fit into while nursing Corynn! Boxes and boxes everywhere but not a thing to wear!

For the few challenges, there are many more great comforts. We have been blessed with many meals given by the families of our church. These are coming in VERY handy-not only with the baby but also amongst all the packing we will be doing. I am EVER so grateful for that help. Food is not the only generosity bestowed on us these days. Beautiful flowers brighten our rooms, gifts have been showered upon us, pictures given and any number of other niceties. Life is full of little surprises and we are celebrating Andrew and all the blessings of our Lord at the onset of each new day.
Whoever said subsequent babies don't get as much camera time doesn't know ME!



I love the expressions of a burpy baby! Posted by Picasa

Corynn is ever gentle and motherly Posted by Picasa

Nanny and Poppy enjoying a pint-sized pipsqueak Posted by Picasa

Flower faces Posted by Picasa

Pretty boy Posted by Picasa

Posted by Picasa

Cuddling with Grandpa Posted by Picasa