Julie's baby shower- Saturday, Sept. 8th.

Well, this is a few days overdue but four of us gals from church hosted Julie's baby shower on Saturday. We went with a Hawai'ian theme and it was a fun time. Cara bought miniature plastic ducks dressed in beach outfits for the favors and did the fruit platters. Ann (see side for blog) cooked up some teriyaki chicken (I didn't think it was dry!) and dumplings, and brought some fun beach music on her iPod, and I made the cake and bought the tiki torches and macademian nuts. Since the other Anne lent us her house, she did the drinks and bought the pineapples.



The four of us and Julie: Hillary, Cara, Julie (36weeks), Ann and Anne with young Grace (10months).

I can't remember who suggested this idea, but I really liked it. Ann and I bought baby outfits and strung them up as decor. Julie later took the outfits home with her as a gift.

Yummy desserts: Cara's lemon bars and my six-layer coconut cake (see Martha Stewart for the recipe). The cake was so good but everyone only had a tiny wedge since it was so tall. Thankfully, most ladies took a piece home so their wasn't much left over!

The fall TV lineup

This fall's new shows have begun already. I sat down this morning to watch Martha Stewart at the 11am timeslot and instead, the news was on. Hmm. So much for my daily housekeeping tips. I just found out that she was moved to the 1pm timeslot. Later this afternoon, I turned on NBC to find that Ellen had moved from 4pm to 2pm, but all's well that ends well because Oprah was still on at 4pm. Whew. The interview with David Letterman was very funny. (I really don't watch all these shows on one given day, but since Russell has a runny nose, we didn't go to any playgroups or other outings today.)

My favorite one-season-per-year show, though, is The Biggest Loser. It is not that I like to see the men taking off their shirts at the weigh-ins but the fact that watching the contestants struggle through the exercise regimes inspires me to keep active as well. Russell and I take our daily walks to the park but that does nothing for my upper-body strength. The trainer named Bob is my favorite because he doesn't seem mean like the women trainers but still pushes his team to succeed. I do feel guilty, though, when Dan (yes, he watches it too!) and I are watching and eating popcorn or ice cream.

The show also promotes healthy eating and offers good suggestions for tasty meals. I find it hard to integrate the quantity of veggies we are supposed to eat on a daily basis into our diets and the recipes are helpful (see TBL book).

On a side note, The Biggest Loser has had two couples get married (after the seasons end) in three seasons. If I recall correctly, that is a much higher percentage than The Bachelor/The Bachelorette! I suppose since TBL couples see each other at their lowest point emotionally, the stress and reality of the weight loss experience bond them. You won't see that on The Bachelor/The Bachelorette! A serious congrats to these couples.

Anyway, here's to another season of shows that won't last until Christmas because of their content- or lack thereof! Happy watching.

"Cake Please! Shwoo."

This summer, we met a couple of times after church with some other families and had a BBQ at the park. At the last BBQ in August we had some left over chocolate cake from another occasion and we enjoyed it as well. Russell says, "Ssss" for 'please' and "Shwoo" for 'thank-you'. Thankfully, I had remembered some WetWipes in the car or else Russell wouldn't have had any cake!

Understanding Hannah

I now know why Sarah laughed, Rachel was envious, and Hannah wept. They had experienced infertility and the pain thereof. For Sarah, she spent her entire fertile years waiting for the month that her menses would not appear. For Rachel, the constant reminder that it was her ‘fault’- for Jacob had gotten Leah and the maids pregnant already. For Hannah, the constant provoking of the other wife was a daily reminder as well.

‘Secondary infertility’ and ‘multiple miscarriages’ are two phrases I thought would never apply to us. We have been blessed with a healthy, strong son, who continues to amaze us daily with his antics. This past year we have experienced three m/c’s. At first, we thought, “Well, 20-25% end in the first trimester. Bad luck.” The second time, we almost announced the pregnancy since everything was looking good. We tried once again because we naively thought, “this could never happen three times in a row to a woman who had carried full term.” Boy, were we wrong.

This past month, my 43 year-old aunt announced her second pregnancy (yeah!) that will be due in January of 2008. Then, this past weekend, I saw a girl (yes, a girl) no older than 15 years old, probably 7-8 months pregnant with her child dive-bombing into the pool. Hmm. She’ll be a mother before she can drive a car.

We are so happy for our many friends who are expecting their babies in the next few months (or hours/days, as Alysun’s case may be!!). I would not have believed anyone if they told us one year ago that we would be swimming these waters but looking back, I would have earnestly gone through this just to know that one or all of my friends wouldn’t have to. Never again will I be critical of a married Christian couple without children (or just one child) because now I know that behind the smiling faces could be pain of disappointment and loss.

We initially had only told a few people, mostly because we (I) didn’t want looks of pity or sadness but as time has progressed, our story has come out in one way or another. If you are reading this and are wondering, “Why didn’t they say something?” please don’t be hurt. It’s not something we like to bring up in a phone conversation or in playgroups or on Sunday morning when we are together praising God. I originally never thought I’d post this part of our story but after talking with Amber (see side link) and her struggles, she has given me the strength to open up about this. Together, we have concluded that whether you have one child or none, the pain of losing a pregnancy is the same.

I’ve looked for books discussing miscarriage, and in the Christian world, there is little/none. Most books talk about preventing m/c’s: yes, I don’t smoke, drink, or do drugs. Great advice.

In two weeks, I’ll have some blood work done to start looking for answers. My doctor is a wonderful man and I’d hug him if I could. He has practiced for 26 years and his calmness and reassuring spirit is a blessing.

All that to be said, we are truly blessed in our marriage with each other and the friendship and love we have. Dan is my best friend. Russell is the joy of our lives. Our church family is a gift from God. And we love where we live. It is a honor to celebrate with our friends as they anticipate the arrivals of their little ones, and to bless them with goodies from CraigsList!

Thank-you, each and everyone of you who stop by our page- whether regularly or on occasion. We love you and thank you for welcoming us into your lives.

Labor Day- Windsor, CA

We were invited to spend the long weekend with our friends, Mike and Julie, who bought into a timeshare program. One of the timeshares is in Windsor. It is only 80-90 minutes from here but it took three hours on Friday afternoon. Guess we weren't the only ones thinking, "let's get outta town!" Our friends, Ann and Paul, also stayed for the weekend, and the suite we had had three rooms with their own bathrooms.

The resort had a nice pool but Russell just didn't like it. He loved the water last summer but we've 'missed' this summer (it has passed too quickly) and hadn't done any swimming at all. I want him to love water, though, so when he is four years old, he is getting lessons;-)

There were only six chairs, so Russell had to sit near Dad on the floor.

(Clockwise): Paul, Ann, Dan, Julie, and Mike. The last evening, we cooked steak and salmon on the BBQ and had roasted potatoes with garlic and a salad. Dinner for kings!

Hot, Hot, Hot!

Our little boy is definitely a California boy- in this picture, he is reinacting the daily pile-up on the 101 interstate. He loves when we drive the 101- he yells at a steady pitch but his voice vibrates at we navigate the potholes and bumps along the way;=) (The 280 is way too smooth for his liking)

The week of extreme heat is here! It has been mid-high 90's during the past few days and we are all feeling it. We are blessed to live near the coast where the cool ocean breezes start after 7/8 pm.



We're taking off for Windsor tomorrow (Friday) for the long weekend. We are mooching (I mean, 'staying') with our friends who have a TrendWest timeshare there. It is a 90 minute drive from our house. We are all looking forward to using the pool!

Once we returned home last week from our trip, we checked our mail, and we found a note from our landlords requesting a new lease. The last lease we signed here was from Oct. 1/05-Oct. 1/06 so it has almost been a year without one. The current lease will run from Oct '07-Oct '08.

Dan and I talked it over (of course) and we feel content to commit to another year here. We've visited Colorado, Arizona, and B.C./the NW this year and each time we come home we ask ourselves if we feel led to any of those places. At this point in our lives, we feel not. To those who know how much I love San Diego, when we talked about leaving our home there, we both felt led by God to move- and I still cried all the way from SD to San Francisco. We are trying to trust God and to move when He directs us. After all, it would make sense to move from the only area in the States where real-estate is still increasing in value and not dropping.

Thanks to all who daily uphold us in thought and prayer. We appreciate it greatly.

Lisa (1979-2007)

ADAM, Lisa Marie June 7, 1979 August 16, 2007 Lisa, our beloved daughter, sister, and friend entered the presence of her Lord Jesus Christ. She was only 28 years old. She will be greatly missed and tenderly remembered by her parents Hal and Marie Adam, her sisters Sonya and Michelle (Tim) Harris.

She was a graduate of Duncan Christian School and earned her CGA (Canadian General Accounting). Her last job was with KPMG Accounting in Victoria. Lisa was a gentle, kind, and compassionate person with a heart for the poor and downtrodden. She gladly bought a meal for street people whenever they were willing to accept her offer. Her motivation to serve others was rooted in her deep faith in Christ. In school, Lisa was an excellent student with a sharp mind, who applied herself diligently and loved to compete with fellow classmates. She is truly loved and will be missed by all.

For further details about Lisa: haladam.name/LisaAdam.php Everyone is welcome to both services: Saturday, Aug. 25th: Graveside at Ladysmith Cemetery on 4th Ave. & Christie Rd. at 10:30 am. Memorial at Central Baptist Church (833 Pandora Ave., Victoria) at 2:00 pm. Those wishing to make a memorial donation: Mercy Ministries of Canada, 6788 152 St., Surrey, BC, V3S 3L4. 401295

***************************************

I met Lisa the summer of 1994 at Camp Imadene on Vancouver Island. Lisa was to me, the perfect person. She was slender and beautiful, smart, and very talented with music- especially the piano. I envied her vibrant life and popularity. We were both 15 years old and very impressionable. By 1997, Lisa was hospitalized for her anorexic habits. I couldn't believe it the first time Mom told me. She had even got into UBC when I hadn't. Over the years, I heard of Lisa on and off, and her struggles continued. Five years ago, I asked her to play the piano for our wedding but she later had to decline due to her health.

As a woman, it is so difficult to see the many pictures of 'perfect' women. The pictures are on TV, the Internet, billboards, and every magazine published. Satan continually uses the images to remind us of our imperfections and eventually our body image and self image are blurred into one picture. I wasn't close to Lisa as our lives never crossed for long, but I am deeply saddened to know that this disease stole away her dreams and ultimately, her life here. May she rest in Jesus' arms knowing that she is fully accepted and loved.

Road Trip 2007

We left early on Friday morning for the Northwest. We had packed the car the night before so all we had to do was wake up and go. Our first stop was Williams, CA, and we had breakfast at the McDonald's. Russell likes the fruit & walnut salad (minus the yogurt), and his own container of milk, so he did just fine. We arrived mid-afternoon in Oregon at the Peters' home.



We stayed with the Peters for two days/three nights. After church on Sunday, we went to the beach. Russell got cranky later on due to his missed nap. In theory, he was supposed to sleep in the car, but obviously, there was misunderstood communication on his part!

Russell only claims one stuffed animal, and sharing it is not his idea of fun;-)

After reaching my parents' home later the following week, we attended my 10th high school reunion. It was a lot of fun, but it would have been great to see more faces. Out of a class of about 400, maybe 70-80 were there.


Mom and Dad celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on the 13th. I made a mistake and bought a second cake and more ice-cream, so we ended up with two cakes and three gallons of ice-cream. Oops.

Russell loved his 'horse' (better known as a little deer) at Grandma Waitt's house. Each time he passed it in the hallway, he'd make his 'neighing' sound. It was good to see Grandma again but it is still hard to know that Grandpa isn't there.

We spent two nights with my aunt and her family in North Vancouver on the way back to the States. Dawn-Marie is six weeks younger than Russell. They both loved blueberries and didn't mind taking more from the other's bowl;-)

The last night before returning home was spent at Dan's uncle and aunt's home in Vancouver, WA. Two of Dan's cousins came over and one brought her two children. Russell loved the playmates and especially loved this 'Rocking Goldfish'. We left Vancouver at 7am the next morning and got back to the Peninsula at 7pm. Russell did his very best at being tied into the carseat for so long and it will be a while before we decide to drive the I-5 again- even we were sore once we got home!

Signing off for a few weeks!

Yup- we're going on a road trip! We're driving to Oregon, Washington, then B.C. We drove the I-5 in April 2006 when Russell was only 3 months old. Now, he is 1 1/2 years old, and much more active;-) We stopped at Trader Joe's today to pick up some healthy snacks like popcorn for the trip.

Thank-you for checking in with us, and we appreciate your prayers for safety on the roads.

Tagged

I have been tagged to share 8 facts or habits about myself.....so here goes! The rules: Each player lists 8 little known facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1) My mom went into labor with me at a basketball game- I don't care for basketball:-)

2) Chocolate chips and frozen blueberries are my favorite snacks.

3) My closest and longest known friends are at least 500 miles away (north, east, south).

4) I love cats but I hate cat hair on clothes and furniture.

5) If I could live anywhere in the world, I'd live on Coronado Island.

6) When I left for Alicia's wedding in 2002, I told my Grandfather I was going to get myself a Navy man in San Diego- and I did!

7) I'm currently watching 'Little House on the Prairie' reruns because I've never seen the series before (aired 1973-1983)

8) I always sleep on the side of the bed closest to the bathroom.

Visiting Half Moon Bay

Today was another beautiful day so we decided to head to the beach. It was overcast and cool on the coast but we still had a nice time. We went out to eat but had to wait 45 minutes for our meals due to the fact that a 50-passenger tour bus had pulled in and all those meals had to be made/served. Russell had eaten his meal, watched the fish in the fish tank, and gone for a walk in the restaurant before we had eaten. Oh well. McDonald's does well for a reason!

After lunch, we played on the beach and although the water was cold, Russell liked to stand near the shore's edge. Dan kept a close eye on him and he is a great dad to our son!

Mmmm...

On Thursday night, we hosted care group and we had strawberry shortcake for dessert. It didn't take Russell long to notice his Mom licking the beaters and he wanted to try as well!

Morning, Afternoon, and Evening

Well, as you can tell from the pictures, Russell loves toothpaste- and toothbrushes. He races into our ensuite bathroom in the morning to grab our toothbrushes and then reaches for the Colgate. He tries to 'put' toothpaste on the brush but thankfully, he can't open the cap yet. At bedtime, we sit him up on the sink and put a little paste on his brush and we brush with another toothbrush. He'd eat the Colgate if he could!

Words

It has been quiet here, so no new pictures to post. Russell and I have been on a few playdates with our other mom/baby friends. Dan is either working or sleeping or relaxing.

Russell is getting quite insistant lately, when he wants something- like going to the park. He'll grab his shoes from the shoe box at the front door and bring them to me so I'll put them on his feet. Then, he'll march over to his stroller and tug at it. The sound of jingling car keys is also his sign to grab his shoes.

Russell is also recognizing words and we have to spell them if we don't want him to know:

-park
-shoes
-milk
-go
-bath
-nap
-cookie
-dog
-cat

He doesn't say too much but we understand his sounds for: 'mom, dad, oh wow, oh no, Noah, dog, and duck'.

That is all for now in the Russell-Report!

Colorado Trip

Dan's family: us, Jon & (sister) Carolyn (hat, red shirt), (sister) Bev & Kurt & kids (12, 10, 8), and his parents. Bev & Kurt hosted a family BBQ on Friday night. It has been the first time we've all been together since Carolyn's wedding in 2004!




On Saturday, we drove with Kurt & Bev up north. Their property is about 5 miles from the Wyoming border. The lot is 35 acres and is beautiful. It is easy to imagine the 'olden days' when one is in that environment. In fact, Chimney Rock is nearby and it was once a marker for the 'Pony Express' of yesteryear.



Camp Kniegge. The trailer is 30 years old but provides a small kitchen and a dry roof in case of rain. We slept in the trailer and the Kniegge family braved the cold night air outside. Russell ended up sleeping with me in my sleeping bag since it got so cold at night and he was shivering.

The future outhouse. The earth was so hard, Dan and Kurt returned later in the week with equipment to dig a larger/deeper hole. In the meantime, Russell loved to climb in/out of it!




Lunch time!

Cousins together:-)

Krystal and Russell hangin' out...

Us:-)



At first, Russell didn't know what a lollipop was, but once he sucked on it, he wouldn't let it go until it was finished.


Pool time!

Ruth Graham

"I am so grateful to the Lord that he gave me Ruth, and especially for these last few years we've had in the mountains together. We've rekindled the romance of our youth, and my love for her continued to grow deeper every day. I will miss her terribly, and look forward even more to the day I can join her in Heaven." -Billy Graham

Colorado

We're leaving on Friday for 7 days in Colorado! We'll be meeting with Dan's sisters and their families and his parents. Hopefully, we'll get some fun pictures of the family and will be back later next week to post.

Now, off to Target to find a harness for Russell...

Maria van Dop (Dec. 25, 1924 - June 3, 2007): Faithful Servant

Four generations: 1924, 1953, 1979, 2006

This morning, my Grandma van Dop passed away. How can such simple words carry such heaviness? Last week she went into the hospital for kidney stone removal but her kidneys shut down and on Saturday her heart began to fail. My Mom knew that Grandma wanted to go to her heavenly Home.
My siblings and I have many memories of the Farm out in the Fraser Valley in B.C. We visited at least once a year and Grandma made many trips to the Island to stay with us as well. She always called us her little 'monkeys' and now as a mother, I understand why.

Grandma was always a prayer warrior for her children and grandchildren and her faithfulness to her Lord was a testimony to her life. She loved her family and did the best with what she had.

We last visited with Grandma in December at the van Dop Christmas celebration. She had her four children and their spouses, and ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild all together. How grateful we are for our godly heritage and the investment she made in our lives. What a legacy to leave behind!

We know Grandma is now at home in Heaven and we rejoice for her ultimate healing, but please especially pray for my mom and her sister and brothers and they mourn their mother, and us, our grandmother. How she will be missed...

Connections

We've never been interested in using MySpace or Facebook but a couple of days ago, a friend of Dan's from his LeTourneau University days 'invited' him to join a page of LU classmates. So Dan joined. He's enjoyed reminising about the days of old and I've enjoyed seeing pictures of his university days.

Out of curiousity, I wanted to check to see if there were any old classmates from my high-school and university years as well. My 10 year reunion is this summer in Duncan, B.C. and we're hoping to go. I was suprised to see so many from '97 on Facebook. So, if I've been linked to your page, please understand I've just connected to see some old classmates and where time has taken us in the last 10 years!

We hope to take off from August 3-16th. The reunion is August 11th.