Today was Easter Sunday, 2008. And an unconventional one at that!
Our festivities were cancelled because of rampant sickness in my family. I have 4 siblings and one member of each family except one was sick. What are the odds?!
So, we went to church last night and stayed home today. That was weird in and of itself, not going to church on a bright Easter Sunday morning.
Jak didn't even get to wear his sweet little seersucker suit today! I'll have to take a picture of him and post it some other day.
The one normal part of our day was Jak finding his Easter basket underneath Mom's kitchen table. He gently crawled under and grabbed it and brought it out to look at its contents. Then he played with his new Tonka and Matchbox cars throughout the day. Very cute.
I'm thankful that even though it was an "abnormal" Easter for us, the wonderful fact remains that Jesus died for me and for you so that we might live forever, with Him. How awesome is His love for us. Happy Easter!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Spring Fever in a Bad Way
It's been years since I've been sick. Years. I'd like it to be a bunch more before it happens again.
I was excited about my haircut on Tuesday until I woke that morning. I could feel the sickness coming along and hoped that it wasn't going to be too bad. Little did I know...
I had the flu this week. It was terrible. I don't think I've ever been so sick in my life. I know it was bound to happen with all the running I've been doing, but still, I didn't expect it to be soo bad.
I prayed that Jeff, Jak and Mom wouldn't get it and so far, they haven't. Mom was going between me and my sister all week, taking care of both of us since we had the same thing. Now, my niece and brother have it, yuck.
I still sound awful but at least I feel OK. If I had to get sick, I'm glad it was now and not last week while moving or next week while cleaing and painting the new house. This was terrible!
I was excited about my haircut on Tuesday until I woke that morning. I could feel the sickness coming along and hoped that it wasn't going to be too bad. Little did I know...
I had the flu this week. It was terrible. I don't think I've ever been so sick in my life. I know it was bound to happen with all the running I've been doing, but still, I didn't expect it to be soo bad.
I prayed that Jeff, Jak and Mom wouldn't get it and so far, they haven't. Mom was going between me and my sister all week, taking care of both of us since we had the same thing. Now, my niece and brother have it, yuck.
I still sound awful but at least I feel OK. If I had to get sick, I'm glad it was now and not last week while moving or next week while cleaing and painting the new house. This was terrible!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Prayer Requests
I still long to write about the move but I have no strength.
Until then, please pray:
-that my flu goes away quickly
It is kicking my butt. I'm not sure I've ever been so sick in my life. Thankfully Jeff, Jak and Mom are clear of it, so far.
-that my family stays healthy as we continue to transition
-that I would get some good sleep.
Thank you so much.
Until then, please pray:
-that my flu goes away quickly
It is kicking my butt. I'm not sure I've ever been so sick in my life. Thankfully Jeff, Jak and Mom are clear of it, so far.
-that my family stays healthy as we continue to transition
-that I would get some good sleep.
Thank you so much.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Moving Day
We have arrived. Ahh. We are completely exhausted but feel good that the first leg of the move is over. I'll write more soon.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Last Days
Well, this week has been crazy. Here's how it started:
We went to Bay Area one last time to say goodbye to our church friends, but didn't see too many people. That was OK, it was still good to go. One of the things that I love about BACC is the worship. Marshall Drake is the leader and really allows the Spirit to take lead as he leads us in song. Jeff and I love it.
As we were singing, I thought of how much I'd miss this part of BACC. Wouldn't you know, as soon as we were done, the pastor came up and announced that the Drake's were moving back to their hometown in California! Ha! Guess I wouldn't be missing out on much!
After that, we dropped off our friend Jennifer at the train station. She was here for about 4 days, and was a tremendous help around here. Jak gained a new friend and nanny :), and we all got a ton done around here with packing and sorting. Jen is also moving to CA with the family she nanny's for, so we aren't sure when we'll see her next.
On to the Knapp's for family dinner on Sunday night. JoAnn made Jeff and I our favorite things and it was delicious. She even made Jeff a strawberry rhubarb pie, complete with vanilla ice cream. It's his favorite.
Monday we had our prenatal appointment with Evelyn. It was the last time we'd see her, too, so we brought her some pretty flowers and made her cry. I cried a bit too. I really love her, she is just so special. She said as many families as she cares for, there are always a few who stick out and stay close to her heart. We are one of them. We share her love for the Lord and babies of course, and she is just so sad to see us go. I promised up-to-date information on baby #2 as well as normal life stuff so that she could keep up. We'll miss her greatly.
Monday didn't come without hitches, though. Jeff woke and could hardly move, he had a muscle spasm and it was bad. I had never seen him like this. All I could think of was "how are we going to pack the truck on Thursday??" He could barely bend. Add to that that we had to go to the hospital for an echo and sonogram for the baby and it became a week from you know where. We didn't have time for all of this extra stuff!
Tuesday came and after a couple of hot baths, Jeff's back was doing better. He says it's still sore and stiff but he can at least lift and bend. Thank God! And our tests with the baby went well. Evelyn detected an arrhythmia on Monday and wanted to take precaution so we had to follow up at the hospital Tuesday. We got to see the baby again, and he is head down which makes me very happy! All of his movements and practice breathing patterns looked good, and there was a normal amount of fluid as well. I was hooked up to the machine for about 30 minutes as they monitored his heartbeat. He never had a missed or fast beat, so they said he was perfectly healthy. Sometimes the arrhthmia can be caused by eating or drinking something with caffiene in it, or a cold or virus, etc., and it's nothing to worry about as long as it doesn't continue. This was the first time it showed up and it was gone the following day, so we're all set. Phew! I was beginning to wonder what would happen with the moving plans should I have to have stayed in the hospital or something.
Now that all of that extra stress is over with, we are gearing up for tomorrow. The truck will be loaded and as the house is emptied, I'll clean it. Then, we head to the Knapp's before we leave for NY on Friday. I can't beleive it's already here. These months have flown by and as I look back on the years spent praying that we could go back to "where we belong" as Jeff puts it, I am amazed at how God has put it all together.
And, to top it all off for the week, JoAnn arranged to take off for 3 days to watch Jak at her house! What a gift!!!! It's so nice to not have to worry about schedules and such while trying to get things done. This was a lifesaver for us, especially with having to go to Baltimore and Jeff not knowing how his back would be. Thank you so much Grandma Knapp! I'm sure Jak is loving the extra special attention. :)
So, that's where we're at right now. A busy week about to get busier. Then we'll have a few weeks of down time before we get into our house, and we'll be back at it again: loading and unloading the truck, painting, cleaning, decorating, etc. Then a few more weeks of down time before baby arrives. Crazy!
But through it all, one thing remains: God is so good to us!
We went to Bay Area one last time to say goodbye to our church friends, but didn't see too many people. That was OK, it was still good to go. One of the things that I love about BACC is the worship. Marshall Drake is the leader and really allows the Spirit to take lead as he leads us in song. Jeff and I love it.
As we were singing, I thought of how much I'd miss this part of BACC. Wouldn't you know, as soon as we were done, the pastor came up and announced that the Drake's were moving back to their hometown in California! Ha! Guess I wouldn't be missing out on much!
After that, we dropped off our friend Jennifer at the train station. She was here for about 4 days, and was a tremendous help around here. Jak gained a new friend and nanny :), and we all got a ton done around here with packing and sorting. Jen is also moving to CA with the family she nanny's for, so we aren't sure when we'll see her next.
On to the Knapp's for family dinner on Sunday night. JoAnn made Jeff and I our favorite things and it was delicious. She even made Jeff a strawberry rhubarb pie, complete with vanilla ice cream. It's his favorite.
Monday we had our prenatal appointment with Evelyn. It was the last time we'd see her, too, so we brought her some pretty flowers and made her cry. I cried a bit too. I really love her, she is just so special. She said as many families as she cares for, there are always a few who stick out and stay close to her heart. We are one of them. We share her love for the Lord and babies of course, and she is just so sad to see us go. I promised up-to-date information on baby #2 as well as normal life stuff so that she could keep up. We'll miss her greatly.
Monday didn't come without hitches, though. Jeff woke and could hardly move, he had a muscle spasm and it was bad. I had never seen him like this. All I could think of was "how are we going to pack the truck on Thursday??" He could barely bend. Add to that that we had to go to the hospital for an echo and sonogram for the baby and it became a week from you know where. We didn't have time for all of this extra stuff!
Tuesday came and after a couple of hot baths, Jeff's back was doing better. He says it's still sore and stiff but he can at least lift and bend. Thank God! And our tests with the baby went well. Evelyn detected an arrhythmia on Monday and wanted to take precaution so we had to follow up at the hospital Tuesday. We got to see the baby again, and he is head down which makes me very happy! All of his movements and practice breathing patterns looked good, and there was a normal amount of fluid as well. I was hooked up to the machine for about 30 minutes as they monitored his heartbeat. He never had a missed or fast beat, so they said he was perfectly healthy. Sometimes the arrhthmia can be caused by eating or drinking something with caffiene in it, or a cold or virus, etc., and it's nothing to worry about as long as it doesn't continue. This was the first time it showed up and it was gone the following day, so we're all set. Phew! I was beginning to wonder what would happen with the moving plans should I have to have stayed in the hospital or something.
Now that all of that extra stress is over with, we are gearing up for tomorrow. The truck will be loaded and as the house is emptied, I'll clean it. Then, we head to the Knapp's before we leave for NY on Friday. I can't beleive it's already here. These months have flown by and as I look back on the years spent praying that we could go back to "where we belong" as Jeff puts it, I am amazed at how God has put it all together.
And, to top it all off for the week, JoAnn arranged to take off for 3 days to watch Jak at her house! What a gift!!!! It's so nice to not have to worry about schedules and such while trying to get things done. This was a lifesaver for us, especially with having to go to Baltimore and Jeff not knowing how his back would be. Thank you so much Grandma Knapp! I'm sure Jak is loving the extra special attention. :)
So, that's where we're at right now. A busy week about to get busier. Then we'll have a few weeks of down time before we get into our house, and we'll be back at it again: loading and unloading the truck, painting, cleaning, decorating, etc. Then a few more weeks of down time before baby arrives. Crazy!
But through it all, one thing remains: God is so good to us!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Maryland
Things I will miss about living in the "Old Line State":
These are in no particular order, and are just some of the things off the top of my head. This is an incomplete list, but fun just the same!
Downtown Annapolis
Belle
cool stores and eateries
crab cakes from Timbuktu
being close to DC even though we didn't get there often
water
my awesome kitchen
watching Jak play with his first friend, Abigayle
my soaking tub
warmer weather
springtime beauty
Evelyn, our wonderful midwife
living in a teeny-tiny town (it's kinda nice, actually)
Things I won't miss so much:
warmer weather (translation: HOT weather once May hits)
lack of snow
crazy drivers
congestion no matter where you go
never knowing where I am if I venture out too far
taking at least 25 minutes to get anywhere worthwile (worthwile to me)
not having babysitters
being able to afford only one car (freedom is calling my name!!)
wierd sayings and slight accents associated only to Marylanders
being a Bills fan in Ravens territory
not being able to catch a Sabres game--ever!
strange insects
driving back and forth to Buffalo every 3 months or so to stay connected
These are in no particular order, and are just some of the things off the top of my head. This is an incomplete list, but fun just the same!
Downtown Annapolis
Belle
cool stores and eateries
crab cakes from Timbuktu
being close to DC even though we didn't get there often
water
my awesome kitchen
watching Jak play with his first friend, Abigayle
my soaking tub
warmer weather
springtime beauty
Evelyn, our wonderful midwife
living in a teeny-tiny town (it's kinda nice, actually)
Things I won't miss so much:
warmer weather (translation: HOT weather once May hits)
lack of snow
crazy drivers
congestion no matter where you go
never knowing where I am if I venture out too far
taking at least 25 minutes to get anywhere worthwile (worthwile to me)
not having babysitters
being able to afford only one car (freedom is calling my name!!)
wierd sayings and slight accents associated only to Marylanders
being a Bills fan in Ravens territory
not being able to catch a Sabres game--ever!
strange insects
driving back and forth to Buffalo every 3 months or so to stay connected
At A Loss for Words
I can't think of enough words to describe how I am feeling these days. I don't know that there is even a word in the English language that can possibly convey the way I feel.
God has completely wowed us once again. I have to spend some more time thinking about it but for right now, I could safely say that I have never been so wowed in my life. That's saying a lot, because I've seen Him work and move and have been amazed and stunned at various points in my life. But, this time, there's something different. I can't quite place my finger on it just yet, but soon I'll be able to. I can't wait to have some time to write about it.
Jeff was offered a job today, as a result of an interview he had last Thursday. We knew that this opportunity was a gift from God; this interview just fell into his lap. We trusted that no matter what, things would turn out fine. We weren't sure how it'd all take place, but we knew that something bigger was at work than just us.
But now, having seen how it's all played out has just completely put us in awe!
We have certainly been on a journey here in Maryland. The past two years here have been long and tough. I can't say we've been completely faithful, completely trusting and completely patient during the journey. We haven't. But even though we have failed miserably at times, our God still loves us and is faithful through it all.
He amazes me. It's utterly indescribable.
God has completely wowed us once again. I have to spend some more time thinking about it but for right now, I could safely say that I have never been so wowed in my life. That's saying a lot, because I've seen Him work and move and have been amazed and stunned at various points in my life. But, this time, there's something different. I can't quite place my finger on it just yet, but soon I'll be able to. I can't wait to have some time to write about it.
Jeff was offered a job today, as a result of an interview he had last Thursday. We knew that this opportunity was a gift from God; this interview just fell into his lap. We trusted that no matter what, things would turn out fine. We weren't sure how it'd all take place, but we knew that something bigger was at work than just us.
But now, having seen how it's all played out has just completely put us in awe!
We have certainly been on a journey here in Maryland. The past two years here have been long and tough. I can't say we've been completely faithful, completely trusting and completely patient during the journey. We haven't. But even though we have failed miserably at times, our God still loves us and is faithful through it all.
He amazes me. It's utterly indescribable.
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