And So It Has Begun

School has started for Jon and he already switched one class after seeing the work load involved. Knowing that this quarter is going to be crazy with our second service starting on October 9, Jon knew he could do without a professor handing him a zillion tedious papers and projects. It is unfortunate because it looked like a really interesting class that I personally would have enjoyed (Child Formation) and I could have possibly attended a few (Fuller wives can take any class for a mere $25) if I could find someone to take the kiddo's. Oh well, maybe next quarter!

We are really excited to start this second service. It will be called VSN (Vineyard Sunday Night), just like it was in Atlanta. This will be an alternative service to Sunday morning, but not specified as a Young Adult service. We aticipate there to be more young blood than old, but old is welcome too! I think this will help the awkward feeling of how we are conected to the church as a whole. We are very much connected and Pastor Floyd (Senior Pastor) will be speaking once a month. For now, Jon is running around with his posters and pockets filled with flyers handing them to anything that breaths--man, is he good or what? NO wonder people will come on the first night! GO baby GO!

I just started teaching my first Bradley Method Childbirth series. I ahve had 2 classes so far and they have gone great. The two couples that I am teaching are really fun and I can just be myself. I cannot think of anything that I am nrevous about from here on out. I think I got all my ijtters out in the first class. Aftet that, nothing seems so bad. Now I just need to start making some fat cash for our family....that is the plan anyway!

I was planning one babysitting in the nursery for the the moms that attend the Fuller Wives support group. Unfortunatley they will not allow anyone with more than 1 child babysit because they are concerned that my focus will be on my own children! (Boy, they don't know me....if I have a chance to let another teacher take Judah for 3 hours, you better believe I am not focused on him.....) This is very unfortunate actually because moms who stay home would love the opportunity to make a few extra bucks for coffee or a date night with their husband! In the meantime, I have seen posters up all over stating how desparate this group of women is for babysitters! Sad!

Well, I turn 28 this year. October 16. Boss' Day. If you are moved to buy me a gift, my address is 296 N. Oakland Ave. #9 Pasadena, CA 91101. I accept Starbucks Card, Target Card and Cold Hard Cash in a Card.

I think this is the only family photo we have...pathetic. 

Things You Don't Know About Your Husband

Once in a while Jon will share a story or something from the pulpit that I am absolutley clueless on. It could be a childhood story or maybe something he was thinking about that week that he failed to mention....sometimes I chuckle and others make me say"Jon Maurer!" in my mind....regardless, it is always fun to hear new things about the man I love at random moments.

Last night Jon kept asking if I would make chocolate Chip cookies for him, I did not feel the best so I suggested that he make them. He looked at me and said, "Okay, how?" I replied "You are kidding me right? The directions are on the back of the chips!" He said, "They are?" To which I replied, "You have never made cookies before?" ...."Nope."

I feel like I should have known this. I guess that is the reason I have made the cookies for the past 4 years, but I thought everyone knew how to make them...

He knows now...

Randomness

Creed won. I picked him up after 25 minutes of screaming and nursed him. Not only that, but I pulled him into bed with me. Hmmmm. What do you think I just taught him? If he screams long and loud he gets to eat all night and sleep in my bed. Oh well. They are little for such a short time.

Judah informed me last night that his fever was going down as he lifted his shirt a did hand motions downward. It was cute and very apparent that he does not get what a fever going down means.

Judah has been pretending a lot lately. Today he accidently slammed his head into my nose and instead of kissing it, he licked it. Jon asked him what he was doing and he said "That's a dog kiss!" Ew.

I'm Whipped.

So tonight Creed is over tired and crying a lot. I nursed him to sleep and put him in bed only for him to wake just as I laid him down. Of course he knows how to get to me by crying extremely hard and so I picked him up again and got him to sleep and laid him down again...you guessed it. He woke again only this time even more upset than before. But, I will have you know, I am a tired mommy tonight and I am actually letting him scream while I write this...am I strong or what? Or what. Wait....he is settling a bit....a miracle might be around the corner... and for those of you who were close to me when Judah was a babe, this is the exact reason that he and I did not sleep through the night until he was 14 months old. Hmmmm. You think I would have learned.

Fall Cleaning

For us though, it isn't necessarily fall cleaning, it is just cleaning and organizing because we can't stand it anymore. If you have known me for any long period of time, my room was an absolute disaster growing up. I haven't changed much which means in a nut shell that I am a terrible house-wife. I am changing though. I have kept the kitchen clear, the living room picked up and the kids room clean for a while now. Now it comes down to what it always has....my room. What a mess. Jon and I are fed up with our bad habits and therefore we are taking our week of vacation to organize all the way down to the nitty gritty (cabinets and drawers!) After that I plan to make signs to hang all over as reminders to us to keep everything straight and neat to the best of our ability....we will let you know how the plan works. Gotta run, we are in the mode.

yummy. 

Daddy and Creed getting some reading in before class starts. 

Judah thought putting sticky paper all over was absolutley hilarious! Had to be here I guess... 

Creed cannot stand to be very far behind Judah. He has been pulling up on everything lately. He is 6mo. for those of you who do not know. 

Blowing raspberries....one of his favorites right now... 

This is how we do laundry....Creed likes the ride down to the laundry room.... 

Time Sure Does Fly

I was looking at photos and video of us a year ago when we got here. I got bit choked up looking at Judah and how small he was. The thing that gets me is that he seemed so big at the time and now looking back, I see how little and sweet he was. This year poses a whole new dynamic and I am really looking forward to all the moments we will capture and share, but as I look back I am reminded to cherish these days with my children. They really do fly by. People say that for a reason.

Jon starts class in 2 weeks. He is really pumped. We also start an alternative service on Sunday nights starting October 9, 2005 at the Arcadia Church where Jon is the Associate Pastor. We are excited to get it started, although it will and a whole new twist on our already over-filled lives. I am praying that God sends free interns to run childrens and youth so that Jon can really focus on the second service. We are eager to incorporate the arts into our service on all levels. It will feel refreshing I think.

I am teaching my first class next Sunday. Pray for me. I know that if nothing else, I have had 2 more babies than the couples I am teaching. Who knew that I would be this passionate about seeing babies being born to well educated parents on the subject of labor, as well as un medicated births and breastfeeding. I think if you would have told me that in high school I would have looked at you funny and been a little surprised. I had no clue what to expect during pregnancy, non-the-less labor and post partum. I ook forward to teaching dad's how to coach moms and to attending as many births as I can...it is such a miracle! Maybe someday I will be a midwife, who knows!

For now, those of you who know me, pray that I can be organized enough to teach well and clearly relay the material to these couples...thanks.

Phrases I Have Enjoyed Lately

Judah is a ham. Here are a few of his statements this week:
"God sees us. He is in my room."
After falling and hurting his knee..."God made the ground really hard."
After bumping into my knee..."That's like a concrete slab!"
"Oh Gosh" (My fault...we are trying to avoid that one)
"Where is Jesus Mom? I can't see him anywhere!"
"The sun went down, where does it go?"
Pretending with daddy..."There's a kangaroo in the road!"

These are only a few, and I am sure I will think of a ton more that are even funnier after I post this, but I wanted to make sure I recorded them...

4th Anniversary....Jon rocks. He took me to Catilina Island. SO FUN! 

Boat ride home from Catilina Island. 

Bright and early and up for a breakfast run with daddy! 

woe baby! 

still laughing... 

Cheese! 

My cuties. 

No words....too cute.