What's for Dinner?

Mad New Skills

I'd like to take a minute to congratulate myself for teaching her this oh-so-cute skill. I guess she really is paying attention. Hmm. Guess I'll have to start watching what other skills I might be teaching her as well...

Wordless Wednesday: Taylor Christmas Preview

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

"Life as Usual"

Lately, life has been a bit of a struggle for us. Although Mia brings us more joy than we could ever have imagined, we've had to face many difficult circumstances since our return from Ethiopia. The biggest by far is that Travis' dad is now on hospice care at home, and among his many responsibilities to photography, youth ministry, and school, Travis is trying desperately to spend as much time with his father as he can. Likewise, I've been spending a lot of time at home with Mia, an adjustment in itself for a once career girl. I'm not exactly sure what "life as usual" looks like yet, but one area in my life that has suffered tremendously is my walk with God. I'm almost ashamed to admit how dry a valley I've been in lately. Going to Africa was certainly a life changing, God-filled experience. If you've followed my blog for awhile, you might remember my post from our last night in Ethiopia. I meant every word of that entry, but as time goes on at home, I feel my heart becoming more calloused to what I saw and experienced. I feel as if life in bountiful America is sapping God's spirit away. No more.

Tonight, I leave you with a video that truly describes the things we saw. Yes, there is poverty. Yes, there are a staggering number of orphans that need forever families. Yes, there is disease. But there is also hope and joy that doesn't come from any kind of material possessions or status or power. Their identity isn't wrapped up in where they live, what they do, or what they have. Their joy is found in the Lord our God, and I confess that I want to be out of this dry land and back into His presence.

Our First Halloween

I've been anticipating this Halloween for months now; it was so exciting to finally have a child and join in the trick or treating fun. After we made the rounds to all the grandparents, we ended up at my Dad & Marilyn's and trick or treated with our niece and nephew, Cassidy and Will. I have to confess that we only made it to 3 or 4 houses before we turned back; who were we kidding? The candy was all for us anyway! But it was fun to show off our adorable little penguin.

She's already a ham for the camera!

Trick or treating with Daddy

Mommy loves her penguin!

Why We Love Baby Einstein

I recently heard about a class action lawsuit brought against the Baby Einstein Company (now part of the Disney conglomerate). Parents were suing because they felt the Baby Einstein DVDs hadn't made their kids any smarter. Apparently they won because you can now receive an exchange or even refund for some of your DVDs. Yes, only in America can you sue because a DVD didn't make your kid any smarter...couldn't have been the lack of parental interaction, could it?
In our house, though, we love Baby Einstein. I'm not sure it is making Mia any smarter (how could you really measure this anyway?) but she loves watching it, especially the puppets (as shown in the video below). We love it because it's the one thing that will totally entertain her by herself for a few minutes, which gives Mommy and/or Daddy a break to wash bottles, eat lunch, whatever. And really, anything that makes her giggle like this had us at hello (or bonjour, hola...)

Wordless Wednesday