Ah-batta boom

Grape Nut is kicking so much these days it's easy for Joshua to feel her moving around. His expressions are great, though difficult to get on camera. This picture is as close as we've come.

Please keep praying that Grape Nut stays inside Mommy. I'm 34.5 weeks (out of 40). 37 weeks (around May 23rd) is our "green light", meaning that the lungs and everything else are developed and it is safe for the baby to enter our world. Lots of Braxton Hicks ("practice" contractions) have been happening and they are starting to become uncomfortable and more regular- as in, every five minutes sometimes.

Joel and I also need God's direction and wisdom on whether we should schedule an induction date in Duluth. The labor with Emily Grace was only 2-4 hours long and two pushes. That's pretty fast, especially when Duluth is two hours away, even in an ambulance. (Duluth has the closest, capable health care for high risk mommies like me)

A New Niece!

Ryan (Renee's brother) and Emily had their baby this evening in Minneapolis, Minnesota!

Name: Evelyn Madeline

May 3, 2009 6:08 p.m.

She weighed 7 lb 11 oz and is 20 3/4 inches long.

Mommy and Daddy are doing great!

Spring Hike at Oberg Mountain

It Finally Happened.

Three car seats DID fit in the back seat of our 1999 Plymouth Neon. But alas, the only way all three fit was with the infant car seat in the middle. Can you imagine hauling a 20 pound car seat in and out and over the back seat? No way. That's asking for a worse back than Joel and I already have. Thus, prayers for wisdom and direction to Jesus concerning a mini van were common around our household for awhile.

Joel did the research on the internet. Found ONE Toyota mini van for sale in Duluth from a private seller within our price range. Joel sent them an email asking a few questions. They called us 15 minutes later.

Over the phone Joel guessed they were Christians. We all drove down to Duluth a few days later to check out the van for sale. The wife was pregnant with her sixth child, thus the reason for selling the van (the van only seats 7 people). The husband was looking for a "beater car" to run around town with. Well! The husband drove our Neon and we drove their van for a test ride. Thirty minutes later: we pull into the family's driveway, Joel and the husband have the SAME numbers in their head, a quick chat between the husband and wife, and lo and behold we had a car swap. But the tension is rising because I have a haircut appointment in 15 minutes. We need to GO.

Hey no problem- the DMV is right next to Younker's where I'm getting my hair done. One hour, a slow hairdresser- but a believer all the same!- and two great kids (yes, mine) later...the van was ours, the Neon was theirs. Everyone was happy. Except for our tummies because it was 1:30 and we hadn't eaten lunch yet!

It was a good day.

Let me tell you about Ellie Red Car. It's a luxury vehicle with power everything. High miles, but mostly highway miles, 2004 Toyota Sienna. It's a vehicle that makes people feel spoiled, and I'm doing my best to feel completely grateful to Jesus and not be embarrassed with such a nice vehicle. The kids love it, they can open and close the doors themselves...by pushing a button. KerChow!

Bemidji!

Welcome to Bemidji!

Joel and the guys he works with, ended up working in North Dakota this past week, so myself (Renee) and the kids stayed in Bemidji, MN with our good friends, Mark, Kelley, Oliver (3) and Karis (almost 8 mo). It worked out well for our family to travel to Bemidji on Sunday and then Joel's boss picked him up Monday mid-morning to travel the rest of the way to Cando, ND, another five hours away. While they were slaving away on the boss' mom's house (re-roofing), the kids and I had a great time...

Dressing up in Oliver's random, rad garage sale "halloween" costumes, a dinosaur and a crayon: (Oliver had a Spiderman costume, but I didn't get a picture of it)

Joshua's Dinosaur face:

Rachel in her crayon costume with baby Karis:

Besides swimming, eating, playing, talking, laughing, being outside, grocery shopping (yes even that was fun, especially when you buy choc chip cookie dough ice cream and donuts), another highlight of the week was horseback riding. One of Kelley's friends here in Bemidji (well, outside of Bemidji...) has a few horses and a pony. The kids had great fun running around, brushing the pony, and yes, riding the pony.

Joshua letting the pony munch on some grass:

Rachel holding a horse brush:

Here, Rachel is sitting on the pony just before she went for a ride (yes, those are pink cowgirl boots):

Kelley and her daughter Karis:

Here is a video of Joshua riding the pony. (it's a little long but Mommy was proud!)

When Joel got back from ND, we took the four kids on a walk to give Mark and Kelley a break. Here is where we ended up:
Paul Bunyan of course!

And his blue ox:

It was a great week. We are so grateful for friends, and how God is still providing work for Joel and the crew he works with. On the way back home on Thursday we even got to meet up with friends, Amy and Henry, whom we haven't seen in just over a year.