Glimpses from the Morse Clan

Enjoying the Fruits of the Season

2009-08-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

In the past couple of years Kevin and I have begun to shop at local farmer's markets (our favorite is the Bardstown Road one on Saturdays). Through some books we've read, and maybe just growing older, we are desiring to support local businesses and farmers more and more. It's just so great to be able to walk up to someone's booth and purchase the fruits of their hard work all year, and to be able to reward them (slightly). It's also great to be able to get to know these people and form relationships with them. So, with no further ado, here is a recipe for Zucchini bars that we have been gobbling up this week. The Zucchini was purchased from a farmer's market that is located in the United Methodist Church's parking lot on Frankfort Ave. I know for sure that the market is there on Mondays, and may also be there Fridays.

Zucchini Bars

3 eggs
1 cp butter, softened (oil could be used instead)
1 1/2 cp sugar
2 t. vanilla
Mix above ingredients with mixer.
Mix in:
2 1/3 cp flour
1/4 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
Mix above ingredients, and finally mix in:
2 cp. grated Zucchini

Spread the batter in a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for about 25-30 min, or until done in center.

Frosting:

One block of cream cheese, beaten
1/4 cp. butter, softened
2 t. vanilla

Beat above ingredients, and add in:

2-3 cps confectioners sugar
2-4 T. milk

After the cake has cooled frost with the cream cheese frosting. Or cut individual pieces when still warm and put a spoonful of frosting on each piece as needed.

It's All Greek To Me

2009-08-04T19:18:00.000-07:00

The rain kind of through us all out of whack today, and although I went grocery shopping, I failed to plan and make dinner! So, after finding our favorite back-up dinner place not answering their phone, we got in the car and ended up at a new restaurant on Frankfort Ave. "It's All Greek To Me" is a cute little hole in the wall cafe that has taken up residence in the Wine Rack's old premises. At first when Kevin and I got our Gyros home and unwrapped them we were a little dissapointed because the chicken was just regular old chicken breast strips. But after we had a bite there was no turning back. The chicken was tender and flavorful, and the tzatziki sauce was excellent! There were many delicious things to choose from on the menu, and there was even a little fridge full of sides. Also, we paid $20 to feed all four of us with some rice to spare for tomorrow. So if you are looking for a quick bite to eat, some flavorful food, and need to stay in budget this is a great place to start. However, ideally it would be more budget minded to just plan your meal and wake up from your nap in time to cook it yourself. =)

Rainy Day

2009-08-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I was awoken by Ruth, my 3 year old, around 5:30 a.m. due to a thunderstorm. She used to scream and cry when it thundered, but I think she's growing out of that stage now and just needs to be close to us when she hears it. It can be a little trying sometimes. =) But, since she won't be doing this when she is 16 (hopefully), then I will enjoy it while it lasts.
We are supposed to go grocery shopping today, and it is raining again. This day is definitely not going as I would have liked. But, usually when my plans don't work out that means God has a greater plan for the day. So, pray for me as I seek to do what He has for me. He knows we need to go to the store, but He also knows every other factor and need that I have not thought of. Thanks be unto Him, for His infinite wisdom and patience toward us!

The Clan Blog is Back!

2009-04-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

Back by popular demand, we have returned to Clan Morse Blog. We got so caught up in the Facebook craze that we have neglected those who are out in the nether reaches of the internet and to you, we are sorry. So, here is what we have been up to in the past few months!

We have been pondering deep thoughts:

We have been having good times:

We have been growing new teeth:

And, doing this:

More New Pics

2009-04-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

I really can't think of a caption for this one. 'Ridiculous'?

Ruth's Birthday Cupcake. She lost it when everyone sang Happy Birthday to her.

The Clan:

The first warm day of spring and we're at the park!

We're Back

2009-04-22T16:52:00.000-07:00

It was a little cold on that day:

Just the two of us:

Fun with some of the cousins! Fire!

Those two look like trouble!

Punkin' Pickin'!

2008-10-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

Today we went punkin' pickin' with Nana and Papa and had a blast! Some highlights were: the petting zoo, port-a-potties, a tractor ride to the pumpkin patch, a good old fashioned southern fried lunch, peanut butter fudge, and pumpkin pie. We ate a lot. Some not so great points were: the port-a-potties, the bumpy ride to the pumpkin patch, no naps, and no naps again. The girls really did well for not sleeping all day, although when we got home 6 hours later things began to fall apart! We had a great time with Nana and Papa, and hope to take Daddy there next week during fall break (yes!!!).

Lazy Summer Days

2008-09-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

We got the frog pool out again (it had been put away since we traveled to Nashville last month), and the girls didn't care that it had birdseed in it. They had a blast, and Sophie very quickly found out how easy it was to escape: just slide that wet swimsuit right over the sides!

The Frog

2008-07-09T16:06:00.000-07:00

These pictures really are self explanatory. We got a pool. The pool looks like a frog. I, Kevin, have no comment on the frog pool. Ruth wasn't sure at first of the frog pool, but she likes it. So I guess we'll keep it.

Sophie's Reading Hour

2008-07-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hey there! Sophie here. Why don't you come back when it's a little bit less, uhm, crowded in here, if you know what I mean!

Oh good! You came back. Would you like to sit down and read with me? I love to read.

This particular work is one of my favorites. This is my third time through it. The character development is fantastic!

The end, it always gets me though! So rich, so deep! Alas!

The Shepherd of the Morning

2008-06-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Shepherd of the Morning

Poor, weak, hopeless and frail,
Little orphaned Lamb you begin the day
Alone, and on a cruel dark trail,
Blind helpless lost, you have no way.

But Lo! There is a Shepherd sure,
Who guides, protects and keeps secure.
He knows the way to sweet green hills,
A hard lonely path where lambs are killed.
A lamb without a Shepherd there
Would surely die in sin’s despair.

Justice the Wolf, he lies in wait,
From his fell teeth is no escape.
But for a lamb rescue is found
In this Shepherd safe and sound.
For Shepherd Jesus fully met
The need of Justice in His death.
He fully met and soundly beat
Death in His death, so we might see
Those sweet green hills, that morning dew,
A flock of sheep that were made new.

For that Shepherd not only died,
Beaten, whipped, and crucified.
He died and then He rose again
To meet God’s justice, pay for sins.
The sins of sheep within his flock,
The sins of those who cannot stop.
For our great Shepherd we are blessed,
Since we’re clothed in His righteousness.

And such a coat cannot be sheared,
Little lamb there is but this one light,
That in His coat you need not fear,
It is warm and safe in this Dark Night.

Why......?

2008-06-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

Not so long ago...

2008-06-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

My parents sent me this picture of Ruth's namesake, Evangeline Ruth, and her Great Grandpa, Poppy. I love pictures of couples as they are just married. All the stress of the wedding fades away, and it's like it suddenly hits them that they have received what they've been waiting for for so long. Marriage is such a blessing from the Lord, and I'm so thankful for my own sweetheart. I'm also thankful for my grandparent's marriage; without which, I would not be here.

Welcome , Isaac!

2008-06-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

This is my new little second cousin (though I consider him more of a nephew!), Isaac. He belongs to my sweet cousin and her husband, Christy and Joe. We love you all, and are so happy for you! I can't wait to meet Isaac in person!

A Trip to the Zoo

2008-06-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

We got Zoo Passes! The girls love it, Daddy loves it, and Mommy loves it too! We got to look at the elephant, which is Ruth's favourite (Daddy's too!), and then we took a picture of the girl's outside of the gorilla exhibit! Unfortunately, Daddy was so excited about the gorillas that he couldn't keep the camera steady and the pic was a little blurry. Oh well!

New Toys

2008-05-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

Ruth is settling in to her new toddler bed that we found on Craigslist (if you haven't checked it out yet, you should!). I wasn't going to push her to sleep in it the first night, but as soon as she saw it she moved all her stuffed animals into it, and laid down with her blanket, sucking her thumb. Needless to say, there was no problem on her part. It's kind of hard to not have her in the crib anymore, though. One, she can get out by herself now, and two, she is just not my little baby anymore (although she's still my precious little girl). Oh well; times are changing in the Morse household.

Sophie and I got a sling two weeks ago, and there's hardly a day that goes by that I don't use it several times. We absolutely love it. She was still not sure what she thought about it when we took the pictures. I think she's spoiled now, though, because she doesn't want to be put down!

We are moving to a new apartment next weekend, if you didn't know. Not what we had intended on having happen, but the Lord's plans are often much different than ours. We know He is Sovreign, and rejoice with hope that He is leading us to a new home, and new situations and relations with people. Pray for us! But expect the postings to slow down for a bit!

Getting the Most Out of Everything

2008-05-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

Ruth was really enjoying breakfast

Silly Girl

2008-05-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

Our sweet SOphie has turned into quite the smiler and giggler. Today all you had to do was poke her and she started cracking up, which cracks us all up.

Sophie and the Blanket of Many Colors

2008-05-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Who knew Biblical allusions could be so fun?

Catching Up!

2008-05-03T13:54:00.000-07:00

We have a much better internet connection now, so were going to try and get you all caught up on the last four months of photos (well, we're going to try, anyways!).

The Look

2008-05-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

What can you say to that?

"Babysitting"

2008-05-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ruth is babysitting...sort of.

The Flower Girl

2007-12-31T08:35:00.000-08:00

Last month, our good friends Royce and Kasey had their wedding, and they asked Ruth to be their flower girl!

At the rehearsal, she did a perfect job, walking down by herself and even throwing a few flowers. On the wedding day, it was just a little too overwhelming and she needed mommy with her.

About halfway down, she started to lose focus on the task at hand and veer off to visit with some of the wedding goers. She was just looking for any way possible to get out of having all those people stare at her!

Daddy valiantly attempted get her back on track; maybe, just maybe, she would go on by herself and throw a few of those flowers in the process.

uh oh! Bad idea, daddy.

Finally, mommy had come to the rescue and help Ruth finish her job.

It was so cute, right at the beginning before we tried to get her to go down the aisle, she threw one little flower on the ground. Once she saw how many people there were, she just got scared and didn't throw another one.

We're not so sure that Ruth is all that big a fan of weddings. This was right after the service while the wedding pictures were being taken. I would say that she's had it (of course, the fact that the wedding was right during Ruth's nap didn't help any!)

Congrats Royce and Kasey on a beautiful wedding!

A Second Birth

2007-12-28T19:25:00.000-08:00

What can anyone really say about the experience of becoming a parent, for the first time or the fifth? I just went through the experience of having my second, and I have been trying to think about how I would put it down on paper. Ruth, my first, was an unreal moment in my life. Every single part of her birth was a discovering, an awakening to this whole new, and bigger, world that I had never imagined before. From walking into the hospital room up until we came down the elevator with our little, our tiny, helpless, frail, weak, beautiful baby, Sara and I were beginning to understand that our lives as we knew it were gone, and that was amazing.

We came home with Ruth, and our apartment looked different to me; it was as though a guest we had been expecting at any moment for our whole lives had finally arrived, and with her coming, the room she was in lit up. Sara was in a bad way for the first few weeks after Ruth came, and it was not easy. She was really worried when the time began to draw close for us to go into the hospital for our second time. We both were; during the days after we came home I felt alone, looking at my beautiful wife laying in bed, with all those drugs flooding her senses. I think that Sara, because of how hard the first pregnancy was, had begun to rethink having another child so soon.

The second, our other little angel, Sophie, has been a wonderful experience in a very different way. First, we knew a little more about what to expect. But more importantly, the actual labor experience was as different as night and day. Sara was up and walking around the same day that Sophie was born. With Ruth, Sara did not leave the hospital bed for a full day, if not two. So, having her alert, and active, made the experience of a new family member infinitely more enjoyable for me.

Beyond Sara’s quick return to normalcy, watching Ruth become a big sister overnight was a joy for us; Ruth almost immediately fell in love with little Sophie, and wanted to help her with everything. There were a few moments when she first walked into the hospital room that we could see uncertainty on her face. The questions were very clear. Who is mommy holding? Why can’t mommy hold me, instead of holding her? This only lasted a few minutes. Now that we are home, Ruth loves nothing more than to look into Sophie’s crib and ooh and ahh, making certain that her little sister has everything that she could possibly need. We, as parents, are now running interference between the two of them so that Ruth doesn’t “help” too much.

Ruth’s sweetness is not limited to Sophie; she also has shown a great concern for her mother. When Sara winces, or a small groan escapes as some small pain flares up, Ruth is immediately there, her head cocked slightly to the side and her eyes wide with concern. Her little lisping voice asks, “Mommy kay?” If mommy wasn’t “kay” before that, she certainly was after such a sweet salve.

I feel like I haven’t even mentioned the star of this show, Sophie herself. She sleeps, she eats, the natural processes go on and on. She rarely cries, and only when she is hungry; that cry is so sweet, a little hoarse and cracked. She looks like her big sister did, and yet she also looks so completely like herself. Sara says she looks like her daddy; I hope not. I don’t see it. This little one seems as mild mannered as we could ask, although when she’s hungry, watch out! That mouth will latch onto anything that is nearby. She eats more than her older sister, Sophie’s already grown so much. She might, possibly, be a chubby baby (I know, Sara and I shouldn’t be able to have chubby babies!).

Now that we, as a little family of four, are in our house alone and as on our own as we can be, living three hours away from family, Sara and I are slightly overwhelmed with the daunting task of trying to raise two children. It can’t be that hard, right? There have been millions, billions, or trillions of people who have gone before us and raised multiple children. But it is still frightening, standing side by side and looking in front of us, and what? What is in our future? More children? We hope so.

We thank God for this wonderful blessing. His providence has been the underlying story behind this whole story. We look down at our little girls at night and pray that we will glorify God in the way that we raise them. We search the Scriptures for our guidance, and aid. We have prayed for hours for them. God, in his greatness, stands over time and moves the wheels of history. But He also is present in the small things, the normal events of life. We can put our faith in Him for all these things.

As we are His children, first and foremost, we have willingly given our children to Him. It is a frightening thing, trusting in another Being; it is especially difficult when we consider that we are trusting our children to another Being. But to be honest, we are not able to protect our children, in the sense that there is so much outside of our ability to stop. We are not, after all, promised even another breath. If I cannot keep my own body breathing, how can I honestly protect my precious little children? God has always been our provider, and our strength. As we go on into the future, we trust in the God who has saved us from our sinful life. Thank God that we have a hope that is beyond this frail world, where any ‘control’ that we might have is imagined, a lie. He is our hope, and we pray that as Ruth and Sophie grow, we can show them that He is their only hope as well.

Ruth, the "model" and other pics

2007-12-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure whose child this is, but I know she is way too cool to be mine or Sara's.

Nanna can't be the only one with the baby!

Merry Christmas to us!

All daddy gets is a cat...

That's much better.

Sister

2007-12-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

So, the big sister has been so excited about little Sophie. She has been such a great little helper, getting diapers, food, throwing away the trash. Sometimes, she might be a little too "helpful," but on the whole, she's been wonderful!

सो

She loves to join Mommy in cooing over the baby!

Sophie, of course, takes it all in stride and keeps on with what she knows, and does, best.

Thanks to Poppa and Nanna for all their help!

Oh, and when Ruth just has to 'mother' somebody, and Sophie isn't around, she makes sure that "Kate" is well taken of- fed, cleaned, put to bed, etc.

Back Home

2007-12-23T12:29:00.000-08:00

We've finally come home, and we're very happy to be back in our own digs. Our pets missed us, which is nice to know. Jasper just about died of joy when I walked through the front door, although I don't know how excited she was to see Sophie!

Sophie showing off her stylish traveling ensemble.

The nurse was nice enough to take our picture in front of the maternity ward Christmas tree. Merry Christmas everybody!

Loading up the truck!

Shiloh is overjoyed to see Sara back. Also, he has had a slightly unusual obsession with both of our girls as newborns. i don't know what to think about that!

And there are my girls!!

The Hospital Experience

2007-12-23T07:56:00.000-08:00

So what was the hospital stay like for mom and dad? It was pretty boring. I brought a book , but only read a little bit of because I just never felt like relaxing in this room. We had a TV but neither one of us felt like just sitting there watching TV. We got to see a lot of Sophie though. All she does is sleep. Ruth came by a few times and, like a tornado, tore the room up with all her own pent up energy. Mainly, I did a lot of this:

Sara was, for some reason, a little worn out herself:

Oh, and we had fun taking goofy pics of Sophie:

And In This Corner....

2007-12-22T15:28:00.001-08:00

Sophie Adelaide Morse!!
Weighing in at a whopping 6 lbs 11 0z!!!
She towers over her opponents at 18 inches!!
Look out world!!

Momma and Sophie right after the Big Show

Daddy and Sophie sharing a special moment:

Big Sister thinks this is pretty cool!

And I think Ruth likes her little sister too:

The Big Night!!

2007-12-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

In a strange turn of events, I am writing this post from a hospital watching Sara try to sleep. Around 7:00 tonight, Sophie decided to let us know that she was on her way; I guess she couldn't wait to be induced tomorrow. So here we are, it is almost midnight and we are waiting for Sophie to get her act together and make her big appearance. I can't really go to sleep so what am I I doing? I'm surfing the internet and blogging of course.

Silly Daddy

2007-11-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

Kevin's starting his midlife crisis a little early.

Waiting for Baby

2007-11-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

Well, we're just counting down the weeks until baby sister's arrival. Ruth is passing the time with lots of books, and by feeding her shoe fettish. We are basically settled into our new apartment, and just have a few things left to do before December 31.

New Apartment

2007-08-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

We've been living in our new apartment for the last three weeks or so, and we're loving it! It's a little smaller, but it has more character than our old one. So here are a few pictures. And the picture of Ruth? I have no idea. It is a little scary though, isn't it?

Growing up and Playing Hard

2007-07-16T08:06:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures in offering of our absense. Leave us a message, we'd love to hear from you!

A Little Late with our Big News!

2007-07-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

Okay we're really late in putting this up on the blog, so most anyone who checks this already knows anyway. I'm just covering my bases....

....WE'RE PREGNANT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We just found out (about three months ago that is), and are so excited. We don't know yet if it is a boy or girl, but we are gonna find out! But we do know what the baby looks like:

We're also planning on moving into a new apartment here in a few short days, or maybe a week. The new one is a little smaller, but the utilities are free, it's on the ground floor, and it has washer/dryer hookups in the kitchen (all very important things to the lady of the house). Like our apartment now, it is in a nice old house. Actually, it is is just two houses down from the one we live in!

Bingham Park!

2007-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Now that Ruth can walk (or run!) we've been taking her to the park on our street. She absolutely loves it!

The Morse Girls:

Okay, now that's all the Morse Girls (sorry Jasper!)

Woo Hoo!

Time to go home!

Learnin' Bluegrass in Bluegrass Country

2007-03-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

Sara has been wanting a Mandolin for years now, since before we got married. After our tax return this year, we were finally able to go out and get her a really nice used Washburn F-style (which means it is pretty nice)!

Hopefully, she'll be able to get a lot of use out it! She's really excited about playing some bluegrass.
She's not the only one who is excited either....

I guess I'm a little excited too!

But the pets you ask? They don't care. Or matter.

Who Really Crawls Anymore?

2007-03-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

Well, our little Ruthie has turned a year old, and is not quite so little any more. She's walking almost everywhere now, and only crawls if she falls down and doesn't have enough patience to get back up. Unfortunately turning a year old has been synonymous with sickness for her. She's managed to have a double ear infection, cold, and pink eye in both eyes since her birthday. Phew. We're running out of tissues here. She doesn't let this get her down, though! As you can see by the pictures she is laughing and just as silly as ever. Her new favorite thing to do is slowly back up and sit on us to read a book (if she makes it in our lap that's great! If she manages to miss and sit on our toes, elbows, or hands, that's just as good!). God is growing quite a character!

Will It Really Have Been A Year? or Look Who's Walking Now!

2007-02-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

This picture is great, because she is doing exactly what it looks like: diligently emptying her lower drawer. Yeah, she loves that. Sigh.
What's even more funny than that is to watch as Sara folds laundry and puts into a basket and Ruth sits next to her and pulls laundry out of the basket unfolding it.
Those smiles reflect her newfound super power: walking! No one, and nothing in our house, is safe anymore.

A New Year, A New Look

2007-01-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

I don't know where she got this smile from, but Ruth has been showing off a new "grin" for the new year. Maybe it is because she now has upper teeth, I don't know, but it is pretty goofy when she just starts flashing it around for no particular reason.

This Should Be a Holiday or Something.

2007-01-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday J.R.R. (January 3, 1892).

I think a royal decree is in order:

Henceforth, the date January 3 shall forever be observed as "Tolkien Day" or "Middle-earth Celebration Day."

So there.

The Evils of Television!! Beware!!!

2006-12-20T13:53:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago Sara and I went on a little kick and watched several movies in a row. Have you ever noticed how you don't do something for a long time, and then all of a sudden you go on a tear and just do that thing a lot? We're that way with movies. We hadn't rented a movie in months, and just over the past few weeks we've rented several. Anyway, in watching all these movies I've realized two things. One, we (as in everyone) watch too many bad movies. And two, TV shows today are better than most of the movies coming out of Hollywood.

First, we waste our time on too many bad movies. TV, in and of itself, is a pretty big waste of time. I mean, really. You turn it on at night, just to watch while you're eating dinner or something (yeah, that's real good for families), and you end up watching about five different shows that you care absolutely nothing about.

It's the same with movies. I'm here to encourage you- if a movie isn't worth watching because its boring, stupid, obvious, not original, immoral, etc. then you have the power to turn it off. You don't have to finish it. One great example that we watched was The Davinci Code. I'm not going to ramble on about how idiotic the plotline and history in that movie is. Just trust me, historical fact is not the movie's forte. But I was willing to set aside those facts if the movie could entertain me. And how could it not? It has an excellent cast, a great director and an awesome setting. And yet, the movie was just too obvious. As soon as the bad guy comes on the scene, you know its the bad guy. Why? Because it is so cliche; you tell yourself: "This can't be the bad guy, it's too obvious." And yet they don't how obvious it is, and they do it anyway. And then there's the big plot twist at the end (gonna ruin it for you here, so sorry), the girl is the heir of Jesus. YEah, didn't see that one coming within the first five minutes.

I say all that to say- We should have turned the movie off after the opening scene. We wasted two and a half hours on something that wasn't worth it. Why didn't I just stop the madness? Because I'm a mindless droid? Well maybe. But at the same time, watching movies is, well, mindless and addicting. So my encouragement is this: if it is not a good movie, something creative and thoughtful, then turn it off and go do something creative and thoughtful. Free your mind! If you want convincing, I've got some books you can read- this one, and this one. Read those when you start a movie that is just plain dumb.

The second thing about movies is this. There are several TV shows out right now that just do it better. Do what, you ask? They tell stories better, and they build character development better. I know what you are thinking, that's because they have so much more time. True, but they do everything else basically as well as the movies do it. Special effects? Come on, have you watched Heroes yet? Great actors? 24 anyone? Great directors? A certain J.J. Abrams who directed Alias, and now directs the absolutely amazing Lost. Great producers? What's that guy's name? Oh yeah, something Bruckheimer.

And the one thing that sets them apart is that they tell the story better. There are several shows doing this now, including all the aforementioned ones. They tell grand stories, with amazing character development and wonderfully crafted plot twists. I realized this fact when watching Mission Impossible III. Granted, this is the Mission Impossible series. But you've got a top notch actor, Lawrence Fishburne, and a popular second rate actor, Tom Cruise (that's right, I said it), and a lot of pretty cool special effects. But you know what I came away from that movie thinking? Jack Bauer could have done it better. I've seen more interesting stuff in a series premiere for Alias.

So maybe what we should be doing is watching less TV, and being a little more choosy in what we watch. Don't watch junk (although some might say 'it's all junk' and to you I say- go read your Puritans and leave us alone). And practice a new skill- using the OFF button.

PS- in a pretty amusing turn of events (considering how little he and I post) Tim has posted today on The Davinci Code too. this is also funny because we watched the movie together. So go read it, now.

2006-12-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

I do not know all that many people who have not been influenced by the beautiful stories of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, especially in these last five or six years. The first time I read the Lord of the Rings I was a little boy, and this story was perfect, absolutely perfect. The kings, the wizards, the dark lord and orcs are the lifeblood of a young boy. It was as though Tolkien knew exactly what to write in order to stir the imagination of a boy to its very depths. I've read these books, and his others, several times since that first wonderful experience (I won't tell you how many time, I don't want you thinking less of me!), and in re-reading I have noted the breadth of Tolkien's vision. A little boy can read of warriors, wizards and magic rings, but he might skip over the pages of poetry, beautiful descriptions of magical lands, and the powerful stories of some of the great characters. However, as I age I love to read more of those types of things, and Tolkien was as masterful in one as he was in the other.

Now, I could ramble on about Tolkien for hours and I'm sure that I could write for pages on what I think about his stories. But don't worry, I won't. That's not the reason I wrote this post. I wrote this one to draw your attention to something that adds again (if that is even possible) to the wonderful world of Middle Earth, the author reading his own work! So if you don't know, Tolkien read much of his writing and recorded it. The quality is not great, but to hear the man himself read his work is incredibly enjoyable. And I guarantee you that Tolkien's children must have loved it when he told them bedtime stories.

So without further ado and rambling, go and listen to the master himself here.

And if you don't own the books, buy them here. It will be the best purchase you make this year, I promise!

And if you want to know a little more about J.R.R. Tolkien, enjoy this.

Four Years

2006-12-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

At almost this exact time four years ago, I was standing at the front of a small stone church in Tennessee, watching the most beautiful woman in the world walk up the aisle. There might have been others on stage with me, and looking back I'm sure there must have been else I could not have gotten married, but the only thing I can remember is the mix of excitement, awe, terror and disbelief that I could possibly be marrying this angel.
Now, four years, three cars, a dog, a bird, a cat, two apartments and a little girl later, I feel as though I can say with some confidence that my excitement was well founded. So, in short, happy anniversary Sara. To many long years that may come!

2006-12-05T07:19:00.000-08:00

Historians have just discovered an amazing find, a picture of what appears to be a wizard and a hobbit! Further proof that Tolkien was not merely a writer of fantasy, but a historian on the brink of revealing an incredible part of European history!
I've been informed several times recently that nobody wants to check here and see the same picture of Royce fishing in the smokies every time. So, before I get in too much trouble I've decided to do something about it. I won't do too much about it, but I'll change the picture at least. Unfortunately, although I had thought that I would have a lot of free time over the winter to read, blog and simply enjoy life, it is not to be. Next semester is looming before eyes even as the footsteps of the last can still be heard on the porch, and the one coming is a monster. So, think of me as I attempt to learn Greek in these cold months, and to read a few hundred pages here and write a few there. And when you think of me, please don't laugh...

like my daughter, who always laughs at me.

Except when she's the one being laughed at!

More Smokies!

2006-11-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting for about a week to tell about my trip to the Smoky Mountains. My friend Royce was gracious enough to let me tag along with him on a fantastic fishing weekend. Unfortunately, I was not so gracious in return as I caught all the fish for him ;). We had been talking about this trip for a long time, ever since I got Royce into fly fishing. I explained to him that he was not a true fly fishermen until his waders had been wetted in a mountain stream. So we packed our bags, got all our equipment together and jumped in his Honda for a trip to Townsend, TN.

As with all good fishing trips, there were several snags. Sometimes those snags take the form of real snags, trees that interfere with one's ability to keep possesion of their lures or to catch fish (right Kyle?). This weekend we feared the snag would come in the other form that fishermen hate, the weather. We worried it would be freezing cold, because that's exactly what it had been in the mountains for the past week or two. We worried it would be rainy, and camping would be less than enjoyable. But it turned out beautifully. Except for trying to light a fire with only five logs, no kindling, and sopping wet ground to burn it on, but we prevailed!! The food was excellent, and in the form all outdoorsmen understand, meat! The coffee was nearly fatal, and the entertainment was excellent.

There is one story that must be told about Royce. On Friday, we rushed down to Tennessee and we got all our needed supplies in Townsend (ie- flies, food, yeah that's about it). We got to the camp and threw up a tent so we could get to the River. It had been raining, though, and so the river wasn't really worth fishing that night. We came to where we would try, and I told Royce to fish in one spot while I went to another. I stood in the stream for all of three minutes and realized we would catch nothing in the brown, muddy, leafy mess that swirled around me. So I got out of the river and went to break this news to Royce. I found him in a clearing near to where we had split up. He had this funny look on his face, but I didn't notice anything at first. However, he kept looking at me funny so I began to think something might be wrong with me. Then I noticed. His gray sweatshirt was several shades darker than it had been moments ago when I left him, and there were a few little individuals rivers running off him. Oh yes, Royce had been thoroughly introduced to the Smoky Mountains. Needless to say, my weekend was made right there! It hadn't taken him five minutes to do what I had been secretly hoping he would do at some point that weekend, fall in!

So we went back to camp, nearly killed ourself starting our fire and then we enjoyed some great hamburgers my wife made, and had some nice hot apple cider. We turned in after that, and as soon as we did it begin to rain. It rained until we got out of the tent (literally) in the morning, and that was all it rained that weekend.

Saturday was great. I caught several fish. Royce saw a bear. It was a great trip over all. If you want to read about my thoughts on fishing and worship go here. We had a great time, and anytime you catch a fish on your second cast (!!) you know it's great. That's right, we came to the bridge where we would start fishing and on the second cast, bam! I had a beautiful little rainbow trout to fight. I love fishing!

Time for Cider and Earmuffs

2006-10-30T08:24:00.000-08:00

Well it has finally begun to get a little chilly here. Which means time for cider, good books, earmuffs, and plastic over the windows. I don't know how much Ruth appreciates getting all bundled up, but Kevin and I sure love to laugh at her once she is. She has officially begun to crawl and get into things (like cookbooks, our closets, dog play toys). She can pull herself up on just about anything now. Our mugs of cider have to sit somewhere safer now. She has figured out hand to mouth coordination so eating is getting easier (those two bottom teeth help!). Oh well, she keeps us in shape and laughing (maniacally at times!).

Poetry in the Fog

2006-10-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

I thought that as well as putting pictures and other news from our life up here, I might occasionally sprinkle that with some stuff that either I or Sara wrote somewhere along the line. I'd ask you if that was okay but last time I checked, Blogger said I was The Administrator of this site, and therefore I get to do whatever I want to. Some might ask why I don't post what I write over at that other site. The reason for that is that some of the stuff I might put up here has little or nothing to do with "Throwing the Word." It could be on nature and outdoorsy things, or it could even be a little short story or two. So without further ado, here is a little something I wrote a while ago. In fact (in a twist of irony) I did post this over at the other site, but I wanted to post it here too (and I'm The Administrator, remember?!).

Poetry in the Fog
There is no sound quite like a canoe being rowed through the foggy stillness of the early morning. The barely audible noise of the bow cutting through the dark glass of still water, and the sound of the paddles as they occasionally bump into the sides of the boat, inspire the romance of man and nature. I would prefer the slower mode of river transportation in contrast with the gasoline powered, smoking, and chugging little john boats simply because of its silence, and its peacefulness. In the dark pre light of the day, with the cold breath of the fog on the back of my neck, the quiet of the river is majestic. Each swift black current breathes a good morning as I continue downstream.

The wet grass, the cold tinge of dark night, and lonely splash of a fish somewhere out in the fog inspire a feeling of freshness in the world. In such a place, the stress of any other kind of life cannot survive. It is starved for worry, and the plastic desires that seem so necessary in our busy lives. And so it is shed like a heavy coat. The experience of an old world waking into a new day is almost too much to take in.

Ahead there is an island looming, right in the middle of the river. I know it is coming because I have seen it many times before, in the daylight. As the canoe crosses the deep pool of water, I have to decide which side of the island to travel down. On the right, the water is deep, and the trees overhang the deceptive looking current, which appears lazy while being very strong. On the left, there is shallow water with several shoal banks, and underbrush is sparse on the shore. The right fork is dark, and there is a heavy feeling when drifting down that section of the river. The left is lighter, more bubbly and alive, at least on the surface. Who can say which has more life? It depends on the moment. At the last instant, the nose of the canoe glides to the left, as though it has decided for me.

The speed of the water picks up at first, and the chill of the air increases on my face. It feels wonderful to have the misty air pluck at my nose, and tickle my neck. There is no need to paddle, so I simply sit on the wicker seat of the canoe with my paddle across my knees, relishing the fact that I am here this morning. It was worth it to rise so early, and steal out of the house while everyone slept. The long drive over dark roads and only the truck drivers to share the highway with was well rewarded. And here, as the dark grey fog is slowly starting to change shades before the coming sunrise, I am alone.

I’ve reached the shallows, and the canoe is slowly moving under the trees. There is a shoal bank to my right, and I can see the dull gray rocks as the water laps up onto the shore. I can even hear the sound of the tiny waves as the lightly slap the flat rocks. Ahead, there is only fog. Then , out of the fog just ahead of the boat , I see something. Standing in the middle of the river, just feet in front of me, there is a young doe. Her head is bent down, the long elegant neck stretched as she drinks from the stream. She sees me just as I see her, and the head raises, and our eyes lock. I put my paddle in the water quickly, and I silently stop the canoe. I notice then that a little fawn is also there in the shallows, behind the mother. The two animals stand there, framed by fog, and surrounded by the river and trees. For a brief second, dragged out into a timeless moment, this scene was all there was in the world. It was as though I had entered into their own great and magnificent cathedral, one made of fresh, living nature. I had intruded on what could almost be called a holy moment.

Then the doe breaks off her gaze, and turns to the shore. She doesn’t dart away, but she simply walks through the water and into the trees, lightly picking her way through the rocks. Her little fawn turns away to follow his mother, with one last look at the strange creature that has floated into their little world. I am left to myself once more, and I am both filled with emotion from the beauty I have just experienced, and empty because such moments must always end. Now I am left with only a memory of such pure beauty, and joy that there is a Creator in this world who has brought such moments into my life. There can be no doubt that He is a poet, a master of His craft. This sonnet He has written for me is no great feat for Him, but to me it is perfect.

There is more to a river than fishing, and although I might have caught fish that day, I cannot remember. It doesn’t matter. If I had caught fish, and that was all that happened on that trip, it would have been just another morning. But the chance to see such beauty up close, that was worth more than any fish I could have caught. I have seen many such scenes since that one, but none sticks out in my mind. I don’t know if it was just the way the entire morning perfectly complemented the vision of the mother and fawn there under the green leaves, but the Great Poet certainly wrote a few verses for me that morning that will last my whole life.

A Little Bit of News from Ruth's World

2006-10-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

(I absolutely love this picture, because really, "Whatchyoulookin'at?")

Oh yeah... so Ruth crawled for the first time this past week. If you want to call it crawling, that is. I would call it something more like a "Gollum motion," or something along those lines. Of course, the only reason she did it was because we didn't want her playing with an electrical cord, and she just had to find out what was so special about electrical cords. sigh. So, with that said I guess you could assume that Ruth's world has just gotten a whole lot bigger, and Sara's and my world a whole lot smaller.

A Blog Written While "Studying"

2006-10-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

I’m writing this while I should be doing homework, which is about the norm for me. This is usually the time when I post something. Anyway, Sara and Ruth are at church for a women’s Bible Study and I’m sitting in the kitchen “studying Hebrew.” The semester is at it’s halfway point, which is very exciting for me because that means that I’m done with the first (and most time consuming) half of my Hebrew class. No longer must I spend hours laboring to compose a page of acceptable Hebrew composition; now I can read a much more acceptable composition (ie- the Bible). I’m also happy about this because now I can focus more time studying in my other class, which is a Philosophy class dealing with Postmodernism and Evangelicalism (sounds exciting right? Right?!??) I mean, come on! I bet you wish you were studying cool things like postmodern hermeneutics, meta-narratives, deconstructionism, and all that other stuff those crazy French guys came up with don’t you?

Okay fine, I know people only come here to see the “cute one.” It doesn’t hurt my feelings that you probably read the first sentence of my paragraph and then skipped it to see if there was anything good in this post. So you can just be that way!

Here’s what Ruth thinks of postmodernism:

And this is how Ruth consoles her daddy after a hard day of school (at least she cares!):

So now you got what you came for! I hope you're happy...

Growing Tall

2006-09-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

Ruth is really growing fast. We can hardly leave her alone anymore because she roles everywhere and into everything. Most recently she has learned to pull herself up in her crib. Ahhh! I'm afraid the easier days of child rearing are now over.

Amusing Themselves to Death, Already.

2006-09-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

I walked into the room the other day to find Sara showing Ruth how to waste her life away in front of the television. It must have been a good movie though, or a frightening one, seeing how Ruth got a little scared. What ever am I to do?

The Weekend Review

2006-09-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

Well, if you couldn't tell from the picture, I spent the weekend fishing for catfish down in Middle Tennessee. There were a bunch of guys, a lakehouse, two boats, two canoes, cards, games, and a lot of food. Sounds like a good time, doesn't it? It was, don't worry.

Now about these catfish. Well, the technical term for the type of fishing we did is "juggin'." As the name implies, what one must do is take a jug, tie a line to it, and on that line tie a hook, and on that hook tie something foul-smelling, rotting, and altogether what catfish love to eat. Once this is done, then the jugs go in the water, and you wait.

Well, we went to put 'em out in the water. We were in the second boat, as the first had gone out before (and taken all the good jugs!). When we got on the water, we saw one of their jugs right off, and you could tell there was a catfish on it! Now, this is the fun part of juggin': those bottles move, and when there is catfish on one, it just bobs, and shakes, and your blood starts racing. So we pulled up to the jug, and I reached out (as I was the only one in the boat who hadn't gotten to experience this joy yet). When I pulled the line in, there was a four pound catfish (the one on the far left i believe) fighting me! Oh man, talk about fun!

But you don't care about that. You want to know about the big catfish I'm holding. Why? Well, because it's the big one. So let me tell you about that catfish. We'd put out all our jugs, and we'd been puttering around the lake at midnight (because you fish for catfish at night). We decided to check our jugs real quick before we went and did some real fishing, and so we headed over to where we had put all of ours. As we neared the spot, we began to shine a spotlight over the area searching for any movement that we could see. There was none. And then, we saw one. Tim, who was driving the boat (and is not pictured), said something about how low the jug was sitting in the water, and we all agreed that it was very low. We were pumped. I just can't tell you how it feels to see your jug moving around like that.

But as we got closer, there seemed to be something a little weird about the jug. And Kyle (who is standing beside me) leaned forward and said:

"guys, that's no jug. It's a space station."

Okay, that's not exactly what he said, but he got the point across. It was no jug. It was a catfish just swimming along on the top of the water. We figured later that the reason for this was the catfish had been eating a lot, and had gotten bloated from it. So he was swimming it off, so to speak. So, what do you do when there is a big catfish just swimming along, and you are trying to catch big catfish? Well, you try and catch it.

There we were, perched on the edge of the boat. I was ready with a net. Tim was running the motor. And Kyle was standing behind me, ready at a moment's notice. We were dead quiet, trying to sneak up on the fish. As we got close Kyle said, "Go ahead and put the net in the water." I slid the net into the water so I could scoop up the fish, and as we got up to it, we made our move. I slid the net up under the fish and begin to lift. As soon as the net touched him though, he realized what was happening, and he was a big fish. So I'm standing there with a net in my hands that is just bucking around everywhere, so Tim reaches down and grabs the net on either side and pulls it out and drops it in the boat. And put his foot down on the fish to keep it there. It was huge. Later, we weighed it at 11 and a half pounds. We dropped it in the live well, and we were pretty happy. And for those of you who will doubt, and say you don't believe me; for you I am prepared! I anticipated your doubt and give you proof:

Oh, it was amazing. And then, we radioed the other boat to tell them that we decided quit juggin' because the fish were just swimming right into our boat.

It's Like Seeing A Ghost

2006-09-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend my friend Kyle and I went to the Cumberland River here in Kentucky to do some trout fishing. I was really looking forward to this trip because it would be only the second time I'd go fishing all year. And it's September, if you hadn't noticed. Well, we got out there, having been shuttled about seven miles upriver from where we'd come off the water. That way, we wouldn't have to paddle upstream at all that day. We caught four or five fish right away, and we made the mistake that two experienced fishermen should never make.

We said to ourselves, "If we're catching fish this easy, let's throw these back, and we'll start keeping 'em later."

Well, let me tell you right now that arrogance like that really offends trout. And they let you know it. They ignore everything you've got to lure them in. They shun you like I shun White Castle in the morning. We caught a few more fish, and a lot of stripes. But we only brought two home with us. Kyle did catch a very fat, nice looking brown trout, but you can only bring home browns if they are over twenty inches long. I won't even tell you about the ones that got away (even though there witnesses!) because you won't believe me (I never believe those stories either.)

BUT....

There is a reason that a picture of a Bobcat is at the top of this fishing post. The highlight of the day came when I was fishing and I saw some movement over on the shore.

I said, "Kyle, I think there's a cat over there."

He goes, "You mean, like a housecat?"

"No, I don't think so..."

And when we saw the bobtail, we knew for sure. For those of you who don't know, and think that you see things like bobcats, mountain lions, and twelve point bucks every time you enter the woods, know that that is as far from the truth as you can possibly get. Kyle's dad has been trying to find bobcats for years, and has never even seen one in the wild. At one point, the cat hunkered down in a little outcropping of grass on the riverbank, and if we hadn't just seen it crouch down, we would never have known it was there. They're like ghosts out there in the wild.

Well, it was just walking along the shore about thirty feet from our canoe. We floated next to it for several minutes. And then we pulled up on a snag as the cat climbed up on a big boulder and just sat there looking at down the river. It was an amazing experience. If ever an animal has been made to kill things, it is a wild cat. There is simply no doubt when you see the muscles ripple under their skin, and the way they slink through the grass. Their very posture speaks of violence. When the eyes turned to look at us in our boat, I found myself reaching for my paddle (yeah, like that'll help) just in case. But it just sat there for several minutes as though sharing a moment of it's time with the two of us. And we enjoyed it. I can't exactly say that the bobcat is a very pretty thing, or even handsome. I'm not sure he is, and I'm not sure he cares. However, to see him in the wild, where he is as hard to find as, well, a needle in a haystack, that's pretty incredible.

I've always enjoyed fishing, but that's not why I go. Sure, the feel of a rod bucking in my hands and the sight of flashing silver just out there in the water give a guy powerful feelings. But that's nothing to sharing time with friends and family. That's nothing to soaking up the beauty of God's nature, and having intimate moments with the ghosts of the wilderness, those rare moments you only find when you take the time to be there.

We've got pictures of the one we saw. Once they are developed, I'll try and post one or two.

Growing Pains

2006-09-10T05:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I appologize to all those who check this site for Ruth updates. We've been kept very busy lately with a family reunion, helping friends move, Bible studies, babysitting, transmission trouble on the truck, etc, etc, etc. Ruth, however, has been a constant reminder of God's grace to us! Just when we feel like it can't get much more busy or frustrating, she has a poopy diaper and breaks the tension for us. That girl always has a smile at the right time. I think it is good to have children while you're young if nothing else than to get you through the busy and tough times of growing up! Yes, for those of you who may not have realized it (ha, ha, ha), Kevin and I are still very inexperienced and naive! Each morning I may start with a plan for the day, but it is soon blown out of the water by the day's events. However, the most important thing (I'm starting to realize) is not whether I got the vacuuming done, or made a nice dinner for Kevin (though the latter is a real plus for everyone!), but is whether God was glorified in the midst of everything. Loving Him, and through that loving my husband and daughter are all that matters each day. So, each day that Ruth grows (cutting teeth! bigger diapers! new solid foods!), Kevin and I are growing as well. We just pray that Christ will be glorified through it all.

Commanding the Universe Can Be A Workout

2006-08-11T06:45:00.000-07:00

Coffee, Late Nights, and No Ruthus

2006-07-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, we went to see Bill Malonee, his wife, a guitar and about eighteen different harmonicas at Sunergos. And we left the Ruth at some friends for the night. It was late, and I was dead tired. Sara, however, was pretty worried about RuthVicious and I think I did more babysitting than our friends. Oh well. When it was over, we went and got our girl who'd slept all night. Lucky...

Photo Shoot: getting bigger and sillier every day!

2006-07-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Give Me The Water Bottle!

2006-07-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

We'll Miss You!

2006-07-17T06:58:00.000-07:00

Ruth's friend Hannah moved to Nashville this weekend, and she is very sad. We loaded up Daniel and Christy on Saturday, and miss them already. We know that God has taken them that way, though, and know that He is orchestrating everything in their lives for their good and His glory. We still miss them, though! Thankfully it is only three hours away and we can see them often.

Fun Times

2006-07-05T07:04:00.000-07:00

Ruth's Grandaddy and Grandma brought her this cool new toy a couple of weeks ago, and Ruth thinks it's the bomb. Thanks guys!

Couple of Couch Potatoes

2006-06-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

What are we teaching our daughter?

Four Months and We're Still Alive

2006-06-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

Contrary to what this picture portrays we have made it through the last four months of Ruth's life with some sanity left! Children really are a blessing from the Lord. God has given us great joy the past year in awaiting Ruth's arrival, and in her time with us. He has given us the grace to get through this big lifestyle change, and I know He is forming us more and more into the image of Christ every day (through tears, and poopy diapers, too!). We praise Him for the mercy He's had upon us, and for the hope of what He will do through Ruth in the future.

Ruth, by the by, had her four month check-up and now weighs a whopping 14 lbs 3 oz, and is almost 25 inches long. The doctor said she is very healthy. Ruth, however, does not think very highly of the nurse that gave her some immunizations. "Boo on her," I think were her exact words.

For Uncle Josh (Trash)

2006-06-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

No, we aren't starting to dress our daughter like a boy. This is just Ruth's rock star ( or skateboarding ) outfit from Josh and Ariel. I think she likes it.

Slowly waking

2006-06-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

I ruined Ruth's nap yesterday by taking her picture while she was sleeping. As you can see it took her a few moments to wake up.
Peacefully sleeping.
What on earth...?
No, no, no; no more pictures!
Ok, I'm cool.

Sweet Dreams

2006-06-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

Ruth slept like this for about 5 minutes while making the noise.

I Understood Her, Did You?

2006-06-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

Kevin has shown me how to copy videos to the website, so now I'm obsessed with putting them on here. Can you tell Ruth loves her daddy?

Did somebody give her sugar?

2006-06-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Kevin!!

2006-06-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it finally happened! Kevin is officially a college graduate. We are all relieved, although we have another three to four years of school left! Nevertheless, you've done a great job and we're proud of you, Kev!

Also, special congrats to Royce, Ruth's Honorary Uncle!

Why......?

2006-06-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know why babies like to sleep with their butts in the air? Whatever the reason, it sure is funny!

Couple of Cuties!

2006-06-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

I would just like to give you all the chance of admiring these beautiful babies. Elliot Ezra Harmon was born on Mother's Day to a very happy Lisa and Nate. We think he looks like a movie star. Watch out girls!

And of course Hannah Rochelle Davis. Our little angel! I think she's get's more beautiful, and her hair gets curlier every time we see her!

Life Goes On; Sort Of

2006-06-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

Shiloh, our cat, and Jasper, our dog, have basically adjusted to life with a baby in the house. Excepting the smaller amount of attention, and irritating screaching noises that thing emits from time to time, life goes on much the same as it used to. They still get into a whole lot of mischief.

Hanging out with Uncle "Trash" and Aunt Ariel

2006-06-15T07:16:00.000-07:00

We got to see Josh and Ariel at the end of April; it was Ariel's first time to meet Ruth. They brought lots of clothes for her, and lots of love. We hope to see you guys again really soon! Oh yeah, Uncle "Trash" is Josh's self-proclaimed name to Ruth. We're thinking about calling Ariel Aunt "Disposal". Ha ha. Just Kidding Ariel. =)

My Friend Hannah

2006-06-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

Daniel and Christy Davis' daughter Hannah (who just happens to have been born within two hours of Ruth!) came over to "play" last week with Ruth. They layed on a blanket together and just stared at eachother. It was so cute! They may not know it yet, but they will be playing a lot more in the future so their daddies can play video games and their mommies can scrapbook!

Sleeping Beauty

2006-06-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

Sleeping is one of Ruth's favorite pastimes. It is only forgotten when there is food to be had, and a party to show off at.

Ruth: Sometimes the Stoic Philosopher, Sometimes the Comedian

2006-06-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone?

2006-06-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

Hey! Apologies to all who have been checking this blog only to find no new pictures! Ruth will be 4 months old on friday. We can't believe how big she is! She is laughing, smiling, rolling over, and trying to establish her authority over the family. She has Jasper fooled, but hasn't conquered her daddy yet. =) We thank God every day for her!

Baby Pics for the Mob

2006-03-08T16:36:00.000-08:00

What on earth is that on her head?!?! ...I'm so ashamed.

Yes, that is what Jasper thinks of everything that has been going on 'round here...and you tell me, does Shiloh care??

You ever have the feeling you're being watched.....?

rollin' with her homies!

excuse me, I'm in the middle of something right now.

Thanks Ladies!

2006-02-27T17:33:00.000-08:00

Thank you for my blanket, Aunt Amy!

Nice work, Great Aunt Leona!

Working It Out

2006-02-27T17:24:00.000-08:00

pre-morning diaper change

post-morning diaper change

Grandparents, Great Grandparents, and Aunts!!

2006-02-25T17:25:00.000-08:00

Uncle Josh and his niece

2006-02-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

just one pictures so far...

2006-02-22T18:11:00.000-08:00

Videos

2006-02-21T17:14:00.000-08:00

I'm in the process of finding a way to put video up here. I hope to do so by tomorrow, but if anyone knows how, they could tell me if they wanted.

pictures, pictures, pictures

2006-02-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

Check Out those Profiles!

2006-02-21T17:05:00.000-08:00

compare the before:

and after:

Shiloh the Baby Snatcher

2006-02-20T16:11:00.000-08:00

Ruth and Hannah; The First Meeting

2006-02-20T13:22:00.000-08:00

So our dear friends, Daniel and Christy, just happened to stop by today with their newly born baby, Hannah. Isn't she just the cutest? And I'm sure that these two little girls will make quite a pair. It was so exciting that Mom and Dad Davis just happened (although we know nothing just happens) to be able to adopt a baby that was born on the same day, an hour and a half behind our own. So here are the pictures of the moms, and the dads, and the little urchins. They are two of the cutest little girls I've seen.

Fun at Home

2006-02-20T12:38:00.000-08:00

Just more pictures. We gave her the first bath.

Home.

2006-02-19T14:39:00.000-08:00

Staying at the hospital was great, but we are kind of glad to be home. Although we will miss the nurses, and how nice and helpful they were, it's good to be in our own house. The pets were glad to see us, and hopefully Jasper will adjust well. Shiloh didn't seem to care at all. He just liked our boxes we brought.

We came, She came, We left

2006-02-19T14:25:00.000-08:00

Here are some more pictures as we waited to leave. on saturday, Sara was able to stand up, and man did she ever start moving! We had to make her slow down. She was sick of the bed. And thanks Barrett, for the BBQ. it was great.

Okay, so maybe I'm obsessed, but her grandparents made me.

2006-02-19T14:20:00.000-08:00

Waiting Around, Taking Pictures.

2006-02-19T14:13:00.000-08:00

After the delivery, we had to stay in the hospital for an extra day because Sara was really weak. So, we waited...and I took lots of pictures.

More Ruth

2006-02-19T13:58:00.000-08:00

These pictures are from the delivery room, and from when Sara got moved to her private room. Aunt Jennifer, and Grandma and Grandpa Hamilton came and helped us so much. It would have been impossible without them.

Baby Ruth: The Saga

2006-02-19T13:14:00.000-08:00

Well, here are some pictures from the delivery room. It was quite a wild experience, but we are very glad we had such a good doctor, and great nurses. After about 4 minutes of "pushing", the doctor was a little uncomfortable because of little Ruth's heartbeat, which was much faster than it should've been. So, Dr. Bunch decided that Ruth needed to come right then, and within just a few short minutes there she was.