It's the end of the year as we know it...

...and I feel fine.

2007 is on the books and I'm pretty sure it was the most event packed year of my life.  I started the year with no idea that by its close I would be preparing for a new child, saying goodbye to UT and SRP, living in a new state, shooting fifteen weddings, taking a new job, driving a new car, living debt free, introducing myself to the world of Apple computing, and waking up to ice and snow every now and then.  I get tired just typing all of that.

I suppose now is the time when I'm supposed to reflect on all of that, and I guess that I have to an extent.  However, 2008 is staring me right in the face.  Hopefully, it will be a little less stressful than 2007, but I cannot image it being easier.  Two kiddos!  

Noah is supposed to arrive by the 21st of January, and Beth is already feeling the crunch.  We are nearing completion of the nursery, but there always seems to be more to do.  We painted the walls a nice shade of khaki.  They were originally neon yellow, but Beth was pretty sure that the glowing walls would keep Noah awake at night.  We've hung a few frames, put up the crib and changing table, and gotten his clothes and bedding washed in preparation for his arrival.  (Beth has also been working on getting our suitcase packed for the hospital).  Me?  I'm trying to get all of our video from 2005, 2006, and 2007 archived and put onto DVD before Noah arrives so that I do not lose hope of getting caught up.

I'm really looking forward to this next chapter in our lives...Happy New Year!!!

Christmas Wrap-up

Christmas Morning

Christmas 2007 has come and gone (yes, all the decorations are already in the attic).  January 21st (Noah's due date) is quickly--way too quickly--approaching.  Beth is scheduled to be induced, so he should be here by then or sooner.  It's hard to believe that it's that close.  

Lauren has been busy.  She loves to play with her baby dolls--she puts them in their crib with blankets on them, feeds them, burps them, and changes their diapers.  Her favorite baby right now is Baby Moses--she named him after a little bath toy she has of baby Moses.

Her favorite Christmas gifts were her lamb and her castle.  She is always trying to get one of the grown-ups to go sit in her castle...or Meshach if he's available.  Lauren had a great Christmas, and I think she understood more of it than I thought she would.  She definitely understood the opening presents part.  On the day after Christmas, she woke a little early and on our way to the kitchen she said, "Presents?  Santa Claus?"  It was cute.

Here are some images from Christmas day (above).

The Netherworld...

Have you ever thought about the period between Christmas and New Year's?  To me, it is a bizarre conflux of endings and beginnings.  Such is life, I suppose, but I'm certainly in a melancholy and distant mood.

Lauren had a fantastic Christmas--got everything she wanted and more.  It is hard not to spoil that child.  She is so incredibly intelligent.  A couple of weeks ago, we were sitting on the couch and out of nowhere--no coaching or anything--she counted from one to ten.  I was sitting right there, absolutely astounded.  Maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised to hear that she spelled her name today...while I was at work no less.  I hate missing stuff like that.

I'm sitting at Jude's Java Cafe having some lunch, a little cream spinach soup and a turkey sandwich, and watching people come and go.  Beth, Lauren, and Mary are on their way back from Tulsa and BabiesRUs.  They got a few items that we were missing in anticipation of Noah's arrival (no later than Jan 21st--Beth is scheduled to be induced then).  

The weather is pretty miserable today.  It's about 35 with a light drizzle.  The sky is a rather drab shade of gray and reminds me that I'm being melancholy.  

I guess mostly I just missed seeing my mom and dad (and everyone else from Arkansas). My prayer is that everything works out so that we get to see you guys sooner than later.  

On a brighter note, my friend Clayton FINALLY updated his blog.  Thanks man.  

50, 33, & 24

The big 5-0.  George turned fifty today, I turned 33 on the 17th, and John turns 24 on the 27th.  We started the day by opening birthday gifts, eating blueberry muffins, and watching Zoe try to eat a squirrel on the deck.  The sun was shining and the snow didn't last long.

Beth and I headed to church for nursery service.  As much as I love Lauren, I don't do as well with other folks' kiddos.  Being in a room full of toddlers is intimidating to say the least.  Thank goodness Becca was there to help or I would have been in trouble.  

After church we headed to the house where the Ledbetters had already heated up the tortilla soup and hot tamales.  John and I tried our hand at Halo 3 (I'm terrible--it's only been about 5 years since I played video games and my coordination just ain't what it used to be).  

Around 4:30 we packed up and went to Casa Viva, formerly Casa Bonita.  When I was a kid, it was a really big deal to get to go to a movie in the Cinema 150 in Little Rock.  Before the movie, we would always eat at the Casa Bonita which was just across the parking lot.  I vividly remember going to see Superman and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan with Mom and Dad.  My memories of Casa Bonita are of caves, the flag, sopapillas and the treasure chest.  As it turns out, George used to work at the Casa Bonita in Tulsa and this was too good an opportunity to pass up.  

It was with slight trepidation of eating Mexican food for the third time in two days that I drove the family to Tulsa.  I was pretty impressed that we were able to fit six adults and one baby + baby seat into the vehicle at the same time!  When we pulled in to the Casa Viva parking lot, it was evident that it was closed.  The sign on the door said "Closed No Power."  I know it was disappointing for George because he'd really wanted to see it again after all this time.  

At this point, it was getting late enough that we needed to get Lauren some food.  We were fortunate to find a Flemings to eat at in Utica Square off 21st street.  Mary went in to see if they would let us in as we hadn't exactly dressed up.  After getting seated, I looked at the menu and immediately realized I wouldn't be paying for everyone's dinner...

I broke away and found our waiter, Justin, and told him that we were celebrating three birthdays, one being a 50th.  He said that he would take care of things.  Our food arrived and it was, for lack of a better word, magnificent.  I got a 12oz filet mignon, just under medium.  WOW.  We ordered three plates of veggies to share: Flemings potatoes, cream corn (jalapeno style), and sugar snap peas.  

Pam's meal already came with a dessert and because there were three birthdays, Justin brought one of every dessert they had: creme brulee, cheesecake, blueberry cobbler, ice cream,  and chantilly cream and fruit.  This meal was in the top 3 all-time.  The food was great, but the company was even better.  I'm hoping this was the start of a brand new birthday/Christmas tradition.

I was so proud of Lauren.  She was on her best behavior through a 2.5 hour meal--not a small feat for a 21-month old.  The whole way home we commented how fantastic the dinner was.    When we got home, everyone went straight to sleep.

Walking in a winter wonderland...part deux

MawMaw and Lauren behind the house

G-Daddy walking the dogs...in his SHORTS!!!

Uncle John in the Blizzard

Lauren enjoying the falling snow.

Christmas card material...literally. :)

Winter is here, officially, and Mother Nature has done her best to add a little winter flare on this Christmas season.  We got about two inches of snow today--fortunately it started about an hour after the Ledbetter clan arrived.  I was worried that they might run into it on the way up from Austin, but they made it in safe and sound around 1pm this afternoon.

John and I ran to Wal-mart to buy an HDMI cable so we could play X-box 360 Halo 3 on the big screen.  It had just started snowing when we left.  On the way, I had the thought that Wal-mart on the Saturday before Christmas may not be the best place to be.  The crowds were definitely out in full force as we braved our way through the blizzard.  I think the whole town of Bartlesville was in the store.

We were able to locate the cord and get some paper plates before finding our way to the 10 items or less express lane.  For the ONE TIME IN MY LIFE, it was actually an express lane.  It took us, literally, one minute to check out.  I cannot believe we were so fortunate.  

I do want to make it perfectly clear that this one experience in no way lessens my hatred for Wal-mart.  Sam Walton would roll over in his grave if he knew how the store (when I say store, I mean the entire corporation) was being run.  In fact, he would probably spin fast enough to generate enough power to supply the nation of China, the very country Wal-mart now buys EVERYTHING from, with electricity.  It is really a shame that they have sold their capitalist soul to the communist devil.  How can a free market economy compete with slave labor without ultimately destroying the foundation upon which it was built???  Not to mention that their products are terrible.  I purchased four sets of bush lights from Wal-mart earlier this month and all four were defective.  If there was any reasonable way to not shop there anymore, I wouldn't.  However, it's pretty difficult to quit cold turkey when they're the only game in town and they're only 2 blocks from your house.  Owasso has a Target, but it's about 35 minutes away.  I wish they'd build one of those here (and a Chick-fil-A, too, please).

Of course, being residents of Texas, you don't get the opportunity to see much snow (unless you live over in the pan handle).  I'm from Arkansas, so I at least saw it on a regular basis as a kid, but it was really fun to watch everyone get excited.  Everyone wanted to go outside and get their picture taken, Lauren included.  Here are a few from this afternoon.

Winter Footage

More from the winter wonderland...

You really forget what it's like until you see it again.

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree

This is currently Lauren's favorite Christmas song (along with Jingle Bells). She stood at the dining room window last night and sang O' Christmas Tree while looking at the big tree on our island (all lit up). It was really pretty cute.

Beth has nearly gotten the house ready for the holidays. We just need a few things from the store. We recently hired a sophomore from B-ville High to help out some in the afternoons when she gets out of class. She's really good with Lauren (took care of her in the church nursery).

We're dreaming of a white Christmas, but the weatherman isn't cooperating. Looks like it's going to be in the mid 40s on Christmas day, but the day after is calling for snow! G-daddy, Maw Maw, Uncle John, and Aunt Pam will be here in a couple of days. We're really excited to see everyone.

The Lake

One final image from the "snowstorm" last weekend.  This is what our backyard looked like.  I wish it could have waited until Christmas morning.  Looks like the forecast is calling for 45F and sunny.  It could be worse...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

If you take cumulative snowfall total from the 9+ years I lived in Austin and compared it to what we got yesterday, it's not even close...We got about 2 inches yesterday and Lauren really loves it.  Everything looks better blanketed in white.  

There is a certain excitement that accompanies the chance for frozen precipitation.  At least, as long as I can remember, I've always enjoyed the prospect of snow.  As I've gotten older, that enchantment has not waned.  Perhaps, in light of recent events, freezing rain isn't quite as exciting as it used to be, but certainly snow is everything that I remember.  Walking in the snow is a privilege that I do not take for granted.

There is something about the sound of complete silence, or rather the sound of snowflakes landing on the ground.  The world is quiet and good, and all seems right.  I'm sure it will be gone tomorrow, but for now I'm happy.

We woke up this morning to a winter wonderland.  Beth and Lauren surprised me with a birthday party!  

A Banana Republic wool coat.  Nice!

Skinning Dipping, Lewis Style

We decided to hit the hot tub tonight. Lolo wanted to go skinny dipping. It is about 28 degrees outside and the water felt really nice. Tomorrow should be an even better day for hot tubbing--it's supposed to snow. Of course I remember from the time I was a kid how the weather men like to exaggerate the amount of snowfall you're supposed to get. When they say 8 inches, you invariably get about 2. When they say 2, you either get none or you get 12. Fact of the matter is, they just don't know.

Here's a couple of photos from our hot tub adventure...Beth wanted me to point out that I DO have on clothes!!!

The Christmas Luncheon that wasn't...

Our staff Christmas luncheon was supposed to be at Chilis today--Chilis being the only major restaurant chain in town. We arrived, got seated, and were served the customary chips and salsa. By the time our drinks had arrived, the power went out. Of course everyone blamed it on me since we were without electricity for about 36 hours. We gave it about 20 minutes, but it didn't look like the power had any chance of coming back on, so we punted and got BBQ from Dinks. It's pretty good...not Rudy's good, but I liked it better than the Salt Lick.

Lauren fell yesterday around lunch. She was running to her potty and slipped. Her lip was pretty fat and she's got a bruised chin. It looks like she got in a fight. I just tell her to tell everyone, "You should have seen the OTHER girl." She still has an ear infection and the doctor said that if she had another one in the near future, she recommended getting tubes. That was a bit of a bummer. On a positive note, Beth's OB appointment went great. She gained a half pound over the last two weeks. The doctor said Noah had already turned the right direction. That was comforting because we thought he might be breached. She goes back in a couple of weeks (on the 26th).

Christmas is quickly approaching, and that means one thing. My birthday will be here before I know it. I'll officially be an old man. It is hard to believe that I'm going to be 33. Ten years ago, I graduated from the U of A and moved to Texas. That is hard to fathom.

Tomorrow is supposed to bring more of the white stuff. Last year around this time, B-ville had about 18" of snow on the ground. I'll bet Lauren would have loved it. I would have, too. As a kid, snow was about the most exciting thing that could happen. There was nothing better than staying up late to watch the 10pm news to see if your school was closed. We got about 16" in Pine Bluff in 1987. That made for a lot of snowmen.

I am still learning this Mac thing. Hopefully, I'll have some photos to post soon.

'night, y'all.

The Great Ice-Storm of 07

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, and our fire wasn't quite delightful, and since we had no place to go, we just screamed, "Oh no!" At least Beth did. What a crazy couple of days we've had. Sunday morning we woke to a light freezing rain and a little snow. Because Lauren wasn't 100% we decided to stay home and forego the regular church outing. It was a good thing, too, since we later found out they'd cancelled church. I can't ever remember church being cancelled anywhere else I've ever been. The weather forecasters had been calling for this wintery mix all week, so I thought it would be best to move our vehicle to the top of the driveway, which is pretty steep. Good thing, too, because the driveway was a solid sheet of ice.

To top it all off, the power decided to go out Sunday around lunch--and it's still off. When we left the house it was about 50F and d-a-r-k. We had to put the milk, the meat, and OJ on the table on the deck to keep it cool. So tonight, we packed up the family and went to our Sunday school leaders' house to keep warm. God truly blessed us--sometimes it's hard to realize, but it's true.

I'll post some photos when I can get them downloaded and I'm not freeloading on our friends' wireless.

iLife

My brother-in-law would be very proud of me right now if he knew I were typing this on a Mac...But, I know he has much better things to do, like study for final exams for law school. GO JOHN! We're praying for you to do well. Lauren really needs a rich uncle, because we all know that life is much better when there's one of those around.

My sincerest apologies for not writing sooner, but as you can well imagine the last few months have been hectic beyond belief. A new house, a new job, a new baby on the way...it just doesn't stop. But we're finally getting to the point where we feel a little more settled.

Beth's tummy is making all kinds of crazy motion as Noah's room to move keeps getting a little more cramped by the day. Last week, Beth had an ultrasound and the baby's heartbeat sounded great. Beth only gained a pound since her last visit and the doctor said everything was shaping up really nicely.

We've just about got the house ready for visitors. We have some lights in the front and in the back, but we didn't go Chevy-Chase on anyone this year. Last night was a lot of fun--even though Lauren is a bit under the weather we were still able to drive downtown to Kidde Park and see the drive-through trail of lights. Bartlesville is a small town, but I think there's a lot of money here as evidenced by some of the really nice holiday decorations the city is able to maintain. Anyway, Lauren has been a trooper through this whole ear infection ordeal, and sometime I think it's harder on the parent than it is on the kid.

Work is going fairly well--I have really enjoyed the change of pace and the change in scenery. I think I'm getting ready to be a lot busier, however, as the new year rolls around.

Photography has really taken a back seat as of late. I just haven't had enough time to do much. I have been taking a little more video, though. My new video camera is a lot easier to download to the computer, so hopefully, that will translate to more clips online. We'll see. I have to figure out how to use this Mac, first.

I suppose that's it for now.

Later, Gators.

it's cold out there...

Lauren got a great surprise from MawMaw and G-daddy on Saturday. Her very own pony named Trixie. She really had a good time playing with her new friend.



We got our first taste of the winter to come today. The high was 50 degrees and that was set at 8:00am this morning and it's hovered just below there since then. It was kind of a wet and soggy day, but Lauren is feeling better. Last week, she had a cold that turned into an ear infection. You could just tell by looking at her that she was miserable. Today was almost the exact opposite of that...you could look at her and tell how much she just enjoys life. We had such a good time.



Lauren and Beth made Tortilla Soup today. She gave Beth some space and wasn't as much of a "hold me" baby since she was feeling better. After our wonderful dinner, we braved the "blizzard" and took a walk by the "lake." I think Lauren will be excited to play in the snow one day...soon. She definitely takes after her daddy and has the right gear to deal with adverse conditions. Check out her jumpsuit



goodnight!

We're home!

After a quick weekend trip to Austin for me, and a couple of extra days for Beth and Lauren, we're back to "normal" in B-ville. Lauren is having her first school photos at her class at church tomorrow. It's pretty exciting to have someone else do the photos for a change!

We had lots of fun in Austin (other than having to work). Lauren had an opportunity to visit with her old friend, Sam Brown, this weekend. They got to play in the Pumpkin Patch at Terrytown United Methodist Church. Trying to get 18 month olds to cooperate is a challenging endeavor. It's easier to herd cats, actually...

I'll post a couple soon.

goodnight!

Trip to Austin

Well, here we go. Our first family trip back to Austin. This is more of a work trip for me and hopefully, more of a family oriented trip for Beth and Lauren. We have a wedding this weekend and two more (weekend before Turkey day and Memorial Day weekend 08) before we're finished. After that, I will concentrate my photography efforts on flowers and buildings and other stuff that doesn't move unless it's named Lauren. Speaking of Lauren, she was primping for Austin tonight...

I cannot get over this girl's curls!!!

Someone actually asked Beth if they were natural!?!

We're just about packed, but I'm having difficulty figuring out what gear to leave behind. Honestly, I could probably shoot the whole wedding with 2 lenses, but you just never know what you're going to need or what you're going to leave on the front row of the church...

I got off early this afternoon because a water main burst downtown and we didn't have water at the pilot plant. No water = no bathrooms or AC = go home. I can't say that I complained too much. I had a migrain that didn't go away until I napped for about an hour. Beth had a biopsy on one of her moles today, so please say a prayer that it comes back negative. You always hold your breath until you have been cleared.

We're still trying to get used to how things work in a small town. It seems like we're always getting the run-around in some way. Yesterday, for instance, the lady that was scheduled for at least a month in advance because she was booked solid, called and canceled 30 minutes before Beth's appointment. Not exactly small-town hospitality. Of course we have no way of knowing if she had a family emergency or what, but still, it's just one example in a long chain of events. Our lawn guy is flaky. We practically had to beg to get an OB appointment and sonogram 6 weeks late (we should have found out a month ago that we're having a boy). Just stuff. So, on a whim, Beth called Patricia, her hairstylist from Austin and she's going to go in after hours on Sunday night to do Beth's hair. We miss people like that. I guess we're just not considered "locals" yet.

Alright, our little baby is demanding that Beth eat some icecream, so I'll sign off in a sec. Before I leave, Lauren wanted me to post a couple of photos of her new friend, Sam Gregory.

the day before hump day...

It's only Tuesday, but it already feels like Wednesday. I suppose that makes for a long week.

We had Bible study tonight. I met a lot of great guys and I'm hopeful that my experience will be somewhat akin to my first Bible study group in Austin. That study started a number a lifelong type friendships. Beth enjoyed her Bible study as well (the wives of all the guys in my study). It's good to feel a part of something--it makes the transition to Bartlesville that much easier.

Lauren enjoyed our Bible study, too. She stayed up WAAAAYYY past her bedtime. She normally goes to sleep around 7:00 but didn't finally conk out until about 9:00 tonight. Maybe she'll sleep in for Beth tomorrow or she'll have a good morning nap after her flu shot...poor kiddo. It's never fun to get stuck by a needle. Erin, our newly found babysitter, took great care of her tonight. To make matters even better, she knows the meaning of the phrase, "Wooo Pig Soieee!" as she is a recent Arkansas grad.

That's it for now...goodnight.

And it's a...

BOY!!! We went to the OB's office this morning and he told us that we were having a baby girl. Then he realized he'd made a mistake and missed something :)

We're really excited--of course this means that we now have to buy all new clothes and such, but we can't wait. Now all we need is to figure out what we're going to name him. I'm thinking Habbakuk. Beth doesn't like it though, so we'll see.

The Last Day of September

Today was the last day of the month...a day that saw my nine year membership at Hyde Park fall away and a new beginning at First Baptist Bartlesville. I really feel like we've found a church we can call home. Pastor Joe Fowler is an amazing person and speaker and you can tell he has a heart that chases God. As we went down front to join the church, you could just see the look of joy in his face. This place is not about numbers, it is about people. Beth, Lauren, and I look forward to growing in the Spirit and making lots of friends at this church.

Lauren enjoyed her moment in the spotlight. As we were standing at the front, she suddenly noticed that there was a large projection screen for the choir to see the sermon (so it faces the pulpit). She saw us standing up there and started pointing at the screen saying, "Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!" Of course, this was picked up by the pastor's mic and she had the congregation--all 1,000-- rolling. The pastor lost his train of thought and the minister of education (a University of Arkansas grad) told everyone he'd never seen the pastor get so lost in the middle of an introduction. All in all, it was a great morning!

This afternoon, we took a few maternity shots of Beth. I'm including one here.



After the photo session, we decided to take a nap. Now that's how a Sunday afternoon should go. After we woke up, we ate dinner (roast) and watched a sudden downpour. The spiders all had to rebuild their webs. Lauren had a good time watching.

That's all for today, but maybe I'll have time to write a little more tomorrow--I'm taking the day off.

Fall is here...

We've gotten settled into our new house in Bartlesville. There is certainly an adjustment period that you go through when you move into a new place...you can never remember exactly where you put anything and that can be complicated by the fact that you now have two stories to deal with. It seems like anytime you want something, it's on the other floor. Oh well, I can't complain too much. The extra room is certainly nice.

Lauren is growing up so fast. Today, we went to a local nursery to buy some pumpkins. Lauren LOVES pumpkins. She sees one and will say pumpkin 17 times in a row...so we bought her 17 pumpkins.


We've been trying to get our house ready for fall because the weather has really had that crispness that comes right before the leaves change. I'm so excited for Beth to experience a fall season like the ones I grew up with--there's not much of a fall in Texas.

A couple of weeks ago, we had our first real break in the weather. It was about 55 degrees on Saturday morning. Beth, Lauren and I were downstairs in the den and Beth decided to let Meshach hang out on the patio below. She thought she should check in on him, but when she looked he was no where to be found. He decided that 55 degrees would be a perfect opportunity to chase the swan that mocks him while he's stuck on the deck. Beth looked out onto the pond and there was my dog (I say MY dog, because when he does something wrong he belongs to me) swimming in the pond not too terribly far from the swan. I have no idea what he planned to do with the swan if he caught it. I have a feeling that the swan would have torn him up, but I didn't tell him that. He thought he was big stuff until I yelled at him to get out of the water.

I hate to think of the thoughts running through all of our neighbors' heads...

This photo was taken pre-Meshach chase...

We've found a church home, I'm happy to say. First Baptist Bartlesville has just been absolutely wonderful. The pastor stopped by to visit us a couple of weeks after we'd been visiting and you can just tell that he has a heart for the Lord. We're really excited to get involved. The nursery is fantastic and we've met some people we believe will be great friends.

I guess that's all for now.

-c

Changes

This post finds me at work (8:10pm) knowing I will be here for at least another 10.5 hours. As I listen to an old band called the Jayhawks, I've been getting a bit nostalgic. Looks like I may have a little time to share what's been going on in my life the last few months.

First, an old friend, Jeff Niblack, introduced me to the Jayhawks while I was a co-op engineering student doing a stint at Protein Technologies. "Protein!" you say? That plant smelled so good the women complained that they gained weight just by working there. Oh, r-i-i-i-i-ght. Anyway, the plant was in Pryor, Oklahoma, and I suppose that it's a bit ironic that I would be listening to the Jayhawks while typing on the blog. I'll use that as a segue into the next paragraph.

I put my notice in last week with SRP--I'm trying to give them a couple of months though I fear that still won't be enough--and the reality of leaving is beginning to seep in. For over nine years, I have been in the same office, at the same desk, dealing primarily with the same people every day. I am leaving on really great terms, but it's really hard nonetheless. Because we're such a small research group, my absence will be magnified beyond typical departures. I've got a great relationship with my bosses--I work out with one--and you never know what you're going to get when you venture into the great unknown. Also, I've got a really unique, cool job. I'm trading all of it for financial gain and (hopefully) a better place to raise a family. A larger family...

We're about 2.5 months pregnant with our second child. I haven't even had time to process that yet. E has been uber sick (in the hospital for dehydration) and the photography business has been unrelenting. Between taking care of her, trying to take care of Lolo, and taking Meshach to Arkansas, I've been trying to prepare the house to sell. As I was walking to the control room this evening, I realized that if I didn't look like me, I wouldn't recognize myself. I have changed so much in the last 9 years...I feel like an old man. Not good.

In many ways, even though I believe it for the greater good, the change makes me melancholy. The music is fitting, though.

Easter

Beth is going to be helping me with the blog a little more as I seem to have trouble keeping up with the passing of time.

We went to HPBC yesterday for Easter services. WOW! We have some amazingly blessed vocalists at our church. Our friend, Cara, sang a solo that was just awe inspiring. I am so glad that we were able to take Lauren because she really loves the music. She REALLY loved the bagpipes--it probably has something to do with her Scottish heritage (haha). She was really good during church and we nearly made it through the entire service. We had to leave when she started distracting the good people behind us by waving and smiling at them. She doesn't mind the attention.

We had lunch in Driftwood--ham and green beans, salad, and most importantly, brownies. Somehow we made it home and didn't have any brownie leftovers in our goodie bag. I think John ate them all.

Here we are, it's Monday night and we're trying to get the site updated. Hopefully, this cold weather spell will soon be over (I think it's supposed to be 85 on Thursday, so we don't have to wait long). I hope you all have a blessed night.

Chris

Spring is here...

There is certainly something in the air...ummm...that would be pollen. Our allergies have nearly gotten the best of us. Lauren doesn't seem to mind too much yet. Work has been really crazy the last few weeks and photography has been picking up speed as we head into the wedding season.

Lauren is really beginning to pull up on things and is pretty coordinated. She can actually throw a ball to me if I ask her to. The downside of her learning to throw a ball is that she can also toss a sweet potato clear across the room at dinner time. She also knows that I am "dada." As I was looking at her tonight the realization of how much my parents love me moved me nearly to the point of misting up...I wish all kids could get as much love as Lauren does.

I tried to take a few bluebonnet photos today. They're really good this year but I just can't seem to find the time to get out and take some proper photos--with the tripod, shutter release, no wind, and a nice overcast day. Today was decent, but it was a little windy and there's not much of a backdrop out where I work.

Beth's allergies have been pretty bad the last few days so her mom came in today to help with Lauren. Thanks, Mary! I'm sorry you had to miss work...you probably weren't really "missing" it though, were you?

Lauren's first cousin (first cousin, once removed to be exact), Rylee Grace, was born at 9:46 this morning. She weighed in at 6lb 2oz and was 20in long. I'm glad that Lauren will have someone near her age in the family. All of this family stuff is going to have to happen on Beth's side because my side seems to be slow reproducers :)

On a sadder note, my Piggies can't seem to buy a basketball coach. I'm seriously concerned about what's going on at my alma mater. I guess that's all for tonight.

random ramblings

We recently visited Natalie Mae Wooten in Ft. Worth. It was a fun trip--a little hard to make the drive from Austin to Ft. Worth and back in a day, but well worth it. Clayton and I dreamed of ways to buy property in Canada, watched the Hogs lose to UK in basketball, and talked sports while the four girls took a walk on a cold, sun shiny day. Lauren is getting around pretty quickly these days. Her army crawl has turned into an honest to goodness real baby crawl. Meshach is now on-guard because she enjoys pulling on his ears. Her favorite books are Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear and a Pooh book that has stackable blocks. She loves to say "light," "hat," and "Hi, dadda." And her smile is still the sweetest thing in the whole world.

We just returned from Driftwood and a visit to Grandmommy and Granddaddy's and got to see Aunt Pam and Uncle John in the process. I would post some photos, but I left my camera out there!!! I think I would probably lose my head if it weren't attached to my body.

We got a lot of yard work done this weekend--raked all the leftover leaves, weed eated the yard, fertilized trees and the grass, moved a couple of shrubs, and installed a mailbox. Ahh...isn't adulthood fun?

Spring 2007

Lauren modeling at the park.

If you don't like the weather in Texas, all you have to do is wait a minute and it will change. Truer words have never been spoken. The high today was in the mid-sixties, a far cry from the ice we had last week. We tried to take advantage of the beautiful day by going to the park with our neighbors and we planted a Christmas tree in our backyard. Lauren supervised the planting of the tree. She also got to hang out with Granddaddy after her bath...

Blizzard 2007

For those of you keeping track, we found all but one of the puppets. The circus master may never return from his last tour of duty (may he rest in peace). Today found us in the midst of the great blizzard of 2007. I think we got a quarter of an inch of ice/sleet/snow and they shut down the entire city of Austin. It was mildly amusing. Wherever you are, stay warm and dry, and we hope to see you after we dig out...

Lolo loves the snow. She tries to eat it by sticking her tongue out and catching it. It's pretty dang cute.

Cold, rainy, and sick

Rain has been coming down all day. We've gotten 4.7 inches of rain today, which is a record. The temperature is about 37F and we've got a winter storm warning through Monday. I'm not used to having to deal with this here in Austin. In White Hall, it's a pretty common occurrence, but only the third time I've experienced it since I move to the great state of Texas.

It's always difficult to deal with the rain, but I'm certainly thankful for it anyway. We've been pretty dry the last few years, so the rain is welcome. Getting a 90lb German shepherd out for his walk in the rain is a chore. Actually, getting him out is no problem at all. It's getting him in--I suppose I should say getting him cleaned off enough to let him in the house--is the hard part. And, no matter how thorough you are in drying him, the house still smells like dog.

To top matters off, everytime we take Lolo to the nursery at church she develops a cold the following Wednesday. It never fails. Seriously. The last 3 or 4 times we have taken her, she wakes up on Wednesday with a little rattle which progressively gets worse until goo is coming out of her nose. I seem to catch it every time she brings it home. Bethie has gotten it too. It is somewhat discouraging because we are making the effort to go to church--and believe me, it's an EFFORT. Anyone that has ever had a child understands what I'm talking about. You need to plan to leave thirty minutes before you think you need to leave if you want to be anywhere close to on-time. I think I've had more colds this year than I've had in the last 5 combined.

Here's a couple of shots from today's adventure in the marshland formerly known as Austin...

And a couple of lolo too:

Caught up...briefly

Merry New Year to you all. I've been in the process of updating our personal site this past weekend. Part of that entailed moving my "blog" to something a little more convenient and easy to upload. I'm trying to make the menu functions a little more static on my homepage so that I don't have to update them everytime I make changes to the site. Another goal is to make site managment a little less difficult so that Beth can make changes in her spare time...if such a thing exists.

Please let us know what you think of the changes we've made to our site and also to let us know that you dropped by!

I'll be updating this soon.

December 2006

Merry Christmas to all. It has been a very exciting month in the Lewis household. I turned 32 last week--and I feel every bit of it. Planning for Christmas (Lauren's FIRST!!!) has kept us busy and business has been really crazy. With all of the hustle and bustle, it's hard to keep your eyes on the true meaning of Christmas, but we're trying!

Lauren is soooo smart. She's already saying, "Hi, Dada" when she sees me sometimes. Of course, she also says that to George (Granddaddy). She's also saying "Hight" which is "light" for the rest of us. She's also crawling and sitting up from a reclining position. We've re-arranged our house so that Lauren now has her own play room. It's baby-proofed and gives her lots of room to crawl around and play. Meshach is sad, though, because he doesn't get to come in her room--it's the "no-no" room for him. It's a no-no room for daddy sometimes, too, if he's wearing his work shoes.

We're excited about Christmas. Yesterday, we went to Grandma Ledbetter's house in Kingsland and Lauren got lots of great presents and I got lots of great food. We're going to Driftwood today for some festivities at Great Granny's house and we're hosting a Christmas breakfast tomorrow morning. Then, on Thursday, we're headed to the great land up north--Arkansas--to celebrate the holiday season with my parents. It's been an adventure packed month, and it's not over yet. The next time I write, it will probably be the new year.

October 2006

October 21 -- Another month has nearly come and gone. Lauren is seven months old now and learning something new every day. There is nothing like being a parent to make you understand God's love for us, his children. It's really quite humbling.

We took Lauren to the pumpkin patch today. Well, it wasn't a REAL pumpkin patch, just a local church pumpkin sale. But they had a LOT of pumpkins. Of course, I had to take my camera and here is a sampling. Lauren was joined by two of her buddies, Camden (left) and Sam (right).

I have tried to teach Lauren to always be kind and respect those around you and not do stuff like pull other people's ears. She has taken all of that knowledge to heart. As you can see in the photo below, Lauren gets along extremely well with everybody. Unfortunately, I can't post the next photo in the series. I'm sure we'll find the rest of that ear somewhere around here...

I have also tried to teach her to share and be a giving person. Just on a whim, she gave Sam and Camden cute little hats to match the one she picked out for herself.

She noticed Sam didn't have his on right, so she thought it would be neighborly of her to show him the proper manner to wear a hat--"It goes OVER the ears, Sam," she said. "I'll give this back to you when you learn proper hat etiquette and not until then." She is very demanding. I think she gets this from her mother.

In the end, everything worked out just fine. Sam, Camden, and Lauren had a really good time at the pumpkin patch. So did their parents.

September 2006

September 24 -- I'm finally back online. The unthinkable just about happened. Our business computer died a week and a half ago and tring to replace it was difficult. Fortunately, I had everything backed up, but it's still a pain to reload all of the software.

Lauren went in for her 6 month check up and shots on Friday. I am so glad that we made it through that. I think it's harder for the parents to see their child get shots than it is for the child to get them. Lauren cried for a minute, but she was okay after that. She weighed 16lb 14.5 oz and was in the 80th percentile on height and the 70th percentile on weight. Tall and thin. I hope she doesn't wind up as a model :)

We put her down on her blankets in the living room today and we saw her almost crawl. I think it is a matter of days and not weeks before she becomes mobile. I've got a LOT of work to do around the house to make it childproof. This is all so exciting for me because I've never been around babies--for those of you who don't know, I'm an only child. We haven't had any small children on our side of the family since I was about 10 and I really didn't pay any attention to babies back then.

September 30 -- This is the first weekend we've had in a while where we can say that we're not TOO busy. We've always got stuff to do, but this weekend's load is a little lighter than usual. Lauren is helping me update the site. Over the last couple of weeks, I've gradually gotten the new computer up to speed and I fixed our old computer. Now we've got wireless access here at the house. This gives us a lot more flexibility to process images faster and keeps us from being without a computer if one goes down. It's also a good policy to have everything completely backed up. Just like you need at least two cameras at a wedding, you need two computers at home with all of your images on both.

We took a nice walk to the park this morning. I got a couple of really nice photos of Beth and Lauren--neither of which are hard to photograph. I'm really going to try to be a little more agressive when it comes to keeping this site updated. It's nice to know that it helps me keep in touch with everyone, even at a distance. My goal is to start putting little video clips online sometime within the next week or two.

It's hard to believe October is almost here. I went in Lowes about a week ago and they already had their Christmas stuff out. I cannot understand having Christmas stuff out this early. Before the end of this decade, they will have the Christmas stuff on the shelves by Labor Day...mark my words. It really just makes me sick.

No football this weekend. Beth and I just got back from the mall. We got her some shoes and a couple of shirts and a pair of pants. We got me some new sunglasses. Lauren got a rattle.
It's been a good Saturday. I hope you all are doing well.

August 2006

August 13 -- Well...we sold the truck...and the car...So, we need to buy a vehicle for Beth. I think we're going to get an '01 Volvo. The one we're looking at is in great shape-immaculate inside and out. Hopefully, we'll get all of that taken care of this next week. It's hard to get around without a vehicle when you've got a small child.

It is so HOT. I don't even want to be outside. The yard is dead and I'm trying to keep the trees alive. There are so many things that I need to get accomplished on the house this fall. Painting the windows (or replacing them entirely), landscaping (sodding) the yard, adding a front porch, and re-roofing are the things I'm trying to pick between. Of course, cost is the major issue. It always boils down to money. Funny how that works.

Lauren weighs about 16lbs now. She is chunky--or as Beth just put it, rolley, because chunky sounds fat. She rolls over on her tummy and holds her head up really well. We've also got her sitting up by herself in the boppie. It's so amazing to see her interacting with her surroundings. She is developing so fast.

I'm so glad she has a gentle disposition. It's nice to be able to go places because she is so well-behaved. I hope she stays that way! She sleeps about 12 hours a night, which is good for mommy and daddy too.

July 2006

July 2nd -- What an absolutely ridiculous month June turned out to be. I just put in a 78-hour work week at SRP plus had three weddings in four weeks and a family photo shoot at the capitol on that one off week. I'm completely wiped out! Hopefully, I won't be repeating that anytime soon.

My newest interest is in the field of bio-diesel. I think that it is a potential renewable energy source that could eventually compete with regular petro-diesel. So, one way that you can make bio-diesel is from very simple diatomic algae. Working at UT is definitely a benefit because they have one of the largest algae departments in the world--and they are free to UT employees and students. I've got a couple of samples that I'm trying to grow right now. I'll try to keep a running record of how it's progressing.

Lauren is G-R-O-W-I-N-G! She weighs about 15 lbs now. She has over doubled in size. I'm planning on updating my photo section if you want to see a few photos of her there. If I help her balance in a standing position, she will support all of her own weight. It's really awesome to see how she is developing. She pushes up onto her forearms if you put her onto her stomach and she is sleeping from about 9pm until about 7am. What a wonderful baby! We are so blessed.
Beth looks fantastic. You'd never know by looking at her that she had a baby 3 months ago. I'm really proud of her for getting back to her pre-pregnancy weight so quickly. I actually weigh less than I did before pregnancy. At my heaviest, I was up to about 159lbs and my jeans were starting to get tight. So, about 2 months ago I started riding my bike to work. It's about 6 miles from the house and it's uphill on the way and down hill on the way back. It's a pretty tough ride, especially if I have my laptop, a change of clothes, and my lunch! Since I have been riding, my weight has dropped down to 151lbs and I feel a lot better. I spent about $150 dollars on new tires (more street oriented versus off-road mt bike oriented), a new seat that is supposed to be better for guys, and new shoes. My old ones wouldn't click in and out of my pedals very easily. Between the bus and my bike, I think we could manage with one vehicle. So...

My truck is for sale. I'm selling it for $9000 if you know anyone that is interested. It's a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4x4 3.5L with manual transmission and a sunroof. I just crossed 90,000 miles and I've never had any trouble with the engine. Beth doesn't drive a standard, so we're going to wind up replacing it eventually--my boss may sell us his truck (a 2002 Infiniti just like my Pathfinder, but it has an automatic transmission)--and selling Beth's car which is entirely too small to get Lauren's car seat in with ease. My goal is to do all this without incurring any car payments, but we'll see how that goes.

June 2006

June 6th -- What an amazing trip! Lauren traveled 9.5 hours to White Hall, Arkansas, to meet her grandparents for the first time (then she traveled back another 9.5 hours...but we won't talk about that experience...). There is nothing like watching your parents interact with your baby. There is a whole other paradigm that gets stretched beyond recognition while watching your father (who is not known for his soft side) making silly faces and noises at his new granddaughter. Thankful does not even begin to describe my emotions regarding this trip.

Beth had a really good time visiting with my parents and grandparents--her most relaxed trip to Arkansas since our first one before we got married. Of course that translated over directly to my mood, too, which enabled my experience to be that much better. The only thing that wasn't 100% positive was the return trip. In retrospect, we probably should have left Arkansas on Sunday evening so that Lauren could travel at night. She doesn't travel as well when she's awake in her car seat for 9 straight hours.

We got to hang out with Aunt Deb, Carmen, Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Jamie, Paul, and little Ruby this trip. There were others we didn't get to call, but hopefully we will be back around Thanksgiving. There are some photos posted in the "photo" section from the trip. Please check them out!

May 2006

May 26th -- I know, I know. I'm such a slacker for not updating this in almost 3 weeks. I've been busy. My mouth feels a lot better, my daughter weighs almost 13 pounds, and Beth is just about down to her pre-pregnancy weight. All in all, it's been a productive 3 weeks. We've got a wedding this weekend at the Salt Lick Thurmon Mansion. This is going to work out really well because Mary will be able to baby-sit (the location is only 5 miles from the Ledbetter's residence). Hopefully, John will get to help us this weekend, too. I'd like to get him involved because I feel that he has a very artistic approach that will add another dimension to our business. The only thing he really needs is a better understanding of the camera.

May 8th -- I'm starting to feel a bit better. The cheeks have become a much more manageable size-about twice normal size. There's still a lot of pain, but I think I'm going to live. Lauren and I have been hanging out all day while mommy ran some errands. I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow, and based on how I feel now, I should be able to make it. The question is whether I'll catch the bus or have Beth take me. I probably don't want to drive while taking hydrocodene. Mary is supposed to have her going away party at school tomorrow. Pleasant Hill is really going to miss her. If I get to go, I'll take some photos. As I'm typing this, Jars of Clay started playing and it brought back a whole lot of memories. "Sinking" is off their first release, "Flood." I listened to this album all the time while studying for tests in college. This was their best CD by far--acoustic driven, catchy beats, and a great message. Beth is feeding Lauren. I continue to be amazed at the whole process. What a wonderful gift God has given humans. Being able to nuture and bond with a baby is such a great experience. However, some mothers don't have the chance to do that because they don't produce milk or have other issues. Fortunately, there is a way that some of those babies can receive breast milk, the best source of nourishment for a little one. Beth donated 153 oz of milk to the Mothers' Milk Bank of Austin (http://www.mmbaustin.org). Her excess milk will go to feed premature and sick babies. We were so worried that we were going to lose the milk (stored in the freezer) during our 2-day power outage, but having all that milk in the freezer helped keep it cold.

May 6th -- Well, it's been far too since I've updated the blog. I hope you'll cut me a little slack. We've had some severe thunderstorms ravage our neighborhood (we were without power for two days--unthinkable that this could happen in a civilized place--Arkansas maybe, but Austin??? please note the sarcasm). Not to mention the fact that I was turned into a chipmunk

So, having your wisdom teeth removed turned out to be every bit as wonderful as I thought it would be. It was quite painful, and I do feel much less wise. On the other hand, Beth has been terrific. She is taking really good care of me. It's been nice to be home and spend time (in the dark, too!) with her and Lauren. She is really spoiling me. My meals have consisted of jell-o and whipped cream, pudding and whipped cream (are you sensing a trend here?), macoroni and cheese (no whipped cream on this), and baked potato(e) (for all you Dan Quayle fans). IÂ had a T-bone steak for my last supper before the teeth came out. That was really good.

You would think my dental insurance would cover most of this...you would think. Delta Dental is not on my Christmas list right now, that's for sure. They covered a whopping $800 and left me to pay $1350 out of pocket. I could use a couple more weddings...if you know anyone, send them my way.

Lauren turned 7 weeks old last Tuesday. I stood on the scales with her yesterday and she weighs about 12lbs now. She has almost doubled in size!!! Hard to believe she'll be two months old in three days. How can she grow so quickly?

April 2006

April 23rd -- Poor Meshach. His ear has been repaired, but it will never stand up again. They had to shave half of his head so he does look a bit odd. I think he'll be cute once his hair grows back, but it's hard to see him like this.

Yesterday was busy, as usual. I had an engagement session with a great couple, Rebekah and Jared. We went to the capitol and Barton Springs. It was a lot of fun hanging out with them. Their wedding is in August.
Beth and I went to Walmart yesterday to get a few items (and a couple of ice cream cones...each). Grandmommy watched sweet Lauren while we were gone. I think everyone had a good time.

April 17th -- Disaster. We had our semi-annual presentations today...almost. Technology is a wonderful thing when it works. When it doesn't, well, it gets ugly. To make a long story short, we tried to use Microsoft NetMeeting to host our online presentations. It worked pretty well last year, but at some point during the last year all of our corporate sponsors upgraded their firewalls. No one could see our presentations. We had 30 or so sponsors all trying in vain to view our presentations. This will never be advocated as a way to increase your sponsorship...We have rescheduled for Wednesday.
I posted some photos from Easter in the photo section. Lauren went for her 4-week checkup. She now weighs 10lb 4oz. The doctor said she was in the 90th percentile on length, 75th on weight, and 25th on head circumference. So, keeping with our thoughts that she's a supermodel, she's tall and thin. Oh, the doctor also said her eyes are going to be blue. I'm not 100% sold that they won't turn colors, but it would certainly be interesting if they stay blue. Beth's grandmother on her mother's side has blue eyes, her grandfather on her father's side had blue eyes, and my dad has blue eyes. So, I guess there's a recessive gene in there on both sides.
I talked to Clay today. It's good to have a friend like him. I was always told that you made your lifelong friends in college. With the exception of Mike Sherland, none of my "lifelong" friends are from school. Clay and I have been friends since we played little league baseball together in 7th grade (we were two of the youngest people in our class). We played football together on a state championship team in high school. Time has taken us apart and brought us closer together, but we've never lost touch. You don't get to pick your family, but if I could, he'd be my brother.

April 16th -- Easter. Lauren's first easter was a lot of fun. We woke up around 5am this morning. Lauren actually slept from 11pm until 5am, so we got 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep. That is truly a blessing. Anyway, we got up and Beth fed Lauren before we headed out to Driftwood for a sunrise service at the Driftwood United Methodist Church (they were holding a joint service with the Baptist Church of Driftwood). It was really cool to get to go to the service because the last time we were in that building, Beth and I kissed and said, "I do." Needless to say, there were a lot of emotions running through my head as I sat there and listened to the message this morning. There was some good old Gospel singing of the old hymns and Reverend Clark brought the Easter message.

After church, we headed to Mary and George's for breakfast--biscuits, bacon, eggs, and sausage. We watched "The Greatest Game" and Beth took a little nap. For lunch, we had Thanksgiving dinner. It was great. We topped it off with some homemade vanilla icecream. Going to Driftwood is really nice because it forces me not to work on the computer and it forces Beth not to do housework. Forced relaxation. It's a good thing.

April 14th -- Tax day is tomorrow, or I guess I should say Monday. We sent ours off today to relatively little fanfare :) Lauren got her first Easter card from Grandma and Grandpa in the mail today. It was really sweet (thanks, mom). Our insurance agent came by today and got Beth and I set up with life insurance. There's just something strange talking about life insurance.
Meshach has more issues than any dog should ever have - he doesn't deserve to have to deal with this stuff. We noticed that his ear was beginning to swell around the tip on Wednesday. It kept getting larger until I felt we had to take him to the vet. The only place open was the emergency hospital for animals on Lamar. I waited for about an hour before I was able to see a nurse. After she left, it was about another 30 minutes before the vet came in to see Meshach. She said that it was an aural hematoma and that he would need surgery to correct it. I asked for an estimate which was...$767. I love Meshach to death, but I just can't drop that kind of change on a dog's ear (the prognosis for recovery is good without any surgery, but there would be disfigurement of his ear). Well, needless to say, I was in a rather foul mood when I left the hospital. I talked to his regular vet today and he said that he could perform the surgery for $350. Now that's still expensive, but I think I can swing that. I just hate for him to be uncomfortable. He is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday.

Speaking of surgery, I'm scheduled to get my wisdom teeth taken out on May 4th. I've never been "under," and I am starting to get a little nervous about it. On top of that, I've got a woman who is wanting me to shoot a wedding that weekend. So, I'm a bit up in the air about my schedule right now, but it sure is frustrating when people don't confirm/commit to things like they should.

Beth and I are going to have a "date" night tonight. We're heading to Z Tejas in the Arboretum. Mary is watching Lauren this evening, so this is a real date! I'm sure we'll be home and in our robes by 8:00. :)

April 11th -- I SHOULD be getting my taxes ready to send off. We're actually getting a small refund this year thanks to posting a loss on the photography gig. I don't know whether to be happy or sad regarding said state of the business. :) Every time I sit down and begin writing on this blog, I have this notion that I should be a little more grand, a little more verbose. So, with that in mind, I bring you this random tidbit...
Amidst the cacophony of horns, sirens, and road pavers, my family was still able to take an idyllic stroll yesterday after I arrived home from work. As I walked along I could not help but have this euphoric feeling of happiness. Knowing that you are in the place you are supposed to be -- emotionally -- is very reassuring. Looking over at my wife holding our child is such an awesome feeling -- awesome as in awe inspiring. Knowing that I am solely responsible for their physical, social, and spiritual well-being of two other people seems rather daunting, but I'm confident that God is preparing me each day to be the husband and father that only He can make me.

We walked to the park and spent some quality time with an aging four-legged friend. It's hard to watch Meshach get older. He's lost a couple of steps from the puppy that used to follow me around on all of my adventures (mountain biking, hiking, etc.). Now that I think about it, I've probably lost a step or two myself. The circle of life continues and I am finding myself on top of the circle right now. I wish that things could stay like they are now--with most of the friends and family we love still here. But time, that precious commodity, is slipping away even as I type. I am thankful that we will all meet again someday, but it's hard to see those that you love get older. Having children has made me think about these things. I've gone and become a parent and, in the process, made my parents grandparents. As long as I was single, it was like time was standing still. In retrospect, I think that I was just trying to put the inevitable on hold. You can cheat on your taxes or on a test, but you can't cheat on time. In light of all these things, I'm still happy. I can't even begin to describe how blessed I am.

That took entirely too much work ... oh well. That was tiring. I think I'll wait until tomorrow to be super brilliant.

April 9th -- Angie Whitford stopped by this morning after church to see Lauren. It was great getting to see her. Andy is supposed to be home from Iraq for vacation in June. We're praying for you, Andy!!!

After church, I went to Sears and bought a new lawnmower because ours quit last week. Our yard was beginning to look like a jungle. I nearly cut off my finger today when I was pulling it out of the box. I lifted it from the mowing deck like a dummy. The blad swung around and pinned my finger between it and the deck. I couldn't get it out without taking the mower out of the box and setting it on the ground. I was then able to use my left hand to free my right index finger. OUCH! Fortunately, I didn't cut any tendons or ligaments and I suppose that I'll live.
Mary and George came by to see Lauren. Mommy is out mowing right now and I'm uploading some photos for a photo album.

April 8th -- I had a photo shoot yesterday evening (bridal), one this morning, and one tomorrow morning. I guess you could say that business is picking up. I really enjoyed getting to know Rebekah, Sarah, and Lee better this weekend.

Lauren's pediatrician advised us not to take Lauren to places where people congregate (e.g. church, the mall, etc.) so we've not been to church since the week before Lauren was born. It feels like forever. I'm really ready to go back. She is scheduled for shots in about a month.
April 4, 2006 -- Finally...I know, it's been a week and a half. A lot has happened during the last 10 days. Most notably, Lauren is 3 weeks old. She weighed 8lb at her two week visit, so I can only imagine how much she weighs now.

Meshach went to the vet on Saturday (poor puppy!) and we learned he is fat. He tipped the scales at 100lbs. So he's on a diet now.

Hmmm...let's see. We've had so many wonderful friends bring dinner to us...Alma (wow, what awesome Mexican food!!!), Cheryl, The Mears, The Johns, The de Konings, The Browns, The Hooks, The Martins, The Clarks and I know I'm leaving off at least one or two families...let me know if I've overlooked anyone. We're looking forward to seeing our good friends, the Pelczars this evening. Neither Beth nor I thought we would need any help with food, but that has been our saving grace this last month. I don't think we would have made it without it.

March 2006

March 13th -- Tried to get all of the last minute stuff done today - like a photo shoot, editing the photos, getting the photos online, washing the truck, packing my bags, loading the truck, getting to the hospital on time. You know, the usual. We got checked in on time and they started monitoring Lauren's vitals. They gave Beth some medicine to soften her cervix around 9pm. The cot they had for me to sleep on was actually pretty good and we both rested fairly well.

March 14th -- I woke up around 5am. I slept pretty good last night, but the nurse woke me up each time they checked on Beth. I decided to run to the house to get a quick shower and some breakfast before they induced labor--and...the coolest thing is that if you leave between between 11pm and 6am you park for FREE! I made it back to the hospital just before the nurse started the petosin drip at 7am. Everything progressed really smoothly until about 9:30am when the contractions got unbearable and we had to call in the anesthesiologist, Dr. Sanjay. Mary had to leave the room while they inserted the needle. Right after the epidural, Mary went to get lunch for me. However, Beth's cervix had other ideas for lunch and decided to go from 3cm to 10cm in about an hour. The nurses made her hold off on pushing until the doctor could arrive. After pushing through about five contractions, we welcomed Lauren Elisabeth Lewis into the world at 11:11am. Mary just barely made it back for the birth (although she wasn't in the room) and George came by, too. Lauren weighed 7lb 2oz and has got to be the most beautiful baby I've ever seen--I am really objective about these things--I can recognize an ugly baby when I see one!!!

I got to watch Lauren get her first bath. She liked the water okay, but the drying was a little bit annoying. She doesn't cry very much at all--right now. I'm not complaining. After the bath, they transfered us to room 747 on the 7th floor. The room is small with taup and olive paint. The equipment is, shall I say, dated. I have been rather underwhelmed by the state-of-the-artness of the facilities at Seton. Oh well, the staff has been, for the most part, really great. Our nurse during the delivery, Catherine, was fantastic. She is expecting in October and asked Beth some questions about pregnancy. She was really nice and very attentive. Our doctor, Shannon Abikhaled, could not have been any better (although I will say she didn't have to work very hard during the delivery phase!!!). So a big thanks to all of you who made this delivery possible.
March 15th -- Lauren has been sleeping peacefully this morning. I wish I could say the same for Beth. She can't take her eyes off of Lauren long enough to sleep. We didn't sleep so well last night, but that is to be expected. Lauren is nursing well and seems to be in perfect health. Thank you, God, for giving us this angel.

The first day of the rest of my life. There are no words to describe the feeling that hits you when your first child is born. You can't prepare yourself. There is nothing else like it. It is very humbling to know that my feelings about my daughter are only a fraction of what God feels for us. Thanks to God for giving us a beautiful, healthy bably girl. Thanks for all of the prayers and well-wishes (and dinners!). I'd also like to thank the staff at Seton Medical Center, most notably Dr. Shannon Abikhaled and our labor nurse, Catherine.

March 16th -- We brought Lauren home today. Mother, baby, and I have tried to get settled in. It's SO nice to sleep in your own bed. Lauren likes to sleep! This is great news for mommy and daddy.

March 17th -- Happy St. Patricks Day! This was Lauren's original due date.

March 25th -- Well, the last week was a bit rougher than anticipated. Beth was extremely ill with mastitis and Lauren had some tummy trouble to boot. IÂ missed a day of work and so I'm a bit behind there. Some school kids getting off of the bus tried to vandalize our stork in the yard. Fortunately Mary, the principal and #1 mom-in-law, caught them red-handed. Needless to say, the kids now give a pretty wide berth to our yard. Everyone is better now, thank goodness. Grandma Ledbetter (George's mom), Tina, John, and Lesa came by to visit us today. It was really good to see them. I can't wait for my mom and dad to come down and see Lauren (hint, hint). The weather outside is beautiful today--72 and sunny.