Hair Cuts & Other Updates

A couple weeks ago Nathaniel helped to make and create a new recipe for Chili. Daddy & Nat did the cooking for the "Men's Chili Cook-Off" at our church. They won a prize! Nathaniel was so proud of his creation. And it really did taste good. I've included a picture of Nathaniel in his apron cooking and stirring his chili. He also helped me decorate Valentine's cookies and a cake. He's a great kitchen assistant!

Tom gave the boys haircuts this week. Nathaniel looks like a new man without any curls! He wanted to "look like Daddy" and indeed he does. Josiah got the clippers for his haircut, and of course he looks cute, too.






We were bored on Monday, for a moment between afternoon naps and suppertime. I let the boys "decorate" their afternoon snack. Check out their cute little fruit and vegetable creatures!

This week we have another OB appointment. I hope we can find out the gender of this little one, too!

I've been able to lead worship and even teach a time or two in the last couple weeks at our PWOC at our chapel. It has been my joy to do this. God has certainly been making Himself clear in leading me and preparing me for this task. I praise Him! It has been fun, too.

Enjoy the photos.

Quotable

Nathaniel and Josiah have lots to say. Sometimes the noise around here makes me feel crazy and sometimes it makes me laugh. Josiah is especially funny because he is still figuring out grammar. I thought I would share a couple "quotables" that made me laugh.

From Josiah:

"Sometimes I eated fwuzzy things on a big, big stick!" (hmmmm...I really have no idea what he's talking about!)

"Watch Out! I shooted my fork gun, I did shooted you!" (learning to use irregular past tense in English is a bit strange)

"We can't go to the van this morning." (Mom - "Oh really? Why not?") "Because the van is on the roof."

"He spitted the Tanker Twuck out! That was funny!"

"I am not gwown-up. I am not in chawge. When I am big, big I will be in chawge." (he likes to repeat adjectives for emphasis!)

"Baby Kira is a baby. Mrs. Kerah is not a baby. Mrs. Amy is not Mrs. Kerah's Mommy...." (He repeated this about 10 times, while he tried to figure out these mysterious same-sounding names).

"Your skin is nice and pinchy, too." (Does this refer to my wrinkles? What?)

"I falled asweep in my room last night. It was dark and I falled to sweep." (Much better than the previous 3 nights of yelling!)

And he's very sweet some days. He crawls in my lap and holds my face between his chubby little hands and tells me, "I wuv you Mommy, you're pwetty."

The pictures of Josiah were from sledding (he mostly sat at the bottom of the hill and ate snow) and when he was opening and trying on all his new Christmas presents.

Nathaniel is always talking about what he will do when he is big. Here's a few of his recent ideas:

He wants to write a recipe book and run a bakery. He loves to cook and invent. I let him smell and taste all the spices and sometimes he decides how to enhance a meal!

He also wants to be an astronaut.

He would like to be a bible translator and live in the jungle.

He wants to build a Lego room and live in it.

He wants to be a marine-entomologist (that was the exact title he used!) to discover bugs under the sea never found before.

He wants to drive a VW Monster Truck.

He wants to be a teenager (I guess he thinks then he will be done with parental discipline)...

He wants to be God (because he wishes he were perfect)...

In one of the pictures, you can see Nathaniel shaking a jar of cream to make butter. I figured shaking and jumping for 20 minutes would be just his style. Yes, the butter was good and he used lots of energy to make it!

When the snow around here melted he was eager to ride his new big bike - he's doing great! But it snowed again today, so I guess we'll put off riding the bike again for awhile.

They had a small circus with a clown and a magician visit his Kindergarten (the kids acted out being the different animals). The clowns painted the children's faces. He sure looked cute and had such a fun day--the best day at Kindergarten yet!

Ich bin ein Berliner

We had the opportunity to go to Berlin a couple weeks ago. We spent about 3 days in and around the city. We were blessed to meet and to stay with new friends who are missionaries to college and university students in the city. They welcomed us, fed us, and we enjoyed wonderful encouraging conversations getting to know one another and recognizing the work of God in each other's lives.

In case you didn't realize, a Berliner is a jelly-donut but also a way to say you are a citizen of the city of Berlin. So we enjoyed a good little chat about that word while we were there. Nathaniel is always interested in puns and funny words. President Kennedy spoke the famous words "Ich bin ein [I am a] Berliner..." when he visited the city.

While in Berlin, we went for several hours to the Legoland in the newly built Potsdamerplatz. (Nathaniel thought he was in heaven!) We also saw the typical historic tourist sites: remains of the Berlin Wall, the Reichstag building with the grand glass dome, Gendamerplatz, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (this also has a new glass prism-like structure built around the bombed original church), the Brandenburg Gate, and the Rittersport Chocolate factory/museum. Berlin is a well-restored city. What hasn't been restored was torn down and replaced by lots of shiny glass modern architecture. It was uncommonly sunny during the days while we were there. It was hard to imagine that it was ever a cold, grey, communist, war-torn city, as it is so carefully and beautifully built up.

We certainly enjoyed our time in Berlin and the boys have been asking and pretending with various vehicles to drive back to Berlin again!

Luther Sites

We had the opportunity a couple weeks ago to visit Eisenach and Erfurt. These cities are about 2 hours northeast of here, in the former East Germany. The cities look different (eastern Germany is still poorer and less built up than west) and language is a little different dialect, too. We stayed at a nice little B & B and stretched our German skills over breakfast small talk. Nathaniel enjoyed trying out a few new German phrases he's learning at Kindergarten. He likes to travel to new places and especially likes staying in hotels. He's got the travel-bug =)

These are cities where much of Martin Luther's life and ministry occurred. We read and re-learned about his powerful ministry here in Germany. It was a rainy day, but we hiked up the big hills all over the town anyway. The leaves were bright and splendid. We visited the Wartburg castle where Luther hid away and translated the bible - and where he supposedly threw the inkpot at the devil. We enjoyed the castle tour. The castle has been beautifully kept up. There are many different eras of building and decoration and preferences of the Dukes and Duchesses who have resided over the course of the last 900 years! We saw Luther's childhood home (which is now a museum). We attended a music festival/church service on Sunday morning while in Erfurt and enjoyed some nice choral and organ music at the Thomas Kirche and played on the playground outside the church. We ate some good schnitzel, delicious soup, and during our journey we stopped to let the kids play at McDonalds. (yes, even in east Germany...)

Off to Kindergarten...

Nathaniel went to Kindergarten today. He was up and excited at 6:45 this morning! We packed his McQueen backpack with a few snacks, pencils, pens, his new chapstick, and a couple pictures of our family. He brought his rain coat and boots and rain pants, too (required for German school). I took the boys in the bike trailer and we rode off to kindergarten. German Kindergarten is more like pre-school. There is more emphasis on play-skills and social-skills than on structured academics. There were lots of great activities: trains, Legos, wood blocks, markers, pencils, sewing, weaving, kitchen and home-making toys, microscopes with lots of real insect samples, and large outdoors play area. The teachers can speak some English, but instruction, including bible time at the nearby church, singing, and stories are all in German. I stayed with him for about an hour. Josiah loved the time we spent there, too!

I left him there for the morning. I prayed for him as a rode away. I felt a little teary-eyed, but confident that this is a good thing and good place. The only time he whined or fussed was when I came back at lunchtime. He wasn't ready to leave yet and he didn't want me there! He said he'd like to go back again this evening, but he'll have to wait for tomorrow morning. Right now he's fast asleep for a nap.

I am glad he enjoyed his first day. I hope that he will learn German and learn to love others and share. I pray for opportunities to love others and share our lives with other families, too. Please pray for us!

Biker Boys

Nathaniel learned to ride a bike without training wheels last week! He was so proud. He didn't think he could do it (actually, neither did I), but Daddy had confidence and patience. They just kept on trying. By the end of an hour he was pedaling down the street with a big handsome smile! He has been riding a few times since then, and he continues to amaze me. Nathaniel is not very good at steering straight - so we try to ride where there are not cars parked nearby...



Josiah is starting to ride Nathaniel's Laufrad ("running bike"). He walks along the sidewalk and all around the yard. He feels big and he likes that he can ride a bike like Nathaniel. He can't run with it, but running and balance will come with time!



Enjoy these videos of the boys in action!

Little Big Boys

Lately the boys have been growing up in leaps and bounds. We've been out hiking and walking a lot lately, and both boys are troopers for long distances! Josiah has graduated from his crib to a toddler bed. Josiah talks all the time and tells "jokes". His favorite jokes are about granola bars - and all the weirdest places one could find a granola bar. Nathaniel laughs hysterically about Josiah's jokes. I gave both of them haircuts today. They have been squabbling and acting like brothers, not at all like babies.

Yesterday we harvested our first peas from the garden. Both boys helped pick a bowl full. Nathaniel loaded them into his dump truck and wheeled them into the house and dumped them on the counter. He called it "hardhat harvesting!" We've also been out strawberry picking/devouring on 4 occasions on a local farm. The boys little red-berry stained faces are a joyful sight to see!

Nathaniel had an opportunity to help promote Daddy to the position of Major in the US Army. Nat ripped off the Captain's patch and put on the new patch for Major. He got it on nice and straight and was very pleased with his official part of the ceremony. We all shook hands and Nathaniel acted very civil for quite awhile! Go TOM! Go Nat! I love you guys!

Hey Good-Lookin'!

Here's a few photos of the boys in the clothes we got for Uncle Mark's wedding! I had to do a little altering since the pants were too big, but I think it will work out okay. Those are some good lookin' boys, if I don't say so myself! I also included a little video taken recently of the boys singing together.

Nathaniel's Questions

Nathaniel asks all kinds of questions these days. Here's a sampling from the last 3 days of conversations with my little "ponderer".

On eschatology--
N: This is a picture of God riding on the clouds.
Mom: Oh, really? Like the song from church(Days of Elijah)"...behold He comes, riding on the clouds, shining like the sun..."
N: Yes! Can we ride on the clouds with Him?
Mom: Maybe, when we are in heaven with Him we will do many things with God.
N: And we will see Him!
Mom: Yes, and then we can know Him better.
N: And I will sing to Him in the temple!
Mom: Oh yes! We will sing to Him, talk with Him, and praise Him!

On vehicles--
N: What happens if a Land Rover goes in the mud and bumps into another Land Rover and they get all muddy and run into a mountain?
Mom: no answer

On recipes--
N: What happens if I mix mustard and wine and sugar and sauce?
M: I'm not sure, but it sounds pretty yummy to me!

Play Me a Song, Nathaniel

Nathaniel discovered a new music interest - the harmonica. Check out his musical debut right here!!

And Now It's Time for Silly Songs with Nathaniel...

Nathaniel has become quite the singer lately. I have enjoyed his renditions of many familiar tunes. He hears them in a different way sometimes. For instance, one of his favorite little ditties these days is the theme song from Veggie Tales. He sings, "If you like to waltz with potatoes up and down the row dew smile..." He sings the alphabet about 50 times a day. It is his favorite song! L-M-N-O-P sounds like "Elmo P" every time! Some of his other current favorites are Itsy Bitsy Spider, I Will Make You Fishers of Men, and Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Enjoy our videos of Nathaniel in concert!

Unser Liebere Oma (Our Dear Grandma)

Grandma came and went. We were so BLESSED by her presence! She made our first week with Josiah so wonderful! Grandma came to our home for 1 week and helped with laundry, diapers, cooking, and loved on her grand-babies. Nathaniel enjoyed every minute of her attention! She is so creative with him - she sang songs, read stories, played blocks, played on the play-ground, invented sock puppets, and more. We all wish she could have stayed longer and it was a pretty sad good-bye. We are thankful for her gentle way with Nathaniel, her prayers for all of us, and her generosity with her frequent flier miles to come visit and serve us!!

Nat's 2nd Birthday Bash

On July 12 we enjoyed a fun day playing out on the playground, eating BBQ & birthday cake, and opening gifts with special friends. Nat has been telling everyone we meet about his party! Please enjoy a few photos of our fun day together.

Slide Show of Nat's First 2 Years

If you don't hear music, click on the "speaker" icon on the bottom left corner. If you get stuck on any pictures, just forward to the next one with the right arrow on the side. Enjoy!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Nat Playing

Our little Nat is growing so much these days! He enjoys playing around the house with things that are not toys, such as brooms, rubber tubs, and car keys. He recently enjoyed his first lollipop and tried to eat his own ice cream cone, both were very messy, but yummy adventures! Just this week (beginning of November) he's starting to talk. He has been signing for many months now, but now he's trying to copy our words. He also loves to make animal sounds - his favorites are lions roaring and dogs barking. He occasionally says German greetings. He wants to be independent and do everything by himself. It is a very exciting time for us to watch his developments into a toddler!