The Boys' New Chairs!

The boys and their new chairs!



Jacob is thrilled to have his hat on! I just love the look on his face ("Mom I am going to hurt you if you ever show this picture to anyone!")




Matthew after a brief screaming episode!





Ho! Ho! Ho!






That's better! Notice Jacob has the camera in his hand... he thought he needed to take the pictures!

Christmas

Matthew with Mama and Papa Phegley on Christmas Day!



Matthew with Uncle Jared and Aunt Abby!




Matthew with Aunt Rachel!





Matthew with Grandma and Grandpa Peppler on Christmas morning!

Kyle and Lindsey!

We had a great day on Christmas Day. We started out at our house in the morning opening gifts (we forgot to take pictures, but we did video it). It was so nice to be able to start our own family traditions. Matthew enjoyed watching us open gifts. Then, we went to Ryan's parents for brunch and gifts. Matthew slept through the gift opening there, but has been enjoying his new toys the past couple days. After we left there, we went to my parent's house for dinner. Papa bought the boys new chairs for Christmas which are absolutely adorable and just their size. Pics in the next post! All in all we had a great day and enjoyed being able to spend time with our families!

Our Apologies

We had some friends stop by for a visit yesterday and they reminded us that we have fallen way behind on our blogging lately. I promise we will post some new pictures as soon as Ryan gets home and uploads them off of our new camera... I am not sure what his method is. Now that the holidays are over, we will try harder to do a better job of updating more frequently.

It is kinda funny... my mom has been calling me everyday for the last week asking me to post about my job interview from last week because people keep calling her to check in about it. Well, it went well and I am supposed to be hearing from them today about setting up an on-site interview. This interview has to be coordinated with 2 docs, a nurse, and someone from HR, so it may take a bit to get it arranged. I am really excited about this possibility!

Answered Prayer

So... the other night I could not sleep. I had been not feeling too well and had slept much during the day, so I guess I just wasn't tired. So, my mind started rambling... it's never a good thing when that happens. I started thinking about all kinds of things, but my mind kept coming back to a new job! If you are a frequent visitor to our blog, you know my recent search for a new job has not really turned up anything that meets the requirements for our family. A little over a week ago, I applied for a job in the Health Services Department at Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne. As time has gone on, I decided this was probably the best fit for our family, but was trying to leave the details to the Almighty. However, on this particular night, as I lay awake in bed, I couldn't help but think about those details. I said a prayer and asked God that if I was going to hear anything about this job and get a chance at an interview, that I would hear something by today (Monday), and that if I didn't hear anything today, I would realize that He had something better in mind for me. Guess what??? I received a phone call about an hour ago to set a phone interview for tomorrow!!!! I realize this is only an interview and I definitely don't have a new job by any stretch of the imagination, but I am thrilled at the chance to interview. If you think of it tomorrow around 10:15 AM say a little prayer for me... and DON'T call me (at least not until 11 AM when the interview will have definitely ended)!

** For any skeptics out there, I just happened to tell my husband about the little prayer I said the other night, so you can ask him if you don't believe me!

Doctor Update

Matthew had his 4 month check-up today. He is a healthy little baby. One thing we learned that I am sure none of you will guess: Matthew has dropped from the 90th percentile in weight to the 50th! I am pretty sure he must hold all his weight in his cheeks... (the facial version). Unfortunately his mother was not so lucky! The doctor said he looked great and is meeting all of his developmental milestones as scheduled. We continue to feel so blessed to have Matthew as our son and look forward to the new tricks he does everyday!

No New Job... Yet!

Well, I had an interview this morning that lasted 1 hour 20 minutes. When the interviewer walked in with 4 pages of questions, I knew I was in for the long haul! The interview was with an organization called Neighborhood Health Clinic. Their mission is to provide healthcare to the underserved population. The interview went well and I should be receiving a phone call the week after Christmas to set up a second interview (this time with the doc). All in all, I felt like the interview went well, and that the job would be a good fit for me. The one drawback is that there would be no health insurance benefit unless I work 30+ hrs/week. Ryan and I are just not willing to do that at this point, but feel that I should carry the health insurance for myself and Matthew due to the high cost to insure me through his work (apparently women in their childbearing years cause high bills for insurance companies!). We are going to wait and see what happens with the other places I applied to, but for now we are probably going to place this opportunity on the backburner. We will continue to pray that the right job comes along and that I can be patient during this waiting process. Thanks for all your prayers and positive thoughts as the search continues!

Our Santa Baby

For those of you whose address we did not have... here are the pictures that did make the cut for our Christmas card this year!

Merry Christmas!

Job Search

Well, the search continues... I have still not heard anything about the first job I interviewed for. I am somewhat annoyed about this and feel that I at least deserved a phone call regardless of the decision. I do have another interview on Thursday with an Endocrinology office in Fort Wayne. This job is only 15-20 hrs/week and is not a benefited position, so I am not sure it will be the right fit, however, I know more interviewing experience will definitely be a benefit to me. Ryan and I are just continuing to pray that the right job will come along. In the meantime, I am just going to enjoy my time with Matthew!

Just Say It!

Two of our friends shared these thoughts today... check it out!
http://www.stevenfurtick.com/uncategorized/if-you-think-something-good%E2%80%A6/

Thankful Thursdays...

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Another job interview. I was contacted yesterday about a job interview at the first of next week. I don't know the particulars yet, but I am excited about the possibility!

2. A good baby. I have a feeling my son redefines "good" baby. He is so content and happy most of the time. I am so thankful that he is so happy!

3. A night off. Even though I have only been back to work for about a month, I am looking forward to having Saturday night off this week. We were originally supposed to have Christmas this weekend, but with dad's surgery that has been rescheduled for January and we are just going to enjoy an evening off!

4. Matthew has slept through the night for the past 2 nights! HOORAY! I have been so rested the past couple days I am not sure what to do with myself!

5. Christmas shopping completed... almost! We have been fortunate to be able to complete most of our Christmas shopping already. The problem seems to be getting the gifts wrapped! Oh well, if they get delivered in shopping bags I am sure no one will turn them away!

Have a great weekend!

Job Update

Well, unless my calendar is mistaken, December 5th has passed! I was supposed to hear back about the job I interviewed for by last Friday and have heard nothing. I am sure that means they do not know whether the new doctor is going to come yet or not, however, I have decided to move on. I have applied for 2 more jobs and have a 3rd possibility if neither of these work out. One of the jobs is in Health Services at Dupont Hospital. I would be conducting all the physicals on new employees and dealing with workman's comp claims... I did this for a clinical I was in and did enjoy it. The other job is with a pediatrician's office. I would be doing well baby checks and seeing sick kids. I am not sure either of these positions were places I thought I would start out, but at this point I am excited to begin something new and move forward with my career. Will keep you posted!

Organic Update

We have had many people ask us how the organic switch is going. So far, so good! We have been sticking with the new plan for the most part for almost 3 weeks now! We have even done fairly well considering we have had multiple family gatherings during that time. We must admit, however, that this organic way of life is not totally organic. We are merely trying to make better choices for ourselves and our family. In terms of organic, we are following the "dirty dozen" list:

The “Dirty Dozen”:
Must-buy organic foods

Fruit
Apples
Cherries
Grapes, imported (Chili)
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Raspberries
Strawberries

Vegetables
Bell peppers
Celery
Potatoes
Spinach

These produce items are the "dirtiest" in terms of pesticide exposure.

Besides produce items, we are also buying organic milk, butter, & eggs. We have gotten rid of our peanut butter and exchanged it for almond butter. One of the tips we received is to stay at the perimeter of the grocery store when shopping. This has really proven true for us. The whole foods are located around the perimeter. Truth be told... our grocery bill has increased... probably about 50%, however, we were also eating out 3-5 x's per week which has nearly stopped so it all probably evens itself out.

In terms of what we are eating... here is our menu of dinners for the last week:
Sizzling salads (teriyaki chicken on top of lettuce with fresh veggies, eggs, cheese and dressing)
Spaghetti & garlic bread(wheat or whole grain pasta with organic sauce, bruschetta bread with evoo and garlic)
Turkey salad in a pita (diced turkey with grapes, dried cranberries, almonds, cheese, and a little dressing)
Chili (with ground turkey)
Grilled chicken with steamed veggies
Pork chops with butternut squash (Ryan's first time eating squash... he loved it!)

I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that we are eating weird foods... it's really just about eating healthier and choosing whole foods instead of processed stuff. We aren't perfect and I am sure we are bound to fall off the wagon at some point, but for now we are going to stick with it!

A Few Smiles

Matthew and Jacob playing with their new top at Mama and Papa's house!



Matthew talking to the new camera!




A great big grin!

Rolling over!

Scroll through quickly and watch Matthew in action! Have I mentioned that I love our new camera?

Why Daddy is Not Allowed to Babysit!

Evidence # 1 . . . I know you've all seen this before, but this is to show a pattern.

Evidence # 2 . . . Again, we've all seen this one.

Evidence # 3 . . . I don't know what to say! At least he's happy with black electrical tape on his face!

Santa's Secret

On Christmas Eve, a young boy with light in his eyes
Looked deep into Santa's eyes, to Santa's surprise
And said as he sat on Santa's broad knee,
"I want your secret. Tell it to me."

He leaned up and whispered in Santa's good ear
"How do you do it, year after year?"
"I want to know how, as you travel about,
Giving gifts here and there, you never run out.

How is it, Dear Santa, that in your pack of toys,
You have plenty for all of the world's girls and boys?
From rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small,
From nation to nation, reaching them all?"

And Santa smiled kindly and said to the boy,
"Don't ask me hard questions. Don't you want a toy?"
But the child shook his head, and Santa could see
That he needed the answer. "Now listen to me,"

He told that small boy with the light in his eyes,
"My secret will make you sadder and wise.
"The truth is that my sack is magic inside
It holds millions of toys for my Christmas Eve ride.

But although I do visit each girl and each boy
I don't always leave them a gaily wrapped toy.
Some homes are hungry, some homes are sad,
Some homes are desperate, some homes are bad.

Some homes are broken and the children there grieve.
Those homes I visit, but what should I leave?
"My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff,
But for homes where despair lives toys aren't enough.

So I tiptoe in, kiss each girl and boy,
And I pray with them that they'll be given the joy
Of the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives
In the heart of the dear child who gets not, but gives.

"If only God hears me and answers my prayer,
When I visit next year, what I will find there?
Are homes filled with peace, and with giving and love?
And boys and girls gifted with light from above?

It's a very hard task, my smart little brother,
To give toys to some, and to give prayers to others.
But the prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed,
For God has a way of meeting each need.

"That's part of the answer. The rest, my dear youth,
Is that my sack is magic. And that is the truth.
In my sack I carry on Christmas Eve day
More love than a Santa could e'er give away.

The sack never empties of love, or of joys
'Cause inside it are prayers and hope. Not just toys.
The more that I give, the fuller it seems,
Because giving is my way of fulfilling dreams.

"And do you know something? You've got a sack, too.
It's as magic as mine, and it's inside of you.
It never gets empty, it's full from the start.
It's the center of lights, and love. It's your heart.

And if on this Christmas you want to help me,
Don't be so concerned with the gifts 'neath your tree.
Open that sack called your heart, and share
Your joy, your friendship, your wealth, your care."

The light in the small boy's eyes was glowing.
"Thanks for your secret. I've got to be going."
"Wait, little boy," Said Santa, "don't go.
Will you share? Will you help? Will you use what you know?"

And just for a moment the small boy stood still,
Touched his heart with his small hand and whispered, "I will."

Rolling, rolling, rolling!

Our little guy rolled over for the first time today!!!! I was so excited I scared him to death! Of course, he would only do it once! I am glad I got to see it! Maybe we can post a video of it sometime soon!

Thankful Thursdays...

Today, I am thankful for...

1. My new camera! It was a bit of an early Christmas gift, but we couldn't pass up the deal last night! It takes pictures so much faster than my old one and so I am forecasting many cute, smiling pictures of Matthew in the near future!

2. Eating healthier. Ryan and I are doing fairly well on our quest for healthier living. We tried the bison last week and it tasted pretty much like ground beef and we have a fridge stocked with all kinds of fresh fruits and veggies. It's amazing how much better you feel when you're not eating french fries 6-7 times per week!!!

3. Christmas cards! Ryan and I finished our Christmas cards last night. Now, we just have to finish addressing all of them and get them in the mail!

4. Dad's healing. My dad is feeling a little better everyday. He is still sore and tires easily, but all in all his recovery is right on track!

5. Eileen Adkins. My Aunt Julie's mom passed away this week rather unexpectedly. We are thankful for the 79 years Eileen was given on this earth and for all the lives she touched while she was here! I was blessed to have known her. She will be deeply missed!

Have a great weekend!

Advent Conspiracy

I stole this from Pastor Mark's website. (Thanks, Mark!) Loved the video. Hope it makes you think about this Christmas season like it made me think.

Ryan

Christmas Card Reject #1

Christmas Card Reject #1

Where's Jenny Craig when you need her? I am sure she could have airbrushed his little belly, but we think he is pretty cute just the way he is!

Thankful Fridays...

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Gas! My dad had gas last night for the first time, so they are advancing his diet today! He is allowed to have broth now! HOORAY for gas!

2. Nap time. Our little one was a little out of sorts this morning and is finally napping! We LOVE nap time on mornings like these!

3. An out of the ordinary Thanksgiving. Since my dad is in the hospital, we did not celebrate Turkey Day with my family yesterday. We had breakfast with Ryan's family (a tradition) and then went to the hospital to see my mom and dad. Then, we put up our Christmas tree and my sister and I tackled my mom's tree yesterday evening. It was a productive day, but I am sure we did not consume 4000-6000 calories as they say is the average for people on an ordinary Thanksgiving!

4. Bison. I made our first meal with bison today for lunch. We haven't tried it yet, but we are looking forward to seeing if we like this healthier alternative to beef.

5. Rest. I was able to sleep in this morning thanks to Ryan getting up with Matthew. It was so nice to be able to sleep until 8 since I get to go to work tonight!

Have a great weekend!

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!

We had our own little butterball this year for Thanksgiving! Thanks to Aunt Abby and Uncle Jared for the cute turkey headband! Hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving! We certainly have much to be thankful for!

15 Things That Change When You Have A Baby

I found this on www.babycenter.com. Hope you enjoy!

15 Things That Change When You Have A Baby

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body ... finally.
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.
7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.
8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
9. Your heart breaks much more easily.
10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.
11. Every day is a surprise.
12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)
13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
14. You become a morning person.
15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

Dad's Surgery

Hello to all!

My dad has his surgery today! It was a 3 1/2 hour procedure. They tried to do it laparascopically, however, after working for an hour, the doctor had to open his abdomen. He had to take 1 1/2 feet of his colon, but was able to put him back together again (NO COLOSTOMY)!!!! He will be in the hospital for 7-10 days and then a 6-8 week recovery after that! He was very tired after surgery and in quite a bit of pain. Hopefully he will be feeling much better in the next couple days!

Thanks so much for your prayers!

Taking the Good with the Bad...

I finally received a phone call back from the office manager where I interviewed last week. There is good news and there is bad news. The good news: they feel like I am a great fit for their office, they eliminated the other candidate during the interview process, they want me to come and shadow next week. The bad news: there is a physician in Warsaw who is interested in coming to the southwest office (where I interviewed) starting in February. The original plan for this office was to fill an NP position (me) in December and then bring another doctor on in September 09. However, this doc is possibly interested in starting in February. The office manager told me she did not want to bring me on board and then not have enough work for me if the doc starts in Feb. So.... I am going to go ahead with the shadowing next Wednesday and hope that goes well... The office manager feels strongly that an NP is a better fit for what their office needs right now, however, I kind of got the impression that if the doc chooses this office then there is really no decision to be made. If you're the praying type, would you join us in praying about this position. It would be a great starting point for me, however, there seem to be a few hoops to jump through first! I am going to continue to pursue this position as well as any other positions that might become available. We will keep you posted as we learn more!

Lego my... head?

I just realized we hadn't posted any pictures for awhile, so here are a couple of our little guy!

Doesn't my daddy know that you're supposed to play with Legos on the ground?

Ironic... isn't it?

So, we officially made the switch tonight to eat healthier. We are going to try to be much more cautious of the things we put in our bodies and choose healthier snacks. We are doing this for ourselves, but also for our child(ren). It is scary to think of all the pesticides and hormones used on our produce and in our meat/dairy supply. We are NOT going to be ridiculous... so don't worry, when we come to your house for a meal we will still be able to eat. We are just going to be better about reading labels and evaluating what we put in our mouths... hence we are going to treat our bodies as temples.

The irony in this happened just a few minutes ago. We were on our way home from the grocery with organic food in tow and we both looked at each other and said... "Do you want a pop for the last time?" So, in honor of our switch to the healthier side of life, we are both enjoying a pop from McDonald's this evening! I have a feeling fast food won't be a staple in our menu planning here on the homefront! We'll let you know how it goes!

Thankful Thursdays...

Today, I am thankful for...

1. A job. In the midst of the troubled economy, it is nice to have a job and know that people are going to continue to get sick (unfortunate for them) and be in need of care (fortunate for me). I still haven't heard anything about the interview from last week. I am not sure what that means. I felt pretty good when I left and was told we were moving onto the next stage, but I was supposed to shadow the doc yesterday and never heard from the lady to confirm that, so.... I think I am going to wait until tomorrow to call again and then if I still don't hear back I will just chalk it up to good interview experience and move on. I am not sure when I will become a nuisance, but I am also not going to wait around forever and let other jobs pass me by while I wait.

2. The Culligan Man. I think I might have posted this awhile back on a Thankful Thursday, but we LOVE our Culligan man! He just delivered me more salt this morning and it is so nice to know that our tank is happy and full!

3. Our organized storage room. Ryan and I spent two evenings awhile back organizing our storage "shed" as we call it. Now, all of the tubs have numbers and we have a typed list of what each tub contains... it is so nice to send Ryan to the basement and tell him to bring tub #44 up for me. Yes, we do have 50+ tubs of stuff (Christmas decor, table decor, maternity clothes, college stuff, baby clothes that Matthew can't wear anymore, etc)

4. Organic food. Ryan and I have decided to go "organic" at our house. Tonight we are going to the grocery store to buy some new food items and get rid of some of the junk we have been consuming recently. We are going to try to do it a little at a time, so that our bodies don't go into shock, but our goal is to eat more whole foods (fruits and veggies) and avoid highly processed food. We are hoping this will be a change we can live with, but I am sure we will be posting more as we discover how different it is to eat some carrots instead of a carton of Chips Ahoy!

5. Gordman's. We went to this department store yesterday for the first time! Holy Cow! It is huge and has just about everything! We spent almost 2 hours in there and definitely didn't see everything! I am sure we will be going sometime. Definitely impressed with their home decor section! I bought several Christmas gifts... including Matthew's GOLD gift! SHHHH! It's a secret!One drawback to the store was that it was very difficult to get through with a stroller. The salespeople said that it was just because it was Christmastime, but I definitely would not want to try to navigate through that place when it is busy!

This was a really long Thankful Thursday! Guess I have a lot to be thankful for!

Have a great weekend!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

Christmas!!!!

Everywhere we go it is shouting Christmas! And while it doesn't seem like it can be time to get out all the beautiful decorations (which is what I should be doing instead of typing this), I can't help but notice all the signs of Christmas around us!

Now that Ryan and I have a child, we have decided to do Christmas slightly differently this year. Growing up we both have some really vivid memories of what Christmas meant at our houses, and as we were talking about those memories, we both realized most of them had nothing to do with the gifts we received and had much more do to with the people we spent Christmas with and the family traditions we shared. So, we have decided to adjust our focus this Christmas and start a family tradition of our own (which I heard about at a Mom's Morning Out a few months ago, thanks Erica!).

From this point forward, everyone in our immediate family will receive three gifts at Christmas time to signify the three gifts that the wise men brought baby Jesus (this part I had heard of before). This is the new part... the first gift represents the gold which is the "big" gift (whatever the person really wants, within reason of course). The second gift represents the frankencense (no idea how to spell that one... but it is supposed to be something for the body, like clothing or perfume, etc). The final gift represents myrhh (not sure how to spell that either, but this gift is something for the mind such as a game, book, etc.). Ryan and I really want the focus to be about the real reason for the season for our family. We get so caught up in shopping for the perfect giftsssssssssssss and forget why we even celebrate. We are also going to try to start some other family traditions of our own as some of our fondest memories revolve around being close to home and close to family at holiday time!

Merry Christmas!

I Survived!

Well, work was better than I thought. I was busy, so that made it easier! Matthew was just waking up for the first time when I got home, so I was able to see him and feed him! I am glad I only have to do this 2 times/week right now. Maybe sometime soon I will have a nurse practitioner job. My interview went well yesterday! I am going to be shadowing the doctor a day next week to see if we "mesh" well. I am trying not to get my hopes up, but am cautiously optimistic! Back to work tonight... then I am done for the week! Hooray!

Back to work...

Well, I am headed back to work tonight... I have only cried twice today! Once, while I was playing with Matthew this afternoon and I realized how much I would miss him even though most of the time I am gone he will be asleep. And the other time is right now. Ryan just took him out to his parents' house for the evening. I thought I was ready to go back and I am sure once I get there I will be fine, but right now I am sad and lonely. I am sure the fact that I have been up since 6 AM this morning with no nap is not at all helping my emotional state! Hope everyone has a great weekend! I am looking forward to it being over!

Thankful Thursdays!

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Adam and Rachel making it safely to Hawaii for their honeymoon. After many delays they arrived safely Tuesday morning! We can't wait to hear all about their incredible trip!

2. My dad being home. He is resting and enjoying some foods in preparation for his surgery on November 24th. We are also thankful for all the good news we received this week from the doctors!

3. A job interview. I am interviewing for a nurse practitioner job tomorrow at 11:30. I go back to work tomorrow night, so it is pretty amazing timing. I am glad to have an interview even just for the experience... I really haven't had a formal interview for a job in more than 5 years. I am sure I will be nervous!

4. Starting cereal with Matthew. Everyone has been telling me if I start cereal with Matthew he will sleep so much better and not need to eat so often. Ryan and I gave him his first bites of cereal last night and again this morning. He smiled the entire time, but we aren't sure if he swallowed any of it. We are glad to have reached this milestone, however, he got up 3 times last night, so I don't think the cereal really helped in the sleeping department! Oh well!

5. Going back to work tomorrow. Although I am somewhat dreading going back, I know it will be good for me to be around adults again. I am officially fluent in baby language and look forward to interacting with grown-ups again!

Prayer Request #2 Answered!

More good news today! Dad had his colonoscopy and there is no cancer! The doctor said it looked better than he thought it would and that dad has responded well to the antibiotics. He is being released from the hospital today and will return on November 24th for surgery with a 7-10 day recovery in the hospital after that. The doctor felt that 7 more days of oral antibiotics would increase the chances of being able to perform the surgery laparascopically and decrease the risk for a colostomy. We are very happy with this news and quite relieved! Thank you all for your prayers... we are so grateful!
Jamie

Aunt Rachel's wedding!

The happy couple, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Martin!

Our nephew Jacob, showing his moves on the dance floor. He danced all night!

Matthew in his tuxedo! He was not too happy about his outfit for the festivities!

Aunt Rachel and Matthew!




Our family!

Visiting Papa at the hospital on Sunday afternoon. Matthew wanted a bite of his popsicle pretty bad!

He just talked and talked and talked to Papa while we were there!

Prayer Request #1 answered!

Thanks for all your prayers for my dad. He had his cardiac catheterization this morning and his heart looks good! He did not require any intervention! The doctor said that the scans are accurate at detecting an abnormality 95% of the time and that dad was in the 5% where there was a false positive! We are thankful for this news and are glad that the colo-rectal surgeons can proceed with the next step in getting his colon healed. He will likely have a CT scan today or tomorrow and then a colonoscopy to follow with surgery hopefully at the end of the week! Thanks in advance for your prayers! We will update as we know more!
Jamie

Prayer Request

Please pray for my Dad. He is still in the hospital. He was transferred to Parkview Main in Fort Wayne on Thursday afternoon to be evaluated by a colo-rectal surgeon for his diverticulitis. The surgeon was very nice and very thorough and said that my dad needed to have the diseased portion of his colon removed. Before surgery he needed to be cleared by a cardiologist because of his previous heart history, so today he underwent a stress test on his heart. There was some abnormality with the test, so now on Monday he has to have a heart catheritization. Later in the week they will repeat an abdominal CT scan to look at his colon and then do a colonoscopy prior to surgery to make sure there is nothing else wrong prior to operating. Surgery will then follow after that with a 7-10 day recovery in the hospital. He is very bummed about all this but is trying to be in good spirits and put on a good front for people.

Here are my specific prayer requests:

1. The heart catheritization would go smoothly and they would be able to easily fix the problem.
2. The colonoscopy would be clear except for the diverticulitis, specifically, no cancer.
3. My dad's mental health while he spends many days looking at the same four walls.
4. My mom's strength and stamina during these busy days.
5. The doctors and nurses who are caring for my dad.

We will post updates as we know more. Thanks in advance for your prayers!

Thankful Thursdays...

Today, I am thankful for...

1. My dad. He has been in the hospital since Sunday night. He had a flare up of his diverticulitis and has been receiving IV antibiotics to get it calmed down. Matthew and I dropped by this morning and he was feeling much better! We are thankful for the great care he has been receiving.

2. Rachel and Adam. On Saturday, Ryan's little sister will get married. We are so excited for them and so thankful for their presence in our lives!

3. Decaf coffee. I did not drink any coffee while I was pregnant, mainly because it did not sound good. I have learned to love coffee again and am thankful for the decaf version so our little guy is not wired all the time!

4. Seven and a half straight hours of sleep. Matthew went to bed around nine last night and did not get up until 5:30 this morning. Then, he went back to sleep until 6:30.... I am feeling very refreshed this morning!

5. Nap time. We are finally on a bit of a schedule with Matthew's naps. He has taken two great morning naps in a row for me despite spending most of the day at the hospital yesterday! He is such a little trooper!

Have a great weekend!

A Tuxedo Bib...Who Knew?

Matthew has been getting excited for Aunt Rachel's wedding this weekend! He looks so cute in his tuxedo bib, we can't wait to see him in his actual tuxedo! Yes, that's right, he has his very own tuxedo... you can find anything on the internet and for only $24.95!!!!! If anyone needs a tuxedo for a 3 month old, it will be available after Saturday!

History in the Making...

Well, Ryan and I only made it up until about 10 o'clock last night watching the numbers for the candidates, but we were excited to watch history in the making! When I was up feeding Matthew around 3 AM and Indiana had still not been called, I felt privileged to have taken part in such a big election! I feel blessed to live in the United States of America! We enjoyed reading other's blogs and Facebook entries regarding their decisions in this election and were torn as to whether to make a post about our own decision. We chose to wait for different reasons, but now that it is over, I have decided to post some ramblings...

The candidate we voted for will not be the next president of the United States. Our decision to vote for him was more a decision not to vote for President-elect Obama. We felt very strongly that his position on abortion and gay marriage were in direct conflict with what the Bible says, and although we know there are issues that we did not agree with Senator McCain on, abortion and gay marriage were huge red flags for us as a married couple with a new baby. Despite our disappointment, we pray that President-elect Obama will have a change of heart and realize the value of an unborn child. We are excited for our nation as many barriers were broken last night and steps were taken in a positive direction for a nation that has a long history of racial division. We will stand united with our new president and will pray for the people who are going to be making decisions that will undoubtedly change our nation! A man who is much wiser than either of us, Pastor John Piper, said it so eloquently in this video, "We are not on this earth to advocate for any political party but to advocate for Christ." Ryan and I will continue to pledge our allegiance to Christ and watch as He continues to be our ultimate Commander in Chief.

We have taken the comments link off for this post because we did not want this to become a political forum. You can use your own blog for that! Now, back to the cute pictures of our little guy!

A Baby Giraffe!

A baby giraffe and his parents... I think he resembles Ryan, don't you?



Playing in the leaves!




Hanging out in a tree!

Thought for today...

As I walked into my polling place to vote this morning, this is what the church's sign read: "Tomorrow is uncertain, but heaven is for sure." Thank goodness we have a God that is bigger than all of this and no matter the outcome our future is secure. God Bless America!

Happy Halloween

I would love to post pictures of Matthew in his main Halloween costume, but I can't yet. We will be doing the majority of our trick-or-treating later this morning. He did have 2 costumes, so I will post some of his monkey costume!!!

Monkey-man!

Matthew came to visit Daddy at work and go trick-or-treating!

Matthew visiting Daddy at work. We had already ditched the Monkey costume after getting too hot!

Looks just like Daddy!

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Thankful Thursdays!

Today, I am thankful for...

My little pumpkin!

And, my BIG pumpkin!!!

Have a great weekend!

Thankful Thursdays...

Today, I am thankful for...

1. Passing my boards! It has been nothing but studying around here for the past week or so! I am so glad the test is behind me and I can focus on Matthew today. He has been such a good sport about being in his bouncy seat a lot of the time while I was studying. Thankfully he had a few breaks with trips to visit grandma and grandpa and playing with daddy! Today, we are having a playdate!

2. Digital cameras. I think I might have mentioned this before, but I love it that I can just click delete if the pictures did not turn out. I love snapping as many shots as I want without regard for how much film I might be wasting!

3. Alan's recovery. Our friend who I mentioned last week is recovering well from his stem cell transplant. They are hopeful he will get to come home on Friday. He has a long road ahead, but we are so grateful for this stepping stone in his journey toward remission!

4. Our new GREAT room. For those of you who have been in our house before, we flip flopped the dining room and family room. Now, the old dining/living room is a GREAT room! We have had dinner at the table for the past 3 nights and I LOVE IT! The best part is that there is no TV in the eating area anymore and we can sit down and eat as a family! Thanks to Kyle and Lindsey for all your help moving the heavy furniture!

5. A handy husband... Ryan is so handy around the house. He knows how to re-work things when I decide that I want something changed. I love it that I don't have to call Mr. Fixit... I am married to one!

CERTIFIABLE!!!

Today, Jamie took her test to become a Nurse Practitioner. She has been studying like crazy lately, when Matthew lets her, that is. Anyway, she just called to let me know that . . . SHE PASSED!!! I am so proud of her and very happy for her also! She has worked very hard to get to where she is in her professional career. By passing her test, it also means she is done with any schooling or testing, which I know she is very grateful for!

My Favorite Team

We have some friends of ours that got Matthew some baseball shirts...one of their favorite teams (the Cubs) and one of Ryan's favorite teams (the Cardinals). Matthew is finally big enough to wear these shirts. Last night, he happily wore his Cardinals shirt to see Grandpa and Grandma Peppler. Grandpa Peppler was so happy because his favorite team is also the Cardinals. We didn't want the Cubs shirt to go to waste, so I tried to dress Matthew in the Cubs shirt this morning. Ummm.... As you can see from the difference in pictures, I think Matthew is a Cardinals fan. Yay for Daddy!!! Good try, John and Reisa! But I believe we've saved another Cardinals fan from the dark side!

Turning in Early!

Well, we have had a less than stellar day at the Peppler house! Matthew has been in a real funk and not his usual laid back self! Mommy and Daddy are both tired and certainly glad we get to try this parenting thing again tomorrow! Maybe we will be able to take some cute pictures tomorrow, today didn't have too many smiles from our little guy!

Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election...

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praises to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross for you.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost if they turn to Him.

ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW WHO IS STILL IN CONTROL?

Thankful Thursdays!

Today, I am thankful for...

1. A great big hole in my parent's living/family room. They decided to knock a wall out to make a much larger great room at their house. This is going to be so nice as our family continues to expand!

2. Jan and Alan Boggs. Alan was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on April 1st of this year. He is currently undergoing a stem cell transplant at IU med center in Indy. They are pillars of our church and incredible people of faith. Please pray for them!

3. Matthew's doctor. I really like Dr. Sauer from Fort Wayne Pediatrics. Matthew had his 2 month appointment yesterday and the doctor said he looks great! Dr. Sauer is really laid back and easy to talk to... just what Mommy needs! Matthew also received his first set of shots this week and did great! Hardly fussy at all!

4. Smiles and coos from our little guy! Matthew has really started smiling and cooing a lot more! It is so much fun to interact with him when he offers some feedback!

5. Beautiful fall weather. The leaves are turning and the air is crisp and I just love it!

I'm Gonna be a BIG brother!

"That's right folks, I am going to be a big brother in May... I picked out this gourd for my new brother or sister!"

"I hope my new brother or sister isn't as loud as Matthew is! What are his parents thinking putting him in this dirty old pumpkin patch? Could I get some earplugs please?"