And life goes on...

Here's just a quick update to let you know what's going on in our lives.

After graduating from Dordt a few weeks ago, I've been working as a temporary nanny for a company called TLC for Kids. Basically its a glorified babysitting job, except the qualifications are a lot stricter and it pays a lot better. It's going really well--I already have a couple "regular" families and I enjoy playing with all of the different kids.

Ethan is off school for the summer and is playing Mr. Mom until his summer job starts again. Now that he only has one year left there has been a lot more talk about what's going to happen after law school. I think we're both getting pretty excited for "real life" to start. :)

Jacen is 4 1/2 months old. He babbles constantly and is working hard on sitting up and scooting across the floor. He just started eating baby food, and so far he isn't a picky eater. Anyone who knows me well will understand how much of a relief that is. ;) He gets to be more fun all the time as he learns to interact with us more everyday. We have been blessed with an amazingly happy and laid back baby!

Pictures are from our Memorial Day trip to the Butterfly Garden with my parents.

Is that all?

Here's a few of Jacen's 3 month pictures. I think they turned out really cute.

Babies have a way of slurping up all of the time in your day. It's really amazing how little I can accomplish in a day now. Every day when Ethan comes home from classes we have a conversation that goes something like this:
E: What did you do today?
A: Well, I emptied the dishwasher and I folded the laundry that was in the dryer.
E: Is that all?
Now, once I got past biting back some scathing remark about what it takes to be a mother, usually including some comment about spending 30 hours in labor, I started to wonder if he was right. Is that really all I am capable of accomplishing in a day? What happened to the person who, not even 6 months ago, was taking an overloaded class schedule, costuming and designing sets for a play, and was in choir and 2 HPERs?
She became a mother, that's what. Nothing else will so severely shift your priorities than having a baby. And if I really think about it, I'm OK with that.

Can't you just pretend to be nice?

Ok, I kind of feel like I should post again, but since I have nothing interesting to say, I'll just post more baby pictures.

God Helping Us

Jacen's baptism was this past Sunday morning. It was a beautiful service--we sang the old traditional baptism hymns, read through the Psalter Hymnal form, and Ethan's and my dad sang a duet after the sacrament. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced. God is good.

I left the service with the weight of my responsibility on my shoulders. Ethan and I have been charged by God and the church not only to raise Jacen so that he is alive and in one piece by the time he is 18 years old, but more importantly to ensure his eternal salvation. We have made a promise that we will do everything in our power to make sure that this little baby knows Christ as his savior. God helping us.

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We spent this week in Iowa. It was great to spend time with all of our family and to see all of our friends. I had so much fun visiting the Theatre Dept on Monday. Not only did I get to see all of the people that I miss so much, but when I went up to the costume shop, my girls gave me the tour and showed me all of the things they had done to the warehouse since I left. I am still so proud of the cosume shop, and I still love all of my girls. I miss my work there so much.

Everybody come see us in St. Louis. It will be fun--I promise!!!

My Pride and Joy

GoodbyeHello

Here's a few things that have already changed since I became a mother:

*I get excited about dirty diapers and burping.

*I have no idea where my purse is, but my wallet is in the diaper bag.

*There is a Winnie the Pooh nightlight in my bedroom. How romantic.

*The only time I leave the house is to go to the pediatrician.

*I do a load of laundry every single day and have spent more than 10 minutes hunting for a matching pair of tiny socks in the dryer.

*I have a pacifier for every room in my house.

*I have learned to sleep in almost any position imaginable without dropping the baby.

There are obviously many more things that have changed, but since baby pictures are much more fun anyway, here's a few for you to enjoy.

Baby's Here!!!

Jacen Amos Huizenga

born January 12, 2007, 8:50 PM
6 lbs, 3 oz. 19
3/4 inches

Jacen is currently in Neonatal Intensive Care being treated for pneumonia. He has improved much over the last few days. Please pray that he may be able to come home Monday as planned.