Blooming Where I'm Planted...

The story of Leah's birth

2010-10-16T14:27:00.003-04:00

For those of you who may be curious about Leah's labor and delivery, I thought I'd share the story.

On Monday and Tuesday, Nathan's parents were visiting with us. I think it was in the back of all of our minds that if she came early enough to see them, it would be really fun. But she was very content and showed no signs of being ready for that. After a nice visit with the in-laws, they left Tuesday afternoon.

About 5:30 that same day, we got an email from our real estate agent that really stressed me out. Closing (schedule for the next day) was being changed yet again; the bank selling "our" house to us was being ridiculous, etc. And after a pretty hard cry about the situation, I started having contractions. They say stress can bring on labor. Well, it definitely sped up the process in my case. Nathan wanted to send the real estate agent 'thank you' note. ;)

All evening Tuesday evening, I had contractions, but nothing very strong. I finally called the mid-wife and she suggested drinking extra liquids and taking a warm bath. I took her advice and went to bed. Sadly, the contractions stopped during the night. On Wednesday morning, I started having mild contractions again. They continued throughout the course of day, but got neither closer together or stronger. It was frustrating to say the least and I couldn't decide whether they were just Braxton Hicks or real contractions. Mom had come to spend the day with the kids and I and this helped keep my mind off the frustration. At dinner time, we didn't have peace about her leaving, so she stayed for dinner and watched a movie with us after the kids went down. Throughout the movie, I had contractions that seemed slightly stronger, but still not very consistent.

At 10pm, we decided to try to sleep. Mom was going to sleep on the couch bed. As soon as I laid down, I started having very strong contractions, about 10 minutes apart. I called the midwife and asked if I could come in and be checked. She said 10 minutes apart still sounded far apart, given that we lived 3 minutes from the hospital, but I could come in if I wanted to. I told Nathan I wasn't going to be able to sleep and might as well go. So we left around 11pm for the hospital. I was shaking all over.

Once we arrived at the maternity ward, the nurses took their time getting me in a room and getting prepared for a labor check. I was trying to remain calm, but was having pushing pains already and they hadn't even checked me. Finally the mid-wife arrived. I was 9cm and the baby was at minus 1 station. Things went pretty nuts in the room as she announced that. All of a sudden, there were five nurses in the room instead of one. I was getting an IV port, and the midwife was putting on her gloves. And I...was screaming!

Needless to say, Leah came pretty fast. By 12:02a.m. she had arrived. She was 7 pounds and 10.5 ounces and 20 3/4 inches long. What a relief to hold her in my arms. Another precious gift from God to our family.

So far, she has been an excellent sleeper and nurser. I'm praising the Lord for that. He knows how much we can handle. We are home and beginning to adjust to life with three. Your prayers are coveted as we continue to seek to raise our children for the Lord.

You of little faith; why did you doubt?

2010-09-18T14:00:00.004-04:00

This is the question that Jesus asked Peter when he had taken a few steps on the water, glimpsed the waves, and began to sink (Matthew 14:30, 31). How many times do I think I am trusting God, walking by faith, only to begin looking at my circumstances instead of Him. In that moment, I too begin to sink, doubting that God really knows what He's doing. Will He catch me when I start to doubt again?

We are in the process of buying our first house. A fixer-upper; a foreclosure. First, we were to close in mid-September. Then September 30th. Now mid-October. The bank sure does like to drag things out. We started looking for our home when I was 5 months pregnant. And now I am wondering if we'll be signing closing papers while I'm labor with our third child! (Due October 15) But this has been a good lesson for me. A lesson in faith. And lesson in contentment. I've had to give up the control of my life to God (I've always been a bit of a control freak!). This time in our life has been reminding me that His ways are higher than ours. And that His timing is always perfect. I have a lot to learn still. But I'm just beginning to grasp more and more that God has everything figured out, so I might as well enjoy the ride.

But in my moments of doubt, when I, like Peter scream, "Lord, save me!" it is a comfort to know that he will "immediately reach out his hand and catch me" (Matthew 14:31)

Little bits & pieces

2009-07-16T15:30:00.009-04:00

Well, Micah is growing fast! I don't remember Hannah growing quite this fast. But maybe it's just the time that's going faster. His Baby dedication was last month. Coincidentally (or Providentially) it fell on the Sunday that Nathan's Mom was here visiting with us. The great-grandparents on the Heijermans side were also able to attend. It was a day to remember.

Grandpa, Grandson, and Great-Grandson

Grandma Heijermans

These days, we have two finger-sucking children in our home. Hannah is actually an adamant thumb-sucker. And Micah is only 4 months and he already prefers his fingers to a pacifier. I included this shot for some of you who may know Nathan. He sucked these two fingers when he was little and Micah reminded me so much of Nate's baby pics when I saw this pose. I just had to snap a picture.

And here he is, sucking the fingers that I chose as a kid.

It's Summer time in MD. Which means hot. We like to stay cool as much as possible. (Not that the heat seems to bother the kids. They don't seem to notice at all.) We've had a few fun family outings lately. We've gone mini golfing, to the beach, and done lots of bike-riding.

Hannah playing mini-golf

Micah playing mini-golf.
(This is what he rides in for bike rides too.)

A Hole in the Sand

Digging Daddy into the Hole

Someday I'm gonna miss...

2009-05-21T16:03:00.003-04:00

Listening to the sound of a baby cooing on my shoulder at 4am.
My 6am wake-up call/cry
The happy smiles of children just waiting for me to say "Good morning!"
The crunch of Cheerios under my feet when I walk across the dining room floor.
Finding little dirty fingerprints all over our sliding glass door.
Putting on three sets of jackets and shoes.
Pushing the cart through the grocery store to the sound of Hannah singing "The ABC Song" (with the words changed to "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy...")
Jamming to Veggie Tales while driving in the car.
Folding ALL the tiny clothes and socks.
Washing ten shirts of mine a week due to spit up and blow-outs.
Having a reason to take an afternoon nap.
Getting cozy under a blanket to read a book with my little girl.
Playing peek-a-boo with my baby boy.
Trying to cook supper with chaos all around me.
Blowing bubbles, coloring a picture, or feeding doll babies, for the hundredth time.
Kissing boo-boos and drying tears.
Combing out long curls after bath time.
Tucking my dear little ones into bed.

I'm a Mom. And although there are days that I wish I wasn't... days I wish for quiet and calm...the truth is, I wouldn't trade this for the world. And I know someday, I'm gonna miss all this...and more.

My First Afghan

2009-01-24T13:34:00.004-05:00

Last week, I completed my first Granny Square Afghan!

I made it for some sweet friends at church who just got married.

It was a lot of work, but totally worth it to see the end result.

Happy Birthday Hannah

2009-01-22T13:37:00.004-05:00

Well, Hannah turned two a couple weeks ago. Here are a few
of the best pictures. Hope you enjoy. It was a fun party.

Hannah got to go with Daddy & Grandpa to get balloons
before the party. When she came back, everything was decorated.

Eating at her new little table and chair set--
her present from Mommy & Daddy

Party guests included Hannah & Neriah;
We were sad that Judah and Elijah were sick
and not able to make it.

"The Little Engine that Could" Train Cake!

She took her time blowing out the candles.

Digging in

Miss Debbie helped the girls not get too messy.

Grandpa did the official reading of
"The Little Engine that Could"

Playing with some of her new toys

Four months behind

2009-01-03T16:50:00.005-05:00

Well, life gets busy and blogging seems like the last thing on my "to do" list. But I wanted to catch up a little bit. In the past four months, we have:

1. Gone on vacation to North Carolina.
2. Moved into a new condo, after much painting and cleaning.
3. Got an ultrasound of our 2nd child. (This time we'll will be surprised about the gender.)
4. Went to a costume party for Halloween.
5. Had our 3rd wedding anniversary.
6. Visited Nathan's parents in Luxembourg.
7. Celebrated Thanksgiving at home with Nathan's grandparents.
8. Celebrated Christmas at my parent's house with my sister and her husband.
9. Rang in the New Year with friends.
10. And had a birthday party for Hannah(today)as she turns two!

As I look back on all of that, it's no wonder I feel tired. I guess part of that comes with being pregnant. In the next 2 months, life may slow down slightly. But in March, a new baby will arrive. That will add to the tiredness and the busyness, but of course we look forward to the joy it will bring too. Here are a few pictures of the past four months. Enjoy!

At the beach in N.C.

Our New Living Room

Our New Kitchen--What an improvement!

Hannah dressed up as a ladybug

Anniversary celebration

Nathan's parents and Hannah after breakfast at a cafe

Thanksgiving with Grandmom & Grandpop

Looking for a Christmas tree

Chopping it down!

Decorating it

Stayed tuned for birthday photos coming soon!

A Big Girl Bed

2008-08-21T14:40:00.004-04:00

Last week Hannah was given a toddler bed. She was very excited about it, and kept crawling in and out of it. Putting her dolls, bears, and blankets on and off of it. Yesterday she took her first nap in the "big girl bed" and did great! And she is doing so again today. I was a little nervous about it, but she's loving it. Here are a few pics of her trying to convince Mommy that she was ready to sleep in her bed.

So eventually Hannah will sleeping in her toddler bed at night too. In fact, it works out to be perfect timing, since there will be someone new needing her crib. Yes, this is an announcement for those of you who haven't heard. I am pregnant with our second child, due in March. Needless to say, we're very excited. Hannah doesn't yet understand what's happening yet, but the 'big girl bed' is just one of many changes coming soon in her little life.

Happy 1000th Day!

2008-07-14T15:37:00.011-04:00

So as many of you already know, my husband is a numbers guy. He can do math figures in his head when I have already shrugged and grabbed paper and pencil. Our website features a countdown that has been counting down the days we've been married. Well, last weekend, we hit 1000 days! And of course, Nathan didn't miss celebrating that special number. First, he picked me up a pot of my favorite flowers:

Gerber daisies always take me back to our wedding
day and the beautiful Fall flowers we had.

Nate had me put Hannah down early while he made us one his specialty
dinners--Chicken Faijitas. He added steak this time and it was delicious.

Topping it off with a non-alcoholic margarita. Yummy!

Happy 1000 days of marriage Nate. You're the best. And thanks for
proving once again that computer guys can be romantic!

2008-07-12T09:31:00.002-04:00

My friend Dawn tagged me. It looks like fun. Here goes:

Rules: You must answer the questions using only one word. Then tag four others.

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your significant other? Nathan
3. Your hair? ponytail
4. Your mother? wonderful
5. Your father? godly
6. Your favorite thing? books
7. Your dream last night? bizarre
8 Your favorite drink? latte
9. Your dream/goal? contentment
10. The room you’re in? den
11. Your hobby? piano
12. Your fear? heights
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home
14. What you’re not? brave
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? car
17. Where you grew up? West Virginia (a state counts as one word, right?)
18. The last thing you did? email
19. What are you wearing? capris
20. Favorite gadget? straightener
21. Your pets? No
22. Your computer? Laptop
23. Your mood? calm
24. Missing someone? sister
25. Your car? Sentra
26. Something you’re not wearing? make-up
27. Favorite store? IKEA
28. Like someone? Hannah
29. Your favorite color? Navy
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Wednesday

Okay, so I tag Christina, Kari, Stephanie, and Nathan

These are a few of my favorite things...

2008-07-08T20:29:00.003-04:00

Here are a few things Hannah loves...

Her Daddy!

For Father's Day, my friend Heather took some
marvelous pictures of Hannah and we gave this
collage to Nathan for his desk at work.

Flowers!

This is Grandma Johnson,
letting Hannah help water her flowers

Reading!
(This is her reading with Grandpa Johnson)

Hats! Balls!
(If you notice, she has a ball in each
hand; any size or color will do.)

Great Grandparents!
(Great Grandma Evelyn)

Family!
(Two weekends ago at my parents' house)

What we do when it's hot outside...

2008-06-12T12:35:00.004-04:00

I'm sure you're wondering what we're up to these days. Why else would you be looking at our blog? During these hot days in early June, we've been...

1. Wearing sun hats and sunblock,

2. Watching Daddy grill on the balcony while we enjoy the A/C

3. Going to the neighborhood pool and dunking our heads under the water,
Note: Hannah's just like me when I was little;
she was scared and we only lasted 10 minutes before walking home.
(Now I know what my parents went through!)

4. Going to the Baltimore Aquarium with friends,
(This is Hannah and Audrey looking at a fish as big as they are!)
4. Drinking lots of juice,
5. and having indoor tea parties

It's been lots of fun so far.
If you want to see more pictures of these fun events,
you can visit www.heijermans.us
I'm in the process of learning how to help Nathan out
by uploading the pictures myself. I'm slow, but
I'm learning. Happy Summer everyone!

Happy Belated Mother's Day!

2008-05-20T16:17:00.012-04:00

First it was going to be a Christmas present; then a birthday present; finally I finished it for Mother's Day. I presented the finished product to my Mom after what I must admit had been much procrastination and frustration. It was enjoyable but a lot of work. Nathan was kind enough to help with the cutting of the mat and the framing. And it was a big hit. Here is the finished product as well as a picture of my Mom opening it.

And it couldn't have gone to a more deserving person. My Mom is such a wonderful example of what a selfless, godly woman should be. Happy belated Mother's Day to all my friends who are Moms, but especially to my Mom.

Once upon our day...

2008-05-07T13:02:00.012-04:00

Today Hannah and I walked down the stairs of
our apartment complex and down the sidewalk...

Then Hannah held my hand
and we walked

across the parking lot to
the playground!!

She climbed up the stairs all by herself...

walked across the bridge...

stopped to say "hi" to me...

got a little help sitting down...

And slid down the slide.

It was so much fun! So we did it again.

THE END

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T16:43:00.007-04:00

We sang a song in choir this morning for Easter Sunday. Wow! What a powerful song with deep words. Thought I'd share it with you:

Heavy laden weary soul, bearing up a heart of stone,
His Spirit comes to dwell in you,
and Christ the weight of sin assume.
All my guilt is cast on Christ;
and his righteousness is mine.
What guilt should weigh upon my head?
For Christ has cleared it all!

The sum of all my sacrifice, though joyful fails to justify.
I cannot pay for grace that's free,
nor add to work that is complete.
Jesus paid it all for me.
This my ransom and my plea.
What debt I labor to repay?
For Christ has paid it all!!

Through the law comes sin and death,
but faith is counted righteousness.
So I will trust in Christ alone,
my debt to pay, my sin atone.
And I stand in confidence,
covered by His righteousness.
What shall become of boasting tongues?
For Christ has done it all!

Where O death is not thy sting? Swallowed up in victory.
The Lord of glory reigns on high.
Sovereign over earth and sky!
Yes he triumphed oe'r the grave.
And He comes again someday.
What lesser name shall draw our praise?
For Christ has conquered all!!

My latest jobs

2008-02-05T16:16:00.001-05:00

So of course, a woman has many jobs--clean the house, wash the dishes, do the laundry. My husband needs dinner; he deserves my time, attention, and a listening ear. And then there is always the many responsibilities that come with a little one at home. Hannah needs fed, changed, comforted (she has been trying to stand and then falls down, bumping her head), taught, and disciplined. (A side note is that lately I have been teaching Hannah how to brush her teeth, how to paint, and how to feed herself with a spoon. See below for pictures.) I believe that these tasks are my main responsibility right now. As Titus 2 tells us, younger women are to be "workers at home." But of course, there comes a time that we all need a break from the sheer monotony of it all. (Not that I don't love Nathan and Hannah.) Spending time with friends and being involved in ministry helps a lot. But I have also found a fulfilling part-time job at Curves for women. Three mornings a week, I am working while Nate stays home with Hannah. When I get home, he goes to work. Working at Curves has been a great way to meet ladies in the community. The same women usually come in at the same time every day. And since I get to work out while I'm there, I've also had more energy for my work at home. I hear many people complain about having to work (I do my fair share of that at times). And yet, even in the perfectness of the Garden of Eden, God assigned them work to do. There is a great sense of accomplishment and joy when work gets done. And I pray that as I seek to do each task with excellence (even if it is changing diapers or cleaning the bathroom) that it will be an act of worship to the Lord. After all, whether the task is big or small, He alone is worthy of our highest conduct.

A Mini Sermon...

2008-01-28T16:49:00.000-05:00

I read this morning about the disciple John while on Patmos, and his vision of the risen Lord. (Revelation 1) The power and majesty of Jesus caused John to fall like a dead man to the ground! I wondered if there were any traces of the Jesus, God/Man who had walked on earth with him years earlier. Did John recognize in this Deity's face the same friend and Rabbi he had loved and served on earth for so long? John was the "disciple whom Jesus loved" and yet this time, Jesus came to John looking completely different from the first time. Powerful, radiant, breath-taking.

Unlike John, I have never seen Jesus face-to-face--as the Rabbi or the Judge. Yet, God forbid that I would picture Him only as the peaceful, humble carpenter's son who taught and healed people. I must see his other side as well--the Judge I will one day stand before and give an account for everything good and bad I did and did not do (II Corinthians 5:10). I must see ALL of Jesus, not just the parts I like to remember. And like John, I must fall to the ground in awe and fear of the God who is my Creator, and therefore has the right to be my Judge. Oh what a wonder that though He is my Judge, he also chooses to be my friend!

To sum up December & January...

2008-01-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

I have learned a few things in the past two months. I thought I'd share them with you, so that you can either agree with me, laugh at me or take these to heart for future reference.

1. Decorating a Christmas tree with family is a wonderful tradition, however, it is not good for a perfectionist to try to decorate for the perfect Christmas and take care an 11-month-old. (Thanks goodness I had the help of my husband and parents.)

2. When I go to an Open House, I will always take Hannah with me. It opens up many conversations and really they all just want to see her anyway.

3. Taking your child to a church's Christmas Candlelight service that doesn't provide childcare is probably not going to be a worshipful experience.

4. Driving to be with family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is totally worth it.

5. Shopping the day after Christmas is a great way to find good deals for next Christmas. But don't try to return something that day!

6. When flying to Wisconsin in the winter, try to avoid a lay-over in Chicago. If you get stuck there for seven hours, DO cough up the money for one nice meal; it will make the time go quicker and make the situation not look so bleak.

7. If you travel by plane with baby food, make sure to duct tape the can of formula shut. If you want white powder all over the baby clothes, diapers, etc., disregard the advice above.

8. You should always stay up until midnight on New Years Eve. (Unless of course, you live in the Midwest; then you can celebrate the ball drop in Times Square at 11pm and go to bed.)

9. Continuing to drive a car that's tire looses air every week or so would probably indicate that you have run over a nail or something else in the road. This should be dealt with before you walk outside and find your tire is completely flat.

10. Waiting with a one-year-old at a car mechanics' shop to have the tire repaired will last about 30 minutes before you and everyone else is ready for you to walk home and come back later.

11. Expect tears and frustration when your only child comes home to discover she no longer gets tons of attention or has a cousin to play with. Play with them a little more than usual, but gradually show them that you have a life outside of them.

12. Definitely limit a birthday party to the number of years your child is old. It simplifies life and your baby doesn't care anyway. (Close family and parents don't count when inviting guests.)

13. Have your husband blow up the balloons.

13. Put some of the Christmas toys away for a few months until the old toys get boring.

14. Don't super glue a mug's handle back on and expect that even though it works for a few months that the handle won't eventually fall off, spilling a hot latte all over the carpet.

15. Learn to enjoy messes. The fun of seeing your child sitting on newspaper, covered in paint, with an over-sized T-shirt on is well worth the clean-up afterwards. (We hope Grandma and Grandpa realize that when they see the art project made just for them!)

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...

16. Save precious time by not putting pictures up on your blog when your husband posts millions of them on the family website. Just go to www.heijermans.us (These pics--found under the album "Hannah Heijermans"--include pictures of our Christmas, New Years, and Hannah's first birthday.)

Much to thank God for

2007-11-28T14:32:00.001-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my Mom's family last week. (This first picture shows us at the bed and breakfast where we all stayed.) It is good to get together each year and go around the table and share what each person is thankful for. From the oldest to the youngest, we enjoy hearing how God has blessed each person over the last year--a new husband for my sister, encouraging friends and new, biblical church for others. Some were blessed with healing from injuries and some with a good first semester of college. As usual, Nathan and I had a lot to share; we have so much to be thankful for! We praised the Lord most of all for a healthy baby girl. Hannah is the first great-grandchild on my side of the family, so she got a ton of attention. She thoroughly enjoyed every minute, particularly staying past 8pm. Being home on Monday was a real shock for her, but she managed to keep life entertaining for herself. She played with her friend Hannah on Monday and her friends Judah and Elijah today. (I had fun babysitting and seeing what life would be like with more than one child. Wow!) She pulled herself up to a stand against the coffee table and was very proud of herself. Nathan had to help her sit down though; she didn't quite know what to do when she was done standing and pounding the table. She is a real joy and we can't wait to make her first Christmas a special one.

Our whole family together for Thanksgiving.

This is Hannah being photographed at the Bed& Breakfast.
(You should have seen how many cameras were snapping pics of her!)

Hannah's "pooped"!

2007-10-03T09:33:00.000-04:00

Nathan and I decided to take a quick trip to the mall last night. Simple, because we only had one thing to buy and then we were going to walk around with Hannah in the stroller and get some exercise. On the way there, Hannah was a bit fussy. But since she is still rear-facing in her car seat, we weren't able to know if there was truly something wrong or if it was just that time of the evening for fussiness. When we arrived at the mall and took her out of the car seat, we realized, we had a slight problem. The back of her pants were soaked with a brownish stain. She was of course quite distraught. So were we.

Although, I had brought a diaper, I had not brought a change of clothes (unwisely thinking that now that she's 9 months old, I didn't need to carry all that stuff--everything possible, that I used tote everywhere with me). So I lay Hannah down to change her in the back seat of the car and realize that every piece of clothing she is wearing has poop on it, except her jean jacket. AND when I open the travel box of baby wipes, I pull out the very last one. Fortunately, we had paper towels in trunk and made do with that. As soon as I got her cleaned up, I practically threw the clean diaper at Nathan to put on her and ran to Old Navy to buy our daughter something clean to wear.

No one in Old Navy seemed to be in a hurry except me. I mean, who possibly has anywhere they're rushing to on a Tuesday evening at 7:30pm? I finally bought Hannah a little outfit and ran back out to the car to rescue my husband from the baby I left screaming in the car. But we're not done!

I get out to the car and Nathan has Hannah sitting on his lap, wearing only her diaper of course. She is calm but he is not. And it wasn't until he asks, "Do you have a safety pin?" that I notice what it wrong. In Nathan's hurry to get the diaper on our screaming daughter, he had accidentally ripped the tab off one side of the diaper. So he is sitting there holding it closed, less than amused that I think it's hysterical.

The only thing we had to "close" the diaper was the hair tie in my hair. So using that, we put Hannah's new outfit on her. No one feels like walking leisurely around the mall anymore, so we go in and buy our one item and leave. Upon arriving home, Nathan gives Hannah a bath while I clean up the poopy clothes and make her a bedtime bottle. As Nathan feeds Hannah, she finishes up her bottle and drifts off to a peaceful sleep in his arms. I was sitting next to him and without thinking, I smiled and said, "Poor thing. She looks pooped." That made us both burst into hysterical laughter. When I got myself together I added, "No pun intended."

Thus ends the story of our simple trip to the mall.

Our Hannah is 8 months old!

2007-08-28T11:07:00.000-04:00

Hannah is growing up so fast! She can sit up on her own now and has started babbling "da da" and "ba ba." It's fun to see her expression when she eats a new food. She had her first haircut this summer and is starting to look like a "big girl." It's hard to remember life without her. She so much fun to have around.

Summertime

2007-06-20T13:53:00.000-04:00

It is only June but the summer seems to be flying by already. Hannah had her first road trip two weeks ago, when we drove through the night to Michigan to visit friends and family. It was such a nice trip. Our little girl loves to be held and loved by just about anyone who can get their hands on her. We have pictures of her with so many different people and you can check those out, since Nate posted them on our website. Father's Day was a special time here too, since we celebrated Nathan's first one as a Daddy and also had a Baby Dedication with Hannah at church. Nathan's grandparents were here for the weekend, so they were able to be a part of the memory. It was a fun day. Hannah has begun to roll over! And so gone are the days that I can leave her for a few seconds in the living room on a blanket. When I return, so will have found her way to another spot. =) At least we don't have any stairs in our apartment, so that's one less hazard to worry about. We are feeling the heat of 95 degree days and staying inside a lot more than usual. We have taken advantage of the hot weather as a good excuse to take Hannah "swimming" which she seems to enjoy. Enjoy the pictures! Hasn't she gotten big?!

Learning New Things

2007-05-23T14:06:00.001-04:00

Hannah is learning new things every day. In the past couple weeks, she has learned to eat oatmeal with a spoon, shriek loudly to get Mommy's attention, and grab my hair while she drinks her bottle. It was a lot of fun to dress her up for my sister's wedding this month and to take her hiking by the Chesapeake Bay in April. It's amazing to see how excited she gets when we talk to her. I enjoy having her around to talk with while I fold laundry and cook dinner. And although there are days when she screams all the way home from the mall because she's tired and hungry, most of the time Hannah is a joy to have around. In a couple weeks, we will try taking a ten-hour car ride with Hannah as we go to visit friends in Michigan. We'll see how that goes. It will be interesting. I don't know if we're brave or just plain stupid. I guess time will tell.

Yummy and Messy

Hannah on Easter Sunday

My sister, her husband Nathan, and family

Mommy and Hannah at Aunt Erica's Wedding

Getting Shots

2007-03-09T13:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I had to take Hannah to the pediatrician for her two month shots. I was dreading the whole ordeal from the moment I got out of bed. But the moment finally came when the doctor asked me to hold my daughter's hands, to keep them out of the way and he gave her five shots! Ouch! Boy did she scream, but when it was over, I distracted her with a pacifier and she calmed right down. I wonder if in her little mind she wondered why I let her experience that pain. I know that it will be years before she understands that I allowed the pain to keep her from sickness or even death. But as I was driving home, I was reminded of my Heavenly Father and how he lets me go through things that hurt too. And I can picture him holding both my hands all the way through, so that I know I'm never alone. Romans 8:28 is one of my favorite verses: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose." This verse comforts me--even when I do not know why my circumstances hurt so much, God is there to walk me through it and it is for my own good. So just like Hannah has someone who loves her enough to let her suffer pain at times, I have an awesome God who loves me and will always do what's best for me. Somehow it makes the pain hurt a little less.

I'm a Mommy now

2007-03-07T15:57:00.000-05:00

Well,I am beginning my career as a mother and starting a new blog to chart the progress of this new adventure. Hannah Grace was born in January and we are enjoying her so much. She is now 2 months old. It's hard to believe how quickly time goes and how fast she is growing already. I am, as you can see, a VERY proud mamma. Don't get me wrong, there are days when she fusses all day and times when she spits up all over her Daddy, but for the most part, we're loving every moment. You can check out our family website at http://www.heijermans.us/ and check out the millions of photos we've taken of Hannah with our new camera. Also, if you want to check out my previous blog entries, you can visit www.xanga.com/librarylover and read all about life with the Heijermans. Thanks and happy reading!