The many faces of Sara....

These are Sara's 6 week old pictures. She is wearing her Easter dress.

Here Sara is taking a bath. She loves the warm water, as you can tell by her big smile! Look at the rolls and chubby cheeks!

Now that Sara is 6 weeks old, we have been having fun watching her make all kinds of different expressions. One minute she can be happy and smiley, then the next serious or crying! These first few pictures were taken in just a matter of minutes.

Look at my big mouth!

Trying to smile

Pleeeeaaassssee Daddy.....

I am NOT happy!

Birth Control Pills

I'm sure the title of this blog caught you a bit off guard. Especially those of you who know Daniel and my stance on birth control. You can read about it in a previous blog post.

This morning while Daniel and I were listening to the local Christian radio station, the host had a discussion with Dr. William Colliton Jr. on the topic of the birth control pill being an abortifacient. Here is the article that was referenced in the discussion. Please read it with an open mind. Birth Control Pill: Abortifacient and Contraceptive

Home for Sale

Our home is officially on the market. It is a bittersweet time, as we are sad to leave our home. Yet we are very excited for what the Lord has planned for our family in the Peoria/Bloomington area. If you or anyone you know is interested in moving to the Sugar Grove, IL area, the details of our home can be found on the left hand side of this blog, along with a slide show of the home.

This past weekend we were house hunting again. Last time we went it was so discouraging. This time started out rough. The first home we went to had lots of character, but when you stood on the second floor, you felt as though you were going to fall over. The floors were so slanted! Obviously the house had settled a lot in the last 100+ years! After looking at a few more houses, we came to the one we think may be it! It has almost everything we have been looking for - land, large home with room to grow, and centrally located between church and work. The draw back is the lack of mature trees and it is closer to a town than we would like. However, we think we can get past those cons. So we are committing this house to prayer over the next few days and see where the Lord leads us.

Magazines and "Family Friendly" stores

How many times have you walked up to the check out lane at the grocery store only to be bombarded by smut? Particularly the newest "swimsuit" issue of Sports Illustrated? My friend Stacy wrote a post on her blog entitled "Soft Core Porn in our Family Friendly Stores?". Her husband, James, also has a post on his blog entitled "Stand up for Decency" In their posts they includes a letter that they wrote that can be sent to your local grocery and retail stores that carry these smut magazines. Here is the text of the letter:

Dear ________,

My name is ____ and I am [some personal information, family involvement with ministry or church, local civic activity, etc]

My husband and I, along with our children, live in [city or area]; and aside from this one troubling issue, we have always been happy shopping at your [city or location] store.

I have to say, I was absolutely appalled to see in your store, in full view of my children, a large display of magazines featuring a topless woman in a string bikini. Sports Illustrated is nothing more than soft pornography and I am outraged that families are subjected to this smut while innocently shopping in your stores.

The American Decency Association has this to say about the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue:

“Starting with the topless woman on the cover, SI gets to the real purpose of the issue – the pornographic exhibition of women for the pleasure of men. Page after page reveals erotically displayed young women in, at the most, barely there bikinis. Each lust-producing pornographic pose reinforces the message to ogling men and boys that women are nothing more than sexual objects to be used…

In addition to the nearly bare models, are dozens of photos of topless or completely nude women. There are also a number of pullout pinups… This outrageous display is basically no different than a Playboy…”

By carrying this magazine you are helping to promote a product that degrades women, harms families, and contributes to the moral decay of society. There are many others like me who don't appreciate companies that promote illicit sex and neglect the moral safety of families (and children) who shop in their stores. I plead with you to pull this offensive product from your shelves immediately.

Please know that I will be actively participating in a campaign to purge these magazines from the stores we frequent. At the very least, we insist that you cover the offensive magazines from view. For those stores that refuse to hear our pleas, we will be forced to boycott them; and we will actively push for others to take a stand and shop elsewhere.

I have always considered [name of store] a family-friendly store. Please, for the good of American families and society, please stop selling pornography.

Please pass copies of these letter out to your friends and family. Thank you for helping to make our stores visually safe for our families.

Westminster Catechism

Hands

Nursing Sara in the quietness of the night allows me the precious opportunity to think about what a blessing a Sara is. As I look down at her, I am so amazed at all the "grown up" features she has. Take her hands for instance. They are perfectly formed, yet Sara has no control over what they do. Even grasping my finger is a reflex. Yet in just a short amount of time, she will learn how to focus on an object and bring her hand to grasp it. From there she will learn to put objects in her mouth and eventually feed herself. All this happens in less than a year!

While studying her hands I was also thinking about her future. What plans does God have for these little hands? How many poeple will she bless with these hands? This little baby hand, that I hold so tenderly in mine, will someday be the same hand on which her husband (Lord willing) will place a wedding band. It is also the same hand that will tenderly grasp her own babies hands. Will she look at those little hands and have the same thoughts I am having? Will she be amazed at how fearfully and wonderfully we are made?

Tiny handprints grow so fast

Their awkward groping soon will clasp

A ball, a book a sweetheart's hand

A diploma, briefcase, a wedding band

Tiny handprints grow so strong

It doesn't take them very long

To snap a shirt, to paint, to draw

To work hard , to drive a car

Tiny handprints grow to be

A person that is quite unique

A wonderful mix of so many things

With his own feelings, thought and dreams

Tiny handprints grow to rely

On his parents to bring him up just right

His parents pray that when he's grown

He'll say their job has been well done

Tiny handprints are ours to love

The sweetest gift from God above

A miracle that never is surpassed

How sad they grow up way to fast

Sara, Josiah, and Jesica (aka our February "babies")

Josiah has been waiting to have this picture taken. When Cara was a baby, he had a picture similar to this taken. He wanted to recreate it with Sara.

Josiah is introducing Sara to the Game Boy. Thankfully she has no idea what he is doing!

Jesica and Josiah with Sara. Jesica has been very camera happy lately. Thank you to whoever thought of the digital camera! If we still had to worry about film, we'd be in debt with all the pictures Jesica takes!

Sara is usually a very good and peaceful sleeper. It is evident in these pictures!

Pinewood Derby

This past weekend our chidlren took part in a pinewood derby car race. This was our second year and we had a lot of fun. Daniel and Justin worked on the cars together, with Justin doing most of the painting. We had a tough time getting them finished - it's not like we had a lot of time with the birth of Sara and Daniel starting his new job. These are the cars we made this year.

Cara's cross and Mathias's #9 truck

Josiah's hummer

Rebecca Seven's and Ashly's 15 passenger vans (Ashly's is the white one)

Justin's race car

Brad Seven, Justin, and Kyle Emrick showing off their cars.

There are some very talented and creative people that race their cars. Here are some of our favorites from this years race. Remember that these are just made from blocks of wood...

Great-Grandmothers

Our children are very blessed to have 3 great-grandmothers still alive. All three of them will be turning 90 in the next few years. The past 2 weekends we had the opportunity to visit with 2 of them. They were so excited to be able to hold a new born baby again. We will see the 3rd great-grandmother in July when we go to the annual Ryken Reunion in Iowa.

Sheri's Grandmother with Sara, who is great-grandchild #30

Daniel's Grandmother with Sara and all the children.

Eclipse

Here are some pictures from the eclipse on February 20th. We had a fun time eating ice cream and watching the earth shadow the moon.

Josiah is 8!

Another milestone has been reached. Josiah is now 8 years old. He has been waiting for this day for so long. When we first found out that we were expecting Sara he prayed that she would be born on his birthday. I think he was a bit disappointed when she was born on the 9th. Not sharing a birthday with her means another day in February for eating birthday dessert! That is something we all enjoy!

As I think back to 8 years ago, I am reminded of all the difficulties we went throught with Josiah's pregnancy. He was due February 28th, 2000, which was a Leap Year. He was induced 11 days early, much to my relief.

Josiah hates change and doesn't deal with it well. We have gone through lots of change in the last 8 years, so life hasn't always been smooth sailing. Still, Josiah has been such a blessing to our family. His sensitivity carries forth into other areas of his life. He also is very intelligent - even if he dislikes doing his school work!

Turning 8 is a big milestone for our boys. It is the year that Daddy buys them their very own pocketknife. Lately I have been giving him more "manly" chores to do, instead of calling for Justin. Josiah has taken on the challenges and has exceeded my expectations in them. It is wonderful having 2 young men being able to help Daddy out.




Here are some pictures from his parties this weekend.

God is good

God is good ALL the time!

I have been learning this alot this week. Sara and I have had some very difficult moments, but through them I am learning to continually cry out to God who hears our every request.

Nursing during the last few days have been very difficult for Sara and I. She loves to sleep and can be difficult to wake, my milk let-down is slow, latching on is difficult and painful, and Sara's sucking reflex is not very strong. Last night I just broke down in tears and was so discouraged. My baby wasn't getting the nutrients and was hungry. So I pumped and fed her with a syringe. This morning's feeding was just as bad. Her best feeding have been in the bath, so that is where we headed. A nice warm bath with soothing herbs and lavendar oil was sure to do the trick. It didn't. However, I do have good news. Her feeding at Noon was awesome! She only nursed on one side, but the latch on was strong and she fed for over 15 minutes! Now if we can accomplish the same thing on the other side during the next feeding, I will be thrilled - and she will have a full belly!

Sara is also very jaundice. Yesterday we tried to sun her, but the day was cloudy and snowy. Today is a beautiful sunny day. So here Sara and I sit, in front of the window, staring out at the snow, sunning ourselves. Here Sara is - so relaxed......


Last night my husband blessed me with some flowers. Today their sweet fragrance is filling my bedroom. Aren't they beautiful?


This morning, while Sara was sleeping, I was able to play around with some of the settings on my camera. Here are some of those pictures.

More pictures of Sara

Here are some more pictures! Sara is such a sweet baby and everyone is just loving her! What a wonderful addition to our family.

Sara sucking her thumb

Dad and Sara

Mom, Mathias, and Sara

Justin (14) and Sara

Jesica (13) and Sara

Ashly (11) and Sara

Josiah (8) and Sara

Cara (6) and Sara

Mathias (3) and Sara

Sara Elizabeth - 3 days old

391 years of marriage

Here is an article from the Indy Star on a family of 7 sibling who collectively have nearly 400 years of marriage between them. What an inspiration!

Family shows love, marriage endure