He's Finally Here!

Asher is finally here. He is a beautiful baby. He and Momma are doing very well. I am just taking enough time to post the promised pictures. I will get Becky to tell the story another day. Thank you all for praying for us. God is always faithful to answer prayer.

Almost There.

Nathaniel takes his role as "the Cat" very seriously.

Still trying to teach her that we don't spit the seeds on the floor.

Gabe can eat his weight in watermelon.

School is just about over. Becky has one more paper to write and I have one more test. The kids can't wait. Maybe now we'll keep up with the blog.

The kids have been showing us some amazing developments. Nathaniel has fallen in love with coloring. He spent nearly three hours today coloring and "reading" from his Tractor coloring book. He told us today that he was teaching Gabriel how to color. The amazing thing is that he really was showing Gabe how to color. He was extremely patient and generous. He took time to read Gabe a story also.

Gabriel has been full of verbal surprises. He repeats almost everything we say and is even expressing original thoughts. He and Nathaniel are becoming "best buds" as long as it does involve sharing legos. They'll share the train set and the crayons, but stealing legos is intolerable.

Micaela had her first grammar lesson yesterday and today she correctly applied it without any help. Becky was nearly jumping out of her seat for joy. I must confess that Micaela had to "refresh" my memory as to what a common noun was. All of her examples were correct. She is also learning to recite poems. She is like a little sponge just waiting for something to soak up.

Becky had a doctor's appointment today and the doc said she "isn't really" dilated. Becky is a little disappointed, but we know that God's timing is better than ours, so we'll wait.

If you don't like "potty" stories then skip this paragraph. Yesterday Micaela was sitting on the potty and complaining to me that her bowel movement was difficult and that she had a tummy ache. Being the "all wise" daddy that I was, I told her to pray and ask God to help "it" come out. A few seconds passed by and her face gradually changed from bewildered to a sheepish grin. Dead serious she exclaimed, "..but he would get his hands dirty!" I did the best I could to conceal my laughter, but could not help it. When I calmed down I kindly explained that God could do things without his hands; that he could tell Micaela's body to feel better and that it would. I love how Micaela believes that God will do exactly what she asks of him.

That reminds me; NATHANIEL IS POTTY-TRAINING!!!! He has done very well these past two weeks. Becky and I prayed a while ago that he would be potty-trained before Asher (a.k.a. baby boy) arrived. He and Micaela are turning out to be very good little helpers and can't wait to help Momma with the new baby.


Thanks for reading,

Ian

The Final Stretch

These next few weeks will bring about many changes. We have less than two weeks of college classes left and will be taking our finals on the 14th and 16th. Please pray for us. Becky will be giving birth to baby "boy" (no name yet) and then we will be moving. Oh, and Ian will be seperating from the Air Force on the 25th. Pray for us. I have been praying that God will lead me to the job that he wants me to work at. Many times I get caught up in searching for a "good" job and then get worried. I know God has a job for me and that I need to trust in him. Lately I've been thinking about being a teacher. It doesn't pay what I would have hoped for, but there are many other benefits, like summer times with my families and the opportunity to influence hundreds of children. I would like prayer for this. The kids are doing well. Tonight at family worship Nathaniel sang so loudly and "uniquely" that Micaela and Becky couldn't help but grin and chuckle. He was very serious and even added hand motions to the song. I think we were singing Holy, Holy, Holy. Becky has taught them a new song called Jehova-Jireh that we all clap to. The kids all get up and start running, clapping and singing during the song. Gabriel just grins like a crocodile and runs laps around the other two. I must stop procrastinating and finish my term papers now. We enjoy all the comments from the grandparents. Becky never did have to eat worms. We love you all.

Micaela showing off the butterfly that she caught all by herself.

If you look closely you'll see that they are playing with dried beans, not sand.

Gabey is helping Momma with her homework.

It's been a long time

The past two weeks have been busy. God sold our house for us to a newly married couple. They are letting us lease it until two weeks after the baby is born. The baby has dropped and is now making Becky very uncomfortable. (She has started to waddle. It's cute.) Normally when approaching her due date Becky would be experiencing "nesting" syndrome, but lately she has been "un-nesting". We have packed up a good part of the house and stacked the boxes in the garage. We are both excited about moving soon. Only two more weeks of school!!!! Micaela went to VBS this week. She is definately a little social bug. All the interaction has made her very pleasent to be with. Becky says she can relate completely. Nathaniel has stepped up in Micaela's absence and has been exercising his vocal cords nonstop. I never knew he could talk so much. The past two evenings we have gone for a scooter ride to see the tractors. He is fascinated by them. Gabriel has been a handful lately. I think he is feeling left out and is showing it by being very tempermental. Becky would like me to inform all those reading that the maid and the chef have gone on hiatus with no signs of return. I have started running five miles five times a week. I was feeling left out and wanted a ticker of my own at the top of the blog, but Becky couldn't find one due to the uncooperative ticker website. We love you all and if Becky doesn't see any responses on this blog from family she is going to go eat worms.