What's new

1. another rash. spared you the picture. Is he allergic to sulfa drugs? Or was it a virus? No one knows...

2. but his three-antibiotic-course ear infection is finally over!

3. playing in the kitchen sink. stirring bowls. reaching into the drawer for a measuring spoon. just like mom.

4. getting pushed in the shopping cart, not just pushing it around.

5. giving nice gentle pats. if he hits you, you say, "no, be gentle" and he'll pet you. (he didn't hit owen first--he knows by now to always be gentle with little-brother-in-training.)
6. sitting in a big chair. his booster seat is so not cool anymore. fine with me, as long as he's sitting and eating!

7. going to Chicago on Thursday! trying to escape the cold...haha

8. remember how Isaac did so good to go to nursery at first? now he screams every time. apparently for only two minutes, but it is very distressing to me. I looked in today and he was happily doing actions to "popcorn popping on the apricot tree." I didn't know he could do that!!! I wish they could video tape nursery every week and send it home with us.

9. screaming every time I try to put him in his car seat. any suggestions?

10. Blake might not be happy with me announcing this, but he is 95% sure he's going to do neurology. YAY! It feels so exciting to have plans. It feels like someday soon we'll actually have an income instead of taking big chunks out of our savings/loans every six months. and somehow that is linked to buying a house, so I've been looking at real estate in utah, colorado, arizona, california, ...

A very boring link

February 2010 issue of the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering.

So glad that's done (3.5 years later).

If you want to read THE WHOLE THING I can email it to you...just start lining up...

Our Christmas trip home

There were good times and bad times, there were fun times and fat times. Here are some highlights. I got a new camera (thanks Dad) so I had a hard time choosing which awesome photos to post!

Isaac was on amoxicillin for an ear infection when we left. On the night of the 23, we noticed a rash starting. By the next day, Christmas eve, he had broken out into hives! I guess he's allergic. He was very itchy and didn't sleep very well. We stopped the amoxicillin. A week later he got the ear infection back. He didn't sleep very well.

Playing outside

Chris had a birthday! No one knows why the neck opening is so large, but we all know why Bekah gave Chris an apron with this inscription: "Captain Cook--Surrender your buns".



"Little" (6'2")brother came home! He's so spiritual and awesome. And he got my mom to babysit so I could go snowshoeing with him.

Marie's pregnant! Or just playing Mary.

"Don't worry, mom, I'm just sledding with my cousins."

Jeremiah, Megan, and Hannah surprised us by flying in New Years Eve! What sneaks. "Uck" learned to call her "Anna".


The picture cannot display the depth of aversion nor the volume of scream. He was the laugh of the party.


Isaac finally was content and happy the day before it was time to come home.

And now--it's just memories: pictures on a computer, entries in a journal, and a posting on a blog. And we're all huddled around space heaters in 1 degree weather back in St. Louis. But grateful to be home in our own space with email and cell phones.

***NOTE: I just noticed there are no paternal side photos. S0rry, we love you too and had an awesome time with you too! I just got my new camera after we were with you. Isaac loved to push the car with Grandma and open her sliding doors. And play with the train at Matthew and Josh's house. And fight with Ellie over the car.

Christmas card

We threesome of Missouri are

Bearing loans we traverse afar

Westward leaning, still proceeding

Two years left until reward.

From the three New Men