Wednesday

Ian Singing

You may have to turn up your volume to hear this one, but I recorded Ian singing to us on the way to church. It's his new favorite thing. He still dances sometimes, but he's singing more now.

Ian today and books all year

A lot of the blogs I read are compiling reading lists for 2010, and it inspired me to do the same thing. I can read 12 books in 12 months, right? That’s my hope anyway. I’m thinking that having a list and a plan will help me to complete this task. So here is my list, in no particular order. A lot will likely depend on the library and the availability of these books. The list is subject to change without notice.

1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – Mary Ann Sheffer
2. Let the Great World Spin – Colum McCann
3. The Unnamed – Joshua Ferris
4. Run – Ann Patchett
5. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home – Rhoda Janzen
6. The Lacuna – Barbara Kingsolver
7. The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible – AJ Jacobs
8. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide – Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
9. Last Night in Twisted River – John Irving
10. The Year of the Flood – Margaret Atwood
11. Both Ways is the Only Way I Want – Maile Meloy
12. Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys – Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson

Have any of you already read any of these books? If so, what did you think? I’ll write an unprofessional review when I’m finished with each of these.

John's comment for the next picture -

"he can't ask, he has to try on his own

We were so thankful to get 10 comments on our post for Haiti, and we made our donation to MCC.

Here are some pictures John texted me today of Ian this morning. He loves to watch music on TV, and he's watching a Farm Aid concert in the first picture. He also loves these lift the flap books we have. In the last picture he's singing (or screaming).

Help for Haiti - Comment for $$

I want to do something to help Haiti, so I'm teaming up with other bloggers to raise money for the earthquake relief. John and I will donate $10 (up to $100) to Mennonite Central Committee for every comment we receive on this post. I know we don't have a lot of readers, but all you have to do is post a comment and we'll donate. Keep praying for everyone involved. Here is a link - http://mcc.org/

Stream of Consciousness

Since this is how I think most of the time, and because one of my “resolutions” is to write more often, I’ve decided to use our blog as more then just a place to put pictures of Ian, although I promise that the pictures will continue as well. I was reading this book and the author was saying that we should stop thinking about what we don’t have, and start to focus on the things we do have. John and I are a little more strapped financially these days, since he’s going to school and working less. I was working on our budget yesterday, and getting frustrated at all the things we have to scale back on. It gave me pause to think of all the things we do have, and the things we can gain from making different choices – like spending more time at home, cooking good food, playing with Ian and reading him books, which he’s getting more and more interested in all the time. I also thought about how blessed we are to have our health, even though Ian and I both have a cold right now, it’s nothing when you compare it to the things it could be. We have laughter. That’s one of my favorite things about my relationship with John – he makes me laugh (and not just because he’s funny looking :) ) Ian’s picked up on the laughter, and every time he hears someone laugh he laughs too. And we're thinking about Miss Lacey right now, and sending her lots of hugs and laughter.
Then there is Haiti, and all the sadness and destruction and devastation there. It is incomprehensible to me how terrible it must be to be doing your best to survive, and feeling like there is no hope. It leads people to the brink, and that’s what is scary now. I will keep everyone involved in my prayers.
Here is a picture, since I know that’s what the people come back for. It’s from this morning, from a cell phone camera – but it’s a snapshot into John and Ian’s routine I’ve come to love and look forward to.

Christmas time

Oliver was born 5 days after Ian, and this was their first time playing together. It went well, and we wish we lived closer so they could play more often.

The best present

Silly baby

Visiting with Great Grandpa Bryson

Ian and Isaac in Iowa

AJ & Taylor got married on New Year's Eve and Ian had fun on the dance floor

These are in no particular order b/c blogger and I aren't friends when it comes to that kind of thing. We had a nice trip from Colorado to Iowa to Ohio and back. We saw each side of both of our families, and that was great.

silly vaccuum