Christmas Card

Everyone loves getting Christmas cards. At least, I do. They're festive little reminders of the people in our lives that we may not get to see often. Abe likes to look at the pictures we get sent, that go right on our fridge and bulletin board.

That being said: this little Howen family is not sending out Christmas cards this year. All you get is this silly blog post. Blame laziness, pregnancy fatigue, budget, busyness--whatever you like. As a lover of Christmas mail, I'm sorry!

To make up for it, here's an update and a bunch of pictures :)

Merry Christmas!

Abe News:

Our little man is almost 19 months old, very opinionated, always moving, choosing not to talk (but very communicative) and picky! He's on the lighter/shorter end of the growth charts, but I imagine he'll pick up speed whenever he figures out that food is not actually his enemy. As of now, he eats cheese, yogurt, cereal, fruit snacks, noodles, rice, bananas, apple sauce and cereal bars. Occasionally, we can sneak in some meat or veggies. Never bread. Seriously, he hates all things bread-like. Strange kid. 

He loves to clap and "dance" and play with his Dada. Honestly, nothing trumps playing with Dada. Except, maybe water. Some kids have blankies--Abe has ice water. 

He still has no idea of the little person coming into his life in the Spring, but is fascinated by babies. Hopefully, that will translate to liking a new sibling! 

Ashley News:

I'm just still plugging along at home with the little guy and growing the littler baby in my belly. The nausea and headaches have finally subsided (knock on wood), leaving a nasty sweet-tooth in their wake. If I could eat Skittles and M&Ms (mixed together) all day, I would. This must be conquered before my glucose test!

Unlike last time, I am starting to have trouble with my skin, which is a bummer. I still have to check with my OB, but I'm guessing it's just a pregnancy-related rash. Itchy, itchy, itchy! And do doesn't want redness on their face all the time? Oh wait, no one does! 

OCD is not doing well (see update on Shaking Hands), but the OB has started me back on my meds as of last week. They can take up to 2-3 weeks to start making a difference, if no adjustments are needed. To have fewer (or no) panic attacks, be able to eat enough food for the baby and not be such a burden on Dan would be incredible. 

Dan News:

My hubby has had a bit of a rough month. First, kidney stones right before Thanksgiving, and then, a not so pleasant Christmas gift from his employer: a pink slip. After a year and a half, Dan was laid off along with 2 other employees due to budgetary reasons. The school has been having financial struggles and other problems for a little while, so I can't say that I was completely shocked to hear the news. 

Dan had been weighing the pros/cons of staying at the school for a while but did not want to "jump ship". Fortunately (?), he was tossed overboard with a floatation device. While he does have a severance package, he is in need of a new job with benefits very soon. With his cancer treatments/check-ups and a pregnant wife, not having health insurance is not a great feeling. 

He is handling it very well, as he does most setbacks. He is disappointed and feeling the burden but hopeful for a new opportunity. My prayer is that he finds a position that he enjoys and one in which he is appreciated for his integrity and flexibility and intelligence. Speaking as his totally unbiased wife, his school has lost a loyal, caring, faithful, Godly, skilled teacher. Alas, things happen. I am excited to see what doors open up. God will provide as He always has. 

Baby News:

We have hit the half-way mark in the pregnancy, and according to the app on my phone, the baby is about the size of a banana. We have our anatomy scan this week, so we might find out whether Abe is getting a brother or a sister. Hopefully, all is going swimmingly and this little munchkin is healthy. I love feeling the little kicks and squirms!

Prayer Requests:

* A new job for Dan with benefits

* A healthy and smooth pregnancy, resulting in a full-term healthy baby

* Successful treatment for my OCD

* Healing up of skin woes

* Healthy growth and development for Abe

* Wisdom and guidance for Dan's former school

No News is...

...just because I haven't had the time to sit down and write the news! Since the last update, we've had a lot of news--good and not-so-good. I'm breaking this (long) update into pieces, so you can read about whatever interests you.

Since I left off around our anniversary, we'll start there.

Dan and I celebrated our 6th anniversary with a family excursion to Big Trees and made ourselves a fancy dinner to enjoy after the kid was asleep. Perhaps our choices of celebration were budgetarily-based...but we had so much fun being together with Abe, in nature, in our home, no stress. It was lovely. It was also "productive", but more on that later.

Dan News:

Dan is obviously full-swing into the school year. Despite the changes to his classes, he is having a relatively great first semester. Having a BA in Film seems to be useful for teaching Film and Drama, while liking movies seems to help him teach History Through Film. (Sidenote: what high school student WOULDN'T want to take a class that teaches history by watching movies every day?) Also, on the docket: Life Skills. That class is a hodge-podge of career advice, college-guidance, and other tidbits. His homework load is lighter than last year, though lots of planning is still involved. That just goes along with teaching! I never cease to be impressed by his professional nature, hardwork and his ability to impart wisdom and joy to his students. Way to be, husband!

Healthwise, Dan has had some interesting happenings. The last MRI that we knew about hadn't shown any new cancer. His labs were looking good or at least good for Dan. So, we were rudely surprised at the beginning of October when he woke up in the middle of the night in severe pain. Usually, Dan doesn't complain until something is bad, so when he recommended going to the ER, we high-tailed it. Once there, the doctors determined that it was acute pancreatitis. They weren't sure what triggered it, as Dan doesn't drink any alcohol and hadn't really changed his diet recently. There best conclusion was that all the treatment to his liver and pancreas was catching up with him and causing one pissed-off pancreas.

Dan was thrilled (not) by the treatment plan: no food for a few days and IV fluids. Having spent nearly 3 months NPO and in the hospital, he was understandably weary of this plan. By God's grace, Dan got out of the hospital after only one night and was allowed to slowly advance his diet to low-fat solids over the course of a week.

Labs and further MD appointments haven't shed much more light on the matter, beyond the reminder that Dan's anatomy certainly isn't normal. His CT scan in the ER showed a possible new lesion in the liver (ugh), but a later MRI showed that it was probably just areas where his liver is scarred from previous treatments.  His labs, on the other hand, are very unimpressive. His WBCs and platelets are falling again, just like before his spleen surgery a couple years ago. For now, the oncologist just wants to keep an eye on it, but some form of treatment is probably on the horizon. Boo.

For YOUR part in helping us out, please keep Dan healthy by being smart. As in, WASH YOUR HANDS frequently (like if you sneeze or cough into them, after you go the bathroom, etc.). And, are you sick? We love you, but stay home. Also, here's a plug for the flu shot: getting vaccinated protects not only you but also those in the community with low immune systems. Do it.


Abe News:

Our rambunctious little ball of energy is 17-months-old and never stops. He is incredibly smart, following directions (when he wants to) and learning every day. He isn't talking really, but he's pretty communicative with signs and babbling. He has unfortunately taken to telling me "yes" whenever I tell him "no", so that's fun. He also points at everything very emphatically. Dan has to wander around the house following Abe's pointing finger to figure out what he wants.
Abe is still a picky eater (my fault, I've been told), but eats a lot of what he does like. He's still on the little side of the spectrum, but he's growing fast! Unbeknownst to Abe, the nursing portion of his diet is about to go bye-bye. It's mostly comfort/emotional nursing for him at this point, but it's time to be done.
(Concerned that I nursed my kid until almost 1.5 years? Lots of studies have proven that it is incredible for his immune system and emotional stability. He won't be scarred, I promise)
He is a character to say the least!


Ash News:

While I'm still at home with Abe and keeping track of household needs, I am actively keeping up my nursing license and certifications.  I'm recertifying in chemotherapy administration, gathering recommendation letters, etc. I do love nursing and feel that I'll return to it someday, but not right now. Being a stay-at-home-mom is really hard for me because I miss adult interaction and feeling like I am actually contributing to my family and society. Changing diapers and making mac-and-cheese just doesn't seem as crucial as caring for my patients sometimes, BUT helping form a little person is important.
(Thank you to Obama for reaffirming that I am not contributing my part to society: being a stay-at-home mom is "not the choice we want Americans to make". Thanks, sir! Pretty sure we didn't make this decision to impact the American economy negatively. We'll think about that next time...)
I asked Dan when he thinks I should go back to work. His response? "When there are no more stinky butts to be changed." Oh boy! (Laugh, it was a joke!)

Outside of house and baby care, I co-taught a class at our church on coping-mechanisms for those with mental illnesses. What a blessing for a church to acknowledge that mental illness is real and worthy of care! Wowza. It has been a learning experience, but I had an excellent and patient co-teacher who happens to be a counselor. Our class ends tomorrow, but God was at work in our hearts.

In one of my many efforts to remain sane, I got serious about running again last winter. I just ran my first 10K for my birthday in September. It was hard work, but felt so good. I really love long-distance running...maybe this isn't keeping me sane! My goal is to aim for a half-marathon in the next year or so. I would push my goal earlier, but training has taken a bit of a halt for the last few months.
You see, I didn't run my 10K alone...

And, remember when I said our anniversary was "productive"?
Well...


Baby News:
That's right. A baby. Number 2. Here are some answers to FAQs...

1. Was this an accident? Nope. We wanted the kids to be about 2 years apart, but were unsure how long we would have to try since we had fertility treatments with Abe.
2. Were we surprised? Yes! A couple months was a bit faster than we expected.
3. Are you happy? Yes!
4. How are you feeling? Blurgh. Nausea and food aversions I expected. Fatigue that knocks you out for a few months? No one told me! Seriously, I haven't run since my 10K because just doing chores and errands gets me winded and ready for a nap. Lame, right? I feel so lazy.
And the migraines. Without Advil or caffeine. Noooooo. Maybe the second trimester will bring back some energy...please?
5. When are you due? Early May 2015.

6. How's the OCD? It's ok for now, though I'm noticing an uptick in my handwashing and food-poisoning fears. I'm still a nervous nelly who didn't want to announce the pregnancy until...we had a healthy baby in our arms. Alas, I cannot hide my growing belly forever. As the second trimester begins, I am hoping that I don't go crazy like last time.


This was way too long. My apologies. I say this everytime: I'll post more frequently so the posts will be shorter. Nope. I probably won't. But I can dream!


Prayer Requests:
1. Dan's health: improvements in labs and scans, no more pancreatitis attacks, etc.
2. Energy for us to keep up with Abe and raise him well
3. Wisdom in our efforts to provide loving discipline to a toddler
4. Health and safety for me and the baby, full-term pregnancy and safe delivery
5. Insurance improvements through Dan's work
6. A closer relationship with each other and with God

And the beat goes on.

I honestly cannot remember any other lyrics to that song. Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

In other news, I am apparently terrible at keeping up with this blog. Perhaps, that is because I have more important, more fun, more difficult and more time-consuming things to do! Basically, writing updates here has slid down my to-do list quite a bit. BUT. I'm here now.

Baby News: 
Our baby is no longer a baby. He is a bonafide toddler. Abe turned one in May and has proceeded to get faster and smarter since then. He's running and investigating and testing limits. He is throwing temper tantrums that we were really not ready to handle yet! I mean serious drama coming from a tiny person. Wow. Even so, we love him more and more every day. If we could just convince him to eat more and drool less...

Dan News: 
He is back to work at Jim Elliot Christian High School...not teaching math. He will be teaching Bible & Media, Drama, Film, History through Film and Robotics. These were not his choices, and he is pretty bummed about not teaching math. Yet, Dan is Dan, meaning he is being flexible and diligent in his work. The last few weeks have been frustrating for him as he is creating/learning a lot of new curriculum. Additionally, his new classes have brought along too many commitments (plays to direct, films to produce, competitions to attend) for him to continue coaching football.  My amazing husband is making a lot of sacrifices so that he can spend time with his little boy and his wife. He really is amazing.

Oh, and Dan is also pretty healthy. His last MRI showed no sign of active disease and his tumor markers are within normal limits. He remains on quite a few medications to keep his fluid levels normalized but no changes recently. His liver and spleen are still unhappy, causing things like mild jaundice and low blood counts. This will probably be fairly typical for a long time.

Ash News: 
I am still chugging along in the stay-at-home-mom department. I do want to return to nursing eventually, but we feel that my place is here at home for the time being. I may never get an opportunity to stay home with the baby again, so I am taking advantage of it while I can.
Being in Lodi is still hard as far as friends are concerned. I am involved in a Bible study at church and we go to a couples small group, which have helped. Branching out is happening, just slowly.

My OCD is still lurking in the background with little flares occurring from time to time. Excitingly, though, I was able to wean off of my medication shortly after Abe's birthday. I feel a difference, but I also have enough coping mechanisms to stave off panic attacks most of the time. Also, I have started writing about my experiences as a way to cope with intrusive thoughts or compulsions. I haven't written much, but it felt like a good way to allow other people into an area of my life that is often kept hidden. Join me at: Shaking Hands, if you dare :)


Family News:
We just returned from a Clifford Family Reunion in Boston this weekend. So much laughter, so many Cliffords! My brother got engaged while there in Boston, so we had a lot to celebrate. It was a fun trip, but we are glad to be home. Especially, Abe, our teething and cranky monster man.

Also, we had a Howen Family trip in June to celebrate Jessica's graduation with her Master's degree from UCLA. Another fun-filled, hectic trip, though it included going back to Redeemer Church and seeing so much of our church family. A blessing indeed!

Bob and Jamie are currently in Germany visiting with friends and their "German daughter", Steffi. I'm secretly hoping that she stows away in their luggage!



As the summer draws to a close, there is much going on in the world that brings me to pause in sharing an update of this nature. Christians are being systematically slaughtered by ISIS. Unrest is constant between Israel and Palestine. Ebola is attacking West Africa. People are starving and alone. Unborn babies are being killed daily. The list truly does go on and on. I am feel utterly helpless in regards to these major world issues.


God is mighty to save.
May He act soon.


Prayer Requests:
- Endurance for Dan as he starts a new school year.
- Good communication between Dan and the teachers and the administration
- Continued health and stability for Dan's cancer and concurring issues
- Healthy development for our little Abe
- Patience and wisdom as we raise a little one in a very scary world
- Guidance as to when/how to expand our family
- Endurance for me here at home to help Dan as much as possible and provide love to my boys
- Comfort and protection for those suffering around the world

One year ago...

One year ago, Dan and Lise and I drove up north to Santa Rosa and Lodi to celebrate at my two family baby showers. I was growing bigger by the moment, the baby had successfully kicked out one of my ribs and caused a pinch nerve that took me out of work and we were READY to meet our little man.

 I mean, just look at my blossoming (see what I did there?) belly! 

Fast forward to now...look at our little man growing like a weed!

For the record, I like him growing outside my belly more than I liked him growing inside. Now, when he thrashes and kicks, my ribs and bladder don't take all the abuse. Well, at least not always!

And now, Abe can be held by his daddy, too.

A scary night.

Dan and I have had some scary nights. Cancer diagnoses, blinding pain, kidney stones, bowel obstructions, surgeries,  a misdiagnosed miscarriage (who turned out to be Abe!), a baby not moving much in my tummy, a croupy baby...the list could go on. The main thing about all of those nights was that we had each other to get through them with. Dan could calm my fears even when he was the one in pain. I could use nursing logic to explain symptoms or tests. We could hold each other until the morning came.

Our most recent scary night was different.

Saturday started pretty normally. We woke up slowly (or as slowly as we could with a 10-month-old), ate breakfast, I went for a run, Dan caught up on articles online and we got ready to get our garden started. We headed to Home Depot, and I noticed that Dan was a little grumpier than normal. By the time we were picking out plants, he was downright miserable. I figured he was just unhappy to be doing something he has basically zero interest in. After a stop at Costco, we headed home. During the drive, Dan complained that he was yawning a lot and that he was just not happy.

I went out to the backyard to get the new plants watered while a very tired Dan stayed inside to watch Abe. I told him to just come get me if he needed to lay down or something. A little while later when I came inside, I was greeted by a strange sight: Abe was alone in his playpen and Dan was completely asleep, draped over the arm of the couch. I made a lot of noise trying to wake him up (I was mad because he had left the baby alone), but he didn't move. I grabbed the baby and stomped into the bedroom so I could get cleaned up.

We had plans to have dinner with Dan's parents, so I let him sleep a bit and tried to wake him up. He kept asking for more time to sleep. Then, he started snapping at me. Dan is the most patient and kind man alive...he doesn't snap at me. Again, I responded poorly and told him to stay home because he was not going to be good company. He didn't listen to me, somehow woke up enough to go to dinner and we left.

Dan seemed ok at his parents' house, but everyone noticed he was tired. By 7:30pm, I had to take him home because he was falling asleep. (Abe, on the other hand, had tons of energy). We gave Abe a bath, and I while I put Abe to bed, Dan fell asleep on the couch again.

I tried to wake him up three times. Each time I was met with indignation and refusal to do wake up. Dan was acting completely weird. I told him that I thought we should go to the doctor. He refused and insisted on going to bed. He had gotten so mean that I was crying. I told him that I was scared. His response? A cursory hug and "I'm going to bed. Turn out the light. Close the door." I followed his directions and promptly called his parents.

His mom and dad came over to let me explain what was going on and to talk to Dan themselves. They agreed that he was acting strange. He snapped at them, as well. Dr. Bob assured me that Dan did need to be seen, but that it could wait until morning.

As the night progressed, Dan switched from being overly sleepy to being unable to sleep. He tossed and turned and thrashed. Too hot, too cold, wanted me close, wanted me to leave. Nothing helped. Between Dan and a teething baby, not much sleep was had.

Morning finally came, I made a telephone appointment with Dan's doctor and the baby and I hung out until Dan got up. When Dan walked out of the bedroom, I was nervous. Who would this be? The loving, caring, normal Dan or the mean, confused and scary Dan?

Thank God, it was my normal Dan. He couldn't remember much of the evening, including portions of dinner or giving the baby a bath. He said that he felt confused and very foggy during the night. He apologized for acting so strangely and for yelling at me. We talked to his doctor who ordered lots of labs and told us to head to the ER if it happened again.

We had a restful Sunday with no weird happenings. Dan didn't even need a nap! He woke up this morning saying he had slept through the night (as opposed to the other two members of the family) and felt good. All of his labs have come back normal so far, too.

He has an appointment with his oncologist on Wednesday, and we will be asking for some brain imaging just to be safe. He hasn't had his brain checked out since 2007! It is relatively unlikely that mets have ended up there, but not impossible.

I cannot explain how scary it was to have Dan with me but not be able to communicate with him. My anxiety got the best of me as I lay there with Dan unable to get comfortable and me unable to talk to him without getting snapped at. What if Dan's personality permanently changed? What if he couldn't remember other things? What if I could never trust him to watch Abe? Of course, the "what if's" could go on and on, but they are completely unhelpful.

God knows exactly what caused Dan's mind to take a break from functioning well. Perhaps He will let us find out or perhaps not. Hopefully, this will never happen again. If it does, and we cannot cling to each other, we can always cling to Him.

Please pray with us that Dan remains coherent and energetic and able to function normally. Pray also that his brain imaging scans come back clean--NO CANCER!

To reward those who read this whole post:

Receiving well.

In the past week, we have received several new gifts for our home. 

One is the fireplace insert, in front of which I am writing this post. For someone who loves warmth and coziness (and a less expensive electricity bill), this is a perfect gift. 

Another gift is a decorative block that holds the baby's jumper seat, which happens to be in the shape of a TARDIS. For a couple who have fallen into the nerdy sphere of Doctor Who, this makes watching the baby bounce while we work even more fun.

Yet another gift? Decaf coffee and tea as someone noticed I was running low. 

All of these gifts came from my in-laws. My father-in-law (another Whovian) actually carved the TARDIS, which is honestly a work of art. My mother-in-law noticed my hot drink depletion while babysitting Abe so Dan and I could go on a much-needed date night. 

While the tangible gifts are wonderful and are already being enjoyed daily, there is something intangible hidden in the hands of the givers: family. I have been blessed with a large, loving family of my own, and while at Biola, I was blessed with an amazing church family at Redeemer. Neither of these families is replaced by my in-laws, but my concept of family has been enriched and stretched.

Moving to Lodi, I felt alone and isolated without friends to enjoy the time with or a job outside the home. The last 6 months have been a growing, stretching time for Dan and I, and have held the potential for relational discord. However, we have been lovingly supported by his parents in extraordinary ways.

Have you seen Everybody Loves Raymond? If so, you would know that Ray's mother tends to come on over to their house whenever she wants and his father tends to assert his opinions rather frequently. For the sake of honesty, this is what I was afraid of, though I can readily admit that neither of my in-laws possessed the level of boisterousness or obliviousness necessary to re-create Ray's household!

Instead of this scenario coming to pass, I have been humbled by their ability to help without taking over, admonish without directing and gifting without expecting anything in return. The individualistic cynic in me wants to re-pay them for everything they have done or given us, as I do not like being in the debt of others. Yet, God has finally broken through a tiny crack in my soul to soften my heart.

I have always been grateful, but I am not good at receiving gifts. As my in-laws have showered us over and over again, it is as if God is using them to teach my stubborn spirit to receive well. Though the blessings continue to tumble through our door, they will never amount to the Gift that I received so long ago.

If I cannot receive a box of tea or a restored light fixture, how will I ever be able to receive the gift of Christ and His resurrection? If the offer to babysit our son so that we can strengthen our marriage seems too much, how can I embrace the gift of God's son given to cover my sins? If the purchase of a lunch seems extravagant, how ever will my mind wrestle with Jesus' death to purchase my soul?

Thank you, Bob and Jamie for being instruments of grace in our lives during this transition year. Thank you for the many gifts you have blessed us with. Forgive us (me) if we do not express our gratitude enough. I am humbled by your acceptance and love for me despite my ability to be distinctly difficult at times.

Moreover, thank you, Jesus, for breaking down strongholds and taking thoughts captive. Thank you for my salvation, for my life and for never turning your back to me. Thank you for using my in-laws to soften my ability to receive well.

Recipe for a messy afternoon

Yesterday, I was inducted into the world of messy parenting. I'm sure that something will happen down the road, possibly today or tomorrow, that will make our afternoon yesterday look like a piece of cake. BUT, for now, yesterday deserves documentation.

Step 1: Set the stage for a tired mama and cranky baby by not letting baby sleep through the night or allowing his mama to put him down for any stretch of time.

Step 2: Let the mama finally get dressed by putting baby in jumper. 

Step 3: Lull the mama into false sense of diapering security by not having a blow-out in weeks. Thus, when the sound of a diaper being filled occurs, she will nonchalantly pick baby up out of jumper without caution.

Step 4: Accidentally allow baby to squirm incessantly on changing table before the mama realizes that something has gone awry in the diaper department.

Step 5: Pull off pants before recognizing signs of a blow-out, thus spreading poop down baby's legs. 

Step 6: Panic momentarily, regain composure, begin to remove onesie. Onesie is full of poop, up to baby's shoulder blades. Attempt to devise strategy to remove onesie without causing too much damage. 

Step 7: Unsuccessfully prevent baby from flipping over during onesie removal. Panic upon noting that poop now covers baby's back and arms and hair.

Step 8: Try to calm angry baby who has figured out that he does not like having poop on his hands and tries to wipe on walls and changing table. 

Step 9: Strip baby, wipe down as best possible while he lays on his belly (because laying on his back is unacceptable).

Step 10: This is where the mess really takes off...foolishly place naked, undiapered baby in crib while hurriedly running a bath. Return to baby standing proudly in a pee covered crib and see pee-moistened carpet.

Step 11: Pray that husband is coming home soon and carry naked, pee and slightly poopy baby to bathtub. Wash off as much of baby as possible while baby tries to stand up in tub or eat the faucet.

Step 12: Carry clean baby to makeshift changing table to wrestle diaper onto baby's butt. Praise the LORD when husband opens front door during this process.

Step 13: Hand diapered but unclothed baby to husband and enlist his help in trying to clean up the disaster-zone in the baby's room.

Step 14: After cleaning pee off the crib and poop off the changing table/wall, rinsing poopy baby clothes and starting a load of laundry, get in shower to get poop off of the mama.

Step 15: Pick-up a clean but angry baby to nurse, thank husband profusely for assistance after his long day at work and take a short nap with the baby.

Thankfully, messes can be cleaned and laundry washed. Babies will only be babies for a little while. For now, I am going to be grateful for a baby who wants to cuddle all day because he's teething instead of irritated that I cannot clean the house. Also, I am going to applaud all single parents and parents of multiples...wow.

This is why God makes babies so cute.

Post-Year Recap: 2013

2013 has been quite the year. As the clock ticks closer to midnight, Dan and I are going to review the craziness, happiness, sadness, joy, frustration and blessings.

January:

I interviewed and was hired for a job in an oncology office.

We found out definitively that we were having a boy.

February:

Working, working, working.

We started birthing classes.

Dan's MRI showed a couple of questionable liver spots.

Lots of lessons in humility and trusting God to get through rough days.

I went into pre-term labor, but the doctor was able to stop contractions and keep the baby growing.

March:

Dan turned 26.

Baby shower #1.

Bought a car for the first time.

Due to issues at my new job, discussions began regarding Dan finding a new position that included health insurance OR me transitioning to another position.

April:

The baby popped out my rib, which pinched a nerve, which caused the doctor to put me on early maternity leave. This was easily one of the best blessings in disguise. My work situation had gotten so stressful that I was having contractions very consistently. I highly doubt I would have carried the pregnancy to term if I had continued working. 

Baby showers #2 and #3.

May:

We set up the nursery. By "we", I mean Dan.

I watched a lot of Netflix and ate a lot of protein. There was a lot of cat-cuddling involved.

I went into labor May 21st...

Dan had a phone interview for a new job while I was at the hospital.

Abraham Theodore was born at 11:45am on May 22, 2013.

We took our son home on May 24th.

My mama stayed to help us for a week.

June:

Dr. Bob turned 60 and celebrated with all of his kids in one place, plus his first grandchild.

Dan interviewed for a job at Jim Elliot Christian High School (by flying to and from Lodi in the same day).

Dan was offered the job.

We started looking at houses from afar...in Lodi.

Abe went to his first wedding.

We started packing up the apartment.

July:

Dan had a splenic embolization at Stanford.

We put an offer on a house.

Abe got his first set of shots.

We finished packing up the apartment.

We said goodbye to Redeemer Church.

We moved to Lodi and stayed with Dan's parents until our house was ready.

August:

Dan started working at Jim Elliot Christian (JECHS), teaching math and Bible. He didn't know exactly what he was teaching until the week before school started. This made preparations difficult, to say the least.

We celebrated 5 years of marriage.

We moved into our new house!

Dan started coaching football.

Dan got sick and needed to have paracenteses #1 and #2.

September:

I turned 26.

We gained health insurance just in time for Abe to get croup.

Dan continued to have a swollen belly and general malaise. Appointments with our new Kaiser doctors followed. Dan met his new PCP, oncologist and gastroenterologist. He started several new meds.

Life was a little rough. Between football, curriculum development, teaching, homework and being sick, Dan was not as available as he wanted to be. I assumed primary baby and house care.

Abe started having tummy issues, which resulted in no dairy, eggs, chicken, fish, peanuts or soy for me.

October:

The Red Sox won the World Series.

Dan's brother Matt got married, which meant Abe went on his first airplane trip.

Abe celebrated his first Halloween.

November:

First trip to Apple Hill for Abe and me.

Football season over for Dan with a record of 4-6.

Dan had an endoscopy which showed that his liver problems had caused problems with his esophagus, requiring more medication.

Abe started eating some solid food.

My eating restrictions ended. Yay!

Abe's first Thanksgiving.

December:

Semester over for Dan.

Many, many parent and staff meetings.

Abe's first Christmas. We celebrated Christmas Eve in Lodi with Bob and Jamie, Christmas morning with just the 3 of us at home and Christmas day with my family in Santa Rosa.

We made it to today!

We are so very thankful for all of the blessings we have had this year. We just cannot imagine life without our little man (who is currently fighting sleep very loudly). Our first house is perfect for us and already feels like home. We love being closer to family, though still sorely miss our church family and Biola communities.

It has been difficult for our marriage at times, but commitment and loyalty have pulled us through. We are in love and working on loving each other out loud.

Dan's health is stable for now. He's taking a few meds to sustain his fluid levels, but is otherwise looking and feeling great. 

As for 2014, we just don't know what it will hold. God-willing, it will include Abe's first birthday (steps, teeth, etc.) and an extended contract for Dan. Hopefully, Dan's health will improve to the point that he doesn't need so many meds. Also, we're hoping to see some miracles (Geoff Dykstra's healing, people coming to know Christ).

Will I started working again part-time? Possibly.

Will we continue growing our family? Whenever God wants and so blesses us.

Will we press forward in our spiritual growth and pull closer in our marriage? We absolutely hope so.

Happy New Year 2014! 

(I honestly can't believe we're still awake!)