Happy Holidays

It's true, once again time has caught up with us and we've been delinquent in posting about our lives.  The last post is from election day... that seems like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?  

Well, the holidays have been upon us.  We are so grateful for our family and friends who continue to surround us with their love.  We spent a nice Thanksgiving in Kalamazoo and Portage, visiting both families.  Madeline enjoyed eating turkey and stuffing for the first time.  We then traveled to Chicago to celebrate with my best friend from college, Erin.  It was her baby shower and it was a great time!  Unfortunately, I was too busy chasing Madeline around the house that I didn't take any pictures.  Erin has since had her baby, Stella Ruth .... congrats Dave, Erin and sweet baby Stella!  Christmas just ended, it's hard to believe.  Madeline learned how to tear off wrapping paper and even learned that there are presents underneath that wrapping paper!  Thank you to everyone who has made this a great season for us.  We are blessed.

VOTE

This isn't a plea for you to vote, however a reflection of this election.  I am sitting in my living room with my 13 month old daughter, trying to decide when to go vote.  I really don't want to be stuck in line with her for an hour!  But I am also thinking about how this election will impact us, impact her.  

No matter if you're an Obama or a McCain supporter, this is a historic election.  I am excited that I will be taking Madeline with me to the polls.  One day I will be able to tell her she was part of such an important time in history.  Either we will have the first African-American president or the first female vice-president.  When I tell her she can be anything she wants to be when she grows up, it really will be true.  She can be president, an astronaut, or whatever her smart little mind puts itself to.  I'll be able to tell her everything her great-grandfathers fought for, her freedom and that of so many, has come true.  That what her grandparents work hard for has benefited her as well.  What her parents work for....

It is a great time in our nation, despite the economy, and I hope we will all take a minute today to think about the possibilities...

Home Sweet Home

This is a look down our street, Hillcrest Ave.  I love fall and I love fall on our street.  I also love where we live.  This neighborhood is the best to live in.  

We live close enough to walk to the grocery store, coffee shop and even to a Western Michigan University football game.  We also live about a mile from downtown Kalamazoo, but still have the "neighborhood" feel.  Our street has an annual block party.  Our neighbors are from all walks of life:  there are kids, seniors, singles and older families.  Our next door neighbors on each side adore our daughter and love to help us out anytime.  

Most of our houses on this street are old (ours happens to be 100 years old).  True, our paint chips, we share driveways and there seems to be endless repairs, but there are tall oak trees that line the street and sidewalks to pull our baby in the wagon.  

I may be a little nostalgic as this is my favorite time of year, but I wouldn't trade it for anything on this street!

Complete Mobility

So I know it's been a while and it's about time to write a little update.  About three weeks ago, Madeline went from a step and tumble for a couple days to walking circles around the house!  The transition from crawling to walking is fantastic, amazing, and trouble!  Our house isn't the most "baby-proof" kind of house, if that even exists, and we constantly have to monitor Madeline.  She is a very curious girl and wants to get into everything, always!  She is really good, though, with finding out how to crawl up into her favorite chair in her playroom and getting down stairs.  Of course, she does have an occasional spill but rebounds almost immediately most of the time.  It is such a blessing to see her grow into this little person but it is sad at the same time to see our baby growing up.  More to come...Happy Halloween!

Homecoming

Sorry all you Madeline followers, for once it's not about her :)

We went to homecoming at Hope College last weekend.  Todd played in the alumni game for men's soccer and Madeline and I came along.  As I was walking her around campus and downtown, trying to get her to FALL ASLEEP!, memories rushed back.  Some of you reading this might not have known me in my college days, please try not to think of me as crazy after this!

The first place I walked past was the railroad tracks.  They run right on the edge of campus.  Many a new freshmen can remember the train those first two weeks coming through at 2 a.m.  After that, you sleep right through it!  I also jumped through a (motionless) train so I wouldn't be late to soccer practice one day...no extra running for me!  Good thing the train never started up!!

Then past Dykstra, the girl's freshmen dorm.  I met my good friend, Erin, in Dykstra.  We had some great memories there!!  We used to yell at the people below us to "GET OFF THE GRASS!" while they were walking.  Only she could understand.  I am laughing right now just thinking about it.  Strangely enough, right as I walked past the dorm, I saw my R.A. from freshmen year.  I said, "you were my pod R.A.!!"  Well, they weren't called pods, but clusters.  Silly me.  She just looked at my like I had lost it.  

On past J.P.'s, Holland's infamous coffee joint.  Way too much money spent there on caffeine buzzes I probably didn't need.  I DID learn to appreciate coffee there, when it wasn't drenched in mocha java caramel extra whip cream (or something like that).  When you left there, you smelled like coffee for days.  

I then circled on past Durfee, the men's dorm where Erin and I had to live one May Term.  Our room had just been vacated by the boys for the summer and it smelled like socks and raw sewage.  I'm not sure what they had been doing in there all year, but it was pretty stinky!  I abandoned Erin many nights there because I had some new boyfriend at the time (not worth it) and I always felt bad about that.  We were taking a history class that May and it was SO BORING.  So was our job.  We had to call people and ask for money for the college.  I pretended to call, but really did homework.  I didn't feel bad about that.

I then swung past the Dow.  Well, there are many memories there.  However, the best memory was when Erin, big football players from our hall and I played on an inner-tube water polo team.  That's right, pretty crazy!  It was a blast!  We won all the time.  After the games, we would go back to the dorm room, order pizza and drink cherry cokes.  I think we both gained some weight that semester!

Well, really, I could go on and on.  College East, Phelps, Pine Grove, Chapel, 13th and Central, blah, blah blah...but I didn't walk past those places, so it will have to be another time.  

Happy Birthday!

Here is the birthday girl, telling you how old she will be on Sunday....ONE!

I cannot believe a year has passed since Madeline Jean was born.  She has blessed us in ways I can't describe.  Every day is a gift with her.  This year has been full of fun, joy, happiness and learning, for all of us. 

Below is a list of things I will never forget:

1.  Having a baby is a lot of work, worthy of a gold medal!

2.  Babies sleep and cry for the first couple months, they are kind of boring.  However, after that, you'll never be bored again.  

3.  You never realized you could love something so much.  

4.  You never realized you would do anything, and I mean anything, for your baby. 

5.  Even if you were Babysitter of the Year growing up, it is completely different to have your own child.  

6.  Sometimes your neighbors are up at 4 a.m. too.  

7.  No matter what, you are the mom, and you know what's best for your baby.  

8.  Babies are more fun than going to the bar!

9.  A sleeping baby is the most peaceful sight, for many reasons.  

10.  You need your baby just as much as your baby needs you.  

Well, enough of this baby business, we're off to toddlerhood!

Please Pray

If you are reading this, please pray for my cousins, the VandenBosch family.  They recently lost their beloved son rather quickly and unexpectedly.  Here is a picture of Jake, my Madeline and Jake's twin sister Maddie, held by my Uncle Jim, taken around Christmas.  Please pray for Jake's mom, dad, sister and immediate family.