I LOVE the lyrics in this song

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

November 7

There are many things to write about today, so here it goes.

I just did all my grocery shopping online. It was harder than I anticipated, so I didn't love it, but I am thankful for the option of sitting at home and doing it all online, and receiving it the next day right at my door. I guess I wont take it for granted when I can start going out and getting them myself again.

I am at a new clinic this time with this baby. I was looking for a place that had midwives and was also into more preventative care. They have done a great job of keeping a close eye on me, which is great. I have been getting ultrasound every 4 weeks to measure my cervix and make sure that I am not starting preterm labor again. well at my 15 week ultrasound everything was looking really really great and I was encouraged thinking maybe this pregnancy would be different. We went to Denver, had a really great time, I've been feeling the baby move a lot, and just been feeling really great overall. I don't remember feeling this good with Evy. So I had my 20 week ultrasound last week and found out that my cervix had shortened 2 cm which was way too much. Especially in only 4 weeks. Right away I got the 17p shot which gives me extra progesterone in the hopes that it will make my body keep the baby in longer. I was also told I need to lie down when Evy is napping, and be careful about how much I pick her up. Along with that comes cutting out other activities that will help me take it easy. So I am no longer going to BSF, which is a bummer because I LOVED studying Acts, there is so much that I was learning. Also little things like grocery shopping, there is a lot of lifting involved there so that's another thing that I can cut back on. I am still working out the details, but I really hope that if I do these things, maybe complete bedrest wont happen this time, and life can go on as normal for Evy.

Whew. Now you are updated.

Evy is seriously so so so sweet. I cannot believe how much fun I am having with her. Usually she is a Daddy's girls but I swear the minute I came home from the Dr appt last week she just wants mama all the time. Ha ha ha. She is so verbal and mimicking everything we say. It is so fun to see everything that she learns every day. I am really proud of her.

Today marks the 12 year of my mothers passing. I don't really have any special memories about this day, I don't really enjoy thinking about the day that she passed but it means a lot to me that people close to me remember what this day is.

When I think of my mom, which I do often, usually I wonder what it would be like to have her here now. I wonder what she would think of my life, of Alex, and Evy. I wonder what it would be like to have her around at times like this, when I especially need help with keeping up on everyday life. I guess most of those things are selfish thoughts on how it would be different in my life, but that is just what I wonder. I can't imagine going through what she went through knowing she had to leave her babies too early. That part is the hardest to think about.

I am thankful for what time I did have with her. I am thankful for the fact that I will see her again one day. I am thankful for my God, who has a plan for my life, and all I have to do is simply trust Him. I am thankful that my God chooses to allow difficult things in my life because it has deepened my faith and brought me closer to Him. And I am thankful for peace that really does pass understanding.

October

Hey all!

Not sure who is reading but Hi! I am at home, it has been a very quiet weekend and I thought maybe I should take some time and catch up on my blog. Here is Evy and I and the amazing view we had a couple of weeks ago up in Silver Bay, MN. It was a perfect getaway for our family, we had some time up there alone together and later in the weekend some friends came up and joined us. This is where Evy really started to walk! No TV or internet, just the beauty of God's creation and time together- so refreshing! Sorry the quality is so bad- these pictures are all from my really old iPhone :)

This was taken at the Pine Tree Apple Orchard, another fall must if you live in MN. We have actually had a long gorgeous fall this year, and have been doing our best to take advantage of the great weather before it leaves us. And yes, I got bangs. I did it on a whim at my last hair appointment but I have to say, and I am surprised, but I have never had so many compliments on a haircut before! Even from strangers! It's funny too, because it has been over a month but people still tell me they love it, so I think its a hint from everyone that I must be a bangs person. I remember in third grade the long painful chore of growing them out, but I think it was worth it this time to chop them off :)

Alex and I went on a date Friday night to a place in downtown St. Paul called Cosetta and I LOVED it! Best Italian restaurant in MN! Seriously, this place is legit. So of course I want to bring everybody I know there because I get excited about food (the most Italian thing about me) but really, most people have probably been there it has been around for a hundred years or more. I think. Anyway, like I've said before, it really is the little things :) At least for me.

And there is one more sweet piece of news. I've been waiting to share, but baby Walburg number two is coming in March! It was a bit of a surprise, but a wonderful one nonetheless. We are so happy and excited! I have had two ultrasounds already so here is a picture at 15 weeks, I am currently 17 weeks and feeling really, really great. More details to come later on how this pregnancy is going. But as always, there is SO much to be thankful for.

All things Fall

Sorry about another month off, sometimes I feel like there is nothing that is worth writing about so why waste time. Truth is, there is always something, but I haven't been feeling "inspired" to share lately.

We had SO much fun with Evy's birthday! There were lots of loved ones there that showed up, and despite the weather being a lot warmer than anticipated, we all had a great time. (There could be many worse problems) Evy was a doll, and it is amazing how fast she changes! I still can't believe that just a year ago at this time she was so tiny and I hardly knew her. I am loving the personality that is coming out of her, she really is very sweet and happy, and I can't wait to see what else shows up in the next year.

This weekend we are going to Silver Bay and I am incredibly excited. I have been looking forward to this all summer. Our first family outing in a long time. We have friends joining us later in the weekend but we will have some good time together just the three of us. I think that the leaves will just be changing as we get up there and the weather should still be nice and sunny. There is a lot of laundry and packing left to be finished but I thought I would update quickly and promise more pictures soon. Currently they are all on other peoples camera's. Ours never seems good enough any more :) oh boy.

Birthday Blessings

Today is my dear husbands birthday. What comes to mind when I want to tell people about him... servant leader. Honestly. He works SO hard for our family, and rarely takes a break. He is solid, ALWAYS there for me. He laughs at me a lot, and I think that is a good sign. He is my best friend, my closest confidant, the one who challenges me to be better, we pray together almost every day, and he means what he says with all his heart. We watch movies together that make him cry and hug me really hard, I get pouty when I don't get enough time with him actually staring at my face when we talk. I discovered that when he is gone I literally cannot sleep. Not because I am scared, because it is now completely unnatural for me to sleep without him right next to me. We go on dates a lot now that we have a child- I know that's backwards. He has beautiful blue eyes that really stand out in pictures and yay for us, evy got them too. He smells good, I love hugging him and smelling that smell that only he has- its home to me. He is one of the most patient people I know, with me, evy, riley, we all test his patience at one time or another. He tells me he loves me every day. He says good bye to me every morning and gets evy for me every night when she wakes up. He does dishes, he loves God, and isn't afraid to show it, even in front of a lot of people, like when he is leading worship at our church. What job is more important than leading others in worship? When I think about my life before him, I laugh because he has made me the happiest and most fulfilled I have ever been. He gave me a lifetime commitment, a child, a marriage that points others to Christ (I hope) a life of service, and so much more. He is my provider and protector and everything that God intended him to be. Even when things are hard with money, or time, or whatever it is, when I look at it from the right perspective I can't help but be at peace because- get ready for it- I really am beyond blessed!

Some News

So in this race to do the best you can at life. He he. We are making a change (hopefully) in that direction. We own our townhouse in Hugo, we were not planning on selling it any time soon, and we couldn't even if we wanted to, it is worth far less than what we bought it for. Not a good feeling, but it's ok. We have planned on renting it out as an investment, maybe for quite a few years, depending on the economy.

In order to have the money to move on to something else, we need time to save up, which we haven't done while living here. So... we are going to move in with my Dad. In Lindstrom. My sisters think that I am crazy, but I am just thankful for the opportunity. Not many people have this option, and we are excited to see what happens. My Dad is single, living in this big house alone, and we will fill it and keep things hopping. No more meals in front of the TV Dad!

This is a scary step for us in leaving the only home we've had since being married, but we know that the future is open, that anything can happen at this point, and it is exciting to see what will!

I feel like there are so many areas in our life where God is stretching us to learn to trust, and it has not been easy. But we didn't ask for the easy path, did we? Bring the rain... Sometimes it takes being brave and saying, "Lord, do what you want with me, I'm willing to go through the storm, so that I can be closer to You and help others be closer to You." Sometimes there are things we go through and it's not even for us, it's for other people to learn and grow through our trial. I know I've been that person, learning from others, and that is why it is so important to share what God is doing, don't waste those opportunities. Okay. Back on track. :)

So I think that we are aiming for September, and that is if we can even find a decent renter and get packed up before then. But if it's supposed to happen... it will! My Dad is not happy about us bringing Riley with because of his shedding... but I just can't bear to think of pawning him off on someone else for a year. He is part of the family. So we're not sure how that is going to go...

Now you are updated. On that. But there is so much more! It will have to wait for another time :)

Evy with her first cone, she loved it of course!

Time goes on. It is so interesting to me as I get older, I understand more and more what "adults" go through, where they are coming from, and why they do the things they do. It used to be hard to understand them. I used to think, "When I'm in that place in my life, I will be so much better, I'll do things differently." Well, now I'm in that place, and it is hard to be different. We struggle with a lot of the same things my parents struggled with. Sure, I've learned from their mistakes, but life is life, and we are all going through it.

As I continue to enter into this "adult" stage, with responsibilities and children depending on you for everything, I realize more and more how important it is to redeem the time, to keep the big picture out in front of you. Too many days go by and I feel like I was so bogged down with getting things done that I didn't play with evy or I didn't enjoy the gorgeous sunset.

I understand now why people put so much weight into making the most of every moment. I am striving to rise out of the mundane, every day sameness, and make memories as much as I can. Sure, you have responsibilities, and yes, I let my laundry go sometimes, but the challenge is making sure that I am laughing with my husband, that I threw the ball for the dog, that I taught evy a new word.

I hate that feeling of just going through, doing what you need to do, and not making memories while in the midst of it.

ps this is leading into another post, later :)

Thankful for Family

Last Monday I got a dreaded phone call that you never want to get. "Hi, I got in a car accident and I think I broke my jaw, the ambulance is taking me to the hospital" my mind travels back to the other calls in my life with someone rushing to the ER. My husband cutting himself with a saw blade, another time thinking he had broken his ankle, my Dad with kidney stones, Grandma with heart trouble, the list could go on. This time it was my Dad. I don't panic in these situations, immediately I am calm because I need to be strong for this person who is in the crises.

I make a few phone calls and get down to the ER as soon as possible with my husband beside me, afraid of what I will find.

He is in a bed, but no one has come to help him yet, face clearly swollen with a definite disjointed jaw. 10 hours and another ambulance ride later, we are headed home from a different hospital with a diagnosis: broken jaw, will be "fixed" tomorrow, try to sleep tonight.

The cop had come to the hospital while we waited and talked about how "lucky" my Dad was to be alive, that most people don't walk away from this kind of accident. We know he isn't lucky, God wants him here for a reason.

His jaw is now wired shut and he can only "eat" through a straw, this should last for 6 weeks. He is discouraged and I don't blame him.

On Wednesday we went to get the rest of his things from his totaled car, and what we saw was unnerving. He could have died. Easily. I won't allow my mind to go there, it would be too hard. To lose both parents before their "time"? Not fathomable. All I can do is be thankful. And continue to reassure him that he is here for a reason. His work here for the Lord is not over. And you can't argue with that.

I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful that I didn't receive a different call that day, and then have to call my sisters with worse news. I'm thankful that my daughter will grow up knowing at least one of my parents and see at least half of who I am through Grandpa. Have you taken time to Thank God for your family today?

I'm back!

It's been a long time, I am not going to feel guilty about it, because I feel like every blog I have read has had a "guilty author" at some point or another, and to be honest, I wasn't feeling that inspired. I felt like I didn't have much to share with the "world" or in my case, anyone who happens upon this little hidden journal.

I will give a few updates. Evy is doing so wonderfully. I just can't believe how much I have to be thankful for. We are starting to get to know more and more of her personality, and unlike her looks, she takes after her momma in this department. She has been so talkative lately! She can say about 7 or 8 words already and it has been so fun to witness. She is not walking yet but she is pretty fast at scaling along all the furniture and human/dog legs that she can find. We are just enjoying every minute with her and at this rate we are just going to keep going. Ha ha! I keep kidding that I want to be just like the Duggars, it isn't completely true but I like to see people's reactions. I do just love that family!

Alex is doing well, he is so busy right now with so many things and I am thankful that we have had some time together as a family. He is going away for a long weekend golf trip with my Dad. He definitely deserves it. I'm a little nervous about being alone that long with Evy but I think that my sister is going to stay with us so that should help a lot.

We have been enjoying our summer so much it was really busy with my sisters wedding and we had a great time but I am glad that it's over. Be back soon!

Organizing

For some reason I can't write in paragraphs! Annoying! I will try again later... Alex is teasing me and calling me "Danny Tanner". Recently I have become obsessed with cleaning and organizing. No, I'm not pregnant, I just have the most energy that I've had in the last year- so celebrate and clean! Ha ha. but really, I'm running out of things to organize, which is really neat. Don't get me wrong, I still have PLENTY to keep me busy, but last night Alex and I agreed to clean out the garage today, which made me really happy to have another thing organized and clean, hence the "Danny Tanner" comment. If you don't know what I mean, I'm guessing you didn't grow up around the same time as me. I wanted to share about my closet and thrift stores (Random). Everyone has mixed feelings about thrift stores, great, I just wanted to talk about my newest opinion. I cleaned out my closet and went through all of Alex's things. I mean, ALL. He had about 50 tshirts that he used to wear when he worked construction every day. "Used to" being the key phrase here. So I managed to get rid of as many things as I could and had quite the trunk full to drop off at the good will store. So on the way back from a friends house I went to the one in Stillwater, a couple friends that were following me decided to come with and check it out. I wasn't even planning on going in but decided to since they were stopping too. Now, any store that just has racks and racks I don't do well in. I just have a hard time going through every aisle and looking. But my friend Sam started to find all these cute tops, so guess who had to start looking! I ended up spending $35 dollars on 10 children's books, 3 cardigans, and 4 dressy tops, who would have thought? And most of the things still had the tags on them. Needless to say, I am now open to spending the time and going to the thrift store, because it was definitely worth it! Sometime soon I will post pictures of all my great finds- that could be fun! The neatest part was that I only bought things that I knew I needed and would use. I had just gone through and "purged" a lot in my closet and knew that there were a few key things that I would definitely wear, and only looked for those things,. It worked out really well, and I want to keep up with my closet and keep out as much clutter and unneeded clothing that is never worn, as possible. Maybe I will post a picture of my closet as well... :)

7 Months!

This was the face that she made while mommy did this...

Dont move baby girl!

Very Nice!

Our little baby is seven months old! I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by. She is such a fun little girl right now. I thought I would write down a few fun facts about Evelyne:

-She has a cold right now, I think she is teething, but despite that she is still happy!

-Whenever anyone, really anyone, smiles at her and says hello she always smiles back! Only a few times has she actually been scared, but I take great pleasure in seeing my little girl smile at so many people, she loves you no matter what! The faith of a child...

-Her eyes are still big and blue, and we think they are going to stay that way!

-She was born with this little curl at the top of her head, like a cartoon baby, and now it keeps growing and more hairs are growing to make it a bigger curl. My sisters and I all had curly hair as children so maybe she will at least get that from me!

-Who would have ever thought that I would have a blond haired, blue eyed baby?!!

-She is really good at sitting up on her own, she has been doing it for a few months now and it is fun to see her interactive, especially with toys!

-She LOVES to read books and will sit and turn pages for a long time (And of course taste the pages)

-She is very verbal (Surprised?) and laughs and "talks" and sings all the time. There is no sweeter sound to me!

-She still does not like being on her tummy at all, so mommy really has to make a conscious effort every day to make sure that she does

-Which reminds me of this, Evy is still really good at spitting up all the time! After every feeding, even if you don't move her around too much, it happens, everybody we know has been "christened" by Evy's spit up. Once it has happened to you, you are part of her "group" haha.

-She is very social, she has lots of friends her age and grown ups that she talks too, and I'm glad that she is used to being around a lot of different people.

There are so many more things but there is a little glimpse into the life and times of Evy :)

Pretty little piggies!

This has been a busy week but a good week. I have been able to keep on top of things and spend time with a lot of people that I love.

My sister and I have been trying to figure out where to go with our free tickets that we have had saved up for awhile. It has been a little complicated because Evy needs to with me and we want to keep the cost down if we can. We were going to go to Naples which really appeals to me with the hot sun and warm sandy beaches, but instead we are headed to North Carolina to visit my Grandparents. We will have a lot of fun and it should be pretty warm while we are there.

I was getting really anxious about the flight and if anyone has any advice about flying alone with a baby, feel free. I have been asking around and I feel a lot better than I initially did. I decided that I know my child, and she is SUCH a good baby and has really been so easy to be with that I think we will have fun and I really shouldn't worry. Mind over matter, right? So we are going to have FUN and I am looking forward to a little mommy/daughter trip. My sister is going with, but she is taking a different flight, so we are on our own on the plane. We aren't leaving for a couple weeks so I have time to get prepared.

Evy has been so fun lately! She is so happy all the time. One thing that I have noticed about her that I really love is that she always has a smile ready for anyone who smiles at her. She is SO sweet and Alex and have nothing but good to say when we talk about her! I know challenges are coming but she sure has made this first experience fun!

Alex is starting a new job on Monday. We are really excited about the changes, it is a great opportunity and I just know that this will be good for our family.

Yes, there are still challenges that we deal with, but I have SO much to be thankful for right now and I want to make sure that I talk about all that God is doing in our lives. He is at work and we are so thankful!

Things I Like!

So I am SO behind with pictures and writing. I thought I would just highlight what I have been doing and enjoying the last few weeks and share some favorite pictures.

Things I like...

Evy and Cohen sharing a pickle :) Happy Birthday Samantha!

IEvy petting a chicken at the Wild Rumpus bookstore

Evy smiling at the camera like she is 23...

The wacky, crazy bookstore that inspires a love for reading and imagination. I plan on coming here as often as I can!

The little purple door that is just the right size for the little ones...

Finding the bookstore and being excited to find out if all the hype was worth coming down to Lake Calhoun to go to it. It was.

This Ford truck that reminds me of summer.

Dog Park!

Sunshine and happy baby outside on a walk!

Me and Sam with our entourage- you can't see the puppies but there are three...

Daffodils!

That lovely open-mouth smile. Like father like daughter :)

Mara-Mi in Stillwater. Trying to wedding plan. I think I like it...

Coming back to this gorgeous town and seeing the glistening snow melt away!

Riley gets to go back to the dog park. Best. Week. Ever. (Says he)

Sunshine!

Still have Blake and Mels camera... they need it back but I promise it is not getting wasted...

Sunshine and new curtains!

Sunshine!

Goodnight Moon...

Evy's favorite toy...

Sunshine in Evy's room!

There are a lot more things that I like but I will save them for next time. Like Evy's 4 swimsuits that she already has and hasn't even gone swimming yet. Or that we did something to her toes this weekend that she had never gotten done before.... !!

On Motherhood

What does that mean? I am only beginning to understand. Before I was a mother, I thought I understood for the most part what that meant. Ha. Lately I have been thinking about what this means to me and how it is changing my life. I definitely am getting a new identity in some ways.

Last Tuesday I went BY MYSELF to get a haircut. That was something I took for granted before. Not until I was in the car, half way there, did I realize my freedom. I didn't have a baby in the backseat. She wasn't getting hungry, needing a diaper change, needing a nap, or wanting entertainment, or wanting to be held. I didn't have to think about her needs before my own for a few hours. All of a sudden I realized how MUCH I needed this! It's funny how the days go by and you are focusing on what needs to get done and don't spend a lot of time "refocusing" or seeing the "Big Picture" and keeping perspective.

There was a time in my life when I couldn't wait to get married. Wondered who it would be (although that didn't last long since I started dating Alex when I was 17- ha!) (ps please don't ever tell Evy!) When I would get married, where we would live, when we would have a family of our own. Now it's when will we get that bigger house? When is the next baby coming? How many are coming? (I joke 10 but I really don't mean it. Don't take me wrong, children are a blessing but they are also expensive!)

It's so easy to get wrapped up waiting for the next thing. I really want to work on appreciating the here and now, and learn what I am supposed to be learning now. Be 100% with Alex, 100% with Evleyne, and 100% with God. And I want to appreciate the every day. When Evy does something new, when we all get to be together for a whole day without any major things going on.

So so far motherhood is sacrificial in some ways, but it is paying off, making my life so much better than when I was able to take a shower whenever I wanted without having to make sure that everyone else was taken care of first. Make sense? I get to experience life and growth and joy in a very special way.

Staycation!

Sort of, whenever Adam and Kirsten come we have a staycation. Here was dinner on Thursday night, kind of a smaller version on Thanksgiving. I dont know, I was in the mood. In the course of an hour we had 11 people come in and out. I love the craziness!


This is Evy's favorite toy in the whole world and she loves to chew on it and grab it. It's been fun to see here be more interactive. Even right now she is grabbing my hands while I am trying to type!

PRETZEL M&M'S!!! Ever tried 'em? Your life will never be the same again!

Adam and Kirsten :)

Auntie Mary- I love their smiles in this pic.

We went to IKEA...

She wishes she could walk...

I really like this type of picture. I want to keep taking them as she get's bigger.

Thanks Kirsten for the photo! I can't help when I look at this but laugh at how she does not look like me at all. But I know she is my child because when she gets going while she is talking she gets REALLY loud. He he. It's kind of embarassing when we are walking through IKEA and everyone is staring. But I'm not going to stop her- I like it that she is expressing herself- this is the only way she can right now! I will try to get it on video because it is pretty funny how loud she is. :)

Blue eyes.

And that hair! Its so BLONDE

I like those lamps. But I don't think I woiuld ever have them in my house.

I got rain boots! Aren't they cute!! I'm kind of excited about them...

Had to see what they looked like on me... survey says... Love them

And thanks Blake and Mel for letting me use your camera this past week. As you can see, I am having a lot of fun even though I don't really know how to use it.

This is the face that Evy makes while she is talking. I love it!

Tired out from a busy day.

And I love this shot- I think that Jon took it.