Pictures!

Teething

Poor Rolland. He woke up with a new tooth poking through this morning, and I'm pretty sure he'll have another one by tomorrow. I suppose it's best to get it over with. He's really being a brave little toaster about it, but I can tell it hurts.

He should have 2 visible front top teeth by the time he sees Grandpa and Grandma Noble next Friday!

Our original plan for Saturday was to go hiking and enjoy the crisp Autumn air and colorful trees. However, it looked like rain on the other side of the state, so we hung around near home...which led us to explore one of the most fun Grand Rapids events we've seen yet: ArtPrize!

Our main purpose in going downtown was to register to vote for this piece by one of our friends:

He made his wife's face out of over 6,000 unaltered wine corks. Impressive.

But we also saw the Grand River Monster...


...a big red ball...
...a bunch of people...
...a praying mantis (good work, God!)...
...a balloon that dwarfed the Caulder...
...Rolland's first attempts at stairs (When did he learn to do that?)...

...our new dining room set...
...a rhino made out of tires...
...faces made out of pushpins...

...an awesome bike rack (not part of the competition)...
...the cutest little bum in the world...
...and, perhaps, 2 of the most unsuspecting wedding parties ever (both groups are in this pic).

Yet Another Brush with Fame

When I (Erika) lived in Chicago, I got to go to a taping of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, an NPR news-quiz radio program that I never listened to. It was a fun experience for of the novelty of it, but I didn't really get the ongoing jokes, and it wasn't a thrill to see the "star" personalities.

So, imagine my excitement yesterday when I got to experience a live taping of one of my favorite radio programs! I've been listening to Moody Radio ever since I moved away from Chicago (go figure), and one of the shows I look forward to is Midday Connection with Anita Lustria (left in the photo) and Melinda Schmidt (right). They interview people every day at 12:00 Central on various topics of interest, and they're always so kind, even when people say things I would be forced to make fun of. I've admired their ability to keep conversation going, and to find something redeeming in every caller's comment.

Well, yesterday I drove out to Holland at lunchtime by myself (since I have no friends who don't work and don't have kids) (thank you, G&G Sterken for babysitting!), parallel parked a huge Impala, and joined about 64 other women for a lunch/taping of Midday Connection. We had fancy Cobb salads with the ingredients laid out in rows, and then we clapped on cue and provided a "live audience feel" as they taped the program. (It will air next Tuesday, the 29th. I didn't ask any questions or cough loudly enough to be heard, so don't tune in just to hear me.)

They interviewed Shelly Beech (center), a local author who has written The Silent Seduction of Self Talk, which, after hearing her speak, I think I recommend. I got to talk to both Anita and Melinda personally for a few moments during the luncheon, but I suspect I made them a bit awkward with all my staring. I wasn't star-struck; I just couldn't get over seeing their so-familiar voices coming out of their totally random faces.

They were every bit as nice in person as I had suspected, and it was fun watching their signals to each other for who was going to talk while they were taping. I was shocked to see them read the intro and outro from a script! They always sound so natural; I had never guessed. I'm a little relieved about how it all went. It's always a risk, meeting people you admire in person, but I've concluded that I'm a bigger fan than ever, esp now that I can tell their voices apart.

www.middayconnection.org

9 Months on 9/9/09

Today is Rolland's 9 Month Birthday!!! It also happens to be 9/9/09. Coincidence? We think not. To commemorate the event, Rolland decided to do things in 9s today. Here's what he came up with...

First, he had 9 teething biscuits for breakfast. (Dave thinks he has a top tooth coming in; Erika isn't so sure.)


Second, he read 9 silly books. (Is Your Mama a Llama has a bat named Dave who lives in a cave.)


Third, he played with 9 colorful balls. (When heavily assisted, he can "put the green ball in the basket." Clearly, he's a genius.)


Forth, he got dressed in 9 shirts (and no pants).



Fifth, he set up playdates with 9 friends. (Apparently he's more popular than we are.)



Sixth, he ran 9 errands with Mama. (Eyes on the road, buddy.)



Seventh, he ran 9 miles with Daddy. (He probably kept his toes curled the whole way.)



Eighth, he helped set out 9 diapers for tomorrow. (He probably used that many today... seriously.)


Ninth, he went to bed at 9:00. (That's not true. He's actually in the middle of melting down in this picture, and it's 7:45.)


Overall, it was a successful day of celebrating 9s. Certainly better than chopping off one of his fingers.

1st Family Vacation

We had a great time up north this weekend. To us "up north" usually means the Traverse City area, about 3 hours north of us. Dave spent 4 summers at Lake Ann Camp in that area, and we enjoy reconnecting with his friends and finding new experiences to have together. Rolland had some firsts along the way, including sprouting his first toothbud!!! Thanks to everyone who helped us make this a budget-friendly vacation. Mi apartment es su apartment!

On this, our first trip up with Rolland, we

• visited Grace Adventures Camp
• stayed with the Goods
• took a drive up Old Mission Peninsula

• hung out with the DeShanos

• ate lots of cherries

• stopped by a few wineries

• relaxed at Camp Gembis

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Today is our second anniversary! This week we have been thinking about marriage, and Dave even the opportunity to lead an "idea potluck" for tips to a lasting marriage during Sunday school. Here are some summary thoughts from this week.

1. Marriage is a picture of Christ's relationship with the Church (Eph. 5:22-33). As such, it makes sense that the enemy of God would mount an offensive against marriage. Therefore, spouses must actively build into and protect their marriages.
2. Moses allowed for divorce in the case of marital unfaithfulness (Matt. 19:1-12). For a marriage to last, spouses must intentionally remain faithful to each other. Some have referred to this idea as "affair-proofing your marriage."
3. Jesus explained that Moses allowing divorce was not approval of divorce by any means, rather it was a provision made because of the human sinfulness (Matt. 19:1-12). Since failed marriages are linked to failed humanity (i.e. the sin of Adam), spouses must seek to grow in holiness through faith in Christ.

Here are some of the practical, now-try-this ideas from our brainstorming and the "idea potluck":
1. Keep the TV out of the bedroom. End your days together.
2. Do things that your spouse wants to do. Don't wait to be asked 50 times; try to be unselfish.
3. Speak each other's love language. Do things that will communicate love to your spouse in a way that they can appreciate.
4. Take a personality test, or spiritual gifts test, or love language test together. Keep learning about your spouse.
5. Keep you relationship fresh, don't try to finish each other's sentences.
6. Find something you both like to do and plan on having shared experiences.
7. Be intentionally open about your life / Don't live separate lives. Look for opportunities to spend time with friends together, share your experiences at work.
8. Brag to others about your spouse.
9. Pay each other compliments regularly.
10. Use good manners.
11. Memorize scripture together, study the Bible together, and/or pray together.
12. Pray for each other regularly.
13. Don't "stew" over minor annoyances, take care of the problem while it is still small. Plan on a weekly time to sit and talk in a comfortable, non-confrontational setting about how you can be a better spouse/roommate.
14. Be careful/smart about getting into stressful situation together. i.e. Maybe don't try to give your spouse golf lessons.
15. Be sensitive to your spouse when "joking," especially in public. Don't intentionally humiliate or embarrass your spouse.

Happy Half Birthday, Rolland!

God has done some amazing work on our little boy these past 6 months. What a creative Creator!


Here's Rolland at...

-1 Month

1 Day

2 Months
4 Months
Today

Rolland's Summer Plans

Dave is almost done with school for the summer, and Rolland can hardly wait to spend more time with both of his parents...

...eating...

...picnicking...

...swinging...

...building forts...

...reading...

...working on the toys...

...and generally being cute.

Mother's Day (yeah, it's late)

Erika and Rolland at the church's Mother's Day Baby Parade.


Erika and Rolland enjoying the Tulips in Holland on Mother's Day!

Erika, Rollie, and Dave enjoy the lilacs at Meijer Gardens for Dave's Birthday.

Rolland has been enjoying lots of new sights and sounds as we take advantage of the warming spring weather.

Rollie was actually awake to help check out our "vegetable investment" Trillium Farms.