Things I love

I love kissing my son's head after a nice bath
I love watching him fall asleep in my arms
I love watching Heroes with Ryan and eating popsicles
I love taking pictures
I love when my husband gets home from work and wants nothing more than to hold his son
I love holding hands with my hubby
I love watching love stories
I love eating junk food
I love my mornings cuddleing with Evan
I love blogging...too much
I love going on vacation
I love long conversations with old friends
I love it that I talk to my mom everyday...
and my sisters too
I love being in a big family
I love sleep...when I get it
I love being a wife
I love being a mommy
I absoultly love my life!

Evan's Kidney Appt.

I have been so busy lately I didnt know when I was going to have time to post this, but anyway-Evan and I went to GR yesterday to have his ultrasound done on his kidney. After the ultrasound we met with the pediatric urologist. The ultrasound showed that his right kidney--the one that was really bad--went from a really bad grade 3, to a mild grade 3. That probably means nothing to you guys but it actually got a little bit better. Praise God for that. His doctor seems to think that in 6 months when we go back we should see an improvement again. However his left kidney went from a grade 1 to a grade 2. So the ultrasound did show a little fluid build up around his "good" kidney. His doctor said we wont worry about it unless it gets to a grade 3 but he doesnt seem to think it is anything to worry about. So we will see. So...pretty much we just have to go back in 6 months and see what it says then. They said he probably will not need surgury by the way it looks. If for some reason he does, they wont do it until he is around 18 months. I thought i would fill you guys in. Thanks for the prayers! :)

I had to share this adorable picture I took this afternoon. I have been experimenting with photography and am looking into buying a really nice camera. I just thought this one turned out so cute! My two favorite men!

Weekend

So far we have had a pretty nice relaxing weekend. Friday night we went out with some friends to the Curragh. I left there with Evan around 8 while Ryan hung out for a little while longer. Nothing too exciting. Saturday I worked all day, again, while Ryan worked and finished our lovely new deck! I am so excited about it. It is nothing big or anything, but if you would have seen our last deck you would know why I love this one so much. Our last one was miniscule. I met my mom and Christi and Diane Kieth bridals after work and watched Christi try wedding dresses on. It was a lot of fun. She looked so cute in them, but it was frustrating for her knowing in 2 months her body is going to be differnt. She looks good anyway I think. She is barely showing and she is 16 weeks. I was showing at 14 weeks. Anyway- after that I just went and hung out with my mom and Christi at my parents house. Not too crazy of a weekend, but it was nice talking about the wedding and we even hauled out some family video to show her of John as a kid. Poor thing. She doesnt know what kinda family she is getting into. Today Ryan and I have our class for Evan's baptisim at 4-5, and then I think we are just going to have pizza at my parents afterward. I'm so happy our church does these classes. I am anxious to hear what it is about. Sometimes I feel like baptisim is something parents just do because that's what you do when your child is a baby. (at least around here) But it is so much more to me than "marking" Evan. Ryan and I struggled a lot with if we were even going to baptize him just because we wanted to do it as saying "God this is your child, and we know he is yours, thank you for letting us raise him and be his earthly parents." We've heard a lot of sermon's on baptisim about once he is baptized he is now part of the covanent, but I think he already was with out it. To us, baptising him is more for us telling God we know he is his than anything to do with being a "covanent child." I dont know if that makes sense, and I could talk about this for hours, but that is just a little insite to our logic. Anyways- Hope you have a great weekend!!

I almost forgot to tell everyone! Evan rolled over on Tuesday! I was such a proud mommy. We were doing tummy time and all of a sudden there he went. To make sure it wasnt just a fluke...I put him back on his tummy and got the video camera out, and sure enough..there he went again. I was so excited for Ryan to come home so I could show him the video. I think it will be a few weeks yet before he goes from back to tummy but he is getting close. He can go to his side. We will see. Sorry, just had to post my proud mommy moment of the week. :)

Copied Kathy's Idea

Hey, So I finally asked Kathy Busscher how she did Grace's cute letter's she had on her blog and I tried it myself. I thought they turned out pretty cute too. It is a super easy way to make something really cute. So thanks Kathy for the idea! I have been looking for cute letter's for Evan's room too and couldnt find anything I liked or the right color's to match his room. If you wanna know how to do it let me know.

Evan's Appointment

So Evan and I headed up to Grand Rapids today for his head appointment. We first had a therapy evaluation to see if his neck is strained enough to have weekly therapy and it is. So we will be working on getting his neck to stretch more and turn to his right a little more. He did really well when the lady was moving him all around. His next appointment we went to have a scan of his head to see if he actually would need a helmet and it didnt take long for the doctor to confirm that he will need one. Unfortunatly though, he cant get started in it until he is four and 1/2 months old, which means we have to wait a whole month yet! I know that it will be alright when he gets it, and that he will get used to it, I just hate seeing my baby having to be differnt. That is my own insecurities coming through. Evan will probably care less. If only I could have the carelessness of a child sometimes. But oh well. At least they will be taking care of it and by the time he is one he will hopefully be all done with it. They said he will probably have it for about 4-5 months. All those summer months! Anyways- If this is the worst God throws at us we'll take it but regardless of what is to come...we know God has a special purpose for Evan and that it will be allright. We go next monday for his kidney ultrasound. That is really our bigger concern, if the blockage is still there or not. Thank you for your prayers!

Weekend Away

This past weekend we had a lot of fun. Every spring Ryan's family and we always go away. This weekend we went to Traverse City. It was really nice to get away again. Evan did really well, although his pack and play wasnt his crib so the nights he didnt sleep very good. Our first night there we ate at Hooters. It sounds kinda funny but I am pretty sure we stopped at one last year when we were in Chicago too. We just kinda hung around did some shopping on Saturday and ate at a local pub for lunch and got pizza at night. I feel like I gained 10 pounds with all the good food we ate. Sunday we stopped at mongolian grill on our way out. I love that place! I think my favorite part of the vacation was watching Evan in the pool. He did really well. I thought he might freak out but he didnt. Anyways...hope everyone else's weekend was good. Have a great day!

God is still good.

I took Evan to the doctor today. At his two month appointment his doctor noticed his head was pretty flat on one side, so she suggested trying a few differnt things to improve it. Over the last month I did everything she said and it is still pretty bad so I took him in today to have her look at it. Unfortunatly it got worse, and in result to that Evan needs to wear a helmet from now on. I have to take him to GR to have him fitted on Tuesday, and because he always holds his head one way, his neck is strained and tight and has to have physical therapy on his neck. I know it will be allright. I dont mind so much, it just seems like it is one thing after another. We have to go to Devos children's hospital again the 28th for his kidney and have an ultrasound to see if it is still backing up fluid. I am praying that it will be ok and that his kidney might have corrected itself like they do sometimes, but regardless it is still hard watching your child have all these problems. I am so thankful though that everything he has is fixable. God is so good, and whatever Evan has to go through we will remember that. Prayers would be appreciated though for his next appointment with the uroligist. Whatever the outcome we trust God and know Evan's body is His and He is in control. Thanks for the prayers! They are appreciated!

Girls Night

Last night was such a fun night. My sister's Amy, Lisa, my mom and Wendi drove up to Grand Rapids to pick Christi up and go for dinner. We had so much fun! We went to an italian restraunt, I cant think of the name...it starts with an "m" but it was really good food. We talked a little about John and Christi's wedding, and it sounds like they want it very small and simple. It fits them. We mostly talked about the new little Kapenga baby. We are so excited! Christi is feeling good, and the baby is healthy as far as we know. God is so good. He can take crazy situations and make them so good. John and Christi will make great parents. I cant wait to see it.

Feeling Better

Finally I am starting to feel better. Thankfully Evan did not get sick. I dont know how it would have gone with both of us sick. Ryan already had a rough week last week getting up with Evan for me. Anyway...I am really looking forward to this weekend. Every year Ryan's family and us, always go somewhere for a weekend. Last year was Chicago and it was amazing! But we thought too expensive to do again this year, so this weekend we are going to Traverse City. I cant wait! It will be our first weekend away with Evan. We will see how that goes. Anyway- cant wait to go in the hot tub and relax for once. It will be awesome!

So sick of being sick

So my head is so numb, I cant even think. I have double ear infection and my sinus's are so full. It is terrible. And of all weeks, Ryan is gone, again, for the weekend. I know, I probably sound like a little baby, and believe me when I am sick, I do milk it, but havent felt this way in a long time. I would truly take Labor over this. Seriously. I am not kidding. Anyway-Ryan and his dad and brother and a few other people went up to Soaring Eagle this weekend. Actually only one night, but to me that is more than enough. I was supposed to go out with my sister in law and mother in law but I think I am going to have to pass on this one. Hope no one else feels the way I do. I wouldnt wish it on anyone. Have a great weekend!

So we have been trying to think of places for John and Christi to get married. John is coming home May 15 and they wanted to get married in June. John was hopeing for an outdoor wedding, but we are clueless on where. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. Right now Christi is planning this solo, and we'd like to help her. If you know of any cool places let me know.
I took some really cute pictures of Evan this weekend. Here are some of them. Notice the last photo of him sleeping...that was after I tuckered him out with all the pictures I was taking. He was a good sport though.

It Must Be Spring!

It was so funny today. You look outside and all you see are parents pushing strollers and kids on bikes...people cleaning their garages and washing their cars. It was such a wonderful site! The most amazing thing to me is seeing the buds on the trees. It is so rejuvinating! After such a crazy long winter it is sooo good to see lawns again. I know I have talked about this before, but it is absoulutly wonderful! Anyway-this weekend was a good one. We were busy pretty much everyday. Friday night we actually got to go out with some friends! Ryan's parents had Evan so we were able to go celebrate a friends birthday. It was nice again. Saturday we had our niece Kenzie's birthday party. She is two on monday. It is crazy how fast she is growing up. And today we got up..went and got our coffee's, and went to church. After church we went for lunch with my brother and his girlfriend and my parents. When we got home we went for a nice walk with Evan. It was a pretty good weekend. Just having the weather nice again makes it a good one.

too big too fast

It is so sad to me to see how fast Evan is growing! He is not that little guy he once was when he was first born. Although I am excited for him to be able to do more things, I am a little sad to see him growing up so fast. I know that's what happens when you have a baby, but it seems like yesterday I was in the hospital with him. Here are some recent photos.

New Engagement!!

We got some great news on Monday. My brother John is in Honduras right now for school and his girlfriend Christi just came back from visiting him. While she was there John proposed! We are so excited for them, and cant wait to help with the wedding. No date is set for sure, when John comes home next month they will start planning. Sometime this summer though. We are so excited to have Christi be a part of our family. She is perfect for John. I cant wait to have another sister!