New Foods and New Books

Lydia will officially be 6 months old tomorrow, and there are lots of new and exciting things in her little world.  She has been eating carrots and rice cereal for about a week now and loves it!  She also likes to hold her own books, but would rather chew on them than have us read them!  She is getting closer to sitting up, which is good.  Right now she is not very content to just lay on the floor and play with her toys because she would rather be sitting up and looking around, but she just isn't quite strong enough yet. 

Yesterday she had a doctor appointment and is continuing to grow lots!  She is 27 inches long and almost 17 lbs.  We're so thankful for a healthy baby!

Here are some picture of what we've been up to lately!

I know it's kind of late, but here is a picture of our new house!

Having fun with Opa and Oma!

Working on her balance

Carrots...

....are yummmmmy!

6 month picture.  I was doing this by myself, so she didn't have any entertainment to smile at.

Trying out the high chair.

First time with a sippy cup was a success.

This picture is for Sara, Abby, Krista and Carrie!

Enjoying her board books

She likes to chew on about anything she can get her little hands on!

Baking and Travels

This week I enjoyed spending a day baking Christmas treats with some of my good friends.  It was a little challenging with Lydia there, but Aleah took charge of making sure Lydia had plenty of toys within reach :)  We did a lot of laughing, talking and taste-testing.  What a fun day!

Group picture of the baking ladies!

Waking up from a nap.

Lydia had to grab the toys quick or Aleah would just drop them.  They had a great day together!  Poor Asa didn't get very much attention because Aleah "doesn't like boys very much"!

Asa looking on while Lydia and Aleah play.  Good thing he's a content baby :)

More bonding

We had a great time with family over Thanksgiving, and we're very thankful for safe travels to MN and back.

Our little family!

Great picture of great-grandpa and grandma Hofland.  Not-so-great picture of Lydia.

She loved Grandpa Hofland's whiskers and Wyffels hat!

Thanks for a new toy Grandma Hanenburg!

Turning Our Hearts to the Giver

With Thanksgiving coming up next week, hopefully we are all thinking about the blessings in our lives.  Here are a few things that we are thankful for!

 

Leah:

-Our church family and how we've grown by serving and being served.

-Prayer

-Lydia, even though she cries, spits up, and blows out of her diapers (yes, she's a normal baby).

-Tight hugs

-God's word, a treasure of wisdom that we are invited to take up and read each day for encouragement and sustenance for whatever we might face.

-Coffee

-Our car, so we can see our families during the holidays.

-A husband that protects, provides and loves his family.

-The Holy Spirit

-Chubby baby feet

 

Lydia:

-Milk

-Playtime with daddy

-Snuggles with mommy

-Getting to do whatever I want at Oma's house :)

 

Dan: 

-A faithful church to grow in

-Attentive, searching baby eyes

-A steady job alongside great coworkers

-Grandpa's shop to do woodworking in

-A wife that makes a great home and great food

-The struggles that draw me closer to God

-A babbling, healthy daughter

-The opportunity to lead a vibrant youth group at church

 

 

 

 

Now we can make it to church even if there's a blizzard!

 

Owl jammies

5 months old on November 18!

Hanging out with daddy...learning to savor coffee!

She loves sucking on that finger.

Lydia at 4 Months

Lydia has been such a peach!  She enjoys sucking on her hands, smiling a lot and jabbering to herself in the back seat of the car.  She continues to be a good little sleeper at night, but her naps can be a different story.  At only four months she thinks she can stand up when she's holding on to our hands, even though we're still trying to get her to roll over!

Just looking out the window while mommy fixes supper.

Trying my hand at applique.  It is fun, but slow-going...

"Look!  I'm four months old today!  And I can stand up!"

Not very excited about her 4 month photo shoot.

Smiles for dad.

Even though she tipped over she still needs to check out what's going on!

Trying out her Johnny Jumper.

She loves looking at the leaves on the trees.  Not sure what we're going to do this winter...

"Rolling over is too much work, mommy.  Stop trying to make me!"

Blowing bubbles at each other.

Spending time with her MN grandma :)

"The Hiding Place"

Recently I read "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom.  What an extraordinary read!  If you're looking for a captivating, true story I recommend picking up this book.  Her story is one that shows the value of faith in God despite the most horrific circumstances.

From Corrie's life story I have been reminded of some valuable lessons that are also taught in scripture, but can be hard for me to live out.  One of these lessons is to pray for my enemies.  It is one thing to ignore or tolerate those who hurt me, but as Christians we are called to do more.  With strength that can only come from the Spirit we are commanded (invited?) to pray for our enemies.  This has been very convicting to me because my tendency is to pray for those who are close to me, those who I love and who love me back.  Praying for our enemies is challenging, but can also bring healing because as we pray for those who have wronged us our hearts soften, and we realize that we are just as sinful and in need of God's grace as the most evil person we can think of.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."   Matthew 5:43-48

 That's hard to do, isn't it?  If our lives are to stand out in contrast to the ways of the world, this is how we must deal with the people at church that irritate us, the people that spread a rumor about us, the people that have cheated us and broken our trust, the people that fail to keep their promises.  So how do we start this daunting task of loving and praying for our enemies?  Do we muster up all our strength and give it our best shot?  I know that if I were to do it on my own strength it would be completely hopeless and heartless.  Thankfully I have a Helper to walk me down this road of love and forgiveness.  My own plans and methods will certainly fail unless I invite God into this process.  May my prayers and my love for the enemies in my life find their basis in God alone.

Now for some Lydia pictures...

"Watcha reading, Daddy?"

A cozy little hat.

Lydia and her little buddy, Hudson Bonynge.

Lydia with Auntie Sara and cousin Andrew.

Lydia with her cousin, Nathan.

...and her cousin Isaac!

Watch out Lydia!

Uncle Matt with Leddy and Lydia

Lydia and Grandma Hofland

Playing with Dad!

Cool weather calls for cozy outfits :)

Who is that cute baby?