Today's picture is of Zac's birthday dinner this evening at Red Robin (yummmmm...to quote the jingle), which we were able to share with my mom and dad, who drove down from Custer, SD just for Zac's birthday. Woohoo! Red Robin was choice number three, which is perfect considering Zac is exactly that many years old today. The first two choices were closed due to bad weather here in Omaha. Closed! That's just crazy! Where do we live? Are we not hearty people? But I digress.
It was three years and one day ago today that I was shopping for parts for a networking job I was going to do to make some extra money. Three years and one day ago today that, while searching for those parts at an Ace Hardware store, Katy called to tell me the doctors had decided to deliver Zac the next day, February 1st, 2008, by emergency C-section due to Katy's preecclampsia. So Katy calls to share this news with me, which should not have been unexpected since she'd been in the hospital several days already, but I was in the middle of asking a clerk at the store where to find something. Distracted, I suppose, by that effort and by the situation we were in that week, my response to learning I was going to be a dad again was, "OK. Thanks for letting me know!"
Yes, that is what I said when finding out the delivery date of my son. Now that we've put that on the table, let me tell you a little bit about my son. Zac has a joy I constantly crave. I love it when he sits in my lap and cuddles while watching TV on Saturday morning or in the evenings perhaps before bed. I love playing cars with him on the living room floor and watching him be "all boy" as he rams things into one another. I love playing with his stuffed animals in his room while he lays on his bed, acting surprised every time I have the dinosaur come up over the edge and roar at him.
I love that when I look at him, all I want to do is hold him, and hug him, and kiss him and tell him that I love him. I love the beautiful innocence in his eyes and the way he uses excellent manners when people say something nice, or provide him something to eat or drink, or do something for him. I love how he turns almost anything into a song, and how he can't go to sleep at night without asking Katy and me to sing to him, but especially Katy. I love how he wants to pray before he eats and how he calls macaroni and cheese, "mac cheese".
Zac is our miracle. The chances of Katy even getting pregnant were slim and we knew it, but chose to try anyway, realizing adoption might be our only chance eventually. Then, as Katy's health deteriorated, we had great doctors who knew what to do so Zac would best be prepared to enter this world early. Nine weeks is certainly early enough, and having to spend over five weeks in the NICU was hard, but his care was so great, the prayers he received so strong, and God's love so immense that he came through it all with flying colors. He's fully caught up to other kids his age in size and is showing the great intelligence we expect of him.
My miracle son, Zac, is my favorite little boy in the whole world. I love him more than life, enough to know I'd give up my life for him if it was ever required. I love him unconditionally, just as God loves me and loves him. Thank you, Jesus, for this amazing gift, this amazing bundle of joy and energy and funny jokes and songs!
Just wanted to drop a quick note to everyone. We're back in Omaha for good, arriving last Friday night, May 1st. We've been furiously unpacking and getting settled back in to our house. It feels so good to be home and we're very, very thankful for God's grace and love in getting us home to Omaha. More pics to come soon. Zac has been doing some new things we need to capture on camera to share with everyone. Take care!
Well, of this we are VERY excited. It's been a challenging almost 9 months here in west Texas and we are more than ready to return home. Neither Katy nor I had any idea we'd be here for such a short time when God asked us to move last summer. I don't think anybody ever expects to leave so quickly after a move, especially one that was 1000 miles in distance.
We now begin the process of wrapping things up here, making necessary arrangements for a moving truck, flying Dan & Stacy down so he can drive the truck (because I will not), ending utilities and cable and all that fun stuff. If there is any benefit to having moved often, especially across country, it's that the process of doing all this is not unfamiliar. We have our list and just have to accomplish those things there and will be in good shape. Probably the toughest thing is timing, as the truck will be loaded up on the 21st in the late afternoon/early evening. Then we have to shampoo the carpets lest the complex steal the $600 refundable portion of our $1100 pet deposit. You read that right. Don't get me started.
For those of you wondering how this came about, let's agree that God does indeed move in mysterious ways. How else could we explain dozens of visits to our house without a single offer with interest rates extremely low and an $8000 credit from the government for first-time buyers on the table? It makes no logical sense, but it was a means for God to show us we needed to move back to Omaha. We don't have definite income yet, so please pray with us that we will have income soon after moving back.
Hey everyone. Well, as if the 11-month job search last year wasn't enough fun, we get to do it all over again. My company let me go yesterday in what could best be described as a short-term cost-cutting measure. What's crazy about it is that about 4 months from now the site expects to have enough agents to again justify my position. But, that's what you get sometimes in the corporate world and that's just how life goes! :)
Please pray with us that God will direct us and guide us quickly to the next step. We can't afford to go through another spell without income so it's critical that I find something right away. I have quite a few irons in the fire, but again am doing a long-distance job search, so that always makes things a bit more difficult. We have no doubts, however, that God is good and is taking care of us. We just can't see His plan yet. :)
I was all set to share a picture of the stage at our church today, even took two pictures with my phone, but neither came out good at all. I'm so disappointed, because it's pretty remarkable. Hopefully Katy and I will remember to take her camera next week and we can get a better picture to share, but as a teaser, imagine Narnia with 4 big trees created from paper mache, I think. Also a bridge over a babbling brook, water and all, which a guitarist stood on while playing during a special of U2's "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". The stage is pretty incredible, but so was the song.
At any rate, we just began a series on Christmas, of course, which focuses on being treasured and recognizing the true vision of Christmas. It got me to thinking, during service (you know, when I should have been fully concentrating on the message), of what I really treasure in my life. I'm thankful for the treasure of a God who loves me enough to let me vent when things aren't going how I want them to go, Who is patient with me and leads me with a firm hand in the direction He has for me, for us as a family. Even as I am struggling with our move to this place, this desert, I know that if my focus is entirely on God, everything around will become a non-factor in my level of happiness.
I also treasure Katy, who has brought me a level of peace and comfort I knew I was looking for, but thought I'd never have. I treasure my children very much; Claire, my beautiful 12-year-old who is so caring, so loving and so funny that I never tire of talking to her; and Zac, my handsome, hilarious little bundle of joy, constantly pushing the boundaries of fun with his cute little habits, like clapping his hands when he wakes up, even if he's actually unhappy.
I know both Katy and I can honestly say we treasure our families very much, with wonderful parents who have loved and led us down the right path and done a great job of teaching us how to be good for each other and good parents ourselves. And, despite the challenges siblings throw on you growing up, or even in adulthood, we both very much love them as well, and not even begrudgingly! :)
Thought you might enjoy two pics today, since I couldn't get a good one from church to make it three. This one of Claire is of some pictures they just had taken for Christmas at Olan Mills. I hope it's safe to put this up here, as I just wanted to share something current of Claire for all to see. :) Then this one of Zac was taken this morning when we got home from church. We've moved him into the bigger car seat when in Katy's car, and it turns out it's pretty good for sleeping as well! Take care, all.
I think every weekend there is a specific intent to take more pictures, get a new video or two, and get them up on the blog. Unfortunately, the best plans don't often seem to come to fruition in these new days of feeling constantly overwhelmed with things to be done, where time runs very fast.
Zac did pick up a new thing this weekend, making the connection between watching us clap for him and clapping his hands for him, to actually doing it on his own. He's now, of course, very proud of himself when he claps and we try to affirm him as much as we see it. Since he's feeling pretty much back to normal, he is back to his regular happy self most of the time, also.
Some good news to share is that we have found an in-home daycare option and will be able to remove Zac from the current daycare situation we hate at the end of this month. We could do it now, but financially, we'd already paid for the last two weeks of October and don't want to be poor stewards with the money God has given us. What's cool is that his new care provider will be the wife of the singles pastor at our church. She has two children of her own, the youngest is one year old, and we know she'll take great care of Zac. Though the cost will be slightly higher than what we presently pay, it is still well below what we'd expected and he'll receive much better care and individual attention than he has been, plus he shouldn't end up sick nearly as often either. Praise God!
Well, Katy and I are now in two separate cities. She flew back to Omaha this afternoon and arrived safely this evening. Still unsure of our absolute timetable, but the sooner we can get the house packed up and her back down here, the happier we will both be.
On the job front, Katy did indeed get that job I mentioned in Monday's update with West Texas Gas. We're both very excited about this opportunity. Additionally, we feel we have found a good daycare for Zac, and simply need to get the application completed and back to them so he can join up when she begins her new job. She has flexibility in her start date, and may not begin until after Labor Day.
I just wrapped up my second day on the new job and am more convinced than ever that this is the right next step for me. It's a great opportunity and God has just put so many things in place that it's all very satisfying. Once Katy and Zac are down here for good, all I'll be missing is Claire. :) And when the furniture is here, I'm sure the place we're renting will feel a bit more like home. Every day brings a bit more comfort and moving forward gets a little easier.
