still giving thanks...five months later.

Well Anna is growing like a weed and keeping us laughing and running....so much so that we've been horrible at updating you on what she's been up to. SO first things first! And here's Thanksgiving at Serenity Cabin at Lick Creek (aka Aunt Marilyn & Uncle Jack Ed's new Tennesee cabin) with them, Nana, Papa, Cousin Michelle, Cousin Lindsey and Beau Will (mommy & daddy came too).

 

 

 

gina had a little lamb

it was almost disastrous. the picture of the lamb costume from marthastewart.com looked cute and cuddly enough, but our (ok, let's be honest...gina's) first crack at reproducing it in real life resulted in what could only be described as a deranged fluffy ghost. the halloween aisle at walmart started looking pretty good. but she went back to work with a mother's love and a fear that her daughter would be "that child" driving her, and voila! the cutest little halloween lamb you've ever seen.

we met up with some old friends from CTS to trick-or-treat in our old decatur neighborhood. i wish i had a picture to show you the neighborhood...i've never seen a place go so all out for halloween. i'm talking multiple smoke machines, colored spotlights, crazy lawn implements, even a boat in one front yard converted into a pirate ship! very fun.



last year for her first halloween, anna was hardly big enough to hold her head up. this year, she marched right up to houses with her pumpkin basket in tow like she'd been mooching candy for years. and seriously, how could anyone resist emptying their entire stash of chocolate when she "baaah"-ed on cue? next time you see her, ask her what a sheep says. i guarantee you won't be disappointed.


fortunately for us, Anna wasn't really all that interested in the candy despite how deliberate she was about picking each piece and placing it in her basket. no, true to form, she preferred picking flowers off people's potted porch plants or grabbing a handful of driveway gravel. i do need to teach her that daddy likes Reese's far better than DumDum's, however.


in conclusion, if you have trouble sleeping for fear of ghoulish creatures roaming the streets this halloween, just let this little sheep leap through your dreams tonight.

Perdido Key

Last week Greg kicked off his new job at Bread for the World with a week of training in D.C. Gina tried to take advantage of his absence by grabbing Anna and fleeing to Perdido Key, FL, to her aunt and uncle's beach condo. But Greg learned a thing or two about intelligence operations in our nation's capital (thanks, Patriot Act!) and successfully tracked them down for a more joyous reunion than this hyperbolic narration suggests.

Now, we knew our girl loved dirt, sticks, and the like, but we weren't sure how she'd react to the sand and high seas. Holy sand dunes, she loved them so much!! The first time she set foot on the white stuff, she took off like a woman possessed. She had a blast digging, shoveling, and yes, even swallowing a few mouthfuls of sand. Greg dodged an army of wily jellyfish to take her out for her first dip in the ocean (editor's note: he sustained one sting for his brave fatherly efforts). The pool proved a less dangerous but equally exciting aquatic experience. Anna kicked and paddled like Michael Phelps (at age one).

All in all, we had a great few days with Aunt Marilyn, Uncle Jack Ed, cousins Lindsey and Michelle, and Michelle's hot boyfriend, the "Flaming Colleen". Bottom line? Anna is as big a beach bunny as her California-kissed mother.

moving out of CTS

Where did everybody go?

I don't care...I'm happy as a clam with my balloon!

mother's day

Remember the old TV sitcom "My Two Dads"? Well Anna could be the star of its modern counterpart, "My Two Moms". Mom #1 - in every way possible - was surprised and delighted by daddy's thoughtful and creative Mother's Day gifts (if those weren't her exact words, i'm sure that's what she meant). Anna helped him out in this department by leaving her footprint not only on mommy's heart but also on quick-dry plaster. The watercolor touch-ups were daddy's brilliant idea.


Our CTS neighbor and Anna's nanny over the last year, Nutei, proudly holds the title of Mom #2 in Anna's heart. Nutei has cared for Anna since she was just 3 months old and the Hmar family has practically adopted her as one of their own. Anna surprised her with a dangling token of our appreciation for all they've meant to us this past year. We miss having them so close!

master of the divine?

Hardly. But after 3 years of laborious love, I finally graduated with my Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA. Commencement took place on May 17, the same exact day that my sister, Laura, graduated from Christian Theological Seminary (also CTS for the acronym-ically savvy) in Indianapolis with her Master's in Counseling. Way to go, sis!! As for me, it was a satisfying day to pause and look back over the previous three years: the ways in which I and my family have grown relationally, spiritually, intellectually, and physically (I'm referring mainly to Anna though my waist size has unfortunately grown ever so slightly as well). Anna was there to celebrate the accomplishment in her own special way...by sleeping through the ceremony. Right on cue, though, she woke up as we were beginning to take pictures inside the sanctuary. She's obviously beaming with pride :)

As of graduation, I still did not see clearly how seminary fit into God's purpose for the next stage of our lives. Within a few weeks, however, I was offered a job with Bread for the World, a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad, as their Southeastern Regional Field Organizer based out of Atlanta. Truly a gracious invitation to employ my theological training on behalf of poor and hungry people around the world. So we're staying put in Atlanta, at least for the time being. And get this: my office is 6 floors up from Gina's in the same building! Normally this would be fertile ground for office romance, but what do you do when you're already married?

running is for the birds

After traipsing 13.1 miles on foot through the streets of Nashville, Gina might tell you walking is, too. The last weekend in April we made the journey to the homeland for the famed Country Music Marathon. Initially the plan was simple and painless: spectate. But the day before the race, in a show of unparalleled kindred solidarity, Gina decided to register so that she could walk the half-marathon with her mom, aunt, and 2 cousins.

She had not trained, mind you. Not one bit. But my bipedal wonder persevered and completed the course in a scorchingly fast 4+ hours (editor's note: I'm pretty sure they stop counting minutes once you cross the 240 barrier). Anna proved the decisive factor in her mommy's and nana's will to conquer Nashville one step at a time, popping up along the course at critical moments to lend moral support.

A spectator's observation: it's almost as exhausting driving all over town and getting in and out of the car with an infant just for a 2-minute pit stop as it is actually racing. But it was worth it. Way to go Gina, Phyllis, Marilyn, Lindsey, and Michelle!

the next american idol

I can see the video montage and hear the Ryan Seacrest voiceover now..."her parents knew she had music in her blood from a very young age". What do you think: a cross between Brooke White and Katharine McPhee?

the future's so bright...

I gotta wear shades

Better Late Than Never

So after much harassment from my wife and the plaintive urging of others across the country, I'm finally trying to bring our blog up to date. So much has happened since our last post in February that I can't show it all. But I'll try to hit the highlights in this and the entries that follow. First up is Anna's dedication to the Lord at Harvest Community Church on March 7. The Nazarene Church performs both infant baptism and baby dedication, but after some deliberation we opted for dedication largely so that the exhortation "Remember your baptism" might actually have some concrete referent in her memory. Our pastor, Derek, gave beautiful voice to our faith in God's grace toward Anna and our hope that she will grow up to walk in the way of Jesus. For her part, she hammed it up throughout, clapping her hands and pulling up her dress. She's got Gina's flair for the limelight!

I've also thrown in a few Easter pics for good measure. The bunny ears were Gina's idea, not mine. Who knew heresy could be so cute? Enjoy!


Pretty girl in her dedication dress


The family and in-laws representin'


First Easter...you can glimpse the living cross behind us


Cadbury ain't got nothing on her!

Everyday is Valentine's Day in Our House

Even 2 weeks later you can still feel the love... :)

Obama Attracting Younger Voters

That's right. Apparently Barack's appeal extends beyond the young adult demographic to the "I don't have teeth yet" age group. Gina gave Anna a head start on her civics lessons by taking her to the neighborhood polling station on Super Tuesday to cast a ballot (bold prediction to follow) for the next President of the United States! The three of us matched the rest of the day with our "I'm a Georgia Voter" stickers proudly displayed.

Snow Bunny

No, the national news reports about snow in Atlanta yesterday were totally unfounded (fascinating that I had 2 non-Atlantans ask me about snow when I didn't hear a word about wintry weather predictions on our local news stations). I guess the global information network can't replace good 'ol local journalism. Anyway, these pics are from the only snowfall of the year to date, back around New Years. It was Anna's first encounter with the white stuff, and she was relatively unphased by the whole thing. Hopefully, that'll change. We did teach her how to make the perfect snowball and launch a surprise attack, though. Daddy will make a hurler out of her yet!

First Christmas

They've been a long time in coming, but finally here are a few pics of Anna's first Christmas. She followed Santa clear across the country, nipping at his heels first in Portland, OR, and then in Nashville. She actually caught up with him at Macy's in downtown Portland and snagged a picture or two with the man in the red suit. The trip to Portland to be with Gina's family marked Anna's first flight in an airplane...a big deal. Gina was understandably nervous, but mother and daughter did very well on the flight out. The flight back wasn't quite as pretty as Gina was miserably sick and had to hold Anna in her lap the entire time. But they made it home safe and sound, which was all we could ask for.

Anna got plenty of attention over the holiday from both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, so much so that when we finally settled back in Decatur I think she was disappointed to find only Gina and I available to entertain her. We only intensified her frustration with our decision to let her "cry it out" in order to break her habit of waking up multiple times at night. She surprised us...after only 2 nights of parental and infant anguish, she began to sleep for a solid 8 hours. We really do have the perfect baby :) We've moved on to sampling solid foods now with mixed results. Spitting and bright orange carrot mush is a lethal combination! More on this new culinary adventure in a later post.

Belly Full of Laughs

Most people come away from the typical Thanksgiving feast with a belly full of turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole...any and every conceivable version of casserole, really. At least, that's what the 21 of us who gathered at my grandmother's house came away from the table with. Anna, on the other hand, apparently ingested a belly full of laughs when we weren't looking. It all spilled out when we went out back after dinner to burn off our newly accumulated calories by playing tag with the Johnston and Gray kids. We've noticed for a while how much Anna cracks up watching and interacting with other kids...this time we caught it on tape. What you can't see very well in this clip is how fast her little legs were churning as she watched her cousins dart around the yard. I'm no talent scout, but any of you track, soccer, or swimming coaches out there might want to pay attention. I, of course, will be acting as her agent...

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

So I'm walking home from class about a week and a half ago and check my voicemail to find a high-pitched, ecstatic message from Gina breathlessly telling me that Anna rolled over for the first time. And not only one time, but five or six times in succession. You can hear how proud her mama is in this clip, and her daddy is, too, of course. I'm still trying to teach Anna that tummy-time would be much more enjoyable if she propped herself up on her elbows and hands, but she's only slowly grasping the wisdom of her elders, still preferring more often than not to thrust her arms out like an airplane and churn her legs like she's swimming the 400m IM. When she finally figures out how to coordinate and channel her vast ambulatory energies, we're not going to be able to keep up with her. Good thing our apartment is small!

NC Trip

The second weekend in November we packed up the car for another road trip and headed to Cary, NC to visit Greg's grandmother and Anna's great-grandmother Kelley. The name should sound familiar...it's where Anna gets her middle moniker. Not surprisingly, they hit it off great. How couldn't they? Not only do they share a name but a significant dose of spirit and attitude to boot. Greg's Aunt Jacque and Uncle Boe provided the housing and the hospitality, and Greg's sister and bro-in-law made the trek to round out the family gathering. Anna demonstrated her enthusiasm for our time together by promptly peeing all over her clothes and changing pad right after we arrived on Friday night. Cool. It wasn't the only event of the weekend involving errant liquid. At Grandmother Kelley's birthday dinner on Saturday night, our waitress spilled an entire glass of red wine all over my sister. Truly spectacular in its soakage. Needless to say, we received very attentive service the rest of the night (though they failed to comp her meal - boo!). All in all a great weekend.

Back Online

I swear, good help is so hard to find these days. First, our housekeeper goes MIA (for several years now). Then, the blogmaster responsible for keeping our family and friends up to speed on Anna's adventures drops the ball for almost a month. Don't worry, he'll be getting a thorough tongue-lashing. So much has happened in the last few weeks, it's hard to know where to begin. I suppose turning 3 months old (September 30) is a good place to start...


Then learning how to sit up in her Bumbo chair...


Finding innumerable ways to look cute...


Visiting with her Nana and Papa in the ATL...


Reading with daddy...


Making an Amaretto birthday cake for mommy's 30th birthday...


Discovering that spitting is a great way to pass the time...


Turning 4 months old...


Dressing up as a scary black cat for her 1st Halloween...


Trick-or-treating with a friendly ghost and a lovely ladybug...


And scoring big candy for mommy and daddy to get fat on.


As you can see, Anna has been very busy. So have mommy and daddy. Gina went back to work the first week of October. It was a bumpy start, but she's getting back in the swing of things, working 30 hours/week. Greg is halfway through his second to last semester at CTS and adjusting to the jarring reality that graduation will be here sooner than he thinks. Mia Sharon is in town this weekend to get her Anna fix, and the three of us will be headed to North Carolina next weekend to introduce Anna to her great-grandmother Kelley and aunt Jacque. Should be great. We'll try to do better at keeping you all updated. Until next time, be well!