the schilps

and, GO!

2011-04-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

oh sweet lucy goose! there are so many things i love about you. i love the way you crawl into a room, instantly waving and saying "hiiiiii." i love your need for nearness - how you exhibit that by crawling into our laps EVERY time we sit on the floor, or the way you reach up, hands clasping, asking for a snuggle. and, i love the way you set your mind to something, and then do it.

like today. you decide to start walking, just like that. you took a step. and then you took three. then six. and off you went. we are so proud of you, goosey girl. what a delight you are to have in our family.

progress

2011-03-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

it's true, lucy has not been a fast mover. she much prefers words. words like:
hi
bye
bubbles (bubu)
ball (ba)
night night (ni ni)
no (although it is not my favorite when she says it, man, is it funny. it seems like it takes her whole face to make it happen.)
mama
dada
brother (baba)
duck (du)
please (pleeeee)
eat (eeee)
rock-a-bye (baba ba)
uh ooohhh
peeeeeeek

her little voice is just so sweet, i cannot wait for sentences to pour from her lips (of which i am sure they will).

well yesterday, we made progress. all of a sudden, this is what we witnessed:

big girl, lucy!!

for the daubin

2010-12-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

(and the aunties that are far away) i thought you might appreciate a little lucy time.

typical

2010-09-09T02:06:00.000-07:00

as of saturday, we will have been in tanzania for four weeks, and to some extent, we have reached a routine. of course, as i write this, typical will change, african culture will inevitably seep in, and typical will refer to the ebb and flow that is the one constant here. i have been reading a book about the story we write of our lives, and how to make those stories exciting, worth living and not just humdrum. that has given me LOADS of perspective when my western, routine and schedule craving self starts to take over. i am on an adventure with my family and each situation and circumstance is potential for a great story. and, if we go at it right, potential for a great story with great impact on us and on others.

but, all that to say, here is a window into what typical "generally" looks like.
- the day starts with casey leaving for devotions at the church office at 8. we have had our breakfast (or, casey and asher and leisha and leah...i lag a little) of toast with peanut butter, a bowl of oatmeal (something our little family has added for the little man's sake), and tea. casey attends devotions for an hour and then begins his work day at the church office.
- lucy lays down for a nap between 8:30 and 9 while asher and i tromp around in the sand outside the house. sometimes he digs with his cars, reads stories, or helps me fill water buckets for the day.
- asher, lucy and i begin our five minute walk to the church after lucy wakes up. this is between 10:30-11:30.
- we hang out and i email while casey corrals the kids. we generally have more tea, eat mandazi (african donuts) and asher gets a sucker :)
- we make our way back home for lunch, which is usually a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some cucumbers and bananas or oranges.
- and, nap time for asher usually starts shortly after, between 1-2. he will rest and perhaps lucy will rest, or, she will just spend her time scooting around on the couch, coming dangerously close to the edge. her nap is still all over the place, but, she will nap at some point.
- casey makes his way home around 5 and spends the next hour burning through some of asher's energy in the front of our compound. they play tag, or deliver "eggs", or take naps on the front steps. i generally sit with lucy in the shade, thankful asher's energy is diverted towards someone else and LOVING watching them play.
- we start bedtime routine around 6, with the kids taking their bucket shower in a bright green tub we bought at the market. it is perfect for lucy, nice and deep and spacious. it is a little small for asher, but he can still sit and have a few guys to command and swim through the water. casey and i try to grab our bucket showers at the same time. it becomes a big hour, but one of my favorites. we are all in the bedroom at the same time, smelling fresh and SOMETIMES calmed from the warm water and quiet space. we have taken up to playing with a beach ball in the room during this time, hitting it wildly around, hoping it lands either on top of the mosquito net stretched across the top of our bed or loudly smacking someone in the face. it is a good way for us all to play together and be rough but not have anybody get hurt.
- lucy is generally in bed by 7.
- we retire to the living room where asher will eat his dinner of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cucumbers and maybe a tomato (are you seeing any themes here?!) we have made hamburgers a couple times or pasta and those nights asher is thankful for a change.
- we will eat dinner, generally a big o' plate of rice beans, with leisha and leah between 7:30 and 8:30. asher will head to bed after he has greeted and delivered dinner to our night watchman. this is one of asher's favorite things. he loves to say "karibu chakula" (which means welcome to your food literally, but is more like your invited to eat) and "usiku mwema" (which means good night) and maduka, the watchman, sweetly corrects asher's pronunciation and they go back and forth for a few minutes. it usually ends with asher doing a little jig, us all laughing and then shuffling asher off to bed.
- our evenings have been soooo relaxed and i am thankful for that. we will either all sit around and talk about deep or completely superficial things or we will split off and watch a video. casey and i have been sooo exhausted with lack of sleep and sick kids that decompressing with a movie is about all i can handle. and, although sometimes i question whether we should be watching videos at all, today, i am thankful for it. it gives me a little mental break.

throw in some walks to the market for various items, swahili lessons for an hour twice a week, walks to al and tiffanee's house (an american family staying here that work with mennonite central committee), church meetings here or there, and a day for sabbath, and that is typical.

delight

2010-09-04T06:12:00.000-07:00

we are on retreat this weekend. we were very excited to welcome our friends from the states to dodoma yesterday, and while all the full time staff of lahash are together (erin and cristine, you are greatly missed), we are taking some time to rest, sit in solitude, and charge for the busy two weeks ahead.

i have taken a hot shower, sat on a very comfortable couch on the porch, and enjoyed the breeze outside our guesthouse. and in this time, my thoughts have drifted to delight. for those that know me, i think one of my greatest creature comforts, and something i take great delight in back home, are my showers. hot ones. that are lengthy. and, today as i showered i noticed i did not need a lengthy shower, nor did the water need to be near scalding temperatures for me to delight in a shower. as i sat on the porch, i did not need my own porch or even my own home to delight in a place of rest and quiet. as i enjoyed the breeze, i delighted in the way it cooled me, the way it swayed the trees and the refreshment it brought.

these simple things have caused me to reflect on what i have delighted in the past three weeks. if i have allowed myself the space and the perspective to delight in simple things. and, if i am honest, my thoughts have been more of plodding through, trying to have patience when weary from lack of sleep and sick kids, trying to achieve some sort of normal when it seems all is definitely not so. delight, perhaps, in the beautiful bougainvillea that surrounds three full sides of our compound at "home," or in asher's excitement in greeting and delivering chai to our night watchman during the evening, or in the way we have mastered, and can even enjoy, our walks to and from the church in the mornings. i have had much to delight in the past three weeks and just failed to take time to notice.

i think my failure to delight in the simple things keeps me from enjoying the delight my savior sings over me, and i, in receiving that, can sing back. all of these simple things are merely an expression of Christ's delight for me. i need only to stop, open my arms, and receive.

so, i receive. yes lord, i receive and sing back.

a birthday breakdown

2010-09-02T01:19:00.000-07:00

- chocolate chip pancakes cooked over a kerosene stove, complete with birthday candles we blew out twice. casey ROCKED the pankcakes...they were awesome!
- a treat of grapes for lunch. casey calls them "slip skins" because that is what he called them growing up. the inside fruit slips right out of the skin.
- an afternoon time playing with our friends, kiarra and kaiya. they played with beach balls and water balloons and baby doll strollers. they had juice and popcorn and basically transplanted america into the sand and expanse of dodoma :)
- a dinner of lasagna and fruit salad, complete with a homemade birthday cake topped with dinosaurs! it was amazing! our friend, tiffanee, definitely went all out. - fun conversations during our walks to and from church and to al and tiffanee's. - we had a relapse before bed when mommy fell apart and cried for a while, but, we are learning that is all a part of this experience. casey and i had a great conversation and hopefully we can translate that to asher as well. please lord help us be intentional and provide perspective in this experience and especially to our little boy. help us grow closer to each other and closer to you. thanks for celebrating with us around the world. asher received so much love from all of you, even though we are far away. love love to you!

T.H.R.E.E.

2010-09-01T02:14:00.000-07:00

today, asher, you turn three! i am feeling kind of emotional as i write, and i think it is because here, in tanzania, there is no pressure for elaborate parties or gifts. today, i get to focus on celebrating you, my son. celebrating who you are and who God created you to be. and, i am aware at how you have shaped me. how you have changed me. and i am so thankful.

thank you for the vivacity at which you enter life. at times that means life is tragic and desperate and all around terrible, but most of the time, that means life is full of excitement and distinct color and light. you take such delight in things and that has taught me how to celebrate the little things more. you are intuitive and tenderhearted, and that challenges me to be more aware. you have so much energy, and that prompts me to put a little more bounce in my step, a little more gusto to my day.

we are so thankful for you, asher! happy birthday, little man! we love you.

the beginning

2010-07-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

asher is an excellent big brother. he is attentive, affectionate, helpful, and even doting towards his little sister. of course he has his moments (and tends to roar at lucy like a lion when she is crying), but the transition from only child to older sibling has gone remarkably well. we had some rough patches in there with his behavior and response towards us, but from day one, lucy has been a part of the gang.

so, imagine my delight last night as we drove (around in the camper van of course, but this post is not about our delight in it, although you know we do) to dinner when i heard a little giggle from lucy. asher was fake laughing, i believe, and it just set lucy off. i melted. to hear asher interacting with lucy, trying to make her laugh, and then to hear her respond, took me down a path they will travel through childhood. brother and sister, sharing stories and giggles and toys (all without any bickering or nagging, of course). i am so glad asher is obliging and continued his fake laugh because we got to hear her giggle several more times. i know i desire for them to be close as they grow up. playmates and confidants and counsel for the other. who knows what the Lord has in store for their relationship as they grow and change and choose their lifes' paths. but i do know one thing. this mama will delight in each shared moment she is privileged to witness. here is to the beginning of those moments.

the dream

2010-05-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

i don't know what it is about us, but something in casey and i just longs to be hippies. perhaps it is the draw towards simplicity or our lack of ambition to spend money on deodorant. perhaps it is how spontaneous and free life seems as a hippie. or, perhaps it is just my great love for the smell of patchouli. but, when we made the decision to purchase this:

we both felt like we got one step closer. we both said "let's just live the dream. and, if it turns out to be impractical or terrible, or lame to go 20 mph up a mountain pass, we can sell it. at least we'll know." you could compare this 1984, loud, no a/c, slightly gas-y smelling van to someone else's brand new mercedes, we love it so much. we love the way it sways a little as you take a turn; we love the way it sounds when you turn it on and it rumbles a little. and, most of all, we love that you can sleep in it.

but to be a little more contemplative, more than the actual van itself, i love that this van symbolizes God's faithfulness and intimacy once again. it's been a hard journey these last few months. perhaps it is how full life has been with a newborn and lack of sleep, trying to sell our house, and attending to the not-so-shiny parts of casey and i's marriage. perhaps it is just a season we need to walk through. but with the arrival of this van, fun has entered our spirits. i feel like the lord has given us fresh air to breath in. even just space to breath period. casey cannot stop smiling, asher cannot spend enough time in the "camper bus," and i cannot get enough of the giant steering wheel and how i smile when i get to take the van for a drive. we are suddenly focusing on road trips and camping excursions, and that is fun. maybe i am being hormonal or oversimplifying. but i am thankful the lord knows us intimately, and that his intimacy showed up as a vanagon.

sugar

2010-05-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

by default, lucy has come to be known as our "sugar lump." not only is she sweet, but she's round. so, here's to four months of sugar.

one week old. thanks for the quilt, nannie.

one month old.

2 months old.

three months old and loving that she has figured out how to smile.

4 months old. from day one she has held her hands like that. love it!

"G is for goo goo glasses"

2010-03-02T13:31:00.001-08:00

that's what he said when he came into the room. no encouragement, just the thought he had in his head. does it get any more awesome than that?!

happy one month birthday, lucy mae!

2010-02-12T17:39:00.001-08:00

already we can't imagine life without you.
we love you, lucille,
lucy,
lucy goosey,
luc magoose,
lucy mae!

i am thankful for....

2009-10-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

- a kind, and extremely generous, husband who gave me the morning "off" to go to my favorite tea shop and sit and write notes and be free.
- large pots of vanilla rooibos tea with cream. i think it has somehow made it's way from my stomach to my soul it is just that good.
- kind store employees that share their personal vanilla rooibos tea when the store is all out.
- even from the windows of "my" tea shop, the constant drizzle is uplifting somehow. cleansing, offering to us all the opportunity to slow down and savor.

good good things.

for daddy

2009-09-22T17:00:00.001-07:00

this is for daddy, when he needs a little asher fix. we miss you, casey!

a tribute

2009-06-20T21:43:00.001-07:00

one of the things about watching your kids grow is seeing the great, comical, and even difficult attributes of those that have gone before them show up in their daily habits, schedules, behavior. i marvel at that every time i see asher sway towards his daddy's keen attention to detail or a family member glimpsed in one of his facial expressions. and, today, even in this silly video, i see asher picking up on a favorite chore of his papa's. it makes my heart so happy to know that even across many many miles, my dad is close, present in my little boy and his delight to help wash a car.

love you, dad.

conversations about potty training

2009-05-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

mommy: "asher, are you peeing in the tub?"
asher: "oh" (his equivalent for yes).
mommy: "where are we supposed to put our pee?"
asher: "tub."
mommy: "you are supposed to put your pee in the tub?"
asher: "oh."
mommy: "pee pee is supposed to go in the potty. so, where are you supposed to go pee pee?"
asher: "tub."

not necessarily the effect we were going for, but he is taking huge strides. i find it so funny how often the words pee and poop and potty are thrown around the house these days. it provides a certain level of intimacy, don't you think?!

just for fun

2009-05-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

i realized how greatly i have slacked at documenting these past months of asher. so, i have really been trying to randomly capture moments here and there. these next two videos capture our daily lives these days.

our small patch of green in the backyard has been lovely. i cannot wait for consistent days of sunshine when i can leave the back door open and let asher roam and dig and poke bugs while i piddle in the laundry room.

and, we have this great dinosaur costume (thanks, johnson family!) that hangs on a hook in asher's room. most often he just likes to point out it is still there, but, on this rare day he wanted to put it on. so i quickly seized the camera, knowing the moment would be short lived. (just for clarities' sake, asher says "oh" for yes.)

i should have known

2009-05-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

i should have known after finding this....

...that crawling out of his bed would be the next logical step. of course, we do not have photo documentation. only the thud of him landing on the floor in his room imprinted on our memories. but, no worries. he was so easily distracted, i don't even think he hurt himself. i think he started laughing within minutes. oh asher. what a funny boy you are!

over 100

2009-03-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

two disclaimers.
1. sorry, not a tanzania post. i will work on that.
2. this is, most probably, for the grandparents and nostalgia's sake only.

this morning, during our rainy, lazy saturday morning, i thought i would write down all of asher's words. we have a pretty good list, and i just thought i would share. we are SOO thankful to have asher back to himself these days. i think the jet lag and culture shock have finally worn off. what a month :) we have been eating him up these last few days. so, here's to lazy mornings and family time.

asher's words at 18 months:
nana (banana)
puppy
dadi (daddy)
mommy
bumpa
nannie
papa
tow (towel and blanket)
tho (throw)
eh (egg)
peese (please)
ca (car)
tru (truck)
maymay (mailman)
tra tru (trash truck)
moo (moon)
spoo (spoon)
me
kya (kaya)
ha (hat)
shoe
sa (sock)
mi-e (money)
cheh (chair)
t (tv)
ehro (elmo)
breh (bread)
o (cheerios)
heh (hair)
pull
hole (hold)
ruh ruh (run run)
dow (down)
uu (up)
tra (trash)
be (blankie)
ha ha (monkey)
bil (build)
ba (ball)
copta (helicopter or plane)
chu chu (train)
eee (eat)
ju (juice)
eye
no (nose)
no
oh (yes)
rai (rain)
bubu (bubbles)
mayme (tomato)
uh oh
pata (pasta)
tate (potato)
(pancake)
peh (pear)
aaa (apple)
oor (orange)
babe (cranberries)
pru (prunes)
bak bak (chicken)
tore (story)
tu (tub)
poo poo
pee
pla pa (play park)
par (park)
teh (color)
pa (paper)
ra ra (rock rock, in his chair)
heh (help)
ta (talk, ie cell phone)
hi
bye bye
me (meat)
dada (dan dan, ie dan holcomb)
neh (nette, ie annette anderson)
bu (bus)
pre (pretzel)
me (milk)
dan dan (dance dance)
momo (more)
cli (climb)
juh (jump)
bow bow (bounce)
e (ear)
da (glasses)
do (door)
nah (knock)
nuh (knuckles)
heh (hammer)
meow
du du (duck)
mooo
hoo hoo (for owl)
he (heater or fan)
beep
toe (toast)
toes
pe (pizza)
tilla (tortilla)
pay (penny)
pay (paper)
ie (light)
pa (pocket)
han (hand)
te (hot tea or coffee)
chee (cheese)

we're home

2009-03-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

well, the two blog posts was not quite what i was hoping for, but, i can for sure update from home. officially at midnight, we are home and headed to bed. we are exhausted. and we are full in so many ways. thank you for your prayers and support and care for us while we were away and when we arrived home. we are so looking forward to sharing our adventures.

love to all!

we have arrived!

2009-03-02T07:08:00.001-08:00

oh tanzania! there is so much to love about this place. today on our way back from market (our first experience), we were riding in the car with esther and amos, bumping along the road listening to the church choir sing swahili, and i couldn't stop smiling. it was exactly where i wanted to be. even after just two days of being with these people, already my heart remains here. hmmm. today has been a good day.

there have been several posts on the lahash blog, so, check them out.

wish you were here!

(i am having trouble with uploading pictures, so, will continue trying with that.)

onward

2009-02-25T05:38:00.001-08:00

mental checklist:

house guests arranged
keys delivered to neighbors
sheets washed
bags packed
asher in sling

check.

it is hard to believe the day has come. and yet, this is what we have been waiting for for five years. i feel like it would take novels to write about how we got here, what it looks like while we are away, where our hearts are at. i think prayer will suffice:

please pray for our team: we are thrilled to travel with dan, and jim and annette. all of them have such hearts for who will be spending our days with, as well as deep hearts that desire to see God move and show up and amaze. please pray for unity, for health, for communication between a very unique, and different, group than has ever travelled before.
please pray for perspective: that we would faithfully seek God's perspective in EVERY situation - travel, health, sleep, days, time, opportunities with families we stay with, circumstances casey will be documenting, friendships we will make, expectations we need to die to.
flexibility: we have very unique needs on this trip. a small toddler. health. rare and sometimes instant opportunities to catch on film. pray that we will take things as they come. that we will have no expectation of how things can, should or would go. that we will allow God to direct our paths, our thoughts, and our attitudes.
sleep: this one is the most tangible, and felt, request. please pray specifically for asher that he would have peace and rest and calm. that he would supernaturally have the ability to sleep ANYWHERE and at anytime. and that, as his parents, casey and i will have creativity, huge amounts of patience and grace, and wisdom in how to help our little boy. what a gift that he gets to travel with us.
and what a blessing that we get to do this as a family. as we take that blessing, may God supernaturally surpass the extra details that involves.

our primary mode of communication will be the blog, so, check back often. we will update as often as we can, which, we have no idea what that looks like right now. we will also be blogging here. thank you for your prayers. thank you for your support and encouragement and care. thank you for carrying us on the wings of your prayers. until tanzania, friends :)

thank you, gramma

2009-02-22T14:24:00.000-08:00

casey and i made time to go to gramma (aka daubin) and bumpa's house this weekend for a quick farewell before we take off on our trip. sunnyside is restful for so many reasons, and we needed a little reprieve. along with resting, asher had his first official haircut. looking at the before pictures, i now completely agree it was time, and necessary. he does not wear long hair as well as his father. i even think he feels lighter :) so, thanks gramma. thanks for paying, thanks for providing distraction, and thanks for the touch ups after the wrestling match at the salon.

before

after

bounty

2009-02-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

we return, along with our returned usb cord. thanks, mom and dad! i had to take a moment to record; i am absolutely giddy! promptly at noon, a nice young fellow delivered a huge box of fresh produce, thanks to the generosity of two great new friends. as i sit and look at the overflow of chard, turnips, pears, mushrooms and satsumas, i am quickly reminded of the abundance that God bestows on His kids. i feel as if casey and i are sitting smack in the middle of God's generous and overwhelming provision. it made me realize that i am not so quick with praise when jobs are in place and bills are easily met, and yet, we are no less in need of His provision. so, generous bestowers of the above bounty, thank you for not only filling our stomachs, thank you for joining in His provision for us.

picture hiatus

2009-01-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

i started to upload christmas fun to the blog this morning, and realized our USB cable is MIA. so, until it returns, there will, unfortunately, be a pause to the asher cuteness (insert deep sigh from grandparents). the good news: i think i know where it is......in texas.

the plan

2009-01-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

it's funny how things work out, isn't it?! armed only with the lone picture frame that sat on his desk and a hard drive full of work from the past three years, casey returned home today, marking the end to his job. had we discussed the possibility that he might lose his job before we were fully supported to work with lahash? yes. did we anticipate it would happen so quickly? no. the weekend provided much time to reflect on "what now, Lord" after casey found out on thursday about the company essentially closing their doors.

what now? that is the question we mulled over a MILLION times this weekend, possible scenerios of how to pay bills and unexpected things like a ghetto fabulous muffler with a GINORMOUS hole. what now as we are only around for five more weeks before leaving for three to tanzania? what now since we have only about an 1/8 of our total support raised?

as these questions flew at us, the place we always returned to, and continue to do so, is what is God's plan for these next months of inbetween? we so often try to arrange and negotiate what we think the future should look like, crowding out the space for God to do amazing things with those not so neat arrangements. so, as we sit in this place of mess and unknown, we are asking what God has for us in today, in the moment? what is HIS greater plan and how is that renegotiating what we do?

will you pray that we will be faithful with that? will you pray that God, by His divine direction, will provide full support if He is opening up a way for us to start with Lahash sooner than anticipated?

may we trust Him with the seen and the unseen.

white christmas, literally

2008-12-22T14:55:00.000-08:00

we have had quite the snow in portland. i continue to say "thank you, God" for our home and warmth and food. and, it makes me thankful for fun days with my family in the snow.

(just a foot or so on the hood of our car... no big deal :) )

(can you see how deep it is on the chair? that is from day one! )

it is a nice change from the rain.

what we did today

2008-12-14T20:53:00.000-08:00

not necessarily a winterwonderland, but white. and fun to stomp around in for a little while.

and, when indoors most of the day, dancing takes on a whole new meaning.

sometimes, i love being forced to stay in. to have no where to go, no appointments or agendas. i am very thankful for my family today. hope you are enjoying yours as well.

boo!

2008-12-09T09:10:00.000-08:00

christmas festivities are going up, and, along with that comes empty boxes, much to asher's delight! he managed to entertain himself, and us, with this box all afternoon.... it was lovely.

(again, with the lighting. bah!)

for those who want to actually see what he was doing.....

thanks giving

2008-11-26T14:15:00.000-08:00

thanks giving for:

sunshine and blue skies today
an adorable little boy
a four day weekend with my honey
time with family
my niece who turns three on saturday (and the other niece and 6 nephews of ours)
anything pumpkin (i cannot stop making pumpkin bread these days)
a warm and safe place i call home
a redeemer, who delights in setting me free

starting a day early, but wishing you much to be thankful for this weekend.

a fan!

2008-11-11T10:13:00.000-08:00

karen and andy came to visit, and, like all true mariner fans, they bestowed on asher a mariner's t-shirt. we so enjoyed our day with them yesterday, and, i know asher did too. oh to have days like that more often. we love you, bumpa and gramma. thanks for making the trip to portland, again and again and again!

14 months

2008-11-04T14:12:00.000-08:00

i almost cried. he brought me two bags of bread and a sack full of pears. and as he triumphantly handed over each one, nearly tripping over all of them and either squashing their contents or spilling them on the floor, i almost cried. he was helping me unload the groceries and he was SO excited to do so. i could not have gathered a sweeter moment, and i could not have been more thankful to be his mommy. i am enjoying his nearness today. these are things he woos me with these days:
* signs - after a wonderful visit from my roommate from college, rheagan, and her sweet little boy, jackson (um, LOVE YOU GUYS. thanks for coming!), asher picked up on the signs more, please, thank you, bite and all done (kind of). everything gets the sign please, which i simply cannot resist :) he waves bye bye and hello, and often accompanies those with words.
* he is a mover, and his favorite game is run run with daddy. nothing gets grins from that boy like some daddy interaction time.
* words - truck, tractor, milk, daddy, mama, shoe, sock, pear, bread, pop (for the toaster/toast), pig, puppy, bak bak (the sound a chicken makes), berry, bib, car, pumpkin, boo, papa, bumpa (we are still working on the grandma versions to both of these, but no worries, nannie and gramma, we practice OFTEN), cut (i think... he has a wooden food set), bye bye, hi, baby. of course, these are still somewhat indistinguishable, but, he is consistent, so, i think it counts. it is so fun to see him figure out how to communicate.
* asher loves music. he bounces to the ABC song magnet we have on the fridge (UPDATE: the magnet has seen its last days, due to one too many encounters with the tile floor... oops), he waves his arms and claps his hands while in the car. gosh, i just love it! and, we occasionally get a song from him, but those are few and far between.
* he enjoys food, a lot of it. he prefers any vegetable roasted, and we are still playing with seasonings, but, if you find something he likes, he LOVES it. he can consume as much bread, yogurt, eggs and cheese as a grown man, but his daddy still beats him in the milk department. asher will take no form of milk (aside from breastmilk, that is) - cow, goat, soy, rice. i have tried them all. i continue to experiment on this one.
* and, yes, he is still nursing twice a day. i am slowly gaining momentum on how to work that transition. (insert sigh here).
* he claps his hands and stamps his feet... on command, to a song, when he is truly excited about anything.
* the latest: he has started backing up into our laps to read stories. i just love to watch him come in with a book, turn around and slowly aim and fall into our laps. it makes me melt every time.

this truly is a fun and exciting stage... my favorite so far.

(a little disclaimer about the above pics: our neighbor gave asher a hot pepper costume for halloween, THANKS MEL, and, he has since enjoyed wearing the hat, OFTEN. it cracks me up to see him carrying on with it on his head.)

punkin patch

2008-10-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

not necessarily a success this year, picture wise. but i never get tired of hearing asher say "pu," arm and finger extended in the direction of any fall crop - pumpkin, squash, gourd,etc., or "tra" as the tractor circles the field during the hayride. our "fall" has been lovely, and late. i am so thankful for these days of clear, blue and crispness. they make the rains soon to come easier to bear.

little helper

2008-10-28T09:48:00.001-07:00

there are those moments of triumph as a mother. moments when the calm of just being together rises above the fussiness and colds and grumpiness. this was one of those moments. it was so fun to have asher sit with me; to have him bang on the electric teapot with a wooden spoon; to have him sit quietly and try to put the bottle pieces together; to have him near me, just content with that. it makes me think of jenny, and her moment. these are the moments worth savoring.

call & response

2008-10-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

i have been learning through a series of events and thought processes that i need to use my voice. not just for speaking, but for speaking out. it is important.

this documentary, call & response, is a feature length film documenting the human trafficking that is going on ALL over our world. staggering statistics like "slave trade within the past year has made more money than nike or google combined," or "there are more slaves today than any other time in history" are what this film is all about.

i am speaking out. take a look at their website (click here). and, then, if you find it as compelling as i do, go see it.

thank you!

2008-10-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

to our dear friend, rosemarie - who is currently spending her next 7 days in liberia; who continually offers her skill and passion for photography to benefit our family photo archives - thank you. i absolutely love these!

steps

2008-10-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

this was one of those weekends you cherish - slow restful days filled with not much schedule and lots of rest. we had lots of time to just be together and enjoy our now well, and happy, little boy. today asher made great progress in walking, and for most of the day, taking steps was his preferred mode of travel. still lots of up and down, but he is determined. i just LOVE watching him toddle. here is a little taste for you, too.

and, because i love his excitement in this one (although short and poorly shot).

the culmination

2008-09-29T09:39:00.001-07:00

casey and i have been married for five years. for five years, a passion for missions, other cultures and a desire to get involved on a daily basis has pursued our hearts, sometimes with direction, and sometimes with just longing. after several closed doors and much much prayer, God has truly opened up his best for us. we are now officially staff of lahash international, a grassroots organization based out of portland that works with east african partners.

a bit of the story. dan, the director of lahash, went to jbu with us in arkansas (the connection). dan grew up in kenya as a missionary kid, and after college returned "home" and established several relationships on that trip. out of that birthed lahash - partnership with east africans in order to raise awareness for those they serve and provide opportunity for others to get involved. casey knew of opportunities to volunteer with lahash, but it was right before asher was born, and our attentions were focused elsewhere. after several months of parenting, casey pursued the opportunity to volunteer (the timing), which evolved into several conversations about more significant involvement, which leads us to where we are today. as we look at lahash and their mission and desires, and align those with our mission and desires,we see significant similarities, as well as ways for us to help and grow each other. wala!

in the eloquent words of my husband, "It is exciting to see that God is actualizing years of desire and prayer. It is humbling to see the hand of our Father working so intimately and specifically in our family. To see how He fits things together in His time and for His glory. We now get to focus our energy into one direction. It's funny how having your energy 'confined' can be freeing at the same time. We are excited for this new stage and for how God will challenge and mature us and those we get to be in relationship with."

so, thanks. thanks to all who have literally journeyed with us through this process. who have offered widsom and encouragement. who have witnessed our desires and held them dear. who have celebrated with us. we are grateful.

* if you want to hear more of the story, or are interested in future involvement, feel free to email me your address.

drum roll please!!

2008-09-28T19:39:00.000-07:00

asher officially stepped into the world of toddlers on wednesday when he decided to start walking. auntie annie witnessed his first steps, even before daddy came home. unfortunately, a bad cold and then an unfortunate ear infection has put a damper on his desire to be mobile (hence the lacking in pictures or videos). however, he is IN LOVE with his new truck from nannie and papa and pushes it around constantly. i love to be in another room and hear him riccoche off the walls as he moves to the part of the house i am in. thank you so much, mom and dad! during the nice days, it has absolutely saved our afternoons.

so, until we capture the steps on video, here is asher pushing his new favorite toy. yea for sunshine today and loads of vitamin D for a sick boy!

favorites

2008-09-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

i love the end of the day when it is bath time and then snuggle time before bed. there is something so sweet and fulfilling about our family being all together, taking the simple moments to enjoy just being. although i don't know if many people will find this video very interesting (aside from the grandparents), i could watch it over and over. beware... asher is in the tub. do not watch if you are offended by a slight show of nakedness.

the many faces of asher

2008-09-17T14:31:00.000-07:00

the "what, these clothes just appeared in my bed" face.

the "this is yummy, however, i could have done without the tomato seeds on my face" face. (for the full effect, click to enlarge.)

the "tv watchin'" face (he comes by it rightly.).

the classic face. i cannot get enough of this one!

and caleb makes five!

2008-09-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

that's right, folks. as of 3:30 this morning, caleb john-louis white joined the pack of boys on the white side (including caleb, there are five boy kiddos between my brothers and i). congratulations, garret and mandy. welcome, caleb. we love you already.

4 days and counting

2008-08-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

asher turns 1 on monday. i cannot believe he is a year old already, but isn't that what every parent says?! it really is true. it goes so quickly. here's to the big boy!

oh annie, i love you!

2008-08-21T22:15:00.000-07:00

my sister-in-law, annie, has launched a photography business (click here to see her work), and i couldn't be happier. her business means that i often get adorable pictures of asher, just by hanging out with her. she took some time with our family while we were on vacation last weekend to take some 1 year pictures of asher. although they have the watermark on them, you still get to see the big boy. and a big boy he is! thank you annie!!

more about the weekend later.

memories

2008-08-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

i usually say safety first, but this required picture first. he is a quick one!
mom, here's to old times!

"um.... i'm helping?!"

too much

2008-08-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

i have no words this evening. i only have pictures.

yeah for friends. we love you, tom and kathy. thanks for taking the time to come visit over the 4th of july.

asher's alternative to crawling in the grass. he doesn't like the grass on his knees.... at all.

and yea for sunnyside, washington and gramma and bumpa's house. how we heart thee.

just because

2008-07-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

i feel like asher looks more and more like a little boy and less like a baby every day. here are just a few of our little boy these days. asher and i are off to gramma and bumpa's house (casey's parents) today. we are both looking forward to some time with them.

enjoy your day!

june '08

2008-07-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

let's see if i can give a run down of june.

asher started crawling. as that was the last post we made, i am sure you have seen the video.

asher started pulling up in his bed. these days, that is the norm, and not just in his bed. this is what we find in the morning and after every nap, although, the smile is just for the camera, folks. we have progressed from the stage of trepidation as he teeters shakily and almost allows gouges out his eye to confidently pulling up on anything heavier than he and maneuvering to the other side of it.

his and hers birthdays. i celebrated my birthday on the 13th, and casey's quickly followed on the 19th. not only did our good friends peter and heather come and stay with asher so casey and i could go out for a rare, oh so coveted dinner out (and, if interested, we went for cuban... yum, yum, and more yum), i got to have a ride on their scooter. i couldn't stop giggling. thanks peter and heather... seriously, it is such a big deal. for casey's birthday, asher and i met casey for lunch and a picnic in the park. and, then, on saturday, two days after his actual day, karen and andy stayed with asher while casey and i went to a late movie. we got popcorn and watched the next narnia movie. it is amazing the simple things you enjoy, like movies and popcorn and scooter rides. we both felt celebrated and enjoyed some time for just the two of us.

and, our first virus rounded out the month. after three days of a healthy fever (accompanied by "mild" grumpiness), asher broke out in a full body rash. poor little man. we had plans the weekend he got sick, but instead of going away, we all just laid low and took long naps (it also happened to be the hottest weekend yet. without air conditioning, that was a big deal.). he fared quite well, and it gave casey and i a little confidence. poor baby.

embarrassed

2008-07-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

oh how embarrassing. does the post before really read june 9? has it been over a month. i must say, i blame the majority of the silence on the fact that our internet has been down almost a month. stories, if not as many pictures, to follow.

love to all.

off and....

2008-06-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

not running, but crawling. what a big boy!

celebrating

2008-06-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

casey and i had our fifth wedding anniversary on the 26th, and, to celebrate, the three of us ventured up to the olympic peninsula and hung out in a cabin for four days. it was wonderful!! we spent a good bit of time outside, at the kitchen table (eating, and, whispering quietly so that asher wouldn't hear us in the adjoining room while he took his naps), reading, and just relaxing. here are a few pics from our weekend.

doesn't just looking at this cabin just make you want to slow down and relax?

just enjoying the sunshine from the porch.

asher spent a good bit of time in the moby while on our trip. he loves it in there, and, it lets him look around without getting into anything! (this lake was just down the path from our cabin.)

classic asher face... it just makes me smile!

to every season....

2008-05-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

i feel like all of a sudden, asher has decided to grow up. within the past week, his new "tricks" are limitless, including, but not limited to:
* pulling up to standing on the guest bed. he just grabbed on one day, and decided he wanted to look out the window. casey and i were both surprised. he gets so pleased with himself that he just starts giggling. i love it!
* going from his back, to his stomach, to sitting. again, surprised. but, he did it like he has been doing it forever.
* feeding himself bits of whatever from his tray. bread is still the easiest, but, he is getting the hang of other things.

he still refuses to crawl, but i kind of think he will go from pushing backwards while on his tummy to walking.

so, with all these milestones, i begin to think "is he already nine months old?!" i am asking the question of what it looks like to be present in every day. present in the season of having a cold and perhaps not such a great attitude, while still having a baby who desires to discover new things. present in the busyness of life and still taking time for the simple moments. present with my husband even though the bed and sleep call loudly from the other room. present as a friend to those whose schedules bend more easily than ours. hmmmmm.... what does that look like exactly?!

get a load of this do...

2008-05-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

i can't write long, but, i could not help but document this moment. i mean, how cute is that?! i remain unconcerned, however, as, his daddy's hair was just like this as a kid, and, look at his hair now!!!

asher and i are off to the zoo.
the sun has come out and brought with it warmth. these water-logged and bleary-eyed portlanders are going out to dry. (the last picture is of our first dinner, al fresco, on the patio casey made. well done, casey diaz. i am looking forward to many more evenings of the same.)

enjoy your day.

RISE

2008-04-25T08:55:00.003-07:00

casey and i live in a corner of the country where all things are considered, everything is scrutinized and thoroughly debated. and, although there are times i wish i didn't have to think about the produce i bought and where it came from, or the tshirt i "splurged" on that was possibly manufactured who knows where by whom, i am thankful for the way it challenges me to think about things. to think about things and the way my life, even in its small way, affects large scale situations. one of the things we have recently considered is the stimulus plan and the rebate we will all be receiving within the next month, and possibly monday at the soonest. although there are about 101 ways we could use the money, and wisely i think, casey and i have decided to give that money away. it has been a process of conversations and getting informed.

we would encourage you to check out this website called RISE. a person from our church has been very involved in getting it running, and, i so appreciate their mission of informing people and encouraging thought. of the many statements they make, this is one:

"By all means, those who need the rebate should spend the money to help meet their family’s needs. However, not everyone who will receive a rebate needs the money. Those who are blessed with education, health and financial means have an almost unprecedented opportunity to use the rebate windfall to assist those who have none of those things."

so, today we challenge you. should you not need the money, perhaps consider donating it to someone who does.

sidenote: RISE does not take donations or contributions. it simply exists to help people think through the stimulus packages and ideas of how they could be used.

when do you clean your fridge....

2008-04-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

if you never move? this is a question i asked myself this morning while peering into my freezer, seeing an unknown "something" frozen to the bottom of the freezer door. perhaps it was that package of spinach that thawed and then refroze on accident??? for the first time in the history of our marriage, casey and i are celebrating the one year anniversary of being in the same place, and, plan on staying for a while. it is the first time we will have an address for more than one year, allowing other people the chance to write our address in their book in pen and not pencil. and, it is the first year that the cleaning of the fridge (if it gets to number one on the priority list) is an elective choice and not something mandated by the property management company.

we are so thankful for our home. we are thankful for a place to be and grow and welcome others into. if you find yourself in the northwest, please come stay. we would love to have you.

it begins

2008-04-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

as of yesterday, we arrived in the land of teeth. that's right, asher's first tooth appeared ever so slightly yesterday, as did his grumpy pants, but we won't talk about that. soon, gone will be the days of the adorable toothless grin.

the picture is a bit blurry, but, gosh, what a beautiful day it was!!

friends

2008-04-09T09:51:00.000-07:00

ah, old friends. there is something so comforting about being surrounded by friendships that have stood the test of time. all i can say is thank you, phyllis, amy, and ben for making the trip to come see us. thank you for making the week you were here feel like home. (and, selfishly, thank you for providing a break from our sabbatical of not eating out. oh eating out, how i miss thee.)

ben is twelve days older than asher, and, should asher have decided to appear into the world on his due date, they would share a birthday. i am always astounded how different each baby is. ben, you absolutely crack me up. thanks for hanging with us, buddy.

nanny burcaw and asher time.

in the meantime...

2008-04-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

our internet has been down and there is so much to catch up on... a visit with very close friends from texas, a visit from my parents, asher's first easter, and a few weeks of pictures.

but, in the meantime, here is something for the grandmas.

do you see the theme?!

it's the simple things in life...

2008-03-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

foreshadowing

2008-03-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

of months to come.

half birthday

2008-03-05T07:57:00.001-08:00

Hi, my name is casey john, i mean asher john. casey is my dad, and, my mom thinks i look more like him all the time. i had my half birthday on saturday, which means i am becoming a big boy. i sit up all by myself, and can even keep from falling down, sometimes. i tried out the johnny jump up yesterday, and, although i don't quite get why i am suspended from the door frame, i sure do like to twist around and look at things. i think it could be a lot of fun to sit in it more. i don't really like to roll over, which is nice because my mom thinks that once i start moving, i won't stop. i really like it when my daddy comes home from work. we get to play and i show him how i can use my voice and squeal. my daddy sings me songs when i go to bed, which i really like. he is a really good singer.

it is fun getting older. i recommend it.

prayers

2008-03-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

our church has compiled several prayers to reflect on during lent this year. this one strikes me. it moves me.

"i worship you, Lord; i bless you, God the Good; i beg you, Most Holy; i fall down before you, Lover of humankind.
I give you glory, O Christ, because you, the Only Begotten, the lord of all things, who alone are without sin, gave yourself to die for me, a sinner unworthy of such a blessing: you died the death of the cross to free my sinful soul from the bonds of sin.
What shall i give you, Lord, in return for all this kindness?
Glory to you for your love.
Glory to you for your mercy.

St. Ephraim of Syria (306-373)

words

2008-02-29T08:34:00.000-08:00

asher has been trying so hard this past week to make "words" with his mouth. on this day, it was "ba." a few other favorites: ha and ga.

the essence...

2008-02-27T09:45:00.000-08:00

... of saturdays. lazy breakfasts, pajamas until noon (at least), time with daddy, time with daddy, time with daddy.

i love this last picture. asher is into doing funny things with his face these days.

one of those days

2008-02-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

as i munch too easily on caramel corn while i make this post (and, i must applaud my husband. at 10 p.m. last night, he allowed me to not only make caramel corn, but to make it for the first time, and, to make it in the microwave. what a patient soul he is.), i sigh. it has been one of those days - those days where i am ready to call it a day, ready to indulge on the tiniest bit of wine, curl up with my honey and enjoy a brainless movie. asher has not napped well. which means he makes this terrible, i mean adorable, noise constantly, mostly a whine, letting me know he has not napped well. he also decided to pee the bed, his clothes, his socks, his new, clean diaper, and the quilt where we change his diaper today. sigh.

but, amidst my tired soul today, this is what i remember: after peeing the bed, asher starts to giggle. perhaps at my sigh, perhaps at my clumsy attempt at trying to keep the "shower" off of anything salvageable, perhaps at the sheer joy of using the bathroom without a diaper on. and, that made me smile, and remember to take his too adorable picture.

i remember how sweet he was being while i tried to capture him sitting up like a big boy. no matter how many times he fell backwards, he always was willing to allow me to prop him up just one more time, and would eek out a grin.

i remember how quietly he sat in my lap, contentedly munching on the camera strap, while i reviewed the pics of the day.

it is these moments that make me say "yes, i love being a mama. let's do it again tomorrow."

perspective

2008-02-22T13:14:00.000-08:00

i distinctly remember, around the age of 16 or so, visiting my neighbors house to say hello. my neighbor had a little girl about the age of 2, and, they were making cookies. the little girl was fully engaged in the process, and, when the recipe called for the eggs, instead of the egg making the bowl, it accidentally slipped from her hands and splatted on the floor. to a mildly OCD bent personality, i had to cover my mouth to protect the gasp from escaping. but what happened next has stayed with me for the past 11 years. instead of getting upset or frustrated, the mother handed the little girl another egg and proceeded to allow her to repeat that delightful experience of watching an egg splat on the floor, not ruining the tile or messying an already dirty floor, but encouraging the creativity in the mess. it was a learning experience that encouraged as opposed to stifled.

i cannot take credit for finding the following video (like i said, erin, blog worthy. thanks for passing this on.), however, i find it quite thought provoking, especially as a new mommy. watching it has inspired me to think differently about these early months with asher, but also to project that thought to the future and how i will encourage that.

ps. it is about 20 minutes long, so, i suggest watching during nap time.

for the grandmas

2008-02-17T19:59:00.001-08:00

this post will probably only appeal to the grandmas (where every small detail is anything but small). lately, when going to get asher from naps, instead of finding him in the same position we left him in - head facing the head of the bed, feet correspondingly facing the foot of the bed - we happen upon this:

i am unclear as to how, or why, he rotates this way, but, apparently he is quite fond of it since after every nap, we find him this way. without a doubt, a cheesy smile always accompanies our discovery, almost as if to say "look what i can do, mom/dad. i moved."

ahhhhh... (relaxing sigh)

2008-02-17T19:22:00.000-08:00

the weekend. as i type, i hear casey enjoying the last few moments with asher. the soft words spoken as he lays down in his crib, the occasional coos and giggles coming from the little boy whose desires to go to sleep and spend time with daddy conflict with each other. these are the days i relish, and covet. and what enjoyable days they have been. aside from enjoying the incredible sunshine we experienced all weekend (a rarity we portlanders crave), thought invoking conversations, simple floor time with asher, and accomplishing some to dos at the house rounded out the wonderful weekend. as we close off the day, i sigh contentedly. i have much to be thankful for. i feel challenged as an individual by the sermon we heard today. a sermon focused on reconciliation. a sermon encouraging us to not only seek reconciliation, but to take that a step further by living intentionally in neighborhoods of brokenness; by redistributing more than our resources, but our time, our lives. i feel thankful in my marriage for a man who invests so deeply with his time in our son and myself. a man who would much prefer to feed asher sweet potatoes than be anywhere else. i feel excitement for the future as casey and i continue to process about missions and our involvement in that. for the first time in our marriage, although there has been much conversation, i feel movement. and, although the movement has yet to be defined, i feel God is definitely defining, and refining, in us his purposes. may we continue to seek him humbly, with great passion for what He not only has in store for us in the tomorrow, but what he has in store for us today.

experimenting

2008-02-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

oh the land of solid food. in my opinion, it is truly the most entertaining of experiments.

confession

2008-02-15T09:57:00.000-08:00

i am a lazy blogger. i much prefer to scout out others' blogs than update my own. with the number of posts within the last month, this comes as no surprise to anyone, i am sure. lame, yes; helpful to the family that lives far away, no.

so, without further ado, an update for those that frequent our site (all of asher, of course).
we have a high chair that sits on the kitchen table where asher LOVES to sit. without a doubt his happiest place. he loves to watch us make dinner or just futz around the kitchen. he spends the majority of his time doing this.

one thing we continue to learn about asher is that he is going to be a mover, all the time. yesterday, this was exhibited by the progression of poses in his chair. i just couldn't help but document. for those of you concerned, no, he did not remain in this position, and yes, we are now strapping him in.

cousins

2008-02-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

i grew up with four cousins; that includes both sides of the family. we didn't live very close to any of them, but always managed to see them about once a year. needless to say, it was a rare, and coveted, treat to spend time with them.

asher, at the age of 5 months, has seven cousins. and that number will continue to grow.

which brings me to the real reason for this post: my brother, garret, and his wife, mandy, are pregnant!! she is due around september 9, which means their baby and asher will be almost exactly a year apart. who knows, maybe they will share a birthday. having recently just walked that road, we are so excited for you, garret and mandy, and for the joys, and blessings, that come along with children. as your family increases, may He continue to show you what it means to make your home a praise to him. we love you!

thoughts

2008-01-20T20:49:00.000-08:00

asher just wanted to share a few things he was thinking about.
(i really should learn not to take videos in the evening. sorry it is so dark.)

the maiden voyage

2008-01-19T15:35:00.000-08:00

i find myself saying that a lot these past few days. within the course of just today, we have left asher, awake (or awake when we left), for the first time (thank you, auntie jen, uncle keith, and cousins leah and kaya for taking such good care of our little man. thanks for letting him nap at your house) so we could go to a missions conference. or, part of it.

and, we tried yogurt! unfortunately, this is the only picture we got of asher excitedly anticipating this brand new experience.

the entire eating process maybe lasted five minutes, of which asher probably ate no more than a 1/2 teaspoon. but, i was impressed at how he started to "get it." during attempt number two, asher started to follow the spoon, understand it was supposed to go to his mouth, and even opened his mouth a few times. i continue to be amazed at how quickly babies learn. this brand new experience started to make sense after just a few tries. incredible...

the older asher gets, the more i hear and the more i see him looking like a schilperoort. i love that asher continues to look more like his daddy. case in point - his expression in this picture makes me think "classic schilperoort." one eye squinted shut, unable to bear the tartness of something without it influencing the facial muscles. i love it!

the fun can only last for so long. everything must come to an end. but, no worries; tomorrow....steak.

changes

2008-01-08T15:59:00.000-08:00

no matter what the day has held, or what time it is, who could be grumpy when what you find is this?!

which brings me to all the changes in asher these days.
we wake up happy, and quite content, to lay in our bed, quiet, sucking our thumb, looking at nothing inparticular, until mama comes to get us.
and waking up only occurs after a full nights sleep. and by full, i mean 12 hours. yes, casey and i understand this is rare; and yes, we RELISH it.

great pleasure is had in finding our toes, especially when they have socks covering them to tug on.

smiles, giggles, and gurgles. the other night, while doing the standard go-to-sleep routine, instead of nursing, asher looked up at me, got a huge cheesy smile on his face, and started laughing. i did not help the situation by cracking up, which sent us both into hysterics.

and everything goes in the mouth these days. socks, thumb, fingers, fists, thumb, toys, books, fingers, fists, did i mention his thumb.

standing. asher has expressed no interest in rolling over, but the minute you get him in a sitting position, he wants to stand. and, often, he finds this the best time to squeal.

he has taken to sitting on casey's lap during dinner, and following with his eyes much of the food to daddy's mouth. i sense food being introduced to asher's diet perhaps a little sooner than i anticipated.

casey and i comment regularly on what a sweet baby asher is. and, living up to his namesake, he continues to be quick to laugh. these days are very good. we consider ourselves extremely blessed.

a good laugh

2007-12-20T09:41:00.000-08:00

i hope this makes you laugh, and maybe cry a little bit. click here.

sweet and clean

2007-12-15T12:30:00.000-08:00

there is just no greater pleasure than a little time to splash in the water.

home again, home again...

2007-12-14T17:08:00.000-08:00

...jiggedy jig. my mom tends to say that quite often, whether returning from a trip to the store or a week's vacation. i am not quite sure what a jiggedy jig is exactly, but, if i did, i would have done one this afternoon. casey left on monday for a business trip, leaving asher and i to fend for ourselves this week. we spent a few nights with casey's sister and family and then headed home. we, meaning casey, asher and i, all faired well, but are glad to be together again.

i am thankful for my husband. i am thankful he takes such an active role in helping, and raising, asher. what a joy to share this journey with him. and, asher thinks he is real fun too (asher told me to say that, and i agree).

growing boy

2007-12-09T14:13:00.000-08:00

here are two fun videos (and, maybe you should think of them more as audio files) of the things asher is doing these days.

a little daddy time. casey is heading off to orlando for business tomorrow, so he is getting in as much asher time as he can (the dark figure above asher is casey, and, yes, the noises coming from the bed are asher's happy noises).

and this video requires no explanation... we LOVE to listen to him giggle (like casey mentions at the end of the video, sorry the quality is so bad).

little man

2007-12-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

my sister-in-law, annie, inspires me. no matter what is on her plate, or what her day holds, she always finds time for mini photo shoots of her two amazing boys. learning by example, i took the time today to snap away at asher. whether he was sleep deprived or just being compliant, he gave me a lot of cute smiles. what a sweetie!

counting my blessings

2007-11-27T15:25:00.000-08:00

to be thankful... what does that mean? good, ole merriam webster states it as "conscious of benefit received." on several occasions throughout the past two days (and although a few days delayed from actual thanksgiving), i have had specific opportunity to mention the things i am conscious of.

*family and community. the people that pour into our lives, and share it with us, make casey, asher, and i, better people. thank you, family/community/friends, for each being a part of that. thank you for being jesus to us. pictured here are bumpa and gramma with their little man. we devoured their hospitality and fussing over asher during the thanksgiving weekend. thank you, grandparents/parents, for much needed rest, and a date.

*my husband. watching him as a dad swells my heart to even greater capacities. i cherish him more than i ever have before.

*it goes without saying, we are thankful for asher. what an absolute gift. yea, i cannot sum it up better than that.
*motherhood. even though i have days i miss the freedom and spontaneity of not having a child, i feel as if i have found, and understand, more of myself.

no doubt, benefits received.

punkin patch

2007-11-06T10:19:00.001-08:00

while we were in texas, we went to the pumpkin patch, or more rightly named by my dad, the pumpkin pile. although no match for the places in oregon, we had a good time trying out all the different activities - hay ride, a giant tree house, a fish pond, and the teepees. below are some pics from the adventure.

aunt jaime lovin' on asher.

nanny and papa enjoying asher, and the hay ride.

my brother, bryan, with his two boys, alex and brendan, at the fish pond.

my nephew, alex, on the hay ride.

asher, taken a snooze in the hay. doesn't he look comfortable?!

uncle bryan and asher, hanging in the tree house.

alex and brendan, amidst the punkin pile.

brendan searching for that perfect pumpkin.

of course, after selecting that perfect pumpkin, uncle casey has to help carve the perfect face. this one included a pirate patch, pig nose, and teeth that cross. what a beauty.

beautiful chaos

2007-11-05T13:47:00.000-08:00

our family just returned from a trip to texas. a trip to texas always includes much eating of food that casey and i never prepare for ourselves, but do not mind making ourselves sick on when my mom makes it; three wonderful, and very energetic nephews; much visiting with friends; and very little sleep. this trip was no different, save for the fact that we now have a child thrown into the mix of that. from the pictures, you can see a certain trend - asher being held by his papa; asher being held by his nanny; asher being held by his aunt or uncle; asher being held by his cousins (i suppose there is also a trend in sitting in the recliner while holding him). it goes without saying that yesterday, the day after we came home, was a "special" day.

the beautiful thing about said chaos is that it is time spent with family. family is a thing taken so lightly, but is so irreplacable. asher is growing up in an environment rich with love and community and value built into it. i cherish the fact that asher has family here that instill that value into his life on a regular basis, and i cherish the times we spend in texas, although too few and far between, knowing that the same will be lavished upon him as well. they say it takes a village to raise a child, and i totally agree. i am just so thankful that the village surrounding our son includes those intimately connected in his life: his family.

namesake

2007-11-04T18:39:00.000-08:00

casey and i chose the name asher for several reasons:
a) well, it just sounded cool.
b) it meant happy and blessed.
c) it also meant "a boy quick to laugh."

casey shares a special bond with his dad, in that, they laugh together. usually, it is over something very insignificant, very likely something that isn't even funny except to the two of them. they both start laughing, and it quickly progresses into a high pitched chuckle, eyes almost squinted shut, and a few tears. casey really liked the idea of sharing that with our son as well.

and tonight, it happened. who knew that a wide smile and a simple "hu" from your sweet baby could make your heart flip over. casey and i were just spending some time with asher on the couch, and, i wish i could remember what made it happen, but all of a sudden, asher started laughing. from the hysterical laughter it sent me into, he knew we liked it and continued to do it. who knows if he will do it again any time soon, but you can count on the fact that we will try and try again. there is just nothing more fun than playing with your child.

carvnival

2007-10-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

every year, casey and i host a pumpkin carving party at our house (we are going on the long history of five years). each year has been in a new place, which keeps it interesting, and each year the guest list gets a little bit longer. on saturday we had much family and a few friends to help celebrate this year's 5th annual carvnival. our little pumpkin was awake for about 30 minutes, and then slept the entire party. i was a little disappointed that we couldn't show him off, but at least we were establishing good habits - sleeping through loud noises. casey once again carved the nicest looking pumpkin, as well as the pumpkin to welcome our guests for the party. this year's design - our address. having people in your home always seems to establish it as just that, home. all are invited to next year's event... perhaps then we will have more than a few people that actually carve.

in order: dad snuggling with asher before the party; my sister in law, annie, with her niece, johanna; our house lit up and full of people; long time family friend, serena, with our nephew, cade.

so many things - hello and goodbye

2007-10-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

i feel as if there are a slew of things that need to be posted to the blog - our final appointment with our midwives, casey completing the patio, tummy time, our fifth annual pumpkin carvnival. in order to catch up, i am going to attempt to make several posts, contingent upon a cooperative certain someone.

we had our final appointment last week thursday with our midwives. what a bittersweet moment. to some extent, i feel like we are saying goodbye to family. pamela, kate, and stephanie invested in our lives so heavily for the last 11 months, providing support, wisdom, care and concern. it was so much more than just appointments when we would see them; it was a relationship. with final goodbyes being said and hugs given, i am so glad they are not far away and maintain a very open door policy. many many thanks and much love to all three of you.

and, through the encouragement of one of our midwives, asher had his first tummy time the other evening. as you can see, he thoroughly enjoyed it. and, i think daddy did too.

Sesame Street - Buffy Nurses Cody

2007-10-19T20:26:00.001-07:00

oh my goodness, this is just amazing. thanks, jenny, for passing this on. it is just nice.
enjoy!!

here's looking at you

2007-10-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

there is a reason casey takes video and i do not. the camera continues to get closer and closer to asher's face, but, at least you get to see some smiles.

smiles

2007-10-12T13:31:00.001-07:00

this is the attempt at capturing asher's smile. he definitely enjoys giving mama smiles these days.

and, casey and i's favorite thing to say: "what a sweet boy."

distracted

2007-10-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

let me start by saying that it is winter here. casey would categorize it as fall, but to my constantly frigid feet and hands, it is winter. today, asher and i made an outing to a bead store. remember that we live in portland, and bead stores are filled with creative and interesting people, of which i sometimes desperately try to be a part of. while trying to look like i belonged in this place, in walks a man with quite the interesting get up. it was while i was scrutinizing his sweater, shorts, extremely puffy socks, and teva sandals, and thinking to myself "bad choice.... socks with sandals," that i looked down at my own feet. teal wool socks, brown flip flops. you see, we have wood floors in our house, and in order to try and combat the chill, i "sometimes" slip on flip flops over my socks. perhaps socks and flip flops is my attempt at being creative. needless to say, between fully equipped diaper bags, a small, and growing chubby, little boy, cell phone, keys, and sanity, i occasionally get distracted. good thing motherhood is increasing my sense of humor.

moving on... we spent the weekend in sunnyside, washington, where casey's parents live. it was his grandpa's 85th birthday, so the large schilperoort clan assembled to celebrate. it was really fun to hang out with casey's aunts, uncles and cousins, show asher off, and, meet some of grandpa's siblings. i just love the history of big families, and coming from a small family, eat up the schilperoort heritage. i just love it! following are some pictures from the weekend. in order: my nephew cade, and my niece, leah, pretending to be farmers; auntie abbe reading with nephew, callum; asher taking a snooze in grandma's wagon at the big schilperoort lunch; asher giving auntie annie a typical schilperoort lopsided smirk.

random

2007-10-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

on sunday, kevin and annie, and cade and callum, came over and had dinner with us. it was soo fun to spend time with them and catch up a little bit. we had such a good time watching cade and callum interact with asher, and to get a glimpse into a day in the life of having boys. we just enjoy the boys so much, and cannot wait (although, i am sure i will recant this statement in the future at some time or other) when asher is older and up and running. if you want to see more pictures, go to kevin and annie's site... she is sooo much better at taking and posting pictures than i.

ah, bath time. asher just loves it. we bathe him in the kitchen sink, and he will just lie there and look up at you contentedly. it is really cute when he gets his legs going.

to the moon and back

2007-09-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

i have never cried while reading a children's book before. the depth of the words, the wonder of what they actually mean in relation to having a child, have never struck me. i have always seen stories as just that. i have read their words to nieces and nephews without much emotion or understanding... without connection.

and that all changed this morning. while reading a story to asher this morning, i couldn't finish the last page, because, as he intently looked at my face, all trust and innocence, i understood what it meant to love a child to the moon and back. and it made me cry. i understood that no matter where life took him, or what it offered, i would love him to my greatest capacity. and perhaps it is this love that allows me to bear the days of ceaseless crying, the hours in the night i wake up to feed him, the years we will struggle with independence and strong wills, the tragedies that will inevitably come his/our way. somehow to the moon and back does not seem so hard to attain.

firsts

2007-09-27T10:43:00.001-07:00

it is amazing to think that casey and i get to witness all of these firsts for asher. he spends his entire day doing something, or discovering something, new, and we get to stand by and enjoy. for instance, his first time to sneeze five times in a row or to find the mobile hanging over his bed, or, to look at his mama's face and eek out a precious little grin (he keeps catching me off guard, so i have yet to have my camera ready to document).

and, casey and i experienced a first last night as well.... eating out as a threesome. for those that talk to us frequently, or know us well, you know that we have a love for eating out. it is the ultimate in date for the two of us, and, provides such great conversation. so, with a little fear and trepidation at how the evening would turn out, we took asher with us for dinner at the kennedy school. casey wore asher the entire meal, and he slept contentedly on daddy while he enjoyed his bleu cheese burger. we felt like we had triumphed yet another aspect of parenthood, incorporating our child into the things we like to do. i must say we are enjoying having another member to our family.

on another note, these pictures are of asher helping me with the laundry. as you can see, he doesn't like to help mama with the laundry. :)

soothie

2007-09-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

asher's new found soothie: his very own thumb. he found it a few times on tuesday during the day, and we have tried to help him find it, but he has a hard time actually extending his thumb unless he does it on his own. but, again today, we were able to document asher sucking his thumb. what a brilliant boy!

thank you

2007-09-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

these are the three beautiful and wonderful women (from left to right: kate, stephanie, and pamela) that were our midwives, coaches, teachers and mentors for the last nine (but lets face it, it is really ten) months. it was so wonderful to be in an environment that encouraged questions, valued our opinion, and sought to guide us in a very healthy and successful pregnancy. pamela was the nurturer, kate the the humor and expert on medical procedures, stephanie the most attentive and kind apprentice. i am so greatful to each of you... you instilled confidence in myself and empowered casey and i in this whole process. thank you for caring and for loving on us. it was an honor.

and for those that are curious, these are a few pics of the birthing center. it was this wonderful old house in SE portland. it felt like home every time we walked through its doors.

patchy

2007-09-17T15:42:00.000-07:00

this is a video of asher playing with his favorite toy, Patchy the Patchwork Puppy. thank you joel and naomie for this wonderful distraction as we change asher's diaper or give him a little quiet, alone time on the couch.

my boys

2007-09-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

as i was nursing this morning, i was enthralled with the idea of having not just one boy in my house, but two. the thought "i love that God blessed us with a boy" ran through my mind as asher took a big gulp and then coughed, followed promptly by a loud fart. he continued to "sing" as i burped him. i love that i approach changing his diaper in fear, never knowing if i will get him changed before he beats me to the punch and showers our couch for the hundredth time (no worries, i have invested in a cleaning solution). and, not only will i be able to tease and pester my honey, i now get the privilege of pestering our little buddy.
what a joy to be surrounded by my boys.

candy

2007-09-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

don't you just want to eat him.... or is it just me?!
(p.s., if you click on the pictures, they get bigger.)

nap time

2007-09-08T17:52:00.001-07:00

a little video treat for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LQOLLe-eXc
sometimes i wish i had the luxury of waking up like that.

freedom

2007-09-08T10:06:00.001-07:00

asher enjoys sleeping with his arms and legs free... as evidenced by the following picture. casey said i am never allowed to put those "leg warmers" on our son again, but i think they are kind of cute. and, quite practical, if i have a say. one of my favorite things is to watch asher wake up. his arms start to flail or his fingers end up in his mouth. soo cute.

stripes!!

2007-09-04T21:29:00.001-07:00

introducing: Asher John Schilperoort
Born Saturday, September 1, at 12:46 p.m.
7 lbs, 14 oz., 20 inches long.

he is delicious!

ps. we now have internet at our place, so, this will be updated way more frequently. sorry for the delay.