Jun
11
misc hello
Filed Under emily, hannah, happiness, thoughts, weather | Leave a Comment
Another beautiful day in the Caribbean! Over the past several weeks, I’ve been saying that to myself at least once a day while looking out over the ocean from our patio. The weather has become a bit warmer during the day, but it usually cools down as the sun ducks behind Mt. Scenery. The clouds are starting to produce a bit of lightning and thunder. The sky, ocean, and view are just breathtaking! I still find it hard to believe I live in the Caribbean. I’ve certainly become accustomed to this simple, slow-paced lifestyle in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It will be hard to leave.
This semester has certainly taken its toll on me so far . . . and I’m only five weeks into it. I’m completely overwhelmed by two of my classes . . . Pathology and Pharmacology. The good thing is that Emily has dedicated herself to helping me learn the endless list of drugs, their applications, side effects, and all the other minutia required by the curriculum. I’ve really enjoyed having her help me study. It reminds me of when we worked at our wedding gown store together. I love spending time with my wife! Anyway, it’s really been helping me remember the drugs as I have someone to which I can explain the mechanisms etc. Studying with her has also freed up a bit of my time as my studying has become more efficient.
Hannah is growing faster than ever! She’s about 10.5 months old. She’s got two teeth visible on the bottom, and two on the top that have recently broken the surface. They’re not quite visible without close inspection. She’s not yet walking . . . but she’s getting close. She pulls herself up on anything she crawls up to . . . the couch, chairs, the wall, and even our sliding glass door. (That’s one of my favorites!) When she pulls herself up to the chairs around the table, she likes to yank on them and move them around. She doesn’t move them very far, but she gets the most triumphant look on her face . . . kinda like, “Look Dad, I’ve just moved the house!” She’s added so much joy and depth to our lives. I can’t imagine not having her in our family.
Well, that’s about all the free time I have today. From the Caribbean . . . smile!
Mar
13
desire for life
Filed Under emily, hannah, happiness, life, marriage, trials, weather | Leave a Comment
Today was overcast and a bit rainy. Not enough rain to do much in the way of filling our cistern, but enough to moisten the ground. I love the post rain smell – it reminds me of a song I used to sing in primary talking about being as clean as Earth right after rain. Of course, I was only able to enjoy the smell a few minutes today as I was sitting in a dark air conditioned classroom from 10:15 am to 6:00 pm. However, when I arrived home the weather was quiet, calm, and relaxing. The clouds were hanging low and there was a stillness in the air.
I just came inside from our patio. I was looking out into the calm darkness over the ocean. I was letting the dogs out to do their business and was hugging Emily while I waited. I said to her, “I want to go and wake Hannah.” This often happens when we’ve been looking at pictures of her while she is sleeping. I haven’t seen her since leaving for school this morning. She’s been such a joy. She’s kind of like Seinfeld – he ended his TV series at the pinnacle of his success. Hannah has the same kind of timing – she knows when to exit stage left (go to sleep). We are always wanting more.
This brings me to another thought I was having while talking about Hannah. Emily and I will be married 10 years this July. Time has passed very quickly. We’ve had many great times as well as our share of challenges. One of the largest challenges we’ve dealt with is the inability to have children for the first seven plus years of our marriage. Many people we’ve met through the years are surprised infertility could pose any kind of difficulty. In fact, we were sitting in a Sunday school class a while ago discussing challenges in marriages. Emily mentioned the inability to have children, and nearly every person in the room seemed shocked it could pose any difficulty in a marriage. We’ve experienced many shades of emotion through the years – anger, frustration, faith, despondency, hope, and resignation being a few. When we found out Emily was pregnant, the emotions moved in like a summer thunderstorm. (Actually, they moved in a bit before but that’s a story for another day.) We had wanted a child so much for so long – it was finally a potential reality. I think that’s one of the greatest contributors to our view of parenthood. We wanted it for so long – it had the chance to grow deep roots into our hearts. Hannah’s birth was another burst of emotion. The first time we heard her cry was truly a special moment I will never forget.
Well, post number two is in the bag. Life is good. Enjoy it while you’re here.