Sophia's 3rd Birthday

Well, what flavor are we getting?

Dear loved ones,

Well...the ultrasound showed, to the best of its ability, that we are having a beautiful and healthy baby....girl! We are both overjoyed and sad at the same time. Our hopes had gone the way of a boy but the Lord has decided to bless us with another girl. We trust our heavenly Father and know that he is the one designing our family and not us...what a relief. So while we are rejoicing over the knowledge of this precious little pink new life, we are also mourning the death of a hope. What strange emotions. We would be so grateful for your prayers and/or simple words of congratulations, but ask that you refrain from any “clever” comments, as our hearts are still tender and we don't want to be tempted to bop anyone in the nose. :-)

Thank you for both rejoicing with us and giving us time to process what we are now in the habit of calling our “stupid human thinking”.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Ric and Jenna

Things I wonder about...

Last night, we were preparing for a class session that Jenna was going to teach the 1st & 2nd-graders at our kids' Home-Education Co-Op, which happens once-a-week on Thursday mornings. So when the check-out lady at Stater Brothers asked why we were purchasing dry lima beans, plastic cups and sundry other items, I told her that Jenna was "teaching a class tomorrow." She then lauded Jenna for being a teacher, and seemed to have an instant boost in respect toward Jenna... I can only assume it's because she assumed that Jenna was a public school teacher... Is that presumptuous? I only wonder, because earlier that day she got almost the same treatment (plus a discount!) at another store earlier that day, after she said she was "teaching a class."

I wonder if she would have received the same displays of respect and admiration if she revealed that she was a "keeper-of-the-home?" Recently I saw a friend (also a "home-keeper") list her job description as "CEO of Household Operations and Student Development." How cool is that!

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Also, when we announced to friends that we were expecting our 5th child, some of them carelessly said something like, "Don't you know how this whole thing works?"

Listen. I'm 40 years old. I've been procreating, off-and-on, for the last 13 years. What do you take me for? Just because we don't subscribe to the "Boy for me and a girl for you and praise-the-Lord, we're finally through" line of thinking, does that imply that we're not capable of making thoughtful decisions about the size of our family?

Anyway, just thought I'd rant for a while. Thanks for reading. :-)

More Disneyland Pix

Our visit with family in the Arizona desert

Visiting Ric's brother Dave in Lake Havasu and his Dad in Kingman, AZ

Chloë wants to fly....?

Around the dinner table last night, we asked the kids what they'd like to learn to do as they got older. Chloë, without hesitation, said "I want to learn to fly. But not like in an airplane."

Daddy says, "You mean, like in a hang-glider?"

Chloë replies, "No, like a bird! Just spread my arms or wings and FLY!"

Well, I think THIS is what she had in mind. Looks like FUN!! WOW!!!

Sophia on the Trampoline

(Click the title for a bigger size)



(Background song is "Rainy Weather Friend" by David Mead)

Visiting the tide pools at Point Loma...