Glimpses of Beauty

The Home Stretch

2011-08-21T21:23:00.003-06:00

I can't believe it's almost been one year since I began my CPE Residency journey. I've made it to the home stretch, one week to go. Hopefully then I will have and make time to blog again. It's been quite the journey. I'm exhausted, excited, sad, and thrilled to be finishing up. I promised God one year of residency, now I'm wondering what HE has for me next. Soon I'll know, or at least continue on this journey that's ahead of me.

Summer Fun

2011-07-06T19:47:00.004-06:00

Chris and I recently returned from the Dominican Republic where we celebrated our 6th anniversary (1 week early) and also celebrated our friend's Jason and Stephani's wedding on June 10, 2011.
It was a beautiful beach wedding in Puerto Plata, DR. It was a fun week of gathering with old college friends, telling stories, laughing, lounging, and simply having a good time. While we were there we went to the 27 Falls National Park, and hiked up to the top of the falls and then jumped and slided down to the bottom. It was so much fun!! Definitely one of the ways I love to vacation.

While we were there we also got to meet up with our friend Jessica Ensing, who is now teaching English at a Christian School in Jarabaoca, DR. The picture below was taken at Jimenoa Falls 2. We had a great time meeting up with Jess and learning about the many awesome things God is doing in her life. I feel like it's rare that I get the chance to see how God has been at work in the lives of my former youth group students as they have gone off to college, graduated, and taken new adventures in their lives. I am blessed to continue to have Jessica in my life and see how God is using her to touch the lives of others.
It was definitely an adventure for Chris and I to get to Jarabaoca to see Jess. It was a 2.5 hour bus and taxi ride from Puerto Plata, and our Spanish was a bit rusty! But thankfully we made it and felt like we really got a chance to see the country side of the Dominican Republic... something we didn't really get to see while staying in Puerto Plata.

All in all we had a fun adventure together. It was the first time we had left Malia with her Grandma Nelson, and Great grandma Yuriko, but even she had a fun mini vacation at home without mom and dad. It was great to get away, but we sure missed Malia!

So now we are home. No major trips planned for the remainder of the summer. I have two months left of my CPE residency so I continue to pray that God will keep me going strong so I can finish well. It's been a crazy but rewarding year in many ways. Obviously I have not blogged much about it... hmmm... between motherhood, and full time work, it has been a tough year. God has given me a lot of insight as to the direction of ministy He is calling me, and I've learned a lot about myself in the process. But I'll save those thoughts for another day!

Malia's Room

2011-01-13T17:22:00.002-07:00

We finally finished decorating Malia's bedroom. At lest for the most part... we still have to paint over the white spots that we covered some holes with... and then we'll be done! But in the meantime Malia loves the look of her room and so do we! We had so much fun decorating it and we were so thankful that Uncle Andrew could help us finish painting!

CPE Residency

2010-09-09T21:17:00.005-06:00

I am officially a Chaplain Resident at the Penrose - St. Francis Health System. That means I'm a chaplain at Penrose Hospital (pictured below) and at St. Francis Medical Center. So far my first week of work has been filled with orientation and lots of technical things that come with training in a new facility. Next week I will be on rotations and able to visit with patients again, which I am very excited about!

Beginning this new job has been both exciting and somewhat sad. Exciting because it's a ministry that I love, but sad because I no longer spend my days playing with Malia. Thankfully we are all adjusting to this new time. Malia has done amazing at our friend Bridget's house (she spends four days a week there) and she had a great first day at the Hope Academy Montessori School (one day a week). When I picked her up from Hope Academy the teacher told me she did great and was so happy throughout the day. Before we left she was already making new friends and sharing the book she had in front of her with another little kid. The picture below is Malia sitting at the table in her little chair.

I definitely had a much harder time leaving her at the school than she had with us leaving. When we left she was already climbing on the stair structure and exploring the new things around her. Although she's doing great, I think it will still take her a little time to fully adjust. In September my rotation time is from 1:00pm - 9:30pm at St. Francis Medical Center, so I'm thankful that I will be able to spend the mornings with Malia, but sad that I won't be home for her bedtime. Chris has already said they will come eat at the hospital cafeteria with me for dinner some evenings! So I'm already looking forward to those evenings.

I really feel blessed to be starting this year of residency. I know there will be tough moments both in the ministry and in adjustments to my home life, but I feel confident that this is where God desires me to be. I am thankful for all He has done to get me this far, and pray He will continue to strengthen me, lead me, and even carry me in my weaknesses. I know God will show me amazing things during this year of residency.

Malia's Ouwie

2010-08-26T08:27:00.003-06:00

On Tuesday Malia took her first bad fall. She was at our friends house playing with her girls when she tripped on the sidewalk and fell on her face. She bloodied up her nose a bit, but thankfully she was fine. When Chris and I arrived to pick her up, her nose was all red and scraped up. I told her maybe she could help Rudolph this year since her nose was so red, but that it would probably be healed up by then. Below is a picture of her first ouwie on her nose.

Luisa's Visit

2010-08-26T08:14:00.004-06:00

This past week my old college roommate and good friend Luisa came to visit us. It's been 5 years since we saw her last, two of those years she worked with the Peace Corps and lived in Turkmenistan. It was so fun to see her, get caught up, and talk for hours. I loved that she finally got to meet Malia, and Malia was super excited to meet her as well.

One of the days we went to Garden of the Gods, and another day we hiked Ute Valley Park. All in all it was a relaxing time getting outdoors, talking about old times and future plans! Hopefully next time Chris, Malia, and I will get a chance to visit Luisa and her husband Steve in Washington D.C.

Goodbye Breckenridge

2010-08-16T21:28:00.004-06:00

Our last morning of vacation was spent packing up, eating breakfast, and taking one last walk out by our little creek. Malia played hard every day on vacation from the time she got up in the morning until she fell asleep at night. Here is a short video of the sleepy Malia just before her morning nap time as she climbs off the stool she had just climbed up onto.

Breckenridge Day 3

2010-08-16T20:41:00.006-06:00

Day three in Breckenridge was our day of playing by the water. The condo we stayed in backed up to Sawmill Creek. So we decided to hike the path alongside the creek. It was a beautiful shaded path along the creek with lots of beaver dams to look at... although again we didn't see any beavers. Along the way we stopped to play. Malia loved playing in the water!

This is Malia standing beside the creek, although I realize that you can't see the creek in this picture.

Of course Malia had to work on her jump shots too!

Here is Malia and Chris playing in the creek. Malia giggled so loud. She loved hanging above the water and splashed her hands in it every time she got close to the water.

Finally Chris decided to dunk her head in! She loved it! Her head was nice and wet on the top. She didn't want to stop playing. As we continued to hike up the trail we eventually came to a reservoir. The views of the mountain were breathtaking. We decided to take a little break again to play in the water.

This time we decided to take Malia's clothes off her just in case she wanted to get really wet. But she enjoyed playing in the gravel alongside the water and getting her hands and feet wet. At first we didn't know if she would want to play, but it wasn't until we decided it was time to leave that she decided to protest that decision. Thankfully once we started hiking again she decided to quit crying.

One fun thing about Malia's backpack is the little "rear view mirror." It's fun to be able to look in the mirror to see her, and she loves to look into the mirror as well.

After we finished our hike we rested a little and then went back into town for dinner and playtime by the river. Chris took Malia down to get her feet wet, but by this time of day I think it was too cold for her to play. Right as her feet hit the water, she climbed up the rocks to get out. So that was the end of our evening in town.

Breckenridge Day 2

2010-08-16T13:33:00.010-06:00

Our second day in Breckenridge was nothing like the first... good bye rain clouds, hello blue skies! We started the day with a beautiful gondola ride up the mountain. Malia was a little nervous on the gondola and seemed to hang on to Chris and I pretty tight. She did enjoy looking out at the trees below, but was quite content to simply sit on our laps!

After we got to the top of the mountain we started our descent into town. We hiked a trail that went through the Cucumber Gulch Preserve. We stopped for lunch over looking a small lake with a beaver dam, although we didn't see any beavers, it was a beautiful place to eat. It took us about two hours to hike down because we made frequent stops along the way to take pictures and look around.

Malia loves to go on hikes in her backpack, but she really loves taking breaks too! She enjoys playing in the dirt every chance she gets and loves picking flowers and running around! She was a great little hiker and took a nice nap when we got back to our condo!

Breckenridge Day 1

2010-08-16T12:12:00.007-06:00

This year we decided to vacation in Breckenridge, Colorado. It was so nice to get away to spend time with Chris and Malia. Thankfully the weather decided to cooperate with us too! The first day it rained so we decided to relax and walk around the town along the river and window shop. The pictures below are a few from our first day.

Malia and mom on one of the bridges over the river, Malia was quite fascinated!

Malia loved sitting on rocks and playing with the flowers.

We met a man and his wife who loved Malia, and of course she was all smily with them. We asked if they would take our picture, and it just so happened that the man was a professional photographer who shoots Canons so he was very familiar with our camera! We were happy to get a family picture that turned out great!

Malia with her daddy!

Hiking Ute Valley Park

2010-08-10T09:12:00.004-06:00

This past week our friend John Roberts has been in town visiting his family. The best part of that for us is that Jack and Bridget live a few blocks from our house so we get to see them often. Between sharing meals, swimming, and hiking we have had a fun week.

This past Sunday after a nice lunch at Jack and Bridget's house we decided to to to Ute Valley Park for a short hike. The kids definitely out numbered the adults on this hike. One of the boys who went brought his home made fishing pole made of a stick, string, and a paper clip. He was determined to find a fish in a pond, but sadly there were no biters. All in all it was a wonderful afternoon to be with great friends!

Malia and Chris

Amalia with her volley ball and Uncle John

The hiking crew

Walking in my Shoes

2010-08-07T15:36:00.004-06:00

One of Malia's favorite things to do lately is to walk in our shoes. She will attempt to walk in any pair of shoes left by the door, and often times she succeeds in her attempts! Here is a little video of Malia taking a stroll in my house slippers!

Malia's new hairdo

2010-08-04T17:06:00.002-06:00

So the other day I decided to go out and by Malia some hair barrettes. Although she doesn't have that much hair, she has just enough for me to put a little barrette in it! The best part about this is she loves it! She likes to touch her hair, but that also leads to playing with the barrette. She pulls it out of her hair and then tries to put it back in. She laughs really loud when I put it in my own hair. So for now we will keep attempting to keep the barrette in Malia's hair. Better that she gets use to it now so when she does have more hair I am able to put things in it! It's fun having a daughter!

On another note... I took this picture after she ate her lunch. She had macaroni and cheese and oh did she love it! She is definitely my girl! After all who doesn't like mac and cheese right?

Hanging with the Lucas Family

2010-08-02T10:58:00.004-06:00

Since moving to Colorado Springs we have had the pleasure of seeing many of our friends who have come to visit us. This past weekend our close friends and former neighbors Matt, Dayna, and Myka Lucas came to visit us. It's been a little over a year since we last saw them, and Malia was only three weeks old at that time, and Myka was about 14 months.

This past Saturday we went to downtown Colorado Springs so the kids could play in Uncle Wilber's Fountain. At first both Malia and Myka decided that it was better to play with the water in the drain rather than brave the sprinklers. So they had fun splashing around in the little pool of water!

Eventually they both tired of the drain and moved to the fountain. The picture above is Matt, Myka, and Malia playing in the water. I was so excited to see Malia playing in the fountain because I have tried quite a few times this summer to play at the splash parks with her, but each time the splashing water scared her.

After getting closer to the water she finally decided she loved it! Above she is playing with her daddy in the fountain!

After playing in the water was over we went to eat at Poor Richards Cafe. When we were neighbors with the Lucas' we shared many meals together, so it was nice to be able to do it again but this time with both our daughters. We ate a yummy pizza... or as Myka calls it "peetzy."

It was such a fun day to spend together and I was reminded of how thankful I am that God has blessed our family with such great friends!

Why I love Colorado

2010-07-30T09:15:00.014-06:00

I love Colorado for a number of reasons. I love the mountains, the fresh air, blue sky, and the many many outdoor activities that I can enjoy! It's been refreshing for both Chris and myself to begin hiking again this summer. We both love to hike, but when we lived in California we didn't get on the trails as much as we would have liked to. So now that we are in Colorado, and finished with school we have been able to once again find new trails to explore.

This past weekend we went hiking with our friend Bridget and her youngest daughter Amalia. We hiked Pulpit Rock, which is an easy hike that overlooks Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Mountain Range. It was definitely an easy hike for both Malia and Amalia because they got to ride along in their backpacks! Thanks

Chris for carrying her most of the way!

Malia loves to go on hikes because she loves to sit on mom or dad's shoulders and enjoy the scenery. If she rides with me she loves to tap me on the back of my head!

The pictures on the left from top to bottom: 1) View looking toward the south of Colorado Springs 2) Chris & Bridget with the girls in the backpacks 3) Pulpit Rock as we walked up to it from the backside 4) Chris and Malia climbing around on the rocks and 5) Malia with her water bottle after the hike!

This summer we have enjoyed getting to know Colorado Springs by foot. We have hiked a number of different places all with breathtaking views of the surrounding area. It has been fun to enjoy hiking with friends and getting out in God's beautiful creation.

In one month I begin working as a chaplain. I have had the privilege to stay home with Malia since her birth and enjoy being a stay home mom. I love the time I get to spend with my daughter and I hope that during this next month we will be able to hike more, bike more, and simply enjoy the time we get to spend together. Malia is growing so fast and changing every day, and she has the best grin when she accomplishes something new! I am looking forward to starting my work as a chaplain, but I will miss staying home with Malia. I cherish the moments we get to spend together, but I look forward to the many more wonderful moments God will give us.

13... almost 14 months

2010-07-19T13:37:00.005-06:00

My friend Dayna recently posted an update on her daughter Myka. It gave me the great idea that I should also do an update on Malia since I haven't in a long while! Malia just celebrated her first birthday in May! It's been a joy to watch her grow over the past year (actually almost 14 months now!) She always knows how to bring a smile to my face and we love her so much!

Malia was born May 24, 2009 and weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz, and was 19 inches long. Eye color then was steel blue.

Today Malia is now: 18 lbs. 4.5 oz, and 29 and 3/4 inches tall. Her eyes are a greenish, brown with blue on the outer edges.

Malia loves to go on walks, hikes, and bike rides. She loves to help in the kitchen... she has her own drawer full of kitchen tools she can play with. She loves all animals, especially our cat Zola. She tries to pick her up frequently but can't quite manage yet. She loves bags, and shoes... definitely takes after her mom! Lately she loves to put on my shoes and walk around in them. Although she doesn't get very far. She attempts Chris' shoes too, but his are really big! Malia loves the water, although when it is cold it takes her a long time to warm up to it. She loves climbing up the stairs and recently has started to climb down too! Really she just likes to climb anything she can. She likes running barefoot in the backyard with daddy, and she loves dirt! Playing in dirt, eating dirt, and just sitting in dirt! Definitely a girl of nature!

Favorite foods... well we're still discovering those things! Lately she loves avocado, and cheese is always a favorite too! Peanut butter is high and rising on this list as well.

Favorite toys... again she loves to play with purses and bags. She loves balls, and she especially loves books. She will sit and read her books quietly in her corner while talking to herself. It's super cute!

Dislikes... There are a few things Malia really does not like. Riding in the car is one of those. Hopefully that will change when her car seat can face forward. She has a short tolerance for sitting in her car seat. She did try Zola's cat food once, and didn't like it either... thank goodness!

So that's the update on Malia! Thanks Dayna for giving me this great idea!

Packing on the pounds

2010-07-15T09:45:00.004-06:00

For the past few months we have been trying to put some weight on Malia's little body. She is small for her age, but then again she is my daughter and I'm not a very big person myself. Malia is 13 months, 75th percentile for height, and not even on the weight chart for other girls her age. So we have had almost monthly appointments to check her weight. In all other aspects she's met all the criteria for girls her age.

Today I'm happy to say we had a break through and she's packed on some pounds! It does help that she has not been sick and has had a hearty appetite! She now weighs 18 lbs. 4.5 ounces, which puts her in the 3%-5% range for girls her age! Yay!! She's healthy and strong!

Malia has been exploring more things around her, becoming more verbal, and now climbs onto everything... or at least attempts to even if she can't get up. We take her back to the doctor in a month and a half for her 15 month check up, and we hope to see a little more weight on her by then! But we're glad to say she's happy, healthy, and having fun!

Simplicity of Summer

2010-07-08T09:19:00.006-06:00

I am thankful everyday to be alive and able to enjoy my family, friends, and the goodness of nature that God has designed for me to enjoy! This summer has been a wonderful time of healing, rest, and pleasure.

It's been about nine months since our car accident and we have truly come a long way since then. In the past nine months we have healed from our broken bones, mended from our emotional trauma (although still mending), and given a new look on life. I am thankful for how far God has brought us and I can see that we have a wonderful future ahead of us. We have nothing to fear other than fear itself, and because of that I consider myself to be free. Although there are still moments where the fear creeps in, but I know God has protected us and has a purpose and a plan for our lives.

The past nine months have become more restful as time passes. In April we moved into our first home, closer to the mountains. Everyday I wake up to rabbits in my front yard, the occasional deer resting under our trees. It's so peaceful. I find myself more rested and feeling alive again. I often take Malia on walks in the neighborhood, and recently have begun hiking and biking again. I feel like my life has been restored and I am doing the things I love to do again.

The simple pleasures in life are becoming more noticeably abundant. This past weekend Chris, Malia, and I took a bike ride on the Santa Fe Trail. It was our first ride together as a family, and it was so enjoyable to be active together! Another activity I find pleasurable is taking pictures. I recently got a new camera which keeps me active in taking pictures. Although I'm still figuring out all it's functions, I love being able to capture life as I see it.

This picture is Malia (R) with her friends, Sophia (L), and Amalia (C). We went to the girls house when they had a lemonade and cookie stand, and Malia enjoyed playing and being fed popsicles on a rather hot day. We all had a wonderful time and I definitely enjoyed playing with the new camera!

This summer has been a blessings to us. God is good. We have loved getting more settled into our new home, exploring our surroundings, and enjoying the simplicity of summer.

Covenant

2010-01-19T10:01:00.004-07:00

As I read from my devotion this morning the word that kept lingering in my mind was covenant. Covenant is not really a word that we use in our common everyday language, but instead we use a similar word, we use the word promise. What strikes me is that we live in a world that is quick to make promises that often are not kept. We use the word promise as if it means nothing.

This morning I was reading from Genesis 9:1-17, about God's covenant with Noah. God established His covenant with Noah promising never again to cut off all life and destroy the earth. God gave us a sign, a rainbow as a reminder of the covenant He made with Noah and all humanity. God's covenant never fails. Yes, terrible things happen in the world, but God has not destroyed us. God loves us enough that He chose to be in relationship with us. Sadly, not everyone has chosen to be in relationship with Him.

When I think about what it means for God to make a covenant with me, I'm saddened by the fact that as much as I try I will never be perfect and sometimes I fall away forgetting the relationship I have with Him and not seeking Him first. Yet, I also rejoice in the fact that God understands and knows my imperfections and still loves me unconditionally.

One covenant I made was with my Company of New Pastors. I entered a covenant to read the Scriptures and the Book of Confessions daily, and I admit I have read sporadically. Things come up my life gets busy, I forget or sometimes just put my readings aside. I pray that as I move forward I can not only be reminded of my covenant, but that I can act on it as well. When I read the Scriptures I feel my life is more full than when I don't. I pray that when things get busy I will remember to stop and meditate on the Word of God before I let things get too out of control.

This prayer is one my husband read to me once. It's the prayer of Lorica of St. Patrick. This has been a refreshing reminder to me of what it means to be in a covenant relationship with the Lord.

Lorica of St. Patrick

I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity:

by invocation of the same the Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever by power of faith,

Christ's incarnation,

His baptism in the Jordan river,

His death on the Cross for my Salvation,

His bursting from the spiced tomb,

His riding up the heavenly way,

His coming at the day of doom I bind unto myself today!

I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead:

His eye to watch,

His might to stay,

His ear to harken to my need:

The wisdom of my God to teach,

His hand to guide,

His shield to ward;

The Word of God to give me speech,

His heavenly host to be my guard!

Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the name, the strong name of the Trinity: by invocation of the same the Three in One and One in Three, of whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father,

Spirit, Word: praise to the Lord of my salvation -- salvation is of Christ the Lord!

Story Telling

2010-01-11T09:23:00.008-07:00

This past Sunday the sermon at church was on John 20:24-31, the story where Jesus appears to Thomas. The sermon was titled "A Life Changing Relationship." The pastor talked about family stories and how it's those stories that have been told over and over again that help to shape who we are and who are families are.

In John 20:29, Jesus said, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Often times we hear stories that we think are tall tales because they simply can't be true. But maybe they are true. Jesus said blessed are those who believe even without seeing. I've heard many stories from my family over the years, but I have no proof to know if they are true, I simply believe. One of my favorite stories is about my grandparents when they were dating. My grandma lived on a farm and my grandpa lived in the city. Grandma didn't have a phone on the farm, so my grandpa would fly in a little airplane over her farm and drop her messages. I love that story.

The pastor talked about looking at our lives and telling the stories of God's work in us. The more we share our story the more it becomes a reality to those who hear it. I felt like this sermon was important for me to hear this week because I've been struggling with writing my CPE Residency application. I have struggled with the idea of putting Malia in daycare and going into a full time chaplain residency. I know God has called me to serve Him in ministry, and that I have also been called to be a mother. How do I reconcile the two? One thing I realized, with the help of Chris, is that this is not an either or decision. The journey that I am on is not one that I'm taking alone, but that Chris and Malia are on with me. Of course I'm still struggling with the thought of daycare because I love being with my daughter in the day, but my call to ministry and desire to follow Jesus is also a love and passion of mine.

Following Jesus is not an easy path and the decisions we make are not always easy. But one beautiful thing I see in the midst of this is that someday I will be able to tell Malia of God's call on my life. The call to be a mother and the call to be a minister. Malia was with me when I completed my MDiv, she was with me during my first CPE, and she was with me when I became "certified ready for a call." She is a part of my story and call to ministry and will be a part of my story forever.

I pray that God will continue to guide me through this process, and guide me to make the best decisions for our family. I look forward to the day when I tell Malia the story of God's work in my life and that she will understand and maybe even repeat some of the stories she's heard. The stories I share and the stories our family shares are the stories that help to shape who she is and who she belongs to. God is working in all our lives and His story is our story.

Malia Crawling

2010-01-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

This year we received a little gift the day after Christmas... Malia started crawling! At first she was a bit wobbly and moved slowly, but now she's crawling all over the place. We've moved our coffee table to the side of the living room to block her from crawling over to Tiki's cage and the dining room and kitchen. She zips all around the room and spreads her toys everywhere. It definitely looks like she owns the room. She has also begun to pull herself up to her knees and is working very hard to get to her feet. It's amazing to see how quickly she has coordinated herself in such a short time to enjoy this new freedom to explore.

This is a short video of Malia crawling on December 30, 2009.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

Well as far as New Year's resolutions go... I never make them. It's not that I don't care about them, but I'm terrible at sticking to them therefore I just don't make them. Although as for the New Year I'm so happy to begin another year. This past year was filled with excitement, joys, sorrows, and it's fair share of scariness. So I'm praying that with this new year comes lots of new beginnings for us. I hope that we can continue to get settled into Colorado Springs and eventually be involved in a church community that we can call home. We have found a wonderful church that we are currently worshipping at, but hope to become more involved throughout the year. I'm excited to see what God has in store for our family! Here's to the New Year!

Visiting the Grandparents in New Mexico

2009-09-29T15:18:00.000-06:00

This past weekend we drove to my parents house in New Mexico. It was a wonderful weekend of rest for us! Malia enjoyed hanging out with grandma and grandpa and meeting quite a few of the neighborhood dogs! It was a nice time to get away, especially since our apartment is still filled with boxes and things put in "temporary" places. It will be nice when we get totally unpacked and settled.

On another note... Malia is now 4 months old! She's getting stronger and bigger everyday. While in New Mexico her grandparents bought her a little doorway jumper since she's now big enough to use one! We put her in the jumper, but she hasn't quite figured out how to jump! But she enjoys standing up in it! I'm sure she'll figure it out soon!

Colorado

2009-09-20T22:19:00.000-06:00

Beautiful blue skies and gigantic mountains! I love Colorado! The past few weeks have been wonderful as we have settled into our new apartment. But with all moves there are always some challenges (finding your way around, finding a new church, making new friends), but thankfully Chris, Malia, and I are in it together. We love our new apartment and are getting use to the residents that live above us... yes they walk loudly but we get a good laugh from it. We discovered that they actually have two young boys which is probably where most the noise comes from. Best of all with this recent move is the peace and quietness that we find living in our new place (even with the loud walkers... it's much quieter than living next to a freeway). Every time I walk outside I am reminded of God's beauty. Nature has always helped me to feel closer to God, and I am excited to draw close to Him as I explore this new place. In the two weeks that we have been here I already find myself so much more at peace than I was before. Praise God for His beautiful creation that I so thankfully get to enjoy!

Honoring My Grandfather

2009-06-29T12:59:00.002-06:00

This past week we did our first road trip with Malia to Oregon. It was a fun trip but also bittersweet given the circumstances. We gathered with my family to put my grandfather, Merritt Daniel Middaugh, in his resting place at the Willamette National Cemetery. The service was beautiful and it was so good to see all the people who gathered to honor him. My grandfather was an amazing man who I loved dearly, and it pains my heart that he is gone.

While at the funeral, I had the opportunity to meet the military chaplain who visited on a regular basis with my grandpa. My grandpa was of the generation where you didn't really talk about your faith, so we had very few conversations regarding our faith. After talking with the chaplain I felt more comforted knowing that my grandfather and him had many conversations about Jesus and his faith. I know he is with the rest of his family in heaven now, and I am at peace with his passing even though it hurts.

Yesterday at church we sang the song Your Beautiful by Phil Wickham. The lyrics moved me to tears as I thought about my grandpa.

I see Your face in every sunrise

The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes

The world awakens in the light of day

I look up to the sky and say

You're beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night

Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright

We are amazed in the light of the stars

It's all proclaiming who you are

You're beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree

You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me

Now you are sitting in Your heavenly throne

Soon we will be coming home

You're beautiful

When we arrive at eternity's shore

Where death is just a memory and tears are no more

We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring

Your bride will come together and we'll sing

You're beautiful

I see Your face, I see Your face, I see Your face

You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I pray that someday we will all arrive at eternity's shore, and there we will no longer feel the pain of death that we experience when we lose someone we love. I am thankful that the God I follow loves us so much that He sent His son to die for us so that we could have eternal life. Someday I will see my grandfather again, along with the many others I loved who have died.

Gathering with my family was a special time. It was especially important for me that my daughter Malia could meet her great-grandma. One of my favorite things was getting a picture of the women in our family, four generations gathered together. My grandma, her three daughters, my cousin, my niece, myself, and my daughter.

Left to Right: Aunt Patty, Me (Lisa), Malia, Mom (Debbie), Grandma (Dorothy), Aunt Marilyn, Stephanie, Alyssa.

Malia Merri Grace Nelson

2009-06-08T21:46:00.000-06:00

Malia Merri Grace Nelson finally made her appearance in the world on Sunday May 24, 2009 at 2:53 a.m. Chris and I were so happy to see her bright eyes looking back at us after she was born. She was so alert as she was taking in her new surroundings! What an amazing nine months it has been and now finally we get to welcome our daughter!

Malia's middle name Merri is in honor of my (Lisa) grandfather Merritt Middaugh who passed away on Friday May 22, 2009. She also shares a very special birthday with her great-grandma Ruth Nelson.

We'll continue to post pictures and updates as we are able to. Right now sleep has been a big priority, so when Malia sleeps we sleep! But I promise to keep writing and sharing the fun stories of our family!

Thanks everyone for your prayers and support over the past nine months! We are so happy to share our lives with you! God Bless!

Malia with mom and dad.
Malia Merri Grace Nelson: born May 24, 2009 at 2:53 a.m.
Weighing 6 lbs. 12 oz. and standing at 19 inches long!

Getting Bigger!

2009-05-01T12:24:00.000-06:00

So here is a picture of me at 35 weeks pregnant! We're on the countdown now until our baby girl's arrival. As much as I am enjoying being pregnant, I am definitely becoming more and more uncomfortable each day. The past two weeks I have measured around my belly only to discover that each week I have grown about an inch around! We had a doctor's check up at the beginning of this week and he told us that right now the baby is fully developed and would be perfectly fine if I was to go into early labor, but her main job right now is simply to put on the weight. So here I am growing outward while the baby keeps adding on the ounces. I think she gains about a half a pound a week right now! We still have a few more things to get done around our apartment before she comes, so we are praying that we are able to accomplish those things. Next week on our agenda will be to put the base to the car seat in the car. I'll feel more ready once that is done! But everything is in God's hands, so whenever she comes we will be happy and we'll take care of things the best that we can in the meantime!

Officially 30!

2009-04-21T11:48:00.000-06:00

I'm officially 30 years old! Yay! It's been a long journey to get here, but I have finally arrived! Turning 30 was not nearly as bad as I imagined it to be when I was younger. I had such a wonderful weekend leading up to it and a very relaxing and fun birthday!

Over the weekend my friend Julie came to visit me. We've known each other for about 19 years, so it was fun to celebrate the incoming decade with her. Of course she also came to town because she wanted to see the pregnant belly before the baby comes! We had a fun weekend, Julie, Chris, and I went to the California Museum of Science on Saturday and walked the rose gardens. It was a beautiful day, but super hot!

On my actual birthday (monday) I went to lunch with my friends Yuki and Meghan. After lunch my friend Dayna took me out for a pedicure (which was amazing) and while we were out Yuki and Meghan delivered me cupcakes. It was a fun and restful day! To top it off Chris and I made fondue for dinner and then played my new game Carcassonne with Dayna and Matt! It was definitely a fun birthday!

Thank you friends for the many birthday wishes! Goodbye 20's hello 30's!

Baby's Blanket is Finished

2009-03-26T11:58:00.000-06:00

I finally finished making my baby's blanket! I bought some pink yarn to compliment the pink speckles on the rest of the blanket and crocheted a pink boarder around the edge. It turned out really great! I'm excited about the blanket, but I'll be even more excited when the baby is able to use it.

CPE Graduation Day

2009-03-20T16:38:00.000-06:00

Today was my graduation day from the CPE program at Arcadia Methodist Hospital! It's been a long eleven weeks, but a good experience. At the beginning of the internship I never thought I would see the end of it, but the day has finally come! I will miss my group tremendously, and the many people I met at the hospital both patients and staff who have touch my life and changed me forever. I don't know where God will lead me next, but I wouldn't be surprised to find myself one day back in a hospital being a light that shines for God in the midst of suffering. I loved my experience and I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to learn what it means to minister in the hospital.

The picture above is the walkway leading to the back entrance of the hospital. I walked this path many times! I love the cross on the top of the building, and this was the best picture I could get of it!

This is the hospital chapel decorated with beautiful flowers just before our graduation!

The stained glass with a mural of the tree of life. The alter with the cross and six pots of columbine flowers representing the growth which took place in each of the six students over the course of the internship.

This is a picture of my group! Our supervisor was not in the room when we took this picture so Rev. Amy is missing from the photo. From left to right: Bob, Gihun, Robin, Angela, Debbie, and me! This was the best group to work with and grow with over the past quarter. I will miss them.

The Quietest On-Call Night

2009-03-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for my on-call nights to be quiet! Yesterday and last night were the quietest on-call times I've experienced! God was so good to let me sleep all last night. I woke up this morning so very happy!!

Last Sunday I was on-call too, but sadly it was a difficult day and I had to deal with the worst situation ever. I won't go into details to spare you and myself because it wasn't fun. But I am glad to have experienced it because it gave me a picture of the larger ministry of a chaplain. After Sunday I was ready to throw in the towel and quit, but Monday rolled around and I had probably one of the best days ever at the hospital. So I realized that I promised God I wouldn't make any life changing decisions regarding Chaplain ministry until I have completed the CPE program... and then continue to discern for a while after. So I haven't given up on this ministry. There is a great need for chaplains, and I love what I do in the hospital, even though there are things I wish no one ever had to deal with. But that's life, and God still calls us to minister in those difficult situations.

So I now have two more weeks until I graduate the program. Thanks for your prayers this far friends! My experience although challenging and terrible at times has been amazing. God has opened my eyes to something new and I'm not quite ready for it to completely end. So we'll see how God calls me into ministry!

Nick Names

2009-02-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Names are fun especially nick names... at least when they are nice. So I've given my unborn daughter two nick names so far. The first is Little Bowling Ball, because she's getting so big and heavy that I feel like I'm carrying a bowling ball... and she rolls too! The second name is Anaconda, because at times when she moves I feel like there is a huge snake moving inside me! Pretty crazy huh? Anyway it's all fun and we get some good laughs out of it!

So yes baby girl nelson is getting bigger each day and stronger too. She moves frequently which keeps Chris and I entertained. The other night she was moving so much that I couldn't stop laughing because it kind of tickled!

Each day we get more and more excited to welcome our daughter into the world. As excited as we are, we are also trying to be patient because we don't want her to arrive to early for her own sake. But we are enjoying the time together as we await her arrival!

My Baby's Blanket

2009-02-28T20:35:00.001-07:00

My baby's blanket! Although it is unfinished....

So I completed crocheting the main portion of the blanket a little while ago and realized that I haven't posted a picture of what I've done so far. So here it is... it's folded in half in the picture. Chris and I are going to pick out another yarn so I can complete it with a colorful border. So stay tuned for the finished product!

At The Half Way With CPE

2009-02-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

So I've completed half of my internship as a chaplain now, and the past 6 weeks have been quite the journey. While I very much enjoy the ministry I'm doing in the hospital, I have to say... when it rains it pours! When I'm on-call I get worked! Yesterday was my first weekend on call, and I spent a total of 8 hours at the hospital. After having spent 5 hours in the morning helping a family with a viewing I was able to go home for about an hour and a half before getting paged back to the hospital. On my drive to the hospital I received another page from the hospital this time from the Emergency Department. So I say... when it rains it pours because I seem to get paged in waves. Things seem to happen in twos even though I can only be in one place at a time. Thankfully everything worked out! I have a great supervisor who welcomes calls at any hour when we need help! So she made some calls and was able to help take care of one of the situations, while I spent time with a family at the Emergency Department.

I have another 5 weeks of this internship, and God has continually given me the strength to carry on when things seem so difficult. I really like working as a chaplain, but I'm still not certain if this is something I want to do with my life. I do feel like God could be calling me in that direction, but for now I'll take it one day at a time and finish this internship before I make any decisions!

There are definitely things I dislike about this type of ministry... 1) I don't like waking up in the middle of the night to go into the hospital, 2) I don't like getting called back to the hospital when I just pulled out of the parking lot, and 3) There are simply some situations that no one really wants to have to deal with. (But I still do it)

But regardless of those things there are still plenty of things that I love about this ministry... 1) the smiles on peoples faces when they look at me in the midst of their dying and tell me they are going to see Jesus, 2) The joy I hear in people's voices when they tell me they feel like God is with them, and 3) The feeling I get inside knowing that even in the pain and suffering I see glimpses of God's beauty in the hospital.

If you think of me... please pray for discernment as I approach the last 5 weeks of this internship. And also that God would continue to strengthen me in this ministry.

It's a Girl!

2009-01-31T22:24:00.000-07:00

Our doctor gave us a guarantee, it's a girl or the delivery is free! The ultra sound above is of the ribcage on the left side and the skull on the right side, facing towards the camera. In addition to finding out the gender I (Chris) was also able to feel our little girl kick for the first time which was needless to say very exciting. The belly continues to grow and every day she (baby) begins to kick harder. At least her kicks are more noticeable! We're very excited to begin to prepare for her arrival. We'll keep you posted on more baby stuff to come!

Sea Monkeys

2009-01-29T21:22:00.001-07:00

My brother's girlfriend gave me Sea Monkeys for Christmas...they are pretty awesome. Thanks Paige.

Sundance 2009

2009-01-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

Taking Chance,

The Clone Returns Home,

Cold Souls,

Afghan Star,

Sin Nombre,

Arlen Faber,

Brief Interviews With Hideous Men,

An Education,

The Reckoning,

Push,

Dirt! The Movie,

We Live in Public,

and various short films

Feel free to ask me about any of them.

I survived my night on call.

2009-01-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

Okay so last night was not the quiet night I was hoping for. I did get called back to the hospital around 1:40 a.m. and I'm happy to say I know I can wake up, get ready, and be at the hospital bedside in thirty minutes! Of course it does help that no one is really on the road at that time in the morning!

So I survived being on call, but between yesterdays events and last nights, it was a rather rough day. Although I'm happy to be with families and help them find comfort in painful situations... I don't really like being called in during the middle of the night. I'm sure most people would agree it's not too pleasant being waken from your sleep. So I'm thankful that I'm only on call once a week!

Today is a new day! And Saturday! Yay!! Even though it's grey and rainy outside, I'm happy to have the day off to rest. I love my weekends!

On Call...

2009-01-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

Okay so I can't actually put a picture with this post because Chris has the camera for the week while he's out of town. But if you'd like to see the hospital I'm interning at the link is: http://www.methodisthospital.org/

I know that's not as exciting as a picture but feel free to look.

So Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) has been quite the experience so far. Tonight is my second night on call, and so far the first that I have actually been called back into the hospital. It's tough work being with families who are suffering and going through painful experiences and even loss. Every day I process the things I'm doing in the hospital and ask God to give me the strength to respond during crisis, and the heart to carry another persons pain but also the freedom to release that pain to God and not carry it with me. That has been difficult, but I'm working on it.

I feel very blessed to be welcomed into the lives of some of the families I have encountered. And I feel that even in the midst of suffering I can see glimpses of God's goodness. There's so much I don't understand about pain, and suffering, and death, and I don't think I will ever fully understand it. But I know and I believe that God is good, and that even in suffering He is present. Even in the silent moments He is there.

This internship is really helping me to determine if God could be calling me into a chaplain ministry. And right now I'm still uncertain. But I'm fully committed to this ministry for the next 8 weeks, and right now it's one day at a time. After this internship is over I'll reassess and ask God to continue to guide me in the discernment process. If you feel led, please pray for me during this time. I know God is stretching me and teaching me in a number of ways. In the meantime... Please pray I can get a good nights rest and not get called back to the hospital tonight!

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

2009-01-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

This week I began my internship as a Chaplain at Methodist Hospital of Southern California in Arcadia. It has been quite the week of orientation, and I still have one week to go... which I am so thankful for! The first few days of orientation were pretty intense, packed with a lot of information and also a visit to the hospital morgue. It was a little overwhelming, but I know the Lord will give me the strength to minister in this setting to patients and families experiencing crisis. I think this internship will be one of the most challenging things I have done for my degree program, but I'm excited to be learning in this environment. Below are pictures of my first two days at work! I'll probably be posting more on my CPE over the next 10 weeks until I'm finished.

Please pray for God's strength, grace, and protection over me and the baby as I continue to work at the hospital. I have my first on call next week and I'm a little anxious about that! Blessings to you all!

Baby's first movements!!

2009-01-06T20:43:00.001-07:00

Exciting news in the Nelson household!!! So around the middle of December I thought that I had felt the baby moving, but it was so infrequent that I wasn't sure. Well as of yesterday little baby Nelson was moving around a lot! After lunch I felt this repeated little poking on the right side of my belly and it lasted for about a minute then stopped. A few minutes later I felt it again and it was the same motion!! Then after dinner the poking came back and lasted a very short while. Then when I woke up around 3 a.m. for my nightly bathroom run I felt the baby poking me again but this time on my left side! It was so exciting!! It's kind of like a little bubble is bursting in the place where I feel the baby! It'll still be a while until Chris is able to feel the baby's movements, so we're both looking forward to that day. Until then Chris just asks me to describe it to him!

Stay tuned... I'm sure I'll have more exciting baby news to come!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Another year comes to an end, and as always I'm amazed at how the time goes by so fast. This year was our last year to enjoy front row seats for the Rose Parade (thanks to Chris for camping out all night starting at 10:30 am on New Years Eve!). As fun as the parade was, I'm happy to say that Chris is letting me decide how we spend our next four New Years Eve's since the last four have been camping out for the parade... and we'll no longer be in Pasadena! Thankfully Chris didn't spend the night alone, our friend Matt joined him for the camp out and they kept each other company!

I hope 2009 brings lot of joy and happiness to you all. Cheers to the new year!

Santa Barbara

2008-12-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

This year after Christmas we went to Santa Barbara with Chris' family and their close family friends. This was a trip to the wine vineyards! Although I wasn't able to drink wine on this trip, I was able to have a delicious Pinot Noir grape soda! It was the best grape soda I've every had! (Just in case it's not clear to anyone... this was not alcohol :) simply soda)

Next quarter Chris is doing an independent study for one of his classes and as part of his study he is making a film about wine making. So here is Chris filming in one of the vineyards!

It was a fun trip! Amazingly beautiful this time of year but also very cold! It would be fun to travel up there another time to see the grapes on the vines. Hopefully we'll have that chance!

My new creations

2008-12-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

My friend Dayna taught me how to crochet this year just before Christmas! Thanks Dayna! So I made a few gifts for Chris, his brother Andrew, and Andrew's girlfriend Paige! Of course I had to make one for myself too! I'm hoping to make a baby blanket sometime... that will be a larger experiment!

Paige's hat
Andrew's hat
Chris' hat
Lisa's Hat

We didn't find out about the baby... yet...

2008-12-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

Okay so in place of posting the sex of the baby which we have yet to find out, I've decided to post a picture of me upon request from many people that want to see my belly! It's still small, but it's growing bigger every day! I promise I'll be posting more belly pictures soon...

We got our angel...

2008-12-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

Chris and I found an angel for the top of our Christmas tree! We're both very excited that we now have a fully decorated tree with an angel on the top! Maybe this year will have a semi-white Christmas too. Right now we can see snow on the mountains outside our apartment! I'm not sure how long that snow will last, but there's always hope!

Our Christmas Tree

2008-12-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy we finally got our christmas tree up and decorated! We're still looking for an angel to put on the top of our tree, so until we find one we both like, the tree top is bare but we're okay with that! We're having fun decorating our place for Christmas this year. We still need to find a place to hang our stockings and after that we'll be all set for the holiday!

Classes are officially done!

2008-12-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to say that I have successfully finished all my seminary classes now! Yippie! Now I just have to finish my last internship working as a chaplain starting in January. After that look out graduation because I'll be receiving my diploma in June!

On another note.... The pregnancy so far is going really well. I was fortunate to escape the first trimester with very little morning sickness, and I'm so thankful for that! We're now 16 weeks along and the baby is growing, although my tummy isn't showing too much just yet. At our second doctors visit we were able to see the baby's skull on the ultrasound. It was amazing! Although it was pretty visible on the ultrasound, I totally understand if you look at the picture and don't see the baby... after all it is an ultrasound picture! Our next appointment is in a couple of weeks, and we're hoping to find out then if it's a boy or girl!

Here we are...

2008-12-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

Blogging is a totally foreign world to me, so we'll see how this goes! So for our friends and family who would like to be updated on all the happenings in our lives, I'll do my best to keep you posted. Stay tuned...