CPE Residency

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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!