Fields Benjamin: 6 Months

Dear Baby Fields,

I just can't get enough. I just can't get enough. (Do you know that song?) Fields, as Hensley would say, Stop It! You are just so cute. You are way into being face to face with people, especially yours truly. I can't quite capture your personality on camera, so I took a little video. You get so excited and start flapping and talking. It's the best. Thanks for being such a good baby. 

Tegegne feeds you most of the time. It's been great bonding for you two. Tegegne also hangs out with you a lot, holds you, shows you a toy. He's pretty great. You have eaten everything I've made. Good boy. You can sit up, but fall over quickly. You sleep on your stomach, but only half of the time. You are happy a lot, and just glad to be along for the ride.

We love you, bunches.

Mama, Daddy, and the Gang

Mom + Designer: And After Hours

So I'm not quitting my day job (that's good news, isn't it kids?), but I'm not quitting my night job either.  Even though the clean clothes haven't found their drawers, dinner has been simple, and I'm pulling off the pony tail, I have so enjoyed working on these design renderings the past 5 days. I love, love, love being at home with my children. At the same time, I look forward to the days when design becomes a day job again. That will officially be when Baby Fields is in kindergarten. However, Tegegne starts kindergarten in a few months. I'm sure I'll pick up several more projects once he is a full-time school boy. 

Speaking of which, I was just thinking that I should start looking for items for his school uniform. And of course, some jazzy new shoes! 

There is much going on around here, but in honor of Lent the kids and I are trying to be as unplugged as possible. With that said, writing here is one of my favorite things so I'll be back soon with more thoughts and sharing of life's adventures with the Joneses.

P.S. Highlight of my day just happened. Fields, you finished eating and look up at me with a bashful grin that makes your shoulders shrug. Then squealing and laughing. Thanks for making me feel so awesome. It's hard to hold onto stress with your innocent joy and laughter.

Love, 

Mom (Often want to sign off as Design Mom, but remember that Gabrielle snatched that up years ago.)

Remembering: A Generous Act of Love

Thinking of this dear soul today and the unforgettable gift she gave our family. 

Dear Children: Remembering Every Last Drop

Dear Children,

You'll all be big eventually, right? Are you going to grow up? I mean, it's fine if you choose not to. You're dad and I will be thirty in a month. Maybe we should hit pause on life. Okay, never mind. Keep growing, and we will too. But let's not miss out on a single moment together. 

Will you remember your childhood...our back yard bon fires, cranking out the homemade pasta noodles, dancing in the kitchen?  Will you share stories together, these memories with your children? Of course you won't remember it all. My prayer is that you'll at least remember this. "Our parents cared for us, and wanted the very best for us. Our childhood was sweet, and adventurous, and full of love." 

Your dad and I will grow old too. In order to not forget...here's what I'd say about today...
Fields, you turned over! It's January 19th. You are 4 months old and 5 days and you figured out that you can push your momentum to one side and turn over onto your stomach. A true life skill, and we saw you do it for the first time! What will it be next, baby boy?

Hensley, tonight at our bon fire you said, "Sing, sing!" You love to sing and sway your little body. You are charming us with your facial expressions and are a true ham. Your personality is really coming out and it's been seriously fun to watch.

Tegegne you chimed in responding Hensley's request around the bon fire with this dear song..."I will draw a ring around the moon. I will draw a line from star to star. I will sing a pennies worth of song, just to tell you how in love we are." Earlier today you swept the floor (so well!), soothed Fields with kind words and his pacifier, and you and I had this joke going about a king and a dinosaur and my King Jesus. 

And Michael. I loved laughing with you tonight. Over how I fluff my bangs all the time. You always catch me doing it and were teasing me. I was so embarrassed. We couldn't quit laughing. Giggling like children, really. Thanks for that. 

If only we could remember every last drop of sweetness. I'll go to sleep with gratitude...

(Ha! Or I'll write a few more blog posts, because I don't have a lot of time in the day to do this sorta thing.) 

Mom

Dear Fields: Get Well Soon

Dear Sweet Baby Boy,

Many dear friends and family prayed for you as we went to the ER last night with your fever of 101.7. When the triage nurse checked your temp (through the bottom) it was 104. They gave you Tylenol which broke the fever. We sat in the waiting room at Children's Mercy, for what I thought would be 2 hours. I checked in with a nurse, and she kindly got us into a room early. They ruled out the flu and RSV, but then wanted to rule out other things which lead to blood work and a catheter. Taking the blood work really sucked. With your chubby arms and legs and tiny veins, they tried and tried. Another nurse came in and tried. Two of your veins broke before they got enough drawn. They kept saying you were so strong, and one nurse was practically laying on you. Then another nurse started singing You Are My Sunshine, because she felt so bad for you. It was so sad to see. I am so glad our good friend, Amy, was there. She was awesome.

You also vomited and had diarrhea, but neither have happened in 8 hours. All other tests came back negative. I spoke with our pediatrician's nurse this morning and she gathered that its a virus going around. She said you could have picked it up anywhere, and the virus can live on a surface for 8 hours. Yuck.

So, we are trying to rest today. Currently you do not have a fever, and are napping. So is Hens. And Tegegne is at school. I better get some shut-eye too.

Love you,

Mama

P.S. Thank you friends...for the texts, notes, and prayers. We love you.

Unceasing: Turn Thinking to Prayer

Our minds are always active. We analyze, reflect, daydream, or dream. There is not a moment during the day or night when we are not thinking. You might say our thinking is "unceasing." Sometimes we wish that we could stop thinking for a while; that would save us from many worries, guilt feelings, and fears. Our ability to think is our greatest gift, but it is also the source of our greatest pain. Do we have to become victims of our unceasing thoughts? No, we can convert our unceasing thinking into unceasing prayer by making our inner monologue into a continuing dialogue with our God, who is the source of all love.

Let's break out of our isolation and realize that Someone who dwells in the center of our beings wants to listen with love to all that occupies and preoccupies our minds.

Henri Nouwen

Thank you, Henri Nouwen, for this refreshing reminder. My daydreams have been plentiful, and it is so good when I remember to turn them into prayers to God. Handing them over gives me hope, and allows me to relax because I know that God will take care of us. He knows what lies ahead, and He has blessed us so much along the way. So what's it been this time...well, I dream of designing a new space. I dream of a new house, with a kitchen that we can connect to the back yard through windows and doors. It would be nice to live between 30th and 70th Street, as this is where we usually are when we're not at home. This is a daydream, that I've recently been turning into prayer. Of course I can drive by house after house, and have each one mentally remodeled after a glance or two. But then there's my dear husband who does all the work. And does he really want to do that? Or would he rather be out riding his bike? Both/And. He wants to make sure I won't want to move again in 2 more years. 

So Michael and I have had good discussions. We talk about design, about God's provision, and about how much we love our family. Wherever we are, we get to be together and that brings me joy. With all this said, we love our home. It is cozy, especially with our new drapery and space heaters. It is well-renovated and really kicks butt. It's spacious. The parties we can have in this house are beyond good. We have even made our basement into play space. Several of our neighbors are good friends. And I cannot even imagine not sharing space with Taryn, Micah, and Hazel. (Taryn has lived "with" us for almost 6 years!)  We have no plans to move. We've discussed taking the year to enjoy it here and count our many blessings. Just wanted to take you on this journey with us!

Love,

Kristyn 

P.S. Fields, you turned 4 months old yesterday! I must write to you soon, little cutie.

Interior Design Tips: From My Home To Yours

Hi there. It's me again. I won't say it's full speed ahead, but I didn't forget about you. Our main goal of the holidays was to truly relax and that's what I did. But we are back into the routine, and I am feeling good about the new year. As you may know, something I'm good at is daydreaming, especially when time allows. Lately it's been home remodeling ideas...and I've come to a conclusion. Drumroll please.

Tip #7. One key element to a fantastic home is it's connection to the great outdoors. Taking the inside out, and the outside in. These connections, these indoor/outdoor rooms, walls full of windows or bifold doors all connect the home to the outside. Nature. The place where we go to get a breath of fresh air, hear birds sing, feel a cool breeze or get warmed by the sun. 

How can this be accomplished? It depends on your own space of course, but here are some ideas.

-Take out the single back door and put in glass sliding or French doors. 
-Replace a small window with a larger one. (We renovated a 1920s bungalow attic into a master bedroom and the highlight of the room was the 4' x 6' window we installed to replace the 2' x 2' window that was there previously. It was beautiful to watch the seasons change out of that window.)
-Or go all out and add a sunroom or wall of windows. 
Here are some homes who have made this connection quite exquisitely...

These photos aren't so practical or design on a dime projects, but think conceptually about your space. What is your connection to the outdoors? I mean, just because you don't live by the ocean doesn't mean you can't spray Ocean Breeze and gaze at your large photo of the ocean now does it? Dream a little. It'll do you good.

(photo links and photo.)

Family Function: And Fur Coats

Dear Tegegne,

Hi cutie bug. Do you like your lines? You've gotten several complements on them and I must say I'm getting much better at your haircuts. Especially since you get way impatient and I only have 3-5 minutes (Unless dad is home. Then you'll sit for like 20 minutes.) You loved time at Big Sky and were in your snow suit half of the time.  I'd like to chime in with Olivia's mom or Skippy Jon Jones mother and say, You wear me out, but I love you. I just started singing to you during your bedtime routine and last night it was the sweetest. (Because you played with my hair while I sang.) Thanks for being such a patient big brother to Hensley. Dad and I love watching you two goof off together.

Hens,

We matched on Christmas eve. I promise I won't make you do this in middle school, but I've gotta admit I loved wearing our red dresses and fur coats together. Besides the family (and eating all day long), your bunny and thumb are your favorite things in the world.

Michael,

Thanks for a wonderful two weeks together. I wish you didn't have to go back today. We've had a great time watching HGTV + Modern Family, dreaming up what house we should buy next (because we've been watching too much HGTV and want to do more projects!) hosting parties, laughing at the kids, enjoying Baby Fields chubbiness and new sounds, etc, etc. I love our new night stands you made me. Thanks for being such a present man of the house. There is much joy in the family when we are all together.

Love,

Mom

Baby Fields: With Uncle Eric

Sweet Fields,

You had a great Christmas, especially with Uncle Eric. He spent lots of time playing with you and laughing. You two had a good line of communication going. I caught some of your time together on video. 

Another amazing gift from your dad was a set of plates from Aunt Erica. I was so surprised and absolutely love them.  Her work is available here and here. Coffee never tastes so good than when it is drank out of one of her mugs. Also helps when it's coffee from here!

Love,

Mom

P.S. Hensley is "helping" me write this blog post, and saying "Eric" over and over. She is also holding the candle from my bedside and swaying while singing her version of this song..."Light one candle for love, one bright candle for love. He brings love to every heart, He Comes, He Comes!"

Happy New Year, Love The Joneses

Happy New Year!!!

We reigned in the New Year with good friends and a dance party! It was soooo much fun! Also fare-welled one of the couples to New Zealand for a month. Wish we could all go with them. Will miss you, Kellers. Happy travels. Love you all! Here's to 2013. To friendship. To relaxation. And to good home cookin'.

Love,

The Joneses

P.S. Last night I got out for dinner with friends. Michael took himself to an action movie tonight and he is making us creme brulee tomorrow night. The kids are happily enjoying their new Christmas gifts. *Hensley is bouncing, Fields has warm feet, and Tegegne is learning to drive! Starting the year out right, I'd say. 

Merry Christmas, Love The Joneses

Merry Christmas! 

(Baby Fields was sleeping when these photos were snapped, but he told me to wish you good tidings!)

Fields Benjamin: 3 Months

Dear Fieldsy,

Oh you're cute and chubby and we love you. You are such a good baby. My favorite thing you're doing lately is looking up at me with the biggest grin after you're finished eating. I'm smitten. Then you spit up for the next 20 minutes. Like a ton. It's not so fun. You have started to make coos and love to be talked to. You still like to wake around 4am, but we're working on that. 

I give you this blessing before bed, "God loves you, God cares for you, God blesses you, God is with you." I've started doing some baby massage and you love it. You also like the baby yoga moves. Your favorite outfit is your Patagonia fleece from Geo and Jan. Cooozy! We do cloth diapers at home, but you pee through almost each one and that's with a double liner!

You are gonna love Christmas break because you will get held lots, and talked to, and spoiled.

Love,

Mama

Moms: Let's Give Ourselves a Gift

Hello Mother Hens. 

Are you tired? Dream of sleeping in on Saturday? I sure do. Rest and relaxation have been on the forefront of my mind. I hope for those two words to reach my body and soul next!  Let's make an effort to give ourselves these gifts this Christmas. Here are some suggestions with hopes to revive our spirit.

1. Ask for help. First of all, we'll need some help, especially those of us with tiny kids. To get help, we must ask for it, yes? (Tis the season to be around family members who also love our kids, and hopefully would love to spend special time with them. Maybe we get creative and plan for one on one time. For example, Little Billie could have a special morning outdoors with Grandpa while Sweet Sister Sue goes to the library with Auntie.)

2. Pick a book. Try to sneak away for a morning or two to a coffee shop solo...book in one hand, frothy drink in the other. ( These are my picks...One Thousand Gifts and White Parents, Black Children.)

3. Sneak out for a date. (A matinee movie is nice, especially if the kids are napping aka...easy babysitting.)

4. Hit the spa. (A few new nail polishes will be it for me, and I'll try to exchange home-style manicures with my mom! These look lovely, don't they?)

What else sounds good to you? Whatever it is, make the effort. Take some time to revive Mother Hen. Everyone will be better off when we do. And we must not feel guilty or anxious during our special time. 

Love,

Kristyn

(photo.)

Advent: Peace with One Another

Advent 2012 - Week two.

Peace within ourselves.
Peace with one another.
Peace in our communities and nation.
Peace in the world.

Here's a thought from our friend (and pastor) regarding this season.

Advent – A time for Presence, Intention, and Sharing

by Tim Keel

I love this time of year. It is the season of Advent! It is a time when routines change, music changes, when people begin having parties – all in anticipation of Christmas. In proclaiming my love I might also be in the minority. Many people do not love this time of the year. They hope merely to survive. It’s easy to understand why. Christmas can be incredibly stressful and difficult for so many reasons.

Even so, it is a significant time of the year. Amidst all that swirls around us, there is a sense that something is different. I believe this is because Christmas isn’t a mere holiday. It is a holy day. There is a deep and true Center to our celebration that is rooted in the revelation of God. At Christmas, we proclaim that the Creator of the cosmos has made himself known by coming to us as a child, Jesus Christ. At long last, God is fulfilling his promise to come and dwell among his people once more, to bring healing and renewal to creation. Immanuel.

In coming to his people as a child, God reveals something about his nature and character that we often overlook. We learn that God’s nature is manifested not by independence and demonstrations of power, but through vulnerability and relationships. The good news is that the God of the universe comes to us as a person.

Anticipating that, we prepare to receive and worship that person – Jesus Christ – during Advent. Advent marks the beginning of the new year for the church. In the same way that our culture begins a new year with fresh resolutions, I want to invite Jacob’s Well to be thoughtful about how we prepare for Christmas this year – that our celebration of the arrival of God in Jesus Christ would reflect the Person whose birth we celebrate. And not just that, but that our actions during this season would reveal the Creator who has come to bring healing and renewal to his world.

To do that, I am challenging us this Advent to be present, to be intentional, and to share.

Featured Friend: Friday

Meet Taryn. She has been a dear friend of mine since college, and now her friendship (plus Micah and Hazels) extends to each member of our family. She lived with us when we first brought Tegegne home in our Westwood bungalow and now lives in our upstairs apartment with her husband and daughter. I am spoiled by her friendship, and love our life giving conversations. Love you, T. Thanks for listening to the good and the bad and being a friend through it all. 

Tell us about your family.

Micah and I were married September 2011 and our daughter, Hazel Elece, was born 9.5 months later.  Although we weren't exactly planning to add to our family so quickly, we were very excited to find out that were going to have a baby....and now we are loving our time with our little Hazel Basil.  We love living with our dear friends in our cozy 3rd floor apartment of the Joneses residence,

 

You honeymooned to Spain, what was your favorite spot and why?

I have so many great memories from our time in Madrid and Barcelona, but I would have to say that our time in Tarifa was particularly special.  Tarifa is Spain's most southern coastal town just a short ferry ride from Tangier, Morroco.  We stayed in a dreamy "casita" that we found through the British website, Owner's Direct (www.ownersdirect.co.uk).  The casita was on the property of the retired Swiss/Swedish owners, Erika and Inglis, who were the most gracious hosts.  They welcomed us with a bottle of champagne, invited us to their home for a night cap and great conversation and gave us a wedding present at the end of our stay. They also gave us wonderful dining recommendations which accounted for three of the best meals of our lives.  Our last night there we enjoyed an incredible dinner of Chateaubriand and red wine at an old hotel on the beach and walked along the windy coast gushing with thankfulness for being in this beautiful place. 

 

Micah loves to cook. What is the most delicious food he's made for you?

That's tough but I always really enjoy when he makes a special birthday meal.  Last year for my birthday he made a big dinner topped off by a delicious Banana Cream Pie (from the trusty Cooks Illustrated cookbook) and breakfast the next morning which included homemade blueberry scones.  He always puts so much time and effort into these meals and I love getting to hear about the process and then share the (always yummy) food together. (Kristyn chiming in here...Micah just got a smoker and makes the best pulled pork with this homemade spicy mustard. And then there's his chili, oh man. His pancakes. That roasted chicken and veggies. The curried stew. Those crepes with cream sauce. I mean, seriously Micah, you are right up there with those tv chefs. Cook on, my friend!)

 

Can you describe your idea of living in community and in the country?

When Micah and I started talkong about getting married, we would talk about our hopes for our life together.  The more we talked about it, it became apparent that we were both really excited by the idea of living in a rural setting and offering a space for individuals and communities to come to get away from the city for solitude, prayer, discernment, relaxation, play, etc.  We would love to have a big garden and a welcoming guest space.  We're in no hurry to leave the city though.  We have learned the importance of community and we have a great one here.   

 

What is the best part of being a mom so far?

I really love our mornings together.  Now that my maternity leave is over, Micah goes to work in the morning and I go to work in the afternoon and we each get to spend the other half of the day at home with her.  I love going into her room when she wakes up in the morning and seeing her sweet smile.  We sings lots of songs and dance around the apartment.  We also love our visits with our housemates downstairs.  I love how Hensley says her name repeatedly and how Tegegne likes it when I pretend I know what she's thinking (i.e." Hazel says 'I wonder if I'll ever be as fast at Tegegne?'")  He assured me that she will not:)  It is a such a gift to live with dear friends. 

We love you guys!

Kristyn

Our Home: For the Holidays Part II

Details, details, details. I learned that it is fun to go all out and decorate for Christmas!  And to add our eclectic taste in the details! 

The one thing I wished I had found or made was a nativity set. One that the kids could interact with and play out the Jesus story. Tis the season for making things merry and bright, for teaching the children about giving. We have gotten into the Advent season and it's good to share the traditions and the meaning of Christmas with the children. This morning we did a Centering Prayer together. We took deep breaths then said, "Jesus, over and over." What a sweet moment. Hearing their little voices say the name of Jesus. Each week of Advent is focused on something different. The first week is Centering Prayer and Morning Prayer. 

Love,

Kristyn

P.S. All photos by Aunt Deanna!