The Willis Family

Finding Normal

2011-10-04T15:58:00.007-04:00

We have been back for over a month and we are just now finding our "normal" again! When we got back to the US, I got sick for like 9 days with a mysterious fever. I don't remember being that run down before! I am fine now, but I need to work on slowing down more, fighting the frantic pace of our culture!

Josh and I are loving our small group at Buckhead Church. We have 5 couples and meet on Monday nights. We have been listening to a sermon series about Marriage by Tommy Nelson. We are also planning a weekend get-away in late October for our small group to the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Georgia.

Josh and Jason continue to excel in their business Rational Studios. Josh has converted one of our bedrooms into their office... complete with a giant white board. We recently had a Rational Studios early Christmas party and went to see Wicked at the Fox Theatre with Jason and his wife, Denise. It was fantastic! Serendipitously, we ended up with seats right next to my boss and his wife... totally unplanned!

I also formed a neighborhood group called Ashford Park Moms on Facebook. We recently had a dinner with kids/spouses and it was really fun!

Joshua (aka Little Josh) knows three words: "Mama", "uh-oh", and "yeah". He says "uh-oh" anytime he wants something. If he wants to go outside, he will point to the door and say it. If he wants a bottle, he will point to the drawer where I keep them and say it. If he wants me to open a container, he will give it to me and say it. Anytime you ask him a question, he responds with "yeah". It is really cute! He also knows the sign language for "All Done" and will do it when he is finished eating. Recently, he has begun to use a fork and spoon! He needs practice, but he is almost there.

Our Mission trip to Kenya!

2011-08-23T15:59:00.006-04:00

Josh and I signed up for the GlobalX/ 410 Bridge trip to Kenya in January. For much of the time leading up to the trip, we were uncertain of what we would be doing exactly. We knew we would be working with children. We knew we would begoing to Africa. Everything else, we would just have to be patient...

Our team met several times leading up to the trip, and we developed a curriculum for children surrounding the virtue of Individuality: Discovering who God created you to be so that you can make a difference. Our team divided into three teams: sports, crafts, and lessons.

Our team departed on August 11th, flying through Washington DC and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), arriving in Nairobi, Kenya. We slept at The Strand Hotel for one night, and then headed out of town 3 hours to Ngaamba, the village where we held our children's camp. Saturday and Sunday, we spent with the 252 team, named after Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. The 252 team was formed about a year ago by the 410 Bridge. Its members are young adults native to Ngaamba who were willing to volunteer their time once per week visiting schools and pouring into the children there. The 252 team teaches one virtue per month to the kids, and by the end of the month, the children know the definition of the virtue, a bible verse to go along with the virtue, a story from the Bible demonstrating the virtue, and the "bottom line" (a short sentence to summarize. For example, God made you special).

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we held a children's program at Ngaamba Primary School. The school, which has over 800 students, chose the top performing, best behaved kids to be invited to our camp. They also included a few students who are struggling a bit. We had 100 children, grades 5-8. We worked alongside the 252 team. This was the first time working with children while they were on break from school. Usually, members of the 252 team go to a school on their own and work with kids for a small amount of time once per week.

Sustainability. A main theme of the work in Ngaamba is sustainability. The 410 Bridge does not give handouts. We were told not to give anything to the children, and they never asked for anything. The 410 bridge is after a much larger goal: holistic community renewal. They are working on 5 pillars for this community: 1) water (done!) 2) medical 3) commerce 4) education and 5) spiritual growth. If the people of Ngaamba can be regenerated by the Lord, and empowered to grow from within, then they will never rely on anyone else. Every activity we conducted had this concept in mind. We played games with rocks and paper plates. Crafts were done with paper and pencil. Songs and lessons were passed down not with instruments or sound-traks, but with clapping and singing.

We visited a local church. The church service was still going on when our bus arrived and we had to leave, and we had been there for 3 hours! I could see from visiting the church why there was a need for programs directed specifically to children. Sitting through sermons is not effective in reaching young minds. They need simplicity, fun, and engagement! The sermon was wonderful, by the way. They translated everything for us. The pastor spoke about how our actions should match what we claim to believe. If you love God, you will obey Him (John 14:15). One of the memorable things that happened was that when they collected the offering, one woman brought her goat to the front of the church, and the goat got nervous and went #1!

We stayed at the Myriam Village Inn in Sultan Hamud along the Nairobi Mombasa highway (about 3 hrs from Nairobi). The area surrounding the hotel was rough.... lots of kids running after our bus wanting food.

Safari. At the end of our trip, we visted Amboseli national park and went on a safari. We saw elephants, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, gazelles, and ostriches! It was a time to relax and recuperate in preparation for our long journey home.

Home. As soon as we got home, I went to the Bright Point website to see if any of the children we had met at Ngaamba Central Primary School were up for sponsorship. A little girl named Mary was there, and Josh and I decided to sponsor her. Here is a picture:

We wanted to find Joshua (pictured below), but he had not been nominated for Bright Point yet. After the first day, this little boy shortened his name to Josh after meeting Big Josh.

We are indescribably grateful to all who supported us on this trip. It changed us in more ways than be counted, and it will change the future for the children of Ngaamba, who will grow up knowing God their Father and Jesus their Savior. God's redemption can begin now with their small village, and spread over time to bring restoration to the entire country. The 252 team will grow larger, and reach more schools, and the trajectory of the lives of these children will move toward their Heavenly Father, and they will escape the corruption of this world (2 Peter 1:4). Not only that, these children can look forward to heaven, where the world is as it should be - the home of righteousness! (2 Corinthians 4:17 and 2 Peter 3:13).

Kenya, Here we come!

2011-08-04T14:51:00.002-04:00

I am happy to report that my shopping is officially done for our trip to Kenya... BandAids, Purell, ziplocks, medications, you name it. Now, I am thinking through all the things this little guy will need. As you can see from the picture, he loves to eat. He eats a lot each day, including the turkey that is stuck on his nose :) If you want to follow what is happening on our trip, go to http://2011globalxkenyateam.blogspot.com/. Thank you to all who supported us financially, and to Chef and Momo who will be taking care of our household while we are away. And thank you to all of you who pray for us. We know we will be changed from this experience in ways I cannot imagine.

Update on our Mission Trip to Kenya

2011-07-20T09:16:00.002-04:00

Our mission trip team had a meeting on Sunday and we were busy putting together the program for the kids. Our theme for the program is "Individualism" to teach the kids that each one of them is a special, unique creation made by God. We will have three groups of activities for the children: Arts/Crafts, Bible Lessons, and Sports activities. Josh and I volunteered to lead the Sports section of the program. We will have the kids participate in sports and activities that are centered around the theme of Individualism. One idea our team had was to bring a set of golf clubs and show the kids about golf. They may think that is fascinating! Too bad there is not a pool nearby :)

I learned at our meeting that one of the most important things we will be doing is helping the young adults get organized and prepared to put on these programs after we leave at various schools throughout the region. It is similar to a mentor program, where the young adults (around 18-20 years old) invest in the lives of the younger kids. Along with helping the younger kids grow up with a support system, it also gives the young adults purpose as well as unite the communities.

So we continue to learn more about what we will actually be doing while we are over there, and we are getting more and more excited! This small town of Ngaamba has been helped so much since the 410 Bridge started ministering there. They have helped bring clean, accessible water and medical care. Now they are focusing on education and mentoring.

While we are in Kenya, you can follow what we are doing by visiting our team Blog:
http://2011globalxkenyateam.blogspot.com/

Baby Proof the Side Yard: Check!

2011-07-16T19:51:00.008-04:00

Josh built this cute picket fence and planted two bushes just beyond it. He also built the lattice to protect the air-conditioning units from LJ. On the other end of the side-yard, Josh beautified the patio (below) by building wooden planters, installing lattice, and creating a garden.

We planted every herb we could find as well as some tomato plants and a zuchinni plant...

Here are some "before" pictures...

My Newest Hobby: Couponing!

2011-07-15T19:44:00.003-04:00

Why didn't anyone tell me about couponing? It is the best hobby ever! I get the Sunday paper, organize my coupons in a 3-ring binder with sheet-protectors, and I match manufacturer coupons with store coupons with the weekly sales.

My favorite websites are The Krazy Coupon Lady and Southern Savers.

Here are some of my good buys:

Pompein Olive Oil (32 oz): $5.05

Bayer Advanced 24-count Aspirin: $0.50

Ben + Jerry's Ice cream Pint: $1.23

Solo 9oz clear plastic cups (40 count): $1.15

Post Great Grains cereal: $0.29

Wishbone Dressing (16 oz): 33 cents

Crest Toothpaste (6.4 oz): 25 cents

Barilla Pasta: 7 cents

Luigi Italian Ice (6 cup pack): 60 cents

Dove Deodorant: 75 cents

Collgate Toothpaste (Reg price $2.77, got it for 77 cents)

Feta Cheese (Presidente): Orig $5 per package. Got 2 for $2.15

Sharpie Markers 2-count: 50 cents

My Energetic 15-mo Old

2011-07-15T10:48:00.005-04:00

Joshua is not just walking now, he is running! And he is usually yelling, too. He loves door handles, remotes, computers, keyboards, kitchen items, and steering wheels. We got him a cozy coupe recently, and he loves sitting in that thing, honking the horn, and vigorously turning the steering wheel back and forth! LJ blows kisses all the time. He will say "ma-ma" if you say it to him, but unfortunately for Josh, he will also say "ma-ma" when you try to get him to say "da-da". His little voice is so sweet, it makes me melt! I cannot wait for some additional words to pop out. His other tricks include the "tarzan" beating of the chest and shaking his head "yes" and "no". LJ loves avocados. Other foods, he will love one day and not want the next. Our food philosophy is that he gets a few choices, but then, if he throws his food on the floor or won't eat it, we end the meal and let him get pretty hungry for the next one! We don't want him to learn that if he just refuses the first thing I offer him, he will eventually get something really good (like applesauce or bananas!)

Josh and I are leaving for Kenya in a month. We will be gone about 10 days while Chef and Momo watch LJ. We have to raise $7300 for the trip. Our deadline is today, but we are still short!

Lately, I have been focusing on getting my strength back (it's been 15 months since having LJ, but I still feel weak and wiggly)! I love attending Fast Twitch classes at the Forum, but I also liked the class this morning at Thrive, which is only 1 mile from our house. It was like bootcamp, running outside and then doing resistance and plyometrics exercises in their studio. It was early, though. Class starts at 5:30am!

My latest job at work is to decorate our new orientation room. I spent a while yesterday at West Elm (one of my favorite furniture stores!) and Ikea picking things out. What a fun job I have! I am also scheduled to lead a Starting Point group that starts July 24. It has been a year since my last group, and I am excited to get back into it again. Discussions in Starting Point are so fascinating, and lots of people encounter God for the first time, which is a great reminder of when God entered my life 10 years ago.

I have been working at Buckhead Church for a year now, and I still wonder in amazement how I ended up with my dream job.

1st and 31st Birthday for Josh and Little Josh

2011-07-15T10:43:00.006-04:00

My Joshes celebrated their birthdays on March 29th and March 30th! We had a brunch for the family.

Baby Dedication for Little Josh - Part 1

2010-11-21T17:24:00.000-05:00

Baby Dedication for Little Josh - Part 2

2010-11-21T17:23:00.001-05:00

Today, we had a baby dedication for Little Josh at our church. Beforethe dedication, we had a brunch in LJ's honor. Josh made all the food!

For the Baby Dedication, they asked the parents to come up with 5 values that we will focus on as we raise LJ. These are values that wepledged to demonstrate for him in words and action. We also had tocome up with some habits our family would form that would help the 5 values develop. Here is what we came up with!

5 Values for Little Josh and 3 Habits for the Willis Family
1. Respect – for God, for parents, family, friends, other people,other people’s posessions
2. Humility – as opposed to pride. Realizing that all you have andare comes from God.
3. Generosity – Freely and cheerfully giving
4. Integrity – Who you are when no one is looking.
5. Forgiveness – not holding grudges, forgiving others as God forgives You.

Habits for our Family:
• Pray before bed
• Josh and Calley's Marriage comes first (date nights, etc...)
• Family Service Projects

Our Front Yard: Before Pictures...

2010-11-19T17:16:00.000-05:00

Our Front Yard

2010-11-19T17:15:00.002-05:00

Our Kitchen: Before Pictures....

2010-11-19T17:04:00.004-05:00

The top three pictures are from before we moved into the house. We suspect that someone was living in our kitchen. We found library books, a model ship, and a trash can! There was a crack in the floor from where the house settled. And those countertops --- I didn't like how they were never really clean. And we needed some color. Josh's mom was the color expert who nailed it by picking Chrysanthemum. Love that color!!! We hadn't planned on redoing the backsplash, but we needed something to tie the countertops in with the cabinets. Our tile guy was awesome! Let me know if you need his number.

Kitchen Reno!

2010-11-19T17:00:00.003-05:00

Our Happy Guy

2010-11-19T16:03:00.002-05:00

What is new in the Willis world? Well, I just got through a week of being sicker than I can ever remember being! I had a temperature of almost 102! My wonderful husband took good care of me and LJ. He took LJ to the Weekday program at Buckhead Church while I stayed home most of the week. He also bought me soup and Gatorade, and helped me calm down when I almost fainted from being nauseous!

In one week we are headed to Des Moines and then onto Rockford, IL to visit my brother Ty for Thanksgiving. I calculated that we will need 36 diapers, 15 meals, and 19 bottles for Little Josh for our trip! My brother is cooking the Thanksgiving meal, and I am gearing up to hit the sales at the Rockford mall!

LJ's newest trick is crawling... well, sort of. He scoots across the floor like a wounded soldier! He can get up on all fours and rock back and forth, too.

This coming Sunday, we are having Little Josh's Baby Dedication at Church. Our assignment is to come up with the 5 most crucial attributes we want to instill in Little Josh. An example would be "respecting authority"... And we need to come up with at least 3 habits we want to form in our household to promote those attributes we want to develop. I am grateful that in this stage of life, all I have to do is make sure LJ gets what he needs to eat, sleep, and bathe!

The latest with the Willis Family!

2010-08-27T11:47:00.002-04:00

Little Josh will be 5 months old on Monday! He is now eating 3 little solid food meals each day. He loves anything I give him. I like to use our giant food processor to make him carrots and sweet potato puree. I am going to try making squash and spinach puree next and see if he will eat it (maybe I will mix it with some banana or something!)

Big Josh has been working at CBEYOND for about 2 months now. His commute is not too bad. It takes him about 20-25 minutes to get over to the Cobb Parkway area of town.

We are going to do a mini renovation of our kitchen! We have a giant crack in the tile on our floor that we will fix. And we are getting some new countertops. Nothing too big, but the changes will make a big difference. We bought a faucet off of ebay and it is great! A small dent in the back, but no one will ever notice! :) (until now, of course!)

I am loving my new job at Buckhead Church! Josh and I have been leading a Starting Point group and it has been a great experience for me. I sometimes forget why I believe what I believe about God, the Bible, heaven. It is good to remember that it is not just wishful thinking. God really does exist, He really has revealed himself to us so we can know Him, and God really has figured out a way to fix our broken world! You can listen online to 9 great little sermons (about 30 min each). Listen here...

Yo Yo Champ Video

2010-08-27T11:45:00.001-04:00

It is amazing what gifts people have! I want to be really good at something!

Watch the Yo Yo Champion on YouTube!

This was Josh's idea...

2010-08-08T20:20:00.002-04:00

This is LJ's third day eating banana. We mash it into a mixture of rice cereal and formula. He really likes it. He is impatient when I take too long to give him the next gulp. It was Josh's idea to dispense the food in this manner. But it works!
We just got back from Iowa and had an awesome time with my parents. We had some great meals (our final meal was filet and giant shrimp paired with Iowa sweetcorn!) and we got to go to the pool every day. I got to play tennis twice. We took a 5:40am flight home. We are all a bit tired!

LJ eats!

2010-07-21T17:58:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by joshTheElder

well... not really. We bought rice cereal for babies (which is more like little flakes that turns into a smoothie than cereal [we were thinking "rice krispies"]). After a failure with the spoon, we tried a bottle with an enlarged (by dad) nipple opening and that was successful. LJ needs solid food because he has been waking up in the middle of the night hungry.

LJ can sit in the Bumbo Seat

2010-07-10T21:40:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by joshTheElder

New Videos of Little Josh

2010-07-10T21:38:00.000-04:00

Little Josh Working
Little Josh playing with Dad

Growing Fast!

2010-07-10T21:32:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by joshTheElder

My Little Joshua is growing fast! He will be four months old on July 31st. Two weeks ago, I started my new job at Buckhead Church as the Starting Point Coordinator. Little Josh stays at the daycare 4 days a week. I was curious how this would be - a working mom with LJ in daycare. It has been so amazing! I am able to go down and feed him 2 times a day, and I go pick him up at 4:30. We are home by 4:45pm leaving plenty of time to hang out until he goes to bed at 8am. The time we spend together is precious to me, and I think I enjoy it more than if I saw him all day long. I am also grateful that he will grow up around other kids: who knows how long these friendships will last him! His newest tricks include standing up (with a little help!), talking (although he is the only one who knows what he is saying!), smiling and laughing (although he is very picky about when he will smile), and sitting in the bumbo chair! He loves to stare at his dad. Whenever Josh is in the room, LJ's eyes follow him around. Sometimes we take naps with LJ. He is great company for naps. So far, we are really loving parenthood, and of course, loving LJ!!

Little Josh can dance and talk!

2010-06-29T13:19:00.001-04:00

Click here to see him dance!
Click here to see him talk!

I have a new job!

2010-06-22T19:23:00.002-04:00

I have been a personal trainer for 3 and a half years now. Before that, I was a grad student in nutrition, and before that, I was a college athlete. This is a big transition for me: I am leaving the health and fitness industry! And I am more than ready to do it! I have loved it, but I really look forward to studying a new topic and moving in a different direction. No longer will I get on a plane and cringe when the person next to me finds out I am a personal trainer/nutritionist. (A long plane ride of free advise usually ensues). And no longer will being physically fit be part of my job description (although, I think I will enjoy exercising more now that it isn't my profession!) I can just be a regular Joe every time I go to LA Fitness :) The saddest part of all of this is having to say goodbye to my clients. I love them. I will miss seeing them so much. You really get to know someone well when you see them 1-2 times a week for an hour each time!

So, what is this new job you ask? Well, I will be the Starting Point Coordinator for Buckhead Church. Starting Point is a conversational environment where people can explore faith and experience community. Starting Point groups are a safe place for people with questions about faith, as well as those who want to learn about the Bible and Christianity. Groups meet for about 10 weeks and together explore the grand story of the Bible. I will meet with Starting Point leaders and be the organizational machine behind the scenes!!!

Little Josh will get to go to the daycare at the church. As he grows up, he will have a great group of people in his life to introduce him to God. I couldn't be happier about what this will do for Little Josh's spiritual life!

Little Josh's First Swim!

2010-05-30T13:51:00.002-04:00

First Day at the Pool

2010-05-20T20:51:00.003-04:00

Little Josh's first day at the pool! I bought him some swim diapers, which were more expensive than I thought! Here is a tip I learned from my sister-in-law Jennifer: as long as the baby doesn't "go" in the diaper, you can hang it up to dry and reuse it later! That will save us some cash! Anyway, I put his sunhat on him and his swim diaper and we headed for the baby pool. I lowered him into the water and he looked up at me with a look that said, "I like the water but this is too cold!" He didn't cry, but he shook a little and looked worried. After 5 traumatic seconds elapsed, I wrapped him in a towel and he took a long nap by the pool. What a day! He slept great that night.

Yes! Sleeping through the night!

2010-05-14T21:48:00.002-04:00

This is a big mile-stone in a new mother's life. Little Josh slept again last night from 10:3opm until 6am. If he keeps doing this, we are in the clear. I could perhaps start exercising again! Little Josh is transitioning from an infant into a baby.

Sleeping through the night???!!!

2010-05-13T15:45:00.002-04:00

For two nights in a row, Little Josh has practically slept through the night! Monday night, I fed him at 10:30pm and he did not wake up until 6am! Then last night, I fed him at 10pm and he woke up at 5am. I am seriously excited!

My Peaceful Son

2010-05-05T11:52:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by joshTheElder

It is so easy to worry about this little guy. There is nothing he can do for himself (besides poop, pee, cry, eat and sleep!) But here's the thing: all of us are this vulnerable. We have no control over what happens to us. In reality, most of us don't worry enough about what could happen to us or those we love. Natural disasters, disease, crime, accidents... there is more danger out there than we can see! There is no point in posing a positive attitude, because the difficulties and dangers of life do not merit a positive attitude.

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6
5 For the living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward,
and even the memory of them is forgotten.

6 Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun.

This is the hard truth in a life without hope, without God. This is where my logic took me the spring of my sophomore year of college, where positive thinking could no longer sustain me. This was the time in my life where God met me, revealed himself to me, and sent forth his "Word" (his Truth, his revelation of who he is, his revelation of who his Son Jesus is). I had been living in the book of Ecclesiastes (Life is Meaningless!) and in Psalm 107 (Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains). God imparted his Truth to me: God loves us, his fallen people, and he has created a way to reunite us to him, so that no danger, even death will separate us from being in his presence when we die. All he asks is for us to believe Him, that the sacrifice of his Son Jesus was our redemption (redeem: to recover ownership of by paying a specified sum. To set free, rescue, or ransom). If we refuse to believe Him, we continue to live "without hope, without God" (Ephesians 2:12).

When I look at Little Josh, sleeping in his crib, and the worries of this life begin to flow up to the surface, I remember the Word of the Lord. My only desire is for Little Josh to believe the Lord!

Romans 9:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:51-55
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mailbox Mystery

2010-05-03T11:34:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by joshTheElder

Was it the storms last night, a car, or a disgruntled teenager?

Psalm 139

2010-04-27T14:23:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by joshTheElder

O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

Baby Josh's First Weeks

2010-04-20T16:53:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by joshTheElder

We were lucky to have my mom stay with us the first two weeks of Little Josh's life! Each day, we have learned something new about raising him. The book Baby Wise has been a life-saver! The schedule for Little Josh goes as follows:

Wake up at 7:30 or 8am for his first feeding. Keep him awake for about 30 minutes, then put him back to bed.
When he wakes up, feed him again. (If it is 11:30am already and he hasn't woken up, I will wake him up!) Keep him awake again for about 30 minutes, then put him in his car seat for his nap. I can then go on a walk or go "out."
When he wakes up, feed him again. (If it has been 4 hours since he last ate and he hasn't woken up, I will wake him up!) Keep him awake again for about 30 minutes, then put him back to bed.
When he wakes up, feed him again. (If it has been 4 hours since he last ate and he hasn't woken up, I will wake him up!) Keep him awake again for about 30 minutes, then put him back to bed while Josh and I eat dinner.
When he wakes up, feed him again. (If it has been 4 hours since he last ate and he hasn't woken up, I will wake him up!) Then I put him to bed immediately and wait for him to wake up sometime during the night.
Middle of the night: He wakes up and I feed him and put him back to bed.
Hopefully the next time he wakes up is 7:30am, but if there is one more middle-of-the-night feeding, then I get myself out of bed once more and feed him!

I have been lucky to be able to go on walks in our neighborhood with the BOB stroller. LJ loves the stroller and falls asleep almost immediately. I have also been able to take him shopping at the Forum, to the gym to meet my clients, and out to dinner a few times. I also have lots of time right now during his naps so I can keep the house pretty clean and get some rest myself. LJ turns three weeks today, and I have 7 more weeks until I return to work. The goal is to have him sleeping from 1am/2am to 7am consistently each day so I can get enough sleep to go to work each day!

Baby Josh Arrives!

2010-04-07T10:18:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by joshTheElder

On Monday the 29th, we celebrated Josh's birthday by going to Valenza, and Italian restaurant in our neighborhood. When we got home and I climbed into bed, my water broke! We were so excited that our baby would be with us within 24 hours! We finished packing for the hospital, and then drove our way up 400 to Northside Forsyth. I had no painful contractions all night long, and then finally in the morning after lots of pitocin, the contractions immediately got very intense. They hooked me up on an epidural where I got some pain relief. Hours later, I was not progressing at all! 19 hours into labor, we made the decision to do a C-Section. The doctors and nurses immediately prepared me for surgery, and wheeled me into the OR. A giant blue tarp separated my upper torso from the rest of my body. Within 15 minutes, they had Little Josh out and I heard him cry for the first time. It was indescribable! Josh took some fabulous pictures: Click Here For Baby Josh's Arrival Pictures. I stayed at the hospital until Friday.

Pregnancy: What I Learned

2010-03-26T14:50:00.002-04:00

When pregnant, never do jumping jacks or sneeze if you haven't gone to the lady's room lately.
Pregnancy gives you the craziest lucid dreams!
No one will let you lift anything during pregnancy, even if it is only 10 pounds. As a pregnant woman, you are now considered very fragile!
Toward the end of your pregnancy, no topic is off limits. People will ask you about your cervix and about vaginal birth without hesitation.
During the last few weeks of your pregnancy, people will say "You're still here?" every time you see them.
No matter how many billions of women throughout history have had babies, you will still feel special and people will still get excited because there is a brand new life coming soon that is a miracle!

Josh's 30th Birthday Party!

2010-03-21T20:51:00.007-04:00

We tried to surprise him but he outsmarted us at the last minute! Happy Birthday anyway, honey! I hope Little Josh comes on your actual birthday. We will all see very shortly! 7 days and counting!

Aren't these shelves great?!

2010-03-21T20:43:00.002-04:00

Josh built these shelves in 4 days! Isn't he so handy?

36 Weeks Pregnant!

2010-03-11T17:46:00.001-05:00

2010-03-11T17:41:00.003-05:00

The Nursery!
I am ready for Little Josh. Here is one half of the nursery. The only thing I am waiting on now is the new cushions for the glider!

Bobos in Paradise

2010-01-15T14:58:00.002-05:00

I got halfway through this book. I didn't stop because it wasn't interesting, it just got a little repetitive! This book discusses the rise of the "meritocracy" - which replaced the aristocracy. Basically, you used to be important based on who you were related to, and now you are important based on what you have achieved (like college degrees, awards, etc.) This book describes very well the new social order where you are allowed to make a lot of money, but you have to kind of hide it. So go spend $1,000 on your hiking boots, and be safe from pretentiousness!!!

The Help

2010-01-15T14:57:00.002-05:00

I thought this book was great! I listened to it on my iPod while I got lots of walking and time on the elliptical! The voices on the audiobook were very good. I purchased it through audible.com but you can also get it on amazon as an mp3. The Help is a fictional book about Jacksonville, MS in the 1960s. It describes what it was like to be black and work for white families during the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement. A personal lesson I took from this book is how influential your friends can be, and how not to let anyone convince you that you are superior to anyone else - whether poor, or of another race, or of another culture! "My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism." James 2:1

2010-01-15T14:55:00.001-05:00

I have now read all 4 of Emily Giffin's books! They were very easy to read. Great books!

2010-01-11T15:11:00.003-05:00

We are done building the crib! I am still missing a crib skirt, but hope to have that eventually. This crib was donated to us, and Josh was able to put it together without any of the screws the crib came with! Very impressive...

Eating Vegetables

2010-01-10T22:16:00.002-05:00

Pregnancy has changed the way I want to eat. Drastically! I now despise chicken, and I have absolutely no desire to eat vegetables. But I know Little Josh needs more than pizza and macaroni and cheese. What a dilemma! Here is my new plan - I steam vegetables and then obliterate them in my food processor to make purees. Then I put the purees in my macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and any other food that is creamy, cheesy, fatty and good-tasting! I don't know how long this will last, though, because pregnancy has made me pretty lazy. Eleven more weeks of this and then I hope to return to normal!

Nursery!

2009-12-23T21:38:00.004-05:00

I had a very fun time today at Pottery Barn equipping the changing station for the nursery! Next project is putting together the crib. What is this "nesting" phenomenon and how can I get it to stop?

30th Birthday

2009-12-11T17:32:00.006-05:00

Calley turns 30!

I am not as shocked as I thought I would be. I am very excited to enter my 30s. I have a fantastic husband who I love more than I thought was humanly possible, and we have a little version of him on the way ("Little Josh"). We have a home and jobs and family and friends. I have so much in this world, it is hard to imagine the Next World God has prepared for us will be even better!

Josh woke me up the morning of my birthday and gave me a sapphire necklace. I love it so much. He got it at our jeweler Bradley T. Harris. I love that we have a jeweler, although the only thing we have purchased from him is our wedding rings :). Someday, Bradley T. Harris, we will purchase more from you. You have been very good to us.

On my birthday, my dad took us all to the Blue Ridge Grill off of West Paces Road in Buckhead. The next day, Marcie and Willie hosted a joint birthday party for me and my nephew Leo (born December 18th).

2009-12-11T17:24:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving 2009!

Josh and I hosted my family the whole week and make thanksgiving dinner for the very first time. I set the table using my Grandma Voorhees's china. Josh made a 22-pound turkey, along with a giant meal of sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, salad, carrots, home-made rolls, gravy, and sausage stuffing. Cindy, Vincent and Leo flew in from Paris to celebrate with us, my brother, Tyler, drove from Illinois, and my mom and dad flew in from Des Moines. We spent time playing tennis at the park, eating at our favorite pizza place (Elwood's), going to the ImagineIt! Children's museum, and taking walks in the neighborhood. Josh and I worked hard to get the house ready for everyone - installing blinds, fixing toilets, light fixtures, equipping bathrooms, and finding beds and air-matresses. In the end, we all had a place to sleep and quasi-working bathrooms to use.
We also celebrated the completion of our outdoor flagstone patio. That was quite a relief. After hours and hours of Josh working hard out there and me watching from the window, we are very glad to have it done. Thanks to Jessica's dad's help, we were able to hire a crew to do the final laying of the stones. Josh learned that chiseling stone is much harder than we could have imagined, and laying them into mortar can be quite time consuming!

Healthy Smoothie to get your Veggies!

2009-11-06T10:59:00.000-05:00

IN A BLENDER:

8 oz orange juice
frozen mango chunks (or frozen banana slices or strawberries instead)
a handful of spinach
1/3 avocado
1 cup plain yogurt

The Boat Song

2009-11-02T19:24:00.000-05:00

This is a video of my nephew Leo singing a French song about being on a boat!

A very smart 15-month old!

2009-11-02T19:16:00.000-05:00

This is a video of my nephew, Leo, at 15-months old. He is such a smart kid!

2009-11-02T19:10:00.000-05:00

Three years after moving to Atlanta from Bowdon, GA, we bought a house in Brookhaven! The house was in bad shape: cat urine smell, random belongings from a possible squatter (a model ship, library books, shoes, clothes, a cat bed, and a garbage can that had held a fire at one time!), totally overgrown wisteria in the back yard, and a very unappealing refrigerator. After replacing the carpet, refinishing the hardwood floors, buying a new fridge and stove on craigslist, buying a motor for the garage door, and many other things, we finally feel moved in. Our first upgrade project is a patio. Here in the picture, we have just built our retaining wall. It will be filled in with crush-and-run and then will hold up our flagstone patio!

Do you want to know how big a human egg really is?

2009-10-30T09:16:00.000-04:00

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/scale/

Visit the link above. Make sure you use the sliding scale beneath the picture. You will be amazed!

Calley and Josh start dating and get married

2009-10-28T19:27:00.000-04:00

When I was 25 and in grad school at UGA, my roommate Caroline introduced me to her cousin Josh by inviting him over for a casual dinner at our apartment with our other roommate and Josh's brother, Jacob. After meeting, Josh waited two weeks to call. When he did, it was on Valentine's Day! Our first date was February 18th, 2005 at 5 Star Day in Athens. In March, I went to visit my sister in France, and was totally unaware if Josh liked me or not! When I got back, he picked me up from the airport, and shortly after, we had a D.T.R. at Caliente Cab in Athens! Josh met my parents when he came home with me to Iowa 4 months into dating. On the golf course at Lake Thunderhead, he asked my parents permission to propose to me. I was unaware! Two months after that, on September 23, 2005, Josh proposed! It came as a total surprise to me. He took me to Spa Sydell for a massage and manicure and then down to the Chattahoochie River, where we prayed. He popped the question near the pavilion overlooking the river. Marcie and Jennifer were hiding somewhere in the bushes but they were undetected! Our engagement lasted 8 months. I had to finish up my thesis research, writing, and defense. The day I graduated was our wedding day! Josh lived in Bowdon, GA during our engagement while he worked for Nationwide's Government Relations office. We got married on May 13, 2006 in Alpharetta at the Prospect House. It was a perfect day! After getting married, we lived in Bowdon for three months. Our favorite memories are the Piggly Wiggly, Alabama lakes, Bowdon parades, big Saturday morning breakfasts, and Yoga at SportsPlex.

Meet Josh's brothers

2009-10-28T19:23:00.000-04:00

Josh's middle brother Timmy has two kids with his wife Jennifer. Jennifer writes a great blog about their crazy life! Josh's little brother Jacob is a newlywed with his wife Jessica. They also have a blog! No kids yet for them but they do have their puppy, Tucker.

Meet Calley's sister

2009-10-28T19:19:00.000-04:00

My sister Cindy lives in Paris with her fiance Vincent. They have a little boy named Leo who is very smart. Vincent speaks French to Leo and Cindy speaks English to him. He is growing up to be a world citizen!

Meet Calley's Brother

2009-10-28T19:14:00.000-04:00

My brother Tyler is married to Angie and they run a pool hall. They have two labs - one black and one chocolate: Echo and Kodi.

Meet Josh Willis!

2009-10-28T19:06:00.000-04:00

Josh's parents fell in love quickly, and were married right away! Soon after that, their firstborn was Josh, followed shortly by Tim and Jacob. Josh played soccer, baseball, and also the guitar.

My early and college years

2009-10-28T18:54:00.000-04:00

As a kid, I loved to swim, and I also dabbled in a little soccer and dance. Later on, I went to Iowa State University (where there is lots of corn!) and I swam for the swimming team and joined the triathlon club.

The History of Josh and Calley

2009-10-28T18:31:00.000-04:00

The best reason I have heard so far for keeping a blog is to catalogue your life. With this goal in mind, I thought it would be fun to present a history of our family, starting with our beginnings! It all started with a man from Johnston, Iowa and a woman from Glenview, Illinois. They were both very good-looking, he was in the navy, she was a former lifeguard. They met at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. After getting married, dad joined the navy. My sister Cindy was born before he got back. Five years later they had a little boy and named him Tyler. Seven years after that, I was born!