Lewis Life

Brendan's Party

2011-11-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we had Brendan's 3rd Birthday at the Museum of Nature and Science. We had such a great time and I had a chance to get to know a few more of the mom's from Brendan's MDO class. All the kids had a blast checking everything out at the Children's portion of the museum. I think we're going to have to go back eventually so that B can really see everything. His favorite exhibit was the water room. I think he could have stayed there all day. In fact, if I hadn't had the prospect of cupcakes to lure him away, he might have.

Today Brendan saw the shirt he wore to his party and now apparently refers to it as the cupcake shirt. If you ask Brendan about his birthday it will most definitely include the portion about the cupcakes... and possibly the fire truck.

I'm not really sure how, but over the course of two weeks my son has become an official self proclaimed "Big Boy". He is determined to do just about everything by himself. Tonight he insisted on dressing himself in his footie pajamas... that was... interesting. I have been sharpening my ninja skills in order to covertly assist him in his endeavors. One of his favorite things to do now is to "teach" me. He'll ask me questions about his toys and books quiz style. I get rewarded with a "yes, that's right" when I guess correctly. I often guess wrong to keep him on his toes.

Before I get too far off track I want to share a few picture from the Party, then we shall recommence Lewis101.

I chose Dr. Seuss because we enjoy reading together, and it is very fitting because Brendan is very imaginative. We read quite a few Seuss books!

Dr. Seuss Quotes of course!

This is not perfect, don't look too close :) But I wanted to make his shirt this year.

I also really enjoy making invitations, this one was lots of fun, so I had to include a pic (minus info, of course)... p.s. Thank you Emily, for helping me cut everything out and put them together!!

We had a really cool mix of people... Jordan's classmates, best friends, family, Brendan's classmates. Everyone had fun getting to know each other.

All the kiddaroos played and explored to their heart's content!

Next was food, of course. We had fun Dr. Seuss themed snacks and drinks... and Chic fil a!! Brendan loves Chic fil a, so we decided it would be nice to have some to share with everyone.

"Green Eggs and Ham"- pretzels, m&m's, and white chocolate

"You Ought-er have some water".
Found some cool Seuss history and thought it
would be cool for the adults to get in on the fun.

"Seuss Juice"

I think the adults we just as happy to have
Chic-fil-a as the kids... I know I was... and always am

"One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" in fish bowls

Crunchy Snetch Munchies

"Pink Yink Ink Drink"- just sprite and raspberry sherbet

Brendan's Favorite, by far (as you might have gathered already), was the cupcake tower! He got to eat two and that made up for having to endure the "Happy Birthday" song. He's a bit of a shy guy when it comes to the spotlight.

He picked blue :)

Lip lickin' good!

So, my little guy is 3. He's FULL of ENERGY! Always busy, always exploring, always curious about new things. He fills our hearts and lives with joy! Every year he becomes more of who God made him to be, and I am thrilled to be his mommy. It is a full time job, one that I am infinitely blessed to be in.

2011-10-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Just happy :)

Today our little boy turned 3 years old! He is so full of life and eager to explore every inch of his world... and if you know Brendan, you know that's true.

Three years ago today we were at Christus St. Michael Hospital in Texarkana, Tx welcoming our new little bundle of joy. We had no idea what was in store... for us, for Brendan, or for our lives the next few years.

October 20, 2008

I will share more later, but I wanted to post a few pictures from our day. It has actually been kind of rough. B is not feeling well, so we just decided to make the most of it anyways.

Have to have a plane built to watch Mighty Machines

Daily hug for "gray car"

Daily good deed: cleaning up The Lakes walking path

Balancing

Jumping

Climbing

Climbing more

Hangin' out

... and flirting

Having a birthday chat with Mimi

First gift from Nana: Day of the Diesels (Thomas)

... LOVED it!!

Read a new book from Nana!

Has to have "flame hair" after bathtime

Jordan made it home after class for birthday dinner!

Papa Johns: The Best.

Must "cheers" all food being eaten together!

Brendan is becoming such a little man. He is very creative and artistic. He thinks a lot about what he is doing and shares all of his precious thoughts with us... when we can keep up.

I love you Brendan Montgomery Lewis!! You are a blessing to Jordan and I... and everyone you meet.

Lots and Lots of Summer Fun!

2011-09-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

Now that Jordan is back to school and Brendan is back at Mother's Day Out it has hit me that summer is gone and fall is here. We had such a great time this summer and got to visit all of our family.

To start things off Brendan and I went to Lubbock to celebrate my mom and her twin brother's 60th Birthday!

My sister, Amber, and I

Brendan picking up pecans at my parent's pecan orchard

My BFFs and their families

On June 17th, Jonathan and and Carissa tied the knot in Texarkana!

Brendan found a date while we were there:

For The Fourth of July we went to see Jordan's family down in Hammond, LA. This is Alton and Terri with Brendan on the 4th right before we headed home:

Brendan got to show off his trike riding skills with his cousin, Samuel.:

We also got to meet the newest addition to the family, Luke:

Of course celebrating would not be complete without some time spent with the Jones Fam!

We also made several trips to Shreveport and for our Anniversary Tom and Elizabeth kept Brendan for a week!

Lobster Fest at The Shreveport Club... yum!

Brendan had tons of fun during his visit.

On the left B is sitting on the steps of "The Columns", a house that Tome and Elizabeth are remodeling. The pic on the right is him eating a Geauxcicle at the Farmer's Market:

Meanwhile, Jordan and I enjoying dinner out in Dallas:

Also, time with no kiddo means time for me to sew:

Brendan and his Mimi:

Since Jordan didn't have any classes this summer we crammed in as much fun as we could. So, aside from getting to spend time with our families we also tried out some new stuff in Dallas. I got pictures of a few of our events:

NRH20

B saw his first movie in a theater:

The "Creature Teacher" at Northpark Mall. She brought all kinds of reptiles to show the kids. Plus, they have music time... all for free!

Lego Land at The Museum of Nature and Science:

Two and a Half Years Old!

2011-04-20T20:21:00.001-07:00

Brendan turned two and a half today! I wanted to write a blog today just because I am continuously awestruck at how fast he is growing up. I want to remember all of the little things that he says and does!

My favorite addition to Brendan's skill set is singin

g. I never thought a toddler singing could be so very precious... but when he does it, it melts my heart! His favorites are "ABCs" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". Right this second he is singing about "Mommy and Daddy".

About a week ago we finally switched B's bed to a "toddler bed" after he made his first escape during a nap time. We were surprised it took so long, but were grateful that it did! The transition went so much smother than I though it would! I think he really likes knowing that he's in a "big boy bed".

Before nap time and bed time we read several books together. This has become one of B's favorite things to do. His current fav is "Little Blue Truck" and "Sneeze"... which is what B calls a book about an elephant that is about to sneeze. It is really cute.

Brendan has become quite the talker. He is making up for lost time, I guess. Now he enjoys telling us about airplanes, animals, boats, trains (lots of trains), cars, trucks, and pretty much anything with wheels. He tells us his ABC's and can point most of them out. I'm always surprised at how quickly he learns new words and memorizes things like songs and the books that we read to him.

I think the thing that I love most about B is how affectionate he is. He loves to cuddle. I usually get to get him up from his nap when I get home. We cuddle on the couch and watch a show together (usually Thomas the Train... his favorite). When Jordan or I leave he will say: "Bye, Wuv you!" For kisses he puts his face close and says "muah".

B is definitely my child. He often requests cookies, ice cream,

chocolate milk, and even just "sugar". Do not let this fool you though... this is not all we feed our child. His normal favorites are grilled cheese, quesadillas, peanut butter and jelly, chicken fingers, apples, bananas, and pizza. In all honesty, B will hardly ever willingly consume veggies. Perhaps he thinks it will interfere with the filming of Veggie Tales? Anyways, we give him V8 Fusion and vitamins to help compensate.

Brendan showing off his new cereal eating skills... with two spoons.

I think I just realized recently that Brendan has crossed over from toddler to ALL BOY! He loves to climb anything and everything... and the part that scares me most is that he's physically able to. A stroll around the walking train by our apartment is anything but casual. His favorite thing to do is feed the turtles... or whatever will come eat the bread crumbs we throw over the bridge. There are workout stations along the trail at which we have to stop and make use of. I think "balancing" is B's fav.

B with his favorite monkey backpack (please take note of the wall behind him... he can climb one four times as high... not that we let him).

"Balancing"

In other news, we have begun the tedious task of potty training. B has gone several times... but we still have a ways to go.

In general, life is just amazing with our little bundle of energy. He is always wanting to explore and learn new things. He is VERY strong willed, but very sweet too. It is good that he is sweet... because I don't think I'd make it otherwise. Jordan and I are so blessed to have such a wonderful son... anf hopefully more to come soon... but not too soon ;)

March 2011

2011-04-16T08:43:00.001-07:00

Mostly because I want Mary to know how amazing a job I think she is doing on this blog, I thought I would take this opportunity to talk about post.

March was a great month for our family. For me, it was the month in which I completed and turned in my Graded Appellate Brief at SMU Dedman School of Law. All told, it involved 150+ hours of work, $50 at Kinko's (I had to re-publish all four copies of it when I found a typo), and $50 at Starbuck's. Shortly thereafter, I signed up and was accepted to a 10 week public service legal internship with Legal Aid over the summer.

Mary continues to exhibit her genius in cupcake arts at Whole Foods. She and I have spent extensive time throwing around ideas for our own restaurant concept. We would, of course, involve my former business partner Chris Whitlock, though we'd have to steal him and his wife from Slidell, LA. Any time you go into business with someone you learn their true character, and Chris's character shone in our last endeavor. Mary is incredibly talented, and neither Chris nor I have any doubt that any enterprise built around her talents would be wildly successful.

Our church, the Upper Room, is a sustaining blessing. Pastor Michael Miller and Prophet Michael Miller (yes, same name) seem to blow our minds and cheer our spirits each and every time we attend. It is hard to not get more involved, though I am constantly reminded that each thing has its season. Their vision for the Upper Room and even Urban Dog Coffee is definitely something we want to support.

Mary and I enjoyed visits from Nana, who introduced us to the Dallas Arboretum (and bought us a membership - thank you so much!); from the Long family, who introduced us to the Fort Worth Zoo; and from the Howes, who we introduced to the Dallas Aquarium. We adore our friends and our city very much. If you're reading this, it's likely we would love for you to visit.

Brendan seems to add a new "feature" every day. In March he achieved landmarks in the potty-training area and added a slew of new words to his vocabulary. His gastronomic horizons were expanded to include quesadillas and soft tacos at Taco Bueno. Also, his foot seems to grow an inch per week, as he went from a size 7 to a 9 in one month's time!!!

Well, I must get back to studying. To family and friends, I hope you are well.

Sincerely,

Jordan

Lovely March (2011)

2011-04-04T19:54:00.001-07:00

When reading this blog, keep in mind that I started writing it at the end of March:

What a wonderful month this has been!! The weather really hasn't made up its mind, but when it is nice... we are outside! I have to say that Dallas has provided so many opportunities for adventure that we have probably gone a little overboard. I think it mostly has to do with the fact that we were pinned up in our apartment with a two year old all winter and have now seized every chance to get out. March also seems to have been the month of visits from best friends.

I usually have pictures to go along with everything, but somehow I missed quite a few. Ricky (my "adopted" brother), Sara (his wife), and their children were the first to visit. We met them at the Fort Worth Zoo. It was a quick visit, but we have missed them and enjoyed every minute!

Ruth (one of my bff's from Lubbock), Parker (her son), and Connie (her mother) were next. They were here for a short vacation... so I squeezed myself into their schedule too (Brendan was with my parents in Lubbock for the week and Jordan was studying).

Jordan had flown to Lubbock to drop B off with my parents for a week (so he could have some study time). So, when the week was over, I got to fly to Lubbock to spend some time with my dad for his birthday... and then fly back to Dallas with my mom and Brendan. My mom spent several days here and we got to go to the Dallas Arboretum! It was SO beautiful (there are tons of pics on Facebook of this event). My mother, being the generous woman that she is, bought a membership for us for the year. We have already been back several times... and we can take friends for free too... so if you live here (and you are a friend) and would like to go, let us know!

Randomly, by some amazing blessing from God, Carissa and Jon

athan (two of our friends that we knew from Texarkana) moved to the Dallas area. They had been way up north, so we were pleasantly surprised that they chose to move so close!

Last weekend David, Bria, and baby Jude (our best friends from Texarkana) came to visit!! We had a full day of all kinds of fun adventures with them. First, we ate at a pl

ace called Desperados (which I highly recommend). Next we went to the Dallas Aquarium. It was quite busy... and by that I mean PACKED to the gills (see, that makes since because we were at an aquarium. Haha). We still had a great time... after Brendan decided that he would be more comfortable riding in Jude's stroller. Fortunately Jude shares well and was content to be passed between the four of us. It was about 4:30 by the time we left, which meant that the Arboretum was open for 30 more minutes. We all got in free, so it was quite worth every minute that we used to quickly make our way through the highlights. Everyone was hungry for dinner after that, so we decided on Pei Wei... so good! The Whole Foods that I work at is right across the parking lot from Pei Wei, so the Howe's got to check that out before heading back to Texarkana. We all had a great time. It was really cool to see Jude, he is getting so big already... and he is such a good baby! B was a little jealous, but he was still sweet.

In other news:

As part of my Stop Being Lazy goals I decided to start sewing. This is a pic of my first project. There have been about a half dozen others since then.

Here is B with his Monkey Backpack... that he LOVES.

February 2011

2011-03-08T21:08:00.001-08:00

February was lovely.

We had snow, lots of snow... and ice.

Baby Bear

This is one of my awesome friends, Emily. We decided to throw a Valentine's Day Party... and it was so much fun! We made dinner with all different kinds of aphrodisiacs and then played our version of "The Newlywed's Game"

January 2011

2011-03-08T20:51:00.000-08:00

This year New Year's Eve held special significance because I got to see my two cousins and their parents... who I have not seen in proximately ten years. My cousins are all grown up now!

Brendan LOVES trains. This set is pretty much a permanent fixture on our coffee table. I have a feeling that, despite my reluctance, Thomas the Train will be the theme for his birthday this year.

B also likes planes, so we took him to the Friends of Flight Museum. He had a great time, and so did Jordan and I!

This has nothing to do with this post, other than the fact that I received these in January. However, they are the most amazing Converse All Stars ever! Who knew you could completely customize your own pair??

December 2010

2011-03-08T20:30:00.001-08:00

Despite my very difficult holiday schedule, we still managed to have a wonderful Christmas! My parents and sister flew in along with my Grandmother. This was a special treat because Grandma Dorothy hadn't yet met Brendan.

We made a trip to see Christmas lights and this was my favorite display (much better in person).

After Brendan turned two he had no trouble identifying "presents"... in fact, I'm pretty sure he would have gladly opened his and everyone else's presents too.

This is not a great picture of any of us. Regardless, it is very special and must be posted :) Four Generations:

And this guy is just super handsome and amazing...

November 2010

2011-02-02T19:27:00.000-08:00

Top news for November: My two best friends and I turned a year older! I had a weekend off, so Brendan and I made a trip to Lubbock.

Ruth, myself, and Robyn.

Our children playing together.

Brendan loves to play with the dogs when we visit my parents.

We stood in line for hours to get these signed... unfortunately we did not get in. Still a memory worth mentioning. Now we will be waiting for the George Bush Presidential Library to open on the SMU Campus.

Puzzle time for B.

These are our Dallas bff's, Emily, Baby Bump Jones, and Russ... and Rambo!

Since my Holiday work schedule is less than desirable, we stayed in Dallas for Thanksgiving. Fortunately we still had a wonderful meal with Emily and Russ.

Yum!!

October 2010

2011-02-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

Somehow uploading pictures to Facebook has replaced regular blogging, which means I am very behind. So, this will be one of several posts I will write today to make up for lost time.

First: Brendan's Second Birthday (October 20th)

Since Dallas is still a new place with plenty of places to explore we decided to venture out of our little apartment to the Dallas Aquarium. Everyone had a wonderful time... especially Brendan.

On our way into the aquarium.

The tunnel

Jordan and his Mom.

Daddy and B.

"Look, shark!"

Gifts for B.

My Parents.

For lunch, we had B's favorite, Chic-fil-a!

"Wow."

Cars.

Five Months of Recap

2010-08-16T07:11:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it has been so long since we posted a blog, somehow time has gotten away from us! It has been about 5 months since we blogged... so this blog will be dedicated to catching up.

So much has happend in this short amount of time. Brendan is growing up so fast and so many things have changed. Some time before Christmas, Jordan started thinking about going back to school. After a long proccess of decission making and applying to Law Schools he was accepted into the LSU School of Law in Baton Rouge, LA and the SMU Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Tx. Ultimately we decided that SMU was the right decision. Everything has fallen into place so quickly, it seems. God has given us so much favor in every way. Jordan will be attending the night school and I will be working in the bakery at Whole Foods Market (once again) during the day... which means Brendan will not have to go to day care. We will probably look into a Kids Day Out program just so that he can be around other children a little bit.

So, that is a short paragraph, but I asure you it was a lot more work getting us to Dallas.
Jordan and I have were both very involved at our church in Texarkana. I was the children's ministry dirrector and Events Coordinator. Jordan played violin on the Worship Team and served on the Finance Comittee. Before we could leave we had to get through VBS, Camp, and reorganizing the church's finances. Our church had been without a pastor for about two years. Fortunately, before we had to break the news about leaving, God brought an awesome pastor along. That helped our transition tremendously. In the mean time we also had to sell our house (which we did "By Owner"), find an appartment, move half of our stuff to Shreveport (to store at Jordan's parent's house), move the other half of our stuff to Dallas, and Jordan had to train his replacement for Windstream.

All I can say is that we couldn't have done it without all of our wonderful family and friends! So, here is a special THANK YOU:

To Pastor Jason and Tiffany for waching Brendan so I could pack and for giving us all of those moving boxes!

To Tom and Elizabeth for driving to Texarkana, renting a Uhaul, helping us move half of our belongings to Shreveport, and letting us use one of your rooms as a storage unit!

To Alton for driving all the way to Texarkana, waiting for us to locate the truck that Uhaul "reserved" for us, helping us load the second half of our belongings, and driving to Dallas to help us unload into our new appartment.

To Dale and Sherry for driving to Dallas to meet us... for waiting... and waiting for us to get there to help us unload everything into the appartment (I'm pretty sure it took us about 4 hours to get everything into that truck, and about 45 min. to get it all out!!), and for having Brendan and I stay with you in Lubbock while Jordan finished his last week of work in Texarkana.

To Dave and Charlotte for opening your home to us as Jordan finished at Windstream and so that we could be there for Bria's shower and our last Sunday at Cross Pointe.

To David and Bria for helping us load the truck in Texarkana (David, not Bria, obviously pregnancy is a "get out of moving free card") and for loaning us the pack 'n' play for Brendan.

To Cross Pointe for the love you've shown us for the past two years and for the generous gift you gave.

You have all been so generous! We love you and apreciate all that you've done!
This blog would not really be a "Mary Blog" with out some pictures, so here is the last eight months in pictures:

Pictures from 2010

2010-03-13T09:46:00.001-08:00

January: Mary and I took Brendan to Atlanta State Park in Atlanta Texas for a hike!

Top: Brendan gets a lot of use out of that LEGO wheelbarrow. A LOT of use!

Middle: Mommy & Brendan in the kitchen; Pops stops by for a visit

Bottom: Daddy reads to Brendan ("I am a Bunny. My name is Nicholas. I live in a hollow tree...")

February: Saints Fans. And unsuspecting witnesses to HISTORY!

March: Brendan's first exposure to Kidtopia in Texarkana, this amazing little park that features a castle of playground equipment.

A New Year and a Prayer

2010-01-15T19:22:00.000-08:00

The new year has long since come, and while our burgeoning family has been blessed many times over, we experienced a reality check as we witnessed the situation in Haiti. Utter devastation, hundreds of thousands dead, complete chaos, little food or medicine available - it puts into clear perspective just how fortunate and privileged we are. The people of that country are in our prayers, and we will definitely do what we can to contribute to the relief efforts being sent there.

Currently, we sponsor a child through World Vision. So it is only appropriate we recommend our friends, family, and readers to donate to this charitable organization as a legitimate and powerful agency of helping the people of Haiti. To contribute, visit http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/eappeal.nsf/egift-haiti-earthquake-relief?Open&campaign=113655125&cmp=KNC-113655125

In more local news, Brendan is growing so quickly. He has said his first words ("Mama" and "Hello" - the latter he does with all sorts of inanimate objects he takes for our cell phones). He's still a picky eater, but he sleeps so well! We are so thankful for him, and to be honest I cannot help but giggle when I think of him. (Is it wrong that I find his cry to be incredibly adorable?? Probably so.)

What else? Brendan is back at Mother's Day Out, I'm still working at Windstream as the retail sales manager (it'll have been a year as of February), and Mary is painting amazing murals at Cross Pointe Church in the children's classrooms. She is quite talented! She has done several professional murals now, it's quite impressive. First the mural for Tigerland Church in Baton Rouge, then the Whole Foods' employee break room, then the play center for Heritage Ranch, and now these three. Perhaps this is the start of a famous career? (Let's hope!)

A Very Merry Christmas

2009-12-29T13:25:00.000-08:00

This Christmas has been so full of joy. Brendan is just such an amazing blessing to us, he had so much fun spending time with family this year. First with my family a few weeks ago, then with Jordan's family last week. We traveled from Texarkana to Shreveport on Wednesday, then from there to Hammond on Friday. We drove all the way back home yesterday (Monday). It was a big trip for B, but he did so well! He mostly napped (we made sure to drive mostly at nap time) and then he watched Veggie Tales. What a little trooper :)

Brendan likes to check out his Grandpa's whiskers

Me, Nana, and my sister, Amber :)

This year we got a special surprise. My best friend, her husband, and their daughter got to spend the night with us. Macy (almost 3) and B had a great time... this was their favorite toy.

Brendan mainly enjoyed the wrapping paper on Christmas morning :) He helped everyone open their gifts.

Elizabeth got an extra special surprise from Tom! Beautiful earings to match a ring that she has.

On Sunday night we got to drive to Baton Rouge to spend some time with our old church family... we miss them!

In Hammond Brendan had an awesome time with Toddie, Pop, and all of his aunties. He soaked up all the attention. I put these antlers on him for fun... he decided he liked them and kept them on most of the night.

Yogurt drops from Toddie (he would only eat the whole ones and set the broken ones to the side).

Uncle Jordan with sweet little Samuel (4 weeks ald)!

The beautiful family on Whitney's Birthday :)

Corn Maze

2009-10-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

We have had quite a day so far. This morning we went to the barber shop... which is always an adventure. It is like stepping back into the days where men went and hung out at the barber shop and talked about whatever was on their minds. There are three older men that work there and they are always a lot of fun. Dale makes sure to load evey kiddo up with a cup full of candy as they come in. They are all fun loving guys, but don't cross 'em! Today a little boy who had found his father's beard trimmer (and shaved off half of his hair) decided to mouth off to his mom... not in Moe's shop though! He let him know it right away... it was awesome. Poor thing didn't make a peep the rest of the time he was there. Today Amber got her hair done (by Lori, who works with the ladies in the back)... but last week Bren had his hair cut. He hardly made a peep. John did a great job and we had a blast. There are pictures of this event... but I will have to post them later. They are on my mom's camera.

Next we went to the corn maze. I have never been to one and thought this would be a good time to get out with everyone while it is still somewaht warm. It was really cool. Bren, Amber, and I went on a hay ride as well... which we enjoyed thoughroughly.

La Fiesta de Brendan!

2009-10-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had Brendan's Birthday Party. It was a lot of fun, and Bren was so cute! It is amazing watching him grow and learn... there is something new every day. He is walking more and more. He is trying to talk, I LOVE his little language. He says something that sounds like "Amen" quite a bit. That is mixed in with a lot of Mamamama, and Dadadada. Once in a while there is a "Doggy". When music is on he kind of sings. That totally melts my heart. I think bath time is one of his favorite time of day. He splashes, squeals, and plays with his toys as long as you'll let him. Yogurt is probably his favorite food, anything like bread or Gerber crunchies are close seconds. Squishy food seem to gross him out... he doesn't like to pick it up and would rather have it fed to him. Today we made the full switch to cow's milk... so that means that I have more free time on my hands! Sleep has been the one area I would like to see some serious improvement. He goes to sleep really well at night, but he is still waking up around 3am for a bottle or some cuddle. His naps are less than perfect, but we are getting there! Brendan is so much fun. It is always a joy to be with him. Pretty much every little thing he does makes me smile. We are truly blessed!

So now for some pictures from the party!

We had carrot cupcakes... and they were yummy! It is hard to tell from this picture, but there is a Noah's Ark candle on Brendan's... and I gave out extras as party favors.

Bren's attention span lasted for all of about 2 gifts, but don't worry... Jordan and I had fun opening the rest... and playing with everything :) Now Bren is breaking everything in. I think his favorite was a Little People school house that Ruth, Gordon, and Parker got him.

Brendan enjoyed the frosting, as long as I was willing to help him get it to his mouth. He did a little better with the plain carrot cake.

Lewis Family!

Ruth, Parker, Gordon, and Connie

Judith and Aunt Gayla

One Year Old

2009-10-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today Brendan turned one! His party isn't until this weekend, but we couldn't help but celebrate a little bit.

After I helped him a little with the icing he was all about munching on the rest :)

It is getting a little bit cool outside, so of course this hat HAD to be purchased. He is so cute!

I finally got a few of Brendan's steps on film!

Life is a Highway...

2009-10-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

This is the new Brendan transportation device, and let me tell you, he LOVES it! I did not hear a peep out of him the entire time he was in it today... just grins and this expression when I made them pause so I could take a picture.

Tonight we got to have a girl's night. We went to Carino's and it was lovely :)

This, of course, was before the night out with the ladies. My dad had just come home from work.

Brendan's invitations! They are SO cute! I am sending them out tomorrow.

This is what Bren prefers to be doing most of the time. Though now he is taking more steps alone.

This one is just of Brendan hanging out in his "habitat".

Finally, another blog!

2009-10-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

Brendan is almost one and I am SO far behind on my blogs! He is growing up faster than I thought possible. Last month I took Brendan for his first hair cut, now he really does look like a little man. B has been a little finicky about what he eats, but he's making the switch to real food like a champ. His favorites so far are baby corn, turkey, and cantaloupe.

We are currently at my parent's house in Lubbock, TX. They have concrete floors, so we had to make what I like to call Brendan's "Habitat". He LOVES it! He can watch the dogs, pull up on everything, and make a crash landing without bruising himself. His favorite activity as of late is to hold onto our hands and walk all over the house.

Birthday planning is in full swing! I am pretty excited :) It looks like the party will be here in Lubbock, so my mom has been helping me get everything together.

Next weekend we're going on a family reunion/chuck wagon cook-off (my dad competes) in Ruidoso, NM with my family... so we made a pit stop to buy Brendan some warmer clothes. The little hats are my fav :)

Jordan turned 27 this month! I get to be the young 26 year old for at least a little while longer ;)

The fair has now come and gone, but we did manage to get out with Caleb and Lindsey for some fair food and to show Brendan all of the animals.

Peekaboo!

2009-09-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

As you can tell, Brendan loves Peekaboo. And Mommy is the resident expert on the game!

The blue corduroy material you see in the picture is part of an adorably miniature chair, courtesy of Brendan's Mimi. His wardrobe is Kohls, 2009 summer line. Clearly, the blues of both the clothing and the chair were intended to bring out his eye color. Yeah, he's sharp.

Life accelerates to a crawl...

2009-08-25T18:58:00.001-07:00

Brendan Montgomery Lewis....is officially crawling!!! Omgosh! Who knew there were so many new and exciting things to grab!?

So far, Brendan's scavenger hunt has included:
Pens
Wiimotes
Xbox games
TV remotes
Sasha's tail

As you can guess, Sasha is NOT amused by this latest development! Brendan can't stop laughing at her. It's like "Ha ha ha - I'm gonna' get you!" Sasha's not laughing.

Brendan had an incredible time visiting all of his buds in Lubbock this past week. Can you say "posse?"

Some might say this picture is not ideal. I say it sums up any party with kids quite nicely. =D

Sip n' See

2009-07-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago we took a trip to Shreveport for Brendan's Sip n' See. We had a wonderful time introducing Brendan to everyone! He was a perfect little gentleman the whole time we were there. I think he thoroughly enjoyed all of the attention!

Thank you Elizabeth! Everything was beautiful and it was such a special day!

Elizabeth and I could not resist this precious little outfit :)

Brendan talking to everyone from the center of the room.

Johnette, Jordan, Brendan, and I

Elizabeth and Johnette

Cutest napkins ever (they will probably make a second appearance at B's Birthday)!

Beautiful table!

Sissy, Lisa, and Brendan

Mimi A, Brendan, and I

We got to take B to see the geese after the party was over.

As a side note, this is the most amazing yogurt ever! Yogurt+granola+honey+fruit=delicous!

Confessions of a New Mother

2009-07-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, as a parent, things go just as you plan. Most of the time you just plan for something that's not planned to happen.

First of all, it is true that The 4th of July is my favorite holiday. To me, there is nothing better than getting together with friends or family (or both) and firing up the grill, cutting open a huge juicy watermelon, jumping into your suit for a swim (to cool down), and ending the day with everyone plopped on a hood of a car or some lawn chairs for a ridiculously loud but beautiful display of life-threatening pyrotechnics. My heart fills with patriotism and gratitude that God has blessed us so much! Yes, it is wonderful.

Naturally I had planned for this, Brendan's first 4th, to be brilliant. We made a first swimming pool attempt, which was a few paces off of "relaxing". My little man is probably the most adorable thing to ever grace swimming trunks... which makes any hassle worth it... nonetheless... I might have had my heart set on soaking up a few extra skin-damaging rays.

Our grand finale was going to be Sparks in the Park, but as our day grew to a close I realized that Brendan (having had a cold this week) probably should be home for bed rather than out enjoying the perfectly firework-smoked air well beyond bedtime. This brought great sadness to my anticipating heart.

As I was about to put Brendan into bed my mind slipped back to memories of barbeque's, roman candle wars, loud music (played by Derek in the front yard), and more people than I could count making their way in and out of the pool. God must have decided that I needed a little help, because at that moment I heard it... fireworks outside of our house! Yes, my heart leapt a little as I grabbed our blanket, Brendan, and Jordan and yanked them outside onto the lawn so we could watch. All hope was restored. I didn't care that how small it was, B got to see his first fireworks on his first 4th.

The truth is, every time I watch Brendan's face light up has he experiences something new I forget about all the sacrifices we have to make. Someday it will be our yard that is filled with friends and me who is NOT allowing the roman candle wars (... you knew about that, right mom?).

1000 Words X 18

2009-06-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

So they say a picture is worth a thousand words, and since I am so far behind on posting blogs, this will be a picture blog so that I may catch up without spending two hours typing... because the last month has been VERY busy. So enjoy! Our little lamb is growing so fast!

In May we made our way to Destin where we met some of Jordan's family for a little vacation. This is a picture of Brendan's first day on the beach.

Brendan and I on the balcony.

Jordan and Bredan enjoying a little breeze.

Jordan and Jordan

Mama T and Erin

After we returned it was time to finish getting ready for Vacation Bible School- The Boomerang Express, which Jordan and I directed. We had so much fun and the "kidaroos" did too!

Jordan and I looking a little worn out in the middle of the week

Brendan and Daddy

For Father's Day we went to Shreveport where we had a wonderful time celebrating with Tom, Elizabeth, and Mimi A

The Lewis Fam

The Boys

Brendan zonked out for the ride back to Texarkana

On Sunday we went to eat at Smokey Joe's for Father's Day and then some close friends from church invited us over to have cake (for Caleb's birthday). While we were there his mother, Cathy, GAVE us this beautiful dining room set! She had just put a new one in at her house and was looking for a home for this one :)

These are some cupcakes I got to make for a friend for National Knit in Public Day

When I have time I get to attend a knitting club called "The Oooh-la-la Knit Cafe". They recently invited some young girls to learn how to knit, so we made these bags for them and filled them with yarn and such

At church we're starting a new ciriculum called "Jorney with Jesus". I've been working on decorating the Children's Church room and this is one of the large posters I painted for them

This is a random last picture, but I had to share my joy. A while back a man showed up at our door and offered to trim our hedges and mow our lawn. Being the busy parents we are we happily acquiesed to his request. Our house has never looked so good! He made the hedges all the right shapes and there is actually space between them and the house! Yey :)

For the First Time, a Father

2009-06-21T22:50:00.001-07:00

Sunday was my First Father's Day. Of all the new experiences I have had these past few years, being a father on Father's Day was the most unusual. It was like having another birthday.

So far, being a good father mostly involves doing the best I can to help my son grow mentally, physically, and spiritually. Whether that means shielding him from "bad" things, considering the long term effects of certain practices, making sure he gets an opportunity to learn new things, or just spending time with him, fatherhood is simply the art of loving in 3 dimensions. The love of a father is one of a friend, of a protector, and of God: it has no limits or conditions, it fights fiercely for its own, and it is completely authentic.

I know that my role as a father will change. I cannot fathom it not taking on some new form as Brendan grows into himself, develops the ability to reason for himself, and accrues his own array of experiences. But I believe that the loving can not change. I think that's what Father's Day is really about - a celebration of each man who answers the call to a lifetime of sacrificial love.

Too Much for One Blog

2009-05-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

I have to share this first, because I am so excited! We had Brendan's pictures taken while he and I were visiting Lubbock. They are so amazing! These are a few from the "sneak peak". Denae, my youth pastor's daughter, took them... she is a very gifted photographer!

It has been almost a month since I posted a blog and there's almost too much info to shove into this one... but I'm going to try :)

This Mother's Day was a very special first. I have found more joy in being a mother than I ever thought possible.

The day before Mother's Day I was informally adopted for a mother-daughter tea by my friends Cathy and her daughter-in-law Lindsey. It was a blessing to have a stand-in with my own mother so far away.

Then of course, it was time for my own entry into Mother's Day. Brendan and I enjoyed breakfast in bed (he did the eating, of course); Jordan shocked me with a beautiful sapphire and diamond heart necklace; Tom bought beautiful pink roses, that smelled heavenly, even weeks later; and Papa and Toddy (Alton and Terri) sent me M is for Mom: A Child's Alphabet.

On Tuesday Nana arrived from Lubbock, and we caught up on our belated Mother's Day celebration while Jordan was in Nebraska on a business trip. She got me some beautiful beads for my Pandora charm bracelet. For Nana, B and I designed a customized calendar with pictures of our growing family.

Then Friday, Nana, Brendan, and I flew into Lubbock for a week. One of my best friends Robyn and her daughter Macy were in town to visit as well. For Brendan's seven-month celebration (or at least that was the excuse we used for a party) several more of my friends from high school came over to my parents' house. We had a really good time watching home videos from when we were little, and watching our children play together.

On several occasions, we ladies slipped out after our young ones were tucked in bed for some coffee a la Starbucks. The entire week was very special. I feel like Brendan grew up overnight while we were there. He cut his first tooth, and is now sitting up and rolling over like a champ.

Today we journeyed home. Brendan, now a seasoned traveler, fell asleep as we landed on the runway. By the way - Praise Baby on the DVD player is now a must-have for the Lewis Family on-the-go.

We made it back to Texarkana in the evening, and rescued Jordan from his forced bachelorhood. He spent the entire night showering us both in hugs and kisses. Brendan giggled to see Sasha again. I agree - it's good to be home.

This coming Wednesday we will be flying off into the sunset once again. Destin will be our destination, where we'll be meeting Jordan's parents! We are all excited to be getting away together, as a family :)

Six Months

2009-04-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

Brendan has hit the half way mark to one year! We went to his six month well visit last week and I was pretty surprised to hear how much my boy has grown. He is in the 70th percentile at 18.5 pounds and in the 90th percentile at 29 inches! He handled his shots like a champ... far better than his mother handles them. A few tears, a dose or two of Tylenol, and all was well.

I love discovering new things about Brendan. He is always changing and growing, I can hardly keep up. Most of all, he is always observing the world around him. He always has and still is pretty content to sit and study what Sasha (our cat) is doing, watch Jordan as he comes in from work, or just study his own fingers and how they open and close. Sitting up alone is just around the corner. I still have to keep a hand close by lest he topple backwards or to one side after a while. His toes often lore his attention to the floor, so much that he ends up falling forward into his not so beloved tummy position (still not keen on tummy time). Our conversations with one another are becoming less one-sided. He especially likes to talk and giggle at me while he's on the changing table. His giggle is so cute! I melt every time he pushes those cheeks out of the way for a smile.

Brendan went ape for prunes! He also likes sweet potatoes.

We love going on walks

Love This!

2009-04-17T20:07:00.000-07:00

Jordan surprised me with the coolest gift!

I had to take a picture to share with all of you:

Just Pictures

2009-04-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

Little Bunny

Big Bunny

Huge Bunny! "Me an' dis bunny are mates."

Our first Easter Together
This was last year, I was in mommy's tummy then.

Unknowable Realm of Possibilities

2009-04-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

When Jordan and I found out that we were going to be parents we both knew that our lives would be different forever. A fact that most soon-to-be-parents realize, but until it happens, you really have no clue what all it includes. I, for one, knew that my once treasured sleep would be a fond memory of my youth. I also knew that I would love Brendan more than I thought possible. I didn't really know what that meant until I held him in my arms for the first time. My heart stopped as I stared into his dark blue eyes and his small little frame calmed in hearing my voice. "I love you so much", I whispered.

Today Brendan is only 5 1/2 months old and I feel as though it's passed in a wink. He grows more every day and new changes keep me on my toes... or looking for the camera. He's so pensive and I love to watch him just take in the world around him. Today he rolled over from his back to his stomach, and I think he was more surprised than I was. I love that I get to be his mother, and Jordan, his father.

Even if just a wink, somehow time has gotten "fuller" since B arrived. Jordan and I look back at each milestone - from his first breaths, to his first meal, to holding his head up, to rolling over - and it seems like there are so many as to fill decades already. We look into the future and no longer see the years ahead in terms of ourselves growing older, but rather we look toward Brendan's next development as the next in an almost infinite and unknowable realm of possibilities. His simple existence is now the focus of our mutual attention, and we wait with baited breath for each day as it comes. In these terms, time seems to almost stand still, sometimes.

A Feast of Firsts

2009-03-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

After we returned from our travels, we took Brendan to his 4 mo checkup at Dr. Green's office for his shots. Jordan attended for moral support, as I could not endure Brendan's heart-rending cries. The results of the checkup were excellent, of course: Brendan is a very healthy baby, over 16 lbs and 26 inches long, both in the 70-75th percentile.

Soon after, B tried rice cereal for the first time. Below you can see exactly how he responded to this experience. In case you were wondering, nothing actually made it down the hatch. We'll have to try it again this weekend.Here's Brendan's new activity center. He seems to like it all right, though the heels of his feet don't quite touch the bottom yet. He'll have to grow into it a bit.For the past few weeks, we've been working on tummy time, with some success. He doesn't scream the instant his belly touches the mat anymore. He can almost roll from tummy to back and back to tummy, but I don't think he sees the point of actually rolling over to his tummy, since it's not exactly his favorite position. His arm, or perhaps his sensibilities, gets in the way of actually making it from his back to his stomach.I've noticed that Brendan doesn't quite smile for most pictures. Thus, most of you who only know him from pictures are probably totally unaware how social he is, always smiling his gummy little grin and letting out a giggle here and there. He can be quite serious sometimes, and definitely spends a lot of time in thought, taking in his surroundings and passing judgment on the people around him with his stern little eyebrows.

Life is a Highway

2009-03-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since I posted a blog, but we've been pretty busy... and my computer crashed during a power outage while we were out of town. It is all better now though, the PC Doc put a band aid on it.

Ok, so a few weeks ago Jordan had to go to Georgia for training. I saw this as a perfect opportunity to take Brendan to Lubbock to visit my family. I drove to Dallas, where my mother met us, and we flew together to Lubbock. Brendan slept through almost the entire event... except for when we were about to get on the plane. He decided, like most of us, that airplane restrooms are not so pleasant, and had an explosion that I had to clean with miracle-mom speed. I'm sure that he will love that I have shared this tidbit of information with you. For you mothers who have not flown with your infant, but plan to in the future, here are a few helpful hints:

1. Pack at least two changes of clothes for baby, as well as a change for you (at least a shirt). Sleep 'n' plays are the best for baby, since you don't have to worry about loosing socks and shoes. Plus, they make for easy diaper changes. BTW, count on not having a changing table. Some airports don't have them.

2. Make sure to bring baby's birth certificate or immunization record. I didn't know this until the day before, thankfully I was able to pull it off last second.

3. You can check your car seat (base and all) and most airlines don't count it as an extra bag. There are special bags you can buy to protect the car seat and as lagniappe you can stuff it with extra toys (we didn't do this, but Ruth said it works great).

4. Use either your stroller or a soft carrier to transport baby, depending on what your travel will require.

5. Have a passie (plus a backup) for baby for takeoff and a few toys to distract him with. I hardly ever use the little strip of fabric that you can use to tie passie down... but I got one for the trip. Airports and airplanes are "yuck". Of course some people give a bottle to little one for the flight... B was too interested in everything else going on.

6. I'd strongly recommend not doing it alone the first time.

7. Don't over pack, try to keep it to one diaper bag that includes all of your needs as well.

8. Baby can sit in your lap for free until he's 2 years old, but some people do recommend buying a seat so you can use the car seat. B did fine in my lap... but those seats are not getting any bigger. It is a little cramped, in my opinion.

Anyways, our visit was wonderful. My mother made sure that we had everything we needed, that couldn't be packed, when we got there. The only hard part is that I have to get over the fact that we live so far away from each other. We always have so much fun and it makes me miss my family even more once we're apart again. Thankfully we are in Texarkana instead of Huntington, WV, where we almost moved. I can at least be grateful for that.

First Plane Ride

Nana, Grandpa, and B

Last weekend we went to visit Elizabeth, Jordan's mother, for her birthday. Tom made an awesome dinner and we had a blast! I made a Chantilly cake (her favorite) for dessert. Last year for her birthday we gave her a "Grandmother" Book to announce our pregnancy. So it was cool that Brendan got to be with us to celebrate this year.

Mimi and B with her flowers (from Cheryl and Charlotte)

In other news, Jordan and I have accepted a Child Ministry Coordinator position at our church. I'll be mostly responsible, since Jordan is working full time. We are so excited though! Our church is in the process of moving to a new location, so we're hoping to really make some positive changes.

Room for the Nursery or Toddlers

Back to Life

2009-02-18T19:44:00.000-08:00

Things have begun to return to normal around the Lewis Household. Jordan is back at work full time and I am not making cupcakes anymore (for now). During the week I spend most of my day with Brendan. On Tuesdays we go to the “Knit Café” to hang out and get a little knitting in. I mostly end up entertaining the little man… but it’s cool since it gives me a shot at some social interaction. Bria has been whipping me (and herself) into shape at the gym the past two weeks. Jordan has been so wonderful to let me escape to work out for an hour a couple nights per week when he gets home. I finally got my hair cut (it had been about 6 months… very sad to admit). Oh, Jordan and I got new cell phones! The company we were using didn’t service Texarkana, so we couldn’t get local numbers. I’ll be sending out an email with the new numbers soon.

Knitting with the ladies and Brendan

Purse that I finally finished

Weekend before last we were blessed enough to have some visitors. Here are a few pics:

Elizabeth, B and I

Alton, Terri, Jordan, B, and I

I consider myself to be quite a sap and thoroughly enjoy Valentine's Day whether it was invented by Hallmark or not. So, on the 14th Brendan and I got up together to make daddy breakfast in bed for Valentine's Day. Little B waited patiently while I prepared an omelet, toast, coffee, and fruit. Jordan and Brendan had flowers delivered for me and Jordan picked out this beautiful necklace:

My little man

Brendan is doing the baby thing and growing faster than I ever imagined possible. Here are a few things he’d like to share with you:

Baby Lewis Survey

Age?- Almost 4 months (as of the 20^th)

Weight?- Over 15 lbs

Build?- A little chubby and a lot irresistible

Praise Baby?- Yes

Veggie Tales?- Yes

Clothes?- Whatever mom puts on is cool with me

Enjoy tummy time?- NO

Tolerate tummy time?- Getting better, mom tries so hard to make it cool

Favorite Food- Mommy Milk all the way! Straight from the tap, no bottle please

Favorite Toy- Wow, hard to choose… The jungle activity gym is awesome (I turn on my side a lot when I’m on it), but my mobile is still cool too

Bumbo Chair?- I used to hate it, but I’m coming around… it makes me feel pretty grown up

Bathtime?- One of the best parts of my day. I still just lay back and relax

Favorite Pastime?- Trying to shove both hands in my mouth (practically a full time hobby)

Would you consider yourself to be social?- VERY, I LOVE people. It is so cool to watch people and flash a really big smile here and there… but I make them work for it. I also love listening to the music at church (yeah, my dad’s in the band)

Hardest part about being a baby?- It would be nice if I could talk and tell my parents what I’m feeling… sometimes they just don’t get it… but they’re still pretty awesome

Are you a fan of sleep?- I guess you could say so. I sleep in my own be

d from about 8:30pm until 4:30 am, mom feeds me and then I sleep for a few more hours. Throughout the day I take a few naps, usually for about an hour each (my favorites are when mom and I nap together). Mom thinks I’m going through a growth spurt right now, I’ve been waking up to eat at night more than usual… she’s probably right… dad says she’s always right (or that is at least the official party-line)

Pacifier?- I like my Nuk every once in a while

Travel?- I don’t love getting in my carrier, but it gets better once I’m in the car. Plus, mom has great taste in music

Bumbo Time

Our Weekend

2009-02-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was pretty busy for us. Friday night we went to Osaka with some friends. It was Brendan's first time to see a shogun cook at a Teppanyaki table. He was so excited! He did get a little freaked out when the shogun started tossing chicken into everyone's mouth. For that matter, I think everyone was a little freaked out about it. Anyways, I would go back just to see the look on Brendan's face :)

On Saturday we went to the prayer and worship service. The worship team has started doing International House of Prayer style worship every other Saturday. Jordan plays violin and I take Brendan so he can listen (he loves music). After that we had delicious lasagna here at our house with David, Bria, and Rick. Here is a video of worship from a couple weeks ago:

Sunday, after church, we had burgers at Church on the Rock (they were having a Super Bowl party). There were tons of people and Brendan just sat and watched everyone the whole time. Once again, I think he really likes being around crowds of people. He is becoming more social all the time.

At home we've been working on tummy time (not his favorite). He is doing much better though. Here's a picture from Saturday:

Flowers from Jordan :)

Yesterday Brendan and Jordan hung out outside. It was a beautiful day and Jordan wanted to practice his golf swing:

I tried really hard to get B to smile for this. He has mastered the skill of smiling until the camera snaps!

Three Months Old

2009-01-24T11:40:00.000-08:00

Brendan is currently taking a nap in his swing, while I sneak in some blog time. This past Monday he turned 3 months old and has added quite a few things to his waking hours. The changing table is his favorite place to talk to us and I always take the opportunity to have some conversation. He is much more alert and loves to watch what’s going on around him. I often wonder what he’s thinking and spend much of my time trying to make him giggle or smile.

Brendan is pretty serious most of the time. He always has a look on his face that lets us know he’s working hard to figure this world out. He’s usually very content and still seems to really enjoy being around people. Recently he has started pushing up when you hold him on his feet. I think this is one of his new favorite perspectives. Tummy time is somewhat of struggle, so I do what I can to make it fun. Sometimes I put him on my tummy… and today I added the “airplane” to this routine. Brendan has been sleeping like a champ. We usually put him to bed around 9, after a bath and dinner. He’ll sleep until about 5am or 6am. I feed him, change him, and put him back to bed (where he sleeps for a few more hours). His daytime naps are still pretty frequent, lasting an hour or so about 4 times per day. I’m sure this is probably more info than anyone really cares to hear… but I think it will be cool to read this later on, when B is older. Or when we’re ready for the next one :)

In other news, Jordan DID find a job… and it is the one he wanted! He’ll be starting on Feb 9^th as the Sales Manager. It pays close to what his last job did. Plus, there is plenty of room for advancement.

In the meantime, Jordan is still tutoring at Mathnasium. I’m still making cupcakes and even did a cake for a baby shower today.

I’ve taken up a new hobby. At Merfeld’s (the bakery I make cupcakes for) there is a group of women that meet together and knit on Tuesdays and

Thursdays. This is supposedly the newest craze. They call it a knit café, this one is called the Oooh-la-la Knit Café. I have to confess that I am addicted. Yesterday several of us piled in a car and went about an hour away to a special yarn store. I found a few yarns on sale that are beautiful. It is a lot of fun to sit, drink coffee, knit, and hang out with friends. There are all ages of women… and we get to learn everyone else’s little tricks of the trade.

Elizabeth, Jordan’s mother, stayed with us for a few days this past week. She helped us watch Brendan, gave us much-needed time to catch up on some things around the house, and entertained us with movies and Nertz (her and Jordan's favorite card game). Brendan had a wonderful time with his Mimi as well, ever finding her to be a quite suitable place for a nap.

Cryogenic Living

2009-01-18T20:33:00.000-08:00

So, no job yet, though several good prospects, and an outpouring of support by friends and family. It's rather strange really, since a new job could mean just a new location, or a new career, or perhaps a new location, life, etc.

The steady march of life continues, despite the inconvenience of joblessness. (Not complete joblessness, though; actually, I'm not really allowed to say I'm unemployed at all, since our good friends Bria and David Howe [Brendan's godparents] have me tutoring math 20 hours a week). Brendan seems like he has tripled in size in the past 10 days, though our sophisticated baby-o-metric weighing system (Nintendo Wii Fit) says he's about the same size. Mary has continued making cupcakes about two or three times a week, and we continue to make ourselves useful at the church (praise & worship, bake sales, bulletins, etc.).

Tomorrow is Brendan's 13 week birthday, another milestone among many recently. He's growing so fast. In addition to now being old enough for our church's nursery and our gym's childcare center, tonight was actually Brendan's first stint away from home. Charlotte, Dave, and Elizabeth Howe took him this evening so Mary and I could have our first date in a long while. Last night at "Prayer & Worship," Brendan hung out with his friend Fiona Meadows, an older woman (by about 3 weeks) who he just could not take his eyes off of. Apparently, he's very advanced. ;)

Baby Fiona

Fiona & Brendan's Rockin' Awesome Saturday Night

Wanna buy a cupcake?

2009-01-08T15:45:00.000-08:00

Throughout Jordan and my entire marriage God has always been faithful. We have always felt extremely blessed… in health, love, friends, family, work, and in every other area. Almost a year ago we accepted the job here in Texarkana. Since then we’ve found some of the best friends we’ve ever had, became a part of a church, bought our first home, bought our first new car, and welcomed our precious Brendan into the world. After an amazing Thanksgiving and Christmas spent with all of our families and friends we didn’t think life could get much better.

The following Monday brought quite a shock. Jordan called me about an hour after he had left for work to say that he’d been “laid off for financial reasons”. Somehow marketing becomes a “luxury item” when the economy is in its current state. Shock struck me and I was somewhat speechless… I mean this is the job we moved here for. Now what?? Texarkana is not exactly a large city teeming with job opportunities. I tried to composed myself for Jordan’s sake and told him that we’d be ok and would figure it out once he got home. God has always provided for us, and this situation is no different.

The same day all of this happened I went to meet some friends at a bread store downtown. It is brand new, and the owner just happens to need a pastry chef to make a few pastries for the shop (that would be me). So, I am making cupcakes for her… picking what hours I’d like to work… while Jordan watches little B. On top of this, Jordan was able to go work for our friend at Mathnasium the same day. It is only part time, so Jordan is able to work on his résumé, go to job interviews, and watch Brendan the rest of the day.

This situation is only temporary, but it is a hard place to be in. Certainly a test of faith. All I can think of is how I want to be with Brendan and know that all of his needs are met… and that Jordan can have a job that he enjoys… and work for a boss that trusts him and knows what he’s capable of. I’m not exaggerating when I say that Jordan is the most brilliant man that I know. Any company would be fortunate to have him.

In the meantime, God knows where we a re at and is already making a way. A few days ago, out of the blue, I received a check from Whole Foods for “paid time off”. I haven’t worked there in almost a year and a half!

So keep checking back, a blog in the near future will be reporting much better news :)

We love you all, and please keep us in your prayers!

Of course, this wouldn't be a Mary blog without pictures... so here they are ...

First Christmas

2008-12-28T17:39:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was quite eventful. Last weekend we went to Baton Rouge to finish a training with the new owner of Potteryworks. While we were there we got to spend Saturday night with Alton and Terri (Pop and Toddy in grandparent lingo). They live in Hammond and were having their annual holiday party, so we were able to see lots of friends and family!

Our friends Chris and Katie drove all the way to Hammond from Slidel to see us and meet Brendan... we love you guys!

All the kiddos... and our kiddo
Katie, Margot, Jordan, Brendan, and Erin

On Sunday we got to meet Micah, Vicki and their little ones at The Broken Egg for breakfast (Micah was our pastor while we lived in BTR). We miss them SO much!

Next we were off to Shreveport on the way back to Texarkana, where we were able to eat dinner and open gifts with Tom and Elizabeth (Papa and Mimi). They made us a wonderful dinner and Brendan had some lovely cuddle time with Mimi A (his great grandmother)... and I am dressed like a bum in the picture because of a little feeding mishap :)

On Tuesday Dale, Sherry (Grandpa and Nana), and Amber (my sister) made their way to Texarkana. It was my dad and sister's first time to meet Brendan, and we all had a wonderful time! Wednesday we went to a Candle Light Service, Thursday morning we opened gifts (of course), and then we all worked on making Christmas dinner.

Amber and B
Worship at the Candle Light Service

This face makes me laugh! My little riendeer is so cute!

Our friends from Lubbock (Ruth, Gordon, and their son Parker) also came to spend a couple nights. Ruth and I grew up together in Lubbock and we are all basically like family :) Today we all went to church together and out to eat before they had to leave. It was really cool to see our sons together... though I'm sure they'll have more fun when Brendan is old enough to play.

So, there we have it... one packed holiday!! Brendan did so well, he slept almost the whole way to Baton Rouge (and back). He really enjoys people... and we are so blessed that so many people are here to love him too!!

Below are just more pictures for your further enjoyment...

Brendan has taken at least one nap with all of his grandparents :)

One Sheep, Two Sheep, Three Sheep, Four

2008-12-16T12:56:00.000-08:00

Brendan turned 8 weeks old yesterday and he has grown so much! I'm sure I say that every time, but it is true. I am always amazed at how quickly the time has passed. Brendan is almost double his weight at 11 pounds! He makes all sorts of noises now, including one that sounds like "hey!". He has started sleeping in his own room in his crib (with a few tears here and there). I have to say that we all feel that we've regained some sanity since he made the move out of our room. B still wakes up about every 3 hours to eat, but the difference is that we all get to sleep in between now. It used to take about an hour for him to go back to sleep once he'd been fed. I'm sure he'll start sleeping a little longer once he really gets used to his room.

As part of a daily routine, Brendan enjoys watching his mobile, bouncing in his bouncer, tummy time with mommy, bath time, his Nuk pacifier, and watching Jordan and I make funny sounds and faces. He also really seems to like having plenty of people around. Every time we're out or at a friend's house he is as content as can be... checking everyone out... or just sleeping right through the whole ordeal (even while being passed from one set of arms to the next... to the next... don't worry, hands are washed first).

As usual, I have a few pictures to share the events of the week... plus... for the first time on the Lewis Blog... A VIDEO!

Chillin' at Starbucks after Christmas shopping.

A little siesta with Daddy Saturday morning

Brendan's friend, Fiona, and her parents, Mark and Amy at a church Christmas party.

Santa's Workshop

2008-12-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

Today Brendan and I are hangin' out, like we do most days. We've both had our breakfast and he is having a little snooze while I surf the net. Technically I should be sleeping, but I couldn't resist updating our blog.

Christmas is just around the corner and we've been busy with getting gifts ready. I love personalized gifts with sentimental value, and having a new baby means there is tons of opportunity. This weekend a close friend, Charlotte Howe, came over to take some pictures of our family (something I have longed to do ever since Jordan and I got married). I confess to being a complete sap in that regard. Anyways, the pictures turned out wonderful and now the gift making can commence :) Here is a little preview:

Last week my mother (Nana) came to visit and help me get a few things accomplished. We also took a few pictures:

Weekend at Grandma's

2008-12-03T17:53:00.000-08:00

This past weekend Brendan took his first trip with us. We drove an hour and a half to Shreveport where Tom and Elizabeth live. Brendan slept most of the way and the whole trip went very well. Friday night we were able to have dinner with Brendan's great grandmother (Mimi A) and some of their family. It was very special and there are a few pics below from the night.

Mimi rocking with Brendan

Tom spending some cuddle time with B

In other news, we have sold Potteryworks. Jordan went down on Saturday to wrap a few things up and the sale was finalized Monday. While we will miss having the business, it is a great relief to not have to operate it long distance anymore. Hopefully we'll be able to open another business here when Brendan gets a bit older. Just for fun I'm sharing a few memories from the store (when I was there managing it).

Christmas last year

Jordan's birthday... yup, we had it at Potteryworks :)

I painted more custom pieces than I could count, but this was my favorite.

First Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Brendan's first Thanksgiving and we all had a wonderful time. Alton and Terri came up from Hammond and cooked with us (well, actually, Terri cooked almost everything... the dessert was my only responsibility). Jordan would like to note that he made the ham and gravy. Alton and Jordan were on baby duty and seemed to enjoy their special "guy time". The weather was very pleasant and they even were able to take B on a walk in the stroller.

I'd say this has been my favorite Thanksgiving, It's so fulfilling to spend holidays with family, and even more so now that we're parents.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

Three generations of handsome men

Terri cookin' awesome amount of food for four people :)

Brendan in his onesie from my mom... so cute!

Four Weeks Old

2008-11-18T11:37:00.001-08:00

Here is Brendan at 4 Weeks (yesterday).

Our week in a nutshell

2008-11-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from our past week. Brendan will be one month old tomorrow!!

Brendan's first real bath (he really liked it).

The ladies at church.
My 26th Birthday

Jordan thought it would be cool to have blue hair.

Pictures I never got to take of our nursery before Brendan came (since he was a bit early).

Turning 26

2008-11-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

Today I turn 26 and Brendan turns 3 weeks old. Time has already begun to fly by and Brendan is changing before our eyes. He is such a beautiful baby and I really did fall in love with him the moment I saw him! I love watching everything he does and hearing all of the little noises he makes. Jordan is a wonderful father and has been so selfless in trying to help me get back up and running (or sleeping). Since October 20th our mothers, Elizabeth and Sherry, have been here helping us. They have been such a blessing to us! Yesterday Brendan took his first trip to church and slept right through it (he seemed to enjoy the praise and worship). We've been taking this new life a step at a time. It is like learning to walk again... but I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Brendan Has Arrived

2008-10-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

My sincere apologies - We tried to post all of this earlier but for some reason the blog was malfunctioning.

Brendan Montgomery Lewis arrived on Monday, October 20th, 2008. He weighed 6 lb 4 oz, measured 20 and a half inches, and is currently doing all the things babies do here at home: sleeping, breastfeeding, and - of course - filling up diapers.

Mary and I had no idea we would be delivering on Monday. She started having early contractions Monday morning, but when we called the hospital nurses in the delivery ward (twice) they seemed to think it wasn't a big deal. Mary finally called the doctor, who told her to get up to the hospital right away. It was a good thing she did: the baby arrived after only 5 hrs.

Mary and Brendan enjoy their first of many naps together in the above picture. Mary had good reason to sleep - she forewent the epidural for delivery. That's one tough lady!

After being decontaminated in the delousing chamber and barely passing the numerous tests they perform on all male cavemen like myself, I was allowed to hold Brendan too.

I present to you, Brendan Montgomery Lewis, High Prince of all Lewis-kind and Lord of the Grubelnik realm!

Countdown Until B-day

2008-10-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

As Brendan's birthday approaches (perhaps only 17 more days!), I am excited and sobered by the awesome responsibility that Mary and I are about to possess. A little person, fingers and toes and nose and all, will rely upon us to teach him about the world: from its most basic of elements, to the complicated intricacies of human civilization, even to the most profound of relationships - that between God and man.

It's interesting to fathom and wonder exactly how well we'll fare at this task, and it's disturbing to know in advance how likely we are to fail at it sometimes. I am - we are - thankful to have had such wonderful role models, especially ones that taught us the importance of grace and forgiveness for such shortcomings.

I am happy to report that another week has passed, another baby checkup has been passed with flying colors. Mary is to the stage where she must visit weekly now, and is progressing well. The baby has begun to drop, and it appears we are on schedule.

Speaking of on schedule, we have opened up a new poll (for your voting pleasure) that allows you to predict when Baby-Lew will indeed arrive. For those of you who like to study the current state of things before making your prognostication, Mary has provided a baby bump body of evidence...

Arrival Prediction

2008-10-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

As October 30^th draws nearer, Baby Lewis lets me know that he is quite excited about his coming arrival. My ribs have become somewhat of a dance floor. I’ve been working hard to get everything ready; I keep trying to make sure I have all that I need. Before pregnancy I never knew there were so many different types of clothes for infants, it is a whole new vocabulary… rompers, sleep sacks, sleepers, onsies, receiving blankets, swaddling blankets, layette sets, and the list goes on. Then there are play mats, activity gyms, swings, bouncers, play yards, and the like. Regardless, after a few lengthy books, I think I have it somewhat mastered. Now I have more than I probably need of all of these things and Baby Lewis will have to let me know which ones were actually worth the purchase. The nursery is finally looking like a nursery, we are only waiting on the glider and ottoman… and a few items that Jordan will be bringing back with him (from his trip to check on the store in Baton Rouge). All of our family and friends have been so generous in helping us prepare… we have felt so blessed.

Yesterday I was up at the Republican Headquarters here in Texarkana. They’ve needed help selling campaign stickers, signs, buttons, etc… and of course I jumped at this opportunity because I happen to have some free time. Since I’m looking quite pregnant the other volunteers tried to make sure I wasn’t overdoing it with a small amount of concern that I could go into labor. I assured them this wouldn’t be the case… but I do think it would be somewhat appropriate if our son were to be born at a Republican Headquarters.

I don’t know what that has to do with anything, I just thought I’d share. I will say that my due date is pretty close to election day, so who knows. We may have an election baby. October 31^st is also quite close (a little too much for comfort)… I think it would be fun to have a contest. We’ll have everyone guess a date that the baby will actually arrive and whoever is closets wins something cool. I will have to think of something clever to give as a prize. How bout we name our next born after you? Haha, just kidding. Perhaps bragging rights will have to be enough. Ok, so lets hear some guesses. My guess will be November 4th ;)

We Have Confirmation - It's a Boy

2008-09-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

As I write this, my darling wife is literally taking pictures of pictures, in order to show you the latest sonogram images from the doctor. We have been waiting to take the tags off of the baby gear we've received, at the risk of having to take everything back in the case of a gender surprise.

Here, you may see the evidence that had Mary yanking plastic off tiny garments and wearing out the washer and dryer to get all the clothes "Snuggle Fresh" for the baby:

We had previously been only about 75% certain that the reading by the ultrasound tech was accurate, since the "First String" tech was on holiday the week of the first ultrasound. Let's call the sub "third string," though she was extremely nice and also pregnant. Anyhow, a week or so later we went in again, but the baby didn't quite cooperate then either.

This last time was completely unplanned. Mary took the video from the first ultrasound to get reviewed by the primary technician and - bonus - she instead gave us an extra ultrasound for free. Not only that, but this time the sex was easy to determine - with stunning clarity. The irony is that the OBGYN had previously told us it would be more difficult to diagnose the closer we approached to full term. Bottom line: we're having a manchild. Finally all is well, and we are happy to move on to the miracle and mystery of the birth process.

We're now fairly confident we're going to go with Brendan Montgomery. Brendan means "Prince," from the Gaelic/Celtic. It has a nice ring to it - perhaps due to having a meter parallel (iambic pentameter?) to Jordan.

I've insisted, however, that we wait until the actual delivery to finalize the name. I hear so many stories of people "looking into the eyes" of their new child and just "knowing" a name, so I figured we'd leave the window open. Mary has agreed with my crazy notions, though she's completely ready to call it.

Now for something totally (well not totally) different: the adorable Miss Fiona Meadows recently took her first breaths in this world. Our friends Mark and Amy are extremely proud, recovering, and not likely to sleep any time soon:

She has her father's lips!

My Birthday

2008-09-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today is my 26th birthday. This morning Mary took me out to some Chik-Fil-A breakfast, bought me flowers, pens, and candy. What a rockin' wife.

My friends have been very good to me as well. My friend Alex sent me a book which I am excited to read - he always makes very good reading selections. My friends David and Bria Howe also have something they're planning but I won't find out until later - very sneaky.

Mom's on her way to visit tonight, and Dad text messaged me this morning. Mimi sent me the neatest e-card (not your typical BlueMountain fare). Tom, my stepfather, wrote a wonderful piece in his daily business newsletter:

Today is a day for me to celebrate and be grateful. When I count my blessings, one of the most important ones is my son, Jordan Montgomery Lewis, who turns 26 today.

When I met my wife Elizabeth, Jordan's mother, Jordan had just turned 10. From the very beginning, I knew Jordan was special. We hit it off very well and enjoyed each other's company. He was bright and mature beyond his years. And he loved the Chicago Cubs. We both hope they'll deliver a wonderful birthday present this year.

Jordan and Elizabeth had been their own family unit for over 10 years when Elizabeth and I got married. It would have been easy for Jordan to be competitive with me, and he had a great big advantage - he'd known my wife longer than I had, and he was her own flesh and blood. Instead, he accepted me and wanted us to be a nuclear family. His commitment to that has been as important to the success of our marriage as any other factor.

It's been a great birthday. The thing is: it's not been the gifts that made this day special, but the thoughtfulness and love expressed. I am excited for this next year, and am reminded as to how amazing it is when a new person is born into the world. It's an occasion that will be celebrated again and again.

Tha' Baby Bump!

2008-09-22T20:14:00.001-07:00

People keep saying that Mary doesn't look over 34 weeks pregnant. Well, to those wayward canards, I present...

EXHIBIT A:
Clearly, you can see the fetal protuberance! Take that, you zany floofmongrels!

EXHIBIT B:
Notice the roundness of the abdomen, the happy glow of the joyful first-time mother...Practically BURSTING with PREGNANTUDE!

EXHIBIT C:
Wait a minute, how did this get in here?!?! Bah. I rest my case. Or...in this case, Sasha is resting in her case. Or something of that nature. (She is very cute, isn't she? Yes. Focus on the cuteness...good kitty...)

All Things New: S'port shower, new car, baby, etc...

2008-09-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

Though I'm tempted to make this post more of a collage than a story, I guess we should first start with a few details. Since the last post you witnessed, much has occurred of great importance.

First, we traded in Monte...for Titan, our new Saturn Vue! Now we have four doors instead of two, and cargo room instead of trunk space - a vast improvement in family-friendly terms, though Monte will be sorely missed (along with the days of teenage youth).

Then, Mary visited Kansas City with Bria, Elizabeth, and Charlotte Howe. Since KC is Mary's favorite place on the planet (especially the International House of

Prayer), this was cause for much rejoicing. Exhibit A: Check out super-happy, 31-weeks-pregnant-Mary in the "other" Promised Land. Also on the trip: the IHOP 24-7 Prayer Room, Higher Grounds (the coffee shop), and the Mathnasium Training Center (for Bria and Charlotte).

In the meantime, Hurricane Gustav came roaring through South Louisiana. Fortunately, all of our family members and friends are fine. Our store lost a week of business, but escaped the storm unscathed, so all is well. We've decided to start praying ahead of time to prepare for Hurricane Ike...

On Saturday the 6th, Mary and I both attended separate baby showers in Shreveport. I'm sure for Mary it was a unique experience: all those ladies in love with the future Lewis baby, and half of them she'd never met before! Everyone was so generous, and Little-Lew racked up in baby clothes, equipment, and accessories. Below are a few pictures from the event:

Left and Right: Mary-Lew receiving and enjoying baby toys and gifts

Center: The grandmother to be, Jordan's mom, Elizabeth Arceneaux

As you may have surmised, the shower I attended was a bit different: the "Manshower" as it was called. I and a lot of friends I hadn't seen in a long time had a great time catching up, eating hearty meats (Tom cooks the best pork ribs and beef ribs in the world!), and watching sports. Instead of diapers and bottles for gifts, I received generous helpings of duct tape and enough sports equipment to last our son through the major leagues (if he so desires, of course). No pictures were taken during the event, but when the females of the species arrived to take us all back to our caves, they did force us to provide them with the following pictures:

Left Picture: three greasy men after the manshower: Pete Raish, Jordan, and Dave Galloway

Right Picture: Future father Jordan with current step-father, Tom (and Titan in background)

Finally, good news from the doctor today: Little-Lew continues to grow healthy and happy. At 32 weeks he weighs 3 lbs 12 oz, enjoys music and long walks on the beach (much like his mother). An affinity for chocolate and Chick-Fil-A is also highly probable.

Playtime

2008-08-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

As the date of our baby's arrival approaches, we are increasingly aware of blessings all around us. Our son is going to be so well taken care of, and loved, not just by us but by a whole slew of family members and friends.

Today we arrived home just in time to meet the UPS guy. He delivered this wonderful Play Yard sent to us by Keith and Sandi Rush from Baton Rouge. We were so excited to open up the box and put it all together - visualizing how the new baby would enjoy his first months of sleep and admiring the attractive lines and patterns of the material. The best part was watching Mary assemble the mobile, as I could see her imagining the wistful creatures dancing by from the vantage point of a newborn.

After putting it together we took a long overdue opportunity to celebrate our anniversary by going out on a date together. We went to this really fancy Italian restaurant...that happens to be located in a gas station. Okay so maybe it's not that fancy, but it is the best Italian food in Texarkana.

It was a busy evening - afterward we went to practice for the church praise and worship band. After breaking my viola G string in the middle of service on Sunday during a particularly passionate bit of playing, I will be playing violin instead for a while. Mary made some comment about a being passionate and a G string.

Mary had her doctor's appointment on Monday this week. They checked her blood for iron - no additional iron necessary. Heartbeat was good; Mary is right on schedule with her weight, having gained one pound since her last appointment. In two weeks we will be taking another set of ultrasound pictures, so expect more comments from superstar baby Lewis.

The weekend before last my step-sisters (Whitney, in particular) threw us an awesome shower in Hammond, LA. Dad and I escaped somehow. When we returned, Mary showed me a picture that she claims is from the shower. I will let you be the judge - seems rather tame considering what I have been told goes on at these events.

Regardless, the leftover food I sampled when we returned was excellent, and the gifts were wonderful. Dad and Terri decided that their grandparent names will be "Papa and Toddy." The sisters are going with "Aunt Whit" (Whitney - aka "Aunt Knee"), "Aunt Kay-Kay" (Katie), "Auntie M" (Meghan), and "Auntie (awn-tee) Erin" (Erin).

On Mary's side, her parents have decided to be called "Pa" (Dale) and "Nana" (Sherry). We are looking forward to seeing what the rest of my siblings and the other future grandparents choose.

Between the incredible shower that the Grubelniks threw for the baby and the one by my sisters in Hammond, we have now experienced two wonderful showers. We almost have all the equipment we need to get through the first few months - or so we hope.

Where to begin?

2008-08-14T16:02:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since the last post I almost don't know where to begin.

First and foremost, baby news: as you can see, we have put up some new name options for you to vote your favorite.

Also, Mary had a checkup on Monday. Dr. Bingham measured Mary and checked the heartbeat - both excellent. To the right you see a picture of the famous "bump" at 29 weeks.

On Saturday, Mary and I attended birthing classes, which was a full day affair. I can't say it's quite what I pictured. Instead of nice little breathing classes and a pleasant pow wow of holding Mary's hand (like you see on "Friends," for instance), we were instead subjected to end-to-end horror stories and graphic deliveries in the raw. From epistiotomies to scenes of little alien heads bursting into the world (one new mother's first words after delivery were: "Is that the baby? It doesn't look like a baby!"), it was all a bit traumatic to most of the new parent-to-bes in the audience.

This weekend marked the first one Mary and I have been home together in the past three weeks, as first events at the store in Baton Rouge and then a Lubbock baby shower have kept us apart. In fact, our anniversary was spent quite inauspiciously apart - I believe I spent the day working and trying to fix a neighbor's computer while Mary labored to host camp for a set of young artisans. Actually, this was the same day as the Jordanesque-capade, of which you might recall was not my best moment.

We completely intend to do something to celebrate. Actually, we got started a bit early and bought our present to ourselves a month ago, so at least there's that. Regardless, Baby-Lew comes soon, and this is one of our last anniversaries to spend alone. We'll have to make it memorable, indeed.

What I didn't Expect

2008-08-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

For the past two weeks I've been out of town. First for a week in Baton Rouge to check on Potteryworks and go to a wedding, then to Lubbock for the baby shower and to spend some time with my family. During this time I discovered a few things about my pregnant self. First of all I've been reading a book called "What to Expect When You're Expecting" (a great book recommended by many of my friends). At the beginning of each chapter there's a list of symptoms you may experience during each month of pregnancy. This month two of the symptoms were "absentmindedness" and "clumsiness". I wasn't really aware that these could be considered symptoms… but apparently it is true. I have never been so absentminded in my life!

I have forgotten Dr.'s appointments (even though I made special arrangements to be there on time), a guitar lesson, and half the things that my mom or Jordan tell me. Yesterday, on my way into the airport, I slammed my finger in mom's car door! I wanted to cry, but held back the tears and really just felt silly for not realizing my hand was still in the door when I shut it. On a more endearing note, my mother accomplished something I was also not aware could happen. I had gone through security with my wounded finger all bandaged… feeling a bit light headed. I composed myself long enough to get some orange juice. I look up and my mother is making her way towards me to make sure that her pregnant daughter is eating crackers and not passing out on the floor of the airport. How did she accomplish this you may ask? Oh, she just told the nice security people of her concern and they let her pass through security to come see me off. She is quite amazing.

Anyways, my Dr. said that these symptoms are, of course, normal. Not only that, but apparently the memory capacity never returns. She informed me that she was much smarter before she started having children… I'm not sure which should be more concerning- the fact that my doctor used to be smarter or that my state of being may be permanent.

Lewis Fam Update

2008-08-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Jordan here.

Mary arrives home today. She has been gone the past two weeks: first to Baton Rouge to facilitate Summer Camp at our store Potteryworks, then to Lubbock to visit her family.

It's been an eventful couple of weeks. Saturday of last week I actually took a Greyhound bus (the same weekend as this incident, ironically) to Baton Rouge, where Mary picked me up. We stayed at my dad's place (Alton Barney Lewis, Jr. - pictured right) and then Sunday we were in Chris and Katie's wedding (our business partners). Immediately after the wedding we drove from New Orleans to Shreveport, where we stayed the night at my mom's house.

So Monday we arrived home at about 7 in the morning, at which time I had to go to work and Mary had to prepare for her doctor's appointment. Another appointment, another clean bill of health - praise God.

Then, Tuesday at 5 am, she flew out to Lubbock, Texas, where she has been essentially making her last trip to visit her family before the baby comes. Her family and friends threw her a baby shower while she was there, of course. Today - finally - she arrives home, and we have another week before we hit the road again.

In the meantime, I've been working like crazy. Last night I painted the nursery; I know my handiwork isn't nearly as steady as Mary's hand, but I'm hoping she'll be happy with the result. Yesterday morning I played my new electric violin at church, and Saturday was full of painting preparation, as well as cleaning for Mary's return.

Also, a recent "Jordanesque-capade:"
Last week our elderly neighbors asked me to fix their computer. Their grandchildren had downloaded some things and pop-ups were "popping up" everywhere. So I went over, downloaded free AVG, and set to work trying to fix it. This was Thursday, about half an hour before I had told David and Bria I'd come help them work on their new store, a Mathnasium.

Well, so the AVG downloaded, and ran a quick initial check, and - lo and behold, a trojan-horse virus is embedded in the computer. More importantly - the virus responds to the anti-virus software by shutting off the internet.

Now, this is problematic. When I arrived, our neighbor - Patty is her name - told me: "all we ever use the computer for is to check our email and play spider." So now, one of the two critical functions has been shut down, and all I was trying to do was eliminate some spyware! I feel awful, and I think, "I'll just fix this one thing and be a little late to help Dave and Bria."

It was a bad decision. As I attempted to fight the virus, the situation continued to get worse. The virus essentially disabled AVG, since it was there before the install and shut off access to updates. I had to run several scans of the hard drive, which somehow has 500,000+ files.

So, as I'm about to shut the computer down and run a Safe Mode scan, the doorbell rings. Dave and Bria have been searching the neighborhood for me! They've called my parents, my wife, the local hospitals - they've already spoken to the rest of our neighbors!

I had left my cellphone in the house, since I thought this wouldn't take but another moment - an hour at a time. I didn't feel like I could leave this couple without their computer being fixed, considering how small the problem was when I arrived.

It's been a week and a half - the internet is still not working. I've removed oodles of viruses, spyware, cookies, etc...Now I think they're going to have to have a computer repair company fix it. C'est horrible!

The Thin Man

2008-07-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Last night something queer happened.

On my way home from our last church softball game of the season, I stopped at Exxon to get a Coke Zero. I went inside, bought my drinks (one for the night and one for the fridge), and got in my car. It wasn't until I was literally in my car, driving out of the parking lot, that I noticed this gaunt, thin man in a long, stained white shirt, with jagged teeth, jaundiced skin, and hallow eye sockets, gesticulating in my direction.

Now I have no idea as to his condition, and I did check myself and my car later to be sure he wasn't some sort of odd Good Samaritan trying to warn me of some imminent danger; indeed, his severe looks might well be attributable to a life especially hard on his body and clothes. However, what I found unnerving was where the man was standing when I noticed him.

My car was the only one in the lot. I came out the convenience store door (on one end of the building) and walked directly to my car (middle of the building), and saw nothing. I opened my door, sat down, buckled my seat-belt, started the car, and then noticed him coming up behind me. He was standing where I had been standing seconds before, and he was looking right at me, crooking his fingers to draw me towards him.

Now I have no idea whether he meant any harm - I would guess he wanted a few bucks - but it seems to me that I narrowly avoided something. See...he was also yelling while he flailed his arms, and until I saw him I never heard him once. He came close to my unlocked door as I began to drive. I was not afraid then but...once on the road my imagination spun wild fantasy.

Later I prayed for the safety of the people at the gas station, and then for the man himself. I do not mean to malign him, and truly I can only hope for the best in his life. Simply put, his sudden appearance was the cause of a brief stir.

The Name Game

2008-07-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

Jordan and I have been praying and thinking of names for our little one. We've come up with three so far and thought we'd post them to see what everyone thinks (don't worry we aren't basing our decision on this). To tell you the truth though, I've looked at so many baby boy names in the last week they're all starting to run together. So here's what we came up with:

William Christian Lewis
Joshua Alan Lewis
Schuyler Alexander Lewis

I was going to tell you which way I'm leaning, but I'd hate to influence your opinion (which I hope you will all share).

I've also been working on getting the nursery ready. We bought paint and I'm taping everything off today. Here is the bedding that I want to use:

Bedding

I had shown Jordan about three different themes I liked (one included little lambs). Two of them were somewhat "gender neutral". That was all I had to say for Jordan to immediately sway towards the more masculine safari theme. I had myself a good laugh and decided he was right. We really like the safari theme... but not so much that we want landscapes and lions painted on every wall. I thought it would be nice to add more earth tones and prints that just coordinate with the bedding. I'll post some pictures once it all starts to come together.

Much love!
Mary

The Last Shall Be First...

2008-07-11T21:08:00.000-07:00

Hello, Baby Lewis here. Most people would expect the people who are actually born to be the first people to have pictures, but I feel that this is a bit born-ist. That's right, it's unjust against the unborn!

SO instead, I am posting pictures of my favorite person - that's right, me!

Please disregard all the people who have already been born in the pictures you are about to see.

This is definitely my favorite. I look so young! Hard to believe, but that's me at age -.775 (for you born-ists out there, that's 9 weeks). Ah, the good old days.

Last time, I think my father told you about his house. What you are seeing in this picture is MY house - way cooler, by the way. Check out how spacious and warm...

This next picture should be quite a treat - for you, that is. Yes, I have deigned to show you my face. Paparazzi, get your cameras ready.

What, you say, you cannot make out my perfect features clearly?

There I am, right in front of you at 21 weeks.

For those of you who happen to have seen the latest unauthorized pictures of my...unmentionables...I want to say I will be seeking monetary damages. I hear college is expensive these days.

Of course, aside from these pictures, many of you have already seen my other recent roles:You will perhaps remember Lady in the Blue Dress. Here you see me at 23 weeks with the starlet, Mommy. She's definitely my favorite co-star. Of course, I cannot say that I am very happy with the amount of face-time I received in this production.

Well, I must get back to my tai bo classes. That bladder is not going to punch itself. Ta ta for now.

The Lewises Have Landed (Real Life Begins)

2008-07-09T17:13:00.000-07:00

In most stories, the beginning of the book opens with something dramatic - a chase between chariots, a difficult moment when the foil to the hero creates the trouble later to be resolved. This story, however, is quite different; indeed, this story begins in utter calm. Finally.

Welcome to our website. We are the Lewises (or is it Lewis's?): Mary D. (formerly Grubelnik) Lewis, Jordan M. Lewis, and a third Lewis, yet unnamed (and yet to arrive). In this blog, we will forgo our rights to privacy and instead provide weekly updates on our lives.

But first, dear reader, a few notes on the setting of our adventures. Currently, we live in a suburb of Texarkana, Texas, in this house. This house is made of brick, not straw, and indeed has not been blown down, despite all attempts to huff and puff it to the contrary. This is our first house - our first real home - in the first town we have not fully intended to flee at the first opportunity: in other words - good times.

Sharing our residence is our cat, Sasha. Never fear, gentle reader, by cat I am not implying the savage beast that may have immediately roared into your mind's eye - not a lion, or a tiger, a lynx, or even a voracious liger- but rather a simple orange short-hair. As a caveat, however, I must encourage you not to call her simple, nor divulge your knowledge that she is indeed not one of these prodigious predators.

But I digress. I must beg your pardon, since this is my first post in quite some time. There will be more, but I shall not overwhelm you with too much on your first read. Indeed, any proper short piece should be readable in one sitting, as we know from Edgar Allan Poe's "Philosophy of Composition." And you thought I would not be aware...hah!

Until next time...