Jesus

So we watched Jesus today. "The Jesus Film?", you ask, "The Passion of the Christ?, or some spiritual Childrens Bible video"? No, we watched the Little Mermaid. Do not ask us why she calls it that, but she does. I promise you we have not shown her any pictures of Jesus that look like King Triton, or taught her about Jesus using the video. She just has an extremely persistent idea somehow that it is called Jesus. So much so that today I said from the other room "Do you want to watch the Little Mermaid?" and she shouted "Jesus!". She also says "peggie tay-ohs" for Veggie Tales and calls the Jungle Book "Mow-gi" which we think is pretty cute.

couple friends

This is a picture of our couple friends from our once a month get together. About 6 years ago a few of us who were getting married around the same time decided to get together and make a group that was dedicated to helping our marriages, accountability and just hang out time with some people that we didn't see as much anymore. We highly value our friendships with these people. From left to right Scott and Sandy Smyser, Carrie and John Dean, Lana and Andy Wahlquist, Geoff Gross, us, Micah and Jen Burpo, and Tracy and Steve Hart with Lorelai.

Still life

Ella likes sitting in chairs. I would really like this, but she doesn't ever stay for more than 5 seconds in one position. When we go to a new place she will often try out as many chairs as we will let her. She likes her independence.

Reading with Oma

Oma keeps a bunch of books and fun toys for Ella to play with at her house. Ella recognizes the streets we turn on to come to their house.

In these pictures Ella was reading out loud in her own language while pointing to the words.

Doggy bed

Ella likes sitting in Rosie's bed. She was putting her baby there and sitting there herself the other day. Kind of comical.

Night Out, In

For Erin's birthday on the 1st of March we set up the patio at the Olsons, and dressed up for a nice dinner. It was a fun night.

Hangin ten with Opa

Promotion or Demotion?

Well. It has been an interesting week on the job front. On Wednesday last week I got a call basically telling me I have been recommended for a job at a nearby high school in Compton as a Literacy coach. This would entail me teaching only 2 classes or so and then working with other teachers, doing in-services and such for the rest of the time. Basically, this is what I have been going to school for. But, I just got to Davis Middle school this year and really felt called to be here in the beginning..until we got a new principal.
The next day, in a conversation with my current principal, I was told that if I didn't teach the exact program he wanted (which I don't feel is appropriate), I should transfer to somewhere else. Later that day I met with my new prospective principal and was totally impressed!! She is an amazing woman and we seem to have very similar philosophies about education, the role of administrators and teachers, etc. She is also known for having turned around one of the middle schools already and has some big plans for next year that I would like to be a part of.

Whew!

Please pray for me - I think I am going to go for this new job, but it hurts me to leave what I just started. I want to make a good decision - and not jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. Please also pray for my attitude towards my current principal and another administrator.

Sheesh. Being a grown-up is hard sometimes...

-Posted by Erin.

A Tale of Poop

Well, we are beginning to enter the pre-potty stage. Though diapers have often afforded some icky and funny stories, we have gotten a glimpse of what life will be like with poop without diapers. It is a little scary.
Tonight Ella managed to take off both her diaper and her pants. Sounds harmless...but the diaper was full of, well, crap. So, she managed to get it all over her legs in the course of pushing the diaper down to her ankles. So, I, who is on the phone long distance with Tio Nathan, decide it is the perfect opportunity to try her new potty out. So, I set her on it (I am not expecting anything, just using the teachable moment)and quickly trash her diaper and come back to find that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, she has gotten off the potty and has oviously sat down on a few different surfaces before finding that squatting is the best option of the moment. How do I know she has tried a few different places to sit? I just need to follow the trail of..well, you know. Needless to say, I gave an exclamation of horror, got off the phone, and proceeded to try to clean off my kid and the various surfaces where she has left her mark. It is pretty funny now, but only because it wasn't THAT dirty...
Oh, what will the future hold?!
[posted by Erin]