The Unexpected Journey: 2010

.birth stats.

I stumbled upon this blog through a friend's blog and have been obsessed with this little birth stats sign she made for her son. So I decided to take a stab at it for Parker. I definitley think hers is way cuter, but I love the idea of framing this and putting it up in his nursery. What a fun way to capture his birth stats :) Can't wait to find a cute frame and hang this up!

.thanksgiving.

For Thanksgiving we spent the week in Spokane with Nick's family....but to our surprise, before we left for Spokane we woke up to snow in Bothell. Here is the view outside our porch at our neighborhood and some of the snow we got. It was so fun to be bundled up and cozy enoying the snow. The snow only lasted a few days in Western Washington, but when we flew to Spokane, it was a winter wonderland!! It snowed the entire time we were there and felt more like Christmas than Thanksgiving! It was so fun to just relax and enjoy time loving on my family and being loved on by Nick's family. We hung out, ate, watched movies, ate, shopped, ate, played games, ate....did I mention we ate lots and lots of yummy food?!?! It is such a blessing to be so close to our families and enjoy spending so much time with them...can't wait until I can host a holiday at our home.

Parker hanging out with his Auntie Hannah

Some of the delicious Thanksgiving spread

The Dietzen boys after our post Thanksgiving meal walk in the snow

Taking my little dude out for a walk in the snow...he wasn't such a fan

Parker Derek and his namesake Uncle Derek

Cousins Parker and Mason

Parker and Derek again :)

Nick, JD and their boys....looks like a family portrait to me!

We have so much to be thankful for this holiday season...we hope you are counting your blessings and relishing in the moment!

.4 months.

This is a few weeks overdue but as you can see below...we have had a difficult time getting a good 4 month picture! I am so mean because I still take pictures when he is crying....oooppps :) But I just think he is so cute even when he is crying. Below are the succession of a few photos from 2 different photo shoots we had.

Not very happy about this picture thing....

MOM! I am REALLY not into this picture taking!

Okay, I guess I can lay here and look cute for this picture....

Seriously mom....I am bored out of my mind. Enough with the pictures :)

Heheh....those are some of the things I think Parker had running through his head while his crazy mom was taking his picture! Oh the things we do!

Here are the stats on Mr Parker man at 4 months:

Length: 25 3/4" (80%)

Weight: 13lbs, 10oz (26%)

Head: 16 5/8" (50%)

So it looks like he is still tall and skinny....following right in his dad's footsteps!

Here are some of his favorite things right now:

-laughing, smiling, cooing and laughing some more (very happy baby!)

-Christmas lights

-his pacifier (becoming more attached....might not be such a good thing :/)

-rolling onto his side...can't quite roll over but tries so hard!

-eating breastmilk every 3 hours still...no solids yet

-loves his friends Evan, Gracin, Jack, Oliver and Cole at daycare

-loves to look around at everything

-sleeping on his tummy (LOVES this!)

-belly laughs

A few things he has decided he doesn't like lately:

-his carseat

-sleeping on his back

-cold milk (every bottle has to be warm or he won't drink it)

Overall he is doing GREAT! Growing strong and learning new things everyday. This stage has been so much fun because he is really starting to interact...knows who we are and smiles whenever he makes eye contact with us. He is even belly laughing which makes my heart smile. I love every inch of this little man! Still cannot believe he is ours!

.small world.

This weekend I came to a pretty harsh reality.....my world is really small. Like, really small.

Scott Harrison, founder and CEO of Charity: Water spoke at Eastlake this weekend. It was amazing. Our church has been partnering with Charity: Water for a while now and working towards building wells for clean water to those who do not have access to clean water. The weight of that reality really hit me hard this weekend.

I have never. ever. had to worry about clean drinking water. ever.

"Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war."

Let the weight of that statement sink in. just from lack of clean water.

A lot of times I get overwhelmed by the needs of the world and feel that I cannot make a difference. There are so many people in need and so many causes, that so many times I feel like I cannot do enough to make an impact. Selfish I know, but I just get completely overwhelmed and do not do anything as a result.

The difference this time is I actually feel like there are tangible ways that I can help bring someone clean water. That someone as insignificant as ME can make a huge difference in someone's life. Crazy how empowering that can be.

Looking at how much we have been blessed and how God has empowered us, I feel like the Dietzen family has been created for a much bigger purpose than we are currently living. God has a much bigger plan for our life than to just eat, work and sleep. We are not sure what that means, and what God is calling us to, but it has become pretty clear to us that we were meant to bring Jesus to others. Whether that means helping to meet the physical needs of others through clean water or working with those we touch daily to bring Jesus to them, we are on board!

It's crazy how you can hear the same things over and over, and then one day you really HEAR it for the first time. I love what Charity: Water is doing to build wells and empower the people to live life without the diseases that come about because of dirty water, or having to spend their entire day fetching dirty water from a swamp miles and miles away.

God has blessed us all so much and as Ryan Meeks our pastor says "God doesn't bless us to raise our standard of living, but to raise our standard of GIVING."

I don't know what God has in store for the Dietzen family...but I think there are BIG things in our future and I am so excited!!! My world is so small and I am so excited to start expanding it and living outside myself!

.bittersweet.

I am a huge nerd and love to read. My roomate from college (who is recently engaged..see post below..woo!), recommended I read the book Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist a few years ago. I seriously read the book in one day...I LOVED it!! Well she recently came out with another book called Bittersweet and I cannot get enough! I am trying to pace my way through it because I already don't want it to end! Her books are kind of like a journal where one chapter doesn't flow to the next but they are more thoughts and revelations that she comes to....kind of like reading a blog where every post is usually different. She has such a unique way of describing certain situations and making you feel like you relate to her. The way she writes makes it seem like she is writing down your exact feelings....she makes you feel normal, like you are not the only one feeling a certain way. Reading her books makes me want to be her friend...haha...I think we would be great friends! haha but for now I will leave you with a few little snippets of things that have spoken to me!

On the importance of gathering friends with friends and eating dinner together:

{when we stop everything else to gather around the table and eat a meal made by someone's hands, we honor our bodies and the God who created them. We honor the world he made and the beauty of creation. And in that moment we acknowledge that even though life is fast and frantic, we're not machines and we do require nourishment, physically and otherwise}

On coming to the realization that you cannot do everything, and making a list of things you do well and things you don't do:

{It's brutal, making the list of Things I Don't Do, especially for someone like me, who refuses most of the time to acknowledge that there is, in fact, a limit to her personal ability to get things done. But I's discovered that the list sets me free. I have it written in black and white, sitting on my desk, and when I'm tempted to go rogue and bake muffins because all the other moms do, I come back to both lists, and I remind myself about the important things: that time is finite, as is energy. And that one day I'll stand before God and account for what I did with my life. There is work that is only mine todo: a child that is ours to raise, stories that are mine to tell, friend that are mine to walk with. The grandest seduction of all is the myth that DOING EVERYTHING BETTER gets us where we want to be. It gets us somewhere, certainly, but not anywhere worth being.}

About throwing parties and seeing your house filled with people you love:

{I don't know where we'll be in five years or how exactly we'll pay the mortgage the next few months or when we'll have another child, but I do know how to make dinner, and to see the people I care about gobble it up makes me feel like something is right, even when it seems like nothing is. There's something so healing about those quiet moments at the table, when everyone's mouth-or mind or heart-is full, when you feel connected and nourished and content, even if it's just for a split second.}

Read it. Seriously. ~~Walk~~ Run to the nearest bookstore and buy her books. You won't regret it!

.engaged.

My dear roomate of all 4 years of college and best friend, Erin Schoenwald will soon be Mrs. Erin Thiele.!!! Jon and Erin got engaged yesterday 12.4.10!!! They are an amazing couple and God defnitely brought them together to do great things! Erin and I spent many late nights staying up talking about our future spouses and spent many hours in prayer over who God had in store for our future. I am so overjoyed to see how God has provided and brought Jon into Erin's life. I cannot wait until the big day and can't wait to hear all the details about the engagement and wedding!!! I love you guys....CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

.just do it.

This is a Nike ad from a few years back and I love it!! It describes me perfectly and makes me proud to be an athlete and a runner.

.three years.

Happy 3 Year Anniversary!!!

I really cannot believe it has been 3 years since we were married. It has gone by really fast, but I look back and cannot remember what life was like before I met Nick. So much has happened in the last 3 years and there is no one I would rather go through life with than him!

In the last 3 years we have....

-moved to Seattle

-each gone through 2 job changes

-lived in 3 different places (Seattle, Bellevue, Bothell)

-bought a house

-had a baby

And had many more changes that we have gone through together. Each day gets better and we have so much fun together. It's crazy to think we were just 22 years old when we got married and have grown up so much in the last 3 years. It is so fun! We have had our challenges and disappointments but I love that we get to grow through those experiences together.

Here is a picture of us from the last weekend...just as happy and in love as the day we said "I Do" and our little baby Parker that we have been blessed with. Praise Jesus for being faithful and blessing our life and marriage.

.thankful.

I have thought about this post for a while and making a list of all the things I am thankful for. The thing is, everytime I start to write it, I get overwhelmed with all the things I am thankful for. I have so many things to be thankful for and have been so blessed that my list could be endless. My heart is overwhelmed and FULL of gratitude for everything I have been blessed with and the awesome life that God has allowed me to live. So in my futuile attempt.....here is a {teeny} tiny list of the things that make my heart happy and thankful.

...I am thankful for...

my immediate family, parents, in-laws, siblings

a healthy, amazing, beautiful baby boy

a supportive, smart, wonderful and {hot} husband

a job that I enjoy and the ability to work

Victoria who watches Parker while I am at work

nick's job that he enjoys and that supports us financially

our warm, beautiful home that keeps us out of the cold

cars that run and get us safetly where we need to go

healthy bodies

wonderful friends

Eastlake church and our community

financial stability

God's grace and forgiveness

sacrificial parents {both sides} who bless us beyond what we deserve

food, and the fact that we never have to go hungry

creativity and the people who inspire me daily

weaknesses and trials because it helps me grow

books

my iphone {materialistic I know, but it has saved me more than a few times!}

the Green Bay Packers :)

morning coffee

America and its freedom

While we may not have the latest and greatest of everything, an enormous house, brand new cars or all designer clothes, we have everything we could ever need and the ability to live a very comfortable life and be surrounded by friends and family who love us. I couldn't think of a better life to live. I love that this time of year I get a huge reality check...while it is so easy to look around and compare {of which I am SO guilty of doing}, when I take a look at what I have, I cannot help but feel unworthy and so blessed to have all the things I do. I pray that I can be continually reminded of these blessings and live with a heart of gratitude all the time.

.chit chat.

Parker just kicking and chatting away to us on a lazy Saturday morning. I am amazed by him everyday! I love being a mom!!! :)

.3 months.

My little baby is already 3 months! I cannot even believe how fast 3 months has flown by and how much Parker has grown! It is amazing to see him pick up new skills and discover new things every single day. He really is a miracle and I am so proud every day. I didn't realize being a parent included being so proud of your children. With each new milestone he reaches I find myself beaming with pride for this little guy and what he is accomplishing :)

Now being 3 months Parker can:
-sit up in his bumbo chair
-almost rolling over from the back to front
-making cooing noises and repeating noises back to us that we make
-laughing and smiling all the time
-SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! :) (can you tell I am excited about this one!)
-making eye contact and recognizing our smiles and faces
-still a snuggle bug and loves to lay on your chest and shoulder
-making new friends at daycare and will let anyone hold him
-eats anywhere from 3-5oz of breastmilk every 3 hours
-just discovered his tongue and likes to stick it out and lick his lips
-drooling like a maniac (maybe beginning signs of teething?!?)
-loves his little bear blanket

.exhaustion.

Sooo....working full time and having a family is kind of a lot to handle! The past few weeks I thought I had this in the bag. Now this week....feeling the lack of sleep and weight of responsibility a little more and am completely exhausted today! We went to Spokane this past weekend and had an absolute blast....but our flight home was delayed quite a bit so we didnt get home and into bed until about 1:00 am on Sunday night, then Parker was up at 3:30 and then I had to be up at 5:30 at work..so I am dragging a little today. Last night we tried giving him formula for his last feeding to hopefully help him sleep longer at night, but it didnt really seem to help much. So we will see tonight...trying to get him to sleep through the night (8:30pm-6:30am) but poor little guy gets so hungry! We have tried to make him cry it out, giving him his pacifier, formula for his last feeding, but he still wakes up. And when I go in to get him, I can hear his tummy growling so I know he really is hungry. Any suggestions from mama's out there who got their kids to sleep through the night early? He is only 3 months and only waking up once in the night....usually sleeping from 8:00pm-3:30 or 4 am...but hoping to get him to drag it out a little longer.

Other than that, work is going well. The mornings are early and kind of a marathon to get up, showered and ready and then get Parker up and out the door to be dropped off at 7. But we are managing. Little man is so happy and darling in the mornings it is tough to drop him off, but I am really happy with Victoria the lady who watches him and love that he is getting interaction with other kids. Hoping it helps him learn how to share, interact with other kids, and reach milestones faster since he is around older kids. I am working on some fun accounts at work and the people I work with are great, so no complaints there!

We are headed to Southern CA this weekend to watch my sister in law Lindsay play volleyball at Biola. She is a stud and we are excited to watch her play in a few games of her senior year! I will be flying by myself though so a little nervous about how that is going to work, especially since Parker doesn't like to breastfeed, so I will just have to pack a few bottles and pack smart so we don't have a ton of bags to carry! Really excited to see everyone and spend some time down in CA, but wish me luck traveling by myself with a 3 month old baby!

Lots going on and trying to stay on top of everything. Trying to cook dinner every night, keep a clean house (failing at this ;), pay bills, do laundry, and everything that goes into taking care of my family and work...it is kind of wearing me out! After this weekend of traveling I think we are going to lay low for a while and get caught up on everything. I am so blessed and so lucky that its wearing me out! :)

.snuggles.

One of my favorite things to do after Parker wakes up for his 7:00am feeding, is to bring him into bed to snuggle with us for a little while. Its so fun and he is so dang cute...there really is no better way to wake up. Sometimes he will just fall right back to sleep, and other times he will be wide awake and just sit and laugh, smile and coo. I love it! This was one of my favorite parts when I was on maternity leave...but now we just snuggle on the weekends. It is fabulous!

.working woman.

Well I officially started back to work last Monday. The night before I was kind of a mess and was dreading the morning, but Nick and I spent lots of time talking and praying and asking God to be our strength because we didn't have it on our own. It's amazing how he always provides! The next morning when we dropped him off, I was surprisingly calm and at peace. I cried when we first got there but when we left, I really could feel God keeping me strong. When I got to work and people started asking me about Parker, I started to cry again....but after about an hour I was totally fine and each day this week got easier. Victoria, who watches Parker, is AMAZING!! I feel so blessed that we found her and Parker loves her and her helper Carmen. I think that even when I get to stay home in the future, I will probably send Parker to her for a day or two a week just so that he gets the interaction with the other kids and learns to share, etc. The other day when I picked him up, the kids were learning their numbers and colors in Spanish. I love how she is always teaching them new things!
Being back to work has actually been much better than I thought. My top strength on the "Strength's Finder" test is "Achiever"....which means you find satisfaction in accomplishing things and unless you accomplish tangible things each day, you do not feel fulfilled. I can definitley say that I forgot how much of an achiever I really am. I felt such a sense of accomplishment everyday after work because I was completing tasks. When I was staying home with Parker I was constantly trying to keep myself busy with cleaning the house, creating things on the computer, and finding things to "accomplish" while at home. So I can say it has kind of been nice to be back at work. I think working part time or working a few days from home would be the perfect set up! Hopefully something like that will work out sometime in the future.
I think I will still have my days where I really miss Parker and struggle through the day, but God has been so faithful to answer our prayers of helping me through this transition. Although my dream is still to be a stay at home mom, God has met me where I am at and is helping me process and even enjoy this new challenge.

.twins.

Today I was looking at some pictures and realized that Parker is looking more and more like me as he is getting older. When he was first born he looked just like Nick, but is starting to look more like me now. Here is a picture of Parker on the left, and me on the right. So fun to see him grow and change!

.CA dreaming.

After labor day weekend, Parker and I decided to jump in the car and drive back down to CA with my parents. We had already planned a trip to come a few weeks later, so Parker and I just went down early while Nick stayed back and worked (can you say husband of the year!?!). Parker did SO great on the trip down...slept most of the way. We would stop about every 3 hours and feed him and change him and be right back on the road. I couldn't have asked for a better baby. We LOVED being in California and the weather was perfect...80's and sunny the whole time. It was so nice having someone help out with Parker too. Sometimes it is tough with just the two of us taking care of Parker, especially with Nick at work so it was nice to be able to leave Parker with my parents and go for a run or go run errands. It was awesome to spend time with family and it was just so easy....wish we could do it all the time. But we missed Nick a lot and sent lots of pictures so he could see his baby until he came down to see us and then all flew back together! We went up to Apple Hill in Placerville and went around to the different apple orchards and ate lots of yummy apple foods and then on the way home had In-n-out :) So yummy! Our good family friend Sharon Koppenhaver even flew up from LA to meet Parker. It was great to see her! It was a fantastic trip and I cannot wait until we get to go back and spend time there. Thanks to my parents for taking us in for 2 weeks and for Nick for letting us go!

Here is the creepy jail crib that they gave us at the hotel we stayed at in Oregon.

Napping at Grandma & Grandpa Berceau's

Sleeping arrangements for the stay (much better than the jail cell crib!)

Helping Mom cook dinner

Playing around

Grandpa and Parker hanging out

Grandma feeding P a bottle

Savannah and Parker=buddies :)

Parker man's first plane ride. He did great! Slept the whole way home. (Don't mind me in this picture...It was early!)

Katie and I at Apple Hill

Blending in with the fall decor at Apple Hill

He's a country boy :)

.labor day weekend.

Over labor day weekend my parents drove up from California to our house in Seattle and then we all drove over together to Spokane to visit Nick's family. It was so fun to have all of our family together in one place (my dream come true). We spent the weekend just hanging out....the boys golfed a little...we did some shopping....drove around Spokane and went up to Priest Lake in Idaho. The Dietzen's friends have a beautiful cabin up on Priest Lake and invited us all up for the day. The weather was kind of overcast and cold but we had blast anyways. They took us out on the pontoon boat and showed us around the lake...so Mason and Parker got to go on their first boat ride. They had to wear life jackets and they weren't too thrilled about it but we got some cute pictures out of it :)

Parker and Mason hanging out