Stream of Conciousness.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Ah, yes, another stream of conciousness post, baby! {Also known as "I didn't really have enough to say about one subject to make a post about it, but I have a lot of randomness to share!"}

First, let me explain why I am already writing a post at 9:30 in the morning. Nathaniel is sleeping. No, he's not STILL sleeping; he's already down for a morning nap. Why? Because he woke up at 7:30 this morning. {He usually sleeps until 10ish...} He also was up at 5:40. And, 2:55. And, 1:00. Needless to say, this is one sleepy momma today!
I'm guessing that the reason for our lack of sleep last night was teeth. Nate popped tooth #3 (top left) on Tuesday, and he's working on the top right one now. It was swollen and very tender last night, although a sweet potato smoothie seemed to help for awhile! For a little man who has always been a good sleeper with no teething issues, it's been a rough few days! {I've got my fingers crossed that tooth #4 pops through easily today!}

Eric is on spring break from the college at which he teaches, so it's been nice to have him home early every day this week. We've been taking lots of family walks in the afternoons, which we have been loving. Especially Grover!

Apparently, we live in a squirrel sanctuary... I took this picture from my bedroom window yesterday morning. A few weeks ago, I could see 6 squirrels at the same time from that window. Unfortunately (for you), my camera batteries were dead at the time.

Nathaniel is going to be 7 months tomorrow. I'll post more then, but until then...7 MONTHS ALREADY?!?!?! It's going so quickly...wasn't he just born last week?!

It's been warm-ish outside all week, and we're lovin' it! Spring is coming! And, then sweet summertime!

As crazy about travel as Eric and I are, you may be surprised to learn that the furthest Nathaniel has ever travelled {post-birth} is to visit my grandma (about an hour away). But, not for long--we have a trip to Baltimore planned in a few weeks. And, of course, our annual family trip to Lake Erie is in August. {Nathaniel will be the 4th generation of our family to vacation there, cool, huh?} And, the ever looming temptation to not be responsible with our money, pack up a suitcase, and whisk him off to his first trip to Spain is still around....

After mentioning travel and a {not so} foreign country, I feel that I have to mention Japan. Every time that I turn on the news or log onto MSN, I am stunned by the images of disaster. Around here, we've had floods and wind storms, but NOTHING that even begins to compare to the earthquake and tsunami that Japan recently experienced, topped with a nuclear disaster. My heart breaks when I think of the babies, children, their mothers. The feeling of knowing that your baby was, literally, swept out of your arms by a huge wave of water? Oh, I cannot even begin to imagine what they must be feeling--panic, terror, horror, anguish... Or are they just too numb to feel by now? The devistation is indescribable. But, amidst it all, God is at work. Read this:
http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2011/03/17/news/doc4d810880262f7872203520.txt
Amazing. Despite the death and desolation in that country now, this story just warms my heart. What incredible things God must have in store for that baby girl! Can you even fathom the joy that her mother must be feeling?! Please keep the Japanese people in your prayers.