A few photos

 I really do wish that I had more time to sit down and type a real good story.  However, life is very full at the moment.  It seems, at times, that every minute is designated to work or sleep.  When Mariana was conceived we had no idea that she would be born just as Dave's mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  I laughed when I said to Dave that if his mother had been diagnosed last year, we would have said, "Thank God that we don't have a newborn to deal with as well."  Nevertheless, God knows exactly what He is doing:  as we usher in new life, we also say goodbye to one who gave life.  Life is beautiful.

 When fall rolls around, I begin a daily prayer that we will not have snow until December.  This year, in anticipation of months locked inside with a newborn, I implored that December would become January, or at least after Christmas.  Wow, was this prayer ever answered.  Snow and cold temperatures waited and waited and finally arrived three days after Christmas.  Consequently, I have easily taken Mariana and other children on daily walks enjoying our extended fall.  This weather has been a tremendous blessing - a real boon to my spirits.

 Mariana lost her newborn hair according to male-pattern baldness!  It is already begin to re-grow and seems to be coming in dark, as is her skin.  I just might have finally gotten my dark-skinned, dark-haired baby ... with blue eyes.  As Jacob tells me, two out of three ain't bad.

 Hannah showing off some Christmas gifts.  Her feet are just about my size and she has begun to share footwear with me.  I somehow don't think that we will ever share much clothing if body type has anything to say about it.

 This baby has left me very tired in the evenings.  I usually can't fall asleep anywhere other than my bed.  However, I have been doing a lot of falling asleep while sitting up and holding the baby. The other night, I fell asleep with my head down on the side of our wing chair in such an awkward position that Dave thought I was pretending.

Alas, no one in this photo is pretending.