Joyce and her daughter, Karen, arriving at the ceremony site.
Ann succeeds in pinning her big brother’s flower.
Pastor Bert prays to start the ceremony
The ceremony overlooking the St. Croix River in Stillwater
With Joyce’s parents
Princess Audrey kisses Grandpa
Getting ready to head to the boat for the reception
The Plath family
The Henning, Weber and Fairchild families participating in “Talk Like a Pirate Day”
Audrey happy after spending the afternoon twirling.
After I blogged yesterday, Nathan did his long run. I need to brag on him now. He did 6 miles! He did awesome and I’m very proud of him. I figure he has earned his extra set of workout clothes 
We went to church with my Dad today. Joyce met us there and so did Brian and Missy. We all spent the afternoon together. Dad planned an awesome lunch of tilapia and salmon and asparagus and rice. After cleaning up lunch, we lounged by the pool.
Oh yeah, not the kind of pool you would think of when someone says, “lounging by the pool”. And it wasn’t as quiet and peaceful. Joyce and I did sit by the pool with our feet in the water, but we were also regularly shot with water guns and spray bottles.
We headed for home at about 3:30. Less than two miles down the road, Audrey was asleep. 3 of the 5 of us ended up falling asleep on the way home. The driver stayed awake and so did Isaac.
We don’t have much on the calendar for this week. I’m hoping Isaac’s molars cut all the way through and that will be the end of his constant fussing. Please! I’m already saving up cute sayings for another blog installment of “Things I heard. . .” due to popular demand (Chris!). Watch for that later this week.
(written by Amy’s father when Ethan was a baby)
pictures in the post are Isaac at 9 1/2 months
The Crib I Find Myself In
Today as I see Ethan getting up and desperately wanting to get out of the crib. I am reminded that I as a sinner was once in a crib. The bars of that crib were the sin and results of my own doing. How do I get out? There has to be much more to life than being stuck in my sinful crib. But no matter how I try, I can not get out on my own. How I long for some help. I wonder if I would cry out to my heavenly Father, would He hear me or even care if He did hear me. I think I’ll keep climbing on my own a few more days or weeks or years. No, I tried that didn’t I?
Father I need your help! I can’t do it alone, please help me out of this crib. Send help!
Now I wait, but the wait is short, for I hear Him coming! My heart is lifting, there is hope. My Savior comes. His name is Jesus. Our Heavenly Father sent his Son to get me out of my crib! Mother and father told me I could call out.
But wait, babies in their crib are usually wearing wet or messy diapers. Will He reach down for me even when I am a mess? He comes with a smile on His face and arms outstreached. It looks like He has been wanting to see me. Could He have wanted to help me as much as I needed His help? I believe it is so. He has picked me out of the crib and now is cleaning me. Thank you God. You picked me up just as I was.
Why did I wait so long to call. Now I am free and in my Father’s presence. This is going to be a great life!! The world looks different when I don’t have to look out between bars.
Steven Henning –Ethan’s Grandfather- and a child of God
The kids and I arrived in Cottage Grove on Sunday at about 1:00. We stayed until Tuesday(today) at 11:30. We had planned to spend these days here, but with my uncle’s funeral being on Monday, we probably would have ended up here anyway. Joyce watched the kids at Dad’s during the service. Grandma had asked me to sing “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” and “How Great Thou Art”. There were a few technical difficulties with the sound, but it all worked out in the end.
Sleep has been hard to come by. I’m hoping that now that were’ back home it will be better. It’s rough being the only parent all day AND night for 3 little ones. Timing a shower is even tricky. I had to miss Bible Study tonight because Isaac didn’t take his late afternoon nap. I had someone lined up to watch the kids at church, but I just couldn’t have Isaac up that late. That would have meant that he would have been awake from 1:00 this afternoon until 9:00. I just couldn’t keep him awake and away from bed that long when he is usually only up for a few hours before needing sleep. Ethan will miss AWANA tomorrow because I would need to get a sitter to be with the kids while I drop Ethan off and pick him up. I probably could have found someone, but it would have to be someone who could drive themselves or walk. That limits the options again.
