Happy Father's Day (yesterday)

I started trying to think of some creative story to tell about how wonderful Jonathon is, how wonderful of a father he is. I have countless stories to tell, but my creative writing juices are running a bit thin today.

Jonathon has a lot of work to do, even after he comes home from the office. But, he always puts Erich, Tilia, and me ahead of those tasks. He will often stay up into the wee hours of the morning, getting work finished, because he came home, had dinner, played with the kids, helped me put them down for the night, walked the dog, finished cleaning the kitchen (because I'm allergic to hand-washing dishes), and spent time talking with his wife before diving into his work-related tasks. I often go to bed hours before Jonathon, even though we get up around the same time the next morning, ready to start a new day.

But this man always seems to have some energy on reserve. This is not to say he doesn't have weak moments (even we "well-rested" people do), but he always has a smile ready and open arms to his family. I think it's safe to say that Erich and Tilia have the best daddy EVER!

Snake cupcakes

Snake cupcakes
Originally uploaded by sillyschramm

My baby boy had his 4th birthday yesterday. Unbelievable! Although he's certainly going through his "terribles" right now, he still is one of the sweetest little boys; always giving us hugs and kisses. I love when he says in his little sweet voice "I love you, mommy." He also comes up with the strangest questions and ideas. The question "why?" is heard at least 1600 times a day. It's also amazing to see how his brain is putting together two related concepts and coming up with a brand-new idea. I just absolutely love to watch him figure things out. I praise God for my healthy, wonderful children and very blessed life. I can't ask "why do I deserve this and not so-and-so?" I just have to thank and praise my God for all the wonderful blessings he has given us.

Facebook no more

To anyone who is wondering where my Facebook profile went, I intentionally deactivated it last evening. I have about three reasons for this decision, but the main reason is that I was spending too much time on Facebook. Enough said. I'm reprioritizing, and Facebook had to go. Thanks for understanding.

Sweet Relief

Jonathon and I just returned from a much-needed vacation. Thanks to some very wonderful grandparents, we were able to take the trip without the kids (although we missed them, of course). We arrived Wednesday evening and stayed in Cedarville, Michigan at an Intervarsity Training Camp. We brought along all of our own food and actually cooked some outstanding meals (you know, the kind your kids won't eat).

We took our first day trip to Tahquamenon Falls and Whitefish Point on Thursday. We were blessed with beautiful weather and scenery.

The second day, Friday, we crossed on a ferry boat over to Drummond Island where we hiked around Maxton Plains, a very interesting Tundra-like area. We then hiked down three different unmarked paths trying to locate Fossil Ridge, only to be turned away each time with "Private Property" signs. We learned later that we hadn't driven far enough down the main (dirt) road. Jonathon was VERY disappointed. Now, we'll just have to go back, I guess. Drummond Island was not as wonderful as we had hoped because all the trails are meant for ORV's, not hikers. Oh well.

We came home to a couple of tired children, but we had much more patience after all the rest we had. Now, back to the grind...

P.S. If you would like to see pictures of our adventure, just click on the photo slideshow on the right side of the screen. This will take you to our flickr account.

I'm back...

To any of you who have religiously followed this blog only to be disappointed by my lack of updates, I am truly sorry. I got caught up in facebook and am now realizing it's not really a good place to say what you truly want to say. I know, I find myself only gazing over the long status updates, not really reading it all. I think facebook has made me a little ADD.

Today I was once again reminded just how good I really have it. Today I have been very impatient with my children. After 3 long shifts in 3 days, my patience is thinning. I don't feel like I have a lot left. But then I read a friend's blog; a friend who is a nurse on a ship that travels from one poor country to another helping the most helpless have a shot at life. She told the story of a little girl who made such wonderful progress, then slipped rapidly back down and finally passed away this morning. I can only imagine the grief her mother is experiencing. Here I am, ready to give my children away for a moment's peace; I'm quickly shaken and want to hold on to them as tightly as I can. What a selfish fool I am (of course, very normal). If you would like to read her blog, just click the link "Ali's African Adventures" on the right side of the screen. Her stories are truly amazing.

Our summer news

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Originally uploaded by sillyschramm

Just wanted to show off my very cute baby girl. It's amazing how much she looks like Erich. Did I mention she is sleeping through the night (90% of the time)? What a great baby. We feel very blessed.

And, Erich is officially potty-trained; he's actually wearing real underwear all the time. I'm so proud. It only took 7 months, but he did it!!!! And, he rarely wets at night, which I am SOOOO happy about.

This summer has been quite a roller coaster for our family, with the baby born in May, Jonathon teaching in May/June, Jonathon traveling a lot for work, me changing positions at the hospital, family visiting... We are finally going to be in the same place at the same time come this weekend. I will be breathing a major sigh of relief. It's been like a marathon. By God's grace we will reach the finish line alive and well.

Happy Birthday

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Originally uploaded by sillyschramm

Well, his birthday was actually Monday and this picture was taken at his party on Sunday, but who's really keeping track?

My baby is 3 years old. Unbelievable!!! Although the details will fade, I will never forget the day he was born and how it felt to suddenly go from no children to being a mom. It's amazing how you just "shift" from one role to another. It's still amazing to see how he is changing every day and growing into a little man.

He can sometimes be a pistol, but he is such a sweet-natured little boy. We certainly enjoy him and thank God for such a wonderful son.

Sorry!

Sorry about the last picture not being "available." I actually went in and edited it, and it worked again. But, now I see it's on the fritz again. I'll try to get some new pics of the kids this weekend. Erich's birthday party is on Sunday. I can't believe he's going to be 3 years old.

Just an update

This photo was one of the "finalists" for our birth announcement (we chose a different one instead, but I still think this one's cute). Having a baby boy would have been easier to dress since we still have all of Erich's baby clothes, but there is something so great about dressing up a little girl. I just can't wait until 3-6 month clothes start fitting her; she has an outfit for everyday of a whole month, if I counted correctly.

Tilia is growing like a weed. I weighed her on our home scale and she was already 9 lbs 3 oz (2 lbs up from birth). We had only a few newborn clothes that she's growing out of, and now is into the 0-3 month arena. She pretty much eats, sleeps and poops. Occasionally she'll wake up and stare at a door frame or a light fixture. She's our little genius!!

Erich is turning three in a few weeks but has just recently entered his "terrible two's." I'm sure it has everything to do with us bringing Tilly home, but it still has caught us by surprise. Tilly will be able to sleep through just about any catastrophic event after having Erich around. He is still a very sweet boy, but there is no secret as to why I have already shed my pregnancy pounds (plus more).

My parents left for home (Washington state) yesterday morning after spending a little over two weeks with us. We had a nice visit despite my extreme fatigue of post-partum. We are fortunate to be able to visit them in August when Tilly is a bit older (and more interactive).

Jonathon is very busy at work. He is still working on his research for the Dept of Science and Math Education, and is also teaching a summer biology class. This is the first time he will be teaching the actual lecture (as a grad student he only taught the lab section). He is finding it a bit challenging in many different ways, but is glad for the opportunity to teach (which is what he ultimately would like to do anyway).

And, lastly, I am enjoying every moment I don't have to work. I like work, but I also like time off. I'm a little nervous about my return to work since I will be switching to the main adult ER (I'm only fluent in children currently). There was an opening with great hours and I'm very excited to have a consistent sleep pattern for the first time in many years. But please keep me in your prayers as I learn to deal with a very different population of people I'm not used to at all.

Well, that is our news as of late. We are thoroughly enjoying the Springtime here in Michigan. The weather is absolutely wonderful today (low 70's and sunny-ish).

Tilia Kathleen was born yesterday morning (Cinco de Mayo) at 4:41am. She weighed 7lb 2oz and was 20 inches long. I only had 4 1/2 hours of very intense labor and am happy to be finished with that part. Erich is loving his new sister, although I'm not sure he really understands she's actually coming home with us, so we'll see how he reacts to that. Erich was also convinced, yesterday, that her name was Pearl and would get very upset when we called her Tilia. Today, though, he has been calling her the real name (we actually call her "Tilly"), but we won't be surprised if Pearl becomes a permanent nickname for her.

Tilia has taken to nursing very well, and seems to be pretty easy so far (I'm keeping my fingers crossed). She has a head full of spiky dark brown hair and is pretty much the cutest little girl ever! We're having a good time getting to know her and thankful that God has given us another healthy baby.

gardening 101

gardening 101
Originally uploaded by sillyschramm

Jonathon has been working hard getting his plants in this year. Springtime is very busy, but he's already taking the time to teach Erich the ways of the land. Notice Erich's farmer boots...we sometimes have trouble explaining why we don't wear them to church.

This one's for Connie

36 weeks pregnant
Originally uploaded by sillyschramm

Here you are, sis! Your very pregnant sister.

This picture was taken on our trip to Chicago last weekend. We had a great time going to museums and just enjoying the beautiful weather. We stayed in the Palmer House Hotel which was quite a site to see. I didn't get any great pictures of the hotel, but I'm sure if you google it, you can at least see pictures of the lobby.

We certainly are one of the only ones who enjoy Michigan's severe winters, but we're always glad to see the sun again and enjoy it's warmth. We are also fixing up our yard and doing all the lovely things homeowners get to do. It makes me glad we did the moving in part in the winter instead of having to do all of this in the spring/summer time.

Springtime cometh (very slowly)

I'm looking outside and there is still snow on the ground (we got about 6 inches on Monday). What is up with that?! When a road-clearing crew was interviewed in the newspaper they merely stated, "Yeah, we're pessimists, so we were ready for it." Only in the northern midwest states, I guess.

Despite weather, Jonathon has been busy planting blueberries, gooseberries, cranberries, etc. We have vegetables sprouting under a UV light in our dining room. I'm thinking it's a good thing we bought a house within walking distance of two parks, because there will be no yard left when he's done with his planting. And, we won't have to pay more at the grocery store for veggies coming from California, so there are perks being married to a locavore.

As far as baby news, we have only 5 1/2 weeks to go until the wee one is due to make an appearance. I'm planning on working up to my due date, but it's proving to be a challenge working 12-hour shifts in a very busy ER. Well, hey, if my water breaks at work, I just need someone to wheel me up to the third floor. And, all ER nurses are trained how to "catch" if things go quicker than expected (I've been having strange dreams about this latter scenario; hopefully strictly due to hormones).

And, that's the news. The only recent pictures I have are when Erich pooped in the potty for the first time, but I'm wisely choosing not to post that on our blog. You can thank me later for that.

Schrammling #2

Schrammling #2
Originally uploaded by sillyschramm

Okay, I know this blog is not very up-to-date, but who can really keep up with these things, especially during the holidays? Anyway, here is a picture of our little one baking in my uterus. He/she is doing great, according to the doctor. Despite laying off the caffeine the morning of my ultrasound, the baby was constantly moving/turning/punching/kicking during the ultrasound. The tech literally had to chase the baby around to get the pictures she needed. I'm not sure if this is supposed to tell me anything about what he/she will be like on the outside of the womb.

We had a great holiday season with multiple Chirstmas gatherings with family. We hosted at our new house two times and had a great time doing so. For New Years I, Katie, worked until 11pm and came home to ring in the new year with Jonathon, who was sleeping on the couch. It was nice to do nothing that evening and next day. Our "Holiday" cards will be coming shortly and then we will be sending them out, so please be patient. Thanks.

Busy Times

Sorry, it's been a while. We just purchased and moved into our very first house. What an exciting, scary, and annoying time. We have a few boxes waiting to be unpacked (we still need bookshelves and a few other odds and ends), but we are feeling more and more at home. I'll get some pictures up someday (I make no promises when). It's an older home (1929) with the original windows, so first priority is weatherizing the house. Too bad it's already in the 20's with snow covering everything. Creativity is key!

Changing Seasons

Earlier this week I took the dog for a walk in just a t-shirt and pants; it was 72 degrees. Today it's snowing and cold. Have I told you before how I love Michigan?

Halloween fun

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Originally uploaded by sillyschramm

Okay, I know this is late, but my computer time has been greatly reduced (I'm not really sure why exactly). I am taking a sewing class and Erich's costume was one of my projects. He was a dinosaur. He loves his costume and still asks to wear it around the house. He went Trick-or-Treating with our cousin, Jacob, and had a wonderful time. We love living in a small town with so many kids everywhere.

Michigan Autumn

I do have some great photos of Michigan in the fall, I'm just too lazy to put them up at this very moment. The leaves are quickly falling from the trees, our flowers have finally succumb to the frost, and we had a dusting of SNOW/ICE on Thursday morning. Yes, you heard me correctly. I even remember is snowing on my birthday (October 15) while in Grand Rapids about 8 years ago. The good thing is, I love cold weather so I'm definitely living in the right place. Just thought I would share that with you.

To vote or not to vote...

I just read a friend's blog and now I'm fired up to say my piece.

I am so happy to live in a country where regardless of race, class, sex, personal beliefs, we are all able to vote for who we believe will be the "better" at running this country. Our fellow Americans worked very hard to earn us these freedoms. I really think it's our DUTY to vote.

I also think it's our DUTY to be educated about WHO and WHAT we are choosing to vote for. I will not use this blog to try to convince you who is the better candidate; that is totally up to you and your convictions. BUT, I don't know that I feel it's good to even go to the polls if you don't truly know your candidate.

Now, for arguments sake, we have to fish through a lot of junk to get to the truth. I pray for a lot of discernment when "fishing;" I pray God will help me to sift through the lies and get to the truth. We will all be deceived in some way just because we're human and satan LOVES this kind of thing to divide us.

PLEASE vote! PLEASE take time from your regular TV programming to learn about our candidates. Take advantage of the freedom we have, and the technology to stay informed.

News on the Home front

If you haven't already heard the news, our offer was accepted on a house. It is a foreclosed home so we need to rely heavily on our inspection next Thursday, but the house seems to be very well-kept. We are very optimistic.

I'm having an ethical dilemma about this house because I feel very sad for the family who had to move out due to foreclosure. We will end up paying about half of what the house is really worth. Good for us, definitely. But, I still feel a twinge of guilt for paying so little because of another family's tragedy. I know I can't dwell on it too much because there really is nothing I could have done to prevent the foreclosure. I'm just trying to see it purely as a blessing that God has found us a house we can afford and that we can easily grow into it if we end up staying here forever. I have no idea what the future holds, but not having to move because of space issues is a huge bonus.

So if anyone would like to visit, we've finally got the room!!!! After living in shoe boxes in New Jersey, we won't know what to do with ourselves. I think our furniture will be sparse for a long time, but that's fine by me. More room to just lay on the floor and stretch.