Happy Anniversary!

Four years ago today David and I got married. It was a nice day in January, no snow, almost 50 degrees! We had a short ceremony and a dessert reception and lots of fun! It really doesn't seem like it's been four years. Where has the time gone? Looking back over these past 4 years I see some lows and a lot of highs. We have been through a lot together already. Several family deaths, the beginning and ending of a ministry, and the birth of our daughter. We've learned in these 4 years how to communicate better, what not to say, and how best to encourage one another. We have learned much about ourselves as individuals and also as a couple. I love David more today then I did 4 years ago when we were standing up in the church saying our vows. I love him for who he is, for the man God is making him into, for who he is as a husband and a father. I love how his mind is constantly going, coming up with deep thoughts and his wondering at the world around him. I love how he plays with our daughter, how they dance together, read together, laugh together. I love how he knows how to make me laugh, how he knows what to say to make it all better. I love his passion for life and his zeal for the Lord. God blessed me greatly the day David came into my life. I know we have many years ahead of us, and we will always be learning how to do life together. We will change as individuals and as a couple. But, I look forward to doing life with this man and can't imagine the love I'll have for him 50 years from now! I love you David Hardin! Happy 4th Anniversary!!

The coming together of 2 families--the Reynolds and the Hardins

And the two became one--January 28, 2006

Akron, OH

Smooches under a tree


And then there were THREE!

10 MONTHS????????????????

OK, for serious, where has the time gone???????? My baby is 10 months and closer to a year old then not! What is that about? Good gracious! My sister, who is pregnant, commented the other day that she is 31 weeks along this week. This made me excited for her but also made me realize that my baby is almost 1 year old!!!! Incidentally, this little niece of mine (yet to be born) and Cora share the same due date (March 30) so they could VERY easily be exactly a year a part and share a birthday! Only time will tell! In any case, after I got over my shock and realizations that Cora is closer to a year than not, I decided that life is truckin' right along and well, it's happening. Cora is ten months old! So, what has our little lady been up to this past month? Here ya go!

1. She celebrated her first Christmas outside the womb! We had so much fun with her! She didn't have any idea as to what was going on, but she loved all the bows and paper and she is enjoying her new toys!

2. She got her first ear infection, which then lead to the starts of bronchitis. We are just now getting from under that and well, it's been a long month. But, she is healing and doing much better! If only we can get her to eat her veggies again...

3. She started crawling and standing almost simultaneously. She started crawling not long after Christmas and then very quickly decided that she would just rather be standing up! She is now very close to walking, I do believe! I'll be surprised if she's not walking come her birthday...which, was we know, is only 2 months away!

4. She and her daddy have developed a special language all their own, or so it seems! Cora has taken to clicking at her dad whenever she sees him! It's absolutely hilarious!!! David says she's part of the African tribe who's language is clicking. Though comical it is so sweet the way she greets her daddy this way--she doesn't do it to me.

5. She has started drinking from a sippy cup, little bits of water; she has gotten the hang of eating Cheerios and her other puffs and is VERY good at sharing these with the dog! We are still trying to get her to eat other foods with her fingers, but the only one we've had any kind of success with is bananas. Doesn't she know birthday cake is in her future?!? :)

6. She is asserting her will...yeah...we are having to use the word "no" a lot and she has been given lots of flicks. She understands what "no" means, and will stop, but often will go back. So, obviously, there is some work to be done on the point that "no" means "stop what you're doing and don't go back!" She hasn't thrown any major temper tantrums yet, but she definitely lets you know when she's NOT happy!

7. She has decided that she loves music! It's so adorable!!!! She'll hear music (her favorites right now are the ABC song on her activity table and the shapes and colors song in this book my aunt gave her) and start bouncing up and down, clapping, smiling, and sometimes squealing! It's so adorable, of course, and we're happy she likes music!

8. She is about 24 lbs now and a little over 26 inches long. She's growing, growing, growing! She has moved swiftly out of 12 month clothes and is in 18 month (something that befuddles my husband--the sizes of baby clothes!). I just LOVE to get her dressed--she's my very own, real live baby doll--every girl's dream! :)

9. Just when she's reaching the age that nap times will start to wane she is finally getting the hang of them! Sigh...it could be an interesting next little while.

10. She HATES her car seat!!!!!! Oh, the joys! And, somehow she knows when we're strapping her in for a long trip or just a trip to the store. What a smart little bugger she is!

Well, I think that's Cora in a nutshell to this point! Hard to believe, like I've said once or twice, that she's 10 months old!!! I'm sure I'll be equally amazed when she's 11 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years...It's just life, I suppose!

Chasing Rabbits!

Well, not literally! :) This blog is a hodge-podge, a rabit-trail of things! :) It's been a long month. After our New Year fun in Columbus (which I believe is when Cora was starting to get sick) Cora got sick with an ear infection, which led to the start of bronchitis. Two rounds of antibiotics and hardly any sleep, I think she's finally starting to feel better! Ok, I hope she's starting to feel better, because let's be honest--we all need sleep! Anyway, it wasn't a totally terrible month! Cora has been learning and growing by leaps and bounds and well, it's been fun to watch, even with little sleep! :) We had a visit from my mom and David's dad and stepmom. Here are some photos of the last few weeks!

Cora sitting in her rocking chair that a neighbor/family friend of

Great-Mammaw made for her!

David's dad and stepmom visited this week for our Christmas together.

Cora has become a pro at standing! She loves this activity table! Isn't she so cute?

And, Molly just wants us all to remember that she's still here! :)

Another "first"

Well, for 15 days now we've been dealing with Cora's first ear infection, which has now developed into bronchitis. In those 15 days we've had only 2 nights of full sleep, including the dog. :) It's been a long 2 weeks, and I'm ready for my baby to be well, healthy and back to her cheerful self again! I'll be glad when we make it through this "first." It has NOT been fun!

In happier news...Cora is standing like a pro! She can pull herself up onto anything and will stand for what seems forever! Her favorite toy right now is her activity table. It lights up, plays music, and can even speak in Spanish! I guess she'll stand at that thing for an hour at a time just hitting buttons and driving her daddy crazy! :) Yesterday it appeared she was thinking of taking her first step, but then thought otherwise. :) It's a-comin' soon though! I am almost certain she'll be walking by her 1st birthday--I can hardly wait!

Haiti

I have to be honest and tell you I'm really struggling with the stuff going on in Haiti. I was in Haiti for a short time when I was in college. I went with 11 others to do a mission team thing. We helped out at the clinic which was being built, and when we got there walls and cabinets needed painted, so that's what we spent our week doing. We were there the week of Palm Sunday and the spiritual oppression was great. Every night we would hear the drums and the voodoo evangelist over a loud speaker. See, Haiti is a very mountainous island and what the voodoo priests would do is go to the top of the mountains and speak into a megaphone, or something, and the sound would travel for miles around. They would also set up there bad sound system on the back of a pick up truck and go through all the streets "preaching" their message. It was nerve-wracking. I would lay in bed at night praying, calling on God to surround our house with angels. I did not like Haiti. The locals we encountered were poor, disheartened like I'd never seen before, and struggling just to get through the day. The poverty of this country was/is overwhelming. It was no "fun in the sun" kind of trip. We stayed mostly in Port au Prince but our last day there we toured more of the island and saw more and more devastation and poverty. It was a lot to take in. It was very hard to see. I was more than ready to leave.

I struggle with this. These people already had horrible lives and this happens. Their lives go from horrible to even more horrible, if that's possible. I struggle because I know they wouldn't be so bad off if it weren't for the corruption in the government. I struggle because I'm frustrated that this country has never seemed to want to change. I struggle because part of me says, they brought this on themselves. How terrible is that to say! You have a country that is so steeped in voodoo (oppressive), a very intricate class system (oppressive), government corruption (oppressive), and we wonder why an earthquake like this devastated them? It really is no wonder. They don't know how to get out of it. They don't know any different. Life, for generation upon generation is HARD in Haiti, for the average citizen. When I was there we would see men pulling (or pushing) these huge wheelbarrow-looking carts piled HIGH (I mean 6-7 feet) with anything from tires to heads of lettuce. They could go from place to place trying to sell what was on their cart. We were told by the missionary there that these men, once they started doing this job had an average life expectancy of 7 years. 7 YEARS! Can you imagine? Do you even know what a hard life is like, really?

This earthquake, if it had happened in our country, would have done some damage, but would not have brought our country (or the state) into a disaster zone. It would not have brought life to a screeching halt. It would not have instigated the onslaught of aid that is necessary for Haiti right now. I struggle. I struggle with all of it. I struggle with the cycle they have put themselves into, and I struggle that though there are missionaries in this country, the people of Haiti are more inclined toward voodoo and the evils of it.

David and I watched "60 Minutes" last night, not something we usually do. The 1st 1/2 of the hour was about the devastation in Haiti. Folks, I was stunned. I wanted to throw up. Did you know they are having to bull-doze the dead bodies into mass graves? There are so many who are dead they can't give them single graves. The threat of disease is so great from these bodies being out in the hot, humid sun that it's causing real danger to those who are living. At the request of the American Dr they were interviewing the camera showed all of these gruesome things. At first I changed the channel, but then went back. Why should I shield myself from the horror these people are living with? The drs are having to use "Civil War" medicine, as the journalist called it. They have no electricity or running water, they're using vodka to sterilize what few medical instruments they have. It's horrifying. It's devastating. It's unthinkable what is going on there.

As I went to bed last night I was overcome with thankfulness that I knew right where my child, husband and the rest of my family members were. I couldn't imagine knowing that my husband and/or child was missing and not knowing if they were in the pile of bodies in the mass graves. It's very sobering. I struggle with knowing all the things the Lord has blessed me with and yet this country has to endure this.

Are you struggling with any of this? Would you mind sharing?

Holiday Treats

I know, the holidays are over and so this post is a little late, but hey! Life has been busy! Maybe we can enjoy the holiday treats post now that the holidays are over, and we might be wanting a little something sweet to nibble on again! :) Last Christmas due to our moving, me being pregnant and just not too in to the Christmas spirit I did not do any cookie baking for my dear husband. He loves cookies and well, I just didn't get them done. So, to make up for it, I may have gone a little overboard this year! :) I made several things this year. Pictured below are just four of the treats I made. Not pictured would be pecan puffs, chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, white fudge and three different pies for Christmas day (which all turned out TERRIBLE!!!!!!! Seriously, not sure what happened with the pies, but they were truly terrible.) If you would like any of the recipes I used just let me know (well, I'm sure not the pie recipes, though I've used all those recipes numerous time...still befuddles me...), and I'll be happy to pass them on! The cookies were a huge hit, and I'm sure I sufficiently aided in the added pounds of many! :)

Molasses: my husband said they were the best, a perfect blend of crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. Recipe from my coworker and friend, M.

Working Woman's sugar cookie: simply make into a ball and dip in sugar then bake. Saves TONS of time. However, next year I will try to ice some of them! :)

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal: I thought my husband was going to die when he had one (several) of these. I believe they have become his new favorite cookie. He said the combination of the tartness from the cranberry, the sweetness of the white chocolate and the texture of the oatmeal made this cookie! (Recipe can be found on the Craisins package.)

Chocolate Chocolate Chip: YUM! YUM! YUM! I forgot I had this recipe (from my sister). Next time I will double the recipe as it doesn't make that many and they go fast! A GREAT way to fix a chocolate craving! YUM-O!

36 Years Ago...

...Rick Reynolds married Carol Russell. The two became one and had two daughters, Jennifer Lee and Ruth Elisabeth. Rick and Carol moved their daughters to "deep, darkest Africa" where the family lived for 8 years. They have lived in IN, OH, TN, CA, Quebec, Switzerland, Congo and wherever they have lived they have lived their life to the fullest and with the Lord as the center. They brought up their daughters with Christ in the midst and have taught their daughters how to love and be loved. Rick and Carol are an example to all of what a marriage is to be--not perfect, but full of love and centered on Christ. They are an example of generosity, making people feel comfortable and at home in their house. They are servants in their church, in their family, and in their work. Their never-ending love for each other is one that has touched many lives and will continue to do so.

Today, 36 years ago, my parents, Rick and Carol (Russell) Reynolds were married. I have much to say about them and the marriage example they have set for my sister and I, but I'll leave it with this: they love the Lord first and each other second, and I believe this is the formula to their successful marriage.

I love you Mom and Dad!!

Happy 36th Anniversary!!!!!