A little somethin'.....

Two Months Later

2012-01-22T21:55:00.003+01:00

The new year is well underway and it's been too long since I've blogged.

A short recap of our last few months:

Steinar was asked to work at the Norwegian Seaman's Church in Miami for a few weeks in December. He obliged and we tagged along. Some highlights to that trip:

1. The kids pleasantness and cooperation superseded our wildest dreams or imaginations flying to and from Miami from Seattle.

2. To Annabelle's delight, meeting Snow White, Rapunzel and Tinkerbelle at Disney World.

3. Making a day trip to Key West with Brent Miller of Seattle.

4. Visiting Diane Lewis not one, but two times during our stay.

5. Sandy beaches and playgrounds galore.

The Miami Church had its grand opening a few weeks before we arrived, so the staff housing wasn't completely ready for us. The conditions weren't much different from what we have here in Esperanza at times: no hot water, no internet access, no phone system, no TV. These are all things that we know how to make do without, but the biggest difference was being in the center of a community but not feeling connected to the community. It made me even more grateful for the community life we have in Esperanza, but it also made me more mindful of what it might be like for people to come to our community for the first time. Are they seen, engaged, loved, pursued? I would like to say yes, but I am sure there are times when people slip under the radar. I really want to be responsible for making sure that when people visit our community here that they do not feel lonely, isolated or that they are missing out on the life of the community.

Next, we celebrated Christmas and New Years in Esperanza this year with Steinar's family, my grandparents and other Esperanza Staff and residents.. I love being around my grandparents, especially since living in Norway I saw them so seldom, this was a treat for me. Grandparents are so very wonderful to have, and I am grateful for mine. Likewise, Annabelle and Benjamin got to spend time with their grandparents and aunty day in and day out from when they woke up until it was time for bed. Their love tanks were filled to overflowing!

Tomorrow we will be entering a new season in our life as a family and as missionaries. All of our days since arriving here this summer have lead up to this very day. Esperanza's Family Six-Week Session is upon us and we are excited. Today I measured the kids height on the door frame to Benjamin's room. Both kids have grown 2 inches in the last four months. It's evident that they are growing as their abilities and interests develop. I am hoping that during this session Steinar and I, too, will grow and that it will be evident to see God's work in our lives.

cute kids

2011-11-23T08:15:00.001+01:00

Notice the high tide and branches all over the ground?

Deep reflections.

Chasing the gulls.

Someone missed the point of canoeing.

winds and rains

2011-11-23T08:00:00.001+01:00

Last night the wind and the rain beat against our house...along with big branches. We got about 70mm of rain! This Scripture came to mind as I was laying in bed listening to the strom; Matthew 7:

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Wanna build all the various aspects of my life on the solid rock foundation, the words of Jesus, and put them into practice so that my life won't fall with a great crash....'cause Lord knows the storms never seem to cease....

Missed Photo Ops.

2011-11-20T13:49:00.001+01:00

Things I wish I photographed this week:

Annabelle sharing her Oreo ice-cream sandwich with Benjamin.
The jelly fish swimming in the water below Annabelle as I dangled her off the side of the boat to pee on our way home from Zeballos.
Claudine and all the kids and babies she was watching during the Ehatis band meeting.
Me together with my friend Carlene.
Benjamin in his blue touque from Erlend and Solveig and his snow suit from bestemor og bestefar
Two month old Baby Jayden's face when he cried so hard he couldn't breathe when Cora held him.
Benjamin's hand prints in my bread dough.
A young girl sledding down the hill with Annabelle on the back and Benjamin in the front of the sled with her.
The snow ball fight between Steinar and some of the residents here.
Cora driving the boat through the ice.
All the people at potluck on Friday and Jesse presenting gifts for her celebration of life dinner.
The immigration officers visiting our house early one morning.

His ways are not our ways

2011-11-20T13:13:00.001+01:00

Well, our house continues to live up to its name. We have been getting visitors starting from 7:30 in the morning all through the day until 10:00 in the evening. It sure is wonderful, and we love it. However, it means that we don't get other things done...like updating our blog. Sorry about that.

What a beautiful, sunny day. The trip to Zeballos was an icy one on Saturday. There was ice on the water that we had to break through and ice on the wharf that I managed to slip on. On such a cold autumn morning, we had incredible visibility to the bottom of the ocean beneath the float. I had no idea we had so many starfish, and that they were that big! I knew we had a lot of starfish, but had no idea we had that many.

The main reason we went into Zeballos was to visit an old friend that was home for the weekend. In our pursuit to locate her, we ended up spending a bit of time at someone's house that was babysitting lots of little kids and babies. At first I was disappointed, thinking by the time I find my friend I'm not going to have time to visit with her. But I transitioned from that thought I began to realize what a wonderful privileged to be with these babies. I am going to know these kids from when they are babies, and possibly watch them grow up to adults one day. What a sweet opportunity to start to get to know them now and invest in their lives through prayer :). I am so grateful for that time. I am really looking forward to seeing those babies again :).

I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to have my plans changed and feel so blessed who He is bringing into our lives.

Friends in High Places

2011-10-29T04:06:00.000+02:00

Monday morning we met in the McLean Centre for a meeting. As we gathered in our talking circle formation Aaron, a fellow staff member, heard a big plane flying low. He told us that he and his wife, Ashley, were expecting a friend of theirs from Search and Rescue to fly by and drop off a package.

Well, this turned out to be quite the ordeal; so cool, so fun, and probably so very expensive. We all ran out into the field to watch this all go down. With many roof tops, trees and all of our heads to consider when dropping something from the sky, the plane made many practice rounds overhead. Well, either they were practicing, or they were marking coordinates...we're not quite sure. They would drop different colored ribbons every time it would fly over. Eventually, after dropping about five they made their final drop.

We all cheered with enthusiasm! Aaron opened and shared the well wrapped box that was filled with snacks and sandwiches. What a fun experience. Thank you Seach and Rescue Squadron 442 for the live entertainment.

Canadian Thanksgiving

2011-10-21T08:44:00.000+02:00

Two weeks ago, we had the privilege and pleasure of hosting a Thanksgiving Weekend gathering for our Esperanza's neighbors. People began to arrive on Thursday and many stayed all the way until Monday. We had well over 150 people here and it was so fun! I was especially delighted to have my dear friend and her children from Kyuquot come and stay with me. In fact, many dear friends showed up. The weekend was filled with a variety of fun activities, but my overall favorite was the Thanksgiving church service.It was really special to have representation from Tahsis, Zeballos, Ehattesaht, Oclujie, Kyuquot, down island and from the mainland joined together in song, prayer, sorrow and thanksgiving.

Dean lead the time of sharing by opening with a joke that was hilarious. I was so glad that he did, because like he said in that moment, " There are two reasons why I told that joke: First, I felt like weeping during the singing and knew that if I went straight into a talk that I would just start crying, and second I wanted to break down some preconceived ideas of what "church" is."

My attempt to retell the story:

A man was seated next to a little girl on an airplane. He noticed her bow her head to give thanks to God for the food that the flight attendant had given her. Skeptical and intrigued he turned to her when she was finished and said, 'Let's talk. I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.'

The little girl, said to the total stranger, 'What would you like to talk about?'

'Oh, I don't know,' he said. 'How about how anyone can believe in a God when there is so much suffering in this world," and he smiles smugly.

'OK,' she said. 'That could be an interesting topic. But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff ---- grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and

a horse produces clumps of dried grass. Why do you suppose that is?'

The man, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, 'Hmmm, I have no idea.'

To which the little girl replies, 'Do you really feel qualified to discuss eternal mysteries and God when you don't know shit?'

Everyone in the room had a good howl: one because there was truth to the matter and two because Dean said "shit" in church! There are a lot of ways church is practiced and many preconceived ideas about what church is, but his point was that we were the church gathered to acknowledge our Creator and to love one another.

Steinar's Post

2011-10-18T07:11:00.000+02:00

So after living in Esperanza for a little over 2 months Iguess it’s about time with a little feedback on how the Norwegian is doing inthe wilderness of Canada. It is pretty wild out here. I have never lived asremotely as this. Here we have bears in the nearby, whales swimming by outside ourwindow, sea-otters, sea-lions and seals. And the list goes on. It is beautifulhere. There are so many loving and great people here. Heidi has come back to “where God lives” (according to her mother) and the kidsare enjoying the outdoors on a daily basis.

I thought the transitioning from Norway would be bigger thanit has been so far. Of course I enjoyed finally going to the grocery store afterfive weeks in Esperanza last Monday, but strangely enough I don’t really have aproblem being away from the city. I have it good here and this is an excitingtime for my family and I. I am looking forward to what this chapter in our livesis going to be like. So far it has been good…to be continued...

Guest House

2011-09-21T07:23:00.000+02:00

This is the front of our new home. Tonight, the rain pours, the wood stove is lit, and the house is fragrant with bread and chocolate chip banana muffins fresh out of the oven. (I'm ashamed to admit that it my first time to bake since moving in!) We are blessed.

All the houses in Esperanza are named, ours happens to be Guest House. I remember it being called Bird House, when I was little, because a family with the last name Bird lived in it. Even though we live in it and it will remain Guest House. We sure do love all of the traffic flowing through our house and past our house. We are located very central to all of the action in Esperanza; it is a good thing we like people!

Telephone Voice

2011-09-18T04:07:00.000+02:00

I am known around my house for having a telephone voice. Meaning, no matter what's going on at the time, no matter what type of mood I'm in, no matter if I'm in the middle of a big argument, I will answer the phone with a bright, cheerful, "hello".

The other night I had grown rather furious of Annabelle's continued defiance and rebellion throughout the day that proceeded all the way through bedtime. As I was putting her in bed, still extremely angry, she asked me to sing a song for her. I laid down beside her and began to sing "Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World". In that moment I realized there was absolutely now anger in my singing voice. It wasn't even detectable. Wow. Quite quickly the frustration, exhaustion and anger began to dissipate. What a gift and great reminder to call on Him sooner.

Psalm 30:4-5
Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Seasons

2011-09-18T03:09:00.000+02:00

A couple days ago, Annabelle and her three year old friend Naomi were playing dress up and wanted to wear their pretty outfits outside. We ventured down to the ball swing first. Pink Princess Naomi desperately wanted to wear the feathered high heals outside to play as. Although non-conducive for walking along the gravel road, she slowly managed.

After remembering to run home for my camera, this is what I came back to. Tinkerbell and Pink Princess pushing and pulling, yelling and crying over who got there first, and who should get to ride it first. Cute right? A beautiful day, idyllic scenery, stillness and quietness and two little princesses fighting. It was wonderful. I love that at two and three years old they have the ability and freedom to truly express emotion and desire.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)."

Twenty-Nine Years Later

2011-05-24T14:04:00.031+02:00

Another birthday has passed me by. I'm older now. Wiser too.

Okay, so....really, so far being 29 is way different than being older and wiser.

This picture perfectly depicts my current life situation. These days I am feeling drastically pulled between two very different life experiences. I have so much joy and anticipation for our big relocation to Vancouver Island. So much so, that one would think I packed my bags months ago. For some reason, however, I just can't manage to get myself to do it. I am excited to start a new life with my little family. I am overjoyed that I will be near close friends and family. I am ecstatic that I have nieces and nephews to get to know. I am over the moon to have my children and husband in Esperanza with me. My heart soars with gladness to experience fellowship and worship in an english-speaking environment again.

On the other hand I am deeply grieving.

I wish I could say that I was heavy in my heart for leaving Norway, but it's more self-centred than that. I am deeply disturbed by what year 29 has brought me. As we've been giving away all of our things, I have given away all of my children's baby clothes because we don't plan on having any more. That's a big deal! Part of packing also means getting rid of my clothes that don't fit me, which would be 90% of them. That puts a huge damper on things. I am grieving the loss of my pre-baby body, (even though I was never satisfied with that one either, I would take that one back in a heart beat) the one that didn’t get stretched, pulled and harbour two little ones. I also now wear glasses. Gulp! To top it off, I found a grey hair. What?! Growing older has snuck up on me and it's harder to accept than I thought.

Okay--so that was all very superficial and petty, but it is part of my reality for now. It's a luxury to complain about such things when there are more serious things in this world that we should concern ourselves with. I don't have the time or energy to divulge into deeper grievances, but when we meet in person, I can share with you the other (more serious) pulls of my heart.

Things He is Learning

2011-05-11T21:37:00.000+02:00

How to drink out of a bottle.

How to travel.

How to sleep anywhere.

How to wait.

How things work.

How to share.


How to appreciate good music.

Våge Family Update

2011-04-29T22:19:00.003+02:00

Greetings from Norway!

With the World Wide Web at our fingertips, we have tried our best to stay in touch with as many of you as possible. It has been a wonderful resource for us to feel close to you as we have been oceans apart. And now, we have some very exciting news to share with you.

First to catch you up to speed:

The first two years of our married life we spent living in Oslo, Norway’s capital city. Steinar finished his degree to become a Lutheran Priest and Heidi found work as an au pair as an attempt to learn the language and become familiar with Norwegian family life.

Over the last three years we have been living in a small south coast community of six thousand people. While Steinar has been in the business of preaching, marrying, burying, confirming, baptizing, implementing and leading youth programs, Heidi has had the privilege of surviving two pregnancies and two deliveries to two very lovely children. Her time has been spent raising a family, orchestrating our social life, making friends, getting to know the neighbors and leading a bible study for young ladies.

The rumor mill has been turning and what you have heard very well may be true. We, Steinar, Heidi, Annabelle and Benjamin are embarking on a new adventure together as a family. We are on our way to Esperanza, BC, Canada. It must not come as a surprise that we are making the big move to Heidi’s favorite place on planet earth, but what we are going to do when we get there might be.

We will be serving as missionaries. Esperanza a place that is very dear to Heidi’s heart and a place that excites Steinar to be a part of. We will be serving in a small, remote, Christian community that reaches out predominately to the coastal people in a variety of different ways.We feel so excited to join the Esperanza staff and serve as a family sharing faith, hope and love through word and deed.

To learn more about our mission and the Esperanza mission please contact Heidi via e-mail at: feelin_the_love@hotmail.com

My Little Housekeeper

2011-04-14T22:40:00.000+02:00

Summer Dreamin'

2011-04-13T19:43:00.002+02:00

This summer, I am returning to North America with the kids. We will be without my man for a month and a half. I'll get a good dose of single parenting, but am still excited for the adventures that await us.

A few things I am longing for:

-Church in english and with childcare!!
-Berry picking: picking to eat, picking to freeze and picking for making jam. Bring on the salal, salmon, black, blue and huckle berries!
-Taking the kids for a swim in their great-granny's swimming pool!
-Visiting Jocelyn, Nathaniel, Amelia and Claire in Alexis Creek!
-Road tripping to see relatives.
-Clothes shopping, for the kids and for myself.
-Trips around Greenlake and the doublewide.
-Getting together with my ladies: Abby, Emily, Sue, Kristen, and Leah!
-Annabelle running freely and wildly around Esperanza making new friends.
-Getting a B.C. driver's license.

Patience

2011-03-29T08:40:00.002+02:00

Tonight it was brought to my attention that Jesus was never in a hurry. Boy, aren't we glad for that! I keep hearing the words, over and over in my head, "who wants to grow up with parents that are always in a hurry"? One of my greatest struggles in this life is patience. If I'm impatient, I must be in a hurry. Not everything has to happen right away, or right now. Why should I be in a hurry for anything? When I'm in a hurry I miss out on so many wonderful small life experiences and stress others out. No one benifits from my impatience. This really struck a cord with me and I am going to carry this with me for a long time--hopefully until my character is renewed.

Here are two good friends worth being patient for:

Winter Images

2011-02-06T18:22:00.001+01:00

I've been reminded that we are now in the last month of winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, winter means short days and colder temperatures. Although this winter hasn't been terribly harsh (especially compared to last year), apparently December was the coldest this year in Norway than it has been in the last 60 years. A few snaps from outside our window over the last few months.

Just the beginning.

Our family of four: snowmen looking over the fjord as it begins to freeze over.

December

Local deer crossing the fjord, between two islands.

Elderly (75+) ice-fishing man gliding across the fjord on his "spark".

Benjamin sleeping sweetly with a view of our first snow fall.

Our elderly neighbors on their daily trek.

Family Resemblence

2011-02-05T05:38:00.002+01:00

I managed to find photos where our children actually look related!

Annabelle 6 months

Benjamin 4 months

Annabelle's Birthday Party

2011-01-08T20:51:00.007+01:00

To my delight, I threw a birthday party for Annabelle this year! It was so fun to decorate in all things pink and girlie to commemorate another wonderful year with our little Monkey. Despite the downpour of snow and sickness going around, nine of Annabelle's little friends joined in on the fun to celebrate with us. The variety of pink colored streamers, the handmade birthday banner, matching balloons, all things sweet, yummy and delicious only reflect a smidgen of my love for our Annabelle. She is such a treasure.

getting the dessert table ready !
anyone know why my photos rotate on me?....

Annabelle eagerly greeted all of her guests as they trickled in one after the other. "HELLO" she piped with enthusiasm. Beaming with excitement to have all of her friends in the house at one time she danced around the room, jumped on the couches, shared her toys with pleasure, ate cake and candy every second she remembered to, opened gifts with enthusiasm--even clapping for joy with gratitude.

Throughout the two hours of play and partying, Annabelle managed to find me from time to time to wrap her arms around me and give me the biggest squeeze of lovin' around my neck that she could. Her love makes my heart melt.

I wish she would let me fix her hair :).

Thank you to all the parents who brought their children for a few hours; you completely blessed our little Annabelle's heart. Thank you for being a part of her happiness.

When Daddy is on Duty

2010-12-06T22:38:00.002+01:00

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This is what happened when he turned his back for 5 minutes.

Tried mailing her home to Canada.

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When I came downstairs, low and behold my two lovelies each at their own computer.

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He's not afraid of laundry.

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A little Heart to Heart

2010-12-05T18:30:00.003+01:00

Romans 12:9-13 says:
"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality." (NASV)

This scripture has been in my heart these past week. Specifically verse 9, "let love be without hypocrisy".

I've mostly been reflecting on what hypocritical love looks like. I have especially been relating it to my role as a mother.

It's amazing the amount of love that I feel for my Annabelle. The feeling of love is so great sometimes I can be moved to tears because of how much I love her.

This scripture, along with others throughout the Bible, specifies what love looks like rather than what it feels like. I think that might because feeling love comes a lot more easily to us than acting in a loving way.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 tells us that love:

Is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

Honestly and regretfully,at times my love has been hypocritical. I am not always patient, I am often easily angered, I don't always have the energy to persevere, I often long to put myself first.

I have the privilege to raise two children and give them the best beginning of their life as I can. I have the responsibility of the first part of their life story. As a parent, to love my children with my whole heart isn't enough. I need to, and want to, love them with my actions. I want my love to leave a sweet taste in their mouth, to be a warmth in their memories.

No matter how tired my flesh is, no matter how hungry my tummy is, no matter how dirty my clothes are, no matter how much I want time to myself I want to act out the love that I feel for my children just as Christ has done for me.

Norwegian Christmas Trees all Look the Same--Maybe this is Why

2010-12-05T12:11:00.000+01:00

Plantasjen

Litt om juletrepynt

Pynten vi henger på treet symboliserer tradisjonelt de ulike delene av det kristne julebudskapet. Da skikken med juletre startet i Tyskland på 1500-tallet, pyntet man treet med hjemmelaget pynt. Denne var som oftest laget av halm og papir, i tillegg til forskjellige kakesorter. Plantasjen har juletrekuler, juletrelys, stjerner, hjerter, glitter, føtter, osv.

Opp gjennom historien har det dukket opp flere typer pyntegjenstander, som i dag ansees for å være et kjærkomment og tradisjonsrikt innslag på treet. Men vet du egentlig hva de ulike gjenstandene symboliserer?

Juletrekuler symboliserer jordkloden og Guds kjærlighet til den. I dag bruker man kuler i mange forskjellige farger. Fra gammelt av var det gjerne fargene gull og rødt som dominerte blant juletrekulene på treet.

Juletrelysene er et symbol på Jesus som verdens lys. Å pynte treet med lys sies å være en av de eldste juletreskikkene vi har.

Norske flagg er det mange som henger på treet. Dette er også utbredt i andre land der man selvsagt bruker sin egen nasjons flagg. Flaggene skal minne om og symbolisere en forent nasjon.

Julekurver henges ofte opp på treet, og da gjerne med noe godt i seg. Dette skal symbolisere gavmildhet og overflod.

Hjerter symboliserer Guds kjærlighet til alle mennesker.

Lenker er et symbol på samhold og brorskap.

Fugler i treet symboliserer Den Hellige Ånd, som mange også kjenner som en hvit due.

Engler er også mye brukt til å pynte treet med, for å minnes englenes budskap. Mange engler symboliserer englenes hærskare.

Bjeller og klokker blir også flittig brukt som juletrepynt. Kanskje ikke så rart da det er disse som ringer julen inn.

Stjernen i toppen av treet er der for å minnes Betlehemsstjernen som viste de vise menn veien til stallen der Jesus ble født. Noen har i tillegg mange små stjerner som skal symbolisere hele stjernehimmelen. Men har du noen gang tenkt på at en stjerne kan ha forskjellig antall spisser, og at disse

Juletrefoten finnes i dag i de fleste farger og fasonger. Fra gammelt av var juletrefoten alltid formet som et kors, og var laget av grovt treverk med et hull i midten som treet kunne stå i.

Look Who's Looking

2010-11-16T19:32:00.000+01:00

These are the countries that have visited my blog. Weird to think of. Well, hello out there! Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to introduce yourself to me. I'd love to get to know you and read your blog too.

Norway 875 views
United States 767 views
Canada 346 views
United Kingdom 28 views
South Korea 28 views
Ukraine 13 views
Australia 10 views
Argentina 9 views
Germany 8 views
Philipines 7 views

Happy Be-lated Father's Day Steinar

2010-11-15T13:50:00.004+01:00

Yesterday was Norwegian Father's Day and I missed it.

Attempting to get the little guy to sleep.

This is my second year in a row to not celebrate Steinar on Father's Day and I am horrified. Last year I had no way of knowing because it isn't exactly advertised because it isn't really celebrated here. Also, I hadn't been in town that week to even notice if there was any advertising.This year, I am completely without excuse.

Last week, we were in the grocery store and I saw Father's Day greeting cards; I told myself to remember this time! On Saturday, the eve of Father's Day, Annabelle and I went into town to run some errands while Steinar stayed home with Benjamin. What a treat. To my horror, that night, I remembered Father's Day was the next day. It was too late. I bought nothing and made nothing. What a horrible wife!

Although there are many reasons why I forgot, one being that I forget everything these days and have no sense of time anymore; I don't have any excuse, my man deserves to be celebrated. I could have set an alarm on my phone, sent myself an e-mail reminder, wrote it on the calendar, etc.

Therefore, I owe my man a tremendous shout out for his fantastic fathering traits.

I should share with you:
One of the reasons I wanted to be with Steinar was for my future children. I wanted my kids to be raised by a man who was kind, honest, thoughtful, gentle, playful, sincere, godly, full of love, full of grace, generous, consistent, predictable and reliable. I wanted them to have a father who would teach my boy(s) to be the same, and to teach my girl(s) how they deserve to be treated as young women.

Steinar has proven to be this above and beyond my expectations.

You should also know, Steinar made us a lovely breakfast on Father's Day, went to work in the morning, played with us in the afternoon and went to work again in the evening--all without complaining or feeling sorry for himself that his wife didn't make the effort to remember his special day.

Love you Baby Snakes. Thank you for being a wonderful father and the best husband I've ever had :).

A Wise Man

2010-11-10T18:09:00.003+01:00

http://gawker.com/5398004/what-would-you-like-to-ask-big-bird

The other night I was (lightheartedly) rambling on to my husband about how pointless it is to give advice to women when it comes to choosing a boyfriend/husband or having children. No matter how much you warn a woman, she's already got her mind made up and is going to do what she wants to.(smiles)

Thinking about child birth made me start thinking about such silliness. I had heard countless stories of the aches, pains and terror of giving birth. Strangely, I always looked forward to the experience. And, I did it anyway.

My first pregnancy ended up in an emergency c-section. Boy did I feel ripped off. I wanted to have the natural experience of "feeling the baby pass through my body as it entered the world". I had labored and dilated the whole way but was rushed away just as I had made it to 10 centimeters. My second pregnancy I got my wish; I felt it all, regrettably. Why didn't I believe all those women who told me how awful child birth can be? I didn't know what "pain" and "scared" meant until I experienced it myself.

Sometimes we make poor decisions because of curiosity or naivety, sometimes by hormones or emotions, sometimes by rebellion. I'm not meaning that having kids is bad, I'm just reflecting on the fact that I did it, even though I had been warned of how awful of an experience it can be.

With all my ramblings around this matter Steinar said, "It's not our job to tell people what to do, we're just supposed to help them live with their choices."

That put an end to my ramblings. What a wonderful response, what a gracious and kind man. I love him.

Multi-tasking Motherhood

2010-11-05T20:07:00.000+01:00

Not all multi-tasking with two little ones at home is frustrating. Sometimes it's quite fun.

Look closely:

Here I am keeping bouncing Benjamin with my foot to help him sleep while I help Miss Annabelle with her very exciting painting project.

She was intent and focused on painting her Lambi, courtesy of the Kiwi cashier.

Annabelle was really careful to close the lid of each color before she started with a new one and enjoyed washing the brush in between. Only once did she try painting her toenails, and the paint on her face--she didn't even know it was there. :)

She is so excited to show her daddy her masterpiece when he gets home.

Good Timing

2010-11-05T14:05:00.001+01:00

Look what arrived in the mail today. Ironically, I was out for challenging walk with the kids when I collected this--shooting up prayers to the Lord to help me maintain my cool--and this journal was in my mail box.

Remember these old Little Golden Books? I'm looking forward to reading these prayers with Annabelle and Benjamin, and writing some of our own.

The other side of things.

2010-10-27T10:53:00.002+02:00

It's a mystery to me why we have children. Of course having children is a blessing. Kids light up one's life with laughter, love and joy. However, there is a price to pay.

Being a mother of small children can be a thankless job, it's round the clock care with no paid vacation or sick leave. As a mother you sacrifice having a clean house, being caught up with the laundry, eating when everybody else does, having uninterrupted conversations, having clean clothes on the entire day and sleeping through the night to name a few. Not to mention the loss of modesty and privacy that comes with birthing the child and breast feeding.

When you become a mother you are susceptible to all kinds of judgment. Good or bad, people take the liberty to do it. People judge your kids. People will talk about your parenting style, what they think you do well and what they would do differently. People give lots of unwanted advice or praise. You judge yourself and count your "failures". You compare your kids to others'.

This weeks highlighted pictures:

yup, you guessed it. i leaked!


have you ever seen such dark circles?!

Nevertheless, we do it. We have kids, and we love them. We love them so much that we want more of them! WEIRD! Just as I write this I hear my daughter singing in the background and it puts a HUGE smile on my face because it sounds so precious and that is exactly why we do it.

Joy to Tears

2010-10-21T14:09:00.006+02:00

Last night, after dinner, I piled Annabelle and Benjamin into the car and headed into town to play at "gym night" open for kids of all ages. It was our first time to go, and I was looking forward to it. We parked our car outside the gym, climbed out and Annabelle became really excited and curious about the tremendous sound of music and children playing. I said, "take my hand I'll take you to the kids". She eagerly came running, took my hand and nearly skipped the whole way to the entrance. After we took our coats and shoes off and entered the gym Annabelle was beaming with delight! There were kids at her eye level, balls galore, things to jump on and to ride everywhere.

Her joy was contagious; I was moved to tears seeing the spring in her step and the huge smile glued to her face. What a gift that I could help her experience so much happiness.

Slowly, I started to realize that all the children were leaving and some kind of organized activity was beginning. I then learned that I had come in at the end of the open hour. With huge disappointment I became extremely sad that after only 3 minutes of being there I had to tell Annabelle that it was time to go. I felt like I had tricked or teased her, I was so sad.

This experience reminded me of the our Heavenly Father's love for us and how much He has created for us to experience fun, joy and pleasure. So often we only go to Him in our time of need, trouble, worry, etc., but I want to be more intentional at inviting Him into my joy, happiness, playfulness,excitement and celebrations. What a beautiful gift to share with him, as it is that "every good and perfect thing comes from Him".

I still get crushes

2010-10-09T06:31:00.000+02:00

I still get crushes on my husband. It's moments like these that make my heart gush over him.

love this

Gifts from the Gifted

2010-10-06T13:39:00.001+02:00

This is a blanket made by the grandmother of one of Annabelle's playmates.

My crafty and creative scapbooking friend, Nicole, made this out of paper.

Nicole's talented husband designed and built this!


The handy work of Benjamin's Norwegian grandmother, Anne Helene.


One of my favorites from Anne Helene.

What treasures! Benjamin sure has some talented friends and family in his life!!

She Can't Help Herself

2010-09-21T19:47:00.010+02:00

First time to meet at the hospital.

She's got the "Joy, joy, joy, joy down in her heart". Annabelle is a big sister and she can't help but to hug and kiss him as often as she thinks of it. She wants to help change his diapers, give him a bath, give him a soother when he cries, sit in his side of the stroller with him, cuddle him in his bassinet while he sleeps. I am so grateful that Annabelle isn't jealous of her brother, rather she is proud.

Although my house is a in disarray and I get very few hours of sleep, having a new child in the house is quite fun. I look forward to the months ahead when Benjamin will respond more to his big sister.

She attempts to get in there with him every chance she can get.

Kisses daily. Like I said, "she can't help herself".

She's blowing on her finger "shhhh" because the baby is sleeping.

A Precious Neighbor

2010-09-21T13:51:00.000+02:00

This lovely woman, Else, is 85 years old. Annabelle and I have made friends with her on our daily walks along the sea. She has been a widow for 16 years. Else hiked over to our place, with her walking sticks, back pack, and make-up on, to deliver roses to congratulate us on the birth of our son. Thank you Else for your kind and thoughtful visit.

Visitors Welcome

2010-08-24T21:18:00.000+02:00

This character visits our window every day. I have a feeling he thinks we're more hospitable than we really are. We aren't exactly an animal friendly home unless it's cute, soft and stuffed. However, we love visitors from friendly humans!

Does this view entice you?

How about this one?

Our family is about to expand in the days/week(s) to come. We're going to be welcoming a little boy into our life. We'll be happy to share him with you, so don't be shy! My folks are working there way over here from North America now in efforts to be here for all the action. They will be here for 3 weeks, but don't let that keep you from coming. We want to see you too!

Genius

2010-08-19T14:25:00.000+02:00

This is a shout out of thanks to my neighbor, retired seaman Nils Anders, from Eidbo. Annabelle and I lived in an ancient house this summer that had the potential of being taken over by mice. Thanks to Nils Anders we won the battle. Our sweet neighbor set up this historic mouse trap outside my door and rescued me from having to bait, see, or touch the mice. Surprisingly, no cheese or peanut butter was used: rather, oatmeal!

Which monkey are you?

2010-08-19T14:16:00.001+02:00

Four little monkeys sitting in a tree.....
What's your interpretation or relation to this photo?

Sensitivity Training 101

2010-07-15T19:03:00.002+02:00

When you meet a pregnant woman, here are some things you just shouldn't say:

"WOW!!! You're Huge!"
"Are you sure you only have one in there, it looks like two or three."
"You look really tired."
"How does it feel to be packing on the pounds?"
"You're allowed to get fat, you're eating for two."
"You're pregnant, you shouldn't..........."

If you are going to say anything at all, play it safe; don't ask how she's feeling and don't talk about how she looks.

Lastly:
Don't touch, pat, or rub her belly.

Feel Good Foods

2010-06-20T12:54:00.003+02:00

Wow, these foods make me feel good from deep down within. When consumed, the feeling of tingly goodness transforms my face to radiate bliss and satisfaction. These are listed in no order of prejudice.

1. Snickers ice-cream.

(sodahead.com)

2. Feel good juice. Couldn't have been given a more appropriate name. Delightfully refreshing.

(thebakehousecompany.co.uk)

3. Blueberries (but not the small Norwegian ones that come from the forest): a whole handful stuffed into my mouth at once to enjoy the sweet juicy crunch. Forget eating one at a time.

(thesunblog.com)

4. Fazer chocolate from Finland. Perfection! Dreamy and smooth.

(fanpop.com)

5. Chocolate chip cookies. I drink a glass of milk with these so that when I feel to full, a swig of milk washes it all down and I can divulge in eating even more.

6. Ben and Jerry's Phish Food ice-cream. The perfect blend of chocolate ice-cream, caramel, marshmallow swirl and small chunks of fudge. Delectable!

(http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/howallace/phish_food.gif)

7. Watermelon: Most enjoyed when cut in half and dug out with with a spoon, and eating it all by myself. Sigh.

8. Tofino's Common Loaf Bakery Cheese Bun: the perfect blend of yummy brown bread, cheese and herbs. Nostalgia.

(http://www.tofinotime.com/articles/A-T509-30frm.htm)

A new low...

2010-06-16T10:45:00.000+02:00

(picture taken from: http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2009/01/why-ive-never-been-more-embarrassed-for-yahoo.html)

Today I did something incredibly stupid. I'm not sure what came over me. I was possessed with lunacy. Annabelle was playing in her crib and looked so precious and cuddly. Without even thinking I climbed into her crib in attempt to join her in her cozy moment. What kind of pregnant, adult fool does that? Not to my surprise, the crib broke and we both ended up on the floor beneath us. We both shared a pretty good laugh together after Annabelle burst out with her darling "Uh-oh"!

Annabelle is now sleeping sweetly for a few hours nap and I am going to crawl into my own bed and do the same.

"property of steinar and heidi"

2010-06-13T19:29:00.000+02:00

Recently I've started writing "property of steinar and heidi våge" on our online pictures that involve Annabelle. It wasn't until I posted a picture of her on the potty that I became so sensitive/cautious about posting pictures of her online. Even though putting our name on them can't really stop anyone from getting ahold of the pictures and doing what they want with them, I just wanted to take a little precaution to deter creepy creeps from taking them and manipulating them.

Do I sound paranoid?

The month of May

2010-06-11T14:53:00.003+02:00

A little photo recap of our sunny month of May:

Annabelle loves to "help".

Commemorating the melted snow and arrival of spring with a car wash.

We celebrated the 17th of May with our neighbors where we ate cakes and played games.

Steinar baked me a chocolate cake in the morning for breakfast in honor of my birthday. Annabelle dug right in!

Dinner for the birthday girl!

A little family trip to the zoo.

These lemurs were enamored (okay, maybe slightly irritated) by Annabelle's squeeky shoes. They all gave her the stink eye once they heard her coming.

Celebrating Steinar's mother in Spain while Annabelle gracefully endured the wrath of the chicken pox.

Our post card to all who read this blog.

Is it Possible?!

2010-05-09T20:29:00.001+02:00

http://www.puritymatters.com/images/heart-tree.jpg

Is it possible that Annabelle has intuitively picked up on Steinar and my love languages?

Annabelle specifically interacts with Steinar and I quite differently; she comes to us individually for different purposes. That seems natural, however, I have started to notice that she seems to express affection differently too.

My love language is touch. Steinar's is words.

With Steinar she gets extremely excited when she sees him or hears his voice. She pipes up full volume, "HI" HELLO! HI! HI! HI! HI! HELLO!!" When he comes home from work she comes running to the door to greet him with hellos. When he leaves home she runs to the door to eagerly wave her hand at him to express her farewell. She loves to talk to him on the phone. The second the phone rings she thinks its him and starts saying, "HI! HI DADDY! HI! HI!" If she could, it seems like she would talk to him all day.

With me, Annabelle dishes out hugs all day long. She holds my hand while she eats. She holds my hand while she walks down the street. She pats my back when we hug and takes my hand to place it on her cheeks gently. She nestles up to me every chance she gets. If she ever sees bare skin of mine: a leg, my pregnant tummy, my arms, etc..., she will stroke it and press her cheek against it. If she could, it seems like she would cuddle with me all day.

What a little lover we have on our hands. She's so great at sharing her love with us. It's such a blessing I could have never anticipated with having a child.

Exciting!

2010-05-05T12:53:00.000+02:00

I knew that if I left a few potties around the house, she'd get inspired!

Okay, okay...so she is far from being potty trained, but at least she took some initiative :).

What We Learn From Our Mothers

2010-05-04T19:39:00.004+02:00

Every evening we serve Annabelle porridge before we get her ready for bed. We have been doing this for 10 months, since she began solids. After making porridge on the stove it can be scolding hot. Therefore, I have always tried to give it enough time to cool before I serve it to her. Routinely I always take from the edges first where I know it is the coolest; this being something I remember my mum teaching me to do when I was little.

It wasn't until a few weeks ago that Steinar suggested that we serve the porridge to Annabelle from a plate instead of a bowl. Why you ask? Why didn’t I think of that, I ask myself. The porridge cools so much faster when it’s spread out thinly. This is something Steinar remembers his mum teaching him when he was little.

This little interaction got me thinking….

What sorts of things will Annabelle remember from her childhood that I will have taught her? When she moves away from home, what is going make her grateful for me? What will make her “homesick”? What will she tell her friends that her childhood and upbringing were like.

This reminds me of a sign I saw at a friend’s house that said something like this:
“The first half of my child’s story is written in this home…”
Wow! What a fantastic reminder of what a huge honor and responsibility it is to raise a child and a family.

Toddler Days

2010-04-25T19:06:00.002+02:00

When you wake up at 6am a lot can be accomplished in a day. Here's a glimpse of our yesterday:

Here Annabelle is expressing disappointment after being told that she isn't to eat the dough, rather she is to roll it out. Tearing it up was just so much more fun, apparently!

Even though Annabelle had her own stroller, it was far more exciting to ride with her friend in the green chariot. I think the fact that her friend had a pink pony and bubbles on board may have been part of the enticement.

Annabelle thoroughly enjoyed her visit with the sheep. She wasn't the least bit afraid of them and their loud "baa".

A boat ride home after a trip visit with some friends.

Annabelle loves to run away from home. She's a quick one.

Concentration is key when learning how to use cutlery.
(warning! spinach pasta and pesto leads to green poop)

Ending the day with a good bed time story, "So You Want to Be Canadian?"

Scrunchies

2010-04-21T12:45:00.001+02:00

Walking my daughter today I saw a scrunchy on the ground! What a trip down memory lane. Yuck, what a terrible reminder of the tackiness of my younger years.

With that being said, I'm afraid that I am fashionably stuck. I cannot get myself to join the fashion trends of these most recent years. I know that in the next 15 years my daughter is going to beg me to get a make-over. I can hear it now, "Mom! Please don't wear that hoodie anymore, it's so embarrassing!"

A Local Friend...

2010-04-18T19:22:00.003+02:00

Juliane has opened a very lovely shop in our humble town of Tvedestrand. Her mission is to sell beautiful, fair trade, organic, ethical products. Her shop has handcrafted clothing for women and children, home decore, tea, chocolate, journals, and various other things that are fun the ladies to shop for.

Juliane is extremely creative and has an eye for making everything around her beautiful and cozy. She also has a very charming and rustic guest house on a small island not too far from our town. I had the priviledge of spending my birthday there last year; we slept in the tower adorned with windows on every wall. Not only is her guest house a relaxing place to enjoy some quiet, the food is also amazing. Another of Juliane's gifts: making scrumptions mouth watering food. One thing I've appreciated getting to know about Juliane is that she actualizes her dreams. She is a doer! I love meeting doers! They're so inspiring!

Juliane asked me to bake "American Chocolate Chip Cookies" for people to enjoy while they sit in her shop for a good chat and cup of warm tea. I hope Juliane's shoppers and visitors enjoy them!

Our Canadian Viking

2010-04-13T19:52:00.002+02:00

As Annabelle begins to develop language skills the race is on for us proud parents. Which language will she speak first? How many words can she say in English and how many are in Norwegian. So far, English takes the lead!

English Norsk

- hi - hei

- hello - mamma

- mum - ha det

- dadda - ja

- daddy - "oi"

- dog - takk

- hot - bæ

-"uh-oh"

- baa (sheep sound)

- "who" (owl sound)

- " e-i-e-i-o"

On a side note, she has many non-verbal ways of communicating as well! For example: pointing and tapping with her finger in front of her on the table means "Put that food here now!"; licking and smaking her lips means "Mmm, that looks good. Can I have some?"; with her hand in a fist, she throws her arm under her chin which is her way of strongly saying no; waving meaning goodbye; banging her head on things or banging her fists into her head to show us that she did not like being told "no"; sheepishly looking over her should at her daddy means, "I'm ready for you to chase me"; dancing to the music as an expression of her LOVE for music.

Half Way!

2010-04-04T22:20:00.000+02:00

How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

(http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-20-weeks)

Spring is showing itself!

2010-03-23T19:46:00.002+01:00

The sun is shining and the snow and ice are dissipating. The once frozen over fjord down the street from our house is starting to open up and the ducks have moved in. We thought Annabelle would be excited to see animals that move and make noise in real life, compared to all the picture books she's been exploring all winter. However, she did not shed an ounce of enthusiasm when she met the ducks. I think she was more excited about walking down to the water with mummy and daddy each holding one hand. I love this picture of Steinar feeding the ducks while Annabelle grips around his leg. She sure loves being close to her dad. That tops duck feeding any day.

So Almost!

2010-03-15T19:10:00.000+01:00

At least she's warming up to the idea of peeing in a potty.

This week in a few snap shots.

2010-03-09T11:58:00.001+01:00

It's back! I remember this lump from not too long ago. It's hard to believe this is happening again.

So lovely to wake up to find Annabelle with her mother's underwear around her neck. Even more lovely to get a good poke in the eye.

MMMmmmmm.... Delicious recipe. Oh, the joy of baking!

Annabelle agrees! Check out those fingers. Still finding chocolate markings around the house.

Since our family is expanding, we're moving here in August.

The sun is shining!

He's wiped out from a hard day of play.

Counting My Blessings.

2010-03-07T09:54:00.002+01:00

I have been pretty sick for some days now. There's been a lot of lung hacking, nose blowing, shortness of breath and physical weariness. It's definitely not the worst kind of sick to be but it is rather inconvenient and uncomfortable.

This morning at the breakfast table I shared how much I didn't like the bread we were eating. I reflected on all the things I didn't like about it, in detail. Minutes later I began to cough violently. I coughed so hard that I threw up.

While in the shower, trying to recover from my episode at the breakfast table, I was reminded of how fortunate I am to even have a choice about what bread I eat, let alone having bread to eat at all. I want to be more mindful of the blessings when I feel some complaining coming on.

This mornings blessings:
Steinar and Annabelle
Food to eat
Warm water to shower
Cozy, warm house
Love
Safety
Stability
Comfort
Sunshine
Down time

Lent: "True Fasting"

2010-03-05T13:36:00.002+01:00

When I hear the world "lent" I simply think of all the people who are fasting or giving up one thing for 40 days. I've never done this before, and I haven't heard preaching on it. I have just heard people say, "I'm giving up chocolate, t.v., or the internet." But what's it's purpose?

Lent is a time when people do soul-searching and pursue repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking personal inventory. Historically, Lent has been a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, Christian imitate Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days by way of fasting.

Recently, I came across scripture in Isaiah about fasting that really intrigued me!

Isaiah 58:6-11 (NIV)

⁶ "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
       to loose the chains of injustice
       and untie the cords of the yoke,
       to set the oppressed free
       and break every yoke?

⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
       and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
       when you see the naked, to clothe him,
       and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
       and your healing will quickly appear;
       then your righteousness will go before you,
       and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

⁹ Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
       you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
       "If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
       with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
       and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
       then your light will rise in the darkness,
       and your night will become like the noonday.

¹¹ The LORD will guide you always;
       he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
       and will strengthen your frame.
       You will be like a well-watered garden,
       like a spring whose waters never fail.

Wow! I love this. As much as I think taking person inventory is important, I think as a generation we spend too much time thinking about ourselves. I am so drawn to this call to fasting. What a wonder selflessness and acts of service could do for humanity. If we are going to deprive ourselves of something, let it be ourselves.What a blessing we are promised when we spend ourselves on the behalf of others.

You know you're pregnant when...

2010-02-21T19:52:00.000+01:00

12.5 weeks along

...you bawl your eyes out while watching Extreme Home Makeover.
...your plain salt potato chips taste like raspberries.
...you're starving every two hours.
...tears swell up in your eyes, with pride, when you watch someone win a gold medal at speed skating.
...you say to your husband in the middle of an argument, "i don't know, i can't explain myself this time, can't we
just blame this on the fact that i'm a girl and we react irrationally and emotionally?"
...you dream crazy things, like whales nibbling at the backs of your knees while you're floating in the ocean.
...you gain 5 pounds in what feels like a week.
...you forget to do what you're supposed to do and resort to taking a nap.
...you feel really fat and unattractive all the time.
...your skin glows, and not in a nice way.

Life a little more colorful

2010-02-19T11:51:00.001+01:00

Annabelle is really good at turning everything we do around the house into a game of teasing mommy, or discovering how to use objects in ways they weren't designed for. She brings so much enthusiasm and imagination to what we find so ordinary. There's a lot I have to learn from her.

Walking on Water

2010-02-14T19:55:00.001+01:00

So fun! Today we walked across the frozen fjord between Gjeving and Lyngør. What a special treat that hasn't been possible in decades!

On the way to the island for lunch on the ice with friends.

Open ocean yonder.

Genious!

Great Norwegian experience for Annabelle playing with other kids on the fjord!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-09T21:43:00.000+01:00

Coming up this weekend is the annual reminder to celebrate love with romance. It just so happens that this year Valentine's Day falls on the same day as Mother's day, here in Norway. In honor of my husband's love for me, he has booked me a night at a fabulous hotel, with a trip to the spa, a three course dinner and breakfast. The funny thing about this is that he won't be joining me. I am being gifted with what will be my first fully nights sleep, first night away from my daughter and two days filled with pampering, luxury, and SLEEP. What a great demonstration of love: selfless, generous and thoughtful.

What's Next?

2010-02-02T19:45:00.002+01:00

I feel like this stage in Annabelle's life gives us a total glimps into her adolescent years. She loves to talk on the phone! She loves to say no. She loves to cry when she doesn't get her way. She loves to flirt with her dad. She loves to tease. Annabelle is so obvious in so many ways. I just adore her toddler ways.

Birthday Festivities

2010-02-02T12:59:00.002+01:00

January 2nd we celebrated Annabelle's first birthday quietly in Kristiansand, where Steinar's parents live. Along with a sparkler lit carrot cake and some small gifts from family, Annabelle got her first hair cut. It was exactly one year prior, to that day, that we were in the same house anticipating the arrival of miss Annabelle. After a late night of playing games we all went to bed. I was particularly disappointed that I was still pregnant, two days after my due date. Around 2am the contractions started, by 6am everyone in the house was awake to see us off to the hospital in Arendal.

Annabelle, a year old and so much fun to be with. Although she has not given us even one full nights rest since she was born, she has been such a delight and joy. By her first birthday, she had accomplished walking, 8 teeth, waving hello and good-bye, saying mamma, dadda, ha det, shaking her head yes and no, signing finished at meal time, playing on her own for more than 15 minutes at a time, and trips to Canada, the States, Prague and Amsterdam.

Tagged Again!

2009-11-10T11:37:00.004+01:00

Thanks Jocelyn.

When I was a child... I played house and married my cousins.
I can't imagine my life without... having the beautiful nature around me.
If I could be anywhere, I'd be... in Kyuquot.
My least favorite chore is... dishes.
If I could be on any TV game or reality show it would be... Operation Fabulous?
If a mystery package arrived on my doorstep... I would hope it was something special for me.
My guilty pleasure is...chocolate.
I thought I would never...let anyone hear me fart.

Tag - you are it Karl-Johan.

One Year Ago...

2009-11-10T11:30:00.003+01:00

Last year I was tagged in a blog to fill in the blanks related to the time line of my life starting with twenty years ago. One of the blanks read:

One year... I will be a momma to a 10 month old baby girl! (or boy). We will have lived in our town for a year. Hopefully I will have made friends and other mothers to spend my time with. Hopefully I will be much improved in Norwegian and using it more frequently.

That year has come and my daughter is 10 months! I have made lovely friends, all of which are mothers :). I have definitely improved in my Norwegian, however, I am not using it any more frequently. Maybe that isn't an improvement after all.

Reminiscing

2009-10-30T21:31:00.003+01:00

I've been sorting through pictures, trying to find ones to print for future projects, and came across this one. I remember the warmth and beauty of this summer day. I love the stillness in this picture. A sleeping baby is a wonderful thing. :)

11 Reasons I love being a Stay-At-Home-Mom

2009-10-21T18:57:00.006+02:00

1. not going to work after a sleepless night
2. not leaving my baby to be raised by someone else
3. catching all the small details of my baby's firsts and discoveries
4. play dates
5. spending hours over tea and baked goodies with other mothers
6. napping
7. not having to dress to impress
8. always excited to see my husband walk through the door
9. daily strolls in the neighborhood
10. provoked creativity and imagination
11. always available to help my neighbors out during the day

Mini-Update

2009-10-19T17:54:00.005+02:00

This summer has been quite eventful for our little Annabelle. She has had the pleasure of traveling to Prague, Seattle and various places on Vancouver Island. We also had some special visitors this summer for 5 weeks!! Jocelyn and baby Amelia came to play with us. We soaked up the sun, enjoyed the warm sea, picked berries and cherries, strolled through the neighborhood, explored different parts of the country and chatted the days away.

In addition to travels, Annabelle has reached milestones in her life. Sitting up at the end of 5 months. Started solid foods at 6 months. First two teeth at 6 months. Crawling at 7 months. It's all been so much fun. And now she's dancing to music and loves to climb. It's incredible how quickly she is growing up.

Mice:Moose

2009-10-19T17:51:00.002+02:00

We have had the privilege this autumn to have brown and furry visitors.

It's Mice

2009-10-19T15:01:00.002+02:00

Steinar the Hunter

It's Moose

2009-10-19T15:00:00.002+02:00

Hunting season, moose in the backyard, all we have is a camera.

Erlend

2009-04-07T11:37:00.004+02:00

As he changed her diaper for the first time he inquired, "is there some kind of locking mechanism here?"

Dressed to Party

2009-03-19T10:07:00.007+01:00


Add caption

We had the privilege of visitng our friends Star and Paul in Campbell River while we were home visiting this month. During the evening Steinar, Priscilla and I wanted to make a trip to the Super Store. Star offered to take care of Annabelle while we went off for a quick trip. Forty five or so minutes later, when we returned, we found Annabelle adorned in this mint green onesie, pink frilly dress, Easter tights and some woolen booties. While we were away, Annabelle had manged to wet through her diaper all over her clothes, however, Star didn't know where I had my diaper bag. It just so happened that while we were away at the store friends had shown up at Stars' for a surprise baby shower. So, friends selected different pieces of clothing from their gift bags and made a joint effort in washing her bum and dressing her up for her party. It was quite a sight. I sure felt like a negligent mother for letting her diaper get so wet. We had quite a good laugh. Thanks everybody for taking care of our baby girl.

We have kids!

2009-03-16T00:38:00.005+01:00

It's hard to believe that my brothers and I are all grown up now, and with kids! When did this happen? Taking this picture was such a special moment for me. I felt a closeness with my brothers that I haven't felt in a long time. We have all been given such delightful, precious, beautiful children and I'm so grateful. There are two more babies on the way this year in our family which is really exciting

Thank You Lord

2009-02-01T17:10:00.002+01:00

It's moments like this when you count your blessings.

Tempting

2009-01-19T22:13:00.004+01:00

Pretty persuasive e-mail I received this week:

hey heidi anne I guess you are a mom now? crazy shit. anyway move back to seattle and let me meet the baby.

...so seriously you need to be in seattle becuase this is the place where things go down on a big scale, and actually ive heard that seattle is if not the center, near the center of culture and thinking for the entire universe. now that may not be true, but thats what I heard.

Well it would be fun to talk to you sometime. by the way, I heard (from a different source) that if a person raises a child in seattle, they tend to be both 1) more mature 2) better looking and 3)significantly happier than children raised anywhere in norway. now again, it could be off the mark, but im just going by the things I hear.

Welcome Baby Annabelle

2009-01-12T11:24:00.002+01:00

global apparel

2008-12-06T00:07:00.004+01:00

Tonight as I was folding our freshly washed baby clothes (have to be ready for when she arrives) I started to think about how international our baby girl is already. In my womb she has already visited 3 countries and additionally will be a citizen of two others. It was fun to think about which countries these clothes I was folding came from. Better yet, which people friend and family they had come from. I folded itty bitty girl clothes from Canada, U.S.A., Norway, Finland, Denmark and Russia. Steinar and I tend to purchase some piece of clothing during our travels. It's fun to thinking about the memories that are connected to what we wear. Tonight I'm wearing U.S.A., Turkey, Canada and Norway :). So now I am thinking of Grandma Symington, summer time, Steinar leaving on a study trip, summer camp and being married to a man. All separate occasions brought together by clothing. And before my memories, they have a history in China, Vietnam and Turkey.

And it Grows

2008-11-26T10:23:00.003+01:00

Week 35! I've gained 25 pounds now. My baby hasn't turned down yet. I'm going for an ultrasound on Monday, week 36, for the doctors to evaluate whether or not I will need a cesarean. We're looking forward to getting another inside look at our baby girl! Surprisingly, I'm more scared of breast feeding at this point than I am of delivering a baby.

Kind of Curious

2008-11-26T10:08:00.006+01:00

What is this called? Does anyone know of a special way to eat it? To me it tastes really sweet and has a jelly like texture. I ate the skin, should I have?

berry update

2008-11-14T14:57:00.004+01:00

My
snowball
berries
haven't
deflated
yet!

snowball looking winter berries

2008-11-13T10:04:00.003+01:00

I have Christmas on my mind all the time. I even painted my fingernails red last night. Every day, on my walks, I pass by these bushes with white winter berries along the side of the road. I don't know how well they preserve after they are dry. Nevertheless, I'm giving them a try. I don't have the proper material at home to hold this thing together, yet, so I'm using that red thread until I know if the berries will keep their color and inflation.

Norwegian Talent

2008-10-29T10:14:00.005+01:00

Look at how talented my friends are. They knitted and sewed these for our baby on the way. I am SO impressed. I'm really looking forward to using these gifts on our baby. Thank you Solrun and Katrine!!! Such beautiful and thoughtful gifts!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-29T09:57:00.003+01:00

My Steinar brought home a pumpkin for me last week. We spent an afternoon carving it together and roasting the seeds. Surprisingly I have been getting a lot of remarks from folks back home questioning what people think of the pastor's wife carving pumpkins. Norway doesn't celebrate Halloween yet so Norwegians don't have the "evil" or "pagan" association with the festivities. And honestly, I don't either. Carving out a vegetable from the squash family and putting a light inside of it should be something that everyone can enjoy. It's fun to be creative with His creation. You could even change the tradition and turn it into an opportunity to create a symbol of Christ in us shining through His creation no matter what we look like. Let's take what the enemy means for evil and use it for good.

My regular view

2008-10-17T23:42:00.001+02:00

Normally I can't see my feet but the camera angle allowed me to show you somewhat of what I see when looking down.

Thirty Weeks

2008-10-17T23:35:00.005+02:00

There's the belly. Week 30 makes me about 6 and a half months preggers. I feel like I've finally reached the countdown! I notice that I have two large freckles on the side of my abdomen. However, as I recall, they used to be located on the front of my stomach. Weird!

awe, gush, gush

2008-10-02T13:19:00.003+02:00

I got the greatest postcard in the mail today from my husband when he was on a study trip in Turkey. He's been home for two weeks now and strangely it has taken this long to get here. Anyway, I have to share what it says:

Dear Heidi,
If you look at the upper left corner on this card, that is the place (Sotar) that I would bring you. They are hot springs. That was probably the place I missed you the most. I have a good time here, but it'll be nice to get home to you soon. :) It is nice for me to walk around here and know that I have you to come home to. I feel so lukcy to have you as my wife. You are my treasure especially these days when youare carrying my/our second treasure. I hope you've been well and I look forward to get home to you. I love you so much.
Your hubby Steinar.

Tagged

2008-10-01T12:55:00.005+02:00

Heidi "tagged" me. I'm not sure what that means, but I'm under the impression I'm to follow this formula:

20 Years Ago...I was six. I moved to the United States for the first time in my life. My mum, two brother and I left the remoteness of west coast living on Vancouver Island for suburban Seattle life. It was there I started grade one at John Hay Elementary School on Queen Anne Hill. My school had an elevator and my teacher was Mrs. Baba. It in that school that I had my first taste of city water. I thought I was going to vomit. I remember my first day of school my mum sent me to school with Canadian money to pay for my lunch. The lunch lady rejected my currency. Every day after school my older brother and I would take the school bus to my mum's university, located at the bottom of the hill, where we would wait for her in the cafeteria until she was finished with her classes. We thought we were so big and cool hanging out with college students. I remember most the cashier's bright blue eye make-up, straight up bangs and the yogurt covered raisins.

10 Years Ago...I was sixteen. What a memorable year. I moved back to Seattle after living back on Vancouver Island with my aunt and uncle in Esperanza. I got my driver's license and I got my braces off. Started in a new high school, started a bible study in my home, and made five of my best lifetime girlfriends.

5 Years Ago...I was twenty-one. I finished an AA degree and a Chempical Dependency Counseling Certificate Program from my local community college. I decided to move to Esperanza for another year to accrue some counseling hours. I needed to earn some hours of practice before I could take an exam and become licensed, 2,500 hours to be exact. It was such a great learning and growing time for me mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is there that Heidi (Cassaday) and I were housemates and became friends. In addition to leading addiction classes, I was part of leading a youth group in the neighboring town. Nine months later I moved back to the states to continue an education in Human Services from Western Washsington University.

3 Years Ago...I was twenty-four. I was in my last year of University and started dating my husband. I worked for United Indians of All Tribes Foundation down town Seattle. My primary job was to do drug and alcohol assessments on adolescents in juvenille hall. My second job that year was as a drug court coordinator for Cascade Recovery Center. I was renting a cute little house in the woods by myself and was broken into. Someone stole my computer. That was bad news blues considering my whole entire education was on that computer. Out of fear, I moved in with a wonderful friend. She was kind enough to take me in even though she had very little room for an extra person. She had two kids and was going through a divorce, so she generously offered for me to share her California king size bed with me. It was such a blessing! It was so wonderful to come home to such a loving and fun family every day after work and school.

1 Year Ago...I was living in the capital city of Norway, Oslo. Steinar was completing his last of his 6 year education. We had just come home from a wonderful summer spent in N.America. I enrolled in Norwegian classes and got a job as a very well paid nanny. Little did I know that in the next few months I would be in tears of misery working for these children. Around one year ago today we were excited about what the next year had in store for us.

Today...Is Thursday. I got up this morning with my husband to have breakfast with him and to drive him to work. We had freshly baked home made bread. Mmmm. I spent some time in town at the library, and did some errands. I am looking forward to our guests that are coming for a weekend visit tomorrow. I am trying to think of a plan so that our visitors will get the most out of their visit to our humble little town. Today I am also going to read a few more chapters in my book, Everything Must Change: Jesus Global Crisis, and a Revolution of Hope.

Tomorrow...Tomorrow will be much like today. Although, I'll be doing a little grocery shopping to feed our weekend visitors. I think I will bake for them too. I do love baking.

One year... I will be a momma to a 10 month old baby girl! (or boy). We will have lived in our town for a year. Hopefully I will have made friends and other mothers to spend my time with. Hopefully I will be much improved in Norwegian and using it more frequently.

2008-09-30T10:41:00.001+02:00

Steinar's mum has started knitting in anticipation of being a first time grandma.

Nowadays

2008-09-22T15:18:00.005+02:00

Steinar has been working for a month now. He and some fellow neighboring pastors are on a study trip in Turkey studying the book of Revelation. Meanwhile I am home in Tvedestrand having some Heidi time. We are officially out of all our boxes. As much as I feel moved in, I always find little things here and there that I would like to add, change or rearrange. I'm still looking for the right picture to hang above our couch and the right lights to put in different rooms. I have a lot of free time on my hands nowadays. Although, most of my mind is preoccupied with anticipation for this baby to arrive in a few months. We bought a crib the other day. It's in our bedroom and wow, looking at that really makes this all feel real. How funny to have an empty bed waiting for someone who isn't going to be here for 3 months. While Steinar has been away I've been buying baby clothes. Little girl clothes just may be my new obsession. Everything is sooo pretty. Well, not everything. There is some pretty tacky stuff out there. I'm not too sure what the future holds for me in Tvedestrand. So far I haven't made any effort to meet people or make friends. I will when I'm ready. I'm not sure what else to write about in here (Jamie). So I'll just sign out for now.

Lots of News

2008-06-09T13:05:00.005+02:00

Today Steinar passed his final exam, with flying colors, and will graduate on Friday as a Theologian. Last week we visited Tvedestrand, it's the town we are moving to this summer. During our visit we found a little red house to rent, bought a car and announced to friends and family that we are having a baby in December. There are many new and exciting things we have to look forward to this year. Now, all we need is for Heidi to get a job.

Happy News

2008-05-08T22:33:00.008+02:00

I'm so proud of my Steinar! He was offered a job and is going to accept it. Looks like we're moving to Tvedestrand! I will get him to sit down and write about it when he has the chance. If you would like to send him gifts, because you are so overwhelmingly proud of him, let me know and I'll send you our address :) Here's a picture of him on his graduation day.

You Found Us

2008-05-02T19:18:00.007+02:00

Well, hello out there. I managed to find the section where I'm supposed to write something for you to read. I thought that I would start a blog for those of you who care to keep up with the life of Steinar and Heidi and don't manage to pick up the phone and call us. We're in a bit of a transition period these days. Steinar is graduating in June and he has a job interview coming up this week that somewhat determines our near future. Regardless of whether or not he gets the job, we know we are moving from Oslo in June. We will keep you posted when we have a bit more to share. :) Welcome to our blog spot.