Anna Got A New Bike

Anna got a new bike this week. Her old one was a $10 garage sale purchase and was too small for her. We looked on Craig's List and found a number of bikes that were more suitable in size, but I was uncomfortable paying $30-$40 for a used bike (for a 4 year old). I really liked the idea of Anna earning the bike, but it would take a month or so to get enough stickers on her 'chore chart' to earn a bike.

Lydia was able to find one at Meijer for $39.99 (which I still call under $40). It is very cute and she moves quite fast on it. We told her that he has to fill her sticker chart and this is her reward for chores and good behavior. Is that teaching her to live off of credit, or is it just teaching her that sometimes parents are more gracious than they should be? I guess it is like God toward us- He is good to us; even when we are less than good!

Thus far she has been very appreciative for the bike. She can be so sweet.

Anna's Modeling Career

Well, its not a career, but it's cute. Scarlet Stitch (Anna's favorite dresses) asked her to model some hats for their advertising. Here they are. You are free to purchase them. Check out the other great clothes that they have as well.

Ballet Recital

Here are a few pictures from Anna's recital today. She has finished ballet 1 and now will be moving into a 14 week program that ends with a dance recital on May 17th. This is the day after I graduate from seminary, so those out of town- if you come up that weekend, you will get Anna on Friday and Nate on Saturday. Make your plans now!



The girls were all very cute and fun to watch. A couple of them kept having a difficult time staying on their feet. It was a lot of fun.
Little Miss Anna took a moment to turn around and look at her mother. It was obvious that she was so happy to be there and was quite happy that we came to support her.

She also got to learn a number of French words and the instructor would call them out and the little girls that were listening would get into their formations. The instructor (Miss Heidi) also was good at making little stories for the girls to dance to. It was obvious how much fun they were having.
Below are a couple of videos to show you what a fun little time Anna had.

She is Getting SO OLD!

Today Anna started her ballet classes, as part of a gift from Tante Heidi, at the David Huntington YMCA. She has been asking to begin because she thinks that ballet is the height of femininity. We have also wanted her to begin some organized activity/sport/class.

It amazes me how quickly she is growing into a nice young lady. Of course, there are still the battles that come along with shaping a young will, and that is all part of Christian discipleship. Anyhow, she is really excited and loves the class.
We got her ballet gear at a great little store downtown called Kicks. They have a really strange 15% off all things at all times rule. Why don't they just reduce the costs 15%?

The gym requires a certain uniform for the sake of 'uniform'ity. It is really cute seeing a dozen little ballerinas all lined in a row.
We have watched a couple of classic ballets to prepare her for class. Of course, she realized that she would not be prancing about, but learning little skills of discipline and grace.
Pray for her as she begins this new phase of life. She also wanted to tell Pastor Lanning that she has begun ballet because he is such a big fan of it. He actually recommends that all seminary students take at least one semester of ballet to learn some grace.

Happy Birthday

Today our precious Anna Grace turns four.

Happy birthday, honey.

The Chapbook Cafe Beginning the Chilly Months

Winter is coming and that means hours of lounging in book stores sipping lattes. It also means reading magazines for free and parousing children's books that we will not purchase at the bookstore, but order off of ebay. So is the ways of a free economy. Owen enjoyed a mocha-steamer, also known as hot chocolate.
Anna also enjoyed some hot chocolate, she only drank about half of hers though. She is a tiny thing and is not able to drink 12 ounces of yummy delicious hot chocolate. (Owen, of course, was able to drink all of his!)
Here Owen is reading Parson Avery's tales of Thomas on the Island of Sodor. At one time, Rev. Avery wrote the Thomas stories as a way to promote Christian virtues.
Anna and Owen also played at the Thomas Table. It is the first time that we have been to Schuler in a couple of months. The Thomas display had 3 8x11 signs warning of all the recalls because of lead based paint. I thought that they should stop doing recalls and just set up the Thomas section under the headings of 'regular' and 'leaded'.
We enjoyed a good cookie with our drinks as well. Chapbook has GREAT chocolate chip cookies, but the cakes are never too great. The atmosphere is very nice there though- big pained windows, stone fireplace, chess players, good art on the walls. It is one of our favorite hybrid bookstores/cafe's in town (not that there are too many to choose from!)
Lydia always looks through a pile of books. She usually leaves with a list of ISBNs that she will look on Amazon and Ebay for over the next couple of days. A week from now we will begin receiving packages from the letter carrier. The residual effects of a nice mocha have lasting implications!
In the winter I get a double mocha. In the summer I usually get a mocha smoothie. Today was the usual. It was quite tasty and gives enough energy to write into the night!
Watson was quite the darling. He slept the whole time. I am sure that if he was awake, he would have been offered a mocha too!
In time son, in time.

Tante Heidi ist die beste tante in der ganzen Welt!

In my last Saturday evening, I forgot to put up a picture of Tante Heidi. I must say, that I am quite ashamed since she is ALWAYS there for us for love and support. Heidi has been there for Anna and Owen's delivery and I know how much she wanted to be there for Watson's birth as well. We understand, work is an honorable thing. She made sure to check in every few hours as well as kept up-to-date on the blog while she was at work. I have heard that her fellow employees were quite interested in the unfolding of event on LOUA as well!

We are so grateful for her love and support. Her love for our family always shows in her kindness towards us.

Here is Heidi with her niece and nephews. Anna does not look too impressed, but Owen sure is infatuated with Watson.
Anna remained unimpressed for this photo as well, but the love is there.

"We love you Tante Heidi!"

"Wir lieben dich Heidi, kommen bitte, uns wieder zu sehen real bald! Wir können nicht warten, um dich in Frankfurt zu besuchen!"

Anna's Creepy Art Work

As you may know, artsy-farsty is in the blood of Union Avenue. I am not sure from whence it came, but it is here and it effects the way that my mind works. Unka Shawn and I talked about this as we were cruising through the Catskills last week. We decided that the tension is good as long as logic is used as well.

I believe that this syndrome has been passed to both of our children. Owen walks around all day singing and seems to be obsessed with music. I am not sure if Anna is as musical as Owen may prove to be, but she does have the tendencies for artsy-farstiness.

Today, while moving pictures onto CDs I found these two portraits that she took of her Barbies. If these were in the Detroit Institute of Art people would label them quality post-modern art.

Anna Meets John Calvin

Anna got to experience what research and scholarship is recently. We went to the Henry Meeter Center For Calvin Studies to do some research. She was very interested in everything and asked a lot of questions. She got to see some of the rarest books in the world including a first edition of the Institutes of the Christian Religion and Calvin's liturgy and Catechism. She also got to see 'the Calvin chair' and numerous coins and stamps depicting his image. We spend some time compiling a bibliography on Calvin and the Holy Spirit and then we moved on to other things. It was nice that Polly Pocket was able to go with us.

They Conspire Against Me...

I must say that today was a long day of classes at the seminary. We are having a special class called "Minister and His Family" in which we go through all the Greek exegesis on how a minister and his family are to behave themselves. Of course, all ministers fall short to some extent, but it is something that we are all called to nonetheless. The guest lecturer is Rev. David Lipsey who is finishing his doctorate in Nouthetic Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He is also the future father-in-law of Rev. Terry Klaver.

So I get home from class and take Sedgwick out for some afternoon business. I told Anna and Owen that they were not going out with me because I did not want them to get all wet in the midst of the snow storm. Of course I was using authority over my children since I just got back from 9 hours worth of lecture, one of which discussed the obedience of the minister's children.
Thank the Lord, they were obedient. They did not follow me out in the snow as is the normal routine.

Anna believed that I had delegated the authority over Owen in my absence. She thought that it would be wise to lock the door behind me so that Owen would be compelled to obey his father. I turn around, upon Sedgwick's completion, and turn the door handle to find that I am, yet again, locked out of my home! This time I was at the back door which is a beautiful French door with18 panes of glass. Owen waved at me and smiled, not realising that I was stuck outside in 35 mile-per-hour wind and pouring snow.

I knocked.

And knocked.

Anna finally came to the door, 'hi papa!' Anna please go get your mother. She said okay and I watched her go into the family room downstairs to get her.

A few minutes pass and Anna comes back up. I knock and say through the glass, 'Anna did you get your mother?' She said, 'Oh yeah!' She then ran back down stairs to get Lydia.

What an event. Was it last Saturday that Owen locked me out, now Anna? I will have to ask Rev. Lipsey how to deal with this type of problem according to the Scriptures!

Side Note: This is Anna's new favorite hat. It is a $1.00 item from Target's junk section. She insists on wearing it out of the house even. It is not my style. It is a mix of Anne of Green Gables and Southern Fundamentalism.

Lego Man in a Post-Lapsarian Age

Anna has had a great day of artistic expression. She painted me five beautiful watercolors that put most modern and post-modern art to shame. Her use of color and stroke was genius! She also decided to begin sculpting. Her first creation was unveiled today as she exclaimed to Lydia, "Look mom, I made a man!" Not bad for a three year-old. I am actually very hopeful for my children's artistic development.
Owen was less than interested. He fell asleep during the exhibit (more punch and cookies for me!). He missed out on one of life's greatest artistic lessons tonight: the true use of art.
Ah, Lego Man- how you encapture the struggles of personhood. The stiffness and the inability to move, even with will-power, wonderfully reflects man's inability for God glorifying in the post-lapsarian age. If only our Arminian and semi-Palagian friends could gaze upon Lego Man in the light of holy Scripture! Thank you, Anna for your anthropological insight.

Bunch o' Sickos

So the entire clan here on Union Avenue is sick. The process has been going on for over two days. Owen was the first to come down with hyper-emesis and he has graciously passed that on to the whole family.

We have spent many hours in the middle of the night changing sheets and washing towels- quite fun really. It sure does a great job at testing how patient and loving one can be towards the family.

While we we lay sick, Anna and I decided to go over her Bible verse for the week.

CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART O, GOD (Psalm 51.10a)

Here is a little conversation that we had over the meaning of the text:
Anna: Papa, do you have a clean heart?
Papa: Yes, Anna.
Anna: Does mama have a clean heart?
Papa: Yes Anna.
Anna: Do I have a clean heart?
Papa: I hope so Anna.
Anna: Did Jesus buy me a clean heart?
Papa: Yes, he did Anna.
Anna: I want a clean heart.
Papa: Then you have to ask Jesus for one.
Anna: Can I ask Jesus for a blue heart too?

*Anna thought that the word clean was green!
Maybe theological discussion is not at its best when one is ill!

EschKIDology

I am unsure where Anna has picked up her eschatology, but yesterday she kept asking if someone was trying to take her away.

We assured her that no-one was going to take her away from us.

She seemed pretty serious about this- and it was kind of weird, because we have no idea where she was getting the idea that someone was trying to take her from us.

She then said, Jesus is coming to take me away?

We assured her that if Jesus comes to take her away that Papa, Mama, and Owen were going to go with her.

Ode to Miss Emily

"Mama, papa.. I want to be like Miss Emily and wear baby on my back."


It is good to have a healthy attachment to a plastic and cloth baby. Plus, we all know of the benefits of skin to plastic skin contact.

Anna's Blog III

From time to time, we here on Union Avenue, like to show off Anna's blogging abilities. We are sure that she will aspire to be a fantastic blogger. She may not be a blogger to the likes of Drudge, but we are sure that she will have something entertaining to say.

So again, Anna's Blog III: (Remember that she cannot spell yet, so she dictates to me as I type.) I call this one View of a Great obstacle. These couches can be terrifying to someone that is under three feet tall. From time to time Owen and I fall off of this thing only to get a carpet burn! You adults find these things to be great comfort; we young folks see them as a challenge. Have you ever seen a two year old attempt to climb onto a couch?
I call this one Mom Gets No Input. The reason that I chose this title is that the central object in the composition is the light fixture. Now this fixture perfectly adorns my parent's 1927 English Cottage. When my parents bought the house there was no fixture there, but Father knew that there was originally because of all of his research. He hunted for almost three years for the perfect fixture. When he found it he was filled with joy at the sight of it! Perfect he exclaimed! He put it up with the help of Opa. Mom hated it. She still thinks that it is pretty ugly. I won't say the things that she says about it...but let's just say that she did not get any input concerning this house sometimes!
I call this one Hospitality's Chore. I chose this title because while watching my mother cook and prepare and make things look beautiful I feel exhausted for her! Hospitality takes work. Everything has to look right and be aligned properly, ahhg. I attempted to capture these feelings by focusing on the inner kitchen area and leaving the dining room a slight blur. This is how it is sometimes. All of the work is done in the kitchen and it is hard to tell how all will work out...hence the blur in the dining room. Mom always has things perfect though. It makes dad really proud to be married to her.
This one is entitled, The Little Touches. When you go through neighborhoods of new homes there is one central theme: garages. I cannot stand when mama and papa take us driving through these new developments. Garage, beige siding. Garage, taupe siding. Garage, off white siding, Garage, grey siding. Garage, beige siding. Garage, taupe siding. Garage, off white siding, Garage, grey siding. Garage, beige siding. Garage, taupe siding. Garage, off white siding, Garage, grey siding. Garage, beige siding. Garage, taupe siding. Garage, off white siding, Garage, grey siding. The details of old homes, where did they go? Does not aesthetics mean anything to people anymore? Practicality should never replace beauty, that's what I always say! Old homes have the character that I love, that is why when I see a house that I love, I always make sure to let mama and papa know.

This last one intrigues me. I have called this one Amber Waves. Have you ever taken the time to look at the grains in hardwood floors? Fascinating I tell you! I believe this is the reason that some children take longer to walk than others- they are absorbing all of the great detail that makes up these floors. Imagine all the years represented in these floors through the grain. Man, that really makes you think about how quickly time passes. From Acorn to floor. And the floors were laid 80 years ago! How long did the acorn need to develop into the tree that supplied these floors? It really makes you take inventory of what you do with your life. Time. It is a precious gift.

Make sure to stop by my archives and take a look at my earlier work. God Bless! ~Anna

Anna's First Blog
Anna's Second Blog

Eggciting Event

We made perogies today in honor of Polish Fest, in downtown Grand Rapids, being cancelled. Anna did not want to participate in the antifestivities and refused to eat them. She said that she wanted to make an egg instead.

We used this as a learning experience. Anna cracked the egg, helped flip it, Julia Childs style, sprinkled cheese on it, and posed out of pride of her first cooking experience.

Next stop: Mr. Birn's house for some gourmet lessons!

Garden Gnome

Every gardener appreciates a helper and an encourager in the dirt. Anna is just that for me. She loves to water and to pull weeds (although weeds is a relative term for her).

I hope that Owen loves to play in the dirt as much as Anna and I do. It is great to be able to pass a love down to your children.

This picture was Anna attempting at a pose; but it appears to be a bad attempt at posture and smiling! Cute nonetheless..of course I am biased. Here she appreciates the Hosta entitled, Guacamole. IT gets giant leaves that are giant heart shapes and when full grown, the plant will be about 3 feet in width!
Anna also enjoys checking on all of the garden candles and making sure that the wicks are properly trimmed for use.
Here she admires the purple in this nice flower.
And the roses are always a favorite to her. She calls them 'Anna's bowers'.
It is always important that the water in the bird bath is fresh. Fresh water prevents mosquito growth as well as gives the birds a cool treat.
Enjoying the garden is great. It is fun to read or just to listen to the sounds around you.

I have included a few links that are helpful for those that would like to begin gardening.

what works for beginners

hosta library

plant identifier