Tonight I read the posting I wrote some-what faithfully with my brand new baby.... it made me sad that so much has probably already been forgotten from Joshua's infancy, tonight join me on a flashback...
April 2010: Joshua experience his first taste of rice cereal... You can tell he was thrilled.
We started early reading to Joshua. But TIME magazine was one thing he loved to read without us reading it to him.
MAY 2010: May was a month filled with anticipation. Everything was pointing toward call day May 15th. When our family would finally find out where we were going. We were waiting for our lives to start. Ready to move beyond New Ulm and use the education that even now we are still paying for.
May brought parenthood challenges as well as Joshua starting cutting his first teeth, but our thoughts were on that Saturday where we would learn our fate.
I remember exactly what I wore. I walked up to MLC for the meeting where they would read the names of those receiving calls. Michael and I agreed that he would get Joshua ready and meet me there if I was getting a call. My name was not on the list. This was disheartening. I walked slowly back to my house to sit with my son and my husband. I didn't want to cry, knowing that the Lord had a plan for me and his plan was not my plan.
I did end up crying. After the service was over, I went back up to school for a meeting offering alternative opportunities. Because I had a family, I wasn't sure that any of these "opportunities" would really be an option for me. I listened half-heartedly and went back home again.
Michael checked out the opportunities during the days that followed and on May 18th, we decided Palm Coast, FL would be our new home. I would be an assistant 4 year old preschool teacher. We had a rummage sale, packed up what we owned over Memorial day weekend, and set off for our new lives.
Joshua did a great job traveling across the country. He did cut two teeth over the two days we spent in the car.
My dad, a lover of driving, helped up drive the huge truck to our new home. My heart still aches thinking back to him saying goodbye to me and Joshua in an empty apartment on a boiling hot day at the beginning of June. My dad hasn't been back since then, but I know for him it was a great trip and a settling feeling seeing where his daughter was starting a new adventure.
June and July were finding our place in our new home, town, congregation, and enjoying the beach
Joshua found some interesting sleeping positions..
Aug. 2011 Time is flying now. Michael's family visited us in August of 2011. We went to Gatorland and saw lots of animals and we went to the beach as a family. Joshua did not like the water, but he loved the sand!
Thursday before school started, the lead teacher informed the school that she was unable to come back to work. I was going to a class that night to make me certified to be a lead teacher in case of emergency, but now I was going to be the lead teacher for two sessions of 4 year old preschool. I had the weekend to prepare myself physically and mentally for the challenges of a new school year...
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| Home-living and manipulatives |
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| Circle time and white board |
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| Bathroom and birthday wall |
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| looking from the bathroom over at all the space, library, and cabinets for art supplies. |
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This is the view from the doorway.
God's plans were certainly different from my plans. We were/are so blessed to be part of such a wonderful congregation filled with loving supportive people who were fully confident in my abilities and there for me whenever I had questions or concerns.
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Sept 2010... cooler weather meant that we could spend more time outside comfortably. We spotted some local wildlife on one of our walks. I think armadillos are terrific, but little did I know, they carry leprosy, we kept our distance.
Joshua was getting more mobile and getting into more and more.
There was a quick Grandma visit in September.
This adorable smile is what I came home to everyday after school. One of the blessings that I had because Michael works from home was that Joshua got to stay home for some daddy time while I was at school.
We got the crawling thing down to a science and tried standing next to everything.
Oct 2010... Our first trip back to Wisconsin, and Joshua's first airplane trip. Joshua did a great job with the flight there and slept on the way back. I was very nervous about all the travel.
In Wisconsin we played in the grass and the leaves. Florida grass is much thicker and we don't play in the grass much because of fire ants. The leaves in Florida don't really change until November and there aren't enough in our area to rake or jump in so this was a treat.
We learned how musical Joshua is. He is always anxious to reach the piano and do all things musical.
Our Florida baby FROZEN in the Wisconsin October.
Back in nice sunny Florida we had our church picnic in October when the weather would be bareable for us to be outside.
I went to teacher's conference. It was my first night away from Joshua. It was really hard. I will admit to tears. But he and daddy survived and were excited to see me when I got home.
We had a visit from a friend from New Ulm. Our visit took us to Jacksonville. We saw some of the local sights there and went to a movie in the park. Under a bridge they put up a great big screen and we watched The Wizard of Oz. It was Joshua's first full length feature film and he stayed awake and relatively interested throughout the entire thing.
Joshua also started school in October... Michael's job, although he works from home is still demanding and with Joshua getting older he was demanding as well. I got to take Joshua to school with me to daycare. This picture is from his first day.
Joshua's first Halloween. We have an adorable son. Period. He was an elephant. We didn't trick-or-treat, just did some strolling through our apartment complex to show off this beautiful boy!
November 2010...
A member of your congregation invited some of us to be a part of the United Way softball game. Joshua and I watched Michael and other members of our congregation play softball. We did run into a problem... Joshua only slept in his pack-n-play or in his bed. No falling asleep on someone's shoulder, or just relaxing, so I lugged our pack-n-play to the softball fields so that Joshua could take his nap.
We went walking/running along a terrific path on the intercoastal waters. It was so crazy for me to be out and about walking and enjoying the beautiful weather so late in the year.
HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY BABY!!
I needed to wake up this sleepy head to say happy birthday!
During the school day I got to see him and take a few pictures!!
We shared some cupcakes with some of the faculty because it was a choir night. Joshua had never had cupcakes before. He was delighted.
Joshua and daddy sharing a new bedtime story.
For Thanksgiving we were back in Wisconsin! Grandma had Thanksgiving and we had a chance to spend some nice family time. Joshua tried to help Grandma get dinner ready.
Joshua had a terrific time exploring Grandma's house in his adorable winter clothes.
We went to a big pet store. It was more like an indoor zoo. It was lots of fun!
Back at home we had chilly weather too. The coldest day was 23 degrees in the morning. It was so fun for me living in Minnesota for the previous 3 years where we were not unaccustomed to 23 below if not lower...
December 2010
Festival of Lights... My mom, sister, and niece visited and we went to the free festival of lights in the town center of Palm Coast. It was great. We went again on Christmas Eve after church with Joel, Kayleigh, Dane and Evan.
Our little Music Man! Loved dancing. There was a high school group performing and Joshua wanted to dance dance dance.... It wasn't until after my mom left on the 18th, that Joshua took his first steps... The parental pride that filled Michael and I was intense.
Giving Joshua his first hair cut!! He needed it desperately, and he did a great job! (I didn't do too shabby either.)
Joel, Kayleigh, Dane, and Evan visited us from Michigan for the Christmas. Joel and Kayleigh are Joshua's sponsors and great friends of our from New Ulm. We let the boys take a bath together. It was hilarious!!
Boys in the BATH
Joshua and a duck
Our first Christmas in Florida meant that we should head to the beach. Christmas Eve Day we went to the farmer's market in Flagler Beach and then walked down to the ocean.
Christmas Eve family pic
Christmas Morning
Before church on Christmas Day!
Happy New Year!!
On New Year's Eve Day we went to the beach just to say we were there on New Year's Eve.
Our little boy got a little more daring during February. It was still nice enough to be outside. We had a bon-fire at Pastor's house to enjoy the cool weather.
Joshua also took in a little golfing while we were there.
February brought days at the beach back. After going to the farmer's market one saturday morning we headed down to check out the ocean. I believe it was later that night when my mom called and talked about the snow that they were having in Wisconsin, and I didn't miss it.
Joshua was not very fond of the ocean, but he does like to splash in puddles. So if I called them puddles we could do some jumping. :)
Such a handsome face and he knows it... we started getting into some trouble because Joshua knows that if he flashes mommy his smile.... he could get away with anything. I on more than one occasion have had Michael take over discipline because he just makes me smile.
Sideways, I know, but this is the last one and we've made it through the missing year!! The end of February was our first trip back to the pool. The water was too cold for Mommy so I just took pictures, but Joshua did get in and splash around with daddy. On that day we fell in love with Florida all over again.
If you are still there, I applaud your dedication! There was a whole missing year, it was a busy year, a life changing year, and one that I'm sorry you missed out on. You're caught up to April 2011, if I can catch you up to the present, perhaps it will be easier to remain faithful... we'll see.
