A Day in My Life

The month has been flying past. I can’t believe that it’s almost over already. Julie and I have been getting along very well. There’s not really a normal day for us, but there are rhythms. Usually, the itinerary looks like this:

7-7:20 ~ Edo and Mireille leave for work 
7:30-8 ~Julie and I read a story together. I struggle through a Dutch book from her shelf, and then I make up my own English version. By the time that’s done, she’s rubbing her eyes and yawning
8-8:30 ~ A nap for Julie. Some days I take a nap too, and some days I shower or eat breakfast or something like that. 
9ish ~ Julie wakes up 30-60 minutes later, and I play with her, read my devotions to her if I haven’t had a chance to do it by myself yet, or do something else. 

9:45-10 ~ Bottle for Julie
10:15 ~ Change Julie's diaper and put on clothes. 
10:15 ~ Monday, Wednesday, Sunday: bathtime for Julie
11ish ~ naptime
There’s usually one long nap a day, lasting 2ish hours, and sometimes this is the time for it. If she wakes up before I eat lunch, I eat with her

1:30ish ~ bottle for Julie
2-4:30ish ~ we go for a walk unless Julie acts very tired (in which case I put her in bed).
4 ~ errands that may be necessary

5:30-6 ~ Bottle for Julie
6:30ish ~ Edo and Mireille come home
7ish ~ Dinner time! Julie now gets pureed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or squash. We drink wine and eat yummy food like pasta, risotto, sauteed vegetables, nasi, etc. 
8ish ~ Julie goes for another nap, and we all do our own thing

9:30ish ~ Mireille feeds Julie
10ish ~Julie goes to bed, and Edo usually follows close behind
11ish ~ Mireille and I go to bed

But, as with any ordinary life, there are complications. We found out that Julie's right hip bone is not forming properly, so she has to have a brace on over her clothes. It has to be on all the time, even when she is sleeping or eating. We take it off to change her diaper and give her a bath. This complication means that we have doctor's appointments in the afternoons more often now (three appointments in two weeks), so that changes the schedule.

Furthermore, Julie is never predictable. I give a rough schedule of her naps and bottle times, but she feels free to disregard any habits she may have kept before. She used to stick to the feeding schedule and not nap so regularly, but lately she has been ignoring the bottle times as well. She sleeps through them more often. 

We also have special occasions that throw off the rhythm, like her grandparents' 40th wedding anniversary party or her baptism. 

So it seems quite relaxed and easy to be with Julie some days because she sleeps a lot or plays contentedly without me, and I can do whatever I want. Other days she wants attention all the time, cries because she is very tired but doesn't want to sleep, or giggles so much she almost chokes. Never predictable, but always adorable. Yes, I get quite sappy about her, and I'm not going to apologize for that. Definitely the best graduation present I could have asked for is living here in the Netherlands with Edo and Mireille and getting to be an important, regular part of Julie's life.

 First time eating solid food: carrots! Edo is a pro at feeding Julie thanks to his time as an au pair

 She likes to fall asleep cuddling my hand some days. It's so sweet that I hate to leave her room

Mireille is feeding Julie broccoli for her first time - yummy yummy

We go on walks, and sometimes Julie hides in the cave made by the sun/rain cover. I peek in on her.

The pair of us before her baptism after I had given her a bottle and we were waiting to go into the church

The Promise of a Lifetime

Today, my sweet little Julie was baptized. I definitely cried more than she did.

Edo and Mireille gave me the honor of carrying her into the sanctuary of Christus Triumfator, a Dutch Protestant church that Mireille goes to. I was supposed to walk very slowly because the center aisle is short. I think I did pretty well (thanks to my training as a flower girl at the age of 21, maybe? Angela, thanks for the opportunity to learn to walk in a dignified manner at your wedding!).

We sang some songs, the minister said some things, the parents responded. It was like a typical infant baptism that I've seen at my church many times except that in the Netherlands you also light a candle, and that's your baptism candle that you take with after the ceremony. But this baptism was anything but typical for me. I mean, I normally get a little emotional at baptisms (at any age) because to me they symbolize God's covenant. He promises that this person is his child, and he will not let go. The parents promise that they will raise the child to the best of their ability, and the church community promises to support them as well.

Seeing this happen with Julie was incredible for me. I felt awed and overwhelmed. I felt shame at my small expectations of God, forgetting that He is at work even when my heart doubts. I felt wonder at his love for Julie and all people. What a great God! What a great promise. His promise, one that will not go away. His words will not return empty.

I have loved and prayed for Julie's father, Edo, for as long as I can remember. And when Mireille became part of Edo's life, my heart included her with Edo. Then when news of Julie came, she was also added. I have prayed for this little one, loved her, hugged her. soothed her. She has been teaching me about living in contentment, learning how to trust that someone (Someone) will take care of me. To see this ceremony today was a part of an answer to my prayers and hopes and love.

I'm going to stop trying to describe it. It was, and is, incredible. Hallelujah.

I gave Julie a bottle before church, but we left the bib on as long as possible in case she decided not all of the milk would fit in her stomach...

Julie's dress was made out of extra material from Mireille's wedding dress - very cool

Edo and Mireille with Julie in the line for congratulations, with the minister behind

Julie looked so funny and cute in her dress tucked into the stroller

Mireille and Julie during some photos after everyone had left

Well, *that* was a whirlwind!

I finally feel like I have some room to breathe (unfortunately, breathing seems to be a bit more difficult as of today. I hope I'm not getting sick). It has been a busy month! I finished four classes with all of their projects and exams. Then I graduated. I'll explain the blur of events in pictures. That will probably be more interesting than all my prose anyway. :)

First we had an awards night at CanIL, the linguistics branch of the school. This is the group of graduates who are getting the same degree as me: Master's of Linguistics and Exegesis. Basically, language in general and Biblical interpretation. We had some seminary classes, but the majority was with the CanIL community in linguistics.

The following day, April 20, I participated in the official degree-granting ceremony with all of the graduates from ACTS, the seminary that authorizes my degree. I walked up with my hood over my arm (it's more like a sash that hangs down the back), received my diploma, then sat down to be "hooded" by two faculty members. It was pretty exciting to get the colorful sash. Hands down the best part of a master's degree, in my opinion. :)

 My parents and paternal grandparents came to Langley to celebrate and support me. We had a lovely few days together, and I was really glad that they came.

This dearie and I had to say goodbye to each other and we took a final picture with spring flowers to commemorate. We were always saying we didn't have enough pictures together. In the last six weeks of school, we remedied that problem. :) Danielle and I will see each other again, we're just not sure how or when.

 These wonderful people helped me pack up my room, get my stuff to all the appropriate locations, and bought me dinner - all on their last few days in BC. We took a picture in the front yard of the B&B where they stayed in Ft. Langley. Then I had to say goodbye to them, too.

I also said goodbye to the mountains as we drove through the final passes between BC and Alberta. Perhaps I'll miss them quite a lot, but it hasn't hit me yet.

In Alberta I first visited some aunts and uncles in Edmonton. They've been inviting me for a while, so I finally took them seriously. My first night there, we went to a junior league hockey game (one step down from NHL) and watched game 5 of a 7 game series between the Edmonton Oilkings and the Calgary Hitmen. Edmonton won - booya!

Then I spent a girls' day with my aunt. We visited, knitted, and re-potted tomato plants together. It was a fun day. :) She then took me south to meet up with my grandparents, and I spent a few days in Taber.

Before we went south, we stopped in the hospital and I got to hold my cousin's newborn baby! I stayed with her other two boys the night Ily was born. I think this is the youngest child I've ever held (32 hours old)

Besides hanging out with my grandparents and great-aunt and uncle in Taber, I also helped my uncle and aunt with their potato seeding. We had to sort potatoes so they were healthy and the proper side for the planter. It was great fun, the hours standing chatting with them while watching the potatoes go by on the conveyor belt.

Then I flew away across the big pond.

This was my face when I arrived in Amsterdam and saw Edo despite having a rough night on the plane. He bought me a coffee. :) Edo is like my older brother. He came to our family as an exchange student and we've kept close ever since. This summer I'm living with him, his wife, and their 4 month old daughter.

The view from my bedroom window in the Hague. It doesn't look so sunny and warm this week.

This is Julie, Edo and Mireille's daughter, whom I get to take care of until June when she'll go to daycare and I travel to France for a bit.

There's my life in pictures. More will follow but Julie is bored so we have to go play. :)