The Dovecote

A Party in Heaven

2012-01-12T18:04:00.000-08:00

I remember that when I was about 5 years old I officially became a Christian. There wasn't anytime that I didn't believe in Jesus, but there was a specific moment when I said, "He's the one I want to be with." And there's been no serious wavering from that since then, so I've always believed that very young children can make a very serious commitment to Christ.

Even though I teach theology and am very involved in church, I've never actually been present at the moment that another person decided to become a Christian. I've had students tell me that they became a Christian while taking my class, which is wonderful, but I've never seen it happen with my own eyes. So it was particularly wonderful and amazing to have this happen to me for the first time with my own son.

Two days ago Z and I were reading his children's Bible. We've just been reading through it from the beginning, only starting a couple of weeks ago. He was very interested when we read about the Garden of Eden, and today we were reading several hard stories, like the sacrifice of Isaac (which I almost skipped), and then several stories about Jacob and Esau. But he was asking great questions and didn't want to stop reading.

Suddenly, in the middle of a story, he said, "Mama, do you know what this means?" and he bowed his head, touching his chin to his chest. I said, "No, what does it mean?" He said, "It's what you do when you pray." "Yes," I said, "we bow our heads to show Jesus that we respect and love him." He agreed and we kept reading. Then, just a few moments later he jumped up and said, "Mama, I want to tell Jesus that I love him and always want to obey him!" And he immediately stood up in the middle of the living room, bowed his head, and did exactly that. This was completely unprompted by me, and I realized that I was genuinely witnessing the miracle of a new creation. I gave him a big hug and said Jesus was so happy and loved him so much.

A little while later while I was making supper Z ran up and asked, "Can I go downstairs to pray?" I of course assured him that he could do that whenever he wanted, so down he went. And I must confess that I went into our room and turned on the baby monitor to hear what he said! And this is the prayer I heard: "Oh God, please help me to love you and trust you. Please come soon so we can see you. Please make the Garden of Eden and all the animals so we can live there. Please help me to always do what you say. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Amen and amen.

Imprecatory Prayer

2012-01-06T18:35:00.000-08:00

Over the last several months Z has learned the Lord's Prayer by heart, and we usually say it every night before bed. Often he asks a question related to the prayer, which is a good oportunity to discuss who God is and what he's doing. A couple of weeks ago Z asked "Who is the 'evil one'?" (We say, "Deliver us from the evil one.") So I did my best to explain about Satan, who used to be an angel but now hates God and fights against him and tries to get us to do the same thing. As you can imagine, Z was intrigued by this story and asked that I retell it several nights in a row. I always concluded by saying that Jesus is stronger than Satan and can protect us. A couple of nights ago he asked "Is Jesus going to kill Satan?" I told him that when Jesus comes back he will kill Satan (I decided not to get into the idea of eternal punishment), and that is one of the reason we hope Jesus comes back soon.

So tonight, after we said the Lord's Prayer, I told Z to pray to Jesus, and this is what he said:

"Dear Jesus, we hope that you come soon. We hope that you will help us to love and trust you. Thank you that you are stronger than Satan and that you fight against him. We hope that you will fight him and kill him. Please make him lie down on the ground and close his eyes and never get up again. Please make him be dead forever. Please do NOT raise him from the dead. We hope that you will throw him in water and he will never get out. Thank you Jesus. Amen."

And that's Z's verson of "Deliver us from the evil one." I like it.

Bath Time

2012-01-03T11:44:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2011

2012-01-02T10:58:00.001-08:00

We spent a very merry Christmas in both South Dakota and Kansas over the month of December. We kicked off the season with the second annual L4 (Lower Latitude Limo Lark). This tradition began last year when we won a limo ride in a local raffle. We invited some friends to come along and make the whole experience a defiance of winter. Everyone was required to dress is summery clothes; we met a Bracco and ordered fruity drinks, and then rode the limo around town looking at the Christmas lights and stopping at ColdStone for icecream. This year the tradition continued. Below you can see me, Jennifer and Nicole sitting in front of a roaring fire in our summer finery.

Here's Nathan in his summer duds. Once again, we had folks come up and quote Christmas Vacation, since Nathan looks so much like Cousin Eddie in this get-up.

Z and the Christmas tree. This was the first year he really participated in picking out the tree and decorating it, and he loved every minute of it!

On the way down to Kansas we had a detour to Des Moines and a hotel with an indoor water park. Turns out we have two waterbabies now!

Eden in a super-cute little swimsuit she got when she was born. Thanks, Hiigels!

Christmas in Kansas is never complete without the punching balloons.

Katy and Faith.

Me and Z.

Caleb and Ann put together a Christmas jeopardy game. No one got the final jeopardy question: Who was ruling in Judea when Mary, Joseph and Jesus returned to Nazareth?

The babies -- Faith and Eden.

Z in his new USF football jersey.

Theology FAIL

2011-12-16T22:07:00.001-08:00

Nathan reported the following conversation to me:

Z: Daddy, I'm feeling sad.
Nathan: Why, Z?
Z: I'm just thinking about Lu and how she died on the cross.

Huh??

A Little Bit of Z

2011-12-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

Z was Spiderman for Halloween and loved every minute of it. He's in the one in the middle, throwing his webs.

Here he is showing his sticky fingers after eating some of his candy.

A little time with Eden is always fun. (By the way, I learned today that there is an Eden, SD.)

Coloring is one of Z's favorite activities these days. He's very good at it!

We went for a hike at Palisades a couple of weeks ago. . .

. . . and Z found this old hollow tree.

And here he is showing off a new skill!

Happy Baby

2011-12-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

All About Eden

2011-11-17T07:14:00.001-08:00

It was just a year ago that we found out we were having a little girl. It wasn't the first time we'd seen Eden, but we saw her more clearly than we ever had before, even though it was only through sound waves. But now, a year later, we see her with our own eyes, face to face. Oh that we could see all the ones we love that way soon!

Cozy

2011-10-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

Z made a nest for Eden on the couch. I'm not sure she knew what to make of it, but it was a demonstration of brotherly love, especially evident since Z shared his stuffed animal Spot with her!

Sitting Up!

2011-10-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Wisdom of Superman

2011-10-22T17:35:00.001-07:00

I had the following conversations with Z today:

Z: Can I watch a superheroes movie on the computer?
Me: Yes, I think that would be ok.
Z: Ok, but just one episode.
Me (suprised): Really? Just one? Why?
Z: If I watch anymore it would ruin my appetite.

And later:

Z (looking at a picture): That man has brown skin.
Me: Yes, some people have brown skin and some have white skin and some have skin that's a color kind of in between.
Z: Yeah.
Me (this question may not have been well thought through): Which color skin do you like best?
Z: (no hesitation): Blue.

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday dear Yaya! We love you!!

The Apple Orchard

2011-10-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we went to the local apple orchard. It was a gorgeous day and everyone had a great time picking and eating the apples. After we got home we had so many apples I decided to cheat and use pre-made pie crust. It is the most wonderful thing in the grocery store! I can make a delicious apple pie in 15 minutes instead of 45, and the clean-up is half of what it is when I make my own crust.

Here are a few pictures of the day:

New Toys

2011-09-22T18:22:00.000-07:00

Lunch Conversations

2011-09-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

Last week I took the kids to the USF cafeteria for lunch. We sat with several other professors and I overheard this conversation between Z and Kirby (a former sociology professor):

Kirby: Do you like having a little sister?

Z: Yes.

Kirby: Do you help change diapers?

Z: No!

Kirby: Why not?

Z: They are too stinky!

Kirby: Are you stinky?

Z: No . . . but I make the biggest poops in the whole world.

The Hose

2011-09-09T17:52:00.001-07:00

The other night we were coming home from a friend's house and it was late. But Z desperately needed a bath. So, in order to try to get it done quickly, I told him he could take a shower instead. Now normally, he likes taking a shower, but for some reason this time he decided to insist on a bath. After a few minutes of negotiation, Nathan stepped in and said, "Z, you can either pick the shower or the hose." Without a moment's hesitation Z replied, "The hose!" Nathan's face was pretty funny -- clearly he'd just had his bluff called. But, true to his word, Nathan gave Z a hose down when we got home. A good time was had by all, and Z went to bed happy AND clean.

Life

2011-09-01T14:37:00.001-07:00

This is just a hodgepodge of pictures from the last month or so. I can hardly believe summer is over! I'm a little sad. Enjoy the pictures!

Eden hanging out with Daddy.

Nathan and me.

Z took this picture of me.

We made a shield for Z, which he decorated himself. He LOVES it.

Even warriors need their naps.

About a week ago we had a fire in the backyard and roasted marshmallows.

Ooey-gooey yumminess!

Z wanted to put out the fire in all his fireman gear.

He did an excellent job!

Is there anything sweeter than a sleeping baby?

She looks like an eggroll wearing ballet shoes.

There's a little smile!

I wanted a picture of her in these super cute overalls. They certainly make her eyes look blue (although now we think they're turning brown).

Z has learned to pedal his big wheel and loves riding it all over the USF campus.

Serious baby.

Z was very excited to have his apple juice in one of the special glasses.

Z riding the camel at the zoo. Last year he was a little too scared to try it, but this year it's one of his favorite zoo activities (as you can see!).

Z has his own garden in which he (we) planted cucumbers. This is just a small part of the harvest he is reaping now! It's the best cucumber results we've ever had!

Winter Thrills

2011-08-17T17:44:00.001-07:00

Today Z asked me when winter would start. I told him probably in about 3 months (if we're lucky). His response was great joy. My response to that: puzzlement. When I asked him why he wanted it to be winter he said, "Because then I can wear my new boots that Steven gave me!"

Apparently still thinking about winter when we got home from our walk, he asked to see his Spiderman coat. We both were thinking it would be too small this year, but when we put it on him, it still fit! Z was thrilled -- just one more reason to look forward to winter. I left him looking at himself in the mirror and went to get dinner. When I came back a few minutes later to call him to the table, he was still gazing lovingly at his reflection. I told him to come to supper and he said, "Just a minute, Mama. I'm trying to see if I look awesome."

Summer Vacation Part 2: Mexico

2011-08-15T20:36:00.001-07:00

After a week in Kansas, we went to Mexico to visit Lee and Cindy for just a little over a week. They live in a little village named Ajijic on Lake Chapala. Below are some pictures from our visit.

This is the street we stayed on.

Our little house had a very pretty little courtyard.

The inside was very comfortable.

Z looking out over the lake as we waited for our breakfast.

Eden looking startled about something.

Nathan and Z went for a hike with Grandpa. I think they're examining a dung beetle in this picture.

Z and Grandma.

Me and Cindy.

Nathan and Lee on a hike. The village is spread out below them.
(Yes, Nathan's shirt says "Buckbo.")

Z and Grandpa on the way down.

Z and Nathan.

Nathan and Z watching Airplane on TV. Z loved having a TV but could not figure out why we couldn't just fast forward over the ads. He kept saying, "Mama, I do not like these!"

Me and Eden.

Z on the lake. Unfortunately there was no swimming, but it was very beautiful.

We ate at what seemed to be a little hole in the wall restaurant, but once you got through the front door, it opened up into beautiful gardens with little tables scattered around. Z explored as we waited for our meal.

Nathan and Lee took a trip to Tequila and sampled its wares.

Z getting sunscreened up before swimming in the pool at Grandpa and Grandma's.

Fun times in the pool!

Grandpa and Grandma gave Z a birthday party since they wouldn't be able to be with him on his actual birthday. We had pizza and a tower of little fruit tarts. Delicious!

We also had a pinata. Of course. We were in Mexico, after all.

Looking for goodies.

Family portrait.

Eden's Stats

2011-08-08T11:39:00.000-07:00

Eden had her 4 month doctor's appointment today. Here's what we found out:

Head size: 42 centimeters (75th percentile)
Height: 25 and 1/4 inches (77th percentile)
Weight: 13 pounds 6 ounces (33rd percentile)

Photo Shoot

2011-07-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I decided to do a little photo shoot with Eden. Before she was born I bought her several very sweet little dresses, which she is now big enough to wear. Plus, she's very smiley these days. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to record on film my beautiful daughter and her cute little wardrobe.

Things didn't quite go as planned. In Eden's defense, it was very hot outside. (We were outside in an attempt to get some natural light.) Nonetheless, she was decidedly uncooperative.

First she refused to smile.

Then she stopped making eye contact.

Then she began gnawing on her fists. I don't know if she was trying to irritate her cameraman or was just feeling nervous.

And then it all went bad. The dress came up . . .

and the screaming started.

In the end she was just really ticked off.

Speaking of clothes we bought before she was born, here's the outfit Nathan purchased for her:

A close-up:

We both think this onesie is hilarious, but no one else does. They either don't get it or don't appreciate it . . . maybe both. All we've gotten so far are polite smiles and puzzled looks. I guess that's what happens when you're reformed and go to a pentacostal church.

Yeah, I can't get rid of this picture. Isn't that just like a crying baby?

Happy 4th!

2011-07-22T09:29:00.001-07:00

No, not the 4th of July, but Z's 4th birthday! Z turned 4 on July 15, and we had a birthday party with folks from church the next day. Here's the birthday boy telling us how old he is.

We had a pinata, so the kids are picking up the candy and squirreling it away in their bags.

Our good friends, Mitch and Jennifer:

Myself.

Z specifically requested cupcakes. (Thankfully last year's cake did not fool him into thinking that's what he would get every year!) He picked strawberry cake with strawberry icing.

Enjoying the cupcake:

Although I specifically told everyone they did not need to bring gifts, everyone still brought one, much to Z's happiness.

Our gift to Z was too big to wrap, so it was hidden in the basement under a quilt.

The joy of discovery!

Now he just needs to learn how to pedal!

And a video of the pinata:

Summer Vacation Part 1: Kansas

2011-07-14T11:22:00.001-07:00

We were gone on vacation for nearly three weeks during June. The first part of the trip was to Kansas to visit the Stegall clan. We stopped in Omaha for the night to make the trip a little easier and so we could go to the Omaha zoo. We had reserved a hotel room on-line that was supposed to be a suite. When we got there, they led us to what was actually a fairly small single room. After complaining, we were told the hotel had no suites at all, but they would upgrade us to a jacuzzi room. We decided to take the offer. The room was not the greatest, and Nathan and I were a little put out by the whole thing until Z prayed over our dinner. His prayer went something like this: "Thank you God for our room. Thank you that it has all sorts of cool things in it. Thank you that it has a TV. Thank you that I get my own bed. And thank you that it has a swimming pool in the room!"

Here are a few pics of the Omaha zoo. There's a three toed sloth behind Nathan and Z. (The fish picture at the top is also at the zoo.)

My parents' house in Kansas:

Z and Quentin having fun outside:

Caleb is now special counsel to the Kansas governor, so he works in the state capital and gave us a tour. Here we are outside at the top of the front steps:

Z is sitting in what used to be the chair belonging to the Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court. The room is no longer used for the court, though. We told him to point as if directing our eyes towards justice. Unfortunately, it looks more like he's doing a disco move.

Here's a larger look at the room. You can see Liz joined us for the morning, which was very nice.

This picture was taken in the room where the Kansas state senate meets. Z found this Jayhawk cutout on the desk of one of the senators. He came running up to me with it on his head and said, "Is this a king's crown?" Only in Kansas, Z, only in Kansas.

We also had a day at the Topeka zoo with many (but not all) of the cousins. This is Katy and Charis looking adorable in their pigtails.

The boy cousins getting in on the photo op. That's Quentin and Theo.

Katy and Uncle Micah:

A bunch of cousing -- Z, Charis, Grady, Theo and Quentin:

And there they are all in a row:

And finally Eden. Look at those big blue eyes!

I'm realizing we took very few pictures of the adults. We'll have to remedy that next time we see everyone!

"A Blue-Eyed Boy Meets a Brown-Eyed Girl"

2011-07-11T11:05:00.001-07:00

Just Pictures

2011-05-28T09:08:00.001-07:00

Moving Up!

2011-05-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

From this:

To this:

And from this:

to this:

Moving to bigger things sure makes them look small!

Happy Easter Memories

2011-04-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

Easter is our favorite holiday of the year! This year at church we heard a wonderful sermon on the resurrection of Christ as the single most important and unique moment in history, and then we came home and opened our Easter baskets. Nathan gave me a beautiful hanging flower basket, so once the weather warms up, we can hang it on the front porch. Then we had lunch with several friends, and Z had an Easter egg hunt! Since he was really the only little kid hunting, he found a zillion eggs! When the hunt was over he said, "Mama, that was the best Easter egg hunt ever!"

Easter

2011-04-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

The Scream

2011-04-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we all went to the Washington Pavilion. The Pavilion houses several art galleries, an Imax Theater, a science discovery center, and various theaters. It's a great place in Sioux Falls. After spending an hour or so in the Discovery Center, we moved over to the children's art room, which is a place where kids can do arts and crafts and other activities. In the room is a big replica of the painting "The Scream" with the mouth cut out. The kids are supposed to throw little bean bags at the painting and try to get them in the mouth. After watching Nathan do this for a few minutes, Z started working at it. Every time he threw a bean bag at the painting he'd scream "Eat it! Eat it!" Ah . . . art appreciation!

Pictures of Eden

2011-04-04T08:06:00.001-07:00

Eden Hitchcock arrived in the outside world on Friday, March 25 at 12:32 p.m. after a scheduled c-section. We checked into the hospital at 10:00 and were in the recovery room by 1:15. She weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and measured 20 and 1/2 inches. Below are some pictures of her first few days.

All ready for surgery.

I see a head! (Sorry if this it too graphic!)

For the last three years Nathan has been regretful of the fact that he did not take a good, hard look at the placenta when Z was born. So this time he took a picture to preserve the moment. Our doctor said it was the first time she'd ever seen a dad take a picture of the placenta.

Brand new.

Daddy cuts the cord!

7 pounds, 11 ounces.

Happy to be done so quickly and easily!

Yaya and new granddaughter.

Mommy and new daughter.

Big brother Z, who got nearly as many gifts as Eden did. Our friends are so thoughtful!

Wide awake.

Proud big brother.

At home with Daddy, happy to sleep.

I love this picture.

Z getting in on the feeding.

Getting used to a new family member.

Daddy and new daughter.

Eden's First Minute

2011-04-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

Introducing our little Eden!

Father and Son

2011-03-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Z began to notice that Nathan wore ties to work and soon requested some ties of his own. Nathan ordered a set of 4 ties for Z, and they came in the mail the other day. Z was very excited! His first official tie-wearing was to church last Sunday, and he and Nathan wore matching ties -- both decorated with sailboats. Z was so proud! Aren't they handsome?

Countdown

2011-03-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

On Friday the 25th Christina is scheduled to head to the hospital to get that baby out into the breathing world. Baby seat in car? Check. Bassinet? Check. Oodles of pink, girly dresses? Check. All we need is our little girl.

Stay posted.

New Videos

2011-02-17T14:21:00.000-08:00

Two new videos of Z. On the top he's taking a bath and singing a new song we did at church this week (which Nathan wrote). The chorus is "Sin doesn't have a hold on us / Sickness doesn't have a hold on us / Death doesn't have a hold on us / Only Jesus does." Z clearly doesn't have all the words down yet. The one of the bottom is of Z trying out the new stroller we bought. This particular stuffed dinosaur has been playing the role of baby for a few months now, which is funny because his name is Scar, and now Z calls him Baby Scar.

Z's Letters

2011-02-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

Z is learning his letters -- both identifying them and writing them. He's particularly interested in the letters in his name, so he's been working hard on those, as you can see from the pictures. The first picture is not related to the letters, but I was going through some hand-me-down clothes the other day and found this Spiderman shirt (from Quentin, I think). Z loves it, and wanted me to put it on the blog so all the cousins could see his new Spiderman shirt!

38 Years

2011-01-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

Go Jayhawks!

2011-01-11T07:59:00.001-08:00

Ever since we got back from Kansas, Z has been into "tatooing" himself with his magic markers. Since they're washable, it seems harmless enough. (I'm sure I'll regret those words when he comes home at 16 with a real tattoo!) This morning he asked for a Jayhawk tattoo. You can tell where and with whom he spent his vacation!

Although I am not the world's best tattoo artist, when I was done, Z looked at it in awe and said, "That is so cool!"

Christmas 2010

2011-01-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

We just got back from two weeks Christmas vacation! We spent the first 10 days in Kansas with all the Stegall clan, and then Nathan and I got a short but wonderful vacation of our own in Orlando!

The Kansas time was lots of fun, although very busy with seeing everyone. We got to go to Charis' 5th birthday party, we went swimming with all the little cousins, and we had a New Year's Eve party at Yaya and Papu's! We also saw Abe, who came from Houston, which was great since we haven't seen him in almost a year, and we saw Liz at Christmas and the December/January joint birthday party. Ann demonstrated their new WiiFit for me (and we both willingly made fools of ourselves in various ways -- hulahooping, obstacle coursing, etc), and Nathan helped Caleb and the older boys set traps for beavers. That was a little sad. Apparently the trap crunches their head and neck when they swim into it.

Below are pictures from Christmas Eve, which is when we did our big Stegall celebration:

Charis, Ethan, Quentin, Theo and Grady play Wits and Wagers at Yaya and Papu's house.

Papu and Caleb watch the present opening. Caleb is starting a new job on Monday as the General Council to the Kansas state governor. Apparently his office is the whole second floor of the west wing of the capital building. Pretty cool!

The coffee crowd -- Micah, Abe and Liz.

Each of the adults drew one kid's name and gave him or her a Christmas present. This is the sword Z got from Uncle Micah.

General mayhem.

On Christmas Eve night many people went to a Christmas Eve service, but the Hitchcocks stayed home and did more presents and stockings. Here is Z digging into his stocking.

And here he is with his favorite present of all -- Spectacular Spiderman! That grin didn't leave his face for the rest of the night!

He also got a pirate ship that came with a big rubber octopus -- a fitting bad guy for Spiderman.

A quiet moment with the boy.

Z watching a movie with Yaya.

And then Nathan and I went to Orlando for four nights while Mom and Dad and then Micah and Christie watched Z. Thanks to them, we had a great time, and Z had a great time, too! The first thing Z said when we came to pick him up (after being gone nearly 5 days) was, "I want to stay at Charis' house!"

We had a wonderful time in Orlando at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. Our goal was to simply relax and enjoy each other and a little sunshine. We did both beautifully.

We arrived on Saturday after what was for us a luxurious flight from KC to Orlando. Travelocity had switched around our travel plans a little, so when we complained we got upgraded to business class. We were very excited about this, and when we got on the plane Nathan asked the stewardess (what's the PC title?) what the perks were. She told him, with a queer look on her face. I explained, "It's our first time!" So after free chocolate milk and scotch (I'll let you guess who had what) and a comfortable ride in significantly larger seats, we reached Orlando and took a taxi to our hotel. It was lovely and lovely weather -- a balmy mid-70s. After looking around we ate dinner and walked the grounds.

Sunday we slept in (or at least I did), and then spent the whole morning by the pool. Ah, sunshine that you can actually feel! The temperature was in the low 80s! Then we ate lunch with some dear friends of ours who live in Orlando, which was such a treat. We also had some of the best pizza ever! Sunday evening we decided to dress up a little and eat at one of the fancier restaurants at the resort. We were a little confused by the requirement to wear "resort casual" and still don't know exactly what that means, but they let us in. In fact, we were the only ones in the restaurant and therefore received the royal treatment. Wine, appetizers, duck with fig sauce and osso buco made up our menu. Absolutely delicious.

Monday morning we went for a nature walk around the hotel grounds (there are 230 acres total) and saw blue heron, beavers, and many other water birds. Supposedly there is an alligator on site, but we never saw it. After our walk, we went to the driving range and wacked some balls for half an hour, which, in my opinion, is very cathartic. Forget golf, I'll just stick with the driving range. Monday afternoon was again spent by the pool and followed by another delicious dinner.

Tuesday we tried not to think about the fact that it was our last day and instead spent the morning in bed, finishing up the first season of Battlestar Gallactica. Then lunch and the spa! For my birthday Nathan had given me a professional massage to be booked at my convenience, so I had it at the resort spa. I've never been to a spa before and again, felt completely pampered. The spa was divided into a men's section and women's section. The women's was dimly lighted with quiet music. Beautifully tiled showers, hot tub, sauna and steam room were all accompanied by drinks and fruit, robes and slippers. And I got a wonderful 50 minute massage which actually made my hips feel better for the following 24 hours. I guess I need a massage every other day.

And on Wednesday we came home. We were very happy to see Z again and to see that he'd had such a good time while we were gone. Thanks again to Yaya and Aunt Christie for letting us take our vacation!!

Below are some pictures from Florida:

The entrance to the resort.

The restaurant where we dined alone Sunday evening.

There were three pools and two hottubs outside the hotel. All very nice. It turned out we were at the resort at exactly the right time because it was nearly empty. We had the pools as well as the restaurants to ourselves almost entirely. That is certainly my idea of a happy vacation!

The back of the hotel.

The happy couple. Yes, it was as warm as it looks.

Introducing . . .

2010-11-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

Baby Girl Hitchcock!!

We had our 20 week ultrasound today, and it's a girl! She looks very healthy and is growing well. We're excited and truly thankful. Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment. (Isn't it amazing what they can do?)

Announcing . . .

2010-11-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

Dr. Nathan Hitchcock!

Yes, Nathan successfully defended his dissertation this morning in Edinburgh Scotland. He received a 1A, which is the highest possible pass (pass with no revisions). The defense only lasted 75 minutes and his examiners were very complimentary. Both of them have encouraged him to get his dissertation published as soon as possible and have offered their help in opening publishing doors. Very exciting!!

Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement over the last three years. I always say that the only time you want to hear someone say that you've got something terminal is when you're awarded your terminal degree! The next person to go to school in the Hitchcock family will be Lazarus!

Halloween

2010-11-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

A Sampling of Z

2010-10-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

On Pregnancy:
Z: Mommy, there's a baby in my tummy! It's getting bigger and bigger.
Me: Oh, is it going to be Tubin's brother? (Tubin is a stuffed dinosaur who recently has been serving as Z's "baby")
Z: No! He'll be my brother!

On the resurrection:
Z and I are in the car, I'm listening to the song Death in his Grave
Z: That guy said "Jesus"!
Me: Yep, that's right. It's a song about how Jesus came alive again.
Z: Yeah, after the bad guys killed Jesus his Daddy made him alive again because he loves him.
Me: Exactly!
Z: Yeah, he just reached down and grabbed Jesus out of there and made him alive again.

On the return of Christ:
Z, singing in his bed during naptime:
"Jesus is coming back
After my nap
Because he loves us,
Jesus is coming back."

It seems pretty clear we're cultivating a little doctor of theology rather than a doctor of medicine. :-)

Happy Birthday, Yaya!

2010-10-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

Apple Picking

2010-09-25T20:16:00.001-07:00

Today we went apple picking at a local orchard. The day was beautiful -- blue sky, warm weather, and amazing apples! Z had a great time filling his own little bag with apples, and afterwards he had a ride on a little train. I wasn't sure if he'd still want to go when he realized he'd have to go by himself, and apparently he did have second thoughts before he resolved to go ahead, because the first thing he said after the ride was over was, "I was so brave, Mommy!" Yes you were! (It appears we've also discovered where St. Nick works during the off season.)

A Little Lime

2010-09-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

According to Babycenter.com, a 12 week old, in-utero baby is the size of a lime. So, that's how big our new little one is. Yes, we are having another baby! The due date is April 1. The first month after we found out I was pregnant was quite difficult, and we had lots of complications, but things seem to be all right now. We had our 12 week appointment this week and heard the heartbeat, so it seems everything is looking good and we're excited to be starting the second trimester. I've had some morning sickness (all day sickness, really), but it seems to be easing up now, which I'm thankful for. We told Z the news last night, but I'm not sure he totally understands what it all means. He will soon enough!

Make Way for Ducklings

2010-09-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

Z loves to read books! The other day we were walking around downtown and spent a few minutes in the toystore. Z had a great time looking at all the toys, but was happy to leave when it was time. A few doors down is the used bookstore. We popped in there, and Z immediately settled into a little chair in the children's section. Twenty minutes later he was not as docile as he'd been when we left the toy store! I don't want to say he threw a fit, but he definitely was not happy about leaving!

At home we read books every day, and I've been amazed to discover that he is basically memorizing the books as I read them to him. Then, when he's playing by himself, he "reads" the books to himself. Here is an excerpt of him reading Make Way for Ducklings, which is a family favorite. If you want to follow along, the video starts with Z reading on the page where Mr. and Mrs. Mallard stop in the Public Garden: "So down they flapped."

Goodbye to our Dear Friend

2010-08-13T14:38:00.001-07:00

Today we had to put our dear friend, Lu, to sleep. She got very sick very fast, and the vet said there weren't really any happy days left for her. She was a truly wonderful dog, and we'll miss her very, very much.

Stegall Family Vacation: Part 2

2010-07-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

We'll back up a bit for this post, and go to the beginning of the vacation. Nathan, Z, Lu and I took several days to get to Colorado, since we decided to drive through the Black Hills of South Dakota and spend a couple of days enjoying them.

Here's the backseat gang.

We drove the wildlife loop in Custer State Park and saw lots of fun animals, including "wild" donkeys. They really enjoyed Lu's dogfood.

Mother and baby.

We stopped several times in Custer just to get out and hike a little. So beautiful! These two aren't bad looking either!

Hiking. You can see Lu a little further up than Nathan and Z if you look closely.

This is the church in Jefferson, CO where we spent our Sunday morning. I think our family doubled the normal number of the attendees.

Cute little Katy.

Charis, Z and Grady watching a movie. I don't think Charis is asleep, we just caught her blinking (so like Yaya!). Z and Grady are obviously engrossed.

Here we are at the Continental Divide, about halfway between Breckinridge and our cabin.

The day we went to Breckinridge we stopped for gas and got Z his own bag of Cheetos as a treat. Once back in the car, as Nathan and I examined the map, I asked Z if he wanted me to open the bag for him. He said, "No, not until the car is going." He wanted to save the treat for the road!

There was a beautiful stream running right through Breckinridge, just inviting us to put our feet in.

Stegall Family Vacation: Part 1

2010-07-24T20:03:00.001-07:00

The entire Stegall family gathered near Jefferson, CO this month to enjoy a family vacation. My parents very graciously rented a cabin for us, and all 18 found spots within. This post features two highlights of the trip -- a hike around Jefferson Lake and Z's third birthday, on July 15.

Jefferson Lake. The internet site we found said the trail around it was "Easy." I think most of us would disagree with that. But, it was certainly beautiful, and we all made it all the way around.

Jake was a great help with the little kids. Here he is giving Z a ride.

On the trail -- Z, Grady, Charis and Christie.

Z enjoying the wild flowers.

Jake, Caleb, Simon and Ann.

Caleb, Charis, Mom and Ann taking a break. Everyone is wearing Dad's clothes, because the wind at the lake was very chilly, and no one had brought sweatshirts. Dad's suitcase was in the trunk of the car, so the troops broke it open and distributed what was within.

Z and I.

Nathan and Z on a snowbank. We took a different car than everyone else, so didn't know Dad's clothes were being handed out. We just suffered until the hike warmed us up. When Z saw the snow he started to cry and said, "I'm going to be chilly!" You can see from his face he's still not happy about it.

And the birthday -- 3 years old! He got a t-ball set, which he and all the kids LOVED!

Crazy Daddy at the birthday party. He looks like that demented clown everyone is scared to death of.

Opening the presents with the cousins gathered round.

In March, Aunt Christie offered to make Z's birthday cake, and Z looked forward to it for months! Here is is: a Vikings football helmet. The artist with her fans -- Grady, Charis and Z.

And a close-up. Isn't it wonderful? Z loved it!

Enjoying turning three!

Z Sings

2010-06-08T17:35:00.000-07:00

Lazarus sings Psalm 150:

Make Way for Ducklings!

2010-05-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

This morning Z and I were out in the backyard when we noticed a family of ducks in the yard right behind us! The ducklings were brand new and very tiny -- probably about ten of them. The mother was wildly running around the fenced in yard trying to find a way out. I have no idea how the whole family got in there in the first place. She wasn't a mallard -- she looked more like the duck in the picture above.

Anyway, after a couple of minutes of her running around and all ten of the babies running after her, she flew over the fence into our backyard. Then she was quite frantic, because the babies couldn't get over the fence and didn't know where she had gone. The peeping! The mother ran all over our yard quacking her head off. Z and I tried to show her where her babies were, but that just seemed to upset her more. Then, we noticed a cat in the other yard, stalking the babies. Oh no! Fortunately, just as it was about to pounce, the babies all ran right through the chain link fence into the other yard. The cat then turned his attention to the mother, who immediately led him on a wild goose (or duck, in this case) chase down the block.

The poor babies had now attracted the attention of some more of our neighbors, and Z and I had called Nathan over. Two of the babies got separated and came into our yard. Nathan caught one of them and I caught the other. By that time, the other babies had been reunited with their mother. We put one of the babies we'd caught in our little swimming pool. While it was swimming around I ran inside to get the camera, but just as I got back outside, it jumped out of the pool and went running off to find mother. So no pictures. But what an adventure -- wild kingdom in our backyard!

Mutual Education

2010-05-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

Z caught me (Nathan) urinating today, and, like most two year-olds, he decided to watch and contemplate the whole act. I figured it was as good a time as any for a teachable moment. Here was the conversation:

N: "Z, do you know why you go pee? Because your body needs to get the bad stuff out, and when you go pee, all the bad things in your body get into the water, and then you pee out the bad stuff with the water. That's why you go pee."

Z: [pause] "And then you get a treat."

Just a Picture

2010-05-13T18:06:00.001-07:00

New Z Videos

2010-05-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

Sharing an icecream cone with Lu:

Drumming with Josh Ritter:

"A Real Professor . . . Damnation!"

2010-05-06T18:25:00.000-07:00

I remember sending out an e-mail eight years ago with that same title, because I had finally received my doctorate. Well, I'm very happy to announce now that although Nathan hasn't quite finished his Ph.D. yet (although look for that post at the end of the summer!), he has received a full-time job as a professor! We are very, very excited and thankful! At this point it is a one-year contract, but Nathan will be working for Sioux Falls Seminary as an Assistant Professor, teaching three classes in the fall and three classes in the spring. These are three different classes each semester, so he'll have six preps (which, for you non-teachers out there, is a lot!). The first year or two of teaching can be pretty grueling, but I don't think anyone really minds because we're all so happy to be done with school and getting on with the wonderful job. So we are thanking God for this gift that allows us to stay in Sioux Falls and both be teaching full time.

(By the way, can anyone name the movie from which the title quote comes?)

A Month in Pictures

2010-05-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been way too long! As a result, I have a million pictures, all from the same month. During that time, the snow has melted, Nathan spent two weeks in Edinburgh, Z and I spent one week and Kansas, and we celebrated Easter! So, here we go!

A few weeks ago I was in the car with Z and asked, "How you doing?" He said, "I the man!" I turned around to see this:

Z enjoyed raking the snow as it was all melting away. Just about a week before this picture was taken, the snow in our backyard was about 2 feet high.

Z was in the bathtub one night and I heard him say, "Mama, I made the sun shine!" I came into the bathroom to find he had made this with his bath toys:

While Nathan was in Edinburgh, Z and I went to Kansas and stayed with Yaya and Papu for a week during my spring break. We spent one day at the Topeka Zoo with Papu, Uncle Micah, Aunt Christie, Grady, Charis, and Katy. It was a GORGEOUS day, especially for us sun and heat starved South Dakotans. What fun!

There's my beautiful boy.

Micah, Christie, et.al. with the gorilla.

Ditto for me and Z.

Inside the rain forest.

The iguana was sunning himself on the sidewalk. We even got to touch him!

Instead of Goldilocks and the three bears, this looks like the bear and the three goldilocks (ok, the two goldilocks and the one . . . darklocks?)

Z and Grady hanging out at the pond. About 2 minutes after I took this picture, Z fell in. Ah. . . the boy's life!

Nathan came home from Edinburgh and we very happily celebrated Easter. Here we are Sunday morning.

Opening Easter baskets! (or boxes)

Z got a Vikings balloon with his basket.

And a Veggie Tales coloring book . . .

which included a page of stickers!

We had Easter lunch with some friends, and concluded the day with a huge Easter egg hunt!

Here's the whole crowd. It was a very happy day.

Little Handyman

2010-03-09T16:59:00.000-08:00

Z loves to help out around the house, whether it's cooking or fixing things! He seems to be pantless in these videos, but that's not slowing him down!

Home Life

2010-03-05T18:15:00.001-08:00

This picture is not staged. Nathan is reading Forbes and Z is reading National Geographic.

And apparently he's contemplating buying a large, uncut diamond necklace.

These two are getting to be better friends. Here Z was watching a little t-bop (TV) and Lu decided to cuddle up next to him.

Recently Z has figured out that Nathan and I have names other than Daddy and Mama. So every once in a while he'll walk up to Nathan and say, "You Natan, Daddy?" When we ask him what his name is, he always says, "Lazarus" instead of Z. Maybe he thinks of Z like Daddy and Mama, and understands Lazarus as his official name.

Sunday Lunch

2010-02-28T11:44:00.001-08:00

Learning Letters

2010-01-21T18:26:00.000-08:00

Now if we could just get him potty-trained!

Christmas in Kansas

2010-01-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

We went down to Kansas for Christmas this year and spent a week seeing the Stegall family. We arrived in Kansas just in time for the big snow (and escaped Sioux Falls just before the big snow started)! It got so snowy and blowy that Micah and Christie and their kids and Liz joined us and Abe at Mom and Dad's house on Christmas Eve. It was a big Christmas slumber party! Everyone had a great time, many presents were opened, much delicious food was eaten, and Mom and I got to watch It's a Wonderful Life. Pretty good.

Papoo in the big chair with the grandkids and the dog (who thinks she's a grandkid).

Opening presents.

General Christmas hub-bub.

Examining the Christmas candy with great delight and anticipation!

Can you tell we're related?

Nathan and Simon led us all in singing Christmas carols.

What a cutie!

All tired out -- what a day!

You'd think it was Halloween!

Basketball Shoop

2009-12-21T22:37:00.000-08:00

Z was allowed to open one Christmas present today since it is way too big to take down to Kansas. At first he wasn't quite sure what was going on, but got into as soon as he realized what was in that big box! Here's a little video of his fun with the new "basketball shoop."

Liturgical Dance -- RP Style

2009-12-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

For those of you who might not recognize it, this is Psalm 100, Z's new favorite song. He requests "Joyful Noise" every day. I supply the noise and Z supplies the joy!

Little (and big) Drummer Boy

2009-12-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite picture from the Thanksgiving holiday.

For Papa John

2009-11-26T18:58:00.000-08:00

Speed Puzzling

2009-11-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

Amah (Nathan's mom) is here for Thanksgiving and we're all having a great time with her. She brought a couple of puzzles for Z who was intent on figuring them out. So he spent about 15 minutes working on one of them (putting it together, taking it apart, putting it together, taking it apart, etc). At the beginning of the 15 minutes he couldn't do it at all, and then at the end we got this video. Look at him go!

Halloween

2009-11-01T09:58:00.000-08:00

Last night was Z's first experience at trick-or-treating. He dressed up as a Scottish warrior, with a genuine Scottish kilt, although we decided at the last minute to forgo the blue war paint. Here he is in our living room brandishing his sword!

We went over to some friends for a light dinner, and then took Z and their son (who's the same age) trick-or-treating in their neighborhood. At first the boys weren't quite sure what was going on, but by the third or fourth house you could see a dawning understanding that if they knocked on the door, people would appear and give them candy. Wow! By the fifth house they were totally into it -- running up to every door, saying "Trick-or-Treat" and then getting to pick out a piece of candy. They were also very polite about saying "Thank-you" which was a big hit with everyone. We were pulling them around the neighborhood in a little wagon, and each time they got in the wagon they would yell at the top of their lungs, "Bye-bye!" and then "More candy!!!" And they did indeed get more candy. In the pictures above, Z's bag is pretty full!

Afterwards we came home and Z got ready for bed and then got to see the jack-o-lantern that Nathan had carved that afternoon. He was quite enthralled by it. Overall, I'd say Z had a great Halloween, and we did too!

Big A, little a . . .

2009-10-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we got Dr. Seuss' alphabet book, which Z really liked right away. So, we're starting to actively learn the letters, just beginning two nights ago with the letter A. He has a sign with "A a" on it, and then he learns a short Bible verse to go with it. (I got this great idea from my sister-in-law Christie). The verse for A is "Abraham believed God" (Gen. 15:6). The second day after the letter was put on the wall, he greeted me in the morning by pointing to it and saying, "A, Mama!" And tonight he said his Bible verse all by himself. Wow!

Potty Training

2009-08-19T21:24:00.001-07:00

We've started potty training. It's pretty laid back right now, but in the last few days he's started to get the hang of it. Here's a video from the second day. At least he's learning something!! :-)

Men's Studies and Calvin Stuff

2009-08-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hi. Nathan here.

Some of you have been asking if I'm still doing work on men's studies. Yep. You can click here to read an article featured in an online magazine last month. If you've been to a Promise Keepers rally or read John Eldredge's Wild at Heart, or if you're guy and ever felt emasculated by going to church, the essay should shed some light.

Moreover, I'm still active in the Presbyterian/Reformed/Calvinist camp, and helping to pull together an exciting conference this October called Calvin and Current Calvinisms. Check it out here - and do attend if you can!

Birthday Boy

2009-07-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

A few new videos of the boy. Enjoy!

Two!

2009-07-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

Z is turning 2 tomorrow. We actually went into the hospital on the morning on the 14th, but no arrival until the 15th. That was then . . .

This is now . . .

Kansas

2009-07-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

Before and after our trip to California, we spent a few days in Kansas. On the way home, we stayed with Micah and Christie and their kids, and everyone had a great time!

Grady enjoying "Police Camp".

Charis and Z rough-housing and having a fine old time.

Baby Katy taking it easy.

Christie and Christina making homemade tortillas. Yes, we are looking good!

Micah was working at Police Camp and invited us all to come see a Chinook helicopter.

Inside the helicopter. It was a little warm.

Z tackling Grady while we waited for the helicopter to take off.

Charis and Z. Again, more balls.

California

2009-07-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

Last week we got back from almost a two week vacation to California to see all of Nathan's family. Below are pictures in no particular order.

Granpa and Uncle Jeremy relaxing at the park.

The kids loved Uncle Derek's ability to make funny faces!

Z, as usual, loved the balls.

This was a common pose for Evie -- waiting patiently for Z to decide to throw the ball to her.

Grandma with baby Libby.

Aunt Ann with baby Libby.

Papa John (great-grandfather) with baby Libby.

Amah, Z and Nathan on a hike. Z loved climbing that tree!

A gorgeous day at the beach!

At first Z was pretty scared of the sand and waves, but very soon found out how fun the sand was. The waves were still pretty scary.

Z and Evie loved the Mr. Potato Head. Amah did an HILARIOUS skit with him that Evie made her repeat about 10 times. It got funnier every time.

Libby in her car seat -- just hanging out.

Uncle Jeremy and Amah.

The cousins at play.

The Bull

2009-06-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

Wedding Weekend

2009-06-01T18:45:00.001-07:00

This weekend we had two weddings to go to. Friday night was a friend from church. Nathan and Z went to that wedding, while I went to the rehearsal for our Saturday wedding. Then Nathan and Z joined me at the rehearsal dinner, and then all three of us went back to the reception of the wedding. On Saturday, we got a babysitter for Z and Nathan and I had a great time at the wedding and the reception and dance afterwards. Below are a few pictures from the weekend.

Little Builder

2009-04-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

The other day I was folding laundry in my bedroom when Z came running in and began pulling at my jeans and pointing to the other room. I dutifully followed him out into the dining room where he proudly showed me this wonder of architectural design. He'd made a tower out of all his sippy cups! Look at that happy little face!

Diagnosis

2009-04-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

I made an important discovery tonight for the Stegall clan. Nathan asked me this question while we were playing Trivial Pursuit: "What do sufferers of Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst Syndrome do when exposed to bright light?" The answer: sneeze. So there you have it, Stegalls -- a diagnosis.

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

Nathan and I have always thought that Easter is the climax of the Christian calendar, and so we've wanted to have a big celebration to mark the day. This year, we're finally going to do it. After talking with some friends, we've organized a big Easter bash which will include a lavish Mediterannean feast (roast lamb, mousaka, hummous, baklava and much more!), a small gift exchange, an Easter egg hunt for the kids, and an Easter liturgy. I put together the liturgy this afternoon and thought some of you might enjoy it or be able to make use of it. Here it is:

Before the meal

Leader: He is risen!
People: He is risen indeed!

Leader:

The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous;

People:

The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

Leader:

I shall not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord. The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open the gates of righteousness.

People:

I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord; the righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to Thee, for Thou hast answered me; and Thou has become my salvation.

Leader:

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

People:

This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

All:

This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! [Psalm 118:15-24]

Prayer and meal.

Before dessert

Reading: Matthew 28:1-9

Easter Hymn: “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” (by Charles Wesley)

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!

Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!

Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!

Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to you by both be given; Alleluia!
Risen Christ, triumphant now; Alleluia!
Every knee to you shall bow. Alleluia!

After dessert

Leader:
And Jesus said to them: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” [Acts 1:8]

Leader:
And this is the gospel to which we are witnesses: That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at his coming, then comes the end, when he delivers up the kingdom to God the Father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. [I Corinthians 15:3-4; 22-26]

People:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Leader:
Then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
[I Corinthians 15:54-57]

People:
Thanks be to God!

Easter Psalm: Psalm 110 – sing to the tune of ____ (If you're a psalm-singer, just use the tune in the psalter!)

Jehovah to my Lord has said, “Sit Thou at My right hand
Until I make Thy foes a stool whereon Thy feet may stand.”
Jehovah shall from Zion send the scepter of Thy power.
In battle with Thine enemies be Thou the conqueror.

A willing people in Thy day of power shall come to Thee
Thy youth arrayed in holiness like morning dew shall be.
Jehovah swore and from his oath He never will depart:
“Of th’order of Melchizedek a priest Thou ever art.”

The Lord at Thy right hand shall smite earth’s rulers in his wrath.
Among the nations He shall judge; the slain shall fill His path.
In many lands He’ll overthrow their kings with ruin dread;
And, marching, he’ll drink from the brook and so lift up his head.

Leader:
The risen Lord is coming soon. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he shall dwell among them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be among them, and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying or pain; the first things have passed away.”

People:
And he who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Leader:
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star.” And the Spirit and the bride say,

People:
“Come!”

Leader:
And let the one who hears say,

People:
“Come!”

Leader:
And let the one who is thirsty come, let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.”

People:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! [Revelation 21-22]

Henry Doorly Zoo

2009-04-11T07:12:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, during spring break, we had the chance to go to Omaha to visit the world-renowned Henry Doorly Zoo. We drove down Monday morning and spent Monday afternoon walking around the Old Market District. In this shop, you can see Z really enjoys all the soft animal furs!

Here's Z in our hotel room, tossing around his ball. We had huge storms that night, including tornadoes. When we asked the woman working at the hotel desk what the procedure was when the tornado siren went off (which is what they were doing), she said, "I don't know." Very helpful and well trained.

And here we are at the zoo. We headed for the aquarium first, which is wonderful! It includes a glass tunnel that goes through the aquarium, so there are fish on three sides. Z loved it! He walked into the tunnel area, took one look around, and started running in circles waving his arms. Then he flopped on the floor, laid on his back, and took in the view.

Z also really enjoyed the goats at the petting zoo. This one seemed to like Z back.

Here we are in the desert dome. Z clearly liked the big open spaces, since the running in circles began again, although he didn't flop on his back this time.

The meerkats in the desert dome.

And here we are in the jungle.

Z seemed to think it was a little loud, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Nathan was wanting to see a sloth, and we finally found one. He's in the tree in the background -- kind of hard to see.

What in the World Is Nathan Studying?

2009-03-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, at first glance it seems like my PhD program is something totally foreign and obscure. But that's really not the case, exactly. All I'm doing is spending three years researching and writing a book about God. If it weren't for the fact that God isn't all that simple, and that the UK graduate studies system is convoluted, I'd say it's as simple as that.

My topic is this. I'm looking at the Christian hope - the afterlife if you will - what the Apostles Creed calls "the resurrection of the flesh." The Bible teaches (and the early Church upheld) that God will raise our bodies, and that for the believer in Jesus Christ this is the best thing possible, because in our glorified flesh we get to live with God forever in a renewed creation. This whole business of dying and going to heaven is no more than a footnote to the Christian hope, I believe. The future for the redeemed is much more worldly, bodily and lively than that. Our life in eternity will look an awful lot like this earthly life, minus sin and death. It will be like the garden of Eden, you might say, but this time God walks with us because, well, He, Jesus Christ, will be living in our skin.

Anyway, I'm approaching this doctrine as formulated by Karl Barth, widely believed to be the most important theologian in the 20th century. He wrote tens of thousands of pages of material, including a fourteen volume set of Christian theology called Church Dogmatics. Yes, that's a lot of reading. What makes it trickier is that I'm researching the general resurrection (the resurrection of all people), which Barth never wrote about directly because he died before getting around to writing his eschatology section of Church Dogmatics. Nevertheless, he wrote enough about the topic for me to extract and form into a thesis. And since my degree is in "systematic" theology, I'm showing how all of his other doctrinal and philosophical commitments end up coloring his doctrine of the resurrection of the flesh, and how the resurrection plays a key role in his whole theological system.

Karl Barth does a lot of cool things with Jesus' resurrection. He makes it very central to his whole enterprise by seeing it as the very epicenter of the way God reveals Himself, way back when at the first Easter, and to this day. The problem is that Barth ends up with a lot of baggage by equating resurrection and "revelation" too much. In the end his vision of the Christian afterlife, the resurrection of the flesh, ends up looking pretty otherworldly. I'm trying to figure out why this is the case. In the meantime I want to find out why so many Christians, even Reformed Christians, tend to deny or neglect their own resurrection in favor of a future centered around legal pardon and a disembodied eternity in the presence of God (read: justification and going-to-heaven). Aren't we missing out on the very hope God has for us - a hope irreducibly bodily, earthly, and concrete?

Practically what this requires of me are long days of reading, thinking and writing. I spend a lot of time in the library. I am wed to my laptop some days. By God's grace I have been able to do much of my research from Sioux Falls, though I go over to Edinburgh regularly for meetings with my advisors and certain conferences. There aren't any classes I have to take. It's just me, my advisors, and a lot of Karl. But come the end of summer 2010 I should be done with my thesis, amounting to a 300-page paper.

The reward? A single piece of paper telling me I'm a doctor. The greater reward? Getting hired at a university or seminary on that basis. The greatest reward? Getting the opportunity to think and talk about God for a living, the God who not only became flesh to save us, but the God who even now (!) lives in the flesh, and will raise ours to everlasting life.

Laundry

2009-03-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

Morning Routine

2009-02-01T06:24:00.000-08:00

Lazarus is busy. Recently he wakes up around 6:30am and immediately needs to get going on his long, long list of things to do.

During my morning coffee I secretly caught him on film.

Those pearly whites

2009-01-27T16:02:00.001-08:00

Z loves to brush his teeth and I'm absolutely certain that he just said "toothbrush."

Distance Makes the Heart Hurt

2009-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

I (Nathan) have been away from Christina and Z for two weeks, going over important matters here in Edinburgh. Things have gone according to plan and better, but all I can think about is getting back home.

Obvious reason #1, I have the best wife and son a man could ask for. I miss them like crazy. I torture myself by recalling all these idyllic moments we've had, usually frolicking in Sioux Falls:

Reason #2 for my eagerness to get home is that Christina tells me she could use a little more hands-on help with the little guy. Here's the reality of the matter:

Hang on, ya'll! Daddy's on the way!

Christmas Tree

2008-12-21T14:56:00.001-08:00

Mr. Cool, having his morning milk and diaper change.

Our tree -- the presents are piling up!

End of the semester

2008-12-12T12:43:00.000-08:00

Today was the end of the semester for me. At least as far as teaching goes. We still have finals left next week and I still have stacks of grading to do, but the end is in sight! It's been a pretty good first semester back from sabbatical. Z seems to have adjusted well to the change in schedule, and it is nice to have a job you love!

In other news, we got our Christmas tree last night. This is Z's first tree. So far, he hasn't broken any ornaments.

And a few more pictures of the boy:

All bundled up to go for a walk!

Z likes to play with my headbands. He's got one tucked under his arm there.

And now it's on his head!

Z Walks

2008-11-30T15:55:00.000-08:00

Catching Up

2008-11-30T15:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, it's been awhile. So this is just a quick update of what we've been doing.

The first weekend of November we went to the American Academy of Religion Conference in Chicago. I gave a paper in one of the sessions of the Bonhoeffer Society, which turned out to be kind of fun. We took Z with us, which we've decided won't work in the future. Toddlers and academic conferences don't mix.

In mid-November I met my friend Anne in Mankato, MN. We just spent the evening and the next morning catching up and having fun together. After Anne left to go back home, I went to visit the Betsy-Tacy Society. If you haven't read the Betsy-Tacy books, you should! Or if you have a daughter around 4-5 years old or older, you should give them to her for Christmas. The last six are newly back in print, so grab them while you can! They're written by Maud Hart Lovelace, who grew up in Mankato right across the street from her best friend. She fictionalized her own childhood and the town of Mankato in the Betsy-Tacy books. So I went to see her childhood home and the home of her best friend (you can see them in the pictures above), and the bench where they had their picnic suppers.

Then this past weekend we've had multiple Thanksgiving suppers. On Thursday early afternoon we went had Thanksgiving with two of my colleagues and their families -- a very good time was had by all. Then Thursday late afternoon/evening we had supper with two other USF families and again, had a very good time. And last night we had yet another supper with friends from church. Needless to say, we've probably all eaten enough.

Something's Wrong with Wisconsin

2008-10-21T19:15:00.001-07:00

So Christina and I (Nathan) went to Green Lake, Wisconsin a couple weeks back. Christina made two presentations at a Christian conference on understanding Christianity in contrast to the world religions, each quite sophisticated yet accessible.

The northwoods area was quite beautiful in autumn. We also ate our fill of cheese and various delectables. But - and we hate to say it - is there something kind of odd about this state?

New Blog

2008-09-25T09:21:00.001-07:00

OK, we're finally up and blogging again. I'll kick off with a post on Z. He took his first two steps today -- very impressive! I imagine it won't be long before he's running all over the place. And, for a little amusement, check out this video of Z having his first taste of Diet Coke.