Family Time

Jude is only one week old and already has had so many visitors - including much of his extended family who were eager to meet him!



As Kurt's Aunt puts it, "Welcome to parenthood...and remember you are not an island but a tree in the thick, dense in places, but a nurturing place of growth, the forest of deWitt, touched by many other forests', Strikwerda for example, and the Nicolian forest...the list is endless...yet the rain always comes from above, a gift and the necessity and sustainer of all life.." Beautiful words to describe the world Jude has entered.



Here are just a few of the supportive family members who have turned up with lots of love and support:



Proud Pops Strikwerda


Beaming Bepps Strikwerda



Also Proud Gazendam Grandparents


Oh so proud Auntie Naomi


Getting tired from all this visiting, that's a lot of names and faces to learn!


Little tadpole fast asleep

Jude Andrew

It's a boy! At 5:45 am, Dec. 11th, weighing 9 lbs 3 oz Jude Andrew Strikwerda finally decided to arrive into this world (a little reluctantly as things got started around 9:00 am the day before!). He was totally worth the wait and Kurt and I are both in love with him.

Have patience, have patience

Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry.
When you get impatient,you only start to worry.







This little tune from one of my favourite childhood records, "Music Machine" has been echoing through my mind. I always sing this song to myself when I need to be pateint. I actually used to threaten my students that I would start singing it if they were being impatient (worked like a charm, it drove them nuts when I would sing it!). But this week I find myself humming this little tune quite a bit.



Sunday morning we went to the hospital to check up on the baby, and everything was great - too great in fact. The heart rate was great, activity wonderful, fluid levels perfect. No wonder my little jelly bean is being stubborn and staying put, I have no idea where it would get stubborness from...certainly not his/her mother! While I am happy that the little bean is all healthy, I really want to meet him/her. In the meantime I will keep playing Tom Petty "the waiting is the hardest part" - thanks for the live anthology Scott!

Overdue Blues

Okay, so I am not exactly blue yet, and only two days overdue. But...mentally I had only prepared up to this point, now I don't know what to do! So, I go in for a non stress test to make sure my little jelly bean is still happy in there (obviously, otherwise he/she would have begun to arrive, unfortunately absolutely nothing is happening in that department). And so I sit and wait, well more like walk a lot and wait...

Baby Shower for Kurt

Kurt's work had a surprise baby shower for him - so cute, the cake even had his name on it! They even gave us diapers, which the women said were for Kurt specifically, to make sure that he does his fair share of the diaper changing.

RollerCoaster November

November is turning out to be a rollercoaster of emotions. I had my "big birthday" and finished things at work (with a wonderful surprise goodbye party from my class).


Then, in the midst of saying goodbyes at work, I experienced the loss of Grandpa Bakker after a couragous battle with cancer. At the funeral, it was sad to think about the loss of Grandpa, however it is always amazing to be at the celebration of someone who has lived such a fulfilling life. To sing the songs, listen to scripture, and hear stories of Grandpa who was such a hardworking and loving man of faith was insipring. I watched Grandma who seems so brave and strong in the midst of her loss, and even as she is fighting her own battle with cancer, and am again inspired by her faith and strength. I will miss Grandpa and his everpresent grin, but I know that he is in the arms of the Lord.


Also this week, my brother Peter and Devon were engaged. I couldn't be more thrilled to have Devon become part of our family, and see my big brother get married, but again, what a roller coaster. And now with baby almost here, I am ready for the next dip and turn of the roller coaster.

30 - A Very Good Year

This weekend I celebrated my 30th birthday. I always thought that I would dread turning 30, but as it turns out 30 is pretty great! Here's why in no particular order:

1. You can have a party with friends and eat your favourite foods and play your favourite games.

2. You can have a lovely dinner with your lovely husband at your favourite thai restaurant.

3. You can gather with your extended family to play a rousing game of Killer Bunnies.

4. You get really cool presents like new toilets (Didn't you know that 30 is the year of porcelin? And no I am not kidding, I almost cried when Kurt gave them to me because I hate our current toilets with more hatred than is right for an inanimate object - you have to lift the lid and fix the chain every time you flush!)

5. And, soon to come in the year of 30 is my little sweet pea - three weeks to go!