Three Becomes Four

I am pleased to announce that we are expecting baby #2! We are super excited and are doing our best to prepare Evan to be a big brother. We've been talking about the baby growing in Mommy's belly, but all that's seemed to have done is to make him more curious about belly-buttons. Oh well, all in due time!

The due date is March 7th, so I am 13 weeks pregnant. We will definitely find out whether it's a boy or a girl and post it once we know! We are very thankful that the Lord has blessed us again with another child, and can't wait to meet him or her!

(P.S. This also explains my lack of postings the last month and a half. Now, instead of getting things done during Evan's naptime, I, too, am taking a nap!)

Winding Down & Starting Up

Since 1986, my life has followed a pretty distinct schedule: August through May, school; June & July, time to play! From Kindergarten, to college, to my teaching career, I have quite enjoyed this routine. Well, it seems that ministry follows this pattern, too, except, come to find, youth ministry is the busiest in the summer because of all the free time the youth have to simply hang out and have fun (oh, the days of old!).

So as we near the end of summer (ignore the fact that it's over 100 degrees and summer is technically not even close to leaving!), things are winding down. The insanely busy youth schedule is slowing to make time for them to go back to school. Ryan and I have also been co-teaching the high school youth Sunday school class, which has been a theology course based on Knowing God by J.I.Packer. It's been an awesome study, and we'll be finished with it this month. We are also done traveling until the holidays, having just come back from a great trip to Atlanta to see family and friends.

While on one hand things seem to be slowing, other things are kicking back into full gear. Ryan is preparing for the upcoming school year by plotting out his teaching series and making the youth's fall schedule. I am busy preparing to coordinate Redeemer's after school tutoring program for neighborhood kids beginning in September. I'm also excited to announce that I will be teaching preschool two mornings a week at Covenant Presbyterian Preschool! This position is a great way for me to meet some new folks, teach a little, and make some extra money. Evan will be with Ryan one of the days, and one of my new friends here agreed to keep Evan for me on the other day. Teaching preschoolers is definitely going to be different than third graders, but I welcome the challenge!

Here's some photos from our trip back home!

The boys and their black trucks:


Ryan and our niece Lydia:


Evan and Lydia hanging out:

A Toddler is Like a Box of Chocolates

Lately in the Dean home, it's been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. I expected this to happen, but not quite so soon. I've heard the twos are doozies for some kids, others, the threes. I guess Evan decided to practice his emotional outburts during his pre-twos months. He is now 19 1/2 months old, and I'm not at all implying that every day he's upset or throwing tantrums. In fact, many days he's a perfect angel (in toddler form of course). The truth is, you just don't know what you're going to find when you go to get him up from the crib: a beaming smile, or a cranky scowl. But be assured, each expression is a sign of the morning or afternoon to come. At least he gives us fair warning, right?

My mom can attest to this new development in Evan's life. We just spent a wonderful week together as she was visiting us while Ryan was out of town for the youth's summer camp. It was absolutely fabulous to have her company. We had some fun Grammie bonding during the day, and girl time once Evan was asleep (hello, girlie movies!). We've been working on Evan saying Grammie's given name, but so far, "Mammie" is what we get : ). Below are some pics of Evan & Grammie time.

When Life Gives You Lemonade

Ever have one of those moments where you want to pinch yourself to see if something's really happening to you? I did just yesterday. I was sitting on a park bench, Ryan's arm around my shoulders, watching Evan play in some water fountains during the cool of the evening, when it hit me. My life is pretty darn good. God has blessed me with a wonderful marriage, a happy, healthy son, and brought us to Jackson to serve Him in a vibrant church we have come to love.

That's not to say that life doesn't have its daily challenges. In fact, there have been times over the past several months where I've fought hard against some sour lemons--homesickness, loneliness, self-pity, etc. But God in His wisdom led the Mom's weekly Bible study I attend to do an awesome five month study on contentment. It could not have come at a better time for me. Now when I feel the pull to become discontent (which can come upon me at a moment's notice!), I just remind myself of Paul's words:

"...for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:11-13

I desire to learn to live like Paul did, enjoying the good and enduring the bad that life brings, trusting that God is in control of it all. For now, that means I get to thankfully enjoy some tasty lemonade.

Whew! What a week!

Since arriving back from our vacation to Florida, the Dean family has been in full swing. First off, we had the youth "Summer Kick Off/Cook Out/Pool Party" as Ryan so cleverly named it. Turns out Evan is now convinced he can swim like the big kids and finds his float a bit embarrassing (this results in mommy trying to wrestle with him in the water to stay afloat-quite exhausting!).

The next day Ryan's mom, sister Holly, and nephew Kyle arrived for a long weekend. We had a lot of fun taking them to see the sights of Jackson while keeping the boys entertained with swimming, playing at the park, and splashing in the fountains at the Renaissance (an upscale shopping center). We even fed the ducks at the local fave restaurant Cock of the Walk on the Reservoir. Perhaps the coolest thing was that Kyle got to see the hospital in Jackson where he was born (see pic below). Just four years ago, Holly and her husband David made the journey out here on Easter Sunday to adopt him. He's been a part of our family ever since. Funny how Ryan and I ended up living here! God works in mysterious ways. It was a blast getting to spend the weekend with them!


Monday evening kicked off our week of VBS at Redeemer. Ryan helped lead the assembly music, and of course, the kids loved him. I taught the 3rd grade class (shock-shock!) and totally enjoyed my sweet & sassy group of girls & boys. The gospel was shared, and I pray that it'll take root in their lives.

And now it's on to the weekend and gearing up for next week: the Youth's Local Missions Week. It's a busy life, but we love it!

Operation Beach = Success!

We have returned from our vacation to Cocoa Beach refreshed, slightly tanned, and relieved that Evan actually enjoyed the sand & surf. It wasn't quite love at first sight, in fact, you might even say he played a little hard to get. Here's how the affair unfolded:

Day 1: Hung out by the water bucket, watering the sand and sanding the water, then watering the sand and sanding the water again...you get the picture.

Day 2: Walked to the edge of the ocean. Screamed in fright as the cold water hit his toes, gradually started to smile after a few encounters with this mysterious "wave".

Day 3: Holding Daddy's hand, ventured out into the ocean about knee deep, decided "This is pretty cool."

Day 4: Begged to be taken out into the ocean by Daddy, Poppy, and Uncle Matt, whoever was closest.

Day 5: Unabashedly in love with the ocean (and perhaps a little too fearlessly).


(This is Evan with his Grammie and Poppy)

3-2-1-BEACH!

The countdown is officially on. In just three more days, Ryan, Evan, & I will be boarding a plane to fly directly from Jackson to Orlando, where my folks will pick us up and drive us to Cocoa Beach. My sister and her husband will be meeting us a few days later. Ahhh..I can just about smell the salt water and feel the ocean's breeze. I must admit, I am a little nervous about flying with an 18 month old, but I've sought lots of advice from mommies who have done this before, so we should be okay. I've even borrowed some airport "musts"--car seat carrier, car seat cover (in case we end up checking it), umbrella stroller--and stocked up on new toys and treats. I figure an hour & 45 minutes in the air can't be that bad (at least I'm optimistic!). Truthfully, Evan's a pretty chill kid, so I'm hoping that helps.

Perhaps what I'm most nervous about is Evan actually liking the beach this year. The photos below are his first encounters with the beach and pool when he was about 7 months old. He wasn't too fond of the sand, the hot sun, or the cool water. Because of last year's results, we've been "practicing" for the beach (he has unfortunately inherited his mommy's lack of spontaneity). We've put on his beach shoes to practice walking in them, visited the local sand box at the park, and played in his tiny inflatable pool, which we plan to take to the beach. I promise I'll report the results of the flight and beach after we return!