Update

Wow - so much has gone on recently and we haven't even shared about it. Travis is finishing up school for the semester. He has his final on Wednesday and then he is done until the end of January when he begins again.

We were accepted by Southeastern's housing department and were given our first choice apartment next to campus! We so look forward to moving!

We took Caleb to the GI doctor last week and all is well with our little guy. The appointment went fine - he only fussed a little while the doctor was checking him over and Mommy didn't cry at all - a success.

Caleb is growing more and more each day. It made Mommy so sad because she had to bring out the 6 month clothes a couple of weeks ago! Our little boy is growing so big. He is loving to grab ahold of anything and everything - his toys, his clothes, Mommy's hair and jewelry. He is also able to roll from his back to tummy. He isn't quite there yet but I think he will be soon. Another thing he does that is soooo funny to watch is scoot himself over his Boppy when we place him on his tummy on top of it. He is so sweet.

We appreciate so much all of your continued prayers and hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.

And now for some pictures of our special guy.

Enjoy!

This is him in mid roll. I couldn't get to the camera any faster.

No, we are not torturing him. This is where he has scooted himself over his Boppy. And yes, that is a little bald spot on the back of his cute little head.

Can you tell we are proud parents?

This Week

Well the hispanic church anniversary celebration went very well! There were lots of people at the event Saturday night and again today! Saturday, I led the choir and the ladies seemed to enjoy themselves so very much. We celebrated with a wonderful lunch of Guatemalan tamales, Mexican pozole, and American cakes. Some of the ladies of the church made the tamales and pozole and I made the cakes. Their part was a lot more work than mine!

Caleb, of course, is still a joy and delight to our days. I heard that with some of you the Caleb videos were quite a hit, so I decided to include some more for your viewing pleasure.


Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Travis registered for a full load of classes this week on faith. We just can't wait to see how God is going to work in our lives!



Lots of love,

Travis, Danielle, and Caleb

Latest News

Dear sweet Caleb will be 12 weeks old tomorrow. Oh, what a blessing he is to us! He LOVES to talk and talk and talk and talk. It is so sweet and I love to have "conversations" with him.

Please pray for Caleb as he has an appointment with a GI doctor on December 3rd. At his last doctor's visit, his problem had still not cleared up and he was still experiencing the same symptoms so his doctor referred him to a specialist. Please pray for Caleb as he goes to this doctor's appointment. I don't know what it will entail but please pray that he will have peace and be comforted, that it will not be a traumatic experience for him or for his mommy.

In ministry news, Pastor Carlos, of the hispanic church at Brainerd, asked me to be the new "choir director" for the churches anniversary celebration - Yes, go ahead and pause to laugh a little before you continue. He would like to ladies of the church to sing a song at the celebration this Saturday and for some reason thought I would be a good person to teach it to them. I have been trying my best and they have been having lots of patience with me. I am sure they will do a great job on Saturday even though I am involved.

A praise - they have found a location to host the Saturday kids club! The kids club is scheduled to begin on January 8th. Sadly, we will not be here to help but we are with them in prayer and cannot wait to see what God is going to do through this ministry!

We are started to look toward packing some for our soon to come move. Registration for classes is November 19th and Travis is registering for a full load next semester with the faith that God is going to provide the means.

We both feel very strongly that seminary is where God is calling us for the present so that is where we are headed. The Lord knows our needs and has always provided in the past so why can we not trust Him now with our future?!

Please continue to pray for us - we feel your prayers and appreciate them so very much.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, some Caleb videos. . . .

Ten Weeks Old

Sweet Caleb is ten weeks old today! Wow - it is incredibly amazing how much he has grown and how much we have grown as parents to our son. At his 2 month check up, he was 11lbs 7oz and almost 23 1/2 inches long. I have had to bring out his "big boy" 3 - 6 month clothes and pack up the newborn things. It made me teary putting them in a box this week.

He is developing more and more of his own personality and loves to "talk" and smile at us all the time. I will sometimes hear him cooing and laughing in his bed when he wakes up in the morning or after a nap. If you are a parent, you know those are some of the sweetest sounds.

Oh, how my heart melts when he snuggles up to my chest and we rock together or when he kicks his legs in excitement and gives me one of his oh so sweet smiles. I never in a million years imagined that being a mommy would be this difficult, this emotionally draining, this tiring, or this wonderful. So many times at night, he begins to fall asleep in my arms and I think to myself - "Oh, I really should put him in the bed now." But then I remember that these times will get fewer and farer between, he will only grow bigger, and one day will be too big for me to snuggle like this. So, sometimes I put him to bed, but alot of times, I hold on a little longer, snuggle him a little closer, and enjoy it while I can. Often, with tears rolling down my face as I praise the Lord for my little boy. I imagine every parent feels this way. But in my own heart, I can't imagine anyone loves their child as much as I love my own. It makes me think of the Father's love for us. He loves us SO much - I can never imagine giving up my son for someone else's life. It makes me so much more grateful for His amazing gift of salvation.


Travis and I bought Caleb a "rainforest" mobile off Craigslist this week. This is THE new favorite thing. I literally think he could lay in his bed and watch that thing for hours. It only comes second to bathtime which he loves the most. He has become an active little guy. He loves to "play" as I like to call it which really means just watching things like his mobile or the lights on his play gym - Travis told me he was going to start telling me he was playing when he watches TV now if I say Caleb his playing by watching other things. But that IS how babies play, you know?


Please pray for Caleb this week as he has been having some tummy trouble and the doctor believes he may have a food allergy. Because of this, Mommy has been on a dairy free, soy free, egg free, and nut free diet for almost two weeks. Which means I can eat - NOTHING FUN. Pray for us both - Pray for Caleb that his tummy will feel better soon and that this will not turn out to be an allergy but just something small and pray for Mommy that she will hang in there on this crazy diet.


Also pray for Travis as he is continuing to work hard in school and in various jobs that he is doing. Pray for us as we continue to wait and see how God will provide the funds for us to attend seminary in January.


Please pray as well for the Hispanic ministry at Brainerd Baptist where we currently attend. Travis has been helping the hispanic pastor and they are working toward beginning a Saturday kids club in a hispanic neighborhood here. Pray that many doors would be opened in the community and lives would be changed because of this project. The biggest prayer for the project as well right now is that a location would be provided. They are currently still searching for somewhere to hold the kids club. We know God will provide in His time.



We appreciate so much your prayers!


Lots of love,
Travis, Danielle, and Caleb

And now, for pictures . . . .

Seriously, what heart could not melt at that sight??????

He loves to kick his legs up in the air and just hold them there. Sometimes, if I am standing across the room, I can see this little legs just popping out of the bed.

He LOVES bathtime. I usually get as much of a bath as he does and am wet as well by the time the process is done because he kicks his legs and waves his arms so much.

Oh, the amazing mobile . . . . .

It's a bird. . . it's a plane. . . nope, it's Super Caleb!

More pictures

Here are more pictures of our sweet boy who turns 8 weeks old on Friday! He is growing so big and is such a joy! He is smiling and cooing so much now and he loves to find and such on his thumb and his hand.

I realize that it is not anywhere near cold enough for a hat right now for him - especially for this hot natured child. I just thought he looked so darn cute I couldn't resist putting it on him for my own amusement.I had to show you the whole outfit - if you can' tell, the feet are monkey face's too.

I did not position his hand this way. This is totally something he just sometimes does on his own. It is like he is saying " Good grief, Mom. Enough with the pictures already!"

One afternoon, I came to get him up from his nap and he was just playing away laughing and talking to me. It was so sweet. I wish our camera was faster and could have captured more of his sweet smiles.

I really want my child's bedtime to be at 8:30 at night after his 8:00 feeding but he has other ideas. Every evening, at this time, I snuggle him and put him in the bed. He might lay there for 10 or 15 minutes, he may even fall asleep for 30 but then he starts crying - not just little whimpers or even normal baby cries but screaming like someone is trying to murder him. Then, he will not stop unless we get him out and then is happy as long as Mommy or Daddy is cuddling him. He really never does this at any other time of the day. It is quite strange. This is a picture of him right after such an episode - looks so innocent doesn't he? We say that it must be he just can't go to sleep without " TV time with Daddy."

Recent Caleb Pictures

As requested, here are some recent Caleb pictures. He turned 6 weeks old yesterday and continues to be such a joy to our lives!

More beautiful pictures of our beautiful boy

These are pictures back from when he was exactly a week old. My Aunt Kate took them for us and they turned out beautifully! It is so hard for me to believe he will be 6 weeks on Friday! I will post more current pictures soon!