Owen Michael

Look who came to visit me last night!!  :)

This is me with my cousin Mark and his wife Lauren's little baby Owen.  

Owen Michael Burkey is 10 weeks old!

He he!!  Look at that face he's making for Ryan!  :)

Mark and Ryan were trying to get him to smile...

Awe, there he goes!
Ryan's so cute.  :)  I think he'll make a good Dad... don't you?  ;)

Here's me and the little guy!

I was holding him weird.  ??  Don't know what I was thinking.  He's a squirmy little dude.  :)  And he arches his back.  It's funny.  Oh... and his tummy was rumbling.  :)

He smiled every time right BEFORE Ryan snapped the picture.

I promise I wasn't choking him!

Ok... so this is "The Swaddle" technique.  I guess Owen won't sleep unless he's all swaddled up.  :)  And!  Apparently Mommy can get swaddled too!!  Check this out!  :)

So here's Mark starting to swaddle him...

Look he's almost done...

Oh no!!  Owen got out!  Mark thinks he's out-growing his blanket!

It was a whole family affair... Lauren had to help Mark with the folding...

And here we go again...

Done!!  Look at that cute little swaddled bundle!!

They're so cute!!  :)

I'm so glad they stopped by on their way home for Memorial Day!  And my fingers are crossed that they'll stop again on the way back to Nashville Monday!

update on the bluejay family...

Can you find the nest?

Over the past several weeks, I have been fascinated by the changes taking place right outside my window... in Mr. and Mrs. Bluejay's nest!  :)  Daily I peek out and see Mom and Dad right there... sometimes just one of them, sometimes both of them.  The eggs hatched about three weeks ago, I think May the 1st.  You could tell because Mr. and Mrs. Bluejay don't stay in the nest any longer... but they frequently come back with their chins stuffed with food.  :)  It's neat to listen to the little birdies chirping.  I keep trying to get some good pictures of them... but it's really difficult as I'm taking the shots through my window and the tree branches often block a good shot... even though it's easy to see the birds.  Yesterday when I got home from school, I looked out the kitchen window and the little guys were STANDING on the side of the nest flapping their wings... as if they were about to jump out!  I grabbed my camera, a blanket, and my computer (so I could download the pictures as I took WAY too many!) and layed on the floor in my bathroom as the window there gives you a better view of the nest.  I was rather freaked out for the babies... a big cat was sitting at the bottom of the tree!  But they never did jump.  Today, when I came home for my lunch break... the nest was empty!!  There was no movement coming from it... and I could hear the little birdys but I couldn't see them anywhere.  Dad and Mom were flying around... at one point I thought I saw a little bird on the ground, but by the time I got closer, it wasn't there anymore.  It's really neat to watch Mr. and Mrs. Bluejay fly around and scream as if they're protecting the babies and giving them a chance to learn to fly.  Mr. Bluejay ruled my neighbors back yard.  They have like 6 cats... and there wasn't a trace of those cats!  I've heard bluejays can be fierce and don't hesitate to attack cats... or even humans!  Sometimes I think he'll fly at my window!  (I never just stand on the porch... remember... I am still afraid of birds!!)  Here are a few pictures I got... they aren't great... but I cropped the last two so you can kind of see the babies and Mrs. Bluejay in the branches above the nest.  (If you click on a picture it should enlarge!)  Hope you enjoy!!  I wish I could invite you over to look at the birds with me!  And I really hope I'll catch a shot or get to see one of the little babies flying around!!  :)

See Mrs. BlueJay in the branches above?  She's slightly lighter blue than Dad.  The back of her head has more grey in it than his.  

Here you can see the little babies standing on the edge ready to jump!  They were SO cute when they fluttered their little wings trying to fly away!  Their wings didn't look quite strong enough yesterday!  Their little chirps get louder every day!

looking in the mirror and immediately forgetting its reflection

Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does.

-James 1:22-25

I could kick myself.

I've been teaching some teen girls a Bible Study on Monday nights and last night we studied Hannah... a woman who was barren for years and taunted by her husband's other wife.  Hannah's response to her situation was to go to God.  She wept in the temple and poured out her heart to God to the extent that the priest, Eli, who was standing there watching her thought she was drunk.  Hannah requested that God give her a son, and promised that if He would, she would give her little boy back to God for the fullness of his life.  God heard Hannah's prayer, and in the course of time He opened her womb and she had a little boy, Samuel, meaning "Because I asked the Lord for him".  Hannah had amazing trust in God and gave her little boy to the temple when he was probably around two years old without hope of another child.  God blessed Hannah and a few years later she had five more little babies: three boys and two girls!  I pointed out to the girls that Hannah had a choice in her situation... to turn to God or to become worked up about her lot in life.  Instead of responding like Abraham's wife, Sarah, who took matters into her own hands and then later laughed when an angel told her she was expecting, or Rachel, Jacob's wife, who became bitter and jealous of her sister Leah and pleaded with Jacob to give her a child as if it was him who made her barren, Hannah turned directly to the source, to the only one who might possibly provide her with a child, and who definitely would provide her with the comfort, patience, and peace that she needed to continue through life without a son or daughter.  My challenge to the girls last night was to turn directly to the source when troubles come our way - to pray and cry out to God like Hannah instead of taking it into our own hands or becoming bitter, angry and jealous.  

And what's the first thing I do last night when Bible Study is all said and done?  I freak out!  Last night right after Bible Study instead of practicing a Hannah response to a difficult situation by being patient and prayer-ful, I became upset, down-cast,  stressed, worried, frustrated, and angry.  That man in James seems like me today.  How easy it was for me to "look in the mirror and then walk away and completely forget what I look like"!  

Dear God, forgive me.  Help me to respond like Hannah.  Thank you that you are a God who listens, who understands, who cares, and who blesses and guides your people as we trust in you.  I'm sorry for my lack of faith.  I want to not just listen to your Word... I want to do what it says.  Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  

Amen.  Yes Lord, let it be so.

WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!!!! :)

GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT!?!?!?!?!

I asked Ryan how I should start this and he said the above... and I said, "I should start like that?"  And he said "Well, that's what you'd say to them in person!"  :)  And he is quite right.  And since I can't jump up and down in front of you... we will begin our story like that... GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!

You may have guessed.  You may have saw it coming.  You might have seen it on FaceBook... but Ryan and I wanted to write and let you all know that we're engaged!!  To be married!!  :)  

Saturday morning Ryan picked me up around 10:30am with my favorite latte (non-fat toffee nut!) and we headed to the park where we went on our first date (I don't even know what it's called!) in Bourbonnais, Illinois.  We walked down to a bridge where we'd sat last June and sang songs to each other on that first date.  Ryan sang to me, and then we sang a song together that's become our favorite called "God is working even now!"  :)  We were to meet our families for lunch since we happened to all be in town and so I pointed out that it was late and we needed to go... and we stood up and Ryan said "Do you remember when we were here almost a year ago?"  (We had just been talking about that ALL morning!)  I said... "Yeah..." and he said, "Do you think you'll remember this time?"  And I said "Yeah..." thinking we don't come here often and that this is my favorite place and how could I forget?!?  And he said "I think you'll remember it forever."  And he got down on one knee and said "Will you marry me?"  And I said "YES!" and jumped up and down (a lot!)... and I put the ring on my wrong finger!!!  :)  We are so excited!!!  

We're planning on September.  This year.  

Around North Vernon, Indiana where we both live!
We hope you celebrate and rejoice with us!!!
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!  

WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :)

Much Love!
-Kara and Ryan soon to be GOODE!!! :)

FLOWERS!!!!

This week has been... 

INCREDIBLE!!!   :)  

Monday:  When I went out to my car to go to school in the morning, it was dreary and raining... and tucked under my windshield wiper was a card... a love note from my Ryan.  :)

Tuesday: I wrote an email of thanks to Ryan and in return got an incredible poem about how he's still ok with waiting to kiss me!  :)  Then, when I got home I found these incredible tulips on my porch with stickers and another little note.  :)  My car broke down on my way to Columbus tonight... but I got a phone call about a job interview at Waldenbooks and we set that up for Thursday in Columbus!

Wednesday:  Today completely caught me off-guard... the lady who fills in for me during my lunch break had found a position in the newspaper for a social worker and gave me the information at lunch, and I was so excited about the job and scrambling to see if I could apply for it that it took me a while to get my food warmed up.  When I finally sat down, I'd just taken a bite or two of my apple when Mr. Bowman, our school principal, burst in the room saying "Where have you been?  Did you forget?  You can eat that... or I still have lunch for you by the concession stand if you want?"  I felt dumb... but so excited!!  Free lunch with the other adminstrative ladies!  They served us lasagna... and then Mr. Bowman gave me a huge hanging basket of pink flowers as a thank you for being a part of the Middle School's Administration team.  :)  That was so neat!!  Ryan and I got to eat dinner together, which we don't normally do on Wednesdays... and then when I went to pick kids up, my car was doing a lot better.  (I worked on it Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon... I think it's got a leak in the radiator and needs a lot of fluids to keep it cool.)

Thursday:  Ryan sent me a weird text saying "Today is a day of surprises!"  I thought he was crazy... YESTERDAY was a day of surprises!!  :)  I had a job interview in the evening so kept my focus on that thinking nothing really about his text and excited about all that had happened the days before... when all of a sudden in seventh period, I had three girls in my room doing their detention... another girl walks up with this huge thing of yellow roses.  I just stared at her and finally said, "Is that for me?!?"  She handed it to me... and when she turned the vase around I realized the vase was a box of crayons and there were crayola crayons in the boquet!!!!  I immediately started crying... and the girls were all so excited with me and I walked around the room and talked about Ryan and made the girls smell the flowers (lucky for them they had a rather fun detention!)  And then when another teacher walked in to see them, I held them up and she said, "Kara, you're shaking!"  :)  I can't believe him!!!!  Ryan is the most incredible, amazing thing that has ever happened to me... and to think... he gave me a boquet of my absolute favorite flowers mixed with my absolute favorite smell... he is so special to me!!!  I feel SO incredibly blessed, and loved, and spoiled, and lucky to be with such an incredible man... who is wonderful and loves Jesus and people and wants to live his life to serve God.  AH!  I'm so overwhelmed!!!!!!  HOW WONDERFUL IS THAT!?!  Oh, and!  My interview went really well!  We'll see what happens with that in the next few weeks!  And Ryan and I watched that earth day movie last night... it was so good!  Except there was a little boy behind us, about 4, and when the Daddy Polar Bear died he was really upset.  :(  I felt so bad for him... and felt bad for his Mom who will probably hear about the poor bear for days!

And then Today, Friday:  I packed us a lunch of one of his favorites... egg salad... and we're headed to Olivet for Kate's bridal shower and then to be with our families all weekend.  My Dad, Anna and Mom are coming for the shower.  Ryan's Mom is coming to Olivet for Ladies Day with her church so we'll hang out with her tomorrow... and then we're staying at Ryan's Dad's house and going to church Sunday morning with his Grandparents.  Minus my car breaking down and my being stranded in a parkinglot at a factory... this has been the best week EVER!!!  :)  I'm so in love with Ryan Goode!!  :)

Check out all my wonderful flowers... I kinda went picture crazy!!  :)  

They smell so good!!  :)

some pictures to share!

I have some pictures to share!

First... I have some roommates! :) The other day at school there were leftover gold fish from a science experiment. So, I took Bodo home. He's the fully orange slightly larger goldfish in the bowl below. However, he seemed tramautized from school as he hopped around the bottom of the bowl, hid behind the tree, and would not swim up or eat. I thought he needed friends to remind him how to be a fish again, so Saturday night Ryan and I went to Seymour and brought Zulu (the white and orange lady fish) and Zurich (the orange and black guy) home to be his friends. Bodo head-butted both of them for at least an hour after they joined him in the bowl... but eventually he settled down and he's swimming around the bowl and today I caught them all eating! :) I like my little friends... I just wish they weren't so afraid of me! Enjoy the pics...

left to right in the picture above and below: Bodo - Zulu - Zurich

And here's a few other pictures...
Mom, Dad, Caleb and Anna came down and spent Easter weekend with Ryan and I. We had a ton of fun... we had dinner and then went to the Good Friday service Friday, Saturday we went to a used video store where Caleb made 22 dollars and 2 cassette tapes on some of his nintendo games, and then Caleb and Ryan hung out while Anna, Mom, Dad and I went to the park for a little hike. They left Sunday afternoon after we ate lunch together. It was so good to be with them all!! Enjoy these pictures too!! :)

Spring... Growth... Life!

You've turned my mourning into dancing again

You've lifted my sorrows!

I can't stay silent I must sing for Your joy has come!

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.  You have made known to me the path of life; youwill fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  -Psalm 16:9-11

Today I seriously just feel like dancing!  :)  With the rain comes the Spring, and I see growth and life everywhere!  From looking outside my window at Mrs. Bluejay... to the flowers peppering the earth... to the ladies in my Bible Study... spring, life, rebirth is in the air!  

A story about growth...

March 16th I started a Bible Study for teen girls at my house... and no one showed up.  I was super disappointed, but decided not to give up, and the next week 4 girls came!  We've been meeting each week since then and are talking about how to become the woman God created us to be as we study women throughout the Word.  I have this rule when we pray that I've used since college... that we don't just share requests for an hour and then one person pray at the end... but that we go around the circle and each girl shares something she wants to pray about, and the girl sitting next to her immediately prays for that request.  It's neat because we all pray, not just one person, and we spend more time that way actually talking to God and not just talking about him.  And it's difficult because most people struggle to pray outloud, but I find that it seriously strengthens us as pray-ers.  :)  My favorite part about Bible Study on Monday nights is our prayer time.  It's been so crazy cool to watch these girls learn how to pray!  The first few weeks were super awkward.  The girls were not comfortable with praying outloud, and it was difficult for them to think of words to pray.  Week two the girls were struggling a little bit with their prayers, and after one girl prayed who hadn't been to Bible Study before, another girl blurted out, "Isn't it HARD?  I'm totally out of my element!"  And they all laughed and agreed and another girl said, "Yeah, but I think it's good for us!"  I just sat there... stunned... and SO excited for them!!  They hit the nail right on the head... yeah, praying is hard!  And sometimes learning to be a Christian does take us totally out of our element!!  But it is good for us... and this week I was so excited and impressed with the girls.  Their prayers were so long, and I know they've been praying more on their own, and they weekly challenge me to desire to grow closer and deeper in my relationship with God because they want to!  These girls may not realize it, but major growth is happening in their lives... and since it's Springtime and major growth is happening everywhere, I thought it appropriate that I share this story and celebrate that growth here on my little blog.

Sometimes I get anxious about where I am in life.  It's easy to focus on things that are out of my control and let them bring me down.  It's easy to see the areas in my life where change is not happening, and where growth is not present.  But why spend my time there?  I miss out on the green, on the flower buds, on the eggs Mrs. Bluejay layed ;), on the slow subtle soft change that's happening all around me, and I overlook fully appreciating things for what they've become through their slow growth.  Spring is here!  Today I rejoice because God is working, God is moving!  He turned my mourning into dancing again, He lifted my sorrow!  I can't stay silent... I must sing for His joy has come!