The Duvall Diaries-Season 8?

2011 Duvall Family Update

2012-01-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

Well it’s been so long since I’ve posted anything on this blog I wasn’t even sure it still existed. But it does. And you’re obviously here reading it, so I suppose I should say, “Merry Christmas, Dear Ones. And a blessed 2012 to you!” :)

As Greg and I were flipping through some pages of family photos from this past year, we humbly shook our heads and smiled. For the Duvall family, 2011 has been a year filled to the brim with life, blessing, rich fellowship, change, growth, victory, loss, new friends, new places, and
new depths of faith. September marked our fifth year in Grand Rapids, MI. We continue to be amazed at how God so clearly has brought us here for this season in our lives. We feel honored and grateful to get to ‘do life’ with these wonderful souls here in West Michigan.

New on the horizon for our family is our recent journey into the ever-changing, long and winding road of international adoption. Greg and I have been talking, dreaming, praying and researching together the possibility of adoption for a long time – really even since before we were married. This year, however, we felt the time was right to finally take the first steps…baby steps (literally!). For several reasons too long to mention here, we decided on international adoption. And while there are certainly unknowns and x-factors around every corner, we keep prodding along and keep entrusting ourselves to the Maker…the Father of every good gift and the one who holds this whole universe in the palm of His hand. He is Provider. And in His time and in His way He will bring to fruition the desires of our hearts and His, however that may look. In the meantime, I think an entire forest of trees has been cut down to provide enough paper for all the forms we have filled out. We have completed our home study and are now tackling the country dossier. From there we get on the wait list, and…we wait (possibly another year or two.) Right now our country of choice is Thailand. So please pray for us. Pray for our hearts to be still and trust in our God. Pray for this little one (or ones? We’re open to a sibling group) and his/her birth mother. Pray for Micah and Savannah as the Lord prepares their hearts as well. Many things are still fuzzy at this point, but one thing is certain. It truly takes a village. We will not be naïve enough to face both pre and post adoptive experiences alone. And we unashamedly invite your prayers and support in whatever capacity. We look forward to sharing more of our story – God’s story – with you in the coming months and years as the Lord graces our lives with the power of His Gospel through the ministry of adoption.

Well now (*deep breath*) that was quite an introduction to a yearly update. If any of you are still with me and are waiting to hear about the kiddos and a recap on 2011, I’ll try to keep it brief :)

Micah turned 6 in October and entered Kindergarten this year. He’s thriving at his school with
phenomenal teaching and strong academic and moral focus. He just doesn’t like the “sitting still for so long” part :) This past year his neighborhood buddies formed a band called “The Belfast Badboys” and had their debut garage band show. He’s continued to show interest in music, so he’s getting an electric guitar and amp for Christmas this year. (Pray for me.) He also loves soccer (his Dad was his coach this Fall – Go Bulldogs!), sports, playing outside, reading, video games, tearing holes in the knees of his pants and any time he can get with his buddies. He’s
growing up way too fast, but is loads of fun and brings life and laughter into our home on a daily basis.

Savannah turned 3 in March and continues to make us smile with her laughter, joy and
sheer delight. She’s an independent spirit, but incredibly compassionate and tenderhearted. She’s a “little Mommy” in every way – especially when it comes to telling her big brother what to
do. She and the other little neighbor girls spend hours playing imaginary house or “family”. She loves ballet and dancing and hopes to take her first class this coming year. I’ve loved every minute having her home with me. These are precious days.

Greg is still with Marketplace Chaplains as the Michigan Division Director and nat’l account manager for GFS (Gordon Food Service). His days are a mix of chaplaincy and administrative
duties, but he truly enjoys his work and feels blessed to get to serve alongside such amazing people. His big victory this year was his first marathon up in Traverse City, MI. He was very pleased to have qualified for the 2012 Boston Marathon so he’s in the thick of his training schedule, planning to run it in April and hopefully finish with the Kenyans :) (just kidding). A
highlight was his 20th year college reunion in NY which we were both blessed to be able to attend (sans kids!). Greg had a great time reconnecting with old friends and reliving some fun (and not-so-fun) memories of “Go Army” days past.

And me? Well, I’m loving being at home with the kids and have been surprised at how much I’ve enjoyed this new season of “mommyhood” as we’ve just gotten our feet wet in the grand realm of elementary school. It’s really been fun. My biggest change came in June when I started working part time at our church as a co-team leader for the women’s ministry team. I have absolutely loved the opportunities I’ve had to get to plan and cast vision, teach Bible studies, serve other women and watch God work powerfully in others’ lives. I’m also still finding time to run and work out, cross country ski, cook, write & meet with other women to chat and pray.

Some family highlights of the year included a trip to Chicago to visit friends, fun visits from grandparents and family members, several weddings (many of which Greg had the honor of officiating), a family reunion/vacation to the Outer Banks in NC, camping at Lake Michigan, our NY trip, and most recently a fantastic week in Washington for Christmas with my side of the
family.

God has blessed us abundantly and we are so grateful. And although we do not know what 2012 holds, we can with certainty say that God is good and we can rest in His unfailing love for us.
We pray your hearts and your homes are filled with His love, peace and joy and may that carry you well into the New Year with songs of hope and thanksgiving.

Much Love,
Greg, Shawna, Micah and Savannah Duvall

Where to begin...

2009-04-05T17:57:00.001-07:00

Well, since Savannah's birthday (and the last post), my Dad came to visit, Greg went to Florida, Micah re-visited the ER and Savannah's new favorite song is "If You're Happy and You Know It" and our computer had to be reset to it's factory settings (which basically means we lost all software we loaded and any pics or docs we've saved since we bought it last Nov. Fun, fun ,fun.)

SO - I'll start with the ER visit - The morning after Greg left for a five day trip to FL, Micah was dancing around (or something) on the kitchen floor and tripped over his PJ pants. I heard him fall and then heard him scream, but honestly, I was thinking he just knocked his knee and was overreacting a bit. I went over to hold him on the couch and looked down only to see lots of blood on my shoulder. Wow. OK, so what's bleeding? His right ear. Immediately I knew he would need stitches. SO...after calling my pediatrician and throwing on the nearest pair of jeans on my floor we were off to the ER downtown. Thankfully my dear friend Sarah lives only a couple minutes from the hospital and she was able to take Savannah for the morning. Anyway, I'll spare you all the details of the hospital visit, but in short, our Peds ER is awesome and three stitches later we were off and enjoying a happy meal at McDonald's. They gave me a stitch-removal kit, so Greg and I were able to take them out last weekend at the house, which saved us another trip to the doctor and another bill :) He's doing great and it looks like his ear is healing up just fine. He'll probably have a scar for awhile, but we are just so thankful that it was his ear and not his eye or head. God is good.

There is much more I would like to include at this point about funny things he's said or cute things Savannah's done, but I will have to report all these to you in another post. Like I said, we're down to one computer while we're getting the other one up and running and Greg needs to do a bit of work on this one before tomorrow...

SO, love to you all and happy Palm Sunday :)

The big O-N-E

2009-03-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

Our little girl turned one. I simply can't believe how fast this year flew by. It seems I was just hobbling around recovering from a c-section and swaddling that precious punkin...and now she's crawling full force ahead into toddlerdom. She's just the cutest thing :)

We didn't do much for her birthday...just cake and balloons and presents with the four of us. When we gave her, her cake she had this incredulous look on her face like, "Are you for real? You're REALLY going to let me have this? wow. OK...I still don't believe you, but this is going to be amazing..." And she LOVED it. Once again showing how very different our two offspring are. Micah didn't even want to touch it. She dug right in and giggled and squealed her way through every bite. And then she got a sugar rush...hilarious. Micah gave her a big pink ball and she was all over the place with it. It was a fun, high energy, chaotic evening...perfect for a one year old.

Some of her latest tricks are:
*looking at me, then crawling as fast as she can for the bathroom, pulling up on the toilet and putting her hands in the water...disGUSTing.

*pretending to brush her hair with her baby hair brush

*holding onto the same toy for an hour or so and crawling with it all around the house (seriously...I had to steal a toy from the church a few Sundays ago b/c she wouldn't let go. I returned it, though, in case you're thinking of turning me in.)

*she likes to dance to music or with you - esp. in her high chair.

*putting all kinds of random, small things in her mouth - I have GOT to keep my floor more clean!

*she's not as much into books as her brother was, nor is she into trying to say words or communicate...she's rather just explore and play.

*she goes to bed GREAT. Thank you, Lord.

*she's serious about her pacifier and her juice cup.

And a couple things Micah has said recently:
-"Mom, you rock the house."

-Today I asked him if he wanted a snack and he says, "Well, first I need to go pee pee and then we can talk about it later."
- To his buddy next door, "Ethan, your baby sister is just adorable."

Birthdays, Anniversaries and Disney on Ice

2009-03-03T18:14:00.000-08:00

Strike a pose...there's nothing to it - vogue.

"Knock, knock"..."who's there?"..."Ima"..."Ima who?"..."Ima big boy laughing at this joke."

"SURPRISE!!!"

"Greg sitting on his first elevated toilet seat (No, I didn't get it for him.)

"Hey, Mickey!"

"On our Disney date"

February ended with a bang and March, no doubt, will follow in suite. Greg turned the big 4-0 and we had a fun surprise party to celebrate him :) Micah and I had a hot date to Disney on Ice with my friend Sarah and her son. LOVED it. Next week Savannah will turn ONE (ah!) and Greg and I complete year number 5 of marital bliss.

Here are a couple shots to show you what's been going on...

Strike!

2009-02-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

The Duvall Bowling Extravaganza Results:

Greg: 111

Shawna: 78

Micah: 68 (with bumper handicap)

We took Micah bowling for the first time today. Even though it took five minutes (or though it seemed) for his ball to roll down the lane, he was thrilled with however many pins received the wrath of his 6 lb. ball.

Savannah watched from the side lines in the comfort of her stroller.

Greg smoked me with his bowling prowess. He gets the ole' "one leg behind the other" bowler's stance. I flail.

We had a great - and relaxing - Valentines Day. Greg had to go to the church early this morning to help set-up for services, but was home by 10:15. We then headed to our favorite diner (The Red Geranium) for brunch...YUM. Don't you just love a cup of coffee in one of those thick, off-white diner mugs? Usually with a chip or two on the handle or rim? It's so much better than drinking it out of a paper cup with a plasic lid...and you get hot refills! I love it.

We had the usual. California omelette (avocado, cream cheese, tomato, sprouts - hello?! Omelette bliss.) with the triple stack blueberry pancakes. Feeds the whole fam with leftovers :)

A fun added blessing was running into a friend from the other side of town there. Her hubby was out of town, so she and her two girls sat with us at our table.

With full tummies, we headed to the bowling alley, then back home for Savannah to nap and Micah to "rest". Micah and Greg (well, Greg) shoveled the driveway, then we all sipped hot chocolate while Greg started a fire in our fireplace. Micah watched his "Boz" video (a big green bear) while Savannah crawled around and put things in her mouth she shouldn't be putting in her mouth.

Leftovers for dinner, baths, then kiddos in bed. It's 7:52 and it's Greg and Shawna time :)

Just wanted to say "Happy Valentines Day" and WE LOVE YOU!!

The Hand

2009-02-04T18:01:00.000-08:00

Here's a shot from my birthday - Micah and Greg decorated the cake. I also got a fire truck balloon and an elephant and flower made out of modeling clay :)

So we've been going through the developmental stage with Micah where he is testing the waters with the whole "lying" bit. We're seeing progress, however, here is an example of what happened the other day:

Mommy: Ouch! Micah, did you just hit Mommy on the bottom with a hanger?

Micah: (holding a plastic baby hanger in his hand) No. I didn't.

Mommy: Micah, are you telling me the truth? Did you hit me with a hanger?

Micah: No.

Mommy: Well, Micah, then who hit me?

Micah: Savannah did.

Mommy: Micah, how did Savannah hit me with a hanger when I was right here with her, holding her on the changing table?

Micah: Well Savannah did it because she has a really big hand and she came around and she hit you like this - whack.

Mommy: Micah, you need to go to your room...now.

Disclaimer for Micah: He actually didn't hit me on purpose the first time - he was just being to wild and waving the hanger around.

One Small Step for Savannah, One Giant Step for the Duvall Family

2009-02-02T17:28:00.000-08:00

Savannah's first few steps by herself with the walker...our little girl is growing up before our very eyes :)

Still no ground

2009-02-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

We haven't seen the ground in weeks, but somehow, I'm OK with that...I think the snow is beautiful. Micah and I got out yesterday for a few minutes while Savannah napped and we built a snow fort. Well, I built a snow fort and Micah added much too emphatically, "Mom, it's not big enough." Well, you know, Micah, some kids in Africa don't have any snow forts at all.

Today it actually reached 35 or so and you would have thought it was spring. Apparently I am not the only one who had the bright idea of washing all the grime off our vehicles while it was warm enough not to freeze the water right away. There was a line of about eight cars at the car wash...Yes, we do have more than one car wash, but it's Sunday. So all other car washes are closed b/c it is a sin to wash your car on Sunday in West Michigan. And to mow your lawn. And drink alcohol. (OK, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. But a lot of things really are closed here on Sundays...and we don't even have a Chick-Fil-A. And- just so it doesn't seem like I'm slammin' GR - we really do love living here. The people we've met have richly blessed our lives.) ***Ooooh*** I just got clobbered by my ecstatic husband b/c the red team in the Super Bowl just sacked the quarterback in the yellow pants. And wow...He has a very long last name. I'm just here for the companionship and commercials :)

And yes, for those of you who check this blog for pics and updates of the kiddos...they're doing pretty well :) Savannah is trying to get over a cold that just won't give up. She probably has nightmares of Mommy coming after her with a rag to wipe her nose. She's still her cute little self, though. Now she's starting to "talk" and do what I call the happy dance. She rocks back and forth while smiling and saying "wawawawawa". ADORable. :)

Micah is doing great. We signed him up for preschool in the Fall. His new thing is to say, "It's not fair" over anything he disagrees with. Isn't that supposed to come much later...like in pre-adolescence? Oh dear.

I just finished the Kent County Library's One Book, One County read...It was "The Highest Tide" by Jim Lynch. It takes place in WA on the Puget Sound, which was very cool since that's where my dad lives. A little on the crass side for me at points in the book, but overall very entertaining. I totally got into all the marine biology trivia.

OK - the ball is right next to the end zone. I should sign off before I get clobbered again :)

Our little Michigander

2009-01-25T11:48:00.000-08:00

I tease Greg because while I most certainly have the heavier Michigan "twang", he has been known to frequently answer, "You betcha!" (the common form of "No problem!" up here)
Well, today, here's what I overheard in the kitchen:
Greg: "Hey buddy (Micah), will you bring your plate in here to me?"
Micah: "You betcha!"

Here's another little conversation I had with him just a day or two ago:
Mommy: "Wow, Micah! You're making me play-doh carrot soup!"
Micah: "Yep. It has carrots and broccoli in it and I always put broccoli in my carrot soup." (Thinking to myself: 'Broccoli? You hate broccoli! And isn't this the first time you've ever made play-doh carrot soup?')
Mommy: "Oh, I can't wait to eat it! Are you going to eat some, too?"
Micah: "No. I'm the one who cooks it and you are the woman who eats it."

From deep within the cave...

2009-01-16T17:06:00.000-08:00

Happy girl :)

This is Savannah's designated spot...right next to her favorite person on earth while he takes
F-O-R-E-V-E-R to finish eating. She just stands there and watches him...too cute.

The title of this post is referring to the colder-than-necessary weather we are experiencing up here. Seriously, can we say, "Mongolia"? I'm having very real flashbacks. We've been little hermits in our 68 degree winter cave while the winds howl outside. Other than that, not much new to report around here...Savannah is movin' and groovin'. I think she's teething because she's been a bit high maintenance (in my opinion.) It was a lot easier when she just sat there but didn't crawl or pull up on things :) The big talk around the house these days is signing up Micah for preschool next year...ah! That one definitely hit me blind sighted. Had NO idea I need to enroll in January and February for the '09-'10 school year. Anyway...took him to a little preschool open house the other night and his exact words were, "Mom, I love this school." That's just because it had a big sand table complete with dump trucks and bulldozers. We'll see where the Lord leads. The little guy is growin' up on us :)

Savannah Smiles

2009-01-03T12:32:00.000-08:00

Here's a cute video of Savannah laughing at Greg wearing a Santa hat :)

November and December 2008

2009-01-03T11:01:00.000-08:00

Micah's Christmas loot.

The tenth reindeer ready for Santa's sleigh

After Christmas Eve service

Brrrr...two snow bunnies going on a sled ride outside our house the week before Christmas

Meemaw and Savannah at Children's Museum in GR

Great Meemaw with kids in Dallas

Mimi and Savannah saying goodbye at DFW

Micah on the lookout

Daddy and Savannah on my Dad's deck in Gig Harbor

In November and early December we were able to spend some wonderful quality time with our families. We flew out to WA to see Ha and Gamma, then to Dallas to see Mimi, Papa and Great Meemaw. Then, a few days after we got back to GR, Greg's Mom, brother Steve and niece Melanie came up for a chilly, but very fun visit. Christmas, then, was just the four of us...as quiet as "quiet" can be around here, and very relaxed and meaningful. We loved it. Here are some fun pics of the kids. I'll also post a bunch on snapfish.com for those of you who would like to peruse the whole bundle. As far a pics from my dad's in Washington...I will shamelessly direct you to the much superior blog of Jonathan and Chrissy at http://www.jonathanandchrissy.blogspot.com/. He's got a link to some really great photos of our trip on there you won't want to miss.

Finally, here are a couple Micahisms for you.

"Mom, you like making cookies with me? Yeah, me too. I like eating cookies."

"Dad, can I watch my 'ratoons'?" (ratoons = cartoons)

"Hey, Mom, I think this is a good idea, 'dontcha fink'?" (dontcha fink = don't you think)

"Hey honey" (in referring to Savannah)

"Dre" (we have no idea where this is from, but for months now, this is how he answers for "I don't know.")

Mommyism:
"Micah, let's not put wrapping paper in the garlic press."

And...a recent conversation:

Micah: "Poo poo!"
Mommy: "Micah, did you say 'poo poo'? You need to go sit in time out."
Micah: "But, Mom, 'poo poo' is how you say 'Ethan' in Spanish!" (Ethan is our neighbor)

Mommy (trying not to laugh): "No, Micah, 'poo poo' is not how we say 'Ethan' in Spanish.
Micah: "Yes it is."

Mommy: "No, honey, it's not."
Micah: "Then how do you say 'Ethan' in Spanish?"

Mommy: "I don't know...maybe 'Etano'???

Micah: "oh."

2008-12-06T18:54:00.000-08:00

Lions and Tigers and Bears...Oh MY!!

Here's a shot from over a month ago...seems like a lot longer than that, though.

The leaves are long gone and inches of snow is covering the ground. The Christmas tree is up...It's good time of year.

We've been busy, busy, busy with two kiddos...we also had to get a new computer, thus delaying blog entries. I hope to get more regular at this, however.

In October the kids and I (Shawna) went with my Dad and Margo to Disney World in Florida. It was a great trip and Micah's eyes were wide open to the wonder of Magic Kingdom and beyond. I think his favorite, however, was meeting Mickey, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Eyore. November we headed on a whirlwind family tour. We visited my Dad's new house in Gig Harbor, WA then to Dallas to see my mom and extended family. My Grandma also came and stayed with us at my mom's, which was an added blessing. I also got to catch up with some dear friends.

Right now Greg's mom, brother, and our youngest niece, Melanie, are up for a visit and getting more than they bargained for in the form of snow :) We're having a great time with them, though.

That's all for now...more later when I download more pics.

Real Quick: I realize that in this season of life I find myself saying things and putting sentences together that are outright ridiculous...Here are a few, but I seriously need to keep a record going.

1) Micah, let's not use the duster to clean off the sweet potato on Mommy's sock.

2) Micah, please don't trap your sister under the laundry basket.

3) It's OK if the baby sucks on the drill (Micah's plastic one, of course :)

2008-08-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

Recent Micahisms...

"Dad, are you going to fertilize?"

"Hey friends! Friends! I have a bike!"

"Hey, you have a cool potty." (when we were visiting someone's house)

"Aunt Chrissy has a cool house." (during our visit to the NY Walshes)

"Hey, Mom! It's just my size!!" (when we went to the Children's Museum here in town and they had a midget kid-sized potty.)

"Mom, I miss Daddy." (He says this like one hundred times a day. I think he says it when he can't think of anything else to say. It's like a filler between sentences. And since he talks non-stop, I hear it all the time.)

I told him if he stayed in bed he could have a waffle in the morning. He thinks about it and says, "Ummm, but it's hard to stay in bed!"

He likes to sing, "John Jacob Jingle Heimer Shrimp" :)

"No prob, Mom!" (He then follows that with a thumbs up sign)

A Teaser

2008-08-22T18:24:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple teasers :)

I promise more is coming soon...

Micahisms cont...

2008-06-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple more sayings I've heard around the house the past few days...

"Mom, I want my yuffy chimes cereal" (lucky charms cereal)

"Moddy"... (a delightful combo of Mommy and Daddy when we're both in the room and he doesn't know exactly who he wants.)

"Mom, you're my best friend"

"Whoa. That's serious." (When we were watching this bubble guy perform at a special presentation at the library.

"Hey, guys!"

Sometimes when he's calling for Greg to get his attention, "Hey, Honey!"

Now, I'm not sure I should admit this one, but it's too funny...The other day I got mad at him about something and apparently must have looked a bit angry. Micah then asked, "Mom, why are you mad at me like King Herod?" What!? He must be referring to his Beginner's Bible where King Herod has an angry face. I quickly entered into a much-too-long-for-a-toddler discourse as to why I most certainly was not at all like King Herod...(God, help me.)

On Saturday Greg was letting Micah help put up some blinds in our room. Greg told him they'd have to wait before they could screw it in the wall. Micah's response was, "OK, I'm good with that."

When he sees a fly in the house he says (no, yells), "MOM! DAD! I see a bee! You need to spank it!"

Springtime in GR

2008-06-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

Our peonies in the backyard. What a beautiful God we must have that He would create something so delicate and so lovely.

Micah's tower in the basement. I think he surprised himself with his success :)

Savannah at 3 months. Our little ray of sunshine.

The weather has warmed up and it seems all those wild and fierce storms have mostly blown through. Everything is green and still moist from the week long drenching. Today I took the kids to a nearby park and enjoyed the beauty of the blue sky and varying shades of green foliage. Micah wanted endless underdogs on the swing (thank you, Uncle Jonathan) and Savannah snoozed in the stroller. Yesterday was just as breathtaking...one of those days that makes your soul sing. Mine did. Here's an except from my journal...a Psalm to our Creator King I wrote as I sat on the back deck meditating on the life around me:

"Oh, beautiful day! I want to wrap myself up in it. The wind blowing through the towering trees moves my mind to dwell on your Spirit...blowing over, in and through me; The sun, of your power and boundless Energy; The rich greens and songs of the birds of new life that You alone can give; The fresh air rushing into my lungs, the pristine blue sky, of what it truly means to be alive in You. My source. My breath. My life. My song. Oh! Glorious day...Glorious God!"

More Micahisms

2008-06-04T09:58:00.000-07:00

Here are a few new Micahisms for ya'...

"Hey - cool shirt, Mom" (I had on a Notre Dame long sleeve T with the Fighting Irish guy on it)

"That's an idea." or "That's not an idea" (i.e. "That's a good idea (or bad idea)")

That's "dweedo?" (for Guido on Disney's "Cars" movie. I like to point at the character and have him say the name over and over just because it makes me laugh when he says it :)

"My poo poo is like hot dog" (Gross, I know, but he said it out of the clear blue yesterday and it cracked me up. Since he's potty training he is intrigued by his bowel movements.)

"Mom, are you sure that's a cargo plane (sea plane, jet plane?)" (As I was reading him and airplane book and telling him the names of the different airplanes.

"Hey Dad, how's my stick forest doin'?" (He asked that question to Greg on the phone yesterday in reference to his stick forest he left on the beach in Traverse City.)

"Ummm...actually..." (not sure where he learned the word "actually" or even how to use it?!)

"Hey sweetheart. It's OTay." (Spoken in a high tone when he's talking to Savannah)

"Can I watch my noovie now?" (for "movie")

Big and Little Traverse Bays

2008-06-03T10:14:00.001-07:00

The fam at Traverse City Beach State Park

Our little sweet pea (just had to throw this one in there)

Cool little waterfall at park in Petoskey

View from Petoskey city park on a clear day

View of bay from a park in Petoskey. The high "mountain" through the clouds is either Boyne Highlands or Nub's Nob ski resort areas.

View from our hotel balcony
(http://www.crookedriverlodge.com/)

Micah making his "stick forest"

Greg had a business trip with Marketplace that took him up to the Traverse City area, so we decided to make it into a mini family vacation. We had a wonderful time experiencing the pristine views of the Traverse Bay areas and spent time in Harbor Springs (http://www.harborspringschamber.com/), Petoskey (http://www.petoskey.com/) and Traverse City (http://www.traversecity.com/). The northern part of MI is unbelievably beautiful. It's one of those places where you find yourself saying, "Oh my...look at that!" around every bend. It's a rich green rolling country loaded with evergreens, aspen, orchards, wineries, beaches, ski areas, trails, harbor towns, you name it. It's a bit of a challenge to pack a lot in when you're travelling with little ones, but it's also a great lesson to take things a bit slower and see things from the perspective of a two year old. We had some great, much-needed family time, which was the goal. Here are some pics from our adventures that might tell the story a bit better than words.

It's a Poo Poo Party!!

2008-06-03T10:00:00.001-07:00

At last!! A week ago I sat Micah down on his little potty to see what would happen...and what do you know? He finally went poo poo! He was so proud of himself. He ran to me saying, "Mommy! Mommy!! I went poo poo in potty!" So from there we began a day long celebration culminating in the first ever Duvall Poo Poo Party '08, complete with a cake (with sprinkles on the icing), toostie rolls (the appropriate candy, we thought), party hats, balloons and singing. Micah made up a song based on the children's tune, "I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and bananas"...He says, "I like to poop, poop, poop, poo poo in my potty." And we also sang a fitting variation of "Happy Birthday to You". I know, I know...sounds like we're a bit overboard and on the edge of crazy around here, but hey - you've got to enjoy great moments in life when they come and make the most of them, right? He is proudly bouncing around the house in his new Thomas the Train undies and hasn't had an accident...yet :)

Today marked day #2 of going #2...so maybe we're really on a roll.

Nurse Maids Elbow?!

2008-05-10T19:16:00.001-07:00

Well, Friday night Micah underwent a rite of passage when he had his first ER experience. Yes, he's fine :) At bedtime, Greg went to pick him up off the floor by the wrist and Micah resisted, going limp. Greg heard a pop and Micah started screaming and crying that his arm very, very, very, very hurt. Poor little guy. We took him in for x-rays, praying it wasn't broken. When the x-ray tech put his arm in a certain position, micah cried out loud, and then was all of a sudden a happy little boy, bouncing around the ER room at 11:30pm. He had what is called "Nurse Maids Elbow", apparently having to do with a tendon and the elbow and common with little kiddos. When the arm was twisted for x-rays it popped it back in place. SO...note to selves...no more picking up a toddler by the arm or wrist :) Micah is no worse for the wear. He is back to his active little self. When we left the hospital that night he said, "Mommy, I was vewy, vewy, vewy, VEWY, Bwave." Yes, honey. You were very, very brave. We are so proud of you :)

And...another month flew by

2008-05-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

Very content on 5/5/08

Micah blasting off in his spaceship with Uncle Jonathan and Uncle T

A kiss to build a dream on (Micah's going night night)

A blurry smile on 5/3/08

As of 5/5/08

So much has happened in the past two months. Yes, Savannah is two months old on the 11th. So here are some updates on what's been going on in the Duvall small world.

1) Visitors!! We have loved having family in and out of our doors. It seems our living room has been a permanent spare bedroom for the past eight weeks. They all say the pull-out couch is comfy. I hope that's the case :) I think I mentioned in the earlier post about my Dad coming. Then my Mom and Aunt Chrissy. Following that, Greg's mom was here. Then Uncle T, Uncle J and Aunt Chrissy came. Right now Greg's Dad is here until Tues. Needless to say, Micah has loved all the attention and getting to know his family better.

2) Greg is busy at work. He took a five day marathon trip to IN, KY, OH and back to MI last week to visit various distribution centers and oversee the chaplaincy efforts in those locations. A wave of relief overcame me when he finally walked in the door :) He's also getting excited about all the endless possibilities out in the lawn now that it's warmer and things are blooming. More power to ya', says this black thumb. Just keep it LOW maintenance :)

3) I am moving about almost like normal. If you ever need a good recovery program after surgery, you can borrow Micah. He'll get you up and moving in no time flat. I fill my days, filling and unfilling the dishwasher and washing machines, filling and unfilling the minivan, filling and unfilling the toy box and my inbox, filling empty tummies and changing filled diapers. That's kind of humorous now that I think of it :) Makes me more aware of my desperate need to keep my soul filled with Life, Love, Joy, Peace and Truth from the Eternal Source. Otherwise, I am sure to have a dry well.

One cool thing is that Greg let me have a night out with a couple girlfriends and we went to Holland (Michigan, that is) to see Christopher Williams in concert. It was sweetness for the soul. I loved it. I highly recommend checking him out if you like folk acoustic with a bluegrass flair. http://www.christopherw.com/. His music automatically starts playing on his website.

4) Savannah - Eat, Poop, Play, Sleep...Repeat. Eat, Poop, Play, Sleep...Repeat. Interject some fussiness and occasional smiles. And she can do all of that looking cute 100% of the time. Unbelievable :) She has stolen our hearts.

5) Micah - Did I mention we have two very different children on our hands? Here are some recent Micahisms for you:
- "Bye Daddy! Just call me on my cell phone!"

- "That was sweet of her, huh, Mommy?" (Because the librarian gave him a stamp on his hand)

- "Blast Off!!" (Many things get thrown through the air after this one, so take cover if you're around.)

- "I have to work." "Where's my hammer, screwdriver, wrench, pliers, sander, drill, saw, toolbelt, Bob hat, etc..."

- "Look Mom, a skylift!" (That's a big bucket that lifts construction workers in the air for those of you, who, like me, did not know that until I started reading truck books.)

- "I need to fix the fire hydrant" (When we go on walks, he takes his tools in his Bob the Builder bag and stops to "fix and paint" every fire hydrant. I'm should let the fire department know things look good.)

- "Jesus make rain"

- He came running in the house with some dandelions for me. When I asked him why, he said "'Cause I want to do you special." (Yes, my heart melted.)

- "I no like..." (Many things.)

- Finally, he sings nonstop. I love it :) I am amazed at his repretoire. He knows words to songs I sing with him that I have forgotten. I pray music is always a big part of his life. What a gift.

So there you go...a much needed update. As I always say, I will try to post more. My dream is to be able to post some more writings from my heart. Hopefully soon now that I feel I'm getting more in the groove. For more really great pics of the kids and of our time with my brothers and Chrissy, you can visit their shnazzy blog at http://www.jonathanandchrissy.blogspot.com/. Chrissy is the blog queen, while I am a mere blog jester.

Love to you all!

Savannah's Debut Post

2008-04-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

Announcing the arrival of Savannah Kay Duvall!!

What a sweet little blessing of a baby girl..

She was born March 11th, 2008 at 5:11pm weighing 8lbs. 4oz. and 20" in length. After a couple days of recovery in the hospital (she was born via c-section) we came back home on the 14th and have been slowly adjusting since. We've had an overwhelming amount of support from family and friends in the form of gifts, meals, cards, prayers, phone calls, emails, and time spent helping us at the house. I am so very grateful.

Micah is not too sure about all this new baby sister stuff. He is very sweet with Savannah and like to give her kisses, but sharing Mommy is just not his favorite thing to do.

Savannah is such a sweet baby. She's sleeping well, eating well, going potty well, and growing way too fast. At three weeks old yesterday she is already lifting up her head and focusing on bright objects. I feel like we're getting into a routine as we figure each other out.

As for me, recovery is a bit slow, but I do feel progress, thanks to family members who have allowed me to rest well and let's not forget to give a big shout out to pain killers that have made me very "happy" :) I am so thankful for my Dad and Margo who helped with Micah in the first few days of Savannah's life, then my Mom who was a lifesaver for ten days around the house. Now Chrissy, my sister-in-law, is here helping all this week. I seriously don't know how things would have been without them. Praise God for family.

Greg is back at work and not getting much reprieve as he comes home and has to give full attention to a toddler for the evening. People said that having two is like going to man-on-man defense. Very true for us, thus far. Shawna feeds Savannah and Greg wrestles with Micah :)

Anyway, here are the pictures that I know you really want to see more than reading my long-winded commentary...I'm working on getting them loaded on Snapfish as well, but have run into some technical difficulties with our computer.

Thank you again for all your love, encouragment and shared joy in the arrival of our precious little gift, Savannah Kay. What a miracle.

"Count Your Blessings, Name Them One by One"

2008-03-05T15:06:00.001-08:00

No pictures today...I'm not in the mood. I've been in pre-labor since last Friday, packed our bags, called the doctor and thought way more than once, "this could be it!"...but alas, here I sit, typing away and waiting for a few solid contractions to send us on our way. What a lesson in waiting! One I need to learn, I'm sure.
SO...despite bouts of discouragement, I have been reflecting on all the big and small miracles God has performed in our lives in the past week or so. Naming them gives me encouragement and joy and hopefully will do the same for you...
1) As I posted a couple weeks ago, we were in need of a new vehicle since the ole' Camry needs some major work. SO, we decided that the Saturday before last would be our car shopping day. In the midst of the whirlwind we hadn't quite decided what to do with the little guy while we were out at the dealers...I guess just take him with and strap in the car seat when we test drove? BUT, Saturday morning we get a surprise phone call from one of students at our church that has become a dear part of our lives. She randomly called and asked if she could "borrow" Micah for the day...She took him to the children's museum, then to his favorite fast food joint (need I say the name?) then back home to watch a video while we went to the bank and the Honda dealer. What a blessing!! We got SO much more done than we had thought.
2) Next blessing (and this story could take quite awhile, so I'll give you the reader's digest version). Our neighbor alerted us to a Honda Odyssey listed on Craig's list. We go and look at it and decide to spend some time praying about whether or not this was the right decision. Long story short, we were INCREDIBLY blessed by the seller and his family as they significantly lowered the price for no other reason than generosity and good will. It was such a wonderful experience and Greg and I are still shaking our heads at how God provided such a perfect vehicle for our family in such a short period of time. It's truly a gift from His Hand.
3) More blessings abound...like I said, I've been experiencing a fair amount of labor pains and discomfort since Friday. Greg was awesome all weekend helping out but I wasn't sure how I would handle taking care of Micah this week. Leave that to the Lord...
Monday, my dear friend in town came over with her toddler for a play date. She ended up putting him down for a nap here and cleaned my entire house. Seriously. AND, she brought over four different meals frozen in zip locks so I can't cook right now. This was a HUGE mental, emotional and physical help to me. She is so selfless and giving.
4) THEN, on Tuesday I went to B-study for our final meeting/brunch and they sent me home with MORE yummy food and one sweet Sister offered to come over on Friday if I'm not in labor by then and help around the house.
5) Wednesday (today), I took Micah to the library for the storytime and activity day and he loved it. I got home to several different phone calls and emails from people saying they were praying for me and just checking in. Micah went down for a long nap.
6) Then the same gracious student from church showed up at my door to babysit Micah for the afternoon and evening!! HELLO?! This was so awesome because Greg has a major Marketplace Ministries conference going on this week and wasn't planning on being home until after 10 tonight. Praise the Lord - He is totally taking care of my every need.
7) In addition, the co-leaders for our Wednesday night Bible study offered to have it at their house, so I don't have to host anything here and can lay low tonight on the couch (or Lord willing, the hospital bed :)
SO...yes. We are blessed. In the midst of a trying waiting period, I am continually reminded that "...those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength..." I've also been claiming Ps. 42, "God will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life...Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God."
So we wait. We wait with expectant hope. We wait in renewed strength. We wait with groans and cries of desperation, and yet we wait resting in His able arms of lovingkindness. We wait with open hands. We wait with a mouthful of praise and blessing. We wait in thanksgiving for what He has done and the wonders He most certainly will do. He is God and there is none other. Praise Him!

2008-02-25T19:16:00.000-08:00

This house pic was actually taken last year, but you know, it's pretty much has looked about the same this year, too :)

For those of you who like to be updated with how round I am, this is as of yesterday, exactly four weeks from due date. Too bad you can't see my nails real well...just got a mani/pedi on Saturday (Christmas present from the best hubby in town.) A must for every pregnant woman, in my humble opinion.

Our backyard one morning after a (yet another) fresh blanket of snow. Goes perfectly with a hot cup of coffee :)

Micah and Daddy building their first non-traditional snowman together.

More snow is headed our way tonight and tomorrow. Local meteorologists are saying it could be a 100'' snowfall winter this year, which is several inches above average for West MI. The days, however, are getting lighter and I am still enjoying watching the snow fall.

Due date, as noted above, is only four weeks away, but we'll just see about that :) I'm physically, mentally and emotionally feeling more and more like things are getting into place. Please keep praying for a healthy, safe delivery and that it would be in God's perfect timing (and that His timing would be a couple weeks early!)

We're rushing to get things in order around the house. Finishing painting, organizing the nursery, cleaning, and, oh yeah...buying a new used minivan. Greg's car has some major work that needs to be done. It's not quite dead yet, but is on hospice, as I like to put it. So, we decided that it's time to sell the trusty Camry and bite the bullet for a newer, larger, all-American minivan. I think after this baby comes and we become minivan drivers, we'll officially be 0.5 children and one dog short of being the average American middle-class family :)

Grace and Peace to you and your families. May March be warm and Springy in your hearts and your homes :)

shawna

Christmas and beyond...

2008-02-12T18:09:00.000-08:00

He loves getting his haircut at the neighbor's house...he gets a sucker, a race car cape, and doesn't even have to ride in his car seat to get there...what a deal! :)

Micah's first midget snowman...we've got WAY more snow to work with now.

As of January 20...almost a month ago :)

Loving on "Nani", his canine cousin

Practicing for the Van Cliburn

Our little angel

Micah with Papa and Mimi out at their ranch in the TX hill country

G & S at John and Suzie's wedding reception

The Duvall Brothers at John's wedding

Greg, Randy, Steve and kiddos

The Duvall family in San Antonio at Meemaw's house

I told you some pics were coming :) Most are going to be uploaded to Snapfish, but I'll post a couple here, as well, just to tickle your fancy. (And since I know that most of you only check this blog so you can see pictures of Micah. It's OK...really...I'm dealing with it.)

Anyway, here are a few posts from Christmas and beyond to give you an idea of the past couple months. For those of you who want some prego pics, the most recent is from my B-day on Jan. 19th, so I'm much more pronounced and uncomfortable now. On that note, my Bible Study has been going through Beth Moore's "Believing God" study (knocks your socks off) and today's lesson was on Joshua 10 where in the midst of battle Joshua prays that God would extend the daylight hours so they could continue fighting. God heard the prayer of his desperate servant and the sun stood still for another twenty-four hours. Incredible. Anyway, my application is that if the LORD Most High can slow down the earth for twenty-four hours, He can most assuredly speed it up so that I reach my due date a bit earlier than a traditional 6 more weeks. Are you with me on this? :) So I'm praying not for the sun to stand still, but that we would see it blitz through the sky to bring us to the blessed date of March 23 a bit quicker. I know, I know, I could just pray the baby come a bit earlier, too...but where's the fun in that when the LORD could show Himself mighty by speeding up the earth's rotation? Hey, I dare you to pray with me :)

(OK - For those of you who don't know me well, don't worry. I won't actually be praying for the above mentioned roller coaster ride on earth. So, don't go out and buy yourself some heavy boots or something to keep yourself from slinging off the planet when God speeds up time. I have no doubt He could do it, though :)

One more Micahism to add to the list in the post below:

I got him some "Cars" magnets from the dollar bin at Target and when Greg got home, Micah says, "Daddy, Mommy got cars stickers, two bucks." What?! :) So now when we ask how much something is, he says, "two bucks."

Long time comin'

2008-02-06T17:20:00.000-08:00

Seriously, I'm starting to feel like a blogger flunkie. I'm so sorry for the lapse of time between postings. I could give a list of reasons, but the main one being we got a new camera in December and I still haven't loaded the entire software onto the computer. Lame excuse, I know, but "soon and very soon, we are gonna post some pics!" :)

As far as a Duvall update...
We're getting blasted yet again with another winter storm, but I am loving watching the snow. I figure if it's going to be cold (and it has been) then there might as well be snow (and there has been.) Being late in my third trimester, however, doesn't lend itself well to shoveling (too bad), making snowmen, sledding, skiing, ice skating, or any of the other fun winter activities to enjoy up here. I just try to keep the little guy busy with various activities indoors. I think every other mom in Grand Rapids has the same idea, so the mall play area is more like a war zone than a playful childhood retreat. We keep busy in other ways, though. Our typical week is Mondays at the grocery store, Tuesdays is Bible Study, Wednesdays we go to the library for story hour with Miss Barb (a highlight of the week for Micah), Thursdays we either run errands, get together with other moms and kids, or spend a day at home and Fridays we go to the community rec center gym where small kiddos can bring their outside toys and run as much as they want until the remember they are hungry for lunch...and all that for just a dollar :)

For those of you who like me, feel like I have been pregnant forever and are wondering when this little bundle will arrive, the due date is March 23. I am asking that you join with me in prayer to ask our loving Father if He might find it in his good, pleasing and perfect will to allow that date to be pushed a bit closer :) I'd love a mid-March arrival. Plus, my mom is coming up during her Spring Break from the 18th to the 28th, so having the baby already here would be a great blessing.

Greg is actually in Florida right now on business. I think it's just a little too convenient that he schedules his Florida trips for mid-winter, huh? :) Just kidding. He's actually got a really full week down there and we're glad he can get some of his travelling out of the way before the baby arrives.

And as for the little man himself, well, let's just say he's not slowing down even though his Mommy is. He wakes up like a jack-in-the-box, popping up with words coming out of his mouth a mile a minute. That continues until bedtime. He is one verbal 2 year old, but I love that he is able to communicate. Listening to him put words and thoughts together is precious. Some of his favorite phrases/words are:
"Wiw bit o' show, Mommy" - (Mommy, can I watch a little bit of a TV show or movie?"
"I no like coke, pickles, coffee, etc..." (no he hasn't even tried coffee) or "I no like it, I no like it!" (That's when I wipe his face off after a meal.)
"Jesus make snow. God make snow"
"Daddy come home, I wrestle."
"I wuv you, too, Mommy (or Daddy)"
"I kiss baby" (Then he pulls up my shirt and kisses my bare tummy.)
"First, play time, Mommy"
"Dog" is God, "toke" is coat

Anyway, I could go on with more Micahisms, but I'll save some for next time when we actually have some recent photos to show you.

Love and miss you all -

For His Glory -
Shawna

Thanksgiving '07

2007-12-03T16:44:00.001-08:00

We made a short detour to Hell on the way home from Aunt Kathi's house. Nobody wanted to stay long.

Yes, Hell is frozen over.

Greg, Shawna, Kathi, Margo, Micah and my Dad

It was a chilly Thanksgiving in Michigan this year. This is us behind Aunt Kathi's house...a beautiful place to spend the holiday with family.

Daddy and Micah "driving" the tractor in Aunt Kathi's barn on Thanksgiving

Shawna and long time friend Emily (Wagner) Linnert at her baby shower Nov. 10th.

Thanksgiving was a wonderful time of relaxation, great food, and quality time with family. Tommy (Shawna's brother) came up from TX on his break and my Dad and Margo flew in from Gig Harbor much to Micah's delight. You see, whenever "Hah!" comes (Micah calls his grandad "Hah!" because that's how they laugh together) he gets to ride on the shnazzy Bob the Builder TV cart at the grocery store. And he gets a donut while riding in the cozy little digital coupe. he's got the life? I think so. On Thursday morning we all drove to my Dad's sister's house in Gregory, MI (fitting, I know) about 1.5 hours away. She lives out in the country and has two horses, lots of barn kitties a tractor, a 64" flat screen TV, a basket of toys, and a great dog named Zeke...sooo...guess who was in heaven at Aunt Kathi's? If you're thinking "Micah" then you get two points :) Thanksgiving dinner was delicious and the homemade pumpkin pie (courtesy Margo) was the perfect quintessential Thanksgiving dessert. As the pictures notate above, on the way home we made a slight jaunt to Hell, MI, to satisfy Greg's curiosity. We wanted to get Micah a T-shirt that read, "My Mom and Dad went to Hell and all they got me was this T-shirt", but there were none to be found. I know, a little distasteful, but come on, you don't name a town "Hell" without asking for all kinds of puns and slapstick humor. Seriously, though, there's not much going on in Hell, MI. A country store, a biker bar and a video rental place. It is a pretty place, though. And makes me ever so grateful for the promise of a very real Heaven someday. So, to end this entry...Thanksgiving came and went too quickly and Christmas is upon us in bright array. As Micah says, "Mifus tickles", which translated means, "Christmas twinkles". I need to do another post with all the Micahisms we hear each day, but for now, let's just say Merry Christmas to you all. We are heading to TX on the 20th and greatly anticipating time with friends and family. We haven't been back in over a year, and as much as we are loving our new home here in GR, we are eager to be with familiar faces and places and experience all the warm memories they will both remind us of and create anew. Grace to you all "and to all a goodnight." :)

One Wednesday Morning...

2007-11-14T11:20:00.000-08:00

It's 7:22 am and I hear "MOM!" I'm in there by 7:25 only to be questioned by a two year old as to why I wasn't there sooner. Pardon me, oh little one. I will try better next time. He then notified me that we had gone poo poo, so my "cup of coffee" this morning was a very stinky diaper.
Breakfast was oatmeal that was too hot and spilled as I took it out of the microwave. When Micah finally finished eating, I had just begun sitting down to my breakfast. I got up to wipe him down and get him out of his chair and he was off. I decided I would have a little of Greg's leftover coffee still on the burner and as I was stirring in the creamer I hear, "Ready, set, GO!" Uh oh. Stabilize yourself. Then "Slam!" I am plowed into by a toddler full of energy with no signs of slowing down.
Since this morning is "Meijer Morning" (i.e. grocery shopping morning) I decide to forfeit a much needed shower in order to quick go through the grocery ad and clip the coupons I'll need. Micah gets out the sections of the newspaper he desires, namely all of them, and they are strewn all over the kitchen floor. He then looks at me and says, "poo poo again." OK, let's go. We change him and get him into clothes that match well enough for a trip to the store. I then quick try to finish my grocery list and realize that I'm still hungry and need protein. So I make a bagel, which, of course, I have to share with Micah as his big blues eyes look at me and say "Bite!" over and over again. OK...time to pull my hair into a ponytail, put on the only pair of jeans I have that fit. As I'm putting on a bit of makeup I smell a minty scent coming from the floor. "OH! Micah!! No Sir!" Daddy's Listerine is spilled all over the carpet. As I'm scrubbing that up, he quickly reminds me of the places where he dropped broken pieces of blush into the carpet as well. Thank you very much. We get that at least somewhat cleaned up and I remember I need to switch the laundry downstairs that has been sitting both the washer and dryer since yesterday. As I throw the last sock into the basket I look over and see that he has gotten into the sump pump drain in the corner of our basement that has chalky paint all over it. I also realize a giant wet spot of Listerine is on him as well. I strip him right there and throw his clothes in the existing mound and we go upstairs to find some clean jeans and a shirt. Then it's time to go on the shoe hunt. One shoe...YES! Where's the other shoe! Hurray we found it! NOW we can FINALLY get to the store. "OK, bud, let's get in the car!" Oh, wait. I have to put in the car seat we switched out yesterday. Here, let me get my big pregnant belly into the middle of the backseat of the Honda so I can sit in the carseat to put enough weight in it to be able to snap it in...There. Done. Now to get a reluctant, stiff, toddler into his seat. I apply force and we're off, right? Nope. I have to go to the bathroom. OK...now we can go. Nope. Where are the keys? Back in the house. Here they are and...WE'RE OFF!! Only two hours after we got up. So much for leaving early, but at least we'll probably still beat the crowds and get home in time for an early lunch.
We get to Meijer and about one quarter of the way through I realize I don't have my wallet. No money. You've got to be kidding me. I call Greg and the phone won't work inside that black hole. He wasn't planning on leaving the office anytime soon, anyway...so here we go. Leave the cart at the entrance of the store and we're back in the car to zip home and zip back to finish what we had already started. SO, two hours later, we are finally arriving back home for a not-so-early lunch...but in all of that Micah was a gem. He made music with the mac and cheese boxes at the store, at all the marshmallows out of his "Lucky Charms" snack and occupied his time in line by snatching a Britney Spears update in one of the magazines. Finally, he got to ride the penny pony and couldn't have been happier. Now he's sleeping soundly so his battery can be recharged...something tells me I should be doing the same :)
I write this with a grin. Nothing too out of the ordinary about today...just one of those days that reminds you to laugh and thank God His strength is perfect. I can see the moms out there laughing with me (or at me, for those of you who have "paid your dues"...ahem...my mother.) and I hope for everyone else who actually takes the time to read this entry will find some kind of
reason to sit back and chuckle. Oh, the things our Heavenly Father must laugh at, too. I think He was smiling today :)

"Can we Trick or Treat? YES WE CAN!!"

2007-11-09T17:12:00.002-08:00

"Can you fix it? Yes I can!"

"Hooray for Bob!"

Getting Ready...

Bob the Builder

The crew before heading out to make a profit.

Micah and the neighbor boys raked up the leaves into a huge pile and then all jumped in them at once. Too bad they weren't raking in our yard.

For those of you familiar with the little builder in the yellow hard hat, you'll understand the title of this post. Micah was Bob the Builder for Halloween this year and he loved every second of it. Greg took him around with the other neighbor boys and their daddies. I think it was quite a surprise to him that all he had to do was say "Trick or Treat" and he got all the candy he could ever want. It's not that easy around the house :) Anyway, hope you enjoy the pictures as much as Micah enjoyed Halloween.

(OH! I also want to add that we have some great shots of Micah in the pumpkin patch and at the apple orchard from earlier last month. I some how saved over them on our hard drive, but I did manage to get them on to Snapfish in time, so you can view them there if you haven't already seen them. Just let me know and I'll send you the link.)

The Cove

2007-11-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

Not the best shot of me, but for those of you who have been asking for a prego shot...here's one for ya'. I have to say, though...that shirt is doing a great job of hiding a very out there belly. I guess I should wear it more often.

A blurry shot of us on our hike in the woods.

Greg standing on the deck of the training center

View off the balcony/deck of the training center.

In front of the HUGE fireplace in the lodge

Greg and I recently got the chance to get away together for the first time in over two years. My dad and Margo graciously offered to come watch Micah for four days as we flew to Asheville, North Carolina to Billy Graham's Training Center. Marketplace Ministries had their annual conference for business leaders and we were offered the opportunity to attend...and we're SO glad we were able to go. Greg asked me what my favorite part of the weekend was and I said, "that everything far exceeded my expectations." Seriously, from the moment we drove into The Cove until the moment we left it was a a time of renewal. Renewal of the mind, body, spirit and marriage. The food was outstanding and I didn't have to cook or clean anything :) Our room opened up to a forest full of changing leaves and the high hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Greg and I were able to take walks and spend time being quiet together in the wonder of creation. The speakers were outstanding as they taught God's truth from His Word. We soaked it in. I think just being in a place so drenched in prayer was rest for our souls. At the Cove, the peace of God runs deep. Truly, a taste of what awaits us in Heaven.

Micah's 2nd Birthday

2007-11-09T16:34:00.000-08:00

Micah opening his "surprise" from Mommy and Daddy

(It was a ball and glove and a drum from Argentina. The drum was a "hit.")
Micah and Daddy goofing off in the boxcar of the cardboard train Greg made for Micah's birthday party.

Blowing out all two candles on his choo choo train cake.

Micah was SOOO excited about his party. He couldn't wait for cake and ice cream and balloons. Unfortunately he wasn't feeling the greatest and was battling a stomach bug that wouldn't go away. Still, he had a great time when all his little buddies showed up. The party was from 5:30 to 7:30 on Sunday evening, but it's dark in the picture because we didn't figure in the shorter days in the fall up here. It was also uncommonly warm for October. I think it was in the 80s that day...not what we expected, but was still a great time in the backyard with our friends and neighbors and their kids. Micah slept well that night :)

"Another Suitcase in Another Hall...or Hemisphere"

2007-11-09T15:59:00.000-08:00

The national Argentinian Cemetary - much like Arlington in DC - however many famous political and war heroes are buried here. Including Eva Peron. You can get lost among the rows of moseleum/chapel type memorials. It was quite incredible.

Here's a view of Buenos Aires from our hotel room. It's one big city.

Jonathan, Shawna and Tommy in front of a government building in B.A. In the musical/movie "Evita" Madonna sang "Don't Cry for me Argentina" out of the top window.

SO...Argentina...ahhhh. Cafe con leche, steaks, wine, a luxurious hotel, Spring time, generous, beautiful people, and family memories to last a lifetime....oh, and did I mention the exchange rate is in our favor? It truly was a whirlwind weekend, well worth the effort to make it happen. Sept. 30th my (Shawna's) dad triumphantly retired from AA after 29 years of service. Our family flew down to Buenos Aires with him on his last trip to celebrate this lifetime acheivement. We stayed in the Intercontinental (the AA crew hotel) where we experienced the finest hospitality and generosity. On their own initiative they threw a cocktail party out on the veranda in honor of dad's retirement. It was beautifully decorated and well-supplied with yummy appetizers, wine and beverages. They even had a pianist and amazing vocalist for the evening. Unbelievable. We then went to a great steak place (Argentina is known for it's delectable tenderloin and such. Best piece of steak I've ever put in my mouth, honestly.) Dad had gotten to know the waitstaff at this restaurant over his time spent in B.A., so it was especially memorable with their warm, service and attention to every detail. More like dining with friends that we had never met. We spent the days meandering the streets, stopping frequently at little cafes, and doing some shopping. I found myself very thankful for taxis and the little Spanish we know. There's so much more to tell, but the story culminates when we all got first class on the way home on Dad's last flight into Miami. Upon arrival, the entire first class cabin serenaded him on kazoos and my brothers, Chrissy, Margo and I wore leis to celebrate. It was an amazing weekend. Where were Micah and Greg, you ask?? Unfortunately, they were unable to make it due to expired (and in Micah's case, nonexistent) passports :( We've got to fix that. Greg graciously watched the little guy at home for the weekend, while Mommy got away. A huge sacrifice I am most grateful for.
So...while this only skims the foam off the cafe con leche, it's hopefully a little more insight for those of you I haven't been able to fill in. My pictures from the weekend are lacking, so for better shots, you'll have to go to Jonathan and Chrissy's blog or ask my dad to send you what He and Margo have. Adios!

2007-09-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a great shot of Greg, Pappa (Greg's Dad) and Micah. We had a fun visit with his dad and step-mom (Cynthia) in August. Micah loved getting lots of time to play with Pappa. A few more milestones for the little guy: He went #2 in the potty. Only once, but, hey...we're counting it a victory. The rest of potty training is more like a slow jog through the park than it is a race to the finish line. It largely depends on how attentive I am and if I can remember to take him to the potty more frequently than not. I also found out today that with a teeny bit of help he can count to eight. Not sure how he learned that one. It's amazing to me how much they know...or how much we don't know that they know ;)
Fall hit Grand Rapids today. We pulled out the sweatshirts and are currently enjoying an evening rain shower. There's a real sense of expectation for the change of seasons here...I love that.

Baby #2 is growing along and making sure that I am always aware he/she is very present. Lots of nausea and fatigue I'm praying will subside in the coming weeks. We got a thumbs up from the OB and everything looks good. Praise the Lord! We're pretty sure we're going to keep this one a surprise and find out if it's a boy or girl the old fashioned way. Greg says there are very few things the man gets input on in this whole pregnancy business, so he's decided to call the shots on this one :) We're looking forward to the anticipation and excitement.

All for now...the Duvalls

One Small Step for Micah, One Giant Step for Mom and Dad

2007-08-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

HURRAY!!
Here in the Duvall household, we are celebrating Micah's first step towards diaper-free living. He has now gone peepee in the potty several times, both here at the house AND at the mall in the kiddie potty in the family restroom. He was especially proud of that one because he got to stand up and go potty like Daddy :) We are certainly no where near completion on "project potty", but we're on our way!! Any suggestions from those who have done this before us?? We're all ears!

More pics from this summer

2007-08-22T18:13:00.001-07:00

The Walsh Family Reunion

I love sand

Janet and Shawna

Mommy and Micah at Gull Lake

With Daddy at the Beach

Daddy and Micah at Family Camp

Summertime Hits

2007-08-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

So a list of highlights for the past few months...let's see...May: Jonathan's graduation from Med School. Shawna and Micah met her whole family clan in Richmond, VA for a wonderfully long weekend of grad festivities. Micah met "nani" for the first time and fell in love. June: What happened in June? Oh! The Cutlerville parade and carnival. Americana at its best. Small town parade, choo choo rides, fire engines, polka music and elephant ears and fireworks to top it all off. We'll definitely plan on being there again next year! Shawna's Mom came to visit and we drove to Rochester, NY to help Jonathan and Chrissy move into their new home. Micah was reunited with Kenai, his best doggie friend. We also took Micah to the zoo for the first time. The pygmy goats and monkeys were a hit. Summer time hits cont...July: We headed to Gull Lake Family Camp and enjoyed the best week in Michigan yet at a friend's cottage on Gull Lake. We enjoyed the Camp facilities and programming and made some lasting family memories. It was truly a time of refreshment, relaxation and renewal. Later that month Janet Purvis Miedema came to visit. We thoroghly enjoyed the MI lakeshore in all its grandeur and also Meijer Gardens where we spent time wondering what the "Thinker" is really thinking about. We also hosted two parties in July. One for the college and career group at our church and one for Greg's Grand Rapids chaplain team. The highlight of the month was finding out we are PREGNANT!! Praise the Lord!! Due date: March 23rd, '08. On to August: Greg's brother Steve, Nikki and their three kiddos came for a few days to see Michigan for the first time. We headed up to Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City and had an awesome time splashing around in their over-the-top indoor waterpark. Micah rode the kiddie waterslide around 150 times, I think. We also took them to the beach and strolled the street of Saugatuck one afternoon. A day after they left, we packed up the trusty ole Honda and headed to Rochester, NY again, this time for the Walsh family reunion. We stopped in Niagara Falls overnight on the way there and saw all that water as well as all that built-up concrete materialistic tourism. What a place! Micah was more fascinated by a small garden fountain than by the falls (go figure.) We rode the quintessential Niagara Falls tourist attraction "Maid of the Mist" and were literally blown away by the force of the falls. Very cool. At the reunion, Shawna's relatives flew in from all over the States. It really was a wonderful time and one of the best reunions in years, they said. Lots of singing, laughing, joking, playing, eating and catching up with family we hadn't seen in years. I guess it's exactly what you hope a reunion to be. After the arduous drive home, we took a few days to recover when Greg's Dad and Step-mom flew in from San Antonio. We also took them to the lakeshore in Grand Haven, but it's so stinkin' cold out we didn't spend much time soaking in any rays...just raindrops. Today we went to the Gerald R. Ford Museum here in town. Very impressive. The weather is still cool but we are not complaining. Just shaking my head that it's acutally August 20th! What in the world?! I'm in a sweater and just made a cup of hot chai. You never know, huh? So that brings us up to date. Much more has happened and much more is planned (and unplanned, for sure), but now that I am an official blogger, we will do our best to keep you "posted" :) Until then...