Definitely time for an update!

I've been terrible at keeping up with this blog lately, but I need to at least get some current pictures up. So the last I wrote, I was filling you in on Christmas and New Years. Things continue to go well for Jesse and I. We just had our first pre-marital counseling session and we look forward to coninuing to grow as a couple and grow in the Lord together.

In other news, Ethan's going to be 2 in just a couple months!! I can hardly believe it! He seems to be growing so fast. He's still not big into talking, but he sure likes to babble. Most words start with "ba" or sound like "ba", but he definitely knows what's going on around him. And he's very understanding of the questions that I ask. It may take him some time to get a few more words in, but he's a smart boy.

The weather has actually been very nice here for the past few days and we've had a chance to get outside, which he loves! I think that kid could live out there if he was allowed to. ;) We took out every ball we own - as well as tennis rackets and badmitten rackets. He's been enjoying throwing the balls into the street so that I have to continually retreive them for him. What a little stinker.

He's been getting better at running (maybe more like fast walking), but he's definitely moving well. He still has an excellent arm - excited to see what kind of sports he gets into as he gets older. And as usual, I have nothing but the best to report. He may be approaching those "terrible 2's" and can be a bit whiny at times, but I've been blessed with an amazing little boy. He's truly a joy to be around - full of smiles and love and laughter. I'm thankful for my little Ethan Ryder.

That's what's "new" here... I'll try to keep up a little better.

Christmas 2009

I've been terrible at keeping up with this blog... maybe I should rename it Kristin and Ethan's blog :)
I have a lot of news about *myself* lately... been dating a guy named Jesse since just after Thanksgiving and things are getting serious FAST. But it's been amazing from the beginning. I'm including this in the latest with Ethan and I because it's very possible this man could be a part of both of our lives for a very long time. I am happier now than I've ever been. Seriously.

Ethan's been doing wonderfully. He gets bigger and smarter everyday it seems. He's about to go pro as a baseball pitcher I think ;) The boy can seriously throw a ball! We're still waiting on more words to form, but I can tell that he's trying. And sometimes it seems like he's saying certain words - ball, dog, juice (choo), grandma and grandpa (a'ma and a'pa) But most of the words are still a little hard too understand. I can tell he understands most of what I'm saying and listens to what I ask him to do/not do. So I'm feeling very blessed to have such an amazing little boy. God is so good to me.

And now that he's given me Jesse, things just seem to be coming together perfectly. I'd be very suprised if I'm not married in the next year. We were just talking engagement and marriage last night. What's amazing about our relationship so far is that we've been completely on the same page from the get-go. I can hardly believe we've only been seeing each other for a couple months. But I know this for sure - God placed the two of us in each other's lives at just the right time... God's timing truly is perfect. I can't regret a single part of my story so far - it's all exactly as God planned. He is truly good - He loves and forgives and extends grace and makes beauty from ashes... our God is an awesome God.

I'll include a few pics from Christmas... Jessie was here, but unfortunately David couldn't make it. And Jon is overseas right now, so we missed both him and Christy. We still had a wonderful time together, but its never quite the same when we're missing anyone from the family. I'll also include a picture of Jesse and I from New Years - he took me out for an amazing night on the town (in Chicago)... dinner, horse and carriage ride, and a show! What a night! Best New Years ever! I think that mostly brings things up to speed. Amazing the changes that can happen over a matter of a few months...