I know. I know.
I have been… well, less than stellar with giving you monthly updates of our growing little girl.
BUT – I am happy to show you her 9-month photo that I took on Sunday. Of course, she was more interested in wrestling with the hammer than sitting nicely beside it.
So after much anticipation (and gentle reminding by many family and friends), here is Lauren at 9-months old:
It feels like it was only two years ago when I was last in this position of change!
For those that have not heard the news, I have resigned from Trail Alliance Church effective March 31, at which time Sarah, the kids and I will be returning to Maple Ridge.
This has been a hard decision that has involved a lot of talking, thought, and prayer. Ultimately, what this decision comes down to is that it is time for our family to move into the next chapter of life.
For now, I am leaving full-time, paid ministry and will be going back to school. I have applied into the electrical engineering program at B.C.I.T. to start this fall. We see this career as being a way for Sarah and I to settle in one place for a long time allowing Nolan and Lauren to grow up in one place with the same friends.
Now I am leaving full-time, paid ministry, but I am definitely not leaving ministry. I think it is near impossible for Sarah and I to not serve in a church. Now, our service will be done from a volunteer position and not a paid position.
Obviously there are a number of hurdles yet to jump. We have our house that we need to sell in a market that is not exactly ‘hot’. I need to find a job in or close to Maple Ridge until school starts. And of course, the hardest part, preparing to leave Trail. We have made some wonderful friendships here and it will be hard to physically leave those here.
On an unrelated note: yes, I realize I have nearly abandoned this blog. I constantly have family and friends asking for more pictures of Nolan and Lauren. Today is in fact Lauren’s 9-month birthday which means I missed another month’s hammer picture! I took one of here at 7-months, I just have not edited it/posted it yet. Hopefully you will get a 9-month picture!
Look at me! Posting Lauren’s 6-month photo on her actual 6-month birthday!
My apologies to everyone who comes here looking for updates of our kids (I’m speaking to you, Grandparents!). The lack of her 5-month picture is pure testimony to how much life changes from one child to two!
Anyways, enough delay. Here is Lauren at exactly 6-months:
And for those curious, here is Nolan at 6-months (look at all of that hair!):
The title essentially sums up my life (outside of work)!
I know, one of those items missing from that list is my online presence, but it’s alright. I’m alive and well.
The last post showed Lauren at 4-months and soon we will be taking her 5-month photo. She is doing great. Very smile-ly, happy little girl. Nolan is a wonderful big brother and loves to help take care of his ‘pretty girl’.
I continue to be completely engrossed in guitar effect pedals. For my birthday in August I received three pedals. Two of them have been built (5-Knob Compressor and Phasr) with only one more to go. To check them out, head over to my ‘DIY‘ page. You can always find the link at the top of this blog.
Finally, I try and pull out our camera from time to time. Certainly not as much as I want (nor as much as many of you want, as the comments seem to say!). But I was able to take this picture the other evening as the four of us went for a walk in this wonderful weather we are having in late September. It’s of Teck, the big smelter in town (and economic lifeblood of this part of the world).
After much… encouragement from my family, I am proud to finally present Lauren’s 4 month (ish) picture.
Yes, I realize that it is only a week until Lauren is 5 months, but rest assured this picture was actually taken last week!
I realize that we are almost at the middle of the month, but due to our trip to Vancouver, we did not get an opportunity to take Lauren’s hammer photo right on the 1st. But I can assure you, her looks have not changed that much in 2-weeks! Although she is starting to smile and giggle more, which always makes Sarah and my day.
Anyways, here is Lauren at (roughly) 3-months old:
Along with the celebration of Canada Day was the 2-month celebration of Lauren’s life. Thinking about it now, we should have donned her in red and white, but she was late going to a baby shower and… well… girls will be girls! She had her party dress on and was not about to change for a picture by Dad.
Nevertheless, here is Lauren at two months:
And as I was taking Lauren’s pictures, her brother arrived home after a day with Uncle Kent, Auntie D, Macie, and Caleb. So of course, he wanted in on the pictures. You can see how Nolan appears to have grown by 5-years with the arrival of his sister! He certainly is no longer our baby boy. For comparison, check out the picture of Nolan at 2-months with his hammer.
On May 13 last month, my grandfather, Frank Goertzen, passed away at the age of 86. This past weekend, his family and friends gathered together in Regina, Saskatchewan to remember and to say ‘good-bye’. Although it was a somber-reason for everyone to get together, it was enjoyable introducing all of our extended family to Lauren and to our growing Nolan.
After the memorial service and graveside service, the family gathered back together to reminisce and catch-up. Here are just a few of the pictures from that time together.
My Grandma Goertzen
Lauren with her Great-Auntie Roxene and Great-Uncle René
Lauren with cousin Sarah
Lauren with cousin Warren
Nolan playing with his Great-Uncle René
Nolan and Great-Uncle René had fun with Great-Grandma’s walker
Nolan decided to push his Great-Uncle
Not sure who had more fun!
Nolan playing with his Great-Grandma Goertzen
For those that have been around this blog for some time (about 2 years!), you will remember my monthly updates of Nolan and his hammer. Well, we have decided to resurect that tradition with Lauren. At the beginning of each month, we will take a picture of her with the hammer, as well, we will include her firefighter-puppy in homage to her eventful arrival.
Without further ado, here is Lauren at one month:
I am not sure if it is because a) Lauren b) a renewed passion or c) waiting for parts for my next guitar pedal, but I have picked-up the camera again. Nothing in particular, but just shots of around here. I will endeavor to post more of my shots.
Lauren:
Nolan:
Nolan has discovered he loves bubbles!
This is by far one of my favorite pictures of Nolan.
Trail’s “Silver City Days” Fireworks (from our front porch!):
