special gifts

For Elijah's 1st birthday, he received a set of golf clubs from his Great-Uncle Larry and Great-Aunt Debbie. Great-Uncle Larry, via Skype, told Elijah that he had been taught to play golf by Elijah's Great-Grandpa, and would like to teach Elijah to play.

Elijah loves his golf clubs.  We took them to the lawn outside of the library today, and he enchanted the people walking by.  He was having so much fun, I think they wanted to play with him.  Thank you, Aunt Debbie and Uncle Larry!

We received a package in the mail from Elijah's Great-Nana.  In it were handmade wooden toys built by my Grandpa (Elijah's Great-Grandpa.)  What a special gift!  Elijah was impressed with the truck, of course, and I got a kick out of how he played with it.  I guess all trucks are to ride.  Thank you, Nana, for sending us this special gift!

Slovenia versus USA

On Friday, David's professor Mavretic invited us to his Cape Cod home to watch the Slovenia versus United States World Cup soccer game. The Mavretics are from Slovenia, and a picture hanging in Professor Mavretic's office inspired our trip to Slovenia 2 years ago.

the picture retaken by David

2 years ago... at Lake Bled, Slovenia

Though the Mavretics claimed they would be happy with either country's win, there sure were a lot of cheers and yells after Slovenia's first two goals!  Though the game ended with a referee's controversial call, we were all happy with the 2-2 draw... it made our party relaxed and fun!  No pictures to post as we were too engrossed in the game... 

After the game, we took Elijah to the beach on Cape Cod... yes, you'll be seeing a lot of beach pictures this summer!  We are enjoying our "pay back" for the New England winters!

Mashpee, Cape Cod, near the Mavretics' house

A very cool little dude tries on his Mama's shades.  Note his shirt: "Beach Bum."  This little sand monster was positively caked with sand at the end of the day.  And loved it.  And still had energy to play with the Mavretics' two grandsons (well, to watch and crawl after them, cackling.)

After a day at the beach, we headed back to an amazing dinner Mrs. Mavretic made for us.  She famously pressed more food onto us.  I had to laugh when Professor Mavretic's brother commented, "Dorinka, if I were married to you, I would be like this," (gesturing how wide his girth would be.) 

She laughed and responded, "My mother told me when I was to marry, 'You have to learn to cook.  Love does not live on an empty stomach.'"  I love it!

13 months

Why can't I have my frog and eat at the same time?!

Elijah is becoming more and more his own little person... very enthusiastic and expressive.
Some verbal snapshots:

-He used to be terrified of the vacuum, so I've waited to do it when David can take him outside.  Today I decided to try it with him awake.  His eyes got wide, then he hopped on his little truck and started following me around on it making "raoooaaaouu" noises.

-Entering Whole Foods, Elijah spotted the race car shaped shopping cart.  We put him in it, and he spent the entire shopping trip with eyebrows raised, eyes wide, gripping and spinning the steering wheel like a crazy man, and shrieking "Twa! Twa! Twa!"  (when he says this, his works at each sound, his lips pursed out... It's so cute.)

-He has been taking 2 or 3 steps at a time, then plopping on the floor.  When he does this, he looks to us and starts clapping (we have been giving him encouragement!)

-developing serious food preferences.  If he doesn't want it, he'll turn his head, his lips pinched together, eyes closed as if he doesn't even want to see the food.  This includes foods like avocado that he used to not be able to get enough of!

-Wants to feed himself.  Loves using the spoon, though doesn't get much into his mouth.  He does not want to accept the spoon from an adult!

-daredevil... He dives and climbs without fear of falling.  Yikes.

-Has added the word "ball" to his collection.  At the beach yesterday he looked longingly over at the family next to us, saying wistfully, "Baa..."  I'll have to remember to bring the ball with our sand toys.

-Dances whenever he hears music, wiggling his hips, and bouncing on his knees.  He has a magnetic "Fridge Farm" that he presses that plays music like "Old McDonald" to his delight.

-Can climb out of his high chair.  We've gone back to the booster seat that has better straps.

-Is starting to imitate sounds.  David says "GOTCHA!" to him, and he responds "Godda!"

-Saw David kissing me and so puckered up his little lips making "mmmwwa!" noises.  He laughed when I offered him my cheek to kiss.

-Points out dogs, and I think may refer to them as "Woo Woo." (Woof Woof?)  We have two golden retrievers who live next door, so he hears dogs a lot!

-Loves to charm any person he sees, whether in the grocery store, the coffee shop, or passing on the street.  He greets people with a grin and a "Haaaa!!"

-This week has been babbling something that sounds like "Awailowailowailo..."  No idea, but he says it with such expression, as if it's a full sentence.

-Is famous at Mt. Hope (my school) for his love of trucks.  People I don't even know have said to me, "Are you the mother of the baby who loves trucks?" (I guess that's what happens with a nursery full of little girls.)

-As I rocked him before bed, eyes closed, a little smile on his face, in a soft, sleepy voice he said quietly, "Twa... twa..."

-Everything is a drum, which he beats with wide eyes and mouth in a wide gleeful grin.

-Melts my heart... Several time now he has given me a big hug, little arms wrapped tightly around my neck, with his head on my shoulder and says "Mammmaaa," sweetly.

decisions

We have big decisions ahead of us. David is looking for a job for November after his post-doctorate finishes. He has applied all over the country and has been offered three positions in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has a job interview a little ways away from the school where I teach at here in Massachusetts. While we are so thankful that he has job offers, the thought of moving to Albuquerque is very hard for us, and not just because New Mexico sounds so dry compared living by the ocean! We have made a life for ourselves here in Massachusetts, and it feels like home.

We love our church, where our pastor is not so much a preacher as a teacher of the Bible. We feel like we are guided and growing in our faith and in our understanding of God there. That is a precious thing, and the thought of leaving Park Street Church and all that it means to us is very hard. We have made some dear friends here, friends who will be staying beyond the grad school time frame of “a year or two,” who have become family to us. I love the school where I teach. I love how international it is, how they work to make sure that anyone who wants to can attend, the staff I work with, the freedom I have to teach with creative methods and not just “for the test.” I love that I am encouraged to help my students grow spiritually in their understanding of God, and not just academically. I also love that Elijah happily attends the nursery provided for him… not many schools offer such an amazing situation! David enjoys the work he has been doing on small satellites, and is eager to work in this field that he has studied for so long. He is having the difficulty of figuring out what kind of place he would like to work with, and what specific area. He has had a wide range of experience, and it is hard for him to narrow his interests.

We are seeking God’s will for this decision, and as of yet, do not feel a release to make the choice yet. There is either more work to be done in us, or another situation to be found.

We are trying not to let this decision consume all our thoughts and discussions, though it is hard. I meet with my principal on Wednesday to discuss “next year,” and I do not have an answer as of yet. David daily is weighing his options and looking for new possibilities.

With this decision whirling in our heads, I opened my Bible this past week to Psalm 46:10. I had memorized this as “Be still and know that I am God.” Lately I have been reading from the NASB, which is a more literal translation, though supposedly doesn’t flow as well for reading. I loved to read this verse with the slightly different connotation of a different translation. The NASB reads “Cease striving, and know that I am God!” The note in my Bible says “Cease striving” in the Hebrew is more like God shouting “Enough!” to His people. “ENOUGH! I am God! I will take care of you… Remember, I am in control of the very movements of the Earth. I can cause war to cease! Stop trying to do everything on your own. I’m here!” I had a mental picture of myself in the midst of my worries and wonderings of the future, and God shouting “ENOUGH! Enough, Jamie. Stop your worrying and remember who I AM!” What a good reminder that God is powerful, and to remember who He is in the midst of the noise of our lives.

We would love your prayers for us as we decide what our next step is. We’d especially like you to pray that we would be at peace during this time, and would hear God in the midst of the noise of our lives.

bubbles on the beach

David's brother Isaac and his wife Abigail are visiting this week from California.  Being on West Coast time, and not keeping the hours generally favored by a one-year old, we decided to let them sleep in the mornings while we took a very happy and babbling Elijah to the beach.  We introduced him to bubbles, which he enjoyed, and brought sand toys, which he loved-- particularly the shovel.

First bubble

He didn't let go of the shovel the entire time we were there!

Land!  I see land!

Coming soon later this week: Pictures of Ike and Abby's visit...

what a month!

What an amazing (and busy) month it has been!  We know we are so behind in blogging... hopefully this weekend we'll be able to post some.

The last few weeks we have had so many visitors from out of town, activities and events...
but today we are going to the beach as our little family on our first beautiful weekend in a long time!

Mary's graduation

We were so glad to be able to go back to Indiana to watch David's sister Mary's graduation from The King's Academy.  Here are a few snaps of our trip.

a proud Mom and Dad Voss watch their daughter graduate

2 Graduates!  Mary from high school, David from his phD

Mary with her future room-mate, Katie, at their Open House at Taylor Lake

Elijah adored his Uncle Aaron, who spent most of the day playing with him.  When Aaron finally took a break to go play some beach volleyball, Elijah cried in his Daddy's arms because he wanted to be where Uncle Aaron was...

Matt Voss, friend Troy Shockey, David, Isaac Voss at the Open House

The new Voss house under construction... it's coming along!  They've built it all themselves, including a number of cool custom-design features, and lots of green technology incorporated.

Dad pointing out some of the finer design points.

Elijah loved the attention from his grandparents, aunts and uncles.

Elijah was especially in awe of the backhoe that he could see out of the windows at the Voss house.  We think he developed the mistaken view that out of every window is a truck.  He was constantly pointing saying, "Twa! Twa! Twa!" until someone would take him to see it up close.

A high point for him was riding the "twa" (backhoe) with Uncle Mark.  He was awestruck.  Note: he is saying the word "truck" in this picture!

Things we don't usually do

It was great to be back with the Voss family this past week, seeing Mary graduate from High School, celebrating Jon's birthday, and visiting with family and friends. However, when we go back to the Indiana homestead there are usually some things that happen that we don't typically do around our home on the East Coast.

The first thing we don't typically do is drive a backhoe through open fields (Sorry Dad O. It's not a CAT. I'm sure if it had been one we would have finished in half the time).

The second thing is to use the backhoe to dig a 6-foot deep trench through the front lawn of my family's house (they're installing pipes for a geothermal HVAC system).  It turns out that Jamie is a natural backhoe operator with a full scoop the first time. We later found out she had been "trained" as a child when they lived in Japan.

The third thing we don't typically do is have a bonfire in the backyard. And not just because we don't have a backyard.  They don't allow bonfires in the city.  Tim made a great patio with a fire pit and we found ourselves sitting out there most nights with a fire, sweet tea, and good conversation.

And finally, I don't typically get to frame a wall with a nail gun with my brother on the top of a house...

and you thought we were just going back to see people!