a photo edit

So I was just messing with some settings in a photo editing program and thought this turned out kinda cool.

Nothing too new happening around here. Jacob cut his 4th tooth - did you know that? I can't remember if I posted that or not. It looks like two more teeth up top will be coming soon as well. We have taken several trips to the pool this week in the 90+ degree heat. He is liking the pool a lot more than he did when we first tried in April. We have got him in the floatie and take him out to where the big kids play. He also likes to sit at the zero-depth entry and let the water splash up on him.

Maybe I'll try a couple editing tricks with some of the swimming pictures - that is if Jacob doesn't wake up from his nap first!

We got a sitter for tonight and Nate and I look forward to an evening together. We don't know what we're doing - it will probably involve golf and dinner, but where...who knows! We were going to do a movie, but nothing really seems to hit the spot with what our interests are for movies.

Enjoy your weekend

It's been awhile

Since the last update, Jacob has done a lot! He started crawling the day after that post and his 3rd tooth cut the following day. He is now standing and pulling himself up. He is crawling about 20 times faster than when he began. It's fun to watch him explore and learn new tricks. Why does it always seem to be that babies go for the things you don't want them to? Jacob has had his first baseball game experience, went to the beach,and pool (which so far has not been his favorite), is waving hi and bye, gives kisses, snuggles his stuffed animals and kitties, tasted ice cream for the first time and liked it, got his first haircut, does 'so big' and will walk with an adult holding his arms up and guiding him.

He likes things that move, like caterpillars.

He also really enjoyed watching the butterflies at the butterfly house in Sioux Falls while Nate was in meetings earlier this month.

Summer is here, two of our three trips are complete. We returned from the WI Dells yesterday evening. We had a good time with family while doing some of the tourist attractions. It was fun to take vacation as a family of three. Although packing for such a thing is a lot different now. We make do with a lot less and make Jacob too. A few toys made the trip, but the bigger items stayed back at home, like the kitties and his dump truck. He really likes this toy. He missed it on vacation. When we returned he was very excited to play with it again.

In WI we rented a house. Here are several pictures outside that house. Nate's immediate family all gathered here for several days. I'm so glad the mosquitoes are not out yet in Iowa! Those things must really get bird sized by the end of the summer. Thankfully, they stayed away from Jacob, and I only received a few nibbles.

When we returned home we checked out the strawberry patch and sure enough there were red berries! (That had not been snatched by birds! Last year when we returned home from vacation all that remained were the stems of the berries hanging from the plants. It was sad.) It was so great to eat some straight from the garden! Delicious! Jacob however wasn't a great fan.

So far this summer has been very eventful. There are lots more pictures that are so cute but this gives you a glimpse.

We are also rejoicing with some friends who received word of a baby that had been born that they hope to bring home soon. Yeah!

We are looking forward to spending Father's Day together. I love watching Nate interact with Jacob. He's such a good daddy. He adores his son. I'll try to make him post on Sunday - we'll see if he has anything insightful to say. It's shaping up to be a HOT weekend here, I'm ready for some hot, sunny weather! WooHoo!

Mother's Day

This little boy is so cute. And this day has been long in coming. Words really can't express today, so I'm not going to try. I've enjoyed today and that is what matters. I've also thought a lot about those who are longing to be a mother - the several mother's days that I endured before today were difficult and I am praying for those who want to be a mother, would like more children, who lost their mother, the first time mothers...

I also give thanks to a woman who so selflessly placed her son for adoption. Because of that, I get to enjoy today while she may be having a difficult day. Pray for her.

I don't think it will rain today...we've had a lot of rain lately, which is only helping the grass turn greener and the flowers begin to bloom and the leaves bud on the trees. The perennials are growing like crazy and seem to change every time I sneak a peak. This week I hope to plant a few more perennials in our back garden, but also plug in some annuals, toss seeds about, and see what happens this July/August. I usually go to the nursery with a rough plan and color scheme in mind. I have pink tulips that should be blossoming in time for tulip festival this upcoming weekend, and purple iris'. Perhaps a purple/pink combo with white accent? Usually purple is the dominant color, perhaps I will continue that this year. I really do enjoy gardening but wish I had more time/money to do an overhaul in front of our deck...any ideas? Right now its shrubbery. Eh, I'll give it another year or two before I tackle a big project.

My veggie garden has doubled in size thanks to my awesome neighbor who tilled it up for me! I look forward to twice as many beans and carrots this year. My strawberries will hopefully not get snatched by the bunnies or birds. I hope to get a fence put up to ward off some of these creatures.

These next two weeks are looking to be quite busy with school ending and graduations happening, throw in a trip to tulip festival and moving out of school. Yes, the past 4 years I have lived at school and now I am moving out. I will be teaching at a different school next year - only ONE job prep (instead of 3!) Preschool at the christian school in the town where we live. The position is four mornings a week M-TH. I am looking forward to my new position and the new challenges it will bring.

Enjoy the pictures. Our little guy is cutting another tooth - hasn't broke through yet, but it's visable through the gum - we've also noticed other unpleasant signs of a tooth arriving. The crawling thing hasn't quite happened; he has started getting up on his knees and rocking back and forth - another sign that his restricted mobility is sure to become much more!

Have a great week!

N, MB, J

Finalization Day!!!!

Today was the day Jacob officially and legally has the name Jacob Ethan Breen! We met at the courthouse this afternoon with several people, waited so patiently for our turn in the courtroom and then had our 15 min hearing and took lots of pictures and celebrated! It was a fantastic day. Nate and I both took the day off of work from our jobs, we enjoyed taking time to get ready this morning. We had a couple other items of business to take care of at the courthouse too, so we did that prior to the hearing.

Our judge was so great! She was so nice! She loved Jacob, thought he was so adorable and wanted to take him home ;) She was so willing to take a few pictures with us and let Jacob rule over the front! We got lots of super cute pictures and we also had the hearing video taped. Of course we will share some of those pictures with you. I have more on facebook if you haven't checked them out already.

This event today marks the end of our adoption process. It was long in coming, many prayers were said, tears were shed, papers filled out, throughout the entire process. We know this was the Lords plan for us, the road less traveled, but we are so thankful that God led us on this path. Thank you so much in joining us on this journey!

I feel like Saturday night (Steven Curtis Chapman/Michael W. Smith concert) was our adoption finalization celebration! I love to hear SCC talk about adoption and how it has affected their family and how others have been inspired to because of it. Their daughter Emily is so excited about adoption herself and can't wait to build her family through adoption! There are so many songs of his that I just love, from the oldies but goodies to the recent hits. My three favs right now are Dive - I'm diving in, I'm going deep - that's what we did with our adoption, we dove right into it! Then Miracle of the Moment - finding the miracle of each moment that you're in right now, not what's going to happen tomorrow, or what happened yesterday...but right now. That's all that matters - the TODAY and the day we meet Jesus! We had a BIG miracle today, I really couldn't stop smiling in that courtroom! The other song is Yours - reminds me a lot about Jacobs adoption and how Jacob is really God's (Yours).

So anyway, I don't need to keep rambling, but really, I need to write down my thoughts from the day and get them to all make sense. I feel like they are all jumbled in my brain and I don't want to forget them. The longer today will fall away, the less I will remember.

While I'm thinking about it too, this blog will still be up and running, but I want you to know that it will turn into a 'family' blog and less of an 'adoption' blog. The main purpose of this blog is for us to remember the events of our lives and a bonus is you get to follow along.

Some have asked if we intend to adopt again - yes would be our answer. When? We don't know. When God lays it on our hearts. We're not ready to take on this adventure again yet. It's a long process from start to finish. We don't want to be consumed with the paperwork and stress and heartache that comes with the waiting right now. We want to enjoy our family of 3 and when we feel God is speaking to us to start the process again, we'll let you know! :)

Ok, ok, get to the pictures already!

Ok, so much for only a few pictures, huh?!

The United Tour

On Saturday evening we had a fantastic date! We completely enjoyed our company all evening long. We enjoyed some Famous Dave's BBQ then rushed off to the Orpheum just a few blocks away to volunteer at the Show Hope booth at the Michael W. Smith / Steven Curtis Chapman concert that I talked about in Thursdays post. In July we had received word that we would had been granted the Shaohannah's Hope adoption grant that was set up by Steven and his wife Mary Beth. This was huge to us! The amount of work that we did on Saturday night was minute compared to the amount of help that Shaohannah's Hope had given to our adoption. But we wanted to help in ANY way that we could. Our boss for the night was Stevens daughter Emily. She is so awesome! What an incredible gal who loves the Lord. It was so cool to be able to get to know someone we have been praying for and seeing on tv after the tragedy of her little sister Maria last May.

Nate and I embraced talking to people about adoption and Show Hope. To hear others' stories and share is such a blessing. We saw many people we knew at the concert - people we have met since our adoption journey started. Had God not led us on this path, we would not have met these amazing people! Praise the Lord for His plans are good. Many, many people have been touched by Steven Curtis Chapman's music for many years, and even more so in the last 11 months.

So the concert......WOW! It was absolutely amazing! (We didn't get to sit and enjoy the entire thing - we got to stand off to the side for most of it though.) We had seen both artists perform in the past year, so many things were similar, but to see the two men work together was definately cool. If the United Tour is near you, buy tickets and go see the concert!


Throughout the evening we were able to talk with Emily - from what she likes/doesn't like about her dad, to her plans for the future. Towards the end of the show Nate asked her if we would be able to meet her dad - she had already put a request in for us to meet him! How cool! (But we weren't getting our hopes up too much!) After the show and people left we were responsible for cleaning up the various booths around the building and packing up all the materials for the next show. Once that task was accomplished we were able to go 'back stage' and meet the man himself! Along with other Show Hope people, including Geoff Moore. All of these people were SO incredibly kind. One thing Emily had said was that her dad, Michael W. Smith, Geoff...are the same in life as they are on stage. How true!

Here's a few pics from the night:

Us with Emily (Steven's incredible daughter)

MB, Catherine & Nate Schreur


SCC!

Geoff Moore and Nate Schreur
Us and Steven

So we did get some Easter pictures, but this week has been absolutely crazy busy, so they aren't on the computer yet.

We have day one of our first garage sale finished. I'm pleased with the outcome so far and Nate was surprised! We'll see how Friday and Saturday go. Friday will be interesting as I am running the show with Jacob alone.

The fresh air has been good for Jacob, he's been going to bed around 8:30, this morning he woke up at 7:15.

We are looking forward to an exciting evening Friday night! We will be going to Sioux City - out to dinner and then to Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith concert where we will be helping out with the Shaohannah's Hope booth which is about orphan care and adoption grants. We are thrilled to be able to give back to people who helped us on our adoption journey. A bonus to the evening is that we will be going with two other couples who have also experienced adoption in their families. We look forward to spending a night out with friends and no children along!

I think I'm going to have to put the CD player in the garage and turn on some SCC music to get pumped!!!

Enjoy your weekend wherever you are!

Also, stay tuned in the near future for more info on our finalization of Jacob's adoption!

Opening Day

Hopefully the last snow flakes have fallen until December. Baseball season is officially under way. Cubs won, Cardinals lost (not against each other). I'm bummed, but at least one of Nate's teams will come out with a win today. The NCAA final basketball game is being played tonight. So far, the Spartans are not fairing well. Nate isn't quite as excited as he was Saturday night. Jacob continues to laugh at Nate's reactions to the game. Both boys are sporting green and white MI state apparel. I am wearing red. I'm indifferent in how this game turns out. Other than the fact that I picked NC as my bracket champ and they are my only team that made the final 4.

On another note, our house has the sweet fragrance of easter lillies, tulips, spider mums, carnations, daisies....beautiful! Hooray for birthdays! Nate and I both celebrated birthdays last week - 27 isn't so bad, right? I'm sure some day we'll look back and say....remember when we were only 27...those were the days.... God has changed our lives drastically in a year for which we are thankful. Of course, the rocky roads, winding paths, and uncertainties of it were a challenge, but we grew because of it, and that is what is important.

I guess we don't have any exciting pictures to share tonight. I'm sure we'll try to capture some Easter pictures this week.

Jacob is doing fine, growing like crazy. His hair is probably longer than Nates! We continue to cycle in new clothes and pull out clothes that are too small for him. He rolls around the living floor, can't quite figure out the crawling thing yet.

We're getting ready to have a garage sale in a couple weeks. The city has city-wide garage sales, so we figured this would be a good time for us to get rid of some things we have just sitting in our basement. Hopefully it is successful.

Our Thursday night financial class is finished! We are so excited and would encourage anyone to take the Financial Peace University class by Dave Ramsey (or for that matter - any of his material!) This Thursday we are excited to attend our first Katelyn's Fund meeting in 2009!

Blessings in this Holy week,
N, MB, J