hello, world!

After over two weeks of feeling like I had no connection to the outside world (which is really a sad commentary on how much media is a part of my life), the Maurers finally have internet and cable! Why hello there, world. It's nice to see how you're doing again. I have so much to update ya'll on and so much to share, but I'll just have to do it a little bit at a time. So for now, here is how things are going on the homefront:

Shawn: Like anyone who begins a new job, Shawn's definitely had a period of adjustment. It's not easy to learn a new system of doing things, a new culture of ministry, a new office atmosphere, and even to figure out where to find the paperclips. If you've ever begun a new job, then you know it takes about a month to fall into a rhythm and feel like you've caught up and can start being productive. Nonetheless, he's excited about the things ahead and is really enjoying getting to know the rest of the Family Life Team. We've spent a lot of time being social with the other ministers and their families and feel blessed to have made fast friends.

Jen: After two weeks I pretty much feel like I have everything unpacked and relatively organized. I've done a fair amount of nesting in the new house and am ready to call it "home." I'm doing pretty well at finding my way around, although exploring new areas is always fun to me. Shawn got a new work issued iPhone, so I was blessed with his new-to-me iPhone 3G. It's possible that I love that phone a little more than is appropriate, but having the maps app has been a lifesaver more than once. I'm looking forward to exploring new restaurants, libraries, and stores with Shawn and the boys!

That being said, I continue to have moments of sadness that sneak up on me.

Shawn was invited to a Mavs game the other night, which left me alone with the boys after a particularly long couple of days. With everything in me, I wanted to invite my small group girls over after the boys went down to hang out. It broke my heart to know that they were far away and that I wasn't going to see them walk through my front door. We have this fantastic porch swing in our back yard on which I can sit and swing while Jude has the run of the yard and can play his little heart away. While our friend Katie was here, she and I swung and chatted while Jude ran around, and it's been where I sit to call friends and family to catch up. Something about sitting there and swinging makes me long for my good friends to sit and swing with me. I want to make them a cup of tea and have long conversations while we swing away and watch Jude dig in the dirt.

Jude: Jude is actually recovering from what I'm guessing was a bad cold. He ran a fever for about a day and a half and was lethargic (and extra cuddly). He seems to be feeling better, but he's still waking up around 6:00 am and climbing into bed with us. Normally Shawn and I have a strict "no child in our bed after 8:00pm" policy, but we do make exceptions for sweet, cuddly, sickies. This morning Jude climbed in, and I wrapped my arms around him with our faces nearly touching. I held the back of his head with my hand, and he put his sweet, chubby hand on the side of my face and played with my ear until he fell asleep. Though I was exhausted, I stayed awake and gazed at his trusting and peaceful face. I love that he feels safe enough to come to us to be held and loved on when he's not feeling well, and I want to remember that moment forever.

Despite being sick, Jude seems to have adjusted to the move pretty well. He'll be starting preschool on January 4th, and I'm praying that's a transition about which he gets excited and does well.

Cohen: We've moved Cohen up to Prevacaid (I have no idea if that's spelled correctly) after trying a couple of less strong medicines. It'll take a couple of days to see if it works, but I'm hopeful that it'll help. I'm debating whether to start cereal with him, as it's been proven to help babies with reflux not painfully spit up so much. I had wanted to wait until he was five or six months old to start, but I also want to try anything that will help him feel better. He's waking up pretty consistently around 4:00 and then again at 5:30 every day (and occasionally at midnight and 2:00). We're exhausted, but I feel like God's giving me enough energy to get through each day.

Cohen had his 4 month well check up yesterday and weighed in at 12 lbs 8 oz and 24 inches tall (10th % for both). I'm looking forward to him being 13lbs., since that's often the point at which babies start sleeping for 12 hours at night. Like we expected, Cohen's hair is starting to get lighter, so it looks like we'll have two blonde haired, blue eyed boys on our hands! Shawn thinks Cohen is starting to look more and more like Jude, but I happen to think Cohen is looking more and more like Shawn.

I promise that photos and hopefully even videos will be coming, but we're trying to just enjoy our time as a family. It was frustrating to not have cable or Internet for two weeks, but I have a feeling that was God's hand in our lives. It allowed us a chance to really invest in people here and spend time with one another and our boys in a way we wouldn't have if we'd had more distractions. I'm focusing on not letting this holiday season pass me by in a flurry of moving and unpacking. Besides, considering the fact that it's about 60 degrees out right now, we need some extra carmel corn-making, cookie eating, hot chocolate drinking, holiday movie watching to make sure we really feel like it's Christmas this year!