Thanks again!

Thanks again to the Cool family for another great widget for the blog*. You'll notice the age counter under the title photo! This will settle a lot of arguments around the house!

*if you are a Facebook reader, check out the actual blog at www.rezsnyak.com

Man's Best Friend

I posted a link recently on Facebook and made some comments in response to an article in which a little girl was attacked and hurt by a pit-bull that was owned by a friend. Most of, if not all, the comments I made are either exaggerations, or even contrary, to the way I actually feel about dogs. I knew that some of my friends would be upset by my off-the-cuff, reactionary remarks, but when my father said something to me, I knew I had to take some time to clear the air and let you know how I really feel about dogs.

Anyone that really knows me, and my wife can attest to this, knows that I'm actually a little bit of a dog lover. I especially love the fact that you can teach a dog to do just about anything in the world, most notably assist the blind and physically disabled. And in any argument over which is better, a dog or a cat? Well... cats are worthless. And that's something I'll never apologize for. And yes, Stephanie and I often talk about getting a dog once we have our own home, I've considered a herding breed, instead of a fence, to keep Alexander in the yard.

So I'm sorry if I have offended the dog person in you by the rash statements I made.

Many Apologies,
Scott

Ryan's Birthday Wish

Ryan Callahan's Birthday Wish is something great! Check it out!

Thanksgiving

Giving thanks is an interesting concept. It's an intimate and vulnerable thing to do. To look someone in the eyes and actually say 'thank you.' Thank you for what you did, how you acted, what you gave me, how you sacrificed. Sometimes it's really hard to tell someone Thank You.

For me, it's always been particularly hard to say thank you. Not when it's polite, that's easy, I've got polite down, but when it's really important. When I really mean it, that's when I'm least likely to say it. Friends that have volunteered their lives to the protection of my freedoms, my parents for raising me and taking care of me all those years, my friends that stuck with me through all the tough times when I was a sarcastic jerk, the teachers that built into my life, my wife for, well, actually marrying me! These are among the people that are least likely to hear the words Thank You from me.

Why is that, why do we so often neglect the people in our lives that mean the most to us. What a wicked curse we are struck with. I would love to have the courage to say Thank You to each of you for the parts you have played in my life. And maybe, by the Grace of God, I will.

---------------------------------------------------------------

This Thanksgiving we are thankful for:
Alexander! Our son
The support, both prayer and financial, for the trip to Ghana
Jobs... however many we might have a year
Another successful year of Marriage
Friends, new and old
Provision beyond our expectations
...and so much more!

2 months - ouch!

So today was the first pediatrician appointment that I've had to go to sans Scott. I suppose I should get to used to the feeling because he has a job now and won't be able to go to many, if any, appointments with us anymore.

This was also the first time I had to witness my son experience the pain of shots! (He had a couple things done to him at the hospital, but I couldn't see him or hear him when those happened.)

Today was Alexander's 2 month appointment, so he had 3 shots and 1 oral vaccine. I had been going nuts with nervousness for about a week straight because I was so worried that he would scream bloody murder and never forgive me for making him go through the pain! All morning I was trying to assure him that this was for his own good and that the pain is just temporary but will prevent lots more terrible things from happening to him...Alas, just like every mom who's done this before knows, he did scream a little (not quite bloody murder) and he seemed to quickly forgive me. As soon as I picked him up after the shots he quieted right down and slept the whole way home!

A few quick stats from the appointment:

-"height" (that's for you, husband): 23 inches
-head circumference: 40 1/2 centimeters
-weight: 11 pounds 14 ounces


This could be a potentially "bad mom" moment. I took this picture (notice my feet at the bottom right) just to show the poor little guys 3 bandaids on his legs. He obviously didn't think it was worth it...










Just a picture of our super happy 2 month baby boy! Man we love this kid!

a small update

Hi all! Just wanted to give you an update from an e-mail that Scott sent today. I don't know much, but here's the very little bit I do know:

-their team made it to Kete Krachi today (the north end of the lake) after a 9 1/2 hour drive (and it's apparently only 180 miles!) and some terrible roads!

-he's having fun exchanging details of Ghanaian and American culture with Albright, one of the Ghanaian men who is leading them in the their travels and mission at the lake.

-they are going to be going to Volta Lake tomorrow to meet some of the children who are slave workers there and he doesn't know much more about what will be happening there

-he would like continued prayer that the trip will be fruitful and that God will move in the area


That's all I know - I'll keep updating when he does! Thanks for praying for him and the team.

Left Behind

Right now my husband is flying high above the ocean making his way to Ghana and Alexander and I are here, "left behind" in Chittenango.

You might think I say that with sadness or maybe with a hint of anger or sarcasm, but no. I have a few thoughts.

Yes, Alexander is new to the world and to our family like many people have expressed concern about, but my son and I are here without Scott because he is a great man who is gone for a short time to do great things. Our baby boy is here safe in the arms of his mother while his father is spending time trying to figure out a way to help child slaves just be safe...somewhere.

I don't have much more to say, really. I just want to be as clear as I can that I am excited for this opportunity my husband has to be out in the world doing the work of the Lord.

I couldn't be more proud to be "left behind."

Ghana Mission Trip - Blog

If you are interested in keeping up with what's going on with our trip to Ghana, there will be a few people on the trip that will have internet access and will be updating a blog, I think daily. Please visit http://ehbcghana.wordpress.com

Ghana Mission Trip - Update

Hello Friends and Family!

Thank you to all who were willing to support the trip to Ghana both financially and with your prayers. It's amazing to see the support! We are really blown away by the love of God shown through His people!

Other ways that you can support our trip, if you are interested, could include providing some of the following items:

-Ibuprofen (Adult and Children)
-Tylenol (Adult and Children)
-Aleve (Adult and Children)
-Preparation H
-Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
-Thermometer
-Reading Glasses (magnifiers)
-Deflated soccer balls
-Air pump for balls
-Soccer cleats
-Children's story books
-School Supplies:
--Spiral notebooks
--Pens
--Crayons
--Markers
--Coloring books
--Etc.
-Jump ropes
-Bubbles
-Flip flops (men, women and children sizes)
-Clothing (men, women and children sizes) - Please keep in mind that women wear long skirts, blouses and T-shirts. Men are smaller sized small or medium and wear pants, button down shirts and T-shirts. Children's warm weather clothing of all types.

All of these items are basic needs that we take for granted here in the States, but are precious commodities in Ghana. Providing a good soccer ball to a group of kids in a village in Ghana so they can play soccer is some of the best medicine* we can give them.

Some pictures of a new well!





The Brilliant Academy! A roof in a field. A more affordable school option. John Doe, the schools founder in the second picture.





Thank you all again for your support.


*not including actual medicine, of course!

First Blood

Well, Alexander cut himself last night on the face with those little tiny razor blades we call finger nails. To be honest we're really surprised this doesn't happen more often, they're just so sharp. He sure let out a howl, howl, howl, howl! We didn't take a picture, thought that would be a little morbid. But he got over it pretty quickly. Poor little guy.



And don't forget to keep checking for new photos!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=155584&id=501514376&l=00172f27ad

Whoops!

We had our first 'forgot to cover his manly parts when we were changing him and he peed all over me' moment today. It was pretty hysterical! He's so cute.

We also gave him his first at home bath yesterday. Which was fun, but mostly unnecessary. Being a new born he isn't really getting 'dirty' too much yet.

It amazes the both of us to no end how swaddling, something they've be doing for century upon century, really works. It just calms him down so much, which is totally awesome!

Being a parent? 10 out of 10 so far!

Alexander Carlton Rezsnyak

The story: Stephanie's water broke at 1130 Friday night as we were brushing our teeth after a long and, for us, late night. Being cautious we called the doctor, she said that it probably wasn't the bag of waters, but to monitor closely to be sure. Stephanie had her first mild contraction at 1255, they were occurring about once every 20-25 mins. After about an hour and a half of that we, or rather, she decided it was time to go! We checked in at Crouse Hospital at 245, the preliminary check in triage said that she was 4cm, which seemed pretty awesome to me. We now had confirmation that she was most certainly in labor. Contractions came and went with more frequency and more intensity as time passed. At about six o'clock or so Stephanie had dilated to 7-8cm! Things were progressing nicely. Then out of the blue, and without warning around 630-645 she felt like she had to push! Diane, her mother and newly crowned GRANDmother, told me that this phase of labor could last anywhere from one to four hours OR MORE. I was crushed, thinking that my wife would have to go through such agony for so long, little did I know that she, or perhaps more accurately God the Sovereign had very different plans.



On September 19th 2009 Alexander Carlton Rezsnyak joined the world of the breathing at 703am! Weighing in at 7lbs. 3oz. and 20 inches tall! Both he and his mother are doing phenomenal. We could not have ever expected the birth to have gone nearly as awesome as it did. God has blessed us so greatly! Praise the LORD!


see more photos at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=155584&id=501514376&l=00172f27ad

Two Years Ago...

we were joined together in Holy Matrimony. With Love in our hearts, God brought us together, binding us for as long as we both shall live. Certainly our journey has just begun, and we have a lot left to learn. But with our faces turn toward our Father we can know, how ever many years we have left together, each day will get better and better.

oh how the time seriously FLIES!

Stephanie wonders...

Is anyone else noticing that the baby countdown is getting DANGEROUSLY close to zero?!?

HOLY COW!!

Whose Baby?

A glimpse of what our baby might come out looking like!

Ghana Mission Trip

August 5^th 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

As some of you may know by now, I am planning be a part of a missions trip to Ghana in November. This will be my first overseas mission trip and I am very excited about the opportunity. I will try to make this letter as short and to the point as possible.

The trip will include many facets of missionary work such as:

• Distributing mosquito nets and other tools for reducing Malaria,

• Distributing anti-parasitic medicine,

• Follow-up with villages that have recently had wells dug (bore holes) for fresh, clean water,

• Visiting and researching new villages to dig more bore holes,

• Visiting the Brilliant Academy, a school that provides a low cost education to children that would otherwise go without. This visitation would include possible construction projects, time spent with the children, as well as meeting with the educators (which are the equivalent of high school graduates) to see if there are any resources that we can provide to help them educate, which could include training,

• Pastoral conferences that will include pastor training and small group discussions that will cover a wide variety of topics including addictions,

• Looking into more opportunities for the micro-loan program,

• Reaching people with the Gospel, trying to meet both the Spiritual and Physical needs of the people of Ghana.

This is not a comprehensive list by any means, but I'm sure you can tell already that there is a lot of work that needs to be done. There is one more thing that strikes a chord in my heart, and that I believe God has called me to get involved with: some families in Ghana are impoverished to the extent that they are left feeling that they have no choice but to sell one or more of their children into slavery so that they can provide for the rest of their family. We have a contact in Ghana that we hope to get in touch with to see how we can help, to do whatever we can to save some of these children from this awful injustice.

I'm asking you to be a part of this mission trip with me by financially supporting my journey. As you can imagine, the cost to get to Ghana, Africa in not an inexpensive one. When you include air fare, proper documentation to travel between countries, and vaccinations (both required and strongly recommended) we're looking at a cost of about $3000.00. This cost is staggering if we were left alone to cover it ourselves as a family and that's why I'm extending my hand, in humility, to ask you if you are willing to help me get there.

If you would like to be part of this mission through your financial support, please send a check to:

Eastern Hills Bible Church

4500 Pewter Lane Bldg 8

Manlius, NY 13104

Attn: Office Manager

Please make your check payable to Eastern Hills Bible Church and write “Scott Rezsnyak – Ghana” in the memo line. All contributions are tax deductible. Any money raised beyond that which is necessary will go directly to support the people of Ghana (e.g. more nets, school supplies etc.). While money is important, it comes in a distant second to my need for your prayer support. Since prayer support is so important to the success of this mission, I would like to know if I can count on you in that area.

To Reach Those Out of Reach,

Scott.

So...we lied!

My foot tastes good any way! (if you don't understand what I'm talking about, all the better!)

Here are some 3D videos of our baby from beyond the uterus! They're pretty great!

Baby Rez!
Part 1
Part 2 -moving hand around face.
Part 3 -mouth opens, very cute!
Part 4 -sucks thumb! ...almost.

If you look really close you can almost see a resemblance... well, maybe not...

Some Baby Stats...

There are certain signs that this baby is definitely is mine, you know a Rezsnyak, so to speak:

Head Size Larger Than Average...
Head Rounder Than Average...
Head Hairier Than Average...
(i.e. full head of hair, including the sides
[which I guess is a big deal]and no, no beard yet)

I'm officially rooting for a boy, but of course I won't be upset if it's a girl.

-Scott

Baby Bump!

Okay! With less than eighty-seven days left on the countdown, we finally decided to put up a "baby-bump" photograph.



It's crazy to think there's a little human being in there! We can't wait to meet 'em!

Time Flies!

It official, LESS THAN

days left until BABY ARRIVES*!



*assuming that the due date is correct and he or she isn't late...

Motherless Children

The following is an old Carter Family song written in 1927. Apparently Clapton had a famous version, but I am not familiar with it. I heard Ralph Stanley do a version of it the other day on Pandora, I was blown away, with his classic mournful timbre. It made me even more aware of the great work that the Mangine Family is doing in Haiti, with so many children there without mothers... Thank you Gwenn, you can give those kids something no one else can.

Motherless children sees a hard time
When their mother's dead
Motherless children sees a hard time
When their mother's dead
They are driven out in the cold
Cause they've got no place to go
Motherless children sees a hard time
When their mother's dead

Orphan children sees a hard time in this world
Orphan children sees a hard time in this world
Sister does the best she can
But she don't really understand
Orphan children sees a hard time in this world

Brother won't treat you like mother will
When your mother's dead
Brother won't treat you like mother will
When your mother's dead
You may ask for a piece of bread
You are told to go to bed
Motherless children sees a hard time
When your mother's dead

Orphan children sees a hard time in this world
Orphan children sees a hard time in this world
Sister does the best she can
But she don't really understand
Orphan children sees a hard time in this world

Friends won't treat you like mother will
When your mother's dead
Friends won't treat you like mother will
When your mother's dead
They will tell you what to do
Then they'll turn their back on you
Motherless children sees a hard time
When their mother's dead

Orphan children sees a hard time in this world
Orphan children sees a hard time in this world
Sister does the best she can
She really don't understand
Orphan children sees a hard time in this world

Simple Pleasures...

A few days ago we decided to buy a bird feeder, something that I have wanted to do for some time now. Well, alas! I was so impatient about the whole thing I just plumb thought the whole thing went bust. Days were going by and no bird ever lighted on my bird-zebo, that I had seen anyway. To complicate matters I had to simply rest out feeder on the railing of our balcony, I had no other reasonable place to put it. I so desperately wanted to see some birds!

Yesterday or so I thought I started to notice that the seed was changing. I couldn't be sure, of course, but the little piles that were all over the place (stuff that I had spilled) seemed to be disappearing, or at least spreading out. Then today I noticed a little "gift" from a bird, a sure sign that a bird had been in the neighborhood!

Then nary a moment ago, I was at the sink for a second. I turned around and lo and behold! there was a blue jay at our feeder! I was excited. Not too excited, as to scare the bird. I finally had my long awaited guest feasting away!

Mike Keville Would be Proud!

So yesterday morning I went to the dentist for the first time in over ten years. Yes that's ten, with a one followed by a zero. I had no idea what to expect. I admit I was expecting to have a few cavities that needed to be filled, but I was certainly not expecting the amount I wound up having:

ZERO! BOO-YEAH!

It wasn't all pleasant, however, apparently there have been some changes in dental technologies, and they all hurt more than ever.

Interesting side note, both my wife and I are missing both of our lateral incisors. They just never grew in... poor kid never had a chance at a perfect smile.

moving day #5?

Hi all,
Just in case you didn't know, we're moving...again (someday we'll do a journey-in-pictures of our apartment life - that'll be fun!). We're hoping to be able to get the majority of the "big stuff" into the new apartment (in Chittenango) this Saturday and any help would be appreciated, especially helping Scott with the heavy lifting as I won't be of much physical use "in my current condition" as he likes to say. There will be bbq beef sandwiches, chips & watermelon (courtesy of my totally awesome mom!), some cold cuts to make sandwiches and drinks to keep everyone hydrated and energized!

We'll be getting started early and accepting help at any time during the day! Feel free to give either of us a call (Scott - 256-6789 & Stephanie - 263-1863).

Thank you so much in advance for your willingness to help (and for even considering it if you can't actually be there!). And especially thanks for your CONTINUED patience as we roam the apartment complexes of Central New York. Hopefully the next move will be into a house!!

See you all real soon!
the Rezsnyaks

Tick-toc-TICK

I guess it was just a matter of time before it happened... Saturday morning I woke up to breakfast in bed, a very pleasant and unexpected treat (one that, as a man, I would never ask for). As I was adjusting to better able myself to eat I looked down and saw this big red spot on my leg. I immediately shot right up and knew precisely what had happened.

"THAT'S A TICK BITE!" I screamed. Upon closer examination I saw that there was a dark spot in the middle of the red area, and in the middle of the darker spot, a nasty little bug, clinging on to me as if his, or more likely her, life depended on it, which as it turned out it did. With Stephanie practically in the next county by now (she didn't like seeing the sight of something eating her husband) I was pretty much on my own. Whilst I ran into the bathroom in search of some tweezers Stephanie slowly came to her senses and looked up on the Internet the proper procedure for removing the tick. As it turns out, they will not let go, no matter what, even if you burn them (which I didn't do, thanks the info my wife retrieved). So, I just got a good hold on it and slowly, and painfully, pulled it out. Point of interest, up to this point I felt no pain at all. I literally could not feel it at all, as if it wasn't even there! When I started pulling, however, it was somewhere in between slowly pulling out a head hair and pinching off a good piece of your own flesh. In short, it wasn't pleasant.

The tick is dead! We put it in a jar and headed out to the Medical Center. Big mistake! In retrospect I almost wish I had decided to live as a permanent host to what would have quickly become a precious member of the family, I'm sure. But with 63% of Green Lakes ticks testing positive for Lyme, we went on our way. We spent the better part of the next hour in the waiting room, then my name was called and we thought, "that wasn't too bad." WRONG! Then we spent about an hour and half (at least) just sitting in the exam room, waiting and waiting... eventually the Physician's Asst. (which, by the way, is not a doctor) shows up, looks at me for about thirteen seconds and says "oh I'll be right back with a prescription." All lies, maybe a half hour later she came back. Told us that they will send the tick out to see if it is the kind that can carry Lyme and gave me the script and we were on our way.

I'm glad that I have the drugs, and that the tick isn't attached to me anymore, but it sure seemed like a bad way to spend a Saturday.

Oh, and that breakfast in bed? I had to eat it in the car on the way, cold. Figures.

Thanks for reading!

Cool!

Thanks to the Cool family we now have a widget that shows the approximate progress of out developing baby. It's pretty cool, I guess.

Old-Movie Reviews

I've decided to do short reviews of some of the movies we watch. Here is the first installment of Old-Movie Reviews (approved by the SRFIA).

Burn After Reading

Spoiler Alert: This movie is terrible! As my wife suggested this movie should have been entitled Burn Before Watching. This was just another typical Coen Bros. movie. Filled with every type of post-modern tripe that you have come to expect. Hint: if you've seen Fargo you've seen all of the Coen Bros. movies. They are all the same. At least O Brother, Where Art Thou? had a great soundtrack.

This film was allegedly a comedy. If adultery, very crude sexual references, the 'f' word, watching someone get beaten to death in the head with the blunt side of an axe and marriages falling apart is funny, the world is worse of than I thought. Burn spent so much time on character development I forgot what I was watching (and yet hated every minute of it, Coen magic!). By the time the plot finally rolled around I just didn't care, I just wanted it to be over.

There is one shining light to the movie, however! The acting. The cast was really phenomenal. George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, they all did a very fine job indeed! Especially given what they had to work with.

If I had some kind of rating system, this would score a "don't even bother."

Thanks!
Scott.

The New Job!

Well, as many of you know, I actually got a new job the other day. I also know that many of you are beside yourselves just dying to know what it is.

As of April 27, 2009 I will be employed by a small, yet very powerful, environmental compliance company call Environmental Compliance Management Corporation. Basically, as an entry-level employee, I'll be assigned to various work sites where asbestos abatement is taking place taking air samples and make sure everything is being done in compliance with various NYS and federal laws.

Now you know about as much as I do.

Thank you to all who supported us in this trying time, for your prayers!

Thanks again!
Scott

My Deepest and Most Sincere Apologies

Okay, I seem to have made a very large error in judgment. What was meant to be just a silly joke about how ultrasounds look pretty much all the same has offended, what turns out to be everyone I know. I am sorry for my comments, and I mean that. I'm asking all of you to please forgive me if I have hurt you with my words, this time, or any time in the past. I have a nasty habit of doing that, but I'm trying to get better. I meant no harm. And like I have said to a few people, we don't have any good ultrasounds yet, that's not for a couple more weeks, so there is still time for me to eat my words.

Mostly I want you all to know that I am VERY sorry for the comments I made.

Scott.

A Video.

I'm not usually into the whole viral video thing, but this one is really great. Heartwarming to the max!

Lady From Britain`s Got Talent Really Has Talent This lady proves you can`t judge a book from its cover.

Another Baby Update.

We have decided, as a family, that we were not going to be "those people" (even though just about everyone is) that make you look at their sonograms on the internet. As it turns out, they really just don't look that good. But because we know that everyone loves our still forming, yet fully alive child that lives within his or her mother's womb, we wanted to take a moment to update everyone...






So I guess our child looks a little something like this... of course I'm sure that it's nose is a lot larger by now.














That is pretty sweet.

The Unemployment Line is Long

Well, most of you probably know by now that I'm out of a job. My one year stint with the USPS as a letter carrier came to an end on April 5th, because apparently the way to make up a $3 Billion deficit is to can all the guys that make the least yet work the hardest... but I digress...

Being unemployed is not easy, it's only really been two days now, officially, and the strain is already pretty heavy. We are really trying to lean on the Lord, to trust in Him and His goodness. But it's not easy with a wife and a baby in the womb. We're a little bit scared.

My wife and I read Our Daily Bread (ODB) every night before we go to bed, and very frequently we're really amazed at how the topic of the day fits into our lives so well, it almost seems like it was planned. And when I say "our lives," I mean the thing we just spent an hour talking about only seconds before we opened up the ODB to read that day's installment. Well, last night was no surprise (well, really it was a surprise, because no matter how many times something like that happens it always take you aback) because it happened again.

"Are you in a position where all self-sufficiency is gone? As you turn your eyes on the Lord and put your hope in Him, you have God’s reassuring promise that you need nothing more." That was the closing statement of yesterday's entry. It pretty much sums up where we both would like to go and are going, but where we both, regretfully so, are not quite yet. Please pray with us as the our Father teaches us how to turst in Him through this trial.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
—Lemme

Beard Today! ...gone tomorrow.

A shot with the beard...

















A side shot, only moments before execution.

















That's some of my beard there... I want to cry.






















The beard is gone, but it whispered something to me as it was going... "I shall return."

Kill Your Television

A couple of days ago I read two articles in Relevant, a magazine that I subscribe to, and it did two things that were really great: it simultaneously changed the way and re-enforced the way I feel about Lent, and the entire Liturgical Calendar.

The first article was just a short snippet that said:

"We all know about Mardi Gras, and we're vaguely aware that we're supposed to 'give something up' for 40 days starting the day after. But what? Homework? Cigarettes? Carbohydrates? Maybe not the best choices. Lent really isn't a time to shrink responsibility you don't like or break a habit or addiction. Instead, go without something that hinders your relationship with God and others, or fast from a costly luxury. Then use that newfound free time or money to deepen those relationships..."

Then it listed a few examples but that was it, that was the entire "article," but it got me thinking...

Then I read another article, a few pages later Learning from Liturgy, (please read this article*, it's phenomenal) it really opened my eyes to what we often miss out on in our super-fast-paced lives and our neo-contemporary evangelical protestant churches. It reminded me of the importance of having a time specifically to remember the the life and death of Christ. To take time, in a very tangible and formal and somber way, to consider the Forty Days or that Last Week. Who can even take it in. To be beside myself at what the Lord has done for us. To mourn His death and celebrate His resurrection.

So... after some thought, even though I was a week late, I decided to give up television during the week for lent. Which is HUGE for me. I was totally in denial about the amount of TV I watch on a daily basis. No single thing in my life was taking so much out and putting so little back in. My relationships with God, wife and friends were all taking big hits. (Sitting there watching TV with your wife DOES NOT count as quality time together, even is she likes watching TV.) I guess I would just like to encourage you to consider lent. Consider what in your life hinders your relationships the most and give it up, it's not worth it.


*Just click on the page to the left of the pig, it'll zoom in and it'll be easy to read!

a quick thought

Hi all,
It's Stephanie. I don't have anything crazy to share, or even anything really interesting or exciting, but I wanted to make it known to "the world" (the 5 or 6 people that read this occasionally) that I am REALLY, REALLY excited about having a baby. I look at other people's pictures and blogs (mainly the Mangine's) and get totally and completely filled with wonder at what our child is going to be like. Is he/she going to be a total maniac and talk and laugh really loudly all the time because that's what we do? Or will it be completely appalled by our actions and voices and want to retreat to being a normal, gentle little person? Are we going to be able to genuinely say we think our kid is the cutest kid ever or will we have to lie through our teeth until we've convinced ourselves that they might actually be cute? Is our kid going to proactively make a positive impact on the world? Will we create a loving, fun family environment that he/she will be proud to bring their significant other into when the time comes?

Gosh, there's tons of things that run through my mind all the time. Not worries, just wonders. I can't wait to meet this thing!

This Just In!

A Bun in the OVEN! Yes, just in case you haven't heard. The Rezsnyaks are going to have a baby. We're still REALLY early in the pregnancy, but it's just too exciting to not tell everyone!

We went to the OB/GYN the other day to have a sonogram done, which was bitter-sweet. You see, we saw an image of our child, which was amazing! (OH MY GOSH!! I'm a dad...)

But, we also found out that the earlier estimates of how far along the baby is was off by about two and a half weeks. We thought we were well into our tenth week! (Morning sickness almost done!) But instead we are seven weeks three days. Oh, and no twins, which we would love.

Ultimately we know that God's timing is best, and we are both really excited to have a baby, either way, obviously.

So instead of sharing Grandma Amidon's birthday, he or she will share a birthday with Uncle Andy or maybe Auntie Alexis!








So, apparently, our child looks a little something like this... I think she has her mother's eyes, wouldn't you say?

The Life (and Death) of our Christmas Tree

This was our first "real" Christmas Tree as a married couple. It was beautiful for what it was. (note the Fraser Fir is definitely the way to go for sure, especially if you live in "anti-tree" climate i.e. AK)

Our complex has an interesting policy concerning tree removal. (If you're super observant like my brother Andy, you probably noticed that one last ornament...)


Just throw it over the balcony! (Now it's gone, it fell out and smashed on the deck.)


Murder or suicide... they're still investigating.

New Year Beard Update!

Hey ya'll, just in case we haven't seen each other in a while, I thought you might be interested to know, I've grown my beard out a little.

Just a quick note! ...Oh, and also


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!


Peace and Grace to you,
Scott.