Silly boy

Isaiah decided to put on my fancy shoes the other week when I was getting ready for a wedding. Nana came and stayed with Isaiah while daddy did the wedding and momma helped out. These shoes went great with my dress, but knowing that I am clumsy (and pregnant) I took them along just to wear for the ceremony. Isaiah played with them until he went for his nap. I'd have to say that his little feel fot so perfectly in the toes that he walked like a pro in them. He even danced and jumped. I would have broken my neck!

Pampered

Meredith got me a gift card for a French Manicure for Christmas and since we had a wedding the other week, I decided to let myself be pampered. It was a nice time to get away and sit and talk with some ladies, so thank you Meredith!

Bath fun

Daddy gave Isaiah his bath one night and they played with bubbles. Isaiah loves when daddy gives baths since the water is high and filled with bubbles. He was giving himself a beard from them.

It's a ...

Well we had the ultrasound and had a hard time figuring out at first. The baby was a little balled up, but finally the sonographer said it was a baby GIRL!!! We are excited and shocked. After having a boy, I just figured we'd have another one. So now we have to get a new wardrobe, which is fun, but not fun. We have so many boy clothes!!

So now we have to decide on a name, which will be kept secret to everyone, even family! I have one that I love and Andy is thinking about it. So hopefully we both equally love the name we find for our little princess. Isaiah is going to be such a good brother. I will try to post u/s pics later, when a little boy isn't clamoring for my attention.

Big news

Today is the big day for the ultrasound to hopefully, find out if baby Brokopp #2 is a boy or a girl. I am so excited and I know daddy is too. Isaiah doesn't fully comprehend yet, but we tell him he gets to see the baby today. So at 3:30 we are praying that baby cooperates and shows us some parts! Tune in later tonight for the results!

Also, lots of love to Andy, who is a wonderful daddy to Isaiah. I can't wait for him to meet this next little one. Even though Father's Day was hectic, (preaching, church and so forth), daddy is so special to us and we hope to take him to Outback (his fav) sometime this week to celebrate! We love you lots Andy and thank God for you!

Also, to both our dads, we love you and appreciate your love to us and especially Isaiah.

Winding down

Isaiah watches a show called Hi-5 everyday before nap time. It is real people with singing, dancing, story-telling and using their imaginations. He loves it! He dances and does high 5's when it comes on. Today, he was getting pretty sleepy and lounging. I use this as wind down time before nap time. He actually isn't sleeping in the bottom picture, but it looks like it and is so sweet. He just closed his eyes when I snapped the picture. But I thought it was so precious since he would never fall asleep if not put in his bed.

Big Boy Shoes

This is Isaiah wearing daddy's sneakers today. He actually walked across the living room with them and was so proud of himself.

I asked Isaiah to smile for me and he was totally into posing in these next 2 pictures. I thought they were too funny! He is such a pleasant little man and is growing up so fast. He still doesn't talk, which doesn't concern me, since he is learning english, sign language and french. He responds to us in all 3 languages when asked or told to do something. Such a smart little man!

Our dear Bruno

As many of you know, Bruno has had some health issues in the past 6 months with diabetes and then going blind as a result. He had been doing well with the blindness though, until yesterday. We have a fire pit in our yard for cookouts and my parents were here for dinner. Andy had a service to attend, but had just gotten home, so my dad was cooking his hot dogs for him. We are unsure if Bruno smelled the hot dogs and wanted them or what, but he stepped into the fire pit with both front paws. Miraculously, he was not hurt. We can only contribute that to God. We know Bruno is only an animal, but an animal that God made for us humans and he is so special to us and Isaiah. After pulling Bruno out, Andy ran for the hose and we doused his feet for a while. He has a lot of singed hair, but we only found one little spot on the side of one pad that was red and not even blistering. Isaiah became distraught but soon calmed. Bruno had a stuffed animal in his mouth that I threw into the yard a few days ago after Isaiah dunked it in Bruno's water dish and it was soaking wet. That was a good thing because I think that saved his mouth and face from getting burned. So he is fine and walking without problems and no swelling, blistering, etc, so we are very thankful. Bruno is our first baby and Isaiah's greatest pal. We thank God for every day more that we have with him. We are praying that Bruno stays healthy enough for the next baby to love him as well.

"I am so cute!"

Just Isaiah

Just some more pics of our sweet, adorable little man, who is getting too big, too fast!

Some Cuteness

Just had to post this adorable pic of my sweet little boy. We got a new camera and I love it as far as picture quality and all. He was too cute yesterday in his Tonka bibs and truck. I knew his Aunties would love to see some pics of him. I just love this little guy!

Grace

Grace...That is not the name of our next baby, but the name that Andy calls me because I am so, well, graceful! These are pictures of our next little bundle. We are still unsure of the sex. In another 3-4 weeks we will know. On Sunday evening, I fell out of Andy's truck, backwards. I know, graceful! In my defense, the running boards were wet and I was wearing dress shoes, so my shoe slipped when I stepped up and down I went. The only thing hurting is my tailbone. I hit the running board and then Wegman's parking lot. My OB wanted to be safe and have an ultrasound, so these are it. The baby was bundled into a little ball, so even if the sonographer could tell the sex, he wouldn't have been able to since the little one wouldn't cooperate. Of course, Andy's response was that s/he is afraid of getting bounced around again. Anyways, we are doing fine. I am very sore, but know it will pass in time. Please pray that the little one cooperates when we do have the ultrasound. I really want to know the sex of this little one. So enjoy our bundled ball, who weighs a whopping 5oz! Yeah!
P.S. The name will be kept a secret until s/he makes their grand entrance into this world. Just in case anyone was wondering. It sure made it fun with Isaiah. No one guessed even though they knew it was a Bible name. We are not even sure yet with this one. I have names, but daddy doesn't want to talk about any until we know the sex.

Saying goodbye

Goodbyes are never easy. Saying goodbye to family is something I have learned since joining Andy's family. It was foreign to me growing up since all my family is close. We thought that my aunt who lived 30 minutes away was so far. Now I know how close that really is. Africa is far and Tim & Meredith went off to there this week. On May 1st, I had to say one of my hardest goodbyes. (I think for everyones sake it was a good idea that I was not at the airport!) Maybe in part to pregnancy hormones, but mainly in part to love. Tim and Meredith have been a very important part of our lives and Isaiah loves them dearly, especially his pretty Auntie Mer, who he loves to stare at, hug and send smiles to. She is the great Aunt who sustains the energy to hug, kiss, throw in the air and do flips with Isaiah. And she is tall enough to walk under, which is great fun for Isaiah. So with great sadness, but extreme joy in their new walk of ministry, we bid them farewell, for a time.

Tim and Meredith headed to Gabon, Africa, where Tim grew up, to start a short term mission center with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Here is a small "blurb" from their newsletter.

Our purpose is to launch and run a short-term missions center in Libreville, the capital city. While the teams are here, we will be transporting them, housing them, feeding them, and determining what projects and ministry opportunities they will be partnering with within the Gabonese churches. Essentially, we are the liaisons between North American churches and the Gabon National Church. Our goal is to “connect God’s people to God’s work”. This will be the C&MA’s first short-term missions center in Africa, so we are excited and honored to be the “pioneers” who will begin this ministry!

While we will miss them greatly, we will get to talk often over skype, (with the added bonus of web cams so we can see them,) we know that they are exactly where God called them at such a time as this. We pray that their ministry to the Gabonese is at the core of God's heart. While it will be difficult bringing a new niece or nephew into this world who won't immediately be showered with Auntie Mer's kisses and Uncle Tim's hugs, we wouldn't want them anywhere else than where they are, the center of God's will. So while our love and missing each other grows, our worship and praise of an awesome God also grows as he protects them in their obedience to Him.

If anyone is interested in learning more about their ministry or even partnering with them, (yes, they have to raise their own support), please contact me and I can get you all the proper information.

So Tim and Mer, it is with great honor that we send you to Gabon in God's hands to do His work. And to sweat a little in the horrid humidity! We love you!

Outside fun

Isaiah LOVES to play outside. I am so thankful that it is warmer now so we can. These are some cute pics of Isaiah. They are the last ones my mom's camera will ever take. Bruno ate it that night. We aren't sure why, but my mom needs a new one now.

Easter

This was Easter time. Isaiah wore his African outfit that Aunt Mer got him. He was so adorable in it. He hunted eggs at my parents and had a blast. His "basket" was a John Deere wheel barrow filled with goodies. He has fun with that!

First hair cut

This was Isaiah's first hair cut back in March. He has actually had it cut again since then. He was so good and sat very still. He even laughed!

Tagged

I was tagged by Jamie, so here are some things about me.

I am : tired
I think: my house should be cleaner
I know: I am a child of the King
I want: to know if this baby is a boy or girl. It is driving me nuts already! :)
I have : the best family
I wish: I could provide more for my husband
I hate: ignorance
I miss: being a paramedic and hanging with my guys
I fear: losing my kids
I feel: for hurting people
I hear : my dryer running
I smell: spring air
I crave: banana cake (so I made myself one, YUMMY!)
I search: for truth
I wonder: what I'll die from
I regret: not meeting Andy sooner
I love: tight hugs and sloppy kisses from Isaiah
I ache: for the hurts he will go through in life
I care: too much
I always : want to be right
I am not: an organizer
I believe: in an Almighty God
I dance: with Isaiah
I sing: all the time
I cry: at anything
I don’t always: do my devotions
I fight: for what I believe in
I write: less than I should
I win: at nothing
I lose: at everything
I never: give up
I confuse: lots of people
I listen: to those around me
I can usually be found: playing with Isaiah
I am scared: of moving away from family
I need: to be shown love
I am happy about: my life
I think: I'm glad this is over. Way too much thinking!

Why all the babies?

Why all the babies, you may ask? Well, they are so cute and face it, they put a smile on your face! But more importantly, because our family is expanding! That's right, Baby Brokopp #2 is on the way and due to arrive November 10th, 2008. I am 7 weeks and 1 day today. We had an ultrasound today and everything is looking great! I had to see the heartbeat before we let people know. So, this was quite unexpected and came as a great surprise to us. I was getting ready to start up some medication for fertility, but I kept feeling sick, so I kept putting off taking it since it gives some not so nice side effects. Well, when the sickness wouldn't go away, I started to wonder. Imagine my surprise when there were 2 lines! So, we are thankful that we didn't have to take meds. I am not as sick as I was with Isaiah, which is a blessing. I just love my nap times when Isaiah naps. So, we are praising God for this unexpected miracle and look forward to seeing him or her grow.

Most importantly, pray that Isaiah will adjust well. He will turn 2 a month before the baby is due. So also pray for me to handle the 2's well and a new baby. And that this pregnancy will go well with no blood pressure problems to interfere with Isaiah's care.

Above is a picture of our little growing one.

Please pray

Our family has been attacked by illness for the past month. Please pray that there will soon be a break in it. I truly feel that it is evil and have prayed against satan continuously. Isaiah is vomiting about once a week and having diarrhea 2-3x a week. Andy got sick last night and continued through the night. I have been off and on for the past month. Taking care of a sick child, when you yourself are sick, has its challenges. Please pray in the name of Jesus that we will be relieved of this soon.

Minus 20

No that is not the weather here, thank the Lord! That is how much weight I have lost since January. I started up my weight watchers. I got some books off of ebay before I got pregnant with Isaiah and I just do it on my own. So I am proud of myself. I decided I wouldn't brag until I lost 20 pounds, so I finally acheived it.

Friday I was diagnosed with pneumonia and pharyngitis, so I have been miserable. The antibiotics have given me some not so nice side effects. I also have a sore throat and some vomiting because I do that when I cough too much. Andy always says "breathe through your nose", but it doesn't help. Thankfully we have parents who are more than willing to jump in. My parents kept Isaiah last night and today. My mom will be back in the morning to take Isaiah to church since I am not going. I don't want to spread my germs or pick up any new ones. Otherwise, nothing new here.