The Schmidgalls

Today is my husband’s 30^th birthday! Since we got married, Joel has asked me if we could have a baby before he turned 30 years old. I try to keep pointing to my stomach and saying “Okay, you have one”. But I guess he meant a baby that he can hold…because he keeps telling our baby girl (whispering to my belly) to please come a bit early, in time for Daddy’s birthday. Whoa fella, we still have eight weeks to go!

Joel’s family tradition is to tell the birthday person something you appreciate about them. Since this is the big 3-0 (and since he has had to put up with my roller coaster mama-to-be emotions), I decided to give him some love. Here are the things that make my husband great…

• He is deeply committed to serving and giving to others. Joel is very self-sacrificial.
• “His humor keeps us going.” He loves to tell me this, especially at not-so-humorous moments. But he does have the ability to make all situations funny. He keeps me laughing!
• He isn’t afraid to act goofy. Anyone that has seen Joel on the dance floor knows that he is far more committed to fun than to impressing others! (Don’t get me wrong, the guy can dance!)
• He has such a strong work ethic. Joel sets up 6am meetings to accommodate the work schedules of others. And he will end this year with over 20 un-used vacation days, I am sure! I honestly cannot think of a person that works harder or longer. And no task is beneath him – Joel will do anything for anyone.
• Joel has a deep commitment to family. He loves his family and would do anything for any of our family members. As we prepare for our own family, I am so grateful for a husband with such a commitment to his loved ones.
• He is athletic and LOVES sports. Joel has convinced me that sports is one of the great connectors among people. (I counter that it can also be a divider – if the game is at the same time that your wife wants some quality time – haha!)
• He is a good steward. I thought I was a cautious spender…until I married Joel.  Some might call him cheap. Since it is his birthday, I will instead note his commitment to stewardship. His commitment to living within our means is a comfort to me. Though, I always wonder where it goes when I mention Ruth’s Chris, or tickets to sporting events. haha!
• No one is more trustworthy – the guy is like a vault.
• He loves quirky people. If you are one of Joel’s favorite people, watch out!…because Joel loves odd-balls. (Yes, this does make me wonder about his attraction to me…)
• He has style – I know I am biased but he drop-dead good-lookin’ (I mean, those blue eyes).
• He is steady – never wavering. This is one of my most treasured characteristics in Joel. Joel’s behavior does not have fluctuate based on emotions, he is un-wavering and deliberate in his commitments. Once he decides something, there is no looking back. As I freak out about the baby coming, he calmly tells me, “This is the right time Nina.” This provides me great comfort.
• Most of all, I love that my husband gives his whole being to serve the Lord. He gives all his energy, time, and resources to others. He deeply desires to know God and to honor him. He inspires me in this and he will be such a wonderful example to our family.

Your girls love, love you babe! Love, Nina and baby

It has typically the tradition to go and cut down a Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.  This year, Joel and I were the only ones that found one we liked.  Joel refused to settle for the Home Depot parking lot to find a tree. 

We found our beloved Scotch pine just next to a huge water puddle that half the family managed to step or fall in.  Amanda got pine needles poked into her eyeball and Joel had to sit in mud to cut her down.  It was an adventure but we are now the proud owners of a 7 and a half foot Scotch pine.

        

Thanksgiving was great!  After only one plate of food, I was in so much pain!  With baby girl in there, there just wasn’t room for candied sweet potatoes and turkey with cranberry.  But it was all so yummy!

We went to toss the football outside.  Joel sometimes calls our baby our “little football” so we took this funny picture.  I wish I could tell you that my swollen face was from our big meal, but we took the picture BEFORE dinner.  That is all me and my fluid.  :)  You will also notice how much clothing it takes to cover myself for winter.  Ha!

Nina, Amy, and I are sitting here on Thanksgiving night and we’re talking about what we’re thankful for. Psalm 103 says to “count your blessings, name them one by one” so here goes:

*The greatest meal of the year!

*Being with family (and off campus )

*Our loving family who couldn’t be with us today

*My healthy, kicking, rolling, baby girl

*Health

*Our Church (a place to worship, serve, and great friends)

*We have good jobs (we’re we can use our gifts) & financial security

*Good friends to share life with.

*We have a wonderful, comfortable home

*The Bears are 9-1 and going to win the Superbowl

*Did we mention, we’re having a baby!!

We made a nice thanksgiving meal for 80 homeless folks and I had them share what they were thankful for. Wow. Talk about perspective. To listen to a lot of thankfulness from people who didn’t know where their next meal was coming from gives you a new outlook on what you have. God has blessed us in many ways! Thanks to everyone who is such a part of that blessing!!!

We have just nine weeks left! Our weekly countdown is in the single digits - crazy!

Our baby is now 16 or 17 inches long and over three pounds. She can turn her head from side to side. Her arms and legs have filled out with a layer of fat. Yay for chubby baby!

Yesterday, our crib bedding arrived! My mom made it all and it is so pretty! Joel and I set it all up last night and I also put all her clothes away in her new changing table/dresser. The room is so beautiful!

When I woke up this morning, I went in there right away, just to look around again. I was overwhelmed at how her room has been made with such love! Her daddy painted her room and put all her furniture together, her Auntie Amy painted stripes, her Grandma Schmidgall bought her a dresser/changing table, and her Grandma Mellon hand sewed all of her bedding and window dressing. She is already loved so much!

Tonight my sister comes home from college for Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to eating, resting, cooking, shopping, and Christmas decorating! Thanksgiving week is one of our favorite weeks of the year!

There was peace in our house last night because our beloved Chicago Bears won yesterday. Whew!

The Bears improved their record to 9-1 with a win over the New York Jets. (Okay, so a 10-0 win is not exactly anything to brag about but a win is a win, right?)

Daddy-to-be was a busy fella yesterday with services, basketball small group, and then a rockin’ worship and baptism night! (He BUILT a baptismal tub in the basement of Ebenezers…and it actually worked!) He didn’t get to hear the outcome of the Bears game until late in the night. Thank GOODNESS we won. It would have put a damper on our night!

Mom Schmidgall gave us this changing table for the baby! I ordered it online so I was nervous but I LOVE IT! Isn’t it gorgeous? Daddy-to-be put it together (already assembling toys for the women in his life) and it looks GREAT!

Tell me you love it!  (You can get a tiny glimpse of the pinky pink wall!)

One of my heroes has passed. Milton Friedman (July 31, 1912 - November 16, 2006)

This probably isn’t extremely relevant on our “family” site…expect for the fact that I would seriously consider “Milton” for a middle name for our future son except I know my husband would never go for it. With Friedman’s passing goes the death of one of the items on my Life Goal list. I had hoped to meet Milton Friedman before his death. (Perhaps, in its place, I will add a goal to visit Hong Kong - described by Friedman as the model of free-market success).

For those of you not so fortunate as to have studied economics, Friedman was the most important economist of the 20th century. He advocated minimizing the role of government in a free market in order to create political and social freedom. When asked by the Wall Street Journal what he considered the world’s single greatest economic challenge today, he responded, “Holding down the size and scope of government.”

In one of his books, he wrote, “We do not influence the course of events by persuading people that we are right when we make what they regard as radical proposals. Rather, we exert influence by keeping options available when something has to be done at a time of crisis.” He was referring to economic perspectives but I can’t help but think how this is relevant as a Christian, with views often seen as radical by people today.

Our baby is a bit more than 15 1/2 inches long now, and she weighs about 3 pounds. She can distinguish between light and dark, and she can even follow a light source back and forth. (That is so cool!)

Here is the word on me: You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you are having trouble sleeping. Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and your changing hormones may have you revisiting those ups and downs. - WOW! Isn’t that the truth?

Happy Birthday to the auntie-to-be! She turns 19 years old today! I practiced all my mommy tactics on her! Okay, hopefully I don’t replicate all the things I did to poor Amy.

(Geesh, who let me get my hair cut into a mullet?)