snowy day

what crazy weather we've been having...oh well, it is january. zac is dealing with his first cold...poor little guy. not sure if it's truly a cold, sinus issues from the dry heat inside, teething, or a combo. i'm not complaining; i'm glad it's only mild, and it's a distraction that i think the Lord has brought this week particularly for me to keep from dwelling too much on zac's upcoming ct scan and to keep me relying upon Him.

what's that you say?!...

...a tooth?!?!? yup. zac is finally cutting his first tooth - hooray! perhaps the drool factory will calm down a bit; but perhaps not.

this past thursday (01-10-08) zac had a follow-up apptm with the pediatrician regarding the fast growth of his head. although the increase in measurement this time wasn't as drastic on those "growth charts" as previous visits, it is still not quite where the dr would like to comfortably see it. so, zac has to have a cat scan done in order to rule out any extra activity going on within his head (extra fluid, etc). although kevin and i feel that the explanation for the big jumps in his head measurements are truly hereditary (have you seen kevin's baby pictures lately??), we do feel it is wise to have this scan done in order to make sure the issue is only "familial" and not a problem. preemies are at a much higher risk of having fluid-brain issues than full-term babies. the pediatrician feels the issue most likely is a hereditary situation but wants to be "sure". once this scan is done, and Lord-willing a good result is obtained, then zac will be labeled "big head" and that will be the end of it. (for once, having a label won't be such a bad thing) please pray for the scan, which will take place on Thursday, January 24 at 9:30am at the CHOP imaging center in King of Prussia (approx 1/2-3/4 hr drive). we'll have to have zac there at 8:30am and most likely he'll have to be sedated (orally), which means he won't be able to eat for 6 hours before it. the tricky part is he eats when he gets up in the morning, which is generally around 7:45am. i (kerry) will need prayer probably more than zac. but the Lord is faithful; He will bring us through this just as He has carried us in the past - another trial, another opportunity for growth. (kerry)

Dedication

this past sunday (01-06-08), our second little man, zachary, was dedicated to the Lord at our church, Grace Community Church, in Souderton, Pa. What a joyful celebration for us! it was almost surreal to be standing up in front of our church family, finally able to be there holding one of our children, with our hearts overflowing with thankfulness for the blessing and opportunity to have zachary in our home and to commit as parents to raising him up in the Lord. (kerry)

Welcome 2008

Greetings to you, and Happy New Year! It seems that the new year always makes people nostalgic, for many different reasons. Here at 402ec, we have come through yet another year of continuing to be filled with awe, wonder, thanksgiving, and praise to our God for how He has orchestrated life for us. We have celebrated with tears and laughter, the first birthday of our son Ryan in April and the birth of our second son Zachary in May. So far, Kerry has been able to stay at home with Zachary, and Kevin started a new job in October. We have shelter, water, food to eat, heat and clothes and blankets to keep us warm, good health, loving relationships with our families and close friends, and a warm local church family. And on top of all of that, we are privileged to say of the Lord, "isn't He good, isn't He kind, hasn't He blessed us time after time". (kerry)

a friend named finnigan

a friend named finn

there once was one named finnigan - mightier than many, although smaller than most. when faced with foes as ominous as the frigid cube or Krinkle (the once-used-now-empty, destined-for-the-recycle-bin plastic bottle), he was not one to shy away. no, no, no... with the ferocity of a lioness on the african plains that is desperate to provide a meal both for her and her young, the Mighty Finn would stare these opponents down for a brief moment before diving in for the kill - a kill that is not to be had without the fair amount of toying and teasing before the end has come.

then quickly to the couch to sleep off the excitement...

yes, 402ec was blessed and honored by the company of the Mighty Finn for the past few days, and our lives most definitely will not be the same.

for those lucky few that have had the opportunity to share his presence and provide for his care, mind you this, and mind it well: any lofty ideas of filling the void he leaves when he leaves with another should be followed up on with great caution, for there are not many that come with the ease and easy-going that he does.

that said, make sure to enjoy the snapshots of the visit - i'm thankful he saw my head as a popsicle and not a puppytreat (my guess is my shaving cream .. or just that he knows a good-looking bald head when he sees one..)

thanks for reading..

kevin

a bit'o dreamin

so - do ya like my tree? -
i've been playin in my head with pushing my photo things forward ... sometimes i do feel like i've got something, but then i'm quick to ask myself - "what in the world am i supposed to do with these pictures?"
here's some ideas - i'd like to hear from you, too! --

• get in touch (or back in touch) with some coffeeshops and see about showing ...
• try to find out about competitions in the area
• get the word out that i'll do house visits for kid portraits
• can you say "photo club?" ... i bet you can!

i know -- although i like my photos - and i've heard from others that they're nice, it still seems not-real that i'd be able to do anything beyond an occasional show/coffeehouse. enough said about that - i'm gonna give it a try. keep your eyes open, maybe you'll see my name in lights!?

parting thought - hope you got your waders ready - sounds like a good forcast to be a duck!!