It's Sew Awesome!

I have undertaken a new adventure: the art of sewing! My mom was gracious enough to let me borrow her sewing machine while I learn as many intricacies as I can about this noble craft until I decide to invest in my own. I wanted to make sure that this is something I will enjoy enough to keep doing the rest of my life before I buy a machine.
Now, I knew absolutely NOTHING about sewing or even sewing machines, since I never took any sort of Home Economics class in high school and never really was interested in learning before. However, now that I have more time to devote to learning things, I decided that learning to sew was important for having a family. This way I can mend clothes, or even MAKE clothes for my kids and for Garry. I'd say that's a pretty wise, economical decision.
My wonderful pastor's wife, Elaine, is my guide on my sewing journey, and she is awesome. I had my first lesson last Thursday, where I was taught how to thread the machine and get the bobbin set up. She then helped me with the settings of my stitch and then it was up to me to practice!
I tried to practice earlier today, but the baby was getting into everything, so I had to get up every few seconds. After she went down for her afternoon nap, I was able to focus and practice these basics.
I am super proud of myself because I sewed myself a little pouch. I think I will give it to Anika. It is a mini pouch for a mini girl.
This makes me really excited to start getting patterns and attempting to sew larger items, like cute sundresses for my girl or maybe even dresses for me!

New Joys, New Worries

Two days before her eight month "birthday", Anika has astounded us with her agility and can now climb up the three little stairs that go up to our second level of the house. We are so proud that she has been developing physically and has the mental determination to scale these stairs! However. However. Now that she can pull herself up onto things (she also loves scaling boxes and suitcases that are left on the floor) my mommy brain jumps to all the things that are dangerous that she can access, the toilets being one of them. I have been trying to get in the routine of closing the seat everytime, but now I think I am just going to keep the doors to our bathrooms closed. I also now have to be cautious when I am baking or have the oven open to make sure she is not around to reach up and grab the inside of the door. With every stage of life that Anika passes through come a new set of worries and terrible things on which my overactive imagination can spend too much time. When expressing these things to my mother, she said something that summarized this new chapter of our adventures perfectly. "Welcome to parenthood." And we are only EIGHT MONTHS in to what will hopefully be the next sixty years of our time together on this earth. The importance of the vows on Anika's baptism take on a whole new meaning when physical dangers start popping up all over the place. Anika is ultimately God's, not mine. I need to trust and pray that I can watch over her and keep her safe as far as it depends on my responsibility; but earthly dangers aside, I trust that Anika is in the arms of Jesus and her Heavenly Father, which is the safest place for anyone to be.

Wonderful Days of May

We had some fun times the beginning of this month. I managed to capture most of it in pictures for once too! Hooray for using the camera!

Tante Melissa graduated from Dordt! hooray!
The Riezebos siblings

After watching Melissa complete her four years of hard work, we headed to Pella for Tulip Time with Garry's parents so that they could experience the wonderful world of Dutch traditions here in little ol' Iowa.
Watching the night parade at Tulip Time!

Posing by the Tulips!

Family Picture!

More pretty tulips and a pretty girl!

Visiting Uncle Jordan and Aunt Andrea in Brookings, South Dakota!