Karen & Chad

7 weeks

2009-06-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

We took Nicholas to Sears to get his pictures taken. He didn't smile at all. The photographer worked for about 45 minutes...but he still wouldn't smile. He still looked adorable and he was a good sport. He didn't cry. My favorite is the pouty lips. If anyone wants a copy of these pictures let me know. I have the copyright to them so I can print them inexpensively.

His many faces: 6 weeks

2009-06-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

Do you mind? I'm pooping!

Still pooping!

okay. I'm ready for this photo shoot.

Cheese!

Wait! Here's a better smile!

Fist bump! Good job!!

I'm tired of this!

Are we done yet?

Multi-tasker/6 weeks old

2009-06-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

I have always thought of myself as a multi-tasker. Now that we have a child...I am not so sure. I try to get a lot of stuff done, but find myself spinning my wheels. Mostly because I would rather sit and hold Nicholas then....make his birth announcements. Sorry, if you have been waiting on his announcement to arrive in the mail..you might be waiting for 18 years...or at least until he gets tired of me snuggling and kissing on him. :-)

Right now I am holding him and trying to type with one hand, so please disregard all the errors and mispellings.

He is 6 weeks old. Can you believe it?

His hair is getting so long. We measured it and it is 1 3/4 inches long. Anyone know of a good barber in town?

Check out these chunky thighs (his, not mine)

so peaceful

Is that a pick or a scratch?

Chloe's Birthday Party

2009-05-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Chloe's 4th birthday a month late so that everyone could be there. This was Nicholas first trip to Mimi and Granddad's house. The cousins loved spending time with Nicholas. When Mimi changed his diaper all of the cousins were there surrounding him. They each had a job. One handed her the wipes, another the butt creme and Ty got the best job of all. He got to throw the poopy diaper away. He thought that was pretty cool!

Chloe

McKenna

Chloe is really into horses. She takes horse riding lessons every week. She loved the cowboy (cowgirl) boots that MiMi and Papa gave her.

I love this picture of her. Look how happy she is!!

Great Grandpa and Nicholas

Aunt Julie and Nicholas

Mimi and Nicholas

Granddad and Nicholas

Day at the Lake

2009-05-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend was Nicholas first overnight trip. He did great! He is so easy going. He slept well and enjoyed his time on the lake. He is so easy going he slept through the whole thing. Even though he was sandwiched in a life jacket. I guess he doesn't mind having his cheeks squished. We also made a stop at Tom's Donuts while we were on the boat. (You can't go on a boat ride without stopping there). Nothing like eating a donut in your swimsuit. :-) We wanted Nicholas to get the full effect of being on the boat so we put a little powdered donut on his face. Of course, he slept right through that too! We hope this will be one of many trips to the lake with Grandpa and Grandma.

One Month

2009-05-23T16:00:00.000-07:00

Nicholas had his one month doctors appointment. He weighed 11 pounds 2 ounces and is 22 3/4 inches long. He is in the 90% for weight and length.
He had to have a shot in his leg. He cried, but Chad kept telling Nicholas how brave he was. He is holding his head up really well. In the last few days he has started making eye contact, cooing and smiling! It is so fun!

Who is "Doula"? Our Labor Story

2009-05-20T20:16:00.000-07:00

Chad and I were so blessed to have a doula with us during this whole process. You may be asking, "What is a doula?" A doula (according to Wikipedia) is an assistant who provides various forms of non-medical support (physical, emotional and informed choice) in the childbirth process. We hired our doula through the hospital. God matched us up with an amazing woman named Adalyn. We cannot imagine our labor experience without her!

She was there to support us, help us understand the process, give massages and to coach us through labor. I believe she came straight from the Lord. She knew what I needed before I even knew. She stayed with me from the beginning of labor until an hour afterwards. Part of her role as a doula is to document the process. Below you will find her account of Nicholas's birth! I am so thankful to have all these details because it seems a little blurry to me.

In an earlier post I summed up my labor experience as "amazing". It was amazing, but it was not easy. After being induced, I was in labor for over 26 hours. It was worth it all!!

Nicholas's Story

Labor #1
Thursday April 16, 2009

5:00 pm – Contractions began at the ballgame against Taylor University. They were approximately 7-9 minutes apart with moderate intensity. You called the doctor on call and she advised that you come to the hospital due to the long drive from Marion. Chad left the Taylor game at the beginning of the second game. You got organized at home (put out all of the stuff for AmVets) and made your way to Community North. You called me about 7:30 to say you were on your way.

9:30pm – You arrived at Comm. North and checked in at triage. They checked you and you were at 1cm and they suggested you walk the halls to progress your labor. I arrived about 9:45pm and I walked with you while Chad rested in the chairs.

You were experiencing a lot of pain in your right hip and you were VERY warm. We made your sweatpants capris and you did laps in your tank top and flip flops.

12:00 am- Heather in triage checked you again and you had progressed to 2cm, 75% and -2 station. You were so excited b/c that meant you wouldn’t be sent home. You were transferred to room 4222 and we made up a bed for Chad to sleep in. We continued to walk the halls. You were getting tired, but you were too excited to sleep. By 1:20, you tried to lie down.

Friday, April 17, 2009

2:15 am- Your nurse, Kristina, came in to do another assessment and have you sign many forms. When she checked you again, you were still at 2cm, 75%, and -2. You were not pleased, but you kept your chin up. You hadn’t slept, so you tried again to get some rest.

4:10- You probably got about an hour’s worth of sleep, and then it was time to be on the monitors again. They tried to monitor you about 20 minutes of every hour. Your contractions seemed to be a bit closer together and you were anxious to get up and walk after this check. Unfortunately there was still no change.

6:00 am to 7:00 am- You closed your eyes for awhile, but I don’t think you truly slept much. Julie became your new nurse and she wanted you to walk for another 45 minutes b/f she put you back on the monitors. Baby Newhard was not proving to be very cooperative in getting an accurate reading, and Julie sat for a long time holding the external monitor in place. She also did an internal check and found that progress had not been made.

9:00 am- Julie said that she had spoken with Dr. Voekel and she recommended that you would be much more comfortable at home. They allowed you to eat breakfast and then you were discharged at 11:15 after a visit from Dr. Voekel.

Labor #2
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

11:00am – You had an 11am doctor’s appointment with Dr. Voekel. In addition, you were due for another ultrasound. The ultrasound determined that you had a low level of amniotic fluid and Dr. Voekel recommended an induction of labor. You and Chad had lunch at Logan’s Roadhouse and then you checked into the hospital around 2pm. You had called me earlier to let me know what the plan was. They were going to start you on the prostaglandin gel to see if that would get your labor started. You had a dose at 2 pm and again at 6pm. Although you were having contractions, your dilation and effacement stayed the same.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

YOUR DUE DATE!!!!!

1:00am – You were given your first dose of Pitocin to augment your labor. The small dose didn’t seem to make any change but at 2:30 am, you called me to say you were ready for some support. I arrived at 3:00 am and we decided to do some walking. The nurses hooked you up to a telemetry unit to monitor you, but it wasn’t very effective. Your nurse, Jessica, advised you to return to your room and we did at 4:50am.

5:00am – You labor pains got stronger as the dosage of Pitocin was increased. You decided that you were most comfortable in the recliner and I rubbed your legs and feet while you slept until 6:20am.

6:20am – An internal examine was performed and it showed you were at 3 cm, 75% effaced and a -2 station. Pitocin was now increased to 11/ml and you were fairly uncomfortable. We continued with massage and rhythmic breathing and you did an AMAZING job! You remained relaxed between contractions and focused by closing your eyes.

8:55am – Dr. Voekel came in at 8:55 am and checked you again. You were 3cm, 75%, and -2. After discussing it with you, she decided to rupture your membranes. She warned that the pain would get very intense, very quickly.

The pain increased rapidly and you had very little relief between contractions. You were comfortable in the chair with a hot pack on your back for quite awhile, but then the back pain grew so intense that you wanted to stand. Your breathing and focus were exemplary and you were able to stay ahead of most contractions. I used counter pressure on your lower back and the “hip squeeze” also offered some brief relief. As the pain grew more intense, you swayed and would rock up on your toes. There were also some tears shed.

10:00am – You requested an epidural. You asked the nurse how much longer she thought it would be and you were uncertain you could manage the pain much longer. While you waited for the epidural, you were given a dose of Nubain to take the edge off. It did so, slightly.

10:45am – The CRNA arrived to administer your epidural and you did a great job holding still, even though you were having VERY strong contractions. You felt the effects within 20 minutes and you were most concerned that you couldn’t feel your right leg. You had had very little sleep in the past 24 hours, so you relaxed and took a well-deserved nap.

1:13pm – You were checked again and this time, you were dilated to 8cm, 100% effaced and at zero station. You were so pleased with the progress and seemed relieved to know that things were moving in the right direction. We took this time to make you even more beautiful: contacts, makeup and hair…you even had fresh breath!

2:25pm – You were feeling a lot of pressure and when you were checked, it was determined that you were 10 cm, 100% effaced at a +1 station. The nurses asked if you wanted to push now, or wait until you felt the urge and you decided to wait. We talked and laughed and by 3:45, you were ready to get the show on the road.

I told the nurses you were ready and they came in to help you labor down. Chad was up by your head, nurse Jenn had a leg and I had a leg. Your pushing was excellent. You were able to bear down for a count of ten, blow it away and then come back for a 10 count TWO more times. Baby Newhard was on his way, although between pushes, he would slip back under your pubic bone. This made the nurses nickname him a “turtle.”

(Jen and Brandy)

4:00pm - Baby Newhard was ready to enter the world. You were so relaxed and composed and most of all, HAPPY. You kept mentioning how peaceful the experience was compared to what you expected. Dr. Voekel arrived and suited up and everyone assumed their positions.

Although you were watching the monitor, you also felt your contractions enough to feel the urge to push. A mirror was set up and Dr. Voekel encouraged you to look at it during the pushes to help you focus. She and the nurses were most impressed by all the hair on Baby Newhard’s head and even curled it into a Curley Q! As the moment grew near, Chad watched his son slide into the world.

4:25pm - Nicholas Miles Newhard took his first breath!!! With a mighty push, your strong, healthy son entered the world at 8 pounds, 15 ounces and 21 inches long!!! Although he was placed briefly on your chest,

he was quickly moved to the warmer for a little oxygen and stimulation. He then let out the most beautiful sound in the world…his scream to say that he was alive and well!

4:45pm – With Apgar scores of 9, he was handed back to you and you were ready for some skin to skin contact. His eyes were wide open as he snuggled with his mama for the first time.
Then it was Chad’s turn and he held him shirtless in the chair. Nicholas made it known that he was hungry after his long journey

and you fed him. Both of you worked very hard, and he was able to reap the benefit of that first feeding.

5:30pm – I said goodbye to the Newhard family :( It was my privilege and pleasure to be a part of such a miraculous beginning. May you be happy and healthy and peaceful in the palm of God’s hand. ~Adalyn

Nicholas Miles Newhard

2009-04-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

We are so BLESSED!!!!! Nicholas Miles Newhard born on April 23 at 4:25 pm. Weighing 8 pounds 15 ounces and 21 inches in length. He is perfect! He has a ton of hair, chubby cheeks and chunky thighs! We are loving every minute with him!

Most people don't want the labor pains, they just want to hear about the baby..so, here are pictures of the baby. I will give you the details on the labor when I get more time. Although, if I had to sum it up in one word, I would say that it was amazing!

Here are the pictures!

Karen at 40 weeks

Karen Pushing

Nicholas a minute after delivery

So in love!

He loved having his hair washed and styled

Proud Daddy!

CHUNKY!!!

Grandpa and Grandma Newhard gave him his first baseball glove

Chad and his "snuggle bug" Nicholas

I have a feeling we will be taking a lot more pictures like this one

We are at the hospital!

2009-04-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

Today we had our 40 week appointment. During the ultrasound they noticed that the fluid surrounding the baby was pretty low. Our doctor felt that it would be best to induce us today. We went out and ate a huge lunch (since they starve you in the hospital until you have the baby) and then checked in around 2:30. They have given me some medication to "ripen the cervix" and will give me more in a little bit.

This isn't our ideal birth plan, but we want to do whatever is best for the baby. Right now I am hooked up to monitors listening to his heartbeat. He is a happy little boy. The ultrasound tech says he is measuring about 8 pounds, but she says at the stage it is really hard to predict how big he is.

For those of you that don't know, we were in the hospital last Wednesday night for 12hours. I was at IWU watching Chad's team play a 2 games against Taylor University. At the end of the first game I started having contractions. They were about every 7 minutes. The doctor told me to call when they were at least 10 minutes apart for over an hour. Thankfully my friend Nathan was with me and he timed the contractions for me. He also went into the dugout during the second game and told Chad it was time to leave.

Chad was pretty excited and almost everyone at the game knew why he was leaving. We called my doula and she stayed up with me all night. I walked the halls the whole time except when they hooked me up to the monitors to check the baby. At 8:00 am my contractions stopped. Yes, they just stopped!! Crazy. I was still only dilated to two centimeters. I was so hungry (because they only give you ice chips). They told me they could induce me (with drugs or by breaking my water) OR I could go home and eat. We chose to go back home to try to do this more "natural" (and the food sounded good too!).

Chad played Taylor again on Saturday. This time he was able to stay for both games. :-)

So, here we are back again. We are so excited to meet our little one!

35 Week Appointment

2009-03-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

We had another ultrasound done today at our 35 week appointment. The baby is so adorable and so big! This was the first ultrasound that he was not awake for. We saw him yawn and cover his face with his hands. He is measuring 35 weeks and 3 days and weighs 5 pounds 11 ounces (which is in the 50th percentile for weight). We love seeing him! The ultrasound tech was so great. She showed us his chubby cheeks and said that he has hair. (I didn't see the hair myself, but I trust her expertise). He is healthy and looks good. We will be at the doctors every week until the baby decides its time to deliver.

We are loving this experience. God is good! We are so thankful for this baby and pray that we will raise him with the love of Christ and that he will have a personal relationship with our Lord! Chad is so excited! He comes home every night and says, "okay, I'm ready for him to come out!" He is going to be such a great dad! The baby likes to kick Chad's hand and he responds when we call him by his name. The name is a secret, but it is a hard secret to keep! We are excited to share it with all of you!

Nursery

2009-03-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

We were so excited to for the crib and dresser to finally arrive. Chad and I put the bedding on it right away! We still have a lot to do, but here is a sneak peak at the nursery. I the baby likes brown and blue!

Newhard Baby Shower

2009-03-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

Erica, Samantha and Kindra Kamm planned an amazing baby shower. The theme was "All Star". They spoiled me!!

We had luncheon at a cute place in Goshen.

All Star Cake

Diaper Cake

The flowers in the bucket are really onesies.

How big is she?

Brooklyn was my little helper. She handed me all my gifts so I didn't have to bend over.

A Cincinnati Reds wet wipe holder

Spring Break

2009-03-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

Chad took the IWU baseball team to Clearwater, FL for spring break. They had a rough start losing their first 5 games. Chad's Dad flew down with the team and helped drive one of the vans once they arrived in Florida. Chad's mom and I joined them later in the week. After our arrival they won their next five games. The ended up winning the tournament. Next year Chad's mom and I will have to arrive sooner since we were the good luck charms (at least we think so).

Chad and his parents

While in Florida my feet swelled up! They were huge! I guess they match my belly now.
This is a baseball game from my perspective.

A coaches job is never done. After playing baseball all day Chad also took care of the team laundary. Here is the four of us at a laundry mat. I think we used 9 washers and dyers.

This is Chad's parents after helping with the laundry. They worked so hard on spring break. I don't think it was necessarily a "break" for them. We appreciate them so much!!

Our friends Rob and Tanna with their girls Jenna, Kara and Bria
They were vacationing in Orlando and decided to stop by and see the the baseball team. The girls liked to laugh at Uncle Chad when he would do his "signs" for the batter.

The team enjoyed carrying the huge trophy through the airport.

Coach Josh Stearns, Chad and Coach Phares

Baby Shower

2009-03-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday the ladies at church had a baby shower. I had a great time! Of course, we played the game where they try to guess how big around I am. Do you remember these cute pregnancy pictures? Let's just say..."cute" is not the word to describe me any longer. I'm big! (But it is totally worth it). :-)

The baby will love all the new clothes and accessories!

He is going to have a baseball butt!

Baby's Room

2009-03-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

It's finally set in that this baby is going to be here before we know it. He is already spoiled with lots of clothes, toys and baby accessories. I decided to find a way to organize all of his things. Saturday while Chad was out of town I spent 5 hours in the baby's closet adding shelves and hanging up all the clothes. Here are the before and after shots.

Before
After

32 Weeks

2009-03-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

We had our 32 week appointment today. We had another ultrasound. I would post the pictures....you won't be able to tell what you are looking at. He is 4 pounds! Wow! He is measuring around 32 weeks 6 days. We saw him open his eyes. How amazing! He loves to have his hands up around his face. They took a picture of him with his hand covering his face. He didn't want to hold still for any of the pictures. (That is why they didn't turn out very well). He was very active. Of course, he held still long enough for her to get a picture of his private parts...not so private anymore. We are so in love with him and can't wait for you all to meet him! We are thankful for his precious life.

Andrews come to play

2009-02-07T22:00:00.000-08:00

Joye, Barry and the kdis came over for dinner. Wii had a great time! The boys enjoyed playing the Wii Fit. They are growing up so fast.

Tate

Reed

Max

Snowmen made to imitate art on IWU campus

2009-02-03T05:33:00.000-08:00

Students at IWU are so creative! Check out this snow scultpure. Chad and I walked over during our lunch break to check it out! Below is an article from the local paper.

A snow sculpture inspired by Da Vinci’s painting The Last Supper stands Monday at Indiana Wesleyan University, behind Goodman Hall. 10 students spent five hours on sculpture

By Mishele Wright
mdwright@chronicle-tribune.com
Published: Tuesday, February 3, 2009 1:09 AM EST

A group of Indiana Wesleyan University students spent five hours Sunday building 12 snowmen and sculpting them to look like Jesus and his disciples as depicted in the painting The Last Supper.

The unique sculpture received attention from many students and staff Monday on campus.

Sarah Heck, a junior psychology and addictions counseling student, said a group of 10 students, including her, worked on the creation from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The idea came from student Michael Badenhop, who created a snow pope a couple weeks ago.

“I was kind of skeptical about it because I didn’t know if we could do it,” Heck said about being drafted to help with the sculpture.

Heck said the group made several snowmen and then sculpted the details.

“It was perfect weather,” she said. “It was great packing snow.”

Students kept stopping to ask what they were building Sunday, and by the time the group was finished, there was a crowd.

University Relations Director Alan Miller said students were lined up at the sculpture during the day Monday, taking photographs. University officials eventually put the photo of the sculpture on the university’s Web site.

“It’s attracted a fair amount of attention,” he said.

Heck said the group will probably do another sculpture, but they’ll have to wait until it snows again.

“I had never done anything like that before,” she said. “It was a lot of fun, making all the details and watching it come to life.”

Super Bowl Party

2009-02-02T14:19:00.000-08:00

Last night we had the baseball team and their girlfriends over to watch the game. We had a good time... despite the outcome of the game. There were 35 people there and they all managed to crowd around our two TVs. It was nice to get to know a few more of the players. Chad has quality guys on his team.

Progress on the House

2009-02-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

Since the news of the baby.... I stopped posting updates on the house. Last night we had the baseball team over for a Super Bowl Party. I though this might be a good time to take pictures of the house. There is still some decorating to do to...but we have most of it completed! Yeah! (Only one more set of curtains to hang).
Click the button on the bottom, far right to make the slideshow full screen.
Here is a slideshow to show you the progress on the house. Enjoy!

2009-01-29T17:00:00.000-08:00

28 Week Ultrasounds

2009-01-29T13:54:00.000-08:00

We had our 28 week ultrasound! The doctor says everything looks great! The baby weighs 2 pounds 14 ounces. Chad says this is like carrying 4 Mountain Dew cans. He is measuring like a 29 week baby. So either the due date is wrong, or he is going to be big. (If you click on the pictures they should appear larger.)

Baby's face

Baby's foot and his face in the background

I'm still a boy

Face with his hand resting on his chin. His two little knees are in the picture too!

Sympathy Belly

2009-01-16T12:51:00.000-08:00

Chad and I attended an all day prenatal class last Saturday. Here are some pictures of Chad wearing the sympathy belly. The instructor was handing chad heavy bean bags and having him put them in the pouch, while explaining how much weight a mom gains and why. She said things like "each breast will gain a pound" and then he would have to put the bean bag in a pouch. I wish you could have been there. It was hilarious!! Of course, his face was red! Then he had to bend over and tie his shoes while wearing the belly.

25 week ultrasound

2009-01-09T06:06:00.000-08:00

Wednesday we were able to see our son again! Everything looks great!

He weighs 1 pound 7 ounces.

His arms are still really long (they are measuring one week ahead of the rest of his body).

Below are two ultrasound pictures.

The first picture is confirmation that he is a boy (there is a little arrow pointing to the area. His legs are curled up)

The second picture is a profile of his face and body.

We will have more pictures in 3 weeks.

Photo shoot (4 months)

2009-01-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken of me at 20 weeks. One of the photography students at IWU took them 5 weeks ago. She did a great job!

Family Photo

2009-01-04T12:15:00.000-08:00

We suprised Chad's parents with a family photo for Christmas.

Left to right Chad, Karen, Matt, Samantha, Thom and Erica. The photographer thought all of us girls were sisters (instead of all the boys being brothers).

Pictures of our Baby Boy

2008-12-05T07:22:00.001-08:00

He wasn't shy! Right away we were able to see his little "package". Chad and I are both very excited!!! 1) This is a view "from below. 2) a profile of his face 3) a foot 4)his legs stretched out straight (so that's what has been poking me in the side)

Boy or Girl? We find out Thursday!!

2008-12-02T09:57:00.001-08:00

Baby Bump

2008-11-24T09:49:00.000-08:00

18 weeks It is more than obvious by now that we are having a baby. Here is the baby bump you have all been asking about.

Washington DC and the Bengals

2008-11-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

Karen had a conference in Washington D.C. on October 30th-Nov 1. Chad went along to "take care" of me. We didn't realize our tickets to the Cincinnati Bengals game were for the same weekend, so we had to change our flights to get us back in time for the game. It was a busy weekend.
We were able to see some sites in Washington D.C. (We ate at the D.C. Market Inn. They were featured on the Food Network for their fresh crab cakes and went to the Holocaust Museum) and then hang out with Chad's brothers and wives at the game. Bengals had their first win of the season!! We must be good luck. :-)

Trip to Chicago

2008-10-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend I am in Chicago with some of my students from Indiana Wesleyan for a field trip. We went to the Lincoln Museum in Springfield, IL and the Museum of Science and Industry.

The Lincoln family took time to take a picture with the staff from IWU. Okay, they weren't really there...but they look so real.

Comparing my height to Abe Lincoln. I have some growing to do.

The museum of Science and Industry was very fun and educational (of course). I learned how big a tractor tire really is and that the world is not that heavy.

Deep dish Chicago pizza. Cheesy!!

Of course, the lemon teeth needed to make an appearance with my new friend Isiahne.

More News!! Baby Newhard

2008-10-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

This is baby Newhard at 8 weeks. It is now 12 weeks. We are excited to finally tell you our news! Due date is April 24th!

Chad finds out we're pregnant

2008-10-10T17:33:00.000-07:00

Chad and I met to sign the papers to purchase the house on August 13th. I had found out earlier in the day that I was pregnant. When Chad and I got back to the house I handed him a box and told him a found a few things that will look good in our new house. In the box I put a baby boys Cincinnati Bengals outfit and a baby girls Cincinnati Red outfit. Chad opened the box and shouted "shut up, shut up". He was very excited!!

First IWU Baseball Games

2008-09-21T13:39:00.000-07:00

IWU played Taylor University in 3 games this weekend.

Do you recognize these guys from behind? Chad and his brother Thom!

Here is a better view! Thom was one of the umpires for all three games.

Chad with Taylor's head baseball coach Kyle Gould

Go Wildcats!!

After the first game, Thom gave Ty a ball from the game. Later that night when Chad got back to the apartment Ty asked Chad if he would sign his ball. Ty was so excited! He brought the ball with him to the other 2 games on Saturday night.

The games lasted until 11:00 pm. Ty couldn't stay awake for all of it.

Anna was still going strong. (It may have been all the sugar we gave her)!

Building a House!

2008-09-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

We decided to build a house! We are living in an aparment right now while we wait for our house to be built. As you can see by the picture, we may be waiting a while. This is our lot! We will try to take pictures as they make progress...until then, this is what we have! :-)

"Bear" Butts

2008-09-07T14:10:00.000-07:00

Although Chad and I were cheering for the Colts, we had two little girls rooting against us. Here they are are in the bare butts...I mean bear butts!
Aren't they adorable (minus the Bears logo)?

My sister, Kendra, made these for Chloe and McKenna. They sure are growing up fast!

Baseball at its best

2008-08-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

Nathan, Holly, Ty and Anna came up to Marion to visit us. We snuck out to the Indiana Wesleyan Baseball field to play some T-ball.

Coach Newhard had some pointers for the little sluggers!

"Under Where"?

2008-08-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Ty and Anna are offically potty trained. We celebrated by putting underwear on our heads!

Straight Path

2008-07-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.

~ Proverbs 4:25-27, NLT

My niece Anna loves shoes. Here are her little feet in two different shoes. It reminds me sometimes of how we try to look ahead and look behind us at the same time...but it is difficult...just like is difficult to walk in two different kinds of shoes. The Lord is gently reminding Chad and I to walk with our eyes fixed straight ahead as we begin another journey.

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

~ Micah 6:8, NLT

Wildcats!

2008-07-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

Newhard Takes over Helm of IWU Baseball
Tue, Jul 8, 2008 - [Baseball]

IWU has hired Chad Newhard to take over the reigns of the Wildcat baseball team.
MARION, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University has announced that Chad Newhard has been hired as the new head baseball coach in addition to teaching in the Physical Education department.

"I am incredibly excited about the opportunity at Indiana Wesleyan and can not wait to get started," said Newhard. "I look forward to building on the success that the team has had and move it forward to even better heights. I would like to thank Coach DeMichael and the search committee for this opportunity that they presented me to work with these fine student-athletes."

Newhard comes to Indiana Wesleyan from Tabor College, located in Hillsboro, Kansas. He spent one season at Tabor and under his leadership the Blue Jays broke school records for runs scored and RBIs in a season.

"The thing that separated Chad was his ability to communicate a vision for the baseball program that encompasses athletic excellence, academic success and spiritual and character mentorship," said Indiana Wesleyan Athletic Director Mark DeMichael. "These are the things that Indiana Wesleyan Wildcat Athletics are all about and I believe Chad will take the Wildcat Baseball Program to new heights in all of those areas."

Newhard returns to Indiana where he played collegiate baseball and coached. He earned a B.S. in Sports Studies at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana and went on to earn his Master's Degree in Secondary Education at Indiana University.

During his four year career at Grace (1996-1999), Newhard ranks in the Lancers' top-10 in three offensive categories for career marks. He ranks sixth in hits with 136, fourth in runs with 93 and third in walks with 82. Newhard also ranks in the top-10 in single season performance with 48 hits in 1998 and 26 walks in 1998 and 1999.

Newhard, a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, began his coaching career in 2000 as an assistant coach at Grace, followed by duties as an assistant at Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville, Michigan from 2001-2002.

Glen Oaks named Newhard the head coach in 2003 where he compiled a 66-39 record over two seasons. Each season, Newhard led Glen Oaks to a national ranking in the top-15. After Glen Oaks, Newhard accepted a position as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I IPFW. Newhard was the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator for IPFW during his three seasons at the school from 2005-2007. During his time there, IPFW finished 29th in the nation in batting average and ninth in stolen bases while the Mastodons set a team record for wins in a season at the NCAA Division I level.

"I like to implement an aggressive style of baseball. My teams will run a lot and put pressure on the defense," Newhard said. "And I expect our pitchers to do what all coaches want, throw strikes and get ahead of the hitter."

Newhard has also spent time as a Major League Baseball associate scout. From 2001-2004, Newhard did scouting work for the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. "We are ecstatic to have a coach of Chad's caliber coming to join our team at Indiana Wesleyan," said DeMichael. "Chad bringsdiverse college coaching experiences that have enabled him to foster excellent baseball connections throughout the state of Indiana and across the border to Michigan, Ohio and Illinois."

Newhard is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana and attended Carroll High School. He is now married to his wife Karen and will begin his duties at Indiana Wesleyan in early August.

Saying Goodbye to Friends

2008-07-26T17:13:00.000-07:00

This is the last time at the pool with Bryce, Brant, Broolyn and Mandi. This is right where I pictured them a year ago. Little did I know we wouldn't be here to enjoy it with them for very long. Love you guys!!

Burns Family Vacation: Branson, Missouri

2008-07-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

Dad and Mom took the family to Branson Missouri. Chad and Micah went to a theme park and water park. The guys went golfing one day. I relaxed by the pool and looked like a lobster at the end of the day. We had a great time spending time with family and trying to destress before the big move. Chad and I had to cut the vacation short so we could move to Indiana.

Chloe in the pool. She loved it!

McKenna and Papa at the pool

David and McKenna

Kendra and Chloe

Micah

Newhard Summer Vacation: Red's Game

2008-07-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

Matt, Chad, Thom and Terry

Carol, Erica, Karen and Samantha

Matt and Samantha

Karen and Chad

Erica and Thom

Carol and Terry

Our Sign (We saw this sign a couple days after Chad accepted the job at IWU. It was on the third base line at the Red's game)

Mr. Red Legs

It is a tradition to put "peanut buddies" on each others shoulders during the game. It kind of makes you paranoid...we are always looking at our shoulders to see if someone has put one on us.

This is Terry with a "peanut buddy". He doesn't even know it is there.

Summer in Review

2008-07-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Since we didn't post all summer, here a re-cap (not in any particular order).

chad's Aunt Terri, mom and dad and brother Thom helped us paint and "stage" our house in Fort Wayne. We accepted an offer on the house a week later.

Eating out with Chad's family to celebrate my 31st birthday.

Chad getting the phone call from IWU offering him the job.

Chad accepting the job at IWU.

Chad and I celebrating our 5 year anniversary in Denver

Baseball game at Coor's Field

Us traveling to Pike's Peak by way of train. (No, we didn't hike the 8 1/2 hours up to the top. Maybe next year)

This is us at the top of Pike's Peak (it was very cold)

Uncle Chad and Chloe

Aunt Julie celebrating her retirement.

Ty

Anna

McKenna

Kansas Storm

End of the Season Baseball Video

2008-05-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

2008-04-20T13:29:00.000-07:00

Tabor College vs. Wichita State: ‘What an Incredible Opportunity!’

April 19, 2008 ·

This Week: The Battle for a Berth in the KCAC Tournament

Notes from the Dugout

By Head Coach Chad Newhard

What an incredible opportunity for our program Thursday night in Wichita!

I am so thankful to the Wichita State baseball program for providing our student athletes a chance to compete against a college baseball powerhouse. I feel like we represented our school well. We were competitive and played relaxed and did not allow the moment to overwhelm us.

I like to challenge our team with high-level competition because I feel it allows our team to realize what has to be done to have success against good teams, and that’s going to prepare us to compete in post-season, which is our goal every year.

I also appreciate the support that we received from the Tabor community. We had a good following at the game and many people around campus have been complimentary of our performance.

As we look ahead, our season is winding down and we have a major climb ahead of us if we are going to compete in the KCAC tournament. We will travel to Kansas Wesleyan and will host St. Mary next week. As of right now these are the two top teams in our conference, so that will be a challenge for us.

We are going to have to play very well and catch some breaks next week just to get into the tournament.

This season has provided a lot of memories for our team and it would be great to finish it out with a solid team performance.

Bluejays Play Strong Against No. 5 Wichita State; Listen to Podcast of the Game, See Photos on Flickr

April 18, 2008 ·

Tabor Coach Chad Newhard and WSU Coach Gene Stephenson discuss grounds rules before Thursday night’s game.

The Tabor College baseball team played a strong game against one of the nation’s best programs Thursday night before dropping a 10-1 decision to No. 5 Wichita State University in Wichita.It was a great night for the college!

The Bluejays began the game with hot bats and tough pitching despite cold and blustery conditions. Throughout the contest, the radio broadcasters were complementary of the Tabor baseball program.

Congratulations to Coach Chad Newhard and the Bluejays team.

Regular season action for the baseball team continues at home at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, Kansas Wesleyan. The Bluejays play their final home game of the regular season, versus University of Saint Mary, at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26. The KCAC Tournament will be played May 1-3 at locations to be announced.

To save the podcast, go to http://knss.radiotown.com/audio/podcast/wsu/wsu.mp3 to download the game to your computer.

See Photos

Coach Newhard and Coach Gene Stephenson

2008-04-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

LISTEN LIVE TO TABOR vs. WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY

2008-04-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

Chad's team will be playing Wichita State on Thursday night at 7 pm (8 pm) Indiana time. Wichita State is ranked #5 in the Nation for Division 1 baseball. This is a HUGe opportunity for the team to play in an amazing stadium against a great baseball team.

LISTEN ONLINE at www.goshockers.com
Once on the website click on the black box titled upcoming events. Tabor Baseball will be listed.

Tabor Fills in at WSU

2008-04-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

Check out this article from the Wichita Eagle

http://www.kansas.com/250/story/375629.html

Baseball Photos

2008-04-15T23:58:00.000-07:00

Spring Break Photos (see descriptions below)

2008-04-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Spring Break Photos

2008-04-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

Spring Break was a flurry of activities! We had visitors from Indiana. Holly came to visit with Ty (3) and Anna (1). Chad’s parents came too! They were a huge help in preparing to have the baseball team over for several meals. (Loved the fruit cup, Carol).

We went to a lot of baseball games. Ty and Anna really enjoyed the games. Ty made a new friend, Bone (his real name is Tyler..but everyone calls him Bone…short for T-bone). At all the games Ty would yell “GO BONE” over and over!. Bone loved it and even showed off for Ty throughout the games. Ty took a picture of Bone batting (#33) and of Bone on our couch at home (he is the one on the right side of the picture).

Every time Chad would walk near us at the baseball games Ty would yell “HI CHAD”! He would say it over and over until Chad would say hi or wave at him! It was so cute…and Chad loved it!

Terry and Carol enjoyed being grandparents for the week. Anna LOVED Terry and always wanted him to hold her…and of course, he would. Carol spoiled Ty and bought him Cars coloring books.

We sugared the kids up throughout the week. They ate a lot of candy and slurpies from sonic throughout the baseball games (to keep them occupied). They did a really good job of sharing. We really wore the kids out each day. At night Ty would tell Holly that he was ready to go to bed. (check out the picture of Anna asleep in her carseat).

We had an Easter Egg hunt with the kids. They got drunk on chocolate. Seriously! Check out the pictures. Anna ate so much chocolate she was bouncing of the walls….Literally!

We would love to have you all visit us! We will even have an easter egg hunt for you too!! J

Baseball Updates

2008-03-28T07:46:00.000-07:00

Check out the link I've added to the Hillsboro Free Press - our local paper. They do a great job of keeping up on Chad's team.

Jays Come From Behind to Beat Waldorf College, 18-17

2008-03-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

The Tabor baseball team scored three times in the bottom of the ninth to cap an amazing comeback Wednesday night, defeating the Warriors of Waldorf College, 18-17, on the home field.

The Bluejays will host Waldorf (Forest City, Iowa) again at 4 p.m. on Thursday, followed by home games against Friends University at 1 p.m. Friday, and at 1 p.m. Saturday against Sterling College.

On Wednesday, the Jays were down 16-6 to Waldorf in the bottom of the seventh inning when they started to climb back into it. Tabor scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh. Key hits in that inning included a Travis Schafer two run home run and a 2 RBI double from Tabor

shortstop Jordan Lago.

After holding Waldorf at bay in the eighth, Tabor came back to score four in the bottom half to cut the lead to 16-15. Andrew Cook had the key hit in the inning, a run scoring single. Waldorf scored one in the top of the ninth to push their lead to 17-15, which set up the dramatic bottom of the ninth.

Rally Caps at Crunch Time

Three straight singles to start the inning by Tyler Sizemore, Ryan Boucher and Eric LiCalsi loaded the bases. Andrew Cook earned a walk to plate Sizemore to make the score 17-16. Travis Schafer and Chris Youngdale then struck out back to back to bring Alfred Wilson to the plate.

Wilson hit a line drive single up the middle to score Boucher with the tying run and Licalsi with the winning run to set off an emotional celebration.

“I am extremely proud of the way our team fought back last night,” said first-year Head Coach Chad Newhard. “I have never been a part of a game where a team fought back from such an incredible deficit late in the game.

Our pitchers did a great job of keeping Waldorf from scoring late and each hitter that came to the plate in those last three innings gave us quality at bats. This can be a defining moment for our team and something that we can build on for the rest of the season.”

Woman stuck on toilet for two years

2008-03-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to this news! I didn't think it could be true (or maybe I had dreamt it since I was still a little groggy). So this morning I goggled it and it is true! It happened in KANSAS! I am sure you all want to come and visit now! :-) Check out the story!

A woman in Ness City, Kansas had to be surgically removed from her boyfriend's toilet after allegedly sitting there for two years!

Authorities in the US are trying to establish what caused a 35-year-old woman to sit on her boyfriend's toilet for so long her skin grafted to the seat.

Kansas woman Pam Babcock had to be prised off the toilet at her boyfriend Kory McFarren's house after allegedly sitting there for two years.

She was only moved when McFarren called 911 on February 27 and told police there was "something wrong" with his girlfriend.

Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple told AP there was no indication Babcock had been restrained against her will.

"She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body," Whipple said.

McFarren told police he had asked Babcock every day to please come out of the bathroom, but her reply was always: "Maybe tomorrow."

He also said he brought her food and water every day.

Police found Babcock clothed and sitting on the toilet with her pants lowered to mid-thigh level.

"We pried the toilet seat off with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital," Whipple said. >"The hospital removed it."

Ontario's City News website is reporting that McFarren may face charges in relation to the case.

Questions are being asked about why the 36-year-old antique store worker didn't raise the alarm earlier.

But he insists the situation developed slowly and he had come to believe his girlfriend's behaviour wasn't strange.

"It just kind of happened one day; she went in and had been in there a little while, the next time it was a little longer. Then she got it in her head she was going to stay - like it was a safe place for her," he said.

McFarren insisted Babcock hadn't spent the entire two years on the toilet, claiming that until late January she was taking baths and changing her clothes regularly.

He says he panicked and finally called for help two weeks ago when Babcock appeared groggy after spending as much as a month sitting on the toilet.

McFarren says Babcock developed a phobia about leaving the bathroom which stemmed from beatings she received in her childhood.

But despite his professions that he was caring for his partner of 16 years, authorities have indicated they are considering charging him with mistreatment of a dependent adult.

Babcock's legs atrophied (suffered muscle wastage) as a result of her sitting on the toilet for so long and it's not known if she will ever walk again.

Baseball Widows Night Out

2008-03-06T23:22:00.000-08:00

Mandi & I had a rare night out to see Tabor's production of "Lost in Yonkers". We had planned on some coffee & carrot cake at Little Pleasures (a coffeehouse in town) beforehand, but in true Hillsboro fashion, it was closed. We couldn't find any place open at 6:30 on a Thursday evening... so we had to settle for SONIC Java Chillers. Quite the compromise.

The students did a great job. Mandi kept falling asleep...I guess that is what happens when a mom has a chance to get out of the house and have some peace and quiet. I love spending time with her, especially when the guys have a game.

Wichita State Baseball...hanging out with friends

2008-02-24T15:13:00.000-08:00

Saturday we were supposed to go to a Wichita State Baseball game. Our friend Andy Wolmack is a pitcher and his fiance Janelle is an awesome friend and Tabor student. They ended up having a rain delay and then finally canceled the game. I was little relieved because it was freezing outside. Instead, we got to hang out with Andy and Janelle at a coffee house! We had a great time! We taught them how to play Euchre. (People in Kansas have never heard of it). They were quick learners. The girls beat the boys (of course).

It ended up snowing A LOT! We were so glad we weren't sitting outside in this weather.

New Scoreboard

2008-02-23T15:26:00.000-08:00

The Tabor Bluejay Baseball Team got a new scoreboard this week! Chad worked very hard to raise over $13,000 to pay for this new scoreboard. The school had been without a working for scoreboard for the last couple of years.

The only way to show how awesome this scoreboard is to show you before and after pictures.

Canceled Games

2008-02-22T15:32:00.000-08:00

Games have been canceled all week due to bad weather (rain and snow).

Here are some pictures of the mud pit....i mean baseball field.

the infield

ice in front of the dugout

Look how deep the mud is. Mandi...sorry about your floors!

Chad's look of disbelief.

Baseball Trip

2008-02-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

Feb 6th-9th Chad's baseball team took a trip to Texas and Oklahoma to play some games. They did a lot of traveling, but had a good time. They played 7 games winning 2 and losing 5. They played a lot of baseball in a short amount of time...good bounding for a young team. Chad's dad was able to join him for the trip. The guys called him "Pops".

Painting

2008-02-10T17:35:00.000-08:00

Have you ever started those improvement projects saying "oh, this won't take long"?

This turned out to be one of those projects. After becoming the Director of Student Success I decided I wanted to bring a little more color to my offices. Here are some before and after pictures. This "little" project ended up taking 7 hours..and we still have one more office to paint. The lovely ladies helping me are two of my student workers Emily and Marisa. They are awesome, patient and FUNNY! They kept me laughing for all seven hours.
Enjoy the before and after pictures

Fall Semester Events

2008-02-05T15:46:00.000-08:00

I was looking through some old pictures and realized I missed some Fall semester highlights.

This is the president of Tabor (who retired in January) relaxing on 3D Paper Design Cardboard chairs created by the Tabor art students.

This is the Lorenz building. (Chapel, classes and offices located here).

One of Chad's baseball players, Justin, was the lead in the Fall musical Honk! Mandi Brouillette and I were able to drag Chad and Mike to see it. Justin is the picture above.

Christmas Vacation

2008-01-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

We were able to travel home over Christmas Break to visit family and friends. Here are a few pictures from our journey.

We started off our trip by stopping in Kansas City to see our good friends Jon and Jessie Crow and little Liam (who isn't so little anymore). Jessie is ready to pop with their second child due in early April.

Kara Dawson's Birthday party. Here is she is waving like Miss America with her tiara, necklace and pig purse! She is all girl!!

Chad was very popular with the girls at Kara's party. Here he is surrounded by all 6 of them!

It was so good to see our friend Joye, and her three boys Tate, Reed and Max.

Micah came to visit from Las Vegas. He is growing up so fast!

My brother Davey was able to visit for a few days. It was so good to see him!

Ice Storm/Party in the Dark

2007-12-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

Today we got hit by a bad ice storm. We heard the news that it was coming and the power may go out. I (karen) ran to the local store to buy flashlights and batteries. Chad kept telling me that the storm was "overrated" and that it wouldn't be that bad. Nonetheless I made sure every candle, match, flashlight and battery was set aside so we would know where they were if we needed them. Here is the result of the storm.

Tonight we hosted the Student Development Christmas party at our house. An hour before the party the power went out. Almost everyone still came (cause student development employees are adventorous). Imagine this, 20 adults, 2 babysitters, 7 kids....all in the dark. So much for an overrated storm. We had a blast!!! Here is a picture of our party.

Karen's New Job

2007-12-10T23:36:00.000-08:00

Karen was just named the Director of Student Success and Career Services. She will be in charge of Career Services, Disability Services, Tutoring and Retention. Karen is replacing Don Krebs, an amazing man who has impacted many students at Tabor. Don is retiring and moving back to western Kansas. He will be missed greatly. Luckly Karen had a whole semester to work with Don and learn from his exerience. Check out the news story at:

http://www.tabor.edu/about-tabor/news?page=2

Karen and Don Krebs

Embrace Party

2007-12-10T10:18:00.001-08:00

I am a small group leader for Embrace. It is a group of students that get together once a week to worship and do a Bible study. Currently we are going through the book of Daniel using the Beth Moore Series. Last week I hosted a Christmas party for these ladies. It was so much fun! We had a white elephant gift exchange. Here are a few of the silly photos from that night!

Thanksgiving

2007-12-10T10:05:00.001-08:00

We had an amazing Thanksgiving!! Some of our family from Indiana made the long trek to our house. We all had a blast together. We were able to take them on a tour of Hillsboro and the college. Matt brought his corn hole set and we were able to play in the basement. Crazy! It was fun to see everyone!!! We ate, played games, ate, shopped, ate, rested and ate some more!

Catch of the Day

2007-11-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

Today we went "sport fishing". Chad caught an amazing Mahi Mahi (dolphin). It was 3 feet long and weighed 25 pounds. It took a while to lug it in the boat. Not only did he catch it...he grilled it for us too! It was perfect!

Pineapples & Horseback Riding

2007-11-16T22:46:00.001-08:00

We visited the Dole Plantation. Did you know it takes over a year to grow a pineapple?!?! Makes it taste a little better knowing that little fact! :-)

We also went horseback riding. Our horses were named Payday, Deadora and Skippy. Dad's horse was very stubborn. Luckly dad has experience with horses and he was able to keep the horse under control for 2 hours.

Luau

2007-11-15T23:10:00.000-08:00

Tonight we attended a traditional Hawiian luau. It was a beautiful evening!

Can you say, RELAXED? This is my dad shaking his butt!!! One of the hula girls came into the audiance and had my dad dance. He was gettin down!! We had a lot of fun! So did he! :-)

Sailing, Snorkeling and Dolphins

2007-11-14T21:50:00.000-08:00

Today we went sailing. It was very beautiful. We were able to snorkel for a little bit. Chad and I had never been snorkeling before, which made it even more exciting. Chad was so funny! While we were snorkeling he would find me and say, with his snorkel in his mouth, "this is amazing"! Which sounded very funny coming through the snorkel. He was like a little kid. He just kept saying it over and over. After getting back on the boat Chad starting feeling sea sick. Needless to say he didn't think that was so amazing!

Before the boat returned to shore we were able to see some spinner dolphins. There were over 15 of them swimming together. The boat followed them for a while. "This is amazing!"

Pearl Harbor

2007-11-13T21:33:00.000-08:00

Today we went to Pearl Harbor. It was a very powerful reminder of our countries history and of those that gave their lives. Over 2,300 people died that day. We toured the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. The ship is still under water so they built the memorial to go over the top of the ship. Here is an view from overhead. You travel out to it by boat. The white building is the memorial.

Over 900 men were never recovered from the ship. They are still entombed in it. Their names are engraved on a wall in the memorial.

Massage by the Sea

2007-11-12T23:42:00.000-08:00

Today I enjoyed a massage by the sea! It was amazing! It was awesome to be able to hear the waves crashing and feel the breeze all while enjoying a massage. (And yes, I was wearing my swimsuit! :-)

Relax

2007-11-11T23:32:00.000-08:00

Our first full day in Hawaii we spent RELAXING! We went to the beach, swam in the pool and watched the sun go down.

Hawaii

2007-11-10T23:22:00.000-08:00

We left Wichita at 7 am on Saturday and arrived 14 hours later. We feel so blessed that we are able to travel here with my parents. It is beautiful!! Here we are at dinner our first night in Hawaii.

Habitat for Humanity

2007-10-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

Chad’s team worked for Habitat for Humanity on Saturday. They installed drywall in the house. Here they are after a long day of working. He has a great group of guys!

Chefs!

2007-10-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

Chef Chad and Chef Mike

Mike, Mandi and kids came over for dinner Friday night. Our first guests! Mandi and I are so blessed that our husbands love to cook.

Homecoming!

2007-10-24T15:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend was really busy and so fun! It was homecoming at Tabor. Friday night we went to see the school musical Honk! It was so awesome. One of

Chad

’s player had the lead role. Nice job Justin!!

Saturday morning I worked at the school selling tickets for the festivities. Tabor had a football game in the afternoon. Guess who announced the game?!?! You guessed it, Chad! He did a great job! It was a beautiful day - 85 degrees.

Brooklyn is cheering for Tabor.

In the evening the baseball team had a cookout, home run derby and alumni baseball game. It was so windy! I mean, really, really windy! During the whole picnic I chased napkins, cups, bags of chips etc… as they were blowing around.

The sky was beautiful!

Our little town

2007-10-19T11:47:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of our little town. We are loving it!! We can ride our bikes to work (we, don't...but we should). It is peaceful and slow paced. And as you can tell, not a lot of traffic. :-)

Indiana…family…fall break

2007-10-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Chad and I were able to fly to Indiana to see our family during our fall break. Chad’s dad celebrated a birthday days after getting out of the hospital. He had his prostate removed after being diagnosed with cancer. He is doing well and in great spirits. He has a bell beside his recliner that he rings when he needs Carol. I know she is loving that!

While we were in Fort Wayne we packed up all our stuff to bring it out to Kansas. Our house still has not sold. But God has provided.

Now for the little ones...the nieces and nephews!! My niece, McKenna, was celebrating her 1rst birthday. Isn’t she adorable? She had a horrible cold, but she was happy during the whole party.

Ty (almost 3) found the ice cream and decided to stick all the plastic spoons in it. He then pulled out each spoon to eat the ice cream. Chloe decided to join in the fun! Chloe talks up a storm! She loves balloons and enjoyed carry them around with her and sharing the with the other kids.

Anna is a little dainty thing. She talks in a little munchkin voice. When someone new walks in the room she says, “hey baby”. It is too cute!

KANSAS SKY!

2007-10-10T11:12:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about Kansas is the sky! It always seems so BIG. The clouds are ridiculous. Check out these pictures. I didn’t edit them or anything!

"Our" House

2007-10-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

Chad moved out to Kansas at the end of July while Karen stayed in Indiana finishing up her job at Ivy Tech and trying to sell the house. Well, the house still hasn't sold. That, in itself has made things very interesting.

For the first month here we lived in the basement of our friends (the Brouillettes) house. They were so good to us! But we were wanting to have our own place (and I am sure they were too). God provided us with an amazing home to "babysit". This wonderful couple moved out of town about a year ago. Their house has sat empty. They wanted someone to live in it and take care of it and we wanted a place to live. They have been very kind to us. They know that we cannot afford to pay rent since we are still making our house payment in Indiana, so they are only charging us for utilities. Wow! We are so blessed. Here are a few pictures of the house. It is almost 4,000 square feet with TWO kitchens! For those of you that know Chad you know how much he loves to cook. He is in heaven. He was most excited about the pot rack above the six burner gas stove. :-) We are having the baseball team over on Monday night for some football. We are so thankful that we will be able to minister to the students in this way.

Where do we begin?

2007-09-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

So, blogging is a new adventure for us. We really desire to stay in contact with you and want you to know the exciting ways that God is working in our lives. This begins the journey of trying to document our journey. (I am about 6 weeks behind so please bear with us as we try to catch you up).

If you haven't heard....we have moved to Kansas! We have both accepted positions at Tabor College. Chad is the head baseball coach as well as a faculty member and Karen is an Academic Support Coordinator. Be sure to check out their website. We are now Tabor BLUE JAYS!!

Our journey

2007-09-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

It has been an interesting journey
(it always is when trusting God with all the details). While visiting and interviewing at Tabor we drove passed by the community pool. It is a very nice pool (especially considering the size of the town). I just kept picturing our friends, Mike and Mandi Brouillettes kids in the pool. Bizarre..i know!! In the airport on our way back to Indiana I called Mike and told him that he and Mandi were supposed to be in Kansas with us!! Mike laughed and stated that it wasn't a good time to pick up the family and move to the middle of
no where. Mike had just started a new job, Mandi was a few weeks away from graduating from IUSB and they had made a committment to buy a house. Well, after much discussion they decided to come out to Kansas to see it for themselves. They saw the pool, fell in love with it and decided to move to Kansas. NOT! The pool was okay...but God was working in their hearts and they listened to His call. We are so thankful they did! It is awesome to have good friends close by.
Pictured above Bryce, Brooklyn and Brant enjoying the pool!