Patience...

This is one of those "just things that are on my heart" blog entries. Cuz that is part of what a blog is for, right?

It's no secret that Steve and I are SO SO SO excited to be parents. Our original plan (more for practical purposes) was to wait until Steve graduates and then start our family. Then...surprise! We got pregnant in April 2008. Man, we were so happy and excited about that. I have wanted to be a mom since I was, well, probably 3 :) Then...miscarriage. Unexpected. Awful. Devastating. Wouldn't wish it on anyone. But still, we had hope. We got pregnant "on accident" the first time, so we'll just wait the prescribed time and start trying again, right? No problem. Well, turns out God is working on us in the meantime and here we are...November 2009, and still no baby, no pregnancy, nothing. I'm not going to lie when I say it is starting to ache as I find out every week that another person (or 2 or 3) is pregnant. Such happy news. Getting so hard to hear. Frustrated with myself for feeling less than ecstatic with each additional one. Wishing I could get that "head over heels excited" feeling back.

On the other hand. We have always planned to adopt. Our hearts are so on fire for it...more now than ever (and I don't consider it a "plan b," but previously, it's been more of a "wait until we have biological kids and then save up and adopt later" kind of thing). We are starting to wonder if God is leading us in that direction now. That maybe we aren't getting pregnant because there is a child that God wants to bless us with via adoption and we wouldn't pursue that avenue yet if we had biological kids first. We are starting to analyze everything. We know that there are many practical reasons to wait to start the process (though we know that it is a lengthy process), such as the fact that Steve graduates in May and we don't know where we will be ending up. Or the fact that we don't have the finances set aside yet. Or that we want this SO badly that we don't want it to be our own desires, but the Lord's leading, and when it is such a strong desire, how can you tell? BUT...we also know that we don't serve a God that works only in the practical realm. He is the God of the Universe! In fact, He does His most awesome work when things seem quite impractical or impossible. So we don't want to underestimate what He can and will do if it is truly His leading.

I want to be obedient, and I want to further God's kingdom. I want to be fruitful and multiply, regardless of the avenue. Most of all, I want to be a mommy. I am having a hard time being patient...

4 Years Ago...

Wow...has it been 4 years already? Steve and I celebrated our 4th Anniversary on Thursday (October 8th). He surprised me by sending flowers at work. Aren't they beautiful?!

Happy Anniversary, baby! I love you!

So much to catch up on...

Man, I have waited too long to post. Where did the summer go? Our trip to MN in June (pics still to be posted...stay tuned) seems like a second ago in some ways, yet in others, it seems like forever. What else have we been up to??

July brought a visit from Steve's parents to help us with some big projects around the house. We are getting it on the market just in case we move when Steve finishes school in May. YES...I said May! I am so excited that we are on the home stretch. Less than 8 months to go! It has been no secret that this has been much tougher than I thought it would be, being the breadwinner of our family while Steve is in school. So many things I would have done differently, yet also a great many things God has used to refine us (and continues to do so). Anyhow, back to the projects. The guys did some awesome stuff that week. They cut out a portion of the carpet by the back door and installed wood flooring.

Didn't they do a great job? They also fixed our cement step going out to our back patio. And they hung our bikes in the garage. It's a huge relief to have those things finished, and of course it makes it even more bittersweet to be selling the house, having it fixed up so nicely. But we will love the freedom and ability to pick up and move quickly if needed, so it will all be worth it.

In August, I traveled to Houston for work for 2 weeks. It was pretty neat, as I was traveling with the President of our company (Chesapeake Midstream Partners, L.P.) and other bigwigs from Chesapeake. When you travel with them, you travel in style. We stayed at the Four Seasons in downtown Houston (beautiful!) and were able to walk to the office where we worked during the week (my dream come true...I would love to either work from home or walk to work everyday). It was a great experience, even though I missed Steve and Norman tons. During my time in Houston, I was also introduced to my new favorite Starbucks drink...decaf skinny caramel macchiato. DELISH!!! I could drink those everyday, twice a day actually!

Soon after I returned from Houston, Steve took off for a week in California to visit his family. It was a great "last hurrah" before he had to start school again. Most of his time was spent at his folks' condo in Mammoth Lakes and he got lots of great fishing, hiking, and relaxing in. He even brought our "son" Junior with him (actually, Junior snuck in his suitcase...I have no idea how that happened). A little background on Junior: Steve gave him to me while we were dating back in October 2004. I decided his face looked like it was real, and started turning his head (and subsequently freaking Steve out...haha). Long story short...Junior has taken on a personality all his own and has become a part of the family. He's been a bit neglected since Norman came along (poor Junior), but he still makes an appearance every so often. He even came on Steve's dad's retirement flight with us and flew up in the cockpit with Captain (Grandpa) Irwin. Ok, so Junior could almost get a post of his own. Our families have embraced our silliness and played right along. Anyway...even Junior caught a fish while in Mammoth with Steve!

I wish I could have gone with the boys to Mammoth (I have actually never been there in the summertime), but I had to work since I used my vacation for our trip to MN. Norman and I did, however, get to have some fun and met some of my family up in Kansas City for the weekend. There were 5 of us, and 4 dogs. It was such a great weekend. We played cards, dominoes, and just hung out. So refreshing! And the best part about it was that on my way home from Kansas City, Norman and I got to stop at the airport to pick up Steve!

Steve started his senior year at OU August 24th and the past 4 weeks have been a whirlwind! He's already 1/4 done with the semester (the end can't come soon enough). My brother Eric came to stay with us over Labor Day weekend, and while he was here, we got a phone call from my sister with some exciting news...SHE IS ENGAGED!!! Her fiance Matt proposed on the beach in Hilton Head, SC. My sister is a beach girl, so Matt could not have picked a better place. I am so pumped for them! We love Matt so much, and are excited to officially have him as a part of our family! Here is a picture of the cute couple (this was taken while we were all in MN in June).

Perfect couple, yes?? Matt has made my sister so happy, and I love seeing the sparkle in her eyes. God is good! So now we have another thing to look forward to in addition to Steve's graduation this spring!

Finally, last weekend I headed back to Kansas City for a girls weekend with my best friend Gretchen. I will post all of the fun pictures from that trip (see how much you have to look forward to?!?) soon. MN trip first, I think.

This weekend, we had the pleasure of celebrating this sweet boy's first birthday! A wonderful way to spend our Saturday afternoon! I have also been working very hard at getting our house ready to be listed. I'm having a great time selling things on Craig's List...and our pile to go to Goodwill is massive! If I had it in me, I'd do a garage sale, but I just don't think that's feasible...so Goodwill donation it is!

Whew! That is my last few months in a nutshell! I promise I won't keep you waiting long for the MN trip post and the KC Girls' Weekend post! Until then...

Another Field Trip!

Ok, so you probably think all I do at work is go on fun trips...this is only partially true :) I promise I work hard (and some long days! But that's another story...) but I am so blessed to work for a company that I absolutely love. And with it comes some pretty awesome perks, I'm not gonna lie. So my field trip last week was exciting. We went to tour some pre-fabrication plants in Guthrie, Chickasha, Elmore City (all in OK), and Gainesville, TX. All in one day. How did we cover so many miles in one day, you ask? Oh, did I forget to mention our mode of transportation????

Yes, we were taken around in a helicopter all day! It was so cool. I must admit, however, that I probably never need to ride in a helicopter again...my tummy was not as excited about the trip as the rest of me was. Luckily, no puking was involved, but I sure did wish I had packed the dramamine. BUT, it was well worth it to be able to go on such an adventure. I guess I wasn't meant to be a medi-flight nurse. Or a news traffic reporter. Or anything involving air-flight. Anyhow...back to the field trip. First, let me show you a picture of our gorgeous Chesapeake campus. Our CEO designed it after a college campus and I think it is beautiful!

Look at us all so hard at work while we waited for the helicopter to pick us up.

Aren't we dedicated employees? And yes...I do have a pink Chesapeake hard hat. Don't you love it?! Here is a picture of the entire lucky group of tourists.

We had the coolest pilots. They flew over our houses--well, if they were on the way, which mine was! Ours is the house in the middle. You can also see our neighbors in their backyard...haha. BTW...the houses on both sides of us are waiting for lucky new owners...any takers? You'd have some FABULOUS neighbors.

We also flew over the OU Football Stadium...

And...my sweet husband's home away from home...the National Weather Center (he was actually standing in that little roundabout taking our picture as we flew over!)...

What a once-in-a-lifetime experience, huh? Here are some more pictures from the day...Oklahoma actually has some pretty beautiful landscapes...who knew?!

Field Trip!

I went on my first Chesapeake business trip this week! It is actually the first time I have traveled for work since my little (well, 15 months...not so little) stint in California. This trip was to Fort Worth, TX...um, not quite the same as Orange County, CA, but still fun.

Since I started working at Chesapeake 9 months ago (wow, has it been that long?), I have learned so much about the oil & gas industry. This trip was an opportunity to see some things in action. My new position as a Financial Analyst for Business Strategy & Development allows me to view every facet of the business. My boss characterizes it well when he describes it as trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant. There is so much to learn! Seeing things in action first-hand was fascinating. Here are some pics...they were all taken with my BlackBerry, and some through the window of the truck, so excuse the quality. :)

This is a Pig Trap. I just love the name, so I had to take a picture. The pig trap (complete with a pig launcher and pig receiver...teehee) is used to clean the pipeline.

Here is one of our large Compressor Facilities. This is where they compress gas so they can send it to market down the pipeline. It is LOUD! Since this particular one is in an urban area, they had to build a building around the actual compressors to silence them. It's amazing how effective that is!

Here is another Compressor Facility. This one is in a more rural area, so no building required. See how huge those compressors are?

I also got to visit a construction site. These guys are hard at work...

Here is a pretty neat picture of several feet of pipe all strung together. The guy standing there is actually in the process of x-raying the pipe to be sure it fits regulatory and safety standards.

And...I just had to take a picture of my "Do Not Disturb" sign at the hotel. It cracked me up!

God really has blessed me with a great job at an amazing company!

Mother's Day Reflections...

I'm not gonna lie...last Mother's Day was sure more fun than this year's. It was on Mother's Day that I announced to my extended family that we were expecting this little one:

I was supposed to be celebrating my first "real" Mother's Day this year. It kinda hurts not to be. Our pregnancy was a suprise, and we actually hadn't planned on starting our family until after Steve finished school, so I never was in that club of the ones longing to be moms on Mother's Day...it was more of a "can't wait until it's my turn" day. But once we were expecting, we were so excited, and we now long for a child that still has not come. It seems like more of a loss than it has before. Steve and I cannot wait to add to our family, and we know that God is going to bless our socks off with children, but man is it hard to see the timing of it all...especially on days like today.

However, even with my own dreams that have not yet been realized, I rejoice with my friends who are celebrating their first Mother's Day today. Jessica is the proud mommy of sweet little Ian, Starling is enjoying her precious Ethan, and Rebecca is finally getting to spend Mother's Day with Eli in her arms! God is so good!

And, of course, I have to thank the Lord for my own Mom.

I have been blessed with a Mom that took such interest in her three kids. She was always helping out at school functions, even homeschooled me for two years. My Mom was also "mom" to many of my friends who weren't as lucky as I was to have parents so involved. Thank you, Momma, for investing so much of yourself into us.

Not only did God bless me with a great Mother, I am also one of the lucky ones that has an amazing Mother-in-Law. I can't wait to make both of them proud Grandmas as well. Steve and I have such an awesome heritage that we will be honored to carry on. Thanks to both of my Moms (and Grandmas...and Aunts - hey, it takes a whole family). I love you!

A Day Brightener...

I got a new job at work (which is a blessing!) a couple weeks ago and have been so very busy and super exhausted (though in a good way). I will write about the new job another day. Anyhow...today -- and it's only Monday -- started to get pretty overwhelming. But, as I got home and logged on to Facebook, I saw this link...it made my day! Watch the whole thing -- it's only about a minute long -- and it is sure to brighten yours, too!

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, has a piano in the atrium that people can play. Someone captured this sweet couple playing the piano. It is awesome.

Busy Weekend continued...Saturday!

Now that has been a week...I'd better get blogging! I have been so much better about documenting things, so I cannot get behind in my blogging, or my material will be outdated! Haha.

Last Saturday, Steve had to go on a field trip for his Hydrology class (not his ideal way to spend his Saturday...his group's assignment was to determine how fast the soil absorbed water...watching paint dry, anyone?). Anyhow, since I was sans-husband for the day, I took the opportunity to hang out with my friend Laurie. I met Laurie last summer during The Sound of Music, and I have to say, God blessed me so much by bringing her into my path. She, Siobhan, and I have had some fun times over this past year and I am so thankful for them!

Laurie and I started our day at the Medieval Fair at Reeves Park in Norman. If you ever want to see some very interesting folk, I'd say a Medieval Fair is probably your best bet. We saw people with pet dogs, as well as people with pet snakes, parrots...you name it. All walking from booth-to-booth at the park. We had a blast, though. Some highlights of our experience:

A mermaid

Camel Rides

A hilarious Acrobatic Danger Show (they were awesome)

There were also cute little girls doing Irish Dancing (think Riverdance), Random Jugglers, tons of windblown tents (did I mention the 800 mph wind?), and...of course, my favorite part: FAIR FOOD! Here is Laurie enjoying her very first Fried Twinkie. I was also able to partake. Delish.

Once we'd had our fill of the Medieval Fair, we walked around the shops in Downtown Norman (found a wonderful quaint little coffee shop that I will definitely be re-visiting!).

And, as if the day couldn't get any better...Laurie suggested we stop at Atwoods on the way home. It's a local "Fleet Farm" kind of store and they have chicks and bunnies around Easter time (not sure if they have them year-round or not). Oh my goodness, we had a blast there.

I held the sweetest little bunny:

One of the workers came up while I was oohing and awwwwing over this sweet bunny and I asked, "What do you do with a little bunny like this?" Mistake. Her response..."Oh, you can do lots of things...I have some great recipes for Rabbit Stew." ?!?!?!?!? Really? I think not. This is why I am not a farmer...I cannot put faces to the things I eat.

And I held a squirmy little duckling (love the webbed feet!):

But the highlight of the ENTIRE DAY was this little guy:

I named him Edward. He fell asleep in my hands as soon as I picked him up! He was precious, and quite a little runt. I even called Steve and begged him to let me keep him. He was not a fan. But seriously, how cute is Edward?!?! So fun.

We had such a fun day. Thanks for the adventures, Laurie, and I can't wait for the next one!

Busy Weekend!

Wow, did I have a busy weekend. So many fun things to blog about, and I was so proud of myself for actually bringing my camera to document the adventures. I will actually split this up into a few posts (gotta save the goods, ya know?)...starting with my Friday night date with the sweet boy who is the star of *this* blog. His mom gave me permission to post about our fun evening.

Look at him! Can you imagine a better Friday night?

I even captured some fun video. It's always embarrassing to hear myself talk in these, but hey, Ian had fun and that's all that counts, right?

And here he is right before enjoying a delicious dinner of baby food carrots. I think he digs the getting ready to eat routine, don't you?

Such concentration. He's basically a genius.

I worked in a daycare for 3 years and babysat for many years...I have taken care of a lot of kiddos in my day. This little man is seriously one of the easiest. I love my Oklahoma nephew. Thanks, Jessica and Justin, for letting me hang with your sweet boy!

Epic Winter Storm 2009...

I chuckle at my own title, because every time any kind of weather event happens in Oklahoma, the news stations are all over it with some catchy phrase...whether it ends up actually being a big deal or not is determined later, and usually it is determined that it was not really a big deal. Hehe. So although (here in the OKC metro, at least) this is really no winter storm as predicted (but I have to give a shout out to my weatherman husband, who was right on with his forecast...as is the case typically), it was still fun to see some big flakes coming down this morning! The Oklahoma Panhandle has some pretty huge drifts, actually, but we are missing out on all the fun. I say fun only because it's a weekend and I don't have to drive anywhere. I took a little video to share the moment with all of you...

*Disclaimer: Sorry about the bit with Norman relieving himself at the beginning of the video. I didn't really realize I had such a wide-angle until I watched it later. Oops!

Norman really does like the snow, as evidenced here in our trip to the mountains last year.

However, today's type of snow apparently is not his cup of tea. I believe this may be a more accurate picture of his day today.

*Disclaimer #2: We actually don't let him on this chair sans blanket...he has a different chair (i.e. throne) with complete blanket coverage :)

No Girls' Night For Us...

We have been so spoiled this winter here in Oklahoma...but for some reason, winter wanted to give us one last taste before allowing spring to arrive for good. Unfortunately, it was at the expense of my fun night planned with these lovely ladies:

Thanks, Jessica, for letting me swipe this pic! The four of us have gotten together a couple times over the last few months (and we were even adding one more to the mix tonight), and it sure is fun to have girlfriends to hang out with. I am blessed with the best husband in the world (sorry ladies, he's taken), but I am confident that God gives women girlfriends to help balance us out :)

Ladies, I'm sorry our evening did not work out as planned, but I am looking forward to our next get-together!

Meanwhile, I am going to make some Hot Chocolate (yum!) and settle in for some snuggling time with my boys and some OU Basketball. Go Sooners!

A Night at the Theatre...

Last night, my friend Andrea and I went to see one of our castmates from AGYG in Edmond North High School's production of The Wizard of Oz. It was so much fun and Leah was an amazing Dorothy. A talented--and very funny--cast, the elaborate sets, a fly wire to add a fun dimension to the tornado scene and Glinda's entrances/exits, and, of course, an adorable dog playing the role of Toto made it a fabulous show. It sure made me miss being on the stage, and it also brought back so many memories of my own experience as Dorothy almost 6 years ago (I would reprise that role in a second...hopefully I'll have the chance to someday!). Good times :) They have two more shows today to close out the run...2:00 pm (oops, it's 2 right now. Better hurry!) and 8:00 pm.

Go see it!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Do I have the sweetest husband in the world? Yes, I think so...

Pray for Abby...

I'd like to introduce you to an incredible family--one that I have not yet actually met in person. I have been following the Riggs family blog for quite awhile, actually, but feel led to send out a call to prayer, as this precious girl battles cancer (and many effects on top of it). Her family is just amazing...for me to try to explain would not do them justice, so just go and check them out here and see for yourself. God is truly using them in incredible ways, and they are real people with humble hearts and extraordinary faith. And...I just found out they live in Oklahoma! I totally want to see how I can help (me and about a zillion others, I'm sure). Please pray for little Abby and her family...they are a blessing to so many, even while they are dealt this very excruciating situation.

And...the Joys of Oklahoma Winters!

Well, winter has finally hit Oklahoma. We have been spoiled with a very mild last few months, so I definitely can't complain about our first real taste of winter on January 26th-27th...but I thought I'd share a few pics. This looks like snow (for all my Minnesota readers), but it's actually about 1/3" of ice coated with 2-3 inches (and counting) of sleet.


Here's a view from our backyard. Notice the half frozen pond. Very interesting...don't get your ice skates out quite yet :)


Beautiful. Well, not so much to drive on, which is why I am staying home today (I have been checking my work email frequently, though!). Weather like this makes it perfect to snuggle up in one of these, with a good book, some hot chocolate, and, of course, TLC daytime, with a little bit of Facebook mixed in!

The Joys of Minnesota Winters...

I came across this blog of a news reporter in Minnesota (my homeland!) and it is hilarious...you must watch this video clip.



P.S. When I talked to my best friend Gretchen yesterday morning, she was talking about morning temps of MINUS 26...and that is not the windchill, my friends (and she even lives at the very southern end of MN)! We are a tough people, aren't we? Or is it crazy? I was actually born in Hawaii, and my parents' famous quote is "We left Hawaii and moved back to paradise!" Not so sure I agree with that one, but I can certainly not complain of my one winter day in the teens here in Oklahoma :o)

2008 Recap

It's amazing how fast a year can seem as you recap all of the fun (and even not-so-fun) times in one place, isn't it? Here is a copy of our Christmas letter that actually turned into a New Year's letter :o) I tried to scan the letter with the cool backdrop that was with it, but it just didn't work. Here's the text...

Greetings and Happy New Year!

2008 was filled with many blessings for the Irwins, as well as a few hardships. However, as we consider the past year, it is evident that God has blessed us immensely. A quick recap of our 2008:

We were able to wrap up our January with a whirlwind trip to Hawaii as we celebrated Steve’s Dad’s retirement as a pilot with American Airlines. We were blessed to be on Captain Irwin’s final flights to and from Hawaii. Though it was a very short trip (less than 24 hours in Hawaii, actually), we were so lucky to be able to share in that special time with family.

In March, we were blessed to be able to send Steve for a “Guys Week” with his Dad, where they spent time skiing in Mammoth Lakes (which I would venture to say may be the favorite place of each of them). From what I heard, it was a great time, and I even heard rumors of some beard-growing from my normally clean-shaven husband. Now if that isn’t a Guy’s Week, what is?

We received a surprise blessing in April, as we discovered we were expecting our first child! We were so excited and anticipated a December 21st arrival. Unfortunately, with that blessing came one of our hardships of the year…over Memorial Day weekend in May, Liesl miscarried our baby 10 weeks and 1 day into the pregnancy. How amazing, though, as we truly were lifted up by the prayers and support of our family and friends from all over the country. Thank you, Lord, for our friends and family! May was also the official half-way point of Steve’s schooling, as he completed his 2nd year at the University of Oklahoma’s School of Meteorology. He has continued his employment with the National Severe Storms Lab, even taking on a leadership role with the summer S.H.A.V.E. (Severe Hazards Analysis and Verification Experiment) project and gaining some valuable experience!

June was a fun-filled month for Liesl, as she had the opportunity to participate in a professional musical production of The Sound of Music with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma City. She was in the Nun Chorus, and made some valuable friendships through the experience.

In July, we were blessed with the opportunity to take a little vacation up to Branson, MO. Norman got to stay home with Grandpa and Grandma Irwin. It was the first time in Branson for both of us, and we really enjoyed it! We took a dinner cruise along the river, visited a couple wineries, spent a lot of time along the shops at the Promenade (highly recommend that!), and just enjoyed each other while Steve didn’t have to think about school/work, and Liesl had some time off work.

In August, before Steve started his Junior year of school, we had the opportunity to take a camping trip in some record heat. We made some memories, that’s for sure, with a heat index of 112 most of the time. Lots of cold showers, and sweating. Still, we do love camping and it was a wonderful way to wrap up our summer. Liesl was also blessed to be able to participate in another musical, Annie Get Your Gun, at the Jewel Box Theatre in Oklahoma City during August/September. She performed with that theatre last year, and it was fun to re-connect and also make new friends!

September brought some change. After almost 2 years with the Department of Surgery at the OU Health Sciences Center, Liesl was offered a too-good-to-pass-up opportunity with Chesapeake Energy Corporation. It is a great company that values their employees and she is really enjoying it. Another huge blessing.

In October, we were blessed to spend some more time with extended family as we headed to Colorado to be a part of Steve’s cousin’s wedding, and then we celebrated our 3rd Anniversary on October 8th. In November we had the privilege of hosting Liesl’s parents and brother for Thanksgiving. We sure miss our families, so we cherish the times we get to spend with them.

December has come and gone already…it’s hard to believe another year has passed. We wish your families many blessings as we celebrate the birth of God’s Son. In a time where the world has seen a lot of change and many hardships, it is a comfort to know we serve a God who is not surprised by any of this, and—better yet—has it under his sovereign control. What a blessing that is!

Hope you and your families had a wonderful holiday season, and we wish you a happy 2009!
With love,
Steve and Liesl Irwin

Annie Get Your Gun - 4 Months Late

Ok, so I promised about 4 months ago that I'd post pictures of Annie Get Your Gun...and as a part of my New Year's Resolution to blog more (I just made that up...I don't do New Year's Resolutions...but I really will try to blog more), I am finally making good on that promise. I can't believe 4 months have passed since my last show. Time has flown (sorta).

I had such a great time with this show...the cast was probably one of my favorites of the shows I've done in Oklahoma. And it's a good thing we liked each other, because the run was 4 weeks long with 22 shows (only two "off days" each week). The run was a huge success, and it was quite fun to do another show with the Jewel Box Theatre!

So...without further ado...enjoy these pics!