Poolside

some pictures of baby Ryan

It's a Boy

I'm sorry, but no pictures available for posting yet but these will come. I am sitting in the hospital OB room and am amazed at what the Lord has done again. He has given my wife the strength to deliver another beutiful child. Christel worked very hard again and though it still took longer than expected we had a baby within 4 hours of checking in.
Okay, just so you all know my wife is the craziest lady in the world. Surviving the hottest week of the last decade, caring for two toddlers etc.. and to top this we walked in to the hospital this morning. Yes, this is not a misprint from the guy who blogs once a year (at the birth of his children it seems) we walked to the hospital to deliver a baby. It was premeditated and we had left all the things we would need in the car that was parked here but we walked. We had planned on meeting our OB/family practice doc/my colleague at 6:30 this am for rupture of membranes and this is what happened after he checked her and she was dilated to 7cm already.
Christel is currently sleeping as is baby Ryan Daniel Mulder. The room is dark and quiet, I have some Brian Mulder playing on the laptop and the peace and gratitude I feel is something I hope I don't easily or quickly forget. The pride I have for my wife will never be surpassed although I've been told that my children will do things that will make my "right ventricle burst" per Will Wolf.
The boys were by to visit and Luke is completely enamored with little Ryan who brought some presents for both Luke and Eli. Matching the pictures in the baby's room Christel bought some curious George monkeys which were a great idea. Luke and Eli were both talking about the monkeys that baby Ryan brought them when he came out of Mom's tummy.

The Zucchini Baby

"This one sure is the zucchini baby, isn't it?"

I hadn't thought I'd been having any crazy cravings with this pregnancy, but Dave's comment at dinner the other night may have revealed just how my taste buds have been driving our dinner menu. It's not quite zucchini season around here yet, but now that I think about it the past couple of months have included quite a few dishes with this versatile vegetable: zucchini casseroles, zucchini soup, zucchini as a pizza topping, zucchini and tomato pasta sauce, and zucchini "hidden" in some not-so-expected dishes, like meatloaf. (This last dish prompted Dave's comment.) I just can't help myself! It's so delicious.

Our garden may also reflect Mom's mealtime plans. Six large zucchini plants are just starting to sprout their produce. I think the largest one may be ready in a few days. I wonder who will arrive first: our first harvest of squash from the garden or our zucchini baby?

I think Eli and Luke are also eager to meet the new member of our family. While I know they're probably not really going to know what's hit them, they do talk about the baby often. Eli insists that he is getting a baby boy sister (Does this mean that he's definitely right or definitely wrong?) while Luke replies to all gender related questions with a much safer, "A (long pause) baby."

So, come on, Zucchini Baby, these brothers sure will be a lot of fun!

A Swim at Sanford

Nature Center

A few shots with our NEW camera. I'll have to learn to get the hang of it yet, but at least we're covered for when baby arrives!

Eli-isms

"I'm so busy." (I'm dizzy.)

"thumb-er" (thumb)

"winding" (when he feeling a breeze)

"More songing, Mommy." (The usual nighttime request. The boys' favorites have been "Holy, Holy, Holy" and "Jesus Loves Me".)

"Holy Moley Cow!"

Mom: How did you sleep last night, Eli?

Eli: Um. . . on my pillow.

Fireworks

I want to make sure I give equal space/posting to national birthdays on this blog, so, lest you think I've forgotten Independence Day, I'll share this story. The camera broke, so I guess this is my 1,000 word attempt to make up for the lost pictures of the day.

Let me start off by saying that Eli has spent the entire day today requesting more fireworks. Last night was his first fireworks show and overall, he was quite impressed. My responses of "later" and "some other time" have done little to deter his enthusiastic plans to watch more of the big colorful flowers in the sky tonight. I'm sure he's got it all planned out in his head: at dusk he'll hop in the wagon with Luke, Dad will pull him the 1/4 mile down the road to the golf course where he'll get another glowstick from our friendly neighbor. Then, we'll all snuggle together on the blanket and watch the colors fill the sky. Everything the same as yesterday--except, of course, the part where he completely freaked out.

You know that "test firework" they always send up 2 minutes before the rest of the show starts? The one to make sure the sky is dark enough or that you'd better make sure you've got your seat because the show's about to start? Well, it caught Eli off guard. And he was totally terrified. There was tears, wails, and shaking as he huddled in Dave's, then transferred to my lap. "Eli scared!" he wailed to everyone sitting around hole 9.

I held him and talked to him and rocked him. I knew he would enjoy the show. I kept telling him over and over that Mom and Dad were right there. We wouldn't let anything bad happen to him. We were still in control and he would be okay. And after the show did start and he realized what a strange, incredible display of light and sound fireworks are, he was okay and he did enjoy it.

So, all day long, he's been talking about fireworks. And, all day long, my momma-heart has been thinking about those few terror-filled moments for my little boy. Last night I was able to completely reassure him that everything would be alright. Even though there were loud booms making the ground shake, I was still in charge and he could trust that. But now my mind has spent the day skipping to other situations--awful ones--that could so terrify my son. Times when I might not be there, or even be able to be completely in control. Times when things might not turn out okay. This is life, after all, and there are some really big, bad, and scary things out there. Just watch the news. And all those thoughts now have me being the one who's freaking out. I mean, what parent isn't somewhere down deep totally terrified that something out of our control will sweep in and harm our children?

Yet.

Yet, I'm not the one who's ever really in control. And, it turns out, I am so okay with that.

Our Bible story this afternoon from The BIBLE in Pictures for Little Eyes was titled "The Bad Brothers Sell Joseph." Talk about some totally terrifying stuff: your brothers sell you off into slavery in some foreign land. Your poor dad, Jacob, is told his beloved son is dead. Bad, scary stuff. Yet the whole time, God is in control and is weaving a beautiful story of salvation for Joseph's entire family. I'm excited to continue this story with the boys over the next few days as it reveals how God was in control the whole time. And how capable He is of that.

There may be times in Eli's life that are totally terrifying. And I might not be there to reassure him. Yet, that's okay. There is Someone much bigger, much better, and totally capable who can gather Eli into His lap through the tears, and wails, and shaking. I can turn my fears of the unknown to prayers that my Eli will choose to trust the One who is totally trustworthy. The One who is still in control even when bad things happen.

As some late-pregnancy insomnia hit this morning/night, I came across the following psalm. How good God is to provide such words of reassurance!

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you make the Most High your dwelling--

even the LORD, who is my refuge--

then no harm will befall you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me," says the LORD,

"I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me,

and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him

and show him my salvation."

Summer Days

Thanks, Uncle Brian, for the pictures and the haircuts!

Bike Like Bekah

My super cool sister is biking across the country this summer to raise money for Blood:Water Mission. (Check out her blog for more info.) She got this crazy idea from my brother-in-law who did a similar bike trip last summer. Last year's Bike Like Brian was a big success, so this year it's Bekah's turn . . .

The Dave Mulder Family headed out for a circle around the neighborhood.

The Brothers Mulder.

Dave started out today's tour with a jump off the neighbor boys' ramp.

This year's participants and mileage:

David Mulder..................30 miles

Robert Mulder................35 miles

Brian Mulder...................35 miles

Albert Mulder.................29 miles (flat @ mile 29)

Nelly Mulder...................5(ish) miles

Christel Mulder...............0.8 miles

Eli Mulder........................about 20 feet down the driveway

We love you Rebekah and we are so proud of you!

Canada Day

Happy Canada Day!!