New Things

As promised (although I forgot to put it on the blog the day I said I would--so sorry!) a picture of Arie's new walker! Actually, it's called a gait trainer. He's quickly learning how to use it. We brought it home last Tuesday and he is already pushing around the kitchen checking out the cupboards and cabinets he could never reach before. Arie is loving the extra freedom the walker is giving him! It is requiring Arie to really work his muscles very hard though, so he is just tuckered out after standing for less than an hour. But his stamina seems to increase a little each day, and he enjoys it a lot more as he gets used to it. This one is on loan to us right now, but soon-ish we'll be getting a fancier one that can adapt to his needs better.

Check out the new braces. These are shorter 'walking' braces, designed to give him support still, but more flexibility than his other pair. His old pair he just wears while he sleeps, but his new pair he wears all the rest of the time. Pretty cool camo straps!


We went to farmers' market on Saturday and picked up some really nice produce. We didn't have much of a garden crop this year, and what we did have got nipped by frost last week, so I'm getting all my vegetables at the market right now while everything is still in season.

Eggplant


Yellow pear tomatoes




Also, I tried making cheese today! I'm making an Italian eggplant dish tonight that needs ricotta. I found a recipe last week for homemade ricotta and have been really wanting to try it out. It worked out great and I have pictures to show. After cooking the milk, I strained curds into a sieve and let it drip dry.



And now it's ready, waiting for me in the fridge. Yum!

Found the Camera!

Labor Day Weekend
We had family and friends over on Sunday for drinks, hot dogs and s'mores.







Wild Child



Arie Holding His Own Cup!

Our little man still can't have a drink all on his own, but now he can hold his fancy cup while he sips!

Our New View
Well, we've moved. It took a week of bedroom/bathroom remodeling to get things ready, but we're in! I don't know what I was thinking, but I didn't get any before/after pictures. The really (and I mean UGLY) wall paper had to go, but it really didn't want to. So we mudded over it and painted. There's still lots to do, but it looks so much better. What's really lovely about this place is the view. We're at the base of Moscow mountain on 15 acres. Our cabin is set at the highest hill next to the mountain, so every window we look out there's something beautiful to see! Here's a few pictures I took from our deck at sunset.




CP
Also, for those who keep up with Arie's progress and are praying for him, I wanted to share a website with you all. Most of you who read this blog already know that Arie was diagnosed with CP over a year ago, but that doesn't mean a whole lot since CP affects people very, very differently.

http://www.thecpchild.com/

This site tells the story of Michael, a boy with CP. What's special about this site is that the way CP seems to have affected Michael is very similar to how it affects Arie.It's also written from a mom's perspective, which will help any of us who aren't doctors understand what she's talking about. How each family decides to deal with the CP is also extremely unique to the family, so please keep that in mind as you read through this site. Dirk and I want to honor God in how we seek help for Arie, and that shapes so much of what we chose to do with Arie, from therapy to educational programs and beyond. Anyhow, don't feel pressured to look, but I know some of you pray for Arie and would appreciate some helpful information about his condition and how it affects him.

Photo Booth Pictures

We went to a wedding this weekend with a photo booth and cotton candy. Unusual, but fun!
More pictures will be coming soon, but for the moment the camera is making itself scarce.