Holiday Update

The girls are both in bed and I finally have a few minutes to update the blog! We hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas season and are looking forward to a new year with new opportunities.

We have spent the month of December preparing for our first Christmas with Danica and for our first Christmas with a child who understands what Christmas is all about. Emily was a joy to be with this year as she was excited to celebrate Jesus' birthday (we sang happy birthday on the way to church on Christmas morning) and also to have Santa visit our house.

We had our van Leeuwen Christmas celebration the weekend before Christmas as Greg's sister Janelle, our brother in law Dale and nephew Bennett came into town from Iowa. The kids had a blast opening up presents together and tobogganing. We spent Christmas Eve with Greg's extended family at his Auntie Tina's house. Dinner was amazing as usual - Auntie Tina outdoes herself every year (its the meal that I look forward to all year long). Christmas morning we headed off to church and then to a quick lunch with Greg's mom (unfortunately, Greg's dad had to work during the day). After that, we headed off for the Hodgkinson Christmas celebration. We spent the afternoon with my mom and dad and had a blast opening our gifts and watching Emily open hers. After that, we went to my cousin's house for dinner and spent the evening with my extended family.

We were all very spoiled this season and were grateful for the time spent with family and friends. Here are a few pictures from the past month:

Emily had an eye infection - she looked like she had been punched in the face!

Playing in the backyardBennett helping Emily open her presents
The kids in their pajamas from Auntie Janelle and Uncle DaleGrandma Barb's idea of funny
Putting cookies out for Santa - Danica was not impressed
Opening up presents from Santa
Keizer enjoyed his present
Daddy helping Danica open her presents
All dressed up for church Christmas morning
Greg's prize possession this holiday season
Cousin Christine with Danica
Can you tell our family likes to eat - how big is that turkey!!
Emily's first skating lesson with Daddy

Dancia watching Emily's skating lesson

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us! We have been so busy that blogging has fallen behind these days but we will be posting pictures of our holiday season shortly! We wish everyone God's blessing as we prepare to enter into another new year!

Love Greg, Julie, Emily, Danica and Keizer

November Happenings

The end of November already - my how time flies. I can't believe that Christmas is right around the corner. We've been suffering through a round of colds and eye infections here. Emily picked it up either at drop in or at church and she has now had to start on antibiotics as the infection has spread to the skin surrounding the eye. Danica picked it up from Emily and she is on eye drops to try to clear it up. I picked it up from one of them and am using the same eye drops to try to clear it up. Hopefully we will all be looking our best before Tuesday as we have photos for our church directory that night!

Otherwise we have been busy with Christmas shopping and our regular schedule. Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks.

Our little peanut

Playing dress up

Hanging out in a firetruck with cousin Aidan Baking muffins with Daddy

Playing together

One of our first smiles

2 Months Old

Danica is two months old already - man how time flies. She had her two month appointment with the pediatrician this past week. She is now 11 pounds, 12 ounces and is 22 and a half inches long. Both her height and weight are in the 75th percentile. Emily was about a pound heavier and an inch longer at this stage.

Our home computer is on the fritz right now but once its up and running again, I'll post some pictures!

Emily and Danica's Unusual Visit...

So there I was last night, sitting in the living room feeding Dancia and watching the news when this loud rumbling sound interrupts my peaceful moment. As I'm sitting there wondering why a semi-truck is driving down our bay, I hear a horn honking. So now I'm wondering why one of our neighbours has a semi honking at them, on a peaceful bay on a Friday night.

All of a sudden our front door opens and who has come by but Grandpa Jake - in his firetruck! I guess they had a call on a street near ours and on the way back to the fire hall they decided to stop in.

So we dressed up the girls and went outside - there in front of our house is Grandpa's firetruck (lights on and everything) - and it was the ladder truck to boot so it was even bigger than the regular trucks. All of our neighbours were looking out of their windows wondering what was going on at our place. Our next door neighbour even ran out of his house in shorts and bare feet to make sure we were all okay! It was rather funny to be honest.

Never a dull moment at casa van Leeuwen!

Oh Happy Day!!

We just returned from Danica's follow up appointment with her orthopedic specialist. After the examination and some x-rays, her hips look great and the brace has come off!

She has to go back in 3 months for a follow-up visit and he will follow her progress for the first year but she is doing great now!

Thank you to all who have been praying that the brace would come off today!

Happy Birthday Dear Emily!!!

Before you were conceived, I wanted you.
Before you were born, I loved you.
Before you were here an hour, I would die for you.
This is the power of love.

It's so hard to believe that Emily has been with us for two years already! It seems like only yesterday, we were taking her home from the hospital and embarking on a new phase in our journey as a family. I can't even remember what it was like to not have her in our lives. We are so very grateful to have been given charge of this unique and loving little girl and we pray that we are able to nurture her and love her so that she grows up knowing how truly special she is.

Coming home - November 2005

Horsing around with Daddy

Opening up presents with family
Make a wish!Home from the Children's Museum - even had our face painted!