Baby Dedication

September 20th found me with Mark and Bambie again - and this time to be a part of the baby dedication for Joel. The verse Mark and Bambie chose to describe what they envision for Joel's life was Psalm 83:18 "That men may know that Thou whose name alone is JEHOVAH art the most High over all the earth" Their prayer is that Joel would be a part of making JEHOVAH's name known wherever he goes.




Pastor Wess praying that God would make Joel a mighty evangelist who brings many people to God


Still happy at the end of his first bath


I caught this smile in the middle of one of his naps

Blessed is the Man who has his Quiver Full

Another arrow - arrow #6 - was added to Mark and Bambie's quiver and makes the 13th grandchild in the Baer family! Joel Michael Getz was born on September 9, 2009 at 8:07 a.m. weighing 9 lbs. and 3 ounces and was 20 inches long. I was blessed to be in Duncan, OK for the birth and spend six days playing 'Aunt Sonya'. I love to see how God orchestrates our lives. Neither Bambie nor I would have thought that both of us would be living out here in OK at the time of Joel's birth. God graciously allowed us to share this moment together as sisters. Thanks, God!



In Anticipation



Big sis, Alethea, and baby brother - about 10 minutes into life in the outside world



3 Hands: Daddy's hands, big brother Jonathan's hands and lil' bro Joel



Proud,thankful & tired Mommy



Bambie's "Welcome Home" sign that Alethea made - "Welcome home to a clean (almost) house, Mom. Missed you very much!"



Big brothers Benjamin & Daniel making Joel his first birthday cake to welcome him home from the hospital



Zero years old ("J", "O", plus "A", "L") close enough!



Jonathan the day of the birth "I can't wait till Joel is here!"



I finally get MY turn!

Home Sweet Home

At least for a little while. July 21-August 5th found me back in the Appalachian Mountains. I went home for our annual week of Bible Camp and had a special time of visiting and reconnecting with family and friends, luvin' on my cat, Moses, and soaking into my senses everything I love about where I live - the mountain air, bubbling river, songs of the birds, crickets outside my window, stillness, darkness, full moon rising above the mountain ridges casting its light on the river below, enclosure, 'aloneness'...ahhh! So here are some camp scenes for you. All my siblings, their spouses and kids were there to help at camp (except for Bambie since she's out here in Oklahoma).


See, Moses wants to come with me to OK!


Our Bus Kids on their way to camp




Annual shaving cream battle


Sophia's cabin


Oatmeal game aftermath




Chapel Time




Aunt Sophia and Kate


Grandpa and Amelia


Aunt Sonya and Lydia




























Emma

Vacation in CA - I mean...for treatment, yeah, treatment

By doctors orders I went to the West Coast for a vacation - well, it was sort of like that. My Upper Cervical Chiropractor here in Oklahoma said that it would be a great idea to get some prolotherapy treatment right now in conjunction with what he was doing for me. So I booked a flight to Sacramento and was in CA from July 1st-17th. Nope. I did not get pictures of me receiving my injections. But I did get what I went out there to get. You'll just have to trust me on that one.






LAKE TAHOE - would be CA largest natural lake except that part of it is in the state of Nevada










My wonderful friends - Dr. Rodney & Kim VanPelt


Look closely to see the eagle in flight. He swooped down about thirty feet in front of us and caught a fish.








Dad and Mom were able to join me in California for two days. They came to get prolotherapy too. But no one should be in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and not enjoy the outdoors.


Coming out of Blue Lake


See, it's calling to you. Don't you just wanta get in?!

Loved. Overwhelmed. Grateful.

Has God ever 'caught you off guard' with a blessing for which you did not ask? I think God likes to surprise us as much as we like being surprised. When I said goodbye to my fellow missionary friends in November '07 I had no idea when we would meet again on this side of eternity. But on June 9th I found myself giving a big Baer hug to Chris and Ginger Mackey and their son whom I had never met.


Born in Brazil, Tekoa is blessed with dual citizenship


Baby 2 on the way - a little Ginger on the way!


Ginger, Chris & Tekoa


A night at Chris' grandmother's house

A Birthday Celebration in Okie

This was the first of thirty birthdays that I had in Oklahoma (don't suck in your breath as if you didn't know I was that old =). My host family (the Crawfords) invited Mark and Bambie to come with my nieces and nephews and celebrate with me. The kids made me cards, and bouquets of wild flowers from Oklahoma fields; the Crawfords gave me a gift card to Mardel (a Christian book store). Yeah...they know me well already! I believe this is the first birthday I have been able to celebrate with my sister, Bambie, since she got married forteen years ago. God sent us both to Oklahoma to pull that one off! I am very blessed.




Sis and Sis. "Aunt Sonya, I want to take your picture" (the voice of my five-year old nephew, Jonathan).