This is a peanut-free zone...

As most of you know, our little guy is allergic to peanuts.  Life is great though - and we eat well, but shopping has taken on a whole new level of carefulness, as I've never been much of a label-reader.  I now scour labels like nobody's business, and can tell you all the places those allergy warnings can "hide." And I'll read labels I've read before a dozen times, just to make sure nothing's changed in how something's made.  They do make the labels fairly reader-friendly, but every once in a while we encounter a product with two separate allergy warnings that include different ingredients: what is contained in the product and what MAY be contained in the product, and in completely different places on the product.  

Food items that you'd never imagine having anything to do with peanuts come with warnings.

I haven't really had any issues adjusting - I would give up water if Michael were allergic.  Sean's had a bit harder of a time, where a scoop of PB at any given time would make him a happy man.  But also with him, he'd give up anything for Michael.  

We've been able to find peanut-free products with some ease; we've adjusted several different recipes, and have even made a few new ones of our own.  :)  Creativity has struck in the Aagaard household, and I think even Sean is able to live quite happily without peanut butter.  ;)  

In the future, I may share some of our recipes with you - they're nothing extravagant, but tasty still, and my guys seem to enjoy...  

Take care out there in that big (yet small at the same time) world, and remember that some of these little guys just can't function around what is an everyday treat to others...

OOO

Poster courtesy of http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/

On their site you can print off different allergy warning posters for your home or office...for free!  Many thanks guys!  :)

WHA WHOOOAAAH WUUUHR?

According to Wu Kee Smith (rockin' name), this Wookiee phrase can be translated as "Anyone for hot cocoa?"*  Boy, lemme tell you, this is the winter for it, if we've ever had one...  Temperatures have reached record lows for this early in the season; but we're not worried...we've got cocoa.

And here's a wee little Wookiee we found too!

Who is this cute little chap, you ask?

...

It's SuperThorBaccaMan!

(I'm sorry it's sideways - I tried to fix it...)

And he's waiting for you to come join us for some hot cocoa!!!

*For more HILARIOUS Wookiee phrases (and an all-around good laugh) check out How to Speak Wookiee: A Manual for Intergalactic Communication by Wu Kee Smith, illustrated by JAKe...  It's a riot the whole family will enjoy, and very....GRAAAAAAAHROWOW ("conceptually ambitious and flawlessly executed")!  Don't worry - it comes with audio clips for many of the phrases.  

And seriously - cocoas all around!  

How time flies...

SO many things to catch up on!  Our little guy is now 18 months old and here I sit writing without even having shared a birthday photo with you...

This is our little Thor on his actual birthday...  ;)  

And here's our little guy (yep - this time donning a Superman shirt and red cape) at his Superhero Shindig:

He's *not* quite sure just what to do with that lightning bolt that came out of his trusty hammer, Mjölnir:

Should he devour it, or throw it at his foe?

(Why not do both?? ...And then get frustrated at the unmerciful restriction of the cursed high chair?)

Just a few photos of our little Michael (I mean, Thor!) to update this little blog.  May you all have a most happy Thanksgiving!  

"I leave you with this thought...It is not the one with the greatest power which is important!! It is the one who uses his power wisely...in the cause of justice!" - Thor Odinson

Fall

I'm not gonna lie...  I love fall!  I'm pretty sure it's my favorite time of year; I just wish ours lasted a *little* longer.  ;) 
Sweater weather is here...we had our first frost this morning (our house is always a little bit behind...), the skies are darker and we have seen the northern lights gracing our skies on a nightly basis (and kept me company on my drive to work this morning), and the air has a wonderful crispness to it. 
I'll update again soon (with photos), and some stories of our amazing little guy that just keeps on getting cooler...  ;) 

A fall shot from October of '08

Update, sans photos

SO much has happened since the last post that I'm not even sure what to title this one.  Sean is in Haiti.  Michael is 1.  I am done with work for the school year and Sean has lost his job (for Godly reasons).  We are at such a strange place in our lives, and God is really working on our hearts.  :)
You would think I would be scared at the thought of Sean not working right now.  But he desires to work. He longs for something more than retail....understanding that God can use you wherever you are, but still desires something more...  I've been there.  ;)

***

Just since I've started this post AMAZING things have happened!!!  Well, one amazing thing - I GOT TO SKYPE WITH SEAN!!!  And such a wonderful surprise!  Wasn't even thinking that would happen - I was just on to update our things and skype with his folks so they could see Michael, but he called via another mission team member's account!  :)  

Prayer requests: safe travels for the team tomorrow as they travel back from Haiti, and for Sean's stepdad - he suffered a stroke this morning and seems to be doing very well, and is at home, but is being monitored.  Pray for a FULL recovery!  

Aurora Borealis

No matter what happens here, no matter how cold I get or how much my stupid Enstar bill is, my spirits are always greatly lifted, my heart soars, my soul breathes, and I thank God for this wonderful happening:

...

...

...

...

Really *dig* the red tinge at the bottom here!  We tried to video them, but it wouldn't work, and while these aren't the best quality photos in the world, I'm still practicing!  :)

I'll never tire of seeing these beauties dance around in our sky...

All photos taken by Jessica Aagaard

The Best Laid Plans...

So often in our lives, we get caught up in what we want.  Not a bad thing, but I have to continually remind myself that I'm not here for me.  I may have something in mind, or a couple somethings (you know, like I'm giving God a "choice" of plans), but then He brings something ELSE outta nowhere and wows me with how much better it is than what I had planned.
Take Sean, for instance.  I had NO idea that was coming.  I knew I wanted a husband.  I knew I wanted a family.  There was even someone I fancied that followed the Lord, so I thought 'BING - this it it!'  Little did I know that God had something SO much better planned...
It even came down to a brother and sister in Christ talking with me one day over lunch in a park...  They read to me from Samuel, where the Israelites are praying and praying and seeking leadership in a king.  They desired it so much, that when they saw someone who they thought would do, even though this was not the leader God intended for them, they made him king, and suffered for their lack of faith and patience...  They suffered in the sense that this king they appointed was an awful leader, and through this they knew they needed to wait on God.  Finally God was able to put the leader HE had planned into place and the people knew what a good leader was.  They saw what blessings may come if, despite your OWN plan, you wait upon the Lord...  And so I listened to my brother and sister in Christ.  We prayed over my future spouse.  And I waited.  Turns out, this guy that I wanted so badly was NOT the guy for me...  And lo and behold, my heart continually grew for Sean.  He continued to serve and our friendship continued to blossom, at an astounding rate.  I still resisted the thought of Sean, just a little bit.  I really liked him, and looked forward to every outing or opportunity to spend time together.  But, like a stubborn child, I resisted.  But God was patient with *me* and soon it just clicked.  The light flipped on and it was so stinking bright!  And I knew.  THIS was the guy God had set aside for me.  Boy, let me tell you - I am so blessed by Sean...  I have an amazing husband, partner, friend who wants to serve the Lord with me and walk with me always.  He so truly desires to take care of my heart...
God has really been speaking to me about this lately.  Sean and I find ourselves at a crossroads in life...  And here I am saying, "okay God, it can happen this way or that way, and I pray for clarity and guidance so we know which [of these two] way[s] You have in store for us."  And by limiting what I think God's possible response could be, I'm limiting my ability to grow and our ability as a couple to see what amazing things await us...  God may have something COMPLETELY different in store for us...  :)
He's good like that.
I know there is a light at the end of this tunnel...  I know that we'll get through our financial difficulties and be able to breathe fully again and sleep at night.  But it might not happen the way *I* want it to....  Can I handle that?  Absolutely!  God is good...ALL the time!  :)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13