Knox's Room

Well, things are still in a little bit of a jumble - I've learned that no matter how organized a nursery is, when the deceptively small occupant moves in it all goes out the window. Knox didn't move into his nursery, he moved into the house and has managed to redecorate it within a week. I have baby wipes stashed around the entire house like land mines, we've already had a pacifier go MIA, and there is baby paraphernalia strewn from the front door to the back.

I'll have to post more detail shots later - you've gotta see the detail on the bedding Koby's Gram made for Knox. I'm really happy with the way the nursery came together: like Sarah, Koby and I were on a pretty tight budget. All in all, with some upcycling, thrifty buying, crafting (and of course, PRESENTS!) we managed to pull together a fully-eqipped little boy friendly room, and I'm pretty sure we'll still be able to feed Knox once he starts eating solid foods.

Pure Joy

Yesterday my son turned one week old. In the past eight days my life has been enriched and blessed more than I could have predicted.

THEY TELL YOU...
"...having a baby changes everything."

And it's true. Far from social habits or sleeping schedules, the true changes are in the new perspectives, relationships, and in the sudden urge to want to (as Koby puts it) "move into the woods and protect Knox from the world forever".

First change: In the moments and hours after Knox's birth I was overcome with love for my husband. Though our son was brand new, I could feel that our relationship had taken an even more beautiful shape as our identities suddenly changed. Now I can not only love Koby as my husband, but as the father of my child. Koby's support, encouragement, care and sweet concern were so evident during my labor and delivery - as well as the full nine months preceeding. When the hardest part of delivery came he was scared and proud and excited right beside me, quietly encouraging me when my body was completely exhausted.

Second change: We've created a family. And we've added to a wonderful family that I have never been more thankful for. Being Knox's mother is such a blessing in and of itself, but this new experience also fosters an entirely new dimension in the relationship I can now have with my parents - I finally understand the obsessive love one can only have for a child. I can understand fully how they hurt when I hurt, how they will incessantly call to make sure that my car is routinely inspected and oiled, or how they will give and give and give until you wonder if they have anything left. Koby, Knox, and I were surrounded by friends and family from the zero hour of labor through the 17 1/2 hours to follow. Koby's mom (hereafter known as 'Lovie')has been doting on us this week, cooking and cleaning and changing dirty diapers and next week, my mom will come and do the same thing. I can't even tell you how incredibly grateful we are, not only for the precious extra hours of sleep, but to know that we both have parents who have demonstrated for us the way to raise children.

Third change: More than anything else I've learned during pregnancy, the process of becoming a mother has taught me how INCREDIBLY little control I have over my own life. And now, over my son's life. Of course, we have all the necessary safety 'equipment' for Knox's time here. We have a solid car seat that is, in fact, so safe it took Koby three hours of hard effort until he was able to remove it from the car. We have a crib that can safely withstand my pregnant body's weight (don't ask). And I have Google at my beck and call - I know the signs of everything from cradle cap to jaundice. No, all of it is feeble human planning compared to the master creation that happened inside of my body for nine months. I know Knox is a gift and he doesn't belong to me, but I am so incredibly thankful and humbled and honored that God blessed Koby and I with him anyway and entrusted him into our care. Pregnancy and motherhood has taught me to rely on and appreciate God's grace and promises more than anything else that has ever happened to me.

And now, let's talk exclusively about Knox. Which is what I've been doing for the past 8 days without ceasing. You may have noticed a barrage of Knox-related photos and information blowing up the newsfeed on the various social networks to which you subscribe. I can't help it. I am utterly, irreversibly obsessed with Knox and I unabashedly think he is the greatest. Though I know full well I am biased, I am of the opinion that he is a very cute baby. The truth is that he is also a very well-behaved baby. He rarely screams or cries (KNOCKING ON WOOD) and he SMILES! (Can babies that young smile? I didn't think so, but he's doing it. Don't come back and tell me it's gas, he's an angel and he thinks I'm hilarious.) What's my favorite thing he does? I hope you wondered because I have so many things to list for you. I love it when his chin quivers, I love the pathetic noises he makes when I burp him after a feeding. I love the way he pulls my hands in close to his chest while he's eating and clutches them there for minutes. Koby loves his not-so-little yawns - Knox yawns and it consumes his face. He is merciless to the yawn. I love the angry/surprised faces he makes while making poopies. Sometimes I sit as I'm holding him and as I let my recently confused hormones run away with me I just want to cry over his little head because of how much I love him. (Yes you can laugh at that.)

I want my baby to grow big and strong but at the same time my heart breaks when I think about him growing up. I love baby Knox so much and I know this love will only grow as he does, but GOODNESS he is so cute and small. Although, I am already fantasizing about him being able to talk and saying "I love you Mommy'. I'm almost crying just thinking about it.

Speaking of that, Knox's first doctor's appointment was today, but no one warned me that the first 'well-baby check-up' is actually some scheme of torture designed by pediatricians to test a new mother's overtaxed heartstrings. We had to undress him down to his diaper and watch as he shivered on the changing table - his lips were turning blue! THEN they pricked his heel and squeezed and squeezed and SQUEEZED blood out onto a piece of paper for some archaic method of a blood test and as he whimpered and cried I actually almost cried (I promise I am not an emotional basketcase).

I wish I could put into better words my thoughts about the way I'm feeling since becoming a mother, but really, there's nothing else like it. Pure joy. That's probably it.

Year 1

Disclaimer: This is my first attempt at "blogging" so y'all bear with me. Also, I doubt I will be as funny and witty as my very talented wife.

Well it's been a year and luckily I have yet to run Christie off. In the last year we have gotten married, gotten pregnant, and moved once, continuing to journey deeper into west Texas. While Christie was busy wow-ing students and faculty at Colorado High School with her excellent teaching, I have tried out the wind industry, done student teaching, graduated college, substitute taught, and gone back to the oil field. Thanks to the Lord I have recently been hired as a football coach and P.E. teacher here in Colorado City to finally begin my career. Although I am concerned with the amount of hunting I will be able (or allowed) to do this year, Friday night lights are sure hard to beat.

In other news, which you all already know, our baby boy is very close to being here and we couldn't be more ready. I am growing tired of Christie being pregnant, so I can only imagine how tired of it she is. But she has been great through all of it (no weird cravings, minimal nagging etc.) and I know she will be a wonderful mother.

In conclusion, marriage has been everything I could want and I can't imagine doing or being anywhere else. I love my wife so much and I can't wait for our family to grow, but if you would've told me I'd be here doing this about 6 years ago I would've thrown a rock at you. God has truly blessed me.

And before any of you (or Christie) get any ideas, I'm only doing this blogging thing once a year. See you next July.

DIY - My Version of a Motivational Poster

All you need:
Editing/illustrating software like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator (or a scanner)
Your favorite quote
A grocery sack
A computer and a color printer

And voila! This is matted in a cute frame and already in the nursery.

Fireworks!

I was really hoping that the Blob, in the spirit of Independence Day, might decide that today he would announce his emancipation from my body. No such luck.

Koby and I didn't celebrate the Fourth as vigorously as in years past - our grill is currently and temporarily out of commission, we have no access to a pool, and well, I'm still pregnant. Traveling was out of the question. But I made sure to sing as much of 'God Bless America' and 'America the Beautiful' as Koby could stand from the time I woke up this morning, feeling a need to compensate for my lack of allowable celebratory activities. And, even though we didn't know about the surprisingly good fireworks show at our local park, we still saw the best parts from our front porch. I took the liberty of collecting the best fireworks into a collage here for your viewing pleasure:


In other news, I spent most of the day working on my NEWEST website (bringing the total now to three - although I'm not sure if blogs really count as websites). But check it out, nonetheless.

www.wix.com/andrewskca/paintsandpistols

Feeling thankful today for the freedoms we enjoy in our great country, but even more for the freedom we know in our Lord!

Aerosol Artwork at the Airpark

I took some family portraits of Dan and Hartley (and their dog, Wylie) at an airpark in Abilene. Check out their pictures at www.paintsandpistols.wordpress.com

Smooches in Midland

I took Derek and Kim's engagements at the beginning of this month in Midland. Check them out here.

Oh, Those Orange Days

I had a couple of really busy weeks... and then this past week, during which I did essentially nothing. Koby and I have been laying low in Colorado City, 'nesting' (mostly reacting to the level of filth in which we found ourselves living) and getting various things a little more ready for the impending arrival of our son. Today I really set to work on getting lessons squared away for next year, but after getting Art I and Art II laid out until Christmas, I decided I was being much too productive and needed to address another thing I had neglected: this blog. (Next on the list? Thank you notes WAYYY over due for two fabulous baby showers, one thrown in Graham and one in Abilene.)

As you know, June 13-17 I taught Grace Academy's 'Daring Drawings and Curious Colors'. It was an exhausting blast. I enjoy having little kids after teaching big kids all year - little kids still 'ooooh' and 'ahhhhh' over artwork. High schoolers have seen it all.

Here's some of the artwork we completed near the end of the DDCC camp.


Campers show off their 'Many Colored Days' books. They were SO insightful about colors and emotions - they caught on to Color Psychology wayyyyyyyy faster than my high school students! We read the Dr. Seuss book 'My Many Colored Days' at the beginning of the week and worked on these books every morning.

Dr. Seuss' My Many Colored Days

Something else I love about little kids? Their parents! They are so thoughtful as well. On Friday two campers brought me little 'thank you gifts'... It's not about thanks at all, but when it happens it feels really good. I'm going to remember that as a parent.




These self portraits are the end result after a two-day look at the artwork of Henri Matisse, namely his painting The Purple Coat. I think the campers were very astute in their observations!

Henri Matisse, The Purple Coat

Ok, now some of my favorite pictures. The students LOVED sharing their Many Colored Days books with the class, and I loved taking pictures of the hilarious things they wrote in their books. My favorites include "On yellow days I feel brave" and "On orange days I feel like an adventure" or "On purple days I feel like running" (not pictured, also, I never have purple days).







I am so mad at myself for not putting this up in honor of Father's Day, like I had planned. This is probably my favorite one. The little girl who did this did it so nonchalantly, like 'of course every one has orange days when they feel like putting ice down their dad's pants'. Duh.




This kid wrote "(Insert color here) days make me feel happy" on every page. I can appreciate that.

Coming soon? Pictures of baby showers, photo sessions, and THE BLOB! I am not at all opposed to his arrival before his scheduled appearance, which is the 21st of next month. In fact, I am even willing to indefinitely postpone my viewing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two if he decides to come before the 15th. That, my friends, is a mother's love.

OUTrageous

I am more than a little irritated with who ever decided to invent this whole 'conflicting Google accounts' thing. I have three e-mail addresses, none of which wanted to sign me onto my blog just now.

And this is me:


Next time I'm pregnant, remind me not to schedule six billion and one things to do as the ninth month of the pregnancy approaches. Mmmkay?

Since school has been out I've collected more than 40 professional development hours, driven out of town at least seven times (more than 50 miles each time), gone to two doctors' appointments, been in a wedding, planned for a week of camp with 21 six and seven year olds, taken and edited hundreds of pictures, neglected obligatory thank-you-note-writing, and in the mix somewhere, hurt my back so badly that I'm hobbling around like an eighty year old instead of an expectant mother. It's a little bit concerning. But I wouldn't trade any of these things for a day in bed because they're all FUN (and some mandatory if I want to keep teaching) but I am looking forward to a breather before the baby comes. Also, the nursery (and house) looks like we're moving in/out because Koby and I have both been gypsies for the past two weeks. And gypsy does not mix with nesting.

Today was the second day of Grace Art Camp (Daring Drawings and Curious Colors) and I have the kids going into 1st and 2nd grade, just like last year. And just like last year, it seems like the bulk of the kids are fresh out of kindergarten. Which I really like. Part of me hopes we never move too far away from Abilene, so I'll never not be able to do summer camps at the Grace. They're so fun!

We've been learning about COLOR (we read Dr. Seuss's 'My Many Colored Days' on the first day of camp) and TEXTURE and tomorrow we'll talk about Henri Matisse. And Oaxacan Folk Art, which I will inevitably misprounounce.

Here are some of our artists and creations from Day 2:

Acrylic Paints and Pork Chops

I got a text from Koby today while he was completing his LAST DAY in the oil field, requesting that we have a 'real' dinner tonight. So I started thumbing through some Food Network magazines and found this recipe that seemed easy enough for me to throw together for my very excited husband tonight.

Reviews? It's good - we both decided it would be even better with bacon. And the smashed potatoes 'as-is' are a little bit bland compared to how we usually make them. Overall, it's a super easy meal to make that's relatively healthy and is a nice twist to your average pork chop.

Ingredients

* 1 pound small fingerling potatoes
* 2 cloves garlic
* Kosher salt
* 4 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops (5 ounces each)
* 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
* Freshly ground pepper
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
* 2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 3/4 cup apple cider
* 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

Put the potatoes and garlic in a saucepan, cover with cold water and season with salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then uncover and continue cooking until tender, about 15 minutes. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, rub both sides of the pork chops with the sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, then add 1 teaspoon olive oil and sear the chops until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add the onion and apples and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cider.

Return the chops to the skillet. Cover and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Return the potatoes to the pan; add the buttermilk and mash, adding cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the pork chops, onion and apples. Drizzle with the pan juices.

Per serving: Calories 413; Fat 16 g (Saturated 5 g); Cholesterol 76 mg; Sodium 98 mg; Carbohydrate 40 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 26 g

Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

In between runs to the grocery store and cooking, I became very bored and decided to paint. As with the other fox painting, I'm totally copying illustrations I'm finding on Etsy. I don't have any small canvases left and so I decided to paint these on the backs of grocery bags - I LOVE brown paper for some reason.





This post is sort of lame - you can imagine that the lack of sarcastic teenagers around me for 8 hours each day provides me with less entertainment than normal.