Amelia

Photos!

2010-09-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

Second solo shoot! I was able to capture Elliot and Winston, the sons of my good friend Sharon. They were sweet and a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy the blog post!

http://www.rdtphotoblog.com/blog/2010/9/19/elliot-and-winston.html

Pregnancy tea review and giveaway

2010-09-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Check out this review and giveaway of Tea for Two Pregnancy Tea! Makes a great gift. Check out the website as well for prenatal vitamins, nursing tea and more!

http://finamoon.blogspot.com/2010/08/fairhaven-health-tea-for-two-pregnancy.html

My first photo shoot

2010-09-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

Here is the blog post for my first solo shoot. A big thank you to my friends who were willing to let me experiment! We hope they are pleased. Enjoy our favorites of beautiful Ahna who is one year old this week.

http://www.rdtphotoblog.com/blog/2010/9/13/amelia-photographs-baby-ahna.html

Praise the Lord - Amelia

Toile Tales at Etsy {review & giveaway}

2010-09-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Yes yes, here is another! Giveaway for a $30 giftcard to this Etsy site. The crochet hats and flowers are absolutely beautiful! Read up on Erin's review and check out Toile Tales for yourself! It will at the very least be good eye candy!

Toile Tales at Etsy {review & giveaway}

Belly 9 – Maternity tank top {review & giveaway}

2010-09-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

Check out Erin Lowmaster's blog! She's giving away a maternity tank top. Check out Belly 9! They're pretty cute clothes! They make great gifts. If your church is like ours and there are a lot of expecting mothers, it pays to have some new ideas. And if you win, you have a great gift!

Belly 9 – Maternity tank top {review & giveaway}

Low Gluten Tuna Noodle Bake

2010-09-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

I have contemplated adding recipes that are gluten free or low gluten as well as lower in sugar to my blog. Several of our friends have been interested in how we eat, so this would be one way to share! Most of them are adapted from recipes we used to love that have been adjusted to different ingredients.

This first recipe I will feature is a favorite of many, especially children. It's relatively inexpensive and children are likely to eat it. It was one of my favorite dinners growing up, and a few days ago Ryan and I decided we wanted to try to make it edible for our stomach's sensitivities. So here, my friends, is Tuna Casserole made low gluten. (Gluten free is possible but more expensive. You would have to find rice pasta that is labeled gluten free on the box, and you would have to avoid topping your casserole with potato chips, as my mom used to, or crackers.)

1/4 c. butter

1/3 c. arrowroot starch

2 1/2 c. milk

1/4 tsp. onion powder (or chop up some fresh onion to your taste)

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 T. mustard

2 (5 oz) cans tuna, drained

1 (8 or 10 oz) package rice pasta rotini (or rice pasta of your choice), cooked and drained

1 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

*more cheddar to spread on top

*potato chips are optional for a crunch, but they are often processed in a facility that contains gluten

Melt butter in saucepan. Add 1/2 cup of the milk and stir in arrowroot starch. It may seem a little "gummy" in consistency. Gradually add the remaining 2 cups of milk. Stir in onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir over medium-low heat until arrowroot is mostly dissolved and sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in mustard, tuna, rice pasta, and cheddar cheese. Mix well. Pour into well greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese or crunchy topping of your choice. Bake uncovered at 350 F for 25-30 minutes.

Hope you enjoy!

Perspective and reality check

2010-08-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

I almost always dread coming back from a trip, especially one that involves many miles of travel and seeing old friends or family. Why? Because inevitably I find myself in a state of discontent, being overwhelmed and just plain weepy. It's stupid. It's a weakness that I desperately wish God would take away from me. Yet over and over again I find myself in it. Surely I am the one to blame. This I have no doubt! Maybe with more months and years of God refining my heart and mind this won't be such a thorn in my flesh.

This last week we came back from a photography trip to Dubuque, Iowa. We had a good time visiting some friends and working together shooting the wedding. Upon our arrival home we walk into our house to find countless flies all over the place (living and dead) and our water heater was not working. Add to that the laundry that always needs to be done after a trip and the mess my husband and I usually leave in our attempt to get going, come Monday and Tuesday I was feeling just plain...defeated. Cedric needed my love and attention as always, but all I could think about was how disasterous my house looked, the diapers I had to wash (without hot water, ugh!) and bills that had to be paid and we were broke. This means, of course, Ryan has to work many hours and he really won't be around. So on Wednesday, I keep shoving toys at Cedric in an attempt to keep him happy without my attention (this didn't usually work, by the way) and spend a lot of time staring at the computer screen or scribbling my complaints on paper instead of doing something about it. After a while praying and scribbling only made me angry instead of calm me down. So the rest of the day I walked around grumpy as I attempted to begin cleaning up the wreck of a house. My poor husband had some accusations hurled at him when he came home for lunch because I needed someone to blame for how much life wasn't fair at the present. Yesterday was a little better, but upon seeing my husband when he was done with work we were still able to make the other person ticked off at the other. I was much more to blame than he. Still able to say good night and "I love you" without too much strife, Cedric and I wake up this morning and my perspective isn't quite so warped.

After putting Cedric down for his midday nap, I decided to sit down and eat my brunch (which was warming in the over for an hour after I made it, haha!) and, after a while, glanced at a book that I had set out a few weeks ago. I set out this book with the very purpose of reading it during nap times. Up to this point I have not done it. I mean to, but then I think "Ooo, Facebook" or "Time to clean some things without distraction!" when at this point in life, the best time for alone time (like, time to pray and/or read) is nap time! So, I pick up this book, "Devotions for a Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas. (Allow me to mention that for the most part, I think devotionals can be shallow. Not true in every case, and this book is an exception.) It's a once a week devotional, but I decided to pick a couple of entries for today. The three I picked were perfectly relevant for my current state of mind. Both reminded me that marriage is not spouse centered. Like with everything, life is not about me! Or even another person. It's about God. I get upset because I don't think Ryan is doing something the way I want him to or think he should. We are both pretty stubborn. Ryan thinks he's a genius and I think I know everything. (There is a difference. :-) Often, whether or not Ryan is right, I get irritated and somehow think I am justified in being angry, irritable, snappy or sad. Somehow I think this has been my problem this week. Hurling accusations or insults at my husband, whether he was right or wrong, was not what I should have been doing. In the first devotion of this book, Gary says, "Someone else's sin - even the sin of my spouse against me - never gives me the license to respond with sin...In one sense, what my spouse says or does or doesn't do is almost irrelevant. Every decision I make, every word I utter, every thought I think, every movement I perform, is to flow out of one holy motivation: reverence for God" (pg. 12).

Several things jumped out at me while I was reading, but this was the most important. It's a great place to start. To keep a marriage well and to keep life in the right perspective, one must be ever pursuing knowledge of our Lord. I have totally failed here. I have put my pleasures, my husband, my son and my friends above my Lord. As a consequence, my vision has been warped. May this be turned around!

Thank you, Lord, for grabbing my attention. Please never stop. May the only thing I ever desire is to know you and be satisfied in you.

Three months later...

2010-08-09T12:52:00.001-07:00

Oh goodness. So it's been three months since I said I would update. It's been hard for me to get into blogging. In part it has been that I am not sure what to blog aside from poopy diapers and the latest thing Cedric likes to eat. About a month ago I thought about posting recipes that my mother in law and I come up with as we discover a new way to bake gluten free. Perhaps post links to my husband's photography blog? Since I'm beginning to photograph and (ever so slowly) learn how to edit photos using Lightroom, perhaps I could post photographs I have taken. Life is so full of laundry, dishes and vacuuming that it proves interesting to try to sit down and blog anything that isn't about the daily grind. Anyone have ideas they could lend? As for an update, I have already been on the computer long enough today, and those of you (the precious few) that follow my blog already know at least half of what has taken place in our lives since Cedric turned 3 months old. God has been continuing to test us, stretch us and teach us how to depend on His provision. For those who read this, thank you! My life is as ordinary as anyone else.

Way too long!

2010-05-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

So, my blog deserves an update. Since being a mom I haven't thought much about it! Most of my happenings were posted via Facebook. I'll try to post something new soon! Right nowmy baby is bored and telling me so!

Cedric Day Thompson is here!

2009-12-03T13:30:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, Cedric is here! He was born November 21, 2009 at 10:52 P.M. in our living room! I will post my part of the birth story soon, but as it goes with new moms time is limited. For my husband's side, check out his blog at http://www.littlepuritan.com/

Almost there!

2009-11-20T15:02:00.001-08:00

It will not be much longer now. Forty weeks is on Monday, and there are signs that we get closer and closer to meeting our little baby! Pray for Ryan and I both as we approach this stage, and soon will be parents. Based on the words I read of a friend, I pray that I will be thankful through every contraction. Each one brings me closer to holding this little eternal soul in our arms! The past nine months have truly been a joy. Not that anything has been easy, but it's completely worth all of the work. I can't wait to say that on the other side of delivery!

37 weeks!

2009-11-03T22:39:00.000-08:00

Alright, everyone, we are down to three weeks! So really, he could come any time!

Our midwife, Sena, and her intern, Arian, came to our house on Saturday for a home visit. I have gathered the things she requires for our birth, so they took a look at that. They also needed to have a good idea of how to get to our house and where to find what in the house. We enjoyed a two hour appointment with them going over things and going through the routine prenatal exam "stuff". They say he felt just under 6 lbs, so I hope he's in there for a bit longer yet. I want him as healthy as can be! What mother doesn't? :-)

Ryan's grandparents left for their house in Las Vegas on Saturday. That means they took the dogs, too. Little Maurice (the rescued and nursed back to good health Shi-tzu) and I had become buddies. He would wander upstairs in the morning while I cooked breakfast to say hi and try to get a belly rub or cuddled for a couple of minutes. So I'll miss him a bit. Now we basically have the house for ourselves until they come back next spring/summer. Not long after they left, Ryan's family (Dad, mom, brother and dogs) came to stay for several days while the floors in their house get a makeover. It's been great so far! The house won't be so lonely for a too long before our bundle of joy arrives!

An update on my tooth: The last month has been alright for that, accept I hated the antibiotics that I had to take to keep an infection from spreading. It caused some relatively irritating and minor problems that are slowly going away. However, yesterday I discovered that the tooth felt a little...deep. This morning it was starting to hurt a little, and pretty much immediately I began to pray that it was just do away! I somehow shoved a corner of my hand held mirror into my mouth, and with a flash light I saw that a small part of the temporary filling/cap had come out of the tooth! I hadn't eaten any super chewing things lately, and I don't remember swallowing it at all. It's too late in the pregnancy to make a visit to the dentist, so I'm thinking through my options here. It was suggested to me a while back that I can use bee propolis to hold off an infection until something can be done, and that I have been doing! I applied a liquid form directly to the tooth, brushed a few times, chew on the other side of my mouth, etc...and the pain has gone away in just one day! Praise the Lord! I have an appointment to see the dentist about two weeks after the due date to continue the rest of the root canal that he began last month, so we'll see if I can make it that far. So, be praying that things will go well until then, and that all will be provided for and cleaned/cleared up in the end! We want to avoid extra antibiotics if possible to avoid more yeast infection being this close to the birth.
Also, I want to know what any of you think about the filling coming out in just a month. It was temporary, but I made sure that I didn't eat anything that would yank a section of it out. Does anyone have an opinion on this? Ryan was thinking we shouldn't have to pay for the extra appointment being it's likely their mistake, but how can we argue that point?

In the case that any of you were wondering, we survived the snow last week! We had nearly 20 inches of snow, which is a lot for the end of October! Ryan and I enjoyed it, actually. It did put us both in the mood for Christmas music. :-) This week, however, there are piles of snow here and there and the temperatures will reach up into the 60's and possibly lower 70's! Denver is such an interesting place!

Thank you for your love, support, and prayers through our pregnancy. Keep praying for Ryan as he works and take classes. He has a few papers due this month, and a baby coming! Pray for a safe and healthy delivery of our baby. May we trust in the Lord with all that we have, even when it seems like things won't work out the way we want them or expect them, He is every faithful! Thank you, again, for all of your support.

Ryan, Amelia, and Baby Thompson

Snow

2009-10-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

It snowed again today. I think it's still knowing, actually. A couple inches or so if you live in the south part of Denver. It looks so pretty!

One week until our midwife makes a home visit. We have almost everything we need for the birth, and hardly paid anything! The Lord provided perfectly and in good time. It always in His perfect time! We need a handful of other things, but I'm sure we'll have them in time.

The baby shower went well. I cannot express how grateful I am for those who were willing to help and for everyone making sure our baby is clothed...and clothed cute! ;-) So thank you to all of you ladies for supporting Ryan and myself, and to all of you who helped!

Ryan came home Monday. He hunted an additional 6 hours longer than Grandpa, and found nothing. Some years that's how it works! We still have plenty of elk in the freezer from last year. I may have to get creative with some recipes soon! Nichole suggested an apple stew, as game tastes more palatable when cooked with fruit. I started that this morning in the crock pot. It's quite simple!

Ryan has been working on another paper for class. It was a harder topic than he anticipated, which will stretch him for good. He's off for Iowa to photograph a wedding on Saturday. So far he doesn't have another wedding until January, and so far nothing in between! If you would, please pray for some more opportunities for Ryan to take photographs! Pray for ways for us to spread the word to our friends, and for our friends to spread it further!

If anyone has a suggestion for cheaply washing baby clothes, please let me know! So far I have heard that baby detergent isn't necessary for all babies, but I'd like to wash most of his newborn clothes as "safely" as possible to be sure he won't break out. Baking soda mixed with 1/2 the detergent is on suggestion. Any others?

Check out Erin Lowmaster's blog!

2009-10-18T22:47:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who does some great giveaways. Check out her blog! This one ends Oct 31, and these aprons are pretty fun! If you like the kitchen, it's worth a shot. :-)

http://connected2christ.com/theblog/2009/10/flirty-aprons-review-giveaway/comment-page-3/#comment-14552

Another update of...a little of everything!

2009-10-18T21:57:00.001-07:00

As of tomorrow, it will be 5 weeks. Give or take, of course. He comes when he comes! We had our last birth class this week. It was great to spend 7 weeks with the other couples in our class and to learn so much from our midwife. But at the same time it's nice that we're done. I'm so glad we took them, just the same. At my prenatal on Monday (a week ago) all seemed to be just right. I measured 35+ inches, the baby felt about 4 pounds or so, and he was head down. All good news! And so far I can still wear my wedding ring. But it is getting harder to sleep through the night. I've been told that the rest of my "young" mother life will be that way. I enjoyed it while I could!

It warmed up this weekend! This afternoon I spent with my in-laws at their house. They live in a house bordering Ketring Park in Littleton, and I just noticed that the ALL the trees had turned yellow and orange. It happened sometime this week! It was also around 80 degrees and sunny. Just beautiful for the second half of October.

Ryan's mother was so incredibly generous to invest in cloth diapers for us. We prewashed them today and hung them on a clothes line. It felt old fashioned. Once I get the hang of putting them on the baby and the system for washing them, it will be such a joy! For one, I won't have to spend nearly as much money as I would with disposables.

Tomorrow is the baby shower at LBC. I am so blessed and so thankful that a church I have only been a part of for a short time is willing to host this for us. Again, Nichole has been so generous and helpful. Some ladies are bringing cupcakes and cookies, and Nichole and I are doing the rest - cheese, fruit and veggies.

This last week and next are hunting season. Ryan's grandpa left Wednesday for southern Wyoming. Ryan's dad followed later that day, and Ryan left Friday midday. Brandon (dad) is already back. He was able to get an antelope. He came home yesterday. It's all butchered and in the freezer. I can't wait to try some! Ryan and Grandpa contacted us briefly to say they haven't been able to catch the elk they're after. They have cow tags and have only been able to find a bull. It's a contrast to last year, when they were able to shoot all their animals in the first hour of...well, not even making camp, but just arriving on the premises! Animals or none, Grandpa heads back tomorrow, and I think Ryan will follow some time after.

The first

2009-10-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

This is my first post, as you can see. The intent of this blog is to help keep my family and friends up to date on what's happening now that Ryan and I are living in Denver. We have been here for almost three months. Ryan is in seminary full time and I am staying at home preparing for the arrival of our first child. My 34th week is to begin in just a couple of days.

It's snowing here. Denver had a record low of 18 degrees early this morning. It is not unusual for it to get cold and snow in October, but it doesn't usually get that cold, even in January or February! It just started to snow again a few minutes ago, and we have about an inch on the ground. The aspens have hardly begun to turn yellow!

Keep looking for updates and photos!