the bichel family

Quiet time.

2010-06-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

Finally. After a loooong day, it's almost 10:00pm, and the house is quiet. I just savor this. It's one of God's blessings to have this time to ponder, renew my mind, and rest. Addie is in to EVERYTHING! She is relentless - she can always find something to get into. I can't believe she'll be 9 months this month. She's crawling like mad, pulling up on everything, and working on walking. Wow.

Joshua is becoming such a character! He turned two a few months ago. He's the clown, the show-off, the attention hog. But then, sometimes, when he's ready for a break, he's back to the sweet, reserved little one he's always been. His energy is exhaustive; he is full of mischief and hilarity, so it makes life in our little house very unpredictable and fun. Today, he decided that the only way to eat Goldfish crackers is by sticking them in between your toes... THEN you pop them in your mouth.

Curtis has a new job - a Sales Rep for Veritas Merchandising Solutions. He can print anything on anything. Business cards, letterheads, envelopes, t-shirts, etc. He has really hit the ground running with it. What is even cooler is that he gets to learn to the screenprinting biz - something he's been interested in for years!

Blessings to all!
<3 Renee

Wowza! Sorry for the long moment of silence here!

2010-03-13T18:48:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been almost 6 months since I updated this! So sorry to the few people that may have checked this blog and thought that I've completely abandoned it forever.

I haven't!! We're still here!!

Life is pretty good, all around we can't complain. We are all healthy. We bought a cute little house in November. Joshua will be turning 2 on the 27th - I can't believe it. And Addison will be 6 months old. She is already trying to crawl, and can stand up against the furniture for a few minutes at a time. You can see her very clearly watch Joshua and desire to do the things he does. I know it won't be long now until she's completely mobile.

Tonight the kids and I all cuddled and wrestled around on the couches. It made great memories. I was singing "My Girl" to Addie, and Joshua chimed in! "My giiiiiiirl....." he sings, "I talkin bout me giiiirl!". Addie was just tickled that we were singing together to her. She would laugh her throaty, grunty laugh. Oh my, I wish every moment was that beautiful.

Of course I have recent pictures. What kind of momma would I be without them?

Welcome, Addison Renee!

2009-09-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

Addison Renee Bichel was born on Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 8:04 a.m. She weighed 8 lb 0 oz, and was 22 inches long.

Here are the pictures! We are so thankful for such a precious blessing from our God...

Of Pregnancy Pillows and Cocoa Puffs

2009-08-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

Here we are, 35 weeks pregnant! Okay, so really I'M 35 weeks pregnant, 1 1/2 weeks away from being full-term! I'm very ready to have this baby. Hoping it comes early... I've found out that when you actually gain weight during a pregnancy (unlike my experience with Joshua), you really do feel it! I feel enormous... clumsy....awkward... even sleeping is a struggle. Luckily, a generous friend let me borrow her pregnancy pillow, which has done wonders for my sleep. It doesn't look too impressive - it's shaped like a candy cane and about the size of another person - but WOW does it help me get comfy. Poor Curtis has to share his bed with my belly AND a gigantic pillow. Heh, but he is a sweetheart about it :)

I was craving Cocoa Puffs today. Just got done with two bowls full. I very much wish sugary cereal were better for me than it actually is. It was SO GOOD...

Okay, here is what everyone really wants. Pictures of Joshua. He's 17 months now. Finally getting some hair! Very blonde hair, in fact.

July ... Already?!

2009-07-12T12:50:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's already mid-July?! Well, I can't. Only 2 months left before Baby Bichel the Second arrives... and it's driving me crazy not knowing if we'll have a boy or a girl! Any guesses? You have a 50% chance of being right...

Joshua is a full-fledged toddler now. It's kinda like it happened overnight. Like he woke up one day and decided he wasn't a baby anymore. I know this is supposed to happen - we want our children to grow, learn, mature - but it doesn't make it easy! Already our snuggle times are getting few and far-between. He's good buddies with "Dad-Tee"... it's funny how young boys start to emulate their fathers. I was surprised at how quickly he's picked up to the fact that he is a boy like his Daddy, and needs to learn everything he can about being a boy.

Curtis and I have been enjoying the time we have this summer before the new baby. We have 2 wedding trips in the next month - Curtis is best man in one of the weddings and a groomsman in the other. Joshua will stay with Grandparents while we travel those weekends... so we'll treasure the time together.

Joshua Douglas - 16 mo. - July 2009

Car Drama.

2009-05-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hey! So I thought it was about time to update... can you believe it is already May? We're already half-way done with this pregnancy! Woot!

Okay, so things have been going pretty well for us - Curtis' shoulder seems to be healing after his few weeks of physical therapy. Joshua got hit with his first illness (looked like the flu), and recovered better than we could ever have anticipated. I had the pleasure of judging at a nearby NCFCA qualifying tournament, which was a blast from the past and a very rewarding experience.

One thing we have had in the past few months is car problems. When I say "car problems", you probably are thinking that we needed to get a car repair. This is true, but it is also the understatement of the year. For two months straight now, every time we finally get the money to fix one of our cars (both are in need of repair), it runs for less than 24 hours and then brakes down on us AGAIN! It's crazy! So please pray for this situation, it has brought unending amounts of stress into our life. We have been incredibly blessed through it (family help, encouragement, etc.), but it would sure be nice to get at least one of our cars running reliably!

I'll post some new pics of Joshua soon!

Blessings!

-Renee

He's WALKING!

2009-04-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

In addition to turning 1 this last month (March), Joshua also learned to walk all by himself!! It's been a long time coming, so it's quite an accomplishment for him! I'll post some pictures of his First Birthday Party, but before doing so, I feel compelled to share some bad news with you. Curtis got injured on the job at the youth home. While he was restraining one of the kids, he broke a finger and hurt his shoulder (which was previously injured in a game of Rugby). The docs are thinking he needs an MRI and maybe even surgery (if it is the AC joint or a rotater cuff). So keep that situation in your prayers, please!!

As for the good stuff....

A Glimpse at Baby Number Two.

2009-02-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

There you have it! The infamous Baby Bichel the Second. Everything looks good according to ultrasounds... the baby was super active, which is a good sign. As you've probably noticed, my uterus looks like it is in the shape of a heart, which is just too convenient. It's pretty cute though, wouldn't you say? The concept of our baby being in a heart....

"AWWWW!"

Okay, so on a more serious note, Curtis is just getting over a pretty bad case of Bronchitis, which I think has thrown a wrench into his never-stopping-working-tons-of-overtime routine. This is a very good thing. He's backing off the overtime and working regular hours for awhile. Hurrah!

Nothing else is new, except that Joshua is wanting to do nothing but walk, and he is working effortlessly toward that goal. We're thinking he'll be walking on his own in the next few weeks. I'll update when he takes his first independent steps!

Blessings to you and yours, dear reader.

Renee <3

February, Valentines, and an Update.

2009-02-03T15:52:00.000-08:00

Hi! Okay, so here's the scoop on what's been happening with us...

Curtis has been working TONS. Pulling double-shifts, working late, and going in early for training classes. It's been a blessing for our financial situation, but it does make it hard on family life and, of course, Curtis's stress level. Prayer appreciated! We are thankful, though!
Valentines day is coming up... or what I've seen it dubbed, "Singles Awareness Day"! Curtis has to work on the actual day, so the Friday night before we are going on a Valentine's date! We are very excited. It's a fun time for us - it will be the 3rd anniversary of our engagement!
Morning sickness has kicked in. It is unpleasant... I've been vomiting pretty much twice a day for the past few days. Ugh... I guess everything that's worth doing can be difficult, right? :D
Joshua has been expanding his vocabulary. He can say go, car, more, ball, and other similar words. He has also learned how to stand on his own, for a few seconds. He dances and claps to music.
I've posted some new pictures of Joshua. WARNING > Naked baby on the loose!

Blessings!

Baby Number Two!

2009-01-24T18:26:00.000-08:00

This week I found out I was pregnant! We are very excited - we feel very blessed. It's a little daunting; the idea of two babies in diapers and two toddlers running around... I'm sure we will be very thankful for God's grace during the next few years! But really - we are incredibly happy.

We will keep everyone updated about the pregnancy here! We'll be interviewing and picking a midwife here in the next few weeks. According to a normal pregnancy chart, I'd be about 5 or 6 weeks along and be due in late September. Just think: next Christmas Joshua will be almost 2 and baby two would be almost 3 months old! Crazy!

Blessings to all <3

Joshua doesn't always cooperate.

2009-01-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this picture is a set-up. I have to confess it, because I know you clever ones out there will wonder how a baby boy (particularly Curt and Renee's baby boy, the very mischievous Joshua) would climb up in his big-boy chair and sit perfectly still in it. No, if it was left up to him, I'd have a picture of him standing on the top of the back of the chair, trying to tear the wall decor off.

As it may be, I sat him down in the chair and snapped a picture as quickly as was humanly possible. And this is the first try:

Then the second try....
So, you can see the effort I had to put in to get my desired photo. But, if you are like Curtis and prefer non-posed, raw pictures, this is the one for you (he was 3 months old then):
Haha, okay. So enough of silly pictures of Joshua.
But I really don't have anything else to say right now...
Blessings for 2009!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T13:40:00.001-08:00

Getting settled

2008-12-23T09:25:00.000-08:00

We're hoping this post finds you in good Christmas spirits! We are very thankful this Christmas: we are safely moved to the Kansas City area, we are healthy, and we have s p a c e in our new home!

This picture is in Joshua's room - he finally gets a nursery! It's plenty big and he loves playing and being mischievious in his own space.

Curtis' new job is going well; he just started his normal schedule of working evenings at Ozanam youth home. He works in the Intensive Treatment Unit for girls. Even though the atmosphere is very professional and clinical, he is hoping to transfer to the boys side as soon as possible.

Thanks for all your prayers and support - we love you!

AND A HOME!!!

2008-12-11T12:07:00.000-08:00

I was just informed that we DO have a place!! Through Curtis, God blessed us with the perfect place - the one that we wanted!!

So we are now the renters of a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 car garage, dishwasher, and laundry room townhome!! We are thrilled and thankful!!

It's so funny how everything was pulled together at the extreme last minute. Our original plans didn't work out - but God had something better planned that would unmistakeably bring glory to Him! We feel very blessed.

"Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — his name is the LORD — and rejoice before him."
-Psalm 68:4

MOVING! And a job!!

2008-12-11T09:03:00.000-08:00

As I type this, over half of our household is boxed up. We will be "officially" moving to Kansas City this weekend! Curtis is in KC today, he interviewed at Ozanam Youth Home - got the job (full time position) - and is trying to secure a place of our own. A job is what we were waiting on... so hopefully we can get a nice place!

Assuming we don't get a key to a place by today, we will be staying with Curtis's parents until we do find a place. Our stuff will still be in Moberly, waiting for us (we have until the end of December at our Moberly place). So this will probably we a transitional time for us - moved, but not settled.

To our Moberly friends - you have been such blessings to us! We love you and will miss you! We will especially miss house church on Sunday nights and guys and girls nights on Monday nights. Thank you for your support, love, and Godly example. We will come back to visit! And you will always be welcome in our home!

Blessings!

Updating...

2008-10-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

Hey family and friends! Here's the latest from us...

1. Curtis is now part-time at the Youth Center. Finances will be altered, but it is actually a better situation than before. We are content.
2. Renee has been doing some babysitting from home - I'm really enjoying it. It's a blessing to able to contribute to expenses without leaving Joshua! And he enjoys having a friend who can walk ;)
3. Joshua is a baby food fiend. He just can't get enough.
4. Curtis is applying at some youth homes in the Kansas City area. One is in Olathe and one is Peculiar. Prayer is appreciated.
5. We are the watch for housing in KC as well.
6. We are making some new friends and building community here in Moberly. It's encouraging... and kind of depressing when thinking about how we will be gone in a few months!
7. We are in prayer about the college's mission trip to China in the spring. Curtis will most likely be going...as for me, well, not sure. It would mean weaning Joshua by April and leaving him for two weeks. Either way we are excited to make some contacts with the mission in China.

Blessings! <3

Chilly weather and Joshua

2008-09-12T00:14:00.001-07:00

Early this week was one of the first times I've had to "bundle up" Joshua when venturing outside. I just had to share it with you.

Not much else to update tonight. Please, if you will, pray for us. We have many decisions weighing on our hearts and minds.

"For he has showed you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you:
But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
- Micah 6:8

Blessings!

We're goin' to Kansas City, Kansas City here we come...

2008-08-25T23:23:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post this picture I took today of Joshua sleeping. He slept so, so peacefully.

I also wanted to update everyone that we have decided to go ahead and move back to Kansas City in January. Curtis will be finishing up his degree in December, so January is just about the right time for it. We are very excited to be back, closer to much family and many dear friends.

Love,

Renee

Our big boy eats cereal!!

2008-08-11T17:51:00.001-07:00

Let it be recorded that on August 11th, 2008, Joshua Douglas had his first real food.
He did great > he ate it up, made a good mess all over his face, bib, and high chair, and all around had a fun time. Here are some pictures....

See that mess on his bib??

He had to be the one to hold the spoon.

Here he is reaching for daddy to give him more. He is not a very patient little one.

some questions for us

2008-07-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

What were you doing at 11:00 AM?
Renee was changing Joshua's diaper, Curtis was at work reading.

Do you have a friend that you talk to 24/7?
We are almost in constant contact with Richard Matthews, Curtis's mentor

Are you ticklish?
Curtis is only ticklish if you make it a game or surprise him.... Renee is ticklish when she wants to be... and Joshua is like his dad and wants it to be a game of surprise.

How is your hair?
Curtis's is short and dark, Renee's is blonde and medium length, and Joshua's is nonexistent

How's your life?
Can't complain! There is always something... but all in all we have a great life and enjoy it.

What do you spend most of your money on?
Bills and household items.

How long does it take for you to take a shower?
It takes Curtis 5 minutes or less, Renee 20 to 30 minutes.

Do you have plans today?
Curtis works 12 hours, Renee has plans to clean up the kitchen, do laundry, play with Joshua, go for a walk, etc.

What did you do Saturday?
Wow, that would be last week... um, I think Jessica and I went out to eat at Long John Silvers and then went to the park.

Would you make a good parent?
Well, we try...

Morning or night person?
Curt and Renee are night people.... Joshua is most definitely a morning person

What were you doing an hour ago?
feeding Joshua

Where were you friday night?
That was last night... we were home with some friends over

Catching up with Curtis, Renee, and Joshua

2008-07-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

This blog was made for the family and friends of the Bichel family, especially those who live away from us. We want to be able to update you on what is the latest happenings with us here in Moberly... and of course, a more detailed view of Joshua's little life.

This last week has been kind of a lazy week for Mom and Baby.... Renee was sick with another breast infection, so her and Joshua rested around the house for the early part of the week. Meanwhile, Curtis has been working as much as he can to add some needed income. He is still working one-on-one with a 15-year-old boy. Although there have been some bumps in the road, he is continuing to mentor and influence at work.

Renee has come alongside some of her pregnant peers and has had the blessing of being able to educate and support them during such a special time. Praise God!

Joshua has been doing super. He can now hold his body proudly with only his arms, and roll over completely from his tummy to his back. He can sit up by himself for seconds at a time, and he is a very sociable person - he always wants to be included in the conversation where he can see and hear everyone.

That's about it for now. Feel free to comment! <3

“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”- Jeremiah 32:17

God Bless!
All our love,
Renee, Curtis and Joshua Bichel