The Lesko Chronicles

Our little model :)

2010-04-30T15:06:00.002-05:00

We have a sweet friend from our home group (Silla) who makes the cutest accessories for kids and moms! You can wear them in your hair, on your shoes, on your shirt even on your purse! She needed a little girl model for some of her hair bands for little girls, so, she kindly asked me if Mickaela could be a model for her website. She had a little photoshoot at our house with our other awesome photographer friend (Paul www.paulgoimages.com)

You can see her sweet face and cute accessories at www.sillasoup.com! I have been wearing my new purchases as well and get stopped all of the time. I told Silla I need to keep her business card with me because everyone wants to know where I got the cute flowers and accessories!

So now you know! :)

15 Months old already...

2010-04-16T13:38:00.009-05:00

Little miss turned 15 months old yesterday! She is so smart, sweet and she is such a joy to be around!

We went to the Dr. today for her check up here are her stats:

Height 90%
Weight 25%
Head 97%

She is rating at 18-20 months for Speech and social development (none of us were surprised...she loves to chat!)

She is right on track with walking and motor skills.

She did great at the Dr. got 3 shots and fell asleep in the car. She had the beginning of a sinus infection so we started antibiotics again today. She has been such a trooper!

She recently was able to spend a week with Grammy, Grandpa, Aunt Mary, Uncle MD, Mackenzie and Molly in Houston while I went to visit Bug and Freddie in Miami and got to spend some time with our newest family member Fredrick Charles Gibson IV aka "Charlie"!

Mickaela and Tristan were playing well last Sunday and since we didn't take Easter photos we have these sweet brother sister pics :)...

Playing so sweet!

I think the hat looks nice :).

Our week in pictures...

2010-03-27T20:36:00.008-05:00

Monday:

Tuesday:

Everyone was ok! Praise the Lord!!!

Wednesday:

Thursday:
Happy Birthday Mommy!

Friday:

Birthday dinner...wish I would have taken a picture of the brisket tacos I had...they were YUUMMMY!

2 Milestones

2010-03-13T20:19:00.004-06:00

Our house is full of excitement with our little ones running around! This last week has been even more exciting, we have had two major milestones one for each!

Let's start with Tristan!

We have a routine for bath time in our house after everyone is bathed Tristan gets to play in the tub while I get Mickaela dressed and ready for bed. He usually starts squealing Mommyyyy!! When he is finished playing. Tonight's routine was the same except when I went in to get him from the tub he was standing up peeing and looked at me like "make it stop!" I pointed to the toilet and said "pee pee in the potty!" he quickly moved to the toilet and proceeded to PEE PEE IN THE POTTY!!!! I can't even begin to describe the joy and elation I had to hold in until he finished, as soon as he did I let out the loudest scream and jump for joy I think he's ever seen! There was a huge celebration dance and of course CHOCOLATE!!!

Now for Mickaela!

Our little miss has been crawling since she was 6 months old and we have expected her to start walking for months now she has had the balance she has been "cruising" the furniture for months. We have been trying to bribe her, show her, and encourage her for the whole time. Last Sunday Mick took Mickaela into our bedroom while I was getting ready for church and started the routine of standing her up and holding out his hands and saying "come to daddy Mickaela". All of a sudden I hear "Millie MILLIE...You missed IT!!!" As I turn the corner into the bedroom I see Mickaela in Mick's arms "SHE TOOK 2 STEPS!!" So of course, we sat her down and it was my turn, "come to Mommy!" and SHE DID!!! Later on that day she took steps for our friends Brandon and Katy. Such a big girl! I can't wait to watch her run I know she will be soon.

I have to say that God is good. I know that these may seem like simple things that all kids learn to do. But for me they are examples of God's grace in my life and a reminder that He is in control even when I wish things would happen in my time. But I must say the wait was worth it and in this case made the outcomes even sweeter!

Never to late...

2010-03-12T13:28:00.004-06:00

When I was pregnant there was a night where I had to have popcorn not just any popcorn Cape Cod Popcorn...well my sweet husband a year later found some at our new fabulous Kroger (right by our house) and bought be 3 bags...its never to late to be great! WAY TO GO Honey!!

Proof:

Don't worry they are already gone :/...YUM!

Cleaning up quick...

2010-03-09T15:59:00.003-06:00

I am pretty sure Clorox wipes were made by a mom...This is the thought I had as I was cleaning up after Mickaela's lunch today.

Before:

After:

Don't worry I didn't actually use them on Mickaela...good ol' target brand baby wash did the trick on that. :)

Left Turns

2010-02-16T11:26:00.011-06:00

About a month ago my brother made the remark, "I hate this. Everything is going to be different after this." It would be cathartic to explain the situation in detail, but there are other people involved, so it would not be fair to them. My hope is you don't have to have the details to know the kind of situation he was talking about, and maybe your own experience will be enough to allow the rest of this to make some sense.

Alex was talking about one of those situations with which everyone is familiar, where the brokenness of the world becomes evident, and the only choices remaining are bad ones. One of those human tragedies that sometimes come about as a direct result of our own decisions, and other times, they just happen. Out of nowhere life just takes a left turn.

It seems like since the start of 2010, our family has had one of those moments every few days. There have been constant reminders of the consequences of sin, and we seem to have been right in the middle of all of them.

In times like this my instinct is to embrace self pity, and confusion; it is to wonder at the goodness of God in the face of the vileness of life. In short, my inclination is to react in pride, and sin, as though my desires and my happiness, and my version of "right" are the defining measure of the world. When I hurt, it is so easy to shrink God. It is a reflex to belittle Him, to regard Him as my servant and to consider the daily graces I take for granted as simply His duty.

In those moments the truth I become blind to is that behind, around, and in every hurt that has come my way, there are gracious gifts I have taken for granted. With family, the image of God in the people I love is the source of my affection for them, if I never loved them, their circumstances would not cause me pain. The simple reality of being able to wake up on a day where I receive bad news is a blessing. Being able to hear and understand the words that communicate the burden is a blessing. On a larger scale, being born a man consecrated to war against and minister to the pain and suffering in this world through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, AND to be an active agent in Christ's reconciliation of the world through the lives of those most dear to me, is a blessing.

I wouldn't wish to suffocate rather than suffer this time, nor would I wish to be blind, deaf, or dumb rather than shoulder my cross. I don't wish to forsake my salvation because of this pain, and I don't wish to be helpless in the face of the hurt brought on those I love. I don't wish to lose the rich complicated blessing of that love, to spare myself the pain inherent in the relationship. God is telling a story. Our lives are part of it. They aren't the purpose of it.

He is the Alpha, and Omega. All things find their beginning and end in God. His love and mercy blot out our transgressions, we find our joy in singing the praises of His grace. He is the purpose. I AM, He Is.

As for me, I am simply alive now and gone tomorrow. Mine is a shallow reality, and it would be a shallow life that found its purpose in me.

The capstone in all of this is, if you take enough left turns you can actually go from being lost to being right where you want to be. It is not lost on me that I remain His and continue to receive daily blessings despite my sinful bent, nor is it forgotten that others may come to know Him or love Him more through their own tribulation. This omnipresent kinetic redemption is the greatest victory of the cross, and most evident proof of God's mercy in this life. It is the true Ministry of Reconciliation constantly renewing all things to the righteousness of Christ, and sparing us from the repercussions of our rebellion.

It brings me great encouragement to confess, and remember this in writing.

2010 off to a wild start...HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mickaela!

2010-02-05T09:05:00.007-06:00

There are many reasons for my lack of posts these days however, no need to go into them for now.

We have been busy to say the least but one thing that everyone I am sure wants to see are pictures of our ONE year old!! Mickaela Abigail Lesko born on January 15, 2009...

...she was able to have a grand celebration of her 1st birthday with our family and some cupcakes... :)

We were able to take an unexpected trip to my family farm recently and it just so happens Mickaela turned one while we were there...So the morning of her first birthday was another first for her...she got to feed the cows and donkeys with Uncle Lonny...

Here she is trying to figure out just what the heck is going on with this big "do" (dog)

Also known as Norman one of our cows...in fact the reason Norman is still with us (according to Uncle Lonny) is because of me :/...he was our pet cow that we liked to feed with a bottle and would get to "play" with at the farm...my how he has grown :).

More updates to come...

Four Christmases...cont.

2010-01-04T10:31:00.007-06:00

Christmas #3

Christmas morning after our adventures at home we piled in the car and headed down to Houston. Our morning was already great and we got to see this winter wonderland...a snowy Christmas who would of thought.

We arrived in Houston to an empty house and didn't have a key...so we decided to give Mickaela her first driving lesson...she did great (except for the looking at the road part ;0))

On Saturday we were able to spend the day with all of my family opening gifts and eating...lots of food :). Mickaela was tuckered out and took a nap on her Aunt Mary (who was pretty tired too)...

Mickaela and I stayed an extra day in Houston so Grammy, Mackenzie, and Molly (my nieces) got to drive us home on Monday because my sisters had caught a stomach bug. yuck. We were glad to have them even just for the night. The girls were thrilled to see a little snow left on the ground.

Christmas #4

We headed over to Mick's brother's house to meet up with his brother and sister everyone feeling better after having a stomach bug last week. I didn't take any pictures :/...But it was fun to have our first Christmas with the Chapmans (Mick's sister, her husband, and two girls). They just moved here from Wisconsin. It is nice to have all of his family so close.

Our house is full of stuff but our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for family, friends and most of all Jesus for coming to this world putting on skin and saving us. It is an amazing thing to me to see all that God has done this year in our lives and in the lives of those in our family.

As we begin 2010, my heart is full of hope and joy, I am so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to love a man of His and the responsibility to care for and love 2 of His children. What blessings He has brought us this year...

Wishing each of you a blessed New Year!

Four Christmases...part 1

2010-01-02T22:41:00.007-06:00

So, mom fail...I can't find my camera. I know it is around here somewhere. The sad thing about this is that there are few pictures of Christmas. :( Thankfully I have an iPhone. So there were a couple at least. My sisters are sending me the ones they have from out Christmas #3 in Houston.

So for now here are the moments captured...

Christmas #1:
Christmas eve with some of Mick's family. Mickaela and I volunteered at the church on Christmas eve in the nursery since they were short on volunteers. It was a lot of fun. (I have a story about that but it is for another post).

Mick's Mom, Dad, Brother and Niece came over to celebrate Christmas with Mick, Tristan, Mickaela and me. We had a great time and some decent chili (if I do say so myself). The kids got some awesome toys thanks to Grandma and Grandpa; Mick and Alex got a lesson in big wheel construction :).

Christmas #2:
Christmas Day was a first for all of us. Tristan was able to wake up with us on Christmas Day which was a first, and Mickaela, of course, was celebrating her first Christmas as well! :) It was such a blessing to watch their excitement and get to celebrate with our family on Christmas morning. Tristan got some awesome "heavy work" toys (therapy speak for high energy...tiring toys). A trampoline, a bean bag, and this awesome bubble ball that I found that is a huge inflatable ball that he can get inside of. (It is now his happy place).

This is the mess that was left behind...

To be continued...

A Bi-Polar Day

2009-12-16T14:30:00.004-06:00

Today has been the most manic depressive day I've had in quite a while.

This morning I received some great and unexpected news at work.

Our hearts sang, and praised God for His blessings, and my wife and I celebrated together.

Then, during work, we received this news about our pastor of 5 years, Matt Chandler:

In the first chapter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes that whatever imprisonments, beatings and trials he may have suffered, they all "serve to advance the gospel" of Jesus Christ. We implore you to keep the gospel of Christ as the main focus as we walk with Matt and Lauren through this trial.

On Tuesday, Dr. Barnett informed Matt and Lauren that the findings of the pathology report revealed a malignant brain tumor that was not encapsulated. The surgery to remove the tumor, the doctor said, was an extremely positive first step; however, because of the nature of the tumor, he was not able to remove all of it. (full transcript available here.)

Our hearts are heavy now, and our prayers are with Matt and Lauren Chandler, and their three kids Audrey, Reid, and Nora. May they live faithfully, and be given wisdom, and excellent care as they endure this trial. Through all of this, their hope has been to struggle well, and to point continually to the cross as their fulfillment. Matt and Lauren both, by seeking Jesus, have found joy in even this circumstance. They do not despair, or delude themselves. They understand God planned this for them, and they are prepared for any resolution which may come from it. Their hope is, no matter how this unfolds, people may see it and hear them testify about the grace, redemption, and worthiness of Jesus Christ.

Please join us in praying for them, and our church.

As my friend Josh Sims reminded me; God is just as good, and just as deserving of praise this afternoon, as He was this morning. No matter how hard that may be to remember.

A Greek Assurance

2009-12-14T17:25:00.000-06:00

Emily and I go to The Village Church. We've been in the news lately as most of Dallas has heard about the health problems of our pastor Matt Chandler. What many people don't know is how blessed our church body is to be lead by such a gifted group of pastors. In Matt's absence we have continued to be cared for, challenged, and instructed with an unwavering hand.

One of those pastors called us to spend time dwelling on the person, and being of Jesus Christ this week. His sermon, and the conversation the Holy Spirit inspired in our Home Group last Wednesday have rubbed against each other in my heart, and formed a devotional of sorts.

In Revelations, God refers to himself as the Alpha and Omega three times. Most people know those as the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing that God is the beginning and the end. In recent days I have come to see them as an intimate, holy assurance of hope expressed in 2 Greek characters. Hopefully I don't fail miserably in my attempt to share that with you.

In Rev 1 God says:
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Webster defines Almighty as having an absolute power over all. Absolute meaning there is no restriction, exception, or qualification on God's ability to affect. It's as mind boggling as infinity, and as quantifiable as Pi. He can stop a spinning atom with a thought, and all creation is under his authority.

Rev 21
6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

God is the beginning, and the end of all things. Whatever you see in life, whether good or evil, living or dead, created or born, all things proceed completely from and return completely to God Almighty. He is the source of Life and the Fire of judgment. In Exodus this was Expressed in the name I AM. I AM without boundary or beginning, without limitation or end. I AM not encompassed or contained. I AM defies description.

Rev 22
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

He is coming in power and terror. A God, so great the mind cannot conceive His origin or the mechanism of his creation. He will stand judgment over the multitude of humans he has created. He will mete out Life and Death without restriction, exception, or qualification, and His Spirit will execute His will without failure. Only God could stand before God to interceded. Praise Jesus for our salvation.

Wednesday in Home Group we talked about anxieties; where they take root, and how we combat them. In our conversation a common theme emerged. Our anxieties often seem to be rooted in a proud place. From the very beginning, the culture we live in has raised us to believe our value is in what we earn. There is an assumption that if we "do the right things" everything will go well, and as people we are often judged solely on our results. The rich are more respected than the poor, a stylish house is more honored than a bare one, and people are who buy designer clothing are more dependable than those who are threadbare. Often, who we are isn't defined by what we do, but by how what we do turns out for us. So we worry.

We worry because part of us knows that even if we do everything right, the results of our actions are outside our control. How much more is it the case when we only get almost everything right? How much pressure does that put on every little thing to be perfect? Regardless, the world still believes it is the results which define us, and the more we give ourselves over to the world, the more we believe the same thing.

So what should our response be?

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

We who believe, look to Jesus Christ. We find our worth in the assurance that while we were lost in darkness, with no hope of redemption, and no value in us, Christ demonstrated his love for us through his death, so we might live. Our value is in the bounty that was paid on our behalf; which is the priceless blood of an Almighty God who became a man. His blood buys us freedom from the standards of the world. It leaves us unburdened to focus on conforming our hearts through our actions, and it allows us to trust in God Almighty to justify the work of our hands. We are no longer defined by our money, our appearance, or even by our sins. We are defined forever as children of God adopted by Jesus Christ, and God's nature assures we will live up to that pedigree. His Almighty Will continues day by day to transform us from one degree of glory to the next, continually granting us greater freedom and joy, as He changes our nature into a reflection of Jesus.

What a sweet heritage of freedom and redemption we have been given.

Thanksgiving Feast #1

2009-11-24T10:18:00.004-06:00

This past Sunday the Lesko family set out on an adventure to the house of the Henkle’s where a feast had been prepared to be enjoyed with the best home group ever. With 2 kids in tow the journey began… Tristan has not had the joy of being around this whole group on a regular basis; while a few faces would be familiar it was mostly uncharted waters for him, he tends to have behavior issues when in a new environment with lots of activity. He rarely if ever makes it through one of these events with out having an outburst or several outbursts. That day was exacerbated even more because he had not had a nap nor was he going to get one on time… so as you can imagine we were unsure of how this afternoon was going to play out.

Hoping to minimize damage and still enjoy the time we decided on a divide and conquer approach. One kid to one parent switch off if necessary. All hands in the middle and “GO LESKOS! on 3”.

Ange and Helmut have a beautiful house all decorated for the occasion with their fine china out, their dogs Samson, a Rottweiler and Poco, a Chihuahua were running about and the backdoor was open with a great view of their pool in the backyard. Tristan immediately found his “safe place” outside near the pool and the two dogs.

About 20 minutes into the trip I realize I made a salad and didn’t bring dressing. Mick graciously offers to go to the store. We adjust our plan I hand Mickaela off and make my way outside to check on Tristan. This is where the dance begins... Tristan realizes Mick is no longer there to keep him from the pool, thinking I am the weaker of the two (let’s face it I am a sucker for that smile), he begins ever so slightly walking toward the pool pointing and saying “water” “water”. I have a feeling he was thinking “maybe she won’t notice if I just put a foot in if I am telling her the whole time that it is water…she loves it when I talk”! I respond “Yes, water. We don’t get in that water.” He gets where this is going and moves back closer to the dogs, where he begins “doggie” “doggie”. I respond, “Yes, Good Job! Doggie, (pointing), big doggie, little doggie we pet the doggies.” I believe that boundaries have been established and all is going well to this point. I begin a conversation, when I catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye…”Tristan, We don’t ride the doggie, we pet the doggie”. Ange comes over; she gives her permission for Tristan to “ride” Samson and calls for her husband to come see. The group begins congregating outside laughing as Tristan climbs up onto Samson’s back and is guided around for a couple of minutes. Isaac luckily grabs his camera and snaps a couple picture of the immense joy on Tristan’s face. I thought for a second Samson was going to buck Tristan right into the pool, but alas Samson is just a big puppy and loved playing with Tristan. That was so much fun Tristan decided he should try the same thing with Poco (the Chihuahua)…Poco was not near as accommodating.

The rest of the afternoon was full of fun, laughter, good people, great food and only a one near meltdown. All in all a successful adventure, it is great to see how Tristan is growing and developing. It was also nice to be able to see what God has done in all of our lives as we were able to give Thanks.

Fall Pictures of the Lesko Gang

2009-11-19T13:03:00.007-06:00

Here are a couple of our fall pictures that our sweet friend Paul took...you can see more at www.paulgoimages.com / clients password is Lesko.

Dr. Horrible, and Other Random Thoughts

2009-11-16T15:57:00.005-06:00

I guess I should have titled this, "Other Random Thoughts, and Dr. Horrible" so it suggested the right order. It didn't have the same ring to it though.

Other Thought 1:

Babies make you dumber.

It's true. You know it, I know it, everybody knows it, and it's so accepted it has become normative. For example, Mickaela is 10 months old now . Isn't she cute?

Yes. Yes she is. But not always. Mickaela doesn't like getting into the car to go places, which is pretty typical for a kid. The car seat must be traumatic or something. Anyway, since the daily ritual of getting Mickaela into the car usually wound up with her in tears, Millie, being the sweet hearted mother she is, decided to start distracting her when she puts Mika in the car seat. How you might ask? Good question. She... wee di wee di wee's her. If you don't know what that means, I'm not surprised, but don't worry it isn't obscene. She just makes her voice really high pitched, and starts squealing wee di wee di wee di wee di wee at Mickaela.

It isn't a phrase often used in daily conversation, except among monkeys, and perhaps among Tribbles, or when talking to babies. Make no mistake, it is also only one of many ridiculous sounds both she and I make at, or because of our baby.

It's almost as though in trying to get Mickaela to learn English the two of us are active regressing. Future updates are planned as I attempt to chronicle our precipitous return to our Cro-Magnon roots.

Other Thought 2:

Houses are a lot of work.

Before you buy your first one, you don't really understand just how much work they are. It's all HGTV, and interior design, and a pathway to financial independence. Then... you movie in. We (The Lesko's) have been hanging out in Frisco for just over 2 years, which really isn't a long time in the life of a house. And yet... the Max, the grass, the laundry, the dishes, the hot water heater, the fence, the dishwasher, the microwave, and the refrigerator all seem to be marshaling their forces on a weekly basis for an assault against my free time. I envision my enemies as an organized Posse.

Now you understand why yard work makes me insane... or maybe you understand how being insane makes me want to carry a firearm while doing yard work.

Dr. Horrible:

Dr. Horrible and his Sing-Along Blog is Neil Patrick Harris' second foray into the realm of TV doctors, and let me say, this one is considerably more awesome than Doogie Howser. He has an ambition, a nemesis, an unrequited love, a freeze ray, a Bad Horse, an Evil League of Evil, Wonderflonium, a strange side kick, and many more glorious moments. It's the story of the true American Dream all wrapped up in harmonic amazing, and glorious hilarity. I highly recommend it. If you're interested, just set aside 45 minutes and enjoy. I've linked to it... as part 1 of my nefarious plot to conquer the world. Watch and be thrilled. PG-13.

This video expired on Hulu. Sadly. I tell you this though. It was amazing, and you should google it if you can.

This concludes our post for today.

A first for me...

2009-10-30T14:14:00.005-05:00

Last weekend Mick, the kids, and I went to a wedding. We are at the stage in our life where we have a lot of friends getting married we average at least 10 a year right now. I know. Well this was a first for us...
Yes that is a baseball field. My first thought was well this girl must be the right girl because somehow John convinced her to get married on a baseball field. My second was...What should I wear?!? The wedding was really cool. Our friend Rachael sang which was probably my favorite part because I have been wanting to hear her sing for some time now. There were many unique things about the wedding. I thought it was great that they made it their own. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Hampton.

A picture of Mr. Tristan being his adorable self trying to patiently wait for cupcakes and running on the baseball field. :)

Mickaela taking a bath...I love it when her hair does that! :)

Mickaela and I after a craft show eating a little lunch outside a couple weeks ago. I just like how her pink stroller makes her eyes stand out. :)

This weekend will be Miss Mickaela's first Halloween so hold your breath I might just get some pictures up here of that. :)

Operation Assimilate Max: Round 2

2009-10-27T09:50:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I left Max in his kennel all day because it was raining and cold outside and who wants to be out in that. Feeling like a good dog mom I went to work.

When I got home I let Max outside and gave him some food and was getting ready to go to Mick's brother's house to see his sister who is in the process of moving to Dallas.

So...I decided to let Max stay in the house but not in his kennel because it was still raining and I felt bad putting him back in his kennel after being in it all day. Again feeling like such a nice dog mom I left to see the family.

2 hours later this is what I return home to:

Operation Assimilate Max: FAIL!

Mom!

2009-10-23T19:50:00.003-05:00

Tristan thrives on routine. It's really the only thing that brings him, and us, peace.

One of the sweeter byproducts of having so much routine for him, is when things start to happen outside the norm we notice. After so long, it's become his routine that really makes his growth stand out.

Right now a typical weeknight looks like this:

Walk in the door
Go to your seat Tristan
Eat dinner
Sneak half of dinner to Max while mommy and daddy aren't looking
Play for a bit
Bathtime with the sister
(and this is the new part) "Mom!... Mooom!... MOm!", "Emmy's coming Tristan.", "Mom! Mooom! MOm! Mom-mie!"

I can't tell you how welcome his chatter is to my ears, and all the while Mickaela babbles away in the background.

My wife is a blessing to our kids, and all of them make our house a happy home... it's musical.

The Twitter Conundrum

2009-10-09T17:04:00.002-05:00

There's a pizzeria near our house named Durkin's Pizza. It's the kind of place that makes you want to support it. Privately owned and operated, and run by one of the more interesting people you'll find anywhere, you can count on 3 things every time you go there:

A great atmosphere intentionally constructed to encourage conversation
Outstanding food at a good price
A warm welcome

The place is run by Michael Durkin, and the guy must spend 100+ hours a week working because he's been there every time I've been there, day or night.

My buddy Dave and I went to Durkin's last night for a late dinner around 9, and as usual Durkin was the lone employee on duty. The happening restaurant was mostly empty, and the lull in business allowed for a great conversation between Durkin, Dave and Myself.

With U2 coming to town, the conversation eventually turned to the concert and how Bono is one of the only showmen who is worth $200. Durkin's position... experiences are what make life valuable, and of all the things you can spend $200 on, an experience you will have for a lifetime ranks near the top.

So, what does this have to do with Twitter?

I completely agree with him. One of my favorite things in the world is losing myself in a moment. Allowing everything else to fade away and being consumed by the simple blessing of whatever I find myself doing. In fact, that's my favorite thing about our newest social media phenomenon. The small everyday experiences that make life enjoyable for us can now have a shadow of themselves conveyed through a blurb, and a photo. We can share the breakfast with our kids, or the drinks with our friends, and let people into the joy God allows us to find in those moments.

So why is it a conundrum?

While I enjoy being let into other people's lives, for me, tweeting means I'm stepping out of the moment God has given me and reducing it to a glimpse to be consumed by a nameless group. The gift of knowing that I'm currently living in a uniquely joyful experience is a slippery awareness for me. As soon as I start thinking about sharing the moment, or as soon as I remove my thoughts from the experience so I can take a picture or type a tweet... the moment leaves me. It's like the event loses it's uniqueness. It's my own ADD version of a catch 22.

All that to say, I think I've become a twitter voyeur. I enjoy seeing how good God can be in the lives of my friends, and I enjoy living in the moment when I realize how good God is in my life.

You may see me tweet interesting tid bits, or joke with my friends, or share an interesting quote, but for the most part... twitter feels like reduction of real life. You'll have to talk to me in person for the good stuff, or if Em convinces me to write one, you might be able to read the blog post.

The Worst Question of All Time at 4 AM

2009-10-07T09:27:00.008-05:00

Hi everyone,

Last night was, by turns, the most disgusting and hysterical night yet in the Lesko household. (For all you guys trying to swat that one out of the park, you can suck it.) To set the stage a little bit, I need to share with you the plight of Max our dog.

Max is 10 months old, and the boy thrives on the time he spends with the family. Unfortunately, he also spends a lot of time alone. During our time at work he's in the back yard, during the night he's locked in his kennel. So for most of his day he rocks it old school solo. Now we can see him get depressed each time we put him outside or in his kennel, and damnit if he isn't such a good dog that it just breaks our heart, so we decided we were going to try to do something about all of his alone time.

The first step in operation Assimilate Max was to get him a portable doggy bed. The plan was to put the bed in his kennel for a while, then move it bit by bit to where we wanted him to spend the night, but ultimately allowing him the freedom to walk the house. The first step in moving the bed is to keep the door to the kennel closed, but unlocked, to see how Max will do with his new boundaries. Well last night around 1 am I woke up to hear Max roaming around the bedroom, and as I'm sure most of you understand my commitment to operation Assimilate Max waned strongly after being woken up in the middle of the night. I went and put him back in his kennel and locked the door. As I went back to bed, I thought I smelled something awful, so I checked the floor as best I could in the dark, and eventually brushed it off to Max having gas.

Fast Forward

4 AM

Mickaela is crying in her bedroom, and Emily and I are participating in our nightly standoff to see who loves our child more than sleep. Since I had already gotten up once with Max I steeled myself to out wait mom, and eventually, just according to my plan, Emily leaves the bed to see to Mickaela. About halfway down the hall I hear Em cry out, and being half asleep I sat bolt upright and asked if she was ok. Her response, "Mickey come here!" Thinking I'm walking into some kind of catastrophic hallway injury I dash from my bed to Emily in the hallway, and find her framed by the bathroom light. As I survey the scene I begin to notice things in slow motion, first Emily is standing as expected on one leg, holding her other leg as if injured. Next, there is something on the floor which she clearly stepped on. Third, that thing on the floor is a pile of poop. Fourth, Emily is not injured. As the two of us stood there in the middle of the night starting at each other over a pile of poop the following exchange took place.

Emily in a whiney voice: Mickey, what is that?

Me very matter of factly: It's poop.

Emily in an even more whiney voice: Who's poop is it?!?!

At that moment I caught a clear glimpse into the world Emily lives in. Living with a dog, and two Lesko boys, when she comes across a pile of poop on the floor she just isn't sure who it belongs to. "Who's poop is it?" is clearly the worst question that can possibly be asked at 4 AM. There is no scenario where that question starts or ends well.

Only God can possibly redeem such a warped reality. Please pray for her.

To my darling wife, I know I've done many things but to this day I have not, nor do I ever plan to, poop on the floor of our house. If the time ever comes where I do poop on the floor, I promise to tell you where before you step in it. I could have written this into our wedding vows but in my wildest dreams I couldn't imagine the scenario where such a thing would need to be clarified.

I love you, I'm sorry you stepped in dog poop barefoot. Have a good day at work.

Busy times.

2009-09-26T22:44:00.006-05:00

We have been navigating some rocky roads lately, and I believe have made it to the other side. I realized how much of a creature of habit I am and how I miss my routine right now.

It all started Monday two weeks ago. I got a call from daycare that Mickaela had a fever and was not feeling well. I left work a little early to pick her up and spent the remainder of the day working from home. (Luckily I have a great job that has been so flexible for me) So Tuesday, Mickaela still had a fever which means no day school for her.

I got a phone call late Monday evening saying that my Nana picture below had been admitted to the hospital. She had been fighting a reaccurence of breast cancer for a little more than a year. Mickaela and I were able to leave on Wed. to go see her we stayed until Sunday so I could go back to work Monday.
Sunday night Mickaela woke up in the middle of the night with a fever again. So no daycare again ergh. I was able to work from home and get her to the dr. they said she had another cold.

Monday during the night I got a phone call from my sister that Nana had gone to be with the Lord.
Tuesday was another fever day working from home and another trip back to the dr. because Mickaela was pretty inconsolable all day. No ear infection. Tuesday night Mickaela started throwing up. We became the dr.'s favorite patient and called the triage nurse. :/ Pedialyte started and packing began.

Wednesday Mick, Mickaela and I packed up the car and dropped Max off at Alex and Laura's house and headed back to Midland. We were able to spend some time with family and finish helping with planning for the visitation and funeral. It was all a bit surreal. Nana was a sweet, caring, loving woman who taught me a great deal. Although we knew the day was coming...it seemed too soon. I pray that I can carry on even just a few of the characteristics that God blessed Nana with. She is missed.

Thursday was Tristan's 4th birthday! What a big boy...he went to the dr. and was 39 lbs. and 42 inches tall. So BIG! We were able to get back to Dallas on Friday night in time to pick him up and he and I took a trip to the grocery store to pick out the very important birthday cake for his family get together tonight. Tristan is learning to make choices right now so it was so fun letting him choose his cake and icing. He chose the confetti cake and chocolate icing with sprinkles. Yummy! He got lots of great presents and will have lots of fun for many days to come.

He probably liked the packaging as much as the toys...gotta love those peanuts!

So hopefully...back to the routine on Monday!

Thank you for all of my sweet friends who have been praying and caring for me over the last few weeks. I realize over and over how blessed I am. God is good...all the time.

Our Trip to Midland...

2009-09-07T21:53:00.010-05:00

Mick, Mickaela and I loaded up the car late Saturday night after a wedding Mick was in and headed to Midland for some important introductions! Mickaela did great for the most part...Dad and Mom are a little tired but it was a great trip! Thank you Julie and Steve for letting us crash your place for the weekend! Love you all! Mickaela meeting Aunt Julie, Uncle Steve, Ross and Mason

Mickaela with Nana :)

Mickaela in THE red rocking chair...all of the Montgomery grandchildren and great grand children have had their picture taken in this chair. I have one too, that Nana gave me while I was there...If I ever get it scanned in I will post it. :0)

Mickaela with PawPaw

Mickaela hanging with Uncle Dennis...I think that banana pudding looks good...can I have some? :)

Ross feeding Mickaela :) What a picture...

Mason and his new friend Mickaela...They were so cute playing together!

Crawling around the kitchen where we were staying :) I think she had a great time!!

What a weekend...Warning this is long...

2009-08-31T12:31:00.006-05:00

So this weekend was packed full of stuff and Mick and I moving in different directions.

Friday night I stayed home with the kiddos while Mick had a fantasy football draft event. So fun...I can't wait to watch Mickey's team win!! I love football season! If I knew more about football maybe I would join a league...I think I will wait until next year and get Mickey to teach me a thing or two this year. :)

So Saturday...
Mickey has been working a running plan and has made it to day 60! What an accomplishment I think...I am excited for him. Saturday morning he went to run a 5K in downtown Dallas. Which he did in 29 minutes. Way better than I have ever run a 5K!

So while he was at the run I took both of the kiddos to Tristan's Occupational Therapy appointment. Tristan did "the best he has ever done" (I was thrilled to hear that when they came out because from the sound of things sitting in the waiting room I was not sure!). He had at least 2 big fits. The therapist informed me he was "working for bear" so he had to do the activity before he could get bear back. Which no one messes with BEAR! So that is what his fits were about. But...she said it worked! He made choices 40% of the time which is HUGE for our little guy! We are working our way to 100%! So Mickaela and I sat in the waiting room ate breakfast and once he finished headed home.

I had a skype conference call for work at home for an hour and a half which was pretty fun...in the middle of my call Mick walked into the bedroom (where I was locked in) and mouthed "Tristan threw up what should I clean it with". I thought he said something about tile in there so I said "clorox wipes". When my call finished I realized I was sorely mistaken! It was Mickaela's (carpeted) room where Tristan had lost his breakfast (which inclueded CHOCOLATE MILK). So Mick left to borrow a steam cleaner from his parents (THANK YOU!) and I went to trying to soak up the stuff with cloths. By this time it was time for lunch for both kiddos and mom and dad. So I left the stuff covered with old rags and made lunch. Dad made it back with the steam cleaner just in time for nap time! :) So both kids went down and I cleaned the carpets...It worked pretty well!

Then we got to try out Freddy's Frozen Custard for afternoon Ice Cream with some of our sweet friends Courtney (we call girl Courtney at our house) and Matt. It was so good to see them!

From there we headed to Sams Club so Mick could sneak away without a big melt down from our little guy. He had a bachleor party to get to and we had some birthday shopping to do. So we get to Sams (where I realize my sams membership is all messed up and I have already tried twice to get it fixed and dont want to hassle with the same converstation again to just get no where sooooo....we left with nothing.).

Off to Allen outlet mall with both kiddos in tow hoping we can make it there get the one thing we need all before Mickaela needs to eat dinner! Of course we get there and I go to store #1 for birthday present for Mick...Sorry mam all we have is kids...well that's not going to work! So I am headed to store number two, we will just walk its not to hot and Tristan is being VERY GOOD. As we are walking I pass The Children's Place outlet prices starting at 2.99! I have to go look...yes I am insane. I go in and find two shirts for Tristan and a onesie for Mickaela...success! We make it out without any major meltdowns. Tristan is doing so well listening! We head over to store #2 and find exactly what I was looking for, make the purchase and head back to the car. Both kiddos are doing great I think to myself...I can just make one more stop at a Mommy store (Ann Taylor Outlet) :) I walk in and make it back to the sale rack find something I think is super cute and all of a sudden our limit is reached. Mickaela looses her patience with being stuck in the stroller and Tristan finds a friend that he "must" play with! So I grab Mickaela out of the stroller (that seems to soothe her) and Tristan realizes there is an open seat! Tristan plops down in the stroller and buckles up :)! So here I am crazy bag lady carrying the baby and pushing the near 4 year old trying to make it through doors and to the car...I am sure there were a few laughs or stares from passers by. OH Well!

Finally I made it home! All in all a successful shopping trip. I really need to clean the house but honestly I can't even think about it!

Get dinner for both kiddos...baths...then BED! I contimplate cleaning again...and decide NAH! I'll do it tomorrow. I sit on the couch and fall asleep, then get moved to bed when Mick gets home. Then at 3am I hear Mickaela wailing in her room. Mick gets up to get her and realizes he does not have what she needs. So I get up with her and she decides that playing at 3am is a good idea! NO NO my dear. We eat we go back to sleep...don't you remember this routine! Finally around 4 or so I get her in the swing and back to sleep (I love that swing). I go crawl back in bed and sleep until 7 when Mickaela decides it's time to do it all again!

What fun!!! I can't even finish the post with Sunday because no one will read it...So I will strategically place some pictures here so at least people have to scroll through it :).

Mickaela is a super stander now! :)

Tristan has a new hat! Mickaela has a great sleeping pose :)

Little Miss...

2009-08-10T11:00:00.005-05:00

Mickaela is now able to hold her bottle by herself...check this out!! Here I believe she is modeling her new outfit pants and all that I made for her... I just think she is so cute...She is working non stop on crawling...she will be zooming around before we know it.

More updates...

2009-07-30T21:50:00.013-05:00

So I have been informed that some people do check my blog even though I haven't been great at updating...so here's some more of what we've been up to...

I made Mickaela a new shirt with the help of my friend Jenny It was fun to sew with Jenny...I made the pants later...

Our friends Allie and Issac got married :)...here are all the home group ladies (minus a couple)
Tristan is getting bigger and cuter :)

Mickey's sister Kathleen, brother in law Rob and their two girls Isabelle and Elena came into town to hunt for a house and meet Mickaela...I think they like her :)

Maddie (our other niece) loving on her newest cousin.
Mickaela rockin her favorite hair do...Thanks dad! (I know that's what she was thinking) I gotta say its one of my favorite photos...I think she is just so cute :)

June / July 2009 Some Pictures

2009-07-16T10:25:00.009-05:00

OK...Here are some pics from the last couple weeks.

She is getting ready to crawl any day now :)

Getting ready for summer!
Stylin in Mommy's sunglasses .
And sitting up like a big girl!!!

Mick sweetly hung the curtains that my friend Jenny and I worked on over a month ago in our bedroom don't they look great :) Thanks Jenny!!

Ok, I will try to be a little more consistent here... There's been lots going on. More to come.

Averaging once a month

2009-07-16T10:21:00.001-05:00

Not a good average...I will try to post more soon.

Today we go to the dr. to see how big our littlest sweetie is. She is officially 6 mos old!! Oh my! More to come...Including pictures I am sure. :)

More updates from our recent adventures...

2009-06-19T13:13:00.008-05:00

Mickaela took her first plane ride to Miami to see her Aunt Bug and Uncle Freddie. She did great!
Mickaela has been getting some sun...

Mickaela went to have a play date with her friend Meli Brewer...they had a great time. My friend Sharon says Mickaela learned that face from me...hehe...I don't know what she's talking about ;)

Mickaela's first rice cereal! She is doing great with eating cereal...we will soon start veggies (can't wait :)).

It has been way to long here's what we've been up to...warning this is going to be a long post!!

2009-06-18T22:49:00.011-05:00

Mickaela met her friend Jackson Blair who lives in Maylasia. My college roomate Amy and her husband were in town and we all got to meet Jackson. Mickaela and Jackson are not sure about each other here...but they became good friends by the en d of the day :).

All four of us college roomates were able to get together for a reunion with four of our kiddos who are all born with in 9 months of eachother. It was so fun being able to see Levi, Parker, Jackson and Mickaela together (Thats right 3 BOYS and MICKAELA).

Max and Mickaela are becoming buds...Max is getting big!
I got a new toy...this Brother! :) and made some new things...
Tristan is starting to get used to being a big brother!! How cute is this! :)

More to come....

Multitasking at its finest:

2009-05-28T13:29:00.003-05:00

Things I have learned to do while feeding the baby or pumping...

1. put dinner in oven
2. email
3. eat
4. make cookies or brownies
5. take dinner out of oven
6. twitter
7. blog
8. conference call :) (now you are going to wonder every time we are on the phone together)
9. laundry
10. reprimand dog who is barking at me because he thinks I am being attacked.
11. drive (while pumping)
12. bathe son
13. take out the trash
14. text
15. read
16. go to the bathroom
17. dress son
18. put son to bed
19. type one handed

So this is just the beginning of the list...don't judge, moms you know you have done it too! :)

My new office

2009-05-11T20:50:00.005-05:00

So I recently got a new role at work and with it came an office with a door :)...Below is what I stare at all day:

Family Pictures

2009-05-11T11:47:00.006-05:00

We have a friend named Paul who is a photographer and kindly takes photos of our family every now and then...his website is linked here: PaulGoImages. He took some family pictures for us a couple weeks ago the link is listed below.

Click here for pictures Of the Leskos

Some of the pictures that didn't make it to the website (for obvious reasons) I thought would be funny to show here...we're all family right...

I think the guys had more fun running in the park than taking pictures :)

It was a little windy that morning...

Yes he is licking the sign in the park...YUCK!!! (You can't see our faces in the back ground but we are both laughing and yelling TRISTAN NOOOOOOO at the same time. ) And of course Paul was there to capture the precious moments of our life...

Bookcases

2009-04-21T21:20:00.004-05:00

We recently acquired some black bookcases from a friend and at first had them in the office then we got some new bookcases that were much more fitting for the space and I decided that Mickaela's room needed some shelving but black would not do. So I painted the book cases brown then added some girlie touches...ribbon around the edge and fabric in the back topped off with some pink and while tubs and voila...

Mickaela's first kiss...

2009-04-20T10:49:00.008-05:00

So I have a wonderful friend named Alison Treadaway (her blog is on my list). She was so gracious to keep our beautiful girl while I worked last week after loosing our sitter. Even better than that she took pictures of Mickaela and Parker (her almost 1 year old son).

Here is Mickaela's smirk/smile :) she was having fun with Aunt Ali!

She got a little surprised by the flash...

Parker was mimicking Mickaela as she played on the floor :)

So apparently this is Parker going in for the "kill" ;) Mickaela got her first several kisses I was told.

This was parker teaching Mickaela what to do with the toys on her bouncy seat :) What a big helper!!
Mick and I are constantly amazed by God's grace in our life, this is one of the ways he has shown me that He is soverign and that he is taking care of us. Thank you Ali for caring for my little girl while I couldn't be there to do it myself. Right now she is playing with our other friend Lindsay and later this week Miss Ange will be taking care of her. WHAT A HUGE BLESSING!!! I can't begin to tell you the kind of peace I have been given. And what joy it brings me to know that Mickaela is being taken care of people in our community of friends who love her and care for her like she was their own.

Ladies, Thank you!

You thought I forgot how to blog...i guess its been a while

2009-04-05T19:56:00.009-05:00

We had a busy fun weekend here are the highlights...

Mickaela went to her very first friend birthday party Lydia is 1! So fun...

Also our sweet friend Aunt Anna came in town from Michigan to meet Mickaela...

and Max...Lots of fun!!

Projects

2009-03-09T16:33:00.004-05:00

New bookcases in the office for all of those books :)
Mickaela's room now has her name on it! :) It was lots of fun painting.

7 weeks old tomorrow OH MY!

2009-03-04T13:11:00.007-06:00

Mickaela has started smiling :)

She also likes her thumb...

week 4 - 5

2009-02-21T12:22:00.009-06:00

We tried out our sling made by Saffron Mickaela liked it alot she fell asleep...and I got to mop the floor. :)
Having some "tummy time"...it looked like she was going to start crawling for a second. She is so big!

Aunt Bug and Aunt Mary came to visit Mickaela didn't like the camera much that day...

Uncle Freddie...doing a great job!

Lounging with Aunt Bug!

Tristan's big boy haircut, and new jammies from Aunt Bug & Uncle Freddie!

3 weeks old

2009-02-09T16:41:00.004-06:00

More Pictures of Mickaela

2009-01-29T17:36:00.003-06:00

More pics...

2009-01-23T13:24:00.008-06:00

I am learning to multitask fairly well...email, burp the baby, and play with the dog all at the same time :)...

After all that I needed a nap...
Mickaela likes slepping on the boppy pillow...its become one of her favorites!
Grammy was here to visit for the week and helped me out tremendously...she also finished up Mickaela's bed I think it turned out super cute!! (See below) - Thank you Grammy!

Mickaela Abigail Is HERE

2009-01-19T08:47:00.012-06:00

Mickaela Abigail Lesko was born at 2:54 PM on 1/15/2009. She weighed in at 7 lbs 12 oz and she measured 20.5 inches long. The coolest thing is that Daddy got to deliver our little girl into the world with my FABULOUS Dr.! I couldn't have asked for a better team at the hospital.

Daddy and little Mickaela just after she was all cleaned up.

Another reason to get an epidural you can make this face after you do all that pushing.

Some of our visitors at the hospital. My sweet friend Alison and her son Parker. We are talking about arranging the marriage now so they don't have to worry about it later :).
Little Mickaela at home in her lamb swing...Thank you Komen Family for a comfy place to sleep!
Mickaela with two of her cousins Mackenzie and Molly they came in from Houston to meet their new friend!
Mommy and Mickaela at home snuggling...one of our favorite things!
Daddy and Mickaela doing her favorite thing...sleeping in her daddy's arms.
Daddy and Big brother Tristan geting used to little sister...Tristan is a great big brother!

Update from the Dr.

2009-01-12T21:32:00.002-06:00

I went to the Dr. today for the last time until we go to the hospital. The baby is doing fine, measuring on schedule, good heart beat. I am almost a full 3 cm and effaced. We have a few more days left. If I don't have her by Monday, then we will be inducing on Tuesday morning. Here's hoping she comes on her own. If not we will get to meet her next week :).

We'll keep everyone updated.

2009-01-10T09:21:00.000-06:00

The belly at 39 weeks and 1 day :) still in my jammies. YAY for Saturday!

Baby Room - 39 Weeks

2009-01-09T07:14:00.003-06:00

We are getting ready for our little girl to arrive. We have her crib set up (Thank you Grammy!). We are getting the last couple of things this week and we will be all set for our little girl any day. Last Monday I went to the Dr. and I was 2 cm dilated and 80-90% effaced and the baby has dropped down some. I have been feeling pretty well...so we are just waiting.

World... Meet Max

2009-01-06T11:11:00.008-06:00

So here's the story with Max. In case you couldn't already tell, Max is my dog, and yes he is awesome. Now I know what you're thinking... "Aren't they about to have a baby? Why would anyone get a puppy a week before they have a new born?"

Well... look at him.

Seriously, a better question might be, who could walk away from this little guy at the rock bottom price of 25 dollars. Now I have a friend, who will watch Michigan Football with me and hate Ohio State just as much as I do.

I tried to get a picture of him while he was awake so you could see how ferocious he is, but he's little and mostly tired these days. To get him in his best form I'd need to get the camera out around 2:15 AM, and I just don't have it in me at that time. This is the best we could do during human waking hours.

Anyway, aside from keeping me up all night he is the sweetest little pup, and he's already brought me closer to the Lord.

Where before I used to sleep, these days I'm routinely praying God will work some magic once the baby comes, and keep me relatively sane... with no sleep... evar! Cuz this...

... only happens during the day.

For now though, Max is not classified under the wisdom category, as much as he is under the category of "Reasons Why Emily has the Patience of a Saint".

Did I mention I didn't exactly ask her before buying him?

I should be dead right now, but she just fell in love with the little guy, and got excited right along with me.

My wife and I are meant for each other.

Pictures by Paul G.

2009-01-02T20:30:00.007-06:00

Our sweet friend Paul G. took some great photos for us. We had a great time playing and he caught some fun ones. To see more of his work visit www.paulgoimages.com.

Baby update - 37 weeks

2008-12-29T15:02:00.005-06:00

I went to the Dr. today for my weekly appt. I am currently getting close to 2 cm dilated and progressing well. I have spent the last few days off washing little pink clothes and getting the hospital bags packed just in case. We shall see when little miss Lesko wants to grace us with her presence. :)

Christmas Lesko Style

2008-12-29T14:56:00.003-06:00

We had a great Christmas this year, Tristan actually got the whole unwrapping presents thing, he had a great time playing with all of his new toys and games. Here are a few pics of his big day :). I also made my first turkey.

Daddy Issues

2008-12-22T19:44:00.005-06:00

What two words convey more heart ache than these?

She's such a small girl, and every where she looks people are telling her how beautful she is, or how cute. She has a need to be seen, like all kids do. More than anything she wants to be validated, loved, and accepted. So she dances, and the boys look. Even that one boy who hasn't told her she's beautful. The one whose compliments mean more than everyone else because he only whispers them at night. So she laughs when she wouldn't, and makes time for things she doesn't care about until he sees her, and finally he does.

Then he presses, and she isn't ready. His disappointment bites at her heart until she gives into him, just like she did with the last boy. She just wants him to be happy with her.

How can a man raise his daughter to embrace a full life, and find her security in Jesus? Do I only need to love her enough? Maybe if I take her on dates she will learn what it means for a guy to treat her well. Maybe if I pray with her every night she will learn to see how God loves her throughout her day. Maybe if I tell her I love her enough she will understand that love comes from somewhere deeper than the skin.

Even if I do all those things will she understand? Will she know they can't see her beauty in a dance? Or will she still have daddy issues?

36 weeks...let the count down begin

2008-12-21T16:17:00.000-06:00

I have begun the countdown to the big baby day...I am going to the dr. every week now, last week I was dilated 1 cm and "starting to soften". I go back tomorrow at 10am so we shall see if there is any more progression. Until then here is a photo of the belly.

Christmas Tree

2008-12-18T20:59:00.000-06:00

Our first official tree is up and BeaUtiful :) If I do say so myself. Tristan was a big helper putting all the ornaments on...

Pics from the Sidebottom Rehearsal - Thanksgiving week

2008-12-17T13:11:00.000-06:00

We went to Austin for Thanksgiving to celebrate our friends Lainey and Brett getting MARRIED :) WhooHoo! Here are a couple of pictures of Mickey and me after the rehearsal dinner :)

The Blogiverse

2008-12-11T09:49:00.000-06:00

This whole thing about blogs is an enigma to me. I currently have a "blog", but really it's more of a journal. The simple truth is, its really convenient to journal on a blog because it is searchable, and accessible from anywhere, and frankly I type faster thanI write these days. The thing about journals though, it just isn't possible for me to be completely honest with God when I have an audience. The depth of the expression is constantly tempered by asking, who is reading this, what will they think of what I've written, will they hear it as I mean it, is this theologically sound? In my private journal my thoughts are only seen by God and me. There is no fear of discovery, or judgement. I am free to be totally unfettered. So, Journal = PrivateBlog.

Then "we" have this blog, but I don't see any of the fellas posting on the blogs maintained by their wives. Most of them have their own blog available for public consumption, and lets be honest, it's better that way. Girls like to talk about things girls like. Boys like to talk about things that are cool. I mean the ultrasound pictures of our wildly anticipated baby girl just aren't as poignant when I follow them up with the picture of a jet engine, or 16" inch deck guns. No guy in his right mind can continue to focus on baby pictures when there is a jet engine diagram to study. (Secretly, I think the girls care more about the jet engine than the baby too, but I can't prove that.) So, Lesko Chronicles = PublicGirlBlog.

Which leaves me with the option of posting my thoughts to the world on the PublicGirlBlog or starting a 3rd blog. In my mind starting a third blog is kinda like buying a 3rd cell phone. It's just a little excessive.

This ironclad logic has convinced me that I should be posting semiregularly on the PublicGirlBlog. Y'all tell me how this works out.

34 weeks and then some....

2008-12-09T13:47:00.000-06:00

I went to the dr. yesterday and I am growing on track. I gained 1 lb this week. Little miss Lesko's heart rate was good, her head is down and her but is in my left rib :). I had to have an ultrasound last week to check my gall bladder because I have been having some pain on my right side, but all is well. No surgery to remove it no sign of gall stones or inflamation. So we are trying pepcid AC everyday for the next week to see if it is just acid reflux presenting "weird". I think she is starting to drop a little lower so her little feet aren't kicking the "bad spot" as we call it at the house as easily so that is helpful.

Stay tuned for some family photos, we have a wonderful friend Paul who took some pictures for us and I will put some up as soon as we get them.

I am now on a weekly dr. visit schedule. So more updates I am sure will come.

Until then...

Husband of the Year...again

2008-12-02T17:10:00.000-06:00

Some of you know we have been working on a little bathroom project lately...and it is finally done! Thanks to my sweet husband who surprised me on Monday with a tile floor! They finished putting it in on Saturday...YAY!!!

It Has Begun

2008-11-20T22:06:00.000-06:00

Do you know what you're looking at?

That's a jet engine.

It's also the engine Brad and I are going to use in our soccer mom suburban assault vehicle. Think the Batmobile, but with room for 8.

I'll show you the artillery later.

I am more than a mom...

2008-11-19T08:25:00.001-06:00

So I have realized recently that I talk a lot about kids, pregnancy, and preparing for little miss Lesko. So I thought I would try to blog about something different...probably no pictures to post for this one.

We recently started a home group (I am thinking about this today because we go tonight :)) with some friends of ours Byron & Heather Moore. It has only been 5 weeks now but it is so much fun! I have forgotten how great home group can be, I have not been attending one for about 9 months or so and was a home group leader before that. There are so many things that make home group great, one is that we get to hang out with our friends, the other is I feel like we have found a group where I feel safe, I can talk to them, look stupid, eat lots of food, and feel at home. I guess I just realized that this is something I have been missing for a while. There are many ways that God teaches me, being around other Christians, and feeling safe enough to be honest, is for sure one of those ways.

30 weeks aka more than 7 months woah!

2008-11-09T09:36:00.000-06:00

My wife is so cute! And she has no idea I'm adding this :P

My 30 week belly - our little girl is growing on track and everything seems to be going well. Looks like I passed my glucose test. Stay tuned for updates :)...

Our little Monkey...

2008-11-09T09:23:00.000-06:00

Tristan was a monkey for Halloween...we had so much fun with friends and then took a big trip to see Grammy and Grandpa in Houston. He wanted to wear his costume all the way down to Houston too (and he did :)). I think he had fun too...

2008-10-15T07:45:00.000-05:00

Here are the ultrasound pictures of little miss Lesko...the first is a profile of her face, the second her arm laying over her face...She is so cute. There were more that show the front view of her face, but it looks a little alien like right now so I decided to go with the cute ones :)

Update from the Ultrasound

2008-10-13T17:30:00.001-05:00

So today we went in to have our second ultrasound. Little girl Lesko is doing great and is "for sure" a girl. She is weighing in at 2 lbs 7 oz, which is in the 65 percentile she is growing right on track, all of her parts were measured and look good. Good news, my placenta has moved out of the way :0) YAY! Everything that they checked came back as right on track and normal. It was great to get to see her moving around. Once I am able to scan the pictures i will upload them. :)

Baby Bump - 26 weeks

2008-10-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

We are on our way to the third trimester...here is an update of the belly while I was in Birmingham visiting Bug :)

Tristan's big weekend cont...

2008-09-20T21:14:00.001-05:00

Tristan had his 3rd birthday party this weekend. We had a great time with friends and family. Here are a few photos of the main event :)...

Tristans big weekend...

2008-09-20T21:12:00.000-05:00

Tristan was trying on Emmy's sunglasses so we decided to get him his own for his birthday. :) I think the spiderman is a much better fit. Although he looks great in both.

20 weeks aka 5 months woah!

2008-08-31T21:16:00.000-05:00

Well we are moving right along and our little girl is growing...here is an updated picture of the ever growing belly :).

I go to the Dr. on Wed. of this week...hopefully I will have some update at that point.

Nesting continues

2008-08-31T21:13:00.000-05:00

This weekend I made another trip back to Hobby Lobby and got some more canvases to paint some pictures for Tristan's room. :) Hopefully he will like it. I painted his name a few months ago for his shelf.

Baby update...

2008-08-26T08:15:00.000-05:00

Well I have made it to a neat stage in this pregnancy I can feel our little girl moving around pretty much every day, we found out this weekend she likes it when daddy plays Halo she really gets moving when I am sitting on the couch watching :0) (It might just be because he usually plays at night and that is when she gets really active but...I am sticking to my story :0))

We should have more updates after next week, I have another doctor's appointment on Wed.

Nesting begins...

2008-08-17T18:22:00.000-05:00

I got a little creative this weekend and painted some wall hangings for the baby's room. We shall see how the rest turns out. I also got the room cleaned out and ready for more updates :)...stay tuned.

IT'S A ...

2008-08-10T13:35:00.000-05:00

GIRL!!!!!

We are thrilled! Our little girl was very cooperative with the Dr. on Friday, she let him measure all the things he needed to. She is growing right on schedule she measured at about 7 oz.

It is such a neat thing to get to see her growing inside me. I am working on getting pictures or some of the video uploaded (we need to get it into a good format).

We have already started looking for fun girlie things for her room, Grammy has offered to make her bedding and curtains which is very sweet!

Stay tuned...

Tristan and steak...

2008-08-06T18:40:00.000-05:00

As many of you know our sweet boy is a picky eater this week we had a banner week! Last night we had dinner with our friends Brett and Lainey for Lainey's birthday. On the menu...STEAK!

We thought lets give it a try we gave Tristan baked potato, steak, shrimp, and bread. Normally he would touch nothing but the bread. He tried the shrimp and spit it out immediately...ahh but the steak he ate 4 bites! Emmy was so excited! The above are pictures of our little guys post steak face :)

Belly...

2008-08-06T18:39:00.000-05:00

Updated belly shot...16.5 weeks :)

August 6, 2008

Boys have ruled too long...

2008-08-05T17:27:00.000-05:00

So the boy stuff has been on too long, so I am just posting to put something kind of girlie back in view :)...

We will be going to the Dr. on Friday to find out if this next little Lesko is a boy or a girl...I personally can't wait! I will update as soon as I can after that.

I think this is a funny picture of our #1 guy!

I Am Watching

2008-07-18T10:38:00.000-05:00

I have been closely monitoring this blog, and have decided that it is overwhelmingly girly.

Therefore, I am adding guns...

and cars...

and now I feel better.

Soccer ball...

As promised :)

2008-07-18T08:48:00.001-05:00

Our little one lounging in mommy's belly! Thank you Nicole for helping me by getting the picture scanned :)!

This was a picture at 13 weeks. The baby is 14 weeks old now and we will get to find out if it is a boy or girl on August 8th...I can't wait!

Dr. Appointment

2008-07-15T17:06:00.000-05:00

Friday, July 11 I went to the Dr. to check up on little baby Lesko. He or She is doing great the heartbeat was strong 169 beats per minute (Normal is between 160-180). YAY! I also got a special treat I got to see the baby...it is so neat to get to see the head and body... baby was lounging with its hand behind its head. SOOO CUTE!

I will try to scan the picture and post it.

The Best Husband Award...

2008-07-08T21:02:00.000-05:00

Goes too...MICKEY LESKO! So tonight I was sitting on the couch with my sweet husband and all of a sudden White Cheddar Popcorn! I must have some...Mickey springs into action first finding what store has the Cape Cod White Cheddar Popcorn I am craving at the moment...then out in to the thunderstorm that is rolling through Frisco at the moment and on to more than one store to find the popcorn...an hour and a half later and one bag of popcorn I am a happy girl!

He's such a great husband!! :) I am such a lucky girl!

12 Weeks

2008-07-04T15:46:00.000-05:00

As promised here is our little button growing in my belly! The 12 week bump is here. I will keep you updated. Home stretch to the 2nd trimester this week!

YAY!!!

Tristan likes pudding

2008-07-04T15:41:00.001-05:00

I tried making jello pudding last week and turns out I did alright. It was a big hit with Tristan he at some of mine and some of dads :) I loved the mustache.

Such a happy guy!

High School Musical 2

2008-06-14T21:42:00.000-05:00

We had the tv on last night and found... thats right High School Musical 2... and were watching it. This was Tristan's reaction to the show...I'm not quite sure if he liked it. Later he started dancing to the music so it couldn't have been that bad. :)

What a great face though!

Volleyball with Tristan

2008-05-22T20:37:00.000-05:00

So I forgot the camera...one of many things I have forgotten recently. However, Tristan and Emmy went to play volleyball with our group of friends the FNFN crowd from our church. It was an adventure for the little guy, as far as I know this was his first sand experience. And what a fun time at least for the adults, I took his shoes off so he could get the real experience. It was really funny to watch, I don't think he is a big fan of the sand between his toes. He started running on his tip toes to catch up with me and nearly climbed all the way up my leg. So I picked him up and took him closer to the courts where he could play with other friends and he didn't want to get down, every time we tried to set him down he would pull his legs up underneath him. Then he would grab my hand and use it to wipe off his feet. :) One day he will be out there with the big boys playing...he just needs a little time.

Now the pool on the other hand, we barely made it past without him jumping in. He loves water! Tristan didn't get in the pool but bear made a flying leap in :0) Oops. Emmy rescued him and rang him out.

What a night. We had a great time.

First Belly Picture - Almost 6 wks

2008-05-19T17:53:00.001-05:00

And a new hair cut...A friend of mine did a belly meter and I thought it was so cool, so I thought I'd copy... :0)

So here is the first mark on the meter almost six weeks along...

Some of y'all haven't seen me recently so I also thought you would like to see my new do, Andrea (my sister) cut 10 inches off of my hair last weekend. Just enough to donate and I have been getting lots of compliments. Thanks Bug!!

Week 5

2008-05-16T14:02:00.000-05:00

I went to the doctor today for a colposcopy because of an abnormal pap. So the good news is the Dr. said we will just be able to watch it for a while she didn't see anything that she needed to biopsy which is good because that is really uncomfortable and it can cause a lot of bleeding when you are pregnant. So one big hump we have made it over. I have to go back in when I am 28 weeks and have another one.

Tristan is home tonight we are going to play volleyball. :) I am sure I will have pictures to update soon.

Thank you for those of you who were praying for my appointment this morning. I know God was watching out for us today.

Well its official...

2008-05-12T21:11:00.000-05:00

We are having a baby! :)

We couldn't be more excited. I went to my first doctor's appointment today and I am about 4 weeks and 6 days along. So around January of 2009 we will have another bundle of joy around the Lesko house.

Mickey is such a proud papa, he couldn't wait to tell everyone! Tristan doesn't really understand, but we are sure he will be so excited as it gets closer. :)

Thank you for all of your prayers and love!

We will keep you posted.

Wednesdays with Josh

2008-05-08T16:10:00.000-05:00

We have a wonderful friend named Josh who comes over to have dinner with us every other wed. night. We love having Josh to visit and Tristan is always so excited when Joshypop walks through the door. I thought these pictures were great. Tristan tried on Josh's boots and I think they look pretty good! :-) Mickey said we might need to get him a pair so Tristan will have some to play with all the time.

Tristan got a hair cut

2008-05-05T20:30:00.000-05:00

Tristan got his first big boy hair cut and doesn't he look great! Emmy and Daddy think so!

On Saturdays Emmy and Tristan have a special tradition we go to the local donut store and get kolaches (his favorite) and donut holes. It is our favorite part of the weekend! It also lets Daddy sleep in just a little longer (since he has probably gotten up during the night with Tristan).

Our House...a very very very fine house :0)

2008-04-26T22:45:00.000-05:00

In September of last year we found a house that we thought there was no way we could make it work...then by the grace of God we made an offer that any sane person would refuse and it was accepted! We did some painting and now it is home...

I learned something new about my husband during the process that he picks out great colors. Here are a few pictures...