Janet's Blog

It’s December again-- time to celebrate the birth of a Baby, Jesus, who came to Earth so long ago to save us all from our sins. I was blessed to be in Wisconsin for a few days, staying with Erin and Reed, and another new baby, William (Will) Langdon Tyler, who made his appearance a little early, on December 7. He was just 18 inches long, and 4 pounds 14 ounces, when he was born, but he is strong and healthy. Erin will be able to stay home with him for the next semester and summer, while she teaches just two online courses for the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, and continues to teach piano lessons at home. Reed has some paternity leave from his job at Edgewater College, so he is able to be home, too, with Erin and the  baby. It has been a year of blessings for our whole family. Meagan and Andy are doing a great job of raising their four kids. The three oldest are excelling with their homeschooling studies, and little Ari just enjoys life, exploring anythi...

As I ventured out of Erin and Reed's house this afternoon, for a walk in their neighborhood, one word came to mind: FRIGID. The temperature hovered in the mid-twenties, but the humidity was at least 80%, so the air felt much colder, even with no wind. After thirty-seven western Nebraska winters, I had almost forgotten what winter is like in the Northern states. Erin and Reed's house A few stray snowflakes sputtered down from the leaden sky as I walked briskly along the sidewalk. Soon, I was wishing for the snow pants and warmer gloves that hadn't fit in my suitcase. These wetlands are within easy walking distance from the house. I headed for the wide, asphalt path that led through the wetlands, just a couple of blocks away. The grasses were brown, of course, and tall, framing a perfect circle of ice in the middle of the marsh. Except for a lone cardinal scooting through the air, I didn't spot any wildlife. This gravel path winds through the neighborho...

Baby Will was supposed to be a Christmas baby, but he didn't quite make it. Our oldest daughter, Erin, and her husband, Reed, have been anxiously waiting for the day their first baby would arrive, hoping he wouldn't follow in his mother's footsteps, and make them wait an extra week or two. Instead, his doctor noticed that he wasn't growing much at all in the womb during the last three weeks or so, because the placenta's blood supply seemed to be compromised. Because of that, Erin was induced last week, and William Langdon Tyler made his appearance on Saturday, December 7th, at 1:08 in the afternoon. Will weighed four pounds and fourteen ounces, and was 18 inches long at birth. The blue light you see in the photos is from his Bili blanket, because his bilirubin is high. The special light will help his body  rid itself of unneeded red blood cells, wh ich turn his skin the telltale yellow that signifies jaundice. This is a common problem for  low birth weight  bab...