11 months old!

these are a few of my favorite things... 

the doctor is in

I couldn't resist posting these photos.

 hmmm, what to use first... which does Mommy use more frequently on me?

practicing BLS...

a possible career in the making? perhaps... but then again, Marc also likes to get into the recycle and trash... so I am not counting on it.

don't cry over spilt milk. or oatmeal.

I turned my back for a moment to get the rest of Marc's food and this is what happened...

"oops, Mommy!"

 "ohhhh, this could be fun..."

 try to salvage the meal?... nah.

satisfaction.

What I am to do but clean it up?... and make something else for breakfast.

Lessons learned:

1. Don't leave bowl filled with food within an arms reach of a curious baby

2. Marc wants more finger foods

3. perhaps I should start to teach him about his spoon

4. be prepared for a bigger mess to result while you take pictures of a cute little mess

5. Marc is going to have a great time finger-painting someday... make sure to cover everything else in sight.

January marches on...

          ...and we have been busy...

 ...playing with friends!

 ...making cute faces!

 ...reading new books!

 ...standing up!

...growing teeth! (working on #3)

...and soaking up these precious moments!

our January newsletter

The past few years around the beginning of December I start to think, maybe this year I will write a newsletter to mail out at Christmastime and send a sweet family picture with a nice Christmas wish... and then January hits and I think, "well - that was fun! It was nice to get all these Christmas cards... maybe next year I will send something out, too." Well. Yes. Now it is January. and if I keep waiting until Next Year... really, it isn't going to happen. So, while this isn't stamped and mailed... and January none-the-less, it is a definite improvement from the previous years. Here is what we've been up to this past year:

The most obvious and life-changing event was when Jarrod became a Daddy and Stephanie became a Mommy to our sweet boy, Marc Charles.

Marc was born February 27, 2010 at 4:59am, a mere 2.2kg (4 lb 13 oz). In 10 months, he has grown to 9.5kg (about 21lbs), and he now crawls and pulls up to a stand, feeds himself finger foods, and is working on his 3rd tooth. He loves to smile and laugh - especially with his best friends: Mommy and Daddy. Marc became a world traveler just after 3 months of life, flying from Korea to Virginia.. and then to Mexico just a month later. Marc was dedicated to the Lord at our home church in Korea, Onnuri English Ministry on May 16, 2010. He has perfected the art of making a perfectly clean room a disaster area... but at least he has a lot of fun in the process!

Jarrod continued to teach 8th grade Bible and Creative Writing/Speech class (and 2 technology electives) at YISS, completing his first year teaching in an international school. As he started year two this past fall, he no longer needed to teach the technology classes, his Creative Writing/Speech class grew to two sections, and he picked up a 6th grade Bible class. He loves this subject because it is so much more than academic- it deals with the hearts of the kids and he is privileged to walk along side them as they deal with issues in their personal lives. He has enjoyed playing basketball on Friday mornings with a group of guys at YISS and occasionally has a game against a Korean team. He continues to ride his motorcycle to and from school, and is Stephanie's delivery boy whenever she needs something quick from the store. Other highlights include mastering Mario on the Wii, discovering many new "voices" while reading books to Marc, and eating a silk worm larva on the middle school retreat.

Stephanie started the year with a race to finish her Spring Semester lesson plans for Anatomy class and complete the YISS Health Manual before starting maternity leave at the end of March. Marc made his debut a 5.5 weeks early, which made for some interesting school projects to complete from home. Life quickly became all about Marc - feeding him, changing him, getting him to sleep.. and sleeping myself... the days went by slowly but the months passed so quickly, and now I am left with 5,000 pictures to remember it all by. Good thing someone invented digital! This fall Stephanie had the privilege of being Marc's full-time mom, and working occasionally as the nurse at after-school events while Daddy got to "babysit". She enjoyed studying the book of Ruth this Fall in a Mom's Bible Study from our church that met every Tuesday morning, and really was thankful to get to know these ladies on a deeper level. She is also a part of a play group of moms from the YISS community, which provide a social outlet and support network while Jarrod is at work.

Jarrod and Stephanie celebrated their 3rd year anniversary and joined a married couples small group at their church this passed Fall. Through this small group we have formed friendships that provides even more community for us. But even with the different friendships around us that are beginning to grow- we find our joy in spending quality time together through movie nights (at home of course!), spades, peanuts, and catch-phrase! Playmates for life! :)

This picture is proof... Jarrod smashed first. (And ridiculous that we don't have a current picture of just the two of us. We'll work on that.)

All in all, it has been a wonderful year. We are thankful to welcome our son into the world, thankful to host 13 guests at our home here in Korea, thankful to spend such sweet time with family and friends over the summer, and now thankful to have celebrated Christmas as a family (and getting the chance to talk with some of you)! This year has also brought increased tension on the Korean peninsula, but we are thankful most of all that our heavenly Father sees what is going on and continues His work here in this place. We have the privilege to be a part of it... as we dwell in His care.

'May His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven'! (Matthew 6:10)

So, there are some of the highlights from this year - It's hard to cover everything - but that's what a blog is for, right? To look back and be reminded of what we've been up to? So feel free to click through the months, if you haven't already :)

We appreciate you checking in with us- and for those who have taken the time to pray to God on our behalf- we truly thank you. Your support to us is encouraging! And we would love to hear from you! (thepuffenbargers@gmail.com)

With hopeful anticipation for what God will do in the coming year,
Jarrod, Stephanie, and little Marc