Teemu Ki

Our son has arrived!, and we are very excited about that! Teemu Ki [pronounced 'tay-mu key' was born on Monday, March 9th at 1:33pm. He weighed 6 lbs, 13 oz; and measured at 19.25 inches. He has a full head of hair, dark of course. Kelly was in labor for just over 12 hours, and did it all WITHOUT any pain medication. Needless to say, she impressed the nursing staff, and her mid-wife.

What a joy, and what a blessing! Thank you to all who had been praying!

Piece By Piece

Sitting in our dining room is a big box with the words "Rockland Furniture" on it. Today, my friend asked me what that was. I told him it was our baby boy's crib. He replied, "That's really exciting!"
Certainly, our collection of baby things is growing by the week. Some of the biggest pieces are in place for our son. He already has a sweet ride in a green and gray stroller. It has all the luxuries a baby boy could want. Okay, so it's not equipped with a DVD player, or has a hook-up for an iPod. His 'crib' is also pretty sweet! However, I don't know that you will see him taking MTV on a tour around his crib.  Although the cradle rocker we registered for on Target.com has an iPod dock.  CRAZY! . . . what's even more crazy is that we'll probably use it.
We know that he has been growing right on schedule, and is on track for his March 15th arrival. Right on time!, just like his dad. We were told that he is in the 45th percentile for his size. Kelly's belly continues to grow, and it is excited to watch. Alright, maybe not like one would watch grass grow, but you can clearly see evidence. [please note: there is a picture of kelly and her belly on this entry . . . to please those who have asked - this picture was taken at 23 weeks on November 11th]
He has been kicking. For a while, he always kicked during church . . . perhaps not a good sign. Kelly loves it when he kicks. It is simply a good reminder that he is there, and he is doing well. I [Daniel] have felt his good strong kick a few times.

In case you are wondering if we have any names picked out, the answer would be no.  In fact, our plan is not to say anything to anyone about any name possibilities, so don't ask.  However, we have had some name suggestions already.  Fjord, Carlton, Tye, Jonathan Matthew, and Max were a few from friends and family.  Then there was our niece Onalee's [Onnie - for short] suggestion.  Before we knew our baby would be a boy, she told Aunt Kelly [not ant kelly] that we should name our baby "Onnie Jr."  Aunt Kelly wondered about if our child would be a boy?  "Doesn't matter," is what Onnie replied.  Then about a month or so later, Onnie had two more suggestions.  You may want to sit down for these . . . the first: Ranger . . . the second: Laser Eyes.  Yup, you read that right, Laser Eyes.  Needless to say, my family rushed out to the local welder's store for some welder's helmets and shields.  For those that are gullible, that last part is not true . . . and you know you're out there.

We can't wait for our little guy to make his first appearance.  It is right around the corner.  Thank you to all of you that have prayed for our son.  We really appreciate that!  I am sure we'll be good bloggers and put pictures of Laser Eyes on this site.  

It's A Boy!

As many of you already know, we are expecting our first child sometime in mid-March. This past week, we found out our baby will be a little baby boy. We were quite surprised, because both of us thought it would be a girl. However, we are quite pleased with a boy. [We would have been fine either way]
We have already received several suggestions for a name. Unfortunately, we are not going to hint at any potential names between now and then. Although that makes some family members upset, we won't tell you anything until we tell you the actual name on his birth day.
Kelly has been starting to feel a bit better, and has more energy these days. Her back has started to give her a little trouble. She has already started to feel our little boy move around. Most of that comes at night time.
In case you wonder, we are already registered at Target. We did that soon, so that we could cash-in on a free $20 gift card to Target if we registered by October 22nd. The list is far from complete, but we started.
That's all for now.

Baby Keinanen

I suppose it is time to make that official announcement. In case you didn't know already, we are expecting our first child in March. Yes, we are excited! It is truly a God-sized story, and we are thankful to Him for this miracle. More to come.

Perhaps . . . This is Why

Thoughts on Ministry

My guess is that there are only limited, if not, no one who reads this blog site. Funny when we write things, it seems to minister to the one who is writing more than anyone else. It is as if God is using your own words to speak to you, and to work in your life. Whether or not anyone reads . . . not important. Knowing that God speaks . . . priceless.
Often ministry leaves me wondering. Wondering about why ministry is worth the cost. I think of the verse in Luke, where Jesus says that we are to carry our own cross daily, and follow Him. Is ministry a cross to bear? There are times when that seems to be very true. However, I am often reminded that it is a calling. A high calling to serve the Almighty Living God. Knowing that should give one a sense of confidence and a full-head of steam for ministry. Fortunately, we are human, and we are fallible. We still feel things, and sense things. Are we always right in our feelings and sensing? Probably not. However, those feelings can be real, and they can make you start to wonder. Is it really worth it? Look at those faces above . . . of course it is!
So, where does that strength come from? The kind of strength to minister to people, the kind that does not give up, and the kind that always depends on the Lord. There is my answer . . . DEPEND on the Lord.
If you think it isn't worth the cost, the cost of making disciples . . . I urge you to stare into the Face of God, and I challenge you to walk away - not being deeply moved - like Dr. Del would say.

NHL Playoffs Begin