Estes Escapades

Finally...a post!

2008-11-09T22:05:00.002-06:00

Things are going well here in Columbus. We're all keeping ourselves pretty busy. Jen's been working on our church's website, and is doing well with the Creative Memories business. The boys are both so much fun and we've been able to play a lot outside since the weather has cooled down. We're really enjoying the back yard and the mild Georgia temperatures. The boys got to experience a Trunk and Treat at a local church and Ben went to a few houses on our street on Halloween night. Joshua is our little athlete, and Ben is getting more adventurous all the time, so we've included some videos of them as well. We hope you enjoy!

New Pictures!

2008-09-19T21:43:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone! We're doing well getting into a good routine. We put up some pictures from recent visits from the Estes' and Aunt Carrie. There are also some fun ones of the boys playing at home. We went to an indoor playground today called Monkey Joe's. It was so much fun! They have huge inflatable slides and play areas. Eric and I had as much fun as the boys. We hope you all enjoy the photos.

Jen is now a Creative Memories Consultant!

2008-09-08T13:50:00.003-05:00

I am so excited to announce that I have signed up as a Creative Memories Consultant. I love scrapbooking and card making as many of you know, and now I decided to try my hand at being a consultant. Things are going well here in Columbus as we get more things going at Church and are making more friends. Eric is in full swing with Confirmation and new members classes starting up and I have been working on some projects with church and singing in the choir. The boys and I will be making a trip to Orlando later this month to see friends and family. We're really looking forward to that.

Carrie loves Greg

2008-08-25T19:45:00.004-05:00

I didn't get a chance to post this before Joshua's birthday party, so I have to apologize to my sister and Greg. Carrie and Greg were married August 9th in Pensacola Beach, FL. They had a beautiful wedding on Little Sabine Bay at the Sabine Yacht and Racquet Club. The ceremony was performed by Greg's Grandfather on the lawn facing the Bay. The reception was held in the Yacht club reception room and outside patio and lawn. Everyone had a wonderful time and Carrie and Greg were a very cute and happy couple. Cheers!

Happy First Birthday, Joshua!

2008-08-20T21:31:00.005-05:00

We can't believe that it's been a year since we first met you. You came into the world unexpectedly soon, with problems we didn't anticipate. We saw you for only a few minutes and the doctors had to take you away too soon. Daddy baptized you because we knew you were headed to the children's hospital to have surgery. God was watching over you, his little child, and He helped you get through the surgery and to continue to grow strong and healthy to this day. We love you so much and you bring us so much joy. It's fun to watch you learn and explore your world. You've also started to talk a little bit saying, "mama, dada, ball, hello, and uh-oh". You are cruising like a champ and it won't be long before you are walking on your own. Happy Birthday, baby boy! We love you! We have new pictures from Joshua's birthday and some from around the house.

Our New Home

2008-07-10T14:16:00.002-05:00

Well, this past month has brought a lot of changes to our life. Eric was Ordained at Prince of Peace in Orlando, FL; we bought our first house and moved to Columbus, GA; Eric was installed as the new Pastor at Redeemer and we're finally getting somewhat settled in. The boys are doing well with all of the changes. Ben is starting to use the "potty". Joshua is finally getting some teeth on top, has gotten good at crawling, and is starting to pull up on the furniture. He'll be cruising before long! Eric is going full swing at Redeemer and is really enjoying pastoring. He teaches Adult Bible study and preaches and leads worship on Sunday mornings and leads a Wednesday evening service as well. Everyone has been very welcoming to us and we are so happy to be here. We love our house too. I've posted some pictures of it on Flickr, as well as some of our last days in St Louis and our Orlando visit. We'll try to get some Ordination and Installation pictures up soon as well.

Happy Graduation!

2008-05-23T22:28:00.003-05:00

Well, Eric finally made it to the culmination of his Seminary career! I am so proud of his hard work and how much he has grown since we came here. The graduation ceremony was outdoors in the quad by Luther Tower on May 16th. It was great seeing all the guys in their academic garb. His next step will be his Ordination on June 14th at Prince of Peace in Orlando. Then he will be installed at his Calling congregation, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer on June 22nd. We are busy making preparations for our move to our new home in Columbus as well as saying good-bye to all of our Seminary friends. God's blessings to everyone as you head out to your new church homes.

Redeemer Lutheran Church - Columbus, GA

2008-04-27T09:25:00.005-05:00

Here are a couple of pictures of Redeemer. We're really looking forward to seeing it in person and meeting the congregation.

Call Day 2008

2008-04-23T00:04:00.003-05:00

After counting down the days for the last several months Call Day 2008 finally arrived. Today, Eric received his Divine Call to Redeemer Lutheran Church in Columbus, GA to serve as pastor. We are so excited to get to our new congregation and home! We are thankful for the support of our home church, District, Synod, family and friends through these 4 exciting years. The next big milestone is graduation, followed by ordination and installation into Redeemer. We'll likely have some more updates as the move gets closer.

Benjamin's 2nd Birthday

2008-02-23T18:02:00.006-06:00

We can't believe it's here already - Ben's second birthday. It's hard to believe that just a year ago he was barely talking and not walking yet, and now he doesn't stop doing either! He is such a blessing and a joy in our lives, and we thank God that we get to be his parents. Grandma Marge got to come up to celebrate and the Troester's joined us for a birthday brunch. Happy Birthday, Big Boy!

Family Update

2008-02-10T16:25:00.000-06:00

Just an update, some pictures and a video. Things are going well here. It's finals week, so Eric is busy studying and we're looking forward to a bit of a break. Spring quarter will be Eric's final quarter before graduation in May. He completed his certification interview which means that the faculty of the seminary will recommend him for a call and ordination into the Pastoral Ministry in the LCMS. Grandma Marge will be visiting this week and Grandma Sabin will be up in April. The boys are looking forward to those visits. Jen is enjoying being a homemaker as always and is looking forward to Call Day to find out where home will be in the near future.

The short video below is of Joshua in his jumpster. He loves it so much that he'll jump in it until he is completely tuckered out and then he falls asleep. Ben would always cry when he had enough. Joshua just assumes it is easier to lay his head down and take a little rest so he can jump some more. We don't usually let him fall asleep in it, but it is funny when it happens. Eric decided to take some video of him sleeping without knowing Ben would sneak up on them. As you'll see Joshua didn't seem to mind. We'll also have more pictures up some time soon.

Merry Christmas

2008-01-05T21:54:00.000-06:00

We hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Christmas. We spent our time in Orlando enjoying a nice two week visit. The grandparents got a lot of time with the kids, but we're sure they're already missing them. We had a lot of fun seeing our family and friends from our home church. Eric preached at our home church the same Sunday we had a recognition of Joshua's Baptism, since he was baptized at the hospital just before he was transferred to a different hospital. We thank God for how strong and healthy both our boys are and most of all for giving them and each of us the gift of our Savior Jesus Christ who has forgiven our sin. We pray that this same gospel of forgiveness brought you peace this Christmas season and always. And of course there are pictures from our trip and some were taken here in St. Louis (just note the snow and bundled up children).

Hey There

2007-12-02T22:09:00.001-06:00

071201 Joshua 3 mos Ben 21 mos 042 Originally uploaded by Eric & Jen Estes

We have some new pictures for you!

Making the grandmas happy.

2007-11-05T08:35:00.001-06:00

We've posted some new pictures from Halloween on FlickR. I would have a cute pic on this post, but blogspot keeps erring out during upload for some reason. We hope everyone is doing well. (Only 5 more days to the end of Fall Quarter!)

New Pictures

2007-10-27T08:09:00.000-05:00

I've uploaded six new picture sets. That should keep the grandmas busy for a little while. All is going well here. The quarter is nearing an end, so I've been busy. Jen and the boys are doing great. We're heading to a pumpkin patch and fair today, so we'll have some pictures from that some time soon.

Some New Photos

2007-09-27T19:42:00.001-05:00

Click here to see two new photo sets that have been posted. Some are from a trip to Grant's Farm that we took before the Fall quarter started and one set is of Joshua's first month at home. It's been tough finding time to take, edit and upload photos now that we have two little ones to keep up with! Joshua is already bigger than he is in these pictures, but I hope to get more uploaded soon. He is growing so fast and we think he'll be really tall. He's almost too tall for his 0 to 3 month clothes. That's pretty amazing considering that he was 5 weeks premature and is now only 5 weeks old! Thanks again for everyone's thoughts and prayers over the last month. The Lord has certainly blessed us!

Who knew a bucket could be so much fun?

2007-09-22T15:56:00.000-05:00

The lighting is a little dark, but you can still make it out. If you didn't notice this was taken while Jen was still pregnant and there were still boxes to be unpacked. It's strange to think that today, the 22nd was Joshua's due date and we've already had over a month with him. He's doing very well and getting bigger and bigger. Benjamin is being a good big brother and yes, he still likes to walk around with a bucket on his head. Enjoy the video!

Got Milk? Got Pictures!

2007-08-30T15:58:00.000-05:00

"Click here to see some of my homecoming pictures!"

Welcome Home Joshua!

2007-08-29T22:00:00.000-05:00

Great news! Joshua has come home and sooner than expected! We received the call from the nurses just as we were stepping out the door to head to the hospital. We thank God for his healing and blessing in Joshua's life. We are so happy to have him home. More pictures and a video to come

Introducing Joshua Mark Estes

2007-08-26T22:13:00.000-05:00

It has taken us a while to get this post up, but our family is so excited to introduce Joshua Mark. He was born on August 20th, 6 lbs 9ozs, 19.5". Joshua is doing great and so is his mama. He came a little early and had a successful post delivery surgery. We thank God for his continued recovery and for the great doctors and nurses that have cared for him. Right now we're just waiting for him to get stronger and eat well on his own before we can take him home. He's doing very well and making us very proud.

What we are even more thankful for is that our Triune God has sealed Joshua with His Name; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Since we were unaware of when he would have his surgery Eric performed a short baptismal service before he was transferred between hospitals. We thank God for His work of forgiveness, life and salvation in Joshua's life earned by the redeeming blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

"We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4

Come see more pictures of Joshua (and one of Benjamin being silly) here.

Getting settled in St Louis

2007-08-18T20:52:00.000-05:00

Well we had a great move up here and are finally getting everything arranged in our apartment. We had a cool front move in and we took advantage of it today and went to the St Louis Zoo in Forest Park with the Troesters. The weather was perfect and Ben and Rome loved seeing all the animals. I'm at 35 weeks now and feel like I should be at 42! Eric registers for classes on Monday and has started an on-campus job with the game room. He'll be doing field work at St Paul's Des Peres again this year. Ben loves looking for bunnies outside the apartment and is excited to have his "godbrother" Rome to play with. We're happy to be settling in and readjusting to life in St Louis.

VROOM....VROOM!!!

2007-07-27T18:41:00.000-05:00

"Hold on Papa! Let's Ride!"

Check out my new ride.

Family Additions

2007-07-07T11:52:00.001-05:00

We finally took some pictures of Jen with her prego belly. She's 7 months and 1 week today. She had her last doctor's appointment down here and Joshua is doing great! She has a doctor lined up in Missouri and is planning on going to Missouri Baptist to deliver again. Great hospital and wonderful staff. This week Eric's parents are coming for a week's stay at a condo at Flagler Beach, so we'll be sure to get plenty of pics of Ben enjoying the water. We'll also be getting much of our packing done since the move back to St Louis isn't far away. We also made another new addition to the family - a stylin' Ford Windstar Minivan. Yes, folks, we took the plunge. Not to mention that we have managed to fulfill not just one, but both of the requirements of vicarage (or so the joke goes) - that of the new baby AND the new car!

Trip to NJ, NY City & Flagler Beach, FL

2007-06-10T19:58:00.000-05:00

We've been doing a bit of traveling lately. First we went to Maggie Valley, NC for a wedding and for some relaxation. We went with Eric's parents and got to stay in a beautiful mountain cabin. Benjamin loved absorbing all the great views and it was his first road trip. We came home for a little over a week and then headed up to New Jersey to see some family friends and my brother in New York City. That trip included a couple of firsts for all of us. It was the first time we had been to NY and it included Ben's first plane ride, train ride, subway ride, cab ride, and salon haircut. That's a lot of firsts to pack into a week! After we got back into town Jen's sister Carrie paid us a visit and we spent Saturday afternoon at Flagler Beach. Needless to say after all of this excitement we need a little rest!

Due to Popular Demand-New Pictures!

2007-05-30T21:18:00.001-05:00

Here are some pictures to our recent trip to Fort Matanzas in St. Augustine, FL. We had a good time and it was Ben's first boat ride. He liked to wave and say "VROOM-VROOM" as we passed other boaters and jet skis.

19 Week Ultrasound

2007-05-04T19:12:00.001-05:00

21475_20070504_OBST-__0001
Originally uploaded by Eric & Jen Estes.

Jen and I went out on another date that involved seeing our little one. I'll cut the suspense and announce that it's a boy! We haven't decided 100% on a name, but we think it will be Joshua Mark Estes. The best news is he is very healthy and he cooperated with sonographer, so we got some good pictures too. We got to see him yawn, which was very cool! The doctor said he has really long legs, but after meeting me he understood why. We thank God that everything has been going so smoothly and that Joshua is healthy.

As I mentioned Jen and I made a date out of this, so to celebrate we went out for lunch and a movie (grandma was here to watch Ben for us). It was nice to have a relaxing afternoon.

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?"

2007-04-08T17:08:00.000-05:00

"He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” (Luk 24:6-7)

He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Our Lord Jesus has overcome sin and death and has promised us a resurrection like His!

"When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“ O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

May the joy and peace of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Quotes from: The Holy Bible : English standard version. Crossway, 2001 .

For the Gen X'ers

2007-03-30T22:37:00.000-05:00

HUMAN SPACE INVADERS

Estes family update

2007-03-23T12:31:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since we posted an update so I thought I'd put something out here to let our friends around the country know what's new.

Firstly, Jennifer and Benjamin are doing great. Jen is beginning to show and the nausea has finally passed! Her last doctor's visit went well and she was able to hear baby's heartbeat. We still have a while before we'll find out the sex, but we're looking forward to that. Jen's also busy with MOPS and Choir. Ben is cruising now and learning a lot of new things. He likes to walk behind his push-car that we got him for Christmas. His favorite word is still "clock". I've shown him every clock in all the offices and classrooms of the church and he loves it. Maybe he'll be a clock or watch maker or something (not a Sylar type watchmaker, for the "Heroes" fans out there).

Things are well for me also. I'm enjoying vicarage and appreciative of all the opportunities my supervisor and congregation have afforded me to learn. I'm still preaching regularly and leading the young adult Bible study on Sundays. I've also been leading a new member class this month along with my regular responsibilities.

A recent highlight for Jen and I was getting to attend a Cardinals game in Jupiter. We left Ben with his grandparents and made a day trip of it. If you open the above picture you may be able to make out Reyes' old-school socks. He pitched well and they beat the Marlins 4-1. We're looking forward to our vacation in May. We're going to Maggie Valley, NC for a wedding. We'll spend a week in a cabin in the mountains with Ben and my folks.

Benjamin's First Birthday

2007-02-25T20:29:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Benjamin's First birthday a little over a week ago. We can hardly believe that it's really been a year already! He's grown and changed so much. Eric and I enjoyed reminiscing while looking through our blog posts and seeing the pregnancy and the changes that Benjamin has gone through. We are so blessed to get to be the parents of this wonderful little boy. He had a blast at his party hanging out with friends and family, trying his first piece of cake, and ripping into presents. See all the pictures here.

Valentine's Day Date

2007-02-16T20:06:00.000-06:00

Well Jen and I had an exciting Valentine's Day date. We got to see our new little peanut. Our new addition is at 8 1/2 weeks and everything is great. His or her (don't know yet obviously) pulse rate was 177, exactly in the appropriate range. Mom is still feeling nauseous and that doesn't peek until 10 weeks, but otherwise she is doing great. We are so happy that God has blessed us with another little one! Click the picture to see a few more ultrasound photos if you would like.

Tunnelz N' Tumblez

2007-02-04T20:08:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago we took Benjamin to a play place in St. Augustine called Tunnelz N' Tumblez. They have all kinds of things for kids to climb on and through and it's big enough for their moms and dads to come along as well. The funny thing was when we walked in we heard "Hi Estes Family!" Was it exceptional customer service? Nope, it was our friend Beth and her two boys. They just happened to come on the same day and time as we had! Benjamin wasn't satisfied with hanging out in the "Diaper Zone" and wanted to join his older friends in the big kids area. Dad was happy to oblige. We all had a lot of fun - Eric loved the fast slides - and we were all pretty tired by the end of it. We hope you enjoy the pictures!

The Big Estes Surprise

2007-01-30T10:05:00.000-06:00

Eric and I are happy to announce that Ben is going to be a big brother in September! We found out this month that we are expecting another addition to the family! We were quite surprised by this news, but are happy knowing that God is blessing us with another little one. So far I've been having some first trimester tiredness and nausea, but doing pretty well. We'll have our first ultrasound and full check-up on Valentine's Day. Benjamin is doing great. He's finally realized that it's fun to pull up on things and is standing frequently now. He hasn't figured out cruising yet, but I'm sure that's coming soon! He's got tooth number 8 coming in and is just a couple weeks shy of his First birthday! Time's flying!

Not much new here...

2007-01-18T13:33:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! Just a short update. Benjamin is loving crawling so much that he's not really interested in the walking deal. He's started to pull himself up but not on a regular basis. I guess he really loves being on the floor and knocking those blocks over. Eric's doing well with his full schedule. I'm heading to Orlando this weekend after my MOPS meeting to see my aunts and uncle on my mom's side. They're excited to see Ben and I'm looking forward to the visit. Hope all's well with everyone!

Christmas & Thanksgiving Pictures

2007-01-06T10:00:00.000-06:00

Here is a link to some new pictures we uploaded.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-05T10:17:00.000-06:00

We hope that everyone has a blessed new year. We're keeping busy as usual with Eric preaching twice this month, taking over teaching the confirmation class and beginning a new study on the book of Revelation for his young adult Sunday morning class. Choir had a short hiatus and we are now gearing up for the new year and will soon be working on our Easter material. The MOPS group is going really well and we are now focusing on getting out into the community a little bit more. We want to be able to bring in new moms who may be unchurched as well as do some community service. It's such a blessing to have other moms who are excited about this project as well. Our Christmas holiday was wonderful with both Eric and my families coming up to Palm Coast. We had quite the full house, but it was great to see everyone all together. Ben is amazing us all the time with how much he is getting around and how interested he is in exploring everything. He's also talking a lot more now and says, "Hi Dad" when Eric gets home. Last Sunday I had Ben up at the altar for communion and just as Eric was giving the dismissal, Ben yells out, "HI DAD!" The pastor and I looked at each other and just cracked up. What a funny little boy.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2006-12-22T14:40:00.000-06:00

We just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! We pray that everyone's Christmas will be full of the joy and peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We've uploaded a few Christmas Photos. Ben was nice and cozy in his little red suit, but the hat was a bit too small. We think it made them even cuter.

I get so happy during Advent and Christmas, that I just have to dance! Thanks to Mom Sabin for sending this. God bless!

Now the whole gang has joined in the dancing fun. Ben is amazing! He went straight from crawling to dancing! Jen is the cutest elf ever!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-12-02T09:32:00.000-06:00

We hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and didn't get too stuffed! We are all doing well. Benjamin is crawling now and is in to everything! He's so proud of himself with every new discovery like the blinds covering the sliding glass doors, the spring door stops, the difference between the hard kitchen floor and soft living room carpet. It's so cute! He is also discovering the fun of putting things in and out of buckets and boxes, dropping stuff, knocking stuff over and loves to eat finger foods. We're not sure how to keep him away from the Christmas Tree so it is still in the box. Eric is keeping busy with church work and is attending a national youth workers conference in Charlotte, NC. I am from this area originally, but it has really changed in the past 20 years! Our Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) Group is gaining members and we hope to get more moms from the community as we work on more public relations and outreach. The moms who come are having a lot of fun. You can check out the blog for that at sotcmops.blogspot.com. We hope you are all doing well and are enjoying the holiday season.

TRICK OR TREAT!!!

2006-10-23T17:46:00.000-05:00

NEW PICTURES!!!

New Pictures

2006-09-16T19:51:00.000-05:00

Click on the pic to see some new photos!

A special guest message for our godson Rome

2006-09-02T21:23:00.000-05:00

"OH ROME-SON, YOU ARE THE STUDENT, MIYAGI THE MASTER. MUST LEARN-A BALANCE. CONCENTRATE!"

The Verdict Is In

2006-08-27T16:25:00.000-05:00

Well I preached for the first time at my vicarage congregation and the verdicts are in. After greeting all the smiling parishoners as they left after the service I thought all went well. Little did I know they were waiting outside to give me their real opinion! I had three pies thrown in my face.

Actually, the pies were completely unrelated to my preaching (I hope). This was our final week focusing on outreach and the congregation reached beyond its goal of a thousand pounds of food. Their reward? Having an opportunity to pie the Pastor and Vicar. It was a lot of fun, though I think I still have some whip cream up my nose.

Boingy! Boingy! Boingy!

2006-08-26T08:03:00.000-05:00

"I Love Peas"

2006-08-20T15:54:00.000-05:00

For some reason the sound on this file isn't matching up with the picture (at least from my computer). Read below for more details on the contents of this video.

This one is for Ben's Godfather Russ. Russ doesn't care much for peas, but maybe his godson enjoys them. My family thinks it sounds like Ben says "I love peas..." at the end of the video (of course they are joking, but I can hear it). Looking at Ben's expression I seriously doubt he is a big fan of this dinner. Uncle Russ will be very proud.

We've Arrived

2006-08-05T17:34:00.000-05:00

We arrived in Palm Coast last Friday to unload our boxes. We thank God for safe travel and a smooth transition to our new home and vicarage church. We spent the weekend in Orlando to visit our family and home church. The visit was short, but nice. Everyone was excited to see Ben, especially Jen's aunt and cousins and the members of our home congregation Prince of Peace. We're now settling in our new home in Palm Coast. The house is wonderful and I don't know how they'll get us to leave in a year. My first day at the office was on Tuesday and the week went well. My supervising pastor is very nice and is always available for questions and conversations. I am looking forward to working with him for the next year. I have also received a warm welcome from the other staff and many of the members. We'll meet the rest of the congregation tommorrow at a reception after the early service. I'll post some photos of the vicar home and the church building sometime in the future. Click the picture above for new pictures of Benjamin.

"Pearls Before Swine" On Blogging

2006-07-17T15:22:00.000-05:00

I've recently become a fan of the comic strip "Pearls Before Swine". Many of us bloggers whose usual posts are about family and pictures can probably relate to this particular strip. Meanwhile I'm happy to say that our Blog has made it to the "big show". Now when you do a google search for Eric Estes our blog is the third hit on the first page (not too shabby). Our FlickR photo page is the third hit when you search for Jen Estes. Ah, yes, I am the envy of any other nerd out there named Eric Estes. I shall revel in my 15 minutes of fame. . . . .and now back to packing boxes for the upcoming move.

Duel of the Seminarians

2006-06-22T10:40:00.000-05:00

Check out this video created by some Roman Catholic seminarians here in St. Louis. Unfortunately, Concordia has some stipulations concerning the arms it will allow its students to carry on campus. I always have to leave my blaster at home. Also, we don't receive our light sabers until after ordination, what's up with that? These guys are probably in their second year or so and they already have learned to use the force............nah, I'll stick with sola scriptura.

[I suggest viewing any videos I post within my Blog rather than going to the video site. THIS PARTICULAR VIDEO IS BETTER TO VIEW FROM YOUTUBE. Some of these sites can contain objectionable material. If you do go to the site it's simple, don't click on anything that looks objectionable.]

Starting to Roll

2006-06-16T23:10:00.000-05:00

Ben started rolling today and after several attempts of catching him in the act I finally caught it on camera. I guess he is a little camera shy. I know it's not the most exciting video, but the grandparents will like it. We've been working on Ben's neck strength a lot since visiting a Physical Therapist because he was favoring his right side. All the exercises must have worked because you may notice he is rolling to his left side.

[I suggest viewing any videos I post within my Blog rather than going to the video site. Some of these sites can contain objectionable material. If you do go to the site it's simple, don't click on anything that looks objectionable.]

I hope I didn't get all dressed up for nothin'

2006-05-28T21:45:00.000-05:00

COME SEE MY NEW PICTURES! ~Luv Ben

Life is a beach.....soon

2006-05-07T18:48:00.000-05:00

Ever since Benjamin found out we're moving to Palm Coast all he's been talking about is meeting all the nice Floridians and how mom and dad need to get him a swimsuit. Well, G'ma Estes and Mom picked up a swimsuit and sand bucket for him, so just add some sunscreen and he's ready to go. Below is a picture of Ben in his awesome Popeye shirt that Auntie Emily and Uncle Chris sent him. Click the pictures to see new 9 to 11 week pictures of Ben.

Vicarage Assignment

2006-04-25T19:42:00.000-05:00

I have been assigned to Shepherd of the Coast Lutheran Church in Palm Coast, Florida. We're really excited about sharing our vicarage year with this congregation and can't wait to get there. We will begin August 1st. We thank God for the commitment of all those involved in the placement process (it was a lot of vicars for them to juggle) and we thank Him for this wonderful opportunity. We'll post more information about the congregation and move as we learn more.

Call Day 2006

2006-04-19T23:21:00.000-05:00

Here is the page where you can get audio or video of the call day services. I will recieve my vicarage assignment at the first service which is at 3:00 p.m. (Central Time). All the information you need should be at this page. There is an audio test link and the video test link should be added soon. Jen and I are really looking forward to finding out where we'll be moving.

HAPPY EASTER FROM BENJAMIN

2006-04-18T15:02:00.000-05:00

"CHRIST IS RISEN! ALLELUIA!"

"He has risen; He is not here!" Mark 16:6

2006-04-16T11:02:00.000-05:00

This day we remember how Jesus defeated sin, death and the devil by rising from the grave. May our hearts and minds continue to be renewed in this blessed gift each and every day. We pray that our risen Lord and Savior may strengthen and keep all of you in true faith in Him. "He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!"

A Response to the Gospel of Judas and Gnosticism

2006-04-11T21:00:00.000-05:00

If anyone is interested in hearing discussion about the Gospel of Judas two of our exegetical professors, James Voelz and Jeffery Kloha, presented on the topic on Monday. I had Dr. Voelz for Lectionary Readings last quarter and am taking Synoptic Gospels with him this quarter. Professor Kloha was my instructor for Hermeneutics and the Pauline Epistles. Both are excellent teachers and I think it would benefit anyone to listen to this lecture. Dr. Voelz addressed many of these topics in our last lecture and I really enjoyed it. Here is a link to the page where you can download the mp3 files.

The following issues are addressed: 1) How the manuscript is portrayed in the media; 2) Basic features of the manuscript; 3) Gnosticism as a point of reference for the manuscript; and, 4) The manuscript and canonicity.

Worship Service & Vicarage Assignments

2006-04-11T16:58:00.000-05:00

News Details Call day is on April 25th and we will find out where my vicarage assignment is. There will be a worship service at 3:00 pm where all the seminarians will receive their assignments. It will be webcast, so if you are interested I will post the link to where you will be able to stream it as soon as it comes available (it should be at least a week in advance). From there you will be able to find out what software you need for the webcast. I think they will be using Realplayer, but I'm not sure. Click the link above if you want to read further details. Jen and I are getting really excited anticipating this day. We hope everyone is doing well. God bless.

A Birthday Surprise

2006-04-07T12:33:00.000-05:00

So my seminary friend and co-worker in I.S. Joel Brandt decided he needed to find a way to bring his brother's birthday to the attention of the entire seminary. His brother Chris is a full-time employee and also a seminarian. So what better way to grab Chris' attention then to fill his office with 500 balloons. The before and after pictures are below. Joel emailed them to all faculty and staff of the seminary. Since then Chris' email and voicemail has been filled with well over 50 happy birthday messages. Look how proud Joel is of his work!

A Little Smile

2006-04-03T21:20:00.000-05:00

Test Video

2006-04-03T17:12:00.000-05:00

I'm testing out streaming videos to the blog. I had planned to send each set of grandparents a personalized video, but the file size was too large for email. (So don't worry G-ma and G-pa Estes you'll get a personalized message on the blog sometime also.) Just click the play button on the center of the picture to watch the video. Ben was about 4 weeks old in this video. I hope to get some of him smiling this week. [I suggest viewing any videos I post within my Blog rather than going to the video site. Some of these sites can contain objectionable material. If you do go to the site it's simple, don't click on anything that looks objectionable ;).]

Six Weeks

2006-04-01T09:22:00.000-06:00

Ben is six weeks old now. He was really smiley this morning, but once I got the camera he would only give me little grins.

Uh-Oh

2006-03-28T20:48:00.000-06:00

"Honey? get some quarters. . .Billy is stuck in the claw machine again! " I thought this was pretty funny. The picture is great.

Boy gets caught in toy-filled 'claw' machine

Tummy Time

2006-03-27T21:51:00.000-06:00

Just posted some new pictures of Ben having some tummy time and miscellaneous photos. We hope everyone is doing well.

Benjamin's Baptism

2006-03-19T17:07:00.000-06:00

Benjamin Matthew Estes was baptized this morning at my fieldwork congregation St. Paul's Lutheran Des Peres, MO. We thank God for the gracious gift of forgiveness of sin that he has given to Benjamin in the waters of baptism. His godparents are Russ and Kris Troester our friends from the seminary. We were accompanied by many friends and family members as we celebrated God's gracious work in Ben's life. Visit this photo set if you would like to see pictures from the baptism and some of the most recent pictures of Ben.

"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4

Boy, are we tired!!!

2006-03-09T22:43:00.000-06:00

Imagine how mommy feels having to deal with not just one, but two lazy men sleeping in on a Tuesday morning. OK, so Benjamin has an excuse, he's doing a lot of growing, but dad . . .well he was resting up for classes!

We've posted more pictures. Visit our photos page and check out the new set.

Congratulations to the Martin Family

2006-03-03T21:56:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to our cousins in Florida, Brad and Jenna, upon the arrival of their baby girl Savannah Belle. We thank and praise God for her safe arrival and that Jenna is doing well after her labor!

Ben's Pictures from the Hospital

2006-02-28T09:04:00.000-06:00

Here is a link to Benjamin's photos from Missouri Baptist Hospital. You can also click the picture to get to the site.

New Photo Set...

2006-02-24T15:04:00.000-06:00

I just uploaded a new set of photos. Benjamin is doing great. He is feeding well and sleeping a lot, so we're enjoying the sleep while it lasts. We actually got a little over 6 hours of sleep last night. Jen is doing very well also. We took Ben for his first walk in his stroller since the weather was so nice. It has been a great blessing having Ben's first two weeks over my break. Being on break is one of the reasons I've been able to make so many posts. I hope everyone is doing well.

New Link to Our Photos

2006-02-23T06:30:00.000-06:00

I have added a link to our photo sets under the "Links" section on the righthand column. Things are going well. We had a very long night! Grandma Sabin burned the midnight oil while Jen got a couple hours of sleep. Benjamin was a little fussy about eating, but now he has eaten and sleeping soundly. We hope everyone is doing well and thanks to everyone who has sent us all the kind and sweet emails.

Even more photos

2006-02-21T21:34:00.000-06:00

I know this is getting out of hand, but I love taking pictures. Click Here for a new set Click Here for our photos homepage

More pictures. . .

2006-02-21T18:15:00.000-06:00

I have uploaded more photos to flickr. Click here to see them. They are all at a resolution for viewing on screen. If you want any full resolution copies email me or Jen with the filename and we'll email them to you. It may be a while before Jen checks her email though. Time for a nap!

Update

2006-02-21T11:25:00.000-06:00

Just thought I'd post a quick update. Jen and Benjamin are doing great. He is feeding well and Jen has been doing really well with all the feedings (9 total yesterday). I am so proud of what an awesome mother Jen is and how patient she has been considering that she has gotten very little sleep in the last four days. She allowed me to get some extra sleep since I still have a final to study for and makeup tomorrow. We have our first appointment with our pediatrician tomorrow. The picture above is my favorite thus far.

We're Home!

2006-02-19T14:16:00.000-06:00

We welcomed Benjamin to his home around 11:00 a.m. He settled in with a feeding and a long nap. We thank God for the blessing of our little boy and how smoothly everything has gone. Also, thank you to everyone who has been keeping Benjamin and Jen in their prayers. We are extremely grateful for the support of our family and friends.

Introducing Benjamin Matthew Estes

2006-02-17T12:37:00.000-06:00

Our little boy Benjamin has arrived. He was born today at 1:31 am. He weighs 7 lbs 6 ozs and measured 20 inches. Mom and Ben are doing great.

Giant Easter Egg Belly!

2006-02-13T19:23:00.000-06:00

I thought it would be fun to do some comparison photos of me at different stages in my pregnancy and wearing the same shirt. The first picture was taken at a little over 20 weeks. Now, at almost 39 weeks, I think that I look like a giant Easter Egg! This is one of my favorite shirts and I'm sure almost everyone I know has seen me wearing it at some point.

Ben's Nursery

2006-02-13T11:31:00.000-06:00

Thought that I would share a picture of Benjamin's nursery. All that's left to do is hanging some decorations on the wall. We purchased the screen to be able to divide up our bedroom as needed and to give him some privacy when he's in there sleeping and we need to come in and out of the room. I'm sure we'll be moving things around as we find out what works, but we're very happy with the set-up right now. We're just waiting for him!

We've made it to 38 weeks!

2006-02-11T17:14:00.000-06:00

Here are some latest pictures from my 37th week. Eric's mom, Marge, came up to stay with us because we didn't know what would happen when I went off the medication and increased my activity level. I've had some times with pretty regular, although not very strong, contractions. They stay pretty regular when I'm active, but stop when I rest or go to sleep. So we've all been getting excited, and then realizing that it's not quite time yet. Our friends, Russ and Kris and our godson Rome came over for the Super Bowl. I've found that my big belly has many uses: cupholder, TV tray, and now, baby seat! Eric has finals next week so we're thinking that maybe Benjamin wants to give his dad a break and not come until after he's done with exams. That would be great for dad!

Buddies @ the Park

2006-01-30T13:53:00.000-06:00

Mom and Dad Estes got into town this weekend. We enjoyed a nice weekend together. Dad had to head to Rockville, but mom is staying until Benjamin is born and will also help afterwards up until Ben's baptism which is scheduled for March 19th. Dad is planning on coming back in the middle of February near Jen's due date and we expect Mom Sabin as soon as Ben arrives. So, while we wait for our baby boy to arrive we have two other little boys to take care of. Ashton and Opus are getting along, but Ashton tends to get a little defensive on his own turf. We brought them to the park after lunch in order to get them to use up some energy so I might have some peace to work on an exegetical paper. They had a blast running around and chasing the frisbee. They even took a turn going down the slide!

36 Weeks - We Made It!

2006-01-25T21:18:00.000-06:00

We had our 36 week check-up today. Everything is going well. I measured at 38 weeks, so the big jump in belly size over the last two weeks was not in my imagination! The doctor said that Benjamin seemed like he was pretty happy in there. I'm off the anti-contraction medication because it's safe for me to deliver any time now. We're hoping he'll wait until closer to his due date so his dad will be on Spring Break, but a Valentine baby would be fine with me!

What a Handsome Boy!

2006-01-19T14:04:00.000-06:00

With a new little boy on the way, we thought we should get our first son all cleaned up and ready for the new arrival. It was Ashton's first detailed grooming. He looks and smells so good I don't know how any girl Corgi could resist! We are hoping that he won't get too jealous when the baby comes, but we know some of it can't be avoided because he's been our only son for 3 years!

Jen @ 33 Weeks

2006-01-11T22:31:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone. Here's a new picture of Jen at 33 weeks. Today was the 34 week mark. We had a Dr.'s appointment today and everything looks good. In two weeks Jen will go off of her anti-contraction medication and then we'll let things run their course. So baby Benjamin could be here very soon!

At Home

2006-01-04T15:40:00.000-06:00

Ever since our fun adventure to the hospital, I've been having contractions that increase with activity. So my doctor and employer feel that it's best that I stay home on restricted activity until Benjamin is born. Since I'm used to keeping really busy, this is somewhat frustrating, but I know that it is best for our baby's health. Learning to relax is probably good for me, because there won't be any of that after Benjamin is here! We're both doing fine and will be going for week to week check-ups soon!

Merry Christmas

2005-12-25T13:56:00.000-06:00

We want to wish everyone a blessed Christmas. We especially hope that you know the salvation we have in Immanuel, God with us, who came to us as an infant lying in a manger. Praise to our Lord Christ who has come!

Banished to Bedrest

2005-12-16T14:11:00.000-06:00

Well, this weekend brought some changes for us as we ended up at the hospital on Saturday because I was having pre-term contractions. Baby Benjamin was doing just fine, but my doctor decided to keep me overnight for observation and Eric bravely "slept" on the pull-out couch in the room. My doctor determined that I wasn't going into active labor and put me on anti-contraction medication and bedrest until Dec 23rd. I have had one appointment with her this past Wednesday, and she said that everything looked like it was going OK. On Friday, the 23rd, we'll all discuss what I'll be allowed to do as far as returning to work, or keeping activity limited. She will also do another test to make sure that I'm not headed for delivery within the next 2 weeks after that. We'll try to keep everyone posted with what's going on. We would love to have your prayers. I'm at 30 weeks right now, so we would like Benjamin to stay put for right now and get a little baby fat on his bones before we welcome him into the world.

The First Snowfall of Christmas 2005!

2005-12-09T21:00:00.000-06:00

The snow is finally here! We didn't get this good a snowfall last year at all. It began early Thursday morning and the flakes kept coming until 3 that afternoon. We ended up with close to 3 inches. The roads are finally mostly clear today but the trees, roofs, and ground still have their powder coating. Ashton is still trying to figure out what exactly it is. He doesn't like it too much when it gets stuck in his paws. Eric has to clean out his feet every so often when he takes him outside! Poor little puppy! We're keeping nice and warm inside and drinking a lot of hot tea and cocoa!

Benjamin Matthew Estes @ 20 Weeks

2005-11-16T18:34:00.000-06:00

6 Months Already!!!

2005-11-03T21:06:00.000-06:00

I don't know how time goes by so fast! It's already the end of high school football and basketball is underway. Everyone keeps telling me how small I look for 6 months. I'm guessing that's a good thing, because I don't want to know what 9 months would look like if I were any bigger now! Eric likes to laugh and rub my "beer belly". Things are going really well with the pregnancy. Eric can finally feel Benjamin kicking. It's been a lot of fun. My back isn't enjoying the added changes, but I'm so excited about becoming a mom that I don't really mind. The next doctor appointment is this coming Wednesday and I'm feeling great! Yea!

Our Godson, Rome

2005-11-03T21:05:00.000-06:00

On October 8th, Rome Alan Troester was welcomed into the Lord's Family at St. Paul Des Peres through baptism. Russ' dad got to do the baptism, which was really cool. Many of Russ and Kris' relatives were able to come for the event and some friends from the Sem attended as well. We're very excited to be Godparents to Rome. God bless!

The Results Are In!

2005-10-06T13:42:00.000-05:00

We had our 20 week (half way there) ultrasound yesterday. Baby is doing great! We saw a nice little skeleton, 4-chamber beating heart, and little arms, legs, feet and toes! Baby was being agreeable and decided to show us that he is a boy! He weighs in at a whopping 12 ounces right now and looks to be growing right on schedule. We should have ultrasound pictures up sometime this weekend. We didn't get a good profile, but there is a really cute picture of his little feet. We're very excited!!!

Week 18

2005-09-25T20:18:00.000-05:00

That's right! We've hit week 18 and they just seem to be flying by. Jen is really beginning to show. I don't think the picture shows it quite so well, but we'll have more to post in a couple of weeks. T-minus 10 days and counting before our ultrasound (October 5th). We have decided that we are going to find out whether it will be a little boy or little girl. Please keep Jen and the baby in your prayers. They are doing great!

Grass Stains

2005-09-25T15:34:00.000-05:00

We went to a picnic that the elder's of St. Paul's Des Peres kindly held for all new and returning field worker's this Saturday. They had a lot of games for the kids. Minature golf, washers, volleyball and a steep hill with pieces of cardboard to slide down on. Of course my friend Russ and I couldn't resist a race. I think I may have gotten to the bottom of the hill first, but he won for distance. He might demand a rematch when he reads this though. Jen and I had a really good time getting to know more of the wonderful members at our field church.

Baby Update!

2005-09-12T21:15:00.000-05:00

Our good friends, Russ and Kris are celebrating the birth of their baby boy, Rome Alan. He was born Sunday night at 11:16 pm, weighing 8lbs 3oz and measuring 20in in length. You can check out their pictures on their site at www.troesters.com. He's such a cutie! You have to see the picture with Rome in his Cardinals hat. A true St. Louisan from the start! As for our little one, s/he's doing well. I had my last check-up on Sept 1st. Not a big deal, just asked how I was doing and listened to the heart beat. I'm still feeling pretty good, and I'm just starting to get a little round in the belly. I actually have lost 10lbs since becoming pregnant. I'm guessing its from eating better, not eating when I was nauseated all the time and then increasing my activity level at work. The doctor said that was fine as long as I was able to keep food down. The next appointment is on October 5th!!! This is when we'll have the ultrasound to find out if its a boy or a girl! We can't wait!!!

Spamtastic

2005-09-11T21:05:00.000-05:00

Given the amount of undesirable spam we have been receiving on our blog I have been forced to disable commenting. Sorry guys, but anyone who really wants to make a comment knows our email addresses, so feel free to send us a line.

Now that the service announcement is out of the way how do you like your spam? I hadn't experienced the wonders of this delicious canned delicacy until my 6th grade field day. Spamburgers were on the menu and boy were they something to behold. I especially enjoyed when the edges got good and crispy. I haven't had any Spam since then (apart from what arrives in my inbox and blog), but perhaps I'll give a Spam omelet a try sometime. . . .yummmmm.

Two A Daze

2005-08-25T11:13:00.000-05:00

Well I survived Two-A-Days practices at my new high school, Parkway South. The kids and coaches are all great, but the heat was terrible! We had heat indexes upwards of 101 every day and had to cancel practices and delay a scrimmage due to too high heat. Thankfully now it's been in the 80's - much nicer. Tomorrow we kick off football season with a Jamboree and then next week it's our first regular season game against Saint Louis University High School. (A very big deal, here in MO.)

It's BOW-CHEE not BOTCH-EE

2005-08-14T16:59:00.000-05:00

It's BOW-CHEE not BOTCH-EE, is the slogan on the shirt for Milo's Bocce Garden. Jen and I checked out the pub this weekend and it was a lot of fun. Decent bar/Italian food and a good selection of beers. Plus there are two covered bocce courts in a garden. Playing bocce on a court is so much better than the backyard! I'll probably continue to mispronounce "BOTCH-EE" though :)

A Great Game!

2005-08-08T08:24:00.000-05:00

Jen scored some tickets to the Card's game against the Braves on Sunday so me and a few friends got to enjoy an afternoon of baseball. It was a great game! We were pretty frustrated all the way up to the bottom of the ninth since the Card's were down 3 to 1. They were able to load the bases and then David Eckstein won the game with a grand slam home-run!!! It was awesome. If you want to see some more pictures go to my friend Russ' site to check them out.

Baby's Heartbeat

2005-08-02T21:45:00.000-05:00

Today I had my first official OB visit. A little later than most people I guess, but I had been in at 5 and 8 weeks for ultrasounds so they knew everything was OK. Baby is doing great! I got to hear the heartbeat with the Doppler - it was so awesome! It's funny though how it sounds like a washing machine swishing and not like your heartbeat through a stethoscope. So I go back for my next visit at 15 weeks on September 1st. The next visit after that, we'll be able to tell if it's a boy or a girl!!!

First Maternity Purchase

2005-07-28T20:53:00.000-05:00

So I made my first maternity wear purchase - a cute pair of cropped jeans from Target. I'm a sucker for a deal and the price was too good to pass up. It's so funny because I can't wait to start wearing maternity clothes, but I know that when I'm there, I'll be thinking how crazy I was to want to get there. I'm officially at 10 weeks as of yesterday and our baby is the size of a walnut! I just read that he'll triple in size in the next 3 weeks from 1 to 3 inches! That's a lot of growing!

Joy riding

2005-07-23T16:38:00.000-05:00

Yes, yes, we know the stroller is for the baby, but Ashton had to try it out! We're so blessed to already have this awesome stroller. It does some pretty sweet stuff like converting from a rear-facing carriage, to a forward facing upright stroller! I think the only thing it doesn't have is On Star and a GPS!

Morning Sickness

2005-07-23T14:41:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I can eat. So this pregnancy thing has thrown me for a loop! I can't believe that coffee smells bad and meat is a turn-off. Fortunately, this seems to be subsiding. Don't worry, I'm definitely not wasting away!

Estes Escapades

Finally...a post!

New Pictures!

Jen is now a Creative Memories Consultant!

Carrie loves Greg

Happy First Birthday, Joshua!

Our New Home

Happy Graduation!

Redeemer Lutheran Church - Columbus, GA

Call Day 2008

Benjamin's 2nd Birthday

Family Update

Merry Christmas

Hey There

Making the grandmas happy.

New Pictures

Some New Photos

Who knew a bucket could be so much fun?

Got Milk? Got Pictures!

Welcome Home Joshua!

Introducing Joshua Mark Estes

Getting settled in St Louis

VROOM....VROOM!!!

Family Additions

Trip to NJ, NY City & Flagler Beach, FL

Due to Popular Demand-New Pictures!

19 Week Ultrasound

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?"

For the Gen X'ers

Estes family update

Benjamin's First Birthday

Valentine's Day Date

Tunnelz N' Tumblez

The Big Estes Surprise

Not much new here...

Christmas & Thanksgiving Pictures

Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Thanksgiving!

More Pictures Posted

TRICK OR TREAT!!!

New Pictures

A special guest message for our godson Rome

The Verdict Is In

Boingy! Boingy! Boingy!

"I Love Peas"

We've Arrived

"Pearls Before Swine" On Blogging

Duel of the Seminarians

Starting to Roll

I hope I didn't get all dressed up for nothin'

Life is a beach.....soon

Vicarage Assignment

Call Day 2006

HAPPY EASTER FROM BENJAMIN

"He has risen; He is not here!" Mark 16:6

A Response to the Gospel of Judas and Gnosticism

Worship Service & Vicarage Assignments

A Birthday Surprise

A Little Smile

Test Video

Six Weeks

Uh-Oh

Tummy Time

Benjamin's Baptism

Boy, are we tired!!!

Congratulations to the Martin Family

Ben's Pictures from the Hospital

New Photo Set...

New Link to Our Photos

Even more photos

More pictures. . .

Update

We're Home!

Introducing Benjamin Matthew Estes

Giant Easter Egg Belly!

Ben's Nursery

We've made it to 38 weeks!

Buddies @ the Park

36 Weeks - We Made It!