Belleview Park

We found a new park that I think will get many visits this summer. They have $1 train rides, a petting farm and a creek for wading. The boys had a blast when we went this past Wednesday.

With Hope

I'm sad today. My alarm is set to wake me up with music and the first song I heard as I came out of the haze was the song I sang at Morgan's funeral. Two a half years ago baby Morgan went to be with Jesus after three short months of life. Heather, her mom and my good friend, asked me to sing for the service and I remembered a song written by Stephen Curtis Chapman for good friends who had lost a young daughter. The title is "With Hope" and it is based on verses from 1 Thess. 4:13-14 / Heb. 6:9, 10:23.

With Hope
This is not at all

How we thought it was supposed to be

We had so many plans for you

We had so many dreams

And now you've gone away

And left us with the memories of your smile

And nothing we can say

And nothing we can do

Can take away the pain

The pain of losing you, but ...

Chorus:
We can cry with hope

We can say goodbye with hope

'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no

And we can grieve with hope

'Cause we believe with hope

(There's a place by God's grace)

There's a place where we'll see your face again

We'll see your face again

And never have I known

Anything so hard to understand

And never have I questioned more

The wisdom of God's plan

But through the cloud of tears

I see the Father's smile and say well done

And I imagine you

Where you wanted most to be

Seeing all your dreams come true

'Cause now you're home

And now you're free, and ...

We have this hope as an anchor

'Cause we believe that everything

God promised us is true, so ...

We wait with hope

And we ache with hope

We hold on with hope

We let go with hope

When the song ended the radio personality announced the death of Stephen Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter Maria in a tragic accident last week. She was one of three adopted daughters from China and she had celebrated her 5th birthday just 10 days earlier.

The word ironic seems unsuitable, and yet the irony that this song written 10 years earlier would fill a place of mourning in his own life is very present. I grieve for their family and I grieve for Heather as she misses Morgan each day. Yet, we do have hope. Hope for tomorrow, and hope for the day when we will see them face to face again.

Pray for the Chapmans.

Plant Envy

This is my neighbors Peony bush. I hope to plant one in my yard sometime soon! I love peonies because they remind me of my grandmother. She had great big pink, red and white ones in her rock garden. My other neighbor has 7 large bushes and has promised that when he splits them this fall I am welcome to some. I am so excited!

All Tuckered Out

I guess mowing the lawn was just too much for this guy!

Field Day

Trinity Lutheran had their field day for the pre-school and Kindergarten. What a blast! Matthew competed in the 20 yard dash, baby crawl, backwards run, bean bag run, bean bag throw, and water balloon throw. Each child got a ribbon for each event they participated in. It was a little tough trying to watch Matthew and keep Tyler out of trouble. We began and ended the day by playing on the playground and sliding down a giant purple hat. The boys were both tuckered out after all that play. All in all it was a splendid day.

Time for a Haircut?

Matthew had his first hair cut at 18 months and his hair was truly out of control. Tyler has much finer hair so he is already 21 months and hasn't seen the scissors yet, but I think it is about time. I was hoping to wait until his 2nd birthday and have kind of been putting it off because Tyler HATES to be confined and so I am anticipating a bit of a struggle to get him to stay still for a haircut. I might have to go to a professional for the first one.

Mountain Majesty

Our good friends Kirk and Aspen moved to Conifer and though you can't see it very well in this photo, they have a beautiful view of Pike's Peak from their balcony.

What a fun day we had celebrating Nick's first birthday and their recent move to this new house.

Favorite Pasttime

Yes, that's a pet door.
No, we don't have pets, but Tyler loves to watch out the door whenever Steve is in the garage.

He kept running between the garage door where he could peak through the pet door and the front door to look out and see what Steve was doing in the driveway. He'd call out "Daddy, Daddy" and Steve would answer him from the garage. Too cute!

Piano Playing

Garage Time

We got a new grill and the boys were "helping" Daddy put it together. Tyler was inspecting the work.


Matthew took a break for a little air guitar. Steve was playing some of his '70s music.

Beth Moore

My good friend Kym and I took the opportunity to get away for a few hours and attend a Beth Moore conference in Colorado Springs. I'm posting on May 21, but we actually went the first weekend in May.

Beth Moore has incredible energy and zest for life and is very fun to engage with during her talks. It is the first time I had seen her live vs. on a video. She always has great insights from God's word and this conference was no different. Her chosen text was Matthew 16:24-28.

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" vs. 25-27

I don't think I was quite prepared for the intensity of her talks. I'm still chewing on the meat of her insights and pointed challenges.

The highlights included some great conversations and time spent with Kym, the hotel under construction (yes that's sarcasm), and the music at the conference. The powerful voices of the singers and the polished playing of the band were great to listen to and sing with.

Still chewing...

Leggo Mania

Matthew loves playing with leggos. He makes space ships, transformers, and robots. It has been fun to see his creations become more intricate along with his imagination. As I was posting this he went to make aanother "cool" spaceship. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Popsicle Days

Tyler wanted me to "back away" from the popsicle.

Daddy, I love you!

Matthew has taken to sending his Daddy e-mail and has really enjoyed the back and forth messages. I'm his scribe and try to capture his words verbatim. Here is a recent message:

Dear Daddy,

I hope you come home from work soon 'cause I want to see you soon and I want to watch Ninja turtles with you. You're my favorite man that I really love and Daddy I really love transformers. I hope you get me a transformers suit some day. Please e-mail me back. I love you. I like to build sand castles with you. I like you so much that you're my favorite man. And again, I like to build sand castles and I like to build castles out of bricks with you. That I love you, you're good for me and you love me.

Thanks Daddy! I love you so much. Thanks for helping me do the right thing. I love you and you can be my friend. Thanks for being at my birthday in December. Daddy I really love you so much that you're my friend.

From, Matthew

Crazy Faces

Tyler is sooo much like his brother when it comes to putting stuff on his face!

First it's my make-up.

Then it's a mud beard.

Mount Falcon

The boys and I had a fun morning at Mount Falcon.

50 is Nifty!

April 12, 2008 Stephen Gregory VanDewater turned 50!

We went out to dinner at Beso de Arte in Morrison and enjoyed the lights up at Red Rocks. It was great to have a night out to ourselves. It seemed slightly anti-clamactic since we had been talking about the big "5" "0" for so long. But is was a very nice evening.

Thank you Steve for all you do for our family. You show us in so many ways that you love and support me and our children. I love you and look forward to celebrating many more birthdays!

P.S. This was the first time that the 13 years between us sounded strange. To realize that I am still in my 30s and Steve has entered his 50s sounds like Steve really robbed the cradle. What a lucky guy!

Goofy Boy!

Matthew doesn't like to take "normal" pictures anymore. Here are a few examples.

Actually, this one he didn't know I took. He insisted he wear this bandage thingy on his head for his nap.

Playing with the Plasterers

Heather and Lexi.

Sweet kiddos. Tyler and Lexi had fun, but mostly they liked their Moms.

Fun with paint! It was a better idea in my head, but they seemed to enjoy the mess.

Matthew and Zach found that Lions and Tigers make eating so much more fun!

Applesauce Boy

Look familiar? I'm quite sure I have pictures of Matthew doing something like this at about the same age. He decided his hair needed an applesauce treatment.