Snowbody loves me...

That's our Christmas in pictures...We hope everyone enjoyed seeing Ben's first! A big thank you to the Niessen family for sharing their home and holiday with us, it will always be a sweet memory of our first child's first Christmas.

We wish you all peace and joy in the New Year, may God bless your family,

Joel, Christine, and Benjamin

On the way home again...is that Daddy or a pack mule?

Nap time with Aunt Saskia

Aunt Saskia and Alisha showing us around by train...

Christmas lights in Venlo.

Daddy and Ben taking a break on Christmas Day...

Its exhausting having so much fun!

My First Christmas Gift! (I liked the wrapping as much as the gifts!)

My first stocking! Thank you Papa Mitchell and Grandma Linda!

Benjamin out and about in Venlo...

Such a good traveler!

Babies don't need mistletoe for kisses!

Benjamin and Alisha sharing toys and laughs...

Daddy and Ben "packin" through Europe...how fun is our life?!

You would think after three falls he would be out for good...

You should see Joel ice skating without "assistance"...

23 December 2005...

Leaving for the Netherlands...Benjamin's first train ride!

"Peek-a-boo 2"

"No! You can't go back to Canada!" - DAD

"Peek-a-boooooooooo!"

"Man am I glad to be home..." "Thanks Great Grandma I love my new blanky"

mummy's definition of "peace"

boy is he growing fast! benjamin's newest accomplishments include:

1. holding his bottle by himself...he still can't pick it up if he drops it, but he looks at it as if he wants to badly!

2. blowing 'raspberries'...too bad i haven't caught this with the camera, it is hilarious.

3. and my personal favorite...screaming! oh yes, this boy can scream in the highest, loudest voice you can imagine...and of course at the most inopportune times.

THANKSGIVING GIFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay so if I got you, make sure and add a comment letting me know. Wow this is a whole new level of the game. Jehu

this is me and my papa mitchell...i think he is great, he is like a big bear, only the nice fuzzy kind that you buy at the toy store...he thinks i'm pretty great too.

me and my new friend

"hey daddy, i love you!" (he thinks he can be heard all the way across that big blue thing...really, you should hear him!)

Down Time With Dad - Man I Miss That Boy

benjamin's favorite toy...a donkey named mr. bunny...long story short...mommy and daddy thought it was a bunny until they were informed of their mistake by another child who has the same donkey...but since benjamin knows his little friend as "mr. bunny" the donkey will just have to deal with his identity confusion. i took this photo right after scream fest 2005...going down for nap is a difficult thing right now...but i guess mr. bunny must help because once he was in ben's arms his screams turned into sniffles, and then finally snores...hallelujah!

Where are my Grandparents?

Now if I could just get a Princess to kiss me...

Ribbit 

is that my bottle?

play time at 5:40am!

Benjamin looking at the kitty cat

ALL THAT REMAINS bet you are all wondering just what that title means...or maybe some of you have figured it out...or it is possible you didn't even read it...whatever your position, i am here to shine some light on the subject. all that remains is referring to our crazy rollercoaster of a life...i really think if our family life was a rollercoaster it would be the kind that little kids lined up for and then had to take the 'chicken ramp' back down after waiting in that long line...once they saw the white faces and finger nail markings on mummy's and daddy's arms they would know this rides not for the faint of heart. okay, so maybe that is a little extreme...but it sure feels that way sometimes! i am sure you can all relate...the workload, the decisions to make, the heartache and difficulties that you deal with daily, all mixed in with the daily grind of being new parents and an ocean away from friends and family...yep, that is how it would seem, that scary rollercoaster that you just don't want to get on. but that is only one way to look at it, and while it may be the more realistic outlook at times, it isn't the one we have chosen for our lives, our marriage, or our son. all that remains is pretty simple, when life gets too tough, you've slept 2 hours and have to be at work ten minutes ago, when you are so tired that you argue about whether or not the baby is wearing socks just because you are too tired and not because it matters if he is wearing socks at all....thats when we know that all that remains is love. our lives revolve around it, we are constantly brought back to it again and again...it is so simple what we are doing here. the immeasurable love that god has for us, the love that he has put us here to show to others, our precious and ever-changing love for each other, the amazing love we have for our son, the love and support we feel from our family and friends all the way across that ocean...that is all that remains. don't forget it. because all the other stuff, really, does it matter?

Anyone out there watch the TV show Lost? I have to admit that I don't normally become addicted to a TV Show but I believe Lost has some good potential. If you do watch the show it really makes me wonder, what character do I identify with? As I look around I have started swithing people that I know for characters in the show. As time on the island progresses how would people change? How would the lonelyness and isolation affect those that you know? Well anyways its not like any of us are going to be trapped on a haunted island anytime soon... If you dont watch the show here is the hyperlink to ABCs' site. http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/

My Son 

Smile 

Baby Boy Benjamin