I survived (sort of)

Well students are officially done for the spring semester at PCC. Most of them will be returning for summer semester in a few weeks. I have survived my first year teaching full time nursing. It certainly wasn't without it's bumps or challenges (one or two that may not be over yet), but all in all it was a good year. I learned a lot and hopefully taught a lot to the students. I attended graduation on Friday and Pinning for our Canon City group on Saturday. Pinning for the Pueblo students is the 18th of this month. I am looking forward to teaching again this summer, and will be working on preparing for that course in the coming weeks. Grades are due Monday and faculty development are Tuesday and Wednesday of this next week. We'll also meet several times throughout the summer to discuss course development and make sure all three campuses are on the same page.

Gabe still has school until the end of the month. Kerry is teaching for another week and then I'll go back and we'll finish up the body (I think). They had a parent meeting the other night to discuss our options as a school. I think the parents who are there all the time are getting burnt out. They decided that we will try to fund raise like crazy this summer and attempt to go tuition free next year. They also talked about shortening the week, but lengthening the days. So, if we return Gabe will go Tues, Wed, and Thurs. from 0800 to 4pm. Kerry would have to volunteer one whole day a week, which probably wouldn't be a problem the first semester, but second semester would be harder with a new baby. Also, I'm not crazy about having a baby around a school full of kids during cold and flu season. We're going to pray about it and try to raise money this summer and see what happens. Our other option is for Kerry and I to homeschool the boys, or send Gabe to public school. We're not really even considering the last option at this point. Please pray that a clear answer will make itself known to us.

The boys are doing well otherwise. Enjoying the nicer weather outside these days. Otto has been going with Kerry when he teaches. Otto then spends his time in Gabe's classroom with the older kids and really likes it. I think he talks more than Gabe and has a little more attitude, but seems to do well.

Okay so prepare yourself for some news you're not going to believe...Ready?.... Kerry and I (Kerry!) sang in a mixed quartet this morning in church! He did a great job. We sang with another couple Ruth and Jude. Ruth teaches nursing at CSU-Pueblo (our "rival" not really, nursing school) and Jude teaches engineering there. I kind of agreed to sing before Kerry could object, but we sang Rock of Ages and it sounded really good. Kerry had to sing tenor, which was a little different for him, but he did good. :) So Mom Rosfeld, if you can find an alto and baritone to sing you might be able to convince him to sing once when we come home.

Kerry started his classes this week. Just one for this spring so he can work up in the mountains with Grandpa, but I think he'll enjoy the class. He's going to take 1 more class later on this summer and then will take 4 in fall.

Pastor Craig asked Kerry and I to go to a church leadership conference in St. Louis this summer. I wont' be able to go, but Kerry might in June. We'd have to pay for the flight and hotel (which could get expensive) and the church will pay for the cost of the registration fee. If we can afford it he'll probably go. It'd be a good conference for him to attend with Pastor Craig so we'll see. I'd like to go too, but I have to teach two out of the 3 days the conference is going on so it probably wouldn't work, unless I can find someone to sub for me. We'll see though, that would also double our cost to go.

I think that's about all that's been happening at our house the last week. We love you all and can't wait to see you at the end of the month.

--Erin

Share Colorado Today

SHARE Colorado today was a success! We only had 4 orders total, but it was a good way to start out.
We went to see my cousin Maggie play softball this afternoon. It was very windy and kind of cool, but the boys had fun and so did we. They won their first tournament game so they were happy. She is the oldest on the team, most of her team members are 7th and 8th graders and she's a Freshman so she has to show a lot of leadership.
It's supposed to get down to 24 tonight, so it's going to feel like winter for a little while tomorrow morning. Parts of the mountains are getting snow this afternoon and evening.
I'm working on my last lecture for the semester and will be writing finals this week. I also have careplans to finish grading and evaluations to do this weekend. I'll actually probably work on them tomorrow for a while and then I'm going to Canon City to a "farewell" party for one of our facult members who is quitting after this semester.
We hope to talk to you all soon.
--Erin

End of week

Hello All!
One week down, One to go (until graduation)! I must admit I'm ready for summer break, eventhough I'll be teaching most of it. I'm looking forward to it though as I'll be teaching high risk OB/Peds to our part time students. I've been writing finals this week and finishing up paperwork. Grading careplans! Whoa! There's no easy way to do it (or quick). Lots of reading and marking and whew! I've also been doing some tutoring to help students get ready for finals.
My office is a mess, which drives me crazy. I hate working in a mess, but there's no other way to do it. I have to make a pile here and a pile there. I have one more clinical day, next Wednesday in first year OB. That means one more morning of getting up at 0430, I'm so not a morning person.

Gabe had a field trip today to the Children's Museum and Sangre De Cristo art center. Otto, Dad and I got to tag along. It was pretty interesting and fun. The kids got to watch a clay bowl be made and then make birds that will be fired and sent to the school for them to bring home. Gabe was quite the artist and put a lot of effort into detail and wings on his bird. Otto did pretty good too, but instead of "pressing gently" with the knife to create texture, ended up "stabbing" the little guy. :) It was still cute. I'll try to post some pictures of the adventure yet this weekend.

Kerry is going to be starting classes this next week and we have our first SHARE Colorado distribution this weekend. We don't have too many orders, but they assure us that it takes a little while to build up our distribution list.

The weather is really warming up and it's starting to feel like spring and early summer here. Which means we're having to water the lawn more. We've had someone out here to fix the sprinkler system because not everything getting wet, and you can tell. Kerry isn't fond of standing out there with a hose to water either.

We hope everyone has a great weekend!

Love you all.--Erin

Baby pictures

Our new niece!

Adalynn Grace Lehrman


Hello all!
We had a wonderful weekend visiting our new niece in Kansas this weekend. Adalynn is adorable! I wasn't feeling well, but holding a new baby seemed to help a little. :)

We had another appointment today for our baby. We had a sonogram and I'm also posting pictures of our little bean as well. Only one baby in there. The doctor printing some extra pictures for the boys as well so they can have one to show off. We've never had a sonogram this early, so it was exciting to see his/her heart beating. We could also see him/her moving around. It was so cool to see it wiggle and bend. The boys thought it was pretty cool too, although I'm not sure Otto knew what he was looking at. Other than that everything else looked fine.

The weather here today was pretty nice. A little breezy, but not too bad. I go back to work tomorrow. Hopefully my medicine will still be working and I won't be so sick. The boys are "working" outside this afternoon.

Have a great week! We'll post some more later this week. Only two more to go until graduation!

--Erin

Our little bean

If you look closely, you can see the little arm and leg "nubbins" in the top picture.

We have a new niece

Adalynn Grace Lehrman made her appearance late last night. She weighed 9 lbs 9 1/2 oz and was 19 inches long. Jenna had a long labor and eventually a c-section under general anesthesia. They are recovering today. Luke is doing fine although he is disappointed that he was unable to be with Jenna during the surgery. They all three are tired. We may be heading back this weekend to see the new baby as it will be a little while before we could come back again.

I will post pictures a little later when I get them by email. We love you all and thank you for your prayers and thoughts.

--Erin

They're here!

My grandparents made it here safely this afternoon. The boys didn't get a nap this afternoon because they were so excited. Kerry grilled hamburgers for supper and then we made strawberry shortcake for desert! It was great.

I'm adding some pictures of Gabe's new bruise and broken nose. He's doing better, but looks pretty rough. :)

It's supposed to warm up this weekend and this next week. It'll be nice to be able to get outside with the boys, although it means more yard work too. Hopefully we'll have some nice days and be able to look at some potential houses. We're hoping to move this summer because we'll be needing a bigger house and our rent is going up. We'd like to sell our house in Kansas and then buy one here.

We're hoping everything is going well for everyone. We love you all. Have a great weekend!

Broken nose

Gabe had his first trip to the ER this week on Wednesday. He fell off the couch and hit his nose on the coffee table. They are pretty sure it's broken, but it looks like it will heal on its own. He's very swollen and bruised today. He stayed home from school yesterday, but went today. We've been giving him ibuprofen and tylenol to try to keep him comfortable. I'll try to post a picture of my bruiser later today.

Things otherwise are going pretty well. I actually have this weekend off, which I'm thankful for. I feel like I've been running on fumes this last week. My grandparents are going to be here tomorrow. We were hoping Jenna would go into labor this week so we could make a quick run back to Kansas to see a new baby. We're still thinking of you Jenna and sending labor vibes this week. :)

I'm enjoying the delights of morning sickness. I've been much sicker this time than with the boys. I have been taking some medicine, but it doesn't seem to be terribly effective. I count it a small victory when meals stay down longer than 30 minutes. So very worth it though. I have my next appointment on the 21st.

Kerry is teaching the kids at Gabe's school about rockets this week and seems to be enjoying it. It's starting to warm up here this week. We had snow yesterday, but it was just a dusting and gone by afternoon time. It's supposed to be up to 80 on Tuesday this next week.

We love you all and hope things are going well. Have a great weekend!