True Blue

Happy Independence Day from our family to yours! The above pictures were taken at a neighborhood Fourth of July Parade.

Family Fun

Ben, Laura, Jeni, Chloe, Elijah, Joni, and Ryan enjoy a walk in Rhododendron Garden in beautiful Oregon.

Laura and Ryan Wish Mom Congrats!

Click on the pic for video

Congratulations, Joni!

Click the pic above for a special congratulations video from Chloe and Elijah.

Elijah in Tub

Elijah loves his time in the tub as much as any other time. He spends most of it splashing and playing.

Summer Fun (In The Spring)

The following pics were taken at a local city festival. What a beautiful evening?! The kids splashed in the water for hours while lively and soothing bluegrass music played in the background. It was a really simple, yet magical evening. The aformentioned live music courtesy of a band called Elephant Revival...very nice. The pictures were taken on my camera phone, so they are not the greatest.

A Time for Play

Mom, Elijah, Chloe, and Dad

Ahh...Colorado!

As we sit and enjoy our beautiful Spring weather with our 70-degree days, it is fun to remember our frosty situation just a couple of months ago. You've got to love Colorado!

Girl's Best Friend

Here's one for the photo contest! Chloe and Delilah enjoy fields of daisies at the park. (photograph by Scott Wunch)

Chloe's First Dance Recital

(Encore Movie Presentation) Click here to be redirected to the movie.

Tiny Dancer

I was extremely proud of my little girl this night. She is something else!

Two Peas in a Pod

Brother and Sister: what a special bond!

Bath Time

Elijah enjoys a warm, relaxing bath. This is the first and last time he was bathed in the sink (There is just not enough space in the sink for a boy his size).

Brother and Sister

Elijah and Chloe share a squeeze after an egg hunt on Palm Sunday.

There is a lot of love between the two of them.

Good Luck Getting That Stuff Past These Lips

Elijah is now beginning to eat other foods and learning many lessons in the process. It looks like it might be a long road ahead for Elijah and his baby foods. Lessons learned so far: 1. Purse your lips shut as tight as possible so as to prevent any nasty stuff from entering. 2. When Mom tries to insert the spoon anyway, try shaking head back and forth vigorously to avoid the spoon entirely. 3. Don't fall for the old "get-me-to-laugh-so-I-will-open-my-mouth-for-food" trick.

Our Happy BoyAt just over six months, Elijah can sit up by himself. He loves to play, grabbing everything within reach to see what it is. He can also roll over from his tummy to his back.

A Portrait of Beauty

No matter how you paint her, Chloe's portrait is a thing of beauty.

Sleepover

Chloe enjoys a sleepover with friends Chaeli and Bella.

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

The kiddos, with cousin Ethan, try to behave at Grandpa's birthday party.

My Little Cutey

Chloe loves to do all the girly stuff like hair, and nails, and finding something cute to wear.

He is Loved

Our friend from Israel made Elijah this sweater. Thank you Ilana! It keeps him very warm.

Just Like Mom

One of the cutest things Chloe does is imitate her mother. Here she prepares to do her baby's hair with rubber bands pursed between her lips.

Happy New Year!

This new year it is important to reflect on life, to do a little self evaluation, and to realize that there are times in life where things just don't go your way.

It doesn't get much cuter than this...

The Teagues dog, Oscar, entertains Chloe without much effort. This cute little puggle is pretty easy for a little girl to fall in love with.

Momma's Little Guy

It is a special bond between a mother and her son. Here Elijah checks to make sure Daddy doesn't wake Mommy up.

Party Time

Does this look like a mischevious face to you?

Ready for Church

Sometimes getting ready for church with two kids can be quite an adventure, but if we can make it through with smiles I think we've done an OK job.

My Son I can't explain the gift of a son to a father. He has taught me more in just two months about the heart of my heavenly Father than I could ever understand on my own. I pray for him often, I want him to prosper and grow strong, and I have an overwhelming urge to protect him at all costs. I believe these desires come straight from the Ancient of Days, and I imagine His heart toward His children is much the same as what He put in me.

Waiting Patiently For My FoodEvery Since Elijah arrived Chloe has had a little less attention. Here she waits happily while dad gets her breakfast ready.

Father and Son

I love to hang out with my boy in the evenings. We throw on the comfy clothes, kick back, and talk guy stuff.

Go Broncos!

Elijah doesn't know it yet, but he is a huge Denver Broncos fan!

So Happy Together

By now we can't remember what it was like before Elijah joined our family. Every day is an adventure. We are learning to trust in God as He provides all that we need. He is so good!

Buddy Boy

Our little guy loves to play with his momma in the morning before his big sister gets up and starts to pester him. She has many names for Elijah, one of which is "Buddy Boy."

Dad is Proud
It is hard to put into words the joy and honor of having a son. He is healthy and strong, and he is a gift without measure. Elijah is mostly all about mom these days as you might imagine. He is rarely away from her for more than an hour, and he seems to prefer her over everyone else (imagine that). My heart is flooded with love for my growing family. May the God who created the heavens and the earth also bless us with His mercy, His love, and His joy.

Grandma Comes to Town

Grandma tries to keep the little ones entertained. We appreciate all of her help during this time.

Big Sister

Chloe plants one on Elijah and offers him a blankie.

Truly Blessed

Laura and I feel so blessed at this moment. Looking down in your arms at something so beautiful and perfect is one of the greatest joys in life. "Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is His reward." Psalm 127:3

Elijah James is a great blessing.

Little Helper

Chloe is very interested in the details of Baby Brother's dinnertime.

Welcome Home!

Baby Brother was welcomed home with open arms.

Dad, Chloe, and Mom anticipate welcoming our "baby brother" prior to his birth. Chloe calls him "Squishy" (after her beta fish). Mom and I decided on Elijah James. His name means "Jehovah is God" and it expresses beautifully how we feel after his birth.

What a Woman!My beautiful wife never ceases to amaze me. Her strength, her grace, and her beauty were displayed so brilliantly during the birth. I look at her with so much admiration and pride.

We Choose Life and Blessing

"Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive. He shall be blessed on the earth, and he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies."

And in this corner...

...weighing 9 pounds, 11 ounces...

Who would of thought our baby boy would tip the scales at over nine pounds? Dad's guess of 8 pounds, 12 ounces was the closest, but still almost a whole pound off!

Beautiful, Beautiful Boy!

Welcome to the world, baby boy Strait! We've waited so long wondering what you would look like, how big you would be, if you would have hair, and so much more...

We never imagined something so amazing and wonderful!