First haircut!

Before:














After:

4 Years of Marriage

This past year of marriage I have fallen in love with Jen more than I thought I ever would. Year 4 was definitely the big one...the tester of how our marriage would hold up under pressure.

Big events happened over the past year:
- Nolan was born
- My first [partial] year of teaching
- Jen went back to work (even though she wanted to stay home with Nolan)
- I stayed at home with Nolan (even though I wanted to go back to work)
- I was able to work as a long-term sub at the end of the 2010-11 school year (neither of us could stay home with Nolan)
- I accepted a job in Ontario, Oregon, and I was away from Jen and Nolan for 2.5 weeks
- We knew absolutely nobody in this town
- Now, we are starting to settle in and meet people from church

I missed my wife. Those 2.5 weeks of being away from Jen were a BIG deal. After you spend every day with a person for 4 years, being apart seems very lonely. I spent a lot of time thinking about how much Jen means to me. I missed her so much.

I admire my wife. Jen trusted me enough to follow me across the entire state of Oregon, away from friends and family. Go figure...I finally get a full time job, which means she gets to stay home with Nolan...but it's a home in a city foreign to us. She came here and was more supportive to me than I could have ever imagined. And she has even started a new hobby: Couponing! I admire her so much.

I love my wife. Jen is such a servant to me, and she conveys Jesus' love through her actions. She was courageous, moving here, is meeting other moms, and starting to get involved with helping in the nursery at church. I love her so much.

I am extremely thankful for the relationship that we have. However, it could not have happened without all the arguing along the way and Christ's redeeming hand keeping us on a firm foundation. He is our rock and our faithful guide.

Interviewed by Ontario's Newspaper

I was recently interviewed by a reporter from Ontario's local newspaper. It was fun! Click here to read about it.

Peekaboo Boo-boo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MANeOziA-W4

Four new Nolan videos

Here are four new videos of Nolan, since we have been in Ontario. Enjoy!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mahiag5p-qU


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-O0LEvxpVY


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsa0RNdzhlo


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqXZZf0h3o8

Moving to Ontario, Oregon

A week ago, I drove approximately 360 miles and 6.5 hours through the Columbia River Gorge, over the Blue Mountains, and across the dry high desert to the small town of Ontario, Oregon. It is right on the border of Idaho and the last stop on I-84 before crossing over the Snake River. There are only about 12,000 people living in the city, and I accepted an 8th grade math teaching position at their only middle school. I'm pumped!

Ontario Middle School is filled with staff who are so welcoming and willing to help me out. I have had so many people offer me a place to stay, to drive me around, and advice about the town. I have felt nothing but comfort in my new position, and I can't wait to meet my students! There are many positive things that seem to be happening in the district. There is construction on new buildings at the middle school and the high school, so it is clear to me that the kids have people who really care about them.

My home for the past week has been the friendly neighborhood Motel 6. It has been a nice place to relax while searching for a rental in the area. I ended up finding a great place in the north end of Ontario and plan on moving my small pile of belongings in tomorrow. The funny thing is that some of the people from my school have told me that it is the "bad" part of town. With drugs, drive-bys, and stabbings. Stuff like that. My immediate thought was, "Hey! It's just like home in East Portland!" After riding my bike all over the city, it really doesn't seem that bad to me. And besides, I believe that if there is something wrong with a neighborhood, you need to be the change you want to see there (I think that's a quote from somebody famous). I talked to Jen about it and we both like the idea of living in an area where we can be a positive influence, rather than just fleeing to live where nobody is struggling to get by. After just a week of being here, it seems to me that there is a great need in this city. There is a need for unity and integration between neighborhoods and communities. I really hope to help Ontario as a teacher and now as a resident.

My loving wife showed her complete dedication to me by being willing to move across the entire state, away from friends and family to a small town where we know absolutely no one. It has been very difficult being away from her and Nolan, but thankfully due to the internet and the new Google+ Hangouts (see pic), Jen's beautiful smile and Nolan's adorable noises are just a few clicks away on video chat. They will be joining me in just a couple short weeks, and Portland will be in our rear view mirror.

I believe we have a great opportunity to make a difference in the city of Ontario. There are many people here that are hurting, and I hope that God will use the Riedl family in a way that pleases Him.

S-A-H D Lesson #8

Stay-At-Home Dad Lesson #8: I'm done.

I have learned a lot from being at home with Nolan. Living the stay-at-home life for a parent has been an eye-opening experience.

I'm done staying at home full-time. I accepted a job as a math teacher (more details in the next post), and Jen will finally be able to do what she has been wanting to do for a long, long time... to be a stay-at-home mom!

Fitting into our roles is something we have been looking forward to for years. I have always wanted to be the breadwinner of the family, and she has always want to stay at home with our child(ren). It has been very rewarding for me to take care of Nolan as he has grown from a 2-month old when I started caring for him full-time, to a super-crawling 8-month old. I have learned many lessons and I'm glad you were able to read along with me on my journey. I certainly believe that I have a new perspective on what it is like to stay home raising a little human being. The struggles, joys, hardships, and laughter has given me insight about how Jen will be feeling when she begins the same journey.

Below is a quick summary of all of my stay-at-home dad lessons and what I hope to do in my role as a full-time working parent:

Lesson #7: Baby Einstein is ridiculous.

• I plan to spend time with Nolan and play with him, even when I have lots of grading to do at home.

Lesson #6: You learn as you go.

• I plan to be patient with Jen, because I know that she will care for Nolan differently than I did.

Lesson #5: I need a kiss when you get home.

• I plan to kiss Jen immediately (and passionately, haha) when I get home from work.

Lesson #4: The fruit of this labor does not blossom immediately.

• I plan to thank Jen for the hard work she does as often as possible.

Lesson #3: Some days, you just don't feel like taking a shower.

• I plan to tell Jen that she is beautiful. She is beautiful no matter if she has showered or not.

Lesson #2: I need to get out of the house!

• I plan to give Jen opportunities to spend time by herself, with friends, or with us outside our home.

Lesson #1: When your baby is sleeping, do chores as fast as humanly possible!

• I plan to help her with chores around the house as much as I can.

I love you Jen, and I respect you for wanting to stay home with our son. It is admirable, humbling, and exhausting work. I praise God for providing me with a partner who wants the very best for our children, just like I do. You are my Pookie. ;-)