the summer at a glance

I am a little nervous the child growing within me is going to be big. I'm only 26 weeks and he's kicking up a storm and growing like crazy. I have an appointment on Monday and while there I will ask the question, "Is he going to be a giant?" Not that anything would be wrong with a giant...I just don't know if I'll be able to birth one naturally.

Ladies at the store keep making comments. "Are you trying to sneak out an extra watermelon under there?" or "When are you due?" (and after I tell them.) "WOW. He is going to be BIG."

However big he may be, he be welcomed. and joyfully. We can't wait. 94 days to go!



This summer I spent watching my nephews and niece up at a camp. It was hard work, but full of rewards as you'll see in these next pictures.

I had no idea she was sticking her finger up her nose in this picture. How cute is that?

Maggie also came to help me out for a couple days. They loved her!

"Hi Jack!" He kept saying. After we went outside for a walk he came back in and said, "Is Jack tired?" I thought about the question for a second and then promptly responded with, "Yes, he is!"
Ethan

And the newest addition--Dominic! (He's Ethan's little brother) Isn't he cute?
Nolan kept saying "cheeeeeese" the entire time I took this picture.
I just love these kids. It's hard to believe that I've watched these kids since they were this little...
and I can hardly believe John will soon be doing this with our own little guy... Crazy how fast time flies.
Kate also came for a quick visit! She was on a road trip with two of her dear friends and could only stay for a little over 24 hours. Oh, what a dear 24 hours those were. She is greatly missed.

So there is the summer at a glance...thus far anyway.

The summer thus far has been busy. It's good to be busy when it makes time past quickly, but not so good to be busy when it makes you tired all the time.

I have had enough time, however, to discover the beauty and wonder of pandora. It's my new obsession. Favorite station thus far? Regina Spektor has been great fun.

Ideas are swimming around our heads about what to name our little guy and how to build his little fort (his room, actually.) There's still time, so I don't feel the pressure just yet.



Our kiddo is indeed growing...and kicking and rolling and dancing. It's been delightful.

He's getting bigger, that little guy...

A morning walk...John loves the mornings. (or not.)






Just a few ideas we have for our little nursery. It's still coming together, but I told Rachel I'd post what we've come up with.

It's a BOY!

(and that's his profile, not proof that he's a boy. I felt that might be a little too much. ;)

Still in a bit of shock, yet wildly excited, we can't wait until November to meet our little guy. John was so convinced it was a girl so it was pretty funny to see the obvious in the ultrasound on Tuesday.
"A boy. Most definitely a boy. Don't you see his junk?" The technician asked. We all laughed--uncontrollably and for a while.
We're still thinking of names, though we have a favorite. In due time...

This is what our kiddo would look like if we could put a camera inside and snap a picture--isn't that amazing?
...The bump keeps growing, which is a blessing in itself. He kicks often for both of us to know he's there. Like we could forget. Or would want to.

at 20 weeks


On another note, I had a great dream last night. I was back at Capernwray (where I went to Bible School) and it was like a ten year reunion or something. Everyone that we went to school with was there--including extras. The school had done a remodel and had somehow grown another two stories. It was pretty much like Hogwarts, come to think of it. A lot like it. Someone told me in the hall that there was even a detached wing called "Enchanted." I saw old friends and gave hugs and had some laughs. I saw my friend Kate and she quickly reported that her entire suitcase had "exploded" on it's trip up the stairs. Literally. How a suitcase explodes, I don't know. I then saw Sharelle who was giving someone a big hug and I immediatly wanted to go and hug her myself. Another friend Irena was there (on a beach that the school had recently added, it was awesome! ) with her daughter and we chatted for a while. What an incredible adventure. To say the least, I was very disapointed when I awoke to discover it was all just a dream. It started my day well, though.

This one is for you, Rach

As a neglectful crony (sorry Rach, here are the promised pictures.) I have failed to reveal the fact that we are expecting our first little blessing and miracle on November 3, 2009. It's true. We are taking the leap. Scared? Yes, a bit. Glad that the first trimester is over and I can once again eat things without feeling like I'm going to puke? DEFINITELY.

We had a miscarriage in August so we really wanted to make sure things were going well before we told people. Praise God things are going good. Although this has been a heart wrenching, faith stretching experience it has been a good one.

So, here we are 16 weeks into the adventure.

I had to add this picture in here because it's too hilarious. There are birds nesting in the house next to ours and John can hardly stand it. He goes out there about five times after he gets home to shoot down the birds with a BB gun. He's killed one and injured three others. I try to convince him to stop, but he's adamant. I couldn't help myself when he was in the middle of getting and went outside to go get one last shot. He deserved this picture, I say, and as soon as I said, "Don't move." He rushed inside yelling, "Wait, let me change first!" But that was the best part! He is great. And ready to be a dad. I think. I hope. No, he is. :) ;)

By the way, I had these chocolates a couple of weeks ago and they. were. A-MAZING. Extra creamy, milk chocolate, with toffee and almonds. Basically, it's a cheaper version of a Toblerone bar.

Last, but not least, it's been thunder storming these last couple of days and it has been glorious.

I love the smell of Arizona rain.

blogworthy material:

My brother's band just released their first CD on universal records. I am so excited for them. They've worked so hard and it was so fun to see them rollingstone.com and on itunes new and noteworthy.
If you want, you can buy their new album on itunes

or visit them
here

or See their video
HERE

or merely just revel in the joy with me. :)
What a good way to start the day!

5 Things That Are Embarrassing to Admit, but Not Too Embarrassing To Post About

1. I love High School Musical. In fact, I find myself belting out the tunes in my car just for the fun of it. I also dragged John to see the 3rd one at the drive-in.

2. I was/am a major Hanson groupie. Still would be if they ever played a show west of Oklahoma.

3. I love to dance and occasionally my sister and I will dance for hours in her room, one time it was to learn the steps to a High School Musical song...

4. I love the show Reba. Reruns are on Lifetime and I just think that show is hilarious. I have no idea why, but I choke up during the theme song.

5. I love to listen to Christmas music year round. Like right now. That's not really embarrassing, but not necessarily normal.

Food For Thought

From Dr. Dale Robbins:
“A number of years ago, Dr. David H. Fink, a psychiatrist for the veterans administration, wrote an article for Coronet Magazine, entitled, “Release from Nervous Tension.” In his article, he outlined his research into the causes of mental and emotional disturbances.
“From over 10,000 case studies, he discovered that there was a common trait with all his patients who suffered from severe tension. They were habitual fault-finders, constant critics of people and things around them. Those who were free from tension, were the least critical. His conclusions were that the habit of fault-finding is a prelude or mark of the nervous, or the mentally unbalanced. Those who wish to retain good emotional and mental health, should learn to free themselves from a negative and critical attitude."

This quote stuck with me for a while.

let me tell you about my dream...

For those of you who don't read this blog, you might not know what I'm talking about.

There's this blog that I have been following about a young family from Mesa. The mother of four young children and her husband were in a terrible plane accident and here both badly burned. I read about it for the first time in a newspaper at the bank. It was a pretty sad story, but miraculously they both survived. I have shed a couple of tears over these strangers merely by looking through their blog. The couple are recovering and have moved to Utah with their four little ones. Well, a few weeks ago I was driving with John and suddenly it hit me,

"What if the whole blog is made up? Like, what if some mom craving a popular blog came up with this big bowl of drama to write about and created it out of thin air?" It's not unheard of and honestly, I think I would appreciate it as a well-done creative idea.
Kind of twisted, right?

Yesterday she posted pictures from Easter and I felt kind of bad. She sure is still recovering and so is her husband. "They still could have photo shopped it!" said my husband last night.
No, no...in fact, I think it really did happen.

I had a dream last night that I actually prayed and asked forgiveness for doubting the blog.
Hahaha. A BLOG.

Oh well, guess I'll just have to hold onto that creative idea and save it for a rainy day......or not.

This idea was stolen, respectfully, from my dear friend Spiro's blog this morning.
I liked the idea so much I had to give it a go myself. So here we have it...

Top 5 Scenes that Get me Every Time...

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

After telling John about this post he commented on how there should also be Top 5 Scenes that Make You Laugh....not a bad idea.

Well Hello there 'ol Blog...

It's been entirely too long.

It's spring...and along with the spring brought visits from dear friends...

...and healthy doses of Christmas music in March ie I just discovered the radio option in iTunes and found I can listen to a great variety of Christmas music without commercials! I can't wait for Christmas!

Well, I must not be the only one because Prescott is expecting snow showers on Saturday.

That's all really. More to come...

ps.
neil diamond should not do Christmas albums ever again.

Today my husband and I shared tea with a woman who was in her late eighties. Her voice is unsteady when she speaks, but her eyes sparkle like she's seventeen. The same seventeen dark haired, green eyed beauty who met her husband at a church youth camp.

During my afternoon with Ruth she reminisced about the days when her husband was alive. In fact, George seemed to find his way into nearly every conversation we had. While we drank tea she talked about many people she and George had fed over the years. When we walked around her family room she pointed out George's favorite recliner that he used to sit in. Her husband may be gone, but he was as alive as ever in her heart. There were notes posted around the apartment to remind Ruth to keep going. To persevere in the midst of the pain and loss. Her day was scheduled out so she wouldn't get lonely. She refused to let us help her with the dishes because it gave her something to look forward to.

I couldn't help but feel like I was on the verge of tears the whole time we were with her. She seemed so content and at peace with life and how things had ended up. It wasn't until about halfway through our time that she spoke with great effort, "I always hoped I would be taken Home the same time as George, but I guess God has a reason to leave me here for a while longer. I believe to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord so that's why I'd like to be cremated." I wasn't sure what to say. Do I nod and agree, as if I have thought about being buried or cremated? Do I give her a sympathetic look or do I smile because she's smiling, anxious as ever to be with the Lord and reunite with the love of her life. I decided to smile and try to understand. She then, with a smile, asked John if he knew of a crematory in town.

The rest of the afternoon she showed us pictures and every special artifact in the home. Her husband's high chair when he was a baby, a frame her father-in-law had made for her and a chest of drawers they were given for a wedding gift back in 1940. Near the end of our visit she pulled out a collage of pictures her granddaughter made for her husband's memorial. We followed her through a lifetime with her husband. She reveled in the past for a few minutes, reflecting on how beautiful she once was. She told us about how George died and while he was on his deathbed she took his hand and said, "George, I'm going to put your hand in Jesus' hand now." He took three deep breaths and was gone. She sighed, muttered a small "Yes." and began a new story.

I couldn't help but wonder how she's done it? How to say goodbye? How to watch your friends die and perhaps your lover? Your husband and best friend? How would you say goodbye?

The whole time all I could hear was a song Sara Groves sings meeting a similar lady.

"She lost her husband after sixty years,
and as he slipped away she still had things to say.
Death can be so inconvenient.
You try to live and love. It comes and interrupts.
And what do I know? What do I know?

I don't know that there are harps in heaven,
Or the process for earning your wings.
I don't know of bright lights at the ends of tunnels,
Or any of those things.

But I know to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord,
and from what I know of him, that must be pretty good.
Oh, I know to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord,
and from what I know of him, that must be very good."

All I know is that when that time comes I hope to be as strong as Ruth.

these last few months...

So much has happened.
My head is still spinning a bit...

I witnessed the marriage of my crony and her beloved...
had a reunion with dear pals...
went to leslie's halloween party...

decked out in goodwill finds...

Saw ben folds live...front row...best concert i've been to...

said goodbye to my days of nannying my nephews and niece. aren't they adorable?
We watched as God opened doors and led us to Prescott. In God's divine timing (and to our surprise) John was asked to become the Pastor of a church there. In such a short time our whole lives changed. What a great reminder that God's ways are so not ours.

So, we said goodbye to the home we've lived in for the last year...

and welcomed the winter weather in prescott as well as enjoyed the court house lighting.
Here we are in the cutest little cottage in all of Arizona, embarking on a new adventure in life...


simply resting in Him.
to live is an awfully big adventure.